Fooly Cooly - Symphony of Destruction
By Doctor Scraps/Raven
(insert common Disclaimer here. I don't we all know the drill. No monetary gain, etc etc)Authors Notes: "I rushed the ending a bit, but I wanted this out before I went to work, so here we go. This will be the final chapter of exposition. As we say in theater, Exposition is the part of the play where all the characters are introduced and the conflict is foreshadowed. Well, that's enough of my rambling. Read on."
Episode Two- A Star Is Born
Natoa Nandaba's home was a small place just a few blocks east of his grandfathers bakery. It gave Naota the feeling that comes with leaving the nest, without completely disconnecting himself from his family. Small, but cozy. Well suited to the abodes two occupants. Two stories, two bedroom, one bathroom, combined living room/dining room/kitchen setup nestled between two larger homes.
"Canti, I'm home!" Naota announced his presence as he hung his jacket by the door. He paused and listened for any sign of the Medical Mechanica droids whereabouts. Since Canti couldn't talk, per se, it was custom for him to make some sort of racket to in a sense say "Welcome home, I'm here as well." However, it seemed Canti was out and about.
Naota wasted no time in wondering where his wayward housemate was, and struck the kitchen area, attempting to deduct what he was going to make for Ninamori and himself that night for dinner. Something simple, in the least. It would have to be. Naota was not a gourmet by any means.
Alas, there was no actual food in the house. Well, there was "FOOD", but it was in a state of "Some Assembly Required." There was also Ramen. And lots of it. But Naota never considered Ramen to be food. He called it Emergency Ration. Besides, when a girl invites herself over to dinner, the host doesn't go "Wait here while I break out my best Ramen."
Naota glanced over his shoulder and growled. "Where is Canti, Anyway?"
"THANK YOU MA'AM, HAVE A NICE DAY."
The lady who ran the newspaper stand near downtown could only nod in amazement as she handed change to a large, thin, blue-hued robot with a television screen for a head. No matter how many times he or it, or whatever, came by, she never got used to it.
Canti had decided on it's own to take a walk. There were too few birds to chase after this time of the year, so wandering by the river wasn't as interesting for the former poroperty of Medical Mechanica during the colder seasons.
Canti glanced down at the magazine in hand and began to flip through it, coming to an article in particular..."Whom Gods Annoy–Story by Becket Samson, photos by Mamimi Samejima."
Canti stopped in the middle of the sidewalk while passerby were forced to wade around him. It had been nearly a year since he'd seen any of Mamimi's work. It pleased the android greatly. Even though they exchanged letters on a regular basis, Mamimi had always left her work out of the conversations.
"Hey! Buddy! Yer blockin' the sidewalk!" One pedestrian barked, breaking Canti from his reading. Canti swerved his monitor to face tghe man, leaning down so they met eye-to-eye, so to speak.
The man drew back slightly, the color fleeing from his face. "...Please?"
"I APOLOGIZE, SIR. I WILL BE MORE CAREFUL AND RESPECTFUL OF CUSTOM IN THE FUTURE." Canti then proceeded to continue on his way, leaving the man to simply stand there as Canti had moments earlier.
"Any luck out there?" Commander Amarao leaned passively against the marble walls of a building in downtown, lighting a cigarette to mask his comment from passerby.
"No, sir. We checked all the major hot spots..." Sargeant Kitsurubami stood nearby, dressed in a vibrant sundress in contrast to her usual uniform, a large floppy hat and a large pair of sunglasses did more than it's fair share of disguising her. "No sightings, no readings, no phenomena..." A group of citizens began to enter the building. "...But I did find these lovely shoes at Rube's today." She changed her tone a more chipper level.
Well played. "Really? That's good." Amarao's voice trailed as the last person filed into the building. "...Regardless, we know he's here in Mabase."
"But...what reason does he have? Why would he risk hiding in such a small town?"
"Good question. We can rule out Atomsk and Haruhana...they've removed themselves from the equation..."
"And Medical Mechanica is no more so..."
"It's late." Amarao checked his watch. "We'll get back on it tomorrow, first thing. I'll call Raimmy and ask her to clock us out."
"Thank you, sir...I'll see you in the morning. First thing."
"Do you need a ride home?"
"No...No thank you sir...I don't live far..."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. I mean...I'm...I'm meeting someone."
"Oh...I see."
"Yes."
"Then, I'll see you tomorrow."
Kitsurubami sighed as she strolled away, mixing with the afterhours crowd as they made their ways home. Another day, another avoidance of Amarao's advances. It had become somewhat standard. It wasn't that she disliked Amarao. He was her commanding officer, and at times, friend. However she just wasn't attracted to the man with the Nori eyebrows. Eyebrows...
So wrapped up in her sudden envisionment of Amarao's seaweed eyebrows, that she didn't see the truck barreling towards her as she stepped out into open traffic at the crosswalk. Not until the driver began honking frantically at her. She froze in the street, her expression a wide-eyed proclamation of "Oh shit."
She clenched her eyes shut, awaiting the truck to run her over, sending her into the great beyond. However, what she felt was a rush of wind, and arms wrapping around her, and then the unceremonious feeling of two bodies hitting the ground.
Kitsurubami opened her eyes, half expecting Commander Amarao to be leaning over her, perhaps missing an eyebrow...Instead, she was staring at flaring red letters written across a screen.
"ARE YOU ALRIGHT?"
Canti hugged her to his metallic frame as they lay in a heap on the other side of the sidewalk.
"Y...you...you're that..." Kitsurubami felt a mix of feelings, ranging from fear, dread, and joy, flow through her. The Blue Robot...the one who helped the Nandaba kid defeat Medical Mechanica. The one who offered her a hand, as he did now, even when she tried to destroy him.
"ARE YOU HURT?"
"N..No..." Canti brought her to her feet. Kitsurubami had to look away to hide a blush creeping onto her bronze skin.
"T..thank you."
They stood there a moment more, before Canti decided "PERHAPS WE SHOULD GET OUT OF THE STREET."
Naota stood over a pot, poking at it occasionally with a wooden spoon. He wasn't sure if it qualified for soup or stew. Maybe he'd call it Stewp.
"I hope this is food...Ninamori has a sensitive stomach...I...?!"
The wooden spoon hit the tile floor with a clatter.
...It has to be you...
...You alone are worthy...
...You alone must be my avatar...my herald...
Naota leaned over the sink, his breath coming out in heavy gasps. Blood swirled around the drain, mixed with running water. He didn't remember grabbing the knife. He didn't recall putting steel to flesh. He didn't recall carving the markings into his hand. All he knew in this moment was pain, and blood, and the mark of Atomsk bore into his skin.
...I...Chose...You...
"You chose what?"
Naota swung around. In the doorway, Ninamori stood, arching a brow at him.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine! I'm fine...I just...had an accident..." Naota grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his hand. "Why are you here? I thought I was coming to get you..."
"You cut yourself." She noted the bloody knife on the counter.
"Yeah...Yeah, just a bit."
"Here, let me see."
"NO!" He yelped. "No...I mean...I got it. I'm fine..."
Ninamori narrowed her eyes, the expression that growled "You're hiding something from me." The look vanished soon after. "So...what are we having?"
Naota looked into the pot.
"Stewp."
Kitsurubami couldn't recall the last time she had drunk so much. Not since her university day, she reckoned. However, this time around, she was seated at a café with a robot across from her who kept refilling her glass of wine whenever it got 50 low. They had adjourned to the Blue Lounge, to, as Canti put it, "SETTLE HER NERVES" over some wine. If Kitsurubami didn't know any better, she could have sworn her former enemy had swept her off her feet. Furthermore, it may have just been the wine talking...which was likely...but she really didn't mind.
"So...Canti, right?" She tilted her hand as she cradled it between her hand, staring in somewhat awe of the Medical Assistance droid.
"YES, THAT IS THE DESIGNATION ASSIGNED TO ME BY PRIMARY COMMANDER MAMIMI SAMEJIMA AND SECONDARY COMMANDER, HARUKO HARUHANA." Canti's screen lit up as he sipped his own wine through the vent under the screen.
"Secondary? But I thought..." Kitsurubami blinked. "You mean, the High School girl controlled you?"
"NEGATIVE, SARGEANT KITSURUBAMI. I AM CONTROLLED BY A SERVER WITHIN THE PRIME CORE OF MEDICAL MECHANICA. HOWEVER THAT CORE HAS SINCE BEEN DESTROYED. I MUST NOT FULLY OPERATE MYSELF PERSONALLY."
"I guess some theories about artificial intelligence are so far fetched...A robot who thinks for himself..."
"I THINK, THEREFORE I AM :)" The smiley on the screen accented Canti's humor. Kitsurubami could only smile.
I've gone and gotten myself smitten with a robot...
"But...why does she take precedent over Haruhana?"
"I LIKE LADY SAMEJIMA BETTER. LADY HARUHANA IS PUSHY, BOSSY."
"Guess I can't argue with that, now can I..."
The two say together in relative silence, sipping their wine.
"THE HOUR IS LATE. WOULD YOU ARE FOR ME TO ESCORT YOU HOME?"
Kitsurubami suddenly choked. She had totally forgotten her little lie to Amarao...she lived in a cloister of homes several miles outside of town. A quick check of her watch indicated that the train outbound to that area had left 30 minutes ago.
"It's...alright. I'll just...call a cab."
Canti tilted his head. "HOW FAR AWAY IS YOUR DOMICILE?"
"Fifteen miles from here..." She drained her cup, the sting of the wine taking her mind off her frustration. This time, however, Canti didn't move to refill. Canti's head shifted from side to side like a metronome, until Kitsurubami was positive the screen was going to fall off.
"SARGEANT KITSURUBAMI. MAY I OFFER A THEORIZED SOLUTION?"
Kitsurubami arched a brow.
"THE DOMICILE OF MYSELF AND NAOTA NANDABA IS ONLY A MERE THREE MILES SOUTH OF THIS LOCATION. I AM SURE IT WOULD BE OF NO CONSEQUENCE THAT YOU RESIDE WITH US FOR THE NIGHT."
Kitsurubami couldn't help but laugh.
"Canti...are you...being serious?"
Canti tilted his head. "?"
"Are you...asking to take me home with you?"
"IS THAT NOT CUSTOM WHEN TWO PEOPLE MEET?"
What romance novels is this guy reading...?
She weighed her options. Hike fifteen miles and be miserable, or give in to her obvious technophilia and go home with a medical droid.
"I...I would be delighted, Canti."
"It's not bad..." Ninamori looked up from her bowl of...Stewp...As they sat beside each other at the table. "It's actually quite good."
"I just wish I could remember what I put in it..." Naota examined the contents of his bowl. Vegetables...some potato...some leftover beef...is that a grape?
"When is Canti coming home?" Ninamori asked, leaning her shoulder against him.
"I...I don't know...Why do you mmph!"
Ninamori took his bowl from his hands and sat it on the table as her lips captured his. Naota sat upright as she wrapped her form around him, until the combined weight brought them to the ground.
"Nina..."
"Shh..."
"But...at least...Hold on, I can take off my own shirt...Let's at least go upstairs..."
"Why? Are you afraid someone will walk in?"
"What? No...not really..."
"Would Canti care if he found us, like this...?"
"No it's...oh wow..."
Ninamori giggled as she pushed Naota onto his back.
"I'll shut up now..."
Elsewhere...on the other side of Mabase, a lone figure sat on the balcony of hit hotel room, his feet propped up on the railing.
"So, this is where you grew up." Western born, with long untidy brown hair. His thin frame adding an imposing element to his 5'9 stature.
"I wouldn't say I grew up here..." A pair of hands came to rest on the mans shoulders from behind. "It's where I found myself."
"Regardless...I'm glad you came with me...I was afraid you'd never want to see this place." He put his hands on hers, tilting his head back to smile at her.
"At first, I didn't want to come. I never wanted to see this place again."
"Yet here you are...with me." He kissed her hand, the edges of his mustache curling up to enhance his smile.
"Only for you, Ja-Kun..." She hugged his head to her chest as they watched the last remnant of daylight vanish.
A moment passed in silence.
"...I am really looking forward to meeting this...Naota. He sounds like a fascinating person."
"He's a bore..." She nuzzled into his neck, moving to nip at his ears.
He eased up and turned to face her, his expression suddenly concerned.
"How does it feel?" He brushed her forehead gently.
"It's fine, James..." She purred into his hand.
"And you are willing to do this for me..."
"For you, Ja-Kun..."
"Thank you, Mamimi...I...Hm?!" The man drew his hand back, looking at the wristband he wore. It glowed feintly in the waning daylight.
"What is it? Is it Ta-Kun?"
"It's many things, my love..." He grinned, turning his eyes to the city. "Good things."
"WE HAVE ARRIVED. THERE, NUMBER 23."
"Oh, it's adorable...That book afforded it?" Kitsurubami leaned against Canti for support in her slightly inebriated state.
Suddenly, a young girl ran towards them from the house, clad in only a towel.
"Hurry! Something's wrong with Natoa!"
"What? Huh?"
"LADY NINAMORI, PLEASE REMAIN CALM. WHAT IS WRONG?"
"It's Naota! There's...something wrong with him! His head!"
"DID NAOTA HURT HIMSELF?"
"I don't know! There's something coming out!!"
Fade to black...
To be continued...