Coded Love [Season 1]

Chapter 7: Senses Aplenty

William and Hilda watched as the mechanical body of Opal stiffen then relaxed then going limp completely. William carefully approached, wondering what is happening. The visor of Opal then turned into two lines, to show shut eyes. A mechanical groaning was heard, as the synth slowly tried to sit up. William helped her as much as he could. "Just take it easy. There you go."

To Opal this place felt different. She could feel the air, the breaths of the two she was near, she could smell the machinery of her own body. The tough carbon fiber flesh of her body tightened and yet gracefully bend as she turned to face William. She vision was at first blinding, but quickly she blinked in a way. She could see the real world, smell and touch it. She couldn't really believe it for herself. William smiled at her calmly. "Rise and shine." 

She flexed her fingers, seeing how she had to almost tell her digits what to do, how much work it took to just take a breath or to speak. "Is-" She stopped for a second, shocked at how frustrating it was and different than in a simulation to speak. "Is this your home?" William nodded standing up fully and gestured about his room. 

"It is, or rather a part of it." William however stopped his happiness for Opal when he heard a hiss. He turned and saw Hilda's badly broken arm. It seemed her pain finely kicked in. She wailed and cried. William was quick to action guiding her quickly to an emergency side room. Opal watched the two enter a white room, of which they closed the door. She returned to herself as she flexed her toes, moved her legs, and swished her tail. She was fascinated by the range of movement. She swung her legs off of the table or bed she was previously resting on. She flung herself off too fast and too strongly, which resulted in her clattering to the ground and hitting the other table.

And for the first time she felt pain...

Opal screamed in pain holding her knee. "William! It hurts!" Suddenly and nearly toppling over William burst from the door and sprinted to Opal. He scooped her back so it wasn't lying on the ground. 

"What's wrong are you okay?" Hilda now with a splint and a bandage walked out to see what was wrong. Opal showed her knee.

Nothing was wrong with it.

"Oh..." Was all William said.

"What do you mean 'oh'!?" Opal exclaimed. "It's clearly broken
It hurts so much." William listened and managed to contain his smile and laugh. Hilda approached and rested her hand on his shoulder.

"She is a like a newborn to pain." Hilda remarked, getting on her knees in front of the android who did not look appeased. Her lights were a dim flashing red reflecting her pain and now rising anger. 

"I'm not a baby!" Opal smashed a hand on the ground, denting and cracking it leaving a print of her hand. The sudden event made both Hilda and William back off only slightly. As Opal slowly lifted her hand she saw the damage she had done in her anger and was now horrified, the kind that is side by side with a dap of sorrow. "I didn't mean to." She stuttered, her lights becoming a a ochre color. 

The young man was first to quickly to get back on his knees. "I know." William tried to comfort the android. "This is all confusing, and no doubt tiring I bet?" William asked with a small smirk. This made the ochre disappear and her usual pink returning. She even chuckled as she nodded. "Don't worry," William rested a hand on her left shoulder. "I will be here to help." He then looked to Hilda for a second. "We will be here to help." William then grunted as he stood up and offered to help the android get up.

Opal shakily rose to her feet, gripping tightly the arms of both Hilda and William. It was long before she was upright, now mostly relying on the help of Hilda as she was more close to the height of Opal than William was. "Just try to take one step after the other, okay? Nice and slow." Hilda encouraged slowly, always being right next to Opal as the android took a heavy step forward and nearly fell but was caught by both Hilda and William. "It's okay. Let's try again." Opal looked blue.