I blinked at IRIS' new expression,
"Uhh... Is the song really that bad ?"
IRIS moved up and down, agreeing that it was indeed the worst way to cheer someone up.
THUD
I shifted my gaze to my foot.
The cleaning robot bumped into my leg, moving back and forth repeatedly. I tiptoed my way out, raising IRIS up high. I pressed the button that was meant for stopping the robot.
The robot stopped in its tracks. I approached it while holding IRIS tightly. IRIS flew out of my grasp and poked the robot gently. Seeing that the robot didn't budge, I tapped it with my foot slightly.
I crouched beside it and tapped its sensor,
"Hello ? Did I press the wrong—"
In an instant, the robot jolted awake and sped across the floor, drifting through every hole and corners. It retreated and bumped to a wall that is across from where it came from.
I stepped aside, avoiding whatever thing that the robot wanted to do. The robot's wheels screeched, scratching against the floor. IRIS and I waited.
A continous bumped against the wall.
IRIS changed its expression to "(• – • )" with a slow blink each time. It tapped the robot again.
No response.
IRIS screamed out a loud beep in frustration and knocked on the robot. Before anyone could react, the robot lunged itself to the air.
IRIS instinctively used its hands to covered its top panel. The robot started drifting like it's on a race track, swiftly avoiding obstacles.
At a very high speed, it landed back where it came from. I bolted to check on it. The robot is perfectly fine. There were no scratches. The wheels are perfectly in its position.
I was about to reach for the robot, a hidden wall rose from the floor, sealing the robot inside. I placed my palm against that wall.
There wasn't a single visible line. I stepped back, observing the perfectly intact wall as if there were nothing behind it. Or in this case, inside it.
I walked to the chair sat on it, IRIS flew and landed on my shoulder. I stared at my thumb, then to the door. I sighed, the pain felt like an electric shock fused with the sensation of a deep burn.
A sound abruptly dragged me back to reality,
"Aléssio ?"
I spun the chair to face the door. Arlo stood there, holding his Medical Crate in front of his chest. He looked around before turning to me.
He pointed to the floor,
"Where are the glasses now ? Varelius warned me to be careful as it wasn't clean up yet."
I stood up from the chair and crouched beside Arlo,
"A robot had cleaned it up. You don't have to worry much."
Arlo spotted the cut on my left thumb and swiftly placed his hand on the Lifeprint Scanner. The Medic Crate instantly opened, revealing a bunch of medical tools inside it.
He grabbed the injector and filled it up with a numbing serum. I flinched and withdrew my hand. He raised it high, holding it as if it was a knife.
I raised my hand and crawl backwards,
"Stay back ! I can handle it myself ! Don't worry !"
Arlo moved closer, crouching as my back bumped to a wall,
"It's going to feel like being bitten by an ant ! Maybe... But don't worry ! Or is your pale skin that sensitive ?"
I instinctively crossed my arms and puffed my chest,
"Excuse you ? My pale skin is totally not fragile. Learn more about biology first before—"
Arlo didn't waste any time and striked my thumb with the injector. I widened my eyes in fear and screamed on top of my lungs. IRIS slapped my face, silencing me with the slight slap.
Arlo lifted the injector once the serum was finished. I blinked, I felt as if my thumb was just dipped into a liquid nitrogen. The cool icy sensation made the pain disappear.
I sighed in relief,
"That was... fast."
He nodded and pulled out a stitching machine,
"Yes. Like I said, you're the one overreactin—"
I jumped on my feet and ran around the chair. Arlo chased me down, waving the stitching machine up and down. I pushed the chair to slow him down, running to a table.
I stand on the edge of the table, facing Arlo who is on the other edge,
"Stay back ! Get that thing away from me !"
Arlo chased after me, running around the table,
"Wait ! Let me explain first !"
I sprinted toward the door, frantically pressing the button. The moment the door opened, I glanced back and ran around the hallway. After making sure I was in a further distance from Arlo, I looked to the front.
"I'm so sorry. Maybe next time, I'll tell them to make a better hearing device—"
THUMP
I dropped to the floor, my head spinning round and round. A hand came into my view. I peered up as I clutched my head.
Varelius extended his hand, smiling while crouching slightly. I shook my head and placed my hand on his. He pulled me up, helping me balance myself.
In the back, Arlo raised his hand and huffed,
"Wait !"
He placed both of his hands on his knee,
"I'm not stitching your thumb without cleaning it !"
Varelius tilted his head to the side, watching me while smiling sheepishly,
"My bad for not bringing the bandage. I think it's better if Arlo was the one taking care."
I brushed my shoulders, cleaning it up as if there were dust. I took a deep breath and turned to Arlo. But the moment my eyes laid on the stitching machine, I yanked Varelius in front of me.
Arlo stomped his foot multiple of times,
"Come on ! I already told you that I need to clean that finger first !"
Before I could argue with Arlo, a bunch of filaments wrapped around me. Varelius headed to my back, pushing me gently.
Zarina crouched, even though Arlo was still farther away,
"Do you need any help, little one ?"
Arlo raised a finger to my direction,
"Shut his mouth and bring him to the medical corner."
Without any words, Zarina covered my mouth with the filaments. Varelius chuckled, seemingly better from the previous fight with Skov.
Arlo waved his hand and skipped to the engineering bay. Varelius offered Zarina to let him carry me instead. Zarina smiled and shook her head, saying she can handle it.
◇ ◇ ◇
Along the way to the medical corner, Varelius continued chatting with Zarina. Curious, I eavesdropped their conversation. I raised my head high, wiggling around like a worm.
Zarina tapped her ear once, smiling as she continue to drag me across the floor,
"It's fine Varelius. It wasn't your fault that the hearing device suddenly died. I should've charged it while waiting for the unit info."
Varelius clasped both of his hand while bowing slightly,
"No, no ! It's entirely my fault. I should've told the workers to expand the battery capacity."
I muffled out, wanting to ask Zarina,
"Whuh—ah yuh tah—king bou' ?"
Varelius and Zarina stopped in their tracks. Varelius looked down at me who continued to struggle. I squirm back and forth, almost like a fish that was stranded in an island.
Varelius stared at me for a few moment, blinking slowly,
"I thought Zarina had made you float ?"
Zarina shook her head and finally used her filaments to make me float,
"I thought that he was walking behind us ?"
Three of them stood in silence. A sigh came from behind us. Arlo walked past us and motioned us to continue walking.
He pressed on a button, the door to the medical corner opened. The interior had two medical beds that laid beside each other. On top of that, there were curtains to give the patients privacy.
Arlo pointed on a bench that can be fold open,
"Put him there. I need to switched the stitching machine's needle to... uhh... what is that thing called ?"
Zarina let me free from the filaments,
"Spray ?"
Arlo nodded while tapping a finger on his chin,
"Yes. I think it's a spray—"
I seized the chance to escape from this place.
Arlo pointed at me and shouted,
"He's trying to escape !"
I smiled, running to the door. Varelius grabbed the back of my collar, lifting me up from the floor. I thrashed around, trying to flee myself.
Varelius barely had any problems and dropped me to the seat. I sat down while fidgeting my fingers. Looking down, I realized that I must've looked like a giant cat that dealt no damage.
A small BEEP made my head rised. IRIS floated beside me, crossing its arm while showing a "=_=" on its screen.
Arlo raised the stitching machine, the needle had turn into a brush,
"You're a very irresponsible owner. Even IRIS agrees as you kept forgetting it exists. Anyways, Varelius and Zarina, hold him still."