Rox: Well here it is. The beginning of the second fic in the Hybrid trilogy. X3

When I first started out writing Dysfunctional, I didn't think anyone would like it. Boy was I wrong.

This fic may take a few chapters to really get rolling, and it's slightly badguy centric. Enjoy.

Prologue

Roxy McSocks half opened her eyes. Something warm was snuggled up against her, in what felt like a suit. Her eyes shot open all the way, hoping to see Telemarketer 118-7. She sighed when she saw it was just her Hybrid daughter, Sal.

How weird was that? She had a full grown daughter who's father was a Cog, was at best a night old and she herself was only 18. How was she going to explain this to her parents?

Roxy sighed again, pulled Sal into a hug and closed her eyes.

The Chief Financial Officer rubbed the rest of the sleep out of his eyes as he entered his office. He had just reached his desk when the phone rang.

"Nine?" he yawned down the phone. "Who is it at this hour?"

"It's the VP sir, he says it's urgent."

The Cashbot sighed. "All right, put him through."

"Jacques?" came the voice of the Senior Vice President.

"What time do you call this, Elmo?" he grouched. "I'm not even at my desk yet."

"This is urgent."

"So you said."

"Our Cogs may be capable of falling in love with a Toon."

He blinked. ". . . Whut?"

"All right, let me explain. You know of Telemarketer 118-7 and Roxy McSocks, I hope."

"Yu-huh?"

"Well they fell in love."

"They did what?"

"They fell in love," the VP patiently repeated.

". . . How?"

"Obviously I can't explain how or why the Toon did, but the Foreman analysed Seven's hard drive and discovered a program that made him reciprocate her feelings. It's been in a dormant state since his construction. Which suggest that all my Sellbots, at least, could do the same."

"Elmo," the CFO objected. "It's too early in the morning for this."

"Well tough, now you know."

He sighed. "I guess I'd better make looking into it the first thing on my agenda."

"Let me know if you find anything."

"Well duh."

The Vice President chuckled. "Good morning to you too, Jacques." Then hung up. He rubbed one eye, picked up the phone again and dialled 159-2, the Lawbot Second-in-Command's extension number.

Mayor Flippy's brow furrowed in deep concern. "And you're sure he won't . . . manufacture more of these. . . Hybrids?"

Mercedes Paw nodded. "From what I overheard when he was explaining to the VP, he was hinging it all on Sal."

Flippy glanced over at her. "Hmm. I'll have to discuss this further with Gyro. Though, what are we going to do with her?"

"Well. We were hoping you would be able to answer that."

He sighed and turned to Sal. "What are you prepared to do?"

The Hybrid scratched her chin. "Um, well. I'm half Cog, so I'd be happy to do paperwork. But since I'm half Sellbot, I'd prefer to be able to sell things."

"I don't suppose we could expect you to attack Cogs?"

She looked horrified by the idea.

"Thought not," he sighed. "All right, I'll see what I can do."

Ursula Cheese stared nervously around at the faces of the four Cog Bosses. The Chief Financial Officer regarded her father with a neutral, if somewhat troubled expression. The Vice President looked a little on edge, the Chief Justice did not look happy to say the least and her older brother, the Chief Executive Officer just looked confused.

"So I presume you gathered us here to explain why you went against my orders?" the Lawbot growled.

"Indeed," Big Cheese replied. "Hybridising Roxy McSocks and 118-7 was to be the last experiment, to see if they would solve the problem. If they did not, that was to be the end of it. If however, it had worked, and the Hybrids were born sane, I was hoping you would reconsider."

"Reconsider? Why did you think I put an end to the experiment?"

Doubt crept into Big Cheese's expression. "Why, because the Hybrids were insane, savage and controllable, with no sign of improvement and. . . despite our best attempts, a lot of my Bossbots lost their lives to them."

"That's incorrect. I put an end to the experiment to put an end to the creation of Hybrids in their entirety, sane or insane."

The Master blinked. "But. . . why?"

"Because they're an abomination!" he snapped and glared at Ursula who looked stung by the comment. "If Hybrids were meant to exist, Cogs would be able to breed with Toons."

"But we could stand a real chance of-"

"Enough! I won't hear anymore of this! Get out of my chambers and take that. . . thing with you!"

The Bossbot's fists clenched and his eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.

"I think we should put it to a vote."

All eyes turned to the Senior Vice President.

"What?" the Chief Justice asked, stunned.

"You heard me, Monty. Put it to a vote."

"Elmo, are you siding with Cheesy?" the CFO asked, struggling to comprehend the fact.

The Sellbot shrugged. "I just don't think it fair for the five of us, well, one, to decide whether our Cogs can have the opportunity to become a parent or not, regardless of whether or not this is what Cheesy wants. And especially, just because you're opposed to the idea, Monty. I say put it to the vote. Let our Cogs decide."

"Elmo, I cannot believe I am hearing this."

"He's got a point though, Monty. As it stands, you're the only one with the big issue."

The Lawbot glared at him. "You too, Jacques?"

"Yeah. Me too. Whatever our Cogs decide, I'll stand by it."

"Consider this, Lamont. Do you pass laws, or make changes to existing ones without a vote?"

He grit this teeth, then sighed. "Touche."

The Vice President turned to the CEO. "What about you, Roscoe. What do you think?"

The young Cog looked taken aback. "Me? Um. Well. I'm with you guys. Sorry, Monty."

"I see I'm outnumbered. Very well then, I'll put it to a vote."