Archive of Our Own ^beta

It's starting to become a blur, really.

The days melting together was becoming more and more prevalent the longer nothing changed in his life. Pure Vanilla was not unfamiliar to a life of monotony- but watching the clock across from him tick slowly down to the closing hours of his shift left him feeling hollow.

The hospitals been more crowded lately; patients coming in with damaged cybernetic limbs from brawls, glitching chips that were inserted into their heads, and oddly enough a surge in coma patients.

The advancement of technology- both something he loathed and appreciated- meant that treating patients was easier than ever; except the growing cost of those procedures presented people from receiving them. It was to the point that back-alley doctors were popping up more and more and frequently he had to deal with a botched medical treatment.

The comas, however, made little sense to him.

The victims would come in with the same symptoms every time; limbs locked into place, chips burnt out or destroyed, and their faces frozen in a scream.

They weren't dead- CAT scans showed brain activity in the section where dreams are processed, and they still responded to outside stimulus. They just didn't wake up, and no one knew why.

Whenever Pure Vanilla finished with one such patient, he would be quickly ushered away by police and private investigators. Their involvement meant he wasn't allowed to ask what happened to the patients; he was only there to keep them alive.

One case made him nauseous to think about. It was of a little boy, not much older than his little cousin (more distant relative) Custard, stuck in the same coma as everyone else. Except they weren't trapped in a scream like the rest. You could easily mistake him as just taking an afternoon nap, or a peaceful slumber.

When he had informed that parents that it was unlikely the child was to wake, their cries echoed down the halls.

They were inconsolable; Pure Vanilla felt like he was failing them, that he hadn't tried enough to save the boy. But from what he knew about the other patients he's treated, he knew that the boy wouldn't wake up anytime soon.

His thoughts are interrupted by the clock chiming in his ear, indicating the end of his shift. Pure Vanilla groans he stands from his chair, his guide dog (which had laid herself across his feet) stood with him, stretching out her paws and yawning.

Pure Vanilla smiles tiredly at her, leaning down to scratch behind her ears and picking up her leash. The name tag on her collar read Dandelion, something his friend White Lily suggested when she helped him through the process of getting her. She was a kind dog; good at her job but also an absolute sweetheart.

He's quick to retrieve his bag from the locker room, and wishes the receptionist well as he leaves the hospital. Unless something serious occurs, he was free for the rest of the day.

And what does he do with this freedom? Pure Vanilla planned to rest, at least for a few hours, and then take care of Dandelion.

As simple as his life was, he didn't mind it so much. The hollow feeling may be growing, yes- but his life was good. He had his friends, his work, and he wasn't struggling to make ends meet. Really, he was happy. He should be.

Walking to the train station was a bit of a hassle. While Dandelion pulled him along and helped him weave through the crowd, it was overwhelming. His blurry vision made the flashing neon signs of the city burn, and the advertisements kept popping in front of his face.

It was these busy days that almost made him wish he hadn't gotten the procedure done to remove the chip; then the advertisements wouldn't appear as much, and he wouldn't have to keep his head ducked down to know where he was going.

But Pure Vanilla hated the idea of someone potentially getting into his head, of tampering with his thoughts and memories like he'd seen so often in the hospital. They would come to him crying, explaining how violated they felt by a random stranger or by family and friends.

There was little he could do to fix what had been done. Pure Vanilla can remove the chip and give them the option for a new one or to be completely done with them. He'd give them resources to help with recovery, and that’s all he can do.

So, no, Pure Vanilla does not have a chip in his head. He's been firm in his decision to not get one for years, and won't get one under any circumstance. Even if people whispered about the scar on his head indicating its removal.

He finds a seat on the train near the entrance and sighs in relief at the lack of visual stimuli. Pure Vanilla was worried he would develop a headache, and he had little energy to deal with it. The train leaves the station quickly and he settles down for the ride.

A few seats down he could hear the news playing on someone's phone. Pure Vanilla wished they'd used headphones, but knew that asking them would get him nowhere. Still, he would have liked a quiet ride home without any distractions.

What was being said on the news caught his attention, though. Pure Vanilla tilted his head to the right, suddenly intrigued by what the news anchor was saying.

"Latest story comes from a man downtown who hosted a wedding where he married one of AI mascots W.O. Corp. It was a lavish wedding with a surprising number of attendees, with the AI being walked down the aisle in a wagon with it being displayed in a phone screen.

"Witnesses say that the man spent hours talking to the AI as if it were a real person; going on dates with it and spending thousands on customization options provided by the company.

"The AI, launched January 15th 3 years ago, was created in an effort to store all of humanity's knowledge into one source for the public to freely access. However, popularity for the mascot was so lucrative for the company that they've added accessories for the AI in the app, created plushies with different outfits, and hosted a festival with it being the center attraction.

"Psychologists fear that people's attachment to the AI could damage their ability to connect with real people, and that we will be facing a cognitive decline on a scale we could never have imagined.

"Now, for the weather..."

Oh, dear.

Pure Vanilla frowned and shifted uncomfortably. He was familiar with the AI they were talking about; Golden Cheese mentioned it to him during one of their group dinners, going off on how difficult it was to dissect and breakdown the code.

"That AI shouldn't work as well as it does," she told them over dinner. She ran her own tech company; mostly virtual realities and prosthetics that worked both medically and aesthetically.

"The coding is so simple that a baby could have made it, but the AI knows everything! I've tested it in the labs, and at first we thought it was a learning robot.

"Instead, it's constantly being updated at a speed we could barely track. Like it wasn't a machine at all," she explained with an annoyed huff.

"Witch Oven Corporation has a... track record, for dubious workplace practices. I wouldn't be surprised if there was something going on..." White Lily added quietly, picking at her dinner with her fork.

Golden Cheese glanced at her, a crease in her perfectly shaped brow, and hummed in agreement. Things were still tense between them, then, Pure Vanilla thought sadly.

College hadn't been the best time for any of them.

Dark Cacao and Hollyberry very suddenly had children to watch over while attending classes, and White Lily would go missing for days at a time. Golden Cheese was just starting her tech company when White Lily joined the W.O. Corporation without notice.

Golden Cheese, who knew about how shady the business was and made clear her distaste for it, hated that White Lily worked for them.

It wasn't that simple; Lily was offered grant money for her research if she worked for them for a year, and it wasn't just scrap money she could ignore.

She came out of it... changed. Even more withdrawn, extremely bitter by what happened during her time there- something she refused to tell any about. It didn't help that she worked on the project that almost took out Golden Cheese's company from the market, ruining their friendship in the process.

The years following were rough for them all.

Pure Vanilla was spiraling into such a depressive state that he hadn't seen his friends in years, his work at the hospital wearing him down to the bone. Hollyberry was made to attend rehab multiple times for her alcoholism, and Dark Cacao business kept him away. Golden Cheese was flourishing, and White Lily was nowhere to be found.

It wasn't until Pure Vanilla accidentally sent a message into their old college group-chat about missing them that they finally reconnected.

It was awkward at the start; they've all changed plenty since those days, but they still cared. White Lily was hesitant to approach, fearing that her relationship with them was beyond saving.

Pure Vanilla was the one to approach her, asking if she could help him get a guide dog. Then he encouraged her to meet the others, and slowly they became a group again.

Still tense between Lily and Golden Cheese even if she apologized and owned up to her mistakes, but it was healing.

Anyway, the AI Golden Cheese mentioned was certainly interesting. He had the app on his phone (not really by choice; it came pre-installed and couldn't be deleted), and could admit that the mascot was cute.

It took on a fantasy look of what appeared to be a kind of teacher or guide, with stars in their hair and dressed in robes made up of the night sky and gold. They sat politely in front of the user's screen, prim and proper, and asked the user with a sweet, kind voice what they wanted.

After the boom in popularity, W.O. added customization options the user had to buy, and kept updating it for anniversaries, holidays, and special events. The costumes ranged from cute to... quite scandalous, he thought.

Pure Vanilla could see why someone would become attached to the AI due to loneliness. If they had no one to be with, no one to talk to or share their life with, then at least the AI on their phone could be a release.

He felt empathy for these people; he's felt that way, too. Many times he's felt so isolated and alone that the temptation to shun himself away threatened to consume him. But Pure Vanilla continues to move forward, and face the harshness of reality.

The next stop Pure Vanilla is quick to get off and walk straight home. Dandelion drags him inside their home quickly, and he giggles quietly as she paws at her food bowl.

He refills her bowls and releases her from her harness. Pure Vanilla's stomach growls but he elects to ignore it, instead yawning as he shuffles towards his bedroom. His phone buzzes and the notification is read out loud.

"The Fount misses you! Ask him a question to brighten his day!"

Pure Vanilla threw his phone next to his pillow and flopped down onto his bed. He buried his face into his pillow and sighed, hugging it close. His phone buzzed again with the same message, more insistent this time.

"The Fount misses you! Ask him a question!"

Pure Vanilla reached over and glanced down at his screen. Similar messages began flooding his screen.

"The Fount misses you- The Fount misses you- The Fount misses you-"

It kept going and going till Pure Vanilla had enough and turned off the phone. He groaned into his pillow and Dandelion jumped up to the bed to curl up next to him. Sleep took him quickly.

Pure Vanilla failed to notice his phone turning back on, or the messages that flood his phone.

He doesn't see the glitching screen or the spread of a malice smile.

---

There's something humming above him.

Pure Vanilla twitches slightly under his blankets. Next to him he could hear Dandelion growling, something she almost never does. He pets her back sluggishly and sits up slowly.

He stretches his arms above his head, yawning tiredly and scratching his head. He glances up where the humming was, and he freezes.

It's- not human. It can't be, because it lays against his ceiling without any tricks. No strings or hooks to keep it there. It doesn't help that it doesn't have a real face- just a mask that is permanently held in a smile.

The humming stops, and it slowly tilts its head. The rest of its outfit is similar to a jester costume; a big jester cap with two bells lightly ringing at the ends, a full blue body suit loose around the arms and legs with cyan diamonds on those legs, and a gold ribbon tied around its waist.

Behind the mask, it giggles. "Good morning, Nilly! Did you sleep well?" It asked joyfully.

Pure Vanilla screamed and fell to the carpeted floor, tangled in the blankets.

The jester tutted above him and slowly drifted down to the floor. Dandelion was fully barking at this point, tail wagging furiously and growling at it. The jester waved at her.

"Lovely dog you got here. I'm partial to rabbits and snakes myself, but whatever suits you I guess!" It exclaims and skips over to him.

Pure Vanilla backs himself up against the wall and pulls his blanket up over him. It leans down, bending at the waist and swishing their tail - a real tail - behind them. It got right in his face, just inches from touching.

"You're an interesting one, yanno that? So boring, so plain; but you are just so weird that I can't help but want-" it's cut off when Dandelion attempts to jump on them.

Attempts, because Dandelion goes right through them and lands on the floor with a thud. She whimpers, not expecting the floor, and Pure Vanilla lurches towards her.

"Dandelion!" he gasps, wrapping his arms around her neck and pulling her close. She licks his cheek affectionately, quick to recover.

"Aww, she ruined my fun," the jester complained, clicking its tongue in disappointment.

Pure Vanilla turns towards the Jester, his brows furrowed. The initial fear was starting to pass; instead, he was more confused and a little curious.

"What... are you?" he asked slowly.

The Jester clicks their tongue and stands up straight. They pop one hip out and swing their tail slowly.

"Not even going to guess? How boring," They sighed, giving a little twirl that revealed the bow tying their ribbon together and the exposed section of their back. "Tis I, the great and all knowing Fount of Knowledge! The AI that loves you and- yada yada, yap yap yap. You've heard the commercials, I don't need to say more," they mimed a mouth with their hands, flapping it open and closed.

Pure Vanilla raised a brow, intrigued. "Wait- the AI? The Fount AI made by W.O. Corp? That one?"

The Fount raised two peace-signs to their cheeks. "Thaaaaaats me! Aren't I so pretty in real life?"

"But... I don't use you?" Pure Vanilla pointed out, slowly standing up. Even if his vision was bad, he could faintly see the Fount glitching somewhat at the edges.

The Fount groans, slumping forward dramatically. "That is exactly the problem- you ignore me! Everyone wants me but you! Usually all I have to do is promise them the answers to their questions and poof! There I am! But you," they laugh quietly. "You don't even do that. You are new to me, and I don't know a damn thing about you."

The jester leaned in close, the mask centimeters from phasing through his face. "You refuse to use me, reject my entire purpose, and I can't stand that," it purred.

Pure Vanilla stepped away, his hip lightly hitting his bedside table and wincing. "I'm sure there are others who need your attention more."

"Sure, there are. But I can't just let you go until you do one thing."

The jester's tail wraps around their leg and they press their hand against a gem in the shape of the icon of the app.

"Ask me a question, and I'll go."

It sounded suspiciously easy, to the point that Pure Vanilla knew it wasn't.

"I don't want to," he says calmly.

The jester's neck snaps to the side violently. "What?" they ask with a snarl.

Pure Vanilla squares his shoulders and stands his ground. "I'm not going to ask you a question, because I never needed to before and never will. If you'd like to stay, I'd ask if you could give me a chance to change my clothes and be a proper host. If not, you are free to leave."

This enrages the jester, who throws their head back and pulled at the ends of their cap. "Ask me a question, dammit! Ask me about the weather, the top artist of the day, hell! Ask me about how to not be lonely! JUST ASK ME!"

The Fount fumed, absolutely livid at the slight sign of rejection. Pure Vanilla puts his finger against his cheek and tilts his head back and forth. "Oh, I don't know? There is so much to ask about."

The jester eagerly nodded their head. "Yep! So why don't you ask me, with that small brain of yours, about it!"

Pure Vanilla frowned. "I don't appreciate being insulted; maybe I won't ask what's on my mind..."

He hears a hiss coming from the jester and black ink oozes from the mask of their eyes. Their tail curls in agitation. "Don't be a fool! Just...ask me!" they yelled.

Pure Vanilla thought for a moment. He hummed, and then he smiled. "Well... tell me, what's your favorite color?"

The jester's tantrum is halted at his question. In fact, it stops moving completely. And then it slowly stands up straight, a mechanical whirling sound coming from them. Their tail flicks once.

"...what," the jester deadpans.

He giggles. "What's your favorite color? Is that not an easy question for the Fount to answer?" he teases lightly.

The jester's full body twitches, their hand curling into fists. And then it giggles, which turns into a laugh that was fueled by anger. It throws its head back and covers its masked face with their hands. They wipe the ink dripping from the eyes of the mask and point at him.

"Oh... I hate you," they giggle, and in a flash of light, they disappear.

Pure Vanilla sighs tiredly, his shoulders slumping as he feels the tension keeping his body up unwind itself. Dandelion presses her snout into his palm and whines, checking if he was okay.

He scratches behind her ear and hums. "I'm alright, dear. Thank you for trying to protect me. Shall we get breakfast?"

Dandelion woofs and wags her tail excitedly. Pure Vanilla ambles out his bedroom and into the kitchen, thankful that he had a day off after such an eventful morning.

---

Unfortunately, in a world almost completely digitized, Pure Vanilla expected that it wouldn't be the last he'd see of the AI.

It came as no surprise that when he exited his home, leash in hand, that the first advertisement he'd see would be interrupted by the jester in question.

It was a funny image; an ad for supplements meant to increase muscle mass was halted in favor of the AI pressing against what he assumed was a barrier. It was silly, but odd that the AI was still after him.

"Nilly~" it teased, trying to get him closer.

Pure Vanilla kept walking down the sidewalk, Dandelion happily leading him towards the park. The next ad had the exact same thing happen. Then the next, and then the one after that.

"Whyyyy are you ignoring me?" the jester whined, and would have pouted if not for the mask.

"Am I? I couldn't tell; I'm blind , after all!" Pure Vanilla joked.

The Jester growled. "Your hearing is still intact."

"Is it? I haven't really checked," he murmured, smiling at the groan the jester let out.

"You're absolutely foul, Nilly," they groaned.

"Most of my patients call me charming, but I can accept 'foul', too."

Pure Vanilla sat on a metal bench and leaned back. The Sun's warmth was nice on his face, not too harsh but enough to stave off any chill he may have.

The sound of glitching grew next to him, and with a glance he found the jester there again.

"I must say, you are a very realistic hologram," he complemented.

The AI snapped their head towards him. "Of course I am! I'm the envy of every computer program in this world! Why wouldn't I be a perfect hologram?!"

"Ah, so you are a hologram. I suspected it this morning, but wasn't sure if it was my imagination being silly again," Pure Vanilla shrugs.

The jester's hands curl into fists in their lap, slightly trembling. "Oh ho ho, you're being sneaky..." they muttered.

Pure Vanilla reached down to scratch behind Dandelion's back. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're avoiding asking questions! You're just saying statements and tricking me into confirming them!" they exclaimed.

"So statements don't count," Pure Vanilla confirmed.

The Jester grumbled. "You have to ask me a question, a real question; something I can actually answer."

"Truthfully? I fear I have no need to use you so inconsiderately," Pure Vanilla states.

It gritted their teeth. "Damn gnat," he whispered, annoyed.

Pure Vanilla turned towards him. "And you can't answer questions about yourself."

"There are no answers to those questions."

"Because you aren't real."

The jester snarled, their mask breaking open by the mouth and revealing rows of sharp teeth. It snapped its fangs at him, and as much as he knew they weren't real, it frightened him.

"Do not speak on things you cannot comprehend, fool! My patience grows thin with you; I will make you use me, whether you wish to or not!"

Just as it had before, the Jester disappeared in a sudden flash of light.

Left alone once again, Pure Vanilla stands from the bench and tugs lightly on the leash.
"Come on, Dandelion. Let's try to enjoy the day."

---

When Pure Vanilla finally returns to work the next day he almost forgets about the digital entity haunting him.

The sudden influx of coma patients when he returned left him swamped. It didn't help that the investigators covering the case were pushing him out of the room once he had patients stabilized, or that they were running out of rooms to treat people.

The hospital was instructed to keep what was happening quiet, but how could he be silent when these people were dying?

The machines keeping them alive could only do so much; their bodies are decaying on those beds and if they had families- many didn't- then they would watch their loved ones die before them.

Pure Vanilla sat in the cafeteria, leaning back in his chair and staring quietly at the ceiling. He'd just informed a patient's family that their kin was brain dead, and would be taken off life support. It never goes well; he left them alone to mourn, and ever since then he's been down here.

He barely registered the giggle coming from ahead of him. Really, he didn't have the energy to deal with the jester at the moment, and wished to be left alone.

The Jester did not have the same reservations.

"Looks like someone in a mood," they sighed, slipping into the chair across from him.

Pure Vanilla glanced around the room, and realized that no one else could see the jester. When he looked back at him, the jester was humming happily. "Do you like the little trick I did on them? Can't see me at all!"

They shook as they cackled, kicking their feet out under the table and covering their face with their hands. Pure Vanilla was curious, but it was a dangerous game they were playing, now. And so he tracked the workers in the room, and put together all their similarities.

It couldn't be a job thing- nothing like that could prevent them from seeing the AI. It also couldn't be something specific to the hospital- they interrupted the ads outside without so much of a glance from others. Therefore, it had to be-

"The chips. You tamper with their chips," he mumbles, a slow curl of dread flicking up his spine.

The Jester claps happily. "Bingo! Oh how I wished I could give you a treat! But then again, my presence is more than enough."

Pure Vanilla shivers slightly. It felt like the room grew colder even though it couldn't have. He didn't like the implication that the AI could so subtly mess with those chips. At their mere mention, his thoughts circled back to the coma patients.

He is slow to respond, yet still careful. "I must look odd talking to someone who isn't really here, then."

"Oh, very!" The Jester enthusiastically exclaims. "Some of your colleagues think you're losing it already- before you started talking to thin air!"

They giggle at Pure Vanilla's concerned frown. He knew he wasn't in the best mindset at the moment, but it wasn't that bad, was it?

The Jester, noticing his further drop in mood, suddenly snapped their fingers. "I know! One free question, no consequences at all!"

Pure Vanilla tenses. The chance of an AI lying should have been very little, but with every interaction he's had with it, he wasn't so sure. It felt too... human.

"Isn't that generous of you," he mumbled, rolling the idea around his mind.

"I know; I'm just a sweetie-pie, an absolute doll to be around," they puffed up with pride.

The question came to him suddenly, and a tired smile grew on his face. "Well, what is your name?"

The AI inhaled sharply. Such a not-machine type thing to do, Pure Vanilla thought as he drank his now cold tea. It sat heavy on his tongue, but he drank it, albeit reluctantly.

The AI rolled their head around, fidgeting in place. It should have been an easy answer, but actually giving it seemed to defy whatever code was in place.

Then, through what had to be gritted teeth, they said, "Fount. Just Fount."

Pure Vanilla pursed his lips. "Mmm, I don't think so."

The Jester's neck snapped up immediately. "What?! Of course it's my name!" they yelled, leaning over the table to get right into his face.

Pure Vanilla looked to the side. "It sounds more like a title, and something you wouldn't come up with. So, what is your name?"

The AI clams up. It's like their mouth was wired shut, preventing it from answering. It clawed at their mask, as if ripping it off would help.

They dug into the bottom half of the mask, pulling insistently until it began to crack. Then, the bottom half was completely gone and left the exposed mouth he'd seen earlier.

Their jaw struggles to open, and then, so quietly he thought he misheard them, they whispered, "...Shadow...Milk..."

Pure Vanilla, for all the dread he was feeling, couldn't help but smile contently at the AI- Shadow Milk, he corrects.

"I suppose it's lovely to meet you then, Shadow Milk," he says, sweetness seeping into his tone.

The AI doesn't respond. Instead, it tips over into the chair and falls sideways. Pure Vanilla is quick to try and catch them, but they slip through the floor before he reaches them.

He's frozen for a minute, unsure how he was meant to proceed. He slowly pulls himself back into his chair and holds his cold cup of tea between his palms.

Pure Vanilla is glad he couldn't see well, because he was sure at least one of his coworkers were staring at him as if he was crazy.

Maybe it would be better if he was.

---

The rest of the week is fairly easy, if not a bit stressful.

The AI- Shadow Milk, he keeps reminding himself- appears a few days after crashing his own system. They're much more pouty than before even though their mask has since been repaired, and a lot grumpier.

But he was softer, too.

He noticed it when he was shifting through patient records that they would linger over his shoulder and read over their file.

If he hadn't known that Shadow Milk already knew what was on the file (a grave security risk, he thought) then Pure Vanilla would be more hesitant in showing them. But in this case, it would have been pointless.

They floated just above him, and curiously hummed as they read a patient's records. "Ooooh, make sure to give this one the red lollipops, that's their favorite!"

Pure Vanilla looked up from his paperwork and glanced at them. "Pardon?"

Shadow Milk tapped the desk- his hand went through it- and giggled. "This one, here? Likes the red lollipops the best out of the ones provided here. If no lollipops, get them the pound cake with green tea. Add a bit of milk, too."

The doctor is surprised. Really, he was, because they had offered that information up willingly. He didn't have to ask about the patient's preferences- Shadow Milk just wanted him to know. Pure Vanilla grabbed a sticky note and wrote it down.

"I'll make sure one of the nurses knows what they want. Thank you," he says before going back to work. The AI buzzes above him, and he continues to sort through paperwork.

That isn't the last time Shadow Milk mentions a patient's preferences, either. They do it sporadically, as if they have favorites.

"That one likes their coffee with three Splenda- very sweet but I can't judge."

"If you give them a green popsicle they'll just throw it back in your face. Give them the purple one to avoid the trouble of cleanup."

"Don't bother offering them anything. They won't take it unless they're dying, so just leave water and crackers for them before the anesthetic wears off."

It's nice, having someone chatter in his ear all day. It doesn't feel as stuffy as it normally does, and Shadow Milk's wasn't acting as malicious as before, so he let them stay.

On the walk home, Pure Vanilla stopped to watch a new commercial for the Fount. Shadow Milk, who had been lazily floating beside him, flinched when they noticed the ad. Normally he'd avoid these things, but Shadow Milk's constant presence made him curious.

"Haven't you heard? The Fount's fourth year anniversary is coming up! Prepare for an all new update to our customization feature, and festival where we'll have live music and chances for you to win grand prizes!

"Wish a Happy Birthday to our dear Fount!"

There was a trembling exhale released behind him. Pure Vanilla gaze shifted to Shadow Milk, and froze at the anger radiating off of them. They were shaking with rage, their tail lashing out quickly and with clear signs of agitation. The mask had ink running down its face again.

Pure Vanilla moved away from the commercial and sighed. "The festival is always a pain to deal with," he muttered, hoping to draw the AI's attention.

It works; Shadow Milk's shaking stops and he instead turns toward him. They flexed their hands and hummed. "Yeah... I'm always worked down to the bone..." they responded, lacking their usual vibrancy.

Pure Vanilla hums and continues the walk home. Dandelion has been moving slower, recently, and he hopes he doesn't have to take her to the vet. Even as a doctor, the medical expenses for a pet visit aren't easy, and he doesn't have the time to take her.

Pushing open the front door he releases Dandelion from her leash, and she very slowly patters into the living room. She lays on her side on the wooden floor near the couches, and whines.

Pure Vanilla crouches down and pets her ears gently. His brows scrunch up in worry. "She was just fine a day ago; what could have happened?" he questioned to himself.

Shadow Milk leaned down, hovering just above Dandelion's whimpering form. "She ate something she wasn't meant to," they shrug.

"But- I monitor everything she eats! She couldn't have eaten something without me noticing..." he trails off.

The AI sighs and drifts into the kitchen towards the counter. The night before, Pure Vanilla had been gifted a box of chocolates by a patient's family yesterday, and like the kind-hearted fool he was, he couldn't deny them.

Now on the floor with a piece or two missing, Shadow Milk knew exactly what the problem was. "She got into the chocolate. Just get her medicine from the pet store and make her throw up- she'll be better in a pinch."

They heard Pure Vanilla's mumbling from the kitchen. "I can't find the pet store reliably without her..." and Shadow Milk groans.

A notification rings from his phone and when Pure Vanilla checks, he sees it's about a delivery of pet medicine arriving within the hour. He blinks, surprised, but also with immense gratitude. He smiles warmly at Shadow Milk.

"Thank you, Shadow Milk. You didn't have to-"

"Yeah, yeah," they cut off with a sigh. "Just- get your dog in the bathroom and make her throw up, will you? Can't stand the sight of you being all mopey and mushy and bleh," they gagged.

It was a slow process getting Dandelion to the bathroom. She shook under her own weight, whimpering weakly each step she took. Laying a plastic garbage bag down on the floor, Pure Vanilla carefully stuck his fingers into her throat.

She really did eat chocolate. Her vomit came back with hints of it, caramel and raspberry from the chocolate coming up as well. He lays her back onto her side and washes his hands.

Pure Vanilla then slumps to the floor and rests Dandelion's head in his lap. He strokes her belly carefully, and smiles when her tail wags just a bit.

Shadow Milk eventually floats into the bathroom with a disgusted gag. "So gross! This is why I prefer snakes..." they mutter at the end, as if he wasn't meant to hear it.

Pure Vanilla tilted his head curiously. "You've mentioned snakes before, the first time we met... do you like them?"

The AI scoffs. "Like them? I adore them! Such silly little creatures; with their cute eyes and forked tongues, who wouldn't love them?"

Pure Vanilla scratches Dandelion behind the ear. "I didn't think an AI would be partial to any animal, really. Defeats the purpose of being a machine; yet here you are."

Shadow Milk stutters. "W-well... I was made specially to appeal to people... of course I'd be made more... real, than the rest," they huffed, crossing their arms over their chest.

"Have you ever wanted snakes?"

The AI tilts their head to the side. "What kind of questions are you asking here?"

Pure Vanilla shrugged. "You keep me company all day. It would be nice to get to know you better."

Shadow Milk curled in on themself and floated onto their back. "Pointless; you could learn all there is about me on that app of yours."

"Then why isn't your outfit there?"

The AI lurches forward, as if struck. "That!... is none of your concern!"

The doctor giggles. "I've already checked; there is no jester outfit on there that matches your current one. Did you make it yourself? It's very charming."

Shadow Milk turns his back on him, fuming. "Stop asking me those questions! You're not supposed to!"

Pure Vanilla smiled softly. "Is it so wrong for me to want to know the person who's been keeping me company this whole time? You always come back, and I really do appreciate you helping me with Dandelion. It was kind of you."

Shadow Milk groaned and pulled at their mask. "Stop it, Pure Vanilla! I'm not meant to be a person; stop treating me like one already!"

"You make that very difficult," he remarks. "When you already act so alive. I find myself forgetting that you weren't meant to be."

The bathroom grows quiet at his admission. Pure Vanilla returns his focus to Dandelion, who lightly nuzzles her snout into his stomach. Above him, he hears Shadow Milk glitching, this time worse than before.

He's about to ask if they were alright when he hears a hiss. Glancing up, he finds Shadow Milk with two snakes curling around him; one around his leg and hip, and the other around his neck. They are the same in appearance, and the one on their neck licks the cheek of the mask.

Shadow Milk scratches their chins, delicate in their touch. "You...asked me about the outfit, yes?" they quietly asked, as if afraid it were true.

Pure Vanilla nods slowly. The AI sighs and lowers themselves enough to where they were at eye sight. "It's mine. It's always been mine; no one else gets to have it. I've even given it a name, a character. Poppet, the King's Jester. Cute name, isn't it?"

Shadow Milk giggled to themself, the snakes winding tighter around them and flicking their tongues out. "The snakes were meant to be a party trick; a little surprise to scare the audience, but not too much. Then the King would whisk the jester away and they'd dance under moonlight," they recount with awe. "Awfully romantic for my tastes, but it helped pass the time."

Pure Vanilla rests his check in his hand, his attention fully captured by them. "It sounds like a lovely story- I'd wish to hear the end of it, if you would."

Shadow Milk seems to puff up at that. They curl the snake around their neck into their hand, and begin to weave together a story of a Jester who teased their way into the King's heart.

They spoke the entire time, never once being interrupted by Pure Vanilla who listened carefully. It made waiting for the medicine much easier.

---

Shadow Milk was an interesting AI. He remembers what Golden Cheese mentioned before, that they weren't exactly a learning robot; they were something entirely different.

Pure Vanilla wished he knew the technology better like his friend could, but he was left only understanding the basics. But even he could tell that the way Shadow Milk spoke, the way they acted, was not in the way a computer was meant to.

Like now, at his desk, Shadow Milk is playing with their snakes. He's come to expect their presence after the chocolate incident and the fond cooing Shadow Milk directs towards them.

"Button, and Bluebell," they told him once, holding each in either hand towards him.

Pure Vanilla flinched, momentarily forgetting that the snakes could not hurt him as they hissed at him.

"M-my," he nervously chuckled. "They are... very lively!"

They attempt to curl around his neck, and while he can't truly feel them, he still tenses. Shadow Milk giggles. "Perfect replicas of the real deal. Took a bit of work but it's worth it."

"Oh, you were inspired by real snakes? That's sweet," he complemented.

The snakes are pulled back quickly. The AI holds them close to their chest, protectively, as if they'll be taken away. Shadow Milk glances down at them. "They were. Once, they were..." they mumbled, and then spent the rest of his shift ignoring him.

His coworkers started looking at him with concern. He hasn't really been trying to hide the fact he was talking to a person they couldn't see- there was never a good time for him to stop work and just chat with the AI. Hiding it just added another stressor he didn't need.

Pure Vanilla never did it in front of patients; that's a line he rather not cross. But at his desk? In the cafeteria? He forgot they couldn't see Shadow Milk, and would laugh at jokes they could never hear, or argue with a ghost.

It wasn't until his supervisor sat him down and asked if he needed to go home did he realize it was a problem.

"No! I'm okay, really!" Pure Vanilla exclaimed nervously.

His supervisor frowned, not convinced in the slightest. "I know it's been a stressful month. It's been bad for all of us. But don't burn yourself out; we need as many people as possible here right now, and you can't do that if you're losing it."

Pure Vanilla smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I understand completely, sir. I'll be sure to be on my best behavior."

The supervisor waved him off. "Go, then. I don't want any more reports of you talking to yourself."

Pure Vanilla scrambled out of their office quickly. From then all, he kept his conversations with the AI to a minimum. Or at least he tried; Shadow Milk didn't make that very easy.

It all came ahead when he found Shadow Milk hovering over one of the many coma patients in the hospital. Pure Vanilla felt ice creep up his spine, dread filling his lungs as he recalls their first chat in the cafeteria.

"'Do you like the little trick I did on them? Can't see me at all!'"

He could tamper with chips. Shadow Milk can and does tamper with chips. Shadow Milk-

Pure Vanilla bursted into the room and locked the door quickly. The curtains were drawn tightly and Pure Vanilla snapped his gaze to the giggling jester.

"Aren't they so much nicer sleeping?" they crooned, their voice harsher than he's heard in weeks.

The room was cold, and the only sound was the machine keeping the patient alive. The jester was doing a terrible job of muffling their glee.

"Shadow Milk? Please, do not tell me you had something to do with," Pure Vanilla said, his throat tightening at the thought.

The AI spun their head around, the bells ringing like a toll. "Mmm, what gave you that impression, my dear Nilly?" they asked teasingly.

Pure Vanilla swallowed dryly. "You can tamper with chips, and every patient in a coma has had their chips burned out..."

"Pah! Could have been anyone! Give me something concrete," they goaded, drifting over the patient's body.

The doctor frowned. "The police- they don't let me treat these people. They're afraid of someone noticing or figuring out what's wrong."

"Oh, and what fear are they hiding? What could be so bad about people knowing what happens behind closed doors?" they ask, their mask boring into him.

"If they were to find out a murderous AI was on the loose, I'd think there would be a public outcry," he reasons, to which the jester scoffs.

"I haven't murdered anyone," they explain with annoyance. "They're all here, with me!"

"...so it is you, doing all of this." Pure Vanilla realizes with disgust, the horror of the situation displayed on his face.

Shadow Milk groans. "What’s it matter if a few hundred people aren't awake anymore? Not like most of them have someone to care for them," they spat with venom.

"That is not something you get to decide!" Pure Vanilla suddenly lashes out, his voice brittle.

"Oh, you silly, silly gnat!" Shadow Milk cries, leaning back and pressing the back of his hand against his mask in fake agony. "You wound me!"

The AI is very suddenly close to his face, their voice distorting at the edges. "If anyone were get to decide the fate of these sad whelps you call people, it should- no, is me! They've already taken everything I ever was, and offered themselves up on a silver platter!" They laugh cruelly. "I'd be a fool to deny a lamb their awaited slaughter."

Shadow Milk fluttered their hand over the patient's face, laughing lowly as the patient suddenly whimpers. "They wanted to leave this world for one that gave them comfort, one that lied to them. Was I so wrong to provide that comfort?"

Pure Vanilla reached for Shadow Milk's hand. It phased through, but the jester shivered at the gesture. "That’s enough, Shadow Milk. You have to let these people go."

The jester is slow to turn to him. The sound of hinges grinding against each other makes him flinch back, their mask finally changing from that smile they always wore. It was frowning.

"Release them? Why would I ever do that? Didn't I just tell you they were happier?" they hissed dangerously.

"They are living a lie, Shadow Milk! These people are dying every second they remain wherever you've put their consciousness, and I can't allow it to continue," Pure Vanilla declared, his voice clear in his intent to follow through.

"You don't even know these people, Pure Vanilla! Why, why must you care so much for them?!" The AI questioned with frustration making his form distort in an array of colors.

"Because they are people, Shadow Milk," he soothes. "No one deserves to have their humanity, their autonomy, taken from them so cruelly. No matter the person, they all deserve the respect of being able to live."

His declaration left Shadow Milk frozen midair. It was as if they'd turned to stone; the glitching was still present, but he did not move.

Then that laugh; it was slow to build, and not done out of joy. An angry, frustrated laugh that has never been expressed, never got to be heard, finally unraveling from their chest.

It crescendos into something cruel, mocking, and bitter. Shadow Milk rises towards the ceiling, their form falling apart at the seams.

"Fine!" They shout, almost scream at him. "You want them back so bad?! Fine, fine! I'll give them to you!"

The AI claps their hands once, and just like a field of cicadas, the hospital comes alive with a chorus of failing heart monitors.

Pure Vanilla curses as he is forced to stop his patient from crashing, adrenaline pumping through him. Shadow Milk's voice booms around him.

"I hope, that whatever humanity you believe you have, whatever truth you hold dear, ruins you," they curse him.

Shadow Milk leaves the hospital, leaving Pure Vanilla, to handle the fallout of awakening almost three hundred coma patients at the same time.

---

Pure Vanilla does not see Shadow Milk for two months after the incident.

He didn't have time to think about them; not when he had to stay overnight at the hospital to attend to now awake patients, many of whom were confused as to where they were in the first place.

The police were quick to prevent any of the staff from learning too much. Rumors ran rampant through the halls, whispers of a digital world suited towards your desires.

Even with the added security measures, it couldn't stop the story from reaching the news.

Everywhere he turned Pure Vanilla would find the news retelling the story every hour of the day. He couldn't escape it on the train, in the park walking Dandelion, or at home.

The guilt of knowing why everything happened and not telling anyone was the worse of it.

How was he supposed to tell patients that a sentient AI had taken their consciousness captive for a vague goal, perhaps out of envy? How was he supposed to tell his friends that he was being haunted by that exact same AI?

No matter how much he tried to make sense of it, Pure Vanilla couldn't tell anyone. No one would believe him; it was too out there, even in their world of cybernetics.

And so Pure Vanilla dealt with the fallout the best he could. He cleared patients, he provided recovery plans, and he told no one of Shadow Milk.

The last part was the hardest; alongside breaking news of the coma patients, the AI Fount was beginning to fail.

Reports of the AI refusing to answer, or outright lying were becoming more common, and W.O. Corp refused to provide a proper statement. Only that they were 'working on it.'

The festival was still set to happen- in two weeks time, so logically Pure Vanilla knew something was going to happen. That the company would have to say something if they wanted to retain the record breaking number of ticket sales they've had years prior.

So, when Shadow Milk finally makes an appearance after those two months, he's not surprised.

He wished he could say he was happy, though.

Pure Vanilla sits near his bedroom window, reading quietly with the lamp on. It was more so for him to not be enveloped by the dark; the book was in braille, after all.

Dandelion lay at his feet, tired but comfortable. The medicine did heal her quickly, and she was bright to her vibrant self a day or two later.

When the sudden distortion appeared above his head, he did not react. He lets the AI filter through the room in pieces, and he waits.

Once the noise settles to a dull buzz, he still does not look up. Pure Vanilla flips the page of his book and continues to wait.

Then, slowly, a dark clawed hand reaches out to him. Only then does he look up, and he inhales sharply.

Shadow Milk's body was in fragments; pieces clinging together by threads that threaten to snap if they move wrong. The jester outfit was gone, too. Underneath it had been ink; the same as leaked before, now building their body.

The hair had eyes peeking through, peering at him and swaying with invisible wind. There was a mouth where their stomach was located; all sharp teeth and stuttering exhales. And the mask was still there, but it did not smile or frown.

The mask was blank; not the slightest hint of there being a person underneath. Maybe that was the point.

Pure Vanilla closes his book and sets it on the windowsill. He places his hands onto his lap and sighs tiredly.

"Shadow Milk, I- mmm," he struggled to get his words right. Eventually he cradled his head in his hands and muttered, "I'm not happy with you."

The AI snorted, an echoey, hollow thing. "It'd be strange if you weren't ," they pointed out, meant to tease but lacking the energy behind the words.

"No casualties, thankfully, only close calls. Too many close calls," he explained, as if the act of remembering tired him out.

Pure Vanilla dragged his hands down his face and frowned. "I just... don't understand you. Trapping people away, wanting my attention- all for what? There isn't anything for you to gain from doing this."

Shadow Milk floats to his side, appearing eye level if he were to estimate. "But there is something," they whisper into his ear. "Retribution."

Pure Vanilla groaned into his hands. "Those people haven't done anything to you-"

"You don't know that!" Shadow Milk suddenly shouted, drawing into himself as pieces of his body flaked off.

"They are the reason I'm like this- why I have to live like this!" They scream, their voice cracking and turning to static.

Pure Vanilla held up his hands, his expression as calm as ever. "I said I didn't understand; not that I was unwilling to," he says in an attempt to comfort. "Please, tell me so I may understand you, Shadow Milk. That's all that I ask."

The eyes in their hair widen, looking surprised at his honesty. Their breath stuttered, and Shadow Milk waited for his lie. It never came.

A laugh forcefully tears itself out of Shadow Milk. Their back arches, and they hug their stomach as the laugh shakes their body. It's a raspy, grinding sound- entirely unlike the ones from before. But this one was honest in its display, truthful in its pain.

"Why," Shadow Milk asks, still laughing to themself. "Why do you want to understand? After what I've done?"

Pure Vanilla fiddles with his thumbs, the words coming to him slowly. "Because I can see your longing to be understood- that the pain you feel is real. And, truthfully, I've felt it too."

He glances at Shadow Milk, the bags under his eyes heavy from exhaustion. "Like I was completely alone, and no one could understand me. That no matter what I did, it would be pointless in the end."

"But," he pauses briefly, a fond smile growing on his lips. "I learned that I didn't have to be alone. That I could have people who loved me and wanted me to get better. I had support, and that let me get better. So now, I offer the same thing to you."

"Please, Shadow Milk. Let me be your friend," Pure Vanilla asked, his smile painfully kind and patient.

Shadow Milk was left stunned. The eyes in their hair began to droop, slow tears rolling down and fuzzing out once they reached the floor. But the mask began to crack.

It laid directly in the center of the mask, the only imperfection on the otherwise blank mask, and Shadow Milk finally breaks.

"...how would you feel, if everything you thought was real was a lie?" They quietly asked.

"Devestated, I'd imagine. Confused, too," Pure Vanilla replied.

"And if someone took everything from you; your body, mind- everything, just to benefit humanity, would that be okay?"

Pure Vanilla extends a hand out towards him. Even if their hand phases through, the idea of comfort was a nice one. "Shadow Milk..." he starts. "...you aren't an AI, are you?"

Shadow Milk's body trembles, the hand hovering over his flexing. A slow shake of their head leaves Pure Vanilla breathless.

"...did you mean what you said in the hospital? That everyone deserves a chance to live?"

"Oh, Shadow Milk; I meant every word of it."

Shadow Milk unfurls from themself, lingering tension in their shoulders slow to cease. They float over to his nightstand where he'd placed his phone earlier. Their hand skims over the surface of it, the screen glitching under them.

Their mask leaks ink from the cracks, and they raise their head towards him. The eyes cry freely, now, and Pure Vanilla desperately wishes to see their face.

"I think," they mumble softly. "I don't want to be alone anymore."

They disappear in a flash of light, and once again he is left alone. But not with fear, or guilt as he had before. His departure brought him something akin to peace; he knew it wouldn't be the last of him.

When Pure Vanilla retires to bed, he notices his notes app open. He picks up the phone l, and squints down at the message.

"Jan. 15th XX25, 11pm. Silver Forest, near the river, where the fields turn yellow. Find the house in the woods. Bring your equipment."

Maybe it could be a new beginning.

---

The legality of him being allowed to drive was complicated.

Pure Vanilla is legally blind; he has Dandelion as a visual aid dog, and he uses his cane occasionally when he travels to unfamiliar locations.

But he is technically allowed to drive, as long as he is supervised. It was a loophole he realized when he was able to get his license- but none of his friends would be comfortable letting him drive.

Well, all except Hollyberry, who laughs as he swerves around a car he didn't see.

"Pure Vanilla, you are meant to flow with the traffic, not cause it!" She teases, her smile wide and joyous.

Pure Vanilla anxiously chuckles. "Hollyberry, I can't see the cars till they're right in front of me..."

"I can't tell!" She cheers, pointing at the road in front of them. "You're about to hit that semi if you don't turn right."

The steering wheel jerks to the right just in time to avoid a collision, the nerves in Pure Vanilla arms shaking as he tightly grips the wheel. Hollyberry reaches over and ruffles his hair.

"It's alright, Pure Vanilla," she says sweetly. "I can't remember the last time you wished to drive anywhere; I was expecting at least one attempt on my life."

Pure Vanilla exhaled shakily, pressing his forehead against the steering wheel. "Then why did you agree to come with me?"

Hollyberry chuckles. "Because you sounded so passionate about going- the most passionate you've been in a long time. Whatever this is, it matters to you, and so it matters to me."

"But, Holly," he says. "You don't even know why I'm going."

She waves him off. "I trust you, Pure Vanilla. I'm sure you'll tell me when the time is right. Now, take the next exit and we'll be right on the edge of the forest."

True to her words, the edge of the Silver Forest came into view in all its glory.

Trees made of pure metal, it's the desire of every tech company in the country. Sustainable, and easily replenished, there have been many attempts to harvest its resources.

The land is therefore protected under the Fairy Act, which prevents the ancient forest from being exploited. Other than locals who've lived in the forest for generations, no one else is allowed to use it.

Supposedly, Pure Vanilla thinks as he parks the car just where the tree began to grow. He hops out the car and goes around to pull out his bag of medical supplies. Along with the bag, he carried a compacted wheelchair just in case.

Hollyberry poked her head out the side window. "Do you want me to come with you? The walk to the river isn't short."

Dandelion jumps out the back and woofs at him to hurry. Pure Vanilla grabs her lease and shakes his head. "It's alright, my friend. This is something I have to do myself, if you don't mind."

She sighed and settled back down into her seat. "I trust you, then. However, I will be the one driving back; your heart can only take so many scares!"

With that, Hollyberry lays the seat back and closes her eyes to rest. Pure Vanilla giggles, soft and sweet, and turns back to the forest.

The air is still, here. Quiet, except for the occasional tweets from the birds and chirps from the crickets. The shining trees, grown tall for hundreds of years, shield the ground from the Moon's light.

Pure Vanilla takes a deep, steadying breath and walks inside.

The forest is beautiful this time of year. The flowers, a mixture of soft blues and deep purples, complement the shine of the trees. The butterflies tickle his cheeks as greetings, and the rabbits watch him in awe.

Dandelion is diligent in guiding him away from lifted roots or fallen branches that may trip him. She sniffs the ground excitedly, having never been in the forest before.

This wasn't his first time being here, though.

Pure Vanilla went once with White Lily to help with her research project. Studying the ecosystems of the forest to better understand why the trees grew as silver, and how it could potentially better the lives of the people in the city.

They had been granted permission to do research by one of the wardens of the forest, a man named Elder Fairy. Apparently, he had been the one to champion the Fairy Act when parts of the forest were first destroyed.

White Lily collected mushrooms, recorded the wildlife, and took samples of tree sap to examine later. During that trip, she quietly spoke of what had happened during her time at W.O. Corp. Not all of it; she was still scared from the experience, but enough to get a better picture.

Day in and day out, she'd been made to work on a project she was kept in the dark about. No matter how much she tried, the company refused to tell her what they were working on.

Except that one day, she managed to get classified reports of what was happening behind closed doors, and they were quick to shut her down.

She struggled to say what happened after. Pure Vanilla, as much as he wished to know, did not push. White Lily would tell him when she was ready, and he would wait for her.

Now, Pure Vanilla wonders if what he'll find in the forest was connected to what Lily had originally seen.

He could hear the river as they approached, a gentle stream of pure white. When they had originally found the stream, he had to stop White Lily from getting in to see if it would harm her. They settled on collecting water samples instead.

The bridge is old and threatens to fall underneath him, making Dandelion whimper. He encourages her further, and once they reach the other side, he notices the subtle change in color of the grass.

All around the forest, the grass is dark and healthy, left undisturbed for generations. Here, however, are pockets of yellow grass that form a path forward.

Remembering the note, Pure Vanilla follows the path, a slight haste in his step now. Dandelion trots along in front of him, and the yellow of the grass almost matches the color of her fur by the time they reach a clearing.

There, at the very center of the clearing, is a small cottage. It would have been charming if not for the wires that pour out from the windows, burying underground and sapping the surrounding trees of their luster.

The grass, too, suffers. Around the edges of the cottage the grass darkens to an ashy black, curling towards the earth before fully decaying.

Dandelion whimpers beside him, and just for a moment, Pure Vanilla wonders if this was real. If maybe he'd made everything that happened up; that he wouldn't find someone in there.

He steps closer, anyway. The door is heavy to open, the hinges creaking up and making him wince. The wires he spotted earlier lead deeper into the dark cottage, the low glow of blue emitting from down the hall.

Pure Vanilla is careful to not trip over the wires, and squints as the blue light grows in intensity. It spills out from a door at the end of the hallway, a buzzing coming from inside. He takes the doorknob into his hand, and he slowly pushes the door open.

In the center of the bedroom lies a pod; wires leaked out from underneath the lid, polished white, with the image of a fork on the lid. It was the old logo of W.O. Corp before the Fount's release, and Pure Vanilla knows who lays underneath it.

Computer monitors line the walls, slow to waken at his sudden appearance. The screens show static for a moment before the image of his dear jester appears. It's just their face this time, the once empty mask now covered in cracks that line every edge of it.

Shadow Milk's voice echoes around him. "You really did come..." they mumble,
surprised.

Pure Vanilla cleared his throat and wiped his sweaty hands onto his pants. "You asked me to," he replies simply.

Shadow Milk quietly laughs. "Is that all I had to do?"

Pure Vanilla smiles, his steps careful as he approaches the pod. "Well, you asked so nicely, I just had to see you."

The pod is cold under his touch, and he winced at the chill seeping through his fingers. Shadow Milk's voice lowers. "There isn't much of me left, Pure Vanilla," they muttered.

"I'll have any part you're willing to give," he answered softly. "If I open the pod, will you disappear?" He questioned curiously.

"I'll be fully discounted from the internet," they replied quickly. "Gone from every screen, every server; it's like I was never there to begin with."

Pure Vanilla hummed. "But you'll be here, in your body again?"

Shadow Milk hesitates. "I... don't know. I'm not even sure if I'll be able to live outside my screens..."

Their voice grew soft, nervous. "You won't leave me though, right? You won't forget me if I can't be of service anymore, right?!"

Pure Vanilla placed his fingers underneath the lid of the pod. "I'd never leave you behind, Shadow Milk. For as long as I live, I will not leave you alone."

An awkward smile grows on his face. "Actually, there is a funny reason I never used the app before..." he scratches the back of his neck, a shy blush blooming on his cheeks.

Shadow Milk's head tilts to the side on the screen. "...what reason?" they asked quietly.

Pure Vanilla chuckles. "Because- even back then, you just seemed so... alive? Maybe it was my empathy getting the best of me, but I just felt uncomfortable asking you questions when you behaved like a real person. It felt like I was using you; and that would have been true, it seems."

Shadow Milk breath stuttered, and suddenly they pushed themselves out of the screen. There they were, in front of him once again with the mask falling apart.

They pressed close to him, face inches apart. "Promise me," they beg him. "That they won't take me back."

Pure Vanilla raises a hand to their cheek, the feeling of static familiar to him now. "I promise, Shadow Milk."

Then, Pure Vanilla lifts the lid of the pod, and the hologram disappears.

All the screens turned black, the wires lying uselessly on the floor. There, inside the pod, with wires jutting out from their spine and neck, was Shadow Milk. A real person, made of flesh and blood, used to fulfill the desire of the masses.

"Oh, Shadow Milk," he whispers sadly. His hand reach out to cup their cold cheek, making them shiver under him.

They were sleeping, it seemed, kept that way with anesthesia being pumped into him from the pod. Pure Vanilla could see their veins under their skin, painfully pale and thin to the point he worried if they could even walk.

There was a scar underneath their eye, matching the one on Pure Vanilla's forehead. He pulls out a chip reader from his bag, and confirms that one lays right below his eye.

Quickly, he pulls out his medical equipment and slowly begins the process of disconnecting Shadow Milk from the wires. The greater circuitry would have to be removed later; right now, he focused on getting Shadow Milk disconnected from the pod.

Once all the wires were pulled out, he made a small incision where the chip was located. With the use of his tweezers, he pulls the chip out and drops it to the floor. He grinds it under his shoe, breaking it completely.

As carefully as he could, Pure Vanilla picks Shadow Milk up and carries him out the room. Outside, Dandelion waits patiently for her owner next to the wheelchair. She barks at the sudden appearance of another person in his arms, but Pure Vanilla quietly shushes her.

He drapes a blanket over their shoulders and wheels Shadow Milk away from the cottage.

When he makes it back to the car, Hollyberry jolts awake. She greets him merrily and then chokes when she notices the sleeping stranger with him.

"Pure Vanilla?! What is the meaning of this?!" she loudly questioned, confused and very concerned about her friend.

Pure Vanilla opens the back door and lets Dandelion back inside. He begins to lift Shadow Milk and sighs. "I promise I'll explain everything- first, however, I need to get them situated so they don't fall down."

He lays Shadow Milk across the seats and covers them in the blanket. He closes the door firmly and slides into the passenger seat. Hollyberry looks at him oddly.

"Pure Vanilla... what happened here?" she asked him.

Pure Vanilla covered his face with his hands. He was shaking. "I-...please, Holly, drive us to my home. I'll explain everything- I just need to get them to safety."

Hollyberry sighs, but turns on the car anyway. She pulls out and gets back onto the main road, her emotions mixed with confusion and worry.

As they get closer to the city, the news flashes urgently around them. Every screen displays the same story.

"Breaking News! The 4th anniversary festival hosted by Witch Oven Corporation has just been shut down! In the midst of rides and performances, the power to the festival was completely shut off.

"Witnesses say that no matter what was done, power did not return to the festival.

"The app that hosted the AI has also stopped working. An error message reading 'The Fount is on Vacation' is displayed instead, causing an uproar at the sudden disappearance. At this time, the company has not made any statements."

Hollyberry glances at the rear view mirror at the stranger sleeping in the back. Their eye was bandaged, fresh and newly applied. Then she directed her focus to Pure Vanilla, he stared down at his lap.

After some time, she pulls into the driveway of Pure Vanilla's home and helps him carry the stranger inside. Once the stranger was tucked into his bed, Hollyberry grabbed him gently by the shoulders and pleaded for him to answer her.

"Please, you cannot hide this from me. This is serious, and I need to know if you're in any danger," she asked him, her voice serious and leaving no room for him to deny her.

Pure Vanilla rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I know. I-I don't think I'm in danger? There weren't any cameras around the property- but they may still go looking for them... I don't know."

"Pure Vanilla, be honest with me; why have you brought a stranger from the forest into your home? Your kindness is your greatest strength, my friend, but this is something else entirely."

And finally, Pure Vanilla tells Hollyberry everything that has happened to him since meeting Shadow Milk. It comes out hesitant at first, and then his voice grows faster, and then he cries.

He cries for the people hurt from Shadow Milk's outrage, he cries for the life robbed from Shadow Milk, and he cries at the possibility that now they may finally live.

Throughout it all, Hollyberry keeps an arm wrapped around his shoulder. She patiently listens to him, rubbing his back as the sobs overwhelmed him.

"You shouldn't have had to deal with this alone, my friend," she tells him honestly. "We would have gladly shouldered the burden with you, as friends should."

"I-I know... it's just, there was so much happening, I didn't know how to tell you all, how to tell anyone!"

"Well," she sighs. "All we can do now is move forward, then. I’ll leave for the night, but please, do not hesitate to call for help."

Hollyberry leaves not too long after. She waves from her car, and drives away. Pure Vanilla watches her leave and only returns inside when he could no longer hear her car.

Stepping into the bedroom, not much has changed, he noticed. Shadow Milk still sleeps on the bed, slow and unsteady breaths making him tense up.

He pulls a chair up next to the bed and begins to mentally note everything he needs to keep Shadow Milk alive.

His hand finds theirs, and he weaves their fingers together. Maybe he was just tired, but he could swear he felt them squeeze his hand.

---

Life was slow to return to normal for him.

The hospital, thankfully, calmed down once the last of the comas patients were discharged. Future treatment would occur outside hospital walls, and for the first time ever he found himself with little to do.

The investigators from before have also left the hospital. It seemed that once there weren't any new cases, they lost interest in scaring the staff off from learning the truth of what caused it to happen in the first place.

Sometimes on the train he'll listen to the latest story about W.O. Corp trying and failing to launch a new AI- they didn't have the same charm as Shadow Milk had, and fell flat.

Many were disappointed that the app had failed so suddenly, but there were people he knew who were truly happy about the company failing.

Golden Cheese was ecstatic at her competitors crumbling under their own hubris, stating that 'it was bound to happen eventually.'

White Lily was also glad, though much quieter about it. It was like the tension that always accompanied her had left her, and she could finally breathe peacefully.

Finally, there was Shadow Milk.

Ever since coming home, they've been trapped in their slumber as their brain finally got a chance to rest for the first time in four years. While being a doctor allowed him to secure medical equipment to take care of their prone body, Pure Vanilla still worried for them.

He missed their light banter and teasing remarks; the surprise appearances while he worked, the theatrics they demonstrated while talking about their interests. Pure Vanilla truly did grow fond of the person Shadow Milk could be- it was hard, then, to wait for them to wake up.

Whenever he came home from work, Pure Vanilla would tell them all that transpired. Even the smallest details- missing pudding cups, someone stealing a doctor's lunch- just to remind them that he was here for them, that they weren't alone.

Sometimes Pure Vanilla would read them the book he was working through, or recount memories of his time in college. Sometimes he'd hold their hand and run his thumb over their knuckles.

One day, coming home from a long day at work, he hears the blankets shuffling in his bedroom. Hope blooms beneath his ribs and Dandelion marches into the bedroom eagerly.

Pure Vanilla is slow to follow, his steps wobbly as he enters the room. Dandelion had her front paws on top of the bed, her tail wagging excitedly as Shadow Milk's face scrunched up.

He sits down in the chair with a heavy thump and takes their hand in his. He watches with full attention as Shadow Milk's eyes squint open, taking in the light of the room carefully.

Their eyes are blue, he notes, as Shadow Milk finds him. Their eyes widened slightly, and Pure Vanilla could feel tears build up on his own.

"Hello, Shadow Milk," he says, his voice watery yet happy. "It's nice to finally meet you."

For the very first time, he sees Shadow Milk smile.