Episode 1 - Introduction to Human Society

The year is 11,945, and the 14th war between androids and machines rages. Two armies fight for the fate of the planet, between the ruins of cities, scorching deserts, and dense forests, in a world with permanently radiant days or starry nights.

The machines fight on behalf of their alien masters and the androids in the name of their human creators, but some people just want to forget their troubles and know the world around them amid so much destruction.

Perceived by a few, someone broadcasted an open signal for all who listened, originating from an old POD recording the travels of a poorly dressed stranger.

Maybe he is an adventurer or just a crazy android talking nonsense, but this stranger possesses knowledge long forgotten and will share it with those who care.

-XXXXXX-

"Good morning, good afternoon, or good evening ladies and gentlemen! It is somewhat hard to tell the time since the world has stopped spinning. I am your humble presenter, Alan, the Wanderer, and this is my partner, POD 000. Say hello POD."

"Claim: Heloooo00000..." The POD spoke while sparking and shaking violently.

"Well, it has a few issues but still works. If you are watching us, and wonder who I am and why I am doing this, I just wanted to say that I am sharing information. I have noticed that many androids do not know anything about human culture during my travels around the world. They wonder about the purpose of certain objects, human customs, and how their society worked, so keep watching if you want to know more about humans. Let's start with cities or what's left of them."

Alan found himself in a ruined city with abandoned and tilted buildings and cracked highways with plants growing out of the asphalt. Nature took over the city, with grass covering the streets and sidewalks while moss crawled up the buildings.

Rusty cars stood in the streets, showing the passage of time, vines hung from buildings sometimes linking one building to another, birds flew in flocks across the sky and the noise of animals echoed in the distance.

Alan talked to the POD while walking along a sidewalk in front of a cluster of apartment buildings.

"Let's start with something basic, this type of building is called an apartment building for those of you who don't know." Alan said as he entered the old reception.

An old rug with an erased 'Welcome' was on the floor with a C-shaped table on the left of the room and a broken chandelier with peeling paint hanging from the ceiling.

Passing through an open glass door, Alan arrived at one of the corridors of the building and went up the stairs while recording.

"Many human families lived here and each had their own space called an apartment. Generally, a father, a mother, and their children, but some people could also live alone. POD illuminate here, please."

"Claim: Affirmativeeeee." The POD replied while light shone from openings on its corners. Alan then opened the door of an apartment while the POD illuminated the way.

"This was a human apartment and judging by the décor, someone lived here at some point." Alan said as he entered the apartment.

Frames with unrecognizable fading paintings hang on the walls, a red sofa with its back to the broken window stands in the living room, with a brown wooden bookcase with a cracked TV in front of it.

A bookshelf stood to the left of the sofa, Alan approached the bookshelf while the POD floated behind him.

"This place is a mess as you can see, this is a couch, and humans like to sit on it to rest from a long day at work, or to watch TV. Talking about TV, I know you must wonder about its purpose; humans use the TV to broadcast programs for other humans to watch. There were cartoons; they are my favorites, movies, series, news about the events of the world, cooking shows, and many others."

Standing in front of the bookcase, Alan continued his speech.

"These are called books; it's a rarity to find one intact and readable. Humans used books to record history, stories of various genres like science fiction, fantasy, horror, adventure, to record information such as the history of ancient civilizations, scientific discoveries, or as a material of study in schools."

Looking through the books, Alan read the titles.

"Multiverse Theory, Parallel Timelines and Their Ramifications by Acco..." The rest of the author's name is illegible.

"Everything about White Chlorine Syndrome."

"The Red Dragon and the Giant."

"The Story of Midgard Part 1 - Intoners."

"I've never heard of these books before, but it would be a shame to leave them here." Alan said, putting the books in his backpack.

Alan continued his exploration, passing by a bathroom with broken tiles as POD 000 followed him.

"This is the bathroom, where humans bathed and did their necessities."

Then, Alan entered a bedroom. A single bed with a moldy mattress stood in the left corner as a bedside table with a broken lamp and a frame with a picture of two adults, a man, a woman, and a child, standing next to the bed.

An open closet with clothes eaten by moths stood on the right side of the room. Alan approached the closet and found a box inside it.

"This is where the human who lived here slept, on the bed, I mean, and stored his clothes and sometimes objects in the closet. This place would be in better condition if someone still lived here."

Alan found six rag dolls inside the box, one wore a white dress and had a pink eye with the right eye and left arm missing.

The second wore a white coat, with pale blonde hair and red eyes. The third wore blue clothes with a long scarf, all blue just like her hair.

The fourth wore a light purple dress with dark purple hair. The fifth wore a green vest with a big cape and brown hair. The sixth was barely dressed, with some kind of armor covering her arms and legs while her blond hair flowed behind her back.

"Whoever made these dolls did a good job of sewing them to last this much, it goes into my knick-knack collection." Alan said, putting the dolls in his backpack.

Alan moved up after leaving the apartment with the POD following him and found a hole in the wall that led to a balcony of the building next door upon arriving at the sixth floor.

"POD, help me here."

"Question: Are you sure about thatttttt..."

"Yes, I am."

"Claim: Your safety is my priority as your POD, so I recommend that you seaaaarch for anotTTHEEER roUTE..."

"Come on POD what is life without a little emotion?"

"Question: ISs this an oooorder?"

"As your administrator, this is an order."

"Claim: Affirmative..."

The POD floated above Alan, joining both of its larger arms to form a bar for Alan to hold on to. The POD glided downwards, carrying Alan until they reached the balcony of the next building, opening the sliding door with some effort right after.

"This is what humans called an office building. Many humans worked here, whether in their cubicles or their offices. It was a somewhat monotonous routine, I speak from experience."

"You know, I once asked another android during my travels in Europe if he was satisfied with his work. The only thing he did was organize documents and he seemed happy with it. Well, I think some people are content with simple things in life, I wonder how he is now."

Leaving the room and heading down to the entrance of the building, Alan walked down the street and looked at the sky.

"I know this may sound strange, but the world was not always divided into permanent day and night. Four seasons existed before, spring, fall, summer, and winter, yet there are still plants and animals, which is strange as one side of the planet should burn and the other freeze."

"I asked an android if he knew why the planet still has life like this. He looked at me as if he asked 'Who is this idiot?' I may have given a rude answer and he almost punched me that day. I need to be more careful with what I say; some androids take figures of speech literally."

"Suggestion: You should refrain from making such comments." The POD spoke, lifting one sparking finger.

"Back to the subject, the reason the planet is still habitable is due to a magical substance called MASO. I found it hard to believe that magic existed but certain things changed my mind, and I'm going to stick with MASO since I don't have a better explanation"

"This is a police station, this is where the human police worked, and their job was to maintain law and order in the cities and solve crimes." Alan said, stepping in front of a police station.

"This is the hospital, the place where humans came to receive medical treatment, whether to diagnose an illness or to stay in the hospital for days or months in more serious cases, but these places are creepy in my opinion." Alan spoke, walking down a hallway.

Suddenly, a wheelchair rolled down the hall and stopped a few feet away from Alan.

"POD let's get out of here now, I've watched enough horror movies to know what this is!"

-A few kilometers from the hospital-

"I think this episode is good enough. What should we call it POD?" Alan asked breathlessly after running so much.

"Suggestion: Episode 1 - Introduction to Human Society."

"A scientific title, it doesn't roll well on the tongue, but I can't think of anything better right now."

Then, Alan continued his journey; little did he know that he caught the attention of some important androids, welcome ones, and unwanted ones.

"If you dear viewers are still watching us, send your questions to POD and I will do my best to answer them, POD stop recording." Alan said, finishing the recording.

"Now, let us find something to eat."

END OF CHAPTER