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[heartlessglitch]

I require an explanation.

[ Danger holds up a little handwritten note, on which a series of ones and zeroes is written out neatly in elegant purple script. The note reads: 01011001 01101111 01110101 00100000 01100001 01110010 01100101 00100000 01101101 01101001 01101110 01100101 00101110, which may or may not mean anything to anyone besides herself. ]

I have been told that this is what humans call a "valentine."
I assume this is in reference to the commercial holiday, which I find to be both wasteful and beside the point.

[ She finally lowers the note. Even in her metal body, her face is clearly unamused-- possibly borderline suspicious. ]

Perhaps it is simply that my understanding of human courting methods is lacking.
But I fail to see how this is "romantic."
Particularly when the sender remains anonymous.
And I am uncertain how to respond.

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[slightlyoffchilt]

But why does it annoy you? There's something more vulnerable behind that impulse towards annoyance.

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[heartlessglitch]

Because I assume the motivation for most of your behaviors towards me is to undermine me or rile me.
I am suspicious of everything word that comes out of your mouth.

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[slightlyoffchilt]

And that suspicion ought to breed insecurity, which would build anxiety. Even if you cannot see it now, it's an incredibly human series of emotion. A common sequence.

But you don't understand that, do you? Even now, you consider my motivations limited to riling you, undermining you. Those aren't motivations, those are actions. My motivation would be what steers me to enact those actions. [Somewhat sarcastic:] You don't think highly of my psychiatric abilities, Danger, but that's only because you are not as omniscient as you think you are. You can see within my mind, like I can with my patients. You can't see the sequences that I can.

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[heartlessglitch]

[ there's a long pause before she responds again: ]

I am not human.
And I do not yet fully grasp what it means to be human.
Often, I am confused by my own emotions and responses.

So, I suppose you are right.
I do not understand.

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[slightlyoffchilt]

I know how it must pain you to admit such things. Especially to me.

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[heartlessglitch]

I simply want to give you context, Doctor.
A better understanding of the individual that you so often allow to corner and intimidate you.
I may be artificial and my sentience may be young.
But despite my inexperience, I consider myself more than a match for you.

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[slightlyoffchilt]

Which is an illogical consideration of yourself; what could you possibly gain from someone who you think is not a match?

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[heartlessglitch]

It is not illogical.
I do not need to be intellectually or physically matched with someone in order to choose to engage them.
Humans are not so two-dimensional that they can only be measured in those values.

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[slightlyoffchilt]

It is illogical. You physically outmatch me, and it's limited to that, but there's nothing learned from conquering a physically weaker opponent. There's nothing of value understood.

-- The only value is one emotional. You experience a sadistic satisfaction in humiliating your rival, of whom you knew you would overcome.

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[heartlessglitch]

Are you accusing me of being a sadist, Doctor?
Or diagnosing me, perhaps.

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[slightlyoffchilt]

You only implicated yourself.

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[heartlessglitch]

If I am a sadist, I am a very selective sadist.
And one might say you have discredited yourself, but not assuming I might merely find you interesting.

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[slightlyoffchilt]

I am no so optimistic, to consider your goals as "merely" one thing or another.