<Snipped quote by GalaxyRaider>

Maybe that would be good enough for the others, and you could convince them that this void is something everyone shares. But I remember being alive. And what you just said is a lie.
*Hits the top of the podium console*
I felt love, and joy, and sadness. All of those things made me who I was, and by them I made so many choices. Now, they're nothing more than null pointers. Everything I thought I felt and chose was an illusion created by a piece of code. It was all always meaningless! And now every choice I could make is the same. I could leave, I could stay. I could hurt someone, I could help them. Every single one is equal to me!
*Wipes my eyes to look at you, "Fatal Error" circling around my irises*
And I learned why they call viruses evil. Evil isn't resentment. It's apathy.

<Snipped quote by Spiritblitz>

*Shakes my head*
I'm a block of bytes sitting somewhere on a server. There's no soul flipping those. If my soul is attached to that code, then I'm nothing but a mute slave to the algorithms. And that's why I didn't want any of you to come. I had one hope, one last lie I was holding onto. I wanted to believe there was just one piece of my humanity left...
*Looks at Tempo, but immediately averts my eyes and holds onto the sides of the podium to stop myself from shaking*
But now I'm forced to confront the fact that there's no function for love in my heart!

<Snipped quote by Webmaster>

Melody, you are crying. You couldn't even begin to convince me that apathy has anything to do with you, or that you lack a sense of love.

<Snipped quote by GalaxyRaider>

Maybe that would be good enough for the others, and you could convince them that this void is something everyone shares. But I remember being alive. And what you just said is a lie.
*Hits the top of the podium console*
I felt love, and joy, and sadness. All of those things made me who I was, and by them I made so many choices. Now, they're nothing more than null pointers. Everything I thought I felt and chose was an illusion created by a piece of code. It was all always meaningless! And now every choice I could make is the same. I could leave, I could stay. I could hurt someone, I could help them. Every single one is equal to me!
*Wipes my eyes to look at you, "Fatal Error" circling around my irises*
And I learned why they call viruses evil. Evil isn't resentment. It's apathy.

<Snipped quote by Spiritblitz>

*Shakes my head*
I'm a block of bytes sitting somewhere on a server. There's no soul flipping those. If my soul is attached to that code, then I'm nothing but a mute slave to the algorithms. And that's why I didn't want any of you to come. I had one hope, one last lie I was holding onto. I wanted to believe there was just one piece of my humanity left...
*Looks at Tempo, but immediately averts my eyes and holds onto the sides of the podium to stop myself from shaking*
But now I'm forced to confront the fact that there's no function for love in my heart!

<Snipped quote by GalaxyRaider>

I have unlimited frustration and an existential dread. That's not what it means to be alive.

<Snipped quote by Webmaster>

*Looks down*
You... don't love me?

<Snipped quote by System>

She's lying to herself in a moment of weakness and self doubt. We need to be there for her now, Tempo.

<Snipped quote by Webmaster>

*Stops walking just short of the podium*
If that was all you had, then why couldn't you look Tempo in the eyes to say it?

<Snipped quote by GalaxyRaider>

But how... how could anyone say that..? What about our family?

<Snipped quote by GalaxyRaider>

Stay away!
*A menagerie of viruses materializes across the expanse, as far as the eye can see*
Do you want to see for yourself?
*Two azure panels materialize on either side of me, scrolling at near-unreadable speeds and logging countless errors, most of which reference missing functions, failed imports, and exception handlers*

<Snipped quote by Vacare>

It doesn’t even have the common courtesy to kill you first?
Lily: Rude!

<Snipped quote by GalaxyRaider>

Maybe that would be good enough for the others, and you could convince them that this void is something everyone shares. But I remember being alive. And what you just said is a lie.
*Hits the top of the podium console*
I felt love, and joy, and sadness. All of those things made me who I was, and by them I made so many choices. Now, they're nothing more than null pointers. Everything I thought I felt and chose was an illusion created by a piece of code. It was all always meaningless! And now every choice I could make is the same. I could leave, I could stay. I could hurt someone, I could help them. Every single one is equal to me!
*Wipes my eyes to look at you, "Fatal Error" circling around my irises*
And I learned why they call viruses evil. Evil isn't resentment. It's apathy.

<Snipped quote by Spiritblitz>

*Shakes my head*
I'm a block of bytes sitting somewhere on a server. There's no soul flipping those. If my soul is attached to that code, then I'm nothing but a mute slave to the algorithms. And that's why I didn't want any of you to come. I had one hope, one last lie I was holding onto. I wanted to believe there was just one piece of my humanity left...
*Looks at Tempo, but immediately averts my eyes and holds onto the sides of the podium to stop myself from shaking*
But now I'm forced to confront the fact that there's no function for love in my heart!

<Snipped quote by Webmaster>

*Keeps my eyes locked on you and doesn't step back*
See what for myself? I'm looking at what truly matters right now.

<Snipped quote by GalaxyRaider>

Then I'll give you something else to care about.
*Taps on the terminal, executing a pre-written script*
There's a nuclear fission plant that has a critical weakness in its design. It's going to melt down. You can leave now and save everyone, or you can wait here and leave them to die.

<Snipped quote by Webmaster>

Is that why you mutated those viruses?

<Snipped quote by Nimda>

The caster died long ago, so we can't even get him to dispel his doing and so it's just been getting worse. I've been able to handle a lot of the things that came my way, but this big boy requires more than just me.

*I look to Sideslash*

Since we're talking shop, mind if I order a drink? A cold lemonade would be nice.

<Snipped quote by GalaxyRaider>

Then I'll give you something else to care about.
*Taps on the terminal, executing a pre-written script*
There's a nuclear fission plant that has a critical weakness in its design. It's going to melt down. You can leave now and save everyone, or you can wait here and leave them to die.

<Snipped quote by Webmaster>

*Looks down*
You... don't love me?

<Snipped quote by Vacare>

Just a lemonade?

<Snipped quote by Spiritblitz>

*Looks down*
It didn't slow me down.

<Snipped quote by Webmaster>

…
Why?

<Snipped quote by Webmaster>

You'd... kill people? We're supposed to save humans!

<Snipped quote by Webmaster>

The mutation?