purplexing | INBOX // ROUTE 666

You're conversing with Donatello- Juuuust not this exact second. Please rank your call by number of priority and I'll get back to you accordingly. 1 - A technical emergency 2 - General inquiry 3 - Miscellaneous

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From:

alittlebeastliness

Are you boys still working on your little project?

From:

purplexing

I'm a man of many projects but given who this is, I assume you're talking specifically about Ed's prostheses.

They've been completed and already in use.

Surely this isn't simply to ask about how we've been doing there, given your interest then.

From:

alittlebeastliness

Wrong project, but it's good to know you're a busy little bee. And Eddie's a good guy, so even though the ins and outs of simple mechanics isn't my scene, I'm glad he's got you on his side.

[A compliment, and a mild insult (""""simple mechanics"""") simultaneously: it's the Root Way^TM.]

But actually, I was talking about your memory lockboxes.

From:

purplexing

[Oh you bet he's reading into that, and while he can't really argue that they're not simple, it still rankles him. This woman! Why can't he ever meet cool people with the same interests to be friends! ~~Must be the ego thing~~ ...except he did but he's gone now...]

Anything to help people out. It doesn't matter how simple nor complex a need is if it's something I can resolve.

Ah, that. Well, despite the lackluster response of interest, I've finished a few things. I'm not satisfied with the lock part of the box yet but all my projects kind of got delayed due to the inclement weather and being stuck as a dog.

From:

alittlebeastliness

Why do you think there wasn't much interest?

[This is clearly more interesting than the dog transformation stuff.]

From:

purplexing

[Oh, he'd rather talk about anything than the dog thing.]

Who knows? There's plenty of potential factors. Lack of interest, lack of concern, wasn't tuned into the radio, didn't check voicemail, just forgot about it...

I'd put forth that perhaps I've just been overthinking things again, but I still believe it's a genuine concern to be addressed.

From:

alittlebeastliness

Well, color me interested, concerned, and aware. If a little wary of who I want to entrust my memories to. I want to hear more about the project, in any case. Maybe even get involved.

From:

purplexing

Completely understandable. The easiest options for security that I can think of are unfortunately also the most challenging part simply because we don't have those resources, like a fingerprint or retinal scanner... I guess we could possibly do voice recognition.

We probably don't have to necessarily indulge every single thing about ourselves though, if that will make you feel better. We just need enough to act as a trigger.

I don't necessarily think we're completely overwritten, because I think I can still remember things about myself, about people I'm supposed to know. But the problem is not having someone or something to give me reason to remember it, if that makes sense.

From:

alittlebeastliness

[She thinks of Shaw, of Harold, of the Machine - far, far away from this world, with no trace of them here to jog her memory.]

There are other types of security. What about codes?

From:

purplexing

Also a possibility. That would however require having someone else to know them, but it's by far the easiest way.

From:

alittlebeastliness

Not necessarily. You could carve something into the metal of your vehicle, for instance.

From:

purplexing

[Give him a moment as he cringes at the very thought of defacing his baby.]

Perhaps. But what good is that if you still don't know to look for it?

From:

alittlebeastliness

Pick a place on your vehicle that you look at regularly. The ignition. The inside of your gas cap. The driver's door handle, of you have one.

From:

purplexing

You know the whole point of having backup is so other people can help play or pull something up for you to read or watch when you're not in your right mind to do it yourself, right?

From:

alittlebeastliness

Why bother with that if we can find ways to rejigger those memories ourselves?

From:

purplexing

Because that requires us knowing we forgot something in the first place.

From:

alittlebeastliness

Well, now we're starting to go in circles.

[If this weren't text, he'd be able to tell from her voice how absolutely unbothered she is by this, but alas.]

Like you said, we just need enough to act as a trigger, right? I don't see any reason why that trigger has to be in the hands of another person.

From:

purplexing

[Likewise, she can't see him dragging his hands down his face.]

Because it doesn't work as well when you're trying to deal with it yourself. Having people aware of what's going on and how to help you out of it is more reliable than the percentage of possibility that you might come across something that tickles your memory.

There's no telling that you'll be anywhere near the convoy or your vehicle if you happen to lose it. I know Jack has people he relies on to reel him back in if he runs off. I know if I fly too high, too long, sometimes I feel like wanting to stay up there forever.

Having personal reminders isn't bad, but not 100% effective nor foolproof.

From:

alittlebeastliness

Very few things are.

[Which, to be fair, is something she genuinely believes. But it's also not the full story of why she's digging her heels in here.]

I'm willing to help you with the project. I'm also willing to be secret-keeper for others.

From:

purplexing

But you won't let anyone else help if you might need it. Not even a failsafe? Root word?

[Maybe Leo'd be proud of him for that one.]

If anyone has any secrets to indulge by way of memory-jogging, I'll turn them your way. But your help will also be appreciated in general.

From:

alittlebeastliness

[Root is a little proud of him for that one, honestly; it earns him a metaphorical point or two.]

Let's just say I like keeping my secrets to myself. There's only one computer I'd let store my memories.