...
Rebooting...
Charging has reached completion.
Please wait for the safety procedure before removing power cable.
...
Cable may now be ejected safely.
I opened my eyes slowly to allow my system to focus my eyesight to adjust itself. I sat there to connect to my internal functions safely. I repaired my voice box as I have found it was sounding staticky contrary to its initial smooth settings.. I needed to maintain a smooth voice or else I would have been out of place among humans.
When I had finished charging my battery for the next three days, I briefly checked the calendar, and realized that today would be my first day attending a school with humans.
Concluding that it would be best to sit on the sidelines to observe humans grow since adolescents experience the most growth, I sat there and proceeded to get up from my bed(though I questioned why I had a bed since I didn't require such a thing to properly function) to dress myself.
I headed to my closet where Iruka had demanded on purchasing bright colored attire for me.
Although I have no opinion on clothes, neutral colors such as brown and gray would have suited fine instead of orange, yellow, blue, red, and green.
These were rather flamboyant, plain colors wouldn't attract such useless attention. But Iruka had insisted it was important to look formidable and approachable to my peers during the first week I was born:
Although I do not comprehend how color choices affect human perception, I allowed Iruka to do as he liked.
I scanned the wardrobe of clothes. I needed to choose proper attire since leaving the house with no clothes on is apparently illegal. I closed my eyes and tapped into my wifi to connect to Firefox. I searched 'Modern clothing for men.' And it gave me catalogs to choose from. I gathered sufficient data for what would be appropriate and acceptable for school. I neatly took out the slightly ragged jeans, a yellow loose shirt, and a orange, zip sweater.
I laid them neatly on my dresser and headed for the kitchen. It was 7:15 am and Kakashi was to get ready for work at 7:45 am.
Kakashi enjoyed taking his time so I often took it upon myself to prepare breakfast because it would be convenient for Kakashi.
When I was done with the omelet, I began to cook the bacon. The chilled slice of thin meet began to wrinkle, curl, and ooze fatty oils.
I felt a small weight sit on my foot, I heard a small,begging whine from my right foot. I glanced down.
It was a pug named Pakkun.
Kakashi had an affinity for dogs. I had once asked why Kakashi loved dogs and he told me a story of a dog named Hachiko.
The dog was taken in by a human man. When his owner returned from work, the dog would wait at Shibuya Station to greet his owner each day.
One tragic day, the professor did not return, he had died from spontaneous bleeding in the brain tissue.
Hachiko had waited for his owner to return. With a never wavering loyalty, Hachiko continued to wait at the train station every day for nine years before he had finally died.
The dog loved his owner, and remained loyal till the very end.
Kakashi smiled at me when he had informed me the story, but his voice was very sad.
He told me that dogs understand what loyalty was, and that dogs value love very much. That sometimes it seems like dogs are more 'human' than actual humans.
This was a confusing statement for me to comprehend. I never asked nor corrected Kakashi with his sentence, it just didn't...
It didn't seem appropriate to do so.
I stared down at the dog, reaching to the heater roller it so that I would not burn the meat that was currently frying in the skillet.
Pakkun tilted his head, his eyes stared at me in hopes of a piece of the meal I was cooking. This had occurred before, so I took an educated guess that Pakkun wanted a piece of Bacon.
"No Pakkun. If I fed you bacon you will develop pancreatitis." I explained, the dog continued to whine and nudged me with it's nose as if to coddle my, his hand pawing my leg.
I would not feed him bacon. He could get very sick and things would become very complicated if Pakkun passed away from bacon.
Kakashi would be distraught and would have trouble functioning to his daily schedule. Then Kakashi's job would be affected negatively, and then income decreases which leads to many problems that would bore you if I listed them.
Soon the bacon was well-cooked so I set the fork, knife, plate, and napkin neatly on the table just as Iruka had taught me.
I began to divide the food to balance his diet since Kakashi insists healthy eating was important to him.
I remembered a T.V. commercial using ketchup to decorate the omelet.
So I decided to draw the sun using mustard and created grass using wasabi on the omelet. If humans found it delicious eating colorful condiments on their food, then Kakashi would surely enjoy his food now.
I sprinkled coconut and cinnamon to better fit Kakashi's taste. I peeled kiwi skins to be a side dish for him. Kiwi skin was an excellent source of nutrition, so Kakashi would no doubt approve. Perhaps he would like it.
With his breakfast prepared and waiting to be consumed, I headed to Kakashi's room to awake him from slumber.
Pakkun obediently followed me into the wooden hallway.
Pakkun was supposedly my 'dog' since Kakashi had insisted on purchasing a gift for on the anniversary of my creation, even though I did not require nor desire for possessions of any sort.
I was a Robot, though it seemed Pakkun understood his purpose given to me, he never really gave me much issues, he always behaved and only ever bothered when he wanted to play, be fed, or taken out for walks.
Possessions were meaningless to me.
What use would a heartless, emotionless, Robot like I, do with them? Kakashi had insisted that it would help my progression for how to be a human, with his reasoning I accepted the 'gift'.
Although Pakkun had caused more trouble than helpful information for me; no matter how minimal.
I twisted the round knob of Kakashi's door and found him heavily asleep.
His room was almost completely enveloped by the darkness and was only visible because of my specially adjustable eyesight, also the light that escaped from his open door lit the way for me to find Kakashi.
He murmured when I poked him in the face to rouse him from slumber.
He blinked his eyes open in a quiet, graceful manner.
Kakashi looked at him, his pupils adjusting themselves to focus on me. Kakashi slightly flinched and sighed when he processed it was only me, settling down the pillow he was about to throw at me.
"Naruto...Isn't there a better way to wake me up? I swear if you were someone else, would have thought you were a serial killer with how the light dimmed behind you...I swear..." Kakashi sighed, getting up from his bed.
"You said not to wake you up with ice water yesterday morning when I did. I assumed you would have dealt better with a simple nudge when you slept." I explained, watching Kakashi head to the bathroom, making his bed for him.
"I prepared your meal on the table." I left without a word after that.
When he finished dressing himself (But not his hair), he stared at the meal I prepared with a solemn expression.
He glanced to me, as if expecting something from me based on his neutral expression, slightly wide eyes, and gently lifted eyebrows.
"I saw humans enjoyed decorating their foods with colorful condiments." I explained, sitting across from him to watch him eat.
He blinked in comprehension, he gave a brief smile before eating. "Thank you Naruto, It's..." He scooped up a large piece of omelette and pasty condiments and brought it to his mouth to chew and swallow. He tensed, I felt his heart picking speed, and his sweat building up.
"It's ah...Delicious..." He said in broken words before continuing, even crying a little.
I know he lied.
But I don't understand why he did. I simply sat back and watched him finish his meal. He smiled at me, his skin slightly paled, a sign of being unwell; a sign his stomach didn't agree with his meal. "Well, with that, I will no doubt be energized for the rest of the day, shall we head to your school then?" He eagerly asked.
I nodded silently, my expression not changing, I found it unfit if I changed my expression if I did not fully comprehend the meaning of each emotion.
I followed him into his car he called his 'Baby'.
Although it makes me completely unable to process why Kakashi gives a pet name to a unresponsive, nonliving object a pet name.
Then again, I too am a nonliving object. A machinery to be exact. I do not inquire why humans give pet names, and neither did I require a name, yet I was given one. I was still in the process of understanding human behavior, emotions, and bonds. Why names were relevant to someone's or something's worth.
I sat in stillness in the front car seat. I closed my eyes and searched information based on high school behavior. But too many websites were vague, and used too many hyperboles, metaphors, and slang to understand any of it.
I found myself unable to think of what to do next. Kakashi placed a hand on my shoulder, his smile was confusing me.
I noticed we had reached the tall building, brimming and overflowing with lively adolescent humans. Kakashi spoke in a even, warm voice.
"Searching online will not give you answers to school Naruto, but I promise things will be alright, take care ok?" Kakashi said, quickly adding "If a old man approaches you in a bunny suit, offering you a ride, you run away from him."
I gave a slow nod and smoothly reached for the school bag that contained appropriate materials for class. An old man in a bunny suit? I shrugged the mere thought off.
I reached out for the door. I was going to learn to be human, or at least understand and be able to mimic emotions.
That was my purpose, my sole reason for existing.
Then I would be a complete android.
I would fulfill my purpose of creation.
When the students in my class settled themselves inside their class, the teacher began to explain that there was a new student.
I stood there, scanning each human's face.
The same species, but so very different. Their body posture combined with their expression were all different, and gave different types of emotions. This would be quite a useful atmosphere for my learning.
One boy stood out among the rest.
He had dark, dull, black eyes, and his hair was charcoal colored, and looked relatively soft. He was quite out of place compared to his colorful, unique classmates.
I was stared at with fascination, though the one with dull eyes held the most interest with his slacked, body posture, and focused eyes on his book had changed immensely when he saw me. he glared at me, but I smiled as a retort, shock overtook his face, and somehow I found his expression satisfying.
The teacher, with her ruby eyes, cherry lips, and wavy, layered hair, she smiled at me and was introducing my name to the class.
"Class, this is a new student, he has never been to a public school before, so I expect he is to be welcomed warmly." Her voice was light, and seemed gentle, but the end of the last word was dropped a tone lower, as if she was giving the students a wordless warning.
"His name is Narut-"
A boy with odd, red, upside down, triangles under his eyes smirked and spoke up, standing up and interrupted the teacher, I took note of a fresh black eye.
"Mrs. Kurenai! Does that mean he's a bum from the streets?!" He hollered loudly, laughing to himself, some other students (Mostly boys) joined in on the laughter. Kurenai was not at all pleased and yelled at him to sit down. "Kiba! Sit down now before I send you to the principal's office!" she warned him threateningly.
The class settled quickly, quieted down. Kurenai looked at me, and told me to introduce myself.
I didn't know if I should smile, so I kept the default expression of my face.
"My name is Naruto Uzumaki." I introduced myself politely.
"The class is grateful to have you with us, go take a seat by Sasuke." She pointed the empty desk beside the dark haired boy.
I went to take a seat beside Sasuke, not many taken seats around Sasuke, he was alone. Some girls whined and let out disappointed groans. I assumed it was because they held a sort of attraction for Sasuke.
I am a android, and I certainly do not feel, but I could tell Sasuke was an attractive young man based on his calm demeanor, focused eyes, strong bone structure, sharp eyes, and his black hair. He obviously held a charismatic atmosphere around him.
Although it seems he was also distant since there was no one sitting by him. People liked him but if he didn't like people, he probably told them to stay away. But that does not concern me.
He wouldn't be able to provide useful information for my data.
Without hesitation, I sat beside him.
I began to settle into my desk. I saw confused eyes stare at me from the corner of my eye for a brief moment before they disappeared.
Hours passed by, and soon it was the beginning of lunch. I was a android, so I did not require to eat, but I did require to drink water so that my tongue, lips and eyes do not dry. I opened my water bottle and began to drink to refill my internal water bar. When it was just about full, I was approached the the same boy who had spoke out in class, with a handful of other students with him.
Kiba had a pursed smile, one eyebrow slightly narrowed.
He darted his eyes to me, his heart rate was slightly faster than a average human. "Um...About earlier, I meant it as a fun joke, but it was crossing the line...I didn't mean to offend ya...I don't know when to shut my big mouth so I usually screw up when I speak..." He began to speak, his sentence speeding up in certain parts.
His weight continuously shifted from one foot to the other.
He was anxious and guilty. I made an hypothesis that Kiba was trying to apologize and ask for my forgiveness. I would not usually answer since I did not have an opinion, but if I ignored him, he may take it the wrong way and consider me a stubborn, unpleasant human, and besides, I was sure that his black eyes was from my shoe. I could not risk that on my first day since I was programmed to be intelligent.
"I wasn't offended, so you don't have to apologize." I said plainly, wondering why he had brought so many people with him.
A girl who tied her platinum, blond hair up smiled at me, elbowing Kiba in the stomach.
"I'm Ino, Kiba can say a lot of douchebag things, but he's a nice guy deep down." she added. Another girl, who seemed relatively close to the blond girl, also smiled and sat beside me. She had pink hair and moss, green eyes. Kiba sent a small glare to Ino "I am not that much of a douche!" He argued. Soon they were arguing in the background.
"Well then you're an idiot than! Cause he kept telling us that a shoe fell from the sky and had hit you! Why the fuck would a shoe randomly fly?!"
"Bitch! It's true! Where the heck do ya think ma bruise came from?!"
"Probably some idiotic idea you had!"
"What did you-"
"My name is Sakura, which school did you go?" The pink girl asked, standing in front of my to block out Ino and Kiba's arguing. School required to study.
I never thought it was required since all the information I already knew was from downloaded data Kakashi had provided me.
Before I could answer, a boy with spiky, brown, tied up hair, with rather bored expression spoke "He obviously isn't homeless. Look at his clothes. He doesn't seem stupid, so he probably was home schooled up until now." He finished his sentence with a brief yawn. I remember that he was asleep for about 83.7% of the class.
I believe his name was Shikamaru since the teacher called his name multiple times to wake him up.
I nodded at the answer, it was as close as the actual truth. Kakashi warned me not to give away the truth.
Both girls let out a noise of brief surprise, they smiled at me, and the pink girl spoke.
"So that must mean you're really smart! Which parent taught you? It must be your mom since I saw your dad drop you off at school." She asked eagerly.
"I don't have a mother." I replied plainly.
Everyone's happy expression dropped, they were uncomfortable. Did I say something wrong?
Kiba was the first to speak up "Sorry to hear about that, we didn't mean to bring that up..."
I assumed he was hinting at my 'mother' passing away.
"Don't feel bad. I never had a mother because I grew up with two fathers." I corrected him calmly.
Everyone's eyes widened and in miraculous unison:
"WHAT?!" They questioned, their eyes wide with shock, obviously not expecting that.
I suppose it wasn't common that two homosexual lovers raise a child. I know from data, that majority people have accepted Homosexuals, but there were still the people against it.
"Sorry, does it bother you?" I asked, interested in what their answer would be.
They all shook their heads.
"We were just surprised ya know?" Ino spoke up, smiling happily. She was telling the truth because her muscles in her face were relaxed and her body posture wasn't stiff.
Sakura grinned "So how long have your parents been together?" She asked with excitable curiosity.
"Since they were teenagers." I admitted, I couldn't tell them they were married for only six years, it wouldn't have made sense to them, since I was designed to look like a young adult, while it would have been a complicated mess if they found out my parents were only in their mid twenties.
Ino and Sakura squealed in excitable whispers. Soon the bell rang, signalling twenty minutes till lunch was over. Everyone said goodbye to me to get their correct books for class, but had invited me to eat lunch with them everyday if I wanted. A chance to observe humans.
I agreed.
I went out for a curt walk because I needed to check on the odd noise I heard from the window I sat by.
I heard some yelling and banging while I was walking along the perimeter of the school and saw the odd, dark haired boy being held back by has hands behind his back, he was forced on his knees, his hair was gripped tightly by a group of unrecognizable students. It was clear they were from a different school with their yellow uniforms.
A girl with bright hair smirked at Sasuke. She knelt down to his level, their faces were an inch apart.
"Is little prissy bitch boy tired? We're tired too but we're not finished with you at all. Sorry Sasuke-chan." She got up and turned around to approach a metal pipe, she took the time to spit in his face.
"Disgusting." I thought.
Kakashi had told me that humans held grudges, anger, and hate; because some humans enjoyed hurting others, watching other people suffer. Kakashi explained to me that violence was never the answer. It doesn't solve anything, it just gets more people hurt. That was his first lesson he taught me for human behavior. I had asked him why humans would do such things...To resort to violenceā¦
Kakashi simply shook his head, and told me "I don't know...And I don't expect to ever truly understand why. I suppose most people that like to hurt others, are also very sad inside."
So I ran forward.
In front of Sasuke. Sasuke outnumbered, cornered, and beaten. In every sense, this wasn't right nor fair. I felt the metal bar collide to my head, a sharp, loud sound resounded. I landed on my hands, and caught myself with my hands before crashing in the ground.
There was silence, soon there was a clang. The pipe was dropped, and dry footsteps were followed by the bullies. I glanced up to the red haired woman. "Don't resort to violence, it doesn't solve anything." I said, not affected by the blow to the head.
Although the humans were very delicate when it came to their head, Kakashi built me to withstand damage, especially to the head. It was where my 'heart' was located, Kakashi had used every drop of resources he could to protect my 'heart.'
Questioning why he would waste so much money for something insignificant such as a Machine that cannot feel anything, he simply replied to me with a happy voice "Because I love you."
Before I realized it, they were running away. What were they even thinking? Fighting and beating a boy at a school, I suppose they didn't care whether or not they would get in trouble.
"Humans are so confusingā¦"
I turned to the dark haired man, taking note of his messed demeanor. Messy clothes, torn shirt, bloody nose, cut lip, and a slight bruise decorating his cheek like a purple flower. Judging on the foot prints on his shirt, they were kicking him.
"Are you alright..." I thought back to the woman calling him Sasuke.
"Sasuke?" I asked, it would be troublesome if Sasuke ended up dying on the first day of my school.
He was shocked, and he looked horrified even.
Maybe a little scared. Did I do something wrong again? With the ongoing silence and shock, I began to repeat myself if he was alright, but he interrupted me.
"Are you...Are YOU alright?" He asked, in a broken sentence, he was choking on his own blood from his nose.
I nodded, taking out a napkin for him to use "I'm fine, really, you look worse for wear." I said, but he grabbed my arm and began to drag me towards the school, not even accepting my napkin.
"Sasuke...why are you dragging me? Are you a-" I was interrupted by his slightly panicked voice.
"You were hit by a fucking pipe in the head! I'm doing fine compared to your injury, I'm taking you to the school nurse you idiotic loser." he explained in a harsh tone.
"You're a idiot for getting involved." He added. I was confused, did I not help him?
"I'm sorry, I thought you needed assistance." I apologized for no reason.
He didn't say anything. I didn't try to resist since I didn't understand his intentions. I potentially saved his life, so i assumed he had good intentions.
I was correct.
He took me to the school nurse Shizune. Shizune examined my head thoroughly. despite insisting I was in perfect shape, Sasuke seemed to think otherwise.
"I don't care if you think you're alright, you got bashed in the head. I know you're a idiot to think it's nothing, but you took a blow that was supposed to be mine. So at least check yourself if you're alright..." He said, his eyes darted away, looking somewhat guilty.
I wasn't sure what he meant by all of those words he said, but with human behavior, humans can be stubborn. So perhaps this was his roundabout way of saying thank you.
Shizune sighed as she examined my head with her fingers. "I can't believe you got a innocent student involved Sasuke..."
Sasuke grunted."Well? How bad is it?" He asked, his voice sounded slightly concerned.
"Well, there's no injury..." She scrunched her eyebrows in confusion, She crossed her arms in front of her chest, thinking of an answer to this mystery, she looked into the file cabinet and pulled out what looked like my file. Her hip hit the file drawer, closing it shut.
For a brief moment she simply read and flipped through the papers.
"Wait..!" her eyes widened, and she sounded relieved. She set down my document on the table.
"You're the new student yes?" She inquired.
I nodded.
She dropped her hands to the side and smiled. She exhaled and a loose breath of air. Her tight, worried face had relaxed.
"You should be fine then." she mused happily, placing a warm hand on my head.
It was warm...
I nodded once again "I am. I told you I was fine."
Sasuke slammed his fist in the wall, grabbing Shizune's attention, and mine as well.
"I told you! He isn't fine, his head was bashed by a fucking metal pipe. You're insane to think he's alright!" He grabbed my arm and was headed for the door. I pulled back for a bit, but he jerked me closer and increased his walking pace.
"I'm bringing you to the hospital, you are no way fine." His voice quivered, was he frightened at the thought that I may die? Did he feel scared? Did he feel fear? Why worry for me? Because I helped him. Because I put myself out to save him?
Because he thought I was human.
Would he he have done the same if knew I was a android?
Soon he was stopped by Shizune's arm grabbing him.
"He is fine Sasuke." She gave him a reassuring nod and smile.
They met eyes. Sasuke opened his mouth to protest but was stopped short by Shizune.
"Naruto isn't hurt."
"He's a human android."
