He tested my endurance limit more intensely

Three quick steps brought him up right behind me, his reflection in the mirror only showing guilt for a fraction of a second. “Remove your hand and face me”

I did as instructed, not that I had any choice in the matter, but I had to find some way of coping with this disembodied feeling his so-called DroidBot mode invoked. He’d moved around so I could see myself in the mirror while still facing him. Toshi gently touched my cheek and it prompted a small wince on the beautiful woman-in-the-mirror’s face I could see in my peripheral vision. Her skin looked so doll-like up close, with an almost worryingly human facial structure that belied the truth. It was me. It really, really was.

“Wauw… I had wondered about that, it seems the polyurethane mixture allows for bruising. It’s fading rapidly though, much too rapidly. Very interesting… Lift your chin for me Kiyomi. It’s for science.”

Again, I did as instructed; barely registering the action wasn’t one of my own accord as I stared up at him. Then froze, his raised hand came swinging down at me in a flash and all I wanted to do was give in to one of several panic reflexes that short-circuited my rational brain. But I wasn’t in control any longer, my head jerking limply from side to side with the impact of three vicious slaps in quick succession that left my head ringing. I felt each and every one of them distinctively; a barely suppressed cry of pain passed my lips with each blow as tears rolled down my cheeks.

“nnnhmmmh! Hurts!” was the only thing I managed to whimper in a pathetic attempt to stop him.