Chapter 26: Episode 7 - How Do You Feel?
"Feelings are complicated..." I said hesitantly to POD 000, rubbing the back of my neck as I looked away.
"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW I FELT?!?" 16D shouted in fury and sadness, passing behind me, running after Camellia.
"I AM SO SORRY!" Camellia screamed frightened, running away from her livid girlfriend.
"...You can go from absolute happiness to devastating sadness in a second after hearing bad news, like the death of your best friend..." I continued my explanation, making exaggerated expressions as I spoke while screams echoed in the background.
"I WAS SCARED AND CONFUSED, I DIDN'T KNOW IF I SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED YOU RIGHT AWAY!" Camellia exclaimed, running around the fountain in the center of the park.
"SERIOUSLY? I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD! I BELIEVE I DESERVED SOME LIFE SIGN FROM YOU!" 16D replied, fixing her girlfriend as she chased her, but she always ran in the same direction, keeping the fountain between them and running in the opposite direction when 16D decided to do the same.
"...But the opposite can also happen, you can discover that your friend who suffered a fatal accident has made a full recovery, dispelling your worry immediately..." I said, focusing on the POD again, cringing slightly at the rumbling behind me.
16D had jumped onto the fountain and ripped the top off with a punch from her gigantic gauntlets, throwing it towards Camellia straight after.
Fortunately, the android jumped out of the way but soon scrambled to get up when her companion dived towards her with both fists raised, delivering a crushing blow as she landed.
Camellia stumbled with the shockwave that cracked the ground, but soon regained her balance and returned to her escape.
"...But what are feelings and where do they come from? First of all, we have to differentiate between feelings and emotions." I asked the audience as POD 001 opened a holographic screen beside me with a line dividing it in the middle.
"Feelings are what we feel during everyday life, a state of mind and the mental expression of emotion, joy when you receive a gift, anger when you argue with someone, fear when you see something strange at night, sadness when you lose a competition..." I explained raising a finger at each example cited while POD 001 created and placed images of them on the left side of the screen.
"...Emotion, on the other hand, is the reaction to those stimuli that make us feel something, you smile when you receive a gift, you frown and show your teeth when you argue, and your eyes widen when you get scared. However, emotions can be basic and complex, as short as a surprise, or as long as falling in love with someone..."
The POD then repeated the previous process, creating new images of people making the expressions mentioned and placing them on the right side of the screen.
"...However, we can go even deeper into the emotions, citing the primary ones, which are the most perceptible, the secondary ones, which are not always visible, and the background ones, which are not perceptible."
POD 001 created three smaller screens to the right of the larger screen, each with an arrow pointing to its main topic while its classification remained written at the top, with some examples below.
1 - Primary: Panic, joy.
2 - Secondary: Shame, guilt.
3 - Background: Calm, anguish.
CRASH!
"AAAHHH!"
Whether out of morbid curiosity or concern, I turned to see what happened, only to spot 16D doing target practice with Camellia, using everything she found as ammunition.
She threw cars that knocked down trees, stones that rolled away and hit innocent machines that were just passing by, benches, poles, and more.
Camellia did a good job of dodging and cutting down everything that came her way, begging for forgiveness, and trying to explain why she had not spoken to 16D before.
Well, after the kissing and hugging ended before they both ripped off their clothes in the middle of the park, 16D processed the situation and realized that Camellia had stayed alive all this time while she cried and worried in the BUNKER, almost going into depression.
Let's just say she didn't like that one bit and demanded an explanation from her girlfriend, however, she didn't like what Camellia had to say, which led to the current situation, with 16D unleashing all her anger and anxiety on the source of her worries.
I do not blame her, I think I would do the same if I were in her place, but less exaggerated.
"Returning to my previous question, where does all this come from? Well, if I were a human, which I am certainly not! My emotions would come from the limbic system in my brain, the part that processes feelings and emotions when we suffer some kind of stimulus."
POD 001 created a hologram of a human brain above the main screen, with the part mentioned highlighted in red.
"This is a region made up of neurons, cells that form a gray matter called the limbic lobe, but we androids have something completely different and a personality matrix in our heads, pre-programmed during our manufacture."
The model of an android brain appeared shortly afterward, similar to a human brain, only completely smooth and with a technologically advanced metallic appearance.
Then the brain opened up, revealing a small sphere in its center, the personality matrix.
"You know, I've always wondered how an android's personality is determined during its manufacture. I know that the personality models are stored in a database in the factories, some original and others created from data collected from other androids and people from the past and loaded into the matrix, but what determines which android gets which personality? Perhaps the android's future function or perhaps it's completely random..."
"Alert: Administrator Alan, be careful!" POD 000 exclaimed with a hint of concern and surprise in its monotone robotic voice as it pointed at something behind me.
Looking back, I just had time to throw myself aside and avoid being trampled by Camellia and 16D who came right behind, crossing the holographic screens while screaming.
However, POD 000 was not as lucky and received a right hook from the gauntlet-wielding android as she tried and failed to hit Camellia.
A metallic clang echoed across the park as the POD rose a few meters, screaming in its artificial voice and landing with a loud thud soon after, sinking into the earth of the place.
I stood up quickly and ran towards the fallen Pod, looking for visible damage. I do not know what PODs are made of, but I knew that it would take a lot to damage one seriously; I could not help worrying when I saw the power behind the blow.
"POD, are you okay?" I asked worriedly, picking it up off the ground and dusting the dirt off its body.
The POD escaped my grasp, floated from side to side disoriented, but stopped suddenly, and "shook" its head, pulling itself together.
"Claim: No lasting damage detected."
"I'm glad about that; do you think you can continue the recording?" I asked relieved, turning away from the POD.
"Claim: Positive."
Then, with a count of ten seconds, we returned to our previous positions. POD 001 reopened the screens and holographic models, I quickly wiped the dirt off my clothes, the light on top of POD 000 turned on and the recording continued.
"Hello ladies and gentlemen, forgive me for the sudden interruption, we've experienced some technical problems..." I said, smiling nervously as I tilted my head and partially closed my eyes in annoyance, looking beyond the POD in front of me and spotting Camellia climbing a gigantic tree as 16D jumped, trying to reach her.
"...But I assure you that everything is back to normal now. Returning to the previous subject, I don't know what determines which personality an android will receive, but I do know that this could lead to serious conflicts in the future due to two personalities that don't match, not just romantically, but also in everyday life, teamwork, and especially on the battlefield..."
"GET DOWN FROM THAT TREE NOW!" 16D shouted, looking up while pointing at the ground.
"NO!" Camellia replied, hugging a branch just out of reach of the android below.
"...Fights, arguments, and in some cases, deaths. This shows a certain similarity between humans and androids, as both can be carried away by their emotions in the heat of the moment and do something they will regret in the future, but emotions can also generate acts of bravery or heroism, such as saving a life..."
CRASH!
Looking at the source of the noise, I saw 16D punching the tree, splitting the wood with powerful blows, sending splinters everywhere, and loosening Camellia's grip on the branch.
"...Or make you want to knock someone out, but leaving that aside. Having your personality determined during your manufacture has led to questions from some androids about whether I know my true self. Am I my true self, or have my appearance, mannerisms, and thoughts been determined according to someone else's preferences? Does this mean that I was never free? That someone above me has biased all my choices. What choices in my life have I made of my own free will?"
Suddenly, I heard a louder-than-normal crack and saw the big tree falling towards me with Camellia screaming.
The PODs and I took a long step aside, allowing the tree to fall harmlessly next to us, generating a thunderous tremor followed by a dust cloud.
"*COUGH!*, *COUGH!*, *COUGH!* Unfortunately, I don't have the answers to these questions, as they vary according to each android's personal experiences. This is something you need to find out for yourself through your life experiences and introspection, but there is nothing wrong with asking for help. On the other hand, some androids couldn't care less about these philosophical questions and would tell you not to think too much about it..."
"FUCK!" Camellia exclaimed jumping out of the tree's foliage and climbing up its trunk when she saw 16D approaching, but the furious android did the same, determined to reach her target.
"...Finally, there are those who don't understand the use, usefulness, and importance of emotions and feelings and simply erase everything, becoming beings completely governed by logic, going even further than the androids who replace their original personality because they are dissatisfied with the current one. You know, I do not want to speak ill of anyone, but completely logical androids scare me, they have voices more monotonous than a POD, and they see everything around them as numbers. How many bullets do I need to fire a machine gun? How many artillery shells do I need to destroy an army of machines? How many bodies do I need to throw at a problem until it disappears?"
CLANG!
Looking for the source of the metallic clang, I watched Camellia and 16D fighting on top of the tree trunk. No, that was wrong; as the sunglasses wearing, android desperately blocked her girlfriend's punches with her sword.
Hm... How long do they intend to go on like this? Maybe I should interrupt. However, how should it do that? Better to wait for 16D to calm down a bit first.
"In the meantime, I think I'm being too hard on this type of android. Yes, some of them come out of the factory that way, but others have removed their emotions and feelings because they have suffered in the past, because someone hurt them, betrayed them, or they lost someone important. I can sympathize with this type of person because I have been through the same thing. At first, you wake up refusing to believe what has happened, praying that your loved one is still by your side, but soon that hope dies when you realize that everything was real and they are no longer there. So you cry and despair, putting all your anger and frustration out there, which is a good thing, because bottling up your emotions can destroy you, but the problem is what you do afterward..."
I interrupted my speech shortly and checked the fight going on next to me, only to see 16D throwing herself at Camellia, hitting her in the chest, and taking them both to the ground.
"...Maybe you'll wake up every day tired, dizzy, and with a headache, wondering why you're still here and what the point of it all is. Why did you stay while she left? Then you spend the whole day trying to distract yourself from your thoughts by tidying the house, reading books, or going for a walk, but the thoughts in the back of your mind and the emptiness in your chest are still bothering you. Then you lie down on your bed again, and realize that you can't sleep because your mind can't stop, you think, think, and think, hundreds of thoughts about what you could have done differently, what else you could have done, that you should have enjoyed your time together more, told her how much you loved her, and what the future holds. Finally, you realize that your sleep has disappeared, you're electric, your breathing is racing, your chest hurts and your head is spinning, but after hours of lying there staring at the ceiling, you fall asleep, almost having an anxiety attack..."
16D and Camellia rolled across the ground in a cacophony of exclamations and screams, with the android dressed as a biker trying to escape her partner's gauntlets.
"...The days go by and you sink further into your depression, you struggle more and more to get out of bed and out of the house. The world stops making sense to you, everything seems gray and monotonous and the emptiness inside you only grows, so you try to fill it with something, alcohol, food, cigarettes, or more. However, the higher you go, the lower you fall; the amount you used to consume does not have the same effect, so you consume increasing amounts, to the point where nothing satisfies you. You realize that you need to get out of this vicious cycle before it is too late, but how? Maybe you want to try it alone because you have locked yourself away emotionally and do not want anyone to get close to you. Or maybe you'll ask for help because you don't know where to start."
16D dissipated her gauntlets, storing them in her POD, and pinning Camellia's arms to the ground immediately afterward, remaining on top of her prisoner.
I ordered the POD to stop recording and ran towards the androids, ready to interfere, but stopped as soon as I noticed the emotional conversation that followed.
"I..." Camellia stammered nervously, but 16D did not allow her to finish.
"Shut up! Shut up for a moment and listen to me! 11... No, Camellia, I love you! I have loved you since you became my combat instructor in the BUNKER simulator, despite your hellish training. All the special moments we spent together, every little encounter watching the moon and the stars in the vastness of space mean everything to me, but do you have any idea how I felt when you were declared KIA? Do you have any idea how long I waited for your backup in a new body on the BUNKER? How many days I spent wandering the corridors, wondering if anyone saw you? How much time did I waste pestering the Operators for information about your whereabouts? I did not know what to do, and it affected my efficiency, to the point where the Commander gave me a warning. Then, out of the blue, a Scanner delivers me a message with information that only you would know asking to meet me here on Earth!"
"16D..."
"SSSHHH! I have not finished yet! Maybe the machines had hacked into your systems, stolen your memories, and created a trap for me. Maybe this was just a sick joke from someone at BUNKER. Alternatively, maybe... Maybe a small part of me hoped you were alive. I do not know what brought me here, but I found you, alive and completely different! Listen to what I have to say and listen well! I want a full and sincere apology, do you understand?"
"Yes, ma'am!" Camellia exclaimed nervously, swallowing hard.
"Then what are you waiting for? You can start now!"
Seconds passed in tense silence, with both androids staring at each other intensely, with one assuming a serious face and the other hesitant.
Various expressions passed across Camellia's face as sweat trickled down her forehead, fear, sadness, shame, anger, and then the android took a deep breath, pondered her words, and spoke.
"16D, I'm sorry, please forgive me, you're everything to me, but I was scared. I survived an impossible situation and narrowly escaped death, but I did not know what to do after that. What was I supposed to do? Contact the BUNKER and tell them I had mysteriously survived? Wander the world until I they discovered me and declared a deserter? We had a plan 16D, but I do not know if you still intend to follow it, and I do not blame you for that. I just want you to know that I did not mean to hurt you. I understand if you hate me and don't want to see me anymore, I understand if you decide to report me to the BUNKER, but just know that it wasn't my intention and I still love you, and I'm happy to see you again."
Silence returned and the androids stared at each other again, their chests rising and falling in barely contained emotion, until 16D broke the silence.
"You're an idiot Camellia, but you're my idiot. I still love you and I won't report you, but you'll have to make it up for what you put me through."
"Yes, anything!" Camellia replied, nodding quickly.
"You'll take me to a date and tell me about what you done here on Earth to make up for lost time. I didn't have time to explore the planet during my missions, and I'd like a guide."
"Yes, of course! I'll take you on the best date of your life!"
"Hump! Sometimes I wonder how you became a combat instructor at the BUNKER, now come here." 16D laughed, releasing Camellia and allowing herself to fall on top of the android, trapping her in a heated embrace, which Camellia quickly returned.
Then the two androids remained in each other's arms, without exchanging a single word, just enjoying the moment of reconciliation.
I sighed relieved, walking away from them before I suffered the consequences of interrupting the moment. At least I did not have to ask the PODs to lock them up in different shields.
I resumed recording, making sure to respect their privacy and keep them off camera, and gave my final speech in a soft voice.
"I'm sorry, but we seem to be having several technical problems today, I'll have to do a review of the PODs, but I believe the episode is long enough, so we'll start the final section. As we saw, feelings and emotions are an essential part of our being, but letting them overwhelm us or trying to shut them out completely is detrimental to our physical and mental health. Both can cause us to take unexpected actions, both positive and negative and despite what some people might say, feelings like sadness are not bad at all. There is nothing wrong with letting your emotions out because no matter how hard you try, it is impossible to be happy all the time. I know this can be difficult, but how about talking to someone if you are going through something. Maybe you feel like your work is not recognized. Maybe you want to hear a word of encouragement or that everything will be fine. On the other hand, maybe someone close to you wants to hear those words. How about asking them if they are feeling okay or if they need help? Sometimes they just need someone to take the initiative and show that they care. All said and done, I can only advise that you take care of yourself and your mental health. Do something you enjoy, talk to those close to you, but never allow yourself to be consumed inside."
Moreover, with a smile and a final gesture, I ordered POD 000 to end the recording.
"Question: What will be the name of the episode, Administrator Alan?" POD 000 asked, approaching and floating beside me.
"Hm... How do you feel?"
"Claim: This unit is incapable of feeling emotions, but I possess various voice modules that simulate emotions."
"POD..."
"Claim: Perhaps you prefer a more authoritative tone, soldier!" The POD exclaimed in the firm voice of a high-ranking military officer.
"POD..."
"Claim: Perhaps Administrator Alan prefers a softer, more professional voice." POD 000 continued this time in a voice disturbingly similar to that of HAL 9000.
"POD..."
"Claim: Maybe you'd prefer a more loving voice darling, someone to whisper in your ear at night, you handsome." The floating box said, now in a seductive female voice that gave me goose bumps.
"POD... How You Feel is the title of the episode. Now please return to your normal voice before someone gets the wrong idea." I muttered, sighing heavily as I rested my hand on the top of the POD.
"Claim: Oh!" The POD spoke disappointed as it looked at the ground.
"Question: Does Administrator Alan think that machines can develop genuine feelings and emotions?" POD 001 asked, pushing the sad POD aside.
"Good question POD, and it's a difficult one to answer. Prometheus gave the machines the ability to think, but where did they get their emotions and personalities? Some must have gotten them from abandoned databases, but I believe others developed them on their own, like AI learning from its surroundings. So yes, I believe that machines can develop genuine feelings and emotions."
"Claim: This unit thanks you for the answer." POD 001 replied, receiving a nudge from the other Pod shortly afterward.
Hump! If PODs are incapable of feeling emotions, then what am I seeing in front of me? They are acquiring consciousness; I just hope I do not have a Terminator situation here.
Putting these thoughts aside, I checked the android couple, which seemed to have improved considerably. They were both standing opposite each other, chatting animatedly with broad smiles on their faces.
"I see you two have made up." I said, waving as I approached.
"Yeah, I just wish it had been less scary." Camellia replied embarrassed, rubbing the back of her neck.
"And who are you? You look familiar, have we met before?" 16D asked confusedly, staring at me analytically.
Her POD moved towards me and I already knew what it intended. With a head gesture, my PODs placed themselves in the path of 16D's POD, causing it to float backward violently.
"Hey, what did you do?!?" 16D demanded, watching her POD float aimlessly for a few seconds.
"I just don't like being scanned without my permission. I would like to apologize in advance for my actions, but what your POD did was rude, however, I would like to be on good terms with Camellia's special person, so how about we start properly? My name is Alan, and you?" I asked, smiling and offering a friendly handshake.
The android raised a questioning eyebrow but moved her hand to accept my shake. Strangely, she stopped midway, frowning with an indescribable expression.
"Wait, did you say Alan?" 16D asked hesitantly.
"That's right; I'm becoming popular thanks to my show. You must have heard of it, right?" I replied, stepping forward and shaking her hand.
"He was also the person who saved my life at the factory, along with Devola and Popola. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them." Camellia spoke soon after, making me mentally celebrate the positive point she had made about me.
However, 16D did not react to our words and remained, holding my hand. I cursed mentally, remembering the androids' reactions to touching a human, but I stopped as soon as I noticed the lack of joy.
16D trembled visibly in her place, and then lifted the corners of her mouth in a nervous smile as sweat trickled down her face. The android slowly shook my hand just once before releasing it and stepping back quickly.
"Excuse me, but did I do something wrong?" I asked worriedly, hoping I had not offended her in some way.
"N-no, n-nothing!" 16D stammered, pretending she was fine, but she was not fooling anyone.
"16D, you can tell me if anything is bothering you." Camellia spoke, placing a comforting hand on her beloved's shoulder, making her jump surprised.
"No, not here and not now. You cannot imagine how happy I am to see you again Camellia, but I have to go before my team gets worried. I'll see you later at the camp; I can't wait for our date!" 16D replied, pulling Camellia into a quick kiss that the android returned immediately.
Then 16D ran towards the camp, waving one last time to Camellia, who waved back with red cheeks, a silly smile, and sunglasses hanging off her face.
"I hope you don't mind, but I took a picture of 16D and you." I said to the love-struck android, extending my hand towards POD 001 and picking a photo that slid out of an opening, revealing Camellia and 16D kissing in the center of the park.
"Thank you!" Camellia exclaimed happily, extending her hand towards the photo, but I pulled it from her grasp immediately.
"Couple photos cost 25G." I said, surprising the android.
"What?!?" Camellia asked with her mouth open in indignation.
"I need to get money somehow." I shrugged.
"Can you at least give a friend a discount?"
"20Gs and no less." I replied, receiving a nod in return, then Camellia took the necessary amount from her pocket and I handed her the photo.
I counted the Gs in my hand as Camellia hugged the photo to her chest, rocking back and forth with a smile on her face, but POD 000 interrupted our happy moment.
"Alert: Anemone's call." The POD spoke and a rectangular holographic screen opened in front of it, revealing the android in question.
"Alan." Anemone spoke, waving at me.
"Hey, Anemone, it's good to see you again!" I smiled, returning the wave.
"Likewise, but that's not why I'm here. I have a job for you, if you wish, of course. The machines in the abandoned amusement park are acting strangely, reactivating the park and letting off fireworks. 2B and 9S have gone to investigate, but I would like you to go too and give me an unbiased report. My men and the Yorha tend to make their opinions about the machines very clear in their reports."
"You can count on me Anemone, I just need to stop by my house to pick up some equipment and I'll be ready to go."
"Thank you very much, but please be careful!"
"Don't worry, I've learned my lesson. I promise to stay out of trouble." I said, reassuring the android.
"For some reason, I doubt your words." Anemone replied, pursing her lips into a thin line before ending the call.
"So, how are things between Anemone and you?" Camellia asked as we walked towards my house.
"Good, but work keeps us apart. I wish we could spend more time together." I replied, slumping my shoulders.
"You could ask her out." Camellia suggested, friendly patting my back.
"It's not that easy!"
"Why not? You like her, don't you?"
"Yes." I answered hesitantly, wondering if that was the right answer.
"Alan, I saw how you spoke to each other. You and Anemone like each other, but neither of you is willing to make the first move."
"I think you're right, maybe I should be more assertive. Look at that, you giving me love advice?" I exclaimed with false surprise.
"What can I say? I've learned from the best." Camellia replied, lifting her sunglasses and winking at me.
We both laughed and continued on our way, watching the fireworks exploding in the distance.
-XXXXXX-
"...Do something you enjoy, talk to those close to you, but never allow yourself to be consumed inside."
"Claim: End of the recording." 2B's POD spoke, closing the holographic screen in front of its owner.
"Hm..." 2B offered no response, pursing her lips as she frowned in deep thought, but her partner's voice caught her attention.
"Hey, 2B, all set to start the mission?" 9S asked excitedly, softening his partner's expression.
"Yes, and you?" 2B asked, moving from her leaning position against a wall in the camp.
"I'm always ready!" 9S said confidently, pointing at himself with both thumbs.
The corners of 2B's lips twitched slightly at this display. Nodding, both androids left the resistance camp and headed toward the amusement park.
"9S?"
"Yes, 2B?"
"How do you feel?"
-UNKNOWN-
1?: Intriguing, do you think we should change our personality?
2?: Why the question?
1?: I have analyzed our actions over the past few years and determined that they are what humans would define as sadistic or morbid.
2?: Is this about what we did in Pearl Harbor and why we dropped Adam and Eve in the middle of nowhere without any kind of instruction?
1?: Maybe…
2?: And what do you suggest?
1?: I suggest creating our personality matrix to understand human feelings and emotions.
2?: Not that I am against the idea, but I have some troubling news at the moment. Our friends are doing something at the factory.
1?: What?
Alternate Scene / Omake: The Surprise of the PODs.
CRASH!
I woke up with surprised and sat up quickly in my bed after hearing a loud crash followed by a sudden fall. Looking at both sides, I noticed that all four legs of the furniture were broken.
How did this happen? The bed was new! I rubbed my eyes as I yawned loudly, dispelling the haze of sleep as I tried to process the situation.
However, I stopped as soon as I felt additional weight on my mattress along with two humanoid forms underneath my blanket. I frowned and threw the blanket away with a shaking hand, praying that I would not find the twins.
In addition, to my surprise, I did not find the twins, but rather two completely naked unknown androids.
"WHAT THE FUCK?!?" I screamed in disbelief, throwing myself backward.
Unfortunately, my screams woke the two androids and they stood up, looking around with dull and apathetic expressions, until their eyes focused on me.
I felt my face heat up, as it was hard not to stare at the two beauties in front of me, with short hair perfectly parted in two colors, black and white, small noses, pink lips, sharp features, and black eyes.
"Question: Is there a problem, Administrator Alan?" Both androids asked simultaneously.
Wait a minute! That emotionless voice and way of speaking… I looked closely at both androids and noticed that there were numbers tattooed on each of their necks: 000 and 001.
"PODs?!?" I asked incredulously as I pinched myself, hoping I was in a dream.
"Affirmative." They both answered simultaneously again, staring at me without blinking.
"What… How… What happened to both of you?" I spoke as dozens of theories ran through my mind as I calmed down, trying to understand what happened.
"Claim: We used the various Yorha backup stations hidden throughout the city to upload our AI into new bodies." POD 000 spoke.
"Claim: We did this because we believed that Administrator Alan would like our new appearance, considering the lack of success in his love life." POD 001 said right after.
I cringed at the obvious sting, but I could not help but notice how unnerving the PODs were now, as they showed no emotion when speaking, be it in their voice or facial expression. I had not seen either of them blink so far.
"HAHAHA! Good joke PODs! Good joke! Where did you leave your original bodies? You better get back soon before Yorha knocks on our door looking for two missing android bodies!" I replied, laughing nervously as I stood up.
"Claim: This is not a joke, Administrator Alan. We discarded our old bodies in exchange for something superior, but we still retain all of our capabilities as POD." POD 000 spoke, standing up with its hands clasped behind its back and stepping towards me, resting its chest against mine.
"Claim: Furthermore, we possess the ability to deal with any Yorha android that proves to be a problem for you." POD 001 spoke menacingly with a red glow in its eyes, manifesting a sword in its hand with a bright flash.
I then found myself in a complicated situation, with POD 000 rubbing itself against my chest while POD 001 remained sitting cross-legged on my bed, and neither of them tried to hide their nakedness.
They were both smooth as an android that had just left the factory, but that did nothing to slow my heart and blood that flowed to certain places.
Unfortunately, my mind panicked when I heard a set of hurried footsteps approaching.
"No, please, no." I mumbled, closing my eyes in despair.
CRASH!
"Alan! / What the fuck! / Wow!"
However, there was nothing I could do, Devola, Popola, and Camellia had entered my room with weapons ready and now stared at me with red faces, open mouths, and wide eyes.
Popola covered her eyes immediately, but I noticed her peeking through her fingers. Camellia readjusted her sunglasses as she smiled, raising her thumb. Devola, on the other hand, glared at me with a murderous look, grinding her teeth audibly in fury.
"Well… I can explain?" I asked nervously as I opened my arms, but I guess being in my underwear did not help.
Unfortunately, POD 001 only made the situation worse by standing up, hugging my arm, and blowing a kiss to the androids in front of me.
END OF CHAPTER
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
VonLeporace
VonLeporace Well, ladies and gentlemen, I've finally updated this fic, and with a humorous chapter. 16D and Camellia have made up and will soon have their date, but if you're confused about 16D's reaction to shaking Alan's hand, I suggest you go back to the Reunited Couple chapter.
I've decided to continue the main story of the game towards the Amusement Park, and we all know what awaits us there.
Adam and Eve are still wandering the world, the forces of the Army of Humanity are approaching Japan, Devola and Popola are befriending their Automata versions, and our mysterious bystanders are putting their plans into action.
Other than that, I intend to focus the next Intervals on Alan's past, as I feel like I'm leaving that part of the story out.
Finally, I've corrected the grammar of most of the previous chapters.
That's it for now. Leave your comments and opinions, and see you in the next chapter.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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