Hope for The End (Book 3)

13. Processing Data

Maki had never felt so angry in all her life. Even Kokichi didn't compare to this. Any strike she did against her enemies was countered to the last detail. It was like they knew how she fought. But how could they know, with such little data on them. Unless someone had been a spy? She couldn't think of who...

it dawned on her.

Makot0.... that damned chunk of metal!

Anger flared again, she directed it to Makot0, who was currently keeping the real Makoto in his sights.

Chaos swarmed around, V3 members, the survivors, they were all up against the most advanced robots in history.

K1B0 seemed to realize this. He noticed how suddenly he was just a robot now. He couldn't be called an ultimate anymore. He felt his world ripping apart. He was like a piece of paper versus a saw blade. These machines were so much more advanced than he was. His head tilted forward in sadness.

Someone knocked into him and he watched as his antenne was knocked off of his head. All thought left his head. His inner voice wasn't the voice of someone else. It was his own thoughts. Without them, he lost all sense of sadness.

He looked around in wonder. He saw Tenko fighting against 11037 and Nek0maru, avoiding Akan3 at all costs. Kaede and Schuichi were doing their best against Gund4m and S0n1a. He watched as Kokichi and Miu fought against Pek0yama.

Click, whirr, Click.

K1B0's arm shifted into a blaster. His eyes began glowing a bright blue and jets formed out of his back. He flew upwards and began blasting at the enemy.

Makoto was sitting against the wall, staring up at Makot0.

"What... are you going... to do to me?" Makoto asked. He shuddered and shielded his face from the chaos flowing around them. They seemed the only people unnoticed.

"I'm not doing anything to you. It's against my programming," Makot0 stated, "However, I know what I can do to crush your spirit before you die."

"Oh really...?" Makoto wondered, "...How would you know anything?"

"I've spent the last seven months pretending to be you," Makot0 muttered, "I know your weaknesses."

"You played... a despairful version of me," Makoto corrected him, "Those two things seem... very different."

"You appear to be dumber than I figured..." Makot0 nearly whispered, "...better to get over with this then."

Makoto braced himself. He didn't know what his copy would do to him. What could make Makoto Naegi fall into despair?

Nag1to noticed the two hopes talking amongst themselves. He walked over, everything passed him just barely. As if he was deflecting everything around him.

"Do my sensors deceive me or are their three ultimate hopes in my unworthy sight?" A slow, creepy laugh escaped him, "This is truly my lucky day!"

"Get out of here." Makot0 growled at him, "You have fighting to do."

"Yeah, yeah," Nag1to laughed, raising his hands in surrender, "I got it."

He tripped and fell backwards, hitting his head hard on the ground. He was lucky enough not to get hit with the sword flying across the room.

Makot0 sighed and turned back to Makoto.

"Get ready for your after school lesson."

"I know... I know what I did..." Ryota was still stuck in front of the lever. He hadn't gotten the nerve to pull it and shut the power off. He didn't want to die, but it felt like the only thing he could do to redeem himself.

The former Future Foundation leaders continued to whisper to him.

"Such a disappointment..."

"You helped create us... everyone."

"Stop cowering."

He was trembling. He didn't know what to do. If they wanted him to pull the lever, wasn't that the bad guys wish? Didn't that mean it was probably not a good idea?

He reached out a shaking hand to the cold metal rod.

This is to make up for everything I've done... I have to do this...

He tightened his grip around it and pulled it as hard as he could.

He felt the group around him close in quickly and abruptly, encasing him in a hug.

He looked at them all, terrified, as he felt the power drain out of him. Out of everything in the room.

Everything faded into darkness.

Makoto watched as the room became lifeless around him. The members of V3 looked around in confusion.

Makoto's heart was beginning to fill with hope again until he noticed. Not everything had simply shut off. Only a handful robots remained.

Makot0, Junk0, 1zuru, J1n and Ky0ko.

"Why haven't you turned off already?!" Maki roared, swiftly jumping to the floor, glaring at Makot0, "All your little robot friends are dead!"

K1B0 dropped down right next to her, pointing his blaster at Makot0.

"Us four are new models." Makot0 gestured to Ky0ko, 1zuru, Junk0 and himself, "The headmaster here was made first, so he wasn't put on the generator. So his limbs and movements aren't too strong."

"Well you're outnumbered now!" K1B0 called to him, "Surrender now and we will be merciful!"

"Why are you denying us what you've always wanted?" Makot0 asked K1B0, "You wanted to be as human as any of us here."

"It shouldn't have to cost the lives of the innocent!" K1B0 countered.

"You think Makoto here is innocent?" Makot0 glared, "You couldn't be more wrong."

"What?" Makoto gave his double a confused look, "What do you mean?"

"You've been giving me all the information I need." Makot0 stared at him, unblinking, "You've told me more weaknesses than I even asked for."

"Huh?" Makoto was confused, "What do you mean?"

Makot0 pretended to smile, "I wouldn't expect you to remember that... after all I did take your memory of it."

"That still makes him innocent." Kyoko muttered, "If he can't remember it's like it never happened in the first place."

"Oh but it is, silly Detective. Even if he doesn't remember, I do." Makot0 appeared to have reinserted his chip, he was regaining his Makoto like features, "I can tell him what he can't remember."

"You shouldn't do that!" Maki's glare could have killed anyone in the room, "Not until I've ripped all of you apart!"

"Don't do that, Maki roll!" Kaito called to her, "They've already been shut off! No point in destroying them!"

"Shut up!" Maki yelled, "I'm doing it anyways!"

"Tee here Hee, Maki sure does have quite the temper!" Kokichi laughed, "I wouldn't mess with her if I were you!"

Makot0 grinned, walking closer to Makoto. He held out a hand as if to grab his head and crush it.

Kyoko watched warily. Any sign of danger and she would attempt to stop Makot0 right there and then.

Makot0 gently placed his metal hand on Makoto's forehead. Makoto shuddered as the ice cube like fingers touched him.

"Implanting memory in process." Makot0 said to the room, "Any attempts you make to stop the procedure will result in brain damage. I suggest you don't get any closer."

Makot0 grinned as he saw the confused expression on Makoto's face turn to fear.

"This is going to be fun."