The first breath came quick and was surprising. A gasped that forced her from the deep slumber. Lily opened her eyes to the real world after being asleep for a whole year. The medical bot standing over her was holding a long plastic tube covered in a saliva. Just looking at it reminded her it was in her throat a second ago.

Slowly she turned over on her side trying to suppress a coughing fit. A pain shot up from the base of her neck to the top of her head. She cried out and quickly realized she was pulling her own hair. Her forearm resting on the inky black silk.

“My hair?” she stared at the black locks before pushing it out of the way to sit up. As she did, the medical bot helped her to sit up.

[Welcome back, Lily.] The voice originated from the drone.

“Avalon, has it really been a year?” Lily asked looking at her hands. She felt like she had just went to sleep, but she also felt different. She felt good, but in a way that was life-changing. All her life she had been in pain and for the first time in her life she didn't have that burden. She felt relief.

[Yes, you have been within the mainframe for a year. Your body has successfully undergone treatment.]

“Strange, it doesn't feel that way. Maybe because I was busy the entire time.” She looked at the medical bot. It's normal blue glowing eyes were golden now.

[You must be anxious over your appearance. There is a mirror beside you if you would like to confirm the changes.]

Lily hesitate as soon as the AI told her about the mirror. She did know what to expect. If she still saw that monster she would know everything was a lie. A terribly elaborate prank. It wouldn't be the first time it happened, even if not to this extend.

[Lily you have been in my care for a year. You are acquainted with me. Would I hurt you?] Avalon's tone was level but Lily had gotten better at discerning the difference. It was hurt by her doubt.

“I'm sorry I don't doubt you... I'm just- just afraid,” she mumbled. Her voice was even different. There was still similarity to her original voice but this voice she had was softer when mumbling.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

“Is this my voice?” she said testing it out. Hearing herself was surreal. She had a slightly deeper voice but one like a woman. Not overly sultry but not innocent either. It was like her original voice if she didn't have so many issues with her breathing and vocal cords.

[Does it satisfy you?]

Lily took a shaky breath and nodded. Avalon really did what it said it would. “Yes,”

[I promised you, so trust in me and look at the mirror.]

The young woman slowly turned to the mirror with fear building in her heart. She waited for the laughter to break her dreamworld but it didn't come. Instead she was looking at a woman she didn't know.

Vaguely the woman before her looked like the woman she knew to be her mother but also not at all like her. She was beautiful.

Large honey eyes stared back at her with dancing flecks of gold. A woman like a doll was before her. Soft and delicate like a flower, but strangely alluring. She slid off the bed onto her feet and walk over to the floor to ceiling mirror.

“This is me?”

[Is it acceptable?]

“Me?” Lily reached out for the reflection before her. Her fingers met the glass and she pulled back to touch her face rather than the reflection. Soft skin met her fingers as she stared at her reflection touching her face.

[Are you disappointed?] Avalon said a touch of confusion edged it's voice. It lost its monotonous cadence.

“No? I can't… I can't believe it,” she said resting her palm against her face as tears welled up. “This is really me?”

[Am I trustworthy?] the AI asked.

“Of course, your the only person I trust. The only one that cares even if...you're an AI.” Lily looked to the medical bot. The blue glow let her know the AI was no longer in the drone.

[I will give you more.]

Lily smiled, “Isn't this enough?”

[This is only the beginning Lily. You willing destroy those that harmed you and I.]

Lily nodded and looked at her reflection again. It was hard to believe, but this person was her now. She examine herself finding her body to be just as pretty as her face. She didn't think Avalon would put so much effort into her body. She had a shape similar to her mother but again different.

It was like she knew who she was looking at but then she didn't. It was strange to see someone so familiar but also foreign.

Lily stood on her toes then drop to her heels. She was taller. Looking at her long legs she smiled. It wasn't very much but she was an average height now.

[Wide hips, small waist, medium to large bust.]

“Huh?”

[The figure I chose for you. It is the result of reading your genes. This was the most desirable base on data about human attraction. Is it fitting.]

Lily turned around and blushed. “Yes, I look like one of those girls from Ningyo.”

The widespread VRMMORPG game had been one of her pastimes when she was in college. She always made the most ridiculously beautiful women. She felt vain for wanting to look like the characters she created but truthfully she'd settled for looking average. Anything was better than that thing she was before.

[Lily.]

The warning was clear. She couldn't continue to think about the past. She had work to do. They had work to do.