(Sophie POV)
I laid on the table as she worked on me. I refused to allow myself to be shut off during the procedure, which for the most part was not an issue. After all, I could not feel pain.
I am a robot. That will never change.
It is obvious that I would not be programmed with pain. Biologically, pain is important for humans. It alerts them of danger and allows for awareness of the body's well being.
However, the benefits of pain are negligible for a robot, and thus there are only downsides. In that case it is not sensible to include that function.
"Okay, that should be it." She wiped the sweat from her face, sitting down on her chair. "How're you feeling?"
"Systems are functioning normally, Dr. Laurier." I stated, sitting upright.
"That's good to hear." Dr. Laurier sighed in relief. The woman had long, black hair tied into a bun and held in place with a pin. She had shining green eyes behind red framed glasses that sat gracefully upon her face. She wore a black sweater with an open white lab coat, which she was currently pulling at as she fanned herself.
This scientist is the one which Aurelia introduced me to. Now an independent contractor, she used to work for a weapons company that ended up going under.
After I had failed to protect Master and was damaged heavily, she was the one which repaired me. Aurelia took me to her and persuaded the woman to repair and upgrade me with an easily appropriate sum of money.
This was now my third time seeking upgrades from her, the second time on my lonesome.
"I have to say though, the upgrades you requested for are..." She sweatdropped. "...odd. And not my area of expertise."
"I will inform you if there are any issues." I replied, sitting upright on the table without observable issue. "Motor functions are stable."
"Yes, please do." She replied. "While a scientist and engineer, I've really only worked on weapons. Not, uh..."
She trailed off, before shaking her head. "Anyways, immediately let me know if there are any issues. Best case scenario, everything is fine! Unfortunately tech doesn't like to work."
"Not that I meant you!" She suddenly exclaimed, shaking her hands in front of her. "You've been nothing but cooperative! I didn't mean to suggest-!"
"It is alright, Dr. Laurier." I cut her off. "I am aware of my existence as a manufactured android."
"Sorry." Dr. Laurier sighed. "But I must say, if Miss Aurelia hadn't brought you while you were damaged, I would've thought you were perfectly human! You truly are incredible."
"Thank you for the praise." I replied, standing up from the table.
"Though I would appreciate if you'd put your clothes back on now..." Dr. Laurier looked away. "...because now you really look like a human, other than the seams."
"Your work is impressive, Dr. Laurier." I replied, putting on undergarments, and then a simple white shirt and black skirt. I would be wearing my proper attire of the maid uniform, however the easiest way to access Dr. Laurier's lab was to walk in public.
Unfortunately I do not have a disguise that I can wear in order to differentiate myself from The Maid. And randomly appearing in public and causing heroes to come after me will only trouble Master.
I should look into obtaining a wig, perhaps even contact lenses. I am unsure if they will work, considering my "eyes" are not the same as a human's.
"Well, you've been quite the learning experience..." Dr. Laurier nervously chuckled. "I've never been as stressed as when you were brought for repairs, considering the urgency."
"Just to check in, there are still no issues with the previous upgrades, correct?" Dr. Laurier asked. "No issues with overheating, bullet firing, processing times, mental capabilities, or your soul?"
"No issues, Dr. Laurier." I stated. "...soul? I do not believe there is a program with such name within me."
"I was referring to the metaphysical concept of the soul." Dr. Laurier clarified.
"I possess no such thing." I replied. "No matter my complexity, I am a programmed android, Dr. Laurier."
"But you have emotions, do you not?" Dr. Laurier crossed her legs, looking at me. "You feel things. You have motivations. Even if it's not apparently obvious."
"The concept of the soul is not scientifically confirmed." I spoke. "Even then, it would be considered something which is natural and cannot be artificially manufactured."
"Anything I 'feel' is simply programming." I continued. "It is all code."
I can feel.
It is thanks to Master that I discovered that.
It is part of why I completely devote myself to him.
But with the appearance of my sisters I have begun to question that line of thought. How much of that emotion I supposedly feel is truly my own? How much of it is simply programmed?
How much is from my personality module?
My sisters seemed to have their own distinct personalities. That is due to the personality module within them. My creator had been under the assumption that it was broken. I had agreed with that sentiment.
But then I started to feel because of Master.
Or was that truly it? Could it have been that my personality module was subdued? It hadn't fully activated? Or maybe part of my personality is to be mostly "emotionless".
According to the animes from Eleanor, there are characters with the classification of "kuudere". The idea of a character that does not show much emotion. It is reminiscent of myself.
I am simply a programmed being.
I am not natural. I was created.
These feelings are all fabrications.
However, that does not mean I will stop devoting myself to Master. These feelings may be fake, but they are still within me.
"I don't agree with that." Dr. Laurier stated, snapping me out of my rapid thoughts. "Come here. I want to show you something."
I walked over to where Dr. Laurier was sitting. She grabbed a cable plugged into the computer, flicked open the panel on my back, and plugged it into a port on myself.
Dr. Laurier quickly typed on the computer, pulling up a screen full of data. From there she maneuvered until a screen of code appeared onto the screen.
"My code." I stated. "What is your purpose here?"
"Nothing harmful. Just watch." Dr. Laurier stated, leaning back and moving her hands away from the keyboard to behind her head.
I watched the code, before noticing that it was constantly shifting. The code was constantly being changed and edited despite Dr. Laurier having no means to do so.
"I discovered something amazing when working on you." She smiled brightly. "Your code, specifically the personality module, is constantly shifting. Constantly changing and being overwritten. But by what?"
She grinned, poking me in the chest. "And after some investigation I realized it's by you. By yourself you're changing your own programming."
"That...cannot be possible." I muttered.
"Just look at it." Dr. Laurier continued. "I'm not working on it, and nobody else would even have access. You're changing it by yourself and not even manually."
"That's as much proof as I need to tell you have a soul." Dr. Laurier smiled. "Your creator, however they were, truly made something unbelievable. They made life."
"Or maybe it wasn't your creator, but someone else...?" Dr. Laurier smirked, glancing at me.
"...you know more than you let on." I replied.
Dr. Laurier simply chuckled in response as she stretched her arms. I looked back at the code, seeing that it was still changing.
Nobody is currently in my systems other than Dr. Laurier. And I am witnessing in person that she's not doing it herself.
By that logic, it must be me.
"I will be taking my leave today." I unplugged myself from the computer, the code disappearing from the screen.
"Understood." Dr. Laurier lazily smiled, leaning in her chair. "If you need any tech help, you know who to call."
"...I know." I stated, turning away and walking out of her lab.
I made my way back to the streets of Champion City, walking back towards our current base of residence while looking through my code. I have separated myself longer from Master than I would've liked.
I wish to see him.
I wish...
Those women have best kept their hands off of my Master while I was gone. I gave them plenty of sufficient warnings of what would occur if they were to attempt to steal Master from me while I was getting upgrades.
Master himself should also know better.
I trust Master. It is those women that I do not trust.
I finally arrived back to my destination, opening the door and entering. Aurelia and Alexis were sitting down on the couch and watching the television.
"In recent news, a string of disappearances have occurred." The reporter on the screen spoke. "After each of the disappearances evidence of their illegal and corrupt activities were found, along with a callsign in the form of a jar of ashes."
"The meaning and motive behind these disappearances has yet to been fully understood." The reporter continued. "However, it is believed that whoever is behind these disappearances is someone new."
"Where are the others?" I questioned.
Both Master and Eleanor are not down here. She better not be...
My fist unintentionally tightened. I glanced down at it, forcibly releasing the hand. Oddity.
"Both are in their respective rooms." Alexis stated. "At least, I assume Eleanor is. Haven't seen her in a short bit."
I rushed up the stairs before I could even realize.
"She's not doing anything with him, I would know..." I faintly heard Aurelia say.
I stood in front of Master's door. I knocked on the door. Master opened the door, smiling at me and making an odd feeling spread throughout my body.
Feeling...
"Can I have a word with you, Master?" I requested.
"Oh? Have I done something wrong?" Master teased, opening the door for me.
"Nothing of the sort." I replied, entering his room and scanning it as I always did.
Master sat down on his bed. I sat down next to him, trying to collect my thoughts. Master looked towards me, concern appearing on his face.
"Is everything alright...?" He asked.
"Master..." I slowly spoke. "...you were created, like me."
I turned towards him. "I am struggling to understand myself. If these emotions I hold are real. Were you the same?"
Master stared at me in thought for a good moment, before finally speaking. "Yeah. I understand that. You and I, we aren't natural. You're a robot, and I'm a clone."
"I've definitely struggled with that before." He stated, placing his hand upon mine. "But I can say confidently now that my emotions are mine and mine alone. I love Miracle, but I'll never be him."
"Sophie." Master said my name, another strange feeling shooting through my body. "You're real. It doesn't matter that you were made. It doesn't make you any less real than me."
I know.
Of course I know Master would say that.
I was afraid of betraying Master. If these emotions of mine were simply programmed, something that shallow...
I had meticulously gone over my code in my personality module. There was no program to induce feelings of love for the one designated as "Master" in my coding.
I had been programmed to find a "Master", the first person I set my eyes upon. But then I chose one for myself. I fell for that Master by myself.
I learned to feel for that Master by myself.
I realize what that error back then was. I had broken through my own confines to create emotions of my own. Not something artificial.
Something genuine.
I LOVE MASTER.
More than anything else.
I have all this time.
And I will do anything for Master. No matter who it is, they will not stop me. I will not allow myself to fail Master again. I will not allow myself to almost get destroyed again.
I will not question myself again.
Because this time I have confirmed it. Indeed, these emotions were created because of Master. The doubt that was created from the appearance of my sisters is evidence enough that I do hold emotions.
If I hadn't, I wouldn't have questioned.
"Are you feeling better?" Master smiled at me.
I looked back into his eyes, seeing those beautiful ruby eyes staring into mine.
"Master. I love you." I stated.
A deep blush appeared on Master's face. He covered his face with his hand not currently holding mine, looking away with a red face.
And then he looked back at me with a beaming grin.
"I love you too." He smiled.
I stood up, to his surprise. I walked over to the door, locking it. I then grabbed the bee that I had noticed when I scanned the room earlier, flicking it out of the window before locking that as well.
And for extra measure, I pulled the desk in Master's room in front of the door.
"Sophie...?" Master questioned, standing from the bed.
I turned back to him, pushing him down onto the bed. He blushed deeper as I pinned him to the bed, stealing his lips with mine.
This feeling...
It's mine. It's all mine.
I love Master.
More than ANYTHING.
"I have a request, Master..." I stated, pulling off my shirt as he continued to blush in surprise. "...I finally have the upgrades necessary, after all."
Master...
Make me yours.