5 Metal Paradise

Chapter Five Metal Paradise The robot known as 2111222111122121222 walked beside Foggy, the kids trailing closely. The rest of the robots had dispersed in different directions. Finn figured they must have all gone to their robot homes. "How many of you are there?" Finn heard Foggy ask 2111222111122121222 as they walked. "I counted twenty-three back there, including yourself." "Yes, there are twenty-three like me," said the robot. "But there are many more not like me." "Do you mean there are different types of robots on this planet?" asked Elias. As the chief technologist of the troop, Elias was the biggest robot fan. He'd tried to build his own robots in the past. And while he hadn't pulled it off just yet, he had a notebook full of designs.

"Of course," said 2111222111122121222. "Just like I'm sure there are many different types of whatever you are wherever you come from. Just today, I've spoken with a number of different friends, including 1112212121212, and 22221111221212121222. And do you know what 22212121111111 said to me just this morning?" "Nope!" said Vale. "She told me 111222121222221112212 was going to kick 121212122222121222 out of his house if 121212122222121222 didn't just admit that 111222121222221112212 was a better dancer." 2111222111122121222 laughed. Foggy joined in. "Ha!" he said. "Ho ho ha. That is so 111222121222221112212." "Isn't it?" said 2111222111122121222. "You all have names like that?" asked Vale. "Just ones and twos?

"Yes," said their robot host. "It is very efficient." "How do you remember them all, though?" asked Vale. "Oh, we have a trick," said 2111222111122121222. "For instance, 111222121222221112212 has one dimple on his face, one scratch on his arm, one antenna on his head, two eyes, two feet, two hands, one neck, two lights on his head, one light on his foot, two buttons on his chest, two buttons on his back, two wheels under his left foot (but you can't really see them, so that's not that helpful), two wheels under his right foot (but you can't really see—" "Please stop," said Vale. "My human brain hurts."

"You could just call him Lou," said 2111222111122121222. "He prefers that. Most of us have nicknames we've given ourselves." "Do you have one?" said Vale. "Yes," said 2111222111122121222. "I call myself SuperAwesome." "Oh," laughed Vale. "I guess if I could name myself, I'd call myself SuperAwesome, too." "You would actually be KindofAwesome, since I am SuperAwesome," said SuperAwesome. "Now, let's go inside, shall we?" "And that guy called himself Lou?" laughed Vale. "Why would—" "Shhh, Vale," hissed Foggy as SuperAwesome went ahead, entering a large stone building. "Don't embarrass me." "Vale is just joking around, Foggy," said Finn. "Robots can take a joke, can't they?" Foggy rolled his eyes. "Just let me do the talking," he said. "Cough cough, cough cough, spittle." "What did you just say?" asked Finn. "I said just let me do the talking," said Foggy.

"No, after that," said Finn. "Did you cough? Foggy, are you sick?" "Gah," said Foggy. "That's such a human way to think. Of course I'm not sick. Robots can't catch colds, Finn. Wise up!" Foggy hurried to catch up to SuperAwesome. "Was that weird to any of you guys?" asked Finn. "Very," said Elias. "Something isn't right with Foggy."

"Right?" said Finn. "He's never been that rude to me before. He's always been just happy to be my friend." "No, I meant the coughing," said Elias. "Oh, yeah," said Finn. "That, too."