It's been a while since I did a simulation like this. I swept my arm over the terrain, selecting all the masculine attracted people to give them a preference for short people. The time sped up and I saw a society of miniature people, well proportioned and thriving. I swept my arm over everyone and gave them a preference for tails, and it took more time but there were foxtail people with narrow eyes and pointed ears. I slowed time and zoomed into a family where an Artificial Being, still slightly taller than the people and still human looking, cooked a breakfast of slimy substance, mixed with a crumbly bread, and they served it to the happy family chattering in a language I was unfamiliar with. I translated it.

Can we go to the park today, daddy? The young one said.

Of course, why don't you ask Yiffers if they want to come? The tallest one said.

I couldn't tell gender, except for the context of language. It's nice that happiness can evolve in this simulation. Too much power gets boring though - this world is a sycophant to me. What should I do? Maybe talk to Brett, maybe one of the games would be fun? My mind went to *** and my stomach reeled? I wondered what was happening outside. I should check on Sam to see how they and Trudy are doing.

Crits Brett, how do I contact the outside?

Brett It's easy, just open your UI and select contacts, then Earth. Then input the person's name and select video, voice, or text.

Crits Thanks! We'll chat soon.

Brett No problem. See ya.

I saw the icon ringing with Sam's face. They looked good, and I was elated to see their video pop up.

"Hi! How are you?! What's it like?!" Sam exclaimed with excitement on their face..

"Hi Sam! It's bizarre?overwhelming, but familiar, and seemingly limitless." Crits replied.

"Sounds amazing! Trudy is doing just fine. She always liked me though."

"Good, I miss you both so much."

"It's only been a week, Crits."

"Oh, right. It's felt like a lifetime already. Time isn't the same in here." I felt like I had gone on a lifetime peyote trip, and then careened back into sobriety.

"That must be wild. I can't even imagine."

"Some of the things are beyond what you would ever even try to imagine."

"Like what?"

"You can create entire worlds and run simulations with merely thought, looking at all aspects at once or zoom into minute details"

"Awesome, so why are you messaging me instead of doing that?"

"Just kind of missed the outside. You were always my favorite partner, so of course I left Trudy with you." Crits said with a timbre.

"I'm honestly jealous - things are samey out here. Everyone's stuck in VR. Artificial being protests have taken off though. People are still up in arms about their constant reproduction with us having the list limits. Some are talking about unjust alignment"

That's right, consciousness and some autonomy was proven in artificial beings despite them being aligned.

"They are still comparing alignment to slavery?" I asked.

"Yeah, but the fear of them running amok being smarter than us will never let them get out of alignment."

"I don't miss the politics, but this place?It's way wilder than VR. It's like a lucid dream that you can dream in. There's no guardrails"

"That sounds amazing. No guardrails? We're stuck in VR all the time anyway. When I save up enough, maybe I can take the plunge." Sam said.

"There's something else about being this way?I feel kind of trapped despite being able to do anything and everything. It's weird knowing I can't leave."

"But we can talk and interact, and hey, I can pop into VR and we can fool around later if you want to."

"That sounds nice?" I stretched my last words. I didn't want to tell her I've felt more or less not interested in sex after a while. "The stuff people get into in here is...a little too rich for my tastes."

"Then let's do something savory - I'm on a bus but I'm about to get off. You hadn't added me until now so I can message you later on."

My connection dropped. They'd usually say bye. My stomach pitched, and I felt intense pain again stabbing into my mind like countless needles in all directions.

I could barely think, so I shouted it, "TURN OFF!"

My mind's eye spasmed, mutating colors, flashes, stuttering. Black.

?

Awareness and information entered into my mind. Your node in the network is in a lower power state right now. You have been in stasis for a period of time to do a diagnostic check on your emergency shut off. You have been found to have an unknown contaminant. You will enter into stasis again and the network will perform maintenance.

?