The Theorem

Cyborg Theorem
A/N: Thank you drippingbeaublue for the poster! ^^

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"Wake up Baekkie! It's time for breakfast!" my mechanical "Dad", Yunho, shook me awake.

 

I don't see what is so special about these robots. They're too perfect to be real. They give us false hopes. When we're old and wrinkly one day, they'll still look as young as ever and when we die they'll take over the world. They break relations apart. They destroy minds.

 

"Go away." I growled and pulled the covers back.

 

Mom's mechanical partner persistently tried making me get out of bed and I ended up kicking it into a wall in anger, only to have it coming back to do the same thing again.

 

Oh wait, I forgot. They DON'T have senses.

 

Mom smiled and set the pancakes in front of me. They were shaped like robots and I pushed the plate away in disgust. I reached out for the bread when the annoying robot smacked my hand.

 

"Eat what your mom has made for you!" Yunho scolded.

 

"You aren't my dad so why should I listen to you?" I sneered.

 

"Baekhyun honey, don't be like this-"

 

"He's just metal and electricity! He'll never be my dad! I'm real and he's fake! What other proof do I need to give to show you that a robot is no better than a human?!"

 

"That's enough! Go to your room!" Mom screamed and threw the robot-shaped pancakes at me.

 

I slammed my room door shut and leaned against it. It's always like this. I end up fighting with my mom because of that robot. I don't like this new world. I even have this metal disk on my back where all my memories, feelings and knowledge are stored. Not like I agreed to do it.

 

I just woke up one morning when men in white suits lifted me up and dragged me into an operating theatre. I screamed, I thrashed about, I cried. I didn't want to be robotic. They knocked me out and the last thing I saw was a metal disk being held up.

 

That very day, the metal disk was implanted on my back. I tried taking it off but it was like a part of my body. Electricity would flow through my hands whenever I tried pulling the thing off and I'd ended up fainting. I swear, there are wires inside of me. Wires in inside my veins, making the amount of iron in my blood multiply. It's a painful thing to imagine.

 

Outside, everything was bright. Electric boards and cars flying about the place was a common sight. I want to see real trees and animals and the stars and the moon. Not some weird structures glowing in the dark.

 

The only thing natural to me was the sun. Even the clouds were man-made. The clouds have been genetically modified so that rain doesn't fall. We don't drink actual water anymore. It's like a mixture of some fruity flavour and metal. It's disgusting. But if we drink real water, we'd die. There's electricity flowing through us, we'd get electric shocked if we drink normal water.

 

A figure in normal (and rather scruffy) clothing suddenly ran into my backyard. I rubbed my eyes and took a closer look out of my window. The last time I saw anyone wearing that was five years ago. Everyone now has to wear these sleeveless jackets and on special occasions, white jackets (with eyeliner, for god knows what reason). The guy looked up and saw me staring at him.

 

I jumped out of my seat and rushed out of the house. The guy tried running away but my body was modified so that I'd be able to run faster than normal humans. Okay so maybe that's the only good thing about being a cyborg. But it doesn't help much when you're with other cyborgs.

 

"Who are you?" I asked the tall guy who I managed to tackle to the ground.

 

"Don't hurt me! I just got lost, just let me go back to the forest..."

 

"Are you part of the resistance?" I asked and he continued writhing around like a worm.

 

"Answer me!" I shouted and he screamed a 'yes' in response.

 

He was terrified, I could see. His eyes were large and his pupils were tiny. He kept begging for me to let him go and I smacked a hand onto his mouth to keep him quiet.

 

Because the rulers don't like it when someone from the resistance is on their grounds.

 

I managed to sneak him into my bedroom and locked the door behind me. He looked around awkwardly at the place and I told him to sit on the bed.

 

I sat in front of him, observing his hair and clothes. He was wearing jeans, denim jeans. It's been years since I last wore that. We're only allowed to wear white cotton skinny jeans and they are really uncomfortable.

 

"How did you end up in Utopia?" I asked, leaning forward to meet his gaze.

 

The country is no longer called South Korea, by the way.

 

"I-I got lost, trying to find my little sister in the forest. Please don't report me! I just want to go home!" he said a little too loudly and I clamped a hand over his mouth.

 

"Shhh! Now what's your name?"

 

"C-Chanyeol."

 

"Okay Chanyeol, you have to act like one of us. Go change into these." I threw bunch of clothes at him when we reached my room.

 

"But, but..." he protested.

 

"Don't complain! I'm trying to find a fake metal disk here!"

 

My clothes were a little small on him but that would do for the time being. It was his fault for having long legs in the first place. I made him turn around and positioned the disk on his back, making sure the fake light generator was switched on.

 

"What are those disks for anyway?" he asked.

 

"They store your memories and feelings and what not. Something like a mega memory card."

 

"Doesn't it hurt to have electricity in your body?"

 

"It hurts a little for the first few weeks after you get your metal disk implanted but we get used to it."

 

Chanyeol is a curious person. He always asks questions like why there are no bugs, why the clouds are orange, the whole place is bright even at night, and how I live. Actually, I don't even know what's the good of living if everyone has super brains and unnatural human attributes where we can just turn into part of the cyberspace in seconds.

 

He made me realise that if we were able to transport into cyberspace without the humanly attributes being affected, then why were we so modified till we're cyborgs that depend on some metallic juice?

 

Every morning I wake up to see him still snoring on the floor. Mom doesn't really spend much time with me now so she doesn't know about Chanyeol camping out here everynight. I managed to get some of Yunho's clothes and gave them to Chanyeol to wear. The robot is too dumb to realise his clothes were gone anyway.

 

There isn't much to eat in the household. I usual sneak bread and such underneath those dumb jackets whenever Mom and Yunho aren't looking. At times Chanyeol complains that the food I manage to sneak away isn't enough but I guess he understands the situation because he complains lesser now.

 

I don't know why I am doing this for a stranger I found in my backyard. Maybe because he's from the resistance. Or because he has a unique personality. Or because he has a nice face. I don't know. But each and everyday I spend with him I find myself slowly falling for him.

 

Chanyeol loves his hair. He also loves playing basketball because we spend an hour every afternoon playing it (with him wining all the time). He craves to see fluffy bunnies again and wants the world to go back to how it was.

 

It's been three months since I found him in my backyard and Chanyeol still misses his home. I tried, but the guards would not allow us to leave through the main gates without getting a letter from the government (which I see no point of going through the trouble of getting it). Chanyeol was clearly upset when he heard that but he still planted a smile on his face.

 

"Where do you see yourself in the future?" Chanyeol asked on day while we were staring into violet sky at night on the rooftop of my house.

 

"A picture-like house... on a blue grassy field... living with the love of my life for a hundred years." I said and smiled and Chanyeol.

 

"And who is the love of your life?"

 

"You." I whispered and blushed.

 

"So are you." he blushed and pulled me into a sweet chaste kiss.

 

Chanyeol likes to poke and prode at the metal disk on my back everyday but I don't mind. As long as he doesn't pulls it, I'm fine. One day when mom burst into my room (which is kind of a miracle since she's never done that), she asked who Chanyeol is.

 

"It's my new friend, err... Yeolchan." I explained to mom and she nodded in approval.

 

"Seriously Baekhyun, Yeolchan?" Chanyeol raised an eyebrow at me in amusement.

 

"Err, hehe."

 

More days pass by and I still try to figure out how to get Chanyeol out of here. This place has security of all sorts, I wonder how he even got in. The security was worse than the war between North and South Korea and I finally found a solution.

 

"Chanyeol, where exactly is your home?" I ask him one day.

 

"Fifty kilometers northwest." he said as if he memorised it.

 

Okay maybe digging underground wasn't such a good idea.

 

Chanyeol said he entered the country through this invisible wall that sent a temporary shockwave when he passed through. I've heard nothing of the sort before and keep telling myself he's probably imaging things. I can't use the internet to do research though, they monitor every single thing that contains electricity.

 

We went hover-boarding one day and Chanyeol had abit of problems balancing on the hoverboard. I laughed at countless number of times he tried to stand upright on it and cheered when he finally got it.

 

A hoverboard isn't that hard to use. All you have to do is tilt your body slightly (and I really mean by slightly) forward to make it move forward and likewise backwards. When Chanyeol was able to master using it, he started flying all over the place and I had to chase after him.

 

We landed around the borders. The guards eyed us supiciously but as long as we didn't do anything silly, they couldn't do a thing. We walked to the more isolated part of the borders and Chanyeol started pointing at something.

 

I couldn't see anything but Chanyeol insisted that there was a "yellowish waving wall". Wanting to prove him wrong, I threw a rock at the empty space, only to have it being slightly electrified and disappearing onto the other side.

 

"C'mon, I'll show you the natural world." he said and went through the wall, giving out a slight hiss and disappearing into the other side.

 

I looked at the empty space in front of me. If that's electricity, won't I be severely affected?

 

But Chanyeol was waiting on the other side and I wanted to know how the natural habitat was doing right now. I pushed myself towards the wall and screamed in pain. I managed to pass through alright, but the pain experienced was just as bad as trying to pull the metal disk out.

 

"Baekhyun! Oh my god, are you okay?" he said worriedly, craddling my upper body in his arms.

 

"It's okay Chanyeol, it's normal-" and those were the last things I said before fainting.

 

When I woke up, Chanyeol was fast asleep holding my hand. The poor boy must've been tired. I ran my hand through his silky straight auburn hair and admired his sleeping face. He indeed was one unique fella.

 

Someone suddenly burst into the room and I was startled. A rather plump woman slowly approached me, her eyes squinting in disapproval. Probably Chanyeol's mother. He has her looks.

 

"You're one of the Utopians." she stated bluntly.

 

"Yes, yes I am."

 

Well I hope she didn't realise my voice was quivering.

 

"You helped Chanyeol get out of Utopia." she stated again.

 

"Y-Yeah."

 

"Go."

 

"What?" I stared at her.

 

"You're an Utopian. You don't belong here." she looked at me with her beady eyes. "Besides, you're fully healed."

 

Well that was harsh.

 

Come on lady, at least you got your son back.

 

Where's the hospitality?!

 

"Don't ever come back." was the last thing she said before shoving me out of the cottage and slamming the door behind me.

 

I didn't know where to go. The trees loomed over me, causing scary shadows to be casted from the moonlight. Owls hooted and mice scurried through leaves on the autumn grounds. Hmm, autumn. When was the last time I experienced it?

 

The wind blew and I shivered at the cold. The temperature was always right in Utopia. Rain started falling and I groaned, trying not to get the metal disk wet. I found shelter in an abandoned shack and fell asleep to the sound of pattering raindrops.

 

The next morning, I was awakened by the sound of birds chirping. I stretched my arms and looked out of the window. Raindrops from yesterday were hanging outsude and the sunlight made them shine like diamonds.

 

I step out of the shack, going to find my way back to Utopia. The birds I heard chirping were now starting to fly away. Winter must be coming. I waved at the birds and let the leaves go crunch and squish under my shoes.

 

Butterflies fluttered about and one of them rested on my shoulder. It's blue and silver wings looked like Utopia. I was starting to feel weak. I didn't take my metal concoction before I left Utopia and it was approximately more than 36 hours since I last drank it. I found I dry spot underneath a tree and observed the butterfly.

 

The butterfly sat on my shoulder for quite some time. It's soft wings would occasionally brush against my cheek. It was interesting observing these creatures again. I was getting comfortable with the presence of this butterfly when it fluttered away and I got up and chased after it.

 

"Hey! Come back! Don't leave me alone-"

 

The butterfly rested on someone's shoulder and I froze. The giant idiot actually came looking for me.

 

"Baekhyun, you can't leave me alone. I'm a real human too." he smiled.

 

Imagine my shock when I saw him because I, the lovesick fool, really thought I wouldn't be able to see him again. I ran towards and I threw myself into his arms. Cheesy right?

 

And so Chanyeol brought me to some guy who would be able to transfer all the data back into my brain and remove all the wires fitted inside me (the power of science is indeed fascinating). It was a dangerous process but it worked on a few people that ran away from Utopia too so it was worth a shot.

 

Robots have a term called "system shutdown". That was basically my state during the operation. According to Chanyeol, there was blood everywhere and it was almost impossible for a human to lose that much blood. He said I looked like a robot who was going for repairs and oil was all over the place. Close enough. 37 bags of blood, imagine that.

 

It was weird not having a metal disk on my back. I was practically a vegetable for a year while my body recovered from the massive blood poisoning. How in the world was I still alive right?

 

During that period of time, Chanyeol avoided his mom when he found out that she chased me out of the house. Although it was wrong for him to do so, I think I prefer having him by my side all the time. He took care of me every day and night, feeding and washing and cleaning and bringing me outside while I was still wheelchair bound. Pretty sweet.

 

And so I really got my dream lifestyle. A simple cottage on a blue grassy field, living with the love of my live, for a hundred years.

 

↭THE END↭

 

A/N: Well I hope you liked that because I think that was one of the best oneshots I've ever written ^^

 

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Comments

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Amalya
#1
Chapter 2: This was a really good read actually. I enjoyed Baekhyun's desire for something else and not just the machine world he lived in. Though I'm curious how his pancakes were robot shaped if the robots looked like humans. >.>

Otherwise, the mega memory card disk was interesting and pretty original really. There's a game now that has something like it but I think you started this before it came out. lol Did Baekhyun never have any contact with his real dad in this world? And what about his friends? You mentioned them in the beginning but then we never see or hear anything about them in the three month time span.

Don't get me wrong. I think it was adorable the way that he and Chanyeol got to know each other and started to fall in love and all that cute stuff. XD Just curious about details and such. I did see the resistance is in the woods outside the protective walls which reminds me so much of Aeon Flux! The series was better than the movie imo. Back to the story! lol

I enjoyed your attention to detail in terms of the electricity and the way that they had to drink modified fluids and how things had been tampered with and changed so very much. Also, the point when they get to Chanyeol's cottage was fairly realistic too with his mother's reaction. I can very much see that happening. Did they ever find his sister though? haha

Definitely a warm ending too. I'm glad things worked out for them and did enjoy this overall. Good job!
Amalya
#2
Chapter 1: Hmm. Very interesting concept here. Are mechanical partners rather like soul mates in this world? Or are they just preferable to having a human partner?

And in terms of the natural environment being preserved, would you be able to elaborate on that some more? Is it like some tiny section of nature that's untouched or is it a corner of civilization that clings to the old ways? I'm just curious, though that might be answered in the next chapter too. lol
ElementalAndroid #3
Chapter 2: Great story, I want robot shaped pancakes! :(
ElementalAndroid #4
Chapter 1: Interesting so far, I love sci-fis and robots :D