Instance Two: The Storm Has Just Begun
Outside My Pleasure, sweeping the sun-warmed sidewalk, Zero kept his eyes focused on the ground. He felt the many eyes on him as people passed during their daily walks and wanderings. He was strange to them; never seen before in the world of persocoms and humans alike.
"Zero?"
He stopped and looked over his shoulder. Behind him, in the doorway to the café, was Yumi. She gave a small smile and pointed back into the building. "Hideki and Dad were wondering if you wouldn't mind helping them lift something."
Zero set the broom aside and followed her through the café and into the back, where Hediki and Yumi's father leaned on a large crate. Both were panting and red in the face. Hideki looked up and his eyes widened to the size of saucers. "Who's that?" He croaked.
Yumi gestured to Zero. "This is Zero, Sempai. He's our replacement persocom. He's staying with us until we buy a new one." She looked at Zero and noticed that his face seemed strained, as if holding back something. "Zero?" Yumi muttered. He opened his eyes and looked at her askance. "Are you okay?" She asked. Deep inside, she was wondering why she was becoming so compassionate toward Zero.
Zero merely nodded and walked over to the crate. "Where would you like this, sir?" Zero asked eyeing Yumi's father, who dabbed at his face with a handkerchief. "Oh, just over there by the window. We need this space for..." He was interrupted by a ground-shuddering thud. He lowered the kerchief and was surprised to find that the crate had been moved over to the window. Zero stood there, clapping the dust off his hands. "Done."
He walked passed the stunned trio, whom could only stare and watch him leave the room. Hideki was the first to speak, with a voice shrill and unbecoming of a young man. "That's your persocom?" He exclaimed. "Where did you find him?"
Yumi ran out of the room and into the café. She looked around, but she didn't know which direction the red persocom went. She ran outside and there he was, sweeping the sidewalk just as she found him before. Yumi leaned on the doorway and stared at him, her mind tumbling in wonder. She was right: there was a mystery about Zero.
--
Later that afternoon, Yumi was working behind the counter when she heard the bell on the door ring. She immediately rose and out of habit announced: "welcome to My Pleasure. Can I help you?" She was taken aback by what she saw.
Before her was a man dressed in a black suit, wearing a large rimmed hat, which veiled his eyes. He was shorter than her and at first she took him for a child. The man sat on one of the stools and leaned on the table. "I'd like a menu." He said in a rich, British accent. Yumi fetched it and he scanned the page. He stopped and remained still. He then moved closer to Yumi.
"It is not polite to stare." He whispered.
Yumi giggled and apologized before leaving. Entering the hall, Zero came down from the second floor. "Hi." Yumi said with a grin as she passed Zero. He gave a grunt and continued on his way. Yumi frowned and looked down. Why was he so cold? She also wondered why she strived for his favor. Any other thoughts on the subject were shattered when she heard her name.
"Yumi? Who's that?" Yumi heard Zero ask. She turned and saw that he was halfway through the door leading into the café. "A nice gentleman. He's here to eat." Yumi said, coming over. "Did he give you his name?" Zero asked, still staring at the small man. Yumi shook her head, staring with him.
Zero stormed into the room and went over to the man. "Hello Schilt." Zero growled as he stood over the customer. The man's face snapped up from the menu and looked up at Zero. Yumi could see the man's face: it was sheer white, like dead flesh. He smiled and turned all the way to face Zero.
"Ah! So we meet again, my old friend." The man said. From behind, Yumi could only see Zero's head nod to the side and hear his low growl: "get out of here, Schilt, and don't come back."
Yumi shuddered, moving to the side and peeking around the edge of the doorway. The man smiled up at Zero and Yumi knew that Zero had his icy glare on him.
The man gave a haughty laugh, turning back to the menu. "No need for threats, Zero. If I wanted to kill you, I would have already." Yumi gasped and pulled away from the door, covering her mouth. Her heart began to race. There was something wrong here; very wrong.
Zero continued to stare at Schilt, ignoring Yumi's gasp as to appear that he hadn't heard anything. It was futile, for Schilt's eyes flicked to their corners, as if he could see through Zero. "What are you here for?" Zero asked, changing the subject.
"You know well what we are here for." Schilt said, folding the menu closed. He leaned with one arm on the counter and gazed up at Zero. "In the words of a dear friend of mine: get out of here, Zero, and don't come back. I will not stand for you getting in our way."
"We? Our?" Zero inquired, seemingly interested. Schilt chuckles under his breath and nods. "Yes: me, my comrades and Dr. Weil himself." Zero flinched hearing the name and his eyes widened. "Weil." He said breathlessly. "Yes." Schilt said, seemingly amused by Zero's reaction. He slipped off the stool and adjusted his coat. He then popped the top of his hat with his hand. "Good afternoon." With that he turned away and exited the building.
Zero stood there for some time, staring at Schilt, who stood on the sidewalk. The short man tilted his hat and walked off with a confident swagger. Zero's hands gripped and loosened repeatedly until finally he wheeled about and ran into the back. Yumi squealed as he passed her at a breakneck pace and up the stairs. Yumi, breathing heavily from the sudden burst of adrenaline, calmed herself before running after Zero.
He was up in her room, tying his cloak around his neck. Yumi held her racing heart as she watched him from the doorway. "Where are you going?" "I have to leave." Zero blurted. He allowed the tattered material to fall over his body and he turned to walk out. Yumi stepped in his way; an act that shocked both of them.
"Get out of my way, Yumi." Zero said. Yumi shook her head. "Zero, he might kill you!" "He might." Zero said emotionlessly. Yumi trembled and tried to resist as he took a hold of her arms and started guiding her to the side. With surprising gentleness, he moved her aside and walked out.
"Zero!" Yumi cried desperately, not wanting anyone she knew, whether she liked them or not, killed. Zero stopped and looked over his shoulder at her. "Yumi. Tell your father I'll be back to finish working off my debt to him." With that, he descends the stairs. Yumi could only stand there and listen to him descend the stairs, his footfalls on the tile of the café and, finally, the bell of the front door ringing.
Yumi fell to her knees, feeling sick and nauseous. She held her stomach and closed her eyes tight. Something horrible was going to happen.
--
Back at his apartment, Hideki sat hunched over his homework. With a cry of anguish he clutched at this throbbing head. "I can't do it!" He wailed. Nearby, Hideki's persocom, Chi, noticed him and mimicked him. "Chi." She cooed. Hideki eyed her and put his face in his hands.
"Why does this have to be so hard?"
"Chi?"
"This is ridiculous!"
"Chi!"
Hideki stood up and threw his hands into the air, crying to the ceiling: "what kind of God are you?" Chi stood and, again, mimicked him, screaming: "Chi!" Suddenly, the lights flickered and went out. Hideki, stunned, stood there staring at the ceiling, as did Chi. Hideki looked around in a panic. "What's going on here?" He ran over to the light switch and flicked it a few times, as if his desperate attempt would bring back the lights. "The Electric Company wasn't supposed to shut me off yet!"
A knock on his door sent him stumbling back with a squeak. "Hey, Hideki? It's me, Shinbo!" Hideki sighed with relief, still a bit shaky as he opened the door for his friend. Shinbo blinked bewilderedly and examined the room from where he stood. "Your lights are out too?" Hideki nodded and gave a relieved sigh. "Yes. Well, at least I know it's not my fault."
Chitose, their landlady, came up behind Shinbo with a candle in her hand. "You two should hear what their saying about this on the radio. It seems the whole town is out of power!" The two gawked at her, unable to believe her. "The whole town?" Hideki asked. Chitose nodded, her face grim. "And you should hear their reason for the blackout: it's concerning..."
--
Yumi covered her mouth, trying to contain the scream she felt coming up from her twisting stomach. It couldn't be true; she refused to believe what she heard from the crackling voice on the radio. No matter what she told herself, however, it was true and despite the bad reception the announcer's message was clear.
"Police reports point to a radical group as the cause of tonight's blackout. Word is they are threatening to overload the main reactor, which has the potential to raze the town in a matter of seconds. All attempts by the authorities to apprehend the group have failed and now they focus on evacuating the town."
Yumi's father, who sat beside her, shook his head and rose, his face stoic. "Well. Grab only the things you need, Yumi. We are leaving immediately." Yumi sat there motionless, a hundred thoughts passing through her head; all of them concerning Zero. Was he doing this? If it was Zero: why would he do it? Could he be that cruel? Is this his secret?
"Yumi? Did you hear me?" Her father demanded. Yumi looked up at him, her eyes swelled with tears. "I have to find him." She muttered. Her father gave her a strange look. "What?" Yumi rose stiffly, her hands locked tight until her knuckles turned white. "I can't let him do this." With that, Yumi ran out of the room. Her father, with a sudden pang of fear striking him in the chest, ran after her, yelling as he went.
"Yumi! Yumi get back here! Come back!"
He followed her through the building and outside. He pursued her through the streets, but she was younger and faster than him and she soon shook him off. He panted, hunched over and leaning on his knees. "Yumi." He croaked. He had to get to the factory before her; before it was too late. He smiled as an idea came to him and he went off in a different direction.
