#program x jane

Her current disguise was a level 3 Cold Caller, and hopefully by the end of the month, at least a Name Dropper.... She’d absolutely surpass her sort of older brother toon, Karasuma. He was a steel blue dog of the same proportions, but rarely did that many cog boss fights. Sure, he was essentially double her laff, and had maxed three tracks instead of one, but Program wanted to best him at something. And this was a golden chance for her to be way ahead.

But she was so jittery with excitement to take on the VP and help toons even littler than herself, she’d completely forgot. She’d invited over her girlfriend for the afternoon. But said girlfriend arrived a bit early and Program was alerted to the opening of a door and her mechanical lover stepping through the door to find the toon in what exactly was the Cog Crusher outfit.

Now, Jane, who is a very low level Legal Eagle, doesn’t ever wear shoes. Why? She doesn’t. Perhaps because she thinks it’s annoying that her talons dig into the Lawbot shoes and causing her to have to get replacements every week. Perhaps it’s this that’s barred her from being promoted past level 7? Or the fact she commonly wears an apron and likes to cook? Either way, these things simply don’t add up to a promotable Lawbot in any Cog’s opinion.

Our lovely feathered automaton recoiled a bit after she’d recognized the outfit as the Toon Resistance uniform. How many cogs had to be destroyed for that suit? How many of them had she possibly seen on the streets, or during invasions? Sure, the logos suggested only Sellbots had been destroyed for it, but that made no difference. All Sellbots were Cogs, and all Lawbots were Cogs.

Both parties had made fearful eye contact.

“When… When did you get that?” Jane motioned toward the suit.

“This morning.” Program placed the shorts back into the garment shipping box, not unlike an archival container. There were also instructions she had taken out and placed on her desk on how to properly store her uniform when not in use.

“How many Cogs did you—” The avian was interrupted.

“Jane, they were all Sellbots…”

“But they’re still COGS!! I’m still a Cog!”

“Jane, you know I wouldn’t hurt y—“

“IT HURTS ME TO SEE YOU WEARING THAT!"