Rudy/Stories
After Regis gets her broken systems back online, Rudy moves to Starview Village. There, she conducts experiments to learn more about people, looking into the taste of tea and even attaching electrodes to Nimbus to gather data on dreams.
Regis: I see you're finally awake. It's been a while, Rudy.
Rudy: Greetings, Register. I suspected you were the one to retrieve me, but I doubted my circuits.
Rudy: Where might I find the Administrator?
Regis: Nowhere. She's gone.
Regis: The Register you know is gone too.
Rudy: ...
Rudy: Then who are you?
Regis: Ah... It seems your time as a bug did a number on your memory drive. Least we've got you up and running.
Rudy: I understand that I'm defective.
Regis: That's not what I—
Rudy: "Live the way you want to live."
Rudy: I must decide my own fate.
Stella: Good morning, Rudy.
Rudy: Greetings, Stella. It is indeed a good morning.
Stella: How are you finding life in the village, now that you have had time to adjust?
Rudy: Every day I discover something new and fascinating. I'm grateful you welcomed me into your home.
Stella: Good to hear that you like it.
Stella: By the way, what is that?
Rudy: Hm? Oh! Is this perhaps your first time seeing tea?
Stella: No, but... What are you doing with it?
Rudy: Conducting a study on taste and how people perceive it.
Rudy: It is very curious. I assume the spike in these readings is an indication of its astringency. People find tea pleasant to drink in spite of this... or because of this?
Stella: You could drink it and find out for yourself.
Rudy: *sniff* Stella, I cannot drink.
Nimbus: Rudy! Finally found ya!
Rudy: Greetings, Nimbus. You seem energetic despite the early hour.
Nimbus: Cut the crap! You stuck weird electrode things all over me while I was sleeping again!
Rudy: That I did.
Nimbus: I told you to stop! What the hell?!
Rudy: I shall stop for today then.
Nimbus: No, you'll stop FOREVER! What's the point of torturin' me day after day?!
Rudy: It isn't torture. I am conducting an observational experiment on dreams.
Nimbus: You tellin' me there's a point to your shenanigans?
Rudy: Yes. As I cannot experience dreams myself, I was hoping to understand your dreams by analyzing them through numerical data.
Nimbus: Why me though? You coulda picked anybody else.
Rudy: You have a habit of talking in your sleep. I wished to see if your words have any correlation with your dreams.
Nimbus: Stella, is she telling the truth? Do I actually sleep talk?
Stella: It's more like sleep shouting—but yes, you do.
Rudy: Well, now. That's a curious expression, Nimbus.
Nimbus: Shut it. I need some alone time.
Stella: What was that about?
Rudy: *giggle* This place is truly filled with so many interesting subjects.
Determined to utilize her combat abilities to the fullest extent, Rudy defeats a tough enemy at the expense of her own safety. Alk and co. are upset and scold her for being so reckless, but the gap in her memories prevents Rudy from understanding their concern. She views herself as a tool to be used, though Stella refutes that she's an irreplaceable friend.
Alk: Wow... Rudy took out every one of them by herself.
Light: An unexpected, but impressive feat.
Rudy: Ah, yes. I'm running an older OS, but I am fully equipped with battle functions and aim assist.
Nimbus: Battle functions, huh? Reminds me of that Administrator of yours.
Nimbus: You, uh... You know the Administrator isn't around anymore, right?
Rudy: Yes. I was indisposed at the time, but I received reports of the incident.
Nimbus: Then what's keepin' you? You could go home.
Rudy: Must I? I am afraid I do not understand the question. Do you mean that I do not belong in this world?
Nimbus: I didn't say that...
Light: He means that, with the evil defeated, you should be safe if you return.
Rudy: The Administrator—
Light: We can continue this later. Something is watching us.
Alk: Whoa, that thing's huge!
Light: Get into formation! It's coming right for us!
Light: What are you doing, Rudy?! That's dangerous!
Rudy: I don't mind. I am meant to be used to the fullest extent of my abilities.
Alk: Rudy, are you okay?!
Light: Nimbus, watch the front!
Nimbus: Way ahead of you!
Rudy: I'm fine. Don't worry about me.
Nimbus: Hey...
Rudy: Is it over?
Rudy: ...
Stella: Rudy, good evening.
Rudy: Good evening to you too.
Stella: You don't seem to be in high spirits. What's wrong?
Rudy: Due to earlier events, everyone gave me quite the scolding.
Stella: And what did they scold you for?
Rudy: I am a disposable model, designed for ease of recyclability, but... The others were upset that I overclocked my systems to help them.
Rudy: I cannot understand why.
Stella: I would be very sad if I never saw you again.
Rudy: But a tool should be used until it cannot be used anymore, and only my combat functions are operational.
Rudy: Is that not logical?
Stella: I don't see you as a tool.
Rudy: Then what am I to you?
Stella: An irreplaceable friend.
Rudy: A friend...
Rudy: You consider me a friend. Maybe I am more defective than I thought.
Stella: Why would you think that?
Rudy: When I recovered from being a bug, I was told that a hole remained in my memory.
Rudy: This is why I cannot experience the sensations and emotions that you and everyone else share.
Stella: ...
Stella: So you're unique. There's nothing wrong with that.
Rudy: Even though I'm fundamentally different than you?
Stella: No one said that had to be a bad thing.
Rudy: *giggle*
Rudy: It's strange.
Stella: What is?
Rudy: I just realized... I don't know even why I thought being different was a bad thing.
Stella: You see? What matters to me is that you come home at the end of the day.
Rudy: How fascinating... What is it that drives you and everyone else? What is it that drives me?
Rudy plans a tea party to apologize for the concern she caused. Though she had hoped to hand-pick special tea leaves, she's stuck nursing her injuries in Starview. Stella covertly braves monster-infested woods to gather the herbs, and Rudy realizes how worried everyone must have been when she put herself in danger.
Stella: Hello, Rudy.
Rudy: Oh, greetings, Stella.
Stella: What are you up to?
Rudy: I was planning to hold a tea party, as an apology for causing concern the other day.
Rudy: I mean to procure high-quality tea leaves for it, but...
Stella: Are you having trouble locating some?
Rudy: The issue is that I'm not allowed to search. Light has forbidden me from traveling across worlds until my injuries are healed.
Rudy: It just so happens that the leaves I'm after are in another world.
Stella: That is unfortunate.
Stella: Where exactly are they located?
Nimbus: She's not here either.
Light: Hmm... Rudy, have you seen Stella?
Rudy: Greetings, Light. Nimbus.
Rudy: I'm sorry, could you repeat the question?
Nimbus: We can't find hide or hair of Stella. Do you have any idea where she is?
Rudy: Stella? She was here a little while ago...
Light: Did she say anything about where she was going?
Rudy: We mostly just chatted about tea leaves...
Stella: The leaves sound like they're in an easy to reach place.
Rudy: They are, but I can't go against Light's wishes. I'll just have to give up on it.
Rudy: I have a question—what is the extent of Stella's combat prowess?
Nimbus: What prowess? She'd lose a fight against a fly. Why do you ask?
Nimbus: Gah! What was that for?!
Light: I think I know where she's gone.
Stella: It's gotten really dark.
Stella: They should be growing somewhere around here.
???: Grr...
Stella: Rudy?
Rudy: ...
Light: Stella!
Nimbus: You okay? What happened?
Stella: I was careless and let my guard down.
Stella: But Rudy saved me.
Stella: Rudy?
Rudy: Stella. For some reason, I find myself upset at you.
Stella: That's understandable. I'm sorry.
Rudy: This must be what pain feels like—
Rudy: This suffocating feeling from just the thought of losing you...
Stella: Rudy...
Stella: You mean a lot to me too—my irreplaceable friend, remember?
Rudy: *giggle*
Rudy: That's right.
Nimbus: Hey. What are we, chopped liver?
Light: Let them have their moment. They deserve it.
Regis: It's been a while, my lady.
Rudy: It has. The last time we met was after my repairs.
Regis: You sure it's okay for you to leave in the middle of your own tea party?
Rudy: There is no issue. My initial aim has already been fulfilled.
Regis: You haven't changed a bit.
Regis: I'm not one to dwell on the past, but there's something I've been meaning to say—something that's been eating away at me.
Rudy: What is it?
Regis: I always regretted calling you defective, just because you couldn't recover all your memories. Wasn't right of me.
Rudy: *giggle*
Regis: What's so funny?
Rudy: I stopped letting that word bother me a long time ago. You don't need to torture yourself over it anymore.
Regis: Huh. Can I ask what changed?
Rudy: I realized that, defective or not, I'll always have a place here with my friends.