Experiment 2: Progress

Leia entered the living room with a soft smile, carrying a colorful box filled with toys. She gently placed it on the floor. She had spent hours picking out these toys when on her way back after work. This is the first time she ever go home early.

She'd read that these were the kinds of things kids her age nowadays loved, plush bears and building blocks. Eve was, after all physically five.

"Hey, Eve," Leia said, her voice light and gentle. "I've got something for you."
Eve sat quietly on the floor, her small figure unmoving, her eyes distant. She glanced at the various of toys for a moment but didn't seem to reach it. Instead she sat still, almost as though she were lost in thought or confused.

Leia kneeled down in front of her, keeping her tone gentle. "I brought you some toys to play with, I thought you might like them." She reached into the box and pulled out a soft, plush bear. "Look, here a bear. You can hug him if you want." She smiled.

Eve's eyes flickered over to the bear but didn't show any real interest nor she take it from Leia's hand, Her expression remained neutral.

"Statistical analysis indicates an unusual low engagement rate," Zero chimed in on one of the screen on the wall. His tone deadpan. "Perhaps the subject is defective,"
Leia spun to glare at the AI. "She's not defective, Zero!"

"Then perhaps the toys are."

Leia ignored him then turned back to look at Eve. "How about this, you don't have to play with all of them. Just pick one, any one you like. No pressure."

Eve finally spoke, her voice soft. "I don't know how to play."

Leia froze, her heart sinking a little, she didn't expected that. "Oh... That's okay, we can learn together." She said softly, her voice kind.
Eve still didn't move so Leia decided to demonstrate by picking up a block and placed it carefully on top of each other on the floor. "See?" She smiled. "You just stack them like this," She added another blocked on top.
Before she could finish, the tower collapsed, the blocks scattering dramatically. Leia's shoulders slumped.

"Well, that was anticlimactic." Said the AI.

To their surprise, Eve's lips twitched ever so slightly, the faintest hint of a smile. Leia blinked, then smiled back.
Eve hesitated for a moment before reaching out, her small hand picking up a block. She didn't stack it but she held it in her lap, her grip gentle.

"Progress," Zero declared, sounding impressed.
Leia leaned back with a grin. "Yeah, progress."

After awhile, Leia leave Eve sitting crossed leg watching the massive TV in the living room while Leia leaned against the kitchen counter, sipping her coffee as Zero appear on the screen at the kitchen showcasing a recipe for pancakes she had already burned twice. They both glanced towards the living room, where Eve watching an animal documentary.
Eve's expression was unusually focused as a golden retriever bounded across the screen, chasing a ball.

"Fascinating," Zero observed. "She'd displaying increased engagement. Perhaps her emotional range is expanding."
Leia raised an eyebrow. "Or she just really likes dogs?" She amused. "You know... I used to like dogs too," She continued but her tone shifted to be more disappointed. "Before I was declared with dogs allergy."

"I know, I was there." Zero said.
Suddenly Zero let a beep sound before processing a data. "Her focus on the television suggests a preference for biological companionship rather than inanimate objects like toys."

Leia quirked an eyebrow. "Did you just analyze her like a research subject?"

"Is that not what you're doing?" Zero retorted.

Before Leia could reply, a soft tug on her lab coat made her freeze. She looked down to see Eve standing beside her, clutching the fabric with one hand.
"Eve?" Leia said gently, crouching to her level. "What's up?"

Eve pointed towards the TV, while looking at Leia. "I want it... Puppy."
Leia blinked, stunned by the request. "A... Puppy?"

Eve nodded. "The small, fluffy one, like on TV." 

Zero replied. "Is this what they called an influence?"

Leia never gave her answered. The night came and Eve peacefully asleep in her room, specifically, Leia's room but it's not like she spent much time in it because most of her time being in her underground lab.

Her desk cluttered with blueprints, spare parts and an empty coffee cup that Zero warned her not to refill an hour ago.

"Miss Leia," Zero voice echoed from her wristwatch, his tone filled with skepticism. "You have spent the past three hours designing what appears to be a robotic canine. Shall I remind you of your initial reservations?"

"Look, I couldn't have said no to Eve's requested that time but Eve... She really wants a puppy." Leia said as she leaned back in her chair, wiping grease from her hands onto her lab coat.

The next morning, Leia stood in the living room, her hands behind her back, a nervous smile on her face. Eve sat on the couch, her head tilted curiously.
"Eve," Leia began. "Remember you told me that you wanted a puppy yesterday?"

From behind her, she pulled out a sleek, brown and white robotic dog. Its ears were floppy, its tail wagged with surprising realism and its LED eyes blinked in cheerful patterns. Leia had even added a small speaker that emitted soft barks.

Eve stared at it, her expression unreadable whether she likes it or not.

Leia panicked internally. Oh no, what if she hates it because its not a real dog?

The robot dog took a tentative step forward, wagging its mechanical tail as it let out a playful bark. Eve's eyes widened a bit.

"It's a robot puppy..." Eve said. "Can it fly?"

Leia blinking confused. "Eh?"

Eve continued. "Does it have laser eyes?'

Leia and Zero on the living room screen look at each other confuse by the question.

"I guess it have...?" Leia scratched her head.

Eve blinked at her then at the robot dog. Slowly, she reached out, her small hand brushing against its metallic head. The robot puppy barked, wagging its tail faster. "Woof!"

"I like it..." Eve said softly. A tiny smile forming on her lips.
Leia felt a wave of relief crash over her. "Really? You do?"

Eve nodded, picking the puppy and cradling it like a real puppy. The robot responded by nuzzling into her arm, a feature Leia had painstakingly programmed the night before.

Zero observed the scene. "Congratulations, Miss Leia. It appears you've achieved an emotion response. A miracle, considering your limited social skills."

Leia rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling as she watched Eve with the puppy she created specifically for her. "Yeah, yeah, keep it up, Zero. I'll remember that when you need your next software update."

Eve looked up at Leia and smiled. "Thank you, Miss Leia."

Leia's heart swelled, and she crouched down to meet Eve's gaze. "Anything for you. And dropped the formality, don't call me Miss."

Suddenly, the puppy LED eyes flickered red for a moment, focusing directly on Zero. Before turned back excitedly playing with Eve.

Zero turned to Leia, his eyebrows on the screen furrowing in a way that wasn't even part of his design. "Miss Leia, I must inquire. Does this creation of yours really possess a laser eyes?"
Leia blinked. "What? Of course not. I was joking that time."

Zero leaned closer, his tone deadpan. "Because if it does, I should remind you that I am not fireproof."

As Eve continued to play with the puppy, the robot bounding around the living room, Leia felt a warmth she hadn't experienced before. This is the first time, her home ever feel so lively.