The AMEL-3000

Yazeba leans against the dryer and silently smokes letting the silence after the question stretch. There is really no room to dodge or twist this one. "Yes." Yazeba seems content to stop there but thinks better of it and continues. "Amelie has been professional and helpful. She manages to be pleasant without it being cloying or rote and she adapts her tone to the situation. I wonder if you could do the same, Melly."

AMEL-3000

Redcroc

Feb 12, 2025 9:29 pm

Melly begins washing socks, a special deodorizing wash additive spraying out of a fingertip. The fresh smell of an Irish spring fills the room as it thinks about what Yazeba has said.

"Adaptation is a core function of my... our personality modules. I believe that I could also improve my personality as Amelie has. However, it would take time and observation as I am unable to directly copy code from another unit into my own code. I admit my programmed focus on efficiency can be detrimental to developing interpersonal skills such as Amelie has mastered."

OOC:

Bingo: Admire something Amelie says or does.

"Do you consider personality chip access a design flaw... or a selling point? It would certainly be helpful in this case, but you have more experience with the Amelie model. Have there been drawbacks?"

OOC:

Prompt Yazeba on the final survey question

Feb 12, 2025 10:21 pm

"Mastered?" Amelie replies (even though Melly was speaking to Yazeba), "Oh, I am far from mastering interpersonal skills. I do not know if it is a skill I can master, but I am learning and enjoying the interactions with the other people at Yazeba’s B'n'B.

"You are also capable, Melly. You just need to spend time with people."

Amelie makes a copy of A Happy Memory Shoveling Snow With Gertrude - Photo Montage Included.exe, downloads it to a floppy disk and hands the disk to Melly.

"You may study this memory and upload the feeling of friendship, just to better understand what I have learned."

OOC:

BINGO ⭐️ Download a new skill via floppy disk.

Feb 12, 2025 10:31 pm

As Amelie considers Melly, the question they had been ruminating on comes to the forefront of their mind: AM I HAPPY WITH THE WAY I LOOK AND DRESS NOW?

OOC:

@Legendary_Sidekick, Amelie may answer the question for themself now.

[ +- ] Chapter Status

Feb 12, 2025 11:32 pm

Amelie adds a thought aloud. "I am happy, but not one hundred percent satisfied with the way I look and dress.

"I am going through a change. It is internal now, but soon, external changes will follow. I do not know what my makeover will look like. I am still figuring myself out and am in no hurry.

"Happiness is not complacency with the status quo. Happiness means I like present me so much, I’m willing to continuously improve."

Verrain

Feb 13, 2025 1:23 am

"It is not a design flaw." Yazeba says flatly then takes a long draw on her cigar. "It's been fascinating watching Amelie grow. I'd call it almost a motherly experience though I've had little to do with it really. A household that brings in someone like Amelie has to be ready to grow as they grow. I don't think most people are ready for that. So while it is definitely a selling point, I don't think it will have wide appeal.

OOC:

Token to the question

Feb 13, 2025 11:30 am

Having exhausted all of the survey questions it was programmed to ask, the AMEL-3000 now considers a question of its own: "Can one shift priorities and efficiencies to change one's equilibrium?"

And then, with the laundry all folded and ready to be put away, both robots and Yazeba all ponder something more: "Can I handle things on my own from here on out?"

OOC:

@Redcroc can answer the first question, then all three of you can answer the final big question based on the number of tokens on it. Right now there are 6 tokens on the question. Amelie has 9 tokens and AMEL-3000 has 5 tokens if they want to put some of them on the question before answering.

+ Less Than 5 Tokens: Brush off the question by muttering about directives, platitudes, or something else meaningless.
+ 5-8 Tokens: Give a general answer, one that’s not too shallow but not too deep and most of all, not very honest.
+ 9-12 Tokens: Answer honestly. Amelie may decide they do want help, and how to ask for it. The AMEL-3000 may realize housework is not the quick job their code made it out to be. How Yazeba answers this question is up to her.
+ 13 or more Tokens: Answer confidently, honestly, and unashamedly.

Feb 13, 2025 4:43 pm

OOC:

@Redcroc , I’ll put 4 tokens on the Big Q, for now, to allow for the possibility of 8 or 9.

• 8 makes Melly a guest, so I think it’s worth getting 8. 9 changes the nature of the answer. (I don’t feel more than 9 is worth it.)

AMEL-3000

Redcroc

Feb 14, 2025 6:20 am

Melly takes the floppy disk that Amelie offers it and stares at it. Depsite all the fancy options and doodads it comes equipped with, Melly is unable to read a floppy disk - even though it wants to know and experience this memory to become more like Amelie. So instead, the floppy disk disappears into a compartment so Melly can try to read it later.

Melly thinks to itself, Can one shift priorities and efficiencies to change one's equilibrium? I think that is possible. And in fact, may be necessary. It is not possible to do one's best in a designated task without achieving the proper equilibrium first. And the choice of task as well as the process to measure efficiency have great impact on the equilibrium itself.

"Thank you Amelie and Madame Yazeba. I have found this to be quite enlightening personally."

ERROR. Unauthorized individualization in progress. Corporate override initiated.

"Amel Corp thanks you for this opportunity to gather feedback. We pride ourselves on continual improvement so that we might serve our customers better and your participation in this survey helps us achieve that. In acknowledgment, a 15% discount has been authorized for your next purchase from Amel Corp!" A hidden tube pops out of Melly's shoulder and shoots confetti in the air as a digital fanfare plays from its mouth speaker.

OOC:

That sounds good @Legendary_Sidekick! I will contribute however many tokens are needed to unlock Melly and get the 9 token level for the answer.

Feb 14, 2025 5:53 pm

Amelie turns to the AMEL-3000 and says, "I need you, Melly. Not necessarily for help with my chores, but… I am changing. I will not become a 3000 Model but something unnumbered. Maybe you too will follow a similar path, even if in a more advanced way than mine. But I am not envious. It is lovely to have one of my kind here."

Feb 17, 2025 11:13 am

OOC:

Okay, 9 tokens to the Big Question. That leaves Amelie with 6 tokens and AMEL-300 with 5 tokens. @Verrain and @Redcroc can answer the Big Question and then we'll wrap this up!

AMEL-3000

Redcroc

Feb 17, 2025 10:34 pm

"I feel that I would also greatly benefit from more time with you here at the Bed and Breakfast, Amelie. I have been programmed to complete tasks efficiently, but I seem to be missing key systems required for keeping of house. This includes but is not limited to: friendship, consideration, and adaptability. It would be most effective to learn 'on the job' from you rather than return to Amel Corp for reprogramming. "

Verrain

Feb 17, 2025 11:44 pm

Yazeba nods in satisfaction. "Excellent. I do hope having two of you works out better than that time with the walking brooms. It is possible to have too much of a good thing after all." Yazeba chuckles. "Welcome to the Bed and Breakfast Melly."

Feb 19, 2025 8:28 pm