The drone glided smoothly into the Philippine Sea but did not pass through west Philippine sea. Instead it entered east of the country facing the great Pacific Ocean, passing along the Bicol region and down to the Mindanao area until it reached Zamboanga.
Hiro could see some famous landmark of Zamboanga like Fort Pilar.
Farther down he could see their community but he could not find their house for it had been demolished and sold to a hotel businessman. Neither could he see the cherry blossoms his mother had planted.
"Shall we go down, Hiro san?" asked Tikaku though she knew what Hiro was thinking.
"Just for awhile, my love. I want to stretch my legs before we fly back to our island." But Hiro felt lost in his own country as if he was a total stranger in his own land. He hoped to see their old house and the Japanese garden painstakingly maintained by her Japanese mother. And the electronic shop of his father. But nothing existed of what was part of his happy boyhood.
The drone landed on a deserted beach. They stepped down from the drone and walked along the beach. Some fishermen could be seen with their quaint vinta boats. Hiro remembered his younger days when he would go out with his mother and walked on the sand, picking up some beautiful white stones and shells for their garden. The mangroves which protected the seashores from violent waves had been replaced by concrete walls. Nothing could remind him of his happy boyhood except the old Fort Pilar and the church.
Zamboanga had retained its Hispanic heritage but the new generation preferred electronic games and flying cars. For this was 2080 and robotics had finally crept into all forms of human activities in their hometown, no thanks to Hiro who was sent to study robotics but lost the chance of bringing home this technology and ushering in his people to modern age.
He wanted to go back to the city in search of his carefree manhood, of the places he and Anita had frequented, but he knew that Tikaku could read his intention and he did not want his Robo Girl to think that his heart belonged to another woman. Were humanoids capable of jealousy?
"Let's go back, my love," Hiro held the hand of Tikaku and she understood. Tikaku looked at him tenderly.
"I understand, Hiro san. Your love is true."
Saying this Tikaku ordered the drone:
"Take us back to our island."
