Brokenly, Restored

Chapter #2

(Matt's POV)

     Defend. I stare at my target, my programming screaming at me to keep attacking him. But my priority subjects are leaving. I continue to stare for another few seconds with a blank expression, before spinning around and following after the two. I don't understand. #321 was being attacked, so I defended him. Why is #293 stopping me? I've had no commands or missions to guide my actions on. Attack and defense are my default reactions. Nothing in my programming is telling me to stay around these two specific subjects, but nothing is telling me to leave either. It benefits me to stay near them. But only as long as they're both alive and unharmed.

     I do not understand why #293 seems to always be leaving #321 in places where he may get hurt. Why can't I stay and defend them from threats? If I were to stay with #321, than I can't defend #293. Why do they split up all the time? I can't direct my actions to two different places at once. I am not authorized to ask questions of anyone. If I need to know something, it will be told to me. I follow after my primary subjects. I can feel sunlight reflecting off of my panels, the energy being stored in my internal systems.

     "I'm sorry, Pete. We should of gotten here faster", 'Choco' mutters, looking at #321.

     "It's not your fault. I should've known that the older kids weren't really interested in 'getting to know me", 'Pete' sighs, "But I think Matt scared them pretty good". They're talking about me. They call me Matt. That's my name. The dirt paths that #293 lead us down are sprinkled with holes in the ground. I can hear far off voices, but no one's on the path Choco takes.

      "Hey Matt, do you want to see what I did in class today?", #321 asks me, digging around in his bag. I do not understand what he is asking me. Either it will be shown to me, or it will not be. He didn't say witch one it was. I do not know what he is asking. What does he want me to answer with? My eyes refocus on him when I realize that I've been staring at him in silence. Pete looks at me with a piece of paper in his hand. Acting more on instinct than anything else, I reach out and take it from him. #321's face changes when I do. I can not identify what the change was.

      The paper is a mixture of math formulas that I instantly recognize, however crude and simplified. Almost illegible writing covers the sheet. I've been programmed to recognize written languages and cross reference them to others. I can read, but I've never picked up a pencil before. I wonder........ my thought is disrupted. It has a physical effect on my body, and my joints lock up for a moment, making me stumble a little. #293 is instantly at my side and steadying me.

     "Matt. What's wrong", he asks me in a slightly raised voice, a look on his eyes that I can't  identify. #321 has also stopped with a glint in his eyes. I recover my balance, and I slip back into my normal state. Pete's face changes again when I give him back the paper without further comment. I stand quietly and wait for them to start moving again.

       Choco sighs after a few moments. "Heh, he really had me hopeful then. That hole freezing thing used to happen back at the lab, right before he'd snap out of it", he says, shoulders slumped.

     "But that's good right? He's getting better!", #321 insists. I no longer understand that conversation, but I'm not authorized to ask. #293 starts walking again, and neither of them talk. My systems turn to scanning the surroundings without the audio redirecting me. Not many thoughts pass through my mind besides observations.

     It's in this distracted state that something else is brought to my attention. I give no visual sign, but my mind is suddenly plunged into a distant recollection. My eyes still see the path in front of me, yet I see nothing but black. It's not even unusual. I get the feeling of sitting a chair with someone at my side. Their hand is on mine, directing my fingers along small bumps on the page. I'm slowly dragged deeper into the hallucination that I start to hear a voice.

     I'm sapped back into my surroundings when I walk into Choco. He had stopped in front of a small building. "I was distracted, excuse my behavior", I say immediately, it being an automatic response from my time spent in the labs. #293 seems to be about to say something, but changes his mind.

     "Can we go inside? I have homework to do", Pete says. Choco agrees, and we walk into the building. We've been coming back here each night for some time. It's the place of residence that #293 acquired.

      But what happened to my head? It was like I was somewhere else entirely. I don't ever recall reading brail. Why do I have this scene stuck in my head? I've never lost focus like that before. This requires further investigation.....