Artificial - OT, PG, Advance Wars:Dual Strike spoilers.

[Sol]

Somehow, I knew it would come to this. Me, a simple clone, having foresight...it is amusing, in a rather bitter way.

I fought my best, even under the command of that witch, Kindle. But in the end, the Allied Nations proved to be too strong, and had managed to deactivate all the Black Armageddon missiles that were prepped to launch.

Like I said before, I had anticipated this outcome...however, it seems that my superior did not.

"This should have been impossible!" she nearly shrieked, turning to face me. It was clearly evident that she was enraged. "You stupid, stupid clone! I leave you here to die!" With that, she pressed something in her hand, a remote maybe, and quickly escaped the base, leaving me alone in the dark room.

I gasped, a searing pain coming to my chest as I fell to my knees. The Black Hole commanders had long warned me that if I should fail in my only purpose, that this would be the punishment. I knew, yet I still did not expect this pain. Vaguely, I could hear the Allied Nation commanding officers run into the base, but I would not run. My fate had already been sealed.

The pain in my chest started to extend to my other limbs, but oddly enough, I did not pay much attention to it. Maybe it was the fact that I knew that I was going to expire within a few scant minutes, but I fully accepted it. I never had another choice, after all.

At that moment, the door broke down, and numerous people ran in, all staring at my hunched over form on the floor. Looking up, I could immediately recognized two of the COs from Orange Star, but the rest were unfamiliar. Not because I knew them, but because I had the information and pictures on them in Andy's profile. I did not care about the others in the room, even as the large, cloaked man stared at me with an unreadable expression.

"I..." I choked out, the pain having spread to my voice as well. The commanders must have sensed that I was in great pain as they all winced. "I...lost..." I managed to gasp out. The blue haired man, Max, looked down at me, looking over me curiously.

"Hey, uh...Clone Andy?" he asked hesitantly, and I had to repress a chuckle. Just that name alone made me painfully aware of what I was...or wasn't. "Kindle just split. Aren't you going to take off too?"

This time, I could not help but chuckle, even one as bitter as this. "It makes no difference," I said, not meeting any of their gazes. "I do not have long. My life will soon fade...like all the other clones..." This came out as little more than a whisper, as if I was trying to deny it. Was I, in some way, trying to? This was the fate of all clones, to die upon failure! Why was I so uncertain?

I heard the assorted gasps and whispers, but another CO, this one wearing a preculiar headset, looked worried. "What...what do you mean?" he asked, looking oddly fearful. I couldn't help but smile wryly; I was his enemy only a minute ago...was he feeling pity for me? "Can't you do something?"

"Jake..." Max whispered.

I shook my head. As much as I wanted to try, I knew I couldn't. It was impossible, with what the Black Hole scientists have programmed into me. I noticed the familiar female CO...Sami, I think it was, look at me with a sad expression...was she about to start crying? "There is no need for tears," I stated emotionlessly, the words echoing over the group. "I am...false..." I let out. I let off another moan of pain as I felt my false body start to break down. Naturally, everyone gasped again as they saw me cringe in pain. "Oh look...my time has come..."

To me, it felt like my body was breaking down and just returning to dust. However...from their perspective, it must seem like I'm literally melting. Sami put her hands over her mouth and let out a gasp as the room went dead silent. "Your body!" she exclaimed, looking at my now disintergrating arm, "Oh no...look at it...!"

At this point, I was confused. They knew the real Andy was safe. They knew I was only a clone, made in his likeness with his abilities. They knew that I was an enemy. But yet, they still were horrified on my account. Why was this? "...yes, I know..." I answered simply. Somehow, the pain was starting to lessen...but my body was still breaking down.

However, their concern piques my interest...why are they so sad over me? Is it mere pity? Or is it because I remind them of their beloved friend? If anything...this is the only time to get my answers. "Can I...ask you something?" I asked, addressing the Orange Star COs. Immediately, their attention was all on me, and I mustered up some more strength to get my question out in the open. "What kind of man is Commander Andy? My...original? Does he have friends? Do people like him?"

I must admit that I surprised even myself with these questions. As soon as the other commanders got over their shock, Max decided to answer first, his voice low and respectful.

"Yeah, he has friends," he answered quietly, his head bowed. "Tons of 'em. I'm one of his best." At that, I gave a small smile. I could tell that the person in front of me was dearly loyal.

"Andy's a fine CO. Everyone loves him." Sami finished, looking at me somberly. The others were still staring at me silently, although their gazes...were they filled with sadness?

I could feel my final moments start to descend upon me, but as it came, I couldn't help but wander back to when I was first brought into this world...when I stepped out of that cold chamber, cold and wearing nothing, I only had a single purpose. However...days before I fought the Allied Nations, I was given a profile of Commander Andy, detailing his abilities and relations.

Attatched to that profile was a photo of him, grinning happily. I was confused at it, to be honest. I was emulated in his image...but I couldn't help but think that I couldn't look like that. After a while, I found myself staring into a mirror, and I decided just to try it, just to try smiling the same exact way my original did.

It turned out that I could smile exactly like that, but...it felt empty. There was no purpose to it. It troubled me for day, not understanding what it meant. Now, however...I think I do understand. I think I know why he smiles like that.

"I see...interesting," I breathed out, my breaths becoming heavier and starting to slow down. "I am not Andy. I am just a clone...but...you made me...happy..." I let out, and then I looked up at them, smiling the same way my original had. I caught everyone's horrified stares at me before I finally collapsed on the ground, about to die.

Perhaps, in some time, I might have fully gotten to known why I was the only clone that could feel, to have a personality. However, as I took my final breaths...I realized then, on that cold floor, that I wanted to become like my original, and that's why I acted the way I did.

I smiled once again. My body fully collapsed as I closed my eyes, death approaching. But all I could think about at that moment is about how I finally understood.

---

This is what I churn out at 1 AM after reading game scripts.

Anyway, this is in the POV of Clone Andy in the aftermath of Mission 26. I always found this scene to be the saddest in the game, considering how lifelike he was compared to the other clones. So I just had to write about it. XD

Concrit is appreciated, as always.
_________________


<3 Planty~
Art in icon done by Raburabbit.

[Sol]

Somehow, I knew it would come to this. Me, a simple clone, having foresight...it is amusing, in a rather bitter way.

I fought my best, even under the command of that witch, Kindle. But in the end, the Allied Nations proved to be too strong, and had managed to deactivate all the Black Armageddon missiles that were prepped to launch.

Like I said before, I had anticipated this outcome...however, it seems that my superior did not.

"This should have been impossible!" she nearly shrieked, turning to face me. It was clearly evident that she was enraged. "You stupid, stupid clone! I leave you here to die!" With that, she pressed something in her hand, a remote maybe, and quickly escaped the base, leaving me alone in the dark room.

I gasped, a searing pain coming to my chest as I fell to my knees. The Black Hole commanders had long warned me that if I should fail in my only purpose, that this would be the punishment. I knew, yet I still did not expect this pain. Vaguely, I could hear the Allied Nation commanding officers run into the base, but I would not run. My fate had already been sealed.

The pain in my chest started to extend to my other limbs, but oddly enough, I did not pay much attention to it. Maybe it was the fact that I knew that I was going to expire within a few scant minutes, but I fully accepted it. I never had another choice, after all.

At that moment, the door broke down, and numerous people ran in, all staring at my hunched over form on the floor. Looking up, I could immediately recognized two of the COs from Orange Star, but the rest were unfamiliar. Not because I knew them, but because I had the information and pictures on them in Andy's profile. I did not care about the others in the room, even as the large, cloaked man stared at me with an unreadable expression.

"I..." I choked out, the pain having spread to my voice as well. The commanders must have sensed that I was in great pain as they all winced. "I...lost..." I managed to gasp out. The blue haired man, Max, looked down at me, looking over me curiously.

"Hey, uh...Clone Andy?" he asked hesitantly, and I had to repress a chuckle. Just that name alone made me painfully aware of what I was...or wasn't. "Kindle just split. Aren't you going to take off too?"

This time, I could not help but chuckle, even one as bitter as this. "It makes no difference," I said, not meeting any of their gazes. "I do not have long. My life will soon fade...like all the other clones..." This came out as little more than a whisper, as if I was trying to deny it. Was I, in some way, trying to? This was the fate of all clones, to die upon failure! Why was I so uncertain?

I heard the assorted gasps and whispers, but another CO, this one wearing a preculiar headset, looked worried. "What...what do you mean?" he asked, looking oddly fearful. I couldn't help but smile wryly; I was his enemy only a minute ago...was he feeling pity for me? "Can't you do something?"

"Jake..." Max whispered.

I shook my head. As much as I wanted to try, I knew I couldn't. It was impossible, with what the Black Hole scientists have programmed into me. I noticed the familiar female CO...Sami, I think it was, look at me with a sad expression...was she about to start crying? "There is no need for tears," I stated emotionlessly, the words echoing over the group. "I am...false..." I let out. I let off another moan of pain as I felt my false body start to break down. Naturally, everyone gasped again as they saw me cringe in pain. "Oh look...my time has come..."

To me, it felt like my body was breaking down and just returning to dust. However...from their perspective, it must seem like I'm literally melting. Sami put her hands over her mouth and let out a gasp as the room went dead silent. "Your body!" she exclaimed, looking at my now disintergrating arm, "Oh no...look at it...!"

At this point, I was confused. They knew the real Andy was safe. They knew I was only a clone, made in his likeness with his abilities. They knew that I was an enemy. But yet, they still were horrified on my account. Why was this? "...yes, I know..." I answered simply. Somehow, the pain was starting to lessen...but my body was still breaking down.

However, their concern piques my interest...why are they so sad over me? Is it mere pity? Or is it because I remind them of their beloved friend? If anything...this is the only time to get my answers. "Can I...ask you something?" I asked, addressing the Orange Star COs. Immediately, their attention was all on me, and I mustered up some more strength to get my question out in the open. "What kind of man is Commander Andy? My...original? Does he have friends? Do people like him?"

I must admit that I surprised even myself with these questions. As soon as the other commanders got over their shock, Max decided to answer first, his voice low and respectful.

"Yeah, he has friends," he answered quietly, his head bowed. "Tons of 'em. I'm one of his best." At that, I gave a small smile. I could tell that the person in front of me was dearly loyal.

"Andy's a fine CO. Everyone loves him." Sami finished, looking at me somberly. The others were still staring at me silently, although their gazes...were they filled with sadness?

I could feel my final moments start to descend upon me, but as it came, I couldn't help but wander back to when I was first brought into this world...when I stepped out of that cold chamber, cold and wearing nothing, I only had a single purpose. However...days before I fought the Allied Nations, I was given a profile of Commander Andy, detailing his abilities and relations.

Attatched to that profile was a photo of him, grinning happily. I was confused at it, to be honest. I was emulated in his image...but I couldn't help but think that I couldn't look like that. After a while, I found myself staring into a mirror, and I decided just to try it, just to try smiling the same exact way my original did.

It turned out that I could smile exactly like that, but...it felt empty. There was no purpose to it. It troubled me for day, not understanding what it meant. Now, however...I think I do understand. I think I know why he smiles like that.

"I see...interesting," I breathed out, my breaths becoming heavier and starting to slow down. "I am not Andy. I am just a clone...but...you made me...happy..." I let out, and then I looked up at them, smiling the same way my original had. I caught everyone's horrified stares at me before I finally collapsed on the ground, about to die.

Perhaps, in some time, I might have fully gotten to known why I was the only clone that could feel, to have a personality. However, as I took my final breaths...I realized then, on that cold floor, that I wanted to become like my original, and that's why I acted the way I did.

I smiled once again. My body fully collapsed as I closed my eyes, death approaching. But all I could think about at that moment is about how I finally understood.

---

This is what I churn out at 1 AM after reading game scripts.

Anyway, this is in the POV of Clone Andy in the aftermath of Mission 26. I always found this scene to be the saddest in the game, considering how lifelike he was compared to the other clones. So I just had to write about it. XD

Concrit is appreciated, as always.
_________________


<3 Planty~
Art in icon done by Raburabbit.

[NotJim]

As a fellow Advance Wars enthusiast, I'm happy to see one written here. :D

As to the story itself... I found it very smooth-flowing and immediately getting straight to the clone Andy's history and creation, and how he really felt about being used as a tool by Kindle. Even someone who hasn't read a shred of AW, I'm sure, will be able to understand the pain of someone you know being used, even though he or she is only a copy as in this case...

You could have added Jake's additional line at the end, I suppose, to illustrate how angry the Allied Nations are at seeing their beloved ones' power being used against them. Oh yes, and the power of emotions is brought out nicely here from a different angle, like you always do. XD

Great job, as usual. Much kudos, waffles, cookies, whatever strikes you fancy. /o/
_________________

Avatar and banner by Spork-Queen.EXE.

[Midnight]

I apologize for not reviewing sooner--at the time you published this I was struggling though the low-20 missions and I did not want to spoil myself, even if the plot isn't so pronounced here as in other games. Nevertheless...

You do do a great job of bringing life to the somewhat overlooked plot of the game. As the primary focus is on the strategy and tactics, less attention is turned away from the plot itself, and you took one of the most deserving moments and dramatized it. The emotions were played well, and leapt out of the script this was based on.

As for the last line uttered by Jake forsaking Black Hole for toying with life, I'm not too sure it would have been appropriate here, NJ. My primary reason against it is that this story is told through the doppelganger Andy's eyes, and the script indicates that Jake uttered those lines as a result of Andy succumbing.

Other than that, it went rather well.
_________________
Today, these three players are after Big Bucks! But they'll have to avoid the Whammy, as they play the most exciting game of their lives! From Television City in Hollywood! It's time to 'Press Your Luck!'--Rod Roddy

The Kingdom of Loathing: An Adventurer is You! // I ♣ Seals

Avatar by Spork. I very much appreciate it! <3

[Pyroman.EXE]

Beautiful, Sol, beautiful.

That was definitely one of the saddest moments in the game, hands down, I just finished that mission yesterday (along with Normal Mode), and now I'm sad all over again. Damn it. XD

You brought this dramatic part of the story to life, honestly that was a job very well done. Great job, dude.