EXT. CENTRAL CITY STREETS – EVENING
92Please respect copyright.PENANAN9PVKnRRJa
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.
92Please respect copyright.PENANA1s18qv2yLV
92Please respect copyright.PENANAroBAfbDYtz
---
92Please respect copyright.PENANAdE2Xlbbmcv
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."
92Please respect copyright.PENANAX8o0RdhO0j
A trails behind, pulling the hoodie of his coat up in embarrassment.
92Please respect copyright.PENANAz5aNFX98qL
A (grumbling)
"I just thought it looked nice..."
92Please respect copyright.PENANAuyo0UFcynG
JASON (mockingly sweet)
"Oh, sure. Next thing you know you’re pouring it into your coffee. 'Mmm, tastes like desperate mistakes.'"
92Please respect copyright.PENANAqYFnpfmLNH
K chuckles lowly from behind his scarf, amused at the chaos.
92Please respect copyright.PENANAtL5LzvhJuH
A (defensive, mumbling)
"It wasn't on purpose..."
92Please respect copyright.PENANAQTYENfoIoz
Jason snorts and shakes his head, then tosses a glance over his shoulder at the two.
92Please respect copyright.PENANAn0c6CkndiX
JASON
"Which reminds me—since you two seem weirdly curious about it—might as well explain how robot babies are made."
92Please respect copyright.PENANAgJrJr9BCWe
He clears his throat dramatically, making A and K visibly brace for whatever nonsense he's about to say.
92Please respect copyright.PENANAjJUFKr0nNx
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."
92Please respect copyright.PENANArvaUjnPCmc
A (wide-eyed)
"Then... how?"
92Please respect copyright.PENANAfIPsXegUOj
Jason wiggles his fingers like he's sprinkling fairy dust.
92Please respect copyright.PENANAGlGtmXNhF6
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."
92Please respect copyright.PENANAkrSDak11Fx
He points a thumb to his head.
92Please respect copyright.PENANAjivGrsz994
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."
92Please respect copyright.PENANAMOViY3n3ap
K (casually)
"And gender?"
92Please respect copyright.PENANAA7VbQzd6yc
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."
92Please respect copyright.PENANAInIYlQVncx
A’s eyes light up with amazement, while K just looks faintly disturbed.
92Please respect copyright.PENANAchCYkLo3rR
A
"So after...?"
92Please respect copyright.PENANAUSg6hzxbWx
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."
92Please respect copyright.PENANAKX6cq6smj3
A ponders this deeply, like he just unlocked some universal secret. Jason stretches, the bag of meds swinging on his wrist.
92Please respect copyright.PENANARFq71f0cbJ
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."
92Please respect copyright.PENANAeoIfSZd8E0
They walk for a beat in silence, before Jason turns slightly toward K.
92Please respect copyright.PENANArWohFKKUHU
JASON (curious)
"Ever seen any Purifiers have kids?"
92Please respect copyright.PENANAvgdX7tAOlz
K shrugs casually, the city lights painting stripes of gold and blue across his jacket.
92Please respect copyright.PENANAxdtLrHeVmU
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."
92Please respect copyright.PENANAfww7iHE5pr
A (softly)
"That's... kind of lonely."
92Please respect copyright.PENANAxrjo8T1SlL
K (flatly)
"I like it that way."
92Please respect copyright.PENANAosQ8LggGY0
Jason hums thoughtfully, slowing his pace a little to walk between them.
92Please respect copyright.PENANAG6s57LRbPe
JASON (casually)
"Well, congratulations. You're stuck in a 'family' now. No returns, no refunds."
92Please respect copyright.PENANAjzUdKaltf9
A (smiling)
"I'm fine with that."
92Please respect copyright.PENANALEd7M0XjHf
K (grumbling quietly)
"...Tolerable."
92Please respect copyright.PENANA0yu1gbQmp6
Jason just chuckles, shaking his head, as they turn onto the familiar street leading back toward the cube.
92Please respect copyright.PENANA5vGT5kAtLP
FADE OUT.
ns216.73.216.238da2