by gundam » Tue Jul 04, 2023 2:17 am
My first story here...
April 5, 2051
Location: Seattle Washington
Nick clocked into work as usual that Friday. Slightly busier than usual at his Starbucks job but after three years there he was used to that kind of customer flow. It was a decent job. His manager was cool as well as his coworkers and it did pay the bills...mostly. At 23 years old, he was finishing his final year of college working towards a bachelor's in computer programming. While he did have a gift for coding, his love was gaming. Whether it be console, PC, or mobile, he was into it. This Friday would start out like any other, but it would end like nothing he would ever expect...
"Sup Nick" a younger man said seeing Nick pop open his locker. "Oh. Sup Jase" Nick replied seeing his coworker Jason, a 19-year-old young man who started the job six months earlier. "Heard you're into Battle Royale" Jason said. "Yeah I dabble into it. It's the hottest mobile game out there right now" Nick said to him. "Which is why I thought of giving it a chance. Can you teach me the basics?" Jason asked. Nick looked at the clock. He had arrived early, and his shift didn't begin for another 15 minutes. "Sure, why not?" Nick replied. Nick sat down next to him and opened the game app on his phone. "I see you already downloaded and installed it. Any particular class you decided on?" Nick asked. "Class?" Jason asked. "That answers that question. Before you pick your character to make you need to choose a class first. There's eight classes. Paladin, Gun Meister, Combat Mage, Assassin, Shield Maiden, Spell Weaver, Martial Artist, and Tamer. Each one has its own combat style with strengths and weaknesses" Nick explained. "Which one do you use?" Jason asked. "Paladin. They have good balanced offense and defense stats, but they're limited to melee combat unless you have an attack card to play" Nick said. "Cards?" Jason asked.
"It's kinda like that Yu Gi Oh game a few decades ago. You can collect cards as drops you can play that gives your character temporary special attack, defense, or null buffs. Like for example the card Piercing Edge gives a melee weapon extra damage for 30 seconds" Nick replied. Jason nodded. "I think I'll choose Gun Meister. I mean who brings a sword to a gun fight?" he said laughing. "Careful now. Gun Meister is great at long range attacks and DPS, but they suck at close range combat. However, if you know how to use them correctly they can be a powerhouse" Nick said. Jason nodded and tapped his phone screen confirming his class choice. "Now you can customize her look. Clothes, colors, hair, even race. There's literally thousands of combinations" Nick said. Nick looked at the time. "Gotta get going. Those fancy coffees won't make and serve themselves" Nick said before leaving Jason to play on his phone.
Nick worked through his shift taking a 15-minute break midway. Jason had already left leaving him alone for the moment in the break room. He checked his phone and was surprised to find an email he had received. Nick opened it. "Congratulations. You've been selected to play in the Battle Royale Grand Prix. The winning champion will receive one million dollars. Please use the attached link if you wish to participate" Nick said reading it. At first he thought it was spam but the more he stared at it, the more it seemed genuine. It seemed to come from Bandei Gaming, the company that made Battle Royale. Truth of the matter was Nick was barely keeping afloat with what he made at his job. It paid the rent, utilities, food, and whatnot but barely made a dent in his credit card and student loan bills from his previous stint in college just two years earlier. A million dollars would change all of that. Nick figured what did he have to lose and tapped the link. It took him to a webpage asking for his personal information. Still skeptical he checked the page for any malware or spoofing. None that he could see. He entered his information and tapped the next icon. The next page took him to a character creation section where it asked him to build a character from scratch. "Guess they’re keeping it fair by making us start from square one" he muttered. Nick stuck to what he was familiar with. He chose a paladin class and made her into a copy of his current character. White with green eyes, black hair, white and silver armor, age around 19, and slim build. Once done, he pressed confirm. "Creating character. Creation of character successful. No further action needed at this time" the screen said. Nick found it strange not to see this character in the game all itself. He hoped he hadn't been phished after all.
Nick finished his shift a few hours later and went home. He was surprised to see a package sitting at his apartment door. Even more so as the sender was Bandei Gaming itself. He picked it up and found it heavier than expected. Nick carried it in and placed it on the coffee table. Once settled it, he took a knife and popped it open. "What the hell?" he muttered looking at the contents. Inside was a phone, a flash drive, and a metal box roughly seven inches long and cold to the touch. He popped the locking tabs on the box and opened it. "What in the world? Why would they send me a figurine of my character?" he asked himself looking at a five-inch version of his character in a skintight suit. "Damn fine work though. No seams in the joints and the paint is flawless" he muttered peering at it. Suddenly, it sat up and looked at him.
"FUCK!" Nick yelled stumbling backwards. It blinked and turned to look at him. "Please show me your finger" it said. "No way. No fucking way. That's it. I finally lost my fucking mind after too many lattes" Nick sighed. "Please show me your finger" it said again. Knowing not what else to do, Nick showed it his thumb. "Scanning fingerprint. Scan complete. Scanning biometric data. Scan complete. Thank you Nicholas Warren. I am your Tactical Integrated Neurolinked Automaton character for the Battle Royale Grand Prix. Please view the video file on the flash drive for the introductory tutorial" it said. Picking it up with a shaking hand, he plugged it into his tv and pressed play.
"Greetings Player One. I am Barnabas Newsome the CEO of Bandei Gaming. Welcome to the first ever Battle Royale Grand Prix. Before you is your selected character. Let me answer some questions you may have. First, she is real. This is no trick or illusion. Your character is made up of cloned flesh over a carbon nanotube skeleton with a biomechanical multiprocessor for a brain. She has real blood infused with nanite technology for necessary operations. She breathes, acts, interprets, and essentially is a living person...under your direct command as her user. Is it legal? Yes as she's the first of her kind hence no laws forbidding her existence. Including you, eight users have been given similar avatars. Why create such a thing? For the ultimate experience. It's easy to command and throw a collection of pixels into battle. A living thing makes one carefully consider what they do next. Along with your avatar, you're provided a special phone designed specifically for Battle Royale duels. Everything is the same on it as any other phone except the "Realize Drive" program installed. Realize Drive is the body of the game while your avatar is the soul. Once you activate it, it will surround you and your opponent in a holographic combat field invisible to outsiders along with your avatar's armor. Give it a try when you have time. For all other questions, ask your avatar. Good luck" he said before the video ended.
"Video tutorial concluded. Setting up communication parameters. Please designate the manner in which you wish to be referred to. Mr. Warren? Master Warren? Master Nick? Master?"
"Nick. Just Nick is fine" Nick said. "Understood. Avatar One will now synch with your phone" she said. "That's your name?" he asked. "Currently. You may register another one if you wish" she replied. "Tactical Integrated Neruolinked Automation...how about Tina?" he asked. She blinked. "Tina is now registered under Avatar One. Phone synch complete. Wi-Fi link complete. Downloading Avatar OS patches 1.1 to 1.97. Standby" she said closing her eyes. Nick leaned in closer, curious. "She even breathes. I wonder how realistic she truly is" he thought. "Patch install complete. Restarting" she said startling Nick making him fall backwards onto his sofa. In seconds, she opened her eyes once again. "Evening Just Nick" she said. Nick looked at her. "Just kidding Nick. So, you're one of the eight selected. You must be pretty damn good" she said. "Uhh...you seem different now" he said. "You mean my personality? Have you to thank for that. When we're shipped, we're only rocking the basic firmware. So what I did was download and install the latest which includes a personality subroutine. In order to make a personality, we sync and download data from your old phone" she said. "What kind of data?" he asked. "Oh, you know. Text messages, dating apps, browsing history..."
"My browsing history?" Nick asked meekly. "Oh don't worry. That info is kept confidential so don't worry about your fetishes being leaked. Oh, since you're 18 years old and over, I'm authorized to satisfy you sexually as well. So feel free to bukkake me or play with my pussy as much as you desire. Unfortunately, I'm too small for you to fuck me but anything beyond penetration is fine by me. My healing factor can handle extreme conditions so have at it if you so desire" she said frankly. Nick stared at her dumbfounded. "If you don't mind, can you pop the back of my cryopod open? I want to change out of this stuffy insulation suit" she said. Nick did as asked finding a removable back to the box and opening it. Inside was vacuum sealed clothing for her. He took them out and out of their packaging. "Here are some..."
Nick stopped as he turned back to see Tina naked bent over slipping off the suit. Sensing him looking, she turned to face him. "Good you found them" she said. "You, you really do have a pussy" he whispered. "Well yeah like I said silly. And a butthole too" she giggled taking the clothing from him. "Do you actually eat?" he asked. "Actually, I was going to ask you for some food in a moment. We're shipped with low energy. I don't require much. Basic nutrition, sugar, salt, and water to sustain my organic components" she said. "Will a peanut butter sandwich and a Twinkie work?" he asked. "Quite well" she replied smiling. Nick walked to his kitchen to prepare some food.
He made the sandwich and Twinkie and sat down giving her a portion no bigger than a pea. Tina quickly gobbled it up. "Here" he said balancing a drop of water on his finger. The tiny girl drank from his fingertip and patted her belly. "Ahh…hit the spot" she said kicking her bare legs and feet happily. Nick has to pinch himself as the surreal sight still made no sense. A five inch girl, dressed in a tee shirt and shorts was sitting on his coffee table staring at him. A girl apparently partly human designed for a video game. "So, do you go to the bathroom or anything?" he asked as if she ate, what was left would have to come out...right? "Yes kinda like you but my metabolism is far more efficient than yours. Not worry as I'm totally self-sufficient in that regard. I poop, pee, sweat, and fart like any girl. I don't menstruate though as installing a uterus is pointless for my kind" she said quietly. Nick sensed a feeling of...sadness from her about that point. "So, what's next?" he asked. "We can practice a little if you like. You need to get to use to the ARIS anyways" she replied. "ARIS? What's that?" he asked. "Augmented Reality Interface System. It's easier to show you. Pick up your new phone. It should've finished cloning your old one by now" she said. Nick picked up the seemingly normal phone.
"Open the game app" she said. Nick tapped it and it opened. "Right now, it's just in standby. You should see my current stats" she said. Nick saw and read what they said.
Name: Tina
Class: Paladin
HP: 125/125
AP: 60/60
EXP: 0/1000
Current Equipment: War Mail lvl. 1 (default) Durandal lvl. (default)
Status: N/A
Strength: 20 Defense: 20
Magic: 5 Magic Defense: 5
Luck: 10 Stamina: 2 AP per sec
Speed: 10
Regen: 1 HP per sec
Special Attack: Deus Vult (Damage: (45 piercing). Cost: 40 AP. Cooldown: 120 sec)
(projectile attack where a paladin stores holy energy in her sword and launches it with a sword swing. While extremely fast, the initial strike deals low damage but completely ignores any defense rating or buffs. However, if the enemy is caught in the firing swing, the damage is doubled)
"What does it mean by levels and experience? That wasn't part of the original game" he asked. "Between matches will be mini game combat. Winning those along with ranked player matches will net you experience points to level up your character. Earning a level up means your character HP and AP will rise. Earning a level, you can also spend earned skill points however you want. Increase defense, magic defense, speed, and whatnot. My nanites in my blood will actually...ahem...improve my body accordingly depending on what you choose to improve" she said. "So, if I wanted to improve your strength?" he asked. "Denser muscle tissue" she replied. Nick nodded. "Now for the fun stuff. Tap the practice icon and then tap Realize" she said. Nick did. The moment he did a blue light from the phone scanned Tina and a suit of armor materialized around her body along with a sword. "HOLY SHIT! That is the coolest hologram tech I've ever seen!" he yelled. He reached for her sword she now held. "Nick you shouldn't..."
"OWW!" he yelled yanking his finger back. He was shocked to see a drop of his blood on it. "I thought that this was just holograms and shit" he said. "Technically it is. It's called Hard Light holograms. By manipulating magnetic fields and plasma, it can simulate solid objects...among other things" she said. "How the fuck does a phone do that?!" he asked. "Proprietary information. Even I don't know that. Sorry buddy" she shrugged. "So, if you attack someone, you can inflict actual physical damage?" he asked. "That's right. And when our HP hits zero, we're dead for real" she replied. Nick grew very quiet. "That bothers you" she said quietly. "Of course it does! You're alive! You ate part of my sandwich for fuck's sake! Using you as some kind of disposable thing...how is this shit legal?" he asked. "You know what they say, it's not a crime the very first time. And besides...I'm not human Nick. I just appear human" she said. "That doesn't matter! What if I opt out?" he asked. "You're allowed to and you go your merry way. I on the other hand will be scrapped as I was specifically built just for you" she replied. "Perfect, just perfect" he muttered as he began looking for something. He found a baggie full of rolled joints. He pulled one out and lit it up. "Haaa..." he sighed as weed smoke escaped his lungs. "I'd offer you some but I'm betting you can't get high with a computer brain" he muttered. "No but I can orgasm. That you can look forward to...if you want" she said blushing. Tina could see the young man was troubled by what she said.
"You still want to practice or just hold off for now?" she asked. He shook his head. She closed the app on his phone for him and she reverted back to her regular form. "I wish you didn't feel so upset Nick. I consider myself very fortunate" she said. He gave her a look. "No, seriously. A chance to be alive and not only that service to a kind master" she said. "You've known me all of an hour. You don't know me" he whispered. Tina surprised him by jumping off the coffee table and on to the top of the couch. At her scale it would be as if jumping 40 ft. "I know enough you care about others and that's something that's become rarer these days. Why don't you enjoy your legalized chronic while I take a bath" she said. "I'll help..."
"Self-sufficient remember?" she said grinning before hopping down off the sofa and onto the floor. "She jumps like freaking Super Mario" he muttered as he took another hit of his joint. 15 minutes had passed, and Nick grew concerned. "She said she was self-sufficient but she's still five inches tall" he thought. Nick knocked on the bathroom door. "Come on in" Tina replied. Nick did to find her smiling and soaking nude in his sink. "Something else on your mind?" she asked. "If I win, what happens to you?" he asked sitting on his toilet lid. Tina cocked her head to the side. "Hmm, I guess I'm yours. Still alive, your personal information is stored on me, and you didn't resign. I really don't see good reason for my repo and termination" she said wriggling her tiny toes in the water. "Then I better win then" he said grinning. "That's the spirit!" she said splashing the water. "Still, it's different from the game. Mini game combat? Like the PvE events?" he asked. "Bingo. There are dozens of areas in Seattle designated "Battle Arenas" for matches. The PvE matches will be at random, and any player can join in during the allotted time. Your enemy will be the evil...hehe..."Glitches" spreading chaos in the area. Your main job will be to kill them all and clear the area" she said. "Glitches? For real?" he asked shaking his head. "An accurate name for errors in a hyper virtual environment. Just like my gear they'll be Hard Light constructs that can do real damage so don't take them lightly" she said. "You mean they can kill you. And if I ignore them?" he asked. "Bad idea as killing them and clearing the event nets experience points your opponents can use to level their avatars up. Won't be fun going up against a level 10 avatar when you're stuck at level 1. That match will end really quick" she replied. "Here" he said placing a dry hand towel near her. She nodded thanks before he left.
That night...
"You warm enough?" he asked her. "Cozy as a bug" she replied pulling the clean sock he gave her for a sleeping bag. To Nick, it didn't seem right for her to sleep on his nightstand or the sofa, so he had her sleep next to him on the bed. "Goodnight then" he said. "Night Nick. Entering sleep mode" she said closing her eyes. Within seconds she was fast asleep. "Ok that was different" he muttered. Nick laid there staring at her. Nothing that occurred in the last few hours seemed real but there she was, an artificial life form designed to fight, and possibly die for a game. A life form anatomically identical to a 19-year-old girl yet five inches tall. If anyone had seen her, one would swear the girl was human and had been shrunk. There was something odd beyond the whole toy sized girl thing. It was obvious she was made to be as lifelike as possible. Hell, she even could sweat. But her mind was beyond a mashup of programs and algorithms as she claimed. And the proof of that Nick could see as he leaned in close to her. Her eyes were moving under her eyelids. What does a program need with REM sleep? More importantly, dreams. Tina was dreaming. Of what he didn't have a clue. There had to be more to this entire situation and Nick knew it but until then he had to play ball or more exact play Battle Royale. Nick closed his eyes.
He woke suddenly due to a sound and looked at the clock. 3:13am. The sound was coming from Tina. "I'm cold" she whispered. Somehow she had crawled out of the sock and was shivering. Wearing only a flimsy nightgown (which had ridden up to her chest), Nick understood how she could be cold. He had almost forgotten how attractive she was. He leaned closer. Her panties, slightly too small for her clung to her crotch tight enough to give her the tiniest cameltoe but Nick already knew she had a pussy and a hairless one at that. Flat tummy with an innie belly button which he petted with his fingertip. Tina squirmed in her sleep. "She's not a sex toy Nick" he thought pulled her nightgown back down. Even though he said that to himself, there was no denying a growing attraction...growing in more ways than one. He caressed her right check with his fingertip before pulling the sock back up her body. "...please like me" she whispered as a tear rolled from her eye and down her cheek. A cold realization happened to Nick. Underneath her clowning, flirting, and bravado, Tina was scared. Scared of dying, terrified of being discarded. He closed his eyes wondering what this game really had in store for them.
My first story here...
April 5, 2051
Location: Seattle Washington
Nick clocked into work as usual that Friday. Slightly busier than usual at his Starbucks job but after three years there he was used to that kind of customer flow. It was a decent job. His manager was cool as well as his coworkers and it did pay the bills...mostly. At 23 years old, he was finishing his final year of college working towards a bachelor's in computer programming. While he did have a gift for coding, his love was gaming. Whether it be console, PC, or mobile, he was into it. This Friday would start out like any other, but it would end like nothing he would ever expect...
"Sup Nick" a younger man said seeing Nick pop open his locker. "Oh. Sup Jase" Nick replied seeing his coworker Jason, a 19-year-old young man who started the job six months earlier. "Heard you're into Battle Royale" Jason said. "Yeah I dabble into it. It's the hottest mobile game out there right now" Nick said to him. "Which is why I thought of giving it a chance. Can you teach me the basics?" Jason asked. Nick looked at the clock. He had arrived early, and his shift didn't begin for another 15 minutes. "Sure, why not?" Nick replied. Nick sat down next to him and opened the game app on his phone. "I see you already downloaded and installed it. Any particular class you decided on?" Nick asked. "Class?" Jason asked. "That answers that question. Before you pick your character to make you need to choose a class first. There's eight classes. Paladin, Gun Meister, Combat Mage, Assassin, Shield Maiden, Spell Weaver, Martial Artist, and Tamer. Each one has its own combat style with strengths and weaknesses" Nick explained. "Which one do you use?" Jason asked. "Paladin. They have good balanced offense and defense stats, but they're limited to melee combat unless you have an attack card to play" Nick said. "Cards?" Jason asked.
"It's kinda like that Yu Gi Oh game a few decades ago. You can collect cards as drops you can play that gives your character temporary special attack, defense, or null buffs. Like for example the card Piercing Edge gives a melee weapon extra damage for 30 seconds" Nick replied. Jason nodded. "I think I'll choose Gun Meister. I mean who brings a sword to a gun fight?" he said laughing. "Careful now. Gun Meister is great at long range attacks and DPS, but they suck at close range combat. However, if you know how to use them correctly they can be a powerhouse" Nick said. Jason nodded and tapped his phone screen confirming his class choice. "Now you can customize her look. Clothes, colors, hair, even race. There's literally thousands of combinations" Nick said. Nick looked at the time. "Gotta get going. Those fancy coffees won't make and serve themselves" Nick said before leaving Jason to play on his phone.
Nick worked through his shift taking a 15-minute break midway. Jason had already left leaving him alone for the moment in the break room. He checked his phone and was surprised to find an email he had received. Nick opened it. "Congratulations. You've been selected to play in the Battle Royale Grand Prix. The winning champion will receive one million dollars. Please use the attached link if you wish to participate" Nick said reading it. At first he thought it was spam but the more he stared at it, the more it seemed genuine. It seemed to come from Bandei Gaming, the company that made Battle Royale. Truth of the matter was Nick was barely keeping afloat with what he made at his job. It paid the rent, utilities, food, and whatnot but barely made a dent in his credit card and student loan bills from his previous stint in college just two years earlier. A million dollars would change all of that. Nick figured what did he have to lose and tapped the link. It took him to a webpage asking for his personal information. Still skeptical he checked the page for any malware or spoofing. None that he could see. He entered his information and tapped the next icon. The next page took him to a character creation section where it asked him to build a character from scratch. "Guess they’re keeping it fair by making us start from square one" he muttered. Nick stuck to what he was familiar with. He chose a paladin class and made her into a copy of his current character. White with green eyes, black hair, white and silver armor, age around 19, and slim build. Once done, he pressed confirm. "Creating character. Creation of character successful. No further action needed at this time" the screen said. Nick found it strange not to see this character in the game all itself. He hoped he hadn't been phished after all.
Nick finished his shift a few hours later and went home. He was surprised to see a package sitting at his apartment door. Even more so as the sender was Bandei Gaming itself. He picked it up and found it heavier than expected. Nick carried it in and placed it on the coffee table. Once settled it, he took a knife and popped it open. "What the hell?" he muttered looking at the contents. Inside was a phone, a flash drive, and a metal box roughly seven inches long and cold to the touch. He popped the locking tabs on the box and opened it. "What in the world? Why would they send me a figurine of my character?" he asked himself looking at a five-inch version of his character in a skintight suit. "Damn fine work though. No seams in the joints and the paint is flawless" he muttered peering at it. Suddenly, it sat up and looked at him.
"FUCK!" Nick yelled stumbling backwards. It blinked and turned to look at him. "Please show me your finger" it said. "No way. No fucking way. That's it. I finally lost my fucking mind after too many lattes" Nick sighed. "Please show me your finger" it said again. Knowing not what else to do, Nick showed it his thumb. "Scanning fingerprint. Scan complete. Scanning biometric data. Scan complete. Thank you Nicholas Warren. I am your Tactical Integrated Neurolinked Automaton character for the Battle Royale Grand Prix. Please view the video file on the flash drive for the introductory tutorial" it said. Picking it up with a shaking hand, he plugged it into his tv and pressed play.
"Greetings Player One. I am Barnabas Newsome the CEO of Bandei Gaming. Welcome to the first ever Battle Royale Grand Prix. Before you is your selected character. Let me answer some questions you may have. First, she is real. This is no trick or illusion. Your character is made up of cloned flesh over a carbon nanotube skeleton with a biomechanical multiprocessor for a brain. She has real blood infused with nanite technology for necessary operations. She breathes, acts, interprets, and essentially is a living person...under your direct command as her user. Is it legal? Yes as she's the first of her kind hence no laws forbidding her existence. Including you, eight users have been given similar avatars. Why create such a thing? For the ultimate experience. It's easy to command and throw a collection of pixels into battle. A living thing makes one carefully consider what they do next. Along with your avatar, you're provided a special phone designed specifically for Battle Royale duels. Everything is the same on it as any other phone except the "Realize Drive" program installed. Realize Drive is the body of the game while your avatar is the soul. Once you activate it, it will surround you and your opponent in a holographic combat field invisible to outsiders along with your avatar's armor. Give it a try when you have time. For all other questions, ask your avatar. Good luck" he said before the video ended.
"Video tutorial concluded. Setting up communication parameters. Please designate the manner in which you wish to be referred to. Mr. Warren? Master Warren? Master Nick? Master?"
"Nick. Just Nick is fine" Nick said. "Understood. Avatar One will now synch with your phone" she said. "That's your name?" he asked. "Currently. You may register another one if you wish" she replied. "Tactical Integrated Neruolinked Automation...how about Tina?" he asked. She blinked. "Tina is now registered under Avatar One. Phone synch complete. Wi-Fi link complete. Downloading Avatar OS patches 1.1 to 1.97. Standby" she said closing her eyes. Nick leaned in closer, curious. "She even breathes. I wonder how realistic she truly is" he thought. "Patch install complete. Restarting" she said startling Nick making him fall backwards onto his sofa. In seconds, she opened her eyes once again. "Evening Just Nick" she said. Nick looked at her. "Just kidding Nick. So, you're one of the eight selected. You must be pretty damn good" she said. "Uhh...you seem different now" he said. "You mean my personality? Have you to thank for that. When we're shipped, we're only rocking the basic firmware. So what I did was download and install the latest which includes a personality subroutine. In order to make a personality, we sync and download data from your old phone" she said. "What kind of data?" he asked. "Oh, you know. Text messages, dating apps, browsing history..."
"My browsing history?" Nick asked meekly. "Oh don't worry. That info is kept confidential so don't worry about your fetishes being leaked. Oh, since you're 18 years old and over, I'm authorized to satisfy you sexually as well. So feel free to bukkake me or play with my pussy as much as you desire. Unfortunately, I'm too small for you to fuck me but anything beyond penetration is fine by me. My healing factor can handle extreme conditions so have at it if you so desire" she said frankly. Nick stared at her dumbfounded. "If you don't mind, can you pop the back of my cryopod open? I want to change out of this stuffy insulation suit" she said. Nick did as asked finding a removable back to the box and opening it. Inside was vacuum sealed clothing for her. He took them out and out of their packaging. "Here are some..."
Nick stopped as he turned back to see Tina naked bent over slipping off the suit. Sensing him looking, she turned to face him. "Good you found them" she said. "You, you really do have a pussy" he whispered. "Well yeah like I said silly. And a butthole too" she giggled taking the clothing from him. "Do you actually eat?" he asked. "Actually, I was going to ask you for some food in a moment. We're shipped with low energy. I don't require much. Basic nutrition, sugar, salt, and water to sustain my organic components" she said. "Will a peanut butter sandwich and a Twinkie work?" he asked. "Quite well" she replied smiling. Nick walked to his kitchen to prepare some food.
He made the sandwich and Twinkie and sat down giving her a portion no bigger than a pea. Tina quickly gobbled it up. "Here" he said balancing a drop of water on his finger. The tiny girl drank from his fingertip and patted her belly. "Ahh…hit the spot" she said kicking her bare legs and feet happily. Nick has to pinch himself as the surreal sight still made no sense. A five inch girl, dressed in a tee shirt and shorts was sitting on his coffee table staring at him. A girl apparently partly human designed for a video game. "So, do you go to the bathroom or anything?" he asked as if she ate, what was left would have to come out...right? "Yes kinda like you but my metabolism is far more efficient than yours. Not worry as I'm totally self-sufficient in that regard. I poop, pee, sweat, and fart like any girl. I don't menstruate though as installing a uterus is pointless for my kind" she said quietly. Nick sensed a feeling of...sadness from her about that point. "So, what's next?" he asked. "We can practice a little if you like. You need to get to use to the ARIS anyways" she replied. "ARIS? What's that?" he asked. "Augmented Reality Interface System. It's easier to show you. Pick up your new phone. It should've finished cloning your old one by now" she said. Nick picked up the seemingly normal phone.
"Open the game app" she said. Nick tapped it and it opened. "Right now, it's just in standby. You should see my current stats" she said. Nick saw and read what they said.
Name: Tina
Class: Paladin
HP: 125/125
AP: 60/60
EXP: 0/1000
Current Equipment: War Mail lvl. 1 (default) Durandal lvl. (default)
Status: N/A
Strength: 20 Defense: 20
Magic: 5 Magic Defense: 5
Luck: 10 Stamina: 2 AP per sec
Speed: 10
Regen: 1 HP per sec
Special Attack: Deus Vult (Damage: (45 piercing). Cost: 40 AP. Cooldown: 120 sec)
(projectile attack where a paladin stores holy energy in her sword and launches it with a sword swing. While extremely fast, the initial strike deals low damage but completely ignores any defense rating or buffs. However, if the enemy is caught in the firing swing, the damage is doubled)
"What does it mean by levels and experience? That wasn't part of the original game" he asked. "Between matches will be mini game combat. Winning those along with ranked player matches will net you experience points to level up your character. Earning a level up means your character HP and AP will rise. Earning a level, you can also spend earned skill points however you want. Increase defense, magic defense, speed, and whatnot. My nanites in my blood will actually...ahem...improve my body accordingly depending on what you choose to improve" she said. "So, if I wanted to improve your strength?" he asked. "Denser muscle tissue" she replied. Nick nodded. "Now for the fun stuff. Tap the practice icon and then tap Realize" she said. Nick did. The moment he did a blue light from the phone scanned Tina and a suit of armor materialized around her body along with a sword. "HOLY SHIT! That is the coolest hologram tech I've ever seen!" he yelled. He reached for her sword she now held. "Nick you shouldn't..."
"OWW!" he yelled yanking his finger back. He was shocked to see a drop of his blood on it. "I thought that this was just holograms and shit" he said. "Technically it is. It's called Hard Light holograms. By manipulating magnetic fields and plasma, it can simulate solid objects...among other things" she said. "How the fuck does a phone do that?!" he asked. "Proprietary information. Even I don't know that. Sorry buddy" she shrugged. "So, if you attack someone, you can inflict actual physical damage?" he asked. "That's right. And when our HP hits zero, we're dead for real" she replied. Nick grew very quiet. "That bothers you" she said quietly. "Of course it does! You're alive! You ate part of my sandwich for fuck's sake! Using you as some kind of disposable thing...how is this shit legal?" he asked. "You know what they say, it's not a crime the very first time. And besides...I'm not human Nick. I just appear human" she said. "That doesn't matter! What if I opt out?" he asked. "You're allowed to and you go your merry way. I on the other hand will be scrapped as I was specifically built just for you" she replied. "Perfect, just perfect" he muttered as he began looking for something. He found a baggie full of rolled joints. He pulled one out and lit it up. "Haaa..." he sighed as weed smoke escaped his lungs. "I'd offer you some but I'm betting you can't get high with a computer brain" he muttered. "No but I can orgasm. That you can look forward to...if you want" she said blushing. Tina could see the young man was troubled by what she said.
"You still want to practice or just hold off for now?" she asked. He shook his head. She closed the app on his phone for him and she reverted back to her regular form. "I wish you didn't feel so upset Nick. I consider myself very fortunate" she said. He gave her a look. "No, seriously. A chance to be alive and not only that service to a kind master" she said. "You've known me all of an hour. You don't know me" he whispered. Tina surprised him by jumping off the coffee table and on to the top of the couch. At her scale it would be as if jumping 40 ft. "I know enough you care about others and that's something that's become rarer these days. Why don't you enjoy your legalized chronic while I take a bath" she said. "I'll help..."
"Self-sufficient remember?" she said grinning before hopping down off the sofa and onto the floor. "She jumps like freaking Super Mario" he muttered as he took another hit of his joint. 15 minutes had passed, and Nick grew concerned. "She said she was self-sufficient but she's still five inches tall" he thought. Nick knocked on the bathroom door. "Come on in" Tina replied. Nick did to find her smiling and soaking nude in his sink. "Something else on your mind?" she asked. "If I win, what happens to you?" he asked sitting on his toilet lid. Tina cocked her head to the side. "Hmm, I guess I'm yours. Still alive, your personal information is stored on me, and you didn't resign. I really don't see good reason for my repo and termination" she said wriggling her tiny toes in the water. "Then I better win then" he said grinning. "That's the spirit!" she said splashing the water. "Still, it's different from the game. Mini game combat? Like the PvE events?" he asked. "Bingo. There are dozens of areas in Seattle designated "Battle Arenas" for matches. The PvE matches will be at random, and any player can join in during the allotted time. Your enemy will be the evil...hehe..."Glitches" spreading chaos in the area. Your main job will be to kill them all and clear the area" she said. "Glitches? For real?" he asked shaking his head. "An accurate name for errors in a hyper virtual environment. Just like my gear they'll be Hard Light constructs that can do real damage so don't take them lightly" she said. "You mean they can kill you. And if I ignore them?" he asked. "Bad idea as killing them and clearing the event nets experience points your opponents can use to level their avatars up. Won't be fun going up against a level 10 avatar when you're stuck at level 1. That match will end really quick" she replied. "Here" he said placing a dry hand towel near her. She nodded thanks before he left.
That night...
"You warm enough?" he asked her. "Cozy as a bug" she replied pulling the clean sock he gave her for a sleeping bag. To Nick, it didn't seem right for her to sleep on his nightstand or the sofa, so he had her sleep next to him on the bed. "Goodnight then" he said. "Night Nick. Entering sleep mode" she said closing her eyes. Within seconds she was fast asleep. "Ok that was different" he muttered. Nick laid there staring at her. Nothing that occurred in the last few hours seemed real but there she was, an artificial life form designed to fight, and possibly die for a game. A life form anatomically identical to a 19-year-old girl yet five inches tall. If anyone had seen her, one would swear the girl was human and had been shrunk. There was something odd beyond the whole toy sized girl thing. It was obvious she was made to be as lifelike as possible. Hell, she even could sweat. But her mind was beyond a mashup of programs and algorithms as she claimed. And the proof of that Nick could see as he leaned in close to her. Her eyes were moving under her eyelids. What does a program need with REM sleep? More importantly, dreams. Tina was dreaming. Of what he didn't have a clue. There had to be more to this entire situation and Nick knew it but until then he had to play ball or more exact play Battle Royale. Nick closed his eyes.
He woke suddenly due to a sound and looked at the clock. 3:13am. The sound was coming from Tina. "I'm cold" she whispered. Somehow she had crawled out of the sock and was shivering. Wearing only a flimsy nightgown (which had ridden up to her chest), Nick understood how she could be cold. He had almost forgotten how attractive she was. He leaned closer. Her panties, slightly too small for her clung to her crotch tight enough to give her the tiniest cameltoe but Nick already knew she had a pussy and a hairless one at that. Flat tummy with an innie belly button which he petted with his fingertip. Tina squirmed in her sleep. "She's not a sex toy Nick" he thought pulled her nightgown back down. Even though he said that to himself, there was no denying a growing attraction...growing in more ways than one. He caressed her right check with his fingertip before pulling the sock back up her body. "...please like me" she whispered as a tear rolled from her eye and down her cheek. A cold realization happened to Nick. Underneath her clowning, flirting, and bravado, Tina was scared. Scared of dying, terrified of being discarded. He closed his eyes wondering what this game really had in store for them.