06 - week six

[afflictionmods]

WEEK SIX

Sunday starts with more aches and pains than you might be used to. Florence patched people up after Saturday’s lesson, sure, but it’s not a complete cure - not to mention it doesn’t ease the sting of betrayal. Some classmates that you thought would cooperate wound up breaking your trust in the end, and this week will be interesting with the fallout.

It’s hard to say what this week will have in store otherwise. Things are changing, and it’s not clear what this means for all of you. On the bright side, however, the creatures and places you once knew from home have suddenly disappeared, so that's less that you need to worry about. There are new areas for you to look at as well.

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

FLORENCE / LORELEI

FULL NAV

(CODE)

Comments

[affligere]

[Surprise!

Or perhaps not so much of a surprise, after the conversation Hien and Florence had yesterday, but there's Florence, a folding table, and some of his classmates.]

Mr. Callias. I am sorry if I woke you up.

[selfconcept]

[ ...

Well, he's certainly not mad anymore after seeing Florence. ]

So you wanted to have an ice cream party...? With the rest of us? That's not something I expected from you at all.

[ He goes to help if Florence still needs it. ]

[affligere]

I did say I purchased the ice cream for the students.

[They will not turn down help, as there's a lot of things to get out there. There's ice cream, yes, but also toppings still stuck in bags, spoons, napkins, so on and so forth. Florence is just one robots.]

Is it truly that unfathomable?

[selfconcept]

If anything, I thought you'd just send a message to everyone's tablets to meet up, but I don't remember seeing one.

[ ...

Was Florence somehow excited about the ice cream party that they forgot to send out a notice? Are their AI already learning human flaws??? ]

[affligere]

[It is a mystery...]

I have not sent any messages out. I...

[...]

I believed if I did that, you would assume it was another assignment.

[selfconcept]

You could have just typed out, "it's not an assignment" with the smiling face emoticon at the end.

[ Hien helps out with getting things organized and ready. ]

Compared to the first week, I'd say you've gotten pretty good progress with "humanizing" yourself.

[affligere]

[Hm.]

If I do this again, I will try that.

[Because that wouldn't be disconcerting at all.]

...Do you truly believe that, Mr. Callias?

[selfconcept]

I dunno, but you got the metaphysical concept of selfhood telling you that. I think that counts for something.

[affligere]

You are sans powers at this moment, though. Perhaps your judgement is off at this moment. Or perhaps it is not. I am not sure it matters much, though.

1/2

[selfconcept]

[ ...

Hien didn't even have to get a shit roll to have something cool backfired immediately this time. Amazing. ]

Yeah... I guess it doesn't, but I have a lot of years in experience, so—

[selfconcept]

... Forget it. I'll just keep doing my thing. You should help the others who actually need it.

[ Shoo. ]

[affligere]

[It’s illegal for Hien to not immediately fuck up something cool.

Unfortunately, Florence will not shoo.]

…Mr. Callias. Do you believe that everything could have a sense of self?

[He is the expert, after all.]

[selfconcept]

No.

[ That answers comes immediately without hesitation. ]

To put it simply, breathing is likened to a program for most humans—it's a built-in thing that requires no learning. However, choosing to set up a "party" with tons of ice cream and toppings, is something you can learn to do. Your programming might only have you learn even if you're unaware, but it's really up to you on what you do with that knowledge. You didn't have to do this, but you did.

[affligere]

[...]

I see. Thank you for the answer, Mr. Callias.

[............]

Would... it be better for everyone if I developed a sense of self?

[selfconcept]

Having the ability to make choices for yourself is also important. I'm sure the people who made you would be ecstatic to see that you would be capable of doing such a thing, but really. In the end, it should be up to you—not because it would be better for everyone else.

[affligere]

But...

[They cut themself off, before changing tracks. It's not something they would typically do.]

I see. I will take that into consideration.

[selfconcept]

But what?

[ spit it out, Florence ]

[affligere]

...I was made for, and because of, other people. People who are actually people, and not just an artificial recreation of one. How could I decide to do something for "myself"?

[selfconcept]

Well, you decided to host an ice cream party. Even if the decision was for other people, it's still a decision you made. You're halfway there.

[ Hm. ]

But do you want to?

[affligere]

...

I do not know at this moment in time.

[selfconcept]

You'll figure it out eventually.

[ He pats Florence several times on the head. Time to wrap this one up and move onto the next one— ]