everybody's working for the weapons (OPEN)

[seventhgen]

Who: Aigis and you
When: All through out Sylvant/September
Where: Caissa, Gammon
What: Aigis is trying to earn money to help pay for upgrades. Time to work.
Rating: None

[1: Letters]

[Aigis is here to write letters to people! It's good to cheer them up, especially after such a violent battle. Her lack of human muscle means that there's no chance she'll cramp up or get tired, so she can write letters all day!

She can't really think of what to write, though.

That seems too insensitive... this seems too casual... she's never written a letter before in her life. What's considered appropriate?

The more observant of you may notice that she's been sitting unmoving in the hall of glory with a quill in her hand for at least an hour now. Check on her?]

[2: Gems]

[It's been a bit of a trip here, but now it's time to get gems. This is by far the most lucrative job she'd seen, so of course it's the one she'd chosen.] It's strange. I don't understand...

If the mines still have precious gems in them, then why were they abandoned?

Comments

1

[wantnotneed]

[ During the past hour, Mammon has been going to and from places in the hall of glory. She didn't mind Aigis at first, thinking that she was just doing her own thing. No big deal. But after several times of going through the same location with Aigis in the same position, she's starting to wonder if she's an elaborate statue that someone decided to put on one of the chairs.

After she's done with her tasks for the time being, she walks up to where Aigis is and touches some strands of her hair to make sure that she's really not a statue. ]

[seventhgen]

[The hair is synthetic, but someone would only be able to tell that if they had some sort of superhuman perception; it certainly feels real.

Aigis, however, is startled.] Ah!

--I'm sorry, can I help you? [She says, turning around to look at this strange woman.] Why did you touch my hair? Is there something wrong with it?

[wantnotneed]

Well, no. You haven't moved for the past hour, so I was wondering if you were a statue!

[ She takes her hand back, now that she definitely knows that Aigis isn't a statue. ]

Is it some sort of self-challenge to see how long you can stay still...?

[seventhgen]

Oh, no, not at all! I'm merely trying to think of what I should write, but I'm not very good at it. [She says, a sincerely self-deprecating tone in her voice.] Since I'm a machine, I don't have the biological needs or tics that a human being might have, so that explains why you thought I was a statue.

1/2

[wantnotneed]

A machine...?

[ Mammon looks at Aigis. She looks amazed and definitely looks curious. ]

I didn't know that machines could look like humans... [ Almost in awe. ]

[wantnotneed]

[ ... ]

So, what are you writing about? [ It kinda seems personal, but she's even more curious... at this rate, her curiosity would probably explode from overload. ]

[seventhgen]

...well, as far as I'm aware, I am the only one of my kind, so it's not unusual that you haven't ever met another one before. [She looks back down at the paper.] I was trying to write a consolation letter to the family of one of the troops killed in last month's battle. I'm not not sure what would make them feel comforted. Human emotions are very difficult to parse at times.

[wantnotneed]

So it's not really a job for you, is it? I can appreciate hard work, but only if it gets them something in the end. Let's see...

[ She sits down on the seat next to Aigis. ]

You can try the formal consolation or try to be more empathetic. [ Though she thinks that the latter might be hard for her. ]

[seventhgen]

Empathy... empathy is the act of imagining yourself feeling what someone else feels, isn't it?

[Her expression changes into a frown; it's very authentic.] If they've lost someone they've cared about, they must be sad. They probably can't stop thinking about that person. They wish they could talk to them again. It hurts.

I don't know what I could say that would make it not hurt.

[wantnotneed]

[ Mammon thinks about this for a moment. Let's see here... ]

What about... what do you want people to say to you when you go through the same thing? Some people don't want to hear words of comfort because they feel pitied. Some do better about accepting words from a stranger.

[seventhgen]

That's just the thing; I'm not sure. I've only experienced the pain of loss once, and my reaction wasn't like how most people would react to it, I think. So I don't really think I'm a good starting point...

[wantnotneed]

You say that, but since you don't have a starting point in the first place, you can't be too picky about it! So, you should use it. If you don't, you probably won't go anywhere to begin with.

People didn't advance by being overly careful!

[seventhgen]

But isn't it bad if I make a mistake with this? The people are grieving. I could make it worse...

1/2

[wantnotneed]

[ Mammon pauses and leans back in her chair. She keeps her gaze steady, staring right at Aigis. There is a moment of silence before Mammon slaps her hands onto the table before her while standing. ]

If that's how you think, you're going to sit here for eternity, forever wondering on what you're going to write! By then, the deadline will pass! No letters will be delivered! This is why you practice and practice. You gain momentum by constantly acquiring experience in doing something--you have to be greedy to succeed! If you aren't, you're going to be like one of those people who only voice what they want to do, but don't do anything. You can want to do something all you'd like, but it means nothing if you don't take the first step!

[wantnotneed]

[ She puts her hands to her hips. ]

Get a practice partner that's critical and have good empathy levels before you start doing your job. You can advertise for some, right...? It's like a good life lesson.

Or, I don't know. Ask your friends.

[seventhgen]

[Aigis jumps slightly in her seat when Mammon slams the desk. (Or at least her shoulders move upwards; she doesn't really move her body given how heavy it is.) This girl is surprisingly intense!] I'm sorry, I don't see what being greedy has to do with this...? Wouldn't it be greedy to not care about the quality of my work? I-- I think those demands are a little unreasonable! I only want to make people feel better about their losses!

[wantnotneed]

To want something, that's desire. To amplify those desires it turns to greed. Get it...? All that desire turns out for naught if you don't do anything about it. You can wish to write good letters all you want, but wishes don't come true without effort from you! This is why you practice before sending off the real letters.

[ Now, she crosses her arms. Staying in the same position for a long time feels stale. ]

So, no. It's not unreasonable.

[seventhgen]

[Hang on, you're confusing the poor robot. Aigis frowns.] The definition of greed implies overly wanting something and selfishness.

If I want to help others, how can that be selfish? I don't understand.

1/2

[wantnotneed]

Every person is different, but people live for self-satisfaction. By helping others, you feel good about it. Therefore you help others because you want to feel good about yourself. By doing things for yourself, your greed for self-satisfaction only accumulates and it goes in a cycle.

But that's okay, because that's how everyone lives, you know...? No need to be ashamed. Admitting it is the first step, right?

[ She cackles, which is really, just her normal laugh. ]

[wantnotneed]

But you really need to get a practice partner for this sort of thing. Nothing says honing empathy like hanging around emotional people! People learn by observing others. Humans are social creatures, after all! If you want to be human, you gotta start having lots of references and earnestly take notes! So get to it, before time is up.

[seventhgen]

I'm not entirely convinced on your logic in that sense... it's my understanding that greed is overall a negative driver for humans.

--but I do need more humans to interact with in order to better understand them! Minato-san is very nice, but he is not a very... emotional person.

[To be frank.]

[wantnotneed]

If he's the only person that you can ask, then you can always ask him how he deals with empathy. Or like I said before, ask around. Or observe. Even humans learn from watching others, so I'm sure you can do the same thing.

[seventhgen]

[A brief pause...] Can I watch you?

[wantnotneed]

You can, only if you catch me around. I'm busy! I only stopped by to see that you weren't a statue. That's why I suggested other people.

But if you want to follow me around, I suppose it won't be all too bad.

[ Because attention. ]

[seventhgen]

[Aigis seems to consider this.] I see... I certainly wouldn't want to inconvenience you.

But perhaps following you to gain a better understanding of your arguments would be a good idea! I can continue writing this letter afterwards.