Another day in the City Ruins, I've had plenty of time to walk around as I don't have to worry about work, bills, and all the other inconvenient things necessary for a society to function.
I guess the lack of television and video games also helped. I spend more time outside without our magic entertainment boxes to distract me.
Although living in this city can be quite boring sometimes, after all, most androids are in the resistance camp, and the streets are full of killing machines, I cannot complain since I have, Devola, Popola, 11B, and the PODs to keep me company.
Speaking of the PODs, they accompanied me now. The three of us walked around, looking for something to do. 11B said she would find some way to contact 16D, while Devola and Popola explored the city.
I will not lie, sometimes I feel worried when I do not have any of them around to help in case I find a machine too dangerous for me.
On the other hand, I made it clear that I do not want someone accompanying and protecting me at all moments, but I am glad they are learning on their own. Androids can focus too much on their work; it is good to distract the mind occasionally.
Speaking of distracting the mind… I am completely bored! I do not have any idea for the subject of the next episode, nothing different has happened in the city.
What should I do, record an episode answering questions? No, I would like to give the androids more time to think about what to ask.
"PODs, do you have any suggestions about something fun for us to do right now?" I asked the PODs.
"Suggestion: We could go fishing again, Administrator Alan." POD 000 suggested.
"Claim: The activity known as fishing has been performed a considerable number of times." POD 001 responded.
"Thanks for the suggestions PODs, I'll think of something." I sighed.
"Suggestion: Administrator Alan could record a new episode about human behaviors, cultures, and history." POD 001 said suddenly.
"Where did the sudden curiosity come from?" I asked suspiciously while POD 000 stared silently at POD 001.
A noise coming from an alleyway caught our attention before the POD could respond, it sounded like a spray.
FFFSSSHHH!
The three of us turned towards the entrance to the alley and saw someone inside, it was an android for sure, he or she wore black boots, brown pants, and a gray coat with the hood covering his or her head.
The android had a bag next to him or her, and held a spray paint can, spraying it on the alley wall.
"Hello?" I said, waving from the alley entrance.
The android stopped and looked in my direction, revealing his face covered by a surgical mask and sunglasses.
"What are you doing?" I asked curiously.
The android quickly stuffed the spray can into his bag, slung the bag over his shoulder, and ran into the alley.
"Wait!" I yelled, however, the android did not stop and disappeared through the alleys, I did not bother to chase him.
"What was this android doing here?" I asked, entering the alley with the PODs following me, and stopping in front of the wall where the android stood. My eyes widened at what I saw, it was beautiful.
"WOW!"
"Question: Administrator Alan, what is this?" POD 001 asked.
"Claim: It looks like some kind of painting." POD 000 responded.
"That, PODs, is graffiti." I replied, stepping back and looking at the art in front of me.
It was an android making a peace sign, her eyes closed and smiling tranquility, with a pair of metal angel wings on her back, and several weapons, ammunition, and destroyed machines at her feet. Various tombstones were behind the android, each with a serial number on it.
There was no title for the graffiti; just a signature in the corner that I could not make out, it looked like a doctor's handwriting.
"Question: What is graffiti?" POD 001 asked.
"I am glad you asked POD! Graffiti has more to do with drawings, but suffers from prejudice, considered vandalism by some people. I am no expert, but I believe that this is because some people make graffiti that is just bad words or prejudiced phrases. Graffiti is a form of art, but depending on how they are used, they can end up becoming vandalism."
"Claim: Affirmative, record taken." POD 001 responded.
"PODs, I have a suggestion. How about we explore a bit and see if we can find any more graffiti?"
"Claim: A great suggestion." POD 000 said.
"Claim: I believe this can be a great source of information about human art." POD 001 spoke.
"I'm glad you agree, but first…"
We took various photos next to the graffiti, a photo of just the graffiti, a photo of me next to the graffiti, a photo with just POD 000, just POD 001, me with POD 000, and me with POD 001.
"PODs save the photos in the photo gallery. Now let us name the graffiti as Artificial Angel since the author did not name it. What do you think?"
"Claim: It is a great title." POD 000 said.
"Claim: It is an excellent title." POD 001 said.
"Well, then it's decided! Let's go after our mysterious artist!"
-XXXXXX-
We searched through alleys, stores, apartment buildings, and markets, until we found the mysterious android once again, this time painting on the wall of a hotel.
The android seemed to notice me as I approached, so he quickly stopped painting and turned to me.
"Listen, I just want to talk…" However, the android did not wait for me to finish, as he quickly packed his things and ran away.
"Hang on!" Nevertheless, the android had already disappeared through the city streets.
"Damn it! Well, let's see what this android painted this time." I approached the hotel wall and what I saw impressed me.
It was graffiti representing space, a black void full of stars, with Planet Earth at the bottom, the continents painted in green and the water in blue, and the withe moon at the top, giving a perspective of distance. Looking closely, I saw small silhouettes on the surface of the moon, the humans who supposedly live there.
The graffiti is wonderful, but I am a little saddened by what it represents. Humankind… I wonder if they will ever know… Forget it!
"PODs, let's take some pictures." I said to the PODs.
"Claim: Affirmative." Both PODs 000 answered. Therefore, we repeated the same process as before.
"Question: What name does Administrator Alan want to give the painting?" POD 001 asked.
"Hm… Let me think, how about Those Who Wait?"
"Claim: It is an acceptable title." POD 001 responded.
"Suggestion: This title should be retained until a better option appears." POD 000 responded.
"Hm… The title isn't great, is it?"
"Claim: Affirmative." POD 000 said.
"All right, let's move on and see if the android will listen to what I have to say."
-XXXXXX-
We found the mysterious android again, doing the graffiti on the wall of a warehouse this time. He ran away upon seeing me again, I did not even have the opportunity to speak this time. Well, let us see what the android did this time.
It was graffiti representing the bunker, in space, with something coming out of it, the drop pods sending the androids towards Earth's surface. A battlefield stood lower in the graffiti, with Yorha androids on the left and machines on the right, facing each other.
"I don't know who this mysterious android is, but I'm enjoying the art he's making, a tribute to all who died during the war. PODs, I think you already know what to do."
"Claim: Affirmative." Both PODs responded.
I thought of a name for this artwork after the sequence of photos.
"Let's see, what should I name this work of art?"
"Suggestion: How about Our Story?" POD 000 suggested.
"It is a good name, POD!" I replied, petting the POD on top of its head. I noticed POD 001 staring, so I did the same to it before it got jealous. HA! Jealousy, I wonder if PODs can feel it.
-XXXXXX-
"We meet again." I said to the mysterious android in front of me, and he did not immediately run away this time. We stood in an abandoned and partially collapsed library, leaving only a few walls and shelves full of old books.
"Listen, I know we didn't get off to a great start and I didn't make a good first impression, but I'd like to talk to you, so how about I introduce myself first? My name is Alan." I said.
The android nodded and pointed to a wall to his left. My eyes widened at what I saw, it was me.
The graffiti showed the ground in the shape of a half circle, I walked through this half circle from left to right, with POD 001 in front of me and POD 000 behind me.
Different scenarios were in the background, cities, deserts, and forests, with the wind carrying several paper sheets with something written on them. These sheets came out of my back while androids that walked behind me picked them up.
"Is this… Is this me?" I asked the mysterious android and he nodded.
"Thanks!" I smiled at the android. The android nodded and walked out of the library. Therefore, I took a closer look at the graffiti and saw the title The Wanderer.
"PODs, take some pictures please."
"Claim: Affirmative." The PODs responded.
Well, I think I will pay a visit to the resistance camp now that I had fun, but the smile did not leave my face during all this time.
-XXXXXX-
The PODs and I approached the resistance camp; we found some androids near destroyed machines on the way. There were two androids, one male and one female, they both wore resistance uniforms and carried AK-47s.
"Hey, is everything okay over here?" I asked the android further ahead. The male android stopped kicking the bullet-riddled machine on the ground and glared at me.
"Yes, just a few machines that got too close to the camp. You look familiar, haven't I seen you before?" The male android asked, half-closing his eyes.
"Hey, isn't that the android that keeps doing the recordings?" The female android asked too, pointing at me.
"Oh, you are right! I watch your recordings sometimes. You're getting famous, you know?" The male android smiled.
"I'm glad you're enjoying my show, but it's not exactly my intention to become famous." I said embarrassed.
"Do not worry about it, things have been livelier at camp since you started recording, it helps to break up the usual boredom." The male android replied.
"Let's say the camp androids picked up new hobbies and the camp changed a bit thanks to that." The female android said.
"What do you mean by that?" I asked.
"Just enter the camp and see by yourself." The male android replied, pointing towards the camp with his thumb.
"Okay, are you coming too?"
"No, we are guarding the entrance to the camp, we will only return during the shift change." The female android shrugged.
"Well, see you later." I said, walking past them and heading towards the camp.
"Sure, until next time!" The male android said, waving at me. I waved back and walked towards the camp. Suddenly…
BANG!
A gunshot echoed through the area, POD 000 immediately created a shield around me, and POD 001 prepared to fire at any nearby threats. Looking back, I saw the female android pointing the smoking barrel of her gun at the head of a dead machine on the ground.
"It moved!" The female android screamed.
"I told you to check if those things were dead!" The male android replied.
"But I checked!"
"So, why…"
The two androids argued, I ignored their discussion and approached the entrance of the camp.
The entrance to the camp stood in the alley between two buildings, as always. There were two androids at the entrance to the alley, one on each side.
I also noticed that there were androids with sniper rifles watching the area, they stood further up, in the windows of the buildings. This place seems more reinforced than last time.
Diverse types of graffiti covered the alley's walls, showing landscapes and androids in different art styles, like surrealism, cubism, and expressionism.
I saw parodied versions of famous paintings, a Mona Lisa with half her face's skin removed, revealing the artificial inside of an android's face, and a version of The Scream with a machine in place of the person who screamed.
Les Demoiselles d'Avigno, but with resistance androids posing in the place of women, a Pop Art with Anemone's face repeated in different shades of yellow.
Did the Androids do all this because of my recordings? If so, then I am impressed. I did not expect them to do what I taught in my show.
A metal statue was one of the first things I saw upon entering the camp; it was similar to the picture of soldiers raising a flag in Iwo Jima during World War II but with androids raising a flag with the symbol of the Army of Humanity, while standing on a pile of destroyed machines.
"Impressive!" I exclaimed, approaching the statue. It looked like it was made of scrap metal, but whoever sculpted it did a great job. I reached out to touch the statue, but an angry scream interrupted me.
"Hey, no touching my artwork!"
I jumped back surprised. Looking at where the scream came from, I saw a familiar android, Salieri.
"Your work of art, did you build this statue?" I asked as he approached me.
"You can bet! I am the best sculptor in the world!" Salieri puffed out his chest with pride while pointing to himself.
"Of course, you are the best when you are the only sculptor in the world, after all, there is no one else to compare your work to." A female voice mocked.
Looking to the side, I saw an android stepping out of the crowd. It was Florence. Salieri cringed at the female android remark.
"It is good to see you, Alan." Florence smiled.
"It is good to see you, Florence, and you too, Salieri." I said to both androids.
"Claim: Greetings." The PODs said simultaneously.
"What brings you here today Alan?" Florence asked politely.
"I'm also curious to know, you've been missing for a while." Salieri said, crossing his arms.
"I'm looking for an android, but I don't know what he or she looks like. I found an android painting graffiti on the walls of buildings while I walked around the city, I tried to talk to him, but he always ran away when I approached. Do you two know who this android is? I took some photos of the graffiti, show it to them, POD."
POD 000 displayed a holographic screen with graffiti painted by the mysterious android, making Florence and Salieri look in awe.
"I admit it, the graffiti is amazing, but I have no idea who did it." Salieri replied.
"Perhaps another android at camp knows?" Florence suggested.
Hm… Maybe, but thanks anyway. By the way, Salieri, your statue is amazing; I look forward to what else you can do!"
"Thank you." Salieri whispered, looking away embarrassed,
"Come on, no need to be embarrassed, you deserve the praise." Florence said, lightly punching Salieri's shoulder.
"See you later!" I said to both androids.
"Until next time, Alan, I hope to see you again." Florence replied.
"Try not to die out there; I'll be sad if I lose one of my clients." Salieri smiled playfully.
"You can leave it to me! I will be careful!" I replied, waving at them while walking away. Let us see if anyone knows about the mysterious android.
-XXXXXX-
Unfortunately, my search proved fruitless, no one knew who the mysterious android was. However, it was not that bad, at least I saw some of the changes in the camp.
The camp was tidier, without rubble, and more painted walls. I saw ropes connecting one building to another with colored cutout paper hanging from them, representing people, flowers, and animals, while vendors sold small wooden or metal statuettes on their tents across the streets. The camp had improved.
Suddenly, I heard music coming from above. Looking up, I saw Kokio leaning against the window of a three-story building while playing a Harmonica.
"Hey Kokio!" I yelled, waving at her. Kokio stopped playing the harmonica and looked at me surprised.
"Alan, what are you doing here? You can come in, the door is unlocked!" Kokio said, pointing to the door of the building.
I shrugged and entered the building, walking through the corridors and finding some androids. They looked at me weirdly, shrugged, and went on their way.
There were several doors in the corridors. Looking quickly through one of them, I saw a type of bedroom with two bunk beds on both sides. Therefore, this is where some of the camp androids' rooms are. Good, I thought they worked non-stop for a moment.
"Alan, here!"
Looking to the side, I saw Kokio calling me from a stairway leading up. I went upstairs and approached Kokio.
"Hello Kokio, what are you…"
"Come with me!" Kokio grabbed my arm before I could finish and pulled me upstairs.
"Kokio, wait a minute!"
"Come on, there's something I want to show you!" Kokio replied, smiling happily like a child.
We walked to the third floor, the androids leaping out of our way as we passed, until we reached a door at the end of the hall.
"Come in." Kokio said, unlocking the door.
"Are you sure?" I asked hesitantly since this was probably her room.
"Yes, come!" Kokio replied, pulling me into the room.
I looked around when I entered. The room was similar to the ones I saw on the floors below, a square-shaped medium-sized room, with two bunk beds, one on the left, and the other on the right.
There was a window on the wall between the two bunk beds, where Kokio played the harmonica previously.
"Nice room Kokio." I said, analyzing the details of my surroundings.
"It's not that nice, after all, I share this room with three other androids, but this one is my corner." Kokio said, pointing to the bottom bunk on the right.
I looked closer at the bunk bed and saw a series of photos pinned to the wall, showing landscapes, travel cards, and magazine clippings, forming a mosaic.
"I like what you did there, is that what you wanted to show me?" I asked Kokio.
"No, I wanted to show you this!" Kokio walked towards her bed and took a cardboard box from under it. I noticed something written on the side of the box, Property of Kokio! Do not touch it or I will dismantle you!
"What is this Kokio?" I asked curiously.
"That's my box of wonders! I keep here all the objects from the human world that I collected around the city!" Kokio smiled, holding the box above her head, making me smile with her happy display.
"Seriously? Can I see it?"
"Of course you can! After all, that is what I called you here for! I have no idea what some of those things are." Kokio replied, placing the box on her bed and showing me its contents.
"First of all, what is this thing?" Kokio asked, showing me a rectangular black object with a screen, and several buttons in a circular format, an old MP3 Player.
"Oh, this is an MP3!"
"And what is it for?" Kokio asked, her eyes shining like the ones of a child.
"It serves to store and play audio files in MP3 format."
"What?" Kokio asked confused.
"It plays songs recorded in a specific format."
"Oh, can I fix it?"
"I highly doubt it, but you should give it a try. But I'm not sure where you'll find MP3 music these days."
"Well, I'll worry about that later. What is this thing?" Kokio said, showing me a rectangular-shaped purple object, with a screen in its center and white buttons on the sides.
There was something partially erased written just below the screen. G… B… A… GBA? Like Game Boy Advance?
"HAHAHA! I never thought I'd see one of those again." I laughed, remembering the good memories of the one I had in my infancy.
"What is it?" Kokio asked expectantly.
"It is a portable console for playing video games." I replied, studying the object in my hands and feeling a wave of nostalgia, so many memories.
"I see, and how do I make it work?"
"You would need two AA batteries and the cartridge with the game."
"I think I have a few of those here, give me a minute." Kokio went towards a metal closet in the room and rummaged through it, returning with two AA batteries, and putting them inside the Game Boy.
"And now?" Kokio asked.
"Now we need the cartridge."
Kokio searched inside the box on her bed, removed a series of Game Boy cartridges, and handed them to me.
I picked one cartridge, fitted it to the game boy, and started the console. The screen lit up and a familiar song played. My eyes widened with the introduction that appeared on the screen, a Gengar fighting a Nidorino, the screen title appeared a while later, Pokemon Fire Red.
"Kokio, can you sell me the Game Boy and games?" I asked.
"No, they are not for sale." Kokio replied, making a tough but cute face, while crossing her arms.
"Come on, I'll pay any amount." I begged, joining my hands in prayer.
"No, I found them, so they are mine." Kokio said, closing her eyes and turning away from me.
"Okay." I sighed disappointed, returning the console, where Kokio watched the images on the screen, randomly pressing buttons.
"So this is a video game?" Kokio asked, starting the game.
"Yes, humans used it as a form of entertainment." I replied, looking at the Game Boy screen, where Professor Oak asked the famous question: Are you a boy or a girl? Then the name screen appeared after Kokio chose her character.
"What do I do now?" Kokio asked.
"Now you write your name."
Kokio named her character and the dialogue continued until it was time to introduce her rival.
"And now?"
"Now you choose your rival's name, it can be a predefined name or one written by you."
Kokio decided to give my name to her rival, from there on, Kokio's adventure in the Pokémon world began. I noticed that we fell silent as Kokio played, the game's music being the only source of noise.
"So Kokio, I noticed you were playing the harmonica…" I muttered, breaking the awkward silence.
"Oh, Yes! Some androids learned how to play an instrument after your music episode, but there are not many instruments around here, so most of them were improvised. However, I found an instrument in perfect condition thanks to my walks around the city. Learning how to play it was the hardest part since I didn't want to just download all the information onto my systems."
"So, you learned by trial and error?" I asked surprised.
"Yes." Kokio smiled happily.
"Is there anything else you would like to show me?"
"Actually, yes, there is this magazine that I found, but I don't understand its function." Kokio said, pausing her game, pulling a magazine from her box, and handing it to me. I jumped back as my eyes widened at the magazine's contents.
"Honestly, I don't understand why the women in this magazine wear so little clothing, they are almost naked." Kokio spoke as if it was nothing. I rolled the magazine in my hands into a cylinder and then slammed it down on top of Kokio's head.
"OUCH! Why?" Kokio asked with teary eyes, grabbing the spot I hit.
"Listen here young lady; this magazine is not for androids your age! I don't want to see you again with that kind of thing in your hands!" I reprimanded her as if I was my mom.
"But… OUCH!" I did not let Kokio finish as I hit her again with the magazine.
"No buts! I don't want to see you again with those things, do you understand?"
"Yes sir." Kokio replied, looking down ashamed.
"Excellent! I'll keep the magazine in a safe place to make sure it doesn't happen again!" I handed the magazine to POD 000, and it placed the magazine in its storage.
"Will I be able to have the magazine back?" Kokio asked hopefully.
"I'll think about it. I'll also leave you without your video game for a month if I find you with one of those magazines again!" I said, crossing my arms.
"NO!" Kokio screamed, hugging the game boy.
"Kokio what is with that screaming?" A voice said from the other side of the bedroom door.
"It's nothing Cosmos." Kokio replied, walking towards the door.
"Kokio, wait!" I yelled, outstretching my hand toward her as my eyes widened and my heart raced. Nevertheless, it was too late, Kokio had opened the door and Cosmos appeared on the other side.
"People don't scream for nothing Kokio, what… YOU!" Cosmos screamed angrily upon noticing me.
"What are you doing in our room?!?" Cosmos demanded, pointing at me.
"Our room? Are you Kokio's roommate?" I asked nervously, backing away.
"You can bet I am!" Cosmos replied, pulling Kokio aside.
"Cosmos wait! He is my friend!" Kokio begged, wrapping her arms around Cosmos, and holding her in place.
"Friends don't stay locked alone in a girl's room!" Cosmos screamed, trying to break free, and making me understand how wrong the situation looked to her.
"Run Alan, run! She's jealous and overprotective!" Kokio yelled at me.
Kokio does not need to say it twice! I ran towards the bedroom window with the PODs beside me. Looking back, I saw Cosmos breaking free and running towards me.
I jumped out the window without thinking twice, each POD grabbing one of my arms as I fell. I slowly floated towards the ground as several objects flew towards me.
"I'll throw you in the garbage compactor if I see your face here again!" Cosmos yelled from the window, still throwing objects at me.
I ran away with the PODs as soon as I landed on the street below, with confused androids staring at me on the way.
-XXXXXX-
I think I am far enough. I lost Cosmos and sat down on a wooden bench in the camp to catch my breath.
"That was close, isn't it PODs?" I asked playfully between deep breaths.
"Claim: Administrator Alan should avoid the android known as Cosmos." POD 000 said.
"Claim: The androids at the camp may get the wrong impression if the situations with the android known as Cosmos continue." POD 001 spoke.
"Wow, thank you for the trust you two have in me." I replied sarcastically, resting my head on the back of the bench and closing my eyes.
The camp and its androids have changed, all thanks to my recordings. I wonder how this place will look in the future. Suddenly I heard someone approaching and sitting next to me.
"I finally found you." A familiar female voice said beside me.
I saw a familiar android upon opening my eyes and looking in the direction of the voice. A nervous but happy smile appeared on my face.
"Hello, Anemone." I said politely, nodding at her.
"Hello, Alan." Anemone replied in the same tone, nodding and smiling back.
END OF CHAPTER