queenofheartsrp | [videro]

[videro]

[Vitalia is attempting to keep several small potted plants away from a small party of the new robotic overlords (some of whom are carrying the shards of ex-potted plants). This is fairly difficult with only one arm available.]

Oh dear... These automatons certainly do make a nuisance of themselves, don't they? I've lost several specimens to them now! I shan't begrudge anyone their efforts at progress, but I do wish their creator would be a bit more responsible with them. Honestly!

I've overheard some of you saying you could reason with them... Might I request a bit of assistance from you? I'm afraid I've met with no success in my attempts at discourse.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Oh dear... that sort of thing is more Papi and Mami's specialty... I'm more accustomed to things which don't communicate. I'm afraid I'm not terribly good at communication by gesture. [For several reasons]

I can try to help, if you like. Where are you?

[She brightens] Oh, would you? I'd be most appreciative! I'm by the lake now. I'm sure I won't be difficult to spot, with this swarm around me...

Sure! I'll be right there.

[la la la, time passes, she shows up at the lake]

Hi, I'm here to help with the robots. - Oh, I'm Minako, by the way.

[There are fewer pots in her grasp, and more shards and dirt on the ground, than before.] Oh, thank goodness! I'm nearly at my wits' end!

[She attempts a curtsy. It doesn't quite work without the skirt-lifting.] I am Vitalia Ruiz Asención, and I'm most pleased to make your acquaintance. [Particularly since you're hopefully helping her with the metallic menace here.]

It's nice to meet you too. I can't promise anything, but I'll do my best.

What exactly are they doing to the pots, if you don't mind my asking? I mean, are they trying to take them and then grabbing them too hard, or actively smashing them, or what?

I... [She hadn't bothered to take notice.]

I suppose it's the former. They do seem more, er, curious than destructive. [That, at least, Vitalia knows she can identify.]

Okay, thanks. That's good, I think — I mean, if they were destructive it might be harder to get them to listen, right?

[turns to the robots, adopting the sort of firm-but-kind voice one might use with a toddler] We have to hold things gently, okay? Gently. Like this.

[and then to Vitalia again:] Um, would you mind letting me hold one of those for a second?

Oh, er... all right... [She leans in a bit closer to give easy grabbing access; a studied look at her right side would reveal that there's some mass missing in there, leaving her unable to hand a pot over.]

Do be careful with them, won't you?

I will, I promise. It's just easier to demonstrate if I have something to demonstrate with.

[She takes the top pot gingerly and holds it out for the robots to see — or rather, so they can see how she's holding it. She puts on an exaggeratedly bright smile.] Like this — good! [Then she squeezes the pot... only a little, though. She's probably not strong enough to break it with her bare hands, but she's not taking any chances. Adopting a sterner tone and a frowny face, she goes on.] Like this — bad. Pot breaks. Crash!

[She repeats this demonstration a few times to drive the point home.]

... I wonder if they're getting this at all.

[At any rate, they seem interested. One holds up a potshard questioningly.]

I couldn't tell you. They do seem to be paying attention. Perhaps that's something.

Mm, it's good that they're listening. I wonder if it might help if we found them something less fragile than a pot to practice on.

[To the robot with the pot shard:] When you do this- [she squeezes the pot again-] that is what happens. [she gestures to the pot shard] And that's bad, right?

[It looks at the pot. It looks at the shard. It puts the shard down. And then reaches for the pot.]

[Vitalia sighs.] Perhaps I should sacrifice that one. One more specimen to start over with won't make much difference, I suppose, and if it can help teach them not to break them...

Well, if you're sure it's all right.

[She extends the pot towards the robot, holding her breath a bit as she waits to see what will happen.]

[There's a tense moment as everyone- including the other robots- peers breathlessly* at the exchange. With careful precision, the reaching robot takes the pot. It manages not to shatter it, though it does slightly injure the exterior. Vitalia lets out a breath. The robot lets out a happy vwip-PING! noise.]

Well, that... that certainly seems to have helped. Thank you so very much, Minako!

[*Granted, the robots would be breathless in any situation, lacking a respiratory system.]

You're welcome — I'm glad I was able to help. I have to admit I felt a bit silly doing all that.

[And now the robots are excitedly passing the pot among themselves.]

Well, it achieved the desired effect, in any case. I'm sure I would never have been able to manage on my own!

Well, I'm interested in the robots and how they learn. I mean, I'm not a scientist or anything, but one of my close friends back home is a robot, so I'm curious about how the robots of other worlds compare.

Ah, I see... I'd never encountered anything but the machinery in the laboratory, and that certainly doesn't learn. For someone to make a machine that can think is quite an achievement!

It is pretty amazing. I can't claim to know anything about how it works, but it can't be easy.

Indeed! Merely working with actual living tissue is difficult enough without having to replicate so many of its functions mechanically.

[A thought strikes her] Your friend... she isn't here, is she?

No, unfortunately she's not. — Well, maybe I shouldn't say "unfortunately". I don't know whether she'd want to be here.

Ah... [The news is a relief.] It doesn't seem like a bad place to be, though I do rather object to being brought here without so much as a by-your-leave.

Mm, there are definitely worse places to be. But someone who feels that they have something important to do at home might object to being stuck here.

That is rather rude, yes. One would think a simple invitation would work much better for a gathering such as this.

Though I suppose I wouldn't be able to be here in that case... [Sadface!]

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