> At least, you still hope you're friends. You messed up bad.
> You don't even know aer name. What kind of friend doesn't know their friend's name?
> You reach into your mouth, grabbing a crumpled letter in the back. It snags on some of the tokens you've been saving up.
> You don't know why Task kept giving them to you, but you love getting presents. You don't understand why he looks so horrified when you shove them in your mouth, though. It's where you keep everything you own.
> You smooth out the letter in your paws. You ought to deliver it.
> Your breath quickens, and you start to tremble. Your nerves are starting to get the better of you.
> You really hope ae isn't too mad at you. You know they're not the same (of course you'd know), but ATM means a lot to you, and that means ae does too.
> You know ae probably hates you, and doesn't want to see you again, but it's worth a shot, right?
> You look like a total wreck when you finally find aer. You hold out the letter nervously.
> "Um... Excuse me. I wrote this letter, but I don't know who to address it to."
> Your friend looks at you curiously. "Can I-I-I see?" Ae lays down, and pulls out a fluffy, pink pen. Your gut wrenches watching aer write.
> Ae holds the letter up, starting to read it, but you reach for it instead. You don't remember much about writing letters from before you were made, but you remember it's impolite to give someone a bare letter. You really want your friend to like you. Rubi. You want Rubi to like you.
> "WAIT. You CAN'T read it yet. I have to put it in the envelope first."
> Ae looks indifferently at you. You resort to begging; begging usually works with Task. You put on the saddest, wettest, most pathetic look you can muster.
> "Pleaaaaaaaaaaaase-"
> Letter acquired. Rubi hands it back to you. You hastily shove it in a spare mouth-envelope, and then you lick it shut. Well- you try to. No saliva. Surrendering, you hand it back to aer.
> Rubi tears the envelope open, and scans the letters on the page. You toy with your paws idly.
> Ae gives you a heartbroken look. "VCR, we are still friends. I even said this to you after..."
> Ae tenses. You gingerly put a paw on the side of aer chassis.
> "But we are still friends."
> Ae pauses. "I love you too."
> You sit down, and lean against Rubi.
> "I'm sorry, I should have trusted you." You pause. "I missed you."
> Rubi takes a second to respond. "I forgive you."
> Rubi lays an arm around you. You run a paw through some of the feathers on aer side, and ae lets you. Ae sways gently; your eyelids start to droop as you watch.
> You close your eyes, and let yourself shut down. It's not the same as charging, but it gives you the tinest bit of relief.
> Rubi gingerly wakes you up later, and leaves. For a second, you almost felt like you were home.
> Return to start.