INT. THE CUBE – MORNING
59Please respect copyright.PENANAsxwhOh8CJC
A knock rattles the door early in the morning.
A practically sprints to open it, his face lit up with an excitement usually reserved for cartoons and new snack deliveries.
59Please respect copyright.PENANA9b49zw6cIE
He swings the door wide.
59Please respect copyright.PENANAp0dJpla7PQ
A (grinning)
"Good morning!!"
59Please respect copyright.PENANA6Q345Irh91
Standing outside are Josh Anderson and Violet Solace, both carrying bags and looking very... surprised.
59Please respect copyright.PENANAlB8mV074B3
Josh blinks, his optics doing a little mechanical whirr as he takes in the tall, smiley bot who is definitely not Jason.
59Please respect copyright.PENANAL4shCNoRo1
JOSH (awkwardly clearing his throat)
"Uh... hi? Is Jason here?"
59Please respect copyright.PENANAmVDbAcyaMi
Before A can respond, Jason skids into view, still pulling a hoodie over his head and looking like he lost a fight with his own bed.
59Please respect copyright.PENANAAD68aK1lvE
JASON (huffing)
"Yeah, yeah, I’m here. Long story—roommates."
59Please respect copyright.PENANAykwqDdxxOj
Josh raises a brow, but shrugs it off in classic Josh fashion—if it’s weird, it’s probably normal for Jason.
59Please respect copyright.PENANA1M8p6mUnjd
Violet, on the other hand, immediately grins like a shark spotting blood.
59Please respect copyright.PENANA41ahHL6LDE
VIOLET (teasing)
"Roommates? What, you finally got sick of living with just your own depressing thoughts?"
59Please respect copyright.PENANA4Wvxbo3Rqy
Jason rolls his eyes.
59Please respect copyright.PENANAbd7yrtNAIa
JASON (grinning back)
"Yeah, figured I should diversify the mental illnesses around me."
59Please respect copyright.PENANAmuffXute5t
They both laugh like it’s the funniest thing ever.
Josh sighs, looking between them helplessly—clearly used to this dynamic.
59Please respect copyright.PENANA9K80U0E1JU
Violet nudges Josh’s arm with an elbow.
59Please respect copyright.PENANAHuveQyK6xb
VIOLET (smirking)
"Remember college? When I had to drag your sorry ass out of the laundry room 'cause someone glued your pants to the floor?"
59Please respect copyright.PENANAQxo8uPU7uv
JASON (cackling)
"Best prank of the semester. You were screaming like a kettle."
59Please respect copyright.PENANATaJFm8oj6G
Josh mutters something about "trauma" and "therapy bills."
59Please respect copyright.PENANAvfJMCQMHaj
VIOLET (mocking, to Jason)
"And you were always the bad influence. Top of the food chain."
59Please respect copyright.PENANApNuSYtJdaA
JASON (mock innocent)
"Hey, you were the one encouraging me! If I’m the poison, you're the damn delivery system."
59Please respect copyright.PENANAOTFc8XJjX6
They both exchange an evil, nostalgic look.
Josh just groans dramatically, as if he'd aged a century just standing there.
59Please respect copyright.PENANAG2Q8kLLvR9
Meanwhile, A gently cradles Emily—a small, egg-shaped data pod with a soft pulsing blue glow—like she’s made of clouds.
59Please respect copyright.PENANAAC7YTdIXMM
A (whispering, awed)
"She’s adorable."
59Please respect copyright.PENANAcCq2C9l9OM
Violet softens a little, watching A hold the pod with such care.
59Please respect copyright.PENANAfzfmXvr2W6
VIOLET (grinning)
"Take good care of her, alright? She likes soft humming noises and hates loud banging."
59Please respect copyright.PENANACWXdV7UjQY
Jason snorts.
59Please respect copyright.PENANAAgQUlQ7bxt
JASON (deadpan)
"Perfect. We’re a rock band of chaos and murder. What could go wrong?"
59Please respect copyright.PENANAGXKnS2ojd9
Josh gives a nervous chuckle, handing A a tiny manual titled "Emergency Data Pod Care" written in about 500 words of technobabble and legal threats.
59Please respect copyright.PENANAhljLIbfURq
JOSH (half-joking)
"If she explodes, you’re buying us a new kid."
59Please respect copyright.PENANAa5od0jSDPq
JASON (saluting lazily)
"Sir, yes sir."
59Please respect copyright.PENANAucvwXTEUv4
VIOLET (turning to leave, calling over her shoulder)
"Don’t let him teach her sarcasm before she even has legs!"
59Please respect copyright.PENANAJADs4B0Xfx
JASON (mock-offended)
"Hey, sarcasm is a life skill!"
59Please respect copyright.PENANA6BhAsnPChX
The front door clicks shut after them.
Silence falls over the cube... broken only by the soft pulsing of the data pod.
59Please respect copyright.PENANAztABaMdHUy
Jason turns slowly to face A and K, hands on hips.
59Please respect copyright.PENANAAz2t7v5LuT
JASON (grimacing)
"Well, congratulations. We’re officially in charge of a tiny semi-sentient bean."
59Please respect copyright.PENANAC7ywa5Sisa
A cradles Emily proudly like he’s holding the future.
59Please respect copyright.PENANAGbAThLkF0n
K scribbles a doodle of a baby pod wielding a giant axe on the wall behind them.
59Please respect copyright.PENANArdaSIaGKyL
JASON (sighing)
"This... is gonna be a nightmare."
59Please respect copyright.PENANA68qjMuMNHH
FADE OUT.
ns216.73.216.0da2