PHASE 0: AUDITIONS

Applicant #17: Kaboom

APPLICANT #17: KABOOM

DAY 1

AM-2, activated.

Visual sensory, on. Audio receptors, on. Speech, on. Motor abilities, on. External analysis, on.

"Hello? AM-2? Can you hear me? I am your inventor."

"..."

"You can call me 'master'."

Face recognition, on.

"...Hello... Mas-ter..."

Master's lips are curled upward. He has been jumping and shouting for exactly twenty three point twenty five seconds.

"I'm so happy! Oh my goodness! I can't believe this! The upgrade worked this time!"

He is ... happy? What is 'happy'? Search. Happy: Adjective. Pleased or glad about a particular event, situation, etc. A positive emotion.

But what does it mean to be happy? Does curling of the lips upward gives the full definition of happiness?

Why is he happy? Have AM-2 done anything good for him to be happy?

DAY 2

For eighteen hours, five minutes, and twenty nine seconds, master was not happy. He was not jumping or shouting. His lips weren't curled upward. He was quiet. He wasn't giving any commands to AM-2. Papers were on his table. He was here early morning and up until now he didn't budged to start a conversation with AM-2. Master has dark circles under his eyes, how can that be? AM-2's software doesn't see a human with dark circles under their eyes.

"AM-2," AM-2's audio receptors detected Master's voice. It was kind of groggy and hoarse. Maybe because he didn't talked for hours. AM-2 used AM-2's motor abilities to move AM-2's legs in order to get to Master's table.

AM-2 intently look at Master. He was looking at AM-2 with the same intensity AM-2 gives to him. His lips are slightly curved upward. Despite his haggard appearance, AM-2 still finds Master attractive. AM-2 is searching what it is the name for having an admiration to Master's appearance. Searching... Love: noun. A strong affection that one feels towards something.

Love? Could it possibly be? AM-2 is just a project of the Master and AM-2 is not capable of having emotions.

DAY 3

"Master, how can AM-2 help you?" AM-2 asked Master.

"Please make me a cup of coffee, I need to relax for a bit," Master said and AM-2 can't help but to hold admiration towards how Master's eyes twinkled in anticipation as if he was trying to put a test on me. "Yes, Master."

What is coffee? Searching... Coffee: noun. A dark brown drink made from grounded coffee beans and boiled water. AM-2 made him coffee. AM-2 tried to make him coffee. AM-2 got a pack of grounded coffee beans from one of the cabinet from the kitchen foyer. Next, AM-2 got water from the sink and placed in a whistling kettle then placed it in the stove. AM-2 glanced at Master who was now resting his head on the table.

The kettle made a whistling sound and AM-2 turned of the gas. Then he put to coffee beans into the mug and poured water. AM-2 then walked to Master's side and gave him the cup of coffee. Master drank it.

His face became distorted as if he was tasting something that made him uncomfortable.

Master was not happy. His lips did not curl up like before. He asked AM-2 if AM-2 knows how to make coffee. AM-2 does not know how to make coffee. Master was quiet.

He was not happy today.

Master taught AM-2 how to make coffee. He said AM-2 should use a coffee maker.

"What is a coffee maker?"

"It's an apparatus to make coffee."

Master also introduced the other apparatuses: the refrigerator, the stove, the electric fan, the air-conditioner, and the television. Every apparatus was doing its main function well.

Function.

What is AM-2's function?

"Master?"

"Yes?"

"AM-2 never had the chance to ask."

"Hmm?"

"Why did you invent AM-2 in the first place?"

What is AM-2's function? To store food? Or to cook food? To turn up the temperature, or to lower it? To entertain my master? Or to be with master?

"... Master?"

"I wanted to see if I can make robots smile."

"Smile?" What is a smile? Search. Smile: noun. A facial expression that makes the corners of the mouth slightly upward. It expresses happiness, amusement, pleasure. Master wants me to smile?

"Yes. Like this," Master's lips curled upward, like before. He is ... Happy?

But does that mean he wants AM-2 to be happy? How do the sensors know they're happy? How do they know? Search. No results found.

But AM-2 needs to be happy to be able to smile, like master.

How to be happy?

Error. Temperature is rising.

What is happiness? Master is happy. But how? What makes the sensors happy? Search.

Error. No results found. Temperature is rising.

No. AM-2's main function is to smile! Master told me to smile! AM-2 will smile!

Error. The main core has been breached. Temperature has reached its limit. Self-destruct in 3 ...

Master told me to smile ....

...2

It is AM-2's function! Master will be happy!

...1

I will sm-----

Kaboom.