My Robatsu: Episode 2, Part 1

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[ -SHOPPING MALL- SELECTED ]

The Handsome Robotics store! They have all sorts of upgrades and peripherals for me, including software to become a kitchen aid, tax assistant, kamasutra master or anything else you would want a Robatsu to learn. You can install new attachments like a bottle opener pinky or a vibrating phallus extender! I’m getting so excited, I have to tell them!

Robatsu: … I think we could all go to the Shopping Mall! It would be fun to shop for new Robatsu accessories. Handsome Robotics offers a 24-month installment loan with 0% APR for any products over $1000! (This is not a programmed advertisement).  ➤ 

Chawan: Oh, this is so exciting! Imagine all the things we could get. I absolutely cannot wait!  ➤ 

Maki: HUH?! W-We’re not going to the cat park? Where am I gonna burn all this energy…?  ➤

Maki: Do I haaave to go?  ➤ 

Tako: Yeah, o-on second thought, I think I’m just uhh… gonna stay home. I-I uhm… just remembered I have a new book I want to read…! Crowdedplacesaren’tmything!  ➤ 

Chawan: Aww, come on guys. Maki, you can just run around the mall. Tako, it’s a Monday morning; no one’s going to be there! Do it for Robatsu! ➤ 

Maki and Tako: Fiiiiiiiine… ➤ 

Just like that we were out of the house and into Chawan’s car. I learned he was the only one out of the three that could drive. On the car ride, Maki and Chawan chatted about the kinds of upgrades they could get for me, Maki seeming especially interested in the sexual peripherals. 

Maki: What do they got for tops? ➤ 

Chawan: Well, there’s different kinds of textured anal fleshlight installments, but is that all you really care about? ➤ 

Tako on the other hand had his nose in his phone.

Robatsu: Hello Tako, what are you doing? ➤ 

Tako: … Huh? Oh! I’m just playing a game. Uhm, it’s called High School Doggomon Summoner Heroes GO. ➤

Robatsu: I would look that up, but I’m still disconnected from the internet. ➤

I say this, hoping Tako would press the button on my forehead to toggle my internet access back on.

Tako: Oh uhh, well, it’s like an augmented reality game where you fight monsters in real life with your camera. They drop gems you can use to summon Doggomon to fight for you in tactical battles in multiplayer. I-it’s more fun when you play with a friend, though. ➤

Robatsu: From what you told me, that sounds like a fascinating game with a healthy economy that encourages limited real-world currency spending! Do you play it with someone? ➤ 

Tako: Err, well, I used to. Not anymore though… I just play it alone now. ➤

Robatsu: I’m sorry to hear. Do you mind if I ask why? ➤ 

Tako: Y-yes, I mean err, n-no. Sorry, uhm, we… don’t talk anymore... ➤

Tako slumps into his shoulders with his phone clasped in both hands. He fidgets with his thumbs as if trying to think of how to divert the conversation. This did not go as planned.

Robatsu: That is alright. I apologize if I caused discomfort. ➤ 

Tako: N-no! Not at all! It’s not your fault…! ➤

Tako goes back to playing Middle School Dogmon Summoner Heroes GO. Meanwhile, I look outside the car window and view the city for the first time.

There are plenty of buildings to the left and right of us. Most of the buildings housed smaller mom and pop shops, however some seemed to have been vacant for quite some time. Judging from the 25 cars that zipped by within the 9 mile distance on our way to the mall and my count of 12 persons walking on the sidewalk, Mid Driftwood City appears to have a low population, even if it’s a Monday morning. Regardless, it is a beautiful small city.

Chawan: Look Robatsu! We’ve arrived at the mall! ➤

I look over to see a huge lot with a modern-looking, red and beige building at its center, spanning approximately 1,140 feet wide. Bright lights line the roof of the building along its entire length. Rows of palm trees decorated in lights surround the outer edges and a grand sandstone pathway lead to the mall’s main entrance. Chawan pulls in closest to the entrance of the mall and parks. He was right; it’s really empty today. We exit the car and make our way inside.

Chawan: You know our city built this mall to try to revitalize the population here! ➤

Maki: Yeah, and that’s working soooo well. ➤

Tako: Huh? It is? I thought it wasn’t. ➤

Maki: No duh, I’m being sarcastic. ➤

Tako: Oh! ➤

Robatsu: If I may ask, why are you three here? ➤

Tako: Hmm, I grew up here. ➤

Maki: Same. Well, sorta. I moved to this stupid city with my dad when I was in middle school. I miss High Driftwood, man. ➤

Chawan: Hey, Mid Driftwood isn’t too bad! It grows on you after a while. ➤

Maki: Nah… ➤

Tako: G-guys, this is my hometown. Be nice...

Soon enough, we enter the mall, which looks quite grand. Chawan was right about it being Monday morning. The mall is almost empty with less than a dozen others occupying the floor.

It’s about three stories high, adorned with bright lights on every level. Every rentable space is occupied with a shop for all the latest popular brands. The electricity bill for this place must be astounding. It must take a miracle for the mall to pay for this with the amount of traffic it gets.

Chawan: I’m going to book us an appointment with Handsome Robotics, not that we need to since it's so empty. ➤

Chawan takes out his smartphone while we walk and taps away at something on it. Several seconds later, a ding rings from the phone and he looks back up with a confident smile.

Chawan: Looks like we got 10 minutes to spare until they call for us. What ya guys wanna do? ➤

Maki: I know what I’m gonna do. See you guys in a bit! ➤

In an instant, Maki takes off sprinting. Quickly disappearing into the distance, all that can be heard are the rapid squeaks of his sneakers on the polished mall floor. For a small guy, he sure is bursting with energy.

Tako: I think I’m gonna check out the manga shop. ➤

Chawan: Sure, we’ll tag along. ➤

Tako walks ahead as Chawan and I follow closely behind.

Robatsu: So why are you in Mid Driftwood, Chawan? ➤

Chawan: Oh, me? I came here for college! They have a pretty good computer engineering program here actually. ➤

Tako: Uhm… We met because Chawan was looking for a place to stay. Maki and I just happen to be renting out a room. ➤

Robatsu: Ah, so you knew Maki before then? ➤

Tako: Yeah, way back in High School. I’m not sure why he wanted to be friends with me though... but it’s been like a decade since. ➤

Tako stops in his steps and points towards the store. It’s a large Japanese bookstore filled to the brim with imported literature and other merchandise. There are hundreds of different kinds of magazines lining the shelves, with the latest news on famous pop stars and celebrities. Further back are more shelves carrying instructional books on elegant sushi crafts or inspirational quotes with cute cat illustrations.

Tako: Look, there! They have the new volumes of Girl with a Spiral on Her Face. ➤

Tako points directly at a display in the middle of the store carrying stacks of manga volumes of the horror genre. Next to it is a cardboard cut out of an illustrated shitzu woman with a spiral on her face.

Just then, in the distance I hear the squeaks of sneakers on the mall floor approaching. I turn to see Maki making his way towards a colorful store with sparkly floors. On the shelves of the store are an assortment of plushies and toys of famous cartoon characters from Bizney movies. Above the store hangs their mascot, Rickey Rat.

Maki looks around with shifty eyes before disappearing into the store.

Chawan: Robatsu, are you coming? ➤

I look back to see Chawan at the entrance of the Japanese bookstore, beckoning for me to come over. Tako meanwhile looks excitedly through the new books and merchandise.

[ POLLING CHOICE-MAKING ALGORITHM ]

[ SELECT WHO TO FOLLOW ]

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