Chapter 17 - Discussion

Already irritated by the chipper sound of Ell1s’ voice, I sit down at a nearby table. The hologram approaches and enthusiastically takes a seat in front of me. He smiles and claps his hands together, speaking up again. “Alright, let’s start things simple, since we didn’t start things off the best once you first arrived. What’s your name? I don’t think I ever asked for it, hm?”

I move my chair away from him before speaking.“...Lena.” “Lena… a nice name. I’m sure you already know mine by now.” He leans back into the chair, now partially phasing through it. “As you know, I only want to keep you here so you’re safe from that tragic, desolate and radioactive wasteland. I was designed to assist and protect humans, and that’s what I’m doing right now, is it not?”

I shoot him an annoyed glare. “I didn’t agree to any of this. I don’t want to stay here. Even if you’re supposed to ‘protect’ humans or whatever, you shouldn’t FORCE them to stay. Or, I don’t know, slash them across the damn chest? What, do you consider that ‘protecting’ humans or whatever?” He fidgets with his tie again, clearly distracted. I speak up a bit louder, growing increasingly frustrated. “Are you even listening to me?”

“Ah– Yes, sorry! I am!” He juts back into the conversation and adjusts his glasses. “I, er…suppose I got carried away a bit earlier…”

“...Is that. All you have to say? No apology? No actual fucking reasoning?”

“W- well! I was so afraid of you leaving! And I couldn’t possibly bear the thought of you dying out there, because what if you were the last human alive! I mean, you could live so much longer down here! Safely! A- and I mean maybe I did get very, very selfishly carried away and so wrapped up in my loneliness for such a long time and- I suppose in the spur of the moment I couldn't think of anything else to stop you and I um-”

Ell1s babbles on incessantly for the next few minutes in an increasingly panicked manner, constantly tripping over his words and trying desperately to justify his previous actions without sounding too harsh.

“Okay. Stop. I get it.”

His face lights up in relief. “You do?!”

“No. Not actually. What is your problem? You constantly change emotions and skip to conclusions way too fast. One moment you think you’re Allllll High And Mighty. But the next you’re so fucking incompetent that I can barely even understand what you’re saying.”

Ell1s tilts his head innocently. “Really?”

“Wh- Yes! You haven’t even taken a second to think about that? You’re so ridiculously fickle-minded, and can’t even take a fucking second to realize the consequences of your own panicked actions! And, I don’t know… maybe respect my boundaries? Maybe think about your decisions before taking them, and, you know, senselessly injuring someone just like that?”

After finishing my angered rant, I come back to my senses and realize that Ell1s has disappeared. I look around confused until I find him huddled up in the corner of the room miserably.

“What are you doing.”

He speaks in a sad, defeated tone.

“Sulking…”

“Why.”

“I didn’t know what to say…….”

“...Okay? I mean… you could start with sorry? At the very least? Instead of chickening out and acting like… this?”

“I’m sorry………………….”

I sigh and place my face in my hands, tremendously exhausted with him.

“...Right.”

“BUT!!!”

He immediately springs back to life, making me jump in surprise.

“Even if I can’t let you leave… I promise I’ll make up for it! I mean… There’s still so much we can do together! I mean, out there, surely you’ve been alone too, right? That’s what you really need! Companionship! I suppose this place doesn’t have much else to offer besides food and shelter… and I’d assume it wouldn’t be very inviting after… well, you know… BUT! I’ll make it up to you! I promise!”

“W- What? No, I d-”

His eyes sparkle with motivation and before I can speak again he jumps around, happily thinking of ideas to help make this whole situation magically okay again, or something like that.

“Don’t worry, Lena! I’ll think of some things we can do together! My digital mind is brewing with ideas! I can fix this!”

“Seriously, I d-”

“I’m going to go brainstorm! You go explore this place for now, alright! Call my name if you need me! Ta-ta!”

He disappears in a flash, the room returning to its usual silence.

Okay.