A Drop of Life

[Chaukai]

A/N: Hello Sirs and Ladysirs of the current time. This is an essay I had to write for English, but it was an idea swimming in my head for a while. Just a short story. How do you think it is?

The cold bitter night had taken everyone by surprise. The sound of the first raindrops hitting the cold white pavement was the ringing reminder for everyone to dig into their backpacks, their purses, and for some, their tents, for an umbrella, to protect them from the impending shower. Normally, pitched tents in Downtown Avaris drew eyes of curiosity and discomfort, but tonight there was an air of acceptance and excitement as everyone stood in a line, a long line that wrapped around an enormous stadium. Of course, the concert would not be for another hour or so, even though the tents that were pitched at the beginning of the line showed the wear and tear of several days. An enormous holographic screen illuminated the tents, and showed just how vast the line was.

Silver-white hair covered the screen, flowing in what was probably an artificial wind. A light skinned girl, seemingly around 18, seemed to stare through the screen out into the city of Avaris. Small words flashed at the bottom of the screen, “RIA, ARTIFICIAL DIVA, AT AVARIS STADIUM FOR ONE NIGHT!”

“It’s almost amusing.” A man drew the curtains from the window he had been glancing through. The room he stood in overlooked the entire line in front of the stadium, perched at the very top of the seats for the best view of any concert. The man laughed aloud in the room. “All of them here to see the masterpiece! The greatest invention ever made!” He stomped his foot on the ground once, and made a heroic pose. “A robotic diva! In a world of humanity, science is what will ultimately win!” He stomped the ground again and laughed in an almost maniacal fashion.

“It’s a wonder why they do not say who created this technology.” An airy voice caught the man’s attention. Ria stood behind the man, her long silver hair almost touching the ground. To anyone, she would seem human, an extraordinarily beauteous woman, albeit, but nothing extremely out of the ordinary. Ria gave a thin smile as she approached the man. “Oh wait, you decided not to yourself, didn’t you, Ark?”

Ark feigned a scoff, looking back at the line of people that were starting to get excited. The rain was still only a light drizzle, allowing Ark to see some of the faces of anticipation that reflected the light from the hologram board.

“True science does not need the reward, only the results, for that, dear Ria, is the greatest reward of the scientist.”

Ria smiled and shook her head in a mock disbelief. “Is what you say not contradictory?” She walked besides Ark and gazed out the window, her eyes examining the clouds that gave way to the water they held. They stood in silence for a few minutes until Ria broke it. “Why do humans correlate rain with sadness?”

Ark looked at Ria in surprise. The curious eyes of Ria sunk deep into him, and he thought for a moment. ‘The sentient mind is the greatest, especially for a robot.’ He nodded in approval, giving Ria no time to react as he suddenly grabbed the window door and yanked it open. The curtains billowed in the wind that forced itself into the room, the light rain hitting the walls and floor of the room. Ria stood still with no outwards reaction, the wind only moving her smooth curtain of hair. Ark leaned forward, taking a deep breath and yelling out into the night sky. The incoherent scream grabbed the attention of all the people who stood in front of the stadium, giving tens of confused looks at Ark.

Out of breath, he slipped back into the room, closing the window and heaving a sigh with a smile.

“Why do humans do such impulsive things? A scream for us is thought to be something of the sorts that helps release our stress, anger, whatever we may be holding inside. We would like to think that there’s something in the world that can reflect how we feel, who we are. For most people, the rain is that definition of the reflection of sadness. How it got chosen to mean such, I do not know. I personally enjoy the rain.”

Ria looked at him with interest. Ark approved of the look. “Excellent! As if you were a human!”

“If I could reincarnate, I would love to be the rain.” Ark openly expressed his surprise, pausing for a moment to take in what Ria had said. “Hmm? Something wrong?”

“It’s an interesting thought to have.”

“I’ve heard that humans think of these sort of scenarios. Am I wrong?”

Ark scratched his chin in thought, sitting on one of the two chairs that was in the room. The chairs faced towards the concert within the stadium, with a large window in order to view it. “Why do you want to be rain?”

It was Ria’s turn to pause for a moment to think. “Well, perhaps the chance to just feel that free motion. Yes? Is that a valid answer?” She looked at Ark, who was deep in thought.

“Yes… Ria.” He stood and grabbed Ria by the shoulders. He found that the eyes which he had looked into, that he had created, were changing into something greater. The clear blue eyes that he first saw open, now had the complexities, the understanding of everything that he wanted. “For you. To want to be free. That is perhaps the best answer you could give.”

Ria tilted her head in confusion. “You’re acting quite different than usual.” Ark shook his head and let go of her. At that moment there was a knock on the door.

“Excuse me.” A woman popped her head in and saw the two. “Ten minutes until we start letting people in. We need Ria for a last minute check-up.” Ria looked at Ark, who nodded his consent. Without another glance, she followed the woman out the door.

Ark stood watching the closed door for a few minutes, then smiled and shook his head. “So I have created something, to express my devotion, to the world. What now?” He left the room which stood at the top of the stadium. There was no use in being in the room anymore. Ark had no intentions of staying for the concert. He never did, but he didn’t expect to feel bittersweet.

Almost absentmindedly, he found himself near the prep room for Ria. The door was already ajar, so a simple glance into the room was all that Ark needed to cure his boredom.

Ria didn’t see him, as her back was to the door. She was in her concert outfit, her hair tied up into a pony tail to give her a peppy look. She seemed almost bored of everything, as her make-up artist tried to improve her flawless skin. Ria’s eyes stared at a water bottle with boredom, but she suddenly sat straight up and turned around to look at the door.

“What is it, Ria?” the make-up artist had given up trying to do anything and simply decided to adjust the hems of her outfit.

“No… It’s nothing… I thought there was someone outside the door…” Ria’s eyes went back to the bored stare that they were previously in.

Ark had walked out of the back entrance of the building. The bittersweet feeling turning bitterer by the second.
“Perhaps it’s better, that you are made for the world, and not for me.” Ark looked up towards the rain. The rain was now pouring, but Ark didn’t care. He walked through the streets with an accepting smile on his face.

The thunder rumbled, and a flash of lightning was seen, by all except those in the stadium, who cheered for their idol.