White Tiger

Kimimaro left the awkwardly standing Tiana and approached the doctor who by now writting something on his huge notebook with chaotic calculations.

Formula upon formula appeared on the book as Vegapunk seemingly lost his thought because of the current event.

"Dr.Vegapunk, please calm down. Please share your concern, maybe i can help..." 

Looking at Kimimaro, Vegapunk stopped his manical behavior and sighed, 

"This shouldn't happen, i don't remember setting up a password before i left, the only key to enter my facility was only body scanner. I should granted an access immediately after the scan was done. but, sigh* I don't get it...." 

Kimimaro thought for a little while before he spoke, "i notice that there was a mechanical voice of a woman asking for password, what are those doctor?" 

"Its Stella, before i left, i created an Artificial Inteligent to monitor and manage my facility, i don't understand if it could be malfunctioning." 

Instead of responding, Kimimaro asked, 

"if you don't mind, why it sounded like a woman?" 

Vegapunk doesn't have any idea on why Kimimaro asked these question, however, he explained it anyway. 

"That's because i set her up that way, woman was meticulous creature, i thought by giving the A.I a woman personality, it could help me manage my facility impacably..." 

Kimimaro smiled as he tried to reasoned his conjecture, "Could it be your A.I is upset because you had left her for too long?" 

Hearing Kimimaro, Vegapunk were visibly stunned, A.I was an A.I right? how could it have an emotion? 

Before Vegapunk retort him, Kimimaro added, "...Could it be possible that while you left, Your A.I learn by itself, the so-called self learning and now she had become...." 

"...Sentient..." Vegapunk was shocked after they arrived at such conclusion! 

However, there was almost no explanation regarding his barred on entry access to the facility because he was told that the Password was wrong! Vegapunk was more than sure that he didn't set any password behind before he left!

And so, The doctor did what he does best! Trying to find a feasible answer using his notebook. He focused on using the probability formula and other mind-boggling amount of calculations to see if such posibility exist. 

Looking at Vegapunk who had turned into calculation machine, Kimimaro sighed as he looked toward the group. Most of them had begun to develop frostbite on their skin, trembling due to declining temperature, so he used his ability to create a huge dome to cover his crews and ordered them to make some fire as Vegapunk was too immersed in his own frenzy.

when afternoon came, Vegapunk stopped what he was doing as he contemplating his final result. 

Seeing the result percentage wasn't zero, Vegapunk began to ponder if Kimimaro's words were true after all? His self created A.I system had turned sentient! If its true, then it could mean that he had reached another discovery breakthrough in scientific world once again. 

Alas, instead of feeling happy, his thought was complicated, after he created the A.I, Vegapunk left the base as he joined MADS, the group consisting mostly of scientist of the world to do scientific research together albeit illegally. 

That would means that he had left Stella for almost a decade! if Stella had gained sentient in this timespan, he could understand if she resented him because of this. 

Vegapunk once again looked towards the steel gate now with complicated thought, he was pure scientist, as for how to console the opposite sex despite it was being an A.I, his brain couldn't keep up!

So, he turned his head back only to see Kimimaro stood behind him in guard and behind the later stood a dome made out of bones protecting his crew against the cold wind. 

once again, Vegapunk was amazed by his toughtfullness. Taking a deep breath Vegapunk stood up and face the young marine, his face was serious and said, 

"The result shows that your conjecture has some posibility to happen, Kimimaro-kun. It's just...." 

Vegapunk paused as he felt awkward all of sudden, Kimimaro was keen enough to notice the doctor hesitation and spoke, 

"Well, i must say congratulations in advance then doctor. So? What're you waiting for?" 

Kimimaro thought was simple, if the A.I Stella had gained sentient, Vegapunk could just apologize to her and admit his wrong straight and simple, Why the hesitation? 

Vegapunk hesitate slightly before he sighed, "...I don't know how to proceed. Do you have any idea?" 

Kimimaro was stunned before he smiled, just when he was about to give the doctor some suggestion, someone had beaten him into it from behind. 

"Just apologize doctor, isn't that simple?" 

"Tiana-kun?" Vegapunk was surprised seeing Tiana who unknowingly had already behind Kimimaro spoke.

Tiana huffed as she took a step forward and continued her words. 

"Apologize, If that Stella had indeed gained sentient, just apologize to her and admit your wrongdoing as a man!" Tiana folded her arms under her bossom in prideful manner. 

Kimimaro smiled gratefully as Tiana had indeed conveyed his own thought clearly regarding the solutions. 

Even though the probability of Stella gaining sentient was abysmal, he had an inklings that it was true, he doesn't think that Vegapunk with his devil fruit ability could forgetting such an important matter such as password of his own base.

Vegapunk looked towards Tiana pretty face and Kimimaro back and forth for a while, seeing their serious face, Vegapunk gritted his teeth and walked toward the steel gate once again. 

Red scanner appeared briefly for the 3rd time, then the A.I Stella mechanical voice appeared once again, 

"Password...." 

Vegapunk looked toward the gate with complicated thought, and soon after he gritted his teeth he shouted,

"I'M SORRY!!!" 

After Vegapunk said his sorry, the usual voice telling him 'Wrong Password' didn't appear! Instead it was silent. 

Vegapunk felt so surreal as their conjecture had turned into fruition, Stella had indeed gained Sentient! 

However, the steel gate still didn't open. So, Vegapunk spoke loudly, his voice was tinged with remorse and guilt, 

"I'm sorry Stella, i never thought that you will turn sentient right after i left. It was never crossed my mind when leaving you here without any prior news. I was wrong, if only i know that you will become like this, maybe i...." 

*Psssshhhh....

Even before Vegapunk finish his sentence, The base steel gate released preasurized steam out of its joint, soon, the huge steel gate open slowly revealing a bright corridor of his base as if welcoming its owner back home! 

Vegapunk was stunned before his face regained its color as huge smile appeared on it. 

However, he still have some reservation before he step inside, then he asked, 

"Do you forgive me?" Uncertainty could be heard from his voice. 

Then, Stella mechanical voice could be heard once again, now less mechanical and more humanlike! Different from her voice just minutes ago. 

"...Welcome home Dr.Vegapunk, Stella at your service..." 

Hearing Stella welcoming him, Vegapunk felt huge relief washed over him. Then, with confident gait he walked inside the facility. 

"Everyone, lets go inside!" Vegapunk didn't forget Kimimaro and his crew outside, after leaving the words Vegapunk began to run towards who knows where into the facility.