A small Heart-to-Heart that I feel would have been better than the one we got. Ah, Hubris.
In Gormott, an old house built into the underside of the city creaked. It was filled to just below full with people, in various states of relaxation. Morag was reading a book on military history, standing in the corner with immaculate posture. Brighid was writing at a desk, planning tomorrow's schedule.
Nia was asleep on the top bunk. Dromarch was crouched underneath.
Lila and Tatazo were learning how to cook, courtesy of Pyra. The smell of cooking food drifted out of the kitchen, with the occasional hint of something burning.
And Tora, Rex, Zeke and Pandoria were hustled over Tiger! Tiger!, frantically nudging the little pixel nopon through a watery apocalypse, on behalf of Poppi. Speaking of Poppi, she was sitting to the side, looking out over the cloud sea through a root-covered window. If it got much higher, it might flood the house. Of course, it never had before.
Poppi shifted uncomfortably, making a few quiet whirrs as something mechanical did something mechanical. She felt like she was being watched.
She was.
There was a tapping sound on her shoulder. Poppi turned, seeing a furry hand shoot back almost as if she hadn't been expected to move. "Um, hey." Said a blade. Cream fur over her hands and forearms, and a somewhat... uncanny face. Fuzzy. "Would you mind, um, having a chat?" Nim. This was Nim. Invoking a field skill, no less. Although what use 'Animal linguistics' had here was questionable.
"Poppi is okay to chat!" Confirmed Poppi.
"O-oh, good! I-um, I-I'm Nim, and this is Kit-" She gestured to a blue fox over her shoulder. "And Sunny!" She gestured to the other. She paused awkwardly. "Do... do machines respond to names?"
"Poppi is Poppi. What did Nim come to chat with Poppi about?"
"I, er... Sunny? Help me out here?" Nim shrunk back. The orange fox nipped at her ear.
Poppi tilted her head. "Is friend Nim scared?"
"N-no! Yes? I just... well... Rex wanted me to t-talk to y-you, but... You're all... machine-y..."
"Poppi is Artificial Blade. There not so much different between us. Do not be scared. What you want to talk about?" Poppi aimlessly swung her legs a bit.
"W-well... it's just I... um... Oh, come on, Nim! She's just one robot! You're not scared of the big evil robots anyday! I'd like to chat... about..."
"Poppi is not evil. Or big. Only follows masterpon. Poppi thinks Nim is not enjoying chat very much." She deadpanned. "Poppi could activate QT mode if it would improve chat!"
Nim sighed. "Rex just... told me I should have a chat with you. It's just, I don't like robots and all this unnatural stuff, but... we ARE on the same side... R-right?"
"It ok. Poppi not upset. Always want new friends."
"R-really? Thanks! M-maybe this won't be so bad after all! Do you like nature? You can like things, right?"
"Should we chat about Cloud Sea?" Asked Poppi.
"Yes! It's such a natural wonder! And so beautiful! Nature is beautiful, right?"
"Cloud sea composed of highly unusual chemical compound almost impossible to analyse. When boiled, found high quantity of Silicon. It great scientific mystery." Poppi looked out over the sea. "Masterpon wonders where it came from. Cannot explain."
"Aw, that's what I don't like about all this science... that bit of boiled Cloud Sea is gone now. What if it's all gone eventually? Like all the pretty trees for lumber, and green mountains for ore?"
"But science help protect nature. Can tell if something wrong with cloud sea, and fix."
"R-really?"
"Well. Not yet. But we trying." Admitted Poppi, tapping her fingertips together.
"H-huh... well, okay. But please be careful with nature..."
"Poppi will be careful."
Nim nodded. "W-well! I did it! I talked to a robot! I... I'm fearless, see? Bye Poppi!" Nim hurried out of the room, twisting around the corner and out of sight as fast as possible.
"Goodnight, friend Nim." Called Poppi.
I plan to do a full story about XBC2 eventually, although first I want to complete my current story and take a break so my hands can recover. Of course, when motivation strikes, best to use it. Hope you enjoyed, thank you.
