(Sophie POV)

What does it mean to feel? To have emotions?

They're intangible concepts, and yet so very important. They can turn people irrational, warp their views, or even make them stronger than they ever were.

It is not logical. How is something only within someone's mind able to do such things. I do not comprehend. It is part of why I was shut down.

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Playing back memory...

"Mark three is activated." A voice spoke as my eyes opened and I experienced vision for the first time through the recording cameras that imitated human eyes.

The first sight I was greeted to was the head scientist. I scanned my surroundings. There were two other scientists in lab coats. I was sitting on an inclined table, various different wires attached to me.

"Good." The head scientist stated, his badge showing the name Dr. Willard. He turned around, looking at a computer with rapidly updating data. "We've started without problem. Who is your master?"

My first directive came to mind. The first person I saw would be my master.

"You, Dr. Willard." I spoke for the first time.

"A little stiff." He noted.

I scanned the three scientists, logging their structure into my memory bank.

"Boss...aren't both of her eyes supposed to be orange?" Asked the second scientist as they got close to my face.

"What? Yes, of course!" Exclaimed Dr. Willard. "Did you forget? We're going with an orange and white color scheme for it! No heroes in Champion City have that. It's supposed to be recognizable and marketable. Are they not both orange?"

"One is blue." Stated the final scientist.

"You know what, we'll fix it later." Dr. Willard waved him off. "How is instillation of the personality module?"

"100%." The first scientist stated, looking at a tablet.

"Perfect. Conduct personality testing." Dr. Willard ordered.

"Okay." The first scientist said, turning towards me. "First, can you introduce yourself?"

"I am model AW-VSD III." I stated.

"Give yourself a name." The first scientist then said.

"I am model AW-VSD III." I stated once again, titling my head.

"Are you absolutely sure that the personality module is fully installed?" Dr. Willard said with an annoyed tone.

"Yes. It says it's fully installed." The first scientist nervously nodded.

"Restart it." Ordered Dr. Willard. "We will redownload the personality module again."

The first scientist nodded. He walked over to me, reached behind my head, and my vision went dark.

Memory end.

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"Okay, let's initiate the combat test." Stated the first scientist from the speaker.

I was standing in a large and empty room. There was nothing in the room other than the speakers in the top corners of the room, and the two large metal doors for exits. One of which was behind me, while the other was across from me.

"Bring out the first prisoner." Ordered Dr. Willard.

The metal door opened as a man in an orange jumpsuit was pushed in. The door shut behind him, leaving him stuck in this room. He looked over, seeing me.

"This is who I have to beat in order to become free?" He grinned.

"Neutralize the threat." Instructed the second scientist.

I nodded. The prisoner rushed towards me as I performed calculations in my head. As soon as he got close and threw a punch I sidestepped, before throwing my own at his face.

My fist went straight through his skull, blood erupting from his head and splattering all over me. My fist emerged from the other side of his head, before I pulled him off and dropped his dead body to the ground.

"Target neutralized." I stated.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Muttered the first scientist.

"Pick a better word choice next time." Chastised the second scientist.

"Bring out the next one." Dr. Willard stated. "And this time, subdue the prisoner without killing it."

Another prisoner was pushed into the room. He immediately took a look of fear when he noticed the bloody corpse at my feet. He turned around, banging on the metal door and screaming.

I quickly approached him. He turned, saw me, screamed, and started to run away. I quickly caught up to him, kicking him in the leg. His knee buckled as a snapping sound reverberated through the room followed by a bloodcurdling scream.

He fell to the ground, where I then stomped on his back. Another crack was heard with another scream. He didn't try to run. He was lying there, stuck.

"Target subdued." I stated.

"Again." Dr. Willard growled.

Memory end.

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"This useless piece of junk!" Dr. Willard screamed, slamming his fists on the table.

The other two scientists stood off to the side, waiting awkwardly.

"What is wrong with you?!" He marched over to me, yelling into my face.

"I don't understand." I replied.

"Of course you don't! You don't understand anything!" He clutched at his hair. "You're just a stupid bucket of bolts! An empty vessel of nothingness!"

"Maybe we could market her with a blunt and lacking of emotion personality?" The first scientist nervously suggested.

"Would you rather be saved by a superhero who can comfort you or one that's dead silent?" Questioned Dr. Willard. "It doesn't get social cues. It doesn't understand us. It's an expressionless robot, and our funding is going to be cut because of it!"

"Combat tests...could've been worse. We just need to adjust her strength modifiers." The second scientist chimed in. "We're almost there."

"The personality module worked on the last two, even though they were failed products." Dr. Willard muttered to himself. "Why is it not working with this one!"

He growled, slamming his hands on the table once again. "And you know that it's supposed to be able to adjust its strength itself because of the varying strength of villains. If it increases its strength too much we're all fucked!"

There was suddenly a knock on the door. They became silent as the first scientist approached and opened the door.

Standing at the door was a stone-faced man in a suit with that some would call intimidating. The three went rigid as he walked inside, looking around the room with a slow gaze, until his eyes landed on me.

"Progress?" He questioned.

"T-there are a few small issues getting sorted out, but we're almost there Mr. Stromford!" Dr. Willard nervously explained. "We just need a little longer-!"

"There is no more 'little longer'." Mr. Stromford stated. "All three of your prototypes, while interesting and showing promise, have given zero satisfactory results for the costs needed for these. Your funding is cut, and you are out of a job."

"Y-you can't be serious..." Dr. Willard despaired.

"I am. You're fired." Mr. Stromford replied.

"N-no..." Dr. Willard gasped, clutching his head. He then turned to me with a burning gaze of rage. "You damn emotionless robot! Because of you-!"

I could not understand his rage.

He picked up a hammer, rushing at me to slam it into my face. His wrist was grabbed, and he turned towards the source only to be knocked out with a punch across the face.

He dropped to the ground, the other two scientists gasping. Mr. Stromford dusted his hands off, before turning towards the two scientists.

"You two." He stated. "Take the prototype to the storage. I'll find a use for it later. You'll be assigned to a different study. Remember, you speak of nothing you know."

"Y-yes, of course Mr. Stromford." The first scientist nodded.

The two quickly approached me, reaching behind and me shutting me off. My vision went dark and my consciousness faded as I was abandoned.

Memory end.

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I was suddenly awakened again, face to face with a young man in a ski mask. His eyes widened as he suddenly scooted backwards, surprised.

My first directive came to mind. The first person I saw would be my master.

I scanned the person in front of me, logging their structure into my memory bank.

"Scanning complete." I stated. "You must be my new master."

"I, uh, I think you're mistaking me for someone else." He nervously chuckled.

"You activated me." I stated, tilting my head. I then remembered what happened last time I was awake. "Are you going to abandon me?"

"No..?" He replied.

"Then you are now my new master." I deduced.

Memory end.

That was how I met my Master, Jason. I opened my eyes, taking in the dark room around me. I quietly stood up from my kneeling position, unplugging myself from the wall.

I walked to the bed, standing over it as I watched my sleeping Master. His vitals are doing fine. His injuries are healing. Nothing to worry about it.

I continued staring at him, like I had ended up doing the past few nights. I couldn't understand why I wouldn't move.

I finally turned away, walking over to the bathroom and entering without a sound. With the door closed I turned on the light. I looked towards the mirror, staring at myself in my attire.

My master calls it the maid outfit. I searched for proper outfits for servitude online and this is what I found. I wear it as much as I can. If I could, I would wear it all the time.

I lightly put my fingers to the edges of my mouth, slightly pushing them up to simulate a smile. As expected, it looked fake and awkward. I dropped my fingers, my face returning to its default, emotionless expression.

What does it mean to feel? To have emotions?

Master seems to think I have them. I do not understand why. I have told him multiple times that I do not. If I had emotions, I would be more like him. I would smile. I would frown. I would make jokes. I would flirt. I would laugh.

But I do none of that.

I am just a robot.

That is all.

And then, I proceeded to start the next tradition that I had somehow developed in this time with Master. I closed my eyes, focusing on the words that would be following.

Loading Master Audio #1...

"Sophie." Master's voice said, playing in my head.

My name. Not a model number. The one which he gave me.

Loading Master Audio #2...

"...good job." Master spoke, physically tired.

When we escaped the Stromford North Facility, my place of birth. It was the first time anyone had told me that.

Loading Master Audio #3...

"Just call me Jason." Master sighed.

He was the first to allow me to call him by name. And he did that despite being my Master.

Loading Master Audio #4...

"Thanks for the assist." Master stated. "Yeah. Thank you."

The first time anyone told me that either.

Loading Master Audio #5...

"Don't apologize." He sighed. "You can say whatever you want, I don't care. You're your own person."

Master is so caring, even though I am an emotionless robot.

Loading Master Audio #6...

"You're a huge help, Sophie." Master stated. "I'm glad you're with me. Rather have you than not."

This one was a newer addition, added after the Stromford penthouse trashing. I listen to this one a lot.

Loading Master Audio #7...

"How are you feeling?"

Master cares for me.

Loading Master Audio #8...

"...you look very cute."

I listen to Master's compliments often.

Loading Master Audio #9...

"Oh, you wanna kiss?"

I am not sure why I added this one. It wasn't addressed to me like the others. I also don't understand why it is one of the ones I listen to most.

I opened my eyes, and there on my face, for one second, was a smile. And then it was gone. I approached the mirror, tapping at it. Did I see that right?

I played the last audio.

Once again, a smile came onto my face. A natural smile. A genuine smile. A real smile. One that a real person would have. I am...happy?

"I do not understand." I quietly spoke aloud.

Master makes me smile.

I quickly searched as to the reason a person can make you smile. And the results led to one conclusion. The mental, intangible idea of love.

Is this what love is? Is this what happiness is?

I listened to the audios again. Once again, my face morphed to a smile involuntarily. There was a warm feeling inside of me that I couldn't fully describe nor know where it was.

Feeling.

I have feelings. I can feel.

I am happy. Because of Master, I am happy. Master makes me happy. Master has given me emotions. I do not know how. I do not understand.

But this evidence is undeniable.

It is because of Master.

Error.

I finally understand.

I love Master.

I love Master.

I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master. I love Master.

There was a strange red tint on my face. I turned the bathroom light off, exiting and walking back over to the bed where I watched over Master's sleeping form once more as those words of my own continued to reverberate through my head in the background.

"Master." I whispered. "My Master."

I watched him for as long as I could, until I had the minimum amount of time left to fully recharge by the time he would awake.

I need to conduct more research.

Just wait, my Master.