Episode 0.5 : Start
The doorbell rang at half-past nine at night. When Alicia opened the door, a large plastic box with a sticker labeled "H-Neural" was standing on a cart at the doorstep.
"Miss Alicia. Delivery for you," a robotic voice rang out. A delivery robot, its humanoid body covered in black carbon fiber and shiny metal, was standing beside the cart. "Can I help you move the item to your apartment?"
Alicia hesitated for a moment, but after she glanced at the box that was larger than the bathtub in her bathroom, she decided that it might be a little too heavy for her to lift on her own.
"Sure, I'll let you in," she said as she stepped aside. The delivery robot lifted the box and walked into the living room, leaving a faint odor of plastic in its wake.
The living room, which was spacious enough to even park full-size pickup trucks in, was almost entirely empty. The walls and the floor were stark white and completely featureless. The only things that decorated the room were a single oversized couch and a giant TV screen that occupied almost an entire wall.
"Where should I leave it, Miss Alicia?" the robot asked, and she pointed to a corner of the living room.
"Over there."
The robot detached the tape sealing the box and folded the flaps, revealing the inside. Inside the box, there was a white capsule-shaped pod, covered in transparent glass. The pod was filled with a pink, gel-like liquid, and a transparent oxygen mask hung from the lid.
As the robot plugged the cables connected to the pod into the power outlets in the wall, a holographic monitor appeared over the machine, showing a booting screen.
"The installation is complete. The unit is fully operational. Please sign here for confirmation of delivery."
The robot showed a touchscreen panel, which contained a contract and a digital pen. Alicia skimmed over the contents, signing her name at the bottom, and the panel glowed blue.
"Thank you for your order. Have a pleasant day."
The robot turned around and left the house.
After the door closed, Alicia's heart began to pound with anticipation. She stared at the pod in silence, her face flushing red.
She'd read all the instructions online, so she knew exactly how to use the machine without any help or tutorials.
According to her memory, the first step was to be completely naked. She first closed all the curtains and turned off the lights, so that no one would be able to see her in her apartment.
She slowly stripped off her clothes, feeling the cool air blowing against her exposed skin. Her skin, smooth and soft, pale as white as virgin snow, began to glow underneath the pale light of the monitor.