AN: Consider this oneshot to be the first major attempt at a massive updating spree. And for those who are interested, A Christmas Saga is going to be updated for the holiday season. See my profile for updates.
Logic Drive
Unlike most of humanity, and like her mass-produced brothers and sisters, she had a purpose. She was created for a specific goal, to achieve something only she could do…
But what she didn't understand were the emotions.
She was naturally, a Vector-made model. Yet she wasn't created in the labs like the others, no, it was a very special laboratory she came from, one ran privately by the Vector CEO. Only a select few Realians had been born in this facility, nearly 100 years prior it had been twin brothers. Then it had been her and the girls. One would think that would be the end of it all…but not yet. Later on down the line, the lab would bring forth one more Realian, personally fine-tuned much like herself for a very special reason… But she and her sisters would be unaware of this because like all the others who had come before them and for the one who would come after them, their memories were hazed.
From the minute she was activated she was with Mizrahi, working in his lab and doubling as the personal housekeeper for the Federation representative, a man named Uzuki. The girls, her 'sisters', Cecily and Catherine, they did their best to help, and the three of them enjoyed the use of a small two-bedroom apartment not far from her place of work. But when she looked back at it all, she had to wonder about the timing. Picture-perfect it was, for not too long afterwards…
She had come. And the Vector CEO had brought her, placed her small hand into her slightly larger one. Febronia had found herself charged with her safekeeping, she was the 'daughter' of her employer and it was vital that she stay hidden. The Realian accepted these orders without question, if this was her duty it was her duty, and she'd do it to the best of her ability. The child's name was Shion, and soon it became common to see her trailing behind Febronia, wearing her little white dress, sometimes carrying her stuffed version of that U.M.N. mascot. The Realian obeyed the orders she'd been given faithfully, and so things stayed quiet…until the start of the New Year.
He'd entered her life in the middle of the first month, lost in the maze of the Mizrahi labs. She'd politely given him directions on where to go, and thought that was that. But it wasn't, as she was leaving work that day she saw him again with a group of soldiers more than likely from his unit. He'd seen her, and walked over to say hello…
She'd tried to keep the relationship at a remove. For starters, she was Realian, he was human. He was a good several years her junior…but this didn't seem to stop him and despite everything, Febronia felt herself falling in love with this man. It didn't help that the girls adored him as well, including Shion. But unbeknownst to her, part of her affection stemmed from that program she shared with her 'sisters' and the ones who had come before her, to help her creator identify those he needed. But as for the rest of it…
They loved each other for six months. To them there was no outside world; it was only her, him, and her sisters. Never mind the stares, the whispers, and the fact that the world around them had gone mad. Her brothers and sisters, her fellow Realians…some of them had gone insane, attacking their creators. And those who weren't affected were punished for the sins of their kind. Even Mizrahi seemed to be caught up in the maelstrom, but the first flush of love had blinded Febronia to all but Virgil, her sisters, and little Shion. But reality couldn't be denied, and it burst into her safe little world with the force of a supernova.
The orders came suddenly; the fighting on the front lines had gotten worse. Virgil left them at the start of the seventh month, her bracelet shining on his wrist, promising to come back to them, to her. Alone Febronia returned to work, but found things…had become different. Mizrahi's only daughter had died, and the scientist had become a virtual recluse. Febronia rarely saw him, and when she did, it was only over Shion…or her sisters. It was then she started to experience what humans called 'racism', she could no longer go shopping for the supplies they needed or take Shion to the park without whispers, stares, name-calling…
It was then she found the church. She'd started to take walks in the forest simply to avoid the stares, name-calling…the harassment that seemed to be almost common-place for Realians to suffer nowadays. The idea had occurred to her; humans had places where they could go to find peace…why couldn't Realians have the same thing? Inspired, she ran a background check on the old building. Finding no claims on it, she started to come in secret to clean it up, uncovering with awe the ancient religious relics, wondering over their meanings. Once she'd had it sufficiently repaired, she'd tell the other Realians, so that they could enjoy some moments of calm. Her new project took up a good deal of her time, resulting in her vigilance slacking, only a bit…but that was all it took.
They were taken from their beds as they slept, as she was out late one night doing the finishing clean-up on the church's interior. Insane with grief, she went to everyone she knew, even screaming and beating on Mizrahi's doors, begging for her sisters back, without Virgil they were all she had. But her pleas fell on deaf ears, she was a Realian, what did she know about love, about family? Inconsolable, she returned to her duty of caring for Shion, but her thoughts were someplace else.
And with her lack of focus, it brought her death.
The day had started like any other day, she at the Uzuki house, attending to Shion's needs. But she still grieved for her sisters, and so when Shion's father had returned at midday, she asked for the afternoon off. Dr. Uzuki had been kind enough to grant it to her, and so she went to her church. There she'd cried again, and when her tears were spent, just knelt in solitude.
It was dark and rainy when she finally lifted her head, shocked at herself she moved over to a window. Her internal clock told her it was past dinnertime, she should make her way back home before it got too late. But something kept her in the church, a feeling of dread, unease. Something was…not right. Nervous, she moved to the great door, pulling it open and looking out into the night before closing it again. With the intent of using one of the pews as a blockade, she started to walk away…
Feb!
But stopped stock-still, heart racing, eyes widening as she recognized the voice.
Febronia! Feb! Aunty Feb!
A scream on her lips she whipped around, bolting for the door and throwing it open, stepping outside just barely…but once again, a little bit was just enough. Something rammed itself into the center of her chest, spearing directly though her heart and though the middle of her back…
She was dead before she hit the ground.
Febronia blinked, surfacing from the trance she'd been in.
"Mmph." She put a hand to her forehead, and then pushed back a lock of hair, pushing herself up off the floor. She'd been sitting near the altar in her church, simply resting.
I've not…thought about those events for a long time. Standing up, she brushed off her dress. But it's no use thinking about it now, what's done is done. Sighing, she stood up. Here she'd awoken from her death, and here she'd returned after her sisters were freed…
And, She thought, a pensive look crossing her features. Here is where Shion will kill me.