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damned_lounge2012-11-01 12:19 am
voiceofthanatos) wrote in damned_lounge2012-11-01 12:19 am
Entry tags:
Oktoberfest '12: In Which Bad Things Happen by Starry
Title: For When You Screw Up
Author: Starry
Beta: Jansen
Word Count: 2044 (yay minimum effort)
Rating: Damned rating woo
Characters: Barnaby, Aigis and a small bit of Kotetsu
Summary: An essential what-if if they were ever to meet. Dark shit happens and the surprise was monsters.
Disclaimer: Apologies for character shitting on characters that aren't mine. Also this has a depressing, very rushed ending. Sorry bout that. Also this is the first time I've wrote actual fic since 2009 expect some QUALITY
Notes: For Jansen. Feel better dear. Even though you've already read this.
At first their meeting was forced. Barnaby, having little to do with the patients all around him, was beckoned by the nurses to talk more to Landel's population. He preferred being left to his own devices or with Kotetsu, the one person here he could trust completely in this insane institution. During an average afternoon, he was placed into an Arts & Crafts session with another patient. He was away from Kotetsu since the nurses believed he needed to step outside of his comfort zone. As he was wheeled to the table, Barnaby noticed she was a girl - a teenager with short blond hair. Nothing out of the ordinary as there had certainly been young patients admitted into Landel's. She didn't even notice him, and he didn't know why. Oh well. He went to working on drawing a sketch to unwind himself and to please the nurses.
After a few minutes, he glanced toward what she was working with and was astonished. Her calligraphy was nearly perfect from the curved loops to the finesse of the crosses. Something that could only be possible by computers or with dedicated years of practice. “That's some nice writing,” he remarked.
“Oh - Thank you!” The girl turned head around, surprised. “I am sorry I didn't see you there.”
“It's fine, I just arrived here myself.”
“Okay.” And then she turned her head towards her art piece. “As for my writing expertise, its easy to mimic human drawing styles even without my database intact.”
Database? Mimicry? What was she talking about? It sounded like a computer. “What do you mean by database not being intact?”
The girl hesitated for a bit, and explained herself. “My name is Aigis. I was previously a robot before coming here. After admittance I was placed into a human body under the discretion of Landel.”
… A robot. A robot. Barnaby froze. He remembered his last encounter with a robot, a super-powered one created for nefarious purposes using his parents research. So he couldn't help but be wary of this girl even with her testimony that she was now fully human.
“I see, and who is your creator?” His tone now a little colder then before.
“That would be...the Kirijo Group. I cannot go into specifics, as that is classified information.” Her speech was very slightly robotic, but otherwise natural, Barnaby noted.
Barnaby bit his lip. He had never heard of the group, so he wasn't sure if they were really scientists or not. “Do you still have a specific function, even now?”
“That has changed somewhat over the past few months, but my current reason for existing now is...to live.”
“To live? Did you have a reason not to?” Suicidal robots would be a first for him. “Oh, and my name is Barnaby Brooks Jr.” He almost forgot to introduce himself, how rude of him.
“No, it's not like that. It's more like I have a purpose for my existence here. And gaining a human body, while cumbersome at first, has only strengthened my resolve.”
Huh. That actually was something he never would have expected from a robot. One with a sense of self and a personality, it was kind of... fascinating to him. Still, he didn't drop his guard yet, but only continued to draw while engaging in some minor chitchat.
“Are you new here?” Aigis asked, interpolating it from his reaction to her.
“Sort of, I arrived here about a week ago.” He explained.
“Then you should already be aware of how Landel brings more then just humans into its facility.”
“Yes, I'm well aware of it.” More aware than he liked, honestly.
“That's good, is there anything else you need to know?”
Well, he had a bunch of questions, really. Even though he threw away becoming a robotics engineer early in life, subjects like Aigis always interested in him. Sadly, he lacked a higher understanding of what really made them tick, but was going to make due with what he had.
“Can you tell me how robot like you has a sense of self and a will of its own?” he asked, eyes sparkling.
“Certainly.”
Thus, Barnaby had a more enjoyable time than usual in the afternoon. About as enjoyable as it gets inside of a mental institution.
~
“Aigis, wait up!” Barnaby called out from across the hallway. He wheeled up with haste, getting used to his confinement. It was just before dinnertime, and Barnaby wished to see her before they were separately escorted to their rooms for dinner.
“Yes, Barnaby-san?” She looked over at him from beside of the entrance to the female confinement areas.
“Did you get those documents for me?”
“No... I'm sorry. I'll have it for you tomorrow. And Barnaby-san...”
“Yes?”
“Would you like me to accompany you after dark? I could show you some special--”
“That won't be necessary.” He cut her off. “I'm busy during that time, why don't we wait until another time”
“I see.” She tried not to hide the disappointment leaking across on her face. But if Barnaby made other plans, she would respect that decision.
“If you need me, I'll be around during after breakfast,” he added before disappearing off to the male rooms.
~
However, that one incident happened over and over, even as the duo grew closer. And soon Aigis was spending at least one shift per day with Barnaby. Finally, one evening before dinner shift again, she was able to deliver what he had asked for the first day she met. With a stack of papers, she walked with a happy stride towards the male dormitories once more.
“Barnaby-san!” she shouted as she spot him in the hallway. Barnaby had just been walking around while Kotetsu did his business in the bathroom, so seeing a friend was a lovely surprise.
“Oh, it's nice to see you again Aigis,” he flashed a little smile, as much as he could.
“I brought you something, it's what you've been asking about.” She handed him the paper documents. He reviewed over them, looking in fascination at the sketches, the models and the designs etched out on paper. Each one revealed a very sophisticated machine and its inner workings.
“This is what you looked like as a robot?” he asked.
“With 97% accuracy. Some of the details had to be compensated, for they are information I cannot give out to anyone.”
“I understand. Thanks, I've always been interested in robotics, even though my occupation isn't directly related to them.
“That's great to hear. So, will you be free this night shift?”
“Unfortunately, no, there are still some things I need to sort out.”
“Oh... Barnaby, is there something going on? You seem rather pale the past day or two, as well. I'm only concerned for your well being.” She was getting worried about him after constantly dodging her offers to stay together during the night.
“No, just stay out of it. For your own good.” Barnaby again refused to tell her anything.
Crestfallen, she obeyed his wishes, but wouldn't take she wasn't satisfied with his answer.
~
When nightfall had approached the depths on the institute, their doors were once again left open for exploration. Aigis had some free time tonight and had no real goals in mind. Except one. She was just going to drop by the men's section to check up and see if Barnaby was around. Even though she would be directly disobeying him, she couldn't help but at least check up on the area he resided in to ease her mind. Taking her usual possessions she always had on her during nighttime, she went off into the hallways again. Being so familiar with the area, it didn't take long for her to reach the men's area.
And the disturbance down there.
Now, apparitions and otherworldly creatures were pretty much the norm here at the mental facility. But what Aigis stumbled upon as she reached the very area she had been standing in only hours before made her gasp. A huge black monster, covered in sickening sludge was thrashing around. It was sending off alarm bells in Aigis's head. She had to get rid of it. Before it would hurt her friends.
Without hesitation, she grabbed the evoker she kept close to her at all times, calling out the name of her persona. “Athena!” Screaming it out, the evoker simulated a gun shot next to her head and the greek goddess appeared before her in shining armor. With a simple command the persona struck the dangerous creature, causing pain and for it to let out a screech. Aigis didn't let up the assault as she kept pounding on it with her persona until she could no longer have the energy to let Athena manifest in the real world.
She wasn't finished yet, as she took the brass knuckles and pounded the enemy with it. She made sure the knuckles cut deep, severing blood vessels and nearly slicing the head portion off. Or, what appeared to be a head from her point of view. Very luckily for her, such a huge monster didn't have a lot of fight left in it. It didn't even put up much a fight with her in the first place. Strange, but Aigis was blind to that little detail. All she could think about was protecting her friends.
Eventually, the monster had lost all its energy, fading away to dust. Aigis thought this was strange behavior, but before she could really process it, another item that was right where the monster once stood grabbed her interest.
It was glasses.
No. It was Barnaby's glasses.
Taking two cautious steps forward, she picked it up, holding them close to her heart. While death wasn't exactly unusual in this hellish place, it still caused her to ache – to even cry a little as she dashed off back to her room in order to keep the item safe.
~
Daylight came upon the institute once more, and the patients were all gathered into their rooms again for their daily lunches. Aigis debated on eating in her own room, but there was a person she needed to seek out. Kotetsu Kaburagi, Barnaby's closest friend here that he spoke about many times before. He needed to know his dear friend's final fate. She couldn't delay this much longer.
While seeking him only took a brief period of asking for his whereabouts from a nearby nurse, telling him was another matter entirely. The guilt of not making it in time to save Barnaby weighed heavily on her, even though she had accepted his most untimely death. Especially since he had died without complete fulfillment or escaping the facility. With those thoughts clouding her head, she braced herself and entered his room.
Kotetsu, who was eating some noodles with mayo mixed in it, acknowledged her. “Ha-oh, Aigis!” He greeted after swallowing up a bite of his food. “Come in.”
“Mr. Kaburagi...” She inhaled air sharply and came to stand near the desk he was eating at.. “I have some.... bad news for you.”
“What is it?” His face turned pale, as Bunny's disappearance caused quite a lot of havoc for him. He skipped out on breakfast and spent most of the day looking for him. Eventually, he accepted the fact that Barnaby had been taken back home all of the sudden. Since, you know, no body and all of that. He kind of wanted to hole himself up in his room for the night, though.
“I'm sorry to inform you of this...but, Barnaby-san has passed away...”
Kotetsu's eyes shot up, and he gripped his chair. At first, he couldn't even bring himself to make a sound, a lump forming inside of his throat. “...How?! Why?” His mouth was agape in horror.
“Please calm down. I know this is unsettling--” she reasoned.
“Tell me what happened,” he said firmly, trying not to shed tears in front of Aigis.
“He was killed by a monster. I-I couldn't stop it in time..”
“Wait, wait wait. What did the monster look like?”
Aigis wondered why he asked that of all things but complied. “Black in color. Covered in sludge. Very immobile even before I struck it.”
Kotetsu's eyes widened, her description matching it perfectly. “Aigis. That was Barnaby.”
Author: Starry
Beta: Jansen
Word Count: 2044 (yay minimum effort)
Rating: Damned rating woo
Characters: Barnaby, Aigis and a small bit of Kotetsu
Summary: An essential what-if if they were ever to meet. Dark shit happens and the surprise was monsters.
Disclaimer: Apologies for character shitting on characters that aren't mine. Also this has a depressing, very rushed ending. Sorry bout that. Also this is the first time I've wrote actual fic since 2009 expect some QUALITY
Notes: For Jansen. Feel better dear. Even though you've already read this.
At first their meeting was forced. Barnaby, having little to do with the patients all around him, was beckoned by the nurses to talk more to Landel's population. He preferred being left to his own devices or with Kotetsu, the one person here he could trust completely in this insane institution. During an average afternoon, he was placed into an Arts & Crafts session with another patient. He was away from Kotetsu since the nurses believed he needed to step outside of his comfort zone. As he was wheeled to the table, Barnaby noticed she was a girl - a teenager with short blond hair. Nothing out of the ordinary as there had certainly been young patients admitted into Landel's. She didn't even notice him, and he didn't know why. Oh well. He went to working on drawing a sketch to unwind himself and to please the nurses.
After a few minutes, he glanced toward what she was working with and was astonished. Her calligraphy was nearly perfect from the curved loops to the finesse of the crosses. Something that could only be possible by computers or with dedicated years of practice. “That's some nice writing,” he remarked.
“Oh - Thank you!” The girl turned head around, surprised. “I am sorry I didn't see you there.”
“It's fine, I just arrived here myself.”
“Okay.” And then she turned her head towards her art piece. “As for my writing expertise, its easy to mimic human drawing styles even without my database intact.”
Database? Mimicry? What was she talking about? It sounded like a computer. “What do you mean by database not being intact?”
The girl hesitated for a bit, and explained herself. “My name is Aigis. I was previously a robot before coming here. After admittance I was placed into a human body under the discretion of Landel.”
… A robot. A robot. Barnaby froze. He remembered his last encounter with a robot, a super-powered one created for nefarious purposes using his parents research. So he couldn't help but be wary of this girl even with her testimony that she was now fully human.
“I see, and who is your creator?” His tone now a little colder then before.
“That would be...the Kirijo Group. I cannot go into specifics, as that is classified information.” Her speech was very slightly robotic, but otherwise natural, Barnaby noted.
Barnaby bit his lip. He had never heard of the group, so he wasn't sure if they were really scientists or not. “Do you still have a specific function, even now?”
“That has changed somewhat over the past few months, but my current reason for existing now is...to live.”
“To live? Did you have a reason not to?” Suicidal robots would be a first for him. “Oh, and my name is Barnaby Brooks Jr.” He almost forgot to introduce himself, how rude of him.
“No, it's not like that. It's more like I have a purpose for my existence here. And gaining a human body, while cumbersome at first, has only strengthened my resolve.”
Huh. That actually was something he never would have expected from a robot. One with a sense of self and a personality, it was kind of... fascinating to him. Still, he didn't drop his guard yet, but only continued to draw while engaging in some minor chitchat.
“Are you new here?” Aigis asked, interpolating it from his reaction to her.
“Sort of, I arrived here about a week ago.” He explained.
“Then you should already be aware of how Landel brings more then just humans into its facility.”
“Yes, I'm well aware of it.” More aware than he liked, honestly.
“That's good, is there anything else you need to know?”
Well, he had a bunch of questions, really. Even though he threw away becoming a robotics engineer early in life, subjects like Aigis always interested in him. Sadly, he lacked a higher understanding of what really made them tick, but was going to make due with what he had.
“Can you tell me how robot like you has a sense of self and a will of its own?” he asked, eyes sparkling.
“Certainly.”
Thus, Barnaby had a more enjoyable time than usual in the afternoon. About as enjoyable as it gets inside of a mental institution.
~
“Aigis, wait up!” Barnaby called out from across the hallway. He wheeled up with haste, getting used to his confinement. It was just before dinnertime, and Barnaby wished to see her before they were separately escorted to their rooms for dinner.
“Yes, Barnaby-san?” She looked over at him from beside of the entrance to the female confinement areas.
“Did you get those documents for me?”
“No... I'm sorry. I'll have it for you tomorrow. And Barnaby-san...”
“Yes?”
“Would you like me to accompany you after dark? I could show you some special--”
“That won't be necessary.” He cut her off. “I'm busy during that time, why don't we wait until another time”
“I see.” She tried not to hide the disappointment leaking across on her face. But if Barnaby made other plans, she would respect that decision.
“If you need me, I'll be around during after breakfast,” he added before disappearing off to the male rooms.
~
However, that one incident happened over and over, even as the duo grew closer. And soon Aigis was spending at least one shift per day with Barnaby. Finally, one evening before dinner shift again, she was able to deliver what he had asked for the first day she met. With a stack of papers, she walked with a happy stride towards the male dormitories once more.
“Barnaby-san!” she shouted as she spot him in the hallway. Barnaby had just been walking around while Kotetsu did his business in the bathroom, so seeing a friend was a lovely surprise.
“Oh, it's nice to see you again Aigis,” he flashed a little smile, as much as he could.
“I brought you something, it's what you've been asking about.” She handed him the paper documents. He reviewed over them, looking in fascination at the sketches, the models and the designs etched out on paper. Each one revealed a very sophisticated machine and its inner workings.
“This is what you looked like as a robot?” he asked.
“With 97% accuracy. Some of the details had to be compensated, for they are information I cannot give out to anyone.”
“I understand. Thanks, I've always been interested in robotics, even though my occupation isn't directly related to them.
“That's great to hear. So, will you be free this night shift?”
“Unfortunately, no, there are still some things I need to sort out.”
“Oh... Barnaby, is there something going on? You seem rather pale the past day or two, as well. I'm only concerned for your well being.” She was getting worried about him after constantly dodging her offers to stay together during the night.
“No, just stay out of it. For your own good.” Barnaby again refused to tell her anything.
Crestfallen, she obeyed his wishes, but wouldn't take she wasn't satisfied with his answer.
~
When nightfall had approached the depths on the institute, their doors were once again left open for exploration. Aigis had some free time tonight and had no real goals in mind. Except one. She was just going to drop by the men's section to check up and see if Barnaby was around. Even though she would be directly disobeying him, she couldn't help but at least check up on the area he resided in to ease her mind. Taking her usual possessions she always had on her during nighttime, she went off into the hallways again. Being so familiar with the area, it didn't take long for her to reach the men's area.
And the disturbance down there.
Now, apparitions and otherworldly creatures were pretty much the norm here at the mental facility. But what Aigis stumbled upon as she reached the very area she had been standing in only hours before made her gasp. A huge black monster, covered in sickening sludge was thrashing around. It was sending off alarm bells in Aigis's head. She had to get rid of it. Before it would hurt her friends.
Without hesitation, she grabbed the evoker she kept close to her at all times, calling out the name of her persona. “Athena!” Screaming it out, the evoker simulated a gun shot next to her head and the greek goddess appeared before her in shining armor. With a simple command the persona struck the dangerous creature, causing pain and for it to let out a screech. Aigis didn't let up the assault as she kept pounding on it with her persona until she could no longer have the energy to let Athena manifest in the real world.
She wasn't finished yet, as she took the brass knuckles and pounded the enemy with it. She made sure the knuckles cut deep, severing blood vessels and nearly slicing the head portion off. Or, what appeared to be a head from her point of view. Very luckily for her, such a huge monster didn't have a lot of fight left in it. It didn't even put up much a fight with her in the first place. Strange, but Aigis was blind to that little detail. All she could think about was protecting her friends.
Eventually, the monster had lost all its energy, fading away to dust. Aigis thought this was strange behavior, but before she could really process it, another item that was right where the monster once stood grabbed her interest.
It was glasses.
No. It was Barnaby's glasses.
Taking two cautious steps forward, she picked it up, holding them close to her heart. While death wasn't exactly unusual in this hellish place, it still caused her to ache – to even cry a little as she dashed off back to her room in order to keep the item safe.
~
Daylight came upon the institute once more, and the patients were all gathered into their rooms again for their daily lunches. Aigis debated on eating in her own room, but there was a person she needed to seek out. Kotetsu Kaburagi, Barnaby's closest friend here that he spoke about many times before. He needed to know his dear friend's final fate. She couldn't delay this much longer.
While seeking him only took a brief period of asking for his whereabouts from a nearby nurse, telling him was another matter entirely. The guilt of not making it in time to save Barnaby weighed heavily on her, even though she had accepted his most untimely death. Especially since he had died without complete fulfillment or escaping the facility. With those thoughts clouding her head, she braced herself and entered his room.
Kotetsu, who was eating some noodles with mayo mixed in it, acknowledged her. “Ha-oh, Aigis!” He greeted after swallowing up a bite of his food. “Come in.”
“Mr. Kaburagi...” She inhaled air sharply and came to stand near the desk he was eating at.. “I have some.... bad news for you.”
“What is it?” His face turned pale, as Bunny's disappearance caused quite a lot of havoc for him. He skipped out on breakfast and spent most of the day looking for him. Eventually, he accepted the fact that Barnaby had been taken back home all of the sudden. Since, you know, no body and all of that. He kind of wanted to hole himself up in his room for the night, though.
“I'm sorry to inform you of this...but, Barnaby-san has passed away...”
Kotetsu's eyes shot up, and he gripped his chair. At first, he couldn't even bring himself to make a sound, a lump forming inside of his throat. “...How?! Why?” His mouth was agape in horror.
“Please calm down. I know this is unsettling--” she reasoned.
“Tell me what happened,” he said firmly, trying not to shed tears in front of Aigis.
“He was killed by a monster. I-I couldn't stop it in time..”
“Wait, wait wait. What did the monster look like?”
Aigis wondered why he asked that of all things but complied. “Black in color. Covered in sludge. Very immobile even before I struck it.”
Kotetsu's eyes widened, her description matching it perfectly. “Aigis. That was Barnaby.”
no subject
You're awful Starry get outNo, seriously, great job! BUT SCREAAAAAM DOUTHITE?!?!
My poor android gal. ;n; I knew what was coming, I could feel it, but.... *SOB* BARNABY!!! Just... abject horror would have spilled out of Aigis after that. /cries forever
Okay, gotta pull myself together. Once again, good job! And THANK YOU SO MUCH for incorporating on my characters in your Oktoberfest~ <3 I appreciate it! :D
no subject