Key To Life

Bad News

Y/N POV

The world comes back but it keeps going to static. I groan as my whole body goes haywire.

System: "Virus detected. Seek assistance immediately."

I shakily get to my feet. I then sway to the nearest technician. I do a quick scan only to be met with a system error.

System: "Virus detected. Seek assistance immediately."

Y/N: "I am."

After some time I finally arrive at the technician's building. 

Technician: "How may I help you?"

Y/N: "Got a virus. Need it purged."

Technician: "Click a dirty link?"

Y/N: "Not quite."

Technician: "Very well. Let me see your scroll."

Y/N: "It's not my scroll."

I jack my cable into his computer.

Technician: "What the hell?"

I display all of my information.

Y/N: "Work your magic."

I crash again, once more making the world go black.

*timeskip*

I come back online. I look around to see I'm now in what looks like a lab.

Technician: "Look who's finally back from the dead."

I look to see that technician sitting at his computer.

Y/N: "How'd it go?"

Technician: "It was a virus alright. But not like any I've ever seen."

I tilt my head.

Y/N: "Explain."

Technician: "First and foremost, you coulda told me you were some kinda weird human like machine."

Y/N: "Surprise. Now tell me about this virus."

Technician: "Well like I said, it's not like any I've ever seen. This one seems to move unnaturally. Almost like it knows what it's doing. If I didn't know any better. I'd say it was alive."

Y/N: "Don't be crazy. Viruses aren't alive."

Technician: "Say what you want, but this one's different. It's not behaving like a virus should."

Y/N: "What're you saying?"

Technician: "Well..."

Y/N: "Say it."

Technician: "You're being rewritten."

I just stare at him.

Y/N: "What?"

Technician: "Your entire code is being overwritten."

Y/N: "What does that mean?"

Technician: "This virus is replacing you."

Y/N: "You saying I'm dying?"

Technician: "In a way I suppose. When it's done you will cease to exist. All that'll remain will be the virus."

I hang my head. I then look at the technician.

Y/N: "How long do I have?"

He looks at a projection.

Technician: "Based on these results, not long. Best case is a month. I'm sorry."

I only nod. I make my way to the others. I arrive seeing them at a jazz club. Nora is signing, very out of key, while Ren is trying to stop her. Jaune and Qrow play darts. Meanwhile Ruby sits at a booth slamming down apple fritters. I join her make her look at me.

Ruby: "Hey, I was wondering where you went."

Y/N: "Sorry. Decided to take a walk around the kingdom."

She goes back to her fritters.

Y/N: "Hey Ruby."

Ruby: *mouthful* "Yuh?"

Y/N: "Let's say, hypothetically, you had a month to live. What would you do with it?"

She wipes the crumbs from her mouth.

Ruby: "Well. First I'd settle affairs. That way when it's my time to go, I don't have any regrets."

I half smile.

Ruby: "Why?"

Y/N: "Just curious."

Ruby: "I think you've been watching too many lifetime movies."

I only roll my eyes. I think about my future. My thoughts then focus on the pillar of eternity. It's then I reach a decision. Before I die, I'm gonna find it and destroy it. I smile. That shall be my goal. When it's complete then I'll gladly die. But until then, I'll fight with every ounce of strength I've got left.

Y/N: "I got this."