[Her mind had been distracted when she asked that short, wistful question. A cause. A purpose. By right, humans design objects to fulfill a purpose, like playgrounds for children. Thus wouldn't the artificial components in her body, too, have been designed for a purpose? It had been on her mind ever since their discovery by Lezard and his technician, but no matter how hard she crunched what little information she had, she hadn't been able to find a clue. It was mostly the reason she had sought Gene out to this place. And if she was part of an organisation, it would be plausible that the reason for her state tied with the cause of that organisation.]

That sounds horrible...

[Then she was shaken out of the haze by Gene's reaction, the way he clenched his teeth and the abrupt way he packed his lunch. She didn't really expect him to be so affected. Though thinking back to their first —first that she remembered, at least— meeting and how he seemed to have a distaste towards battles, his answer, his memory explained it.

There was a contrast between the Gene currently in front of her and the image he projected in the journals, goofing around about being pirates or bantering with Bell. Perhaps, she thought, it was part of how the man coped?]

And to think the Wilderness would have another... place with Aurora, but I would guess not our world either?

But Gene, if it's too... [Too what? Painful? Difficult? Frustrating?] If you don't feel like doing so, you don't have to tell me.

[The combination of words she just spoken pulled at something within. Something comforting, but sad. But she bit her lips, trying to bite back the strange feeling from engulfing her.]