Ito Ai: A New Dawn

The sky up above was no longer blue but a pure pink color. This was something that did not happen in Ai's past life. The sky stayed either blue when it was clear out or grey when it was rainy with an occasional green when it was a radiation storm. She could only guess that maybe things had progressed much faster than before or that maybe this area had a pink sky for some reason or another. "Alright let's go, the readings here are safe for humans."

As Ai and Eiji made their way towards the outside the radiation levels did rise some but not enough to pose a serious threat to a human. "Although it rained for days the base has some decent irrigation. The water seemed to drain off to the side only leaving puddles in the areas where the tar exploded from traps going off. How are the readings in the suit?" 

"So far so good. Although it is unbearably hot in here." Eiji complained. He was noticeably sweating bad and his visor was starting to fog up. 

"Hmmm… I guess I will need to implement a cooling system in it then. But this is also a good thing. It means it is sealed up well. Okay, you can go back. Take the suit off in the hall before going past the shelter. After you change make sure you wash the suit with cold water and then let it dry. Then take a reading and see if any radiation is left on it. Only when it does not give a reading can you take it inside." Ai decided not to make Eiji suffer anymore. She could see he was not feeling too well even though he was putting up a front. 

"Once I am done, should I come back and join you?" Eiji asked.

"No, but get some water ready for me. I will need to do the same as you when I come back." Ai answered.

"Wait, you're going to strip down to your underwear too!? You are a girl, you can't do that!" Eiji argued. He did not mind seeing her like that but he refused to let others see her like that if they were male!

"Such a pain… Fine, I will tell Mai to shut the camera off at that time and keep the shutter closed. It will just be you and me. It's just underwear no different than a damn bathing suit. Not like I am running around naked! " Ai really did not see the issue but since Eiji was making a fuss she could only give in to an extent. "Also make sure you bring me some clothes as well. Just grab whatever is lying on my floor in my room or a pair of your own."

"Alright. I will just bring a set of mine. I do not want Mai killing me if I accidentally pick up the wrong thing. But you should really clean your room up. I will see you in a bit" Eiji said before turning around and walking away.

Ai looked at Eiji walking away and stuck her tongue out at him. "So naggy!" Although she said this Ai's lips still curled up into a smile. "Alright time to work!"

Ai needed to check the area around the base as well. As she walked out around the building she stopped her steps when she saw a metallic object just a few meters away from her. "Oh?" 

Ai swung the Howa she had hanging on her shoulder to the front and took aim. But stopped when she saw that the machina was acting funny. Ai knew that it saw her but yet it was slowly backing away from her. Almost as if it was afraid. "Did it get a self awareness upgrade?" 

Ai was not sure what to think of this since she had never run into such a thing before. She lowered her weapon and pushed it back to her back which caused the Machina to stop backing up from her. Almost as if it deemed her no longer a threat to it after she put her weapon away. Ai took a few steps towards the machina which in return it took a few steps back. "Hmmm… almost as if it was a toddler."

Ai knelt down to the ground and stretched out her hand. "Come, I won't hurt you."

The machina turned and looked at Ai with its round center eye turning left and right as if trying to decide what it should do. It slowly took a few steps towards Ai before pausing for a few seconds before finally walking right over to Ai. Ai stretched out her hand and patted the top of the first type machina. She had a bright smile on her face as she reached her hand up, balled it into a fist, and slammed it down hard on top of the machina crushing it flat to the ground. Sparks flew out of the machina and the light of its big eye dulled. 

Ai was completely enraged. "Don't fuck with me! You're trying to gain sentience!? You killed so many humans just to try to act like us!? The fuck is that!? This world can not have both machina and humans! One of us will be wiped out and it sure as hell won't be humans! "

Ai ripped through the destroyed remains of the machina and pulled out its storage chip that had its programming on it. "I will check this out later… For now, I need to check if it is safe for us to leave this base and travel to other locations."

Ai stood up and stomped on the machina before walking towards the west wall of the base.

***

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