Rebuild the Future

For a moment Metal wasn’t even sure why he said sorry. She definitely made it seem like he had no reason to. Although it wasn’t long until he knew what it was. He wanted to apologize for who he had been. He had given Sofia so much grief when they were traveling together. It had been out of guilt and fear that he did what he did. He was still sorry though, even if it wasn’t needed.

Metal turned his attention towards Elec when Sofia let go of his hand. There was a bit of concern on Metal’s face. He had a few guesses on what it was really, but Elec was right. They needed to sit down and properly talk. They had so much to talk about. Two years. Two years was so much time to get so much done.

Then the attention went to Plant. He looked a bit sheepishly away from them. It was still awkward to be around this human. It was awkward to be in this building. Oh how he wished everyone wasn’t looking at him so he could sneak away. “Uh…”

“May third.” Metal stated. Plant just nodded.

Jewel gave a clap of his hands. “Why don’t you three catch up first? Tristan and I can see if we can get help for birthday plans. Splash is already thinking of making a cake for him.”

May third. That gave them at least a little time to plan. And it seemed like Splash had already jumped right into the preparations. “Well, that’s one less thing the rest of us need to worry about.” The next question was how big a party Plant wanted. Considering he kept his distance from the safe haven she had a feeling it would be a very small one.

She flashed Jewel and Tristan another smile before moving ahead, past Metal and Elec. “Let’s go and find a place to sit downstairs. Plant, would you like to come with us?”

The fact that Metal was willing to shake her hand seemed to prove that he had indeed grown as much as she had heard. She could remember the days when he had kept his distance from her and panicked when he woke to find her trying to keep him warm. It was just as she had expected; staying with Elec had helped both of them a great deal. They had both needed each other.

“Don’t be sorry,” she told him softly. “You did exactly as I asked. You stayed with Elec and helped him. And now look at the two of you. You must be close if you’ve stuck together this long.” She smiled at both of them, although her expression faltered slightly when she saw that Elec had looked away.

She let go of Metal’s hand. “Elec? Is something wrong?”

“… No, it’s nothing.” They managed a smile again as they moved to Metal’s side. “Maybe we should find somewhere to sit down. We’ve got a lot to talk about. Oh, and Plant’s birthday is coming up. That’s why we really came here, so Metal could spend it with him.”

“Plant’s birthday?” Sofia’s smile fell as she looked past her former travelling companions to the other robot who had come with them. She wasn’t sure how she felt about Plant. He had tried to apologize for their first meeting and she knew he must have changed if he was a guard now, but she hadn’t spent enough time around him to really see the changes for herself. “Well, we’d better start making some plans for a celebration, then. How far away is it?”

For a moment Metal wasn’t even sure why he said sorry. She definitely made it seem like he had no reason to. Although it wasn’t long until he knew what it was. He wanted to apologize for who he had been. He had given Sofia so much grief when they were traveling together. It had been out of guilt and fear that he did what he did. He was still sorry though, even if it wasn’t needed.

Metal turned his attention towards Elec when Sofia let go of his hand. There was a bit of concern on Metal’s face. He had a few guesses on what it was really, but Elec was right. They needed to sit down and properly talk. They had so much to talk about. Two years. Two years was so much time to get so much done.

Then the attention went to Plant. He looked a bit sheepishly away from them. It was still awkward to be around this human. It was awkward to be in this building. Oh how he wished everyone wasn’t looking at him so he could sneak away. “Uh...”

“May third.” Metal stated. Plant just nodded.

Sofia was blinking back tears as she smiled at Jewel over Elec’s shoulder. “You did. It’s just so good to all be together again after all this time…” Her arms tightened slightly around Elec. Even if she had known they would come back at some point it was still a great relief to finally see them again.

Gently Elec set her down on her feet again. Their own face was damp with tears and they quickly wiped it with the back of a hand. “You’ve been doing okay, right? How long have you been here?”

“A few weeks. The day I turned eighteen I caught a bus to the next closest city and called Tristan from there. He came and picked me up himself. I’ve been reading to kids in the library and helping out Layer in the lab since then… I’m her assistant now. She’s going to teach me how to be a mechanic myself.” Sofia reached up to wipe away the tear that had just rolled down Elec’s face. Even if she knew it was happiness, it still bothered her to see them cry. “What have you two been up to?”

They caught her hand in their own and gave it a squeeze. “It’s a long story. Really long. I’ll tell you later.” With that they released her and moved aside, letting her see Metal properly.

Considering Metal was not exactly the type of robot one would want to hug, Sofia didn’t spread her arms for him. Instead she stepped forward with a smile and offered her hand to shake. “It’s so good to see you again too, Metal. Thank you for looking after Elec. And yourself as well. From what I’ve heard you’ve really grown a lot since I left.”

Metal turned his head back towards Sofia, staring her down as if he was seeing her all over again for the first time. She looked older. Not too much older but definitely older. Maybe wiser. Had he become wiser? He would like to think that he and Elec had become at least more knowledgeable about things. But they didn’t know everything. Not like Sofia seemed to. 

His eyes followed her arm to her hand. Obviously they weren’t going to hug like she and Elec did. Metal wasn’t as touchy-feely, at least not with humans. For a moment he remembered how once upon a time he wouldn’t even dare think about being near her.

As Elec reached the top of the stairs as well they stopped, looking around for Tristan. It didn’t take long to find him. He seemed to have been chatting with another human as he walked, but at Jewel’s shout the other had fallen silent and looked over toward the small group of robots.

Elec felt as though the ground had disappeared beneath them. It was her. Perhaps her clothes were cleaner and not as threadbare, and her body was less skeletal than they remembered, but it was unmistakably Sofia. She even still had the same long ponytail they remembered.

Her eyes had fallen upon them as she hung back slightly, a nervous smile on her face. It had been so long since she saw Elec. They looked exactly the same as ever but she knew they must have changed a great deal since they parted two years ago. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they no longer trusted her. As much as she wanted to run to them and give them a hug, she didn’t want to make them uncomfortable.

That thought was forgotten when Elec broke free of their shock and came running toward her, nearly tripping over their feet in their hurry. She spread her arms invitingly and a moment later found herself swept up in a hug that lifted her off the ground. “Sofia…” Elec’s voice was muffled in her shoulder but she could hear it shaking. “It’s really you…”

She wrapped her arms as well as she could around their shoulders. “It’s me. Oh, Elec, it’s so good to see you. And Metal too. Jewel and Tristan told me all about your visits and how well you’re doing, but it’s not the same as seeing you with my own eyes.”

Tristan had slowed down in his words to give a wave towards Jewel and a smile towards Elec. They were the first one he saw before Metal and... someone else he couldn’t completely remember the name of, followed suit. Jewel’s face split into a huge grin as he watched Sofia and Elec realize just who each other were. Metal’s own face was full of surprise.

It had been so long.

Tristan laughed as Elec and Sofia collided. He had seen it many times before. Him and Jewel. The way long-lost companions would run to each other, relief to find that the other was safe and alive. It brought a smile to his face, and he could never contain the happiness it gave him.

Metal followed a bit slower to her. Not that he would be one to rush towards a human anyhow. His blades could easily hurt someone, and he was pretty sure Elec was doing enough hugging for the both of them. He stopped a few paces from her, looking like he was struggling to say something when he felt his brother nudge him. “I knew she was familiar...” Plant muttered. Metal nodded for what felt like a little too long before awkwardly turning his head away.

The thought of a committee in charge of preparing birthday parties sounded like an amazing idea to Elec. Perhaps they would have to come back here before their next birthday. It would be nice to celebrate it properly rather than just with whatever they could find.

“That’s a really nice thing to do. With all the people here there must be birthdays all the time.” They let their eyes wander around the main room again, taking in all the faces going about their day. There were so many, both human and robot, most of them getting along as friends and equals. That was one of the things Elec liked most about this safe haven. Despite their travels they had yet to find another with such a warm and inviting atmosphere.

“Maybe some people just don’t want to have a fuss made over them,” they suggested quietly. For a moment they thought about their somewhat recent self-discovery and felt a slight twinge of guilt. Jewel wouldn’t think any less of them, they were sure. He would make them feel accepted. But after some of the reactions at other safe havens, they weren’t ready to be open about it here just yet. Not in a place they returned to regularly, where being rejected would result in more than just Metal threatening a few people. It would mean losing what was almost a home to them.

They shook off the thought as they began to climb the stairs. “It’s okay. Now you know when Plant’s birthday is you can celebrate it every year. And we’ll try to come back every year so Metal can celebrate it with him.”

“Every year?” Plant stated. Metal couldn’t help but give at least a subtle nod. He didn’t mind coming back here several times a year. This had become one of many homes for him. Not that he had many to begin with. But his brother was here, and as long as Elec was with him they were what made home for Metal.

Jewel gave a smile. “Perfect! Oh boy! This is going to be wonderful!” Jewel gave a laugh before speeding up the stairs. Metal couldn’t help but give a slight look of suspicion as they started to make their way up the giant staircase. He remembered that there were bedrooms up here, but mostly the lab which he unfortunately had been in a couple of times and-

Splash couldn’t help but flinch slightly at Metal’s actions. Even if logically she knew he was just being affectionate, the casual violence made her trembling even worse. She couldn’t be around him like this. Plant didn’t need her right now anyway.

“I’m going to ask around in the kitchen for some recipes.” She tried her best to sound calm, giving a small smile to the group before she dropped back and hurried away. There was a small frown on Elec’s face as their eyes followed her until she disappeared from view. She had been nervous around Metal ever since they met, and it seemed that today wouldn’t be the day she got over that fear.

“What sort of things do robots usually do to celebrate their birthdays here?” they asked Jewel, hoping to distract attention from Splash’s sudden departure. “Aside from cakes? Do many of the robots here even celebrate their birthdays at all, or don’t they think it’s important enough?”

Plant turned his attention to Splash, giving a slight frown at her. He was pretty sure she wasn’t completely okay considering how she scurried off. Not that it was surprising to Metal. He moved his arm away from Plant to sign. ‘She doesn’t like me.’

‘You just make her nervous.’ Plant replied.

‘I make many nervous.’

The frown deepened on the younger brother’s face before he turned his attention towards Elec and Jewel. The Robot Master gave a small clap of his hands as they started to cross the floor towards the stairs. “Sometimes they have a huge celebration. Streamers, cake, presents, the whole thing. Sometimes it’s quiet. Just a card and a small present. Tristan tries his best to help me organize it. Some of the other humans have actually started to create a sort of committee for it.”

Plant beside her or not, being so close to Metal made Splash’s core speed up and her hands tremble. She turned to walk on Plant’s other side, keeping him between them as they continued on, her hands clasped together as though to hide both their trembling and her mark at the same time.

At Metal’s words she gave Plant a surprised look. “Your birthday? Really? Why didn’t you tell me? It’s all right if you don’t want a celebration, but I’d like to at least do something for you. Maybe a little cake…?” She mused on that for a moment, wondering how hard it would be to make a cake just big enough to share between the two of them. And Metal as well, she reminded herself. Or perhaps it should be enough for five so that Elec and Jewel could have some too.

“Jewel, could we spare some cake ingredients?” she enquired. She had no idea how to make a cake, but there had to be a recipe somewhere. If necessary she could just ask some of the humans for help. Surely one of the ones who usually helped out in the kitchen would have some experience with baking.

Plant couldn’t help but be a little embarrassed, his vines wrapping around his waist as he twirled his hair a bit. “Of course you can!” Jewel pipped up as he moved ahead of the group. “I didn’t know it was going to be your birthday either! I would’ve made sure we made some plans for you.”

“It’s... I didn’t think it was a big deal.” Plant confessed. Metal gave him a rough smack on the head before giving him a side-hug.

“Of course it is, shitface.” Metal didn’t realize how important it was until he was with Elec. somehow it seemed more important to celebrate the fact they survived another year. That they didn’t die or succumb to death somehow. To celebration another year of growth and learning. To celebration his mother in a way, even if it was indirectly. “...Mother would’ve celebrated it.” He said quietly. His voice grew soft, and he couldn’t help but look away from Plant.

Elec was only too eager to follow Jewel. Even if Sofia wasn’t here, the thought of hearing news about her was something they couldn’t resist. It had been months since they heard an update. “She’s doing well, right? You wouldn’t look so happy if she wasn’t.”

The sound of approaching footsteps caused them to look away from Jewel. Splash had reached the foot of the stairs and was hurrying toward them, her expression filled with worry which soon dissolved into relief as she drew closer. She paid no notice of them at first but went straight to Plant. “Oh, thank goodness. When I saw you inside I thought you might be hurt.”

“He came in because Metal wanted him to,” Elec spoke up.

Splash’s eyes flickered toward Elec briefly before turning toward Metal, where they lingered for a moment. The sight of him made her withdraw slightly but she managed a timid smile. No matter how many times she saw him, it was still hard to overcome her fear. “It’s nice to… to see you both again, Metal and Elec.”

Jewel’s smile widened for only a second before Splash came. There was only a small look of confusion before he was smiling again. It was adorable how concerned she got about Plant, even if Jewel still wasn’t thrilled at the fact she had kept the ex-hunter a secret for so long. Still, he supposed daughters kept their secrets. Er, that is, if he admitted she was like a daughter to him at times.

Plant’s eyes immediately lit up at the sight of Splash. Of course she would be worried, he didn’t have many reasons to come inside. Although that light in his expression faded a bit as he watched how timid she got. A glance at Metal showed it wasn’t lost on the red Reploid either. Despite the stoic look he gave as he nodded at Splash, Plant knew he had to be hurting inside just a little. He was much more scarier looking than Plant was.

Jewel’s face was a welcome sight. Elec was always glad to see that he was still doing well, even if right now they had other things on their mind as well. They wiped their feet on the doormat before stepping inside, eyes immediately scanning over the massive room beyond. It was hard to pick out any individual faces.

They barely glanced back to make sure the other two were following before giving Jewel their full attention. “You wanted to see me? Why’s that?” Maybe it was true after all. Maybe she really was here.

“Have you…” Their voice was trembling again. They swallowed and tried to sound calmer. “Have you heard anything from Sofia lately…?”

Splash had paused on her way out of one of the second floor rooms to glance down over the railing, noticing a disturbance at the front doors. It looked like somebody had arrived. It was difficult to see them clearly from so far away, but they looked like one of the regular pairs who stopped by any time they were in the area. It was good to see them back in one piece again.

A glimpse of green made her take a second look. Plant had come inside with them, she realized. Quickly she began to descend the stairs, worried that he might have been injured again.

Metal mimicked Elec in wiping his feet, and Plant only did it because his brother told him too. Plant couldn’t help but roll his eyes at it, but couldn’t help but feel comforted by his brother’s manners. He had come quite a long way. As it is, Metal turned his attention towards Elec. He too wanted to know how Sofia was doing. Despite both his and Elec’s short time with her, they both cared about her well-being and happiness.

Jewel just kept smiling. “Tristan has.” He said. Metal swore there was a twinkle in the Robot Master’s eye and for a moment he could feel himself let go of his brother, giving a small growl as if he was going to choke the answer out of Jewel. The smaller bot knew something.

It couldn’t possibly be Sofia. She probably lived far away from here with her new human family. Elec repeated this to themself as they walked, trying to keep from getting too excited only to have their hopes crushed. But at the same time they couldn’t help remembering the fact that Plant had met Sofia too. He knew that the two of them knew her, considering she had stood up to him to prevent him from chasing them at one point when he was still a hunter.

it couldn’t be her. There must be plenty of humans who looked just like her. And she wouldn’t look the same as she did two years ago, anyway. She was probably more well-fed, at least. She might even have cut her hair. There was no way Plant would be able to recognize her when he probably saw humans coming and going all the time.

Despite these thoughts, when the safe haven came into view Elec found themself speeding up slightly to walk alongside Metal rather than behind him. Their hands tightly gripped the worn straps of the backpack slung across their back, as though in anticipation of finally seeing its former owner once again.

They pulled ahead of the other two as they passed through the open gate, finally breaking into a run for the last few steps to the door. There they knocked several times and waited, nearly trembling with excitement, for the door to open.

As the safe haven came into view, Plant couldn’t help but slow down until he stopped completely. Metal stopped not far ahead of his brother, giving a frown behind his mask. He knew his brother didn’t go into the safe haven unless it was for dire repairs, but Metal didn’t want to leave him yet. “Come with us.” Metal commanded.

Plant gave a snort of amusement. Despite how long it had been since they were both hunters, Metal was still bossy as ever. “Metal-”

“Come. Come tell her it’s your birthday at least.” Metal moved over to his brother’s side, and before Plant could protest further Metal was dragging him by the arm to the door. The younger brother gave a sigh and a roll of his eyes in response. By time the pair came up to the door, it opened to a familiar face.

Considering how close Plant apparently was with the Reploid who had turned him away from the hunter lifestyle, Elec found it odd that he had not mentioned such an important thing to her. Then again if he thought it was unimportant that might explain why he wouldn’t bring it up. “I bet she’d want to do something for you too if you told her,” Elec pointed out.

At the mention of a familiar face, their first wild thought was that Sofia had returned. But that was impossible, they reminded themself quickly. She had been placed in foster care until she was a legal adult. It couldn’t have been long enough yet for her to be released from there. Or could it?

Silently they tried to count the time that had passed. Sofia had been sixteen when she was forced to leave the two of them here at this very safe haven. Since then two more winters had passed and Elec had celebrated two birthdays. She would be eighteen now, the age where a human could legally move out and start their own life.

“A familiar face?” Elec repeated, trying to hide the slight tremble of excitement in their voice. It probably wasn’t her. But there was a chance it could be. “Someone you both knew from your old lives? O-or…?”

Plant pondered on Elec’s words. Would Splash want to do something for him for his birthday? it was something he was curious about. Perhaps they would find out soon considering they were heading to the safe haven. It wasn’t too far off now. Not that he wanted to be showered with gifts or attention or anything, but if they wanted to celebrate he wouldn’t stop them.

Despite Elec’s attempt at covering their excitement, Metal couldn’t help but glance back and notice it. Probably because they had been beside each other for too long. They both knew little things about each other. His eyes flickered back to Plant who gave a simple shrug.