The Path To Becoming Human

K

Knives

Guest
Original poster
(Ok, so what I'm shooting for is this- a rash of slayings in Yokohama, Japan, has prompted a response by the JSDF, who have sent in an android to find the killer and take care of the problem. Little do they know though, that their ventures into robotics have been more succesful than they could have imagined, and the Android shall soon develop a will of his own! Will he be able to find himself? Can an android develop a soul? Please feel free to join!)

It was a beautiful night in Yokohama, Japan. A full moon hanging preagnant in the night sky, skirted by a wreath of vaporous clouds as she shone her radiance down upon the shadowed city-scape.

Walking down a street that was lit only by the moonlight, a high-school girl by the name of Asuna Shiima looked around nervously, wondering why no one else was out. "I know it's late, but where is everyone? There's normally a pretty active nightlife around here. Ohhh, why did I have to stay so late at cram-school?" she wondered to herself, worrying her bottom lip as she clutched a book she was carrying tightly to her chest.

Turning down an unlit alley-way, she clutched her book even tighter, trying to peer into the depths of the darkness- this way would get her home faster but- *crash!* - She let out a scream of fright as the sound of a trash can falling over boomed, causing her to take a few involuntary steps back. "H-hello?" She called out weakly, cursing herself- There'd been a number of slayings over the prefect recently, and everyone had been on edge, as the killer(s) had not been caught yet. "Oh, please be a cat or a dog or something!" She prayed silently as she took a small step forward. "H-hello? I someone there?" She called out fearfully.

As she asked that, a cloud that had been partially obstructing the moon shifted, bringing light to thee alley- And illuminated a tall figure, lumious eyes lighting up in the moon's rays.

Asuna let out a scream of terror, and the figure lunged.

That night, a promising young life was cut short.
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-(The Next Morning)-​
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Deep in a secret base of the JSDF, an elderly man sat behind a desk, reading through that morning's papers. He was a severe-looking man, dressed sharply in a suit, his aged face framed by a pair of small glasses and a salt-and-pepper moustache. 'Another Slain In Yokohama!' blared a headline staring up at him. This was getting out of hand, and it was obvious that the local police would not be able to handle the situation- He'd gone over the reports himself, and whatever had killed those people was not human. "Well, it looks like I'm going to have to send in someone after all... But with what I've read, I can't just send anyone in... It looks like this is a task for the Mobairuhyūmanoido ōtō-bu." He thought to himself, hitting a small, discrete button on the underside of his desk, causing a nearby section of wall to raise, revealing a hidden room. Entering it, he walked to a pod that was hooked to a large computer array. Sitting at the terminal, he booted the system, entering a complex series of commaneds, looking over as, a few moments later, the pod door opened, chilled air spilling from it as a hand reached out, grabbing the side of the pod. "Do you understand your orders?" He asked the figure that was shrouded in mist.​
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Quickly the mist cleared away, revealing a pale, nude youth who looked to be in his mid-to-late teens, standing at 5'7 with an athletic build. Dark brown bangs framed his closed eyes, which slowly opened to reveal wine-red irises that glowed slightly for a moment before the sheen faded away. "Yes sir." He answered, turning his gaze to his master.​
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The man nodded, pushing his glasses up. "Good, then I leave it to you, Moba. Infiltrate the local school systen, find this killer, and put him down."​
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-(The Next morning)-​
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It was a beautiful morning, and, despite the recent slayings, the student body of Kariashi High seemed to be a lively one as everyone prepared for the school day ahead.​
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Standing at the gates to the school, Mobairuhyūmanoido ōtō-bu Unit 13, known as Moba, stood, dressed in a dark-blue school uniform, silently taking in the sight before him, analyzing everything that his sensors detected.​
 
Naho Hidaka was a small junior in Kariashi high with black hair and and brown eyes. She had dark rims under her eyes from lack of sleep. She couldn't understand why everyone was so energetic with their fellow students dropping like flies. Her eyes scanned the crowd with disdain until some one caught her interest. 'Is that a new student?' she thought to herself. Slowly she made her way over to the boy to introduce herself. "Hello?" she greeted "My name's Naho Hidaka, and yours is...?" she trailed off.
 
Moba stood stock-still, his opical scanners capturing a profile of each face before him, processing the information through a compiled database of every known student that went to the school while his auditory sensors monitered every conversation within three-hundred feet, trying to capture any snippet of a rumor, though nothing out of paramater had come up yet. Catching a movement coming his way, Moba's eyes glowed briefly as his processor brought up all relevant files on the one walking towards him- One Naho Hidaka, Junior- Nothing suspicious, though it was obvious she was approaching him with intent to speak.

"My name's Naho Hidaka, and yours is...?"

Moba bowed his head briefly. "Greetings, Naho Hidaka-san. I am Moba Manoido. I am a new student here. It is a pleasure to make your aquiantance." He greeted, his voice sounding slightly flat. Taking note of her tired expression, his initeraction protocols prompted it be polite he inquire to the state of her health. "Are you alright, Hidaka-san? Your appearance suggests that you have not slept well. Is something amiss? Are you feeling unwell?" He queried.

(ooc: Thank you for joining! ^_^ And let me just say, your handle is awesome!)
 
The teenager gave him a slightly odd look for his flat sounding voice before answering him "Oh! No I'm fine it's nothing you need to worry about just..... worried I guess" she sighed bouncing on the balls of her feet "Say, did you need any help finding your way around the school Moba-kun?" Naho asked shaking her self of her nervousness and giving the boy a smile. "I forgot to ask what class you're in." she said smacking herself lightly on the head.

Sleeplessness was starting to get to her. Naho only got around two to three hours a night now if she was lucky, mix that with her stress from her studies didn't make her the healthiest person in the world.
 
Moba processed Naho's repsonse and following queries, looking at her for a brief second while his programming waged an internal debate- The girl's health was at a sub-optimal condition, with the leading cause appearing to be a lack of sleep. The three killings had happened at night- thereby raising her suspect rating to three percent in his datebase. However, there were no traces of blood on her, and his directives were to ensure the health and safety of the non-combatant, low-suspect humans around him, yet she had begged off any feelings of worry, expressing what his servers idinitfied as a need for privacy.

With no clear directive on what to do, Moba chose to go down the middle of both programs- make an inquirey while respecting Naho's privacy. "Alright then, if you insist, Hidaka-san" He replied, tilting his head again. "However, if you feel need to speak with someone, I would be glad to give you assistance with what worries you." He offered. "In regards to your question, Hidaka-san, I am in Junior Class 3-A, and I would be honored if you were to show me around the school." Processeors told him this was an appropriate time to smile, and he did so, his cheeks pulling back slightly as he offered Naho a small, close-lipped smile. Following her, he would be able to discretely observe the rest of the school without raising any suspicion.
 
"3-A? That's my class." She stated with a small smile as she turned on her heel "We'll we should get going then class starts in about 15 minutes. I'll give you a quick tour of first floor and then head upstairs to class" Naho said walking to the front door occasionally looking back to make sure he was behind her. She explained what was on the floor (Gym, main office, all of the locker and the library) and showed him where all of the rooms were.
Moba was a strange person, she couldn't place her finger on it though. He was a bit too much formal and oddly calculating. It might have just been part of his personality so she let it slide. After the small tour was done she raced up the stairs to their class. "So you'll just have to talk to the teacher quickly Moba-kun and then introduce yourself to the rest of the class" she instructed before slipping in and taking her seat near the back of the class just in time.
 
Moba nodded his head in confirmation, following silently behind Naho, taking in all that she was saying while observing everyone that they passed. By the end of the tour, nothing had stuck out at him, but the probability that Naho was the culprit had decreased to one point three-six-seven percent- marking her as one of the least likely suspects so far. Within a short time, the tour had concluded. "Thank you, Hidaka-san." Moba replied, bowing his head lightly as she entered the classroom. A few seconds later he followed in, briefly speaking with the teacher, who had been given fake transcripts for Moba that morning. Turning to the class, he bowed his head. "Hello, it is a pleasure to meet you all. My name is Moba Manoido. I hope to become a productive member of this class." He said, his voice rather flat as he observed the class.

"Thank you for that... ummm... enlightening... Introduction." The teacher said, frowning slightly at Moba's lack of emotion. "Please take the empty seat at the back of the class, Moba-kun, and we'll get started." He instructed.

Moba nodded once and went to his assigned seat, two seats over from Naho. Class was a rather uninteresting affair, as everything the teacher was going on about was already stored in Moba's memory. Soon enough, lunch came about, and Moba pulled out a packaged lunch- Not that he really needed it, as even his organic components took only a minimal amount of energy to function properly, but appearances needed to be kept up. Turning his head, he saw Naho sitting by herself, and after a few second's processing, got up and walked over to her. "Hidaka-san, are you alright?" He asked, looking down at her.
 
Naho ended up doodling the last half hour of class already bored out of her mind by math. When lunch was called she bent down and dug in her bag only to realize she forgot to bring her lunch. Groaning slightly Naho laid her head down on the table with a huff. How could she have been so stupid? She passed the box of food five times getting ready for the day.
Naho startled when Moba came over and looked up at him "I just forgot my lunch like an idiot," she said putting her head back down "I guess I was really tired this morning or something" she said with a sigh "Why not pull up a chair or something, you don't have to keep standing there Moba-kun, unless you're going somewhere else?"
 
"No, I have nowhere else to be, thank you for the offer." Moba replied, sitting down across from Naho. Looking down at his bento, Moba turned his gaze back to Naho, processing for a few seconds before he set the bento down on her desk and slid it to her, along with the chop-sticks. "Eat." Was his simple offer, observing the tired girl before him.
 
"What? No I couldn't!" She exclaimed pushing it back lightly "You need to eat too, and it's yours, so you have it." Naho leaned back frowning a bit at Moba. She couldn't just eat his food, it was impolite. It was her own damn fault she didn't get to eat today and she wasn't about to take an acquaintance's food. Although gym was after next period...
 
Moba gave his head a single, firm shake. "No, I insist." The android retorted. "I really don't need it. It is too much for me in any case, and I would prefer that the food not go to waste. Besides, your health does not look to be at an optimal condition, you need the nurishment." He argued his case, pushing the bento back towards Naho. "Please, eat." He insisted in his slight monotone. Picking an approprite facial expression, he pushed out his lower lip slightly, forming a small pout. "Please?"
 
Naho sighed and gave into the teen. She slowly began to eat so she wouldn't make a fool out of herself somehow. "This I pretty good" she said after swallowing her mouth full. "Thank you." Naho studied the teen for a moment "So where you from?" She questioned.
 
Moba studied Naho for a moment. "I am from the Juuban Ward of Tokyo." He finally replied. "I had a disagreement with some people at my old school, which ultimately led to my relocation here, for a fresh start." He continued on with the cover story that had been programmed into him. "So, Hidaka-san, you said this morning that something had you worried. Does it have something to do with the three students that were from this school that have been killed recently?" He questioned.
 
"Yeah..." She said putting the chopsticks down "That and seems like no one cares that people are being killed" Naho sighed looking at Moba. "What's your take on it? Kids have been saying its some sort of spirit, others been saying its a deranged man."
 
"It could be that they care, but they are trying to act as if nothing is going on because they are scared, and hope that if they act as if nothing were wrong then whatever it is will just go away." Moba replied. "They are still fairly fresh from being children after all, it's a normal reaction." He summarized in his monotone. "However, as of the latest police reports on the remains, their likliest suspect is a large, predatory animal of some sort. Have you seen anything out of the ordinary lately?" He asked.
 
"Yeah it could be that..." Naho sighed hanging her head a little. "I don't know I just wished people didn't ignore problems," she looked up at Moba and gauging his reaction "Uhh... Well there has been weirdly tall figure I would see every now and then when I'm walking down the street. I can't be sure who or what it is because I only see it in fleeting moments. Like when I look in a window there's a strange reflection and I spin around to get a better look but its gone..." Naho admitted looking around a little paranoid "But that just might be the sleepiness talking."
 
Now THIS news caught Moba's interest as his processors went into overdrive, and it showed in his face as he sharply turned all his attention onto Naho. "Would you please elaborate on this? I would like for you to tell me everything that you have seen, and where. This is important." He said, for the first time his voice taking on a sense of urgency.
 
Moba's urgency startled Naho a little "Uh.." she started before shaking out of it "Umm... Well I usually see it walking from school, never to though now that I think of it... Anyways, it seemed larger than any man that I know. It's usually around five P.M by the time I leave." Naho told him "Why're you so interested all of a sudden?" she asked narrowing her eyes at him. "You're not gonna go find that thing are you?"
 
Moba's eyes lowered thoughtfully. "After dusk has started to settle each time... Each murder was after night had set in..." He murmured quietly before he turned his eyes back to Naho, studying her intently, deciding on how much to tell her. The fact that it seemd that she was being stalked meant that there was a high percentage that she'd been marked as the next prey of whatever was doing the killings. "I will not lie to you, but I cannot tell you everything." He replied in a low tone, using a quick glance to make sure there was no one nearby that would overhear them. "It is no coincidence that I have been transferred here so soon after the latest murder. In truth, I am a... Special investigator, and I was sent here on assignment to solve the murders and... subdue... the one committing them." He admitted. "It is fortunate indeed that we met this day Hidaka-san. It seems that you have possibly been marked down as the killer's next victem. I am telling you this because, as an innocent civilian, your safety is paramount among my priorities, so if you do not mind, from the time you leave, I shall be shadowing your path. Hopefully, I will be able to apprehend the muderer soon, and you will no longer be in any danger."
 
Naho gasped, covered her face and shook her head "No, no, no this can't be happening!" She wailed "Why me?" She asked the ceiling with a sad expression. God why did the weird stuff happen to her? Moba isn't even a real student, some strange thing is stalking her, and now he wants to follow her to find this thing. "Fine you can follow me"
 
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