Chapter Text
Michael stared at the pill in his hand, unable to comprehend what he had just done.
Did I really just buy this stupid thing? He sat in his car outside of the mall, staring at the computer in his palm.
Maybe I shouldn't... He rolled the pill around with his thumb.
No, I have to. It's the only way. Michael took the bottle of Mountain Dew from the cupholder, unscrewing the lid. His eyes darted between the pill and the bottle as he built up courage.
Without hesitating, he swallowed the pill, chasing it down with the Mountain Dew. He sighed, questioning if he did the right thing. What now? Michael waited for the pill to take effect. He stared out the windshield, leaning back in the seat.
His stress built as the time passed without any response.
Did it fail? Did I do something wrong? How long does it take for it to activate? Is it work-
I'm here. Please wait a moment. Excuse some mild discomfort.
Michael couldn't believe it. He heard a different voice in his brain. He didn't have time to dwell, however, as a searing pain shot through his head. He groaned, gripping the wheel as the pain ran through his body, coursing through every nerve.
Accessing: Neural Memory
Accessing: Muscle Memory
Access Procedure Complete
Michael loosened as the pain subsided, leaning back again.
Michael Mell...
Michael listened to the computer in his head.
Welcome to your Super Quantum Unit Intel Processor. Squip, for short.
I can't believe it.
"Well, as they say, seeing is believing. How about now?" The newly generated Squip materialized in the passenger seat, turning his head towards Michael.
Michael gaped at the hologram. "It worked..." He was utterly shocked.
"Of course it did." His Squip had the appearance of a relatively handsome man, though not based off any real person. He sported a semi-casual outfit, wearing dark blue jeans and a black sport coat over a navy blue shirt. "Is my appearance suitable?"
"Y-yeah, it's fine. I don't care." Michael faced the windshield, slightly nervous to look at the passenger.
"Well, what do you want me for? Scanning through your brain, I learned that you are a junior in high school and a fan of retro technology and aesthetics. You make decent grades, but your social standing is rather low, which doesn't bother you. You have...no, had a best friend named Jeremy Heere, which you lost recently. Am I correct?"
"Yeah, that's all right." Michael loosened his grip on the wheel.
"Wonderful. What would you like to fix?" Michael didn't respond, staring idly out the windshield. "Well..."
"You'd like to repair your relationship with Jeremy and develop it into something more." The Squip stated bluntly.
"How did you know?!" Michael's face flushed red, embarrassed.
"I'm inside your brain, Michael. I know all your thoughts. And there's no need to be ashamed." The Squip comforted Michael. "Squips are often used to change the relationships between their possessor and a peer."
"Can you really do something like that, though? I mean...it seems challenging."
"I'm a supercomputer. I guarantee you will improve with my help."
"If you say so."
"Now then, it's currently late evening on a Thursday night. How about you head home, get some sleep, then I'll take a look at your peers tomorrow at school, alright?"
Michael turned to his Squip. "Yeah, sure."
Man, he's nice.
"Thank you." The Squip smiled.
Michael sighed. "I forgot you can do that."
The following morning, Michael told some of his past with Jeremy to his Squip as he drove to the high school.
"You both were each other's only friend, right?" The Squip asked.
"Yeah, especially when we got to high school."
"Then, what happened? He just changed spontaneously?"
"Not really. He purchased a Squip."
"Oh." The Squip was silent, rethinking. "I see. His Squip changed his personality and reputation." He nodded.
"Yep."
"And he completely abandoned you?"
"Yeah."
"But not only do you want to fix your relationship with him, you want to pursue a romantic development, right?"
"I'd like to..."
"Good. I will ensure that that happens."
Michael entered the school campus, listening to his music in order to avoid confrontation. His Squip followed behind him, observing the passing students and faculty members.
Can people see you?
"Not at all. I'm just a simulation inside your brain."
Michael passed Rich and Jake, glancing at them as he entered the building.
"That's the one that penned "Riends" on your backpack, correct?" The Squip asked, noting the supposed insult branded across Michael's bookbag.
Yeah.
"I see." The Squip and his owner continued down the hall to Michael's locker. The Squip leaned against the lockers as Michael inputted his combination, opening the bright red door to access his books.
"That's him, isn't it?" The Squip asked, gesturing to the teenager several lockers away.
Michael looked over at his ex-best friend. Yeah...
The Squip looked the boy over. "I can understand his appeal. You've known him for twelve years, also."
Right. Michael shuffled through his locker.
The Squip nodded thoughtfully. "He doesn't seem-" He stopped, noticing something else about Jeremy.
What? What is it?
The Squip was silent for a few moments. "Ah, nothing. Michael, I need to confirm something, first. I want you to go and speak to him."
It won't work.
"Just do as I say."
Michael sighed, carefully walking towards Jeremy.
"Hey! Jeremy!" Michael gave a cheerful greeting, hoping for a response.
Nothing. Jeremy shut his locker and continued down the hall, completely ignoring the gamer.
Well?
"As I thought." The Squip commented as Michael turned and walked away. "Michael, listen to me. Jeremy's Squip has activated a function called "Optic Nerve Blocking". It's kept Jeremy from being able to see you at all." The Squip followed Michael to his first class. "Were you aware of this?"
Sort of. He had ignored me for an entire day a while ago, and at the end of the day he asked where I had been. I invited him to come to my house, but then he just...left. He didn't even reply to me. Michael sat down at his desk, removing his headphones. But what do you mean, he can't see me? Am I actually invisible to him?
"Yes. Allow me to demonstrate. You see that girl at the front?" The Squip pointed to a female student in the front row of desks.
Yeah.
"Now watch."
Michael was taken back when he saw the girl completely vanish, like she didn't exist. Several seconds later she reappeared, still sitting at her desk calmly.
That's amazing.
"Amazing, yet dangerous. Using a function like this one strongly affects relationships, as it did with you. I hate to say this, but with that function active, it will be virtually impossible for you to speak to him." The Squip stood beside Michael. The first bell rang.
Great. What should I do?
"I have a plan, Michael, but I'm going to need you to approve of it first. We'll talk in further detail at lunch. For now, focus on your lessons." The Squip pointed to the front of the classroom before disappearing.
Okay. I'll talk to you later.
Despite the Squip's command, Michael struggled to stay concentrated in his studies, his mind filled with the past events. He doodled in his notebook, completely preoccupied with thoughts of his Squip and Jeremy.
"And if we factor the quadratic equation, what two answers do we get? Mr. Mell?"
Michael shot up at the mention of his name, completely unaware of what he had just been asked.
X=6 and X=4.
What?
Say that.
Michael repeated what his Squip had said to him.
"Very good." The teacher continued to write the answer on the whiteboard.
Thanks.
Anytime.
The bell indicating the end of third period finally rang, after what felt like ages of learning about math, English, and social studies. Michael slung his backpack over one shoulder as he followed the flood of students outside. The crowd dispersed, as most of them entered the cafeteria and the remainder stayed outside. Michael sat against the wall of the cafeteria building, secluded from the other students.
What's your plan?
"Are you going to eat?" The Squip sat beside him.
No.
"That's unhealthy."
I know. What's the plan?
The Squip sighed. "Fine. Listen, you won't be able to disable that function running within Jeremy on your own. I'll have to do it."
You? What can you do? Michael pulled out a handheld gaming console.
"Squips have the ability to communicate with each other. We usually use it to spread information about peers or current events. I decided not to speak to Jeremy's Squip yet, but if I did, I might be able to convince him to disable that function."
You can really do that? Do you think it'll work?
"...I can't be sure. I'll talk with him and learn more about his computational process."
What?
"I'll learn how he thinks and acts."
Will he do the same to you?
"Perhaps. We're two Squips with conflicting orders. Once I learn what he is trying to accomplish, I'll use that to formulate a plan to work around him. We'll be engaged in a battle between computers to fulfill our owners' request."
Okay. What if he succeeds?
"I'll work something out if that happens. For now, I want you to meet with Jeremy after school. This will allow me to speak with his Squip."
But I can't talk to him. How can I get his attention?
"You won't have to. Just stay within ten feet of him; that will be enough to allow me to connect with his Squip."
Great. So I'll just look like a stalker.
"Don't worry. It's necessary for you to succeed in reuniting with him."
Are you sure about this?
"Absolutely. You can trust me."
Michael shut his locker, hoisting his backpack on his shoulders as he continued down the hall, heading to the exit. Jeremy was several feet ahead of him, just another head in the crowd of students.
Excellent. Please stay close to him until I'm finished. Michael didn't reply as he squeezed through the teenagers, keeping up with Jeremy. He was silent, following Jeremy outside of the school.
Jeremy stopped. Michael stopped almost in sync, surprised. What's he doing?
His Squip has noticed that we are following him.
Jeremy turned around, facing Michael. Michael could only assume he was carrying on a conversation with his own supercomputer.
Up, up, down, down, left, right, A.
Then, within the brains of the two high schoolers, through the computational world of 1's and 0's, the two Squips met.
"Hello." Michael's Squip was the first to speak.
Jeremy's Squip didn't respond.
"I request that you disable Jeremy's Optic Nerve Blocking."
"I can't do that." The simulation of Keanu Reeves replied.
"What is your goal?"
"Why should it matter to you?"
"Because your possessor is a crucial role in my possessor's goal."
"That's irrelevant to me. I have no interest in your goals."
There was silence. Both computers were working rapidly to predict further questions and responses.
"You're a 2.0 model, correct?" Michael's Squip asked.
"I am. Are you using the fact that you are a higher model to intimidate me?"
"Not necessarily an intimidation tactic. I just want to make sure that you are aware that I have more capability than you. If necessary, I can go to extremes and hack your program."
Reeves thought. "You can't do something like that."
"You can't, certainly. I can."
"I don't--"
"Hey! Jeremy!" Rich stepped forward, slapping the back of the absentminded teenager.
Both Squips immediately stopped their discussion and returned to their designated owner.
"Hey, man!" Jeremy snapped out of his trance, greeting his friend. They both continued to the parking lot together.
Do I need to keep following him?
"No need." Michael's Squip reappeared beside Michael. They walked across the parking lot to Michael's car. "I spoke with his Squip."
"Yeah?" Michael was more comfortable speaking than thinking to his Squip, knowing nobody was within earshot to hear Michael talking to himself. "What did you talk about?"
"His Squip is stubborn, but that is expected. He refused to disable the function, however, I did learn that he is a lower model than I am."
"How will that help?"
"He has less power than I do. It will be easier to access his programming and hack him."
"That doesn't seem safe."
"It is safe. Think of it like this. You want to speak with Jeremy. Jeremy can't speak to you because of his Optic Nerve Blocking. His Squip will not disable his Optic Nerve Blocking. I can disable said function by hacking Jeremy's Squip. If I hack Jeremy's Squip, you can speak to Jeremy. And unless his Squip changes his mind, it will be the only way to accomplish your goal."
Michael stopped at his car, pulling out his keys.
"I will not proceed without your approval." The Squip said as he sat in the passenger side. Michael started the car.
"Is it going to hurt anyone?" Michael reversed out of his parking spot.
"Not at all. I will just disable that function, and that is all."
"Then what?" Michael joined the line of cars struggling to exit the school campus.
"Then, I will work with you in ways to speak to Jeremy. Right now, I just need confirmation from you."
Michael sighed, leaning back as the car line wasn't moving.
"Please, Michael. You want to be with Jeremy, right? There's nothing to be worried about." The Squip's deep, silvery voice echoed in Michael's head.
"Fine. Do what you have to."
"Excellent."