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"After all I've put you through? Everything I've done to you? The fucked up shit I made you do? That's it? You miss your fucking chance for revenge? Fucking insect..."

After the deregulation of the biotech industry in 2060, the world radically changed. The following years brought revolutionary technology to market through products aiming to enhance humankind. Bionic prothesis, DNA modifiers and even cloning rapidly democratized as the masses enjoyed the benefits of these once controversial fields. While most of these technologies became widely accessible by 2070, some remained too taboo to make their way to mass market.

For those who could afford it, the biotech black market was a reality. The most powerful tech you could find in the world was sold there at at an insane price with the benediction of the companies researching and developing them in the first place. It was all illegal, but considering the type of products you could find on these underground markets, you'd have to be foolish to snitch on anyone who knew about its existence.

From pills able to destroy a human being at an atomic level in seconds, to portable cloning devices, the kind of tech you could find on the black market were enough to make whoever bought it even more powerful than they already were.

Nya had never been part of the rich and powerful. For her, even the legal biotech enhancements were just a fantasy. Nya was a dancer - the kind that gets paid in cash after a long night shift. She enjoyed her job but always desired more, as the rich customers came and left the establishment she worked in, flaunting obscene amounts of credits as they tipped the high-ranking personnel. 

One night, Nya was stopped in her tracks by a young brunette as she was getting ready to leave. The woman was stunning, dressed in designer clothes, perched on stiletto so thin they could stab a man. However, Nya could clearly tell she was hammered after a night of partying. No matter how much she insisted, the young woman wouldn't let go. Her name was Lily, and she had decided to bring Nya out for one last drink before she'd head back home.

When Nya looks back on this night all these years ago, she can barely remember it. Lily had managed to convince her to get that drink and the next thing Nya could remember was waking up before the first morning lights. The bed sheets were as soft as satin, the room around her completely foreign. Right next to her, she could hear the soft breathing of who she assumed was Lily deeply sleeping. Nya knew better than to stick around. She knew that if anything had happened, it didn't mean much to someone like Lily. So, the dancer got up, grabbed her dress and headed out. 

Before she left, something caught Nya's eye on the bedside table. A device she had only heard of, that she didn't believe actually existed. Unable to resist her curiosity, the dancer grabbed it and looked at the holoscreen. She was met with her own face on the device. 

"That fucking bitch..." Nya thought to herself realizing what Lily had done. Her fears were confirmed by what she was seeing. This was a portable cloning tool. A device rumored to be able to scan a person without any physical contact and allow their replication within the device itself. The tool was highly illegal, as into the wrong hands, it could represent a grave danger. Unfortunately, only wrong hands had the money to buy something like this and Nya had just seen first hand the consequences it could have. 

"She wanted to have her own little clone of me, well we'll see who get the last laugh." Nya fumed to herself. She proceeded to delete her own scan from the device. Under the cover of night and in perfect silence, she launched a scan of the woman who so desperately seemed to want her companionship earlier that night. Once the scanning bar reached 100%, Nya left on the tip of her toes.

Nya's vision was blurry. Her ears were ringing. Right in front of her, she could see the dirty ceiling of the cheap hotel room she was staying in. It wasn't in her habits to travel cheap these days, but her client was easily scared away and it was the only point of rendez-vous he would accept. Nya left her memories to refocus on the moment. She was no dancer anymore. Today she traded in unobtainable secrets, with the help of a little device she acquired from "a friend".

Right now, Nya had no time to waste in reveries, she had to get back up soon before her opponent struck again. It was a fight she couldn't lose. In pain, the former dancer rose back up with grace despite the wounds and bruises covering her body.

"You can punch little girl! Could you do that before? Or is it all these years you've spent rubbing my feet that made you this strong?" Nya couldn't resist taunting her opponent. 

"Fuck you! You're not her, don't be mistaken. Are you having trouble making the difference bitch? Think she won't snap your neck after we're done? You're disposable, dummy. And the worst part? You keep doing that horrible thing to yourself, as if it wasn't bad enough to do it to others... I'd never have-" the brunette shouted back before taking a right hook to the chin sending her flying and hitting the floor. Before she could even react, Nya was already all over her, punching wherever her guard was down. She had lost. Again.

"You'd never do what? I didn't hear you with all that blood in your mouth. You talk big for someone so small." Nya snapped at her opponent. She was ready to throw another punch in the brunette's face but realized she wasn't resisting anymore.

"Again? After all I've put you through? Everything I've done to you? The fucked up shit I made you do? That's it? You miss your fucking chance for revenge? Fucking insect... You did deserve everything that happened to you. Well, technically it never happened to you, you fucking copy." Nya softly whispered, slightly disappointed the fight would once again end like this, but not surprised of the outcome.

"C'mon, get the fuck up and go lick my shoe to remind me you're worth keeping. Maybe this time, I'll find little Lily too fucking pathetic to keep and I'll finally erase your data from the cloner. But really, your chances are low..." Nya finally stated before heading towards herself - her real self. She had done her job, she knew she had to die now. Even though she told herself that she would live on, she knew it was a lie to bear the pain. Nya would live on. She would disappear.

She looked back towards Lily. The brunette was crying. And right now, as she walked towards her end, she could feel pity for the fate she had received. However, Nya would never feel this pity, and Lily would keep on suffering.

It's all very clear right? Nya is Nya, but she's not. And Lily is Lily, but she's not. Having a copy of everything you are at a certain point in time and see your own self move on while you stay behind and tiny must be a fate worst than death. But, digital minds make for a good size twist ;)

I hope you enjoyed this new piece! It was inspired by a story I read a long time ago but was never able to find again. If by some miracle, it rings a bell, I'm happy to hear from you. Also, if you enjoyed this story, feel free to let me know - it helps a lot! :)