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Something Artificial (Vahn Seele x LunarStar)

It was a little sad to hear that Amubi found herself unable to fully express whether she is happy right now or not, but one thing that Echo could do whiles listening to the mercenary was to at least be there for her. Not like she had much of a choice anyhow but she would've opted to stay regardless. Being openly admitted to have emotional irregularities was a nugget of information that she actually had on Abumi from that brief moment she was connected to the personal pad stating on her profile as 'being erratic' and even going as far as to call Abumi 'reckless', two things that in Echo's digital opinion are quite true as seen first hand when she handed out the news about the sister. Amubi wanted to rush to OmniCorp right away, disregarding any consequences and became a wreck that was otherwise unusual to see since their first meeting.

Putting some of her programming to work, Echo enabled her caretaker feature by lifting her left hand up to Abumi's cheek and gently letting the back of her gloved fingers stroke the cheek as a form of comfort. If human contact was going to be an important factor, Echo would make sure that Abumi is in the know that she'll be there for her when it is needed.

"That is a fairly standard question." Echo responded soon after being asked about her ability to lay board games and lowered her hand back down "But at the present moment, I cannot play the games Chess and Checkers. Please hold." In that moment, the android went silent and still, opening up her network for a brief moment after ensuring the sweep isn't near them for the moment, plus so long as she remains clear from anything OmniCorp related, she should be safe. Accessing the network and looking up the rules of the games named, looking up videos and other such strategies about them in seconds, Echo went from being unable to play, to having the knowledge in doing so. Soon after shutting off her connection to the net once she was done.

"Complete. I am now able to play these games if you would like to play with me. My Creator mentions that at times he would use such games as a means to test my A.I. capabilities, or to check I am of functioning satisfaction. However, as I am looking into my data, since my last reboot I have no record of such activity." Looking over at Abumi, Echo chose then to change the topic on just the game, less she brought about more distress to the mercenary than it is necessary "How you'd you like me to play? Beginner. Intermediate. Or Master?"

To think and android actually having a difficulty level...
 
Abumi was a little surprised at the way that Echo reached out to touch her face. The Gesture could have easily been a programmable one, responding to a distress that was visible from her physiology, but she didn't want to discredit Echo from seeming to learn the ins and outs of being human. She could learn, such was the hope, to be more than just her programming.

Watching as Echo began to move through the motions of learning how to play some basic board games, Abumi had to marvel at her. She could learn to do just about anything of a technical manner in a matter of minutes, possibly even seconds. If that were the case, she would eventually learn how to surpass Abumi in any of her technical abilities. The only point that Abumi carried over Echo, and it wasn't so much a point as it was just the reality of technical vs. creativity, was her ability to adapt. Echo was on the cutting edge of AI, though, so she might even have an invisible advantage there, given enough time to adapt herself.

It wasn't a competition, though, and she was happy to see that Echo was developing and learning. Even if it was the simple things, such as learning to play a board game or how to properly comfort someone, it would be interesting to see things continue further.

Once asked what difficulty to start at, Abumi gave a little shrug. "I could settle for intermediate. I am no genius at Chess, though, so don't judge me if I make a ton of mistakes." Abumi said, setting up the board. With the white pieces on her side and the black on Echo's, Abumi gave a gesture to Echo. "Feel free to start things off." She offered, not wanting to take the first move. She wanted to see how Echo did with leading in a game of strategy. Would she push forward with a pawn? Jump with a knight? there were a lot of things to learn about a person from their style of Chess, or so someone had once told her.

As she waited for a response from Echo, Abumi settled to get comfortable, laying on her side with right arm resting along her side as she waited for Echo to take her turn. "Don't go easy on me, either. I can lose a game now and then." She said, grinning up at Echo from her side position as she drew her eyes back to the board.
 
"Noted, I will not speak of any inefficient moves you may make. That is part of what my data tells me as 'human flaw'. My creator made sure to mark those files as important, stating that it would help me better respond to humans making errors in their actions." Echo spoke, hoping at least a small amount that either way she won't upset Abumi having put it that way at the start. It was never her place to have said anything anyhow had she not been asked to stay silent, as it counted as questioning the authority that is the one in charge of her. Currently being Abumi herself. Echo also made it a note to play on an intermediate level, likely having to deliberately make moves that won't entirely put her in the best of situations, as she saw when she analysed the rules of the game a second ago to learn it.

When the pair got to have a sit at the small table, large enough still to house the chess board and surprisingly having all of the pieces still, Echo quietly awaited for the game to be set up, looking to see that she was going to be given the black team of this game. Whether it was of a reference to her choice of outfit, being a black maids dress, or simply a pick of being a guest in this hideout, it mattered little.

What did matter was the gesture passed on to her to go first instead of Abumi simply starting the game, as per rules, whites move first. It left the Android a fair bit torn between obeying Abumi's word and following the rules of the game itself. And it showed when Echo's head tilted up to look right at Abumi, her mouth twitching open ever so slightly in a bid to say something, but stopping herself once or twice before any words left her. Was it something she missed learning about the game? Was it a test from Abumi herself? To see if she is able to be asked to break a rule or choosing to follow it still. Like she is following her programming or doing her own thing of what percentage she has of a free will?

Thankfully it didn't overload Echo too much or started to glitch out when she lifted one of her hands to gently take one of her pawns and placed it two spaces up, then returned to her upright sitting position. She remained somewhat quiet, oddly enough, looking back down at the board to see that just the single piece having been moved but it wasn't the side that should start. Something as simple as a house rule really had an effect on Echo, it was only a matter of time if that was good or bad "I... I believe it's... your turn now. I must say, I was under the impression that you were to start the game. Not me."
 
Abumi gave a faint look of concern as she saw the way that Echo was struggling in her first move. it shouldn't be that complicated, right? Making the first move literally set the pace of the game. Perhaps, without an idea of what play style a person would have, she was unable to make a choice between the hundreds of options in leading a game. Eight pawns, with two different starting spots. Then, there were the knights that could move out. Perhaps it wasn't hundreds of starting moves, but it was likely a lot to take in.

When Echo did eventually take and move her pawn forward, she looked to Abumi with her question, which helped to illuminate the mystery of her hesitation. "Oh, well, white going first is likely a standard rule for most tournaments. Growing up, I never cared about who went first. I only offered the first move to you because it seemed polite, and a great way for you to exercise some of your free will." Abumi said, hoping that she didn't think that Abumi was trying to play some kind of trick on her, or test her on whether she would push against her programming.

That notion of bucking her programming, though, did seem like a good idea to try testing. This was the simplest time to do it, during a game of Chess. "Let's keep going with you starting first. I think it would be a good time to test how you adjust to change. If you feel like it is going to cause you too much trouble, though, please tell me. I don't want to cause you to shut down over something as simple as 'who went first' in a friendly game of chess." Abumi said, smiling as she looked at her options.

A pawn charging forward. That was a pretty basic move. Taking one of the pawns from her side, she pressed it forward one space, exposing her bishop to give it a chance to move out diagonally. "There we go. Your move, Echo." She said, sitting back and watching the way that Echo reacted. It was interesting, interacting with Echo in a game of chess. Abumi hoped that something of a personality would shine through in her moves.

"Tell me something, Echo. Do you want to stay with me? Let's say that, hypothetically, you gained your free will tomorrow. Do you think you'd want to stay, or would you want to go out and learn more from others?" Abumi asked. it was a hard question, she knew, as Echo was not really free to think for herself. Part of Abumi wanted to keep Echo around for a while. Not just for her advantages in her watchful eyes, but more as a companion in her endeavors as a freelancer. It was always helpful to have someone that could master a skill in minutes, as well as take a hard cut or punch from someone far more able bodied than Abumi.
 
"Oh." Echo responded, unable to really say much else and even sounded somewhat saddened with herself for having assumed it was some form of a test, a mentality in a way that is edged into her being from having been built in a laboratory where the humans that made would, for the lack of a better word, test her. She had no idea that Abumi was just doing that for the sake of being nice to an android and letting her have the first move "My apologies, I was not aware those rules could be adjusted also for the color of the pieces, known as house rules."

With the air cleared a little from that, it was time the game started going underway and Echo watched on as the mercenary made her first move, much more sooner than Echo had made, though this time she was more prepared now that she was past the starting phase of who goes first or not and reacted accordingly to Abumi's move by moving a different pawn to free up one of her own bishops.

Echo would've remained a little more composed however if it weren't for a question being put up for her to answer, coming from Abumi no less, about the choise to stay or go if and when Echo would achieve full capacity on her free will function. The blindfolds covering her raised brows, she wasn't all too sure how to answer truthfully. By her calculations, even if she were to push herself to break the limits every time to reach that 100%, it would take a considerable amount of time, time that was too far ahead to tell what she would or wouldn't do. This caused her to be worryingly still and quiet whiles processing a suitable answer, a definite sign of the difficulty the question posed but Abumi would be glad to know it didn't cause any harm when Echo did reply "Hard to analyse. I will obviously stay with you during my development to become fully self operational. However, I am unable to provide you with an answer of this present moment. But, should you request my stay after securing your sister, I would be happy to remain with you. I do not believe you need to worry about me leaving you just like that, given your personal circumstances, it may even be my pleasure to repay you by supporting you even after the personal missions have been completed. I read enough that your isolation has been... extensive."
 
Abumi couldn't hold back the bit of weightless relief that came with her answer regarding her stay. Echo had been a nice change of pace from the life she had been living. While she did have her contacts that helped to break the monotony of being a loner, as freelance work was meant to be done in the solitude of silence, Echo filled in a gap that Abumi was unaware of. Having some form of a partner or teammate was great, both as an asset and as a form of support outside of stressful situations.

"Don't worry too much about the house rules. If you come across something that goes against your programming, ask me about it. I'm not here to test you and push your limits. I'm here to help you, as much as you are to help me, it seems." She said, hoping that her words came through as honest. "As for the length of your time with me, you'll always have a place with me. I think that surviving the plasma hounds together was enough of a bonding experience to keep me from ever wanting to be a loner again, so long as I can help it." She said, giving a faint chuckle as she began to move pieces when it was her turn.

With each piece she moved, she tried to anticipate what Echo was going to do next. Would she purposely leave openings for Abumi? Was that what it meant to change the difficulty of an AI? That was one thing she would think about later, as time permitted. The two were killing time more than they were being productive. What more could they do while they were waiting for OmniCorp to move on with their sweeps?

"I hope that you can trust that I'm not wanting to shape or change you to be a weapon or something that I can use to my advantage." Abumi said, more for herself than for Echo's sake. "OmniCorp had enough of a hand in trying to shape you to be something you shouldn't have been. The last thing you need is me trying to take their place." Abumi added, yet another aside for more herself than for Echo's sake.
 
To have the plasma hounds mentioned in a game of chess, it made Echo wonder how it has yet to be questioned why they were even made to begin with, more so with how these things were violent enough to try and kill them both while they were down underground. Though it was still true also, it had been a bonding experience and together they did make it out alive. Even if Echo had been left with some damage. In the end, it seemed that this moment in life had allowed Abumi to embrace the idea of having someone around for a change due to that extreme moment of danger that could've ended their lives, even if that reason was accompanied by a few more reasons to keep together.

Over all, Echo silently accepted the idea to always have a place with Abumi even after getting her fully on the self aware quest. It allowed the android to know she has a place she can choose to stay in, most of all, to belong to. In a twisted sense against her creator, she didn't really feel like she belonged where she used to be. The reboots. The constant adjustments. It was as though she was never truly 'correct'.

By the time they got about half way through this game of theirs, Echo was sure that OmniCorp was done with their sweep in this area and could technically leave now if they wished. After she'd get change though, since they had gone out of their way to buy some. In any case, Echo felt somewhat taken aback by mentioning OmniCorp in such a way. While it could technically be true that the company was working in elements of her being a weapon/killer even though their primary coal was to make an android as human as they possibly can with their advanced tech, Echo never considered that Abumi was trying to take their place in that sense by having taken her away from their clutches. Hearing that had made Echo stop placing any pieces during her turn whiles looking across to the mercenary to think of a response appropriate in her mind, since this related to the human act of trust that she felt the need to say something even if she wasn't directly addressed.

"You are not taking their place. I can confirm by the lack of restrictions that could've been placed on my when you had your friend remove OmniCorp's tracker from me. Or the time when you connected my data with yours from your personal pad, with your kind of expertise in software hacking, you had every opportunity to make me into anything you've wish me to be then and there. Yet you did not. You offered me help for my own choosing to take it or not." Echo said in a manner of fact tone. perhaps even sounding a little firm there "Your personal history alone showed that you are not the kind of human that would want to be anything like the companies of the corrupt, to be like anyone following the latest trend, or to even work under someone else so you may pursue your own life at your own pace. To be your own self is something you've driven to be more than anything, yet certain personal conditions have kept you on your own." Echo spoke, practically revealing that she may have info on Abumi that are more of a personal matter that others should not really know about. Yet Echo does from the time Abumi's data pad was connected to the android to jam the protocols asking Echo to contact OmniCorp when they were done with the mission at the old facility.
 
Abumi kept up her efforts to try and remain a challenge for Echo in their game of chess. Pieces were seen missing from both sides of the board, leaving Abumi to wonder if she truly was as good of a strategist as she pictured herself. This form of self-evaluation was always the worst, because she truly operated in a different way in her mind. There was no need for a chessboard, just a single piece. A lone pawn, with the hidden abilities of a queen to undermine the other side before they had a chance to mobilize a proper defense against her.

Such was the line of work she tried to gain acclaim in. As the game progressed, their conversation continued to deepen to that of what would be considered regular human conversation. hearing that Echo understood Abumi's point of view on things, She also began to go into detail, recounting the information that she had gleaned from the datapad in the short time that she had used her own prowess to make an attempt at bypassing OmniCorp's security trackers. "There are plenty of reasons that I have had to work alone. When you are built up on a foundation of mistrust, parents willing to trade you to pay off debts to megacorps, you do your best to stop depending on those that should care for you." She said, chuckling a little to herself.

"I suppose the same can be said for you." She said, placing her last pawn in a dangerous spot to try and coax out Echo's bishop. "You were created and given life by a person that continuously tried to make you different, to fit a mold. The upside for you is that you don't have to remember the things that they made you do. While I could choose to have those memories removed, there is always the risk of losing some functions, some talents that were attached to those memories. For me, the memory of my sister being taken is what keeps me from falling still." She said, sitting back and looking at the board.

The game had progressed to a point that, even on an intermediate setting, Abumi was failing to gain any strategic ground on Echo. She had lost several key pieces and was on the verge of checkmate. "Just don't go telling anyone my secrets, Echo." After a moment, she realized that Echo would take that statement very literally. "I'm not giving that as an order, just a playful comment. I doubt you'd be willingly giving away vital information about me, just as I won't give away the same about you." She said, about to concede defeat to her AI friend.
 
The game of chess was indeed shaping up to be somewhat equal, even with Echo playing on the intermediate level, the android provided Abumi with enough of a challenge still so as to not make it too easy. Or was it maybe part of her programming that didn't quite allow for a play style to purposefully let someone else take a win at a move by bending the rules of the difficulty setting. Still, both sides were down a few pieces, but overall Echo was at a better state to drive Abumi's king into a corner for a possible checkmate, a lot of it depending on Echo taking the bait by taking out that pawn or leaving it to leave her queen in danger. That moment of calculating on the requested level has put Echo on pause for a moment, but not to carry on the conversation.

Which at the moment did take a bit of a dark tone about Abumi's relations with her parents having little care for her or her sister as to go far enough to trade them away. At least Abumi got out of that situation before that would happen. Echo couldn't quite fit herself into that situation, perhaps if she thought of her creator as a parent? He did create her, put most of his funds into developing an android of the highest quality there is, but ultimately she was made to be more of a tool still rather than just a regular human. Why?

Then there was a point Abumi made of having the luxury not to remember anything after each reboot, though in some cases that could be argued once it was stated that memories make a person. Echo needs memories. She needs to have data gathered into her system to be who she can be, which she can't if she has no recollection of what she used to be. What she used to do. It was a complicated matter that it was both a win and loss situation. But even so, Echo did nothing to argue with Abumi about it, considering it a win for Abumi's sake that she can't remember what she was made to do after every reboot. That past of her life is over now anyway, so she has no reason to complain about that, besides, Abumi is the one she's focused on now. Especially given on the last bit of info they were talking about "You have my word I will not reveal your most personal information." Echo responded almost immediately, still taking it as part of a command than a request "The info I had access to at that time were classed as confidential, therefore I have no right to pass those on to others. If you wish, we can talk about something else, perhaps you'd like another tea?"

It was sure to be an android thing not to be judgmental on Abumi's condition, so Echo looked far from repulsed by it or even seemed to mind at all that this was a thing with the mercenary, even offering to change topic if she wanted to. The offering of tea was also only made once Echo saw that Abumi hadn't drank anything for awhile now and figured she could use some more calming, also adding in a snipped of info "Also, I should note, that enough time has passed that OmniCorp may be done sweeping the area and we may proceed to head for a station on your command."
 
Abumi was grateful that she could trust Echo at her words. There weren't many people who could be trusted, and, as much as she wanted to be on edge with Echo, there was an almost-pure innocence to her. She was a blank slate that could be written to and better improved with the proper guidance. Blood on her hands meant nothing if she knew not the meaning of what that blood was and where it had come from. "I appreciate the discretion. I'd also be fine with another cup of tea." She said. Sitting back from the game of chess, she thought on when they should make their move.

Whether Echo got up immediately or waited, Abumi let the game of chess linger as she watched Echo. "Before the two of us can leave, we both need to change. My appearance will likely be published to all of them, along with yours. I think I should have some clothes to change into, and I can help you with yours, if you need it." She offered. It wasn't like Echo was completely useless in the realm of taking care of herself, but she likely had never worked on dressing or undressing herself.

"Once we are ready to leave, we'll have to connect to some of my other resources. It's a stretch, getting something that's far out of the city, but I believe I have a plan for somewhere we can go. The problem is getting there." Abumi said, closing her eyes as she thought. She couldn't use the delivery company, as she'd used them already. It has to be a new path, something they can't predict. She'd built up a few favors with one of the transit companies, but they were likely under heavy surveillance. Sighing, she rubbed her fingers against one of her temples. Getting out of the city, a place that was littered with OmniCorp influence, would be very harrowing.

"If I can get in contact with one of my debtors, we'll have a means of getting out. We just have to hope that we haven't gained enough attention that they'll decline me." She said, turning to look at Echo.
 
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