Layer Logs 01

== Medbay Meet - Layer, X, Bullet, and Rook ==
Bullet is in the medical center again. She's starting to feel as if this is her home away from home - lord knows she spends enough time in it, recouperating from z-wave poisoning.
She's laying on one of the derezzing tables, arms behind her back, thoughtful. Her wing struts are repaired and she's pondering over the connection between Sigma - a man she's come to admire - and Bly.
Layer herself has been recovering as well. While Alia wasn't hurt as bad, and Bullet was worse, Layer herself did wind up in a surprisingly bad shape from the Z-Waves. She was redesigned to analyze and scan people. Analyzing and scanning Bly, the mass of Z-Waves he was, messed her up a fair bit.
But she was alright, definitely not worse than Bullet, and after some check-overs and some love from her love, she found herself by herself again... somewhat. She's close to Bullet, also resting with a sheet over her and not quite aware of the Robot Master's consciousness right now, just staring upward and zoning out for a bit to regain her calm and focus.
X has come to pay a visit, yay! He makes his way into the medical bay and, when he's directed to the location of the two women, he makes his way back and waves a bit as he enters their room. "Hey," he smiles. "I heard about what happened. How're you two feeling?" He inquires as he moves a bit deeper into the room, looking over at Bullet. He wonders if she's awake or not.. in fact, hell, they both look kinda comatose. Maybe just in a mini-coma from boredom?
There was at least one more machine to be seen in the hunter base, the problem was this reploid was an ex-hunter rather then presently employed. Still, he was at least known to the group and was allowed to head in. Some had to wonder why his radio was off, but that Federation sigil was likely enough for people to realize what was going on, or at least hope. Rook wouldn't turn on the hunters right? After asking a question or two the raven had been sent off toward Medical and was only just now arriving, a bit behind X.
Bullet sits up as X enters the room. She bows to him in greeting. "Hello X-sama," she says politely. "I'm doing better, just a bit lost in thought. How are you?"
"...hm?" Layer seemed to stir, both at X speaking, and at Bullet being awake. "...hey," she greeted quietly, letting the two of them talk.
X smiles when both of the women reply. Great! "I'm doing all right, but I heard you two weren't doing so well, so I figured I'd come visit and help break up the monotony," he nods, moving to pull up a chair. It's about that point X notices Rook, and he smiles. "Hey, Rook.. I'm surprised they even let you in," he grins playfully at him, clearly teasing. "How've you been?"
Layer's eyes stray to Rook, just noticing him now. She smiles warmly.
Rook ehs a little, wandering over a little closer, "Uncertain," is the response X gets for now, and hopefully one the original machine would understand. "Decided i'd stop in and see how things have been. ... they aren't happy back 'home' about everything.."
Bullet stands and bows to Layer and Rook as well in turn. "I imagine things must be difficult for you, Rook-san. But hopefully good relations can be maintained."
She frowns a moment, still thoughtful, as she looks back to X. "X-sama... Do you think something could be wrong with Sigma-taicho?"
X does indeed understand, and he nods. "I can imagine. Are you intending to stay with us? I can't imagine why you'd visit.. I'm sure they wouldn't be too pleased to know that you were here visiting 'old friends'."
X glances back at Bullet when she speaks his name, and he tilts his head a bit. "Wrong?" That, of course, makes X a bit nervous. Something wrong with Sigma? How did he know that this would eventually happen? Especially since X is the eternal optimist. He tries his best not to show any obvious worry. "What do you mean?"
Layer nodded back to Bullet, glancing to X. "...Solo mentioned Sigma. Which is why I need to have a talk with him. But... you haven't noticed anything, have you?"
"Sigma-taicho has been nothing if not professional and brave. I do not understand why this Solo person has decided to attack him. Solo says that Sigma-taicho has sold himself out to evil. Something called "Ra Mu"," Bullet explains.
X rubs his chin slightly. "No.. I haven't heard or seen anything strange. In fact, this is the first I've heard about anyone attacking Sigma since Bass.." He glances over at Rook for a moment, then back at Bullet and Layer. "I think we need to find out more, then."
"...we do. He mentinoed something about Sigma 'reeking of Ra Mu's power'," Layer chimed, sitting up. "Honestly, I'm more worried about somebody getting on poor Sigma's case after everything that's gone on, but Solo's specific mention of that is a bit... unsettling for me. Just wondering if you knew anything at all..."
Rook had been mostly quiet since his arrival. A bit of a nod is given to Bullet, "you could.. say that.." he muses. "There's a reason my radio is off right now... i'll just leave it at that," he points out. He felt more secure among the hunters right now then he did back in the federation base. "As for what's been going on... I .. don't know what to think about Sigma. I've been leery since the start to be honest... X knows about me and Mavericks.." which is to say if one was in the room it would be a very barbaric and ugly affair.
"I know, Rook," X smiles at his friend, before looking back towards Layer and Bullet. "I suggest we each keep an eye and an ear out for any information about Sigma and Ra Mu. Things could get ugly quick if it's true that Sigma's.. well.. you know. Not to mention.." And he looks at Layer knowingly. "Anyway.. I haven't heard anything. I've been too busy as of late to really keep up with the grapevine.."
"Apparently Solo is very unhappy with me for denying him the privilege of killing Sigma-taicho. That is why I was targetted," Bullet explains, looking at the floor. She shakes her head. "I have attempted to talk Solo out of his silly rage, but... out of the frying pan, as the saying goes...."
"...he didn't seem like the kind of person that would listen..." Layer replied. After a moment, she quieted a little, looking to Bullet. "...I'm sorry to have interfered like that, but there was a lot at stake and I wasn't exactly thinking straight. I didn't want anything to happen to you..."
Rook hnns thoughtfully before piping up again, "Well, despite my reservations about Sigma, no one should be able to just go off and kill him just because they feel its the right thing to do. Its probably at least -one- thing our two organizations can agree on at the moment." Sounded as if things had been somewhat busy as of late, "At least you're both going to recover, I think that matters more right now then having to worry about this 'Solo' person."
X nods in agreement with Rook. "I'll get to investigating as soon as possible, but you two need to rest and just.. keep an eye open," he nods slowly, moving to a stand and stretching a bit. "You, too, Rook. We'd really appreciate it if you'd let us know if you hear anything." He smiles, moving over to pat Rook on the shoulder. "And I hope you know the doors are always open here for you. We could really use your help.. I just hope you haven't gotten rusty." He grins playfully.
Bullet turns to Layer. "You should have run," she admonishes, folding her arms. "Solo wanted to punish me, and I have endured enough punishments to be able to bear through many more. You risked yourself needlessly, as did Alia-chan. I am very old and I have lived twice longer than I should have. You have your beloved to think about. You and Alia-chan could have run for help or even to distance yourselves to gather data."
"Gate and my friends understand. Plus, I'm very capable under pressure..." Layer replied, folding her hands in her lap. "I may not be invincible, but I've got aces up my sleeves. If anything, I should be scolding /you/ for trying to deal with him without a means to defend yourself."
She frowned. "I don't care how much punishment you've been through. You don't deserve to be bullied. You did nothing wrong. This is what I signed up for, to protect people like you."
"Don't sass your elders," Bullet interjects with a smirk.
Layer smiled a little. "...trust me, if I wanted to sass you, it would have been wittier."
Rook hehs a little at X, "That's good to know. I honestly have a lot going through my head a this point. Just watching the world move in the direction its going, seeing what some nations are doing and what others are doing... Its just a difficult situation to be in. I literally had to sneak out and turn my radio off just to visit to ask a question, which you actually just answered for me.."
"What's that? That we'd be happy to have you back?" X smiles at Rook.
Bullet sighs and headshakes at Layer. "You do not understand, Layer-chan. You must think of this logically: One life is not worth three."
"You make it seem like we were just going to die like that..." Layer spoke. "I was unprepared, but you underestimate us regardless."
"If you had been around much more z-waves... you would be dead," Bullet says.
"......" Layer couldn't argue that. She fell silent.
Rook grins a little at X, "Maybe," he muses. "There's been a lot of tension in the base as of late, to say the least. I haven't seen Warmane in -days-, I can only imagine how upset he probably is about Netopia breaking off."
"I can't, either," X admits, rubbing the back of his neck. He glances back at the two women, observing for a few moments. He'd overheard most of their conversation, but he doesn't want to butt in, anyway. He glances back at Rook. "I'm sure you'll know what to do when the time comes." He smiles.
"I know you do not like it, Layer... but sometimes unpleasant things must be done to prevent worse loss," Bullet says. She smiles understandingly, "I know you wish to save others. I know that is what you signed up to do..."
"... But I am a Robot Master. I understand self-sacrifice. It does not bother me. I know that I am expendable."
Layer's voice shoots back almost immediately. A fist clenches in her lap. "Well, it bothers me," she says, some pain lining her words gently, just enough to go unnoticed by the oblivious.
Rook is staying well out of that argument to say the least, "I really hope so X. All I have now are questions, but I don't think there are a lot of people that can really answer them."
"I know," Bullet says, walking over to Layer and placing a hand on her shoulder. "I am sorry. We're quite different, you and I..."
"......"
Layer feels tense as Bullet places a hand on an uninviting, but non-reclusive shoulder. Layer's eyes close as she thinks of what to say, her heart feeling like yelling out, her mind scattered with a billion thoughts.
"...no." Layer spoke. "We're not different at all. That's why I cannot accept that. That's why I absolutely refuse that. ...I'm not expecting you to understand, but I just want to say that no matter what he called and considered you... you are a living, breathing being. Just like me. Just like all of us. You can play it off and refuse to acknowledge it all you want..."
She looks to Bullet. In her proximity, you could see the painful sincerity in her eyes. Something more than ordinary devotion. Perhaps even more than duty... desperation, maybe. "...but as a person, I will not let you die. You are not a tool to me. I /will/ protect you, Bullet. Until you understand, like anyone else that I consider a friend, I will protect you."
"This is what I meant," Bullet says, sitting down next to Layer. "We don't think the same way. We weren't made the same way. You are so much like a human, and it is confusing to someone like me; your kind seem so obsessed with being treated like humans even you are not one. I am grateful for your desire to protect me, but I am trying to release you from needless concern on my behalf."
Bullet looks up and out one of the side windows. "I am comfortable with the thought of being a servant, of having an assigned time to sleep and finish my work forever. I know the span of my life, and that it meant something.... to not know such a thing would be far more terrifying..."
It bothered Layer. There was no other way to describe it. It was just something she, as a reploid, could not comprehend. Such... complacency.
Layer shook her head no, looking away. Accept it? No. But what could she do? This was the way that Bullet thought. What was she going to do, brainwash her? A hand went to her head as she quietly contemplated it, unsure of what to say, of what she even wanted to say.
"Layer-chan," Bullet asks, sensing the discomfort, "What country were you created in? Who were you made for, and why, if I may ask?"
Feeling clearly uncomfortable, Layer sat still, arms folding tight on her lap, expression fixated downward. It was just... so much to think about.
As Bullet inquired more, Layer seemed to grow more uncomfortable. This sense of rebellion against her purpose... this was her talking. This wasn't something she should force on Bullet. Lost and confused and trying to find a way out of her muddled mind, she shook her head, just answering, the way she usually would. "...I'm Electopian, like you seem to be... but I'd rather not talk about the rest..."
"I'm Japanese," Bullet says. "I am from a country now dead through Eurasia; it has been reborn as Electopia. I am from the old world, and the old ways."
She folds her hands in her lap. "When I was still new, our people still cherished the idea of knowing one's place in society. Even with humans, the family name, the social order... while we moved to egalitarian thinking, many of us still resisted the idea of losing too much of the old ways."
"I know my place, Layer. From this I draw a great deal of peace and security. I know what I was made to do. My father, my human creator, fashioned me with his mind and his hands, forged me and my twin brother as a gift to humanity. We were loved and needed, and we had a great task to accomplish. We trusted our human makers and owners. They took care of us. We were precious to them and our service to them made them so happy. We made their lives better. What greater gift, calling or purpose could there ever be than to bring joy, health and prosperity to those that gave you life and kept you safe?"
"Some called the limited lifespan laws cruel, and I suppose there were a great many wicked humans who had forgotten the joy of creation using it to abuse us. But at the same time... it was a great gift. We shared mortality with humanity. Artificial though it may be, we, like our beloved creators, would pass from the earth, perhaps to be reborn as one of them, if we should possess souls."
"When everyone knows their place, there is great harmony and purpose. An ear cannot be an eye. A hand cannot be a foot. To struggle against your place is to become unhappy. I cannot be more than what I was made to be; my father shaped my mind and body towards one end. I desire nothing more than to accomplish this aim. To waste my life's alottment chasing the notion that I should be something other than what I am is foolishness. Weakness. A defection of the mind."
Bullet looks at Layer. "Allow me to know my place and keep it, Layer-chan. Use me wisely. I cannot think of a greater happiness than this."
"......"
Layer listened in silence, contemplating her words... meditating silently, before eventually nodding. "...alright. If that's what you want, then alright." Her words sound almost defeated as she sat there, hunched over. It was enough almost to contemplate regret for her choice of life... but she knew better. She knew she needed to leave that life. There was no turning back, anyways.
She, after a moment of quiet, laid back. "......I'm... gonna get some rest..."
"Rest well," Bullet says with a wide smile and compassionate tone. "We will see what can be done about our problems in the morning."
Layer gave a gentle nod, before closing her eyes... simply just shutting off her senses.
She needed some time alone to think.
Category:Logfile