EXT. CENTRAL CITY STREETS – EVENING
14Please respect copyright.PENANA2QPR8JI3xU
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.
14Please respect copyright.PENANAVu0SkH0Ufp
14Please respect copyright.PENANA56DVeZKilE
---
14Please respect copyright.PENANAnuSErt2nSK
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."
14Please respect copyright.PENANA4KQC2eyxoI
A trails behind, pulling the hoodie of his coat up in embarrassment.
14Please respect copyright.PENANABGwJaDuyRe
A (grumbling)
"I just thought it looked nice..."
14Please respect copyright.PENANA0HdsANi77S
JASON (mockingly sweet)
"Oh, sure. Next thing you know you’re pouring it into your coffee. 'Mmm, tastes like desperate mistakes.'"
14Please respect copyright.PENANADP5x0kCxUS
K chuckles lowly from behind his scarf, amused at the chaos.
14Please respect copyright.PENANATavm1FwaB7
A (defensive, mumbling)
"It wasn't on purpose..."
14Please respect copyright.PENANAgweIW8rebM
Jason snorts and shakes his head, then tosses a glance over his shoulder at the two.
14Please respect copyright.PENANAcDSQob4FYl
JASON
"Which reminds me—since you two seem weirdly curious about it—might as well explain how robot babies are made."
14Please respect copyright.PENANAZwDAzvdrDL
He clears his throat dramatically, making A and K visibly brace for whatever nonsense he's about to say.
14Please respect copyright.PENANAzjT39uxsgO
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."
14Please respect copyright.PENANAMKmzxHNHVt
A (wide-eyed)
"Then... how?"
14Please respect copyright.PENANAYiaLeKKGUj
Jason wiggles his fingers like he's sprinkling fairy dust.
14Please respect copyright.PENANACHfiCI8CSF
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."
14Please respect copyright.PENANAUdpaztHOrT
He points a thumb to his head.
14Please respect copyright.PENANACTTWSPiLbU
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."
14Please respect copyright.PENANAUaj2v218di
K (casually)
"And gender?"
14Please respect copyright.PENANAPUQ6Ql46Yp
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."
14Please respect copyright.PENANAspTTVQSrBg
A’s eyes light up with amazement, while K just looks faintly disturbed.
14Please respect copyright.PENANAUXpW9oJ7gd
A
"So after...?"
14Please respect copyright.PENANAX7le8Z0xhy
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."
14Please respect copyright.PENANAeNy9V1hZ4G
A ponders this deeply, like he just unlocked some universal secret. Jason stretches, the bag of meds swinging on his wrist.
14Please respect copyright.PENANA91yRe369aJ
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."
14Please respect copyright.PENANAWhz09Tzz2a
They walk for a beat in silence, before Jason turns slightly toward K.
14Please respect copyright.PENANA6VUcfpre3E
JASON (curious)
"Ever seen any Purifiers have kids?"
14Please respect copyright.PENANAvUeDGhXQ4i
K shrugs casually, the city lights painting stripes of gold and blue across his jacket.
14Please respect copyright.PENANA781AQhhUxu
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."
14Please respect copyright.PENANAAlpDMaeKLE
A (softly)
"That's... kind of lonely."
14Please respect copyright.PENANABAmFqXFhCb
K (flatly)
"I like it that way."
14Please respect copyright.PENANAuT6jIFvtMp
Jason hums thoughtfully, slowing his pace a little to walk between them.
14Please respect copyright.PENANA5AZOiYmlaF
JASON (casually)
"Well, congratulations. You're stuck in a 'family' now. No returns, no refunds."
14Please respect copyright.PENANAYPXS7gERwa
A (smiling)
"I'm fine with that."
14Please respect copyright.PENANAub39RLWyxT
K (grumbling quietly)
"...Tolerable."
14Please respect copyright.PENANAPXyiQG1W1Z
Jason just chuckles, shaking his head, as they turn onto the familiar street leading back toward the cube.
14Please respect copyright.PENANAtbyuONgVuF
FADE OUT.
ns3.128.78.139da2