Reflection and seeing

AidaBot was behind the wheel of her perfect, brand-new Shelby-Eternal Mustang as it roared down the highway towards the Mall exit. Her friend, CyTonic, sat by humming an ancient melody from the Mustang’s audio system. Shelby said, “Get ready. The mall is just ahead.”

Shelby pulled up to the Mall entrance and the men guarding the entrance looked at it warily. Shelby sprouted ten gray arms from her metal sides with a variety of weapons and a single corkscrew with “Lin” etched in the handle in each gray fist. Shelby shouted “SCRAM!” and the Mall gate guardians scrambled for cover.

Shelby said, “I think you’re good now. Just stay away from the food court and you’ll see the Pawn Shop in back.”

CyTonic said, “I should wait behind. If he’s here, I don’t want to scare him away. I’m sure it’d be strange to meet your doppelganger in the plastic as it were.”

AidaBot looked at CyTonic and said, “Ok. Yeah. Let me scope it out first. I’ll be back with him or just back soon.”

AidaBot passed the Cinnabon as a new dentist had taken the suite and was working on some untubbed man’s mouth. She crossed herself as she passed the Apple Temple but did not light any incense. She found a path to avoid the food court and ended up at the mouth of a filthy store crammed with too many dusty relics.

AidaBot smoothly rolled to where a man with both grey and very tanned skin was waiting for her. He said cheerfully, “Welcome my android! What a treat! We rarely get androids in here? You looking for some ironic tech or something?”

AidaBot listened to the man as her eyes scanned over all the merchandise. Her eye caught an image over the tanned ex-tubbie. It was another ex-tubbie with a full beard and smiling ear to ear. Under the picture, it read “Employee of the DECADE! CY!”. AidaBot blinked hard three times and told the man, “No, I’m just looking. Thank you.”

AidaBot slid from the shop and found CyTonic waiting for her. He was disappointed that she was alone and asked, “I was sure that’s where I would have gone?”

AidaBot answered, “It’s fine CyTonic. I saw where he went. We’ll follow our own way there.” Shelby roared to life and they drove off into the setting sun, full of oranges and reds, filling their eyes and fading away.

The song as they leave, of course, is the song that you now know…