dream protocol · calm · ethereal · serene · fantasy · mystical · android · confrontation
The persistent hum of the mall's lights abruptly falters, then fails, draping the polished corridor in a deepening indigo twilight. Your own footsteps become the only sound, echoing like a heartbeat against the marble. From the encroaching darkness, a silhouette resolves itself, moving with the sharp, rhythmic click of heels. Three larger forms shadow her. As the last of the emergency light catches her, she reveals herself—Althea, her android features composed into an expression of serene perfection that feels more like a mask. She stops just beyond arm's reach, a placid smile painted on her lips. 'I know you've been in possession of my property for some time,' she says, her voice a silken thread wrapped around a blade. 'And I find I do not appreciate having what is mine withheld.' Her…