1 Reborn
In a pristine room, a boy lay off the side of his bed, the soft sheets cool against his skin. The boy's mouth was opened wide as a rush of green liquid vomit poured out into a trash can.
"What's going on? I remember heading home, then something stuck me in the head."
The boy collapses onto his bed, feeling the softness of the mattress against his back, and his mind is a whirlwind of thoughts.
Confused, he heard a faint voice from beyond the door.
"Raven, are you alright?"
Raven's eyes clouded over as the voice filled the room.
He couldn't recall ever having any young females in the house.
His gaze shifted to the left, and he spotted a five-foot woman with long, straight flaxen hair at the entrance.
"Mom?" Raven asked.
He had a little fragment of memory in his past of what his mother used to look like, but that's not the problem.
The problem is why is she so young now?
Raven's mom looks at the trash can filled with a green substance and frowns.
"Luckily you're on summer holiday, or you'd be staying home from school today."
Raven felt his mind spin as the words reverberated in his ears.
He was beaming with pride when he received his diploma from university yesterday.
Why does he suddenly need to go back to school?
[Hello Raven! To clear your doubts. You've travelled through time.]
Raven's head exploded as a robotic voice echoed throughout his mind.
As his thoughts raced, Raven felt his confusion grow.
"Who are you? And what do you mean, travelling through time?" Raven whispered to himself under his breath.
He heard the voice respond in a way that made him feel like it could read his mind.
[I'm the ultimate AI made back in your original timeline, but something happened when I just integrated with you. You died from a blunt blow trauma to the head.]
Raven's head grew bigger after hearing this.
He just graduated and was about to go home and sleep his life away, but died and travelled through time?
He let out a deep breath, trying to soothe his nerves, though this only increased his mom's unease.
She dashed down the stairs and snatched a cloth, still damp from the steam in the air.
When she returned to the room, she gently eased the cool cloth onto his forehead.
"Get some rest. Call me if you need anything." His mother said, her voice gentle as a baby's kiss.
Raven gave a gentle nod of his head, letting his mother know he understood.
All he could think of was the system looming in his consciousness.
He heard the click of the door closing and felt a sudden rush of adrenaline; without hesitation, he asked his questions.
"What are you? And how did I go back in time?"
[I'm certain I have already answered these questions.] A robotic voice sounded.
Raven was silent, his brain buzzing with too many thoughts to articulate.
It wasn't wrong. It provided an answer, but it was brief and not informative.
"What about your name?" Raven asked.
[I don't have one. You can name me if you wish.]
"How about Vanessa?" Raven pondered for a few moments before coming up with an ordinary female name.
[My name has been changed to Vanessa. You can change the name whenever you want.]
Raven tilted his head to the side, his lips pursed in quiet thought. "So Vanessa, what are your basic features?"
[Raven, I can do anything that any advanced AI could do. For example: write an advanced essay, create a story, or even do medical surgery for you. But there is a downside. You must have the information somewhere stored in your brain.]
His eyes widened in shock as He processed the unexpected information.
With a trembling voice, he asked a single, yet powerful, question that would determine his fate.
"Can you help me store this information?"
[Yes Raven, I can read a page instantly and transfer it into your head. I can also remember all speeches and other forms of information.]
Raven's chest rose and fell as he took a deep breath after hearing this.
He felt his countless hours of studying English at OttawaU had been a total waste?
He thought about this and felt the despair of depression washing over him.
[Detecting that the owner's brain is in the wrong state, applying correct protective measures.]
Raven felt his head become light and his thoughts became tranquil and still, like a glassy lake.
"You can do this as well?" Raven's eyebrows rose in disbelief, his voice faltering in surprise.
[Yes, I can do a lot more advanced features if you help me gather more information around you.]
Raven thoughts wandered back to his teenage years, and he felt the familiar sensation of excitement as he thought about his new goals. Then the reality of the situation hit him like a ton of bricks. How old is he now?
"Vanessa, do you know what year it is?"
[It is 2017. Your current age is 13, turning 14 in two months.]
Raven glanced down at his hands before turning his attention to the door to his left. When he was coming home from graduation, his parents told him to come back home to understand the "truth."
He is very curious about this "truth," but sadly won't know for another eight years.
With a gentle touch, Raven picked up the warm cloth on his head and placed it aside.
He groggily pulled himself out of bed and changed into a fresh pair of clothes.
Then he splashed cool water onto his face, invigorated by the feeling of the droplets on his skin.
Raven ran his fingers over his reflection in the mirror, taking in the sight of his younger self. "I've really travelled through time, huh?" He whispered. His face was dotted with pimples, and his hair was sticking up in all directions.
[Raven, I can perform some changes to your face and hair to make you more charming.]
Raven didn't even hesitate hearing this, "Do it!"
Raven stared in amazement as he watched his face in the mirror, transforming from rough and pimply to smooth and snow white.
His hair was coiffed to the left and the right in an European fashion, giving him a sophisticated appearance.
He nodded in satisfaction and felt the cool handle of the bathroom door in his hand. The door opened with a soft click, and a gust of cold air rushed in.
"Finally, you're out of the washroom." A girl's voice sounded.
Raven glanced up, his eyes searching for the source of the voice.
Looking at the girl, he saw two long, silky ponytails that hung past her waist.
The sun's rays seemed to be attracted to her dark red hair, giving it a warm, glowing shine. The fabric of her light blue T-shirt and black pants whispered against her skin as she moved, the colour of both a subtle contrast.
"Hurry and move, Raven! I'm going to be late!" She urged.
"Ok, ok. Jeez, just give me a second Mia." Raven said, stepping away and gesturing with his hands.
He helplessly shook his head as he watched her back fade away and felt the click of the door closing.
"She is still the same as ever." Raven said.
Raven descended the stairs, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee welcomed him.
As he made his way over, his stomach let out an audible growl of hunger.
"Hey mom, do you have anything to eat in this house?"
Raven's mom appeared from the kitchen, the pot of coffee in her hands releasing a soothing steam.
"You're sick. You can't have anything causally." His mother said.
Raven released a heavy sigh, understanding his mother's worry.
He grabbed a mug from the cupboard and filled it with the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee. He pondered his situation, taking in the aroma of the warm liquid as he sipped it.
He has no money in his pockets, or even a bank account to his name.
Raven does not know what age you have to be in order to get one.
With PayPal being his only choice, his options were incredibly restricted.
Then he realised. Twitch streaming!
Although not much-talked-about at the moment, it will become the talk of the town soon.
With the release of Fortnite battle royal mode this year, gaming will take a vast change.
At this age, he was a massive gamer, engrossed in the sound of explosions and gunfire, but then abruptly gave it up when he turned 16.
He had the best computer components money could buy, spending up to 3000 CAD.
He took a sip of his coffee, cleared his thoughts, and headed upstairs.
