Brandon White didn't pay much attention to Firewing's thoughts. Instead, he laid his hand expectantly on Doraemon's round head, channeling a peculiar power from his palm into Doraemon's body.
As the energy transferred, Doraemon's once-vacant eyes came alive, sparkling with spirit. Tilting his head curiously, he looked at the two humans before him.
"Who are you?"
"He… he really came to life! Doraemon actually came to life!"
Even though Firewing had mentally prepared herself for this, seeing it unfold right in front of her still left her stunned.
Turning an object from anime into reality—such an act was no different from playing god.
"Nice to meet you, Doraemon," Brandon said warmly. "Let me explain the situation first."
When he saw Doraemon truly awake and alive, Brandon couldn't help but smile.
"I see… so this is another world entirely?" Doraemon muttered, his large eyes blinking as he stared at the television screen. On it played scenes of his adventures with Nobita. His round face twisted with odd discomfort.
It wasn't that he couldn't accept it.
After all, he was just a robot created by humans. If the scientist who invented him turned out instead to be a mangaka who drew him into existence, what difference did it really make?
As for his history with Nobita, he realized he had no direct memory of it.
"But if I'm here now… what happens to my original world?" Doraemon asked nervously, his big round eyes fixed on Brandon.
"Strictly speaking," Brandon explained seriously, "the you standing here is only an avatar of the real Doraemon. Your presence here doesn't affect the original world at all."
He hesitated, then added softly, "But Doraemon, reviving you was really just for my own selfish wish. Ever since I was a child, I dreamed of having you by my side. Doing this… it isn't exactly respectful to you. If you don't want this, I can return you to your previous state."
Doraemon shook his head immediately.
"Like you said, I'm just a copy of the Doraemon from that story. In the original world, Nobita still has a Doraemon to accompany him as he grows. But here? You need me more than he does, don't you? Besides, since it was you who brought me to life, Brandon, I feel a closeness to you already."
"…Is that so? Then I'm glad."
Brandon's smile deepened. At that moment, the two Pikachu, sensing their master was done, hopped in from the courtyard. After sparing a quick glance at Firewing, they leapt curiously onto Doraemon's shiny round head. One squinted its eyes in delight, rubbing its cheeks against him as though captivated by the smooth texture.
"AAAAHHHH—MICE! MICE! MICE!!!"
Doraemon's pupils turned into swirling spirals. He shot up from the sofa, spinning frantically on the spot.
From his four-dimensional pocket, he yanked out gadget after gadget.
"Damn mice, I'll wipe you out!"
First came a random heap of unknown devices hurled across the room. Then, very distinctly, Doraemon pulled free gun-like contraptions.
"Overlord Gun!"
"Hotline Blaster!"
"Earth-Destroying Bomb!"
"…Wait, no, not that one! Not that one!"
Firewing, panicked, scooped the two Pikachu into her arms. She couldn't quite recall what the Overlord Gun or Hotline Blaster did, but she had heard very clearly what that last one was called.
Did it truly have the power to blow up Earth? She wasn't about to gamble on it!
And besides—who in their right mind would ever doubt the terrifying capabilities of Doraemon's gadgets?
"Pikachu?"
"Pika, pika?"
The two Pikachu blinked at Doraemon curiously from the safety of Firewing's embrace, completely baffled as to why he feared them so much.
"It's all right, Doraemon," Brandon soothed. "These are Pikachu. Just like you, they're characters from an anime world. They're not real mice. If you look carefully, you'll see they're actually quite cute. In fact, their design isn't even based on mice, but on squirrels."
He smiled reassuringly. "You're not afraid of squirrels, are you?"
"Even if they're squirrels, I… I still can't…" Doraemon whimpered. His round body trembled, but at the mention that Pikachu too were anime characters like himself, he forced himself to open one eye.
And right then, he met their gaze.
"Pika—chu!"
"Pika! Pika!"
The two Pikachu waved their tiny arms enthusiastically, greeting him with cheerful squeaks. Their obvious friendliness—and the fact that their style really didn't resemble mice much at all—gradually soothed Doraemon's fear.
"H-hello there," he said timidly, stretching out a hand.
"Pika, pika!"
"Pika-chuu!"
With a sudden burst of energy, the Pikachu wriggled free from Firewing's grasp. They leapt onto Doraemon's plump body, one cuddling into his arms, the other rubbing its cheeks against his head.
"Ha—ha ha! That tickles! Stop, stop, you two!"
"Oh, fine… I can't stay mad at you."
Doraemon collapsed onto the floor, laughing helplessly as the Pikachu nestled into him, all his fear melting away.
So this is what they're like. They're nothing like mice at all.
Watching them play, Brandon finally exhaled in relief.
He had been so eager to materialize Doraemon that he had completely forgotten the character's infamous phobia of rodents.
Or, more accurately—Brandon had never once thought of Pikachu as mice. To him, they were simply Pikachu, even if their species classification in Pokémon was the "Electric Mouse."
Firewing, however, eyed the two massive, futuristic guns still lying on the floor with deep unease.
The Overlord Gun. The Hotline Blaster.
"Um… Doraemon," she asked cautiously, "your gadgets—they aren't really as powerful in reality as they were in the anime, right?"
Because some of Doraemon's devices were downright terrifying.
Like the Devil's Passport: flash it, and no matter what crime you committed, everyone would instantly forgive you.
Or the Cursed Camera: snap someone's photo, and whatever injury you inflicted on a doll would transfer to them in reality—basically black magic in gadget form.
And then there were things like the Dictator Switch, the Human-Making Machine, or the "What-If" Phone Booth…
"Hmm?" Doraemon paused, scratching his head. "The power of my gadgets?"
He thought about it. "They do seem weaker than before. But as long as I'm on this planet, they'll work fine."
"…As long as you're on Earth?" Firewing's eyes widened. What kind of answer is that? That's basically saying nothing at all!
What she wanted to know was whether they were dangerous in this reality. And to her, reality meant this Earth—no other.
"What about the Devil's Passport?" she pressed.
"As long as I'm on Earth, it works."
"…The Time Stopper?"
"As long as I'm on Earth, it works."
"…The 'What-If' Phone Booth?"
"As long as I'm—huh? Wait." Doraemon suddenly paused mid-sentence. His round face scrunched as though he'd just received new data.
"The 'What-If' Phone Booth has restrictions. It can be used… but it might cause unknown consequences."
(End of Chapter)
------
Please Give me Power Stones support me on Patreon @ patreon(dot)com/SorenEclipse : Read 15 Chapters Ahead on Patreon