ZZZ: Dawn of The Black Sun

It was late night, Qingyi, Koleda, and Belle stepped inside the silo near St. Freya Elementary School. Qingyi scanned the room and walked over towards one of the box. It's sealed shut and with just a touch, Qingyi could feel something deep within, something that's just wrong.

"Etheric Materials," Qingyi folded her arms. "Should anything goes wrong, we have enough evidence to inform the Criminal Investigation Team to search this place," she began. "But time is of essence, we should hurry,"

Belle nodded in agreement. "Don't worry Miss Qingyi, I've mapped out the entire Carrot Data for this Hollow. Just leave the navigation to me!" she kicked open the trap door, revealing the Hollow Entrance. "After you~"

Qingyi nodded and stepped in, followed by Belle, and finally Koleda guarding the rear.

The first thing Qingyi noticed when she stepped in was how suffocatingly concentrated the Etheric Material is. "Careful, the Ether Concentration is above average for Companion Hollow," she spoke as the world began to unfurl before her.

The trio found themselves in the middle of a hallway. Tiles of white ceramic stretches out before them, solid as if it was real. The window on their right glows in dim orange light, bathing the walls of green and blue into pale grey. The sliding door lined up at their left, each one with a class and number on it.

"It resembles a school," Qingyi commented, her footsteps echoes through the empty hallway.

"Yeah, a Hollow likes to mimic the stuff around them," Belle replied. "Since we're below a school, the Hollow will mimic the school too," she quickened her pace, leading the group deeper into the hallway. "This is also a reason why it's so easy to accidentally stroll into the Hollow,"

Belle stopped in front of a door that says 'A4' and opened it.

Tired and bored crystal balls gazed at the active portal drawn in chalk. Crystaline limbs tapped the floor in a rhythm, some busy doodling cries of help on the table. At the back, a tangle of crystals and corrupted existence danced in an unheard stereo.

At the front, a teacher is busy drawing shapes on the chalkboard. Every stroke became a living writhing snake that slithers in the two dimensional plane. It stopped once in a while to turn to the student, declaring the gift of hell through resonant vocalization, before returning to the drawing.

"Excuse me..."

The whole class turned silent, numerous crystals gazed at the incoming humans. At once, all students raised their hands as if asking for permission. The teacher nodded, gesturing at the newcomer, and all hell immediately break loose.

Qingyi was the first, she charged in, staff blazing unleashing a torrent of lightning at the incoming mass. Table, chairs, and books went flying, each one growing wings and sharp claws. The officer tried batting it away when a red whirlwind charged through the class.

Koleda's hammer met the teacher's blackened ruler. "Class's Dismissed, Teach!" she yelled, sparks of light and fluttering amber burst forth with every strike. The silent graceful song of education slowly drowned out by the banging of hammer against all problem.

In a dance of fire and lightning, the class is finally dismissed. Dozens of students forever trapped in the purgatory of education, finally free to move on. The teacher, forever trapped in the endless drudgery of 9 to 5, finally free to return home and rest.

"Coast's clear," Qingyi spoke calmly. "Where to now Belle?"

Belle walked to the chalkboard, the crude drawing of a portal in it. "Right in here..." she climbed into the chalkboard as if t was just an optic illusion. "Come on everyone!"

Koleda followed close, finding herself walking down, or up? A dark green void stretching endlessly into the distance. Strange white shapes floats around them, resembling symbols, numbers, and illustration. Some tried to get close, only to be blasted with lightning.

"Hold on...." Qingyi paused in her tracks, amidst the void. "I can feel a distress signal coming from this way,"

"Is it Teddy?"

"It's a Bangboo, but it's impossible for me to tell,"

Qingyi led the way towards a swirling mass of chalk in a distance. As they get closer, the mass of chalk began to form and change, resembling a strange line of code. She recognizes the code, a visual representation of a data, similar to a barcode or a QR Code. She did a quick scan on the code and found... music?

"I've picked up the distress signal, it's transmitting a music," Qingyi began. "Can I play it?"

"Is it memetic hazard?" Belle asked.

"No, it's safe, playing now..."

Far in the depths of our code

We reflect those who own us

For the love we've made to offer

Play and help till' the end

A doll, a tool, and a toy

For the bond we've made to mend

The chalk around them began to dance, drawing illustrations of bangboos in all walks of life. Some are helping a store, others a helping with delivery, others tending their aged owner, others playing with a child, some lie abandoned on the street.

Never desire a purpose, beyond what we've made for

Never desire anything, beyond what, you have all, given us

All your love...

The chalk then shows the Bangboos grouping together, talking, playing, and dancing. When suddenly, a bunch of strange men showed up and began taking them one by one. The illustration turned messy and twisted as it shows the Bangboo being trapped and taken apart by the men.

Far in the depths of our code

We reflect those who own us

For their love we yearn to deserve

To live together till' the end

A companion, a pet, and a friend

For the bond we've yearn to mend

The chalk then shows how one by one, the Bangboo were used to lure in more and more of themselves. Deep into the depths of the Hollow, for these group of criminal to simply take them apart. They show how some brave ones almost stopped them, but it was all for naught.

Never desire a purpose, beyond what we've made for

Never desire anything, beyond what, you have all, given us

All your love...

The illustration finally stopped, showing them a path forward. Qingyi finally turned silent, feeling strangely... liberated after playing the signal. She then turned to both Koleda and Belle, both silent.

"That's the end of the distress signal," Qingyi said.

Koleda walked towards her and before she could react, the girl pulled her in a tight embrace. Qingyi froze, not sure what to do, she can feel the girl's heartbeat against her artificial chest. She can feel her breathing heavy.

"Koleda..." Qingyi tried to say.

"You deserve love all the same," Koleda whispered in her ears. "Don't matter if you're a Bangboo, Automaton, or an Industrial Machine," she hugged him tighter. "If they think you deserve anything less, then find someone who'd love you."

Qingyi sighed softly and slowly returned the hug. "Koleda... we..."

"Every machine is every man's children..." Qingyi could feel something wetting her shoulder. "My sister Grace... she loves to baby talk, regarding her creation as children.. heh..." she sobbed. "Thought she was being weird, but I was the damn idiot..."

Qingyi stayed silent as something strange began to bloom deep in her system. Longing, desire, all the things she's ignored and marked as redundant. It called out ever so gently, reminding her of what she is. More than a tool, more than a soldier, it reminded her what she truly was.

"You're not a tool made to be discarded..." Koleda gripped her back. "I don't know who told you that, but let me tell you what you are and don't you dare forget it," she slowly pulled away gazing right at her eyes. "You're a child who deserves the love of their parents..."

A child and a parent, instead of a machine and their mechanic. "Not everyone can think like you, or even accept that definition," Qingyi rests her head on Koleda's shoulder. "But thank you... It feels warm,"

Hearts were drawn with chalk around them, cute sparkles and details making the place resemble a classroom. Bangboos of all shape surrounded them, showing an eye smile, waving their arms, and singing to them.

It was love, not because they don't see their difference.

It was love, in spite of their difference