004 | scherzo no. 1 in B minor

[pianola]

[ VIDEO ]

[ Dorothy is normally pretty expressionless, but by her current face - eyes slightly narrowed, lips thinner - anyone who's spoken to her before might be able to tell she is Not Amused.

Coolly: ]

I am curious.

What holiday do you celebrate, where everyone loses their minds?

Please inform me.

Comments

[video]

[pianola]

... Why immediately after the "Thanksgiving" holiday?

[ She hasn't heard of that one, before. ]

[video]

[vicious_slice]

Because all the major retail chains mark down their prices. It creates this huge drive to spend less on things they want.

[video]

[pianola]

Why does that make people lose their minds?

I don't understand.

[video]

[vicious_slice]

It's because of the bargains. They don't want to miss the chance to buy anything. It's basically because of consumerism and greed. My creator used to blog about it, and my data was backed up in his laptop once so... unfortunately I know a lot of stuff about things he hates.

[video]

[pianola]

... How very strange.

[ Another long pause. ]

But perhaps not unexpected.

[video]

[vicious_slice]

Yeah, humans can be pretty stupid. Apparently they would also stampede over each other during these things.

[video]

[pianola]

They trample one another for discounts.

[ Flatly, but her eyes are wider, like she's alarmed.

Then, her expression flattening again: ]

Hopefully this 'tradition' does not come here.

Re: [video]

[vicious_slice]

Neither do I. But humans always show their true colors, so I'm sure they'll mess things up for themselves some way.

[video]

[pianola]

"Show their true colors"?

[ She looks at the screen. ]

[video]

[vicious_slice]

You know. They'll just end up acting like humans do, and cause trouble for themselves.

[video]

[pianola]

Perhaps.

Some humans, however, act kindly toward one another. And resolve trouble, instead.

[video]

[vicious_slice]

I guess I'm not really an authority, given I was made by someone so bitter at the world.

[video]

[pianola]

Was he human himself?

[ Considering what she'd seen here, it didn't seem like an unreasonable question. ]

[video]

[vicious_slice]

That's right, yeah. The only robot I know with the capacity to create other robots is an alien.

[video]

[pianola]

These worlds are all very different. I couldn't be certain, if I hadn't asked.

[video]

[vicious_slice]

I figured. You really have to set aside your preconceptions, don't you?

[video]

[pianola]

Yes.

[ She looks at the camera, squarely. ]

For humans, robots, and other creatures. They all are very different here.