Target: Roommate Search! [Open]

[Nozome Akimoto]

Nozome was a bit exhausted. She had spent all day doing her best to put as many flyers advertising her search for a roommate as she could, and she simply had to rest. Sitting down, she looked at the now thin stack of flyers, with some of her personal data to help reach her. Looking up to the sky, she sighed wistfully. As much as she missed her life outside of the city, Nozome couldn't help but to think how much things had changed lately. She was even excited! Sure, there was an inherent danger on how things would unfold now. But she would be able to do it, no...?

"Augh, this isn't the time for that." Shaking her head, Nozome focused on the task at hand. Right now, she needed to secure a place to live in, and soon. Standing up once again, the blonde set out for the next advertisement panel to put up more flyers.

[Crux]

Frankly, this advertisement panel was a quiet and comfortable spot to relax himself. Crux read through all of the bits of pieces tacked shoddily upon the board, timing his ability to read them all. Four seconds. Hmph, there was a delay. Something distracted him. He tried again, once again attaining the result of 'four seconds'. What continued to rip his focus away? Was it one of the ads? No, it was something within him. He felt emptier than usual, but also angrier. As a robot who hadn't bothered to try and understand his emotions, it was more than difficult to pin-point the cause of this mixed-drink of conflicting flavors.

Crux shook his head and leaned his back on the board. Unexpectedly, the board fell off of its post, and slid off its surface. The young 'man' followed suit, dropping onto the floor with a harsh thud. The papers on the ad board flew off and away, too swiftly for the android to reclaim. Damn him. Each piece of parchment was a call for help. The likelihood of their entreaties being answered was reduced, effectively, to approximately 10.92% of its original percentage. 

Emotionally spent, the machine laid himself flat on the sidewalk, staring up at the sky.

He sighed.

[Nozome Akimoto]

Nozome stretched, the last of her flyers placed on the board next to her. A good work, well accomplished! Surely a good rest would be a proper reward for this. Thing is, that once again a shock would rattle her thoughts. This time, the shock was a loud thud, not too far from her current position. In fact, wasn't that close to one of the billboards she had placed one of her flyers on... Curious about what caused the sound, she headed there.

And well, it was... Quite the surprise. The board itself had fallen down, and a young boy laying down not too far. The boy seemed fine, outside of an anguished look on his eyes. Immediately showing concern, Nozome crouched to see if he was okay.
"Hey, are you fine? Did the board over there hurt you in any way?"

[Crux]

The day could not get any worse than this. Everything 'evil' about these last twenty-four hours was topped off by this fall and the subsequent attainment of another's attention. It was a worried woman who radiated with a youthful energy... an observation based on her appearance. Socialization was unavoidable at this point, as silence would not be taken well according to humanity's pre-programmed societal rules. There was little reason for him to comply, seeing as he's not even human. He had made it clear to himself that he wasn't human. And yet, Crux could not help himself.

He waited three seconds before he gathered up the will and motivation to even bother responding non-verbally. To this, Crux slowly shifted his gaze directly towards the nice lady who apparently just wanted to see if he was alright. It took two and three-quarters of a second to open his mouth so that he would speak. "I'm alright. It is simply my carelessness that is at fault." The android forced a smile upon his face, and pushed himself off of the ground. While he swept away some of the dust off of his clothing, he unintentionally put the ends of the bandages beneath his sleeves in plain view.

When all was done, Crux re-adjusted his hat while looking through the records he had on making 'small talk'. "Hm... Ah! Hello. Good day. Sight-seeing?" There was little meaning in sight-seeing nowadays. The length of time between now and the day the barricades were put in place provided enough time for any vacationer to take in all that Mosaic has to offer. So, it was either that she was going shopping or something else. Calculations necessary to make an accurate prediction? The mind is currently pre-occupying itself with stabilizing its emotional capacities.

[Nozome Akimoto]

Nozome smiled at the fallen fellow, doing her best to show friendliness. After all, isn't that the best way to earn a place on people's hearts? The blonde did feel a bit of strangeness about the guy in front of her, his response was delayed. Like if he had to think it out. Maybe he was lying, and there was something else behind his fall. However, that was hardly something that Nozome could worry about, no? One can't just bother a stranger with something like that.

"Ah, I see. Hopefully you aren't hurt, then!" Seeing the man stand up, something peeked from his sleeves. Bandages. Silently, Nozome thought that he had a previous wound, and that must have been the reason for his fall. Thus, she understood she had to be gentle without being condescending. Standing up with him, she smiled widely again.

Then, the man spoke a bit... oddly. Like if he was casually greeting someone. This person was surely very quirky, no? Still, she had to oblige. "Ah, not really. I was putting up flyers to ask for someone who might be willing to share a room with me, since I'm kind of running out of money, and I don't think a quick job will be able to pay for my current accomodation. I finished just when I heard the board fall, actually!" Stretching slightly, Nozome slightly cocked her head to the side. "What about you? Taking a stroll around the city?"

[Crux]

Her smile was poisonous to his health, as with all of the smiles he has seen nowadays. Everyone was smiling, but he knew that behind every smile was an ugly heart. Purity wasn't to be expected out of the humans anymore, just taint. For all that Crux knew, she was a liar. She didn't care about his well-being at all. It was all to increase her social standing. Thinking about it now hurt just as much as looking at her.

"I'm not hurt. Everything is fine," he continued to reassure. Falling over wasn't comparable at all to being slammed into a wall by a Shadow. An android like himself barely has any sensory preceptors that allow the feeling of pain. It would have been easier to tell her this, yet it was all still information that should only be given out on a need-to-know basis. Crux slid his hands into his pockets, and avoided direct eye contact with the woman. He did listen to everything she said about her business in this part of the city, but he figured that he wouldn't be able to help.

A question for him? What was he doing? That was an excellent question. Lately, the combat robot was completely lost in his own thoughts, moreso than usual. He couldn't just spill all of his troubles onto this seemingly random pedestrian. Again, need-to-know basis... or not? Hm. A thought occurred to Crux. What if... he actually attempted to make friends? The prospect was stressful, but it would be a different stress next to the fifty thousand that he locked up within himself. Friends were vectors for the delivery of inner feelings. That was all a person would be to him. 

How does that kind of thing work?

Since he still did not have an answer to why he was here, Crux switched the subject matter back to Nozome. "I would offer my own student dorm. Their policies on roommates is seemingly lax. Alternatively, I could help pay for the rent on your current place of residence. I'd stay with you, in that case, as... dorms can be unbearably small?" It could be said that Crux had amassed for himself too much money, not including the potential funds that he could make from less legal means. "I'm willing to help you in any way I can." The suddenness of his compliance and his readiness to leave behind his dorm would not make much sense even to him. However, he was new to this side of socialization... and he was unaware that strangers of the opposite gender agreeing to live with one another is a brow-raising circumstance.

[Nozome Akimoto]

"Hmm, hopefully you're right." Nozome nodded, noticing how the man's expression and way of moving didn't belay any kind of underlying pain. Maybe the bandages she spotted were less to cover a wound, and more to hide something. Perhaps old scars? Who could know? He surely did seem a bit... detached from the conversation right now, looking away casually. Nozome just couldn't figure out this person, could she? Some people sure are complex.

And then, the person in front of her, who by all means would look like he wanted to end this conversation as soon as he could, dropped quite a proposition to Nozome. Her thought process once again ground to a halt, definitively not expecting such a sudden act of kindness. "Bwuh?" Nozome's thoughts rushed all to her mouth and crashed like they were a trio of dumb men trying to cross a small door all at the same time. "W-Whaa...?" Her eyes widened like saucers, and her mouth hung open in a rather funny way. "U-Um... Er... A-Are you sure you're okay with that? I mean, it's surely not an easy thing, what you're suggesting to do..." Nozome's first concern about the situation was if the man really was capable of doing what he said, to pay for her room himself. She was sure he was underestimating the price of her current room. "I-I mean, my current room is very very expensive, I only got on it because I was planning to stay for a weekend or a bit more, and ended up having to spend a whole vacation's budget on it so far!" Then, another problem reared its ugly head on Nozome's mind. "P-Plus, we'd have to explain why are both a man and a woman on the same apartment, we'd have to say we're family, or something!" Nozome was surely embarassed, not knowing what to say further. With a nervous smile, she waited for her fellow to speak up.

[Crux]

Crux's lips curled up in a curious frown, his tilted head supporting his entire look of confusion. Such social conventions were uncertain, and he was no issue with them sharing a room. While funding a room took quite a bit of money, surely he would have her help obtain funds. She didn't look like a freeloader, so perhaps that arrangement was already implied. After a while, it wouldn't be possible for Crux to do it all by himself if he didn't want to go and 'ask' an ATM to illicitly gain funds. Until now, the value of money was another thing that was lost to him. It was a worldly possession that, like all other materialistic items, corrupted weak-willed humans.

Crux nodded away his tilted head to Nozome. "I understand completely. I have the means to oblige, so there is little to worry about aside from your own side of the payment." A short pause. The android compared his appearance with hers, finding absolutely nothing in common. It would be nothing short of impossible to prove that they were legitimate relatives unless they were made either adopted siblings or distant cousins. One could say that they were both Japanese however, from how they both looked. Really, though, what would be implied if someone were to see that two strangers who have met on the street lived with each other?

"Well, we'll just have to find a place- wait a minute." Something occurred to him, a fact that was so obscure that even a robot would forget "Foreign students are permitted to stay at certain apartment complexes in Red Sun Heights. Such is applicable to me. Therefore, there is a large possibility that the both of us wouldn't need to pay. Where do you live? Maybe I can 'occupy' your current residence and take it as my own." Ah, that worked itself out quite well.


"All that is present is the issue you've addressed: 'why are both a man and a woman in the same apartment'. Honestly... I don't see a problem. Why would we have to explain?" Once again, there was a confused look on his face.

[Nozome Akimoto]

"So you're serious about this... I really, really thank you from the bottom of my heart!" While not shocked and left a bundle of stammers, Nozome was still deeply touched by how the person in front of her really wanted to help her, out of the goodness in his heart. Despite his odd demeanor a while ago, Nozome was now sure that this person was really a good person, and soon enough, they would be good friends. "E-Ehehehe... I should introduce myself!" With a deep bow, Nozome smiled very brightly at the man in front of her, who had dispelled the darkness in her future. "My name is Nozome Akimoto, and I promise I'll do my hardest to help with the situation!"

Then, came an idea. "Un, I do live at Red Sun Heights! Alas, I live in one of the larger kinds of apartments, and I'm used to see that all student benefits tend to be as stingy as they can... But if it works, it would be wonderful! Hell, even if we need to we could get a hold of one of the cheaper rooms, pretty much any of them have enough space for two people to live!" Nozome was right, for the largest part. She didn't know the size of the very smallest rooms available, but the ones she had poked her head in while seeing what room to get were wide enough to allow two people to hang around for a long time with much gusto. The only thing that would be needed is to organize things so that they could both help with keeping the place tidy, and to get a second bed. But compared to a whole apartment, that sounded easy.

And now, for the other question. "Well, it's all mostly out of a social standpoint. I know our situation would warrant some of those rules to be overlooked, but most people on here haven't even considered the barricade to change their lifestyles, and... As selfish as it'd sound, I'd like not to be frowned to in front of others, because who knows, they might help be in the future, or they could need me and reject my help for not trusting me in principle... I hope you know what I mean?" Clearing her throat after that explanation, Nozome looked at the man seriously. "Thing is, people assume two people living together are very intimate with each other. One option would be to pretend to be siblings... And the other would be to pretend to be lovers. But that would be kinda weird... because we'd have to hold hands, and hug a lot, and kiss each other every once in a while and- awawawawawawa...!" Once again, Nozome's mind wandered a bit too far and left her incredibly embarassed, her face reddening wildly and her mouth sputtering nonsense.

[Crux]

Crux was automatically prompted to offer Nozome a short bow, introducing himself as if he were a normal human (it was due to necessity, of course, due to being outside and in the open). "I am Cr-" Crux was a weird name. It was becoming difficult to keep using it. Not only was it unrealistic, but it did not match his human model. Could the false identity still work? Wait, what false identity? There was another option without having to sacrifice the 0.4 seconds it would take to come up with another name. It was better if he took that one instead.

"Call me Crux. It's a name that's... special to me." At least he didn't lie. His true name was 'Unit #011'. 'Crux' was only a name that was given to him. If he were more subservient to his emotions, he would immediately change it to a much cleaner-sound name. No, he simply had to tolerate his designation to minimize confusion between command and himself despite the lack of a clear 'commander'.

Everything clicked together as Nozome gave her piece about living in Red Sun Heights. The android must be thankful for her choice of room, if it was as big as she claimed. He values his personal space, and wouldn't want it to conflict with hers. This was especially important for his sake as he often finds himself repairing himself after heavy clashes with his designated enemy. Well, she'll have to learn the truth anyway. There was no way that she would leave his company if she were to learn that he was a robot, right? She is the one who is dependent on him for a place to live. Without him, Nozome would be in the streets, her chances of finding another roommate being approximately 24.5%.

Nozome presented her argument concerning social conformity, which he completely understood. Everyone lived in almost utter ignorance when it came to the barricade. He also completely understood the options that they had to choose between should they live together. The sibling choice was ruled out immediately due to their extremely dissimilar appearances, leaving either the far-fetched 'adopted' scenario or a false intimate relationship. Crux felt more than a little embarrassed by her description, switching between coughing to hide his surprise and looking down to conceal his face.

Composure, Crux. Composure.

He shakily gazed towards Nozome, trying his hardest to keep his body from collapsing. "I-I... that might be our only chance of making this situation appear... workable? We look nothing alike, and... a-hem." Flip. With a rough transition, Crux the machine took over. "Such an arrangement may be easy to execute, so long as we play the parts knowing that our relationship is PURELY platonic." Flip. The Anti-Shadow Unit put a hand over his eyes, his embarrassment resuming. "But that would mean we'd still have to... touch.... each other in the presence of others."

If a fellow Unit noticed him, he would become chided for his hypocrisy. But, it was already hypocritical for him to seek a 'tether' for his deteriorating sanity and sense of self. Crux took a veeeery deep and unnecessary breath, and then offered some more words. "Someone as... attractive... as you wouldn't dare to even look at me as a potential swain, so it shouldn't be a problem... right?"

[Nozome Akimoto]

Nozome couldn't help but to note how... odd was the introduction that this guy did. For a moment, he hesitated to say it was his actual name, before saying it was special to him. Maybe it was like one of those people that adopted a nickname in such a way, that it became his own identity? Perhaps he was even just ashamed of his own name? So many questions, so many possibilities. Hopefully she'll learn the answers one day! That'd be really nice. "Crux, heh~ It sounds so mysterious! I think I like that name~!" Smiles everywhere. Despite the nervousness the proposition had put her in, she was still very glad to have met a potential friend.

The one in front of her - Crux, she had to remind herself to refer to him as such now - didn't say anything about the room itself, but he seemed... pleased with what she said. Perfect, indeed. That apartment was quite lovely, and it would have been a shame to leave it. Next was the sociality issue. It was at this that Crux seemed rather... shaken. Or rather she wished she could use that word because it was more complicated than that. So quickly switching from an embarassed expression to a steely one, and back to embarassment. There was much confusion all over the blonde's face, but she quickly pushed it aside to avoid seeming mean to him. "Nnh, I guess that would be okay... But then, holding hands and maybe a quick hug every once in a while wouldn't be too bad, no? I mean, even friends hug a lot!"

But of course. Crux wouldn't stop his piece, until he dropped a bomb on Nozome, could he? "A-A-A-A" It took a while for her to even be able to finish that word. "-A-A-A-Attractive!?" Nozome nearly facefaulted right then and there. Keeping it together as to not fall to the floor, her tomato-red face looked to Crux's own. "I-I'm not like that, I'm just average! P-P-Plus, you're not bad either... I-I'm sure that many people would be lucky just from being with you!"