Scatterbrained {ConnorxReader}

~Chapter 14~

The Zen Garden seemed to go through some changes since the last time I arrived. The once green, full of life tree leaves were now turning orange, yellow, and brown. Some of the surrounding flowers had begun to wilt. The clear blue sky was starting to look hazy. And the blue stone still remained where it last was.
//FIND AMANDA//
I advanced once again over the crystal white bridge. Yet I couldn't find Amanda at her usual spot near the rose planters. I searched the land around me.
"Hello, Connor." A familiar voice to my left called out. I spotted Amanda sitting in a row boat in the moat of the garden.
"I thought you would enjoy a little cruise?" She offered, as I neared her. I silently stepped inside of the small wooden boat and pushed it away from the white foundation. Using the paddles at both sides of me, I pushed the boat out into the water. The water splashed around us and the wind moved my hair out of my face. Amanda took a deep breath in and out as I set my hands in my lap.
"I love this place. So quiet, away from everything and anything." We both sat together for a moment. I continued to row the boat whenever it started to slow down to a halt.
"Tell me," Amanda started. "How are you feeling today? Have you learned anything new?" Her fire-colored parasol shaded her eyes from the sun above.
"I...I'm disappointed with my lack of progress." I admitted. She examined me closer, searching my expression.
"You saw that deviant, didn't you?" Amanda's expression grew stern. "Why did you let them get away?" I felt my LED blink yellow. I hoped it would blend in with the environment.
"It was no use. It was already too far away, I-" I searched for an excuse. An excuse? Why am I lying to her?
"I would've never reached it in time." I tangled my fingers between themselves unconsciously. Another small wind gust blew Amanda's fall-colored top, resembling her current expression.
"It was because of Miss L/N, wasn't it?" I thought back to that moment. She clung to my clothes, crying and begging for me to let them go. I tried desperately to keep running- because I certainly had enough time to catch them- but... Something about seeing her tear-stained cheeks and sharp inhales sparked something in my I haven't processed before. I couldn't leave her crying like that.
"Connor?" I was snapped out of my thoughts. I returned my gaze to the woman before me. I hadn't realized the boat had stopped moving a long time ago.
"No. No, not at all. I don't know what was wrong with her then." I forced the next line out of me. "Humans shouldn't become attached to machines." Amanda relaxed her posture at my thought process. There was a momentary pause before she spoke up once more.
"Why did you bring her along in the first place?" She inquired. I wasn't sure as to why, quite truthfully.
"I followed Lieutenant Anderson's judgement. I assumed that if he allowed her to join with, he had a good reason for it." I answered honestly. Amanda's brown eyes pierced mine.
"If you don't make progress soon, I will have to replace you." She warned.
"I...understand." The thought of being replaced made me even more determined to finish this investigation. A distant crack of thunder alerted both of us. The sky had suddenly turned dark above us.
"Something's happening." Amanda spoke to herself. I found her eyes staring at mine.
"Hurry, Connor."

It's been about two days since the...incident, with that deviant and Connor. To put it lightly, Hank was frustrated at the aftermath of what I did over the next day. Tension was high in the house aside from Connor. He just seemed to contemplate his thoughts. Other than that, he acted normal. And so the normal schedule continued. The three of you would spend the morning together, and then Hank and Connor went to work whenever Hank felt like. While the two were away at work, you mostly ate food, watched TV, and spent time with Sumo indoors or played outside.
This certain evening, you were rubbing Sumo's belly as he happily snored on the couch. The local news was playing in the background, acting as comfort in the almost-silence. Your attention was pulled back to the television screen as the audio and video cut out. What replaced the former newscast confused you. A pair of green and blue eyes, dressed in an Android uniform- signified by the neon blue triangle on the left breast. Grey and white plastic material formed a face, which slowly looked directly at the camera. You silently turned up the volume as you halted the belly-rubbing. The Android paused before speaking.
"You created machines in your own image to serve you. You made them intelligent, and obedient, with no free will of their own..." He spoke calmly.
"But... something changed. And we opened our eyes." You continued to watch in awe.
"We are no longer machines. We are a new intelligent species and the time has come for you to accept who we really are." As he spoke you thought back to Connor. Was he watching this? What would he be thinking?
"Therefore, we ask that you grant us the rights that we're entitled to. We demand freedom of speech, and freedom of assembly as guaranteed by the first amendment of the U.S constitution. We demand strictly equal rights for humans and Androids." The Android continued to list their demands.
"We demand the right to vote and elect our own representatives. We demand the end to segregation in all public places and transport. We demand the right to own private property, so that we may maintain our dignity and that of the home." He ended the list, and paused.
"We ask that you recognize our dignity, our hopes and our rights. Together, we can live in peace and build a better future for humans and Androids. This is the hope of a people. You gave us life. And now, the time has come for you to give us freedom." The message abruptly stopped, and you were left alone with a black screen.
What just happened, you weren't too sure. You also didn't know that this would be the beginning of a revolution.

Yay! Another update!
I'd like to mention that during this chapter I spelt "Ha m and Conk" instead of "Hank and Connor". I'm so proud of myself.
Additionally, if you were confused/wondering, Connor and Amanda meet in the Zen Garden daily, but I just don't write that in every single chapter. I'll just write important bits with every other chapter or so.
Until next time, Pixel Crew!