Learning to Cope

[Dwayna DragonFire]

Here's a new fic I'll be working on.

Prologue

The sound of whirring is what first met my ears when they activated me. Data started flooding my mind as information made its way through my processors, allowing me to understand everything that had gone on before my birth. The added feeling of a rush was due to the source of energy they had used to fuel me, something that was much different from their energy sources in the sense that it was pure energy, akin to a soul.

Automatically I stood from my sitting place, and the Chosen of the Great Father stepped away from me as if they were not sure what I would do. Was I not one of their kind, a machine with a humanoid structure that was sprouted from the body of the Great father himself? It was then I realized that although I was connected to their network, I was still a separate entity in the fact that I had not been previously programmed with emotions or how to react to a situation.

The energy core within me made me a much different being than them, even if our physical appearances were at the time identical. It was the soul inside of me that they were afraid of, because without programming I would be relying on what it would tell me for my emotions and reactions. Even though I was still built with logic and acute calculations, I was in a sense more human than the others were because I could have a choice in how I felt regarding something instead of having a algorithm to tell me what I must feel.

Logically, if I were more human, then I would have to look more human than they did. I promptly changed my appearance to look that of a human male scientist with chin-length black hair. However I had the most irrational thought at the time that by looking into my eyes they would be able to see into my soul. I decided to create a visor device on my face that would not only hide my eyes but would also allow me to assess emotions over time, be they my own or someone else's. It would also project said emotions to either party if they didn't understand how the other was feeling.

I was given a pendant by one of the Chosen, which I recognized as a symbol of citizenship from these lands. I would have asked why the Queen had not presented it herself, if I did not already know she was horribly wounded in a war that had ended not too long ago thanks to my associates. They had destroyed the planet filled with darkness, the excess energy was used to create my soul, and the Great Father had given them my body to allow them to combine the two together. I understood that they wanted to better know how real emotions worked, and who better to test such things on then one of their own?

I made my way to the laboratory room where they were keeping the Queen, and there I felt for the first time two emotions at once: sadness and admiration. Sadness for the fact that she was broken and bleeding, a missing arm and leg that would not regenerate on their own because of the darkness that had severed them. Admiration, perhaps, for the fact that she still held on despite it all and greeted me with a weak smile, and that she was to be my Queen after all of this was over.

I saw in her eyes that she knew exactly what had happened for all of this to come about, for me to exist and what I was, and because of that I turned to make new limbs for her straight away. In that moment I felt curiously vulnerable, as if her eyes could see into my very person. I took some scans of her energy core and made the limbs compatible with her system before I attached them. They fit perfectly and even transformed with her when she used her natural ability to shape-shift.

She was so appreciative that she decided to give me a name, and thus I was known as Edward.

 

[Dark Soul]

When I saw that you had started a new writing, I was like; 'This better be related to Things of Myth and Legend!' And surprise, it was!

I have to say I'm very interested in hearing more about Edward (You really like that name, don't you?), so I'll be watching this thread!

 

[Dwayna DragonFire]

Thank you, Dark Soul. Yes, I like the name Edward, and here's a chapter explaining why.

Chapter One: Curiosity

The other Androids walked around the capital city quietly going about whatever they had been programmed to do. All of them had model numbers, and the letters that proceeded each number indicated which type of Android they were. The Great Father made appropriate acronyms for each function that they provided, which were generally well known. The acronyms are as follows:

PAD – Personal Assistance Droid. Made to serve, these Androids are usually assigned to specific people, usually those who are important or physically unable to do certain things by themselves. They will do anything for the people to which they have been assigned as long as it is still within legal parameters to follow their orders. They can also be specifically programmed to become doctors or nurses, and have excellent bedside manner.

PMD – Personal Maintenance Droid. Made to fix, these Androids can repair or upgrade any technological device, be it as simple as a toaster or as complex as another Android. They are also usually the creators of new inventions or ideas, and are often honoured for their accomplishments.

PSD – Personal Security Droid. Made to guard, these Androids are usually positioned inside and outside of important junctures and protect important things. A good example of this would be a bank, where these Androids would protect and guard civilians or workers as well as the money stored within.

CTA – Computer Technology Android. Made to calculate, this Android is a perfect banker, accountant, or programmer. Used primarily to keep track of expenses, but also have the function of being a computer technician for software and programming options. You might also see these Androids working on games, movies, or other things to help entertain the masses.

GOA – Government Official Android. Made to uphold the law, these Androids are usually used as judges, lawyers, or even police officers. They are great listeners when dealing with clients and always pay attention to all the facts and clues before making decisions. These Androids are always fair and just and will discipline or reward citizens appropriately according to the law.

GFA – Great Father Android. Made to oversee all functions, these Androids are the Chosen of the Great Father. If a serious situation arises on the planet, these are the Androids who will intervene and keep the peace. They are ultimately knowledgeable about everything that has ever happened on Terrater and are thus the greatest sources of information and insight.

I am the first and only of the seventh acronym, SAA, which stands for Soul Auxiliary Android. I am meant to be helpful in providing more data on emotions that I gain through having a soul as my energy core. I am not programmed to do any specific thing, and as such I am the most unique model of Android to exist in the history of Terrater. I am generally assumed to be human as I walk about the streets with my guise, though many seemed curious about me as they walked past.

The feeling of curiosity was the first to overwhelm my sensors, even though as an Android I was supposed to be very knowledgeable. I found myself wondering how people lead their daily lives or why they did the things that they considered as their 'normal'. As it seemed to me, every individual had a different 'normal' and it caused me to also wonder just what my 'normal' was. I thought that perhaps I could gain some insight on these things from my people, but then I remembered I was the only one with a soul. Instead, I opted to visit the Queen, as she was another source of good information.

With the data already in my system I navigated the streets by foot as I had not thought to get the Jet Flight Upgrades in my feet and hands before all of this happened. It was an interesting experience, walking amongst the many creatures and buildings I had stored within my database, looking each new being or thing up as I happened to pass by them. The most extravagant of them was of course the Queen's castle, glittering silver and emerald underneath the four suns as they cycled through the day.

Because of all that the Queen had been through, she had changed the magic and the mechanisms protecting the castle from harm to only allow those in with ultimately good intentions. As I had no intention of ever harming her in anyway, it was no surprise to me that the door to her throne room gave way to my fingers with ease. There she sat looking down at me, as if she had been anticipating my visit, and I knelt before her like any citizen wishing to respect her surely would have.

“Edward, stand and look at me,” she said after she chuckled to herself softly, her velvety tones brushing past my sound sensors in pleasant waves. “You don't need such formalities in my presence, especially since you are an Android. Please, call me Dwayna.” I stood before her as she ordered, but I still did not wish to show her disrespect, and she seemed to sense this as she sighed frustratedly and asked me to call her 'My Lady' if I insisted on showing my loyalty.

I was curious at the feeling of short disappointment I had when I noticed her frustration, and promptly asked her if that was a normal thing to feel. She laughed again then, mentioning to me how it was 'handy' that my visor was able to change colors with my emotions in order to better register them. I took a moment of pride, which registered as orange and caused another giggle to come from My Lady Dwayna's person.

The questions that had been floating around my mind that day resurfaced, and I proceeded to ask her about the uniqueness about each individual. My Lady responded that because everyone was their own person and they all grew up a different way, that is what would cause such uniqueness to happen. It made sense to me when she worded it like that, which in turn satiated my first curiosity.

When addressing my own individuality, she said “Edward, you are barely a day into this world with your new found life. You will become your own person in due time and will make your own decisions about the things you like or don't like.” I accepted this answer as well, as her statements were true and I felt like I was already forming my own opinion about how I felt about certain things.

Now with my main curiosities out of the way, I had two new curiosities to satiate. I asked her why she had gotten frustrated at my desire to be respectful towards her and also why she chose 'My Lady' as an appropriate formality to redirect me to. She smiled then, and responded that she was the sort of person who wanted to be friendly among her people and not seem intimidating because of her stature. Some still seemed intimidated by her presence even after she tried to become friendly, and to those people she directed them to 'My Lady' as an alternative, which to her was quite a personal and highly respectful formality that tested their loyalty to her in a way.

I felt honored and satisfied, which lead me to my last curiosity of that day. I inquired why she had named me Edward if she knew that I had a serial number. “You deserve a more human name,” she said to me, “and I picked Edward specifically because of a book character that I am particularly fond of. Unlike you, he is quite the monster, especially since he cut out his own heart. Even though he lacks such an essential organ, he still finds he has the capacity for emotion, which reminded me of you.”

My Lady had picked a name that was special to her, and by that I was deeply honored.