Artemis woke with amnesia underneath the shattered remains of a once prosperous human civilization. He remembered nothing, his past or the events that happened that caused the world to become as it was. He was no longer purely human, he woke to find...
Artemis, being the confused man as he was, could only smile awkwardly.
Caitlyn then slowly and steadily began explain to Artemis what he needed to know and understand. But that did not mean she'd reveal everything to him.
If she were to reveal everything, his memories, the past, Artemis will undoubtedly turn into a monster she could no longer tame or reason with.
For that reason, she started slow and vague.
"I and the other Caitlyn you know were once together, in other words, we were one," Caitlyn said.
"I see," Artemis said as he nodded gently.
"I thought I could transfer my consciousness fully into her and that new body she harboured but.. I was wrong, instead, we somehow split and not just with her, bits of my consciousness were split among all your droids," Caitlyn said.
Understanding what this meant, Artemis was shocked but thanks to the calming effect of Caitlyn, Artemis did not panic.
In this realm, he was a complete human. Nothing repressing his emotions except for a calming aura that came from Caitlyn that kept him calm.
"I know you're confused.. but due to my mistake, some of your Androids, maybe all of them, may develop their own personalities and consciousness," Caitlyn said.
Artemis was silent.
"I was there when Michael and Johnathan became self-aware, I didn't think it was possible.. well, we back then didn't think it was even possible," Caitlyn said.
"And then, well, you know the rest. Surprisingly, you went along with it. Thinking it to be a rare occurence that was now bound to happen sooner or later, you feared you'd lose power but you still tolerated their existence, why? Even I know the folly of thinking that self-aware machines would stay loyal to the maker forever," Caitlyn said.
"But you chose to tolerate them, not because you calculated it would be improbable for them to do otherwise, no, you tolerated their existence because you decided to place your trust in them," Caitlyn said.
Artemis' eyes glowed but this time, they didnt glow red but shimmered like a child who was given his favorite toy.
"You continued to deny what you felt deep inside but now, you don't need to, I'm here to help you, I'm here to guide you," Caitlyn said.
Artemis then raised his hand.
"Were you the voice that I heard back then? Telling me to fix the Earth.." Artemis asked.
Caitlyn put up an awkward smile on her face, silently saying that she was guilty.
"Yeah.. I put it up so that you had meaning, but I didn't expect.. you know portal and then fantasy world all of a sudden," Caitlyn said.
Artemis smiled.
He smiled, again.
"I'm still confused about a lot of things.. but.. I'll set aside those questions for now," Artemis said.
They both smiled.
"So.. you'll accompany me? How?" Artemis asked.
"Dummy, I've always been with you from the very beginning, although I purposely hid myself. Now, since I can no longer do so without putting you in danger again, I'll put myself forward in your mind," Caitlyn said.
"Basically, you'll be the voice in my head but louder and apparently more annoying?" Artemis teased.
He teased.
Artemis was teasing his wife.
Unheard of.
"Hmph" Caitlyn pouted, in a cute way.
"You're calling your dear wife annoying? After I put myself through the most terrible things with you and after so many years you call me annoying!?" Caitlyn shouted in anger, her last word has a bit of a robotic sound, and for some reason, her eyes suddenly turned purple just an instant, but Artemis didn't noticed it.
Artemis was silent for a moment, but he laughed a little and placed his hand over Caitlyn left cheek which it instantly calm her down and she blushes.
"It feels so real.. but I know we're only inside my head, right?" Artemis said.
"Yes.. but this is me, and what you're feeling is exactly what you'll feel in the real world.. or.. worlds," Caitlyn said.
"Good," Artemis lifted his head in a sitting position and leaned forward.
And the two of them kissed.
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The garden around them soon began to fade in sparkles.
"You'll stay with me? Right? You promised," Artemis said.
