2.2

The lone Valkyrie

Mara squeezed the wet blanket to put it over Doraemon’s head. The girl was in some sort of nightmarish fever, her body reconstructing itself and the old lady had no idea whether that process was going well or not. Nevertheless, she still tried to be here anyway.

Meanwhile, Doraemon seemed to have calmed down, the nightmare was over. Mara couldn’t help but wonder what kind of life the ‘girl’ had led, that was if she was just a ‘young girl’ at all. The amount of augmentations on her body was staggering, even her entire skin was artificial. Back in her work, the term ‘super soldier’ was thrown around a lot, augmented by drugs or cybernetic. While the latter saw little to no progress, it was still entertained. But even the most maniacal general couldn’t imagine this level of modifications. No that was what the public did best, fantasizing.

But in the far-flung future, was this kind of augmentation normal?

“Ha, I just remember something” Mara said to the unconscious girl “I once asked Eikichi about where the name Doraemon comes from. He told me it was a comic character, a futuristic robot cat sent by a boy to help his good for nothing ancestor using a bunch of gadgets”

The old lady paused for a bit then looked at the girl “You also come from the future, at least for me. You also have so many gadgets that I can’t comprehend. Actually, I can’t even understand how you could fit them in that hoodie of your. Thinking about that name, I can’t help but feel like you were sent here for something… maybe for me. Did you know, I once study to be a nurse but I actually have only taken care of one sick person”

It was during a holiday. A young farm boy had fallen ill and the doctor wasn’t there to treat him. And so, they called up the young Mara Singer. The patient was Gabriel Dernado, who would then one day become her husband.

“But that was it, after then I never tend to anyone anymore. I was always too busy with life, with work, with my own personal issues. I was never there for my families, those who I deemed precious and before I knew it, I was all alone”

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The young Lucy and Gabriel Jr grew up, only knowing the warm hands of their father. It was their father who sang their lullaby, it was their father who nursed them when they were ill, it was their father who cook for them, it was their father who took them to school. Yes it was their father, Gabriel Senior, it was him and him alone.

“I can’t help but feel like you were sent here for me. Taking care of you like this, no, to take care of someone, I never knew how much I wanted it. You know, I was always sceptical. With all these modifications, who can tell whether you are an old geezer or not. But the way you threw your tantrum, the way you snapped at others, the way you tried to distance yourself. I can’t help but see you as just a teenager, a lost child. Oh my, I sure say ‘I can’t help it’ a lot do I… But what do I know, I have never seen a struggling kid before, I never cared enough to look”

Mara caressed the young girl hair, her face filled with sadness. But it was not out of her own past, but of her current situation, of the person she had become.

“I am such a horrible person. Here I am, using you for my own personal fantasy”

The old lady stood up and went into the washroom for a bit, leaving Doraemon behinds. The girl peaked around the room. There they were, her gears on that table over there. At least she now knew where they are, that was one less thing to worry about.

Of course, there was nothing stopping the girl from just getting up. There was nothing chaining her down to this bed. The girl thought to herself.

That old woman, she was deathly sharp but sure rambled a lot. What kind of idiot spewed all of their life to a complete stranger like this. But here Doraemon was, still lying here. Then there was her fantasy, so this was what old people are like. So pathetic, and yet, the girl didn’t mind, indulging in that fantasy for just a bit more.

Doing nothing was making Doraemon tired again, maybe she would sleep again. It was not like anything will happen.

By the time Mara returned, the old lady was delighted to see the girl so soundly asleep. Maybe her story was too boring. But now was the perfect time to finish up her business. That body under Doraemon bed wasn’t going to dispose itself.

What was inside? Oh it was a Fallen unarmed spy unit. Why did one venture all the way in here for Doraemon the old lady had no idea. But it was too much of a risk, letting a stealthy unit like that ran amok.

With a shiv to the neck, the thing said goodbye to its life without even seeing anything, hearing anything or feeling anything.

That was the easy part, cleaning up was the problem. But Mara Singer was also an expert cleaner. The woman took another gaze at the now sleeping girl. Under her breaths, the old lady whispered softly.

“Don’t worry you from the future, this old bone can take care of herself. Not just that, I will also try my best to look out for you, for all of you”

And that she had already, with the way Mara ‘Hela’ Singer knew best.