The streets were black concrete and the tall buildings were of brick and stone. Blu and Araya stopped at hologram traffic lights, and were in front of huge monument buildings with red mortar and gold trimming, and a dome roof held by pillars at the entrance. The steps at the front were crowded. A long water basin, pavement and grassy fields with fall color foliage; the season wasn’t autumn. 

The mayor office, Blu thought. A city square with the neighboring buildings match the pristine and the style of the city office. There were bronze statues. The statues were not on platforms like they were supposed to be, but walking around. Historic Figures fashioned out of bronze with metal clanging steps, the lips didn’t move but their softly lit eyes flickered when they spoke. 

The angry driver smashed the horn at the stunned Blu, so he pulled his bike to the side to let that aggravating lady zoom off.

“Lelios as the oldest city in Meridas maintained a strong connection with history, they fashion humanoid drones as the classic style statues the old world display. I don’t think it's anything special, they're just stylized androids,” Araya said.

“It's very uncanny, so they just talk about themselves and the city?” Blu asked.

One of the historic androids was a business baron with professional threads and a decorative suitcase of bronze held the hand of a little crying girl with blue hair, and searching for someone- probably their parents?

“Who is that?” Blu asked.

“That Jorge Varo, a founder of New Mura, another city of Meridas. He sold his side of the territory for cheap.” Araya replied.

“Cheap, how cheap”

“500 Crestals,”

“Oh, that physical money that like fifty mil in credits,”

“At the time, this was prior to the Crestals crisis so the value was five hundred credit and he use the profit to purchase passage to the moon,”

“Yikes, for the moon? I guess. But the fact that he owned one of the seven cities of Meridas and sold it? Each city is worth at least ten trillion credits!” Blu said.

“Exactly two twenty trillion give or take depending on current affairs, and markets.”

“Oh.” Blu couldn’t look away.

Another statue droid, depicting a stern-faced lady in a sleek, buttoned-up bronze dress, guided a tour group across the square. Everything about her was neat and understated, except for her long, straight hair that fell past her back.

“Another founder, Selena Modgers, had a gambling addiction and lost half of her property from a card game,” Araya stated.

“Is there anything positive about them?” Blu asked

The Selena statue waved, Blu unconsciously waved back.

“I am only relaying the most discussed topics about each individual historic figure,”

“Of course. Man they feel uncanny,”

“How?”

“They just do” Blu eyes narrowed for a second, “Where to next,”

“HQ is near,” 

Araya guided Blu down the walkway and across the busy street to a smaller plaza lined with government buildings. Unlike the previous sites, it lacked any sense of historical gravitas.

Blu had expected something more from the foundation of the Busters. Instead, he found a weathered brick establishment, its neglected facade showing years of wear. Wedged between two sleek, modern businesses, the old building looked all the more dilapidated.

There was an empty chair, or rather, a throne, large enough to seat a big statue droid. Then heavy clunking grew louder behind Blu. He turned, his mouth dropping open at the sight.

“Is that…?” Blu asked.

“Lewis Buster,” Araya supplied.

“The founder and first Buster ever. Whoa.” Blu was stunned.

Lewis Buster stood at least twelve feet tall, his steel frame heroically built. His hair was freakishly long and wild, like a lion’s mane, and a cross-shaped scar stretched between his eyes, just like in the archival pictures.

“Ha ha ha! Whoa, indeed, little boy,” Lewis said.

“Little boy?” Blu repeated, the wonder falling from his face.

“Are you visiting your parents?”

“I’m not a kid! I’m here to apply for my Buster license.”

“Ha ha ha! That’s a good dream to have, little boy! To be like me! And if you try really hard, you just might be! Ha ha ha!” His metal chest heaved with laughter.

“Why would I want to be like you? You’re a—” Blu gritted his teeth.

Araya grabbed Blu by the hand and pulled him toward the door.

“Don’t bother. Why emotionally argue with an AI bot?” she said.

“I don’t want to argue, but this Lewis guy—”

“Don’t worry, little girl. This isn’t an argument. Why would I ever argue with a child? Ha ha ha! Happy Peace Day Eve!”

Blu mimicked Lewis’s awful guffaw. Lewis was an unsentient statueroid, yet somehow, he still knew how to push Blu’s buttons. Blu wanted to fire back, but he knew God was watching, so he reluctantly followed Araya into the HQ.

“I’m surprised you’re so bothered by a few words,” Araya remarked.

“I’m not a kid.”

They entered through a wide entryway, but the second door wouldn’t budge. A ticket dispenser mounted on the wall beeped.

“Take a number,” it announced, spitting out a paper ticket. An actual ticket made of paper.

Blu and Araya gasped.

“Actual paper? No way!” Blu snatched the ticket and pinched it between his fingers.

“I thought such material was obsolete.” Araya tore off a ticket for herself. “I have B101.” She rubbed the paper against her cheek.

“I have B100.” Blu rubbed his ticket against his cheek, too. It was oddly warm.

The doors to the HQ finally open to the Swann Siblings.