Me, Myself & A.I

The Chip

In Front of me in the garage stood a large glass test tube, and inside a tiny microscopic white rectangle.
'Just LOOK Mia!!!' Paul grabbed me. 'This is it Mia I've done it!!'
'Dad I'm confused?' I tried to mirror his expression of excitement but nothing about this white rectangle seemed exciting. 'What is it?'
'Mia.' He interrupted me, 'I've been working on this for a year and today I finally finished it.' He said. 'You see, this white device fits neatly inside your ear and if it works correctly it will transport your soul in to a 'host body' of your choice, using THIS.' He gestured to a large computer screen with a set up almost like SIMS. Various body shapes and sizes, hair and eye colours and clothes were available.
'Wait wait wait...' I struggled to take it all in. This really was miracle work. Legendary in fact. 'You're meaning you tell me that I will have my personality, and my voice but I will LOOK like somebody else, dad? Like somebody I have designed on ... this?' I nodded towards the computer.
'Yes Mia, YES!' He grabbed me and twirled me around before pausing. 'But I haven't actually tried it yet...' His tired grey eyes looked longingly at me. I could see a years worth of work had drained it from him. He looked old and weary. 'Would my perfect daughter wish to be the first test subject?'
I paused. This was life changing. IF this worked I could be Mia but I could also be somebody else. Somebody NEW. Somebody... perfect.
'Is it safe?' My voice wavered, my head filled with overwhelming thoughts.
'I'd be lying if I said I knew chick, but this is brand new to the A.I world. Nothing like this has ever been developed nor tested. But you know how hard I've been working and you know how much it would mean to me if you'd trust me and...'
'Yes.' I interrupted. 'Yes Dad I'll do it.'
——
The chip was cold and harsh as my father slipped it into my ear with the tweezers. 'Any minute now..' he said, as he wriggled it into place. 'Close your eyes and I'll switch it on. Hold my hand.'
This was crazy and insanely stupid. I could die. As my father flicked the switch my head began to hurt and my vision clouded over, whiteness and white noise filling my eyes and ears. And then... nothing. I blinked and opened my eyes to see my dads face staring at me.
'Oh my god Mia. Oh my god. I've gone and bloody DONE IT' his eyes welled up with tears, 'Mia you look JUST like your mother.'
We had agreed the first morphing subject and host body would be a replica of my mother. Dad held up a mirror to my face and I jumped back, nearly flying out of the seat I was on.
'Holy ...!' I exclaimed. The face staring back at me wasn't mine but it sure was my mothers to a T. I traced my fingers over my face. Sure enough, skin. You'd never be able to tell the difference. We sat in silence, staring at the reflection in the mirror of me.. but also my mum.
'Dad this is.. absolutely absurd but absolutely .. amazing.' I started to tear up. 'You are going to be famous when this gets released!'
'No Mia.' He sounded stern and turned my chair so I was facing him. 'This can't be released. Not yet. It's in such early development that it needs a bit more work to be established. This must be kept between me, you and your mother.' He flicked a switch and I blinked, regaining consciousness and seeing boring old Mia in the mirror again.
'But it's amazing dad?'
'Maybe it is Mia but I've been so exhausted doing what I have so far I need a rest before I release this to the public.' He sounded like a broken man behind the excitement and I scanned over him, realising just how little i'd seen of my own dad over the last year and how much it had taken out of him. He was skinny and hunched over, with jaunt skin and extra wrinkles. 'This MUST be kept a secret. And must not be touched whilst it remains here in the garage.' I nodded, respecting his decision. It would be our secret.

The next day at school I couldn't stop thinking about my reflection in that mirror. I was looking at me.. but it wasn't me.. it was 'mum'.
'Mia Lowden!!' My Bio teacher shouted, 'I asked you something are you listening to me?'
'Sorry Miss. My head seems to be elsewhere.' I laughed at my own comment. Little did she know.
Walking home I noticed Aiden across the street. He didn't live far from me  and so I saw him walking home a fair amount. He never noticed me, 'wonder why' I thought to myself as I picked a leaf out of my tangled hair. God knows how long that had been there. Embarassing. Aiden's posse were shadowing behind him, laughing loudly at his stupid jokes and slapping their thighs to emphasise the humour. They complimented him as he walked in the middle of the group, flicking his dark black hair subtly with his hand and fluttering his long eyelashes at the girls who walked past. His strong jawline clenched and his cheekbones chiselers by the gods, he really was a beauty. 'What would I do to be noticed by you, Aiden.' I thought as I turned down my driveway, rolling my eyes. And then I remembered.
The chip.