I don’t own Angelic Layer. CLAMP does. I don’t own Chobits either. CLAMP owns them too. I do own Hitomi, but who really cares?

The Shining One

Chapter Seven

"Hikaru?" Misaki shrugged into her jacket. "Are you ready for school?"

"Almost." The door to Hikaru’s room - closet, really, but it sufficed for her needs - opened, and the robot stepped out. She was dressed in her fighting garb, not her school uniform.

"You’re going in that?" Misaki blinked. "I guess it doesn’t really matter, since your school uniform doesn’t match ours--"

"I’m not a student, Hikaru. I’m not even really a person."

Her voice was as flat as ever, but Misaki was certain she could detect a trace of sadness behind it. She reached forward, grasped the former Angel’s hands between her own.

"To me you’re a person. You might be a robot, but you’re still a person. And my friend."

Hikaru grinned, and her voice shifted again, to a timbre that Misaki hadn’t heard yet. A sarcastic tone: "You got a shovel? Because it’s getting deep in here."

"A joke?" Misaki giggled. "I’m pretty sure that makes you a person. Where on earth did you hear that line?"

"One of the television shows your mother watches," admitted Hikaru. "Well, what are we waiting for?"

"For better clothes," said Misaki. "That outfit covers almost all of your skin - even your hands! You can’t recharge while wearing that."

"But I miss it."

"I’m sorry, Hikaru, but we still don’t know how long you can run on batteries. You’ve been in the room all night, then you’ll be in that outfit all day, then back in the room...You’re likely going to run out of power."

"I guess..." She glanced back towards her room. "But I do not want to wear the uniform."

"Let’s try some of my stuff," offered Misaki. "I think I have some clothing that will fit you - shorts and a t-shirt."

- - - - -

Green shorts and vest, over a white t-shirt, left Hikaru’s arms and legs bare. She slipped on a pair of strappy sandals, and glanced at herself in the mirror.

"It looks great," enthused Misaki.

"I wouldn’t know." Hikaru smiled slightly. "Shall we go?"

Misaki grabbed her bookbag, and the two friends stepped out of the apartment. Misaki glanced up at the former Angel.

"You were a lot happier, before. When we first upgraded you."

"Everything was so new, and I didn’t hurt anyone. Even if they did have it coming." Hikaru looked down a bit sadly. "I’m starting to understand a bit about hurting others; it is only possible if they make it so."

"Don’t wall yourself off because of that," said Misaki hastily.

"’Wall myself off?’" Hikaru smirked. "I’m an android. I might mimic emotions, but I don’t actually feel them."

- - - - -

Lunchtime was rapidly becoming Misaki’s favourite part of the day. Not that she disliked her classes; she had a good assortment of teachers this year, who made the lessons interesting. Even math, which she didn’t like. But lunchtime, she normally spent with Hikaru, Tamayo and Kotaro.

Before, it was merely a welcome break. Now, it was becoming a social event.

Hikaru’s presence at the school continued to draw attention, and fans. It had been only four days, and the parade of interested well-wishers continued unabated. Some wanted to find out how Hikaru was adjusting to her new environment. Others wanted to discuss Angelic Layer.

"Should I go for a speed-type? All the champions have used speed-types."

"That is true," said Hikaru. "And maybe I’m a bit biased. But remember that, despite being a speed-type, Athena is also very strong. And Wizard, who continually placed second, is much larger and stronger than most Angels. He’s beaten many speed-types, including Suzuka, and came close to beating me."

"Only because of his Magic Guard--"

"He never used Magic Guard against Suzuka, and Misaki learned how I can erode Magic Guard, so he had to fall back on straight combat skill."

The girl considered this. "So what should I do?"

"That’s easy," offered Misaki. "Believe in yourself, believe in your Angel. Love her; treat her as your best friend."

"I agree," said Hikaru. "Without her faith in me, and her desire for me to do my best, I could never have defeated Athena."

"My desire to be the best wavered against Vasquez," said Misaki. "And I nearly lost that fight. Hikaru won that one on her own, even before she became self-aware."

"Thanks." The girl grinned. "This is so cool, getting pointers from a champion Deus, and her Angel!"

"Hikaru’s not really my Angel, any more." Misaki shook her head, looking a bit wistful. "She’s still my best friend, but now, she makes her own choices."

The girl nodded, and walked off.

"Kind of weird," said Misaki. "Interest in Angelic Layer had fallen. But now, we’ve got you and Wizard walking around, and maybe Athena will be joining you...and it seems to be stirring up more interest."

"I agree," said Kotaro. "I doubt we’ll see the Tournaments coming back, but last time I went to pick up Hatoko at the Piffle Princess, every Layer was in use."

"And the store ran out of Angel Eggs," added Tamayo. "They only had something like ten in stock, and the day after Hikaru came to school, poof! They were gone. They have more now, and they’re still disappearing."

Hikaru frowned. "Could it be that they see me, and want something like me? Do they think that they’ll play the game, and suddenly, they’ll have a full-sized Angel?" She shook her head. "A new Angel, fresh from the egg, is like a baby. I’ve been alive for five years. And it took me almost all five years to realize that I was alive."

"Maybe the Angelic Layer Foundation should start marketing full-size Angels," said Tamayo. "Except...five years?"

"Mr. Icchan always said that toys become more than that to their owners," said Misaki. "If they started marketing full-sized Angels, would they be treated as toys? Appliances?" She shuddered. "Slaves?"

"None of those would be good," said Hikaru.

- - - - -

Hikaru stood at the window, looking in.

Classes had ended. The schoolwork was no more boring to Misaki, or fascinating to Hikaru, than usual. The history project - the web site - was proceeding nicely. But now, Misaki and Hikaru had some free time, and Hikaru was trying to figure out how to express her interest in a new subject.

"They won’t fit, you know."

"I know," said Hikaru. "But I’m interested in buying something anyway. How can I acquire money?"

"For this stuff?" Misaki fished into her wallet and pulled out a plastic card. "You can use this. As much as you want; technically, it’s yours anyway."

Hikaru looked down at the Angel Card. "You sure?"

"Oh, I’ll need to be along, to authorize the payments," said Misaki. "But I have everything I’ll ever need for Angelic Layer." Her hand patted Hikaru’s back.

"Not quite," said Hikaru. "Come on."

The twosome walked into the store, and heads turned.

"Hikaru!"

She grinned as a dozen people ran up to her. "Hello, everyone!" Her cheerful voice. "It’s been a while since I was in here, eh?"

"I heard the rumours," said one player, her visor still resting across her eyes. "I guess they were true."

"Come on, you guys!" Misaki waved her hands. "We’re here to shop."

"It’s all right, Misaki." Hikaru’s grin widened. "It’s nice to meet so many people."

"But we’ll never get to--"

Hikaru walked purposefully towards the Angelic Layer merchandise. "We will. I will not let them slow me down."

Indeed, the crowd fell in behind them, forced to follow rather than impede. Misaki felt a twinge of jealousy.

It still sucks being short. Why is she so tall? I made her to be small--

Then she remembered Wizard. Over six feet tall, he towered even over Ohjiro, never mind Hikaru and Misaki. Besides, she chided herself, you didn’t build this body. Icchan did.

Hikaru paused at the first rack, and said, "I’d like to buy you something, too, Misaki."

"Uh, sure."

Hikaru reached up and selected an Angel Egg. She turned, and held it out to her Deus.

Misaki’s eyes bugged out. "I--this is--"

"Please." Her soft, neutral voice. "Take this."

Misaki reached out and carefully took the Angel Egg. Hikaru turned again, selected a second. She glanced over her shoulder, grinned wickedly, and said, "Let’s play Angelic Layer!"