novelFlower Medal
| ← Ch.05 | Ch.07 → |
Peaceful breaths, innocent sleeping faces.
I watch the children sleep at the plaza, and feel a sense of warmth inside me, and at the same time, some pain.
The child model robots have a long history to them. At first, they were created for couples who were unable to conceive or lost their children, and later on, they end up a massive category supporting the robot industry. Those child robots that like to smile, cling to others, and yet be so understanding have a general popularity in the market, and they were often cared for, doted on by their human 鈥榩arent鈥檚 as though they are the actual children.
However, the passing of time remains cruel. Once their masters, 鈥榯he parents鈥?die, child robots would have finished their mission, and would be sent to be scrapped at a plant. For the robots who not only fetched a high initial fee, but a high maintenance cost, the death of their masters implied their own deaths.
Of course, there are robots that barely avoided the fate of being scrapped and ended up in the second-hand shops. Most of the robots in this village are of this case. The children of the village cling onto me too not, not because I鈥檓 too patronizing, but because they desired for family. They had a sad programming to yearn for family, hoping to fawn, and they continued to seek love even over a hundred years.
鈥擫ove, huh鈥?
I, once a caretaker robot, would sing to them once every two days and coax them to sleep. I don鈥檛 know whether a robot like me has this thing called 鈥榣ove鈥? but I still want to do my best for the children. Until the day our masters awake and are able to give them true love.
鈥擝ut.
A trauma flashes in my mind. It鈥檚 the nightmarish scenery I saw four days prior.
I too experienced the 鈥榚nd time鈥? I was transferred from the kindergarten, and was working as a construction robot at a certain place in the city. When the cold wave spread, I was ordered to change my workplace, and deployed to the construction venue of the 鈥楽now White鈥? The images of being deployed to transport the materials with the heavy type robots still remain fresh in my Mind Circuits.
However, such a visual image was a first. No matter whether I was present, it is unfathomable to think that I had no impression of such a major event. There were killings in the thousands, yet is it possible that this information did not reach me?
鈥擶as my memory wiped off鈥?
Due to certain reasons, the data back then was erased from my Mind Circuit. If this is the case, it explains things. Or rather, this is the only thing I can think of.
But why? Erased because it鈥檚 not beneficial for humans? Is it just me? Or are the other villagers, industrial robots all the same? If our Mind Circuits are modified, and records disadvantageous to human history can be erased, then my feelings鈥攎y thoughts, my adoration, my utmost efforts to my masters鈥攁re they all created artificially? Is the utmost adoration I have of the Principal fabricated too? Or is it just an imprinted mindset?
鈥擨 don鈥檛 know. What is real, what is fake鈥 don鈥檛 know at all.
The more I start to doubt, the more uneasy I feel. I can鈥檛 even trust in my own memories at all. There is no way I can come up with an accurate conclusion.
And right when I鈥檓 deeply frustrated over why I can鈥檛 get the answer.
鈥淲hat, you鈥檙e here. 鈥?
I lift my face, and standing before me is a woman wearing a beret.
鈥淗m鈥he children are really clinging onto me. 鈥?
鈥淭hey鈥檙e sleeping well. 鈥?
Viscaria looks around, seemingly impressed. There are sheets laid out on the plaza, and the children are recharging, sleeping with their limbs completely limber. Child robots have a 鈥榥ap function鈥?that allows them to automatically fall asleep. In terms of power saving, this function is really recommended. The effectiveness for recharging at least is most optimal when they don鈥檛 move.
鈥淚 have something to discuss with you. 鈥?
鈥淲hat is it?鈥?
鈥淚 want to do an emergency diagnosis soon. 鈥?
鈥淓h?鈥?
I look at her. She had just carried out treatment.
鈥淲hy again?鈥?
鈥淲ell basically鈥︹€?
Viscaria would later say; as we have lived underground for a long time, there has been an upward trend of dire metallic fatigue, 鈥榤etal frostbite鈥? If a robot鈥檚 body is to freeze, the worst-case scenario will be if they show signs of breaking down.
This trend has been escalating further recently.
鈥淭wo weeks ago, it was seven cases. Last week, it was eleven. This week, we have twenty. 鈥?
鈥淓h, twenty already? That鈥檚 too much. 鈥?
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we need an emergency diagnosis. 鈥?
Viscaria pulls her beret down, and closes her eyes with fatigue. In fact, with the number of patients sent to her all day long, she has yet to rest well as she has to diagnose them.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e really busy going around with the resupplies, yet you came by to help. 鈥?
鈥淲ell I have to. Maybe we can get more people to help you diagnose. I鈥檒l make a request to the Chief. 鈥?
鈥淚鈥檒l leave it to you. 鈥?
鈥淎nyway, we need to find one way to deal with this鈥︹€?
Recently, there has been a lot of issues happening in the village. Frequent earthquakes, sudden collapses, frostbites happening one after another, icemobile malfunctioning. The villagers 鈥榚xtracting鈥?has become more common recently too.
鈥擬aybe.
I lift my head, and suddenly have this thought.
鈥擨f I鈥檓 to show these children 鈥榯hat footage鈥? what will they think?
The thirty children before my eyes are sleeping in different postures. I can no longer look at their innocent sleeping faces directly.
鈥淢a鈥ama鈥︹€?
Someone mutters.
鈥淣ice butt today!鈥?
鈥淜yaaa!鈥?
I frantically turn around, as I have been molested on the butt. Grinning away is the flirt.
鈥淐an鈥檛 you be a little more decent in how you greet others?鈥?
鈥淪o, I should rub your breasts?鈥?
鈥淵ou Assbahn!!鈥?
Eisbahn takes a kick from me, 鈥淥w, it hurts!鈥?And jumps up high.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e going to keep this up, I鈥檓 going to ask Viscaria to do an operation on you. 鈥?
鈥淲ell, those are some bold words from a virgin. 鈥?
鈥淚鈥檓 serious. 鈥?
鈥淪cary, scary. 鈥?
Haa, I sigh. This is the only guy not worried at all, even when the village鈥檚 ravaged with earthquakes and frostbites.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e still a Senator, please show some care for the future of the villager. 鈥?
鈥淏ut I do think of a lot of things. 鈥?
鈥淪top lying. 鈥?
I slap away his sticky hand that鈥檚 reaching for my chest, and walk away, 鈥淲ait, don鈥檛 be angry now~鈥?he鈥檚 still pestering me.
鈥淲here are you going?鈥?
鈥淣othing to do with you. 鈥?
鈥淭he Village Council again, right?鈥?
鈥淵eah, any suggestions?鈥?
鈥淐an鈥檛 you contact through the wireless. 鈥?
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 been able to contact the Chief through the wireless, so I鈥檓 going straight to him to talk. Discuss about the frostbites and the countermeasures. 鈥?
鈥淵ou鈥檙e serious. 鈥?
鈥淵ou鈥檙e the one who isn鈥檛 serious. 鈥?
I try to shake Eisbahn off, and storm forward, and he continues to follow me like goldfish poop. I have been cold to him, and not cute at all, but why is this guy pestering me all the time?
Huffing my shoulders in rage, I storm forward, and at this moment.
鈥?
Boom, the earth shakes.
It鈥檚 a tremendous tremor. There have been little quakes over the past month, but such a scale is really abnormal. It just feels like the entire earth bounces up to strike me, as I lose my balance and collapse. Eisbahn next to me is flailing around too.
This tremor lasts for a long time. The earth shakes side to side over this duration that lasts more than a minute, and several icicles, dozens of them, fall from the ceiling. We try to hide in some houses, but can鈥檛 stand up right, and can only remain where we are until the shaking stops.
And then.
鈥擨s it鈥ver?
I tentatively lift my face off the ground, and the ice fragments shatter, falling off my face. 鈥淯gh鈥︹€?Eisbahn too lifts his face.
鈥淚 thought I was going to die鈥︹€?
鈥溾€-me too. 鈥?
Still rattle, we hold hands and stand up, surveying the surroundings. There are numerous ice blocks of various sizes scattered around, with the walls of a few collapses houses appearing in our eyes. There鈥檚 no doubt this is a severe situation.
鈥淓mergency contact鈥?鈥?
I open all communication channels, shouting,
鈥淭his is Vice Chief Amaryllis! Notifying all blocks! Report on the situation immediately! I repeat, report on the situation immediately鈥?鈥?
And in the meantime, my Mind Circuits receive the reports from all over the village.
鈥淭his is Left Wing B! We have lots of people trapped under collapsed houses! Requesting for immediate aid!鈥?
鈥淩ight Foot D! Four are critically injured, we鈥檙e lacking in parts!鈥?
鈥滶6 of the Body! We got kids buried alive! Hurry, save them!鈥?
The injury reports come in shrieks, and in an instant, there are more than fifty injured. I immediately give the instruction,
鈥淭o all Blocks! Refer to Manual 7, 3C! Parts warehouse and supplies shall be released for all! Prioritize those with damaged Mind Circuits! After that, send all the injury reports to the Village Council Hall! Understood1?鈥?
I give the commands, 鈥淐hief!鈥?and switch the channel.
鈥淵ou hear me!? It鈥檚 Vice Chief Amaryllis! Chief! Chief鈥?鈥?
I desperately call for the Chief through the emergency circuit. There is no answer.
鈥擲eriously? At this moment鈥?
鈥淎ccessing Council data with Vice Chief鈥檚 permissions! Birdmap!鈥?
And so, a large map appears before my eyes immediately. This is the holographic image only I can see, aired in my Mind Circuit.
鈥擜h!
Looking at it, there are red lights flashing at the path leading to the Snow White.
鈥擭ot good!
鈥淰iscaria! G?tz! You two alright鈥??鈥?
I call for the other Senators through the wireless. 鈥淚鈥檓 fine. 鈥?鈥淪o am I!鈥?I quickly get my response.
鈥淲e鈥檒l head to the Snow White to have a look! We鈥檒l leave the saving to you two!鈥?
鈥滸ot it!鈥?鈥淔ine with us!
As both of them reply in unison,
鈥淟et鈥檚 go, Eisbahn!鈥?
鈥淩ight!鈥?
We race off with all our might.
鈥淗eya!鈥?
After some flashes of blue light, the large ice blocks are shattered. On the path leading to the Snow White, several dozen meters are obstructed by collapsed ice blocks.
鈥淲atch this鈥?!鈥?
The ice is sliced, and then the collapsed bits are halved. Eisbahn鈥檚 鈥楶hantom Blade鈥?continues to cut through the ice, as though digging a tunnel, and the fragments of shaved ice pile by the side.
鈥淲ait!鈥?I sense some metal. 鈥淪omeone鈥檚 there鈥?鈥?
鈥淲hat?鈥?
He stops his hand blade.
鈥淏uried alive?鈥?
鈥淢ost likely! Try digging that corner there! Be careful!鈥?
鈥淩ight!鈥?
Eisbahn controls the output of his blade, melting the ice like a burner. There are flowers and grass embedded inside the ice, probably as it was close to the 鈥楻EM Forest鈥? and white smoke fizzles once it touches the laser.
鈥淥h鈥?鈥?
Eisbahn raises his voice,
鈥淲hat?鈥?
鈥淚 see it!鈥?
He grabs the grey elbow poking out from the ice, and pulls it out. The robot buried alive has a hemispherical head, a round pudgy body, and caterpillar legs.
鈥淓h鈥??鈥?
We exclaim in unison.
鈥淲hy is Gappy here鈥??鈥?
I support Gappy鈥檚 body with both hands, checking his reaction. The light of the visual installation has vanished.
鈥淲ait! We鈥檒l save you now!鈥?
I open Gappy鈥檚 body, and quickly draw out the battery. I connect the spare battery, and with a whoosh, the light appears again.
鈥淕a鈥︹€?
鈥淕appy, you alright? Can you hear me?鈥?
鈥淎ma鈥y, lls鈥?鈥?
Gappy鈥檚 hemispherical head turns around with a creak, making sure I appear in the round lenses of his.
鈥擳his is some severe frostbite鈥?
As he was buried alive, his body鈥檚 is as frozen as ice. The cracks are very serious, and it may be dangerous for him if this keeps up.
鈥淕appy, your frostbite is really severe. Don鈥檛 move at all. Stay here until everyone comes here. 鈥?
鈥淕appy鈥nderstands鈥︹€?
I have him hold the spare battery, and we continue with the repairs. I should have Gappy returned to the village, but our priority here is to check on the Snow White. This is our mission as the villagers.
鈥擯lease wait, Gappy.
鈥淟et鈥檚 hurry!鈥?
鈥淩-right鈥?鈥?
I sweep the hair behind me, and get back to repairs.
Eisbahn鈥檚 blue light blade continues to swing, hacking away at the ice, scattering them.
鈥擧owever.
There has one thing I am still wondering.
鈥擶hy is Gappy here鈥?
After we finally make our way to the 鈥楻EM Forest鈥? we continue to linger before it.
鈥淐hief, Chief鈥? Can you hear me, Chief鈥?!鈥?
Without the Chief鈥檚 permission, we cannot enter the Snow White.
鈥擲eriously, where is he鈥??
鈥淕et down!鈥?
Eisbahn raises his arm up,
鈥淲hat are you going to do!?鈥?
鈥淣o choice but to barge in!鈥?
Eisbahn swings the arm straight down with all his might. The Phantom Blade at full power hits the thick doors hard, and sparks fly, a dent created.
鈥淪ure is tough鈥nother one!鈥?
Eisbahn鈥檚 then swings another blade down in the same manner. With a dull zoom, the door is finally pierced through.
鈥淎lright!鈥?
He swings the blade sideways, cutting a sharp angle through the door. He creates a triangular hole that鈥檚 large enough for a person to slip through.
鈥淚鈥檓 going in!鈥?
鈥淏e careful!鈥?
I slip through the opening, and Eisbahn follows.
Upon entering, we鈥檙e stunned.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e kidding鈥︹€?
The 鈥楽pindle鈥?that forms the Snow White has stopped spinning, the light vanished, devoid of life. I look, and see the wreckage that collapsed from above stopping the axis. There are a few 鈥榗radles鈥?lying on the floor. This devastation is similar to a beehive ravaged by a bear.
鈥擶hat in the world鈥?
鈥淓isbahn! I鈥檓 restarting the power! I鈥檒l leave the debris on the axis to you!鈥?
鈥淩ight!鈥?
We get down to work with both hands. There is an emergency power source to prevent the Cradles from being frozen, but I have no idea how long it can last.
鈥擥ot to hurry鈥?
鈥楾hink鈥? the level鈥檚 pushed up, but the Snow White shows no response at all.
鈥擬anual activation doesn鈥檛 work鈥?
I summon the control panel on the wall, and tap at the keys in a prayerful manner.
鈥淗uh!鈥?
I can hear Eisbahn鈥檚 yell above me, and the sound of air being ripped apart echoes. The shattered debris scatter all over.
鈥淕ot it out!鈥?
鈥淭hanks!鈥?
I call out, and tap at the keys.
鈥擬asters, maters鈥?
The memories race in my mind. The masters with the kind smiles, the masters who kept thinking for my sake. And then鈥?
鈥擣ire!
鈥淯gh鈥?鈥?
For a moment, my hands stop. I want to hurry up and save my masters, but I have another imagery appearing in my might. This is 鈥榯hat footage鈥?I am not willing to think of.
鈥擴gh鈥?
I shake my head slightly, trying to cast aside my doubts, and get to work. Once the control panel shows the affirmation button,
鈥淧lease, work鈥?鈥?
I exclaim, and slam the panel. Several times.
Immediately,
With a rumbling sound, the Snow White glows. The light races through the surface of the Spindle, like blood filling the vessels, and the axis start to spin.
鈥淭hank goodness鈥︹€?
I heave a sigh. For a moment, I feel perturbed, but I鈥檓 still able to save our masters. For some reason, I feel a sense of huge relief.
鈥擳hen, next.
All I have to do is to put by the fallen Cradles back into position, and the repairs will be done. I scan the room, and run off to the nearest Cradle.
At this moment.
Boom, the floor shakes.
鈥擭o way, another one鈥??
The earthquake strikes again, and I lose my balance, falling to the floor.
The earthquake rattles the Snow White, and the axis that has just recover let out a creaking shriek. Icicles fall from the ceiling.
鈥擮h no鈥?
The shattered ice rains on a little Cradle in the middle. If this continues, it鈥檒l be dangerous.
鈥淯gh鈥?鈥?
I crawl to the Cradle as fast as I can, but the shaking doesn鈥檛 stop, and I can鈥檛 go forward as I hope, as my feet are slippery.
Yet at this moment.
鈥淕a-Ga-Ga鈥攑yy!!鈥?
A shrill sound rings, and a robot appears in the room. That robot quickly slams towards the Cradle.
鈥擥appy!?
鈥淚-I-I-I-I-I-I-I鈥?鈥?
As the world continues to rattle in the earthquake, Gappy spins his caterpillar legs, and dashes forward with a speed that鈥檚 basically impossible for the usual him鈥攁s fast as the assisted run during the Prayer Festival.
The icicle blade strikes Gappy from above, and the sharp fragments stabs into the floor. Even so, the brave robot continues forward without care for his own safety. The figure of what has been derided as scrap no longer exists, and showing up instead is a brave warrior driven by his mission and mobility.
So cool. So I thought.
But,
Right when Gappy鈥檚 about to knock aside the Cradle on the floor.
鈥擜h!
A really large icicle falls from the ceiling. 鈥淒amn it!鈥?Eisbahn tries to slash it apart with his blade, but barely misses.
鈥淕appy, move!!!鈥?
However, he didn鈥檛. After knocking it aside with his caterpillar legs, he loses his balance, tumbling over hard.
And gets crushed beneath.
鈥淕appy鈥︹€?
The fragment lands deep into the back, stabs through the abdomen, and into the floor. He鈥檚 unable to move, like an insect that鈥檚 made into a sample. The brave robot grimaces in agony,
鈥淚-I-I-I can鈥檛鈥︹€?
鈥淵ou can鈥檛, Gappy. Just stay there, don鈥檛 move. 鈥?
I know my voice is trembling. Gappy鈥檚 lower body fall limp, like organs spilled out, and his head is tilted to the other side.
鈥淲ait. I鈥檒l get the Mind Circuit out鈥斺€?
鈥淣-no, need, for, that鈥︹€?
He barely tilts his head,
鈥淚-I-I鈥檓, not鈥oing, to, make, it. 鈥?
鈥淒on鈥檛 say day!鈥?
I yell out to deny him. However, I know that he鈥檚 wounded critically, beyond the point of salvaging. The arms are showing cracks, about to break apart.
鈥淢-m-m-my鈥-M-Mi-Mind鈥ircuit, is鈥one. 鈥?
After hearing it, I search from the hole on his body, and cut the cables apart to check on the rectangular Mind Circuit. The frozen circuit is full of cracks, like a melting lake, waiting to break apart.
For us villagers, there is no backup to that. The Memory that can store important data have been offered to the Snow White. Thus, once the Mind Circuits are wrecked, we can鈥檛 repair them anymore.
In other words, we will die.
鈥淚-I-I鈥斺€?
Gappy tries his best to say,
鈥淲-want to, give鈥︹€?
鈥淓h?鈥?
鈥淕ive, Daisy鈥his鈥︹€?
Gappy opens his mouth, and in the mouth that鈥檚 as dark as a cave, there is a little ice fragment.
鈥淯, ggg鈥︹€?
With his trembling hands, he takes out the ice fragment from his mouth. This fragment continues a pink petal, and though its uneven and not too good looking, it鈥檚鈥攁 flower medal.
鈥擨 want to give this medal, to Daisy.
These were the words he said at the park, in the middle of the night.
Finally, I realize why Gappy came to the 鈥楻EM forest鈥?
He came here for Daisy. Daisy really wanted the medal of the prayer festival, and so Gappy came to the 鈥楻EM forest鈥?to pick a flower.
鈥淭his, is, for, Daisy鈥︹€?
鈥淣o, Gappy. You need, to, give this, to her鈥︹€?
鈥淚-I鈥annot鈥︹€?
鈥溾€擶e鈥檒l take it. 鈥?
A pair of hands are placed on my shoulders before I know it. I turn around, and see Eisbahn standing there.
鈥淏ut. 鈥?
鈥淛ust go with Gappy鈥檚 feelings here鈥kay?鈥?
He nods towards me. I have never seen him so serious before.
鈥溾€ight. 鈥?
I receive the medal from Gappy鈥檚 hands.
鈥淭h-thank you. 鈥?
After that, Gappy鈥檚 body sinks down, as though all his energy is depleted.
The lights deep inside the roun lenses are slowly vanishing.
鈥淣o, Gappy. Let鈥檚 go back to the village together. 鈥?
Again, I grasp his hand hard.
鈥淗ave鈥︹€?
Gappy looks up at the Snow White, asking with a feeble voice,
鈥淚鈥ontributed鈥nything鈥︹€?
The voice gets weaker,
鈥淭o鈥asters鈥?鈥?
鈥淵es. 鈥?
I hold in my tears, eking out these words,
鈥淵ou鈥檙e so cool, so courageous when you protected that Cradle. 鈥?
鈥淚, se鈥︹€?
鈥淵es鈥o鈥︹€?
I pull out the pendant hanging on my neck. It鈥檚 the 鈥楪rand Prix鈥?flower medal I was awarded during the Prayer Festival.
鈥淕appy, I hereby award this 鈥楪rand Prix鈥?to you. 鈥?
I hang the flower medal on his neck. Tiingg, the medal collides with his body like a chime, giving off a tragic sound.
鈥淚-I-I-I鈥檝e received, the Grand, Prix鈥︹€?
鈥淵es, that鈥檚 right. 鈥?
鈥淚s this, okay?鈥?
鈥淵ou risked your life to protect our masters. This medal really suits you well. 鈥?
鈥淗ehe鈥, Did, it鈥︹€?
He smiles with all his might.
鈥淚f, Daisy, knows. 鈥?
He ekes out his final words.
鈥淪he, will, surely, be, shocked. 鈥?
Vbbring, and a sharp sound echoes. Stunned, I look at the large hole in Gappy鈥檚 abdomen. The silver rectangular item inside, the -Mind Circuit鈥攆alls to the fall, shattering into fragments of various sizes like glass. This is the terminal symptom of a metal frostbite.
Thus, Gappy would never move, forever.
Memory
Gaooo Gooo. I continue to move forward.
鈥淎lright, charge! Charge!鈥?
I could hear Daisy shouting from above.
鈥淚t鈥檚 Gappy!鈥?鈥淪crappy! Scrappy鈥檚 attacking!鈥?鈥淓veryone, run!鈥?
The children all run away with much enthusiasm, Gaooo Gaoo, and I give chase,
鈥淗ey, faster! Gappy!鈥?
Daisy prompts me. However, I could no longer accelerate, and ended up being abandoned by everyone.
The short hide-and-seek ended.
鈥淎hh~ahh, Gappy, you鈥檙e so slow, stupid鈥︹€?
鈥淚-I-I did my best, there. 鈥?
鈥淵our best isn鈥檛 enough here. 鈥?
Before I realized it, only Daisy and I were left in the park. As usual, we鈥檙e both alone.
鈥淒-D-Daisy. 鈥?
鈥淲hat?鈥?
鈥淲h-why, aren鈥檛, you, leaving?鈥?
鈥淗uh?鈥?
Daisy bends down, looking at me.
鈥淲hat do you mean?鈥?
鈥淚-I鈥檓 an, idiot, so, everyone, ran away. But, Daisy, you, didn鈥檛 leave鈥hy?鈥?
鈥淲hat why鈥 don鈥檛 care about that. 鈥?
鈥淚-I-I-I want to know. I, want, to, know, what you鈥檙e thinking, Daisy. 鈥?
Daisy looked at me. After a short pause,鈥淚-I, see鈥︹€?
鈥淪o, when I first met you, I thought it鈥檚 like we鈥檙e reunited鈥hat鈥檚 all. 鈥?
And for some reason, Daisy awkwardly emphasized 鈥淩eally, that鈥檚 all there is. 鈥?
I love Daisy. More than anyone else in the world.
It will be great, if we can make amends, tomorrow.
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