Meet Your Companion 3

As the doctor predicted, I was able to move by the end of the day. Moving well on the other hand took some time in physiotherapy. Apparently, having your brain and nerves fried greatly affects your freedom of movement even after they're healed.

The therapy took around a month before I could move like normal again. During which, Tom and Eleanor visited with gifts: study materials and lectures from Tom while clothes and other necessary items from Eleanor.

Also during this time, Sheriv taught me everything about the Kaleidoscope. She told me how Medacorp developed an ever evolving and independent world they called Fractal and how this device in my eyes allow me to see and interact with this world. Well, SHOULD at least be able to. It seems that someone tampered with mine so all I can do is see.

"Whoever put my consciousness here also made sure that I'm untraceable," Sheriv says one snowy day while I was in the middle of therapy.

I grunt as I slowly walk along a railing. "Afraid that your evil twin sister might find you?"

"Probably," she replies. "We aren't connected with the Internet or the main servers after all."

During this moment that the TV in the training room shows Sheriv Nazar, or should I call her Monica now, appearing in another awards ceremony. I hear a scoff.

"She is perfect ... no one even noticed," she says with a mixture of melancholy and pride.

"Don't you have a plan to get your body back? I mean, being stuck with a guy like me is probably not in your top ten life plans," I say as I finally reach my goal.

"I would if I knew the first thing I need to do. Unfortunately, right now I have no idea how I could possibly have access with it now that it's become a global celebrity and billionaire," she says as she waves her hand to summon a support bot which then rolls on over and gives me a towel.

"Hey, I thought the Kaleidoscope can't interact with anything."

"YOU can't but it seems that whatever I am right now allows me to influence any piece of technology wirelessly," she puffs up her chest.

"That's not fair."

Nearing the end of the month, Tom and Eleanor stopped visiting. I thought it was odd but they are both working adults so there'd be times when their hands are tied. Instead of worrying, I focused on getting better and getting used to the new dynamic I have with this person living in my head. It was also during this time that Sheriv and I noticed that if she apparates in Fractal for long periods of time, I get drowsy. At one point, I even developed narcolepsy. So, we figured out a balance of sorts. She could only appear for five hours total per day and her model was reduced to eight inches in height. She wasn't too happy about the change but she understood that we can't afford to just fall asleep in the middle of the hallways or the roads.

So, time marched forward until the day I was discharged arrived. Sheriv shows her form of excitement on the fated day.

"Ugh, finally we get to leave this boring place," she stretches while floating in my peripheral. "If I have to eat another piece of data pertaining to medicine, surgical procedures, or the love lives of the doctors and nurses, I'm going to flatline."

"It still baffles me how you literally eat data like food," I chuckle as I pack my bags.

"Oh believe me, I thought that having this form would liberate me from such human limitations. Turns out, data is very important to maintain this form."

"Well, the more you eat, the more information I can access. I wonder how full you'll be once we connect to the Internet."

"It's definitely dangerous but if that means I get to eat far more interesting data, I'd take that risk."

That's right. This is also one of the unique situations in which Sheriv found herself. Because she's not connected to the internet or the Medacorp servers, she has to consume a certain amount of data in order to survive and function. The data then gets processed and stored into the Kaleidoscope database. I got shocked once when I referred to her byproduct as poop.

Bags finally packed and a wooden cane in hand, I make my way to the reception to check out of the building. As I step out of the precipice of the building I called home for the past month, I close my eyes and breathe in the familiar acrid, no fresh air? I open my eyes and rub them twice as the city that once was filled with rats, monotone colors, and piss is now splashed with the entire color palette. Everywhere I look, there are holograms of different kinds: workout advertisements, TheyTube videos, and others I honestly haven't seen before.

"What the fuck," I mutter to myself.

"What's wrong Devon Miller?" I hear Sheriv say inside my head. I honestly don't know if I can get used to that.

"Nothing, it's just that this is not what I'm used to seeing everyday."

"I'm surprised as well," she replied. "It seems that Monica has done well developing Fractal with the help of the users during the nine years I was in stasis."

I briskly walk the unfamiliar roads as all of my senses are bombarded with all manners of images, loud noises, and smells. I flinch as I see a demonoid-like dog creature try to bite my heel. The owner of the creature, a mere ten year old, laughs at me. Sheriv also laughs at me.

"I think I'm gonna puke," I say to myself.

"Aww, is poor Devon Miller about to vomit because he's not used to the bright lights?" Sheriv now floats in front of me as she mocks me.

"How can anyone get used to this shit? I feel like I'm gonna have a seizure the more this continues."

Sheriv smiles and claps her hands. At once, the noise disappears and the pop-ups that were assaulting me disappeared.

"There," she says pridefully. "I set up a filter for you."

"What the hell couldn't you have done it sooner?"

She shrugs. "And miss my chance to see you suffer? No, thank you."

I reach out to grab her only to have my hand pass right through her. She doesn't even flinch.

"Really?" she sighs.

I was about to retort when in the corner of my eye, I see a flash of light. I turn and across the street, I see two people facing off against each other. Around them are cheering spectators, eager to see a good fight. I have no problems with people having fun but when they're blocking the sidewalk like this, it does bother me a bit.

Sheriv tracks my line of sight and also see the scene. "What are they doing?"

"Remember when I told you that Medacorp released a 'Roleplayers DLC'?"

"Yes, but-"

*BOOOM*

Suddenly, the sidewalk is filled with flashing lights and smoke. Instead of running away, the crowds grow larger and the cheers grow louder.

"It allows them to do stuff like this," I point towards the two individuals hurling elemental powers against each other: one fire and one lightning.

"She made real life into a game," she gasps.

"A game where the users can interact with data using these power systems," I reply and flinch when a great shadow zooms across the sky. "I guess Monica's just into roleplaying games," I finish as I stare at the giant green reptile that just flew above.

Sheriv ponders for a bit. "Did you say that users can now interact with data using powers and such?"

I raise an eyebrow. "Yeah, why?"

She ponders again and looks at the battle that is now reaching its climax. "I have a hunch. But I'll tell you when I'm sure," she says and snaps herself out of my sight.

There she goes again with the enigmatic statements and hiding herself. I guess her habits back when she was a scientist are still alive and well.

I hail for a taxi. I've bothered Eleanor and Tom enough so I'd at least go home by myself. Eventually an anime themed taxi pulls up to me and unexpectedly, a middle aged Indian man wearing a turban on his head greets me. I smile and get it.

"To where sir?" he asks.

"Apartment Complex XXXX at Sector 5 please," I reply.

He nods and drives towards the destination.