5. Standard

- Later that evening -

The sky had gone dark, the flaming meteors of shards stopping raining, and the cities glow could be seen on every corner as the fires raged on. Cars were seen crashed on almost every street and property damage was in every corner of town. If it wasn't form the meteors then it was the people. Some folks started looting and others were in a state of panic that led to some disaster. The town had grown quiet only the occasional screech of tire or distant scream could be heard. In one house deep into one of the most battered sides of town a child lay asleep. It began to rain, as if a godsend for the fires.

*drip... drip...

The pitter patter of rain began to pick up in pace.

"Attention Connection severed. Attention Connection severed. Signal lost. Attempting to create profile. Memory evaluated. Shard data processing.....----"

"Chance, Chance wake up!"

"ugh.. huh?" Chance awoke atop a pile of rubble in his living room, his clothes tattered and wet. Looking around the room he began to remember the horrific scene that played earlier. The loss he felt, the strange beast. He reached for his face remembering the searing pain he felt as he was enveloped by the shards. Touching his face and feeling his head, he traced the rim of the shards to feel how bad it was. He could feel his entire head had been covered down to his collarbones like a chainmail coif. He could not feel a trace of his lips or ears and his eye and nose had seemingly protruded from his face. He couldn't make sense of it all and got up to run to the restroom. The rain grew into a large downpour and it began to thunder. Stepping into the restroom and looking at himself Chance began to question where his head was beneath all of these shards. Moving close to the glass and touching his face he tried to scream but nothing happened his mouth stay shut and no sound would come out.

"Hello Chance, you're awake, I'm so happy I'm glad you are okay. Its me Peony" Chance heard these words ring in his head as he stare into the mirror. "I can tell you are a little freaked out, and that's totally fine. I was created as a standard operation system using the only data accessible by the shards you're wearing. The host signal is lost and not enough shards were present for a full dismantle of the current host. You. I the Peony in your head combined with the data and incorporated the shards to mimic my performance constructing you a head. Would you like a tutorial?"

Chance didn't speak or rather he couldn't and he was utterly lost. The face in front of him.. the head shape everything resembled a hamster. The bridge of his nose dipped to a formation similar to a mouth without an opening. Peony? I'm peony my hamster? he thought.

"No you are chance, I am Peony, your operating system. Your looking at the shards formation based on the data and memories stored. It seemed fitting."

"So all I have to do is think and we can talk.. I'm talking to Peony? So your in my head now? how is this possible what is the thing how do I take it off."

"Yes and no. I am your head in a way. You don't have one. And the last signal received through the shards was to reconstruct. Then the signal was lost. The remaining shards scrambled and dug through the data available from you. And we are the end product. Would you like a tutorial?"

"A tutorial on what? On my head?" he replied as he sat on his toilet and stared aimlessly at the floor.

"Yes, The explanation of how to use your shards and what the appropriate functions can be done to keep the rest of your Data alive as the reconstruction process continues."

Looking at his hands and coming to a realization that his body felt a little numb. Flicking his fingers about and testing the extent of what he could feel he realized he felt nothing. He was neither cold even though he was soaking wet, nor in any pain even though he had scrapes and bruises everywhere. He literally didn't have a head. It was being "Reconstructed". The shards were keeping his body alive, but how? How was he moving his body yet he felt nothing.

"The use of shards to house and store data that is necessary for life is the first task I accomplished. Using the background processing of your previous existence I was able to keep your heart beating and fill your lungs with air. I gave you sight and hearing. I looked through the memory data and the most detailed face I could find for you was modeled after me, Peony. The consistent changes and uncertainty of the rear surface of your previous head shape left a large section to be interpreted which would leave to much unknown outcomes and likely lead to failure. As it stands I can read the statistics of your organs and systems. You are lacking in nutrients and proteins, severely dehydrated and have many scrapes and abrasions that need cleaning. I cannot produce you a new head on the current material and more shards are needed. I suggest we find a water source clean ourselves, and hydrate."

"Well how do I drink? I don't have a mouth. Also I don't think we have power. The lights wont turn on and the shower may not work." After replying chance stood up and reached through the curtain to turn on the shower. The water began to flow from the shower. He didn't know that the water would still work due to the water heater still having water in it. He instinctively touched the water to test it's temperature only to realize that he could not feel it. He undressed and looked in the mirror and he saw that the shards extended down from his nape to the top of his butt crack. He stepped in the shower and felt the light pressure of the water on his skin.

"Processing liquid. Water. Absorbing." The words rang through him as he noticed the flow of water lessen on his torso and below. After a short while the flow began to increase again and he cleaned himself. He got out of the shower and went to his room, it was pitch black and only the brief flashes of lightening gave semblance to the objects in his room. Then as he noticed he could hardly see, his eyesight inverted and now everything was white and black. Then shades of grey began to flow in giving depth.

"We will find a way to correct the eyes to see better in darkness. Standby while I adjust the settings." Chance was flabbergasted. He was about to be able to see in the dark. Things began to come into focus again and then colors appeared. After rummaging through his clothes and finding a large hoodie he was finally dressed. He looked over at Peony's cage and he couldn't believe how she was now inside him.

"My readings show we need those sunflower seeds they will make you happy. Please allow me to absorb them. And we should run. Running is good. Thank you!" Chance affirmed himself that it was indeed Peony. The voice was so familiar to him yet unknown. The way it spoke was strange, to think of it as a hamster was out of the question. Even its mannerisms. It was doubtful until what she just asked for. He dumped the bag of seeds on his head and as they fell they absorbed into the shards.

"Thank YOU! Great now, Shall we go for a run? Outside is so nice!" Chance sighed in thought and peered through the blinds.

"I guess, lets go see why this is happening..."