November Catch-all

[bluecastleace]

Who: Hajime Iwaizumi + YOU!
What: November catch-all log
Where: Various locations
When: The month of November
Content Warnings: None thus far; will add as needed

((ooc:This catch-all will also serve as Iwaizumi’s introductory post! Please feel free to hit up any of the open TLs found below. I will likely be adding them as the month goes on! Please feel free to add me on plurk @ pantheraliam for plotting/updates on TLs being added!))

Comments

[bluecastleace]

[Iwaizumi is quiet for a moment - mostly he’s still trying to wrap his head around what exactly he’s talking to right now. Simulations?]

You say that like you’re not normally in charge of your own decisions.

[His tone is a little more gentle now. That sounds like it could be a robot thing anyway.]

[begetblue]

I assure you, that's not the case!

[ Though their life would certainly be a lot simpler if they weren't truly self-deterministic. Not to mention that there would be a lot less breaking and entering. And trespassing. ...And grand theft auto. ]

It is comforting sometimes to run them and have an idea of what to expect, but the choice to use that information or even run them in the first place is entirely mine.

[bluecastleace]

Your simulations, you mean.

[Alright. He just has to ask. He also has to...squat down a little because it’s getting kind of awkward staring down his nose at this...thing.]

What are you, anyway? Like a robot or something, right?

[begetblue]

[ Turing gave a nod to Iwa's first remark. The second was much more important for two reasons. First of all, their expression soured ever so slightly at being asked "what are you" instead of "who are you". Second, the rest of it allowed them to show just how proud they were of their identity. ]

Yes, that's correct! To be more specific, I am a ROM; it is an abbreviation for Relationship and Organizational Manager. Are you unfamiliar with ROMs as well?

[bluecastleace]

Uh, yeah. I’m not really a computer guy.

[Are computers...the same thing? Are robots...made of...computers or something?

[He waits for Turing to continue their explanation.]

[begetblue]

That's okay. I'd be happy to explain anything you'd like to know more about!

[ That...was an understatement. For someone as loquacious as Turing, it was more likely that they had to be told to stop talking, or at least dial it back a bit. ]

ROMs were developed by Parallax and released to the public in the mid 2040s. [ Not just a robot, but a future robot. Ooooo. ] The overall design of ROMs trend towards cuteness to encourage mass adoption, and all ROMs run on Parallax's proprietary OS, called LIPS. I in particular was constructed using the latest in ROM prototype technology!

[ They were going to keep on going if Iwa didn't stop them. ]

[bluecastleace]

[Awkward as it is, Iwa takes a seat right there in the hallway, because it seems like this is going to take a while, but he’s not exactly disinterested (at least he has the good grace to scoot over against the wall and avoid blocking any exits.]

2040s? What year are you from?

And what do you mean adoption?

[begetblue]

I am from the year 2064. To be more specific, December 25th, 2064. [ Yup, they literally got brought here on Christmas. Womp womp. ]

By adoption, I'm referring to-- [ "Purchasing a ROM." That...didn't sound right, especially with all ROMs being sapient now. Turing frowned in thought. ] I'm referring to the action of humans accepting a ROM into their household and becoming their companion.

[ Much better. ]

[bluecastleace]

Christmas, huh? That’s when you were made or something?

[Or was that when they were “adopted”. Iwaizumi doesn’t miss the significance of the word “companion”, nor the way Turing seems to have sat on it. So this thing so far has made it clear that they have a mind of their own, and that they’re not just an object to be bought like a computer. Interesting.]

Does everyone have one—- Or, I mean. [Uhh...how to put this, exactly...] Is everyone...”companions” with one? A ROM?

[He doesn’t even know what exactly they do, but he...kind of wants one? This kind of reminds him of that one manga he definitely didn’t read...]

[begetblue]

Oh, no, it isn't. I was first activated on July 23rd, 2063. [ So still a baby, pretty much. A baby who definitely should not hear about that one manga Iwa definitely didn't read! ]

Many people are, yes! [ It didn't take a genius to figure out that Iwa was being careful with his words, and that effort didn't go unappreciated. It was always nice to meet someone else who made an effort to not only understand, but respect that they were an independent being and not a tool or possession. Not like some people who would remain anonymous. ]

There have been some...changes recently, but I want to believe that humans and ROMs can have a harmonious relationship instead of an adversarial one.

[bluecastleace]

[Iwaizumi raises an eyebrow at that. As a guy from 2014 where robots and humans don’t really have any sort of relationship, the idea that they may someday have an adversarial one feels like something out of a horror sci-Fi film.]

So, they don’t get along sometimes then. What, uh...what comes of that, usually?

Is it like...a big problem?

[begetblue]

Not as of yet, no. [ Thankfully. Still, there was a frown on Turing's face. ] But until very recently, almost all ROMs weren't sapient. While you could have a conversation with one, any answers given would simply be the result of clever programming. Now things are different. With all ROMs being sapient, it's possible that there will be people who would rather not think of them as independent beings with their own thoughts and feelings.

[ After all, hybrids were still human, but that did little to stop some from discriminating against them. It seemed reasonable to assume something similar might happen to ROMs. ]

[bluecastleace]

[Iwaizumi looks more interested now than he probably has their whole conversation. Any irritation he’d felt initially from recognizing Turing’s face from the crowd has certainly faded.]

So you’re not just an AI then. [He pauses. If he’s not, then that’s definitely a rude thing to assume, right?]

No offense by that. Where I come from we don’t have things like you—- or, uh...people? [Is that the right term?]

You are kind of like a person, right? Thoughts and feelings, like you said.

[begetblue]

[ Iwa was trying so hard. In Turing's opinion, making mistakes was one thing, but being so willing to correct yourself said a lot of good things. On top of that, Turing had come to expect that these sorts of questions would happen; machine sapience or even the idea of machine sapience happening outside of science fiction didn't seem to be very common. ]

Right, I am! [ They grinned. At the very least they certainly thought of themselves as a person. ...Wait a second. ]

Oh, excuse me! I neglected to introduce myself. My name is Turing. I wish we could have met under better circumstances, but it is nice to meet you regardless.

[bluecastleace]

Well, we didn’t really meet before anyway.

[What better circumstances could their be than meeting a real life talking robot—- er, ROM? So fucking cool. If only he were giant too.]

I’m Iwaizumi. It’s nice to meet you. Really.

[begetblue]

[ Even before the 'really' part Turing's smile persisted, and they showed no hint of doubting what Iwa was saying. Honestly, they were just relieved that there was no bad blood between them. Or even mediocre blood! ]

Are you hungry? I still have this if you are.

[ They offered the packed up food once more. Hopefully the BBQ wasn't already cold, but at least the cake would probably be fine still. ]

[bluecastleace]

Oh yeah. [The gift of food Iwaizumi was so quick to reject just a few minutes ago. He takes the package from Turing this time, smiling now - and what a difference that makes on his face, really.]

Sorry I was kind of an ass about the whole thing before.

[Something occurs to him then, and he blinks a bit, expression curious again.]

Do you...eat too? [Is that a dumb question?]

[begetblue]

It's okay. Consider it water under the bridge! [ If Turing looked a little proud after that, it wouldn't be anyone's imagination. They were still trying their best to learn new colloquialisms even though they didn't have access to the mesh at the moment. ]

Normally I would say no, but... [ The void intervened. ] I need to now. On some occasions I, ah, forget to eat.

[ They were still a little concerned about where that food was going. ]

[bluecastleace]

Well, I was about to head out I guess, but...[He lifts the package up, takes another glance at it. The small smile on his face endures.] It’s not like I’ve got an interview to get to or anything.

You want a bite?

[He stands up from the ground now, nods back toward Apartment 209. He’d be crazy to pass up an opportunity to eat lunch with a real life, lunch-eating robot, right?]

[begetblue]

[ Turing's attention followed to the door for 209, and then back to Iwa with a grin. ]

I would like that very much, thank you!

[ And from their side of things, how could they pass up an opportunity to eat lunch with a friend? Especially when the best they could do before was, like...observing said lunch. ]