I'm trying to write this like a normal 2003 episode, so at this point it's pretty tame, content-wise. (Which is a huge departure from Twenty Million Things.) I'll be including as many regular characters as possible. Although, I am planning on having Nanora Inoue in a later chapter, so hopefully nobody's turned off by that. Without further ado...
CHAPTER 1
It was deep in the centre of Metro City's shady district, that at 1:37 AM, an enormous fight broke out inside the Cheese Toast Bar & Grill. It could've been that one biker told another biker a thing or two, or perhaps someone didn't get their payment on time and avenged it, and everyone else joined in with the ensuing gong show.
And watching the ongoing fight from the corner of the bar was none other than Dr. Minimini. He sat at a shaded table with a glass of the least expensive wine the bar offered, laughing as a large, tattooed man was thrown over the counter.
Do these fools even remember what this started over? he said to himself, as if he had an audience, but while praying nobody noticed him in there. Any time now, his assistant should be arriving with important news.
Across the bar, the fedora and spectacle-clad Hogart ran in through the front doors, ducking a thick mug flying through the air. In a tangle of legs, he found Minimini's table, and he nearly dove into the free chair.
D-D-Da-Doctor, we got it, he sputtered. I d-downloaded it to the backup servers, too.
Minimini checked his watch, opened the email server, and nodded in satisfaction upon seeing the upload notice. Excellent work, Kartoffel! Let's head back to my workshop.
It took a minute or two of deciding precisely when to run out, but soon enough, they were on their way to the edge of Metro City.
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Minimini had taken up living in the shell of an old hamburger restaurant, which he'd remodelled from the inside into a dusty but sufficient apartment and laboratory. A simple hack into the power station's database had provided the place with running water and electricity. The gutted kitchen became the lab, the dining area now a demonstration room, and the closed-off smoking area now Minimini's living quarters. The doctor unlocked the back door to the restaurant and headed in, prompting a loud, tinny bark from his robot dog inside.
The dog sprung up in delight upon seeing Minimini, and he gave it a pat on the head, saying, Down, down, Spud. We've got business right now.
The robot dog followed the men into the laboratory, where Hogart quickly started up the work computer. He opened a sheet of specifications for an engine, soon standing back, proudly gesturing to the screen.
This is the Ministry's latest project, he proclaimed. A robot fuel cell based entirely on waters and sugars! This is the brand new, finalized design, ready to go into production over there any day now!
Excellent, excellent... Minimini smugly played with the rings on his left hand. Looks like a simple change from the normal hydro-cell. Let's get to work and make a few.
What are we going to put them in, sir?
Minimini thought for a moment, and then said, Take out my Mighty Mites.
Months before, Minimini had 3D-printed a large batch of one of his original designs, a tiny but powerful three inch tall soldier robot. He and Hogart had made approximately 300 copies, before neither man could figure out a proper use for them. Sure, they were made of miniscule and precise technology, but to Minimini, tiny robotics was both a norm and a novelty.
Hogart carefully removed the three-tier crate of Mites from their status cabinet, which had been converted from a broken-down ice cream cooler. Minimini had them set at his work table, and while Hogart slept on a roll-out futon in the demonstration room, began to carefully change the wiring and settings of each Mite's internal battery.
About an hour later, he felt a strange sensation of pins and needles on his upper back. Half-asleep, he threw his right arm behind him and scratched idly where the sensation had been. He rolled onto his back only to hear a cacophony of tinny screams.
Hogart screamed as well, standing up in an instant. Several of the Mites had gathered around him, with a group running out from where he had been laying. Letting his vision focus, he sputtered, Y-You're up and running?
That's right, buddy! One of them said from the floor. Long time no see, eh, baldy?
Hogart didn't notice as he bolted into the lab, shouting, Doctor?! It worked?
Of course it did...! Minimini said at the table. He was dangling a peanut butter cookie over a swarm of Mites. And it's even better than I expected!
He let the cookie drop, and the Mites all jumped on top of it, swatting at each other and biting at pieces of the cookie. Hogart and Minimini both watched them eat, and the room was silent, aside from the sound of tinny jaw movement and crunching.
I'm really glad to uh, see the fuel cell works, but... He scratched at the back of his head, still feeling listless. What are you going to use them for?
Minimini sat back in his chair with a beaming, ominous grin. I think it's time for a little more harmless mischief, wouldn't you say?
Hogart began to grin back, understanding.
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It took maybe ten minutes, and some bribery and shouting, but Minimini soon accumulated the complete army of Mites in front of his media projector. Standing at a screen before 300 faces gave Minimini an old, familiar feeling of teaching at the university; he wasn't sure if he liked the memory or not, and he tried to push out of mind as he opened a photo file of Dr. Ochanomizu.
This man, he said, pointing at Ochanomizu's nose with his walking stick. Is group one's target. He's the Minister of Science, Dr. Hiroshi Ochanomizu, and he's ruined far too many of my scientific endeavours.
Like which ones? One of the Mites yelled out.
Yeah, yeah! Another added. We've only been active for like an hour! How
Hey, I've only been active for ten minutes! A Mite complained at the back of the group.
Minimini slammed his walking stick on the edge of the table. Enough bickering! We have business to attend to!
The Mite army yelped, returning to silence. Satisfied, Minimini turned back to the projector screen, continuing, This is a man who makes it easy to let your guard down. He's timid, quiet, unassuming...but the next thing you know, he's got the authorities after you, and he's stolen your equipment!
The projector image changed to a photo of Astro. Now, this one is quite the trouble maker. He's a 4th grade student at Metro City Elementary School, and despite his age, he's a walking Swiss army knife. He's got a number of aliases, too...Astro Boy, Astro, Astro Ochanomizu, Astro Tenma, Tobio Tenma...
How long did it take ya to memorize all that?
Mouths shut when I'm talking, #127! Minimini howled at the table. Group two, this is your target. This boy is like any other child his age, albeit incredibly armed! Use caution, but aside from that, go wild!
A cheer rose up from group one of the Mites. Gloating, Minimini switched over to a mugshot. Group three, you're getting the daunting task of harassing Dr. Umataro Tenma. An ugly name for an ugly man, no? Well, this is the man responsible for my unemployment and premature retreat from society!
You mean it wasn't to hide your giant forehead? A shower of giggles erupted around the source of the voice. Minimini was about to yell again, but paused, considering the remark; a dark smirk spread across his face.
Good, good...that's the mentality you'll all need! Keep it up, and I just might order a few boxes of donuts!
Cheers rang out from the Mites, and Minimini swore he could see one being crowd-surfed among the mass of them. He nodded in approval, and turned back to the screen. He said, Anyone in the company of Tenma is absolute fair game. In fact, all three of these individuals are related in one way or another, and if you all manage to strike them all at once, you'll be gloriously rewarded!
With what?!
Blast it, Minimini thought. I've got to think on their level. Let's see...
Unlimited cookies, he declared. You all run out, I go out and get more until you've got your fill. There are no conditions.
The Mites applauded and whooped, and Minimini couldnt resist but give them a professional bow. After relishing the attention, he began to walk to the lab door, snapping his fingers as he commanded, All right, everyone! Let's head to the truck for dispatch!”
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It's a little outlandish, Hogart began to ask, after being silent nearly the entire drive. Don't you think so?
Outlandish is my middle name, Minimini said from the back of the truck.
I thought it was Quirin.
Hogart, if you were our targets, would you expect one hundred tiny robots flooding into your house in the early hours of the morning? A grin slowly spread across Minimini's greasy face. Those Mites are out on the town, and they've got the reflexes and defence of any street-legal robot out there. All we have to do is wait.
Y-Yeah, but how do we know they're gonna find the minister, the kid, and the geezer?!
Simple... Minimini crooned as he stared out the window. They'll succeed because I built them.
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