Chapitre IX: Errands in the Industrial District – A Doll's Laugh

The industrial district was a marvel of engineering and creativity, a place where the past and future collided in a dazzling display of ingenuity. The towering clockwork buildings, adorned with intricate metalwork and smokestacks spewing steam into the clouds above, dominated the skyline. The streets were lined with cobblestones and the air was thick with the smell of oil and metal.

As they walked through the district, Shogo and Alexandra's tension was palpable. Every step felt like an eternity as they exchanged terse glances and awkward silences. Well, Alexandra glanced at Shogo but the latter didn't seem to care.

Using the piece of paper, Alexandra was able to completely regenerate herself, but Shogo was the same as before. Not that she needed much healing though. In fact, Alexandra was under the impression the cut she did in the doll's cheek had already subsided. 

They passed by noisy factories, bustling workshops, and busy marketplaces, but neither spoke a word. Finally, Alexandra broke the silence. 

"So, what's first on the list?" she asked, her tone cold and distant.

"Custom-made gears from the metalworks shop."

"Is that so…"

Shogo didn't respond, but Alexandra could feel her eyes on her. The tension between them was almost suffocating.

As Shogo and Alexandra walked into a metalworks shop, the sound of clanging and hammering filled their ears. Shogo walked with a stoic expression, while Alexandra looked around with wide eyes, taking in the sight of the various machines and tools.

No shop actually had a name. The only way to know which sold what, was to look at the board atop the place. There were usually hanging objects linked to the activity – also, most shops had glasses through which one could see objects on display.

Here, it was nothing else than those hammers which represented the shop's identity. 

Shogo approached the counter and spoke to the woman polishing a piece of metal behind a counter, "I need two custom-made gears. For clocks."

The woman looked up at Shogo, then turned to Alexandra, "Umm? Who might you be, girl?"

Alexandra stuttered in panic, "Huh?! I-I…"

"Ah! You are that horny child, right? The one who crashed at Nya's place!" the woman exclaimed with a smile.

Alexandra eyes narrowed. 

"... What? Wait, what was that about me being a horny kid?" Alexandra asked, agitated. 

The woman laughed. "Oh common! Why worry about that, now? Anyway, wear shoes next time, it's dangerous here! Here are your gears," she added, handing a little box to Alexandra. "That will be 20 coupons."

"Huh? I have to pay?" Alexandra asked before lowering her voice. "Ah, yes that's true, it is the lower ring…"

"Of course! I wouldn't mind if you didn't though. It's for Nya, right?"

Alexandra slightly nodded, "Yes, it's for her, but I don't know if it's okay… (Though, she didn't give me money, so I guess it is???)"

Shogo took the box from Alexandra hands.

"Hey, what are you doing, you filth?!" Alexandra asked.

Shogo didn't answer and carefully inspected the gear inside of it, making sure it was exactly what she had ordered. After a few seconds, she got the bookmark-like currency from under her sleeve and put them on the counter. Afterward, she simply turned away, leaving Alexandra standing there.

Alexandra's eyes narrowed at the scene, but she didn't say anything. She just turned to the woman and thanked her before following Shogo outside.

Shogo and Alexandra had a long list of errands to run in the district or at least, it seemed so. They didn't have a physical one since no one knew how to read here. That is where dolls were useful –  they were trained to be able to remember long messages for a long time. Alexandra could see other dolls doing their work around the district, without any written instructions.

Next, they headed to a nearby factory to purchase some specialized textile for unknown purposes – at least for Alexandra. The factory was immense, with towering lines of thread and the constant hum of machinery. Inside, they were greeted by rows of massive spinning machines and the constant clacking of looms. It was badly lit, dark even. 

"Oh, isn't that the horny teenager?!" a woman behind a loom asked. 

Alexandra twitched, "(What is with that reputation?!)"

"Are you here to buy something? Or to find a work?" the woman asked so naturally threw Alexandra off balance.

She couldn't properly see her interlocutor at first, so it was even more disturbing to hold that kind of conversation.

"We, Well…"

She turned to Shogo who was already examining a piece. 

"Hey."

"..."

"Hey! I am talking to you!"

Shogo didn't answer. Instead she showed the fabric to the woman asking for a certain quantity. The woman didn't answer to either Shogo and turned to Alexandra again, "So, you want 6 yards of this soft fabric?"

"I… I guess?"

"That will be 216 coupons, please."

Again, the doll stepped forward and paid without a word before turning away and leaving Alexandra there.

The scene repeated many times. At each new place, the shopkeepers would call Alexandra by variations of the same weird nickname. They would then ask her what she wanted and Shogo would answer in her place before paying and then exiting the place. 

At first, it annoyed her but gradually, she started to understand the logic behind that and didn't complain anymore. If anything, she was actually grateful. She didn't have to present herself to those people, or to talk to Shogo, or to even wear any of the shopping bags. 

After finishing their business at the factory, they made their way to the busy marketplace to pick up some supplies for dinner. It was now the afternoon, the marketplace was a colorful array of vendors selling everything from fresh produce to exotic spices. The smells of roasting meats and baking breads filled the air, but neither Shogo nor Alexandra was in the mood to enjoy it.

They walked for a while in a begrudged silence before Alexandra broke it by a question.

"Hey, is there something that isn't under that robe of yours?" Alexandra asked, furrowing her brows.

Shogo glanced at her. "Your hands." she replied.

"I don't like that kind of jokes."

"I don't either."

The two stayed silent a moment, but Alexandra broke the silence again, "So that's how people treat you around here."

"..."

"I mean, it makes sense. Doll are objects – someone on his right mind wouldn't talk to one. It's common sense."

Shogo turned to Alexandra, "If you get that, stop talking to me."

"Why would I?"

"You shouldn't. That's why."

"What? Does it bother you? Or you are going to tell me that you are trying to protect me or something?"

"Precisely."

"My, how nice of you."

Alexandra pushed Shogo on a nearby wall. "If you are this nice, surely you won't mind explaining a few things to me, right, mind reading doll?"

"I am on duty. I don't have time to play."

Alexandra seethed with anger. 

"You forcefully kissed me this morning, you psychopath. Don't act like you're above all this." she muttered under her breath.

"If you didn't peek at me, nothing would have happened."

"Of course. That's your excuse for everything, isn't it? What about the two times you killed me yesterday, then?"

"Like I said, I didn't kill you."

"I guess you only admit it when it suit you, don't you?"

"In this story, I didn't kill you yet."

"Oh right, I guess I should be happy then! The doll didn't kill me – YET. When is it going to do it, I wonder? I feel so excited." Alexandra sneered with a flat and ironic tone.

"If it bothers you so much, why don't you go away? You are the strange one for staying around someone that wants to kill you."

"I have my reasons! "

Shogo closed the eye and sighed. It surprised Alexandra – it was the first time the doll actually showed any sign of annoyance. "Don't you get it yet? None of them. Not a single one of your reasons makes sense."

Shogo let down the shopping bags and forcefully took Alexandra's hand dragging her out of the marketplace.

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

"What else? This story will end soon so I might as well tell you everything."

"What's with you all of a sudden?! Leave me alone!"

Shogo didn't answer. She just continued dragging Alexandra through a dark looking alley. 

The girl panicked.

"Unhand me!" Alexandra ordered, getting out her knife. 

Since Shogo didn't react again, Alexandra tried to stab the doll's forearm. However the knife bruised the bandages around it without going any further in. 

Alexandra eyes widened.

"Prostheses," Shogo explained without turning around. "Both my arms and legs. If you wish to stab me, aim elsewhere."

"(Prostheses? She can move so well with prostheses?)"

"I can."

Irritated, Alexandra readied her knife again and aimed for Shogo's guts.

Alexandra eyes opened even wider – She actually succeeded in stabbing the doll. 

Somehow, she expected it to defend itself, but no. Shogo didn't do anything. Alexandra clearly felt her blade piercing through the doll's flesh.

Her hand trembled. She learned how to stab efficiently and kill her opponent at the academy, but it was in order to fight against angels! Not to kill people!

The doll's blood had started staining her black robe. She let go of Alexandra's hand and turned to her.

"What is with this face? I am just an object, am I not? Stabbing me is no big deal." she observed with great calm.

Alexandra twitched. 

The doll was right. Why was she worried? Stabbing and killing a doll was no big deal! They were disposable filths, and this specific one did many horrible things to her. Why did her body even tremble? Why was she feeling guilty?

While Alexandra was lost in her thoughts, Shogo took out the knife and threw it to the ground.

"Don't worry. I won't die with just this." Shogo calmly said.

"... But…"

"Look," Shogo called, showing the place where the knife pierced her. "I can regenerate myself automatically. The wound is already gone."

Alexandra looked at the hole with wide eyes. "Wait a second."

"Huh?"

Alexandra suddenly approached Shogo and examined the place where her injuries should have been with her fingers. Shogo twitched at the sudden contact and stepped back.

"Um… I thought I told you I didn't want your hands under my robe." Shogo said, looking slightly nervous. 

Alexandra blushed – her strand of hair took the form of a spiral, "D, D, D, DON'T PUT IT THAT WAY, YOU FILTHY DOLL!!! WHA, WHAT ARE YOU IMPLYING HERE?!!"

"Why are you the one yelling? I am the one feeling violated here."

"Oh shut up!!! Don't start acting nervous for a second and then talk casually the next!!!"

Shogo suddenly started to laugh. Her voice was low and crystal clear, which greatly surprised Alexandra 

"(She… She can laugh? With such a beautiful voice too…)"

The doll turned around, hiding her face, still laughing, but visibly embarrassed to show it to Alexandra. "I am sorry. That's why I don't like being around you. I can help but to think I can act like a human. Even though I am just a doll, I can help but feel happy."

"What… What is that supposed to mean?"

Shogo turned to her again, this time with a small smile.

"Since you saw me like this, will you take the time to hear my story?"