Ancient Place, New Struggles: Part One

"So, do you feel like you're adjusting well to our modern, new dimensional life, Camile?" Jessie asked.

"Sort of." Camile answered while eating her ice cream cone. "I have been getting a handle on most things, but others still elude me. I'm learning more every day, however. I feel … like I'm making progress."

"Good. I'm glad." Jessie took a bite out of his chocolate chocolate chip cookie from the shop two blocks behind them. "I'm also glad we stopped for these treats."

"Yep." Camile said with a mouthful of rocky road. "I see you didn't go for the cold treat. Is there a reason?" She grinned.

Jessie knew what Camile was getting at but answered anyways.

"You know, I think I've had a nice cold treat a lot lately. I keep going back for the cold treat any chance I get, as a matter of fact. Tastes so good. Bad for me, but tastes so good. Seeing as I'm metal and she's ice."

"Eating cold things can give you brain freeze. So I've heard."

Jessie was slightly shocked at Camile response, but continued. "Trust me: I know. Ever since the robies allowed all of us to be able to procreate, we've been trying to conceive. I admit that this part has always been … difficult because of our powers, but I still like trying. Very much so despite the act never having much meaning for me since my first time many, many years ago. And when she gets all …" Jessie looked at the kids not to far from them "warmed up, it gets better but it also gets colder. So I have to … focus more just to keep up with her. Worth it. So worth it." Jessie looked at Camile, who now had a pained look on her face. "I apologize. Perhaps I shouldn't speak so openly about such matters."

"Not that." Camile motioned back and forth between the ice cream cone and her head. "Brain freeze. Bad. Very bad."

"Here, allow me, please." Jessie held up a strange sphere. Camile grabbed it from their hands.

"Now what?"

"Hold it by each of your temples for about three seconds on each side."

Camile did just that and her brain freeze was gone. "Hey! That did the trick! Where'd you get this from, Jessie?"

"I asked Mystic Queen to whip me up something so I could … " Jessie cleared their throat "perform better after having a cold treat and wanting … more."

"So, Luna herself made this for you? Must have been some favor you repaid her."

"Actually, Luna said that Nora also asked for something like this so she could gift it to me. Let's face it: It's a gift from Luna for Nora to me to help Nora get what she wants. Not a bad thing in this case if I might add."

"Look, you and Nora are clearly going to have to children at some point, thanks to the robies now allowing us to do so. All I need to know is what to give the Mrs. and Mr. as a baby bath present."

"Baby shower present, Camile. Also, I am going by they/them now. It better represents me. But I do understand if you use whatever pronoun based on the appearance of the form of the gender I currently use whenever we are on missions so as not to arouse suspicion from the enemies."

"Yeah, because the evil people are the ones whose egos we need to protect." Camile said sarcastically.

"Nice one." Jessie finished his cookie. "I think it's nice that you're catching on to the way the world is now. It is a different century than the one you're used to, I know. I hear you went on a date with a woman the other night. If I may ask, how did it go?"

"It went well. Thanks for asking. Not as well as the date I had with a certain young man the week before, but it was still a great night. I am still a little confused by" Camile looked at the kids still close to them " "bedroom habits" that people have now, but I think the world wide web is catching me up as far as that matter."

"Not the best place to learn about "bedroom habits" but it is sort of a step in the right direction."

"Yes, however, I fear this discussion will not help with our current mission from the team."

"True. Maybe we should start by going to meet with one of our other team members. Get some more insight on the situation."

"Mommy, what are "bedroom habits"?" asked one of the children not too far from Jessie and Camile to their mother. The mother looked at Jessie and Camile. The mother looked at her child, then back to them, and started to get angry.

"We should start walking toward our friend." Jessie chuckled nervously.

"Yes, our friend." Camile agreed. "Our friend who happens to be in that direction." Camile pointed. The mother and the children looked to see where Camile pointed. Camile and Jessie ran in the opposite direction Camile pointed in.

Some time later, they were safe. "That was a close one, Camile." Jessie said.

"Not as close as this." A mysterious voice said. A dagger flew at Jessie's head. Jessie narrowly dodged to their left. Jessie and Camile looked at the dagger, then looked at the mysterious figure kneeling on a roof staring down at the two.

"You shouldn't throw sharp things at people. You could hurt someone."

"Shame that I was aiming at no one … in particular." The mysterious figure stood up and jumped down from the roof. "Next time, I'll get you for sure, Jessie."

"How do you know my name?"

"I know you because you created me."

Jessie and Camile were stunned.

"No offense Jessie, but maybe you and Nora should stop trying to bring life into this world." Camile said.

"I would not expect you to understand, Camile, but maybe you will … given time."

"Why don't we sit down and try to talk things out like adults?" Jessie tried to reason with the mysterious figure.

"What's wrong Jessie? Having trouble reading my mind? Not able to trap me in place like those criminals from before?"

"What is he rambling about?" Camile asked Jessie.

"The longer I'm around someone, the more of a feel I get for the person. I can't exactly read their mind, but I have an idea about what they're going to do next. And sometimes I put someone I surround someone and I can basically put them in something like a fully immersive virtual reality experience. I can build a construct around them and they interact with it like they would the real world except their interacting with me, to some extent." Jessie explained.

"But he can't do any of that to me. You're having a hard time figuring it out, aren't you?" The mysterious figure jabbed. "If you want to figure out why, then maybe you should meet me at this place, at this time." The mysterious figure threw a piece of paper on the ground. The wind caught it and it started to blow away from them. Jessie and Camile chased down the paper for a few seconds before they had a handle on it. By the time they looked back at the figure, they were gone.

"What was that all about?"

"I don't know. But I have a feeling it is not what I wanted to deal with tonight."

"You're just going to walk right into this place that's probably a trap and hope for the best?"

"Not exactly. I'm going to really, really hope for the best." Jessie put the piece of paper in their back pocket. "Come on. Let's go."

TO BE CONTINUED …