System Shock
The Story of Zuriel learning about themselves and their past.
Reboot
SYSTEM REBOOTING
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20% COMPLETE
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40% COMPLETE
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ERROR
MEMORY BANK CORRUPTED
CONTINUATION OF SYSTEM REBOOT MAY CAUSE FURTHER ERRORS
CONTINUE?
NO >YES
SYSTEM REBOOT
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60% COMPLETE
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80% COMPLETE
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100% COMPLETE
SUBJECT @#%/^{ ONLINE
LED lights blinked to life in darkness. They were alone. Trapped behind thick metal bars. Similar cages to their own lined the walls of the small, cold room but all were empty - aside from a few, large bloodstains.
Where were they?
They didn't know. They didn't know who or what they were. There was flashed, scraps of memories or so they believed. A snowy village. A family? Pain. A sneering yellow face. Then nothing.
They looked down at their own paws. Metal. LEDs lined the joints and plates. A single paw pad, made of another, larger LED glared back at them when they turned their paw over.
What were they?
A door opened and light spilled in. A large, boxy head quickly poked itself in, looking around before slipping in and shutting the door behind them, cutting off the light. The newcomer approached them, a kind smile on their face.
"Oh thank the creators, you're awake." They said as they drew closer. "You've been out of it for several days, I thought you'd never wake up."
"..."
They said nothing as the creature approached their cage, taking the large padlock in their own paw.
"I'm going to get you out of here. Just like I promised."
The stranger pulled an odd, long and crooked wire from their thick mane of fur.
"I couldn't snatch the key so we're going to have to do it this way." They explained, bringing the wire up to the keyhole. "I can't see very well in here, mind holding your paw close so I can see better?"
They didn't move.
The stranger looked up, brows pinched in a frown.
"Something wrong?"
"... Who…?" Their voice was rusty from disuse, horribly metallic and unnaturally robotic. They decided they hated the sound of it.
The stranger's frown deepened.
"I've come in once a week since you've been here. Don't you remember me?"
They shook their head, metal ears clinking against the metal mask almost fused with their head.
"Shit… I was afraid this would happen." They ran a paw down their face, the one not holding the strange wire.
"Okay. Let's start from the beginning. My name's Charlie but call me Griffin, alright. I'm the daughter of the leader of this shit show of an organisation and I love doing things to get in her way. You've been here for over two months and I've never heard you talk in that time. Either way, I promised to get you out and I am going to keep that promise I swear."
They tilted their head to one side, regarding Griffin closely. She seemed genuine and caring. Something inside of them told them that she was telling the truth. They held a paw close to the padlock, illuminating it with pale blue light.
Griffin grinned at them, immediately setting to work with the strange wire. It took some time, a lot of small adjustments here and there with Griffin's full attention on the lock mechanism. They noted how her ears would twitch as she focused, a barely there twitch that would easily be missed if not to the long tufts of fur at their tips.
The lock clicked open.
"Right you need to go. Now." Griffin hurried as she opened the cage door. "The guards on this side of the castle are still changing shifts so you'll have time to sneak out if you take the old servants corridor - the old, small wooden door three doors down on the left. Normally that's locked or blocked but I swiped the key from Quin the other week."
They stared at her as she spoke. Their gaze was unnerving. Their eyes were made of LEDs and thus did not need to blink. Something was still missing… Something was bothering them that must be solved before they were happy to leave.
"... Name…?" They asked as they crawled from their cage. Their legs were shaky, not fully obedient to the orders they were giving them.
Griffin seemed perplexed. "I gave you my name? It's Griffin."
They shook their head, paw pointing up at their own chest.
"... Name…?" They repeated.
"Oh!" Griffin's eyes lit up with understanding before darkening with a frown once more. "You never told me your name. And Xileon isn't exactly fond of recording them. You have a number - 15 - 078. But that's cruel and not at all your name."
"... Name…"
"I… I could give you a name? If you really wanted that is."
It was tempting. Better than remaining nameless after all. Something they could own… Something to define who and what they were.
They gave a firm nod.
"Alright then… Uh… How about… Zuriel?"
"... Zuriel…"
Yes. That was a good name.