(Author note: This Robot is female from the very beginning, never having been male, this is an AU, remember.)
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The constant hum of life support systems had been Roberta Conners' lullaby for over three decades.
Trapped within her cylindrical prison of glass and metal, her malformed body suspended in nutrient solution, she had learned to find comfort in the rhythm of machines that kept her alive.
Today, however, the familiar hum seemed more oppressive than comforting.
Roberta floated in her tank, her real eyes - the only part of her true body that functioned normally - focused on the holographic displays surrounding her.
Through them, she controlled her robotic avatar, the mechanical body the world knew as "Robot" or sometimes "Roberta."
The sleek, humanoid machine with its distinctive skull-shaped head was her only means of interacting with the outside world.
But it wasn't enough. It had never been enough.
"Display Viltrumite physiological data," she commanded, her real voice barely audible even to herself, but perfectly detected by the tank's sensitive microphones.
The holographic displays shifted, showing detailed anatomical scans of Viltrumite biology.
For three weeks, she had been studying them obsessively, ever since Earth had become a protectorate of the Viltrum Empire.
The data had been made available to Earth's top scientists as part of the knowledge exchange program, and Roberta - with her genius-level intellect and connections to the superhero community - had been granted full access.
(Though she knew a lot was most definitely hidden and this was simply the basics. Thragg was too smart to reveal the essence of his species.)
What she saw fascinated her beyond measure.
"Remarkable," she murmured, examining the cellular structure of Viltrumite muscle tissue. "Their smart atoms adapt to almost any stress, reorganizing at the molecular level to maintain optimal functionality."
But it wasn't just the scientific marvel of Viltrumite physiology that captivated her. It was him. The Grand Regent. Thragg.
Roberta commanded her systems to display the footage she had been reviewing repeatedly - the confrontation between Thragg and the Guardians of the Globe.
She watched, for perhaps the hundredth time, as Earth's mightiest heroes unleashed their full power against the Viltrumite leader, only for him to stand unmoved, unharmed, utterly implacable.
"Pause," she ordered when the recording reached the moment Thragg finally responded, clenching his fist and creating a shockwave that sent the Guardians flying. "Enhance. Analyze energy output."
The readings were off the scale, beyond anything her instruments could accurately measure.
This wasn't just physical strength; it was something more fundamental, as if Thragg had achieved perfect harmony with the universe's basic forces.
"Perfect," she whispered, her malformed lips barely able to form the word. "He's perfect."
Roberta had spent her life pursuing perfection.
Born with a rare genetic disorder that left her body grotesquely deformed and non-functional, she had compensated by developing her mind to extraordinary levels.
By age twelve, she had built her first robotic avatar. By fifteen, she had designed the life support system that still sustained her.
By twenty, she had become a founding member of the Teen Team, hiding her true nature behind the facade of an artificial intelligence housed in a robot body.
No one knew the truth. Not her teammates, not the Guardians, not even Cecil Stedman.
To the world, "Robot" was exactly what the name implied - a sophisticated machine with advanced problem-solving capabilities.
Only Roberta knew the brilliant, trapped human mind with ambitions, fascination, emotions and desires behind the mechanical exterior.
And now, after decades of isolation, of experiencing life secondhand through sensors and cameras, she saw an opportunity. A possibility she had never dared to dream of before.
"Display Viltrumite breeding program data," she commanded.
The holographic screens shifted again, showing the official information released about the program.
Two hundred and thirty-seven human women had volunteered to be paired with Viltrumite males, offered lives of luxury and privilege in exchange for bearing half-Viltrumite children.
The program was entirely voluntary, with extensive psychological screening to ensure participants understood the commitment.
But there was one detail that caught Roberta's attention: Thragg himself had not yet selected a partner.
"Logical," she mused. "As Grand Regent, his genetic contribution would be considered the most valuable. He would seek the optimal match."
An idea began to form in her mind - not a new idea, exactly, but one that had been germinating since she first saw Thragg.
What if she could create the perfect body for herself? Not another mechanical avatar, but a real, living body with flesh and blood and power?
What if she could transfer her soul into that body and offer herself as Thragg's chosen partner?
The thought sent an electric thrill through her malformed form. For someone who had spent her entire life trapped in a useless body, the prospect of not just freedom but physical perfection was intoxicating.
But how? Creating a clone body wasn't beyond her capabilities - she had been researching the technology for years.
The challenge would be creating one powerful enough to be worthy of Thragg's attention, and then successfully transferring her soul into it.
For that, she would need something beyond conventional science. Something she had acquired at great cost, after years of research and negotiation with those who understood the spiritual realm in ways Western science never could.
Her gaze shifted to a small, ornate box on a pedestal across the laboratory.
Inside lay the artifact - a small bronze vessel inscribed with ancient Tibetan symbols, said to be capable of capturing and transferring a soul from one vessel to another.
She had obtained it from a remote monastery in the Himalayas, where the monks had guarded it for centuries, using it only in the most dire circumstances to preserve the consciousness of great spiritual leaders until a suitable new body could be found.
The monks had been reluctant to part with such a sacred object, but Roberta's resources were substantial, and her arguments compelling.
She had convinced them that her intentions were pure - to free a brilliant mind from physical imprisonment so it could better serve humanity.
Not entirely a lie, though certainly not the whole truth.
"Display data on Samantha Eve Wilkins," she commanded.
The screens shifted once more, displaying everything known about Atom Eve - her powers, her genetic structure, her history.
Roberta had always been fascinated by Eve's molecular manipulation abilities. The power to rearrange matter at will was perhaps the closest thing to her own definition of perfection.
And now, with her Teen Team monitoring devices still active on Eve's costume (devices the young hero had no idea existed), Roberta had observed something interesting: Thragg seemed to be encouraging a relationship between Eve and Mark Grayson.
He had suggested they would be compatible, that their offspring would possess remarkable capabilities.
"He values her abilities," Roberta realized. "He sees the potential in combining molecular manipulation with Viltrumite strength."
What if she could create a body with Eve's DNA as the template, but enhanced? A body with all of Eve's powers but none of her mental blocks or limitations?
A body worthy of standing beside the most powerful being on Earth? The most powerful being in the entire universe?
The idea crystallized into a plan. She would need Eve's genetic material. She would need advanced cloning technology.
She would need the soul transfer artifact. All challenging, but not impossible for someone of her intellect.
But first, she would need to approach Eve. And for that, she needed a convincing story. For from what she understands Thragg abhors traitors, and betrayel.
By doing this act without Eve's permission, she would perhaps even make Thragg despise her - the last thing she wants.
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Two days later, Roberta's mechanical avatar stood in the Teen Team's headquarters, waiting for Eve to arrive.
She had called a private meeting, claiming to have important information about the Viltrumite integration that specifically concerned Eve.
The door slid open, and Atom Eve entered, her pink costume pristine as always. "Robot? What's so urgent? Your message sounded serious."
Roberta had carefully calibrated her avatar's synthesized voice to convey the right mixture of concern and scientific detachment. "Thank you for coming, Eve. What I have to discuss is indeed serious, but also deeply personal. It concerns both of us, in different ways."
Eve's expression turned wary. "Okay... you're being cryptic, which isn't like you. Usually, you're all about direct logical statements."
"This situation calls for a more... nuanced approach," Roberta replied. "Would you accompany me to my laboratory? What I need to show you cannot be adequately explained with words alone."
Eve hesitated, then nodded. "Alright, but this better not be another one of Rex's stupid pranks. If he put you up to this-"
"Rex Splode has nothing to do with this matter," Roberta assured her. "This concerns the Viltrumite integration and our respective places within the new world order."
That got Eve's attention. She followed Roberta's mechanical avatar through the corridors of the headquarters and into a private elevator that descended deep beneath the building.
Few people knew about Roberta's true laboratory - the place where her actual body was kept.
When the elevator doors opened, Eve gasped. The laboratory was vast, filled with cutting-edge technology, much of it clearly designed for medical and biological research.
But what drew her attention immediately was the large cylindrical tank in the center of the room, illuminated with soft blue light.
And floating within it was... something human, yet not. A grotesquely malformed body, limbs withered and twisted. Only the eyes looked normal - alert, intelligent, watching.
"What... what is that?" Eve whispered, horrified and fascinated.
The mechanical avatar turned to face her. "That, Eve, is me. The real me."
"I don't understand," Eve said, taking an involuntary step back.
"I am not an artificial intelligence," Roberta explained, her synthesized voice now emanating from speakers near the tank rather than from the robot.
"I am Roberta Conners, a human being born with a rare and devastating genetic disorder.
This robot is merely an avatar I control. My real body has been confined to this life support system since I was fifteen years old."
Eve's expression shifted from shock to compassion. "All this time... we thought you were an AI. Why didn't you tell us?"
"Would it have made a difference?" Roberta asked. "Would knowing that a deformed human controlled the robot have changed how you interacted with me? Or would it have simply added pity to our professional relationship?"
Eve had no immediate answer for that. She approached the tank cautiously, studying the malformed figure within. "So all these years, you've been... trapped in there?"
"Yes. Experiencing life through cameras and sensors. Never feeling the wind on my skin or the sun on my face.
Never knowing the simple pleasure of walking on my own legs or holding something with my own hands."
The raw emotion in Roberta's synthesized voice was carefully calibrated - just enough vulnerability to evoke sympathy without seeming manipulative.
"That's... I don't even know what to say," Eve admitted. "It's horrible. But why are you telling me this now? What does it have to do with the Viltrumites?"
Here it was. The crucial moment. Roberta had rehearsed this explanation dozens of times, crafting it to appeal to Eve's compassionate nature while avoiding any hint of her true intentions regarding Thragg.
"The Viltrumites value genetic perfection," Roberta began. "They categorize individuals based on their potential contribution to society and to their species' survival.
I've been analyzing their integration protocols, and it's becoming clear that those with severe genetic defects or physical limitations like mine will eventually be classified as non-essential."
Eve frowned. "That doesn't sound right. Thragg has been surprisingly... reasonable so far. He's kept his word about medical advancements, about respecting human autonomy."
"For those he considers valuable," Roberta countered. "But what about those like me? With bodies that cannot contribute, that might even be seen as polluting the gene pool?
The Viltrumites have a history of eugenics, Eve. They culled their own population of those they deemed weak."
"That was on their planet, under different circumstances," Eve argued, but there was uncertainty in her voice.
"Perhaps. But patterns of behavior tend to reassert themselves, especially in times of crisis. And the Viltrumites are in crisis - their species facing extinction."
Roberta paused, letting Eve absorb this. Then she continued, her voice softer, more vulnerable.
"I've seen how Thragg looks at beings he considers defective or weak - with the same dispassion one might regard a broken tool. My mind is my only asset, but in this new world order, it may not be enough."
Eve crossed her arms, her expression troubled. "Okay, so you're worried about your position in the new hierarchy. I get that. But what does this have to do with me?"
"Your molecular manipulation abilities represent the pinnacle of human genetic potential," Roberta explained.
"With your DNA as a template, I could create a body that even the Viltrumites would recognize as valuable - one that houses my soul but carries your genetic gifts."
Eve's eyes widened. "You want to... clone me? And put your soul in the clone?"
"Not exactly clone you," Roberta clarified. "Use your genetic structure as a starting point for a new body - one designed to house my soul.
The body would be aged to maturity - approximately twenty-four years old - and would possess your molecular manipulation abilities, but it would be me inside, not a copy of you."
Eve's gaze shifted to a small, ornate box on a pedestal across the laboratory. "And how exactly would you transfer your... soul? That's not science, that's..."
"Something beyond conventional science," Roberta acknowledged.
"After years of research into consciousness and its spiritual dimensions, I acquired that artifact from Tibetan monks who have preserved the ancient knowledge of soul transference.
They have used it for centuries to preserve the consciousness of great spiritual leaders until a suitable new body could be found."
"You're serious about this," Eve said, her tone a mixture of disbelief and fascination.
"I have never been more serious," Roberta confirmed. "This is my one chance at freedom, Eve. My one chance to experience life as something more than a prisoner in my own flesh."
Eve looked troubled, her gaze moving between Roberta's real body in the tank and the mechanical avatar standing beside her.
"I want to help you, Robot - Roberta, I mean. But this is a lot to process. Creating a body with my powers... there are ethical considerations.
And practical ones too. Soul transference? That's beyond anything I've ever heard of."
"I understand your hesitation," Roberta said quickly. "It's an unusual request. But consider my situation, Eve.
You've never known what it's like to be trapped, to watch your body fail you day by day, to know that in the eyes of the powerful, you're becoming increasingly irrelevant."
Roberta allowed genuine emotion to seep into her synthesized voice - not difficult, given that these feelings were entirely real.
"With your help, I could finally experience life without these walls, these tubes, this constant pain. I could be useful in this new world instead of being categorized as a burden."
Eve looked at the ornate box again, curiosity evident in her expression. "This artifact... you really believe it can transfer your soul? Not just your memories or personality, but your actual... essence?"
"The monks who guarded it for centuries certainly believed so," Roberta replied. "And my research into consciousness suggests they may be right.
The nature of the soul remains one of science's great mysteries, but this artifact offers a bridge between the scientific and spiritual understanding of consciousness."
Eve paced the laboratory, clearly wrestling with the decision. "And what would you do with this new body? If it worked?"
"Continue my scientific work," Roberta said promptly. "Contribute meaningfully to humanity's adaptation to the new world order.
Perhaps even earn enough respect to advocate for others like me - those who might otherwise be marginalized in a society that increasingly values physical perfection."
This wasn't entirely a lie. Roberta did intend to continue her scientific work. She simply omitted her plan to offer herself as Thragg's chosen partner.
Eve stopped pacing and turned to face the tank. "I need to think about this. It's not a small thing you're asking."
"Of course," Roberta agreed. "Take all the time you need. But..." She paused, letting vulnerability enter her voice again.
"Time is something I may not have in abundance. The Viltrumite integration is proceeding rapidly."
Eve nodded slowly. "I understand. I'll... I'll give you my answer soon. Within a day or two."
After Eve left, Roberta allowed herself a moment of satisfaction. The meeting had gone as well as she could have hoped.
Eve's compassionate nature had been evident in her reactions, and the seeds of concern about Viltrumite attitudes toward genetic "defects" had clearly taken root.
Now she just had to wait for Eve's decision, though she was reasonably confident what it would be.
Eve had always been driven by a desire to help others. The prospect of freeing someone from a lifetime of physical imprisonment would be difficult for her to refuse.
Alone in her laboratory, Roberta returned to her study of Thragg.
She had compiled every available piece of data on him - footage of his public appearances, transcripts of his speeches, analyses of his decision-making patterns.
The more she learned, the more fascinated she became.
He wasn't just physically perfect; his mind was extraordinary as well.
His strategic thinking, his ability to adapt Viltrumite methods to human sensibilities, his balance of firmness and flexibility in establishing the new order - all spoke of an intellect that matched her own.
And there was something else, something she couldn't quite define.
A quality in his bearing, in the way he carried himself, that suggested depths beyond what was visible on the surface.
As if he possessed knowledge or experience beyond even his considerable millenia of existence.
It wasn't based on any evidence, but a... feeling. An instinct. One she saw no reason to dismiss.
"Display comparison: Thragg's behavioral patterns pre- and post-Earth arrival," she commanded.
The holographic displays shifted, showing side-by-side analyses of Thragg's known behaviors before coming to Earth (primarily from Viltrumite records made available during the integration) and after his arrival.
The differences were subtle but significant. Pre-Earth Thragg had been more rigid, more traditionally Viltrumite in his approach to governance.
Post-Earth Thragg showed greater flexibility, more willingness to adapt to human cultural contexts, more emphasis on benefits rather than just compliance.
"Fascinating," Roberta murmured. "It's almost as if he gained a new perspective upon arriving here."
This only increased her determination.
A mind like Thragg's, combined with her own intellect, could produce offspring of unprecedented cognitive capacity.
Add to that the physical perfection of Viltrumite genetics and the reality-altering potential of molecular manipulation powers, and the possibilities were limitless.
For a moment, Roberta allowed herself to imagine it - a life outside this tank, in a perfect body, standing beside the most powerful being in Creation.
Not just as his chosen partner, but as his intellectual equal. Together, they could guide the integration of human and Viltrumite societies, could shape the future of both species.
It wasn't just ambition driving her, though that certainly played a part.
It wasn't just the desire for freedom from her physical prison, though that longing burned within her every moment.
It was something more fundamental: recognition. The desire to be seen - truly seen - for the brilliant mind she was, without the barrier of her deformity or the mechanical avatar that had been her only means of interaction with the world.
Thragg, she sensed, would see her. Would recognize her intellect, her strategic mind, her vision.
Would value her not just for the body she planned to create, but for the mind that had conceived such a solution to her imprisonment.
"Run simulation: soul transfer procedure," she commanded, forcing herself to focus on the practical aspects of her plan.
The displays shifted again, showing a detailed simulation of the ritual she had researched. It was complex, requiring precise timing and perfect execution, but the theoretical framework was sound.
The Tibetan artifact would capture her soul as it left her dying body, preserving it within the vessel until it could be transferred to the new body through an ancient ceremony she had meticulously documented from the monks' teachings.
The risks were significant. If something went wrong, her soul could be lost entirely - neither in her original body nor successfully transferred to the new one.
But after decades trapped in a useless form, experiencing life only through mechanical proxies, the risk seemed worth it.
A notification appeared on one of her displays - Eve was requesting entry to the laboratory. Far sooner than expected.
"Grant access," Roberta commanded, quickly closing the displays showing her research on Thragg. No need for Eve to see just how extensively she had been studying the Grand Regent.
The elevator doors opened, and Eve stepped into the laboratory, her expression resolute.
"I've made my decision," she announced without preamble. "I'll help you."
Though she had expected this outcome, Roberta still felt a surge of triumph. "Thank you, Eve. You don't know what this means to me."
"I think I do," Eve replied, approaching the tank. "No one should have to live trapped like this. If my DNA can help give you freedom, then... I want to help."
"The procedure is minimally invasive," Roberta assured her. "I'll only need a small tissue sample - a few skin cells would be sufficient."
Eve nodded. "What do you need me to do?"
"Simply place your hand on the scanner," Roberta instructed, directing her mechanical avatar to indicate a small device on a nearby console. "It will extract a few epidermal cells, completely painlessly."
Eve did as instructed, placing her palm on the scanner. A soft blue light passed over her skin, and she felt a slight tingling sensation.
"That's it?" she asked as the scanner completed its work.
"That's it," Roberta confirmed. "From these cells, I can extract the DNA sequence I need to begin constructing the new body."
Eve looked up at the tank, at the malformed figure floating within. "How long will it take? The whole process, I mean."
"The body will take approximately three weeks to grow to full maturity," Roberta explained. "The soul transfer ritual itself will take several hours, but preparing for it will require days of meditation and spiritual alignment."
"And you're really sure it will work? That you'll really be... you... in there?"
"As sure as one can be with such matters," Roberta replied. "The monks who preserved this knowledge for centuries believed in its efficacy.
They would not have entrusted the artifact to me if they doubted my understanding of the process."
Eve nodded slowly. "I hope it works, Roberta. I really do. No one deserves to be trapped like this."
"Your compassion does you credit, Eve," Roberta said, allowing genuine gratitude into her synthesized voice. "Few would have agreed to such an unusual request."
"Well, these are unusual times," Eve said with a small smile. "With aliens ruling Earth and superheroes working alongside them, helping you get a new body seems almost normal by comparison."
After Eve had left, Roberta immediately began the process of analyzing the collected DNA. The sample was perfect - rich with the genetic markers that encoded Eve's molecular manipulation abilities.
"Begin clone synthesis," she commanded, activating the specialized equipment she had prepared for this moment. "Accelerated growth protocol, target age twenty-four years."
As the machinery hummed to life, beginning the complex process of growing a new body from the collected genetic material, Roberta returned to her study of Thragg again.
She would need to understand him completely if she was to successfully position herself as his ideal partner.
But, again, it wasn't just strategic calculation that drove her continued analysis of the Grand Regent.
There was true fascination there, a growing admiration for his intellect and vision.
In all her years of observing humanity from behind her mechanical facade, she had never encountered a mind that seemed to match her own - until now.
Perhaps that was the most surprising development of all: that beyond the practical benefits of aligning herself with the mightiest, beyond the freedom a new body would provide, she found herself genuinely attracted to Thragg himself.
It was an unexpected variable in her carefully calculated plan, but not an unwelcome one.
After all, the most successful partnerships were those based on genuine mutual interest, not merely strategic advantage.
As the cloning chamber began its work, building a perfect body cell by cell, Roberta allowed herself to again imagine the future that awaited her.
Freedom from her prison of flesh and glass. Power beyond anything she had known. And perhaps, most intriguingly, a connection with the extraordinary being who now ruled Earth.
She knows she's been thinking about this for the third time now in such a short span of time, something that is logically inefficient use of her time, but she simply couldn't stop repeating these thoughts in her head.
They were Paradisical.
For the first time in decades, Roberta Conners felt something she had almost forgotten: hope.
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Three weeks passed, during which Roberta divided her attention between monitoring the developing clone body and maintaining her normal activities with the Teen Team and Guardians of the Globe.
No one suspected what she was planning - not even Eve, who believed she was simply helping free a her from a damaged body.
The clone had developed perfectly, growing rapidly to the physical age of twenty-four under the accelerated growth protocols.
It floated in its own tank now, a flawless female form with Eve's features. Remained exact though more mature to maintain the molecular manipulation abilities.
It is in this way different enough to be distinctly her own.
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Today was the day. The Tibetan artifact was positioned between the two tanks, its ancient bronze surface gleaming in the laboratory lights.
Roberta had spent the past three days in meditation, following the monks' instructions for preparing her soul for the transfer.
"Begin final ritual preparations," Roberta commanded, her synthesized voice steady despite the enormity of what she was about to attempt.
The laboratory systems responded, the clone tank moving into position beside her own.
Robotic arms extended from the ceiling, carefully opening the ornate box that contained the soul vessel.
The artifact itself was surprisingly small - a bronze container no larger than a human heart, covered in intricate engravings that seemed to shift and change when viewed from different angles.
For a moment, doubt crept in.
What if something went wrong? What if the ritual failed, leaving her soul lost in the void between bodies? What if the monks had been mistaken about the artifact's powers?
But the alternative - remaining in this tank for whatever remained of her life, especially as the world changed around her - was unthinkable.
Better to risk everything for freedom than to accept eternal imprisonment.
"Initiate ceremonial sequence," she commanded.
The laboratory lights dimmed as the pre-programmed sequence began.
Incense burners activated, filling the air with the specific aromatic compounds the monks had insisted were necessary for the ritual.
Ancient Tibetan chants played through the laboratory speakers, the rhythmic sounds designed to guide her soul through the transition.
The artifact began to glow with a soft, golden light that seemed to emanate from within the bronze rather than reflect off its surface.
As the chanting intensified, the glow grew stronger, pulsing in time with the rhythm.
Roberta felt a strange sensation - as if her essence was being gently pulled from her malformed body.
Her vision blurred, then faded entirely. She felt weightless, formless, a consciousness without physical anchor.
For what seemed like an eternity, there was only awareness without sensation - a pure, floating consciousness, neither in her original body nor in the new one.
She could sense the artifact holding her, containing her, preserving her essence in its ancient embrace.
Then, gradually, she began to feel again. But different. So different.
She could feel. Actually feel. The cool liquid surrounding her body. The gentle pressure against her skin. The steady rhythm of her heart - her heart! - pumping blood through veins and arteries without artificial aid.
She opened her eyes - her new eyes - and saw the laboratory from a completely different perspective.
No longer was she looking out from the central tank. Now she was viewing it from the side, from the clone tank.
No, not the clone tank. Her tank. This was her body now.
Roberta lifted a hand - her hand - and watched in wonder as perfect fingers responded to her mental command. She flexed them, marveling at the sensation of muscles contracting, of skin stretching.
The artifact's glow faded, its purpose fulfilled. The soul transfer was complete.
The tank began to drain, the liquid level dropping gradually to allow her new body to adjust to the change in pressure.
As the fluid receded, Roberta felt the cool air of the laboratory on her skin for the first time - actual skin, not the malformed tissue of her original body.
When the tank was empty, the glass cylinder retracted, and Roberta took her first steps on legs that had never walked before.
There was no weakness, no uncertainty in her movements. The accelerated growth process had included muscle development and neural pathway formation for basic motor functions.
She walked to a mirror she had installed specifically for this moment and stared at her reflection.
The face that looked back at her was beautiful - similar to Eve's but with subtle differences. The hair was darker, more auburn than Eve's strawberry red.
The eyes were a deeper green. The cheekbones higher, the jaw slightly more defined.
But it wasn't just the physical appearance that struck her. It was the expression - her expression - on a face that could actually show emotion.
No more synthesized voice, no more mechanical avatar. This was her, Roberta Conners, in the flesh.
She turned to look at her original body, still floating in its tank. The malformed figure seemed smaller somehow, more pitiful. A prison she had finally escaped.
"Deactivate life support for original body," she said, her voice - her actual voice - sounding strange to her ears.
The equipment hummed as it complied, shutting down the systems that had kept her original body alive for decades.
She watched dispassionately as the malformed figure twitched slightly, then went still. It wasn't murder, she told herself. That body had never truly been her. It had been her prison, nothing more.
Now she was free. And she had work to do.
Roberta walked to a closet where she had prepared clothing for this moment - a simple but elegant outfit that would showcase her new body without being ostentatious or revealing. As she dressed, she mentally reviewed her plan.
The next step was to introduce herself to the world - or rather, to reintroduce herself. The Teen Team and the Guardians knew "Robot" as an AI in a mechanical body.
They would need to be told the truth - or at least, a version of it. That she had always been human, trapped in a deformed body, and now had found a way to transfer her soul to a new form.
Most would accept this explanation with some questions about why she looked like Eve. They would probably form theories, though if Eve herself desired it she could reveal that she aided in cloning a new body for her.
It wasn't a secret that necessitated hiding.
Though once her new identity was established, she would approach the Viltrumite breeding program. Not directly - that would be too obvious.
She would position herself as a scientist interested in studying Viltrumite-human genetic compatibility, offering her expertise to the program administrators.
Eventually, she would engineer an encounter with Thragg himself.
And when that moment came, she would be ready - a perfect physical specimen with powers rivaling the strongest human heroes, combined with an intellect that could match the Grand Regent's own.
Roberta smiled at her reflection, marveling at the way her new face expressed emotion. Yes, everything was proceeding according to plan.
Soon, very soon, she would take her rightful place in the new world order - not as a trapped mind in a useless body, not as a mechanical facade pretending to be an AI, but as herself.
Roberta Conners, reborn.
Perfect.
And perhaps, if everything went as she hoped, as the chosen partner of the Strongest.
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(Author note: Finally! I finally did it!
I am stubborn, sue me! (Not really, I'm broke, so please don't.)
Since the Sukuna fic I found this idea interesting but decided to scrap it. In the Goku Black fic I found it again not fitting, but here? Here I find it making complete bloody sense!
Though, a question, do you think Eve would actually agree if this situation was in the show? I believe she would since Eve is very compassionate, but I'm not 100% sure if that is the case in canon.
So, do tell me how you found the chapter, and I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)