Alexa had never thought that there would be any phrase that could create such huge amounts of dread to her before. Granted, there were some that she feared and didn’t want to hear again.
[Subject P4, enter the testing grounds]
That, for example, was among the biggest ones she didn’t want to hear again; it implied that she had failed her escape and had been tied once more under the cruel thumb of [Humanity].
[Subject P4, the mission is deemed failed]
This was an escalation of the first one. For this one implied that she not only had been captured but also had failed for some reason the mission that had been assigned to her. It would mean that not only was she under the cruel thumb of [Humanity], but she was also… [Sub-optimal] to the missions they put her under.
But this one?
“I think we can go for something more sexy. She has the body for it anyway, we just need to doll her up a little more.” [Skye] had brought her to the back of the [Bar] to a door that read [Staff Only].
They had been waiting for them, waiting for them to [Doll them up].
[Skye] had been quick about it, she walked into a [Booth] and exited dressed in a [Mini Skirt] and a [Spaghetti Strap Blouse], such a weird name for a [Blouse], it was basically an everyday blouse but instead of hiding the shoulders it exposed them with a thin strap. Why not call it [Strap blouse]?!?!?!?
Either way, that wasn’t the problem that Alexa was having at the moment. And while she doubted the [Clothing] of [Skye] served to protect her…at all. Since the girl was exposing most of her [Breasts], [Tummy], [Arms] and [Legs].
No, the problem was….
“Hmm….yeah, she does look quite well in a mini tube dress….perhaps we can add some Jewelry? Some fancy one…” The [Woman] that had been waiting for them had undressed and re-redressed Alexa several times already.
At first Alexa was [Ashamed] to show her body, but that notion had vanished quickly enough when she noticed no one was paying particular attention to her undressed body; if anything, they seemed to focus more on how she looked with [Clothes] on.
Alexa had gone from [Gala Dress], to [School uniform] and moved across several [One Piece dresses], at the end they had settled in what was basically a single piece of [Cloth] tied to her [Abdomen].
It seemed to stick to her body by sheer [Will] since there was barely any strap, button, or zipper to keep it in place.
It did have one of those, of course, but as soon as they zipped her up, the dress began compressing her abdomen even more; Alexa had needed to increase the efficiency of her [Lungs] to make sure she wasn’t blacking out due to not having enough O2 in her [Brain].
About Banking Materials:
Noticed the host's desire to find a way to store materials. While it is possible to store organics, this wasn't made with the idea of storing nonrganic material. The environment that is used to store organics is inherently hostile towards normal materials thanks to the atmosphere within the space.
Even so, it is possible to increase the allotted space to store regular materials, too.
Unlike with the conversion of biomass, this will require a higher degree of expenditure to reinforce and guarantee the materials stored.
Cost of storage is 4:1
For every four units of any determined material, only 1 unit will be allowed to be used and stored; the other three will be used to secure the maintenance and keep it in functioning order.
“THAT IS DAILIGHT ROBERRY!” Alexa cursed inwardly while accepting the prompt.
“[Notice, Mk1 Generation Nanites have started deconstructing non organic materials within Host, materials seem to dissapear into nothing…]”
“It’s fine, Main Core. Your stingy cousin has offered to increase the range of storage. Now we can store non-organic materials…at a 4 to 1 conversion rate.” Alexa sighed as the space in her lungs increased, allowing her to breathe more easily.
"[...that is...An analysis is needed to determine the feasibility of this new facet of the host's abilities.]"
She would need to stockpile normal nonorganic materials at a rate of 4 kilograms turned into 1 at the [Storage]. She would also need to get almost 40 tons of exotic materials if she ever wanted to have her [CRAB] form at her beck and call.
“How are you feeling Alexa? Not many like going with these ones at their first bar outing, but I can guarantee you will rock their hearts and wallets with this one.” [Skye] said standing at the side of Alexa, both looking at the mirror.
On it, Alexa could see the black-haired girl standing at the side of a blonde blue-eyed one. These were [Skye] and Alexa, of course. She liked how it looked, she would save these [Designs] for later and the same could be said to the others.
“These [Clothes], what settings are appropriate for using these?” Alexa asked, doing a twirl on the spot and making sure the limits of her new [Clothes] were met.
As far as she could see, if she ever tried to run or raise her legs too much, then she would end with almost no [Defense] on her lower body. In contrast her upper body while not limited in the same way, if she ever used too much her upper torso, her [Clothes] promised to exposes her [Breasts].
It was…limiting, way too much limiting.
“Well, these ones you are rocking are for bar hopping and nightlife. Don’t go around normal streets or you will end up being confused for…another type of worker.” [Skye] said closing on into the mirror as if to make sure something was right on her face.
She took from her [Purse] (a small object they had provided to save her items) a small cylinder whose top she took off, “Man…you are such a cheat, you don’t even need makeup…” Said [Skye] as she started using that cylinder to paint her lips a reddish color.
Was this some strategy to intimidate her targets? These [Rich dumb kids] that [Skye] kept referring to?
“Hmmm?” Alexa said closing in to the mirror, she didn’t find any reason why the red markings would be limited to only the lips, no matter how much she looked at her reflection.
“Alexa no, I know you may want to put make up on, it’s coded in our DNA. But you will mess up your face, with one so perfect like yours… Yes, you only need some glow-up, perhaps some sparkles? Yes, we can sell the innocent dumb blonde better that way.” [Skye] nodded while fumbling within her [Purse]; in the end, she brought another cylinder and offered it to Alexa, “Here, just apply some to your lips; try to make it even. Even if it’s only sparkles and a glow up, it will look weird if you mess it up.”
Alexa, of course, took the Cylinder and popped it open as [Sky] had done, pressing it onto her [Lips] she got her [Nanites] to analyze it at once, she wanted to know what was the deal with these things.
“[Composition analyzed, no hostile poisonous components, found flavouring of Strawberry within the ingredients. Detailed list as follows].”
“[Isododecane, Isocetyl Stearate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Kaolin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Synthetic Beeswax, Glyceryl Behenate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Propylene Carbonate, Aroma (Flavour), Brassica Campestris Seed Oil (Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Seed Oil), Olea Europaea Fruit Oil (Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil), Olus Oil (Vegetable Oil), Tocopheryl Acetate, Opuntia Ficus-indica Flower Extract, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Passiflora Incarnata Seed Oil, Citric Acid. +/- (May Contain): CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 15850 (Red 7 Lake)(Red 6), CI 19140 (Yellow 5 Lake), CI 42090 (Blue 1 Lake), CI 77492, CI 77499 (Iron Oxides).]”
“[Also found some rests of plastic flakes within recipe that will stick to skin to give the image of sparkles]”
…That….so many chemicals….
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
“What? That one is new don’t worry. Also it should match your lip colour since we are close enough…and if not…well…you can do your thing to match it right?” [Skye] said from the side while using her own thing with her [Lips]
Right…she could…do her thing….
“Main Core? simulate the expected effect from using this… Thing.” Alexa said while pressing it once again against her lips, she felt her nanites start flowing into the [Cylinder] and taking parts of the [Thing].
After half a second her nanites were already full blown moving around, they moved around her lips to work the desired effect on her [Lips] and soon enough her [Lips] also started shining with the same sparkles as [Skye].
Alexa of course liked the result, even if she was confused about if she should feel elated or not for this result.
“...Yeah, I hate your skills on this. And it’s only the first time? How did you use a lipstick to even give yourself a look as if you had gone through the whole make up station? It took me almost fifteen minutes to get to this point!” [Skye] said while grumbling as she started saving her [Make up] tools.
Alexa’s face had changed too, almost as if to match [Skye], her [Eyelashes] now seemed more black and seemed to gleam, her [Cheek] held some pink-ish color that wasn’t there before. Her forehead and lips had a vague glint.
Overall, Alexa liked how she looked.
“And now?” Alexa asked as her nails changed from the normal pink color to an azure blue as if to match her [Tube Dress] and [Shoes].
“Now? We find some dumb rich kids so I can drown my worries about the fact that you can do your own makeup better than me.” [Skye] answered bringing out her phone and pointing it at Alexa. “What are you waiting for? Pose girl! Give me a cute pose!”
Alexa wasn’t sure what a [Cute Pose] was, so looking at the other people around that had started coming to see them, she noticed some of them had started mimicking [Poses]. So picking the easiest one to do Alexa did it, taking extra care to not shift her [Face] again, only mimicking how they moved and what expressions they did.
“That’s more like it.” [Skye] smiled as her [Phone] started making some [Click] sounds. The [Girl] was probably taking the [Pictures]. “Yeah, with this, we are done. I will update them later and tag the bar as promised. The dress and jewelry?”
“A gift of course, so long you manage to get them to spend as much as possible.” The [Woman] that had stayed at the very back spoke, “Do we send your clothes to the same address?”
“New one, here.” [Skye] said pointing at the [Woman] with her [Phone].
The [Woman] walked forward placing her own [Phone] at the side of [Skye]’s, “hmm….dangerous neighborhood, I hope you know what you are doing.” She said only that, this [Woman] was dressed in one of the [Gala Dressess] styles that they had given Alexa, only hers seemed… cheap.
“Yeah, work address actually. You know how it is.” [Skye] shrugged as she said that, “I hope you understand why I haven’t been able to come as often.”
“...I see. Anyway, your clothes will be sent there, same as this blondie’s. Get them to buy at least one of our heavy hitters and you are free to go.” The [Woman] said while she wrote something on her [Phone], “I imagine that I can send your friend's clothes to the same address?”
“Yes, she lives around my apartment. That will suffice.” [Skye] answered, and saved her [Phone] back into her purse. “Okay Alexa, show time. Put your pretty face on and follow my lead!”
Alexa wasn’t sure what a [Pretty Face] was, the best thing that came to mind was her [Teenager Stage] since that one was the prettiest of them all. But that face didn’t mesh with this body…
Nor did she think her [Teenager Stage] would look good in these clothes….
Either way she just smiled and followed after [Skye], they walked by narrow corridors that seemed to be bathed in shadows, soon enough as they walked farther in, Alexa started to hear the sound of some [Rythmic] string of voices and sounds.
It was hard to describe.
“Hear the music? We are near, it seems that the DJ is getting ready for the night and is having some fun with some of the early patrons.” [Skye] smiled and pulled Alexa by her arm so they moved faster. “Let’s go!”
And sure enough [Skye] started pulling at her arm, soon they found themselves in a bigger [Room], it was dark and the only light that came into it was from the ceiling lights. These rotated by colors at the same tempo that the [Music] as it was described by [Skye].
To Alexa it sounded more like weird sounds trying to mix between each other, if anything Alexa was surprised that people seemed to [Move] at the rythm of these weird sounds designated as [Music].
“There, that is our first target.” [Skye] said smiling at Alexa while pointing with her hand at a [Male Human] sitting in a big table, he seemed to be somewhat around the same proportions as what the [Lieutenant] had, so then he should be the same [Age]? “Okay, this is the plan. You sit at his left and I go for his right, most are right handed so you let me deal with his hands.”
Alexa nodded and they walked toward the [Man], he seeme to notice them and smiled at them and then got [Flustered] while playing with his phone as if to take a picture.
“Hello handsome~~” [Skye] said as she sat herself at the right of the [Man], “Got some extra drinks for a couple cute girls?”
“Y-Y-Yeah sure…I am… waiting for…. some friends.” The [Man] said pushing a button at the table. “W-what do you want to drink…?”
“Hmm….well, this will be the first time my friend is drinking, so something sweet.” [Skye] said while making some excessive movements with her arms that focused around her [Chest], making her [Breast] seem bigger for some moments. "What do you want, Ale? Pick something cute.”
Ale?
She was Alexa!
Either way, Alexa took a look at the [Menu] on the table. It was a crystal screen with what seemed to be some tactile feedback. “Let’s start with this one, then,” Alexa said, picking one [Bottle] with the [Designation] that the [Woman] had asked them to get.
“Ohohoh….We are brave, are we?” [Skye] started saying as she saw the option. It was some kind of [Drink] with what seemed to have the red letters of [Bacardi 151, care is advised]. "Well, this can also be a learning lesson.”
“Huh? Oh, this, yes. I like this one too.” The [Man] quickly pressed a blue card on the screen, and the letters [No refunds] appeared on the screen. “I like to drink one each day; it’s a good beer!”
[Skye] seemed to want to giggle at this and only turned her head to the other side, Alexa could see the shoulders of the girl moving up and down.
“Sure, I will have something else, a strawberry wine cup.” [Skye] said navigating to another menu and picking some menus in quick successions, “Ordered a couple cups and some flasks for mixs. Also some fruits and snacks.”
“Y-yeah… I was waiting for my friends to arrive before ordering those things!” The [Man] quickly moved his card atop [Skye]’s screen too, more [No refunds] messages flashing and him dismissing them quickly. “So…you are Ale right? and you? P-p-pretty girl?”
…She was Alexa though.
“You can call me Rose.” [Skye] said smiling at the man.
But that wasn’t her name, she was either [Skye], [Sylph] or [Bella].
“Rose and Ale… C-c-cute names!” The [Man] said while his face turned a red color, Alexa… didn’t know why, but she smiled at the image. She didn’t feel affected by his demeanor, but she liked that it was her [appearance] the reason why he was reacting like that.
Such a weird feeling…
“[Notice, nerve ending relationed with pleasure and rewards are being stimulated. Theorized that the reaction can be linked with social success in achieving deceptive means to get social creed or money from other Humans.]”
….So she felt good because she had deceived someone else using only her appearance? Such a weird achievement.
“Here is your drink! Oh, hello Rose!” A [Woman] dressed in a white and black dress arrived with a small [Cart] with a bucket that held Ice and some [Cups] came and waved at [Skye], “Here are your drinks! Should have known it would be Rose, ordering one of the heavy hitters!”
This seemed to make the [Man] do a double take as [Skye] stood and grabbed the drinks the girl offered, “You know me, always start my day like this.” [Skye] smiled and served a couple of small cups with the liquid of one of the bottles.
She took that same bottle and mixed a little of its content with her own drink, “Just a little to… blunt the hit.” She [Smiled] and nodded at the [Man].
This made the [Man] sigh and shake his head, “Y-Y-You should d-d-d-drink responsabily.” He did a small laugh and took one of the smaller cups.
The girl seemed confused, but Alexa took the other small flask and drank it.
“[Detected 75.% of Alcohol content, this is deigned as a hostile substance, drinking in high amounts isn’t recommended.]”
…Did the [Woman] that left the drinks before wanting to poison their customers?
“Hmm….What do you think Ale?” [Skye] asked, looking at her with great interest.
So that was why [Skye] had diluted this drink with the others ones? As if to [Blunt] the [alcohol] content?
“I like it, it would do with some extra [Mango] on it.” Alexa answered taking the [Bottle] and filling her flask again.
“[Notice, siphoning drink into new storage area in process.]”
But to Alexa? An Alexa whose [Main Core] wasn’t sending this straight to her system to see how it reacted?
A drink with high amounts of [Alcohol] was the best gift possible; she could use these chemicals to increase her range of options while in combat.
“Ah so…well…as for…oh, he already drank.” [Skye] said, turning to look at the [Man]; he had a couple [flasks] near him, which meant that he had either served multiple of these and drank it in quick succession after seeing Alexa…
Or he had been made to.
“So mean Rose, deceiving them into thinking that rum was easy to drink… And you too girl, the innocent girl act was good. But don’t do it too often, or you will get a bad rep around.” The [Girl] that brought their drinks said as she left the bottle and moved away.
“...So…how are you fine now drinking this thing, but got wasted with two beers?” [Skye] asked as she took another sip from her drink and grimaced.
“Oh that? Main Core was checking the effects of the new things in our surrounding. And since that was a [Safe spot], it was deemed worth the effort to see how we reacted to the new [Drink] that had been offered to us. Since the combination was new and all.” Alexa answered while taking the bottle instead of continuing to drink from small flasks.
“...So….you…injected beer into your veins to see how it worked?” [Skye] asked as her eyes seemed to grow bigger and bigger as Alexa took a sip from the bottle.
“Yes, that is accurate.” Alexa answered after drinking a fourth of the bottle in one go, she felt her [Throat] burning but some nanites got into that quickly enough, both to repair and guide the liquid to a secluded place within her body. She got reminded of how P9 had saved high amounts of energy within her [Breasts], so making some space within her chest she did the same.
It would save time and energy. Swapping some [Fat] and making a new isolated bubble of [Rum] was easy enough. Her [Breasts] wouldn’t change that much either. If anything, they would be somewhat more… bouncy.
“...Are you okay?” [Skye] asked as Alexa smiled, she quite liked the sensation of the liquid going down her throat, even thought it was burning the way in… something about it was quite enticing.
“Yes, sorry. A sixth of my throat was singed by the high amount of Alcohol, it has been fixed.” Alexa answered eyeing the bottle, could she perhaps weaponize this? “Say, how expensive is this one?”
“....30 A-Dollars…? Plus booth, ice, ambience, music….around 80 dollars…plus table, location… service and of course us…that alone cost him around 500 A-Dollars.” [Skye] said then her eyes zeroed into Alexa. “Alexa no, don’t even think about ordering more of those with him out cold. They will take him to one of the sleeping pods and charge him by the hour, if he wakes up with another bottle it will be on our head in the stake.”
….Alexa could always grow a new head, so she did not see a problem. Even so, the glare of [Skye] seemed to indicate that this was something best left alone.
“Fine.” So she said while drinking the last drip of [Rum] from that bottle and felt the liquid settle within her new storage area, she would need to check if she could move it to another place.
It was around one liter of the beverage, so if she tried to shove it into her new [Storage] area, she would only manage to keep around 250 ml… Not quite enough to do great things, but beggars can’t be choosers…
“I will return after getting paid, or perhaps I could order these as part of the needed material to work?” Alexa said aloud while taking one of the [Ice cubes] and eating it.
“...yeah good luck convincing Eleanore that you need high percentage rum to work, unless the job requires it they don’t give extra materials to work. And as…our job description states, the only extra materials they will grant us is what we need to achieve our mission.” [Skye] said, emptying her beverage, her face shifting slightly into the red spectrum. “I tried getting jet boots, but since I can hover on my own it wasn’t deemed a requirement to my job. So got denied, Eddy has it nice since he just needs construction materials and those are cheap.”
[Skye] seemed to have a hard time holding her [Alcohol], perhaps Alexa should take care of helping her…
How the tables turn, huh? Who would have thought that Alexa would end up being the responsible drinker of the two…