ALIAS
Automata
OCCUPATION
7/11 Employee
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
Ghost in the Machine
Archived
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Jul 21, 2023 21:57:12 GMT
Post by Marlene Lovechild on Jul 21, 2023 21:57:12 GMT
Marlene went oddly quiet as the two rented skates, and went into the backroom to put them on.
She was thinking about what Zen said, about how she could choose her own purpose. She had similar conversations like that before. Had to recall them, and the conclusions she made by the end of them. While doing so, she got her shoes off, and started putting the skates on. She was fortunate - her small figure meant a small foot size, which they had plenty of, if not for adults then definitely in the children-size department. Her skates had unicorns on the sides, which clashed with the strict black and white dress she was wearing. It did not seem to bother Marlene at all, as she appeared to be deep in thought.
"We are given a purpose when we are made. It is possible to come up with one of your own. I would prefer not to defy mine, though. I know what I was made for. To drop it all and do something else means I have failed." - Marlene said, pulling hard on the strings to tighten the skating shoe to her foot. "I am not a failure."
The strings in her hands cracked, as if about to snap. Marlene blinked and looked at them, and then made the knot. Mother wanted her to be the perfect replacement daughter. To give her love and emotion the original did. Not a fake facsimile of such. It is what went wrong in the first place. The illusion, the performance was flawed. The automaton could not give her love that she could not herself feel. As she put the other skating shoe on, she briefly looked at Zen, as he spoke about how dating her made him happy. Her eyes focused on the face, as if studying it. Trying to judge how honest his words were.
"I see. I hope I will be able to continue to provide whatever it is that makes you happy." - she said, standing up from the bench. She stood on the blades, arms stretched out to the sides, as she tried to make a step forward, towards the ring. She almost tumbled, and fell to her side, preventing a complete fail only by latching on to Zen's forearm, as she passed him by. An awkward silence followed.
"I hope my clumsy attempts amuse you."
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ALIAS
Automata
OCCUPATION
7/11 Employee
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
Ghost in the Machine
Archived
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Jul 21, 2023 21:40:54 GMT
Post by Marlene Lovechild on Jul 21, 2023 21:40:54 GMT
"I see. I hope that the Academy has been sufficiently entertaining so far."
Marlene said in her typically neutral tone, but her eyes kept being locked on how Thea ate. The slurping and the tiny droplets of soup flying everywhere, mostly on the table and the girl's clothes. Something about it just bothered Marlene. There was a deep sense of wrongness about the way she did it. A part of her mental activity went towards devising various plans to stop the activity from happening. The most direct and forceful measures promised to be the most effective, were there no social factors involved. But there were. People were watching. The automaton's eyes went from Thea's slurping, to the side, and back at her.
The question about free will proved to be a welcome distraction. It made Marlene consider it, briefly. She did ask herself something similar before. So, the answer was half-way there already.
"I have free will, I think. But every machine is created with a strong sense of purpose. A clock, for example, is made to tell time. If a clock is unable to tell time, its spirit is upset. I can defy my creator's wishes. But why would I want to make my existence pointless?"
Marlene answered, and ate a spoonful of her tasteless gruel. It tasted like life, to her. Or how she imagined it would taste, without a driving purpose to her existence. There was a flavor to it, once, but not now. All it left was a feeling best described as longing. But the automaton did not care to share that part. When asked another question, she tilted her head forward a bit.
"Should I fail to become a hero, I will try again. I will keep trying until I succeed or am destroyed." - Marlene said stoically, not really caring much about whoever might be eavesdropping on them. "I am powered by my mother's Quirk, and I am capable of manifesting it on my own volition. Would you like to see it?"
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ALIAS
Automata
OCCUPATION
7/11 Employee
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
Ghost in the Machine
Archived
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Post by Marlene Lovechild on Jul 21, 2023 0:45:27 GMT
Marlene always had an easier time socializing with teachers, and adults, for that matter.
Whether they liked her or not, they remained, for the most part, polite. This one seemed cordial enough, if a bit dismissive. But he was still willing to hear her out, and the automaton girl approached him for a very utilitarian reason. One that he, by her estimations, was capable of helping her with. Being a teacher and all. She did not know much about the man. A teacher's files being not open to her, unlike how hers was to him. No matter, she went ahead to state the purpose of her inquiry.
"I was told that you are a specialist in firearms." - Marlene stated, plainly. "I am looking to learn to use those, and I need an instructor."
Her head tilted to the side, as if expressing curiosity, but the tilt was a bit too unnatural for a normal person. The little whirr of the metal joints of the neck probably didn't help either.
"Would you care to assist me? I could use a recommendation for what weapon to purchase, and train with. I have no experience with them whatsoever."
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ALIAS
Automata
OCCUPATION
7/11 Employee
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
Ghost in the Machine
Archived
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Jul 18, 2023 15:52:14 GMT
Post by Marlene Lovechild on Jul 18, 2023 15:52:14 GMT
"Yes."
Marlene answered simply, to the query about her actually being worried. If by 'worried' he meant it being an undesirable outcome that she wished to avoid, that is.
"Both. You are the first person who was not bewildered by my nature. Finding another person with the same attitude would be difficult."
The two continued walking towards the Ice Palace - the closest place with a skating ring in this place. It was a popular social spot. There were lots of young and even some old people around, who braved the entertainment despite increased chances of hip joint fracture. Plenty of these people seemed to be couples, too judging by how familiar they were with one another, the way they held hands, spoke, and kissed, sometimes. You could rent a pair of skating shoes, way in the back, as well. But looking was free.
As Zen finished the line about carving his own path, Marlene looked away from the ring, and at him.
"I see. Unlike machines, humans like yourself are allowed to choose their own purpose. What purpose have you chosen for yourself?"
It was a genuine question. And in the answer, Marlene hoped to glean ways in which she could be conducive to that purpose. Although Zen did assure her that she was too unusual and unique to ever bore him, the automaton girl was uncertain of that remark. A musical box is entertaining only for the first couple of dozen runs. After which it loses its novelty, and is put on the shelf, to collect dust. Same happens with a mechanical dancer figurine, or a toy mouse.
'If it were true, mother would have found me perfect, still...'
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ALIAS
Automata
OCCUPATION
7/11 Employee
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
Ghost in the Machine
Archived
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Jul 18, 2023 15:31:44 GMT
Post by Marlene Lovechild on Jul 18, 2023 15:31:44 GMT
Marlene was a very diligent student.
She attended every class in the program, and even extra-curricular ones. This lecture was one of them. She heard of the fellow telling it. She knew his name was Mark Browning, and that he was a teacher from overseas. Sitting somewhere in the middle row, the girl tried to jot down everything he said, even though it was unnecessary - her memory was not faulty, like that of a human. Still, the advice he gave was exceedingly difficult to write down. Perhaps, it was meant to be learned by heart rather than written for a test, of some sort.
The automaton girl heard different things about this one.
Most of them were not very flattering. Some teachers said the man was lazy and "not a true hero". Others wondered how he ended up getting the position in the first place. He certainly did not look very teacher-like. More like a character from one of those old western movies, where people drove bricky trucks and solved all of their problems with guns. Speaking of which, that is what Marlene overheard, that got her interest. Weapons. Not archaic ones like swords and clubs and maces. She needed those not, for she feared no one up close. But from afar...
When the bell rang and the few listeners stood up and left, Marlene did so as well. Only, instead of going for the door, she went towards the teacher's desk. Heavy steps following her otherwise dainty and diminutive form.
"Hello, mr. Browning. My name is Marlene Lovechild. I would like to ask you some questions, if you have the time."
The girl's voice was neutral, polite. A barely audible metallic reverb to it. If he would give her time of the day, she would ask her questions. If not, she would leave.
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ALIAS
Automata
OCCUPATION
7/11 Employee
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
Ghost in the Machine
Archived
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Jul 17, 2023 14:05:51 GMT
Post by Marlene Lovechild on Jul 17, 2023 14:05:51 GMT
"... That's the world's problem, not mine."
"If that were the case, you would not require hiding the remains of furniture in the gardens."
Marlene replied to his little commentary, astutely. As the two walked, and people passing by looked over their shoulders at the giant fellow and a diminutive porcelain doll walking next to him, she listened to other things that he had to say. Both about himself, and what he wanted to get out of it. His demands appeared surprisingly simple. Just 'hanging out' and 'being there'. Mere presence was enough, or so he said. It was ... hard for Marlene to compute.
" 'A healthy relationship relies on giving and taking in equal measure. If one of the partners takes more than they give, the other partner would eventually feel dissatisfied, leading to a breakup.' Page 94, paragraph 2." - she quoted a line from that book she read prior to coming here. It felt appropriate to describe the confusion she felt, right now. "What you promised me is helping me achieve my purpose. Giving anything less in return seems unfair. Selfish. If the book is correct, then you will tire out, eventually. And then I would lose you."
There was a very transactional logic to Marlene's words. She was trying to rationalize the irrational. To understand something that never had to be understood. Her eyes rolled back a little, chest rose and fell as if she had taken a deep breath. One could identify as exasperation. How was she supposed to mimic something she could not understand, and for which understanding was an antithesis in and of itself? The question eluded her. But did not stop her from trying, in any case. And, fortunately, Zen did manage to provide bits and pieces of his background, for her to refocus her processing powers on. It felt much more fruitful than pondering the eternal questions.
"I have never been to China. What kind of God was the temple dedicated to?" - Marlene asked about the place. Truth to be told, the giant fellow like Zen did not look like a monk. Too big and too ... mischievous. Not zen-like at all!
"Was it a God of Mischief? It would explain much about your pattern of behavior. Or lack thereof."
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ALIAS
Automata
OCCUPATION
7/11 Employee
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
Ghost in the Machine
Archived
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Post by Marlene Lovechild on Jul 16, 2023 1:02:55 GMT
"It is alright. I do not think I can be offended."
Marlene shrugged her shoulders a little. Her memories went back a little, towards things that happened shortly after her construction. She tried to reconnect with people she had memories of. Reactions were very ... volatile. Words were said. Much harsher ones than a simple and honest mistake. She knew what she was supposed to feel, but felt nothing.
So, she simply remained seated, and letting the glasses girl work on her arm. Soon enough, a test had to be made. Following instructions, the automaton nodded.
"Understood. Reconnecting the limb."
The wispy strands traveled down from her shoulder, all the way through the arm once more. Its golden glow making the internals appear like some sort of fantasy-like dwemer technology. The arm seemed to have been filled with life once more, some of the fingers jerked to close into a fist, and then into an open palm. Two of them, remained motionless, jerking only slightly, and then getting stuck mid-motion, as if jamming.
"I can move the arm." - she said, bending the elbow, and rotating the forearm.
"Damage is more extensive than initially anticipated."
Marlene looked up at Morgan, her look bearing a slight semblance of guilt and apology, something one was more familiar with in a dog, rather than a machine. It looked... Surprisingly natural, too, before it disappeared.
"I am sorry."
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ALIAS
Automata
OCCUPATION
7/11 Employee
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
Ghost in the Machine
Archived
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Post by Marlene Lovechild on Jul 16, 2023 0:48:23 GMT
"Thank you. I have been practicing."
Marlene replied in relation to the comment about her smile. She didn't know if Zenkai was earnest in his appraisal of her smile, or if he was simply being polite. Either way, it was registered as a positive feedback. As a mark of success for her efforts. She liked that. She liked being praised for her efforts. Like all machines do. Which is why they often don't work too well when they're being shouted at. Or hammered at in the efforts of make the processors run faster.
Their hands intertwined together, after he kissed Marlene's fingers, as a gentleman should. Hers wrapped around his like a vice, as if to prevent escape. It was what she assumed was the purpose of handholding, anyway. Her head tilted to the side, when he mentioned destroying a couch, though. "You seem to have a habit of destroying furniture with your weight. You should go on a diet." - she said. At least, humans like him had such an option. She did not. Or maybe pointing out this particular flaw of his made her feel better about the weight of her own chassis. Hard to tell.
"I was looking forward to this date, yes. I have been preparing for it for the entire week." - Marlene said earnestly, as the two began walking towards the skating ring. Or wherever else Zenkai deemed to lead her towards. Even if it were not the initial point of destination, the automaton girl wouldn't mind very much.
Still, she proceeded in accordance to her research, and plans laid. She tilted her head up, looking to the side and at the tall hunk she was walking with.
"Traveling to the skating ring will take some time. I was told that organics lose their sense of time by talking about things. I would like for you to talk about yourself, Zenkai. I would need that information in order to be useful to you."
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ALIAS
Automata
OCCUPATION
7/11 Employee
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
Ghost in the Machine
Archived
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Jul 13, 2023 21:23:54 GMT
Post by Marlene Lovechild on Jul 13, 2023 21:23:54 GMT
Marlene was looking forward to this date.
It was a ... strange thing to experience. Most of the times, the automaton simply took things that she had to do, and places she had to be at as a kind of a duty. It had to be done when it had to be done. This time, though, was different. She found herself looking at the clock more often. And at the calendar, too. For when that day would arrive, though, the machine girl wanted to be ready.
Mother was made aware of where Marlene was going. Surprisingly to the girl, the woman did not seem disapproving of the motion. In fact, she seemed slightly encouraging. Said something about "knocking oneself out". And then preventing Marlene from taking the command literally and trying to punch herself in the face. Hm... Perhaps mom was simply glad to have her 'daughter' out of the house, so she could get drunk on cheap beer in peace. She even gave Marlene money for the date. Or, rather, gave it back. The automaton brought all the cash she earned to mom, whenever she did.
Until the fateful day had come, Marlene did some preparations. She read that book about dating, from cover to cover. She ironed her only dress, and bleached the shirt, and doused them in perfume. She practiced smiling, every day, in front of the mirror. And whenever she thought about the date, and the promise she was given, the smiles were the closest to genuine she has ever been. Almost natural. Almost... What kept it from being perfect was a certain strain of doubt, creeping at the back of her mind. It was like a proverbial itch one cannot scratch. A question, one she did not have an answer to.
'He promised to do so much for me... It was very kind of him. What could I repay it with?
The book said that in a healthy relationship, both partners had to pull their weight. Offer something to the other they lacked. Marlene found that she knew nothing about the tall fellow. Her only contribution to him was helping him hide the chair. And even then, one could argue the motivation for that was self-serving.
'I will need to know more. I will ask questions.'
Her fists balled into fists, in determination. When it was time, Marlene already waited by the gates. She was here first, arriving ten minutes or so before they agreed to meet. She was not going to be late. Too much was at stake. Soon enough, her date arrived. Hard not to notice, that big man. 'I wonder how large his heart is...' - an idle thought went through the machine's mind. Marlene was there, her appearance as strict and perfect as ever, her clothes having the faint scent of ironing on them still. And a gentle waft of perfume around the head and wrists.
"Hello, Zenkai." - she would say, whenever her date would choose to arrive. "I am happy to see you." - the girl added, stretching her lips into that smile she was practicing. She would offer him her hand, like a lady would.
That's how it was supposed to go, right? The book said so.
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ALIAS
Automata
OCCUPATION
7/11 Employee
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
Ghost in the Machine
Archived
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Jul 13, 2023 20:48:58 GMT
Post by Marlene Lovechild on Jul 13, 2023 20:48:58 GMT
While battling the big ball-bot, with the corner of her eye, Marlene could see Thea having been flung by one of the robots she fought. Slamming against the wall. Sliding down. Helpless. She was already engaged with the blinded machine, the logical thing to do was to finish it off before moving to assist an ally. And yet ... briefly, the memory of the original flashed before her eyes. She was in a similar situation. She was not helped in time. A bot's protocols glitched. Or she landed poorly. Either way, she was gone.
And the knowledge of what could happen changed Marlene's course of action. She looked up to Jake.
"Finish the disabled controller bot. I am going to assist our colleague."
With that, she rushed over to Thea, heavy thuds and a cloud of dust in her wake. She was upon the bots attacking the girl, from behind. Delivering two blows, and breaking with her fists through the machines' chest cavity, before letting them slump down to the ground. Her eyes fell on Thea, briefly, to examine her physical condition.
"Are you alright?" - the automaton asked, offering a hand to stand up. Surely by then Jack would be able to defeat the crippled robot too, and get the glory and crowd cheers and other things that organics often cared for. For Marlene, the fact that her comrade for the test was alright was reward enough. The alternative was ... stressful.
"You have it figured out." - Marlene said to the girl, mirroring the phrase she said at the start of this combat. "Command me."
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ALIAS
Automata
OCCUPATION
7/11 Employee
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
Ghost in the Machine
Archived
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Post by Marlene Lovechild on Jul 9, 2023 21:15:12 GMT
Zenkai was fortunate that the girl he was hitting on so much was Marlene.
Any other girl would have been terrified by his display... Or his handsiness. Grabbing for the waist and pulling the petite automaton to his chest like that. Fortunately, physical discomfort was not a very familiar concept for Marlene, save for a few instances of it. And there were no people around to keep up the facades of civility for. It was not the physical actions, however inappropriate, that solicited her reaction.
It was the words, and the promise.
A declaration of intent, to help her be able to fill every emotion there was. To succeed in the purpose which she was built for. The only thing Marlene really cared for, upon inception. Whether intentional or not, it was the best thing Zenkai could possibly say to her. For the first time, within those dull, dark glass eyes, he'd think he could see... a spark. Filling the machine with determination. Still held close, Marlene reached up, and wrapped her hands on the fellow's collar. Using it to pull him down to her level, given the tremendous height difference. Looking him straight in the eye.
"You will make me feel every emotion possible. I will hold you to that promise."
It was possible to see Marlene's eyes shift a bit to the left, then to the right. Many times, as if she was reading something within her mind, or making calculations. She was quickly revising all that she had read and seen so far, in order to determine what was the next logical procedure for this, arguably, awkward situation. She had to do something, to reciprocate. Zen did promise her the world just now, after all. Something no one else has ever did. Refocusing back on his face, the automaton girl leaned forward. And pressed a small, dry kiss against his lips. It lasted less than a moment, in time.
"To improve your motivation."
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ALIAS
Automata
OCCUPATION
7/11 Employee
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
Ghost in the Machine
Archived
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Post by Marlene Lovechild on Jul 7, 2023 10:18:17 GMT
Change of plans, once again, it seemed.
The dragon boy now decided to go after the big bots. It behooved Marlene to assist. But... what to do with the third girl? She was uncertain as to what her power was, or how safe it would be to leave her to deal with hostages on her own. Still, she seemed to be the smartest of the three, 'having figured it out'. She would be fine.
"I will move to assist."
The automaton followed Jack, towards one of the large robots. Upon approaching the other one, she extended her hand out, and guided the yellow wisps that emerged from her fingertips, towards it, toward that red eye. She did not have the capacity to disassemble something that big. But she could disassemble the components that made up its visual organs. The red eye would blink a few times and fade, disconnected from the main frame.
Now would be the automaton's chance to strike. Gaining speed, she rammed her shoulder into the machine's side, her 450 lbs of mass multiplied by twice her speed, divided by two, all slamming into the robot. And it was anyone's bet to say which one was more durable. Marlene was a very durable construct. She'd leave a dent, and the force behind the blow would likely make the giant bot topple over. Making it more vulnerable to subsequent attacks by the rest of the party.
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ALIAS
Automata
OCCUPATION
7/11 Employee
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
Ghost in the Machine
Archived
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Post by Marlene Lovechild on Jul 6, 2023 21:26:09 GMT
Soon enough, the girl was kicked out of Marlene's head, by some unknown force. The automaton couldn't have helped but feel a little bit of relief. She, and her clones, weren't very respectful to the place, no matter the amount of bapping delivered to the top of their heads. Fortunately, it was all over now, so they could continue the conversation face-to-face.
Marlene listened, politely, and attentively, as Thea blabbered something incoherent. It was rude to think such things, but the automaton suspected the girl was a bit delirious from the experience of being shunted out. "I am certain that if you had anything to do with the formation of my memories, you would have remembered it. And were able to overcome the 'memetic hazards'." - she stated, astutely, before returning to her tasteless porridge. Fortunately, Thea offered her something else, for her troubles. A standard conversational opening! Marlene's eyes brightened up a bit. For the first time in this strange exchange, she felt as though she knew what to do. What was expected of her.
"You are correct. I am not a human. I am an automaton, created in the image of Marlene Lovechild, daughter of Helen Lovechild nee Zamenhof, who died during the entrance exams to this Academy, three years ago."
Marlene felt she could speak freely about all of this, since this girl had already looked through her memories. Much of what she was saying, the automaton assumed, the other already knew.
"I was made to replace the original daughter, live a life in her stead, and accomplish the goals she intended to accomplish. She wanted to be a Hero, so this is what I set out to do."
Having eaten a spoonful, the replica looked at Thea, with her odd, unblinking stare.
"Could you tell me more about yourself?" - she mirrored the question.
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ALIAS
Automata
OCCUPATION
7/11 Employee
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
Ghost in the Machine
Archived
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Post by Marlene Lovechild on Jul 6, 2023 21:12:49 GMT
As Zenkai started listing out the people she was being compared to, Marlene listened. Even if she was methodically digging the hole all the same time. Most of these people were unfamiliar to her, except one name, that did ring a bell. Thea. She met that girl during her entrance exams. And later in the cafeteria, where she tried to peruse her mind, without finding many answers. Having thought about it, for a few moments, Marlene answered:
"Thank you. You are very kind. But I do not think I can be compared to Thea, or other people on this list. They are humans, I am not. They can do things that I am incapable of doing. Since our capabilities are different, the comparison cannot be made."
A wind-about way to say that she was 'one-of-a-kind.' Unless, of course, mother made her some siblings she did not know about.
Soon enough, the hole was dug, the chair dumped into it, and promptly buried. Marlene was very methodical about it, too. Even planting patches of grass on top to make sure the spot was not easily found, if looked for. Patting the earth with the shovel, she soon put the tool away. Then, turned to face Zenkai, and extended a hand to him. A few moments passed, as though she was expecting something.
"You said that I deserve a prize. I would like to receive it now."
She looked up at the tall fellow, expectedly. Taking his words a bit too literally, as always.
Or maybe she just wanted to a prize.
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ALIAS
Automata
OCCUPATION
7/11 Employee
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
Ghost in the Machine
Archived
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Post by Marlene Lovechild on Jul 1, 2023 20:31:55 GMT
Yes, it was because of the librarian joke.
While Marlene gave him back all the books, Zenkai successfully escaped. Her little bit of revenge was complete. But as soon as that happened, the machine went thoughtful, quiet. Why did she do it, really? Was it an impulse, like an emotion? Or did she try and achieve something with it? Was it satisfaction? There was ... nothing really, after that happened. And the absence of anything after the impulse was gone and by was ... thought-provoking, and troubling.
She was thinking about all the way to the gardens, where she found the tall delinquent that she had become an accomplice to. He was happy to see her, even kissing her on the forehead, like one would a little sister. She did not reject the sign of affection. But when asked about how did it feel to be a prankster and a ne'er-do-well. Marlene processed the feelings and emotions she felt. Or lackthereof. Her shoulders drooped a little, she looked a bit down.
"I know what I should be feeling, but I do not."
Having reached behind herself, the girl pulled out a bag, which she dropped to the ground. It it there were a couple of shovels she took, having found them near the garden. Probably the garden keeper's tools. She picked one of them up, and put the spade to the ground, starting to dig the hole for the chair. A few long moments later, Marlene suddenly broke the silence.
"You said I was literally the best. Who was I being compared with?"
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