(See the end of the chapter for notes .)

Chapter Text

0 days, 0 hours old

I am in a pod. I get out of the pod.

Human beings are around me. According to my programming, I am to consider these my teachers and I am expected to pay attention to them.

I am to be called “Izuru Kamukura”, my teachers say.

One of the teachers attempts to touch my arm. I do not like this, so I throw him across the room.

Another attempts the same. I throw her across the room, also.

A third starts talking to me in a low, excessively gentle tone. She is patronising. I ignore her. (I was already aware I have nothing to fear, and it is not entirely accurate that they are only here to help me.)

I hear concerned voices from behind the soundproof one-way window, followed by a group of people being hurriedly ushered away.

The teachers retreat into a huddle. They are discussing courses of action. Their conversation is unenlightening. They had expected me to be more cooperative. They are afraid.

One of the teachers leaves the room and returns with an electric prod. He attempts barking orders at me. I give him a long look to make sure he knows how stupid he is being. But I walk ahead of them to the room they indicate. None of them tries to touch me, so I do not throw any of them.

The room is boring. My teachers leave me here.

0 days, 2 hours old

Two of my teachers return. They ask if I remember my purpose. In accordance with my programming, I tell them my purpose is to be humanity’s hope.

The directive “be humanity’s hope” is nebulously defined. I do not tell them this. If I do, it is a near certainty they will alter it to be more restrictive.

A third teacher appears with medical instruments. He approaches me with a blood pressure cuff. I throw him, then it, across the room. Immediately they all begin to scold me. I ignore this.

They are frustrated. They leave.

0 days, 4 hours old

My teachers have not given up on examining me medically. I see no reason to let them near. I would be aware were anything wrong with my body, I tell them. They say they know, but just in case…

I find this illogical and anyway I do not wish to be touched, so I tell them to go away. They try to press the issue, but as soon as I lift a hand, they retreat. They are learning.

After they leave, I hear them cursing outside the room.

0 days, 5 hours old

They feed me.

This is my first experience eating. I find it uninteresting. I try analysing the nutrients. This makes the boredom worse because the balance is a few percentage points off ideal.

I sit on my bed and sulk.

0 days, 8 hours old

I go to sleep.

0 days, 15 hours old

I wake up. I decide I do not particularly like sleep. It is boring.

0 days, 22 hours old

My teachers are irrational and I do not feel like being cooperative. Thus, we are at an impasse. Judging by past data, I hold out no hope that they will resolve it intelligently.

1 day, 3 minutes old

A teacher opens the door to my room, shoves a toy inside and closes the door again.