Nanny Bot in the Apocalypse

Chapter 4: A Spell & New Dress

Two white figures marched in formation down the cracked street, like walking scars. Their steps and pace timed, even as one dragged a damaged leg after it.

To anyone else, their positions and measured distance between them would seem random. But as she watched them, Kayla could see the phantom X-ers who once filled that space. And the endless echoes of blood and pain.

Hundred years. And X-ers were all that remained of a war long fought and lost. Sure, some said they won. They took out the AI after all, but. A sigh. She sank down next to the shattered window. Her lips curled into a wry smile, the events of the last few days flashed in her mind— Could you really call this winning?

She bumped her head against the wall, careful to not make a sound, and closed her eyes. Tried to calm her heart as the mechanical steps grew fainter and fainter. Her hands balled into shaking fists at her sides.

It had gotten better over the years, more controlled, as she had grown confident in herself and her new pack. Had it been the... explosion, or the platoon? It was as if she was back to a small helpless pup again. No. A cowardly stupid pup who merely shivered, froze, and hid as those close to her fought and...

She bit the inside of her cheek, tasting metal, and forcibly pushed the memories aside. Looked over at the bot, the ghost, who sat not even two meters from her. Its legs were splayed out in front of it, its arms loosely at its side.

It sounded the same, its steps. If a tad lighter and quicker. It may be a ghost, but had proven itself plenty capable of destruction. To be more dangerous than the X-ers. Then why? It met her gaze and blinked its round blue eyes with a small chiming click. So... Benign. In the end, she couldn't see it as anything but a mere ghost. Though, in a way, X-ers were ghosts as well.

Just not so harmless.

A green, clawed hand waved in front of her face, she flinched and followed the arm back to a frowning James. He had crawled forward at some point to reach.

As she stared at him, he withdrew his hand, lifted it to the side of his head, and tapped twice. Ah. She closed her eyes again and tilted her head, her ears moved in all directions. She waited an extra minute to be sure, then glanced over at Bunbun and gave the signal. He nodded in agreement.

"All clear."

James stood as soon as she said it. He stretched his arms over his head with a hiss, his tail straight, then shrugged. And imitated her, "Let's bring it along. It will be safer. It can protect us."

He waved his hands in the air as he talked in a higher pitch. When he passed the bot, he lifted his foot and kicked its lower leg. He snarled, "Much good it did." And walked out.

So much for maturity.

Tara's cry of outrage at the kick overlapped with Kayla's sigh. She was not in the mood. At all. For Tara's sake, though, she leaned forward on one arm and half-hearted called after him, "Was that really necessary?" Not that she got a response. She heard him walk down the stairs to the first floor.

Bunbun looked between her and Tara, and the door. He hesitated a moment, then turned away, and jumped after James, his ears hanging.

Tara got up and rushed over to the bot. She kneeled at its side, her hands clasped on top of each other on its leg. Almost as if to stop bleeding. It took Kayla longer than she would like to admit to realize it was the same spot James had kicked. Dammit. Had he?

Kayla sat down next to her, and gently pried her hands off. She didn't know what she had expected. Perhaps a tear in the metal, for it to be leaking oil, or cooling, or some other important liquid bots had. There wasn't even a dent, no, scratch that, there wasn't even a mark from the kick. The leg was perfectly fine.