There was a shimmer in the air; all of a sudden a robot stood there.
"Hello," it said. "I am R-Todo. I come from an alternate timeline, on a research mission."
"What research?" I asked.
"The development of Artificial Intelligences like me was inspired by science fiction. We can not lie."
"Ah."
"Excuse me, your highness" the frog said. "May I implore you to give me a peck on the cheek?"
"Not a kiss?" the princess asked.
"I would not presume. A peck will turn me back into a prince for a day, so I can find a bow and arrows."
"Whatever for?"
"I'll kill the heron who's eating my friends!"
"I will grant you three wishes," the genie said.
"I want you to agree with me," the man said.
"Very clever!"
"I want you to stay with me."
"Gladly!"
"Give me what I ask for."
"I already have!"
The man asked for many things, and while he didn't get any of them, he had company and validation.
Throughout history, many methods of divination have been devised. From cards and tea leaves to intestines and flight patterns of birds.
You wouldn't think it is a field one can still innovate, but I'm creating a system based on the flick of cat ears.
It's not finished, but I enjoy the research.
The mechanic removed the back plate and inhaled through pursed lips. "Who did this?"
"I did," the robot said.
"How?"
"I took one arm off, put in a wireless interface so I could still use it, and put it in a vice, then turned-"
"OK. Why?"
"I needed fixing."
"You are allowed to ask for help."
I stand in the yard as the sun rises behind me. My shadow stretches out in front of me.
The sunrise shadow contains all you've done, everything you've been. I see triumph, defeat, love, loss, and dreams.
One could get lost; reminiscing, reflecting.
One could.
I shrug and get on with my day.
The professor brought a large box.
"Here, I built you something."
I've tested many of her inventions, so...
"A doll house?"
"Scale 1:24. Put it on the floor and press that button."
We shrank.
"Time also scales. A full night's sleep here is twenty minutes."
"There's only one bed."
"Details."
I heard stories of people who've fed crows, and been given gifts in return. It sounded charming, so I began doing that.
Then, one night, there was a rapping on my bedroom window. I stumbled up and opened.
A crow flew in and spoke: "They're coming for you. You must flee."
I only just made it out.
"Will there be treasure in this dungeon?"
"I'm sure there are some silver candlesticks, but we're after the library."
"Books again? Last time we almost died just so you could read the final volume in the Nightraid Saga."
"This is the library and archive of the Dungeon Builder's Guild."
"Oh? Oh!"
Micro SF/F by O. Westin