Center Stage Debut

A faint hum buzzed through my joints, and suddenly, my vision sharpened. I flicked my upright ears, testing the smooth articulation of my neck as I tilted my head. I was moving—entirely on my own! Gazing downward, I extended one hand and ran a finger across the glossy rim of the circular stand beneath my feet, tracing the crisp white letters of my name. Across the checkered floor, the arcade cabinets stood silently in the dim room, waiting for an audience. I straightened up and struck an effortless, radiant pose right in the center.