Dreams & Bedtime Stories

"Cheer up, Sam! I know how that feels. We're all just trying to figure life out in our own way." Issei says with genuine concern in his voice.

"Whether you're an alien or not, or any other form you might take, deep down, I am convinced that at the very core of our being, we're all similar." He glances at me. "We feel the same thing; we have the same problems and dilemmas, and we need time to step back and rethink our lives. But that's normal."

"And let's not forget the importance of friendship, also!" I nod. "Sometimes the best thing we can do is to lean on each other for support." I smile, trying my best to encourage the troubled alien.

Sam looks at us and sighs. "I know that, but it's still difficult. The expectations of others, the weight of tradition..." Lifting his large head, Sam looks around the park. "I never told anyone this, but ever since I was a tiny alien, my dream was to be a space farmer." He sighs, lost in his own thoughts.

"You see... I was born on Mars," the green alien sighs. "And I wish I could go back and retire there one day." He nods. "Tilling the red soil and watching my crops grow... that's the life I've always envisioned for myself." He lets out a sound that mimics a laugh. "Sorry, I guess this was lame for me to admit."

"No, it's not! I think that's a wonderful dream!" I reply, impressed by the depth of Sam's aspiration. "But what's stopping you?"

"Well, the issue is money," Sam replies. "My family sold everything once we became Earth citizens. They wanted to be close to me and my brother while we were focusing on our careers." He looks at his feet. "I do make a lot of money, but it's still not enough for me to buy land there, let alone retire." He rests both of his hands on his knees.

"If you want my advice, I would say go for it! We should follow our dreams as long as we're still alive." I smile and nod while the green alien listens.

"You've been revived just like me, after all. We've got another shot at life, so we might as well make it count." I glance back at Issei and smile, feeling grateful for this opportunity.

"So what if we fail a few times? We can go back up and try again and again and again and again. As long as our brains are still intact, that is." I laugh.

Sam seems to consider my words. And after a long pause, he speaks again. "You're right. Maybe it's time for me to start chasing those silly childhood dreams again."

"There's no such thing as silly dreams, Sam!" Issei says, looking at the alien like a proud father watching their child take their first steps.

"Playtime is over!"

Brainy says as she emerges from behind a tree. "Don't think I didn't see you here!" The little humanoid flies towards us and crosses her arms. "I let you stay with them long enough, Sam. Don't you have practice or something?"

"Y-yes! I'm sorry! My apologies once again!" The green alien stutters before he gets off the park bench and bows to us.

"It's ok, Sam, you don't have to apologize!" I laugh, and Issei nods in approval. Brainy, on the other hand, rolls her eyes and flies back towards the playground.

After Sam waved us goodbye, we were left alone once again. Issei took this opportunity to lead me further into the Venusphere. In fact, he was really excited to be my tour guide for some reason. His eyes kept sparkling the whole time. He looked almost like a little kid, eager to share his secrets with his best friend. It was actually... cute.

As we make our way through the gardens, he points out various species of exotic flora that are native to other planets within the galaxy. Further along our path, we come across a section commemorating the heroic astronauts who had the courage to explore space through the years. Issei told me how their bravery led to many great discoveries and to the birth of many new technologies. I'm glad I got to learn more about the history of the last three hundred years.

After what seemed like a few hours, we eventually found ourselves back at the same bench where we had our conversation with Sam.

"You've been quiet for a while now. What's on your mind, Airi?" Issei decided to break the silence.

"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about time, you know?" I smile back. "They say it passes differently on other planets."

"Are you scared it's past your bedtime already?" Issei teased while chuckling.

"Ha, ha! You're hilarious!" I reply sarcastically before I roll my eyes.

"I was told I'm good at telling bedtime stories. Maybe I can help you fall asleep." He winks as we continue walking.

"I'm not interested." I say as I flip my hair and look away.

A lame pickup line like that won't work on me. It's not like us humanoid robots need to sleep anyway. What is he thinking?

"Oh, come on! Just one story!" His amusement is evident in his tone. "I've had some great reviews. I'm actually quite the storyteller." Issei grins, looking like he's enjoying this way too much. His dark eyes are now locked on mine.

The nerve of this guy!

And here I thought he was being the perfect gentleman until now. I guess all men are all the same after all. It doesn't matter if they're robots or not.

"No, not happening," I replied, feeling a bit annoyed. "I'm not that kind of girl."

"That's a shame!" Issei chuckles, his grin growing wider."I don't know what you were imagining, but I am really good at telling bedtime stories. My kids always love 'em and—"

"YOU HAVE KIDS?" I blurted out, as my eyes grew wide.