To Be Human {Chapter 12}
To Be Human {Chapter 12}
Title: To Be Human
Author: fel93
Length: Chaptered (3479 words for this chapter)
Pairing: Ohmiya, Sakuraiba
Rating: PG-13
Genre: AU, Drama, Fantasy, Futuristic, Angst, Romance
Disclaimer: Nuh-uh, sadly, they’re not mine
Summary: What happens when Ohno gets lost, and meets someone who is not quite like him
"Oh c'mon, stopping mopping already!" Nino resisted his urge to kick Sho as he watch him rock himself in an almost hypnotizing manner.
Sho doesn't respond.
"We need to get out! Aren't you supposed to be the brainy one! Think of something!" Nino huffed angrily.
Sho still doesn't respond.
"Oh my god, I'd rather have Aiba here with me than you!" Nino rolled his eyes.
A muffled cry came from the corner where Sho was huddled.
Another sniff.
Oh please not now...
As nonchalant as Nino seemed, he wasn't as heartless as he wished to be. When it comes to making humans cry, he has no hesitation. But to make a robot cry, even he didn't want that.
"I was just kidding..." Nino hovered around Sho's curled figure worriedly.
"What do you think they're doing now?" Sho asked in the tiniest voice. Nino almost missed it.
"Aiba is probably panicking, running around like a headless chicken, trying to find you." Nino said whatever that came to his mind.
Sho pursed his lips more tightly and looked like he was going to start bawling.
"What?! What did I say?!" Nino was starting to panic too. He probably look like an Aiba now.
"They will catch him if he's so reckless! Which he probably is!" Sho wailed.
"No! No! That's not what I meant! I meant that you're very important to Aiba and that's why he'd definitely come and rescue you! Don't worry, Ohno will stop him from doing anything stupid!" Nino quickly reassured him.
Ohno...
It was bad timing really. Nino had to go ballistic with his feelings in the pantry just before he so unfortunately got caught by the authorities. Then again, maybe it’s a good thing that he won't be seeing Ohno for a while. Both of them needed the time away from each other. To think about things.
Maybe I'm the only one who needed the time out... He's probably happy that I'm gone and he doesn't need to face me, the stupid emotional robot. Nino thought bitterly.
Ohno dismissing his confession... It hurts more than those strangers staring at him like he was a freak. It hurts more than being denied an existence by those pesky humans. It hurts more than the nights he spent alone, wishing that he was something else, a someone with a heart and a soul. It hurts so badly, the pain was almost physical. If robots can even feel physical pain, that is.
It dawned on him, that that’s how much Ohno's acceptance meant to him. Those humans, he didn't care about them, he never did. Though he did try to fit in before, it wasn't essentially important. That’s why he was okay with not fitting in, we could survive with that, though the rejection did stung, he didn’t need their approval to exist. But Ohno...
The pain was killing him, eating him up alive from the inside.
He didn't know whether to feel bad for forcing his feelings on Ohno or to feel angry for Ohno's narrow mindedness. It wasn't every day that someone receives a confession from a robot. Of course, Ohno would be shocked. And perhaps disgusted. Nino added as an afterthought. He wasn't exactly expecting Ohno to reciprocate his feelings but he didn't know what to expect either. He just felt like he had to get those festering feelings out of his system before he explodes. But if Ohno's reason for rejecting him was because it’s not normal...Nino could feel anger bubbling in the pits of his stomach. He sighed and the anger dissipated as quickly as it came. Why am I not surprised? Humans conform to societal norms. It’s their instincts.
He looked over at Sho, who was mumbling something under his breath. He heard mentions of Aiba's name several times.
"Are you really worried?" Nino asked quietly.
"Yes, I'm really worried." Sho admitted in an equally small voice. "Aiba...Aiba never thinks before he does anything. I always had to restrain him. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind that at all, but if I'm not there, what will happen to him?" Sho bit his lips.
"Like I said, Ohno is there to stop him. So don't worry." Nino thought he tasted something bitter when he said Ohno's name.
"It's not the same." Sho sighed.
How is it not the same? Nino thought. It's just keeping Aiba safe right? Anyone can do that, even Ohno.
As if Sho could read his mind, he answered, "I should be there for him! If anyone were to protect Aiba, it should be me. It has to be me! We were created to complete each other. Nobody understands Aiba as well as I do. We know each other so well, heck, we even complete each other's sentences. We’re never complete on our own. We’re part of one.” Sho took a deep breath before continuing, “And without him, I’m not me anymore.”
We’re never complete on our own. We’re part of one.
Sho’s voice reverberated within the cell, the tendrils of his haunting words wrapped itself around Nino’s mind. Nino paced about the small area which is the confinement of their cell, contemplating Sho’s words.
How nice would it be to have someone you know you can always lean on. Someone who completes you. All these years, Nino yearned to be accepted by people but it was only now that he realized that he only cared about being accepted by people who were important to him. His thoughts drifted to Ohno once again. Damn it…
No, he cannot think that way. One must learn to live alone. He’d survived all these years alone, that is enough to prove that one doesn’t need another someone to feel complete.
“Yes, you guys were created together, you guys form a perfect team” Nino started slowly, “but it doesn’t mean that you guys are incomplete on your own. Both of you have the capability to live on your own.” Nino squatted down to meet Sho at eye level.
“Perhaps it’s time you learn how.”
But did Nino truly believed in what he just said? He wondered himself too. All those years living alone, was he considered whole?
*~*~*
“Okay, let’s go! We need to hurry!” Ohno and Aiba got out of the car quickly as Toma switched off the engine. He turned to open his side of the car door.
Only to realize that he couldn’t.
“Satoshi, step away, let me out.” Toma stated calmly. Outside Toma’s side of the door, Ohno was leaning heavily against the door, not letting Toma out.
“Thanks for the ride Toma. Now go back.” Ohno eyed Toma evenly.
“I said, let me out.” Toma repeated once more.
Ohno crouched down so that he could meet Toma’s eyes through the window.
“I’m not letting you risk your life here. It isn’t necessary.” Ohno said.
“But I can help you!” Toma pleaded, his calm facade breaking down fast. “Aiba is risking his life! You are risking your life! Why can’t I risk mine too?”
“Well, technically I don’t have a life to begin with…” Aiba muttered quietly behind them.
“Aiba will go because Sho is in danger! I would stop him if I could, but do you think I can?” Ohno explained. Aiba nodded vigorously.
“And me, this is something I have to do.” Ohno stated. “I brought them into the capital and it is on me to bring them all back out, not let some of them be detained in some crazy lab where they do not belong in.” Ohno finished fiercely.
“Then why can’t you let me help you! I’m your friend aren’t I?” Toma fought back.
Ohno sighed.
“Toma, I owe you too much already.” Ohno shook his head slightly. Toma opened his mouth, ready to retort but Ohno stopped him before he could.
“Just go back okay, Toma? You need to take care of Freestyle. Don’t let Nino and Sho’s capture be for nothing.”
“But-“ Toma started again.
“THIS IS AN ORDER.” Ohno hate to use his authority, but if that’s what he has to do to keep his friend safe, then so be it.
Toma fell silent and slumped into his seat in defeat.
“Just…” Ohno fixed Toma with a gaze that says he’s sorry for pulling that card “Just give us something to return for okay?” Ohno forced a smile. “I want to return home to a friend, just like how I’m sure Nino would want to return to a kingdom of games waiting for him and how Aiba and Sho would want to return to the capital for further explorations and adventures.”
Toma sighed. “I understand” He said in resignation. He mustered up every ounce of cheeriness within him “I’ll make sure to be waiting for your return with everything ready!” He promised. “Make sure you do return okay?” Toma said with pleading eyes.
“Yes, we’ll definitely come home safe!” Ohno smiled, but this time his smile was genuine.
Toma gave one final nod and drove off, leaving Ohno and Aiba standing in an open field a mile away from the ominous looking laboratory.
The pair looked at each other and the same thought came to their minds.
Now what?
*~*~*
“Argh this is driving me nuts!” It had been several hours since they were locked up. Nino banged his head repetitively against the cell wall.
“You’re gonna suffer from head damage if you keep on doing that. Better to sit down and preserve your electrical energy.” Sho stated numbly.
“I’d rather die from battery depletion than boredom.”
Sighing for the umpteenth time in an hour, he finally gave up and sat down beside Sho.
“What do you think they’re doing now?” Nino examined his fingernails and fingers. He wonders why he was created with stubby fingers. Wouldn’t slender fingers look nicer?
Sho snorted out a mirthless laugh. “I hate to admit that I’m probably right, but Aiba must feel as lost as I am. We’ve never been apart except for the times we went for experiments. This must be new for him. He must have already cried until the water reserves in his body ran out.” Sho chuckled, but he looked more like he wanted to cry “Knowing Aiba, he’d probably come up with a hundred and one ridiculous ideas to come save us.” Sho sighed. “That idiot, I really hope he doesn’t get himself into trouble. Two of us captured is enough. We don’t need any more here.” Sho wrung his hands nervously, obviously terrified at the idea of all of them ending up in this cell. Who will save them then?
“Do you think…” Nino inquired quietly, “do you think they’ll come for me too?” He couldn’t keep his sense of helplessness away from his voice.
“Of course! Why would you even think they won’t! Of course they will come for you! Especially Ohno-san.” Sho replied, looking at Nino as if he were crazy.
“Especially Ohno-san…?”
“Yeah, especially Ohno-san! You mean something to him.” Engaged in a conversation, Sho finally stopped looking so depressed.
“Why would you say that? Why would I even mean something to him? I’m just a robot.” Nino could feel hope bubbling up his chest. No, I will not allow myself to feel this way. Nino thought. He tried his hardest to suppress these feelings. Hope is a dangerous thing. It deludes you into thinking what you want, and when your desired outcome doesn’t occur, it will hit you. Harder.
“Have you actually SEEN the way he looks at you?”
Ohno looks at me? Nino thought. He shook his head numbly, surprised.
“It’s different.” Sho shook his head slightly and laughed at Nino’s oblivion. “It’s different from the way he looks at me, or Aiba. He’s always mindful of how you’d react whenever he says something, even though I think he himself doesn’t realize it. He tolerates all your nonsense even if it inconveniences him and he always looks exceptionally happy when you occasionally spare a thought for him or treats him nicely, though those moments are rare.” Sho shrugged.
All these came as a surprise to Nino. He hadn’t thought he’d mean something to Ohno. He thought his feelings were one-sided. But, if I meant that much to Ohno, why would he say what he said in the pantry?
Sho saw wrong. Nino knew what he saw in Ohno’s eyes when he said those words. He saw rejection and impossibility. Even if Sho was right, even if Ohno did feel something for him, if Ohno is unwilling to accept his own feelings for Nino, then there really is nothing Nino can do about it.
Nino shook his head to clear his mind of all hope. Hope is dangerous, he repeated to himself. He doesn’t need anyone. Not Ohno.
“You’re lying.” Nino concluded. “I don’t need them. I can save myself.”
“Nino,” Sho sighed. “It’s okay to rely on others sometimes.” He patted Nino’s back. “You said, I have to learn to live alone, without Aiba. But I think, you have something to learn to do as well.”
Nino raised his eyebrows at Sho.
“You have to learn to depend on your friends.” Sho smiled.
Nino gave Sho an incredulous look, which slowly turned contemplative.
“Okay, if we are to rely on them, then we have to help them help us.” He wasn’t entirely convinced about the whole relying on your friends thing but he can try. Nino balled his hands into fists and cracked his knuckles one by one. “Any ideas on how to get out of this place, smarty-pants? Anything I should know about this place? I’ve been gone for long, I don’t know if anything changed around here. Any secret trapdoors?”
Sho rubbed his chin contemplatively. “There may just be a way out…”
Nino edged closer.
*~*~*
“This is impossible.” Ohno stared up at the fortress, that was the lab and groaned. They can’t even get through the front door, they don’t even know the layout of the lab and they don’t know where Nino and Sho were kept. How are they supposed to carry out their rescue mission?
“If there is a way, there is a will! Don’t give up Oh-chan!” Aiba said, looking determined.
Ohno tried suppressing his giggles but he failed and ended up snorting into his hands.
“What?” Aiba asked, puzzled.
“You got it wrong Aiba-chan. It’s the other way round. If there is a will, there is a way. You should really learn your proverbs properly.” Ohno smiled.
“No, I’m right!” AIba insisted. “There is a way.” Aiba smirked. “All these years, I haven’t been playing hide and seek with Sho-chan for nothing. All we need, is a lot of will.”
Ohno’s eyes lit up. “How?”
Aiba had a look of concentration on his face. “Alright, if Nino and Sho were brought to the same cell we were kept in all these years, there is a way to reach them.”
Ohno frowned. Aiba didn’t answer his question. “How?” He repeated.
“Hmm okay this is kinda complicated.” Aiba scratched his head, deep in thought. “The cell that we were kept in is in the dungeons. One of the ways for us to get to that cell, is for us to go through the labyrinth that leads to the cell.”
“Then let’s go!” Ohno exclaimed.
“But…”
“But what?” Ohno asked.
“But there’s a wall of electrical wave at the entrance of the dungeon and at the entrance of the cell. It wipes out part of our memory so that we can’t remember our way through the labyrinth. It’s a preventive measure against robots escaping really. Because they realize that even though the labyrinth is complicated, there’s a high chance that Sho and I can memorise the routes if we pass through the labyrinth often enough.” Aiba shrugged. “So, yeah, we can’t reach Nino and Sho through the labyrinth because I don’t know how to navigate through it. It’s too complicated for us to figure out on the spot either. We’ll get caught before we even get through half the maze.”
“Then, how?!” Ohno almost growled at Aiba in frustration and anxiety. There must be some way to get to them!
“There is still another way, but it is complicated. That’s where the will part comes in.” Aiba frowned.
Ohno looked at Aiba inquisitively, a sign for Aiba to carry on.
“There is this secret passageway that Sho and I found. It connects the cell to another part of the lab. If they manage to get to that part of the lab through the passageway, then they can escape from there.”
“But…?” Ohno supplied helpfully. It sounded like a ‘but’ was coming his way.
“But,” Aiba looked at Ohno, amused. “there is this trapdoor in the middle of the passageway. It has a special lock that has to be simultaneously unlocked on both sides before the door can open.”
Ohno had an overwhelming urge to bang his head against something. “Which means…?” He knew what it meant, but he just hoped that maybe Aiba would prove him wrong.
“Which means, that we have to somehow let Sho and Nino know when to be at the trapdoor so that we can unlock the door from both sides simultaneously.” Aiba confirmed.
Ohno sighed heavily. This is impossible! He thought dejectedly. “And how are we supposed to do that? I don’t even see how we can get into the lab! Much less get them out of the cell!” Ohno said in frustration.
“I don’t know… That’s why I said we need a lot of will. Coordinating with them will require a lot of patience and willpower. ” Aiba said sadly. “Argh, where is Sho-chan when I need his brains!”
“It’s okay! Let’s calm down and think about it. We need to get them no matter what.” Ohno said, his turn to be optimistic, trying to cheer Aiba up. It wouldn’t do any good if both of them were depressed and pessimistic. “Let’s try getting closer to the lab, we can think of a plan as we walk.”
Aiba nodded in agreement and the pair started walking towards the lab.
It was really quiet around them. No birds chirping, not even the whistling of the wind. The only sounds heard were the crunching of grass where the pair stepped on. The lab is a gigantic, ominous-looking iron structure that rose from the middle of a plain. Surrounding the plain were dense forests. Ohno and Aiba walked along the boundaries of the plain and the forest, trying to stay hidden while not losing sight of the lab.
“Do you miss him?” Ohno asked suddenly.
“Yeah, I do. We’ve never been apart for long periods of time before.” Aiba answered quietly.
The sounds of grass underneath their shoes filled the silence.
“Do you miss him?” Aiba asked in turn.
“Miss who?”
“Miss Nino of course.” Aiba said naturally.
“Yeah I do. I miss Sho too. Even though I’ve only known you guys for a short while, you all have already helped me a lot.” Ohno answered, watching his footsteps. Left, right, left, right, left.
Aiba rolled his eyes. “Missing Nino and missing Sho, they’re two different things!”
“How are they different?” Ohno frowned, puzzled.
Aiba sighed. “Someday you’ll understand what I meant.”
Ohno looked at Aiba confused.
Suddenly, Aiba’s knees buckled and he fell into a heap on the ground.
“AIBA!” Shocked, Ohno knelt down immediately to try to help him up. “What’s wrong Aiba! Don’t scare me!” My heart can only take that many scares!
Aiba peered at Ohno through bleary eyes. He attempted to laugh to calm Ohno down but it only sounded like a wheeze.
“I think I’m running out of battery. I haven’t charged for two days already. When we were at Nino’s house, Sho and Nino were the only ones who charged.” Aiba said simply.
Oh god. Ohno thought. In their hurry to get to the lab, Ohno forgot that robots needed battery! He left the generators back in Nino’s house in Mir and he hadn’t thought to get more in the capital.
“What do I do! Tell me what I can do for you!” Ohno demanded. He was flustered. He can’t carry out this rescue mission on his own! He needed Aiba’s help! And he can’t let Aiba die, he swore to bring three robots back, not just two! Or none. Ohno thought in horror.
“Just let me rest for a while. I’ll try to gather my remaining electrical energy. It should be able to last me till we get to the energy reserve packets stored in the lab.” Aiba explained, already closing his eyes to rest.
“Okay… Let me know if I can do anything to help okay! I can carry you!” Ohno offered worriedly.
Aiba didn’t respond, he merely smiled.
Ohno watched as Aiba rested.
Once again, he felt helpless.
To Be Continued...
Previous Chapter: {Chapter 11}
Next Chapter: {Chapter 13}
A/N: Here you go! As promised! (Forgive me for grammar mistakes though, this entire series is unbeta-ed ><) Thanks for reading!! ^^
Title: To Be Human
Author: fel93
Length: Chaptered (3479 words for this chapter)
Pairing: Ohmiya, Sakuraiba
Rating: PG-13
Genre: AU, Drama, Fantasy, Futuristic, Angst, Romance
Disclaimer: Nuh-uh, sadly, they’re not mine
Summary: What happens when Ohno gets lost, and meets someone who is not quite like him
"Oh c'mon, stopping mopping already!" Nino resisted his urge to kick Sho as he watch him rock himself in an almost hypnotizing manner.
Sho doesn't respond.
"We need to get out! Aren't you supposed to be the brainy one! Think of something!" Nino huffed angrily.
Sho still doesn't respond.
"Oh my god, I'd rather have Aiba here with me than you!" Nino rolled his eyes.
A muffled cry came from the corner where Sho was huddled.
Another sniff.
Oh please not now...
As nonchalant as Nino seemed, he wasn't as heartless as he wished to be. When it comes to making humans cry, he has no hesitation. But to make a robot cry, even he didn't want that.
"I was just kidding..." Nino hovered around Sho's curled figure worriedly.
"What do you think they're doing now?" Sho asked in the tiniest voice. Nino almost missed it.
"Aiba is probably panicking, running around like a headless chicken, trying to find you." Nino said whatever that came to his mind.
Sho pursed his lips more tightly and looked like he was going to start bawling.
"What?! What did I say?!" Nino was starting to panic too. He probably look like an Aiba now.
"They will catch him if he's so reckless! Which he probably is!" Sho wailed.
"No! No! That's not what I meant! I meant that you're very important to Aiba and that's why he'd definitely come and rescue you! Don't worry, Ohno will stop him from doing anything stupid!" Nino quickly reassured him.
Ohno...
It was bad timing really. Nino had to go ballistic with his feelings in the pantry just before he so unfortunately got caught by the authorities. Then again, maybe it’s a good thing that he won't be seeing Ohno for a while. Both of them needed the time away from each other. To think about things.
Maybe I'm the only one who needed the time out... He's probably happy that I'm gone and he doesn't need to face me, the stupid emotional robot. Nino thought bitterly.
Ohno dismissing his confession... It hurts more than those strangers staring at him like he was a freak. It hurts more than being denied an existence by those pesky humans. It hurts more than the nights he spent alone, wishing that he was something else, a someone with a heart and a soul. It hurts so badly, the pain was almost physical. If robots can even feel physical pain, that is.
It dawned on him, that that’s how much Ohno's acceptance meant to him. Those humans, he didn't care about them, he never did. Though he did try to fit in before, it wasn't essentially important. That’s why he was okay with not fitting in, we could survive with that, though the rejection did stung, he didn’t need their approval to exist. But Ohno...
The pain was killing him, eating him up alive from the inside.
He didn't know whether to feel bad for forcing his feelings on Ohno or to feel angry for Ohno's narrow mindedness. It wasn't every day that someone receives a confession from a robot. Of course, Ohno would be shocked. And perhaps disgusted. Nino added as an afterthought. He wasn't exactly expecting Ohno to reciprocate his feelings but he didn't know what to expect either. He just felt like he had to get those festering feelings out of his system before he explodes. But if Ohno's reason for rejecting him was because it’s not normal...Nino could feel anger bubbling in the pits of his stomach. He sighed and the anger dissipated as quickly as it came. Why am I not surprised? Humans conform to societal norms. It’s their instincts.
He looked over at Sho, who was mumbling something under his breath. He heard mentions of Aiba's name several times.
"Are you really worried?" Nino asked quietly.
"Yes, I'm really worried." Sho admitted in an equally small voice. "Aiba...Aiba never thinks before he does anything. I always had to restrain him. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind that at all, but if I'm not there, what will happen to him?" Sho bit his lips.
"Like I said, Ohno is there to stop him. So don't worry." Nino thought he tasted something bitter when he said Ohno's name.
"It's not the same." Sho sighed.
How is it not the same? Nino thought. It's just keeping Aiba safe right? Anyone can do that, even Ohno.
As if Sho could read his mind, he answered, "I should be there for him! If anyone were to protect Aiba, it should be me. It has to be me! We were created to complete each other. Nobody understands Aiba as well as I do. We know each other so well, heck, we even complete each other's sentences. We’re never complete on our own. We’re part of one.” Sho took a deep breath before continuing, “And without him, I’m not me anymore.”
We’re never complete on our own. We’re part of one.
Sho’s voice reverberated within the cell, the tendrils of his haunting words wrapped itself around Nino’s mind. Nino paced about the small area which is the confinement of their cell, contemplating Sho’s words.
How nice would it be to have someone you know you can always lean on. Someone who completes you. All these years, Nino yearned to be accepted by people but it was only now that he realized that he only cared about being accepted by people who were important to him. His thoughts drifted to Ohno once again. Damn it…
No, he cannot think that way. One must learn to live alone. He’d survived all these years alone, that is enough to prove that one doesn’t need another someone to feel complete.
“Yes, you guys were created together, you guys form a perfect team” Nino started slowly, “but it doesn’t mean that you guys are incomplete on your own. Both of you have the capability to live on your own.” Nino squatted down to meet Sho at eye level.
“Perhaps it’s time you learn how.”
But did Nino truly believed in what he just said? He wondered himself too. All those years living alone, was he considered whole?
*~*~*
“Okay, let’s go! We need to hurry!” Ohno and Aiba got out of the car quickly as Toma switched off the engine. He turned to open his side of the car door.
Only to realize that he couldn’t.
“Satoshi, step away, let me out.” Toma stated calmly. Outside Toma’s side of the door, Ohno was leaning heavily against the door, not letting Toma out.
“Thanks for the ride Toma. Now go back.” Ohno eyed Toma evenly.
“I said, let me out.” Toma repeated once more.
Ohno crouched down so that he could meet Toma’s eyes through the window.
“I’m not letting you risk your life here. It isn’t necessary.” Ohno said.
“But I can help you!” Toma pleaded, his calm facade breaking down fast. “Aiba is risking his life! You are risking your life! Why can’t I risk mine too?”
“Well, technically I don’t have a life to begin with…” Aiba muttered quietly behind them.
“Aiba will go because Sho is in danger! I would stop him if I could, but do you think I can?” Ohno explained. Aiba nodded vigorously.
“And me, this is something I have to do.” Ohno stated. “I brought them into the capital and it is on me to bring them all back out, not let some of them be detained in some crazy lab where they do not belong in.” Ohno finished fiercely.
“Then why can’t you let me help you! I’m your friend aren’t I?” Toma fought back.
Ohno sighed.
“Toma, I owe you too much already.” Ohno shook his head slightly. Toma opened his mouth, ready to retort but Ohno stopped him before he could.
“Just go back okay, Toma? You need to take care of Freestyle. Don’t let Nino and Sho’s capture be for nothing.”
“But-“ Toma started again.
“THIS IS AN ORDER.” Ohno hate to use his authority, but if that’s what he has to do to keep his friend safe, then so be it.
Toma fell silent and slumped into his seat in defeat.
“Just…” Ohno fixed Toma with a gaze that says he’s sorry for pulling that card “Just give us something to return for okay?” Ohno forced a smile. “I want to return home to a friend, just like how I’m sure Nino would want to return to a kingdom of games waiting for him and how Aiba and Sho would want to return to the capital for further explorations and adventures.”
Toma sighed. “I understand” He said in resignation. He mustered up every ounce of cheeriness within him “I’ll make sure to be waiting for your return with everything ready!” He promised. “Make sure you do return okay?” Toma said with pleading eyes.
“Yes, we’ll definitely come home safe!” Ohno smiled, but this time his smile was genuine.
Toma gave one final nod and drove off, leaving Ohno and Aiba standing in an open field a mile away from the ominous looking laboratory.
The pair looked at each other and the same thought came to their minds.
Now what?
*~*~*
“Argh this is driving me nuts!” It had been several hours since they were locked up. Nino banged his head repetitively against the cell wall.
“You’re gonna suffer from head damage if you keep on doing that. Better to sit down and preserve your electrical energy.” Sho stated numbly.
“I’d rather die from battery depletion than boredom.”
Sighing for the umpteenth time in an hour, he finally gave up and sat down beside Sho.
“What do you think they’re doing now?” Nino examined his fingernails and fingers. He wonders why he was created with stubby fingers. Wouldn’t slender fingers look nicer?
Sho snorted out a mirthless laugh. “I hate to admit that I’m probably right, but Aiba must feel as lost as I am. We’ve never been apart except for the times we went for experiments. This must be new for him. He must have already cried until the water reserves in his body ran out.” Sho chuckled, but he looked more like he wanted to cry “Knowing Aiba, he’d probably come up with a hundred and one ridiculous ideas to come save us.” Sho sighed. “That idiot, I really hope he doesn’t get himself into trouble. Two of us captured is enough. We don’t need any more here.” Sho wrung his hands nervously, obviously terrified at the idea of all of them ending up in this cell. Who will save them then?
“Do you think…” Nino inquired quietly, “do you think they’ll come for me too?” He couldn’t keep his sense of helplessness away from his voice.
“Of course! Why would you even think they won’t! Of course they will come for you! Especially Ohno-san.” Sho replied, looking at Nino as if he were crazy.
“Especially Ohno-san…?”
“Yeah, especially Ohno-san! You mean something to him.” Engaged in a conversation, Sho finally stopped looking so depressed.
“Why would you say that? Why would I even mean something to him? I’m just a robot.” Nino could feel hope bubbling up his chest. No, I will not allow myself to feel this way. Nino thought. He tried his hardest to suppress these feelings. Hope is a dangerous thing. It deludes you into thinking what you want, and when your desired outcome doesn’t occur, it will hit you. Harder.
“Have you actually SEEN the way he looks at you?”
Ohno looks at me? Nino thought. He shook his head numbly, surprised.
“It’s different.” Sho shook his head slightly and laughed at Nino’s oblivion. “It’s different from the way he looks at me, or Aiba. He’s always mindful of how you’d react whenever he says something, even though I think he himself doesn’t realize it. He tolerates all your nonsense even if it inconveniences him and he always looks exceptionally happy when you occasionally spare a thought for him or treats him nicely, though those moments are rare.” Sho shrugged.
All these came as a surprise to Nino. He hadn’t thought he’d mean something to Ohno. He thought his feelings were one-sided. But, if I meant that much to Ohno, why would he say what he said in the pantry?
Sho saw wrong. Nino knew what he saw in Ohno’s eyes when he said those words. He saw rejection and impossibility. Even if Sho was right, even if Ohno did feel something for him, if Ohno is unwilling to accept his own feelings for Nino, then there really is nothing Nino can do about it.
Nino shook his head to clear his mind of all hope. Hope is dangerous, he repeated to himself. He doesn’t need anyone. Not Ohno.
“You’re lying.” Nino concluded. “I don’t need them. I can save myself.”
“Nino,” Sho sighed. “It’s okay to rely on others sometimes.” He patted Nino’s back. “You said, I have to learn to live alone, without Aiba. But I think, you have something to learn to do as well.”
Nino raised his eyebrows at Sho.
“You have to learn to depend on your friends.” Sho smiled.
Nino gave Sho an incredulous look, which slowly turned contemplative.
“Okay, if we are to rely on them, then we have to help them help us.” He wasn’t entirely convinced about the whole relying on your friends thing but he can try. Nino balled his hands into fists and cracked his knuckles one by one. “Any ideas on how to get out of this place, smarty-pants? Anything I should know about this place? I’ve been gone for long, I don’t know if anything changed around here. Any secret trapdoors?”
Sho rubbed his chin contemplatively. “There may just be a way out…”
Nino edged closer.
*~*~*
“This is impossible.” Ohno stared up at the fortress, that was the lab and groaned. They can’t even get through the front door, they don’t even know the layout of the lab and they don’t know where Nino and Sho were kept. How are they supposed to carry out their rescue mission?
“If there is a way, there is a will! Don’t give up Oh-chan!” Aiba said, looking determined.
Ohno tried suppressing his giggles but he failed and ended up snorting into his hands.
“What?” Aiba asked, puzzled.
“You got it wrong Aiba-chan. It’s the other way round. If there is a will, there is a way. You should really learn your proverbs properly.” Ohno smiled.
“No, I’m right!” AIba insisted. “There is a way.” Aiba smirked. “All these years, I haven’t been playing hide and seek with Sho-chan for nothing. All we need, is a lot of will.”
Ohno’s eyes lit up. “How?”
Aiba had a look of concentration on his face. “Alright, if Nino and Sho were brought to the same cell we were kept in all these years, there is a way to reach them.”
Ohno frowned. Aiba didn’t answer his question. “How?” He repeated.
“Hmm okay this is kinda complicated.” Aiba scratched his head, deep in thought. “The cell that we were kept in is in the dungeons. One of the ways for us to get to that cell, is for us to go through the labyrinth that leads to the cell.”
“Then let’s go!” Ohno exclaimed.
“But…”
“But what?” Ohno asked.
“But there’s a wall of electrical wave at the entrance of the dungeon and at the entrance of the cell. It wipes out part of our memory so that we can’t remember our way through the labyrinth. It’s a preventive measure against robots escaping really. Because they realize that even though the labyrinth is complicated, there’s a high chance that Sho and I can memorise the routes if we pass through the labyrinth often enough.” Aiba shrugged. “So, yeah, we can’t reach Nino and Sho through the labyrinth because I don’t know how to navigate through it. It’s too complicated for us to figure out on the spot either. We’ll get caught before we even get through half the maze.”
“Then, how?!” Ohno almost growled at Aiba in frustration and anxiety. There must be some way to get to them!
“There is still another way, but it is complicated. That’s where the will part comes in.” Aiba frowned.
Ohno looked at Aiba inquisitively, a sign for Aiba to carry on.
“There is this secret passageway that Sho and I found. It connects the cell to another part of the lab. If they manage to get to that part of the lab through the passageway, then they can escape from there.”
“But…?” Ohno supplied helpfully. It sounded like a ‘but’ was coming his way.
“But,” Aiba looked at Ohno, amused. “there is this trapdoor in the middle of the passageway. It has a special lock that has to be simultaneously unlocked on both sides before the door can open.”
Ohno had an overwhelming urge to bang his head against something. “Which means…?” He knew what it meant, but he just hoped that maybe Aiba would prove him wrong.
“Which means, that we have to somehow let Sho and Nino know when to be at the trapdoor so that we can unlock the door from both sides simultaneously.” Aiba confirmed.
Ohno sighed heavily. This is impossible! He thought dejectedly. “And how are we supposed to do that? I don’t even see how we can get into the lab! Much less get them out of the cell!” Ohno said in frustration.
“I don’t know… That’s why I said we need a lot of will. Coordinating with them will require a lot of patience and willpower. ” Aiba said sadly. “Argh, where is Sho-chan when I need his brains!”
“It’s okay! Let’s calm down and think about it. We need to get them no matter what.” Ohno said, his turn to be optimistic, trying to cheer Aiba up. It wouldn’t do any good if both of them were depressed and pessimistic. “Let’s try getting closer to the lab, we can think of a plan as we walk.”
Aiba nodded in agreement and the pair started walking towards the lab.
It was really quiet around them. No birds chirping, not even the whistling of the wind. The only sounds heard were the crunching of grass where the pair stepped on. The lab is a gigantic, ominous-looking iron structure that rose from the middle of a plain. Surrounding the plain were dense forests. Ohno and Aiba walked along the boundaries of the plain and the forest, trying to stay hidden while not losing sight of the lab.
“Do you miss him?” Ohno asked suddenly.
“Yeah, I do. We’ve never been apart for long periods of time before.” Aiba answered quietly.
The sounds of grass underneath their shoes filled the silence.
“Do you miss him?” Aiba asked in turn.
“Miss who?”
“Miss Nino of course.” Aiba said naturally.
“Yeah I do. I miss Sho too. Even though I’ve only known you guys for a short while, you all have already helped me a lot.” Ohno answered, watching his footsteps. Left, right, left, right, left.
Aiba rolled his eyes. “Missing Nino and missing Sho, they’re two different things!”
“How are they different?” Ohno frowned, puzzled.
Aiba sighed. “Someday you’ll understand what I meant.”
Ohno looked at Aiba confused.
Suddenly, Aiba’s knees buckled and he fell into a heap on the ground.
“AIBA!” Shocked, Ohno knelt down immediately to try to help him up. “What’s wrong Aiba! Don’t scare me!” My heart can only take that many scares!
Aiba peered at Ohno through bleary eyes. He attempted to laugh to calm Ohno down but it only sounded like a wheeze.
“I think I’m running out of battery. I haven’t charged for two days already. When we were at Nino’s house, Sho and Nino were the only ones who charged.” Aiba said simply.
Oh god. Ohno thought. In their hurry to get to the lab, Ohno forgot that robots needed battery! He left the generators back in Nino’s house in Mir and he hadn’t thought to get more in the capital.
“What do I do! Tell me what I can do for you!” Ohno demanded. He was flustered. He can’t carry out this rescue mission on his own! He needed Aiba’s help! And he can’t let Aiba die, he swore to bring three robots back, not just two! Or none. Ohno thought in horror.
“Just let me rest for a while. I’ll try to gather my remaining electrical energy. It should be able to last me till we get to the energy reserve packets stored in the lab.” Aiba explained, already closing his eyes to rest.
“Okay… Let me know if I can do anything to help okay! I can carry you!” Ohno offered worriedly.
Aiba didn’t respond, he merely smiled.
Ohno watched as Aiba rested.
Once again, he felt helpless.
To Be Continued...
Previous Chapter: {Chapter 11}
Next Chapter: {Chapter 13}
A/N: Here you go! As promised! (Forgive me for grammar mistakes though, this entire series is unbeta-ed ><) Thanks for reading!! ^^