Interval 5 PART 4 - Thinking About the Future & Correcting the Past

Camellia walked through the streets, guided by Kokio and Florence; the two androids introduced her to the different places in the camp.

The trio of droids passed through dormitories, shops, merchants, mechanics, and more, groups of droids came and went, carrying out their various duties, soldiers patrolled the streets ensuring all was well or walked out of the camp to their watch shifts or patrol.

Mechanics went in and out of buildings, fixing equipment and making sure everything worked perfectly, computers, vehicles, and generators.

Sellers and merchants advertised their products; they negotiated and haggled with other androids, selling the most varied products, from combat weapons that weighed tons to simple trinkets.

As she walked, Camellia noticed some differences the deeper she went through the streets of the camp. The best way she could explain it was that the camp decorating changed with every turned corner.

Camellia passed through a bed of flowers of different colors and with colored stones making a mosaic, when seen from above the combination of flowers and stones formed a colored bar code.

Hanging from buildings were ropes with shapes hanging from them, but unlike the colorful flags in other areas of the camp, on these ropes were the shapes of animals and plants carved from wood, birds, wild boar, moose, and flowers.

"Surprised?" Florence asked.

"Y-yes, this place has changed a lot since I was last here."

"Agree, the new decoration helped to change the boring gray tone of the buildings, broke the monotony of everyday life, and sincerely helped to raise the morale of the camp, although this does not mean that we ignore our responsibilities."

Camellia realized what Florence meant, there was a group of androids training on a firing line, the targets being dead machines at different distances.

Passing in front of a building, Camellia took a quick look inside; she glimpsed androids wearing uniforms similar to Florence repairing several damaged androids.

There was another tent with a military appearance, with several androids discussing in front of a map on a table, around these androids there were others delivering documents and using radios and computers.

"You should have seen the day the decorations were put up, it was so much fun, and Anemone even lightened our workload so we could help out." Kokio said.

"Serious? She seemed a little strict to me."

"She's just like that because she cares about everyone in the camp, it's a huge blow to her systems every time news that someone has died to the machines reaches her." Kokio said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Hm… I guess that is one of the burdens of being a leader. I just wish the Commander would show she cares."

"What did you say?"

"Anything!"

"But tell me; are the casualties for the machines frequent?" Camellia asked.

A grimace formed on Kokio's face, as Florence shifted uncomfortably as she looked away.

"I'm sorry…" Camellia tried to speak but was interrupted by Florence.

"No, no problem. It is not confidential information, but everyone here has come to an unwritten agreement not to talk about it. To answer your question, yes, casualties are frequent, but not as much as they seem, it could be worse."

"What do you mean?"

"The biggest problem is the amount of machines, they are always in greater numbers, when they get too close to the camp, we can finish them off without a problem, we have enough fortifications, androids, and weapons for that, but when the androids patrol the city, well, that's another story."

"I understand, depending on the group of machines, the patrols will be outnumbered, not to mention, of course, the various buildings, alleys, alleys and sewers that the machines can come out of."

"Exactly."

"Hey! I thought we were going to show Camellia around the camp, not talk about that sort of thing. Don't ruin the mood of the moment!" Kokio exclaimed, crossing his arms.

Florence let out a small laugh, while Camellia gave a small smile.

"Seriously, it's a blow to the morale of the camp every time someone dies. I have lost many friends like that, but I keep my hope in the thought that they are watching me, wherever they are. Watching me fight and move forward so that someday we can realize our dream of a world without war and full of humans." Kokio spoke a certain gleam in his eyes and gave the androids a big smile.

"Nice words, Kokio. I just wish you would show that kind of determination in the jobs Anemone gives you." Florence joked.

Kokio's face turned red, puffing out his cheeks and stomping to the ground.

"Do you know how much time I had to spend organizing the files?!?"

"No." Florence replied, holding in her laughter.

"Me neither! But I'm sure it was a long time!"

"You are exaggerating. Knowing you, I bet it was less than twenty minutes."

Therefore, the two androids continued walking around the camp, arguing with each other in a friendly way, Camellia just following them with an amused look.

Halfway through, Camellia passed in front of a merchant android's shop, taking a quick look at the displayed objects, something caught Camellia's attention.

It was a necklace; the necklace had a silver chain with an object attached to it, a golden gear with a red heart in the center.

Camellia approached the store but was confused when she did not see anyone on the other side of the counter.

"Hello! Is there someone here?"

"WELCOME!"

"AAAHHH!"

Camellia recoiled in fright when suddenly a female android emerged from under the counter.

Seeing the android staring at her with a big smile on her face, Camellia calmed down. Clearing her throat and taking a deep breath, Camellia spoke.

"Hello! How much for the necklace?"

"Oh! This is an interesting item, one of my best products. Is it for someone special?" The android's smile widened as she leaned against the counter and wiggled her eyebrows at Camellia.

Camellia blushed with embarrassment "Yes.".

"Well, he or she is one lucky person. Luckily, for you, I am running a little promotion. If you buy this necklace and one more item from my store, you will get a discount! What do you say?"

"Hm… Okay." Camellia scanned the other products in the store, looking for something that interested her, and Camellia found it.

A suitcase for a guitar, the android's eyes widened behind her dark glasses, she had found exactly what she was looking for.

"I'll take the guitar case and the necklace."

"Good choice, it will be 85 Gs in total."

Discount a roe! Camellia paid for the items and put her sword in her bag and the necklace in her pants pocket.

"You know, even though we negotiated, I can't believe we introduced ourselves, my name is Accord." The android introduced herself, extending her hand to Camellia.

"Camellia." The android with dark glasses replied, accepting the handshake.

"It is nice to meet you, Camellia! I hope we meet again!"

"Equally!"

Camellia walked away from Accord, but before she left, she heard Accord speak.

"Before I forget, say hello to the old general for me, we haven't seen each other in over five thousand years! I would like to have a chat with him!"

However, as soon as Camellia turned around, the shop was gone, Camellia took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes, confused, but it was not some problem with her optics, the shop was gone.

Camellia quickly returned to Kokio and Florence, preferring to forget what happened, but she put her hand in her pocket and felt the necklace inside, proof that the previous interaction had happened.

"We arrived!"

Camellia snapped out of her thoughts due to Kokio's scream, the android stood with open arms in front of a building. From the outside, the place looked like a simple building, but Florence and Kokio took Camellia inside, surprising her.

The best way to describe the place would be a beauty salon mixed with a workshop. A chair similar to that of a dentist's office was in the center of the room with a large lamp on top.

There were swivel chairs in front of a wooden counter with a large mirror that covered most of the wall; soft light illuminated the room while pleasant music played on a radio.

This was the friendly part of the establishment because next to the chair in the center of the room, there was a metallic table with wheels, on top of the table there was a metallic tray full of tools, in another part of the room there were shelves full of parts of androids.

Arms, legs, eyes, ears, nose, and more, all in different colors and sizes.

Camellia gulped at the sight of this, so many android parts displayed around was not a pleasant thing for a Yorha android.

"What place is this?" Camellia murmured.

"This is Michelangelo's salon. Androids come after him looking to alter their appearances." Florence spoke.

"Speaking of him. Where is that android? Michelangelo!" Kokio screamed.

"I'm on my way!" An androgynous voice came from the back of the room.

Pulling a curtain aside, a tall, thin android appeared, he or she had long brown hair that reached down to his back, tanned skin, green eyes, a thin nose and chin, and pink lips.

The android wore a white shirt with an apron with pockets on top, black gloves, brown pants, and black shoes.

Despite this, it was hard to tell if the android was male or female, his appearance bordered on both.

"Kokio, Florence! I have not seen them for a while! Come here, hug me!" Michelangelo spread his arms.

The two androids hugged the androgynous android, exchanging greetings and praise.

"Well, what brings you here? Are you looking for eyes of a new color?" Michelangelo asked, breaking the embrace.

"In truth no. Our friend Camellia would like some hair dye." Kokio pointed at the startled android.

"Oh! I do not think I have seen her before! Are you new to the camp?" Michelangelo asked, holding out his hand to Camellia.

The android snapped out of her stupor "Not exactly, just passing by." Camellia accepted the handshake.

"Even so, welcome! However, getting straight to the point, how can I help you? Do you want a new face, new eyes, arms, and legs? I have everything around here to cater for all tastes."

"I would just like a different color for my hair." Camellia said nervously.

"Are you sure? Because if you want, I can make you bigger in all the right places." Michelangelo spoke, walking around Camellia, studying her.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Don't tell me you don't understand. Have you seen that Yorha android with the boy? Alternatively, Commander White? I don't see the strategic value in parts of it, but I don't see anyone complaining." Michelangelo responded by running a hand over his chest and bottom, making a mound with his hands.

Camellia stopped and thought for a minute, she remembered the clothes the commander and 2B wore, and then her face turned red as she imagined certain parts moving in a way that defied gravity.

"No! No! Thanks but no! I just want to change my hair color!" Camellia replied with her face completely red and shaking her head to dispel the images.

"A pity, but a customer is a customer, please have a seat and we'll get started soon." Michelangelo responded, leading Camellia to one of the chairs in front of the mirror.

Camellia put her guitar case in a corner and sat down.

"Do you have a favorite color?" Michelangelo asked, putting an apron on Camellia, covering her body.

"Actually yes."

"So let's start!" Michelangelo replied, putting his face next to Camellia's, the two of them watching their reflections in the mirror.

Camellia shifted her gaze to Kokio and Florence's reflexes, the two androids just gave Camellia a thumbs up, trying to comfort the android.

-XXXXXX-

"Thank you and come back often!" Michelangelo waved from inside his shop.

The three androids said goodbye to Michelangelo and walked through the camp.

"So what did you think of Michelangelo?" Kokio asked.

"He's a little strange, but I don't see anything wrong with him." Camellia replied, running a hand through her now-black hair.

"I'm glad for that; I'd like to see your face when you meet Michelangelo in your other bodies."

"Sorry, I don't think I heard right. Other bodies?"

"Yes. Michelangelo changes his appearance constantly, he or she cannot decide, sometimes he's more masculine, sometimes she is more feminine, and sometimes you cannot tell, like today. Androids more attached to their bodies are disturbed by this, especially the merchant who refuses to fix his leg."

"I can't judge, I admit I was a little uncomfortable with the thought of changing my hair color, I can't imagine how others feel. We leave the factory with a face predefined by our model, a personality that is registered in a database, changing something about us takes a lot of effort."

"You're right, I remember when I changed my face, it took me months to make the decision and even longer to get used to it." Florence murmured.

"Did you change your face?" Camellia asked.

"Yes. Let us just say I was not satisfied with my previous face so I decided to change it. I don't regret it and let's end this conversation like this." Florence said with sadness in her voice, looking down at the floor.

"Hm... I see. I won't interfere."

"Thanks." Florence smiled.

The trio of androids stopped in an area of the camp that became a square, with an iron statue in its center. A Venus de Milo, but in the place of the head, there was a metallic sphere representing a skeletal face with a large ear-to-ear smile, with huge teeth, and two big eyes.

Camellia frowned at the head that did not match the rest of the statue. However, shrugging, the androids sat down on a wooden bench next to the statue.

"So what did you think of our little camp?" Florence asked.

"It's nice; 16D would love this place."

"Who?" Kokio asked.

"Nobody, I'm just digressing. Anemone must care a lot about this place."

"You're right, but Anemone's mood has been improving around the camp. I don't know what happened, but our leader has been in a good mood lately." Florence spoke.

"Oh! And she started to do origami!" Kokio spoke.

Camellia leaned forward on the bench and watched the square, seeing androids smiling, talking, and living their lives in general, this place seemed so different, a war was going on, but even so, these androids managed to find happiness.

Suddenly music played through the square, making androids stop what they were doing and gather in front of a group of androids, these androids played improvised instruments, there was an android with a guitar, another with a harmonica, another with a fiddle.

Camellia watched the androids play for some time, she put her hand in her pocket squeezed the necklace, and quickly Camellia got up.

"Kokio, Florence, thanks for showing me around the camp, but now I have to go." Camellia said quickly.

"Wait..." Kokio tried to speak, but Camellia was already disappearing into the streets of the camp.

-XXXXXX-

Outside the camp, a patrol of resistance androids fought a group of machines, the androids fired from inside a shop, using tables and shelves for cover.

Their guns fired a hail of bullets at the oncoming machines; littering the street with Stubbys, Medium Stubbys, and Medium Bipeds.

Suddenly, they heard cutting metal, and then the machines fell silent. Stepping out of their cover, the androids saw the machines cut to pieces on the ground.

Next to the machines was an android wearing sunglasses, the android waved to the group before running off.

Camellia walked around the camp, helping patrol groups and eliminating groups of machines, that day; surprisingly the casualty reports were lower.

Camellia wiped the sweat from her forehead after eliminating the sixth group that day, Camellia looked around and saw an abandoned grocery store, her eyes focused on the shopping cart in front of the market and the machines in front of her, Camellia smiled, and time to leave her pockets a little fuller.

-XXXXXX-

Perla and Damiana continued their search for the red-haired twins.

"Hey, sister! What will we say when we find the twins?" Perla asked her sister, worry and doubt in her voice.

"What do you mean?" Damiana asked back.

"That droid, Salieri, he said the Devola and Popola of this camp don't like strangers looking for them. What shall we use as an excuse to look for them?"

Damiana stopped in her tracks and thought deeply, her sister was right, two strangers appearing out of nowhere for no apparent reason would only arouse suspicion.

Damiana looked around, searching for something she could use as an excuse, her eyes focused on a merchant android; specifically something that android was selling.

A radio of the type that a person would use in everyday life to listen to music and broadcasts, Damiana approached the merchant as her sister watched, Perla could not hear what the two were discussing, but she saw her sister paying the merchant and picking up the radio shortly thereafter.

What came next was her sister pressing the radio, to the point that the metal crumpled a little, the glass screen in front of the radio cracked and sparks came out of the object. The merchant faced Damiana, disgusted with what her customer did with the product she ended up buying.

Damiana ignored the merchant's complaints as she walked to her sister's side.

"Here is our excuse." Damiana showed her sister the radio.

Perla just nodded slowly.

Therefore, the search continued, Perla caught her sister's attention by catching a glimpse of a mass of red hair entering an old building with a cloth curtain in front.

With a nod, the sisters headed towards the building, but upon reaching the entrance, they hesitated for a moment. Were they ready to face those who suffered because of their failure?

With determination flowing through their bodies, the sisters pulled the curtain aside and entered the building, only to come face to face with a pair of red-haired twins staring at them from across a balcony.

"What do you want?" Devola asked, crossing her arms.

"Give it back! Sorry for my sister's attitude! We are Devola and Popola and welcome to our store. How can we help?" Popola asked, making a small bow.

"H-hello!" Perla stammered as she waved nervously at her sisters.

"We... We'd like to know if it's possible to fix this." Damiana said hesitantly, showing the broken radio.

"Oh! Clear! Let us have a look!" Popola smiled.

"Only if you can afford it, of course." Devola muttered.

"Dev!"

"What? I am being serious! They wouldn't be the first ones who tried to leave without paying." Devola shrugged.

"I would like to apologize again for my sister's attitude." Popola said, embarrassed.

"No, no problem. We are not offended, are we, Damiana?" Perla asked her sister.

"Yes. Like my sister said, no problem." Damiana completed, placing the radio on the counter shortly after.

"Sisters? Are you two sisters?" Devola asked in surprise.

"Yes." Perla and Damiana answered simultaneously.

"This is wonderful! Are you new to camp? Do not wait! I think we ran into you a few times." Popola narrowed her eyes.

"They helped us with that group of androids that caused us problems. The two laid them down in the beating." Devola replied as she held the radio in front of her face.

"We're grateful for that, but it wasn't necessary, we're used to androids giving us trouble." Popola spoke while analyzing the radio and making a face of confusion when he noticed the fingerprints on the object.

"But you shouldn't. Anemone is not the leader of the camp, why does he allow this to happen?" Pearl asked.

"Anemone has a lot of worries on her head; we don't want to bother her with our problems." Popola replied, opening the radio with a screwdriver.

"But that doesn't stop her from sending us on dangerous missions." Devola continued, checking the radio wires.

"Dev! You know she has no option. This serves to calm the other androids."

"Sorry, but does your being in danger calm the other androids in the camp?" Damiana asked.

Devola and Popola were silent for a while, and that was all Perla and Damiana needed to hear.

"Listen, if you guys need help, you can talk to us." Damiana suggested.

The red-haired twins were silent again.

"Thank you but not." Popola spoke.

"I agree with my sister, we appreciate you helping us before, but we prefer to be alone, we don't want any problems. And honestly, it's really weird how nice you guys are being to me and my sister." Devola continued.

"Listen, we know how badly you are treated at camp, we understand the bond you have as sisters, I couldn't imagine how I would live without my sister, and as sisters, we can't stand the way you are treated, that's not fair." Pearl spoke.

"All we're asking for is a chance, a chance to show that we're being real, to show that you're not alone here." Damiana begged.

The red-haired twins started to argue with each other.

"They look genuine." Popola spoke.

"Yes, but I don't doubt it's a new trick the others have come up with to annoy us." Devola spoke.

"Are you sure? Usually, they are quite expressive with their displeasure."

"Honestly, I would send them away, but you seem willing to give them a chance, it's your choice, Pop."

The twins turned to Perla and Damiana.

"You know, this is too sudden and too convenient." Popola spoke.

"What my sister means is that we don't trust you." Devola continued.

"But we are willing to give you guys a chance."

Perla and Damiana smiled at this information.

"But if at any point we find out that this is all a hoax and you were trying to harm us in any way, we never want to see you again, we will act like you don't exist." Devola said.

"We promise we mean business." Pearl smiled.

"And if anyone is causing you trouble, just call us, and we'll turn them into scrap metal!" Damiana slammed her fist into her palm.

"Hump! I'm starting to like you." Devola smiled at Damiana.

"Perhaps you will regret those words. How about we go for a drink after you are done here? Damiana answered.

"Only if you two are paying."

Meanwhile, Perla and Popola gave each other a knowing look.

"I heard that some androids are going to perform in the camp square, we might see them instead." Pearl suggested.

"Hm… Do you guys like music?" Popola asked.

"You can bet my sister and I used to sing together." Pearl replied.

"That's great, so are we. Maybe someday we can all sing together?"

"I would love it."

Time passed and the four androids were lost in conversation, the radio forgotten. They all left the building and headed towards the camp square, in a mixture of smiles and laughter.

Perhaps the older twins found a way to repent of their sins.

Perhaps the younger twins have finally found someone to call friends.

Inside the building, the partially repaired old radio started playing music.

END OF CHAPTER