“The Techpacs?” Kammy says, instantly captured at the prefix Tech-.
“Do you remember learning about the history of the Powered?” Judy asks. “They were giant machines that multiplied the power of their pilot so that the superheroes would never outgrow the usefulness of these machines. Eventually, this was forsaken for human Powered which eventually focused on a line of female techbots that were also Powered. Well, in these days, we have a BRAND-NEW type of real, organic people. They are called the Techpacs, which means that they are cybernetic people based on the Powered techbot schematics. You could really equate them with the Ancyro, only it’s like the Ancyro all came from Lara and Buck’s lineages back in ancient SBX, while the Techpacs are techbots who have been elevated to the same level of humanity, I guess. I mean every PAC, whether human or machine, is technically a computer program in the organic hardware of the System Director’s human brain, so the only difference between a human and a robot with organic enhancements is the name. Both are just as ‘real,’ but I don’t want to walk that trail and insult us all since there’s no need. I might be imaginary, but I am just as REAL as the screen these words will be read on some day. It’s not alive, but you can interact with it and be affected by it. My actions and words can influence the world outside of our System, so that makes them real, and I can please God or be a bad thought and have Him not be happy with me. And that’s all that matters to me, to make God HAPPY. In Christ, my System Director is alive. In Christ, I’m finally real. Why? Because in Christ…there is truth.”
“Anything else?” Mercy asks with a small but encouraging smile.
“Not really. That’s all I got,” Judy sadly admits.
“That’s seriously everything?” Having asked this, Doug is surprised to find himself disappointed that the lesson ended right when it was getting somewhere.
“That’s seriously everything,” Judy repeats. “But I have free cotton candy for everyone!” Thus, a chaotic line forms itself in front of the short one, with Doug being in this line, of course. However, as the food is being passed out, all the participants in this beauty pageant escape as quickly as possible with Kimmy K. running with Greco back to the Christian Music Arena to find that other Greco again. While Roxy and Lara do leave, they make it a point to hug Faye and whisper words of encouragement in her ear before heading off to get ready for Keb’s party. Kinley does decide to stay after Judy complimented her so kindly, but she soon starts to pester the paintless performer by pulling on her perpetually. “Stop it!” Judy shouts. “You’re a grown woman! Have some patience!”
Yuri starts to walk off with the other CFA girls, but having Dogwood girls looking like her is too intriguing to pass up. Besides, she realizes Josey forgot to finish the lesson. Walking up to Judy, but really looking at Jocelyn and the girls, Yuri says, “Judy, thanks for making me sound so smart, he he. Even if I’m a bookworm, you were sweet to not bring up my ditzy tendencies.”
“Oh, I can relate,” Faye says, raising her hand to testify. “Being both smart and ditzy is a real bother. How do you do it, girl?”
“Preeeeeach!” Kammy Crystal adds.
Giggling, Yuri winks and confesses, “The secret is in the eyes. If you can catch them with those, and finish them off with a good smile, they’ll forget altogether that you were just a complete moron, he he! Of course, it takes practice.” To this, the girls eagerly respond with smiling at each other with “Yuri eyes” before turning on their respective men to test this new technique. It doesn’t look quite as appealing being blatantly practiced with no context, but neither guy is complaining, so there’s that.
Still tugging on Josey, Kinley starts to eat the cotton candy handed to her, and while watching the others eat their share, the girl in yellow asks, “Judy, did you mean to forget the versions of us from the other storyboards? Moley might have been good for this, since she was here earlier. Having a giant version of my clone is pretty weird.”
Inner Man Theatre 