As the conversation between Hiro and Alma went on, they both got slightly closer, face-to-face.
The both of them realized it was late and upon realizing this, both of them were embarassed. They went back slightly and look away from each other. They were blushing and Hiro wanted to break the silence.
"Umm..."
Then Alma suddenly got a call from her phone which broke the silence on the spur of the moment. She looked at the phone which caused her to immediately become restless. She lifted the call saying, "Hello, dad."
"Alma..?", Hiro called out to her.
"Shh..."
And Alma spoke in the call, "Yes, Dad... I am with Hiro... I will come back home."
"Was it your father?", Hiro asked her.
"Yes.", Alma replied and continued, "I have to go. Since, it is already this late."
"Yeah, I understand."
"I should be leaving then."
Alma and Hiro walked to the door.
"Bye Hiro"
"Bye, also tell Mr. Kumar that I said hi."
"Yeah, I will"
Both of them laughed a little.
"Take care Alma."
Alma left and went back to her home. Hiro sighed and rested his head on arms backwards. He then went to the bedroom where the kids were sleeping. He looked at sleeping peacefully and grinned.
"Look at them sleeping peacefully. Kids really do have some active minds"
Then Hiro went to his bedroom which was beside their room and fell onto his bed.
"When will this war end? When will we be given our freedom?", Hiro muttered to himself.
He lifted his right hand up and looked upwards saying, "Someday, I will destroy these RIORS"
"Probably not, their cores act as our primary source of energy. Is there any other way?".
Soon, he switched on the television which was facing him and the other end of room. He took the remote which was beside him and switched it on. As the television turned on he went to the news channel.
The opening news as the announcer spoke, "Today it is a good day for the capital city, Krusch. As the son of the noble "Farfal" family had defeated the notorious 'Luquos' which had killed many MECHA pilots in the past."
"Bullshit.."
Hiro uttered the words as he opened his smartphone. He looked at the top news, it had also stated the news in the television. He realized that he was not credited for his work. He was just paid for his work and told to 'get lost' when his work was over.
"I don't understand, I clearly got paid less than them and I don't even get credited?", Hiro uttered these words. He kept his arm on his eyes while laying down. Tears ran down through his eyes. He wiped the tears with his eyes sighing.
"It is a waste of time to think about it anyway", and Hiro continued, "I don't have the status, money or will to fight back anyway."
He said that and went to sleep.
Hiro went to sleep a bit late after closing his eyes.
He saw this weird images in his sleep. They were constantly changing. Some were sceneries, other were scenes, some weren't coloured. He couldn't feel anything.
The only thing he could after these images were of people fighting in MECHA with other people who were in MECHA. He saw MECHAs clashing each other.
"Huh, this feels familiar.", Hiro said.
The scene there could be described as a battle. No, the word 'War' would be more accurate to describe the situation there. He could see bullets, ammunition and bloodshed. People were killing each other.
"What is this? The heck is this? I have never seen this or heard of it?", Hiro said it as he fell on ground and held his head with his hands.
He saw Vernier and was shocked senseless.
"What is going on? Please stop", he cried.
"This war,..... what is this, I've never ever read or seen or heard of it in my life?
His vision soon went blank and he felt rain falling on him. He stood up and slowly walked forward.
"What am I doing?", Hiro wondered.
He walked forward as he wondered what he was doing.
"Where am I walking to?"
"My body is listening to me...", Hiro said in his mind while walking forward. He just went on walking forward without having any sort of self-awareness. He walked forward in the empty place where there was nothing but rain. He walked forward and stopped in front of something, looking at it Hiro was shocked and was barely able to say anything.
His eyeballs moved while trembling as he looked at that 'something'.
Lightning soon fell and the 'something' was visible.
It was Vernier. Hiro was scared and muttered, "Vernier"
Soon, he could see that his vision was shaking and he could hear a large buzz sound.
Hiro opened his eyes to the sound and looked in the direction of where the sound came from. It was from the alarm of his phone. He switched off the alarm and sat on his bed. He opened the window and could hear the birds chirping in the morning.
He looked at the date it showed, '7th month, 3rd day, C626'
Hiro stood up and wondered about the dream.
"What was that dream?", Hiro questioned himself and remembered something.
"This wasn't the first time I saw it", and continued, "I should probably consult a therapist or someone."
The door opened and it was Haruna who looked at him with suspicion. Haruna expression was the very definition of looking at someone with pity and suspicion. Hiro got slightly confused and asked her, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You're behaving weirdly Brother", Haruna replied.
"What do you mean by that?"
"You're talking to yourself."
"Haruna, breakfast is ready, bring Hiro quickly.", Alma told loudly and both of them replied, "Yes"
"Let's go to eat breakfast, Haruna."
"Brush your teeth first", Haruna told him.
"Yeah, I know."
Hiro went downstairs and brushed his teeth and went to the dining room. Alma saw him and blushed slightly. Haruna grinned looked at that.
"Why are you smiling, Haruna", Varuna asked him.
"You won't get it", Haruna replied to him.
"We won't understand how women think, Varuna.", Tohji told him and continued, "Leave her in her strawberry world."?
"But..."
"Hey, who is in their strawberry world?", Haruna spoke as she banged the table with her hands.
"What's going on here?", Hiro asked them like a strict father.
"Nothing", the three of them replied.
"Hiro, they are just kids. Let them have their fun chat and conversation", Alma told to Hiro as she brought her breakfast.
"You're being too lenient on them. You must be more strict.", Hiro told Alma.
"Alma takes care of us when you're not there.", Varuna told him and continued, "She's like a mother to us."
"Mother!!!", both Alma and Hiro were shocked and were kinda embarassed.
The kids thought something was going on while seeing the two of them blushing.
"Yeah, can you bring me a glass of water Alma?", Hiro requested her.
"Okay, I will being it.", Alma replied and brought him a glass of water.
Both of them were blushing during the whole exchange.
"Just get married already.", the kids thought.
Soon, they finished the breakfast and heard the sound of trumpets from outside. Hiro looked out of the window and wondered what was happening. He saw a celebration there more like a parade. He saw that the procession was being led by Raj.
Hiro cried to him, " Uncle, what is going on out here?"
"The Governor General is coming today for our festival."
"Ohh, I forgot there was a festival today.", Hiro spoke silently.
"You didn't forget about the festival right?", Raj asked him.
"No, I am more shocked that the governor general is coming.", Hiro replied, trying to change the subject from him.
"Yeah he will coming and going.", Raj said and continued, "You're a good dancer right? Come out here."
Hiro looked at Alma and his siblings saying, "Let's go celebrate the festival."
They all went outside to the center of the district. It had the statue of the former lord of this district. Everyone respected the statue and kneeled down before it. Then, did their celebrations begun.
They celebrated the festival at the day the former lord died. His wish was to see the people of the district happy and celebrating with colors. So, as his last wish people always do this on the day without mourning. The people would always celebrate the festival in the process of celebrating in the morning and flying lanterns in the night after the festival to celebrate the loss their loved ones in 'The First Stampede'.
People would dance, throw colors at each other, sometimes even tomatoes. It was a festival where everyone enjoyed in the district. It was the only festival that the district in which Hiro resided in celebrated.
Hiro danced, beside other people his age and people who were older or younger than him. It was more of a freestyle dance but the word 'flash mob' would be the correct word to describe it.
They all dance with enjoyment. They danced without any sort of tension or fear in life. Leaving all the oppression and ostracization from nobles. It was the time for them to bring the late and former lord's last wishes to come true.
Hiro was dancing beside with other dancers. They were dancing mostly hip hop. They took turns also individualy performing.
From a distance a people were watching from a manor which in the district. It was the manor of the present lord of the district. At a balcony of the manor there sat the present lord 'Henry' the brother the former lord and the governor-general 'Arthur'. He looked at the festival and had his eyes fixed on someone.
"What are you looking at, Sir?, Henry asked Arthur.
"Nothing, just found the festival interesting.", Arthur replied.
"Ahh, its that festival that those commoners celebrate.", and continued, "It find it irritating, this much noise over the death of my brother. It gets on my nerves."
Then, Henry requested Arthur, "Could you use your power to stop the festival at once, Sir?"
"I'll see.", Arthur replied and he looked at the crowd and someone caught his attention in the dancing crowd.
"Is he?", Arthur muttered as he looked at the person.
"Ohh, he is that mutt named Hiro. He was one of brother's favourite pets when he was alive."
"He is that guy.", Arthur said.
"Yes, he is that peasant who became a MECHA pilot.", he replied and continued, "I wonder how scum like him became one."
Arthur took the cup in front of him and drank the coffee in it. He realized that it did not spike any of his tastes or his interest. It felt bland, like those only to show how costly it is not having any sort of taste. Arthur finished the coffee in his cup and told him, "Is there any sort of favour you'd like me to do for you?"
"Actually I have one.", Henry said to Arthur.
Then, the both of them discussed the favour and Arthur left.
He got inside his car and asked the driver to move to his palace.
Even if Arthur was called 'Governor-General', he has the authority of king in the monarchy. It was due the absence of the present king after the previous king died twelve years ago. The heirs to the previous king were incognito in the kingdom to hide from enemies of the state.
Arthur and his accompanying vehicles which had bodyguards in it were all moving through the festival where the people had made space for him to move from the district. He looked at Hiro and remembered something from the past.
It was a conversation between him and the former lord of the district 'Robert de Brown'.
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It happened twenty-one years ago in a meeting chamber in the royal palace where there were only Arthur and Robert discussing.
"What will you do about that child?", Arthur directed these words towards Robert.
"What do you mean?", Robert asked him and continued, "I will take care of him"
"You're being completely senseless. Do you think the royalty and nobility will agree with your words?"
"I will make them to agree with me, Arthur."
"You aren't royalty, Robert. You're just a lord of the 'Brown' family"
He sighed and continued, "He doesn't have any sort of ancestry with Kriess."
"Does that matter?", Robert asked him loudly in an angry tone.
"Yes it does.", Arthur replied to him and continued, "Do you know how much problem would it bring to us."
"But he's just a kid."
Arthur took a sip from the glass of water in front him and said, "What was the kid's name, Hiro was it?", and continued, "You know about his ancestry. If it were to be in the hands of the higher-ups in the nobility of Kreiss."
Arthur swallowed his saliva looking at Robert and said, "Do you think they will allow him to live?"
"I will try to save him.", Robert said to Arthur.
"I have a better idea than killing him."
"I don't any of your stupid ideas."
"Don't think he can replace your dead son, Robert."
Arthur moved towards Robert who was at the window saying, "You know who Hiro's parents are, don't you. Even the higher-ups of Kreiss fear them even if they died."
"I understand."
"If the higher ups know that he is the son of Aarya and Kyoko. Only god knows what might happen to him."
"So what should I do? Just abandon him?", Robert asked Arthur.
"No, keep him in an orphanage and take visit him regularly", Arthur replied.
Robert as if he realized something said, "Wait, does that mean..?"
"Yes, his identity will not be revealed that easily and people might forget about him. The moment I get into a higher position, I will cover his identity by my hands."
"I want him to save this world, to save humanity itself from its values.", Robert said to Arthur.
"He should become a MECHA pilot then.", Arthur replied.
"I will be Hiro's acting guardian from the shadows.", Robert said to Arthur.
"I will be the foundation for Hiro in his process to save the world, if you ever fail to do so. I will act as a substitute in your role and guide him to his destiny. Either by direct means or indirect.",
Arthur claimed the above words to Robert.
The both of them shook hands and had a firm exchange.
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Arthur woke up to the present to sound of something hitting his window. It was a hand. He opened the window to see that it was little girl. The guards came out of their vehicles to the girl and tried to push her away but Arthur stopped them.
He came out the vehicle and patted the head of the girl asking, "Are you lost child?"
"No, I came here to meet you. My parents told me you were a great person.", the girl replied.
"Yes, I am. Aren't you scared of me?", He asked her with a smile.
"No, why should I be scared of a person who is great?", she replied.
"Chikoo!", a cry came from the crowd, which was of her mother
"Mama", the child replied to the cry.
Then he parents came and watched from a distance, they were shocked seeing him. The general looked at them and told the girl, "You're parents have come, go."
"Yes", the child replied with a smile and went to them. They lifted the child and bowed to Arthur and left.
"General, what do you want to do those commoners who dared to touch you?", a guard asked him.
"Do nothing", he replied and got inside the car and left.
Meanwhile, as the dance ended everyone went to Raj's inn which had been a hotel to eat. He was having profits but he was lacking workforce. So, Hiro, Alma and the children volunteered to help him.
Yuki looked at Hiro and Alma from a distance and smiled.
The day had ended and they were tired. They ate a lot and Hiro along his siblings was tired. Yuki came towards Alma. She said, "Good work."
"Thank you", Alma replied.
"How did you fall in love with Hiro?", Yuki asked Alma.
Alma turned bright red at her words, blushing, she asked, "What is with the question, out of the blue?"
"Well you've never told the reason?", Yuki replied.
"Well the reason is....."