"Mother! Mother! Look!" The child exclaimed excitedly while pointing at a toy store window, "That doll is so pretty!"
"It certainly is." The mother smiled and nodded in agreement, "Much like you. Now come along, we must get home."
"But Mother.." The girl refrained from walking. She looked genuinely concerned. "She's all alone...she needs another doll friend..."
"She has many friends, Dear," The mother explained as she began to point to other toys through the glass window, "There's the bear, the dog, the monkey, and the owl...Her friends do not have to be dolls, they can be anyone as long as they are kind and accepting of her."
The child seemed to understand and smiled. She now looked content as she walked through the crowded market area with her mother.
Such a scene took place before the Major's eyes. She was standing right around the corner, overhearing and observing the conversation. In order to look unsuspicious, she had her phone out and was pretending to use it up. She soon returned it to her back pocket as she watched the small family walk away. There was a longing look in her eyes and she did not exactly know why. The feeling she felt was like that of a primal instinct despite lacking the components of even having one.
"I'm here, Major." Her partner Batou greeted as he stood beside her.
"You're late."
Batou was taken aback, "Only by two minutes!..Geez, what got you all worked up?"
"I need you to be on time when you're needed." She stated simply while walking ahead.
"What? Would you have just gone on and left if I was three minutes late?"
"Most likely."
"Damn. Can't you give your old pal a break?" He almost pouted.
"You should know my expectations by now." Her responses were always quick and clever, leaving him with the cold shoulder. She seemed to be the hardest woman to please on Earth but that's what made her so special to Batou. No matter how much she critiqued and complained about him, he was simply satisfied with working with her.
"Alright, you win." He chuckled. He then got to buisness, "Now why exactly are we here?"
The Major suddenly switched their conversation to their telecomms, [There have been complaints about looting and pickpocketing here. Normally, we would let the local police handle these things but the particular items that are constantly being stolen are what caught our interest. Cellphones, health monitors, tablets and other devices are not only being sold on the black market, but also being used for illegal bot-fighting rings. The electronics are taken apart to construct newer machines that, at the same time, steal personal information from the individual that had their item taken from them.]
[I see. So we're here to monitor the area?]
[Yes, and perhaps catch a few pickpockets.]
The location they were in was a long, wide street full of locals and tourists. It was a fire waiting to be ignited with crime but so far, all seemed manageable. The street was crowded with wandering people and eager street vendors. Each vendor sold practically the same items from one another and the only differences present were color and prices. The buildings that fenced the area in had stores that one could only afford to window shop and not actually step foot in to purchase an item. Of course, the two officers were uninterested in buying anything; Material things did not appeal to them.
After about an hour and a half of walking and scanning, there simply was nothing to be suspicious of. Was it too crowded for there to be a crime? Were criminals aware that agents from Section 9 were present? It was difficult to tell and frankly, Batou was a bit bored.
"There's nothin' here...are you sure you got the right address?" He asked with a sigh.
"We can't let our guard down now. Until we even have the slightest indication of a pickpocket, I am not leaving." Major spoke with determination.
"Fine, fine. I won't leave either."
In a brief moment, Major was bumped from behind. She spun around and was now face to face with an elderly woman. The woman was wearing a light blue yukata and she had her grey hair up in a bun.
"I am so sorry, Mi-" The elderly woman began to apologize until her blue eyes widened, "Motoko?..."
Batou inched toward the Major protectively since she was addressed by her first name. This woman was too old to be a girlfriend or even a casual friend to Motoko.
"Yes, that is definitely you...those crimson eyes give it away."
"I'm sorry, have we met?" Motoko asked, feeling a bit put off yet not expressing it.
"Oh...you don't remember me...well, no one can blame you. Cyborg memories are often tossed away and forgotten..."
The woman seemed to know a little too much about the Major that it even made Batou feel uneasy, so he stepped up, "Alright Lady, who are you?"
The woman was a bit intimidated by the burly man but she finally answered, "I use to be her first-year teacher in highschool..."
Her answer was compelling and her suspicion level decreased, according to Batou's mind.
"I apologize for not remembering you. I only remember that high school was something I wanted to forget." Motoko shrugged.
The woman nodded understandingly, "I take no offense...You have grown so much and are practically a whole new person. Your personality, your fashion, and now a husband."
"We're-"
"-delighted to have met you." Batou interuppted as he placed his hand on Motoko's hip, now playing the role as the loving and nosy husand, "She never discloses anything about her past so it's good to see someone who was a part of it."
Motoko had the greatest urge to propel Batou into a brick wall with her fist but she did not want to cause a scene.
"Ah, now that is something that has not changed about her." The elderly woman giggled, "I suppose I should introduce myself...I am Toriyama Noriko." She bowed.
"Batou." He greeted with a single nod.
"It's nice to meet you again Mrs. Toriyama." Motoko replied with appreciation.
"I would love to stay and catch up on things, but I must return to my store."
"Where do you work?" Batou asked.
"In a shop called 'La Boîte de Souvenirs'. I sell items pertaining to the storage and use of memories for androids and cybrogs alike. I also have a vault where people have their most precious or darkest memories stored away. They always tell me that it gives them a sense of closure and protection. If you both wish to come by and visit, you certinaly may. I'm located down the alley next to the noodle shop."
"Maybe some other time." Motoko replied, perhaps a bit too quickly. Batou was curious to see what this 'memory store' would be like thus he was disappointed in the Major's decision.
Toriyama gave a wrinkled smile and nodded, "As you wish. You are a busy woman. Just know that you can visit me any time." She gave them one final bow before turning away and disappearing into the busy crowd.
Once she was gone, Batou asked, "Why don't you want to go the store?"
"I don't need to go."
"Why not? I'm sure there are a lot of things that you can uncover about yourself...hell, we just met your highschool teacher, who knows what else you could discover."
"Maybe I don't want to and we should leave it at that." She pulled away from his hold and turned, "C'mon, let's sweep through the area once more and then we can leave."
Batou gave a frustrated huff and did not bother to argue with her any further. There was no point in persuading someone as stubborn as her into doing something she doesn't feel like doing even if something good were to come out of it.
The two spent the rest of the evening walking and examining their enviornment. It gave Batou some time to get over the ordeal about the memory store but Motoko still had some uneasiness about her; she felt like something was missing. She was not the type of person to give up such a minor task yet in this moment in time, it seemed suitable. They made their way out of the crowd and near the parking lot where there was no activity.
"I guess nothing's here." She concluded.
"It seems so." Batou agreed before offering, "Want to get some coffee? I'm buyin'."
"Sure." She could not turn down free coffee. She reached into her back pocket and suddenly had a serious look on her face.
"What's wrong?"
"My phone." She checked the other pocket. Nothing was there.
"I was behind you the whole time...I didn't see anyone come near you. Did you leave it at home?"
"I was using it when you first arrived." She began to check her jacket.
"Maybe you dropped it."
"Batou, I've chased down dozens of criminals with a phone in my pocket and not once have I dropped it." She removed her jacket and tossed it to her cohort whom immediately caught it. She then started to pat down her own body.
"Okay, okay. Do you at least still have your wallet?"
Motoko slightly unzipped the front of her leotard and reached her hand between her cleavage. She pulled out her black leather wallet and checked to see if everything was still inside. Her ID, cards, and cash were all there and she gave an affirming nod.
"Want me to...search you myself?" He low-key offered.
She did not even have to say anything to reject him. She gave him the classic "yeah right" look and zipped her leotard back up after putting her wallet away. Batou walked behind her and helped her put her jacket back on. As he stood behind her, she remembered being bumped into by Mrs. Toriyama.
"She took it..." Motoko said aloud.
"What?"
"Mrs. Toriyama must have grabbed it when she bumped into me..."
"The old lady? No way!" Batou was now a bit miffed, "She probably wasn't your teacher at all! Just some petty thief trying to gain your trust! You wait here, I'll go find her..." He turned and trudged away before letting Motoko utter another word.
He found himself back in the busy street but this time it had a different atmosphere to it. People stared at him and singled him out for whatever reason. He ignored the stares and looked in every direction for the old woman. He remembered her disclosing the location of the memory store yet was unsure if such a place even existed. He might as well go to the destination and if it happened to be some sort of trap, he knew he could handle it. He passed by the noodle shop and turned the corner which led to a dark and empty alleyway. He entered the tucked away area and had a pistol ready. He slowly paced his way through and in the distance, he could see light illuminating the left wall.
La Boîte de Souvenirs a neon sign read above a small store. The blinds were closed and it was difficult to see what was inside through the window. The glass door said "Open" and it suddenly opened when a young woman exited the store. Batou quickly hid his gun and realized that this Toriyama was not lying about such a location. Now it was simply to see if she truly worked there. Before the door could shut, he stopped it with a single hand and entered the building.
