Eri turns to the 4th wall, but adjusts her blouse and hair. She then said, "I'm Sawachika…"
Mikoto said, "I'm Suo."
Akira remarked, "I'm just another student…"
Tenma smiled, "And I'm Tenma Tsukamoto~!"
BONK!
Mikoto hits Tenma on the head and yelled, "Stop acting so senile!"
Tenma sobbed, with a lump on her head, "I'll tell teacher on you!"
Eri said, "Well, we found out about the whole Mahora-Bot secret."
Akira said, "And we're close…"
Tenma added, "…to finding out what the score was…"
Eri stated, "By that time, I went to find Maru Chacha in her office. Akira was to meet me, but she already left with Tenma. Mikoto was nowhere to be found."
5:20pm – I met with Maru in her office. I knocked on the door and stepped inside.
Eri said, as she looked around at her office, which was desolate and clean. She then found a book, which was written by Maru.
"Strange… This book belongs to Maru Chacha…"
She looked at the book and read… blank pages.
"Blank? This is shocking. Who reads blank pages? She's not an idiot… But still…"
She then looked in her dresser and said, "Huh. Maybe she has some extra stuff inside. She's not only a genius, but she's a neat freak."
She looked in the drawer and found… nothing.
"Huh? What the hell gives?"
She looked around, looking for another clue, but she's stuck.
"I have no clue what's going on… but Maru is indeed the guilty party. If she built those Mahora-Bots, maybe I'll look for more clues."
Just then, as she was about to leave, a shadowy figure appeared, about to open the door. Eri hid behind the plant, in the corner, and the door opened. It was Mikoto, wearing her attire that Sayo gave her.
"Hello?" Mikoto called out, "Miss Chacha?"
Eri popped out and asked, "There you are! Where were you?"
Mikoto said, "Never mind that. Have you seen Maru?"
"I was just looking for her. Why do you ask?"
"There's something going on, and I don't like it. Mahora-Bots everywhere… We need to find the others and get out of here."
"Not with answers! I know who it is, and I'm going to find Maru-san!"
Maru appeared and asked, "Yes? Why are you in my office?"
Eri said, as she turned to her, "Well, well, well… Surprised to see you, Mahora-Bot maker!"
"Mahora-Bot Maker?! You got it all wrong!" Maru explained.
Mikoto griped, "Then, why did you sic your shy siren robot on me? I almost lost Tenma, because of you!"
Eri demanded, "Maru Chacha, explain to me what's going on? Why the robots? And why are you hiding this from us, by getting rid of all of us?"
Maru held a small remote and said, "You want to know?"
She then dashed off, and ran away. Eri snarled, "DAMN! She's fast!"
Mikoto said, "Let's get her!"
Eri & Mikoto chased after her, heading to outside.
5:43pm – Akira & Tenma took Setsuna to a hiding place, after she told about Konoka, a Mahora-Bot who loved her, and why she was almost attacked by her.
Setsuna said, "And she said that I'm not a lesbian, but a robot. She meant I'm like her… It's ridiculous."
Akira said, "Ridiculous, yes. But it makes perfect sense about the Mahora-Bots. I think maybe it wanted to use you, as your lover. But she thinks you're one, too."
Setsuna said, "No… I couldn't be her. Could I?"
Tenma smiled, "Just be careful about it. I don't want anything to happen to you. Also, stay away from shy siren robots. They hypnotize you."
Akira asked, "So, Setsuna, any idea where she is now?"
She said, "She's back at her room. I'll be happy to take you there."
Tenma said, "Follow her."
They walked together, back to the dorms.
Eri fixed her bow and returned to the 4th wall, "I'm Sawachika."
Mikoto said, "I'm Suo."
Akira replied, "I'm nowhere related!"
Tenma saluted, "I'm Tsukamoto, and I listen to Eri-Chan!"
Eri whispered to her, "At ease…"
Tenma left, as Eri continued, "Miss Maru was slippery. We chased her to the dorms, while Akira and Tenma went to find the broken Mahora-Bot."
At 6:12pm – Mikoto & I barged into the dorms, in the main lobby.
Eri called out, "MARU!"
Mikoto said, "She's probably upstairs in Eva's room."
They saw Maru run up on the third floor, as Eri called, "STOP HER!"
They ran upstairs, heading to the third floor. They found Eva's room, which said "Eva 6.87".
"Her serial code…" Mikoto said, "Obviously her first Mahora-Bot."
Eri said, "Exactly! Let's go in."
They opened the door, as they saw Maru, on the table, panting, standing right beside a supercomputer.
"Game's up, Maru! We know all about you!" Eri barked.
Maru pleaded, "Please… I'm not the one you're after. I didn't create those things…"
Eri asked, "We'll need proof. It's all in the facts. First, we knew about your Mahora-Bots being so perfect, giddy, and love-struck. However, we later learn that they were sentient and independent."
Mikoto added, "Indeed. And you were planning to oust us, after using Nodoka, one of your creations, to kidnap me and Tenma, just to make us one of your guinea pigs."
Eri continued, "Not to mention Ayaka, Makie, Setsuna, and even the rest of the students, as your Stepfordized dolls, if I may be blunt."
She held up the book and said, "This was the clue of what you've done. You had a major degree in robotics, and you had the blueprints written down, and even the tests. But you never count on us, figuring out why this school is so perfect… almost."
Maru sobbed, as she was standing in fear, "It's not me… I swear… And it is a bad habit, but Eva and I are meant to be… I didn't create Eva…"
Eva appeared and asked, "What's going on?"
Mikoto said, "You tell me, Mahora-Bot!"
Eva gasped, as Maru held her tight and scolded, "You two women… Get out! Get out of this school! How dare you pin me with these false accusations!"
Eri said, "Naturally… Because I knew you'd never go to making her or other Mahora-Bots…"
"Eh?"
"You see… I know a dirty little secret about you… Maru Chacha…"
Maru shivered, "Me? Surely, you don't mean that I was a pawn to being my assistant's work!"
Eri said, quietly, "No, you're not… I meant…"
6:43pm – Akira, Tenma, and Setsuna returned to the room of Setsuna and Konoka. They saw the lifeless body and saw Sayo Aisaka with it.
"Miss Aisaka?" Setsuna gasped.
Sayo said, "Hmm… It appears that she wasn't indestructible, as I thought."
Setsuna cringed, "What are you doing to her? Leave her alone! She may be a robot, but-."
Sayo said, "I believe the correct term is Mahora-Bot… Don't you, Setsuna NGM-0015?"
Setsuna gasped, "What are you talking about?"
Tenma shivered, "This is getting good."
Sayo approached her and held her arms. Setsuna cried, "NO! Lemme go! What are you talking about?"
Eri explained to Chacha, "It's simple. In this journal, you had some interesting facts about the robot girls…"
"Further tests conclude that the project has failed, due to many different traits and feelings. All Mahora-Bots, aside from intelligence, were programmed to love and admire anybody, including other Mahora-Bots, teachers, and other female people. Some girls, however, never met the male counterpart, due to fixing their personality software, by trying to love both men and women. The final hypothesis of the project is to use the girls in their default and original programming, until they graduate in Mahora High. Once there, they will be tested and built, before being sent to the outside world. All Mahora-Bots are equipped with self-repair programs, self-awareness, and self-charging."
Eri continued, "But it also says that they are indestructible, on the outside. Yes, they are aware that are robots, but you added a special trick to make them not skid their skins and midriffs."
Chacha cringed, "How do you know that?"
Mikoto said, "Ayaka Yukihiro, or Mahora-Bot Ayaka. She had a crick in her neck, which was a small sliver of chrome. And you, Eva, you wanted to hide it from everybody."
Eva explained, "Simply put, if other Mahora-Bots knew of our skin being flawed, they would be devastated. That's why I hid them, and had to fix them."
Eri asked, "And Nodoka? We understand she hypnotized Mikoto and Tenma…"
Tenma asked her, "Yeah, how come?"
Sayo explained, "Nodoka was a shy Mahora-Bot, Mahora-Bot Nodoka NGM-0027. In our first test, she was a failed robot, but we made her to fix her faulty wiring. However, the repairs made her shy and can sing to find the one for her… Sadly enough, you, Miss Tsukamoto, were the one. Luckily, on the way, I found the Mahora-Bot and deactivated her."
Setsuna sobbed, "But… what about Konoka… She's… She's…"
"Your lover? Yes. However…"
Sayo opened her blouse and poked at her bellybutton. Her stomach panel opened, as Setsuna gasped, "No… I'm… I'm a robot?"
Akira nodded, "It all makes sense, to me…"
Sayo fiddled with her circuitry, as Setsuna stood in attention. She commanded, "Setsuna, disable all programming and switch to default mode. Then, scan yourself for any internal hard drive damage."
Setsuna beeped, "Disabled. Now scanning engine… Mahora-Bot Setsuna - #NGM-0015 – Version 6.09… Beginning hard drive scan… Scanning…"
Tenma shivered, as she held Akira, "I'm scared, Akira…"
Sayo then said, "While Setsuna is scanning, I'll deactivate her and fix her and Konoka. We somehow didn't use enough latex skin to refurbish their skin tones."
Eri then said, "It is apparent that your skin is latex, and not real. But it simulates your entire human tone."
Chacha explained, "It's a special kind of latex that does not stretch, cut, or even wrinkle. Tests proved it to be immediate and successful, but it ended with the substance running low. Most of our students had to return to the lab, to be repaired, making them absent. Luckily, Aisaka was able to provide the substance."
Eva softly said, "Oh, Chacha Maru… You're so awesome, when you created me."
Chacha exclaimed, "I DIDN'T CREATE YOU! I'm not a Mahora-Bot, if that's what you're implying!"
She continued, "In any case, should the Mahora-Bot be exposed to the world, by others, in her scarred and cut skin, then they'd be shocked and crushed, leaving them confused and systematically wearing down their circuits… But given the circumstances… Eva and I were meant to be, without any known exposure… She knew, since she was Mahora-Bot #1. So, why all of a sudden accuse me of being responsible? Her creator made her for me…"
Eri said, "And in return, she wanted you to not feel lonely, Maru Chacha…"
Chacha gasped, "Is that true?"
Eri showed another page of the book, with a schematic of another Mahora-Bot – Maru. She said, with her head down, "I knew it wasn't you… Because YOU'RE A Mahora-Bot!"
Maru shrieked, as she stood in place, frightened. She trembled, "No… I'm not a Mahora-Bot… No… No… No… I'm… no…"
She yelled, "Where do you get off? I'm not a robot, I'm a human being! I'M MARU CHACHA!"
Eri said, "You're not… There was no Maru Chacha, was there?"
Eva said, "She's one-of-a-kind… and fully robotic… That is why I love her, so much."
Chacha sobbed, "How can you love a robot, huh? Answer me, Eva…"
Eva kissed Chacha, as Chacha began to stiffen, "Eva… Mmm… I, ah… Uh… oh… Ah…"
Eri asked, "Will this be long?"
Eva whispered, "We'll talk… privately… right now…"
She reached for her back and opened her back panel. She was deactivated, pressing her red button, above her hip. Chacha powered down, as Mikoto was astonished, "You knew about Maru Chacha, all along?"
Eva said, as she bowed, "Yes… The real Maru Chacha finished the Mahora-Bots prototype and gave them to her assistant. She left for Washington, after that, to produce robots for the military."
Akira said to Sayo, as Setsuna was scanning, "You… Sayo Aisaka… You created the Mahora-Bots."
Tenma gasped, "SAY WHAAAAAAAAAAAAA?"
Sayo confessed, "Yes. Mahora High and Mahora Academy was to be a big hit, for Miss Chacha. However, she was sent a letter to come to America, to give out her expertise in robotics. So, she left the project to me… However, in light of it… I didn't want the other students to be suspicious… So, I created a Mahora-Bot of Maru Chacha and gave her her own personality, equal that to the real Maru."
Akira said, "And she left for Washington D.C., so you wanted them to see their creator, in action, as a teacher."
Sayo said, "I didn't want them to know I was the creator. So, I made sure that Chacha gets all the credit. It was her project, and I can't have all the glory."
Tenma asked, "What about you, Miss Aisaka? Are you smart, like Maru-Chan?"
Sayo said, "Yes… But I wasn't as smart as her. I had a degree of science and biology. Maru needed my resources of the human body, so she made me her assistant. The project lasted two years to finish, trying to match the students' likeness and different characteristics. But when Maru-san left, I was all alone. So, I used her likeness to create me an assistant. But so far, no one knew about her. Do they want to believe that Maru Chacha did NOT create the Mahora-Bots? I did all the work, and she gets the credit, since I have no knowledge of robotics, until she taught me some basic techniques on it."
Eri said, "In other words, she felt sorry for Maru…"
Eva said, "Even as a robot, Master didn't want to say that Maru was a robot. But when I was created, she told me all about her, fully, and pretended that she was real. As you know, all Mahora-Bots are equipped with self-awareness, since we are aware that we are robots… but we hide it, perfectly, to avoid suspicion… Until you found out about Ayaka, I thought it was over… so I reacted…"
She nervously sobbed, "I don't want you to know this secret about us… That's all…"
Sayo wept, "I feel so dirty… I wanted to cheer her up, but everything is all wrecked!"
Tenma said, "It's fine, Miss Aisaka… We'll keep it a secret. Besides, the four of us knew about your project, and we'll say that Maru Chacha showed us around, with very diligent students."
Akira said, "If I may be so sesquipedalian, you programmed these programmable dolls, out of admiration and consideration, since your friend, the innovative inventor of the Mahora-Bots, moved away to the USA, for her own forthcoming accomplishments."
Tenma nodded, "Yeah, what she said. You did okay… except for that shy siren of a mannequin."
Sayo said, "I know, and I'm sorry. But don't worry, you'll be cured soon. The bracelet you're wearing – by the way, you can take it off now – The bracelet you're wearing contains many toxins and nano-bots that can cure paralysis, within 2 to 4 hours. In your small body magnitude, it's good enough to last three hours. Like I said, there's no antidote for it, but it doesn't mean I can neutralize the paralysis… if I may be so sesquipedalian."
Tenma removed the bracelet and said, "Thanks. But should it be removed, immediately?"
Sayo exclaimed, "You'll be fine now. Should it be removed quickly, I would have to reformat the bracelet, before you quickly return to your paralyzed form."
Akira nodded and said, "Thank you for your time. Your secret is safe with us."
Tenma said to Akira, "We should go find Eri and Mikoto. They must be back at the building."
She said to Sayo, "Since we know, already… Are you going to kill us or something, since we know your secret?"
Sayo said, "You're more than welcome to come back, anytime, as long as you don't breathe a word to anybody… But should someone else know about it, without knowing, it's okay by me."
Akira said, "We thank you for your time, and give Miss Chacha our hello. Come on, Tenma."
Tenma waved, "Bye…"
As they left, Setsuna finished scanning, "Scanning complete… File STSN-5115 damaged… Attempt to repair file, automatically…"
Sayo said, "Acknowledged. Begin."
Setsuna did a self-repair, as Sayo left the room. She whispered, "Konoka… You shall be fixed, soon…"
Back at Eva's room, she approached the frozen Chacha and said, "Maru… I love you so much… I'm sorry that you got dragged into this mess…"
She kissed her, as she started to weaken. Eva then froze and said, "Mahora-Bot shutting down… preserving power… Shutdown commence… 3… 2… 1…"
She whirred down, still kissing the robot Maru. Eri whispered to Mikoto, "We should leave, right now. This case is closed…"
They left Maru's room, as Mikoto asked, "There's just one thing that bothers me… Who was this Sayo Aisaka and why did she help create the robots, only for this school?"
Sayo appeared and asked them, "What are you two doing?"
She looked at Eri and said, "Oh, Miss Sawachika… It's been a while…"
Eri said, "Yes. We heard from your friend, Maru Chacha and Eva McDowell… You created them, did you?"
Sayo gasped, as Eri glared at her.
"Sayo Aisaka, I presume?"
To be concluded…
