AN: One Japanese word: Itsumo=ever/forever (Disclaimer: I still no own!) Oh, what does OC and OOC mean?
Chapter II: Movie Night
Tuesday night, or possibly very early Wednesday morning, I laid in bed reading my third book happily. I was amazed of how much better I felt, after vomiting several times throughout the evening. I still felt sick, but better than ever. I think it had something to do with Blakbeetle and I becoming an official couple, however official kilobot-medabot relationships can be.
Zuru, Ikki, Tyrelbeetle, Metabee, and Rokusho won the robattle, though it wasn't easy. Tyrelbeetle came home severally damaged. By the time they got home, it was too late to run to Miss Nae and get the repairs done on Tyrelbeetle, Rokusho, Metabee, or me. We would get the repairs done after school Wednesday. Besides, I was too sick to leave the house after I drank that oil.
The strange thing is, Zuru said that after Kintora and Minitora lost, they started whining about how some power upgrades didn't work. Power as in strength. Their punches and shots did do more damage than usual. At least it felt like it. I think their armor might have been better, too. Remember how Exor and Unitrix really never stayed down while I was still there? I'm guessing Kam made those upgrades.
I flipped the page, adjusted so the light on my bedside table hit the page better, and read on, laughing every few moments.
Zuru groaned as he turned to me, grabbing my attention, and asked groggily, "Roks, what are you still doing awake?"
"Reading," I answered, then laughed at what I was reading. Zuru glanced at the cover of my book.
"First, you were reading a book--no, a novel of short stories--"
"And I read every single one thoroughly, followed by 'A Book of Jokes'," I interrupted. Zuru continued.
"And now 'A Book of Jokes Two'?! Roks, get to sleep, you need it. I need it. I can't sleep with you laughing or that light on."
"Sorry!" I apologized with a giggle. Zuru shook his head, and turned his back to the light with a sigh. I sighed angrily, slamming my book shut and sitting it on the bedside table.
"Zuru? I want to tell you something. I've wanted to tell you all evening," I admitted.
"What?" He actually sounded interested now. Good. I reached over Zuru as he turned over, and shook Tyrelbeetle lightly to wake him. He opened his eyes and shot up with a yelp, and then looked around modestly.
"Sorry. What's up?" he apologized and asked, placing his gaze on me.
"Well, you are. I want to tell you both something. I'm also gonna' tell Rokusho tomorrow, I think. I don't know who Blakbeetle's gonna' tell, if anyone or any-bot." Zuru and Tyrelbeetle nodded, and then stared at me, prompting me to say what I woke them up for. "I-it's good news, I think. Blakbeetle and I--we--we're--an--an official--" Why couldn't I get it out? Was it just because I'm under pressure to say it now? "--an official couple." Finally!
"Couple? You two--like each other? Cool!" Tyrelbeetle exclaimed.
"Yeah! That's great! It's about time--" Tyrelbeetle slapped his hand over Zuru's mouth nervously, with, of course, a nervous giggle.
"About time? You mean, it was obvious we should get together?" I asked, surprised and starting to feel a little violated.
"Yes, it was. The way you two acted around each other, the way you both blushed whenever you looked at each other, and not to mention you two were obviously drawn together!" Tyrelbeetle admitted happily, with a giggle.
"Yeah! I mean, you could probably start on opposite sides of the road about a block from here and head home, and by the time you got halfway here, you'd be walking side-by-side down the middle of the road!" Zuru added jokingly, though I'd bet he was right.
"Well, um, thanks, I guess."
"Congratulations, to both of you!" Tyrelbeetle and Zuru said, before flopping back onto the bed and dozing off again. 'Whatever…'
Wednesday, after school, Rokusho, Brass, Blakbeetle, Tyrelbeetle, and I all met at the school a little early. Metabee, of course, was late. But I felt that was a good thing. I wanted to tell Rokusho, because he can keep a secret, while Metabee would tell the world, whether I wanted him to or not. Not, probably. Blakbeetle had said she wanted to tell Brass. Why her I don't know.
Once we all gathered, Blakbeetle and I pulled Rokusho and Brass aside to tell them. They just thought it was weird, before we told them.
"I'm so happy for you, Blakbeetle!" Brass exclaimed after Blakbeetle told her the news. She threw her arms around Blakbeetle happily, and I just stared.
"Thank you!" Blakbeetle returned with a nervous giggle as she returned the hug. I shook my head and turned to a happy-looking Rokusho.
"You won't do that, will you?" I asked hopefully.
"No, but I will say 'congratulations!'" Rokusho returned. "Who all knows?"
"Of course Blakbeetle and I know, and so does Zuru and Tyrelbeetle. Now you and Brass, but that's all. Keep it secret, will ya'?"
"Sure!" He nodded happily. "I don't know why, but sure!" I sighed. Everyone seemed so excited about us becoming something of a couple. I don't know why. But it's the main reason I'm not telling everyone, other than some of my friends can't keep a secret to save their life (cough-Metabee-cough-cough).
"Brass!" Everyone turned at the young girl's voice, to see Erika running up to Brass. It was odd that she didn't have a pen or pencil, paper, or camera in hand. 'Probably in her pocket.' I told myself. "Guess what, Brass! Ikki invited all of us over for a movie night party!" Slowly, Ikki and Zuru appeared behind the excited girl.
"Yeah, you're all invited. It was Metabee's idea, though. Where is that bag-of-bolts, anyway?" Ikki added, looking around for his medabot.
"Who are you calling a bag-of-bolts, huh?" Metabee shouted back, running up behind Ikki and tapping him on the back.
"The same one that's a late-Kabuto," Ikki returned, turning to Metabee and pointing at him. Everyone else stared.
"I'll show you 'late'!" They continued bickering, while I stepped closer to Zuru and asked, "By 'everyone', who all does she mean?"
"Uh, you, Blakbeetle, Tyrelbeetle, Brass, Erika, Rokusho, me, and of course Ikki and Metabee. I think that's all," he returned.
"Oh."
"And I think I'm stuck with bringing food. Erika's stuck with the drinks, and Ikki and Metabee provide the time, place, and movie. You don't mind if we bring a few cans of oil along from our stash, do you?"
"Not at all. I'm too sick to drink any, and Blakbeetle and Tyrelbeetle don't drink it that often. In fact," I blushed at the memory, before I continued, "Blakbeetle had her first taste of oil yesterday."
"Ok, then. Let's go on home. I've got food to prepare." I nodded at this, then motioned for Tyrelbeetle and Blakbeetle to follow as Zuru and I headed for the school gates, leaving Ikki and Metabee fighting, and Erika and Brass trying to calm them down.
On the walk home, I asked, "What time is it?", "What movie are we watching?", and "What food are you bringing?"
Zuru answered, "Six o' clock, dinner time or so.", "Some sappy, black-and-white, old-fashioned film that Metabee picked out after hearing Brass liked it.", and "Uh, party and dinner kinds of food. It's a movie-and-dinner kind of thing." I nodded at his answers, then clutched a hand over my stomach, feeling the signs of vomiting. 'Not here, not now!' As I said before, it's not a good time to vomit when people are around! I needed to get away. Then I saw my answer. The turnoff for the back-way home up ahead.
"Zu-Zu?" I noticed Blakbeetle look at me funny, but I continued, "Can I take the back road? I'm in the mood for a scenic route," I made up an excuse.
"Oh, sure. I can't, though. I've got to get home to make the food in time," Zuru returned.
"I'll stick with ya'. I can help!" Tyrelbeetle chimed in. Zuru looked sideways back at him and snorted, with an 'as if!' expression. I giggled at this, but groaned quietly when my stomach ached. Sadly, Blakbeetle noticed, and turned to Zuru.
"Can I go with Roks, please?" she requested, causing me to hold my breath and shake my head 'no' towards Zuru, hoping he would notice. He didn't, and answered, "Sure. Have fun!" I sighed. I couldn't object to it without someone thinking it was odd. I didn't want that. But Blakbeetle can't come! I mean, on some level I was glad to get to go the scenic route with my 'girlfriend', but not for the reason I wanted to go in the first place.
As we approached the turnoff, Blakbeetle noticed me slowing down, gripping my stomach, head bowed and wincing, and grabbed my arm, pulling me down the back road and waving 'goodbye' and 'see ya' to Zuru and Tyrelbeetle.
We walked slowly down the back road. I was a few paces behind Blakbeetle, looking around occasionally for somewhere to go to get away from Blakbeetle. Eventually, Beebe, I mean, Blakbeetle turned to me and asked, "Is your stomach alright?"
"No. I think I might vomit," I admitted, stopping and dropping to my knees. I held my breath, hoping I wouldn't. Blakbeetle just stood there, staring at me sympathetically. After a moment, she kneeled down.
"Then why don't you?" she asked, cupping her hand on the side of my face.
"I don't control it. My body decides when and all. I just have to cope with it, sadly. It's painful-- " I returned, but as I left off, I vomited. It was more painful than ever. I was definitely losing too much oil. Like a human loses too much blood, medabots lose too much oil-blood and have the same reaction. It's strange. If humans are low on blood, they get cold, tired, and weak, right? The same happens to medabots and kilobots when they're low on oil-blood. Blakbeetle, Tyrelbeetle, and Zuru seemed to notice the 'tired and weak' part, but as Blakbeetle kept her hand on the side of my face while I vomited, then wiped oil from my mouth, she seemed to notice the 'cold' part.
"Why are you cold?" she asked.
"Not enough oil in my systems-- " I vomited again, this time groaning painfully. Blakbeetle wiped the oil from my mouth with her thumb again, then pulled me into a sympathetic hug. She was…crying? Yes, she was crying over my illness.
"Please, be ok!" she pleaded, wailing and pulling me closer and tighter. I clutched my stomach, but the pain slowly faded as I leaned into the hug, her tears hitting and running down the back of my head.
"Something tells me I'll be fine--with you." Why was I feeling better in her hug? Just something about it? Or her? Or us? Us. That's it. It has something to do with 'us'. Love? That's what I'm betting on.
A little while later, Beebe--UGH!--BLAKBEETLE and I finally returned home. We stepped in and immediately smelled some yummy food. Makes me wish I could eat human food without--well, you know. Blakbeetle and I stepped into a warm kitchen to find a few different foods were lining the tables. There was a bag of candy, some meatballs, cheese crackers in a bag, and trail mix. It was all in bags, and Zuru was stuffing all of it in a bigger bag.
"Hey, what took ya'? We've been waiting for you to make the applesauce!" Tyrelbeetle joked, laughing. As Zuru walked back to the counter for a bigger bag, he rapped him over the head, making my bro--partner grip his head and say, "Oww-hey!" I giggled slightly, finally learning not to giggle too much or my stomach will ache.
"I don't think that was nice, Tyrelbeetle." I stared at Kuro-Kochu--uh, Blakbeetle, wondering why she defended me like that…she was defending me, right?
Later, the four of us arrived at Ikki's and Metabee's. Zuru rung the doorbell, and soon thereafter, the door swung open, and in it stood Ikki and Metabee.
"Hey, come on in! Bring food, Zuru?" Ikki piped cheerily. Zuru nodded, and the four of us filed through the door. Once in, we all saw that Erika, Ikki, Brass, Metabee, Zuru, Blakbeetle, Tyrelbeetle, and I were not the only ones invited. Ginkai, Arc-Dash, and Rokusho were all there. Almost immediately, all the humans had plates with food piled on them in their hands…and mouth. Rokusho? Rokusho…has food? Yes, my eyes weren't playing tricks on me, Rokusho had a plate with food on it in his hand, though he was eating politely. All of us medabots gathered around him where he sat on the chair by the couch, and he stopped eating, looking around at us uncomfortably.
"Uh, can I help you?" he asked. All of us blinked, and looked closer. I was the one who spoke up.
"Why are you eating?" Everyone looked to me and nodded in agreement, and then looked back to Rokusho.
"Oh, your medafighters haven't told you yet? Well, the professor is trying a new upgrade he designed and installed in me two days ago. This is the second time I've eaten…well, it would be if you would leave me alone. I had dinner with Hushi last night, and now I'd like to eat again…"
"Wow! Uh, sorry…" Metabee apologized, backing away. Whispering, everyone else spread out, but, because of my stomach, I needed to sit down, so I sat in the chair beside Rokusho with my legs crossed and holding my stomach.
"Are you feeling alright?" Rokusho asked politely after a pause. I nodded in reply. But I lied again, so I decided to tell the truth.
"No. I don't want to lie about it again--I'm feeling terrible." I groaned and gripped my stomach tighter, cringing and buckling forward in pain. This evidently worried Rokusho. He quickly sat his plate down on the table between his chair and the couch, chewing and swallowing his last bite, and kneeled down in front of me with a hand on my shoulder.
"How exactly did you eat that applesauce?"
"I--lost my balance, tripped forward, tipped the bowl, and threw apple sauce on my face--" I groaned again and fell out of my chair and onto my knees on the ground as the chair slid back a little. Crossing my arms over my stomach tightly, I leaned on Rokusho face first on his shoulder.
"Is there anything I can do for you?" Rokusho asked quietly, rubbing my back with his other hand on my arms over my stomach.
"I wish…Nnnngg--" Blackness.
"--happened?" I barely heard a young-sounding boy's voice finish.
"I don't know! His stomach started hurting, and I wanted to help! But he passed out before I could do anything!" came a worried, while still low and elegant (like mine), voice in return.
"That happened after he threw up the first time!" this one sounded like the average-Joe male. The voices sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. They must know me, because I guess they're talking about me.
Next, I heard the quiet groaning of two females, one human and the other medabot, then a gasp.
"I think he's waking up!" announced the girl medabot.
"Roks? Roks! Are you ok?" asked the average-Joe voice and the young-sounding boy's voice simultaneously.
"Roks?" this one sounded male, and hard to describe. He sounded worried, which I somehow thought didn't fit the personality as I knew it, though I didn't know who's personality I was thinking of. It was almost…comforting to hear worry in that voice. This voice giggled slightly. Did he see something funny about me? "Yo, man! What happened? Are you ok?" asked the voice, the worry clinging on though he obviously tried to disguise it.
"What he said…uhh…asked!" another voice, this one I seem to relate to the last, stated. I groaned, trying to get some sight. Nothing showed up in my visual field. Were my eyes open? I asked aloud, "Are my eyes open?"
"Uh, yeah…" answered the hard-to-describe-male voice.
"Well, I can't see anything. Who am I talking to?"
"Hello?! Metabee speaking!" the hard-to-describe-male voice returned.
"Your medafighter, Roks, Zuru. What do you mean you can't see anything?" that would be the young-sounding boy's voice.
"Exactly what I said! I think something happened to my visual sensors…or…something…maybe my mom knows…" What did I just say?!
"Huh?" everyone gasped. I felt a metal hand on my forehead, just barely, and then the voice that sounded like mine reported, "He has a fever. I'm guessing he's delirious…uhh, I'm Rokusho."
"A fever?" the average-joe voice repeated. Then he said, "Oh, I'm Tyrelbeetle."
"Ikki, and I know I'm agreeing a lot with what others say, but…what he said…asked…said…yeah, asked," agreed the voice I related to what turned out to be Metabee.
"I know I haven't said anything yet, but I'm Ginkai. Arc-Dash is here, too," guess who said that!
"Well, medabots get fevers too. Their systems can overheat trying to do something internal or external…I guess Roks' systems are trying to get rid of that apple sauce," Rokusho explained. At that, something clicked. Not literally, I mean something suddenly made sense.
"Metabee," I began, "Are you worried? Well, at least, were you?"
"Uhh, yeah…" he started to whisper, "I say that partially out of fear of, if I don't admit, Rokusho's gonna' attack me again!"
"That virus is gone, Metabee!"
"Yeah, but still…"
"I heard that," Rokusho interjected.
"Roks," Ikki began, "Hurry and get your sight back! We should have started the movie by now!"
"It's not like I know how to work my vision!" At that, I heard all the medabots say, "Hmm…" thoughtfully, and obviously start to think.
"True…" Metabee began.
"That does usually work by will…" Rokusho said next.
"We don't have to mentally make it happen, like pushing a button or anything…" Tyrelbeetle added.
"Don't we--you have the schematics or something? Maybe it'll tell ya' how to do it manually there," Arc-Dash spoke up.
"Even if I did, I can't call it up. I can't see my own readouts or settings or mode symbol…or anything," I responded.
"But you don't want to be blind during the movie. There's got to be a way…the movie's s'posed to be good! I'm Blakbeetle, by the way," Blakbeetle, obviously, chimed in. I think she was repeating what someone else had said about the movie…for one, I don't think it'll be that good, in my opinion; Blakbeetle doesn't seem to be the type that would like what I heard the movie was going to be, and Brass likes it, so since Blakbeetle seems to be good friends with Brass, she'd take her word for it… blinding light!
"Hey, who turned on the lights?!" I shouted. I could see just light, and the readouts, et cetera, were back. I felt myself wince as the light increased and decreased to the level of sound on my words.
"Uh, no one, it's the same lighting as it has been for the last…uhh…twenty minutes or so," Zuru answered.
"I feel like I'm staring at a lit-up light bulb!" I tried to close my eyes. I didn't know if they were closed or not, but if they were, it didn't help. The light was on the inside. A sudden shooting pain throughout my body and systems…that wouldn't let up. Throbbing…nausea…and I thought robattles, medafights, and fights were painful! The light faded. Not all the way to the blackness again, more like a silvery color illuminating my field of vision. I whined, "Ahh…Zuru…Z-Zu-Zu! Help…make it stop!"
"Make what stop, Roks?" Zuru returned worriedly.
"Zu-Zu?" I heard a few different people and 'bots question my nickname for Zuru… I know I heard Blakbeetle in there.
"It hurts…"
"What hurts? …Roks?" Zuru went on.
"My body--systems--a-above all--my-my stomach! AHH!" I screamed, which faded to a groan, and slowly turned to sobbing without tears. I heard hydraulics, and eventually a cold wetness touched my face.
"Good idea, Rokusho," I heard Zuru complement. More hydraulics, then the quiet, nearly undetectable movement of the soft fabric of clothing, and breathing near my head…human breathing… Slowly, I was wrapped in the soft, comforting, warm embrace of my master…my medafighter…my very best friend…, "Zu-Zu…" Green. In my field of vision was green, with the texture of fabric…Zuru's shirt. I saw the readouts, et cetera, and all my senses were working…ok, not the best, but ok. My pain, nausea, throbbing, and so on, faded into the comforting, soft warmth.
"Thank you…" I uttered, and I felt Zuru pull away. I was disappointed. I didn't want the embrace to end…itsumo…
We were finally watching the movie. By now, we were kind of at the beginning of the climax. I had lost interest as soon as I saw it was black-and-white. After that vision incident earlier, I'd prefer color, modern, et cetera. All the girls were crying, Ginkai and Arc-Dash were oddly into it, but the rest of the boys were obviously bored. Well, Metabee pretended to be interested for Brass, and the movie was soap opera-like, but other than that… The strangest thing was, and what I couldn't take my eyes off, were Brass and Blakbeetle. I watched and listened in on them.
Blakbeetle was crying, but she didn't understand why. It was a happy moment in the movie, not sad. Brass was attempting to explain.
"Why am I crying if this is good?" Blakbeetle whispered to Brass.
"Tears of joy!" Brass replied, also whispering and crying.
"That doesn't make since!"
"You're so happy, you cry! Besides, you're not crying that hard, and neither am I. You'll understand someday."
"Huh?"
The two slowly returned to the movie as the strangest thought crossed my mind. I leaned back, let my master put his arm around my shoulders, and leaned my head on his shoulder. I started to think about that thought, pretending to be interested in the movie.
What if I was taking advantage of her? She knew so little, she may not know what it means for us to become an official couple. What if she doesn't understand, and is just playing along, thinking what I'm doing is right, like back in our room when we woke up? What if I like her, but she really doesn't like me back? She didn't even know what she said about liking me too meant…did she? What if what she said was true? What if I were to end our relationship, just to make sure I wasn't taking advantage of her? How would she react? Would she know what I was doing? Would I break her heart? I don't want to hurt her! I love her! …that's all I need, right? Does she love me back? Could I love someone who didn't love me? Doesn't seem possible, but…I'm so confused! What do I do? Am I taking advantage of her? Please, no!
I turned my head and buried it in Zuru's shoulder, crying slightly…Zuru hugged me slightly and sideways to comfort me. It didn't help much, but a comforting hug from Zuru is just that… He seemed a little worried, though. But during the movie he wasn't going to ask, and besides, I didn't want to answer. I guess he somehow knew that…but how?
"What was wrong?" Zuru asked, shutting the fridge, taking what he had gotten out, and sitting it on the counter.
He had dragged me downstairs with him for a bedtime snack and a chance to talk without Tyrelbeetle or Blakbeetle there. And I was glad he had thought to ask me what was wrong when we were alone together.
"N-nothing…" I answered shakily, sitting in a barstool-like chair in the kitchen (same one as always), my arms crossed on the table and resting my chin on them.
"You've been lying about yourself a lot lately, so I'm not about to believe that," Zuru returned as he hopped up in the seat next to me, his white-paper plate (with food on it of course) on the bar-like table in front of him.
"It's just…I had the strangest thought during that movie…I, uh, overheard and watched Brass and Blakbeetle…" I began admitting. Zuru noticed my pause, and mentioned something off the subject, "Erika says they've become like girlfriends! Well, that's what she said at least."
"Yeah, I noticed they seem to be good friends. That explains why Blakbeetle wanted to tell Brass about us…"
"Go on, sorry to interrupt."
"Ugh…uh, Blakbeetle just seems to know so little…I mean I had to tell her what 'promise' meant, and Brass explained…uh, tried to explain why they were crying about something good." Notice I left out having to explain what 'love' meant.
"So? She is a kilobot, and she has been with Kam for a long time…"
"I wonder what he's up to. He hasn't bothered us for a few days now!"
"His lackeys have."
"But we don't know if they were sent to do that by Kam…well, actually, we kinda' do, don't we? He gave them those upgrades, after all."
"Yes, but we can't worry about that at the moment. Go on. I can tell you would rather change the subject, but don't."
"Ok, ok…I'm just worried I might be taking advantage of her. G'night." I turned in my seat and started to slip out and leave, when Zuru grabbed my shoulder, swallowing a bite of his snack.
"Taking advantage of her…?" he questioned.
"Yeah, that's all." I continued to leave, when Zuru shouted, "Roks, stop!", just quietly enough not to wake the entire household. I took what he said as an order, and stopped in my tracks. I can't even slightly disobey him…I should've thought that would be my downfall one day!
"How would you be taking advantage of her?"
"She doesn't understand what it means for us to 'like' each other!" I returned, reeling around with tears welling up in my eyes, "I know I like her, but she doesn't know what that means! She agreed that she liked me, but what if she really doesn't and can't tell? What if she's just playing along, doing what I do, thinking that what I do is right?" I finally broke down crying, dropping to my knees, "I don't want to hurt her…she might even like someone else, and now she's stuck with me! I could ruin her entire life…just because she can't understand, and I'm too selfish to…to…make sure this is what she wants, deep down inside…"
"You're not selfish, Roks. I know you're not." I felt Zuru's hands on my upper arms, and looked up to see Zuru staring into my eyes, a warm, comforting smile plastered on his face…
"You've been doing that a lot lately…"
"What's that?"
"Comforting me…"
"Because you need it. I don't know how I can help, but I'll try. I don't want to hurt her, either. Mainly because if she was in pain, so would you be."
"That's true. How am I supposed to tell, though? She doesn't understand, so she can't tell me what she's feeling. I could explain to her, but I wouldn't know what to explain, and not even I could explain everything…for several different reasons."
"Just ask her. Maybe she can tell you, based on what you've already explained. Didn't you explain what love meant, too?"
"Yeah, how'd you guess?"
"I overheard you two talking that night."
"Oh, we woke you up…sorry."
"It was a good thing…it is a good thing. I believe she really does love you, even if she doesn't understand. You love her, and she loves you."
"I'd like to believe that."
"What's stopping you?"
"I don't really understand, either…we're 'bots. How can we love, anyway?"
Dokey okey! Ya' likey? Plz R&R! (Don't forget to answer my 'OC-OOC' question)