compnetwork | 6th Screw [Action/Video]

[Action - Ichiban Market, Virgo District]

[It's been a few days since the market from home appeared in Hinoto-Ri, and Nano's taking full advantage of the convenience and familiarity of the location. She spends a good few hours shopping around for various ingredients and household necessities, filling up her shopping bags with soy sauce, daikon radish, leeks, miso, rice, and all sorts of other ingredients common to traditional Japanese meals. Feeling very at ease here in a place that's almost second nature to her, she hums cheerily to herself while she's collecting everything.

Unfortunately, after she's paid for everything and is carrying everything out in a large brown paper bag, her nice casual shopping trip takes a turn for the worse. Right after emerging from the store, and completely without warning, Nano's left arm falls completely limp. She lets out a surprised yell as the grocery bag goes tumbling from her arms, its contents spilling out all over the sidewalk. Immediately recognizing something as deeply wrong, Nano glances around quickly and starts to scramble to pick everything up with her one good arm.]

[Video]

[Eventually Nano makes it home, and after no small amount of privately worrying and panicking, she turns on the COMP to reach out for some help. It's not help she particularly wants to ask for, but she has no idea what's wrong or how to fix it on her own. She's doing her best to hide the fact that one arm is completely out of commission, aiming the shot at her face only.]

U-um... I hate to impose, but is there anyone out there who knows a lot about fixing things? My, um...

[She glances around the room briefly before returning her gaze to the camera.]

My television is broken!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It takes a little bit but the two reach the Pisces complex without any hitches and filed away into Nano's apartment. After setting the food down on the counter, it was time to get to the bottom of this situation.]

Nano-chan...are you alright with telling me what happened back there?

I... I don't know if I can.

[She can barely even look Yukiko in the eye right now. She's done so much for her, and helped her so much, and here she is still keeping secrets. It's almost enough to make her want to cry all over again.]

You might not want to be my friend anymore if you knew.

Try me. I'm not going anywhere.

[Nano, you're not a death goddess are you?]

O-okay...

[Well, the best way to soften the blow of finding out her friend is a robot is with cake. Everyone likes cake. But she's going to need a bit of help with this one. Nano holds out her good arm in front of Yukiko.]

Normally I could do this myself, but... brace my upper arm and then push down at my elbow. I promise you won't hurt me.

[A strange request, to be sure. What do, Yukiko.]

[That's...a strange request.

But Yukiko nods and follows Nano's instructions. What does this accomplish?]

[Nano closes her eyes so she doesn't have to watch Yukiko's reaction, but her forearm makes a clicking noise and folds down to reveal a fresh rollcake inside - see icon for helpful illustration!]

[Holy-

Wait what?

WHAT?

IS THAT A CAKE THAT POPPED OUT OF NANO'S ARM??]

Nano...chan?

It's weird, isn't it? That I have something like this?

[Her eyes are open now, but cast down toward the floor.]

What kind of normal person does things like this?

[And next, have a cuckoo clock springing out of her forehead.]

See? I'm full of stupid things like this! Because... because I'm not...

[Oh god, she's going to hate her. She can't even finish the sentence.]

[Oh Nano-chan...]

I don't think it's weird at-

[Out comes the cuckoo clock!]

...aww, that's cute!

[Nano squeaks, shoving the bird and clock back into her forehead.]

But it's not! It's weird!

I don't think it's strange at all.

[They use other forms of themselves. Robot is less strange.]

Y-you're not mad that I lied to you about who I was?

[C'mon, there's gotta be something disconcerting about this! Or so she thinks.]

Why would I be?

You're taking this all very calmly...

One of my good friends is a shadow.

[Seriously Nano.]

Besides, I only see Nano-chan.

[Well, Nano isn't quite sure what that first part means, but the second part...]

Yukiko-san...

[Her eyes go wide with amazement at that. It's almost exactly what Yukko had said to her after they became friends at school. For someone else to be able to accept her so easily... maybe Nano's been the stupid one this whole time, distancing herself from others for no reason. These thoughts and memories fly through her head all at once until, before she even realizes it, there are joyful tears leaking from her eyes as she smiles and gapes in disbelief.]

[Aww Nano...

It must terrified her not to tell anyone about who she really is. That fear of not being accepted and to be alone because of it. It reminded her of Kanji and his shadow, fighting to be something they're not and trying so hard to change it.

She wanted to hug her and say everything would be okay but even Yukiko's not sure if it's appropriate. But there is also the matter of Nano's arm...]

If you want, I can stay here with you until we can find someone to help.

[Trust and acceptance is the thing Nano wants the most in the world, but she's always been afraid on some level to reveal enough of herself to get it. Today has been a lesson for her, though, to believe more in the people she would call friends.]

I... I think I'll be all right. I know some people who can probably help. If it's not a big problem, I should even be fixed in time for school in the morning.

[She is, however, smiling gratefully. Yukiko's kindness has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated.]

It's... a little embarrassing anyway.

6th Screw [Action/Video] - Backdated to the 9th

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