( complete ) my heart my pain won't cover up
WHO: Winry Rockbell and Zero.
WHAT: A mechanic loses her robot friend.
WHERE: Somewhere in the housing district.
WHEN: Day ???
It was no secret that Winry was quite fond of Zero. The mechanic in her loved to tinker with him, fix him up when needed, and update what she could even when he didn't need it. And she certainly hadn't forgotten how helpful the robot was when she was trying to get her toaster to work! But even so, besides his being a robot, Winry had found a close friend in him.
She still laughed a little when she remembered the look on his face as he told her she was essentially charging a toaster with his heart, and she still remembered the Christmas presents and celebration.
But unbeknown to her, those memories would very soon be all she had left of Zero.
"Woof! Woof!"
Laughing softly, Winry looked down at her faithful dog when he barked for her attention. "Yes, Den, we'll be there soon." The blond mechanic answered as if she knew the dog was tired of walking. Which he probably was, the lazy thing. They were headed over to where Zero lived for a surprise visit -- Winry had some new toys to test out on him! And she would do so with many of the tools Zero had gotten her for Christmas. She simply loved using them.
Den barked once more, jogged a little to catch up to his master, and resumed a normal pace as Winry cheerfully made her way through the housing district.
A few more minutes passed, and suddenly the teenager noticed something shining in the sun as she walked. Something familiar. There were overgrown bushes blocking a lot of her view (how typical), but something just didn't feel quite right. She could see something mechanical poking out and while she knew better than anyone that mechanical things could stay completely still if they so desired (or if they weren't even programmed to move), but curiosity got the better of her -- Winry altered her course and moved towards it.
Closer. Closer. It took shape, form.
"...Z-Zero?"
Mere inches away, and she knew it was him. But why was he just lying there...? She knelt down beside him, placing her toolbox on the ground, and reached out to touch him.
"Hey, Zero. What are you doing...?" His back was facing her, so she rolled him over so she could see his face.
Her heart lurched when she did.
"Zero!" Something was wrong. He appeared to be turned off or something, but there was a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Her skillful hands went to the places she knew, trying to revive the robot, trying to get him to work. "No, no, calm down Winry, just... just... you can fix him!"
In a flash, her toolbox was open and her tools were being put to use taking apart what she could, working at what she could, trying desperately to wake him up.
However the deeper she looked and the harder she tried, the more Winry understood there was little chance of fixing this problem. His fusion core wasn't working. That couldn't be fixed -- no, no, no, she couldn't give up! She was the best mechanic in town! Tears were beginning to swell up in her eyes, and she immediately wiped them away. She had to see what she was doing. Her hands had to stop shaking so she could salvage this robot, her friend. "Hold on, Zero! I'll fix this, I promise! I... I promise you, Zero!"
Almost half an hour, her tools were abandoned, each and every one scattered across the ground. Her toolbox was completely empty, her glossy eyes stung. "Zero..." Her face was buried into the cold metal of his chest, her tears silently sliding across the surface.
She had failed.
WHAT: A mechanic loses her robot friend.
WHERE: Somewhere in the housing district.
WHEN: Day ???
It was no secret that Winry was quite fond of Zero. The mechanic in her loved to tinker with him, fix him up when needed, and update what she could even when he didn't need it. And she certainly hadn't forgotten how helpful the robot was when she was trying to get her toaster to work! But even so, besides his being a robot, Winry had found a close friend in him.
She still laughed a little when she remembered the look on his face as he told her she was essentially charging a toaster with his heart, and she still remembered the Christmas presents and celebration.
But unbeknown to her, those memories would very soon be all she had left of Zero.
"Woof! Woof!"
Laughing softly, Winry looked down at her faithful dog when he barked for her attention. "Yes, Den, we'll be there soon." The blond mechanic answered as if she knew the dog was tired of walking. Which he probably was, the lazy thing. They were headed over to where Zero lived for a surprise visit -- Winry had some new toys to test out on him! And she would do so with many of the tools Zero had gotten her for Christmas. She simply loved using them.
Den barked once more, jogged a little to catch up to his master, and resumed a normal pace as Winry cheerfully made her way through the housing district.
A few more minutes passed, and suddenly the teenager noticed something shining in the sun as she walked. Something familiar. There were overgrown bushes blocking a lot of her view (how typical), but something just didn't feel quite right. She could see something mechanical poking out and while she knew better than anyone that mechanical things could stay completely still if they so desired (or if they weren't even programmed to move), but curiosity got the better of her -- Winry altered her course and moved towards it.
Closer. Closer. It took shape, form.
"...Z-Zero?"
Mere inches away, and she knew it was him. But why was he just lying there...? She knelt down beside him, placing her toolbox on the ground, and reached out to touch him.
"Hey, Zero. What are you doing...?" His back was facing her, so she rolled him over so she could see his face.
Her heart lurched when she did.
"Zero!" Something was wrong. He appeared to be turned off or something, but there was a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Her skillful hands went to the places she knew, trying to revive the robot, trying to get him to work. "No, no, calm down Winry, just... just... you can fix him!"
In a flash, her toolbox was open and her tools were being put to use taking apart what she could, working at what she could, trying desperately to wake him up.
However the deeper she looked and the harder she tried, the more Winry understood there was little chance of fixing this problem. His fusion core wasn't working. That couldn't be fixed -- no, no, no, she couldn't give up! She was the best mechanic in town! Tears were beginning to swell up in her eyes, and she immediately wiped them away. She had to see what she was doing. Her hands had to stop shaking so she could salvage this robot, her friend. "Hold on, Zero! I'll fix this, I promise! I... I promise you, Zero!"
Almost half an hour, her tools were abandoned, each and every one scattered across the ground. Her toolbox was completely empty, her glossy eyes stung. "Zero..." Her face was buried into the cold metal of his chest, her tears silently sliding across the surface.
She had failed.