With the intern changes finished and the programming activated, the robot booted up. “Good day, master Ty. What can I do for you?” the robot said in a monotone voice a bit off sounding to Dustin´s old voice.
Ty grinned at him. “Hello there. As you have started for the first time, how do you want to be called?” Without pause, the robot answered: “That´s up to you, master Ty. I know I used to be called Dustin, but if you would prefer another name, it can easily be overwritten by you. Do you want to change the name of me?”
While Dustin mentally screamed at that, Ty was thinking about it. It would be a way to cut the last ties to the human Dustin, but was that the right idea? Maybe there was another option. “Is it possible to rename you and still refer to the old you with your old name?”
“Positive. You can use a different name for me as for my old self, or rename my old self and use the old name for the new one. Or rename both parts, all up to you. If you use the name for my old self, I won´t respond to it, but my old self will be able to respond until you call the new one out again. If we remain with only one name, the old self will remain sealed away.” The robot answered.
Ty shot the robot a grin: “Then we will call your new self “Dustin”, while the old one will be called “Dusty”. That is another fun part than, as the old self will be called as if collecting dust.” Ty laughed at that before continuing: “But you will only let Dusty respond if I am the one to call you that. If the name is mentioned by anyone other you will ignore it, as well as when I´m not talking to you actively. It wouldn´t do to meet another human called Dustin with the nickname Dusty and switch you to your old self by speaking to someone else.”
“Affirmative master Ty. This unit will be responding to Dustin from now on. Should you mention the name Dusty to me, you will be speaking with him until you call me Dustin again. And the name Dusty will only work when you speak it to me directly, not if someone else mentioned it.” Dustin responded as the program worked.
The human Dustin screamed as his mind was assaulted by the program working his body, as it just started overwriting his name in his memories. Not a minute later Dusty didn´t remember ever being called Dustin his life before Ty had changed him, and was again mentally pleading that Ty didn´t change his name, the only part remaining behind from his human self.
“Reprogramming finished, memories edited. What are your next orders, master Ty?” Dustin said, with made Ty grin widely. A quick probe into Dusty´s mind showed him that yes, he didn´t remember ever being called Dustin before. “As it is getting late right now, how about you move into the kitchen and start dinner, Dustin?”
“Anything specific you wish for me to make, master Ty?” “No, let you surprise me, Dustin.” With a nod Dustin left the room to start making dinner, while Ty remained in his room. He noticed that Dustin´s arms and legs could bend in any spot, but normally did around the spot where his knees and elbows should be.
When Dustin called that dinner was ready for the family, Ty moved down to the kitchen table. Through his wishes to fit in this new situation he had the world forget that the human boy called Dustin ever existed, erasing the human from everybody’s mind but his own and Dusty´s. All signs of him vanished as well, it wouldn´t do to have pictures of someone that never existed. Ty now had been adopted by his foster parents because they couldn´t get a child, and now showed love to their “only” son, even if he was adopted. The robot Dustin was the butler of the family, and nobody else besides Ty would know he was a robot. Dustin would life with the family. He could still eat and drink, it would just vanish after swallowing. That way it would seem more realistic. Ty would change something about the room situation after dinner.
The dinner Dustin made was delicious, and after eating Ty waited for him to do the dishes and clean the kitchen before moving up with him. Inside Dusty´s room he turned to Dustin with a smile. “If you activate your old self, how much control does it have?” “It can do nothing but speak. Everything other is still controlled by me, and if you order something while it is activated, I will do so, even if it complained about it.” Dustin answered.
“Okay then, I need to speak with Dusty for a couple of minutes then.” Ty said while grinning. “Affirmative, activate Dusty now.” Dustin answered before there was a couple seconds of silence. Then Dusty screamed at him: “What the hell have you done with me, Ty. This isn´t funny, turn me back.”
It wasn´t as bad as Ty had thought Dusty would be, but he still responded with: “A bit quieter there, Dusty. And I won´t change you back, this is your new life after all.”
In a quieter voice Dusty replied: “And why had you to rename the robot? It sounds weird to be called Dustin, you know.”
“How else could I tell you apart? It is similar enough. Now I wanted you to see what I do to your room. After all, as a butler it isn´t needed so much junk in the room, right?” Ty didn´t wait as he let a silent wish work. Dusty´s room had been the exception of the wish for his old life to vanish, but only because Ty wanted him present when it would do so. Before the both of them, pictures and trophies vanished and the room tidied itself. It also shrunk about half it´s size, while the neighboring wall to Ty´s room moved, making his room bigger instead. The bed remained big, but the bedding turned into a plain white set. The desk grew slimmer, as the computer on top vanished, moving over to Ty´s room. The same was true for the television and games Dusty had had, as Dustin wouldn´t need them anymore. The books in the shelf above the desk turned from school books and comics to fitting books about cleaning, serving and cooking for Dustin. The wardrobe also got smaller, and the clothes inside turned into replicas of Dustin´s working outfit. Not that he would need them, as Dustin´s actual outfit would be the only one he would wear, and it was both self-cleaning and -repairing, but if anyone looked inside it would fool them.
Dusty was shocked to see his room change into such a boring way, it was now nothing but a plain looking servants’ room. “Please Ty, I get I was an ass to you, but don´t just erase my existence.”
Ty answered grinning still: “Your existence is already erased to anyone but us two, and you only apologize while you hope I change you back, which I won´t do. You will now be a good boy and accept that. Dustin, I need your help for a bit.”
The “Nooo…” Dusty said grew silent as Dustin switched back in. “What do you need, master Ty?” “I just wanted you back active, Dustin. I guess you can do as you are programmed to do for now, as I will return to my room.” Ty answered before heading over. Dustin moved out, doing the laundry before cleaning the living room. And all the while Dusty was screaming for Ty to change him back.