"I'm right behind you."

The Attic is like Geppetto's workshop, if Geppetto had a fascination with fake penis'. The shelves that line the wall are covered in dildos and vibrators of numerous materials, shapes and sizes. Some are split open, their electronic interiors spilling out, and some were parts, unrecognisable as to what they belonged it. Muddled in were bits of circuit board and wires or cables strewn about the place. Boxes were pushed in the corners of the room, containing twisted metal and all sorts of bits and pieces.

But what drew the eye was the back of the room. The attic spanned the entire house and so was relatively large. A the back was the biggest bank of computer screens you've ever seen. Each one glowed with graphs and figures, incomprehensible to anyone other than your Grandfather surely. Beside the monitors standing against the back wall is an odd four lumped shape, roughly your height, covered with a sheet.

Your Grandfather walks confidentially through the mess, his feet falling into previously made footprints in the dust. You follow eagerly, looking all around in wonder. Your Grandfather rakes a hand through his white hair and examines the board of monitors, pushing his thin framed glasses further up onto his face.

"Seems like everything is operating normally." he mutters to himself. He turns to you, his hands slipping into the pockets of his dark brown trousers. "My latest, greatest, biggest project I've ever worked on. My life long ambition, my dream, is currently sitting under that sheet. Please... do me the honour of unveiling it for the first time."

Your heart pounds in your chest, and with wide eyes, you gingerly reach out and take a hold of the sheet. With one hard pull, you yank off the sheet which pools at your feet as you gasp, unable to believe your eyes.

There are four people staring at you with blank expressions.

There are two men and two women, dressed in casual loose clothing. They each had youthful faces, the men standing about a foot taller than the two women. Their features are flawless, truly beautiful people, and so lifelike that you have a hard time believing they aren't real. So much so that you have to ask,

"These... are sextoys?"

Your Grandfather laughs, a real belly chuckle. "Well, yes and no. You see your Grandmother loved the idea of a sex toy that really understood what she liked and disliked. Sex machines are great fun but they always need someone to operate them, but if there could be some kind of intelligence behind it, then you could turn them really into solo experiences. Of course at the time, this was a challenge but when I retired at an early age, I decided it would become my focus. These four are the results of that research."

He stands proudly beside his creations as he talks, looking more youthful than you've ever seen him before.

"They are a complete simulation of human interaction. They are designed to give pleasure, but they also have a desire to be 'pleasured' as well, and so they enjoy and encourage a more give and take sexual relationship like a real human would. But I was hoping for a slightly grander vision than just a sexual relationship. They should also be able to simulate friendship, a confidant to talk to, a carer and servant. They're not meant to replace people in employment, but more of a friendly companion."

He smiles at you knowingly, and it slowly dawns on you where this conversation may be heading.

"Now, I know you've been waiting patiently for your Christmas present so here it is. I want you to have one of these, to test it for me. You don't have to do anything with it you don't want to or find too weird, but talk to it, set it tasks, play games or whatever you want. It may be a little buggy at times so just give me a call if you have any problems. What do you think?"