Akira once piloted an ancient Babylonian robot to battle a giant Buddha statue power by 2000 liquefied people. That was, somehow, only the second strangest thing he had ever experienced.
The strangest was the part were some yet-unknown malefactor dragged him into some bizarre place that looked like medieval Europe but was populated by monsters and other people who also didn't belong in medieval Europe.
And that led him to where he currently was; sitting next to a campfire, trying to probe the mind of a robot. A cowboy was cooking a stew over the fire, using whatever they could find that was edible, while a caveman watched in rapt attention. Within view of the fire, an MMA fighter from somewhere around Akira's time was sparring with a nebbish Chinese man. There was also a ninja, though he was usually skulking.
"Wait, no, go back." Akira instructed. The robot complied, replaying the information it had just been thinking of. Akira frowned. This was medical information, but nothing that Akira was actually looking for.
"Dinner's ready." The cowboy – Sundown, if Akira's mind reading was correct – called out. It was about as much talking as Sundown ever did.
This was enough to draw the two martial artists away from their sparring. The MMA fighter took two wooden bowls filled the with night's meal – a stew made of game meat, foraged roots, and some kind of wild herb that turned out to be tastier than it had any right to be – and took a seat next to Akira.
Akira took one of the bowls from the fighter and was about to start on his dinner when the fighter asked, "So why do you keep poking at the little guy here?"
Akira raised an eyebrow. "Do you really think I'm going to tell you?"
"C'mon, you don't have to be so angry."
"You did try to beat me up first time we met. And you didn't stop until I'd chucked you into the wall a few times." Akira said.
"Eh, that's how it goes sometimes. No point holding a grudge. Besides, we're all traveling together now."
Akira sighed. "This robot has a lot of information in his head, about all sorts of things. I'm hoping to get some medical information out of him."
"Huh, you seemed pretty healthy-"
"It's not for me!" Akira softened slightly. "My little sister's… in bad shape. Nobody in my time knows what to do, aside from liquefying her-"
"What"
"But this robot here is from a few centuries into the future. I'm hoping he'll know something."
"Hey, Akira, what year are your from, anyway?" the fighter asked.
Akira told him. The fighter's face lit up.
"That's about forty years after my time. So I'll tell you what: once we get back to our own times, I'll find something that can help you sister."
Akira was stunned "You will? Really? That's so ni- hey, wait a minute, do you even know anything about medicine?"
"I'll figure something out." The fighter said.
"Well, thanks anyways-" Akira read his mind to get his name "-Masaru."
Fighting a self-proclaimed Lord of Darkness in a dead kingdom outside of time was not the kind of experience a person could ever forget, but for Akira it had simply become something he'd done. He'd returned to his normal life – at least as much as anything in his life was normal – of selling taiyaki, dealing with the brats of Bright Sparks orphanage, and catching his sleep whenever he could.
There was a whole thing with trying to sort out the lake of two thousand liquefied people on the north end of town, but he wasn't really following it that closely.
He probably shouldn't have been surprised the day a particular guest arrived at the orphanage.
"Heyyy, Akira!" Masaru said. He had long ceased to be young, and his hair was more white than black, but there was still a vitality to him.
"Masaru? You really came?"
"Yep! And I think I've got just the thing to help your sister."
"You barely know what's wrong with her." Akira said.
"Eh, I got this."
Kaori seemed scared and a little confused when an unknown man came into her room, and only relaxed slightly when Akira came in after him. She brightened up entirely when Masaru explained exactly why he was there.
"Let's do it!" Kaori said, looking more enthusiastic than she had in a very long time.
"Before we do anything, maybe you should explain what your plan is, exactly." Akira said.
"Well, that's simple: I'm going to punch the disease out of her."
"That's a great plan!" said Akira.
"You really think so?" Masaru asked.
"Of course! By all means, please punch my small and sickly sister. That will definitely make her better." Akira said.
"Well, I'm glad you feel that way." Masaru said. And then the walls melted, an army of the dead tore their way out of the ground, and off in the distance a colossal seven-headed monster dragged itself out of the sea.
"Uhh, Akira? You're not really okay with this, are you?"
The terrifying visions evaporated, leaving Masaru back at Bright Sparks with an angry Akira.
"No shit! This was the best idea you could come up with?"
"I think it could work-"
"How many times have you been punched in the face over the years, exactly? 'Cuz it sounds like it's been way too many."
"Akira!" Kaori interrupted. Akira glanced her way, and she tapped her forehead. It was a gesture she used some times when she wanted Akira to read her mind.
Akira pushed the metaphorical button in his mind, and Kaori's thoughts came into his mind.
Let him do it, she thought.
"Are you serious!?"
Not like there's much else we could try.
"There's no way this will work!"
Didn't you say you once fought a giant, talking fish after feeding it a golden wig?
"What does that have to do with anything?" Akira asked.
Was that really any more ridiculous than this?
Akira threw up his hands. "I give up! You two idiots do whatever you want! If any one need me, I'm going to be on the phone with the paramedics."
The children of Bright Sparks Orphanage were playing tag. Kaori, for the first time, had joined them.
"I can't believe that worked." Akira said.
"Always great when your hard work pays off, isn't it?" Masaru said.
Akira once piloted an ancient Babylonian robot to battle a giant Buddha statue power by 2000 liquefied people. That was, somehow, only the third strangest thing he had ever experienced.
Author's Note: I loved Live A Live, and I had a special fondness for Akira and his chapter, so I wanted to celebrate by writing something