"How much farther did you say your hideout was?" Sam huffed.
I glanced down at the map, after making so many journeys back and forth you'd think I'd have the route memorized, but you'd be wrong.
"About half a mile." I chuckled nervously.
The boy slowly turned his head to me, eyes wide, mouth hanging open.
"You've got to be kidding."
I smiled. I was pretty lazy myself, even if I did dedicate hours to work.
"If I were kidding, we'd be there now." I smiled.
Sam sighed and did nothing to hide this. In fact, it was over exaggerated.
"Oh, come on now, Sam. It must've taken you way longer to find me than it will to pick up something personal of mine." I smiled to myself. "Besides, if you expect me to navigate the wastes without some kind of easily accessible weapon, you're kidding yourself. I know how dangerous it is out here."
Sam looked up at me and frowned. "Sure. But at least I didn't have to make the trip all at once."
I couldn't help but laugh at his frustrated face. "Well, why don't we talk to pass the time? Tell me a little about yourself, where did you come from?"
The auburn-haired boy scrunched up his face, hiding his mouth in his sweater. His hands knotted themselves in the white and purple stripped fabric. I quickly sensed that I had touched a nerve. "Sam, it's ok. We've only just met after all. You don't need to tell me anything you're not ready to."
His expression changed when he looked up at me, he was more relaxed and looked almost relieved.
"Thanks... uhh"
"You can call me Aeryn for now. It's easier." I smiled.
The boy's eyebrows crinkled. "Is that your real name?"
"No." I laughed.
"What!? C'mon, tell me your actual name!" He cried.
"Another time, when I decide that I trust you." I declared, and poked Sam on the nose. "But hey, look, we're already here."
Before Sam could protest, I gestured with my arm to a small ground level house. It would have been unremarkable if it weren't for the dud bomb protruding from the front wall. The house was dark maroon with brown trim, its paint faded from years in the weather. A part of the roof that was obstructed by the bomb was crumbling, but a blue tarp could be seen on the other side, keeping out the majority of the wind and rain. There had been two large front windows overlooking the once green lawn that had long since turned brown, both were shattered.
"Woah! What happened to this place?!" Sam exclaimed.
I was fairly surprised that he didn't already know. Yes, he would have been a baby around the time of 'The Rebellion', but it wasn't a stretch to think that his parents would've told him about it. Everyone had chosen sides when the fighting really kicked off, and those who survived wanted their children to carry on their opinions and legacies. There had slowly over the years been towns popping up in many places, just because I didn't want to live in one didn't mean they weren't there.
"No one's told you the story? The history of the wastes? Do you know what city this was??"
Sam kept his gaze level with the house across the way, a melancholy look in his eyes. He then said, "No. Should I? I mean, I know that robots rebelled and caused a lot of damage, but I haven't ever heard of bombs during it." He paused. He then said in a quiet voice, "Besides, my people don't like to talk about it."
I nodded; I didn't want to pry into it if he didn't want me to. If he asked, I'd tell him. Although I would rather, he not be aware of the absolute brutality that was 'The Rebellion', it would be better for him to learn when he was older anyway.
No more words were spoken on the subject, and I opened the door onto a darkened living room. Belongings from the previous occupants were littered throughout; a bookshelf that had collected a mountain of dust, family pictures and a bronze goddess statuette on the mantle, etc. I had never seen a good reason to get rid of any of it, I was living in their house after all, and even though I hadn't known them it felt like I was keeping their memory alive having that stuff around.
Besides, I would've felt like I was disturbing a grave had I trashed anything.
"At least the inside is nice, eh?" I joked.
Sam hummed, looking over the pictures of two kids with matching brown hair.
"Who're they?" He asked.
"I don't know, they were the last people who lived here before me. When I came here it was deserted, so I kinda set up shop so to speak." I could see him nod.
"So, what was it we're here to get anyway?"
"Ah, right. Give me just a minute, I'll be right back." I said and darted into a room down a short hall.
The room was different from the main entrance, I'd moved most of the things I could out and into a spare bedroom so I could really make it my own. Fortunately, there hadn't been much in there to begin with save a desk, sewing machine, and cabinet full of fabrics. Anything I couldn't use I moved out. In the corner there was a small nest like bundle of blankets and pillows where I normally slept, the fabric cabinet now also housed what little clothing I owned, and aside from some books I'd managed to pull from the rubble and a small box of mementos I didn't have much else.
Much of what I owned had been lost in the fight between the robots and humans, not that it would have mattered anyway, there wasn't very much that would've consoled me after the battle was over.
I moved to gently shut the door; I didn't want Sam to walk in while I was looking through my things, some of it was pretty personal. I took down the small box from a high shelf in the cabinet and set it down on the floor. Knelt in front of it I gently opened it.
Inside was a garnet pin, a small brown hardcover journal, and a pendant. I picked up the journal first. It was my father's account of Metro City, my family was originally from the kingdom of Mayura, so when he left to live in the city everything was new and exciting to him. A few months into living here and he met my mother, and you know the rest. The pin was his gift to her, he'd given it to her to propose and when my thirteenth birthday came, she passed it to me.
I pocketed the journal and garnet pin, but my gaze lingered on the pendant for a moment. It was a silver drop shape which had the image of a flower vine etched into its front. Just above the silver drop was a ring that hung several pieces of turquoise, it hung loosely over the droplet. It was the last gift Astro had ever given me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Astro had been worriedly pacing for a few minutes now. He'd been wearing a diplomatically appropriate outfit to meet with the knight, he felt that as a representative for humanity he should dress like one. His once perfectly pressed suit jacket had been very wrinkled from his nervous pacing. The sky was a soft orange hue in the dying light. The ministry roof was as good a place as any to talk about what had occurred with the Blue Knight.
"I can't convince him no matter what I try! I understand why he distrusts humans, but I can't just excuse his total disregard for other sentient life! I don't know what he expects me to do..." He takes a deep breath, more for the sake of it rather than actually needing to.
Then, with saddened eyes he looks at me. "I feel like there's nothing I can do." He sighed, sitting down on the edge of the roof, feet dangling over the edge. A perfect view of the last golden rays of the sun cascaded over the city, casting a halo-like glow around the robot boy.
How could the Blue Knight be okay with taking something like this away from a person?
I sat myself down beside Astro and tried to find the right words. I rested my hand at my side, our fingers gently touched.
"He hasn't known much human kindness, there's a good reason he can't let go of the past, and what he sees now isn't much different. He isn't wrong when he says that many robots are still treated like items, things just to use and throw away rather than people. But focusing on revenge makes him stoop to their level."
A comfortable silence settled over us for only a moment.
"I believe in you. You care about everyone and want them to have the freedom and safety to be who they are, that's more than I can say for a lot of us. You'll get through to him in the end, I know it."
A modest smile appeared on his face. "You somehow always know what to say."
"Only because you give me so much practice."
We laughed for a moment before his face suddenly became more serious. He took my hand in his grasp. His thumb brushes over my skin.
"I have something I want to give you." He mumbles.
He tucks a hand into the pocket of his shorts and retrieves a small silver pendant on a chain, its shiny surface and the ring of hanging turquoise around it shining in the sun. Seeing the beautiful object left me at a loss for words. Seeing the amazement on my face caused him to smile.
"I know I might have over done it, but I know how dangerous everything has been, and I don't want you to wonder how I feel about you. I can't help myself but keep thinking of the worst-case scenario, that I wouldn't come back to you."
I was both incredibly happy and hurt at what he'd said.
"I'd never let that happen. I know you'll solve this. You've done bigger before, and I have all the faith in the world in you."
He says nothing, just gives a long look. With a smooth gesture he clasps the pendant around my neck.
"Next time I talk with him promise me you'll stay in the hollow till I come back." I could see the plead in his brown eyes. I shifted his hold on my hand so that our fingers were together, I gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.
"I promise."