Year : 771
A little more than 3 years after the Cell Game
17 and Ruri had been gone for several hours now, with two horses, some scientific equipment and food. They had not taken the pickup truck with them, as it was not necessary and there was no need to carry it. Their goal was to explore the surroundings of the farm to try to determine the origin of the attacks. So far, they hadn't had much success. Paradoxically, it was precisely this total absence of traces that intrigued Ruri the most.
- Pffff really, I don't understand ! she said suddenly, as they rode through a large grassy area.
- It's true that there is nothing at all, 17 replied.
- Based on what the farmer said, animals have been disappearing for 4 months. I think we can exclude human intervention already.
- Why?
- The animals that disappeared are not rabbits. They are cows, horses... big animals. To transport them, humans would have needed vehicles, it makes noise, it leaves marks. And if they came regularly, then they would have to have a camp not too far away. You flew over the whole area next to the farm. And what did you see?
- Nothing.
- That's it. So these are animals that we're tracking. But... to my knowledge there are no monsters in this environment. So we're looking for small animals that hunt in packs, because they go after big prey. I'm very interested in the fact that we don't find anything here at all...
- What do you deduce from this?
Ruri remained silent for a few seconds.
- I wonder if the attacks are not due to animals that come from much further away. But that also, it is very strange... she finishes by answering, pensive.
17 nodded, and they continued on their way without saying a word. He had no idea what was going on here either. Even though Ruri answered all his questions and taught him a lot about animals, he was still far from her level of knowledge. He was kind of frustrated as he felt like he was useless to her.
The day then passed relatively quickly, and as the sun began to set, they decided to stop near a watering hole. They set up their temporary camp and removed the horses' saddles and reins.
- 17, do you mind if I go wash up first?
- Not at all," he said. I'll make you something to eat.
- Don't bother, just heat up some water, I brought some vegetable noodles!
- Mmmh
So the young woman went to the water, and dived in with delight. She was tired after a long day on horseback, her body was aching. Fortunately for her, the water was not too cold, so Ruri decided to relax and enjoy it a little. So she stayed in the water much longer than she usually did.
It was only after about ten minutes that she got out of the water and wrapped herself in a small towel. She felt much better, and even started humming a little song.
"CRAC".
She was startled when she suddenly heard the cracking of branches right next to her. When she looked up, she came face to face with 17. Standing next to her, he was staring at her, eyes wide open, as if he was surprised.
There was a long silence, before Ruri realized that the towel she was wearing did not cover much of her body.
- 17 ! Are you crazy ? she cried, trying without much success to hide the maximum of surface.
- I'm sorry," 17 replied, turning around immediately, "but I ….
- You what?
- I was worried...
- And can you tell me why ?
- You didn't come back...
- And so what ?
- I ... you stayed a long time, I thought ... I don't know ... that you saw a big and dangerous animal and went after it ...
- As if I was going to put myself in a situation like that! I'm not an idiot, I'm careful !
- ... except when you leave your hotel room without the keys.
Ruri stopped dead in her tracks. Her sense of observation was sharp enough that she could make out the movements of his cheeks perfectly, even is he had his back turned away from her.
- Wait... you're laughing ? But you have no shame ! Do you think you're funny?
- I think it's funny," replied 17, clearly amused by the situation.
- …
- …
- Well, let me tell you that your sense of humor is questionable.
- I didn't see much, no need to be uncomfortable...
- Oh yeah, tin can, I'm not at all uncomfortable. I am beautiful. I have a great body. So I have NO reason to be uncomfortable.
17 waited a few seconds, then answered, walking away:
- Indeed...
Ruri remained silent for a moment. She knew 17 well enough now to be sure that he had not tried to spy on her, he had most certainly come because he was worried. But that last comment... During their first discussion in her hotel room she had had the impression for a brief moment that 17 was flirting with her a little. But afterwards he had not behaved ambiguously at all. Until the day before. When he had taken her in his arms. Thinking back, Ruri couldn't help but smile.
There had also been the moment when, while she was desperate to understand that she had let elephant killers escape, he had touched her hair, tenderly.
Each time he showed interest in her, it only lasted a moment. Then he became impassive and not very expressive. It was not very easy for her to follow. But the more she thought about it, the more it became clear to her that in fact these brief moments were probably a kind of resurgence of 17's humanity. During their discussions, she had been surprised to discover that he had a whole lot of knowledge that was quite commonplace but that he was unable to explain. He knew how to drive or repair cars, but he couldn't name any tools. He knew what a movie theater was but couldn't name any movies... And when Ruri asked him how he knew these things when he had spent so little time in the outside world, he invariably replied that he didn't know.
If the man who had turned him into a cyborg had tried to erase all of his memories, he had only partially succeeded. It must have been the same for his behavior. This man must have tried to take away his humanity, his emotions, but here too the result was not perfect. Didn't 17 have a part of his human personality that came back to the surface from time to time?
"Hahaha you must have been quite a womanizer before..." she thought.
She wasn't angry at all. On the contrary. A sentence that Iris had said to her the day before came back to her memory.
"Once you have embers, all you have to do is blow on them..."
Ruri wasn't very confident when it came to relationships, but what she was sure of was that she was attracted to him. She wanted "more" than the relationship they had.
Blowing on the embers...
With a big smile, Ruri went to the bag that contained her things. She took out her unicorn pajamas that she had continued to wear until then, mainly because they were so comfortable.
"Oh my god, girl, it's not possible..."
She immediately put it away, and instead took out the outfit she usually wore when she exercised: a tiny black tank top and gray shorts, rather short and low cut on the sides. She put on this outfit.
"Much better," she said to herself, satisfied, before heading back to the camp. "Prepare yourself, cyborg!"
By the time she arrived, 17 had had time to get everything ready. He had set up the tent, lit the fire and was bent over a pot. He was obviously finishing preparing food. Ruri put her bag away after taking out her hairbrush, and came to sit opposite him. While starting to comb her hair, she asked:
- So, what do we eat?
- A ... soup.
17 had looked up to answer her, and Ruri noticed with pleasure the pause he had just made when he saw her. Satisfied, she got up to stand next to him, and leaned over the pot.
- But what soup? Didn't you just make the noodles?
17 handed her the package of vegetable noodles and showed her the small text on the back.
- Want to improve your noodle nights? Try Aunt Yummy's secret recipe.
- It says it's better.
- But ...
- Iris put food in the blue bag. It didn't have everything I needed, but I was able to find enough to get by.
- ... ok, let's try it.
- Aren't you afraid that it's bad?
- You have no idea of all the filthy things I ate on my expeditions. And you don't want to know.
Ruri then helped herself to a bowl of the soup prepared by 17, and noted with surprise that it was delicious. She drank several gulps of it with delight, before resuming:
- But it's soooo good ! Bravo! I love it !
- ... glad you like it.
- Haha decidedly, she said in a slightly teasing voice, you are such a handy travel accessory 17.
When he looked at her to answer, 17 felt a warm sensation in his chest. A little disconcerted, he just smiled, not really knowing what to say in return.
They continued to eat, in silence. Once the meal and the dishes were finished, everyone went about their business.
17 had started reading one of Ruri's books. She had given it to him to read so that he could learn the names of the main animal families. As for the young woman, she made herself a cup of tea and started working on her laptop.
The night had now fallen. There was no sound other than the crackling of the fire to disturb the silence on the plain. 17 was trying to remember all the complicated words in his book, but tonight he had a hard time concentrating. He couldn't get the memory of Ruri out of his mind, when he saw her wrapped in her towel. He had done his best not to let anything show, but deep inside him the vision of Ruri, partly undressed, had provoked an emotion he had never experienced before. A trembling had traversed his whole body, and he had had great difficulty to detach his glance from her. Same a few moments later, when she had returned in this dress very different from her usual night dress. Without really realizing it, he had raised the eyes of his work, and had begun to observe the young woman.
How beautiful she was.
This thought never left him now.
"It's really strange, these pants... it's... short..." he thought suddenly. Why had she changed her sleeping clothes anyway?
17 tried to resume his reading, but he could not. His gaze was drawn away from the book and back to Ruri. Her skin, illuminated by the rays of the full moon, was a pearly white that seemed unreal.
"She really has magnificent legs... why I realize it only now besides?" he said to himself, while, as hypnotized, he let his eyes go through the body of Ruri. Going up from the bottom of her legs, flying over the bottom of her back, lingering a few seconds on her shoulders partly uncovered...
The young woman, on her side, did not miss anything of the sustained glances of 17.
"Yes, look at me... oh I love your eyes so much..."
She had knowingly put on a more revealing outfit than usual, but seeing a man look at her the way 17 did put her in a strange state, similar to what she had felt the day before, when he had hugged her. An ambivalent feeling. She was flattered, but also intimidated. Happy to please him, but blushing. She didn't know what she should do. Go to him? Ignore him? Give in to the urge to throw herself into his arms?
"Calm down girl, calm down..."
Her heart was racing again, but the accumulated fatigue finally got the better of her stress. So much so that she ended up dozing off, without turning off her computer.
17 noticed this. She had explained to him that she had to be careful not to run out of batteries, as she had nothing to recharge it with. So he slowly went over to her to turn it off.
She looked peaceful and breathed softly, deeply asleep. 17 then gently placed his hand on her cheek and gave her a very light caress. A small smile appeared on her beautiful face as she gave a small sigh of contentment.
"What am I doing?" thought 17 suddenly.
He gently withdrew his hand, being careful not to wake her. He didn't understand what had just happened to him. Ruri woke up feelings buried deep inside him. He did not know how to manage this influx of new feelings. Disturbed, he preferred to move away to read in silence, until the next morning.
Two more days went by, equally fruitless. As the hours passed, Ruri seemed more and more pensive. They didn't see many animals anyway. That was what was puzzling the young woman. Suddenly, their two horses stopped abruptly, neighing loudly and stubbornly refusing to move.
- What's wrong with them?" asked 17.
- Something dangerous is close, answered Ruri. Let's go down, and continue on foot. Tie them to the bush on the right. It's probably not very strong, so if they really need to, they can free themselves and run away.
So they both set off, leaving the horses behind. They had excellent visibility on this vast plain, so it didn't take them long to find what had frightened them. In the distance, they saw a very large cat. It looked like a lion, but without a mane, and with very long fangs.
- Smilodon fatalis, said Ruri immediately.
- What?
- A big cat. We are in the wrong direction of the wind. It will spot us in a few seconds, it's too late...
And indeed, immediately, the animal turned and faced them. With a roar, it came towards them. Ruri then took 17's hand, and started to back away, very slowly.
- In the wild, she explained, running away is the same as designating yourself as prey and immediately triggers an attack. And we must not turn the back to him. We are two and he is alone. He has no reason to attack.
Slowly, 17 and Ruri backed away, one step at a time. But the tiger did not move away. On the contrary. It continued to approach, faster and faster. He was leaning forward slightly, his lips were curled up and he seemed very agitated.
17 felt Ruri's hand tighten on his.
- This is not normal, but observe his posture carefully. His whole body is in tension. This way of bending over is typical of felines. He will attack. That's for sure. He wants to kill us.
- What should we do?" replied 17, alert to the predator's slightest movement.
- If we continue to back up, we'll drive him right into the horses. We have to stop him here. I need five minutes to get an anesthetic from my bag. Can you immobilize him in the meantime?
17 gave her a surprised look.
- Is this a real question?
- Haha ok cyborg, my apologies. Of course you can. Don't hurt him, just hold him firmly by the neck and hold him down.
17 did not give the tiger time to react. In a flash he grabbed him by the neck and tackled him to the ground without difficulty. The animal struggled for a few moments, but could not resist too strongly. In any case, Ruri had a syringe loaded with a calming substance that she administered, and the tiger fell asleep in a few seconds.
- Good, now let's take a closer look at this big boy," said the young woman.
She approached him, and examined him for a few minutes. She quickly frowned.
- 17, give me your hand.
17 complied, and Ruri placed his hand on the side of the sleeping tiger.
- What do you feel?
- His ... bones.
- That's right. His bones. He's frighteningly thin.
- Why?
- Ear, then eye, answered Ruri, after a few seconds.
This time 17 understood the message. He stood up, and closed his eyes, so that he could listen carefully. Nothing. Nothing at all...
- Nothing, I don't hear anything," he finally said.
- Exactly. Nothing. Not a sound, no animal, no insect, no bird...
- Nature is never silent.
- Exactly, I'm glad you remembered, Ruri answered, delighted. This silence is not normal. Next, eye.
17 opened his eyes again and tried to look around. Across the vast expanse of grass, finally, there was nothing. He exclaimed:
- But what's going on here?
- I think I understand better, Ruri murmured.
- What do you understand?
- We have been on the wrong track since the beginning 17.
- What do you mean?
- We were mistaken in assuming that the problem was at the farm level. It is only the consequence of something much more serious and that affects the whole territory.
- Really?
- Oh yes. Look at that tiger. He's a predator. He feeds on other animals. Now, not only is he skin and bones, but he also wanted to attack us, even though it was not in his best interest to attack two humans head on. Conclusion?
- ... he is starving.
- Yes, precisely. And I understand why. A grassy plain like this should be full of wild animals. They are the tiger's usual prey. He's starving, because they're gone.
- And ... so, if I understand correctly, the same thing is happening here as on the farm.
- For the worse. The animal that preys on farm animals first decimated the local wildlife. It has eaten or driven away the animals that lived there. So much so that the carnivores are starving. And so, if now here too there is nothing left...
- He falls back on the animals of the humans.
- Exactly. The attacks on the farm are recent, because it's always more risky to get close to humans. He only goes there now because he has no choice.
- He?
- I really think it's one big animal. Even in a pack, small predators couldn't kill that many other animals at all. We're probably talking about one. And a big one.
- ... I may be wrong, but I have the impression that you are not unhappy with it.
Ruri laughed out loud.
- Not wrong. I have a weakness for monsters and out of the ordinary stuff, she said, staring at him with an amused look.
- Like cyborgs?" replied 17, also laughing.
- I admit it, cyborgs are ... fascinating to study...
17 did not reply, but both exchanged a knowing look. Even though they had made progress in solving the problem, the exact origin of the problem was still unknown.
- So, which big animal do you think we are talking about, Ruri?
- No idea. But he's not from here. For some reason he left his usual territory to come here. I have a small idea but...
Suddenly, 17 perceived a presence behind them. In a second, he heard a noise, as if something was moving towards them. He instinctively reached out, intercepting an arrow that had just been shot at them.
- Don't move," he ordered Ruri, as he shattered the projectile. Stay behind me.
The young woman obeyed immediately. For his part, 17 began to observe his surroundings. In the plain, there were not so many places to hide. Only a big bush, not far away, could be used to hide.
- I know you're hiding there," he shouted toward the bush. Either you come out, or I'll bring you out.
Two humans emerged, a man and a child. 17 had never seen anyone like them before. They were of fairly dark complexion and wore baggy pants but were bare-chested. Both had long black hair, braided, and the boy had feathers in his hair. They had bows with them, so they were the ones who shot.
They seemed flabbergasted, probably by the little demonstration of 17. Ruri patted his back lightly and said:
- No need to get upset, let me talk to them.
- No.
- Ah don't start 17.
- They tried to kill you.
- Yeah well, I'm not dead, so let's not make a big deal out of it either. I think I know what the problem is. Let me do the talking. Be diplomatic for a while.
17 then beckoned them to come closer. The child stayed by the bush, the man alone coming up to them. As soon as he arrived, 17 threw his arm over his shoulder and in an instant grabbed an arrow from the man's shoulder quiver. He stuck it between two fingers and broke it in one blow.
- Try anything, and I'll break your bones as easily as I broke this arrow. Got it?
- Yes," said the man, looking serious.
Ruri came forward, but it was 17 who she talked to.
- I said diplomatic 17.
- I don't know what that word means.
- ... couldn't you have told me?
- I did not think this information was necessary.
- No but... well, we'll deal with that later. Trust me, the next book you'll be reading is a dictionary. Hello sir, don't mind him, he doesn't look like it, but I assure you he's not mean.
The man looked at her, and Ruri immediately felt anger in his eyes. She had seen this anger before. She knew the origin of it.
- We're not farmers, if that's what you thought.
- You mentioned the farm," the man replied, his voice low.
- We come from there. The nearest farmer asked us to help him, because his animals are under attack. I am an animal specialist, my name is Ruri, and this is my partner, 17.
- These men don't like animals. They are only interested in them because they lose money. They drive us off our land. They are not good men.
- I know. They don't care about nature, animals or you. But I imagine that you too must be affected by what is happening here.
- Yes. We have no more prey to hunt.
- We're here to find out what's going on. And fix the problem. We want to help the animals. And now that I know, we'll help you too.
The man looked at them, one after the other. As if he was trying to assess their sincerity. He lingered in particular on 17, who had remained motionless and silent.
- You are strong, he said suddenly. Your look is that of a warrior.
- Yes," said 17.
- I believe you. Your eyes are pure and do not lie. I apologize for my behavior. I let my anger blind me.
- It's nothing, Ruri said. I understand your anger. Are you suffering from hunger?
- Yes. We are beginning to have great difficulty in feeding ourselves. We still have a few places where we can find game, but it won't be long before the beast goes after them when it finds them.
- Have you seen it?
- No, I don't. Never. We hear it, know it's there, but no warrior has ever seen it.
- Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
17 smiled as he heard this mumble. Ruri was obviously thinking. Then she spoke again.
- Okay, I have an idea. 17 and I will get you some food. And then we'll talk over a nice meal. I'd like to ask you a few questions.
- I accept with pleasure.
- That's fine. Can I ask you to go get our horses? I can tell you where they are.
The man and the young boy nodded, and went off to take the horses back to their village.
Once they were alone, 17 asked Ruri what she was going to do.
- Give them our supplies, already. At least some of it. And we'll go hunting. By flying, we will be able to locate more easily the animals which remain, and to bring them something to eat. Let's go, we embark in the 17 express!
- Okay.
And saying this, 17 gently took Ruri in his arms, and both of them flew away, looking for food.