NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 2.1
It turns out that I might've underestimated how attractive I was by this society's standards. When I opened the phone, I had a torrent of likes from the dating apps--hundreds, thousands of thirsty women. The forums weren't any better. My picture instantly hit the homepages of the sites, getting countless upvotes and comments.
At first I was flattered (being desired to this level was a new experience and a welcome one) and glad my plan worked.
But then, out of curiosity, I did a quick reverse image search. I saw that already the picture had trickled down to porn sites. Women all over the globe were masturbating to my picture, making disturbing comments… the thought of that made me feel horrified, as if I could feel their gazes through the screen. The more I looked the worse I felt.
I had to put the phone down. Shaking my head to clear it, I began working on creating some tech.
I could practically feel the power I'd gathered. It was a significant amount, one fourth of my peak power back in the previous reality. Enough to build one or two useful devices.
The first device I built was an exoskeleton. Clearly, I needed some strength. Last fight I'd been manhandled (was it womanhandled now?), unable fight with my weak muscles. But this? This'd do.
It took me several hours to build. I carefully measured different steel pieces and cut them with whirling saws, sorted and weighed different types of rare and exotic metal, and, using a welding mask and torch began putting it all together.
The engine was the hard part, but my power showed me the way to turn a perfectly normal car engine into a advanced compact motor that was light weight enough to carry on my back.
The finished product ended up not looking very polished, the different metals from different cars and things making it look like some kid's science project. But looks were deceiving, and its quality was guaranteed.
As for the second device I decided to make: it was a mind control resistance hat. This was a more delicate endeavor and it required me to gut a few radios and tv parts. I built a small antenna dish that would detect waves, a small box that would calculate how to cancel it, and a speaker that would emit the cancelling wave. The hat itself was made of tinfoil and several colored electrical cables connected the three parts. Superglue attached them to the foil.
Once I was done building, I wiped my sweat and cleaned up the place.
I checked my phone and saw it was nightime. In a few short hours I'd have to be at the cemetery, so I need to start getting ready.
Earlier today I'd asked Alfreda if she could get me a pair of sports clothes that weren't indecent, telling her I'd pay for them later once I got a job or something. She, with her usual British flair, told me that it would be done and not to worry about payment.
I went back to my room, bringing my devices with me covered in a tarp so they wouldn't see. I liked the Baines but it was always a good policy to keep a secret identity. In the biz there's a phrase: ignorant civies tell no tales.
Back in my room, I took a quick shower and changed into them. After that, I put on the exoskeleton, testing it for a bit to get the hang of it.
When I was confident in my ability to pilot it, I opened the window, almost breaking it with my increased strength, and jumped down.
I landed with a boom on the ground, the skeleton absorbing the impact, metal groaning.
The three heroines'd told me they'd find me and to make my way to the cemetery.