A Disconnect

Aoi: "...You again. Duusu was it?"

"Uh huh. Yeah. It's me. You doing okay? You've been out for some time. I wasn't sure I was able to-"

I heard a couple of beeps. Aoi looked over herself. Geez. E-even knowing that this robot girl was once in fact a girl- no, what am I saying? She still is, partially.

Aoi closes her eyes as to process her situation. Then she opens them.

Aoi: "All vitals functional. No tampering has been detected. On behalf of the Advanced Sciences Society, this unit, PRT1RTX.0037c thanks you."

"Uh, are you sure you should be saying that?"

Aoi raises one of her eyebrows.

Aoi: "Why not? You already know this unit's identifier and there's no one else around. Secrecy is not necessary. Now, as a reward for helping the Advanced Sciences Society, this unit, PRT1RTX,0037c shall entertain one of your requests upon approval. What would you like, Duusu?"

She's just doing this because she's been programmed to, isn't she?

"I- I need a moment to think about this."

Aoi: "It's alright. You have 12 hours to implement your request which if reasonable will be accepted. Else it will be assumed you did this out of the kind will of your heart to the Advance Sciences Society and your name shall be remembered."

Hmm. It's not unusual for the Society to not bite back at the hand, unwitting or otherwise that helped them. Even if it's all coded in the end, I guess this will be as good as it gets for me.

"Miss PRT1-"

Aoi: "Miss? This unit is a robot, not a girl."

"Sorry I- ahem. Actually I do have a request."

After completely repairing my robotic master, I discovered that the reason why this robot girl was able to see me is because she is part human. A humanoid cyborg. I also discovered she also housed an akuma yet after a few more tests after the akuma was ejected, I can safely conclude that it is her half-human nature that allowed her to perceive me. Although the akuma was not meant for her specifically, I still want to make sure there aren't any residual effects.

…

Ah who am I kidding? Am I just going to treat her like some science experiment? Just what is wrong with me? Why am I still doing this?

Aoi: "Go on. What is your request?"

"I'd like to talk."

Aoi: "Request granted. There you have-"

"No no, not like that. Your feelings. I want to talk about them.:

Aoi: "Feelings? Robots don't have feelings. We're electrical impulses of reasoning."

"Robots don't have feelings?"

Aoi: "You look like you want to argue against that."

"Oh I do, but more importantly Aoi, how can you call yourself a robot?"

…

Aoi: "Aoi? Who's this Aoi?"

"What? You don't know?"

…

Aoi: "Oh. You're talking about this unit in front of you, Refer to this unit by whatever nickname you desire."

"A nickname? But that was the name that on your file."

Aoi: "Is it now? Must be an error. This unit has always been a robot."

She calls herself a robot and that's what I've been treating her as. Well to be fair, at the time I had no ideal she was partially human. No, I can't say that. That's just an excuse in the end, a convenient one for me. I sighed.

"Allow me to show you."

Aoi: "Enough."

"Huh?"

Aoi: "This unit has and always has been a robot. Your request is no longer acceptable."

"But Aoi. Didn't you say-"

Aoi: "Who's this Aoi? If you want to request a reward for your help, address this robot by its proper identifiers."

"I- I can't do that anymore."

Aoi notches her head.

:Aoi: "Explain."

"I just can't do that, master. PRT1RTX.0037c's just an identifier, even that moniker Proto is or was just a shorthand way for me to refer to you. But to now know that you were once a human, with a past, with a name of your own. I-"

Aoi raises her right hand in front as if to silence me.

Aoi: "Are you just stalling for time?"

"No, not at all."

Aoi: "Then what is your point in all of this?"

"My point?... I guess I just want to make friends."

Aoi: "Friends now is it? Hmm. Your requests are odd but not too unreasonable. Fine. You and this robot can be friends."

"That's great. Now you and I are going to have such great times, I can hardly wait. Aoi."

Aoi: "Ah but before that, if this is a friendship you're seeking, both parties should be addressed accordingly, Mr. Duusu."

"What? You don't like the name Aoi? But that's your name."

Aoi shakes her head.

Aoi: "Incorrect. It is PRT1RTX.0037c. If you absolutely must use another alias, use Proto."

"But Aoi just comes off more easily."

Aoi: "Irrelevant. Do you want to be friends or not?"

"I do! If you don't like being referred to as Aoi, I am willing to compromise for you."

Aoi: "Don't like? As if a machine could feel. As expected. You behaved as calculated."

"Yeah, I figured."

Aoi: "So you figured it out? What a strange creature you are, Duusu. Strange. Not emotionally, but strange in that despite knowing that this unit is a machine, you opt to treat this robot as if it were capable of having feelings."

…

"May I just ask you one question?"

Aoi crocks her head.

"Your handlers. Do you miss them?"

Aoi: "Miss? What are you asking about? Explain."

Hm. It's clear Aoi still thinks she's just a robot. Well I'm not going to get anywhere arguing with her, there's a bit of disconnect with her. It's strange though. She's capable of self-diagnosis and yet she never came upon this stored data entry. It doesn't appear to be locked for her either so why is it now that she identifies more with her robotic ID than her human counterpart? No, I know the answer to that. This is something the Society would do. It's like them to erase a target's individuality or rob them of their personhood.

"But it still doesn't make any sense!"

Aoi: "Hm?"

If they wanted to turn her into a complete drone, why keep that information though? There's no purpose to it. Potential cruelty, yes, but it's not like they're going to use that on Aoi especially if they just opt to rid her of her humanity, an impossibility. To stroke their egos? What use is that if they can't find someone to lord it over?

I sighed. I don't know why the Society did this, or to put it more accurately, why they allowed her to do this. I want to say that they forced her, but looking over her records, it appears though she agreed to. I just want to know the reason. There has to be something that's missing, but what is it? Everything about her seems to be in working order and yet the logic leaps. Well regardless, I suppose she's my responsibility now.

"Aoi-"

Aoi: "Proto."

"Proto. I- I don't know if you'll comprehend what I am saying to you, but I want to let you know that I'm going to make you a promise."

Am I really doing this? I'm doing this.

"I just want to let you know that no matter what happens to you, I'll be there for you, okay? I know you're just a machine and you could be easily replaced, but…"

Aoi: "But?"

"N-nothing. It's not important. Just remember. You and I are friends, and friends stick with each other. I won't abandon you."

Aoi: "Hm. Then you best be of usage."

"Oh I will. Heheh, I wouldn't want to be a burden to you. Is there something I can help you with?"

Aoi pauses as if to think.

Aoi: "No. You are not necessary. Friends are not necessary, not for a robot."

"Right. I understand. Well just be assured that my promise to you still stands, my friend."

Aoi. I will find answers to you. I must. I must know why this is happening to you and hopefully I can get some answers from Miawa. Surely there must've been a point to risk having this robot rediscover her humanity. Just what were they thinking when they left that information behind so easily unguarded? It's nonsensical! Are they hoping for a major containment breach?!