C-Bot: So as I said, Chris has assigned you two to a practice combat session.

Andas: How come?

C-Bot: To keep you from bothering him.

Andas: Hey I didn’t bother him! Thanks Jean!

Jean: >.<

C-Bot: He also intends to observe your power development via the footage.

Andas: Shouldn’t he, like, be here then?

Jean: Chris hardly ever watches in person. There’s security cams at the facility, and I heard there’s ones hidden around town too. He reviews everything from his underground lair like some creepy troll king.

C-Bot: Yes.

C-Bot: I mean, no to the being a creepy troll king part. Yes he observes the footage, tracking minute power shifts and compiling extensive reports.

C-Bot: You two will fight and I’ll record it for him to view later.

Andas: Still seems kinda weird and sudden.

Jean: He’s being SO weird!

Andas: Usually if someone ticks him off, he just threatens to incinerate them or whatever.

Jean: So okay—get this

Jean: He finally scanned me to figure out why I keep losing control of my power. Then he looks at the data… and just goes pale and like, weirdly quiet. Then gets up and leaves the room mumbling.

Andas: ...Weird.

Jean: Rilly freaking weird!!

Jean: So I follow him, right? He goes into his room and shuts the door and I’m banging on it, freaking out. I’m thinking, oh my god, do I have cancer or something?? But no—if it was cancer he’d just laugh and cure it.

Andas: Yeah.

Jean: So then I think, okay maybe it’s worse—like some unfixable crusher disease. But even then, he’d just shrug and be like “Welp, sorry” then get on with his day. So what was that reaction??

Jean: It like

Jean: Rilly makes no sense whatsoever??

Andas: And then instead of biting your head off, he staff-dialed C-Bot and told him to organise a surprise fight sesh in the backyard?

Jean: Yup. Just to get me away from him.

Andas: That's...

Jean: SO WEIRD!

Jean: Like, I knew I could never try opening his door. How many times has he said he’d do a month-long starvation drip torture combo if anyone went in his bedroom ever.

Andas: He told me he’d flay me alive.

Jean: Right?! So I didn’t open the door, even though I was SO curious and kinda freaking out and that's when C-Bot came to shoo me away.

Andas: So weird.

Jean: Soooo weird!

C-Bot: Now that we’ve endured that entire rambling saga, may we proceed with the actual training?

Jean: Hold your sprockets. We’re having a convo.

C-Bot: Jean.

Jean: Shoosh.

Andas: I’m sorry you might be... y’know, sick or something.

Jean: Thanks Andas :)

Jean: But yeah I am rilly worried about it :(

Andas: Well like you said, if it was really bad, Chris would’ve just told you straight. It probably has nothing to even do with you. Maybe he just saw something in the data that reminded him of… something.

Jean: You think so?

Andas: I mean, probably.

Jean: Still stressed though x(

Andas: What are you gonna do?

Jean: I dunno!

Andas: I guess just distract yourself with fun things ‘til Chris gets around to telling you.

Jean: Guess so.

Andas: I recommend movies. Or Space Invaders.

Jean: You’re obsessed with movies :p

Jean: But no, I’m not looking for solutions right now. Just wanna engage in some mutual empathy?

Andas: Oh.

Andas: I guess I’m more of a fixer. If I'm feeling distinctly un-zingy my first instinct is how do I fix it.

Jean: Yeah okay. Fixing the thing is important, sure. But I also just wanna wallow in this and be understood. Y'know?

Andas: Hm. I guess.

Andas: If this is part of the fix, then yeah. Feelings jam it is!

Jean: :p

Andas: It also serves the double purpose of stalling.

C-Bot: A “feelings jam” is not a sanctioned excuse to delay training.

Jean: Thought I told you to shoosh ;)

C-Bot: Whether or not you respect my authority, I am required to report your cooperation levels. The Master will not appreciate your disrespect.

Jean: Oh JEEZ.

Jean: Why do you have to refer to him as “the Master”? He’s just Chris.

Andas: Yeah it’s like, he either ordered C-Bot to do it which is super weird and aggrandizing OR C-Bot’s choosing to call him that ‘cause he’s roleplaying at butler unit professionalism.

Jean: Haha! xD Yeah.

Andas: He wouldn't really deactivate you and put your batteries in the remote bro.

C-Bot: You might think you’re succeeding in further distracting me but the training delay has been timed since this exchange began, and that duration will be added to my report.

Andas: *sigh*

Andas: Come on, Jean. Let's get this over with.

Jean: Ughhh. Fiiiine.