Dreary Digital Dreams [Inanimate Insanity AU]

Chapter 7

While in their mom's old lab, Bot was on a video call with CJ. Bot was tinkering with their own mechanics.
"That kind of looks painful," CJ said
"Not really..," they said as they tightened a bolt in their arm. They then noticed something on the bookshelf. Curious they go to look at it. "Hmmm..."
"What you find?" He asked.
The sound of the lab's entrance opening startled them.
"Hey Bot," MePhone called.
"Ah! Gotta go, CJ, sorry!" Bot said, ending the call.
MePhone slides down.
"Can't believe your Mom rebuilt this place in the span of a month..." he said with a chuckle.
There is a moment of awkward air between them.
"You needed me?" Bot asked.
"Oh yeah, duh... hehe," MePhone said, "one of the orbs went out."
"Okay... I'll fix it..," Bot sighed.

MePhone sat down so that Bot could do their work.
"You know, you did a pretty good job installing those," MePhone said.
"MePhone, I was six when Mom watched me install these... in all honesty, I didn't even do a good job," Bot said, carefully removing the dead orb light.
"Well, it's pretty impressive for a six-year-old, and she was proud of you," MePhone said, "you know I was one when I hosted my first season..."
"Really? You don't act or sound that young," Bot said as they continued the repair.
"Meeple products age differently from normal objects... we become "old" and "outdated" fast..." he said. "OW!"
"Oh! Sorry!" Bot said.
"No, it's okay... I've... I've felt worse..." MePhone said.
Once the new orb light is installed, it begins to glow.
"There..." Bot said.
"Thanks, kiddo," he said, smiling.
"You're welcome," Bot said casually.

Once MePhone left, Bot went and grabbed what they were looking at. Realizing it's an old log binder, Bot began to look through it. Doesn't take long for them to realize it's about their construction. They flip to a page that described how they were built in great detail along with a hand-drawn diagram.
"Oh my gosh..." Bot said in a soft, fascinated voice. They look at the work they did to their arm and then back at the book. "This is useful."
They kept reading and came across something that stumped them.
"What does that mean..." Bot mumbled.
Bot put the book in their bag and immediately went to someone they know could help them.

Bot rushed through the doorway of the hotel, almost knocking Paper over.
"Whoa!" Paper yelped.
"Sorry!" Bot shouted.
Bot ran to room C4B3 and knocked.
Cabby opened the door and invited Bot inside.
Bot sat down. "Hey Cabby, I found something in Mom's lab... I was wondering if you knew what something meant and if you had more information on it."
"Uh... I.. I don't know, I've never looked at your mom's documents before... we weren't that close...," Cabby said nervously.
Bot put their hand on Cabby's side. "Don't doubt yourself... you're smarter than you think... it's not like I'm asking you to explain Mom's thoughts to me."
Cabby giggled a bit, "You're right, you're right... so uh, what was it that you need to know?" She said, opening her drawer.
Bot pulled out the boo, turned to the page, and pointed, "Do you know what the Purgatory Mansion is," they asked
"Oh uh, that's... huh... okay... um," Cabby said. She shuffles through her files. "Let's see, umm... Here it is..." she opens the file, "the Purgatory Mansion is an old decrepit manor where the restless souls of dead objects roam until they move on to their final destination..."
"So ghosts," Bot said calmly, eyes full of curiosity.
"Yeah, pretty much," Cabby sighed, closing her drawer.
"Interesting..." Bot mumbled.