Chapter Text
Pitts and Meeks were looking straight at their shoes. It was especially hard to focus when the piercing gaze of Mr Nolan seemed to burn through them.
“Gentlemen, why must it be addressed again ?”
There was a huge sound and Radio Free America came from Pitts’ pocket.
Meeks swallowed hard, Pitts tried desperately to turn off the sound of his pocket radio. Mr Nolan pinched the bridge of his nose, exasperated. The music kept on for a while. Pitts’ trembling hands only worsened the situation and turned the volume even louder. After a little fidgeting, silence filled the office.
“You guys… nevermind.”
Mr Nolan sat. His head hurt. His back hurt. He felt a deep sorrow thinking about how he could’ve became a renowned doctor or scientist but had to deal with dumb student’s bullshit. He sighed. Ever since Neil slapped his father in the face and refused to follow the way society wanted him to, a huge wave of rebellion emerged and Welton Academy became very chaotic. Charlie Dalton edited a decree saying that girls should be allowed at Welton and with much pressure from the whole students, threatening to slap his face too, Mr Nolan could only surrender. Even his calmest students began to flip, such as Mrs Meeks, Stick, Pitts and Anderson who kept on causing trouble, to the delight of Mr Dalton, finally living his best troublemaker life. This time, Meeks and Pitts had tried to illegally install many small radios across the entire campus. Unfortunately, it seemed, they had trouble with the sound and nearly made deaf an entire class of first years with Radio Free America . Mr Nolan would’ve never ever suspected them if their dumb asses didn’t write their names in the corner of each radio with a copyright infrigement mark.
“I know these days are a little… how to phrase it… special with the unusual freedom we gave you but there are limits.”
Meeks gulped. Don’t expel me. Don’t expel me. Don’t expel me.
“I know this was a one time thing and I trust you won’t try to experiment such a thing ever again, am I right gentlemen?”
He marked a pause. Pitts and Meeks vigorously shook their heads.
“Good. Now, I believe I still should punish you. You have no rights to experiment with the electronics at this school until next month. And if it ever happens again, you know that your punishment will be consequential.”
Once again, Pitts and Meeks shook their heads as if they were at a metal festival.
Silence filled the room.
“What are you waiting for? Get out of my sight and go study.”
“Yes sir” whispered Meeks, almost jumping out of his chair.
***
“Are you out of your mind, Pittsie?! You want us to go against what Mr Nolan just said.”
Meeks wore a desperate face while his friends’ lit up. They were walking along the corridor that separated Mr Nolan’s office from the dormitories.
“Why not? We’ve nearly finished our prototype !”
“Pitts, not this prototype, now, you know I love our soon-to-be son dearly but Mr Nolan will definitely notice it ! It’s not like it’s a radio; it’s HUGE.”
“Well, technically, he talked about electronics at school, not out of it.”
“That’s- that’s actually right, you got a plan don’t you..?”
“Yeah, I think I do.. but we’re going to need some help..”
***
A little further from there, a blonde girl attempted to carry a bunch of heavy boxes into her dorm. She was struggling a little but the reminder of her tease of a friend saying she couldn’t carry them on her own gave her strength. This was the final box, the ultimate one. Only a little further and she could brag-
KABOOM
The box slipped off her hands and she sighed deeply. Welp, no bragging this time. But her friend wasn’t there and she didn’t have to know everything, did she? Rako took the box again and carried it rapidly inside of her dorm. There was waiting her weirdo of a friend, proudly sitting and mistreating Rako’s Dobby doll.
“The boxes fell didn’t they?”
Rako groaned.
“Only one of them.”
“Jesus Christ, did you carry it with your forehead?” said her friend in an excited tone.
Rako grinned. It was well known that she had an exceptionally muscular neck that helped her win many foreheads fights and with it many medals. She also gave many bruises to her friend, Antuna, who was very persistent and desperate to win at least a fight.
“I’m no cheater, I did it with my exceptional biceps.”
She showed off her arms. Antuna looked her up and down then smiled.
“Wanna do some arm wrestling”
“No thanks” Rako responded somewhat bitterly.
All of her strength muscles were concentrated on her neck, forehead and pinky fingers. And even if she could annihilate anyone with a headbutt, she couldn’t win at arm wrestling. But it was quite satisfactory to watch Antuna’s sulky pout when she lost their forehead fights so she kept in mind her teasing to get back at her later on. But right now, she felt rather nervous. Both of them were the first girls to ever attend Welton Academy : a private school for elite boys. And they knew no one there. Which was rather frightening.
“Wooh.. what are these lovely faces?”
Rako suddenly turned around, an average-height boy stood up by the doorframe with his lips wrapped in a cunning smirk.
“The name’s Charlie. Charlie Dalton.”
“I’m Rako Pêchier. Pleasure to meet you.” she spoke in a voice that was meant to be natural.
Rako wasn’t actually sure if he was trying to flirt with them or just being polite so she reluctantly shook the hand he extended. He then turned towards her friend.
“And who must you be, uh?”
Antuna tilted her head to the side and extended a hand as well.
“Antuna Spaghetti. Nice to meet you, Charlie.”
“So, what made you guys come to Hellton? Not that I complain. Too much testosterones over here.”
He chased invisible flies with his hands. Rako was going to answer when a guy suddenly appeared near their door. He spoke in a soft yet quick voice.
“Charlie, where have you been, Meeks and I have been searching for-”
Pitts stopped for a while, staring inside the dormitories and suddenly losing his speech.
“Ah, ladies, this is Gerard Pitts, we all call him Pitts though. Come on Pittsie boy, greet them, don’t just stand here and do nothing.”
Apologetically and with an excited grin, Pitts shook the ladies’ hands.
“So, what got you so excited, uh?” Charlie asked with yet another grin.
“Meeks and I got suspended from messing around with the school electronics.”
“You guys did what?! That’s awesome actually. It’s ‘cause of the big ruckus in the first years’ class, isn’t it?”
Antuna grinned, he who had kept a low voice perhaps to appear more of a seducer, suddenly spoke in a somewhat high-pitched voice of excitement. Rako was standing there trying to include herself in the conversation but way too mesmerized by Pitts.
“Yeah, it was. But we need to keep working with the electronics. We’ve got a big project to conclude and-”
“Then what’s stopping you?”
Pitts looked confused.
“Well, Mr Nolan..”
“Hey, then meet my good friend…”
He brought his face close to Pitts’ ears and whispered.
“...Discretion” then he said louder “That’s right, my friend, you need to be stealthy.”
He tapped his shoulder.
“But what if we get caught, Charlie?”
“What if you don’t?”
Charlie had a smug smile. Rako cleared her throat.
“Well uh, if you’re done with the introductions, do you want to help us unpack..?”
***
“You guys are ridiculous.” a red-haired boy muttered, exposing a disgusted face.
His roommate had left Cameron in charge of the two boys while he took a shower.
Pitts and Meeks were hiding under a pillow fort made with the mattress of Charlie and a few pillows they took back from their rooms. Meeks was sweating heavily, his hands trembling as he put together the last parts of his project with a screwdriver.
“Finally…” Pitts said, his eyes shining.
“Gentlemen, what do you think you’re doing” said a low and strict voice.
Meeks jumped out of the fort, as pale as snow, Pitts pushed the mass of machinery under the bed and stood so straight he almost broke his neck. Cameron started to stutter severely on his words, snitching out both his friends. But there was no Mr Nolan by the door.
“Jeez guys, what made you so tense?”
Of course, it was Charlie who striked once again.
"What do you think Charlie, our plan used to be based on the fact that it is not allowed at school but outside; and your dorm is NOT outside."
"No way I’d let you do that, it's funnier to give you ‘Mr Nolan scares’."
“Not to me..” whispered Meeks, all red.
“Anyways, I asked the newcomers if they wanted to be part of our study group and-”
“You did WHAT?!” said Cameron, gritting his teeth.
“Have you got a problem with it? They seem to be working hard enough for you, no worries.”
“Well I still remember last year’s accident in the cave when you brought Gorilla and Whatever-her-name-was.”
“Hey! Respect the poor Godzilla and uhh… Nevermind that. Anyways, it’s too late now, they’ve already agreed. Too bad for you. Or.. can it be that.. you’re afraid of girls .”
Camron’s face flushed.
“No way.” he said.
His pastrami-coloured face said otherwise.
Suddenly, there was movement under Charlie’s bed.
Pitts gasped, his eyes full of hope. Meeks made a high pitched sound.
Here it was… the final project of the boys.. The ultimate…
“NAKO !” cried a robotic voice.
“IT’S ALIVE, MEEKS, WE DID IT !”
Meeks was shaking yet his face was all lit up. There he was, their son, Nako.
Meeks grabbed it.
Nako was unhappy. Very unhappy. He punched Meeks with his little steel tentacles and ran away with his tiny legs.
“NAKO !” Pitts cried, full of sorrow.
But Nako was a free elf. Nako was the supreme being of the universe. So Nako didn’t listen to his creator and ran away.
“What the hell was that?!” said Cameron.
But everyone knew it was Nako.
***
Nako started to roam around the corridors. He heard muffled cries far away from where he was standing but he didn't care. He was a traveler and travelers travel the world. He decided to take a little walk in this place where he was born. This place wasn't as luxurious as he hoped it to be but he guessed he could manage it. The corridors were mostly empty. It was night time and Nako really wanted to take a nap. But no. He had to go on. To make memories to tell his future children. To gain knowledge to take over the world. Nako used his third sense. He used his magical smell. And he discovered a new odor. He ran, faster than a thunderbolt. It was a sweet scent, soft, flowery, one he never ever smelled before. He was approaching. It was hot. Burning hot. Scorching his smelling hole and all his tiny robot body was in a trance. He opened a door… And there stood Todd Anderson. He was holding a peach, almost biting it. It was his favorite fruit of all times. When he saw a little robot staring at him with a killer gaze, he almost dropped it.
Nako approached one of his tentacles.
"Nako…" he whispered, his goggly eyes staring with deep admiration at the fruit Todd was holding.
"H-hello?" stuttered the boy.
He had become much less nervous during the past year but the uncanny sight of this unknown creature managed to frighten him.
Nako made a weird sound, he closed his eyes, holding out his arms.
"Y-you want my peach?"
Todd was trembling. He was not nervous around his friends anymore but strangers still made him feel uneasy. He approached the peach closer to Nako's hands.
"Peach !" Nako said in a squeaky tone.
"P-Peach…"
Todd approached and then..
POWWWWWW
Neil's poetry book on the floor made him trip.
KABOOM KABOOM
He fell on his back and threw the peach that directly fell with a loud BANG on Nako's head.
…
Nako was hurt. He started to squirm. Then he sobbed and cried. His loud yawps of sorrow were getting louder and louder. Then, Nako took the peach. And Nako threw the peach at Todd.
Todd had yet to discover the meaning of this thrown peach that gave him a huge bruise. But to Nako, everything was done on purpose and he would get his revenge. Everyday. Everytime if possible. But first, he had to leave for a lengthy mission.
***
“Have you seen a teeny tiny robot running there?”
It had been a whole hour since Nako disappeared and Pitts was frantically searching for the little robot while Meeks stood knelt in a corner, rocking his body back and forth.
“Nako’s gone. We’re doomed.”
“Can you guys shut it? It’s almost midnight.” groaned a tired Cameron.
It was his last year, finally. But even this year, which was the most challenging one, had to be filled with bullshit. He had a tight night routine which didn’t include the two panicked boys and the search for a weird steel machine.
“How can you be so insensitive to our son?!”
Meeks was bawling his eyes out, now.
Suddenly, someone appeared at the door. It was a handsome man with cheekbones as sharp as tiger’s teeth.
“Guys, Todd just told me a robot assaulted him. And the only two that knows how to make a robot are you two ! What happened?”
Meeks stopped crying and Pitts and him looked at each other.
“Well, shit.”