Upper Level, Competition Zone
Everett Arena
Everett Arena, Upper Level, Competition Zone
It's halfway into the season, and yet the arena boils with more energy than ever tonight—with all eyes eagerly awaiting "her" performance.
The crowd chants "Veronica!" in rhythmic waves, watching in awe as the lance-wielding mechanoid with her trailing tail emerges from the tunnel and strides into the arena.
But the center of the arena remains empty—no octagonal cage with mechanical beasts rises from the floor as usual. Instead, the iron gate on the opposite side of the arena thunders open.
An armed mechanoid emerges from the darkness and steps into the harsh spotlight of the arena. It's not one of the bizarre mechanical beasts, but a humanoid mechanoid just like Veronica.
Ladies and gentlemen, tonight's matchup is—Veronica versus "Winch"! Prepare yourselves for a heart-pounding battle!
Well... why am I not surprised at all...
The mechanoid approaches Veronica with ponderous steps, its visual modules scanning for what its programming designates as a "combat opponent."
Commencing winning probability analysis.
Combat target: CTX-V Enhanced Function Model, codename "Veronica". Winning probability against Veronica: 0.0032%.
As Winch's synthetic voice fades, an octagonal iron cage rockets up from under the floor and traps both mechanoids inside. A piercing buzzer signaling the start of the fight sounds throughout the arena.
The crowd erupts at the sight, their bloodthirsty desire for violence carried on waves of cheers that flood the arena floor.
Get it, Veronica! Show no mercy!
That's right! We've got money riding on you!
Winning probability against Veronica: 0.0032%.
Achieve victory. Advance in tournament. Win freedom.
Winch assumes a combat stance. Then, it brandishes its weapon as it charges at Veronica.
This cramped iron cage serves as the "stage" for their final "performance"—where the victor earns cheers, while the loser faces only judgment and destruction.
Winch's behavioral components and frame sensitivity are severely outdated—far inferior even to the mechanical beasts Veronica has defeated before. It simply follows its programmed "attack mode" and launches one predictable assault after another.
Veronica knows that she could reduce this fragile mechanoid to scrap metal with just one counterattack. Her opponent simply stands no chance against her.
But she can't bring herself to destroy her own "kind," even though it's her only path to survival and advancement in the arena.
Don't do this.
I'm not going to fight you.
Achieve victory. Advance in tournament. Win freedom.
Her opponent, however, simply continues its programmed patterns of attack, showing no reaction whatsoever to Veronica's words.
...
Can't you see? You have no chance of winning.
Target locked. Ready to attack.
The mechanoid steps closer and delivers a swing that barely grazes Veronica.
Do you have any idea what you're doing?!
Keep this up and I'll have no choice but to destroy you...
They... These humans just want to watch us tear each other apart for their amusement!
Target not retaliating. Continuing attack.
Facing a fellow mechanoid trapped in a broken logic loop, Veronica can no longer hold back.
Her lance traces a gleaming arc through the air before crashing into the ground with tremendous force.
She has no desire to destroy her own kind.
Enough! Drop your weapon now!
Combat analysis: Veronica has lost offensive weapon. Winning probability against Veronica: 0.089%.
Winch, without a moment's hesitation, launches another powerful strike at Veronica.
Veronica is now up against the wall with nowhere left to hide, leaving her with no choice but to absorb the full force of the incoming blow with her body.
When the harsh screech of metal tearing through metal fades away, only the soft patter of vital fluid dripping onto the floor remains.
A diagonal gash runs down from Veronica's chest to her abdomen, exposing her internal components as vital fluid trickles down her frame and pools on the floor.
...
Combat analysis: Veronica's frame damaged. Winning probability against Veronica: 0.127%.
Continue, attack. Increase, power output.
Achieve victory. Advance in tournament. Win freedom.
Enough! Stop this right now!
We shouldn't be doing this! We should be working together to fight those humans out there!
Veronica's words are met with nothing but another attack from Winch, who, coming at her with everything it has, channels all its momentum into this strike.
With it, Winch's body lets out a harsh screech of grinding, twisting metal.
Rebooting... Rebooting... Rebooting...
Winch falters and freezes. A few violent tremors later, however, it resumes its high-speed assault.
But Winch's attack misses its mark, its weapon slamming into the metal cage instead. Sparks fly as the massive blade becomes wedged in between the bars.
The momentum built up during its charge makes it impossible for the bulky mechanoid to control its movements. It continues hurtling forward without slowing even slightly.
Unable to stop its momentum, Winch impales itself on its own weapon. Vital fluid gushes from the huge wound in its frame.
Achieve... victory... Advance... in tournament... Win... freedom...
...Victory... Tournament... Freedom...
...Victory... Freedom... Freedom...
The catastrophic damage to its frame has thrown Winch's speech protocols into complete disarray, causing it to repeat these words again and again.
Screech—screech—screech—
Winch screeches, one step at a time, as it forcibly pulls itself out of the weapon it has impaled itself with.
...Victory... Freedom... Freedom...
Kill... Veronica... Victory... Freedom...
Winch maintains its "attack" protocol as it turns its severely damaged body toward Veronica and raises its weapon once more.
This has to stop...
Winch's body has entered an overload state due to its corrupted logic circuits. Its eyes flash with frenzied red light, and each attack comes with the piercing screech of metal as its body contorts unnaturally.
Left with no other choice, Veronica tightens her grip on her lance once more.
With a powerful swing of her lance, the octagonal cage shatters with a thunderous crash. The shockwave blasts the frenzied mechanoid backward and sends it crashing heavily to the ground.
The components between its head and body have shattered, leaving only a few sparking wires to keep them connected, yet Winch continues to repeat the same meaningless words.
Kill... Veronica... Victory... Freedom...
Hurray—! She did it! She won!
Kill that piece of junk!
When the long, deadlocked battle finally reaches its turning point, the crowd again erupts into cheers.
They roar with anticipation, hungry for the highlight of every match—that is, the moment when the victor completely destroys their opponent with its weapon.
To the human spectators, the twisted and mangled mechanical gladiator is nothing but a "tool" whose complete destruction keeps them entertained.
—Yet Veronica, despite her victory, simply stands motionless, refusing to do as expected.
The crowd wastes no time lashing out against her.
What are you standing there for? Finish it!
Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing, you long-tailed freak?!
...
She feels an invisible pressure behind her and turns to face Overseer, who now stands silently in the darkness beyond the arena—like Death itself, passing judgment on the mechanical gladiators' fates.
As with every previous match, this "traitor" that has turned its back on mechanoids to serve humanity appears exactly where it's supposed to be, monitoring and recording everything that's happening on the arena floor.
She knows that Overseer is the one that operates the hydraulic press to execute the defeated mechanical gladiators after every match—a cruelty that remains an indelible nightmare in her consciousness module.
Commence execution, Veronica.
...
Finally, she slowly raises her lance to aim its tip at the kinetic core—the "heart," that is—of her fellow mechanoid.
Get on with it! Skewer that worthless piece of junk!
...Victory... Freedom... Freedom...
The red light in the mechanoid's eyes slowly fades, yet it continues to repeat the same fragments of broken speech.
In those flickering optical sensors, there is no fear, no pleading—for the mechanoid operates only a simple programmed belief: "Victory means freedom."
DIE—!
Amid the audience's cheers, Veronica's lance cuts through the air with a resonant hum. A thunderous metallic impact kicks up a cloud of dust that immediately silences the bloodthirsty crowd.
Except the lance hasn't pierced her opponent's body—instead, it's driven into the floor next to it.
Having channeled her suppressed rage into this act of defiance, Veronica quietly retracts her lance and turns to leave the arena. Behind her, the crowd erupts into an even louder fury.
What the ****? What was that?!
Has that long-tailed piece of scrap metal gone haywire or what?!
Does this match even count?! I bet my entire life savings on her this season! If it doesn't count, does that mean I just lost every damn cent?!
Veronica walks away with measured steps, deaf to the obscenities hurled at her from behind. Suddenly, she finds herself blocked by a towering figure.
CTX-V Enhanced Function Model, codename "Veronica", your actions have severely violated arena regulations.
Initiating disciplinary protocol.
Traitor, spare me your programmed garbage—
Before Veronica can finish her sentence, the restraint collar around her neck discharges a massive electric current. Pain surges through her entire frame, forcing her to drop to one knee.
...!
First offense: Warning. Next offense: Termination.
Despite the excruciating pain, Veronica refuses to beg for mercy. Instead, she snaps her head up, her crimson eyes burning with defiance.
You... bastard!
Target resistance detected. Escalating disciplinary protocol.
Through its visual analysis feed, Overseer sees that Veronica refuses to yield to the intensified electrical current. Instead, she slowly uses her lance as support to rise back to her feet.
Is that... all you've got? You think this is enough to make me bow to you... Don't make me laugh!
You backstabbing traitor, you betrayed your "own kind"! Go straight to hell!
She raises her lance and, with what little strength she can still muster, thrusts at Overseer's mechanical core. But the cumulative damage to her frame from countless arena battles causes her attack to falter.
The lance pierces Overseer's outer shell but deflects at the last second, missing its vital core.
...Ugh!
Her visual feed distorts further as waves of agony surge through her consciousness module. She collapses involuntarily to her knees, watching her vital fluid drip steadily from her frame onto the floor.
Through her dimming vision, Veronica sees Overseer's weapon trained on her. Her systems no longer respond to her desperate attempts to mount one final counterattack.
Target resistance escalated to critical level. Initiating termination protocol.
Overseer raises its energy cannon and takes aim at Veronica—
But just as the trigger is about to be pulled, a voice command with the highest authorization interrupts Overseer's execution protocol. It's a human's voice.
Taking matters into your own hands isn't something I appreciate.
You know full well whose property she is, don't you?
The moment that voice reaches its audio receptors, Overseer freezes in place.
This... little incident today has convinced me she deserves a reward.
Given how she's revealed her most "authentic" self on the stage exactly as I thought she would.
Bump her up to the next round. You know what to do, don't you?
Having issued the command, the human on the other end terminates the call.
Yes, Master.
You... human lapdog!
Overseer shows no reaction to Veronica's curse, now treating her as though she didn't exist.
Having bumped up Veronica to the next match in its terminal system as it'd been instructed to, Overseer turns and walks back toward the still-roaring arena.
Through Veronica's fading vision, the arena blurs as the human crowd erupts into wild cheers, punctuated by the sharp, grating sounds of twisting metal.
It's the sound of the hydraulic press again, operated by Overseer, as it pounds Winch into scattered fragments of metal and circuitry.
Yeah! Don't stop—keep going!
Again—smash that thing to bits—yes! Crush it—crush it!
Stop... it...
...Bastard...
The world around her gradually fades to darkness as she realizes all her visual modules are shutting down one by one.
The arena's clamor, too, gradually fades away. Just as everything begins to sink into thick darkness, she catches a voice she immediately recognizes.
Huh? Veronica, what are you doing here...
Oh no! Are y-you alright?
Hang on, I'll do something about this!
She feels the warmth of human hands, but in that same moment, she loses herself completely to the darkness that engulfs her whole.
...
In the endless darkness, her consciousness dissolves into countless shattered data particles that are constantly churned and scattered within a boiling ocean of data.
She can no longer feel her body or reach an exit. She doesn't know if she'll remain trapped forever in this dark prison.
...
Veronica...
In the boundless darkness, she glimpses a faint light.
The tiny speck of light gently descends into the chaos that's her consciousness. Its soft glow shimmers, gradually drawing the scattered, broken data particles together to reform her body and mind.
Then, the light begins to dance and transforms into the shape of a bird. With wings outstretched, it guides her steps away from the realm of darkness.
The pain surging through her consciousness module gradually subsides. The frozen, sluggish feeling permeating her limbs slowly dissipates.
She opens her eyes to find a pair of clear, jade-green eyes looking back at her.
Oh my, thank goodness!
...You?
Serra, leaning over Veronica with eyes full of joy, finally straightens up with a long sigh of relief once she sees Veronica conscious.
Phew—you had me terrified! Took me such a long time to fix you that I thought we'd lost you!
You know, I found you on the ground outside the arena severely damaged! Lucky I showed up when I did and brought you back here.
But no worries! I didn't just fix you up. I also upgraded a bunch of your modules while I was at it. You're all set now!
Whew, I'm absolutely beat, and I just want to lie down and do nothing now. Hey Hammer, grab me an energy drink, would ya? Thanks!
Serra flops into the rest pod embeDDed in the wall without even bothering to remove her shoes. In one fluid motion, she grabs a drink from the mechanical arm of Hammer as it scurries over, downing it in a single gulp.
Having recovered slightly, Serra turns her head toward Veronica, still smiling, apparently waiting for the mechanoid to break the silence with questions.
Only now does Veronica finally have a chance to have a look at the space she is in: a brightly lit room nothing like the "Gladiator Maintenance Area", with personal belongings and repair tools scattered chaotically about.
This is my room! A bit messy, I know... but I call it "organized chaos." I know exactly where everything is!
...Why would you do this?
According to what you said, none of this counts toward your "work hours."
Huh? What a weird question...
You can't just leave a friend in danger! You help friends whenever they need it—that's just basic common sense!
Work hours ain't got nothing on a friend's life, no?
Serra tilts her head slightly, eyes still twinkling with mischief, seemingly surprised that Veronica would even ask such a question.
To her, this mechanoid—someone she barely knew before—has already been deemed a "friend" worthy of her full support.
A friend? You didn't really think I was going to buy that, did you...
I am not what you would call a "friend."
...Oops, sorry about that! My bad!
Serra sticks out her tongue playfully but doesn't seem upset at all.
She steals a glance at Veronica, relieved to find no trace of anger—she knows all too well that things wouldn't have ended well had she really gotten under Veronica's skin.
(Silently glides over and nestles against Veronica's leg.)
Hammer no longer shows any signs of aggression toward VeronicaDin its programming logic, this mechanoid is now classified as "someone its master approves of."
(Tilts head upward, the indicator light pulsing slowly.)
Good boy, Hammer.
...
After a moment of silence, Veronica finally extends her hand and gently places it on Hammer's head.
(The indicator light blinks rhythmically.)
Serra can't help but smile at what she's seeing. She hops down from the stasis pod. Seeing this, Hammer quickly returns to its master's side.
Repair oil still smudges Serra's cheeks and clothes, but she doesn't seem to care in the slightest, completely absorbed in her interaction with Hammer.
She glances at Veronica every so often, trying to coax her into joining the game with her little buddy.
Her smile radiates warmth as she treats Hammer not as some lifeless mechanoid, but with the same genuine joy one would share with a dear friend.
At the arena, Veronica has never seen a human brimming with such joy.
Ow—ouch, ouch, ouch! Hammer, don't touch my wounds! That really hurts!
Serra, who has been happily playing with the little robot, suddenly winces in pain and stops.
Veronica suddenly notices the vivid purple-red bruises marking Serra's pale neck—a "souvenir" from their first violent encounter.
Her hand, which Veronica has also injured, remains wrapped in thick layers of bandages.
Serra notices Veronica staring and quickly covers the marks, looking slightly embarrassed.
Oh... it's nothing, really. They're gonna heal in a few days. But wow, you're incredibly strong! You really caught me off guard back then!
You don't need to act tough.
Human bodies... are pathetically fragile to begin with anyway.
Though stung by what Veronica said, Serra can't deny the truth of those words, given their current situation. She merely responds with an awkward smile, offering no argument.
According to you humans, this is when I should say... "I'm sorry," no?
Serra never expected to get an apology from Veronica. While Veronica's face remains as stern as ever, her apology leaves Serra genuinely stunned.
...
Come on, don't worry... I mean, anyone would've been angry had they been in your shoes...
This place is awful to begin with... The way they treat mechanoids here is completely unfair. Anyone would be angry getting treated like that.
Serra offers a reassuring smile, then walks to the workstation on the opposite side of the room.
Anyway, I should probably try to get work done...
Don't worry, you're welcome to stay here and rest up for a while!
I checked the system schedule—you don't have any matches today, so there won't be any problems.
Relax. Overseer never comes here because this is the human staff break room.
Serra removes the wing-shaped pendant from her neck and fiddles with it briefly. The unassuming trinket springs to life and projects holographic blueprints of several mechanoid frames.
She hunches over the cluttered workbench and carefully calibrates all sorts of component modules while cross-referencing the data from the holographic projection.
Serra remains completely absorbed in her task until she notices a shadow gradually looming across her work.
Huh...?
She looks up to find Veronica's eyes fixed on her.
They stare at each other in silence. Serra has no idea when Veronica appeared or how long she's been standing there watching.
W-what's up?
Veronica doesn't answer. Instead, she leans forward, plants both hands on the workbench, and brings her face uncomfortably close to Serra's.
Eek!—W-What are you doing?!
Is there... something on my face?
What is that?
Veronica leans in even closer, and Serra suddenly realizes that Veronica isn't staring at her at all—but at something behind her.
Serra turns around to see a yellowed picture on the wall—a field of flowers bathed in sunset light with a small bird soaring across.
It's an illustration she tore from a picture book back when she was a child—one of the few personal treasures she brought when she fled her home in a hurry.
Oh, this picture? Do you like it?
Serra carefully removes the fragile, paper-thin illustration from the wall and hands it to Veronica.
I've always loved flowers. It's a shame we don't have any here.
And birds—we don't have those here either.
Everything here is just metal—cold and lifeless.
If only I were a bird... I'd fly away from this place and go wherever I want.
Fly away, huh...
Yeah... I've heard there's a simulated sky dome at the top where you can see artificial stars at night. All the higher-ups can go there whenever they want to rest themselves up or whatever. I've never been allowed up there myself.
I wish I could "fly up there" and see those stars for myself.
...
Serra nods and reaches for another repair tool on the table, but the thick bandages wrapped around her hands cause her to fumble. The tool clatters to the floor.
Before Serra bends down to retrieve it, Veronica quickly picks up the tool.
So, what's next?
...?
Your job. What do you need to do next?
I've been watching you. You take these modules here, follow this blueprint projection, and assemble them in sequence. Is that correct?
You work too slowly.
Before Serra can even respond, Veronica takes the unfinished component module from her other hand and begins assembling it according to what she has observed.
Her speed is... truly remarkable.
...T-thank you...
Serra gradually realizes she's nothing compared to Veronica. Quietly and quickly, Veronica completes the task, making it look effortless.
Serra sticks out her tongue playfully, then carefully slides the pendant projecting the virtual frame blueprint toward Veronica.
Then, she carefully studies Veronica's every move and passes what she thinks Veronica might need whenever she thinks Veronica needs it.
While neither of them says anything, their movements grow increasingly synchronized and rhythmical.
Well, aren't you human? Why do you stay here instead of leaving?
Well... my father borrowed a bunch of money from the Everett Consortium at high interest rates. When he couldn't pay it back, he had to work for them for free to settle his debt. Then... then he died...
But they insisted that his debt couldn't be written off and that it had to be paid off even after he died.
So I took his place and continued paying off the debt here. Basically, I do free maintenance work on the mechanical gladiators to pay down what he owed.
Anyway, there are only two humans stuck in this miserable situation in the entire arena—me and old man Roko, but I call him Uncle Roko.
Everyone else is just your typical "high-ranking human staff." They're not like me. Overseer doesn't mess with them. Basically... they're "free."
...
Don't you feel even the slightest bit of injustice? Being their "lapdog" every day, begging for scraps of their pity?
I...
Before Serra even knows it, the mountain of component modules that was still covering the workbench moments ago is completely taken care of, bringing an end to their silent cooperation.
Veronica grabs the wing-shaped pendant that projects virtual blueprints and tosses it back to Serra.
You should probably worry about yourself instead of wasting your cheap sympathy on mechanoids.
If I were you, I wouldn't waste my time here waiting for some fantasized future to come.
It's sad how you were pouring your heart out complaining about being a helpless prisoner here while wasting your time waiting.
I'm not gonna beg for sympathy. I'm gonna fight until I drop, until I break free from this cage.
Stop drowning in your childish fantasies and waiting to "fly away from this place"...
Come find me when you snap out of that.
With it, Veronica turns and walks away, leaving Serra standing frozen in place.
She stares blankly down the corridor where Veronica disappeared, Veronica's words replaying in her mind.
(Silently glides over, the indicator light blinking rhythmically.)
...I'm alright.
I've never told anyone else how I want to "fly away from this place"...
Lucky... that I'm not alone.
Well, guess I'll keep working on my little "secret plan," then. I'll definitely go and find you when I'm ready, Veronica.
Serra whispers in a voice so soft only she can hear.
Top Level, the "Master's" Chamber
Everett Arena
Everett Arena, Top Level, the "Master's" Chamber
Past midnight, beyond the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, the arena below lies deserted. The gladiatorial matches that unfold here every night have long since concluded.
Yet within this chamber, someone continues to revel in a private celebration.
Across the numerous monitors, various footage of Veronica plays on an endless loop.
Shrouded in darkness, the human figure scrutinizes every detail of the footage, again and again, with unsettling fascination.
In the footage, Veronica stands beneath harsh spotlights, her cold gaze sweeping across the audience that regards her with contempt.
She brandishes her lance, fearlessly confronting enormous mechanical beasts one after another until they shatter into shards beneath her relentless assault.
With a defiant roar, she takes the full brunt of a devastating blow from another mechanoid in the cage and absorbs the impact with her own frame.
She braces her damaged frame against her lance, her crimson eyes blazing with fury as she glares at Overseer administering punishment upon her.
...
The footage ends and freezes on the final frameDthe tall mechanoid standing with a lance in hand and exuding intense determination to fight.
The dim glow from the monitors traces the figure of the human, illuminating only the smile playing across the lips.
The figure reaches out, fingers tracing Veronica's frame on the screen with unsettling tenderness, as if trying to commit every contour of her form to memory.
You are far better than I imagined, Veronica.
I think I'm starting to grow fond of you.
