Chereads / Home is where your heart is / Chapter 4 - Homecoming

Chapter 4 - Homecoming

Finding myself being stretched, I let out a pained groan. That's an understatement. It hurts like HELL. My entire body being stretched out, I would scream if I had air. Instead, I can only silently open my mouth. And now, the system is back.

[Greetings, host. We hope you enjoyed your brief experience in the In-Between. For safety measures, we must extract all information you have attained upon your arival, as well as the system. We hope for your understanding.]

Thought so. But all memories are going too? Shame, but I don't think I could do much with them anyway. However, I wonder: Will my next death - or generally, DEATH, considering I've apparently not died - lead me back here? Or did I really imagine it? Oh well.

[Extracting memories... Failed. (restricted access) has completely merged memories with host. Attempting again...]

[Extracting memories... Failed. (restricted access) has completely merged memories with host. Attempting again...]

[Extracting memories... Failed. (restricted access) has completely merged memories with host. Attempting again...]

[Unable to retrieve memories. Attempting system extraction.]

[Extracting system... Partial success. (restricted access) has partially merged system with host. Attempting full extraction...]

[Failure. Attempting again...]

[Failure. Attempting again...]

[Host deemed Code "Light Violet" risk. Discontinuing connection with planet "Earth"...]

[Failure. (restricted access) has stabilized connection. Attempting reroute connection... Searching for suitable detainment sector... Sector 11 "Nova" selected. Attempting to confine host in Nova...]

I was prepared to lose my memories, but this is unexpected. And when I get to the "detainment" part, I realize the system is effectively trying to jail me. I'm sure sweat would drip out my pores if I were material, but the system has classified my state as simple consciousness often enough. But what is that "restricted access" thingumajig? Sure, it's protecting me and all, but it's what's responsible for my trouble in the first place, so it can (s)kill itself for all I care. I chuckle lightly at my joke, only to promptly realize that this kind of joke is probably the reason my parents got taken away from me. I try not to think about them too much, and instead focus on the matter at hand.

[Confinement unsuccessful. Looking for host countermeasures...]

[Found countermeasures:

Bargaining

Modified system]

[Initiating countermeasure 1:]

Suddenly, the sweetest, most angelic voice I'd ever heard rang out in the void, accompanied by the system also writing said words on the system panel.

"Hello, oh amazingly handsome host. I'm sure someone as attractive as you wouldn't have a need for something as futile as a SYSTEM, right?"

[Hello, oh amazingly handsome host. I'm sure someone as attractive as you wouldn't have a need for something as futile as a SYSTEM, right?]

I feel like I'm watching an english movie with subtitles turned on. And a horrid movie at that. The system isn't even trying to hide it's complete and utter dicksucking. I'm sure a rabid porcupine could make more successful flattery than this BS, and I voice my thoughts.

"Kill yourself"

comes the answer, making me think that the system might know more to the fine art of convincing people than it lets on.

"When I get back home - due to the incompetence of a certain system, might I add - I'm going to delete my PC driver."

"..."

comes the answer to my threat. And then

"What system do you use?"

So it wants to know my bloody PC driver now? I'm tempted to say MacOS just to piss it off, seeing as the system seems knowledgeable on the case. But maybe it's not too late to get on the system's good side. I decide to undertake some dicksucking myself.

"Linux"

"Really?"

"Yup"

I answer. I've always had such a way with words...

I wait a while. Finally, an answer.

"Well, at leas-"

The voice was promptly cut off.

[We apologize for the system voices shenanigans. It appears that the bargaining has been unsuccessful. Switching to countermeasure 2...]

Bargaining my ass, but this time I keep quiet.

[To prevent the hosts growth, we are switching your system to one incompatible with your homeworld... Succes-]

[CRITICAL ERROR. PREVIOUS SYSTEM REMNANT INTERFERING "/$(!)"/$!"=)($!?)$)"@Atte21ing'A* rebo8912]

[2$boo7 fail1?ß00]

I gaze at the blue status panel, watching with interest as it gradually grows darker, fading into black. The writing is still white, so it's even easier to read than before. I genuinely don't know what's going on, but my tormentors also don't seem to. So I'm happy. Suddenly, I feel myself growing increasingly tired, for no apparent reason. And then I fall asleep, dreaming of myself bashing in the system.

A few hours pass before I open my eyes with a jolt. Cold, stone floor - not the clinic. It's dark, so I wait for my eyes to adjust. It's still dark after a minute, so I decide that I'll have to move without seeing a thing. A thought strikes me.

"Status window!"

Nothing happens. I thought I would've been able to at least see the script, as the panel would probably merge with the engulfing darkness around me. I sigh. I decide to feel around myself, constructing a mental image that somewhat resembles my surroundings. Little success, but I'm not complaining. So, I try to make my way through the darkness. Slowly, but surely, I make progress, feeling my way away from walls and the like. I'm almost certainly in a cave, due to the fact that the walls feel like sandstone. It is possible that I'm in a basement with the walls and floor being sandstone, but upon further thought I rule this out. Sandstone is a decent enough building material, but the sandstone I'm feeling feels oddly smooth. Sandstone weathers, rendering it rough and coarse over time, and any basement made from it would be AGES old. I can't have conclusive evidence, but I have to assume something. So, satisfied with my conclusion, I continue.

Deeper and deeper into the neverending darkness.