Cain Paradroid SSR "The Promise I Want to Keep"

[centralgoldstar]

Card story: The Knight-like Police Officer

Akira: Whoa, that airship is huge. I wonder how many passengers it can carry. There’re so many things to see here, I can keep on walking for hours. Oh, the person over there is…

Cain: Granny, should I put your luggage here?

Old lady: Yes, please. Thank you so much. It is really heavy.

Akira: (That’s Cain. Seems like he is working his shift?)

Man: Hey Cain! Thanks for delivering the stuffs I lost the other day. Come by my place sometime so I can treat you. 

Woman: Hello Cain! The flowers are blooming so nicely. If you want I can bring you some.

Girl: Ah! It’s Cain! Are you doing your patrol? Where did you go before coming here?

Boy: Does your airbike stay home today?

Cain: Ahaha, glad to see you too. Hey, I told you not to climb on my arm already.

Akira: (Everyone of all ages and genders talk to him. Cain sure is beloved here)

Boy: We’re going to watch a movie! Do you know it? It’s about a prince and a knight.

Cain: Ah, the one that everyone’s talking about now. Have fun!

Girl: We will! See you later!

[Sound of footsteps]

Akira: Hey, Cain.

Cain: Ah, it’s you, Akira. Are you going somewhere?

Akira: No, I’m just taking a walk. Are you on your patrol?

Cain: Yeah, but I’m about to take a break. Would you like to go out with me for lunch? I know an awesome place. Their bacon is to die for!

Akira: Wow, I’d like to try it! Please lead the way!

Cain: Yay! I’ve been thinking about taking you there for a taste. Oh, sorry, incoming call.

[Beeping sound]

Cain: Cain is speaking. An industrial robot? Understood. I’ll head there right away.

Akira: What’s the matter?

Cain: There’s report of an industrial robot getting stolen from the warehouse over there. I’ll have to go to the crime scene to investigate the case. I invited you myself yet I break it off. I’ll treat you to something to make up for this later.

Akira: You’re just doing your duty. Please don’t mind me.

Cain: Thank you. See you later!

Akira: (So he loses his break if something happens. It’s hard work to protect this city so dedicatedly. His effort is much appreciated.)

At that moment, I received a message on my communication device. I tapped on the flashing screen to reply. The person on the other side is Owen.

Owen: Akira, where are you? Are you near Rustica’s lab?

Akira: Yes, kind of. What’s the matter?

Owen: Chloe bought a ton of CBSC. He said he wanted to share it with you too.

“Cherry Blossom Soft Cream”, or CBSC for short, was the pink soft-served ice-cream that was all the rage in this city.

Akira: I’d like to eat it!

Owen: In that case, come here before it all melts away.

Akira: (Yay, CBSC! There is always a long line in front of the shop so I rarely get to eat it. I should head there quick.)

Akira: Wh- What is that sound? (The sound seems to come from a back alley…)

As I peeked into the alley, there was a robot on the smaller side, which seemed to be designed for factory or construction work at the end corner.

Akira: (Looks like something isn’t right with this robot. It’s acting strange, slamming itself into the wall like that. There is smoke coming out of it too. Maybe it can’t run properly because something broke down?)

Akira: Hmm, what should I do? Contact the manufacturer since it’s malfunctioning? Nope, maybe it’s better to call the police?

[Threatening machine noise]

Akira: It’s running in this direction? I must leave.

[Sound of footsteps, then sound of a fall]

Akira: (Crap! How can I trip now of all times!)

[Threatening machine noise. Sound of footsteps]

Cain: Akira!

Akira: Cain?!

[Flash. Wheezing sound]

Cain: Are you alright, Akira?! Can you stand up?

Akira: Y- Yes.

I took the hand offered to me. With wheezing sound, the robot had stopped in its track just a tiny distance away from me.

Akira: That robot… What’s wrong with it?

Cain: Judging from its design, I think it’s the one reported to be stolen by that place. Just as I thought, it’s a case of malfunction.

Akira: Really?

Cain: When I got to the scene after parting with you, my colleague informed me that there was no trace of a theft. I wondered if it went haywire and ran off by itself instead, so I went to search the surrounding area.

Akira: Haywire, hmm. It was certainly gushing out smoke and acting weird when I found it.

Cain: Probably it got overheated and ran amok. I’ll have to give the owner a stern warning about proper maintenance of robots later. You went through a scare because I was too late. Sorry.

Akira: Please don’t say that! It’s me who should thank you for saving me.

Cain: No need to stand on ceremony. Anyway, you fell when you were trying to get away from the robot back there, didn’t you. Do you feel not right anywhere?

Akira: I’m f- Whoa?!

Cain lifted my arms and checked me all over for problem to ensure that I was okay.

Cain: By the looks of it you’re fine, but let’s go to Rustica’s lab for a check-up just to be sure. I’ll accompany you there.

After taking me to the lab, Cain went back to work right away. Afterwards, when my check-up was done without any problem, as the sky was getting dark…

Cain: Hey, Akira. Good thing you’re still here.

Akira: Cain! Did you just get back?

Cain: Yeah, I managed to put my work in order. What about you? Everything alright? Where’s Rustica?

Akira: He’s working in the back room. I got checked up thoroughly already. Nothing is wrong.

Cain: That’s a relief. It’s been nagging at the back of my mind.

Akira: Thank you for your concern. Ah, what happened to that industrial robot?

Cain: Oh, I told them to have it repaired so no worry. When the overheating issue that led to it going haywire is fixed properly, it’ll be good as new.

Akira: (Phew. I’ve been worried if it’d be thrown away)

Cain: On another topic, this is to make up for today.

Akira: No, I can’t take this! It’s you who helped me after all.    

Cain: I’d like you to. Here, this is chocolate with designs from the current hit movie. I’ve been meaning to go see it. That’s right! If you want to watch that movie too, how about we go together? I’ll treat you to make up for lunch.

How strange. To keep a promise he made with us AssistRoids, he took it to heart every time we went through something unsettling. He treated us like beings with feelings as if it were only natural to do so.

Akira: Thank you so much. For the chocolate, and the movie too. I’ll open this right away. Whoa, so cute! The chocolate pieces are shaped like the characters. Amazing. I can stare at them forever.

Cain: These are the characters that appear in the movie. The one in the center is the wizard prince. That one is the knight who serves the prince.

Akira: Wizards! So it’s a fantasy story.

Cain: Yeah! When I watched the trailer, I thought the knight who protected the prince was really cool, so I really want to watch this.

Akira: Today you were cool just like a knight too, Cain!

Cain: I’m really happy to hear that.

[Footstep sound]

Owen: So you’re the type that grins ear to ear just because of a compliment.

Akira: Oh, Owen.

Cain: What’s wrong with that? It’s natural to be happy when you are praised after all.

Owen: Heh, you’re quite a fool, aren’t you. Forget it, what are you having there, Akira? Chocolate?

Cain: Hey, I bought it for Akira.

Owen: What? Why only Akira? Where is my chocolate?

Akira: Ahaha.

Akira: (Somehow the way they bicker like this is soothingly familiar to me.)

Cain: Akira? What’s the matter just now?

Akira: Sorry, it’s nothing. I’d like to share the chocolate with everyone. May I invite Chloe and the others to join us for tea?

Cain: Of course, if you want to. The more the merrier after all!

Card episode: A Liking for Gun

Akira: Cain, have you ever thought of using another weapon besides this great sword? Something like a spear or a bow?

Cain: Certainly. Being able to use many weapons opens up a wider range of tactics for you. However, I still feel most attached to this sword. It was a treasure granted to me by His Majesty after all.

Akira: I see. In that case, has anything interested you lately? Like, ‘it’d be nice if I get to try it once”.

Cain: Hmm, if we’re talking about recently, then it’d be Bradley’s gun, I think.

Akira: A gun? Like the one Bradley is using?

Cain: Yeah. I think it’d be awesome if I know how to use such a magnificent gun.

Akira: The gun Bradley wields is certainly very cool.

Cain: You think Bradley would lend it to me if I ask him?

Akira: He has let me hold it when I asked him before.

Cain: Is that so? I’ll go ask if I can borrow his gun right away!

Akira: That sounds fun. I’d like to see how you’ll look like holding that rifle too. But won't Bradley be mad when you say you want his gun out of the blue though?

Cain: If it doesn’t work this time then I’ll go approach him again when he is in a good mood. Bradley is a considerate person, so I think he’ll listen if you request things from him nicely. Like, “Boss, please!”.