The matte-white of the hospital door swung open, revealing the familiar sight of a young woman within its maw. She kicked the door shut behind her as she strutted forth to the bed in the middle of the room.
Her gaze was steeled, and her hands clutched tight into fists at her sides. Today, she had opted to wear an excessive amount of beige, her cardigan and shirt matched colour in such a way you couldn't tell one from the other.
The colour was pleasant and mellow. Yet, it made no work of removing the stern anger in her brow.
"Eli." The girl stated, crossing her arms.
Across from her, sitting up on a plush hospital bed, a weary boy grinned wryly in her direction. His hair had been left unkempt, swept back, and a little grim from the lack of care over the last month.
Though his complexion left something to be desired, there was some colour in his face, and life left in his eyes.
"Hi, Tiff." The boy sighed, pushing himself further upright through the stuffy covers.
He has been here for a few days now. As it turned out, the door he had hazily hoped would be Tiffany's was a whole mile in the opposite direction.
He was left lying at the doorstep of a stranger's home overnight, faintly bleeding and still utterly exhausted.
Fortuitously, he was found by a very perturbed young woman on her way to work, who, on finding the barely conscious Eli, set aside her morning to walk him home as he had insisted, before calling an ambulance. He couldn't be found with a giant, now-known to NORA metal dog, after all.
The next days were a blur as he was thrown onto a bed, and looked over. The plush material had sent him to sleep almost immediately, but upon his awakening, the gist was minor hypothermia, a whole list of minor lacerations, as well as infected wounds around his wrists.
Thankfully, muttering something along the lines of 'Gang', and 'kidnapping' was enough to get explanations over with, considering Paigetown. He was left with a few days in hospital, and a mandatory psychiatrist appointment.
Now, on his final and fourth day, he had finally seen his first familiar face. Naturally, his father didn't come. If he even knew he was gone was a mystery.
"You haven't been yourself for ages, you kept saying weird things, and now you're suddenly in hospital?" Tiffany's eyes were pressed into miniscule slits, "Will you tell me what in the world is happening?"
The girl stopped, and glanced around the room, before sneaking forward, placing her knee onto the bed, and whispering.
"Y-you didn't… you're not an Offclock, right?" She asked, her voice trembled, but the smile on her face held some faint anticipation.
'Why does everyone keep thinking that!?' Eli couldn't deny the praise got a little.
Eli frowned. "No. I'm not. Nothing's wrong, so stop worrying. Stuff like this just happens to Paige."
The air between them fell silent, as Tiffany slinked back, away from the bed. She stared at Eli for a few quiet seconds, before nodding.
"Fine." She kissed her teeth, "Be that way." She shrugged, "Well, do you want anything? It's nearly lunchtime."
"Maybe some water?" Eli shrugged.
What he really wanted was to get out of the damn clinical prison.
'Well, that… and to see Dogbot.'
###
Deep underground, the lusterless black steel of the corridor finally came to a chamfered end, as it tapered off into a small, locked door.
Within the hall, a young woman dressed rather casually in a white-tee and denim shorts marched on. The door opened automatically in her presence. She grinned at the unnecessary opulent door all the way down here.
NORA loved the words 'needless' and 'flashy'.
The other side expanded significantly, into a large steel cube. In the centre, a large, semi-circular table faced her, the flat edge on her side containing a singular seat, opposed to the ten opposite it.
The quiet, echoing expanse of a room tinged the calm lady with a light megalophobia. The distinct lack of any noise beside her rattling steps left the atmosphere rather distasteful.
"Please sit." A robotic voice requested, through the dark room. A large overhead light beamed down to the single chair.
The woman shrugged, and took a seat. As she did, a single seat before faced similar treatment, flashing with bright light and revealing a single character, smiling back at her.
The figure revealed was much the opposite of the lackadaisical woman. It was a woman, bathed in soft silver light. Enrobing her was a light, unfettered dress, covered by numerous layers of transparent silk ribbons. Her vestments gave her the feeling of a holy figure.
"Untouchable." The casual lady nodded respectfully, sitting up a little straighter.
The priestly figure, Untouchable, nodded solemnly.
"Speak, Miss Magenta." Her voice escaped her thin lips, just barely audible across the large table.
"Just a report. Unknown Offclock- Er- Unidentified Recipient of Overclock Syndrome." She reminisced about her meeting with them, a faint glowing shimmer deep in her iris, "Physically subpar, probably mentally augmented. Makes robot creatures, and they pack a decent punch. Well- relative to me…"
Magenta trailed off, hoping for an intermission from the powerhouse before her, but it never came. Eventually, the woman cleared her throat.
"Ehm, Found in Paigetown. He claimed a large army of bots, but it seemed like a lie." She took a short breath, "That's… about it."
Quiet passed between them for another indeterminate time, but Miss Magenta didn't have a single thought to speak up.
Eventually, Untouchable nodded. "It will be handled."
Just like that, the light shining upon Untouchable flickered out, and so too did the holy woman's visage. Miss Magenta stared at the empty dark spot for a few moments.
"Please exit the Tribunal." A static voice resounded from the walls.
"Yeah, yeah. I know." Magenta huffed, and marched herself out of the large metal cube.
Her heart sank as she stepped back into the endless black hallway. Five miles… and that wasn't counting the endless stairs.
"It's a wonder anyone bothers to report anything!" Magenta groaned, tightening her boots, before breaking into a light sprint.
'Ah... Damn these architects!'