Sorry the last part took awhile, had to do a ton of editing. If I missed anything, send me a note. Thanks for the reviews and tips!! I am making sure to use those tips and put them to good use in upcoming chapters! :)

I added the movie Boondock Saints near the end for a reason and that is two other OCs were created after watching this movie, (among other inspirations). Wanted to give them some time to shine in a way as they may be appearing at the end of the story. Last, since Togusa's darling does not have a name, I named her Aira which means 'lovely' in Japense, (according to my Japense dictionary).

Boondock Saints is owned by 20th Century Fox.


Guide:

'Speech' – Verbally talking with cybercomm.

Speech – Talking only through cybercomm.

'Speech' – Thoughts

"Speech" – Talking


3 – A Modest Rebellion

ANDRIOD AND I

Part C

Back at headquarters, Ishikawa sent information to the teams that remained in the field.

I confirmed the perp's ID. Marshall McLaughlan, son of the Canadian ambassador. Age 26, height, 179 cm. No arrest record. He returned home to Canada once about a year ago, but he came back to Japan in order to avoid their draft. He's been here ever since.

'You got a fix on him, Ishikawa?' The Major asked.

Hold on, Batou interrupted, If he's an ambassador's brat than we can't touch him, right?

'I'll request that the embassy revoke his diplomatic immunity.' Aramaki said, who was watching the scene unfold via satellite location icons with the Operators at HQ.

He's currently on beltway 6, Ishikawa told them, sending a map indicating the boy's current highway route, He's bound for Fukuoka. From what I can tell, on the IR systems photos, there's a Jeri in the passenger seat.

A speed shot he sent was a clear shot from a highway sign. On it was a clear shot of Marshall and his Jeri in the scarlet sports car, Artemis.

Man, Batou whistled, Daddy's boy sure has himself a sweet ride! Matti rolled her eyes. She had been listening via ear piece.

'A Jeri, huh?' Motoko asked, ignoring Batou's comment, 'No doubt about it then.'

'Coordinate your movement and maneuver him so he gets off the

expressway,' Aramaki ordered, 'Then corner him on some dead end road. Any definitive efforts will happen after that point. That clear?' Echoes of confirmation came from all around.

"How romantic," Motoko teased, "Their last rides a beach front trip!"

"What a great view," Matti added.

"Still, the Major started, "for someone to buy a robot and try to turn it into his fantasy, ideal girlfriend is so…sexist. I don't like it."

Sexist? Togusa inquired, chuckling, Look whose talking… Batou laughed.

Respect the opinion of our representative of the fair sex!

'Hey!' Matti shot back.

Oh, don't you start, too!

"Now wait a minute," The Major said, "They lock them in the house and force them to cook and do laundry, right?"

Well, it's not like they can cook anything fancy, Togusa answered, I don't think it's possible to build one with those capabilities for such a low price.

Then what do they make them do?! The Major exclaimed, growing a little annoyed over the subject of the conversation. Matti blinked.

'Hey…yeah! What would they make them do? It's not like they can do anything…well, you know.'

Yeah, Togusa, what do they make them do? If he had enough guts, Togusa would've backhanded the cyborg next to him.

Hey, don't get mad at me! he protested as Batou snickered, I don't know! Dress them up and look at them in the morning and…at night? He lightly rested his fingers on his temple. "The Major really isn't one to talk…I didn't think Matti was that naive either…"

Batou shrugged, "She was a sheltered kid. She just over thinks."

Togusa sat back, pulling his Mateba from his back holster. He checked the barrel, a habit he picked up since he bought the gun.

"...I wonder why our film fanatic is so hung up on some outdated heap like her anyway… It's weird."

"You're always gonna find somebody who is nostalgic over a piece of the past. For instance, an antiquated contraption money won't buy." Batou smirked. "You two have a lot in common." Togusa realized where his friend was going and quickly put away his Mateba.

"Oh, bite me! You sure got some balls saying that to me considering this prehistoric clunker you drive!"

Batou chuckled, "What I have is a pure love of machines!" He shifted into gear, causing the car to jerk, engine to rev, just to prove his point. Our boy just got off the express way as planned. He's all yours, Major.

Leave him to me. Batou's on board navigation system chirped. The console screen updated the Artemis' location. The car had parked in to a side cut out. Coming in from behind was the Major's icon.

"Cool," Togusa complimented, "She infiltrated his GPS and created a traffic jam that doesn't exist."

"Isn't it fun to work under a commander who actually knows what she's doing?" Batou asked, his friend shrugging. "Rerouting complete, thanks to the all and powerful Major. Now we have to sit tight till we hear from the Old Ape himself."

They continued on a short way before they pulled behind the Artemis. As Batou stepped out, he spotted Marshall and his Jeri attempting to escape using the small wooded area that surrounded the highway.

'Batou.' Aramaki demanded over cyber comm.

'I'm here!' Batou could not help the cheery ring in his tone.

'The embassy has evoked his diplomatic immunity. Get him!'

Togusa reminded, "He's still an ambassador's son. Let's try not to damage him, alright?"

"Of course not," Batou reassured coolly, "If we can, we'll settle the matter through calm verbal communication. Negotiation has always been my specialty, not weapons or hand to hand combat."

"Yeah, sure. I'll just bet…." Togusa shook his head. He could only imagine how his sister put up with him for so many years.


Marshall felt blood pulsing in his ears as his flight response took affect stronger than ever in his life. He had spotted two men stalking them, hunting them like outlaws. He knew he never stood a chance against those men, neither would Jeri.

Sure, he broke the law, but it was all for love. That was enough reason in his eyes to be 

let free of charges.

He paused to catch his breath, gazing at Jeri. Once he turned away, he spied two women who had materialized from the shadows of the trees.

Marshall shouted, "Stop right there! My name is Marshall McLaughlan, son of Canadian ambassador Herbert McLaughlin. You can't arrest me! I-I know my rights!"

"If you mean your diplomatic immunity," Batou answered, "Your country just revoked it." Marshall stared. He scrambled to pull his PDA from his pocket. The palms of his hands were damp with sweat.

"What…No… But how would…" His face fell. "Damn. It's hopeless after all?" As the team began to move in, he desperately attempted to scare them off with the small handgun he had hidden in the back of his pants. It was a short barrel blow back model. Their reaction was a great deal speedier, but his confused mind did not notice. "Back off! The two of us only want to be together! Just leave us alone! Jeri, let's go." He took a step, only to discover that she had taken a firm hold of his wrist. "Jeri? What are you doing? Are you crazy?"

In an unknown daze, the Jeri answered, "Crazy? No I am not." She constricted Marshall's hand till he was unable to hold his gun. Drawing back his arm, she pushed him down to the ground, forcing him to kneel. "No-yes I am-I don't want to go with you-I don't want to be-in love with you…"

"What's so outdated about her?" Batou muttered, "She talks better than the ones we got!" The Jeri rested her cheek on Marshall's back.

"I am sorry…I truly did love you…" Togusa looked back and forth to his teammates.

"Um…What's going on here?"


"Nothing about this case made any sense."

"You don't think so? Funny, I thought it was simple enough."

That night after Marshall had been taken into custody and Section 9 had been dismissed, the Major joined Batou for a drink at their usual bar. There were not many people, just the usual customers lingering before closing time. Their conversation started because not much else was interesting enough to discuss.

"Even though it was ultimately proven there was no connection to the event at the National Assembly Building. So, what's your take on the case?" Batou swallowed some of his gin and tonic before starting.

"A young mecha freak with feelings for some dated android blackmails a robot manufacturer. What's ironic is the reaction was opposite from what was expected and now parts aren't produced for that model anymore."

"I suppose he wanted to transform his android into woman who would be the most unique one in the entire world." The Major would have brought up her views of Marshall as a sexist, yet decided against it. She felt too relaxed to bring it up.

"Ah, now hold on a second," Batou said, "You mean that's how come he tried to get rid of the other Jeris? To eliminate competition?" The Major thoughtfully swirled her glass of scotch.

"His motives were insane…and his methods were awkward, but…"

"Hey! Whoa! Whoa!" Batou pointed at her. "Am I wrong or did that have a sentimental ring to it? If he really did love her, he'd put a safety code in her to protect his own android." He sipped his drink before asking, "But then why did that Jeri go wacky after all his safeguarding 

effort? And afterward, nobody found evidence, not even a trace of any virus." She chuckled lightly beside him. He turned to her. "Major? Are you telling me that Jeri saved that boy? Jeris are robots! They don't have ghosts!"

Motoko's finger tips left her glass as she focused her attention on her silver wrist watch. She had always been fond of the little piece.

"When I was young," she started quietly, "the prosthetic body I had was hard to use and once I crushed a doll of mine…I cried."

Instead of attempting to ask why that memory came to her mind, Batou complimented her by saying, "Well you sure can operate it now. One of the best in the world!" He gulped down the last of his drink before offering to pay for hers. She declined, still keeping her eyes on the ticking hand of her watch.


"Welcome home!" Aira greeted her husband as he walked in from the front door. Togusa opened the hallway closet.

"Hi, honey. Watching old movies again?" Lights throughout the house were off, only the brilliance of a wall screen illuminated the room. He could tell from the lack of colors that she was watching an older movie.

"Twentieth century films are great!" Aira praised, as she swayed their sleeping son in his basket rocker, "Nothing beats them!"

Togusa started taking off his coat, listening to the voices of the actor and actress on the screen.

"Are you crazy?"

"Crazy…no I am not. No…yes I am." He paused, turning back to the television. "I don't want to be…in love with you." Aira blinked as he snatched the remote from the coffee table.

"Stop! What are you doing?" She protested, "It was almost near the end!" Seeing he would not listen, she sighed, resting her chin in her hand in defeat.

"Crazy…no I am not. No…yes I am. I don't want to be…in love with you."

"This is where it came from?" Togusa mused, searching the video for more.

"Grief is a waste of time. If it is between emptiness and grief, give me emptiness!"

"Do you believe in the existence of a soul?"

"Love is the only thing I believe in."

"Crazy…no I am not. No…yes I am. I don't want to be…in love with you."

"The Jeri's final words, they seem to be missing." Watching the film play on, Togusa asked his wife, "Hon, this movie, wasn't there more dialogue here at one time?"

"No, never," she answered, "The film is an uncut version."


When Batou arrived home, he noticed a light was still on inside through the living room window. He was a little surprised, only because Matti went to bed early. She, unless there was an all nighter, usually made it home an hour or so before he did.

Batou made his main home a two family condo that stood on the outskirts of the city. It was small, but big enough for at least three people to live in; six rooms, about 1,000 square feet in all.

The tenants upstairs were a young friendly young couple. They never caused any trouble and mind their own business. They were waiting to have enough money and find a bigger place for their future children.

He found Matti on the couch, a half empty bowl of popcorn in her lap. The wall television displayed the semi faded colors of a movie.

"Hey, what you watching?" Taking the remote, she lowered the volume.

"Justin sent me a video stream yesterday. It downloaded overnight. It's called Boondock Saints. He said it's about Irish twins, but not realistic." She shrugged. "Want me to start it over for you?"

"Nah. I'm gonna have something to eat then head to bed. You already have something?"

"Yeah. I'll turn this off soon." Batou told her to do what she wanted as he head to the kitchen. He opened the fridge for something tasty to catch his eye, when a thought occurred to him. Closing the door, he walked back into the living room.

"Hey, can you answer something for me?" She paused the movie and turned to him.

"I guess so."

"You can sense a person's Ghost, right?"

"Sure. You know that." He asked her what that trait of her sixth sense was like. "I've told you before. A Soul differs from person to person in every which way." To her, a Ghost was the same as a person's Soul. Because her grandmother taught her about her abilities, she simply grew to use that term over Ghost.

"Yeah, but what does it feel like when you sense one?"

"Feel like?" Matti thought for a moment. "Well, a Soul feels how it looks. It's light…and wicked delicate…like feathers made of glass." She shrugged, afraid her description did not answer her brother's question. "It isn't like anything else…it's hard to explain. I've only touched two Souls, so I'm not an expert in how one physically feels. But I see them every day if I want and know what they look like."

"Well…what do you sense when you see an android?" Matti gave him a strange, unsure look.

"…I've already told you what I feel." Matti said, "Since nobody else can see what I do, it's just my opinion. You have yours too, so…I'm not going to argue with you about it. If what you think makes you happy, then go with it."She turned her movie back on, digging through her bowl of popcorn.