Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Synthetic Emotions ❯ Phase 17: Fighting Doll Kumoigi ( Chapter 17 )

XxXxXx

Synthetic Emotions

By: Melissa Norvell

Phase 17: Fighting Doll Kumoigi

XxXxXx

In robotics class, Chacha, Hisaka and Tetsumaru were standing around with the other students. There were children and adults alike, all with many different types of robots. Everyone seemed engaged in their own conversation before the door opened, silencing the room as all eyes went to a single female who had entered the class room.

She was tall for a woman, standing five-foot-seven in height. Her skin was pale and she looked very Asian, with long, black hair pulled into two hip, length ponytails on either side of her head and slanted black eyes. She wore a short-sleeved, form-fitting dress with slits up both sides and two rows of round, golden buttons up from the front. The mysterious girl also had black mary janes and white, mid-thigh stockings. She looked as if she had been playing sports or taking martial arts from her perfectly toned body.

"The teacher's here, guys," a blonde girl called out from across the room as a shorter woman with lavender, wavy hair dressed in a white lab coat and skirt strolled into the room.

"Hello class," the purple-haired woman greeted her new class.

"Hello, Mrs. Paoli," the class greeted her in unison.

"I have an announcement for all of you. I would like you all to take a look at this," the Mrs. Paoli told everyone as she unrolled a poster for the martial arts tournament and held it up so that everyone in the room could see.

"That's the tournament that the martial arts club is hosting," Chacha deduced.

"Yes, do you know what that means?" The teacher asked with a smile plastered on her painted lips.

"Everyone who fights can enter," Hisaka replied.

"We can enter as well."

"Why would we want to? We can't fight," the blonde girl who spoke earlier stated. They built machines; they didn't stand a chance against someone who had seasoned fighting skills, no matter what kind of high-tech weaponry they built.

"Well, I used to be a part of the martial arts club but I no longer am," the lime-haired girl informed her friend. "I don't wish to enter at all. I believe that this tournament is one held for those who are serious about martial arts." It wouldn't be worth it to enter something like that if you had no drive for such an event.

"There is a way that those in robotics can enter," the taller, black-haired woman informed the class. "You don't have to enter yourself, you can enter your robots."

"Isn't that a little unfair?" The blonde girl asked.

"No, it states that you can enter people of any race and robots are no exception, considering Professor Gaiga enters robots as well every year."

"Did you say Professor Gaiga?" Hisaka's head snapped over to the black-haired woman as his eyes went wide. He couldn't believe that Professor Gaiga was going to be at the tournament. This could spell bad trouble for Eros and Aroura.

"That's correct."

"Do you know if Professor Gaiga will be entering this tournament as well?" Chacha asked, the look on her face turned serious with the new information.

"Probability is ninety eight percent," Professor Gaiga hardly ever was absent in the tournament. He entered, if for nothing else, to test the limitations of one of his pre-existing creations.

'I have to tell Aroura about all of this. She should know that it may be dangerous to enter Eros in this tournament.' Hisaka thought to himself and decided to make a mental note of it.

"Kumoigi, you're a Model 10 Syntacom, the most advanced as of yet and the newest model that Professor Gaiga has produced. Will you be attending this tournament?" Tetsumaru asked the black-haired woman.

"Yes, this will be a test of my abilities. It will also be interesting to see how far I can get in this tournament as well. I still have yet to discover my true capabilities as a new machine and this will be my perfect opportunity," Kumoigi responded with a glimmer of interest in her eyes.

"Are any of the rest of you entering?" Mrs. Paoli asked her class, as an uproar of conversation carried throughout the room of the students questioning each other on the subject.

Hisaka glanced to Tetsumaru. "Well Tetsumaru, what about it?"

"I am not a combat robot but if Chacha wants to enter me, then I will fight," the blue-haired robot glanced back at her creator for a confirmation.

"You consist of weaponry more than physical fighting capabilities. I shouldn't enter you," Chacha told her creation.

"Of course," it was settled.

"Hey, Mrs. Paoli. I want to enter Metal Zoa. Can I?" The blonde girl asked her teacher with an excited grim on her face. The thrill of the fight was something that set her naturally feisty attitude a blaze. She hope that she'd be allowed to enter. The girl couldn't wait to get her robot out and fighting.

"Metal Zoa is a bird, Shizu," Kumoigi informed. It hardly seemed like a combat robot of any kind. If anything it was just a large bird with small wing-like arms, the head of a pterodactyl and the legs of a kangaroo. There was no place on the battlefield for such an awkward machine.

"So?" Shizu puffed up her cheeks and frowned. "Metal Zoa is a fighting robot just like you are."

"Fighting a bird?" Kumoigi crossed her arms over her chest. "I'll knock you out of the tournament if you even dare to enter," the Syntacom warned as she glared down the spunky girl.

"Well, I do dare to enter and I'll kick your tin can ass!" The girl brought a fist down in front of her as fire blazed in her eyes. The thrill of the challenge was now at hand, and she was sure to beat up Kumoigi worst of all. If she knocked that pompous Syntacom flat on her ass, then she'd have to say that Metal Zoa was better than she was.

"This is bad for Aroura," lime green eyes looked to her friend, who nodded in response.

"Yes, we must tell her what Kumoigi said," Hisaka replied. This was a dire situation and they both wanted the girl to be aware of what was happening as far as the tournament was concerned.

"We'll try to catch her after class," Chacha instructed. For now, they would simply have to wait until the bell sounded off for the next class and wish for the best.

XxXxXx

Mariko sat at her desk, taking notes. The girl could barely even think about notes at a time like this. Everything that had happened since that night concerning Asagi was fresh on her mind. 'Asagi…You killed all of those people and I still can't forgive you for taking my friends from me…I know I've killed in the past but why did you simply kill people I've been with and make your killing randomized so I wouldn't catch on? All of those people…They were just decoys. Who the hell are you? I mean, you nearly beat Eros in the fight that the two of you had and he's a Syntacom that even a genius like Gaiga couldn't figure out. You're the martial arts teacher here and you're only in your teens! For someone with such disabling headaches, you're remarkable. If you're not a robot then you're undoubtedly the smartest person that I've ever met!'

The girl sighed, "but you're a dangerous man." Mariko said aloud, momentarily forgetting where she was.

"What?" Hyobe, who was sitting beside of her blinked in confusion. "Are you talking about me?"

"No," Mariko frowned, looking slightly annoyed.

"I heard that you tried to find the killer at Tori's party. How did it go?" The white-haired, pretty boy asked. He had been in a conversation with Momo earlier and she'd spilled the beans on what happened.

"Did you hear anything about him being apprehended? Jeez, shut up," the blonde complained. Hyobe sure was nosey no a days. He didn't used to care so much about her life before.

"That bad huh? Too bad, I was going to ask if you knew what he looked like," the white-haired boy replied.

"Why?" Again, why did he care so much about the killer lately?

"I don't want my good looks to be robbed away by a common criminal!" The blue-eyed boy said overdramatically as false rivers ran down his face and he clasped his hands tightly.

"Oh please," Mariko waved with one hand and rested her chin in the other. "You are not that good looking."

"You ruined my day!" Hyobe whined.

"Mine was never happy to begin with."

"You seem kind of bummed," he replied, straightening up his act and glancing to the girl with concern. Mariko hadn't been her usual spunky self and he could tell. Even her argument phrases only held little punch to them.

"I'm just thinking," Mariko seemed as if she was staring off into space at the mere thought of Asagi. How could one man run through her mind so much?

"About?" Hyobe asked with a smile as he closed his eyes.

"Asagi."

"Ooh, I see," the boy's voice became playful and teasing of the two.

"Don't get all excited. It isn't what you think," green eyes glared in his direction.

"So, you haven't made him your boy-toy yet?"

"What? No!" This was a brand new spark to her anger. How dare he tell her about making Asagi her boy toy!

"Well, the two of you live together. It's like a perfect romance and you have tons of opportunity," Hyobe insinuated. Living together was a perfect opportunity for the two to get into some situations of their own if they so chose.

"He's my friend," the girl muttered.

"So?" Who said that friends couldn't turn into lovers? The friend excuse wasn't going to cut it this time.

"Ya don't see me trying to do you, do ya?" The girl glared at him in warning not to push her buttons today. She had been put under a lot of stress and if needed, she would punch him in that pretty face of his. It would either shut him up, or make him whine more that she marred his beauty.

"No," Hyobe sniffled as twin rivers rolled down his face dramatically once again.

"Why the hell are you crying?" Mariko fumed.

"Because every woman should try to go after me at least once and yet, you don't. You like manly men like Asagi," Hyobe couldn't understand what women saw in the rugged type. Shouldn't every woman want a man with elegant, princely beauty at least once in their life?

"It's not like that!" Mariko growled. Why was everyone so quick to assume that she and Asagi secretly were dating? It was so irritating! Why couldn't a girl and a guy live together with no one questioning their private lives?

"What's the farthest you've done with him?" Hyobe asked, resting his chin in his hands and looking at her with closed eyes and an innocent smile.

"What?" She growled.

"You heard me. What's the farthest you've gone with him?" The boy pressed as the bell rang. Mariko was thankful that it had ringed at that moment in time. If saved her a headache. Like she was going to tell Hyobe that they kissed before! That would be like jumping into fire and she wasn't about to become suicidal any time soon.

"What do you know? Class is over!" The blonde quickly gathered her stuff and walked off. "See ya!" With that and a small wave, she power-walked to the door and vanished from sight.

"That's not right!" Hyobe shouted after her. He could have sworn that she had that timed!

XxXxXx

Aroura and Eros walked down the hall together, talking about mundane things. Aroura had made a good grade on her test and proudly displayed it for the Syntacom to see, then held it to her chest and nearly squealed at her good luck. It was one of the best things that had happened to her all day. Eros congratulated her as she thanked him and spun around playfully.

Her luck soon decreased as her head slammed straight into what seemed to be a woman's well-developed chest. The golden buttons hurt her cheek. Rubbing her sore face, she glanced up to see Kumoigi, staring her down with emotionless eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you coming," the black-haired girl apologized, moving the single strip of red in her hair behind her ear.

Kumoigi looked from the human to the other machine. "Are you going to be in the Martial Arts Tournament?"

"Yes, and I assume that you will as well," Eros stated with a nod.

The robot narrowed her eyes. "You should watch your back. You do know that there are no rules in this tournament."

"What?" This was the first of that rule that Aroura had heard. Usually there was some kind of rules in a tournament but none? What kind of tournament was this anyway?

"Yes and you do not have to be human in order to enter. Several people in the robotics department plan on entering their robots in the competition," the Syntacom informed the two.

"Hey, wait! That's not fair!" Aroura called out. Very few humans even had the capability to beat advanced machinery, much less anyone from their school. It was like asking to be beaten as soon as they entered the ring.

"It's not meant to be," Kumoigi stated. "It's simply battle of the strongest. If you're the best, then you get to take the prize."

"Who are you, anyway?" Eros had not seen the strange woman before at all and wondered where she came from or even if she was new to the school.

"I am Fighting Doll Kumoigi, Model ten Syntacom, property of Mrs. Meiriko Paoli, instructor of the robotics course here at SayaTouya High School," the fighting doll explained herself.

"You're a 10 model?" Aroura had never seen a Model ten Syntacom and she had remembered from Akemi and Tomiko's explanation of the models that the ten model was the most advanced and newest of the Syntacom line. It was fascinating to see exactly how human this woman really seemed.

"That's correct."

"Wow!" Aroura walked around the robot and looked her over. "You're amazing! You look just like a human woman!"

"I am the latest and most up-to-date model of Syntacom. I was designed to look as human as possible, so I'm glad that I could fool you easily," Kumoigi stated.

'If robots like Kumoigi are going to be in the tournament, I wonder if I should tell Eros to actually fight as he normally would? I have two days until the tournament starts. I just wonder if that's going to be enough time to get things figured out.' Aroura thought to herself.

"Good luck in the tournament, Kumoigi," Eros wished the robot luck.

"The same goes to you," the black-haired female smiled smoothly. "You'll need it, Eros."

Just as Kumoigi had said her good lucks, Himemari caught the conversation and turned around to talk to Eros.

"So, are you excited about the tournament?" The curly-haired girl asked with her usual kind smile.

Eros smiled back. For some reason Himemari always seemed to bring sunshine wherever she went and it was infectious, even to a robot like him. "Yes, although I am a bit nervous too."

"Yeah, same here and I'm not even in the tournament," Aroura sighed. However, being Eros' current master was no easy task for the girl to fill and she still had a lot of things to figure out as far as the tournament went and very few days to get her act together.

"Don't worry. I just know you'll do fine!" Himemari clasped her hands together and smiled. "I'll definitely be cheering for you."

"Thanks," Aroura told the girl happily and smiled at her friend.

"Hey Eros," the familiar voice of Eri was heard to his right. "You know I'll be cheering for you!" The white-haired girl waved playfully and flashed her best smile.

"Thanks," Eros smiled kindly at her as Chacha and Hisaka strolled up to the pair with serious expressions on their faces.

"Good, I caught you," Hisaka sighed in relief. He had a feeling that the two might have been hanging out in the halls somewhere, and they were glad to find them. This information was something that simply could not rest even for a day's time.

"Huh? Why? Is something wrong?" Aroura looked towards the two in question.

"I wanted to let you know that this tournament will be a lot harder than you think," the black-haired boy warned.

"I know," the girl was more than fully aware of that situation.

"Members of the Robotics Club have been submitting their entries into the tournament," Chacha added.

"I know. I just ran into a Syntacom that hold me that," Aroura stated, referring to Fighting Doll Kumoigi.

"Did you know that Professor Gaiga submits an entry into the tournament every year?" The boy asked as he leveled her with a serious expression.

"What?" Red eyes widened at this new information. This presented an even bigger problem than before.

"Does that mean that he'll be at the tournament as well?" Eros asked. If so, then this could mean trouble for the two of them if they happened to run into him or his creation.

"Yes, I'm pretty sure of it," Hisaka nodded.

"This is bad. That means I've got to try and elude him at all costs. How am I going to keep Eros a secret if he's actually in the tournament?" The school girl wondered aloud. The whole situation was very worrisome indeed. Aroura didn't want to be caught by the man that she was so desperately trying to hide from. The sad thing was, she knew that Eros was rightfully Gaiga's property and she knew that she really should have given him back, but she couldn't bear to think of what would happen to him as an end result. Aroura didn't want his memories of her to be erased or worse yet, for him to be destroyed. Worry and sorrow washed over her face as she glanced down at the tile below her feet.

"You can't hide it anymore," Chacha told her. Try as she might, she could not escape someone like Professor Gaiga.. It would really be in her best interest if she simply returned the robot to its proper creator.

"What if he tries to take him back?"

"I hate to sound like I'm against you, but he really doesn't belong to you, Aroura," Hisaka tried to lay the girl down gently on the issue, even though he knew that no matter what he said would still hurt her.

"No!" The red-eyed girl looked up and shouted abrasively. "I won't let him take him from me."

"Then what do you intend to do about it?" Chacha placed a hand on her hip and leveled the girl with a cold gaze.

"Um…well…" Aroura scrounged for straws but couldn't seem to find an answer.

"Professor Gaiga will go through any means necessary in order to get the EROS07 back," Hisaka informed. "It doesn't matter what you want if he's a danger to humanity. Professor Gaiga is doing a favor to everyone by removing Eros from society."

Eros stepped in front of the girl protectively and leveled the two with an emotionless gaze. "No more. I do not care what Professor Gaiga wants. I will not go back to him willingly. I know that he created me, and the fact that I'm out and he doesn't know where I am bothers him for many different reasons, but I have not harmed anyone yet. I will still enter the tournament. I want to show that I can function on my own, machine or not. I will do my best not to kill anyone. Aroura made me promise not to. However, I cannot promise you that I will treat those I know are machines differently."

Hisaka blinked for a few moments at the robot's speech, then readjusted his glasses. "You know, I never thought I'd find myself saying this but, good luck."

"I hope that you aren't making any mistakes, Aroura," Chacha agreed to let the subject die as well. Everything would now rest entirely on the hands of the girl and her Syntacom.

Aroura was silent as she thought to herself from behind Eros.

"She isn't. I will prove myself useful to her and I will not return to Professor Gaiga by all means necessary," Eros vowed. The last thing he wanted to do was to hurt Aroura any more then what he already had. Hopefully he could make amends to her and prove himself worthy to be her servant.

"Alright then, we'll see you at the tournament," Chacha turned to leave.

"Good luck," Hisaka looked as if he didn't know what to say but he quietly turned to leave as well, following Chacha off. 'You're going to need it, going against those odds. I just hope that Aroura can keep you from Professor Gaiga. No doubt he'll want you back.'

"What do I do now?" Worry hung in the girl's melancholy red eyes. The whole situation was so strenuous that it nearly made her want to cry. Then, she felt large arms wrap around her form and embrace her in a tight hug.

"It will be okay, master. I'll make dead sure that I am not captures or brought back to him. I want to remain by your side- always."

…To Be Continued…