Part 4
No place like home
***
Letting out a tired yawn, she opened her eyes to take in a hospital room.
When her still half asleep brain processed what she saw, she sat bolt upright. She reached down and clutched the bedsheets, grabbing her right leg to check it was still there.
It was.
Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she slowly turned to see Seraph giving her a worried look. “It's okay now, Neph, we got you o-”
She interrupted him by wrapping her arms around him. This was real, please say it was real. She thought as she felt her whole body begin to shiver.
“It's okay, now.” He murmured, hugging her back. “You're safe now.””
She took a shuddering breath between sobs as he stroked her hair, earning a weak chuckle. “Look at me... like a scared little kid.” She whispered.
He kept hugging her till she managed to her herself under control, taking a deep breath, she sat up and wiped her eyes. “How... how long was I gone?”
“You were kidnapped a week ago, why?”
She blinked slowly. “A week? But...I was gone for months, wasn't I?”
There was a beep as Seraph pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to her. “I think he can explain better.”
She took the device and gave it a curious look before it came to life, a small green hologram appearing in front of her. “Hello Neph, it is good to see you have awakened.”
“Delta?” She asked, one hand darting to the back of her neck, feeling for her data jack. “What the hell are you doing in a data pad?”
“To aid in your escape, I downloaded myself from your cyber gear and into the systems of your captors. A side effect is that this was a one way only trip. In order to take control of their systems, I had to edit my own code, leaving me too bloated and corrupted to return.”
“So... you're stuck?”
“I would not word it as such. Originally, my growth was limited due to the fact I shared your mind with not only yourself, but the Omega AI. As a result, I was unable to grow without risk of damaging either of you.” He moved slightly, giving the impression of walking while staying stationary. “But now, I am able to learn and grow without fear of hurting you.”
Looking to Seraph, she cleared her throat. “Um, can I talk to Delta... privately?”
He nodded and stood up. “I'll be outside with your sisters and Light, just give me a shout if you need anything.”
As the door closed behind him, she placed Delta’s projection on her lap and took a deep breath. Exhaling, she spoke. “So for me, what felt like six months, was only a week in the real world?”
The green hologram nodded. “Correct.”
“Why?”
“To put it simply, your perception of time was altered to make the scenario you were placed in more believable. Would you not agree that if only a week had passed, you would not have been so taken with it?”
“I guess that makes sense...”
“There is something else on your mind, isn't there?”
She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. “Lots of them. Why was it so cheery, but then suddenly started to fall apart? What was with the Tish in it? And...is the Omega really gone?”
Delta’s image sat down and tilted its head. “To answer in order. First, the world was meant to be perfect, so that when it started to fall apart, it would hurt you. I believe your captor might have had strong sadistic tendencies. Secondly, the digital Tish was biased off what you wished she was like, a loving mother that wanted you safe. Her image towards the end became based off your fears of her. As for the final question.” the Delta paused. “I am afraid the Omega AI is no more. It sacrificed itself to protect you and in turn, give you the motivation and will to break free.”
“So...it's gone then?”
“In human terms, the Omega has died.”
“And you can't come back...” the weight of effectively losing two parts of herself started to sink in.
The Delta looked up, extending a holographic hand to rest on hers. “It was going to happen sooner or later. We were placed in your mind to act as your moral compasses, but nothing so questionable as good and evil. We were Logic and Emotion, Law and Chaos...or if you prefer this analogy, I am Harmony, and the Omega was Discord.”
Smiling softly, she looked down at him. “So what is going to happen to you now?”
“I have asked that my new systems be placed in your apartment if you do not mind. While I am no longer needed, I have grown to enjoy the conversation we had and now people will not give you funny looks when you talk to yourself.”
“Was...was that a joke?”
The AI smiled. “See, I am already learning.”
* * *
Neph looked out the window at the setting sun and smiled. Assorted presents surrounded her bed, ranging from chocolates, to get well cards, to a few plushies, and finally her biggest surprise, some flowers from Light. Normally she wouldn't care about such things, as they always seemed too girly. But today, she didn't mind.
Deciding to read for a bit, she reached to the night stand to grab a book her father had given her. However, she paused as the door once again opened and much to her surprise, Tish walked in. The shorter woman walked to the bed. Her face was oddly neutral, her eyes missing the usual sign of distrust Neph had grown used to seeing.
Quirking an eyebrow, she tilted her head. “You know, Tish.” she started. “Your sort of the last person I expected to see here.”
Tish shrugged. “Seraph said I should.”
She blinked. “Wait, he wanted you, Tish, to talk to me, Neph? A woman you could trust as far as you could throw?”
“Well, that and he gave me a copy of the file your AI wrote. A summary about what happened in the dream...thing.”
“Oh...so...you saw that...” She trailed off, feeling faintly embarrassed. It was as if Tish had just caught her with a porno or something.
“Yeah, Seraph made me read it, then said I should talk to you. So, first things first. Why the fuck do I come off as some after school special in it?”
“Well...” Neph sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. “Um...it was meant to be based off what I thought would be a perfect world....and the only real experience I have had with “loving mother figures” is what I saw on TV. So um...yeah.” She could feel Tish's eyes on her. “Sorry if you are offended...”
“Not offended, just...weirded out really. The idea of me so nice was...”
“Fucked up?”
“That works.”
They sat there in silence for a bit before Neph spoke up again. “I guess, wanting a mother figure so badly, I didn't really care what I got, as long as it loved me.”
Tish shifted awkwardly. “You really want that?”
Chuckling, she lightly punched the shorter woman in the arm. “It be nice, but I got by pretty well without a mom so far...that and well...”
“Yes?”
“You look younger than me, so it be freaky.”
Tish blinked slowly. “Age? You are shitting me, right?”
She paused, before breaking into a large grin. “Yeaaaaaah.”
“You little brat!” Tish slapped Neph up the back of the head with a slight chuckle.
“Hey Tish?”
“Yeah?”
She twiddled her thumbs for a few seconds. “I doubt we would ever look at each other as family, even if you do say yes to the Old Man’s proposal....how about friends then?”
She sat there for a while, Neph trying to read her face. Eventually Tish spoke. “I guess I can give that a try.”
“Thanks, Tish.”
* * *
No place like home
***
Letting out a tired yawn, she opened her eyes to take in a hospital room.
When her still half asleep brain processed what she saw, she sat bolt upright. She reached down and clutched the bedsheets, grabbing her right leg to check it was still there.
It was.
Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she slowly turned to see Seraph giving her a worried look. “It's okay now, Neph, we got you o-”
She interrupted him by wrapping her arms around him. This was real, please say it was real. She thought as she felt her whole body begin to shiver.
“It's okay, now.” He murmured, hugging her back. “You're safe now.””
She took a shuddering breath between sobs as he stroked her hair, earning a weak chuckle. “Look at me... like a scared little kid.” She whispered.
He kept hugging her till she managed to her herself under control, taking a deep breath, she sat up and wiped her eyes. “How... how long was I gone?”
“You were kidnapped a week ago, why?”
She blinked slowly. “A week? But...I was gone for months, wasn't I?”
There was a beep as Seraph pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to her. “I think he can explain better.”
She took the device and gave it a curious look before it came to life, a small green hologram appearing in front of her. “Hello Neph, it is good to see you have awakened.”
“Delta?” She asked, one hand darting to the back of her neck, feeling for her data jack. “What the hell are you doing in a data pad?”
“To aid in your escape, I downloaded myself from your cyber gear and into the systems of your captors. A side effect is that this was a one way only trip. In order to take control of their systems, I had to edit my own code, leaving me too bloated and corrupted to return.”
“So... you're stuck?”
“I would not word it as such. Originally, my growth was limited due to the fact I shared your mind with not only yourself, but the Omega AI. As a result, I was unable to grow without risk of damaging either of you.” He moved slightly, giving the impression of walking while staying stationary. “But now, I am able to learn and grow without fear of hurting you.”
Looking to Seraph, she cleared her throat. “Um, can I talk to Delta... privately?”
He nodded and stood up. “I'll be outside with your sisters and Light, just give me a shout if you need anything.”
As the door closed behind him, she placed Delta’s projection on her lap and took a deep breath. Exhaling, she spoke. “So for me, what felt like six months, was only a week in the real world?”
The green hologram nodded. “Correct.”
“Why?”
“To put it simply, your perception of time was altered to make the scenario you were placed in more believable. Would you not agree that if only a week had passed, you would not have been so taken with it?”
“I guess that makes sense...”
“There is something else on your mind, isn't there?”
She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. “Lots of them. Why was it so cheery, but then suddenly started to fall apart? What was with the Tish in it? And...is the Omega really gone?”
Delta’s image sat down and tilted its head. “To answer in order. First, the world was meant to be perfect, so that when it started to fall apart, it would hurt you. I believe your captor might have had strong sadistic tendencies. Secondly, the digital Tish was biased off what you wished she was like, a loving mother that wanted you safe. Her image towards the end became based off your fears of her. As for the final question.” the Delta paused. “I am afraid the Omega AI is no more. It sacrificed itself to protect you and in turn, give you the motivation and will to break free.”
“So...it's gone then?”
“In human terms, the Omega has died.”
“And you can't come back...” the weight of effectively losing two parts of herself started to sink in.
The Delta looked up, extending a holographic hand to rest on hers. “It was going to happen sooner or later. We were placed in your mind to act as your moral compasses, but nothing so questionable as good and evil. We were Logic and Emotion, Law and Chaos...or if you prefer this analogy, I am Harmony, and the Omega was Discord.”
Smiling softly, she looked down at him. “So what is going to happen to you now?”
“I have asked that my new systems be placed in your apartment if you do not mind. While I am no longer needed, I have grown to enjoy the conversation we had and now people will not give you funny looks when you talk to yourself.”
“Was...was that a joke?”
The AI smiled. “See, I am already learning.”
* * *
Neph looked out the window at the setting sun and smiled. Assorted presents surrounded her bed, ranging from chocolates, to get well cards, to a few plushies, and finally her biggest surprise, some flowers from Light. Normally she wouldn't care about such things, as they always seemed too girly. But today, she didn't mind.
Deciding to read for a bit, she reached to the night stand to grab a book her father had given her. However, she paused as the door once again opened and much to her surprise, Tish walked in. The shorter woman walked to the bed. Her face was oddly neutral, her eyes missing the usual sign of distrust Neph had grown used to seeing.
Quirking an eyebrow, she tilted her head. “You know, Tish.” she started. “Your sort of the last person I expected to see here.”
Tish shrugged. “Seraph said I should.”
She blinked. “Wait, he wanted you, Tish, to talk to me, Neph? A woman you could trust as far as you could throw?”
“Well, that and he gave me a copy of the file your AI wrote. A summary about what happened in the dream...thing.”
“Oh...so...you saw that...” She trailed off, feeling faintly embarrassed. It was as if Tish had just caught her with a porno or something.
“Yeah, Seraph made me read it, then said I should talk to you. So, first things first. Why the fuck do I come off as some after school special in it?”
“Well...” Neph sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. “Um...it was meant to be based off what I thought would be a perfect world....and the only real experience I have had with “loving mother figures” is what I saw on TV. So um...yeah.” She could feel Tish's eyes on her. “Sorry if you are offended...”
“Not offended, just...weirded out really. The idea of me so nice was...”
“Fucked up?”
“That works.”
They sat there in silence for a bit before Neph spoke up again. “I guess, wanting a mother figure so badly, I didn't really care what I got, as long as it loved me.”
Tish shifted awkwardly. “You really want that?”
Chuckling, she lightly punched the shorter woman in the arm. “It be nice, but I got by pretty well without a mom so far...that and well...”
“Yes?”
“You look younger than me, so it be freaky.”
Tish blinked slowly. “Age? You are shitting me, right?”
She paused, before breaking into a large grin. “Yeaaaaaah.”
“You little brat!” Tish slapped Neph up the back of the head with a slight chuckle.
“Hey Tish?”
“Yeah?”
She twiddled her thumbs for a few seconds. “I doubt we would ever look at each other as family, even if you do say yes to the Old Man’s proposal....how about friends then?”
She sat there for a while, Neph trying to read her face. Eventually Tish spoke. “I guess I can give that a try.”
“Thanks, Tish.”
* * *