Dominant MyRoid in the mall

"Servant!"

"Yes!" is your crisp and prompt reply, the way that she expects it, from underneath the bags that your Myroid has piled on you.

"You mean, 'Yes, my lady!'" she says, snapping at you. "Must I always remind you?"

"Sorry, my lady." You shift the bags to get a better grip. "Did you need something?"

"Oh, I'll forgive it, you do well enough." She sighs, but then smiles brightly. "What I will not forgive, however, is slowing me down on this MOE Can Mall sales event! Come, there's much to see, and much to buy."

You gesture—or rather, wiggle your body, since that is all you can manage--towards the rental lockers. "I should put these away before we buy any more."

"Yes, yes, whatever you need to do," she says, but it's apparent she's not listening, since you catch her eyeing and already running towards another boutique store. "Quickly, my servant!"

You quickly decide to let your Myroid go off and shop while you take care of the bags, knowing that she'll spend at least half an hour sifting through the 'low-class rubbish' before finding something to her taste. As you expect, by the time you've stored everything away and return to the store, you find her closely examining two expensive looking pairs of shoes. Then her mouth widens into a very satisfied looking smile.

"I've decided!" she imperiously declares. "Servant, I would like this pair of..."

As your Myroid turns to face the air she was talking to, she takes on a curious expression as she realizes that you've been gone this whole time. You begin to call out to her, but stop. Wait a second, you think, this is a perfect chance for you to see how she acts when she can't depend on you. You hide yourself behind a rack of coats while you watch her look around, walk around the store, almost go out the door, and then come back again to replace the shoes she was holding. The entire time, your Myroid looks increasingly puzzled as her brow furrows and her lips purse into a pout.

She leaves the store, you following behind her a short distance away. She heads towards the rental lockers. Of course, that would be the obvious place to look; so she had been listening to you. You watch her walk to the entrance to the lockers. You then watch her walk right by it to the lost child center next door. Your Myroid approaches the security officer at the desk, looking a little frazzled.

"Excuse me, officer?"

"Yes, how can I help you?"

Your Myroid puts on a small, worried smile. "I seem to have lost someone. Could you help me?"

"Certainly, miss. Can you describe them for me?"

"Of course. I've lost my dear servant."

"Your...servant?"

"Yes, my servant, who is always troubling me by needing my constant attention, discipline, and affection. It's a handful, really." She sighs, then gets the gist of the question. "Oh, yes, physically. Well, my servant has a lazy-looking face and a rather mediocre presence, and is about this tall," she says, leveling her hand in the air. "Has someone like this come by?"

"Uh, no, miss. Do you..." the officer says, appropriately perplexed, "...want me to make an announcement?"

"Oh, so my servant hasn't. No, you needn't concern yourself. I'm sure I'll manage."

You watch her take a seat nearby, face showing that she was now fully deep in thought, apparently out of ideas after discovering you were not among the children waiting for their mothers to find them.

"Could it be that," she begins, biting her lower lip worriedly, "I'm the one who has gotten lost?"

Yes, absolutely! This airheaded and somewhat haughty Myroid finally gets it!

"Ohoho, of course not. Me? Lost? I shouldn't even entertain the thought. I'm sure my servant is just trembling in some corner waiting for me.”

Or not. She gets up from her seat and for the next hour you tail her as she retraces the various clothes outlets you had patronized throughout the day.

You find yourself enjoying the pouting, flustered expressions your Myroid makes as she darts all around the mall, eyes wrinkled and a closed hand just brushing against tightened lips as she feverishly thought about where you might be. True, you also find yourself a little guilty. But, you think to yourself, this is a good lesson for her.

She stops in front of one of the benches surrounding the central water fountain, then turns to sit, giving you a clear view of her face. To your surprise, her face is red with frustration. She seems to have stopped to collect herself. As she's distracted, you're able to move close enough to be just out of sight, but close enough to hear her speaking to herself.

Her hands are in clenched fists in her lap and her head hangs low. "Ever since I first arrived at that home, my servant has always been with me, so I've never..." From your hiding place you can just make out tears forming at the corner of her eyes. She digs in her bag, pulling out a handkerchief after rummaging for a little while. "This isn't how a lady of class is supposed to look," she says, her voice soft. You have to strain to hear her words. "Heavens, is this how I am without my dear..."

Before you know it, you're already making your way over to her seat, about to beat yourself up for making your Myroid cry over your joke. You stand before her, and when she looks up to see you, you see a wet streak down her cheek.

"I, uh. I'm back.”

"Ah." Her voice fails her for a second, then she quickly turns away to dry her tears, hurriedly shoving her handkerchief back into her bag after. When your Myroid turns back, she doesn't look directly at you, but fidgets a little bit. "My servant, you've returned..." And seemed to have caught me in a compromising situation, her body language seems to say. "Where were you?"

"I was at the rental lockers."

"Ah," she says, remembering. "I suppose you did say something like that..."

"Well, that's not all." This time you fidget a bit. "I found you after I was done and followed you until now."

"Followed?" she says questioningly, considering your words. "So, you mean to say you let me think you were missing this whole time?"

"I’m sorry! I wanted to see what you would do alone, but then when I saw you like this, I...!"

"It's 'sorry, my lady!'" she snaps, crossing her arms and looking away with a hmph. "Unbelievable! Making me look for you like a fool, and after I told you that I wouldn't stand for you slowing down my shopping trip."

"Sorry, my lady."

"I was...really worried, you know," says your Myroid, carefully mulling over her words.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"About a lot of things, like everything I had bought, how I would get home with my purchases, and..."

"So," you say, "you weren't worried about me after all?"

Your Myroid stands up suddenly, grabs your hands in her own to hold them close to her. "Of course I also worried about you. I worried about you the most," she declares. Her eyes, still a bit red around the edges, intently lock onto yours. It's enough to make you blush. "How could I not? You are my special, irreplaceable servant."

"Oh." Of course. Still, you can't help yourself from smiling. You let go of her hands to pat her on the head. She looks at you, curious.

"Should a servant really do this to a lady?" your Myroid asks, but she doesn't resist or duck out from under your hands.

"No, I guess not. But I'm going to do it anyway."

"I'm still angry." She sighs, but then smiles. It’s radiant. "Then, just this once, I will let you do it as a special service." Her smile has a slight touch of self-satisfaction at her own magnanimity. "You are not forgiven yet, however. After you are satisfied, you will devote yourself to me once again, won't you?"

You smile. Devote yourself to this airheaded, somewhat haughty, and self-satisfied Myroid? How could you not?

"Of course, my lady."