After The Fact

[paladin_robot]

[Richard had been out for days again, just like the previous times he'd use Ideigi so much. His mind was far from at ease however, and when he did finally wake up, it was with a shout...]

NO!

[Hard to tell what he was screaming about, but he frantically looks around, realising he's in the medical ward of the White Chalice.]

W-We got away from the attack... please, tell me, is Lily okay?! We saved her, right?!

[He... looks pretty desperate for a good answer.]

Comments

Re: Usually blacked out people are in the infirmary so...

[paladin_robot]

...Ah... well, I did... but its good to see you're okay at least. What... happened, after I blacked out?

[neverwanted2dance]

Well, these really powerful jerks showed up, and they beat up everyone, and then Lily used that bomb that was in her to blow them up.

[[She does look a little upset over it.]]

Her other robot friends took her away to fix her. I didn't know she was a robot! I was like... totally freaking out!

[paladin_robot]

S-She what...?

[Richard's eyes go wide, before slamming his fist down on the bed.]

Dammit! If I had just held off the enemy better... If I... I mean... This is twice someone has gone and sacrificed themselves while I was lying out cold!

[neverwanted2dance]

You know, it's not your fault! I mean, you did what you could! You can't save people when the bad guy is like, way stronger than you!

But, she's just a robot, so, they can fix her. She'll be okay! She's not like you... I mean... people can't be fixed like robots...

[[She kind of gets it, and doesn't get it. But finding out Lily was a robot she has less remorse for her.]]

[paladin_robot]

'Just' a robot? You... you really don't get it do you?

[Richard tilts his head slightly, but doesn't seem to be really expecting an answer from the girl.]

Lily is as much a person as you or I - she is sentient. That means she can feel, both pain and love and... and she can make the choice to sacrifice herself. And sometimes you can't fix machines either - some bits are just too damaged to be salvaged. And if whatever stored Lily's programm- her conscience, then she's as dead as either you or I could be.

[He stares a bit.]

Got that?

[neverwanted2dance]

[[She gets it but, soon, she gets frustrated and stands up.]]

Why does everyone condescend to me like I'm some idiot! Every time I try to be nice to someone, they end up telling me how WRONG I am about something! I'm getting real sick of all you people treating me like some child just because I'm not some butch warrior, or some war-hardened veteran pilot!

I'm not THAT stupid, okay? I know you can't always fix everything, but they said they can fix her so I don't see what the damn problem is! I was trying to be nice to YOU and you're talking down to me! I have a brain too, it's not all in my tits, you know! [[She's shouting, and storming off... There's only a few seconds before she's gone off.]]

[paladin_robot]

[Richard's jaw hangs slightly, eyes widening in shock as the young woman leaves.]

T-Thats not what I... I just did something wrong, didn't I?

[...And he could hardly say he was some veteran warrior either...]

[neverwanted2dance]

Yeah, you did.

Good job you realized it too late!

[paladin_robot]

Well... you're still here, right? So I can at least say sorry...

So... um... sorry.

[He's evidently not sure what else to say, but after a few seconds, he tries.]

I snapped at you when you were trying to be nice, trying to stay optimistic. I... just took your words the wrong way. My fault, not yours.

[neverwanted2dance]

[[She doesn't totally storm off though...]]

You know you're the first person to actually apologize, rather than letting me storm off and telling me I'm the one in the wrong.

[paladin_robot]

Well... its really just a matter of words. I took 'just a robot' to mean you didn't think of Lily as a person, than pointing out there is at least a chance. And... you're right, there is. Its not like last time where people were lost forever...