And it's Day 5! Yay! Well... it's not entirely a "yay", but it is. Yeah... Confusing... Anyway, I need more reviews! REVIEWS! Or actually more people reading it. Gah... Maybe this game isn't popular enough. It's such a good game, nonetheless. People are missing out! Yush! Oh! And if any of you are wonderingor overlooked why I chose the name Draco, it's because of my former favorite screen name, DracoRed. Then, it became my character in PSO so... yeah... If you have anything against Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter, this is the explanation why I chose the name. Don't shoot me! Then again, there are people out there who like Draco Malfoy, not that I have a problem with it. Either way, he's not the reason why I have the name. Okay? Oh! Which reminds me...
Disclaimer
I do not own Phantasy Star Online, whatsoever. Blame it all on Sega, Nintendo, and all those good companies.
Anyway, read on, folks! On to Day 5!
Day 5: Anxiety
"Where's Fami?"
"I don't know!"
"Well! Don't just stand there. Help me find it!"
"Why don't you find it yourself? I got something to do."
"What? Play games?"
"Yeah, if you don't mind."
"But I do mind, damn it! Help me find it!"
What is a Fami?
I awoke from the sound of my alarm. I promised Elenor that I'd stay one more day. With those eyes, I'll do anything.
I decided to prepare myself for the journey on my own by taking the opportunity to train one last time before I left. Thinking about being alone scares me. Who knows what'll happen to me. But, I have Bana with me, so I'll do fine, I hope.
Anyway, I have to learn to use the weapon that is meant for me and see if I can synchronize with Bana somehow. We began the simulation and the same figure appeared before me, but this time it had a halberd at hand. It showed me the effective ways to attack and defend with the lance, and then Dr. Montague decided to pull another one on me. Suddenly, the figure turned to attack.
"Damn it, Doc!" I shouted.
"Hee hee! One last time before you go!" I see the doctor is enjoying himself. Fighting hand to hand is one thing, but with weapons? I got nervous, but remembering the fun I had a couple of days ago put me back in the mood.
I dodged the figure's attack by rolling to the side and tried to hit him with a vertical slash. I almost hit Bana. He yelled absurdities at me, but I ignored. I told him to teleport back because I was scared that he'd get hurt. He's so small! What can he do in battle? Then, the figure jumped aside and slashed horizontally. I ducked it and swept him at his leg, but he jumped high and sliced down. I blocked it by holding my weapon in front of me and countered by pushing him back, causing him to lose his balance, and spun around rapidly for a kick. I got him on the ribs, causing him to stagger backwards. I took the advantage by spinning around once more in the same direction and smashing the hilt of my weapon on the side of his head. The impact caused him to flip sideways one and a half times, landing on his face. I am victorious again! He got up with a grimace. We bowed to each other and everything turned to normal again.
Elenor entered again, but she didn't look too happy.
"Congratulations, Draco," she said, hiding her sadness with a smile.
"Thanks. You're not going to challenge me again, are you?"
"No, no. I am not," she laughed quietly, "If I had my way, I would challenge you to another duel to keep you here…."
We both laughed.
"Nah! I'm sure I'll win."
"Oh, really?" She puts her hands on her hips in protest.
"You got lucky last time."
"Want a rematch?"
"Okay you guys," Bana interrupted, "don't you get lovey-dovey on us and stay here all night. For all I care, I could be back in the MAG room with the others." I was engulfed in my bout that I forgot that Bana is in here with me. The word "lovey-dovey" startled us both and we just stood there somewhat paralyzed staring at each other.
"What is wrong? Will you three come back, please?" Doc interrupted. The announcement startled us.
"Yes, Doctor." We all replied.
We warped out of the room and joined Dr. Montague in the terminal, but still had "lovey-dovey" echoing in my head. It seems to affect Elenor too, because she is a little wobbly. I didn't think it would have that kind of effect on her. I still need to learn more about this body.
"What's wrong with you two?" he asked with a perplexed look on his face. He could see something between us, but I'm not exactly sure. Elenor and I both felt jittery.
"Nothing!" Elenor and I replied together abruptly after Doc asked his question. We glanced at each other then faced Doc again as soon as we made eye contact. I thought I caught Bana shaking his head in the corner of my eye.
"Uh-huh… Anyway, we're leaving soon, Elenor. I suggest you tell Draco other bodily functions before we go," he said as we started to leave the simulation room. Bana hardly contained his laugh at the phrase "bodily functions".
"Yes, Doctor," she replied before we separated. After that, he went to his room with the usual wide grin on his face and we went to Elenor's room. We were alone once again.
"So, uh…"
"Yeah…"
Then, there was another uncomfortable silence.
Bana interjected, "(Ehem!) About the bodily functions?" Bana is still with us.
"Right!" Elenor said with a start. "I told you two ways to charge already, correct?"
"Mmm-hmm," I replied.
"That leaves using water, breathing, the last way to charge, and repairing damages. Keep in mind that staying under water drains your energy quicker. The rate your energy is drained depends on how deep you are. Underwater exploration will use up your energy quicker because your body is using up your energy to push the water out of your body. The deeper you go the more energy is used to keep the water from seeping into your systems, because of the high-pressure.
"However, water is not just harmful to your body. This cools down your systems so it will not heat up. If you ever feel like you are going to melt, drink some water, then it will be distributed throughout your body. But, be careful. Imagine a balloon being filled with water. If you fill it up too much, it will burst. That will happen inside you when you drink too much.
"Believe it or not, we breathe too. This circulates the energy so our body can move more efficiently. If the energy is discontinued in a certain area, that part of your body will automatically shut down until the circulation is regenerated. It is like the nerve endings of an organic being.
"Also, almost anything is good energy. Basically, you take it orally and your distribute systems will take care of it from there. When you do charge this way, keep in mind that smoke should come out of your exhaust panel, which is under your shoulder blades. If nothing comes out, then I suggest you go to the hospital as quickly as you can. Android technicians will take care of you there. You have only less than an hour to get there before you explode.
"What? Are you serious?"
"No. I am kidding."
"Elenor!"
She began to laugh, "I am sorry. I want to mess with you one last time before you depart. Anyway, if it does not come out your exhaust panels, the smoke should come out of your mouth. However, this will hurt, so prepare for that.
"The safest way to charge this way is to use green canisters that are marked monomates, dimates, or trimates. The mates are also used for body repairs. If your plating is penetrated by enemy attack, rub on some mate on your wounds, and then it should rebuild what is damaged. Trimates repair you the fastest of the three. That is all." The atmosphere grew melancholy again and we are in another uncomfortable silence. "I know I cannot stop you," she said softly, "so please, do not forget me."
"Why are you worrying so much? I'll come back! Maybe sooner than you think."
She came and put her arms around me. "I will miss you." Her touch paralyzed me again. Her chest is surprisingly soft.
After a long pause, I responded, "I—I'll miss you t—too."
Just when I was about to put my arms around her, the door opened. She let go of me with a start.
"Time to go, Elenor. Feel free to take anything you need before you leave. The last thing I need is my greatest creation to be destroyed," Dr. Montague said by the door with the usual smile on his face.
"Good-bye, Draco," She said as she waved to me with a sad smile and left.
"Good-bye, Elenor," I said back.
The door closed behind them and I stood there for a while staring at the door. I never wanted the hug to end. Without it, it feels a little… lonely. The feeling is overwhelming enough that I had to sit against the wall. I heaved a saddened sigh.
"Ooh! Lover boy!" Apparently, I forgot about Bana again. I could be blushing right now.
"Shut up!" I snapped.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I ruin the moment?"
"Yeah, you did," I replied dully.
After another long pause, Bana said, "May I suggest something?"
"Sure. Go ahead. I'm too tired to care."
"Stay."
"What?" I said in confusion. "I can't believe what you're suggesting. I'm being used and do you expect that I stay here? Then again, I could stay with Elenor. But… I'm being used, damn it! ARGH! I don't know what to do anymore!"
"Stay! Think about it. If you waltz up to your family's house, you could startle them and cause an unneeded commotion. Plus, you don't even know if they still live in the same house. Also, you don't know what it's like out there. You could be torn apart by a hunter and sold piece by piece for all I care. You might as well be thrown in the junk heap. Also, Doctor and Elenor can help you to look for your family."
"But, I made up my mind. Besides, I can take on anyone. You saw how good I am a while ago."
"That's true. But according to Elenor, you aren't ready yet. You lost to her and she could be well beyond a ten ranked fighter."
"You're right," I confessed dully, "but I can't stand being used by these people."
"Then, stay awhile. Things will change over time."
"Is it another one of those observation moments?"
"No. I know by experience. I used to think that way about my master."
"But, I thought you couldn't remember your master."
"It's true that I lost part of my memory due to the injuries that were inflicted upon me, but it's his name I couldn't remember. I can never forget him completely. All I have of him, now, are incoherent memories."
"I see. So in a way, we are alike."
"Yes indeed, we are." He seems to want to swing away from the talk about his experience with his master. I'll respect that for the time being. I just want to see where this is heading.
"So, if we have more things in common, we could be easily synchronized, right?"
"Being synchronized doesn't necessarily mean that we have a lot of things in common."
"Okay. So, we have to know what the other is thinking and maybe that's how it'll work."
"That, I cannot say. Unfortunately, I could perhaps have lost that portion of my memory as well. So, I have to relearn this skill altogether. If we're lucky, I'll remember how to synchronize over time."
"I hope it's soon. I just want to see what something so puny can do."
"Hey! I can do something," he shouted at me.
"Heh…. I'm sorry. Anyway, this is what we'll do: we'll take turns asking questions and the other has to answer these questions, truthfully."
"I see. Who goes first then?"
"I'll go." Then, we began our little game. "According to your memories, what does your master look like?"
"Do you really want to talk about that?"
"Yes I do, if that's what it takes to be synchronized."
He sighs, "Oh, okay. He has long white hair and a bushy mustache and he wore white armor that has a blue outlining. He has a scar over his right eye. He's old now. He could've died from old age, but that won't explain my injuries."
"Hmm… he's been killed, no kidding. No ordinary person could've taken your master down." I can see he still doesn't want to talk about his master. "Anyway, your turn."
"Could you tell me the descriptions of the people you remember in your visions?"
"Uh… there is a Hunter who has short brown hair with a mustache who wore a gray colored armor with some yellow patches, like the little boy you described to me who is attached to his older brother. The Hunter's wife is a Force; she has long, cyan-colored hair that goes down a little lower than the small of her back. She has a long blue robe and wore a long hat to go with her outfit… OH!" I startled Bana from my sudden exclamation. "Their sons resemble the same descriptions of the two brothers who came to the MAG room that one time!"
"Hmm… you could be tied to them somehow."
"Now that you mention it, I do feel a connection." Then, I felt a sudden sense of grief. "Oh no… what if…"
"You could be the one they've lost."
"I could be their brother."
"It makes sense. But, what will you do if you find them? They won't easily be convinced that you're their brother, you know?"
"I didn't think about it until now, but it's this weapon I hold in my hand."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah. This is deeply important to them, this Gae Bolg. If they see me with this, they'll recognize me."
"But, how will they know it's you? This weapon, I'm assuming, isn't only one of its kind."
I looked for an inscription on the blade.
"It's this." I showed Bana a name engraved in the base of the blade.
"Conners?"
"It's their last name; our… last name. It's now falling into place! I tried so hard to give it to them… our parents." I grew melancholy again. "I tried so hard to return this to them and deliberately went against my parent's words. Now, look where it's gotten me…. I'm sorry. I've been rambling on and on about me. I'm so selfish."
"No! Don't worry about it. I'm more interested in your past than mine."
"But, it's wrong. Tell me a little more about yourself." Now is time to quit holding back my little friend.
"I'm sorry, but that's all I can remember. I'm just a partner for my master and the whereabouts of my master are still unknown and I've lost parts of my memory from the injuries that were inflicted upon me."
"Uh-uh," I shook my head, "you seem to be forgetting something."
"R—really?"
"You kinda swung away from saying how you felt about your master in the past."
"Oh, uh—uh really? You don't want to hear that," he insisted.
"You want to relearn how be synchronized, don't ya?"
"Uh… er… yeah."
"So tell me! It won't hurt to tell me."
"Uh—uh… okay." He sighed in defeat then paused to collect his thoughts. "It was a few weeks after I was created when I began to feel indifferent towards my master. I went with him everywhere, on his errands, missions, and even leisurely strolls around Pioneer 2. From this, I saw things that disturbed me. I saw androids and MAGs being abused by their masters and they still reluctantly listen to them after what they've done to them. A lot of them forgive their masters for what they do to them, but in the end many of them leave their masters.
"After taking in what I've seen, I began to think my master is that way about me too and I began to dislike all humans, especially my master. I thought to myself, 'If I could leave now, then I can save myself from the hurt.'
"Subsequently, I left without a word to my master. At first, all is well, but I began to feel lonely and missed my master, ironically. I laughed at the thought every time and it soothed my sorrowful soul for a while. Days went by and I still roamed Pioneer 2 master-less. One night, I came across a shady android who is twice as wide as you are and had black armor. His head is long like a small rocket. He and his associates tried to 'persuade' me to join their team. They cornered me in a dark alleyway and slapped me around. I thought of pleading for leniency, but what good will that do? They still pounded me back and forth." He shuddered. "Their horrible laughs still reverberate in my head.
"They left me behind, thrashed. From what I remember, it's not as bad as the beating I've taken before I lost my memory. I wish the attack upon my master and I destroyed this part of my memory, but it didn't. It hurts me to relive this."
I feel sorry for putting him through such grief, but I have to understand him somehow.
"You don't have to go on, if you want to," I said. "I won't force you."
"No. It's okay. You need to know me, so I'll open my heart to you." He paused again then continued. "Anyway, a human was nice enough to bring me to the hospital and get me repaired. At the time, I loathed the idea. I just wanted to die at the thought. After sitting in the recovery room for a few hours, my master found me. Someone noticed who I was and who I belonged to and took the audacity to tell my master where I've been within the past few hours. My master looked very distraught and pale, but at the same time, he looked very glad to see me. He rushed to my side and whispered, 'I'm sorry, Bana! Was it something I did or didn't do? Please tell me because I never want to lose you again.' He was on the brink of tears after that. From that point forward, I knew I wasn't just a… thing… to my master. I am a part of him and he's a part of me." Bana paused for a moment. He could be holding back his tears. "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to dishearten you," he said apologetically.
"No, not at all. It actually convinced me to stay. But, the thought of them using me to save their job still bothers me."
"Something tells me, there's more to it than just using you. You'll see. Through time, you'll change your mind about them."
I'm sure being synchronized will be easier from now on. I got to know my partner and I've figured out what happened to me. If it weren't for Bana, I'll be out there somewhere sold in pieces. I'm convinced! I'll stay! But, I'm still skeptical about MAGs being used in combat, though.
So, for another few hours, we talked about what we like to do and what were our favorite things, and so on. I figured out that Bana has a crush on the MAG who is given to my brother. If that's the case, I hope I run into them sometime. The more we talked, the more things we have in common. We both liked the same music, same activities… it's like having a conversation with myself... and that is a bit scary. It's like Bana can read my thoughts. I don't think I can read his because I'm too slow for that. This made me feel uneasy and I have to know.
"Bana," I interrupted, "can you read my mind?"
"Eh? Now what brought that up?"
"Doesn't it seem a little… weird… that we have a lot of things in common?"
"Now that you mention it, yes it is and I was about to ask you the same question."
"Oh, good," I sighed in relief, "I was afraid to have someone with ESP as my partner."
"Ditto. But still, it is a little unusual that we have the same commonalities."
"Mmm-hmm. I guess… we are destined for each other."
After that little sidetrack, we continued asking questions for another few hours. Then, I began to worry about Dr. Montague and Elenor. They've been out longer than usual. Something must've happened to them.
"Bana," I interrupted again.
"What is it, Draco?" he asked with a slight irritation.
"Doc and Elenor is out for a long time and it's making me worried."
"You worry too much. Stressing too much will fry your circuits. They'll come back soon, you'll see," Bana reassured.
"I hope you're right."
We continued doing our thing for another hour. I sat in grief for every second that went by with Bana constantly comforting my internal struggle.
"I got to go out there and find them!" I said finally. "I'm tired of waiting! Something is up! I know it!"
"But, what if they arrive when you're gone?"
"You forget. I'm supposed to be gone."
"That's right. Okay, let's go. We don't have a moment to lose."
"Right on! By the way, thank you."
"Er… You're welcome. For what?"
"For helping me uncover my past."
Then we prepared to leave. I'm excited and nervous at the same time. My first mission! Hang on you guys. Draco is coming to the rescue. On our way to the armory, Bana explained how my containment system (CS) works. Basically, I can store a lot of things here and never have to worry about carrying a bag. There is a small screen I can flip open on my right wrist and that's how I can choose what I need. To store something, I just hold the item I want to store in the hand with the wrist screen and press store with the other. Amazing what we can do with technology!
Bana and I entered the "crypt", which is what I officially nicknamed the armory, and gathered as many monomates, dimates, and trimates as possible and placed them in my CS. All I could carry with me were ten of each. Then, I equipped myself with a shield and armor. Bana didn't have enough time to see if there were better ones, so he selected the ones closest to us.
Bana explained to me how to use a shield. "When you are in trouble, just hold out your arm."
"Like this?" I asked as I held out my arm in front of my chest.
"Yes. And you should deflect the attack. One problem though, you are vulnerable from the back, so keep a constant watch over your shoulder. Also, if you fight someone with a phenomenal strength, you could overload your shield, causing it to break and shut down to cool and regenerate. This will also make you vulnerable to any attack."
"So what should I do when it heats up like that?"
"All you can do is run away until your shield cools down and regenerates again. You should hear a series of beeps when it's about to break. The interval depends on how close it is to shutting down. The beeps are quicker when it's closest to overheating and vice-versa when it's furthest. When it's done cooling, it should stop beeping. Basically, you can tell if the shield broke, so I won't explain that. But then, you can try fending off the enemy until it cools, but that'll be the ultimate risk."
"That shouldn't be a problem," I bragged.
"I hope so. Also, you should keep your Gae Bolg in your CS."
"It's okay. I might want to be ready to help Elenor and Dr. Montague if they're in trouble."
"Suit yourself."
After that, we bolted out of the lab, locked it, and began our search for the missing duo. Hold on you two. I'm coming to get you!
After a short sprint, I froze. Everywhere you see, lights, buildings, holographic screens, transport ships hovering here and there… and people, a lot of people. From that point, I realized how hard it would be to find Dr. Montague and Elenor. For one, I don't have any leads whatsoever. It won't hurt to ask people. I mean, C'mon! Dr. Montague is famous. I'm sure someone saw them.
I looked around for a good candidate for my Q&A and found an eerie tall man with cyan colored hair standing with a few other familiar people. It's them! But, how will I pop up the question? And will they remember me? I stared at them, deep in thought, when my brother looked at me, his cold, red eyes glaring at me. Why is he looking at me that way? I don't know how to react. Then, he started to charge after me. I panicked and tried to run away as fast as I could. I want to stop and explain who I am, but he's just too intimidating. I don't want to know what he'd do to me if he caught up.
I kept running and occasionally looked over my shoulder to see if he is still on pursuit. Sure enough, he's still there. The Gae Bolg slowed me down because it would accidentally deck someone in the face. While we wove in and out of the huge groups of people, I frantically opened my screen and stored the lance in my CS. Of course, he can't recognize me, because the stupid doctor had to change my form. I don't know what's going through his mind.
"Why are you chasing me?" I shouted. He won't answer. Instead, he continues his charge. I tried again, still, no answer. There's got to be a way to calm him down. I don't have time for this! I need to find Doc and Elenor.
"What in the world is going on here? Why are we running?" Bana demanded while he hovered behind me. We approached a pedestrian bridge and the view is breathtaking, but there's no time to look at the scenery.
"It's him."
"Who?"
"My brother."
"Hmm… I see. Jump over the rail on your left."
"What?"
"JUUUUUMMMMMP!"
I jumped over the rail and thought I was going to die when a small car caught me. We barely hovered a mile when I saw a yellow flash zip past my head. My brother changed a lot. What happened to the calmer brother I once knew? Another bolt flew at me. This time, it managed to hit the main engine and caused the car to lose altitude. Smoke and fire gushed out of the wound and it's hard to see where we're going. I'm sure the person who's driving is panicking too. I knocked on the door and told the person to open up the cockpit. The girl piloting the car agreed to open it up and joined me on top.
"Look what you did to my car, damn it!" the girl screamed.
"I'm sorry, but now's not a good time to argue."
"Jeez! And I just got this yesterday!" she continued.
"Okay-okay! I'll repay you later, but now we need to find a way to get off this thing without hurting ourselves much."
"Much?"
"On my count, jump off to your right!" Bana shouted.
"Right!" I replied uneasily.
"Right, what?" the girl asked with a perplexed look.
"My MAG said jump on his count."
"How do you—,"
"Do you want to live?" She stopped talking and nodded. "Okay. Just hold on to me and jump when I tell you to."
"Okay," Bana and I shouted, "Ready! Set! JUMP!"
We jumped off and landed in an artificial tree and the car crashed into a water fountain, sending water, smoke, flames, and shards of marble everywhere. I managed to block some of the shards with my shield, but missed one, which struck the girl on her left shoulder. The piece penetrated her with such force that it's protruding through the other side. I stared in shock.
She screams, "AAAAHHHHH!"
"Holy sh…! A—are you okay?" I asked calmly as possible.
"Don't worry! I won't die from it." She's really tough for a girl like her. She has bright, pink hair, dark, tanned skin, and pointy ears. She's probably a newman. Her attire is a bit scandalous and it made me feel jittery. She wore tight, black, short clothing that expressed every inch of her curves. "Why are you staring at me like that?"
"Uh—uh sorry! (ehem!) We need to get you to the hospital," I said as I helped her down the tree.
"It's… okay. Really! Nothing a dimate can't fix."
When we stood on solid ground, she pulled the shard out of her shoulder with a scream and blood gushed out profusely. With a shaky hand, she removed the remaining pieces of the shard from her wound to avoid any infection. Then, she let off a grave grimace as she opened up a wrist screen that's similar to mine and released a dimate. A small, green canister appeared a few inches away from her face and I stared at it amusingly as it descended slowly to the ground. I shook myself into reality and realized that she hasn't picked it up yet. I looked around and found her on the ground, half fainting from the loss of blood.
"Oh no! N—need help?" I asked fearfully.
"N—no. I—I'm f—fine," she reassured.
I picked up the container anyway and handed it to her. Her hand is still shaky.
"How does this work?" I asked.
Weakly, she replied, "Y—you rub… s—some of that on… the cut… and it sh—should heal..."
I quickly applied the creamy dimate on her wound and it healed with smoke coming out of it, but the process hurt her some more. She let off one last scream. All that remained of the injury were the trails of blood that trickled from the wound and a slight scar.
"Are you okay now?"
"Yes… Thank… you…"
"Hey! Don't pass out on me! HEY!" It's too late. She slumped to the ground lifelessly. I turned to Bana, "Now what?"
"Well, we can't just leave her here."
"I know. And besides, he could still be on our trail. Let's make this quick." I picked her up and sprinted as fast as I could to the lab.
Luckily, we didn't run into my brothers or my cousins on the way back. People were scrambling to and from the crash site. Some gave me frightened looks as we passed by. I began to feel edgy and ran faster. We finally got back, but the warp pad is unlocked. Are they home? I teleported with high hopes and there she was.
"Elenor!" I called out, nearly dropping the girl.
"Draco!" She rushed to me, but stopped shortly when she saw what I had in my arms.
"Where were you guys? I was worried about you two!" I asked.
"We decided to get a little deeper into our mission. We could have arrived sooner, but we ran into a few obstacles. We are okay though. Who is she?" I didn't like how she asked that.
"Uh… I don't know exactly. I ran into her when I was trying to run from my brother."
"Your brother?"
"It's a long story. Anyway, circumstances got worse and she got cut up pretty badly." That was an understatement. "But, I healed her with a dimate. That's when she passed out."
"That is it?"
"Uh… yeah." Then, there was another long silence. But, this one is different. The atmosphere felt odd. I was expecting Elenor to be all over me, but she isn't. Instead, she seems a little… upset. "So… uh… Elenor, where can I put her?"
"You can bring her to Dr. Montague's room. He has the only bed in the lab. For the meantime, I will report to Dr. Montague about the situation. I will join you later."
"Okay." Could she be jealous?
Bana and I sat by the girl's side, waiting for her to wake up. I was out on a rescue mission and ended up rescuing someone else. I still have to repay her, though. Now, my next problem is how will I get the money for a new car? I don't know much about money, but I'll do whatever I can to repay my debt.
I seriously got to stop worrying too much. I probably will end up frying a circuit or something. From now on, I'll worry less. Yeah, right! Easier said than done, Draco. Hmm… why do I still call myself Draco? Things rub on me and I get used to it. Oh, well. Speaking of rub, this girl is seriously experienced in whatever she does. Is she a hunter or military? I am amazed, disgusted even, by how she handles herself. However, if you can use dimate on external wounds, what if you have a wound on the inside? Then again, could it be possible to have a cut on the inside with the outside untouched? Also, if you have a cut inside, do you take it orally? I guess so, because I already saw how it works with her.
"Beautiful, isn't she?" Bana said out of nowhere.
"What the…. That was out of the blue!" I yelled.
"Well? Isn't she?" he insisted.
"Yeah…. I—I mean, no! What the hell are you trying to do?"
He starts laughing, "I'm just messing with you. You do worry too much."
"Stop screwing with me, damn it!" He continues laughing. I'm done arguing. I backed down in defeat. "I seriously got to hang out with other people. You people enjoy toying with me so much."
"You know why?"
"Hmm?" I replied dully.
"It's because you worry too much."
"… That's right… I do." I cheered up a little and said, "Oh well! What can I do? I can't help it!"
"Hee hee! I like your optimism."
"Yup! I'm a happy-go-lucky guy… uh… somewhat."
The door opened. Dr. Montague and Elenor entered the room, but Doc is the only one who's ecstatic about my return. Something is up with Elenor. It could be about the girl. All I have to do is explain everything to her. Easy as that… I hope.
Then Doc said, "Ah! Draco! So you decided to stay with us?"
"Yes. But, that'll never change anything about what I feel about you."
"I see. Now, since you've decided to stay, we'll let you in our mission."
"Seriously?"
"Of course. After all, you are part of the team you know. So here's what happened." His usual broad smile diminished again. "I've been observing Elenor for a long time now and it seems that she gets lonely from time to time. I knew I couldn't talk with her because of all the work I put up with. I felt sorry for her and decided to surprise her with a 'sister'. I imagined how happy she'd be to have someone to talk to.
"First, I made the life source that corresponds through every android's body, which gives them the life-like characteristics that humans have, which basically is like a heart. Not the kind that pumps blood, but the kind that makes us organic life forms feel. Without this, they're just mindless military drones. Poor fools…. (Ehem!)
"For a long time, I kept it in a clear capsule in the lab while I worked on the body. Good parts are hard to come by. The warm glow from the source was brilliant and it reminded me why I got involved in high tech research in the first place. Yes… Those were the good old days…. Anyway, although the life source is kept in a capsule and looks like a floating fireball, it does feel. The sources can hear, see, smell, and even feel their surroundings. As I thought about this, it made me produce a body quicker, just a prototype until I finish the real body. From there, I'll transfer the life source into the new body.
"After a long, five years of hard work and aggravating insomnia, I finally finished the prototype and installed the life source. Then, I gave a name to my ultimate project for Elenor, Ult. For a while, Ult and Elenor got along really well. They talked to each other about anything and they looked very happy, especially Elenor. But after watching them for so long, I began to occasionally see a slight sadness in Ult. I see it briefly, but sometimes it's hard to tell because I can't detect it as well as androids do.
"I wondered why she was acting this way and began my investigation. After some elaborate brainstorming, I concluded that her unhappiness originated from her confinement in the capsule. Because Ult can feel emotions even in life source form, she felt deprived and constricted. I confronted her lightly one night about this and the only word I got out of her was, 'freedom.' A few moments after, she ran away without a word to Elenor or to me. Nothing! Not even a letter! Frantically, we prepared for our search for my baby. For days, we've been out there, still no luck. Because of the incident on Ragol, it's been hectic searching for Ult. Later, I gave up searching and it devastated Elenor."
"Hold on!" I interrupted. I looked at it from a logical point of view. If he took five years to complete me and it was after the explosion, then he must have worked on both Ult and me. "So, what you're telling me is that you worked on Ult and me at the same time at one point?"
"That is correct," he said, still smile-less. "It was when you were half completed when Ult decided to run away. Did a good job at that too."
"Wow… That explains why it took you so long to build me."
"I guess that part isn't confidential anymore. Well, at least you figured it out on your own." There are so many things that are left unsolved. As soon as I figure out one thing, another mystery uncovers itself. Why am I alive? I should've been left dead on Ragol. I think I'm going to lose myself one of these days.
I see this mission is more than just a mission. It's more of a father/daughter conflict. In a way, we are a family. So that makes Dr. Montague the father and his creations his babies. Then if that's the case, I'm Elenor and Ult's brother and it's up to me to take care of my sisters. "So now, you began searching again?"
"Yes. Few moments after we revived you, we received a message from the principal that more gades were going crazy again. That's when we spotted her."
"Ult?"
"Mmm-hmm. She is now part of the gades and it disheartened us, Elenor especially. Ult is being used by a notorious WORKS member named Sakon."
"Why does that name sound so familiar?"
"Is it because he's well known by hunters, military, and civilians alike?"
"No. That's not it."
"Hmm… Anyway, Elenor and I haven't heard from WORKS for a long time since the accident in the plaza."
"What happened?"
"We suspected that Sakon was going to plant a bomb somewhere in the lower plaza. Our suspicions were correct. We sought and intervened, but the action nearly cost us our lives. One of his minions was willing to commit suicide and ran at us with the bomb. We noticed when it was almost too late. Since then, we haven't heard from them. Lately, there were bank robberies with very few evidence. We're assuming that Sakon's last action cost him a lot of money. Now, WORKS needs more money to carry out more devious plans. The next place we're thinking of is the tournament coming sometime next week."
"Wow! I'd love to be in one of those."
"Oh, you will."
"YES!"
"Basically, you make a team with a maximum of four and go up against other teams. The prize is 250,000 mesetas to each team member."
"Count me in!"
We took another long silence to think over our plans and, for me, how Sakon ties with me.
"Mmm… ugh… W—where am I?" the girl asked me as she woke up.
"You are in Dr. Montague's home/lab," I replied.
"The Dr. Jean Carlo Montague?"
"Uh… yeah…"
Then, she leaped out of bed in a jolt and darted to Doc, who regained his usual smile. She got all over him like a crazed fan at a concert.
"Wow! Are you really Dr. Montague? Funny. I thought you'd be a little taller, but you're still really cute! Whoa… head rush. Anyway, what-are-your-newest-inventions? How-rich-are-you? Do-you-have-a-wife-or-a-girlfriend? Oh please! Can-I-have-your-autograph? Oh, I'm-such-a-huge-fan!"
"Calm down there," Doc laughed, "Of course you can have my autograph." Then, the girl pulled an autograph book out of her CS. The pen carried with her has a very sophisticated design. It's gold and has an appealing fire design engraved on the cap of the pen, but there is a distinct black marking somewhere on the tip of the cap. She handed the book and pen to Doc and he signed it. She squealed with joy when she got it back. "I'm glad you're happy. So young miss, what is your name?"
"Oh! M—my name? I'm Sue." She started to blush. "Pleasure to meet you, Dr. Montague," she said with a deep bow.
"Oh, the pleasure is all mine," he said as he held her hand and kissed it. "But please, call me Carlo." Pretty smooth with the ladies, are we? Sue now blushed furiously and let off obnoxious giggles. Doc went on smooth talking her. "You blush so beautifully like a cherry blossom in the spring."
"Why… thank you!" she replies with a broad smile. She looks a little redder than a cherry blossom.
I caught Elenor watching me gaze at them. Just when I was going to pull her aside to have a talk with her, she left. Is she really jealous? Our Elenor? All I know is, things are going to be a little awkward in her room. I couldn't risk it, so I'll just sleep in the simulation room.
After a long while, Sue reluctantly went home. It was getting late and I could see that Dr. Montague is getting tired. They had a long conversation and I have to say that it's interesting. It turns out that Sue was part of a notorious group called the Black Paper. From what I remember, these people would steal valuable items by any means, and what I mean by any, I mean any. She was disgusted by how they operate and barely left alive. To make sure that their operation still remains secret, they attempted to kill her. She made it out alive, obviously, and to get back at them, she stole all of their money from their secret cache. I'll try not to make her mad or who knows what will happen to us.
It's time to sleep and everyone went to their places. Dr. Montague is in his room, Elenor in hers, and Bana in the MAG room. As for me, I slept in the simulation terminal. Again, I felt my chest.
Ooh! Tension! Well yeah, if any of you pick up on Elenor's word use, tell me. Namely, it's just about the squished version of two words. Gyah... my brain is dead right now. Anyway, yeah... if you come across Elenor saying "it's" or "they'll" or something like that, tell me. She's not supposed to say that. Yup yup! It'll be a sort of game for you guys. From here on, I'll try to put at most one slip-up so keep an eye out! What's the prize? Hmm... just... some praise from moi? Heh heh... Anyway, catch y'all in the flip side. Payce!