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

INT. THE CUBE – NOONISH

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VXhTNQmja

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

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhldfPta2s1

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.

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdmz9H9fve

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

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWirXWJYrCz

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

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPhK8hkNEV

VIOLET (cheerfully)

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

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZWsXHrDml

K (blankly, slicing his food with claws)

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

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydzXL3og7j

VIOLET

“Oh?”

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK43L4VRAB4

K (still calm)

“I ate it first.”

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFavqAmcvm

Josh pauses mid-bite.

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxmhT1GPfI

JOSH (quietly)

“…Awesome.”

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5pmLKn7Y7O

Jason nearly chokes on his drink.

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6R6AbJlNI

JASON (coughing)

“K. Stop trying to assassinate the mood.”

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MBFNgyHyn

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.

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfO6v4KRsww

A (softly)

“She doesn’t eat food yet, right?”

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwrUpalSXq

JASON

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

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJvhnKlD8Q

A quickly retracts the spoon.

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7cm8y3Tdi

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

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1v7r9ob0yB

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.”

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPhyV06q62R

JASON (mouth full)

“Surprisingly? Rude.”

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6HHCheuTkJ

VIOLET (smirking)

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

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVXxaxC4u8

JASON (defensive)

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

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lxgdXQIkD

K (deadpan)

“You sure? Because you whine like one.”

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQO3xOhfW7S

A hides a snort behind his hand.

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKyj1786Xup

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

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlIiSTaA64R

K reaches over and gives the pod a gentle tap.

It lights up with a happy ripple of soft pink.

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlC1kYNtPvv

K (softly)

“…Weird kid.”

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Ev5kJkA4f

Josh watches this silently.

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYULyJRWKO9

Then, after a long breath:

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxrFwJUCOi

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.”

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHPAPpHwbu

JASON (grinning)

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

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZrGp0BVV0

A whacks him with a spoon.

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMi6iPWPETe

Everyone laughs.

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1Ub1Ps2Qa

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

217Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYyUGwW4Sk

Or at least—their version of normal.

ns216.73.217.139da2

Reading Theme:

Font Size:

Line Spacing:

Paragraph Spacing:

Load the next issue automatically