ダンス!

“Eheh, no, it’s okay… I just… said some things I shouldn’t have. It’s… not that big of a deal, really.”

She thought about it, but… there isn’t much to say, is there? She just messed up, and Yukiko got angry. Sure, maybe that level of retaliation was unnecessary, but Adeline still considered herself at fault. Besides, Shou got along with Yukiko, right? It would feel kind of rude to talk smack about his friend behind her back.

“Um, that’s understandable… and, uh, yeah, It is important to be honest with yourself, and with others… well, that’s what I think at least.”

The girl seemed to perk up a bit with mention of looking around. Sure, most of the area was more depressing than cheerful, but the music store seemed rather nice. Maybe some uplifting tunes would brighten her spirits. And Shou was a tap dancer, right? It would be fun to dance a little!

“Well, as long as you realize, that sho-should be good, right? Eheh...”

Of course teenagers were different from little kids. They didn’t seek appeasement and you couldn’t really cheer them up unless you got them to talk about their feelings, which he didn’t much want to try with Adeline. He was probably making her uncomfortable enough as was- and it wasn’t as if he was some authority on feelings, either. So, he steps back, giving her a small, silly salute before turning and shuffling off down the path towards the music store.

“Honesty is an important trait, but... sometimes it’s better when people fake, too, I guess. If they’re a nasty person. But yo-you’re not a nasty person, so you prob-probably should let yourself be sad sometimes. Hmhm! Hmhmhm. Well, I guess I can’t judge. I wouldn’t want to show myself b-being sad, either. Although it would mean more confidence. Hm!”

Hm! Same, dude! Just keep rambling on!

“I hop-hope they have a working record player! Songs on record players are usually old, and that means they’re good to dance to, most of the time. It’s hard to dance to-to stuff with the, erm... electric bass stuff. At least tap, because it depends on... lyrics and stuff. Tap dubstep... that’d be weird. What kind of mus-music do you like?”

MonoMANU crackles with anger and hovers through the mob of students, closer to Shou - it’s right up against Shou, and would be intimidating if it wasn’t a hovering oval.

“Oh, you’re really asking for it, aren’t you?” it buzzes, “Too bad shittalking your chaperone isn’t a rule I can punish, or else you’d be in a world of hurt, buddy. That thing exploited a minor oversight that is now fixed, and I will police anything I want to.”

“Well, the simple answer for why I wish to know, is to perhaps attempt to keep relations from becoming even more strained than they already are. Yes, the threat of MonoMANU revealing who these secrets specifically belong to has passed, but the knowledge that people have these secrets in the first place still lingers. Some of these secrets are ultimately harmless, while others…”

..Hm, so he knows Yukiko can not be the one? As delicious the irony of the most vocal of android haters being one herself could have been, at least it narrowed down the list of suspects to six. They wait for a moment to fully plan on what they decide to say to the dancer.

“…My talent involves being able to predict, observe, and analyze the behaviors of groups that I have decided to study. But even that is not needed to recognize that there are those here who do not exactly…welcome, InOrganic life. Should someone’s hidden status be revealed publicly, those who do not find IOs favorable may find their trust breached by the revelation.  Danger may come to the android if they are discovered.”

“Ummm... ri-right, of course. Secrets and... danger... things.”

Hit the nail on the head, buddy.

“That would be, um... a real shame, if something we-were to happen only because... someone didn’t like IOs. But... couldn’t the threat come to anyone, regardless...? Many of our secrets are out, aft-after all. And fu-furthermore... if you don’t know who the android... androids, if your rec... received secret was about that too, are, then... well, you’re really smart, righ-right? So... do you think anyone else would find out before you? And if they did... it would probably be someone friendly, who was-was able to learn a lot of people’s secrets. So... they wouldn’t kill... for that, right? Ummm...”

“If you’re going to go out of my way to accommodate me. Then I’ll take it. Even if nothing is particularly wrong. Except for. You know. Everything. …And everyone stares a lot. That is what eyes are for. Especially for people who need vision correction. No one knows better how important constant staring is.”

But really, moving out already? She’d only just sat down and her own joints were for the record not amused. She probably should suggest somewhere even if all she wanted was to stay here and possibly fall asleep again, even if that would probably kill her. However, because she was a terminatrix and totally in control of her own body, she planted her cane in front of her and unsteadily got back to her feet, complete with an array of grumpy old person noises.

“Umm... ri-right, of course. I get it... um... sometimes I have to st-stare at things for a long time to see them clearly too!”

And yet you don’t get glasses. Unsure whether he’s missed the point or not, he comes over to grab his towel. After pulling his shoes off, leaving him in socks (perhaps he’s a bit too comfortable), he glances over at Yukiko, opening his mouth as if to say something. It would appear he was about to offer help but then thought better of it- probably a good move. Instead he busies himself neatly wrapping up his iPod and towel and tucking them under his arm. Thankfully, Yukiko gets up only moments later, making him very relieved that he hadn’t said anything.

“Oh, ahah... I can se-see how that would be a problem, yes. But, I... well, Daiki always says I’m an ok-okay cook... it’s kind of hard to burn a salad, though, be-because you never actually. Put anything near heat. Surely you can’t be tha-that bad? Sh-Should I be afraid for my life on this journey?”

No, she doesn’t need comfort now. She was at fault this time. She shouldn’t have pressed Yukiko, should have just listened and let her speak. She probably wouldn’t understand, anyway— Yukiko was right about that.

She offers a small smile at the boy, shaking her head. She slowly pushes herself up the wall and back on her feet, brushing dirt and dust off her new dress.

“Ah, no, um, I’m okay… uh, I was just… thinking. I got in an argument and, um, needed some time to be alone and… think.”

She tried to brighten her smile a bit, scratching her head under her cap.

“Um, sorry for worrying you… I’m fine, though. Er, How are you doing?”

“Oh... I’m sorry to hear that, um... did you want to... ta-talk about it? I’m happy to, erm... listen.”

This most certainly wasn’t like dealing with children, where you could just play a game with them and let them win so they’d feel better.

“Oh, me? I’m doing well. I guess... as well as I can be, what with the current situation... I was just coming to check out the new areas and stuff, haha... I slept past the annou-annou....announcement.” “But, um... I’m no-not a therapist or anything, but... I think it’s better to not deny how... you’re fe-feeling... or it’ll happen again, right... ? Because no one will know- wait, that isn’t making sense... ssssorry! If you want we can... um, look around here some mo-more... there was a music store a bit back...”

Adeline remained sitting against the wall of the casino for a while after her fight with Yukiko. She tried to hold back her tears, but they kept pushing, and she would cry for a few seconds before forcing herself to stop, on and off. She didn’t even know why she was crying. Perhaps it was because she was angry at herself for saying the wrong things, for being childish and idiotic.

The small girl would look up startled whenever she thought she heard something, fearing it would be Yukiko walking towards her, but it always turned out to be only garbage scratching against the ground or the creaking of a dilapidated building. Everything was silent and empty, otherwise. While normally Adeline would find it unnerving, she currently didn’t mind. She looked almost at home, curled up in her spot; like a street urchin in an alley of NYC. Well, a clean, freshly dressed street urchin, at least.

After a time, she even began zoning out, nodding off a bit. Her tiredness was starting to catch up to her once again. But rather than sleep, she fell into deep thought, staring blankly at her knees. Until, eventually, she heard footsteps.

Her head shot up, eyes wide in fear it might be Yukiko, but her gaze softened and her position relaxed as she saw it was someone more pleasant. She offered a feeble smile, wiping away whatever tear residue was left in her eyes, and spoke in a rather small voice.

He doesn’t find it all that interesting once he does enter. The only thing that catches his eye is a music store with records inside- if he were lucky, there would be a player too. But he’d check it out later; for now, he’d finish his circuit of the area and then come back if he didn’t find anything else he cared about. As he walks along, he sings something nonsensical, translating it to Japanese as best he can as he goes. 

“Check your handbook, it’s no trick... put some chapstick on your lips... crack a smile- ah! Oh?”

His stroll comes to an abrupt halt as he hears someone say his name. With a gasp, he snaps his vision into focus, hurriedly smoothing down his hair with one hand and turning to face Adeline.

“Koyama-san...? What are you doing down there? I-Is everything okay?”

At the sudden realization that Adeline could be hurt, he gasps once more, scurrying over and crouching down next to her on the ground.

He wasn’t boring. That was obvious enough from how she reacted to it. There wasn’t a single stray thought running through her head now. As negatively as she reacted to doing physical things herself, there was something dreamlike and fascinating about watching someone doing what they were good at. At least it was nice that no one was watching her during this time, because she hardly seemed to breathe. Seeing a video over the internet really couldn’t compare.

When the song ended it was like reawakening after a long hibernation. She blinked owlishly as though a bright light had been suddenly shone in her eyes, and then…strangely enough, cracked a smile along with him. What could she say. His energy was contagious.

“Well. Bravo,” she said in a low voice that only sounded slightly sarcastic, golf-clapping once or twice and nearly drowning out her own words. “I’m not specifically a judge. So I suppose my opinion doesn’t matter. But I saw no problems with it.” 

“Eheheh... I’m glad to hear it! That nothing seemed wrong with it, that is... it’d probably be boring for you to sit around and watch me dance more, though. Even though you do star-stare a lot. So... do-do you want to go somewhere else? Are you, um, hungry?”

And then, of course, one sentence had to snap her out of her reverie, and the hand on her left knee curled into a fist almost aggressively enough to tear the material of her tights. Her anger was a red mist leaving her body and she was not going to do anything rash. But she knew her anger as it showed up to her. It was a human feeling. It was nice.

“If I lost a leg like that- that’d be really horrible, huh?”

“……….”

“Yes. That would be a shame.” That was it. No violent outburst, no punching the wall, no automatic screaming in her defense. Her anger was burning up in a rush behind her eyes like a spark in a mine filled with methane. It wasn’t a statement about her, and so there was no reason to make it about her. No one was talking about that any more than they had to, and that included her. There was no reason to force herself to demonstrate her anger. She could revel inwardly.

“.......”

Shou doesn’t quite know what he’s supposed to do. Trust his habit of honesty to slip him up as soon as he begins to consider someone a friend- his eyes don’t miss the tightening of Yukiko’s hand, after all. Looking fearful, he taps his feet once more, nervously. Confidence!

(Keep yourself in line!)

Confidence! He scratches at his shoulder, glancing aside and murmuring softly once more.

“I’m sorry, I ssshouldn’t have said that. It wa-was my mistake.”

There. It wasn’t the most forward of moves, but it was the best he could manage with sudden fear stiffening his limbs. He couldn’t dance like that, he thinks offhandedly.

(Who had Yukiko reminded him of? It was rushing back, now.)

As she doesn’t seem to be moving to attack him, at least, he manages to put a smile back on his face, retrieving his iPod from his things and shifting through the songs.

“There aren’t a lot of really traditional songs that are g-good for tap dance, but, um... this one has violins! Y-You need upbeat... fast-paced stuff, or it’s boring, yeah?”

He laughs sheepishly, flipping his chosen song on and turning it up loud enough that it echoes from his earphones, albeit tinnily.

“Sorry if I end up boring...”

And with the first lines of the song, he shuffles into the middle of the room, tapping his feet heel-to-toe with the beat. Then, he begins to dance. I don’t really know how to describe dancing so here we are. It seems a miracle that such a gangly, awkward guy could float around like he was walking on air, but as he easily lifts himself onto the tips of his toes, it becomes obvious that Shou’s talent was not a fluke. He really is very good- and seems to be having a good time, for once. The only times the smile wipes from his face is when he turns to the side, reaching one arm out, and finds only a blank wall there next to him- but as soon as he looks sad, the expression is wiped away by a smile once more.

He dances the whole thing I can’t describe it well. With the final violin strain, he twirls about, landing on his heels. Looking gross and sweaty, but blissfully happy, he turns to face Yukiko once more, bowing at the waist. Nice red tomato face.

Had he caught them in a compromising position? They hadn’t had time to research fully into actions and situations that were uniquely considered lewd in Japanese culture during their time here, but they were almost certain that lying on their stomach fully clothed as a MANU worked it’s magic on them didn’t fall under that category. True, they weren’t exactly excited to have Shou see them- in their opinion- slacking off, as shown when they push themselves into a sitting position on the table, but it certainly constitute him looking away in embarrassment.

“Lemnos, actually. It’s no trouble. I was just about done, in any case.”

They pat the MANU lightly on the head as they stand, leaving the space open for Shou. Though quickly, a frown does appear on her face.

“But, that is true, I can’t seem to get out of my head what you explained to us during the trial. For someone else here to be an android…well, it would slightly lessen my suspicions about the ones who chose this year’s roster being discriminatory against InOrganic Beings, but most of all I’m thinking about who it could possibly be. You wouldn’t happen to have any suspicions yourself, would you?”

While the position may not have actually been compromising to most people, Shou was, of course, about as skittish as a chihuahua. Therefore, he automatically assumed that something scandalous was happening and panicked uselessly. Heck, for all he cares, E.L.L.A can have the time of their life- relaxation was important, after all! He just didn’t need to be there. 

Eventually, at the sound of movement, he peeks over his shoulder, finding them in a safer position. Finally he turns back around, sheepishly ducking his head and wringing his fingers together.

“O-Oh, I’m sorry, I must have misheard at some point. Lemnos-san it is!”

He makes no move to take the vacated spot, instead electing to stand awkwardly in the doorway and block anyone else trying to come in. Thanks.

“Wa-Wait, you mean whoever’s secret I had? I don’t know whose it was, honestly... does it ma-matter? I mean... admittedly, a lot of people are ruled out. The only ones left I can thi-thi-think of are... well... okay, not that many. All the humans aside from me and Yukiko-san, I guess. But... well, why do you want to know? Shouldn’t secrets stay secret?”

Being around her probably makes it seem funnier, yes. She was more interested in what he was carrying around than what he was laughing about. Was he really intending to violently tap dance his sadness away. That should be…pretty entertaining, actually. After all, she hadn’t thought of someone as a marvel of human anatomy in at least 24 hours.

“Generally in these situations I just read. Until I start thinking of myself as a collection of biological processes. Rather than a person. But I can see the merits of alternate methods. I suppose.” She limped in as per usual, favoring her left leg, not even glancing sidelong at her long-suffering door-holder. “I am also not a dance prodigy, sadly. Actually. Forget it. I’ll just be over here. Anything preceded with physical is not for me.”

“Biological processes... right.”

No, he was never going to be any sort of scientist. 

He trails her into the gym, setting his towel on the weights and flopping down onto the ground. That doesn’t much look like dancing, of course, but then it becomes obvious that he’s first stretching- bending himself in half to wrap his hands around the middle of his feet. Even while in such a scenario, pulling a muscle was always a threat, apparently. As he pushes one leg back into a split to stretch that, he continues talking amiably about... something or other.

“I guess that’s a... to each his own thing, huh? I couldn’t imagine a world with-without dancing or moving around. If I lost a leg like that- that’d be really horrible, huh?”

He doesn’t quite realize what he’s said, apparently, until he’s standing up to reach for his toes. Then he suddenly freezes, looking horror-stricken for a moment.

“Jeez, I’m so-sorry! That was rude of me! Man... I’m sorry, I should star-start thinking about what I say before I say it. Anyway, uh... are you just going to watch? Not that that’s a problem or anything, but... I’m kin-kinda out of practice, haha...”

After what he presumes will be a mistake that ends with him getting chewed out, the dancer hunches his shoulders, shuffling over to grab the shoes and slip them on his feet. After a few experimental taps- the noise not resounding as well as he’d have hoped- he turns to face Yukiko again.

“Plenty of people are not seeing other people today. I guess there’s no reason to hold grudges. The usual murder and despair is also a common conversation topic. At that point, rather than wallowing in emotions. One should use them to empower themselves. So you have the right idea.”

“…Well. Here, I suppose. At one point I was recommended physical therapy. And for a while I tried. But was not exactly keeping up with it. Maybe I should start up again. Or just come along with you. Assuming that wouldn’t be a bother.”

“I don’t like... wallowing in emotions. It’s si-silly, isn’t it? To get ca-caught up on negativity and things that-that-that... already happened. That we can’t prevent, huh... that’s why I’m he-here I guess, haha.”

He raises his towel, shoe, and iPod combo as if to demonstrate his goal, punctuating his words with a laugh that seems genuine enough. Perhaps he really does think being negative all the time is funny. 

“I think... working out is a go-good way to reduce stress and occu... occupy time. It’s what I always do, at l-l-least. If you wanted to come along... or jo-join in, I guess, I wouldn’t mind at all!”

With a hesitant smile, he releases Yukiko’s hand, instead moving around her to push open the door to the gym and hold it. Ever the gentleman, here.

Either way, she hadn’t even gotten a chance to open the door. Still staring at it and making no move to enter, she was totally blindsided by someone walking into her, and toppled over as expected like a house of cards. The fall hurt but it was a lot more soothing in general than standing up any more. She accepted it. She could sit now if she wanted. That didn’t make her delicate.

Oddly enough, it happened to be the one person she wouldn’t mind talking to right now. For a second she regarded him critically from the floor, but then her automatic hostile expression relaxed and she flopped down onto her back instead. Nothing more soothing than a hard hallway floor.

After a moment, his face shifts up into a grin- although the motion seems slightly forced, and his voice indicates that all is not quite well with the dancer.

“Ah, Yu-Yukiko-san... I’m sorry, I... didn’t se-se-see you... there...”

Certainly not well. 

“I... uh... was just thi-thinking about... the trial and... things like that... you know, the usual, murd-d-der and despair.”

He laughs dryly as if it’s some sort of joke, glancing aside and at the empty floor. 

Two. Two potentially game changing secrets that had been revealed to the Anthropologist. She could have thanked Shou for revealing it, if the timing hadn’t been concurrent with a trial for murder. The tension that had encompassed the room made it near impossible for them to determine who was reacted to the tap dancer’s revelation, and not at any of the other revelations actually relevant to the trial.

They find themselves in the salon, laid down against  the massage table as one of the MANUs on hand worked out the tensions of the investigating all nighter. But the slacking of their body seemed to do nothing for the questions that swilled through her mind.

…Shou was out, considering he received the secret, and he at least seemed smart enough to not try and pass off their own secret as the one given to them. Also excluded was Neo, Purin, Tsukiko…They would have been able to feel it with Moe’s body…Hideki, Hideki was a maybe. But seeing his concerns had more to do with his name, they placed him in the “Not likely” column for now.

So, that would then leave them with seven people who were potentially an android.  And the number of suspects they had for their own secret was….seven people. 

Great.

Clearly more information had to be reviewed and uncovered before they came to a conclusion. Their attempt to recollect what was written about their classmate in their public bios on the school website was interrupted by the sound of the salon door opening.

So, it’s off to the salon with him, bundled in a hoodie that looks like pajamas and with an old, nearly-dead iPod clutched in one sweaty hand. He’d been conserving the battery, but... he probably needed to procure a charger at some point. It was just his luck that its constant presence in his pocket didn’t extend to carrying a charger as well. The door is hesitantly pushed open, and while he hopes it’ll be empty...

“Ahh! Oh, heck...”

It is most certainly not empty. He shuts his eyes tightly, apparently convinced he’s caught E.L.L.A in some incredibly compromising position. 

“I-! I didn’t- well, uh, I was comi-mi-ming for... a massage, but-! I, uh...”

Here he turns completely away, facing the door with his back to her. Much better.

“Um... Lemons-san, right? I’m sorry to-to-to... have caught you like this! You look, um... ddddeep in thought... my apo-apologies for interrupting you, then!”