II - FOR THE ONE YOU LOVE (Doraemon Reimagination Series)

8 - TEAM IN TOPSY TURVY Part 2 - NOBITA

"Hey-Hello-Hello there!" a distant voice came in, "Can you hear me? Hello-?!"

The voice slowly began to get clearer to his ears. His sight slowly began to return back to him. Nobita realised that he was slowly coming back to full consciousness.

Gaining consciousness, the first thing he felt was the cold wall behind him, his back was leaning against it. He was placed in a sitting position, balanced against the wall. Opening his eyes and returning back to his full senses, he saw the face of a boy. He had black straight hair, tied up behind in a somewhat messy bun. It was so tiny that it made Nobita wonder how the hell did he tie it up like that. For his outfit, he was wearing a plain blue shirt, full brown trousers, which were tucked inside his boots near his ankles and a sap green men's shawl over his upper half.

After seeing all of that, having so many questions to ask, all Nobita could say out loud was: "You have so many piercings in your ear-at this age?!"

It was true indeed. The boy had three piercings in his right ear lobe and two on his left. Each of them had shiny, steel earrings through them.

Taken aback at the second half of the utterance, the boy rebuked, "What do you mean 'at this age', huh?! I'm eleven years old, you hear me?! I'm not a kid. Besides, you look like a kid too. How dare you say it like you are a grown up? How old are you, huh?!"
"Twelve," answered Nobita proudly, being older than him.

"So what?! I'm about to turn twelve pretty soon myself, mister," said the boy, sulking.
"Oh yeah, when's your birthday, kid?" asked Nobita bossily.
"In two days," pouted the boy, "When's yours?"

Nobita's smile faded. He looked away and answered reluctantly, "8th of August."
The boy burst out laughing. "What a joke! It's already gone for this year." Continuing to laugh, he said mockingly, "Looks like we are the same age then."

"Yeah, whatever-" Nobita, not finding anything else to say, added defensively, "But still, I don't have piercings at such a young age like you do."
The boy snapped, "WHAT-?!?"
Nobita murmured, turning his face away, "Spoiled li'l brat!!"
"What was that?" repeated the boy angrily, "I'm right here. I heard it, you know?!"
Nobita, looking back at him, commented, "Good."
"Tch," sounded the boy, "you selfish li'l prick!"

Nobita eyed him angrily; the boy eyed him back; the two of them throwing rageful annoyed glances at each other right in their first conversation.

After about half a minute, Nobita sighed, "I don't have time to chit-chat with you right now. I'm here to do something important."
the boy chuckled, "Like what? You've been here out cold longer than you think. I'm pretty sure someone else has already been allotted with your task and the task is probably finished by now too. Why would he wait around for you?"

After the boy finished talking by himself, he turned his face and saw Nobita staring at him. He said, fed-up and clueless, "What the hell are you talking about?"
The boy's expression too. He himself was clueless now. Rather than continuing what he said, he asked, "Um, who are you exactly?"

Nobita couldn't control himself and burst out laughing. "Now you ask?"
The boy repeated, "Yes. Tell me who are you and why are you here?"
"Why would I tell you? I don't know whose side you are on. Also, I don't know you, boy."
"I'm not on anyone's side. I was trying to escape tonight. That's why I was at the entrance and that's why I met all of you."

Something clicked inside Nobita's head. All of you?!
Nobita asked, "'All of you'? You mean you saw others too. Who were they?"
The boy revolted, pouting, "Nope. Not gonna tell you."
Nobita insisted, "Come on. I have to know. please tell me."

The boy demanded, "Then tell me why you are here. I told you why I was here. It's your turn to return the favour. It's a simple give and take."
"You brat," barked Nobita angrily.
"Watch it otherwise we might not have a deal," boasted the boy, having control over him.