tushanshu | ➢ 002

[It has been a very interesting two months for Aya thus far. The young not-so-Artificial Intelligence has already learned so much. About Keelai. About the multiverse. About her fellow Foreign "visitors" and, perhaps most importantly, about herself. And how little she actually knows about herself, and the circumstances surrounding her apparent unique creation.]

[Which is what brings her to the Network for a third time. Her eyes are shining with their usual curiosity, although this time, they are enhanced by a certain...hesitation behind them. An uncertainty that emphasizes her surprisingly (and deceptively) young age.]

There is something I am curious about. As your localized Network System appears to be the best place to make such public inquiries, I have chosen to make mine here as well.

[Somehow, when she preempts with this rather innocent statement, it sounds like she's apologizing for wasting everyone's time. Despite the importance to her, personally.]

I have had several conversations regarding...memories. In particular, those that people are able to access, and those they are not. It has been drawn to my attention that, upon departing from this world, any and all memories of this place are to be deleted from one's memory banks without fail. [She is not okay with this, of course, and yet this is still not the main focus of her post.] It has also been drawn to my attention that there are certain memories in which the majority of organic beings are capable of retaining as well as forgetting.

I was programmed to never forget. And yet...I have been made aware that there are certain events which must have occurred in my life that I cannot remember. I find this both curious and disconcerting. Which is why I must ask:

Is it common for one to possess no memories of the circumstances surrounding one's birth?

More so, I am also curious as to precisely what kinds of memories everyone appears to retain best.

[[PRIVATE MESSAGE - TONY STARK (MCU)]]

[Shortly after her more public message, one in a drastically different change of tone will appear on Tony's screen. For either him or JARVIS to encounter first]

I have completed the designs of the sweaters--[here, a small image of said sweater will appear on his screen for visual]-- you requested for the office. Pending your approval, and a total count of sweaters necessary, I shall proceed to create one for each member of the company.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Then, logically, it would be better for all beings to remember both the good and the bad. They do not have to be mutually exclusive.

[Which is one thing Aya would never understand about carbon-based life forms; what was it like to forget, and know you have forgotten? As of this moment, Aya could only assume there are memories she does not have. She has no way of knowing for certain, beyond this belief that there must have been a period of time in which she existed before her first recorded memory.]

I have made no assumptions that our presences here are for our benefit at all.

We appear to have been summoned for the sole purpose of aiding others. Which is fine, if not...curious.

I won't argue with you there. At one time, I might have.

[Existence and the experiences in them are kind of a big deal. He doesn't know much about somebody or something that doesn't have the ability to remember before a certain point. Even Milla seemed to recall things since her birth on Rieze Maxia. Of course...he knew how that turned out and it kinda makes him think here. The way this one talks about herself almost reminds him of her in the most basic way. It's too similar to ignore.]

It'd be pointless to kick up a fuss when we have no other choice but to go along with what they tell us to do. I guess...helping others would be a plus.

[Coming from him, this is...a little ironic. His question is less than tactful.]

So...what are you exactly?

[The lack of tact hardly bothers her. In fact, given her previous experiences with individuals questioning her identity...the fact that they stop to ask her at all, rather than simply dismiss her as another machine? Big improvement.]

Colloquially speaking? A robot.

[Then they will get along swimmingly. That she is a machine and not another person is frankly kinda interesting. The way she talks reminds him of a certain Lord of Spirits and she turned out to be not so bad in the end.]

Really? Gotta admit that we don't have any walking, talking machines like you where I come from. You sound a lot more lucid than the flesh and blood people.

You are not the first person to tell me that.

[Either comment, really.]

I don't imagine I would be. I really...haven't spoken to too many people here to find that out. For all I know, most of them are machines.

[He means that both in jest and seriously. He'd honestly not be surprised if he turned around and suddenly...robots.]

So, uh...not sure if this is a personal question or not, but do most machines wonder about emotions where you come from?

[The choice of words caused a noticeable furrow in her browline. Though Aya was well aware that he did not mean it intentionally, his had touched upon a very deep hurt that still resided within her.]

I am not a machine.

Machines do not feel. They do not evolve. They remain stationary and unchanging in their ways, regardless of the worlds around them.

[Oh boy...does Alvin need to stop putting his foot in his mouth. He can see it in her face. By the end of that journey back home, he's starting ot get better about figuring out the right and wrong things.

The problem is that he's doing so after the fact.]

...Hey...I'm sorry. I'm not really the most tactful guy. Anybody from my world would love to tell you that. I didn't mean anything by that. I actually think machines are pretty cool. I'm kinda just...in awe right now.

But I guess...I can just call you by your name if you want.

[The apology seems to assuage her, as her expression relaxes and she nods.]

That would be more than sufficient. Thank you.

[Alvin's a little surprised that apologizing manages to fix a problem...but he never really did think about that before. He gives a light laugh.]

No problem. I should...probably go ahead and make an exit before I put my foot in my mouth again.

While I highly doubt, given your anatomical structure and the rigidity of bone, that is possible...perhaps it is for the best at this time.

[He blinks a moment before just smirking.]

Maybe I'm giving myself too much credit to assume I'd be that limber. Uh...I never caught your name. I figure I should know that whenever we run into each other again. This turtle may be big, but there's a lot of us on it.

[She nods once.]

Aya.

My name is Aya.

A pleasure making your acquaintance, Aya. I'm Alvin. I'll be seeing you around.

[And maybe he'll actually be able to say the right thing for once. That's asking a lot from him.]

➢ 002 | VIDEO

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