Standing in the display case Matt wished the staff would at least change his pose. Part of that wish was the embarrassment of the people walking by seeing him caught mid stroke in masturbating. The second, larger part, of the wish was for something to change. His unmoving eyes were forever pointed across the aisle at the display of jockstraps, speedos, and fleshlights that were apparently also transformed people.
The only variation in each day were the people who were shopping, though there were not a large number of them. Matt wondered sometimes how well selling objects that used to be people worked as a business strategy. Some of the customers were timid men who looked around very little as if afraid they would be recognized. One of these had inadvertently looked him straight in the eyes and been frightened until he realized Matt did not move. Then there were excessively casual ones who tried not to look like they were at all interested as they checked out items. Some people checked him out as if weighing their bank accounts. A few thought he was funny or took pictures.
After several weeks Matt figured out how to create a plain text file. It was sort of like trying to memorize something as a human, but it felt more structured. It was weird. He was not sure if this was an ability that he had discovered or if he was somehow becoming more of a robot. The second possibility was not a pleasant thought, but he wrote to the file anyway starting with keeping track of the days by the times when the lights were turned down and a sort of diary. Just three days later he was recognized.
Matt saw the way the customer was walking and had a few moments to think, 'Hey that seems familiar. Who does he remind me of? Maybe a bit like Lewis. No, it is Lewis. That is his dirty blonde hair, his rail thin physique. his height, it is definitely Lewis. Oh god, Lewis. Is he going to see me? Please look this way Lewis. Please, I do not care what you think, just see me.' Lewis was looking at the fleshlights giving the other side to the aisle barely a glance. He actually stood with his back to the display case for a good two minutes that were pure agony to Matt.
Then Matt had the pleasure and pain of seeing Lewis look at him in all his self-pleasuring glory. If he could, he would have blushed from his eyes to his toes. Lewis looked at him and then looked at the price at the base of his case, and started to walk away, but took a second look at Matt's face. Lewis then pulled out his phone and made a call that he hung up on without saying anything. Then another call, "Uh, Rachel have you seen Matt lately? No? Uh-huh. No, no, just wondering."
Then Lewis walked away. Matt mentally lost his shit at that moment and was very depressed for the next day. He was sure that no one who cared about him would either see him or rescue him, this whole situation was too unbelievable for anyone to take seriously.
The next day, though, the employee walked up to his case with Lewis!
"This robot?" asked the assistant.
"Yeah, uh, can you tell me who he used to be? Because, like, everything here used to be a person, right?"
"Yes, all of our products used to be people, but why are you interested in who this one used to be?"
"Well.. uh, he looks like my friend Matt." In silence Matt was elated, he had been recognized. Was he getting out of here?
The employee pulled out a data pad and looked at it for a few moments, "Yes, this robot used to be named Matt. He transformed himself into this sex bot about two months ago. If you are interested in buying him we do have a discount program for friends or family. We like there for be happy endings here at the Chronovac Outlet Store." He said the words with a bit of effort, but there was just a little bit of a cynical reading the script vibe in the way he said them.
Lewis brightened up a bit at the mention of a discount. "Uh, yeah, I am. Interested in buying him."
"Wonderful. If you come with me we can discuss options and instructions for your device." Turning to Matt to give him the smallest amount of attention he said, "Unit #087, Head to engineering for reprogramming."
Matt renewed his efforts to find some trick to take control of his body as he had most days of his robotic existence. No new miracle presented itself and his body pulled away from its plug with no grace, at the same time ending the orgasmic sensation. He heard Lewis saying something about not needing reprogramming as he walked by, but he was distracted by the sensation of his completely involuntary movement. Eventually he came to a stop next to a computer workstation and stood at attention for several minutes.
Someone came into the room and slid open the covering on the back of his neck inserting something into USB. He felt the connection to the computer in his mind. Matt was wondering what was happening and where Lewis was and what would happen next until he heard the voice of the assistant behind him.
"Just relax, this is only a minor adjustment to prepare you for a new owner. You thinking about everything just makes this harder, and yes I can see your internal dialogue and some of your thought processes on my computer readout. Your friend even asked us to change you back. But since that is not possible he's just doing the minimal setting changes."
Matt tried to quiet his thoughts both because he was somewhat reassured and for the sake of privacy. His operating system did not give him the privilege of seeing what was being altered, but he could feel files opening in some way. And then it was written into his programing, that his owner was updated to being Lewis and his designation changed from sexdoll #087 to Matt.
The relief was enormous and it looked like he was really getting out of this store! Matt was still processing his happiness when he felt the USB plug disconnect, he was now alone with his own mind again. Well, 'his' mind - it felt incredibly dangerous to have everything about his mind available to be altered.
"Right, you're all ready now. It seems like your friend really likes you, he spent enough to buy you. Anyway, I've gotta go so... hope it all works out for you."
Matt felt the man pat his shoulder. It was a cursory gesture, but Matt was so starved for human contact after who knew how long on display that it felt like an incredibly intimate gesture. Then he was alone again. It was a few minutes before he detected footsteps again. Lewis looked shy, like he didn't know what to do next.
“Well, um. So you look good Matt. I didn't know.. I.. Well let's get going. I have to figure out what to do with you..."