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But a moment later, her familiar voice returned, and the robot said in the language of the animals, “Hello, son. How long was I out? It seemed like only an instant to me.” “You were out for a few minutes,” said the gosling as he hugged his mother. “But it seemed like forever to me.”
“Will you migrate with us?” said Brightbill. “I cannot fly or swim, so I will spend the winter here on the island.”
“My instincts are definitely telling me to fly south for the winter,” said Brightbill. “I just wish you could join us. I’m going to worry about you while I’m away.”
What a good son ;_;
Roz watched him toss and turn until he finally crawled up into her arms, and she rocked him to sleep, just like the old days.
“Are you excited or nervous or scared?” “I’m all of those things.” The squirrel whispered, “Well don’t worry about your mother I’ll look after her so you know she’ll be perfectly fine.” Brightbill smiled.
“Have a nice migration Brightbill!” The squirrel scampered back into the treetops. “Come home with lots of exciting stories but not too exciting because I don’t want anything scary to happen to you good-bye!”
Okay I fucking love Chitchat
“I have a question,” came a booming voice. “My son will not have any family with him. Where does he fit into the formation?” Everyone turned to Longneck. “He can fly with me,” said the big goose. “I hear Brightbill is a very clever flier—I could use his help at the point.”
Hours, and days, and weeks went by without the robot moving. She had no need to move; she felt perfectly safe in the Nest. And so, in her own way, the robot hibernated.
Then she reached down to another snowy shape. But what she pulled up was not a piece of wood. It was Dart the weasel. He was frozen solid. Roz stared at his stiff body for a moment, then decided it was best to leave the poor thing where he was.
OH DEAR
A devastating cold front had swept down from the north and brought dangerous temperatures and huge amounts of snow. The animals had prepared for winter. But nothing could have prepared the weaker ones for those long nights, when the temperature plummeted and the wind whipped over the island.
Before going in for the night, she called out to whoever was listening. “Animals of the island! You do not have to freeze! Join me in my lodge, where it is safe and warm!”
“Roz I’m freezing can I join you by the fire please?” said a weak voice.
OF COURSE YOU CAN CHITCHAT-BABY ;o;
As Roz looked around, she saw moles curling up beside an owl. A mouse snuggling between two weasels. Hares nestling against a badger. Never before had the robot seen prey and predators so close and peaceful.
“I propose a truce,” said Roz, “like the Dawn Truce. Everyone must agree not to hunt or harm one another while in my lodge.” “Very well,” said Swooper, after consulting his carnivorous friends. “We hunters will control ourselves.” “Then it is settled,” said Roz. “My home is a safe place for all.”
I love this
The island became dotted with lodges that all glowed warmly through those long winter nights. And inside each one, animals laughed and shared stories and cheered their good friend Roz.
But when the animals went outside, it was business as usual. Sometimes a lodger wouldn’t return. Sometimes a lodger would return in the belly of another lodger. As you can imagine, that made for some awkward moments.
lol
“I like to imagine that the geese had a fun flight to the wintering grounds and now Brightbill is floating on a lovely lake eating yummy food and making wonderful new friends but hopefully they’re not too wonderful because I’d like to stay his best friend if possible.”
“You are right—the ocean is higher,” said Crag. “My grandfather used to say that, long ago, this island was not an island at all. It was a mountain surrounded by flatlands. And then the ground shook, and the oceans grew, and the land slowly flooded until the mountain became this island. Animals from far and wide were forced to come here to escape the floodwaters. In those early days, there were too many animals living in too small a place. The island did not have enough food to feed them all. But between fighting and disease and famine, a balance was finally reached. And we have kept the
...more
“Roz, what are you meant to do?” “I do not believe I have a purpose.” “Ha! I respectfully disagree,” said Swooper. “Clearly, you are meant to build.” “I think Roz is meant to grow gardens.” “Roz is definitely meant to care for Brightbill.” “Perhaps I am simply meant to help others.”
The wilderness really can be ugly sometimes. But from that ugliness came beauty. You see, those poor dead creatures returned to the earth, their bodies nourished the soil, and they helped create the most dazzling spring bloom the island had ever known.
And there, hanging from the young beaver’s tail, was Rockmouth, the grumpy old pike.
Fucking Rockmouth
“What is wrong with you, Rockmouth?” Mrs. Beaver dragged her son away. “You’ve always been a nuisance, but this time you’ve gone too far! Do us all a favor, Roz, and toss him to the vultures!” “I cannot do that,” said the robot.
Damn mama pissed
Roz placed Rockmouth in a deep puddle near the pond where he couldn’t swim away. Then she waited for the fish to explain himself. Fish aren’t very talkative, especially grumpy fish like Rockmouth. But eventually he opened up to the robot, and before long she was waving for the beavers to join them. “Rockmouth used to live in the river,” said Roz as the beavers shuffled over. “But you trapped him here when you built your dam. He has been angry about it ever since.”
“I’d be upset too,” said Paddler softly. “I’d hate to be kept away from my home. Mr. Rockmouth, you should have said something sooner!” The fish looked up from the puddle with a frustrated expression that meant “I tried, but no one was listening.”
Roz filled the barrel with water and a grumpy fish, and then they were off. She carried Rockmouth through the forest and across the meadow until she was standing on the riverbank. “Welcome home,” said the robot. Then she tipped the barrel and the fish plunked into the river. Rockmouth’s face poked above the surface, he flashed a big toothy grin, and then he quickly swam away.
You see, Roz had noticed that the wilder she acted, the more the animals liked her. And so she barked with foxes and sang with birds and hissed with snakes. She romped with weasels. She sunbathed with lizards. She leaped with deer. That spring was a very wild time for our robot.
Most flocks of geese move lazily through the sky and trail off in wobbly lines. But not this one. This flock was fast. It flew in a perfect V formation. And it was led by a small, graceful goose.
BRIGHTBILL 2028
“‘If I were younger, I woulda killed you by now.’ “I spun around, and there was an old cat! She walked on stiff legs, and her fur was gray and clumpy. The cat’s name was Snooks, and she didn’t seem very nice. But then she saw the other geese out in the cold with their faces pressed against the glass, and she told me how to open the door.
“None of us knew what ‘humans’ were, but we didn’t care.
Longneck tried to defend us. He got in front and spread his wings and honked, but the human wasn’t afraid. He pulled out a shiny stick and pointed it right at Longneck. Snooks hissed, ‘Look out, he’s got a rifle!’ Suddenly, a bright beam of light shot out from the rifle, and Longneck slumped to the floor. He was dead, Ma!
NO
“Without Longneck, the flock needed a new leader. Everyone wanted me to lead. I didn’t know what to do, so I started by repeating Longneck’s words. I squawked, ‘We are geese, and geese keep going!’ Then I took the point, and the flock spread out behind me.
“There were more buildings by the coast. Most of them were on land, but some were in the ocean. The ocean buildings were dirty and crumbling and leaning in different directions. There weren’t any humans or robots in those buildings, only sea creatures.
“Some of the city robots were just like you, Ma. But others crawled on six legs, or rolled on wheels, or slid up and down the sides of buildings. Some robots were really small, and some were really big. They moved things and cleaned things and built things and did every kind of job you can think of!
They thought about poor Longneck and the human who had killed him.
SHOOT THE HUMAN
“We made it through a terrible winter. A new generation of youngsters is arriving. And my son, Brightbill, has just returned to the island with his flock. I think we can all agree that there is much to celebrate. So in addition to the Dawn Truce this morning, I would like us to have another truce this evening. We can call it the Evening Truce, or better yet, the Party Truce!”
They were so busy singing and laughing and dancing that they didn’t see the cargo ship as it sliced past the island. But the ship saw them. It saw the towering bonfire. It saw the robot. And then it quietly continued through the darkness.
Nope humans go home we don't want you here
The goose squinted to the south and saw a familiar shape in the sky. He turned to his mother and said, “Ma, there’s an airship flying this way.”
NOPE HUMANS GO HOME
Three identical robots stared out the window. The robots resembled Roz, but they were bigger and bulkier and shinier. The word RECO was lightly etched into each of their torsos, followed by their individual unit number. They were RECO 1, RECO 2, and RECO 3.
“Do not ask questions.” “I will not go anywhere until I get some answers.”
Stick it to 'em Roz
“One year ago, a cargo ship carrying five hundred ROZZUM units was sunk by a hurricane. Four hundred ninety-five units have been retrieved from the ocean floor. We have come here in search of the last five, and we have located them. ROZZUM unit 7134, you are the property of TechLab Industries. We will return you to the factory, where the Makers will refurbish you and sell you to a work site. You will then live on that work site indefinitely. Now come with us.”
That sounds like a you problem
Rustlings and shrieks echoed from the forest. Animals were gathering. Their wild voices called out to one another. “Roz needs our help!” “Those robots want to take her away!” “We have to do something!”
REBELLLLLLLL
The door hummed open and the robots disappeared inside. And when they stepped back into the meadow, each was holding a silver rifle in his hands. The hunt for Roz was on.
Jeebus criminy
You see, everywhere the RECO went, he was met by shrieking animals. He didn’t know it, but he was in the midst of a coordinated assault.
KILL
Chitchat leaped out from the branches and clawed at the robot’s eyes, yelling, “Anyone who shows up on our island and tries to take my friend’s mother away has a big problem which is me!”
I LOVE HER SHE'D BETTER NOT DIE
By the time RECO 3 realized his weapon was missing, it was too late. He let out a sad electronic tone.
Womp womp.
“ROZZUM unit 7134, are you in here?”
Oh right like we're gonna fall for that
From the shadows flew a giant body. Mother Bear charged into the robot and smashed him against a wall. Then Nettle and Thorn jumped in, and together the family went to work. They rammed his legs. They slashed his chest. They muscled him to the ground.
I always liked bears
“Don’t worry about me,” Mother Bear growled to Nettle and Thorn. “Kill the robot.”
I'LL HELP
were
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