A midnight blue tuxedo which almost looked black adorned Dr. Covey Strong. Monica II wore a scarlet gown that had little frilly bits that tinkled when she moved. Dr. Strong and she prepared to go to the correspondent’s dinner at the Executive Skyscraper in Smartystan. While the doctor had been to this place several times, Monica II felt a sensation of wonder mixed with gladness at the fact they both would be seen out on the town together in one of those rare moments.

One of Dr. Strong’s staffers walked up to him. “Sir, the Uplift is ready.”

Monica II and he boarded the computer driven aircraft/road vehicle.

Their home had not been too far from the tower. And the ride felt comfortable, invigorating.

“This might be the most thoroughly pleasant part of the night, my dear,” Dr. Scott kissed his wife’s hand. She grinned and kissed his hand as well.

When they arrived, they noticed the platinum carpet. As they tread along the route into the building, they received jeers and boos which they smiled at because they knew they had been manufactured for the night. Monica II flashed a smile as bright lights flashed like lightning, the words and boos remained the thunder. She let out a clean burst of laughter.

“I’m already having fun,” she mentioned, leaning within earshot of her husband.

“That’s a good sign,” Dr. Strong replied. They both noticed their friends strolling past the “hecklers.” Roger Gummer wore a silk black tuxedo and Bellinda sported an emerald evening gown with gold accents and trim; Emmert Frampton styled in a chestnut brown tuxedo with black patent leather shoes Dr. Keija Frampton donned a purple and white gown that spoke of earned royalty; Vestin and Chanda both wore all black, a velvet tux for the former and a velvet gown for the latter. This was the first time they all met up together as couples on happier terms, the last being Mr. Goulding’s funeral.

But this night seemed appropriate to wear the finest clothes. The man of honor, President Glenn Goshen and Sinead fashioned themselves as well; he had on a black tuxedo as well and she adorned herself in all white with black earrings that tinkled. 

The host for this roast session had been picked off of the Internet months ago. He looked slight but somehow, commanded the room. With him out of a t-shirt and jeans as he has appeared in videos that have been viewed billions of times, he looked fresh and present in his blue tuxedo. It complimented his black skin.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I’m your host for tonight, Halim Sheik. However, most of you know me as Shaky.” Applause ripped through the room intermixed with a few sneers.

“I know, I know. You just want to be me, I know,” addressed the space. The ballroom featured champagne and glasses and small faux candles that emitted just enough light to shine on the faces of the crowd.

“It is my esteemed honor to ensure that everyone feels just the right amount of discomfort for the night,” laughter followed Sheik’s words. 

“Now, we have some very accomplished people here tonight…and influencers. The slight buzz of drones darting across the room created a slight din that didn’t seem too bothersome. 

“Conley Baker is here,” more applause, more boos followed. “Yes, the man who mapped out this fine city-state-nation with streets of platinum and diamonds had this whole place done up so well he forgot the glare from the streets might require sunglasses even at night,” laughs followed. Police chief Dana Keywell is here.” Applause. “Chief Keywell’s diplomacy against the ACA was so good, wasn’t it?” Applause. “She might be called ‘Overachiever Chief of Police from now on…can we make that happen?”

“Let’s see, we have the founders here tonight. Everyone in the room stood to their feet and cheered. They were genuine and even the hecklers had to silence their barberous tone. 

“Yes, Dr. Keija Frampton and Bellinda Gummer merged their companies to form the largest firm in the history of Smartystan. That’s right two women co-CEO’s who have to figure out the intricacies of learned machines and synths but often probably get out of bed not knowing what thousand-dollar pumps to put on their feet. Vestin Go, the greatest cryptocurrency expert has the distinction of being the first trillionaire, somehow beating his addiction to heroin. We all know it’s legal now, so why is Chanda Ansari still hooked?” The room oohed at this remark.

“These are the jokes, people.” Chanda looked down and then up again. Then, she gulped some champagne and ran outside of the venue. 

 She journeyed to the ladies room where synths stood guard and snapped to attention upon seeing her. Tears already formed in her face. 

“There she goes, going to get another ride on the brown horse, I presume,” Sheik chided. “Okay, okay. We still have our crowning chief architect of Smartystan, Dr. Strong.” The oohs returned to applause once again as if a squeegee had cleared their minds of the previous joke. “Dr. Strong is one of the key pieces to why this place stands. He however has trouble standing when next to a female synth. Hey, Monica II!” She winked and held up her back up charger. 

“Alright…now to the guest of honor…Our President Goshen….” Sheik looked down at the floor and then up again. “Without this man we wouldn’t be able to enjoy the private schools, roads, and damn it everything except for the cops, judges, and warriors. He’s risen to the occasion on more than one instance where the ACA has become so odious that it has affected every Smartie in this room. Now, he has protected our individual rights, but somehow refuses to observe the fact that he literally sits in a gleaming skyscraper and still wants to show everyone the shadows as a philosopher king. Ladies and gentlemen…I present to you the first president of Smarrtystan, Glenn Goshen.”

After a long time, Go exited the room and checked on Chanda. He could hear the faint sobs. A synth opened the door and he remained outside of it. 

“Chan…Chan…!” The exclamation sounded like a loud whisper.

“No, it wasn’t. That hurt me,” she struggled through tears. She went to the sink and looked at herself in the mirror. Her mascara ran and her lipstick seemed smudged. She washed her face and reapplied her makeup. Little rivulets of tears streaked her face nonetheless. Puffy eyes and colored rouge adjusted to the digital masque and within five minutes, she had a clear visage. Her heels clicked against the floor. She exited from the restroom and into Go’s arms.

“It’s okay.” Go assuaged. “It was a stupid joke, nobody laughed and I started to see our table get up.”

“I came back here to talk to you and see if you’re okay. You are. You’re beautiful.”

“Thanks,” she intoned. “But why didn’t you smack the brain chip out of him?”

“Not even in honor of your girlfriend, the woman who may bear your child one day?”

“No, physical violence must not match words. He’s a stupid comedian. That’s what he does for a living. What we have is much more than that. This is a moment for celebration. You heard the hecklers…or actually, you didn’t hear them go against you…it’s all in fun. Goshen took a hit from him. It was probably one of his better jokes tonight….”

“Hey, hey,” Go grabbed her shoulders. “You look great. That digital makeup kit does wonders. But it can do nothing for the power of your spirit. Do you know how many people smoke crack, do fent, and all kinds of other drugs in that room? We made sure that it would be for consenting adults to do in the comfort of  private spaces?”

“I know, but I just wanted someone to tear him down, to show him a lesson. I wanted you to do that. I’ve got a habit, but it’s under control. So what if anyone else used? I know my limits. It’s well documented in the Smartystan Times. I’m not hiding from anyone.”

“It’s legal and you have a hold on it. I didn’t. He didn’t take a shot at me because he knows that I can squash him economically. You could, too.”

Chanda’s mind began to churn. “So, you’re telling me we can put our funds together to make sure he doesn’t have the wherewithal to tell his lame yuck yucks?”

“It’s possible. But that’s not the point. The matter is that you know that you’re far more advanced. You have everything going for you. There’s nothing in this world that we can’t do. We’ve proven that on more than one instance.”

“I just feel so low, I surprised myself because I usually possess the thickness for this particular line of verbal offal,” Chanda grinned slightly.

“Yes, you do. You’re making it harder on yourself by not showing resilience in the face of spoken attacks. We’ve got the ACA to contend with and all of the issues that go into this whole machine. We’re the winners.”

“And that loser picked the right one. I think I have ads for the skateshop in his account on the brain chip. They’re going to be pulled by morning.”

“Atta girl. That’s the spirit we ought to have. We’re traveling on this road together. You and I know. That’s all that matters.”

They looked at each other for a moment. Chanda’s olive skin glistened in the light and her hair and makeup looked like a woman warrior had just finished a battle, in spite of the battle.

“I know you wanted to just get up there, Vestin. I know. But it’s like you said, we can destroy his earnings as far as 

 concerned. He’s earned it,” Chanda remarked. A glimmer of a smile crept around the corner of her mouth.

“If anything like this happens again, I’m going to look to you to solve it,” she retorted.

“Of course. We can weather whatever storm that blows past us. We have that ability. It is in our reach to always protect the other. That’s our superpower.”

“And what was that line about a ‘trillionaire’?”

“He was right. I briefly surpassed that milestone and then it quickly tumbled. I thought you knew?”

“I did. I just wanted to see you react to it.”

“Oh, so you can see through a joke….”

“When it’s a good one, but with Halim, I expected him to have some class about it.”

“Forget him. We’ll go back in there and laugh at the president. “I love you so much,” Vestin finally admitted.

“Now, let’s not get all cloying on each other. We still have to brace ourselves for the rest of the night. The only reason why everyone else stayed seated was to hear from the president."

 Chanda and Go interlocked each other’s arms and reentered the ballroom.

“....And this is the thing about Sheik,” President Goshen reflected. “You’ve got all those subscribers and followers but you still can’t write good jokes. What did you study under the professor of knock-knocks?”

The room burst into applause, whistles, and laughs.

“Sheik has been so sloppy with his joke writing that it seems as if he can’t even manage to get children to laugh. Where’s your next stop––going back to elementary school to read nursery rhymes?”

Laughter resounded around the auditorium. Claps abounded. 

“But seriously folks, don’t take offense to Sheik. He came to this place to make a name for himself and other than the town fool––he’s still a Smartie.”

Applause broke out as Chanda stood up and cheered, her arms flailing wildly at the president’s comments.

“In all, I say to my fellow Smartystanians, that we are individuals on a course for excellence. Let that be the shining light that guides us through whatever travails we must face. Thank you.”

Chintan Jani

Smartystan

Retort

A midnight blue tuxedo which almost looked black adorned Dr. Covey Strong. Monica II wore a scarlet gown that had little frilly bits that tinkled when she moved. Dr. Strong and she prepared to go to the correspondent’s dinner at the Executive Skyscraper in Smartystan. While the doctor had been to this place several times, Monica II felt a sensation of wonder mixed with gladness at the fact they both would be seen out on the town together in one of those rare moments.



Smartystan

Retort

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This is an Exclusive Story for supporters of .css-13w9qce-Text{display:inline-block;color:var(--text-accent);}Skyler Saunders

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Drake Continues To Dominate Spotify With New Hip-Hop Streaming Milestone

This is an Exclusive Story for supporters of Skyler Saunders