System: The Confidant's Sister

System: Names

It had been thirty minutes since she last stood by Kayla at the beach. Well, it felt like it had been 30 minutes... Going on an hour, but what difference did that make? She took a calming breath while her fingers drifted from her face and reached for her temples, her eyes closing for a second feeling for a soothing motion. Amaira finally reached the point of relaxation where she could acknowledge the contents of the 'downloads.'

"Storytime?" She muttered to herself while sinking her upper body into the bed, her legs hanging placidly while her toes touched the warm rug. Tears stained down to her temples soothing her into dreary sleepiness but not sleep. She lightly closed her eyes.

Amaira was in a business tycoon setting. Her brow creased, recalling how female leads would usually get involved with the fashion or acting industry and the male lead or leads would help her along the way vying for her attention. Her breath stuttered feeling an upcoming ache on her forehead further agitated by the continuing movement of her brow. The process of going through her 'download,' didn't feel like an observation, watching a movie, or reading a script. It was more like recalling something you already knew, as easy as knowing what your favorite color was if you weren't indecisive about it. The more Amaira dived into the 'download,' the more she realized you had to ask the right questions to receive a modicum of an answer. The more she inquired after a detail, the longer she stayed in a rabbit hole. The ache in her head bloomed and then melted away like a single snowflake before repeating. Amaira stopped what felt like chasing after information when the pain became too much to bear. Her eyelids twitched but stayed closed. She surmised by 'download,' It was apparent that Amaira was the Female lead's cousin who was mentioned in passing. The female lead's name was Laura and her new name was [redacted].

Amaira was now [redacted]. Laura did not know she was the daughter of a wealthy family until recently when her ailing mother decided to tell Chairman Spencer Fuety, the truth. Laura's father, Spencer Fuety, legitimized her but this new and abrupt change in Laura's life brought challenges. She eventually overcame them with the hidden help of the Male lead and other love interests. Why did Amaira have to help her?

"~ I'm so happy you asked! ~"

Amaira gasped with fright, her eyes flinched wide open staring into a pastel pink ceiling.

"I thought I shut you off," she said timidly, for the first time Amaira felt the change in her voice. It reminded her of a straining bird.

"~ Host, You shut my voice off ~" The system could never sound clipped but still the simple sentence filled Amaira with anxiety.

She looked around wondering where the system's interface was. It was there, hovering to her left. She took a breath and pushed herself up to sit. The bed's comforters wrinkled under her shifting weight.

"Laura" She spoke not sure what to say. Her face stared at the screen in a semblance of a conversation.

"~ Yes, your cousin, the mission ~" This time Amaira noticed the emoticon of a simple face, a circle meshing up and down synchronizing with the audible words of the system.

. . . . . .

0 o 0    0 - 0    0 o 0    0 - 0    0 o 0

. . . . . .

"Your facial expressions are useless," Amaira said with contempt, a sudden snarky attitude spiking through her. For a second Amaira felt relief until she realized what she said, to what she said it to. She watched the system in fearful anticipation.

The system's minimalist face was gone and back was the progress and goals screen.

"~You shut my voice off but the mode only lasts for a set period in case of emergencies~"

"Nicolette, Sweetie, It's time for lunch." She heard a knock at the door and a voice calling for Nicolette.

"~ The only person who calls you by your full name, Sasha the housekeeper ~" System 11 informed her.

"Why do the 'downloads' " She made air quotations with her fingers, "not tell me about 'my' supposed personal life?" She finished with a hiss when moving to stand and walk to the door.

"~ The Story and its completion is only important ~"

At the reminder Amai- Nicolette rolled her eyes. She hesitantly opened the door confronted with the first person she would have to talk to in this 'world.'

"Oh, Nicolette, dear, are you okay? You look tepid," The older lady said in a show of genuine concern. Sasha's face had faint glabellar and smile lines. She looked younger than what Nicollete expected with her posture straight and her body lithe.

"No, I'm fine..." She didn't know what to call her, "Sasha," she tried saying for familiarity.

Mrs. Sasha raised a brow making Nicolette's heart beat in anxiety.

"Nicolette dear, how many times do I have to tell you to call me auntie!" She reached for Nicolette's shoulder and dragged her out of her room, down the hall, and in the direction of the stairs.

The hand on her shoulder was a firm reminder of the reality. The sensation permeated on her shoulder through the cloth of her tunic. Nicollete exhaled as she made her way down the stairs with Mrs. Sasha. Her first encounter was a partial success since the conversation with the android freak had been interrupted. Discretely looking around for its luminous presence, She tried not to glare knowing that she would need to talk to the thing again. Her questions not even asked yet.