Baka-Tsuki - User contributions [en]

Iris on Rainy Days: Dismantling- Day of Dismantlement

2012-04-10T15:09:24Z

66.25.168.69:

===Day of Dismantlement===

I hear a deep ringing sound- clank, clank.

The conveyer belt is turning with a set rhythm.

Completely nude, I lie weakly on the ground.

I am at the special machine handling factory at the outskirts of Oval City— generally known as the robot processing factory. The moment that it was determined that I would become scrap metal, I was put onto a truck and sent here. It’s the same for the other robots, but they look more like convicts who are about to go to the execution ground, as nobody is speaking.

Swaying around on the rack of the truck, I blankly think of the reason that nobody wants to buy me. Is it because my suicidal intentions were found out when I went through the mental circuit examination? Or is it because I’m modeled on Professor’s sister, so I’m harder to sell? Or is it because the price of a new model robot is too expensive, so they all steer clear of me?

I don’t know.

But I at least know this clearly.

I will be dismantled soon.

Why am I sitting here like this? Where did the warm, sweet happy times with Professor disappear to? The fact that I would be dismantled feels just like a dream.

I cannot escape. Using my safety circuit, my mental circuit had been thoroughly locked down. In addition, my battery is going to finish soon.

I wait for the moment that is gradually coming closer to me. The conveyer belt spins non-stop. The dismantlement level widens its jaws like a devil, coming close to me.

The cigarette case hung on my neck emitted a clanking noise, shaking violently on my breasts like a living creature.

When I reach the unpleasant, gray level, the arm of the dismantling machine catches hold of my right arm. Like a person being caught by the police, my elbows are twisted to my back with cracking noises. The alarm of a warning keeps ringing in my mind, so I immediately stop the program. It’s useless now, anyway.

There are a few hundred protruding spots on the arm of the machine, and they suddenly start to wriggle like tentacles. The protruding spots squirt out a white, sticky substance that entangles my right arm. This liquid seems to be a fire extinguishing agent used to prevent something from catching fire. The hot, bubbling liquid looks somewhat similar to soapy water.

My right hand is surrounded by white bubbles, then the dismantlement arm shoots out a laser ray, starting to cut off my arm. The extreme pain made me cry out loud, so I reflexively shut down my sensory functions. If not, I would probably go crazy.

Not long after that, the sound of the artificial muscles tearing starts to echo. The tube that provides machine oil in my body has been cut. A zapping noise would be emitted every time the machine oil splatters onto the laser, and smoke with a disgusting smell is emitted at the same time.

Thirty two seconds after the process started, my right arm has been totally cut through.

After losing my right arm, next up is my left arm.

The arm of the dismantling machine twists my left arm. The hundreds of protruding spots suddenly spit out a white substance like a caterpillar undergoing metamorphosis, spreading them on my left arm. Smoke rose, then the laser draws an arc on my arm, thus removing it.

After that, my left arm leaves my body completely. The whole process took thirty four seconds.

After my arms, next up is my right leg.

The cut off part is fixated after a breaking sound and painted with the bubbles, then the blue laser shoots out, and the smoke with the disgusting smell drifts out.

As my leg is thicker than my arm, this procedure is more time consuming. One minute and eleven seconds in total.

At this moment, I notice that my right leg that had been cut off has a tag stuck onto it. That part will not belong to my body anymore, but will become ‘merchandise’ that will be sold in the second hand parts market.

My cut off right leg rolls to the recycling bin beside the conveyer belt. Tens of ‘legs’ from other robots are piled in the box like a chopped up corpse. Some legs are still squirming, and look extremely disgusting.
The dismantling machine starts on my left leg after my right leg is done.

I could only stare at the blue laser blankly. I cannot focus my gaze on anything, while my vision is also blurry.

I wish that it would just end quickly. Even a second quicker would be good.

Thus, I start to run away from reality, thinking of Professor.

We planned to go to a theme park next week. We planned to watch another movie on the week after next. We planned to buy clothes next month. And the next one—

At this moment, the laser passes by my eyes. I suddenly thought of something. Is the laser the same as the laser guns used for suppressing the robots?

Oh yeah, talking about laser guns— I thought of another question.

What happened to the robot that went on a rampage at the fountain plaza?

When I come to my senses, my left leg have already disappeared. I’m not sure how long the process is.

I lie down on the conveyer belt, limbless.

After that, the process of cutting off my head starts.

Two dismantlement arms clamp my face between them. The cold, rough, hard machine arms. They’re completely different from Professor’s soft, gentle arms.

The cold machine arm places a blue scalpel on my neck. The hot blade comes closer bit by bit.

I am still running away from reality.

The place where I am running away to, is of course memories of Professor.

— she said that she had something to tell me after she comes today.

That was my last conversation with Professor.

That’s right, Professor—

—what did she say…… yeah, present?

Professor.

What is the present that you spoke of?

A tearing sound echoes, then my head parts with my body.

A few tubes that are like blood vessels are hanging from the lower part of my head. I stare at my body through the front part of the tubes. My chest and abdomen are twitching non-stop like an alien organism.

The strange thing is, I don’t even feel a trace of terror.

Different from when my arm was cut off, my heart is very calm. Next, I will calmly accept death. But this is not a sudden change of heart, not that I have seen through life and death, and not realization, but because my heart is starting to break down.

Finally, the dismantling hand comes closer to my head, the only part left.

Then they start to cut my head.

Firstly, my scalp is torn off, my maroon hair that I’m so proud of is stripped out along with my scalp. Next, the ball-shaped metal tool jabs into my eye socket, and my eyeball is gouged out with a ‘pop(?)’. The gaze of my gouged-out right eyeball and the left eyeball left met. But then my left eyeball is immediately gouged out too.

Light disappears from my world.

Then, a stick-shaped object is stuffed into my ears. I have no way of identifying the object as I cannot see anymore. What seems to be the laser draws two circles on my face, then my ears and auditory system are taken off as well.

Sound disappears from my world.

The machine starts to peel off my skin, and I am slowly dissected like a fruit. Pulling out my teeth, pulling out my tongue, taking away my nose—

Not seeing anything. Not hearing anything. Not smelling anything. Not feeling anything.

Even so, I am still thinking of Professor until the last second.

Professor.

Where are you now, Professor?

Are you in heaven? Is it comfortable there? Are you eating well? Remember not to smoke on the bed.

Professor.

Where will I go next?

Is there a heaven for robots, too? What is the place like? Is the kitchen useful? Is the grocery shop shopkeeper nice?

Professor.

Why did you die?

Is it because I wasn’t a good girl? Is it because I didn’t watch the movie properly? Or is it because I didn’t finish the report seriously?

Professor. I feel like seeing you. Really really really really feel like seeing you.

Am I still in time to see you? Can I enter the heaven for humans as a robot?

Professor.

Ahhh, Professor.

Is the heaven for humans near the heaven for robots—

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Iris on Rainy Days: Dismantling- 1 Day Before|Dismantling- 1 Day Before]]
| Return to [[Iris on Rainy Days|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Iris on Rainy Days: Rebirth- Day 1|Rebirth- Day 1]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Iris on Rainy Days: Dismantling- 2 Days Before

2012-04-10T15:04:19Z

66.25.168.69:

===Two Days Before===

It was the first day since Professor had passed away.

I spent my time idling in the mansion. Since the previous night I had been sitting like that, staring at the scenery outside the window of the living room. The sky was ironically blue, and the birds were chirping. They almost seemed to be singing a hymn of peace. But I felt like being the only person left in this world. Rather than falling into sadness, I was more like unable to fully embrace the truth.

Not knowing what I should do, I eventually returned to my usual routine work.

The chores.

I gave the mansion a good clean, cut the grass, and paid the bills.

When I was trying to wash Professor's clothes, I found my hands shaking. After preparing the meals, I was in a shock, realizing that no one would finish my dishes.

The bed in Professor's bedroom was cold. When the thought that the bed would never be warm again came up onto my mind, I felt like my chest was being torn into pieces.

I did not even know what I was doing. But I continued with the chores. In this way I kept escaping from the truth. It was simply too scary for me to face the reality.

By night time, I eventually had nothing else left to do.

I sat on the corridor outside the bedroom, hugging my knees. I felt like if I waited long enough Professor might return. That was why for the whole night, I was firmly grasping her cigarette case and waiting for her.

But, Professor did not return.

--WARNING--

At dawn, there was an electronic voice from my mind circuit.

--BATTERY WILL RUN OUT IN 5 MINUTES--

A voice with no intonation, spoken in a businesslike tone.

--PLEASE START CHARGING THE BATTERY NOW--

I stood up unsteadily and stumbled towards the laboratory.

On my way, I fell down the stairs because I was running out of power. My right foot twisted towards a weird direction. Dragging one of my legs, I walked slowly towards the laboratory.

Sitting on the milk-white bed, I opened my wrist. The linking unit for recharging appeared.

It was at that time that I had a sudden impulse to cut my wrist.

If I cut my wrist, I would die. I would have an easy way out. I would be able to go to where Doctor had gone to.

As my mental state had been in a mess ever since the death of Professor, I quickly proceeded to realize my desire.

Holding a burner used for maintenance purposes, I pressed the switch. A shimmer of hot air shot out of its opening. Shortly after, a red pillar of flame appeared. Slowly, I moved the burner towards my wrist. Metallic droplets like sweat showed up and the linking unit slowly melted. In ten seconds, the electrical outlet was totally burnt. A large amount of black machine oil burst out of it.

It was a miserable scene. The outburst of oil from my wrist reached even the ceiling. The laboratory which was as white as a snowfield turned into a dark room filled with stinky oil. Staring at the scene in a state of ecstasy, the electronic voice of "WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!"inside my mind circuit sounded like hysteric screams.

In five minutes, all the machine oil had flowed out of my body. There was only a dark liquid kept shooting out of my wrist. It was almost like the water fountain in the square outside the train station.

It was at that moment.

I had a vehement shivering fit.

It was something that I had never felt before. Dizziness, nausea, and an intense pain like my cranium being twisted and scratched, struck me multiple times within a short duration. Like humans who drank poison, my lips were trembling. Feeling extremely sick, I rolled on the floor in pain and clutched my chest.

--WARNING! 30 SECONDS BEFORE BATTERY RUNS OUT! PLEASE START MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES IMMEDIATELY—-

In its usual, businesslike tone, the electronic voice declared my coming death.

Suddenly, like a lunatic, my eyes became wide open.

-- No! I don't want to die!--

I stood up in a panic and grabbed the recharging tube violently. Repeatedly I tried to pierce the electrical outlet of my wrist with the tube. However the charging unit had already deformed from heat. Like trying to thread a needle, all my attempts to link the tube with the unit failed.

--BATTERY WILL RUN OUT IN 10 SECONDS, 9, 8, 7…--

Panting in fear, I continued to stab the linking unit in my wrist with the tube. Stab. Stab. Stab. Stab. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die.

With a clear sound of the tube being plunged into the linking unit, electricity and machine oil began to be pumped into my body. The warning sound stopped, and I was relieved from the shivering fit and the nauseous feeling.

I was relieved, from the bottom of my heart.

Ah… this time I don't have to die.

Great.

--Great?

I was shocked by my thought.

Is it a good thing that I didn't die?

…when Professor had already passed away?

Is living alone such a happy thing?

Is shamelessly clinging to life and living in dishonour such a happy thing?

The other self inside my body kept whispering.

Iris Rain Umbrella. Why are you still living? You are a robot after all. Why are you afraid of death? With the master served by you being gone for good, there is no longer any meaning to your existence. Despite of this why are you still clinging to life? Die! Die! Die quickly now!

Being extremely disgusted in myself, I scratched my head fiercely and tried to pluck my hair.

As an undoubted truth, I was obsessed with living. I wanted to live. I did not want to die. That was what I felt, what I realized, right after the first time of facing death.

I despised even my own self. Despite of loving Professor so much, despite of day-by-day shamelessly telling her how much I loved her, I could not even bring myself to follow her.

Whenever I plucked my hair, the tube clinging from my wrist hit the floor. It was extremely troublesome, but I did not have the courage to pull it away.

The walls and ceiling were in black, giving a stinky smell. Sitting in the black blood that had bursted out of my body, I kept plucking my hair like a lunatic. Dozens and dozens of pieces of hair plucked from my head fell onto the ground.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Iris on Rainy Days: Dismantling- 3 Days Before|Dismantling- 3 Days Before]]
| Return to [[Iris on Rainy Days|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Iris on Rainy Days: Dismantling- 1 Day Before|Dismantling- 1 Day Before]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Iris on Rainy Days: Dismantling- 2 Days Before

2012-04-10T15:04:00Z

66.25.168.69:

===Two Days Before===

It was the first day since Professor had passed away.

I spent my time idling in the mansion. Since the previous night I had been sitting like that, staring at the scenery outside the window of the living room. The sky was ironically blue, and the birds were chirping. They almost seemed to be singing a hymn of peace. But I felt like being the only person left in this world. Rather than falling into sadness, I was more like unable to fully embrace the truth.

Not knowing what I should do, I eventually returned to my usual routine work.

The chores.

I gave the mansion a good clean, cut the grass, and paid the bills.

When I was trying to wash Professor's clothes, I found my hands shaking. After preparing the meals, I was in a shock, realizing that no one would finish my dishes.

The bed in Professor's bedroom was cold. When the thought that the bed would never be warm again came up onto my mind, I felt like my chest was being torn into pieces.

I did not even know what I was doing. But I continued with the chores. In this way I kept escaping from the truth. It was simply too scary for me to face the reality.

By night time, I eventually had nothing else left to do.

I sat on the corridor outside the bedroom, hugging my knees. I felt like if I waited long enough Professor might return. That was why for the whole night, I was firmly grasping her cigarette case and waiting for her.

But, Professor did not return.

--WARNING--

At dawn, there was an electronic voice from my mind circuit.

--BATTERY WILL RUN OUT IN 5 MINUTES--

A voice with no intonation, spoken in a businesslike tone.

--PLEASE START CHARGING THE BATTERY NOW--

I stood up unsteadily and stumbled towards the laboratory.

On my way, I fell down the stairs because I was running out of power. My right foot twisted towards a weird direction. Dragging one of my legs, I walked slowly towards the laboratory.

Sitting on the milk-white bed, I opened my wrist. The linking unit for recharging appeared.

It was at that time that I had a sudden impulse to cut my wrist.

If I cut my wrist, I would die. I would have an easy way out. I would be able to go to where Doctor had gone to.

As my mental state had been in a mess ever since the death of Professor, I quickly proceeded to realize my desire.

Holding a burner used for maintenance purposes, I pressed the switch. A shimmer of hot air shot out of its opening. Shortly after, a red pillar of flame appeared. Slowly, I moved the burner towards my wrist. Metallic droplets like sweat showed up and the linking unit slowly melted. In ten seconds, the electrical outlet was totally burnt. A large amount of black machine oil burst out of it.

It was a miserable scene. The outburst of oil from my wrist reached even the ceiling. The laboratory which was as white as a snowfield turned into a dark room filled with stinky oil. Staring at the scene in a state of ecstasy, the electronic voice of "WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!"inside my mind circuit sounded like hysteric screams.

In five minutes, all the machine oil had flowed out of my body. There was only a dark liquid kept shooting out of my wrist. It was almost like the water fountain in the square outside the train station.

It was at that moment.

I had a vehement shivering fit.

It was something that I had never felt before. Dizziness, nausea, and an intense pain like my cranium being twisted and scratched, struck me multiple times within a short duration. Like humans who drank poison, my lips were trembling. Feeling extremely sick, I rolled on the floor in pain and clutched my chest.

--WARNING! 30 SECONDS BEFORE BATTERY RUNS OUT! PLEASE START MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES IMMEDIATELY—-

In its usual, businesslike tone, the electronic voice declared my coming death.

Suddenly, like a lunatic, my eyes became wide open.

-- No! I don't want to die!--

I stood up in a panic and grabbed the recharging tube violently. Repeatedly I tried to pierce the electrical outlet of my wrist with the tube. However the charging unit had already deformed from heat. Like trying to thread a needle, all my attempts to link the tube with the unit failed.

--BATTERY WILL RUN OUT IN 10 SECONDS, 9, 8, 7…--

Panting in fear, I continued to stab the linking unit in my wrist with the tube. Stab. Stab. Stab. Stab. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die.

With a clear sound of the tube being plunged into the linking unit, electricity and machine oil began to be pumped into my body. The warning sound stopped, and I was relieved from the shivering fit and the nauseous feeling.

I was relieved, from the bottom of my heart.

Ah… this time I don't have to die.

Great.

--Great?

I was shocked by my thought.

Is it a good thing that I didn't die?

…when Professor had already passed away?

Is living alone such a happy thing?

Is shamelessly clinging to life and living in dishonour such a happy thing?

The other self inside my body kept whispering.

Iris Rain Umbrella. Why are you still living? You are a robot after all. Why are you afraid of death? With the master served by you being gone for good, there is no longer any meaning to your existence. Despite of this why are you still clinging to life? Die! Die! Die quickly now!

Being extremely disgusted in myself, I scratched my head fiercely and tried to pluck my hair.

As an undoubted truth, I was obsessed with living. I wanted to live. I did not want to die. That was what I felt, what I realized, right after the first time of facing death.

I despised even my own self. Despite of loving Professor so much, despite of day-by-day shamelessly telling her how much I loved her, I could not even bring myself to follow her.

Whenever I plucked my hair, the tube clinging from my wrist hit the floor. It was extremely troublesome, but I did not have the courage to pull it away.

The walls and ceiling were in black, giving a stinky smell. Sitting in the black blood bursted out of my body, I kept plucking my hair like a lunatic. Dozens and dozens of pieces of hair plucked from my head fell onto the ground.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Iris on Rainy Days: Dismantling- 3 Days Before|Dismantling- 3 Days Before]]
| Return to [[Iris on Rainy Days|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Iris on Rainy Days: Dismantling- 1 Day Before|Dismantling- 1 Day Before]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Iris on Rainy Days: Dismantling- 2 Days Before

2012-04-10T15:01:45Z

66.25.168.69:

===Two Days Before===

It was the first day since Professor had passed away.

I spent my time idling in the mansion. Since the previous night I had been sitting like that, staring at the scenery outside the window of the living room. The sky was ironically blue, and the birds were chirping. They almost seemed to be singing a hymn of peace. But I felt like being the only person left in this world. Rather than falling into sadness, I was more like unable to fully embrace the truth.

Not knowing what I should do, I eventually returned to my usual routine work.

The chores.

I gave the mansion a good clean, cut the grass, and paid the bills.

When I was trying to wash Professor's clothes, I found my hands shaking. After preparing the meals, I was in a shock, realizing that no one would finish my dishes.

The bed in Professor's bedroom was cold. When the thought that the bed would never be warm again came up onto my mind, I felt like my chest was being torn into pieces.

I did not even know what I was doing. But I continued with the chores. In this way I kept escaping from the truth. It was simply too scary for me to face the reality.

By night time, I eventually had nothing else left to do.

I sat on the corridor outside the bedroom, hugging my knees. I felt like if I waited long enough Professor might return. That was why for the whole night, I was firmly grasping her cigarette case and waiting for her.

But, Professor did not return.

--WARNING--

At dawn, there was an electronic voice from my mind circuit.

--BATTERY WILL RUN OUT IN 5 MINUTES--

A voice with no intonation, spoken in a businesslike tone.

--PLEASE START CHARGING THE BATTERY NOW--

I stood up unsteadily and stumbled towards the laboratory.

On my way, I fell down the stairs because I was running out of power. My right foot twisted towards a weird direction. Dragging one of my legs, I walked slowly towards the laboratory.

Sitting on the milk-white bed, I opened my wrist. The linking unit for recharging appeared.

It was at that time that I had a sudden impulse to cut my wrist.

If I cut my wrist, I would die. I would have an easy way out. I would be able to go to where Doctor had gone to.

As my mental state had been in a mess ever since the death of Professor, I quickly proceeded to realize my desire.

Holding a burner used for maintenance purposes, I pressed the switch. A shimmer of hot air shot out of its opening. Shortly after, a red pillar of flame appeared. Slowly, I moved the burner towards my wrist. Metallic droplets like sweat showed up and the linking unit slowly melted. In ten seconds, the electrical outlet was totally burnt. A large amount of black machine oil burst out of it.

It was a miserable scene. The outburst of oil from my wrist reached even the ceiling. The laboratory which was as white as a snowfield turned into a dark room filled with stinky oil. Staring at the scene in a state of ecstasy, the electronic voice of "WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!"inside my mind circuit sounded like hysteric screams.

In five minutes, all the machine oil had flowed out of my body. There was only a dark liquid kept shooting out of my wrist. It was almost like the water fountain in the square outside the train station.

It was at that moment.

I had a vehement shivering fit.

It was something that I had never felt before. Dizziness, nausea, and an intense pain like my cranium being twisted and scratched, struck me multiple times within a short duration. Like humans who drank poison, my lips were trembling. Feeling extremely sick, I rolled on the floor in pain and clutched my chest.

--WARNING! 30 SECONDS BEFORE BATTERY RUNS OUT! PLEASE START MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES IMMEDIATELY—-

In its usual, businesslike tone, the electronic voice declared my coming death.

Suddenly, like a lunatic, my eyes became wide open.

-- No! I don't want to die!--

I stood up in a panic and grabbed the recharging tube violently. Repeatedly I tried to pierce the electrical outlet of my wrist with the tube. However the charging unit had already deformed from heat. Like trying to thread a needle, all my attempts to link the tube with the unit failed.

--BATTERY WILL RUN OUT IN 10 SECONDS, 9, 8, 7…--

Panting in fear, I continued to stab the linking unit in my wrist with the tube. Stab. Stab. Stab. Stab. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die.

With a clear sound of the tube being plunged into the linking unit, electricity and machine oil began to be pumped into my body. The warning sound stopped, and I was relieved from the shivering fit and the nauseous feeling.

I was relieved, from the bottom of my heart.

Ah… this time I don't have to die.

Great.

--Great?

I was shocked by my thought.

Is it a good thing that I didn't die?

…when Professor had already passed away?

Is living alone such a happy thing?

Is shamelessly clinging to life and living in dishonour such a happy thing?

The other self inside my body kept whispering.

Iris Rain Umbrella. Why are you still living? You are a robot after all. Why are you afraid of death? With the master served by you being gone for good, there is no longer any meaning to your existence. Despite of this why are you still clinging to life? Die! Die! Die quickly now!

Being extremely disgusted in myself, I scratched my head fiercely and tried to pluck my hair.

As an undoubted truth, I was obsessed with living. I wanted to live. I did not want to die. That was what I felt, what I realized, right after the first time of facing death.

I despised even my own self. Despite of loving Professor so much, despite of day-by-day shamelessly telling her how much I loved her, I could not even bring myself to follow her.

Whenever I plucked my hair, the tube clinging from my wrist hit the floor. It was extremely troublesome, but I did not have the courage to pull it away.

The walls and ceiling were in black, giving a stinky smell. Sitting in the black blood bursted out of my body, I kept plucking my hair like a lunatic. Dozen and dozen pieces of hair plucked from my head fell onto the ground.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Iris on Rainy Days: Dismantling- 3 Days Before|Dismantling- 3 Days Before]]
| Return to [[Iris on Rainy Days|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Iris on Rainy Days: Dismantling- 1 Day Before|Dismantling- 1 Day Before]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Iris on Rainy Days: Dismantling- 2 Days Before

2012-04-10T15:01:19Z

66.25.168.69:

===Two Days Before===

It was the first day since Professor had passed away.

I spent my time idling in the mansion. Since the previous night I had been sitting like that, staring at the scenery outside the window of the living room. The sky was ironically blue, and the birds were chirping. They almost seemed to be singing a hymn of peace. But I felt like being the only person left in this world. Rather than falling into sadness, I was more like unable to fully embrace the truth.

Not knowing what I should do, I eventually returned to my usual routine work.

The chores.

I gave the mansion a good clean, cut the grass, and paid the bills.

When I was trying to wash Professor's clothes, I found my hands shaking. After preparing the meals, I was in a shock, realizing that no one would finish my dishes.

The bed in Professor's bedroom was cold. When the thought that the bed would never be warm again came up onto my mind, I felt like my chest was being torn into pieces.

I did not even know what I was doing. But I continued with the chores. In such way I kept escaping from the truth. It was simply too scary for me to face the reality.

By night time, I eventually had nothing else left to do.

I sat on the corridor outside the bedroom, hugging my knees. I felt like if I waited long enough Professor might return. That was why for the whole night, I was firmly grasping her cigarette case and waiting for her.

But, Professor did not return.

--WARNING--

At dawn, there was an electronic voice from my mind circuit.

--BATTERY WILL RUN OUT IN 5 MINUTES--

A voice with no intonation, spoken in a businesslike tone.

--PLEASE START CHARGING THE BATTERY NOW--

I stood up unsteadily and stumbled towards the laboratory.

On my way, I fell down the stairs because I was running out of power. My right foot twisted towards a weird direction. Dragging one of my legs, I walked slowly towards the laboratory.

Sitting on the milk-white bed, I opened my wrist. The linking unit for recharging appeared.

It was at that time that I had a sudden impulse to cut my wrist.

If I cut my wrist, I would die. I would have an easy way out. I would be able to go to where Doctor had gone to.

As my mental state had been in a mess ever since the death of Professor, I quickly proceeded to realize my desire.

Holding a burner used for maintenance purposes, I pressed the switch. A shimmer of hot air shot out of its opening. Shortly after, a red pillar of flame appeared. Slowly, I moved the burner towards my wrist. Metallic droplets like sweat showed up and the linking unit slowly melted. In ten seconds, the electrical outlet was totally burnt. A large amount of black machine oil burst out of it.

It was a miserable scene. The outburst of oil from my wrist reached even the ceiling. The laboratory which was as white as a snowfield turned into a dark room filled with stinky oil. Staring at the scene in a state of ecstasy, the electronic voice of "WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!"inside my mind circuit sounded like hysteric screams.

In five minutes, all the machine oil had flowed out of my body. There was only a dark liquid kept shooting out of my wrist. It was almost like the water fountain in the square outside the train station.

It was at that moment.

I had a vehement shivering fit.

It was something that I had never felt before. Dizziness, nausea, and an intense pain like my cranium being twisted and scratched, struck me multiple times within a short duration. Like humans who drank poison, my lips were trembling. Feeling extremely sick, I rolled on the floor in pain and clutched my chest.

--WARNING! 30 SECONDS BEFORE BATTERY RUNS OUT! PLEASE START MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES IMMEDIATELY—-

In its usual, businesslike tone, the electronic voice declared my coming death.

Suddenly, like a lunatic, my eyes became wide open.

-- No! I don't want to die!--

I stood up in a panic and grabbed the recharging tube violently. Repeatedly I tried to pierce the electrical outlet of my wrist with the tube. However the charging unit had already deformed from heat. Like trying to thread a needle, all my attempts to link the tube with the unit failed.

--BATTERY WILL RUN OUT IN 10 SECONDS, 9, 8, 7…--

Panting in fear, I continued to stab the linking unit in my wrist with the tube. Stab. Stab. Stab. Stab. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die.

With a clear sound of the tube being plunged into the linking unit, electricity and machine oil began to be pumped into my body. The warning sound stopped, and I was relieved from the shivering fit and the nauseous feeling.

I was relieved, from the bottom of my heart.

Ah… this time I don't have to die.

Great.

--Great?

I was shocked by my thought.

Is it a good thing that I didn't die?

…when Professor had already passed away?

Is living alone such a happy thing?

Is shamelessly clinging to life and living in dishonour such a happy thing?

The other self inside my body kept whispering.

Iris Rain Umbrella. Why are you still living? You are a robot after all. Why are you afraid of death? With the master served by you being gone for good, there is no longer any meaning to your existence. Despite of this why are you still clinging to life? Die! Die! Die quickly now!

Being extremely disgusted in myself, I scratched my head fiercely and tried to pluck my hair.

As an undoubted truth, I was obsessed with living. I wanted to live. I did not want to die. That was what I felt, what I realized, right after the first time of facing death.

I despised even my own self. Despite of loving Professor so much, despite of day-by-day shamelessly telling her how much I loved her, I could not even bring myself to follow her.

Whenever I plucked my hair, the tube clinging from my wrist hit the floor. It was extremely troublesome, but I did not have the courage to pull it away.

The walls and ceiling were in black, giving a stinky smell. Sitting in the black blood bursted out of my body, I kept plucking my hair like a lunatic. Dozen and dozen pieces of hair plucked from my head fell onto the ground.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Iris on Rainy Days: Dismantling- 3 Days Before|Dismantling- 3 Days Before]]
| Return to [[Iris on Rainy Days|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Iris on Rainy Days: Dismantling- 1 Day Before|Dismantling- 1 Day Before]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Iris on Rainy Days: Dismantling- 7 Days Before

2012-03-29T18:41:32Z

66.25.168.69: /* Dismantling: 7 Days Before */

=='''Chapter 1 - Dismantling'''==
[[File:Iris on Rainy Days p012.jpg|200px|thumb]]
"Take care on the road! Come home earlier!" (Iris Rain Umbrella)

===Dismantling: 7 Days Before===

At the center of the Venus Fountain Plaza, there stood the statue of a stunning goddess.

She has slim limbs, skin as white as silk, and a great figure. Today, the goddess is still wearing a gentle smile on her face, silently observing the surrounding crowd.

Oval Town had once burned in the flames of war. That time, most of the town was burnt into ground, only the goddess statue survived without so much of a scratch, just like a miracle. From that day, the statue of the goddess became a symbol of hope and revival, and has been protected as the most important cultural asset of our country.

Beside the goddess statue that is about a hundred and seventy centimeters, the fountain is blooming flowers of water, in rainbow colors. On the dark tea-colored benches that were placed around the fountain, there are old men chatting with each other, children playing around, and lovers proclaiming their love for each other. It is a harmonious scene that looks like it came from a painting.

—it's indeed similar.

A squeaking sound starts to ring, and I start to adjust the pupil function of my visual system. After focusing my pupil on the white goddess statue, I sigh lightly.

The goddess statue looks like Professor. Professor is the top researcher of robots, Professor Wendy von Umbrella. She has a tall figure, black hair that is beautiful and luscious, wears glasses with a sleek, silver frame that suits her very much, and is the professor that I am proud of.

While thinking of the beautiful outline of Professor, I stare blankly at the goddess statue when the sweet sour smell of circlet cigarette floated over. I start to turn the angle of my neck, confirming the source of the fragrance.

The person who sat on the bench, smoking a circlet cigarette, is a middle aged man donning a dark blue suit. He is reading today's copy of Oval Daily, but from just now, he started to peek at me once in a while. I use a gentle smile to greet him, and he shyly shifts his gaze.

By the way, circlet cigarettes are products used for smoking cessation. Its shape is as the word 'circlet' in its name indicates, and its size is about the size of a circle made using the thumb and the index finger. When people start to smoke it, the ring-shaped cigarette would immediately straighten, and then the tip of the cigarette could be lit.

Although it is a replacement for tobacco that was made to prevent the mouth of the people who are trying to quit smoking to be too free, but recently the smokers who buy it because they like its smell is gradually increasing. Among the similar products, the one that sells the best is the type that combines two circlets into the shape of the number 8. This type of cigarette can be split into two halves, half of it to smoke, and the other half to fill the ashes.

The reason that I am so knowledgeable about this, is because Professor Umbrella loves this type of circlet cigarette.

— Mnn.

I shift my gaze to the goddess statue again, and suddenly started to ponder. The goddess statue looks very similar to the tall professor. However, I just have this feeling that it is lacking 'something'. Every time I see it, I would have this uncoordinated feeling in me.

When this meaningless question surfaced in my mind, time's up.

— After five more minutes, you will be unable to reach home in the scheduled time.

The inorganic, electronic voice of my mental circuit starts to urge me to hurry home.

— Alright already, it's almost time to go home.

With my back to the plaza, I start to walk home quickly. The shopping basket in my right hand is stuffed full of the ingredients for today's dinner, and a La Bier fish that is glittering in rich silver is tied to my back, causing the pedestrians who pass by to turn their head around when they see it. Seeing me carry a huge, one meter long fish while I'm only a hundred and fifty centimeter, being surprised would be quite natural. But after they notice that I am actually a robot, they showed an expression that said that this is understandable.

Differentiating between humans and robot is very simple. The ones that have a round antenna on their ears (It looks really like an earphone) are robots, the ones who don't are humans. "It's the robot from the Umbrella residence!"— a voice clearly projects into my auditory system. So, I smiled back at the person. Though robots used in families is not uncommon, but since Professor is a famous person, I get noticed sometimes when I walk in the streets.

After walking about ten minutes from the Fountain Plaza, I arrived at the Umbrella residence. Looking at the blue door that is full of ivies, I started to say: "Certification number HRM021-α, Iris Rain Umbrella. I'm back." After the electronic voice says "Certification complete, please enter", the large door opens silently.

The Umbrella residence is a grand mansion. There is a courtyard here that is the size of three station squares, and it is a large residence that would not be inferior to the mansions of administrators. The outer wall that was formed by red bricks makes people understand the grandeur of the history and traditions of the Umbrella family.

After entering the mansion, a luxurious hall could be seen immediately. The sunlight that entered from the skylight passes through the chandeliers, giving out a colourful radiance. The carpet spread on the floor is similar to the style of the ones in old castles. Large paintings are hanging on the walls, and the value of each work can provide for a luxurious life.

Passing through the corridor with the shiningly exquisite floor, I first place the fish in the freezer. I feel much better after that, and I started to walk towards the west-most room on that floor— the research room. The research room is stuffed full of materials and tools, the clean but chilly space is like a snowy field on a winter day.

Sitting on the creamy white bed near to the wall, I start to confirm the gauge on me.

Battery level 82.50%, waste in body 1.73%. The energy level is more than enough for labour, but charging my battery is the order that Professor had given me. So, I immediately start to charge.

After sterilizing the long, thin tube with a chemical twice, I open the lock on my wrist, showing the connection plug. If I made a mistake in the steps, the black machine oil might just splatter all over the room, so I must be more careful.

I insert the tube into my right and left hand in succession, then pressed the switch on the machine. Electric power and additional lubricating oil slowly flow into the connection plug on my right wrist. At the same time, the tea-colored waste in my body is being sucked out from my left wrist.

In the introduction manuals for robot maintenance, they would usually say that the system is similar to humans using IV drips. In reality, as the system undergoes the excretion and cleaning of the inner part of the body, it is more like artificial dialysis than IV drips.

While looking upwards when charging my battery, I stare at the metal boards on the ceiling. The ceiling that is like a smooth mirror reflects my whole body.

Technically, there's not much difference in gender in robots, but I should be a girl. My age setting is fifteen. I have blue eyes, with delicate eyebrows. My maroon hair is slightly wavy, and reaches my shoulder. The length of my limbs are similar to Professor's, and my face is that of a beauty, just like professor— this is my own knowledge, and not just my opinion. It might be because Professor always praising that I'm cute that I feel like that.

The maid costume that I am wearing was designed in a fairy tale style. A maid's headdress lightly waved on my head, while the cutting of the apron emphasized the curves of my breasts. The peach coloured dress tightened at the waist, while the dress itself is quite loose, and would make people think of a wedding dress. Where did Professor buy such a lovely maid's costume, I wonder? Right until now, it's still a mystery.

After twelve minutes and one second, the process of charging finished. Battery level 99.93%, body waste 0.02%.

—Alright, target level achieved.

I jump down from the bed, leaving the research room. My destination is the kitchen, because I have to prepare for dinner.

In the large kitchen that is not inferior to high classed restaurants, I start to make a Bill La Bier stew pot. There's a lot of pots, sinks and gas stoves here, but I would always cook at the left side of the kitchen. Professor is very rich, and she could even hire over ten, or even over twenty chefs, but she didn't hire any up till now. Not only a chef, she didn't even hire other maids, and I have to handle the whole large Umbrella residence. I could only use all my effort, diligently finish the chores like cooking, washing the clothes and sweeping the floor.

I quickly cut the La Bier fish, and lightly picked up the pieces of peach-coloured fish.

—200.0025 grams.

While referring to the recipe searched from my mental circuit, I finish the preparations of making the Bill Labier stew pot. By the way, "La Bier" is a fish very similar to salmon fish, while "La Bier" is actually the name of a person. I'd heard that a fisherman called La Bier caught a large La Bier fish long ago, then he used a night to finish the whole fish. His way of cooking is was to cut the fish into big pieces, then stew it with the spices— that's the origin of the La Bier stew pot. It sounds like a simple dish, but if you want to cook it well, there's quite a few techniques. For instance, you have to accurately handle the fire and patiently scoop out the foam.

From the moment I pick up the kitchen knife, twenty seven minutes and twelve seconds has passed, and my job is done. I store the remaining food in the freezer. Professor doesn't have many visitors, so these leftover portions would probably rot in the freezer. With the large amount of ingredient bought and the large kitchen, the Umbrella residence is usually that wasteful.

As I complain in a small voice, an electronic voice starts to ring in my mind.

— Professor Wendy von Umbrella has returned.

"She's back!"

I rush out of the kitchen, passing through the hall, and violently pull open the doors to the outside. My dress fluttering in the wind, I start to run to the forecourt.

— Professor, Professor, Professor!

The person that is passing through the gate, is a tall, black haired woman who is wearing a jacket that is light like a swan, and looks incomparably beautiful although it doesn't seem like she has any make up on her— my Professor walks over to me slowly. And then, she waves suddenly to me.

Not caring about the battery loss, I run with all my strength to the professor. I am running with the speed a hundred meters in nine seconds, and emergency braked three meters in front of Professor. I am not sweating, or even panting too, but my body is giving off heat like a steaming stove, as if my body has been lit up. The image of Professor swirls in my mental circuit.

"Welcome back, Professor!"

I open my arms while beaming, welcoming the return of Professor. Although I'm somewhat overreacting, this is just a way of showing my love for Professor.

Professor looks at me, showing a gentle smile. She puts out the fire of her circlet cigarette and keeps her ash tray. My olfaction system detected a sweet sour smell after that.

"I'm back, Iris. Have you been a good girl today, too?"

That is a somewhat deep, cool and quiet voice for a female. The silver framed glasses on her nose makes her wise face even more striking.

"Yes! Professor's Iris has been a very very good girl today too!"

"Is that so. What about dinner?"

"It's the same as what I told you, a La Bier stew pot!"

"What a good girl you are."

Professor extends her right hand to me.

— alright, it's coming!

I happily wait for that moment.

Professor's hand lightly touches the top of my head. She used a gentle, but somewhat rough movement to caress my maroon hair.

This is really a happiness that cannot be compared with.

I look just like a kitten that had been caressed, making satisfied sounds with my throat. I enjoy the pleasure of contact with Professor's gentle hand, and the sweet sour smell of the tobacco that tickles the nose.

<span style="font-size: 300%;"><center>♠</center></span>
Dinner time has always been the most nervous time for me.

Professor slowly scoops out a piece of La Bier fish from the pot. She continues to use a small knife to cut the fish, sticks a fork into in then swallows it with her rose colored lips.

Because of the chewing action, Professor's face is moving slightly. I stare at her face, slightly worried.

— Professor, how is it? Is it good? Hmm? Is it?

I ask repeatedly in my heart, waiting for Professor to express her thoughts.

"Hmm......"

Professor twists her neck. Then, my mental circuit suddenly cools down. Describing from the angle of a human, that would mean that a chill went up my back.

"E- e- e- errmmm, I- I- I- I- I- is there a problem with that?"

I ask in a rapid fire speed, feeling slightly dizzy. For Iris Rain Umbrella who is proud of her ability of doing chores, being told that my cooking is bad would be the same as questioning the meaning of my existence.

"To be frank......"

Professor raised one of her beautiful eyebrows, saying with an obviously displeased tone.

"To- to be frank?" I waited nervously for her next comment.

However, Professor's mouth slightly curls, a smile surfacing on her face. She says suddenly.

"It's really good."

I am quite shocked, and couldn't help but make an idiotic "...... Eh?" sound.

"Ah...... Eh? Aren't you disliking it......"

"No, it's very tasty. And the handling of the fire is especially good."

"............"

"Oh? What's the matter, Iris? Why are you showing me a tongue-tied expression?"

You can say that Professor is an S. The S in SM. A sadist. She always uses these simple traps to trick me. By the way, this is already the twenty forth time. The pitiful thing about robots is that they even remember how many times these meaningless things occur.
[[File:Iris on Rainy Days p025.jpg|200px|thumb]]
"Really, Professor! Haven't I said not to make these types of jokes!"

I throw the napkin at Professor angrily.

"Oi oi, that's too much of a waste."

"According to your words, the La Bier stew pot today is the wasteful one! Telling me to buy a whole fish, what are you preparing to do with it!"

Professor casually answered "I'll finish it after two days," and continues to eat. I answer "You always lie......," crumple the last napkin up, throw it, and it hits Professor's arm with a plop.

"Mnn, it really is tasty. Iris is really good at cooking."

Professor comments deliberately, and places another piece of La Bier fish into her mouth. Although I feel somewhat frustrated, but seeing Professor enjoying the stew, a send of satisfaction appeared in my heart.

After dinner, Professor goes to the washroom. While cleaning up the dishes, I recall Professor's childish actions, laughing for a moment, being annoyed for a moment, but a smile still surfaced on my face in the end.

Today, Professor is still pretty, likes to bully people, is gentle and stroked my hair.

— Mnn, I'm satisfied. Up till now, I have no comment.

The peaceful night gradually passes, and it is now time for sleep. I changed into my beloved pajamas that have pictures of flowers on them, then knocked on Professor's bedroom door.

"Professor, sorry for bothering you."

I walk into the room. As usual, Professor is wearing purple pajamas slightly open at the chest, and is lying on her bed. She has a circlet cigarette in her mouth. The sweat sour smell is mixed with a slight smell of peppermint, and the smell floated over along with the smoke. The slogan used on television is "The taste of your first love," and I think that it's quite apt. That's right— it's the taste of the first love to me. The love between Professor and I— I really want to feel that too, but the only one in love is me, Professor is always calm.

I understand these feelings would only be useless, so it's better for me to be careful.

"Professor, smoking on the bed is too impolite."

"It's not against the law."

"And it could cause a fire."

"I never heard of cirgarettes causing fires."

Professor looks at the ceiling, continuing to puff out smoke. That's right, 'cirgarette' is another name for circlet cigarettes.

"The total data says that eight incidents occurred this year."

I block Professor's vision determinedly, looking at her from above. The smoke almost burned my eyes.

"How many times had it happened in Oval Town?" Professor continues to smoke.

"...... zero."

"Then it's okay."

"But that can't be used as an excuse, Professor."

I stubbornly snatch the cirgarette away from Professor's mouth. "Ah, give it back!" Professor sits up, extending her hand to my elbow.

As revenge for Professor making fun of me during dinner, I run around the room while holding the cirgarette. Professor climbs up from the bed too, chasing me. I hide behind tables and chairs so that Professor cannot catch me. Although it's childish, there's still an undeniable charm to it.

After playing two short rounds of catch in the room, Professor says "It's time for bed" and takes off her silver framed glasses. She stares at me with her eyes that are like a colourful glass. Professor is a beauty when she wears her glasses, and she is still a beauty after she takes off her glasses.

—Ah.

The goddess statue isn't wearing glasses.

"What is it?" Professor stares at me from the bed. I lightly tilted my head, honestly speaking my thoughts: "Professor is indeed...... suited for glasses and cigarettes."

"Huh? Why are you suddenly saying that."

"No, that's just my thoughts. ...... Then Professor, is it okay?"

This question means can I snuggle into Professor's blanket.

"Be my guest."

Professor lifts up her blanket and waves to me. I said "Sorry for this," then nervously lies down beside professor. After that, I curl up my body and raise my head to look at Professor.

We are very close together, and I can see myself reflected in Professor's pupils.

"Good night, Professor."

I bury my head in Professor's large, soft hills. It's so soft and has a nice fragrance to it.

Professor hugs me gently, stroking my hair. Then, she says "Goodnight, Iris" and kisses my forehead.

After changing my status to sleep mode, I enter the world of slumber.

I went through a happy day today, too.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Iris on Rainy Days:Prologue|Prologue]]
| Return to [[Iris on Rainy Days|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Iris on Rainy Days: Dismantling- 6 Days Before|Dismantling- 6 Days Before]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Iris on Rainy Days: Dismantling- 7 Days Before

2012-03-29T18:27:20Z

66.25.168.69: /* Dismantling: 7 Days Before */

=='''Chapter 1 - Dismantling'''==
[[File:Iris on Rainy Days p012.jpg|200px|thumb]]
"Take care on the road! Come home earlier!" (Iris Rain Umbrella)

===Dismantling: 7 Days Before===

At the center of the Venus Fountain Plaza, there stood the statue of a stunning goddess.

She has slim limbs, skin as white as silk, and a great figure. Today, the goddess is still wearing a gentle smile on her face, silently observing the surrounding crowd.

Oval Town had once burned in the flames of war. That time, most of the town was burnt into ground, only the goddess statue survived without so much of a scratch, just like a miracle. From that day, the statue of the goddess became a symbol of hope and revival, and has been protected as the most important cultural asset of our country.

Beside the goddess statue that is about a hundred and seventy centimeters, the fountain is blooming flowers of water, in rainbow colors. On the dark tea-colored benches that were placed around the fountain, there are old men chatting with each other, children playing around, and lovers proclaiming their love for each other. It is a harmonious scene that looks like it came from a painting.

—it's indeed similar.

A squeaking sound starts to ring, and I start to adjust the pupil function of my visual system. After focusing my pupil on the white goddess statue, I sigh lightly.

The goddess statue looks like Professor. Professor is the top researcher of robots, Professor Wendy von Umbrella. She has a tall figure, black hair that is beautiful and luscious, wears glasses with a sleek, silver frame that suits her very much, and is the professor that I am proud of.

While thinking of the beautiful outline of Professor, I stare blankly at the goddess statue when the sweet sour smell of circlet cigarette floated over. I start to turn the angle of my neck, confirming the source of the fragrance.

The person who sat on the bench, smoking a circlet cigarette, is a middle aged man donning a dark blue suit. He is reading today's copy of Oval Daily, but from just now, he started to peek at me once in a while. I use a gentle smile to greet him, and he shyly shifts his gaze.

By the way, circlet cigarettes are products used for smoking cessation. Its shape is as the word 'circlet' in its name indicates, and its size is about the size of a circle made using the thumb and the index finger. When people start to smoke it, the ring-shaped cigarette would immediately straighten, and then the tip of the cigarette could be lit.

Although it is a replacement for tobacco that was made to prevent the mouth of the people who are trying to quit smoking to be too free, but recently the smokers who buy it because they like its smell is gradually increasing. Among the similar products, the one that sells the best is the type that combines two circlets into the shape of the number 8. This type of cigarette can be split into two halves, half of it to smoke, and the other half to fill the ashes.

The reason that I am so knowledgeable about this, is because Professor Umbrella loves this type of circlet cigarette.

— Mnn.

I shift my gaze to the goddess statue again, and suddenly started to ponder. The goddess statue looks very similar to the tall professor. However, I just have this feeling that it is lacking 'something'. Every time I see it, I would have this uncoordinated feeling in me.

When this meaningless question surfaced in my mind, time's up.

— After five more minutes, you will be unable to reach home in the scheduled time.

The inorganic, electronic voice of my mental circuit starts to urge me to hurry home.

— Alright already, it's almost time to go home.

With my back to the plaza, I start to walk home quickly. The shopping basket in my right hand is stuffed full of the ingredients for today's dinner, and a La Bier fish that is glittering in rich silver is tied to my back, causing the pedestrians who pass by to turn their head around when they see it. Seeing me carry a huge, one meter long fish while I'm only a hundred and fifty centimeter, being surprised would be quite natural. But after they notice that I am actually a robot, they showed an expression that said that this is understandable.

Differentiating between humans and robot is very simple. The ones that have a round antenna on their ears (It looks really like an earphone) are robots, the ones who don't are humans. "It's the robot from the Umbrella residence!"— a voice clearly projects into my auditory system. So, I smiled back at the person. Though robots used in families is not uncommon, but since Professor is a famous person, I get noticed sometimes when I walk in the streets.

After walking about ten minutes from the Fountain Plaza, I arrived at the Umbrella residence. Looking at the blue door that is full of ivies, I started to say: "Certification number HRM021-α, Iris Rain Umbrella. I'm back." After the electronic voice says "Certification complete, please enter", the large door opens silently.

The Umbrella residence is a grand mansion. There is a courtyard here that is the size of three station squares, and it is a large residence that would not be inferior to the mansions of administrators. The outer wall that was formed by red bricks makes people understand the grandeur of the history and traditions of the Umbrella family.

After entering the mansion, a luxurious hall could be seen immediately. The sunlight that entered from the skylight passes through the chandeliers, giving out a colourful radiance. The carpet spread on the floor is similar to the style of the ones in old castles. Large paintings are hanging on the walls, and the value of each work can provide for a luxurious life.

Passing through the corridor with the shiningly exquisite floor, I first place the fish in the freezer. I feel much better after that, and I started to walk towards the west-most room on that floor— the research room. The research room is stuffed full of materials and tools, the clean but chilly space is like a snowy field on a winter day.

Sitting on the creamy white bed near to the wall, I start to confirm the gauge on me.

Battery level 82.50%, waste in body 1.73%. The energy level is more than enough for labour, but charging my battery is the order that Professor had given me. So, I immediately start to charge.

After sterilizing the long, thin tube with a chemical for two times, I open the lock on my wrist, showing the connection plug. If I made a mistake in the steps, the black machine oil might just splatter through the whole room, so I must be more careful.

I insert the tube into my right and left hand in succession, then pressed the switch on the machine. Electric power and additional lubricating oil slowly flow into the connection plug on my right wrist. At the same time, the tea-colored waste in my body is being sucked out from my left wrist.

In the introduction manuals for robot maintenance, they would usually say that the system is similar to humans using IV drips. In reality, as the system undergoes the excretion and cleaning of the inner part of the body, it is more like artificial dialysis when compared with IV drips.

While looking upwards when charging my battery, I stare at the metal boards on the ceiling. The ceiling that is like a smooth mirror reflects my whole body.

Technically, there's not much difference in gender in robots, but I should be a girl. My age setting is fifteen. I have blue eyes, with delicate eyebrows on it. My maroon hair is slightly wavy, and the length reaches my shoulder. The length of my limbs are similar to Professor's, and my face is that of a beauty, just like professor— this is my own knowledge, and not just my opinion. It might be because Professor always praising that I'm cute that I feel like that.

The maid costume that I am wearing was designed in a fairy tale style. A maid's headdress lightly waved on my head, while the cutting of the apron emphasized the curves of my breasts. The peach coloured dress tightened at the waist, while the dress itself is quite loose, and would make people think of a wedding dress. Where did Professor buy such a lovely maid's costume, I wonder? Right until now, it's still a mystery.

After twelve minutes and one second, the process of charging finished. Battery level 99.93%, body waste 0.02%.

—Alright, target level achieved.

I jump down from the bed, leaving the research room. My destination is the kitchen, because I have to prepare for dinner.

In the large kitchen that is not inferior to high classed restaurants, I start to make a Bill La Bier stew pot. There's a lot of pots, sinks and gas stoves here, but I would always cook at the left side of the kitchen. Professor is very rich, and she could even hire over ten, or even over twenty chefs, but she didn't hire any up till now. Not only a chef, she didn't even hire other maids, and I have to handle the whole large Umbrella residence. I could only use all my effort, diligently finish the chores like cooking, washing the clothes and sweeping the floor.

I quickly cut the La Bier fish, and lightly picked up the pieces of peach-coloured fish.

—200.0025 grams.

While referring to the recipe searched from my mental circuit, I finish the preparations of making the Bill Labier stew pot. By the way, "La Bier" is a fish very similar to salmon fish, while "La Bier" is actually the name of a person. I'd heard that a fisherman called La Bier caught a large La Bier fish long ago, then he used a night to finish the whole fish. His way of cooking is was to cut the fish into big pieces, then stew it with the spices— that's the origin of the La Bier stew pot. It sounds like a simple dish, but if you want to cook it well, there's quite a few techniques. For instance, you have to accurately handle the fire and patiently scoop out the foam.

From the moment I pick up the kitchen knife, twenty seven minutes and twelve seconds has passed, and my job is done. I store the remaining food in the freezer. Professor doesn't have many visitors, so these leftover portions would probably rot in the freezer. With the large amount of ingredient bought and the large kitchen, the Umbrella residence is usually that wasteful.

As I complain in a small voice, an electronic voice starts to ring in my mind.

— Professor Wendy von Umbrella has returned.

"She's back!"

I rush out of the kitchen, passing through the hall, and violently pull open the doors to the outside. My dress fluttering in the wind, I start to run to the forecourt.

— Professor, Professor, Professor!

The person that is passing through the gate, is a tall, black haired woman who is wearing a jacket that is light like a swan, and looks incomparably beautiful although it doesn't seem like she has any make up on her— my Professor walks over to me slowly. And then, she waves suddenly to me.

Not caring about the battery loss, I run with all my strength to the professor. I am running with the speed a hundred meters in nine seconds, and emergency braked three meters in front of Professor. I am not sweating, or even panting too, but my body is giving off heat like a steaming stove, as if my body has been lit up. The image of Professor swirls in my mental circuit.

"Welcome back, Professor!"

I open my arms while beaming, welcoming the return of Professor. Although I'm somewhat overreacting, this is just a way of showing my love for Professor.

Professor looks at me, showing a gentle smile. She puts out the fire of her circlet cigarette and keeps her ash tray. My olfaction system detected a sweet sour smell after that.

"I'm back, Iris. Have you been a good girl today, too?"

That is a somewhat deep, cool and quiet voice for a female. The silver framed glasses on her nose makes her wise face even more striking.

"Yes! Professor's Iris has been a very very good girl today too!"

"Is that so. What about dinner?"

"It's the same as what I told you, a La Bier stew pot!"

"What a good girl you are."

Professor extends her right hand to me.

— alright, it's coming!

I happily wait for that moment.

Professor's hand lightly touches the top of my head. She used a gentle, but somewhat rough movement to caress my maroon hair.

This is really a happiness that cannot be compared with.

I look just like a kitten that had been caressed, making satisfied sounds with my throat. I enjoy the pleasure of contact with Professor's gentle hand, and the sweet sour smell of the tobacco that tickles the nose.

<span style="font-size: 300%;"><center>♠</center></span>
Dinner time has always been the most nervous time for me.

Professor slowly scoops out a piece of La Bier fish from the pot. She continues to use a small knife to cut the fish, sticks a fork into in then swallows it with her rose colored lips.

Because of the chewing action, Professor's face is moving slightly. I stare at her face, slightly worried.

— Professor, how is it? Is it good? Hmm? Is it?

I ask repeatedly in my heart, waiting for Professor to express her thoughts.

"Hmm......"

Professor twists her neck. Then, my mental circuit suddenly cools down. Describing from the angle of a human, that would mean that a chill went up my back.

"E- e- e- errmmm, I- I- I- I- I- is there a problem with that?"

I ask in a rapid fire speed, feeling slightly dizzy. For Iris Rain Umbrella who is proud of her ability of doing chores, being told that my cooking is bad would be the same as questioning the meaning of my existence.

"To be frank......"

Professor raised one of her beautiful eyebrows, saying with an obviously displeased tone.

"To- to be frank?" I waited nervously for her next comment.

However, Professor's mouth slightly curls, a smile surfacing on her face. She says suddenly.

"It's really good."

I am quite shocked, and couldn't help but make an idiotic "...... Eh?" sound.

"Ah...... Eh? Aren't you disliking it......"

"No, it's very tasty. And the handling of the fire is especially good."

"............"

"Oh? What's the matter, Iris? Why are you showing me a tongue-tied expression?"

You can say that Professor is an S. The S in SM. A sadist. She always uses these simple traps to trick me. By the way, this is already the twenty forth time. The pitiful thing about robots is that they even remember how many times these meaningless things occur.
[[File:Iris on Rainy Days p025.jpg|200px|thumb]]
"Really, Professor! Haven't I said not to make these types of jokes!"

I throw the napkin at Professor angrily.

"Oi oi, that's too much of a waste."

"According to your words, the La Bier stew pot today is the wasteful one! Telling me to buy a whole fish, what are you preparing to do with it!"

Professor casually answered "I'll finish it after two days," and continues to eat. I answer "You always lie......," crumple the last napkin up, throw it, and it hits Professor's arm with a plop.

"Mnn, it really is tasty. Iris is really good at cooking."

Professor comments deliberately, and places another piece of La Bier fish into her mouth. Although I feel somewhat frustrated, but seeing Professor enjoying the stew, a send of satisfaction appeared in my heart.

After dinner, Professor goes to the washroom. While cleaning up the dishes, I recall Professor's childish actions, laughing for a moment, being annoyed for a moment, but a smile still surfaced on my face in the end.

Today, Professor is still pretty, likes to bully people, is gentle and stroked my hair.

— Mnn, I'm satisfied. Up till now, I have no comment.

The peaceful night gradually passes, and it is now time for sleep. I changed into my beloved pajamas that has pictures of flowers on it, then knocked on Professor's bedroom door.

"Professor, sorry for bothering you."

I walk into the room. As usual, Professor is wearing a purple pajamas slightly open at the chest, and is lying on her bed. She has a circlet cigarette in her mouth. The sweat sour smell is mixed with a slight smell of peppermint, and the smell floated over along with the smoke. The slogan used on television is "The taste of your first love," and I think that it's quite apt. That's right— it's the taste of the first love to me. The love between Professor and I— I really want to feel that too, but the only one in love is me, Professor is always calm.

I understand these feelings would only be useless, so it's better for me to be careful.

"Professor, smoking on the bed is too impolite."

"It's not against the law."

"And it could cause a fire."

"I never heard of cirgarettes causing fires."

Professor looks at the ceiling, continuing to puff out smoke. That's right, 'cirgarette' is another name for circlet cigarettes.

"The total data says that eight incidents occurred this year."

I block Professor's vision determinedly, looking at her from above. The smoke almost burned my eyes.

"How many times had it happened in Oval Town?" Professor continues to smoke.

"...... zero."

"Then it's okay."

"But that can't be used as an excuse, Professor."

I stubbornly snatch the cirgarette away from Professor's mouth. "Ah, give it back!" Professor sits up, extending her hand to my elbow.

As revenge for Professor making fun of me during dinner, I run around the room while holding the cirgarette. Professor climbs up from the bed too, chasing me. I hide behind tables and chairs so that Professor cannot catch me. Although it's childish, there's still an undeniable charm to it.

After playing two short rounds of catch in the room, Professor says "It's time for bed" and takes off her silver framed glasses. She stares at me with her eyes that are like a colourful glass. Professor is a beauty when she wears her glasses, and she is still a beauty after she takes off her glasses.

—Ah.

The goddess statue isn't wearing glasses.

"What is it?" Professor stares at me from the bed. I lightly tilted my head, honestly speaking my thoughts: "Professor is indeed...... suited for glasses and cigarettes."

"Huh? Why are you suddenly saying that."

"No, that's just my thoughts. ...... Then Professor, is it okay?"

This question means can I snuggle into Professor's blanket.

"Be my guest."

Professor lifts up her blanket and waves to me. I said "Sorry for this," then nervously lies down beside professor. After that, I curl up my body and raise my head to look at Professor.

We are very close together, and I can see myself reflected in Professor's pupils.

"Good night, Professor."

I bury my head in Professor's large, soft hills. It's so soft and has a nice fragrance to it.

Professor hugs me gently, stroking my hair. Then, she says "Goodnight, Iris" and kisses my forehead.

After changing my status to sleep mode, I enter the world of slumber.

I went through a happy day today, too.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Iris on Rainy Days:Prologue|Prologue]]
| Return to [[Iris on Rainy Days|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Iris on Rainy Days: Dismantling- 6 Days Before|Dismantling- 6 Days Before]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>