Raz's Narration

Defoko is right. I've been here for a week. I'll have to be careful what about my thoughts for now on. She might be able to surveillance them once the process is finish.

Defoko's Narration

"It's about time." I initiate the release process of Raz's synthesis process. "New record." I whispered to myself. Now that today's candidate is finish, I can relax a bit. Those meetings with Crypton takes their toll on me. Before I could forget I release the black glass that trap Raz.

Raz's Narration

After sleeping for a week, the toll of my new body starts to wobble here and there. Defoko guide me to the nearest wall. "Take today off to get use adjust your body to what's more convenient for you."

I nod my head to take her offer and sat down on the nearest chair. She's nicer than I thought. Maybe she's just nice to Utaus. Twisting my wrist, there were no signs of abnormalities. I can't spin them around like the sci-fi robot can do. My skin is made out of some kind of soft metal, and I can tell my eyes have a protective layering of glass over them. Looking back, I could see her sorting the data she obtained this week.

Defoko also tell me about herself. "You can call me Uta. Defoko is just an alias at work. My full name is Utane Uta."

There's this urge to ponder about her name since I know that she introduce herself as Defoko when I first met her. I thought about more on how nice she is compare to work to get my mind in check; just in case she can monitor my thoughts.

"One of the Utaus can detach their head." Defoko randomly gave facts to throw me off. I almost throw myself off the chair with her comment. She just smile and went back to work.

A girl that has pink hair, green eyes, wears a green beret with matching maid uniform storms in the Synthesis room, and began her rant. "Could you please stop going through my stuff? I know you dye on of my hats for the heck of it." Her voice sounded artificial, I'm guessing she's an Utau too.

"I've been here for a week, how could I be in your room to mess with your cosplay collection." Defoko gaze into the stream of data and ignore the girl completely.

I take that back she's teasing her…well now that I think of it, I guess that can be consider "friendly"

The girl shouted at her to disguise her blush to a rage hue on her face. "It's not cosplay! I just like the looks of it."

A male with long dark blue hair in a complete butler outfit from head to toe is sorting the papers out across from me. I'm not surprise that he is an Utau. It seems that the staff that wonders around the place are Utau while the people that stay put on their stations are the co-workers, and researchers. "Now Uta, stop pestering Momo. Luna has laundry duty this week. I really should tell her to stop spacing off. It's starting to become a habit of hers."

When did he get here? Letting out a sigh, I ignore the petty arguments around the place and focus on my movements. Right leg out, left leg in. I think I can walk.

"Excuse me." Momo lean froze after she notices I'm doing a mid-air hokey pokey. Her face is like a burning red color of an ice sculpture. "Who…are you?" She stutters her question.

Defoko answer for me. "He's Motou Raz, a new staff for the Utau. He just is synthesized today."

"I didn't ask you." Momo quietly talk back and gain a bit of confidence. "I'm Momone Momo."

"I'm Motou Raz." I say with a clear voice, yet it is slightly artificial like the Vocaloids. "Nice to meet you."

There is a long pause between the Utaus and me. "Clear." Momo muttered.

Defoko digs deeper in her data to double check on the situation, and order me. "Try to hum a few notes."

"Umm, okay…" I gave a weird look. My humming is on tune and is indeed similar to the Vocaloids.

"Who are you?" Momo just have to ask.

Defoko interrupts Momo again. "He's a mechanic researcher from Crypton. Don't worry, being from that company, doesn't mean his voice is similar to the Vocaloids. According to my deductions, his new voice is just compatible with him when I synthesized him with the Self program."

"I see." Momo is a bit curious but back up. She looks at Defoko to see if she is sure. There's one thing I notice once she is turn her head. There's an USB port hiding under her ear. I place my hand under my ear and found a port on the same spot.

"Raz could you come over here?" Defoko motion me to sit at the chair near the computer she is analyzing.

Doing what I is told, I stood up and stiffly walk over to Defoko. Sitting down, she sighs at the way I walk. "Try walking more, you'll get used to it faster, but let me check on your System Zone." She plugs a USB cord under my ear and copy the info I had with me. Minutes later, she reports what she found. "Everything in your body is compatible as expected. You turn out to be similar to a Vocaloid because it suits your body more just like I thought it would. I'll deliver the right syncware to your room later."

Momo is already left the room to find this Luna. "Thanks." I got up to my feet once the USB cord unplugs itself. "I'll be wondering around the place then."

"Don't worry," Defoko grants my leave. "Half the staff does that anyways."

"I see…" I chuckle and left the room. The layout of the buildings is similar to a college campus. It does seem more natural than the oversize building that I use to live in. I receive a PM from Defoko, asking, Your room is on the bottom floor, labeled 105 at the east side of the company. I'm sure you won't get lost on your way there.

My body is following the directions that were sent to me, but I is really heading towards that direction as I read the message. "Intruder stop!" A girl that is around fifteen stops me from going any further. She had red drills that have the same color of her hair dangling at the sides of her head. Calm down, they're locks. Look, I can see the space between the coils. Her clothing is similar to Miku's but the trimming is red, and the main color is light purple.

"He's not an intruder, because he is here for a week." A girl with black hair tied with a large, white ribbon in a narrow, long pony tail vouch for me. She is wearing a green vine design, with blooming flowers kimono around a normal week like today. I is sure there weren't any upcoming festivals soon.

"That's our ninja for you. She can spot anything unusual." The drill girl started her gag.

"I'm not a ninja." The other girl denied drill head's comment. "I just like wearing different garbs from time to time."

"Why do you wear a kimono?" I ask out of pure curiosity.

"It's family tradition. I'm upholding the family name." She answers my question. "From martial arts to the culture I inherited. Anyways," She changes the subject. "My name is Mako Nagone, and the person besides me is Kasane Teto."

"I'm happy to meet you." Teto smiles like nothing went wrong a few seconds ago.

"Right," I sarcastically took the greeting. "Well I guess it doesn't matter. I'm Motou Raz."

A ruckus is taking place not far where we're at. A girl that looks like she is from a skater food joint with bunny ears ran pass us saying, "I'm sorry, I'll be careful next time when I'm on duty." She wears a green turtle neck orange tanktop with a red ribbon underneath, saggy brown wristbands are loosely fit on her hands, there are shorts underneath her short purple skirt with orange trimmings, and her trimmings match her sleeveless shirt. I can guess her syncware is the very ears she wears. Her hair is wavy blonde, and her eyes are blue.

Momo is the one chasing her around. She didn't look like she heard that girl's quiet reply. Looks like she doesn't take misunderstandings lightly… The girl she's chasing must be Luna.

She starts to shout after her. "What I can't hear you! Make sure you don't mix everyone's clothes when you do the laundry!"

"I will!" Luna raises her voice as she frantically ran a few laps around us. From the looks of things, she's couldn't keep up with running for very long. Momo is quite fast herself, but I can tell she doesn't have that much stamina.

"Stop." Mako blocks Momo from Luna. "She only spaced out that's all. You're like Uta when she bullies you."

"No I'm nothing like her." Momo denied. It only takes a few seconds for her to cool down. She looks calmer than when I first saw her. Once she saw me with Mako and Teto, she froze in place. "I'm…not always like this."

Right… I thought to myself while my face can tell her I'm not convince at all.

Mako explains a few things for me. "Momo is sensitive about the littlest of things. Think of it as mood swings."

"I see…" My face gives a different look after hearing a second opinion. Don't tell me… Teto is actually innocent.

"As for Teto, she likes to tease people if she likes them." Mako continues to explain. "If I had to use a phrase to describe her, it'll be a wild card."

"I'll keep that in mind." I reply and ask. "Before Teto stopped me, I is heading for the apartment."

"Umm…" Luna tugs my shirt. "My name… Amane Luna."

"It's nice to meet you Luna. I'm Motou Raz." I greet myself.

"If you could follow me," Momo wants to make amends of what happen. "I'll lead you to the apartment. It's also near lunch time, so if you would like…I can treat everyone."

Teto is a step ahead of Momo. "I think Sora has lunch ready by now."

Momo insist that the group should follow her to the apartment. The building ahead is similar to an average apartment complex, balconies on all sides, a few flower pots here and there. Walking around I found out the building is shape in a U format. I wonder how many people lives here.. Teto enter where the manager office is usually at. Once we enter, there is a kitchen instead of an office. "The kitchen is the front door to this place." I give my comments on the building.

"It's odd, but all rooms will lead here, so it's convenient." Momo tell the details to me.

I could smell the spice of curry around here. I can take a wild guess the person with short blonde hair here is Sora. His outfit can be compare to a pilot's uniform. There is orange padding on his shirt, a light grey tie hung on his collar by his shirt pocket that shares the same color as his tie, the top part of his shirt is grey and the bottom half is black. An orange armband is wraps around his left arm that bears his name. He wears grey pants that are being held by a white belt, and his footwear is black. His syncware is probably his standard pilot headphones, minus the mic attachment. "I'll make lunch in a few minutes." Sora motion at who ever is looking over the table to leave.

Momo tell Sora. "I'll take kitchen duty today for you. You can take your plate and leave."

"Right, thanks Momo." He stands up and notices a new face among the crowd. "I'm Suiga Sora and you are?"

"Motou Raz." I answer.

He takes out a pair of keys from his pocket and gives them to me. "Uta told me to give you these, and I didn't have time to bring your stuff to your room. It is near lunch and I wanted to work on a full stomach."

Such a laid back guy… I thought to myself. "Wait, I didn't bring anything but tools and paper work here."

Sora is even more relief to hear that. "I guess that's the welcome basket for your arrival. Welcome to the Utau."

At least he is the only one to say welcome. "Thanks." I give my reply as he left the room.

Momo is already working on lunch. She snaps at Teto's hand with a wooden spoon from the pile of French bread nearby. "Wait until I finish." Momo's voice is focus on work only.

Teto's reaction does make her look innocent, but everything about her is mixed.

"Meanie." Teto flinch to the snap of the wooden spoon. "Isn't that Sora's spoon?"

"I'll clean it later." Momo didn't bat an eyelash.

Mako gesture us to leave, and lead me to my room. There's a basket sitting on top of the two suitcases leaning at the wall. I took a guess on what's inside the suitcases. She prepared my syncware while I is being synthesized. Well Sora didn't have to bring them in my room.

Inside the room is one closet, one door leading to the bathroom, an empty book shelf near the window, a ceiling fan and a small table. Mako gives some pointers on where things are. "There are futons in the closet, the bathroom is a bit cramp, but you'll get use to it."

Well, I've been eating out, using public baths, and sleeping in a very cramp hidden room at Crypton…this is an improvement. But I chose to live like that. I take out my new syncware clothing. Surprisingly, they look similar like my clothing at Crypton. The shirt is longer; it can reach my knees. Color scheme is different. The main color is green, and the trimming is blue. My pants match my shirt, and there are open finger black gloves with status monitor on one. The earpiece is identical, but it had less features than the one I have. Momo, and Defoko also have earpieces on, but they don't seem to have a mic attachment. Theirs are in a shape of a large teardrop.

"What do you think?" Luna wants to know my first impression of the place.

"I like it." I honestly reply. A question came to mind. "Are there other Utau living here?"

Teto answer my question. "Yokune Ruko lives here, but everyone else is somewhere in Japan to broaden our influence."

"I see. What kind of person is Ruko?"

"She's like a cat. You can pet her if you want, but that's a bit awkward unless she's lying down. She loves to sleep in the afternoon, but don't try to wake her up. She's a bit scary if you don't have a good reason to disturb her sleep."

Momo PM us. Lunch is ready, I use the leftover ingredients Sora use if you don't mind.

"I'll be in the kitchen when I finish changing." I push everyone out. The sizes fit perfectly. Well she can scan me while I'm in that Synthesis Pod. I stop my thoughts to be as vague as possible. I can't let her think I'm Ras.

Once I put on my garments, I head back to the kitchen. I is surprise that it isn't curry with rice. Momo made spaghetti, mash potatoes and bread for a certain someone.

Everyone greets me as I take my seat. Momo ask after I take my first bite. "What do you think?"

"It's good." I reply and take another bite. "You're just as good as any restaurant."

"I'm glad to hear that." Momo smile at my answer.

Teto intervene on the discussion. "Sora is just as good as Momo, but they have competitions here and there. Uta gave us the idea to get him motivated."

"He's not lazy all the time. He's schedule basically have on and off days depending on his mood." Mako makes a comment.

"Morning…" A person I didn't recognize walks down the stairs that leads to the kitchen. I can see why Teto said it is awkward to pet her unless she is lying down or sitting. She's taller than me, about thirty four centimeters taller than me. Come to think about it, Sora is taller than me too. Her attire consists of a composure look. Her shirt/vest combination drapes down, and behind her knees. Her pants are black, but her unique traits are her eyes: one red, one blue. Her hairstyle is bushy black hair with blue highlights. Her headset is hard to see, but you can see the small mic attachment. The first thing she did is to walk up to the counter and starts the coffee machine. Letting out a yawn, she asks the group. "Sora did you make enough for me?"

"Sora let me take kitchen duties for today." Momo tell her about today.

"He lets you take kitchen duty every time except for the weekends." Ruko yawn. Her coffee is ready and once she downs the first cup. She recognizes a stranger at the table. "Who are you?"

"Motou Raz. I believe you're Yokune Ruko." I introduce myself.

"Yeah, I guess the others told you about me." Ruko starts her meal. "Thanks for not banging on the door to wake me."

"Why would I do that?" I ask.

"A certain someone greeted me once that way." She stares at Teto. Teto hides her mischievous grin from me. Ruko's eyes scan the group for something that stop between Momo and Luna. She copy Teto's smile and remark. "It's sure nice to meet a decent guy. I'm sure there are a few people here that have their interest on you."

"No…it's not like…that." Momo and Luna look away from Ruko. "Don't confuse the situation."

Hey, don't start something because I'm the newbie. My face droops a bit. I let out a sigh.

Mako clears the situation for the victims. "They made a weird impression on Raz. Don't confuse that with love, and you know that they're shy."

Ruko grin widen. "But that confusion is what can spark love." Her eyes tell me that she's fantasizing about the possible situations.

I change the subject. "Mako you seem to be close friends with Luna."

Mako starts to reminisce. "Yes she's my first friend. People don't usually approach me, but she walked up to me during school and asked for help on picking out a kimono. That's how we became friends."

After the meal, I offer. "I'll clean the dishes."

"But the person with kitchen duty has to do the dishes." Momo insist on finishing her job.

I can't be this deep in their debt, even if they're being kind. "I can't stay indebt to everyone already. Let me clean the dishes."

"We're just being good host." Momo snatch the cleaning utensils away.

I plop the ishing machine open. "I'm just that kind of person." Once I start the machine, the sound declares my victory.

"My, what a couple's quarrel." Ruko lays her chin on top of her two hands.

"This isn't a couple's quarrel." Momo and I lash at Ruko.

Momo continue on. "Besides, he's older than me."

"He doesn't seem that old. He could be two years older than you." Ruko mutters.

"I'm twenty by the way." I answer.

"What really?" Teto stood up. "You're similar to me. I'm thirty one."

"Lies, you look like you're fifteen like Momo." I say.

"Uta said I'm thirty one for a unique reason. She's still researching about it." Teto defend her statement.

Ruko crash Teto's statement. "But Uta also said you're also fifteen."

"I'm going to take a walk." I left the room with too much on my mind to think about. The frustrating part is, I have to be careful on what I think about.

I happen to pass by Defoko on my amble around the company. She gives another random answer. "Luna is eighteen, Ruko is nineteen, Sora is nineteen, Mako is twenty one, and Teto is indeed thirty one."

"What?" I had to ask why she gave me random information.

"Your face sort of tells a lot of things about you, and what questions you have." She says as she walks along. "And I order out today, that's why I isn't there to eat with everyone."

The rest of the day, I just walk along anywhere without thought, and hope everything is out of my head before going back to my room. I took out a pair of pajamas and set up the futon before going to sleep.

I couldn't sleep; I can hear the internal beeps in my system. It's eleven. I guess I can take another stroll. Taking my time to change back to my syncware, I heard a door open above my room. Once I is finish, I walk upstairs, take a look around, and saw a silhouette of Ruko going to the other stairs that leads outside. I wonder why she's going out this late.

Instead of following her, I explore the apartment until I reach the roof. Luna is crunch up as she looks up at the moon. The mood seems to swirl around her as it gives the feeling of silence. "Luna?" I whisper as I approach her.

She didn't give me a reply, but points at the moon. The moon today is shifting to a new moon in a week's worth of time.

"Why are you up here?"

She didn't give a reply.

"Do you like the moon?"

She didn't give a reply.

I give up and comment on the moon. "The moon is going to hide its face in a week."

"It is, but we'll be able to see it in three weeks or so." Luna replied.

I look at her and back to the moon. "Is being an Utau hard?"

"Yes and no. We're not that popular to begin with, so we're not busy. As you can see, we watch and take care of each other."

"Must be tough."

"Even if we're popular, I wouldn't like it."

"Because of the quiet moments like this?"

"Yeah…"

The next day, Defoko knock on my door. "Today, I'll analyze your capabilities." I began my morning routine and ate breakfast with everyone. Defoko is taking part of the conversation. Ruko isn't up this morning, so a few people here are relief. Sora is nodding off on his chair. Luna seems fine after staying up late.

"Raz, you can charge yourself if you can't sleep, but you can't replace sleep." Defoko answer one of the questions I had on my face. "Synergy is a combination of energy of food, sleep, and electricity. You need to balance them to get potential energy."

"Are we going to the target range?" Mako asks. Today, she has a red lotus kimono on.

"Yes, since today's schedule change due to Raz's arrival." Defoko explain the situation.

Mako disappears the moment I take my eyes off her. "Target range?" I ask.

"Do you remember the place I had you dismantle some of the guns we have? That's the target range."

"Ah, that. Wait so everyone here is experience with fire arms?"

Luna tells me about Mako "Everyone except Mako. She uses steely knives, short swords and katanas."

"I'll wake Ruko up." Defoko eyes went pale and we heard a shout from above.

"Don't use that!" Ruko shouts as she rushes downstairs.

"That can't be help; we have to analyze Raz's potential." Defoko calmly tell her. "You shouldn't waste your pay check on pachinko."

"What are you talking about?" Ruko starts to make her coffee. "I just like to take long night strolls, that's all."
Ah, that's why.

Mako tells everyone her thoughts about Ruko sneaking out at night. "She's like a cat that loves to go out in the night." She had a green garb on with large black trimmings. Her sleeves are pushed up so I can see her syncware armlet that shows the status screen.

"Yes it's just as Mako says." Ruko immediately agree.

"Mako uses a microphone to sing." Defoko answer another question that I pushed out earlier. "But she uses different headphones for the looks."

"Can you quit doing that?" I slightly whine.

Defoko blankly says. "I'm just being courteous, and you're not the type that asks everything on your mind."

"Right…"

Everyone walk to the target range. The box that is containing the shifted items is half empty.

"The researchers are using half the contents of the box." Defoko continue to annoy me by answering questions that I had on my mind.

Now that I take a closer look at everything here, there are wooden plank dummies out in the range. "That's a bit…"

"Don't worry, they're dummies." Teto comforts me.

Behind us is an assortment of computers and other hardware. Mako already starts to nail the dummies down with the knives she have with her with precise control aim at the head.

"Defoko, and Mako are the most accurate people here." Teto describes them. "We can hit our targets as well, but not as well as them."

"I can hit targets with an accuracy of 78%. Mako can hit her targets with 82% accuracy." Defoko adds to what Teto is saying. She tells me instructions on what to do. "Look at the blueprints and copy the design. Manipulate the circuitry into a copy of the gun."

"Okay." I concentrate on the hardware and began changing them to the blueprints as closely as I can.

"Oh, he actually did it on the first try." Ruko comments on my actions.

I immediately repulse the parts apart. "Why did you do that?" Defoko asks once she saw that it is just as close as the one she made earlier.

"It can't be like the original." I explain. The parts slowly come together while the extras are morph into something different. "You'll need different parts if you want to make weapons out of circuitry. They act differently, so you need to add some magnetic launchers. Also the circuits seem to absorb synergy, so if we can power the pistol with it." The design of the five seven looks different, but once I fire, the fire rate is the same, and the recoils match the actual original. What's different is the stopping power of the pistol. The target rips apart from each shot.

"92% accuracy." Mako evaluates my work.

"You already told me that we have to modify the blueprints, but you already plan ahead and made designs for those parts with that mind of yours." Defoko paces by the stands. "I is right to synthesis you."

Defoko lock us out after she analyze the parts, so we have free time again until whatever she has plan for us tomorrow. I decide to wonder off again to get rid of some thoughts like: is that right for me to give them new ideas to make weapons more deadly and such.

I bought a pack of cards from a nearby convenient store and walk back to the Utau labs. Teto stop me along the way to the apartment and ask. "Want to play old maiden?"

"Sure." I reply, and set the cards in the open. "But we need more people."

"I PM Momo, and Luna to join us." She shuffles the deck. Momo, and Luna join us quickly after receiving the PM. The game ended within seconds.

Momo have to ask. "Do you have bad luck today?" Seeing I is wipe out in the first few turns.

"Rematch." I declare as I wait impatiently for the rest to finish.

After a few games, Ruko walk by and saw my losing streak. "Can I join?"

Teto agree and tease me at the same time. "Sure, Raz here is on a streak today."

Ruko won every round of the game ever since she sat down. "Lady luck is with me today!"

Even though I try hard to reveal she is gambling at night, she clearly refuses the offer on poker, and similar games with a reply. "Nah, I'm lucky because we're playing Old Maiden."

The night came quickly, and I is fed up on my curse luck. Without saying a word I enter my room. I connect the USB cord and plug the other end. I felt a jolt of caffeine in my body. My body felt heavy and I can actually go to sleep this time. I guess I is lacking electricity…I haven't charge myself in a long time.

Defoko's Narration

I sneak in Raz's room once it is the time around he should fall asleep. The body should be asleep once it consumes some electricity. Quietly, I open the door by using a lock pick. I know that you're clearly hiding something. The scans told me most of your memories are block from my view.