Metamorphosis Chapter #6

Pond dreamt of butterflies, how an ugly caterpillar can destroy a plant yet become its beautiful pollinator and savior.

He dreamt of how someday Lim would act less like a robot after he morphed.

Pond put his leg over his lover to claim him, to announce to the uncaring world that this awkward nerd, this squirming worm, would be someday become a butterfly, and that that butterfly would still be his and only his.

 

Lim's nightmares made him toss and turn but Pond's leg kept him in place. His mind replayed a video of a human becoming a robot, a robot becoming human. In this liminal space he sought an answer beyond the limitations of artificial intelligence and the trappings of reality.

The cool breeze finally brought some surcease as nightmares eased into dreams, the transformation seamless, even to the Programmer monitoring him.

Dawn painted the horizon peach, and the pink rose that Lim had given Pond dropped another petal.

 

Sato-san sat with the other residents of the condos until news came that their neighbor would survive the night. Plans were discussed to make sure she wasn't left to the whims of an inadequate nursing staff. Sato-san volunteered to visit in the morning.

Now listening to the night's silence giving way to the birds he remembered noting earlier how one spirit had been reluctant to leave and how Lim appeared to be less stiff as he walked home with Pond.

Sato-san's position was to merely observe and never interfere. He posted a note to the One who had sent him.

~260 words