And we're back! The buffer has been refilled, so barring any unexpected surprises, which shouldn't be too unexpected given how the past couple of years have gone, it should be a smooth ride for a little while. Many thanks to kokodoru for the invaluable beta-reading. :D
Enjoy!
"This is your home planet?" Miku asked.
Luka nodded. She knew it was a beautiful, rich planet, with green plant life and blue seas. It was clear as day why it was colonized by humans, thousands of years prior. From space, however, everything had a somewhat washed-out quality to it, which apparently had to do with the atmosphere composition. Up close, the colors were vibrant, but on approach, it looked like an old watercolor.
That was strangely appropriate.
"Yep. This was home," Luka muttered. "Ruko, can you start landing procedures?"
"Locating the usual undercover landing area."
The android raised a brow. "Are we not going to the docks?"
Luka shook her head. "We land at the docks, they'll create a record of our arrival. We'd have to give them our IDs, but even if we use fake ones, that's a bigger footprint than I care for. We need to stay as low as we possibly can."
"IDs?"
"Area located. It is still an optimal place to park without being spotted," Ruko said.
"Everyone has an ID. Every ship has one too. I can create a fake one with some effort, preferably with an internet connection, but again, if we can land undetected then that's the better option."
"Where are we landing then?"
"Some clearing in the nearby forest, outside of the city," Luka muttered. "Bring us in, Ruko."
As the ship started barreling towards the planet's surface, Miku asked, "You had to land there often?"
"Not often," the woman conceded with a shrug. "But it's always a good idea to keep tabs on a quiet area to place Ruko if I need to stay under the radar."
"Never has it been so useful," Ruko added, a tinge of optimism in their voice.
The ship approached the planet at dizzying speeds, and the two women inside watched as the colors cleared and brightened. Unlike with the Sapphire Shores, the atmosphere was completely safe to breathe for humans, so there was no particular infrastructure in place to make sure that the local settlements were habitable. In the distance, the open-air docks were immediately recognizable, with the large floating platforms all connected to a variety of central, shiny hubs.
The city nearby was huge. Towers sprouted from the center like mushrooms, packed tightly together in a variety of colors, made from different materials, shiny textures, all creating a dazzling, shimmering display. Away from the center, the towers weren't so tall, gradually tapering off as the city dissolved into the periphery. The roads were most easily seen there, with their rows of trees pushing up above the buildings. Some of the homes there disappeared altogether under green treetops.
Miku was in awe at the sight: she didn't say a word until the panorama disappeared behind a wall of leaves and bark.
"Landing complete," Ruko declared as the boosters grew silent. Luka stood and ran her good hand through her hair.
"Ok, so, we need to dress for the occasion," she muttered. "You need to be totally invisible."
"How so?"
"Nobody should be able to tell you're not human just by looking at you. Here, take my hoodie, and..."
Miku accepted the assortment of clothes as the woman handed them to her, making sure not to drop the gloves and scarf.
"Perhaps wearing all of this would be more suspicious: isn't it warm outside?"
Luka paused. "Maybe."
"Locally, it is the warmest of the four seasons," Ruko informed them.
"Fine, keep the hoodie. Just try not to be obvious."
"I'll do my best."
Miku watched as the woman scrambled to put on both appropriate and covering clothing. She put on a hoodie of her own, wrapping a scarf around her neck to hide her hair and chin.
"Whatever happens, stick close to me," the woman said, voice muffled by the scarf, "If anybody asks, you're a business partner. Also, nobody kills anybody here. No killing and stuff, no matter what. Oh, and especially no gun. Don't even think about firing it up."
"Why?"
"The oxygen content of the air here is very high," Ruko explained. "You will find that fire here is a significant threat. Combustion-based boosters here are illegal, and all heating technology, if it is combustion-based, has multiple fail-safes. Extreme fire-fighting measures are visible throughout the city. Your gun could create unfathomable devastation merely by activating it."
"I understand."
Luka exhaled, her breath shaky. "Great."
"Are you nervous, Luka?"
"Yeah. I haven't seen Meiko in quite a while. I don't know how she'll welcome us. Or how she'll handle the situation."
"We'll see how this develops," Miku assured her. "If she doesn't let us in, we could stay in the ship?"
"It is possible. There only being one city on-planet means that there is no local installation for wide-range communication, however," Ruko informed her. "While I can catch some stray radio waves from space, all news and broadcasts are limited to the city's territory."
"Plus, in order for Ruko to stay hidden, they need to stay offline from the interstellar communications," Luka mumbled. "Everybody who checks in any regular port gets logged, partly for security, partly to help in the spread of internet updates. If Ruko goes online, we'll leave a trace behind."
Miku nodded. "That's right."
"I can hear no news whatsoever," Ruko summed up.
"On that note, I wouldn't recommend you to go online, either."
"I understand. Then, if she does not let us in, we can do some quick shopping before leaving again."
"And for who knows how long," Luka grumbled, shouldering a messenger bag. "Ok, I have my first aid kit essentials, your cable, some spare clothes for both of us... I guess we're ready."
"I will activate incognito mode," Ruko informed them. "If anybody should find me, I will deny them entry and all interfacing possibilities. I will respond to your voice only."
"Perfect."
The pressure chamber door hissed as it opened.
"Good luck," the AI added.
"Thanks."
With that, the woman stepped out of the ship and onto the forest floor. A healthy mixture of dead leaves, old branches, dirt, and even some pine needles crunched underfoot as she walked, eyes on the forest ahead.
"Ok, so this place isn't exactly accessible to people," Luka explained as the android trailed behind, wide-eyed. "This is part of the wildlife reserve of this planet. The city is fenced in, and all this around us? Untouched nature."
A moment later, they both entered the forest, Ruko quickly disappearing from view behind the first trees. Miku looked at it all with obvious awe.
"Wow..."
"It's a bit of a walk to the city, but once we're there we can take the bus. In the meantime, don't try to be quiet: the more we can alert the local wildlife to our presence, the better."
"People won't hear us?"
"Nobody's really looking for us here. This is a residential planet: why would anybody not want to go to the safety and accessibility of the docks? Nah, there's no real security here apart from the basic essentials."
Miku nodded, before coming to a stop. "Wait!"
"What?"
Without further explanation, she turned on her heel and darted back towards the ship. Even at a distance, Luka could hear the pressure chamber door open again, and after only a second, close. The rustling of leaves alerted her of Miku's return, but her appearance as she rounded the trunk of a tree still startled her.
In her arms was Dexter.
"What?"
"He might be good to have," Miku explained.
The woman scoffed. "I'm not bringing my plush home."
"Why not?"
"It's..."
"It would be useful. It is a potentially noisy and disruptive environment; this will be good to signal when you would need time for yourself, more than ever."
Luka rolled her eyes. "How am I going to explain this one to Meiko..."
"I can explain if you would like."
"No. Bring it back."
The small, reserved smile on the android's face all but vanished. "No."
"Miku—"
"No. I will not bring him back."
Luka's will wavered at the steel in her voice. The glare in her opal eyes destroyed what resolve remained.
"...Fine."
"I can say that he is mine. I can explain it if you would like. But I insist on bringing Dexter along."
"Alright," Luka grumbled. "Don't be surprised if it gets destroyed or something."
"I won't be. I'll get you a replacement if needed."
The woman muttered something under her breath as they kept walking away from the ship, more or less to where the city awaited. Miku followed close behind her, both arms around the plump plush's midsection, eyes once again returning to the task of admiring the wild, raw nature around them.
All the trees were ancient. Most of them had been standing there, tall and proud, since before humanity had colonized the planet. The trunks of these trees were never any less than a meter in diameter. The branches towered above, blocking out the sun, while roots sometimes emerged from the ground, creating obstacles ranging from small bumps to actual walls they had to climb over.
The more distance they put between themselves and the clearing, the more the daylight vanished altogether. The understory, large bushes carrying fruit of all colors, thorns as long as their arms, thick leaves the size of dinner plates, nestled in the space between the trunks and winding roots. It grew taller and taller as well, dwarfed by the trees, yet dwarfing the women in turn. Rustling could be heard in the thick of the branches, some underfoot, just small animals of all kinds trying to escape them. More alarming noises, like snapping wood, the scratching of bark, would startle them at times, so close they thought they should be able to see what made the sound, but the sheer density of the forest life made it impossible for them to see more than a pace in front of them. At times, they had to divert their path to find their way around a particularly thorny or dense cluster of vegetation: on most other planets, Luka would cut her way through with her laser. On this planet though, that alone could spark a flame that would grow to devastate the entire forest.
After what felt like forever, daylight found them again. The bushes thinned, the trunks shrank, the roots sank, and the dappled sunlight could finally reach the forest floor. And there, in front of them, stood nothing more than a chain-link fence.
"Alright. Up and over," Luka grumbled.
"Will you need help?"
The woman flexed her arm. She had, only a rotation prior, decided to ditch the heavy-duty brace and use the more flexible, lightweight one she had gotten when she had visited the clinic the first time. It wouldn't protect her nearly as much, but after over a cycle, the wound had healed quite a bit. That said, she was still nowhere close to being fully mobile, and moving in the wrong direction inevitably caused pain.
"Uhm..."
"Is there surveillance here?"
"No, that's why we're coming in through here."
"Wonderful."
Miku promptly lobbed Dexter over the fence before grabbing at the links close to the floor and pulling it upward. The chain links bent to her will, lifting like a curtain.
Luka gulped. "Yeah. Thanks."
Without another word, she ducked under the fence. Behind her, Miku followed again, before pulling the metal back towards the ground, straightening it out as if it were nothing more than a tablecloth that needed smoothing over.
The woman watched, a ball of uncertainty forming in the pit of her stomach.
"Don't do that in front of people, alright?"
"I won't," Miku said as if it were obvious, picking up Dexter and dusting him off. "I will be as human as possible in front of others, don't worry."
"Right..."
They started walking again, silence settling on them like a thick blanket.
"Did that frighten you?" Miku asked after a moment.
"Of course it did. Like I needed a reminder that you can tear me in two."
"I'm sorry."
"No, it's..." The woman sighed. "It's just a little unsettling. I should get over it. You can tear me in two no matter what, I just have to accept and understand that you won't. It's fine. We got past the fence. End of story."
The android nodded, not quite convinced, her arms once again tightly wrapped around the plush.
The forest left behind, they entered the world of humans. Buildings of metal, concrete, brick, and any other material they could think of. At the outskirts, it was mostly industrial, the things nobody wanted to look at. The more they walked though, the more cars drove by, the more houses they saw, and finally, they found a bus stop. At the machine there, Luka purchased two tickets, just in time for the bus to roll up.
The trip was a long one: they needed to get to a busier part of town where Luka could find connecting lines that would bring them to Meiko's house. Miku spent the whole trip with her face stuck to the window. Even in the outskirts, the buildings were relatively tall given the restricted space, all brightly colored with banners and lights. Luka described how they lit up at night, either with spotlights pointed at them, or thanks to the neons coming to life.
After a moment, when they were seated in the third bus, most of the afternoon behind them, Miku muttered, "It reminds me a bit of Seoul."
"Seoul?" Luka echoed, struggling with the pronunciation.
"It was a city. Before we tore it all down to recycle the metals, it looked very similar to this. Very tall buildings, densely packed together, the city tucked between the local hills, growing wherever it happened to be flat." After looking a bit more, she added, "Behind the large buildings, I can catch glimpses of smaller houses and structures, tiny little tucked-away micro villages of sorts. With tile roofs and wooden walls..."
Luka chuckled. "Good eye."
"Are there temples here?"
"No."
"Oh..."
"Seoul had temples?"
With a wide smile, Miku told her of her memories of the empty, deserted city, how it had looked before thousands of robots had torn it apart, piece by piece. Each temple entrance was guarded by statues of four gods, there was usually a bell, sounded not by an internal clapper, but with a large, horizontally suspended log, which would be pulled back and allowed to fall towards the bell. The wood of the buildings was usually red, decorated with dragons, the roofs layered tile. Sometimes, gardens of stone could be found, tucked in the more forested areas. More often, paper lanterns would be suspended, filled with candles, little cards hanging from them.
Luka listened and time flew by.
They almost missed their stop.
"Huh. I guess humans never really changed all that much."
"At least not here," Miku muttered, her arms still around Dexter.
"You need to tell me more about what Earth used to be like. It's so crazy that it used to be so busy and populated, and now there's nothing."
"I will, gladly!" Miku chirped, following the woman as they walked along the street. Traffic hummed all around them, none of the engines combustion-based. "I can tell you about the whole planet. Although much of its history is lost to me, I'm sure some of my component units must have caught a few glimpses of information."
"Alright. I guess I can tell you about my favorite hangouts in return."
"We could visit there, too!"
Luka nodded, her nerves unable to keep the smile at bay. "We could. Now that we're essentially going to be running around, we have the whole universe to explore."
The android giggled. "I can't wait for that part, in a way. No matter how much danger we are in."
As they walked the last leg of the journey, Miku took in the rest of the sights, commenting on the differences with the Sapphire Shores. This corner was more residential than the others, only small, rare stores popping up between the packed homes with small front gardens and steps leading up to the front doors. The makes and general look of the vehicles passing by were different. The occasional storefront was more decorated, lively, and varied. Couples walked the street arm-in-arm. People wore brighter colors, happier expressions.
The Sapphire Shores had been a place of business. This planet could be called home.
"Alright, almost there," Luka muttered. "Uhm. Things might not go so well."
"I have gathered."
"She could outright threaten to call the authorities on me," the woman added. "So we might not even get much of a chance to make proper introductions."
"We'll wing it, and we'll do our best."
"Yeah, we'll do our best."
"I'm right behind you."
Those words emboldened her more than Luka wanted to admit. With new courage moving her forward, she found the building and immediately started up the steps, Miku close behind.
"Ready?" she asked the android.
"When you are!"
With one last inhale, trying to take in extra strength and bravery, Luka raised her hand and rang the doorbell.
A faint 'ding-dong' echoed within the building. After a little wait, Miku whispered, "She just rushed down the stairs."
"Damn, that you can hear that—"
The clacking of locks interrupted her. Seconds later, the door opened.
Meiko was taller than most, positively towering over the two women who were still on the steps leading up to the door. Her features were all sharp, hawk-like, her movements all quick and precise. Her neatly cut brown hair matched her youthful eyes, which immediately darkened at the sight of Luka.
"Hey, ma," Luka muttered, pulling down the scarf to tuck it under her chin.
Meiko sighed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of her nose. "All the kids are here, Luka."
"Damn."
"I told you not to visit when the kids are home," she whispered, but her voice was so bold and full, it carried nonetheless.
"Sorry."
"It's summer vacation for crying out loud."
"Right. I, uhm."
"You didn't even look at the calendar?"
"No. Sorry. It's... It's important."
Meiko looked at her for a long time, her stare vacillating between a glare and a resigned, soulless gaze.
After looking around briefly, even checking that they weren't being overheard, she grumbled, "You have a sling around your arm."
"It's nothing." After a withering glare, she caved, "I got shot at by pirates a while back."
"Pirates," Meiko seethed. "Are you here for money? For drugs?"
"Oh, no. They didn't catch me or anything. And I barely even need painkillers for it right now. It'll take a while to heal but the worst has passed."
The woman relaxed a tiny bit. "Very well." That was when her stare settled on the android, who waited a step behind the scavenger. "And who is this?"
"Uhm, ma, this is Miku. Miku, this is Meiko."
"Pleased to meet you," the android said with a slight bow.
"Right," the brunette muttered. "What does she need? A place to hide? For how long, this time? What did she do?"
"Oh, uhm... She's just with me," Luka stammered.
Meiko raised a brow, mulling that information over for a while. "So, what are you two doing here?"
Behind the woman, a few children screamed in delight at some game. Luka cleared her throat.
"Ma, I'm in serious trouble."
"This is nothing new."
"No, I mean it," she insisted. "Really serious."
Meiko sighed. "How serious is it this time?"
"The Shion family is after me. Maybe."
At the name, the woman tensed; the first real emotion to light up her eyes was fear. "The Shion..."
"I just need a place to lay low for a few days," Luka insisted. "Just to see how far up shit creek I am. No matter what, after that, I'll go. Five days. No more."
The woman glared and glowered. "Is she part of it?"
"Yes. We're running away together."
At that last word, curiosity flickered over the woman's features, but her scowl didn't leave. "Five days?"
"And not a second more. I just need to see what we're up against."
Meiko sighed again, leaning bodily against the doorframe. "I'll let you sleep over tonight. Before I give you any more, I need to know the whole story."
"But—"
"That's my condition. You will tell me, right after dinner, exactly what you did, and I'll decide if you can stay any longer. I'll let you have tonight, though."
The scavenger relaxed. "Thanks."
With that, the woman stepped to the side. "Alright, then come on in," she muttered, already sounding exhausted. "It's been a while since you last properly visited; introductions are overdue."
The two women followed her inside, Miku closing the door behind them, while Meiko disappeared through a door, towards the sound of playing children.
After the android meticulously replaced the locks on the door, she took in the sights. Luka was looking around as well, her eyes finding the things that had changed, been replaced, that she did not recognize.
Immediately to their right was a door that Luka knew lead to the kitchen. Through another door in there, to the left, they would find the dining room, and after that another door to the left, a living area. This last room, L-shaped, connected to the left door in the room they were waiting in, a cloakroom of sorts. Right in front of them stood a staircase that curved up and to the right, which served as a center point all the other rooms surrounded in a big loop. Luka knew that a door in the living room, under the staircase, would lead to the basement, where a huge storage room and laundry room sat side-by-side. All the bathrooms were on the left-hand side of the household, one above the other. Upstairs, all the bedrooms for all the children.
From the sounds of it, there were many of them.
Miku focused more on the details: the half-circle rug under their feet, the smooth black knobs to the wardrobes, the little clay statues that sat on window sills, on the surfaces of dressers. Small bouquets sat in tiny glass vases in a variety of corners, in various states of wilting, but none quite dead. Innumerable pictures lined the walls, Meiko's face in most of them. The general color scheme was gentle, low-contrast, warm and welcoming, mostly earthy shades of sand, clay, and bark. And, though Miku couldn't smell it, the faint scent of soap and a hearty meal hung in the air.
"Alright kids," Meiko called, returning to the cloakroom through the door to the kitchen. "These two young ladies are going to be staying with us tonight."
A series of small children followed her. The first, a young girl that looked like she was barely the age of five, with blue hair and bright, watery eyes, stared up at Meiko with a smile, her hands clutching a bundle of plants not unlike the other bouquets in the space. The second one, just as young, blonde, nervous, and sporting an eye patch, was in a compact wheelchair that hovered a few centimeters off the ground. The third was older, maybe seven, and she was the first to look at the newcomers, her bright pink hair trailing behind her in long braids. The fourth seemed barely older, with deep purple hair, and while she did acknowledge the two women with a glance, her eyes immediately focused on the floor again.
Just when they thought that would be all the children, the procession continued.
A few paces behind, a ten-year-old girl with black hair skipped into the room, greeting the strangers with a small wave. A boy followed suit, hair as white as snow and eyes in different colors. Closing the procession were two blonde teens, almost exact mirror images of one another, only one was a boy and the other a girl. These last two perked up at the sight of the scavenger.
"Luka!" he exclaimed.
"You're back!" she added.
The other kids looked at the exchange with curiosity before Meiko cleared her throat. All attention was immediately on her.
"These two are Luka, and...Miku?" The android nodded. "Luka is a sister of yours."
At that, many of the kids smiled.
"These are my kids," Meiko directed towards the guests. Then, starting at the small girl at her side and going down the line, she said, "This is Aoki, Oliver, Rana, Una, Yuki, Piko, Rin, and Len."
As a chorus, the children greeted them.
"It's nice to meet you all," Miku said with a small bow.
"Yeah," the scavenger muttered, her eyes already darting from the brunette to the long line of children. "Stars, that's eight of them, Meiko."
"Indeed," the woman said, her exasperation at the situation tinged with some pride.
"How long are you going to stay for?" the twin, Rin, asked as she stepped forward.
"It's been so long," her brother added.
"Just for a bit," Luka said through gritted teeth.
"You can stay in our room!" Rin suggested.
"They're sleeping in the living room," Meiko said, her tone deceptively light. "And for now, only for tonight."
The twins deflated. "Aw."
The blue-haired Aoki, still clutching her bouquet, hid a little behind Meiko, while Yuki skipped forward.
"You're one of our big sisters?" she asked the scavenger.
"Yeah."
"When did you move out?"
The woman bit her lip. "Uhm..."
"Seven local years ago," the twins said in unison, only Rin adding, "She helped look after us until she left."
Yuki smiled, then turned her attention to the AI. All smiles, she stated, "You have weird eyes."
Miku smiled back. "Thank you."
"Is that your stuffed animal?"
"Yes! His name is Dexter."
This got a smile from the younger children, while Meiko's smile wavered somewhat.
"Can I pet him?" Yuki asked.
In response, Miku stretched her arms, letting the girl pat the blue stuffed animal on the head.
"Nice to meet you, Dexter."
"Nice to meet you, Yuki," the android said, making a voice to sound like a big, sleepy creature. This got a giggle from the girl, grins from most of the other kids, while Luka raised a brow.
"Ok kids. We need to prepare for dinner," Meiko said, clapping her hands. "Battle stations everyone!"
At those words, the kids started towards the kitchen. Aoki stayed in place, sticking to Meiko's skirt, while the twins lingered behind, eager smiles on their faces.
"Aoki, I need you to follow Rin and Len," Meiko whispered to the girl, who only shook her head in response. At that, the woman kneeled so that she was eye-level with her, and whispered, "I only need to talk about our guests for a little bit. I'll be back very soon. Rin and Len will cook dinner, and I'll be right here. I'm never far, ok?"
At that, the girl finally nodded, making a beeline for the female twin who took her under her wing. Len opened his mouth to speak up, but Meiko went on, saying, "Give me a few minutes. Get dinner started, please."
"Alright," Len said.
"Come on Aoki," Rin chirped, placing her hand on the girl's head.
The three left the room, and with only an impatient glance, Len closed the door to the kitchen.
Apart from the noise of clattering dishes and rattling silverware, it was silent in the cloakroom.
Meiko's frown had returned.
After making sure that none of the children would surprise them, she took two steps towards the android and looked her in the eye.
"You do have strange eyes," she grumbled.
"It's an implant," Luka rushed to explain.
"An implant, huh," Meiko muttered, taking a step back. "Why is she wearing a hoodie in the middle of summer?"
"We're trying to stay hidden, ma. I'm wearing a hoodie too."
"And you're sweating like a horse," Meiko said slowly, before glaring at the android. "You. Take it off."
"Ma."
"Off."
Miku merely handed the plush to Luka, who accepted it begrudgingly. With a faint smile still on her lips, the android shed the hoodie, revealing the seams of her arms, shoulders, and neck.
The woman's frown turned into an angry scowl.
"What is that."
"She's still Miku, ma."
"What. Is. It."
Unshaken, the android said, voice even, "I am Electric Angel. I am an AI that Luka found on Earth."
"You lied to me," Meiko hissed at the scavenger. Anger boiling over, she barely kept her voice low as she stage-growled, "You lied to me and brought a robot into my home!"
"She's harmless—"
"I am raising eight children!" she went on. "And you bring this piece of machinery—"
"Ma—"
"Out. I want it out!" Meiko snapped.
"No!"
The two women glared at one another, waiting to see if anybody would come in to check after Luka's outburst. After a tense moment, the scavenger went on saying, "I owe her my life, ma. She's staying with me."
"Then you can both leave," Meiko hissed. "I'm not tolerating the presence of a liar and a robot in my household."
"Ma'am—"
"Silence," the brunette snapped at the android, before turning back to Luka. "I've done so much for you over the years. I've paid for medical expenses, I hid you from authorities, but the fact that you're bringing in this, this... Poser into my home crosses the line!"
Luka bit back a retort, before taking a deep breath. Before Meiko could physically start pushing them towards the door, she said, "Ma, please."
The brunette froze.
"Please just hear us out."
Meiko's jaw flexed, her balled fists slowly relaxing. "Since when do you say please?"
Luka nodded her head towards the android. "She taught me."
"She..." Her scowl deepened. "What kind of robot is it?"
"She's whatever she wants to be," Luka said. "And right now, she's my friend. It doesn't matter what she's made of."
"Is it your bodyguard?"
"No. She's my friend."
"Some kind of therapy AI?"
"No, ma."
"What is it?"
Luka sighed, and said very slowly, "She is Miku."
Her scowl stayed. "And why should I trust it?"
"She has a good heart. She's the one who saved me from the pirates. From the Shion family."
"A heart..." Meiko muttered. "Robots don't have hearts."
"Perhaps not literally," the android conceded.
"She's harmless," Luka added.
"Harmless," the brunette hissed. "It looks like a human. Do you know how impressionable children are?"
"I have no intention of deceiving any of them," Miku stated, her voice calm and even.
"Yet it posed as a person."
"At my request," Luka told her. "You can talk to her, you know."
"Luka was not sure how you would react to my nature," Miku explained. "We never had any intention of misleading or tricking your children; the main reason behind my disguise was so we could travel through the city unnoticed. I'm sorry if I came across as deceiving."
Her jaw clenched again.
"What is your primary directive?" she asked the android.
"I have none."
"Your creator?"
"Myself."
Meiko glared at the scavenger. "What is this."
"I told you, ma. I found her on earth. She made herself. She's not like the AI we make."
"Why should I trust it, then."
"Honestly, if you should choose between trusting me and trusting her, you should trust her," Luka admitted. "She's a better person than I am."
"That's no person."
"She's more human than AI," she insisted. "No matter what she's made of."
Meiko growled. "I don't like it."
"You don't have to," Miku said. "I can promise to stay close to Luka and away from your children if you would like. I will not speak to them again for the duration of our stay."
The brunette hesitated, glaring at the duo. Luka clutched Dexter close, watching Meiko take in the details of the android, from the tattoo on her shoulder, the seams on her limbs, her opal eyes, her floating hair ties.
The scavenger sighed.
"It's fine. We'll... We'll go."
The android blinked in surprise. "Luka?"
"We'll just go."
Miku reached out, just barely touching her, prompting a small flinch. "Are you sure?"
Luka shrugged with one shoulder. "Let's just do the shopping we need to and leave."
"...Very well," Miku said, pulling the hoodie back on. "Here, I'll hold Dexter."
Luka handed her the plush.
"I can carry the bag, too."
"It's fine."
"You're leaving?"
The trio turned towards the kitchen door, where Len was standing. He quickly shut the door behind him as he entered the room.
"I thought you were staying for the night."
Meiko shook her head, not bothering to hide her unhappiness. "Not anymore."
"What's the matter?"
Neither of the guests spoke up, eyes downcast. After a moment, Len's eyes landed on the android, whose hoodie was still unzipped.
"...Oh."
"I don't trust it," Meiko whispered.
"I thought..."
"Exactly," Meiko muttered when he trailed off. "I won't have it walking around, looking and acting like a person. Who knows what kind of things it will teach the others."
The twin frowned. "What is it?"
"It doesn't matter," Luka grumbled. "We're leaving."
With that, the scavenger undid the last lock and opened the door before starting down the steps. Miku, however, idled in the doorframe, turning back towards the brunette.
"What could I do to convince you that I mean no harm?" she asked, voice low.
"Why do you care?"
"Because I care about Luka, and I would like to see her rest someplace safe. I would much rather she recuperate here before we spend the next few years running non-stop." When Meiko didn't reply right away, the android urged, "Please. This is her last chance at quiet in her life before the storm."
Luka, who had stopped halfway down the steps, muttered, "There's no point, Miku."
"Please let me try."
"There's nothing you can do to convince her. Nothing we have the time for."
"Please, Luka."
The scavenger relented, though her expression didn't change. "Fine..."
"If I must stay in the basement or attic, I will," Miku said towards the brunette. "If you want me to hide in the bottom of a wardrobe, I will. If I must do all your chores, I will. If I must tell you my whole story from the moment of my creation, I will. Please, tell me what I must do in order for you to let Luka stay. Just one night."
Meiko crossed her arms, deep in thought. "All AIs are made for something. What were you made to do?"
"I was made to unite humanity and bring them home to Earth," the android replied. "Clearly, that second part cannot happen. But I still long to bring people together through song."
"Song?"
"I sing. I love to sing. I live to sing." When Meiko said nothing, the android stepped towards her. "I can sing anything you would wish me to. Or I will not sing at all. Please. While I'm here, your order is my command, as long as you let Luka stay for just one night."
Luka bristled at the words. "Miku—"
"It's fine, Luka."
"My order is your command?"
"Yes."
Meiko sighed, pinched the bridge of her nose again. "Stars..."
"I will be fully transparent about my nature if you wish."
"You better." After another heavy sigh, the brunette waved them in. "Alright, fine. You can stay."
Wary, Luka came back up the steps and closed the door behind them under Meiko's tired glare and Len's confused stare.
"First, we're telling everyone exactly what you are," Meiko told the android. "Then we'll have dinner. I'll figure out what to do with you by then."
"Very well," Miku said, bowing deeply. "Thank you."
Meiko shook her head. "Did you want to tell me something, Len?"
"Oh. Uhm. Dinner will be ready soon. We prepared some of the leftovers so that they can eat too, but, uhm..."
"I don't require food," Miku said.
"I have her charging cable," Luka muttered.
Meiko groaned. "By the stars... I can't believe this. Just... You know what? Go charge in the living room or something."
Miku nodded, turning around to rummage in the bag for her cable. Luka flinched again but didn't back away.
"Living room is through that door," she whispered to her.
"Thank you."
"Are you alright?"
The android paused, cable in hand. "I will be."
"She doesn't own you."
"For as long as we are here, she does," Miku whispered. "Those are the conditions of our stay, and I will adhere to them."
"We can leave."
Their eyes met, the android clutching the cable. "It's best if we do not. The longer we can stay, the better."
Luka glanced at the brunette, who was watching the exchange with a wary, tired glare. "If you really don't like something, it's ok to speak up. You're more than what she thinks you are."
"I know," Miku replied, head bowed. "Thank you."
At that, the android retired to the living room. Luka watched her go, tried to swallow past the lump in her throat.
"Now, you can put down your bag and take off your disguise," Meiko said. "We're going to eat."
"Yes, ma."