The ship touched down in a blaze of neon. Serena and BJ stepped into a world that pulsed with electricity, every building alive with color and rhythm. Ahead of them loomed a massive, chrome-plated sign that read THE CIRCUIT CLUB. Bass thundered through the ground as robotic voices laughed and cheered inside. BJ's eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. "Oh, hell yes. Finally, some culture I can vibe with." They approached the entrance, where a towering android bouncer stood, tinted visor, mechanical jaw, arms crossed like steel barricades. His nametag read: JANG.
BJ swaggered up, flashing his most obnoxious grin. "What's good, big guy? You know, you're looking at a legend in the making. Open those doors."
Jang scanned him, head to toe. Then, with a loud clank, he gave a metallic thumbs-up. "Entry granted. Cool factor: certified."
BJ puffed his chest out, smirking. "Told ya. I'm hot stuff."
Then Jang's gaze shifted to Serena. His visor flickered red. "Human detected."
Serena froze. "Uh... hi."
"Policy: no organics allowed," Jang droned. Then, sharper: "Step back. Pets don't enter."
The word hit like a slap. Serena's face twisted, heat rising to her cheeks. BJ turned toward her awkwardly, scratching his head. "Yeah, uh... maybe wait outside? I'll scope it out and—"
But Serena was already storming away, fists clenched. She kicked a nearby dumpster with all her might. "Are you kidding me?! First the bar, now this, what do I have to do, spray-paint myself silver?!" The dumpster rattled violently, then popped open with a rusty screech. Inside, amid heaps of junk, sat a box. A strange, angular box with blinking lights along its edges, almost like it was meant to look robotic. Serena's anger paused, curiosity flickering. She lifted it out, brushing off the grime. It was big enough to fit over her torso like armor. She turned it around in her hands, her lips curling into a sly grin. "Well, well... looks like I'm about to go full robot chic." From the doorway, BJ was too busy basking in robotic admiration to notice. Serena slid the box over her head, wires dangling like antennae, and stood taller, voice muffled but smug. "If they want a bot," she muttered, "then a bot's exactly what they're getting."

The neon lights bounced across the chrome floors, casting a kaleidoscope of color that made every surface shimmer. Music pulsed through the walls, low thuds of bass vibrating in rhythm with their steps. Serena, disguised in her boxy robot costume, floated along like a metallic phantom, scanning the crowd. BJ, however, had slowed, his smile fading into a distant look. He leaned against a polished railing, eyes tracking the mechanical dancers swirling and spinning with impossible precision. The lights glinted off his glossy metal casing, but inside, his chest felt hollow. "Man..." he muttered under his breath, voice barely audible over the music. "This... this is nice and all, but it... it just makes me think of him." He clenched his fists, the faint whir of his sensors echoing his unease. Raymond. The friend he'd lost pieces of, the friend who had been torn apart. The glow of the club reminded him of their old hangouts, the shared jokes, the chaos, the tinkering. A pang of loneliness tugged at him.
Then, from somewhere in the crowd, a voice called out, warm, metallic, with a gentle hum of familiarity. "Hey... you look like you could use some company." BJ turned, blinking at the figure approaching him. A robot, tall and sleek, gears shining under the strobe lights, eyes glowing a soft green. There was an ease in his posture, a kind of quiet confidence. "I'm... Giovanni," the robot said with a smile, extending a hand. "Looks like you're missing a friend, or maybe just... feeling out of place."
BJ hesitated for a heartbeat, then the corners of his mouth lifted. Slowly, he took Giovanni's hand, feeling the warmth of genuine connection for the first time in a long while. "You... you get it, huh?" BJ asked, voice low, almost relieved. "I mean... I don't have to explain myself?"
Giovanni shook his head. "Not here. Not ever. It's good to meet someone who knows what it means to be... built, but not whole. You're not alone." For the first time in weeks, BJ felt a flicker of hope, a reminder that even in a world of chaos, loss, and missing pieces, friendship could be found in the most unexpected circuits.
He smiled, just a little, the neon lights reflecting off his casing. "Guess... I finally got another friend."
Giovanni chuckled softly. "And I've got yours. Let's enjoy the club while we can." BJ nodded, feeling lighter, even as his thoughts drifted to Raymond. The bass dropped again, rattling the chrome floors, and BJ bounced along instinctively, still feeling the glow of having another robot friend. Giovanni followed, trying to keep up with BJ's erratic dance style. "You sure you know what you're doing?" Giovanni asked, raising an eyebrow as BJ spun in a wide, unbalanced circle. Sparks flew off the tips of his boots.
"Of course I do!" BJ shouted over the music, throwing his arms out and nearly knocking over a hovering drink tray. "This is how real bots groove! Watch and learn, pal!"
Giovanni hesitated, then attempted a twirl. He ended up face-first in a mechanical punch bag, which pinged him back like a spring. "Okay... maybe not like that."
BJ doubled over laughing, clutching his chest. "You look like a robo-taco! HA!"
The two dodged a passing waiter bot on roller skates, BJ grabbing a floating drink and accidentally tossing it like a frisbee. Giovanni caught it midair with his foot. "Not bad... for a beginner," he quipped, spinning around.
A group of tiny service drones zipped past, chittering in high-pitched squeals. BJ jumped on one like it was a pogo stick, bouncing wildly while Giovanni chased after him, trying to keep up. Sparks flew. Alarms beeped. A small mechanical cat shrieked in indignation. At one point, BJ leaned close, whispering conspiratorially, "You know... I've never danced with anyone like this before."
Giovanni smirked, spinning a small drone like a lasso. "Trust me... neither have I."
BJ attempted a complicated moonwalk-slide, slipped on a spilled puddle of neon oil, and crashed into Giovanni. Both went sliding across the floor in a tangle of limbs and wires, tumbling under a table full of glowing martini glasses. Giovanni popped up first, hands on his hips, blinking in disbelief. "You... you okay?" BJ wheezed, lying on his back, blinking up at the ceiling lights.
Giovanni laughed, reaching down to help him up. "Never better. That... was glorious. We need to do this again."
BJ grinned, brushing sparks from his shoulder. "Best. Night. Ever. And hey... next time, we're adding flips!"
Giovanni groaned but smiled anyway. "Oh no... you're dragging me into your chaos."
"Relax, buddy! That's half the fun!" BJ declared, spinning in place once more, almost knocking over a robotic bartender. The nightclub pulsed around them, lights flashing and music booming, but in that chaotic mess, the two robots found a rhythm, awkward, hilarious, and perfectly their own. The music faded slightly as the two found a quieter corner of the nightclub, leaning against a glowing railing that vibrated gently with the bass. The chaos of dancing robots and flashing lights still pulsed around them, but for a moment, it felt like their own little world.
Giovanni leaned back, folding his arms. "So... you've been hopping through worlds, huh? Sounds... rough."
BJ ran a hand over his faceplate, letting out a low sigh. "You have no idea. I've lost friends... broken pieces of people I care about... all scattered across the multiverse. But there's one I can't leave behind."
Giovanni tilted his head, curious. "Who?"
BJ's eyes softened, a rare flicker of vulnerability crossing his usually cocky face. "Raymond. My buddy. He... he got torn apart by this evil ogre guy, Katschai. His chest, his arm, his eye... all gone. And it's up to me to put him back together."
Giovanni's glowing blue optics narrowed slightly, processing the weight of that. "Sounds... heavy. You've carried a lot on your own."
BJ nodded, shoulders stiffening. "Yeah, well... that's what friends are for, right? I've seen him before, and he's... he's one of the smartest, sassiest bots I've ever met. Can't just leave him broken. I have to find the rest of him, every piece, every eye, every little screw." He paused, voice quiet now, almost a whisper. "And the worst part? I actually know him. We've hung out, tinkered together... and now... he's scattered across the multiverse like some broken puzzle."
Giovanni's chest plate hummed softly. "I get it. I've... had someone important too. Lost pieces, not all of them physical, though. Still, I know the feeling of trying to fix what's gone wrong."
BJ cracked a small smile, just a little. "You really get it? That's... actually nice. Makes me feel less alone in this crazy neon jungle."
Giovanni's grin returned, faint but genuine. "Well, you're not alone anymore. I've got your back, like a real friend. And hey, if we're going to find that missing eye, you're going to need someone who can actually survive the nightclub chaos without short-circuiting."
BJ laughed, letting a rare genuine chuckle escape. "Perfect. Couldn't have asked for a better partner in crime, or, uh... in robot rescue missions." The two of them leaned back, letting the pulsing lights wash over them. Amid the chaos of spinning robots, neon fog, and bass that shook the floors, BJ felt... grounded. For the first time in a long while, he had hope, and a friend who truly understood.

Serena drifted through the thrumming nightclub, the glow of neon lights reflecting off her boxy disguise. She had to admit, it wasn't exactly graceful, but it did the trick. The other robots barely gave her a second glance, assuming she was one of their own. That was until she rounded a corner and froze. Leaning casually against a chrome bar, sunglasses glinting under the strobes, was a tall, slick robot with an exaggerated swagger. His coat shimmered with metallic threads, and in one hand he twirled a cane like it was a dance partner. "Well, well, well... what do we have here?" His voice was smooth, mechanical, but dripping with confidence. "Look at you... love the outfit, doll~. Really brings out the... chassis."
Serena bristled, fists tightening inside her box. "Who... are you?"
He leaned closer, eyes narrowing, and that's when she saw it: clutched in his other hand, glowing faintly under the club lights, was a small mechanical eye, Raymond's missing piece. "My, my," the robot purred, spinning the eye between his fingers. "Seems like someone's looking for this little gem."
Serena's heart skipped a beat. "Give it back. Now." Her voice cracked slightly, but she squared her shoulders, standing tall despite the ridiculous disguise.
He chuckled, spinning the eye on his fingertip like a basketball. "Oh, I don't know, sweetheart... I love a little chase. Makes things... more fun, don't you think?"
Serena's eyes narrowed, scanning the room. BJ wasn't far behind, sticking close to the shadows, giving her a thumbs-up. "Don't let him toy with you," BJ muttered. "We've dealt with worse."
The pimp-like robot leaned forward, smirk widening. "Aw, you're feisty. I like that. But you gotta earn it, sugar~. What's it gonna be? Dance? Gamble? Or... maybe you've got tricks I haven't seen yet?" Serena clenched her fists, determination flickering in her eyes. She wasn't going to let Ganymede, or anyone else keep Raymond's eye from her. Ganymede's laugh echoed like a twisted melody. Serena's gaze darted between the robot pimp and the two robotic women hovering behind him, Styx and Fenrir. Their eyes glinted with jealousy, their servos clicking impatiently as they leaned forward, clearly displeased at her presence. "Shoo," Ganymede waved a metallic hand dismissively at them. "Go find your own fun. This one's mine." Styx and Fenrir muttered under their breath, clearly irritated, but reluctantly drifted away, leaving Serena alone with the gleaming menace. Ganymede leaned in, his sensors locking on her boxy disguise. "Ah... you're just asking for trouble~. Let's see how you dance under pressure, doll." His claws twitched, wires snaking toward her, and the dim hum of his internal circuits grew ominous. Serena's heart raced, she knew this could turn ugly fast. And then it hit her. The way he was manipulating her... the way he claimed control... it wasn't right. Not just ethically, it was wrong. She couldn't let him harm her or anyone else, and she couldn't leave Raymond's eye in his grasp. With a surge of courage, Serena yanked a nearby tool from her belt and swung at the thick cord connecting him to the club's power grid. Sparks flew. The club lights flickered and hissed. Ganymede shrieked, a metallic, grinding scream as his systems failed. The cord severed, and his massive form collapsed, twitching spasmodically before shutting down completely. The glowing eye rolled to her feet. Serena snatched it up, cradling it like a fragile treasure. Relief was short-lived. From across the room, a tall, armored guard bot locked onto her, sensors blazing red. Its footsteps thundered as it began to chase, metal clanging against the floor in pursuit.
BJ's eyes widened. "Uh... she's fast, but that thing is fast and angry!"
Serena didn't hesitate. She sprinted, weaving through dancing robots, bumping past floating trays and startled patrons. Neon lights streaked past her as she vaulted over barriers, heart hammering, Raymond's eye secured tightly in her grip.

The hum of the ship's engines filled the cockpit as Serena and BJ cruised through the multiverse skies. Outside, neon streaks of passing worlds and cosmic dust blurred past, painting the interior in flickering colors. BJ was still catching his breath from the nightclub chaos, his chest rising and falling in a mix of exhilaration and relief. Serena glanced at him from the co-pilot seat, a sly grin tugging at her lips. "Hey... you know, since you've been bonding with Giovanni, I think he'd like to keep in touch."
BJ turned his head, curious. "Wait... what are you talking about?" Without a word, Serena pulled her holo-pad from the console and tapped a few keys. A contact card blinked into existence on the screen: Giovanni, complete with a holographic number. BJ's eyes widened, a mix of surprise and giddy excitement. "Wait... you're giving me his number? For real?"
Serena leaned back, folding her arms with a teasing smirk. "Yeah. Seems like you two had... some chemistry back there."
BJ snorted, trying to play it cool but failing spectacularly. "Chemistry? Pfft... okay, fine. Maybe a little. But come on, this is epic! I can call him, text him, send him robot memes, whatever we want!"
Serena rolled her eyes but laughed softly. "Just don't spend the entire flight glued to your holo-pad. We've got Raymond to save, remember?"
BJ's grin widened, and he tapped the contact, sending a quick holographic greeting. "Hey Giovanni, it's BJ. Survived the nightclub chaos. Drinks on me next time!"
Serena shook her head, smiling at his antics, and returned her gaze to the stars ahead. "You're ridiculous, you know that?"
"Yeah," BJ said, leaning back in his seat, still smirking, "but ridiculous with a plan. And we're going to save Raymond. Trust me." The ship soared through the multiverse, laughter mingling with the hum of engines, and for the first time in a long while, BJ felt a spark of joy that wasn't tinged with worry or fear.