ACT 3: Teku

A Benevolent's Sacrifice

“You’re naive to trust my words of mendaciousness.”

“I’m left with no choice; I shall betray the Central and my trusted friend.”

“For the freedom and the future of Robocats, I will gladly serve the Central Government of the Robotops LTD.”

“Run away and be free! We will see each other again, my friend.”

Nation: Robotops LTD.

Sex: Unknown

Birthday: February 24

In the village where he came from, Teku was known as the coward and innocent Robocat. He abides by the rules and serves as a good resident of Robotops LTD. Unlike his friend, Ratcher, who follows his instincts and calling, he just follows the flow of his life. A regular citizen who hopes to one day contribute to the prosperity of his nation will be the reason for him to lose the friend he treasures the most. Although he has a weak resolve to stand up against anyone, his pure heart will someday save someone in need. He may look pathetic on the outside; the unwavering desire for the future will always stand firm than anyone.

In the same way as the others, Teku didn’t know his family. He settled his childhood in the village, not knowing where he came from. It was their tradition that newly made Robocats were to live far away from their families and live as an individual, a way of knowing if one is capable of being alive despite being alone in an unfamiliar place. It was a blessing in disguise to encounter a brave soul that comforted his lonely life. They may be different in almost all aspects of Robo parts, but the friendship they shared cannot be measured. They had always depended on each other for everything; the strength of Ratcher and the intellect of Teku was a good combination. However, when the day had come to say their goodbyes, it would be the start of something eerie and evil.

THE ABDUCTION OF TEKU

No one dared to say anything regarding the issues of the Robotobs LTD. becoming a closed nation. Several robocats guarded every village and boundary, ensuring none would have access or escape from the place. Still, it didn't stop Teku from organizing a secret plan to help Ratcher break out. As a friend, he understood his desires and wanted to help as much as he could. Although it could compromise their safety against the Central's laws, he was willing to do anything. A natural-born strategist, Teku went all out in his plans that little did he know; all of it was going too easy. It was as if the Central was turning a blind eye in their schemes to, later on, catch them red-handed. However, with his brilliant plan and Ratcher's strength, they made it successfully without being discovered. Teku was relieved to see his friend escape safely, not until he realized guards were surrounding him. Left with no choice but to comply, he was knocked out and brought somewhere hidden.

After a few hours, Teku woke up in an abandoned warehouse where he felt a familiar presence near him; a Robocat wearing a black mask and coat approached him and took out the tape on his mouth. He couldn't believe what his eyes were seeing; it was Minister Eve in the flesh. The minister people adore and love was nothing like the person in front of him; he was full of maliciousness and hostility. He noticed a small controller in his hands; no matter how much he struggled to remove the electric cord around him, the minister would still have the advantage of shocking him. He wanted to shout as he couldn't handle the pain; his body started to heat up like fire trying to burn him down. He begged him for mercy to stop, and lucky enough, the minister did stop.

Minister Eve knew from the start that the two of them were scheming to leave the domain. He did let Ratcher go as Teku was more valuable at the moment. However, the Central wasn't going to let Ratcher on the loose for a long time. They had a plan on their mind to trick and blackmail his friend Teku into bringing him back. The minister needed his intellectual abilities to find the fountain; in exchange for betraying his friendship with Ratcher, he also would have access to it. Teku was left with no alternative as he joined forces with Minister Eve and the Central Government.

THE SECRET ACT OF ESPIONAGE

Ever since the incident, Teku had to follow the Central's orders to gain information from Ratcher whenever they spoke. Strange, they still did have some communication despite the distance between them. It was against his will to spy on his friend, but defying them would not be wise. He had to follow but, at the same time, make Ratcher know that their transmission had been compromised. He had to act quick, or else everything they've worked for would come to waste. Everything inside the Central was suspicious, obsessed with what seemed to be a myth in his childhood; the Fountain of Immortality. Although he was free to do anything, he couldn't act recklessly in front of them.

When everyone was gone, Teku saw the awaited opportunity to investigate the Central's true aim. In secret, he hacked the system and saw confidential evidence that could overthrow the Central's administration. It contained perilous agendas that, if succeeded, could destroy the balance of their world. He confided what he learned to Ratcher, in which no one would even reckon what the Central would be up to. For a greater purpose, he was willing to put his life at risk. They had agreed to provide false information whenever they would talk, especially if supervised by the Central. Behind all that, he would notify him of every Central's action and their scheming agendas.

THE LOSING BATTLE

Through all those months of pretending as allies of the Central Government, Teku found new discoveries and became engrossed in their investigation. The folklore from his childhood was indeed authentic; their journey towards the fountain began. It was lost in the endless sea of the sand; encountering the legendary guardian in charge of protecting the fountain was a barricade they had to conquer. Never did he think the once dream he had would come true in such improper conditions. In front of him was the Fountain of Immortality, hesitant to bring himself forward; this was the last step in achieving their goal.

All along, Teku knew his role in their goal; his intellectual abilities would be used for a more significant and dangerous motive. No matter how much he fought, they would have more steps ahead. In the beginning, it was a losing battle he tried to win against, but he wasn't so fortunate now to escape the jaws of the wicked waiting to devour him. As the water gleamed against the sunlight, pure as it could be, they forced him to drink it. It slowly burned his insides that his memories began disappearing one by one as time went by. The priceless memories he held in his heart became like shattered glass fading away, leaving only the empty darkness in his soul. The last thing that filled his mind was the face of someone he called a friend, a name forgotten but still engraved in his heart.