Android (Chapter 3)

"Wake up, Earwig." I said.
Emmet's eyes fluttered open, "What are you doing in here, Tails?" He sat up and yawned. I sat on his bed, "I'm going to visit Anara today."
"The robot? What a surprise." Emmet yawned.
"And you're coming with me." I said.
Emmet's eyes flew open, "What? Why?"
I grinned, "You're not scared, are you, Earwig?"
Emmet shook his head, standing up. "Stop calling me that."
"Never. Come on, Earwig, get dressed. We're going." I said.
"Without breakfast?"
I snorted, "You sound like Thomas. 'To bed without supper? But all I did was throw Katie's teddy bear into the pot of beef stew.'"
Emmet laughed, pulling on his dull brown sweater, "Good 'ol Thomas. Leave it to the little kids to say things like that."
"So, what do you say?" I said excitedly, "Will you come?"
Emmet sighed, "Aw, Tails. Why do you have to pick the things that could get you killed to be interested in?"
"No, no. Anara is nice!" I said, "And what about Jesus? He sacrificed his life for those people."
Emmet raised an eyebrow at me, "Seriously, Tails? Are you seriously using that as your excuse?"
"It's a good one, isn't it?"
Emmet sighed, "Fine, Tails, I'll do it. But if I die, your name is going to be floating all around the funeral parlor and you'll start crying and say 'Oh Emmet! I'm so sorry I ever called you Earwig! I should never have made you go into that house!'"
I stuck my tongue out at Emmet like the little kids do. "Yeah, right! You're such a baby, Earwig."
"Am not!" He exclaimed.
I snorted, "Come on." I grabbed his hand and we quietly hurried down the stairs and out the door.

We arrived at the old abandoned house, where I pushed open the creaking wooden door in the floor of the attic. Emmet stood at the bottom of the ladder.
I motioned for him to come up, "Come on, Earwig."
Emmet twisted his shirt in his hands, like he does when he's nervous. "I-I don't know, should we really be doing this?"
I laughed, "'There's a dog loose in the wood! There's a dog loose in the wood! You sound like that rabbit from Watership Down."
Emmet's face flushed a little and he didn't say anything. I grabbed his hand, "Come on, Earwig."
Reluctantly, Emmet let me pull him up the ladder after me.
I stuck my head through the attic door and climbed up, holding my hand out to Emmet.
He scoffed, "I can get up myself."
I nodded, "Sure you can."
Emmet scrambled for a second, but managed to get up the ladder and into the attic. He glanced around the room and stood up next to me, staying close. I raised an eyebrow at him and he stepped back.
"Anara?" I said gently, more to the room then anywhere in particular. There was a still silence and Emmet whimpered quietly. A bit embarrassed, he took a step away from me.... farther behind me. What a wimp.
I heard Emmet gasp in horror as Anara's form slowly rose up from behind a pile of boxes and torn up furniture and I grinned to myself. I could hear his breath short out from behind me as Anara crept slowly toward us, appearing as only a silhouette.
I knew the last thing Emmet would want to do is chicken out in front of me, but I could tell that he was scared out of his mind.
"Don't be so tense," I whispered to him, "You'll make her nervous."
"I'll make her nervous?" Emmet hissed, "You've got to be joking."
I shushed him and slowly walked forward, "Hello, Anara."
Anara's eyes twinkled and she smiled a pretty smile at me. Tails.... Her voice echoed through my head.
I nodded, replying sweetly, "Yeah. It's me."
Tails came back for Anara.... Anara's smile lit up her face. She noticed Emmet and a look of fear covered her face. Her eyes flashed and she took a step back, but I put my arm on her shoulder, "It's alright, Anara. He's a friend. This is Emmet."
Emmet stared at Anara in terror, his face white as a sheet. I nodded and said gently, "It's okay, Emmet. She's nice."
Anara's eyes glimmered and flashed. Emmmmmmeett..... She repeated, Emmmet....
I could practically hear Emmet's heart pounding in fear. I put on hand on his shoulder and the other on Anara's. I wouldn't usually put my hand on Emmet's shoulder, but it would be easier to catch him if he passed out.
"She's nice...." I said again, "See?"
I gently guided Emmet's hand to meet Anara's. Emmet held his breath, not taking his eyes off of Anara.
Anara's eyes twinkled and a sweet smile spread across her face. Emmet.... She cooed, Hello.... Emmmmet.
Emmet blinked and he cocked his head to the side, "C-can she talk?"
I furrowed my brow, "What do you mean? She's been talking this whole time. Er, not really talking... She talks inside your head."
Emmet stared at me like I was crazy and said, "All I hear is buzzing."
"Buzzing?" I said, completely confused.
"Well, more of a humming." Emmet said, looking back at Anara, who stared curiously at him. Was I the only one who could hear her?
I nodded, "Okay." I said, "I guess I'll just have to translate."
Anara tilted her head to the side. Ruuuuuuuuuuuuuubbbbbiiiinnnnn...... Oh great, there she goes again. 
Emmet flinched and I said, "What?"
'N-nothing," He replied, "That was just weird. What did she say?"
I studied Anara, "She said 'Ruuuubbbiiinnnn....."
Emmet looked confused, "Rubin? What's Rubin? Like the sandwhich?"
I elbowed Emmet in the ribs, "No, stupid. That's 'reuben', as in R-E-U-B-E-N."
I looked back at Anara, feeling a little sad myself, "Rubin was Anara's love."
Ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuubbbbbbbbiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnn......... Anara cooed again, a melancholy tone to her electronic voice.
Emmet stared at me, "Okay, you're starting to creep me out now, Tails." Oh, now I'm starting to creep you out? I thought, You weren't at all bothered by the robot or the weird buzzing sound you heard, but you were creeped out because I started talking about love? Geez, Emmet can be such a guy. 
I took a deep breath, "Okay. I'll explain everything to you."
I told Emmet about Rubin, about The Jar, about the illusion Anara showed me, about her rejected gift. I told him everything I knew about Anara.
Emmet let out a breath, "Wow, this is deep stuff." No, really?
I nodded, turning to him, "Emmet. I think we need to do something about Anara's loss."
Emmet stared at me, looking both surprised and shocked. He laughed nervously and said shakily, "What?"
I nodded again, a serious look on my face, "You heard me."
Emmet starting laughing and I wanted to punch him. Seeing that I wasn't being funny, he swallowed and said, "Wait. Y-you were serious?"
"Yes, Emmet."
Emmet grinned nervously and said, "Wow, you really are nuts, Tails."
I tried to be patient and I said, "Come on, Emmet. Just look at her, Anara needs us. Rubin deserted her and she's all alone except for us. I think we should find a way to make her happy."
Emmet laughed again, pointing at Anara, "That thing does not need our help, Tails. She doesn't look helpless to me. Dude, she's a freaking robot! Robots can get by on their own.... You don't honestly think it has feelings, do you?"
Within about two seconds, Anara's eyes flashed white and she shot her hand out. Then, a laser-like beam shot out of her belt, barely missing Emmet.
Emmet jumped to the side and stared at Anara in shock. I realized that my mouth was hanging open. Emmet collapsed where he stood and I rushed to his side.
"Emmet!" I cried, a feeling of panic flushing over me, "Anara! What did you do?"
Anara stared at me calmly, her head tilted to the side and a serious, but confused look on her face. 
Anara did not hit Emmet. Her electronic voice echoed through my head.
I blinked back tears, praying that Emmet wasn't dead. He slowly opened his eyes and I hugged him, "Emmet! Oh, thank God you're okay!"
Emmet looked up wearily at me, "What's wrong with you, Tails?"
Realizing how stupid and un-Tails-like I was acting, I let go of Emmet and stood up, brushing myself off. "Oh, you're alive. Okay, good."
Emmet fought back a grin and I shot a look at him. Remembering that Anara had just shot at him, Emmet turned back to Anara, backing up. 
I swallowed and said timidly, "Anara, why did you shoot at Emmet? He's a friend. Friend."
Anara's eyes twinkled as she stared blankly at me. Anara is a person as well. Emmet does not know, Emmet is foolish to think such a thing that Anara is not so.....
Emmet laughed nervously, taking another step backward and pushing me gently toward the door, "Yep, okay, I-I'm a fool. I-I never should have said that. Oh geez, Emmet is so stupid! Ha ha ha ha!"
Without taking his eyes off Anara, Emmet whispered in my ear, "Okay, Tails. We are getting out of here now."
I pushed his hand away from my shoulder and he retracted, embarrassed. I took a step toward Anara, saying gently, "No, it's not her fault. She's really nice, Earwig. Honest."
Emmet laughed hollowly, "Oh, yeah, she's really nice, Tails! Did you see what she just-"
I whirled around, firing a look at him, "Shut it, Earwig!"
Emmet eyed Anara suspiciously as I slowly approached her. I said softly, "You didn't mean to hurt Emmet, did you, Anara?"
Anara's eyes glimmered more and I continued, "Emmet is a friend. Right?"
"Of course I am!" Emmet hissed nervously at me, but I ignored him. Anara stared at me with that blank look she has and she said, Emmet..... is a friend. Emmet shall not be.... harmmmeeeddd?
I nodded anxiously, "Yes, yes, Anara. Very good!"
Anara smiled sweetly and nodded back. I turned to Emmet, beaming, "See? Doesn't she have a nice smile?"
Emmet shook his head, "Tails, you are definitely losing it...."
I went up to Emmet and looked him in the eyes, "Look, Earwig, Anara needs us. She's all alone! I'm sure we're the only people who even know about her."
"Well," Emmet said, "There's no way she can have that Rubin guy back. He's a human, am I right? He's dead by now."
My eyes lit up, "Does that mean you'll help?"
Emmet scowled at the ground and said, "Look, Tails, there's nothing we can do! Rubin is dead! How long ago was this guy around? Like 200 years, right? He's gone! Also, Anara is frankly not our problem. She's a robot! She can take care of herself...."
I glanced at Anara, who had that unbearable sad look that she gets plastered on her face. That look practically killed me, I swear.
I gestured to Anara and said to Emmet, "Come on, man! Look at that face!"
Anara turned her beautiful, sad eyes to Emmet and he almost winced. Emmet shook his head and said, "Don't be stupid, Tails. You are not getting me with the 'look at her pretty face' trick. Do you really think I'm that ignorant?"
I cleared my throat and laughed when Emmet shot me a look. Anara managed a sweet, soft laugh. To be completely honest, I didn't know robots could laugh, but it was good to hear.
"Please, Earwig." I whispered, swallowing.
Emmet groaned and said, "You know what? Fine, Tails. I'll help you do whatever crazy thing you intend to do to help Anara. I have no idea what you have in mind and I honestly don't know if I want to, but...."
I smiled cheesily and said, ".... But I'm your friend?"
Emmet nodded, "Sure, if you don't get me killed."
I nodded back and turned to Anara, "See, Anara? We're going to help you be happy!"
Geez, I thought, I sound like a moron. What was I going to do? I had no idea.
Anara laughed sweetly, but her face slowly fell. She looked a little.... Guilty?
I turned back to Emmet and said, "Thanks."
Emmet nodded, "Sure. You better pay me back for this."
My face fell, "What do you want?"
Emmet grinned, "Four of your Series Three Wacky Packs."
My jaw dropped, "Dude, are you serious??? I had to give Cassie two packs of gum for those!"
Emmet scoffed, 'That gum was probably five years old anyway."
I looked around nervously and said, "Seven. You didn't tell Cassie that, did you, Earwig?"
Emmet laughed and shook his head, "You're safe. Three Wacky Packs?"
"No, man!" I said, "Those Wacky Packages are ancient.... And mine!"
About eight months ago, all of us at the orphanage found a bunch of old trading cards and killed each other for them. Emmet and I lost.
Emmet crossed his arms, "Then I won't help you."
I scowled at Emmet and said, "Fine. How about one Wacky Pack and two Yugioh cards?"
"How about two Wacky Packs and one Yugioh card?" Emmet said, grinning smugly.
I narrowed my eyes and said, "Fine, you win, Earwig.... For now."
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Anara press a panel on her belt; It beeped five times. Emmet and I turned to look at her.
"What was that?" I asked her.
Anara stared at me blankly, calmly. She didn't say anything, she just stared at me. Her eyes flickered and I glanced at her belt. The edges of it began glowing white.
"What's going on?" I asked Anara.
She stared at me more and didn't say anything.
I took a step toward her, "Are you okay, Anara?"
Please forgive Anara, Tails.... Her voice came in my head.
I furrowed my brow and said, "For what?"
"What is she saying?" Emmet asked.
I stared at Anara and waited for an answer. I could have sworn that her eyes were filling with blue smokey stuff, but I wasn't sure.
I backed up until I was standing next to Emmet and I whispered in his ear, "Hey, Earwig. Do you see that? Look at her eyes."
Emmet followed my gaze and said, "What? What am I looking for?"
I whispered, "You mean you can't see it?"
"See what?"
"The smoke!" I whispered anxiously, "Her eyes have blue smoke in them!"
Emmet looked at me like I was crazy and shook his head, "I don't see it, Tails. Are you okay?"
He teasingly put his hand on my forehead and I said, "I-I don't know."
Emmet cocked his head and looked into my eyes, "Hey, Tails. Are you sure nothing's wrong?"
I shook my head, "I never said that."
Something was wrong. I suddenly felt my whole body catch on fire (not literally). Then, I could barely see or hear. My nose was suddenly filled with an unfamiliar, weird smell and I felt my sinuses close up.
"Emmet!" I screamed, "What's wrong with me?!"
"I-I don't know!" Emmet cried, sounding stressed, "Don't yell! Are you okay? You're burning up."
I tried to focus on him, but I couldn't think straight. Next thing I knew, I was out cold.