Chapter Text
“I’m very proud of your progress, Reader. I want you to know that.”
Your lips curl up into a smile. “Thank you, Naegi-sama.”
“Ah, just use ‘kun’... or you could use my first name, if you’d like.” he laughs, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m not a god, and I’m not your boss. I’m your friend. No need to be so formal.”
“But you aided in my creation.” You point out. “Looking at it that way, you’re more like my father… should I call you Otosan?” He visibly cringes at the word, and you can’t help but burst out laughing. “Sorry, Naegi-sama. You’re really fun to mess with.”
Pouting, he stands from his chair, reaching for your hand to flip your wrist over. “Open, please.”
Your outer layer of skin pulls back, revealing porcelain white metal underneath. A small panel dips inwards then slides aside, exposing your wiring to him. He looks around, moving a few things aside to get a better look. “You’ve run diagnostics?”
“Yeah, but I couldn’t find any reason for the hand to not be working.” You shrug. “It just... Won’t move, no matter how much I tell it to.”
“Well, I’m not seeing anything… then again, it’s not like I’m the most knowledgeable on this stuff.” He mutters softly. “I’m not sure who I could take you to… well, except for the Ultimate Mechanic, but-”
“The Ultimate Mechanic is still alive? Why haven’t I been taken to him yet?” Your brow furrows as you roll your shoulder, a squeaky noise sounding from it. “You’re telling me I’ve been dealing with that creaking for three months and there’s been an Ultimate Mechanic this entire time?”
Naegi looks away, patting your hand as a signal for you to close your wrist. “It’s… he’s one of the Remnants of Despair.”
You pause. “... Oh.”
A heavy silence hangs in the air. Your memories of your time within the Neo World Program are hazy at best. You remember a constant ache, a perpetual pain that seeped into your bones. You get the sense it wasn’t a pleasant time for you, but for some strange reason, part of you misses it. You miss that world where you had warmth to your skin.
Sighing heavily, Naegi rubs his temples. “As much as I hate to say it, we can’t have you walking around with a non-functional hand, if there’s something we can do about it. There’s a boat full of supplies going out next week. We can make the trip out there, if you’re alright with it.”
“Will they be alright with it? I mean, last time they saw me… I can’t imagine that would be a nice experience for them.” You shift uncomfortably in your seat. Naegi stares at the floor for a moment, thinking. “... I’ll call and ask Hinata-kun about it later. He’ll be a better judge for it than me.”
“Hinata-kun…” You mumble softly. “Is that Kamukura Izuru?”
Naegi flinches. “Yes, but don’t call him that. His name is Hinata Hajime.”
“Yes, Naegi-sama.” You nod. “... What’s he like?”
He seems a bit taken aback, but taps his chin, humming in thought. “Well… he’s very smart and capable. He’s also strong… and he’s very kind. So you shouldn’t feel nervous about meeting him again, okay?”
“Again?” Your head tilts. “I’ve met him before?”
Naegi’s smile falters. “Well, he’s met you, at least.”
Later that night, Naegi calls you into his office. The prompt appears at the corner of your vision while making tea with Kirigiri. You make sure to inform her before leaving. You’ve learned that wandering off is a bad thing when you’re an accident-prone android.
When you walk in, Naegi smiles at you over his computer screen. “They just walked in. Would you like to talk tothem?”
A voice on the other end hesitates. “... Sure.” He finally says. Naegi gets up from his chair as you walk around the desk, hands clasped nervously as you sit down, ensuring that you’re in frame. Naegi stands behind you. “Reader-chan, this is Hinata Hajime. Remember me telling you about him earlier?”
“Yes. It’s nice to meet you, Hinata-sama.” You smile. The man looks at you in what you can only describe as awe. He leans in closer to the screen in an attempt to get a better look. “American? Is that you?”
You blink, lips pulling into a frown. “I’m.. am I American?” You look at Naegi for answers as he leans down, laughing softly as he gets into frame. “Ahaha, they probably don’t remember that nickname, Hinata. A lot was lost in the corrupted files.” He ruffles your hair. “We were lucky we managed to reboot them at all.”
“Right… right.” Hinata leans back, his brow twitching. He seems anxious, mildly displeased. Your frown deepens as Naegi clears his throat. “They can’t move their right hand. Would it be alright if we brought them with us next week so Soda-kun can take a look at it?”
“Yeah, that should be alright. Maybe a little startling, but things over here have been going pretty smoothly.” He folds his arms. “I’ll make sure to let everyone know so it’s not too surprising.”
“Great! Thank you so much, Hinata-kun.”
“No problem, Makoto. I’ll see you next week.”
You’ve never packed for a trip before. Even though Naegi insists it’s just for business, that you’ll only be spending a night there so pack lightly, but it’s hard when you don’t know what to pick. You don’t overheat, so you could dress in layers if you wanted, but you’ll definitely stand out that way. You have figured out that nudity is not an option, which you think is weird considering you have no genitalia, but you’ve learned to accept it. Finding a balance between the two feels impossible, but somehow, you manage.
You get on the boat at exactly 5:54 AM, and it departs at exactly 6:14 AM, twenty minutes later. It takes twelve hours to get from the mainland to Jabberwock Island by boat, so you have plenty of free time to roam around the ship, as long as you don’t bother the night crew.
“I wish we could’ve brought Alter Ego.” You lean against the railing, peering down into the stark blue of the ocean. “Hey, Togami-sama, are mermaids real?”
“What? No. Shouldn’t you know that already?” The blonde man raises an eyebrow at you, adjusting his glasses. You shrug. “Well, just because nobody’s found one yet doesn’t mean they're fake.”
“Sometimes I wish we left your analyst ability in there.” He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. You watch as he walks off, probably to do something productive with his time. You frown. You wish they left it in too, but they said it made you ‘too much like Enoshima.’ You don’t understand. Maybe you would if they left it in.
“So, you the robot?” One of the ship’s crew members catches your attention. You smile and nod. “Android, but yes.”
He looks you up and down, a sneer on his face, before giving a soft ‘hmph’ and walking away. Your smile fades.
You end up spending most of the trip sitting in Kirigiri’s room, playing on an old 3DS she found. She let you use it as a distraction when she needed you to not interrupt during important meetings or events. You couldn’t say you really minded, you just wish she had more than one game. You’ve beaten this one countless times now. At least now you have the added challenge of not being able to use your right hand.
The sun kisses the horizon as the Island comes into view. You watch through the window as it gets closer and closer, until Kirigiri comes to get you.
You help carry some boxes of paperwork stacked higher than your head. They like making you carry heavy stuff because you’re made of metal, and even though you’re using one hand, you can carry more than most of the humans on board. You shuffle down the ramp, careful not to move too quickly, setting the boxes down where you’re told before straightening up again. You look around, curious of your new surroundings, and spot Hinata not far away, counting boxes. He makes eye contact with you and seems taken aback, eyes widening. He glances away momentarily before looking back at you and offering an awkward smile. Kirigiri takes your malfunctioning hand and tugs you away.
You follow behind her quietly. You like Kirigiri. She’s always been polite with you, asking for your help doing certain tasks, and keeping an eye out for you whenever someone gives you an odd look. You eventually figured out that some people simply dislike the idea of your existence. Something replicating a human, but remaining inhuman regardless. It frightens them. You don’t understand why.
It’s that same frightened look that has dumbfounded you for so long that you find on Soda’s face when you enter the hanger he typically works inside. The moment his gaze lands on you, his sharp-toothed grin fades, his eyes seeming vacant as he stares. You feel uncomfortable already.
“I assume Hinata briefed you?” Kirigiri speaks up, snapping him out of his trance-like state. “Oh, uh, yeah. Said you used some old blueprints of mine or somethin’?”
“That, along with some things scraped up from the former Ultimate Robotics Expert.” She affirms, guiding you over and flipping your arm to show him your wrist. “Please open.”
Again, the fake flesh melts away as the wrist panel opens, revealing your wiring inside. Now Soda’s eyes light up, excited by whatever he sees. “Woah, this is so complex… hey, does it have feeling in any of its limbs?”
“They can register when touched, yes.” Kirigiri nods, and you notice the tiniest twitch of her brow, her tone shifting so slightly you likely wouldn’t notice if you were human. “They also have heat sensors, night vision, and a hidden compartment for storing important items.”
“Awesome…” He breathes, staring for a moment longer before shaking his head. “Sorry. Um… hm. I don’t see anything wrong here…” He takes a closer look. “Maybe there’s something wrong further up? Is there another panel like this on its chest?”
“On their chest, yes.” Her eyes narrow to glare at him before she glances at you. “Please remove your shirt.”
You lift your t-shirt off over your head, pulling back the skin over your chest panel before opening it. This panel is situated on the right side of your chest, near your collarbone. You have much more intricate, sensitive wiring in your torso, so you feel oddly exposed like this. Soda leans in, pulling a small flashlight attached to his keychain off his belt loop and shining it inside. “Nice, sturdy skeleton… flexible joints…. This is amazing…” He’s muttering mostly to himself, practically drooling over you. You shift uncomfortably, fighting the urge to pull away. This is necessary, right?
He pauses suddenly, eyes going wide and vacant again. You anxiously pick at your fingers. “W-what’s wrong?” You ask quietly.
“... How did it get those scars?” He points at the slightly lighter markings on your torso, one right below your ribs on your right side, and the other in the center of your stomach, perfectly round. You laugh nervously, shrugging. “Um… I don’t know? They just… felt natural when I decided what to look like.”
He stands there for a moment longer before straightening suddenly, rushing around you. “I can’t do this, can’t do this…” He mutters as he practically sprints out the door, leaving you both relieved and confused. Kirigiri sighs. “Don’t worry. I’ll go get Hinata-kun, and he’ll come by and do it. I never liked that one much, anyway.”
You stand alone in the warehouse, clutching your shirt.
Why do you have scars? You don’t have skin. Not real skin, anyway. What covers you is just a thin bionic membrane that you can pull back like a curtain at will. You could change its hue and pattern to anything you would like, but you chose this. You chose this color with these scars on your body. You don’t know why for sure. You wonder if you should remove them.
You sit down on a metal table to wait, staring down at them.
You have one on your face, don’t you? It goes directly across your nose. Why didn’t Soda mention that one?
Come to think of it, did he ever make eye contact with you?
The door’s hinges creak as it opens, and Hinata steps inside, closing it behind him. He smiles that awkward smile again as he walks up to you. Your chest plate is still open, but you turn your wrist so he can look there, too, if he wants.
“Good evening, Reader.” He says softly as he glances over the wiring in your arm. “Did you like the trip?”
You relax a little. “Yeah. I’ve never been outside of the Foundation Before. Not like this, anyway.”
“You can close that; the problem is higher up.” He states, leaning closer to peer into your chest. “Really? Do they not let you outside?”
“Well, I’ve never asked before. I don’t know that they would let me.” You watch as he reaches inside, gently brushing a few wires to the left so he can get a look behind them. “I don’t think I want to though. People look at me funny. Especially once they figure out I’m not human.”
He frowns softly. “Well, I’m sorry to hear that. You’re a technological marvel.”
“Ah, thank you.” You reply, watching as he picks up a small screwdriver. “I see the problem. Be still.” He instructs, and you obey, not moving an inch. You feel a tight, burning sensation in your chest, but it only lasts a moment. He pulls back. “Can you move the hand now?”
You lift the hand, wiggling your fingers before smiling and making a fist. Hinata grins. “There we are.”
“Thank you, Hinata-sama!” You grin up at him, happy to have the movement back in your hand. “What was wrong?”
“A loose screw and an unattached ground wire.” His smile seems much more relaxed now, less anxious. It makes you happy. He looks you over. “Anything else? What about your nose? How’d you get that mark?” He leans forward to get a closer look, rubbing his thumb over it. You blink, going cross-eyed trying to watch him. “Oh, I just… look like that. I can customize my appearance and voice at will.”
“Ah, I see. Sorry about that.” He leans back, and you close your chest plate as you point at your left shoulder. “Actually, this has been squeaking for a while now. Could you take a look at it? Togami-sama says it’s annoying, and I’d like him to stop yelling at me.”
“Sure, open up.” He nods, and you open the panel on your left side. There’s thick tubing there, running water through your body so you never overheat, along with the wires. You were designed very carefully, you’ve noticed. There’s something intimate about the scratches on your screws, showing the trial and error of getting the tightness exactly right so you could move fluidly.
Hinata takes a peek inside. “Huh. Looks like you’re missing a bolt. Hold on, I’ve got a spare that looks like it’ll fit.” He digs through a small box, looking for the correct bolt. “Does Togami-kun yell at you often?”
“Not any more than he yells at everyone.” You shake your head. “He’s actually gotten better over time, I think. That’s what Naegi-sama says, anyway.”
He hums softly, nodding his head. “How long have you been activated?”
“About six months now. I’ve been told that on the anniversary, I’m going to get a birthday party.”
“Oh really? Are you excited?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never been to a birthday party before.” You shrug. “But I think it would make them happy, so I don’t mind. Maybe I’ll like it.”
Finally finding the correct bolt, he reaches inside to screw it into place. “Hold still…” he mumbles, and you obey, waiting patiently for him to be done. “Y’know, at first it was strange seeing you again in person. It was just… hard to believe you were real, I guess. You don’t look a day older than when I last saw you in the program.”
You’re careful as you respond, to avoid moving anything near where he’s working. You look away timidly. “Ah. I’m… I’m sorry, but…”
“I know. You don’t remember.” Finishing up, he removes his hands. “That’s okay. To be honest, we all struggled to remember what went on in there for a while. But we made it through.”
Closing your chest plate, you roll your shoulder. No creaking. Smiling, you look back to Hinata. “Thank you, Hinata-sama.”
“Please, use ‘kun’.” He nods. “There was actually someone who wanted to see you - do you mind?”
You pull your shirt back on and follow Hinata out of the warehouse, towards the Hotel. Something about the walk up to the gate feels familiar, but you ignore that feeling as he leads you past the cottages, up the stairs and into the restaurant above. He stops you just outside the door. “Let me tell them you’re here.”
Hinata walks inside in front of you, and you wait quietly, listening closely to see if you hear anything, but no dice. You shift anxiously from foot to foot. When the door opens, Hinata smiles at you, gently taking you by your newly-fixed hand and tugging you inside.
There’s a girl in here, with short blonde hair and icy blue eyes. Her face lights up as she sees you, clapping her hands over her mouth. “Oh, my…”
“Reader-chan, this is Sonia Nevermind.” Hinata introduces. “You two were very close while in the program.”
“We were?” You ask, glancing up at him nervously, and he nods. “Yep. You two were practically inseparable.”
Sonia approaches quickly, cupping your face in her hands to get a good look at your face. She brushes a hand over the scar on your nose, eyes flicking about as she takes in your every feature, as if you’ll evaporate in her grasp. Her eyes well with tears, bottom lip quivering, and you panic, unsure of what to say. “U-uh- I’m sorry!”
She bursts into laughter, throwing her arms around you. “My friend, you haven’t changed at all, have you?” She rocks back and forth, her grasp tight. You return the hug, a sense of familiarity washing over you and making your eyes water. As you press your hands into her back, you feel something is missing there. Confused, you feel around, only for it to dawn on you a moment later.
“Your hair,” You whisper. “It’s short now.”
She pulls back, smiling at you. “That is correct! I cut it not long after waking up. It was very impractical, with how hot it gets on the Island.”
This is… good. She is good.
You missed her.
“I missed you.” A smile creeps onto your face. “I didn’t know I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” She replies, sniffling. You blink, the metaphorical gears in your head turning. “I… I missed everyone. ” You mumble, piecing it together. “I love everyone. Sonia-sama, where is everyone? I need to see them right now!” You grab at her hands frantically, and she nods with enthusiasm. “Yes! Yes, you can see everyone, I promise you! But it is getting late. Shall we turn in for the night?”
“Oh.” You relax a bit, feeling slightly disappointed, but understanding. “That’s alright. Where do I go?”
“You’ve got a room downstairs in the hotel.” Hinata chimes in. “Come on, I’ll walk you there.”
After saying goodbye and parting ways with Sonia, you follow Hinata downstairs and down a hallway to your room. Room 7. He hands you a small key. “Here. Sleep well alright?”
“I don’t sleep.” You state, taking the key. “But I’m very excited for morning, so I’ll wait.”
You lock the door behind you and open your bag, taking out your pajamas. You don’t technically need them, as you don’t sweat, but this is the routine programmed into you. There’s no harm in it.
You lay down in the bed, staring up at the ceiling to patiently await morning.
At exactly 11:42 PM, there’s a knock at your door. You stand up and walk over, reaching for the handle, completely forgetting the peephole existed. (It wasn’t like you couldn’t handle yourself, anyway. You were far stronger than most humans on Earth.)
When you open the door, there’s a boy standing there. White hair, around 6’2, broad shoulders. One of his arms, from the elbow down, is an incredibly advanced prosthetic. You stare at him. He stares back with wide green eyes.
A few beats of silence pass, before something in the back of your head clicks, and your eyes go wide. Vague sensations, your head in someone’s lap, a rare genuine smile, a soft hand in your own. Your chest feels tight.
“Komaeda-kun.”
He smiles softly, warm and real.
“Amerikajin-kun.”
You can’t help but laugh. “I’m not American, silly.”
“Sorry.” He chuckles. “Reader. That’s your name, right?”
“Yeah. It ended up being my favorite, even if it sounds a little silly.”
“Reader-kun.” He hums. “I like it. It suits you.”
More silence. You’re unsure what to say. What to do.
You step forward; slow, hesitant, watching his body language as you cautiously reach out, wrapping your arms around him loosely. He returns the gesture, cradling the back of your head in his metal palm. He lets out a shaky breath, squeezing you slightly.
“If it’s alright with you,” You whisper. “I’d love to get to know you better.”
He nods. “I think I would like that.”