With Laela safely off somewhere, you check in on Onney and the salvaged Sym design.
Onney isn't in, but the "cowgirl" sym is, just standing there, looking around like someone who is waiting for someone.
Saedi walks up to her and says "I don't get it, there's animal bits on its feet and it's got a tail, but everything else is human. Is it supposed to be a hybrid or not?"
You shrug, maybe this is what a "cowgirl" looks like normally?
The door behind you opens, Onney steps in, "don't ask me, I'm leaving her design alone, that's just how I found her. Gross, huh?"
Apologizing for the delays on getting the rest of the parts for the console, you lead into asking if anything else is going on lately, like if any new data was pulled from the computer, or if she's seen where Saedi's AI core is.
She shakes her head and spits on the floor, "a couple notes about useless shit, and nothing about her AI core. I've scanned every corner of this room, her signal is coming from somewhere close, but it's... diffused. Blurry."
Saedi looks at the two of you, confused, "people keep talking about an AI core, but I don't know what that is or why everyone's looking for it. Why is it so important?"
Onney walks up and pokes Saedi's forehead, "all the thoughts you're thinking aren't coming from in here like the other EndoSyms, it's coming from-" Onney gestures in the air with her hands just waving around randomly "-around here somewhere. Do you remember anything *useful* from when you were made here?"
"I don't, uh, I don't know, there was more stuff lying around, parts and tools, I guess? Lots of tubing." Saedi scratches her arm absentmindedly, starting to look uncomfortable.
You change the topic to clear the air, asking about the Sym again.
Onney steps away from Saedi, "I'd be done by now if this console was fixed; I've been doing the AI coding through the design screen, it's taking fucking forever, go tell your suppliers to hurry up. Also go get Laela back, I need that little slut."
The Sym waves at you, smiling. You wave back, but she doesn't react, continuing to wave and stare.
Your ribs get nudged by Onney's elbow, "you really need to let me borrow your little Sym girlfriend, I'll put her back together in one piece, I promise."
Saedi blushes, "g-girlfriend?! We're roommates!" ... After a few seconds, "and no, you can't take me apart!"
"Real great priorities you got there, ha."
It's Saedi's turn to try to steer the conversation somewhere more comfortable, "s-so, -ahem- about this cow thing, it's staring at me, it's kinda creepy... What are you going to do with it? Can it talk?"
"Well, *she's* going to be my little experiment for a bit, then I'll add *her* to the lab's roster. Why are you calling her an it?"
Saedi looks up at the Sym, "I don't know, it- she's so fake, she doesn't seem real, like I'm touching a doll or a robot or something."

Onney nudges you again, whispering, "I've gotta test something, follow my lead." She looks at Saedi and says, "you're technically a robot, too. When I get her finished, can you teach her how to be a proper Sym like you? You're the best Sym I've ever seen, maybe you can show her the ropes?"
The compliment just confuses her, "how am I supposed to teach her how to be a Sym? I don't even know what that means."
"I dunno, you're some weird lab experiment android but you don't act like one, just teach her to be normal. Upload some of your programming or something, it'd help a lot."
"I'm NOT fake," Saedi stomps her foot, slowly turning red, "quit acting like I'm just some robot!"
"So, what, are you just a glowing hybrid or something? Why don't you take those armlets off and give them to the cowgirl if they're just for looks?"
You were told to follow her lead, but you have no idea where this is going and you don't want to take part.
Saedi stomps her foot again, tears welling in her eyes, "they don't come off, but that doesn't make me a robot! I'm Saedi and I like eating food, learning new stuff, drinking fun drinks and meeting new people!"
Onney smirks, "you dodged my question, are you a Sym like this cowgirl here, or are you just some weird hybrid with metal shit welded to you?"
"I'm NOTHING like this thing, don't compare me to it!"
"Oof, dodged the question AGAIN. Poor Saedi is confused, what ARE you?" Onney smirks again and Saedi seems to be struck by both sadness and anger at the same time.
You're... pretty sure you've never heard her resist calling herself a Sym this badly before. She's not quick to mention it, sure, but she's never fought the concept like this. You try to explain that being a Sym isn't a bad thing, despite how Onney is acting.
She doesn't take your explanation very well, running out of the room in tears.
Onney pats your shoulder reassuringly, "it's okay, when I take her apart, I'll use her AI receiver to figure out where her core is and-"
You reaffirm she's not allowed to mess with Saedi. She backs off.

---

Saedi is at home, apparently she went straight there after that little ordeal.
She's asleep in her bed, the pillows soaked with tears.
Her blankets and sheets are tossed onto the floor; she seems to be in distress and mumbling something in her sleep about being buried, strangled, crushed. You tuck her in and gently rub her head, she lets out a sigh and calms down.

You go back to the lab to continue your shift.


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Not going to lie, my bank account is shivering in a corner and begging for mercy after my recent car accident. Nobody but the cars were hurt, thankfully, but that still means money.
I have two paid pages, both with links to the same MEGA folder, containing the same collection: most of the animations and models I've ever made, plus my "junk" folder, which is a bunch of stuff I might've forgotten to upload, stuff I didn't think was worth uploading, or stuff I posted for some quick thing on Twitter/Discord.
https://www.patreon.com/Yttreia
https://subscribestar.adult/aec-technologies