Our first stop was a small bookstore. Rather, it looked small from the outside, but it felt huge on the inside. With books stacked in piles and on shelves, the smell of paper, ink, and other scents I never knew. “Afternoon, Monarch,” Jeremiah said to an orange tabby cat who was lying on the counter.

  I would have asked if the cat was the legal owner. But then he walked down the stairs. Ironically, he was a Seekma, a sapient bipedal alien cat. “So what’ll it be, Erika? Window shopping or actual shopping? Either way, you're not reading a book in the store again.” The Seekma said as he tapped on a picture of Erika, on a board that read ‘Reminder, this is a store, not a library.’

  “Basht, I’d like you to meet the newest addition to the Fenix family. Nova.” Erika introduced.

  “A bot? Well, don’t scan anything. I’m wise to the concept of piracy.” Yes, that is a real thing that happens. But I’m a law-abiding bot, thank you very much. I'm in enough trouble as it is with the CID directors breathing down my neck for being a sapient robot. I wouldn't add physical media piracy to their list of things to be worried about, even if I were inclined. For one thing, a robot that'd break laws for no discernible reason is actually a reason to shun one.

  “Do you have any recommendations?” I asked as I looked over a shelf filled with books.

  “Well, first, those are display models; they only go up to the first thirty or fifty pages. So if anything there looks interesting, let me know.” And he was right, I checked through some of them, and after a certain point. The pages are blank. Clever cat. “I keep the real copies downstairs where they’re safe from bots with a defective moral compass.” And that’s just paranoid. Understandable, but paranoid. “So if you want anything, I’ll see if there’s a physical copy below.”

  I looked through the books. Some looked interesting, but for some reason, I didn’t feel anything for them. That was until I looked through a book entitled . It was the opening that caught my interest.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  “An Old Iron Eve book, eh? Good taste, better than what I’ve seen of most bots who actually buy something.” Basht went down into the basement. I have no idea how disorganized that basement could be, but there was a lot of noise down there. So much so that Monarch the cat actually woke up.

  “I keep offering to help organize his stock. But does he take me up on the offer of free help?” Erika complained as the sound of something heavy falling could be heard through the floors. “That old grouch. ‘I have a system! I have a system!’ I swear that old flea bag is such a big kitten.”

  Eventually, Basht surfaced from the basement with a book in a vacuum-sealed plastic case. “Here you go, a full retail copy of Old Iron Eve: Dawn of Justice. Mint condition. And yours for… Erika, would you care to ring it up?”

  Erika sighed. The best I could make from my scans was that she hated this part. “And you wonder why robots try to pirate your wares.” She said as the register rang up the price at one hundred credits. Even if this book proves to be the best in the Known Universe, that’s a bit much.

  “And you're in luck, I’m doing a fifty percent discount!” Basht laughed. Is it specist to hope that not all Seekma are like him?

  Erika paid, and we left Basht’s books behind. “You know real books aren’t cheap, honey, even on my salary,” Richard reassured.

  “How about we check out the cafe before we head home?” Jeremiah suggested.

  “YES!” Lily practically bolted down the sidewalk, and slipped on some ice and fell on her back. “I’M OKAY!”

  Then, after I checked her for serious injuries, I recovered from the minor synthetic heart attack she gave me. We went to the Fridrheim Cafe, which was cozy, and there were a few teenagers. Kids my age. Maybe I could join Jeremiah and Lily and meet other people… assuming nobody minds me being a robot at any rate.

  “I assume this place is popular?”

  “Oh yeah! Best hot chocolate, best food, just a little home away from home. When SOMEBODY decides we can’t keep sweets in the house anymore.” Lily said, shooting a glance at Erika.

  “You were both out of shape at the time, and I wanted you to eat healthier.” Dr. Samson would like her. Such a responsible mother. “But it’s Nova’s first, so I’m all for it.”

  Dr. Samson told me about hot chocolate, but the whole concept sounded ridiculous on a volcanic planet. But real food, not just synthetic protein that I was a glorified guinea pig for. I’d be a fool to pass up the chance.

  So I got hot chocolate and a big chocolate muffin (Lily recommended it) that must have been at least 6 ounces. To say they were better than the synth protein would be an insult to the entire concept of taste. But, simply put, I was overwhelmed by joy and the chocolatey taste.

  “Nova… are you crying?” Jeremiah asked, and I was from the very first sip of my hot chocolate. I ate slowly to savor the flavor. Even if the rest of my days on this ball of ice were miserable, the memories I made today with my new family would get me through.

  When everyone was done, we made our way to the Fenix house… after all of this time, through the darkness of the void, through the terrors of space travel. I’ve come to it at last.