*tosses short story at u*

Instructions

“BAHAHAHA! Bow before me, puny beings, for I am your ruler now!” The figure stood on top of some metal contraption that was halfway buried underground and slightly crumpled from the impact. The forest around it was scorched. It adjusted its hat and brushed the dust off its slightly singed coat. The figure glanced to the side when it noticed movement. It rushed over at supernatural speed to see what it was. It picked up the thing from the top, examining it. The thing appeared to be an eye, covered by a squishy membrane, with four damaged metal legs. The eye tried scurrying out of the figure’s grasp. “Oh. It’s a Watcher.” It narrowed its eyes in annoyance. Sav’ro and their Watchers always seemed to be everywhere. Well, never mind that. “You’re alive? I mean, good, you’re alive.” The Watcher said in its robotic voice. “Please, I’m about as alive as Sav’ro’s sense of justice.” The figure replied. “Cut it out, So’ro. You know they’re always watching. Always listening. It’s not something you should joke around about.” It said, rolling its eye. So’ro tossed the Watcher on the ground. “You still remember your mission, right?” It said, trying to balance with its dented legs. “Find the Source. Check on the Colonies. Bring the reports back to Sav’ro,” So’ro said flatly. “Great. Now let’s hurry. Sav’ro’s getting impatient.” The Watcher and So’ro climbed out of the crater that they had created. So’ro leaned up against a still-burning tree, not used to exercising this much. “Ugh. Bios,” The Watcher muttered. “Says the biotech machine,” So’ro retorted. “Whatever. Just keep moving.” The two walked through the forest, eventually reaching a clearing. A small house with a dirt driveway sat in the middle of the field with three people sitting outside. Perfect. Just perfect. So’ro raised a small device up towards the house. It lit up blue, buzzing. So’ro pointed at the house, looking at the Watcher. “We can’t be seen. Get in, get the Source, get out.” It said. “No problem,” So’ro replied. They both waited until two of the three people went inside the house. So’ro was confident it could take care of one person, so it exited its hiding spot before dashing straight toward the house. It reached the person, just about to knock them unconscious when the device it had glowed bright yellow and set off a high-pitched and loud beeping noise. The person turned around, noticing this, and leaped out of their chair. They fell to the ground, continuing to back up. So’ro tried waving at them, but their unsettling appearance probably made the person more fearful of them. “Greetings! How do you do, human!” It said, cheerfully. The person made squeaking sounds So’ro couldn’t understand. So’ro frowned, before tapping on the translator on its arm. “AGH! OH MY GOD! LJ? CORA? SOMEBODY HELP!” The translator had deciphered the meaning of “squeak squeak squeak.” So’ro was right! The person was afraid of it. It sat the translator down in front of it. “C’mon, I can’t be that bad. I’m considered quite lovely where I’m from.” The human looked shocked. “You- You can understand me?” So’ro held up its glowing device to the human. “W-what is that?” “Hold still,” So’ro replied, watching as it turned from yellow to flashing green. It frowned. That can’t be right. The stupid thing is probably broken. “Well, well, well. That’s certainly interesting!”