How may I help?

To an android who was hardly used to seeing any greenery back home, this flower festival was really something else. So many colours! So much wildlife! The area was gorgeous and she couldn’t help but feel happy here.

She even got a flower crown! She chose flowers at random, an odd mix of them making up most of the crown, but there were a lot of roses in it.

Someone caught her eye; someone who looked familiar! She waited at a distance for them to turn her way briefly, so that Alyssa could see their face and verify, and sure enough, they’d met before!

By the time Alyssa got over to them, they’d turned away again, their backs towards her. Alyssa took off her flower crown and, walking up behind them, placed it on theirs.

“Cute. We’ve met, haven’t we?”

It was always a treat when everyone was smiling; it was part of the reason she loved the power of music, after all. And it helped this lady had a lovely smile, all nice and happy. Anyway.

May popped over to the indicated area, a jovial spring in her step as she bounced around, posing with one thumb in a jean pocket, the other held up in a peace sign. “Arright, hit me!” The young woman wore her broadest, cheesiest grin, bright like the spark in her eyes; very much her. She did wonder where the camera was tho-

Click!

Well that answered that. Blinking a bit (thankfully *after* the picture shot) in bemusement, she was still every bit as sunny as the photographer walked back over to her. “Aw shucks, thanks! It was pretty fun, and I’m sure you helped quite a bit yourself.” There were more ‘photogenic’ sorts around, but May liked to think there was always at least a lil bit of personality in any given picture of her. And if this lady agreed, then all the better eh? On that note… “Say, how’d you do that? Some kinda robot eye, or…” She decided to take the moment to give a proper glance over her, actually picking up on some of her fine details jeez that’d be awkward out loud that helped inform her next statement. “Robot? You some kinda robot or cyborg kinda deal?” While the question was a tad direct, her tone made it clear this was all out of jovial inquisitiveness. “That’s fuckin sweet!”

“A photographer is only as good as the thing they are photographing. Don’t sell yourself short!” Sure, maybe the picture would’ve been nice with just about any one, and it would have been a nice picture with no one in it at all and just the scenery. But Alyssa had no regrets about asking her specifically to be in it.

“Robot eye, you’ve pretty much hit the nail on the head there. Though, it’s not just my eye that’s robotic. I’m an android, specifically the Alyssa model released by the Gaussian Robotics Corporation. Finest android producers on the market.” Of course she was going to advertise for her company.

Alyssa let out a small, somewhat bashful laugh. “I suppose it is rather sweet. But it does come with it’s own limitations that humans have better.”

She didn’t want to completely reject the compliment, though, and to thank her for it, Alyssa looked down at the rose bush they were stood by for a moment, knelt down, and plucked a rose. Standing back up, she held it out to May.

Well, he supposed that much made sense. A market would sound rather attractive to anyone, especially if it had the chance of reminding you of home. In some ways, it had reminded him a bit of the little cultural groupings in big cities in America- not exactly the same, but still similar enough.

“Oh, uh.. currency? Well, I guess whatever it is they call the stuff they use here…” He had never actually put much thought into the name of the city’s currency. Was it dollars? Yen? Euro? Pounds? More likely than not, it was something entirely separate, but he had no idea. “Don’t got a name for you on that one, sorry.”

“Well, here’s hoping they take some form of digital currency... that’s all that I’m used to. Say...” She had a question, and she could always find the answer online if she really needed to, but this kind of question probably served best to be answered by a human, for once.

Given the state of technology in this world, she didn’t expect any information online to be as helpful as eyes that saw what she was looking for in person.

“While you were there, did you happen to see any shops I may be interested in? That is, shops that sell a whole array of android parts and add-ons. If I’m going to be in this city for a while, it’d be nice to know where I can head to, should I need repairs and such.”

“Signal detected… artificial intelligence confirmed. Seithr levels… none. Commencing pursuit of signal.” 

This was a rare chance. A person like her, in a way; and she wanted to know more. All Lambda had known as a artificial life was herself and the other Prime Field Devices. Did other worlds create girls like herself? She didn’t want to think it over; just her own suffering was enough to not want more of her kind around. Did this AI suffer in her creation like she did? 

Lambda wanted to know.

Finding the source, she wondered how to get the person’s attention. Her systems warned her about being straightforward, and risking her appearance as a ‘silent girl’– not that Lambda saw herself that way. Once eyes landed on the mask, however, the Murakumo girl had an idea of how to approach. She walked over and tugged on her sleeve. “… Doesn’t that mask bother you?”

@a-n-droid

Alyssa was stood stock-still, save for her head which turned at precise angles left and right as she calculated the quickest path home.

... Actually, she had calculated several of the most common paths home in a very short timeframe, but she was having trouble deciding which to take for reasons an algorithm couldn’t solve. One went through a market, and who knew if she might find something she needed to purchase there. One went past the library, where this lovely fellow she met the other week might be there again and she could stop to say hi!

A tug on her sleeve pulled her out of it, the lights in her eyes flickering, then shutting off  completely. A small software glitch that happened when she was a tad low on power.

A hand reached up to feel her mask after she heard the other’s question. “My mask? No.. not at all! It’s actually very helpful.” Her eye-lights turned back on now. “It acts as a firewall.”

“It’s the name of my Pokemon.” 

He explained frankly. Lately, Gary seemed to have released his Pokemon lately and he just want Squirtle to enjoy his new surroundings, besides not being  cooped up in a Pokeball all day. 

This girl has an odd aura, yet he can’t figure out what.. Maybe he’ll learn by the next round himself. 

“Yeah, you can say that. And go ahead..?” Gary knew that Squirtle is sometimes picky and moody if he feels like it. “Guessed right, not only he’s my pet– we’re allies of the sort actually.”

“A cute name, at that. Fitting, for such an adorable little thing!”

She briefly wondered if he got this pet from somewhere in the city, or if he’s always had it. She was going to ask, but he ended up answering anyway in the following sentence. If only she were a little more patient.

So they were abundant where he’s from, how lucky for him! Well... it was lucky, until he came to the city, rather. With its owner’s permission to pet it granted, she knelt down and with a gentle hand, gave the Squirtle a couple pats on the head. She was very careful not to use too much force; she knew that given her metallic body, it was a lot easier to hurt it than a human would.

Well, she was stuck in an unknown place, disconnected from everything she had ever known, and trapped in a city full of both potential friends, and deadly(?!) enemies. What was May to do? 

Why, see the lush sights of course! No reason not to appreciate the pretty things in life; if you’re too down not to do that, you’ve already given up, right? Hence why the young woman found herself touring through the rather light aesthetic of the local(?) greenery. It was almost kinda reminiscent of home, what with New Zealand’s rep for nature stuff and all that. In fact, she was almost tempted to try and climb one of those trees for the heck of it before she found herself called to by a woman’s voice.

Keeping her bright-eyed demeanor, May turned around to acknowledge the rather interesting looking lady, blinking then beaming at the request. “Ah, for sure! That was basically a compliment, right, so I’m sold already, aha.” She bashfully chuckled and scratched through her hair. Geez, your standards for ladies attention could almost stand to be a modicum higher, couldn’t they May. “So, uh,” She looks around readily. “Should I just stay here or…?” 

“A compliment for sure!” she beamed back. Alyssa felt somewhat lucky that they walked by when they did!

“If you could just stand riiiiiight about... there,” she pointed in a general direction, in front of a cluster of trees with a rose bush beneath them, “and then.. I don’t know, pose, smile, whatever you’d like! Do what feels best to you.”

She nodded, having made up her mind about how she wanted this picture to look. She waited for the girl to get into position and pose or smile or do whatever she pleased, framed the picture in hands once more, and then...

Click!

Well.. there wasn’t a click, but the picture was taken. If it weren’t for Alyssa’s little jump and clap of her hands, it wouldn’t have been obvious. Benefits of having a camera embedded into your eyes.

     Asriel scanned her face, frantically searching for an answer. He was extremely troubled by this discovery, although, as she continued, a breath of air escaped his lungs. He didn’t want to think about goats being strapped up to machines (or goats with those weird boob pumps) to feed humans. Gross. He glanced at the can distastefully and gently sat it on the closest shelf. He felt the need to throw it away.

     “At least the goats are hurt. That would be bad. Do you think the goats are hurt to get their milk?”

This little goat child probably didn’t want to know about the milking process. She had no reason to believe it was different here than it was as she knew it. And as she knew it... well, it wasn’t exactly good for the goats.

But they weren’t killed, at least?

“... No. They’re given places to stay and looked after 24/7, not to worry.” Technically she was speaking the truth! And... she had to ask.

{This is probably the first person Devola’s met that’s been polite. It’s kind of jarring, to be honest. It reminds her of her sister’s attitude towards strangers.}

{Still, she’s wary. Especially when the… Alyssa model… told her what she is.}

{She once again looks Alyssa up and down.} “You? You’re an android?” {Devola scoffs. It’s almost laughable, and she would be laughing if she isn’t so on edge. Seriously, you can see the joints and everything! How old is this model compared to her? Did she know?}

“I’ve never heard of that model.What year were you built? How long have you been active?” {The slight defensive edge in her voice from before only escalates now.}

“I happen to be a very popular model where I’m from...” she started, a bit of a defensiveness of her own making its way into her tone of voice. 

As the other kept speaking, small LEDs in her face lit up red; a robotic blush, as a result of her starting to feel embarrassed. She had no reason to feel embarrassed— Alyssa knew that she was right. But the way this other spoke still made her feel a bit bad about herself. As if she had a choice in being what she is.

“The first prototype versions of myself came out just last year. I myself have been active for several months now. Where I’m from, there’s no better alternative on the market.”

Mostly true.

—✕ █ ▌❝You’re KEEN at observing.❞ A rather useful skill, he notes, speaking with approval. ❝I’ve lived LONG —— though perhaps I am a mere child in the eyes of most.❞

A cautionary shrug as he tears eyes away from the horizon to yes, look back. Tis as if her statement PROMPTED this action.

❝Not looking back could mean many things. REFUSAL to take responsibility for your past, or a decision to forget that which you once was. Behind you are lessons to remember, yes? It is when you are SWALLOWED by that which is behind you that is … a problem.❞

“Lessons learned don’t stay in the past, do they? They follow you forward, whether you want to forget them or not.” She shrugged, and turned briefly towards the horizon that he was just looking at. As if wondering if she’d find anything there that was catching his eye.

She turned back to him, her eyes momentarily turning a shade of blue and back again.

   Ava was quick to turn around to face whoever had touched her. Her fondness of the city was still little to none, as were any of it’s inhabitants, so her agitation would have been quick to catch up to her… had it not been for the girl’s odd appearance.

   Was she ill? A robot? A cosplayer? No, what was it that she said? Ava took a few extra seconds to process what the woman had said – and in turn ended up staring at her a bit longer – before she pieced together the implications. Ordered her, company building…

   “I… can’t say I have, ma’am,” Ava responded timidly, her initial temper having died down. “I haven’t been in any company buildings as of recently, but as far as I can tell you, people show up and leave from this place at random…” Though her tone was downcast, the girl shrugged. “I guess people get used to it.”

   “Are you… lost? Or okay at all, for that matter.”

Her spirits were already sinking by the time the girl finished the first sentence. It wasn’t the stranger’s fault, she knew that... but it still was disappointing to here nevertheless. She was so sure that she was the one! She wore her disappointment on her face, though fortunately, a lot of it was hidden behind her mask.

“Oh... that’s quite alright, then. I’m sorry for confusing you with someone else, then, I was just... hoping I was correct. But that’s my fault, not yours.”

She tried to perk herself up again (with.. mixed results). There was no point in being upset about it any longer! And besides, now she knew more about this place. People came and went at random. Her first thought was.. maybe that means someone who knows her will appear sometime?

“I’m not lost. Or at least, not in some senses of the word. I don’t have anywhere in particular I need to get to.” She brushed down and straightened her skirt, even though she didn’t need to. Consider it a bit of a nervous habit. “But that’s the problem, you see! I don’t have anywhere—or anyone to go to. But I need to. I’m useless, otherwise.”

“It was… Vario, Auburn, and Sia.” He counted them off on his fingers as he spoke, trying to think about what to really say. “Vario was pretty decent, another shopping area. Plenty of sub-markets that at least looked like they were based off the world that I came from, so it was nice in that way. Auburn was… i dunno, a forest? Didn’t stay too long. Sia was quiet, but the mountain was a bit much.”

He’d crossed his arms while talking about the districts, trying to think about his opinions. “I guess Vario would be my favourite then, even if it was a bit busy for my tastes.”

Based on that information, she could assume that Auburn and Sia wouldn’t be her favourite places to go. Auburn’s forest would be doable, but she’s not meant for mountain trekking. Vario sounded... interesting, though! And if her hunch was correct, maybe there’d be a submarket like from her world too?

The thought of that was an enticing one.

“They all sound lovely, but Vario! I haven’t been, but already I’m inclined to agree with you.” She wanted to go! Right now! Who cares what time it was? But... wait a minute.

@a-n-droid​

{& ♫ ||: “Whoooa, coooool,” Cadence says, eyes practically sparkling upon seeing the other’s mask. Uncle Eli would never let her wear anything like that, but she still felt curious about it! “You look so cool!” she chirps. Then as though immediately embarrassed for herself, she tries covering her mouth and coughing into her hand; trying to do away with her goofy grin. It’s an oddly paced sort of cough–as though Cadence is trying to do so to the beat of some pop song.

When her throat’s cleared, Cadence tries putting on a more neutral expression, but her still-yet-twinkling eyes betray her.

“I mean. You look pretty cool,” she says in a more room-volume voice. Bouncing on her heels, she points at her own mouth to get Alyssa to get what she meant next: “So, where’d you get your, uh, yourrr… Thingy? Where can I get one?”

She was beaming on the inside for someone to call her cool! Though the girl couldn’t see it beneath the very mask she was eyeing, Alyssa definitely had a goofy smile on. The child’s sparkling eyes were the adorable icing on the cake. Although it was silly, Alyssa felt like she didn’t want to disappoint her now; that she had to keep up the appearance of being cool, even though it’s not likely she’d ever see this girl again.

Right?

“Thank you! I— Thank you, thank you!” Good start. “My ‘thing’ is my firewall mask. It’s vital in keeping me safe from viruses. I haven’t seen anywhere to get another one in this city, so I’m afraid I don’t think you can get one...”

She didn’t need one, either. This wasn’t a cosmetic mask, it served a very real purpose. But one that wouldn’t make a difference for someone who was made of flesh and blood, not circuits and metal plates. But...

⊰ @a-n-droid ⊱

 "Huh, I could have sworn Halloween passed last time I was here. Are you still in costume?”

 “… Unless you need the mask to breathe, or something. In which case, I’m sorry. Not because of what I said, but that you’re stuck with it on your face.” SERENA NO–!

“Halloween is no longer celebrated where I am from, and I was not manufactured until well after it would have passed regardless.”

Her voice was as chipper and positive as ever, as the insult didn’t bother her one bit (if it even registered as one). She held her hands together behind her back and decided to start informing the girl about her mask.

“I don’t need it to breathe—I don’t actually need oxygen at all, being an android and all, but this mask does help to keep out viruses and other contaminants that might find their way to me. It’s only latched onto my head, and I can remove it at any time, see?”

She reached behind her head and turned a small dial and the bone-coloured mask fell forward from her face (which she caught with her other hand), revealing a normal looking face beneath. Normal, aside from being robotic.

{Looks like the glare still works, even here. Devola looks down at the mechanism in her hand. Looks like the thing is still functional, somehow. Maybe it’s something that she’s doing with it. Another voice to bounce ideas off of would be nice, since her usual partner isn’t here. But she doesn’t trust the stranger, not one bit.}

“I’m not an idiot. This is obviously a radio. Just a really old one.” {She jabs at another part of it much harder than one should.}

“I wanted to see how it works, is all.” {She looks up and down the stranger’s body with an incredulous look on her face.} 

“So what, you some kind of machine or something?”

“I didn’t mean to imply you were one, Miss, I’m very sorry...”

Alyssa was starting to feel very awkward about the whole situation. She was about to apologize, take a step back, and just walk away (as clearly they didn’t seem too keen on the idea of having her here) but she was... she was just going to end up breaking the thing if left alone with it.

More than it was already broken, anyway.

“I’m— I’m the most advanced machine available on the market. A personal assistant android, the Alyssa Model from the Gaussian Robotics Corporation.”

Her head cocked to the side just a bit, and she looked away from the other girl and back to the robot after finishing her advertisement.

Ever since he arrived here, people of all kinds had eyed his Pokemon suspiciously. The attentions he received were strange. He has met some creatures to his liking too. Hive City just keep importing people from different worlds each week.

Gary was also ignoring the stares he received from curious citizens but it’s best if he do. He looked at his Pokemon in question when Squirtle looked at the approaching visitor or stranger. It also made him look at whoever was interested at his Pokemon. He has been communicating with Squirtle about most of his recently stolen Pokemon team from him.

“Oh, you mean Squirtle?” Gary stared at his Pokemon and wondered what went wrong this time. Is this becoming a habit? “Simple, he’s a Pokemon. From where I’m from, they’re abundant from my world.” As frank as he is, he was right and accurate in most of his deductions and answers.

“Squirtle.. ?”

Was that just a pet name, or was that the name of the animal? Though, now that she thought about it, why would someone name their pet after the species? Like naming your cat ‘Cat’ or your Betta fish ‘Betta.’ It seemed such a silly thing to her!

Plus, then they said it was a Pokemon right after. She concluded that Squirtle was its name, and its species was Pokemon.

“Squirtle.. understood. And they’re abundant where you’re from? It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before! Is it alright if I pet it.. ? Does it even enjoy being pet?”

“Yeah, I guess so…” 

If you’d just gotten a map, then he supposed it could make a place feel bigger, but to him it tended to do the opposite. Once you sit down and familiarize yourself with an area, even quite large places often start to seem rather small and well-known.

“A couple of them, yeah. Not too bad, for the most part.”

If they were going to be stuck here, at least they had some visual variety. Hardly makes up for mass abductions, but it makes the stay a tad more pleasant.

“Really? Which ones? Which did you like best?”

Alyssa had to try to hide how excited she sounded, lest she sound like an over-excitable fool. But she was so curious! She knew, objectively, what the outer districts were like, but not peoples’ personal thoughts on them. This was the first time she’s asked someone about them, so naturally they wanted their personal opinion of the areas that no travel guide could offer.

“I want to plan a quick trip to one of them soon, but I don’t know where to start. They all seem... relatively nice, I just can’t decide.”

@a-n-droid

     “Excuse me, miss. Is this milk really made out of goats?” Ah, yes, a goat child running into an android woman in a super market. This was pretty normal for Hive City. There was urgency in his voice, brows pushing together in concern. This was a rather stressful moment for him. He held a carton above him, labeled in bold print, “GOAT MILK”. “Please tell me it’s not. I don’t know what this means.”

She wasn’t finding what she was looking for at this grocery store, unfortunately, and was about to take her leave when a small voice from her side spoke out to her. She turned, and looked down and was... very bewildered by what she saw, visibly so. This kid was... covered in fur? Looked like a goat? How the hell did that happen? 

As confused as she was, she didn’t let it stop her from answering the question.