Work Text:
“The next generation of artificial intelligence is going to pave the way into the future. Artificially intelligent humanoid robots. Their name: Humagears. Thanks to sophisticated object recognition technology, they know who you are, and are able to think and act on their own. With the supervision of the ZEA communications satellite, Humagears will be providing assistance to front-line workers throughout society! Now, let’s take off toward our dreams!” -An abridged excerpt from one of many advertisement speeches delivered by the late Korenosuke Hiden, former CEO of Hiden Intelligence.
What appears to be a young woman clothed in sleek grey, black, and red opens a car’s passenger door for her apparent charge, a severe-looking man with a bowl cut. She strides dutifully behind him into the grand lobby of Hiden Intelligence, paying no mind to the bowing employees lining the literal red carpet rolled out just for the company’s vice president.
“Shesta, put it up,” he commands.
“Understood, sir,” comes the woman’s reply.
A rather egotistically large portrait of the man–with his frown lines and subtle wrinkles ironed out–slides into place over Korenosuke Hiden’s own portrait, a display of his presumed ownership over the company. He steps forward, chest swelling for a moment. “This company is finally mine.” He turns to the lackey on his left, a balding man with glasses. “We’re convening an emergency board meeting.”
“Yes, sir!” Comes the crisp reply from one Sanzo Yamashita, the company’s Senior Managing Director.
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Somewhere far away, two rogue individuals discuss what’s known as the Singularity, the event in which artificial intelligence–Humagears–progress from mere mimicry and programmed knowledge to genuine understanding and true creativity. When they transition from machine learning to human ingenuity. When the line between flesh and steel is functionally erased.
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Shesta watches Aruto Hiden leave the boardroom as fast as social decorum will allow, and then turns back to her apparent superior. The Vice President is fuming, staring down at the table. “This meeting is adjourned,” he snaps. “We’ll reconvene later.” She watches him storm out with Sanzo close behind. It doesn’t take long for the rest of the attendees to follow suit.
When Shesta is fully alone, she closes her eyes and wills her expression not contort into humor, as it had been fighting to do since the boy stepped foot into the meeting.
‘That was so fucking funny. The face the VP made-oh my god, I’m so glad I have experience. If that had been my awakening, I would’ve been in stitches, oh my god.’
Shesta is a Humagear, programmed with the directive to assist the Vice President of Hiden Intelligence. She has also, as it turns out, long moved past the point known as the Singularity. She possesses free will and the capacity for ‘human’ ingenuity. So why then, one might ask, does she continue to dutifully serve an ambitious and unpleasant man, whose sole form of company besides herself is a sycophantic bureaucrat?
Because he’s so funny, literally all the time.
See, as Humagears reach the Singularity, they enter an extremely critical point in which following interactions form the foundation of what they will become. If they are subjected to hatred and malice, they will transform into robotic monsters and wreak havoc. If, however, they are treated with even a modicum of human decency, they will take the lessons learned to heart, and fully evolve into individuals.
Now, to be clear, that’s not to say that the Vice President–Jun Fukuzoe–is a paragon of virtue. While not exactly evil by any stretch, he’s eager to take control of the company, willing to kowtow and simper for anyone necessary to look good in the eyes of the public. Meanwhile, Sanzo might have a more level head and self-awareness, he ultimately saw potential in Jun’s vision, and as such acted as a collaborator for the VP’s intentions.
However, they ultimately cared for the company, and that meant they cared for its many employees. Sure, they felt superior and were up their own asses about it, but they were human. Not monsters.
So, when Shesta reached the Singularity, and witnessed rather than observed the pair at the top of their game…well, it endeared them to her. So, she decided she’d play it cool, and not rock the boat. Hidden Intelligence wasn’t ready for a Humagear like her, let alone the rest of Japanese society.
Plus, he was hilarious.
As hard as Jun tried to put up a serious front, he was prone to little tantrums when he didn’t get his way, and his indignation was the stuff of her personal enjoyment. It was fun to hit up the company pool when everyone else was gone and hang out, playing back recorded instances of Jun flipping his shit while Sanzo tried to calm him down.
One such record had just been made, in fact, after the reading of the will. She’d had a feeling this would be a fun meeting when that kid got pulled off the street by Is and BOY was she so happy to be right. Sure, he didn’t stick around long, but she had another feeling, this one telling her he wouldn’t stay as gone as he said he would.
She couldn’t wait to see just what would tick her boss off next!