[ Voice | Open ]

[of_the_highest_caliber]

«Hello.»
[ Some may recognize that synthetic, female voice from somewhere; especially when coupled with her rather unique manner of speaking. Subaru is asleep, exhausted from her day's training, and Mach Caliber has commandeered part of the vine for herself at this hour in the late evening. ]
«I wish to forward my thanks to those who guided me after the accident. Subaru's safety remained because of your help.»
«There was resolution. Thank you.»

[ There is a long pause in which one might think she disconnected altogether, having completed the initial objective of this call. ]

«...I must know: what is the meaning of an individual?» [ Someone has been thinking about what happened during those days in Subaru's body, and the new things she has learned. ]

Comments

Voice

[ritsu_kouyou]

[That was an odd voice to hear on the Vine. And the question... from a tool?]

...where is Subaru?

[of_the_highest_caliber]

«She must recover from exercise.»

[ritsu_kouyou]

So she's fine?

[of_the_highest_caliber]

«There is no anomaly.»

[ritsu_kouyou]

So you felt like taking the moment behind her back to chat up the rest of us?

[audio]

[cobbledtogether]

[The voice on the other end of the vine is flat and robotic. Given this, the reply it gives is probably to be expected.]

Individual- a distinct, indivisible entity; a single organism capable of independent existence.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

«I would have taken up her time at another hour.»

[ritsu_kouyou]

Your point?

[of_the_highest_caliber]

«Definition is understood. Question was for personal beliefs.» [ An awkward thing to put into words, to be sure. ]

[of_the_highest_caliber]

«I do not understand your question, as the answer was given. I would have taken up her time at another hour. Hibernation is rare for me.»

[ritsu_kouyou]

And you do not find your question important enough to ask at a time when she could answer it?

[of_the_highest_caliber]

[ That is a good point. She pauses. ]

«For her sake is why I ask.»

[ritsu_kouyou]

I'm certain Subaru knows what an individual is.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

«Yes.»

«Subaru first said she is not the purpose of my being created.»

[ritsu_kouyou]

You make no sense. Rephrase that.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

«My reason for being here is bringing out her maximum potential. To make her stronger and ride faster. Subaru did not agree. She believed in existence of my own "heart".»

«Relevant conversation can be played back.»

[ritsu_kouyou]

That isn't necessary.

This is a simple matter of Subaru's casual naivety and overt optimism. She says such because it's what she wants to believe, what she wishes could be. Not because it's reality.

You have no flesh, no blood and therefore no heart. You exist, but you are not alive.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

«A humanoid form is required?» [ That's what she took out of that. And she could defend Subaru, but that isn't the first time she's heard such an opinion. ]

[ritsu_kouyou]

No. Flesh, blood and heart are possessed by other things that live that aren't humanoid in form.

But that is beside the point. Acquiring that won't make you alive.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

«Yes. Animals, familiars, alien lifeforms qualify.»

«What is your reasoning?»

[ritsu_kouyou]

You are a piece of technology that was given a rudimentary ability to communicate and adjust to situations. You weren't born. Your cognizance is digital and should that be erased, you will cease to exist. If you were alive, you would be able to rebuilt your consciousness on your own.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

[ The thought of losing all of that time — all of those memories — should be frightening. ] «A human mind can relearn. I can be repaired.»

[ritsu_kouyou]

Something that is alive, isn't repaired; it heals. And if those who can repair you aren't there to repair you, you will still cease to exist. If there is no one there to help someone who's alive heal, they still heal on their own.

Life isn't just existing. It's not just being able to follow a preset program that dictates how you react. It's having intense feelings that affect they way you act, the decisions you make. It's feeling the greatest highs and the lowest lows, knowing fear and hatred... experiencing love and feeling sick inside because of it.

Being alive is being in pain. And I don't mean physical pain that's conveyed through nerve endings. But real pain and accepting that pain - both good and bad - is part of living.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

«People are born with this knowledge?» [ That seems to be what Akiha is implying. Her exposure to infants is limited; seeing Vivio grow up is about the closest to a "new-born" that she's ever truly gotten. ]

[ritsu_kouyou]

People are born with those emotions and they cannot understand what they mean, or why they make them act certain ways. They learn about them as they grow and experience more.