[Moczo]

Originally Posted by Nanya01

Well, I'm back.

Spoiler for Material Days 44:

“Sette?”

“…… Uno…”

"You're looking well." Uno then noticed the other woman, who was ignoring them and muttering ‘Inky Pinky Ponky’ under her breath as she determined which wall to break next. “Your companion resembles that woman but her hair is the wrong colour.”

“I assure you that she is a different person than the woman I crossed paths with five years ago.”

“I see.” The elder Number moved closer to the prison bars to make it easier to converse with her sister and that other mage who was with her. “Excuse me but who would you be?”

In an instant, the blue haired woman broke off ‘Inky Pinky Ponky’ and launched into her introduction. “I am the terror that flaps in the night! I am the boogeyman that causes kids to keep wetting their beds until they are twenty four and a half years old! I am Material-L! But you can call me Rai-chan!”

‘…… this particular replica of Testarossa seems highly unstable,’ noted Uno to herself. She would have to see what exactly she wanted from her sister. “What is your business with my sister?”

“She’s my new sidekick!” chirped Rai cheerfully. “She was the ideal candidate so I hired her immediately. You, I’m not so sure of since I don’t believe we’re recruiting mad scientists but if you have a résumé, I can pass it on!”

“Unfortunately, I don’t have that on me. However, I ask that you take care of my sister,” said Uno as she bowed politely in front of Material-L.

“Yeah, I’ll make her into the bestest sidekick ever! All she needs is an overriding theme song and she’ll be set!”

She blinked at that response before turning to the pink haired Combat Cyborg. “…… are you sure you want to go with someone like her?”

"If only to prevent her from killing people,” replied Sette while the Fate replica resumed muttering ‘Inky Pinky Ponky’ and counting which wall to knock down.

“You’ve changed, Sette.”

"We all change, Uno." There was something in her tone that caught Uno’s attention. It was almost as if Sette was upset at seeing her again. "Some just need help along the way."

She knew that this would most likely be the last time she would speak with Sette. With that in mind, she waved over her fellow Number. “If you are going to be taking off, then you may as well have this.” Uno held up her right thumb and pushed against the thumbnail which slid apart to reveal a hidden compartment underneath. She carefully reached in to take out a small microchip and held it out for Sette.

“What is this?” They both ignored the way Rai went off and said something about how that was like Data could hide stuff on his body, since neither of them knew who Data was.

“It is a key to get access to the Doctor’s backup lab on Mid-Childa if you’re heading in that direction. When you’re in range, a map file will automatically be uploaded to the chip to reveal the lab’s location. I’m not precisely sure what type of work you will be doing but in case you need supplies and equipment, you can get them there.”

Sette could only stare at the chip that rested in the palm of her hand and pondered if she should keep it. “When did you…?”

“It was part of the Doctor’s backup plan in the event of his demise. After all, we would have our hands full caring for the clone Doctors and they would need resources to continue his research.”

The urge to crush the microchip in her hand instantly flared. “Is that so? Is there anything else you would like to tell me?”

Uno saw how the other Combat Cyborg’s hand was twitching, how some of her muscles tensed up slightly, how her eyes flickered with bits of emotion and how her jaw remained firm. It was strange for her to see the new Sette. As such, she wasn’t sure if she would take the next little revelation well but since she asked in the first place… “I’m sure you probably know by now that the Doctor approved of Quattro’s modifications on your brain.”

"As I thought…" Her body language reflected a combination of emotions: sadness, anger and disappointment. She finally relaxed while calmly putting the chip away before turning her back on the elder Number. "Goodbye, Uno."

*CHOOM*

Uno’s golden eyes merely followed her departing sister, who disappeared with the Fate replica through the freshly damaged wall. “Farewell, Sette.”

(---)

"Well?" Yami sighed at the impertinent look on Seikou's face.

"Why is it important?"

Seikou narrowed her eyes at Yami. "You care enough about Yuuno-san to not eat his Linker Core right away, but you do not care about him otherwise?"

Yami sighed, couldn't that idiot see just why she did what she did? "Tell me something, Material-S, where would all of us be if he did that first mana replenishment to you?" She held up a finger to stop any arguments from Seikou. "We'd all be dead right now."

"What?"

Yami growled and grabbed Seikou and pulled her close. "He'd be dead from giving us his Linker Core and we'd likely be dead because none of us would have found a suitable replacement."

"Fine." Seikou pushed herself away from Yami. "Just what did you do to him then?"

Yami sighed softly. "I used Bewusstseinserweiterung."

"Mind Bend?"

"Yes."

Seikou frowned at her, a pink ball of magic appearing in her hand. "You brainwashed him?"

"No!" Yami narrowed her eyes, a white sphere appearing in her hands, just in case. "I didn't brainwash him. Brainwashing is a distateful practice only for the lowest of scoundrels, and he wouldn't have any worth as a brainwashed peon!" Besides, Yami had come to value Yuuno for his ingenuity over the past few days. "No, this spell just removes inhibitions and enhances compassion. If anything, this is his true self, one who's not bogged down by the evils of his society." Besides, her book had noted that this spell wasn't an unusual spell, having mentioned that royalty did it all the time to get truthful answers and opinions out of their advisors.

"You still betrayed him. What's he going to do when he finds out and you remove the spell on him?"

Yami growled at Seikou and felt a major urge to hit the other Material. "Listen you! I don't care!"

"So even if he hated you and never spoke to you again, you would be okay with that?"

"As long as we are all alive, I don't care." Yami resisted the urge to growl at the other Material. "My first concern, in case you forgot, is making sure that we all survive. If I have to murder a planet to do it, I will. If I have to warp a person's mind, I will. You and Material-L are my first concerns, remember the state that the three of us were in that one time we were split up for more than a couple of days?"

Seikou sighed, she remembered that, it was not a very fun time for any of them. "Very well, but you are going to remove what you did to Yuuno-san and explain to him, myself, and Rai-chan just what you did in detail, why you did it and take any punishment that Yuuno-san decides."

"...Are you going to tell him?"

Seikou shook her head. "No, I will not betray you like you have betrayed him. But you will, and as soon as possible."

Nice, and it's raising the point that I made in our conversation: am I supposed to find the Materials sympathetic? I mean, obviously they have sympathetic aspects, but Yami has been mind-raping Yuuno, and Rai has admitted, openly, to enjoying murder. Seikou's not as bad, but she still has her rough patches too. I'm getting to the point where I'm not sure if I want them to have a happy ending, because while there are signs of them being changed by their association with Yuuno, there are many more signs that they really ought to be kept off the streets...

Yuuno's reaction to what has happened, both in the prison and in his head, and how the girls responsible for these things react to his reactions... I think that's a major turning point in whether you can honestly call these girls redeemable, or just plain Villain Protagonists. Looking forward to the answer.