1st Transmission

[bot-builder.livejournal.com]

[This appears to be a giant room, ceilings as high as the walls are far apart.  It's well-lit, although there are no windows.  There's bits of machinery and half-built robots everywhere, either semi-neatly stacked on tall shelves or scattered on the floor.  The cement floor is spotted with oil.  There are green monkeys running everywhere.  You know, normal stuff.

In the center of the room there's a little work area in a cleared space.  There are a couple worktables haphazardly covered in tools, both recognizable and obviously homemade contraptions.  At one worktable a very red-haired young man is tinkering with what looks to be a mini-fridge with legs.  He's cheerfully explaining to himself what he's doing.  A small ball hovering next to him suddenly shouts something about it being lunchtime, making the man jump.]

I'm busy!  Be quiet!

[Suddenly he notices you and freezes for a moment.  Then he begins sputtering.]

But--what--how did you get in?  And why didn't my bots tell me someone was approaching the house?!

Comments

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

[Because it's a dream; or the nexus. One of the two, and she'll figure out which as soon as she wakes up, so it's not that urgent of a question to the girl who walks confidently right up to the work area.

She is fairly ordinary in appearance at the moment: dark hair, Asian features, somewhere in her late teens, modestly but fashionably dressed. She smiles slyly as she hops lightly up to sit in a clear space on one of the work tables, legs dangling over the side.]

Because... I wanted to! [She explains her presence, mostly to tease and provoke the young man.] Is it alright if I stay awhile?

[bot-builder.livejournal.com]

[The man blinks at you.] But... [Then he sighs. This is just like when he was a teenager, and everyone in creation kept traipsing in and out of his lair with impunity. At least you don't seem destructive. He runs a hand through his hair.] If you've already gotten in, I don't suppose there's anything I can do about it.

[He returns to fiddling with the fridge-thing.] I don't suppose you'd care to tell me who you are? When I do get visitors, they tend to be people I know.

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

[A quick look takes in Jack's decidedly Western features.]

Ami Mizuno. Call me by that.

And no. There's nothing to do about it. But if I'm your guest for the time being, shouldn't you be offering refreshments?

[bot-builder.livejournal.com]

Ami Mizuno... [He files that away. He wipes the grease off his hands onto a nearby rag. The rag is promptly stolen by one of the monkeys as soon as it's set down again.] First things first: do you know who I am, or do you always break into random strangers' homes?

[Really, she's hardly a guest--just an intruder he can't be rid of. He does not invite guests down into his lair. Or his home. Or... actually, not even his parents visit him at his house. But for some reason he decides he's going to accept your presence without further comment.] Yeah, I guess according to the alarm it's time to eat anyway. Hey! Could somebody get us some food? I'm not coming up there!

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

[The monkeys are as convenient as youma, in their way. Very nicely done.]

I wanted to see if you were working on something worthwhile. Go ahead and introduce yourself.

[She notes with a tiny, petty sense of triumph that he's going along with it enough to prove the food.]

[bot-builder.livejournal.com]

[The monkeys up in the rafters are tossing the rag back and forth to each other, screeching.]

I'm Jack Spicer. Not doing anything too important, just building a fridge-bot. It's too heavy to fly, that's why it's got to have legs. [None of this seems too strange to him anymore. There's some stranger who broke into his house and wants to know about the work he's normally very secretive about. Nothing weird there.] Should it have a gun or a knife?

[A robot (http://th06.deviantart.net/fs12/PRE/i/2006/317/6/d/JackBot_Evolution_1_by_The_Flying_Penguin.jpg) brings down a plate of sandwiches and juice... in juiceboxes. Very high-class.]

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

You knew my favorite!

[Despite something a bit off about the too-wide smile as Ami says it to needle Jack even further, it's also the truth: sandwiches are tidy and convenient, and thus her favorite.

Ami accepts a sandwich from the robot with a pert 'thank you' - manners die hard, apparently - and turns back to Jack.]

Why did you choose these projects?

[bot-builder.livejournal.com]

[He sips on his juicebox defiantly. You're lucky you're getting anything at all, you--you... burglar. Besides, he never has guests over, why would he have any of that "party food" his parents always serve guests.

Or maybe you're telling the truth. If that's the case, you're weird.]

The robots? Well, Mother said I needed a hobby, so... Anyway, they're useful. I can talk to them, they can do chores around the house, and if anyone attacks they're able to defend me. Also I can sell them to other people.

[The lunch-bot, seeing that the two of you seem taken care of, goes back upstairs.]

The fridge-bot is because I forget to eat. I figured if I had a fridge following me around the house, that would happen less.

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

They do seem useful. [This from the girl who's developed some more viable solar power options in her world thanks to technology from another world.]

Are they what's so interesting that you forget to eat?

[bot-builder.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Sort of. I just get distracted by things--if the food isn't convenient there's a good chance I'll get interested in something else before I make it up to the kitchen. There's always something to do down here.

[The rag suddenly drops onto his head. Before he can do anything about it, a monkey snatches it back, screeches at him, and runs off. He stares after it for a moment.] Did you seriously bring a pet with you to break into my lair?

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

Nothing like that. Isn't that yours? [He'd been acting like the monkeys were normal.]

Maybe someone else is interested.

[bot-builder.livejournal.com]

Then why--? I... I guess I did notice them before, now that you mention it... [Watches the monkeys in the rafters.] They just didn't seem important? Out of place? Sort of like how I accepted your pre--oh.

[Laughs and visibly relaxes.] This is a dream, isn't it? That's why all this weird stuff is happening. I must have fallen asleep at my workbench again.

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

Maybe it's a dream. As long as you get the next part of those plans done and remember the way when you wake up, does it matter to you?

[Funny; lately, her dreams have been of herself as a little girl, so today is a bit different.]

If you don't like the monkeys, shall I get rid of them?

[maddening-gale.livejournal.com]

They were too loud, so I silenced them.

What's that supposed to be? A walking chest?

[bot-builder.livejournal.com]

...

[A little kid who was able to take care of his bots? That's never a good sign. You must be with the monks. Don't they understand he's "retired" now? He gives you a sour look.] It's a fridge-bot. To make it easier to snack. What do you want?

[maddening-gale.livejournal.com]

[Fridge-bot? Jade has no idea what a fridge even is, but it sounds dumb. Some part of him wonders if this is what Saphir will be like as an adult - using talent for dumb, mundane things.]

[Ah well. If there's anything he's learned about adults, it's to either lie or be horribly vague when one is asking questions.]

I wanted to take a look around. Is that wrong?

[bot-builder.livejournal.com]

[Wrong answer! Now he's going to whine at you.] Ye-es! You can't--you shouldn't just break into people's homes! Don't you monks have any manners?

[maddening-gale.livejournal.com]

[Whiny. Yes, exactly what Saphir will be like as an adult.]

I'm not with the Order of Lorelei. What makes you think that I'm one of their monks?

[bot-builder.livejournal.com]

[Stares at you uncomprehendingly.] Order of--? No, I mean those Xiaolin lo--monks. You know, from the Temple?

[Something occurs to him.] Augh! You mean you're with the Heylin? I told you guys I got out of the business! I am not going to do whatever it is you want from me!

[maddening-gale.livejournal.com]

[He just glares at Jack. This man isn't making a lick of sense, but he seems wary of this Heylin group. Maybe he can use that as leverage.]

We've collaborated before. I wanted to evaluate the machines in this lab. If I'd known that they were going to be this useless, I wouldn't have bothered.

[bot-builder.livejournal.com]

[He narrows his eyes and grits his teeth. He seems to want to say something other than what he ends up saying.] Yes, you scurry back to your master and tell them my machines are pathetic. This is not new information. What are you really here for? What do you want?

[maddening-gale.livejournal.com]

[A reaction. Jade honestly doesn't know what he wants from Jack - but it's clear that Jack has something he doesn't want to give up. Fontech schematics, perhaps? He'll just press on and see what it is.]

Don't pretend like you don't know. It's demeaning enough already to have to speak to you.

[bot-builder.livejournal.com]

[That does it. He is sick and tired of this treatment from the Heylin. His voice drops into a growl.] Maybe if you don't come back, the Heylin'll finally have to take me seriously. Is that what you want, little boy?

[maddening-gale.livejournal.com]

I might. If nothing else, you would just prove yourself to be even more pathetic than you already are.

If, indeed, you have the resolve to kill in the first place.

[bot-builder.livejournal.com]

[He smiles very coldly and snaps his fingers.] You heard the kid, boys. Sic em.

[The worktables stand up, scattering their contents everywhere, and unfold themselves into 12' heavily-armored war-bots. One of them swings its blade-arm at you as they both begin charging the ray cannons in their chests.]