EXT. CENTRAL CITY STREETS – EVENING
193Please respect copyright.PENANAPm11jLGUXl
The trio strolls back toward the cube, the neon lights humming softly against the dusk. Jason still carries the medicine bag, but his mouth hasn't stopped moving since they left the store.
193Please respect copyright.PENANAlkacyIWSqL
193Please respect copyright.PENANA91qBUD34SW
---
193Please respect copyright.PENANATGNdNUGtPg
JASON (grinning like a devil)
"You know, of all the things you could've grabbed... You had to pick the robot intimacy enhancer. Real smooth, A. Real natural."
193Please respect copyright.PENANAhqkxiC2y3c
A trails behind, pulling the hoodie of his coat up in embarrassment.
193Please respect copyright.PENANAEO5fwVc3FA
A (grumbling)
"I just thought it looked nice..."
193Please respect copyright.PENANA9a4F2rW38c
JASON (mockingly sweet)
"Oh, sure. Next thing you know you’re pouring it into your coffee. 'Mmm, tastes like desperate mistakes.'"
193Please respect copyright.PENANAyjSQelnTdy
K chuckles lowly from behind his scarf, amused at the chaos.
193Please respect copyright.PENANAF3Z73zVqa8
A (defensive, mumbling)
"It wasn't on purpose..."
193Please respect copyright.PENANAXrZQYwAl3Z
Jason snorts and shakes his head, then tosses a glance over his shoulder at the two.
193Please respect copyright.PENANAuy1xsjb6zg
JASON
"Which reminds me—since you two seem weirdly curious about it—might as well explain how robot babies are made."
193Please respect copyright.PENANAjQwGTaXcHg
He clears his throat dramatically, making A and K visibly brace for whatever nonsense he's about to say.
193Please respect copyright.PENANAmzy4CR7QdK
JASON (mock teacher voice)
"Step one: No, you don’t just mash bodies together. We’re not cavemen. Sexual interactions? Fun, maybe—depending on your firmware—but totally useless for making kids."
193Please respect copyright.PENANALhlZQN6wZA
A (wide-eyed)
"Then... how?"
193Please respect copyright.PENANAtbfzjnyoQF
Jason wiggles his fingers like he's sprinkling fairy dust.
193Please respect copyright.PENANAoZXnYf2o1O
JASON
"Magical code-mixing, my innocent child. Two or more robots can combine their programs—their operating cores, their quirks, their bugs—and shove it into a data pod."
193Please respect copyright.PENANAacBtxQ6sgc
He points a thumb to his head.
193Please respect copyright.PENANAAviG29plQm
JASON
"Once it’s in there, it starts developing a whole new program by itself, based on the stuff it inherited. It evolves, learns, becomes something unique."
193Please respect copyright.PENANACmfsgDZpL1
K (casually)
"And gender?"
193Please respect copyright.PENANAlICS8Zprpq
JASON
"Pfft. Irrelevant. Code doesn’t care about meatspace nonsense. Two guys, two gals, one toaster and a vending machine—you name it, they can have a kid if they mix their programs right."
193Please respect copyright.PENANAOLrnR4tXLD
A’s eyes light up with amazement, while K just looks faintly disturbed.
193Please respect copyright.PENANAnD6QxyBky9
A
"So after...?"
193Please respect copyright.PENANAl4748tpIPX
JASON
"After the code stabilizes, the pod pings the guardians. Then you yank the developing memory chip out and install it into a bigger, mobile body."
(beat)
"Congratulations, it’s a terrible toddler who’s gonna wreck your life."
193Please respect copyright.PENANAr3YRUXebQb
A ponders this deeply, like he just unlocked some universal secret. Jason stretches, the bag of meds swinging on his wrist.
193Please respect copyright.PENANASnwbSoKKdT
JASON (grinning)
"And that, my dearest creeps, is why society isn’t full of wild robot orgies—because love and babies are two different nightmares."
193Please respect copyright.PENANAJhxKwrBCc9
They walk for a beat in silence, before Jason turns slightly toward K.
193Please respect copyright.PENANAgjVWA1r8aR
JASON (curious)
"Ever seen any Purifiers have kids?"
193Please respect copyright.PENANA6tDKpMo7U4
K shrugs casually, the city lights painting stripes of gold and blue across his jacket.
193Please respect copyright.PENANAbk3GYFvvTp
K
"We’re not social. We don’t build families. We hunt. We survive. Barely talk unless we have to. Most of us... don’t even think about it."
193Please respect copyright.PENANA8TOD0nSBTP
A (softly)
"That's... kind of lonely."
193Please respect copyright.PENANAOVwaZ4u7kD
K (flatly)
"I like it that way."
193Please respect copyright.PENANAI51MB5A0jr
Jason hums thoughtfully, slowing his pace a little to walk between them.
193Please respect copyright.PENANA6x6kP9qINz
JASON (casually)
"Well, congratulations. You're stuck in a 'family' now. No returns, no refunds."
193Please respect copyright.PENANAWnAjgAiegS
A (smiling)
"I'm fine with that."
193Please respect copyright.PENANAvAgRwyTeai
K (grumbling quietly)
"...Tolerable."
193Please respect copyright.PENANAn6fDPBOUXL
Jason just chuckles, shaking his head, as they turn onto the familiar street leading back toward the cube.
193Please respect copyright.PENANA3z9HjQrBiX
FADE OUT.
ns216.73.216.175da2


