Recluse

All the 50 floors of Null Tower have been completely restructured in the past month. Before Noriko had bought it, the skyscraper was simply a residential building; now it's the center of the fastest growing enterprise in the country.

Bob Null reaches the top floor, where just like anyone else he needs to show his badge to unlock the blast proof door in front of the elevator.

"This is ridiculous; I need a badge to see my daughter. A badge!" he thinks, placing his hand on the scanner to show his fingerprints. A gentle female artificial voice answers:

Bob is about to lose his cool when his daughter's voice answers to the electronic voice.

The blast proof door opens by itself after a gentle ping. It's hard to see what's on the other side: there are no windows, and the eerie glow of computer screens is filling the air.

Bob asks, raising his voice in the dark. Noriko's voice is loud and clear, coming through speakerphones placed strategically.

Bright neon lights flood the room, which now Bob can see as far more chaotic than expected.

There's junk everywhere, for lack of a better word. Wires, computer parts, welding equipment, holographic projectors, dozens of empty pizza boxes, a basket full of dirty laundry.

Noriko is wearing her trademark leather jacket of an horrible shade of green and a black T-shirt with a white Ø sign. In addition, she's wearing futuristic metal gloves that she's using to work on holographic screens.

<86 hours ago. Before you complain, father, I eat regularly and this floor includes a shower.>

<365.>

Noriko freezes for a second, calmly removing her gloves. Only now Bob can see that she's working on the Heart of the Universe.

Two new holographic screens appear in front of Noriko; one shows Vesta towing a lost cruise ship to a safe haven, the other shows Quantum rescuing people from a fire.

she answers, raising her arms as to embrace the room full of technical wonders. Naturally, her silver eyes flash briefly. Bob is unimpressed.

Noriko didn't think she could still do a double take. An alien robot built by a god didn't faze her, but this is the strangest thing she's heard all month.

an artificial voice interrupts.

Bob warns.

Bob Null crosses his arms and smirks: it's not often he can corner his daughter like this.

she admits.

A few minutes later, Bob shows up again at the elevator. He's holding the package, giving a puzzled look at the address.

<"For her eyes only"> Noriko translates, reaching for the package…but she hesitates.

Bob notices her eyes aren't flashing: she's thinking, yes, but she's not accessing her power…she's just thinking, just like a normal teenage girl would. If things like these happened to normal teenagers, that is.

he asks.

The eyes flash again. She's not trusting her human self to do this alone.

she says, taking the package in her own hands and opening it.

As soon as the slightest hint of oxygen can get inside, a green human arm thrusts out of the package punching Noriko in the face.

She takes a step back in pain, losing her grip. Before the package can hit the floor, the green substance inside has already grown at least a hundred pounds.