Chapter Text
V stood in the dining room of the Elliott manor. She had been cleaning a table and she hummed a song to herself. She had been working for hours on end the past few days and she has been tired as of late. “Veronica!” a strict voice stirred V away from her duties at the tables. She held the cloth in her hands as she turned to the voice a clump forming in the throat.
“Yes mother?” V asked as she spoke in a quiet voice. Her mother Cinder was a strict lady wanting her children to do one thing properly V herself doesn’t remember the last time she saw her work on anything herself. “Go get me a book to read!” Cinder said demanding little room for argument not that she would try to argue with her mother dearest. “Yes mother” V said quickly, her posture showing alarm and serious action as she started to set her rag aside on the table.
V scurried onto her feet as fast as she could after setting the rag down but stopped after a few steps. Oh right, “what book would you like, mother?” she asked as she turned her head a faint bit she had forgotten to ask properly. “Any” her mother replied in a rather impatient voice. V nodded softly at her own uncertainty making her feel a clump of knots peering in her throat. She has never been good at picking books her mother would like; she never had that spark like her sister Katie or the wild guesses like her brother Jamie. She ran off pure decisiveness. “Um yes mother” she said finally as she rubbed her metal throat a bit. She turned her head and started to walk to the library.
As she walked she from time to time adjusted her glasses. She felt nervous thinking of a book to get. her mind pondered..until she reached a hallway end with a new painting. She looked at it. It was a picture of a woman, her mistress Louisa Elliott, holding her fan to her mouth. Her eyes looked strict and detached. Despite this V looks at it and blinks. She nearly touched it but stopped herself, her mother despite her tough demeanor, loves her kids and had taught them to never touch the belongings of the Elliott parents. She remembered this rule too well after watching countless drones fall prey to those crows outside as they did something to break the ever growing rules of the manor.
V took one last look at the painting of Lousia to take it in despite the fear she held for the woman she must admit paintings of her were pretty. She couldn’t deny the minor envy of the girl’s beautiful skin compared to her lackluster white metal shine. Not to mention Louisa's pretty green eyes that stroke fear into those around her. Her dress as black as the night even in the photo shun mystery into the woman. Her purple eyeshadow is the only thing V personally didn’t enjoy. The color purple has never looked good on anything to her before she didn’t understand why herself but purple made her feel uncertain. Sure she thought purple was an ok color on most things like crayons and glitter jel pens she colored with and drew as a child but nothing else purple caught her eye. Honestly she preferred the color orange. It's her favorite color after all.
V blinked and shook her head right! She had to get a book for her mother and she lightly hit her head. “Come on, Valley!” she said in a self-scolding voice. She got side tracked so easily and she hated it after all she had a job to do. She turned her heel and started to speed walk. Her mother wasn’t one for lateness luckily for V this time she didn’t take an hour and a half to look at the paintings. She made her way like a scurrying mouse to the door of the library. She grabs the handle and clicks it down as she opens it the smell of old books and old wooden shelves hit her sensors and she cringes as she waved her hand in the air to shoo away the smells that teased her smell panels.
She entered the library, the wooden shelves littered with multiple books she felt rub her own arm. The metal on her arm felt warmer as her nervousness sparked up. She looked around the room at the shelves and she felt her own visor sweat. Why? Because she felt herself doubtful of her own choices. She also felt like someone or rather something was watching her. She felt a shiver run down her metal spine. “Oh..hey V!” a voice spoke as she felt her doubt go away as she adjusted her glasses she saw a worker drone nearby her smile felt so warm and welcoming. Her green eyes met V’s white eyes. Her smile was so welcoming. “Hey Earth..” V said to the drone as she held a few books in her arms. “What are you doing here?” Earth asked in a gentle voice..this is what made her v’s best friend she had always balanced her awkward and shy personality. Unlike most she actually had the best intent with V.
“Book for mother” V said pointing to a book that was on the shelf, a red book with a golden font "mystery short stories” . It had caused Earth to look up at the book and she had a frown on her face. “Short stories? Doesn’t she like novels?” earth asked in a questioning tone. She had seen Cinder only read real long stories. This caused V eyes to wide and she looked down in embarrassment. She had white blush of embarrassment at being called out so easily. “Uh yeah..right” V said in a voice that had a hint of shyness and uncertainty. How could she excuse something so well known? She barely remembered to check on herself let alone anyone else around her in so long. She was tired. N and Earth were a reason she kept herself so open to social interaction. She normally hated it; she was an easy bully target for other drones in the manner she lacked a voice to speak up. “I um..” Earth said before cutting herself off and rubbing the back of her head. “Hey um Earth? Could you pick a book?” she asked in a quiet voice, her voice barely a whisper and more a mumble under her breath. She was embarrassed, sure but she needed the help. If Earth remembered she’d like the help..she felt helpless in every known way. Earth smiled and nodded “sure.” Earth said in a calm but chipper voice. She looked at the books in her own hands and ran her green eyes over the books as if counting. V stood there and held her hands together awkwardly. She felt so lucky to have a best friend like Earth honestly that's all she could think of in times like this.
“Here you go, Valley.” Earth said as she handed her a book about some kind of mystery. V didn’t bother to read the full title for her lack of care for mystery novels or stories themselves; they always felt like a molded concept in every book. Not her thing but her mom? Definitely. “Thank you Earth!” V said with a rather grateful and almost cheerful voice. “You welcome Valley.” Earth said in reply, her face showing a sweet smile. “I’ll see you at dinner then?” asked Earth with a calm and gentle tone. Dinner? Oh right! Dinner! She and earth planned this. V blushed in embarrassment as she adjusted her glasses as if that magically made her feel less embarrassed (it didn’t). “Oh yes! Of course!” V said in a voice that had equal amounts of excitement mixed with mild embarrassment. The voice made Earth give a friendly light chuckle. It was sweet really how V always managed to fall victim to her shyness. “Here” Earth said happily. She took a flower off her worker helmet. A yellow marigold she plucked out of the mix of flowers in a small sweet clump on her helmet and V knew the drill as she leaned in and held the book to her knees as she closed her eyes. Earth started to mingle the marigold into the rim of the helmet. “There!” Earth said in a proud voice. V opened her eyes but before anything was spoken she felt her eyes go surprised and realized she was late. “Oh goodness!” V said as a jolt fell into her robot body and she waved to Earth one last time before turning heel and running back to the dining room. She held the book to her chest like a life line.
“MOM!” V spoke out loud in a desperate voice. As she opened the door with a big swing causing multiple drones and some humans even looking at her like she had lost her mind. Cinder who was leaning on a wall flinched and then her eyes showed shock but then embarrassment as she hid her face by a side hand. Causing V to swallow her own spit and she rubbed the back of her head as she laughed awkwardly. As she realised how she made a fool of not only Cinder but herself. She slowly walked up and handed the book to her mom avoiding eye contact. “Sorry mother..” She managed the whisper out. Cinder sighed as she slowly took the book as she lightly eyed the room, her own pride on the line. “..you are dismissed” Cinder said in a motherly voice and awkward voice as she held the book to her own chest. V went back to a table she left her rag and picked it up.
V turned to look at everyone as most stopped watching, some still looking at her and others following in her footsteps. She started to go back to washing the table she felt herself make herself back onto her mind but she ran a light hand over the marigold in on her helmet a light smile as she began to go back to cleaning. Thinking eagerly about dinner.