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

INT. THE CUBE – NOONISH

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERc2XX2HUF

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

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wiSMQzYyY

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.

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYvmaBCAMot

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

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUAh2DT8s1

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

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8MmVAlzfO

VIOLET (cheerfully)

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

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Vjs20TN5t

K (blankly, slicing his food with claws)

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

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmknKcyZhTp

VIOLET

“Oh?”

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDNfAMNHG5

K (still calm)

“I ate it first.”

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp81BXm869o

Josh pauses mid-bite.

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG1SJVKQ07y

JOSH (quietly)

“…Awesome.”

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4foRAuKELm

Jason nearly chokes on his drink.

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddbYv38KlW

JASON (coughing)

“K. Stop trying to assassinate the mood.”

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZATbirdWx

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.

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYfd8QKsLU

A (softly)

“She doesn’t eat food yet, right?”

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3Uvmnrjk3

JASON

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

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh92SeMsvUp

A quickly retracts the spoon.

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5zYQbLcVid

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

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0XCZjG58Zb

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.”

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtoUJIMhzh

JASON (mouth full)

“Surprisingly? Rude.”

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTavHTHAQ7u

VIOLET (smirking)

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

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZsPLWZmbV

JASON (defensive)

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

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjW8V5GQZ3V

K (deadpan)

“You sure? Because you whine like one.”

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzbiCDmz2de

A hides a snort behind his hand.

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXhlyAiDaKW

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

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZRyzAlvZx

K reaches over and gives the pod a gentle tap.

It lights up with a happy ripple of soft pink.

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jRMQzfzrI

K (softly)

“…Weird kid.”

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rr886l3P2

Josh watches this silently.

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCt5GbPdUVo

Then, after a long breath:

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡontxBa5XVx

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.”

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7KcAIy5Y4J

JASON (grinning)

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

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPeZWXsv8l

A whacks him with a spoon.

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJtVBrdifh

Everyone laughs.

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1A6CXjI8sA

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

275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCT3Ioh1aZK

Or at least—their version of normal.

ns216.73.216.98da2

Reading Theme:

Font Size:

Line Spacing:

Paragraph Spacing:

Load the next issue automatically