Automatic Heritage

Chapter 2: Drawn

Weaving through a Labyrinth of books had to be dizzying for first-time visitors. Fortunately, Beryl is a regular visitor to the library and made it to the stairway entryway without any issue. Somedays she can not fathom how everyone in the slums had not at least made one visit to this place. Yeah, the library needed a sign, but who doesn't like books? Maybe if she talked about them more they would come.

Stepping from a wood stairway to concrete gave a shock to her legs. Hopping a bit she made a mental note to check in with the doctor tomorrow to check in on her aching feet and prayed that she does not have to get new ones. Even if she did have to get some she could always send them to her sister for a free paint job. There was still some green left from her paint job on her thumbs.

Remembering Cyan she looked down the street from where she stood. There she was talking to Doc outside her apartment, ushering him in with that same excited smile from before.

"My papa doing business?"

The voice came from the other end of the alleyway. There in the dark glowed a familiar blue face against a holographic bucket hat, peering out from his own home. Beryl smiled and made her way over to him. How convenient it was that she got to see friends on her chore run? "Hello Seamus! Enjoying the end of your day? "

He stepped out and leaned against the wall, adjusting his puffer vest but not his emotions. "Is it the end of the day already? I haven't noticed."

"Just like you did not notice my sister today?"

"I noticed, just don't care about her."

Beryl laughed "Ouch! You used to be so sweet as a child. Did your dad add sarcasm to your programming when he upgraded you?"

She thought she saw a smile flicker briefly on his face. "Just honest. Which reminds me, your husband stopped by to pick up something from my papa. It sounds like good news. Are you heading his way now?"

Beryl blinked back to reality "Oh, yeah!" She straightened her shoulders and adjusted her bag. "Always going somewhere aren't I?"

He gestured behind himself. "Hurry up, before you make him wait longer."

She sighed in agreement "He has waited long enough. See ya, Seamus." She began to trot toward the brighter end of the city. She then slowed to a stop because it took her a moment to realize that she did not stop to think about where her husband may be. It couldn't have been in the library; she just came from there. Her greenhouse was out of the question due to her gnat fly problem.

"They went to the bar!" Seamus called to her.

Sweet drops formed on her display "R-right, I knew that. Thank you!" She could hear him chuckle and close the door behind him. If she only would have used her eyes, she would have seen the sign to her right and remembered. She turned to enter the door and was met with the sound of the jukebox and electric chatter.

Inside, Jacob was already mixing drinks for the locals. He had a full bar of bots waiting for their orders, despite this, he had time to look up from his work and give Beryl a quick wave and gesture to the stairway to the second floor. She smiled a "thank you" and made her way to the lounge upstairs.

The bots that were waiting on her had made themselves comfortable in the far booth, their drinks already ordered, chatting away in deep conversation. She snuck herself in next to her husband, almost like she was trying not to wake someone up, and started handing out books. The Guardian and Zbalthizar's attention broke from Whitney to take their suggested reading.

"Sorry I am late gentlemen, my sister is back from the dead city and I just had to say hello"

"Ah, brave Cyan is back is she?" Said Zbalthizar. "That girl is something special. Not many brave Zerk territory. At least not overnight."