Artifical Intelligence is Still Intelligence {UMF}

[Talia Hal Koveck]

Birthdays were pretty cool. You got presents, desserts, and got to hang out with your family. It was pretty sweet! Some birthdays were extra special. Those that marked a growing point in someone's life, for example. Others were marked with better gifts, or more family. Today was hopefully going to be one of those. My son was going to receive a wondrous 'toy' today. One that could take care of him long after I'm gone. But I hope that isn't any time soon! Heh. Looking at the clock I check the time... yup, it's about the right hour to wake him. With a smile I pause Game of Pistols and go to visit the little tyke...
[member="UMF"]

 

[UMF]

The room lay still and quiet, not a sound nor whisper heard within the light yellow walls. A young child sleeps nestled among blankets decorated with teddy bears whose lives are restricted to cloth. Countless small robot figures scatter the floor below him. To say he was interested in androids and bots was an understatement. Every night was alive with adventures which told of make-believe soldiers of metal and nuts fighting against those whose goal was to hurt and harm. And at the forefront of these marvelous journeys was the captain himself, Ulmen Forton! His marksmanship like no other's, his combat skills unmatchable to even the greatest of fighters, his bravery known throughout the galaxy! Did such a warrior exist? Of course not. It was a nice thought though. Every birthday he would ask for a real robot and every birthday he'd get another toy. Asking for a real life robot was another nice thought but still a thought at that. Oh, but what a thought it was! To actually have a real Ulmen Forton to fight evil with! Perhaps today, his 10th birthday, would be the day those dreams became a reality.

 

[Talia Hal Koveck]

Tenth birthdays were special. Double digits! My, had that little tyke grown... I till remember holding him when he was just a wee little one. Feels like it was just yesterday I got to meet him for the first time... But I'm getting distracted. Can't have that. Nope! Because today we were going to build a robot! Sort of! We already had the robot's exterior, though he didn't know that, but we had yet to program him. I bet the little boy is going to be so excited. Part of me is having trouble being quiet! With a grin I step into his room, careful not to step on any of his toys. Takes me a few seconds to get to his bed. Perhaps I'll clean up after we're done making his new friend? Can't exactly make him do it. It is his birthday, after all! Though, knowing him, I'd probably have to do it myself even if it was just a normal day...Hmm... Eh, he's just a kid. And without his mom around, it's not like...

Darn it! Don't get distracted!

"Hey little buddy.. it's time to wake up.. I've got a big surprise for you!" I whisper-said. One hand went to gently nudge his shoulder...

 

[UMF]

The child groaned sleepily. At such an age it would take a miracle for him to wake up at all! But, despite this, he turned his body over to look at his father with tired eyes.

"What's for breakfast?"​

​

Surprise, surprise, he was thinking of food. The only thing stronger than a child's imagination is their stomach.

 

[Talia Hal Koveck]

Well, well, well... This is what his mother gets for naming him after food! Heh heh. It was pretty cute how the first thing he thought of was food. I'm pretty sure Carlen asked me about breakfast on the morning of our anniversary. Several years in a row at that! This was a bit different though. Still funny! Smiling I started to turn on the light. We have a dimmer switch, so I kept it on low for now. He was just waking up after all! Then I figured it was about time to answer his question.

"Pancakes. Lots of pancakes and syrup. A special meal for a special boy's big day! How does that sound?"
[member="UMF"]

 

[UMF]

The boy's lightly resting eyes shot open with new found energy, his disheveled hair bounced as his eager body rose from the bed. Pancakes, a treat best saved for the finer days when celebration was in order. The buttons of the boy's pajamas were, like every morning, wonky as the alignment of buttons to holes weren't exactly met correctly. He always tried his best.

"Pancakes! Pancakes!"​

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The boy was so eager to jump from his mattress that he about leaped into the planet's atmosphere just from excitement alone! The golden flapjacks called to him like sirens or a heavenly choir. So enchanting was their song of food that his stomach could hardly wait for his special breakfast treat.

 

[Talia Hal Koveck]

Birthdays were always better when there were birthday treats to be had! And so the father of young 'Pie' (such was his nickname, one he had earned for various reasons) couldn't help but smile when he saw his child get so excited. Sometimes you had to appreciate the smaller things in life. Even when they came to you as loud, high-pitched cries of joy. With the knowledge that even better things were to come the father (known as Ichmel) gestured for his son to come out to the kitchen.

"Well, come on then! They're waiting for you!"

For a moment he wondered what Pie was going to think of his rather complicated set of gifts. Was he going to love them? Would he mind the effort that had to be put into them?... More importantly... would they do their (mildly) secret jobs? That, of course, was worry for another time. Ichmel still had at least two more years to live. Those months were to be spent joyfully with his only child. So the man quietly pushed his sour thoughts away, opened the door a little further, and waiting for his little tyke to either exit or ask to be picked up.

[member="UMF"]​

{OOC: Sorry about the long wait and perspective change}​

 

[UMF]

Pie smiled and with a jump, leaped from his sheets to rush to the kitchen. Though pancakes were most splendid indeed, he had to wonder what presents he would be receiving. Perhaps a toy rifle which shot beams of light and could severely blind someone if one was aiming for the eyes. Wouldn't that make for a funny day of jokes! Maybe it was another robot toy to add to his collection of heroes or a dastardly villain which Ulmen Forton would effortlessly shoot down in the name of justice! Maybe it was more pancakes! Oh, the sweet pancakes. He could never forget their tasty aroma.
He extended his arms out to his sides like the space ship Saddle 4-21, Ulmen Forton's prize and joy. His thrusters breathed in new life and off he zoomed into the kitchen to refuel his ship with syrupy pancakes!

"Come on, dad!"​

 

[Talia Hal Koveck]

Oh, how adorable small children could be! Whatever sadness Ichmel felt because of his diagnosis slipped away in an instant. There was nothing quite as great as watching your son be happy. His only wish was that he'd get to see it longer. Once again pushing his thoughts aside the Epixanthix followed Pie to the kitchen. Inside was a fairly simple set up: A stove/oven combination, some heating pads, a refrigeration unit, and an 'island' table that was currently occupied by seven plates. Each thin slab was piled high with a few different kinds of pancakes. Most were still warm, though a few had settled into the zone of 'room temperature'. At least he had managed to clean (or hide) most of the dirty dishes. Of course, a couple pans were left carelessly in the sink.

That didn't really matter.
"Do you want any syrup?" Ichmel asked, though he was still thinking about the gifts he had planned.
Presents that would last for decades. Ones even he had no idea how long would matter.

[member="UMF"]​

 

[UMF]

"Hm... Strawberry syrup?"​

Pie adored strawberry syrup. They never seemed to have enough! Some days, when Ichmel was fast asleep, Pie would sneak into the kitchen and drink it straight from the bottle. Then he'd thrown up but he would say that the horrid feeling of sick was worth the delicious, sweet taste of strawberry syrup.

"Soooo, what's my present?"​

Always the curious boy, Pie had to know what he was getting for his birthday. He couldn't wait for it to be gloriously revealed, he needed the information the second there was information to be had.

 

[Talia Hal Koveck]

"Strawberry syrup it is!" Ichmel said, grinning despite the surfacing memories of holding Pie, rocking him gently, and wiping his face clean. Vomiting children weren't quite as fun as smiling ones. At least this time he would be there to monitor how much the youngster consumed. Otherwise... well, that wouldn't make for a very good birthday, now would it? Holding back a chuckle he went to gather the requested toppings (he had his own wants!). Of course, Pie still had questions. And he had (some) answers. "Hmm?... I think you mean... presents. But those are for later. I know you'll like them though!"

Ulmen Forton was going to come to life- in some way.

[member="UMF"]​

 

[UMF]

Pie hopped up onto his chair, greeted with the sight of his stomach's desires. Flapjacks, pancakes, flat pieces of wheat from heaven! Oh! What an amazing birthday this was going to be! And, if he was correct, was his question turned plural? Presents? More than one toy then! Or more food. Pie tried to keep his expectations low but his mind still danced around with images of an actual Saddle 4-21 or a real Ulmen Forton! How marvelous!

​

"Can I have them now?"​

​

Pie put on his sweetest smile. He was too impatient to wait. Why not have pancakes AND presents? Oh well, his dad had such silly ideas of surprises anyways.

 

[Talia Hal Koveck]

Kids could be silly.
"Hmm... Maybe you should eat a few pancakes first, at least. It's harder to have fun on an empty stomach!' Dads are hilarious. Completely and utterly hilarious. Always. "Now sport, go ahead and eat up. I'm going to go make sure everything is ready for your big day, alright?" Ichmel said while placing the bottle of syrup on the counter. Part of him was nervous. He hadn't checked on the droid parts since the night before. What if something had happened while he had slept? Or what if one of the data chips was broken?... No, no, that's silly. Everything will be alright. With that he smiled a little wider, turned to leave, and started towards the storage room. There was much to do...

[member="UMF"]​

 

[UMF]

Pie wasted no time and began his birthday breakfast preparation. With lots of butter and strawberry syrup, he "gracefully" decorated his meal. Sloppy strings of syrup, giant cubes of butter and so much powered sugar. He had become very knowledgeable of his own kitchen because of so many late night raids that anything his father failed to bring out he'd be sure to find. His knife cut into the pancakes and his knife pierced the small piece he had created for himself. So perfect and triangular, it gleamed and shined like a sticky diamond. And with the first bite...
Oh goodness.
How absolutely...
So...
They were...
No words could describe them. Their texture, their scent, their taste. This was possibly one of the best meals Pie had had in recent memory. Then again, he wasn't the best at recalling things. Still, these pancakes were amazing. Perhaps it was the mix of excitement and anticipation which made them so delectable but no matter what it was, it was fantastic. Ulmen Forton himself would give these pancakes a 10/10 for excellence! And in Pie's opinion, that was the greatest honor anyone could receive. Though his father had left, Pie was so overcome with joy that he failed to register any emotion towards his departure. He wouldn't be gone for long and he had his pancakes to keep himself occupied. Hopefully his father would come back soon however since Pie might've still wanted more afterwards. Who were we kidding, of course he'd want more.