Hollow Point Happiness

Contract 6: Hydraulic Tears

It wasn't hard to find her. Millie was well known in town, she owned a shop near the center of Allizia. Mana walked in the door and was having a short exchange with an employee before a slightly old woman came out from behind a door.

The woman spoke as she quickly walked across the room, "Oh my god, is that you?"
Mana put a hand on a hidden blade, "Who are you?"
The woman stopped short, "I'm Millie, Millie Witword, and you... your Mana, right?"
Mana didn't relax, "I am. I've come to ask you questions."
Millie slowly put out a hand towards Mana's own, "Please the weapons really aren't necessary, come-come, let's go up to my room we can talk there."

They sat in 2 chairs facing each other. Millie poured tea out for both of them, handing Mana a cup Millie sat down and cleared her throat.

"So, I'm sure you have lots of questions, I know I do, but I'll answer your's first."
Mana gripped the mug of tea, "How... do you know my name?"
Millie laughed, "Robert was always very open about what he planned to name you when he finished his work. He had it written all over the blueprints. Mana Brighten in big letters."
"But I've never meet you, how did you know it was me?"
Millie seemed to puzzle over what Mana had said, "Well, you look identical to the default settings of the synthetic body's blueprint. And the red eyes. I'm amazed he managed to actually finish the project alone though... Mana can I have do something for me?"

Mana wasn't sure how she felt about the situation or if she should listen to the old woman but she caved, "Sure, I suppose."
"Mana, I want you to mirror me."
"Why should I do that?"
"Please Mana, I'll tell you everything you want to know if you do this one thing for me."

Mana gave in and did so. There were quiet sounds as Mana's face started to twitch and mold, her cheeks changed as her bones broke down and rebuilt, hair extended and grew gray, blinking her eyes become brown, her skin wrinkled as it loosened, her back hunched as her spine shrunk, and her arms became thin as the muscles compressed. She continued to change and after about 20 seconds she was identical to Millie.

"Amazing, truly amazing. Robert really did do it, An AI in a synthetic bio-metal body. Wow. I know about the muscles and such but what did he decide on for bones?"
"Cobalt. Now tell me, what happened to my father when your lab was attacked?"
"Oh, we're starting way back there. Ok, the day we were attacked at the Sinco-Ona station your... father... and I were finishing up a small prototype of a mouse or something, using the same stuff you're made out of, when Robert received a phone call. He refused to tell me what it was or who it was from but he started demanding the entire station be abandoned. No one listened to him of course so he ran off and started to pack his things, grabbed tons of his personal blueprints and tons of the bio-metal from the lab's storage."

She took a deep breath to slow herself, "I tried to stop him as he ran towards the escape pods and tried to get him to explain what was happening when some guards come to stop him from stealing the bio-metal. That's when things got... exciting as he would have called it. He pulled out a gun and started shotting up everything. I had to run away to not get caught up in the shoot out. He was gone when the station got attacked a few hours later by some space gang that were looking for him and I. That was the last time I saw him for 5 years or so."

"Ok, but you saw him again right?
"Well yes, when I was kidnapped by the gang and they realized they had no use for me or my knowledge since your father had stolen all the bio-metal and blueprints they released me. I wondered for a few years before I luckily ran into him on Mars. He had taken up... less than respectable work... he wanted to buy the last of the bio-metal off Warmage to complete his project... you. They, of course, weren't very privy to his idea seeing as he had stolen a large amount of it from them but eventually it reached a point where he was offering enough money that they... overlooked the past... and sold it to him anyway. He took off after that and I never saw him again."

Mana just sat in silence for a bit, Millie continued, "Really, I don't know anything else, I'm sorry Mana."

Millie stood up and moved towards Mana and placed a hand on her cheek, "I remember drawing up your blueprints with Robert. Mana, may I speak frankly with you?"
Mana was confused, "Um. Sure?"
Millie smiled and pulled Mana into a hug, "Mana, I loved Robert... your father as you call him, but he was so caught up in his work I don't think he ever understood that or maybe us working on you together was his way of showing his love, I may never know... I heard that he passed away... and I'm so, so, so sorry Mana. I can't imagine what that was like for you. I'm sure you don't see me as someone close to you but to me, you where always something akin to a... daughter. You're parts of both of us. Robert made the bio-metal, I wrote the code." She tapped Mana's back, "Your body," then she tapped her head, "And your mind."

Millie was quiet for a moment, "So as a last gift to Robert and my gift to you," She pulled away to look Mana in the eyes, "Let me know if there is anything I can do for you. I'm here for you Mana, forever."

Mana felt a pang in her chest and felt tears pulling at her eyes. She was overcome with emotions. But it was different than anything she had never experienced, It wasn't the joy of her father or the rage of losing him, but something in between, something bittersweet, something...human. She wept.

A knock came at the door, it slowly creaked open.