A machine's guide to Divinity

GRIEF /// THIRD: At The Height Of Repression

+PARRY

V was sent back as V1 parried her strike. Doing his best not to critically harm her, V1 drew out his freezeframe launcher.

"That's a freaking rocket launcher! How are you gonna keep her alive after-" Uzi shouted from the corner she was hiding in. V1 relentlessly fired the weapon, letting three rockets connect with V. Unharmed, she was sent up into the air, stunned.

"Freezeframe/S.R.S rockets explode violently when detecting blood to prevent safety hazards on its wielder." A line from the [WEAPONS DATA] came to mind, and Uzi nodded slowly, looking at V1 juggle V with the rockets.

"Machine. Will juggling a possessed drone help us exit this place and save these 'important' memory files? If not..."

"I'm trying to buy some time. Uzi, think up a plan to keep her alive while fooling hell into thinking she's dead." V1 replied, firing rocket after rocket with impeccable accuracy. The limp form of V flopped around as shockwaves from the rockets tossed her around.

Finally able to dodge one of the rockets, V dove at V1, claws out, wings folded. V1 knocked her away and whiplashed her into his grasp. Hissing, V tried to bite V1's head off.

+PARRY

V1 punched her away, making her stumble back. Gabriel teleported behind her and caged her inside a ring of divine fire.

"You know she can fly, right?" Uzi spoke, coming out from her hiding spot. Just as she finished talking, V tried to fly above the ring but the flames rose in height, blocking her path. Not overwhelming, but just enough.

"Worker drones have an off switch on their back," N spoke, crouching behind a bookcase. Nodding, V1 approached the ring of fire. V drew out her claws, ready to plunge them deep into V1's chest. She clawed at V1's head, raking it alongside his optics. V1 let the rusty claws slide harmlessly as he slid underneath her. Flicking a coin into the air, V1 punched it into V's back.

+FISTFUL OF DOLLAR

The joints that held V's wings disengaged, and a crudely made slab fell from her back. Underneath was a red button. V quickly turned and struck V1 in his chest.

+PARRY

Stunned, V fell as V1 quickly went behind her and pushed the button full force.

[WARNING: DAMAGE LIMIT '80' REACHED]

SHUTTING OFF PROTOTYPE... ... ...

TEST RUN RECORDED. ID:(1)

[EXTERNAL_FORCE_SHUTDOWN]

V fell, and the doors unlocked themselves. "Phew. So, she'll start rebooting soon?" Uzi asked. "Yeah. I hope..." N nodded, eyes empty. Then, he shoved the crow into the ground. Gabriel and V1 turned to face him, but N pointed behind them. V was standing there, knives fell from her hands as she froze. [error 606] was displayed on her visor, and she seemed to revert to her dormant state. in the place where Uzi stood moments ago was a lancet, stuck in the ground.

"you saved her. My gratitude, machine." Gabriel spoke, thanking N. "Yeah, that's what friends do, I guess, helping each other out. Let's get back to V when all this is done...please?" N spoke, looking at Gabriel. "It'll all work out in the end, after all. You get four new friends in the end, right?" V1 spoke, secretly proud of himself after understanding and feedbacking N's emotions. During the times in Copper-9, he had transformed into a new machine. With time to think and connect to other beings, the feral bloodsucker was now a compassionate machine with an affinity to guns. However, his abilities remained supreme. Thinking, he effortlessly stopped a thrown knife.