Thomas and I spoke of this for a while until we decided to go looking for her. We headed out and asked everyone in town if they've heard of her, but none replied without a sorrowful look on their faces. After searching the entire town top to bottom.
We paused and took shelter under a dead tree for a bit. "Well that didn't work..." Thomas said, obviously disappointed. I agreed. He took out his sack and asked, " do you guys eat anything?" "Mmhm." I replied and stood up and stepped out into the sun. I fell flat on my back and Thomas scrambled up. "Hey! Are you ok?!?! What was that for?!?!" He asked worriedly. I laughed to his surprise. "I'm solar powered!" I laughed. "Oh!" He said and also laughed, embarrassed. He came over and laid down next to me. We watched the smog and clouds fly by until I'd had enough energy. I stood and stretched. "We should go out of the village and keep looking for her to add feelings to your system." "Why? Can't we just give up here? Why do you want this so bad?" I asked. "Because..." He said, obviously not wanting to answer. I thought for a moment about his response before brushing it off and speaking.
"Well, it'll be quite complicated. One problem is," I said, looking over at him "is that if the clock breaks down, I go dormant, so that's why you were hired to manage the clock so soon ..." He nearly gasped. "I had no idea there was so much pressure on me!!" He nervously laughed. I giggled. "Yeah..." "Wait so what if we just hire someone to care for it while your gone, then you'll be fine!" He realized. I looked up slightly and thought for a moment before responding.
"I suppose, but what about your family?" I asked. He looked down. "Good question.." He thought about it and said, "I've come up with something but it's not a great idea." "Tell me..." I looked at him with my cute face, the one I use to guilt trip people. He blushed a little. "U-uhh o-ok... *Ahem* we c-could..... W-we.. Could.....-" he choked on his words and looked down. "........." "Well, if it's really that bad..." I made a sad face, and he stared at me blushing still. "W-we WE COULD FAKE OUR DEATHS" he blurted out suddenly. It made me jump a little. When I'd settled down a little I thought about his sudden offer. " how?" "Well," he started, " we could tell someone to spread the rumor that we died oooofff....... Drowning, maybe? And we'll just leave." I thought for a moment. "No.... I'm waterproof.." he thinks and there's a moment of silence. It was quite awkward trying to come up with ways to fake your death.
"Oh but if we do that" I realized, sitting up. "then no one would have a reason to work the clock..!" He looked to me and smiled a bit. "Well sure they would! People love both of you! Think of it like you're the angel, and the clock is heaven. We love and respect both of you"
I smile at the thought of many people seeing me as an angel of some sort, and my great old clock as the heavenly above. He sees his conclusion is enough to feed my curiosity as well as give me a proper answer, and goes back to thinking. There's more silence. The clouds roll by as I watch the townspeople scurry around down below. Then I come up with an idea.
"What if we weren't killed, but kidnapped by..... by a band of thieves!" "Maybe..!" He thought on this. "But how would we pull it off?" "Maybe we can tell them we were buying parts for me to attempt to make a chip that gives me feelings, and they kidnapped us for the parts and your knowledge on mechanics!" "That.. could work!" He got excited. "Let's go to the marketplace and buy some parts we'll actually need for the trip, and slip into an alleyway or something to stage it!" We headed over to town, and bought food first, putting it in a leather bag he had on him that was previously filled with tools and cleaning supplies. After that, we went to the mechanical part of the market. I followed and watched as he bought a couple things before he grabs my wrist suddenly and runs. We duck into and alleyway and he stops once we're completely covered in shadows. He smiles at me, proud that we were "kidnapped" without anyone noticing. I smiled as well for the same reasons. After we caught our breath, we went through to the other side of the alleyway. Lucky for us, it lead right to the outside of the town. He pulled out a map and we headed off in the right direction. The travel had began, and I was as ready as ever.
---years before---
A beautiful little robot girl around age 6 was sitting in the clock, watching the town being build below. She watched everyone work in happy unison to build gorgeous structures. She turned to an older man, who was working on a tiny robot as a sort of a pet for her. The little robot smiled. "When will it be done, father?" She asked, to have a pet of her own, like the other robots and children at school. He chuckled and answered without pausing in his work. "I told you, sweetheart, it's going to take a few days..! Robots don't come out of nowhere you know..! People have to make them. No go run and play to occupy your time. I think those are your friends down there." She grew excited and ran down to join the others outside on the grass.
They played happily until the bustling town grew silent. The curious children went to go see what was going on. They weaved in and out of unfinished parts of buildings, not seeing any townsfolk. They soon met the middle of the construction and saw the grownups all facing a group of 5-6 men dressed in some sort of uniform. The children went to hide behind their parents. Strangely, the little robot couldn't find her father. She searched around but he was nowhere to be seen, so she went with her robot friend and his mother. The grownups seemed weary of the children, hiding and huddling them near the center of the crowd, so that they were surrounded by the parents of the tribe. The uniformed men eyed the children, and the grownups hid them and glared at the men like a pack of angry wolves.
A uniformed man with expensive looking feathers on his hat spoke up from the growing tension. "If you listen and obey, we won't hurt anyone. We promise. Just hear us out." He took a scroll from another man next to him and cleared his throat before reading it aloud. "As of Law number 17, each citizen is entitled to serve his or her country in the time of war." He looked up at the group. "Just a few days ago, a neighboring kingdom declared war on us for our technology, art, money, and land. The king has decided it would be more efficient and cost less lives if we sent robots out into battle instead of humans. We have been tracking all about the land telling everyone the same message. We ask of you to help in creating an army of robots to fight in this war." The parents looked worried. The little girl looked at her robot friends to see they looked distressed by the situation they just heard. The little girl looked back at the uniformed Amman just as he gave the official order to one of the adults, specifically one with a little human boy and a little robot girl hiding together behind the woman's skirt. A few adults around her lean over her shoulder as the opens the scroll and reads it over again to herself.
The uniformed men leave the adults to read it. "We expect a reply by the end of the week. If you agree, we expect five hundred robots by the end of the year. If you refuse, you will be exiled until we win the war. If we win the war. If not, you'll be on your own. If you do not reply, we will assume you refused. Good day to you all." Says the feather-hat man before he leads the rest of the uniformed men away.
The crowd is left there in confusion. The little robot girl tugs on one of the grownups clothes. "What's going to happen..?" She wonders ponders. The adults look around at each other, seeming to understand her inquiry. One of them kneels down to her and pets her head. "Go get your father, dear. Hurry now!" She nods and runs off to the clock. She goes on her tiptoes and opens the door, looking for the man. She runs around before finding him in his workshop. She pulls his sleeve and he understands the urgency. He gets up and let's her lead him back to the crowd. Everyone's confused and some are arguing and yelling. The old man speaks up "What's happened here?" Without another word, someone hands him the papers. He reads them, and a look of worry strokes his face. After he finishes, he looks down at his dear creation. The pretty little girl seems scared, but is unable to express worry. He sighs and looks up "we need to reach a compromise." "But how?" Someone asks. "We have nothing! We're but a small town amidst a big sea of nature and peace! We haven't had to deal with this sort of thing for too long!" "This is true, but we cannot sacrifice our children for the sake of someone else's quarrel." He says. They nod in agreement, though still unsure of the situation. "Don't worry my friends. I have a plan." He smirks.
Aaaaand we'll continue our story back in the present in the next chapter!!!! Sorry; this turned out way shorter than I had originally planned, but, what has happened has happened. Hope you enjoy, and I look forward to continuing the story for you all again soon! ^^~
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Clockwork
General FictionA girl that lives in a clock. She is a robot who only lives if the clock is ticking, if not, she will go dormant. She falls in love with the boy who comes and fixes her one day until something happens to her.
