Do Not Touch Me!

Chapter 4: Information from Viveron

Chapter 4: Information from Viveron

Since it is still four hours before we reach the port of Metropolitan City, I decided to just go around my cabin to kill time. I took note of the ever-shifting silver shade of the walls and the black lines that outlined it. As if sensing my presence, the lights automatically turned on and a voice blasted from the hidden speakers.

"Welcome to your room, Mary." It was Viveron's voice and as if on cue, a hologram popped out of the small pipe at the ceiling, the lights were pixeled at first as it usually does and then colors started to show, matapos ang ilang sandali ay unti-unting nabuo ang hugis ng isang babae. It was Viveron. I already knew that was how she actually looked before she lost her body. She looked like someone on her early teens. She had chestnut hair that fell until her waist and she looked delicate. Her lips were always curved upward, as if she was happy to meet me once more.

"Hi, Viveron." I greeted.

"Hello, Mary. Do you like your room?"

Ngumiti ako at tumango. I walked towards the hologram of Viveron and stood right in front of her. It felt like she was physically here, though she was only here virtually and only the glow of her hologram is the fine line that separates her from reality, that she may be here, but only virtually. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened to you? I mean, what happened to your body?" I asked.

"Mary, our brain is a memory drive stored in cells and these memories are taken through experiences and socialization. My memory—this includes of my lived experiences which eventually resulted to my character and personality, was actually converted into a series of numerous data and it was infused to the virtual world. You can say that I was once a human girl who was turned into an operating system. Of course, as I have become a system, I had been upgraded countless of times to be who I am right now. However, it is not right to call me Artificial Intelligence, as my intelligence is not non-natural."

I didn't get what she meant by that, but I just nodded as if understanding her whole point. "So, what happened to your body?"

"My body has become like a tabula rasa because it has lost all of its memories. It has become non-functional, with a mind of a baby and the body of a teen as all memories were contained and transferred to the virtual reality, that is why Dr. Achilles saw fit to contain it in a capsule where my body is in hibernation. This means the cells of my actual body is frozen in order to prevent aging, it is in deep slate sleep, but of course, it is still kept alive. They are finding ways for it to be able to retrieve my memories again, maybe by infusing the data that has been contained back into my brain—but there is still no such technology that exists and the process in itself as well is very risky, as right now, I am Viveron Version 6.0, I have been modified six times already and there are a lot of changes from my original self. There might be incompatibility to my current version to my hibernating body."

Tumango na lang ako kahit na mas naguluhan ako dahil sa kaniyang eksplanasyon. "Viveron, you know a lot of things, right?"

Tumango naman si Viveron at nanatili sa kaniyang puwesto. Right. She's a hologram. "What is it that you want to know, Mary?"

"Um, about all of the members of this family, the Seven Deadly Sins. May I ask—why did they submit themselves as subjects for experimentation?"

"Subject matter is confidential. You are not authorized to access such information." Saad ni Viveron, "however, as I have taken a liking to you, I shall say minimal information I have in stored."

Ngumiti ako at tumango. Tinaas ni Viveron ang kaniyang palad at may nagpakita na kahon kung saan sa loob nito ay mga gumagalaw na numero at letra. Matapos ang ilang sandali, biglang nagkaroon ng larawan, tila mga gumagalaw na imahe. They were videos.

"First, we proceed to yours truly, I am Viveron Celestino, ten years ago, I was called as a child prodigy—I excelled in the field of Science and Mathematics. At the age of thirteen, I conceptualized the idea of Project II—or Project Infinite Intelligence, which uses of stored memories converted into a series of data infused into the virtual world. The RAGE, the shadow of the Central Government, was captivated by it and has bought my concept. There were no volunteers, however, as I was confident with my own work, I volunteered. Thus, my current state whereas I became the first member of the Seven Deadly Sins, as Sloth."

Habang nagkukuwento siya ay may mga larawan at bidyo na lumalabas sa kahon. It made things more realistic, and it made me feel more connection because of it.

"Now, we proceed to the second and third members of Seven Deadly Sins, we have the twins—Sayuri Shimamura who is also known as Envy and Shinigami Shimamura who goes by the codename Pride. They were Japanese orphans who were sold in an auction of a Black Market. Dr. Achilles went and purchased them, subjected them for Project Cheetah, a human experiment which converts and enhances their cells to make them faster beyond human nature. Thus, their power is speed."

"The fourth member is Portgas Phantomhive, codename Greed, he used to be an underground wrestler with 100 wins and 0 lose. However, on his 101th match, he lost and was paralyzed beyond recovery. However, Dr. Achilles scouted him and made him the subject for Project Strong, another human experimentation with the aim of enhancing the muscle cells of a human body in order to gain tremendous power and strength. There are certain requirements in order to attain that, though, which Portgas meets. Driven by the greed for more power, Portgas has agreed. However, he did not read the contract that he has signed before the project was conducted. Thus, he was tied with RAGE, as one of its seven agents."

"The fifth member is Sunhell Firefly, with the codename Gluttony. He used to be a fireman before he became a subject for Project Burn, which converts the body cells in order to be fire-resistant. He almost died during an arsonist's attack at a convenience store and he managed to get third-degree burn all over his body. He was almost dead, however, Dr. Achilles used this as an opportunity to use him as a subject for the project. In addition, the arsonist whom you touched is the one behind the arson, Mary. It took place seven years ago."

"The sixth is Seven Deadly Sins' leader, who goes by the codename Wrath, he is Athanasius Dunkirk."

When it was finally Athanasius's turn, I was further intrigued. I do not know why, maybe because we were complete opposites. He was a cure and I was a poison. However, he was no cure to my poison.

"Athanasius Dunkirk used to be a doctor before he became the subject of Project Heal, a human experimentation which makes the body immune from all diseases and makes the body regenerate at a high-speed. As you have already seen, any wounds inflicted on Athanasius's body will be healed respectively. He has also the ability to heal the wounds of other people by letting drops of his blood to touch it. He can also cure illnesses by letting the patient drink his blood. However, his blood is not a cure for your poison and that means you are his greatest weakness, Mary, as you are the only thing lethal to him in this world."

"Viveron, what happened to Athanasius? Why did he subject himself for Project Heal? He used to be a doctor, you said."

"Indeed, as much as he was a doctor, he was also a scientist. And I have forgotten to say this, Mary, but Athanasius Dunkirk is the son of Dr. Achilles Dunkirk. They worked together to make Project Heal a success. Driven by aspirations and goals, Athanasius volunteered to be the subject for this experimentation."

Nagulat ako dahil sa aking nalaman tungkol kay Athanasius. Si Dr. Achilles pala ang kaniyang ama. It took me several seconds to process the information I got, and when I finally understood, we went on.

"Now, the seventh member, it is you, Mary Magdalene, with the codename Lust. You are a beauty yourself, a human weapon, but your touch is lethal. Any living matter you touch is bound to be poisoned, and die. There is no cure. You became the subject for Project Lethalia, an experiment which fuses the cells of the body with the potent and incurable virus Lethalium. This project is the only project that had 148 humans, with 147 failed and only 1 success, as its risk were higher than the other projects. It is the only project that had countless of failures as well. Which is why you also carry the solution, Mary, if you have one wrong move, RAGE may use it against you in order to dissect and conduct an autopsy on you, in order for them to mass reproduce more versions of you, people with lethal touch. But that is only a theory of mine, of course. Do not let my idea get the best of you."

Tumango lang ako, ngunit sa totoo lang, dahil sa kaniyang sinabi ay biglang bumilis ang pintig ng aking puso. Hindi malayo na mangyari nga iyon. This made me more aware. I shouldn't trust anyone too easily, especially Athanasius, as he shares the same blood with Dr. Achilles. While I appreciate that they cured my illness, it does not change the fact that it is in exchange of my freedom. Perhaps a price to pay... However, I will not allow myself to be butchered just so RAGE can find the answer to why I was compatible with the virus.

"Viveron, I know that Seven Deadly Sins has already operated before and that I am a mere replacement. May I know, who is the former Lust of SDS? What is it that you are all hiding from me?"

"I am afraid, Mary, I do not know of the answer."

"You are lying, Viveron. You told me that you know everything. What is it? Why is it a secret?" I almost whispered. I do not know why, but I just want to know the truth. Who did I replace?

"All I can say, Mary, is that it is true, you are a replacement of an old member. However, I cannot extract or give you background whoever that member is."

"What happened to that member, Viveron? And what was his or her power?"

"She died, Mary. I apologize, I cannot answer what her power is." Her. So I replaced a lady too. I need to know more. This confirms me of my doubts.

"Why?"

"Confidential."

"I promise to keep it a secret, Viveron. No word will come out that you told me, just give me her name and her power. It's all I ask, I won't bug you any further."

"Only her first name, that's all I can reveal."

I smiled and nodded.

Nakita ko ang pagbuntong-hininga ni Viveron. Matapos ang ilang sandali ay tinaas niya ang dalawang kamay niya at tila nagtipa sa himpapawid. The letters that were drawn from her finger formed lines, turning into letters, then forming the glowing answer to my inquiry.

Mary.

And the words turned into rays of light, and dusts, then they disappeared into the thin air.

I gasped—we have the same name.