Alright, the following is a story that I wrote for a friend who for some reason is fascinated with the concept of Tallulah and Carl. And although she has asked repeatedly for a full story and not just a oneshot, this is for now just a oneshot. It's a little wierd for me to write so I'm not making any commitments! However, if for some reason others actually read and review this story, I might think about turning it into more than a oneshot...or I might just cave in and give my friend more than a oneshot anyways. In fact, I'll just title the whole story and this as a chapter just in case I do give in. What a pushover I can be...oh well. Hope this isn't too bizarre : P
Who Said Hot Water and Robots Don't Mix
My name is Tallulah and I am a Robinson. Which means one of many things: I am different. It's not that I necessarily enjoy being different, it's just that it's almost expected of me. But I guess before I begin filling up my latest attempt at a diary with complaints about my life, I should stop and reflect. I really do love my family, more than anything, but being different is hard. Everyone looks at my mom and automatically assume that she's just a puppet and that dad is certifiably insane. But mom is more than just a puppet. She has artificial intelligence like any android or robot. I mean, look at Carl. Is he any less well human like just because he's made of metal? The same goes for mom. Of course not everyone I know sees it that way. They just think it's weird. I wonder why I'm so concerned with what everyone thinks anyways. I'm just so self conscious. Mom has always been a bit critical and, well, I've always been ridiculed for my deep voice. Maybe that's why I'm so determined to be as beautiful and up in fashion as possible. I've just got to prove to the world that Tallulah Robinson can shine as bright as any normal girl.
Tallulah closed her diary. She had written just about all she could think of for the moment. She looked around her very chic bedroom, her eyes resting upon her own reflection staring back at her from her large vanity. She cringed at the sight of her tangled hair and unpainted face. She couldn't help but feel hideous. There was no way she was going to breakfast looking like this. Even if it was just her family, she still wanted them to see her as beautiful.
Tallulah's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone pounding on her door, "Who's there?"
"Tallulah, it's me," came the sound of Tallulah's brother.
"Go away, Lasz. I've go to get ready."
"Tallulah! I need to ask you a favor," Laszlo persisted.
Tallulah knew he wouldn't stop until she found out what he wanted. Thus, she went to open the door, not caring what her brother though of her looks. "What is it, Laszlo?"
"One of the hot water valves is busted. Besides the master bathroom, yours is the only one with hot water. We felt Wilbur, Bud and Lucille were the only other ones with any right to use the master bathroom. So the rest of us wanted to know if we could use yours?"
Tallulah really didn't care for the idea of sharing, especially with the several untidy men in the house, but she knew that it was what families did for one another. "Alright, Lasz. Just give me time to…"
Laszlo didn't let her finish. "She said yes, guys!"
Before she had time to respond, Tallulah was being stampeded by the rest of the Robinson clan. She tried fighting past them, but instead found herself being pushed through them and out into the hall. Once at the end of the procession, she found herself falling at a fast speed with no way to steady herself. She braced herself for the fall, but felt herself be engulfed in someone's arms instead.
She felt the arms with her hands and realized that they were a metal of some sort. Knowing who it was, she opened her eyes to see Carl. "Are you okay?" he asked with genuine concern.
"Yeah, I think so," Tallulah stood upright and began brushing herself off. She immediately realized she was still in her night clothes and robe and became embarrassed. She looked at the long line in her room and felt her heart sing. "How very rude."
"Yeah, I agree. It was a little rude of them to just bombard you like that. They could have at least let you go first," Carl responded.
"I didn't mean to say that out loud," now Tallulah felt even more embarrassed.
"You didn't mean anything by it," Carl said, not even realizing that Tallulah felt foolish. "Well, it'll be awhile before you can claim your bathroom back. I guess no one will be eating breakfast either. I better go tell Lefty."
"Wait, how long do you think it will be?" Tallulah asked.
"Well, let me see," Carl punched in some numbers and a piece of paper shot from his mouth. "Looks like you won't be seeing your bathroom again until lunchtime," Carl said before walking off to find Lefty. Tallulah looked back at the line in her room, heaved a sigh and decided to follow Carl.
"Hold the family breakfast, Lefty. We've got a bit of a crisis on our hands," Carl explained to Lefty who was already setting things out on the dining room table. "I have a feeling people will be getting their breakfast –of any- individually."
"I'll take some now, though, Lefty," Tallulah decided she had nothing better to do, although she still felt very awkward with what she was wearing. She sat down and began trying to comb her hair with her fingers.
Carl eyed her curiously. He knew that Tallulah was obsessed with fashion and all, but he still felt the need to suppress a laugh at her unneeded vanity. "You look fine. There's no one here who cares what you look like."
Tallulah snapped her head up and looked at Carl with a face that couldn't decide whether it should be hurt or furious. "I'm just trying to look halfway presentable. It's not like I'm some teenage girl at a slumber party."
"I didn't mean anything to offend you," Carl defended himself. "I just meant there's no one here who will think less of you if you're not, uh, all, uh, dolled up." He looked around for support from Lefty, but the large octopus butler had already left. "In fact, I'm the only one here."
"I'm sorry, Carl. I shouldn't have snapped like that. I guess I'm just a little self conscious is all," Tallulah apologized.
"Well, I can't say I really understand. After all, I'm a male robot built by a male genius," Carl chuckled nervously. Tallulah tried to stifle a laugh, but it wasn't long before the two had broken out into an all out laughing spree. Suddenly, Carl accidentally whacked the pitcher of orange juice, sending it spilling all over Tallulah. "Oh no! Oh no! I'm so sorry!" Carl frantically grabbed for napkins to hand to Tallulah. "Please don't have Cornelius deactivate me!"
"Of course not, Carl. It was just an accident."
"I know, but I feel so bad."
"And I feel so sticky. I guess I'll just have to go take a shower now," Tallulah stood to her feet.
"What do you mean now? Do you think someone will let you in front of them?"
"Ha. Not likely. I'll just grab my things and take a shower in the family bathroom."
"But there's no hot water in that bathroom."
"So I'll take a cold shower. It can't be that bad."
"Not that bad? Freezing cold water for extended periods of time can lower the body temperature, increasing the risk of severe cold."
"I'm sure I'll be fine. I'll just be in and out," Tallulah assured as she left the dining room.
"In and out, heh!" Carl smirked. Everyone in the Robinson house knew it took Tallulah longer than anyone else to do anything, especially when it came to getting ready. Carl brought his hand to the side of his face and tapped it with his fingers a few times. Without giving it anymore thought, he ejected a blueprint from inside him. He spread it out before him and traced it with a finger until he found what he wanted. He quickly grabbed the blueprint, pulled out a disassembler and disassembled a large air vent. "What are you thinking, Carl?" he asked himself as he trudged through the underbelly of the house looking for his target. "Wilbur must be rubbing off on me," he added sarcastically before finally reaching a large pipe. He double checked before setting the blueprint down. He reached up and grabbed it with one hand, opened the front of his chest and turned a small knob with his other. It wasn't long before he felt the heat coursing through his circuits, heating the water that flowed through the pipe he held onto.