Chapter 6 Cure Amour
I was shocked when I heard that Ruru joined the Pretty Cure's side. Actually, I think shocked would be a bit of an understatement. I...I…(chuckle). I was flabbergasted. Out of all the employees I would have expected to betray Criasu eventually, I certainly did not expect it to be Ruru. Part of me thought it would have been me to do it at some point!
I didn't know what to do with myself after I heard about it. I knew she hadn't been perfect, but she was my android. No, more than that. She was my baby. How could I get over the fact that my baby had betrayed the organization that I had worked with for almost three years? Long story short, I couldn't.
After Ruru left, I dedicated all my time and energy into fighting the Pretty Cure, which Ruru had become a member of. She called herself Cure Amour. The fights were...interesting, awkward. Truth be told, part of me was hesitant to take it all out on the team now that Ruru was a member. But at the same time, I was angry. Ruru looked so happy with the cures. Her face looked more lively, her eyes shined. How was that possible? I spent the better part of three years trying to find out how to correctly program Ruru. The Pretty Cure consisted of four teenage girls! How could they do it while I couldn't? What was so special about them?
I often pondered this question while I lay in bed at night, unable to find an answer to it. Was it just because they had magical powers? Was it because they provided Ruru with new experiences? I figured the most likely reason was the latter. Ruru didn't have a lot of opportunities to experience the world when she was stuck in Criasu's basement.
But at the same time, it still didn't make sense. Didn't I do my best to nurture her? Didn't I provide her with a home, a family? Why couldn't she develop her heart while she was with me?
The fact that I didn't have the answers to these questions bugged me. It made me bitter to some degree and messed with my head. I still loved Ruru; there was nothing in the world that would take my love for her away. But I just didn't understand. I didn't understand her, I didn't understand any of the Pretty Cure. I was left in the dark.
It wasn't until I was purified, that I was taken back to the moment that I saw Ruru for the first time, that I finally understood. I had wanted Ruru to be a replacement for Aimi. On some level, I understood that. What I didn't realize, however, was that this was creating a major problem in our relationship. How could I expect her to understand love when I wasn't giving her the love that she needed? How can I expect her to develop emotions properly when I can't even look her in the eye?
How could I be so blind? It should have been clear to me from the very beginning. Ruru will never be Aimi. But just because she isn't doesn't mean I should love her any less.
As soon as it occurred to me, I sought out Ruru. She was not pleased to see me. In fact, she stormed out of the room when I arrived. Her friends were worried that she would have a system error, so they tried to find her. I started to grow worried myself. Had I really screwed up that badly? It seemed there was a lot of work in store for me if I wanted to repair this relationship.
We had a talk after she was found. I said to her I was sorry and I explained to her what happened before I deleted her data. By the time I was done talking, I saw something in Ruru's face that I had never seen at Criasu. Emotion. Awe. Amazement. She looked like she was going to say something important.
And then, just before I left, she asked me if I wanted to have a meal with her.
I was overjoyed! I swear, I wanted to break down crying! I don't think I have been that happy since I started working on Ruru!
Our relationship is still going relatively strong nowadays. She still refuses to call me Papa, but I can live with that. Right now, she is fighting Criasu as Cure Amour, and I have decided to help the Pretty Cure on their mission. I am also working on a way that will allow us to go back to the future. I hope it goes well.
Well, there you have it! I'm sorry if this was a little bit darker than usual. As always, thank you to all of you for reading, and special shoutouts to TheGhostlyRobot and CureMiraculous for favoriting and CureMiraculous for following. Please leave a review if you haven't already and see you next time!