Microbots. /Ark/ Base. Day One

[microbots]

clock: *says 2:45 pm when Karen peeks at it over the side of the hammock*

Karen: *considering rolling over and going back to sleep*

belly: *makes pretty impressive monster sounds*

bladder: *OW*

Karen: *sigh. So much for that plan. Will move to try and get out of the hammock without flipping it* *pleased sound as she finds out that it's not difficult to do so*

rooster: *makes a cute little shrill bantam crow from over by the house with chickens. Is answered by another cute little bantam crow*

Karen: *will carefully stretch and move to head for the toilet*

toilet: *is as cheery and bright as the rest of the house because of the frosted windows on both doors* *also has a little doll in a long dress sitting over the spare TP roll*

Karen: *soft chuckle as she sees the little doll* *will tend to necessities and move to the main room once she's done*

Lyra and Fred: *look up from where they're sitting on the floor by the kitchen counter. Between them is a red cafeteria tray that has six eggs in a bowl, a bowl of butter, and something covered by a tea towel*

Karen: *pause, blink* Er, hi.

Fred: *waves and deedles softly, then points to the stuff on the tray and holds out his tiny hands in a gesture that clearly asks where Karen would like it brought*

Lyra: *chime sound*

Karen: Er... what all is there? *will move to crouch by the tray*

Fred: *carefully moves the tea towel to show her a little fat braided loaf of good-smelling dark bread, which is still warm. Soft deedles as he points to it, and then to the eggs and butter*

Karen: *looks around the kitchen area* The eggs and butter should go in the fridge...

Fred: *gets up and beetles over to pat what looks like a pantry door. Here is fridge!*

Karen: *will move to pick up the tray*

Lyra: *scoots out of the way, playing a cheerful melody*

Fred: *little deedles as he tugs futility on the edge of the fridge door*

Karen: *will set the tray where it won't fall, then help Fred with the fridge*

Fred: *deedle* ^_^

Karen: *inspects the inside of the fridge curiously*

Fred: *also looks into the roomy fridge, then makes a displeased little sound as he sees that there are no noms in it* *turns and deedles to his sister about juice and fruit*

Lyra: *soft chime, will scoot to ask about getting that stuff!*

Karen: *soft hum as she puts the eggs and butter in the fridge, making a mental list of groceries she'll need*

Fred: *right on his sister's heels, deedling all the way*

Karen: *confused as she watches the two drones go* ...Okay, then? *will close the fridge for now, and move to put the bread in a cupboard* *peeks out the kitchen window to see if she can spot the roosters*

chickens: *in two pens, up off the ground. In one some black fluffballs are chooking around and happily eating, dusting in a box, or laying around. In another two little hens and a little rooster with short legs and fan tails are watching something at the far corner of their pen*

Karen: Awww. *will look to see if she can spot what the hens and rooster are looking at*

fantails: *watching the two little drones run toward the barn!*

Karen: *soft chuckle and a head shake. Will move to study the stove so she can get tea going*

stove: *induction top and two ovens, all covered with a nice brown finish. One oven has a convection option*

Karen: *surprised by how nice the stove is* Wow. *will look for the tea kettle, then*

kettle: *in a bottom cupboard. It... looks like an elephant*

Karen: *amused snerk, will get the kettle out and fill it with water. Then she'll set it on the cooking surface of the stovetop, and figure out how to get the stove going*

stove: *speaks in a cheerful voice when she pokes it* Good afternoon! It's a lovely time for lunch!

Karen: *startled squeak* What on earth?!

stove: Do you need a hand? Please press the blue circles to activate the corresponding burner menus. Please press the green squares for oven menus.

Karen: ... *will push the blue circle that she's sure goes to the burner she put the kettle onto*

menu: *shows up under the translucent stove top, it shows two different rings*

Karen: *surprised sound, will look, and select the small ring*

stove: The right hand front burner is warming a smaller pot.

Karen: *soft chuckle* It's a tea kettle, but I guess so.

stove: Would you like to hear the weather?

Karen: ... Sure.

stove: *tells her the forecast for a lovely day*

Karen: Thank you.

excited deedling: *at the door, which seems to have shut the little helpers out*

Karen: *moves to open the door for the drones*

huge orange kitty: *looks up at her from where he's holding a net bag of oranges* Mrp.

Fred: *waving an orange juicer over his head triumphantly from where he's sitting on the kitty's back*

Lyra: *is that distant chime sound. Is lugging a picnic basket*

Bubba: *is that happy beep in response. Is helping push the basket!* *he's also tethered to it by a bright green shoe lace*

Chance: *nicely carrying the package of bacon, his tail just a going*

kitty: *puts the oranges down, and then shakes Fred off and goes to get the picnic basket* Mrrrrpt mrrrrow.

Karen: ... Alright, then. *chuckles and moves to get the oranges, and to hold the door for Fred*

Fred: *offers her the juicer, deedling happily*

Chance: *gallops up, roadkills Fred, and lays the bacon at Karen's feet*

Karen: *hand over mouth* Oh!

Chance: *sidesteps as Fred wiggles, then sniffs brother's bum*

Fred: *pushes him away and gets up*

Karen: *to Fred* Are you alright?

Fred: *hand on brother nose. Nod nod!* ^_^

Karen: Alright. *will move to pick up the bacon as well* Let's get started putting things away.

kitty: *arrives at the door, Bubba on his head and Lyra helping him carry the basket*

Lyra: *happy chiming*

Bubba: *beep! Has NO idea what's going on!*

Fred: *deedles and scoots inside with the juicer*

Chance: *sits. Was told he can't go into the lady's house*

kitty: *looks up at Karen with his eyes. Muffled comment around the mouthful of basket*

Lyra: *deedle! Lady will show you where to put stuff, Steeljaw!*

Bubba: *beeps! Is starting to lose his mind with glee!*

kitty: *deep sigh, and then carries his end of the basket into the house, his tail twitching all the way*

Karen: *will put the bacon in the fridge, and the oranges on the counter, then she'll move to help Lyra and the cat with the basket*

kitty: *big sigh and much nyom nyom motions with his mouth, and then he shakes Bubba off and bolts, herding Chance as he goes streaking away toward the barn*

Bubba: *BEEP!* *kinda bounced when he got shaken off*

Fred: *drops the juicer and runs to help brother up and make sure he's not tangled in his leash* *deedle deedle!*

Bubba: *beep! What was that, bubby?*

Fred: *deedle deedle deedle. Steeljaw bucked!*

Bubba: *headtilty* *does not compute!*

Lyra: *deedle*

Fred: *waves hand at Lyra. No need for that language! Hugga brother and point to the juicer. It's on the floor!*

Lyra: *chimes and scoots to get the juicer*

Karen: *amused head shake, is busy examining the contents of the basket* *surprised by the variety of fruits and vegetables, plus a few different meat and cheese products that look nothing like what she's familiar with*

Fred: *looks up as the kettle starts to whistle. Whistles back at it* *is standing with his feet braced to keep Bubba from running away*

Karen: Oh! *will set the basket on the table and move to turn off the stove*

Fred: *deedles to sister and offers her Bubba's leash* *go put brother in his race track?*

Lyra: *affirmative chime, will grab the leash and move to lead Bubba back home*

Bubba: *beep! Gleeeeeeeee!*

Fred: *waves, and then turns and looks up at Karen*

Karen: Is it always like that with him?

Fred: *nod nod. Knocks on his own head to indicate emptiness*

Karen: ... Okay, now what Rachel said the other day makes sense.

Fred: *deedles laughter*

Karen: *amused head shake, will get her tea steeping, then turn her attention to putting groceries away*

Fred: *sits companionably on her foot as she moves around*

Karen: *once she's gotten the groceries put away, she'll sit and sip at her tea*

Fred: *quizzical deedle*

Karen: I'm trying to decide if I want to see what the base is like, or if I just want to stay inside for the rest of the day.

Fred: *taps his little face where he hasn't got a mouth, and then rubs his belly as he head tilts at her* *are you going to eat?*

Karen: I'm thinking about it...

Fred: *points up to her tummy as it growls*

Karen: *lips thin for a moment as she thinks about whether she wants to eat or not*

Fred: *patient and questioning look from those tiny bright eyes*

Karen: *silent for a few minutes. Then, she's getting the same stubborn look in her eyes that Legacy's started to get, and squaring her shoulders* *to Fred* Can you show me where the mess hall is?

Fred: *surprised, but then happy beeps as he nod nods* *little hands up. You lift me?*

Karen: *will carefully lift Fred, automatically cradling the little guy close*

Fred: *happy snuggle as he turns his little head to look toward the door*

Karen: *will get to her feet and walk to the door, stopping only long enough to slip on a pair of brand new yellow crocs*

Fred: *beepy commentary and friendly laughter about about the shoes*

Karen: Well, I won't lose them. *amused*

Fred: *little chortle as he mines something floating on water*

Karen: ... They float, too?

Fred: *nod nod! Laughter*

Karen: *amused snerk*

Fred: *points to the entrance of the barn just as what looks like a black centaur whisks out of sight*

Karen: *pauses as she sees that movement* ... Did I just see what I think I saw?

Fred: *quizzical look at her face* *attitude asks what she thinks she saw*

Karen: I thought I saw a centaur.

Fred: *ohhh. Nod nod*

Karen: ... Huh. *will move to head for the barn entrance*

female voice: *husky and soft* Startrail, stay here. We aren't supposed to bug that lady. She needs RnR.

baby voice: *babbles softly in reply*

Karen: *will look toward the voices curiously*

black centaur: *soft fur is all over her body, and there's a friendly smile on her face as she kneels on her front knees next to a dark brown baby with big, curious eyes*

Startrail: *holds his hand down so he doesn't wave. But he's dancing slightly*

Karen: *small, friendly smile and a wave*

Startrail: Eeeeeeeee. *wave!*

Fred: *beepy laughter*

black centaur: *grins*

Karen: *soft chuckle*

Fred: *deedles and points to the elevator door*

Karen: *small nod, will move to head for the elevator*

Fred: *once they're inside, he looks up at the ceiling, clearly wondering about something*

Karen: Is something wrong?

Fred: *blinks and looks at her, then shakes his head and reaches toward the buttons*

Karen: *will move so Fred can push the buttons*

Fred: *cute little deedle as he does so* *then leans back and snuggles again*

Karen: *another soft chuckle, will enjoy the elevator ride*

elevator: *stops above the floor that Fred pushed, and a dark-haired man looks in*

man: Oh. You've got him. I can take him, if you want.

Fred: *folds arms over his chest*

Karen: Er...

man: I'm Hound, one of the local drones. *gentle and easy-going smile*

Karen: *very surprised. Wasn't expecting to encounter a drone that looks human* Er... Hi.

Hound: He's not really bugging you, is he?

Karen: *head shake* No. Fred's been very helpful.

Hound: Alright. *again the easy grin* The big orange cat, Steeljaw, was worried. *turns to the door* I better get back before my owner realizes I'm gone.

Fred: *quiet laughter*

Karen: ... Your owner? *brow raised*

Hound: *turns back* Yes. Destiny. She's just a baby. I've got to make sure she doesn't wander off.

Karen: ... Oh. *still very surprised*

Hound: I'll see you later. *waves a hand and lets the elevator doors slide shut*

Karen: ... Huh.

Fred: *deedles as the elevator starts its downward journey again*

Karen: *bit of a blush* What's so funny?

Fred: *looks up questioningly, then shakes his head. He was just talking that time. Little hand pat pats Karen's arm*

Karen: Oh. *attention going to the door as it opens again*

Fred: *points to the door and nods to tell her that this is where they're going*

Karen: Alright. *will exit the elevator*

Fred: *and now he's leaning forward to listen to the sounds from the seemingly empty room across the corridor from the elevator with clear surprise*

falcon: *somewhere in there having a great time*

something: *is jabbering in a funny soft voice*

Karen: ... *will cautiously approach the sounds*

mess: *is a large and sturdy room, with some furniture of a larger size. Sounds are coming from the far back corner*

raven: *flies into sight with something grasped in its beak*

falcon: *shoots up and tumbles the raven and its prize back to the floor*

Karen: ... Those aren't really birds, are they?

Fred: *shakes his head*

funny voice: Ouch, slaggit!

Karen: ... *will move to investigate*

clunk: *sounded like a small head*

falcon: *laughs in a sassy falcon way*

something dark: *flies into sight and falls down again as she gets nearer. ...It was round*

Karen: *startled squeak*

something: *squished under her foot during that last step*

cockatoo: *turns to look toward the squeak. Is covered in streaks the same colour as the thing that went up and down*

raven: *peeks upward, her beak closed on the tail of a brown-covered ferret* ...Gorp.

pair of ferrets: *all froze in place*

Karen: ... Er...

falcon: *yanks his head out of a Hostess cupcakes box, his eyes wide with surprise* *feather poof*

bitty bot: *standing by the wall to one side, he turns his head and looks up at Karen with big blue eyes*

Fred: *is laughing soundlessly as he looks at the mess of cake smeared all over the wall and floor back here*

Karen: ... Do I want to know what happened here?

ferret with nommed tail: ...Wea havin' kake warz. EEEP!

raven: *sniggers as she lets go of the tail after chomping*

Karen: ... Cake wars? *raised brow*

cockatoo: Yeah. The one that eats a whole cake first wins. *eyes are bright as his crest opens and closes*

second ferret: *female laughter after a large burp*

Karen: ... Wins what?

male ferret: Da war. *hic!*

Karen: ... Whose idea was it?

critters: *look at each other quizzically, then shrug*

bitty bot: *points to the female ferret*

female ferret: Hey! I did not!

Karen: ... *moving to look in the box* Are there even any whole cakes left?

falcon: We've ate less than half.

bat: *sticks his head out of the box*

falcon: *POOF*

raven: *laughs herself right off the table, then flops around*

cockatoo: *loooooks over the edge of the table* You good, Beaky?

raven: *BRAAAP*

Fred: *nearly fell out of Karen's arms*

female ferret: *cackle*

Karen: *awks and does her best to keep Fred from falling*

falcon: *flips a cake at her, sniggering intensely*

Karen: *meeps and with a quick bit of juggling, catches the cake without dropping Fred*

male ferret: *throws a piece of an opened cake at her, cackling manically*

Fred: *abandons ship and winds up in the cake box. Uses his pen to whap the bat over the head*

Karen: Hey! *swats the cake piece away* Cut that out!

cake: *from all directions!*

Karen: *awks and ducks under a nearby table, unwrapping the whole cake in the process*

raven: *pulls the cockatoo's tail as he sticks his head into the cake box!*

cockatoo: *cuss!*

bat: *ejected from the box at speed! Hits the wall with a soft thump and then slides down it*

Fred: *tiny victory fist!*

male ferret: Dats' my cake! *tries to nom it right out of the female ferret's mouth!*

female ferret: *kisses!*

Karen: *peeks out from under the table, cake in mouth*

male ferret: *happy sounds! Till the falcon lands on them*

Fred: *cake at speed upside cockatoo head*

cockatoo: *squawking about abuse now!* *sees cake!* Oooo, it opened! *will try and eat!*

bat: *cake explosion!*

Karen: *nom nom nom* *squeaks as some of the cake explosion hits her*

bitty bot: *beetles over and looks at Karen, not even blinking as he passes through the storm of splatted cake* *little bitty hand touches Karen's mouth as she finishes the cake*

Karen: *apologetically* Sorry, no cake here.

bitty bot: *little giggle* AUNTY WINS!

male ferret: ...What?

raven: *looks up from skidding out in cake and cream* Buh?

bat: Eep?

cockatoo: *flapping and hopping over to get a better look*

female ferret: *cracking up now*

falcon: *ruffles his feathers, and then tiptoes over and peers closely at Karen's mouth*

Karen: Er... Hi?

falcon: Well, scrap. She did it.

female ferret: *more cackling*

cockatoo: Aww. *laughs*

male ferret: Oh well. *kissies wife*

female ferret: *cackles cut off by kissing husband*

raven: *mighty shake, and then absently looks toward a soft sizzle from the kitchen* I guess she wins the cakes, huh? *beady eye turns toward Karen* Do you wanna talk to us?

Karen: Sure. Maybe you can help me learn more about the base.

raven: Okay. But we couldn't talk to you unless you wanted us to. Rachel said so. *tail waggle and then baps the cockatoo for sneaking up on her*

Karen: ...That explains what the centaur lady said earlier.

raven: Shade? *baps cockatoo again when he doesn't stop*

cockatoo: *will wait until the raven's distracted again to try and rub cake on her*

Karen: *blink* Is that her name? It fits.

raven: Yeah. She's Shade, and her white sister's Mist. The silver idiot that hangs out with them's Starfighter. *another bap for the cockatoo* This idiot's my husband Eject. The furry idiot licking the floor's Ratbat, and the floofy thing's Buzzsaw.

bitty bot: *pat pat. Can sit on you?*

Karen: *small nod, attention going to the bitty bot, will offer her hands* And who's this?

raven: That's my baby. He's Reset.

Reset: Pickame.

Karen: *will do so, humming softly as she does so*

female ferret: *busy making her husband's head spin!*

Buzzsaw: *bites her tail!*

female ferret: *JUMPS*

male ferret: *spins out and splats against the table leg* *cuss*

raven: *without blinking* I'm Laserbeak. The woozy woozles are Rewind 'n Rumble.

Fred: *flips the box over on himself on his way out. Deedles laughter*

Eject: *fell over laughing*

Buzzsaw: *sidesteps laughing cockatoo* *eats cake off wall*

Eject: *laughing even more now*

Karen: ... Good grief.

Rumble: *flips over, staggers sideways, and then starts licking the floor after a mutter about cleaning up*

Karen: ... *will go see if she can find a broom*

something: *freezes as she walks into the kitchen. Is a tall stem draped in wispy fabric and a bikini apron, topped by a nest of long, slender tendrils* *one of those tendrils is holding a paring knife, and the other has a partly carved potato flower on a skewer*

Karen: *startles* Oh!

something: *meeps softly and moves back* *quietly, in a soft voice with no apparent gender to it* ...Do you want to be alone?

Karen: *blinks for a few moments, then shakes her head as she realizes this must be the friend Joe mentioned yesterday* Oh, no. I'm just looking for something to clean up the cake war that Laserbeak, Rewind, Rumble, and Buzzsaw had.

something: *relaxes* Ohhh. I'm Lou. You can call me it. I'd introduce you to my baby, but it's sleeping right now. The mops and things are over there in that closet. What do you think of the base so far? Oh, are you eating a cake? Do you like those? I've only seen Rachel eat them, but she says they need mint... *sees Karen's stunned expression* Oops. Too much talk?

Karen: You don't breath from the same place you talk, do you?

Lou: *laughs* No, I don't. Do you need help with the cleanup?

Karen: No. *looks at the dozens of finished potato flowers laying on the counter by the deep fryer* I'm good. Thanks.

Lou: Okay. It was nice to meet you! *tendrils are already resuming their flower construction*

Karen: *gets out a mop and bucket, and is soon cleaning up the mess as Rumble and Rewind chase the mop and dook intently, and Eject hangs from the mop handle and flaps his wings. Has a pleasant time cleaning up, and then sits down and eats a second cake as she chats with the little bots about hobbies and cuddles Reset. Hugs little Startrail on the way back out to her house and wants to keep him, but she's soon back in the tall little house and settling down to a satisfying session of cleaning the already spotless house*

((Written with random_xtras))