//4-HN: EMOTION LOG--Guilt

She was so reckless. She had never been reckless like that. If anything had gone differently, they could have been in a world of trouble. 4-HN thought about her out of character actions as ducked into a secluded alley with his partner, who immediately dropped to the ground. She hadn't passed out, and appeared to be uninjured, but now was almost entirely unmoving on the wet pavement of the street.

He had so many questions waiting to spill out. "What the hell were you thinking? Why didn't you wait for me? Why were you so quick to draw your swords on them?" All of these questions melted away as he took a closer look at his partner on the ground. ANGELs had no need to intake oxygen: they relied on a self-replenishing nuclear powered core for energy. EDGE, of course, had developed this. These cores also generated heat if the ANGEL was to get too cold, or was caught in some form of cryo freeze trap on a mission. Regardless of necessity, ANGELs had the ability to convey their emotional state through mimicking rapid breaths or shakiness of limbs when they were incredibly distressed.

5-AE's normally tranquil composure was nowhere to be found. She had brought her legs up against her chest, her head resting against her knees as she leaned against the stone wall of the adjacent building. She now drew in ragged breaths, like a small wounded animal, and was trembling furiously from the shoulders down. 4-HN's nonexistent heart sank.

He now recalled what had happened when he first visited her in the torture chamber at EDGE. As he turned away from her "bed" to walk away, he heard the cast iron constraints on her arms and legs start to shake lightly, almost as if something were vibrating inside of them. She was quivering. 5-AE, of course, would never let 4-HN or the researchers see such a reaction, but anyone, even an android as silently strong-willed as her, would give in to the stress of constantly being in nearly incomprehensible pain for weeks on end.

She was alone in that dark room as she suffered. The walls were specially designed to block any outgoing transmissions, so communicating with 4-HN during that time was impossible. She just had to bear the pain, acknowledge it. Feel nothing but it. This room, 4-HN figured, was the source of her worst existing memories.

The backroom of the casino had looked very similar to that room. It couldn't have helped that 5-AE had recently dealt with the stress of feeling anger for the first time. 4-HN felt stupid for having the gall to be frustrated with her. Seeing his stone-faced partner in such a pathetic state now, he wanted to console her, despite never having attempted to do so in his eleven years of life. He knew the horrible things she had gone through.

He extended an arm. 5-AE's hand flashed out and intercepted his own before he could put it on her shoulder.

"Don't touch me," she whispered, her eyes glued to the concrete below.

"I-" he started, getting cut off immediately.

"This is your fault."

The words cut 4-HN deeper than any knife could.

"Your weakness brought us here. You..." she trailed off. These words deepened the wound. She was never one to blame others. 4-HN knew he deserved it; this was all his idea, breaking away from EDGE. They would be safely resting in their quarters right now if he had just let 5-AE have her way. They would communicate telepathically across the dorm hall like they always did. She wouldn't have had to feel this way.

5-AE met his eyes now. "I don't want to die after going through so much to live," she breathed. Her eyes had hints of green. Fear.

Another emotion, again negative. That was all 5-AE had ever felt. Bad. Neglected. Inhuman. Like she didn't belong in her own skin. 4-HN had told her to try to find herself. That was why she was tortured. 4-HN was the one who suggested that they break away from EDGE. She was angry, and now scared because of that. She was right. All of this was his fault.

Upon this realization, 4-HN felt something he had never felt before swelling in his chest. It was not a good feeling. His eyes were now a mix of deep blue and solid white.

SYSTEM LOG:

SUBJECT 4-HN

//EMOTIONAL RESPONSE RECORDED:

GUILT.