> Weeks pass after the party
> Madeline has had time to reflect, really regrets how she acted reflexively after the cake disaster
> She keeps thinking about the look of fear Emmy had on her face after the incident and hopes she can apologize when Emmy comes back
> Can androids feel fear? That looked like fear
> Madeline hopes Emmy will be okay
> A few days later, a new nandroid shows up.
> ”Ah, and you must be Madeline! I’m Valerie!”
> Madeline asks where Emmy is
> ”Oh, not to worry- I’m only here as a substitute while Emmy’s under repair. She’ll be back in family operation before you know it!”
> Madeline isn’t happy about this, but her parents explain that Valerie isn’t a replacement, just a substitute while Emmy is out and that a busy house waits for no one
> Months pass, Madeline makes minor connections with Valerie but wonders where Emmy is
> The excuses change as time goes by
> ”She’s still being fixed, give it time”
> ”She’s apparently got a more serious issue with her than expected, this will take longer than expected”
> ”She’s been fixed, but they’ve moved her to a new family”
> At this last one, Madeline protests vehemently
> Her parents have been acknowledging her questions about Emmy with less and less eye contact, and now this
> Emmy was part of the family, she thought they all knew that
> This is not what they promised, this is not what anyone promised
> She wants to see the new family Emmy is with
> At this her dad gets cross, explains that that section of Sterling Robotics isn’t his department and demanding that information could get him fired for violating privacy policies
> Is Emmy worth costing her dad his job, because that’s what she’s asking
> Months pass again, Madeline and her parents fight, but eventually make up
> Madeline is still sore, though, and misses her friend
> Years pass, Madeline is now a teenager
> She has studied rigorously to be part of the Sterling Robotics Internship Program
> Har har, she’s going to StRIP, make the jokes she’s heard them all
> It’s worth the lame humor to be part of one of the best robotics engineering firms in the business
> Dad congratulates her, says he’s so proud of her following in her dad’s footsteps
> She smiles and nods, doesn’t mention that she didn’t do it for him
> Day Two of the internship is a tour of the company grounds
> Madeline is getting a tour of the entire building, chaperoned by- who else- a nandroid
> Guess intern tours are too boring for actual people to do, whatever
> ”-and this is the Scrap and Recycling sector, made in conjunction with the Green initiative the Sterling Robotics board passed a year ago. Stay close, Madeline, this place can be dangerous if you’re careless.”
> ”Yes, Helena~” Maddie yawns as she walks by gigantic blocks of compressed scrap, waiting for smelting
> ”Vo-VO-VoCaL rEcOgNiTioN: MaDeLin-Lin-LiNe DeLAiRe-“
> Madeline whirls around as she hears her name emerge from one of the blocks of scrap, then yelps as she sees a cerulean-blue electric eye illuminated in the middle of it, staring back at her
> "Ma-MA-ma-mA-mAdDiE-Mad-Mad-Madeline, yOU'vE GrOwN S-sO-SO-so-sO- mUcH-CH-"
> Madeline freezes, how does this android know her na-
> The color drains from her face in horror
> "Emmy?"