^^ S.O.F.I.A.S. T.R.E.E. ^^

Sentient Opus on Functionally Integrated Axiomatic Synthetics in Tactical Review & Existential Exposition

— Erin —

I sighed slowly, letting my head rest back. "You're not very skilled with subtlety, are you, Lady Shiva?"

She shrugged. "No, I suppose not, not when I have no reason to be subtle. Your business with us is entirely legitimate, and therefore requires no subtlety."

"While I agree wholly, you'll find the people here much less accommodating to that perspective. Also, whilst this is my property, you girls will not attack a guest of mine." I added to the Girl who was 'stealthily' gathering magic around her hands. I registered the red stone on her forehead, and assigned her as 'Raven', who hadn't taken part in the earlier sparring.

She relaxed, and I nodded to Lady Shiva. "Now, as for our business, I assume you came in reference to it? What seems to be the issue? The agreed-upon time-line was six months to proof of concept and then beginning production of a mass variant, was it not?"

She nodded. "It was. I brought you some volunteers for the prototype." She flicked a hand, and four Ninja stepped from the shadows, bowing to her. One of them held her clothes awkwardly, to my amusement.

"Ahh, thank you, I'd thought to test them myself, but this is far less dangerous. For me, at least. I'll return them, outfitted in my proof of concept, -or dead from unsuccessful tests,- within a week." I nodded.

She smiled and relaxed into the baths. "Good... also, may I inquire as to the nature of your fascination with Japanese Culture? First a Tea House and Meditation Garden, and now an Onsen?"

I smiled. "I do have a love for Japan's Culture, plus China and India as well. I find their beliefs to be outdated and misogynistic, but their skills in creating Beautiful and Lethal Martial Arts are undeniable. Hence why a group of Saudi Assassins uses them, instead of Raqs al-Ardh, the Saudi Cultural Martial Art, besides the fact that it is almost exclusively focused on swordplay, and as such does not teach Hand-to-Hand combat, the far more useful modern style of warfare." I smirked at her, raising a valid point.

She bowed her head briefly. "Indeed, Dr. Erin, I concede the point... though I'm still curious where this interest in Asia originated."

"Mm... well, to give you some backstory, I suppose it was my Marine Brat Childhood. My father was a Seal, and my mother was a Marine, so we bounced around quite a lot. Our postings were Japan, Greece, Portugal, and then Texas, like a revolving door until I was twelve. Then, my parents retired, and we all moved back to our home state of Texas. Japan was the prettiest, though Portugal was a close second, and Texas had the funniest durn' accent." I grinned.

Diana grinned. "Japan, prettier than Portugal and Greece? I protest!"

"Thou doth Protest too much, my dear, Japan's forests and mountains are the stuff of legend, and Greece is only beautiful if you like white stone. Everywhere." I snorted derisively at her.

Canary smirked at the stricken look on Diana's face. "I think you broke her! Ha! But I agree, I prefer a natural landscape, not one flattened and made 'perfect' with marble and statues."

"Indeed... well, I'll be back in a week, Dr. Erin, do take care of my ninja? They're fragile." Lady Shiva climbed out slowly, and dried off with a towel one of the ninja held out respectfully. She then dressed, and nodded to me, before bowing sarcastically to the rest of the ladies, and disappearing behind a rock without a sound.

Bart peeked around the privacy screen after a few moments. "Hey, did any of you gals see an Assassin? Conner swears he heard a few- oh! Hey, some ninjas!"

"Back behind the curtain, Speedster!" I whistled sharply at him, and he ducked away from the black bolt of energy that was loosed in his direction. I blinked, and looked at the sender, the blushing Raven. "Well hot damn, girl! Why didn't you use that in the sparring match?" I laughed.

"I saw no point in it. Now, thank you for the relaxing afternoon, but I must be going." She bowed her head, and got out of the water, a cloak and robes appearing around her like wisps of smoke. Then she stepped through a shadow portal, and disappeared.

I hummed. "Well... that's interesting. Her magic is from the Shade Realm as well... right?" I asked Zatanna.

She shook her head. "You'd think so, but no. Her magic is Inherent, drawn from a Bloodline. It's a different type of Sorcery, one that can't be taught."

"Huh. Coolio... well, she has the right idea, however, it's almost dark, so you girls and guys should get home, go... do your homework, or something. Whatever you do on a school night, ya weirdos." I laughed, and stood up, halting all their retaliatory comments as they looked away from my naked body quickly.

I smirked at their reactions, and walked away from the Bath, not even bothering to dry myself off as I opened a portal towards the apartment above the Tea House. I looked over my shoulder, and waved the Ninja through with me, as they'd been following me with surprising stealth.

"This is where you'll rest your heads for the next week. Get comfortable, and make sure you get your rest. You'll need all your energy, tomorrow; that's when the work begins." I smiled at them and gestured at the large bed and collection of couches that would suffice for now.

They bowed and took seats around the couches, the girls staring at me expectantly, and the two men respectfully keeping their eyes on the fireplace.

I nodded and left, stepping down into the Tea House, then dropping through another portal, into my private apartment. "Well!!! You have been a Naughty Pair, haven't you?" I smirked at Sofia, who was once more dangling in a sex swing, and Terran, who was blushing and hiding a riding crop behind his back. "Oh, do continue." I chuckled, and laid on the bed in front of them, intent on watching the show.

—

I narrowed my eyes at the damaged threads of the armor, using a microscope to manage. "Well, that's clearly a bad sign... any broken bones?" I looked up at the ninja who had been wearing the neo-Kevlar suit.

He rubbed his skull, which had apparently taken the impact, and shook his head tenderly. "None... but it is very..."

"Tender?" Sofia offered.

"Tender, yes." He nodded.

"Hmm... ribs and plates in the non-flexible portions should halt any further... Tenderness... as I suggested." I raised an eyebrow at Sofia's terminal, where a holographic version of her was typing, an odd vision, as the keys weren't moving, but letters were appearing on the screen.

She frowned at me. "Hey! The bullet didn't penetrate, and the energy was canceled before bones were broken, just like I said!"

"True, but I still suggested the ribs and plates method, and you rejected it. Now let's implement it, and see how it comes out, please?" I nodded.

She sighed. "I'll have it ready in a few minutes... recycling the current model." The armor slowly began to melt off of the ninja, who flinched and stepped away from it, like stepping out of a weird cocoon of black silk.

"Good." I nodded and took a sip of my Anaphrodisiac Tea, -my current solution to my unhealthy libido,- as I waited for the machine to complete synthesis.

"I still don't see why you need to drink that stuff." Sofia hummed.

"My libido is nearly uncontrollable, my dear, and until such a time as I learn to convert sexual energy into power like a succubus, it is unhealthy. My blood pressure alone is a problem, after all, and a heart attack is not entirely unlikely. You know all of this, my dear." I sighed, and glanced at the Ninja, who was looking between us, confused. "You have a question?"

He shook his head. "No, I-"

"I prefer bluntness, and should you lie in my presence again, I will rip out your tongue. If you are curious, ask; the worst that will happen is that I will refuse you answers." I growled softly, interrupting him.

He nodded slowly. "Understood, Doctor... my question was, why is Libido an issue? Do you have Low Blood Pressure?"

"I do not, no, quite the opposite. My state of constant Arousal keeps my blood full of Adrenaline, which is damaging to the psyche, and the physical body, as well, considering that if it remains unburnt, then the buildup can cause adrenal failure, amongst other possible issues." I nodded.

"Ah..." he subsided, and then looked up as a new suit built itself in front of him. "Whoa..."

"Indeed. It will stay hidden under your clothes, covering only from the thighs to the shoulders when not in full use, perfect for covert daytime missions when full regalia is not possible. It can also be formatted to look like normal clothes, and even to have the same texture, without losing any defensive capabilities." I nodded, and he stepped into it slowly.

It wrapped around him, with an appearance of sentience, created and falsified by its programming, to make it seem like a mystical material. People were less likely to attempt to replicate magic, after all. The version sold to police and military would be totally analog, of course.

"How's it feel?" I asked.

He took a step, and flinched when a .50 cal bullet slammed into his skull, in the same place as before. "Okay... I think it only stung because I already have a bruise there." He flexed slowly, and nodded as the material silently stretched around his body.

Another bullet struck the other side of his skull, almost forcing him off balance, and he chuckled. "Nothing! I could feel it pushing me, but no pain!"

"Perfect. Now let's try the Atlantean Laser... aim for his chest, will you? Where the plates are thickest." I nodded.

"Wait, what?" He flinched as a red bolt of plasma slammed his chest, flinging him into the far wall.

"Hmm... vital signs?" I asked casually.

"Apparently unconscious, but alive. Fractured Ribs." Sofia sighed.

"Ribs, Huh... increase the amount of energy absorbers in the chest and back, they're the main targets for attacks... Alright, next? And Dial it down to Stun?"

—

"Helix AI, progress of 'Project: Sofia's Tree'?" I asked, as Sofia perked up.

"Time To Completion... Zero Hours, >1 minute... now 14 seconds."

"Sofia's Tree?" Sofia asked.

"I built you your Tenth Metal Brain, my dear." I shrugged. "Helix, plant the tree in the center of the Lagoon, and lower it completely under the water, with the Hexagonal Pillars in reverse?"

"Affirmative."

I nodded and stood, pulling Terran and Sofia with me through a portal, into the Meditation Garden.

A magnificent white tree was growing in front of us, turning into a pale giant with no leaves, looking as if it was made of an oddly beautiful mixture of vines, roots, and coral, not one singular trunk. I noticed that where the water touched it, it turned baby blue, and then it sank slowly, a whole portion of the lagoon sinking and forming a pit. It would be perfect for meditating under water, and when it needed to heat up, it would come 'up for air', just in time to catch the Dawn, Noon, and Dusk Sunlight.

Sofia chuckled softly, and moved forward, pressing a hand to the trunk, and closed her eyes. A set of Root-Shaped tattoos, much like Moray and Atlantean Sorcery Tattoos, appeared on her arms and back, before fading; then I felt the change, as her computational matrix settled in, and her sentient mind returned to her body. The Helix AI was transferred into the tree, via her orders, and she was freed from the island's systems entirely, beyond her Over-Admin Executive Clearance.

"You're not going to...?" I hummed, confused.

"Nope! I am totally Human, now! Or, Moray." She grinned at us, and then kissed Terran sweetly, sitting up against the tree. "But still, it's amazing, Erin! What with our connections to it, we can expect the work to go much quicker now, no? And Terran and I will be your Guy in ze Chair!" She poked his nose mischievously.

"Yes, my dear, that is a good idea. I wouldn't want you in any danger, and Terran is supposed to be in Seclusion..." I smirked at his blush.

She waved a hand dismissively. "Bah, that is an old tradition, and he's not breaking the rules; he's just not allowed to contact the Elders for 23 months or so, is all!"

"Well, Good; I'd hope that we were being respectful of his culture and traditions..." I raised an eyebrow at her archly, then kissed them both. "Now! The computer is up and running, the Lagoons are connected, and next on the docket is the creation of my very own Moray Stud-Fest!!! Sofia, you extracted some surface memories of the other Moray Temples, Yes?"

She nodded. "Yes, I did, but I no longer possess them. The computer has all of that now. Oh, and while it is technically sentient, the reasons I didn't enter it are twofold; first, I wanted freedom, and second, the resident of the Motherbox, -as that's essentially what the tree is,- really is more of a living computer than a sapient being. Unless someone is placed into it who already has their own soul, it would remove the identity of an AI such as myself."

I hummed. "I see... and creating you a soul, while possible, and definitely important, would be incredibly difficult and time-consuming, therefore necessitating the delay of my plan, and, hence your refusal, a non-option for the current scenario."

"Correct!" She smiled.

"Good to know... well, get back to work, kiddos, babies don't make themselves!" I laughed and gave them each a kiss again, then swam back through the shadows into the Lab.

A series of soft creaks, pulses, and cracks sounded aloud in the lab, like the movement of an old Oak Tree, only underwater, and I flinched when they translated telepathically. "Would you like me to run a simulation of the ocean floor inside your borders, and layer designs from an amalgamation of the other six Moray Temples?"

"Six? Aren't there seven Tribes?" I asked, getting over the odd communication method.

"Not any longer. Data states that the North-Pacific Temple, once located just off the western coast of Japan, is gone; on August 9, 1945, following the detonation of the atomic bomb in Nagasaki, the coastal waters of the East China Sea were hopelessly Irradiated, and many of the people's of the Tribe lost their lives due to the rapid-onset of radiation poisoning, from breathing the irradiated water or eating the irradiated fish, in the aftermath. It's surviving people and elders, numbering only 300, fled south after just three days, to join the South-Pacific Moray Tribe."

"Jesus..." I rubbed my face, feeling tired suddenly.

"It was indeed a great tragedy, though entirely unintentional. The other Tribes, and even the citizens of Shayeris and Poseidonis were gracious enough to take in the orphans, and care for the Elders. It is remembered as a time of great heroism, within the Atlantean and Moray Communities."

"Yeah, I bet... alright, well... Did we receive any memories of what the North-Pacific Tribe's Temple looked like?" I asked, attempting to move forward.

A simulation built itself around me, of a massive underwater Temple, a sprawling complex of Japanese architecture and Buddhist and Japanese religious sculptures and totems, all made of gorgeous and vivid corals. The attention to detail was immaculate, with nearly every aspect of feudal Japan being represented, though liberties were taken.

In place of archery targets, there were great ranges for throwing tridents and harpoons; instead of Horses, they'd had Atlantean Sea-Horses, equally massive and beautiful. A wallless building was exposed to it all, at the top of the center coral mountain, but instead of ink paintings of the scenery, they'd been making intricately detailed mosaics out of sea-glass and fish-bones, plus growing corals in the place of bonsai, carefully teasing them into perfect shapes over the course of months, and even years.

"So... they lived here? They all lived here?" I asked, snapping out of my reverie.

"60% of them, yes. The remaining 40% were much the same as the other Moray, preferring to live on their own. Ironically, those 40% were the majority of those who survived."

"Alright... let's get to work... clear the water of any debris or harmful chemicals or such, then map the sea floor, and create a pliable, 3D map of it... then make a layer of Nth Metal Mesh like the barriers and dome, about sixty feet down into the rock, like a cup holding the entire territory, starting at the outer border and coming all the way in. It shouldn't hit any of my underground labs and properties, as they're much deeper than that, yes?"

"Correct. Time to completion: 7 weeks, 2 days, and 16 hours."

"Oh I ain't done, my dear... next, replicate this architecture. Fill from the half-mile barrier inward, for now, and create enough casual housing for about 12,000 Moray? Plus the temples for the various deities they might like to worship and such, and secluded monasteries with sound-dampening corals, for when they'd like silence... and a network of tunnels and little caves for them to sit in, also sound-dampened, but make sure there's eyes on every inch of those tunnels, and every nook and cranny... I know the Moray like to hide every once in a while, after their socializing-gauges fill up, but I don't want to risk the security of the entire city." I chuckled.

"Correction... Time to Completion: 8 weeks, 4 days, 3 hours."

"Only an extra nine days? Cool. Get that running, and then I'd like to start the Rapid Growth of the Hosts for the Ocean Nymphs, so that they can populate the city, once it's built. Timeframe for them?" I asked.

"6 weeks for full, proper, Adult Growth. Groups of 50, would be most effective, 5 every six hours until all 6,000 are fully grown; Timeline for full population, once 6 week gestation is finished, is now 2 days."

"Alright, sounds good. Get cracking, my friend..." I nodded, leaning back in my chair.

"You have a Call, now... and also, research has been forthcoming, on your query about Succubi and the process in which Tantric Energy is converted to Magical Power. Printing a Grimoire now. Would you like to answer the Call?"

I blinked, and looked at the book that placed itself in my lap. "Uhm... sure, yeah, answer the call..."