Video | HAPPY... LATE... BIRTHDAY??? | @p.parker

[madeupnames]

[The feed is mostly full of textbooks, the spines all turned enough that they're legible; it's math, chemistry, social studies, all the fun things nobody misses from high school. And on the right side of the screen is Peter, sitting with his cheek on his palm and his elbow pressed beside a blank page of paper. He looks kind of sleepy, like he'd just nod off if he didn't have the feed to focus on.]

So I've got this essay I need to write by tomorrow, and I'm having a hard time getting — personal, and all that. The prompt's asking about what inspires you, specifically. [He looks to read it word-for-word:] 'What motivates you in your day to day life?' And I mean, I've got a lot of motivations, but trying to put it to paper is giving me a wicked case of the fogbrain.

[He tucks his pen under his nose, holding it with his upper lip for a moment before letting it fall pitifully to the table. He sighs.]

What motivates you guys? Into doing what you do? What makes you put your shoes on in the morning, huh?

And don't just say 'to avoid stepping on pointy stuff barefoot'. That's a cheap and obvious answer—

[Peter startles violently as birthday music blares behind him, so much so that his pencil goes flying through the air and RIP's somewhere off-screen. Pam the pancake making robot seems to be flying onto the scene in the background with freshly made pancakes and festive lights blinking all over her.



A little lighter arm pops out, preparing to light a lone candle on the stack of flapjacks.

Peter mutters, mortified:]

...I thought I disabled Birthday Mode for repairs...

[He looks back at the robot with his hand pressed to his temple, and clears his throat.]



... Pam, uh. My - my birthday was two days ago. Two days. It's August 10th. And, uh, it's... it's the 12th now.

[Peter watches as the AI seems to try to process this, tapping his finger on the table and thinning his lips at the awkward silence. Pam's little plate-holding robo-arms lower slightly, the generic birthday MIDI file slowing to a depressive stop as the party-themed lights and lighter are shut off together. A pause of nothing. Then she turns and dejectedly wheels away into the community kitchen with her plate of pancakes.]

Wait, Pam — Aw, c’mon, I can still eat them! Hey—

[Peter drops his arms.



... Note to self, fix her internal clock...]

Comments

[madeupnames]

[He blinks.]

There are?

[But also, he steps aside, because he does not wanna get caught up in the wild tornado that is Jyushimatsu.]

[yakyuuman]

[ And just like that he slides his way in, flapping his sleeves excitedly while he looks around. ]

So this is where Peter Parker lives! Hehe! Everything looks as young as you!

[ He turns around, and gestures at the cake box with a sleeve. ]

Yeah! I don't remember if you ever told me your age so I bought at least a double dozen candles! You can use the leftover ones for when the power goes out?

Re: Video.

[like_quicksilver]

Considering my own people manage without either, definitely not the end of the world. Ragnarok may not be the future for most people, but it is still scary to know that one day the sun will be swallowed and the entire Earth flooded.

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[madeupnames]

[Hard not to grin at that, honestly.]

Oh, no doubt, being a Pokemon trainer was super important.

... And I admit, I might've had some cardboard shields that looked suspiciously patriotic.

[madeupnames]

Mainly English. But a little math on the side.

I'm honestly better at the more technical stuff, since I have a hard time putting my thoughts into words? Sometimes I feel like pulling teeth out of my head would be easier than answering an essay prompt.

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[madeupnames]

[Man, people offering him nice birthday things...!



He looks genuinely baffled at what to say.]

I'm — I'm usually just happy with what I have? B-but I wouldn't say no to... a... comic... book?

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[analienprince]

Did you know there are actual Pokemon around here? Like, you could be an actual</> Pokemon Trainer here.

[Yes, that's an important factoid, okay.]

See, that's totally relatable. Cardboard shields were the next best thing to the real thing, okay.

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[madeupnames]

[Oh yes, such intense flashbacks to crashing Flash's dad's car...]

Yeah...! Of course, you're right.
I'll give it a shot soon!! How else am I gonna get cool points?! 👏

[madeupnames]

[Young indeed. Peter's bed and dresser area has a bunch of candy wrappers and robot parts on it.

Lord help him. He laughs a little.]

Gee, thanks.

I'm sixteen, but I wouldn't be against just lighting them all and pretending I'm super old.

Video.

[madeupnames]

... Geez. Ahhh. That's a lot to worry about.

[He's a teeny bit familiar, but it's not really his bread and butter.]

Hopefully that's not something anyone has to worry about in our lifetimes, yeah?

I prefer to have as many secret birthdays as I can, if it's all the same to Ragnarok.

[yakyuuman]

Do you wanna be that old already? You shouldn't! Like I said, you've gotta enjoy your youth! Heck, I wish I was sixteen again!

[ He flops on Peter's bed without a prompt, testing how bouncy it is. ]

Where's Pam-chan? If you didn't hug her earlier, then I want to!

[citharede]

They super are. Aunt-fu.

[ She makes a face. ]

Why do teachers assign shit like, anyway. Get personal and deep! Not deep enough and you get a C!

Re: Video.

[like_quicksilver]

Why secret? I thought people here enjoyed birthdays? That's why there are parties with them.

[childofaxios]

[ That startles her into making a noise that's more like a snort than a laugh. Chyler doesn't really laugh. It's a thing. ]

Why did you build her? It's a very... specific purpose, for an AI.

[11calls]

Well, I seriously am hopeless at math... [No really, just ask some of the people who have needed to explain that stuff to her.] But I did major in journalism, which meant a lot of english classes for me, so I can help if you want.

[madeupnames]

That'd be great, thanks! It's good to get a little insight from someone who knows what they're doing.

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[madeupnames]

Oh my god, yeah! I saw one of those squirrel Pokemon.

But I dunno, I'd feel bad actually keeping them in pokeballs.



....



If you threw a pokeball at a human, would they go in it, too?

[madeupnames]

It'd be cool to be that old if I was, like, an elf from Lord of the Rings.

[Are you sure you're not still sixteen, lbr Jyushi.]

And don't worry, I made up with her. I wouldn't recommend hugging her, though; you'll get your clothes stuck in the gears or something. Eating what she makes is how to get her happy, though.

[Or however she feels. He's not very good at telling what is robotic and what is maybe thriving humanisms through the advanced tech in Riverview... H-ha.]

[madeupnames]

You got me! I just wanna make weird stuff in science.

I mean, writing stories is fun. But you never really get to do that in English; it's mostly just reading everyone else's stuff... It's all important literature, sure, but Shakespeare isn't the funnest thing out there to read.

[madeupnames]

I'm not very good at building them yet...

So if I can just get a robot to do one thing really, really good, I'm getting somewhere, right?

Video.

[madeupnames]

[A little laugh escapes him, caught red-handed.]

I'm just bad at focus being on me, I guess. I worry people'll feel like they owe me something.

Which is a dumb way to think, because I think everyone should enjoy their birthdays, but...

[yakyuuman]

[ YOU'RE NOT WRONG... he kicks his feet just the way a teen would, tbh, he didn't do a lot of growing up in the last ten years or so. He also puffs his cheeks, pouting. ]

Did you eat all of her pancakes eventually? [ He sounds a bit stern. ] She may have been off mark but she's a sweet and caring robot that deserves happiness too!

[ After meeting Connor and Markus, his care for robotic individuals has ridiculously expanded. They might as well be perfectly human to him. ]

Re: Video.

[like_quicksilver]

I was under the impression people would go to anything if you offered them food and cake.

We don't have birthdays where I'm from, but I don't see anyone feeling obliged by free food if invited.

[winscenario]

That's good. Although you should teach her how to cook other stuff. That'd be both cool and useful.

[ And perfect for a teenage boy!! She could cook all his meals. ]

So how old are you, now?

[indigobird]

If she can flip and make pancakes, I can't imagine it'll be much harder to learn how to cook eggs. Or perhaps make another robot who does that, then she'll have a little friend.