[OTW] Off-Topic Wednesday: Sci-fi/Fantasy meme~

[talks_to_nisse]

Instructions!
A) Post with your character
B) Someone else will roll 1-15 on The Random Number Generator and comment to you

Comments

3

[oranje_windmill]

He closed the last file, marking that off the to do list. The gears in his arms made a slight whirling sound as his arms came up above his head in a stretch he didn't actually need to do but had picked up from his former charge.

Humans liked it when their human shaped AI's acted human as well, so he'd been programed with learning programs to help him imitate.

Standing, he left the office and headed downstairs to check on his current charge. It was almost lunch time, so it was possible the boy was hungry and would want lunch.

[ketchupkaper]

Marcello was a bit out of sorts today, because it was raining and he didn't much enjoy the idea of being cooped up inside. He lay upside-down on the couch, his knees locking perfectly into the headrest. His bored gaze was set on the television which was playing nothing but news, info -mercials, and dumb American football today. Viewing it from upside-down didn't make it any more entertaining either. Darn.

He looked sideways as the robot entered the room. "I thought of a better name for you, robot. Instead of Mr. Hedgehog, how about Doctor Pineapple Jubilee?" The default name 'Willem', just seemed so boring!

[oranje_windmill]

He blinked in confusion for a second, another human gesture.

"Willem is the name I was given. I can't respond to any other."

He was programed to also respond to versions of hey you and other such things, but those weren't names, so he wasn't lying.

"Are you hungry?"

[ketchupkaper]

Marcello stuck out his tongue and blew a raspberry fart sound in Wilm's direction. "Boo. You're no fun."

Marcello shifted to make himself upright when asked about food, "Actually, I guess I'm a little-" THUD! He slipped and fell to the floor head-first. "Ow." He sat up, rubbing his head a bit but still trying to play it off. "Sounds like a plan."

He stood and followed to robot into the kitchen. "Hey Wilm, -I can call you that right? It's an abbreviation!- Anyway, so Wilm, you don't eat right? Well, just curious, if you could what do you think your favorite food would be?"

Robots were allowed to have favorite things, right? Marcello wanted to find out more about the things his fairly-new robot pal enjoyed, so he could figure out a way to make the guy lighten up a bit. Maybe ever develop a sense of humor!

[oranje_windmill]

He turned quickly at the sound of the thud, protective subroutines kicking online as he went to assess the damage. Then the young man was up again, following him into the kitchen, and Willem went back to the task of making food.

"Wilm is fine," he replied. It was close enough to his original designation for his systems, anyway. "And I can eat."

Food and the act of eating were such fundamental parts of human existence that newer models, like himself, were now equipped with a way to process food.

"Everything tastes the same, so I don't have a favorite."

[ketchupkaper]

Marcello gaped and then grinned, leaning forward against the counter as he spoke to the AI by his side, "So that means you take shits!" His grin was almost fox-like now, "That's amazing!"

He bobbed energetically on the balls of his feet as he back-stepped into the chair at the kitchen table. "But that's kind of sad you can't taste." His smile faded as he curiously watched the robot make lunch. "Not even a little..?"

[oranje_windmill]

He started to correct the young man, educate him on the system of compost and other waste disposal systems that his kind came equipped with. And then he stopped, because that way lay only madness, and he probably wouldn't get to finish his explanation before Marc would be off again.

So instead he responded to the second question.

"Sight, hearing, and a limited amount of touch are the only senses available to my kind at the moment."

[ketchupkaper]

Marcello jumped to his feet again, wanting to help, "Well!" He pulled out plates from the cupboard and set the table. "When they come out with an upgrade for taste, smell, and advanced touch I'm gonna make sure you're the first to get them! Life is to be experienced with all senses, right?"

Marc was never very good at accepting that his companion wasn't alive.

"And then I'll make you some fantastic Seborgan cuisine and you'll love it!" He beamed.

[oranje_windmill]

"Thank you," he replied, because it seemed the appropriate response. Turning off the heat of the stove he moved the pot off the heat, pouring the soup into a bowl. He set the bowl on a plate, slid a sandwich in beside it, and set it in front of Marc.

"What do you want to drink?"

[ketchupkaper]

Marcello beamed at the perfectly-made meal, almost drooling. He picked up the sandwich and took a huge bite.

"Ahhm..." He murmured, struggling to reply with all that food between his cheeks. "S'pruse me!" He smiled at the robot, a flake of bread and a spot of mustard just beside the corner of his mouth.

He was curious to see what the robot would do when given very vague commands. Maybe his personality would shine through a little more when given the chance to make his own decisions. Marcello hoped so!

[oranje_windmill]

Willem stared at the young man for a second, brain whirling as it tried to fit that command to any form of spoken language. As it did so the the censors tuned to nonverbal activity took in the food stuck to the younger man's face and caused him to reached for a napkin. He hold it out to Marc and said "You have something on your face."

His brain, unable to find a comparable command, decided to wait and see if this solved the problem.

[ketchupkaper]

Marcello swallowed. "I do?" He slid a thumb across his cheek and found stray bits. "Oh! Thanks!" He licked them off his thumb and grabbed the napkin, giving his mouth a once-over.

He paused for a minute, waiting.

"You're not going to pick a drink?" He deflated. "Where's your sense of independence and adventure? Oh wait..." He blinked. "I guess you don't have that." His frown returned. "That's really sad, Wilm."

"That settles it!" He stood, deciding to make his own drink - a glass of lemonade. "Tomorrow I'm taking you on a hike! And today..." He sat down again with a thud, grinning at the blonde AI. "I'm going to teach you how to tell a joke. You need a sense of humor!"

[oranje_windmill]

He picked up a glass from the counter, pouring himself half a glass of the lemonade. He wouldn't be able to taste it, but ingesting it wouldn't hurt him and appeared like it would make Marc happier so it worked out in the end.

"Sounds like an interesting afternoon," he replied, voice dry as the desert.