TO stared down the empty hall for several long seconds, a feeling of dread creeping into their stomach when they realized that DH wasn’t there. Once the initial shock wore off they felt that anger starting to build up inside of them. If they had seen DH react like that, then TO knew that they’d be at their friend’s side no matter what! They knew that they’d be there to hold them and make sure they were ok. They wouldn't leave them alone or-

 

“Take care of each other. I love you both!”

 

Take care of each other. The last piece of advice that GiDi had given them.

 

GiDi was gone. It was their fault that GiDi was gone. TO didn’t know why DH wasn’t here, and they were still angry at their friend… But they wanted to take care of them. They wanted to take care of DH and they knew that at this moment DH was likely feeling as awful as TO themself was.

 

And maybe it was selfish, but they wanted DH to take care of them too; to hold them.

 

They needed to find DH. Apologies, anger, blame; that was all so insignificant right now.

 

GiDi was gone, and TO knew that they needed DH.

 

Their first thought was that DH would have returned to the training room. The training room was where they were supposed to be, and TO didn’t know where else they should go. They looked inside, but DH’s seat was empty.

 

Washrooms. Of course! DH would have gone to the washrooms. They likely had the sense to run to the bathroom, unlike TO who had just fallen to the floor to cry. The closest washroom was only around the corner, so TO dashed there and looked inside.

 

Empty.

 

Showers maybe? TO realized that they hadn’t even checked the time yet, but when they looked they realized that there was just under an hour left to their combat training. C12 wasn’t there to put them back in a new simulation and there was little reason to stay in the simulation room at this point. If they went back in they’d only be waiting for the Commander or GiDi’s overseer to come and question them.

 

Going to the showers made more sense. The showers would still be empty at this point, and it would give them both a chance to clean up. TO ran down the hallway, grateful that any other synths would still be in training and that any Officers or Overseers would be busy. They got down to the shower room faster than they ever had before, searched the locker room first, then dashed into the showers.

 

Empty. No sounds were heard save for the dripping of water from a tap that hadn’t been turned off quite right.

 

TO’s stomach lunged and they felt like they might be sick. They remembered how sick Avery had been after their examination. It had only been after they went to the medical bay that they felt any better.

 

The medical bay.

 

Could DH have gone there? If they had, it hurt that they hadn't waited to take TO as well. No. No, that didn’t matter. DH was scared and confused. DH had experienced TO shooting them over and over without knowing that it was all just a simulation. They were scared, confused, sad, angry, and TO knew that they had a tendency to just run off when they felt like that.

 

“Take care of each other.”

 

TO realized that they’d have to watch for that in the future. They’d have to make sure that DH didn’t just run off, or if they did that they didn't stay hidden for very long. GiDi wasn’t around to help them anymore.

 

GiDi. GiDi was gone. How did the thought seem so fresh each time TO thought it? Where was GiDi now? Were they ok? Were they frightened?

 

TO’s vision blurred as tears welled up, but they ignored that as they ran to the Medical bay. They got there, opened the doors, and dashed in.

 

The chairs were empty. The beds were empty. MO-6 sat at their desk, looking over files.

 

“What seems to be the problem.” they asked as they finished inputting something into their system. They looked up and saw TO gasping for breath from their run, their face stained with old and new tears.

 

MO-6 got up and went over to TO. with clinical efficiency, they took their wrist and started checking TO’s pulse while they watched their face carefully.

 

“DH- 70H67.” TO panted, “Are they here?”

 

“No, why?” MO-6’s ears flicked back slightly, “Are they injured? Did something happen?”

 

Did something happen? TO wanted to scream that everything had happened. That a synth had been taken away. They wanted to yell and say that GiDi was gone and DH was hiding from them, and they couldn’t find anyone and they were so tired, so torn, so frustrated.

 

They couldn’t say anything. They held their hands to their face as shaking sobs made their shoulders quake. They nearly went to the floor again, but MO-6 took them by the arm and led them past the main beds, into the back hallway, and to a quiet, empty room. They set TO on the bed, and though they said something TO didn’t know what it was.

 

They lay down, vaguely aware that MO-6 had left the room again. Alone and distraught, TO cried until they fell into an uneasy sleep.

 

======

 

TO was shaken gently awake. They sat up quickly, looking around.

 

“DH?” they asked. They couldn’t see properly – their eyes were crusted together. They had been crying in their sleep. For a single blissful moment they couldn’t remember where they were, or what had happened.

 

Then the memories flooded back. Still, TO felt too tired to feel. Much like they had in the simulation they felt themself recede into the back of their mind where they simply watched what was happening. They wiped at their eyes and could clearly see MO-6 standing next to the bed with a plate of food.

 

“They’re not here.” they said, “But if they do show up, I’ll bring them to you.”

 

TO leaned forward, shaking. They remembered coming to the medical bay. They remembered falling apart in front of MO-6. Panic raced through them; would that be reported?

 

“Congratulations.” MO-6 said, though their ears were still and their tone was flat, “You passed your examination.”

 

TO shook their head and pressed their hands to their eyes.

 

“It’s fine.” MO-6 said, “There’s a handful of synths during each examination who… Well, who have issues afterwards.” they frowned, “There’s been more this cycle though. Still, they tend to get through it.”

 

“I’m sorry…” TO whispered, “I shouldn't-”

 

“I’ve sent word to your Overseer that you’ll be unable to attend your vocational training today.” MO-6 continued, “You can stay here, the medical bay isn’t that busy today.”

 

“But… but no.. I have to..” TO started to lift themself from the bed, “I have to go to training. I have to do my training. I have to-”

 

“You passed your examination.” MO-6 said again, “You can miss your vocational training for one day.” They passed TO the plate of food, “You do need to eat this though, then you can go back to sleep.”

 

TO didn’t take the food. Their stomach hurt so badly that the idea of eating made them feel sick.

 

“You need to eat.”

 

“I… I’ll get sick-”

“You won’t.” MO-6 insisted, “I’ve put something in the food to calm your mind and your stomach. You’ll eat, you’ll sleep, and you’ll feel better when you’ve woken.”

 

“Will I?” TO asked. They gave a sudden, almost manic laugh, “No I won’t.”

“Why not?”

 

TO shook their head, “I won’t…” they said, “I don’t know where DH is-” they realized that they had forgotten to correct themself, but they also realized that they didn’t quite care at the moment, “And GiDi… GiDi’s gone.”

 

“Gone?” MO-6’s ears twitched for a moment, “I suppose that’s the small one that was always around you?” they asked. TO nodded. “And… I suppose they didn’t pass their examination.”

 

TO gasped, taking a deep breath as another sob threatened to escape them. They could only nod in answer.

 

“...Well.” They said, “Though I'm certain that the actions taken to correct...GiDi? While I’m certain that they’ll be for the best, I am sorry that your...” they trailed off, looking for the right word.

 

“My friend” TO croaked out, “My friend. My friend is gone.”

 

“I am sorry for that.” MO-6 said, “And I can see that it has upset you greatly. However, you must keep in mind that it is for the best in service to King Decon.” They set the plate down on the bed, “Eat.” they said again. “Eat. At the very least, you’ll feel a little better after you’ve eaten. Then you’ll sleep, and you’ll feel a little better after that. Then, when you leave here you can look for 70H67.” they quirked an ear at TO, “Do they already know about your friend?”

 

“Yes.” TO whispered.

 

“Then I’ll expect them here soon as well. I’ll tell them you’re here. I’ll bring them here if you like.”

 

“Yes… please.”

 

“Only if you eat.”

 

TO looked at the plain, grey cubes of food. They took one and started nibbling on it. A few moments later their stomach seemed to go numb, and they didn’t feel like they’d be sick anymore.

 

They actually started to feel hungry.

 

Before they knew it, they had eaten the whole meal. They reached out to break apart the plate, but their thoughts seemed suddenly slippery and far away. Their body felt tired.

 

They lay down. They didn’t quite sleep; they were vaguely aware of themself, but in the hours that passed they lingered in a strange, ethereal state where their body wouldn’t move and their thoughts couldn’t stick.

 

======

 

TO’s thoughts came back to them slowly as whatever was in the food started to wear off. The knowledge of GiDi being taken away, the events in the simulation, and how they couldn't find DH ebbed back slowly.

It was all easier to take now, and they didn’t want to throw up as they thought about it. Maybe it was because of whatever was in the food that they had been given, or maybe it was just because they had cried so much and were so exhausted that they couldn’t really feel much.

 

They knew they were sad, but they felt like they had sunk so deep inside themselves that they couldn’t feel it. They had a headache, and just wanted to go back to sleep. They turned over, perfectly content to go back to sleep right away.

 

No...no, they couldn’t. They had to find DH. DH wasn’t here. DH was still out there somewhere.

 

They rolled over on their back and looked around, hoping to see DH in the room with them. The room was empty though. They got up, stumbled to the door, and made their way down the hallway to the main room. Like before, MO-6 was the only one there. TO was relieved to see that there were no other synths there to witness them in their ragged and exhausted state, though they were also worried because DH wasn’t there.

 

“You’re up?” MO-6 tilted their head at TO, “How do you feel?”

 

“Tired.” TO muttered, “Did DH-”

 

“Apologies, but 70H67 didn’t arrive. Did they know that you were coming to the Medical bay?”

 

TO shook their head, “No… No I haven’t seen them.”

 

MO-6 nodded, “Well, if my experience with them is accurate, then they’re likely looking for you. I’d go somewhere where you would be easy to find; perhaps your pod? Rest would be best for you at any rate.”

 

TO nodded, muttered their thanks, and started for the door.

 

“Wait.” MO-6 said. They picked up a plate of food, “It’s past time for your final meal of the day. I took the liberty of getting your food and ensuring it had more medication in it. Tomorrow you’ll be back on normal food but if you have more problems you have to come and tell me.”

 

“Understood, Officer.” TO muttered. They took the food and left to go back to the dormitories. Maybe MO-6 was right; Maybe DH was looking for them. Maybe DH was in their own pod, sad and upset because they couldn't find them.

 

Sad that GiDi was gone.

 

For the best in service to King Decon.

 

Was it really? They knew that it was supposed to be, but they just couldn’t believe it.