[AUTHOR'S NOTE]

Hi there! Today we have a triple chapter update! In this first chapter, we have our main characters enjoy some human fun at nature! I tried my best; please forgive me if the tone is a bit off and weird.

Chapter 6: Sandy

It was night time. Every human and Reploid went to bed, in the Corp central manor. Kana and Mehri were left alone on the first floor amid the dark rooms.

"Alright … we're alone now. Phew …" Mehri sighed.

Centaur Woman bent her front legs forward, thus her body arched backwards, her hind legs adjusting accordingly to have an overall balance of the form. She stretched her arms briefly.

"Hehe. Feels relaxing, isn't it?" Kana giggled. "I am your loyal and obedient backside."

"You're not my minion, Kana. You're my friend." Mehri pouted lightly. "Should I no longer back you up when Iris or Sue comes to sit on us or hug your own backside?"

"That is completely different!" Centaur Woman's hind legs jumped up once to signify Kana's protest to Mehri. "I was just kidding and you had to talk so seriously …"

"Speaking about serious." A light creepy voice reverberated from the staircase.

The girls found Lumine standing at the stairs staring at them. "Eep." "Eep." They squeaked in unison.

"How's your first day being with Axl at his work?" Lumine walked down the stairs slowly. "The last few days after your intense gruelling doesn't count. Axl had to take off from his work to make sure you two get back on your feet around the house and Corp, after all."

"Please don't remind us, sir …" Kana whined. "We're already thankful you didn't brand us as Mavericks and kill us off yourself. Axl told us about some past … experiences, that's how we know. And we're thankful for what you did to us."

"Yes, yes." Mehri made a downtrodden face. "A – anyway, today was fine. We stood dutifully beside Axl and did anything he told us."

"Good to hear. And … you're already eager to do something even more?" Lumine asked.

"H – how did you know? Did Axl tell you secretly?" Mehri was defensive.

"I have my ways. No one has to tell me anything, I just know." The white Reploid chuckled. That chuckle sure is haunting for anyone other than Axl and Iris. "To be fair, I understand. You want to do something more to pay back for not being outright destroyed and also … so that your own sense of purpose is fulfilled."

Mehri nodded. Kana would've nodded if she had a head, but she murmured: "Yes."

"I will see what I can do. Your primitive systems were one of a kind, so designed that the slightest tempering will kill you two. You two are already so hardwired to it. Besides, that researcher is the only one who spends so much time analysing this old system. I'm sure he will come up with something. Maybe you can gain back some abilities from the time you two were separate."

"W – we'd really appreciate it, sir!" "We really do!" Kana and Mehri replied.

"My, my, Axl's gotten himself a harem of his own. This is so interesting …" Lumine laughed.

"His laugh creeps me out. How did Iris and Axl get used to this?" Kana thought to Mehri. "I don't know. We can't question this sort of thing!" Mehri thought back.

The white Reploid looked at them a final time. "Tomorrow, everyone else is going on a trip. Just keep being with Axl. If he wants to even, I don't know, ride on you two through Big City, oblige without any trouble. Just an example. And … have fun."

"You don't sound like you're going on the trip yourself, though." Kana interjected.

"I'm a busy Reploid. Thoughts on 10 million topics are being continuously processed in my brain. I need to keep the world running. Just ensure that my siblings have a great time." Lumine waved once and walked back upstairs.

"He is seriously freaky." Mehri thought. "I know, right?" Kana thought back.

Centaur Woman walked upstairs all the way to Axl's room, entered it gently, found him sleeping in his pod nicely, faithfully sat down on all hinds and watched him from nearby.

"I can keep watch, don't worry." Kana quipped. "You need to rest though, so that you keep our parameters fresh all the time." The hind body jiggled a little.

"Yeah, that in turn keeps you energized all the time. Thanks, Kana. I really owe you one. I'm in your hands, as well as this body." Mehri said gratefully.

Centaur Woman folded her arms and closed her eyes.

The following day, indeed, everyone was on a trip. Axl drove himself, Sue, Iris and Centaur Woman in his van all the way to a Corp industry private quarters south of Big City. How ironic; the mighty industrial setting set alongside the natural beach quarters.

"We're at the beach! At the beach!" Sue, in her swimmear, jumped for joy on the sands.

"Coming, Sue!" Axl was in his own swimwear (human form), and he chased after Sue.

"Sue's been looking forward to this for so long. So, let's get along, Kana, Mehri." Iris grabbed her share of packing from the van's backseat.

"N – no problem. Glad to help." Mehri held onto several other bags in her hands. The centaur body (only this once) was fitted with a saddle-like object to carry some other stuff.

"Argh, why am I always treated like a butt?" Kana privately grumbled to herself.

They went to set up the umbrellas mats and all else on the sand. The waves gushed onto the beach. Sue splashing water joyfully against Axl.

"Oh man, cut it out Sue! HEY! AH!" Axl yelped when the splashing was bigger.

"Ah … this is so relaxing …" Iris dusted her human beachwear and lied on the mat underneath the umbrella. "Just a quiet day until it's back to work like always …"

Centaur Woman stood with Iris. The latter took note of this.

"Y – you two don't want to play with Axl?" Iris blinked her eyes at them.

"Uhm, we don't know exactly what to do here …" Mehri started. "I feel so out of place … you all are doing so many things we Reploids can't … what are we supposed to do?" Kana whined.

"Ah, well you can sit with me, it's fine. Let Axl have his own time with Sue. He barely has time to spend with her." Iris gestured on the mat for Centaur Woman to sit beside her.

The two uncomfortably sat beside Iris, and the girls watched Axl laughing and playing with Sue. Iris herself felt that Centaur Woman was so comfortable to be with, she ended up playing with her.

"I – Iris!" Mehri initially protested. "D – don't hug me so hard! I appreciate the gesture, but …"

"Eep! I get that you like us like this, but! Stop! Stop it! Why are you so ticklish?!" Kana also protested whenever Iris chose to lie down on or beside the centaur body.

"Oh man … but you two are just so adorable and lovable …" Iris said lazily. She also had a cheeky smile on, but she was genuinely enjoying her time with Centaur Woman.

"This is so uncomfortable." Kana sighed. "I dare not jerk her off. I don't want to think of what happens if Axl and Lumine find out. Oooohh."

"It's her way of expressing the fact she likes us. Well, either as us or because we are a centaur. I don't know. Either way, this feeling is very welcoming. I like it." Mehri smiled inwardly.

"Good for you … I don't know why being integrated into this design means being so sensitive to every type of touch and feel … eep! She's stretching herself again!" Kana yelped.

Centaur Woman decided to turn her attention to Axl and Sue. They had stopped playing in the salty seawater, instead turning to the sandy areas and building her a sand castle.

Axl and Sue laughed from inaudible minor chatter. Sue scooped up wet sand with her hands, moulded the walls with her hands. Axl groaned a little, said something but Sue laughed it off gently.

"Kana? Mehri?" She called up to them. "You want to come over and join us?"

"Huh? Uh, sure. Why not?" Centaur Woman turned around and looked at Iris pleadingly.

"Go enjoy yourself~" Iris winked at her, got off her and went back to lying down on the mat.

Centaur Woman walked over to them. Sue talked happily to them, asked them to bend over, scoop up sand, even taught them to play. They built a huge sand castle together. The castle central wing was done, now they were to build the minarets around it.

Took a while, what with all the hand scooping of sand. The towers stood tall. Axl and Sue cheered.

Mehri and Kana felt a tiny tinge of joy from such a playful feat. It was making them more curious.

Sue dragged them over to a court for beach volleyball. Girls versus guy. Axl energetically complied, though he said he was going to smack harder. He read about a lot of sports just in case to prep for this trip. He wasn't going to let Sue go fine.

Sue started with serving the ball. Axl gave a gentle smack. The ball went over to Centaur Woman. She veered over to the left and smacked the ball back. Axl was amused with the strength Mehri used in her fists. Axl retaliated in kind.

Sue reminded them that a human like herself cannot withstand however strong moves they made. The two were embarrassed and toned down the strength. Kana had fun adjusting to Mehri's movements of countering Axl's moves. The fight went on till 5 rounds were done.

Axl lost. Mostly Sue was the saving grace. Mehri sighed, pleased with herself.

"Hey, don't forget about me." Kana gently reminded her. "Whoops. Sorry." Mehri said.

Axl wasn't that good at swimming. He only stayed at the edge of the beach and watched Sue. Sue waved and asked him to come over. He declined.

"Ah! Are you sure you want to do this!? We can barely walk this type of ground! Now you want us to go on water!? I'm not sure about this!" Kana protested heavily.

"It's fine, let's just try and go about this slowly. Besides, I think we have a kind of duty to protect Sue out there. Let's try and learn something new too!" Mehri argued.

"Well … okay. You'd better be careful, okay?" Kana grumbled.

True to the original mechano-dynamics of the original Robot Master, Centaur Woman could swim just by having her centaur torso barely submerged by water and her legs all paddling like mad. Well, Sue wasn't that far. Mehri and Kana proceeded to reach to Sue.

She held onto Sue so that the two were together. Sue was glad. She paddled her legs like mad towards Centaur Woman, the latter paddled to her front so that she too swam backwards to give Sue more space.

"Th – this is kinda amazing and fun." Centaur Woman couldn't help but remark.

"See? See? I rarely get to swim, what with college and my early teens being nothing but bad memories. This trip is a great time to just unwind! I'm so glad you all are with me!" Sue said.

"Uh, even us? But … we just recently joined your family." Mehri said.

"It doesn't matter. The more the merrier." Sue simply smiled.

"Aw …" Kana and Mehri thought inwardly. They were indeed having a good time. They swam for a while, until Axl gestured that it was best to pause and rest for a while.

"I'm going to swim for a tiny bit more. I don't want my swimming skills to be rusty. Can you get ready the food and drinks?" Sue asked Axl.

"Uh, sure. I'm a little hungry anyway. Don't play too far from here." He replied.

Axl went to Iris while Sue practiced her strokes. Centaur Woman hurried along to Axl. Axl took the baskets to allocate each other's portions of food and drinks. He left Sue's aside because she was still swimming. Iris gave thanks for the food, and the two began munching on their sushi.

"D – does it really taste that nice?" Mehri asked. "I mean, isn't Energon good enough?"

Kana was also looking intently at the two siblings. "Is it that good? C – can we try it too?"

Iris sighed with a weak smile. "Oh girls … your body's systems can't take human food. You'd choke up all the mechanisms in you. Even Reploids who consume Energon can't take it. It's very advanced. I'm really sorry though, but … it's delicious on a warm day like this!"

"Yeah, I'm sorry, guys. The systems that left behind for us are really advanced." Axl looked apologetic. "And … as much as I want to plead to bro to give one to you, I don't want to risk your lifes. It's harmful to tweak your body right now, right?"

"Yeah." "Yes." The two replied. "Sorry." Axl said, and looked really apologetic.

"Oh Axl, don't look so down. You're doing what you can, especially since Lumine assigned you to be their boss. You just want them to have the best that can be given." Iris said.

They laughed lightly. Centaur Woman watched on as Axl and Iris savoured the tastes of their lunch. Part of their Reploid minds desired to bask in such an experience. They sighed inwardly and –

"AH!" It was Sue. "H – help! Axl!"

Everyone's attention turned to her. She wasn't that far from the beach; in fact, when she swam with Centaur Woman, she was even farther away. However, she seemed to be in a quandary which hindered her from swimming properly. She seemed in urgent pain.

"Sue!? No!" Axl rushed out first, his food all placed aside, and instantly waded into the seawater.

"A – Axl!? Are you sure you can do this!? You can't really swim!" Iris called out to him. She too had risen from her spot on the mat when Centaur Woman's hand stopped her.

"I – it's okay. Let both of us do this. Ready, Kana?" Mehri asked.

"You're on! I'm so glad we swam earlier! Sue may be in danger!" Kana complied.

Centaur Woman rushed outwards to the sea. Axl was barely able to get himself fine on the waters.

"I – I told you not to swim too far!" Axl groaned. He was a few feet closer to Sue.

"It's not that! Argh, both my feet cramped up suddenly, that's why! I can float just fine, but I can't head back to shore! T – thanks for coming out here, Axl!" Sure replied. "OW!"

"It's okay! We're here!" Mehri said loudly, while she and Kana waded in the seawater just fine. "We're coming for both of you!"

Her left hand yanked Sue to safety, her right hand grabbed onto Axl's, and Kana began paddling her hind legs furiously. Mehri put in her own effort too. Gradually, they were steering back to the shore, and they were fine. Iris couldn't help but watch it all.

"Ah … t – thanks you two … ow … my calves …" Sue ached. "The entire piece of muscle just became stiff. It hurts …" She lied on the sand and tried to massage the pain away to no avail.

"Thanks, Mehri. Thanks, Kana." Axl groaned. "Oh man, I'd better practise next time if something like this pops up so suddenly … come on, Sue, let's see the damage."

Centaur Woman simply smiled. "It's no biggie!" Kana cheered.

"Huh!? Axl, you know how to massage – OW! YEOW!" Sue yelped in pain as Axl drilled his right knuckles onto one calf at a time. "Ah … oh that feels so good …"

"Regardless, Sue. You never know what could happen. Jeez, what would your mum say if she found out this happened? I'll never hear the end of it …" Axl groaned.

Sue's mum has passed on over 40 months ago. Sue was still confident she would be fine, and that her mum wouldn't make a big deal of this.

"Worrywart." Sue puffed her cheeks comically and turned away. Secretly, she was happy that Axl came for her, and thanked him in her heart.

Kana and Mehri took note of their interaction and simultaneously asked Iris: "Does this happen a lot with them?"

"They're just like that." Iris shrugged her shoulders gently. "He cares for her, she responds by being half-childish, half-serious. She cares for him back, he jokes with her."

"Axl is a heartful Reploid, isn't he?" Mehri asked. "I agree. He's nice." Kana agreed.

The gang took it easier for the rest of the day. They ate, drank, joked and slept on the mats under the ever-present huge umbrella folds (Centaur Woman simply sat and talked and laughed with them).

The evening sun came. It was time for them to leave the private complex. They packed, changed back to regular human clothes, and made for the van. Centaur Woman had long dried herself of the seawater, so she was cleared.

"Shucks, it's back to school. Hmph." Sue sat in the front passenger seat.

"Just wait until you graduate. Then you can work and plan your time to play accordingly." Iris sat in the back of the van. She watched Axl transfer every belonging into the van.

"Alright, we're good. You two should be able to sit just nicely with Iris in the back." He said.

"Sure." "No problem!"

Before they could go in, Axl asked them: "So … how was today? You all had a good time?"

"It was … unique, and fun." Mehri found herself saying. "It's a brand new experience. I never thought we could have something like this." Kana quipped. "What she said." Mehri added.

"I'm so glad to hear that." Axl smiled at them. "Alright, let's get going. Time to head home. And … thanks again for helping me and Sue back there. You two are great help."

"Yay." Centaur Woman climbed in the back gently and shut the doors. Axl started the engine and the van was off and going.

Iris and Sue were napping halfway through Axl's driving. He focused on the road, not talking with anyone at all.

"Let's continue to be like this. This whole human experience thing really isn't so bad after all." Mehri thought to Kana. "Indeed! It's so delightful! Oh, if only there were someone else too we can share this with …" Kana pouted inwardly.

"I think it's good enough, the company we have now. It's not like luck is going to change for us." Mehri argued. "Yeah … I just wish. I just wish." Kana eased herself in thought.

You know the old saying – be careful for what you wish for; it might come true … at perhaps an unforgiving and high price.

The van drove back to the Corp grounds. Elsewhere, the world operated at its usual pace.