A Desolate Life | Wall-e AU

A Desolate Life: Part 2

The apparition of AUTO's prototype self travelled the halls, hovering down from balconies and railings to get to the deck everyone had left from. It didn't take as long as he expected, but it sure pushed the magnetic limits of the new limbs. AUTO was new to this feeling, freedom. However moving and being in places he'd never ever dreamed of being in gave him anxiety. He was scared to see the new angles and corridors that his loyal GO-4 had traversed thousands of times before. AUTO continued down onto the lido deck, and gave a swift view of the pool, it was still closed over. If 4 was in there, he'd be dead.

Yet AUTO refused to panic but allowed himself to feel deeply concerned and longed to see his subordinate on solid ground. There was no expectations to fill, he could be a mess- an even bigger mess than he'd already become. His new visor darted across the floor, he didn't know if his electric pupils were moving too, it didn't matter. He quickly found something irregular in the floor, a dent and mound just in front of the command deck he'd forever been confined to. Pieces of white and red scattered around the scene. His mind processed 2 things at once, the glorious freedom he had to save 4, and the small body laying half sunken into the floor. With an agile movement, similar to the gliding smoothness of his tracks, he approached the body. There was shock, or sadness, but mainly anger circling around that once enclosed mind. AUTO had no purpose anymore, no thoughts or stances to prioritise, he was alone. He could feel it, the panic. The part of him that earlier wondered if 4 should be repaired in one bay over another, or how long it would take for him to be operational again, was gone. 4 was right there, and he wasn't getting up anytime soon.

AUTO stopped hovering, coming down to a low level and almost falling face flat again. His hands saved him, just over the shattered silhouette on the ground. It sparked, sizzling like a robot's wound. He could see 4s back clearly, he couldn't contain himself enough to keep his hands away from him. He kneeled, extending his magnetic legs out for support, and wrapping his two hands around 4's sides, he lifted him up slowly. AUTO could tell as 4 was finally beginning to surface again that his light was completely shattered in the front. With each now gentler tug, a new shard of red glass snapped off. His whole light would be cracked and demolished by the time AUTO flinched as a part of GO-4 fell to the ground. A twinge of pain, or something flew past him as he stared at the destroyed bot. His light had almost completely crumbled in the process, now a thin crown of red glass sat where a round dome once stood. AUTO almost fell back, his magnetic joints saving him from the tumble. Frantically, he held 4 to face him. His torso had remained somewhat intact, a few huge dents was better than many, considering the fact he fell from hundreds of feet above. His visor and beam port were completely destroyed, much like his light. AUTO concluded that he'd need repaired right away. At least AUTO knew everything inside would be ok if his chassis wasn't that bad. It was fine, he was alive. AUTO gave a quick glance around the empty lido deck, he grabbed 4 and held him in close. The rules didn't matter, the humans didn't matter, they'd die, they tried to murder 4 and essentially AUTO too. There was no other choice, and yet he knew that so called 'captain' was being hailed and praised for his disturbing actions. There would be no more listening to humans. AUTO was on his own for now, until 4 got repaired or any other loyal bot re-joined him.

With this free reign, the control of his entire existence, free from responsibility had broken him in many ways. Maybe it was the new body which wasn't completely filled with restrictions and demands, or maybe it was the absence of the captain that made him feel everything freely for once. He didn't know, but as he held 4 close, he thanked a small part of yesterday's events for giving him something. At least now, when no one was watching, he could hug him. At least...

AUTO shuffled himself across the floor against the wall that supported the command deck, he sat there gripping onto 4 like a stuffed animal, craving some sort of escape from this new shaking feeling. He was slightly surprised that 700 years of suppressed emotions was coming out so lightly. He couldn't cry, just- just shake. Everything would be fine for them, even with no purpose, they were still alive.