001: Turing Test/threshold

[usagipino]

[Onto the Plane steps a young girl. She looks to be about seven years old and is dressed in black, flowy clothes. She looks the part of a high society girl.]

[When she notices where she is, her blank expression becomes one of mild confusion. She looks around as though searching for someone.]

This is not right. I am not where I am supposed to be. This place does not appear to be in the Romdeau servers.

Will someone direct me to the exit, please? Mama will not be pleased with my disappearance.

Comments

[usagipino]

I do not have a mind, unless you are referring to my memory core.

I am called Pino.

[guywaboomerang.livejournal.com]

...Sure, call it whatever you want. Just create a picture of your home in your... "memory core"... and you'll go back there. Simple.

And I'm Sokka.

[usagipino]

...I think I understand. Thank you, Sokka.

[She closes her eyes. It takes several seconds, but eventually she disappears. About two minutes later, she comes back.]

...She...Mama didn't even notice.

[guywaboomerang.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that took me a while too. Seems like the world stops while you're here, so people in your world won't even notice you were gone.

[usagipino]

[She presses her fingers to her lips thoughtfully.] Perhaps the Regent is changing Romdeau's schedule...but there was no announcement. Papa will know.

[guywaboomerang.livejournal.com]

...I think I maybe understood... five of the things you said just now?

[usagipino]

Hm? [She tilts her head.] Oh, I'm sorry. Are you an immigrant?

[guywaboomerang.livejournal.com]

Well, I do travel a lot, but not permanently.

[Sigh]

I hope.

[usagipino]

[Slight smile.] Don't worry. Even immigrants have a role to play in Romdeau.

[guywaboomerang.livejournal.com]

You only seem to listen to half the words I say.

You remind me of my sister.

At least you would if she even listened to half.

[usagipino]

[There's a pause.] Siblings can be troublesome, sometimes.

[guywaboomerang.livejournal.com]

Yeah? Do you have a sibling?

And why do you talk like you're 30?

[usagipino]

Mama and Papa were recently able to adopt a baby boy. I am helping to take care of him for now.

I'm sorry, but what do you mean?

[guywaboomerang.livejournal.com]

For now? Don't you mean forever? You're a big sister. That's not a "for now" thing.

[usagipino]

[She shakes her head.] Mama wants an Entourage model to help around the house. There's no longer a need for me. I am to be dismissed and decommissioned.

[guywaboomerang.livejournal.com]

...What!? Your parents can't just treat you like a... toy or a machine or something! What kind of place are you from?

[usagipino]

Hm? Oh, I'm sorry. I'm a newer model, so maybe you didn't know. I'm an Autorave--a Companion type.

[guywaboomerang.livejournal.com]

Oh, OK!

...

What's an Autorave?

[usagipino]

[Blank stare for awhile.]

...I suppose they didn't have Autoraves in your city. It's an android. A machine.

[guywaboomerang.livejournal.com]

What? You're not a machine! You're a little girl! Who told you that you were a machine? That's one of the worst lies I've ever heard in my life. Machines have metal and steam and stuff. Besides, they definitely can't talk.

[usagipino]

[Blinks at him.] Steam? That's silly. You can't run a machine with steam.

[guywaboomerang.livejournal.com]

Trust me Pino, I know a thing or two about machines, and you need smoke or steam or air or water to get those things going. I mean, they can't move on their own, right?

[usagipino]

Autoraves like me run on batteries. Electricity.

[guywaboomerang.livejournal.com]

What like lightning? That's even crazier. You really gotta stop believing everything you hear.

[usagipino]

But I'm not capable of lying.