Robotic Essences - SCENE 90 – "A Totally Normal Lunch"

INT. THE CUBE – NOONISH

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGVtdqgzfj

The gang—Jason, A, K, Josh, Violet, and baby Emily in her pod—are gathered around the cube’s modest table.

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYpbvLcQm2i

Someone found a tablecloth. It’s wrinkled and uneven.

There are some actual chairs. And one overturned crate that Jason is now using because K stole his chair.

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hbrmlRLLq

Plates are set. Food is… not fancy. Reheated packets and some "grilled" synth-meat Jason swore was edible.

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrw6o6zI2R

Everyone is trying very hard to pretend this is not the weirdest lunch group ever assembled.

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVhnIfLwQH

VIOLET (cheerfully)

“So, A. K. Ever think of getting a pet? Maybe a little drone you can train to do flips?”

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcWA94EdrF

K (blankly, slicing his food with claws)

“I had a pet once. It tried to eat me in my sleep.”

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLBYejMpKH

VIOLET

“Oh?”

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMivt60keOy

K (still calm)

“I ate it first.”

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA98seb3rrd

Josh pauses mid-bite.

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5kcCz3U1u

JOSH (quietly)

“…Awesome.”

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSsKZacBtE

Jason nearly chokes on his drink.

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡerhF2FXKrb

JASON (coughing)

“K. Stop trying to assassinate the mood.”

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKu7BMECWI9

A gently adjusts Emily’s pod next to him, carefully placing a tiny spoon of nutrient gel beside it like she’s gonna eat it.

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDncmm1c6B

A (softly)

“She doesn’t eat food yet, right?”

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGKM1IpGxl

JASON

“Not unless you want your insides rewritten by infant code corruption.”

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvYk7FWa14

A quickly retracts the spoon.

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNSxvykCyJe

Josh still looks shell-shocked, trying to act normal.

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfIfOGTXEFo

JOSH

“You know what’s wild? I came here thinking it’d be like, ‘Oh look, our old pal Jason being weird again,’ and now I’m dining with killer robots who are surprisingly better at childcare than Jason is.”

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvmlFNzJtw

JASON (mouth full)

“Surprisingly? Rude.”

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSNnbMZ4Qbl

VIOLET (smirking)

“He's got a point, Jay. You hid from a crying baby like she was a tax audit.”

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5CE2BmqYTR

JASON (defensive)

“She screamed at me! I’m a security unit, not a therapist!”

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VyrsY1ObK

K (deadpan)

“You sure? Because you whine like one.”

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DRpJHaU6w

A hides a snort behind his hand.

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKdTrvaf6GR

Emily chirps again—one of those sweet, garbled beeps that makes everyone pause.

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0BQ9BdYe2l

K reaches over and gives the pod a gentle tap.

It lights up with a happy ripple of soft pink.

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sUU0EESol

K (softly)

“…Weird kid.”

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZe1urejTC

Josh watches this silently.

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82LEjzrwLt

Then, after a long breath:

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbve9FpGTWh

JOSH

“Okay. Okay. Maybe this isn’t the worst idea.

But if my daughter starts talking about plasma bombs or high-efficiency kill protocols, I’m deleting your entire entertainment collection, Jason.”

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIvHY48kR3

JASON (grinning)

“Deal. She’ll be a warlord by Friday.”

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeokxDw6yWs

A whacks him with a spoon.

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jWDddq6m4

Everyone laughs.

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphjDeAV1HJ

Somehow, despite the chaos, it really does start to feel like a normal lunch.

204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzdX2LwzdWp

Or at least—their version of normal.

ns216.73.216.204da2

Reading Theme:

Font Size:

Line Spacing:

Paragraph Spacing:

Load the next issue automatically