Nexus. Sanctuary and Nexus Mall. Backwater Extortion.

[firra]

Continued from here.




Aoife: I'm fifteen years old, give me a few more years on the creativity... huh? *looks at Lorraine*

Adrian: *just as surprised* What?

Lorraine: *puts a finger in the face of both in turn* *to Aoife* You! Stop threatening my husband. *rounds on Adrian* And you! Don't scare children. I swear, you are the most unreasonable, ridiculous people! *huffs again* Maker, I swear, if you two don't stop posturing-

Adrian: Darling, I'm, um-

Lorraine: Yes you're very sweet, now shut up.

Aoife: No one ever asked the price. *hints of green trying to come out in her eyes*

Lorraine: You shut up, too. You are extorting us, and that is not fair. He rubs people the wrong way. He's a lot of words I won't use. But you are being just as unreasonable. And both of you are making a scene.

Aoife: *eyes greener* Ask the price.

Lorraine: *to Adrian* You are going to pay the lady whatever is fair. *to Aoife* And you are going to tell us a fair price. And if there's an added fee for him being an idiot, I am going to be very upset with him, but we are not going to deal with you. Now. What is the cost.

Aoife: *looks down at Rose*

Rose: *scowly thoughtfulness at Adrian, and then a little peep and a yawn*

Lorraine: *muttering darkly* ...you try to go out for a nice day with new people...

Rose: *points to her. To Adrian* Hug!

Aoife: There's your price. *sending mirthful apology to Lorraine*

Lorraine: ...

Adrian: ...

Lorraine: *turns to him*

Adrian: Please don't break my spine. *awkward hug*

Lorraine: *hugs* *then slides her arms down under his hips and hoists him up with no apparent effort*

Adrian: *yelp!*

Lorraine: Thank the lady.

Adrian: *glances at Aoife, Lorraine, Rose... and finally looks at Rose* ...Thank you.

Lorraine: *puts him down*

Aoife: *eyes so green again as she grins*

Rose: *little smile as she sleeeeeeps on Mama's shoulder*

Aoife: *glances down at the little one* ...I bet you're going to shed soon.

Colt: *perk!* May I have some of her skin?

Lorraine: Now that all of that nonsense is behind us... *frowns* ...why did we come down here again?

Aoife: *points to the top of Colt's head* Taxi. *grin*

Colt: Robots contemplate the hereafter, too.

Lorraine: *brightly~!* Oh, right! We were going somewhere. *to Adrian, darkly* We are going somewhere.

Adrian: I didn't say anything!

Aoife: *quiet snerk* I'll program your taxi card once you have the pod set up on the roof.

Colt: Oh right. *looks at his belt, and then smiles at Lorraine* Cash or charge?

Adrian: Charge. Account number? I can wire.

Colt: *unhooks a brightly coloured device like a Pokemon shaped smart phone from his belt, touches the screen on its belly in a few places, and then holds it up to Adrian*

Adrian: Oh. *takes it* Huh. That's... huh. *bites his lip* *the device makes a noise, a few things flicker over the screen* There we are. *hands it back, a payment confirmation on the screen*

Colt: *takes it and looks at it, then grins and holds it up as the device happily chirps "Chansey!"* She says thanks.

Adrian: ...Great.

Lorraine: So. Where are we going?

Aoife: *as she lets Rose go and watches her crawl away* Other than up the creek?

Colt: *laughs and runs off in the other direction*

Lorraine: *frowny face* I thought we were going somewhere.

Aoife: *grins as she looks up from babby watching* Yeah. The mall. Sorry, I forgot you wouldn't know that joke.

Adrian: She's not programmed to get jokes.

Lorraine: *light shove*

Adrian: *grin* You're moody today.

Aoife: *mentally shares with Lorraine a joke that most AIs think is hilarious, but that the mun doesn't comprehend and so won't write*

Lorraine: *weird, staticy giggle*

Adrian: ... *side-glance at Anne* They're making jokes without me, aren't they.

Anne: *studious interest for her bigger friend as she yearns to know what is funny, nods without turning to look at Adrian* I think so.

Aoife: *gives him a cheesy grin* Okay, the person who has the transport card needs to hold onto or be held onto by any passengers they want to take along.

Adrian: *shares a look with Lorraine*

Lorraine: *takes his arm*

Aoife: I'll meet you there. *and she's just gone. Again. Without a sound*

Adrian: Well I'm glad I know how to use this.

Lorraine: *snicker* *looks at Anne* Any ideas?

Anne: *worry worry* Take me too? *blinks* Ideas about what?

Lorraine: I assumed you were coming.

Adrian: Leave the tiny robot? Never.

Anne: Then someone needs to hold me and my vehicle before Adrian presses the mall button on the card.

Adrian: Oh, buttons, right. Forgot.

Lorraine: Here, Anne, I can hold you. *holds out a hand for a landing pad*

Anne: *settles the gyro craft on its little landing feet on Lorraine's hand* Thank you! ^_^

Adrian: Well. All hands inside the ride at all times. *button*

...And the world sorta goes sideways and pearshaped and barfs them out...

Aoife: *looks up from where she's leaning on the side of a round booth there in the expansive corridor of a massive multistory mall* *grin* How's your stomach feel?

Adrian: Gneeehhh. *scrapes his tongue along his teeth*

Anne: 8O Are you okay?

Aoife: *chuckles as she steps away from the booth* You'll probably get used to it.

Adrian: Ugh, it's like my teeth don't fit...

Aoife: *brow lifts* Huh. That's different from the other complaints I've heard.

Adrian: And my tongue tastes like... *scrape* bathtub gin?

Aoife: Bathtub gin. *snort* *hand up, sparkles green and grey, offers him a glass half full of amber liquid*

Adrian: *accepts the glass* Please tell me this is to get the taste out.

Aoife: It should. *glances at Anne as she peeps and lifts off from Lorraine's hand*

Lorraine: *apparently not bothered by the teleport, but staring spacily out like she's getting her bearings*

Adrian: *sip* ... *swig!* *looks at Aoife like she is made out of magic*

Aoife: That, and chocolate, are the only things I can really make. If you ever want the aged version of that, go to Rhinox at the Black Dog and ask him for special blend scotch.

Adrian: One day, you are going to have to try the whiskey I still under her engines. *sip* Marvelous.

Aoife: *shrug* I wouldn't know if it's good or not. I've never tasted whiskey.

Adrian: It's awful. You'll love it.

Aoife: Do you want more of that? *nods to the glass*

Adrian: Ah, well, despite the tricks of my anatomy, I can over-imbibe. Perhaps later.

Aoife: Alright. How about chocolate, since I'm using my synthesizing skillz?

Adrian: Well I'm not going to say no to that.

Aoife: What form do you like your chocolate in? I can do cakes, candy, and a drink.

Adrian: I think I'd prefer not to have an entire cake in my hands.

Aoife: *soft snort* I can make little cakes.

Adrian: Then let us go with that one.

Aoife: Okay. Wish.

Lorraine: *head flinch* Oh. Here I am. What did I miss?

Adrian: I am apparently going to wish for cake.

Aoife: *grins at Lorraine* -You okay?-

Lorraine: -The mall's further than I can reach. Piggybacking on his network. Configuring.-

Adrian: -It's just a little something we've been talking about.- *he sounds DEEPLY pleased about this*

Aoife: Ohhh. You married him for his wifi. If you mention your range when you buy the pod, they can put in something to let your drone go further.

Lorraine: His mind is where the computer is.

Adrian: *deadpan* I married you for your body. *they stare at each other for a beat... and burst out laughing like this is an old joke they're fond of telling*

Aoife: *just grins* So. You were wishing?

Adrian: *drawn out of murmuring insults like they're sweet nothings* Sorry? Oh. Literally wishing. So...

Lorraine: I have a word for it.

Adrian: Not in front of your tiny robot friend. *clears throat* I wish the Real Estate Fairy had a tiny cake she was going to give me.

Aoife: *chuckles as the sparkles start up* Only one, huh?

Adrian: Let's not overdo it. *sips his drink*

Aoife: *sparkles die down and she hands him a little cake of so dark a blue as to appear nearly black. It is two inches square, and covered in a thick coating of fondant frosting* There you go.

Anne: *tiny, excited cheer*

Adrian: Huh. *accepts tiny cake* *looks at Anne* I assume you could get one, too.

Anne: *bitty grin* I couldn't eat it.

Adrian: More's the pity. *takes a little bite of the little cake*

Aoife: *nods toward the booth she was leaning against* To go places in the mall, you just think of where you want to go and step into that.

Adrian: *staring at the cake* D'you think bigamy's legal on this world...?

Lorraine: That's convenient.

Aoife: *grins* It's popular tech on a lot of the more technical worlds. However, nobody but God knows who put it there.

Lorraine: *nods* We've seen artifacts like that. *thumbs over at Adrian* One of them is what put him the way he is.

Adrian: Wait. Are you saying you have ancient tech you can't explain, so you built a shopping mall around it?

Aoife: The mall was here before anyone else was. That's kinda the way pocket realities work. Except when some smartaft makes another one.

passing goth girl with glowing blue eyes: THRRRRRPT!

Adrian: I'm not judging you, I just think that's... very, ah, what's the word...

Lorraine: Human.

Adrian: That's the one!

Aoife: The first people here weren't human.

Adrian: Oh, of course. Just speaks to the human in me, I mean.

Aoife: *chuckles* Well, I've given you the map and the names of the shops you need, so unless you can think of anything else, I think we're done. *questioning look from Adrian to Lorraine*

Adrian: Ah, yes. I think you're right. Well. Pleasure doing business.

Aoife: *bit of a smirk* See you around. *grins at Lorraine and Anne* Oh yeah. That flavoured energy comes from the Black Dog.

Lorraine: Ooh! Thank you!

Aoife: You're welcome. Have fun shopping.

Adrian: Right. Well, darling, where shall we start...?

Lorraine: Are you coming, Anne? You can. I'd like to have you.

Anne: Alright! *buzzes that little gyrocraft close, her tiny face just lit up with happiness* Thanks, Lorraine.

Lorraine: Don't mention it.

Adrian: *grin* Tiny robot be our guide.

Anne: Oh, okay. *little craft buzzes toward the door of the booth*

Adrian: I wasn't- Oh, there she goes. *sighs... and offers his wife his arm*

Lorraine: *links her arm in his, slowly smiling as she notices something* Where's your hat?

Adrian: *shrugs* Must have lost it. *follows after Anne*

Aoife: *snerks and vanishes*


((Co-written with random_xtras))