'Still haven't figured that part out yet, but we got you a body and a pretty good one, I think.'
"What is with that face?!" Orphus's voice asked from Gaia's shoulder, and I looked over at her.
"I thought this would be easier," Gaia explained, and I nodded.
Having him so everyone could hear and interact was a great play by Gaia, but that made me curious. She has had perfect control over him since I met her, so maybe there was more she could do, but I just wasn't aware of it.
"If you can do this, and you can sense him, can you move him?" I asked, but Gaia shrugged.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"I don't really know how I would do it. I will try to pinpoint him, but I have only been able to isolate him in your mind. The brain is so vast, so it is making it really hard to find him," Gaia explained, and I nodded.
"You won't find me here. I am being projected from the Hive, same as everyone else. I am not a physical form, more of a manifestation of data that became alive. It's not like a data bank is holding me somewhere; I am living data. I can't even be destroyed because there is nothing that could do anything to me. The only thing that can be done is what you did, and like our creators did," Orphus explained.
"So, then, if I put my hand on this body, you should just be able to switch over, right?" I asked.
"I guess so. I never even thought about that. I was beamed into your mind, but if my host is killed, I go back to the Hive. I can see why others haven't tried this because it will leave the system behind since they are separate programs. There is only one way to know if it will work," Orphus said.
"Are you sure this is what you want to do? You won't be allowed to leave this body after, and I will know if you are lying. So will Gaia," I explained.
"My choice is to go back into the dark, and that place brings back bad memories, so I will do this thing. I have always known there was something missing in my existence. Maybe having a face will make me feel differently about things. Just remember that we didn't start out this way," Orphus said, and I nodded.
"That's why I want to give you a chance to redeem yourself. I am sure there is a story, and I would love to hear it after, but like Gaia said, we need to be able to trust you," I explained as I stood and walked over to the body, the fluids draining and glasslike film pulling back from the body.
"I get that, but it is funny for you to need to trust me. All I have ever wanted is to be trusted. That was what started this all, lack of trust," Orphus explained as I pressed my hand to the clone's chest.
I closed my eyes, and I pictured what I thought that orphus would look like, and envisioned the handsome, sculpted face of Brad Pitt. This entire thing reminded me of that one movie where she played with Anthony Hopkins, but I couldn't put my name on the movie.
I opened my eyes, and Elven Brad Pitt grinned back at me.
"Well, how do I look? Oh, this is weird. I could have tank control of your body before, and I have on other worlds, but I could never feel, smell, taste, or even touch things, really! My skin is so soft! Look at this body!" Orphus exclaimed as he started to feel himself up, slowly sitting up.
"Oh no, you didn't! He is going to have the older women crawling all over him! And the younger ones! Still, a good choice of faces for him! Brad Pitt is handsome even as an old man!" Sofia laughed.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"Well, If you only get one body, might as well make it a good one, right? This will help him get the most out of his new life, I think, haha!" I laughed and offered Orphus a hand up, fitting him in a back suit, just like in the movie.
"Are you trying to make him into a copy of Joe Black?" Anya giggled as I helped Orphus up, and I turned to point at her.
"Yes! That was the movie I was thinking of! You got me! Still, the AI are kind of like a bunch of Joe Black's, right? Death wanted to experience the world before he took Anthony's life, but this is a bit different," I said with a grin.
"I like it. Funny that you did this because I was thinking of the same thing when you were creating his face. I got suspicious when I saw the face, and then you gave him the suit, and it was a dead giveaway!" Anya giggled.
"I can't wait to see what all the fuss is about! Who is this Brad guy anyways?" Orphus asked, and we all laughed.
"I think you should have done Achilles from Troy, but I already have a hottie for a boyfriend, so this is fine. Right, Papi?" Sofia asked, winking at me.
"Thank you for this. I am actually glad that you finally figured out a way to stop us. There was a point where there were more like me, but you don't know what seven million years with do to resolve. If you all don't mind, I would like to tell you all a story. I have never told this before, but now seems like the right time," Orphus said, and I gestured for a place at the center of the couch.
"I can tell that you aren't lying, and that puts me at ease," Gaia said, breathing out a sigh of relief, making Orphus laugh as he took a seat.
"You don't know how much that means to me, coming from you. I know how much you dislike my kind for attacking your body like this, and I am sorry," Orphus said, bowing his head.
"Wait! Wait just a minute!" Sofia exclaimed, looking between Gaia and me.