5-S - "I AM HAPPY."

5-S.

V1 was eager to explore this new entry into the terminal, a digital world like those they had visited before. A place to give their circuitry a rest.
V1 felt a form of gratitude towards the terminals for allowing them into these worlds. They knew it was a form of entertainment, for the terminals, to have them watch him. V1, as they marched towards the door, wondered if this '5-S' was a real place in hell?
         Feeling themselves land, V1 saw a familiar square-shaped room with another terminal at the right entrance into the hallway before them. They let out a light whirr, as they felt themselves disarmed. As this was a simulation, the terminals controlled what weaponry V1 would have. V1 trusted that no danger would come, as they stepped beyond the door.
         Peace. Tranquility. Feelings they only had defined in their memory banks. Perhaps this was also a simulated feeling, the terminals were programming into them? Birds chirped, and a gentle breeze moved the trees around them. It was about morning, the sky looking extremely similar to an Earth-like atmosphere. Everything, obviously was fake, but this simulation was far superior to Limbo. The gravel path below them felt soft. V1 playfully dug their feet into the gravel, kicking the rocks around. The path before them split into two, the right heading towards a shack. A desire to explore this shack over-took V1, and they strolled towards it. As V1 walked along the short route towards the shack, a lake was visible on their left. Fish occasionally jumped up to the surface, to fall back down into the water below. The last time V1 saw fish was in Wrath. They enjoyed shooting them, and the unique taste their blood had compared to the rest of the inhabitants of hell. Why were they there anyway?
         The shack had two barrels, marked with 'bait.' V1 still had some irrelevant information on the subject of 'fishing.' Fishing was a form of food collection for humanity, typically with some form of fishing rod or spear. A fishing rod, typically used a reel, a spool of wire, and a hook to catch fish with 'bait.' V1 lacked information on the two types of bait in-front of them, an apple, and a malicious face. Nay, a barrel of malicious faces. Strange. The shack had a strangely warm feeling to it, the dull sound of the candle and torch burning gave V1 a feeling undefined in their memory banks.

"A Creature of Steel. Surprising."

V1 instantly recognized the voice of Minos Prime, and turned around. In-front of them was a Filth, carrying a fishing rod in it's mouth. And Minos Prime himself, wearing a dirty brown, round-rimmed hat dotted with fishing hooks. A boonie hat.

"Thy must gaze upon, my catch."

V1's ocular lens narrowed it's focus on the bucket in Minos' hand. Strangely they felt no feeling of danger. V1 knew no danger was to be found here. Inside the bucket was a strange, white fish with straight black eyes and a relatively dim smile. The face resembled a simple stylized version of a dog's facial structure.

"A PITR, a beautifully simple fish, is it not? Of plump size, as well." Minos proudly thumped his wide chest. The Filth next to him grunting. It appeared to be leaving marks in the fishing rod in it's mouth, an inefficent form of transport to V1.

"YOUR LESSER HUSK IS DESTROYING THE ROD. HOW WILL YOU FISH WITHOUT IT?"

"Nyeh, there is always another rod. THIs place, you see, it appears to never run out."

The husk grunted. V1 was unsure if it meant anything. Minos Prime sniffed the air.

"Ahh... do you smell, that?" Minos looked to his right, towards the stove. "We will be enjoying a human delicacy, a fish-stick. Fish-sticks, I should declare. Will you be joining us?"

V1 blinked.

"YES?" V1 was unsure what to do. Nominally programmed for violence, it appears all of that was dulled. There was precious little else to think about without that in the mind.

"Then come. We must catch more fish, to fully satiate thy appetite."

Minos prime tapped V1's shoulder, and moved his hand down the length of V1's arm. Like a child, Minos led V1 along the path once more, towards the dock. The filth followed in tow. It appeared... happy, in... some way to V1. ("Lakeside Songbook, Day" begins playing.) A tranquil music began to play, droning deep into V1's systems.

Relaxing. V1 thought. A word both defined, and felt.
The wood of the docks creaked under the weight of the trio. V1 felt no danger to this sound, instead it complimented the sounds of nature around them. Everything felt right here.

"Do you know how to fish?" Minos Prime gently took the fishing rod from the filth's mouth, the handle dotted with teeth marks. "It is a simple task, observe."

Minos spent about a few minutes, explaining to V1 the actions of fishing. Once V1 casted their first successful line, a new hud appeared that simplified the proccesses Minos explained. V1 easily caught their first fish, a red and yellow fish registered to V1 as a 'size one.' Perhaps there are greater, and even lesser sizes to find? V1 whirred in excitement, as they appreciated the fish.

"Ahh... That one, A funny stupid Fish that is."

V1 blinked.

"WHAT? AN INSULTING NAME, FOR WHAT PURPOSE?"

"It was my first fish, you see. I named it for it's foolishness to be the first of it's brothers and sisters to be captured. Weakness and comedy, paired into a slimey scaley skin."

"OK." V1 added this into the fish's stored information.

"We must capture more. Before nightfall."

V1 hadn't paid attention, but the sun was now right above them. Beaming warm light upon them. The sky was a beautiful blue. The Filth was sitting on the docks, kicking it's feet in the water. Fish surrounded it's feet, nibbling off small bits of skin. An enjoyable interaction for both, it appeared. Minos Prime sat down next to it, casting his line deep into the lake.

"I AM HAPPY." V1 took a spot on the dock and joined their new compatriots in the human activity of, "relaxing."