Clockwork-Industries

Well, that was a horrifying image. Kuni stared, torn between dread and awe. “Wow…” Ao-san regarded him, his injuries, and Kuni suddenly felt a little embarrassed. “But you don’t… do that, do you?” “N-no. I need spare parts and maintenance.” Ao-san’s face twisted in a disgusted grimace. “Who works on you?” It sounded like he dreaded the answer. “Oh!” Kuni brightened. “Kaveh, usually! Does this Sumeru have him? Can we go see him?” Ao-san blinked, clearly having expected someone else. “…Oh. Well. That’s…” A pause, a pondering hand on his chin. “…No, that’s not good. Kaveh doesn’t know you. In fact, people can’t see you at all. Seeing you all cracked and bloody would only lead to annoying mass hysteria, and endless questions for me.” “…Why?” “People wouldn’t understand.” “I’m just a damaged robot.” Kuni gave a shaky shrug. He was in pain, but this had happened before. People wouldn’t worry too much. Had the people of this Sumeru never seen Ao-san like this? “You’re the same as

“Help! Catch me!” The kid’s desperate cry had lanced right through Kintsugi’s hollow chest, but unnecessarily so – he’d been on his way before his younger self could even think of calling out. Had sprung into motion as soon as he’d paid enough attention to see the brat had stopped listening to him, and managed to get over his indignation. Still, he almost hadn’t been in time anyway. For the kid to finally stop posturing and actually call out for help – Kintsugi wasn’t the best at empathy, never really had been one to imagine how another must feel, but that was the thing, wasn’t it? He could imagine how this kid must feel, because the kid was him. In a way. A messed up, tangled-through-time-and-space kind of way, but still. He’d caught him, the impact knocking unnecessary air out of both their bodies, immediately spattering him in the kid’s bright magenta blood, and forcing him to kick off from a lower-lying mushroom in order to not both crash into it anyway. His own leg had