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[my_six_hearts]

[the Weighted Companion Cube is in the doorway of its room, as if someone had dropped it off as luggage. Beside it, a journal lay open, printed words silently appearing as if there was an invisible typewriter typing away with each inanimate thought.]

...Where am I?

Where did the fire go?

I do not understand.

Comments

[burning_through]

[Zuko's just walking along, gazing at the journal as he makes his way back to him room after yet another night of flinging his swords about. he's passing by a few floors, not really minding anything in particular... until a certain something catches his attention from the corner of his eye.

a strange box. just... placed conveniently in front of one of the doors? WHAT. he's simply gazing at it, perplexed, never having seen anything like it before. it couldn't be a gift for one of the residents, could it?]

(ooc. asdfghjkl; sorry about the epic FAIL. I got too excited. >>)

[my_six_hearts]

[the Weighted Companion Cube would straighten up taller if it could. Someone was looking at it! It may not understand where it is, but it does know that its job is to be moved around by humans...and there was one now!

In its excitement, a few words appear silently on the page of the journal beside it.]

...I hope!

[burning_through]

[ugh, darn it! Zuko's curiosities get the better of him, and upon noticing an open journal next to the... object, he assumes someone's just really that forgetful and left their stuff out of their room.

he looks down at the... object and the journal, and over to the nameplate on the door]

Weighted Companion Cube? Some name.

[my_six_hearts]

[again, unintentionally thinking out loud, the letters on the journal spell out the cube's thoughts.]

My name is what I am.

I am a Weighted Companion Cube.

[burning_through]

[looking down at the journal, up at the nameplate, down at the... object and to the journal again, Zuko is thoroughly confused, kneeling down a bit more to look at the other's journal, thinking that, no... no way THIS could be another resident. he eyes it again, frowning.]

What does a Weighted Companion Cube do?

[my_six_hearts]

[automatically, the information rattled through the Cube's non-existent brain, appearing on the journal page, pieces of fuzzy knowledge and repeated words that it had heard countless times during its recycled lifetimes.]

The Weighted Companion Cube is a weighted cube. It can hold down buttons and block laser blasts.

The Weighted Companion Cube will accompany you through the test chamber. Be careful with it.

The Enrichment Center reminds you that the weighted companion cube cannot speak. In the event that the weighted companion cube does speak, the Enrichment Center urges you to disregard its advice.

[burning_through]

[and it's at that point Zuko practically snatches the Cube's journal, looking at the words as they appear on the page, twisting his face in sheer confusion at the thing, its journal and... well, the whole situation, because really? this kind of technology boggles his brain.]

There's not a test chamber here. [and he's touching it, picking it up curiously and studying its sides] Unless you consider the castle to be one...

[my_six_hearts]

[for a moment, the Weighted Companion Cube felt as though its painted hearts might actually beat, fluttering at being touched and picked up!]

No test chamber? Then where will I go?

What will I do?

I wonder if there is fire.

[burning_through]

[this thing was strange. he holds the Cube, handling it curiously as he looks down at its journal (much like someone who was putting together a foreign object would look at instructions for putting said foreign object together), tilting his head at the written words]

All residents come with a room. I can put you in the room with your journal so you can stay safe while others give you advice.

[and yeah, firebender represent!] Why fire?

[my_six_hearts]

[the Cube 'looks' around while it is held off the ground, now that none of its heart-covered faces are pressed up against a wall or floor. It wonders why the person is looking at a book on the ground. It also looks suspiciously into the room nearby.]

A room? What happens in this room? If I am safe, will I also be useful? I wonder if anyone will be able to find me in there.

Fire. Fire means death.

I am not ready to be euthanized yet.

[burning_through]

[cue the inevitable Zuko awkwardness! so bad at words, even with a Cube.] In your room? You... sleep, I guess. But. You're a magical box, so I guess you don't need to sleep, so... I don't know, stay there so you can be safe. But if you want people to find you, I can take you somewhere else.

[great, this thing sounds like a Earth Kingdom rebel now.] I control fire, but I don't do that kind of... damage. I mean, I wouldn't to a box. [ugh, derp. sigh.] I promise I won't euthanize you.

[my_six_hearts]

[there was almost a sense of excitement and then uncertainty radiating from the Cube, as if you could feel traces of the emotion through one's fingertips.]

Take me somewhere else? Oh, I hope there are buttons here. I do not miss the lasers, but I do hope there are switches or pressure plates.

You...control fire? You can shut it on and off?
Have you always controlled fire? Is there a switch for it?

Everyone promises that.

[the questions flew through the Cube's mind and onto the page as they were born, with brief pauses as its mind switched topics. They weren't expecting answers, of course, being that--as it had already explained--the Weighted Companion Cube cannot speak.]

[burning_through]

[Zuko's looking down at the Cube is communicates to him in its own special way, noticing the subtleties in its surface, and becoming more intrigued at the thing,

but... Buttons? Switches? Plates?] I can take you to the kitchen if that's what you... need. Or if you just want other people to notice you. Unless there are things other than fire that can damage you.

[it was weird sitting on the floor talking to a Cube, so Zuko proceeds to stand up, taking it, its journal, and his own in hand, pacing a little] I'm a fire bender. That means I can shut fire "off" and "on", that's... just how I was raised, to be able to do that.

[my_six_hearts]

[if the Cube was capable of feeling self-conscious, then it might have been beginning to do so. It was far from being perfect, with little scratches in its paint and scuff marks marring its surface.]

If I...need? Do I 'need' anything?

Do I 'want' people to notice me? Yes. Yes I do.

[though the Cube is still unaware of the concept that it was carrying on a conversation, it was beginning to get used to being talked to, and its mind became more active and responded as a result.]

Someone who shuts the fire on and off. I wonder what that would mean.

Perhaps I will last longer this time.

I am not ready to be euthanized yet.

I am not ready to be euthanized yet.

I am not ready to be euthanized yet.

[burning_through]

Everyone wants to be noticed. [even a box? he wonders.

Zuko proceeds to pace a little more, wondering if he should, in fact, walk it on over to the kitchen. he recalled reading in the journals that the microwave had been destroyed countless times, so... maybe that was the wrong place to take it.

the library, perhaps? at least calmer, more thoughtful people would frequent that place, and be more inclined to figure this thing out, rather than... destroy it.

Zuko looks back at its journal, watching the phrase repeat, looking at the words before it.]

It means that I can control myself and my fire, and not euthanize you if I say I won't!

[my_six_hearts]

[the pacing was comforting, like a baby being rocked to sleep. If the Cube could feel contentment, then it was while being carried.]

But, it always ends with fire.

At the end, when they are finished, it is always fire.

Sometimes it takes longer, and sometimes it is quick--You euthanised your faithful companion cube more quickly than any test subject on record. Congratulations--but that is always how it ends.