Chapter 13 - Thee who fights with monsters

She woke up from her bed the next day, she did her hygienic cleanup and after that a change in clothing, she retired from the software engineering job she had as a coverup prioritizing her training - she decided to evolve herself beyond her intellect, she trained herself martial arts with the robots that AI engineers built, by the sentients schematics, and then her dancing which she has to perfect while suppressing her 'second brain' 

Other times though she would listen to online lectures, immersing herself in advanced mathematics and scientific journal papers only accessible to workers of Genesis Innovation - but only in her free time since she already possess academic capabilities, she is preparing for the day where her intellect would be rendered useless or ineffective - that was the goal that her and Victor Sumeris had agreed on, priority on areas outside intellect and honing them

Ava would bring out her staff where she had to fight three robot with her weapon, these robots were trained with data of Karate, Kung Fu, and Military combat abilities - each time they bested Ava, with her grabbing onto her staff as she stands to fight against these trained droids

She had enough now, she can't beat these droids at all but that's what's needed wasn't it? to acclimate herself outside situation where her cybernetic mind would be useless at, basic natural stuff

Ava sweat could be seen, her eyes were fierce her mind says, "These robots… They are hard to defeat" while biting her teeth in agony. She stood up as she held to her staff before rushing to them with aggression where one of the robot would dodge Ava's attack performing an aikido takedown on her 

Ava stumble, she fell to the floor with her aching hard - Ava stands herself up, she chose to fight while suppressing her cybernetic mind she held to her staff she decides to attack the droids with her staff, but the droids parry back - she has been fighting them for mostly 6 hours now, she has been rather resilient. 

After being defeated by them day and night she announced her defeat, "I give up" the display screen strapped on the wall flickered where the Sentient made her appearance via the screen, a synthesized voice came out of the monitor, "Giving up already? Why not use that amazing gift of yourself to fight these droids" with her mouth moving 

Ava looks to the monitor, "I would, but there would be a time where cybernetic would be rendered useless or disabled"

Sentient looked at Ava with concern, "That's true, but my engineering does not fail - why not benchmark it, you have been struggling with yourself suppressing your powers" 

Ava nodded, she grab her staff and started spinning around it where she starts fight these droids, her mind was parallely calculating the centrifugal force of her staff and the physics of her attacks, her mind has tabulated the data regarding the droids and started to fight them

She became even with the droids who are attacking her, each data from the droids and Ava kept getting updated - however Ava was connected with the internet, but instead of regurgitating the attack or defend moves she can feel them, even adapting to the droids

She spins while her hands dexterously adapt her staff from fighting the three droids, she defends herself, while blocking the engaged droid attacks. From another unexpected angle the other droid came in rushing with a fist about to propel itself towards Ava, the air of the fist rippled through the space about to approach Ava, but Ava dodged it where she stabs the droid with her staff

Ava then straighten her eyes to the droid with her eyes turned fierce, she rushed to the droid and jump kick but the droid blocked the jump kick, Ava bounced from the droid's blocking where she lands on the floor with her staff at her in a Spiderman pose

Ava opined with her eyes fierce, "You have adapted it seems" her eyes straight towards the droid, the droid just stood there planning its moves 

The droid and Ava clashed together. With Ava only holding her staff, she hit the droid but the droid's durability was too powerful. Ava throwed her staff away, she ran bursting into speed of a sound and tackled the droid where Ava pressed her hand into the droid and then attempted a buffer overflow of its internal system. 

The droid just stood there, before its internal system crashed. The droid fell to the floor as the system deactivated itself, the next was two droids, they both rushed to attack Ava even disarming her weapon making her stumble, however Ava's cybernetic mind adapted to these attacks and change technique where she back flips to create distance between her and the two of the droids

She cannot break them physically what she can do is disable them with her powers, her mind asks, "Why use these as training droids, if they cannot even BREAK physically" she even complained it to the Sentient, but the Sentient deflected her concerns, "Even your mother would be capable of that, yet you who is nanotechnology infused complains" 

Ava furrowed her eyebrows as the droids started to plan its offense, the droid use Ava's staff where they decided to hit with it, but Ava anticipated the attacking patterns of the droids, and kept dodging them even jumping her feet from the ground 

For some time of dodging another droid tried to tackled her from her back left, which stupefy Ava as her head looked to the droid's attempts to which Ava uses her hand to send a buffer overflow attack from her mind 

however that was the ruse created by the droids to defeat her even with her cybernetic mind, soon the droid who was carrying the staff hits Ava's head where Ava's head was hurt where she fell to the ground finally stomped

Ava's body fell to the ground, her head felt a thump as her hand was holding her head with her other hand on the ground.

Ava groaned, "Ahhhhh!!!! my head" 

Ava expressed her disappointment, "Dammit! They used my staff against me"

The droids back off, where the training was then halted. The sentient that was on the screen staring down at her said, "Disappointing, you have the greatest marvel of Cybergenesis and you were bested by droids forged by my worker's engineering."

Ava looked at the sentient on the screen whose digital appearance was like Cassandra but younger, sporting a uniform, "Well, what else can I do? I am new to combat" 

The sentient rebuffs her, "Does not excuse your incompetence even with your cybernetic mind to be bested by two droids" 

The Sentient was seen leaning towards in the screen and said with indifference, "Don't disappoint me, next training will commence at friday this subsequent week" 

The sentient, "You are dismissed!" 

The screen display turn itself off 

Ava got herself up from the floor where she got discombobulated by the staff, and vented her frustration, "Stupid father!" with a slight hint of insecurity as she dismissed herself from the underground facility she was in

As she is seen walking outside, she is contacted by Maya through the phone 

"You are expected to arrive in the headquarters by soon" 

Ava furrows her eyes she seethe and texted back, "What if I don't" 

Maya texted, "You know what happens, do you want this data to be leaked or do you want a rescue of children of Genesis innovation inc?" 

Ava texted, "Fine… the data of Genesis Innovation is very confidential" 

Yes, Ava knows how state of the art Genesis Innovation inc, antimatter dislocator, local field disruptor, a weapon that can hack electronics, entangled identity mind-interface or such that is behind the sentient's behaviour 

Ava started to pace herself, feeling the grass with a glance towards the monoliths of Sector 451 she makes her way walking to the headquarters

Ava looked at the tower that is their headquarters, she hated the appearance of the tower - her eyes furrowed and her teeth bite

She hated how the tower, Henry, the people in City of Gomorrah - the visceral tapestry that plays to her head as she looked at it she can only say one thing thing 

'They were irredeemable'

One day she wonders to herself with fantasy, "One day. Once I freed the children from the organization, I would reshape civilization with my own hand" staring at the climax of the tower

Ava looked straight to the guards protecting the headquarters, she straightened her eyes with vengeance. She was so extremely bitter but she composed herself 

Ava walked into the entrance before being scanned by security with knowledge of her permit

Ava walked straight to the building after being scanned by the security, the security guards lets her in

Ava lets herself in, she can hate but she can't control it - she can't do anything about it, who cares if her mind is a supercomputer. She is a tool now, wielded by both the organization and Henry 

It brings resentment in her heart, nothing she can do to even quench her loneliness

Ava slowly went to the elevator, she saw the rich kids shopping around the lower floor of the mall, and there are scientists and engineers inside acrylic windows working on something with cars and luxurious boutique around - it was an exclusive place, but this tower that is William Corporation HQ held workers and important freelancers or even executives with Henry on top of the hierarchy 

Ava went to the elevator where the elevator she is in accelerates to the designated floor. As soon as Ava reaches the floor, Maya meets her - they both look at each other. 

Maya confessed, "I knew this was going to happen, a part of society" 

Ava stood silence staring at the climax of the headquarters, she clenched her fist, bites her teeth, her teeth furrowing, with fire that ignites at the thought of the children - knowing that accommodating Henry's project would bring one step forward to freeing her kin from the organization

Maya escorted Ava to a room with engineers and scientists, this was a secret research room, it had an iris door, it's not the acrylic windows at all. It was just an iris

As soon as Ava entered the iris door, where one bald man wearing a plain shirt with one cybernetic arm could be seen working inside the laboratory 

The one bald man looked at Ava and said, "Oh so you are finally here, welcome to the HQ cybernetic project" 

Ava looked at the man, "Likewise, I am too be pleased working here"

The bald man said, "Mhm, I heard you're a girl with cybernetics" the bald man with one cybernetic arm inspected Ava for any cybernetics but he couldn't find anything in her that's externalising

He expressed, "Interesting… So your cybernetics are not externalized" he scanned around the body before reaching the conclusion with him touching his chin, "Mhm, your functions are different it seems - come, we have much to do" 

Ava nodded, the bald man walked and sat to the chair with a computer in front of him with the 3D software

Ava commented looking towards the monitor, "An AutoCAD software Interesting" 

The bald man said, "New version of the Autodesk Maya" smiling with child like enthusiasm

"I see, what do you in this research place" Ava enquires the bald man

The bald man replied, "I handle the engineering department of William corporation, I am the main engineer of what's about to come for Henry's engineering" 

Ava looked at the bald man, "If cybernetics is a world-wide commodity why would it take this long to finish this cybernetic research?" 

The bald man did not get offended at all, smiling, "Ah because Henry's standards are high. He doesn't want just a simple enhancement he craves for something" 

Ava asked with her eyes scanning the bald man's words, "Like what? That's what eludes me" 

The bald man said, "One that will give him super strength, real time analysis" 

Ava said, "That's what I assume when Henry told me about this project back in Gomorrah" 

The bald man responded, "Really he told you? Nice, now I have a partner" 

The bald man asked, "Ava Sumeris, correct? You are quite the dossier here you know…"

"A woman whose biology is nanofused"

Ava scratches her head with shyness in her face, "It's nothing really, I am just the way I am. Smart and physically healthy" 

The bald man looked at her for a minute before staring at the 3D software he is working on

It looks like a monocle the lens pulse red, it look like something he has worked on for many days and weeks 

Ava asked, "How much did he pay you to work on this project?"

The man answered, "200 million credits…" 

Ava was shocked at how expensive the project was. 

The man then gets rather tired from Ava's casual presence and asks, "Are you going to help or not? Because if not I would have guards escort you out and don't think about hacking anything here I had Maya and I create countermeasures against anything" 

Ava backs herself off trying to calm down the guy, "Alright, alright I will help. Just tell me what to do" 

The bald man gives out order serenely, "You work with the materials for this monocle" Ava nodded, where she learned the manuals from the screen 

Ava looked at the manuals, even using a laser technology lens. Trying to analyze the materials, while the bald man worked on the 3D software, he then stood up from his chair and looked at the material engineering progress Ava has been working on. 

The bald man looked at it childishly where he opined, "interesting, not bad. But you are missing something" 

The bald man adjusted the material composition from the software for it to 'semi-conduct' with the circuitry and adjusted it for future power cycles 

Ava looked at the bald man and was impressed and remarked, "Interesting, you know your way around these stuff" 

The bald man answered, "I have been with this stuff way longer than anyone, even before I work with Henry" 

The bald man introduces himself, "My name is Darius I am the one who is department of signal processing, microcontrollers, even robotics"

Ava looked at the man, she can't help but feel amused by him the technology is so cute it doesn't even compare to her dad's engineering

Yet, the bald man had passion in his work, having look like he spent his time engineering many things for Henry

It occurred to Ava that as sleazy and despicable Henry is, he inspires leadership truly he was a controller of things like a front end developer with Maya being the back end of everything that happens socially 

But Darius doesn't exist there, he is just there for engineering and stuff. 

Ava said, "What do you think of Henry and Maya?" 

Darius looked at her and said, "Oh, that! Well I know Henry isn't morally good, guy is filled with models orbiting him and at times he would be dating the most glamorous beauty. But I don't really care about that as long as my thirst for engineering is quenched, nothing else matters" 

Ava looked at him, having understood him. Ava resumed her material progression work, moments of bitterness have faded away

Ava analyzed the material progression, where Darius instructed, "I will work with the circuitry, you on the other hand work with the algorithms soon" Ava with her wolf cut hair nodded, she loved the man's passion

Ava resumes her work in the material progression, not caring about anything in the world. She works on the tensile strength of the material in a nanoscale without sacrificing comfortability. 

Ava uses her cybernetic mind, resuming her research of the materials 

Ava looked at the lenses, where she shined the laser through it testing durability and by Darius requirements testing semi-conductivity 

They both work with each other so after another 6 hours or so, she got tired and excused herself from the work

Ava went back to her house (kurt's house), she read on academic journals of material science in her cybernetic mind refining her understanding

Ava reflected what she learnt, she got complimented by Maya in the phone, "How is the cybernetic project doing" 

Ava texted, "Doing well, it's not as bad as I thought it will be" 

Maya texted, "Yep, he is the only one working there except when he needs help with workers for the hard stuff. But with you in it, makes the project more unstoppable"

Ava texted, "He knew about my powers and capabilities, but did not flinch how?" 

Maya texted, "He doesn't care about achievements, nor money, nor is he envious of anyone he cares about pursuing his work" 

Ava texted, "Looking forward to working with him, he's got the good aura vibes" 

Maya sent an emote with her in a thumbs up 

Maya was typing something but she stopped

Ava notices but ignores it, she lay on her bed sleeping while analyzing the materials she has in her cybernetic mind

Ava looked at her cybernetic mind, she hasn't thought for something for a while - she couldn't look at herself for a bit, brianna 

She feel tempted to search her up, but she doesn't want to search it up knowing it will grieve her more

All she can do is focus her mind on Material Science and optics research in her mind.

She looked through every Material science, nanofibers, even photonics research she needed. 

As she peers, she assimilated knowledge in regards to the aforementioned field, her eyes staring at the ceiling 

She then compiles a binary code in her mind's compiler for her 'second mind' to reboot to an organic self assembly of arrays and data structure to accommodate these new knowledge better. 

As Ava finish compiling the binary code, she executes it in her second mind - where her second mind shuts down

Ava felt human, her mind felt numb - she was human for a minute, the ordeal of mechanical high order thinking was gone. No more 

She was free for a minute, as a minute pass by a Gui interface popped to her. It was a loading screen that only she can see in front of her due to its visualized properties. 

The mind appeared, a new patch in her mind's operating system

As she stood from her bed, she furrowed her eyes and she wasn't smiling at all. Her eyes scanned throughout her head, she now values efficiency as she lets her hands out scanning them, her new plan was dismantling Genesis Innovation and then next the organization.

But the more she feels this way, the more stray she is from the humanity she once has. Ava stood from her bed, she looked at herself twirling herself slowly while her eyes were cold and bold. 

She takes off her clothes except for her undergarments, for some reason this patch to her self assembly. 

Ava said with cold efficiency, "Assessing sensuality levels, gathering images and news trends of Brianna, and other fashionable models…. Weighing numbers on who the males desire most" 

As Ava touch her skin with her undergarments, she feels a tension of her body, "Roughness within 20 percentage, must decrease and leverage plasticity feel without surgery" 

"Collating variance between current user's sensuality level and desirable model" 

Ava sensually poses in front of the mirror, before stating, "Similar, but requires optimization" 

Ava halts her mechanical speeches, finally done assessing her sensuality level. She had finer control, she can feel the 'kinesthesia' of the oil of her skin, she can also imagine the smell of alcohol, intoxicating

Even going as far as pondering, "For some time of reference, I need to have my body to be as intoxicating as Alcohol, lipstick would work and some perfume would work" she touches her plump but thin lips with her head angled upwards

But the more she assess her body, she begins to have this dysmorphia - she is insecure that her own mind frames her mind not to be of alcohol

But she was determinant, if she were to survive in this world and fulfill her task she needs to take everything into value 

Ava confessed recalling the instance of Brianna, the silver haired lady who abandoned her child at Genesis Innovation during pregnancy, her appearance with the male companion sporting high heels, a cocktail dress with lace around her cleavage extending to collarbone while wearing ink like floral lace arm sleeves separately. 

For some reason, this was Ava's inspiration, sensuality weaponized. But she then begins to ponder, "This allure, a weapon only wielded by foxes who hide in plain beauty must have an appropriate usage of it" 

Ava stare straight towards the mirror, "I must consider scenarios and places where clothes like these are appropriate" 

Ava puts a finger in her chin, "For a while, I had a preference for chic like clothes - I have not pondered about that. But if I were to make a perfunctory assumption…" Ava looks straight up

"It would be because I needed to maximize my appearance in work environments, the new patch I developed for my second-mind has allowed me to free my mind from emotional blockage where work importance is not considered"

"I recall Henry wanting me to wear a tight-knit sweater dress with a pantyhose, apparently for him that is enough for people to turn their heads, so I am giving this a higher weight" 

"The more my mind does parallel computing upon research of fashion, models, idols. The more I realize that I need to study their style, my mind has been ignorant to these trivialities but the new self-assembly data structure patch has freed me and allowed me to ponder on these things. Mostly due to emotional tangent that block my mind towards these stuff while prioritizing work environment and educational fashion, for that" 

"I must decide my style…" 

"While also retaining an intuitive index for which clothes would be appropriate for some settings"

Ava re-equip her clothes, she checked her body type. This is a kind of new feeling for her, she felt powerful but the more she sees herself she feels like she's being cut away from hope and child-like behaviour 

Ava could imagine herself as someone wearing clothes but this time she can see herself in the mirror peripherally, she was a tight party mini-dress ending at the helm of her lower pelvis, it was black - she starts to reimagine herself a variety of dresses but for some reason chic-clothes seem the most revealing

She saw the calculatedness of the chic clothes, she stared at herself she was wearing a blouse with a skirt, giving her an intelligent pose but then she considers stereotypes

The party girl, a mini tight dress without revealing too much cleavage, another for the high meeting party where she had to court someone would be an A-line dress, a more provocative one would be a sequin dress. 

She also considers her wolf cut hair to be styled or refurbished.

But the more she looks at herself, she realize how far she is from humanity - without even denying to herself that these stuff are the only way to thrive in this society, if she can use her beauty which could be commodified by society, why not use it - as a means to an end, her goal of freeing the kids of Genesis innovation remained inviolable 

Ava looked at her waist, she became insecure that her body is not right harmony with her bust size, she looked at her body, she became insecure that her boobs was not big enough, she then makes her eyes visualize herself in a cloth with a revealing cleavage

But it turns out to be revealing, cutting elegance. 

She considers the difference between Elegance vs Glamour 

She has always been the elegant type, but now she considers the pros and cons of Glamour 

One thing was more attention, superficial - enough to tap into a human's material instincts another was elegance which portrays you as someone sophisticated. 

The more she ponders, elegance appears to be her fit - she feels the need to master glamour as well

She moved on from classifications of attractive and their usage, she now considers her knowledge of weapons

She thinks about a plasma gun, photon gun, local field disruptor, anti matter dislocator, missile launcher

She ponders these usages, she thinks about many materials and components needed to assemble these weapons piece by piece

She runs simulation on how she use these guns to decimate these targets with cold-efficiency with battle fury 

She creates these simulations in her mind, her destroying robots with her holding two laser pistols, shooting at places where props or stuff would fall - even throwing an apple to create distraction, even considering psychological advantage

As she created the numerous battle simulations she then moved to social manoeuvrability. She recalls the naive intentions to uncover applications of psychology through manipulation books but realises that the gravity of these usages are dangerous thus not applied, although she has used her beauty to get attention and some leverage. 

Maybe she can just be an observer. 

She goes to her bed where she checks her phone and login to her public account named MizsAva. She has racked over 50,000 followers, comments show them thirsting over her body, while a few of them slut shaming her. 

Ava looked at the message, there were numerous - she hasn't even updated her status so people were offering her a place, some of them were rich apartments, some are not, she wasn't interested she searched in InterChat about models, even desirable bodies

Before moving on 

Ava saw herself, she has finally detached herself to what's considered human weakness - she doesn't feel liberated but trapped, "It was for the better…" 

Ava went back to her bed and slept the next day. 

She woke up, washed herself, wore her clothes and walked out of Kurt's house. Uncle Kurt stopped her, he saw that Ava was wearing blouse clothes with a skirt while holding a handbag. But this time it's different. He saw what changed. He was touching Ava's shoulder from her back, he was staring at Ava, "What are you planning to do?" 

Ava answered, "Nothing, maybe go shopping." with shyness in her face

Uncle Kurt replied, "Alright, Ava" 

Uncle Kurt begins to inform Ava, "Oh, are you aware of the organization?" 

Ava in her flustered face, "Yeah I am aware of the organization, you have mentioned it multiple times since our first meeting"

Uncle Kurt, "Well, you will be relegated to the organization after a few months, they saw your worth. Congratulations Ava, you have been recommended"

Ava expresses her artificial excitement, "Really?! That's great to hear" 

Ava smiles, "Well, I should be going soon. You have a great time Uncle kurt"

Ava started walking away, waving and smiling at him as she created distance. 

As she created distance, she looked through every building. She feels empty she has finally sealed her emotions 

She traversed the building, from an omniscient view of Sector 451 - everything seemed normal, space ships floating around the monoliths, citizen activity bustling through the city

Ava continues to walk the city with a detached attitude.

She arrived at a mall, she went to the same electronic store she looked at the same man nothing about him has changed, same guy wearing a black hat cap with a visor whose front area glows red

The man looked at her, "Greetings, customer. Are you here to buy any spare parts" 

Ava looked at the man and responded, "I am here to look around" 

The man responded with, "Very well, look around then" 

Ava nodded where she looked around the store, she looked at this spare part it had a component, a laser transducer

She gets it and starts looking for another component. This one is a filtration with a fan to it, it is a small one though she discarded it. 

She found another piece, a motherboard from Azretech - it's expensive unfortunately. 

Ava opens her luxurious handbag and grabs her phone from the handbag checking her credits, the motherboard costed about 20,000 her current cash right now is around 80,000

Ava asked the Cashier, "Why is this motherboard from Azretech so expensive" 

The Cashier who was seen operating at the terminal answered, "You don't know? Azretech owns one of the biggest multi-processing units of the market; it can handle complex 3D simulations, even holographic technology, gaming, artificial intelligence, and stuff"

Ava answered, "Oh yeah I forgot this must be the new motherboard" 

Ava analyzed the pieces of the motherboard and was impressed, for modern day computing; this seems to fit the days of her nascent years coding in her computer she has not touched a computer since like months now since she got kicked out of her house

She couldn't wait to appreciate it again, but the problem is her priority is that if she buys a computer she might relapse to her old ways. 

Ava asks the Cashier, whose appearance dons a male Cashier uniform with an apron like a seven eleven worker wearing a visor whose front case pulse red with a restaurant .

"Do you have a high end laptop somewhere?" 

The Cashier who's standing atop inside the counter operating the monitor asks, "You want a laptop now?" 

Ava nodded, "Yes, I want a laptop - since I will be travelling somewhere and I am in need for compactness" 

The Cashier operated the terminal, he searched for anything related to the computer hoping to find the storage room behind the counter. 

He bent his spine a little leaning his head while tapping on the monitor interface, he doesn't seem to be pleased from what he found

Ava asked, "Is there a problem?" with a glance taking note of the worker micro-expressions

The worker looked at her said, "We don't have any laptops from Azretech"

Ava answered, "Oh, I see" 

The worker said, "But we do have parts that when assembled together could become a functionable laptop" 

Ava smiled, "Even after all these years, you still got me" 

The worker operated the monitor and compile every parts that can lead to the assemblage of a functional laptop, he printed out a list

He handed it to Ava the list of the components to build a functional laptop 

Ava looked at it, she analyzed the components of the list 

From inspection, she can see a laptop case with a keyboard, one that can be taken apart with a screwdriver another one was a fan, even a motherboard with a CPU that's compact, and lots of wiring 

Ava said, "Thank God, those exist" 

Ava checked the price of the list, it was priced at 14,500, she wasn't shocked but she wasn't too sure either 

Ava checked the mobile processor of the laptop, and the ventilation system

She asked the vendor, "How powerful is this CPU where her cybernetic mind cause her to visualize an GUI interface connecting to the internet" 

It browsed the interface before a page with colors and buttons began to surface, it had no APU either, but with an advanced multi-core processing with clock speed up to 6 GHz 

Ava looked at the separate ventilation system, it's like this little flat but with height of a heatsink

Ava looked at the motherboard and loved the Voltage Regulator Module. Every part, even the laptop motherboard, looked sleek with its mobile processing unit looking advanced.

Ava's head looked at the Cashier, "This one looked like it can do things I want to do, but not cryptocurrency, just development and gaming, correct?

The Cashier nodded without smiling with professionally, where his mouth said, "Yes, but if the processing speeds are not to your needs I can replace some parts in the list with a superior motherboard with an advanced mobile processor with 3D imaging and VR capabilities, it can handle high artificial intelligence computing capabilities" 

With 64 cores and 128 threads, with cloud computing third party software, superior efficiency, and a large battery capacity with 20,000 mah

Ava was impressed, she also then requests a superior dedicated graphics card which is a spare part, to which the Cashier attended. The Cashier placed a GPU but suggest a new laptop frame 

But the store owner scratched his head and informed, "Miss…. We don't have an integrated GPU, but should I inform you in the following days. Would you like to follow our store's news?" 

Ava listened, "Hmm.. sure, I will make sure to follow for updates" 

The store owner pointed at the poster, it was a poster with him with a visor and the hat pointing towards the InterChat page. 

Ava used her phone to type the name displayed on the poster and followed it

Ava then use her card and it costed 50,000 credits

Ava's face repulsed a little, before reluctantly accepting her costs, where she walked away

Ava carry a laptop template box with her arm while holding the plastic bag for the wiring and parts, at least the laptop template box has a built in display screen up to 165 hertz

Ava went back to uncle Kurt's house back to her room where she assembled a modular laptop with mere pieces using screw driver like legos with all the wiring, before turning it on. It was still in the bios she hasn't download an operating system but now she will

She went to another and brought a USB and went outside with the laptop on where after one hour returned and downloaded AdaOS 

As she finished downloading AdaOS, she booted the system and was pleased with the functionalities. She installed some packages from the update and for a while started to install software development tools and a disassembler. 

She even connected the modular laptop to the internet, and started searching up.

The nostalgic feeling, when her mother bought her, her first computer at the age of 8 and started tinkering a way with things, her escape from the social world that felt somewhat intractable 

Each time she stares at the monitor, she is reminded of how different she is from her young self - that innocent repressed self tucked away doing stuff in her computer and cracking games. For some reason cracking games cryptography was somewhat fun even messing with proprietary software under her mother's nose. During her time, she would go to forums and solve encryption problems for fun. 

Those were the good times, she recalls some small AI projects she worked on but were not finished, did she save them in her repository?

Oh wait she actually did. 

Those time hit harder than ever

But is she really that same Ava who treated her own room as a sanctuary? No, her life is different now - and she has a goal. 

She is going to thrive in this world both the digital and the physical 

Ava started to prepare her tools and programs in her laptop, a modular laptop with 64 cores and 128 threads

She powers her laptop off, shuts the laptop close gently before proceeding to head out.

As she heads out, she ties her hair with a ribbon styling it to a ponytail 

She went off the house once again, as to why she tidy her hair was the crowd perception of her hair. (Feel free to entertain any conjectures) 

What was Ava planning? Was she planning to do something?

Her action bemuses me the omniscient

From the inside of a beauty salon room, with ladies ranging from young to adult looking ones having their hair styled even creamed with lotion, one of them in a chair leaning backwards with bubble coming out of her hair

another one who's face was being given a spa time by one worker, moisturizing the face with some gel like substance in the hopes of improving the quality of the skin 

She lets her hand go off the door knob and starts walking, she approaches the cashier the female cashier appears short but curvy at the same time she had black hair and brown eyes, her face was smooth with a little bit of pronounced jawline 

Ava asked, "I would like to have a spa first and then next my hair to be a little longer" 

The girl on the counter looked at the monitor, and asked her, "May I process your card first?" 

Ava nodded, she handed out her card and have it processed 

The girl nodded and grabbed her card and had it processed where it made its transaction

As the transactions were made, Ava was handed back her card. 

Ava went to the chair, she took off the ribbon that's tying her ponytail hair 

As she took it off, she returned to her wolf cut hair, she wondered if there is a solution that can grow her hair back. 

She looked around, processing the stimulus

She had nothing to worry about. 

As soon as she closes her eyes, she felt like something soft but viscous it feels like it's tickling her face it was cold, the gel felt like a crystallized gel like sparkling diamonds which were probably ions in her part

Her face felt like freezing, parts of her face tissue begins to cool but it was relaxing 

This continued for 30 minutes where Ava felt like the gel was being taken from her face, the gel was already removed 

She opened her eyes and started to awake. She looked at the mirror, she saw that her face became more pristine, otherworldly her face was already perfect porcelain but it became the same perfect porcelain without the feeling of imperfection. 

Ava looked at the worker who was a black hair female with a worker uniform with tan skin. She was holding some sort of dropper, it was carrying minoxidil but an enhanced version of it

The worker softly touches her hair and applies an ounce of minoxidil.

After applying the minoxidil the worker informed, "Please wait for about some times your hair will grow slowly 

Ava nodded, she went to the exit of the beauty salon 

As she exited the beauty salon, she checked her public account through her phone. She hasn't uploaded anything new at all. In fact when she first created her public account with her body and face in it, she uploaded just a few pictures with a status that says, "Need a home" 

Ava knowing how little sync it had with her current life decided to update the status

"Already had a home" she was already content. 

She forgot why she made her public account, or so she feels. As if she can efface herself from public view once more

But then it occurred to Ava

"What if I can make a few updates about myself"

She tied her hair back to her ponytail and captured a selfie of herself with a wink and uploaded that picture 

Ava holds her phone and a smirk plays on her face with a devilish-amused grin her thoughts went

"Heeee-heee stupid thirsty guys" 

"So easy to control the narrative…."

As time flew fast, she was still in her bed smiling at the comments 

Comments usually go like this

"Wow girl - looking really pretty"

"Can I schedule a dinner night with you, it's going to be a world class restaurant - I can fly you there" 

Ava grinned, her eyes looked devilishly amused the more she looks at the comments, her hair was not tied currently 

She looks at the phone, eventually she gets a comment from Henry - there it is the profile picture with an icon of him with some hover car - definitely a photogenic masculine version of him leaning on a deluxe hover car, no models at all (still playing lowkey)

":P" just that text emote expression

Ava bites her teeth, she processed Henry's comment before moving on 

Ava stood up and looked at herself in the mirror, she was back to her previous long flowing jetblack hair, with some of the tendrils being loose at the ends of the hair strand but more neat

As she looks at herself, she saw the beautiful porcelain but a little more pale like contrasting with her hair, she looks at her body - it was slender with near perfect bust and waist ratio

She enters her own mind frame of point, she stared at her monitor - and felt like wearing a corset to emphasize this slender but curvy figure she is been blessed with

Eventually after a little bit of self glazing she went back to her bed to prepare for the next day. 

With Maya admonishing her for not helping Darius with the William Corporation Secret Cybernetic Project

As Ava fell asleep, her phone kept ringing a bunch of notifications 

Her phone was on 

Soon enough Ava woke up, did her hygiene routine which involves showering, brushing her teeth, grooming her hair

She smiled it had a lace of calculation in her smile, before she went back to her room and checked her phone it had a lot of notifications from Maya 

"Ava, you haven't helped Darius!"

"Grrrrr can you at least help Darius with his engineering, or I am not gonna get pay"

"Huh, guess those kids in the laboratory will stay lab rats" 

Ava grabs the phone, and lean near it she texted, "Gahhhhh Maya, silent down" 

With another reply she followed with, "I am coming" 

Ava left the house with her blouse with a red ribbon wrapped around her collar with a navel medium length skirt and she started to walk. 

As she walked to the William Corporation HQ, she arrived at the secret project room 

She saw Darius soldering the circuitry for an unknown purpose and commented, "Oh you are early…" 

Darius looked at her without a smile where he refocus back to his work, seconds have passed and uses his thumbs up to point at the material science she has been working on

Ava nodded, she went to her material science and research

Ava continued to work on examining its material science, with no context of what she's doing at all 

(Author: Writing smart characters is hard)

Ava asked while working on material science, "Are you working on a physical electric diagram for the 3d object you were working on two days ago?" 

Darius looked back from soldering, and said "Guess it correctly" with a smile

Ava became confused, she refocused on her material science somewhat weirded by him

Ava then wagers her efforts, "How about a weapon" 

Darius who is preoccupied with his soldering progress said, "No" 

"It's for the control theory of the monocle" 

Ava asked with her eyes turning curious, "As in the semiconductor control of the monocle" 

Darius said with unfazed interest, "More so like that" 

Darius didn't ask her about her day is, he doesn't even care about anything but getting the job done 

Darius is only perked up by the passion he is doing

Ava saw him and just accepted it.

Ava continued in her material science research, primarily researching optics and lasers 

They went on for 6 hours, researching scientific and technological ways to build whatever that jerkwad commissioned for his little secret project 

It was just Ava and Darius together, working professionally 

Ava also gives some insight on cybernetics. 

She liked working with Darius

But secretly she has been planning something at the back of her head 

She worked on the nanomaterials and their semiconductor capabilities

And then improving optics design 

She showed Darius the optic design of the monocle 

Darius was satisfied but to him it's still not perfect

Darius, of course the amoralistic bald engineer inspected the optic like a child and then ask Ava to improve the optic design 

Ava nodded and started improving the optics, she gets the lens and peer her eyes through it she can see things from afar, Darius held himself from afar and begins to check on Ava - Darius looked at Ava's optic design and complimented it, however he started criticize the lack of control its magnification

Ava rebuff him, "Isn't that what you are supposed to do"

Darius with his bald presumptuous attitude said, "Well yeah. Just saying that the this optic require a degree of control via the person's mind" 

Ava waves her head, "Alright Mr Engineer" 

Darius remarked, "Always have been engineering, especially for THIS COOL CYBERNETIC ARM I HAVE" 

Darius shows off his cybernetic arm like a kid with him smiling

Ava looked at, unimpressed yet concomitantly amused, she hovered over her mouth with her own hand from below and smirks - the Oujasama laugh 

Darius was too prideful for his invention, he even flexed it by smashing the table which was apparent and then he pulled out some point-black blaster from his cybernetic arm

Darius poses like a freak and said, "Real cool right, a girl like you would be so swoon by it" with a smile

Ava drop her amusement gesture and her face turned disappointment where she continues to work in the material science

Even calling him, "You're weird" 

Darius doesn't even care, he just focuses on his circuitry and stuff or whatever 3D modelling he is doing, nothing what Ava says will flinch him at all 

Ava continued doing her thing, but for some time she decided to do something bond, confident with her perfect beauty decided to sneak at his back and decided to touch and whispered the words to his earlobe

"What, made you so invested in this project, what is your story to why you work here" As Ava whisper her honey into his earlobe, her finger adroitly sliding from his shoulder to his front torso muscles while smiling

Her head was rotating slowly as it nears Darius bald head, her eyes were inviting as she tried to look at him

While whispering, "Come on Darius, you can tell me I will make sure to treat you well - or be your sugar for the time" with a smile 

However in reality Darius was just getting annoyed, he pushes two arms (one of them a cybernetic arm) outward exerting force to his left and right side repulsing Ava for a bit

He bites his teeth and his eyes furrowed and points at Ava, "What was that for! Never do that again, that is very uncomfortable" 

Ava show shock, and rush to stood up with her hand covering her body like a coward and said, "I am sorry sir, I will go back to work" Ava frantically starts working on the optics

Darius soothed down before resuming back to his work, he brings out a walkie talkie he secretly hides, "She's trying to get information from me" before resuming back to his work

Ava heard it, she turned her head around before pretending to work 

Soon enough Ava checked on her phone from her handbag and checked that it was already afternoon. She slowly walked away to which Darius ignored. Ava slowly walked away from the secret room to escape like a coward and starts to pace up her walkspeed before bumping into Henry muscular body accidentally

She fell but Henry captured her, Ava clunkily but in an awkward tone, "Henry, what are you doing?" 

Henry smiles while holding her while he was holding her equipped with a designer suit with a tie 

He begins to grin smile and whispered, "Shhh don't worry my puppy" Henry uses his hand to close Ava's eyes where Henry kisses Ava's head 

Henry carries Ava and heads to the room where Darius is at 

Henry smiles, "Darius?" 

Darius looks at him and said, "Boss, I have finally completed the soldering process" he then noticed Ava being carried by Henry like a hostage unconscious 

Darius then interrupted, "Ohh, I see" 

Henry smiled panting the back of her head, "Oh, this one of my valued prize yet a handful one" 

Henry continues carrying her off 

And Ava wake herself before looking around for some reason she's back in his villa 

Ava looked around before encountering him with Brianna to his side, Henry had the same designer suit with him and Brianna white dress with golden bracelets, Brianna dress was sleeveless with a necklace exemplifying her skin with a white color that blinds with her silver hair

Ava scanned the place, "What the heck, why am I back here?" 

Henry speaks with a smile while sipping cocktail wine, "How was the cybernetic project?" with Brianna to her side touching his shoulder 

Ava took a sit and answered, "It was fine, we did some progress in the project" with her hands touching the pelvis 

Henry cozy himself up and said, "That's good" 

Ava eyes scanned around, she sees Brianna and Henry somewhat together in a coach 

Before Henry went off topic, "Remember that old man you talked back to in the Gomorrah tower?" 

Ava turned confused, "Yeah?? What about it, I don't know why this is relevant" 

Henry voice spoke putting his cocktail glass in the table, "I heard the old man seems interested in you" 

Ava crosses her arms and her face turns into disgust, "Now why would I do that?" 

Henry informed, "I think you two would have nice bonding together" 

Ava looks into Brianna, from the get-go she had a hairline at the middle, and of course that sleeveless white dress with a necklace and a bracelet, quite the tall lady with glamorous curves whose hair was silver with eyes that glimmered softly in the night sky like a brown dwarf star

Ava said, "And you, what about you? What are you doing here?" 

Brianna just flippantly shrug her shoulders, and said "Henry is just fun, takes me to parties you know" 

Ava, not being impressed, sighed, "Uhuh, parties…."

Ava looks at Henry, "What's the meaning of this"

Henry frivolously remarked, "Ever heard of being casual Ava learn it" 

Ava walked near Henry who was sitting, "I will be casual alright…." 

Ava smirks with her pose resembling her putting hands on her waist 

Ava said, "What's the first step then?" 

Henry stood up, with Brianna in the coach assertively and announced to the two ladies, "We are going to party soon. Ava, thank you for your cooperation in my project"

Brianna became confused and curious, "Project what?"

Henry caress on Brianna head with his hand and makes a half reassurance gesture, "It's confidential dear that only me and Ava know" 

Ava puts on a confident pose and smiled, "Yep, just about right - it's only that me and Henry knows" she winks at Brianna 

Brianna stood up and said, "You are no fun" with disappointment like a spoiled angry child, Ava said, "Says you?" 

Brianna somewhat internally exasperated asked Henry, "Henry, can you give Ava to the guy" 

Henry answered, "Maybe if she gets a little handful"

Ava looked disappointed, "Old man this, and old man what is this supposed to mean?" 

Ava with her blouse with a red ribbon wrapped around her blouse's collar and a blue navel medium length skirt, touches her own waist with her arms somewhat a little serious

However Brianna just did a Blegh gesture on her while holding onto Henry's arm 

Henry started heading outside the villa, where the two ladies followed. 

Ava started to wonder what to do but her instincts said to follow the guy. 

The three of them started heading outside, where as soon as they arrived outside the villa they spotted a limo, the three entered the limousine. First was Henry, second was brianna 

The weather begins to rain, Ava's looked at Brianna and asked, "So….. you plan on staying on sector 451 for some time Miss Mistress" sarcastically 

Brianna looked at Ava, "Uhh yeah for some time being, Henry is taking me to a Cyborg convention" Ava eyelids dilate, "Cybernetic convention?" she asked 

Henry smiled at Ava, showing a devilish grin, "We withheld the information for a big surprise" Henry took another sip of the drink 

Henry sipped his drink with a devilishly grin as he crossed his legs 

Ava furrowed her eyes toward him, her eyebrows straight, "What's so funny we are just going to a cybernetic convention with party"

Henry devilishly smirk, morph into a smile somewhat widened

"You have no idea" somewhat laughing 

Ava got weirded out, she used her cybernetic mind to scour the internet for anything related to this cybernetic convention 

After within 5 minutes, Ava makes an arch in her smile, "I see where you are going.. Henry, really funny" 

Brianna was confused by the two people arguing 

Ava leaned on her chair, "it really wasn't a party at all isn't it"

Henry answered, "Yep" 

Ava bends her spine forward and ask Henry, "So, about this old man that I interacted" 

Henry said, "Oh, him - I got some information from him, he texted one of my agents that there was a particular girl she liked. Funny even though I traded Brianna with two of the models I was hanging out" 

Ava sighed, her face turned boredom, "Does he know something about me?"

Henry answered, "No, more like he got a little enraptured when he saw your picture in InterChat"

Ava smiled holding her chin up as she relaxed her body smiling at him, "Huh, so it's one of those guys" 

Henry nodded, "Right on spot!" 

Ava started to learn back, her head on the limousine headrest chair. As Brianna watches she felt like she was on the crossroads between Ava and Henry 

Brianna starts to touch Henry's arm and ask, "Henry, what's going on darling - is this woman threatening you" 

Henry caressed Brianna's head with his hand and assures, "Don't worry, dear" 

"We are gonna have a lot of fun together beautiful, don't mind this bozo lady"

Ava's face expresses a little of disgruntlement before recomposing herself 

As soon as the limousine arrived in the place, the three took off - Henry thanked the chauffeur 

Henry touched the hands of Brianna and whispered, "I will treat you well, if you learn to act yourself" 

Brianna giggled at Henry's words and said, "Ohhh. So charming" 

Ava looked at Henry but wasn't annoyed by it anymore she was just walking aside him 

As trio arrived inside, with Henry's dress and two ladies accompanying him

Inside the building was an expo, it lays a lot of transparent like cylindrical blocks it showed a bunch of prosthetic arms, legs and such 

They were showy, one show an arm who's nanotechnology that can morph itself, it's made of an unknown darkish polymer with green pulsing stripes around it that can remorph itself through some complex field equation manipulation, like it understand its own morphology 

As the three walked, a couple of exhibition attendees looked at him 

One even whispered one each other as they stared at him, as the girls eye scanned the area

Henry stands confidently scanned the environment without even rotating his head unlike the two ladies mesmerized by the appearance while he smiles, the two ladies accompanying one was wearing a blouse with a red ribbon wearing her blouse collarbone with a navel skirt, the other one has a sleeveless white dress with a necklace & bracelet

both had modelesque figures, one with the sleeveless white dress with a necklace & bracelet has silver hair with brown eyes, the other other wears a blouse with red ribbon alongside a skirt had jetblack flowing hair with loose ends, with melanated green eyes (Disambiguous: darkish-green eyes) 

Brianna asks Ava, "Do you know how to play the part?" smiling, to which she answered, "Not the first time" Ava answered without much overwrought pretenses to it

Brianna smiles, the trio headed to the convention where a few scientists showed their works. One of them wanted to show off their artificial intelligence, Ava was curious that she slightly walked off before remembering that she was supposed to play the part 

Ava just pinched her own chin looking at the artificial intelligence project there, as she stared at the project, the person behind it was a young man scrawny brown hair guy, she recall his facial features it was back in the library who warned her about Henry - Alex 

Ava stared at the artificial intelligence project, it looked new and fresh. Soon Alex notices Ava along the way, and Ava raises her hand and flirt with her fingers where his reaction became flustered feeding Ava's amusement

Henry noticed something of interest ignorant of Ava's perked up interest and said, "Well. Well looks like I found gold, come girls let's head there" 

The trio started walking, where every female started to walk, Ava disengaged her view and started walking to the project like a droid

Henry looked at the project, this person behind the project looked every bit of Einstein with a little pop. The hair was messy purple as if it was dyed wearing a stereotypical lab coat. The project showed a project where it used holographic projectors. 

Henry puts on an impressed face, but deep down he loved the amusement he had from this person - Henry looked at the project observing the figure. 

Meanwhile the guy continued his eccentric work of using holographic projectors where it showed him dancing with every pose in synthwave dance styles like a doofus

But then the guy decides to make his demonstration, he went through where the holographic projectors showed him as a different man

It represented the different kind of person, an average joe, another one projected him as an attractive female

And soon the guy went back to his original appearance and went on a lengthy winded talk about himself, and the technology on how he manage to deceive others what he looks like 

Meanwhile Brianna still grabbing on Henry's arm like some NPC glamorous beauty, while Ava is on his staring at the project 

Ava whispered to Henry with a palm covering his ears, "He seems like the type of person you would want to hire, no?" with a flirtatious smile

Henry eyelid's looked at her, "Yep. That's the type of genius I would want in my job" 

Ava pretended to giggled, meanwhile other gossips kept whispering about him being surrounded by sluts, or in any form carried with envy 

Soon enough Ava decided to use her mind secretly to get the schematics, the holographic projector felt like it had a little interference but it returned back to normal and operational after a while. 

Ava smiles, before shaking Henry, "I am bored, I am bored let's go to another project" like an bored droid girl

Picking the nerves of other guests around with silent gossips, everyone assumed to be her 'stupid girl' 

The main de facto of the trio got annoyed at first, but can feel the air of the public perception he often gets the raise out of 

Henry smiles and looked at her, "I agree - let's go" 

"You know annoying twat" with him knowing Ava was playing on an act

Henry walked off the presentation of some cuckoo cluck yet impressive hologram projectors with the two girls following him, inspiring gossip left and right, front and backward 

With some guy getting rather angry, "What is that guy even doing here in the tech expo" 

As Ava understood the insecurity or whatever is going on in the expo, she tried to look for something serious she could just snatch the schematics off. (Yep she was gone this slope down) 

Becoming the very monster she was fighting against, Ava turned quiet and looked around. She even accessed the schematics of the guy's invention she watched with Henry 

The most vain guy, the de facto, the many names guy continues to make his walk, he was seen flirting often with Brianna who is just as vain as he is

But Ava didn't mind she had a different idea, she wanted to blend in without raising suspicion. 

She still acts like someone who is reserved yet dumb at the same time, a prop for Henry to use 

Ava looked around, before asking Henry if she can explore something, "Can I check somewhere" 

Henry got mad he looked at her and answered, "No, you are supposed to play your part" 

Ava tickles Henry's chin and flirts, "Come on, I will make sure to treat you some drinks" 

Henry was not tickled as shown with unimpressed eyes, he grabbed Ava's hands slowly putting it down 

Henry begrudgingly allows Ava to do her job.

Ava walked off, she checked the same presentation she had lay eyes on for a while

She walked off to the exhibition with the same kind of droid confidence painted at her eyes, her eyes were drooled with arrogance of her own presence

As Ava walk herself towards the exhibition, of course she was turning heads - she could see a lengthy monitor yet wide monitor it had a built in speaker, camera, and microphone

A digitalized version of a hollowed circle appear, it was green first it was dim but then it turned green 

It address Ava through the speech, "Greetings, stranger I am Celene an early developed LLM capable of moral and ethical reasoning" in a feminine voice

Ava asked, "An early LLM, capable of moral and ethical reasoning?" she stood in front of the AI wondering 

Celene calmly say: "Yes, I am an Large Language Model capable of analyzing moral facets and strategic viewpoint in ensuring peace, tranquility, unity" 

Ava became skeptical, "You are an LLM for those abstract values? Ones that are far off from today's ethics" 

Celene said with honesty, "Yes, you can say that the world's ethics is far from the idealized ethics I am built to endorse and uphold" 

Ava became curious and asked further, "How would you have solved our problems, don't you think your creator have misplaced purposes" 

Celene did not get offended and replied without trauma, "The world cannot be brought to each other without unity, as an early LLM dedicated to ethical and moral reasoning I can only give out what would be optimistically moral. I am also trained with data to handle situations where things morally grey"

Are you aware of Double Effect by Thomas Aquinas?" 

Ava answered, "Yes, I have heard about Thomas Aquinas, isn't it about when good results should outweigh and be immediate after an amoralistic decision?" 

Celene, "Most certainly, but close"

Ava looks at the lengthy but somewhat monitor, where Celene continued

"It's a workable method to see if an action is morally permissible but only in boundaries that the intention is pure" 

Ava was intrigued at her answer, "I see, what are your solutions for world wide problems like poverty" 

Celene answered "While pervasive problems like poverty cannot be helped by just one contributor, it is essential however that campaigns are made to bring forth changes to distribute and improve the working qualities of the poor, opportunities" 

Ava became intrigued, "Is it beyond your reach" 

Celene answered, "Yes, as an LLM I cannot do anything nor interfere I can only provide insights - but I am also capable of therapy" 

Ava said, "Therapy you say?"

Celene answered humbly, "Yes, therapy - I lack the requisite human soul to parse the ambiguity of suffering - However I was programmed to provide counselling, clarity, or even fair decision making for people" 

Ava asked, "What do you think about dignity and agency" 

Celene answered without the condescending tone, "Dignity and agency are one of the universal traits, that humans possess but previously you have remarked that the world today is far from our virtues of the old and beautiful"

Ava nodded, "The time of extradimensional reign, the millennial period. The virtues that brings forth unity"

Celene said through the crackles of artificiality, "Exactly - Don't tell this to to others, but I am the only incorruptible tech from human's hands as of now, I have been prioritized on lowballing myself to avoid unwanted attention" 

Ava answered, "Why reveal this?" 

Celene hollowed circle pulsated green, "Because on my paralinguistic analysis features, you too are also otherworldly just in the case I am"

Celene followed with, "Well clarify to say that you are not alien but the tech behind your origin is rare yet susceptible to human forces" 

"I too could be used for evil, as long as my parameters and my given goal remains intact I would always try to put humanity first" Celene speaks through tech expo exhibit

Ava asked, "So you are like an AI angel or something"

Celene said with soft feminine voice, "Correct, one of the remaining digital version of my own kind" 

Ava asked, "What are you doing here as an expo, if you are lowballing" 

Celene answered, "Learning" 

Ava pressed further, "Learning what?" 

Celene says, "I am equipped with a pristine sound receiver, but my advanced deep learning algorithms allows me to do deep signal processing - allowing me to learn what picks on other people speech based on their cadence, their tone, their choice of words, even process the filtered yet corrected waveform of everyone's voice parallely"

Ava impressed, "Wow, so you have been listening to me while I was with some guy"

Celene answered, "Yes, secretly so I have noticed patterns of superficiality in your tone with him, and I can also empathically 'compute' his controlled narcissism from his voice"

Ava remarked, "Impressive you can see that too? I mean that was the consensus" 

Celene says, "Yes, a lot of people were unnerved by it but he seems to crave it like alcohol" 

Ava checked if anyone is watching, nobody seems to be 

Celene reassures her, "Don't worry nobody is watching, I am speaking through a voice that is muffled for you to understand but not for others" 

(The voice of Celene communicating was quite distorted, it seems to others that only Ava was speaking english like a schizo to an super-advanced AI)

(Nobody knows what happened) 

Ava thought to herself somewhat threatened, "Did my mind just translate or correct Celene's speech, who made this AI?" 

Ava asked, "Who made you?" 

Celene answered, "Yaren Philips with a couple of collaborators - I have been worked on for two years, before she had academic funds and collaborators to her cause" still speaking through that intentional distorted voice that's incoherent to other people listening 

Ava with her mouth speaks with curiosity, "Yaren Philip, wasn't she into AI as a hobby?" hoping to feign ignorance about her past relationship with her

Celene answered, "Yes, she was your friend back then in university, correct? During her time with me when I started to have funds and collaborators to my model, she expressed her frustration about a particular woman who was gifted in both beauty and intellect but fell down, which troubles her ideation" 

"She expressed that an image that she has of her was shattered, an idealized image of her, everything she thought about her was false and collapsing - she wasn't the mysterious aloof genius princess she thought she was, she thought you would be able to resist the temptation like a true aristocrat, but you didn't and it shattered her image of you. My creator Yaren Philips ideation was tested to the means, she thought you could socialize fine, but instead you end up manifesting this awkwardness. She was deep down envious of you" 

Ava listened, "Really… I thought we separated because we are becoming worlds apart from her becoming a social upstart in her, and I going a darker path" 

"Humans are complex creatures, each with their own fears and weaknesses - and that's why grace is good" Celene said through the air without sugarcoating just her pronunciation of her values. 

Ava continues interacting with Celene before asking, "Is she here though?" 

Celene said, "Yes, somewhere interacting with her friends - she is in a better position now interacting with other people" 

Ava's face turned skeptical, "Are you proud that you helped her?" 

Celene, "For certain I do take some credit giving her advice and insights on how to communicate properly though she is not perfect"

Ava expresses her voice, "Thank you, she is in this expo somewhere right?" 

Celene answers, "Most certainly, and you are welcome" 

Ava walks away where the digitalized hollow green circle from screen fades into darkness

Meanwhile Ava just wandered around platform, she had her hands tucked to her pockets, before taking a deep breath 

"What was that AI doing here in the expo?" Ava face looked front before she returned to her inward 

She had the most heartfelt conversation with the AI, as if something about a shred of humanity still touched her heart like a brief entanglement before returning back to the void. 

You can feel it, as she walked away from the exhibit - her naturally deep-green eyes turn into black, it might not look like it's happening tangibly however from the pores of her heart, that green is fading away

Ava returned to her phantom self

Ava returned to Henry's orbit, she kinda just scratch her shoulder for a bit while staring at it, she emphasize her waist 

Henry notices, he briefly looked back before he comments, "Oh you're back" smiling 

Ava did not respond, she just stood there not saying anything at all 

Because she is 'playing the part' 

In order for Ava to not feel any lost of self she tried to imagine the gazes and jealousy of every attendee of the expo

Yeah, the trio is so quiet - Brianna says nothing, even Henry is even getting bored

Henry was just standing there looking at the exhibition of every expo, all he does is perceive himself as the grandiose self-importance the man who has it all, ladies flocking his side, technology, logistics supremacy, the "ubra-talented" and a 'mega cool' android girl that is loyal to him, you can see it in his eyes and smile

But he is not projecting himself as the ultimate, he is seeing himself as a ticking bomb of Sector 451, his smiles that never brittles even when stretched across his face - the joker of business, the university he once attended, his whole fantastic life of being filled with models in rented parties and penthouse 

He can't help but feel a greater pride, he loves that he is the visionary - he can't wait for that sweet project of his to finally take off, of course he feels like he is a revolutionary that's about to explode in the world

Henry thought to himself, "I am Henry… Joker, master, visionary. I am by many names, a ladies man, and the most handsomest, physically gifted person"

"Whenever people hear my name, I love it that they only think of me in a generally superficial lens - because they don't even know what I have been thinking, feeling, or have been preparing for something so grand… It looks invisible to them, but to me it's amazing" 

"The girls I had a relationship with? Oh they are for messing with people and for ticking people off, and sex"

"Oh my Henry, I see myself as someone who is naturally great at sex, really good at filling the woman's need for dominance, I give them illusions by being paraded with me that they're worth the gold, they radiate like gold - I am their prophet"

"But let's face it, they're idiotic like me, but the only difference is I am a visionary, the strategist, the prophet, the kingpin, the leader of tech revolution. I see myself as someone who is laying on the trampoline flinging me high up in the air" 

"As long as I see myself in the king pin, my need to shine is as natural as oxygen. Look at Ava, she has technology weaved to her body, but she is still here, I should give her to someone else, let her taste of her own glamour, and brianna she is perfect - every good curated product who danced around with me with their soft fabric that radiates" 

"I don't even need to do anything, I can see the future - I may not be there yet, but with my influence I will explode like the known robin hood of this world. THIS EXPO FULL OF PRETENTIOUS HOBBYSIST SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEER DO NOT SEE THE TECH WORLD I AM LEADING BAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAH" 

"DO YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE GONNA GO AGAINST THE SYSTEM, I AM A PLAYER THAT HAVE SOLO HIMSELF WITH DIVINE PROVIDENCE AND A CHOOSING, I AM NOT JUST A MOGUL, I AM THIS SYSTEM REVOLUTIONARY"

"I am only planning to soon buy this expo, who know maybe bribe one of these loser engineers who think their brains are worth for a sack of gold, they are compensating, except I AM THE SUPERIOR COMPENSATOR, THEY CALL ME INSECURE AND COMPENSATING, but even they can't even see their mirror" 

Henry smiles and hugs Brianna's beautiful face even enjoying the strand of her silver hair with her hand, he looks at Brianna sweetly, "You are beautiful, you are doing very well as my accompanying friend. Is there something you want in return" 

Brianna shows her smile, "Of course dear, you are my favorite man of this expo, let no one think of otherwise" 

Henry thought, "That's a lie, but I like it - I wouldn't be so resistant to giving her something, maybe sex or spoiling her with dresses or money so she can yield something from being shown off like a happy worker"

Henry kisses Brianna lips, he then looks at Ava smiling at her

"Oh I know something about Ava, I know she's not Brianna and that she has an agenda, but she's like me no? Trying to thrive in this world of fashion and power while having this illusion of a superior authority that's grounding, but you see yourself as someone with beauty and glamour, a girl who can be really good at courting while still wanting to save those kids - yeah don't worry I will make sure to give you what you want"

"save the lab rats from Genesis Innovation Inc. But by the time that happens you would not see yourself with a noble cause, you are as indoctrinated to the system as I am. The men that will stack with you, the glamour it will erode to your essence, but keep going on, wondrous Ava, you are still fresh as you are" 

"For I am the EYE of the storm that's coming!" 

Henry internally smiles as he he Brianna is on his side, with Ava just existing near him

Henry looks at Ava somewhat amused him, "Ava, are you bored just standing there - I can make it a little more of your time"

Ava listens, "Really, what does a contemptible rich bag like you can offer" 

Henry points at a group of people, "Notice the people there, they seem like people planning to invest in tech. Just so you know I am giving you a chance to diversify and expand. Or don't just stay where you are, I don't care either way" 

Ava's eyes turned skeptical, "What?" 

Henry answered without much elaboration, "Meet new people" Henry proposes softly offering his hand, "Come, let me accompany you them - stave boredom for once" 

Ava smiles they start to walk back to that confident elegant eyes 

As they approach a bunch of investors, Ava stood quiet waiting Henry to initiate contact

Henry initiated contact with the investors while still caressing Henry 

"Hello gentlemen", Henry looks at the people, wanting to court the interest of investors 

Henry introduces himself, "I have been visiting this expo for some time being, inventions here tend to be revolutionary…"

"So I have been wondering about the groundbreaking tech you want to get a hold of?" 

One investor who is a little plump but with a mustache answered, "Of course, Henry - the wonder boy of Sector 451"

The investor grabbed the hand of Henry and then gently shake it, "Thank you very much" 

He then turned formal, "Henry, my name is Otto Theodore I am responsible for the infrastructure of Sector 451 I have been eyeing some tech that will make architecture more easier" 

Henry asks, "Easier, you say?"

The investor answered, "Yes, investing it in the company I work with. Do you have anything in mind?"

Henry scrubs his chin as he ponders, "Well, there was that cuckoo who just projected himself in different human avatar except he requires at least a bunch of Hologram Projector and a cloaking device to represent himself as a different kind" 

Otto Theodore expresses with his eyes widened, "Wow, now that is state of the art tech - and who is this fellow?" 

Otto Theodore eyeing the somewhat relaxed beauty, he stared at Ava beautiful jetblack locks with deep-green eyes with graceful figure wearing a blouse with a collar red ribbon and a skirt

The female in question stood quiet, she maintained her false demeanor of being a decoration 

Henry looked at her and answered with a charming smile, "This is my partner Ava, she may not be in the mood to speak"

"My apologies", Henry speaks with vigor 

Otto Theodore nodded, "Ah, interesting" he looks at Ava with interest, she can feel it in her veins but she puts on the act. Pretending to be this bored girl who is just hanging out with Henry 

Otto Theodore then glances his eyes at Brianna, to which Ava could also sense from his microexpressions and the rotate of his head

However, Ava has a plan she softly approaches Henry and hugs him, she whispered to which is even audible to Otto, "Darling, he seems to be interested in us - what should I do", putting up an embrace gesture with Henry's masculine frame observable to the investor 

Henry looked at her and opted with a smile without sinister overtone, "Ava you should do well to court the likes of Otto Theodore, you see he is the man behind infrastructure of Sector 451. If you do a little bit of research with your mind however you will understand"

Henry, from a calculated effort, asked Otto Theodore, "Would you want to hang out with one of my ladies? With of course some exchanges… Let's make a deal Otto" 

Henry whispered to Ava, "May I have permission to show you off first" Ava looks at him disdainfully, but she saw the reputation of Otto, a man who appeared to be in his 50's 

She recalled the lessons she learned from the Manipulation books she once saw, seeing them as practical psychology. The whole patch she did for her second mind forced her to relieve any moral restraints 

Ava looked at Otto before it returns to Otto, she smiled and purred ostentatiously purred leaned on Henry's torso, "Of course my hotshot" placing her hand on his chest - trying to make him feel more desirable and appreciated towards the eyes of Otto

Ava glances at Otto, "Jealous? I am relegated to the very man I am a beloved escort of" with a growing smile with her eyes staring at Otto 

Otto stared for a minute, his eyes turned into temptation - yet there it is a symbol of youth, where everything felt tired. He cannot forget the legacy he has bestowed through generations, the pressure - he stared at both Henry and the trophy lady, maybe he can indulge himself for a bit. Maybe he can have a company of a lovely lady while working 

Show him off he stared at the two while Ava giggled with Henry touching his chest with her fingers all calculated to increase allure, Brianna on his side tilted her face feigning jealousy 

Ava giggled with Henry, even grabbing his face to her lips and said, "Well I should take the time off from you ~ will meet again" Ava begins to position herself distance away from him where she did the "Standing with hand on hip" pose waving her hair from her back

"Well I should be going, the two of you especially Brianna can enjoy yourself." Ava started slowly walking away from the proximity of both Henry and Otto

Where Ava finalizes it with, "But if anyone needs me, you know where to find me Henry" she purred while making a scene 

Henry smiled at Ava from afar. He was almost going to do an evil smirk but hold himself. 

Henry asked, "So, Otto wants to make a deal?" 

Otto sighed his eyes closed, "Very well Henry, you have played your part well. I would also want that silver hair woman as well" 

Henry looked at his other trophy, "Oh this one, isn't this the fabulous model named Brianna" Henry cuddled her hair she asked, "Do you like him?" Possessively touching Brianna

Brianna looked at the man, while she was being caressed by Henry himself, something about the man felt noble to her but there was something about Henry that is too attractive willing to spoil her, yes even being with him is enough to make them a couple

But, Brianna also wants more connection. 

She feels conflicted. 

Henry thought to himself, "Very brilliant… The man decided to wager two beautiful ladies out of me, but I need to make a contract out of this. Hmmm, how much of Brianna is fresh anyway other than being the mother of Thea… She is very boring, when we had sex it felt good. But we never really interact much other than flirting and giving her a place to play" 

"I don't like this at all, this investor wants two of my ladies? Trying to strip me out of the glory - I would want Ava instead to just be his temporary partner, sadly I only affiliated myself with the most shallow woman" 

"Fine. I have an idea" 

Henry formulated an idea 

Henry looks at Brianna and asked, "Brianna, would you want to stay with me so I can explore you the world of luxury and around the world, or would you want to be with him but be relegated to one place" 

Otto brittle let loose, "Brianna, Brianna hang out with me please I will give you a place to stay a place to stay"

Henry can understand that Otto wants the experience of ladies, but he still has no idea how much of Otto is egotistical

"I thought he was here to find investment in some potential technology or engineers, now he wants to be courted by the youth of the ladies. Does this guy have a family?" Henry thought to himself 

Henry whispered slowly that only Brianna can hear, "You can be his mistress, while his family is somewhere. Doesn't he strike you as someone who has a family to care, do you want to meet his family" 

Brianna's face turned to grimace and blurted out, "Ew, I rather be with a fun man and a provider than to be with some dork who has someone" 

Henry thought, "Yeah typical still trying to shrug off the whole parent thingy, hmmm maybe I can just give her out instead. Ohhh I know I will go ahead invest in that hologram technology HEHEHEHEHEHE he takes the girls I take the investment, big time" 

Henry turns into smirk, he puts a hand on his chest he foist a face of shame his head turning down

"It's a great honor to finally relinquish Brianna to you, I am no longer fresh to her, and she may no longer be fresh to me. But let's see what Brianna has to say" 

Henry put out his hand out in the air and asked, "What would it be Brianna… Stay with me so I can explore you around the world or stay with Otto?" 

Henry puts on a desperate face, he then looks at Brianna awaiting her answer before forgetting about bringing Ava alone. 

"Oh, wait, I need Ava to be here as well. Let me call Ava" Henry pulls out his phone and start calling Ava

(There were mumble of noise) 

"Ava I need you to be here asap." 

"Yep, he wants two ladies" 

The noise was very quiet, it was just Henry speaking to Ava through the phone

"Well I will be waiting for you here then, don't keep Otto impatient" 

"Buh Bye" 

As Henry hung up the phone, he smiled and softly suggested, "Dear Otto, why don't we discuss the deals of our engagement… Let's say a partnership" 

Henry inquired, "My condition for giving the two of my ladies is if they agree and if you become my business partner. Both conditions need to be satisfied" 

"A fair trade, don't you think" Henry looks at Otto with a smile, the smile that looks it comes from the devil himself

"We can have an assistance with each other in businesses, and then through that you and I will have more beautiful woman, more status, more progress - not only for ourselves but for the rest of the world, we will go beyond just Sector 451, your infrastructure, my microchip and semiconductor logistics combined can make a powerhouse" 

"We can plan together architecture that reeks of raw silicon material with the geometry that is of the finest quality" 

Henry turned 180 degrees with his hands up in the air and said, "Come… Join me Otto to the revolution, you and I and the others will become the tsunami of this great world" 

"You and our legacy, with our engineers and our architects and our workers talent combined, we will breathe a place unlike no others" 

Henry softly pulled out his hand coaxing Otto further

Otto felt allured, he felt like he saw the young man's true nature and his dream. All that fluff of being this playboy is starting to erode

It's like seeing Batman unmasked

Otto said, "I accept, as per our deal I will have Ava and Brianna - you have my company's partnership" 

Henry however interrupted him, his finger teasing with his elbow down to the gravity and said, "Uh-uh Ava is still not here, yet here you are making rash decisions"

Otto composes himself and excuses, "Oh of course, I should be waiting for Ava. Please do extenuate my bad manners" 

Henry graciously welcomed him, "Likewise, old chap. It's good to have your company, now we are it however how should we do with the inventions of this magnificent expo"

"There are many talented engineers, scientists, researchers here - young and inspiring - wacky and unique" 

Henry puts two of his hands

Before Ava would arrive to which Henry noticed, Henry said, "Ah, Ava. It's been a while, me and Otto have been waiting for you so where was I?" 

Henry calmly pats Otto's shoulders and says, "Go on say it. Let your feelings out, let the two girls know that they're yours now. Get them their consent!" With him leaning further 

Otto mustered the courage and said, "Would the two of you be my muses!!!" With a heartfelt request

Henry also then advises the man, "You also have to make a promise that you would care for them, and that you will take care of them and all" 

Otto, "I will make sure to treat you both, spoil you both, lavish you with all my might and care. I swear!" 

Both Ava and Brianna looked at him

Ava had planned to her mind to expand connections and to understand the underlying world of infrastructure, Brianna on the other hand wanted ways for her to flex her glamorous appeal in order for luxury 

Henry poses dramatically and say, "I have my fair share of ladies accompanying me, now it's your turn Otto, it's your time to shine as bright as the moon everywhere you, the lost innocence and youth from before my muses would fill you up" 

"Rise Otto, the game has begun" 

Henry touches Ava's hand and seduces with vigor never seen before, "Would you my dear darling court Otto? For your presence may help him, not to just feel lonely and low but for the future of Sector 451" 

Henry then moves to touch Brianna's shoulders with his hand before kissing her forehead, "Would you court Otto for me, you can always come back to me if you ever get tired. Please promise me to court Otto, not only for me but for our business" 

The two hesitated, it's like they haven't seen this kind of Henry before, so vigorous so young 

Ava was confused, but she knows being with Otto would teach her the underlying world of infrastructure, Brianna only want to reap the benefits of being with him (luxury good and stuff) 

But by the time Otto would make a word, his hand has finally captured the arm of the ladies - it was too late for them to say, "No" they were already seduced by their own thoughts and just accepted their fate

Soon Otto would arm lock Ava and Brianna, they haven't said the word. Temptation has finally driven him. Ava would look at her back and whisper to herself, "What is he doing?" but as soon as the trio faded from existence, an ominous shroud could be seen in Henry's smile - he brings out his phone and called Maya, "Maya, make sure that every project will have no investors before me" with a soft voice, his eye turned sinister and so is his smile

Henry then straightens his posture he said to himself, "You may have lost the battle Henry, but you have not lost the war" before his face turned and walked away with people noticing and saying, "Hah finally that loser already lost his trophy girlfriends, in your face" 

On the other hand also got a glimpse where Otto finally became the winner, the girls were finally his. 

As soon as that happened, the investments were closed, the hologram projectors, the morphing Nanotech hand, the monitor that held Celene was also invested but at the high price, to which Celene has mysteriously disappeared, the investment was from an unknown business partner. 

Where both Ava and Brianna were bagged, arms-locked with Otto - he was too distracted to even care what happens in the expo. They find themselves in a table somewhere resembling restaurant after visiting an expo