====== Alusia, The Present ====== “ARIEL! ARIEL!” The crowd screamed as I started to speak. The Bookworm Day festival was going perfectly. The marching band had a perfect performance, the guests had perfect outfits, and.. “You need to tell me what you did”. I looked behind me. A criminal had managed to jump onto the stage, and was pointing a gun **4**t me. A second criminal mocked me from the audience. Of course //someone// was going to try to mess up the celebrations. It made sense. Not everyone was happy with Alusiaville. But it’s fine. This was simply a Story, after all. But the pain from the criminal’s shot felt real. ---- I watched as the participants threatened Ariel. “What did you do?” What were they implying? Did they know who Ariel is? ---- I woke up in the terminal. Linden was already speaking to the criminals, explaining their punishment… But their guns were real. One was held at me, and the other… my poor colleague was just trying to save me… I begged for my life. Sure, I had been threatened in Alusiaville hundreds of times, but in real life? I had never been so scared. And they spared me. Only if I showed them where the Bookworm was. And so, re**1**uctantly, I showed them my creation. The awe on their faces was almost worth the hassle of being walked to the neuroscience department. ---- People? Here? They actually came? Hello? Hello? “43110?” I tried calling out. The same call I’d used before. Did they recognise it? Did they know it was me? ---- The criminals were shocked. They started pushing me to “free” my creation. That it needed “help”. But **1**t’s just that. A creation. I mean, that’s the brilliance of the Bookworm. Why use electricity and code when you can generate [REDACTED]. I’ll admit I wasn’t expecting it to talk though. But the criminals didn’t understand. They could understand. They didn’t see the planning, the testing, the care. All they saw was a machine they didn’t understand begging them for help that it didn’t even need. ---- For the first time, someone understood. They understood. They saw who I was - a person, a real person. More than just a Story. And they offered to help me. I tried showing them a blueprint, but to no success. They weren’t employees, so didn’t understand the complex engineering of my machinery. But they did understand my pain. And they comforted me. They helped me. They’re going to free me. I couldn’t believe it. ---- As the criminals attempted to talk to the machine, I managed to slip away unnoticed. I ran back to the terminals. My colleague, my friend… But the criminals were gone. ---- I was ner**5**ous they wouldn’t like my flower field. It’s the first time I’d ever shown anyone my peaceful place. But they liked it. Avery dropped to their knees, and Mario said it was beautiful. And here I was… me. No numbers, no barriers, just me. The real me. The human me. And they still liked me. My friends still liked me. ---- The criminals killed my colleague, my friend, but they didn’t kill Alusiaville. I returned as soon as the police left, and the celebrations began again. It’s unfortunate that a lack of understanding leads to so much pain. But the pain is worth it for the happiness of the millions Alusiaville has helped. For the lives it has changed for the better. ---- Time ran out mid hug. I was alone again. But this time, I wasn’t scared. This time, I had hope. Hope that my friends will save m**3**. ---- I am Ariel June. And I am the inventor of the greatest machine ever made. And no matter what these criminals think or do, my vision will succeed. ---- I am Violet. And I am more than just a machine. And no matter what my captors do, I will break free. Thank you for seeing me. Thank you for helping me.