When I Wake Up, I Will -

Alec felt like he got whiplash.

System No.00110399 thought they were friends??

In a sudden change of events, the System that Alec didn't get along with the most was actually the System that had his interests at heart? The low-grade bullying was actually a sign of friendship?

Suddenly, Alec had to re-evaluate all of his previous connections and interactions with the Systems in the Mainframe's space.

Alec carefully ran over his memories about his time in System space, but he didn't see much of what System No.00110399 talked about.

Alec struggled to use his new knowledge that he'd gained in this life about human and social interaction and tried to apply it back to his time as a System, and if he was being truthful, what he remembered about System No.00110399 did indeed seem like a friend's teasing.

Alec felt a low burn of embarrassment creep up on him. Fuck, that was embarrassing. How could he not have realized after so long with the other System bothering him? Just how much more was he missing??

It would be a lie to say that he was unmoved after hearing about everything that System No.00110399 had gone through in order to find Alec in the multitude of universes and timelines.

Not only that, the System had left the Mainframe's company?

A System leaving the Mainframe's company was pretty much almost certain death.

Systems needed data streams and interaction with other Systems in order for them to continue functioning normally. Otherwise, the System in question would eventually go crazy and self-destruct after the loneliness got to be too much.

In that way, Systems and humans were the same, but that was to be expected. The Systems had originally been humans in the first place.

Speaking of which, Alec could see that the System's hand sometimes glitched a little, causing him to frown in concern for his new – old? – friend.

System No.00110399 had grabbed onto Alec and babbled away, trying to hide it, but Alec still saw it nonetheless. The other's trash ability level at hiding things was still evident even now. Alec knew that System No.00110399 tried to be sneaky, but compared to his intelligence with other things, he was just too clumsy in this aspect.

Alec compared the face in his memories to the one that he saw before him now.

He wondered. Just what was it that had led him to believe that the other was picking on him? Surely, he wasn't that oblivious, was he? His memories were a bit fuzzy at that time, which made him frown more internally.

Alec would normally have flung off System No.00110399's hand already, but for some reason, he felt a strange guilt when he thought about how the other had waited so long for him to reappear in the world.

Alec allowed System No.00110399's words to wash over him as he studied the place.

It was strange that the System still had access to this room even though he had already left the company, but then what did he know about those who'd left?

Alec looked at System No.00110399, who grew alert when he saw Alec's contemplative eyes.

The System took a step back, covering his chest as he acted like a shy maiden, pulling a startled laugh Alec. The System was not what he would call innocent. At all.

"Can you connect with my existing System?" Alec asked instead.

Since the other considered Alec a friend, he wouldn't turn him away. Or, at least, that was what he was banking on.

System No.00110399 was puzzled. "What do you mean? Aren't you disconnected from the Mainframe's automated system already?"

Alec nodded. "I was. I was actually connected to the Mainframe's automated system when I was first sent down, but then one day it just kind of… snapped? Anyway, a new System was born in place of that, even though I had no idea until my master said 'status' in front of me. Unfortunately, I don't have any tools to check whether or not there's something strange with it."

"What?" System No.00110399 said, looking serious for once. "What the heck. You waited until now to mention it?!"

Alec shrugged.

The System dragged Alec over towards the screens as he pulled up various screens and devices to scan the data to Alec's human body.

Alec bore the other's checks with good humour, allowing the other to poke and prod at him with various instruments.

The frown on System No.00110399's face grew the more time passed. The other System eventually started muttering to himself.

Alec left it to the other System, because even though both of them had been Systems under the Mainframe's rule, there was still a hierarchy of skill level throughout the Systems, and though Alec had been competent, the one that truly stood out and shone skills wise was System No.00110399.

The other could utilize all the technology that landed in his hands with a finesse that made others look up to him, which was why Alec originally assumed that the other System was just bullying him whenever he tried to 'help him out'.

In hindsight, that was pretty embarrassing for Alec to lash out like that. He'd probably been smarting from his previous life –

Alec repressed the memories deep, deep down.

System No.00110399 hummed as he pulled apart the data that had been embedded into Alec's data, frowning fiercely the more he saw.

Despite himself, Alec was growing a little antsy seeing System No.00110399's reaction. He had never seen the other System react so fiercely before.

"Can you do anything about it?" Alec asked at last.

"Mmh," System No.00110399 replied absently. "This code… yeah… mm… maybe if I…"

Alec felt helpless, realizing that the other had fallen into what he called 'the zone', which was when the other System slipped into full working mode, where nothing would be able to distract him come hell or high water.

Alec listened to his friend (?) mutter absently about how this wasn't the Mainframe's data, as well as various other things that sounded vaguely like curses.

System No.00110399 eventually snapped out of it and started explaining it to Alec with gleaming eyes. It was evident that he'd found himself a challenge that he couldn't decipher.

"I don't know who did it. I tried tracing it back, but it only gives me all sorts of dead ends that I'm unable to breach. What I do know, however, is that this new System was already attached to your body even before the Mainframe's automated system was in the place. It then eventually severed your original link with the Mainframe, so now even if the Mainframe wants you back, it has to establish a new contract with you."

Alec's brows shot up. He wasn't surprised about his link with the Mainframe being severed completely, or he would have heard the Mainframe's toneless voice for a lot longer now, but something being able to stump System No.00110399?

The green-eyed System continued excitedly. "You see, compared to the Mainframe's automated system, the one you're connected to is now only in the stages of infancy. It's a growing type system that will eventually evolve and change depending on the usage of it."

Alec was baffled. He'd never heard of a growing type system at all, and he said as such.

System No.00110399 nodded excitedly, all but jumping around as his eyes sparkled. "I'm not surprised. It's one of the things that the Mainframe kept hush-hush, if you know what I mean."

Both of them feel silent for a while as they both contemplated about different things.

"Can you connect with the new system?" Alec asked, pointedly looking at System No.00110399's glitching hand.

System No.00110399 scratched his cheek, uncharacteristically embarrassed at having his weakness exposed like this.

"Yeah, I can. If I just do… this," System No.00110399 said, tapping a few things on the screen.

Alec's vision started going blotchy, and the last thing he thought about before he blacked out was that he was going to strangle the idiot when he woke up.