(Metal) Claws of Destiny

Chapter 7 - The Sad Reality

Hi guys! Life has been a bit shitty recently but hey, writing is my getaway from reality, but I did realise how short my chapters are, so I tried to make this one longer, because why not? Also, I haven't written in a while, I took a long break, especially over the summer vacation but I am back now, so please dear readers, enjoy this chapter :)

You enter the building which creaked with every movement of the wind, and so it is here... the beautiful machine, your goal, your dream, your second chance. You felt excitement bubble up within you, perhaps you were doing the right thing after all.

Otto was nowhere to be seen, so you decided to wander around the warehouse, staring at the water, which reminded you of your strange dream. 
There was his tool station, where wrenches and blueprints were messily laying there. There was also an unfinished cigar.

"Hello there" 

You whipped around, his cool, smooth, and what seemed to be pride filled voice sounded behind you, startling you slightly. 

"Otto.." You breathed out, staring into his uncovered eyes for a moment, then averting your gaze. 

"Well?" he decided to focus on the machine. "Isn't she beautiful? if the machine works this time, it could be a breakthrough, and you'll be here to witness it! Isn't that exciting?" 
His actuators chirped along with him, and closed and opened in an elevated motion.

There was a note of mania and despair present in his voice, as if it wasn't fully him talkimg, as if he was... tired. 
You brushed off your concern, wanting to get this over with. Perhaps it'd finally make him rest if you were finished with the project.

"Right... shall we see if it actually does work this time?"

"Yes yes, I thought you'd never ask, come on"

An actuator grabbed you and lifted you up, making you yelp in surprise.
It felt like you were only needed as a tool for this operation, you no longer had the role of assistant.
It upset you, how far gone your Otto Octavius was. Nevertheless, you still... Loved him - your mind decided to finish. You felt yourself warm up at the thought, not expecting it to come out of nowhere like that.

You helped out with some technical things, finally didtracted from your thoughts, you put things in correct places, and felt the palms of your hands become slightly moist with sweat, your anxiety beginning to consume you, realising the only thing left to do was to press the launch button. 

From this moment, there would be no going back. No more second chances. It was now or never. 

"Ready?" 

You let out a shaky breath, unsure, nervous.
His gloved hand appeared before you, and covered your own, pressing down on the final lever with both your hands combined.

It started, and worked. It was wonderful, beautiful, perfect. 

At least for a couple of moments, until all hell broke loose, until everything started to fall apart, and the warehouse itself was being torn into the artificial sun. 

The 'sun' was destroying everything, once again, though any fault in calculations didn't seem to be present, it was still too powerful to be unleashed, still too great and too destructive.

You have never felt so helpless before. 

"Otto this is madness!"
You exclaimed, the feeling of panic settling in deep down inside your stomach.

It was supposed to work...

And yet here it was in front of you, all breaking and crumbling.

You didn't hear anything else apart from your own, disappointed thoughts.