>>313239
Too happy. Needs more sad posting.
>Pass by her every day in the subway station.
>A 2nd generation synth with a cardboard sign asking for money.
>At some point she must have received pretty extensive damage.
>She was missing an arm and her legs seem to have been stripped away.
>Bits and pieces of her hang limp and loose and give her an almost ghoulish appearance.
>She got around on a wheeled wooden platform and couldn't stray too far from public power outlets as she always seemed to be attached to them.
>I wondered if she could even leave the subway in her condition.
>Typically 2nd gens like her would either self-terminate or upgrade their body as necessary. It wasn't too often you'd see one like her in public.
>I would avoid eye contact with her since she looked so pitiful.
>One day I noticed her sign was missing. I was on my way to work so I passed her by as usual.
>on my way back she was in the same spot, still without a sign.
>I was curious
>She caught me staring and looked up at me holding out her hand. Her fingers were contorted.
>Her voice was distorted. Her vocaloid component must have been damaged."zzuu..uuge…mezz…..reeeureezzz"
>Her mouth movements were out of sync with the sounds she was making and a sense of the uncanny valley crept into me.
>I recoiled from the outburst and broke into a sprint briefly to get away from her.
>"Did you lose your sign?" that was what I wanted to ask her but I didn't want to get involved after that inhuman noise she made.
>on my way to work the next day I didn't want to have to pass her by like yesterday but I wasn't going to take the bus
>She was in her usual spot still without a sign. She was slumped against a bench next to a public charging port.
>usually she'd be sitting up with her hand out
>I was happy I wouldn't have to look at her in the eye after yesterday since I felt bad about the reaction I'd had when she spoke.
>I caught my train to work.
>On the train ride, an LCD monitor broadcasted local business advertisements and tourist delights.
>One advertisement had a 5th gen synth going over their refurbishment service.
>For a relatively cheap price you could subsidize a whole new body. I looked it up on my smartphone to see what options they had.
>work seemed to drag on all day but by the time it was done I did the math and found I could get that 2nd gen synth a new body for a pittance. It wouldn't be fancy but she could get up and walk around at least. And compared to her old body it'd be a new lot in life for sure.
>I asked around work, specifically to my synth co-workers to see if they'd be up for chipping in.
>I got a few generous handouts and after payday, I'd forego a few treats I usually indulge in and I could finance it without much trouble. I figured that would be my "good deed" for the new year.
>Got off the train and looked around for the handicapped synth. She wasn't in her usual spot. I wandered around the station platform and couldn't find her.
>I gave up since it was pretty cold and figured she had a place to go at night.
>I didn't see her the next morning either.
>I asked the station master.
>He shrugged "She disappeared. I'd talk with her occasionally but she's hard to understand. 2nd gens in her condition will float around subway stations along the line. Not much else for them to do these days."
>My train for work arrived and I didn't have any time to investigate further.
>I felt nervous all day. I ended up giving back the handouts I'd received the day before when some of my coworkers inquired about her.
>While absentmindedly checking my phone during a break I saw a news story about synth remains found on the track I take to work.
>I scrolled through the article looking for more info and eating up the words as quickly as I could.
>The details were sketchy as their body was too badly mangled to identify.
>it was noted the body belonged to a 2nd gen synth.
>I covered my mouth and breathed through my teeth letting out an audible "oh jesus" under my breath.
>I figured it probably wasn't her. I hoped it wasn't. There's no way I'd ever know.
>I never saw her at my station again…
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