Forums » Sci-Fi Roleplay » Trick or Treat: Unit 459

Unit 459's current base looked every bit like a normal house and he had put together a rather bad costume. His handler had gone out on his request to get him a large quantity of screws, nuts, bolts and even the odd bit of wiring, all things of assorted sizes. The house had been decorated in the way of rusted pipes lying around to the side and sticking out of the ground, fake gravestones even put around.

The unit's focus seemed to be on anyone who passed by, his own eyes causing lights to peek out of the window as he did, a deep green in color as he watched. Those who did come up the walkway would be greeted by a rusted 'dead' robot that was fake and pops up about halfway up the path, and another about three-fourths of the way, obviously this being's thoughts of things that should scare others. Any who wanted candy might have to explain that bolts, nuts, screws and wiring weren't exactly holiday things, if they weren't afraid of a little rust and 'dead' robots on the way.

In this area, Artemis had been a little curious about the surroundings and the people that were there. She had never really been anywhere else outside of San Francisco for Halloween. Her parents never really visited relatives that early in the festive months.

Donning her magical girl costume that had been made for cosplay in mind, Artemis walked about and paused in front of the house that seemed more... oddly decorated for the festivities. She tilted her head and wondered... if it were just part of the theme they were going for....

Maybe they were fans of Junkenstein and decorated in the fan spirit of the story and movies.

Walking along the trail, Artemis saw the popup robot and hopped back slightly, her hand at her hip to withdraw her hard light brush if needed. However, Artemis gave a slight sigh of relief that she did not have to take drastic action.

"Whew... huh..." Artemis observed the robot before her and pondered it. It certainly did not look like it worked, and was just a Halloween fright tool. Though, as Artemis looked at it and then walked around it, she just said to herself: "seems a little disturbing to use a dated and decommissioned Omnic like that.... Hope whoever lives here isn't an Omnic hater...."

When she were to get to the door, it'd open and Unit looked to her. "Hello!" His costume had what could only be described as a robot shaped ghostly figure to it though it looked to have been done in haste and maybe ruined a bit accidentally. He then turned and reached to the side, pulling out some things and handing her some assorted bolts, screws and nuts, a wire sticking out aswell. "My caretaker said that this time of year was rather festive so I give bolts and other objects!" His eyes lit up with a green color. "I have decorated with things that seemed appropriate!" He waited to see. "There are many more decorations around." He moves a bit and begins walking. "I am Unit 459!"

When the door opened and the robot in a sheet explained itself, Artemis rose her brow in slight surprise. She took the bolts, wire, screws, and nuts with a little bit of a perplexed expression. Well... it was not like Omnics really had the same needs as humans -- their only desire was to be free and treated as equal.

"Oh...?" Artemis started, looking to the green eyes from under the sheet. Artemis bagged the 'treats' that she had been given and followed along after Unit 459 as he explained some of his logic to the decor.

"Artemis..." the woman replied, giving her name to the robot that she had been conversing with. "I was curious about the decorations. I suppose this stuff would be kind of scary to an Omnic."

Unit blinks. "Other cultures mentioned Zombies and other undead beings, I simply put together parts of several other metalic beings and put them out there. They now serve as undead or 'virused' AI's. Not many seem to find the decorations festive, I've been watching." He moves and shows her other models that had been put together, all old and no longer functioning. "I would assume that adding more would entice more visitors?" His eyes changing to a violet in his curiosity.

The robot seemed to have been quite visibly careful about getting parts and knew how to get them put together. He seemed to be a bit excited as well about the decorating. "If I put out more the other people will notice. No one seems to notice when parts go missing from junk yards."

Artemis laughed gently to Unit 459's explanation of things. She brought a hand to her mouth to stifle herself, though she meant no ill-will for sure. Though... with that thought, she wondered if the robot she was talking to could perceive inflection of tone.

"Well... some people are just more traditional. When we celebrate these holidays, it is as you said: zombies and such. But also witches, pumpkins carved with scary faces, black cats, and spiders.... Most people have a sense of festive familiarity with those things," Artemis attempted to explain.

"But... as an artist, I can appreciate this. It actually gives me some ideas for later," Artemis admitted with a smile. "It's different and unique from most other places."

459 blinks, his head turning. "I just put together others that were unable to start up." He seemed confused. "They serve in death as decorations." His head turned. "My thoughts were that they looked beaten and broken from disuse so put together they mimic undead robots." He seems to have a few quirks of his own though, he did just admit to using his fellow robots for decorations. "Why are humans obsessed with the undead, witches and spiders?" He then turns and thinks. "My caretaker seemed to be unable to explain it. She also was confused at the request for bolts."

"Mm... so it is kind of as I expected. They would be like zombies to you if they just rebooted out of nowhere and acted out of... um... well, not normal?" Artemis was not really sure how to pose her question. It felt, to her, degrading to mechanised beings.

"As for humans... we like things that are scary. Old witches that can poison or cast a spell on someone to make them into a toad, or something? That would be unsettling to run into and have happen! And black cats have been a sign of bad luck, but don't take that one to heart... a lot of people have pet black cats and love them. I think people that seek out black cats to hurt them out of that superstition are deplorable..." Artemis said, getting only a little fired up after her last comment.

Some people really were just confusing, deplorable beings when it came to the wellness of those still alive.

"But... um... spiders are especially scary! They're spiny, and creepy, and sometimes hairy... and the worst part is sometimes they invite themselves into people's houses like they own the place!" Artemis went on to say. "Ah... but this is all from my perspective. Some people really love and enjoy those things even outside of Halloween."

Artemis then grinned down at Unit 459.

"Don't get too discouraged, though. I came over here cos it did seem like something an Omnic would put out for other Omincs for the festivities. Though, if you want to attract humans, too, you have my two cents for that. Humans love obnoxiously decorated things sometimes, and Halloween and Christmas are the perfect holidays for that."

Unit blinks and tilts his head. "Serving in death gives meaning." He nods and pats one. "Though I tried to make a robot equivalent to zombies." His eyes looked to one. "I would not be good with pets as I doubt an animal would respond to me as it would a human." He then thinks. "Spiders are useful, all info I found on them point to them being hunters of pests."

"Hm... well, you might be surprised," Artemis replied, chuckling lightly. "So long as you treat then kindly, they're usually pretty okay. But... that's coming from someone whose only pet was a few fish at one point in their life."

Looking at the time on her phone, Artemis just saw how much time had passed before placing the device back into her bag.

"I'd love to stay and chat a little longer, four-fifty-nine," Artemis started to say, offering a small smile of resignation to the events that transpired. "Though I got places to be later tonight, and I wanted to get exploring the rest of the area before that happens. I really do like what you were doing with the decommissioned robots. I wish you the best of luck for the rest of the night! Definitely look into some other forms of Halloween decoration stuff to add onto what you got here!"

Dr. Hatfield had left the office still wearing her lab coat over her smartly cut business suit, and still clutching her clipboard. Maybe she'd intended it to pass for a costume, maybe she'd just been thinking thoughts of space exploration and forgotten to bother taking it off before heading out for the night. Her heels click on the pavement as she marches through the neighborhood, peering at the various houses and at the trick or treaters crowding the streets, but not approaching or interacting with any of them.

The "dead robots," however, those catch her eye. She turns sharply off the sidewalk and kneels to examine one of the props as it comes popping up to greet her.

Whoever came up with these must be complimented. Rising, she finishes the walk to the door and raps it with her knuckles in two ultra-precise movements.

The door opened and Unit had the bolts and other assorted items in his hand. "Hello!" The blue light from his eyes quite visible. "How is your evening?!" He was quite excited at this point. "Here have some." He held out the bolts and assorted supplies to Irene apparently his way of attributing the treating side of the season. "I am Unit Four Five Nine!" He carefully looked to the walkway and decorations while he let her take the items if she wished, wires sticking out from the handful of supplies.

Irene's lips peel back in a slow approximation of a smile when she sees Unit 459. It is an unnatural expression, with unmistakably predatory overtones; this is a person who smiles so infrequently, she has almost forgotten what it is meant to look like. Her eyes locked on the robot, she takes a handful of nuts and bolts without even batting an eyelash; she likes these treats far more than any she's been offered thus far tonight.

"Good evening, Unit 459. What a truly spectacular display you have out here."