She remembered one of the saddest days of her life with sorrowful fondness. Her maturity had been too low for her to understand the importance of his departure, so the memory was blurred by the confused grief that had consumed her. But it was the clearest memory she had of the man she considered a brother.
Her eyes opened slowly and painfully. They were sore from all of her crying. She gazed at the ceiling and remembered the events of the earlier days. A wave of sadness crashed over her.
Ohji was dead.
Her guardian, her protector, and the closest thing she'd ever had to family, was dead.
"Ringo," called a familiar voice softly.
Though she knew that voice as well as her own, it was still slightly foreign. He had barely spoken to her all week. He had barely spoken at all.
Since Lyuze died.
Another barrage of sorrow.
She sniffled and sat up, tears swimming in her eyes. In the corner of the small cabin was a blob of white, red and gold.
"Casshern?"
"How do you feel?"
A few tears leaked down her cheeks, but she didn't let the sobs out. She wanted to be strong. Like Ohji and Lyuze would want her to be. Like Casshern.
In response to his inquiry, she shrugged.
He sighed, something he didn't do often, and stood. Sunlight trickled in through the window, illuminating the motes that dances around his pristine form. His body was perfect as always, something every robot on earth was envious of. She recalled their first meeting, when she'd thought he was a human.
He looked invincible to her, as if nothing could touch him.
"I have to go," he stated, his voice calm, smooth, and devoid of emotion.
"Where?" she asked meekly.
"I won't be back for a long time. But Friender will stay with you. When we see each other again, you'll be all grown up."
Confusion bombarded her and she scrambled off the bed. "No! I don't want you to go, Casshern! Why are you leaving?"
He headed toward the door but paused, his back to her. "I have to watch over the world. I'm sorry." He turned his head, but didn't look at her over his shoulder. "You'll understand someday. Live your life, and we will see each other again."
The door opened.
"Goodbye, Ringo."
And the man who had caused the Ruin of the world was gone.
She thought about that day often.
There was one thing she knew now that she had not been able to comprehend back then.
She had thought he was invincible, that no harm could come to him.
She thought that he couldn't possibly understand her pain.
But she had been so wrong.
He had probably suffered more than anyone that had ever lived.
Casshern had lost so many people. He had killed so many people. And in causing the Ruin, he'd gained the ability to feel. Perhaps his emotions were all part of the punishment for his many sins. When he had caused the Ruin, he did not have the ability to feel guilty for his actions. But when he'd woken up that day to a herd of robots trying to kill him, he'd gained the ability to feel remorse and love.
He had met Ringo and come to care for her as if she were his own sister.
He had met Lyuze, and offered her his life as compensation for that of her sister's.
Ringo remembered the pink-haired beauty. A fierce warrior and loyal friend. She had met Casshern with a vendetta to kill him for his crimes, but had come to love him instead. Ringo smiled at the various images of them together that flashed through her head. What Casshern and Lyuze had was special, a glimmer of light in midst of such terrible times. When Lyuze had died, Casshern had shown more emotion than Ringo had ever seem. He had always looked sad, but those broken sobs as he held Lyuze's body…
Casshern carried so many chains.
Ringo could do nothing but tend to her flowers until the day that Casshern's chains pulled him back to her.