Inheritance of Giants

Simple Man

"Ide..."

"Already called for a shower unit."

Kyotoku huffed. "You really are the smug voice of god, aren't you?"

There was a pause. Then:

"...She still thinks the waveform's a lullaby," IDE said, voice softer now. "Says it sounds like 'stars breathing in a jar.' I, uh... haven't had the heart to correct her."

Kyotoku snorted. "Good. 'Cause you're an asshole when you do."

A beat. Then he smirked, tired but genuine.

"Don't wanna incur the wrath of a father just 'cause you made his daughter cry during your first meeting, huh?"

"I'm a pacifist AI," Ide replied flatly. "Not unarmed. Besides, it's not like you could actually threaten—oh, the—"

"Yup. The Meteoric Shuffle."

Silence.

"...That file's sealed."

"I unsealed it."

"You're bluffing."

"You tried to reformat Tokyo's transit grid using freeform jazz logic, Ide."

"...Point taken."

"Smart boy."

"I was briefly overwritten by Spacium-induced memetic instability. Also, not a boy."

"And I still trust you more than a toddler with a keyboard."

"...Now you're just being mean."

"Anyway," IDE continued, dry as vacuum-sealed sarcasm, "I'll leave the news that the song Kyoka's been graphing is not a lullaby to you. Oh — and you're going to want to get her a new notebook."

Kyotoku blinked. "Why?"

"She tore through the last one. Every page. Trying to map the waveform by hand."

Kyotoku groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "That daughter of mine is going to put us in debt from paper costs alone."

"Just get her using a computer."

"She refuses! Every time! Says it 'messes with the harmony.' I can't say no to her, man!"

"Huh. Like mother, like daughter. Also — not a man. Do you even use your eyes?"

"Shut up, Ide!"

~

"..."

"..."

"...So, uh," Kyoka started, kicking at the wall with the tip of her boot, "how long are we gonna stand out here?"

"Until Ide finishes another radiation scan on the MP3 player."

"You said that the last two times."

Kyotoku cleared his throat. "I have to be sure. I'm not gonna risk you. Your mother would kill me."

Kyoka squinted up at him. "So is it 'cause of Mom... or 'cause you love me?"

Kyotoku froze.

"I— It can be both!"

Kyoka nodded slowly. "Mmhm. Thought so."

She resumed kicking the wall. "Heard you talking to yourself in there, by the way."

"I wasn't— Ide was— it's a diagnostic system, it's technically—"

"Sounded like a lot of feelings."

Kyotoku buried his face in his hands. "I swear to God, this is emotional blackmail."

Kyoka grinned. "Nah. That's Mom's job."