September 5, 2022

"Welcome to the world!" The words rang through 843's head, his brain hurt. What was going on? It felt like only seconds ago he was sitting in a dark saloon, laughing and drinking with the same man he saw in front of him now. He didn't have the guts to ask what was happening, where he was, who the scientist was, or anything at all. His lips were frozen shut.

"I can see you are confused, don't worry! All of my subjects are always confused when they first wake up too!" The man held out a hand, which was still covered in a bit of blood and gut juices. He chuckled awkwardly, quickly wiping his hand on his lab coat before holding it out again. Ah, test number 1, did 843's data load up correctly? Could it handle basic functions, like greeting other people? He shakily took Joey's hand, giving it a weak shake.

"There we go! You're already doing spectacular. I think you're going to be my best project yet! How would you like to be my right-hand robot, hm? Work beside me?! You'll receive better treatment than other subjects, and you'll get to explore the world so I can monitor how you androids interact with the outside world." Joey grinned, clasping his hands together and taking a breath of satisfaction.

"Sorry, sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself! You must still be wondering what you're doing here, what you are. I'll explain." Joey stood up from his chair, grabbing a clipboard from the table scattered with medical supplies and equipment. "You see, for as lonnnngggg as I've been alive, I've been fascinated with the dead. As I got older, I came to the conclusion that there had to be a way to bring these dead things back to life! So, I've spent the last few years working on this current set of experiments… bringing dead people back to life!" He grinned, tapping his pen against his clipboard.

"Of course, I've tried similar experiments on smaller subjects. Such as bringing dead plants back to life, bringing dead animals back to life. Considering you are a cowboy, I think you'll be pleased to know that we have some lovely robotic horses on our main floor!" The cowboy still couldn't speak, he was in absolute awe. There was a deep, stabbing pain in his heart, which felt heavier and bulkier than his old one. Really all his organs felt different, they felt cold and hard. He looked towards Joey, clearly wanting more explanations and wanting more answers.

"So far, my previously-human subjects haven't been the easiest to work with, nor have they all turned out perfect, but you seem to be just wonderful!" Joey threw the clipboard down, grabbing both sides of the robot's face and twisting it and turning it in all different directions, examining him closely. "Yesss, yess, you have a few scratches here and there, so you won't look the most human, but that's alright! I'm sure you'll function just fine." He used one hand to grab a small mirror that he kept on his table, holding it up to the cowboy's face.

His expression turned to one of pure shock, mouth falling open as he looked into the mirror. "That's .. that's me?" He stuttered out, he felt like he was crying, yet no tears were streaming down his face. The thing in the mirror didn't look like him. His eye was covered by a metal panel, his skin looked hard and fake, he looked lifeless. "Why-" Joey cut him off, holding his hand up as a signal for the cowboy to stop speaking.

"Looks like you've already moved onto test number 2, speaking! You are running very smoothly so far. But, before any more tests, or before I bring you to meet your fellow subjects, we have to talk about rules." Joey's tone was firm and cold, he meant business. He put his hand down, shoving both of them into his lab coat pockets. "You were brought back from the dead, you were once a person. However, if you remember even a little. Bit. Of. That. Past. Life… you will be dismantled. If you begin to feel emotions that are not programmed into you, you will be dismantled. If for some reason, you decide to disobey me, go against my wishes, not listen to my command, you will be dismantled. We run a tight ship here. I offered you a position that allows you more freedom, you will get to do more than everyone else, so I suggest you take it." His expression went flat, and 843 began to feel like if he simply denied the offer, he'd be dismantled.

Reluctantly, he nodded. "Yes. I would.. like.. to take the.. offer." He could speak, but it was very rough, sounding metallic and artificial. Joey grinned, clapping his hands.

"Ohhh, wonderful! You'll do absolutely great, I promise! Now, let's get the basics out of the way. You are Subject 843, that is your name, and that is what I, and all our other subjects, will call you. And, you will call all the other subjects here by their subject number. No funny business, don't guess random names and call them by that, don't guess at their past experiences, don't talk about history, because even the smallest bit of information could remind someone of their past. You wouldn't want to be the cause of someone's dismantling, would you, 843?"

He nodded, trying his absolute best to think of what his real name could be. Nothing was coming to mind, he wished he could remember, but he knew he wasn't supposed to anyway. However, he already remembered something.. He remembered sitting in that saloon with Joey, drinking a little too much and laughing themselves half to death. He wasn't supposed to remember anything. He feared that Joey had some sort of technological way of seeing when his creations malfunctioned, but if he hadn't already been alerted that 843 was breaking a rule, then chances are he had no clear way of telling.

Joey had brought him to the main floor, showing him around, explaining too many things for 843's fresh brain to understand, and introducing him to some of the other subjects in the lab. It didn't feel very much like a lab, and looked more like a human… well, sort of human, zoo. Subjects wore all white uniforms, hair done perfectly and neatly cut. 843 seemed to be the only one who hadn't gotten a fresh haircut, new clothes, and a nice shiny polish.

"Here, you go in. Play with the other subjects, get to know them more! I'll be back later to run some more… special… tests with you." Joey scurried away quickly, with a wicked grin on his face. The cowboy took this opportunity to explore the lab on his own, find any secrets, maybe locate some animals, and find any way he could get out of this place.

He rushed down the halls, trying to be as quiet as his new metal body would allow him to. The technology installed in his eye allowed him to see through the dark halls pretty well, but he needed to adjust to the feeling of only having one working eye, which he still didn't know the reason to. He made his way to what he thought was the animal wing, which looked abandoned and beat up, sneaking in, making sure to close the large, heavy door slowly behind him to not make so much noise.

His gaze was immediately caught by a big, robotic horse, set in a stable-like area of the wing. "Cornflower!" 843 whisper-shouted, rushing over to the horse and gently petting its head. "Looks just like Cornflower." He grinned, remembering a little more of his past. He used to have a Dutch Draft horse named Cornflower, the sweetest little lady in the world. One day, he arrived home after a long day for work to find that someone had opened the stable gates, the place seemed trashed, like someone had ran through it and destroyed everything, and clearly scared off all the animals. That included Cornflower, 843's best friend in the world, thinking about it left a deep pain in the bottom of his metallic heart. As he pet the horse, he began to feel a bit more relaxed. "I will get us both out of here, Cornflower. Your name is Cornflower!" He didn't pay mind to the tag attached to the horse's ear, reading 'Subject 629'. "I'll be back, I promise." He was becoming more fluent with his speech, beginning to get used to his robotic body. He smiled softly at the horse, giving it another warm pet on the head.

As quickly as he could, he scurried back to the main floor, which he decided he would refer to as 'the Zoo'. Joey wasn't back yet, at least not to 843's knowledge. He snuck back into the Zoo, pretending like he had been talking with other subjects the whole time. "Wow. We haven't even truly started our partnership yet, and you are already disobeying me." A stern voice called out from behind him. The cowboy turned around, his face turning to pure horror when he saw Joey standing behind him. "I saw you sneak away to the malfunctioned wing. Did I tell you to explore the lab? No. I told you to stay. in. here. With the other human subjects, not the animals. Especially not the animals that have malfunctioned." The cowboy was speechless, completely frozen in place. A hand grasped around his arm, yanking him along. "Come with me. It is very clear that I need to keep my eye on you. You're lucky I'm not dismantling you right now. "

The drag to Joey's office felt like an eternity, the scientist leading him forcefully down a long, dark hallway. When they got to the office, 843 was flung into a cold, metal chair, clanging against his body loudly. "You haven't even been alive for a whole day and you are already testing my limits. I have no attachment to any of you. I will have no issue in tearing you apart. But, I want to give you a second chance. You work beside me day and night, stay in my sight at all times, do everything I tell you, don't complain, don't put any ideas in anyone's head, and I will let you live. However, if you break my rules three more times, it will be the end of our deal, and you will be dismantled. Do I make myself clear?" Joey's voice was firm, not something you'd expect from such a kind looking man.

His mind was wandering to other places, the firmness of Joey's voice brought time back to a memory. The way Joey used to say his name…His real name. Not any of that number bullshit. God, what was it, what was it? Joey used to say it so softly, but so loudly at the same time. Joey was always like that, from what…Dakota, that was his name! Dakota! Joey was always like that from what Dakota remembered. In all their memories, Joey was the sweetest, yet firmest man ever. What happened to him? Joey cleared his throat, clearly awaiting an answer. Dakota nodded, readjusting himself in the chair and snapping back to reality.

"Answer verbally." Joey demanded, a hard slap landing on Dakota's face. He couldn't tell if it hurt more for him, or hurt more for Joey, who had just slapped pure metal.

"Yes sir…" He replied, staring up at Joey angrily.

"Good. You'll spend the night in our solitary room. So you can… think… about how to redeem yourself. " Joey said with a sinister grin, before yanking up Dakota and dragging him to the solitary room. It was cold, with only a rusty metal chair and a small, barred window. "Goodnight. Oh, and sleep tight." Joey chuckled, shoving Dakota inside and locking the door behind him. He peeked out the small window in the door, watching as Joey walked away around the corner. He quickly grabbed the chair, carrying it over to the barred window and stepping up onto it. Despite his hopes, he couldn't see any distinct way of escape in his view. Not to mention he probably couldn't get the bars of the window anyway. He just knew he had to get out, somehow. And he intended to do whatever he had to in order to be free. In order to be fully alive again.