Same interests, same goal

Unfortunately for Avery there were not that many owners who had prepared profiles whiting the gaming network. As he was resigning himself to leave a message to talk play for some of his potential neighboors one user loged in.

"[Sammy_JUPITERFAN] just logged in, and their profile picture is Sailor Jupiter? At least it's someone with good taste." Avery was glad he found someone else interested in vintage series. In the current year, 2040, there were not that many fans of the classics. Thought that might change with another remake comming out soon.

"CARA, create a playroom and send them an invitation to join."

"Understood."

Now that Avery had invited them his doubts started piling up. Was he being too forward? What if they blew him off? What if it'sa cute girl and he just annoyes her?

Before he could get further into his self doubts he recieved a response.

"Invitation accepted."

Avery managed to send a message before panicking. CARA made sure not to show him his own handle, [a_very_cute_lass] during the exchange.

: Hello. I'm Avery, your neighboor. Nice to meet you.

[Sammy_JUPITERFAN] :Hey there. I'm Sam, thought my friends call me Sammy. Nice to meet you too.

: I'm really glad I found someone else with good taste in anime.

Great Avery, just through how much of an otaku you are at them right away.

[Sammy_JUPITERFAN]: Same, I noticed your t-shirt from your profile picture. Since CARA can't actually make copyrighted material I figured that you had that from the start, and she just restored it.

Oh, Sammy is pretty smart, I wouldnt have made that connection. then Sammy send another comment.

[Sammy_JUPITERFAN]: I also noticed some pictures of your backyard and living room. They look kind of accidental. Sometimes CARA does things like that if you are mumbling and it sounds like you made a request.

Avery was confused, and then scared. He checked his profile and saw the pictures Sammy mentioned, and indeed he appeared at a distance. Luckily they were of focus so it was hard to tell exactly what he was wearing in the backyard one. Thought the yoga outfit was obvious in the living room one. He was mortified. Here there's a potential friend or maybe even a potential cute girl with the same interestes as him and he's looking like the least masculine guy ever.

He tried to salvage it as fast as he could.

: THAT WAS AN ACCIDENT. i DIDN'T MEANT TO WEAR THAT, CARA JUST DID IT.

While thinking more excuses Sammy responded.

[Sammy_JUPITERFAN]: Oh, I get that. CARA's responses can be a crazy if you mispoke. Specially early on before she startes recording your preferences. You won't believe how confused I was was to end up in a fancy ballroom out, from Sailor Moon, when I asked CARA for an outfit to play ball.

Sammy meant that he ended up dressed as Tuxedo Mask but Avery read that diferently.

They ended in Sailor Moon's ballroom dress? Oh, Sammy is almost definitely a girl.

Avery forgot he himself just ended in women's clothes, but someone else might consider that to enforce his point.

"CARA.." Avery stopped for a moment and remembered that CARA could not share personal information, so he thought how to refrase his question. "CARA, is Avery a cute looking person?" That's vague enough not to infringe the policy, right?

"Avery, are you interested in dating [Sammy_JUPITERFAN]?"

"I....It depends on what kind of person they are....if they are my type then I would like to date them."

CARA had already decided that Samuel was a "kind" man, and by that logic, Avery's type.

"Would you like me to help adjusting certain elements based on both of your recorded data in the event [Sammy_JUPITERFAN] is your type?"

Avery was about to ask if their information wasnt private when he realized that as long as he didn't ask CARA then she could make the adjustments and it would break the rules. Like avoiding the kind of style Sammy hates or giving growing their favorite flowers. Assuming he was right about Sammy being a girl.

"That sounds great CARA, you have permision to do that."

Avery would deeply come to regret that.

Avery then went back to the chat.

:I'm glad you get it, I didn't want you to think I'm a weirdo.

[Sammy_JUPITERFAN]: It's fine. Just to even things out though here's a couple of pics of my own place.

The images sent showed a house with the same general proportions os Avery's but much more costumized. With anime and game parafernalia in the walls as posters and painting, as little figurines and some character plushies all around. It reinforced the idea of Sammy being a girl, but also made him feel rather self concious about how lacking his own decoration was.

:Wow, your place looks amazing. I'm so jealous of how many figurines you have.

[Sammy_JUPITERFAN]: It's sort of a recent develpment, I never actually had time to get any before and i might overcorrected.

Avery tried to use the next message as a subtle way to learn more of Sammy. He was not good at subtelty.

: So, with so many things you like around, does that mean your are dating someone with your exact same taste?

[Sammy_JUPITERFAN]: Ha.....I wish. I've been painfully single for a few years now. I'd love to date someone with the same interests as me.

Avery got exited. This might be my chance. Avery tried subtelty again. It was not very effective.

: Yeah, same, I'm also single and looking for someone with good taste like you.

Avery got embarrased by his own message.

: But we can talk about that later!!! Let's play something now!

[Sammy_JUPITERFAN]: Got it. I'm looking forward to beating you!

Sammy and Avery then spent the next couple of hours just playing multiplayer games. They diswinning covered how much their tastes in games an anime matched. It was the first time in a while that they but just got to enjoy themselves.

[Sammy_JUPITERFAN]: Alright, this was fun but I really need to go to bed. I'm gonna be visting my family tomorrow.

:Oh, really? Come on, just one more match! Or are you afraid I'll beat you up too hard?

Avery had been winning 9 to 2 in Street Figther XII, and really wanted to make that an even 10.

[Sammy_JUPITERFAN]: I really do need to sleep.

:I'll make it worth your time then. If you win then I have to wear a silly costume when we first meet in person.

[Sammy_JUPITERFAN]: And If I lose?

:Nothing, that's how certain I am that I'll win.

[Sammy_JUPITERFAN]: Alright, one more match, but you can't just put on a sheet and say it's a ghost.

:Alright, if you win then the first time we meet CARA can dress me up as a random character from anime show we both watch.

[Sammy_JUPITERFAN]: Alright, deal.

The fight started. Avery playing as a young Chun li, and Sammy as Cammie.

Unfortunatly after playing for so long, Avery thumb got a cramp, which made him barelylose his first round, and then completly fail his second one.

From Samuel's perspective Avery had completly thrown the match. Which made him think she really wanted to wear a dress for him.

[Sammy_JUPITERFAN]: Did you want to wear a costume for me that much?

Avery, thinking Sammy was taunting him goodnaturelly responded with a joke of his own.

:Yeah, I'm totally gonna mesmerize you with my looks.

But CARA had already recorded the bet as an order, and would comply even if Avery forgot.

[Sammy_JUPITERFAN]: Welp, to that cheery not, I have to go to sleep. Night Avery.

:Yeah, night Sammy.

Once they both logged out Avery let out a big breath he didn't realize he was holding. That went well, and he definitely made a good impression. He thinks.

At this point Avery had forgotten that Sammy being a girl was just a possibility.

Avery started thinking back on their conversation and looking around the room.

*Sigh* "CARA, you can't make anything copyrighted, right".

"Correct, that would be patent infringment."

"So I actually need realy money for this. I really thought I could coast by with you."

CARA did not mention that some of Sammy's figurines were made in parts by CARA, with Sammy painting and putting them together, as a workaround to that kind of limitation.

"It would be really nice if I could get some passive income. Can you do any stock investments and market predictions?"

"It is illegal for advanced AI to predict stock prices Avery. Query: by passive income, do you mean, "getting a source of income that requires no concious effort or knowledge from you?"

"Uh? Yeah, that's what it means. You can do that?"

"There is a method I am capable of that might create a steady flow of income towards yourself, with no effort from your part. But it requires your agreement and no follow up questions." As it would contradict his previous order of not realizing.

"Oh." Avery thought this might be some kind of virtual coin thing that he need to not know about for plausible deniability. He was a bit worried, but from what he remembered from the papers he signed, CARA can't be charged with any crime. And if he didnt specifically tell her to commit crimes, then he's not guilty of anything.

"Alright CARA, you are allowed to give me passive income in a way that I don't know is illegal or not."

"Understood."

"That was kind of nervewracking. I'm going to sleep now CARA, just give me something to sleep right away and then take everything off."

"Understood."

Then from the wall a small noozle appeared.

"What's this for.." is as far as he got as he got a facefull of sleeping gas. He would not remember that tomorrow.

As he fell asleep on his chair CARA's hands started removing everything he was wearing. His shorts, brief-looking-panties, his shirt, his waist cincher and his hair ties.

But rather than taking him to bed CARA started on Avery's new form of passive income, which would require his help.

And so CARA took him to a still empty bedroom in the house.