I find those last two paragraphs to be quite exquisite, kind of a reversal of personalities: Acrylic, the stoic, becomes emotional, while the protagonist keeps relatively steady.

I got a little confused by your use of conscious in the 1st and 3rd paragraphs and conscience in the 2nd. Was that intentional? Do you mean Mephisto won’t be self-aware in the 2nd paragraph or do you mean she doesn’t have a sense of right and wrong?

yes, she won’t have a sense of right or wrong, but she will be aware via cameras and diagnostics. It is intentional. It is a play on Elsha’s word choice that Acrylic responds with the other word.

Ooh, Acrylic’s fire comes out. Very exciting. Lots and lots of possibilities here. Great stuff.

This is a great installment. I love the line: “Severing the brain from its body renders it a more.. willing host” and Acrylic’s passion at the end.