The Last Grid [Danielle & Friends]

Oki would hear the words spoken by those around it, taking note of the woman named Raina’s whispering and seemingly gloomy mood, but for the most part not question it as its mind turned as it went over what it heard. On one hand, there were those that were fine with sacrificing Beep and on the other hand, those that wished to save her. While Oki wasn’t an expert on computers and had probably uninstalled/deleted programs on a computer without a thought in the past, Beep was not just a program. She was Beep. A living thing even if she was data.

The fact that she was this made it hard for Oki to say what was right in this case and what was not as it found itself in the middle as it struggled for a moment longer. What was heard next only made the situation worse, but at least it solidified something within Oki as it did what it had to do.

“We would love to save Beep. Honestly we would; however, the more the options are thrown out the more grim it becomes. We do not want to waste time nor gamble with lives. As for this new option...I for one cannot attack you. You should know this by now…” Oki would say looking up at Helen. Perhaps if it was its own life and there wasn’t so much weighing on this, then maybe it would gamble, but as it stood now? No. It would not harm Helen...nor did it actually want to fight her again. It learned a long time ago not to do that. As for anyone else sacraficing themselves….Well...

The being would sigh at the situation as it looked over at Beep for a moment before looking over at Danille. It would give her a sad smile.

“I don’t think there is ever a guarantee with anything and while I understand wanting to try a different way. We do not see the logic in it if it means potentially killing Helen or anyone else that wanted to step up and take the job over,” it would then look down at the ground. “Perhaps gambling with one in an attempt to save many is the best choice here.” It didn’t like saying it, but then again this wasn’t the first time in its life it did something it was uncomfortable with or went against another’s way of thinking. It did not expect anything to go smoothly now, but what in life ever did.

"Now hold up a second, do we even know if that would work? After all we are not native to this world." He just talked about not throwing their lives away like idiots, it's like nobody even payed attention to what he had said. However, her speech and what Clarita had said confirmed his suspicions, there's no doubt that this woman is Nilo's mother... What pain, as if losing a person he cared about wasn't enough this woman would keep opening old wounds. However, he wasn't going to stop now, Blaez still had reasons to fight. "Anyways... Now that i know how saving Beep would go, i'm not quite sure about it, a lot of people could end up dead for one life." He'd have to go with whatever the group decided, but he felt that his opinion should be voiced before the group made a decision.

"Hey Angela, you have been awfully quiet, do you have something to say on the matter?" Maybe she had some helpful insight that could help in this situation, or maybe not, it wouldn't hurt to ask.

Oki would stay quiet as it watched this whole thing unfold. Everyone ignoring the risks as all of sudden everyone and their grandmother wanted to be a sacrifice for Beep. It was depressing really, but also highly agitating. It was enough to make anyone want to scream, but somehow as unsettling as the whole ordeal was, Oki managed to distance itself from its emotions as it approached this from a more logical standpoint as it laid the facts before itself.

This world was running out of time. The more they debated and went around with the whole who died and what not issue, the more this world suffered and risked collapsing. Even as they continued to fight and more options were given the world itself would give a final warning as it forced their vision to go blank for a moment and only 0’s and 1’s appeared before it for a split second. This wasn’t good. Furthermore it seemed that even Helen was getting a bit frustrated with this as she laid down pretty much who could and who could not perform this task.

So Danille was like Nozomi….a special case in the world. While she was like most here, the creature had to wondered if it would be wise to let the woman be a sacrifice. While it couldn’t be sure, Nozomi and this woman...they reminded it of Hyde….and if they shared that same power, then perhaps here was not where she was suppose to die. Perhaps that power she and he shared could be made useful elsewhere… As for the others….

Raina was not compatible and Angela was anomaly. They couldn’t rely on them for success either...and besides even if they could, the matter of fighting was still there. Battles took time….and without a 100% guarantee it would work or they wouldn’t killed the one offering to be a host?

“……”

It would ponder a second more and then reach its decision.

“Nozomi is a guy from our world and up until a few moments ago was a traveling companion. We lost track of him and ended up with Danielle instead. They’re powers are very similar and so is their behavior. It is kind of scary really…” Oki would say with a small sad smile as he looked over at the girl and then Raina. “Everyone is always willing to sacrifice themselves for others. I suppose that is a trait I should admire. Really it is something beautiful,” it would say as it observed them for a moment longer and then looking away it would look over at Blaez and give him a small nod before its eyes turned to Beep. The man’s words had not fallen on deaf ears. None of it had….and that is why what it was about to do now ate it up so, but…..there was no other choice….

If the being was allowed to it would approach Beep before doing something unexpected. It would attempt to pull her into a hug and hold her for a bit.

“Beep….please forgive me for this…” it would say to her...and then without another word, the creature would summon some of its powers and use it against her.

Provided it was not attacked or Beep didn’t try to escape, the creature would continue to hold the program close to it. As it did this, she would feel claws from the shadow going into her….

Oki was highly aware of how this would look and even was prepared for consequences of its actions...but this after considering the options….this was the only right path it found. Cruel and cold as it seemed…. the creature had made its decision, but now the question was what would happen because of it the action…

((Edit: In case it matters: Oki does 55 slash damage when using a dex attack.))

The creature felt eyes upon it as it moved and in time hugged Beep. She hugged it back making what it did next that much harder. It understood other options were there...and maybe if it had more faith perhaps it would’ve tried a different option, but with such high stakes before it? It just could not place its chips on something that was a maybe. It had to be certain and so it went with the only option it was sure of.

Was it right in its actions? That was hard to say and honestly up to the eyes of the one looking at what had occurred. On one hand, the action could’ve be seen as cold hearted and murder, but on the other it could be seen as the right thing to do to save others. Whatever it was to the others, Oki honestly did not care as it felt some part of it die the moment the shadow’s claws pierced into the program.

It knew. It knew without a doubt that if it attacked, Beep would more than likely perish. Unlike everyone around her this was not a warrior or some being that held the sort of power that persona users or weapons had...No Beep was just like a civilian. Vulnerable and something that should not have to endure such a thing...and yet Oki had done it...It had destroyed Beep….

What followed next did not help make things better. No in fact, it only drove home what it had done deeper. The way she faded away, the chat that had followed...All of it crushed the being even more as it watched with a blank expression as it all occurred. It tried to take comfort in the fact that Beep could be rebuilt and in time come back to a better world, but the thought did nothing to save it from the pit it had fallen into. Nothing could….

Even so it would look over at Helen though it had no strength to move to comfort her, afraid it would surely break if it were to do so.

“Helen...I have no words for what I’ve done, but...it was the only path I could see working in this situation….” the creature would say, its voice was drained, strained, and brittle. The creature was still the same being she had met two years ago thus the ordeal was tearing it apart. However, unlike before Oki had harden thanks to its self inflicted hell it had lived through all that time...Hardened enough where it could make the hard decision that before it would never consider...

While Oki was not crying tears, or showing its emotions on its face, the creature was fighting against a tide of emotions within that threaten to drive it over the edge. It was honestly a miracle it wasn’t crumbling in its spot from it all, but somehow the creature remained standing as its eyes turned to the woman known as Raina as she asked a question.

“Necessary?” it would repeat tiredly. “I don’t think lives should be necessary to be lost at all. Even so, sometimes it is unavoidable….” the creature would say as it locked eyes that had lost some of their spark to with the other. This matter truly weighed heavily on the being, but it did not seek comfort or pity. No. It accepted the weight of its sin fully and choose to try to move forwards to a future where maybe these sort of choices wouldn’t have to be made any longer. A brighter future...even if the present wasn’t so bright at the moment.

Goodbye, Beep... it would think as it added her soul to its personal hell and then became quiet to see what would happen now.

Wait, the other option is implanting her in someone? Damnit, and we have to beat them up to do it? "What?" I stare at Danielle. Apparently I offended her with saying that It would probably be okay to delete her. .... what the hell am I saying? I just suggested that it would be okay to kill off an AI, a mind. And I just didn't really consider it. I look at my hands. I don't want them to be stained with blood ever again. Yet I wanted to basically kill off someone to save this world. I slap myself across the face. Damnit, Oki, your saying to not try even though it has a chance to work? Wait what? Is that lady offering herself to be hacked into!? She isn't from this world, there are so many things that could go wrong! That guy just made the point I was thinking about. Wait, that other person who came from another world might also work? And they are almost like it's their real body here? What the hell Danielle!? If she has to restore this world, would it even work right that way? Damnit, so many question, no time, and no answers. WAIT WHAT!? Did Oki just slash at beep!? What is Helen doing? Remembering Beep's data? wouldn't that be like, trillions and trillions of binary code numbers? What is she? And is it possible for her to transfer all of Beep's identity over to a new place? I think this staring at amazement at the woman.

Shit, looks like Danielle is taking this harshly. And Oki is saying he did what he needed to do. And the woman is also taking this horribly. *Sigh* I don't know what to do, so i'll just ask Helen, who seems to know the most and is somewhat in control of her faculties. "So, Helen, what happens next? And is this goodbye?"

While Oki's action certainly surprised Blaez, he understood why they did it, the individual made the hard choice and did what was necessary and earned a lot respect from Blaez in the process, however the man couldn't but feel bad for them, having to take down a friend can't be easy. There was nothing he could do that would make this situation easier for the people involved so he just remained quiet until it was over.

As he waited he noticed that some were terrified or at least didn't approve Oki's actions "It's harsh but it was necessary, we can't take too many risks if we want to make through this... Tsk..." Hopefully this ordeal would be over soon and he could go back... if there was anything to go back to when they returned. "We have too keep going, stopping now would just make all of our efforts meaningless."