Artificial Insecurities

Chapter 23

   We finished picking up in the basement, Pixel was playing in the long grass while John and I talked. We were trying to forget the break in.

"I think imma bring Nova online." John turned to look at me.

"Nova?" I haven't heard of Nova yet... oh yeah, the AI John was talking about at the Cafè.

"The name I decided for my AI. It fits, I think." John went back to staring at the sky.

"Are you sure about this? I mean, we just had a break in." I was starting to get worried. "I mean, if it's what you want to do then go for it. I just think we got lucky with how nice Pixel is."

John, lighty shivered upon hearing this. I looked around for the light blue glow of Pixel. I saw his tiny head poking out from the tall grass. Pixel noticed me looking at him and waved. I smiled and waved back.

"What if we did it tonight? Or tomorrow morning. Pixel could use a pick-me-up around this time." John half whispered. "I would think tonight so we would have more time to analyse its behaviour."

I didn't really want to be a part of this, but I was slowly being dragged into it. Pixel would be ecstatic about bringing Nova online. If it made him happy then I would do it. For Pixel. I softly nodded as a reply to John. In turn he crossed his arms with a smile on his face.

"Let's do this!" He kinda yelled. Pixel poked up from the grass and tilted his head at John.

"Do what?" Pixel asked.

"You'll see." John replied. Pixel tilted his head further.

We all headed inside, Pixel and I started watching a show while John set up the basement. John would occasionally come up and check on us.

Once he was done he came upstairs and sat next to me.

"Ready when you are!" John whispered in my ear. Pixel must have heard.

"What is going on...?" Pixel cautiously asked us. John moved his head pointing to the basement. Pixel half got this.

We all headed down there and John had me place Pixel on the table. He looked around quickly and noticed the microchip next to him. His eyes lit up as he finally understood what was going on. He looked at John and back at the chip.

"Oooh hell yeah! What should I do? Say hi, ask stuff, preferred pronouns? This is so exciting!" Pixel started hopping on the desk.

"Listen Pixel, Nova won't know what's going on, ok. So explain things, slowly, understand?" John asked. Pixel nodded. "Good, I don't know how they'll look but she'll be a sort of purpleish color like you are, ok." Pixel nodded. "I'm leaving with Daniel, imma turn the chip on afterwards ok." Pixel just jumped in a circle to let his excitement loose. John and I left the room.

John took his phone out and positioned it in his hand so both of us could see it. He had connected cameras to the room so we could see what was happening. John pressed a button and on the phone I saw a dark violet pop up. John was ecstatic and I was pretty nervous.

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John and Daniel left and I heard a camera click on. I started looking around the room to find it. I did a full circle and that's when my eyes landed on her. A darker shade of a bright violet crouched on the ground. I froze.

She wore a detective's coat with a fedora on. In the opening of the coat I could see a handgun in her holster. Those cop shows actually taught me somethin. I took a step back and she noticed this. She ripped the hand gun out and pointed it right at me. I immediately put my hands up.

"Don't shoot! I'm here to help!" I yelled. I really didn't want to die today!

"Who are you and why am I here? Answer, now." She said sternly. Her hand didn't waver.

"I-I am Pixel. I am here on behalf of my friends John and Daniel. You're in their basement... and did I mention PLEASE DON'T SHOOT!" I barely heard her laugh a bit. She took two steps back and that's when I heard it. The gun shot.

I covered my face with my hands waiting for the pain. When it didn't come I looked up a bit. The bullet was frozen in time... Nova burst out laughing. I was so confused. I inspected the bullet, it was just floating there. I looked back at the laughing Nova, I poked the bullet and it shattered.

"Oh my god your face! It was perfect!" She was still doubled over with laughter. She eventually stopped and looked at me. "Sorry, I just had to. Hi, I'm Nova." She holstered her fake gun and held her hand out. I stepped forward and that's when I noticed, she was taller than me!

"John, I hate you so much right now!" I yelled at the door. We heard a booming laughter erupt from behind the door.

"The hell was that!?" Nova put her hand down and was ready to grab her gun again.

"That was John, you can't meet him yet, so as not to scare you." I explained. Nova just looked at me oddly.

"Okay... why not?" She was really curious.

"Um... their size might be, um, monstrous..." I replied, I heard John chuckle a little upstairs.

"Okay... well then Pixel, when can I meet them?"

"I have no idea." I looked over at the massive computer. "I have an idea..." I ran over to the computer and started typing. 'Video call?' I jumped on the enter button and sent the message off.

"So, are you ok with giants?" I asked, I don't know if John or Daniel would come in here.

"I mean I've just arrived, any preferences on giants would be through a data search. So... I would say I'm ok with them." Nova replied.

"Ok then, John, Daniel can you come in here!" I yelled. John gently opened the door in reply.

"What's up?" John asked.

"I want you to meet Nova! Come on, especially you John." I hollered over. John grunted in reply. I looked over at Nova who was surprised yet calm. She hadn't noticed the massive door and hadn't expected John's booming voice.

"I-I can see why you asked that question now." Nova speaks. It wavers with fear.

"Don't worry, they're really nice! They really want to meet you too, John mostly." I tried to reassure her that she was ok.

"I don't want to enter if I'll scare her." John called from behind the door.

"One moment John!" I yoinked Nova to a secluded side of the desk, also known as the area with a bunch of storage boxes. I placed Nova there. "So Imma have John enter, ok, you can stay here if you want, but John is really nice and he wants to help ok. So... think of this as a safe spot for now ok?" Nova nodded in reply. I nodded back and ran to the front of the desk and called John.

"Is everything ok? W-where's Nova?" John asked a bit panicky.

"She's fine, just a bit scared. Also, um, you made her taller than me! What!" I yelled at him.

"As I said before, its random. Oh yeah, Daniel wanted to let you know that... that. Dang it, I forgot!" He looked upstairs and back at Pixel. "You want to come up?" He asked. I shook my head no.

"I need to make sure Nova's ok." I looked over at Nova's spot. She was looking at John, still a bit wide-eyed. I only noticed John looking at Nova, when Nova scooted back into the hidìng spot. I saw John smile kindly, I knew he was a bit hurt that she left at the sight of him. He nodded to me.

"Holler if you need anything." John spoke. He quietly left up the stairs. I turned over to where Nova was poking out.

"Y-you trust him?" Nova asked. I nodded a bit. Her expression changed, I couldn't quite put my finger on it. We sat in silence for a while. Maybe I wasn't as good at this then I thought I was.