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Beta(s) : Mika~~~~~
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Like she always had, since her activation day a couple decades or so ago, Himiko woke up at precisely eight o'clock in the morning. And also like always, for a few long moments, she couldn't move so much as an inch as her automated systems went through daily boot-up sequences and diagnostics. She always hated the painful five minutes after eight o'clock, unable to move or do anything except stare up at an old ceiling she'd long since memorised down to the individual bumps of the acoustic finish.
Literally, there were eight thousand, four hundred and seventeen in the large room which made up the virtual entirety of their apartment. Their fold-outs were in it, too, and even the kitchen was undivided from the rest. But you got what you paid for, as Jaxon loved to say whenever she said something about it - for good or ill.
And they weren't paying much…
For good or ill.
Finally, though, her systems began to come back under her direct control, once after another. Hearing, sight, then motor functions all came online in a rapid cascade of pure relief and sensory response signals. Once upon a time, a long while ago she'd explained how it felt, what it did to her, to Jaxon, and he'd likened it to how it felt to wake up in the morning. Foggy eyed, and brained too, blinking away the sleep and shambling around for coffee to actually get their 'systems running'.
She didn't know how relatable it was, though.
She hated coffee…
A shower didn't sound bad though, and so she hopped out of bed and shuffled off to the bathroom as quietly as she could manage to. The cold water felt nice on her synth-skin, cooling internal systems that normally ran just a bit warm for her comfort in the typical Californian weather.
And her Makers hadn't intended her to go outside even in Japan, much less the heat of the United States' very own geothermal capital. But at least their power bill was affordable…
The perks of living in a land broken up by crags churning with geothermal activity, she supposed.
A heavy knock of metal on metal tugged her out of her thoughts and made her flinch against her will. Her partner's voice rumbled through the thin metal of the door quietly less than a second later, "I set you some clothes on your bed, usual spot. Gonna make food and coffee. Requests?"
"Bacon."
"Outta bacon."
"...Go get bacon?" She asked, adding a belated, pleading, "Please?"
"Himiko…" He sighed, but after a moment, she heard him sigh again. "Fine, fine, whatever. But it's comin' out of your wallet. And I'm just popping down to the corner, so don't expect anything too fine."
"Okay." She nodded, even though she knew Jax couldn't see her do so, and added, "And thank you. I will return the favor later."
"Return it by not usin' up all the cold water." Jaxon grunted loudly, adding under his breath as she heard heavy steps move away from the door. "Again… Half the damn water cooling bill goes to that girl, I swear."
"I can hear you!"
"I know ya can, you freakin' goblin... Androids and their super hearing." She laughed at the loud sigh and the slam of the door and picked her favorite shampoo up from the little slots in the wall.
It was expensive too - designed exclusively for android units of all the varying types and made to order. Which meant there was none simply stocked, supposedly because each piece had to be set with the specific unit needing it, and that drove the price through the roof. There was no way to know if it was true, of course, or if instead the companies in question just wanted to milk her for more that they deserved. But then, they had no option but to accept it…
Like everything else to do with her upkeep.
She'd suggested not bothering to buy the expensive stuff, her synth-hair was the last of their worries after all, but Jaxon had outright refused to even consider that.
With Jaxon gone, and her hair nice and clean, she slipped out of the shower to leave what was left of the cold water for her large bacon-fetcher's shower. Their shared bathroom was simple and small, the three obvious needs for the room packed into a room small enough she could reach out and touch each of the walls and the door at the same time. Still, the backside of the shower stall door had a mirror in it she could use to inspect her synth-skin segments for damage.
Not that replacing those was in their budget, but still…
The largest problems that early engineers for high end prosthetics, and later androids, had faced were elasticity and durability. Alongside actually feeling and looking like skin, of course. Few materials could simply cover the internal systems either augmentations or androids systems for long without wearing down too quickly for anyone to bare, or losing their usefulness.
So instead, they'd covered both systems in thousands of 'scales' half the size of her little finger's nail. They were segmented and layered, and made so that to the touch they felt exactly like soft, absolutely flawless skin. And unless you knew to look, and had eyes as good as hers, you would be hard pressed to make out the segmentation. She barely could herself… And her eyes were perfect.
They'd been designed to be, after all.
"Perhaps I will do like Jaxon suggested, and order a full set of tinted segments." She murmured, running her fingers up one of her deathly pale arms. Smiling to herself, she murmured, "That would infuriate my Maker, no doubt… If I could only save up enough money."
For now, she'd have to be satisfied with the short bob she'd cut her formerly mandated hair down to, and the neon green she'd added to her bangs and the bottom edges of her hair, to frame her face and shoulders more starkly. More would just have to wait for later. Which was unfortunate, but such was life, often enough.
She'd survive, she was certain.
She sighed and eyed the ratty, dark sweater and denim jeans she wore everywhere and frowned. They were comfortable, the hoodie was neither fitted enough to show off her shape or thick enough to overheat her, but they were old and the jeans were threading at the knees.
More hair work would have to wait for much later…
"Himiko?" She heard her ever loyal and faithful bacon-fetcher call as the door slammed shut. She heard a box hit the counter and then he sighed loudly, "Aww, c'mon, Himi. Don't tell me you haven't even gotten out the shower yet…"
"I have." She called back, pulling on her clothes quickly while she heard him shuffling around in the kitchen. "I will be right out to cook."
"Yeah, you better." He called back tiredly, "It's a sweater out there, and god damn, does my arm hurt…"
"I'm sorry." She murmured as she stepped into the main room, shoulders scrunching as the large man turned to her and rolled his organic shoulder, stretching it until it cracked loudly..
She couldn't help it, even if she knew he was safe…
He was oppressively intimidating..
Even from the kitchen, he was huge and imposing, with shoulders only made broader by his heavy, thinly armored cybernetic arm. It was relatively run of the mill, with thick coolant cables and hydraulic tubes where muscles ought to have been and thin plates of layered armor that opened up as he walked, venting the surplus heat from his arm and leg both in thin jets of steam. The armor was mostly constrained to the front of his leg, which gave it a bit of a knightly look that she'd teased him about before, and the outside of his arm. She couldn't make out the little ball joints hidden under the tubing and layered armor protections, but she knew they were there.
They'd had to front the money to replace his elbow after a bad fight, once upon a time…
"No worries, Himi, vents are workin' just fine." As if on cue, they closed up, able to run without building up any surplus heat now they were inside. The broad-shouldered, dark skinned man turned towards the kitchen when they did, running a hand through short cut but thick black hair while he set the bag of groceries down on the counter and reached over to flick on the flat-top. "Still can't believe they passed that damn law…"
"The venting law?" Himiko asked, relaxing now that he wasn't looming over her. Climbing into one of the stool's set at the little island between the main room and the kitchenette.
"Mhm." He growled, setting the pan on and rubbing out some butter while Himiko watched. "Damn stupid… Ain't no one gettin' burned by Augs venting unless they grab their damn arms."
"People are dumb."
"Fair." He sighed, turning to look over his shoulder. "Not long to eat, by the by."
"Work?"
"Maybe." He nodded, turning back to his work. "Janet called while I was out, wants us to meet her. Usual place."
"I dislike the usual place…"
"You like the people there." He countered, "Just not the, uh, job they do."
"Indeed…"
"Don't worry." He assured her, smiling his warm little smile. The one he used just for her, that tried so hard not to be charming because he knew she hated charming.
Remembered charming.
Was hurt by-
"Hey." He snapped his fingers three times, an old subroutine in her programming they'd left in place purposefully jerking her full attention to him. A brow rose and he asked, "You good, Himi?"
"I am." She confirmed with a nod, "I'm sorry, Jaxon, I-"
"It's fine, Himi." He smiled that smile again, "I know."
And he did, too. He knew, understood, and forgave her for her inconsistencies, incongruities and irrationalities. Accepted them, even. And then went out and bought her bacon. Even though they couldn't afford it, didn't need it.
She wanted it, so he bought it.
"Cook." He grunted once the pan was hot enough. She nodded and bounced around into the kitchen to take over while he took her spot and leaned on the counter to watch her now. While she worked at the bacon, he explained, "We won't head upstairs. That's where the shit you don't like is, so it's fine, yeah?"
"Mhm." That was how they always did it, and it was always fine. He always asked, though.
It was nice.
"Alright." He nodded, "So we eat, head out, and get the details from her. Yeah?"
"Okay."
"Okay." She held a plate of bacon out to him and he took it, smiling. "Thank you."
"You bought it."
"You cooked it."
"You helped."
Jaxon sighed tiredly, but smiled warmly as he started to eat, and Himiko smiled too. It was a pleasant start to a pleasant day. She was grateful for it. Grateful to the man for providing it, and grateful to herself for accepting it when he offered it to her. She'd been so wet. So scared, and-
"Himi." She blinked at the three snaps again as her head snapped around to face him. Worried, he asked, "Are you okay? That's three times you've spaced out in less than two hours."
"I only spaced out twice."
"Normally, your shower and self-inspection takes between nineteen and twenty four minutes without fail." He countered sharply, "You weren't dressed when I got back. I took twenty three minutes to go and come back. By the time you were dressed, it had been twenty five minutes and forty one seconds. Given you've spaced out twice, now, I'm guessing you spaced out in the bathroom for a minute or two and then came back when I came in."
"...I hate when you do that."
"I know." He nodded, "But you know I'm just worried."
"I know." So she forgave it - she had to. Still, he was as perceptive as always. Retirement hadn't dulled him even the faintest bit. Changing the subject before he could feel bad, or press her, she asked, "What is our case?"
"Something about the arsons that have been going on." He shrugged and pointed a piece of bacon at her in a faux-threat that left her blinking at it, "And you aren't that slick yet, girl. Answer the question, if you please."
"I'm fine."
"You sure?"
"I promise." And she knew he knew she wouldn't lie about that - a promise was important, she'd learned that from her new friends. Lying was one thing, but lying about a promise?
That was unacceptable.
"Alright, I'll let it go then, Himi." He nodded, sighed, and grunted towards the refrigerator behind her. When she turned back around with his juice he smiled, thanked her, took a drink, and started to explain, "Thirteen buildings, two months. All of 'em burnt down, most of 'em adjoined to others but the fire didn't spread. And all of 'em specialised in Aug equipment."
"Targeting the augmented population, perhaps?"
"That's the thought."
"The purists?"
"That's the thought." He repeated, chewing on a piece of bacon and then grunting, "I don't think it, though."
"No?"
"It fits too well." He explained simply, pulling apart his last piece of bacon as he thought. He tended to do that, with paper usually, or bread, when he thought. She forced herself to focus on him, though, before she could space out again. "Few years back, the purists were all about the fire. But they only hit three places before the whole ring responsible was caught. Those morons are too stupid to pull off this many so fast, without the police catching them."
"Corruption, maybe?" It was the obvious answer - the police were known to be anti-aug - Jaxon had learned, and taught her, that a long time ago.
"Doesn't feel like it…"
"No?"
"None of these are similar enough for someone to have an axe against 'em." He shrugged, "Up-town, down-town. Low-end, salvager and high end cosmetic tailor. Everyone's gotten hit. The target is aug infrastructure, not a different group. And none o' the businesses were tied, so no conglomeration targets."
"That you can see."
"I mean, I doubt any of 'em will turn out different when we get their files, but yeah." He shrugged, "That I can see."
"Hmm…" As always, his logic was sound - without a grouping, it was unlikely to be bigotry beyond the augmentation itself. And with such a discrepancy in location and wealth, there shouldn't be any way corruption could factor in - there'd be no benefit, unless it was hidden inside the targets by sheer quantity. But that posed the hazard of fame - so many arson attacks drew attention, and thus better investigations.
It was so strange…
"We'll find out when we meet Janet." Jaxon sighed, "Or start headin' that way, at least."
"Alright." She nodded and tucked into her food more concertedly - she was interested, now.
Which had probably been why he'd talked to her about it now, knowing they'd be talking about it later, too. Her curiosity outweighed her anxiety about heading to the club. And he knew how to play that to his - their, she supposed - advantage. Which was all very clever of him, to be sure.
Kind of bothersome, too, since it baited her to that place, but…
It was clever enough to outweigh that.
If only just.
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So, chapter one of my own, personal, original thing.
Just an intro. Hope the characters appealed.
Have a good one.
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Mika's Notes~ Heya, it's been a while. Some of you may remember me, some might not.
This was a pet project of Twist's for… quite a while, before certain events related to the TW group happened.