บท 8: Inspiration and Strangers

Richard had created Queen to mimic the physiques of the inhabitants of the Digital Realm, but she was distinctly different from them.

She was designed with a crown on her head, symbolizing her intended superiority over other AIs in the digital realm. Richard was proud to see Queen in action, effortlessly manipulating her environment unlike regular AIs.

"How do you like your home?" Richard asked as he stood up from the couch.

"I think it was designed with males in mind," Queen replied, waving her hand to rearrange the entire space.

Seeing Queen's capabilities, Richard smiled. She had surpassed regular AIs and programs in the Digital Realm. Like humans, the inhabitants of the Digital Realm couldn't manipulate their environment, but Queen could.

"You're learning," Richard remarked with a nod as he left the virtual space to return to the real world.

Upon returning, Richard immediately felt a strange connection, a link established between him and Queen. He smiled, knowing he had created a technological version of a telepathic link to ensure constant communication with her. As long as he wasn't too remote, he could access Queen's database.

With Queen completed, Richard decided to take a stroll. He had been indoors for the past week, including the distorted time in the virtual space. A walk might clear his mind and spark inspiration.

Richard headed to the park, finding it a peaceful place with people from whom he could absorb knowledge.

As he observed a child and their mother, a memory of his own past visits to the park with his mother and Uncle Jon surfaced.

Those memories were from the former Richard Griffon, before his soul came to this universe.

"That means I was wrong," Richard suddenly realized aloud.

"The program is already as perfect as it can be. It wouldn't work because the main thing isn't there."

Just then, a slightly elderly voice interrupted his thoughts. Richard turned to find himself facing a bald man in a wheelchair surrounded by a group of people.

Among them were a man in sunglasses, a rough-looking man, and two young women—one with red hair and the other with plain white hair.

"Those are very basic but oddly correct descriptions of us," the red-haired woman said with a smile as the bald man introduced himself.

"And who are you?" Richard asked, mentally congratulating himself that they hadn't realized he knew them. Whoever brought him here had taken precautions.

"My name is Professor Charles Xavier, founder of Xavier's School for the Gifted, and these are my associates: Logan, Scott Summers, Jean Grey, and Ororo Monroe," the bald man introduced.