Scenario:Robomi - That Which Was Lost
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That Which Was Lost
Abominations come flooding into town soon after Tyrias is defeated. As Kenji and Nicholas discuss what to do, Robomi is dismayed to see her own son treating her as a mere machine.
The battle comes down to the wire and Tyrias is defeated, but there is still more to come.
Abominations: Shabadooon!
Vyrn: More abominations pouring in!
Nicholas: Got it! Let's finish them off and bring peace back to the town, Robomi!
Robomi: Affirmative.
Robomi: I will lead the front. Nicholas, for the sake of the baby, do not let yourself get hurt.
Nicholas: Right!
Robomi: Targeting multiple enemies ahead. Commencing offensive.
The abominations are scattering about, harassing the townspeople.
It seems Nicholas and the others still have work to do.
Nicholas: This is crazy! How are we going to evacuate everyone with this many of them running around?
Kenji: Calm down. A cursory scan of the area shows me that most of the horde is concentrated here. It shouldn't affect the evacuation.
Kenji: You and the cast-iron kernel you call Robomi should be enough to handle this much.
Robomi: ...
Nicholas: Y-yeah...
Nicholas: (He didn't have to say it like that...)
Abominations: Abooo!
Lyria: Eeek! Nicholas! It's coming over here!
Nicholas: What!
Robomi: Do not lose your focus, Nicholas. Even if you are stronger, you cannot win with your guard down.
Kenji: Listen to the kernel's advice. Her parts can be replaced, but yours can't.
Nicholas: R-right!
Nicholas: Let's go, Robomi!
Robomi: Commencing enemy extermination.
That Which Was Lost: Scene 2
Robomi receives repairs from Nicholas. She tells him that the current Kenji is only a combat program and therefore doesn't feel anything for her. Although she knows this to be true, it's still difficult for her to accept.
Vyrn: I don't feel 'em around anymore. Are we good?
Robomi: Affirmative. All enemies have been exterminated.
Lyria: Are you okay, Robomi? You're more injured than usual.
Robomi: I am fine, Lyria. I can continue to operate as long as I receive repairs.
Kenji: Even so, you did take a lot of hits. 162 entry wounds by my count.
Kenji: Nicholas. I will list which of the kernel's components are damaged, so write this down.
Robomi: ...
Robomi seems to mull over Kenji's choice of words.
Nicholas: (Again with that...)
Nicholas takes out a memo pad, his pen flying as he jots notes.
Nicholas: What am I going to do about these fried sensors?
Kenji: Once you've decided to calm down, you should think about modifying the design.
Kenji: Remove weaker components from the armor or put in flex tubes. Right now it's always absorbing the full brunt of attacks.
Nicholas: You mean the unstable circuit board, right? We couldn't really do much about that with our current tech.
Kenji: No, you did well with your reverse engineering. I never would've thought to replace insufficient circuits entirely with gears.
Robomi: ...
Nicholas: What is it, Robomi? Not feeling well?
Robomi: No. It is nothing.
Nicholas: Okay...
Kenji: Well, my work here is done for now. I want to save my energy.
Nicholas and the others watch as Kenji fades away.
Nicholas: Phew.
Nicholas: Say, Robomi. Did something happen? Recently you've been getting kind of quiet.
Robomi: It will not interfere with my combat performance.
Nicholas: But what you're saying is it will in other ways, right?
Robomi: ...
Robomi: Please continue with the maintenance, Nicholas.
Nicholas: Okay.
Nicholas begins replacing Robomi's damaged parts at her urging.
Nicholas: Look... It's not like I'm trying to pry or anything.
Nicholas: But I'm betting it's something about Kenji that's bothering you.
Robomi: ...
Yes.
Yes.
Nicholas: I knew it. He's a whiz when it comes to talking about mechas, but he won't really talk to you, huh?
Robomi: ...
Nicholas: I mean, just tell me if you wanted to talk to him. It'd be a good way to sort out your feelings, you know?
Nicholas waits for a response as he removes broken parts from Robomi's frame.
Robomi: I thought it might be possible for me to talk to him, but now I am not so sure.
Nicholas: Yeah, I guess he didn't really seem open to conversation. Not with the way he called you a cast-iron kernel instead of your name...
Nicholas: But now that you're together again, I thought it'd be nice if you two could reconcile or something.
Robomi: That is impossible, Nicholas.
Nicholas: Huh?
Robomi: He no longer feels anything for me.
Nicholas: What are you saying?
Robomi: Based on his radio signatures, this Kenji is a combat program designed to defend against attacks from all forms of abominations.
Nicholas: I think I remember hearing about that...
Robomi: His personality data is different from the one we fought on Mt. Fremel. He runs on a bare minimum of functions.
Robomi: Essentially those functions include his technical expertise and his hostility toward abominations. Partitioning away anything else to focus on fighting is simple efficiency.
Nicholas: If he doesn't do that, it could get in the way of battle...
Robomi: Yes. Therefore any sentiment he may have had for me no longer exists.
Robomi: He doesn't even have the capability to hate me.
Robomi: I understand everything. But it is still difficult for me to process.
Nicholas: ...
Nicholas: And that's what's been eating away at you.
Robomi: Yes... That bitterness is turning into pain.
Nicholas: I see...
With the repairs on Robomi complete, Nicholas walks out of the workshop.
Nicholas: I really want to help out Robomi.
Nicholas: But, honestly, I'm not even sure if there's anything I can do...
That Which Was Lost: Scene 3
A few days later on the deck of the Grandcypher, Robomi and the crew come under attack from abominations. Kenji grows irritated at Robomi for getting distracted by her self-pity—an outburst that confuses Robomi because Kenji isn't supposed to feel anything.
Several days pass after the battle.
Robomi: ...
Robomi stands on the deck of the Rashomon Research Vessel, staring off into the horizon.
Vyrn: That you, Robomi? Whatcha up to?
Robomi: I sense another abomination incursion coming. I am in standby mode.
Lyria: You can feel the abominations?
Robomi: Correct, Lyria. I have fought them for a long time. It has become like a sixth sense after all these years.
Robomi glances at (Captain)'s face, and she suddenly seems hesitant to speak.
Robomi: (Captain)... You are on this journey to find your father.
(Captain) nods.
Robomi: What will you do when you finally meet him?
The unexpected question throws the captain for a loop. (Captain) thinks for a bit.
Robomi: Ah, I see. You do not bear a grudge against your father.
Vyrn: The villagers took care of us. It's not like we were lonely or anything.
Robomi: Yes... You were raised in a loving environment.
Robomi is smiling, but even then there is a hint of loneliness in her face.
Choose: Smack him upside the head.
Robomi: ...
Robomi says nothing, eyes wide with apparent surprise.
Robomi: Outcome unexpected. I couldn't imagine that coming from you.
Continue 1
Robomi: Please keep those sentiments safe. I am sure you will want to share whatever feelings you have left.
(Captain) and the others are unsure of what to say to Robomi, who looks downcast.
Robomi: ...
Warning alarms blare. Abominations have come as if to kick Robomi when she's down.
Vyrn: Are you kidding me? They actually showed up!
Nicholas: That's what it looks like! Talk about a sixth sense!
Kenji: This ship appears to be their target. Their numbers are fairly low.
Kenji: However...
Robomi: ...
Kenji turns to Robomi, his eyes devoid of any warmth.
Kenji: Perhaps I should have crafted you an updated emotional control unit for times like these.
Robomi: ...!
Kenji: What I'm saying is concentrate on the battle. I don't have the energy to be watching over others.
Kenji: So stop being reckless and getting yourself shot up.
Vyrn: Yeah. We'd be worried too if anything happened to you, Robomi—
Kenji: What's this "too" business? Don't misconstrue my words. I only care about combat readiness, understand?
Kenji: It'll be bad enough if you go missing again, just like in the old days.
Robomi: ...
Kenji: What is it?
Robomi: He made that face too when he was angry with me.
Kenji: Who says I'm angry at you!
Kenji: You know I have no other function besides fighting the abominations!
Kenji: If anything, I'm irritated by our deteriorating fighting chances!
Robomi: ...
The party stares in bewilderment at this abrupt change in Kenji's attitude.
Abominations: Ogobaba!
Kenji: Let's just concentrate on defeating the enemy, okay?
That Which Was Lost: Scene 4
After the abominations are repelled, Kenji leaves abruptly, though his actions seem to show he still feels something toward Robomi. Nicholas posits that there still may be a chance for Robomi and Kenji to reconcile, a wish that Robomi can only hope will one day come to pass.
Kenji: You didn't take many hits this time.
Robomi: Something that was troubling me was removed.
Kenji: ...
Robomi: Kenji—
Kenji: That's enough. My energy is nearly depleted, and I'm about to disappear.
Kenji: Not to mention there are other things I need to see for myself. Later.
Kenji doesn't allow Robomi to get a word in edgewise and disappears.
Robomi: I can't believe Kenji looked at me with that face.
Vyrn: What was that all about? Dude said he wasn't mad, but he looked pretty darn mad to me.
Robomi: That was the same exact face Tatsuya—I mean Kenji's father—made when he was angry.
Nicholas: Say, Robomi. I noticed something strange earlier.
Nicholas: Even if he treats you as a weapon, why would he go out of his way to call you cast-iron kernel?
Nicholas: I don't know if it's good or bad, but wouldn't that hang-up get in the way of a combat program?
Robomi: Yes, Nicholas. His technical skills and his hostility to abominations remain, along with one additional thing.
Robomi: A partial hateful memory of me, in the form of not wanting to speak my name.
Robomi gives a rueful smile as she stares at the spot where Kenji once stood.
Nicholas: And now that his energy's given out, he's got an excuse not to come out for a while.
Nicholas: I give up. He really did save our bacon though.
Dr. Rashomon: Hm, I doubt he's the type to vanish because he lacked a plan.
Dr. Rashomon: He probably thought things will be fine for us going forward.
Robomi: That hypothesis is likely correct. It will take time before the abominations can evolve again.
Marie: Um...
Dr. Rashomon: What is it, Marie?
Marie: I don't know. All this talk about Kenji still holding a grudge against Robomi doesn't seem right.
Robomi: Clarify?
Marie: I think things would've ended differently if he really hated you.
Nicholas & Robomi: ...
Nicholas: Now that you mention it...
Nicholas: Robomi's and Kenji's data were both stored in the same place, right?
Nicholas: You wouldn't take a lot of care to save the data of someone you hate.
Robomi: Maybe he thought my combat abilities would be necessary.
Nicholas: Yeah, but then he could've just fought by himself by uploading his own data into your body.
Robomi: Then why?
Marie: If he'd really wanted to make Robomi feel bad, he wouldn't have just gotten riled up and disappeared earlier.
Marie: I don't know how he really feels, but he wasn't fueled by hatred.
Nicholas: So you think there's still a chance for reconciliation?
Marie: I don't know about that, but... maybe?
Robomi: ...
Robomi: That would be nice...
The fates borne by estranged mother and child are reunited after tens of thousands of years.
Perhaps there will come a day when they'll be able to recover the time they've lost.