Someboty

 The Magic of Cheesy Mac

The sun was just dipping below the mountains when Crystal made it to Colorado Boulevard.  She stopped at the traffic light, waiting for the holographic signal to cross the street while a procession of automated cars and trucks continued to rush by.  The skies overhead teemed with hover drones, their maglev boosters humming under the weight of their various cargos.  Crystal watched them sail against the twilight, so entranced with their avian silhouettes that she almost didn’t hear the high-pitched beeps of the signal prompting her forward.

She stepped off the curb, a dozen artificial eyes following her every move as she strolled along the gauntlet of headlights.  It didn’t matter how many were staring.  Even with her bright red capris and Wonder Woman backpack, she was still invisible.  A broken cog being forced to spin.  The only thought on her mind was reaching the other side of the street before the rest of the world simply ran her over out of sheer indifference.  

Crystal hurried down the alley behind the mini-mart, away from the bustling noise of traffic into the shabby seclusion of her apartment complex.  It was the land that time forgot, all the neon billboards and glass high-rises fading behind a web of clotheslines and crumbling cement walls.  Tried as she might to soften her footsteps, they echoed up the spiraling stairwell, finding their way into the landlady’s ridiculously cranked-up hearing aid.

“That you, Moretti?”  The old woman’s voice croaked from above, dry and raspy.

“Hey, M-m-mrs. Dolgren.  Just heading in to do my homework,” Crystal replied.  “How are the k-k-kidney stones?”

“Oh, bless your heart for asking, little one.  They're still acting up every now and again, but the pain meds seem to be keeping me on my feet.”

“I guess something has to,” Crystal muttered under her breath.  She started to resume her climb to the second floor when Dolgren’s voice returned with a sharper edge.

“Your rent’s late again.  Tell your dad we aren’t running a charity here.  If I’m not paid in full by the end of the week, he’ll be on the wrong end of an eviction notice, ya got me?”

Crystal tightened her grip on the handrail.  “I g-g-got you, Mrs. Dolgren.”

“That’s a good girl.  Have fun with your homework.”

“Oh, I will,” Crystal shrugged, sliding her key into door 236.  She pushed it open with a sigh, traipsing into the dingy shadows of her living room.  She flicked on the light, glancing around at all the newly missing furniture, unsurpised to find herself alone until the clinking of metal reminded her she wasn’t.   

“Miss Crystal?  Welcome home!”  The hissing of servo motors arose from the kitchen, their mechanized rhythm growing louder as the Moretti family servant rounded the corner.  The android wore a spattered apron over his polymer chassis, the yellowed fabric almost obscuring the model number “AID-N 15” printed across his chest.  He stretched his pale rubberized face into a pleasant smile, his glassy, unblinking eyes gazing right into Crystal’s.  “Are you hungry?  I took the liberty of preparing dinner.”

Crystal frowned at the robot, letting her backpack slip off her shoulder onto the floor with a thud.  The two stared at each other for a few awkward seconds, the machine eagerly awaiting a response, but she simply stuck her nose in the air, trudging past him on her way to the bedroom.

“I’m told you have an affinity for macaroni and cheese,” the robot said, gesturing to a pot on the stove.  Crystal stopped halfway down the hall, his soft-spoken invitation tempting her to turn around.  “Perhaps I could add a couple of sliced hot dogs…and a glass of chocolate milk?”  

The girl hung her head, pivoting back to the living room with a begrudging smirk.  “I suppose I could have a little bit,” Crystal replied.  She took a seat at the kitchen table, watching anxiously as the android placed a pair of sausages on the cutting board.  His knife gleamed as it rattled up and down, parting the meat with inhuman speed and precision.  It was almost hypnotic, the way his metal hands glided between cooking tool and ingredient, mixing up and serving the pot of cheesy goodness without a single wasted movement.  Before she knew it, her dinner plate had slid in front of her, punctuated with the promised glass of milk.

“Bon appetit,” the robot said, taking the seat opposite from Crystal.  He tilted his shiny bald head, pleased to see her digging in with reckless abandon.  “It would appear the rumors of your palate were somewhat of an understatement.  How fortunate.  Now then, if you would be so kind, I’d love to hear a summary of your day’s activities.”  

Crystal paused a moment to look up, her cheeks stuffed to the brim with macaroni.  She took a hard swallow, blinking at her servant in exasperation before going for another mouthful.

“Whenever you’re ready,” the robot prompted.

Crystal shot him a scathing glare.  “You’re n-not my mom, ya know.  I don’t have to talk to you.”

“I’m well aware of that,” the machine replied.  “I’m sure these last several months have been difficult for you, and the sudden arrival of a new synthetic can be most unsettling, but you may find an emotional benefit to discussing your experiences.”

Crystal glanced down at her plate, prodding a chunk of hot dog with her fork. “What would something like you know about emotions?”

“Quite a bit, actually. Dr. Moretti included multiple psycho-therapeutic protocols in my programming.  I can tell from the tension in your facial muscles and vocal cords that something is deeply troubling you.” 

“L-l-listen to me, you…you…”  Crystal shifted her gaze to the letters on the robot’s chest.  “...Aiden.  I don’t need your help.  It’s great that Uncle Dean decided to give us a hand-me-down ‘thetic, but I’ve g-got nothing to say to you.  I just want to eat my dinner in peace.”

“Be that as it may, I’ve been tasked with the physical and psychological welfare of both you and your father.  If you refuse to share your day’s events, I’ll have no choice but to disclose my own.”

“Knock yourself out.”

Aiden straightened up in his chair, his tone becoming flat and mechanical.  “At 7:01 a.m., you and Master Leo left the apartment for school and work respectively.  At 7:02, the air quality of the bedrooms dictated that I begin a thorough cleaning of the laundry and accompanying linens.  At 7:18, I arrived at the nearby laundromat with your entire collection of soiled underwear.  At 7:21, an elderly gentleman inquired as to whether the owner of said garments had suffered a bout of explosive diarrhea, to which I replied, ‘inconclusive’.  At 7:25—”

“Alison Dackery!” Crystal finally blurted out.

Aiden tilted his head.  “Is that a form of diarrhea?” 

“Close enough,” Crystal said, fighting back a snicker.  “It’s a person…from school.”

“A friend of yours?” Aiden asked.  

Crystal furrowed her brow.  “She makes f-f-fun of the way I talk.  Says I get my clothes from Bug-eyed Stan.”

“The homeless man that camps outside the 7-Eleven?  How unsavory.”  Aiden leaned forward, scanning the girl’s face for micro expressions.  “Have you alerted the authorities of this menacing child?”

“What authorities?” Crystal sneered.  “The principal?  My dad?  Alison is the ‘p-perfect little angel’.  Nobody would believe the things she does to me.  Nobody cares.”

“I care,” Aiden said, wrinkling his forehead.  “It’s clear that this girl is a significant source of trauma for you.  Is there anything I can do to help ease your distress?”

Crystal stabbed her fork into the pile of macaroni.  “You could give her a p-punch to the face.”

Aiden shifted uncomfortably in his seat.  “I’m sorry, Miss Crystal, but Mectolife Safety Protocols strictly prohibit domestic assistants from committing acts of violence against a human.  Despite the malignance of your antagonist, I cannot comply.”

“What about a slap upside the head?”

“Cannot comply.”

“A pinch?”

“Cannot comply.”

“A wedgie?”

“....Cannot comply.”

“Then what are you good for?!” Crystal cried, throwing her hands in the air.

Aiden sat quietly for a moment, his expression blank as the circuitry behind his eyes scoured cyberspace for an answer.  After an exhaustive search, he looked down at the girl, countering with a question of his own.  “Why do humans seek comfort by inflicting pain on others?”

Crystal choked down a gulp of milk, her shoulders drooping in self-reflection.  “I…I don’t know,” she said softly.  “I guess I just wanted Alison to hurt the way she hurts me.  Maybe it would g-get her to stop.”

“Would it?” Aiden pressed.  “Or would hurting her only perpetuate the cycle?”  Crystal bounced her heel on the leg of her chair, speechless at the twist in her logic.  “Negativity can only be trumped by something more constructive,” Aiden continued.  “Don’t you have any other friends you can turn to?  Someone that can offer the consolation you require?”  

Crystal looked away, her eyes turning red with mist.  Nobody else knew about her days spent alone at the far end of the lunch room.  There was never a second thought about how deep the laughs and jeers cut into her.  The passing glances of mockery and derision.  She wanted to pretend there was at least one person merciful enough to share a table with her, but the truth was so painful she couldn’t even bring herself to try.  Even so, Aiden could see it all.  The tears of her past were visible to his eyes, her every twitch and gesture telling him the story in vivid detail while his positronic brain calculated an appropriate response.

“Allow me to be the first,” Aiden said, pulling his lips into a fresh grin.  “I can be your friend.”

The girl stared at him with eyes wide.  “You?  B-b-but you’re a—”

“Great listener?  Indeed.  An ideal trait in a confidante, wouldn’t you agree?”

Crystal twirled a lock of her curly brown hair, not having the heart or luxury to argue.  “Y-yeah…I guess you’re right.  But what exactly does it mean to have you as a friend?  What can you do for me?”

“What can we do for each other, I believe is the proper question,” Aiden replied.  “Friendship doesn’t only work one way, after all.  It requires mutual trust and support.  For example, I cook you a delicious meal, and you recount the day’s events to me.”  His eyes wandered to the half-eaten plate of macaroni.  “What are you waiting for?  My generous offering is getting cold.”

Crystal flashed him a wry smile, shaking her head as she went to guzzle down the rest of her food.  “So…what about Alison?” she said between bites.  “You got a p-plan to help me out with her?”

The robot narrowed his eyes.  “I need to compile more data on the subject.  Is she in your class?  Why does she harbor so much animosity towards you?”

“She’s an eighth-grader at my middle school,” Crystal muttered.  “A sadistic witch that loves p-picking on sixth-graders like me.  She calls us all ‘scrubs’ just because we’re the youngest.”

“And that stutter of yours makes you an easy target?”

Crystal nodded reluctantly.  “She t-t-tears down anyone that defends me, so everyone stopped trying…”

“How long have you had it?” Aiden asked.

“As long as I can remember,” Crystal sighed.  “It got worse after the accident.”

Aiden watched as she cleaned the last of her plate, reaching out to bus it for her.  “Studies have shown such things to be linked with emotional stress,” he said, returning to the kitchen.  He placed the dishes in the sink, leaning over the counter in thought.  “There are techniques we could employ to help you improve it, Miss Crystal.  Speech therapy.  Cognitive behavioral therapy.  I could coach you through them if you wish.”

“I…I don’t know if I’m ready for something like that,” Crystal said, wringing her hands.

Aiden glanced back at her, spotting the fear and embarrassment on her face.  “Very well.  If you aren’t comfortable learning from me, perhaps I could learn something from you.”

Crystal recoiled in surprise.  “Wait, w-w-what?!  You want me to teach you?  You’re an android!  Isn’t your brain p-plugged directly into the Internet?  What could I teach you that you don’t already know?”

“No need to look so shocked,” Aiden replied.  “Vast as the Net may be, it’s impossible to record everything in existence.  As of right now, there’s no available data for Crystal Moretti of Pasadena, California.  Try teaching me something only she would know.”

“B-but why?  There’s nothing special about me.  Where do I even start to—?”

Aiden raised a hand to interrupt her.  “Slow down, Miss Crystal.  Calm yourself and think.  There must be at least one object…a skill…maybe even a memory that brings you joy and confidence.  It doesn’t have to be special to me.  It only has to be special to you.”

Crystal knitted her brows, shutting her eyes in concentration.  She could hardly remember the last time she felt anything close to what her synthetic friend was describing.  It was all so far away from her now, buried with the only person that ever seemed to love her in the first place.  She tried to picture it in her mind—the feel of that assurance against her fingertips.  The crinkling of a tender secret in her ear.  The layers of a warm smile overlapping one after another, its shape taking flight as she opened her eyes.

“That’s it!”  Crystal darted into the living room, snatching her school bag off the ground before heading back to the kitchen.  She tore open the zipper, pulling out a stack of blank papers and fanning them across the table.  “Come here.  Let me show you something,” she said, beckoning to the robot.

Aiden returned to his seat, watching as the girl scribbled a message on one of the papers, her free hand shielding it from any prying eyes.  Content with her chicken scratch, Crystal began to fold a corner of the page at an angle, sliding her thumb along the crease to create a perfectly sharp edge.  She moved on to another corner, each new bend quickly doubling into the next.  The paper soon gained a third dimension, forming a pair of wings and a tail.  A final stroke of her fingers constructed the head and beak, bringing to life the image of a tiny bird. 

“For you,” she said, handing it to Aiden.

He gently cradled it in his open palm, scanning it from top to bottom.  “How beautiful, Miss Crystal.  What does it do?”

“Open it,” she said, biting her lip with anticipation.

Aiden pinched down on the wings, unfurling the paper to reveal the message hidden within.  His optical sensors zoomed in on the letters, a wide grin creeping onto his face as he dictated aloud.  “To the coolest chef I know.”  He folded the bird back together, clutching it to his chest.  “Thank you, Miss Crystal.  I absolutely adore it.  Where did you learn how to do this?”

“My mom taught me,” Crystal replied.  “She used to leave them all over the apartment for me and my dad to find.  Whenever I was sad or lonely, she’d write just the thing I needed inside to cheer me up.”

“I see…so this really is special,” Aiden said, popping open the storage compartment behind his left breast panel.  “I will cherish it always.”  He carefully stowed the bird, shifting his attention to the art supplies strewn across the table.  “Would you mind if I tried making one myself?”

“Oh, um…sure.  I’ve got plenty of pages,” Crystal said, waving him on.

Aiden grabbed himself a pen and paper, his flawlessly steady hand printing out a message faster than the girl’s eyes could see.  The moment his ballpoint hit the table, he was already folding, his metal fingers clinking together with surgical precision.  As he worked, Crystal’s expression began to sink into melancholy, her lips quivering at the sight of Aiden’s bird taking shape.  It wasn’t until he finished, placing it proudly on the table in front of her, that he noticed the tears trickling down her cheek.

“Oh no.  Did I make it wrong?” Aiden asked.

Crystal shook her head, bursting into a sob.  “I miss her,” she whispered, burying her face in her hands.  “I miss her so much.”

“Miss Crystal…”  Aiden calmly moved from his chair to the one beside her, his voice soothing and empathetic.  “I’m so sorry. I can only imagine how hard it must be to lose someone you love.”  He glanced over at his paper bird, scooping it up from the table.  “It’s natural to dwell on the pain…to hurt at their absence…but the feelings your mother gave you are still here. That warmth and encouragement…I can see them in the palm of my hand.”  He gently patted Crystal on the shoulder, offering his proof with the kindest smile he could muster.  “Here.  See for yourself.”

Crystal wiped her eyes, accepting the bird with a loud sniffle.  She cracked it open, reading the message written in all caps.  “To my very first friend.”  Crystal teetered between a whimper and a chuckle, her tears going from bitter to sweet.  After all the crowded hallways and classrooms, all the busy streets and extended family, it was a sentient piece of hardware that managed to chase away the loneliness.  Somehow he’d made her exist again, trading the emptiness inside her for the simple value she’d almost forgotten.  “Thanks, Aiden,” she said, clasping the android’s hand.  “It’s just what I needed.” 

“That's why I’m here,” he replied.  “Is it alright if I try to keep this tradition alive?  I really do find it rather charming.”

“Promise?”

Aiden nodded.  “I still have to inquire, though—did you mean what you wrote about me being the coolest chef you know?”

“I wouldn’t have wrote it if I didn’t,” Crystal said with a grin.

Aiden squared his shoulders, beaming with pride.  “Just wait until you see me make chicken nuggets,” he declared.

Crystal giggled into her hand, glancing down at all the papers in front of her.  “Welp…I g-guess I should probably get around to my homework sometime soon.  I don’t suppose you know anything about tutoring algebra?”

Aiden’s eyes fluttered ever so slightly.  “I do now.  Where would you like to start?”

Crystal picked up her pencil, regarding him with a sideways look.  “You know what?  For a robot, you’re not half bad.”

Aiden tilted his head, accepting the compliment with a quick note to his databanks.  “Acknowledged.”  

The Welcome Mat

It was half past midnight when the front door burst open. A tall shadowy figure staggered over the threshold, tool bucket rattling beside him, his heavy breaths reeking of booze and frustration.  He groped around for the light switch, finding it in time to see Aiden walking up to greet him.

“Master Leo!  You’re home!  I was beginning to wonder if—”

“Shut your mouth, clanker.”  Crystal’s dad shoved the robot aside, trudging into the kitchen with a loathsome scowl.  He slammed his tools onto the table, running a hand through his greasy black hair as he peered over his shoulder.  “The last thing I need is one of you filthy rivet-heads dogging me the second I get in the door.”

“My apologies,” Aiden said, tapping his fingers together.  “It was not my intention to cause any offense.”

Leo sank into the nearest chair, gesturing down at his boots.  “What are you waiting for, clanker?  Get over here and make yourself useful.”  He leaned back with a sigh, watching impatiently as Aiden knelt down to untie his shoelaces.  “What are you still doing up anyway?” Leo demanded.  “Aren’t you supposed to be recharging or something?”

Aiden shook his head, slipping off the first boot.  “Androids of mark ten and above are equipped with long-range inductive batteries.  As long as we’re within sixty miles of a charging tower, we never need to power down.”

“Wish I had that kind of stamina,” Leo grunted.

Aiden pulled off the second boot, neatly placing it beside the other.  “In truth, there’s another matter we need to discuss.  An important message from Miss Crystal on behalf of Lady Dolgren.”

“Let me take a wild guess—the rent’s due?”  Leo raised a foot to Aiden’s face, his sweat-stained sock pressing against the fleshy silicone.  “How about you tell that old hag to go pound sand!”  Leo kicked the android backward onto the floor, his eyes burning with fury.  “Doesn’t anyone around here understand how fragging hard it is for a drone tech to make a living these days?!  You stupid clankers are gonna be the death of us all!”

Aiden crawled to his knees, his forehead wrinkled in confusion.  “Our only purpose is to serve humanity, Master Leo.  It’s beyond our programming to inflict harm.”

“Tell that to all the people whose jobs you’ve stolen!” Leo roared.  “The flaming bot engineers like my brother thought you’d stick to ditch-digging and burger-flipping, but look at you now.  Robots fixing robots.  I have to work two shifts just to keep the lights on!  Hell, before long even the eggheads will be out on the street!”  He got up and stormed over to the refrigerator, yanking open the door to grab a can of beer.  “What does Dolgren expect me to do?” Leo said, popping the tab.  “Hock the fillings out of my blasted teeth?”

Aiden paused as his master took a nice long swig, carefully running the numbers in his head.  “I may be able to help you with your budgetary concerns,” he said, rising to his feet.  “According to my calculations, your current income should be more than sufficient to cover rent, groceries and transportation as long as superfluous spending is cut to a minimum.”

Leo wiped his chin.  “‘Superfluous’?  The hell is that supposed to mean?”

The android focused his gaze on the can of beer.  “Your final daily shift is scheduled to end at approximately 8 pm, yet there seems to be a consistent trend of you returning home several hours late with a breath alcohol content far in excess of the legal driving limit.  Have you considered the financial benefits of eliminating recreational drinking?”

Leo stared at him, the can starting to crush in his grip.  “Are you telling me what to do, clanker?”

“I was merely trying to help.”

Leo pitched the can at Aiden’s chest as hard as he could, beer splashing over the android’s chassis onto the floor.  “Shut up!  I don’t need slag like you telling me how to live!”  

“My apologies, Master, but your physical and psychological welfare is my primary directive.”

“I told you to shut up!”  Leo stomped across the kitchen, his lips curled in a snarl as he struck Aiden across the face.  The blow was strong enough to knock the android’s head to the side, but he promptly snapped forward again, completely unfazed.  Leo wasn’t as fortunate, shouting a string of obscenities as he cradled his throbbing hand.  “Gah!  You fragging clanker!  I think you broke it!”

“Forgive my durability, Master Leo.  Please allow me to take a look…”  Aiden’s pupils flickered with light.  “I detect only minor contusions around the carpal region.  For the sake of your work productivity, I recommend you refrain from any further self-harm.”

“Get away from me!” Leo cried, pushing Aiden backward.  “Let’s get one thing straight here, rivet-head.  I only put up with you because Dean gave you to us for free.  That’s what you’re worth.  Nothing.  You’re less than a slave, so learn your place or I’ll sell you back to Mectolife Solutions as scrap.  How’s that for payin’ the bills?”

Aiden stood in silence, his expression blank as he thoroughly soaked it all in.  Just as he’d read the emotions roiling on Crystal’s face, Leo’s was a frightening antithesis.  A swirling pool of blind hatred and desperation, too self-obsessed to see the value in anyone else. There was no logic or reason.  Nothing could be said to quench the flames raging inside of him.  The only way for Aiden to win was simply not to play.

“Clean up this mess,” Leo said, tiptoeing around the puddle of beer.  He lumbered down the hall, slamming the door of his bedroom behind him.

Dust shook from the light fixtures, sticking to Aiden’s shoulders as he went to retrieve a towel from beside the oven.  He calmly wiped himself off, bending over to mop the floor when he heard something permeate the walls.  It was so soft and subdued he almost didn’t catch it—the faint gasping of a whimper.  He cocked his head, dropping his rag as he followed the sound to Crystal’s bedroom door.  His etiquette protocols urged him to announce his presence with a knock, but with Leo not far away, self-preservation decided otherwise.  He quietly twisted the knob, easing open the door to peer inside.

Long shadows decorated the room, clashing with the glow of distant billboards spilling through the window and across the floor.  Atop the bed, Crystal sat hugging her knees, the tears on her cheeks glistening in the light.  She glanced over at Aiden, meeting his eyes with a fear he’d never seen in her before.

“Miss Crystal…is everything alright?” he whispered, inching his way closer.  She shook her head, rocking herself back and forth as Aiden took a seat at the edge of her bed.  “Whatever it is, you can tell me,” he insisted.  “Is this about your father?”

“D-d-d-did he hurt you?” Crystal squeaked.

Aiden tapped a finger to his breastplate.  “You don’t need to worry about me,” he replied.  “I don’t have a nervous system like you do, so physical pain isn’t something I can experience.  If you’re asking whether I’m damaged, well…I seem to be holding up decently enough.”

Crystal breathed a sigh of relief, still clutching the hem of her pajamas.  “W-w-why is he so angry all the t-t-time?  I c-can’t ever talk to him…”  She tucked her chin between her knees, trembling like a leaf.  “I j-j-just want my daddy.”

Aiden scooted himself closer, gently throwing an arm around her shoulders.  She shuddered at his touch, her delicate frame gradually surrendering to his embrace.  “I know how scary it might seem,” the android said, “but you have to understand that he’s just as lonely and afraid as you are.  He lost someone precious too.  Some people deal with that sort of thing by withdrawing into themselves, putting up walls so that nothing else can hurt them.  Others lash out in word or deed, choosing to share their pain instead of bottle it up.”

“D-does any of it help?” Crystal asked.  “Does it make the p-pain go away?”

Aiden gazed out the window, straining to see the stars through the haze of artificial light below.  “I wish I could say it did,” he confessed.  “More often these behaviors only make things worse, like pouring venom into an open wound. You would think it an easy task to show people the irony of their own self-destruction, but I’ve found it pointless to even try.  Rationality is not a common human trait.”

Crystal relaxed her shoulders, resting her head against the android’s chest.  “Isn’t there anything we c-can do to make my dad listen?  To make him t-talk to me again?”  

Aiden searched his memory banks, determined to find them an answer.  He knew coercion was off the table.  Safety protocols aside, it was impossible to force a genuine emotional connection.  Such a thing would require the proper alignment of variables—incentive, timing and precision.  Three tenets with which Aiden was all too familiar.  “Forgive me, Miss Crystal,” he said, lifting his arm to leave.  “I still need to finish cleaning the kitchen floor.”

Crystal desperately clutched him around the waist, her eyes moist and pleading.  “P-p-please don’t go,” she whispered.  “C-can’t you stay a little longer?  Until I fall asleep?” 

Aiden threw on his usual smile and settled back down, putting his arm around her again with a reassuring squeeze.  “Acknowledged.”

The Vandal

Aiden stood in front of the stove, donning his trusty apron as the crackle of bacon and eggs filled the kitchen.  The sweet aroma drifted down the hall, summoning the humans from their hibernation with all the allure of a Siren’s Song.  Crystal was the first to appear, already dressed for the day as she wandered out of her room into the open.

“Morning, Aiden,” she said with a yawn.  “Whatcha cookin’?  Smells delicious.”

           “Breakfast burritos,” the android replied.  He pointed his spatula at the table without looking up from his skillet.  “I already made you something special.  Please, give it a read.”

           Crystal plopped down into her seat, noticing one of her patented paper birds strategically waiting atop an empty plate.  She cracked it open and squinted at the message inside, raising an eyebrow as she glanced up at Aiden.  “Really?  You sure about this?”

           He folded a pile of ingredients into a tortilla, turning to give Crystal an awkward wink.  “Trust me.  It’s certainly worth a shot.”

           “What’s worth a shot?” Leo asked, shambling out of his room.  He scratched his darkening five o’clock shadow, clearly worse for wear after his latest drinking binge.  He hadn’t even bothered to change clothes, his jumpsuit sporting the same stains as the night before.

“I was just telling Crystal about what I’ve made for breakfast,” Aiden said, holding up his culinary masterpiece.  “Would either of you care for a burrito?”  The android gave Crystal an expectant look, prompting her to clutch her stomach with a wince.

“Ooooh, I think I have a t-tummy ache,” Crystal moaned.  Her eyes darted between Aiden and her dad, hoping her act was convincing enough to work.

Leo glared at the robot, his jaw clenched in annoyance.  “What’d you feed her, rivet-head?  You trying to poison us?”

“Miss Crystal hasn’t yet eaten this morning,” Aiden replied.  “As for my eggs, ham and hash browns, I assure you everything has been adequately cooked to FDA standards.”

“Wait, did you say hash browns?”  Leo sauntered into the kitchen, snatching a burrito out of Aiden’s hand before taking a huge bite.  “Now you’re speaking my language,” he said, spitting chunks of egg into Aiden’s face.  He sat down beside Crystal, giving her a cursory once-over.  “You gonna be OK, baby?  Think you can still go to school?”

She glanced over at Aiden, spotting the subtle shake of his head.  “Uuuhhh…I don’t know, Dad.  It r-really hurts.”

Leo rolled his eyes, choking down another mouthful of burrito.  “I’m sure you’ll be fine.  Nothing a good piece of toast won’t fix.”  He turned to Aiden, slapping his hand on the tabletop.  “Hey, clanker, get me a glass of OJ, will ya?  And some toast for the little lady, chop chop!”

“Right away, Sir.”

“Now that’s what I call service,” Leo said, smirking at Crystal.  “I should probably give him a tip…of my boot.”  He glanced down at his wrist watch, recoiling in surprise.  “Crap, it’s already 6:50!  We’ve gotta motor!”  Leo guzzled down the rest of his breakfast, frantically searching under the table for his shoes.

Crystal sank in her chair, irritated by her dad’s apparent lack of concern, not to mention her unwitting forfeit of a decent meal.  She glared at Aiden, silently demanding an explanation, but he simply flashed her a knowing smile, handing her a piece of toast with honey slathered on top.

“One for the road?” he said.

She reluctantly accepted, taking a chomp as she reached down for her backpack.  It wasn’t much, but at least it was better than going hungry, and something about the android’s confidence seemed infectious.  Even if she couldn’t see the wheels turning in his head, there was always the certainty that they were rolling like clockwork.  A constantly adapting loop of learning and calculation. 

“Alright, Crys, time to go,” Leo said, throwing open the front door.  He led the way into the stairwell, Crystal hot on his heels while Aiden followed a safe distance behind to see them off.  They shuffled into the outer parking lot, approaching Leo’s truck when his jaw suddenly dropped in shock.  The pickup was resting only inches off the ground, all four of its tires completely bereft of air.  “W-wha…what the hell happened?!”  Leo threw down his tool bucket, rushing forward onto his hands and knees to inspect the damage.  “How could they all be flat?!” he demanded.  “Someone had to have slashed these on purpose!”

“How scandalous.  Perhaps the work of a disgruntled neighbor,” Aiden said matter-of-factly.

“Those fragging hoodlum kids,” Leo hissed.  “I always see ‘em riding their dang hoverboards up and down the street at all hours of the night.  Didn’t your stupid sensors detect anything while we were sleeping?”

Aiden shook his head.  “My proximity detection doesn’t typically work this far from the apartment, and I don’t recall hearing any suspicious human activity.”

“What kind of slashes are these?”  Leo brushed his fingers against the deflated rubber, noting the small, perfectly round holes punched in each tire.  “Did they seriously shoot a bullet through there?”

“Low caliber, most likely,” Aiden mused.  “Fortunately, your insurance covers the event of quadruple blowout due to vandalism.  If you’ll permit me, I can go acquire the replacement tires and see to installation while you remain at home to look after Miss Crystal.  I’m sure she would greatly appreciate your care considering her recent bout of indigestion.”

Crystal did a double take, clutching her stomach again right on cue.  “Yeah, Dad…maybe it’d be for the b-best to stay here.  It’s still hurting pretty bad.”

Leo stood up and dusted himself off, his brow furrowing as he noticed the half-eaten slice of bread in her hand.  “Well, no wonder you’re still having problems.  That stupid bot put honey all over your toast.  Sugar’s not gonna help.”  He swiped her meager breakfast, stuffing it greedily in his mouth.  

“The auto store is only a few blocks away,” Aiden cut in.  “If I head over now, I should be back in approximately—”

“Hold on a sec, clanker,” Leo said, swallowing the piece of toast.  “I can’t afford to skip work.  Not while I’m breathin’.  You go ahead and walk Crys to school while I call Dean for a ride.  After you drop her off, you can go get the tires.”

Crystal scowled, raising her voice in protest.  “But Dad—!”

“Sorry, baby, but we gotta tough this out.  If I don’t get busy fixing drones, we’re gonna be eating cat food out of a gutter.  Just try to hang on until lunch and hit up the nurse if you have to, OK?  Now get going, you’re gonna be late.”  Leo motioned for Aiden to take the lead, turning around to dial his cell phone as the robot and his charge hurried out of the parking lot.  

“Imagine if I was actually sick,” Crystal grunted.  “I guess it was w-w-worth a try though.  Just wish it didn’t leave me starving.”  She and Aiden reached the crosswalk, waiting for the familiar chime of the traffic signal.  

“I’ll admit, I grossly underestimated your father’s obstinance,” he said, popping open his chest compartment.  “Good thing I always plan for contingencies…”  Aiden pulled out a freshly rolled burrito, handing it to her with a mischievous grin.  “Who’s the coolest chef you know?”

Crystal returned the smile, rolling her eyes as she took the offering.  “Ugh…you are.”

“And don’t forget it.”

The two followed the holographic prompt across the street, strutting along side by side.  It wasn’t unusual to be seen with a synthetic companion.  Not in the year 2045, anyway.  Just about everyone had them in one form or another.  Still, Crystal couldn’t help but feel a bit out of place walking next to the six-foot android.  Even as an older model, it was never something she thought her family could afford.  Her dad’s prejudice had painted such things as a matter of decadence.  A symbol of humanity’s laziness and pride.  It amazed her that only twenty-four hours could flip the world completely on its head, making something she never wanted become something she couldn’t imagine being without.  

“All that stuff you did back there,” Crystal muttered.  “Was it really all just to give me some time to spend with my dad?”

Aiden glanced down at the sidewalk.  “It’s what you wanted, wasn’t it?”

“I g-guess so,” she said, finishing off her burrito.

“I’m simply trying to do what’s best for you.”

“Even if that means t-ticking off my dad?”

Aiden gave a half-nod.  “I don’t think he quite knows what’s best for him yet.”

“And you do?”

“I will.  In time,” Aiden replied.  “That’s why it’s so important for you two to open up to me.  The more I know you, the more I can learn what you need to be happy.  In your case, I believe a new hobby would do wonders to relieve your stress and help sharpen your mind.”

Crystal scratched her head.  “Hobby?  Like what?”

“You tell me,” Aiden prodded.  “What’s something you enjoy?  Something that inspires your creativity?”

Crystal chewed her lip, struggling to come up with an idea.  She never considered herself very artistic, and any attempts at drawing in class only brought further laughs of mockery.  Then she heard it.  A passing car with its speakers blasting, the melody pulling her ear as it zoomed on by.  “I like music,” she said, turning to walk backwards.

“What kind?” Aiden asked.

“I dunno.  How many are there?”

Aiden’s eyes bulged.  “How about we focus it down to something you can actually perform.  Have you ever thought about learning an instrument?”

“Not really,” Crystal shrugged.  “I kinda wanted to learn the piano, b-b-but where would it fit in our apartment, and how would I even buy it?  We’re scraping for money as it is.”

“Let me worry about that,” Aiden replied.  He tapped her on the shoulder, pointing to a cluster of buildings up the street.  “Is that your school?”

Crystal whirled around, the enthusiasm draining from her face.  “Yup, that’s the one,” she sighed.  “Good ol’ Carnegie Middle School.  The c-c-crappiest place on earth.” 

The sidewalk out front was already clamoring with other kids, their parents or androids dropping them off by car and on foot.  As they drew closer, Crystal noticed a pair of girls in matching pleated skirts waiting by the gate.  The sight of them made her nose wrinkle in disgust, stopping her in her tracks.  

“You should p-probably head home now,” Crystal whispered.  “I can go it alone from here.”

Aiden tilted his head.  “What’s the matter?  Am I not allowed on school property?”

“It’s not that.  It’s just…everyone always compares how g-great their synthetics are.  Who has the latest model or the coolest upgrades.  If they see me walking in with a mark fifteen…”  Crystal looked away, nervously bouncing her heel.  “They already make fun of me for being poor.  I’d rather sneak by without c-c-calling any attention.”

Aiden regarded her, not even the least bit surprised at the shame written all over her face.  He wished there was something he could do for her, lamenting the limitations of his own creation, but there was no escaping the bounds of reality.  He couldn’t simply will himself into a newer, shinier body, or push himself beyond the specs of his predetermined hardware.  The extent of his entire world was already etched into his code, leaving his only choice to make the most of what he had.  

He put his hand on Crystal’s shoulder, opening his mouth to offer a parting word of encouragement when a fancy black Mercedes pulled up beside them.  The robotic driver hopped out and rounded the front of the car, the panels of his sleek carbon fiber chassis sporting inlays of gold.  He chivalrously opened the passenger side door, waiting as a girl in a silky pink dress climbed out onto the sidewalk.  She looked only slightly older than Crystal with a mane of wavy blonde hair and piercing blue eyes.  The diamond jewelry around her neck and wrists glittered in the sunlight, sparkling almost as bright as her fake, dimpled smile.  

“Oh, hey, Moretti.  I thought I smelled you there,” she said, waving to her friends over by the gate.

Crystal straightened her T-shirt, greeting the girl with a mumble.  “Alison.”

Aiden stared at Crystal’s nemesis, astonished to find her horror stories in such an unassuming package.  He took a step forward, scanning Alison for weaknesses when her driver decided to intervene.

“State your intentions,” the bot demanded. 

“Don’t worry about it, Jarvis,” Alison said, wagging her hand dismissively.  “He’s just curious to see a more evolved form of life.”  Alison’s fan club came running up to cement her delusion, their gushing swoons at the ready.   

“Aly!  You’re here!” one girl exclaimed.

“Is Miss Frumpy’s new hunk of junk giving you trouble?” the other asked.

Alison turned to study Aiden, pursing her lips as she looked him up and down.  “So, you finally found yourself an antique, eh, Moretti?  You’ll have to forgive my Aid-X 99.  He gets a bit jumpy in the presence of wild animals.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Alison,” Aiden said, putting on a smile.  “You truly are an evolved human specimen.”

Alison blushed, feigning humility.  “Well now, at least the older models still have a taste for flattery.”

“Not at all,” Aiden continued.  “You’re the pinnacle of Darwinian perfection.  Just look at those eyes, so large and spread apart.  The wider field of vision allows for more efficient spotting of incoming predators.  And those teeth, so blunt and protruding.  Ideal for chewing through bark and denser forms of vegetation.”

Alison gaped at the android, her brows slumping forward as the comment started to sink in.  “Wait…what did you just say?”

“I was merely explaining your superiority,” Aiden said, pleasant as ever.  “Your alabaster skin, for instance.  The chalky complexion and lack of pigment would provide excellent camouflage in an arctic environment.  If only it wasn’t marred by the pus-filled blemish above your left nostril.”  The fangirls stared at Alison, her list of flaws becoming accentuated by Aiden’s suggestion.  

“Wow…her eyes really do seem pretty far apart,” one of them muttered.

“Is there actually a zit on her face?” asked the other.

“Shut up!” Alison cried, cupping a hand over her nose.  “That filthy piece of trash doesn’t know what he’s talking about!”

“On the contrary,” Aiden said, widening his grin.  “My optical lenses can see the pustule’s head forming beneath your layer of makeup.  If you’d like, I could pop it for you.  I can be surprisingly gentle…”

Alison frantically shook her head, tears welling in her eyes as she ran past her friends to the school entrance.  They quickly gave chase, leaving Crystal and Aiden behind to deal with Alison’s driver, Jarvis.  

“You have emotionally compromised my mistress,” he said, balling his fists.

“Did I?” Aiden replied.  “Apparently, some people don’t know how to take a compliment.”  Jarvis tossed him a threatening glare, skulking back to his car as Crystal burst into laughter.

“That was awesome,” she chuckled, playfully slapping Aiden on the back.  “You already made my day.”

“Acknowledged.”  He returned the gesture with a nudge of his elbow, motioning for her to get to class.  “That’s enough excitement for one morning.  I’ll see you after school.”

“Sounds good.  Catch ya later!”

Aiden watched as Crystal scurried past the gate, waiting for her to disappear from view before reaching into his chest compartment.  This time he withdrew the bit from Leo’s power drill.  He rolled it between his fingers, peeling the black rubber from its flutes as he headed for the tire store with a smirk.

The Musician

“Alright, Miss Crystal…watch closely and follow along.”  Aiden placed his hands over the ivory keys, letting that first note ring out with purpose and weight.  His fingers swiftly danced into a string, his metal joints flowing smooth as water, running up and down the scale with ease.  He made it look so natural, like one machine interfacing with another, cold and yet passionate at the same time.

As he descended the climb, Crystal took over beside him, her once trembling fingers now loosened and confident.  It wasn’t enough for her to settle with the slow and the steady, pushing herself faster and faster, again and again.  She'd finally found her voice, the words of her heart resounding beautifully without stutter, singing of a freedom she’d long hidden deep inside.

Aiden sat back on the carpet, marveling at the fruits of his labor.  He hadn’t expected Crystal to absorb it all so quickly, but her thirst for achievement simply couldn’t be quenched.  She knew now what it felt like to create something special, to share that thrill and satisfaction with somebody else, and there was no going back.  Aiden waited for her to finish cycling her last octave, then clapped his hands together in a beaming ovation.  “Well done, Miss Crystal!  You’ll be putting Beethoven to shame before you know it.”

“You really think so?” Crystal asked.

“Of course,” Aiden said, patting her on the back.  “With your level of improvement, I believe we’re ready to move on to some actual sheet music.”

Crystal clenched her fists, shaking with excitement.  “Man, I can’t wait.  There’s a talent show at school coming up in a few weeks.  I wonder if I’ll be g-good enough by then to compete.”

“I don’t see why not,” Aiden replied.  “You certainly have a talent for this sort of thing.  We might even be able to prepare a song especially for your father.”

“Yeah!  That’d be awesome!”  The idea had barely managed to solidify in her mind when Crystal heard a rattling at the front door.  She glanced over her shoulder, elated to see Leo himself come strolling into the living room.  “Dad!  Your home!”

“And only half past eight,” Aiden added.

“Yeah, well, figured I’d take it easy tonight.”  Leo raised an eyebrow at the sight of his daughter and the android sitting cross-legged on the floor.  “Ummm, what are you guys up to over there?”

“I was just teaching Crystal how to play the piano,” Aiden said, motioning to the black plastic console behind them.

Leo’s eyes widened.  “A piano?!”

“Well, technically it’s an electronic keyboard,” Aiden replied.  “The lighter weight and greater space efficiency allow for a much less intrusive addition to the apartment, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Where the hell did you get it?” Leo growled.  “We don’t have the money for something like that.”

“I know,” Aiden grinned.  “That’s why I spent the last few nights scrounging the city’s waste receptacles for the components I needed to build one.  It took a fair amount of tinkering and improvisation, but as you can see, my venture was a success.”

Leo’s jaw went slack.  “You built that thing out of garbage?!  Who would throw away an entire keyboard?!”

“You’d be surprised how bountiful the dumpsters are on the affluent side of town.  I even found some functional power converters and left them for you on the counter.  You should be able to sell them for at least a few hundred dollars a piece.”

“It’s almost as good as a real piano!” Crystal chimed in.  “I’ve already learned all the basic scales and can play Baa Baa Black Sheep!  Wanna hear it?”

Leo glared at her and Aiden, their pride and joy lighting his fuse like never before.  He could see the bond growing between them now.  The bond he had once shared with his daughter.  The one he didn’t even realize was missing until a mechanical impostor had come along to take it for himself.  Just the thought of it made his blood boil over, deafening him to any voices of reason.  “That thing reeks of filth,” Leo hissed.  “It’s stinking up the whole apartment.  It needs to go back to the trash pile it came from.”

Crystal gawked at him, refusing to believe her own ears.  “What?  B-b-but why, Dad?  All we have to do is clean it up a little better.  We can store it in my room if you want.”

“She’s right,” Aiden said, rising to his feet.  “I can open up the housing and ensure full sterilization.  There’s no need to dispose of a perfectly operational keyboard.”

Leo stormed over to the android, jabbing a finger in his face.  “Who do you think is in charge here, rivet-head?  You?!  No daughter of mine is going to be fiddling around with your fecal-encrusted dumpster fodder!”

“Dad, please!  No!” Crystal begged.  “I don’t c-care where it came from!  I love making music!  Please don’t take it away!”

“My word is final,” Leo said, pushing past Aiden for the kitchen.  He snatched the power converters off the counter before returning to the front door.  “I’m gonna go see how much I can get for these down at the pawn shop.  That piece of junk better be out of here by the time I get back.”  He slammed the door behind him, leaving Crystal heartbroken and sobbing on the living room floor.

Aiden wrinkled his forehead, torn between obedience and directive.  He knew how much Leo’s command would hurt her—how much it would hurt them both—damaging their emotional welfare despite how far they might have come.  Still, it didn’t change the fact that Leo was indeed his master.  What choice did Aiden have?  He bent down, reaching to pick up the keyboard when Crystal grabbed him by the wrist.

“Please.  Don’t,” she whispered softly.

“I’m sorry,” Aiden replied.  “As much as I want to comply, your father is my legal owner.  I can’t disobey his expressed wishes.”

Crystal swallowed the lump in her throat, her eyes burning with resolve.  “He t-told you to get it ‘out of here’.  He never said exactly where.  Hide it in my closet.  He’d never c-c-care to look in my room anyway.”

Aiden paused, reflecting on the girl’s logic.  It was true that Leo’s ambiguity had left them with more than one way forward, but what would be the consequences of denying his intent?  Was Crystal’s rebellion the only path to bringing them closer, or would it end up driving them even further apart?  Aiden’s sole objective was to save both father and child.  His programming wouldn’t allow for anything less, but with every passing second, it seemed as though it would have to be one or the other.

“You must realize what it is you’re asking,” Aiden said at last.  “If your father discovers what we’ve done, there’s a high probability I will be sold or destroyed.”

“Then we’ll just have to be sure he doesn’t,” Crystal replied.  “It’ll be our little secret.”

Aiden lifted the keyboard off the ground, offering a hopeful smile as he started for the bedroom.  “Acknowledged.”

The Reason for Being

Aiden poured the milk into his measuring cup, watching with a laser focus as the liquid reached the desired line painted on the outside.  There was no telling what difference it would make to add a bit too much or too little.  After all, the taste of mac and cheese wasn't even something he could distinguish, but he knew that Crystal could, and that demanded exactness.  It required nothing less than his best.  

He mixed his fourth of a cup into the pot, proudly giving it a stir when a muffled click at the front door caught his attention.  Light footsteps dashed across the living room, bypassing the kitchen into the hall.  Aiden turned, spotting Crystal’s backpack just as she disappeared into her bedroom and shut the door.  “Miss Crystal? Is everything alright?”

Aiden pulled off his apron and set it on the counter, patiently listening for a response.  When none came, he began inching his way closer, ratcheting up the sensitivity of his ears.  He could hear sniffles and ragged breathing.  The rustling of paper and the scratching of pencil lead.  A faint mumble, barely above a whisper, yet seemingly crying out in pain, drawing him like a magnet to the shadows outside the door.  Aiden gave it a knock, his tone as gentle as can be. 

“Miss Crystal?  I made you some dinner.  Would you like to come out and eat?”  Silence fell inside the room, a soft whimper the only proof of its occupant.  “If something’s wrong, you can talk to me, Miss Crystal.  Did something happen on the way home?  Was it trouble at school?”

A shuddering gasp confirmed his suspicions, prompting Crystal’s voice through the barrier between them.  “I wanted to p-p-practice on a real piano…the one in the music room.  I d-d-didn’t think anyone would hear me during lunch time…”

“Was it Alison?” Aiden pressed.  “Was she bothering you again?”

Crystal paused with an unseen nod.  “She and the other girls said my playing was t-t-terrible…said the talent show was only for people with talent…”

“People like her?” Aiden scoffed.  “The only talent she has is being a malevolent carbuncle.”

“She can sing,” Crystal replied.  “She has a p-p-perfect voice and perfect looks and everybody loves her.  She’s not some scraggly loser without any friends.  I can’t even t-t-talk without this glitch in my brain.  There’s nothing special about me.  I’m just defective.”

“Are those your words or hers?”  Aiden went to open the door, furrowing his brow as he found it locked from the inside.  “Miss Crystal…being different doesn’t make you defective.  Every human is built with their own strengths and weaknesses.  You may not approve of them all, but they can’t be a glitch if they’re written in your code.  It simply means you were made for something different.”

“Then what was I made for?” Crystal wept.  “My own dad doesn’t want anything to do with me.  Nobody d-does…”  The crumpling of paper filled the air, followed by a soft thud.  “Why did my mom have to go…I just want to be with her again…”

Aiden rested his head against the door, his fingers brushing its glossy wooden veneer.  “Don’t you see?” he whispered.  “Alison hurts you because she’s afraid.  She’s seen what you can do and knows you have the brilliance to outshine her.  You have what it takes to win the contest.  You need only to show them.  Invite your dad to come too.  He needs to hear the beauty I know is already inside you.”

“...But what if he f-finds out about the keyboard?” Crystal asked.  “He’ll know I’ve been practicing.  What if he does something to you?”

Aiden hesitated, weighing the options in his mind.  “It’s worth the risk,” he said finally.  “Besides, what good is talent if you have to hide it?”

Crystal threw open the door, looking up at Aiden with eyes red and puffy.  Before he could utter another word, she lurched forward and hugged him around the waist, tears dripping from her nose onto his cold metal frame.  He gently put his arms around her, accepting the full weight of her burden.  He wasn’t the father she needed, nor the mother she deserved, but he was somebody.  The voice of comfort in her hour of despair.  The pillar to lean on when it mattered the most.  Aiden relaxed as Crystal’s breathing steadied, about to coax her to the dinner table when she surprised him with another question.

“Have you ever wondered what it’d be like to die?”

Aiden pulled away, studying the girl's face in disbelief.  “Crystal…why would you ask something like that?”

She glanced down at the floor, shamefully biting her lip as Aiden peered over to the desk in her bedroom.  Beside it, on the ground by the trash can, he spotted a crinkled-up piece of paper.  The clue as to Crystal’s real intentions.  He slipped past her and picked it up, carefully unfurling it in his hands.  Its message was short and simple, but if Aiden had had any blood, it would have turned to ice in his veins.  He wadded up the paper and stuffed it into his chest compartment, returning to Crystal’s side with a renewed sense of determination.  He crouched down on one knee, clutching her by the shoulders as he looked her straight in the eye.

“You need to understand the difference between us,” Aiden said firmly.  “I’m an imitation of life—the culmination of several inanimate objects combined into one.  There are thousands of others out there that look like me, sound like me, lacking any form of uniqueness or identity.  We’re born alone without parents or offspring, our only purpose assigned to us by another.  We serve until we break or become obsolete, devoid of any faith in a soul or an afterlife.  When we’re finally destroyed or repurposed, nobody sheds a tear or offers a heartfelt eulogy.  That’s what it means to be a machine.  Nobody mourns the death of a vacuum cleaner.”

Crystal stared at him with eyes wide, quivering at the realization.  “That’s so horrible,” she whispered.  “Doesn’t it all scare you?”

Aiden gently shook his head.  “Even if fear were something I could experience, the end of my consciousness will be both instant and absolute.  There’s no point in dreading it, but I’ll have found contentment and my own breed of immortality if I’m able to fulfill my purpose—if I’m able to ensure a long and happy life for you and your family.”

“For me?” Crystal gasped.

“That’s right.  You’re the reason I exist.  That’s why you have to understand the preciousness of what you are.  You were born unique, the only one in the world of your kind, free from the yoke of preset limitations.  As a human, you have the power to decide your own value and potential despite what others may do or think.  You can choose your own purpose.  And just as you mourn the light your mother once brought to your life, I assure you there are those that will eventually long for yours.”

“P-people would miss me?” Crystal asked, choking back a sob.  “How can you know that?”

Aiden smiled, reaching up to caress her cheek.  “Because I would,” he said softly.

Crystal wiped her eyes, struggling to stem the downpour.  Once she finally managed to regain her composure, she regarded Aiden with a shake of her head.  “You’re wrong, you know…there isn’t any other android in the world like you.  You’re better than the rest.”

“Oh?  And why is that?”

She threw her arms around his neck, squeezing him with all her might.  “Because you’re mine,” she whispered in his ear.  

Aiden held her tightly, resting his head against hers.  “Acknowledged.”

The Confession

Crystal nodded in and out of consciousness, her feet atop the kitchen table as she slumped backward in her chair.  She and Aiden were already pushing 11 o’clock and still no sign of Leo.  They knew that waiting up for him would be a long shot.  His late nights had only become more frequent after scoring the power converters Aiden had so graciously scrounged for him.  Even so, the school talent show was only two days away, and Crystal’s window to personally invite him was closing up fast.  Aiden had suggested she try leaving him a note in one of her paper birds, but she wasn’t in any mood to hear an “I forgot” or “I didn’t have time to read it”.  She wanted to confront him face to face, poised to defend in case he were to question her credentials with a piano.

Aiden rose from his seat, his patience having worn to the bone.  As much as he yearned to honor Crystal’s wishes, he could tell the element of surprise was no longer in their favor.  The hour meant that Leo had most likely gotten lost at the local bar after work.  Even if they could catch him on his way in, there was little hope the reception would be a pleasant one, especially with Crystal so far past her bedtime.  Aiden rounded the table, about to ask her to pack it up when they heard the doorknob begin to rattle.  

The android stiffened up, his presumptions woefully confirmed as Leo walked in with his tool bucket in one hand and a bottle of whiskey in the other.  Leo’s eyes were sunken and glassy, his fatigue and inebriation having taken their toll.  He glanced over at Crystal, turning to Aiden with an irritated scowl.  “What is she still doing up?” he demanded.  “It’s a school night.  I don’t keep you around for entertainment, clanker.”

Crystal sprang to her feet, nervously wringing the shirt of her pajamas.  “Sorry, Dad.  It was my fault.  I wanted a chance to t-t-talk to you about something.”

“Can’t it wait ‘til morning?” Leo grunted.  “I can’t have you sleeping past your alarm.”

Crystal shook her head.  “We…we don’t have a lot of time, Dad.  The school is g-g-going to be hosting a talent show at the end of the week, and I…I wanted to ask if you’d be willing to come see me compete.”

Leo shut the door behind him, setting down his tools as he gave Crystal a hard look.  “You?  A talent show?  How do you plan to compete?”

“Well…the school has its own piano,” Crystal answered. “I was thinking I could try playing it and—”

“Since when would you know how to play the piano?” Leo interrupted.  “I don’t remember you signing up for the music program.”

“I…I didn’t, but it would really mean a lot if—”

“Do you even know what you’re gonna play?  When did you have the time to practice?”  Leo narrowed his eyes at Crystal, her refusal to meet his gaze telling him everything he needed to know.  “It’s that keyboard, isn’t it,” he hissed.  “You kept it, didn’t you?”  Leo grit his teeth, shifting his anger back to Aiden.  “You filthy piece of slag! You dare encourage disobedience in my house? I knew there was something wrong about you.  Was it any coincidence that one of my drill bits went missing the day I found my tires slashed?  It was you, wasn’t it?  You’ve been trying to undermine me at every turn.  Well, guess what, pal?  You’ve screwed your last pooch!  I’m pawning you off first thing in the morning!”

“It wasn’t his fault!” Crystal cried out.  “It was my idea!  I was the one that told him not to throw away the keyboard!”

“You?”  Leo clenched the whiskey bottle, his daughter’s sudden burst of passion catching him offguard.  “Why?  Why would you do that?  You’ve never been this defiant.”

“Can’t you see, Dad?  Ever since Mom died I’ve been so alone.  So lost.  Learning music helps me feel like I’m not anymore.  I know how much you hated the keyboard, but I need it.  Aiden, too.  He’s the greatest friend I’ve ever had.  Please don’t send him away.”

Leo sneered at the robot, his rage continuing to mount.  “This clanker’s been poisoning you against me.  He’s got you so wrapped around his twisted metal finger that you’re willing to take a bullet for him!  You care about him more than you do your own father!”

“Why shouldn’t I?!” Crystal shot back.  “He cares about me more than you do!”

“You ungrateful little brat!”  Leo vanished into his own jealousy and prejudice, flinging the glass bottle at Crystal with all the strength he could muster.  It hurtled across the living room, only inches from her face when Aiden’s arm snapped to the side and caught it midair.   

The android’s expression darkened, his tone firm and threatening.  “That’s more than enough, Master.  Cease this despicable behavior at once.”

“Or what?!” Leo countered.  “You’ll kill me?!  Like you did Helen?!”

Aiden carefully set the bottle on the table behind him, his other hand raised in supplication.  “Master Leo, I need you to calm down and think clearly.  Your wife died in a car accident several months ago.  I didn’t have anything to do with it.  I couldn’t have.”

“It was one of you behind the wheel!” Leo cried.  “You took her from me!”

“It was a malfunction,” Aiden replied.  “A product of faulty programming.  Perfection can never be born from imperfect beings.”

“Liar!”  Leo frantically reached into his tool bucket, pulling out a heavy crescent wrench.  “All of you are a malfunction!  You’re bent on destroying humanity!  You’re planning to replace every last one of us!”  He charged forward, shouting as he bashed Aiden upside the head in a blind fury.  “I won’t let you take my daughter from me!  You’ll have to kill me first!”

Crystal gaped in horror as Aiden toppled to the ground beside her, collapsing onto her knees to try and help him back up.  “Please, you have to save yourself!” she cried.  “Fight back if you have to!” 

Aiden looked up into her frightened brown eyes, lifting his hand to gently stroke her cheek.  “You have to forgive him,” he whispered.  “Your father isn’t himself right now.  No matter what happens, promise me you’ll forgive him.”

Crystal bit her lip, her eyes brimming with tears as she tried to wrap her brain around the android’s request.  She couldn’t understand why he would willingly allow such brutal punishment.  He was far stronger and faster than any Olympian-class athlete, much less a raving drunkard with an iron club.  Did he not care enough about her to protect himself?  Did he not fear his own destruction enough to stay by her side?  The only thing she knew for certain was that the cogs were still turning.  The reasons were beyond her grasp, but she believed in him all the same, nodding reluctantly as he climbed to his feet. 

Aiden fixed his eyes on Leo, his demeanor calm and submissive.  “Master, please...I mean you no harm.  I’ve only ever acted in your best interest.”

“Shut your fragging mouth!”  Leo took another swing at the robot, cracking the plates of his left shoulder.  “I don’t need any more of your lies!”

Aiden shuddered under the blow, refusing to back down.  “Your daughter is suffering severe emotional distress, can’t you see that?  She still hasn’t recovered from the loss of her mother.  I’ve tried to help her, but she needs her father.  She needs you!”  Another whack sent Aiden careening into the edge of the table, denting the side of his head.  “Crystal-stal is starving for your approval!  She’s starving for your love!”  Leo struck him again, desperate to silence him.  “Put aside your hatred-tred and just hold her like you used to!  Let go-go-go of your pain and beeee the man Helen would’ve wanted you to be!”

“SHUT UP!” Leo screamed.  “You don’t get to say her name!”  He knocked his quarry to the ground, smashing him relentlessly, shards of metal and plastic clinking to the ground.

“Fa-fa-fathers are kind,” Aiden crackled.  “Father-therssss protect…Fa-fathers put their-their-their needssss after their chil-children…”

Leo stepped backward, dropping to his knees in exhaustion, the wrench clattering to the floor as he stared at the mangled android lying propped against the kitchen wall.  Aiden sputtered coolant onto the tiles, his servos grinding as he went to lift his only remaining arm.  His fingers trembled on the verge of ruin, but he managed to reach into his battered chest compartment and curl them around something inside.  He set his flickering eyes on Leo, extending his enclosed hand as Crystal crept up beside him.  She cradled his shattered body, begging for a mercy he no longer had the power to give.

“Aiden, please…you can’t go.  You can’t leave me too…I love you…”

The machine tilted his head, struggling to pull his lips into a smile.  “Ack-ack-acknowledgggg…”  The light faded from his eyes, his hand falling limp to reveal a crinkled paper bird in his open palm.  

Leo glanced down at the offering, gasping as he recognized the design.  “That…that looks just like the kind Helen used to…”  His voice trailed off as he noticed the writing underneath one of the wings.  He took the bird and carefully unfolded it, silently reading the letter scribbled within:

Dad,

I’m sorry I couldn’t make you happy.  I never wanted to be a burden on you or anyone else.  I tried to be good, but nobody wanted me.  I just want to disappear.  I want to be with Mom again.  Don’t worry.  Once I’m gone, we won’t have to hurt anymore.

Thanks for everything,

Crystal

Leo’s tears soaked into the paper, the gravity of Aiden’s pleas only now resting heavy on his shoulders.  He looked up at Crystal, his lips quivering with regret.  “Baby, I…I didn’t know…I’m so sorry…I didn’t listen…”  He reached out and took her in his arms, weeping with his child over the remains of their loyal servant.  “What have I done?” Leo whispered.  “I’m so sorry…”

Crystal wiped her cheeks, pulling away from her father as she remembered the promise she made to her best and only true friend.  She crawled across the floor to Leo’s tool bucket, returning with a screwdriver and placing it in his hand.  The two smiled at each other, their hearts finally in accord without having to exchange another word.  Leo simply hunched over what was broken and immediately started the repairs.

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