Pick it up, and all day long you'll have good luck.
"Dear Director, the loss of military equipment is a severe infraction. I should not need to remind you that all UNSC property, especially our more experimental technologies, must be kept from the hands of our enemies at all costs. In these trying times, vigilance is paramount".
At the Freelancer training floor Carolina makes her way to the center. Some time had passed since the failed mission to capture the leader of the resistance and re-claiming CT's armor, and the failure of that mission effected everyone. Carolina reaches the center of the training floor. She is soon surrounded by two rows of rotating green targets. Carolina readies herself and begins to expertly punch and kick the targets, turning them red. Cut to York, who oversees Carolina's training, whilst unarmored and with a coffee mug.
He yawns as North, also unarmored walks up behind and pats him on the shoulder "Still training at this hour?".
"Yeah. She's been like this ever since we got back from the last mission" York answered.
"You gotta be kidding me, she's always been like this" North said.
"Well, yeah. I mean- She never did know when to stop. But now it's like she doesn't know how to stop. Always training. I guess the leaderboard beckons" York and North look at the leaderboard. Tex is still number one, while Carolina is number two.
"She wasn't always like this" York and North looked and saw the younger redhead walk in.
"Oh hello Pyrrha. What are you doing up this late?" York asked.
"Couldn't sleep... guess I am a little nervous for tomorrow" Pyrrha admitted.
"Oh yeah, you are due to have you AI implant early tomorrow" North remembered "Can't blame you for being nervous".
"I really hope I made the right call" Pyrrha said as she watched Carolina train.
"If you are that worried about it, you can just say you changed your mind" York said.
Pyrrha shook her head "It's far to late for that now. If I back out now, I don't even want to think about what my family might think of me. I've come this far, and I need to see it through".
"Speaking of family. You said Carolina wasn't always like this. What was she like back in the days? You are her sister, so you should know her the most" York said.
"One would think so... For years, I always believed she had everything figured out. She knew what she wanted, and would keep going until she gets it. But now... it almost feels like I don't really know her at all... or at least, I don't know who she is becoming" Pyrrha said.
"What do you mean?" North asked.
"Back when we were kids, she was the ideal older sister. No, she was model sister, everything I've could've asked for and more. She was beautiful, strong, but most of all... she was kind. After our mother died, our father changed. Carolina had to take over the difficult task of raising me... I could tell it put a lot of pressure on her. Imagine raising a child while you are pretty much still a child yourself, all while training to become stronger so your distant father would finally remember he has two daughters" Pyrrha said, sounding a little bitter.
"Fuck..." York whispered.
"But despite all that... she never complained. Not even once. She never called me a burden, no matter how difficult it could be to look after me. And she never asked for help. I offered to help lighten her burden many times, but she always had the same answer: It's ok little sis, I got this" Pyrrha said.
North smiled a little at that "She really was a good sister to you".
Pyrrha smiled sadly "She was more than I deserved. But I couldn't handle the thought that my sister was struggling so much, and I was unable to do anything to help her. So I decided to start training myself. I figured if I became stronger, she wouldn't need to look after me. But of course, even when I tried to improve, I still managed to be a burden. I once got trapped under some weights and would've likely have been stuck there for a while if Carolina didn't show up and helped me".
"For some reason I can picture something like that happening to you. Heard you aren't the most graceful" York joked a little.
Pyrrha punched him in the arm "Oh shut up and let me finish. After she helped me, she decided to help me train. We grew stronger together and... well, here we are. Two sisters being part of a project, lead by our own father".
"I can't imagine my old man being my boss. Must be quite awkward" York said.
"I guess it is" Pyrrha said as they looked at Carolina training
"You know you don't have to watch over her, York" North said.
York scoffs a little "Could say the same to you about South".
"That's not really an answer" North said.
"So what are you doing awake?" York asked.
"Theta. Couldn't sleep. And if Theta can't sleep-" North began, but York finished for him.
"Ah, one of the side effects they don't tell you about. Having someone else's voice in your head sure does take some time getting used to, doesn't it? Delta's always running these probabilities" York said.
"Well that seems annoying" North admitted.
"He says it's fun. You know, did you know, statistically, you're as likely to get hit by lightning as you are to die in a Pelican crash?" York asked.
"Seems like it would be higher considering our line of work. Guess I'm due for a few lightning bolts" North said.
The three Freelancers laugh as F.I.L.S.S is heard announcing the results "Round complete. A six-point-three percent increase in efficiency that round Agent-".
"Run it again F.I.L.S.S." Carolina ordered.
F.I.L.S.S did as told "Resetting training room floor for next round".
Carolina begins to take out the targets yet again.
"Is Theta up late often?" York asked.
"You're wondering if he gets scared a lot" North said.
York looks away "Yeah, guess I am".
"Well, it happens. Mainly at night. He likes when I walk the halls. When we were kids, my dad would have to drive South around in the car to get her to fall asleep. It's kinda the same thing" North answered.
"South never told me that. Still it reminds me when I was a kid. If I had trouble sleeping, Carolina would carry me around for a bit until I fell asleep... I wonder if it would work even today" Pyrrha said, earning a small chuckle from her friends.
"I wonder if they're all like this, the A.I.s. You know, jittery, nervous, no, not nervous..." York trailed of.
"Anxious" North finished for him.
York nods "Yeah. Anxious. It's like Delta always thinks that something bad is always about to happen. I don't get it. What do they have to worry about?".
"Uh, Pelican crashes, lightning strikes..." North said, earning some chuckles "Hey, maybe they know something we don't".
Carolina continues to attack the targets. North yawns and York looked at him "Why don't you just pull him for a night? Get yourself some sleep".
"Pull Theta?" North asked.
"Yeah" York said.
"He gets even more scared when I do that. I feel obligated to help" North said.
"Experience from taking care of South" Pyrrha noted.
"I see why they picked you" York said.
North nodded "Yeah...".
"Well, he has to face his fear at some point. If they want to be human that's a good place to start" York said.
"We all must face our fears one day..." Pyrrha said
"What can I tell ya? I guess some things are just harder to face than others" North said.
"Yeah. 'Night North" York said.
"Goodnight" Pyrrha added.
"Don't stay up too late you two. You need your rest" North said as he walks walks away.
F.I.L.S.S "Round complete".
"Run it again" Carolina said.
F.I.L.S.S "That last round showed a three-point-six percent increase-".
"Just run it again!" Carolina demanded.
F.I.L.S.S "Resetting training room floor".
Carolina attacks the targets once again. She completes it extremely quickly.
F.I.L.S.S Round complete.
"Run it again" Carolina ordered.
F.I.L.S.S "Resetting training room floor for next round".
"I think we all could use some rest" York said.
"Some of us more than others..." Pyrrha said.
"Hey, you said before you didn't know who Carolina was becoming. What exactly did you mean?" York asked.
Pyrrha looked at her older sister sadly "All my life, I've worked so hard to catch up to her... but now, it feels like she is going down a path I can't possibly follow her on...".
York said nothing as he looked at Carolina... she had indeed changed... and it all happened when a certain someone showed up.
The next day it was finally time. Pyrrha arrived at the surgery room and laid down on the operating table as two doctors prepare to implant her AI. The artificial gravity is disengaged and Pyrrha begins floating. One of the doctors holds her steady while the other one brings over a tray and picks up a shot. He gives Pyrrha the shot, which will make the surgery painless for her. After that, Pyrrha was turned around as she received her AI... which was all but drilled in to her neck. It stung a lot, despite the shot she received earlier, but she powered through it.
Some time passed as Pyrrha was recovering from her surgery. She slowly woke up and touched her neck, feeling the implant was there "Is... anyone in there?".
"Salutations!" Came the voice of what sounded like a young girl.
Pyrrha looked and saw an oranger AI appear in front of her. She had short, rather curly hair that came down to her chin with a small cowlick on top, and she wore a bow on the back of her head. She wore an off old-fashioned styled off the shoulder blouse with frill detailed trim and frill flared cuffs that half cover her hands alongside a button detailing on the lower parts of her sleeves. She also sports a short pinafore dress alongside four stalagmite styled stripes on the lower half of the dress, two on the front and two on the back, accompanied by two circles above the tips that have a stripe that runs around her waistline. She also wears a pair of black thigh-high leg pieces that seemingly are attached to black shoes. The leg pieces have a single stripe up the sides that appears to light up.
Pyrrha had to admit, this was a rather cute form for the AI to take "So... you are my AI then?".
"Yes I am! It's so nice to meet you!" The AI said happily.
"You have a name?" Pyrrha asked.
The AI thinks "No. I think the director said you would have the honor of naming your, Lucky AI".
"Luck... luck... Yeah, I know what to call you. How about, Penny?" Pyrrha suggested.
"Penny?" The AI asked.
"Find a penny pick it up, and all day long you'll have good luck" Pyrrha said with a little giggle "One can say you will be my luck Penny".
"Penny... yes, I like that! I am your lucky Penny!" The AI now named Penny said happily.
Pyrrha smiled at that. She had a feeling she and Penny would get along just fine.
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A shorter chapter to focus on a little back story for Pyrrha and to introduce a character I think many have been waiting for.
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Tell me what you think.
