The city bus dropped the two off at the farthest stop outside the city. The sun beating down across the dusty terrain was a nice contrast to the autumn breeze. Even so, Jay couldn't help from feeling bad for Cole who was wearing all black. "You know I don't have air conditioning, right?"
"I'm cold."
"You're sweating." Jay pointed, to which Cole rolled his eyes.
"It's not like I'm sticking around, you don't even have the thing."
"If you really believe that, you wouldn't be following me right now, now would you?"

"Uhg, just shut up and pick up the pace already, I don't have all day!"

Zane was up on a latter taking a bucket of cleaner-water and a sponge to the dust-filled sign hanging in the entry of the pile of scrap that was delivered yesterday was evenly sorted into their rightful piles, as well as the designated signs being cleaned up as well. He didn't seem to notice the two walking past him until jay stopped and yelled his name. He waved the sponge back, lowering it slowly as he stared at Cole beside him.

"Doesn't he say anything?" Cole squinted, arms folded.
"Mmm, no, I think his vocal chords are busted. He's pretty rusted up, I wouldn't be surprised if he's in need of a few bolts and parts." jay shrugged, leading Cole inside. "Mooom, I brought a friend over from schooool. Moom?"

"She said she'd be back in a few, went out with your dad." Cole waved the note that Jay completely looked over.
"Oh! Heheh, I must be missing a lot today," He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, "Alright, you just get yourself comfy, I'll be right back." He slipped away into his room and gasped at the sight of it all. Normally, his room was an utter disaster; blueprints, toys, books, clothing spread in a disastrous array, but today is was quite the opposite. Clothing had been well folded and put away, toys and objects all sorted neatly on the shelves, books and blueprints neatly stacked and shelved on top of the dresser, and the bed folded and straitened with the synthesizer sitting on the middle of it invitingly.

Cole had taken a seat on a steel chair, mindlessly twirling the paper around until Jay emerged from his room with it in hand. "I told you I had it." he smirked, setting it down and plugging it in. Cole turned it on, eyes marveling as the lights and display did their number. He delicately pressed down the keys, hearing the funky tune play from the speaker. Pressing away, he began playing a song from memory to which Jay took a seat and watched intently.

Zane had halted his work, hearing the sounds chime in the back of his head like a distant call. He swiftly dipped the sponge into the bucket, cleaning up the rest of the sign before sliding down the aluminum stilts and jogging towards the camper. Silently slipping through the chrome door, he loomed behind Cole, gently swaying to the classical tune. Jays attention went to the now-dancing droid, his arms swaying as he spun round and around in a smooth array. Jay was mesmerized by him, just as he was mesmerized by the music… well, until Cole slowed down with a look of suspicion.

In a blur of black hair, Cole whipped his head around to see the bot standing perfectly still and straight faced. He bore the small whiteboard, the word 'Hi' written in a small neat font dead centered. "When'd you get here?" Cole accused, suspicious.

"Well duh, I told you! He comes when it's played no matter where he is."

"Huh… so, how'd you know I was playing? The windows are closed." Cole pointed out, skeptical. Zane pulled the cap off the marker and wrote 'Wouldn't you like to know' in the middle, nice and big. Jay erupted in laughter as Cole folded his arms and pouted, even Zane managed to crack a smile. "Well, smart ass, you're legit. But don't think you're so special, you're dated technology, nothing compared to the new stuff. Not to mention how degraded and eroded you look." He pointed to the pink oxidised joints, lifting his arm and hearing the metal squeal as it rubbed together.

"Well, good thing I'm a mechanic then, huh? Just needs a little sanding and polish and lubrication, it's nothing too hard Cole. Just basic maintenance- besides, I can open him up and see what all the damage is and get it all repaired at the same time."

"Yeah, that's all well and good, but do you see and screw-holes on it?"

"Of course not, duh! Come on Cole, everyone knows that exposed screws are major rust points- it's the same reason why cars don't have any on the outside. All I need to do is get a screw driver and pop the plating off, it's not like it's cemented on."
"Hmp! Well, you better not dent or damage it, alright? It's a one-of-a-kind, and if it is damaged because of you, You won't see the light of day, got it?"
"Why do you care so much, he's not even yours! He's mine! I'm not giving him away especially not to you, who, last I checked, had a droid already."
"Pixal doesn't count. It's not mine, besides, it isn't even an instrument." Cole folded his arms, frustrated. "Whatever, I saw what I needed to see, I'm out of here." He stormed off, slamming the door as he went. Jay slowly looked up to Zane, noticing that the droid was hiding his face behind the whiteboard.
"Aw, its alright Zane, he's just super snappy." jay patted his arm, picking up the synthesizer and carrying it back to his room, "Hey, after I get my homework done, we should get you cleaned up and stuff, what do you say?" Jay returned to see the whiteboard trembling in the droids arms, the word 'Okay.' writing in small font dead center. Jay blinked and smiled, "There's nothing to be afraid of Zane, I've worked with small clock parts before, my fingers are nimble so you don't have to worry about anything getting damaged, I promise." Zane slowly hid have face once more behind the whiteboard, Jay letting out a chirp of a laugh as he set his books down on the table to work on.

An hour or so had gone by, Jay's parents had returned home and brought home dinner for him, they all sat down and discussed about their day before splitting off and going their separate ways. Jay had grabbed a tool-box and various other mechanical instruments before leading Zane to the back of the junkyard. He flicked on a switch as a few lights lit up the work area. He grabbed the cloth hanging off a loose pipe and laid it down across the well-used metallic table.

"Alright Zane, first things first, gotta take all the plating off and fix it up. Uhm… is there a way to turn you off?" He scratched the side of his head, walking around the droid and looking for a switch. When he reached the front, Zane had held up the whiteboard, 'You can only turn me on.' "Well, can you turn yourself off?" The droid looked up for a moment, setting the board down and climbing onto the clothed table. His eyes flickered and dimmed as the internal fans died with a click.

Jay pried the plating off, sanding and polishing- oh good god! Zanes internals were all coated in dust just as the synthesizer was. He ran back to the camper to fetch the shop vac and a radio to get the job done. The wires and gears were in decent shape- save for the few that had been rubbed down. Luckily he was able to find replacements and enough oil the lubricate the joints and cogs.

Poking around the wires, everything seemed to be in tact. The speakers had been q-tip cleaned and the boards were coated in heat-grease for a little extra protection. The now-shiny plating fit back into place with ease. Now for the fun part; the face. He pulled off the hat and sunglasses, staring at the dark sockets. He took the small sanding needle and gilded it gently across the oxidised parts of the lid and lower eye. Retrieving some nail polish, he glided the brush smoothly across the rims, re-applying the lash line that was previously withering away. He ran a brush through his hair -much to his surprise- that was smooth and glossy. He expected it to feel like a toothbrush by how it stood, not a paint brush. "Alright, now to power you on-"

Jay retrieved the Synthesizer, turning it on and waiting for the results. Zanes optics flashed on, the same 'welcome to the julien-40 experience' scrolling across them as the screen did on the instrument. His optics went white before defaulting to the 'stand by' TV bar colours. He sat up smoothly, surprised by that. Flexing his arms, Zane stared at his dulled reflection through the metal plating, a small smile forming that fell flat when he looked up. Jay stared, a look of confusion and horror.
"Zane.. your eyes..." he started, watching the droid fit his shades on, brushing his hair back smoothly and rolling the hat on, "is that normal?" Zane shook his head, picking up the whiteboard and gently writing away. 'I can see. I wear these to make sure no one else can.' Jay began picking up the tools and putting them away, "I think that's my next priority then, fixing your eyes. Its uhh, kinda creepy." he smiled, watching as Zane helped clean up.