ACT 4: Everyone Makes Mistakes
Chapter 1
Edge of Quake-villa
It was odd, very odd for Nora to look at the old sign that said the towns name, the whole thing looked surreal. Quake-villa, It's the little sister of Tremorton, no too far off and also a bit smaller, kind of like a mix of a Hill Billy village and a town with modern suburbs, plenty of strange people would find living there to be their fancy, except for Nora, she hated living in that kind of environment, not enough opportunity or people who shared same interest in technology.
Nora had never stepped in this town for many years, she herself doesn't remember, to her this plain of land was a place never to look back on, she immersed her memory's as a little child playing in the fields or shopping for spare parts, it was an all like a sour memory, both of nostalgia and grief that she herself was not liked in this town, at all.
Her reputation with the locals is...not so nice to say the least. She was known throughout her life here to have caused troubles with her inventions more times than earthquakes happened in Tremorton and Quake-Villa combined. When the opportunity came for her to run away, she took it, when she turned 16, her brilliance was finally seen, and was given a chance to go to the best schools in the country, far away from here.
She didn't mind much on leaving such a place, with all her friends (or lack there was) or even her family, they all wanted her to have different interests, especially her sisters, the environmental hippie. She would purposely throw away her inventions or sabotage them, believing that her inventions were indeed a curse on the poor town's folk. Sure, many of her inventions back fired, but if Wisteria would not get in the way then maybe most of her creations wouldn't destroy someone property.
Nora took a long breath in, she had to break the threshold on this feeling, she knew she came here for a reason, but now in the back of her brilliant mind she had second thoughts. What if her mother will just insult her, for running away from home and never giving a call, or even coming to visit?
Its more insulting she never even came when she heard her Mother was issued to the hospital, she just called to she if she was ok, and boy did she get an earful from her Mother over the phone. She feels regretful even coming now, it would've better to call.
She pressed forward though, she drove her car past the sign, now entering in the town.
"Its just as cruddy as when I left it." Nora said to herself in disdain.
The downtown area was as rustic as before, save now its more older looking, and some stores were now gone, or replaced by newer different stores, but not by anything that made the town look or feel any different.
She went to her old neighborhood then, and saw it, her old home, their house looking little different then everyone else's house, other then by its dull pink color and it having the "Wakeman" family name on top their door for all to see.
Nora drove past it, not wanting to look at what had changed on the house, if she did she would've noticed how it was more "blooming" with fauna then before, clearly showing who in the family was taking care of the house.
She went to the hospital where her mother was being taken care off. To this towns credit, at least the Hospital wasn't some outback country shed where they relied on the poorest of medicine, they had modern technology and well supplied with it, it was Nora's only place she would feel best Sancturary at, because while younger, she would do volunteer work here, helping fix any machines or computers here and there, though many locals were always afraid she might turn an simple machine to that weeks usual incident.
She got out, and went into the hospital, the weird smell of the hospital hit her nose quite as soon as she stepped in. From there, she saw the check in lady, Mrs. Tarter behind the desk, she looked as sweet but menacing as last time Nora saw her.
"Um, hello?" Nora asked, trying to hope she doesn't need to introduce how she's doing, she just wants the room number of her Mother.
Yet alas, when Mrs. Tater looked up, immediately recognized the Wakeman, and had on her a cheerful expression that emphasized her smile too much. "Oh my Goodness! Nora Wakeman, is that really you? Its been years since I've seen you, how many though, I cant remember."
Nora hoped she wouldn't be this overly thrilled to see her, but went with it just to get by soon as possible. "Um, hello Mrs. Tater, yes it has been pretty long hasn't it? Well, look, I don't want to be rude and cut it short, but I'm here to see my Mother, I hope I can visit her."
"Why of course!" Mrs. Tater said in glee. She didn't even need to look up where her mother was, she just said "She's in room A34, you know where that is don't you?"
"Yes, I'll be alright, thank you." Nora quickly left the room without even looking back, she was just glad to not get into some unnecessary conversation.
She went down the hallway to find her Mothers room, on the way she found a mini shop with flowers, she obviously couldn't come empty handed.
Finally, the door "A34" was found. It looked like to anyone just a regular door, but to Nora, it felt like a gate about to unleash something regretful and horrible.
Nora up to this point didn't know what to say, she had hoped either her mind will come up with something, or the conversation will occur naturally.
She peeked inside through the window, there an aged woman was just laying a bed, reading a book about some "Dao" in life, Nora scoffed knowing it was the work of her sister's influence on her own mother.
Nora breathed slowly, then her heart rushing by just thinking of even opening the door, it felt like weights were put on her, and for good reason. She couldn't stand any longer, she reached for the door, and opened it slowly.
From there, she could see her mother had put down the book she was reading, her expression went through a rapid pace of emotions, of joy, anger, relief, grief and disappointment. It was hard for her to even think about what to say, but she said anyway "Well... it's been some time hasn't it."
Nora didn't flinch on those words, she could tell from the cold dead pan voice that her Mother isnt all to please to have a "Prodigal child returns" moment. "Hey, Mom, I um, got you these." Nora said as she put the flowers in a vase next to her.
Nora's Mother didn't change eye contact or even her expression, she just sighed and said "These are from the mini flower shop from the hallway, aren't they?"
"Well, yes, but-"
"But at least your sister brings flowers she worked hard on bringing herself, the same hard work she gave for me for 25 years. Where were you for all those years hmm?"
25 years, was it really that long? Nora couldn't believe it, it seems...so long.
"Well, if you paid any to the news, or at least read anything other than the books my sister gives to you like some newspapers, you would clearly see how much hard work I do daily!" The protested words meant deep into Nora's mind, hoping her mother would see her reason.
"Oh, so you were busy being a "Hero" with making the Armegedroid that nearly doomed us all were you? Or with the Cluster Cortex Bomb that nearly went off prematurely, or how about when the invading force of aliens once resided inside the statue of liberty, so your solution was to blow it up?"
Indeed, Nora's heroic acts carried much consequences, or near life destroying catastrophes, but that didn't stop her from bringing up other achievements like- "Oh yeah? Well did you ever hear about the technology I implemented to save lives daily, like the vehicular safety-bubble, or the hands-off medical bots, or some new military technology that's the top of the line today! Does my sister tell you anything about that, about my successes that had no failure?"
"She has, for the main part..." Her mother said reluctantly "But still, all of those are less big projects and more like really useful gizmos where they're helpful, but not life changing."
"Oh, so what, am I supposed to make some sorta "Youth Machine" to impress you?"
"Well that would be useful for me..." Nora's mom grumbled.
"Whatever then, im not here to boast or be scolded about my "inventions" ...it's something more."
"Really? Did you come to apologize for leaving without giving anyone a goodbye?"
Nora paused, but said "Yes...I think that's what I should do first."
"well, im here then" Her mother was now in a much softer mood, it seemed like she was actually smiling to hear that "What do you like to say?"
"Im...sorry, for leaving, and not coming around to visit or even to call you to make sure you were doing alright. Im sorry for being gone for so long, for messing up all the times my inventions went haywire and im saddened even to admit it, but..." Nora didn't feel like finishing it, something in her felt like it was hit with a bullet. The sudden realization of her situation, of where she's at, of why she's there, all went to the background of forgetfulness as she finally realized "I don't want you gone!" finally starting to ball up in tears.
Nora then went to her knees and rested her head on her mother's bed, trying not to cry, but when her mother placed a hand on Nora's head to rub it, she finally had to let out the waterworks.
"It's okay dear" Nora's Mother said "I know it's hard to accept this, but at least you came now to let out what was needed to be said" she spoke in a very calming tone, even making "shhhhh" noises to calm her down.
For a moment or two, Nora finally stopped her little crying, she looked up at her mom in great guilt, all those years, wasted, with her mother still here, she could've spent some time making some invention to fix this all, but she knew well it was any day now she might pass away.
"I just don't know why, why I never came sooner, maybe guilt, maybe fear...I just don't know." admitting the real reason why was harder for her to do, for her to admit she didn't really just care or the only reason she came was maybe for some motherly advice.
"well, all that matters is that at least you came and you should see Wisteria too! She should infact come by any minute now!"
Those news daunted Nora, anything but her annoying hippie sister, but speak the devils name and-
"Good morning mother I-" just before she could continue, she saw Nora next to her Mothers bed, kneeling and head on the bed. "Oh...Nora."
"Hello...Wisteria." The tone and voice from both was cold, Wisteria being unexpecting and Nora's attempting to be Stoic like. Nora stood up, saving herself the look of a humiliating pose.
"So, what brings you back after all these years?" one could tell Wisteria was suspicious of her sisters' motives to come, she knew well enough her sister was busier for herself then to spend it coming here.
"Well, I came here to see mother, obviously."
"Really, you just had a heart and wanted to come see mother now, why not any other time before, did something bad happen and you came crawling here to seek her guidance?"
"Girls!" Their mother said uncomfortable with the building up of anger. "I don't want this moment to have any fighting, here we finally are together and the first thing you girls do is fight."
"Well she's the agitator." Nora said to herself, but her mother caught on and said "I don't care who started what missy, you'll both behave."
"Well still, we should at least confront her with why she came here!" Wisteria demanded.
"I don't care even if she asked for a million dollars, I want to see both of you get along before I pass away." She spouted out the idea of passing away like theres no worry for her, she indeed was old and ready.
Nora was glad that her mother (in her own perspective) was on her own side for a change. It surprised her really, she usually gives Wisteria the upper hand but it may seem her senile mind has a different outlook.
"Well, I wouldn't mind spending some quality time, with the both of you. If this gives you comfort, then im sure Wisteria will also agree to go along, right Wisteria?"
Wisteria gave a big sigh of defeat but said "Sure, if it helps mother." She then pulled something from behind the door, a car, filled with healthy snacks that Nora knows and hates all to well. "I brought Mothers favorite veggie cookies!"
Nora at the word "Veggie" brought back horrible memories about the worst tasting cookies she had ever tasted, it would be an assortment of odd combinations. Eggplant, Cabbages, Asparagus, radishes, tomatoes, you name it. The only good ones were the carrot muffins, at least that's the normal kind of snack people usually make.
"And I even got Nora's favorite, the Carrot Cookies, how about that?" Wisteria at least was not going to make it hard for Nora, at least not yet.
Nora gave a relived sigh and just eat whatever Wisteria had that was, in her eyes, edible. Her Mother though, ate like a hungry horse, she apparently loved that kind of food.
"Mmm, as delicious as usual darling! You must share this recipe with your sister too! She might take that skill and make other kinds of delicacies someday." Their mother had a way of trying to encourage them to share their skills for them to get along, but easy as it sounds it at times leads to just more nuisance.
"Hmm, maybe, if only she wasn't such a bad cook." Wisteria winced, remembering the last time she let her sister cook something.
"Agreed." Nora said unexcitingly to everyone, which gave everyone a quick chuckle.
Well, at least they all had that in common, their cynical acceptance of some of their poor traits
After A few Hours
They had a while of chatting together, Nora telling stories about her work, what she does and how its like and all, vice versa with Wisteria and their Mother on what's been going on in the hospital.
"And I even saw him once flirt with Mom once! Can you believe it? Janitor Cortez, liking our mom that way, ugh, what a weird thought." Wisteria said with such skewed disbelief.
"Oh come dear, at least that means even in this state I still have better chance to get a date." Their own Mother, mocking and teasing her daughters on that level, it kinda grasped on them the realization of how "lonely" they truly were, relationship wise.
"Yeah, when was the last time you had a date Wisteria? Back in High School, there was that prom, and you went with a 'for hire' nerd to go out with." Nora joining in on the tease.
"Ah! Your one to speak, especially since it was your idea and you did it with me too!"
"Well, that's because I was aiming my future career, you were busy trying to get boys to go with you, and yet you failed on that main focus." Nora reminded.
"Ah whatever, at least that night I had some special 'time' with Jonesy, If I recall, you didn't even get to second base with him!" Wisteria's mock was a surprise to Nora's memory, but a truthful one at that.
"Yeah, I admit, all I got was a kiss that night, a rather awkward one...but that's because I didn't have no time to focus on this kind of affair to have in my life."
"You mean to work on your ear bleeding machine, the "Rocking Banjo" robot?" Harsh memories of sleepless nights laid on her mind thinking of i"It could've been worse, especially if I decided to fool around and not work as I should have."
And on for a while they argued back and forth, their Mother just watching in boredom at this point, she was awfully getting more tired in these days, knowing what it means, but at least glad that her children are "interacting" again.
"Well, still, if I had a penny for every invention you failed at making, im sure we could've opened a nice animal reserve somewhere." Wisteria gloated.
"Well, for every Successful invention I made I received hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars in funding and investment with bonuses to boot, I don't see you complaining about the wealth I shared to help the family, so in the very least, we're both contributing something." Nora's protective stance on herself was of course, an absolute fact, without her money, then their Mother wouldn't be getting this much, if any treatment to help her.
"Girls, girls...enough, Im getting rather tired... you can argue more outside, I need to take a nap." Their mothers-tired nature on account of her age, has left her sleepy even in 11 AM.
"Alright, we'll come back later to see how you're doing, c'mon Nora."
"Yeah yeah, but you know im right, right?"
"Sure." Wisteria said annoyed.
MeanWhile: Somewhere far else
The big gray sky couldn't change no matter how much one wanted it to, in fact some people like this tone of weather, it feels comforting, relaxing in some way. It gave enough space to just sit and think, not go anywhere for the day, just think.
That is, at least for this one individual in particular, who relishes in this comforting weather, as it fitted her sorrow mood.
She was on top of a warehouse building, somewhere in a working district of some city she wouldn't bother to look up to know where she's at, she just wants to be left alone and left at that.
XJ6, as she reminds herself, knows she's designated to return home...back to her creator Nora Wakeman, she wishes she didn't belong to her, or anyone or anywhere for that matter, her shame has brought her to the point that she wishes she was dismantled and have her HardDrive re-formatted and cleaned off, so she can just forget whatever happened, happened.
Very light rain was pattering on her body and television head, but she also found and wears a terribly worn hoodie sweater, one that would reek if not for her picking this out of the trash. She didn't care though, she couldn't smell it really, so she let herself smell of rot.
She wished her Mother creator had made a time machine, maybe to warn herself not to do something so stupid as to go to the Halloween festival, or to have met Romeo...or what they did together...Thinking of that night made her both feel warmth and shiver in guilt, she was not built for such purpose, for such pleasure, but she hassled herself to it, seemingly wishing to be awarded for her hard work to be "Normal".
Well, no more being "Normal" anymore, she thought to herself plenty enough in the rain, about what to do and where to go, she knew an opportunity came, it was she was hoping for, and it came in such a light kind fashion.
She decided it was time, she leapt off the warehouse room and flew off to another warehouse close by, there she entered in it and immediately, a sudden beam engaged in her direction, one that's blinding and disorienting even to a robot like her. She was alert at first, but then..." Oh! Its you, you came!" the familiar soft-spoken caring voice was heard, then out of nowhere, she got pounced by a excited XJ4 and XJ6 fell in the floor from the sudden but innocent attack.
"Well, yes I came..im glad I did." XJ6 said, seemingly her mood unchanged. "Just I don't think im in a celebratory mood, sis."
"Well, no matter! I feel like we can celebrate, c'mon I'll show you around, and introduce you to your other sisters!
"My other sisters?" XJ6 thought, it was quite a anxious feeling she had to hear that, one of excitement and worry about what they might do, what they would say or how they will treat her, maybe as an outcast for being the latest one, heck that's to be expected in all honesty.
Something told her though she was going to be more surprised by today's events the she knew.
As they walked, they chatted a bit, XJ6 explained what happened to her last night, a mix of sadness and anger suddenly rose from her as well as she explained, "I just can't believe it! Our Mother, spying on me, especially when...ugh! I can't process how to move on from this."
"That's... that's quite a troubling situation you have... so about this boy, you actually like him?"
XJ6 shot up in response "Uh! I don't know! Don't ask me that!" She didn't like to be asked this kind of question now, lots of things came to her mind about this "Romeo" of her's...
XJ4 was trying to watch her own words now, she doesn't want her sister to be feeling more uncomfortable as is. "Oh! Im sorry! Just...if you do still like him, you should take the time to go see him again. Maybe something can work out for you two?"
There was silence between them, XJ6 obviously had no real answer in mind, but came up with "Uh...Maybe. I honestly don't know." XJ6 thought a bit more "Yeah, maybe I actually should...I still want to see him, I can't just let go what happened."
Soon enough they went into a room, a bed room to be more precise, at least one that was cleaner than one would suspect a makeshift bedroom in a abandoned warehouse to have! The walls were picked clean, the bed with a clean sheet and spruced bedframe, with everything looking like it was just cleaned not more then 10 mins ago.
"Wow! Is this my room?" XJ6 said, feeling a bit surprised.
"Hehe, yes of course, you can change to however you want it to be, and I'll do my best to resist all urges to clean up whatever mess you want left behind." She said it cheerfully enough to just smile and expect a hug, which she then did, XJ6 gave her sister a great hug saying "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"It's no problem big sis." XJ4 said hugging back "We're family, why wouldn't we do this?"
"Big sis?" XJ6 said kind of wondering about that point, "Well, wouldn't you be the 'big sister' being older than me?"
"Well, I have a younger mentality then you I think, programming wise, so I guess you're the 'Big Sister' of the family now."
"Well, then I should be the one taking care of you! It's amazing enough you did all the trouble to find me and bring me in, and to add you guys gave me a room!"
"Heh, you can return the favor another time then, c'mon, I'll let you meet our sisters now!"
"Oh, okay..." XJ6 was a bit worried, and really shy, she felt this was going to be an awkward moment, meeting long lost family members you don't know will be probably weird, more so even if they were friendly as XJ4, they might be too 'friendly' for her taste.
They went into a big bright pink room, with nice colorful paintings and images fitting for toddlers and sorts, very much pink it would probably make someone go insane! But for XJ6, she just goes with it. In the room there were 3 very odd but 'cute' looking robots on the floor, playing in a ball pit with each other, and they just stopped to look at XJ6 in surprise for a moment, and then in a dash came to hug XJ6 by her pin legs, grouped around here in a toddler fashioned cheer with beeps and boops.
With sparkle in her screen she said "Awww, are these-?"
"Yep" XJ4 said as she answered "This is XJ1-3, the youngest and cutest of our family, heh."
XJ6 picked them up with her one arm and hugged them closely, this was it, her family, her 'true' family for that matter, both being robotic and articulated to the creation of Nora, she felt in herself a great semblance of relation to them, one un spoken and quite distinct to herself, like she was them, especially having her A.I being built and improved from these very predecessors. It was like seeing yourself in an alternative universe, but to her and her relatives consider themselves siblings, a nice way to sum up how they feel about this whole ordeal.
"They're so cute! I can't believe mother had left them and not tell me about them!" She continued to cuddle them in her arm, she just couldn't resist that urge over hugging such a older but overall younger version of her design.
"Well, she used to keep us all online together, and she did it in secret, you see-" XJ4 explained the whole story, about how they were meant to be shut down by orders of the Skyway Patrol Generals, but Nora refused to let her own creations just go to such waste, still hoping either later they can be useful, but also for sentimental reasons.
"And then, when XJ5 was built, she had no chocie but to shut us all down at once, at least keep us in storage, we had to follow these orders, but then I guess before XJ5 was to be shutdown, she escaped, found us and help take care of us and to find a place to stay hidden."
"Wow, but, for how long were you guys keeping up to stay hidden? Its not like you got much options to do afterwards, is the plan just to keep on living as long as possible?" XJ6 had a concerning tone just then, she didn't like the idea of just 'go on living' and do nothing, it seemed liked a waste of her life and purpose.
"Well, thats what we did for a while, that was until you were created then, XJ5 seemed...oddly enthustiatic about this, like she planned something for if and when you were created."
"What do you mean?"
"She, well, she told me you could what can get back at Nora for abandoning us, maybe as a hope to convince her and others to keep us around even if were not perfect for crime fighting!"
"Well...I like the idea of you guys not being abandoned, but Mom's a real hard egg to crack, let alone General Mack! I don't know if this plan can work...I don't think we can have our old lives with Mom back!" XJ6 seemed more in despair now, on top of being a disappointment to her own creator, she knew now was likely there was no turning back for forgiveness, for herself since if she went back and apologized to her Mother, her sisters will have to be left behind...and she doesn't want to lose them... "It's not fair! Ugh! I don't know what we can do to convince her in any way!"
"Well, there is plan B, that is we become a team of crime fighting robots! Im interested in cleaning the streets once and for all, with or without the law." XJ4 said, trying to sound heroic, "But I also don't know if maybe Mother might try and build another XJ to then fight us, which is the most likely case."
"There's also the point that, I think the Skyway Patrol will find us easy, a warehouse is not really the best hiding spot with the detectors that even I have!"
"Well, then that's why we're sticking to plan A, which is working so far."
"Really? Well, still think we can convince mother to let us all be forgiven? What's your next step in this master plan even?"
"Well, you can ask our best hope yourself, turn around." XJ4 pointed to the entrance way, and saw, what she thought was a glitch with her circuitry, Dr. Herban Style, in the flesh carrying grocery's!
"!? What?!"
"Hello my dear XJ6, its been a while."
"You...you were kidnapped by my sisters?"
"mmm, yep."
"Now you're helping them out?"
"Yep."
"W...Why?"
"You seem pretty distressed about this dear, I think its better we take a seat and explain it a bit."
"Uhh...sure?"
"OH yay!" XJ4 exclaimed excited "This means tea time right?"
"Yeah sure, you know my usual right?" Herban asked
"Sure do, Honey combed lavender, and XJ6 and I will have some nice hot oil, come to the dining hall I'll prep lunch for us as well!"
XJ6 just stood there, jaw dropped, if she had a jaw at least. She shook her head in confusion and just spurted out "Can this week get any weirder or what?"
"Well, I can only guarantee one thing, its going to be a long discussion. So I hope the grocery's I brought are enough for us to have a decent meal, right XJ4?"
"Mmm hmm, definitely, you got everything I asked for this time, finally too." XJ4 said looking over the bags, full of organic food separated from metalic scrap parts a robot can enjoy, this being enough for at least 4.
They then left the room, with the little XJ's following as well, hearing about lunch has obviously made them hungry too, so XJ4 picked them up while also carrying the grocery's until they got to the kitchen, they sat down on the table while XJ4 was organizing the grocery's.
"Well, if there's a good time to start talking, I think now is good." XJ6 demanded, she just wants to hear everything, about why and how all this can be happening, more importantly, if its even logical...at this point in her short life, not much has.
"Well, I guess we should start with when I first joined the XJ project."
End Of Chapter 1
Of Act 4
