Chapter 11: Confessions
Hephaestus accommodates Talos' body in his maintenance bed, and connects him to the main computer and the Ichor's purifier, he takes the crystal from his pocket and analyzes it with his scanner, after the procedure is over, the resulting data shows another code like the one he found before, the computer announces the unknown code has been completely decoded, the crafter checks the results, the decoded code was incomplete, but it was compatible with the data from the black crystal, Hephaestus compares both data, confirming the results, the unknown code and the black crystal were one complex code whose main attributes were emotions and feelings, both opposites but complementary at the same time.
Jūtarō comes in to the crafter's lab and looks at him working to repair Talos as soon as possible, Salomon stays at his master's side while the rest of the crafters enters to the lab to talk with Hephaestus about something they heard during the fight.
-Hephaestus, we need to talk- Amatsumara told him, but Hephaestus was busy looking for his tools and needed parts, it wasn't sure if he listened to the older crafter or he just was avoiding to talk with them.
-Hephaestus! We must talk, now!- Amatsumara yells to him while brandishes his sledgehammer hitting the pommel against the ground, the summoner and the Olympian were shocked by this, and the crafter notices him and knows the meaning behind that gesture.
All of them left Hephaestus's lab to go to the upper rooms, Hephaestus and Jūtarō sits in the sofa while Takemaru takes some chairs from the dining table and places them in front of the sofa.
-Kurogane, make some tea while I leave this rascal in the guest room please- Amatsumara asks him, Kurogane don't say anything and does what his grandfather ordered him while he leaves Musashi's body in the guest room, after everybody was reunited, the old man starts to talk.
-Hephaestus, you know why we are doing this right? – the older crafter asks him in a formal way, like a lord talking to a retainer.
-yes, old man, about what the s-shadow said in the App Battle- Hephaestus responds with nervousness.
-well, tell us everything you know…- Amatsumara said asking him to say the truth, Hephaestus was trembling of fear until he felt the hand of the summoner upon his hands, giving him some support to tell everything.
-all begun when I was coming back late from an errand in Shibuya, I was leaving the last station to come back home until some guys in camouflage uniform were following me…-
Flashback, Ota Ward Station
A large man with a flaming eye in work jumpsuit was leaving the station of Ota to come back from work, it was nighttime and the man was carrying a toolbox and some blueprints under his arm, after walk for half-hour, the man hears some footsteps following him, the crafter notices some jaguar men were following him from his exit from the train station, he tries to lost them going through some alleys, altering his usual route to the workshop, then he runs to another alleys after notices more jaguar men were following him in the alleys, after change again his route, he relax believing he lost them finally, but then he feels someone took him by the neck, but Hephaestus frees himself and throws the jaguar man to the floor, more jaguar men tries to submit him, but the fight against the crafter was getting harder to the jaguar men, until another opponent joins to the fray, a tigris therian jumps out of nowhere landing a double kick to Hephaestus' chest, the crafter resists and fights against the tiger man.
-You're really a strong man Amigo, I knew you would be a perfect candidate to join us!- the tigris therian said cheerfully.
-who the hell are you? what you want from me? – Hephaestus asked to the therian upset.
Suddenly, the scattered jaguar men join to the therian's side and poses while the tiger man poses too and yells excitedly.
-we are…The Warmongers! The strongest guild from Tokyo! and my name is…Hombre Tigre! A proud luchador serving to my great and only one Super Estrella, the black sun that pierces the sky of El Dorado…-
-Viva Tezcatlipoca!- the jaguar men yell at unison after Hombre Tigre proclaims his words, Hephaestus feels awkwardness toward them, questioning their mental health.
-And you! my fiery Amigo! You have the bliss to being received in our arms as a new hermanito to join us, your new familia! – the tiger says while he points to the crafter and winks with a broad smile.
-go to hell, gatito- the crafter responds upset imitating the particular accent of the luchador, this upsets the luchador and snaps his fingers, making the jaguar men jump over him to pinned him down with their rubber sacred artifact.
After Hephaestus was immobilized, the tiger gets close to the crafter holding a small sphere in his hand.
-No, no, don't force yourself amigo, we just came to give you a nice regalo to you, con mucho cariño- the tiger pats his head and leaves the crafter alone with the ball near of his head, Hephaestus looks to the ball and has some hallucinations.
Hephaestus gets up from the floor lightheaded, in an instant he sees people he recognizes being killed by another group, reclaiming their territory and ordering to reveal the whereabout of an specifical person, feeling the pain from his partners and friends before they died in the vision, suddenly sees someone getting killed in many ways by a different person every time, he feels the pain from that tortured person in him, the crafter cries in pain and agony, wanting to stop seeing that twisted vision, until he sees the last one, one vision were he kills that same person with a knife in stomach, looks at his hands stained with blood and looks to the person he killed, at some way, he recognized the victim from all those killings, screaming one word with all his strength before he collapses in the ground.
-MAMA!-
End of flashback
-After that night, my mind was invaded with memories from past loops, ending with the same fate, since then, I made Talos to become my ideal self and protect Kamata and Mama while I would try to stop the loops destroying whoever dares to come here, after destroy all the enemies who would come to kill Mama, Talos would accomplish his original purpose…kill me and take my place as the ideal Hephaestus to be loved by Mama…because I was the last one who killed Mama in those memories, making me feel like the worst scum in the universe- Hephaestus said and grabs his head and cries, Jūtarō hugs him tenderly trying to give him some comfort.
The crafters remain silent for some minutes, Takemaru stands up and tries to process all the story, Kurogane looks to the Olympian and the summoner with sadness and Amatsumara stays silent with his eyes closed and his hands over his thighs.
-This is obnoxious! I can't believe this! Simply I can't believe all the bogus he said! – Takemaru snaps and yells what he thinks about the Olympian said.
-Well, believe it Takemaru! Hephaestus is telling the truth!- Amatsumara yells suddenly, alerting the oni.
-How can you tell he's saying the truth, Old Man?!- Takemaru wonders to the older crafter angrily.
-Because I lived what he lived not much time ago! You say those things because you weren't that day, The Warmongers attacked us when Jūtarō came here for a first time, they made me remember a loop were all of you died against them! And I still feel it until now!, I understand Hephaestus' actions because he was afraid and desperate, he was wrong, but he took responsibility to remediate it! What you could have done if you were the victim of that assault and not Hephaestus?!- Amatsumara said, leaving the oni impotent against that argument and shutting his mouth.
The crafters went to another room to discuss about what to do now with Hephaestus after reveal such information, meanwhile the Olympian was tranquilizing himself with the help of Jūtarō, after almost an hour, the crafters come back to tell him their resolution.
-Hephaestus, after hear your story, and having to deal with that shadow thing, we decided to punish you, but the punishment will be declared…after you finish repair Talos, giving us time to choose your punishment and to make you think about your actions, for now, you can concentrate in your studies and your work and repair Talos, you may leave now- The older crafter said solemnly, the Olympian and the summoner goes back to the lab and repair the android.
Underground Lab
Hephaestus concentrates in get the spare parts to repair Talos while he works in the code, Jūtarō watches him work still worried and feeling a little guilty for the problems.
- Hephaestus, how are you now? – the summoner asked him with some sadness in his voice.
-for now, I-I'm feeling afraid about the punishment, but I can concentrate in repair Talos…so…I'm t-tense now, why? - the crafter answers plainly.
-There was another thing I wanted to tell you…but it can wait for now…I'll tell you when you repair Talos- Jūtarō told him while he blushes, but knows that this is not time to make it.
-I s-see, I'll w-wait then, Mama…- Hephaestus said and blushes too, Jūtarō picks up the gift bags and bids farewell to him, he cries a little but still has the idea to confess his feelings to him after Talos is brought back.
Ota Ward, Kamata Tech, Underground Lab
Two weeks has passed since then, Tvastar came back to the workshop last week and was informed with the last details about the issue with Talos, he would take part in Hephaestus' punishment too, even if he was against some ideas.
Talos was lying in his maintenance bed completely repaired, looking like if he was just sleeping profoundly until a voice speaks to him to wake up.
-Wake up, Talos- the robot opens his eyes and turns his gaze to his creator and the summoner, even Salomon was there, over his abs looking at him.
-Creator…how much time I was offline? - the android asked him with some confusion.
-Two weeks, how you feel now? – Hephaestus answered.
-I feel…weird…like if something that was missing is finally integrated in my system…did you made something in me while I was shutdown, Creator? – Talos said still confused, but Hephaestus was preparing himself to tell him some important things.
-Mama…can you please told my guildmates Talos is back again? – the crafters asked to the summoner to bring his partners to his lab, meanwhile, he responds to Talos' question.
-Yes, I made something with you, do you still remember the incident with the entity? – Hephaestus asked him, Talos nods with his head.
-The unknown code…was a work of yours…- the crafter said to his android.
-what? Did I make the code? How? – Talos was surprised by that affirmation, by that moment, all the crafters were reunited, Hephaestus was going to tell him the chain of events that concluded with the fight with Shadow Talos.
-even a genius makes mistakes…I made you to be my ideal self, and to make it true, I hadn't programmed you how to process certain emotions and feelings, mainly negative emotions, I discarded them because I considered them useless and unnecessary, you were affected by the energy burst from Mama's Rule overflow- Hephaestus continued with the retelling.
-your emotional processor was affected and the security device was damaged, making the dark matter in you absorb those feelings when you interact with the environment day by day, what could be the origin of the unknown code and the convulsions because you didn't know how to process those emotions, but what gave the shadow it's physical form was something else, a conflict of directives perhaps, but don't think about it now…the code is already implemented in your system to help you process negative emotions…now, I was thinking about some improvements to make you my ideal self, but better, I have here some blueprints and ideas I was thinking while you were shutdown…- Hephaestus said showing to the robot his ideas…but the robot make something unexpected.
-STOP!- the robot yelled to his creator, surprising him.
-w-what did you said? – Hephaestus asked him confused and shocked.
-I said stop!, I'm tired of this "ideal Hephaestus"! I'm tired of all this! - Talos kept yelling and tossing away the blueprints and starts to cry, all the people at the lab was surprised by this act of rebellion, but they stayed silent while the android was making a tantrum.
-I'm tired, sick of this about being a better you, Creator!... I have your memories! And they're painful! Every time I saw them in my head, it hurts me and makes me feel powerless to help you those times!
Those memories make me wanting to help you when you needed help then! wanting to make you happy when you were sad then!
I want to please you in everything!
But not being you, I want to be me too!
I want to take my own decisions!
I want to know what I like and what I hate!
I want you to compliment me when I do a good job!
I want you to comforting me when I'm sad!
I want you to make me feel protected when I'm scared! - the crafters were trying to digest Talos' tantrum.
-I want you to pat my head like Mama does with you!
I want to help you be a better version of yourself!
I want to make you see that the best person to be your ideal self…is you, and only you!
I want you to tell me you love me!
I want you to make friends!
I want you, Mama and me to be a family, all our guildmates to be our family!
I want to make funny things with the people I love!
I want to make you happy!
I want you to make you feel proud of me as your son, not just a machine!
I want to call you…call you…call you PAPA!- Talos vents out what was inside of his "heart", crying aloud and covering his face with his hands, the guild and the summoner were completely shocked by Talos acting like a sad little boy making more notorious his semblance with Hephaestus.
the Olympian sees him cry, making him remember when he was a boy, then he embraces the robot in an act of instinct, making himself feel bad but warm at the same time, comforting him in his arms.
- Why do you t-tell me this now, Talos? Why? – Hephaestus asked him.
- Because I didn't know how to do it, Creator, I wanted to told you before- Talos responds with some sadness and uncertainty, fidgeting like his creator does, suddenly all the crafters get close to Talos, all of them crying because of the overflow of emotions of Talos, wanting to cuddle him, making Hephaestus apart.
- Don't be sad my boy, you always have Grandpapa Amatsumara when your Papa makes you feel bad! – the older crafter said to the robot in tears hugging him from the waist and patting his head.
- I promise you we will always be a family to you, you can call me Kuro-aniki if you want! – Kurogane told him crying while he was hugging him from his right side.
- I promise you I will give a beating to your Papa if he ever nags you, call me Uncle Take when you want! - equally moved, Takemaru holds his hands.
- I will always spoil you and bring you the best souvenirs from my travels, I promise you as your Uncle Tvasti now, and Vritra-kun loves you too! – Tvastar says with leaky eyes and snuggling his head in Talos's left shoulder and Vritra licking the robot in the cheek like a dog.
- Hey, could all of you stop now? It would be too much for Talos! – Hephaestus said aloud a little upset, but he just received accusing looks with pouting faces and groanings.
- M-Mama! Help me, please! – the Olympian pleads to the summoner for his help, but he just stays silent signaling him to let them like that until everything is calmed down, it took almost half hour, then the crafters assume a more serious demeanor.
- Hephaestus, we're sorry for this, but as we promised, we will dictate your punishment now- Hephaestus was afraid after hear those words, Jūtarō takes his hand and Talos hugs him still with tears in his eyes to give him support, all of them were nervous about which could be the punishment, the older crafter then proceeds to dictate the sentence.
-we considered you suffered enough after you were attacked by the warmongers, and like in this situation we had recently, you took responsibility from your acts, what is a good point, but because you didn't tell us what happened before, that was a lack of reliability in us, and that cannot go unnoticed…the first thing we will tell you is you will not be expelled from the Guild, you're necessary in the guild like in our lives- Amatsumara said and Hephaestus relaxed a bit after hear his expulsion wasn't an option.
- but, your punishment will be, first point, you will write a formal apology to the guild, and you will tell it in front of us, and by formal, I mean you will do it in your best attire, we want to see you in the most dapper version of you, well dressed and groomed, consider it as training to your final thesis exam!- the old man told him with seriousness.
- O-ok, I can deal with it…-Hephaestus responds finding it a little strange.
-second, your right to absent yourself from parties and events where we are invited…will be revoked permanently! – Amatsumara told him and the Olympian was overwhelmed and upset by this.
- everything but that! I won that right with my work; you can't do this to me Old Man! - Hephaestus reclaimed upset, but the crafters continued with the declaration.
- you won it, but you lost it when you didn't tell us earlier about all of this, and we will execute this soon, because Miss Arachne want us to help her in her next fashion show she will make to celebrate the inauguration of her next boutique, and she wants you to be her main model this time, and Kurogane and I accepted her request, she was overjoyed when she heard the news, consider it like a way to overcome your shyness- Hephaestus was shocked, the idea of Arachne making him her model was something uncomfortable to him.
-next point, you will manage the online shop and inventory for the next 3 months, and you will give it a makeover- Hephaestus was half-comfortable with this because he considered that work boring.
- and finally, we want you to watch this- Takemaru shows him a video he recorded where he was fighting against Shadow Talos, and making that strange beating and battle scream, the Olympian was blushing more than ever while he watches himself in the video.
- w-what is this?! I-it's not possible that I made that! - Hephaestus was flustered, but that was just a part of what would come next.
- well, believe it Heph, because we uploaded the video to all the social medias and SummTube, and is becoming viral, all the viewers are crazy for you, many are starting to call you "Hephashiro of the North Star", others call you "Hephaestus Joestar" or even, and my favorite one "JoJoestus", even you became a meme…you will become famous- Takemaru was smiling excited to show him all that viral content, the Olympian wanted to die from shame.
- and one more thing to add to your punishment: you will treat Talos better since now, he's like a child, your son in fact, and if we ever notice you're treating him bad again, consider yourself dead…and you will let him call you Papa when he wants…got it? – the older crafter said while the rest were glaring at Hephaestus with menacing eyes.
- Understood, but can we change "Papa" to "Father"? It sounds better that way to me- the Olympian said, wanting to change some details.
-No! "Papa" sounds better! It's pretty! - Talos replied.
- B-but "Father" sounds more formal and decent! – Hephaestus tried to make Talos change his opinion.
-No! "Papa" sounds cuter than "Father"! Call you "Father" is almost like call you Creator! – Talos was sticking to his opinion
-but…- Hephaestus was going to say something else, but he felt those same menacing glares from his guildmates, making him change his words.
-fine…you can call me Papa, I guess- Hephaestus commented defeated and Talos smiles.
-well, now that all is settled, let's make a little celebration to formally introduce Talos as our new family member- Amatsumara says and the crafters start to give ideas what to order for dinner time while they go out from the lab, Jūtarō and Salomon stays at Hephaestus side.
-At least you won't be expelled, isn't that good? – the summoner said to the crafter, Hephaestus turns his gaze to Jūtarō and smiles faintly.
-I guess so, Jūtarō- he said and receives a kiss in the forehead from the summoner.
-I like when you say my name…- Jūtarō said still holding him in his arms
- s-sorry for interrupt you M-Mama…but I remembered you had something to tell me before- Hephaestus said remembering the last thing happened the last 3 weeks ago.
-it's true…I owe you something to say- the summoner was getting nervous.
-can you t-tell me now, please? – the transient asked and Jūtarō, gathering inner strength decides to finally say those words.
-Hephaestus…I don't know how you will react…but what I wanted to tell you was…since we met before, I felt something for you, I wasn't sure what was that feeling, I like when we are together, I enjoy when you're happy, I would miss you so much when you gone, I would miss your presence, your touch, your voice, your eyes, everything, the words I said when you were being defeated to cheer you are the truth, the memories from the past loops were invading my mind, the pain and agony was unbearable…but a reality were you are not with me is worse…- the summoner was getting sentimental and then, started to cry, but he keeps with his confession.
-At some way, you did what nobody else did before, you save me from something that was going to devour me inside…you make me feel things that I didn't know I was capable to feel before, doesn't matter if you're not perfect, you're perfect to me! You're my savior! You may see your mother in me, like many people I have meet see someone else in me, but when I see you, I see a hero who risked his life for me…- the tears from his eyes were overflowing.
- Hephaestus…I want to relive the loop where we were happy, I want to relive those moments in this loop, I want you to make me feel strong to protect you, the crafters and my friends! I want to feel protected by you, and only you! I want to stay with you…forever! – the summoner was crying and feels a pair of big callused hands in his face, the thumbs clean the tears from the summoner's eyes and the Olympian brings closer his face to the summoner's face, both touching their foreheads.
-All of that…is t-true… J-Jūtarō? – Hephaestus asked him with uncertainty.
-It's the truth…the only truth…- the summoner said, and then, the ring in the summoner's hand was glowing with the same blue hue from the fight against Shadow Talos.
Jūtarō, Hephaestus, Talos and Salomon were engulfed in that blue light, to then being surrounded by a rainbow-colored vortex.