Momo walks downstairs the next day to find Togata already moving papers scattered all over the floor.
"What the? Dude you're still hurt". Momo says.
"I'm hurt but I can move, I'm not going to sit down doing nothing, I need to start working, I have a busy week ahead". Togata sighs.
"Spoken like a true workaholic....Did you even get any sleep last night?". Momo asks.
"I'm a vampire, I'm nocturnal". Togata says with a smirk.
"You aren't vampire yet genius...And I'm not sure it's safe to work like this, you should get some real rest...Heck come to think of it, the whole time you've been staying here I don't think I've ever seen ya sleeping". Momo sighs
"Don't worry about it, thanks I'll be fine". Togata replies. "You should get your stuff ready we have school tomorrow".
"Who the hell gets their things ready for school a day before like a preschooler". Momo jokes.
"I do...". Togata replies.
"Wow, yep you're a nerd". Momo says before walking off into the kitchen.
"Uh huh". Togata says with a smile.
Suddenly he checks his phone as it shows his account balance as he thinks to himself. "Luckily I was able to get the payment across before I almost kicked the bucket....UGHHH But it drained the last yen out of my account...Maybe I should take a loan to pay the charities...Debt at sixteen...Incredible".
Tick walks into the room with a bowl of soup. ''Young master you must not be moving!''.
''Told ya!". Momo shouts from the kitchen.
''I'm fine Tick". Togata sighs.
''Hmmhm''. Tick replies.
The next day Togata rushes through all his classes spending more time in the workshop before leaving to work, he comes back home late and works on finding Vamola's planet he does this again and again for three days straight.
After class he tries to leave quickly.
"Yo Togata, hold up dude, you've been rushing out for three days now, what's up?". Riku asks.
"Just busy Riku...Just busy". Togata sighs.
"You even have bags under your eyes dude are you sleeping at all?". Ren asks.
''Coffee". Togata replies with a smile.
''That doesn't sound safe". Riku jokes gesturing to Togata passing out.
''I'll be fine, I've functioned at higher performance on less sleep. Take care". Togata sighs as he leaves.
''Alright dude, take care too". Ren replies.
Togata basically drifts through the day as he's barely listening when the other engineers are speaking.
He manages to head home from work early one afternoon as he walks back he sighs, sluggishly walking back.
"School, work, money repeat...Maybe Riku was right, I might just die before Death get's the chance to kill me himself". Togata thinks to himself.
Togata takes a turn as he bumps into someone.
''Sorry kid". The man says.
A sharp pain hits Togata's shoulder as he holds it. ''It's alright".
Togata thinks to himself as he continues walking remembering his fight with Death. ''Damn, it still hurts....It's like he was faster, for every 10 attacks I threw he threw 100, and the air looked like it was folding...He was slicing so fast it was like the slices were stacking and manifesting physically...".
Togata holds his arm harder as he looks up into the sky crying dramatically. ''I'm so dead! There's no way I can survive another fight like that again...Maybe I should try to lay low for now, but that means not helping anyone...".
Togata activates his power as timers flash on people's heads. ''Although there should be nothing wrong with just checking in".
Immediately he spots someone with only seconds left on their timer as they walk down the street. ''....Huh...No...".
Togata looks up to see construction work taking place above them. ''I have to do something but...".
As he tries to take a step the pain seems to increase. He stops moving as he watches a cinder block fall onto him.
Suddenly his friend pushes him out of the way as people gasp and watch.
The friends look at each other as they start laughing.
''BROO''. One of them says.
''BROOOOO''. The other replies laughing. ''My head almost went SPLSH!''.
''Your parents would have killed me, let's head to your place before they get worried". The friend replies.
The two get up as they continue walking casually.
''Wait what?''. Togata asks himself confused as he watches.
The boy's timer resets to a higher number as Togata thinks to himself.
"Wait, I've always thought only I could prevent death's but it seems everyone can, like the others and Chiquitita...So the timer isn't a death clock, it's more of a near dear experience clock...So...That makes things even more complicated!''. Togata sighs.
''I don't have the braincells for this right now...I should probably ask Tick about it when I get back". Togata thinks as he keeps walking.
Togata walks into the yard sulking as he sees nothing in the yard. ''What...I thought I told Tick to start working on the plans...''.
Suddenly as he walks by he sees Tick working as some sort of holographic film in front of him.
''Young master welcome back". Tick says happily. ''I see you've noticed the changes I made''.
''Holographic projection...I'm impressed''. Togata says with a smile as he touches it.
''I thought it would allow us work more freely, wouldn't want passers by seeing a giant telescope in the yard''. Tick says.
''Great work as always, c'mon let's get to work''. Togata replies.
He walks over to the big telescope in front of him that is connected to Momo's house as it's made of nano-skin.
''Magnification?". Togata asks as he begins morphing the nano-skin a bit unfocused.
''As high as possible". Tick replies watching him closely.
''Ok, let's look". Togata says as he puts an eye to the eyepiece. ''It's too early to see anything''.
''Of course it is young master...It's daytime''. Tick reminds.
''Uhh.Hmm, you look as though you have something on your mind young master....". Tick says.
''....Yeah I do, you always seem to know these kind of stuff don't you?". Togata asks.
''You could say I have a sixth sense for it, now if you like to share we could deal with it immediately". Tick replies
''It's the death clock, when I was walking back here I noticed someone, and their clock was ticking down". Togata explains.
''Hmm, I suppose you tried to save them?". Tick asks.
''No...I just stood there and watched...But luckily his friend was there and he saved him, then the clock reset". Togata says.
"Well it seems we didn't understand how it worked, excellent observation young master". Tick commends.
''Guess so". Togata replies as he leaves the eye piece and sits down. "Tick should I have...".
''Young master, you must not beat yourself up, you went through a lot. There is nothing wrong with fear what is important is you don't allow it cripple you, and look on the bright side, if you had saved him we might not have found out this crucial piece of information". Tick says.
''Yeah, thanks Tick". Togata says with a sigh.
''I'm here to serve". Tick replies. ''You also seem quite tired, you should go rest I will deal with the search".
''No I'm fine, just a bit hungry". Togata replies.
''That cannot stand! Wait young master I'm on my way!''. Tick says rushing off into the house.
Togata just laughs as he rests on the ground halfway sleeping as he faces the sky.
Suddenly a shadow appears over him as he opens his eyes.
''Togata you're back". Vamola says with a smile.
''Hey Vamola". Togata replies with a smile as he gets up.
Vamola immediately rushes over to the telescope as she puts her eye to it. ''A telescope".
"Huh? You know what it is?". Togata says surprised as he watches her. ''Yeah...It's a telescope".
''Wow...so this is how you look at the sky up close''. She says as she taps the metal gently, like it might bite. "It's heavy".
Togata exhales, rubbing the back of his neck with a smile as he walks towards her checking the telescope as well as he looks through it. "Yeah. Precision, mirrors, stabilized mount, custom lens grid...Although it's not finished yet".
Vamola tilts her head. ''But it works''.
''It works enough''. Togata replies. ''We'll keep fine tuning until we can actually use it tonight''.
She looks at him properly now. His eyes are dull with exhaustion, shoulders a little slumped.
''Togata...You didn't sleep''. she says.
Togata blinks. ''I did. Kind of''.
''That's not sleep''. Vamola replies flatly. ''That's blinking slowly''.
He lets out a quiet laugh impressed. ''Guess you caught me''.
Vamola steps closer, peering at the open panels and scattered tools. ''You're doing this so I can go home''.
''Yeah''. He says simply. ''If I can map out a decent bit of at least our galaxy...Which is a lot, I can narrow it down to where a habitable planet is most likely to be. Maybe not the exact planet, but the region."
She goes quiet.
''…Back home...''. Vamola says slowly.
Togata glances at her. ''Yeah, back home''.
Vamola then turns to Togata and takes a look at him inspecting him thoroughly.
''What....What's wrong?''. Togata asks with a nervous smile.
She comes closer as she lifts up Togata's shirt to reveal his bandaged body.
''Togata!". Vamola shouts.
''What?''. Togata asks confused.
''You're still hurt, why are you working!?". Vamola asks.
Vamola frowns, then reaches out and gently presses the telescope's cover shut.
''Hey...Vamola, I'm alright really". Togata replies.
''You're tired''. she says, firm but not angry. ''Granny says you can't work well when you're tired''.
He studies her for a second, then nods with a smile. ''I'm the exception".
Vamola stands there as she watches him her voice becoming softer. ''That big guy beat you up right? But you're strong right?".
Togata smiles. "Some people are stronger".
''I don't want you to get hurt again...". Vamola sighs.
Togata is stunned as he looks over and pats her head. ''I'll be fine, don't you worry about me".
''What will you do?". Vamola asks.
''I'll train really hard to get stronger, then I'll kick his ass, then we'll go over to kick the asses of the bastards on your planet too...don't worry I've got this, I can take care of myself". Togata says with a smile.
''Hmph!''. Vamola says with determination as she goes over to the side of the telescope and activates her kaiju suit, she starts modifying the telescope and suddenly it becomes bigger.
"Huh!?''. Togata asks mouth wide. ''How...Did you?".
''Togata I know you don't believe me, I'm strong too! but it doesn't mean you don't need help. Thank you and everyone for caring about me but I can also take care of myself but it doesn't mean you don't need help....So who'll take care of you?". Vamola asks.
Togata thinks deeply as he laughs before tilting his head at her. ''I should really stop underestimating you. You're right I'm sorry, yeah I'm tired, I'm in pain but, I'll pull through".
''Back home, mama said that people shouldn't fight alone, so I'll help you beat the big guy". Vamola says with a smile.
Togata walks towards her as he reaches out for a handshake instead of patting her head. ''This is weird, we're having an actual conversation....And look at you talking in full comprehensible sentences...Tick's lessons seem to be working".
Vamola smiles as she looks at him. ''I can talk good now".
Togata just stares at her deadpan as he laughs. ''Yeah you can talk good".
''When people are tired someone should take care of them, so I'll take care of you". Vamola says.
Togata immediately stops her. ''Huh, no you really don't....''.
Before he can respond, she gently takes his wrist. She guides him to an area as she morphs the nano-skin into a platform to sit on and gestures him to sit on the edge of the platform with her.
''Vamola...''. Togata sighs.
''Sit!''. Vamola orders somehow stern but still nicely.
Togata sits immediately with perfect posture as though in the army.
She studies him, then reaches up, hesitant at first and rests her hand against his cheek. He freezes as her thumb brushes lightly under his eye.
''When granny is tired she goes to the spa, then nice people there give them massages and she always feels better, I'll help you feel better too". Vamola says as she tries to give him a massage by pounding at his back which does nothing.
Togata smiles as he barely feels anything from her weak hits. ''Vamola...This isn't how they do it".
Vamola focuses as she activates her kaiju suit again and hits harder sending Togata flying away. ''Togata!''. She rushes over to help him up. ''I'm sorry".
He manages to pick himself up as he stares and holds his back like an old man. ''....I'm...fine''.
She cries dramatically as she apologizes and helps him sit down as she sits next to him. ''I just wanted to help''.
''Don't worry about it, it's alright. Okay''. Togata sighs. ''No need for a massage, I'll rest, just for five minutes okay?''. Togata replies with a smile.
Vamola nods happily as she shifts closer, their shoulders touching. ''Back home, we stay close when someone carries too much. It reminds them they're not alone''.
''...Yeah, this is nice, thank you....''. Togata replies.
Vamola smiles happily. ''Mama was also like you, she pretended like she didn't need help, but before I left she told me that she did it to be strong, but you have everyone, me and Tick so you don't need to pretend...Please promise me you will rest when I'm not here''.
''Sure''. Togata says smiling.
''Promise!''. Vamola asks.
''I will, I promise''. Togata says with a smile. ''And what about we go to an actual spa later would you like that''.
''Yes, thank you very much''. Vamola replies.
Togata smiles as the two sit looking at the telescope together.
Tick flies in as he overhears the conversation. ''Ah miss Vamola I see you're here already''.
Vamola turns back to him as she nods yes.
''What is this I hear about a spa? Ohh, I've been pressuring the young master to go there, he's been slacking on taking care of himself! With all these scars no lady would ever want to be betrothed to him!''.
''Tick....no''. Togata says.
''Tick, yes! Do not pretend young master, you've even skimped on your skin care!". Tick shouts.
''Ok! That's enough resting let's get back to work". Togata says standing up dramatically.
''Togata is dodging''. Vamola says standing up as well.
''That he is, what a bright young girl you are". Tick replies happily patting her head as Vamola smiles.
Togata stares at the two as they gang up on him.