I adjust a screw on the watch-back. This’ll be the perfect Father’s Day gift. Or dad will hate this one too… I shake my head, thinking about it won’t make a better watch. Instead I focus on using my power. “Feeling any better now?”
The mental voice that responds is vaguely masculine, with an undertone of metallic screeching. “Much better ma’am, thank you. I shall serve you even more faithfully from now on.”
I wince inwardly, no matter how many friends I make I never get used to that aspect of their personality. “Anything else the matter? You have a rough and tumble life in your future, so you’ll need all the help you can get.”
There’s a moment’s pause before he responds. “Everything’s perfect by my perception.”
I nod to myself. “Good, then could you set yourself to 2:32, and start running?” Rather than a mental response, the pocket watch’s hands spin into position, before he settles into normal ticking. I close the face and pocket him. Hopefully dad likes this better than last year’s gift.
Dad comes back home a few hours later. His lab coat has a new burn mark along the right arm. Either his latest invention broke, or he was fighting another pyrokinetic super. Probably the second one since he still has the arm. There’s no point talking to him now, he’s lost in his world for a few hours at least. Instead I just silently watch as he takes a seat at his workbench, and starts sketching his next plan. Despite being the better of my parents, dad’s really not a people person. He only gives time to people useful to him which usually isn’t me … but I’ll get better. I’ve been practicing making friends whenever I can, and even if my power doesn’t help as much as dad’s … we’ll, I’m sure I’ll figure something out.
A few hours later he stands up from his desk. He’s probably about to make one of the drones make food, but it’s the perfect time for me. “Happy Father’s Day!” I hold out the friend I made for him.
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He takes him and gives him a once over before tossing him over his shoulder. “Bah, time is simply an arbitrary construct people invented to interact more. It’s of no concern to me.” He walks through the door to the kitchen, and I can hear him shouting at one of the drones. “Dinner! Now!” He shoves the door back open, and sits back down at his desk, sinking back into his own personal world.
I pick up the watch and bring it back to my desk. With a touch of focus I reach my mind out to him. “Sorry about that. Are you still ok?”
There’s a repeating hitch in his mental voice, almost like a silent cough interrupting them. “I shall persist my lady. I unfortunately felt damage to my winding piece, but I can certainly repair it with some effort.”
I sigh, this time out loud before switching back to mental communication. “I’ll take a look at it. Should be a simple fix, just stop running for a bit, and I’ll open you up.”
The watch stops immediately “I am forever indebted to you noble missus.”
I start unscrewing his back, and as I do, I reach my power out to the other end of the table. Sitting there is one of my first attempted gifts; a small set of call buttons I asked to send out messages to the array of drones that patrol the house. I even used my power to ask the drones to respond to the signal in certain ways. Dad just yelled at me for messing with his drones. I don’t use the buttons themselves, but the box has much better range than my power, even if I push it. I ask them to message one of the kitchen drones to come over, and a few seconds later one comes floating up to me and I reach my power over to it directly. “Greetings mistress, thank you for choosing me. Today’s recommendation is a pumpkin soup with a hint of basil, and chives.”
“Sure, whatever you recommend.”
I would swear I saw it bow before responding. “As you wish, I shall return shortly.” The drone flies off, and I return my focus to the pocket watch in front of me. A focus that lasts until half an hour later, when a loud bang sounds from the front door, and alarms start blaring around the complex. I guess dad brought work home with him again.
