"SHAIS, where is JV907 located?", Bella turned to the little hologram that simply watched her gulp down an O+ soft drink.
"Master, please input the pass code to access confidential information," it responded and projected a number pad before her.
"Ugh... what did he say again... 5555617," Bella mumbled to herself and tried the first number that came to memory.
"Access granted... JV907, responded poorly to the treatment course and had a psychotic break. JV907 is currently in the psychiatric ward, under a 168-hour psych-hold. Status: pending evaluation," SHAIS informed.
"Well, fuck...," Bella blurted.
"Can I look through his personal effects then?", Marabella queried.
"With the All-Access code... but Master, this is only to be used in great need. Not for snooping," SHAIS cautioned.
"SHAIS?" Bella called sweetly.
"Yes, Master," SHAIS yelled obediently.
"Don't tell me what to do," Bella's smile and tone dropped.
"SHAIS is just doing its job! SHAIS has programmed responses for specific topics, why should SHAIS be chastized for doing what it is supposed to do? Master, log my achievement, SHAIS did what SHAIS is to do!", the little robot boiled and demanded angrily, but its cute, wobbly voice undercut the tone.
Bella looked up at the high ceiling of the cafeteria and wondered how she got here.
"Master, my achievement. Log my achievement," SHAIS urged.
And for peace... Bella logged said achievement.
"Oh, Master, I knew you were good to me!", SHAIS twirled and its happy tone returned.
"I can't see Kaito for another few days... what do I do now?", Bella wondered aloud.
"Oh, Master, SHAIS is all about improving! What do you need to improve?", SHAIS suggested.
"I dunno, I'm perfect. It's so hard being the standard for everything. It's like, can I just struggle like normal beings? Why am I extraordinary, you know?", Bella lamented.
"SHAIS has constructed a simple questionnaire that adapts based on previous answers. Would Master like to try it?", it hummed and presented a holographic questionnaire.
"Fuck it... okay," Bella blinked and acquiesced.
"Wonderful! Master we are on our self-improvement journey, together!", SHAIS cheered.
SHAIS' simple questionnaire took her an hour to complete.
"Master, the results are in!", SHAIS spun happily.
"The conclusions are:
1) You are feeling guilty about hurting people in your interpersonal relationships;
2) You recognize the sadness of your friends and want to make it better;
3) Ultimately, you are too proud to do what you know is right," SHAIS read.
"Fucking hell! Am I seriously subconsciously thinking about how to make that bleeding heart stop weeping about a mutt!?", Bella groaned in frustration.
"And she's not my friend... she just has the spirit of my friend... in her," Bella trailed, defeated.
"SHAIS, how do you unbind a hell-mongrel from its master?", Bella conceded.
"Did you log my achievement? Oh, you can kill the master," SHAIS cheekily reminded before responding to Bella's inquiry.
"I'm sure if the sucker felt bad for a basic animal, then she'd feel bad if I took out her parents... not to mention, a Furor would have me as an entrée," Bella realized and absentmindedly logged SHAIS' achievement.
YOU ARE READING
The Empire's Descent (First Draft)
FantasyExcerpt: "Luca, it's a male Vampyr in the Green Grotto!", she burst into his office to inform. Luca rolled his eyes and clutched the desk before him, where he gripped splintered under the force. "Does it still hurt that much? Ari said you'll be able...
