"Forthright's attacking again!" EVE exclaimed.
"What!?" Rio said.
"Yeah! She's right outside trying to break in!"
"Well let's get out there then!" Ruby yelled.
"Chibi, stay here with Leah and DO NOT let her leave!" EVE cocked her cannon and followed her sisters outside.
"Wait..." Leah tried to disconnect herself from the machine, but Chibi firmly yanked her arm to her side.
"But Chibi! They need my help!"
You wouldn't even be alive without me! Chibi thought, exasperated, You are impossible!
"Hey, what's that look for?" she narrowed her eyes, "Oh, I think I get it. Har dee har har."
"Leah!" Telly scolded, "He's just protecting you! You can't fight in your state!"
"But they're in danger!" she gripped her face, "Ugh! Why did I do something as stupid as pour water into my body!?"
"That doesn't matter now!" Telly told her, "The fact is, you're hurt! Stay here!"
"But my family!"
No! was Chibi's swift reply. He suddenly got an idea, so he stuck the device back to his head, Telly, go and see how they're doing, then report back. She might be put at ease if she knows.
"Oh! Good idea!" Telly said, "Alright! I'll be right back!"
While he was gone, Leah watched Chibi pace, after taking the thing off his head again. He seemed to really like moving around.
"Hey, Chibi?"
He stopped and looked at her.
"Is it true?" she asked carefully, like she was treading on thin ice, "Do you love everything about me?"
Yes! how could she ask something like that?
She laid back, "I've been struggling with my self-esteem for almost a year...all my sisters are just so much better than me..."
He wanted to stop her there, but he was curious, so he let her continue.
"...I just...I don't know...I felt like I was a burden on them...I felt like a waste of space...I saw that jug of water in the human town, and...I..." she opened her eyes sadly, "...something inside me snapped...you know, I was actually planning on...killing myself, right after shutting the facility down...but you stopped me and convinced me to stay...but the thoughts just wouldn't go away..."
The silence around them was slowly getting on Chibi's nerves, but he didn't break the silence. He listened with a keen ear-chip.
"...the urge to kill myself went away as soon as you told me that you love me..." she smiled at him with pure adoration, "How can I leave you after a confession like that?"
Chibi shook his head, the translator back on, It's not just me. We all love you. Eve, Rose, Rio, Aya...they all would have been devastated if you left!
"Maybe...but the thoughts still wouldn't leave..."
Thoughts like what?
"I'd rather not say...but it scared me..." she explained with anger in her expression, "...I'm glad now that I didn't succeed..."
Heheh...this is almost like Jenny telling me and her parents what was up.
"Really?"
Yeah. Jenny was screaming and crying, just like you were. She luckily didn't have to go to the hospital for injury because her head didn't get in the noose, but she was a mess. I was afraid she was going to kill herself just by squirming around, but Dad held her firm. He wasn't letting his only child go so easily. he was lost in his thoughts again, I wish I could have been there on her 17th birthday. It would have been the 9th anniversary of when we first met.
Leah let a small smile come over her eyes.
I'm just glad she learned to live without me. Chibi had a wistful look in his black camera eyes, I'm sure she got another Chibi-Robo, though. I hope she did.
"Uh, guys..." Telly had returned, "Bad news...the girls aren't doing so well..."
"What!?"
Chibi glared at Telly before trying to restrain Leah, You idiot! She's going to try and save them!
Telly's pupils shrunk, "I'm sorry..."
Don't be. It's not your fault-! Wait! Telly, don't cry! Leah! Stop!
He was getting very stressed.
"I have to get to them!" she yanked the cord from her heart and froze.
Telly! Get her plugged in again!
"Ack!" Telly hurried to the cord and pushed it back in. Leah started moving again.
"What happened?"
"You blacked out, I think." Telly replied.
"I...I have to..."
You don't have to do anything except stay here! Chibi insisted, Calm down!
"Chibi! Let me go!"
You can't! We already told you! Stop!
"LET ME GO!" her eyes flickered and static crossed her screen, "I HAVE TO GET TO THEM! I HAVE TO GO!"
Chibi couldn't stand hearing her cry like that. He had to do something, he had to stop this, he...
Leah forced herself to calm down, though she still shook, "There's a portable battery pack on the far wall...I can use it to get around for a limited time on it's power..."
"That's so risky!" Telly exclaimed worriedly, "It's not going to work!"
"I have to..." Leah had sharpness in her gaze, "I'm not letting my sisters die because I made a stupid mistake...let me go, at least for a few minutes..."
I...I can't do that... Chibi's thoughts translated, I can't let you go...
"I'm going whether you want me to or not! Are you going to come with me or stay here!?"
He was at a standstill. Just like he'd once done for her, she was backing him into a wall. He wasn't going to make the choice, she'd already made it.
It was just a matter of whether he'd be with her or against her.
Chibi's eyes curved down, Fine...Telly, get the the charger...
"What?" he was about to protest, but he saw the resolve in Chibi's body posture. He'd only seen that one other time; when Chibi went against the Queen of the Spydorz.
"Okay..." Telly flew to the far wall and retrieved the battery. Leah gratefully took it and hooked it up to her heart, unplugging the other cord first, then she stuck the battery itself to her head.
She bolted down the hall of the Axiom, Chibi in her hands, "Okay, I have ten minutes of power on this thing, so we have to hurry! Telly, watch my back!"
"You got it!"
"Oh, and Chibi?" she smiled down at him, "Thank you for everything!"
He nodded, having removed the device.
"Okay!" a determined glint lit her eye, "Let's show Forthright what we can do!"