I give full credit to MeesterFinchy from DeviantART. MeesterFlinchy is a talented artist who originally came up with the concept of Baby Arcee, that this story is based on. Please visit his account and check out his amazing sketches. Here is his link: meesterfinchy
If someone told Jack that he would someday be in charge of a baby robot, he would probably ask the guy if he was on drugs. After all, there were a lot of shady characters lurking around Jasper, Nevada.
If the word "shady" was ever uttered, most eyes would cast over to the resident Jack Darby, a high school student still undergoing his awkward teenage phase.
Jack personally didn't see himself as shady. Sure, he wore dark clothes and he wasn't super sociable. Actually, he didn't have many friends. Correction, he didn't have friends at all. Then again, most teens his age were off having parties or racing in illegal races. Unlike them, Jack had a responsibility.
After his father left when he was six, Jack had to be the man of the house and help his mother, June Darby. June was a nurse at the local hospital, her hours were long and the pay wasn't all that great, but at least it helps put food on the table.
When Jack was old enough, he took a position at drive-thru window for KO Burgers. The pay wasn't all that good either and the customers were even worse.
So yeah, maybe he didn't have time to play with the other teens because he was still working his butt off to pay for his new motorbike and someday get out of this crazy town.
Then this happened...
He didn't mean to happen upon her (Do robots even have genders?). Oh well. He was only trying to get to school on time. After working an extra long shift for another employee, who promised to return the favor when they got back from their trip to New York. Jack was reasonably tired and had overslept. What resulted was him waking up at 7:30, and the bus leaving him behind.
Horrified by his dilemma, Jack hobbled around his room, grabbing whatever clothes he could find lying on the floor. He managed to salvage a worn pair of blue-jeans, stained from some KO sauce that got spilled on him by a jerk in the KO parking lot. And a stinky, black and gray shirt that he's pretty sure is growing fungus in the armpits.
He staggered around, jumping on one foot to fit his pants on, before running down to the kitchen, grabbing an apple and racing out the front door, his backpack swinging off one shoulder as he ran.
The yellow and black bus continued to move along, slowly increasing the distance between it and Jack. And no matter how loud he cried for it to stop, the driver didn't listen, probably because of all the kids inside were screaming and laughing; a few poked their heads out of the small rectangular windows and laughed him.
Jack eventually ran out of steam, steadily slowing his running to a complete stop. He huffed and puffed, sweat bleeding into his shirt, adding to the ripe smell. And the realization of his demise finally kicked him in the gut, making him bend forward to grab his shaking knees.
He was going to have to walk to school.
Jack opted to call his mom and asking for a ride, or maybe their nice neighbor next door, Mr. Rogers who was always happy to help the single mother and her son. Sadly, both were at work. Mr. Rogers was a store manager at the local Food-Mart in town and even if he managed (heh) to pick him up and drive Jack to school, he would still be missing first period, again, and that was going to demolish his grade in that class. He would have to retake it in summer school.
Jack hated the idea of summer school, but if things like this keep happening, he was going to be held back. Just one thing after another.
Taking in a deep breath, Jack stood up tall and began his long walk to school, if his math was right (which it probably wasn't, but he could try and be optimistic) then it will only be halfway through the first period and he could still get some credit for showing up. Maybe the teacher would actually cut him a break and not mark him down as absent. Mrs. Vera was a pretty understanding teacher and she often gave Jack some leeway. He never intentionally skip his classes, and she knew that too.
He was about halfway there and according to his phone, it was 8:00, so class was already starting. He passed by a few shopping stores for clothes, shoes, haircuts. The later made Jack comb his fingers through his jet-black bangs, swiping them away from his eyes. He was due for a trim and his mother would often snub him for never getting it cut. She always said that she could cut it for him, but every time she set a date and time for it, something from the hospital always came up.
Jack walked by Pins Fabric when he heard a loud bang coming from the alley between Pins and Fabric and Simple Shoes. Jack, surprised by the sudden sound, stopped and looked down the narrow space between the two brick buildings. Inside was some paper waste that littered the concrete ground and a few metal trashcans. One of the metal cans was shaking as if a raccoon or possum had somehow gotten stuck while scavaging for some food late last night.
Jack grimaced at the idea and decided to ignore the rattling. It wasn't his business to see what was in the trashcan.
He started to leave when the trashcan fell over and tumbling out of it was a blue and gray robot, about the size of a toddler, with a silver and red crest protruding from her forehead. She had large, curious cyan and lavender optics that spun around, scanning the area before landing on him.
Seeing another life form, the little bot clumsily staggered to her feet and charged towards Jack, little black and blue arms raised as if to grab him.
Jack, for his part, didn't know what to do at first, however, when he saw the little run race at him, his instincts kicked him and he started running away from the robot.
Sadly, despite the little bot's short legs, she was actually much faster than she appeared, easily catching up to Jack in a matter of seconds. Jack screamed in surprise when she jumped onto the back of his legs, knocking his out his knees and sending them both to the ground. He clenches his eyes shut waiting for her to shred him pieces like in the movies.
Instead, he felt someone hugging his legs. The baby robot cried out in both despair and fear, squeezing Jack tightly while squeaking in a language he couldn't even begin to understand. It was random noises: clicks, whines, and whirls. All of them strung together, but the main message became clear to Jack when the little bot stared up at him with those pathetically adorable optics of hers, flickering with strange blue liquid. She rubbed her metal cheek against his pants, placating to him that she was no threat.
Jack stared in amazing, never in his life had he ever encountered a baby robot...
The little one continued to cry, much like a lost child. Out of some sort of parental instinct, maybe a bit of his doting mother rubbing off of him, Jack managed to shift himself to a sitting position, grabbing the little robot and cradling her against his stomach. "Hey, what's the matter? A-Are you lost?" He honestly wasn't sure if she was or not. Sure, someone could replace their toy RC car, but this wasn't an RC car. No, this was a robot that was moving and expressing emotions.
Kind of like that one movie he used to love as a kid. That movie had a robot come alive and express joy and sadness and anger, all the things humans and animals could feel, but a robot was something of a different element entirely.
He'll have to watch it again sometime for the nostalgia. But right now...
"Who's your creator?" He asks because every robot has to have a creator. Maybe there was some weird scientist nearby who decided to make a robot baby and then like any new parent ended up losing track of his child/creation. That had to be the case. Right?
She looked up at him with those big soulful optics and Jack's stomach dropped. Her mournful expression mirrored his own when his father walked out the door and never came back.
The idea of school was put on the back burner. Jack hugged the little robot close, gently rubbing her smooth metal back. Despite her being a machine, she was oddly warm and felt alive. He felt her snuggle against his chest, finally calming down.
She sniffs her tiny sharp gray fingers (digits?) gripping his gray shirt, refusing to let go. Jack sighs, "You're not gonna leave me alone are you?"
The robot blinks, but doesn't reply, instead, she yawns very cutely and nuzzles her head on his chest. With his hand still resting atop her back, Jack could feel a small engine or something, purring beneath his palm.
Yep. This just happened.
He looks around, noting that there was no one around. Most of the residences in Jasper were either at work, school, or, if they were seniors, then they couldn't be bothered to leave the comfort and convenience of their homes.
However, while this was good for Jack, it didn't help him on what to do about this little bot. She was now asleep against him and probably couldn't be bothered to wake up. Not that he would want to. From the looks of it, she's been alone for a while and maybe he reminded her of someone that she knew and trusted. Either way, he knew he couldn't abandon her as her creator did. He didn't want to be like his father.
Sighing to himself, Jack carefully gets to his feet, the little bot shifts but doesn't wake up. He looks to the left, down the road, about a mile away was Memorial High School. Jack looks down to the right, also about a mile was his house.
And in his arms was a robot baby.