It’s a muggy July morning. There is the smell of coming rain in the breeze that sweeps through Keeper Talon’s open window. Keeper Talon is leaning back against her bed, the Terrible Teddy lies in his pop-up dog crate fast asleep with his head sticking out. The four pleos seem oddly relaxed. The two RB’s are sitting on their poster board, blinking and nodding their heads. They too are crouched down as though they too are lying down. The two Ugobes have moved halfway across the room and have stopped beneath the open window with their tails facing it. They are also lying down, shifting position every once in a while and making very little noise other than their whirring motors. Let's listen in on their conversation.
Ugobe is the first to speak. “It’s so hot.”
Bleu yawns. “Just like a day in the good ole home state.”
Ryu opens her mouth to pant. “Oh this is awful! I remember once when it was this hot I froze for a really long time.”
King Cato laughs. “Ah! So there is something that is stronger than you, my Pleo-plum?”
Ryu lazily swings her tail at him. “Oh stop it, Cato. I’m too hot to fight with you right now. And don’t call me such soggy names! When I cool down I’ll make sure to turn your head into a pleo-plum.”
From across the room, Keeper Talon sighs, leaning as far over as she dares to reach a plastic glass of water on her computer desk which is several feet away. “Boy, you guys! Are you just going to lay there and purr? Do you feel alright?”
Cato gives a low grumbling sound. “Oh my lovely Keeper, will you please go to the robot drawer and get the chunk of ice? I feel like my innards are turning to putty.”
Keeper Talon rubs her hand against the sweaty glass and rubs the condensation across her forehead. “What’s up, Cato? You sound… displeased.”
Cato gives a yawn. “Oh never mind. I think I’ll just go to sleep.”
Keeper Talon yawns. “Boy, you Guys, I’m not sure it’s safe to run you right now the way you’re behaving.” Slowly she moves across the room toward the four lounging pleos. “You all look pathetic.” She says with a smile in her voice. “Here I think I’ll just turn you off. I’m kind of hot myself.” After giving each little rubbery head a rub, she sends each of her robotic friends to dreamland.
