Master's Journey: Automonic Protocol #2
Added 2019-03-03 02:29:53 +0000 UTCAuthor's Note: Cia begins to explore, meets the rest of the family, and encounters an unexpected dilemma....
[story]
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At the issuing of your instructions, you nod at your owners and take another step forward, out into the large square space where your box had been delivered. It contains a flatscreen television of immense size, a couch with muted tan-and-heather floral palette, and a few shelves containing books at the back wall. In the right corner is a large chest containing children’s toys and action figures, though these appear to have fallen into disuse. With your knowledge of the Baker family’s children, they are likely too old to still gain enjoyment from those items. Human sentimentality, however, ensures that such keepsakes be retained for nostalgic purposes.
You know this structure as the Living Room and make note of it, housekeeping protocols scanning it and integrating it into your growing minimap of the home you are meant to aid. Moving onward, you gradually map out a sequence of hallways, closets, and sets of stairs, and two Bathrooms, and a Kitchen, the structure’s first floor containing much of what would be required for basic organic life with the exception of bedrooms. You assume, then, that those are on the second floor, and after taking a moment to process the floorplan so far, you ascend one of the beige-carpeted stairways.
Making your way down a short hall, you pause at the first doorway. It is slightly ajar, and while not being closed would typically indicate an openness to visitors, it is likely that this is a Bedroom. To make certain, you knock gently, and hear the gasps of two high, soft voices.
“Mom, we’re, uh, studying! Okay? We’ll be down in a bit!” one of them says, and you can hear the giggle of another, similar-sounding voice.
You stand motionless for a moment as your social algorithms consider how to rebuff their inaccurate addressal. “I am not your mother,” you say softly from the other side of the door. “My name is Cia. I’ve been instructed to explore the house; do you mind if I come in?”
“Ohh shi-- I mean crap!” you hear from within. “Is that her? Is this the robot?”
The other voice whispers back, “I wanna see the robot! Quick, get dressed!” There’s quite a bit of hurried rustling from within the room, but then the door opens, giving you a view of both the bedroom and its two inhabitants.
The bedroom itself is of decent size, if smaller than the living room, and is divided into two parts. A twin-sized bed is pushed against either wall, a dresser is shared between them, and decorations (largely posters of bands too recent to have yet registered in your musical entertainment database) liven up the two distinct halves on either side of the single window. Dark purple wallpaper covers the entire room -- whether its dual inhabitants managed to agree, or the single decorative shade was enforced by their parents, you do not know.
Of greater interest to you, though, are the two Baker children, if they can truly be referred to as such. Lacking thorough identification and not being registered as your owners, you know little more than their names, and the fact that they exist at all. Sisters -- and by the looks of them, identical twins -- Emma and Ava are teenagers, and while their hobbies might lead you to believe that they’re older, they both sport waifishly slim physiques with barely-discernable hips and no breast development to speak of. Both girls appear to take after their mother, with flame-red hair worn straight, just past their shoulders, and glittering dark blue eyes. Freckles dust their cheeks, along with the visible shoulder of one of the twins, and their mischievous grins reveal braces.
“Whoa,” one of them says, her exuberant smile widening, “they actually did it! I can’t believe they got a friggin’ robot!”
“Actually, as a product of the ASC, a more accurate term would be android,” you gently correct. Nodding your head down slightly, you try to keep your voice soft and warm. “It’s a pleasure to meet the two of you. May I ask your names?”
“Hoooooaahhhshit,” the other twin says, giggling, then covers her mouth with one hand. “Err, don’t tell mom I said the S word. I’m Ava!”
“And I’m Emma,” the other sister says hurriedly. “What do we call you then? Android? Or like, just ma’am or whatever?”
“Your father named me Cia. Is that acceptable for the two of you, or would you prefer to call me something else?”
The twins look at each other, giggling quietly between each other when their oceanic eyes touch. “We’ll think about it,” the two say in unison.
You nod. “I look forward to seeing you again soon,” you say with a slight smile. “I’m almost done exploring the house, and will be preparing a meal for you and your family soon. I hope you’ll be there.”
As the twins scuttle back into their room and shut the door, you make your way back through the upper floor, finding the master bedroom, a larger bathroom, and some more storage space. While you suspect there may also be a basement or den, and the grounds of the house have yet to be explored, you were not instructed to map those, and are running toward the end of your projected task completion timeframe. You don’t want your new owners to become angry with you on your first day, after all. Even if you aren’t... entirely sure what will happen if they are.
Nonetheless, you return to the kitchen and quickly scan through the pantry, refrigerator, and various shelves, taking stock of what’s available to you. You weren’t given instructions on what to make, but your programming comes equipped with a wide variety of useful and nutritious recipes....
1) Nolan Baker’s taste profile tells you that he enjoys seafood and baked dishes, so you should make something like that.
2) Clarissa Baker’s taste profile tells you that she prefers food with exotic spices, so you should cook something along those lines.
3) Pop cooking videos from the internet inform you of the type of “Instagram food” preferred by teens. You should make something the twins will like.
4) You see no reason why you shouldn’t be creative with the ingredients at hand, and endeavor to innovate something, even though your programming seems to disapprove.
