"Well, this is the place," Dean Ambrose said grumpily. He looked up from the brightly lit storefront to the company logo above the entrance. WWE Systems, it read.
Beside Dean, his diminutive wife was looking into the store with an excited expression on her face. "Dean, look, they have so many different models!" she exclaimed.
Dean looked down at her. "I don't suppose there's any point in making one more attempt to talk you out of this idea is there, Lexi?"
Alexa Ambrose shook her head and almost pouted up at him. "No, there's not. We've talked about this a bunch of times, and you agreed that buying an android was a good idea. Amelia is nine now, Dean. Nine. I haven't had a job since before she was born. I miss working. I want to get back out there."
"I get that," Dean said with a sigh. "It's not you going back to work that I have a problem with. I just don't see why we can't have a human for a nanny. Why do we need one of these plastic pieces of shit?"
"There's not pieces of shit," Alexa insisted. She grabbed his hand and pulled him over to the window display on the right hand side of the store's entrance. The display was promoting WWE Systems' latest and greatest innovation of android, the NXT series. A male and female model were on show. "Tell me they don't look exactly like people to you?"
That was one thing Dean couldn't argue with. The last few series of android, especially these latest ones, were very difficult, if not impossible to distinguish from real people. At least, they would have been if they didn't have the small blue processor light on their right temple – a legal requirement for all androids. If anything, they looked too realistic for Dean's liking. He found it kind of creepy that something synthetic could be made to be so lifelike. "Yes, they look exactly like people," he admitted.
"And they're the perfect choice for a nanny," Alexa insisted. "They don't fail to show up. They don't get tired. They don't get angry or frustrated."
"And they'll do all the cleaning for you," Dean added, his first attempt at humour of the morning.
Alexa giggled happily. "And that. Come on, let's go in."
Taking Dean's hand again, Alexa led him into the store. She headed right over to the centrepiece display for the new NXT series androids. It was arranged right in the middle of the store, so that every customer had to walk past it in some way. "We have to get one of these ones, Dean," she said, looking up at him with the pleading expression that rarely failed to get her what she wanted from her man.
"The most expensive ones, of course," he replied dryly.
"But the best ones," she retorted.
"That's right, these are our latest and best models, the NXT series," a grey haired salesman said, approaching them with a true salesman's smile on his face. He was a human at least, Dean saw. "Good morning. My name is Eric, and I'll be happy to help you in any way I can."
"You want to help me? Half that price," Dean said, pointing to the amount displayed below the NXT series logo: $7000. It amused him that the word 'only' preceded the amount.
"I would if I could," the assistant said with another smile. "But if you have your hearts set on an NXT series and you're struggling with the price, we do have finance options available."
"We don't need finance options, he's just teasing you," Alexa said.
Dean rolled his eyes. "Great negotiating skills, darlin'."
Eric laughed quietly at their interaction before launching into his sales pitch. "The NXT series is our most refined model to date. They feature our most realistic appearances yet, fully customisable to suit your requirements. The NXT series also has our latest processor and programming, with added features such as the ability to run for twenty four hours straight in low power mode, and reduced recharging times."
"We've read up on them already," Dean informed him. "You've done even more to make them seem like people, like having them blink realistically and shit like that."
"Yes, we have," Eric confirmed happily, showing no reaction to the profanity.
Alexa had been walking slowly around the display area while the men talked. She completed her circuit of it and posed a question to the salesman. "If we purchase today, is there a waiting time until we get our android?"
"If you go for one that is made to order there is a waiting time of approximately three weeks from order. However, you can take away one of our display models today if you see one you like."
"Ohh, Dean, can we get one today?" Alexa asked excitedly.
"You want it darlin', not me. If you see one you want, we'll get it."
"Have a look with me then," she encouraged, taking his hand once more.
As they began to browse the androids on show, Eric went with them and continued with his sales patter. Dean tried his best to take an interest in what they were looking at. There were male and female examples on display, with all ethnicities represented. Each android wore the black uniform with light blue finishes that WWE Systems had designed for its domestic androids, the only difference between male and female being pants for males and knee length skirts for females. The right breast had a light blue patch that bore the letters NXT in white lettering, so that the series of the android was publically displayed – another legal requirement. On the left breast was a similar patch, on which the androids name would be displayed. Currently, it bore the model number instead: NXT-558.
"I think Amelia would prefer a female nanny, don't you?" Alexa asked him.
"Yeah, probably," Dean said.
Alexa stopped in front of a blonde android. It was currently deactivated, as they all were, but it had a slight smile on its face that Alexa thought her young daughter would like. "How about this one?" she asked.
"What's that on its cheek?" Dean asked Eric.
"NXT models can come with blemishes, just like people," Eric replied. "This one has been given a mole on her cheek."
Dean turned to his wife. "I'm not sure about that, babe. It looks weird."
"Don't be like that," Alexa implored him. "I like this one. Amelia will like this one. Can we get it, please?" The final word was delivered in her most persuasive manner.
"Alright," Dean relented. "If your heart is set on this one, we'll get this one."
"Okay, great. Shall we go and process the order?" Eric suggested.
Dean agreed, and they were led to the back of the store, where they could sit in some privacy and complete the order. In less than fifteen minutes, Dean was seven grand worse off, and he was the owner of an android. Or, rather, his wife was.
"Thank you, baby," Alexa said sweetly after the purchase had been completed and Eric had sent all of the relevant documentation to her phone. She gave her husband a peck on the cheek.
"Now, what do you say we go meet your new android?" Eric asked, hyping the prospect up for them.
"I say let's go!" Alexa exclaimed. This time, she was the one to lead the way across the store, stopping in front of the android they had just bought.
"How do we turn it on?" Dean asked. He really had no clue about anything to do with technology, having hated it all throughout his life.
Eric supressed a grin at the way the question had been phrased. "First, we need a name. Let me guess, you're going to be the one to choose it, Alexa?" They had gotten on first name terms during the closing of the deal.
"Hmmm," Alexa said thoughtfully. "What do you think, baby?" she asked Dean.
"I don't know," he groaned. His patience was starting to wear thin now. "Just pick something so we can get out of here."
"Alright, how about Ronda?" Alexa said. "I think she looks like a Ronda."
"How are you spelling that?" Eric asked.
"R-o-n-d-a," Alexa guessed.
Eric nodded, then addressed the android. "NXT-558, activate. Your name is Ronda. R-o-n-d-a."
The name appeared on the left side of the uniform in the correct space as the android's grey eyes opened. NXT-558 got her first look at the world, seeing a WWE Systems salesman standing in front of her, along with a man with scruffy, sandy coloured hair and a leather jacket standing next to an exceptionally short woman with blonde hair that had pink dye at the ends. Her processor began running boot up messages across the left side of her display.
ACTIVATED
WWE SYSTEMS NXT SERIES DOMESTIC ANDROID – NXT-558
ASSIGNED NAME: RONDA
DATE: 08/06/40
TIME: 10:16
"These are your owners, Dean and Alexa," Eric said.
OWNERS: DEAN AND ALEXA – FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS
"Nice to meet you, Dean and Alexa," Ronda said in a pleasant voice that was indistinguishable from that of a well-spoken person. "My name is Ronda, and I'm happy to serve you."
"That is so cool!" Alexa yelped, nearly jumping up and down in excitement.
"It's kind of creepy," Dean mumbled.
Ronda's processor analysed his words and expression in real time and displayed a message for her.
WARY OF ANDROIDS
"It's natural to be uncertain initially," Ronda said reassuringly. "I'm sure we'll get along just fine."
"Oh my, I love this already," Alexa said. Androids were a common part of everyday life, so she wasn't new to interacting with them. Even so, it was something else to own one, and to have it respond to her and call her by her name.
"Ronda, Dean and Alexa have paid for you. You're free to accompany them now," Eric instructed.
NEW TASK: ACCOMPANY DEAN AND ALEXA
Ronda stepped down off the little pedestal she had been standing on and stood next to Dean. "Please lead the way," she said.
"I don't think I've ever touched an android before," Dean said. Reluctantly, he offered his hand to Ronda.
"You will find I don't feel any different to a person," Ronda said, taking his hand and shaking it firmly.
"No, you don't," he muttered, looking at her hand in his. "You feel exactly like a person. You're even warm."
"Naturally," Ronda smiled. "My ideal operating temperature is the same as yours."
Dean looked uncertainly at Alexa.
"Relax, honey. You'll soon get used to it… I mean her," she quickly corrected herself.
"Well, guys, thank you again for your purchase," Eric said. "If you experience any issues or have any questions that you don't feel comfortable asking Ronda, please don't hesitate to contact WWE Systems."
"Will do, thanks," Dean said.
"Uh, follow us, Ronda," Alexa said awkwardly. "We're going to drive home, and you can meet our daughter, Amelia. It'll be your job to be her nanny."
NEW TASK (PERMANENT): CARE FOR AMELIA (OWNER'S DAUGHTER)
"I understand," Ronda confirmed with a polite nod. Her processor light had lit up yellow instead of blue for a brief moment as she added the task to her list. "I'm looking forward to seeing my new home," she added as they walked across the store.
A/N: Thank you for reading this! At the moment, I've marked it as complete as a one shot. However, if there is interest in more, I may continue and make it a full story. Please let me know your thoughts in a review!