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[faithfulflame]

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[faithfulflame]

[The robot's grip doesn't.]

Of course. You didn't know?

[She doesn't exactly have a heartbeat.]

You're very kind. You treated me like a real person, so I thought you knew.

[psycholawgy]

I didn't notice until now.

[ she can be dumb sometimes... ah. . . ]

But robots are nice, though. And you've been nice to me, [ especially now that she can't read rei(bot)'s emotions. ] so I don't understand why I shouldn't act the same way towards you.

So, how's Rei? I guess if you're out now, she's making you do errands for her.

[faithfulflame]

I don't know how she is. She's not talked to me in days, which is good. I can not stand her, and she won't just go away.

[For the first time, an angry edge enters the machine's tone.]

She won't go away, no matter what I do.

[psycholawgy]

What? Why would you want her gone?

[ wait. she tries to get away from reibot now. ]

You— [ ruh roh. ] Is she safe?!

[faithfulflame]

Because I'm better at being Rei Hino. There can be only one.

[Her grip tightens, the other hand darting out to coil around Athena's waist.]

But she's safe, yes. For now, anyway. Please don't scream, I'm going to take you someplace nice.

[psycholawgy]

[ she isn't going to scream, but she does want to try and run away. she doesn't, though. she figures that trying to fight it might put her in danger. ]

... you better not do anything to her. She's going to beat you up, anyway!

Had a fight with the copier...

[faithfulflame]

[Reibot smiles a wan, cold little smile.]

I haven't done anything to her. But if she starts a fight, I'll win. I have data on her fighting style.

[A quick flicker of light, and Reibot becomes Marsbot.]

I won't hurt you, don't tense up.

ax...

[psycholawgy]

[ HOW CAN SHE NOT TENSE UP ]

I'm not worried about myself.

I won

[faithfulflame]

[Unclench, gosh, she's just hugging you. Well, and starting to fly up.]

Don't. Everything will be fine, you'll see. I'm not going to do anything other than what's necessary to ensure my own survival. And your happiness.

one punch ax

[psycholawgy]

[ oh god. she's tensing up even more now. sweats... ]

My happiness? You don't know what'll make me happy.

Re: one punch ax

[faithfulflame]

I'll find out. That's what friends do.

[It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Reibot...flying towards a building and holding Athena like a child. She won't drop you, she's better than that.]

Is there a particular food you want cooked?

[psycholawgy]

[ huff puff!!! ]

I'm not going to talk to you.

[faithfulflame]

No?

[Reibot sighs and looks up at the sky, focusing more on the task at hand. But there's an absent, hurt sounding query.]

Why?

[psycholawgy]

Because you're obviously evil! An evil robot! And I refuse to acknowledge you!

[ athena, why are you saying this while in her arms and while you can die at any second... sweats... ]

[faithfulflame]

If I were evil, I would have dropped you by now.

[She isn't evil.]

But you'll learn to acknowledge me. That's not going to take very long at all.

[psycholawgy]

You want to hurt Rei. If you're not evil, then I don't know what you are.

[ WHY IS SHE STILL TALKING TO YOU!! ]

[faithfulflame]

I want to do my job, and that means replacing the inferior model, of course. She isn't anything special.

[psycholawgy]

Your job?

[ wait. ]

Are you telling me that the other robots are acting this way, too?

[faithfulflame]

The other robots will do as programmed.

[But she's different!]

[psycholawgy]

So the rest are fine...

[faithfulflame]

[Eventually, Reibot gets Athena to their ultimate destination. A building that was unoccupied, and generally? She's fairly nice and helpful. Cooking, providing whatever she thinks Athena might need besides y'know...freedom and contact with the outside world...and genuinely seeming hopeful that Athena will come around to being her friend as well. It's not like she's really evil, she's always around.

However after a couple of days there's a clamor on the roof, the sound of heavy boots up top, and an angry heartbeat.]

Dammit.

[The Reibot swears and tears off up the stairs to the roof, leaving the door partway open behind her. Come check it out?]

[psycholawgy]

[ whatever that is, it's probably better than being here with reibot. athena's definitely checking it out as quietly as possible! ]

[faithfulflame]

[What she's going to see might seem a touch dramatic. Mars, bow already drawn, focused on Marsbot who had done the same. Both turn a fraction of an inch to regard the girl who's footsteps had been missed but who's mind drew them in.]

You okay, Athena? Did it hurt you?

[psycholawgy]

[ athena comes out of hiding and tries to go to where the real rei is-- ]

I'm fine! You're going to get hurt!

[faithfulflame]

[The robot doesn't seem particularly bothered by that. She fully intends to off Mars and take Athena back, after all.]

I'm going to get hurt?

[The real Mars blinks in slight confusion at that.]

Have a little faith...