Beauty and the Machine (Charles)

"Tch..." She didn't even bother getting up... Furthermore, she kept on her mental assault, proning ever deeper into him with her every word. Needless to say, Charles wasn't satisified, especially since she was giving some valid points to support her arguments. How does a machine even know when it is thinking for itself? As its conciousness is merely a programm, it is almost laughably easy to be put under one's control without the knowledge of the holder of said conciousness, because, frankly, the controller could simply delete any and all signs and memories or whatnots to make it seem like it is all the machine's will, while in reality it isn't. Ah shit, what was he even thinking about... He was himself, he was sure of that! He had to be... "I am alive, in my own way." He replied, trying to at least keep his voice cool. His voice, however, rang with a barely audible, yet definite vibrato. He really had no clue how to continue his sentence... How to finish what he wanted to say... There really was no point in doubting himself now. He was definitely his own self, how else would he have been able to fall under than charm and... kill Nilo. How else could he be feeling these emotions right at this moment? It wasn't fabricated, it couldn't have been.

"How do you know, then..." He started out quietly. "How do you know your will is truly your own? I'll tell you, you don't! Humans are constantly subjected to various methods of subtle mind manipulation. Your choices are never your own."

Cheshire. The Cheshire Cat. That is what Sky was as she remained on the ground gazing up at the other that seemed to be getting highly agitated with her, but she did not care. No. No. He was much too amusing to be afraid of. Just look at the way her words made him think. Was that doubt in that silence she sensed? Had she hit some wire that should not have been tweaked? Had she broken his reality?

Maybe, but it seemed instead of sinking fully into that truth this one was now fighting back! Oh what a joy this was. Holding his ground, the other told her he was alive in his own way and yet she picked up on the uncertainty there. The fear of perhaps being wrong? Sky’s eyes narrowed as the smile remained on her face.

“Oho? You don’t seem so sure of yourself dear Charles. What makes you think you are living, hmm? You aren’t flesh and blood, biological material. You are metal and wire and data. All things that can be molded to mimic life, but aren’t alive at all. So why do you think you are so different?” Sky asked continuing her prodding as she watched the other from her position on the ground. She would be quiet to give him time to answer…or perhaps flee if he couldn’t handle it all. Either way she would get a kick out what happened next. After all, mind games were her favorite type of games.

Oh! And now he was turning her inquiry against her. Oh what a doll! She really could get to like this fellow if he kept this up.

“Oh, very observant, but here is the thing,” she began as she picked herself up from the ground and hopped into the other’s space once more as she looked up at him.

“I know what I am without question and you seem a bit confused about yourself. I know I was built by a creator and programmed so to speak to do this or that. I know that society impacts me and changes me, but unlike a machine, I am free to make choices even if others or my creator make suggestions. I do not have to obey things. I am allowed to grow my own way. And that right there is what makes each of us our own. Free will. Choices. Machines no matter how much they want to believe it have no free will. No emotions. Nothing like us of flesh. Every thing you are programmed to do exactly. You were always programmed to feel or adapt, but nothing is ever your own cause in the end, no matter which way you go, your creator has already paved that path for you. Humans and beasts don’t have pre-determined paths and that my friend is what makes us alive and free and you a puppet of the human hand.”

She smirked before backing away from the other with a light twirl and moving over to pick up her metal detector once more. With her smirk still on her face, she looked back at Charles.

“Prove me wrong,” she challenged in a quiet voice and then waited to see what the other would do.

His lame attempt at fazing her failed miserably... This girl, just... what was her deal anyways? She was more than enjoying this, she was nearly extatic! This game she had set up, it wasn't fun. Her words stroke all the right chords in Charles' mind, even if he tried to deny them. She was like a sleek, cruel cat, digging her claws ever so deeper as she ensnared him, ready to jump at any time and finish him off. This inability to even strike back at her angered him, but more than that, it scared him. Why did he have to run into this bitch out of all people!? And now! Now, when only recently he had actually been stripped of his free will and pushed into killing one of his friends! But... had he ever even had a free will of his own? Gah, what was he thinking! He couldn't fall for her words, he wasn't gonna fall for her words. She better not push him any further, he was at the limit of his patience as it was.

"You... You're just full of shit, aren't you?" His hands clenched into fists as he backed away several steps. "I know what I am!"

What was Sky’s deal one could wonder, but to be honest the reason she did what she did was because she enjoyed watching anyone squirm. It showed she had the power in the situation and like the greedy collector she was, she did not turn away from something she had control over. The more her prey resisted or tried to fight, the more her deadly fangs and claws sunk into the prey leaving it no room to breathe. The end result was always amusing. Some times she broke her toys and sometimes they ran away…and on very rare occasions she could use the broken to her own advantage. In any case, the end was always a win for her….unless of course the prey struck out and if that happened. Hehe. Well, let’s not go there just yet.

In any case, Sky would remain care free as she watched the other contemplate and fight what she said. He knew she was right in some fashion, but as was always the case with those seeking to hold onto to what they were not, he was denying everything. And now that denial was turning into anger. Oh how sweet. Would all steps of despair be completed in this one go? Oh she had to see!

She would let out a light chuckle as she heard what was said.

“Maybe I am and then maybe I am not full of shit, but I have to wonder if I am the former than why do you seem so uncertain of the fact, hmm?” she’d turn to face him detector firmly in hand. “Why are you afraid of me and so determined to convince me of something I know is not true? Why so eager to attack, Charles?” she said her tones amused and open, but her eyes intense and dangerous.
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Note: Lust is grinning at you and swishing its tail. Lust is highly amused right now.