Chapter 19: City In The Year 2540
"Is everyone ready?" Doraemon, sitting in the pilot's seat of the time machine, turned to look at Nobita, Kelly, and Karen as he asked. Now that all issues had been resolved, the group was preparing to travel 500 years into the past to execute their plan to save Earth.
"All good!" Kelly smiled brightly and flashed an "OK" hand sign.
Suddenly, Karen remembered something and asked worriedly: "We won't encounter that strange electromagnetic pulse again, will we? If we end up stranded in another time period, it'll be a disaster!"
Hearing Karen's concern, Doraemon couldn't help but stroke his chin thoughtfully. That electromagnetic pulse had indeed been peculiar. After thinking for a moment, Doraemon rummaged through his pocket and pulled out five belts. Crouched down, he adjusted the controls on each belt, put one on himself, and then distributed the remaining belts to the others. "These are called time belts," Doraemon explained. "Put them on. I've pre-configured them. If we encounter that electromagnetic pulse again, press the red button on the top of the belt immediately. It'll forcefully transport us to our destination."
One belt remained unused. For some reason, Doraemon didn't put it away. Instead, he discreetly placed it near the pilot's seat while everyone was busy putting on their belts. No one noticed Doraemon's small action.
Once everyone had put on their belts, they nodded in agreement, this method seemed feasible. The group settled back into their seats, and Doraemon began adjusting the time machine. As an afterthought, he turned to Kelly and Karen. "By the way, do you remember the exact date when the robot uprising began? I'd like to arrive a few days earlier to see if we can address the issue at its root."
"Yes, August 7, 2540," Kelly responded promptly.
"Got it." Doraemon began inputting the date into the time machine. Then, he paused and glanced at the space beside the pilot's seat, his eyes narrowing. He turned again, this time toward an empty section of the time machine, as if sensing something unusual.
"Is something wrong, Doraemon?" the others asked, puzzled.
Doraemon squinted for a moment before shaking his head. "No, nothing. Let's go!"
The time machine zoomed through the time tunnel, heading for the year 2540. As they approached, the strange electromagnetic pulse returned, shaking the machine violently. But this time, the group was prepared. Without hesitation, they pressed the red buttons on their time belts. Their vision blurred momentarily, and when they regained focus, they found themselves standing on a bustling street in the year 2540. Success—they had made it 500 years into the past.
Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief, finally escaping the endless blue void. Gazing up at the sun and white clouds, they couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity and comfort.
The streets of 2540 were vibrant and bustling, with humans and robots going about their daily lives in harmony. It was hard to imagine that in just a few days, a war would break out. The four blended into the crowd. Nobita, fascinated, looked around with fascination. This futuristic world was vastly different from the "future world" Doraemon had once shown him. Leaves and petals floated gently through the air. Despite the modern infrastructure, the city was filled with greenery, with cyberpunk-style architecture blending seamlessly with flowers and trees. It was uniquely beautiful.
"Integrating nature with urban design… The air quality here is surprisingly good. There's still some pollution, but it's much better than I expected," Doraemon remarked as he observed the city.
Seeing Doraemon's amazement, Karen smiled. "I told you, humanity has learned many hard lessons..." She paused, seemingly remembering something, and turned to the group. "Wait here for a moment." She quickly entered a nearby store and returned shortly with four umbrellas.
"Umbrellas?" Nobita asked, confused. He then noticed that many people around them also carried umbrellas. Was it about to rain? Or were they for the falling leaves? And why did the future have so many trees? Questions swirled in his mind.
As Karen handed out the umbrellas, she explained, "This place wasn't always as beautiful as it is now. In the past, the ozone layer was nearly destroyed. Humanity tried countless methods to repair it, and this green city is one of the results..." Before she could finish, a soft chime rang out. Though quiet, it was distinct. "Right on time!" Karen smiled, opening her umbrella. Kelly followed suit and teased Nobita and Doraemon. "Hurry up and open yours, unless you want to get soaked!"
Spurred by her words, Nobita and Doraemon quickly opened their umbrellas.
As the chime faded, a misting system on the rooftops activated, gently spraying water across the city. The streets glistened as droplets mingled with falling petals and leaves. In the distance, a vivid rainbow arched across the skyline. Holding their umbrellas, the group marveled at the picturesque scene. Nobita couldn't help but exclaim, "It's so beautiful!"
"Planting trees alone couldn't fix the ozone layer. And with so many trees, there'd be issues like cleaning up debris or problems with humidity and mold... Doraemon frowned. The sheer number of trees in the city was staggering. Even indoors, greenery abounded. Yet people seemed to live harmoniously within this sea of green—it was bizarre.
"True. Trees alone couldn't solve the ozone problem. The green cities we have today are more of a fortunate byproduct, an unexpected discovery..." Karen explained, plucking a damp petal from the air, showing it to Nobita and Doraemon. "Take a closer look at this."
They leaned in and observed. Slowly but noticeably, the petal began to dissolve.
"Wow, it's disintegrating!" Nobita exclaimed.
Karen nodded. "These green plants you see were created during experiments aimed at repairing the ozone layer. They freshen the air, and after extensive testing, proved to be highly compatible with humans without causing harm. Fallen leaves and branches decompose on their own. With proper maintenance, these plants can be grown anywhere.
Though they were an accidental discovery, they've become beloved. They make the air feel cleaner and give people, long trapped in polluted environments, a taste of nature's beauty. Over time, these plants have been cultivated on a massive scale and integrated with specialized care systems in cities worldwide. Humanity has grown accustomed to living among this greenery and has developed a deeper appreciation for nature," Karen said gently, watching the dissolving petal in her hand.
"It seems humanity had to unite to repair the ozone layer. Even if it was driven by the threat of extinction, it's still commendable," Doraemon remarked. Perhaps, as Karen and Kelly had suggested, there was hope for humanity after all.
"Alright, we should find a quieter spot now so I can start working on the robot issue," Doraemon said, breaking the reflective silence.
"I know just the place!" Kelly volunteered enthusiastically, taking the lead. After all, she knew this city better than anyone.