The Cyborg's Busy Afternoon

Haha! Now I, Lord Jaakdar, will take this planet's Pureness Power!

No...I'm not finished yet...!

Your friends have fallen into despair. Only you remain, Pure Flora!

What? You mean... They're all gone? Everyone...?

Everyone's gone?

But I can't do this on my own...

Sniff...sniffle...

Waaaaaaaah!

Due to mechanical troubles, today's showing will be canceled...

Sniff... That's so sad... They have to meet again.

Please accept a complimentary ticket usable on your next visit...

Ow! What was that? Static electricity?

Hmph. Jaakdar is such a meanie. Poor Pure Flora...

I registered electrical interference in this area. I see it was you, as I surmised.

Hm? Oh, you're...the me from this world?

Yes. Hello again, my temporal counterpart. There is something I would like to ask of you...

But why did the movie go away?

I wonder. Maybe Flora was so sad that it made the movie theater want to cry, too.

Many of the passersby in this area have been discussing a movie that was stopped in the middle of playback. ...Twilight Premaya. Do you have any idea why this may have occurred?

No, not at all... I was just watching the movie.

A-and then, Pure Flora... All her friends went away, a-and... Sniffle...

W-weeh...

Hey, the damn lights just went out again!

That's the third time today! What are we paying that maintenance crew for?!

...I understand now. When you are overcome with strong emotion, you lose control of your abilities. As a result, you unintentionally interfere with the electronics around you and cause power surges.

Really? I don't think I get it...

This is a problem. If left unchecked, this may cause inconvenience or even harm to others.

A-am I doing something bad?

While it is not your conscious fault, unpredictable outages are undesirable and harmful to the town's function.

Oh...what should I do? I don't wanna be umpadictable...

In that case, I recommend undergoing training to better control your emotional state. It so happens that my schedule is open. If you would like, I would be happy to accompany you in this matter.

Really? Hehe. Thanks!

Think nothing of it. We should travel to a location that will not be unduly affected by our training... The industrial sector of the Xeno- Domain will do nicely.

This will do.

Hey, me! Can I ask you? What are we gonna do for training?

I will impact your emotional state, and you will practice controlling your reaction to said stimuli.

Uh-huh, okay! So I'll just do what you tell me! Thanks, me!

Your understanding is appreciated. However, before we begin... I would like to request that you refrain from addressing me as "me".

Huh? But why? You're me, so why shouldn't I call you me?

It is true that you are me from an alternate time layer. However, your current method of address may cause confusion to those around us.

I don't really get it, but you're a really smart me, so you must be right.

Umm... Hmm...

I know! You can be Maya!

I see. You recommend using the "maya" from Premaya as a diminutive. Understood. From now on, please refer to me as Maya.

Mkay! Okay, Maya. Can you teach me how to stop going zappy-zap when I don't wanna?

Yes. We will work it out together.

A preliminary search suggests that young children struggle in particular with anger management.

I suggest we set controlling outbursts of anger as our initial goal.

Mkay. How do we do that?

Ah...well... Things that make one angry...mm...

My apologies. I have little personal experience with strong emotions. I will do some research.

Research complete. The actions that are most accessible include: leveling insults; physical assault; and "the silent treatment."

Let us begin with the latter option. Beginning "the silent treatment."

......

......

Um, Maya?

Yes? I am currently engaged in ignoring you, as you are aware.

Uh-huh. Um, I think if I know you're ignoring me it doesn't make me mad?

I see. It seems this option will be of limited use to us, then.

Let us move on to insults. Even if you are aware that this is only training, insults may result in negative emotions regardless.

Ahem... Fool. Dunce. Prisma-head. Scatterbrain. Chucklehead. Poppycocker...

Ooh, poppies! I love flowers. ♪ And I like chuckling too! It's fun!

Yes, it is. Hmm. What about these phrases constitutes an insult, I wonder?

I dunno! I'll look it up.

WOW, that's mean! Why would people say that to each other?!

...Let us continue our training. I have accessed a new list of insults commonly used in the past...

Phew... Are we done?

Yes. The amount of electrical signals produced by your brain has reduced compared to when we began. Well done.

Hehe, I did well! ♪

I still don't get insults, though. I have to look them up to know what they're supposed to mean.

Yes. It appears that the depths of the art of the insult are not so easily plumbed by ones such as us.

I hope the next one is easier.

Let us move on to the next stage. We will return to Elzion and see how well you can control yourself.

Okay! Look out, Elzion! Here we come!

Now then. What will provide the most effective testing scenario?

Oh, it's a kitty!

Hi kitty! C'mere, kitty kitty! Let's play together!

Aww, it ran away... Why do all the kitties seem like they hate me?

Cats are sensitive creatures. It seems likely that they dislike the electric signals you emit.

But, but... Does that mean I'll never get to hug a kitty for my entire life?

Sniff...

Stop that. You must be more careful about controlling your emotions...

Ah...

Oof...oh, my...

My apologies. Are you hurt?

No, no. Thank you, dear...

...Oh. You're one of them machines. Aren't you ashamed, standing here in town where you don't belong?

Machines? No, ma'am. She and I are cyborgs.

While large portions of our bodies may be mechanical in nature, we retain much of our...

Hah! Cyborgs, androids, whatever they say is the right word nowadays. A machine's a machine and that's that. Things used to be different in my day. Now you machines are doing crimes left and right and no one says a word.

I just know someday all you other humanoid ones are going to attack us, just like those Synths did.

Hmph! We're not like that!

And besides, not all the Synth Humans attack humans either!

A machine like you would say that, wouldn't you, hmm? Now get out of my way. Decent people are trying to walk here!

We weren't doing anything wrong! It has nothing to do with you!

Please calm down, Premaya. She will only take it as more reason to discriminate against those like us.

But...!

See! This one gets it. Machines ought to be seen and not heard, or better yet, not seen at all. You're lesser, and don't you ever forget it.

You're an awful old lady! Now I'm really mad!

Premaya, don't!

Aah!

W-what? Did it break down?

Owww! Maya, you made me fall over!

Maya?

Premaya. You should apologize to her.

Regardless of how angry you may be, it is no reason to hurt someone.

......Why not?

Why do we have to let her yell at us? We didn't do anything wrong! We were just talking!

Maya, you...you poppycocker! Dunce! Chucklehead! You, um... Uh... A-anyway! I hate you!

Are you hurt, ma'am? You may dislike it, but please let me offer you a hand.

You...

Mm? Someone's calling me. ...Yes. It's me.

What?! Gangsters in the Cargo Station? But it's just about time for school to let out!

The children are in danger...

Hmph. Stupid Maya. I can play just fine all by myself.

Ooh, maybe I can go to the toy store in Gamma District.

Huh? Everyone seems really excited.

Hey, you hear what's going on down by the Cargo Station? They say some old guy's going berserk.

They say he was betrayed by his allies or something. What a nuisance. He's just causing trouble for everyone.

I heard there's a cyborg girl facing off against him to save some kids. Now that sounds like a show to me.

A cyborg girl? That sounds like Maya...

What do I do? I should go help...

N-no, I can't! Maya's not my friend anymore.

I bet she'd say she doesn't want my help. Hmph. She can do it all on her own then.

I hear the old guy has some pretty nasty machines with him.

Really? That sounds awful. I hope that girl will be alright.

......

But...if she's fighting someone really strong...then Maya might lose. And if she loses, she might...

Maya might d... D-die...

If Maya ends up like Mister Synth Human, then...

I...I would hate that!

Flee, now. Quickly, while you can.

O-okay!

The area has been completely evacuated of noncombatants.

The EGPD have already been contacted. I recommend you lay down your arms.

Hah. You're half falling apart as it is from the beatings you've had. You really think you can stop me?

I am moderately damaged, yes. But I only need to delay you until the EGPD arrive to apprehend you.

I am more than sufficient. Even alone...

You're not alone!

Premaya! You came.

Well...yeah, 'cause I would hate it if you left me too...

...Thank you.

By "left," you mean...

Do not worry. I will not leave you.

...Nevermind. Thank you.

With you here, there is now not even an infinitesimal chance that he will escape justice.

Will you fight alongside me?

Yeah! Let's beat the bad guy together!

Like hell I'm just letting you take me in!

Commencing brainwave interference. Connecting to Elzion Central Control. Assuming administrator privileges. Cargo sector access locked down.

The door!

Too bad, bad guy! That way is locked up!

Then, !

No. You are trapped here. Surrender your weapons.

Damn it...what'd I do to deserve it?! Backstabbed by my own men, then hung out to dry... Why did it have to happen to me?!

I don't really get it, but it sounds like some really bad stuff happened to you, mister.

But no matter what bad stuff happens, that doesn't mean you get to hurt other people.

Maya...my friend taught me that.

Premaya...

Didn't you have anyone to tell you you were doing bad things?

Like hell. Once you grow up, you're on your own. They let you just slip through the cracks.

You don't have anyone?

Mister...

Doing bad things is wrong!

......

Ehehe. Now you'll know better and you can be good again!

...You're a weird kid. How many years has it been since someone cared enough to scold me...

You're the one who contacted us, right? Ms. Premaya? Thank you very much for your assistance. I'm sorry it took us so long to come. Something happened in Central Control and the whole sector was locked down.

Oh, um...

...But regardless of circumstances, having an ordinary citizen perform an arrest is a failure of the EGPD.

We'll do everything in our power to make sure nothing like this happens again. Once more, thank you.

Mayaaa. Are you done talking about all the hard stuff?

Yes. The man is in custody and I have finished giving my statement.

Statements sound boring. All we have to say is that we beat the bad guy, right?

And then the bad guy got purified and was a good guy again, and they all lived happily ever after! ♪

Unfortunately, real life is different from stories. You must be prepared to accept unfair or unjust results.

Hmph. I don't wanna. I hate stuff like that.

That is very like you...

In any case, there is little reason for us to stay here. Let us go.

Um, can we go back to Gamma District? I hope the movie theater is okay.

Yes, let us.

Um, Maya?

Yes?

Um...

Mama! Wasn't Pure Flora so cool?!

She was. And she was so brave, fighting until the very end and not giving up.

It seems the theater has resumed business. They most likely wrote off the earlier surge as an accident.

Yeah. And that girl looked like she had lots of fun...

Would you like to see the rest of the film? I believe we are still in time for the next showing.

No...not right now.

There's something I wanna talk to you about now, Maya...

You are being unusually reticent. Is it a difficult topic to bring up?

Um... Umm... I...

I-I'm sorry!

......

I got mad at you before and I ran off without you...and that was a bad thing I shouldn't have done.

You scolded me because you care about me, right?

But I said mean things to you... I'm really, really sorry.

I must also apologize to you regarding that incident.

You do? Why?

You were angry for my sake, but rather than thank you, I told you off instead. Thank you, Premaya. For getting angry when I could not.

Maya...

Controlling your emotions is a valuable skill, yes... But perhaps it is also valuable to be able to get angry when that anger is correct and justified.

Ooh, ooh! I can teach you all about that!

Like when you should laugh and be happy, and when you should get mad!

Ehehe. It'll be my turn to be your big sister!

...Yes. I am looking forward to it.

Mkay, then let's start! First is smiling. It goes like this...