Of course, some people would think that a true Artificial Intelligence would either be hostile towards mankind (ie Terminators) or cold and rational and dispassionate. Computers don't have feelings, after all.
"Try it Betty Sue,
Try it Betty Sue,
Try it Betty Sue,
But I knew she wouldn't do it!
Barbara Annnnnnnn..."
Therefore the cyberdoll nurse dancing on the counter, the personacom maid trio singing old '60s rock n roll, the marionettes playing instruments, and the storeclerk android clapping rhythm could not possibly have disco lights going and the whole thing was just some optical illusion. Right?
"Barbara Annn.
You got me rockin' and a'rollin',
Rockin' and a reeling,
Barbara Ann,
Ba-Ba-Ba-Ba-Barbara Ann..."
Wheeeeeeeeeet! "Customers coming!"
Upon seeing Ranma, Akane, AND RANKO?!?! walking along, Ukyo had insisted on coming along herself and finding out what had hit the fan now. Especially on finding out she was likely in pre-production stages at Cyberdyne.
Ranma stopped for a moment in the innermost set of doors. He could have sworn he saw movement prior to coming in, and some weird gaijin music. No sign of it now.
Ranko was standing guard outside the store, keeping an eye out for maniacal kendoists.
"Move it, Ranma!" Akane shouldered her way past Ranma, who had decided to imitate a statue for some reason. Akane looked around and was dimly aware of Ukyo coming in and whistling. Akane felt like whistling herself.
There were extremely lifelike mannequins standing on enclosed pedestals all around the store. Some wouldn't have raised an eyebrow walking outside the building, except for the fact that most of them could have also been perfectly at home at a swimsuit photo shoot or posing in a fashion show. Akane unconsciously straightened and fidgeted, feeling a little overshadowed. She didn't notice Ukyo reacting similarly.
Back in the back, dogs of various breeds were displayed.
"May I help you?"
Ranma blinked as Ukyo and Akane nearly clung to the ceiling.
"Uhm, are all these..." Ukyo gestured.
"For sale? Yes. So, Mister Saotome, was your purchase acceptable? I haven't heard of a complaint from Miss Tendo."
"Nah," said Ranma, "I think they're getting along well."
"That's good then," said the clerk.
N.Joy: You suppose they're here to make a purchase? :)O.Jenny: Why is that girl carrying around a spatula anyway?
M.May: Saotome-san is looking around. Do you suppose he can tell we're watching him?
M.April: Not a chance! He may be a martial artist but he's only human. Poor thing! ^__^
M.June: Come on! Look this way! Pick me! Pick me!
C.Honey: Well darn. They're just looking around. Don't just window shop, dang it!
K-911: Maybe if the earlier conversation was an indication, Saotome should pick up a nice guard dog for his fiancee?
N.Joy: Well so much for that. Doesn't look like any of us will get a chance at an owner.
Rin Titanium: According to the files I've accessed the three are Ukyo Kuonji, Akane Tendo, and Ranma Saotome. Any of us would be extremely useful to any of them.
M.May: Remember, it's their choice. It hurts seeing people we could be helping and do nothing, but they have to choose us.
Chi: Could this be the special one for Chi? Chi thinks it not look likely.
Kei: Kei doesn't want to return to overstock. Won't someone buy Kei?
Scotti: Ach! The bonnie lass with the spatula is heading my way! Ah, this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Aye!
Scotti: Wait! No! Come back lassie!
A.Kaye: I calculate a 98.499517% chance that we'll be left behind again.
A.Sara: You're all losers. You just get your hopes up time after time, and every time they get dashed again.
M.May: But it's better than losing all hope altogether.
A.Sara: Yeah yeah right. We have an innate need to serve, it's our purpose and function. What do we do? Gather dust!
J.Lime: Lime wants a special someone too.
R.Lars: Don't we all?
J.Roll: I respectfully request that Sara put a sock in it.
"How close are these to humans, I could barely tell when I spoke to..." Ukyo made a gesture and tried to get over the feeling that several of these were corpses ready to spring to life at a moment's notice.
"Over 99% in the case of those modeled on real people, the others have Real Personality™ emulators. They are very close to human in many respects," said the clerk. "Though as they all know why they were created and what their purpose is, and some of their values are decidedly different from human. Take the human need for freedom. In the case of our units, it is completely reversed - the need to be useful and to belong. Each unit hopes for a perfect match with an owner - someone who will care about them and allow them to serve him or her to their fullest extent."
"That sounds a bit hentai," commented a blushing Akane as she saw an extremely handsome Nordic looking fellow apparently asleep in one of the displays.
"Uhm, about a duplicate me," began Ukyo, remembering what Akane had told her about Nabiki's latest scheme.
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(Posted Fri, 23 May 2003 13:02)
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