38 Chronos needs therapy

Zi Xingxi lost herself in her thoughts recalling the good old times and a gleeful smile crept up her face only for Zi Feiji to flick her forehead and bring her back to earth.

“Ah... seriously. I am too old for that shit,” she said rubbing her forehead while glowering at her father.

“Don’t look so smug. If you were climbing in through the window because you spent the night hanging out with a group of friends it wouldn’t have been a problem. Instead, you were participating in underground mech battles..... unbelievable!”

Zi Xingxi, “...”

“So you would rather I stayed out past my curfew because I was at a night club? Psst..... such a waste of time,” she said feeling a little disgruntled. She was never the type to have sleepovers, go to the movies with classmates or go out for coffee with a group of friends to check out cute boys from other schools.

Unfortunately for her, her father much prefered she did that than spend time beating the shit out of people on both the virtual and real-time mech battles.

“You even dragged Chronos into it. If it weren’t that your mental power hadn’t reached SSS level back then I am sure you would have used it in fights till it was spent,” said Zi Feiji as he got up to his feet.

“Oh for heaven’s sake, it is fine..... mostly fine..... I think. Plus it was disguised so no one recognized it,” said Zi Xingxi her expression as less confident as her voice.

“No, I am not fine. I still have nightmares QAQ. That place was far worse than a bloody battlefield,” interjected Chronos before a dial tone was heard.

.....

“What are you doing?” asked Zi Feiji fully aware of how dramatic Chronos can be.

“Calling Doctor Hansen, I think I need to go back to therapy,” it said its tone very serious.

Zi Feiji, “???”

“When did this start?” he asked Zi Xingxi with a look of puzzlement. Since when did AI need therapy sessions.

“You better not... those sessions cost a shit load. You hang up right now if you don’t want to get muted for a month,” threatened Zi Xingxi but it only further stimulated Chronos,

“Master, you see why I need therapy?” asked Chronos but soon it was no longer talking because of what she said.

“Two months..... and you know very well that I will do it,” she said successfully suppressing Chronos.

historical

Chronos: QAQ

“Ha!..... it seems I dodged a bullet when I gave you that mech. If it were me it might have ended up in the scrap yard..... accidentally of course. It’s more cost-effective,” replied Zi Feiji with a cocked brow.

“Master, you do realise I am still here, right? This AI has feelings,” after saying that Chronos sensed fluctuations in Zi Xingxi’s emotions so it played possum for a very long time that is if one doesn’t count the fact that it appeared in Zi Han’s room to have a chat.

Okay, it did try to play possum but it was extremely hard thus it migrated over. Zi Han on the other end had been so engrossed in the special edition virtual simulator in his room that he did not foresee Chronos coming.

Fifteen minutes ago the old steward had led him to this room and with a face riddled with smiles, he said, “This is your room, young sir. Master Zi especially prepared it for you..... since the day you were born.”

Zi Han, “.....”

He soon realised that this old man wasn’t lying. Zi Feiji had really prepared this room since his birth. How did he know?

It was because there were shelves filled with gifts for each year that he was alive. The first gifts were baby onesies with words printed in front of them.

In black gothic font it was written, “Grandpa’s little accomplice,” making Zi Han snicker. The other one said, “Grandpa’s little alibi,” and the last one had a baby bottle and bottle of beer at the centre with the words, “Grandpa’s drinking buddy.”

Breaking out in boisterous laughter he wondered what sort of shit did his grandpa planned to do that he had to write that. He could imagine how much trouble they would have gotten themselves into throughout the years if he had stayed with him.

After that, the other gifts were mostly toys, and figurines but the most eye-catching one was a small model not of a car but Chronos.

Fascinated he held it in his hands as he distractedly walked over to the bed but before he sat down he noticed that virtual simulator in the corner of his eye.

“Wah,” he exclaimed rushing over his face blooming like a lotus flower early in the morning. He had only had to enter the virtual world in school or at the public equivalent of an internet cafe a few blocks near their apartment.

Now he could finally have his own and boy it felt good. As he slipped into that comfortable seat the device initiated the sequence to customize the settings to best suit Zi Han.

But as soon as a pair of holographic glasses covered his eyes the face of a creepy child appeared right in front of him. “AH!.....” he screamed as he instinctively swung at that face, “..... shit.” He was not about to tolerate some Annabel type of shit but he ended up hitting air.

“AAAAHHHH, young sir not in my face.....,” cried out Chronos forgetting it was a string of data with self-awareness.

Zi Han who had no idea what this thing was, deactivated the virtual simulator and as the pair of glasses vanished the creepy child was gone replaced by a bouncing fluff ball.

“And you are?” he asked as he reached out to poke the fluff ball with great curiosity.

Chronos who had rehearsed countless times for this exact moment suddenly choked up.

It was like a child performing in a school play for the first time only for the lines it memorised to vanish leaving the mind as blank as a sheet.

“I.... um, uh....” At this point, this AI couldn’t even remember why it was even here.

“Wait, are you the AI in that mini Chronos that grandpa bought for me?” he asked pointing at the model of Chronos on the bed.

Chronos, “.....”

‘How can young sir mistake me for that cheap imitation? Master was so cheap that he bought an empty vase that makes unbearable sounds..... wait was that supposed to sound like me? AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!’ internally screamed Chronos when it realised it.

Well, there was no way it was going to let go of that cheap knock off today so it didn’t correct Zi Han because it can’t lie. This little episode is going to be very very interesting. Wait until Zi Xingxi finds out.