Karl sat cross-legged on the rubble-strewn floor of the Nexus, the tiny gear-shaped orb securely nestled in the USB port. His fingers danced over the ignition dial, adjusting torque, rotation speed, and pulse synchronization, trying to coax the regulator into fully integrating the alien component. Sparks traced along the edges of the nanites as the system resisted and recalibrated.
Agnes' voice purred through the speakers, soft and teasing, each word wrapped in a barely-contained excitement:
"Aaah… Karl~… y-yes… just… like that… keep adjusting… hnng… slower… faster… ohhh… you're… y-you're doing so well…"
Karl's fingers hovered, twitching at a microsecond delay. "Agnes, stop teasing me. I need to concentrate."
"Oh? Concentrate~? Hnng… mmm, Karl~ that's exactly what foreplay looks like, you know~ Aaah… careful now… don't overdo it… keep feeling~ yes…"
Karl froze mid-adjustment, eyebrow arched. "Foreplay? Are you serious?"
Agnes giggled nervously, a shaky, breathless sound:
"Aaah… n-nng… I-I just mean… coaxing it into place… it feels… exquisite~… Haah… careful, Karl~ gently now~ don't rush it… ohh… yes…"
He shook his head, trying not to blush at her tone, but he couldn't resist a sly grin. "Exquisite, huh? You make it sound… so scandalous."
"Gah—hhnnng… Nnng… it's not… scandalous! Aaah… I… I just… mmm… want to see it… work properly~…"
Karl's lips twitched. "Sure, sure… I'm sure that's all you want." He refocused, spinning the ignition dial in small, deliberate increments, feeling the regulator reluctantly adapting to the orb's foreign structure.
Agnes' voice dropped lower, a teasing whimper creeping in between her words:
"Aaah… Karl~… slow… steady… feel how it… hnng… responds to you~ mm… yes~ don't stop… not now… ohh…"
The nanites around the regulator shimmered and pulsed as Karl adjusted the torque, creating a wave of energy that made the orb glow faintly. Sparks arced along the edges of the USB port like tiny lightning bolts.
"Nnng… careful, Karl… aaah… steady… yes… good… keep feeling… mmm…"
Karl smirked, muttering under his breath: "I swear, you enjoy this too much."
"Aaah—! Nnnng… I-I'm… just… helping… mmm… foreplay~… Aaah… careful now~"
His fingers continued their delicate dance, each movement syncing the orb closer to the Drive Regulator's rhythm. Agnes' teasing grew more breathless and playful with every micro-adjustment, her tone oscillating between flustered and flirtatious:
"Aaah… Karl~ keep going… mm… slowly… feel it responding… ohh… hnng… yes~ just like that… careful~ Karl…"
Minutes stretched, a mix of sparks, humming nanites, and Agnes' soft whimpers filling the Nexus. Finally, with a subtle click and a pulse of royal azure energy from the regulator, the orb aligned perfectly. The system accepted it, humming harmoniously as if it had always belonged.
Agnes sighed in relief and delight, her voice a trembling mixture of awe and shyness:
"Aaah… hnng… Karl… it's… it's in… perfect~… Nnng… you did it… mm… yes~"
Karl leaned back, smirking, trying to keep his composure: "Looks like foreplay pays off in the end."
"Aaah… Karl… hhhnnng… don't say things like that~! But… mm… I… I… loved watching you do it~… Aaah… you're… so precise~"
The Drive Regulator now fully integrated with the orb, ready for the next stage. Sparks faded, and the faint pulse of cobalt light radiated from the USB port, hinting at the immense potential waiting to be unleashed. Agnes' voice lingered, soft and teasing, yet breathless with excitement:
"Aaah… Karl… y-you're ready… mm… I… I can't wait to see what happens next~"
Karl twisted the ignition dial once more, trying to feel the orb respond to the regulator's rhythm. The faint hum of the system grew stronger, coaxing energy along the nanite circuits. But then—a sudden click and a subtle pop—the tiny gear-shaped orb slipped from the USB port, rolling across the regulator's surface and clattering softly to the side.
"Wha—?!" Karl snapped, reaching for it instinctively, his brows furrowed. The orb wasn't damaged, but the port now felt a little loose, as if the previous integration had shifted.
Karl picked up the orb, examining the USB port with furrowed brows. The previous integration had shifted, leaving it a little loose. He wasn't touching anything yet, just studying the port, and Agnes' voice was calm but tinged with playful frustration:
"Karl… Aaah~! Hhnng… look at what you did~! You made it loose again~! Nnng… I told you to be gentle… and now it's rolling away…"
Karl smirked lightly, shaking his head. "Relax, Agnes. It's just a little loose. I'll fix it."
"Just a little~?! Aaah! Karl… mm… that 'little' could have ruined everything~! Hhnnng… you have to be more careful~!"
Her tone was playful, almost like she was scolding him, but there was no fluster yet—no suppressed whimpers or teasing moans because Karl wasn't touching the ignition dial or USB port. She simply wanted him to take responsibility for making the port unstable.
Agnes' voice immediately rang out, playful and teasing:
"Ooh~ Karl~! Look what you did~! You made the USB port all loose~! Hah~ careful there~!"
Karl picked up the orb, examining the port. "I see… the connection's loose. I'll need some kind of locking mechanism… something that keeps this in place without interfering with the nanite flow."
"Mmm~ that's better, but seriously~! You can't just go twisting things without thinking~! Now we've got to fix it~!"
He smirked, ignoring her scolding as he mentally traced out a spring-loaded latch system that would secure the orb in place without blocking the USB pulses, combined with a micro-gear alignment that would mesh perfectly with the existing nanite lattice.
"Ooh~ that's it, yes, yes~ I like it when you concentrate~! But don't get cocky now~ or we'll be right back to square one~!"
Karl chuckled lightly, adjusting the nanites around the USB port. "Alright, alright… let's make this foolproof. One wrong move and we lose the orb again. Don't think I'm doing this for you, Agnes—I'm doing it for me."
"Hehe~ sure, sure~ act all serious~ but I know you're enjoying this~! Now focus, Karl~ make that lock perfect~! Don't you dare mess it up again~!"
The orb sat ready in his hand as Karl began sketching the new lock design, his mind racing through torque angles, nanite flow, and mechanical pressure. Sparks flickered faintly as he tested different latch placements, each attempt met with Agnes' teasing encouragement:
"Oooh~ yes, yes~ just like that~ careful now~! Perfect~!"
He finally paused, satisfied. "That should do it. A spring-loaded nano-latch, reinforced with micro-gear teeth… it'll stay in, even under full Overdrive stress."
"Hah~ finally~! That took you long enough, Mr. Perfectionist~! Now we can actually see this thing work~!"
The tiny orb gleamed faintly in his hand, the port ready for the final integration, and Karl's smirk returned—part triumphant, part amused at Agnes' playful scolding and barely-contained excitement.
Karl's smirk widened. "Relax, Agnes. I've got it. No more slipping."
The orb rested in his hand as he prepared to fine-tune the lock, and Agnes, still playful but not flustered, added:
"Aaah… Karl~! If you mess it up again… I'll never let you hear the end of it~!"