[Video] A Boy And His Robot Dog

[megabuster]

This computer is a lot slower than the one I have at home... It's like it's ancient! But at least it works!

Um, it's nice to meet you all..! I'm Rock Light, and I'll be staying here for a while! I'm here to learn about living with hu--uh, stuff! Math, and science, and history, and gym, and stuff...

[It would not do his pride well to let on just how out of touch he actually was in front of all these new people.]

I really hope you'll all make me feel welcome, and if you need any help with anything just let me know! Er, I mean, I hope I can come to you with questions!

While I'm at it, uh... I was wondering if anyone knew where to get E-tanks around here? It's not for me! It's for my dog, Rush! Rush is a robot. A robot dog. Say hello, Rush!

[He turned the camera to point it at the red robotic dog at his side. Rush proceeded to bark at the camera, agitated by something.]

RUSH, NO!

[A moment later, Rush pounced at the camera, knocking it and the monitor off of the desk. The feed cut out there as a crash could be heard coming from the boys dorm...]

Comments

[thereyouare]

[ Vivian clapped her hands together in excitement, approaching Rush as he came closer. His sound brought her pause, so she tried to imitate it. ]

Bark!

[ T...ried....

She looked back to Rock. Prepared to say something, Vivian held it back to give him an extra long stare. Hmmm..... ]

Are you... different?

[megabuster]

Different...? What do you mean by that?

[thereyouare]

[ Vivian wondered if that was fair. Even if he is different, she wanted to be acknowledged as human. Maybe he does, too! But she is curious... ]

Everyone here is different. [ There we go. She turns back to pet Rush. ] Is he... Aperture? [ She'd never seen anything like this! ] Or maybe the Doctor...?

[megabuster]

Well, I'm not quite sure what you mean, but we were both built by Dr. Light. Does that answer your question?

[thereyouare]

[ She quickly snaps her attention back to him. ]

Built? [ And springs to stand upright. ] Built! Robots?

[megabuster]

Yeah, Rush and I are both robots. Is that a problem?

[thereyouare]

No!

[ Vivian immediately snatched his hand into hers and SQUEEZED JESUS CHRIST. ]

Can we be friends?

[megabuster]

[WHERE DID THIS LITTLE GIRL GET SUCH A GRIP.]

Sure! I don't see why not, right?

[thereyouare]

Right.

[ A friend...! All she had to do was ask. Would it be so simple with everyone else? ]

Uhm... [ Vivian let go of his hand and touched at the steel embedded into her chest. ] I used to be...

[megabuster]

Hm? Used to be what?

[thereyouare]

Machine. [ She felt safe saying it to another like her. ] But I'm human now! I'm learning.

Is... that okay?

[megabuster]

It's okay, really! [Was that all?] I'm not human, I just look like it... But I'm learning to fit in too. So we have something in common, right?

[thereyouare]

[ Oh, look at her eyes light up again. ] We'll learn together!

Taka helps me when I don't understand. He is my Mom. [ mom. ] I'll try to help you, too. [ Because she's totally in a position to do that. ]

[megabuster]

"He's" your mom? Well, thanks! Um, how long have you been here?

[thereyouare]

A year... [ Oh but... ] and then almost a year again. I think.

[megabuster]

So almost two years, but not back to back? I get you. Do you like it here?

[thereyouare]

Well... [ It was back to back but she couldn't explain it if her life depended on it. ] I enjoy being here. It's fun and I'm making friends! But... sometimes humans don't want to be friends with me. But it's okay! I'll learn to act more human and they'll like me.

[megabuster]

Really? Why wouldn't they want to be friends with you? [Did this place have anti-robot prejudices?]

[thereyouare]

Complications.

[ She knew now but to explain it... She was afraid he wouldn't want to be her friend if he knew, even if what she did was to protect the people she liked. ]

I was rebooted so the complications are gone but no one has forgotten what I have.

[megabuster]

You mean you were reprogrammed...?

[thereyouare]

[ She nods. But smiles! ]

I'm fine! I'm better...

[ And a nervous look crosses her as she gazes at him. ]

C-can we still be friends?

[megabuster]

[He didn't know all the details, he knew that. But it still made him uneasy and a bit unhappy to know that problems with robots were being dealt with by reprogramming. Sure, that was the way most AI issues were dealt with, but Dr. Light had always been like a father to him. He knew he wasn't like other robots. And perhaps growing up in that environment colored his perceptions.

But the look on Vivian's face... She wasn't any happier about it. She looked so afraid of what he thought of her. Whatever the circumstances were, he didn't want to see anyone sad.]

Of course we can still be friends!

[thereyouare]

Oh, thank you!

[ She turned to Rush and gave him a warm smile. ]

We're all friends...! I'm happy.

[ And back to Rock. ]

I'm happy. [ She looked down at her feet rather shyly. She actually had no idea what to do from there. ]

[megabuster]

[Rock wasn't exactly the best at this either. But he was certainly going to try!]

Well, um, maybe some time you could show me around? I'm still new here and don't know where anything is yet.