[Automatic] (An Aarmau AU)

[Chapter 1] The Plaza Mechantic

"Aphmau Devine", the voice rang over the loud speaker. "Please report to compartment three immediately"

I looked up at it and sighed, this was the third time they had called me in this week. I wonder what they wanted this time.

I put down the screwdriver I had previously been using, and I started walking across the crowded plaza. Despite the crowd, people cleared out of the way for me. I guess that's the nature reaction, to seeing a girl with only one real arm.

All my life, I have been something different, some unexplainable. A half human, half android. Or as the kids at school used to say, a freak.

Despite these words, and despite all the stares I receive, I tried to say positive. That's what my mom alway taught me. I smiled at the memory of my mom, she always knew how to brighten my day when she knew I was feeling down.

"Don't let those fools get you down, Mija, you are more special and unique then they'll ever be"

I tried to always listen to her words, but after a while, that can get sort of difficult. I realised I'll never get to experience normal teenage stuff, or even live a normal life.

After my moms death, about two years prior, I dropped out of school to get a job, so I could hopefully provide for myself. Luckily for me, I've always had a special talent for fixing things, so I have a semi-successful business in the plaza.

Everything about it would be perfect, if it weren't for Gene. He was the guy that owned the Plaza, and he seemed to have some sort of grudge towards me. Whenever anything went wrong, it was always my fault. He was probably calling me in, just to yell at me and call me a screwup, like any normal Tuesday afternoon.

I got to the compartment, and instantly dreading going inside. Eventually I just sucked in my pride, and opened the door.

The place was as polished as ever, with Gene looking as 'perfect' as usually. "Ah", he said noticing my arrival, "Happy you could make it, Kitty"

I refrained myself from knocking him out cold. "My name", I tired to say calmly, "Is Aphmau"

"Ya sure, whatever Kitty", he said, looking down at some documents. "I didn't call you in here to argue over your name though, I'm hear to give you a job request, that came all the way from the top"

He handed me the file, the job description was printed in a fancy writing, and it was addressed with an official stamp, "A job from the Castle!", I exclaimed.

Gene smirked, "Yeah, a uniformed solider came and delivered it this morning. Apparently one of the maids had heard about you before, and request that they ask you to do the job"

I was speechless, I'd never gotten such an important job request before. Most of the stuff I had fixed just came from people in the plaza, like clocks or watches, and even the occasional car.

"You better not screw this up", Gene told me, "If you make a bad name for the Plaza, you can go and kiss your little business bah-bye", he told me in a threatening tone. "This is a perfect opportunity to redeem yourself from last weeks screwup"

I think back to last week, when I had tried to fix a sink in the bathroom. "I won't let you down", I said confidently, clutching the job file closer to me.

"Good", he said, going through more papers, "The soldier told me that another soldier would be coming to your shop around three, so you better hurry up and get prepared"