A/N- I've been so busy lately, thus the long wait for posting this chapter. Anyways, in this chapter, I intoduced a couple of characters I've never used before. Both are from the video game. Firstly, there's Jacoby. Jacoby is Carl's friend over in the industrial district in the game. I figured that he could be an outside source of advice for Carl. I also took liberty with making him what I termed a semidroid. Secondly, there's an orphan named Camila. She's one of the scanned orphans in the game. She's the only girl of the four scans and it says that she's interested in lots of "boring" things (things above most kids heads) and I gathered from what it said likes to make boys feel inferior...so I used that and built upon it making her a headstrong girl genius...kind of try and imagine a cross between younger Franny and Cindy from Jimmy Neutron and that's how I mostly envisioned Camila. Creds go to Robin (doodlegirll) for first introducing the concept of a way to keep people younger longer in the future :) She has the youth patch, here I just put advancements in medical technology.

Newsflash! While writing this chapter, there was a news article/segment about a new robot just invented. It's complete with artificial intelligence and everything! Well, really it's more like an android because it has fake skin and all. Anyways, they want to mass produce them sometime soon in the future to make them in home helpers! I thought that this was an uncanny coincidence. Also, it was created, how do I put this...anatomically correct. Basically they will be male or female for basically the same reason why I'm writing this story :P

Something There That Wasn't There Before

"This is so unfair," Wilbur argued as he helped Carl and Tallulah roll out a large banner for them to decorate.

"Well, you know I hate to say I told you so…no, actually, it feels kind of good," Carl never got tired of being right. "I told you so."

"Whatever. Let's just get started. What is it going to say?" Wilbur wanted to change the subject.

"Why, welcome, of course," Tallulah answered.

"I guess that makes sense," Wilbur grabbed for a paint brush but stopped when he heard his name being called from the kitchen. He rolled his eyes and went to see what he was needed for.

"I almost feel bad for him," Tallulah said genuinely.

"Not if you had to put up with him the way I do," Carl joked but meant no harm by it. "I can't even imagine what it's going to be like with a bunch of kids running around here instead of just one."

"Hmm…well, I can imagine laughter and cheerful sounds of them all playing and feeling special for once."

"Loud crashes of things being broken, some arguing amongst themselves, stomping of feet as they run through the house…basically the way it already sounds around here times forty."

"Don't you think you might be exaggerating a little bit, Carl?" Tallulah asked with a slight giggle.

"Maybe. It's not that I don't like kids or don't want to help the orphans or anything like that. It's just I have a feeling Wilbur's not going to make it easy to help keep a bunch of kids entertained while I'm too busy wondering what he's up to. I have a feeling he's going to be getting into even more trouble if I don't stop him."

"Oh. Well, I know how you feel…sort of. I'm a little preoccupied with thoughts of Friday. I really, really want it to go well with Johnny."

"I'm sure he'll be impressed with you," Carl tried to encourage her. "What's not to like?"

"Well…" there was doubt in Tallulah's voice.

"You're talented, your designs are amazing and you're as pretty as any model he's probably ever met," he complimented, hoping it would help her self-esteem.

Tallulah blushed. "Thank you, Carl."

"Why those 'dreamy eyes' would have to be blind if he didn't take more interest than just your designs," Carl was surprised by the things coming out of his mouth.

"Ugh! How horrible was that of Laszlo! He must have been listening in on my phone conversations again." Finally the full of what Carl had said set in. "Wait, do you really think so? He is the most eligible bachelor in the fashion world," Tallulah said with more than a little hint of infatuation.

Carl suddenly became uncomfortable with the situation, but he wasn't sure why. "Well, yeah, sure. Why not?"

"Wow, that's so sweet of you to say." Neither of them was looking at the other at this point. Instead they were concentrating on their work on the banner. Silence continued on and on between them, as they both tried to figure out why it felt so awkward.

---The Robinson Lab---

"Do you not hear the words coming out of my mouth?!" Carl paced back and forth in front of a monitor inside the lab as he talked to his good friend Jacoby who lived over in the Industrial District. "It was like there was this tension. I can't even explain it."

"Relax, Carl," Jacoby insisted with a hearty chuckle. "After all, you are a male robot. Why are you so concerned?"

"Well, of course I'm a male robot…wait. What are you getting at, Jacoby?" Carl stopped pacing and raised his eyebrow towards the screen.

"Tell me. What is the thing that only yourself and a few others know about me?"

"That you're a semidroid. Why?"

"Meaning?"

"Your mother was an android and your father was a human…where is this going?"

"It's not going anywhere. I'm simply saying that I think you're overreacting about something that is perfectly natural…even for a robot."

"Whoa, now wait just a minute. You can't possibly mean…you can't even be suggesting that I…that's just absolutely…are you crazy?!"

"Thou doth protest too much," Jacoby teased.

"I protest because it's a ridiculous notion, no offense. She's practically family. I mean, I watched Lewis and Laszlo in the waiting room the day she was born. So to even suggest such a thing would be absolutely…"

"…a normal occurrence. By design you are no more than five years older than her."

"Well, yeah, I guess if you get technical," Carl answered scratching his head. "But that still doesn't mean anything."

"You're just not going to accept what I'm saying are you?" Jacoby relented.

"No, because I think you're just jumping to conclusions."

"Yes, well, I'm good at that I guess. Still, if you ever need to talk about it, you know where to find me."

"Well, thankfully, this will be the last of the conversation. Goodnight, Jacoby," Carl watched as the screen went blank. He laughed to himself about what his friend had said. But then it dawned on him that he still couldn't explain why there had been something odd between himself and Tallulah earlier.

---Robinson Foyer---

"Wow! Look at that neat banner!" one of the kids, who was interested in design, shouted as the many kids filled the foyer of the Robinson house. The other kids followed suit and began chattering loudly.

"Well, kids, there's plenty more things we've set up for you around the house," Cornelius said enthusiastically. "But first, why don't you help yourself to some cookies and other goodies," he pointed to the large table that had been set up in front of the stairs and it wasn't long before he was nearly trampled.

"I'm not so sure if that was the best idea in the world," came a familiar voice from the door way.

"Mildred!?" Cornelius looked to see his old orphanage caretaker. "This is such an unexpected surprise. Why didn't you tell my you were coming when you wrote me last?"

"And ruin seeing that look on your face?" she laughed a very warm, elderly laugh. Thankfully, she had aged gracefully thanks to medical breakthroughs that kept people in the future alive and young for much longer than in the past. Still, the wrinkles could be seen when she smiled. "Wanda hear called me," she referenced to the new caretaker of the orphanage, "and let me know what you were doing for these kids. I'm proud of you, Lewis. Oh, I'm sorry, I almost forgot it's Cornelius now. Well, that's what the mind does when you get older."

"It's okay, Mildred. You can call me Lewis anytime," he finally hugged her. "Well, it's almost lunchtime, so how about we all talk over what the plan is for the next few days, and then you can both join the family for lunch in the dining room. Wilbur and Carl can take the kids to my wife's music lounge where they can have lunch."

"As always, you have a plan don't you?" Mildred teased in a motherly tone. She then noticed Lucille and Bud and decided to mingle with them as Cornelius spoke more professionally with Wanda.

Meanwhile, Wilbur stood nearby gaping at the way several of the orphans were stuffing their faces. "It's like they've never had sugar before."

"Well, actually, some of the littler ones haven't. You see, the government only gives Wanda so much funding, so she has to use it for more important things than sweets," one of the orphans answered.

Wilbur turned to see a familiar face. "Camila?"

"Shocked to see me?"

"A little," Wilbur admitted.

"Yes, well, I'm not that thrilled to be here myself. But I didn't have much of a choice. It was either this or sleep on the streets I guess," she had only meant it as a joke, but she could see that Wilbur wasn't following along. "I'm an orphan, Wilbur."

"An orphan? I never would have guessed that."

"And, frankly, Robinson, I never would have guessed that you even would know my name. Yet here we are…proving mathematical probabilities wrong."

"Ha ha. So funny. Besides, everyone knows the high and mighty genius, Camila," Wilbur sneered, proving that she was no friend.

"Oh right. Just like everyone knows the cocky, show off, cool dude Wilbur?" Wilbur opened his mouth to retort but was stopped by his mom who came over to them.

"Who's this, Wilbur?"

"Oh, it's…her name's Camilla. We have a few classes together at school."

"How nice. I'm pleased to meet you, Camila."

"I'm pleased to meet you! You're the one who took music to the next level. How did you ever know that frogs were so musically inclined?" Camila asked with genuine excitement.

"Well, it's a long story, but if you'd like I could tell you," Franny felt flattered.

"Oh, I'd love that!"

"Oh, I'd love that," Wilbur mimicked after walking away. "Of all the girls to be orphans!" He went to his room and plopped down in one of his beanbag chairs. He then used his hands as puppets to let out his frustration. "That sure is a fascinating project about pigeons. Maybe even worth first prize," he said using a deeper voice. "Why, thank you, Mr. Jones," he said using his normal voice. He then took his other hand and began imitating Camila. "Wait until you see mine! It looks like an ordinary pen but in fact it sends electromagnetic pulses to the brain which then stimulates the portion of the brain that contains the most recent memories. That means it can make even a student like Wilbur here look good on a test, so long as he studies…bla bla bla" Wilbur let out a frustrated huff. Suddenly, a smile crossed his face. "It's a good thing I know what would make me feel better."

He wasted no time in running out of his room and into the lab. His eyes were immediately drawn to his father's newest invention. It was by no means small and there were several buttons and levers. Wilbur's mouth almost watered when he saw the large red button in the middle. He was jolted from his trance by the sound of the Robinson meal bell. It had been installed by Cornelius and was loud enough to be heard through most of the house. He then heard the shuffling of several feet and remembered that he was supposed to help Carl serve their guests their first meal. He looked at the door and then back at the mysterious machine. "I'm sure Carl can manage a little while by himself." He continued over to the machine, contemplating which button he would push first.