The war had seemed like a dream… in fact… it almost felt like it never happened… Though… not to say there were reminders… especially for the machine now mechinds.
THUD!
Clara jumped a bit at the sound. She hurried out of bed, finding Ben slumped on the floor, grumbling to himself as he got up.
"Ugh… freaking legs…" he muttered, dusting himself off. "Nothing like wheels…"
He could walk and as could everyone else… but there would still be moments where things like this happened.
"Oh Papa…." Clara frowned going to his side, bringing her arms around him. "You okay?"
"Just… lost my balance again." Ben brought his arms around her. "Still getting used to this whole thing… I know we asked for this so we could live… it's just hard…"
"I know…" Clara leaned up kissing his chin. "I'm just glad you're safe… But I know it's been hard too… I wish I could help you more…"
"I'll just do what I can… and it's not all bad." Ben picked her up, holding her close. "I can actually hold you now… like how your parents did…"
Clara brought her arms around his neck loosely, nuzzling him. "And I can cuddle up to you as much as I want… You don't have to be careful around me."
"Yeah…" Ben glanced to a reflective surface in the room. He was still not used to seeing himself as he was now… red hair, tanned skin, an outfit that somewhat resembled his paint job and was a farmer outfit too. "Just like you now…"
Clara followed his gaze and smiled a little laying her head on his shoulder. "Yup… Just like us huminids… But not quite either… You're still you… Which I'm glad for…. And I'm sure Jane is." She got a sneaky look in her eyes.
Ben blushed.
"Hah?"
"You know I saw her at the market the other day… She's a mighty beautiful lady now…"
Ben turned redder.
"I-I haven't seen her since the change… been too busy getting used to herding sheep in a new way… not to mention relearning how to fly… Gosh that was weird."
Clara laughed remembering it. "Yeah you landed on some sheep! Softest landing EVER!"
"Lucky for them I'm not metal anymore. That would've been a disaster… that and I'm ten times smaller than what I originally was… that's another thing… a lot of things seem BIG now."
"That's how it's always been for me. Living in a world way bigger than everything else…. And I'm glad I've been able to help you Papa…" She kissed his chin. "I was really worried…"
"Yeah… but I'm getting there… just stumbling a bit is all… Hope Jane has been doing alright too… I know everyone has been stumbling like I have. Seems the only ones who haven't had as much trouble is the forklifts. They seem right at home with limbs."
"Guess it's cause they had their lifts before. They basically just had those lifts transform into arms so they already had some extra strength. It's the ones who were wheel bound who're being given trouble… But it'll go away eventually… And I'll help you too." Clara hugged him glancing back to his reflection. "You know… You're about as tall as my biological dad was."
"Yeah… I think I got his messy hair too-" … Ben smiled a little. "Heh… guess whatever changed us… made me look like him."
Clara smiled a bit nuzzling him. "I like it… It's been nice seeing you both… Still got your smile, but got his messy hair too… And his skin…" She sighed happily. "Papa…"
"My Little Pup…" Ben nuzzled her.
"Always…" Clara giggled. "You're the best father I could've had… I'm really glad we're family… I'm so glad I still got you…"
"And I'm glad I have you…" Ben chuckled. "Now to just get you a mother…"
Clara smirked. "Yeah… Then I can have some siblings?"
Ben went red.
"Erm…."
"I mean you would be a really good dad to them like you were and always have been to me… And I bet JANE would be a great mother." She wasn't going to let it go any time soon.
"Have I mentioned I still haven't seen her since the change?"
Clara gave a little chuckle pulling back a bit so she met his eyes… A bit of a mischievous glint in her own.
"... Good feeling definitely gone."
"Papa~ I think it's time I arranged an AMAZING thing for you called a DATE." She said in a sing song tone.
"Wait what are you-"
Clara jumped down from his arms and grabbed onto him pulling him to the door. "C'mon! We're goin' to go see Jane and you're gonna ask her out like a gentleman!"
"GAH! CLARAAAAA!"
"You'll thank me later when I'm a big sister!"
Clara dragged him all over town till she found her target.
"Delivery!" Clara shoved Ben over to a table outside of honkers.
Ben flopped over the table with a grunt, panting a bit.
"Ugh… so… graceful…" he groaned, hitting his head on the table.
"She's a little spitfire isn't she?" A voice asked as he looked up. There was a young woman around his age, wearing a pale pink sundress and a white hat. She had long brown hair that curled slightly around her shoulders as she looked to him. "Good to see you again master of the Naughty Sheep."
Ben turned bright red.
"J-Jane…?"
Jane giggled. "The one and only."
Ben stood up straight looking her over.
"Machina…"
Jane blushed a bit fiddling with the hem of her dress. "Not too much is it?"
"N-No… you… you look beautiful… just used to seeing you in orange… though you look good in pink too…"
"Thought I'd change it up a little… That and my neighbor decided to give me a bunch of the stuff her daughter didn't need anymore when she moved out… Turns out I'm her size…" She smiled sheepishly. "She's been helping me out a lot with this walking thing… I'm still stumbling sometimes."
"Yeah… I was grateful we kept the clothes Clara's father wore. I fitted right into them… it's all new things… new senses… limbs… still being able to fly for some weird reason… and still having an engine… it's all so odd… yet feels natural too."
Jane nodded in understanding. "And being able to eat the food the huminids do. It's jarring actually feeling hungry for more than just oil and gas right?"
"It really is… Clara wasn't kidding when she said I was missing out on some things like pie."
She laughed. "Oh I agree there. Don't tell anyone… But I ate one of the pies from here all by myself after the change. I couldn't get enough of it!"
Ben laughed.
"Clara had to be sure I didn't eat a pie all by myself since she wanted some too… but it's nice… and despite the gripes I have with this… I don't regret agreeing to this…"
Jane smiled. "I agree… I'm happy like this… While it can get frustrating with some of the changes… I like it too… Being able to still fly but able to just walk around… Not worry about being too strong around our friends who weren't machines… It's amazing… And… Everything feels gigantic now too…"
Ben sat down with her.
"Yeah… something I think we'll get used to… but our descendants will be used to with ease."
"Yeah…" Jane looked up at the sky. "Makes me wonder what the first kids of the new generation will be like… How they'll grow now that they won't be born as pups…"
"I imagine it would be similar to huminids… and even as machines we were the same albeit just different species… I'm sure they'll be taught what they descended from… but will never know what it is like to be one."
"Very true… I'm just wondering I guess… We've been dealing with war for so long… They'll be born to a time of peace… Peace and joy…"
"Hopefully one that will last… war is awful…" Ben extended a hand across the table, holding hers. "It brings nothing but fear and destruction."
"To all it touches…" Jane frowned remembering it all. "I'm just glad it's over… Even with the changes… It's a good change…"
Ben squeezed her hand.
"Life goes on…" He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Say… are… you busy this week?"
"Nope. Just have an engine check on Tuesday but that's in the morning. I'm free all week." She smiled a curious look in her eyes. "Why?"
"Well I was wondering… would you… like to go on a flight together sometime? Just you and me?"
Jane grinned squeezing his hand. "I would love that!"
Ben smiled, blushing.
"Fantastic."
"Tomorrow sound good?" Jane asked blushing a bit herself.
"Tomorrow would be perfect."
"Wonderful…. Thank you, Ben."
"Anytime… Jane…"
Jane smiled before she glanced behind Ben. "... I think we're being watched."
Ben looked behind him with a raised eyebrow.
Clara was knelt behind a potted plant peering out with a broad grin on her face that turned sheepish when she was spotted. "... Uh… Hi Papa?"
"I asked her on a date."
Clara jumped up and cheered.
"FINALLY! Way to go Papa!"
Jane couldn't help it as she burst out laughing. "Oh gosh! She's bold isn't she?"
"She's the reason I fell flat on the table." Ben smiled sheepishly. "Sometimes I need a push…"
Jane chuckled. "Well I say it worked."
"If need be I can send some sheep after him to get him to propose-" Clara started. (Sick 'er Ben)
"CLARA!" Ben shouted, turning red.
"Whaaaat!?"
"Too. Soon. To. Even. Consider!"
Clara gave an innocent look before it turned positively evil.
"... But I thought you wanted kids someday besides me."
Ben was completely red now… and was basically sinking in his seat with the embarrassment he was undergoing.
Oh Laws of the world just shoot me now…
"Well… About time we had a proper time out…" Jane remarked. "We have known each other for awhile... But… Yeah too soon to talk about pups juuust yet."
Ben just kept quiet, hiding his face with his hands.
"...Awww." Both girls remarked.
"He really is cute…"
"Yep… That's my papa."
Ben peaked out a little, still red, but not as red as he was before.
"Sorry…"
"Now why are you sorry?" Jane asked shaking her head. "Not your fault your Naughty Pup here decided to goof around."
"N-Naughty Pup!?"
Ben was quiet before he burst out laughing.
"Yep! Pretty much!"
Jane laughed. "She's learned from your sheep!"
"Hey!" Clara was laughing now too. "I'm not naughty! … I'm devious."
"She's with the Wooley Wrenches…" Ben grabbed Jane's hand, both standing up. "We must flee!"
Ben ran off, Jane in tow.
Clara laughed before giving chase. "Get back here Benjamin Crophopper! I WILL CONVERT YOU!"
"Oh no! She's coming!" Jane laughed.
"Come Jane!" Ben scooped her into his arms. "To the sky!"
Ben hurried towards the runway, building up speed before jumping into the air, soaring off into the sky.
Clara came to a stop panting but grinning as she watched them go.
"Way to go Papa…"