Astro looked back up from his pillow and at his supposed older brother. He stared at him with confusion and anger in his eyes."Why? Why are you still here?"Astro asked.Cobalt sighed, feeling defeated. "Because I wanna make it up to you. I know I should have told her no more clearly, but she's so...so..." He trailed off."Stubborn?" Astro asked him, finishing his sentence for him."Yes! That's the word! She's stubborn, but at the same time, she's so nice. She told me how she donates money to charities and helps homeless people in Metro City.Astro's eyes widened. He could not believe how naive his older brother was at this moment."So, she tells you about how she helps people, but doesn't show you what she does?" Astro asked with a smirk.Cobalt was at a loss for words. He sat still and thought to himself. Astro was right. Cobalt never actually saw Candace helping people. She only told him about the good deeds she supposedly did."You know what? You're right! She never actually showed me what she does after school! I'm gonna ask her to prove it tomorrow!" Cobalt said with confidence.Astro rolled his eyes and fell back into his pillow.Marionette stood in the backyard with Atlas, getting ready to fight."Okay, in order to protect yourself, you need to know how to fight." Atlas stated while putting up his fists.Marionette nodded and positioned herself to fight back."I'm not gonna go easy on you, only because your enemy is not going to either, so you need to be prepared for anything that comes toward you."As Atlas spoke, Livian snuck up behind Marionette and tried to put her in a choke hold, but Marionette flipped her over and pinned her to the ground."Nice job!" Atlas shouted while clapping for her. Marionette smiled and helped Livian off the ground.Atlas charged at her with full force, but Marionette grabbed his fist just before it hit her face and punched him in his abdomen."Good! now, look over there!" Atlas pointed at a bird flying by them. Marionette looked at the bird, but Atlas grabbed and locked her arms together and pinned her to the ground."You can't get distracted, okay? I could have punched you in the face, or worse!" He said while looking into her eyes.Marionette nodded, and Atlas helped her off the ground as well. "Cmon, let's take a break for a while, and we'll get back to practicing." Atlas held out a hand to her. She took it happily, and they all went back into the castle.The next day, Astro and Cobalt entered the school together. Cobalt froze once he saw Candace make a beeline toward him. He turned himself around to run away, bit Candace jumped onto his back and clung to him tightly."Hi there, Cobalt! I missed you yesterday after school!""Uh, yeah, about that." Cobalt began. Astro rolled his eyes and stormed into his first period class. "Can I hang out with you guys after school? Just so I can see you helping the homeless?" Cobalt asked shakily.Candace fell silent for a second but suddenly perked up. "Of course you can! It's gonna be soooo much fun!"Cobalt dropped her, hearing a high-pitched yelp from Candace. She brushed the back of her thighs with her hands and walked away smiling.Marionette walked up to the school in a different outfit. the top half of her outfit looked like a private school uniform, but the skirt had a solid purple color and had frills on the hem of her skirt. Atlas and Livian walked with her, but they stopped before they got to the doors. Atlas gently grabbed her shoulder."I hope you have a good day in school, honey! We'll be right here when you get out." Atlas said to her while hugging her. Livian kissed her forehead before hugging Atlas. Both adult robots watched her enter the school with a loving gaze.Marionette walked through the doors and quickly went into the auditorium.Astro left his first period class to go to his next class and passed by the auditorium doors. He stopped and took a glance in the windows and noticed Marionette on the stage preparing instruments and stage props. Astro opened the doors and slowly walked toward the stage."What are you doing here?"Marionette looked down at the small robot and smiled. "I'm starting a club! The principal gave me permission to do so."A music club?"Yes, how did you know?". "Well, I can tell by looking at the instruments." Astro said while glancing over at the instruments.Marionette laughed. "Oh, right!"The doors suddenly opened again to reveal Candace. She looked around at all the dusty seats, and her eyes trailed off toward the stage, avoiding eye contact with Marionette."It's about time someone cleaned up this place! What's going on here?"Marionette is starting a music club!" Astro said happily.Candace looked at Marionette with a blank stare, carefully thinking of what to sah next. "Oh my god! Can I join your club? Pretty pretty pretty, please?" She pouted dramatically.Marionette thought for a second. She hesitated for what felt like eternity until she finally spoke up. "I dont know. Are you gonna pour water on me again?" Marionette asked with both hands on her hips.Candace glared at her for a split second before sighing and avoiding eye contact with Marionette. "I suppose i'm sorry about the whole water thing! I wasn't expecting things to go out of hand!" She giggled aggressively and tried her best to sohnd high pitched.Astro and Marionette cringed at the sight of Candace. Marionette spoke up to break the awkwardness of the situation. "All right! I forgive you! You can join the club!" Marionette said with a fake smile and wide eyes."Oh, my god! Thank you so much! I'm gonna help recruit more people right now!" Candace chirped happily while skipping off into the hall.Astro looked up at Marionette and back at the doors where Candace left."I'm gonna join later just to keep an eye on things. From what I remember from Toby's memories, she was cruel to him.""Oh...I'm sorry." Marionette replied, looking down at her feet and biting her lip. "It's not your fault. Just know that I believe you about the whole Candace attacking you thing.""Thank you." Marionette smiled calmly at him. The last bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, and everyone rushed outside except for Marionette.Candace dragged Cobalt along with her toward the nearest shelter but noticed Marionette walk by. She glared at her for a split second before thinking to herself. She looked again as a sickening grin slithered across her face."Yoo hoo! Marionette! Would you like to volunteer at the homeless shelter with me and Cobalt?"Marionette turned her head toward Candace and looked away nervously."U-um, sure! Why not?" Marionette stuttered hesitantly."Great! Follow me!" She squeaked happily while grabbing Marionette's arm forcefully, dragging her along with Cobalt.
As they got to the shelter, Marionette looked around her and noticed there was a lot of rubble and buildings in bad condition from the Peacekeeper fight.
Marionette wandered around aimlessly, looking at the sick and injured people. She suddenly saw a small child crying in his mother's arms. She approached them carefully.
"Is everything oka-" She cut herself off. "I mean, do you need help with anything?"
The mother looked up at the robot girl frightened at first, but she calmed down and had a more tired look to her. "Yes, actually. My son is hungry, and so am I. Can you please get us some good and water?"
Marionette looked around and found a nearby kitchen and nodded. "Yes, I will go get you something. I will be right back."
"Thank you!" The woman said, relieved that someone was there to help out.
Marionette rushed to the kitchen area and told a chef robot that the mother and child needed good and water. The robot gave her what she needed, and she happily brought a tray of food and drinks to the mother and child.
Candace noticed the robot girl helping the woman with a smile on her face and scowled at the sight. She suddenly grabbed an empty tray and snuck up behind where Marionette was and hit an old man, who happened to be nearby in the head with it. Unfortunately, the old man couldn't see who hit him because his back was turned against them. Candace gasped dramatically.
"Marionette! How could you do this to an old man?!?" Candace shrieked.
Marionette looked behind her and noticed the old man was holding the back of his head in pain. He looked around and saw the purple haired robot and looked at her in shock.
"Why would you do this to me?" The old man asked, feeling hurt.
Marionette's eyes filled with purple tears. "No. I wouldn't hurt you. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you." Marionette pleaded.
Candace began to cry fake tears. "I brought you here with me to help people, not hurt them!" She turned back toward the old man and knelt down beside him. "Are you okay, sir? I'll go get you some ice!" Candace smirked at Marionette before walking away.
Marionette opened her mouth to say she didn't hurt him, but she quickly realized everyone in the room was glaring at her. Some of them yelled at her to leave the building and never come back. She looked at Cobalt, who just looked shocked and hurt. He quickly looked away from her and rubbed his arm awkwardly.
Marionette had no other choice but to rub away from everyone. She ran as fast as she could outside the building, through the city toward the surface as tears of purple energy poured from her eyes and dissolved back into her chest, causing her even more pain. Marionette suddenly grabbed at her chest and yelped in pain. She wanted to throw up, she wanted to scream, but most of all, she wanted to convince everyone that she was telling the truth.
She stopped in the middle of the scrap heap, crying and screaming before collapsing onto the ground. She felt like a mess, hopeless and afraid. Her eyes widened when she felt herself being picked up and carried off. She breathed heavily and tried to look at who was carrying her, but it was all a blur. She suddenly felt her consciousness rapidly fading until her surroundings went pitch black.
Astro sat on the couch watching tv when the front door opened to reveal Cobalt. Astro curiously watched him drop onto the couch head first.
"Are you okay?" Astro asked.
"It was a long day of helping people at the shelter. The city is clearly in horrible shape! I hope these people get their homes back!" He dropped his head back into the couch cushion.
He lifted his head back up. "And then, Marionette decided to hit an old man with a tray!"
"WHAT?!?" Astro was shocked.
"Yeah! I couldn't believe it either! When I heard Candace yelling about her hitting someone, I was horrified!"
Astro furrowed a brow. He knew it was Candace that hurt someone and blamed it all on Marionette. He shook his head in disbelief.
"No, I don't believe you. There would be a whole investigation if that was true!"
Astro bot his lip anxiously. He felt it in his core that it couldn't have been Marionette. He KNEW it wasn't her, but he felt like either way, she could get into serious trouble for it. He had to think of something fast.
Marionette woke up and noticed she she was in a strange but beautiful room. The furniture, including curtains and rugs, looked old fashioned and decorated with floral patterns. The bed she was laying on had curtains all around it, but they were all draped to the sides, giving her a window-like view of the room. She looked around in amazement but froze once she saw the door opening and Atlas walk in.
"Hey, sleepyhead. What happened? Your mother and I were so worried about you." He said with a sad and concerned look.
The tears welled up in her eyes again, and she was about to break down.
"Please don't cry. Everything is gonna be oka-"
"NO! Nothing is okay! Marionette shouted, interrupting Atlas. His eyes widened at her shouting.
"Then you owe us an explanation." He said firmly.
She looked at him sadly.
"It's Candace! She hit someone and blamed ME for it! Now everyone thinks I hit an innocent person!"
She said while sobbing uncontrollably. Atlas silently hugged her and held her while she cried. "Why don't you go back to sleep. You should rest for today. I'll take care of things."
Atlas kissed her forehead before tucking her back into bed and leaving the room. A look of anger crossed his face as he stormed through the halls of the castle.
