Sorry it took so long. I've had a lot on my plate lately. I can't say yet how often new chapters will be released. Please be patient and understanding. If you want to complain that I'm writing too slowly, join the Discord.
Link to Discord below.
https://discord.gg/DamHJetj
Chapter 15
Kinoko was disappointed that she hadn't found Eron before or after the exams. Perhaps he'd gotten into UA through recommendations.... So she decided to head to the market and then home.
She wondered if she'd have enough points to get into the hero course.
After making a few purchases, she walked home. She kept thinking about Eron... It was already late afternoon, so she decided to call... Unfortunately, Eron didn't answer his phone... so she decided to leave him a voicemail.
"Hey Eron... I didn't see you during the exams... so I thought I'd leave you a voicemail since you weren't answering your phone... I did well... I think I did well... Maybe we can talk tonight if you can? I'm curious how you did... actually, I wonder if you got a recommendation..."
She said nothing for a moment... finally dared to say what was weighing on her mind.
"I was really hoping to see you at the exams, Eron... Bye-bye."
She sent the message... stopped for a moment to look at the setting sun... suddenly she heard strange, mechanical sounds from the alley next to her.
.
.
.
BD-3 had been traveling through the city for two days now. The mission had remained unchanged: Find Eron. The little robot slowly began to lose hope. He began searching through his memory to relive the moments he shared with Eron. The young Jedi had never allowed Bolt to erase his memory. It was thanks to this that he became what he was. Bolt liked to think that thanks to this, he wasn't just an ordinary robot... he had emotions...
He lifted his head to the sky to look at the star known here as 'The Sun'.
A person walked past the alley where he was hiding. They were talking into a recording device called a 'phone'. Bolt wasn't particularly interested in eavesdropping on the conversation until the key word was uttered... 'Eron'.
He jumped in surprise and began chirping in his own language. The frightened girl turned her head towards him. For a moment, he froze. He tilted his head from side to side, assessing the girl's intentions.
.
.
.
1 576 / 5 000
Kinoko stared at the little robot. It was white with red stripes. It had two antennae on its sides. It looked less than a meter tall. It had two eyes, one large and one smaller. When it moved, its feet made a clicking sound. It tilted its little head adorably. It was covered in tiny scratches and dirt.
Kinoko felt her heart melt. She managed only one word.
"K.....Kawaiiiiiiii."
The little robot made some noises while shaking its head.
"Bwoooorp!"
Kinoko knelt down slowly, trying not to startle the robot. She extended her hand slightly towards it, as if to a dog.
"I won't hurt you...come here..."
"Beep-Boop?"
The little robot took a few steps and looked at the ground. A blue light emanated from its eye, and a 3D figure with a glowing sword appeared on the sidewalk.
Kinoko stared in shock. She knew who it was.
"Eron!?"
The little robot jumped. It started making cute noises, convincing Kinoko, and then began running around her, jumping.
"Bwee-bweep! Beep-boop-bwrrr!"
Kinoko couldn't keep up with the bouncy little robot.
"Hey, little one! Calm down. How do you know Eron? Are you his property?"
"Beep!"
The little robot finally stopped. It looked at Kinoko and moved its entire body like a little puppy unable to contain its emotions.
"It looks like you really want to get back to him."
"Beep!"
"I tried calling him, but he's not answering his phone. Even though it's a small one. I'll take you to my house and we'll try to contact Eron... okay?"
"Beep!"
.
.
.
"Eron...Eron..."
Eron opened his eyes. He was lying on the bed in the UA nurse's office. Mandalay was sitting next to him, staring at her phone screen. When she noticed Eron's eyes open, she pulled the phone out of her ear and smiled at him.
"Easy, Eron. Everything's fine. The exam's over...I think you did very well."
Eron slowly sat up and put on his shoes.
"How long was I unconscious?"
"Only a few hours. Recovery Girl said you overexerted your body. How are you feeling?"
Eron glanced at a few of his personal belongings, arranged on a shelf. Among them was his phone and his weapon. Strangely, he could feel Kinoko's presence...something had changed in the way he perceived reality...The darkness that had accompanied him since the Clone Wars was still present, but it no longer obscured everything. He felt calm.
"Somehow... different. I don't really know if that's better or not."
Mandalay frowned, looking at him with concern, but said nothing. Eron stood up and gathered his things. Feeling the weight of his gear, he stretched, straightening his spine.
"We can go back. I'm ready."
Mandalay nodded. There would be time to talk later.
"Well, let's get to the car. I still have to go to the bank. Then we'll go home."
.
.
.
During the car ride, Eron finally listened to Kinoko's messages. He put on his headphones and listened to what she had to say. The way she spoke... the words she said to him... made him regret not seeing her today. He didn't want to call her in front of Mandalay, or anyone else... he liked talking to her in private. He glanced to his right through the window, where the lights were flashing. His instincts were acting up.
'STOP THE CAR!'
The boy's scream caused Mandalay to slam on the brakes. The vehicle screeched to a halt. Two blue laser beams whizzed by right in front of them. Eron unbuckled his seatbelt and practically jumped out of the car. A blue lightsaber appeared in his hand, deflecting the incoming lasers. Soldiers in white armor began to emerge from cover... his soldiers.
They shot at anyone who fled. People fell wounded or dead in the street. Eron was overcome with rage. He charged into the middle of a group that was shooting a group of people in a cafe. With a roar, he plunged into them and began killing. He impaled one of the clones with his lightsaber and used it as a human shield. With his other hand, he lifted the empty car and hurled it at another group of clones, wreaking havoc.
He drew his blaster and began firing from behind his cover. The clones focused their fire on him. Fire, but the lasers missed or hit the already dead human shield.
He heard Mandalay scream, and when he looked away, he saw a group of clones drag her from the car and shoot her in the back of the head.
Eron felt the dark side of the force fill him. He rose slightly in the air and, with a roar that heralded death and destruction, pushed everything and everyone within a radius of several dozen meters. The clones fell to the ground like dolls.
He opened his eyes. His breathing was heavy. A bead of sweat fell from his temple onto his phone screen. He was sitting in his car parked in front of a bank. Mandalay had apparently left him inside because he had fallen asleep.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead, his breathing slowly calming. He glanced at his phone. Kinoko's message played on a loop. Her voice soothed his nerves. So he decided to call... he hoped she would answer...
After a moment, the face he wanted to see appeared on his phone screen. She was smiling and She blushed slightly... but after a few seconds, her smile faded...
"Eron... are you okay?"
"Yeah... I just had a nightmare..."
Kinoko frowned. Eron felt the concern radiating from her, even though she was so far away. Then he heard the most wonderful sound in the world.
Beep-boop?"
Eron's heart leaped. With it came hope.
"B...Bolt?"
Kinoko turned the camera towards the little robot, which was in the process of being cleaned.
"Beep-boop! Bw-bw-bwrrrrp!"
Bolt began to nod from one foot to the other. He also heard Kinoko's voice.
"I found him, or rather, he found me, when I was texting you... you weren't answering your phone earlier... I thought I'd take him home and wash off the filth...
"Kinoko, thank you... so much... thank you so much..."
Kinoko looked at Eron... she was in shock... he was crying. Tears were streaming down his cheeks, and his voice was shaking.
"Eron, don't cry, or I'll cry too."
Eron wiped his tears with his sleeve. The sight of Bolt, his faithful droid, jumping with joy broke the dam of emotions he had been suppressing for months. Bolt chirped louder, his little feet pounding louder and louder, as he jumped higher and higher.
"Bolt! Bolt, listen to me... listen to Kinoko, okay? She's a good person. She'll take care of you, so don't be mean. She's a friend."
Bolt responded with a series of enthusiastic squeals and stopped jumping.
"Bweep-boop-bwrrr!"
Kinoko laughed softly, though her eyes were also glistening with tears. She placed the phone so Eron could see her. She took the droid in her arms, cradling it gently.
"See? He's safe and sound. He didn't want to get in the bathtub, but I grabbed some cleaning fluid from Dad's garage and I'm cleaning him with a cloth."
"Kinoko, thank you so much... you have no idea how much he means to me."
Kinoko felt her heart melt at the sight of Eron... he was so sensitive. She patted the robot... no... not the robot, but the droid's head, and he made a soft, contented sound.
"Bwoooooooop"
"Eron... don't thank me. Bolt found me himself."
Eron smiled... he looked around the parking lot... A black van had just pulled up to the bank entrance... four masked and armed men got out. The driver stayed inside... Eron noticed the men were wielding blasters...
Kinoko sensed something was wrong.
"Eron, what's going on?"
"Bank robbery. It's Mandalay... I have to go."
"Eron... Eron! Please don't kill anyone..."
Eron looked directly into Kinoko's one exposed eye. She was terrified.
"Bolt... Take care of Kinoko... Do you understand? Do everything he asks you to do."
"Beep!"
"Eron please... don't kill anyone... it will ruin your chances of getting into UA... promise me... please Eron... please..."
Eron didn't dare look into her eyes... so he closed his own and turned off his phone.
"Eron!"
He managed to hear before the call ended.
End of Chapter 15