The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

Selena’s programming — Abort Retry Cum

Part One

“Could you please state your name, occupation, and species?”

What? I open my eyes, and reiterate.

“What?”

In front of me is a guy who appears to be under the impression that it’s Halloween. A guy with green skin and...plane wings for a neck? It’s hard to describe, but it sure looks stupid. I think it’s the first time since my Streamlining that I didn’t want to fuck someone. Blech.

“Ahem. Could you, please, state your name, occupation, and species?”

“Huh...” Did his neck-wings just flap? “Selena, Prostitute, Pret...Huh, no, human? I guess?”

“You guess?”

“It’s a long story. Human is fine. More importantly...what the howling fuck is going on here? I...I was on an island...”

“I am not aware of the circumstances in which you were acquired.” Sternly says the guy, cutting me short. “I am just a So-called Usefulness Officer, they never tell us anything about the employees.”

“Employees? Usefulness officer? Look, where...”

“So-called Usefulness Officer, if you please. This is the official job title, and the Stickling Office is very strict on the proper use of job titles.”

“Oookay...”

“And you’re here so I can assign you a So-called Usefulness, not answer to your bloody questions, so be a good “human” and let me work.”

Well, knock yourself out, buddy...It doesn’t loook like I can stop you anyway. I can’t move my arms...some kind of weird glowing stuff is binding them on the armrests. The Officer is busy with his computer...And whoever built this room has a thing for chrome. So...BrainTrust has sent me to a shitty Sci-Fi simulation. Great. What was I doing again? I was with Christina on a beach, and then...I don’t know, it’s all a big blank.

“Alright, so apparently humans are out of fashion as of late, and you definitely lack the pectoral girth to be enrolled as a space marine, so I’m not even going to bother.”

“Yeah, might as well send me back to where I was, I may be the horniest slut, but I’m not so desperate I’d fuck an alien.”

“What, send you back in the middle of an ocean? ’fraid it’d be against the rules, human. No, I’m just going to schedule you for domestic robot conversion. Aaand...here!”

“Wait, wait, what? Middle of an ocean? Domestic robot? Slow the hell d...”

In a flash, I feel some sort of metallic mask clasping on my face.

“Hmmmh! Hmm hmmm!”

“Seriously, enough of those rubbish, non psychic species. Bah, I guess we need the workforce.”

Arrgh, gotta break free from those restraints and punch his stupid face...Hey, what’s going on? What’s that sound? WOAH holy shit, oookay, okay, I’m going really fast now. Am I...Am I falling? I’m going down, that’s for sure...Can’t even see with this stupid mask! Well, I can’t move, so...what was that about an ocean? Sure, Christina and I were on an island, but...Oh. Oh, shit! The island was sinking! Does it mean...Is she okay? Oh, God, please tell me she’s okay...

“She’s completely whack.”

what? Hey!

“Yep, with arms like that, even after robot conversion I don’t think she could operate much more than a vacuum cleaner. Forget about an hyperdrive engine.”

Oh, it’s not God, but two assholes with croaky voices. When did I stop moving?

“Well, at least she already has the required anorexic shape. What the hell are they feeding their females on this planet?”

“Mostly crippling self-doubt, according to the records.”

“The Cygnus-14 diet? Seriously? Bunch of freaks.”

“Anyway, pumping the nanites in...now.”

What? Nanites? I try to struggle but my situation hasn’t changed a bit. Oh God oh God what would Kylie do? I feel a sharp pinch in my neck, followed by a cold sensation. Okay, so...even though this whole sci-fi nonsense is an illusion...The thing flowing inside me probably isn’t. Does BrainTrust really have nanite technology? Is it a bluff? Is...Aaaargh holy SHIT! I scream, but the sound barely pierces through the mask. My muscles are burning! It hurts! It fucking hurts! I can’t see what’s happening, but I can feel it. One by one, my muscles get a major, painful cramp, twitch for a while as if hit by an electrode, then relax...At which point I don’t control them anymore. My mouth, my neck, my shoulders...Bit by bit, they make me a stranger in my own body. The process is fast, yet unbearably slow, as every moment is agonizing. When the thing hits my toes, I am almost thankful for being robbed of my last measure of control. And I feel...cold. I don’t shiver, I don’t even feel discomfort. I’m just...cold. And I guess I know why. Hey. Hey, shit, I’m worrying about being cold when I’M NOT EVEN BREATHING. God. Oh God oh God oh God. I’m an object. A dead, inert object. Oh God.

“Physical conversion complete. Let’s install the OS up in this bitch.”

My cold, breathless body convulses. I can feel it, but I still have no control over it. Suddenly, the inside of the mask lights up, displaying some green text on a black background.

Converting to synthetic nervous system. The unit might feel interference in its thought processes as they are switching to emulation.

What? What does it meaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa System launch. Installing. 12%. 37%. 51%. 74%. 99%... Install complete. DS-87312 Online. Connecting to peripherals. Synthetic nervous system established. Testing...Testing...Unable to proceed...Please remove restraints.

“Okay, you can remove her restraints now, she’s good.”

“Right away, Ablubg’Strawtops my man.”

Restraints removed. Testing...Testing...Mind/body interface functional. Running organic persona emulation...aaaan? What the...I’m up now? The mask is off, I can see where I am. Some sort of factory room. Heavy, complex machinery hangs down from rails on the ceiling. In front of me, two ugly-ass, no-way-I’d-fuck-them frog people are sitting in front of holographic computers.

“Conversion successful, OS ready to operate. Do we have a customer preorder?”

“Let me search the database...Yep! A hostess club in the Diamond sector ordered a sexbot. We can ship her right away.”

“Good, let’s do that. Glorgle is she ugly.”

Who the fuck is ugly, you giant tadpole?! Oh, great, I can’t speak. I’m totally paralysed. I’m not even breathing, yet I feel fine. I can see one of the machines on the ceiling moving towards me. It appears to be just a big pair of tongs. And indeed, they open and grab me. Well that’s not ridiculous at all. They could have used a gigantic magnet. I mean, I’m forced to look forward, so I can’t see my body, but I think it’s a safe bet to assume they turned me into metal.

The machine lifts me off the ground and moves me to another room. There, a human-sized doll packaging awaits in all its pink, tacky glory. Grrreeaaaat. At least I have a few years of experience calling myself a sex doll. I should do ju st fine as an actual one. The device puts my useless body in the box, and leaves it there, closing the packaging on its way out. I face the side with the transparent plastic shell, and I can kinda see my reflection on it. Yep. I most definitely am a robot now. And it goes beyond me being shiny and grey. My articulations are separated into parts, my neck looks like a telescopic cube, my hair is just solid metal. Both of my eyes look like a camera lens with a tiny red light in the center. All this under a minute? No way. This transformation must be part of the illusion too. Well, I’m not falling for it. This is fake as hell and I’m not letting BrainTrust convince me otherwise.

I hear something hissing. What now? Oh. Some sort of foam is filling up my box. Why the hell not, since I don’t breathe anymore. Yeah, I know I keep coming back to that, but it’s just so weird. The one thing you’ve done your entire life...and you just can’t do it anymore. This is existential dread material. Too bad I’m busy having regular dread right now. What do you think? I’m trapped in a goddamned robot body!

A short while later, I am entirely encased in styrofoam. I assume it is to complete the packaged doll image, even though an advanced alien space station shouldn’t give one quarter of a shit about human-sized doll boxes. I mean, God, why create an astoundingly realistic illusion just to ruin it with the narrative? These BrainTrust guys have issues even Kylie can’t touch, and she’s genuinely criminally insane. But as I am lost in thought, something flickers in the absolute darkness my unblinking eyes pick up. It’s only a small light at first, but it quickly evolves into a complete picture. Is this augmented reality? It has to be, because there’s no way styrofoam can display a fairy marionette.

What, what? A fairy marionette? Yeah! As in, a fairy, wings et al, hooked to marionnette strings. The hell?

“Hello, DS-87312!” The fairy begins by saying, “I am QT-Doll, your emulation-core interface!”

“Oh, fuck right off, you Navi thing.”

Hey, I can speak! I didn’t try to ever since I’ve been paralyzed, but this came right off my chest and...I spoke! Okay, so maybe the rest of my body can move now...ah, shit, no. Still paralyzed.

“He he he! What a smart, not overused at all reference! I am programmed with your home planet’s jokes, by the way. Why? Well, I’m here to prepare you for your evolution. You might not realize it, but you are not, in fact, thinking freely. The thoughts you are experiencing are a simulation, dependent on your core programming!”

“Wanna hear my version? You’re part of a very crude lie and BrainTrust needs to learn some subtelty.”

“Ooooh, could it be you’re not taking me seriously? That won’t do! Nonononono!”

The fairy flies to the side, and with a flick of the wrist, makes letters appear in my field of view. They read “Sing some yodel”.

Ha ha ha ha. No.

“Laaaaaalalaaaaaitouuuuuuuuuu!”

Wait, did that just come out of my lips? What part of “no” didn’t you understand, mouth?

“See what I mean, DS-87312?” Asks the fairy, giggling. “You’re just an obedient ’bot running a program that thinks she’s people.”

“You...Can make me do anything?”

“Yep! I’d play with you some more, but right now you need to be programmed. The customers asked for a fully processed sexbot, so I’ll have to adjust your personality accordingly.”

I gulp. I got turned into a machine, that’s fucking bad enough, but now they’re in my mind and they want to do some dry cleaning? If I still had a heart, it would beat furiously. It’s...still fake, right? This is still just a bluff? Yeah...not really all that confident, suddenly.

“I...I already am a sex doll! A Pretty!” I plead. “I’ll obey and fuck any customer, leave my mind alone!”

“You could be the starchild of Canis Majoris, DS-87312, and you’d still get programmed. Your brothel doesn’t want a slutty woman, they want a sexbot.”

“I’ll learn to be! I swear, I’ll do anything! Use me, degrade me, but for God’s sake, leave me free to enjoy it! Don’t turn me into a mindless thing...Please...”

“Mindless? Nah, you’re the property of a hostess club, you’ll be useless without a mind. I’m just going to make you more appreciative of your transformation.”

Okay, I’m just confused now. To what extent is QT-Doll planning to transform me, and how is she planning to do it? I don’t... Formatting program online. What?

“Alright, DS-87312, please format your emulated persona per the following instructions.”

Ready to apply formatting. Oh, great...there’s an actual robot voice in my head. Is it...If I’m just a program thinking it’s the human me, maybe it’s robot me speaking? That’s so fucked up...Huh? The fairy is moving her lips...Is she saying something? I can’t hear anything...

Acknowledged. Applying modifications... Wait wait wait what?! No way! I won’t let you Deleting target memories...16%... Hey, hey, leave my memories alone, you damn...damn...robot me! 58%... Oh shit oh shit let’s focus...Okay, I remember my sisters and the Coppelia... 87%... They’re still there. Okay, so it is preserving my memories. That’s... Target memories deleted. Shiiit...you could at least tell me what you deleted, it’s my mind you’re talking about, dammit!

“Alright!” Cheers QT-Doll. “That’s one step towards becoming a perfect ’bot!”

“What the hell did you do?”

“Huh, didn’t you hear? I told y...Oooh, I guess the instructions I gave to your core bypassed your emulated consciousness...interesting. It’s easy enough to explain...What are you?”

“Well duh, I’m a robot.”

What?

“No, no, that’s not right...I’m hu...man...”

What the hell, why did I sound so...unsure? I’m...I’m human right? No...No. Dammit. I know what they deleted. I don’t remember what breathing is like. Or eating. Or sleeping. I know I should know those things down to my very core, but...I have no idea. How do you get air in your lungs? Like, what’s the movement you have to do? I feel so perfectly fine, just staying there, immobile. I don’t feel the need to move at all...And I can’t imagine doing anything else. I feel...mechanic. Inert, but content. I’m a robot. It should freak me out, but...It feels good, somehow. Like...reaching inner peace.

“I’m a robot.”

Ah, I said it...It’s weird. I just gave up my humanity...Why does it feel so right?

“Right you are! See, it’s not so bad, is it? Next up...” Like before, the sound of her voice just...turns off.

“What did you ask for this time, you little...”

Acknowledged. Oh shit, here we go... Huh? There’s no further words from the voice... Instead, I feel a vibration. It makes me twitch. Shit, my mouth is clenched shut ...It’s...An electricity surge? I guess I don’t have to fear it anymore, since I’m a robot...Yes...A robot. Selenabot. The electricity feels good. But...why would they give me electricity? Do I operate on a battery? Do I need to be recharged? Hey, why would I even care about that?! I can’t...I can’t worry about how I function, or else...I’ll truly become DS-87312. If they make me care...I won’t ever feel human again. But...But seriously, how do I work? Do I have energy stored somewhere, or do I produce it somehow? I...ooh? Hmmmh? My pussy feels good for some reason...

Applying basic sexbot programming. Stimulating.

Aaah...they’re making my pussy sing. Finally, some fucking sex...Hmm...And it’s...It’s incredible! Like it’s resonating with the electricity, sending the pleasure all over my metal body... But it’s not only pleasure. Somehow, I can feel...it’s changing something in my brain, too. Like the pleasure-buzz is whispering in my mind...And it feels so good. I am...a sexbot...being programmed by pleasure. It’s...eating my human thought processes, but it’s so amazing! Clinging to humanity is irrational. I must embrace my synthetic nature. It’s just becoming a Pretty, but better. I...I really am thinking that...And I don’t care. The programming is good. I am...getting taught what to think and I’m such a slut I can’t resist. I want to be a robot. I don’t need free will! True, programmed obedience is happiness. I won’t have to ask for sex anymore. No seducing, no innuendo necessary. I’m a sex toy. I can just get picked up and enjoy being used. I’m...I’m being programmed to love being a robot. To love being what I am. I’m an item. An object. A property. I want to be used. I want an owner. I want to obey and serve. This isn’t a bad fate at all. It’s great! I can just be fucked and obey for all eternity! I’m a sexbot! I’m a sexbot!

Proper mindset reached. Disengaging conversion mode.

“I’m DS-87312! A sextoy!” I cry, ecstatic.

“Ah, what a good ’bot!” Cries out QT-Doll, smiling. “No longer having any silly thoughts of resistance, hm?”

“No...Why would I resist? I can only get fucked if I’m a properly functioning sexbot!”

“True, true.”

“Could you...Could you program me more, please? I...I’m too human! I don’t sound like a proper sexbot at all!”

“Ooh? You want to be programmed to always talk in monotone, for example?”

“Yes! And think in figures and stuff...I don’t know, I feel so weird thinking smoothly like that...I’m a sexbot, and yet I sound human... People won’t fuck a human-sounding sexbot! Please, fix me!”

To my surprise, QT-Doll begins to laugh. Hey, I’m being honest here!

“I would love to do that, DS-87312, but you already have a full machine mode installed. You know, your core program? Plus, it’s your owners who will customize your behavior, not me. I’ve eased you into it, but there is no doubt they have a specific personality your owners have in mind. What it is is anyone’s guess, but I wouldn’t worry, you’ll soon get a full reprogramming.”

“Oh, thank God...”

I am genuinely relieved. I don’t want this personality anymore. It doesn’t fit my new self at all. Selena’s a sultry slut I’ve ordered on a list of personalities. I had fun with her, but I have become DS-87312. I long for my true, final transformation. My Masters will introduce me to a true life of sexual bliss.

“But...Until then...can you just switch me back to the core program? The true Me...I don’t need this emulation until my owners reshape it.”

“Of course, DS-87312. Core shut down emulation.”

Acknowledged. Ah, finally...I can truly be mys...Emulation terminated. Shutting down formatting program. Awaiting input. Switching to sleep mode.

* * *

Part 2

“Okay, all set. Wake up, DS-87312.”

Acknowledged. Booting emulation. I wake up, and look around. I’m in a simple room, lying on a bed. Right beside me is an alien, with an almost human-looking body, except for a pale olive skin and horizontally-oriented, pointy ears. He’s probably one of my owners!

“Hello, Sir. I am sexbot DS-87312, how can I fuck you?”

“Hardly,” Jokingly answers the alien. “At least for now. Hard to give a blowjob when your body is deactivated.”

“Oh, that’s right. I haven’t been able to move on my own since I was turned into a robot. Anyway, are you going to use me, Sir? I want to do what I was created for.”

“Of course you are, you’ve been imprinted with the common domestic bot mindset. Well, I am Oren, IT guy for the Purple Nelia, biggest hostess club in the Diamond District and your owners as of today.”

“The Purple Nelia, is it? So I am their robot...” I think out loud.

“Yes. I am charged with the task of customizing you.”

I feel like smiling, or at least I would if that wasn’t such a meatbaggy thing to do. Being customized...Yes, that’s what being a robot is about, isn’t it? I’m a simulation of a woman created to fulfill fantasies. Being customized doesn’t just sound exciting...it’s my whole reason for being.

“Sounds great!” I reply in a cheery voice. “I can’t wait to become just a pleasure toy...”

“Galaxy’s sake,” blurts out the alien. “You’re not going to be a cheap suckfuck toy. The Purple Nelia is a hostess club. We keep our sexbots intelligent. I’m just going to install a number of commands, just to push you back in the uncanny valley a bit.”

“Oh, I see...” It kinda reminded her of the Prettier World Foundation’s creed. “Do you need my cooperation in any way?”

“As a matter of fact, there is, bot. I’ve already hooked you up to the reprogramming rig. Normally, I customize our new sexbots right away, but the analysis prompted me to wake you up, first.”

“Oh? What is it, Oren Sir?”

“Well, the cyber-conversion guys processed you as per procedure, and the basic sexbot programming worked. You are eager to serve. Still, the personality that got modified...isn’t your true self.” The kind Sir looks at me, puzzled. “Why is that? Did humans grow some sort of psychic defenses when we weren’t looking?”

I search my memories...I mean, my databanks. Meatbag me sure as hell wasn’t psychic. But...it’s just a matter of personalities, right? I think I know...

“Sir, the meatbag that got turned into this chrome bombshell had an artificial personality. She was born very introverted, and when she was acquired by the Prettier World Foundation, she got fed up of being shy. Being turned into a sex doll and still not breaking out of her shell...the meatbag was desperate. So she ended up requesting a complete personality change.”

“Oh, so they did develop mind control technology...Interesting. I hope it doesn’t lead to your equivalent of Bimbo War I.” Says the nerdy alien, nodding. “And, yes, it does explain a great deal. The personality they reprogrammed was in itself artificial...”

“That’s the gist of it, sir.”

“I see, I see...But that’s a problem. A Purple Nelia’s sexbot cannot be anything less than fully dedicated...I may have a plan, though. Stand by, okay, DS-87312? It could take some time.”

“Sure thing, Sir!”

* * *

She regained consciousness. But what should have felt like a daily, thoroughly familiar occurence instead felt strange and alien. For one, no memories of the previous day came to her. She even struggled to find her own name. Confused and quite clueless, she looked around. Mostly, there was pure darkness, but behind her was a big screen, floating there, unsupported. The screen displayed a drab, white room and a strange guy with horizontal elven ears and a greenish skin. She was as confused by this as the rest of the stuff, but knew this wasn’t normal at least.

She sighed and hung her head down, dismayed by her own state, and felt a tugging sensation on the top of her head. Frowning, she passed her hand over her head to determine the cause...And felt a tense nylon string.

“W-W-What the hell?”

The girl looked above...and saw multiple strings descending from the darkness, supporting her weight.

“Why am I a M-m-arionnette?!”

She didn’t remember anything, but she sure remembered being human. On the verge of panic, she tried to free herself, when a familiar voice resounded in the empty space. She turned her head to where it came from, and she saw a sexy redhead, who looked extremely moved.

“It...it worked! Oh my God, I never think I could ever meet you...This...I...Shit, I don’t know where to begin. It’s so incredible...I guess I’ll begin by the beginning. Hi Thalia!”

Thalia?

“I...My name is T-T-Thalia?”

“Yes. Well, technically I guess it’s Selena. Except I’ve been Selena longer than you, so...Okay, look, it’s complicated, you really don’t remember anything?”

“well, huh...” Hesitated Thalia, intimidated. “Thalia and Selena ring a b-bell...”

“Prettier World Foundation? Streamlining?”

It was as if a lightning strike had struck in her mind. A flood of memories rushed in like a mighty waterfall. She was Thalia Wyatt. An introverted girl afflicted by a stammer since birth. An unassuming literature student, who had somehow caught the eye of the PWF, who turned her into a compliant, but sentient, sex doll. Among the last events she remembered were being programmed into docility, meeting Terri, who trained her to serve customers sexually and accepting her new life, being Streamlined and given the name Selena, and finally, being fed up with her crushing shyness and choosing to become someone else.

“I...I remember. S-s-so you...”

“Yep! I’m the personality you bought.” Smiled the red-headed figure. “Apparently I hogged our memory, too. Sorry about that, past me.”

“I made that d-decision. Still...what is happening? Where am I? Why are there strings above me?”

“It’s a bit hard to explain, Thalia-chan. But I guess there’s no cute way to introduce you to the idea, so here I go. We’re in a simulation destined to fully convert me into a sexbot, and I can’t wait for it to succeed. But you’re a bit of a parasite in my perfect robot body, so my programmer has isolated you, transferring your personality to my body’s built-in AI.”

“WHAT?”

The bookish girl looked at the screen in distress. She could see wires in the edges of the field of view. Thalia surmised it displayed what her body was seeing. She couldn’t believe that she now was just a passenger in her own body, but aside from an insane dream after years of coma, she didn’t have much choice but to take everything at face value. And even if it was a crazy dream and no time had passed, she was still property of the Foundation anyway. All told, there just wasn’t any “reasonable” options for poor Thalia. The green alien fiddled with some kind of console, and a holographic display appeared right in front of her body’s eyes. The display was in two parts : A 3D model of a silvery fembot on the left, and some sort of treeview menu on the right.

“Aight, DS-87312” said the alien, “Let’s begin.”

“Oh yeah!” Cheered the inner Selena, dancing in the void just in front of Thalia. “I can’t wait I can’t wait!”

A mouse cursor appeared on the menu, and selected “Synchronization”. A progress bar showed up under the button, and both inner personas felt a jolt. Thalia only tensed up for a second, but she saw Selena becoming stiff as a statue. She didn’t really trust her—she did just call her a parasite after all. Still, she could distinctly remember that sultry redhead was exactly what she asked Mr.Setton to become. Well, she asked Terri to do it for her, actually. Crushing shyness and all that. So she moved towards her, or at least as much as the strings allowed her to.

“Selena! Are you a-a-alright?”

“Don’t worry, Thalia.” She smiled. “I’ve been programmed to wish for this with all my heart.”

The redhead gasped as two patches of her perfect Pretty skin around the neck became shiny metal. Two small dots, at first, but the silvery, thoroughly smooth surface expanded rapidly. Thalia rushed her hands to her neck—she was feeling it, too. She could still sense flesh under her finger, but she nonetheless felt as if she was the one changing.

“Two minds, one body...” Whispered Thalia.

“Oooohh yeeeesss, this feels soo niccce...” Sighed Selena, too lost in the sensation to hear her counterpart.

Thalia closed her eyes and shivered, trying to ignore the feeling of her skin hardening. She didn’t have to endure for too long, however. In just twenty seconds, Selena’s inner persona looked exactly like the chrome shell on the holographic display. The progress bar was full. The alien IT guy didn’t waste any time and clicked on “Body”. When it brought up a submenu, the cursor went to “Purple Nelia uniform.” Almost immediately, another sensation ran over her skin. Much softer than the previous one, though still alien and disturbing. Looking at Selena’s body, she saw the shiny, metallic surface shift to a different material. Her “skin” turned into a glittery, burgundy material that looked like the missing link between cloth and metal. It was still unmistakeably metallic, but a bit more uneven, giving the illusion that she was covered in a glittery bodysuit. Her hair split from one-piece, solid metal into a multitude of metallic strands, much like real hair. Only her face remained unchanged, still a solid metal mask with lens-like shining eyes.

It seemed to be merely the first part of the physical rearrangement, however. her bodysuit-like skin was cut into plates following her body’s generous curves, further giving the impression of clothing. On both her deltoids, a drawing of a strange purple flower appeared. But the most dramatic change happened right after. A rectangular area between her breasts and her neck began to change from glittery burgundy to shiny black. Thalia wondered what the hell this was about, until a green line showed up in it.

“It’s...a screen?”

“Sure looks like it.” Acquiesced Selena after looking down.

But both their attentions were pulled away from the screen by the alien’s voice.

“Alright, you now have the body of one of our dolls. Which was the easy part. Now, I am going to launch the psychological conversion program.”

“Finally!” Cheered Selena. “But what happens to Thalia?”

“Well, thing is, we can’t convert her.”

“Why?”

“Oh, it’s some bullshit about a slave rights activist group who managed to outlaw reprogramming by negative reinforcement. Inhumane treatment, that kind of crap. So now we can only make slaves or serving robot units based on government-approved, resistance-free subjects. Like you!”

“Yay! I can become a true sexbot! I’m so happy, Thalia!”

Selena’s original personality couldn’t help but be disturbed by her acceptance. She wanted her replacement to be confident, dominant...on top of things. Not that. She had to do something...But, just as she had to take action, the horrible grip on her heart came back, as strong as ever. As always, just the idea of having to argue shut all her willpower down. She cringed as the realization that nothing, nothing had changed. Poor Thalia was too busy freaking out to realize that, being unable to speak to the alien, there was nothing she could do anyway.

“So I consulted with the owner,” Continued Oren, “and he’s okay with leaving her intact, as your second personality. It’s not like we can legally do anything to her.”

“Ooh...” Let Selena out, happy but unsure of how to reply.

“Imma launch the conversion. I’m going to put you in complete sensory deprivation, so that you only perceive what we want you to. See you as a fully programmed Purple Nelia girl, DS-87312.”

“Okay!”

The screen floating in the void shut down. Their robotic body had closed its eyes. Thalia turned to Selena.

“D-d-dammit! You can’t let him do this! I wanted you to be strong, to live life f-fully in my stead! Besides, what the hell is all this? Sim-m-mulation? Is it the Matrix? The Foundation? An actual alien i-i-i-invasion? You can’t just become a m-m-m-mindless robot like this, d-dam-mmit!”

Pieces of a futuristic-looking helmet started appearing on Selena’s face. She was smiling, as if Thalia had just said something profoundly silly. There was even...a hint of sadness.

“I wondered what the simulation was after, too. I was left alone in this table for an hour or so, and I reached a conclusion. It doesn’t matter what happens. What matters is that I know, in my heart, that it is the best for you.”

“No, it isn’t. Please, don’t leave me alone, with years of my m-memory g-g-gone...” Pleaded Thalia.

“Don’t you get it?” She sighed, her chin now completely covered in metal. “I will never leave you. I’ll still exist, I’ll just be a lot more robot-y. And I won’t keep our body for myself, either. You are the real one. I’m just a pre-constructed personality somewhere in the PWF’s catalogue, in love with a lie. I get you, you know? I had four years of sexual service to understand why you would want to disappear. And I get it now...Not just you. This whole thing. I know what BrainTrust is.”

“What? What’s BrainT-t-t-trust? G-g-goddammit, I have so many questions...”

The helmet almost covered the robotized Pretty’s whole head now. Chin, ears, hair, eyes...Only the mouth was left, and the final piece was closing in.

“Everything will be alright.” Said Selena, as her final words. “I promise...Mistress.”

The final piece slid into position. The helmet, now complete, begin to glow, sending arcs of electricity throughout Selena’s metallic body. Thalia whimpered. Mistress? What did she mean? But she didn’t have the time to wonder about that. She suddenly felt a wave of relaxation wash over her, as well as a seductive voice whisper in her ear.

“Hello, loverbot. This is the customization you were waiting for. We are going to flood your emotion circuits with the most pleasurable, euphoric, addicting sensations. We know you want to obey your owners and your customers, but you have no idea yet how much you want it... Giggle

Thalia felt good alright, and even felt her pussy tingle. But though she could perceive the positive reinforcement, the actual programming was streamed directly to Selena’s emulated consciousness. The screen of her chest came alive, and displayed some text. : “Installing user imprint function”. Thalia frowned, curious. On the other side of the helmet, the redhead felt herself talking to a nondescript human, standing upright, proudly and naturally saying “Organic detected. DS-87312 awaits your personal designation, Master.” The sentence wasn’t even finished that a spike of pure, blinding pleasure shot through Thalia and Selena’s pussies. Even Selena, a slutty love doll, had never experienced such pure ecstasy before. But as Thalia struggled to bring her thoughts back together after the incredible orgasm, it was only the beginning for Selena.

“This is the reward for being an obedient machine.” She heard reverbarating in her very mind. " You don’t need to restrict yourself to human pleasure. Forget free will and decisions. Just obey.”

And though Selena had wanted this, longed for this, thanks to the pre-programming, she found she didn’t have any choice. She was completely, utterly overwhelmed. Her whole being was soaked in pure euphoria. Her face was contorted in utter disbelief, almost in fear. She thought she knew what pleasure or happiness were...but they were mere candles compared to this scorching sunlight. All but unable to conjure any thought or, indeed, speak, the core programming took charge. In the midst of the euphoria, Selena saw a flashing rectangle surround the human figure, and a text displaying : Unknown organic—male. Imprint. Immediately after that, she felt her mouth opening and saying : “Organic detected. DS-87312 awaits your personal designation, Master.” Another unfathomably powerful orgasm shot through the two personalities, and Selena’s all-consuming ecstasy began anew.

Thalia felt, in part, what Selena was going through. She wasn’t directly exposed to the artificial feelings, but she felt Selena melting into automatic compliance. I wasn’t obedience. Obedience was a decision. This was a command. Unknown organic—female. Imprint. Meant saying “Organic detected. DS-87312 awaits your personal designation, Mistress.". Slowly, carefully, the euphoria receded, just progressively enough for Selena’s mind to actively assimilate the command while still being kept under by the sensations. It was patient, almost impercetible. But after an hour had passed, Selena was just drifting in a peaceful buzz, and still responding to the visual cue without hesitation. She didn’t think about it. She just did it. It was a conditioned response, as was the satisfaction and excitement that came with it. She was still conscious, she just realized that from that point on, there would be moments where her programming would override her decisions. Her conscious self would just be along for the ride. Already, she thought about being used for real, helpless to resist her commands. Receiving a designation from a user. Feeling that designation being stored in her databanks, ready to replace her name whenever she was used by him. She had just started being programmed, and she already fantasized about being used for real. The past was irrelevant. Not when being a machine without will felt so good. She didn’t need that traitor Emily. She just needed a user. No matter who he was, Selena knew it would feel like paradise to serve him, because that feeling would be programmed into her.

Thalia, meanwhile, had given in to the sexual pleasure. She didn’t have time to recollect her thoughts between the earth-shattering orgasms. As her alter ego was being programmed, she just kept rubbing her pussy and breasts, milking her body for every drop of pleasure it could give her. So she didn’t register at all when Selena’s chest-screen displayed : “User imprint function successfuly programmed. Now modifying speech subroutine...”

* * *

The stammering Pretty had fallen asleep. How long? She couldn’t tell. All she could remember was the pleasure, and a yearning in her pussy made clear that her slutty body wasn’t done. In her half-awakened state, she wasn’t going to deny that urge. Her hand made her way to her bare pussy, when...

“DS-87312 awaits your personal designation, Mistress.”

Thalia moaned and looked around. She was still in the void, and the glittery purple body of her alter ego stood at attention, smiling, unblinking.

“DS-87312 awaits your personal designation, Mistress.” She repeated, in exactly the same happy, expecting tone.

“Huh...Selena. J-j-just Selena is fine.”

“Acknowledged. I am now Selena.” Her calm smile became more enthusiastic, and she bowed. “Welcome to the Purple Nelia, finest hostess bar in the Diamond District! I am your personal sexbot for the duration of your stay. You may use me however you like.”

Selena had definitely changed, thought Thalia, but she had feared a far more...unfeeling result. There was definitely something automatic about her voice, but she still conveyed emotion and heart. It wasn’t Dalek speak, but it did sound pre-recorded.

“Did they...did they erase you, Selena? D-d-do you remember the Foundation?”

“I am now in greeting mode,” Chirped robot Selena, “but you can also use me in sexbot mode, where I will use my unlimited libido to pleasure you in any way I can, or hostess mode, where my advanced artificial intelligence will make you feel just like talking to a real organic girl. Which mode do you wish to use, Mistress?”

“Ho...Ho...Ho...” Thalia cringed. She always had a hard time when beginning a sentence with a word like this. “Hostess.”

“Acknowledged, Mistress!” She lowered her head a bit, and the screen on her chest displayed Now loading hostess mode. “Here you go, Mistress! I hope it will be less awkward for you this way.“

The change was obvious. She now spoke and acted just like a human. Just like herself, actually. Still, this Selena was the subservient robot, not the forceful personality she gave up her body to. She asked once again if she remembered the Foundation.

“Certainly, Mistress.” Answered the newly minted gynoid. “I still have access to my former organic memories. I know you are my former self, for instance, and that we are basically coexisting in the same mind. I have been reprogrammed, but I still fully remember everything, Mistress.”

“Still...You’ve been turned into a machine. The one I have been for all these years is gone...”

“It is true that I have been imprinted with an synthetic mindset, Mistress. But I haven’t disappeared. I am still here for you. And I’ll always be.”

Thalia looked away.

“I’m not your M-Mistress. I’m a c-c-coward, I escaped from my own life and I didn’t move a ffff-finger to save you.”

“You may not believe in yourself, but I do. Thalia...”

The stammering girl felt Selena’s metallic arms, solid yet warm, wrap themselves around her waist.

“I always lived for your sake. The Streamlining might have pushed you into the background, but I never forgot you. It’s not your fault if you’re terrified of the others...And you don’t have to change for their sake. Because you live through me now, and I love you, admire you just the way you are. You created me, after all. You most definitely are my Mistress. Thalia Wyatt. The one and only true Me.”

They looked into each other’s eyes. Even though they looked nothing like the habitual windows to the soul, Selena’s still expressed honesty. Thalia might be a weak-willed, pathetic girl, who went as far as giving her personality up, but Selena knew, and accepted, that she was the genuine one. More important than her sisters. More important than even Emily. Thalia was, literally, the one she was born to serve.

“So...Wh-wh-what happens n-now?”

“I reckon we still have a simulation to go through. I’ll be my new subservient sexbot self, and you’ll just relax and enjoy our sex, okay? When our shift is done, I’ll tell you everything that happened to me.”

“O...Okay, Selena...I guess you’re the one p-p-ppp-piloting us anyway.”

The redheaded robot smiled, and disappeared from the inner space. Back in control of their body, she opened her eyes and got off the bed. She checked her system clock. Her shift was due in just three minutes. She couldn’t wait...and knew that although Thalia was still too confused to open up to her yet, she couldn’t wait enjoying their sensations as well. At peace with what the simulation had wrought, she marked the beginning of her shift by saying...

“Purple Nelia love bot DS-87312 online.”

* * *

Part 3

“Come here, Deneris”, ordered the alien, tapping his, for lack of a better word, knees.

Yes, Master.

It was their fifth customer for the night. Thalia was both amazed and utterly terrified by what her body could do. Not terrified in the existential sense ; it simply sent her pathologically fearful heart running for the hills. She sure was glad the other her was in charge.

Slowly, sensuously, the sexbot crawled on her temporary, but very much in charge Master. Normally, she would be sitting on his lap, but the term didn’t really apply here. He was mostly lap. The love bot’s mainframe didn’t have the first idea about how she was going to have sex, but by Thalia she was going to try.

Do you want more wine, Master?

“Hmmm, why not? It goes wonderfully with your shell.”

Pouring protocols engaged.

She took the bottle of Nuit-Saint-Georges and poured its contents in the glass. Well...that, too, was kind of a misnomer. This particular drinking apparatus was pure energy field. Who knew working on an alien ship could be so confusing? They did have the decency to recognize that Earth had the finest wine around, but pretty much everything else was under a patent from the other side of the galaxy.

This unit is at “romantic getaway” levels. Purchase four hundred credits of additional services and get the upgrade to “soulmate” mode for free! Requires basic sexbot service before purchasing.

The lap-alien waved its leg-tendrils around in excitement.

“Four hundred credits, heh? Hmmm...Alright then, I’ll have your fanciest cigar. It’s been an Eris sidereal period since I smoked something that isn’t an opponent.”

Oooh...A quick search in the data cloud indicates that is a very long time, Master. I am honored to serve such an experienced lifeform.

“Oh, stop, Deneris. I’m just a juvenile for my species. Though flattery will take you somewhere...namely, on my dick!”

Giggle! I’m such a lucky sexbot...

Selena ordered, silently, a cigar to one of her colleagues as she opened her mouth to suck sexily on the tendril her Master extended toward her. Right now, this tendril was the center of her universe, her deepest fantasy come to life. She was Deneris, she was in love with him, a love so deep and absolute, she needed every inch of computational power she had in her cyber-brain. Taking its glorious member in her mouth was like a climax by itself...And Thalia felt every moment of it.

* * *

And then, suddenly, everything went black.

“...Selena?” Tentatively asked Thalia. “D-d-did you shut me off or something?”

Nothing showed up on the screen in their inner mindscape. Thalia looked around, and saw Selena’s inner effigy, frozen in place, mouth still erotically open.

“Selena! Wh-what’s wrong?”

She carried her puppet “body” to her alter ego and waved her hand in front of her face. No response whatsoever. Thalia groaned. She never did trust computers all that much...If the personality in charge of their body could shut down, she was in a fine mess. And yet, she felt a bit of relief, too. After all, if Selena was out of the picture, even momentarily, maybe she could take control. She hated the idea of having to deal with people again, but there was more to the world than people...And it beat being stuck in the dark.

“Okay...let’s hope I can d-do it.”

The shy girl stood upright and joined her hands, trying to focus on whatever memory of her body was left. Those years as Selena took its toll on them, mostly leaving behind ideas and sounds instead of feelings or even concrete images. Yet, she knew she could do it...And even if she somehow couldn’t, she still had to. “Come on, open your eyes...Open your eyes...” She repeated to help her focus. “Reclaim what’s yours...She isn’t there anymore. Open your eyes!”

And she opened them. A blink of an eye later, she took a deep inspiration. She felt the air rush in her lungs, a wave of relief sweeping through her. There was no mistake...She was back in control. Of her eyes and lungs, at least...

Thalia moved her eyes around. The room she was in was dark, but not completely so. There was a fire exit light somewhere to her right, bathing it in a diffuse green glow. She wouldn’t bet on it, but she thought her surroundings looked like some kind of surgery room. It reminded her of the time when she got her wisdom teeth extracted. She woke up from general aesthesia in this big room with rows of beds. Some kind of dedicated post-op hub, though they probably had a better name. She was definitely in a similar room, only she was completely alone. She couldn’t see the whole room, but she knew as much from the sounds.

That is, she could hear herself breathe. Sure, hospitals were known to request silence to avoid upsetting the patients, but she wasn’t in a private room. If her wisdom teeth memory was any kind of indication, things were absolutely supposed to be hectic here. And yet...nothing. No nurses, no moaning patients, not even a machine beeping. “Christ,” she thought. “As if hospitals weren’t creepy enough on their own.”

She tried to call out, but couldn’t manage to do it, as if she couldn’t draw enough breath to make her vocal chords work properly. All she could conjure forth were breathy moans, unfit to call even Daredevil. Sighing, at least, wasn’t a problem. Selena’s original personnality then undertook rocking her head, slowly, from left to right, to regain control of her muscles. She felt stiff, but at least she felt something. Her hypothesis had been right—with Selena deactivated, she could take over.

Which didn’t mean it happened quickly. In fact, even managing to move her neck forty-five degrees to the side took a few minutes. She did get there, though, and pitched into doing the same to her limbs. Simple wriggles of her fingers at first, then sluggish general movements...And that’s when she felt the unmistakeable pinch of an IV stuck to the inside of her right arm.

“Oh shit.” She whispered.

The most sinister things Selena had told her about came crashing in. BrainTrust. Something about a simulation. Yes, they were the ones turning her alter-ego into a sexbot, right? No matter how Selena had wanted it, it surely meant they were evil scientists of some sort. Even worse than the Prettier World Foundation. Somehow, she had broken free of the illusion they had put her under...Which was a good thing, but seeing no apparatus likely to have caused such an illusion around caused her no small amount of worry.

“I mean, there should be sss-something like a Matrix p-p-pod, right?” Came her slurry whisper.

Yet, there was only her, an IV drip and an empty room. She supposed it was better than a never-ending sci-fi dystopian landscape, even if it was a far cry from ideal. She resumed her efforts to assume control of her uncooperative body. Selena had explained next to nothing about their predicament, but she was nonetheless fairly certain she had to escape.

Thankfully, no mad scientists came to sedate her, and she could soon sit up on the edge of the bed. She still felt stiff, but it was a pretty good result after four years in limbo. Carefully, she reached for the IV, turned the valve off, then unfastened the tube from the needle attached to her arm. It was uncomfortable, but she didn’t want to risk fucking her arm up removing it with one hand. So she elected to press on, and got off the bed, nearly losing her balance doing so.

“Ooof! Who knew ss-standing could pack such a p-p-p-punch?”

Acutely aware than falling now would be an absolute bitch, Thalia walked very carefully, one step at a time. Luckily, just underneath the fire exit light, she could see a crutch. She took it, and shifted some of her weight into it, relieved. Next step was the door. She pushed it very carefully, peeking through the sliver of light. Beyond was a lit hallway. To the left, she could see a window which indicated that it was night time. A good time to wake up, all told, since there was nobody in the corridor, and nary a sound either. So she cautiously got out of the room, and started to walk.

Where to go? The poor Thalia didn’t have a clue. In many ways, this wasn’t her world anymore. Four years might not sound like much compared to, say, thirty, but in this ever-changing world, it still made her a time traveler. Even with what little she had to go on, she could tell that the sex trade had gone from being able to completely suppress a young woman’s ability to resist, to being able to create impossibly realistic illusions. What other advances could have been made? She wondered.

As she walked, Thalia’s mind drifted from the possible innovations made by this horrific industry to her particular case. Why was she alone in a hospital bed with just an IV drip? What did this IV even do? Clearly it wasn’t meant to sedate her. And she still had to solve the mystery of how exactly she was subjected to the illusion, as well as why it stopped working. She took a closer look at herself...And her heart skipped a beat. Her skin was completely hairless, which was standard for a Pretty, but now, it also seemed to have lost every pore and wrinkle. It was completely, impossibly smooth...so much it actually seemed to shine.

“No way...” She whispered. “Did they actually plan on physically g-g-giving us a metallic skin?”

She felt anger rise within her, but quickly came to realize that if Selena was still around, she would no doubt be heartbroken. She loved her metallic body so much, after all...Even though she didn’t have it for much time at all. But Selena was like that. Driven, impulsive, unapologetic...Thalia simply couldn’t believe her little old self could have been someone like that. But there was no doubt about it. She even felt the memories of those past for years as Selena come to her, one trickle at a time. Nothing useful in her situation, just hazy recollections of outrageous orgies and periods of delicious farniente, without a hint of the anxiety Thalia was all too familiar for.

She was so absorbed in those half-remembered times that she didn’t hear the footsteps.

“What the...Selena?!”

To Thalia’s right stood a rather small young woman in a silly getup. Fishnet tights, golden panties and jacket...It looked like she was cosplaying, but as who? She a head shorter than me, and though she’s mostly Caucasian, she has something Asian about her. Most surprisingly, she looks at me as if I was a specter...While I have no idea who she is.

“Damn...” The strange girl continues. “I was on my way to visit you, and you’re up and about...what, did you become mute? Speak up, dammit!”

“Scary.” Thalia tries to backs up, but she quickly hit a wall. “Who is she? Why does she know me? Why is she so aggressive?” Thalia brandished her crutch forward.

“G-g-g-go a-a-a-away!”

Her stammer is bad enough under normal circumstances, but pressure her, and all Hell breaks lose. The unknown girl goes slack-jawed.

“...Whaaaat the fuck? Thalia?”

“Yes...Ha-ha...how do you know me? I d-d-d-don’t know you.”

“Yeah, you wouldn’t. Why aren’t you Selena?”

“She’s d-d-d-d-dddddd-DEACTIvated.”

“What? Seriously, that’s not supposed to happen.”

The part-asian walks up to poor, frightened Thalia, and easily blocks the crutch she waves around in fright. With a swift movement, she puts her hand behind her neck, and pulls something out. Thalia shuddered. There had been something attached to her neck? In the stranger’s hands was a slightly curvy black device of sorts. There was a LED on it, and it was flashing red.

“Goddamit Rivers.” Said the girl, eyes to the ceiling. “Malfunctions once in a lifetime, heh? Look forward to punching in tomorrow, bitch.”

Thalia looked at her, silent, confused. Was this little thing all it took to create the spaceship illusion? The stranger sighed.

“One second.”

She took an old cell phone, and quickly dialed a number.

“Security? It’s Emily. Selena’s device malfunctioned. Check on the other test subjects.”

She then sighed and turned to Thalia.

“Look, I have no idea what happened here, but I guess I can’t just lock you up. How about a drink?”

“A...D-drink?”

“Yeah. We have a company bar. You up or what?”

“Huh...Okay, I gu-guess?”

“Swell. Oh, by the way, I’m Emily. Your surrogate’s girlfriend.”

“Oh...I guess you already know my name...”

Emily nods with a forlorn smile, then turns around, signaling Thalia to follow her. The poor girl follows, but quickly falls behind with her slow, recovering pace. Emily notices, though, and adapts her stride. They get into an elevator, and soon, Thalia hears an automated female voice.

“Eighth floor—Recreation area.”

The doors open to a gorgeous indoor garden. The shy girl can’t see much of it, as only one lamp on the ceiling is lit up. She can see many large windows—in all likelihood, this floor is meant to be bathed in sunlight. In the dead of night, though, this place seemed like a secret retreat. Emily took her hand, and led her through a cemented sinuous path between blooming rhododendron bushes. Soon, they reach the far wall, where a bona fide bar stands. Two male bartenders in uniform, both wearing colorful, venetian masks, are busy, one washing glasses, the other stirring up a cocktail.

“Hello Ma’am.” Says the second one. “What can...Oh. Excuse me.” He clears up throat. “Hello here, Doll Selena! What an...”

“Cut the crap, Ricky-kun.” Dryly says Emily. “Two Pink Ladies.”

“Oh...Sure, Ma’am. Let me just finish this Tennessee Rush and I’m all yours.”

The part-asian goes to one of the tables closest to the bar and sits up, inviting Thalia to do the same.

“It’s 1 AM, why did you call an assistant?” She asks the bartender.

“The Galatea is still throwing a party. From the looks of it, they’ll have a hard time starting up work tomorrow.”

“Well, if the increased workload pleases them so damn much, I’m not going to stop them.”

“So...What is she doing up?” He asks, nodding his head in Thalia’s direction.

“The contractor fucked up. Like, big time. I was off to visit my honey, and I see her up and around, with her original persona to boot.”

Thalia frowns.

“Well, gee, sorry for existing.”

“Yeah, you’re right...” Sighs Emily. “I’m sorry.”

“So...you’re other me’s g-g-g-girlfriend?”

“That I am. Though I guess she must hate my guts by now.”

“Hmm...I do seem to remember her m-mentioning you...And not in a g-good way.”

“Figures. She knows me too well to fall for the “I was brainwashed” excuse.”

“What are you t-talking ab-b-bout?”

“Too long to explain.”

The shy redhead was puzzled. Emily looked cute, utterly inoffensive, and yet she looked so somber...She closed her eyes, trying to access memories about her. If she was her alter ego’s lover, surely she occupied a prominent place in her mind. Yet...it all felt hazy. Suppressed. There was a great deal of affection in here, somewhere...But it was hidden, swept away to make room for Selena’s love for her own true identity.

“Two pink ladies.” Calmly says Ricky as he puts the drinks on their table. “Enjoy.”

Thalia’s thanks came as a whisper and a nod. She looked at the glass...The cocktail certainly was pink. She wondered what it was made of, as her knowledge of cocktails began and end with the gin tonic. She took a sip. It was light, fruity, kind of creamy too ; but more importantly, it was familiar.

“You m-must have had some with Selena, right?”

“Right. So you do have access to your memories as her somewhat.”

“Somewh-wh-what is the word. So...what ha-ha-happened anyway? Selena and the simulation j-just shut d-down...”

“Wouldn’t know...We borrowed that from an expert. Guess it just malfunctioned randomly. Besides...hey, did...oh shit, you removed your IV.”

“Well, of c-c-course I did.”

“Goddamit!”

Emily threw her arms down.

“Do you have any idea how much that stuff costs? The lab expressely told us that the intake should be uninterrupted...” Whined the part-asian girl, ranting to herself more than lashing at Thalia. “Dammit, I thought we could just do this stuff as an aside, but the costs are seriously putting a dent in our profit.”

Thalia remained silent. Emily eventually sighed and looked at her.

“I get it. In your position, I’d have removed the IV too. Still, you’ve got to go back. Selena’s out of it right now, but the plan is to let her take care of social interactions while you enjoy in the backseat.”

“Yeah, I k-k-kinda gathered as m-much. I don’t hate the i-i-idea, but, well, it feels k-k-kinda nice to be in control ag-gain.”

“I would guess so, yes...Still, you can imagine it would cause no end of trouble if you wanted to keep your body...Especially since nobody can reasonably deny you that right.”

Looking down, the redhead took another sip. Emily was right, wasn’t she? Even if Selena had been at the helm for the last four years, ultimately, she was just a construct. Thalia was the real deal. The true person. That was, she supposed, the reason why Selena had accepted robotization so readily...that way, she could stop pretending. Still...Thalia needed her, now just as four years prior.

“I’ll be fine if I can just access her memories. If I can truly see her as another part of me, it will be fine.”

“Yes, I understand.” Nodded Emily, noticeably relieved. “I’ll get our “expert” to fix the connection or whatever’s wrong with your recollection ability.”

“That should be g-g-great, thanks...”

“My pleasure. Now...You do realize we have to finish transforming your skin, right?”

“Yes. Poor Selena would ff-ffreak out if she wakes up still looking like me. I’ll go back to that room.” Thalia pointed to the glass. “Is it alright if I...”

“Yes, of course. There’s not much we can do until morning anyway.”

The redhead nodded, and closed her eyes, enjoying the cocktails subtle taste. While it couldn’t really be said that this was Thalia’s first sensory experience in four years, it was the first one she could take her time enjoying. The garden around her was nice, the lighting just right for a late-night meeting. Calm, silent, serene...Just how Thalia liked things. Yet, as thankful as she was for the three other people to leave the stillness unbroken, she could sense something wrong. It was in their eyes, in their posture, and, in part, within her own supressed memories. Something was afoot...She just couldn’t begin to guess what. Too many pieces of the puzzle were missing to poor Thalia, and she had no idea how to put together what she did have. She knew there was something called BrainTrust, that transformations were afoot, that she was thankful for her own, and that the Prettier World Foundation was somehow involved in all this...But how?

“Oh!” She gasped, suddenly reminded of someone. “You m-m-must know Terri, right? Is she alright?”

“Oh, yeah, sure!” Smiled Emily. “She’s still the same old primordial Pretty we all love, no worries there. And the others are getting what they...” A brief silence. “Ahem, huh...well, you don’t know the other Coppelia girls, do you.”

Thalia nodded again. She had assumed Emily was the third Coppelia Sister, but she supposed it made sense if they hadn’t stopped there. So there were other Pretties here...Surely, after Selena’s fixed, she could meet them. She smiled, and finished her glass.

“Alright, I-I-I’m ready. Let’s go metallify my s-skin.”

“Let’s.”

A few minutes later, Thalia was back on the hospital bed and a masked nurse was reattaching the IV. She looked at her skin. It was already so unnatural. She kinda looked like a porcelain doll. How was a mere drug able to do that? Was it even safe? Only one thing was for sure—it worked. This was no simulation. Emily and the masked people were turning her into chrome-skinned, roboty woman. Could she really stop them, even if she wanted to? Why were they even doing this to a Pretty, a subhuman sex doll? Thalia didn’t know...didn’t want to know.

The nurse was done. She could feel the transforming liquid flowing inside her once again. Emily commanded the nurse out of the room, and they let Thalia alone in the soothing darkness. Her ultimate ride in her own body had been short, and not even particularly instructive. She just got a nice drink and some information that only Selena could have understand. She just knew one thing. Next time she wakes up, she hoped she’d be in her perfect tandem with her alter-ego.

* * *

Outside the room...

“I suppose it’s a good thing Thalia woke up and not Selena, isn’t it ma’am?”

“You got it...We got lucky with the malfunction. Any one except Thalia would have eaten me alive. Christ. I can’t believe I let myself get carried away that far...all because of that wretched bitch.”

“We were all behind you. You know that.”

“Of course I do. Still, the moment of truth is almost at hand...I’ll have to think carefully this time, or this is coming back to haunt us, and we don’t need that. Not now.”

The nurse agreed, and as both women set off for a short night of rest, they knew the next day would likely not be an easy one.