Chapter 12
A few months later
It had been a while since Mei had found this lonely, broken baby during a mandatory school trip in the forest.
Its legs quivered as if it was still trying to get up, and its scratched white casing with red stripes told of a life it had been through. She didn't know who had created such a masterpiece.
When she first held it in her hands, its photoreceptors flashed with a faint light, and it let out a soft, intermittent squeal. Sparks could be seen from behind its small head. Eventually, it shut down.
Since then, she had spent every free moment trying to repair it. She had never seen such a wonderful baby. This little robot had become her treasure and a source of knowledge about cutting-edge technology and robotics.
Mei didn't count the hours or days spent understanding the technology and repairing it.
Until finally, one morning, after a sleepless night, the little robot awoke.
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Reboot in progress.... Reboot in progress.... Backup restored.....
The photoreceptor flickered with blue light. BD-3 'Bolt' scanned the surroundings. Not long ago, he had been on the ship, escaping with Eron. The last thing he remembered was Eron's tears when Bolt took a piece of shrapnel to the back of the head. From that moment on, the memory files were corrupted and unrecoverable.
Now he was in a strange room filled with all sorts of parts and primitive droids. A girl with pink hair slept in the chair before him.
The photoreceptor glowed brighter. The mobility system activated with a delay, but the legs trembled, emitting a short metallic crack. Bolt lifted his head and squeaked softly, testing his legs.
The girl in the chair stirred but didn't wake. Her pink hair fell over her face.
Bolt looked at her and processed the data.
Figure - Unrecognized. No registry entry.
Status - neutral.
Another echo sparked in the droid's memory: the voice of a young boy, full of desperation.
"Bolt...don't leave me..."
Bolt sent out a ping, searching for a connection with Eron, but silence answered. He began to whine sadly.
The girl's head snapped up. Her eyes widened when she saw the small robot standing on its own.
"You...! You're moving?! I MADE IT!!!!!"
Bolt let out a short, decisive squeal. He didn't wait for her to react. He jumped down, his little legs hitting the floor and heading for the door.
Objective - find Eron.
Mei jumped up from her chair, tools scattering across the floor.
"H-HEY! Wait! You little, wonderful baby, I haven't finished testing you yet!"
Bolt didn't react. His little feet beat a fast rhythm on the concrete floor, and his photoreceptor flashed nervously.
The girl rushed after him, but the droid was surprisingly fast. It slid under a shelf, bounced off the wall, and darted toward the workshop's open door.
"Nooo! Don't run!"
Mei screamed, running after him, but Bolt was already disappearing around the alley, heading straight toward the city.
Bolt slid nimbly along the sidewalk, past stalls, cars, and the surprised glances of passersby. Every so often, he sent out a ping, hoping to soon come within range of Eron's transmitter.
He stopped in front of a group of children. Their eyes lit up at the sight of what they considered a small and cute droid. The children surrounded him, squealing with delight.
"Hey, look at this cool little robot."
"Maybe it's a toy?"
Bolt let out a series of short squeals, then opened a small projector. A hologram flashed above his head. It showed a boy fighting with a blue lightsaber, deflecting blaster bolts at the droids.
"Wow… who's that?"
"Maybe a new pro hero from abroad?"
Bolt squealed louder, approaching the children. He repeated the image as if begging for understanding, but they had no right to understand. The children only clapped and laughed, mistaking it for a performance. Finally, he slipped between their legs.
Bolt continued running, his little feet pounding the floor furiously. Ping after ping sent into the void. Silence. No response.
The photoreceptor blinked several times nervously as he turned the corner and found himself in front of a large building with glass doors. A dozen or so people in uniform stood outside, aiming crude weapons at the building. Perhaps that's where Eron is...
The droid beeped briefly, and its legs allowed it to slip between the policemen's legs and straight inside.
The inside was a mess. People lay on the floor with their hands on their heads.
Two masked assailants controlled the situation. One brandished a pistol, while the other, with a powerful quirk that gave him enormous arms, bent the metal door of the safe.
The photoreceptor flashed, and the droid let out a series of short, alarming beeps. The gunman turned around, startled.
"What the hell is that?"
Bolt opened the projector, revealing a hologram. The civilians in the bank looked up to see what was happening.
The second thief, who had been bending the steel door, roared.
"Smash that toy!"
A pistol shot whizzed past, striking a marble column. The civilians screamed. Bolt sidestepped and fell toward the robber. He dodged another shot and climbed up his back. The robber tried to grab the droid, but in vain.
"Hey! Get off me, you... AAAAAAAAAHHHHHGGGGGG"
BD-3 activated his stun gun and released an electrical charge capable of knocking out a grown man.
The second thief dropped the ripped safe door, turned sharply, and began running toward the droid.
Bolt jumped to the side, let out a series of warning screeches, and released a thin but sturdy line toward the man's legs. The droid began to spin around the man's feet.
The thug lost his balance and fell forward, breaking a window. He landed outside, where a dozen or so police officers aimed their weapons at him. A team equipped with a riot shield rushed toward him and handcuffed him.
Inside the bank, the hostages stared in stunned amazement as the small robot stood in the center of the room, its photoreceptor flashing blue, and its projector flashed a hologram of the boy again.
The police burst into the bank a second later, surrounding the area and securing the unconscious thief with a gun. Their commander stopped when he saw the small robot standing erect in the center of the room.
"Whose robot is that? Does it belong to some pro hero?"
Bolt let out a short, proud squeal. His photoreceptor flickered brighter, and the hologram revealed Eron's face. No one knew who the boy was. The officers exchanged confused glances.
The police commander frowned and took a step closer.
"Secure this droid. Who knows who it belongs to."
At this command, Bolt let out a long, angry squeal. Within a second, he was away from the men and running.
Two officers rushed after the droid, but Bolt was faster. His little feet beat a rhythm on the marble floor, and he jumped out of the shattered window onto the street. The crowd of civilians that had gathered in front of the bank parted in surprise. Cameras on their phones flashed.
The droid screeched frantically, then sped into the city. It climbed a fire escape and stopped on the roof of a low building. It scanned the area. His photoreceptor glowed a pulsating blue. Ping… ping… ping… silence. No response.
The droid curled up for a moment, emitting a sad, muffled whimper. The voice echoed in his memory again.
"Bolt… don't leave me…"
Bolt lifted his head, looked at the horizon, and activated the projector. The boy's face flashed above the rooftop. Passersby on the street pointed, recording everything. No one recognized the boy, so Bolt let out a short, resounding whimper and bounced off the edge of the rooftop, leaping to the next rooftop and heading towards the city.
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For several hours, All Might had been receiving reports of a small robot running around the city, helping people. It walked calmly down the street, drawing no attention. It was in its emaciated form. It had been calmer for some time... it had found its successor. Midoriya Izuku was making progress. Yagi hadn't passed on his quirk yet. The UA entrance exams would soon begin.
He couldn't believe that over six months had passed since the events of Eron.
Then he heard quick, metallic footsteps echoing off the cobblestone street. Yagi stopped and lifted his head. A small silhouette emerged from the shadows. A white casing with red stripes, a photoreceptor glowing blue. The small robot stopped a few meters away and beeped briefly. Then it activated a hologram.
All Might couldn't believe it. It was Eron. He looked at the tiny robot and asked.
"Eron?"
Bolt beeped loudly, as if in confirmation. He began to dance around, showing his satisfaction. He took a few steps closer and showed a different scene in the hologram.
"Bolt… don't leave me…"
Yagi felt a lump in his throat. This was further proof that young Eron had been through hell. He knelt on one knee.
"I see you understand me, little hero. I know where Eron is."
Bolt tilted his head, as if analyzing Yagi's words. The photoreceptor flickered more intensely, and a squeal of relief emanated from the speakers.
"I know he's in the care of the Wild Wild Pussycats now. They're taking care of him."
All Might slowly extended his hand toward the robot.
"I'll take you to UA. That's where Eron will soon be studying. There, we'll make sure you can talk to us."
Bolt squealed. He took two small steps toward All Might and touched his finger with his metal leg.
Yagi smiled faintly.
"Okay... come on, little hero."
Bolt squealed again, this time higher, almost joyfully, and then climbed into All Might's outstretched hand. He trembled slightly, as if feeling like he had finally found someone who understood his mission.
Yagi lifted him carefully and placed him on his shoulder. Bolt clung to his jacket. All Might slowly rose. He pulled out his phone to call a taxi.
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The room was lit by the cold glow of lamps. BD-3 Bolt sat on a workbench, his photoreceptor glowing a steady blue. He was carefully observing the three beings in the room. In particular, a short, white creature named 'Nezu'. He reminded him strongly of Master Yoda.
Power Loader finally straightened, looking intently at the photoreceptor's light.
"This is no ordinary machine. It reacts to everything happening around it. It must be a highly advanced AI... perhaps even an AI..."
Bolt beeped louder, and his projector illuminated the room. A hologram appeared above the table.
Eron in the mud, fighting a legion of droids, reflecting blaster fire. The image wavered, punctuated by static, but the determination in the boy's eyes was undeniable.
Nezu narrowed his eyes.
"This droid is a witness to what happened to Eron."
Bolt looked at Nezu, then activated the hologram of Master Yoda.
"Good droid, you are. Take good care of Eron, you will. Grateful for your help, I am."
All Might narrowed his eyes as the silhouette of a small green sprite flashed above the table.
"Who… who is that?"
Bolt chirped as if understanding the question. His photoreceptor flashed, and the hologram changed abruptly.
In a semicircle stood men and women with quirks that altered their appearances. Some were anything but human. An older, tall man with white hair approached the much younger Eron. He looked at the short, green being.
"Grandmaster Yoda. I understand this is my new Padawan?"
"Strong in power, Eron is, but lacks refinement. An experienced master he needs. Chosen you, the council has. Placed great hopes in Eron, the council has."
Power Loader took a step back, staring at the figures in the hologram. All Might narrowed his eyes, transfixed on the image of the white-haired man. He felt authority in him, the weight of experience, but also something... dark.
The hologram glowed brighter. The older man bowed his head to Yoda.
"If it is the council's will, I will accept him. Eron, from now on, you are my Padawan."
Nezu rested his paws on the table, staring at the projection.
"As Captain Hellbound said. They are not from Earth."
Bolt beeped briefly, and the hologram changed, now showing a galaxy.
Power Loader took a closer look and concluded.
"This...this is not our galaxy."
Nezu stared at the projection, his eyes twinkling.
Power Loader swallowed hard.
"Can...can you show us what Eron's quirk is?"
Bolt beeped. His photoreceptor flashed, and the hologram above the table quivered and shifted.
Instead of stars, the silhouette of Master Yoda appeared, seated on a stone platform. The old master's voice was calm, melodic, and heavy with wisdom.
"An energy that flows and binds the entire galaxy, the Force is. See it, we cannot, but we feel its presence, we do. In plants, in animals, in every creature. What unites all living things into one whole, it is.
For Jedi, guide, the Force is. The force a weapon is not. Tool to be used for one's own purposes it is not. Being a Jedi means trusting the force, but also trusting oneself. Life of sacrifice and responsibility, it is.
Based on peace, knowledge, and defense, the light side is. The path the Jedi strive to follow, this is. But also a dark side there is. Swift and tempting it is. Based on anger, fear, and hatred, it is. And it gives strength although, to it it ultimately consumes those who succumb. An easier path, it is, but a stronger one is not."
The image shook slightly and froze.
Power Loader sat down heavily in his chair.
"This...this isn't a quirk. It's something that can't be measured..."
All Might lowered his head. He remembered when the boy had struggled with fear and anger.
"And yet...this gives him strength. We must help him control this...Force."