A Brush with Fluffiness | R.N.A. + Haruka | Lost Letters Car

R.N.A.

R.N.A. had been a little curious about something, ever since the very beginning.

Of course, this thing that they were curious about was in fact right with them. The white and fluffy creature that seemed intent on following the group. R.N.A. had wanted to get to know the creature a little better, but you see…

It was a little hard for R.N.A. to truly find a way to approach the creature. After all, there were so many humans here that were in dire need of nurturing, not to mention that R.N.A. needed to complete whatever task would get the exit door open. There was simply no time for a robot such as themselves to interact with the cute and fluffy thing.

It had left them with one choice and one choice only: They needed to find someone to interact with the creature for them and report back. They also believed they had the perfect candidate for the job.

Haruka Yukimura.

They very clearly remembered that she had no issue talking to it in the previous car, so there was clearly some already established rapport there. This would be useful.

So the robot had sought Haruka out, eventually finding her.

“Haruka.” R.N.A. would say, waving at her and moving closer.

“I need your assistance… with something. Are you… busy?”

Haruka Yukimura

Haruka had been sifting through the letters here rather slowly. Honestly, she’d rather find someone else’s than her own - then she could give it to them, and be helpful. She didn’t want to think about who would or wouldn’t be writing her a letter. Perhaps if she were lucky it would be a postcard from an old university coursemate.

She was not a lucky person, though, and she knew that.

Well, for now at least, she didn’t have to worry about it. Being asked to assist was always a welcome distraction for her. The fact that R.N.A. was a… robot still seemed to make her a little hesitant, but she smiled nonetheless. They’d not been anything but helpful so far.

“Hello, R.N.A. Thank you again for helping out back there with Abel. Of course I’m more than happy to repay the favour. I’m not doing much right now… I’m sure there’s a more efficient way for me to search through these letters, haha.”

R.N.A.

Haruka Yukimura

Haruka Yukimura The fact that R.N.A. was a… robot still seemed to make her a little hesitant, but she smiled nonetheless.

Good. Haruka seemed pleased to see the robot. That was a good sign.

Haruka Yukimura “Hello, R.N.A. Thank you again for helping out back there with Abel. Of course I’m more than happy to repay the favour."

“Oh… That is not a… favour. That was simply… correcting my mistake. I have a duty of care… to humans, and I was unable… to fulfill it. Because of that… Abel got hurt. You do not need to repay… anything.” Especially since it wasn’t even hers to begin with.

Haruka Yukimura I’m not doing much right now… I’m sure there’s a more efficient way for me to search through these letters, haha.

“Are you searching for… your letter? I may be able to help. Or you can always ask… Mahavir to locate it for you.” R.N.A. had been made aware of this option due to the fiery postmaster offering to do so earlier. It seemed like the most logical thing to do.

R.N.A. held out the bag of Creature Treats to Haruka. “That fluffy being… seems to like your presence. I was wondering if you… could try and use these items on it… as well as ask it for more info… on itself.”

Haruka Yukimura

Haruka’s face fell slightly when R.N.A began to blame themself. It was hypocritical of her and she knew it, but she didn’t like to hear it.

“Now, now. You didn’t make a mistake. There wasn’t really anything you could do to stop that… If there was, then it would be my fault, too.”

Did she believe that? You decide! Although she had to admit she really wasn’t sure how this whole ‘moral responsibility’ thing worked when it came to robots. (R.N.A. was a real robot, right…? Not just some overly zealous children’s show host…?)

R.N.A. Are you searching for… your letter?

“…I was, but it’s alright. I’m… not too sure who would write to me anyway, haha! Don’t worry, there’s no rush.”

Really. She’d quite like to do anything but rush this.

She looked a little bemused to be offered the bag, but once R.N.A. explained, she nodded understandingly. She took the treats off their hands, not wanting them to be holding them too long.

“Feathers are more my thing than fur, but I’m sure it can’t be that hard to groom something as fluffy as that. Would you like to come along? Is there anything in particular you want to find out?”

R.N.A.

Haruka Yukimura

Haruka Yukimura “Now, now. You didn’t make a mistake. There wasn’t really anything you could do to stop that… If there was, then it would be my fault, too.”

“I could have done more.” R.N.A. replied. “I could have… diffused the situation… I could have… gotten in-between them. I could have protected Abel… from the attack. My body is metal. It is better protected.” It was a failure that would weigh on R.N.A. for a little while, it seemed.

Haruka Yukimura “…I was, but it’s alright. I’m… not too sure who would write to me anyway, haha! Don’t worry, there’s no rush.”

“I am sure… someone as pro-social… and kind as you… has many friends… or perhaps a wonderful family.” Making assumptions there, R.N.A.? It did seem to be a compliment on Haruka’s character, at least. “I am happy to look for… your letter while… you are busy.”

Haruka Yukimura “Feathers are more my thing than fur, but I’m sure it can’t be that hard to groom something as fluffy as that. Would you like to come along? Is there anything in particular you want to find out?”

“Feathers?” R.N.A. was silent for a few moments. “Do you… own pet birds?” It would make sense. After all, birds have feathers. They were also common pets.

“Ah… I cannot come along. I must… keep an eye on the humans here. This is why… I assigned you this task. You have proven to be… trustworthy and reliable.” It did seem like R.N.A. wanted to come along, though… Their grip on the bag had been unusually tight for the robot. As if they truly didn’t want to give it away.

“Find out… Can it talk? Does it… have a name? Is it a threat… to humans?” That last one seemed unlikely, but R.N.A. was not going to take any chances on the strange creatures of this train. Not after Neko-Neko.

Haruka Yukimura

Haruka smiles sadly at R.N.A. Well, if that didn’t sound just like her own mental monologue…

“And so could I. I have seen a lot of fighting… I could have seen this coming. Tried to stop it. But I didn’t… and I don’t blame you for not being able to. Please don’t feel bad.”

She knew how ineffective saying that would be, but she still had to say it.

R.N.A. I am sure… someone as pro-social… and kind as you… has many friends… or perhaps a wonderful family.

Compliments were already hard enough for Haruka to take, but this one really stopped her in her tracks. She looked away and made a strange face that was trying its best to be a grateful smile. No need to make R.N.A. feel awkward about how awkward she felt.

“…Not quite. Or… well. It’s not a problem. Thank you. …If you really want to look, my name might be spelt in a few different alphabets…”

Haruka described how her name would look in Japanese, Latin and Arabic scripts. She wasn’t sure how much a robot would know about those things, perhaps it was redundant with all the translation technology nowadays, but it was worth it to be polite anyway, right?

“Ah, I don’t have a bird, I don’t really have the space for one… but I like them. Birdwatching has always been one of my favourite hobbies.”

Trustworthy and reliable? Wow, they were really laying it on thick now. Haruka could feel her cheeks warm in embarrassment.

“Haa… Thank you. Are you sure you don’t want to come? We can look out for the… humans together.” It felt weird to say it like that, but maybe she should meet them on their level.