myblimpisbigger | Eighteen: In Which Klaus Trains His Adorable Gaggle Of Children To Be Ruthless Hunters

[Later in the afternoon on Easter Sunday, after family time is over (whether that's church or just loafing around with chocolate bunnies), residents may notice a group of very tiny people scuttling frantically around Mayfield's park (which is where everything seems to happen, I mean, really). This is Klaus's kindergarten class, or at least, the members of said class whose parents said they could participate in this afternoon's egg hunt.

What. Don't look at him like that. These are tiny, adorable children, even if they are drones. Do you know how difficult it is to resist that many puppy dog stares? It is very very difficult. Which is why he and Hiccup have already been out here for about half an hour, hiding chocolate eggs all over a specific perimeter. And now those eggs are falling prey to the pack of mighty hunters that is Klaus's gaggle of tiny adorable children. He is so proud of them.

Are you one of these tiny adorable children (come on, we must have some kids between three and six out there)? Are you a parent of one of said children? Do you just want to stop by to see what all the fuss is about? Feel free! There may even be left over chocolate and candy for those of you that haven't already gotten your Easter fix at home.]

{ooc: This post is open to everyone, not just any characters who happen to be Kindergarten age (though characters that are are strongly encouraged to tag in because a class of all drones would just be sad)! Feel free to stop by, watch the fun, play with the kids, or just converse with Klaus and/or Hiccup.}

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[Yet she's managing. She's drawn motorcycles at full racing speeds, too. It's one of her strange knacks. She blinks and looks at Klaus before smiling.]

Mostly self-trained, though my Father-in-law is paying for my college.

[That is a pretty cool skill, not gonna lie.]

If this is what you can do while being 'mostly self trained', I see why he feels paying for your further education is worth it.

[One of his drone kids has the same knack for drawing. When she draws a house, he can actually tell it's a house! Amazing.]

[Kira blushes a little]

Well... that and he's a really nice man. [She nods at the kids] You set this up?

[He nods.]

At their insistence, of course. They are a very determined bunch of children when they set their minds on something.

[Kira giggles a bit at that]

Kids are like that, even the drone ones. I get requests for cookies and things all the time.

Naturally. The drone children are really just idealized archetypes of children, but they do have thoughts and personalities, just as any 'real' child would. And they make an intriguing group to study, I assure you.

Why, right now I am taking mental notes on how they handle resource competition.

You're a scientist then?

Of a sort, yes. In my world, I am what is called Spark. What you would call here a mad scientist.

[Of the 'drilling open people's brains for SCIENCE!' variety, no less.]

I... see. [Yes, that is a slight look of worry on her face, before Kira gives him a faint smile] You aren't the kind of mad scientist who just goes and attacks people, are you?

Ah, well. Only if they give me good reason. I see no point in senseless violence, if that is what you are asking.

[And if you only knew what that says about him, given that most Speaks, deriving their power from insanity, are very violent and enjoy being so very much.]

Ah... [She'll have to stay on his good side then, but she does seem a bit disturbed still] So... Um, what have you learned about the drone children, then?

[Gottverdammt. He always ends up scaring people. Good job, Tyrant of Herpville.]

Very little, except that for all intents and purposes, they do act like perfectly normal young children -- save for their amazing ability to overlook the strange. Many of the odd things that have happened here haven't even registered with them. For instance, one of them recently gained a 'real' parent -- and they obviously were utterly unfazed, and believed that that person had been their parent all along. Their intelligence is obviously artificial; it is merely extremely well-programmed.

[It's not just you, Klaus, Kira has issues. But she nods a little at what he says, and glances over to a girl and a boy both diving for the same egg.]

I don't understand much about artificial intelligence, so I'll take your word for it. A lot of people here find them troublesome I think, but I feel a bit bad for them...

Ah, well. Emotions, even artificial ones, can still register. I have seen clanks torn apart by grief made entirely of ones and zeroes. A true artificial intelligence is one that gives all semblance of true intelligence, to the point where other true intelligences find themselves responding with sympathy. In that capacity, these drones are arguably the peak of synthesized awareness.

Clanks? [Kira glances back at him curiously. She has no idea what those are. Yet for the rest of what he says, she nods softly.] Yes. Even if they are artificial, they're still living beings, right? Maybe it's because of that, and their human shape, that one feels pity and sympathy?

I would assume so. Humans are hard-wired to associate and sympathize with other humans -- or even creatures that merely seem to exhibit human tendencies, such as these drones. We give human characteristics to our pets, to our possessions -- I see no reason why an actual artificial human would not warrant the same treatment.

And yet, most residents of this town seem to discount the drones entirely except as daily annoyances. It is a huge wealth of information and possible clues, entirely ignored.

[Kira nods slowly]

I'll admit I didn't take them to Deadman's Gulch when that mess was going on, but I don't find a reason to ignore them or treat them badly. As for others... Some of the people here are probably black canvases.

Eighteen: In Which Klaus Trains His Adorable Gaggle Of Children To Be Ruthless Hunters

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