Private Prague

Chapter 30

A Date with an Admirer

"Lin, do you have a moment?" Prague asked as he walked in on the girl inside an engineering lab.

"Ah.. Sure thing, Prague." Lin smiled as she set down her tablet, "Just give me a sec." she told one of her coworkers and led Prague outside.

"Lin." Prague looked at the young woman, who had matured quite significantly as recent physical scans had told him. Inside the android's mind, several scenarios were being executed as the processing system tried to account for this new situation.

"What is it you need, Prague?" Lin asked, "Do you need a maintenance check?"

"No." Prague shook his head, "I was just going to inquire if this Saturday night you are free to go on an excursion with me to the local French restaurant." he said rather mechanically.

"Huh?" Lin looked at him in confusion, "You're inviting me out to eat at 'Le Pain'?" she asked.

"Oui." Prague nodded.

"I don't think I can afford it, especially if we have to pitch in with Elma and the others." Lin groaned and looked a bit distraught, "College has gotten quite expensive... which is why you should vote for Elias Kassimir." she slipped that bit in.

"Ha ha..." Prague rolled his eyes, "Unfortunately I am not a living being... so I can't vote." he sighed, "But I digress, Elma and the others will not be joining us."

"What do you mean?" Lin asked.

"I mean we two will go together, alone." Prague told the young woman, who instantly, like, very instantly became red.

"A-A-A-A Date?" Lin stammered as her heart raced and her pupils dilated, "Are you- Are you serious?"

"Affirmative." Prague nodded, "I wish to repay you for what you did for me." he grinned.

"Prague... I must... be... dreaming..." Lin spun around and finally fell unconscious.

"Oh... boy." Prague looked at the young woman sprawled out on the ground, "You can't sweep her up, can you?" he asked a nearby janitor.

0000000

"Elma.. and then he told me I was the most beautiful thing ever!" Lin said as she had her hair done by the woman, "Oh... I can't believe I'm going on a date with him!" she squealed.

"You know he is a robot, right?" Elma muttered uneasily, creeped out by the odd attraction, "Right?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Lin responded, "He's still very much human..."

"You heard him say he only emulates a man." Elma said as she combed Lin's black locks, "That doesn't mean he is one."

"But Elma... you must understand." Lin mumbled, "No one in all of the Earth could have designed a fully functional android entity... Sure we have the mims, but we need the human consciousness to work as a proxy to control it- But Prague... he's his own deal... with his handsome face, strong chest, brute butt-"

"That's enough." Elma grunted, "Though the fact that his technology is very superior is a valid point you bring up." she said lowly, "Anywho... Please remember he's just and android, so don't expect much romanticism from him." she turned the young woman around to see her face to face.

"Elma."

"I'm just warning you, Lin." Elma repeated, "He's an android, don't get too attached."

"Elma, you wouldn't understand." Lin stood, "I spent all that time to bring him back because I... I..."

"Don't you say it!" Elma scolded her, "You do not! This is just a little girl crush!"

"You don't know me!" Lin pushed her back, "Elma, you don't know anything about it!" she pouted and stomped her foot, "Prague is very special to me!" she angrily grumbled and stepped out.

0000000

Prague saw as the very beautiful Lin stepped out of the barracks, then looked at his own attire and concluded that he was not very suited for the occasion.

"Prague." Lin waved and smiled, "I see you decided to go normal." she looked at the android's soldier gear.

"I predicted this was my safest choice of attire." Prague responded, then scanned Lin's suit and made some split calculations, "You look... acceptable." he finished.

"Oh, really?" Lin blushed, "I guess the word you tried to process was Beautiful." she grinned, her flush cheeks shining in the night, as was her little silver dress.

"That probably was the word." Prague nodded, then extended his arm, "Following formal procedures." he said and saw Lin loop her arm inside his.

"Oh... this is going to be great." Lin said to herself as the two walked off.

0000000

"Le Pain..." Prague mumbled as he looked at Lin seated across from him, "Did you know that Le Pain stands for The Bread in French?" he asked Lin.

"Yes, I did." Lin smiled and nodded, "I wouldn't be surprised if you did too seeing that you literally have the whole internet in your head."

"Well, eat up." Prague pointed to the food in front of Lin, then looked at his vacant area.

"I remember when you used to eat like a person." Lin recollected the old times, "You were so... intriguing." she took a bite out of a bread.

"Unfortunately I do not require food." Prague sighed, "But the company is still worth something, no?" he asked her.

"Yes." Lin grinned and looked at Prague with childish eyes, "The fact that you're here still makes me so happy." she ate her little salad.

Prague of course just silently stood there, only putting input when Lin required of it. This was not to say he didn't care of what Lin was saying, quite the contrary, he was mesmerized by the perpetual dialogue of the woman.

0000000

"Thank you for taking me out, Prague." Lin said as Prague led her out of Le Pain, the two holding hands like lovers, catching the attention of a few BLADEs lounging around.

"No problem, Lin." Prague accepted the girl's head on his shoulder, quite comfortable to her presence now.

"Prague... I want to tell you something." Lin said, but then walked ahead, "But not here!" she nearly dragged him away.

00

The moon was shining by the pier of the Water Treatment plant, and the two were watching it closely.

"What is it you wanted to inform me, Lin?" Prague asked as he looked at the gel below.

"Prague..." Lin gulped, "I know this may come off as foreign..." she mumbled, "I know you're a machine, but... I can't hold it back anymore." she sighed, "Prague, I love you."

Prague analyzed her words and put him into his database, then analyzed them carefully, "Lin."

"I don't care if you're a robot... I just... you are just so human." Lin brought him in for a kiss.

Prague was taken back, but realized this was a harmless action and let it proceed for a few moments, moments that made him realize something. He realized that to her, he was no longer a robot, but a human being- years of trying to emulate the human persona in her eyes were completed with flying colors.

"Prague... I..." Lin looked to the distance, where Elma was standing looking down at her. A soft vibration rocked her thigh.

Prague looked and saw Elma as well, a zoom in revealed her not so joyous face.

"I guess I'm the only one who believes in your humanity..." Lin said bitterly and walked towards the woman in the distance.

SM's Time-
For Reviewer Cormag Ravenstaff: Thanks! I really appreaciate the input!