Futuristic 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭

[calypso]

Moving on has never been more personal.
calypso x s e v e n
​

 

[s e v e n]

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[div class=roleline style="left: 67px;"][/div] [div class=roleline style="left: 132px;"][/div] [div class=role style="top: 30px; left: 50px;"]The[/div] [div class=role style="top: 65px; left: 115px;"]Lover[/div][/div] [div class="tabContents tabContents2"][div class=scroll][div class=tag]name[/div] gabriel j. archer [div class=tag]nickname/s[/div]gabe [div class=tag]age[/div]25 [div class=tag]gender[/div]cis-male [div class=tag]sexuality[/div]heterosexual, demiromantic [div class=tag]ethnicity[/div]caucasian [div class=tag]height[/div]5'10 [div class=tag]eyes[/div]green [div class=tag]hair[/div]dark brown [div class=tag]build[/div]average [div class=tag]faceclaim[/div]luke powell[/div][/div] [div class="tabContents tabContents3"][div class=scroll][div class=tag]strengths[/div]good-mannered, patient, soft-spoken [div class=tag]weaknesses[/div]pent up emotions, very closed, a good liar [div class=tag]likes[/div]old books, warm tea, peaceful evenings [div class=tag]dislikes[/div]rats, loud environments, his own birthday [div class=tag]details[/div]never attached, surfing the world like a leaf blown by the wind, gabriel very much enjoyed his life as a wallflower. never too involved in anything, smile and nod at statements. after all, those were nothing but the outside world. what use were arguments, correcting the fault of another? nothing but a waste of energy. most of his life was spent monotonously, studying is all he knew. become the heir of their name, maybe have a nice family- that was all that was implanted in his mind, and with that, he moved through life. goalless, ambition-less. life was gray and each day felt like another. there was no purpose besides one dictated to him. until he met her.[/div][/div] [div class="tabContents tabContents4"][div class=scroll][div class=tag]backstory[/div] born as the only son to a family of three, the life of a politician is all he knew. fake smiles, cameras flashing, somehow he always knew he was not a normal boy, yet what more could he have done? the father the head of a famed corporation, the mother high in the chair for their government, without him knowing, he had fallen in a track not most people went. weight fell over his shoulders, expectations and wishes he could do nothing about but oblige. he loved his parents very much, after all, and he was sure they loved him. surely he could not be just an image to them, one to flaunt to the public- a future infestation. he was loved. he was loved. years went by in the blink of an eye. five turns to ten, ten turns to twenty. he is now twenty-five years of age, and just a year ago and a few months, he had met a woman that changed his life. made his life felt meaningful, somehow. he was not sure, was it the way she smiled? her eyes would crinkle slightly when she laughed, and sometimes she would snort, apologize- yet he thought it was the most adorable thing in his life. she was. she showed him what it meant to go beyond lines, to reach for the skies. they would sneak one night, his heart racing not because she was there, because he really did not want to be caught. but she'd take his hand, do her trademark laughter that she hated so much but he loved. then they would lie under the stars, hands extending upwards, fingers intertwining. then they would kiss. as fast as she had arrived in his life, just as sudden was her departure. and again, the skies became gray. [/div] [div class="tabContents tabContents5"][div class=scroll][div class=leftpic style="background: var(--image-2); background-size: cover; background-position: center;"][/div] [div class=rightpic style="background: var(--image-3); background-size: cover; background-position: center;"][/div] [div class=leftpic style="background: var(--image-4); background-size: cover; background-position: center;"][/div] [div class=rightpic style="background: var(--image-5); background-size: cover; background-position: center;"][/div] [div class=leftpic style="background: var(--image-6); background-size: cover; background-position: center;"][/div] [div class=rightpic style="background: var(--image-7); background-size: cover; background-position: center;"][/div] [div class=leftpic style="background: var(--image-8); background-size: cover; background-position: center;"][/div] [div class=rightpic style="background: var(--image-9); background-size: cover; background-position: center;"][/div] [/div][/div] [/div][/div][/div][/div]

coded by constellation.

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[calypso]

❝ Scarlet Georgia. ❞

opalescent, cool, and pearly, like midsummer moths,

like bees, gilded and sticky, with a little sting.​

❝ cursory information. ❞

【full name】— Scarlet Cole Georgia.

【nickname(s)】— 'Starlet.'
【gender】— Female
【age】— Scarlet passed away at the age of 24.
【sexuality】— Heterosexual.
【d.o.b.】— March 16th.
【d.o.d】— July 19th.

❝ background. ❞

The real Scarlet Cole was born on March 16th, and was described as a 'fiery' girl with a passion for fun. Although plagued by the loss of her mother at an early age, others reported that there was 'just no stopping Scarlet.' Reports state that most didn't know of her relationship with the buyer, though she planned to come clean in the near future right before her death. Through social media and messages gathered by the buyer, Replacements has created a model android that will replicate her personality and memories, as well as work through her death with the buyer.

❝ relationships. ❞

【gabriel archer】— The buyer, named Gabriel Archer, is looking to get over the death of his former lover after a sudden accident.

❝ psyche. ❞

Using social media and previous text messages found online, Replacements has been able to replicate the bubbly personality of Scarlet, while also weaving in moments of

❝ visage. ❞

True to the original Scarlet, the android has been made in perfect likeness. Each freckle was tattooed to the exact detail, and facial expressions match those of the deceased.

&&— ❝ the lost. ❞​

 

[calypso]

Scarlet Georgia

mood Nervous.

location Gabriel's front door.

tag s e v e n

outfit click.

When Scarlet woke up for the first time after she died, she didn't inhale sharply. She didn't sit up in a panic or clutch at her chest. Her eyes instead opened slowly, an unnatural blue glow to the them. Her lips parted slowly for a moment before shutting, and her body moved on its own to sit up and lay back down in a test of movements. A buzz was filling the room around her, and all she could see was white. The moment she had opened her eyes, she knew everything that she needed to know.

The real Scarlet had died two weeks ago in a motor vehicular accident. She died on impact, and there was no chance to revive her. Soon after her death, a young man named Gabriel Archer put in an order for a Replacement. Presumed to be her lover, he signed the contract with the company and allowed for them to scan through Scarlet's personal messages and social medias to replicate her personality. He filled out the rest.

He was to be given a week to interact with the new Scarlet. To tell her what he never got to say, to do the things they never got to do. To grieve with her over her death and the loss he'll feel. When the week was up, she'd kiss him goodbye and get back in the same black car she arrived in. After that, she'd truly be gone for good. And hopefully he'd feel more at peace. The new Scarlet would be put out of commission for good, and life would go on.

So when Scarlet opened her eyes back once again, everything felt calm for a moment. The air was sterile, and the light was blinding. A second later however, feelings came crashing down. Panic and fear rose in the back of her throat, and a slight gasp escaped her body as she jerked forward. Her hand shot up to feel at her chest, expecting to run her fingers along the smooth feel of a seatbelt. Instead, her fingers crinkled the white medical gown she wore.

She wasn't in the car anymore. The blinding lights weren't from the headlights of an oncoming semi, but instead the rotating circular lights of the examination room. She swallowed thickly for a moment, before inhaling and exhaling. The action didn't offer an relief, as there wasn't any air in her lungs. The circuits in her head were firing off, trying to explain the programming to each other. Yes, she was Scarlet Cole Georgia, but no, she wasn't alive. She was an android, and she was just built. It was almost like a little whisper, telling her to remember the process. As she blinked away the blue hue from her eyes, a voice cackled over the speaker in the room.

"Scarlet, dear, please begin the basic motions test. Once you're up and running, we can get you dressed and out."

For a moment, Scarlet's brows furrowed together. Motions test? She was being tested right now? Yet a second later, the system once again took over for her. Her feet swung over the side of the bed while she didn't say a word, before she stretched down to touch her toes. Her body moved through the routine with ease, stretched arms up and flexing muscles. Making sure each finger could wiggle and grab, and that her knees could bend properly without her falling on her face. It was an oddly numb process for her, but maybe it was just because her entire mind felt numbed over. The personality of Scarlet was starting to mold over the system, but it was like there was a little blinking light in the corner of her mind to remind her that she is just a machine. That the feelings she'll experience soon enough don't belong to her and never will, no matter how much it feels like they do.

It was odd, but she couldn't process any thoughts against it either. Instead, she was stuck in a limbo of confusion, simply waiting for the other girl to come forward. Maybe that was wrong. There was something wrong with that, she shouldn't be covered up by a dead girl. Shouldn't she? Maybe she should.

By the time she had made up her mind about it, the little inner argument was already long gone from her head. Instead, she was walking over to the door of the room with a slight pep in her step. A smile was growing on her lips, though she was quick to try and hide it. She was going to see Gabriel again! It wouldn't be for long, but he needed to see her. She had to do this for him and help him move on.

The next hour or so went by in a blur for poor Scarlet. Dressed in her old clothes, she couldn't help but hold up the fabric to deeply inhale it. It still smelled of her perfume and some of Gabe's cologne, though it was all slightly faded away. She needed for the company to order more of the perfume, so she could gift it to Gabe once the week was up. It was always important to leave behind a basket of memories, all personally collected by the deceased themselves. Once she was properly dressed up and her hair was braided by one of the staff members, she was escorted to the sleek black cars all androids rode in. It was filled with little tidbits about the deceased, to help the android properly prepare for the first encounter. It even included the special note they were meant to give, which Scarlet was quick to take into her hands. Running her fingers over the wax seal, another warm smile slipped onto her face.

Soon.

---

After an hour or so of driving in silent, Scarlet had recited the first thing she'd say to Gabe over a hundred times at least. It was barely a sentence, yet it meant the world to perfect it. She had one job this week, and she couldn't afford to mess it up. It would hurt Gabe, and disrespect the real Scarlet. She just couldn't bring herself to do it. As she ran through the line one more time, her eyes shifted quickly to look out the window at the approaching home. Wind rustled the trees in front of it, and her breath hitched in her throat when it fully came into perspective.

The car rolled to a stop, before the door slid open. The driver said nothing, but the silent exchange between Scarlet and her was enough to send the android out the car. Her heels clicked against the ground, the note clutched tightly between her fingers. So hard, her knuckles even turned white. (A thin layer of artificial blood was constantly circulated through her body to keep up the appearance of being more alive than ever.) Each step brought her closer, till the dark door was staring her in the face and the car she arrived in was long gone.

A deep breath sounded as she took a small step back, her features becoming steady. She was Scarlet Cole Georgia, but not really. The real Scarlet was dead in the dirt, but she was here to help Gabe move on. When the week was over, her job will be done. She was here for only one person, and it wasn't herself.

Reaching forward slowly, her finger pressed the doorbell. The ring nearly made her jump, but she kept herself steady until the door slowly opened up. A smile spread on her face, before she spoke for the first time.

"Gabe, I missed you so much."

coded by weldherwings

 

[s e v e n]

Beep! Beep!

Clear glass wrapped tightly in his grip, amber liquid circling the very end of its bottom. Swirling, swirling it went, its surface forming tiny waves as it glistens in the light. His fingers trembled, and so did his lips. Green eyes constantly shifting in and out of focus, sweat droplets accumulated by his chin, pressing locks of curled hair against his temple. The smell of liquor floated around the room, so strong that it even made his stomach clench. Still, the temptation lingered on, not less but only stronger than it had been before.

Earlier that day, Gabriel had noted himself multiple of times to stay sober. No drinks, no drugs, nothing to stray his mind. For whatever reason, however, the male could no longer bring himself to remember. That very same explanation to why he had tossed and turned the whole night, over a bed much too big for just one. Why he had even bothered to resist the thought so much, as Gabriel had never thought himself one much for the alcoholic drinks when he could have indulged himself in the warmth of classic brewed herbal tea instead.

Peeking just over his nightstand, was a small black bottle. Red lights had been flashing over the lid for ages by now, and its obnoxious beeping noise had not calmed down in the slightest. It was a reminder system the medical team had recently implemented, Gabriel had argued to have it removed entirely, yet the case was it was either that or one that constantly blares robotic shouts to remind him even if he had missed a single second of medication. Again, that was still the lesser of evils. There would be another option to manually inject him with the serum, yet consent would have been a greater deal for that one. As long as he stayed in check, harmless to the society and around, there would be no need for that.

Gabriel extended his arm, reaching out towards the container and popping it open. Instantaneously, the noise subsided, and a part of him felt odd in the silence. How the beating of his heart rang loudly in his ears, the heaviness of his breath felt more conscious than each one before. The subsequent ring that never existed, the hollow echoes. A pill rolled down to his palm, small and white. The clasp immediately shut closed, not to be due in another few hours. To avoid overdosing, they said. Lips chapped, the male opened his mouth, bringing his hand upwards, visibly trembling.

"Fuck it," he muttered as he tossed the pill across the room, where it bounced off the wall, upon the surface that once had been the floor. Every inch of it is now either covered with shards of broken glass, dirty laundry, stacks of papers, or something even he could not identify. Gabriel tilted his head back, gulping the last of his drink before throwing the glass over the room once more, shattering as it hit the ground.

Ding!

"Young master, your room is in immediate need of cleaning. Would you like it to be done now? Last postponed date: a week ago, 3 AM."

"No," tossing himself upon the bed, burying his face within the pillows, he groaned. "Postpone it again. Tomorrow, next year. I don't care."

"Very well. Have a nice evening."

The voice silenced. It took him a minute, or thirty minutes perhaps really what was the difference, before he slid himself off his bed. The boy made his way towards the washroom, where the door slid immediately upon his approaching, the lights flickered on.

Cold water ran through his fingers, and as he splashed it against his face, Gabriel paused. He took a good long look at his own reflection, messy unshaven, hair unkempt, dark circles under his eyes. Probably he smelled, too, considering he did not really remember the last time he had taken a decent shower. As he stared, his reflection gazed back, sight empty and hollow. His skin was pale, perhaps he had lost weight. It was horrifying to see, almost had he not recognized himself.

Ding!

"Didn't I say later?"

Young master, you have a visitor.

His eyebrows lifted. That was odd. It could be anyone, really. After all, many had sent their regards towards the misfortune that had befallen him. Too many in fact. Fake smiles, fake sympathies. Weightless and meaningless all the same. At least, to him. Though strangely, something at the back of his mind sparked alive, beaten to its very darkest corners. A fact he really should remember.

"If it's the Smythes again, tell them to beat it," said he, muffled through the towel used to wipe his face.

"It's not, sir," replied the automated assistant. "My face recognition tells me that she is of your close friend list, however. Miss. Scarlet Cole Georgia."

Towel slipped off his fingers, fluttering upon the floor. For a while everything seemed so distant, the world enclosing itself around him. The sounds muted, and scenes played, flashes and incomprehensible, as though a sped up cinematic record. Her laughs, her smiles. Her hands in his, fingers interlaced. How she smelled, the softness of her lips. Red hair, freckles.

"Sir?"

"I'll be there shortly," he said. Moving across his room, he carefully maneuvered himself over the glass, slipping into a pair of slippers. He took a quick glance at another mirror, then frowned. Not that he had a choice now. He did a quick run over his hair, fixing it, then sprayed himself a few cologne. The door whizzed again as it revealed him his corridor, down towards the living room.

"Also I changed my mind. Clean the room. Now."

"As you wish," said the voice. Lights quickly lit as he paced downstairs, or perhaps stumble was the better word, unbalancedly leaning against the banisters. Nearly had he slipped down a corner, and he did not think twice before reaching to open the door.

Not a second to prepare, not a moment to breathe. It all simply felt much too surreal. She spoke to him, yet he could barely hear her. All he heard was his name. Over, and over, and over. He reached forward, cupping her face in his hands. Gently he pulled aside, stretching her cheeks. Though may it seem comical, Gabriel was trembling. He did not know what to feel, how to feel. The words he had prepared all washed down the drain, so did any hint of composure left. The corners of his lips pulled into a smile, a shaky one, and he laughed. First small, then more. Gabriel pulled the girl into a tight embrace, and he swear to any gods out there that he won't let her go this time.

"Welcome home."

Gabriel J. Archer​

 

[calypso]

Scarlet Georgia

mood Nervous.

location Gabriel's house.

tag s e v e n

outfit click.

When the door began to open up, Scarlet wasn't exactly sure of the feeling that had begun to pool in her gut. Suddenly, she wasn't sure if she could do this. She wasn't really Scarlet Georgia, who was she kidding? She might look and sound like her, and even feel the same emotions as her, but she was just a cheap replacement. Well, not literally cheap. The entire process of getting an android was rather lengthy and expensive.

But she still wasn't human. She wasn't really sure if she was actually Scarlet or even if she felt like -

As soon as the thought crossed her mind, a bang went off in her head like a firework. A moment later, and the sinking feeling in her gut was replace by a warmth. A smile began to spread across her face, and her shoulders slowly lowered as the tension left. She was and wasn't Scarlet Georgia, and that was fine. It didn't matter how conflicted she felt about the matter, because she was here to just help Gabe. The door opened fully, and soon she was staring at him with the sympathetic smile that had just formed over her face.

At first, there was a bit of silence between the two. It was expected, the little voice in the back of her head said. He was going through a moment to shock, but soon it would get better. A moment later, and she felt his hands reach up to press against her cheeks. It was the first time this Scarlet had felt the touch of another human, and she let out a happy sigh as she leaned into one of them. Though a moment later the sigh was replaced by a bit of a giggle as he tugged her cheeks a bit. The voice once again rung out to remind her that he was likely in slight disbelief. That was okay though, because he was wasn't pushing her away.

When he pulled her into the tight embrace, at her first her arms didn't move. They remained stuck at her sides, her fingers still clenching the note tightly. Another small laugh escaped her, before her arms wiggled free to wrap around him. One arm reached up under his shoulder to hold the back of his head, and hot tears were already starting to form at the corner of her eyes. Despite only feeling his embrace for the first time in her relatively short new life, she couldn't deny how familiar it felt. The cologne that he wore was fresher than ever, and her face buried against his shoulder for a few seconds before she spoke out.

"You know, you're gonna crush me to death if you keep smushing me any longer, Gabe," she said with a bit of a laugh, the hand against the back of his head playfully tugging at a strand of hair. She twirled it around her finger, before nestling closer to him. "If I knew any better, I'd say you've seen a ghost," she said with a pause, before letting out another laugh. "Okay, sorry, horrible joke, I know."

Finally letting go of his hair and leaning back to peer up at him, she sniffled a bit before presenting the letter that had become smushed between their chests. "Are you going to be a gentleman now and invite me inside? Or am I gonna have to sneak in through the window or something like that?" She asked with a playful smile, before sliding her free hand forward to cradle his cheek. Not even giving him time to respond, she got up on her toes to deliver a quick peck to the lips. She didn't linger though, and a moment later she had wiggled out of his arms and behind him into the home with another laugh and snort.

In the moment, she didn't feel like an android pretending to be the dead lover of a man she had technically never met before. No, she felt like she was the real Scarlet Cole Georgia who had just awoken from a coma after an unfortunate car accident. In that reality, she had only gotten a few minor cuts and bruises with a boink to the head, and the doctors had assured Gabe that she would be fine when she woke up. Not if she woke up. Still, he felt concerned for her and was overjoyed to see her return home.

But she knew that wasn't the truth. The real Scarlet Georgia had stormed out one night after an argument with Gabe, and when trying to wipe the tears from her eyes as she drove home, collided with a semi truck who had run a red light. The real Scarlet wasn't able to process what happened, because the snap of the seatbelt combined with the collision snapped her neck in an instant. There was no doctor to tell Gabe if she would recover or not. All he got was a sad call and a request to come identify the body. After that, there was no more Scarlet for two weeks.

Until now, where an android made to look and act like her arrived to help him move on. She stood in his house, tauntingly waving a letter at him like it was a treat to get him inside. For now, everything would be okay.

coded by weldherwings

 

[s e v e n]

The next couple of words, phrases, sentences- they all went into a blur. Sure, he had listened to her, in fact he had given it all his might to try and focus to what she was actually saying. But how could he? How could he really, when all he could focus on was the way her pale green eyes moved, her little freckles down to the smallest details, the way her voice drawls on sweetly like morning nectar, of that of a little bird. There was so much detail to perceive, so short a time. His heart clenched in a mixture of feelings, a mess ball of yarn he could not bring to untangle. The surreal of it all made it feel like he was seeing her for the first time. The familiarity of it, however, brought forth a much less pleasant emotion.

As they distanced, Gabriel pressed his hand at the sides of her arms. When she laughed, he felt a hard pang on his chest. His grip grew tighter, only loosening when he noticed her pull away. He now remembered everything, the bitter truth that was really happening. The memory, the whole of it, playing back at him in rapid rate. He did not remember the scenes in exact, yet the emotions that stuck with it was eternal. The denial. The anger. The grief. The acceptance- the final stage that would never come. Everything up till this date has been a blur, every second since the door shut upon him, and moments later, the call.

This girl- no, this thing. It was not Scarlet, and it will never be. The girl he loved, the one that understood him. This was a machine, replicated to her exact detail, every little tilt of her head, the tiniest mole on her skin. She- it - behaves like her, talks like her, acts like her. But she isn't her. Advanced machineries, from a company that helps people settle what has not been, say words that remain unsaid. It was a media, nothing more, and the truth remains: the real Scarlet Cole Georgia is...

The boy smiled, shaking his head slightly as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He made his way back in, in which the door shuts behind him, a small beep to signify its secured lock as the lights turned from green to red. Snatching the letter from her hand, he pocketed it behind before he slipped his hand behind her back, one at the back of her knees and he swept her up, kissing her. He embraced her long, pulling back only to smile, kissing her back, soft and sweetly. Then he propped her upon the couch, settling next to her. Then for a while, he let his hand rest upon hers. That letter, whatever it contained- that could be saved for later. For now, for these seven days he hoped, he would simply enjoy the time graced upon him. And on the last day, he'd face the reality. The weigh upon his shoulders, the words he wanted to say. For now, he shall indulge himself in this fantasy, the sweetest dream made reality.

He just missed her so much.

"Tonight..." he began and sighed, resting his head upon her shoulder. It wasn't fair- even she smelled just like she always does. "You choose what you want to do. Pick whatever you want to eat, play whatever games you want- heck, you can make me watch the Notebook on loop five times in a row if that's what you want. After all-"

"You must miss it all after that long rest in the hospital."

"Welcome, Starlet," rang the automated voice, and the nickname he had set for her brought a pang to his chest. That, however, did not last long enough as soon he found himself smiling widely once again, leaning forward and pecked her cheek lightly. That's right. This is Scarlet Cole Georgia. This is the girl he loved.

This is his Starlet.

Gabriel J. Archer​

 

[calypso]

Scarlet Georgia

mood Slightly relaxed.

location Gabriel's house.

tag s e v e n

outfit click.

For a moment, a brief flash of panic crossed her eyes when he plucked the letter away, only to tuck it away without looking at it. A beep sounded in her mind, a friendly reminder from her programmer. He needed to read that letter by tonight, remember that. Partially opening her lips to chime in quickly with a reminder about it, a quick squeak of surprise sounded instead as she was swept up off her feet. A moment later, and he was kissing her once again. Her eyes remained wide for a moment, before she slowly wrapped one arm around his neck to hold on. Her other hand lightly cradled his cheek as they kissed, but her calm demeanor was hiding her racing mind.

This was technically one of the first times she was really kissing someone. Scarlet had kissed a good handful of people, she knew that much. But this was different for...her. Whoever she was. It felt nice to kiss someone, but she almost also felt detached from it all. With her eyes closed, she could seemingly visualize something new. A thin red string hung in the air, loose and rocking with an unfeeling breeze. If she just concentrated a little bit, the string would bounce just barely. Like it was close to growing taunt, but it was left dangling there. With no one to grab and pull it, it remained untouched.

Opening her eyes back, the zoned out Scarlet was suddenly pulled back into reality. She was sitting on the couch now, with Gabriel next to her. His hand was against hers, and a synapse seemed to fire off in her head. Turning her hand over quickly, her fingers interlaced with his own. Little things Scarlet, little things. You can get to the letter later, she thought as she smiled at him, hoping he hadn't just asked her a question or something. She truly hadn't been listening. Even now, her mind was wandering slightly back into the direction of what she had just saw. Was it just her imagine running wild while kissing him? Surely that was it...

Though she wasn't really supposed to have much of an imagination, and there was nothing about Scarlet that seemed connected to red strings. Maybe she should bring it up to Gabe later...Letting her eyes shift over his face, a slight frown appeared over her lips. No, he didn't need to worry about weird mechanics right now. She had more important things to do. Besides, he was clearly winding up to speak as his head came to rest against her shoulder.

As he spoke, Scarlet let out an audible 'hmmm' for him to hear. One hand snaked up behind his back to rest atop his leaning head so she could lightly tousle his hair, a habit that was basically drilled into her head as something important. Scarlet always liked to mess with his hair, it's very important.

"Well, I was actually thinking about going out instead of staying holed up. Besides, the county fair set up on the other side of town, and I have been craving a good funnel cake," she said with a mischievous grin.

"Of course, if you're too scared to go on the big boy rides like the swings and the roller-coaster, I totally understand. I'm sure the teacups would be open," she teased, tugging and spinning a lock of hair easily between her fingers like she had done it a hundred times before in her life. Technically she had, right?

At least, she needed to believe that if Gabe was to move on. First day jitters, that was all.

coded by weldherwings

 

[s e v e n]

It felt odd, sitting here on the couch, with Scarlet by his side. He knew he should have at least tried to enjoy it while it lasted, for seven days is all he had. Surely, he could add another package, but even then it would not have felt the same. Gabriel was not even one to do it in the first place- he was aware of their services, just as everyone was. Back then, he would perhaps even laugh at such idea. Never would he imagine just how much it meant, when you have become the one to lose.

He closed his eyes, and when he breathe in, there was her. His Starlet. When he opened his eyes...there was someone else. Someone else who looked just like her, acted just like her. From the top of her head to the bottom. Then why did he feel so wrong?

When she suggested to go to the county fair, her fingers running through his hair, he shot her a little smile. Who was he kidding, this is Scarlet. He closed his eyes once more, smiling, indulging himself in the moment that would have been fleeting and ethereal. Thankfully that night, only that nasty driver had passed away. His Scarlet made it home, safe and sound, back into his arms. That would have been the case, he believed, instead of the other way around.

"But don't you want to rest first?" asked Gabriel, pulling himself away then placed a hand upon her shoulder. "You have had a long day, after all."

But perhaps he should have known better. This was Scarlet Georgia after all. Wild, fearless, her sharp green eyes that challenged the world itself. She would not have wavered over such a small accident. Instead, she would laugh at it in its face, for even a car crash couldn't kill her. That was right, it was just a car crash. A millisecond happening in a second, second happening in a minute and minute happening in an hour. There was absolutely no way such a thing could take out the Scarlet Cole Georgia.

"Of course," he nodded in acknowledgement, removing himself from the couch. Then he walked over, directly towards his room. Then he stopped in his way, looking over his head at the red haired maiden. "I'll get changing, alright? I don't think I've showered in days," he laughed, now feeling silly for himself. Worry-wart, he was, as in the end all he was worrying for was nothing. "See you in thirty minutes? Or perhaps an hour- but I'd say thirty minutes to make you feel better. I left your room just as it was, don't worry, I did not sneak to read your diary."

He made his way up stairs, and the door to his room whirred open. Inside, just as his system has promised, his room has been swept clean. Traces of broken glass shards, spilt liquor and papers were all gone. A small android in wheels beeped, a smiley face upon it's clear white surface. It bid him a good day, before it exited through a hidden entrance at the opposite side of the wall.

Gabriel stepped in, allowing the door to close behind him. When he heard the firm click, his lips still smiling, he spoke-

"Lock the door, please?"

The green light next to his door had now turned red. Gabriel exhaled, letting his back slide over the door as he sat upon the floor, hands between his head. He shut his eyes tight, real tight to not let light, or anything else, pass through.

The letter, he remembered he had in his pocket. He pulled it out, circling it within his han, then towards the light. He could vaguely make out the stamp of the company, glowing at the very top of its neatly folded paper. It felt odd that anyone would still use paper these days, most have settled for email, or if not, a h-mail (sent through the post just like regular mail, but it would have been in the shaped of a tiny sphere, which emits the message in hologram, therefore h-mail. Depending on its content it may or may not do actions such as: self destructing, forwarding a sign that it has been read by the right person, or other customizable effects, just as a user might desire). No one sends physical mail anymore, this was not the twenty-first century.

Then again, Scarlet was all about the old life. Before implanted chips and hovercraft, where all cars would run on fuel made out of dinosaur bones, and the streets had no single android nor cyborg. This, perhaps, was made deliberately. He smiled softly to himself, tossing the letter tears the bed. Then he began to cry.

Gabriel J. Archer​

 

[calypso]

Scarlet Georgia

mood Slightly relaxed.

location Gabriel's house.

tag s e v e n

outfit click.

As Gabe made a sly comment about taking a shower, Scarlet could only watch him with a soft smile upon her face. Thirty minutes, how generous of him. Watching him walk away from her spot on the couch, it was only when the door slowly shut that she let the smile slowly fade away. A moment later, and the silence fully descended on her as she sat there. Looking down slowly, Scarlet let her fingers clutch at her pants while a blank expression slowly overtook her features. Something felt so wrong but she didn't know what.

The longer she stared down at her own knuckles, the more the room around her faded away. The silence was slowly replaced with a soft buzzing in her ears, like a white noise machine had just gone off inside her brain. Edges began to blur, and her brows worked themselves together slowly as she tried to refocus. This felt wrong, wrong, wrong. A pit was slowly opening up in her stomach, an ache that she couldn't describe threatening to overtake her.

She didn't know Gabe, she didn't know that man. Why the hell was she in his house, kissing him? She didn't want to be here, but where the hell would she even go if she walked away? The entire world was explored to her, she didn't even have her own face.

Blinking slowly, she slowly turned over her hands to stare down at her own palms. Her fingers slowly clenched themselves into fists, and she pressed. A look of pain flashed over her features quickly, but she kept pressing her nails into her skin until she felt the slick warm feeling of blood against her fingertips. The stinging pounded against her finger, but the red blood leaking from her palms was quick to ground her down again.

Why the hell did he order her? Was this what rich people did? Refuse to let their loved ones die? If he knew what was going on inside her head, how the hell would he even react? He'd shut her down, he'd return her. Order a new Scarlet, pretend this didn't happen. Then she'd be shut down, or something worse-

Standing up promptly, Scarlet rocked forward as she snapped the world back into focus. Blood was still dripping from her palms, threatening to fall to the floor and stain the ground. Her eyes frantically looked around, only glancing towards Gabe's locked door for a moment before she rushed to the kitchen. The sink was instantly turned off, and a gasp of pain sounded as she plunged her hands under the freezing cold water. A moment later, the stinging feeling resided and she was simply left with an icy feeling.

What the actual fuck was wrong with her?

That was the only thought running through Scarlet's head. This can't be normal. She wasn't supposed to only think like Scarlet, but this was different. Glancing away from the sink, her eyes wandered around the kitchen as she tried to locate the security system. Was it always filming? Did it report weird things to Gabe, because this was certainly fucking weird. No, she could fix this. It was just a little first day jitters, so nothing really bad had happened. The ringing in her ears was mostly gone, so that was good.

Clearing her throat out a bit, Scarlet turned off the water and patted her hands dry against her shirt. It's fine, easy solution. Just...be smart.

Raising her head up once again, Scarlet then spoke out to the security system most certainly watching. "Ah-- Uh, sorry about that. Slight servo malfunction, I'll be sure to report it back to the c-company," she said, her voice barely shaking over the word company. Fuck, fuck.

"Nothing of too much concern, no need to tell Gabe. He'll probably freak out, and I don't wanna spend an hour explaining silly random lock-ups to him. So just...keep this between us?" She said, a hopeful look overtaking her features as she peered around the immaculate kitchen.

Fuck.

coded by weldherwings

 

[s e v e n]

'No problem at all, Miss Georgia' replied the system. Surely, it would not lie, and it was very far from the house owner's earshot. Though who would trust the words of a machine? Ironic. 'Or, to be precise, Replacement model code C-029.' If they had not known better, a sinister tone could even be spotted within the AI's speech.

Meanwhile, warm water swirled down his back, circling down the drain. He pressed his forehead against the cold marble, and for once the track of time were lost into the trickling of water. Gabriel had finished washing long ago, though there was an appeal to standing still underneath the running water. Very similar to a brooding movie protagonist, he thought, and he felt ridiculous. He had truly became the very person he once despised.

Love is a vulnerability, not a weakness. False. It's blind, unseeing, and illogical among all. But if it were for Scarlet, he thought, he would sincerely be the most foolish man in the world. The letter on his bed proved to him just that. He wondered how father would think, knowing this of him.

Stepping out the sensor, the water immediately halted. Locks of hair moulded into a ruffled mess, fat droplets of water dripped down the floor. It felt cold underneath his bare feet- the heater must have broken yet again. Instead of a dryer, he settled for a warm towel.

The door whirred open when he walked towards it, leading him back to the room. He was postponing the inevitable, yet the procrastination never felt so strong. Gabriel tossed his used towel on top the sealed letter, he wanted nothing to do with it for now. Unlocking his wardrobe, a part of him wanted to go for the formal- a blazer perhaps, one he were more comfortable and familiar in.

Yet Scarlet had always told him to loosen up instead. His fingers brushed against the sleeve of a t-shirt, printed upon it in bold letters were cheesy motivational words, a cat raising both its paws. It looked hideous to him- yet Scarlet loved it. It was a gift from her, though she had never seen him wear it even once. He would eat the darn shirt if it meant to see her again.

He slipped on the shirt without second thought, though looking down he could not help but wince in disgust. Her tastes were questionable, if anything. He snatched a hoodie at least, the night was quite cold after all. Fixing his hair for a while, spraying a good amount of cologne, he looked back in the mirror and he felt...so different. Just hours ago he had felt like a walking corpse. Now he's back- he did not feel he earned it. As though everything has came back normal. He certainly does not deserve it.

Hair nicely combed back, shirt fresh and unstained for once. His blue eyes stared back, wide and bright. When he walked over to the exit, he stopped for a while. Taking a deep breath, then another. Then he stepped out.

"Scarlet?" he called out, descending the stairs to look around for the red-headed beauty. "Don't tell me you're still doing your hair-"

She was not in the living room. Perhaps he was right? It would not be that surprising, anyway, that she would be still in her room. In fact, when once he would be slightly annoyed, he now simply smiled and shook his head. The familiarity felt nice after all. So it did surprise him when he saw her in the kitchen, unchanged from her previous outfit.

"Oh, there you are," he raised an eyebrow. Despite the smile still lingering upon his face, he could not help but feel slightly unsettled. "What's up? Why aren't you ready yet?"

Gabriel J. Archer​

 

[calypso]

Scarlet Georgia

mood Tensed right back up.

location Gabriel's house.

tag s e v e n

outfit click.

Did she just get threatened by an automated house robot? Was it even a robot? More like an advanced gadget. Shuddering a bit at the suggestive tone of the voice, Scarlet shifted her eyes slowly around the room to try and fully regain her grasp on reality. So whatever had just happened was really, really weird. Nothing in her memory bank told her that Scarlet was prone to such...attacks? Outbreaks? There were no words that Scarlet could drag up to describe the feelings that had just rushed through her.

Standing in the kitchen, all she could do in the moment was press her hand up against her chest to feel her heart beating rapidly. It's not like she actually needed that heart, but it certainly didn't help to feel like she had a rabbit pounding against her rib-cage. Why weren't her systems cooling her down? The only reason she'd have a reaction like this is if she was responding to Gabriel, but he was in another room showering.

No, something else was wrong. Shutting her eyes tightly as she leaned back against the counter, a slow exhale sounded from her lips. In the back of her mind, she could still hear the constant flaring orders from her automated system. It kept pinging and going off, trying to set her back on the right course. In-fact, it was almost trying to over-correct her in the moment, due to just how off track she currently was.


Yet, with a bit of thought, the system slowly began to die down into a white noise. Just like that, her head was quiet for once. The only thing in there was herself, but that left a pretty important question that she couldn't exactly answer at the moment.

If she was able to turn off the system instructing her to act like Scarlet, then who the hell was in control currently? It wasn't like all the Scarlet knowledge was suddenly locked away, she still knew what to do and say to please Gabe. She just didn't feel very...compelled to do so at the moment. Certainly not as compelled as she felt in the car ride over. Something must of gone wrong in her wiring, but that only left more questions and a ton more feelings.

Opening up her eyes slowly, Scarlet suddenly found herself staring at Gabe as he waited for her to answer his question.

Shit, what the fuck did he just ask? He looks confused, maybe he's concerned about your hand. Don't tell him about the hand.

Clearing her throat out, Scarlet pushed herself off the counter with a slight wince. Yes, her palm was going to hurt. Who the hell even put pain receptors in an android? That was a feature she could of gone without.

"Uh, I was just washing up here. Admiring the view of the kitchen, you know. Very...clean," she said, rolling her eyes around the room. Yeesh, this guy needed to do some more decorating. Make the place feel lived in.

"Anyway, you seem freshened up, so we should head out," she said, walking over to him. Purposefully using her uncut hand, Scarlet reached up to run her fingers through his hair and ruffle it up, ruining whatever comb-job he had just done. A sly grin appeared after, and she began to skip over to the door.

"I call shotgun! Just so you know, and so any ghosts also know. They can sit in the back," she added with a wink back at him, before slipping out the front door. She didn't even give him time to respond to her behavior, instead hurrying around the front lawn to the garage.

Jesus fuck, what was she doing? It was alarming how well she could still play Scarlet, considering the current shitstorm that was her brain at the moment. All she had to do was find the problem in the programming herself, and fix it. No need to alarm Gabe, right? It's not like she wanted to be sent back to the factory early, that would really suck.

Because at the end of the day, she was still a product he had purchased. And she wasn't going to last forever.

Before, that feeling wouldn't of mattered. But now, just an hour after her creation, that thought made her stomach sank.

And that wasn't supposed to be happening.

coded by weldherwings

 

[s e v e n]

You see what you desire to see. And that was what caused Gabriel to sigh, sending a soft lopsided smile towards her direction. Even the smartest of men could be blinded in the face of romance, case in point, Gabriel J. Archer. There was little to complain, as even the most unusual of the unusual could occur, and he would still refuse to see the truth. She might be short-circuiting in the kitchen, or she could gouge her own eye out its socket, fix it with a screwdriver before propping it back in. Heck, she could even storm in nonchalantly from the company car with a receipt from the company in hand.

If it was just for seven days…he could turn a blind eye. A replacement for those lost is all she was. Until he was ready.

“Well, I do my best to keep the environments clean-” he said and grinned, priding himself despite most of the work being done by machineries. The effort was what counts, at least. Scarlet would have loved doing things traditionally, though, and he respected that. Very hypocritically so, said a man who had his room in a shipwreck just less than an hour ago. “Though…I do agree,” he furrowed his brows when he saw her expression, then he gazed around the room. “Decorating is indeed very much needed right now. We could do it tomorrow, you know.”

When she had ruffled his hair, which would normally upset him, he simply blew a stray lock of hair, watching her make her way towards the front door, and then to the garage. A slight tug upon his chest. Her car was gone. Of course it was, as it has crashed that night. That night, a few days ago. A few missing hours snatched off his time. A puzzle that has laid missing, only to be forcefully shoved in by a cut out cardboard. For not a single soul came out alive that night.

“You know.” He went in the driver’s seat, and as he pressed his thumb against the interface, the whole car fired up, the dashboard lighting up in pale blue glow. “I’m never letting you drive by yourself again, right?”

Awaiting for the gates to automatically slide, at first he hesitated. His fingers drumming against the wheels, he swallowed dryly, as though he was glued in place. Lights flashed, the ringing of the phone. Heavy drops of rain pouring hard against the windshield, and he prayed to anyone who would listen: please let it not be true. Please save her, please save my Starlet.

‘Where to, sir?’

“Oh, sorry,” he blinked, realizing that the gates have long been opened. “The county fair at the other side of town, please.”

‘Understood. The fastest route would be-’

“Avoid highways, construction works, unlit roads, and-” He sucked in a breath. Then he closed his eyes, restabilizing his heart beat. And he clicked upon automated driving. By itself, the car began to move. He could not bear himself to live through that trauma once more, he did not want to.

For a while, he remained quiet. For despite one’s beliefs, the Schrodinger cat is alive OR dead. Nothing would change that, not even God Himself. Could he lie to himself, for even just seven days? He bit down his lip, and though it had no effects, his hands clenched upon the wheel. The moment he loses focus; the illusion would crack, then shatter. Empty glasses of wine, palms outstretched and pressed against the mirror. He could peer through, though no power on heaven nor earth could bring them back. Not yet, at least.

Gabriel J. Archer​

 

[calypso]

Scarlet Georgia

mood Tensed right back up.

location Currently in Gabe's car.

tag s e v e n

outfit click.

Sliding into the front seat of the car, Scarlet stopped to inhale sharply and exhale. God, wasn't that ironic? She had an entire system in her body that told her she needed to breathe to calm down, when she wasn't even taking anything in. There were no vital functions taking place inside her body. If someone was to pull her open, all they would find is advanced machinery and some well-placed fake blood. A shiver ran up her spine at the thought of it all, which of course simply irritated her more. She didn't even shiver like a normal person!

Dragging her eyes away from the console her front of her, Scarlet instead reached up to swipe her fingers across the roof of the car. Lighting up instantly, a mirror quickly descended so she could peer into it before Gabe arrived in the car. Okay, she just looked a tiny bit frazzled. Eyes had a bit of a crazy look in them, but maybe that was just how Scarlet looked. She wouldn't know, considering she had never actually met the girl and this was basically her first time seeing-

Pausing, Scarlet leaned forward a bit to stare closer at the mirror. She had never seen herself before. It's not like she hadn't seen Scarlet before, there were images of her basically burned into her mind. But this was her. Reaching up slowly to touch her own cheek, she ran her hand across the smooth skin up to her eyes. Her fingertips brushed across her eyelids, before she dropped them back down to her cheeks to pull the skin taunt. Her teeth chomped together, before she widened her eyes bit to purposefully make an exaggerated expression, before she suddenly heard the door click.

Letting out a yelp, she quickly slammed back into her chair and turned her head over to Gabe. Stunned into silence for a moment, she glanced around before coughing awkwardly.

"Sorry. Thought there was something in my teeth. How nasty would it be if I found a bug there?" She said, flashing him another smile.

There it was again. That perfect transition into Scarlet. Of course, it should come naturally. Her entire job, her entire purpose, was to pretend to be this dead girl so her boyfriend could move on. Casting another glance over at Gabe, she listened to his quick instructions about avoiding highways, construction zones, and-

Her eyes widened a bit, and she quickly snapped her head the other way to stare out the window. Scarlet was killed in a car accident. Dead on impact, from a huge car slamming right into her. Nothing could be done, and she was lost. Just like that. Her life was over in an instant, with no do-overs. No take backs. If she had just delayed being at that point by a minute, she would be alive right now.

And this Scarlet wouldn't be.

Swallowing thickly, Scarlet shut her eyes and inhaled. God, her own mind was confusing. Scarlet this, Scarlet that. Even she got confused to who the hell she was referring to, given the fact she was supposed to be that Scarlet. But she felt like this Scarlet, whatever the hell that meant. Maybe just a little bit of dissonance was good, right? She had to be aware of her job to do it in the first place.

When she finally turned her attention back to Gabe, they were already on the road. Silence filled the car, which meant it was her job to fill it. Because, you know, robot lady.

"Soo...You're paying, right? I mean, not to be totally cheap or whatever, but it is courteous for the man to pay for his lady," she said, switching to a sing-song voice at the end. Her eyes shifted over to him, and she offered a quick smile of reassurance. She knew it was kinda her job to make him happy, but this dude was kinda a bit of a downer. For good reason, at least. It didn't make it any less awkward, however.

"I think we should go through the petting zoo area, first. You know, where they keep all the animals for show and stuff. Then we can hit up the rides and get a really expensive thing of cheap lemonade, and a funnel cake. Probably best to do the vomit-inducing rides first though, unless you wanna live a little on the edge," she joked, reaching across the center with her elbow to lightly nudge him.

Just get him to be happy, and everything should be all good in the neighborhood...

coded by weldherwings

 

[s e v e n]

“What?”

His attention snapped back towards her, and for a brief moment he felt much awkward. She was finally here, and he spent his time looking over the window, brooding as though the protagonist of a cheaply starring soap opera. There she was: the most beautiful girl in the world. And he was watching the stoplights turning from red to green. Stupid.

“No- of course not,” he said, but then a smile crept to his lips, amused at her antics. That was Scarlet, alright. “Unless you want to, then you’re more than welcomed, of course.”

“So…” he began. It was a topic he had not want to bring up, at least not now. But the silence have become so unbearable, that the voices lying in his head becomes much more dangerous than speaking to her. Acknowledge a small part of it, let what was left of it to drift away at the back of his mind, locked in a time capsule to not be opened until seven days end. “I will address this first and foremost, before anything else comes in the way.”

“I know your company’s deal.” He felt his breathing pipes instantly shut down, but it must be addressed. At the door side of the car where his arm rested, his fists clenched, nail dinging in his palms. “How you seek to find resolution by allowing your client to converse with your…well. I do not seek that. All I’m asking is seven extra days to be with Scarlet Georgia. If I decide to say anything regarding our matter, I will do so.”

The entirety of his speech, he had not torn his sight away from the windows. When a brief reflection of her crossed over the lights, he looked away. Right now he was talking to a robot, from a company. When he looked at her, it will be Scarlet back on the seat next to him. And everything will return to normal, just for seven days more. Seven days more, and then he can move on- that he was sure of. He must be sure of.

“This will be the last time I talk of this. So I will not open that letter until the seventh day…”

For a few seconds, he closed his eyes. Then when he reopened, he looked at Scarlet. There was no more robot, just a Scarlet Georgia. What kind of ridiculous stage he was playing with himself, he had no idea. If it was a method to cope, then so be it. Their company was built for a reason, after all. So open the curtains, check the lights and invite the actors. A stage of two, where the only one lied to is himself.

Reaching over, he took her hand in his, feeling up her palm. Each of her fingers, the warmth that ran beneath her skin. The pulse that should not have been there. Then he leaned over to kiss her gently, at least at first. Then he pulled her closer, one of his hand trailing to the side of her face and cupped it. She smelled just like her. How he missed her warmth, her presence, her taste.

‘We have reached the destination.’

He pulled away, breathing softly. Gabriel then pinched her cheeks teasingly, snickering. “Whatever you say, princess. Today’s your day.” Their car pulled over within the parking lot, each vehicle much organized by their automated parking. When finished, the light beeped, signaling the removal of seatbelts and the unlocking of doors. He pulled at the handle, allowing it to go ajar. “Just think of it as your birthday. Who knows? You might even convince me to accompany you in your crazy rides.”

Gabriel J. Archer​

 

[calypso]

Scarlet Georgia

mood Tensed right back up.

location Currently in Gabe's car.

tag s e v e n

outfit click.

Scarlet might be an android, but she was programmed to process emotions the same way humans were.

And right now, the only thing she was picking up was how awkward this conversation was about to become. Nothing good comes a statement that starts with the words, 'I will address this...'

Looking over to Gabe as he spoke, Scarlet wasn't exactly sure how she was supposed to respond when he finished. This was unprecedented grounds for her, though nearly everything that had happened tonight was kinda...new. But she was specifically programmed to talk about the actual purpose of her existence. She was meant to be a big Barbie for grief, dressed up as someone who's six feet under or burned to ashes. Pull a string, and she'll tell you how much she loves you and how she'll be okay once she's gone. And once those seven days are up, she's out the door to be taken apart and put back together again.

A shudder ran over her body as she imagined beaded dolls with cut hair, before her attention snapped back over to Gabe. Her eyes flicked to his hands, which was clenched into a fist. Clearly, this wasn't something he even wanted to talk about in the first place. Scarlet didn't exactly blame him, either. If she wasn't the replacement, there's no way she'd be ordering an android of her dead lover to get over him. It didn't seem productive...

Then again, if no one had ordered an android before, she wouldn't even exist at the moment. Either way, that wasn't the point Gabe was making. In fact, he was making the exact opposite point. He didn't want to try and move on with her, no. He just wanted to spend seven more days with Scarlet -- Or as close as he could get to poor Scarlet. Staring at him with a somewhat sadden expression, the android tried to keep her face neutral as they drove. Streetlights would pass over and between the two of them, briefly lighting up their features.

Turning her gaze away from Gabe, Scarlet instead looked forward out the windshield. Could she really blame the dude for what he was doing? It's not like she had a good framework of what people should and shouldn't be doing when it comes to dead girlfriends replaced by robots. The only thing she had was her own existence, which was basically a walking ad for others.

"Hey, like how this lady looks? Well, guess what! The actual woman who owns this face is dead and this is an android! Pretty neat, right? Get your own today for a lot of fucking money!"

Blinking quickly, Scarlet dismissed the thought from her head. If Gabe didn't want to linger on that sort of thing, maybe it was best she didn't either. At least, she could try to clear her mind of the idea. Though that sort of thing was easier said than done. All she knew is that if Gabe didn't want to talk about it at all, then she had a dangerous game to play. Especially with the...glitches she had felt.

Yeah, this was going to be interesting. Not to mention she only had about six days left of actually being alive, which was a whole different issue.

Letting out a sharp sigh, Scarlet realized she had completely zoned out to what Gabe had said. Fuck, shit. Her entire job was to listen to him, and here she was, running away in her own thoughts. Because her issues were so much bigger than hers. (Could she even have issues? That was certainly still stuck on her mind.)

Instead, she was greeted with Gabe's hand slowly running across her own. Despite everything else going on between the two of them, she couldn't deny that she liked the attention. The gentle touches, and the longing that he had in his eyes. Even if it was just her programming making her feel this way, it brought butterflies to her stomach every time his rougher skins traced across her grafted skin. She knew the affection wasn't really for her, but for the real Scarlet.

When he leaned over to kiss her, he was kissing a girl who had died. The hand he felt coming up to brush across his cheek belonged to someone who couldn't move hers anymore. Yet the excitement felt belonged to her, the girl sitting right in front of him. Whose lips were pressed against his own, who smelled just like the perfume of Scarlet Georgia.


Yet the moment was over in a second, as the car rudely announced their arrival at the carnival. Thank god the windows were blacked out. No one wanted to see two people making out as their car drove for them. When he pulled away, Scarlet had a flush across her cheeks that only deepened as he pinched her.

This was fine, for now. Nothing was going to be solved tonight, especially not on a rollercoaster. Tonight, she was just going to enjoy herself.

"Oh, you're on. I bet in the next hour, I'll be getting you in a tilt-a-whirl," she said, swinging her legs out of the car to stand up and grin at him from across the roof. "After that, we can spin directly onto the nearest rollercoaster, so we can--"

Stopping suddenly, Scarlet grew quiet. Her eyes widened slowly as she shut the door of the car, her body turning slowly to stare at the image in front of her.

With the lights reflecting off her eyes and hair, Scarlet stood there with a look of amazement across her visage. The carnival was in full swing only a hundred feet away from them, and screams of joy could be heard with the carts of the rollercoaster thundering by. Lights flashed on the rides and from the booths, and the smell of straw was pungent in the air.

Stepping forward slowly, the gravel crunched under her shoes. Her jaw was hanging open, and she turned her amazed gaze to Gabe.

"Holy shit. This is amazing!"

coded by weldherwings

 

[s e v e n]

archer

gabriel j.

mood.

happiness (or is it?)

location.

night festival

outfit.

x

Happiness. Does one really know of its true meaning? If it is a lie, how much truth of itself lies beneath the words of its beholder? If that much itself was true- then what was so wrong to lie to oneself, after all? Is happiness not all that one years to possess? Close your eyes, turn around, and enjoy the moment. Is that not what everyone else does? To put a meaning in a world that already possesses none, indulging themselves in blissful ignorance of not unknowing, but choosing not to. The world that they have now, filled with artificial machines and all the same, artificial joy. What harm would it make to take it up an extra step?

How is he so different than everyone else? What hypocrites.

And so, the world revolved for another night. Screams echoed in the air as the roller coaster soared. The booths filled with laughing children, embracing couples. The lights that flickered in many colours. The alluring scent of funnel cakes draw near. Suddenly they were back, Gabriel took her hand in his, and at this moment he had entirely forgotten the moment he was in. Stare to long and too deep into the abyss, and then it stares back. There was no going back from this, might as well enjoy the night he paid for.

“You mentioned something about funnel cakes back home,” he spoke, and he had not even looked at her. His attention was taken up by a little shooting-game at the corner of the block. That plushie is too big for anyone’s own good, but a part of him wanted to win it over for Scarlett. Too bad that he sucks big time at shooting games- or any of these arcades’ thing, to be exact. That was more her thing, and getting her to win it for herself would be counterproductive. He allowed the thought to slide off his mind. “Are you sure you want to get them if you want to-”

Another round of screams, and his face paled slightly. Aw, heck no. Too early, too nauseating. Why would someone pay good money to get tortured as so? He grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her aside. “You know what, why don’t we get you fed first, play something less…life threatening, and at the same time, wait for the line to thin down a bit, yeah?”

The robots that had stood by the vendors looked anything but close to human. Perhaps the artificial intelligence is yet to be so developed as easily marketable- the cost is still yet so high. He wonders what lies beyond the walls of their city, the number of unemployed and starved. The moment humans have dreaded all this time finally finds its way back. No machine-guns, no Skynet. No dramatic battles and what not. This was the future. And humans have not changed one bit.

The scent only grew stronger as they walked closer, and true was what she said- they must have had a mean recipe for funnel cakes for the line to go that long, even with two sets of employees working. Gabriel raised up an eyebrow as he observed the smaller of the two- a rather tall young woman with tanned skin and striking green-blue dyed neon hair tucked behind the nets. When she looked up, her eyes possessed two different colours, both complementing the shades of her hair. It was rare to see humans doing such rough work these days, more so under the company of a non-human. But as she turned, he had noticed that a part of her hand had been replaced by complete machinery. The palm was no longer there, instead a set of tongs replaced it. The sizzle of the frying equipment filled the air, and the closer they got, the more Gabriel realized how hungry he had been. Alcohol was in no way a supplement for food after all.

“Sir, I must ask you to please slide your palm against the scanner again,” the woman had told him, one hand pointing at the gentleman in front of her, then towards the scanner, the other (the one with tongs for palm, of course), dipped inside the fryer. “I’m sorry sir, but no credit, no cake.”

The man fumbled nervously, gazing back and forth from his tracker. A little girl peered up at him hopefully with wide eyes. But then Gabriel leaned forward, sliding his palm over the scanner. The machine immediately chimed, followed by a notice: ‘Credit transaction, completed. Gabriel Joseph Archer. Please check the receipts and thank you for using our corporation.’

“Well, I’ll be damned.” She turned her head up, tapping the ends of her tongs at the corners of the fryer before she placed one hand by her hips, shifting her weight down to one side. “If that machine had not read out your name, I would not have recognized you at all.”

“Pardon?” Gabriel asked, stepping forward once the previous man had stepped out the line, thanking him repeatedly before grabbing his street snack from the other employee and walking off with the little girl happily.

“Why you, of course!” The girl beamed widely, then extending her arm forward. “You’re the director’s boy, aren’t you- oops.” She retracted her arm, laughing nervously and nodding towards it. “Lost it in a freak accident. Don’t worry, they’re a replaceable model, I don’t go around with frying tongs wherever I go.” She leaned forward and shook his hand with her human ones. Gabriel took it, but pulled back as fast as he could. “Jasmine Mathias Desabille. Most my friends call me Jazzy. Nanay used to work by your company, so I’ve heard all about you. Before, er- yeah.”

Her eyes then went to Scarlet. There was a small spark, as though she meant to say something. But then she pressed it down, pursing her lips together. “The news spoke of your, er- girlfriend, too. Hi.” Jasmine nodded in her direction, before gesturing towards the holographic board resting at the side of the stall. “Alright, feel free to check the menu and my friend here will take your order.” She patted her hand at the shoulder of the other android, and it whirred slightly, flashing an unsettling smile towards the two.

code: s e v e n
​

 

[calypso]

Scarlet Georgia

mood Excited.

location Night festival.

tag s e v e n

outfit click.

To some, the roar of the rollercoaster above and the screams that randomly sounded might come off as stressful. But to Scarlet, it only amazed her more. No matter how hard she tried to wrack her memory to find something similar to the experience, nothing came up. Everything was brand new, and it all smelled amazing. There were sweets in the air, a scent that barely covered up the stronger odor of straw on the ground and the oil in the machines. All of it was so amazing, how had Scarlet not experienced this before?

Well, not this Scarlet. The other Scarlet, of course. Android Scarlet just woke up this morning, it's not like fair grounds were at the top of her priority list. Though, now that she was here, it definitely should have been.

Walking with her hand in Gabe's, she couldn't help but swing their conjoined hands back and forth with a skip in her step. Her head was tilted back to stare at the wonders that were built upwards towards the sky, and she was barely watching where she was actually going. She also didn't give a damn if people were staring at her. Frankly, she couldn't understand how people weren't freaking out over this. It was just so...magical.

When Gabe finally spoke to her, Scarlet finally looked down and over to him with a goofy grin on her face. "Aw, look at you! Listening to me, and all that. Here I was thinking we'd walk right past the funnel cakes," she said, clearly teasing the poor boy. She continued to swing their arms back and forth, though her gaze was now more or less focused on him. In fact, she was so focused on him, that she could see the exact moment his expression paled. It happened at the same time a round of screams shot by, and she couldn't help but laugh when he grabbed her shoulders to direct her towards the food stall.

"Alright, alright! You know, you could just admit you're scared of rollercoasters too," she added with a laugh as they moved towards the line. "I wouldn't make fun of you! At least, not a lot..." She added with a sly grin, before leaning her head onto his shoulder. Her eyes closed, and she simply inhaled the smell around them. Everything felt...right. Everything felt new, too. For the moment being, Scarlet felt something. She wasn't sure what, though. It was a tingling feeling at the base of her neck, threatening to creep up further and further the longer she thought about it. Had Gabe really never taken Scarlet to a fair before? They had to have gone together at some point, but she just couldn't remember...

Opening her eyes up, a jolt shot through her body at the sight she saw. Androids stood by the food stall, but everything about them was wrong. They had a silver shine and metal limbs, and moved with choppy turns and cuts. Staring at them, the tingling feeling vanished from her neck. Instead, she felt the hairs there stand straight up. She shouldn't react to them like this, but something about them terrified her. That's how she looked under her skin. Under her synthetic fake skin. Her eyes dropped down to look at her own hand, and she slowly turned it over. The movement was subtle, but her stare wasn't. No, she wasn't supposed to react like this. Something was wrong, she needed to get out here and go somewhere-

Before she could open her mouth to speak to Gabe, they were at the front of the line. He had swiped a payment for the man in front of him, and now stood chatting to the human employee. Scarlet stared at her, though her eyes were drawn to her missing hand. It wasn't uncommon for humans to have robotic parts. Now if you lost a limb, you could just replace it with a better one that came with a warranty.

Her eyes trailed away from the attachment, and she tuned back into the conversation. She knew who Gabe was, she knew exactly who he was. She even knew about the accident. Instantly, Scarlet looked over to Gabe over his reaction. He had already looked uncomfortable with the conversation, but she didn't want to test how far he could get. Leaning forward to peer at the board, she quickly spoke up.

"We'll get a funnel cake, two lemonades, and two corndogs. Thanks," she added, speaking quickly as she looked at the employee. Her hand moved Gabe's up, and she swiped his palm over the scanner quickly. She then turned to him, making eye-contact.

"Listen, I came up with a game plan. I'll get the food here, and I need you to get in line for the prize booth over there. The one with throwing darts. It's super close to a bench so we can eat our food after we've won, and then we can get in line for a ride, got it?" All of it came out quickly, and she didn't give him any time to respond before she was pushing him off towards the booth. A sigh came a moment after, before she turned back towards the employees.

She knew she shouldn't say this, but she couldn't stop herself. It was like it was bubbling up and threatening to spill out. "You know, it's really rude to talk about tragedies like that with someone you don't know," she said, gathering up the drinks and food in her arms.

"We also have feelings too, you know. It's not like we don't notice when you whisper about it," she said, her voice lowering. As she spoke, her head jerked towards the android working with the human girl. Truthfully, she didn't know if androids of that model felt anything at all. But if it was anything like her, maybe it was sick of this sort of shit. She hadn't even been alive for more than a day and she already hated the feeling of those around her whispering. She couldn't imagine what they felt.

"Anyway, thanks," she added on quickly, before hurrying after Gabe. She didn't wait to see the reaction of the employee, nor did she really want to. Walking up to Gabe, she quickly passed him a lemonade and the funnel cake. The two corndogs were sat down between them, and she quickly snagged one.

"Talk about fun hair back there, right? I could totally pull that sort of look off."

coded by weldherwings

 

[s e v e n]

archer

gabriel j.

mood.

ignorance is truly bliss

location.

night festival

outfit.

x

Gabriel knew he owed no one explanation. Not a strange, wild-haired woman from a funnel-cake stall, not anyone- not even his own family should he choose. It was not as though anyone had experienced what he did- oh, how he grew tired of petty little notes slid under his door. Wide eyes and red cheeks, they spoke of words they do not mean. Syllables rang empty with no reason nor value. It was goodwill, yet to Gabriel, they were disgusting.

He took a moment and distanced himself from the crowd, fortunately Scarlet took the cue (or perhaps she hadn’t and it was nothing but a coincidence), and he was left to find a place near the prize booth she spoke of. From a quick glance, he could tell it was rigged. There was yet another couple by the stand, he watched them as they purchased their way through yet another attempt in light amusement. Never being a fan of games himself, he remembered how much she loved it. There was a large fluffy pink bear on one end, accompanied by a strange looking crocodile in red flannel. Guess he knows which one she would go for.

The words the woman said- it did shake him up a little bit- that much he would not lie. The lie so expertly crafted with no single crack to spare, where its victim is no one but himself. A close call it was- yet it was not enough. He was left no longer to have a chance to lament, for when he looked up there was her again, funnel cake in one hand and lemonade in the other. The amount of acrobatics it must have took her to carry all the things for him, he felt sorry despite wanting to laugh.

“Please don’t. I am not going to stop you, but…please don’t,” he cringed slightly imagining Scarlet with a hair that wasn’t- well, scarlet. Imagining her with such a shade makes him wonder if she could glow in the dark. He slid in his seat slightly to make space, yet returned when she decided to sit across him instead.

“Well, I’m…sure she means well,” he said simply, eyeing his partner as she reached over for a corndog. He raised an eyebrow. “Did you not say you were going to play the darts first?”

He supposes it could wait. Reaching for the small plastic fork and began slicing up his own cake. He frowned when Scarlett began to eat, rather quickly at that, and reached over to tuck her hair behind her ear. But then he scoffed lightly under his breath. It was endearing at least. Gabriel took another moment to only look at her. It might have appeared slightly creepy from the outsider’s point of view, for he says nothing for a long while, too. Then he simply looked back down to his funnel cake, shaking his head to himself before taking a bite.

Looking up, he saw the previous pair walking away from the booth, no prize in hand, dejectedly. Immediately he tapped Scarlett by her hand, pointing towards the stall.

“Go,” he told her. “I’ll guard the food.”

Why…he did plan to try and impress her by winning her a prize, yet after seeing the previous’ victims less than just pathetic attempts, he would rather save his dignity until the roller coaster. But it seemed as though the man who stood guard the stall took notice of them. He laughed a hearty laugh, his hand to his stomach before he waved his hand at their direction.

“Fear not, fear not!” he chimed. “Why so scared, silly boy? There will be no beast devouring your meal while you are gone, you have my word! Young man, care to try our little darts game? Only 20 EB per five shots!” The carnival man tipped his large striped hat towards their direction, then looked at Scarlet. “Oho! Or is it the young lady that is bold enough to take the challenge? That’s it- right this way, right this way.”

That fact he could agree on- if anyone between them two was brave, it would be her. So much to say from a man who was not even brave enough to face the truth. Smiling to himself, he looked back at Scarlet, standing up first before offering his hand towards her. “Well, you wanted to play," he shrugged, then teasingly poked her side. “Don’t come crying to me when you lose, okay?”

code: s e v e n
​