LET'S [test] DRIVING

[cava]

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN, YOU KNOW THE DRILL. Here's a few options, all stolen shamelessly from previous iterations.

> The Park. Man, what a nice day out. Why not enjoy it? I'm sure -- shit, yep, there's some echo monsters or whatever they're called.
> The Mall. Exactly what it says on the tin! Dodge the hordes of teenage mallrats or take part, whichever suits your tastes.
> Rainy Day. Agh, it's fucking awful out. And is it raining those vermilion things?? Now you've got an Echo to contend with on top of everything else. Find some shelter, quick!
> Arts and Crafts Fair. WILL THE KITSCH OVERWHELM YOU


or make up your own whatever this is basic and just for the purposes of getting a new test drive up.

Comments

[amajin]

[He fakes a sniffle]

That's cos you're such a cute little bunny, m'dear!

[He rubs her head as she breaks away, and follows along.]

So, how about lunch and then we go clothes shopping. I'll tell my boss I can't come in cos it's hard to be a single dad. I'll buy you some new boots.

[sucrosity]

[There's some groaning as she pulls out her ponytail and begins to smooth the top and tie it back up.]

I'm not a bunny!

[At the offer of new boots, however, she grins, and whirls to look at him while she talks, walking backwards.]

You mean it?! New boots would be great, the other ones are getting all cracked along the side...

[Wait.]

You were here for more than sunglasses, though, weren't you?

[She's certainly going to take him up on the offer of new boots, but if he's here for something they should take care of that first.]

[amajin]

[He lifts his shoulders]

I was gonna buy some new shirts to impress your mom with, but it was a futile endeavor from the start.

[sucrosity]

[Ah. As she'd suspected. She rolls her eyes.]

Just iron one of the ones you already have and she won't even notice.

[amajin]

She does, though! She always notices and gives me these dirty looks!!

[He groans and runs his fingers through his hair]

Hey, she doesn't talk bad about me around you, does she?

[sucrosity]

She only notices when you look like a wannabe gigolo, dad.

[At the question, her eyes flicker down. She tilts her head, drawing up her nose thoughtfully.]

We don't talk about you that much.

[And when they do, it's mostly her complaining, and her mother telling her to stop being so whiny.]

[amajin]

That silver lame shirt was amazing! I can't believe you threw it out.

[He pouts. But her commentary is reassuring at least.]

Well, that's a relief. Only when you're telling her what a great dad I am, I'm sure.

Anyway, boots, right?

[sucrosity]

I wish it were here, so I could throw it out again.

[That thing made him look like he was trying to recapture the glory days of his youth, only his youth was back when disco was a thing.

She's perfectly droll when she speaks again.]

Yes. Definitely.

Boots. Maybe floral print...

[amajin]

What, like rain boots?

[He had tried to retrieve his shirt out of the trash but someone, probably Yoko, had thrown food on it. She was devilishly clever, that one.]

You wanna get some lunch first, tell me how practice is going, tennis champ?

[sucrosity]

No, not rain boots, Doc Martens!

[She already has three pairs. Which is nowhere near enough.]

Sure! You can tell me about whatever your robots are getting up to. Have they started planning a rebellion yet?

[amajin]

Don't you already have a pair of Doc Martens?

[He's pretty sure he's bought at least two, but maybe one pair wore out? He only remembers because Doc Martens cost money.]

The most rebellious stuff my robots get up to is giving my boss the finger, and that's cos I programmed them to do that.

[sucrosity]

Yeah...? They're old, though.

[Not that a year and half had that much effect on them, realistically--but she'd milk this, if she could.]

Man, you'd think 'I build robots for a living' would be more exciting!

[amajin]

[He raises an eyebrow but he's vain enough that he has a few pairs of his favorite shoes.]

All right, all right, Doc Martens. Those are supposed to last forever, or something, aren't they? So you better not ask for another pair next week.

[He laughs]

C'mon, my robots save lives, that's pretty cool.

[sucrosity]

[Day saved by dad's ego, hell yes.]

Yes! [She shrugs.] They're supposed to. I'll wait until your next paycheck!

[Said with a smile.]

It is, but when do you built the terminator?

[amajin]

[He rolls his eyes. But he's also well aware of his weakness to begging.]

I'll just sell the old ones on Ebay the next time you want new ones.

[He shakes his head]

From my own child... Skynet built the terminators. And the guy who built Skynet blew himself up to stop that from happening. Do you want to see that happen to your dear old dad?

ECHOES, ECHOES EVERYWHERE

[sucrosity]

No! [):<]

I know, I know! You could make the not evil kind.

[Thinking about Jin dying makes her blanch, and she stops in her tracks, looking at him for too long to pass off.

She wants to cry, suddenly. Her voice is thin when she speaks.] No, I guess not.

[She turns on her heel to walk forwards.]

[amajin]

[He pauses, looking after her with a confused tilt to his head. What's wrong? Is she really afraid of that? Poor bun...]

Aw, bun, don't worry about it. Your dad's too selfish to sacrifice his life, right! I'd have weaseled out of it somehow.

Plus, I'm not gonna make Skynet. Stuff like that results from trying to make something absolutely perfect. You have to give your programming room to grow and change, right? Especially if it's an AI.

[sucrosity]

[I'd have weaseled out of it somehow--that cold, heart-stopping feeling again, then:

What'll happen to you if we do this? I figure, I come up with some kind of last second genius--He lies!

She whips around, lifting her hands to grab at his lapels. She searches his face, looking for that wannabe casual expression. She doesn't find it, right away. Don't say that.

[Her grip loosens, and she tilts her head down to stare at his tie. She scrounges up something a little less weird.] Everything's better with some imperfection, right?

[amajin]

[He just blinks at her, bending over to be better able to see her face.]

Bun... I...

[Something about her expression, this fear for his well-being... It resonates somewhere. He knows he's mortal, he knows - or hopes... prays maybe, that she will outlive him. But this seems more immediate. Some part of him feels that sword of damocles hanging over his head, and it's lower than he would have thought... He puts his hand on her head.]

I'm not goin' anywhere, if I've got anything to say about it. I got way too much stuff I wanna do.

[He kisses her on the forehead, despite them being in public.]

Yep, yep, yep! That's why I try so hard not to be the perfect dad. It's tough!