IN A DIFFERENT TIMELINE
"Sir, I've recieved a news. Cyclops lost her." A booming voice announced. His voice echoes throughout the facility with advanced equipments decorated every nook and corner of. However, the interiors were dark and dim lights barely even lighten up the place. The room itself was big and wide in the shape of a dome. Unknown why, but the building itself generated a disturbing aura. As if every stain and rust has some origin with thousand stories to tell. Advanced but old, that's how you could describe the place.
No reply came though. Room fell silent and not even a sound of air can be heard, except for the slow and strained sounds of dials and gears. The man' confidence and cool can be scaled by the look on his face and he's definitely ain't smiling or have the looks of confidence. He's froze in panic and sweat forms on his forehead. He's scared shitless. Scared of the only person present in the room other than him.
The man stared at a short figure on a computer chair looking at one of the monitor and had their back on the man. But still the man is afraid of this person.
For a minute, he got no answer. No commands. No shouting. Just silence. Silence here is just a calm before the storm. The knows that. Suddenly the man heard a sigh, which clearly indicates the irritation of the figure.
"Oh, Tan." A young male voice called his name in a very slow but chilling voice. The man gulped nervously.
"Y...yes boss." He answered.
"Am I missing something? Why did the Cyclops failed?" The figure demanded an answer.
"Umm....I....we..."
"Just, try it one more time. Why is the Cyclops failed?" The young voice asked again. His tone dripping with venom and fury.
The man knew, if he stuttered or tell the wrong thing, he's dead. "Boss, Yesterday, Gara was on mission. She did the check on Cyclops." The man replied.
"Oh, is that so? Gara is the one to blame?" The voice asked in more lowered voice.
The man nodded. "Y.yes boss. She did it."
There was a silence followed by an unamused chuckle, scaring the man even more. "I wanna know it, Tan. Why did she did it?"
The man searched for an answer but he couldn't find a solid answer. "I..she was at the Chamber at that time. I think that's why she did it." He answered.
"Oh I asked you, why SHE did it. I remember someone else is in charge of the Chamber? Who are they?" The voice demands an answer.
The man was terrified now. Maybe today he'll die. "I..I am." He answered.
"Oh, you are, huh?" The figure laughed darkly and stopped soon after. "Then why DID SHE DID IT?" The figure screamed in pure rage standing up from his seat. Because of the computer lightning behind the figure, you could only see his silhouette.
The man flinched, but couldn't say anything. "S..sir...I..was busy with the time tunnels. Had to scare-" the man got cut off as the figure' eyes glowed crimson red. Two glowing eyes on a dark silhouette clearly resembles the form the devil himself.
"EXCUSES. ALL FUCKING BULLSHIT. THE CYCLOPS FAILED BECAUSE OF YOU DAMMIT." The figure' loud terrifying voice screamed in pure anger and the whole building seemed vibrating as his voice echoes. The man fell backwards as the fear overwhelmed him.
"..Boss... I'm.... I'll come up with a solution. But I'm sure... I'm sure Luna is no more. I'm searching still." The man fumbled with words.
"SILENCE." The figure roared and something shaped like a ring glowed on top of his head. "You're still breathing, because I don't feel like searching for another fool like you. But I won't be carrying the same mindset everytime. You're dead the next minute you screw up." The figure said and sat back on his chair, except this time looking at the man.
"Y..yes I understand. I'll make up for my faults." The man said.
"Oh you will. Nobody likes to be accused of something they didn't done. So I'm sure Gara wants the same. How about she boss you around from now on?" The figure spoke.
The man' eyes widened in realisation. "N..No boss. That girl is so young for that much of responsibilities. I-"
"She achieved by far the best records under my wing. You're the parasite, stealing all the credits. I know what you're doing. And you'll call me master. Gara calls me boss." The figure ordered. The man knows better than to argue.
"Yes, master Gen." The man said in defeated tone. "I understand."
"But your duty of finding that girl still is your main priority. Don't forget what I said. I'm watching you. Every single one of you. One suspicious move and I'll leave you for good." The figure said. But his way of 'leaving' isn't something pleasent. He leaves them to rot.
"Hand over Cyclops to Gara and wait for her orders at cellars. Don't show your face until you got something good for me." Gen Ordered.
"Yes, master Gen." Tan replied in disappointment and anger.
"If she survived, I'll be the first to end her. Hope you live to see her die." The figure said, scaring the man even more. That line made him lose hope. Gen will kill him. One way or another.
BACK TO THE PLAYGROUND
"HEY GUYS. WE'RE HERE." They heard Suneo shout. All they could do was just to wave back. Gian and Suneo missed everything. A frozen statue like Nobita. Concerned Dekisuki and Shizuka. Confused and mad Yumi. What happened with Nobita really let them speechless.
"Hey, gotta something to tell you." Gian announced.
"Yeah, it's-" Suneo got cut off as he finally noticed something was off. "Mm.... okay we've missed things. What happened?" He asked.
Gian noticed it as well. "What's wrong? Did those University guys messed with you again?" He wondered.
Shizuka and Dekisuki looks at one another, not knowing what to say.
"Me. That's what happened." Nobita replied out of nowhere. His voice were void of any feelings. Cold as a rock as he is.
Gian and Suneo heard it just like Shizuka Dekisuki and Yumi. They looked at him. Nobita wasn't staring at anything perticular. His eyes are lost and empty, as if the guilt of his actions ruining him.
"I shouted. I apologized the worst way possible. And prove it that I can hurt anyone. I'm a freak." Nobita said. His long broken self got shattered again, never to be fixed again.
His friends' eyes widened when heard what he said. "Nobita, Don't hurt yourself like this, please. You're not a freak. You're our friend." Shizuka replied quickly and crouched in front of him.
"A friend who directs his anger on his friends, cannot be considered as a friend. Can't you see? I don't know how to be that Nobita you guys knew or wanted. I am just a dick now. I think of people really wrong ways. I hurt them. And I don't even apologize. I pick up fights. I don't know what I have become." He said.
They had pity in their eyes as he spoke. His mental condition is worse than they thought. His voice proves how much soulless he is now. He's tough, brutal and aggressive as an exterior. Inside, he's no longer him anymore. They can't blame him. Nobita tried. He still trying. They know if he wasn't trying, he would have ended his pain long ago. Losing Doraemon. Then separating from them. They forgot that they have one another, while Nobita was all alone.
Before anyone knows it, Gian grabbed Nobita by his collar and dragged him back to his feet. "Oh shut up will ya. You know, I only care about those who I like punching a lot." He started and looks at Nobita who stared wide eyed at Nobita. "If you give up like this, I'll show you how much I care about you. I'll kick your ass until you cry like it used to be." Gian said.
"Gian, stop it man." Suneo said and tried to loosen up Gian' grip on Nobita' collar.
"I don't care what you think. But if you ever utter a negative word about yourself, be my guest. I'm always free for a friendly beating." Gian finished and let go of Nobita.
For anyone else, it wouldn't have worked. But Nobita understood. He sighed and looks at all of them, Including Yumi. "You know the way Gian." Nobita said clearing up everyone's mood. "I think I have to work on the way I think. I think."
"No matter what. We're here for you Nobita." Dekisuki said and others nodded.
"Yeah yeah." Yumi said. It's kind of her way to agree with something.
Others looks at her stunned but decided to not question her.
"But there's something else." Suneo spoke.
Everyone looks at him. "What?" Dekisuki asked.
"My father said something about a similar occurance at the east side of Tokyo. He heard people saying, they heard a feint explosion nearby a mountain. And I know that place. People used to go hiking there but now's not the season." He said.
Nobita looks at him and Suneo saw that look. "And obviously we're going. No hurt going hiking at a wrong time right? Papa gave a thumbs up already. What you guys think?" He asked already knowing the answer.
They looks at Nobita who already hid his vulnerable state and nodded. He wanna know something. And he will find out what's going on.
"We're in." They said.