Year: 771
A little more than 3 years after the Cell Game
17 was very intrigued by the idea of an underwater expedition. He never thought he would ever explore the ocean floor. But Ruri was by far the most excited of them.
He knew from the beginning that this expedition meant a lot to her, she had always said so. Now that it was finally becoming concrete, he could see how much.
Indeed, the young woman had always been enthusiastic by nature, but he realized that he had never yet seen her "at her best". No sooner had they received the keys to the boat than she rushed aboard. Apparently she had chosen this model a long time ago, as she knew every inch of it. Taking 17's hand, she immediately led him on a tour of the ship. The cockpit, the bedrooms, the kitchen... in just a few minutes she had shown him practically everything, punctuating each of her sentences with loud exclamations. 17 could hardly follow, but he was terribly amused by the situation.
There were still two parts of the ship to explore.
One room was obviously intended to house Ruri's scientific equipment. She had many shelves installed as well as several strange pieces of equipment.
- But I saved the best part for now... she finally said, obviously very eager to show him something.
- The best part?
- Trust me,you're gonna love this room... Ready to go?
- Yes, said 17, increasingly intrigued.
Inside was a real repair shop. 17 easily recognized most of the tools inside. But what immediately caught his eye was the presence of another, much smaller boat. It wasn't exactly a ship, but rather a vehicle, similar to a car, without wheels, with a large glass front that showed two seats inside. It was a transport module, powered at the back by two huge engines.
- It's a submersible, Ruri explained. It's what cost me the most to prepare for the expedition. It's small, fast and very strong. You can really go deep into the ocean with it, and considering what we're looking for, we'll have to go very, very deep...
Instinctively, 17 approached it and began to examine the vehicle very carefully. He had never seen anything like that before. As he continued his inspection, the idea of piloting this machine began to enter his mind, and immediately filled him with intense joy. He began to feel more and more excited about this expedition as well. This feeling was so pleasant. He was beginning to wonder how he had spent so many years doing nothing, living nothing. He had missed out on so much in all that time.
- I suppose you want to pilote it? Ruri asked mischievously. If not, I can handle it!
17 took a deep breath, before answering, as seriously as possible:
- It's absolutely out of the question, human. I'm the one who will pilote this thing.
- Hahahaha, since you're insisting, Ruri replied, laughing out loud. I knew you'd say that anyway.
The young woman moved closer and positioned herself as close as possible to 17. Shyly, she put her hand on his left arm, and added:
- Hey, are you... happy? Because I wanted to surprise you ... and that you don't regret being here with me.
The kiss on the forehead he'd given her on the island of the giant snake was only a few days old, but since then, nothing. And Ruri was almost sick of it. 17's attitude, alternating between moments of infinite tenderness and a disconcerting impassivity, left her in a state of permanent questioning.
She was finally able to touch the realization of her greatest dream, she could finally leave to lead this expedition. What's more, accompanied by such a powerful being, she had a great chance of success. Their meeting was unexpected. She should only think about the good conduct of this adventure that was so dear to her heart, and which had been her only obsession for years.
And yet, she couldn't be completely happy. 17 obsessed her. He was always in her thoughts. As soon as she saw him, all she wanted to do was jump on his neck, kiss him, feel his warmth, snuggle in his arms... She wanted to caress his beautiful black hair, to be with him every second, to have him touch her cheek again. She even found herself wanting to learn how to cook so that he could taste the human food he had forgotten all about.
Not a second went by that she didn't think of him. Not as a partner. As a man. Her man. She wanted to belong to him, and for him to belong to her as well.
But even though he was much closer to her than he had been at the very beginning of their journey, despite their kiss, despite everything she did to attract his attention, all her efforts invariably came up against the unbearable impenetrability of his gaze, nothing seeming to be able to pierce the mystery of what he might really think.
The ambivalence of his character was a real torture.
That's why she had shown him this room last. He loved mechanics. He loved to drive. She was sure he would be thrilled at the idea of piloting the submersible. She wanted him to react so badly. That he would suddenly grab her, and kiss her to thank her.
Just imagining that moment made her blush, and she was still trying to hide her embarrassment when 17 turned to her.
- Yes, I'm glad, he replied.
This horribly neutral answer was like a stab in Ruri's heart. She struggled to hide her disappointment, but tried to put on a brave face.
- Ah. Well that's ... great, she stammered.
17 was puzzled. He had answered her question. However, he could feel that the young woman was not satisfied. He suddenly remembered that she had remarked to him several times: he had to be more careful with his answers, which were sometimes too short.
- Your surprise was good, Ruri. You keep your promise, I'm not bored with you, he finally said, accompanying his answer with a smile that he wanted to be as wide as possible.
And that's it. 17 was back. His 17. Not the one he was in front of other people, barely speaking, keeping his distance. No. The one he was when he was with her. He had just made the effort to smile at her. That little smile that was so seductive. Deep down, Ruri knew that his temper was partly a consequence of his cyberization. He had told her that human feelings were still something strange to him, something he was not familiar with.
Seeing him like this, a thought crossed her mind:
"I shouldn't necessarily expect more from him. At least not at the moment. He kissed me, so it's because he likes me. He probably does. Even just a little. At least I think so. But... what if... what if he couldn't feel any more? What if Dr Gero has damaged him too much? Maybe he liked our kiss but he doesn't feel anything else?"
- So, when do we dive in, little human?
She gasped as she heard 17's voice. Looking up, Ruri saw that he had moved closer to the left side of the submersible, his hand resting on the door. She immediately laughed.
She thought he was adorably cute right now. 17 was still incredibly serious, but even though he didn't express it with shouts of joy, she was getting to know him well enough to know: he was very much looking forward to piloting the submersible.
- Not yet, tin can, she replied, rejuvenated. First, we'll have to tidy our stuff, and do some shopping. Only then will we leave the harbor, towards the open sea.
- Ah, replied 17, disappointed.
- But don't worry, you'll have fun driving the boat. And once we're far enough away, we'll get in the water. I promise. I suppose you've never done scuba diving?
- No, never, 17 finally told her, after a few seconds of reflection. He couldn't really consider the few moments he'd spent underwater during his fight with Piccolo to be real diving.
- That's what I thought. No problem, we have plenty of time. We'll do what we did last time. First, I'll teach you how to dive. How to use the equipment, and how to behave underwater. Are you OK with that?
- Absolutely.
- That's great! All right, look, you wait here, I'll do the shopping. You can go to the boat's pilot house. The owner left us a manual. I'll let you read it. When I get back, I'll call you so you can help me carry the groceries. Deal?
- Deal.
Ruri then left, her heart still heavy with a form of sadness mixed with frustration and worry that she could not completely banish from her mind.
However, she was very wrong about how 17 felt.
In fact, he was not at all indifferent to the charms of the young woman. Quite the contrary. He was still human enough to know that he liked her. He just did not know how to put words to characterize what he felt. Or rather, he didn't really ask himself the question. He liked her company. He liked talking to her. He wanted to stay close to her. He wanted her. And that was enough for him.
He was like an emotional "amputee", able to experience feelings but without being able to be fully sensitive to those of others, or without always knowing how to express them.
He didn't miss any of Ruri's displays of affection, or the shy blushes she sometimes had, when she tried to seduce him. He saw it. He even loved it, her clumsiness, her naivety, her lack of confidence. But he did not understand that she expected him to verbalize more. For him, his simple presence at her side was enough to testify to what he felt.
He had no idea what was bothering Ruri, so he quietly made his way to the cockpit. There was a book lying in plain sight near the controls, and 17 settled himself comfortably in the captain's chair to read it. Everything he needed to know about piloting the ship was in there, and he was so fascinated by his reading that he didn't see the time pass at all.
When Ruri returned, and after helping her to tidy up, he took the controls with relish, and maneuvered without any difficulty out of the harbor, heading due south.
- What a pilot, looks like you've been doing this all your life!
- I'm the best, 17 replied with a smile.
- And modest, as always. Now, here on this screen you can see our coordinates.
- Yes.
- We're going to the point marked 116.05.3456 South. According to my map, this is a fairly calm and deep sea area, but not far from a reef. Ideal for learning how to dive, and unfortunately we probably won't come across any sea monsters. A healthy walk.
- By the way, I still don't know what animals you are looking for...
- Surprise, 17, surprise. If I tell you everything at once, you'll have no more suspense! And I promised to entertain you.
- Indeed.
- What I can tell you is that this expedition is very famous. It's called the "cursed expedition" among zoologists.
- Interesting program...
- Yes. In fact it was first attempted over 70 years ago. The zoologist who first tried it wanted to study the five biggest and most dangerous sea monsters on the planet.
- Why?
Ruri took a moment to think, before answering with a laugh:
- Haha for the challenge, at least. There are two kinds of zoologists you know. Those who like small animals, and those who like big animals with sharp teeth.
- I guess what category you're in...
- Yes, I admit it. In any case, he also wanted to show that monsters are animals like any other. Dangerous, yes, but like any other. I told you once: as they are big and powerful, nobody cares about their protection. But they are also sentient beings, who deserve to be treated with respect. And if we want to help them and save them, we have to know them.
- Is that what you want to do?
- Yes. At any rate, the poor fellow didn't get beyond the third monster. The next two expeditions were able to approach the fourth. But, uh...
- Did the fifth one kill them?
- ... Yes.
17 noticed Ruri's slight hesitation in answering him, and for a brief moment, it seemed to him that there was a hint of sorrow in her eyes. But the young woman quickly resumed her explanation:
- It's true that the last one is very dangerous. I know almost nothing about him. The 3 previous expeditions were all documented, I got everything I could from the library. The good thing is that the danger is progressive. The expedition was designed to take the least risk at the beginning, and to go towards the most dangerous at the end only. In spite of this, no one came back alive anyway. Precautions are not everything.
- Yes, but none of the previous expeditions had me.
- Haha! Yes, you are my secret weapon 17!
They exchanged a knowing smile, and continued their journey until they reached the spot Ruri had indicated, right in the middle of the ocean.
- GOOD! she finally exclaimed, It's time to start the intensive training ! Come with me.
With a determined step, Ruri headed towards her lab, followed by 17. When she was in 'scientist' mode, nothing else seemed to exist for her.
- So, she began, laying out several unfamiliar objects on a table along with two large bags, here's your equipment. It's practically the same as mine, with a few exceptions.
- Okay.
- So here you have the most important thing. Oh, I forgot: you can't breathe underwater thanks to your modifications, can you?
- No.
- Excuse me for bringing up a topic you don't like 17, but really, Dr. Gero wasn't that smart. If I were him, I would have added sooooo many features to you.
- …
- Anyway... You have to put this one on your mouth, it will automatically adjust. And this goes in your ears.
17 grabbed the objects. The first was a sort of transparent mask, covering his nose and lips. As soon as he put it on his face, the mask stuck to his skin, fitting in effect to the millimeter. The second was a pair of headphones, large enough to cover his ears completely.
- They're connected to each other, Ruri continued. If you wear the set, we can talk underwater. However, they greatly reduce your hearing. It's not a big deal, most animals are silent underwater. But still, be aware. You will lose some of your hearing.
- Okay.
- The mask feeds on oxygen with this, Ruri continued, taking a tiny capsule in her hand. You can put four on each side. Each capsule contains about an hour's worth of oxygen, but it depends on the size, weight and effort of the person. And you see that machine over there? It allows you to recharge them. You clip them on, and you wait. Got it?
- Yes.
17 was perfectly focused and attentive to Ruri's every explanation. He hadn't thought at all about the implications of exploring the ocean floor. Losing hearing? Running out of air? In fact, all these elements were a source of intense motivation for him. To tell the truth, he had spent years being deeply bored, although he only realized it now. So the idea of finally getting some action awakened a desire in him that he hadn't felt since his awakening and Gero's death.
Without realizing it, he began to smile.
- Well, actually I don't think that'll be very useful, Ruri continued, still focused on her explanation. It's an electric pulse rifle. But you won't need it to defend yourself, I think. This one, on the other hand, along with the harpoon, is for fishing. I'll teach you how to use it. I've also got this portable capsule. When you press it, it actually puts a full-body suit on you. It's essential for deep-sea diving, to withstand pressure and temperature extremes. Do you think you'll need it?
- I don't know... 17 replied, puzzled. My body is very strong.
- Mmmm we'll test to see. Also, this is a scientific expedition. So you have here vials, syringes, in short, equipment to collect samples. But this too, I'll show you, it will be more meaningful.
- Okay.
- We're done with the main stuff. And now... let's get to your presents!
- My what?
Ruri then abandoned her serious and scientific air in an instant to regain her natural cheerfulness. Taking the two bags, she walked towards 17.
- Your presents. Well, one is still useful for the expedition but... well, here you go.
17 then took the first bag and opened it.
- But it's...
- A laptop, yes.
- Why ? asked 17, having no idea what he could do with the object.
- You can do a lot of things! Do some research. About cars, for example. Or watch a movie. Laptops come in handy. I'll teach you how to use it!
- ...okay.
- Look at the second bag, you'll love it. Although I'm not so sure...
Intrigued, 17 opened the second bag to remove some clothes.
- What is it?
- Clothes.
- I can see that, but why?
- Look carefully, idiot, Ruri replied mischievously. This is a pair of swimming shorts.
She pointed to a pair of black, mid-length trousers with lots of pockets on the side.
- Did you think you were going to dive with your clothes on? Ruri asked with a laugh. I chose it especially because it has lots of pockets. It'll be handy for storing samples.
- Ah.
- By the way, if you want a tip: wear it even when you're not in the water. And you should only keep one shirt, and put your scarf in a closet.
- Why?
- Because if we ever come across one of the monsters we're tracking, we'll probably have to dive in immediately, without wasting any time.
- I'm very fast, I can undress very quickly you know.
Ruri froze instantly. In one second, she was imagining the scene. 17 taking off his clothes, at the speed of light. 17 revealing his body. 17 naked before her. With each passing second, her face grew redder and redder, while her heart began to beat so fast it almost hurt. She felt as if it was suddenly unbearably hot in this room.
- Uh... I... I .… she stammered, panicked.
For his part, 17 laughed a lot inside. He had answered instinctively, without any ulterior motive. But now that he saw the young woman's reaction, he understood exactly what was going on in her head. And he found this situation hilarious. He thought Ruri was cute. She was so clumsy. So naive. So attractive nonetheless. That innocence she had was like irresistible to him, the temptation to play with her being too strong.
Then he moved closer to her, until their bodies were almost touching.
- You want me to show you? he asked, softly.
A shiver ran through the young woman. 17's voice suddenly sounded deeper than usual, sweeter. He was so close, his beautiful blue eyes fixed on her, his little smile on his lips. He suddenly seemed taller to her. Or rather, it was she who felt much smaller.
She didn't know what to think. What should she answer? What should she say?
But fortunately for her, 17 could see how uncomfortable the young woman was, and while he loved to tease her, he didn't want to torture her for too long either.
- I don't think you need proof of my speed, do you? he finally said, amused, taking a few steps back.
- No... no, there's no need... Ruri replied, catching her breath.
- And what is this? continued 17, taking the other clothes.
- Ah! It's a tracksuit.
- A what ?
- A casual outfit. We use it for sports, but that's not why I took it, Ruri continued, glad to change the subject.
- And why then?
- To chill out.
- Huh?
- Hahaha! I was sure you wouldn't know what that is! Chilling, it's typically human. We relax. We do nothing. We rest.
- And what does that have to do with me?
- BUT YOU'RE ALWAYS SO SERIOUS ! You're stiff as a board, always doing something, never relaxed. You told me that you like to learn about "human things", right?
- ….. Yes.
- So I thought I'd teach you how to chill. And you see, I took a black tracksuit. Simple and understated. I didn't think you'd like anything fancy. Because, believe me, I could have gone for pink with flowers. So you can thank me.
- Uh... thanks.
- So, happy?
17 didn't quite understand why Ruri had given him useless items for the mission. He wasn't really used to someone caring about him, about his well-being, about whether he was happy. Nevertheless, the young woman's attentions touched him, at least as much as they intrigued him.
- Yes, I thank you for your gifts, he answered after a few seconds. It's... nice.
- You're welcome! exclaimed Ruri. Oh, but have you seen what time it is ? It's going to be too late to dive in. We should eat instead. I mean me.
- Oh, we're not testing the submersible?
17's disappointment was so strong that he couldn't contain it, and Ruri could read it on his face in a fraction of a second.
"Oh my goood is he so cute !" she thought. "His little dejected look is killing me !"
- Oh sorry 17! Yes, of course! You'll see, you can drive it like a video game. Be careful, we won't go near the reef again, until you master the piloting. It costs a real fortune, I don't want to damage it on the first day ! Let's go !