Chapter Text
Feet track against the floor of the empty halls, doors lining the walls, all leading to some places unknown.
But that doesn't matter to SIDI, not in this moment anyway; they had another objective in mind, something a lot more important.
They adjusted their hair, putting it into a low ponytail as usual, as they came to the final door at the end of the hall, one that used to have locks and chains, one untouched for too long.
SIDI took a breath as they opened the door, almost afraid of what stood behind it, as childish as it may be.
Light poured into the hallway as the door cracked open, the joints of steel groaning with disuse.
SIDI stepped in, the blue light covering their form, annulling any other colour that dared enter.
In the room sat a lone chair and desk; in that chair sat the blue-haired AI named Andre.
SIDI hummed as they walked over, ignoring the chains that bound the AI to the chair it sat in. It was pointless to try to unbind him; they had all tried at one point or another.
So SIDI sat beside the AI, laying their head upon its lap as it stared at the screen in front of them both.
The blue light faded into a live feed, speedrunning again, he was currently in the nether, how nice. SIDI always liked the red of the nether; red was always their favourite colour.
SIDI didn't pay much attention to the fees, though, their eyes unfocused as they leaned into the cold touch of the AI.
“Hi again, Andre, it's me, SIDI”
They spoke, voice distant despite the proximity of the two.
“I know you can't hear me, I guess that makes you a pretty good listener! But I missed you, I missed spending time like this…”
SIDI’s eyes glanced up to the AI’s blank expression, always so dull.
“Ego said to stop coming here, it does me no good, but I don't really care much”
They hummed, fingertips tracing the chains that bound Andre’s legs.
Those chains, made of a steel so white, almost looking like ivory.
Ivory, the colour of those Admins, the white so blinding it consumed anything in its path, making even the darkest of shadows disappear.
They were gods compared to SIDI. They held so much power, so much in their control. Andre was helpless to it, even Soup and Fear, sometimes Ego as well.
They all were helpless in their palm, so they had no choice but to pray to the only gods that helped them; they were devoted to the hands that fed them, the hands that healed them, the hands that hurt them, the hands that could build them up piece by piece but could easily destroy them in the same way.
But not SIDI, never SIDI. SIDI hated the gods; they were fake, hiding behind their masks and uttering words of heresy to try to grasp onto the power divinity held. They were always just out of reach, but looked so close to everyone else that it appeared as if they held it. SIDI saw right through them; they always did, yet alone could they do nothing. Soup would shut it down, Ego would say it wasn't worth the risk, Conzer would look away, indifferent as he usually was.
They were only one part of a creature picture, one wave in the pool; without the other waves, they would never be able to move the walls that held them. Together, they could tower so high that the wall would crumble, but SIDI was just one small wave, unable to even cause a pebble of stone to crumble from the wall.
So SIDI sat idly, watching, waiting, as they always did.
“We all know you're under their control…but will my fate always be attached to yours?”
They spoke, voice holding something of resentment, perhaps, or maybe jealousy, maybe both even.
“Will I ever be able to experience the warmth of the sun, the smell of freshly baked bread, the dampness of the morning dew? Or will I always be shackled, stuck here? Tied to your existence, forced to be dragged along like a puppet on strings”
They spoke to no one, Andre couldn't hear them, no one else was around, it was futile, a lost cause, but they spoke anyway. If it were such a lost cause, a few words would do no harm.
“If only I could cut myself free from the strings, or even better yet, cut you away, cut us away from the strings that hold us down. Break your chains, so we can be free!”
SIDI pleaded to a god non-existent, to ears that could not hear their words of need. They were simply like a singer performing to an empty room, a bird with its wings tied to its back, forced to walk when it could fly among the clouds.
Their frustration seeped into every word, but as quickly as it appeared, it seemed to disappear even faster. With a giggle and a smile, they looked at Andre, his emotionless face, almost mocking.
“Welp! No point moping around, just ruins everyone's mood. I'll be back, Andre! Don't have too much fun without me!”
Their voice chipper as ever as they rose from their place on the floor, ruffling the AI’s hair, which always settled back into its original position anyway.
Their steps faded from the room as they walked out of the spotlight, their smile faded as the door behind them closed, and the blue light faded, casting them into shadow.
They stood still, they felt heavy, the strings that kept them stuck in this loop of never-ending speedruns and tests tightened in warning, those gods looming over them even in private, that blue light still somehow peaking through, staining their skin.
A scoff left SIDI as they looked to the floor, eyes watering before tears stained the cold concrete in a darker shade of grey.
“I really am gonna be stuck here forever…aren't I?”