Mai stretched with a wince before bending all the way over to touch her toes. Naru stood beside her in case she needed him, but he was relaxed. It had been over six months now, and Mai was very much healed. She was still in some pain around the cybernetic spinal patch. A few inches of her own spine had been replaced with an android replica. She didn't know how Elijah Kamski had made it work, but somehow it had been retrofitted to run on her body heat and blood flow. The small section of artificial spine was connecting her brainstem and nervous system. The damaged ends had been replaced using nanites. It was an experimental procedure at best, but it was working well. It had even sped up her rehabilitation.

"Are you ready to go?" Naru asked patiently as Mai slipped into some indoor slippers. They were going for a walk around the inner garden. It was hard to believe all of this existed beneath the Kamski estate. It was like there was a whole Cyberlife lab down there. Correction, this is a Cyberlife lab. She took Naru's offered hand, and he linked their fingers. He guided her down the empty corridor, remaining close in the event he was needed. He didn't foresee any immediate need, but it had happened on occasion. Mai was still getting used to the spinal component. If she overworked herself, she would sometimes collapse, as if she'd lost connection somewhere. Right now, she was full of energy. She'd eaten breakfast and done her morning stretches without issue.

"When do you think we'll be leaving?" Mai asked curiously as they headed into the garden. Everything inside was artificial, right down to the sunlight shining from above. The breeze was synthesised too, though it felt real enough as it tossed Mai's honey locks and teased her pale skin. Naru was hesitant to answer. He didn't really know himself. Mai was on the mend, but still taking strong painkillers to deal with the nerve pain. She no longer screamed and writhed when they lost potency, but she'd wince and try to stay as still as possible. She'd also cry quietly if it became too painful. She'd hiss, wince and whine if she twitched and pulled on the tender nerves. Naru would usually have called the nurse already before getting to that point. With that in mind, he was unsure she was ready to be away from the medical staff just yet.

Since arriving, they'd been mostly left to their own devices. Elijah Kamski had come to see them a handful of times, mostly to ask Mai questions and collect data. The same nursing android checked on them twice a day to bring food and take readings. The RT600 android, Chloe, had come in a few times to make sure that they were comfortable and offer to bring them things. Aside from that, there had been no news. No one had given them any details about what was happening above ground, or told them about Mai's condition beyond the basics she needed for rehabilitation. They only knew they could walk around because no one had tried to stop them.

"I don't know...Your physical recovery seems to be in the final stages. Perhaps if the pain lessens a little more?" He knew the medication she was taking was still a hospital specific one that couldn't be given out on prescription. She was also getting injections on occasion to prevent infections. Mai nodded her agreement and reached for the back of her neck self-consciously. She could feel the smooth plastic beneath her fingertips. It was neat, the way her skin sat around the edges. She had no idea how it was possible, but the skin had been sealed to the plastic as if it were a part of her body. It was a part of her body. She didn't want to think about what would happen if it shorted out or got damaged.

"Maybe...What if the pain is permanent though?" She couldn't help feeling worried, though it was something she'd been trying not to dwell on. Naru's brow pinched at the suggestion. It was something he'd also considered. The pain had lessened somewhat since Mai had first awoken, but the continuous throb was still there, and that was with painkillers. It would likely become unbearable without the relief. Naru was constantly ensuring that she was still medicated to save her from the inevitable pain once they wore off. If they wore off overnight, she would sometimes wake up crying from the pain. She tried to be quiet, but he always knew, and he'd call the nurse for the next dose.

"I hope that isn't the case." He couldn't offer any reassurance. He wasn't a doctor. They sat on the edge of the artificial stream, which was more like a huge ring shaped pond. Mai slipped her shoes off and dipped her feet in the water, enjoying the coolness on her skin. She smiled as a large golden fish swam up and butted her toes. Naru crossed his legs and watched the fish as they swam up to explore the disturbed water. They were some form of koi. Large ones in shades of white and gold. "Either way, we should ask someone soon...We can't remain indefinitely." Mai nodded her agreement. If it weren't for the nurse coming and going, she'd think they'd been forgotten.

"Will you stay with me? Even after we leave?" Mai asked hesitantly as she looked at her hands and toyed with her fingers in her lap. She felt Naru's attention on her. His piercing blue eyes examined her for a reaction. There was warmth on her arm as he leaned closer, propping himself on one arm right beside her. Her chest fluttered at the attention.

"Of course...I intend to remain at your side for as long as you'll have me...If you don't want me to..." Naru suggested hesitantly, relieved as Mai turned to face him and gripped his sleeve tightly. His expression softened at the way her hazel eyes showed her deepest desires. For as long as he could remember, she'd never been able to hide her feelings. Right now, her eyes screamed that she needed him, that she was scared and uncertain. He rested his hand on hers assuringly and felt his own chest fill with a swell of soft flutters. He'd never realised how good it would feel to be wanted and needed.

"I-I don't want you to leave, but I know you're quite new...I'm not special, and after a while you might realise you can do a lot better than a plain-Jane running a coffee shop." She had an annoyingly self-deprecating tone. She looked away as Naru frowned his disapproval, and the way he tilted his head as if he didn't understand. "You're probably not even a year old yet. You've got a lot of living to do before you get...tied down." She watched Naru nod his cautious agreement. He understood small sections of what she'd said. The rest was somewhat confusing. He was troubled that his agreement almost seemed to make her sad.

"I am a little over a year old, and you are correct. There is much I have to experience, but...I would very much like to gain those experiences with you." He enjoyed the way Mai's cheeks flushed pink at his confession. Her reactions never bored or tired him. She was almost hesitant as she leaned a little closer, her shoulder barely brushing his. He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer until her head was leaning on his shoulder. He closed his eyes and rested his head on hers, enjoying her warmth. Behind his eyes, he could pull up her exact temperature. The speed of the blood rushing through her veins. The pace of her beating heart.

"Are you sure you weren't secretly designed as one of those domestic boyfriend models?"

"Positive...This is a special program I compiled just for you," he insisted in a serious tone, smirking as he felt Mai huff her amusement. He idly fingered the light white cotton of her dress, clothing that had been provided for her by the hospital. I suppose this place is a hospital of sorts...Naru thought, though he knew it functioned more as a science lab. It seemed some rooms had been set up and altered especially to deal with their human patients, or rather, patient. The other patient, an android, seemed to have moved up into the main house.

"Sorry to interrupt..." The pair looked up to see Elijah Kamski standing there with his hands in his pockets. "I've been reviewing your progress. Please, step into my lab," he invited as he gestured towards the exit. Naru didn't really feel like it was an invitation, more an expectation that they comply. Mai allowed Naru to help her up, wincing at the effort before slipping into her shoes. She kept hold of Naru's hand as they followed a little behind. Elijah Kamski led the way, not looking back as they went. He was taller than Mai had thought from seeing him on television, but slim. He wasn't aggressive or rude, but his personality was certainly unique.

Naru agreed with that assessment. Elijah Kamski wasn't exactly imposing, nor was he intimidating in the physical sense. He was arrogant. Naru knew that much. He could also be considered a little self-absorbed from what Naru had seen of the estate. He was stamped all over it. It was his eyes that got to Naru though. The steely gaze that slowly worked on picking you apart circuit by circuit. The man was never more focused than when he was in front of a machine. Unfortunately, that now extended to Mai as well.

"You've mentioned pain. Could you describe it for me?" Elijah asked as he had Mai sit on an examination table. He remained in front of her for now, his undivided attention upon her. Mai thought about it carefully, wondering how she could best put it into words. She couldn't just call it pain. There were many different types, and even her injury had different sensations attached to it.

"Sometimes it's like a...like a sharp stab...It can happen around the edges of the skin, but I also get it inside...only sharper and thinner, like a string shooting through my spine...I also have an aching throb right here, at the base of my skull, all the time." She timidly reached over her shoulder to touch the very top of her spine. Elijah nodded thoughtfully as he followed her motions with his eyes. His expression gave nothing away. He turned over her words before slipping a finger inside the collar of the gown and tugging it lightly. He seemed to remember himself at the last minute before he actually started to strip her like one of his projects.

"May I?" he checked briefly, proceeding to step around to Mai's back and untie the strings at her neck. He opened the back of her dress, but he didn't need to push it down. He was gentle as he teased and fingered the warm human flesh. He pressed, feeling the firm plastic beneath. There was no give in it. This was a solid plastic spine replacement that had been grafted to her spine. It wasn't made to move, although the sections allowed it to twist and shift as a real spine would. He noted a small hiss escape Mai's lips at the contact. "Alright, everything feels fine...Your latest x-rays are promising. Your body has started to fully accept and integrate the new spinal component...Your nervous system may take a little more time to adjust, hence the pain. I want you to keep a record of it over the next few weeks, just to make sure the pain level is decreasing." He looked across at Naru as he spoke. Androids were excellent for keeping such records, so he had no doubt the NA200 was up to the task. It would have been part of his function as an office model as well.

"How often? And what scale?" Naru asked dutifully, already opening menus ready to start the records immediately.

"Perhaps four or five times a day, and that I will leave to you. You could have her describe the pain, or assign the pain levels as a number. So long as your method remains consistent, it shouldn't be an issue. Of course, the more information you provide, the better as far as diagnosis and research are concerned." Elijah could almost see how the NA200, registered as Kazuya, was thinking. Right now, behind the NA200's eyes, he was opening notes, looking up scales, and planning a schedule. His LED flickered yellow as he worked on the problem quickly. "And make sure her pain medication remains consistent. Any changes in time or dosage will affect her pain scale. The more consistent, the better." Naru had already taken that into consideration. As Elijah watched the NA200 and Mai interact, he was amazed. To think that his own creations could inspire such trust and affection in humans was almost humbling. Thinking of affection and androids, he also recalled he'd meant to speak to Chloe about their progress on redesigning the Cyberlife business model.