Second World

Chapter 8

With quick steps, I walk further in to let my eyes roam.

The whole room is filled with all kinds of toys and gadgets all around. Some of them are even walking, talking or flying as if they're alive. The room echoes with the tinkering of mechanics and joyful laughter.

I look up high and see a ceiling made out of glass, letting in skylight into the humungous room. From what I can see, the floors on each platform around the room have patches of glass that allows others to see the activities above and below me.

"What is this..." A small gasp escapes me.

"Cool, right?"

Code appears next to me with Ruby trailing behind. She's avoiding the glass patches while holding the helm of her gown close to her in attempts to prevent her undergarments from showing out.

A group of short looking beings that look like elves more than anything snickers mischievously as Ruby walks pass the patch of glass they are under below.

"Oh! Rude!" Ruby exclaims, throwing flushed glares at them through the glass.

"You should have changed before." Code chuckles. He takes a random jacket off a clothes rack and starts tying it around Ruby's waist. The girl's face flushes red behind her hands as she tries to hide it. 

Really?

I can't help but pull a face watching them. They do know tying a jacket around the waist won't actually solve the problem, right?

That's why I always wear something underneath, at the very little times I do wear a dress.

As I turn my eyes away from them, something heading towards us catches my eyes.

A bird?

A scarlet bird flies towards us and lands on Ruby's outstretched arm. With a closer look, I make out the separation lines on its body. It also illuminates light from red to yellow once it makes contact with Ruby. 

My hand reaches out to touch it but it hurriedly scurries away, making me flinch in response. Ruby giggles.

"This is Gem, she's very shy around people."

"She's a robot...?"

"A toy bird, to be exact."

"But it looks so real..." I continue observing Gem. Ruby caresses her, making Gem glow an electric blue.

"Zac made them."

I turn and instead of finding another bird perched on Code's shoulder, it's a tiny chameleon. It also has the same separation lines that distinguish it as a toy but it really doesn't look like one at all.

Code carries the realistic chameleon toy and gently places it on my shoulder.

"His name's Corn. Unlike Gem, he loves people."

Corn starts climbing down to my stomach and as I'm watching, he suddenly vanishes even though I can still feel its weight on me.

"Wha-!"

"He camouflaged. Chameleons do that, you know?"

"Yeah, I do." I roll my eyes at his tone. Corn reappears again wrapped around my leg.

This is incredible...

"I can't believe this. It's just a toy but it's so-"

"Real? Alive? Let's just say Zac has a knack for making stuff." Code crosses his arms proudly.

"He makes each of us a companion so we won't get lonely," Ruby says. "It's like a welcome present into the waorb." She giggles.

I raise a brow incredulously at her. "A present? That's almost too nice of him. I don't believe it."