wickedchouette | (no subject)

I do, normally. [ It says. Alfie finds a whole shopping bag full of cheap cat toys, cat food, and a collar with a tag that says Gwenhwyfar. ] I was pushed.

[Alfie looks up before he's barely gotten into it, frowning slightly.]

Pushed? Why?

I opened a door for a man on the way into the pet store, and he found that unacceptable. [ The bot says, quietly. ] He did not do much permanent damage. Nothing that can't be fixed with a thin layer of superglue.

Not having done much permanent damage isn't the same as having done none. I could take him to court, you know.

[Property damage.]

[ It glances at Alfie. ] If you'd like to, you can. His image is stored in my memory and I can easily find out who he is.

I'm not gonna bring the law into it; not really.

[But that doesn't mean he won't take care of things himself.]

Tell me what he's damaged.

[ It pulls back its sleeve to show Alfie. It doesn't look like anything is wrong at first until it makes the fleshy-toned skin slowly recede. There's a crack at the wrist, like someone aimed a heavy punch or hit with an object and the bot caught it with the side of its arm rather than its face.

The android frowns a little. ] This may be covered under warranty, seeing as I'm new. You can report broken property to Good Life and they can send replacements or fixes.

And can you install them yourself?

[Gwen jumps down from the fridge to come over and investigate, but Alfie shoos her away with a quiet Go on, Penny. Not knowing that Royce had already named her, he'd taken things into his own hands.]

[ A deeper frown. ]

Yes. Her name is Gwen. [ Excuse. Alfie said it could name her. Huff. ]

Yeah?

[Alfie looks surprised.]

I thought you weren't gonna give her a name.

I changed my mind. [ It says stubbornly. ] She's free to do as she wants, but I need something to call her, so her name while she is here is Gwen.

I don't think she's got plans to go anywhere.

[Alfie says, looking significantly down at her. She's winding her way through the bot's legs, bumping her head against his shins.]

[ It looks down at her with a softer sort of expression. ]

She's not a prisoner. That's all.

Not like you?

[It's not a challenging question - or at least, it's not meant to be.]

[ A beat. ]

I am not a prisoner. Prisoner means being kept against your will. I don't have free will. I am a belonging.

Well. Should you ever find yourself with enough sentience to want to go--

[Alfie nods at the flat's front door.]

[ It stares at Alfie for a long moment. The LED blinks yellow for that length of time, and then, finally, it goes back to blue. ]

Hm. [ Is all it says, before going back to unloading groceries. It's almost... offended? Is that what this is? It isn't sure. It can't be. ]

Edited 2019-03-09 05:32 (UTC)

What?

[Alfie asks, and that is a little bit challenging. He turns back to the bags too, lifting to collar out and crinkling his brow at the spelling of the cat's name.]

-- What is this, Welsh?

Nothing, Mr. Solomons. [ It says, with just a hint of a bitchy tone. Just a hint, so faint it's almost not there. ]

It is, yes. The Welsh spelling of King Arthur's wife and queen.

Mm. That's a grand name for a small cat.

[He looks up again, right at the bot's face.]

Nothing, really? Are you sure?

Yes. [ :I ] I'm sure. Please let me finish putting things away.

[ It's almost a brush-off. ]

You sound irritated.

[And Alfie sounds interested.]

I'm not. [ Huff. ] There's no reason for me to be irritated.

You think those are empty words, don't you? That I'd never really let you leave?

[ This is matter of fact: ]

No, I think you are much more likely to get rid of me in whatever fashion than keep me here.