Rodents and Robots

the anniversary

It was the 200th anniversary of Bibloteca (Bible Town). Two hundred years ago on this day, the town's founder, Jonathan Fisk, had staked his claim. And now, after two centuries, the town was thriving. The derelict shepherd, Gaia Marez, seemed out of place. From the waist down, he served as the reception desk for the library, while his upper body was composed of beige polycarbonate with wires protruding from odd locations, and LED panels serving as his eyes.

The lounge was dimly lit, except for a spotlight focused on him, while his own light was completely turned off. He slumped over, concealing his face from the crowd gathered below, including Mayor Agnes. His eyes, however, still gleamed as they fixed upon Mayor Agnes.

"We are missing 32 children, Agnes. I believe we have accounted for all of them except one," Gacia explained.

"Do you mind walking me through it, Gacia? Sometimes my memory fails me, even though I can't see the children as clearly as you can," she replied, yawning and stretching.

"You're only 8 years old, dear Mayor. You're just being lazy, as you don't want to make any effort. Allow me to explain. We have approximately 50 mice, 30 rats, 20 moles, 17 cavies, 15 guinea pigs, and no squirrels. Only half of the moles are present in the crowd, along with 125 mice, 45 rats, and all the cavies," Gacia clarified.

Mayor Agnes responded, her tone questioning, "Well, the moles are currently on watch. Lutheran informed me earlier. As for the Guinea Pigs, the ones who aren't here are likely busy preparing the feast, I believe," she said, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.

The Shepard continued her explanation, "We have 45 of the rats here. I dispatched 15 of them on an expedition, and I expect to receive an update from them by tomorrow. The Cavies would never miss our anniversary, so they are all accounted for. That leaves us with the mice now, of which 36 are missing."

"I believe the Mel family is currently grieving. We received a report that one of their eldest sons was killed during a trip. He was a good child. As for the rest of the missing mice, they are too old... I think I know who is missing," Gacia ventured, scanning the plaza while addressing the crowd. "Feivel?"

"Yes, Feivel Myshkin. I do recall seeing him arrive rather late yesterday. Perhaps he has surpassed your laziness, Agnes?" Gacia chuckled.

From behind them, a voice exclaimed, "Nonsense! Him feeling tired? My tail!" It was a mouse in a tunic and cape, with a needle hanging from his waist, his weapon clinking sharply with each step. He approached dutifully.

"Good morning, Sheriff Justin. Please enlighten us," Gacia greeted.

"Good morning to both of you! What I mean is, I spotted that pink-pawed Feivel earlier during my patrol. I'd bet a fourth of my tail that he's embarked on some ridiculous quest. He probably thinks he has better things to do on a Sunday morning," Sheriff Justin explained confidently.

With a smile, Mayor Agnes chimed in, "Now, now, Justin. If I recall correctly, you yourself got up to mischief when you first arrived. Feivel takes after you in many ways."

"What the clawed hell are you talking about, Sarah? As soon as I walked into town, I made myself useful!" Justin retorted, crossing his arms.

"In the spirit of avoiding further argument, we could send someone to fetch Feivel. Tradition dictates that all children should be present, and I can sense the crowd growing impatient," Gacia suggested. He turned off the lights in the lounge and activated his own mechanical body. He spun around, facing the crowd.

"Friends, it seems that some of you may be running late," Gacia addressed the crowd, causing the adults at the back to groan and sigh. "We will have to postpone the story for a few moments. While we wait, I could share another tale—the story of how the Titans fell and our people's genesis."