Katamari Forever

After reflecting on the day, the Queen came to a revelation. Her motherly nature only came in handy when she needed to discipline her toddler-of-a-husband. When the Prince began to live on his own little planet, he spent less time with his mother. However, the King would always send the Prince on missions, meaning the young boy was more accustomed to the paternal figure in his life. Meanwhile, the Queen had more experience being a mentor to her own husband. Being so emotionally immature, the Queen's patience dwindled as the King would tangle himself in another mess. The ruler of the galaxies has less competency than a teenager at a summer job.

For a mother to make up all the lost time being there for her son, she must set her priorities straight. The King can keep resting while his son rebuilds a bond with the Queen. In the Cosmos, the parental bond between a child and their guardians is vastly different from human relationships. However, one Cosmic decided to go against the norm, taking inspiration from Earthling lifestyles. Robo, a companion robot, treasured the familial closeness which other species practiced. These cultural differences caused controversy within the Cosmos, which negatively affected the King's views on her. As an advocate for the human concept of "nuclear families," Robo denounced corporal punishment. Though the King feared that Robo’s influence could tarnish Cosmic tradition, the Queen admired her passion. The two women had a love for beauty, peace and sweets. With all things considered, the Queen decided to contact her friend.

"I cannot believe myself... I am calling a friend so she can teach me how to be a mother..." The Queen thought to herself. She felt embarrassed, but would have felt even worse pretending to be knowledgeable. The Queen tangled the coiled phone cord in her fingers as she waited for Robo to pick up. Ring, ring, ring! The phone speaker muffled: "Hello, you've reached Robo's phone! Please leave your message after the beep, thankies!!" With a short sigh, the Queen began her preamble: "Hello, Robo. This is the Queen. As you may have heard, the King is currently in a comatose state. I would like to invite you over to help with the Prince. Please respond as soon as possible. Thank you."

The Queen waited by the phone, hoping for a call back. She tapped her foot as the clock ticked for hours. "I'm going to have to plan something else..." the Queen thought to herself. Finally, after the longest time, the phone began to chime. "Hello!" Robo cheerfully exchanged. She added, "Sorry for the delay! I had to make some arrangements for the family." Because only Robo could come, the children stayed behind with their father. Not only was space travel expensive, but it was risky during such a crisis. The Queen responded, "Thank you for your help. I will see you very soon, okay?" The two said their goodbyes, and Robo was on her way.

The doorbell rang, making the mother and son spring up. The Queen opened the door and stepped out to give Robo a hug. "It's so good to see you! Thank you for coming." the Queen greeted. Near her skirt, the Prince shyly looked up at the guest. "Hiya, Princey! You've grown so much!" Robo chirped. The Queen invited the Prince and Robo to the living room to chat about their plans. The Queen told her son, "I decided to invite Robo to help out a little since your father is not present." Without a long pause, Robo added, "I am so excited to spend time with you two! In fact, I brought lil' Princey a surprise!" A small present (which was large in comparison to the Prince) was placed in front of him. To help her small son, the Queen pulled the gift's ribbon. After removing the lid, the Prince's eyes widened as he found a red fox doll inside. He entered the box, climbed on the plush toy and began to nuzzle it. "Thank you, Ms. Robo!" he appreciatively exclaimed. With an inviting smile, the new friend responded, "I'm so glad you still like foxes! By the way, you can just call me Auntie Robo!" Though the Prince had some familiarity with Robo, this was his first time talking to her. Robo was one of the first people to meet the Prince, since the Queen trusted her so much.

Once the Prince left the room to play with his new fox, the adults continued talking. The two discussed their families, hobbies and some juicy gossip. Robo went on about her children, rambling about their elementary school graduation ceremonies and playdates and lost teeth. Though the Queen was happy for her friend, she also felt heartbroken. "I wish I could be like you; Attentive, caring, present..." The Queen lamented. Her expression turned solemn, as she felt unfit for the role. "Marie," Robo stated, "There is no such thing as a perfect mother. My own children are still on earth, after all!" "Robo...I told you not to call me that, okay?" The Queen muttered. Even though her true name brought back happy memories of the countryside, that identity was long gone. However, Robo needed to get her friend's spirits up. "This is a time for new beginnings!" She encouraged her. The Queen held Robo's hand, and they both smiled at each other.