Robotic Essences - SCENE 94 – “Tales, Tails, and Talking at 2AM”

INT. THE CUBE – NIGHT

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The credits of Pacific Rim roll up the screen. The last bombastic note fades, replaced by the soft hum of evening stillness.

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Jason sighs with deep contentment, arms behind his head.

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JASON

“God, that movie makes me wanna punch a skyscraper. In a good way.”

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A (curious)

“Why would you want to punch a skyscraper?”

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JASON

“Dramatic flair. Y’know, prove I can.”

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K (from the ceiling, monotone)

“You can’t.”

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JASON (mock offended)

“How dare you doubt my delusions.”

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The three start cleaning up their trash lazily—popcorn crumbs, drink containers, one lonely sock (Jason’s, somehow). Then, slowly, they settle into their usual “night mode.” Jason flops back on the bed with a long, theatrical groan. A climbs in next to him, already holding a digital reader, flicking through another book.

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K silently lowers himself from the ceiling by his arms—tail coiled neatly—and then climbs back up, upside-down, where he reads from his own stash of weird, thick horror novels.

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Jason watches him for a bit, pointing lazily.

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JASON

“Hey, question. What’s it like reading upside-down? Doesn’t the blood rush to your head?”

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K (flat)

“No blood. No brain. No problem.”

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A (thoughtful)

“But you do have coolant circulation systems. Wouldn’t that affect balance perception?”

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“My system is modular. You’re overthinking it.”

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JASON

“You say that like you didn’t once read a 900-page horror trilogy in two hours and then give us a lecture on dismemberment techniques.”

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“That was for educational purposes.”

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“You drew diagrams.”

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JASON

“They were labeled in Latin, bro.”

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K (shrugging upside-down)

“Dead languages for dead things. Fitting.”

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Jason groans, rubbing his face.

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JASON

“How did I end up with a serial killer bat and a boy scout with wings?”

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A (smiling slightly)

“You brought us home.”

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“Technically, we forced our way in.”

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JASON

“Yeah, and now you’re sleeping in my bed and hanging off my ceiling. My life’s a sitcom made by masochists.”

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They fall into a moment of quiet, not awkward, just comfortable. The hum of electronics, city lights through the window, the occasional creak of the building—like an old man settling his joints.

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Jason turns slightly to A, blinking at the soft glow of the reader screen.

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JASON

“What are you even reading this time?”

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“It’s a sci-fi novel. About an artificial intelligence that falls in love with a pilot who doesn’t know he’s being watched by the ship’s system.”

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K (snorts)

“Creepy.”

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A (defensive)

“It’s romantic.”

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JASON

“It’s creepy and romantic. Like 90% of old human literature.”

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K (mockingly poetic)

“Oh, Romeo, install thy firmware into my drive.”

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Jason nearly chokes on his laughter.

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JASON

“Kill me.”

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“Maybe later.”

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A (smiling faintly)

“You two are terrible.”

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JASON

“And yet you’re here.”

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“…I don’t know why, but it feels like home.”

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There’s a pause after that. A softer one.

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Jason gives him a sideways glance. A isn’t looking at him, just still flicking through the pages.

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JASON (murmurs)

“…Yeah. Same.”

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Above, K doesn’t say anything, but his tail, swaying gently before, now curls inward slightly. Like it's listening.

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JASON (suddenly)

“Hey, do those tails of yours ever tangle when you’re fighting or something?”

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“We don’t wrap around each other like tentacle spaghetti, if that’s what you’re asking.”

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“They’re reinforced with flexibility protocols. We can move them independently. Sometimes they act on instinct.”

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JASON

“Like just now?”

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“What?”

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JASON

“Something’s poking my side.”

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There’s a slight pause. A blinks, then slowly turns his head.

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A (realizing)

“…Oh. Um. That’s my tail.”

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JASON (alarmed)

“Wait wha—”

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SHNK.

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Jason suddenly sits up with a very sharp, very sudden yelp.

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JASON

“OW!! MY KIDNEY!”

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A’s tail, black and sleek, is retracted immediately, but not before it clearly stabbed Jason just slightly in the waist. It’s not serious, but it’s definitely rude.

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A (horrified)

“I—I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to—I was focusing on the story—I didn’t think it would—!”

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JASON (groaning)

“You shanked me with your tail, A! I trusted you! I let you on the bed!”

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K (still upside-down, calmly flipping page)

“Ah yes, intimacy injuries. Classic.”

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A (panicking slightly)

“Are you leaking? Should I get a medkit? Oh no—”

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JASON

“No, it’s—ugh, it’s a scratch. Just get me an ice pack or something. And maybe a stuffed animal.”

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K (amused)

“Baby wants his blankie too?”

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JASON (flops back onto bed)

“Baby wants peace.”

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A jumps up to grab the medkit. Jason sighs again, long-suffering. The cable tail sways behind A, now nervously stiff.

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JASON (grumbling)

“Worst. Roommates. Ever.”

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“You love us.”

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JASON

“I tolerate you like caffeine withdrawal.”

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The night grows quieter again… but the laughter lingers.

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