TO was synced into a seemingly normal simulation in what appeared to be a hot, humid jungle were large trees blocked out the sky overhead. There seemed to be a slight blue-green tinge to everything, save for the vining flowers that bloomed in stark, contrasting red. The jungle reminded TO of the place that C12 had put them for flight practice, but there was far less room for flying and the canopy hung much lower. There were three other synths there all of whom were entirely unfamiliar to TO. On their uniforms were their new assignments for this scenario; TO was S02. The others were S01, S03, and S04. They had never really had sequential numbers like that before but TO figured it was because they were being tested and not just doing a normal simulation.

 

They had hoped that DH and GiDi would have been in the simulation with them; they wanted to be there to help them and make sure that all of them passed their examination. Sure they were still angry at DH, but they still wanted to help them! DH was still their best friend and their family! They still loved DH, no matter what.

 

TO nodded in greeting at the other synths who just looked at TO and then looked away. There were no strange looks or even any look of familiarity; just a glance and then a look away. Total indifference.

 

Maybe they were nervous about their examination. TO wondered if they should say something and offer some words of encouragement, but their orders came faster than normal. The orders came via the normal method; words popping up before them. The scenario was exceedingly simple, but it was the kind that could prove to be very difficult; There was a group of insurgents in the jungle and their job was to find and neutralize them. They were given no added assistance, no tracking technology, no maps. There was no time limit. The win condition wasfinding and neutralizing the insurgents. They lost if the insurgents were to get more than five kilometers away from them.

 

The orders listed TO as the leader. That surprised TO as they had never been the leader in a simulation. They had assumed that their examination would have something to do with making sure they could follow orders properly.

 

The countdown started.

 

“You’re the leader.” S01 said, their voice deadpan and their ears nearly still as they spoke, “Do you have any ideas as of now?”

 

TO frowned at just how formal the other synth was, but they shrugged it off, “Well, If we have a losing condition of them getting more than five kilometers away from us, then I assume that they’re within that distance right now; probably closer than that I’d guess. they’ve probably been placed about halfway.” They glanced at their unfamiliar teammates, then looked away; there was something about them that bothered TO, but they couldn’t quite place it.

 

“Understood. So, what is your plan?”

 

“We check above the canopy first once the simulation starts; I want to see if the insurgents have set up camp and started a fire, or if there’s any sign from above of their location.” They frowned as they looked around, “I’d like to say we should just fly above the jungle to find the insurgents, but that would make us easily seen and targeted.”

 

Their armor finally appeared over them. TO actually felt more comfortable that their teammates had their ears and faces covered as there was something just not right with the others. TO had even checked their foreheads to see if there was any chance that they had been corrected but of course they hadn’t been. They didn’t speak or move as though they had been corrected but they simply seemed to be missing something.

 

They seemed like shells of synths.

 

Well, no matter. They didn’t need to spend a lot of time with these synths, they just had to get through the simulation and do well.

 

The countdown ended and the simulation began. They were suddenly exposed to the suffocating humidity of the jungle, and the cacophony of sounds that echoed all around from wild animals and insects hidden all about them. They thought of all the strange bugs that might have been programmed into the simulation, and shuddered.

 

“S1, come with me; I want an extra set of eyes when I go up and I don’t want anyone on their own… S3 and S4, stay on the ground and look for any signs of disturbances or travel through the trees. “

 

A monotone chorus of ‘understood’ followed TO’s orders and filled them with unease. They shook it off as best they could.

 

A quick few flaps of their wings brought them up high enough into the canopy that they could just climb up the rest of the way. A press of a button exposed their grasping feet and they made quick progress through the branches, followed by the silent S1.

 

They got to the top and poked their head over the leaves; it was dusk, with the sun setting far in the distance and painting the sky in various shades of reds and purples. TO didn’t take any time to really appreciate it as they normally would– they had a job to do. they scanned the sprawling ocean of blue-green leaves that spread out before them, looking for a hint that the insurgents were nearby.

 

They found their hint; TO could distantly see a pillar of smoke rising up out of the canopy and into the sky, creating a dark grey scar on the colourful horizon. They used the inbuilt navigation equipment and marked the direction before they headed back down to the ground.

 

When they landed the other two synths suddenly stood at attention. S1 landed behind TO and stood at attention as well.

 

“South-south-east.” TO said, “The insurgents are camping there. We’ll head over, and even if they're gone by the time we get there then we’ll be able to track them from their current camp site.”

 

“Understood.”

 

There was definitely something wrong with these synths. Still, TO didn’t need to worry about them. In fact, they felt far less worried about the whole examination! Though they had no doubt that it would be harder than just heading to the insurgent’s current campsite and eliminating the targets, this examination was turning out to be a lot easier than they had expected.

 

Still, this was no time to let their guard down. They headed towards the insurgents, keeping an eye out for wild animals, natural dangers, and horrific insects as they made their way through the twisted undergrowth.

 

======

 

It was perhaps only a half hour later when TO stopped their progression and made their way up over the canopy once more. They just wanted to check to see if the smoke was still rising up into the sky or if the insurgents had broken camp or moved. When they once more poked their head over the leaves they could still see the trail of smoke. The sky was much darker now, and the once dark gash against the horizon was now illuminated by the last faint rays from the setting sun, pointing TO to their target.

 

The insurgents hadn’t moved, hadn’t hidden. TO and the other synths had faced no resistance, had seen no animals, had encountered no trouble. They did some quick calculations in their head and figured that if they kept moving at their current pace then they’d perhaps get to the camp in another half hour.

 

It was too easy. There had to be another part to this. Was it a trap? A distraction? Had TO over prepared for this examination?

 

No… wait, Avery had mentioned that their own examination had been straightforward, and it was only at the end that there were problems. Still, Avery had been told that their assignment was real. Here, there had been no doubt that they were just in a simulation. No matter who TO had to eliminate at the end, it was just a simulation and they could do it without worry.

 

They’d have to do it for real out in their placement. Still, that was a concern for then. Right now all TO had to do was pass their examination.

 

They slipped back under the canopy and headed back down to the ground where S3 and S4 were standing almost eerily still, waiting for TO and S1 to return.

 

“No movement.” TO said as they landed before the others, “we can keep going...“ they stopped. They suddenly realized that S1 hadn’t followed them down. TO looked up into the canopy, fully expecting to see some monster of the jungle, or even insurgents hiding overhead to explain S1’s absence.

 

Nothing. Well, not nothing. S1 was there, seemingly stuck in mid-air. It was the oddest thing- It was like they were frozen in place as they were jumping back down to the ground. Their wings were spread out, perfectly still and poised to help slow their descent and soften their landing which seemed like it would never come.

 

“That’s a problem.” TO muttered. They turned to the others, “You’re seeing this, right?”

 

Nothing. The others didn’t move or respond. TO took a step towards them and reached out to touch their helmets. Their armored hand passed through the other synths as though they weren’t even there.

 

A glitch? Of course the system would glitch up when TO was in the middle of their examination. Well, they were being watched so either it’d be fixed in a moment or they’d be pulled from the simulation. There was nothing TO could do from where they were.

 

TO sat down on a nearby fallen log, wondering if the other synths were seeing them just standing still and motionless after having landed. Maybe to the others, TO was still up in the tree. Maybe the issue was only with their system? Well, they couldn't be failed for that, they had no control over such things.

 

They didn’t get to think about that for very long. They suddenly had that feeling of being pulled from their body, of dissolving out from the world around them. Good. It seemed that they didn't have to wait too long before those watching them realized there was a problem, and they were very glad that they weren’t stuck in some issue with the time dilation technology. They wondered if they would have to start over from the beginning, Or if they would be put in a new simulation.

 

There was no moment of weightlessness, or sense of disembodiment; TO suddenly felt themselves violently get thrown back into their body, where their senses were being attacked by loud alarms and frantic shouting.