I ran at full speed out of the hive, and...

Well, in that time, I hadn't once thought about the fact...

THAT IT'S IN THE FRIGGING AIR!!!!!!

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I felt myself falling, but then I felt something soft CLUTCHING me, not slamming me. I opened my eyes slowly and saw a frightened-looking Meete. "Meete...?"

"Are you okay?!! Why didn't you flap out your wings?!!"

...

I smiled.

That's just like him.

"I don't have any wings, Meete. I don't have use for them."

"... You don't have wings?! Why?"

I realized that 'use' was too hard a word for him, so I tried to explain.

"Because I don't need them, Meete."

He knows the word need, right?

"Yes, you do."

I laughed awkwardly, "Humans don't though."

Wait, does that mean Techrot has wings? I haven't seen them.... I thought he didn't have any flying insect DNA in him....

"Meete, that's enough. We're going home. Put her back in the hive- the bees'll take her back down to earth."

"Hold it right there, Techrot!!" I said sternly to wherever he was, and I took his silence as a cue to go on. "I... I apologize for cussing. I didn't know. I'm sorry that I let it out. But I want to understand you and Meete. I'm sorry that I wasn't open to understanding before, and that's something we both need to work on. You may think you're the most intelligent being in the world, and you may be right. But everyone still needs to learn. Just because you're extremely intelligent doesn't mean you know everything. We need each other. You can't yet understand Meete, right? And Meete doesn't have a clue about what's going on in the world. Well, I can help you two. And I want to. And you can help me understand your world, Techrot. So please..."

"....."

Suddenly, Techrot swooped up with metal wings.

"Will you do it again?"

"No. I won't cuss ever again."

"... You promise?"

"Yes."

"If you break that promise, I will not hesitate to murder you," he narrowed his eyes, and I nodded. "..... Very well, I guess," he muttered. "But only because Meete needs to learn."

I smiled.

Thank goodness...

"What are those?" I pointed to his wings.

And instead of a nasty, sarcastic comment (luckily), he replied, "I made them myself when we were young. Anyway, let's go back to your house."

Is it just me imagining things, or is his tone...

Soft? And kind?

He seemed relaxed and tired.

I suppose a lot has been going on....

"Meete, we still get to go to school," Techrot told him, and he screeched excitedly that word...

"SCHOOL!!!!"

I laughed.

You know... even after everything...

I really am starting to learn how these two work.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So will you tell me why you hate Mekrot?"

"He's an idiot. I hate him."

"..."

I suppose I won't be getting an answer out of him....

"Is it something you can't say in front of Meete?"

We were currently in my room after our little trip to the Bee Queen, and while Meete played with my little brother's cars, me and Techrot had a serious conversation.

"... Is that any of your business?"

So it is....

"Meete, go and put the cars back in my brother's room and play in there, okay?"

"Don't tell him what to do!!"

"Okay~" Meete walked out, despite Techrot's yelling.

"..."

"So? Why do you hate Mekrot?"

"... It was a long time ago, really. But I won't ever forget. We were young, back then...." Techrot became nostalgic.

Whatever could've happened between them...?

Techrot's P.O.V.

I was put back in that frightening moment as I explained to her.

"We were there to eat. Mekrot had gone there, too, for the same reason."

We were in a nice feeding place. We'd come to there to eat, obviously, but Mekrot was there as well.

Me and Mekrot never saw each other much, just like Meete doesn't see Lotten much.

Siblings are often apart. It's just how it is.

I was never fond of my little brother- he was strong, not intelligent. And he was merely like the rest of the insects and people when it came to intelligence.

But that day...

"Aniki..." Mekrot muttered in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"We're here for food. What else?"

"Ah... But... But this is my land. I live here even. See?" he pointed to a flower bed. "This is what I'm talking about, Aniki. You should go and stay somewhere instead of wandering around. Don't you think? You'd have your own place. You wouldn't have to look for different beds or anything. Doesn't it seem wonderful?"

"We can't stay in the same place, Mekrot. You should know that by now- I've told you many times."

"But I don't understand why...."

"Just leave us alone. We'll eat, and we'll be gone before you know it."

"But I want you to stay...!!" he complained.

"We can't stay in one place, Mekrot," I said sternly.

"Is it because of him, Aniki?" he pointed to Meete, "Is that why you can't stay with me?"

"Even if-"

"I hate when you leave me all alone!!" he cried in upset anger. "Meete this, Meete that, I'm sick of it!!"

"Mekrot-" I started, getting angry that he was talking about Meete in such a way.

"I WISH HE WERE DEAD!!!!!" he screamed, and IT came.

"Your wish... is my command," he said in a deep, soft voice, and my eyes widened before I began to reach for Meete.

But I was too late.

"Mekrot has a split personality. It's twisted. Like a demon. Mekrot would always be jealous of Meete. And his personality loved to inflict pain. Whenever Mekrot was too angry, his split personality would come out. At that moment, when Mekrot's other personality came out, I knew me and Meete were in trouble. Nothing else was in my mind at the moment except grabbing Meete and sheltering him. I'd been attacked by his other personality before, so if I'd reached him in time, I knew I'd be fine."

"But you didn't reach him...." she mumbled.

"... Unfortunately, no. His other personality is very quick, and it took a reaction time from me before I processed it all. Meete was struck. Nothing's more important to me, especially not my brother. No one pales in comparison to Meete for me. Mekrot's other personality had almost killed Meete. I was barely able to get Mekrot away from Meete. I thought Meete was truly dead. It shocked me. It frightened me. I thought he was gone. Dead for good."

Rain poured on and around us as I cradled Meete in my arms, frightened that he was dead.

"M-Meete... Meete... N-No, live..."

My brain wasn't functioning properly. I couldn't believe... that Mekrot had killed Meete.

"I went to work immediately. Did what I could with my knowledge DNA to heal him. I first used the materials around us, in the field of flowers. Then, when I no longer could have use of the materials, I carefully brought Meete to a place that had the other materials I needed. Eventually, I was able to heal him, despite my brain not functioning properly. It was one of the worst things that ever happened to us.... I don't trust my brother. I hate him. I was never fond of him since he was average in intelligence, and that made it so that I hated him."

"... Then how can you deal with Meete?"

"I told you already," I stood up, my eyes still closed in nostalgia, "It's none of your business."

Honestly, she's very nosy, isn't she?

"I thought we agreed to open up."

"You haven't opened up about anything. Now if you'll excuse me-"

"If I open up about something, will you tell me?"

"... One equals one. Two equals two."

"You mean I have to tell you two things? Alright. This is something I've never told anyone... and it's really... private," she began, and I got annoyed that she had to introduce it before she could say the stupid fact. "I used to have a big brother."

"What about it?" I sighed, sitting back down.

"Well... I... you can't tell anyone, okay?" I nodded, bored. "... He made it look like a murder. He told me to help, so I did. The case is a cold one now. ... He committed suicide. And with my help - the minimal - it was staged as a murder."

"..."

I left the female, thinking she was pathetic.

Honestly. Helping your brother kill himself. What is wrong with her?

Kate-chan's P.O.V.

He walked out as if I didn't just pour out a life-time secret.

I still regret it.... It still is a huge weight....

I'm the only one who knows why he committed suicide, and I used to be the only one who knew he'd committed suicide.

That was the way it was always supposed to be, but...

Techrot wouldn't accept any secret that I had besides that one.

It's not like I have a crush, not that Techrot would accept such a thing. He'd probably think it was stupid.

Now I just have to tell him another secret to find out why he can deal with Meete.

But I don't have one....

That was the ONLY secret that I had that Techrot would accept.

I could tell a lie, but... I'd rather not. And after all, Techrot might not be tricked into the horrible lie- he would probably be able to see through the lie anyway.

I sighed.

I guess I'll just have to rack my brain for a secret I haven't told.

Techrot's P.O.V.

"Meete? We're finished talking."

"Techwah!! But I'm not done pwaying!"

"Very well. Resume."

The boy was confused at the word 'resume', but I left anyway to the kitchen. I attempted to find something for both me and Meete to eat.

The girl was nosy. So very nosy.

I wouldn't tell her whether my life depended on it!

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like? I'm looking for food."

"Any preferences?"

"... Meete likes vegetables."

"You really do care for Meete, huh?"

"..."

"I still can't understand... why. There's a few carrots in the bottom."

"Thanks..." I mumbled, taking the carrots out. I went to the sink to wash them and cut the bad parts off.

"Oh? I wouldn't have thought insect humans would shave carrots like we do!" the girl seemed surprised.

"I don't want Meete to get sick, girl."

"My name is KATENOKI. Not girl. KATENOKI," she seemed displeased.

"I don't care."

"... Why are you rude to everyone but Meete? You'd think you hated Meete the most, but... EEK!!"

"Stop. Prying. You're so nosy."

I resumed taking the bad parts off with a different knife.

She hesitated in fear and shock before screaming, "Y-YOU COULD HAVE KILLED ME!!!! What's wrong with you?!!!"

"Quiet down or Meete'll come in. I have a good aim, female. 100% accurate. You're lucky I wasn't angry enough to really kill you."

"Grrr..."

"Now stop trying to pry your way into us."

"... Fine!! I'll just ask Meete!! He's SURE to tell me!!"

"Oh really?"

"Huh?"

"He doesn't know the circumstances. We're in constant danger, female."

"... But Meete'd tell me how you met, right? I might get a clue as to why you're so fond of him."

"Not likely. Meete has his own perception. He might say something entirely different from what I might say, or he might say the facts such as 'we met in a field of flowers', which, by the way, isn't how we met." I walked back to where Meete was, carrying the plate of carrots. "Meete, carrots!"

His ears perked up, and he ran to me. He took the plate eagerly and began eating.

"How DID you two meet, Techrot?"

"You might say it was the opposite of a field of flowers."

"Huh?"

Stupid girl... She'll never find out, no matter how many hints I give her. Which is why I give her such.

Her puny little human mind can't fathom the world we came from. The world of fear and pain.

Meete has always been an idiot, but it's still a miracle that he's still so innocent and unguarded.

After what we went through...

Kate-chan's P.O.V.

Techrot's intellectual. Too much in fact, but whatever.

But he also underestimates humans.

I'll figure it out.

The opposite of a field of flowers.

War? A graveyard?

But there's no way those two were involved in such a thing as death. Well, maybe Techrot, but Meete... Meete's too innocent.

"Nee, Meete, how'd you meet Techrot?"

"Hmn?" he looked innocently and cluelessly at me. He finished his carrots and spoke. "Long time ago. The red. The red everywhere."

The red...?

"Techwah's brain and all over my body. It hard to remember though. Long time ago. Maybe not red. Maybe... black or purple. Maybe blue. But we had it both. I made friends with Techwah!"

Well, that was... vague.

Okay, you've got me this time, Techrot.... Meete... is an idiot.

And I get nothing from-

Wait a second!!

Red, in Meete's mind, that could be... that could possibly be...!!

"Meete, the red, is it called blood?"

"Blood? What's blood?"

"..."

Techrot... and Meete... were covered in blood...?

Techrot's head... and Meete's whole body... but what for?

Who on earth was trying to ruin Techrot's intelligence? And what the heck were they hurting Meete for?

The opposite of a field of flowers.

Were they involved in a war?

How is Meete still alive then, if he was covered in blood? He must've been injured quite badly.

The opposite of a field of flowers.

Wait!!

To Meete and Techrot, flowers is food.

"Did you not get any food where you were, Meete?"

"Techwah found me food."

"But before that?"

"... Once in a while? I don't weally wemembahr."

"..."

Opposite of a field of flowers, rarely fed, covered in blood... and even now, constantly in danger...?

What could possibly...?

Wait, hold on. One time, didn't Techrot...?

Techrot and Meete are special. Techrot's intelligent beyond belief and has 'mechanic' DNA. Meete has too many types of bugs in him for a normal person to count.

"... You guys were experimented on," I realized with horror.

Of course. If someone found these two... a scientist might want to dissect them. {KYAHAHA, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS A TYPO OR ME BEING STUPID, BUT DISSECT USED TO BE BISECT!!} To find out why they are the way they are.

Meete and Techrot... have been running all this time, away from... away from anyone who might find out how special they are.

Meete and Techrot... have always been in danger... of being torn up.

Meete and Techrot...

Techrot's been protecting the two of them all this time. They're in the same pod, so to speak. Techrot and Meete were always in trouble of being experimented on, which could involve many horrible things.

It's a miracle they're even alive.

These two in front of me...

It was more likely... that I never met them... than for them to survive, strong or innocent.

They've... overcome a lot of obstacles.

Even idiotic Meete...

Techrot's P.O.V.

Well, this was unexpected. Maybe she's not so dumb after all. It seems she actually can figure things out.

She stared with wide eyes at nothing.

I can't believe all Meete really remembers is the blood. But we were used to it. Blood was something we saw often. We were often cut into. It's a miracle Meete looks unscathed. His friendly jerk down there would've been completely dissected and dead if it weren't for him biting them like crazy.

And that might also be why Meete wasn't as injured.

I often had clothes since all they wanted was my brain and or blood. I didn't ever need to be stripped.

Meete, however, often didn't have clothes. They had many things to find out about him, unlike how I only had one sole purpose. The scientists had one goal with me. With Meete, there was a world of possibilities.

Meete was often attempted to be dissected, but his friend down there... would always bite them. Or at least, that's what they tell me. Supposedly, Meete would tell him not to, but quite honestly, I'm glad the thing didn't listen to Meete that once.

No matter what, the scientists or whatever would be in the range for the thing, and he'd bite. Lucky, I suppose. Very lucky.

That thing is annoying as heck, but... you can't deny that Meete might not be alive if not for that idiot.

"Meete, let's go to sleep, alright?"

"Huh?"

"It's been a pretty long day. We've already had dinner, too."

"Wait, hold on, those carrots were your DINNER? All of it? Only Meete ate!! You didn't!!"

"I had some wires and circuits earlier."

"But..."

"We don't eat much, girl. We don't need it. Even just a few flowers a day would be fine. In fact, that's what other insect humans get, if they're lucky enough to find some flowers. Meete's just got a big appetite, so he never gets full. But I make sure he never gets hungry either. We've had enough for the day."

"But..."

Ignoring the idiot, I led Meete in our bed. We slept soundly, despite the girl yelling quite a bit. {Wtf?}

Kate-chan's P.O.V.

After Techrot and Meete went to bed, I attempted to make them wait till my parents came home, but...

I huffed a sigh and began to do my homework. I glanced around, realizing that the two insect humans should've had homework, too. I spotted two neat packets.

Wh-When... did Techrot have time to do that..?

And to do Meete's homework also... it's obvious that Techrot did it. I mean-

I picked it up, staring in horror.

The one BEHIND the beautiful, neat packet... was most definitely Meete's.

WHAT THE HECK IS THIS?!!!!

Scribbles were everywhere. It was a mess, and I could read nothing.

But when I compared it with Techrot's, I realized that it was actually...

Techrot leading Meete in writing the answers. I imagined the image of Techrot helping Meete do his homework, and dare I say, they looked cute.

You could barely say that Meete was working. Techrot was most definitely guiding Meete's hand the way he would write. Despite being an absolute mess... you could barely read Meete's work.

Still... I'm not one for boy x boy, but that image is really cute.... They really are like brothers. Meete acts like he's not even seven, and Techrot acts like a college kid. Well... that mixed with intelligence itself, but...

They really... are made for each other. Meete would be nothing without Techrot.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Kate-chan!! Time to wake up!!"

"Nng..."

"Come on, dear!! It's already 6:45!!!"

"WHAAAAAAAAT?!!!!!"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Huff. Huff.

"Why didn't you wake me sooner, Mom?!!!!" I screamed out into the world as I ran with Techrot and Meete to my - now our - school.

Well this is sure to be a great day. Not.

------------------------------------------------------

"Nee, Kate-chan!! Don't deny it, you're TOTALLY going out with the new hot boys, right?"

"What?!"

"Come on, don't be shy!! Don't hide it!! You've been going to and from school together!!"

"That's just because-"

Ah wait... if I tell her they're living with me...

"... Meete. I don't... have pollen." {Katenoki-chan}

"Meete, stop sucking on female human's heads!! I've told you, it's not pollen!!" Techrot came running with a tray and a computer in his hands.

"WHERE'D YOU GET THAT COMPUTER?!!!!!" {Kate}

"It was just laying out, so I took it." {Techrot}

"Please don't tell me..." {Kate}

"GIVE THAT COMPUTER BACK!!!" {Library Lady}

"He took it from the library...!!" {Kate?}

"Why should I? This is my lunch!" {Techrot}

"IDIOT!!!!" {Kate}

"! What... did you just call me...?" he glared at me.

"Techrot, you can't just go stealing wires and other technology!! That is the LIBRARY'S!! Not yours!! Go buy your own technology!!"

"Tch."

"OR, eat the school's lunch, like Meete!!"

"I won't stand for such disgusting food. Here," he tossed the computer to the library lady. She had trouble juggling it safely into her arms, but when she did, she left immediately, grumbling.

"Now Meete!! Stop sucking on he- WHAT THE HECK?!!!!" {Techrot?}

"Meete, get off that boy right this instant!!" {Kate?}

"POLLEN!!!" Meete chirped.

"It's not pollen!! It's not what you're looking for!!" {Techrot}

"M-Meete, Techrot's got food for you!!" {Kate?}

"POLLEN?!!" his eyes sparkled.

"Uh.."

"The pollen's in here, Meete," Techrot gave him the tray.

"Wha-"

Meete ate it without a second thought.

"!" I realized, "Ohh... you... you took advantage of his stupidity, didn't you?"

"One thing you should know, female-" {Techrot}

"IT'S KATENOKI!!" {Kate}

"-Meete prefers pollen above all else. He won't get away from a boy just because we have human food. Not if he thinks that boy has pollen. You truly are an idiot." {Techrot}

"OI!!" {Kate}

"Nee, Techrot!! Is Katenoki DATING you?!!"

"I'm not a date, no." {Techrot}

"Techrot... she means love." {Kate}

"Love is preposterous." {Techrot}

"So there you have it. Techrot's an Anti-love fanatic." {Kate}

"POLLEN!!!" {Meete}

"And Meete's got an obsession of pollen. Please don't ask why." {Kate}

"MEETE!!!!"

"Oh gosh..."

"Meete, are you dating Katenoki-chan?!!"

"Huh? Kock and nono sun? What's that?" The girls giggled.

"Meete, they mean are you in love with me!!" I shouted before it got worse.

"Love? I love pollen!!" he cheered.

"... Meete... that's... not what they mean...." {Kate}

"Ehehe!! Pollen!!"

"Wha..."

"So you see. Both Techrot and Meete... have love issues." {Kate}

One hates such a thing while the other... has no idea what the heck it is.

Yup. That's everything for them. You could place anything for the subject there. It'd still be true.

Techrot hates everything while Meete has no idea what anything is.

That's the two insect humans that surround me.

The idiot and the smarty.

Meete and Techrot.

My two friends(?)