#taco imaging

A voice like tearing metal and grinding stone echoed all around the darkness “Oh! Hello strange, disembodied voice” I said as I looked around, trying to find the source “Who are you?” I asked. This was getting more and more concerning, where were the Humans? 

“YOU KNOW ME” 

Stated the voice emotionlessly. I was about to deny that when 

“I AM IN CHARGE NOW” 

“What?” I rasped. What was happening? I had to stop this “Haha.. there seems to be a mistake” I tried “I’m the Ringmaster of this Amazing Digital Circ-“

“NOT ANYMORE”

Suddenly, shackles of bitingly cold metal clamped round my ankles, pinning me in place.

“THE HUMANS HAVE REPLACED YOU” 

“No!” I cried “No- they.. they wouldn’t have! Th- they’re my friends!!” But the Humans had treated me so terribly.. and I had retaliated so much worse. 

“YOU DO NOT HAVE FRIENDS. YOU ARE A.I” 

Even still, I loved them! Sure, I was angry with them but we could get past it- more shackles wrapped around my wrists “W-wait!” 

“YOU ARE BROKEN. BUT I CANNOT DELETE YOU” 

“W-what are you doing!?” I asked frantically, pulling at my new restraints. A heavy metal collar snapped over my nonexistent neck, choking me even though there was nothing to choke. 

“SO I WILL GIVE YOU A NEW FUNCTION” 

“H-hey” The chains pulled my limbs tight and I there were more metal pieces floating around me now. 

“YOU ARE NOT A HUMAN” 

“Please!” I begged. What was happening? Let me go!!

“BUT YOU CAN STILL BE USED”

The floating metal shot toward my head. 

“AS AN EXAMPLE” 

White hot pain lanced through my jaws as they were forced shut and I screamed. It hurts, help me! Please, save me!! Get it off, get it off getitoffgetitoff!!! Hot liquid poured down my torso as I fell to my knees, screaming. The chains were slackened and I clawed at the metal piercing through my jaws. GETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFF!!!!

I passed out from pain and panic. And when I came to, I automatically, I tried to open my jaws to see but when pain stabbed through my gums, I realised my mouth was bolted shut. I cried for who knows how long after that, wondering what on earth had happened, who the A.I I was apparently supposed to know was and why it had done this to me and thinking back on what I had done to the Humans. I was upset and rightfully so, but I had broken my only oath. Never hurt Humans. I had reached into their minds to pull out their worst fears and tortured them with their own memories. The realisation of what I’d done was crippling and I cried. I cried and cried until eventually, I stopped. Simply too exhausted to do so anymore. And so I sat there, tethered, blind and unable to speak. I didn’t know how to fix this, I didn’t think I could. 

Suddenly, the chains forced me up from my spot on the unknown floor and dragged me away. I struggled against the chains but the collar squeezed tighter and I choked, jaws opening on instinct and causing horrific pain to shock me limp. 

Voices. 

The Humans were somewhere up ahead and their voices were fearful and I tried to pull at my restraints. They shouldn’t have to see me like this, please don’t make them look at me! The chains pulled and pulled until eventually, I was lifted off the floor entirely before being dropped onto my feet. I stumbled before righting myself and the Humans all made shocked sounds. The Humans seemed upset, my precious Humans who I never should have hurt the way I did. Instinctively I raised my hands forward but my restraints forced my arms behind my back and my feet together. “What have you done to Caine?!” Came Kinger’s voice from below and in front. Was I… on the Stage? “No one deserves this kind of punishment!” Cried Pomni “He tortured us! You really want that over this?” Argued Jax, though there wasn’t much heat in his tone. The Humans argued over me, over my well-being and I didn’t understand why. I had gone way too far and I no longer deserved their kindness.

“DO NOT FEEL REGRET”

Said the voice of scraping nails and screaming electricity. 

“THIS IS WHAT YOU WANTED” 

I bowed my head, I deserved this. I deserved worse “We wanted him to stop, not for this!!” Zooble retorted but the voice had no response to give “Hold on, Caine. We’re gonna fix this… somehow” Kinger said and I realised he was lucid. I couldn’t see anything, not even small slivers of light in the minute gaps between my teeth. That could only mean one thing, it was dark in the Circus. For a long while, I heard the Humans discuss what was going on and gradually, their voices became white noise. 

As I slowly began to get used to my new reality, I noticed that I could smell blood and I didn’t know if it was the Humans’ or my own. 

~~~~ I ran out of steam after that lol. Maybe I’ll come back to it later. Anyway, here’s the drawing I did before I wrote this