George Northrad wasn't ever much for change. In fact, the feline robot actually kind of hated it- You'd think working at his cozy cafeteria, away from his lineage's spotlight, would lead to a humble, quiet life- But nooo, for some reason it was as if he was a magnet for events that turned his life upside down, and he could count all of them on nearly both his hands. Even if some of those changes were initially disastrous, luckily for George it all seemed to be change for the better in hindsight.

As the saying goes, 'if it's purple, it's a Northrad', and George was no exception to that rule. There was a reason this lineage was quite known in Iagoon Fisaris, all of it thanks to the patriarch and George's very own predecessor, Zagreus Northrad- From a past his father barely talked about, to the number one spot in the economy. The family was already plenty wealthy when George, né Giorgos, was brought into light, though due that the robot didn't see his father often- Nor his mother for that matter, as George grew up with several nannies and maids at his side. Father Zagreus an influential businessbot, mother Anastasia a show-stopping model- It begged for an offspring following them onto the same snobby stage play, yet their son didn't have much interest.

Etiquette on social rules, holding cutlery a particular way, schmoozing and all that, sure, George learned, but easily less intriguing than what school taught. The robot knew it was best to keep up with the bourgeoisie however, as that pleased his parents, especially his father- And that meant less bickering, more quiet peace and thus time to pursue what he actually wanted. It was clear George was a clever cat, excelling in maths and physics, word going that one day he'd be a grand inventor or similar. The robot liked gaining knowledge, but George's true passion came out whenever he got to help his caretakers with their duties, especially in cooking meals- Which were specifically made for him, actually, but what was a nanny to do when the rich robot's kid insisted on helping?

Just say no?

Of course not!

And so, George's first dabble into cooking was when he was 6, terribly rolling dough and cutting out cookies in the shape of stars. The batch burned in the oven, for George turned it too far, but despite the panicked nanny's pleas, he insisted it was all fun 'n fine! Why would he tell off his caretakers if they didn't do anything wrong?

Though his father disagreed- Apparently everything was wrong, after he learned of these ingredience escapades. By then George was already attached to his caretakers akin to real parents, yet they were promptly fired and sent away- Which was one of many choices outside George's control he didn't quite fancy.

— 2. IN WHICH THEY SOMEWHAT STARTED OVER —

---

George was well on his way to his secondary diploma, when Zagreus and Anastasia split. The robot didn't care that much, though unfortunately for him, it did throw his entire schedule overboard. Instead of the usual marble tiles, he spent it there 2 days a week less, now spending the weekend in the centre of the bustling capital Risaiqa. It got to the point George brought noise-cancelling headphones solely for these trips away- Adding another reason onto the growing pile of resentment.

However, despite the strenuous bonds he had with both, after the divorce Zagreus seemed to step up more to his role as a father. Still busy, albeit more attentive to George's progress into a fledgling ready to leave the nest. It came as odd to the robot, but it wasn't unwelcome- More and more would George see the sides he'd only heard business complaints about, soon enough 'take your kid to work' days were filled with new knowledge and they became his favourite. According to his father, it was to prepare him for the big bustling business world- With hopes that George would of course follow in his father's footsteps and continue the Northrad legacy.

By the time he graduated university, George rolled his eye but accepted an internship at one of his dad's firms anyway- Some experience on his CV couldn't hurt anyone, let alone anything relating to the economic giant. In the following few decades, George picked up experiences as a sales manager, IT expert, business negotiator and so on and so forth.. Yet none of those positions truly sparked anything of value.

The robot had a dream of starting his own business- Ideally a café but his dad didn't need know all details- The only problem was, he wasn't quite sure where. Upon hearing this ambition, his father was utterly delighted and proud, nostalgic for the time he started at the bottom. Then his father proceeded to lay out several maps of the solar system they resided in, and recommended him several spots he knew would be available for 'a bargain' in his words. George was quite fond of the faraway locations, in particular the moons surrounding Soiyonne-

"What kind of business you thinkin', son?"

Shit.

"Ah.. Uh.. Café would be nice, sir", George answered, earnestly but somewhat ashamed.

"Last I heard you didn't have such wishes anymore," his father responded, "though a restaurant would be good. I have plenty of staff perfect for an up-and-coming 5-star paradise. Risaiqa could use some renovations here..."

Before George could reach out to his dream fully, his hopes had already been shoved away.

— 3. HELL'S KITCHEN —

---

The son understood where his father came from, he supposed. Giving aid in the form of funded renovations and a social boost, was Zagreus' way of showing he cared. George then perhaps thought it wasn't that bad to be a Northrad- On the opening night of Northern Paradise, name given by Zagreus mind you, the first 100 customers were none other than influential figures, celebrities and the like. George ideally would've wanted to hold the reins himself, but he couldn't criticise a gifted CPU by its temperature- So he went along with it, and his dream surely would come true sooner or later in this place.

George still had faith when the first month had passed, already overwhelmed by the bustling noises.

That faith still went strong after the first year, and George didn't see eye-to-eye with the staff his dad hired.

And after another few decades, surely it ought to be a little cozy in the quiet evenings..

Despite the sheer negligence in his earlier years, George seemed to be getting along decently with his father nowadays- His mother on the other hand, he hadn't heard from in eons, supposedly lost to addiction- But one parent was better than none, he thought. By then, the robot had already made his father proud, sure, and quite a decent fortune, though it still didn't feel complete.

From the regulars, there were a few that George could converse with without worry. One of them, simply going by the pseudonym 'Miss M', was a polar opposite to the feline- Where he was rather quiet and humble, she was rambunctious and outgoing- Though he couldn't blame her, she was part of a popular punk band after all, and surprisingly George's restaurant was her preferred getaway.

.. It completely went over his head that she in fact, was head over heels too.

Perhaps this establishment wasn't that hellish.

With her support, eventually George claimed his earnings, passed ownership and quite literally, eloped with Matilda Gyresway.

— 4. A QUAINT CAFÉ FAR AWAY —

---

George found the perfect location far away, in the same spot he'd eyed all those eons ago- Vishnya was the smallest moon of Soiyonne, with a great view of the solar system and plenty resources available. It was the son himself this time who fully funded the construction of the creatively-named Vishnya Café- And Northern's regulars were more than happy to visit upon learning of its existence. With his wife's input, it was given its eye-catching purple blues, a fashion statement in itself.

Least to say, Zagreus was affronted.

How dare his son go against his father's guidance?

With that, George decided the many, many, many chances he'd given the patriarch were done and over with.

Finally, it was quiet and peaceful for once- Yet not lonely, for George finally could converse with regulars, prepare meals, enjoy his work and live life as he wished. His favourite time of the day remained the late evenings, when few chatters were around, and Tilly returned to have dinner at home together. The robot would bring out a dish made with love, the two taking seats like any other customer, talking away until it was time to rest. Thus a comfortable routine befell George, one that he could pour himself into.

As the years passed, Vishnya remained a cozy café, despite the few times it expanded- Softer seating, taller windows, extra lodging, more spacious areas- At one point a small podium was installed too, giving indie bands the chance to play their songs, besides the occasional secret concert from his wife's group- And eventually, their first child sat there also, albeit clueless, for Djarin was 4 and thought the drumset was the coolest fort ever. It gave both parents and customers a solid laugh.

Djarin was approximately 8 when he started being more difficult, similar to George when young, but in a way the father didn't know how to deal with. The tactics learned from his old nannies didn't work, resulting in leaning heavily onto his wife regarding child-rearing. Unsurprisingly, cracks would slowly form over the years that followed- With Tilly's band booming more than ever and George humble all the same, it was clear the father had more available time to handle their tiny robot.

So, could George really blame her, if once more she returned home exhausted from social events and large conventions?

Could George really blame their child, if he turned into a mother's boy due to them clicking better?

The only one George could blame was himself, when he found himself spending less and less quality time with both of them, as there was so little anyways, why bother. It didn't sting as much as it should've, when the inevitable came knocking on the door and Djarin was old enough to understand. The feline knew he was starting to mirror his own father, but in a similar way, hadn't learned how to deal with it properly. Thus, George drowned himself in his work even more, Tilly gone on tour indefinitely and Djarin usually stayed on-campus.

It was quaint, but lonely for quite a time.

— 5. EXTENSIVE EXTENDED FAMILY EVENTS —

---

One day, Vishnya's doors swung right open, a boisterous saurian robot walking through with confident strides. Taking a seat at the bar right in front of George, the customer didn't hesitate to order something heavy. Once his drink was poured, the glass clink satisfying to the ears, George noticed this robot had a purple streak, too.

"You George Northrad?" the customer asked him. Slightly tilting his head in confusion, George nodded anyway.

"Might want to pour one for yourself too, bud", the customer told him, after taking a sip. "Or should I say half-brother?"

George's singular pupil quickly turned into the thinnest line possible. "Elaborate?"

The skeptical expression made the dinosaur burst out laughing, mentioning in-between hitches that George was such a spitting image of him. The feline didn't need know whom he was talking about, instead asking once more to explain what the deal was.

"Name's Varok", the saurian introduced himself as, "and I recently learned there were many more after me."

"Kids? Wives? I need specifics."

"Interrogate me why don'tcha", Varok responded, taking another sip. "Both, actually. After dear ol' daddy Zagreus divorced my mom and abandoned ship so graciously, I grew extremely resentful towards him. Guy left mom and me absolutely nothin', nope, nada."

"When was this?"

"Before you were born. Apparently he cheated on my mom with the woman who'd become yours."

George didn't know how to respond. Was he about to get his ass kicked, or?

"I originally wanted to come here and beat you up, for the record. Or your mom. Or both of you, didn't matter to me", Varok explains coolly- As if it was the most normal thing to come waltzing into someone's establishment, and kick the boss' ass. "But, lucky for you, my mom's an absolute sweetheart, and asked me to get to know you first. I grew up an only child, y'see", he continued, then imitated what George could only assume was his mother's voice- "Varry, dear, surely not all Northrads are bad. Your dad might be a big -ahem- fucking asshole, but that don't mean all of them are rotten metals. You could get new family out of this!"

In the span of a few minutes, George already figured the outgoing dinosaur swore like an irritated lobby gamer. He was, simply put, flabbergasted by Varok. The manners of this robot were almost non-existent, and he'd have never guessed he was a Northrad based on behaviour alone.

"You do realise I'll call the police if you proceed with your original plan?" was all that George could say.

"Don't worry about it. I'd feel bad beating up a thin sheet like you", Varok told him, then fully downing his drink. "I was expecting a snob like our dad, to be honest. So, nice to meet you, I guess, and if you think dear ol' dad's a saint, I'm about to burn down that image forever. You're welcome."

"He wasn't great, no", George plainly agreed. "I can't really judge him, though."

"For cheating?"

"No, that's a different topic entirely. I'm talking about his treatment of me as I grew up."

"How's your relationship then? I assume he also left your mom, seeing he just got married to his 5th wife..." The dinosaur was staring off into the distance slightly, the booze evidently starting to kick in.

"He became more involved in my life after he divorced my mother, opposite of what happened to you it seems", George said. The café owner was only glad it was already late, and the few customers left were too far away to chip in. "There was a time we got along.. Though he had to be in control of everything. Have you heard of Northern Paradise?"

"Oh, that stuck-up dump? Yeah."

George snorted. "That was a gift for me. It was in his eyes the way to make my dream come true, but I never was allowed any input. Not sure how I lasted there for decades, but alas. I had to elope with my then-partner and I had to have my own place-"

Before George could finish his sentence, Varok dramatically yammered, "oohhh, how dare my son go against ME?!"

The two robots both laughed loudly, for it was exactly like that. Their first meeting continued for some hours, ending it on a high note for both, thinking that a Northrad half-brother wasn't half bad.

George eventually learned of all the dirt Varok had on their father- Resulting in an even lower bar than the opinion George already had on Zagreus. Despite not growing up together, George practically became part of Varok and his mom Signe's family, too- It was on their nudging that George ought to make amends with his past, providing guidance from a loving perspective he'd never had before. The feline finally had a solid and stable support group, intending to pass that to others he failed before.

Showing up on at least a dozen doorsteps with 'I'm Sorry My Dad Was An Asshole & You Were A Great Nanny' cookies, resulted in monthly catch up tea parties and cooking ventures.

Back-and-forth correspondence with Djarin and Matilda, resulted in helpful family therapy and co-parenting no longer supremely awkward.

Introducing and merging these folk together as one big unit, George then realised this was the Northrad family he wanted all along.

— 6. CRASH COURSE IN COLLEAGUES 'N BEST FRIENDS 101 —

---

After all this time, George still managed to pull off Vishnya Café by himself as the sole bartender, chef, cleaner, waiter all-in-one. On busy days the robot moved around practically every single second, sure, but it was still manageable! During the highest seasons, he occasionally did request a helping hand in prepping and cleaning though- In that case, several of his old caretakers would swing by with roombas, Djarin and/or Tilly with groceries, or Varok to force George to take a damn break already.

Vishnya had been thriving for a few centuries at this rate, never as busy as Northern Paradise, still plenty times more enjoyable. The only department that was lacking, came to food delivery. Since his establishment was decently far away, regulars usually resided nearby on Soiyonne- Yet most of them only came around about once a month, inquiring multiple times about George opening another spot locally. If the feline had to be honest, he frankly fancied the quieter and smaller moon, over the planet abundant in archipelagos.

Perhaps he could take on some staff after all, instead of relying on himself and the sporadic aid from his loved ones.

Before that train of thought was properly finished- A LOUD CRASH- Followed by creaking walls eastern side- Rushing of footsteps and opening doors- A slurred "I'm fineee" as the culprit stumbled through the clouds and rubble, then falling head first into the floor.

"MY FUCKING WALLS!?"

That was the first and hopefully last time the poor sod, Ainsley Scyther, ever had to hear George swear.

Starting out on the worst possible terms, George was forced to put up with the yellow-clad robot as he waited for ship repairs, as well as café renovations. A million of sorry apologies later, the café owner couldn't put up with it anymore and begrudgingly sent Ainsley to do the dishes. The robot was annoying, rather clumsy, had no sense of personal space- It was an employer's worst nightmare, George told him he could just up and go, forget about the whole crash accident- To his chagrin, Ainsley insisted dishes were the first of many debts to be repaid, clearly unable to leave without a good conscience.

"This has several 3-hour lectures on body language, etiquette and similar. Please watch it all and absorb carefully", George said one day, handing the poor sod a USB drive.

"Oh gee sir Northrad, where'd you get this from?"

"It used to be mine. You can use it plenty more than I do", the feline explained. "If you insist on repaying your debts, at least do it well."

At that, Ainsley laughed rather awkwardly, apologising once more. "Sir, yes sir! I'll do better next time!"

Next time took a while, but eventually the yellow-clad sod didn't trip over a tile or let loose of a plate as much anymore. By then his comments and jokes weren't as annoying either, customers used to and perhaps even liking his presence too. George didn't know too much about Ainsley, only that his ship was his de facto home- Which now was stationed a few miles off the café- And that before his terrible entrance, he was a space explorer of some sorts. Easily his superior in age, George did wonder why this robot omitted his past in similar ways to his estranged father.

Oh well, not like he cared.

For now, anyways.

Surprising as it may seem, George and Ainsley eventually became best friends, besides decent colleagues. At this rate, George had a knack for connecting with robots completely unlike him, not knowing why- As "s'just the ol' autistic rizz" according to his son, didn't make any sense whatsoever. My, he was getting old.

Either way, Vishnya Café from then on had a delivery driver- Crash accidents not 100% safeguarded quite yet, but it'd get there. Outside that, Ainsley did learn his balance well, so George allowed him to work as waiter too. All the kitchen-related shenanigans however, remained George's responsibility- He wasn't quite ready yet to take on another onto staff, for the first one had been utterly disastrous. Perhaps in another few years.

— 7. LIKE AN EPISODE OF F.R.I.E.N.D.S —

---

"Who's the lucky lady?" Matilda asked, smirk evident in her voice.

George rolled his eye as he put down her usual. "She's just divorced, Tilly, I don't think she's looking at the moment."

"You sure? I can see those heart eyes from a mile away."

"Could be part of her design, really.."

Matilda recognised the familiar reclusion instantly, attempting to give him good ol' pep. "Aw, c'mon George, you never know! I remarried and we're doing fine!"

"Because you and Vera have similar interests and life goals, yes. I met Dione a few weeks ago, it's too early to tell."

At that, Matilda agreed. "True that. Still, you two are clicking in the same way we did centuries ago", she told him earnestly, and then proceeded to wink. "If you need help, let me know."

"Tilly, I'm this close to banning you from my café", George rolled his eye, albeit playfully. "Thank you, though."

Sometimes, only sometimes, George felt his life was akin to a terrible sitcom. His co-parent and ex-wife in one, setting him up with a robot whom would become his 2nd wife. His first marriage started as a whirlwind romance, ending up as a long-winded drag that should've been addressed earlier by all involved. In contrast, with Dione it took years, especially as she held grief still, and needed to be 100% secure that George's wishes aligned with her own- Just them, no kids at all- Which was fine, amongst all the hundreds of other topics and 'just life things' they thoroughly discussed, before tying the knot.

The best bots at the wedding were unsurprisingly George's nannies, friends & family. Peculiar however, that Dione had none on her side. Oh well, George let it slide- Dione was the first to be even remotely close to George in personality, as like him, she preferred to keep to herself, too. With that, they could have many quiet peaceful reading nights together.

Thought to have a stable, prosperous long-lasting bond unlike his first marriage- But similarly to his first, it also defied the odds eventually, just in its own way.

— 8. SPOUSE TROUBLES, AGAIN —

---

It was well night on Vishnya, when George awoke to bright lights shining through his windows. Unable to make out any sort of figure, the robot put on his slippers, making his way down and out. Instantly met with the loud whirring of ship engines slowly coming to a halt, he wondered if this was the missed crate of oils- It'd been lost in transit for weeks, tomorrow being the first day he could file a complaint- No, nevermind, for the figure exited the vehicle, but no loud woosh followed of cargo doors- Instead the figure leaned in and grabbed what seemed to be a small package. A letter perhaps?

When his eye finally adjusted to the brightness, George stood utterly still.

"I need to drop this one off", her familiar voice greeted.

He wanted to yell, to curse, to- "Why?" is all George resorted to. "You left without a trace about 3 years ago. What could you possibly have forgotten to take with you? The divorce papers I had to turn in mys-"

Dione cut him off. "I know, and I'm sorry for hurting you. I couldn't deal with it anymore."

"What happened to 'let's talk about it to be on the same wavelength'? What about-"

"I was afraid, because of this", she cut him off again, finally revealing what she was holding. Tightly packed in a warm blanket, was a sleeping toddler.

10 million red flags and alarm bells started blaring instantly in his mind- "No, no you can't just pull this on me! That child isn't ours. We agreed on none!"

"And we also agreed on a quiet and domestic lifestyle. Look where that got me", Dione replied somberly. "I don't think I ever knew what I wanted. I lost myself after the miscarriage with Quill. I know it was unfair to pull you along but-"

"Did you ever care?" he interrupted. That was the one question running hottest in his circuits- For he'd never gotten closure, at all, nor even a chance to make up- And that hurt like a bitch.

"Of course I did. But I think it was simply the wrong time for me."

"That's your excuse?" George retorted, getting miffed to say the least. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, let alone this sorry scene feeling utterly surreal to begin with. "Even though you wept tears of joy after we got engaged?" 

"I don't think there'll ever be a right time for us. I'm sorry about that."

"Instead you're going to drop this infant and leave them an orphan? Is that why you're here?"

"I wish I didn't have to. But I must, it's for her safety's sake."

"What do you me-"

"I can't tell you", Dione said sternly. An unheard 'I wish I could' left hanging in the air. "I have to go. I don't want anyone knowing about you or Navirou. It's for the best this way."

"Will you ever provide me closure?"

His ex-wife was quiet for a bit, though then spoke with her determined tone again- "No."

With that, Dione gave the sleeping bundle a last smooch, before handing it off gently. "Please take good care of her. I know you'll do a better job than I did."

"You can't just do this", George responded quietly.

"But I am", she retorted, and finally she turned around, slowly disappearing into the light, the engines starting up again- From the cockpit, George could see her saluting one last time, mouthing a 'stay safe'. As sudden as she'd left, she'd returned briefly, only to leave once more.

This was the worst episode ever of his saga.

— 9. WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY LIFE IS UPSIDE DOWN? —

---

Of course George had to get Navirou's code checked. How could he not- After the horror tales of his father's baby traps and adultery, this was the first idea that came to mind.

Of course George was utterly baffled, when results revealed Dione had spoken truthfully after all.

Of course George now was pondering a zillion other things- Why wasn't he ever told? Did she leave when she tested positive? Why take 3 whole years to return? Why was this for the best, with her out of the picture? Wh-

And the father once more had to stop wondering, for Navirou was but a toddler, and toddlers required quite the bit of attention. On the more positive side, George at least wasn't alone- His friends and family just as surprised as he was, they threw in plenty buoys to keep them afloat- He's pretty sure he would've made it on one of those surprise parenthood drama shows, if it weren't for everyone keeping it down-low.

With time, luckily, George did grow to care and love Navirou as his own, even if he'd missed out on several substantial years. The little one was shy, friendly and curious- And with all the knowledge he had then but not before, child-rearing came easier to him- In turn, George felt more capable as a doting father and functioning adult in general. Navirou received plenty of love from not only her father, but also her half- and stepfamilies, Vishnya's staff and of course George's old caretakers too.

Finally, some years down the line, George felt there was a sense of stability and routine again. He still worked passionate as ever at Vishnya's Café, except now he'd take more breaks and spend time with his loved ones- As a treat, and well damn deserved! Besides, he could afford it easily, for Ainsley still worked there, and recently Kochka was taken on, who liked to bartend and cook. Babysitting duties usually went to Ainsley, for Navirou found him funniest, but her half-brother Djarin, Varok or Signe, or one of George's many old nannies also were plenty beloved.

If it could get any crazier, George would rather not. Twice divorced, the robot swore off marrying a third time, as he was tired and simply wanted to draw sweet coffee art- But life sometimes really just loved pestering him.

"Can we keep him? Please please please please please please pretty pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase?"

And Navi would put on the biggest puppy eyes he'd ever seen, George protesting by covering his eye pretending not to see- Ultimately giving up, the father rolled his eye at his child, albeit playfully. Accompanying her was a critter bouncing around, which oddly smelled and somewhat looked like a burger- Maybe this was a dream? Finally, George sighed and out a long-winded "fiiine."

With loud cheers of joy, Navi bolted away with the strange pet following her- George just knew she was about to 'd'aww' the whole café. The robot sat back in his lounge sofa, ready to actually wake up from his nap- It ought to have been 2 hours already.. Except when he opened his eyes again, it hadn't been a dream, and a stinky creature now inhabited his café and home- That burger smell was in fact very real, seemingly impossible to be rid of. Same went for the many sesame seeds lost to the tiles of many, many floors. He really needed to buy a new broom.

.. Oh well. At least Navirou was happy.

And George himself was, too, in hindsight.