The Living condition

6

It was another day where your father brought you along with him and another friend from work to his business partner's home. Your father's friend had loaded something into the backseat. You couldn't tell just what it was, covered in a blanket, but you'd seen white plating. You didn't know what it meant, being under double-digits.

The man with the tophat and a great big house. On the ride there, he'd taken a turn you didn't remember–having memorized the way to get back to your friend from home if you ever wanted to– and you bristled in the backseat of the car, uncomfortable with the unknown. Where was he taking you? Why would he not tell you? You don't like surprises. They make you feel squeamish and uncomfortable and itchy.

Come to find, the man in the tophat, his wife, and your friend had moved into a new home. A bigger one. A grand-er one. Something straight out of a fable you and your friend read together in her room with her little collection of books.

While your father and his business partners discussed whatever there was from work, your father's friend walked out to the car, and came back with the wrapped up,blanketed white thing. You and your friend watch on, peeking around the corner into the fancy-looking dining room as your father's friend pulls the sheet off. It looked like a person, kinda. Around your size, metal and all white and black. Your father's friend explains something that you don't understand. Something about the latest model or whatever. You, nor your friend care very much for the mumbo-jumbo the adults have to say. You just wanted to know what the thing was.

The two of you figure it out when the person-like thing comes to life, optics blinking and head tilted up at the man with the tophat, offering a polite wave and saying nothing.

You and your dear friend startle when the person-like-thing turns its head towards where the both of you are hiding, and offers the same polite wave with a little blink. Your friend waves back, a beaming grin on her face as you squinted at the thing, making up a judgment in your mind.

The two of you startle further when the man in the tophat dismisses the thing, and it starts walking straight for the both of you. You turn to run, but stop with your wrist caught in your friend's grip. She's excited, and you were worried. This was new. And weird. You don't know if you like that sort of thing. You have no experience with it.

The person-thing speaks, and your eyes go saucer-wide, amazed that it could talk. You'd made up your mind. You do like this new thing.

—

Archery. It was maybe not an activity you would've chosen to play around with, what with robots with solid aim and a lack of understanding in strength. Or...other advantages, you thought, sparing a glance at Sam, who was slouched and leaned back against a wooden wall.

One shot. Two shots. Six and a fire starts in the bullseye of a target, all courtesy of N, who grimaces as the fire starts, taking a breath "Ah, sorry. Did I..Cheat?"

An arrow that was improperly nocked in the hands of a surprised drone was released, impaling straight through the head of a classmate with a burst and spray of Oil as they hit the floor.

Proving your point, really. Let alone the fact you were going to stay on the benches that were protected from the blizzard on three sides, but you weren't risking your skull for silly fun.

V scoffs as she drops from above. Immediately you were looking above your head in confusion. When did she get up there? That was where Lizzy was too, wasn't it?

"You didn't even kill everyone here." V sighs as she nocked a bow with an arrow and drew back "Check this out." She turns, pointing the bow from drone to drone as they clapped for her. Pressure makes people do strange things, you supposed, sitting forward on the bench. You could've sworn you'd seen something out in the trees, but you didn't look for long. The idea of not keeping an eye on where V was pointing that thing set unease all throughout you. Did you think she would? Maybe not. But if there was anything she had tried to paint herself as, it was unpredictable and capable.