After her unsuccessful attempt to get to know her descendants, Shannon put that blip aside and decided to take a wander around Oasis Landing itself. She'd already been to Legacy Park and seen the sights there. She'd checked the lottery .... three times, to no avail.
She even witnessed Plumbots busking for Simoleans on the streets!
It was then that something caught her eye. The plants that were dotted around, were looking a little undernourished. So she decided to give a few of them a bit of a boost.
Feeling a little lonely, J1NX1E caught up with Shannon and requested that she go back to the alien spaceship crash site, she explained that she had all the pieces and wanted to see what was going on there.
They chatted for a while, then Shannon asked J1NX1E what time of year it was.
Autumn, came the reply.
Ohh, soon be Snowflake Day! Shannon exclaimed.
What's so good about this ... Snowflake Day? J1NX1E asked, puzzled.
Shannon frowned.
You've never celebrated Snowflake Day?
No, not to my knowledge, maybe I should check the public records.
Oh I can do better than that, I have lived ....
She paused, thinking about how easily she could speak of the past, the words tripping off her tongue, and reality struck her. She'd almost forgotten about her own family back home. Here she was, playing around with the future, getting carried away with all it's glitz and glamour, and all the while her family in the past, needed her.
Anything wrong?
No, no. It's okay, I was just a little homesick, that's all.
Sick? Maybe we should take you to the medical facility? They can cure anything there.
No.... I'm fine, really. Now, where was I?
Snowflake Day. Although it appears that this event pains you somewhat, maybe we should stop talking about it?
Shannon was surprised at the compassion that exuded from this Plumbot, until she realised it was the emotion chip she'd installed earlier. J1NX1E was simply going through the motions and imitating everything a normal, living Sim was experiencing.
She smiled, the LED lights on J1NX1E's metallic mask, blinked then formed what she assumed to be a cheery smile too.
Snowflake Day. Yes. The weather changes, gets colder. Rains.
Ah yes, rain, the wet stuff that used to rust us Plumbots until they discovered a special coating that protects our metals from this terrifying decay.
Rain. Yes. But as time goes on, it becomes colder and falls as snow.
Snow?
Yes, pretty white flakes that fall sometimes softly, more often a lot harder. It covers the ground making it look pretty, but dangerous to walk on.
Dangerous?
It compacts, turns to hard packed ice and is very slippery. A lot of injuries happen after the snow turns to ice. Even broken bones!
Lucky for us we have the medical facility. They are clever at repairing people..... yes?
Yes. But that's just the start of things. There's one celebratory day that we put aside during these harsh winter conditions.
Snowflake Day.
Yes. We buy and exchange gifts to each other. Have wonderful dinners and enjoy each other's company. We play games, like this one ....
She demonstrated by playing Rock Paper Scissors with J1NX1E.
Oh I can play that, that is a simple game! But... Gifts?
An appreciation towards one another. A little gift to show how much we care.
What strange customs you have.
That set J1NX1E's mind a-working.
Thank you for sharing this information with me. Now I must go to the crash site and open that locked door.
Shannon was taken by surprise by J1NX1E's offhand, almost rude brush-off of her explanation about Snowflake Day. But realised that this was a machine and was simply going through the motions, with no real emotional attachment that a living breathing Sim would go through.
Okay, but don't forget to come home and power up. I still haven't managed to upgrade those batteries of yours just yet and I don't want you breaking down on me.
J1NX1E went to the crash site, finally got through the locked door, but was deeply disappointed at the interior. It was just a metal chamber, nothing more. Whilst she was in there, she rolled a couple of wishes.
1) to visit the future,
2) to purchase a Plumbot.
There was no actual logic in those wishes, but she rolled them nonetheless.
Slightly put out, she walked outside to see some wild plants growing nearby. Mimicking Shannon's movements, she tried to 'revive' these plants but to no avail. They only bore puny fruits which she tried to pick, but her metal fingers kept squashing them. So she went back home.
She was not happy that the rejuvenation stations were full, but she waited patiently, hoping that the battery life in her cells would hold out just that little bit longer. She could feel them draining as she stood.
Another Plumbot approached her.
I have a message for you from your creator. Once you are fully charged, she wants to see you...
