Somewhere a clock is ticking. [Ivanna]

We're more than what we're told we are. We live not for ourselves, but for others. It's always been like that.

Why?

Why? Because our purpose demands it.
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"Why do you cry?"

He stood over the child, tall and deceptively still. The girl glanced up to meet his cyan gaze, rubbing her big soft eyes with a small fist.

"I'm not crying," She replied indignantly, "Crying is for babies."

"You lie," the man remarked, "You shed tears. Has someone hurt you?"

The girl cocked her head, as if sizing him up. Her eyes swept over the simple military grade ensemble, as if the stranger had arrived straight from the infantry lines. "Are you a Militari?" She finally asked.

"No."

"Are you a soldier?"

"No."

"Then what are you?"

"A stranger."

She quirked a brow, gave a hard sniff and stood from the ground to dust off her knees. "You're weird," She stated, "But...." Her gaze bounced around the perimeter; passing bystanders and towering estates visibly bustling with activity. She gulped. "I lost my mom... I don't know where she went."

"You should approach an authority figure; a shopkeeper or security personnel."

The girl's cheeks puffed defiantly, "I know that!"

"Then why haven't you done it?"

"Because--... Because I'm just waiting, okay!" She stomped her foot down, but the man's visage remained eerily placid.

"You're upset," He observed, "Shall I escort you to a shopkeeper for assistance?"

"No!" She squealed, "You're a stranger, I don't know you!"

Several heads turned at the volume of her voice, and yet the stranger remained unfazed.

"I see. I will be on my way then." He turned but he had not gotten five steps before the child plunged herself against his legs and clung to the fabric of his pants.

"Don't leave!" She cried, "I'm sorry, I'm just scared. I want my mom! Please, sir, can you help me?"

They approached the nearest herbal store, a quaint establishment. Inside was magnificently extravagant, with gilded walls adorned with carved, detailed figures depicting themes foreign to the man. Tall shelves stocked exotic plants of various shades, jars and pipes and flasks full to the brim with liquids of all colors. But the man felt little curiosity towards the wonders sold here, he moved towards the counter, as the girl skipped between aisles, exploring the interior of each bottle.

He never reached the receptionist, however. A signal ignited in his processor, faint, but detectable. He recognized the model, but was unfamiliar with the influx of CPU activity beckoning him to investigate. Curiosity, Helena had called it. The man veered away from the front desk, homing in on the machine he'd long since logically presumed terminated.

"Ivanna."

Spoiler:

Tick. Tick. Tick. It was the regular, predictable rhythm of technology that kept the woman alive. Circuits and wires and delicate clockwork producing the smooth movements of a living being. All this was hidden by a thin veil of humanity, a false skin dedicated to the deception of others. Ivanna's vibrant blond hair and porcelain skin were nothing more than an imitation, and Zenda knew immediately. They both knew what the other was, a clandestine piece of knowledge not all would approve of.

She wore simple black slacks and shirt, though the plain attire hardly diminished the uncanny poise with which she stood. Ivanna was statue still as she examined the store's product. In her hands she held a palm top computer, and a pair of metal cords held up two bottles for inspection.

A voice called her name. Like a puppet given life she suddenly animated and turned her body to face the namer. A strange expression of surprise and pleasure played across Ivanna's face, for she recognized the figure before her immediately. "Hello Zenda. I see you have a daughter. I did not give you a daughter. You cannot have a daughter, all organic entities stem from the cells of a parent organism and you do not have cells." Ivanna's voice was articulate and calm to a fault, almost as if she had seen Zenda the other day.

The metal cords extended, returning the bottles to their shelves as if by their own accord. Tucking the screen away, the scientist turned her full attention to Zenda and his daughter. A smile remained plastered to Ivanna's face, it had been an amount of time greater than one year since she had seen such a familiar face. "Zenda you have been absent from my memories for an extended period of time, what has been occupying your time? I presume Helena remains alive?" Her cords retreated fully into their metal cuffs, and Ivanna folded her arms behind her back as she gazed intently at Zenda.

It seemed as if Ivanna was done speaking for a moment, but a thought struck her and she launched in right away. "These remedies do not work." She indicated the rows of bottles on the shelf. "I have been here for four hours, and 83% of them should have no measurable effect on humans, and certainly not for entities with no digestive system." Ivanna smiled, she enjoyed Zenda and his daughter.

Zenda returned the gesture, offering her an unusually spirited smile.

"It seems you've forgotten one of my assets is organic infiltration. Stating that I have no cells is offering them room to speculate. I'd rather avert such thoughts." There was a hint of a jest in his tone, nursed by the heavy influence of his charge.

Zen glanced behind him, noting that the girl was now deep in conversation with the herbal store's proprietor. "Helena is alive," He offered, "She remains hidden, but still we're followed. She... dissaproves of human termination."

There was an unusual pause as he regarded the item she was holding. "You've always harbored such strange traits." His cyan gaze wandered over to the girl and the proprietor once again, observing the young child direct the man toward their location, who quickly accosted them with a look that belied his aggrivation.

"Is this your blasted bot?" He barked, eyeballing Zen with a bushy, quirked brow. "It's been here for far too long, and it hasn't bought a thing. I'd suggest you pack it up and be on your way. Bloody doll, too. Abominations the lot of them."

Zen smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry, she tends to get caught up in her designated tasks. We'll leave immediately."

"Well if you ask me you should tear that thing down--"

"No!" The girl shrieked, "Why would you do that. She's a girl."

"It's no girl, child, it's a machine, and a blasted illegal one too."

She stomped her foot down, angrily. "I'm not a child, I'm Riya, and I say she's not illegal, she's a girl."

The proprietor's face reddened to a beet. "Fine, just get out of my store. Now."

Zenda took Ivanna's arm and did as they were bid, followed closely by Riya, who promptly stuck her tongue out at the man as they departed. The streets were still bustling with activity, but Riya's big brown eyes scoured every inch of Ivanna. "Are you really a doll?"

Ivanna put a hand to her mouth and laughed ever so slightly, though it sounded hollow. "But of course Zenda, I extend apology. I state what I observe, it is not my nature to hide information. I will remedy this for you though." In her periphery, Ivanna noted the manager's scowl. "It is good to know she is safe, there are many fond memories of her." Ivanna's voice was relaxed as she spoke with an old friend, though the scientist had minimal contact with Zenda post-activation. Her memories were ironclad, an infallible archive. Even now Ivanna recalled each moment spent with Helena while she worked on the AI she was speaking to now.

The conversation between the proprietor and Zenda's child had dissolved, the gruff looking man storming across the store. A torrent of curses erupted from his mouth as he ejected the group. Ivanna examined him as he yelled, watching the anger splayed across his face. Ivanna turned to the store keeper at the door to the street and spoke, "You are angered because you do not wish to understand. Thank you."

Looking around the street, Ivanna took in the city's views again. The light had changed since she'd entered, it was brighter. More citizens of Roshoq were going about their day; 23 more in this area, to be exact. However there was no visible construction completed, the same old buildings: skyscrapers, huge domes, smaller complexes of stores, monorail station, and so forth.

Sated, Ivanna turned to the girl. Her eyes stared widely and intensely into the girl, as if she was the only human in existence. Her voice remained serene despite the recent events, "I do not register the term doll. A likely synonym is artificial intelligence, which would contain more accuracy. I am an artificial intelligence. Thank you."

Her head turned toward Zenda, who'd been quiet thus far. "Would you take me to Helena, I wish to interact with her."