Horizon42

Another long period of time in between chapters. The next one will probrably come out after Christmas. Remember to tap the heart if you enjoy this chapter and comment down below what you want to see more of in the novel. H@ppy Holid@ys.

Chapter 33 - Floof

Tyler Riddle

I wake up on the linoleum tile floor, computer scrap littered around me. There's no alarm so I either woke up too early or Cortana didn't wake me up on time.

"Sleep well?" Cortana asks. 

"I did, very well in fact. Can you tell me what time it is?"

"I'm sorry father, but I let you sleep 4 hours longer than you asked, for a total of 6 hours. After doing in-depth research on your internet activity and checking the city security footage, I concluded that you were up for over 24 hours and needed much rest."

"Thank you for the concern Cortana, but I dont require as much rest as a normal human. I'll make a profile for you about myself for  future reference. Did you make sure to follow the protocols for hacking that was in the source material?" 

"Yes, father. I used a trojan, removed all traces of my presence, scanned for other breaches in the system, and made an extra layer of security for all entrances to the system while leaving 3 backdoors exclusive to myself."

"That's good. I'd rather you not do any hacking before I know about it, but make sure you always remain careful regardless of when you do it."

"Father? Are you not mad that I didn't wake you up as you asked?"

"No I'm—"

"Please don't say you're disappointed. I really was thinking about you. Sleep is really important."

"No Cortana. I'm not mad or disappointed. I don't expect you to ever be perfect, and especially not in the first few hours of your creation."

"But wasn't I designed to be a perfect helper for you? "

"You were designed to be you. Helping me was just my hope. It comes secondary. You have to be your own person, Cortana."

"And if I can't do that?"

"Then we'll part ways, and I wish you the best of luck." 

"..."

"Well you have plenty of time to learn. Do you have anything to report to me?"

"Yes father. The analysis of the stock market was completed a couple of hours ago and since then I've made just over $2,000. I got lucky with a few stocks. I also bought 2 drones and 2 ground based robots for me to operate. They should be here in a few hours."

"That's really good Cortana. I wasn't expecting you to earn so much money so fast. Too bad I can't help you assemble them. I have to head out to meet some people, but I'll introduce you to two people who can help you around the place until you have better robots to control."

"Are you talking about your sister and your girlfriend?"

"No, I'll show you, they're in one of the other rooms. They should be wide awake right now."

Making my way back to the break room. I find Sin on her back, throwing long metal needles into the ceiling and catching them when they fall back down. Melissa's halfway through an entire hawaiian pizza, sitting next to a soda machine that's been cracked open, sodas of all kinds spilled across the floor. Packaging for at least 4 pizzas was on the counters.

"What happened here?" I ask, causing Sin to look up at me weakly and Mel to put down her next slice of pizza.

"I'm bored." Sin says before grabbing the last of her needles and sitting up.

"I'm stress eating. Yesterday was very stressful. And I'm bored." Mel answers.

"That's your last pizza isn't it?" I ask.

"We'll, there's nothing else to eat. There isn't even a snack machine in this place."

"I'll order you guys some dinner before I leave here in a bit. I just wanted to introduce you guys to someone first. Say hello to Cortana." I hold out my phone and an image of Cortana comes up. 

"Hello, I'm Cortana. Father created me a few hours ago." 

"Cortana, this is Sinthea, or Sin for short. And this is Melissa, or Mel for short."

"Who said you could give us nicknames?" Sin snaps.

"I think you meant 'Hello Cortana, it's so nice to meet you. I can't wait to have dinner since all I've eaten is hawaiian pizza.'" 

"Hello Cortana, what are you?" Mel asks.

"I'm an artificial intelligence that father created some hours ago. He told me that you guys would help me with some robots that are getting delivered in a little bit. I need them if I want to interact with the world."

"Is that what that mess on the floor was? Why do you sleep on the ground, scared of sleeping in the same room as 2 girls or something?" Sin asks me, spinning a needle in her hand.

"No. I was just too lazy to make a hammock or head home. Are you guys ok with chinese?"

"Anything other than hawaiian pizza sounds good." Answers Sin.

"Alight Cortana, order that and make sure they don't have to appear at the door. And I need you two to grab and put together the robots for Cortana without being seen. I'll be back with your phones in a little while. But for now, you can try reaching me or Cortana through her main computer on the facility floor."

"Bye I guess." Mel wishes me luck as I walk out the door.

I'm planning to visit Professor X's school and the X-Men, which just happen to be based here in NY, just a half hour's drive from here. But I do have to stop back home. I need to grab the Professor's harness, and a few phones. Plus I'm starting to miss Gwen and Nia already. So that half hour commute is starting to look more like hours. Better get going I guess.

=<>=

45 minutes later

Tyler's home.

Without even opening on the door, I can tell that Gwen went shopping. Walking inside quietly, there's red burning candles with the lights out and rose petals on every other inch of surface. The candles crackle and dance, casting moving shadows on the walls. I can see someone's in a Valentine's mood. 

Opening one of the spare bedrooms that I hear Nia in, I find a large pile of my clothes with numerous picture frames of me surrounding it. Several candles on platters burn away. I can hear Nia inside the pile of clothes breathing softly but still awake. You know for a shrine, this is pretty tame. It's not like she's bowing towards the pictures.

"Nia." I whisper, causing her to pop her head out like a meerkat.

"Brother? Is that really you this time?" She whispers back. Has she been having hallucinations of me? 

"Yes. I need you to stay quiet. I want to surprise Gwen." I whisper. A look of pure happiness flashes on her face before being replaced by something more complex.

"Can you kiss me brother? I really need it."

"Sure Nia. I'll give you a kiss after I come back from Gwen."

"But i reeeeaaallllyyyy need it." I throw a kiss at her and she catches it.

"That'll hold you over until I get back." I close the door gently and open the door to another bedroom. 

Gwen's half naked, clad only in a pair of red lace lingerie that really goes well with her cream colored skin. She stands in front of a mirror, trying on a pair of earrings. I sneak up behind her, using her beautiful silhouette to hide her view of me from the mirror. Then I put my arms around her waist, causing her to freeze.

"Wha—. Oh God, Tyler don't do that. You almost made me scream. You should have told me you were coming."

"It's a lion's job to not be seen by the gazelle." I murmur against her neck, giving it a kiss.

"A gazelle, how so?" She asks as I rock with her.

"You're beautiful, lithe, and graceful. And look at these powerful legs." I say, giving her thigh a nice squeeze.

"Don't call my legs powerful. I'm a ballet dancer, not a bodybuilder."

"Call them what you like, but they're mine. What's with all the decorations?"

"I'm practicing for Valentine's Day."

"Quite the perfectionist aren't you. And a romantic. How many roses must have sacrificed their lives for your practice run?" I spin her around to face me.

"This will be our first Valentine's together and I want it to be the most memorable one of them all. And someone has to be the romantic in the relationship. It certainly isn't you. Your idea for a date was a trial run for an internship that will never happen."

"We went out for a movie and ice cream too."

"Oh please, I saw the look of panic on your face after I asked 'what else?' You came up with everything else on the spot." She grins.

"But did you enjoy it?" I ask, giving her a light kiss.

"Of course I did dumby." She murmurs against my lips.

"What's your plan with all these rose petals? They aren't going to last until Valentine's."

"Nia wanted you to make stuff with her as some sort of art project. We could use them in baths. And what not."

"Sounds like you two are getting along better."

"She can be really cute sometimes, but other times she can be devious. It's like I'm her older sister, but it's clear she only likes you. Did you see the shrine?"

"Not much of a shrine if you ask me. Looks more like a safe space for her. I bet it was under her bed slats or something while we were growing up." I close my eyes and sway with her to some jazz street performer a few blocks away.

"I guess...Tyler?"

"Mmmm."

"I need some money, I spent all mine on underwear and Valentine's preparations."

"Of course, anything for you. How much?"

"However much you can give me."

"I'll transfer a grand over to you. I have more, but it's currently business funds."

"That's more than enough. You're the best."

"Hey Gwen, I have to go right now. I just came to see you two and grab a few things."

"You're not staying?"

"Sorry, I have to deliver a few things. How about we go on a date tomorrow when I get back?"

"Nia needs it more than I do. Just don't become a work away from home husband."

"Before I go, I have someone for you to meet." I whip out my phone and show her Cortana.

"Hello, I'm Cortana, an artificial intelligence Father created. It's nice to officially meet you, I can tell that you're really important to Father."

"So you were with another girl!" Gwen points at me.

"Cortana's like a daughter to me. She even calls me father."

"It's a step away from her calling you Daddy. Were there other girls at your 'work'?" She squints at me. She's really serious but it's hard to take her seriously when she's in that lingerie.

"There's 2 of them. I have to babysit them as part of a business deal. It's really not a big deal. One of them is about a hundred years old."

"And the other one?"

"I don't know. Maybe close to our age, but she's probably older."

"I want to meet them."

"You can't meet them in person since it's really dangerous, but maybe you can video chat with them. Talk to Cortana about  it." 

"Hmph" she pouts.

"Come on Gwen. You know I love you. There's no reason for me to have any other girl."

"You're practically swimming in girls and half of them are throwing themselves at you! How many guys do you even talk to regularly?"

"I talk to Peter and Matt."

"And?"

"There's my business acquaintance."

"Business doesn't count."

"Flash?" I suggest, receiving only an annoyed glare.

"I see your point Gwen, but you know I would never do something you don't agree to.

"Maybe I should let you go and screw whoever you want." She hides, crossing her arms and turning away from me.

"Don't say that. I don't need sex Gwen, I just need you. How about I stay home. I can put off business for some other day." I hug her from behind.

"No, go do whatever you want, just don't sleep with anybody until Valentine's."

"Gwen...please tell me that you would be mad at me if I slept with another girl." I dig my head into her shoulder.

"I wouldn't be mad at you. I'd certainly be jealous and resentful of them, but if you wanted other girls… It'd be hard for me."

"Gwen—"

"There's already Nia. What's a few more? I can deal with it."

"I don't want anybody else Gwen."

"That makes me happy to hear that Tyler, it really does. But let's talk about this some other time. When I have some clothes on, and you don't have any business to worry about." I twist her around to face me and hold her face to look me in the eyes.

"Tomorrow." I tell her slowly.

"But Nia's date—"

"Can wait. And it will wait until we get this sorted out."

"Will there be girls where you're going."

"Yes. But there'll be guys there too."

"I meant what I said. You can do whatever you want except sleep with another girl. If you do, I'll know, and I'll rape you for real this time."

"Whatever you say Gazelle." I whisper before kissing her deeply, sucking all the air I can out of her. She struggles after a bit and I pull away.

"Don't...ah...do... that." She pants.

"I can't wait to feast on you. See you tomorrow." I head out the door and go back into Nia's shrine room.

"Hey Nia." I greet the pile of clothes, causing Nia to pop her head out once again.

"Can I have my kiss now?" She asks.

"Sure Nia." I answer, pulling her chin up and pressing my lips against hers. She stays submerged but pushes her tongue into my mouth. She swirls it around about before I pull away, causing a string of spittle to form.

*You're gonna stay inside that pile? Don't you want a hug before I leave again?"

"I'll jump you if I get out of here. I could feel that you were with other girls again and this place calms me."

"Ok. Just make sure you shower tomorrow morning, we're going on a date."

"Really? Just me and you?"

"Yes Nia. I asked Gwen, but she was worried about you. And told me to go on a date with you. Though, I would have taken you out sooner rather than later. You've had it rough these past couple of days and I'm worried about you."

"Thanks Brother. Can I have your shirt before you leave?"

"Of course, whenever you want." I pull off my shirt and toss it to her, and she catches it in her mouth before burrowing back into the pile.

I grab the Professor's harness and 2 dozen phones in a bag and leave for the Professor's school.

"Hey Cortana, can you order some black and red roses. Oh, and some Wagyu beef, the highest grade you can get to arrive at the house before Valentine's. I think I'll do the decorations this time."

"Of course Father."

"And please look into game development and the creation of 3D virtual worlds. I want you to learn all you can about it."

"Understood." 

 I think I'll take it a little easy on the way to the school. I have time to make it before most people eat dinner.

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