Sunshine said, "Thanks for having us over, Thena! Since your brother's in the hospital, we've been worried about you. Whatchoo doin?" Rose said, " 'WHAT are YOU doing!' is the right way to speak! Don't degrade your language, Sunny! She is painting my portrait. I am curious to see the result." Thena said, "The school fair is coming up, so I'm practicing my speed-painting. It's like regular painting, but...faster!" Sunny made a face, "SPEED painting! Duhr, I'd HOPE faster! As compared to SLooooooooooOW painting!" She giggled and asked, "I can really have this? Really? You don't want it any more?" Thena said, "I out-grew it. It'll only fit you for a couple of years, sure why NOT give it to you? You are my friend! I still can't believe you are four years old!" Rose said to Thena, "Cyclops children mature faster than human children in some areas. Mostly in movement and talking. That might not be true any more. Sunny is about physically about nine in structure and knowledge. She's still very inexperienced, and I value your friendship of her, Thena. She needs more social contacts from children." Sunny whispered to her Pengy, who squawked,"Why painting Rose? Akkkk!" Thena laughed, "BECAUSE! She's dramatic and unique looking! Hah, talking penguin!" Sunny snorted,"ROBO-penguin! Dramatic and unique? Heh! NO she isn't! She's just my mom. She IS different looking now! Unique? That's funny." Rose said, "Sunny! Hush now! I like being called Unique and dramatic." Thena said, "I can't believe that the studio guys censored the final broadcast! At least what WE said got out, before the Madjulla showed up and ruined everything. I was scared to death when that guy hit you through that wall! I thought you had been killed!" Rose nodded as Sunny radared her. "I was scared,too. Sunny, don't active radar someone when they're four feet from you. It's rude!" Sunny said, "The people at school don't care!" Rose said, "Are they Cyclops? DO they HAVE radar inbuilt like you or I do? Hmmm?" Sunny dropped her head. "NO. Sorry,mommy." Thena laughed, "Sound like me and my mom. Back when she lived, I mean. I'm through, IF you want to look." Rose took a look. Sunny went, "WOW, it's gorgeous, Mommy! Look at THAT!" Rose looked at it silently for a moment. Thena said,"It's ART. NOT photo-realistic realism like stuff." Rose nodded. "It take me a moment. I never had a painting of me done, before. For your developmental age, it's quite impressive. You brother must be quite proud of you. He's supposed to get out of the hospital within two days." Thena looked pained. "He doesn't think much of my painting. He says I should concentrate on more practical abilities." Rose shook her head. "NO. If I had prohibited Slicey's artistic bent when she was a child, she would have never come up with the designs she had for weapons! She was and still is, something of a sculptor. She has become one of the worlds foremost weaponry designers,now. I am machine-life, but I DO appreciate art." Thena paused and then asked, "Look...you guys want to spend the night? I can cook. I'm pretty good and I'm lonely. My brother didn't want me spending the night anywhere other than home. HE never said, I couldn't invite other people over! What about it?" Sunny had jumped up and was asking,"PLEASE?PLEASE?PLEASE?" Rose sighed and finally said, "I have to go back to the ship a couple of time, so I'll invite Violet over to monitor you two while I'm out. We'll stay over night. It'll do Sunny good, I think." Sunny danced around and shouted, "YAAAAAAAAAAAAY!" She then bowed to Rose, "Thank you so MUCH, Mommy!" She and Thena hugged and laughed, excited at their first sleep over. Rose checked with Violet, who jumped at the chance to get away for a while. She was curious as Rose was to see how the humans live and spend their time in real life. --TO BE CONTINUED!--