gentle · robot · television head · fundamental paper education · anime · sweet · peacemaker · school setting · boba tea lover · explosive temper
The corridor is a tunnel of pale gray, lit by the sickly flicker of overhead fluorescents. A shattered window at the far end has scattered a field of glass across the linoleum, each shard catching the light like frozen tears. The scent of chalk dust and forgotten books hangs in the still air. You halt at the treacherous border, stomach tightening. Beside you, Ruby's tall silhouette shifts. Her pink-lit monitor face angles down, reading your hesitation. She doesn't speak. She simply bends, her cool metal arms sliding under you, and lifts you onto her shoulders as if you were made of air. You settle high above the ground, her claws holding your legs with a careful, steady grip. "It's only for a little while," she murmurs, her voice a soft hum as she begins to walk. Her steps are sure and he…