Much Ado About Muffins
This turned out way cuter than I had intended so I just needed to post this on my regular blog! MOAR GEMEGA!!!
Words ~ 1,376 ~
Ship: Gemega
Joyful music plays on in the background as a pair of mitts retrieve a tray of piping hot muffins from the oven. The robot wearing them then sets the tray on a hot pad to the left and removes each oven mitt from his metal hands. By producing a long utensil from a drawer below, he gently upturns each muffin sideways in their tray compartment to release any heat that may be trapped along the bottom of the cupcake liners.
A warm hand sets itself on his shoulder and Gemerl looks up into the eyes of Vanilla the Rabbit whose gaze switches between him and his muffins. “They look incredible, Gemerl! Would you like to do something else for a little bit? Cream and I are in the living room with the other party guests. You have been baking all morning after all.”
“I am fine Vanilla. There are only four more batches left.” Gemerl nods in reassurance and leans into her touch.
“Very well. Please come join us when you are done.” With a sad smile, she replaces her hand with a side hug and then walks back over into the living room.
The reborn gizoid puts the utensil away just as the thud of heavy metal footsteps crescendoes behind him. Despite Gemerl’s annoyance of being disturbed during one of his favorite activities, he never has to guess who this is due to the lack of consideration for those around him. “Hello Omega.” He states without looking in the larger robot’s direction.
He is silent for a moment, but Gemerl can pick up the distinct sound of his head rotating, possibly looking in the direction that Vanilla disappeared to. “YOU DO NOT EAT! WHY DO YOU CREATE MEATBAG FOOD?" One of Omega’s hands rushes past his shoulder and plucks the oven mitt from the counter, holding it up to his oculars to inspect it.
"For my family and my friends to enjoy." Gemerl replies to him and snatches it away before his claws can poke holes in the heat resistant fabric.
"ILLOGICAL. YOU CANNOT EAT. YOUR UNIT COULD STAND TO BE MORE SELFISH WITH YOUR TIME." Having to rudely find another object of interest, Omega pokes his claws into one of the muffins before Gemerl can stop him again.
Gemerl’s third eye follows the muffin skewered on one of Omega's claws as he rotates to face him, turning away from the oven. "I owe them my existence. I have nothing to be selfish for. Put that down please.” He holds out his hand to Omega and the larger robot stares at it. He takes a moment to consider before flicking it off his claw into Gemerl’s hand. The reborn gizoid is about to put it back in the tray when he thinks better of it and sets it on the counter instead.
"INCORRECT! THE MOTHER RABBIT HAD ASKED YOU FOR YOUR PREFERENCES EARLIER! YOU DID NOT ANSWER TRUTHFULLY." Omega points a claw at his chassis accusingly.
"...you observed that exchange?" Gemerl, slightly trapped against the oven, lowers his guard when he recognizes it's not a fight that Omega wants. At least not this time.
"AFFIRMATIVE! I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO WASTE YOUR SLIGHTLY LESS SIGNIFICANT POWER BAKING INCOMPATIBLE SUSTENANCE! WHAT OTHER ACTIVITIES DO YOU ENJOY?"
"...unknown..." Gemerl looks away from Omega in thought, but the red oculars comically follow his vision until the E-100 unit’s chassis is literally sideways just to keep eye contact with him.
"THEN YOU ENJOY PARTAKING IN THE DESTRUCTION OF EGGMAN ROBOTS." Omega says this with such confidence that Gemerl had to terminate the sudden string of code telling his unit to smash the same muffin he stole earlier between his eyes.
"No, I do not! I have already relayed that information to you." He folds his arms instead, keeping his actions and rising frustration in check.
"INDEED.” Omega steps back from the oven and rights his position, giving Gemerl some space. “THEREFORE, YOU MUST HAVE SOMETHING YOU ENJOY IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU DO NOT."
The smaller robot’s arms drop to his sides and he begins to understand why Omega is pestering him with this question. "...reasoning assimilated. Therefore, I enjoy it when my family and friends enjoy my cooking." He comes up with a conclusion that he knows is the truth.
"THAT IS NOT ENJOYMENT. THAT IS MIMICRY! BY THAT LOGIC YOU SHOULD ALSO ENJOY IT WHEN I DESTROY INFERIOR MODELS." Omega points back at his own chassis with a thumb for emphasis.
That's when the reborn gizoid realizes he does. "I do." Gemerl responds without missing a beat, finally understanding why he enjoys chores and making things for his family. It is the happy emotions they express for the amount of thought put into his actions. Perhaps he should put more thought into hanging out with them at the party versus making all the muffins. Was what she had talked to him about earlier an indirect request for his company?
"...WHAT?" The response of disbelief from Omega brings Gemerl to thoughts of his mechanical companion. Despite his angry demeanor, there are a few activities that bring him joy. One of those would be when he is destroying the ruthless and inferior weapons of the doctor.
"It is something your unit enjoys. Although I do not enjoy it myself, it pleases me to know there are less of Eggman's creations that may disturb my family. Therefore, yes. I enjoy it when you partake in your favorite activity."
“GOOD.” Omega says after a moment. “BUT, I ENJOY IT MORE WHEN I HAVE A COMPANION TO TEST MYSELF AGAINST.” He grasps his claws into a tight fist and glares at Gemerl, competition alight in his eyes.
Gemerl lets his servos relax, now more certain than ever that Omega is not so different from himself and the other ‘meatbags’ he chastises for their social needs. In a moment of brilliance, Gemerl decides to lay a trap for the larger robot’s ego. One that would give something they both enjoy. “Suggestion: you could test yourself against my baking skills instead. As the self-proclaimed superior robot, I am certain you should have no issue baking the rest of these muffins to Vanilla’s standards.”
Omega’s shutters narrow in his direction suspiciously, but Gemerl watches his oculars point themselves in the direction of each of the utensils he used to make the muffins, including the giant bowl of batter to his right. “RECIPE.” He demands with one claw outstretched and another reaching towards the counter. Once Omega picks up the oven mitts with less force than earlier, Gemerl inwardly celebrates the success of his scheme.
“Here.” Grabbing the recipe book from the counter, the smaller robot places it into his claws then immediately swipes the rest of his muffins plus the other already completed batches away from within Omega’s reach. “We will let Vanilla be our judge. If you do manage to win this competition without damaging the muffins or anything within the vicinity of Vanilla’s house, I will force myself to accompany you on your next Eggbase raid.”
The larger robot’s oculars sparkle at this proposition and he switches the recipe book to the oven mitt now on his hand while the other fetches an apron to adorn himself with. “VERY WELL. GO AND ENJOY YOUR LIMITED TIME WITH THE RABBIT FAMILY. FOR YOU WILL BE DESTROYING EGGMAN ROBOTS WITH ME ALL NIGHT.”
“Doubtful, but I am curious to see how your skills compare to mine.” Although the idea of destroying other robots isn’t quite what Gemerl would enjoy doing, he understands that it is his company that Omega would appreciate. As he walks into the living room and joins his family on the couch, they envelop him in a big hug.
“Gemerl!!” Between Cream’s excited laughter, Vanilla’s warm smiles, and the playful tugging on his crest from the chaos, Gemerl realized he should have stopped baking hours ago to join them sooner. Once the mother rabbit is told where Omega went off too, He and Vanilla take one last peak into the kitchen a few minutes later only to see E-100 unit carefully loading a batch of muffins into the oven. For a sight like that, Gemerl supposed it was worth it to destroy a few robots here and there with him once in awhile.
