Chapter 6:

"Tonight's Mai's birthday?" Nao blinked.

"Yeah, you forgot?" Natsuki was stretching, "Ah! Nothing like a good workout."

"I'm not so fond of working out as you are," Nao sighed, "But after everything that's happened, I can see the benefits of keeping trim.

"Anyway, since it's Tokiha's birthday, do I need to even guess as to what we're going to do tonight?"

Natsuki grinned, her eyes narrowing, "Oh, you know what we're doing tonight."

"I think I'm ~coughcough~ coming down with a cold," Nao looked at Natsuki with pleading eyes.

Natsuki shook her head, "I have already been forbidden from pulling the 'sick' routine by Shizuru, and besides, it's Mai."

Nao sighed, "Fine. But just so you know, I'd better not see any strange outfits waiting for me when I get there."

"Strange outfits?" Natsuki's grin grew, "Oh, you mean like a certain outfit that would have been right at home in a carnival at Rio? 'Cause you know that I actually have that in storage?"

"Wait, why would you have that?" Nao looked flabbergasted.

"Ara, because I bought it," Shizuru said, "I thought that everyone could don their old costumes when we did karaoke again."

Nao looked worried for a moment, until a thought hit her, "Wait, does that mean that you have that really adorable little pink dress with all the ribbons and bows?"

Natsuki stopped laughing, turning to Shizuru, her face filled with dread.

"But of course I have that dress," Shizuru smiled that serene smile of hers, "You all went and did Karaoke without me, and so I didn't get to see my precious Natsuki singing in that darling outfit, although Mai did show me a picture of it later. I keep a copy in my wallet."

"Shizuru, you wouldn't…"

"It is Mai's birthday, after all, and so we should indulger her whims a little," Shizuru closed her eyes and tilted her head with a coquettish smile.

"Fiiiiinnnnnneeeee," Natsuki whined. She was powerless against that look from Shizuru, and to her dismay, Shizuru was well aware of that fact. Fortunately, she only used it sparingly.

Natsuki left the gym and went to her quarters. She found Miyu doting on Sachiko, and she collected her youngest daughter from the dutiful android.

"Are Saiyuri and Naomi not back from school yet?" Natsuki looked at the clock.

"They still have a quarter of an hour before they are due," Miyu informed her, "Sachiko has had a bottle already, and will likely need to be changed in about twenty minutes, if past is prologue."

"Thanks, Miyu," Natsuki sat down in her favorite chair, rocking Sachiko, "Hey there, kiddo. Gonna sleep the day away. Your Okasan and I are eager for you to start sleeping through the night, you know."

"She will likely awaken when her sisters arrive," Miyu said, "They like to dote on her, and she appears to like being doted on."

"Don't we all at this age?" Natsuki grinned, "Though I suppose you have to go with observation on that, rather than any firsthand experience."

"In fact, I have human memories in my database," Miyu said, "Joseph Greer patterned much of my thought processes off of his late daughter."

Natsuki blinked, then looked at her, "Miyu, I…I didn't know that Greer had a real daughter. Are you designed to look like her, too?"

Miyu shook her head, "No. Nor am I named for her. I do not have her sense of identity. My engrams are not as exacting as that. Sabrina Greer was born with a terminal illness. Joseph Greer was attempting to find a way to duplicate her brainwave pattern in order to transfer her consciousness to a cloned body, similar in process to how we would eventually restore Naomi. The technology was not adequate, at the time, however, so the most he could do was copy basic neural pathways. In the end, his work was able to ensure that I was capable of imitating a human, with simulated respiration and other muscle movements designed to avoid what you humans refer to as 'Uncanny Valley'."

Natsuki thought for a moment, "I remember reading about that. Uncanny Valley is when a robot or other simulacrum looks sufficiently human to be realistic, but whose behavior is off in ways so that it makes them off-putting or eerie."

"Joseph Greer wanted me to avoid that particular pitfall, due to my nature of infiltration. I do not feel he was entirely successful. Many around me have noted my detached mannerisms."

"Well," Natsuki smiled up at her, "It's true that you're fairly flat in tone of voice most times, but you're not without emotions. Back during the days at Fuuka, it was obvious to everyone that you cared for Alyssa. And my girls have nothing but admiration for their Auntie Miyu."

Miyu looked at her with a faint smile, "I do owe you an apology. The other day, when we fell under attack, I was unable to prevent Saiyuri from putting herself in danger. I had to keep Sachiko safe, and I did not anticipate your eldest daughter's desire to protect you overriding her self-preservation instinct."

"Children don't think in terms of logic and rationality," Natsuki grinned, "Hell, I'm sure you've noticed that most adults are pretty lousy at it. Saiyuri only knew that her Mommy was in danger, and so she acted on love."

"Love is definitely not a rational or logical emotion," Miyu agreed, "But you humans would be so much less without it. I have seen humans moved by love to accomplish remarkable things."

"Hey, Miyu, do you have a birthday?" Natsuki looked at her, "I mean…I've known you all these years, and I never thought to ask before."

"Well, technically, I have an activation date. July 4th. Which has come and gone, this year. But I do not require a celebration of that date. It is…I understand that the tradition is to receive gifts on that date from those close to you. But I have few needs that I cannot meet myself, and so…"

"A gift isn't about something you need, Miyu," Natsuki laughed, "It's about letting your friends give you a chance to show that they care about you."

Miyu turned to her, and her smile was warm and genuine, "My friends, Miss Alyssa, you, your wife, Nao, all of your children, all show me that they love me on a daily basis. What more could I need than that?"

Natsuki chuckled, "Fair enough. But I think next year you should let us do something more celebratory. After all, you're family, too. Will you be joining us for Mai's birthday party?"

"Yes. I have prepared a number of recordings for the karaoke party, and…"

"Nope," Natsuki said, "Karaoke isn't about singing perfectly, Miyu, so eighty-six those recordings. It's about letting YOU sing. I know my sister can sing. Can her guardian?"

"I…never tried before," Miyu admitted.

Natsuki smiled, sighing, and picked up her phone, "Alyssa? Yeah. It's about tonight's party. Listen, I need you to…No, listen. I need you to pick a duet song, tonight. Because, your lifelong companion needs someone to aspire to for her singing debut. Yes, that's right. Uh huh. No, she claims she never had. Well, I'll let you decide that. Oh, and sis? Can you do me one other favor? I need you to pick up a costume for me. No, in Shizuru's size. Here's what I want…"

888888

The Karaoke Party for Mai's birthday was large, to say the least. And everyone was in costume. Natsuki was indeed forced into the "adorable" pink dress, her hair done up in embarrassing twintails. Nao once more looked like she should be performing as a Vegas showgirl. Shizuru, to her bemusement, found a costume with her name on it, and was mortified to learn that it was Kasumi from the Dead or Alive video game series.

"I sense a scheming wife behind this outfit," Shizuru cast a meaningful look at Natsuki.

"I just thought that you'd prefer something a bit more…traditional," Natsuki grinned, and Nao near fell over laughing.

"Oh, I see my Natsuki has become feisty," Shizuru gave her a sharp smile, "Well, then, I hope she enjoys my song selection."

And indeed, Shizuru didn't fail to deliver. When everyone had expected some sort of enka tune to play, instead they got something reminiscent of a latin beat, and Shizuru launched into a very soulful rendition of Rhianna's "Te Amo", which left her wife sputtering and red faced.

But the highlight of the evening came when Miyu and Alyssa took the stage together, performing "I See The Light" from Disney's Tangled. It had been some time since the gathered guests had heard Alyssa's golden voice lifted in song, and to hear Miyu joining her was strangely sweet and adorable.

The night ended with everyone in a state of happily tired, sauntering off to their respective rooms to sleep peacefully.

It would be the last peaceful moment for awhile.