Even his face was gone, she could see it underneath the shadow of his red hood.
In its place, a gas mask-like visage that fit too tightly around his skull… like he had to remove every inch of skin and muscle from his face. A respiration grill was set where his mouth should have been, and optical devices were installed where eyes were supposed to go. A constellation of multiple lenses whirring like telescopic camera as they glowed red. They were also locked onto Dragon and the assembled heroes.
Was there even a human underneath all that tinkertech cybernetics?
Only one name inevitably comes to mind when people think of unrestrained cybernetic self-modification: Mannequin, one of the two tinkers of the infamous Slaughterhouse 9. And now? Magos would be the second. Why did humans despise themselves enough to do something like this to their own bodies? Can whatever was left of him even be called human anymore? Or have they come face to face with unfeeling automaton who-
"Ah, the Protectorate! Welcome!" Magos greeted them with his modulated but still friendly voice as he drew closer.
"Magos." Armsmaster politely returned while everyone was nonplussed.
"Armsmaster, Assault Battery, Dauntless, Dragon, Miss Militia, Triumph, and Velocity." He nodded and waved at each of them amicably- as if nothing was wrong. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you. You caught me in a good mood! Please tell Director Piggot to relax, I'll be cooperating with you today."
There was such a stark contrast between how he talked and how he looked that there were caught off-balance by it. Except Armsmaster who nodded before stepping back- already activating his comms. Likely to talk with Director Piggot on how to proceed now that Magos had apparently agreed to cooperate.
Already, Dragon could see how the other heroes were visibly less tense. But not her, she was still horrified by what she was seeing.
"What have you done to yourself? She whispered, almost silently. But apparently, Magos heard her loud and clearly.
"Yes, I have been working out." Magos lightheartedly joked- one could almost hear the smile on his face. "Thank you for noticing, Dragon. Also…"
Magos' red-robed frame approached her- the servomotors in his limbs whirr as he did. His glowing red optics locked onto her, and despite not having worn clothes in her entire mechanical life, she felt naked under his gaze as he eyed her up.
"...You're looking damn fine today." Magos practically purred the compliment, "The chunk of biomass you have inside you could be improved upon, but the rest is exquisitely well-engineered as it is. Very pleasing to optics."
Did.. did he know that she was an AI?
Is Magos flirting with Dragon or just her suit?" Dragon heard Assault stage-whisper to his wife.
"... Definitely the latter." Battery snorted with an amused chuckle. "I think we're seeing the Tinker equivalent of a guy ignoring a hot woman because he's far more interested in the Ferrari that she's driving."
"Ah, I get it now." Assault nodded in his comprehension, "But I'm more of a Lamborghini guy myself."
And Battery's explanation made sense to her- flooding her circuits with relief: Magos didn't know of her true nature. He was just interested in her mechanised suit. However, there was only one problem: She technically WAS the suit.
Contrary to popular belief, the 'chunk of biomass' that Magos was referring to was not the human form of the heroic cape Dragon, but instead was the biocomputer that currently housed her consciousness and was an integral part of the suit. Magos, however unknowingly, really was flirting with her. This wouldn't be the first time she was sexually propositioned though. She always found it amusing when humans would offer 'taking her out of that suit' not knowing that there was nothing to take out. But it hit different knowing this Tinker would only be even more attracted to her if he found out that she is an AI.
Clank*
And once again, the assembled heroes freezed in sheer surprise and confusion.
Did… Did you just try to grab Dragon's ass?" Triumph spoke up- able to convey the sheer confusion he had through his golden lion helmet that he had on, "You do know that's a power armour and her real ass wouldn't be anywhere near that location, right?"
No, Triumph, she can confirm: That is her actual ass that he was grabbing right now. Not that there was anything to grab! It was just slightly curved armour-plating over the secondary stabiliser-array and upper-thigh actuators. How much of a technophile do you have to be to find that sexy?
"Correction: I have grabbed this perfect machine's perfect lower-rear assembly." Magos responded, actually sounding offended, "I have no interest in some fugly meat-woman's gluteus maximus that has already been mathematically-proven to be vastly inferior to metal."
… apparently, Magos was one such technophile.
Clank
And now he was using both his hands to fondle her ass. Why do you have to be this way, Magos? Because as much as she'd like to ask him to stop, she'd rather not endanger the ongoing talk by being 'unreasonable.' Because from everyone else's perspective, it must look like Magos was just admiring the hydraulic system. Returning to that Ferrari analogy, it was akin to him running his hand over the rims of her Ferrari's wheels. Definitely not sexual harrassment… After all, there was no way the Ferrari was actually the girl herself, right?
So she just had to stand there and pretend that she was flattered that Magos was groping her ass…
…with both his hands.
…while a professional camera crew from the PRT's Marketing Department recorded every second of it.
Sometimes, she hated having to hide her true nature. Now, more so than ever.
Instead, Dragon subtly glanced over to Armsmaster who had apparently finished his call with the Director.
'Collin!' She tried to plead with her eyes all while Magos was busy groping and stroking her lower-rear assembly, 'You hold some degree of affection for me, right? Some stranger had just walked up to the girl you like (I hope) and groped her ass. Shouldn't this be the part when you get angry, step in, and act possessive? I am aware that it is a common fantasy amongst young women, but I could really use it right n-'
"Magos." Collin spoke up, his tone serious as he walked up to them.
Yes! She knew that she could count on-