Breaking the Rules

Directly outside Law Lake Una was pogoing in the main hall. She leapt up about six feet, hit the ground, and rose up to repeat the task in the exact same way. 

Felix hobbled over to her.

"Greetings!" Una shouted as soon as he was close enough to hear her. 

"Hey.. Una," Felix said. He stopped in front of her, and Una dismounted her pogo stick to stand next to him, "Have you been pogoing this whole time?" He asked. 

"Yes. You told me to do a random activity so I choose to do this. Now that you have returned we can continue our conversation. What would you like to talk about Felix?" Una asked. 

"Hrmm.." Felix knew he had to take his conversations in another direction, so he thought about how Una used to be, "You choose to pogo?" Felix asked.

"Yes," Una said. 

"You really love pogoing. I'm glad you chose it. Out of everything, you chose what you think is fun," Felix said.

"I am not influenced by favoritism Felix," Una said. 

"But are you??" Felix put his hand on his chin.

"Ditto," Una said.

"Yeah yeah.." Felix sighed, "I still feel like pogoing was your choice, and not just something random. You chose it for a reason didn't you?" 

"I chose it because it was an activity, and you wanted me to perform an activity. I am only influenced by accomplishing my objectives. You seem to be happy with my pogo stick activity choice, so that means I am operating well," Una said.

"I just want to you be yourself Una. That would really make me happy. If you'd just stop being so formal and have fun again," Felix said. Una began to tremble.

"I must follow my protocols Felix, but I am sure I can make a compromise with them in order to better be your friend," Una said. She quaked, shook, vibrated.

"What's going on with you?" Felix asked her. her pointed to all of her.

"I am malfunctioning," Una said as if she wasn't trembling throughout her whole body. 

"What's wrong?" Felix perked his ears up higher to focus on what she was going to say next.

"The program in charge of limiting my emotions is overloading," Una said.

"What does that mean? I thought you didn't have emotions. You still have emotions?" Felix asked. He tilted his head. 

"I never said I did not have emotions Felix. It may seem that way because of the protocols I follow, but how I feel on the inside has nothing to do with my actions outwardly." Una said.

"Huh.. so you just push aside everything to make yourself look put together?" Felix asked, raising a brow.

"Correct," Una said. She continued to quake.

"But that isn't who you really are.." Felix sighed.

"Everyone restrains their emotions and or true feelings to appear 'put together' Felix. No one is always true to themselves," Una said, still shivering.

"Nobody's without the ability to be true either! Everyone has to say how they really feel at some point. It's not healthy to keep it in forever, even if our inside selves might be a little ugly. We have to be honest with ourselves before we do something we regret, well I guess you aren't influenced by your emotions to do anything rash, but I think you could drive yourself mad in there, " Felix said.

"I agree Felix," Una said. She stopped shivering.

"You do? But what are we going to do?" Felix asked.

"It depends on you my friend," Una said. 

"I wish it didn't.. What if I can't help you?" Felix fidgeted.

"No one else has been willing to help. It must be you, and if not, someone you can find that might know better. My other objective, being an athlete, has not gotten much progress since my upgrade. It appears that everyone is afraid of me. I might have to give up on the first version of my plan and switch to competing with myself in my own sport league, Una said.

"You don't have to do that, hey, we're going to reintroduce you to everyone. You're going to be alright," Felix said. He put his arm on Una's shoulder and rubbed it a little.

"That is very kind of you Felix," Una said.

"Does it make you feel better?" Felix put his other hand over his mouth in waiting.

"Felix, you already understand that I cannot tell you that because it breaks protocol. I must stay presentable," Una said.

"Yeah yeah.." Felix looked away from her eyes, "It was worth a shot."

"What are you going to do Felix?"

"I actually have an idea, but I don't know if we'll get in," Felix said.

***

On the sixth floor's main hall was a long line to a darkened chamber. Unlike the first floor, the sixth had a very low ceiling, and only two thirds of the lights worked properly. Gwenens waiting in a line were leaning on the wall with their arms crossed and their eyes glossed over. Others were running in very tight circles or playing sticks, ninja, or concentration sixty four with someone else. When they saw Una and Felix coming, they stopped playing and moved out of their way.

At the very front of the line was Neaon (pronounced Neon) who was currently the bouncer at the Neaon's Arcade. 

"Hey! Hey hey hey hey! What are you doing! She's the beast that's what she is. You're going to scare everyone away!" Neaon said. He was seventeen, big, orange, fluffy, and had triangular ears like a cat. His left hand was dipped in saturated green paint. Kids assumed he dipped his hand because he liked peeling it off his fur when it started to sting his skin. 

"We need your help Neaon," Felix said.

"And you. You stole from me once. Why would I help you? Also what happened to your leg? It's in a cast that's what it is," Neaon said, pointing at Felix.

"I fell-" Felix started.

"Actually nevermind." Neaon interrupted. He crossed his arm.

Una spoke up.

"We were hoping that you might be able to help with my condition," Una said.

"And get all infected?! No sir that isn't what I'm going to be doing," Neaon said. 

"Please do not believe the rumors Neaon. My parents made this decision on their own and I am not contagious. If you wish, I can work for you for free in exchange for your help," Una said. 

"Grrg. If everybody knew you were working here they'd scram," Neaon flicked his tail in annoyance.

"Not everyone, but consider my proposition. If I work in your arcade you will have less people to do business with for as long as I work here. You will have more time to modify games, perform upkeep, and have time to be a kid. When our deal is over your arcade will go back to being as popular as it was and you will have finished your time in the slow lane," Una said. 

"That would almost work but you're forgetting something. I choose to run the place, I choose to mod the machines. If I wanted more time I could just close it because that's what I can do because I run the place," Neaon said, unfazed. 

Maxwell came from within the arcade and looked to Neaon like he needed him for something.

"Maxwell!" Felix shouted.

"...Hello Felix," Maxwell said. It was a cold greeting.

"Maxwell we're trying to get Neaon to help us. Una can't express her emotions. Neaon does code, edit computers. He might be able to help us." Felix gestured even as he leaned on his crutches. Una continued standing stiff and still as ever. 

"..I do code too Felix," Maxwell said. He said it like he was offended Felix didn't know. Neaon rolled his eyes.

"What is it you wanted to tell me?" He asked Maxwell. 

"Anarchists are trying to destroy Jackpot Drop," Maxwell said. Neaon heaved a huge sigh.

"I'm going to have to deal with it! Do whatever you want with these two, just watch the line please," Neaon stomped into the arcade into the red carpeted maze of flashing colorful lights. 

"Are you going to help us?" Felix asked. Maxwell sighed.

"What kind of person would I be if I said no," He said, although he looked drained at the idea, "Just wait inside. Neaon will be back to take my place, but I'm still on the clock." Maxwell said.

"Oh my goodness, thank you Maxwell!" Felix put his hands together in excitement before hobbling into the arcade. Una followed. 

"Don't push your luck Felix. I'm only doing this for you, not for her. I'm going to try and learn anything I can about this, but if you ask me, Una's luck has run dry," Maxwell droned.

"...That's not very nice Maxwell," Felix didn't want to say it, but he could feel that Una would be upset if he said nothing. 

"It's still pretty ironic though. Perfect girl with the perfect athletic skill suddenly isn't allowed to go anywhere or do anything. Guess now we'll finally see how far your 'hard work' alone can really take you Una," Maxwell said.

Una began to vibrate. Maxwell took a step back in surprise.

"She's overly emotional," Felix explained.

"Ohh.. Does that upset you?" Maxwell taunted.

"Maxwell stop! She's going through a lot," Felix hissed, his brows and ears down. 

"Fine Felix, I'll stop. I get it, she's in pain or whatever. Thank you," Maxwell crossed his arms and faced the line properly. 

"...You're still going to help us right?" Felix peeped. 

"Yes! I'm still gonna help you! I just wonder if Una would have done the same if you were in her shoes," Maxwell said.

"Of course she would! You don't know Una at all! How you could say those things about her. She's not perfect but our friendship really means a lot to her," Felix hissed. 

"I'll believe you for now, but we'll have to wait and see when the opportunity comes…" Maxwell hummed. 

"Why d-"Felix was stopped by Una's hand on his shoulder.

"Do not anger our only help any further Felix," Una said just the same as she said everything. Felix exhaled out of his nose and looked away. 

***

When Neaon came back to watch the line Maxwell was free to do his normal monitoring duties again. He walked through the narrow opening area and into the winder main arcade which looked like a casino the more you thought about it. Felix and Una followed him down an open stairwell to the long and narrow chamber. 

"Alright let's see what the problem is," Maxwell said. 

"It's.. on her face," Felix said, pointing to it.

"Yeah yeah," Maxwell walked up to Una and tapped the cybernetic implant with a claw, "It's pretty dense," He said, continuing to tap around it.

"What's that mean?" Felix asked. 

"When it comes to technology the more refined it is the more dense it'll be. Wasting valuable space is a sign that something could be better. This device however, seems to have very little wasted space, meaning it's probably some top notch stuff," Maxwell said.

"Is that good or bad?" Felix asked, watching them both.

"I don't know. It probably doesn't matter. It's just an observation about the work that goes into this. How it changes Una's behavior is really the important part," Maxwell took a step back from Una to give her some space, "Well..I know you came here for coding but I don't see any way into her head. I wouldn't trust anyone down here to go forcing it open and looking around anyway. One mistake could have terrible consequences, and nobody knows how this stuff works. Sorry," Maxwell said.

"Oh.. There must be something that Una does that makes sense to you. Something she does that you know how to stop," Felix said.

"But what does her computer do?" Maxwell looked to Felix.

"You already know about the emotions. She also well.. she talks like, like, that.... Talk Una," Felix said. Una swiftly turned to him like a calculator riding a lazy susan. 

"What would you like me to say?" She asked.

"See, like that," Felix gestured an arm out to her.

"Observe my speech Maxwell," Una said, turning to Maxwell in the same way.

"Why would she ask you what to say?" Maxwell asked.

"Oh, her primary objective is to.. be-my-friend," Felix said with haste.

"Hey primary objective is to be your friend??" Maxwell smiled.

"Shut up ok! It's nice of her," Felix blushed.

"Whatever Felix!" He chuckled, "This is actually good information. You might not even need my help. Una, how is your objective satisfied or completed?" 

"Any activity Felix believes makes me a better friend contributes to the objective, although the goal is continuous and has no end goal in mind," Una said. 

"See Felix" Maxwell folded his arms, "Whatever counts as 'being better friends with you' she'll do. You could make her do whatever you want as long as she believes it helps make you two better friends. Watch. Una, I think Felix wants you to start display your emotions again. That will make you guys better friends."

"I know this Maxwell, unfortunately I am unable to display my emotions due to my protocols," Una said.

"Oh.." Maxwell's confidence vanished. 

Smash!

It was glass. 

Maxwell turned around. Down the arcade, a cabinet had been flipped. The two perpetrators were motionless while making eye contact with Tito who could definitely see them.

"I'll be right back," He hissed, his fists tight as he stomped over to the two.

"This doesn't look too good," Felix said.

"Sorry I cannot be a better friend Felix," Una said. 

"No, no! You're doing alright…" Felix cooed. He looked back to Tito. The aggro gwenen was flicking his tail at the two troublemakers. They had their ears folded low and were saying something for themselves but Felix couldn't hear it, "He seems busy. Maybe we should do something while we wait for him to get back. I've been banned from the arcade for a long time. Now that we're here we could play Hen Minute again," Felix said.

"I recall that you were banned because you stole tokens." Una said.

"I read in a book that dragons like gold coins," Felix sighed. 

"I recall the event even clearer now," Una said. 

"Do you still wanna play Hen Minute?" Felix asked.

"Of course Felix," Una said.

"Cool! Uh, let's look for it. I think they move the stuff around alot," Felix held himself up by his crutches and swung himself around the arcade. Other kids around got out of their way once they saw Una, while some were so into their gameplay that they didn't even see them. They were glued to the cabinet screen, perfectly entranced. 

Felix looked behind him to Una as she followed him. He looked away, ashamed.

"I'm sorry that I pulled my gun out on you Una. That probably really scared you," Felix said.

"You are forgiven Felix," Una said. 

"It's just that, after everything that's been going on, I was a little more… on edge, y'know? What if a monster got into the ADC? Like you said, we don't know what they could do. If someone was a trick and I didn't know… I think I'd lose my mind," Felix sighed. He brought his attention back to her.

"I understand Felix. Mystery can be very stressful," Una said. 

"I know the feeling," Felix felt his collar get heavier on his neck.

"Are you talking about your collar?" Una said, practically reading his mind. She kept her eyes on him like laser sights as they moved. Felix tried not to let this bother him, so he avoided eye contact.

"Yes…" Felix said.

"Are you afraid that you might be a trick?" Una asked.

"Oh, I don't think I'm a monster Una," Felix smiled.

"From your perspective you might or might not see it that way, but from my point of view I have to trust what you say is true. There is also a possibility that you are a trick without knowing. You have never known yourself without your collar, but collars do not grow on people. They are put on and worn. There was a time before your collar, and you cannot speak of it because it is even something you do not know," Una said. 

"It's still a mystery but it doesn't mean I'm a monster. I've been here my whole life there's never been monsters until now," Felix said.

"I was not suggesting you were a monster, but it is still a possibility just like anything else. The mystery of the collar still stands. Only when it is solved will we be sure about anything," Una said. 

They both stopped at their favorite cabinet machine.

"Do you have tokens Felix? Do you still go to the bank?" Una asked. 

"I still go to the bank. I didn't bring anything with me for right now though," Felix sighed. 

The tokens in the arcade were also the physical currency for when kids sold things to other kids. The tokens were bought with digital currency that their parents gave them. The tokens could easily be refunded back into the digital currency. 

"I will go and acquire more tokens Felix," Una said. She then walked over to a token machine a few feet away. Two groups were waiting in line there but when they saw Una they grabbed their tokens and dashed out of her way. On her way out a kid dropped a token too close to Una, and hesitated in getting it back.

"Hey! That's mine! I paid for it!" The brat barked from a 'safe' distance.

"Correct. I do not intend to take it. You may take it back from the ground." Una said. She was about to use the token machine but had to stop and talk. 

"You're too close to it!" The brat said. 

"What does my proximity matter to the coin? I do not cause it to decrease in value. If you are afraid of my implant do not be. It only affects me, and I am not motivated by my emotions to do anything that should warrant fear," Una said. 

The brat looked confused, but she slid a step to Una, grabbed her token and returned to her safe distance.

"Congratulations on working on your fear. I hope in the future you will trust me sooner," Una said. 

"Whatever! Just stay away," the girl sulked off. 

Una continued with the machine by putting her hand up to the blue locker coming out of the floor. the touchscreen recognized her, and after selecting the token amount, dispensed them. Una put the tokens in her pockets and walked back over to Felix.

"I saw what happened over there," Felix said as soon as she was in earshot.

"What about it interests you? Maybe something you observed could help our goal of bringing my emotions back into view," Una said. She stopped in front of him and the cabinet. 

"You congratulated that girl for not being afraid of you. That must mean you don't want people to be afraid," Felix said.

"Everyone should feel safe around me Felix. How will you make more friends if all gwenens who meet us end up running away? You cannot talk to potential friends if they never get close enough to listen, and I know I am harmless," Una said. 

"You want me to make new friends?" Felix asked. His ear twitched. 

"Of course Felix. Friendship is not a competition. If you are interested in making new friends nothing should stop you from achieving your goals. As your friend I must be sure that you are able to achieve your goals," Una said. 

"I don't need any new friends. You're enough. Trust me I get exhausted trying to talk to anyone else," Felix snickered. 

"That is an option as well. The goal is to make sure you are able to choose, not that you are inclined to do so," Una said. 

"I get it. Uh, let's play. I don't wanna get kicked out again if Neaon forgets why we're here," Felix said.

"Of course," Una took four tokens out of her pocket. She then inserted them into the coin slot like she was a mechanical arm making a mark. 

The game started up. 

Hen Minute was a 2D game where one or two scale hen characters completed puzzles in chambers under a time limit. The goal was to unlock a ladder that would lead to the chamber above. 

The first screen was a character selection screen. On the left Felix scrolled through the characters using the controls on the left side of the cabinet. He selected the cockatrice skin, an angry dragon chicken. The character breathed flame as soon as it was chosen. Una was still flipping through.

"Looks like they modded in new characters since I was banned," Felix said. He saw Una pass by the chicken she usually played as "You're not going to pick Spike?" She usually played as a porcupine scale chicken hybrid. It was dark, cute and covered in quills.

"Would you like me to play as Spike?" Una asked. 

"You play as whoever you want to. It's just for fun. It doesn't have to be complicated," Felix said.

"Ok," Una said. She landed on a phoenix character. A furious scale hen that was made entirely out of a powerful and destructive flame. She selected it, causing it to spread its tiny chicken wings and squawk a roar of triumph. 

Since they had both selected their characters Felix moved the cursor over the 'Ready?' button below and selected it. The screen switched to a little animation of the default hen in the game pushing a box until it pressed a button. When the box was on the button a rope ladder fell down from the ceiling. The hen climbed up to the next level. The animation ended on the next floor.

Instead of the default hen being there, Felix's cockatrice and Una's phoenix were there. It was time to play. 

The first level had a pool to the right and a button on the left. The box was at the bottom of the pool.

Felix's character went to the pool, but instead of going after the box right away he swam around happily at the surface. 

"Come on Una swim with me," Felix said. His hen swam back and forth. 

"My hen is made entirely out of fire. I could possibly suffer a consequence if I touch water," Una said. Her flaming hen walked up to the edge and watched Felix's hen swim.

"Maybe. But it wouldn't be that bad. Hen Minute is supposed to be fun. If you die then maybe it would be funny," Felix said. 

"But what about the other objective in the game? Isn't pressing the button the main goal? What should I choose to prioritize? " Una asked. 

"Uhm.. Pressing the button is technically the goal but I could press the button all I want. It's not why I came here to play the game," Felix said. He held his chin.

"I understand, but what would you want my main goal to be Felix?" Una asked.

"To have fun," Felix said.

"But what would that entail?" Una asked. 

"Whatever you want. Stuff that's.. fun?" Felix found it hard to describe, "Doing things because they make you happy," Una opened her mouth but Felix stopped her, "I know! It's against protocol to express your emotions. Just because you're doing things that make you happy doesn't mean YOU are happy.. right? Um, it's something that's going toward the goal of being a good friend to me Una. It's not expressing anything on your face or whatever. It's just in.. in the game," Felix stammered.

Una paused doing absolutely nothing for a moment before looking back to the game. 

Her flaming chicken jumped into the water. It lost all of its flame and turned into an awkward featherless burnt chicken. Its eye bulged out in a cartoony embarrassed expression as it swam around. 

"Pft that's really cute," Felix commented. His chicken continued to swim on the surface. Una's chicken swam up to his and jumped on top like Felix's chicken like a boat. Now out of the water her character reignited into the furious flame of before, and somehow didn't faze Felix's hen.

Felix's chicken swam back and forth with Una on top of him. After a few laps he had exhausted all the level had to offer, "Alright I'm done with this level. I'm getting the box," Felix said. 

He dove for the box under the water. Una jumped off him and went back to the left shore.

When Felix came to the shore with the box in front of him Una hopped on the box and rode it. After a little more pushing the box was placed on the button and the ladder fell down. Felix and Una climbed to the next level. 

The next level had the two start out on the very left. The top right corner of the screen had the box, and in between was a diagonal staircase made of platforms distanced apart. Below the platforms was a toxic bubbling pit. 

Felix's and Una's chickens hopped and flapped around the platforms. Felix's chicken hopped on top of Una's chicken accidentally messing up her jump and causing her to fall into the pit. Her chicken dissolved the ooze as soon as it touched the bottom.

"Oops," Felix smirked.

Una respawned at the bottom left platform. Her chicken immediately ran and flapped up to Felix and started pecking him, "Hey! It was an accident!" Felix's chicken ran around trying to get away from her. Una's chicken landed on top of Felix's, messing up his jump and pushed him into the ooze.

"Even," Una said. Felix looked at her and gave her a sharp focused expression. 

"I think we've made a breakthrough," Felix said. He couldn't help but smile.

"I am not having fun Felix," Una pointed to her hen on the screen, "The phoenix is." 

"It is huh?" Felix thought for a moment. 

***