Theodore woke very slowly, not opening his eyes quite yet. Shifting around slightly, getting even more comfy on this impossibly comfortable bed. Making a mental note somewhere to get an upgraded one put in the Endurance when he got the chance.
He breathed deeply, inhaling the wonderful smell of petrichor coming from the plushie in his arms, squeezing it slightly. There was something else in the background, a different smell, pancakes? He finally opened his eyes slowly, blinked some of the sleep away and looked around the room. His room, for the time being he had to remind himself. Eyes flicking between stars, picking out familiar clusters and trying to estimate the Zealands currant location.
Looking further he realized Miss Green wasn’t in the room, an opportunity perhaps. He stretched intensely before sitting up and slowly scooting towards the ludicrously far away edge of the bed. Intending to use his legs for the first time in nearly two days.
@recently-uplifted
oooooo big stretch
[I come walking in through the door and pick the cutie up right as Theodore leaps off towards the ground]
Good morning, sweetling. Did you have good dreams tonight?
I've made you pancakes for breakfast!
[I walk towards the living room, Theodore in vine, where a huge stack of fluffy pancakes with several syrup and honey bottles are standing by on the table]
I thought you and @aurum-dawn-second-floret could spend the day together today since the two of you had so much fun with that asteroid!
Having been thwarted in his plan to make use of his legs, Theodore looked up at green with a mildly disgruntled look.
You know, I am perfectly able, and willing to walk on my own right? They didn’t do any surgery on my legs as far as I’m aware.
I don’t tend to remember my dreams actually….
Theodore’s mouth would water very slightly at the sight of pancakes, something he admittedly had not had for as long as he could remember.
I take it Aurum has made it back to the Zealand then? That’s wonderful, I would love its help drawing up some specs for the Endurance.
The nice veterinary doctor that did your surgery said to keep you off your feet for a few days following the surgery, sweetling, so that is not going to be negotiable for now, okay?
Now then, on a more pressing note, how would you like to have your breakfast, cutie? In your own seat or held in my vines?
And yes, @aurum-dawn-second-floret is back on the Zealand and will be by near the end of your breakfast.
Theodore would shiver very slightly at the thought of another day being held in miss greens vines.
I-I think I would like a seat please.
And possibly could i be allowed to feed myself?
It will be nice to see Aurum. It’s very fun to talk to on the overnet. I wonder if it ever found out what the plaque they put on the asteroid said.
[I giggle when I see that shiver run down the cuties spine.
I take out a booster chair from underneath to set on top of the affini sized chair on the other side of the table and gently set Theodore down on it.]
As you wish, sweetling. ^^
[I let the cutie go, a few vines hovering close to help if needed and move the plate and cutlery over.
As I do that, I sit myself down on my side of the table, which contains a large glass of mint chocolate chip milkshake with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles ontop about as big as Theodore with a big straw inside for me to drink from]
I think you and aurum will get along splendidly, dearling ^^
Theo looked slightly bemused at the booster seat, though admittedly with the scale of the table it was undoubtably necessary. Had he sat in the chair by itself his head would’ve still been somewhat under the massive table.
He grabbed the lip of the table and used it to pull himself forward slightly, before rather than grabbing some of the nearby cutlery simply deploying a knife from one index finger and a fork from the other.
As he began to eat away at the stack of frankly gigantic pancake he thought about what this next week would have in store for him. He was rather uncomfortable with the amount of uncertainty before him.
So… what all do you have planned for me while I’m under this wardship exactly? I suspect you have things you want to keep to yourself for now and fair enough. But I’d like to know something at least.
He continued to eat at the massive stack of pancakes, despite the intimidating size he never seemed to find himself becoming full. In fact the more he had the more he seemed to want another bite.
[theres a soft knock from the front door]
Oh look! aurum is already here
[I walk over and pick aurum up at the hab door, compile a bottle of formula and take aurum to the table with me, carrying it in my vines and sit back down across from Theodore.
I look down at the cutie in my vines]
Good morning, sweetling! Did you sleep well? Have you eaten yet? Do you want me to feed you?
Do you need changies, cutie?
Oh, you should say hi to your friend, dearling, don't forget your manners! Here, let me help!
[I take one of aurums arms in my vines and move it to wave at my charge.
I pat aurums head]
That's better, such a good little one! ^^
@aurum-dawn-second-floret
Hi Mis-wha! [it jumps a little at the sudden rush of vines around it] G-good morning, we slept ok, i havent eaten yet [it blushes and skips the last question instead looking at Theo] Hi Theoo its been a little.
Theo would wave back at aurum, smiling as he continues to enjoy his breakfast. He watches intently, curious to see if @recently-uplifted will make it answer the last question or not.
Aaaaawwww, are you too embarrassed to tell me that you need changies, aurum?
[I reach some of my vines over to a compiler and compile the cutest little diapers, wipes and baby powder, changing the little sprout right then and there at the table, right in front of Theodore and swiftly put the used things back into the compiler for decompilation]
@aurum-dawn-second-floret
I uhm buh heck [It stammers and blushes before hiding behind its paws during the change. It lets the vines move it around without resisting] t-thank you
Theodore would smile slightly and continue to eat, grateful that Miss greens attention was focused elsewhere for the moment. After finishing his ridiculously large stack of pancakes he would browse his fill collection and project a small hologram of an old Terran internal combustion engine which he fidgeted with, making small tweaks occasionally.
You're most welcome, aurum ^^
Now then, time for your breakfast
OOC: some small parts of the following text could be seen as sexual in nature
[I keep feeding aurum and turn to face Theodore]
So, Theodore, are you looking forward to your day with little aurum here?
Any plans for your time together, anything I can help out with?
I compiled a wheelchair for you so you can keep resting while aurum helps take you around the hab, sweetling. Unless, of course you'd prefer I carry the two of you around in my vines ^^
I did plan to let the two of you spend the day without much interference on my part, since you should learn how to make friends and spend time with them without the distance overnet communications force upon you, but I would love to be your chaperone if you think that'd be too much for you to handle on your own yet.
You can, of course, call on me or 0 at any time if you need assistance.
What do you think?
@theodore-gray-ward
[it moves it hands away from its face only to be surrounded by vines and drawn towards Miss Greens chest] breakf-heck! [its silenced with a nipple and its mouth fills with milk, after a second it swallows the mouthful and feels a small wave of calm warmth]
Theo would think for a moment, considering all the various things he could choose to do today. The hologram of the engine, forgotten about on the table hovers for a minute before flickering out.
I think I’d like to spend today in the workshop. I’ve got a couple things I could make good headway on with aurum to help me. Do I have compiler access? I’d like compiler access.
I would also prefer to spend the today with just aurum and I. I assume if, after you leave I try and use my legs or do any other unapproved activities it won’t exactly go well for me?
[I move a vine over to give my charge some headacritches and coo at aurum at the same time as speaking to my charge]
You do have compiler access, sweetling, though of course limited as to not let you compile anything that'd endanger you or aurum.
And of course things will go well for you, cutie, I will just be making sure you don't injure yourself and heal properly.
I compiled this wheelchair for you so you won't have to strain yourself by walking. It even has a cup and snack holder!
Wonderful! I don’t think anything I have planned is dangerous enough to warrant restriction…
Theo would look at the wheelchair for a few seconds, making many mental notes of possible alternatives, but he needed the workshop for that.
Whenever aurum is done with its breakfast I would like to head down to the workshop please.
Of course, sweetling!
[I finish feeding aurum, squeeze it close for a little while and give it a forehead kiss. I ruffle its hair and make sure to rearrange its hair to look as cute as can be afterwards, adding a pink flower resembling the terrain rosa rubiginosa to it that I just plucked from myself. The flower grows back in yellow near instantly.
I squeeze aurum close yet again before carefully lowering both aurum and Theodore to the ground. Theodore in the wheelchair and aurum next to the cutie]
Take care cuties! I hope you have a lovely day together and as always, I'll be right there if you need me.
[Before, however I let the pair leave, I give Theodore a gentle hug and kiss on the forehead, waving them off like the two are going on a long journey far away.
After the two leave I clear off the table and retreat to my room to continue on paperwork, intently watching a live feed of the cuties.]
[it wobbles a little when its set down, it gives its head a little shake and looks up at Theo] that was a little unexpected [it looks away blushing] but it was nice uhm thank you Miss Green
As Aurum helped Theo down to the workshop he would scroll through the overnet, looking for various different alternatives to the wheelchair he was in while catching up with Aurum.
So aside from becoming a floret and the name change what else did I miss these last couple days?
Oh not terribly much. mostly drugs cuddles and a video i made.... Wanna motorize this thing first? Ive seen some cool ones that help you stand while not using your legs
Theo was nearly done combining and refining several designs he had pulled from the Overnet, fiddling intently with the small hologram now in his hands as he made some final tweaks.
Funny you should mention that. I’m actually working on an upgrade. Check this out.
As soon as they made it into the workshop Theo cast the instructions to the big compiler and it set quickly to work. After a few moments it produced the upgrade Theo had mentioned.
It looked like a large metal spider, with a seat similar to a papasan chair in the middle. Each of its 10 legs had claws on the end as well as various tools and attachment points for additional tools. Theo focused for a second as he established a connection with his implant and the chair began to skitter over to the two Sophonts. Lowering itself in from of the wheelchair.
Would you help me into it? I suspect if I tried to get in myself green would rush down here.
oh of course! im plenty strong enough for that! i aaam going to have to princess carry you for a second though just so you're aware.
T-that should be fine. I’ve been being carried around in greens vines for the last day and a half anyway.
alrighty! up we come. [It pushes an arm under Theo and wraps the other around his back and lifts him up, around, and back down into the awaiting spider chair] man this thing makes me feel smol.... well smoller eehehehe @-@ miss greens milk uhm may still be doin thingies
If I remember right having you small is a good thing. I’m gonna need all your mechanical ability to help me with this.
Theo would get situated in the chair, sitting crisscross and harnessing himself in using hidden seatbelts in the chair itself. Tentatively walking around. A little bit before walking over to one wall, up the wall, across the ceiling and back down the opposite wall.
This will work nicely, 0401 could you get a scan of the Endurance or get 0 to retrieve one please? I need to compile a functional model for Aurum and I to work on.
Mhmmhm!! big Aurum doesnt has the right attitude! Its not very good at stuffs when big
[0401 floats down to Theodore's hand and places a little hologram of the Endurance in the cuties palm while displaying a ^^ expression.
The hologram looks like the real thing just palm sized
Meanwhile, I start on a tentative form to request co-ownership and co-implantation of aurum Dawn, Second Floret]
@theodore-gray-ward
Theo scales up the model and has the compiler print it. At approximately 1/10 scale, he pulls up other module components from the original manufacturers available files and compiles various things he’d like to add.
Alright Aurum, let’s get to taking the bridge off first. We can see what we need to do from there.
@aurum-dawn-second-floret
Bridge first! ^w^ got it! [it runs off for a second and comes back with a toolcart/compiler] I found the tools! and the tool maker!!
Excellent! Let’s get started then.
Theo and Aurum would get to work, figuring out how to detach the bridge, Theo using his spider chair to carefully lower it to the ground after they figure it out. Next they begin rearranging the hab modules inside, testing some longer ones to increase the space inside.
[it stands to the side handing tools to the spider arms and doing the fine detail work as needed occasionally running back to the cart to compile a tool or part]
After much tinkering, figuring out that the docking module on top is very outdated and could be replaced to add more space, doubling the interior space and setting it up to house more Sophonts than it could originally they set to work on upgrading the engines as well.
[it worked along side the robot arms with a paci in its mouth working with steady hands despite both the regression and drugs in its system]
After they finished work on the 1:10 scale model, and upscaled it to a full 1:1 projection of the endurance it was magnificent. Much more suitable to live on for long periods of time and faster to boot. Once Theo was no longer on bed rest they would have to set to work making the upgrades happen right away.
Thats really great! i cant wait to start on the real one! so much work to do! want help back into the chair? also may compile some motors so you can move as you want
I appreciate the offer, but this chair is very comfy. I think I’ll keep it for now. I can’t imagine she’ll disprove of me having it. Hopefully she’ll let me start work on the endurance as soon as the week is over.
Theo would save the schematics for the upgraded endurance to his files before carefully picking up Aurum with two of the robotic arms and setting it in front of him in the chair, skittering down the hall and down into the basement to the recreational area where he and Aurum could take a break and do other things for a bit.
fair enough ^w^ cant beat a comfy chair! and she better let you do stuff after a week! we got so much work!
[it looks around the hab basement]
I dont think ive been down here before.
I believe green called this the “play area”. It’s big enough that we could probably do about anything though. As long as it doesn’t require me standing anyway.
Well, I mean we could try but I don’t think we’d get very far.
The robotic arms would gently lift Aurum out of the chair setting it on the ground in front and gently patting its head a couple times.
i think area is to small a word! this place is like a heckin warehouse! >-< hemckin plants being so gian-
[it goes quiet and happy wiggle at the pets]
I suppose that is true. Do you have any ideas for things we can do? I’ve been flying so long i kinda don’t have any ideas.
we could probably watch something or play games? there 100% a petbed infront of a screen we can use! >u<
I do have a large backlog of games that I’ve acquired from feral ships and stations that I’ve been meaning to try. and while I’m sure that would be comfy I think I’ll stay in the chair for now, it’s very very nice.
Theo would connect to the large screen and pull up his catalogue of games before handing a controller down to delta as well. Before eventually settling on an old pixel art co-op platformer to try.
Thats a really cool collection! >u< maybe one day i can help add to it! gotta snatch the ferals
[its sits down next to the spider chair to play, when it starts struggling it sticks its tongue ou a little]
You and me both. I hadn’t run into any for a couple months before I made it to the Zealand. I do miss the action a little bit.
Theo would lean forward focusing intently on the screen, trying to get every movement just right. Ok more difficult sections or ones that required more focus would occasionally cause a random leg on his chair to twitch slightly.
[Three of 0s drones eventually fly in carrying a table, setting it down next to Theodore, which contains another large lunch like the day before, starting with watermelon slices on toothpicks, moving to skewers with fruit and cheese as well as fried chicken sliced into cubes and lasagna as the main course with a slice of strawberry cake with a sponge base vanilla pudding in the middle and fresh strawberries in glossy red cake glaze on top as dessert.
On the table is also one large bottle of formula with flower motifs enhanced with class C, Y and A xenodrugs for aurum as well as a second plate labelled for aurum with more watermelon slices on toothpicks.
Each dish is numbered and labelled with a little card and the drones nudge Theodore if the cutie tries to skip ahead.
Meanwhile, upstairs I have closed the doors to my room so the intense feelings about how adorable the two are and how cute they are together causing me to release the held in aerosolised class C xenodrugs won't affect the sweetlings below.
I am also eating large slices of the so-called German strawberry cake I baked squeeing happily at the taste and work on more paperwork including fPL-4929 Notice and Schedule of Outdoor Activity forms for Theodore's second week with me]
After pausing the game and considering for a moment, Theo would hand down Aurums bottle and plate to it, before settling back in and unpausing the game. Using one of the legs of his chair to occasionally fetch food from the table, that way he can eat and game all at once.
[0's drones give Theodore a disapproving look for not enjoying the meal properly and keep nudging the cutie to encourage pausing the game.
While 0 is perfectly capable of pausing the game on its own, I've instructed it to nudge Theodore to do it instead]
After several minutes of being nudged Theo was a little fed up. He gently put down whatever food he was holding and used two of the arms of his chair to grab the drone and keep it still as he went back to playing the game with Aurum.
[The remaining three drones, two from carrying the table and the one labeled 0401 keep nudging the cutie]
Theo readjusts his strategy. Using one arm to hold each drone away. Leaving four remaining to hold the chair up and one to continue to eat as he continues to play.
[Five more of 0's drones emerge from upstairs and the flortrooms, some showing expressions mimicking giggling at the game of keepaway, while I look on amused upstairs.]
Theo narrows his gaze. Fine, he will have to do this the hard way. The arms holding 0 and 0401 tuck themselves close to the chassis of the chair, the remaining three drones are hurled the emerging drones, hard. If not damaging the new ones on collision at least decommissioning the one that was thrown. As they continue to approach his chair he would continue to grab new ones to throw, intent on holding his ground.
[0 seems upset at Theodore trying to damage its drones as all present drones besides one nuzzling against adorable aurum fly towards the cutie at once]
Fine. Party trick time. At once, the two held drones are released and all 10 of the arms of the chair fold above Theo. Interlocking and forming a nigh impenetrable cage. Theo sits rather smug inside the, now pitch dark, sanctuary.
[Since 0 does not want to damage the spider seat, nor take control over it at this point in time it instructs its drones to simply wait and block the view to the screen while cutting off the cuties overnet access in there]
Theo sits in the dark. Admittedly hungry but determined not to give in. He had endured worse than this and would not give in so easily.
[After a while the cutie gets a message from 0]
Query: Why do you want to eat lunch in the background of your focus instead of enjoying it fully? Mistress prepared this food just for you and wants you to fully enjoy it. Follow-up Query: Do you not enjoy the food?
Theo would chuckle slightly, before thinking through a response to the AI. Taking his time to word it exactly how he wanted.
I don’t recall the food ever being in the background of my focus 0. I was enjoying it every second I was playing the game with Aurum.
Us Terrans are capable of focusing on two things at once you know? If I were to stop playing it would not increase my enjoyment of the food to any meaningful degree.
Of course I enjoy the food. All the food I’ve had since I’ve been here has been wonderful.
Look, I’ve spent a long time having my mind directly connected to a starship, operating multiple processes at once all day every day. So being able to multitask like this is nice. It’s familiar.
So may I continue, please?
Information: aurum has not been eating whilst gaming. Information: Studies show that eating while performing other tasks turns consumption of food into a background activity for Terran brains and greatly limits taste registration and ability to register fullness. ... Request: Please pause the game to have lunch with aurum.
Theo considers this. Even though he still believes 0 to be wholly incorrect, he would do it for Aurums sake. He sent a reply to 0 before he slowly began to unfurl the legs of the chair.
Fine. For Aurum only. And your use of a general study is irrelevant here, I am not most Terrans. Especially when it comes to how my mind interacts with things.
Discreetly as the legs unfurled Theo would quickly send a 1:100 functional scale model of the new Endurance to the compiler, intent on flying it around slowly while eating.
[a few seconds after unfurling a hand appeard over the side of the chair making a grabby motion at theos hand]
Theo would grab Aurums hand and effortlessly haul it up onto the chair with him. Catching it in a hug for a moment before helping it adjust in the seat next to him.
[it giggles as its pulled up with its bottle and does a little wiggle to get comfy in the seat before going back to drinking down itd bottle]
Theo gently scritches it on the top of its head as he goes back to eating the food laid out on the table in front of them. Occasionally feeding Aurum one of the watermelon pieces on toothpicks.
[it lays gently against Theo finishing its bottle and eating all the yummy bits of watermelon its being feed, with the zenodrugs and cozy chair it would be purring if it could]
[A two dimensional holographic screen displaying me appears in front of Theodore's eyes as the compiler request is cancelled.
I equip one of 0's drones with a little flower, containing aerosolised xenodrugs with the effect of balancing the cuties brain chemistry to, at least temporarily, eliminate the need for outside stimulation, providing the cutie with the ability to focus on joys like food as well as a blend of class A xenodrugs to enhance the dearlings sense of taste]
Sorry, sweetling, but it is lunch time at the moment and I would like for you to focus on eating.
Here, breathe in, this will help you focus cutie.
[The drone flies up to Theodore's mouth pressing the flower over both the sweetlings nose and mouth]
You have so much time, cutie. You needn't try to do as much as you can at once.
Just relax for me and enjoy the lunch I prepared before everything returns to room temperature.
I know that you enjoyed playing that lovely video game, but the game can wait, your lunch cannot. You will have plenty of time to continue playing with aurum after you eat, okay cutie?
^^
Theo would be momentarily startled by the appearance of the hologram and try for a second to resist having the flower placed over his face before realizing it was ultimately pointless. Sighing a breathing deeply, inhaling the cocktail of xenodrugs from the flower.
Upon turning his attention to the food slowly over time the chair would begin to wobble very slightly and start to sink towards the ground as his active control over it slowly started to wane due to his focus shifting entirely to the food before him.
[I type a few things into my datapad and the spider-like automatons software is updated to continue the last given input or position as a background process without actively instructing it to and thus returns to the position it had before Theodore let go of its control
I say one final short thing before the hologram screen blips out with a sound of a bubble popping]
Enjoy your meal, cutie ^^
Theo would do just that. Enjoying his meal next to Aurum, helping it with the rather large bottle as well. Taking the time, albeit reluctantly to savor each course.
[It gladly accepts the help and lays against Theo while drinking down the bottle getting nice and cozy as the bottle slowly drains]
Theo smiles down at Aurum while they both eat, Petting it occasionally. Eventually Aurums bottle was empty and all the food on the table had been finished, Theo would retake control of his chair and maneuver slowly back in front of the screen.
[aurum does a stretch as the bottle is taken and finds its controller to get ready and unpause the game] Miss Green sent really yummy foods
Yeah, all the food I’ve had since I’ve been here has been really good. I’m surprised how much I’ve been eating.
Theo and Aurum return to the game, playing through the afternoon. After a short while the xenodrugs began to wear off and Theos mind returned to its normal state. The sensation was strange, the contrast of the two states of mind messing with his head slightly. After thinking about it, while it was strange he didn’t hate the way he felt under the influence of the cocktail green gave him.
He took more active control of the chair, adjusting the legs to sit more comfortably. Occasionally switching games, Theo letting Aurum pick every time.
[As they get back into the games its obvious aurums reactions have slowed slighty and its become very giggly and wiggly, laughing at its own mistakes]