Obviously inspired and influenced heavily by 'Be Human' by Yoko Kanno and Scott Matthew. I love that song deeply.
PS: Nanowrimo is done, I got to 50k, but updates will not become any more regular. Though once I get my hands on that last episode, there will defiantly be a few fics. …grin…
"What would you do?"
A pause… "Sleep! I'd sleep! Every night, and I'd have great dreams about flying and fighting, and running…"
"Oh you've got no imagination! I'd go on the beach and make a sand castle!"
"You can do that now!"
"Yeah, but I couldn't mess up… and I couldn't go swim in the ocean if I wanted to."
"I'd take a bath! With lots of bubbles!"
"I'd get wrinkles… right where I smiled every day!"
Major Kusinagi sidled up to the corner, listening intently, wondering what the Tachikomas were talking about this time. She'd heard them play the 'what if' game before, but only for cases… like, 'what if the suspect did this?'. But this… this was different.
"I'd have children, and love all of them."
"I'd count every single second… and I'd be happy for all of it."
"But that's not what it's about – it's obvious that humans thrive on controversy. There's even a saying – no pain, no gain."
"You hush with the twentieth century clichés! I'd be popular- lots of friends, staying out too late doing crazy things."
"You already are popular; you're Mr. Batou's favorite."
The major sucked in her breath, understanding washing over her cyberbrain. They were talking about what they would do… if they were human.
"Wait – but if it's all about controversy – what would we do if we were in a fight?"
"Curse!"
"Fight back."
"Kiss and reunite."
They grew quiet. "Would we doubt things… like they always seem to do?" One asked.
"Maybe."
"Would we cry?"
"Probably."
"When we die… would we see heaven?"
She turned, frowning to herself as she walked away, deep in thought. They wanted to be more human… thinking that she and Batou and the others were the standard of humans. She couldn't remember the last time she had gone out with friends, had a dream filled sleep… taken a bath. All of the things that she no longer did because of her cyber body had rarely occurred to her… why would it occur to them? Why would they want it? Was the grass really that green? She grunted – full cyborgs like herself walked the line between humanity and AI, she sometimes – not often, but sometimes – wished that she was more human. Things that she would lack one day filled her mind… she would never have laugh lines, arthritis… she would never have children.
Certainly, she had never particularly desired to have a child, but that the Tachikoma had wanted them made her wonder…
She shook her head, dispelling images of the picture Togusa had taken of her and Batou with his son for a case. It had been a nice picture, Batou still kept it in his wallet. She felt an odd need to swallow.
"What's up, Major?" As if he had been summoned by her thoughts, Batou's concerned voice startled her back to the halls of section nine.
She glanced up at him, a brief flash of him doting on a child as he did the Tachikoma appearing in her mind. He would make – have made – a good father. "Nothing," she murmured, and turned away, picking up her coat from the chair in the break room and beginning to walk out. "I just…," she paused.
"Just?"
She sighed, "Wanted a bath." And with a wave, she walked out the door.