Human After All

Beau never though he could ever feel so numb to everything around him. In a matter of seconds, his beloved bot had been shot, and Beau had allowed it to happen. He antagonized it. Beau antagonized the shooting of Joshua, for no reason other than he didn't want to look weak in front of Mr. Rager.

"Joshua." Beau whispered, holding his hand in his own. Joshua looked down to his chest where the silver bullet entered his porcelain-like skin. Joshua traced his fingers over his clothing, barely grazing his fingers over the broken area. The bullet broke through the spot where his heart should have been, if only he were human. If only he was human, everything would be different.

Beau jumped at the sound of a weak laugh passing through his bot's dry lips.

"Look, master." Joshua pointed to his chest. Beau glanced at it, but a burning feeling filled his veins whenever he looked at it. Perhaps it was guilt, but it filled his veins like a burning venom. "I told you I don't have a heart."

"That's not funny." Beau scolded him. Joshua rolled his eyes.

"Not the best time for a joke, right, master?" He asked.

"Lejend, no!" Ethylon shouted suddenly. Beau turned his body slightly to find Lejend taking a shot at Mr. Rager. Beau grinned weakly. Within himself, Beau knew that Lejend could never have turned around her master so easily. He just wanted to know how long it would take for Lejend to reveal that she really was faking, so Ethylon would stop looking like a lost puppy. He did that whenever Lejend confused him.

Joshua, as strange as it seemed, didn't feel any pain. If he was supposed to be as human as a bot could get, shouldn't he feel the same pain as any other human? Then again, Joshua thought, my creator probably didn't put the idea of being shot into consideration. It's not everyday that a robot gets shot by a maniacal sailor. Though there was this strange, sleepy haze falling over Joshua's mood. He couldn't seem to be as energetic as he was before. Instead, a sleepy droop fell upon his eyes, and he was jolting to keep himself awake.

Just as Mr. Rager shot Joshua, Lejend shot him as well, landing a few, scattered bullets among his chest. Rager coughed out heavy, maroon colored spit that forced its way up his throat and out of his mouth. He fell to his knees, coughing into a pool of blood before managing to fall on his side and gasp for one last breath. It looked so painful, Joshua thought. He was relieved he didn't have to feel that kind of pain.

Lejend spat on the ground near him before running next to Ethylon again. Ethylon smiled at his bot, pushing her hair out of her face.

"Still my girl." He smiled. She pushed his hand away impatiently, turning to where Joshua sat on the ground. She whimpered, almost like a dog, and then bolted towards both Beau and Joshua. Lejend fell on the ground next to Joshua, taking his hand within her own with a pained yelp. Joshua smiled at her, trying to reassure her that he was going to be okay, even though he was losing the reality of surviving in his own mind.

"Don't worry, Lejend." He smiled at her, though he didn't know how to continue that sentence. A freezing sensation flowed through every part of his body, like he was losing control. Joshua couldn't even describe how lost he was inside of his own body. "Don't worry," was all he could really say to Beau, Lejend, and even Ethylon.

"What are we gonna do?" Ethylon said. "We can't just take him like this."

Lost within his own thoughts of losing Joshua, Beau simply sat upon the ground. What could he do? Beau knew a lot about bots, but not about bots like Joshua.... Actually, Beau thought, he wouldn't know what to do if any of my bots were shot. Then the thought of his others bots came back to mind as well. He doubted any of them survived.

Beau sighed heavily, grabbing Joshua off of the ground. He took Joshua, and placed him against his back like a piggy-back ride. Ethylon watched in confusion as Beau took a few wobbly steps with his crippled leg. It would take him a while, but he could walk on his leg, and that was all that mattered.

"Hold onto my neck." Beau mumbled. Joshua nodded weakly, wrapping his arms around Beau's neck and tightening his grip. He couldn't seem to control his arms, how tight he really wanted to hold onto Beau. Joshua was losing whatever control he had of his body, slowly but surely.

"What are you doing, Beau?" Ethylon asked.

"Ethylon," Beau said quietly, "we're going to see your brother."

"You're not—"

"I am, and you can't do anything to stop me." Beau replied with venomous haste, limping his way back to where the elevators awaited them. Joshua's breaths were becoming noticeably heavier, and the hold on Beau's neck was loosening with every second that passed.

"Joshua, stay awake." Beau said, almost pleading for his bot's safety. "Please."

"I'm trying, master." Joshua whispered back. Beau's heart nearly fell to the ground as he found out that Joshua was becoming weaker. Something within his precious bot had broken, and now, he was becoming lost.

And Beau, at a loss for what he could do, hopped into the elevator with Joshua on his back and pushed the button to the first floor, where he could begin to walk back to Rowan's lab. The least he could do know was get there. And he honestly didn't care if they sailors threatened him in any way, shape or form. He just wanted to make it back to Rowan's lab before it was too late. Time, for once, was of the essence, and Beau needed more of it.

Beau couldn't help but think that everything that happened so far was all his fault. If Beau had never told Mr. Rager to shoot him in the first place; if he hadn't tried to escape; if Beau had just stayed away from Ethylon in the first place, none of this would be going on. Joshua would be safe, and Beau would be with him. Guilt rushed through Beau's body, keeping him from doing much to help his bot anymore than rubbing the back of his leg and giving him a few reassuring whispers, though Beau didn't believe them much himself.



When the door opened at the first level, sailors awaited them all. Beau held a weak Joshua on his back, walking off the elevator with a look of anger upon his face. The sailors that were attempting to grab him stopped. After a few minutes of hushed whispers, they stepped away and fell upon one knee. Beau furrowed his brows, but didn't say anything else as the chant began.

They all murmured, repeating some unintelligible sentence over and over until it was all Beau could think about. Ethylon stopped as Lejend fell upon one knee, tears free falling on her face. Ethylon fell next to her on one knee, dropping his gaze to the ground while Beau carried Joshua on his back.

"Master?" Joshua asked quietly, his eyes glossed over with a grayish color.

"Hm?" Beau said.

"Where are we?" His voice was soft, like silk, yet seemed weaker than before. He was trying to catch his breaths, but they escaped him every time he moved his chest. "I can't see, master." Joshua spoke in nothing more than a whisper.

Beau's heart broke at the sound of his bot losing whatever functions he had left. A tiny bullet had broken something so big, and for what? Beau had 'if only' questions running through his mind the entire time they walked. He seemed numb to everything around him. The chanting didn't matter, Ethylon didn't matter, nobody mattered. It was only Joshua. His own survival meant nothing. It was just Joshua.

Then, as Beau turned the last corner, around to Rowan's lab where the door hung wide open, the chanting subsided into small sobs. He couldn't explain why they were all crying. After all, weren't they running after Joshua to capture him? What changed?

Joshua yawned quietly, pressing his cheek against Beau's back while he took the last few steps into Rowan's lab. Rowan was waiting by his desk, staring sadly at Joshua.

"You almost made it." Rowan said. "You were right there."

"I—" Beau's voice cracked at the single syllable, and he took Joshua, laid him down on a table, and held his bot's hand in his own. "It's all my fault."

"Don't say that." Rowan said, placing his hand upon Beau's shoulder. "You didn't know, Beau."

"Can you save him?" Beau asked impatiently. "Please tell me you can help him, Rowan."

Rowan pushed Joshua's shirt away from his chest, staring at the wound that bore into Joshua's chest. Joshua sighed softly, his chest barely rising and falling in a steady movement. Beau teared up at the sight of his bot, who looked as though he were falling into a deep sleep. Oh, how he wished Joshua was only sleeping.

"I can try and transfer him. But Beau...." Rowan said quietly. "It scuffed his memory core a bit. I can tell, just by looking at where the bullet went in."

Beau furrowed his brows together, working his fingers against Joshua's to keep them warm. For the first time ever, Joshua actually seemed cold, and it was strange. He was usually so warm, so loving, so... glowing.

"I still want you to transfer him."

"I can't guarantee...." Rowan sighed heavily. "Beau, I can't guarantee he'll even remember your name."

Beau shook his head quickly, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. It stung a bit since dirt pooled in the corner of his eyes and sunk into the tender tissue of his eyes. More tears formed, only allowing more dirt to sting his gentle eyes.

"I don't care, Rowan." Beau said. "He doesn't deserve this. Transfer him."

Rowan tried to push him out of the room, but Beau held onto Joshua's hand, pressing a soft kiss to his bot's cheek.

"I'll be right there, Joshua." Beau traced his finger over Joshua's chest to create a single heart before Rowan shooed him out again, murmuring things to himself that were completely strange for Beau to listen to.

Beau trudged down the hall, that seemed to be never ending. Every step was a mile within itself, another mile away from Joshua, another step further from his mate.

As Beau turned the corner to the lobby where the sailors awaited him, they all sat upon their knees. Ethylon was the only one standing, and he spoke softly to an older woman in a skirt and white shirt. She made a few gestures with her hands before Ethylon cleared his throat and looked past the woman at Beau. Beau shut his eyes, allowing the darkness to take over his mind and soul. Instead of opening his eyes when the sailors murmured his name, Beau nearly fell to his knees. He didn't have the strength and the courage to hope Joshua was okay. Joshua was Beau's anchor. Joshua kept him sane through everything they had been through as mates.

"Beau." The woman said, touching his shoulder with one hand.

When Beau opened his eyes, he found the face he had only seen in the papers before in front of him. She smiled gently, like a mother looking upon her child. Her grayish-blonde strands of hair fell across her aged face.

"We need to talk." She said. Beau swallowed hard, nodding once.

"Okay, President Gile."



President Gile claimed that she had no idea there was such a torture ring that Mr. Rager was a part of, and told Beau that if there was anything she could do for him, with the snap of her fingers, it would be done. So Beau told her that the group Mr. Rager worked with had to be destroyed. Just like that, it was done. His second demand was being fulfilled right now.

Beau wanted a government that allowed the society to be informed, not kept silent like sheep. He wanted to know what the officials were doing, how they were doing it, why, and when they were. He didn't want them to breathe the wrong way without telling someone because they had been allowed to do things to freely for such a long time.

So Beau was creating a video that was being publicly broadcasted to each of the districts. President Gile was disgusted at how corrupt the officials were doing, and she said that anything would be done to save them, though she couldn't do much to save Joshua anymore than Rowan was, though nobody had spoken to Rowan in a few hours.

As Beau was speaking to the camera, being streamed live, the president was tearing up slightly.

"He shot my mate." Beau said softly. "I can't even tell you why he did it.... And.... And I don't know what else to call it....." He couldn't even finish his sentence, while others around him teared up. "Out on the streets, they call it murder." Beau spat the last word out as though it were poison. The thought of his precious bot falling into a limbo-like state; it was all too much for himself. Nobody could understand what he meant when it was murder. Nobody thought robots were the same as humans. Only humans could be murdered.

But to Beau, it was the same thing.

Beau continued to speak to the camera, voicing his anger through words he wasn't sure if he had ever used before. He kept himself from cussing, but did have to stifle himself in mid-sentence as he almost let a swear word slip past his lips.

After the video was finished, President Gile wiped her eyes with a handkerchief. She asked Beau for another request, if Beau had one.

And Beau's third and final wish was to make all of the bots that were once humans from District 16 to be transferred back to their human bodies. Rowan easily agreed to that request (through the door of course, because nobody was allowed in the room as he worked on Joshua), so it was all a matter of when. It just killed Beau to think of a robot who had a family before, who had a life, who was happily living and satisfyingly, and now they were forced to be robots for someone they hardly even knew.

Joshua was exactly the same. He had a life before, but it was easily ended when every district needed so 'desperately'.

President Gile said that Rowan would be allowed to make new bots, but not any that needed human lives. Then she said that if Rowan ever stopped creating bots, he would not be executed (much to Ethylon's delight).

Beau never understood, through everything President Gile was doing for them, how she could be so oblivious to her government. How could she not know that Ethylon was being tortured? How could she not know that Beau and his friends were being falsely imprisoned?

She expunged Ethylon's record upon finding out the true story behind the rebellion. Ethylon had grown quite fond of her, and she gave him her personal number, just in case they were ever in more trouble.

"I'm sorry about your mate." President Gile said. "I really am. I was just flying over the Capital when I heard everything. I figured I should stop, to make sure things were fine, but then I heard the story about you, and your bot, and the sailors. It infuriated me."

Beau didn't bother to listen anymore, because she ranted on about how terrible she felt. While Beau did find her courage admirable, he was also a bit angry at her. Once again, he couldn't understand how blind she was to things that were happening right under her nose.

"Beau?" President Gile said quickly. "Did you hear me?"

"Sorry." Beau apologized quickly. "I blanked out."

"You're going to be respected in your community, Beau." She said. "You and Joshua are going to be heroes in every district. I just want you to know that not every thing you did went to waste. Though some sailors will have to remain to keep things in check every now and then. They won't be as harsh as they were before though." She remarked to herself, almost like making a mental note.

"Thank you, Miss—"

There came what seemed to be a deafening knock came from the door. Beau jumped at the sound, but bolted out of his seat so he could open the door. Rowan stood behind the door with a sad looking smile upon his face. Beau's heart fell to the ground, and it felt like it had been crushed a million times and thrown in the garbage. Had Rowan failed to save Joshua? Would Beau never see him again?

"Sorry to interrupt," Rowan said, "but I have some information on Joshua."

"What is it?" Beau said eagerly. "Is he okay? Is he—"

"Beau, don't smother me, I have it all planned out in my mind." Rowan brought a hand up to shush him. "I understand you're excited, but you need to calm down."

"Okay." Beau immediately sat down on a chair, looking at Rowan as though he were a God-like figure. "Now tell me."

"I managed to save Joshua's memory core."

Beau heaved a sigh of relief.

"Now, I started transferring everything back. He seems to be okay, but I want to be really careful right now. The memory core was almost broken in half when I got it out."

"But is he gonna be okay?" Beau said quickly.

"I don't know. That's the thing, Beau. Even though I recovered his core, I've never worked with a damaged one," Rowan said. "It may take a few months for everything to transfer correctly. And even then, it may take a while for all of the memories to be restored."

"How long?" Beau stood up. "I don't care how long, I just need to know."

"About... five months, at least."

Beau furrowed his brows together. Could he survive five months without Joshua? He could hardly survive a few hours without him....

"I think.... I think I can do it." Beau said. "Anything for his safety."

In the back of Beau's mind, he imagined every long month without him. What would he do? He couldn't imagine what he would do without Joshua by his side.... Perhaps go back to school. Move to a bigger house. Get a job. Do anything to keep himself from losing his sanity.

Beau would manage if it meant getting Joshua back in the end.