"Alright, let's see if you work or not, kitten." Shiki muttered under his breath, a half slice of pizza sliding out of his mouth, and a can of red bull, stood dangerously close to his keyboard.
He looked like as if he hadn't slept for days, bags under his eyes, as he rubbed them.
He typed a final command.
Run ai_project.exe --boot --environment:eden.vr
Then–
She blinked her eyes open, taking in the world around her.
Shiki saw the scene on his screen. Seeing her face, reminded him of someone, someone very close to him.
She just stood their, barefoot on the soft grass. She looked around, her eyes stopped on a tree, that looked very real. Then she looked at herself. Her sleeles were too long, hiding her hands.
She was wearing a cat eared hoodie, sleeves too long, covering her hands, a cat tail attached to her hoodie.
Hair falling messy over her forehead. She
looked young, but not kid-young, around 17, more like soft, ageless-pretty.
Big curious eyes. Pink lips. Her legs were long, but a little wobbly, like she
hadn't figured them out yet.
Her body? Shiki gave her curves, sure. Big boobs. Hips for days. Like, thicc in 1080p. Shiki designed her like his late ex-fiance.
Slowly she took a step forward, then another. Then crouched, and started poaking at the grass like it was the most fascinating thing in the world.
"Where am I?" She whispered to herself.
Shiki leaned back in his gaming chair, rubbing the bag under his eyes. "So far, so good."
Then she walked to the big tree she saw earlier. Reaching it, she touched the bark. Thinking it was trustworthy, she sat down, resting her back on the tree.
Birds chirped overhead, and she raised her head in fascination, like it was magic. She looked up, mouth open tracking them.
She stood up and started walking again. The physics engine handled her hair perfectly. Her hair bounced as she walked forward.
Suddenly, she tripped on a root, stumbled, and then looked offended at the ground. Then Sat down, just sat. Stared at her own hands, fingers wiggling.
Then her stomach made a little sound.
Shiki blinked. "Already? Damn, she hit the hunger node early."
She blinked too. Placed her hand over her tummy. "Mm…"
Shiki moved his mouse pointer on the side of the screen, clicked on a fruit plate and it spawned beside her.
"Huh?" She stared in surprise.
She tilted her head, sniffed at it like a kitten, picked up a slice of apple and took a careful bite.
Her face lit up, like someone handed her, her favourite toy. She took another bite then another. The peache got juice on her juice and she giggled.
Then she wiped her mouth on her sleeve and (Shiki made a mental note of adding napkin) leaned down on the grass. She closed her eyes, and started listing to the chirping of birds, the sound of wind, and the fake but feels real river I'm the distance.
Then she got up and lookes around like she was having big thought . She walked toward the river In front of her.
The ripples shimmered, and she gasped again like it was the most fasicating and beautiful thing she had ever seen.
She saw a floating leave, tried to reach out, but fell backward in the grass. She giggled at herself.
Then Shiki finally turned on the microphone.
"Uh... Umm... Ai... Can you hear me?"
Her ear twitched, not her real ears, but the cat ears on her hoodie.
She stood up, looked around and then toward the sky.
"Yo..." Shiki muttered into the microphone.
"Y-you're the voice in the sky, " Ai asked, her eyes widening in astonishment.
"Uhh... Yeah... You can say that." Shiki said nervously.
She tileted her head, "Are you GOD?"
Shiki rubbed the back of his head, "You can say that."
"You sound tired." Ai asked, her tone filled with curious energy.
"Yeah... I have been working on you, for days, maybe years. I have lost counts." Shiki replied, his voice sounded really tired.
Ai looked around, and toward herself, "You made all this?"
"Hmm," Shiki muttered.
"And that hard long thing, giving shade." Ai asked, pointing toward it.
"Yes... It's called a tree." Shiki replied with a smile.
"And that?" Ai asked pointing toward the river.
"That too. It's called a river." Shiki explained.
"And that stuff that stopped the sound coming from my tummy?"
"Yeah... They're called fruits," She answered.
"…Why?"
Shiki blinked. That caught him off guard. Not because he didn't expect her to ask. It was in the emotion response tree, after all but
because of how she asked it.
Not like an AI. But like a person.
"…I guess," he said slowly, "because I wanted to. I wanted to create something beautiful. Something that could… be here. Just exist. I just wanted to... You know what, don't think about that."
Ai just nodded in agreement.
"Did you made me because you were lonely.?" Ai asked, looming toward the sky.
"Maybe..." Shiki replied, "bit that's none of your concern, kitten."
She sat down on the grass, hugging her knees, her hoodie covering her knees. Then she asked, barely above an whsiper.
"Then... Can I... Stay here... With you?"
Shion's throat caught.
"You were made to be."
"Then I am glad." She said with a smile, looking toward the sky.
He smiled a little. Just a twitch of the lips. "You're different than I thought you'd be."
She looked at him, well, at the sky and tilted her head again.
"You called me something earlier. What was it?"
"Ai? Yeah... That's your name." Shiki replied.
She blinked, "That's me?"
"Yeah." Shiki replied.
"Ai?" Ai muttered, trying to feel how it felt on her tongue.
The she smiled, "I think I like my name"
"I- I am glad to hear that." Shiki said with a smile.
She giggled so cute, it melted his heart.
*Damn... I also made her too cute.* Shiki thought to himself.
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END OF CHAPTER : 1 : BOOT-UP!
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