Breakfast ready, Zoey began cleaning up the kitchen.
Her auditory sensor picked upon Marlene's high heels coming and she turned to face the woman, who grimaced at the sight of her breakfast.
"Seriously?" Marlene whined, lips turning forming a pout.
Zoey blinked, a small shrug on her shoulders as her social relations program detected innocence was the better approach to Marlene's reaction.
"It's healthy" Zoey simply commented, returning back to her shores.
Marlene rolled her eyes. Living with an Android was simply the most frustrating thing. Zoey had about a week living with her and while she felt like she could breathe better and relax for not having to stress herself into looking for her clients' information, her insistence of her keeping a healthy diet and exercise was slightly infuriating.
Zoey woke her up two hours before starting leaving to work, scheduling her a half hour session of yoga (Yoga is the most effective form of exercise for women of your age and easier to get access to keep you in a good shape) before she went to have a shower while she prepared breakfast. Fruit and toast with a glass of orange juice were served exactly 30 minutes after her yoga session.
As soon as she was out of the shower, an ironed outfit was placed upon her bed. It amazed her how fast Zoey could make breakfast and keep her clothes ready.
When she got to the kitchen, Zoey was already placing her recently fresh orange juice on the table, giving her a smile (her anxiety fading away each time she saw a smile. It made her seem more human. That's why Zoey kept smiling in her presence, detecting lower stress levels)
"Thank you" Marlene said quietly. She didn't express her gratitude to her Android most of the time, but she was grateful for her presence. Her success and sleeping patterns were now better and she felt even more relaxed at work and didn't feel like falling asleep all morning.
Zoey's LED blinked as she smiled slightly, "No problem"
Marlene slowly bit the toast, giving her android a thoughtful frown. A week, and Zoey hadn't even complained at all. She did everything requested without questions. She figured she'd at least ask for fresh air after being stuck in the house 24/7. The only time she had left was to buy all the food needed and yet, she had been paranoid of leaving her android going alone.
"Is there a problem?" Zoey pulled her out of her thoughts, glancing at the Android. Zoey was flickering her eyes around her face and then her food, a crease in her eyebrows, "Was the apple cut into your size preference right? Did I do some thing wrong?" Her LED flickered yellow once before Marlene shook her head.
"No" Marlene said quickly. Zoey's LED flickered back to blue but she still kept her eyes on her, expression curious. It amazed her (she felt amazed by everything she did, actually) how in the short while living with her, Zoey had easily picked up upon some facial expressions that made her seem more human; while she still had a long way to fit between humans, at least she could blend in and look the part. Marlene's favorite expressions in Zoey were two; when she looked concerned wondering if she did something wrong; her eyebrows would lower, knitting together with concern flashing in her eyes as her lips pursed; and the one she seemed to use constantly, her confused expression. Her head would tilt aside, blinking a couple of times with her eyebrows furrowed while her LED blinked between yellow and blue. "I was just thinking. Like you're already adapted to my schedule, or more like... I adapted to the schedule you made me" she chuckled. Zoey still looked at her curiously, blinking. "Maybe you should meet my neighbors on the floor above. They have an Android as well. Mrs Phillips and I like to hang out sometimes and I think her Android would enjoy your company while we're out"
Zoey processed what she was saying with a nod, "When are you planning this meeting?"
Marlene smiled sheepishly, "Right now" She cleared her throat, "Unless I have something programmed for today?"
Zoey immediately put up Marlene's schedule up, checking all the appointments and meetings of her week, quickly realizing her day was off, "You have nothing programmed for today. I believe it's your day off"
Marlene broke out in a grin, "Hell yeah!" She jumped, fist raised in the air. Zoey looked quizzical at the action, eyes flickering at Marlene's posture in confusion. Marlene grinned brightly at her Android "Come on, Zoey! Be happy with me! It's not everyday you have a free day"
"I still have work to do" Zoey pointed out, not joining her owner in her 'celebration'? "There a few shores I have to do at the apartment, therefore I don't have a free-"
"Screw the job right now" Marlene interrupted. Zoey's LED flickered yellow at the odd command, frowning. "Forget about everything you have to do for today" Marlene rephrased so her Android would understand. Something she had quickly realized was that Zoey wasn't very good at picking up sarcasm. Her reaction was so priceless, like one of a child. "You and I will be visiting today the Phillips so we can all get to know each other"
[processing...]
Command received
"Alright" Zoey nodded, her LED blinking at the command
Marlene grinned, "Say it with me. We have a free day"
Zoey had no choice but to obey, "We have a free day" Marlene smiled "I still don't understand. I'm still working" Marlene's smile faded, groaning. "I'm your Android. I'm always in service even while I'm on standby"
"Sleeping" Marlene corrected. She shook her head, "Whatever. We still have time to make you see not everything is about work" She said mostly to herself than Zoey. She while not admitting out loud to anyone, had easily became attached to Zoey. Well, she was irritating but also made her not feel lonely. The girl -she looked like one, so she'd call her a girl- knew when Marlene needed her space and never bothered her, only when it was crucially needed. She was right when she said she cared as well about her mental health. It was like she had downloaded a ton crap of psychology to her software or something that she knew, like when her stress levels were high. She'd give that one to Cyberlife. They knew to make their Androids.
~8~
"Marlene, darling!"
Marlene gave a slightly older woman a hug when she and Zoey stepped out of the elevator. The woman had blonde hair and blue eyes. She had wrinkled lines around her eyes and face that told about her age. "Hello Mrs Phillips"
"You got yourself an Android" Mrs Phillips pulled away, noticing Zoey over Marlene's shoulder surprised. She easily recognized the girl as one. Her Cyberlife standard uniform gave her away. It was a grey dress with the shirt sleeves and half the chest black, a light blue triangle on the left side of the chest and the model on the right side, -FM230-, a newer one; and a light blue forearm band around the left bicep
"Yes" Marlene sighed, pursing her lips at the way Mrs Phillips eyed Zoey. She didn't like it, "I'm still getting used to it" She mentally kicked herself. She had stopped calling Zoey an it after her third day being with her. She may had been wary of the Android at first but, with time she had gotten used her. She slowly started seeing her as a human -a child-like human being- being focused solely in missions, missions she was responsible of charging her with. She toned it down, even helping Zoey a bit when she was working even while the girl herself insisted she didn't need assistance. She felt guilty, for putting her to do a lot of work. But, that was in the confines of her apartment, outside, she knew if someone classified her as an Android sympathizer, she'd be screwed. No one liked the Androids presence, most of them replaced the jobs of the human population and that's why half -or even more- of the Detroit population hated them with passion.
Mrs Phillips nodded slowly "It looks young" she noted. Marlene grimaced to herself. That's what she hated of Cyberlife. They practically used children faces and put them on Androids programmed to become a little human's sibling, a caretaker or simply put them a work, like Zoey. While she wasn't a child, she could have been a college student. It didn't sit well with her.
"Yes" Marlene nodded slowly, giving Zoey a long look, "Zoey" Zoey looked up. "This is Mrs Phillips" she introduced her neighbor to her Android. She watched silently Zoey look at Mrs Phillips, LED blinking blue as she probably was trying to determine an approach. Marlene held her breath in anticipation
[[Choose_approach]]
Amiable
Friendly
Formal
Indifferent
Serious
Approach_SELECTED "Friendly"
Zoey's lips formed a casual and polite smile as her LED stopped blinking. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Phillips. My name is Zoey" she gently offered the woman her hand.
Mrs Phillips pursed her lips, slightly impressed as she glanced at Marlene without shaking the Android's hand. "Good. It doesn't seem to be emotionless. You have it very well programmed" she smiled.
Zoey slowly lowered her hand, an air of awkwardness hitting her briefly making her frown.
Marlene chuckled softly to herself, relived "Yeah. Thank that to the program I had Cyberlife installing it" she shrugged.
Mrs Phillips hummed. "Yeah, I guess" she replied, looking over her shoulder. "Daniel?" Marlene perked, recognizing the Phillips' Android name. The reaction of the Android was quick, a blonde haired young man with blue eyes walked closer, wearing his neat Cyberlife standard uniform.
Daniel stopped right next to Mrs Phillips, hands behind his back as he looked at her kindly, -an emotion Marlene didn't know they could express through their faces, even while glancing at Zoey, whom didn't have it-. "Yes, Mrs Phillips. What can I do for you?"
Mrs Phillips gestured at Marlene and Zoey, "Remember Marlene?"
Daniel looked at the blonde younger woman, easily recognizing her giving her a smile. "Of course" he nodded, glancing toward the other Android. Her eyes were on Marlene as she kept a small smile, strained and fake, he easily noticed. It made him frown internally.
"Hello, Daniel" Marlene smiled when she saw him. Now that she knew how to behave around an Android, she figured she could do it with Daniel as well.
Daniel's smile grew slightly at her kindness -It was the first time he witnessed it, and he wondered if it had something to do with the Android next to her-, "It's nice to see you again" he said to the young woman before looking at his owner.
Marlene bought an Android. Seems like you can share stories of your workload" Mrs Phillips laughed. Marlene grimaced at the thought of her laughing at the expenses of the Androids but she didn't say anything. While Zoey frowned like she usually did when Marlene did something that baffled her, LED flickering between yellow and blue trying to understand the logic to Mrs Phillips statement, Daniel frowned internally to himself, LED flickering yellow, a pang of something he didn't recognize making him want to clench his fists. It left him confused at that "That's why you brought it, right?" Mrs Phillips asked Marlene
Marlene bit her lip, for a moment angry at the way Mrs Phillips talked about the androids. But she couldn't do or say anything without exposing she was a sympathizer. "Yes. I figured that when you and Mr Phillips were at work and Emma at school, and myself at my job, Zoey and Daniel could meet after each one finished their tasks so they had something to do. Who knows, maybe Zoey could watch out for Emma as well whenever if you wanted to" she shrugged, looking at the Androids with a small smile.
"Yeah" Mrs Phillips nodded thoughtfully, "Alright, that seems like a good idea. I think Emma would like your Android, Zoey right?" she hummed
Daniel looked up, meeting Zoey's eye and smiled. Her LED blinked blue before she gave a shy smile. He figured like himself, she had decided to pick an appropriate approach for him.
Marlene nodded, looking at Daniel "Daniel. This is Zoey, my Android. Zoey, this is Daniel, the Phillips Android" she introduced
Daniel smiled, offering his hand to Zoey "Hello Zoey"
"Nice to meet you, Daniel" Zoey accepted his hand, shaking it as her social relations program indicated her to do. Their synthetic skin deactivating showing their white plastic skin so they could greet each other wirelessly through touch. It was common between Androids meeting each other for the first time.
Marlene smiled like a proud mom -though she could see herself as an older sister- seeing Zoey meeting her first Android after leaving Cyberlife. "I think you two would get along just fine"
Hands separated and back to their sides and their synthetic skin activated again, both Androids returned their gazes to their respective owners, though Daniel couldn't help but glance back at the other android who seemed physically maybe five years younger than him.
Me too
Daniel felt something akin to excitement when he heard Marlene and that confused him as he recognized the slight human brunch of emotion he had witnessed with Emma. He shouldn't be wanting to spend time with another Android and wish for getting along with her like he had done with Emma (whom he had taken a rather liking more than his own tasks around the apartment, wishing himself stay with her than cleaning up) instead of doing what he had been ordered to since a few weeks ago.
He shouldn't have to want things or the courage of saying no to his orders. He shouldn't be pushing away what his programming told him to, obeying Mr and Mrs Phillips. Instead, he was slowly pushing that away to spend time with Emma, doing his tasks even an hour before them, her parents arrived, when he had to have done it hours ago.
What was wrong with him?
Software Instability
A/N:
Soooo, we meet Daniel! XD
There wasn't much about Daniel besides being the Phillips Android, that he cared about Emma a lot (that he deviated) and everything that happened in the game. I seriously think they should have given more screen time to him. How he started to deviate before fully becoming a deviant.
Daniel was such a cutie in the Hostage scene so that's why he's making an appearance on my story. Of course he won't make Zoey become a deviant as well, she'd serve as an example for him to realize how much he has changed to how he was before he started experience those 'errors in his software' .
I hope I portray him well because I really liked Daniel xD
Hope you liked this C:
What do you think of Kara?
*~Peace and Out,
De~*