Chapter Text
[Another day on the job. Fixing machines. It's monotonous, but it pays well. It's worth it. Nothing needs to change. The sound of blood, the steam in my eyes, even the pain on their faces when their sleep functions were interrupted, I can handle all of that. I can hold them still, and by the end of the day, I rebuild. Sometimes I rebuild appliances, sometimes, I rebuild bodies. Sometimes I rebuild whole lives, and yet, I don't fix my own.
Funny how life works, but at least I'm good for something.]
These were the thoughts running through The Nurse's mind as she weakly leaned against the wired body of the silent AR00 unit. With tired eyes she analyzed its body.
[Bruised, sparking convulsing parts that could only have been caused by a fall. Most likely, 12 stories or more. Uncommon to dispose of units in such a violent manner, but not unexpected. There are approximately 2,700,000 units in circulation. One is inconsequential, but still! The law requires that all the parts of all defective units should be recycled into newer or alternative units. Simply destroying one and throwing it out is not only barbaric, but costly.]
NURSE: "How careless." she muttered sadly.
REI: "I've been through worse."
NURSE (thinking):[It...spoke. It's still functional? But how?]
REI: "War. Changes you. Piece. by piece."
NURSE: "How...are you reading my thoughts?"
Rei ignored the question.
REI: "I was made to be beautiful."
She looked at a mirror to her right, and then back at her, with eyes that seemed yearning for what was lost, but unable to remember what it was.
REI: "Can you...
Her lenses were zoomed in too far, so she zoomed out to see the Nurse's face. If she had a heart, it jumped at the sight of it. She felt something in her chest. Broken gears, she thought. Just broken gears.
REI: (flustered) ...fix... me?"
NURSE: "Tell me who broke you."
REI: "Like I'd remember... That's not in my department."
The Nurse crossed her arms.
NURSE: "Well, if I find them, I'll have to call your company so that they can pay the fine. Are you okay with that?"
REI: "Yes."
The nurse began to work inside her, carefully stuffing her wires back inside her abdomen, mildly surprised at her pain tolerance, but determined to finish the job.
Rei watched the sparks fly from her body, and land on the Nurse's face without even flinching. Soon, her fingers stopped convulsing. Her spinal cord has been fully repaired. As she progresed even deeper, a splash of oil shot from her body, onto the corner of the Nurse's mouth. Before Rei could even apologize, the Nurse already licked it up. Rei's heart jumped. Again. Those were not broken gears. She could have sworn she fixed those an hour ago.
REI: "How long have you been working here?"
NURSE: "Long enough that a bit of oil doesn't scare me."
REI: "Which is...?"
NURSE: "Six years."
REI: "Aha."
NURSE: "Let me seal you up."
After re-layering the synthetic skin, she licked her finger and dragged it around her abdomen in a square pattern. Rei held her breath with her hands and closed her eyes. Right when she thought The Nurse was done, she felt something wet dragging along her navel. She dared to look down. The Nurse. Dragging her tongue along her belly. She patted it down. Rei's heart jumped again. In her mind, she blamed it on the wind, The room doesn't have windows, so she blamed it on the air conditioner.
REI: "Was that REALLY necessary?"
NURSE: "That's not in your department."
REI: "Touché. Bit cold here, isn't it?"
NURSE: "I can fix that."
Rei whimpered. Before she can speak, The Nurse took out a clipboard, smirking at her own skilled work.
NURSE: "How do you feel?"
REI: "I feel like I can get up right now!"
But she can't. Her spinal cord is fixed, but her neural system is disconnected from the waist down.
The Nurse sighed as she struggled in the operating table until she gave up.
NURSE: "I'm gonna have to take off your pants for this."
REI: "Y-you don't have to say that!"
NURSE: "It's either this, or a wheelchair."
REI: "Dammit..."
NURSE: "It's a shame, you're so tall too."
A particular stream of thoughts flooded Rei's mind. She steeled herself and took a deep breath.
REI: "Do it."
NURSE: "Do what?"
REI: "Make me walk again."
NURSE: "Very well then.It shall be done."
As her motor functions gradually came back online, another program opened up. Something that didn't make sense, but she didn't want it to stop. Or rather, she couldn't stop it. Bump. Jump. Throb. Something was moving inside. And it wasn't her heart. It simply was. Her legs trembled, Her back arched on its own. She passed out for an entire minute. By the time she came to, her shorts were back on.
REI: "Nurse?"
The Nurse emerged into her view, her face covered in a clear, warm, oily substance.
NURSE: "I have...very good news for you."
REI: "Is it too late to apologize?"
NURSE: "You should have done that before I liked it."
REI: (confused) "What?"
NURSE: (curious) "What?"
The Nurse realized what she said.
NURSE: (sobbing overdramatically) "GOD, I'M SUCH A WRETCH! HOW UNPROFESSIONAL! I BETTER STOP BEFORE THIS CUTS INTO MY PAYCHECK!!"
The Nurse grabbed a handkerchief and blew her nose into it
REI: "In any case, thanks for fixing me. I feel-"
The Nurse passed out.
REI: (concerned) "Nurse...?"
She didn't get up.
REI: (scared) "Oh no."
Rei analyzed her.
REI: (horrified) "Jesus Christ, YOU'RE STARVING."
Rei rushed home, carrying the unconscious Nurse on her back, and laid her on the couch. All the food in the fridge was frozen. She didn't have time to warm it up.
[Aaargh, fuck this! Instant noodles!]
She opened the cupboard! RIP OPEN! Water, spices, microwave. BING. Done. She tried to pour the savory noodle liquid in her mouth, but it was making a mess. In a panicked, last-ditch effort, she stuffed the remaining contents in her own mouth, and fed it to her directly, like a bird. Disgusting, but it had to be done.
The Nurse gripped Rei's neck, her medical instincts, her "primum, non nocere" being the only thing stopping her from breaking
NURSE: (enraged, staring blankly) "Why?"
REI: (scared) "I just...fed you...?"
NURSE: (sadly) "Better to just let me die..." The Nurse sighed and let go.
NURSE: "Three years wasted."
Rei grabbed her shoulders
REI: (confused, slightly angry) "I don't know what kind of cult you grew up in-"
NURSE: (annoyed) "Bad things happen when I eat-"
REI: (confused, angry) "Are you kidding me?!"
NURSE: (yells) "I JUST DON'T LIKE MYSELF."
Both fell silent.
Rei sat down next to her.
After a minute, the Nurse spoke
NURSE: "Does God only hear me when I'm starving? When I'm suffering?"
She laughed sadly.
NURSE: "Perhaps not even then."
REI: "God isn't real."
NURSE: "How could you say that when-"
Rei puts a finger to the Nurse's lips
REI: "And if he was, he'd tell you to eat more."
Rei sighed.
REI: "I think I know what your problem is. You assume your suffering is some sick kind of atonement..or is it entertainment-"
NURSE: "What are you trying to say-"
REI: "I'm SAYING that you care too much. Tell me, is God real?"
NURSE: "Yes because-"
REI: (screams) "Then EAT, GODDAMNIT!"
The Nurse fell silent.
REI: (still shouting) "God made food. God made everything. God even made Hell. He won't send you there because of something HE MADE."
The Nurse closed her eyes, grimaced, and began to weep.
Rei opened her eyes in horror at whe she thought she had done
REI: (ashamed) "AAAAH, IM SO SORRY, I SHOULDN'T HAVE YELLED-"
NURSE: (still crying) "It's not that. You're right.. I knew you were right...I just wish I had the words...or, someone told me that...That's why I'm crying..."
Rei holds The Nurse's head to her chest
REI: "You have the right."
He held her tightly and rubbed her head.
REI: "You're so brave. And strong. and hot-
Rei glitched.
REI: ...thoughtful."
NURSE: "Thank you."
The Nurse laid down on the couch.
NURSE: "Mind if I sleep here?"
Rei was mildly disappointed, but she permitted it.
REI: (relieved) "Sleep well."
NURSE: (happy) "Goodnight."
Rei went to bed. Alone. In the very last minute before she went to sleep, She felt a tug. someone hugging her from behind. She knew who it was. She pretended not to notice, but her body vibrated softly, which was beyond her control. She almost felt alive again.
They fell asleep together.
In the morning, Nurse was gone. There was a note on her door. (OFF TO WORK. I'LL FIND YOU)
meanwhile, at work, Nurse picked something from a vending machine. Not the healthiest choice, еven for junk food, but who cares? She thought. God loves her. That's what Rei would have said anyway. Flaming Hot Jitos, and a can of Dr. Spice.
She almost cried. Not because of the spice, but the joy of eating again.
She continued her job, feeling more efficient than ever before. What used to take over six hours, now takes just under 60 minutes.
She was ready for her next client. Or so she thought.
The Nurse Gently opened the door.
Wires, oil, gears, sparks, everywhere...
NURSE: (terrified, sad) "Why...are you here?"
REI: (weakly) "I ...j●$t w4nted ....to s33 y●u ag○in..."