A Reason to Live

The accident

Now that the problem with Mary, the AI, was solved, it was time to take up on Shinonono's offer about learning more about this core. But first, there was something of much more importance.

Who the hell was I?

Ever since I became a lab rat, I had no recollection of my past. My name, hobby, family, friends… Even my own looks.

I have yet to look at myself at a mirror or anything, and so, I had absolutely no clue how I looked. Actually, I noticed I was half naked thanks to me ripping my shirt to pieces earlier. But now that my upper body was exposed, I noticed a number painted on my right chest just beneath the collarbone.

"47…" I read it out loud and trailed off in thought.

Then I clicked my tongue in disgust when I realized,

"Those sick bastards… They numbered me like livestock."

I felt a bit of my rage resurface and squeezed the number mark tightly.

'Master… What do you mean by livestock…?'

I could sense a bit of concern in Mary's voice. So I was guessing she didn't know.

"Don't worry about that for now… You know where the bathroom is, right? Navigate me there, will you?"

'... Just go straight until you see a door on your left. But just for future reference, you can just talk through your mind. Just think of me when you talk, I'll be able to hear it. Wait, that kind of sounded romantic, didn't it, master?'

Mary giggled slightly to herself, but I ignored the witty comment. Yep, it was definitely Shinonono who built her.

Just as Mary directed, I saw the door on the left side just ahead. I opened it without a second of hesitation. I was getting very impatient and was curious what I looked like.

Then, when I pulled the door open, I saw Shinonono, completely naked, with only a towel over her shoulders, right in front of me. Her long magenta hair was still wet from what seemed like shower. It seemed like she was about to get out because her hand was where the door knob should have been before I opened the door. I could smell the lingering scent of lavender from the bathroom, dancing around my nose.

She just stood there, her eyes wide open, wider than I thought it could ever be.

I did the same: I just stood there, topless, looking at her with a rather indifferent expression. I didn't particularly feel anything at that moment to be perfectly honest. In fact, I was annoyed. I was hoping not to come across her so soon. Plus, she ruined my perfect opportunity to look at myself in the mirror.

I decided to break the ice because the situation was becoming stranger and stranger,

"What happened to the tea you mentioned earlier?"

5th of September, 2099, a mysterious explosion at the Shinonono residence was recorded as one of the most dangerous events ever recorded in Japanese history.