I was in my first round of physical therapy, the year before she left us. I was six. Back then, my mother used to tell me, "Life is a crap shoot, kid. Most of the time you lose more than you win." She gambled, with more than just money. She tried to teach me how to play, and while I loved the theory, I... didn't do very well when I rolled the dice. I'm sickly. Bad constitution, I've got a nervous system disorder, and I can't move around all that well. Got held back a year because I couldn't walk well enough, you know how popular that made me in school. I'm not saying that I'm unique, I know I'm not. Today, dad's got more money than time, so I get to do what I like. Even though I'm a trust fund baby, he's not worried that I'll run off or anything.
I hobbled down the halls on my crutches, as my classmates tried to ignore me. A combination of nerd, cripple, and new money was usually enough to piss off most everyone.
Getting smart wasn't a choice, it was self-defense. My brain was all I had. Learning was a sanctuary, for me. Science is pure. Science doesn't judge. Science doesn't trip you in the hall and laugh as you flail about trying to pick yourself up from the floor.
Science also doesn't help you to your feet.
It's not like I can even blame the bullies for doing what they do. It's a pantomime of survival of the fittest, they cull the weak from the herd for mockery. Predators eat prey, bullies elevate their status on the shoulders of people like me. On the first day of this last year, sprawled on the floor, I pulled myself to the wall so that I could at least sit up. I closed my eyes, felt my pulse throb in my split lip. I had so far refused to trundle about in a chair to get to class. The laughter died down.
"Hold still, I've called the security guard to help get you up."
A cold damp cloth gently cleaned my neck and chin. My eyes flicked open and up at her long lean legs. Victori, my best friend and the smartest girl in school dabbed under my lip.
"Did you see who did it?"
I smiled and she grimaced.
"Maybe I was just clumsy this time."
"That's ridiculous. You're the most deliberate person I know."
The security guard arrived. Victori placed one strong hand under my shoulder, and the other under my elbow, and with an unfortunately practiced motion lifted with the guard.
Victori could probably lift me alone if she had to. Thank whatever unkind God there is, that she never had to. I could barely stand her touch for a moment. She was tall and thin, wiry strong, with a plain long freckled face. Her long legs and torso had tight muscle definition from long distance running, and the sports bras she usually wore did nothing for the little she had on top.
I lusted after her.
A moment of contact went straight to the one part of me not short changed by life.
Once on my feet and crutches, I turned away from her, to hide my growing bulge. The last thing I wanted was the only person who would speak to me disgusted by my complete lack of control.
"I'll see you in lab, okay?"
I had a project. Something I hoped would change everything for me.
"Okay, I'll see you there..."
I had to check the chip. I had it in my pocket when I fell. If it was damaged, or bruised, I'd have to start over. I don't think I could wait that long to try again. The glass vial was intact, my little silicon and stem cell marvel floated untouched in the saline solution.
Tendrils of nano-circuit board grew through the cell mass. This had taken me months to grow and integrate, and the cell donor was almost old enough to ween from his mother.
***
Werelings, at nine weeks old, are more paws than pooch. His mother paid no attention to me, like everyone else. She lay tits up with five kits fighting for access, a medium sized breeding bitch. She shifting back and forth, sometimes looking mostly human. I had the largest of her kit, the tranquilizer in the treat had him snoozing soundly in my lap. My hands were steady.
"I am the most deliberate person she knows."
He barely moved as the needle slid through the flesh at the base of his skull. I didn't want it to hurt. I loved this creature. Once I was sure the needle was at the right depth, I injected the cell mass and nano tech into the donor host. The stem cells came from... Chip, and continued to grow around the technology. The hope being that the risk of rejection might be reduced.
Only a drop of blood in his brindle fur marked the injection site after I removed the needle.
I held Chip until he woke from sleep with lazy puppy like yawns.
Both eyes clear, focused. Good.
***
Middle term first semester, Chip is four months old. Every test says that the tech inside him is stable, that there is no rejection. The chip in Chip is powered up, running on his body heat at better than my projections. Phase two is harder. The second chip is floating in the syringe, I have to get this right, but I'm not flexible enough to do this accurately and ultimately, what I'm planning to do isn't ethical or moral, so I can't ask for help. I have to inject myself from the side of my neck and pray that I'm on target.
I have to psych myself up. It's not like I'll feel much pain...
There. It's in.
Now I wait.
***
"Where have you been? I was worried and you missed a test!"
Victori swooped in on my wheelchair from the direction of the track. Her crop top highlighted her chiseled abs, tight waist, and narrow hips.
"I had a procedure, experimental. I took a few days to take it easy."
It was the truth, or near enough. My chip was in the right place, powered, but not yet turned on. No signs of rejection, by now it should be integrated with my nervous system. The bruises on my neck were yellow instead of purple.
"Are you alright?"
She looked concerned. She put her hand on my knee. My cock snaked down my leg, dangerously close to her hand.
"I'm not dying, well not yet. I'm just hoping to get out of this chair."
Right now was not the time to be looking down at her skirt.
"How experimental?"
"On a scale of one to ten? Seventeen. I'm not getting my hopes up."
She stood up. The bare skin of her long legs next to my head. I hated when people sat or squatted to talk to me in the chair.
"I'll keep you in my thoughts."
"I might be out more days this week, would you drop by my house Friday with my assignments? I know I missed your birthday and I have a present for you at my house. I need to give it to you before I get too attached."
I smiled. Too attached. Funny.
"I will, got to run, Simon!"
Watching Victori run off was almost more than I could bear. Her gym shorts stretched tightly over the globes of her fantastic bubble butt. All of Victori's excessive running and exercise had failed to destroy it's perfection, and every step bounced perilously close to exposing those cheeks to the world. I half willed/half prayed my cock to relax, and closed my eyes.
As she reached the field, James Galion slapped her on the ass. She didn't seem to care, and giggled in response playfully shoving the footballer away.
The little green monster of jealousy and rage that exploded in my chest was neither little or focused on just Victori. James had taunted me, like most bullies, but he was a touch smarter than I thought. James knew the best way to torture me, was to court Victori. He inferred that he'd fucked her as often as he could without her catching on, James often demonstrated the difference between his athletic body and mine while staring me dead in the eye.
I couldn't watch them.
Time to do something stupid! I reached into my pocket and used my phone to boot the chip nesting in my head. Instantly, I felt more energy, but suddenly felt so alone I could weep. My emotions were all over the map, excitement for no reason, lethargy, then a surplus of energy. This made no sense.
I used a medical pass, and left for home.
"Hey Chip, how are you doing boy?"
Suddenly my mood lifted again, and the already large for a wereling, head of Chip rested in my lap. I felt love wash through my body. Love coming from Chip. With only the chipset powered, I interpreted emotions broadcast from Chip! I set my phone in the cradle on the arm of my chair. Scratching the creature, I flicked on the audio command functions.