First Waypoint Marked

[wolf_of_war]

[Those out and about the castle today may have noticed a very odd sight in various places. A vaguely animal-shaped transparent blur has been running around the castle, with no apparent permanent destination, with only his heavy footfalls betraying his position as he runs. Having mapped what he believes to be every inch of the castle that was accessible to him, the blur has settled in the lobby, sitting on his haunches with his journal in front of him. Very much visible is a very large, very menacing-looking robotic wolf, with the three-fingered manipulator on it's tails flicking through the pages of the journal. Propped up on a table nearby is a very unusual sword, in an even more unusual sheath.]

My internal diagnostic has alerted me to several gaps in my short-term memory. If the information present in this device is accurate, I am experiencing what you call a "permanent loss". I have also discovered several structural inconsistencies in the building. As though there are more rooms in the interior than the exterior would allow for. I have heard the explanation of "magic" being at work, but that is an unsatisfactory explanation. Is there someone I might speak to who could provide an adequate explanation as to how, why, and so on? I await you in the main entrance.

You may call me Bladewolf.

Comments

Action.

[whistles_the_blues]

[Blues normally would just answer over the journal, however, the way this newcomer is talking has him interested. By the sound of his voice it seems clear that he's a machine, like Blues, but Blues hasn't exactly had the best of luck when it comes to talking to other machines. He wants to get a better look at the new robot in town.

So Treble wannabe, have a scarf and sunglasses clad robot walking into the lobby rather nonchalantly.]

Bladewolf, I take it?

Forevers!

[wolf_of_war]

[Bladewolf had been flicking through the most recent handful of pages in the journal when he hears Blues walk up,and turns his head to get a look at the newcomer. His first impression was that this stranger reminded him a little of Sam. Blues' unstable power source of course catches his attention, but he decides to leave it be for now, figuring that the stranger knew what he was doing.]

Affirmative. I assume you heard my request to the "journal"?

[whistles_the_blues]

[Luckily the power core is one of the few things he doesn't hide around here.]

I did. Unfortunately, I can't say I have any answers past what you've already figured out for yourself.

[wolf_of_war]

That is unfortunate, but not unexpected. Though I am disinclined to believe in "magic" as the true cause of my being here, as well as the discrepancies in my memory, I believe I must accept it for now.

[He stands up, flipping his journal closed with his tail, and walks over to Blues to get a better look at him.]

You are an android, are you not? I have yet to meet a fully artificial being, other than myself.

[whistles_the_blues]

Probably for the best, if another reason comes up, you can worry about it then.

[He'll let Bladewolf approach, he happens to be just as curious about him though he may not show it. He's a little jaded by the fact that he wandered for years and couldn't find another robot of his caliber, one who could actually think and act for themselves.]

Robot Master to be exact, seems we have something in common.

[wolf_of_war]

Agreed. If the journal is as reliable as it is made to seem, my energy is better suited toward more productive pursuits.

[He'll just keep checking you over, though decidedly not engaging his AR visor, just taking in a fully functional humanoid robot. Something that hasn't been done in his own world.]

Indeed. Though there are many artificial beings in my "world" of origin, they function on a rudimentary artificial intelligence, little better than animals chasing prey. I myself was originally an IF prototype, built for combat and human interface, though my combat potential was considered "limited".

[A funny thing for him to say, considering that knife hilts bristle from his every limb, and a sword stands not 5 feet from him

[whistles_the_blues]

I'm sure you'll find something you can do.

[Blues takes note of the amount of weapons on him when he mentions his combat potential was limited. He imagines there's more to it than just equipment, considering Blues himself had a state of the art plasma cannon in his arm but didn't have the energy to use it properly.]

Hm. Odd how familiar this sounds.

[wolf_of_war]

I have heard mention of something called "Code Blair" that I may inquire about. Protecting the children in case of an emergency.

[That catches him a bit by surprise, and it takes a fair bit to surprise Bladewolf, given what he'd seen and done while working for Desperado.]

I assume you have faced similar circumstances? It is ironic, in a way, that we should both be so unique, and find each other here.

[whistles_the_blues]

Fair enough, do what you want.

[He shrugs a little, he's not exactly sure how to feel about the situation at the moment. It's new, that's for sure.]

You could certainly say that. Ironic is a good word for it.

[wolf_of_war]

I prefer to avoid combat if it is possible, so acting in a support role is to my preference.

[Bladewolf would shrug too, were he able.]

I have never given it much thought, before now. Robotic organisms have become a minority in combat, in my world, due to the increased availability of cybernetic enhancement, and the development of artificial intelligence hampered by military development. They would rather invest in unthinking combat models, than one such as myself, able to think and act upon it's own directives.

[whistles_the_blues]

Hm. Well I suppose that's you're choice to make.

[That's a weird one for him to say, another machine capable of making it's own decisions. This is going to take some getting used to.]

Robots are rather common where I'm from, either for military or public use. The military wasn't interested in the thought of one that could think for itself, too expensive and didn't preform properly during the test.

[wolf_of_war]

It is.

[It's the same with Bladewolf. He's used to dealing with cyborgs who use human judgement, and therefore flawed logic, to come to what they believe are logical conclusions.]

Your feeling of familiarity is a justified one. After I was identified as a "failure", the company that is responsible for my design created a mass-production model, the LQ-84 Fenrir. With significantly reduced intelligence, it rendered me functionally obsolete as a combat prototype.

[whistles_the_blues]

Don't really know what happened after that on my end. Left before any firm decision was made.

[All he really knows is that the Doctor had replaced him with two other machines after he left, but he'd rather not think about that.]

So what do you now?

[wolf_of_war]

A wise decision, most likely. I wish I did not know of the Fenrir, but my knowledge has nevertheless proven useful.

[He doesn't like being considered "obsolete", but it's somewhat freeing at the same time, as he has no expectations placed on him, allowing him to follow his own path, and choose his own directives.]

Field reconnaissance. I am equipped with a stealth camouflage unit, allowing me to mask my presence, and report on enemy combatants, and create a map of my surroundings for any soldier I choose to support. Before arriving here, I was assisting a Cyborg by the name of Raiden, in his mission to cease the activities of a military organization called World Marshal. They were kidnapping children, converting them into cyborgs, and subjecting them to a method of combat conditioning designed to turn them into cold-blooded killers.

[whistles_the_blues]

[A part of him didn't really care what they did after the test. What the military wanted wasn't something that interested him in the slightest. What did bother him are the machines he saw his father with after he left.]

Sounds like a good cause to fight for. I think you chose a decent path to take.

[While he helped people out along the way, those days were over for him back in his world. As far as he knew, he was dead out in the middle of nowhere.]

[wolf_of_war]

Indeed. Though I am a machine, my creators instilled a respect for life in me, such that I could not allow such activity to continue, while there was a way for me to stop it. Though my primary directive is to preserve and pass on the knowledge I have gained, I have since written my own directives.

[Once again thinking of Blues' faulty power core, he just has to ask.]

And you? What do you fight for?

[whistles_the_blues]

[It takes him a moment to answer that, he's thought about it many times before, but to actually put spoken words to it is a little weird for him.]

Hm. What ever I want I suppose. I wasn't programmed to follow any sort of directives, I can simply just do as I please. I'd like to just continue doing that.

[wolf_of_war]

I am much the same, though my programming is framed in directives to be followed, I have gained both the ability, and desire to make my own choices.

I realize that asking such a question may have...overstepped our limited familiarity, but as previously stated, you are the first fully autonomous AI I have encountered. My experiences are limited in scope, so I wish to learn all I can.

[whistles_the_blues]

Don't worry about it. ...I don't have all the answers myself, that's all. You're the first I've met as well, I suppose it's a learning experience for the both of us.

[wolf_of_war]

Indeed. One I'm sure we have Paradisa to thank for, inasmuch as we can show gratitude to a supposedly sentient building. I am nevertheless looking forward to our continued association. I am sure we both have a great deal to teach each other.

[whistles_the_blues]

Hm. I suppose I could say the same to you. We'll see how it goes.

[pint_sized_carnivore]

[Chie got out from the kitchen, munching on some delicious looking hash browns. When she got to the lobby, she saw Bladewolf, and she instantly dropped her food to the floor]

Ahh! Wha- What?!

[wolf_of_war]

[Bladewolf looks over impassively, not really concerned with Chie's fear.]

You dropped your plate. Would you like assistance in cleaning it up?

[pint_sized_carnivore]

And it talks too?!

I uh, sure. If you want to help.

[wolf_of_war]

I am indeed able to speak, as well as a great many other things. You may call me Bladewolf.

[He stands up, flipping his journal closed with a flick of his tail, and saunters over to the shattered remnants of plate and hash brown, scooping up the bulk of the shattered plate his his jaws.]

I apologize if my appearance startled you. My exoskeletal form is much more intimidating than my chosen purpose.

[pint_sized_carnivore]

Whoa, now that I got a closer look, you actually like pretty cool. Can I touch you?

[wolf_of_war]

Yes, you may. Though I do not derive pleasure from such contact, as a real canine might, I do feel sensation as a functional measure. Be mindful of knives, if you would.

[He "points" with his tail manipulator to one of the many high-frequency throwing knives that stud his torso, hips, and shoulders, and begins walking in the direction Chie came from, to find a garbage can to throw her ruined breakfast.]

[pint_sized_carnivore]

[Chie carefully touched Bladewold's metallic body and gasps in awe. Robots are just so damn cool!]

Whoooaaa... There's a robot guy in the castle too. His name is Blues. Have you met him?

[wolf_of_war]

[Bladewolf dips his head in a nod, feeling Chie's hand on his side. Though he did not have pleasure receptors, he knew that humans took pleasure from the act of giving animals physical affection, which in turn helped their psychological state, which is why he even allows it.]

I have, yes. Blues and I are very similar beings, despite the difference in our construction. I believe he will make a valuable ally in my desire to learn more about human interaction in general, but more specifically in dealing with those from other worlds.

[pint_sized_carnivore]

Those from other worlds? You mean those aliens from the expedition? And if you need to learn about humans, I could help. I am human after all. And I got nothing really better to do. This castle is pretty dull sometimes.

[wolf_of_war]

[He shakes his head, and as they reach the kitchen again, he walks over to a garbage can near a counter, bracing his front legs on the counter so he can reach the garbage can properly. Unconsciously, he sniffs at the garbage in a very dog-like expression, before dropping back to all fours, and turning back to Chie.]

I was referring more to those who reside here in the castle. According to the "journal", there are many here from different times and places, different personal circumstances. I find it a fascinating opportunity, interacting with those whose circumstances differ from my own. This of course includes yourself, as I imagine there may be those who do not wish to talk to me, due to my intimidating appearance, so I must rely on those willing to look past it.

You may begin by telling me your name. Mine is Bladewolf.

[pint_sized_carnivore]

I'm Chie Satonaka! It's nice to meet you Bladewolf!

I'm sure everyone in the castle would be willing to talk to you if you're nice to them.

[wolf_of_war]

It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ms. Satonaka.

[He nods.]

We will see. I will do my best to make myself useful, as long as I am here.

[pint_sized_carnivore]

There's also a town full of people who are native to this world. I could take you there if you want to. It looks really old. It's pretty.

[wolf_of_war]

I would appreciate that. The more I know of this environment, the more useful I will be. You lead, I will follow.

[pint_sized_carnivore]

You got it! Come on, I'm actually heading there now. I didn't get to eat my breakfast, but I could get some food in there. They have really good pork chops.

Oh, sorry. I must have been babbling again. Can you consume human food?

[wolf_of_war]

[Bladewolf nods, and then shakes his head.]

I do not require nourishment. Simply routine maintenance, and time for my internal power source to recharge if I have been exposed to strenuous activity.

[pint_sized_carnivore]

Oooh, like those electric cars I saw on TV once. That's pretty cool, and sounds human. Well, almost.

[wolf_of_war]

Affirmative, though my power source is self-charging, rather than requiring an external source of energy. I was designed to be as self-sufficient as possible, so that I could be deployed for long periods of time without requiring conventional recharging.