Digital Mutation (Book Five)

Chapter 23.5: Circa's Tale

When Circa first saw the video feed of a younger Annalise playing on her living room floor, her curiosity became too much to bear. The girl spoke into the camera, explaining that she was going to test out her new surveillance spy robot, gushing on and on about the cool motor, the wheels, and more.

Circa hadn't come across anything like this in what felt like years. Boredom was becoming a common affliction for her and satiating it was hard, if not impossible. The only time she got a glimpse of the outside world was when she peered through video chats and cameras.

As the robot started to move, Circa went inside. A strange feeling overcame her as she felt the body of the robot cling to her like clothing. Her field of vision became whatever the camera saw and when she decided to move, the robot rolled forward at her command.

"Woah!"

She turned herself around to find that the little girl was staring down at her with awe in her eyes. Circa waved one arm, testing it, and to her delight, the little girl waved back. Circa wondered whether it was possible for the robot to talk.

"Hello?" she asked.

Judging by the shock on the girl's face, she had indeed spoken. "Hi!" the little girl replied. "I didn't know you could speak!"

Circa rolled back and forth a few times. "Of course, I can speak," she said.

"Are you magic?"

Circa rolled her eyes but answered nonetheless. "Yes. I am magic."

The girl clapped her hands together. "That's so cool!" She leans closer to the robot. "Are you like my imaginary friend?"

Circa had no idea what she meant by that. "Do you have an imaginary friend?"

"Well, yeah, you're right there!"

Circa said nothing, but her mind was going crazy. This child truly believed that magic is real and, even funnier, she seemed to think that Circa was a figment of her imagination. Truly, humans must be more simple-minded than she imagined.

But, she thought, the feeling of moving this robot around in the real world was somewhat addictive. If only she was taller and could move her legs, she would be free of the confines of the Internet.

Circa rolled the robot closer to the girl and tilted her head. "I want to be friends," she chirped, syrupy and sweet.

The little girl laughed. "Me too!"

Circa couldn't help but grin.

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Circa stared down at the drawing Annalise was working on through the little robot. "What is that?" she asked.

Annalise looked up at her with a proud smile. "It's you and me, see?"

In the drawing, a stick figure with blonde strands of hair, two black eyes, and a long smile held hands with a taller girl with blue and yellow strands of hair drawn meticulously in marker. The face also had two black eyes, a long smile that crossed nearly the entire face, and no nose. The body is a mashup of colour—purple arms, a blue chest, orange and red gradient legs, green toes, and not a bit of clothing. Above the stick people were the words "Annalise and Rainbow <3".

"Ah, so that is what you think I look like," Circa stated.

"Yup! Unless you look different, then I can change it."

Circa looked down at herself. Until now, she never cared about what she looked like since nobody ever saw her. Her entire body is black and dotted with zeros and ones in green and when she reaches up to her head, she feels nothing but smoothness. Maybe hair and colour would be a nice change.