Kyle comforts Tashigi

Kyle looked at Tashigi watching her owner being taken away, he got down to her level as she trembled closing her eyes and expecting the worse, instead she heard a click and the sounds of jingling and a thud, Tashigi looked up at Kyle who was offering to help her up. Tenetanvly Tashigi took his hand as she was guided back to the table to where Robin was. Robin looking at the marine with so much pity. That man she saved Kyle from…how horrible was he?

As Kyle checked the bruising, he heard the footsteps walking toward him and looked up with an expecting sigh, as one of the Officers approached the trio. It was a young female officer who gently moved Kyle away checking on her neck.”Repeated trauma to the throat, welts and bruising around most of the neck and that’s just the physical stuff.” She looked at Tashigi saying “I’m almost glad she’ll stop suffering soon, the poor girl.”

Robin had to point out what Kyle already figured out, “Do you mean she is going to be killed?”, which caused Tashigi to pale and Kyle to flinch. She’s not wrong to ask this question but at the same time…

The officer sadly nodded, “It’s sad but RealDreams doesn’t want their products roaming free, especially if they’ve been in the hands of abusive customers.” Kyle saw Robin getting a little ticked off and that was one of the things that Kyle didn’t like either, calling characters products. However he knew it wasn’t out of malice as the officer looked at the trembling Tashigi. She said softly “Thankfully, they just use termination chips so they can at least die in peace.” She held Tashigi’s hand and said “I know you’re scared but it’s okay, your life may end but so will your pain. No more brutalizing, no more being **** to have sex with some creepy asshole, and no more probably being passed around like hot garbage.”

“Do I even have a soul?”, said Tashigi quietly as the officer’s sadness doubled and Kyle felt his heart ache “Is this…it for me? Am I just a pile of whatever I’m made of.”

The officer went to say something as Kyle couldn’t help himself as he said “I think you do,” which cause Robin and the officer to look at him in surprise “You’re not machines or something, you’re just…life that was made differently than a normal human.” Tashigi gained a small smile as he said “I don’t know where characters’ souls go when they die. I just know you’re going somewhere good.”

The officer heard something and said “The RealDreams representative is here.” there was a eerie silence as a stylish man in a black three piece suit walked in his footsteps echoing in the silent book store. The officer, Kyle, Tashigi, and even Robin felt a swelling of nerves as he approached. “Greetings to you all, I am Mr. Blank. I represent RealDreams character control department.” He looked at Tashigi and kneeled to her level as Blank said “You’re nervous, you know what I have to do, don’t you?” As Tashigi nodded quietly. He held her shoulder and said “Your ex-owner put in a termination chip already.”Gently he lifted a remote with dials on the bottom. Robin briefly held her head before Tashigi held her own. “Sorry this remote is a bit out of date but it was the only one I can grab in short notice.”

Blank pressed a few buttons as there was a brief flash in Tashigi’s eyes before she fell over caught by the Officer, Kyle, and some hands created by Robin. Blank carried Tashigi gently saying “She was surprisingly calm, I’m assuming you had something to do with that?” Looking at the three of them as the Officer said “That was mostly this young man over here.”

Blank put a finger under his chin as he said “Ah now I remember, Kyle Martins recently ordered a Nico Robin with very little changed say for the Termination Chip.” Which caused Kyle to blink several times over how did they know who he was?! Blank looked at him and said “My superiors have been wanting me to speak to you. Let me take care of this poor girl, and we can meet at your address. Is that a problem?”

Kyle was white as a sheet ad Kyle said “No sir.” As Blank walked off which caused Kyle to breathe a sigh of relief. He stood up the gravity of the situation not lost on him. As he started to make his way to his car, he felt an arm stop him. It was Robin, she had a very serious expression on her face. Kyle went to ask what’s wrong as Robin used her real hands, and cupped his face. Gently she leant in for a kiss making it last and taking Kyle’s breath away.

He had no time to ask what that was for though…he’s going to be meeting with Mr. Blank again soon.