The Recode project. [Inanimate Insanity AU]

-morality-

Testube picked up the phone. Static roared through the speakers. She listened closely, just incase someone spoke through to her. She heard the lab door open slightly. She looked over her shoulder. Greeted by the friendly face of the mephone she had known for three years. And just as he closed the door her phone shut off. In fact all the lights shut off.

It must have been another power outage, they had become quite frequent throughout hotel OJ, despite the building not being that old. But something about this was wrong. The air sat delicately, ready to shift at any moment. A familiar voice could be heard echoing from the staircase. " OJ fix the power already." The voice sneezed. Someone really needed to take him to a doctor, his condition had only gotten worse throughout the months he spent bedridden or barely moving.

A bright light struck her glasses, squinting to avoid it she could just make out a symbol. The same ones she'd seen covering half of meeple's old experiments. It was blue but instead of the inner circle being empty a flashlight sat balanced in the middle. Suddenly she heard mephone apologise for shining the light at her. He must have taught himself how to use it. She had to admit it was pretty cool and impressive. No wonder cobs had expected him to be revolutionary.

They needed to fix the power before their medical equipment lost power. They had to move quickly. Testube bolted up the stairs, she'd always been fast on her feet. Her mother had always told her that. Jeebweezers she missed her, but this was no time to dwindle on the past. She jammed the buttons on the switch board. She sighed as the lights turned back on, blinding herself once again. Her eyes adjusted quicker now. She had to make this trip often to keep the lights functioning around the hotel. It was only annoying when she had to walk back. Afterall her lab was on the other side of hotel oj. As she began to walk back she could hear fan blabbering on about something as usual. She thought she'd stop by for a chat.

As she entered the kitchen she noticed something out the window, a red X facing her. Staring at Her. She shuddered slightly, but payed no mind to it afterall it was a particularly cold day. This could have been anything. Every window was foggy now, it'd gone from hot to freezing cold in a matter of weeks. Relief washed over her as she saw fan. Lectureing 3GS about something. Now that she thought of it she wondered where mephone 4 went. She knew he probably hadn't gone far, so she again payed no mind to it.

Fan called her over, offering her a drink. She accepted and sat down near 3GS. She looked at the mechanical object closely. They appeared to just stare off into space, unlike mephone 4 or 4S there wasn't a single hint of life in his eyes. They were dull and emotionless like any hope he'd had for a happy ending was gone. She just wanted to know what they'd gone through. she wished could give them that happy ending they deserve. Cobs cared for no one. He only acknowledges those who can improve his technologies.

In reality he'd achieved what he desired far long ago, and only continued his experiments. Never knowing what they could achieve because he never gave them long enough. Most would die within the first year. However mephone 4 was different and she acknowledged that. It was almost as though he had a soul. She was quickly waved from her thoughts from the pair she'd joined for hot chocolate. Fan gazed at her confused and slightly worried however there was not a readable expression resting on the dulled screen that made up 3GS' face.

They began to talk, 3GS rarely joining in. He was making it pretty obvious that he didn't want to talk to anyone today, eventually leaving to go and see check up on his older brother. As he left mephone scooted into the kitchen. Without a word he pointed to the kitchen window, and pulled a shocked yet very sarcastic face. Testube giggled until fan practically jumped out of his seat at the sight. Testube looked up at the window again. It was him. X was back.

She began to wonder what he wanted this time. Suddenly he made a quick, sudden movement gesturing in a rather aggressive motion for them to come outside. He than began to walk towards the door slowly. Testube opened the door as fan struggled to tie his shoe, eventually getting mephone 4 to help him. They shuffled out the door slowly, mephone 4 and fan being surprisingly hesitant, yet neither seemed against following this absolute stranger.

X began to walk towards the woods, everyone following behind not daring to make a sound. Wind whistled at them as they walked, freezing them. No one had thought to bring a coat so she wrapped her arm around fan trying to keep warm. It felt awkward but worked. She looked at mephone 4, who seemed to be eyeing up the new companion, with another unreadable expression. She had to admit she hated when they did this it made her job more difficult. She knew cobs had gone far to make them the perfect mascots, the perfect little robots of their generation.

Fan was getting pretty nervous the lack of conversation was killing him. Testube looked on through the unusual path trying to predict each turn. Eventually he tried to make small talk. Mephone 4 shot him an odd glance gesturing for him to quiet down. This was unusual but understandable, none of them knew X that well. For all they know, they could attack them at any moment or they could be leading them to their deaths.

Eventually they got to a small clearing, lined with wooden stalls, it was a very pretty sight. It would be perfect for a picnic mephone 4 thought to himself as he looked around. X wanted them to wait. He first dragged a box towards the clearing it was a large cardboard box worn and damaged by time. Disappearing into the depths of the forest once again before reappearing  dragging two other objects behind themselves. They appeared to be wrapped tightly in rope, stuck together like two insects in a spiderweb. They lent the two up against one of the tree trunks, revealing the smaller object hidden behind the much larger Mepad. It was Taco. Than X began to gesture they take their pick.

Testube looked carefully. A box of documents disks and even blueprints, everything they needed to solve this mystery. She squinted through a whole in the box faintly making out the shape of a disk and it was labelled #002. It was her missing disk. It could give her a clue on whatever these new chips were. But was it really the right thing to do? She questioned herself feeling guilt at the facts she'd just take the documents and run. She looked over at fan who was updating his blog. She had to admit that sometimes she'd wish he'd leave the blog at the hotel. She than turned to mephone 4 who was squinting like it'd make the already awkward situation better. He whispered to her "i think we should free taco and mepad.." he hesitated for a moment but after all he was correct it was the right thing to do and she knew it.

She addressed the new yet familiar face by name, "X, please would you free taco and mepad?" Not having time to explain to the two next to her that she'd met the odd phone before. He used the claw she'd repaired the first time they met, showing it off proudly with joy. He cut the rope with a swift motion, looked mephone 4 in the eyes and kicked the box too him, It slid surprisingly well on the grassy ground. X nodded and teleported away quickly, only leaving a few sparks behind.  Taco jumped up after her captor had left and gave them a thumbs up. "I owe you one, testube." She spoke loudly and clearly Before scampering off into the forest.

This was a morality test and it looks as though they'd passed.