Inside the large theater there were a lot of people in the seats and the box with a sign in the middle of the stage that said "The Story of Vapu", both Shizuka and Nobita sit in the middle and center seats while the girl in the pigtails was excited. "Is today's play about the story of Vapu? It's a nice story full of emotions although it ends a little sad, but it's my favorite." At the same time, an... eccentric person also sits next to Nobita.
"I think I remember the story of Vapu, I think we read it together once when you showed me the book at your house" Nobita says smiling. "Sorry if I didn't get tickets for the boxes, we would have enjoyed it better there"
Shizuka shakes her head "Don't worry, the main thing is to enjoy the play and that's fine." The lights in the theater begin to go out, indicating that the play was about to begin, leaving only the light on the stage, so everyone remains silent.
While this was happening, elsewhere, in the office of the president of Suchimu Corp, a place that had been taken into account in the prologue, an 18-year-old girl with orange hair with a ponytail hairstyle wearing a white blouse, a blue vest, black pants, a tool belt, thick gloves and leather boots, the curious thing about her is her eyes, which were a bright blue color, something very unusual in that city. She sees the president that he was reviewing another medical report. "Did you call me, sir?" The girl says she only sees how frustrated the adult was.
The president snaps out of her frustration upon hearing the girl's voice "Oh, it's you 106, I mean, Mia. Sorry, I didn't see you there. I just wanted to know... How are they?"
"80 and 81 already returned home, 81 wanted to come see you, but I told him you were busy and..." The orange-haired girl doesn't finish speaking, when the office door bursts open revealing Seiya. "And once again he didn't want to listen to me" Mia exhales tiredly.
"Good afternoon father, I know you're busy, but... I just wanted to tell you about my and Melia's first day at school." The blue-haired boy approaches the president "It was fun interacting with other children my age, I'm in a project that we have to present at the end of the month, it's about the manufacture of a flying ship and..."
"Seiya, I'm really glad that you and your sister had fun on your first day of school, but right now I'm busy and as much as it pains me, I'm pressed for time." The president looked at the report that had the number SUBJECT NUMBER 801 and a big REPROVED stamp below it.
"But could you just give me 5 minutes? I've made friends in the classroom, in fact, I made a plan based on the drawing of one of them, his name is Nobita, he's nice like the rest, I even helped him when he..." At that moment, the telephone that was on the president's desk was the same as the European models from 1892. Olivier takes the phone and answers quickly, cutting off what his son was going to say, the boy just sighs with his head down while Mia looked him with a little pity but also with a serious look.
When the president finishes speaking, he takes his jacket, since he didn't have it on, he gets up from his desk and goes to the door while putting on his jacket "I have to go, please Mia, take Seiya back home. I have just been informed that subject 802 is making progress with the problematic part of the project." The adult just looks at his son with a sad smile and caresses his head. "You can tell me about your day when I return home, son."
The president leaves the office while Mia puts her hands on the blue-haired boy's shoulders to take him back home, the sadness on his face was obvious. "Don't worry 81, remember that when this whole project thing is over, the boss will have more time for you and 80, you just have to wait and give it your all like us" but Seiya only walks away a little.
"At least I hope so, I think that's why I put effort into this too. And you know I don't like being called by my number, Mia, it makes me feel non-human"
Returning to the Central Theater, the play had ended and the entire audience applauded as the curtain had closed. The story of Vapu told about a story already known to the inhabitants of Sutirushiti.
"A long time ago, in a place where a single man was locked between 4 walls for fear of the unknown, in a castle of metal and steam where he felt protected, a genius felt alone being the only human there.
That's why he had created many mechanical beings over the years, which at first made him feel good, but as time went by, the feeling of loneliness was still lodged inside him, the pain was so strong that it made him age even more fast.
For this reason, and although it took him longer, the genius created a young man made of pieces and mechanisms in such a way that he seemed as human as he was, and although certain pieces were visible, he had more soul and feelings than the rest of the creations of the genius, he named him Vapu, his son.
The genius had never been so happy, he finally didn't feel alone, the young man named Vapu, strong and human, shared with him numerous adventures within the great castle, but although Vapu wanted to know what was beyond the castle, the genius didn't leave him because of the fear that was outside.
One day, Vapu, in the great curiosity that he had with a human soul, went out for a moment seeing that outside there was a beautiful place to explore and although at first the genius was upset with his creation for having broken the only rule of the castle, He knew he had made him so human that he couldn't blame him for wanting to go further.
Although, when he had decided to let Vapu go, a great cataclysm came to the castle destroying everything, hurting innocent robots, everything and in order to take over what was never his, the great calamity wanted everything, even Vapu.
With the most honorable act that anyone with a soul can do, Vapu decides to fight against the Great Calamity that tormented what he loved, his brothers and his father, the genie. And although he was able to save them all by eliminating the Calamity, a sacrifice of a robot with a soul was the bitter result of protecting his own.
Arms of metal, legs of tin and steam, a pair of eyes of glass and power, a brain of screws and cables, and a heart of gears and nuts, is what was left of what was once a human without being one.
The castle and its inhabitants lived happily but remembering who gave them the opportunity to continue living, remembering him forever.
And the genie kept what was left of Vapu in a trunk of memories, breathing his last with a smile, for everything he lived with Vapu and how he was now back with the son he once created and loved with all his heart. "
Shizuka was wiping away a couple of tears with a pink handkerchief embroidered with flowers. "That story is so beautiful and so sad at the same time, I really like it because you really see the affection between a creator and his creation. Thank you for today Nobita, this story hurts but it's very beautiful"
"It's nothing, well..." Nobita gets nervous but then he gets sad remembering the story, especially the ending "Even though it's a story, the fact that it ended that way was very sad, the truth is that it makes me really sad. How Vapu ended up protecting others" says the boy "I would have liked it to have ended differently"
"Sometimes tragedy is the preamble to happiness" Both kids are startled when they hear the person who was sitting next to Nobita, was reading the script of the play they had seen and when they looked out of the script, it was revealed that was Hanz, the theater manager, who had decided to watch the play from the seats, something curious since he normally watched his artists' work from the box. "Sorry if I got into your adorable conversation, I didn't mean to interrupt a couple in the middle of their conversation." That makes Nobita turn a little red while Shizuka, being more reserved, turns around for a while with a light blush on her cheeks. "Curious reactions, my name is Hanz and I'm the boss of this theater." The lanky man takes off his top hat for a while when he introduces himself, revealing his gray hair, and instantly puts it back on.
"Usually I like to see my artists' work from the box to verify that they are doing well earning their salary, but today I wanted to look for a... different angle" The lanky guy stands up with emotion. "I have chosen the best day to change my view, because this story is one of my favorites. Hearing the feelings of the spectators and the hearts numbed by the pain of a story with a bitter ending is a pleasant experience. What are your names if could know?" Hanz smiles with interest.
"My name is Nobi Nobita" says the boy, although it was almost difficult for him to understand the lanky guy's way of speaking.
"I'm Minamoto Shizuka, the way you speak and see theater stories is very sophisticated, now I understand why you own this place" says the girl with the pigtails, admiring the manager's expressions.
"You know? I don't usually do this but... Since I'm in a good mood today, I think I can give you a discount in the gift shop outside the theater, you don't make a living from art alone, you know? And I think There's something you'd like to see."
Both Nobita and Shizuka are confused by this sudden peddler role that the lanky guy was displaying, until a few moments later, casually, there was a souvenir shop at the exit of the theater, something that Shizuka never noticed was there before, she used to come to the theater with her father since they both liked to see the plays that were shown on stage. "I didn't notice this was here before."
"It's new, as I said, you don't make a living from art alone. We usually sell items made by the artists themselves since they really like to create accessories and even unique pieces. Look with confidence, who knows what's here, it's all honest work" Lanky lets out a light giggle as he lightly nudges Nobita, who just smiles nervously, not understanding the theater boss's eccentric behavior a bit.
Both kids looked at things carefully, there were some interesting items that could even be useful for the project, although the price didn't suit them much, until...
"Oh it's pretty!" The girl with the pigtails draws her special attention to a double necklace of a mechanical heart that shines among all the things for sale.
"That reminds me a little of Vapu's story, except for the ending." The object had also caught the attention of the boy, it was a golden opportunity for him, who scratches the back of his neck while blushing slightly "Do you like it a lot?" The boy with the glasses asks Shizuka, who nods her head with a slight blush as she looks closely at her heart necklace.
"I knew you guys would notice that necklace! It's so predictable that it excites me, in fact, with today's play, it's on sale." The playwright taps Nobita's head with his finger, who checks his pockets asking to find money, luckily, he still had the rest of what was left of his allowance with him and was enough for the necklace, seeing how the boy makes a happy face, Hanz instantly takes the money that the boy had in his hand "Deal then!"
The mechanical hand reaches into the display case, reaching for the necklace and removing it as if it were a hook, placing the necklace in the boy's hand. "Does that man have mechanical prostheses?" He thinks the boy is stunned but doesn't give importance to the matter since for a world like the one they were in, mechanical prostheses were normal. Nobita approaches Shizuka as the blush on his cheeks rises higher, showing the necklace hanging from his hands a little nervously. "H-here, it's for you!"
The girl takes the necklace with a blush on her cheeks and a smile "Nobita, you didn't have to bother buying it, the theater thing was more than enough. But..."
"But?" The boy gets more nervous thinking that he had screwed up, while Hanz watched everything attentively as if he were watching another play, but the girl just laughs softly while she feels the heart of the necklace, breaking it in half.
"It's a double necklace, see?" The girl shows him how each half could be joined and separated, plus the necklace was thick so there were actually two of them. "So, for this day, it's better to have each other's half, because of how fabulous this day was, seriously, thank you for today"
The boy takes half of the necklace, being very happy and nodding his head, each one puts on their respective necklace while smiling at each other. "Well, I have to get back to business, the next play is in two hours and I have to make sure everything is in order, it was a pleasure meeting you"
"It was also a pleasure Mr. Hanz, see you soon" says the girl with the pigtails.
"Yes, and thanks for showing us the store, see you around" Nobita says as the theater man approaches him a little
"By the way... Tell Doraemon I send him my regards." What Hanz says confuses him but he still nods because of the necklace. So they both leave the theater while Hanz watches the exit "I think something fun will happen soon, young humans of this time are very interesting, heh heh"
Both guys were walking back to the neighborhood until they reached the intersection where they had to separate to each go home. "Thank you very much for today Nobita, I had a lot of fun"
"Y-you're welcome" Nobita says while the girl smiles at him "See you tomorrow at school"
"Of course, see you tomorrow. Take care, okay? Bye Nobita"
"Goodbye Shizuka, take care, see you tomorrow"
Shizuka walks away smiling at him while Nobita stands dazed in the middle of the sidewalk, his emotions running high as he sees half of the heart with him. Without a doubt, today had a very good progress, especially because now both had a half of the other that will always remind them of that day with emotion.