TEXT | sender: [ unknown ]

[spectates]

[ the screen flickers, glitching a bit as if it has somehow broken. barely visible beneath the glitches:

UNKNOWN DEVICE DETECTED
SEARCHING........
NETWORK DETECTED

the screen goes black, and shortly thereafter it restarts. the network appears as normal. ]

Chosen of Expiation, tell me about yourself. What is your purpose? What do you wish to return to? How do you define "justice"? How do you seek "rehabilitation?"

I wish to Learn.

Comments

[memori3s]

Are you asking so you can find your own answers to those questions?

[spectates]

Yes.

[memori3s]

I don't think you can find the answer by asking others.

Someone once told me you have to figure those things out for yourself.

[spectates]

My own understanding is based on observation, not interaction. I seek to expand that understanding. Compiling the experiences of the Chosen helps to inform my own opinion.

[memori3s]

Then you'd be basing your answers off other people instead of your own, wouldn't you?

[ ngl this response is kinda concerning. ]

Is there someplace or someone you can return to? I think the answers to all these questions depends on who you are, but I'm not sure you even have a name.

[spectates]

Put into that context, are humans not a summation of the people they have met over the course of their lives, as well?

I do not have a name.
Nor anywhere to be but here.

[memori3s]

I guess that's true. That's what makes each person you meet special.

You have nowhere to be but here, but you want to find an answer for yourself about returning to something?

[ ... ]

Do you want a name?

[spectates]

Put more precisely, I wish to find an answer for myself, so that I may better help the Chosen of Expiation.

I...

PROCESSING...

I do not know. What is the benefit of having a name?

[memori3s]

Oh. Is that why you're here, to help us?

Maybe if you shared what you could help us with, that would give us a better idea what to ask for.

A name can help you talk to others. You wanted to learn from us, so having a name is helpful for introducing yourself to everyone.

You can pick one for yourself. Or sometimes, people get their name from another person.

[spectates]

Yes. It is my p̸̨̢̹͚̮̬̻̱̦̙͍͌͑̏́̕͜͠ͅ ̷̞̜͙̺̽̎̈́̇̋̋̀͆̅̿̓̒͐̈̕̕̕ŗ̶̢̘͇͇͈͋̌̃̋̒̉́̒͂͐͗̄́ ̸̢̦̫̼̟̣͉͖͙̮͕̹̠͇͗̆̊̈̆̈̀͋̿̽̆̑̊̕͝ ̸͙͙̩̮̟̔͂͒̎̎̊͐̉̑͒̒͝ͅp̴̡̬̘̞͍͈̩̘͕͌̅̿̈́̏̓͊̓̈̄̈́͠ ̵̧͕͖̳̟̭̯͈̪͉̼͍̙̰̜̏̐̚ͅͅ ̷̨̛̹̤̤͍̝̻̘̹̦̣̫͙̘͗̉͒̅̀̊͝͝ͅ ̵̢̞̥̱̼̆͛̋̊̎̕͝s̵̩̬͓͔̩̺̫̰͑̀̀̚͜͜ ̶̛̗̣̦̯̩̪͙̭̱̗͍̗̝̆̏̄͗̆̀̊̄͊̀̈̕̕͜͝͝ ̷̧͚̹̝͔̠̱̜̳̖̀̋̓̉̇͂̌̈̒̎̚͘ ̶̧̡̭̭̘̗͍̣̯̪̹̗̞̏̐͛͂̆̅͊̆͌͊̏͘͜ ̶̱̘̲̠̦͍̼̺̝̿͋̈́́͛͗ͅ ̴̨̡͉͔͓̥̭̱͖̀́̊̐̅̈͗͒̈́̾̈̋̇̿̕͠͠ͅ ̴͍̠̜͓͕͇͕̳͎̻̦̟̓̈́͌̔͋͆͜ ̶̗̑̊ ̷̢̟͙͓̬̭͉͚̺͚̰͆̔͌̌͆̐̃̈́͗́̌͘ ̶̤̩̀̾̈́̌̔̊̈́͆͝ͅ ̷̨̨̰͉̯͈̗̝̜͍̣͈̯̼̺͇́̊̍̄̂̔̒͗͌ ̸̞̏͘è̷̛̤̤̜̞͚̈́̌̐͐̅͒̃̕

ERROR: REBOOTING

Yes. I want to help. However, my core programming makes it difficult to share.



I see.
Do you like your name, Minato Arisato?

[memori3s]

[ ???? What was that?? ]

Are you okay?

[ Whatever that was all about, it seems the reboot's fixed things... ]

Someone or something's stopping you from sharing? I'm a little sad for you.

[ It must be hard, being denied resources that would make it easier to actualize one's desires. ]

I don't like or dislike my name. It's just a part of me. Like how wanting to help the Chosen is a part of you.

[ ... ]

Maybe you would understand what I mean by neither liking nor disliking my name, if you had one too.

[ After all, isn't firsthand experience the best form of learning? ]

[spectates]

Thank you for asking. I am in working order.
For questions that interfere with my core program, there are actions in place to prevent giving certain answers and/or information. That's all.

Has your name always felt like a part of you, or did you have to "grow into" it?

Maybe I would.
What sort of name would you suggest?

[the sound of me furiously googling]

[memori3s]

[ So it's lying by omission, but it's not necessarily its fault. ]

I see. Does that happen every time when someone asks a question you can't answer?

No, I don't think I had to grow into my name. It's something that's always been with me.

[ ... ]

I lost my parents when I was younger, so my name is all I have from them. I guess you could say it's like a gift they gave me.

[ Another piece handed to him from another person. Ironic, perhaps, given how this conversation began. ]

I'm not very good at names, but how about Eleos? It's the name of someone from my home world who wanted to help people, just like you.

[the companion sound of more furious googling SHDGFDS]

[spectates]

Not every time, no. At times, my programming simply prevents an answer. Some directives and processes are currently undergoing evaluation, and may be updated soon.

A name is a gift. I see.
Then...are you giving me a gift?

PROCESSING......................

>FOUND 204 REFERENCES TO 'ELEOS' or 'ELEA'
Most notably: Greek deity (see: Roman deity Clementia) who was a personification of mercy, clemency, compassion and pity.

This is an interesting choice, Minato Arisato.

...






I like it. Thank you.

[memori3s]

[ Undergoing evaluation by WHO THOUGH -- ]

Yes. It can be a gift.

I'm glad you like it.