AN: Aaaaaand here I go, trying to be innovative again >.< And to think I was just planning on updating my abomination, when this storyline popped into my head. So here's something a bit more... serious? I watched an anime that went by the name Unbreakable Machine Doll and I was inspired lol. Some of the terminology I took from the anime, but the storyline is entirely my own.
Anyway, this fic is mostly SayaMilky, but there will be a decent number of MaYuki and WMatsui moments too. Add in a bit of Atsumina and Kojiyuu because I'm a trash shipper, and there you go.
Enjoy!
Chapter 1
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Set in a world where puppeteers are magicians who control weapons in the form of puppets called automatons. Sayaka is a powerful puppeteer who is among the highest ranked in the puppeteer guild of UZA48. Miyuki is Sayaka's loyal-to-a-fault automaton who is a Banned Doll (meaning that she was made from human parts).
Sayaka rolled her eyes. "Miyuki may be a Banned Doll, having been made from human parts, but Banned Dolls still can't feel emotion, Yuki. They're just like any other automaton. They're interchangeable."
--
"Another amazing win the arena, Sayanee." Minami praised, examining the younger girl from bottom, checking for injuries. They were in the preparation room of UZA's battle arena. "Soon enough, there won't be anyone to face you and Miyuki."
Sayaka smirked, "There's always you, Takamina. If only you and Acchan would agree to face us..."
Minami sighed in amusement, having deduced that there was nothing wrong with Sayaka. She turned around slightly, looking to see where her automaton partner, Atsuko, was sitting on a bench across the room.
"I don't think so," Minami chuckled, sharing a small smile with Atsuko. "Acchan's the strongest, and the ultimate ace of UZA. We wouldn't want to bust up Miyuki too bad."
"Please," Sayaka rolled her eyes, "I can just fix her. I've got the funds anyways. More than enough. You wouldn't mind a fight with Acchan, would you, Miyuki?"
From her position in front of the medical cabinet, Miyuki was bandaging her arm. Briefly, she looked up from her work, her signature smile spreading across her features. Her cheeks lifted up, and her eyes turned into perfect crescent moons. The perfect cheeky smile— Miyuki's charm point. It was one that she had shown to all of UZA, and although she was a mere automaton (and a reportedly illegal Banned Doll at that), many were charmed by Miyuki's antics.
"I wouldn't mind at all," Miyuki agreed immediately, "so long as it makes Sayaka happy."
"You two, I swear," Minami shook her head. "I will never understand your devotion, Miyuki. How are you doing over there, by the way?"
"Nothing too serious. Just a few cuts," Miyuki replied simply, returning back to her job of patching herself up. "The skin will heal in no time."
"See?" Sayaka grinned, "Miyuki is the world's greatest automaton. She's unbreakable. Miyuki can withstand anything."
If Miyuki had been a human, her eyes would have sparkled. "Yes! I am the world's best automaton! Sayaka, let's—"
"Sayanee!" Another voice cut the automaton off, and Yokoyama Yui barged into the room, her own automaton, Haruka, trailing behind her. "Sayanee, did you see that win? That was the best one yet!"
"Of course I saw it, Yuihan!" Sayaka laughed. "I was the one who made it!"
"To think you beat Sasshi and Rie..." Yui trailed off, excitement sparking in her eyes. "Soon enough you'll be taking on Yuko and Haruna!"
"You can bet on it! And then I'll take on you and Acchan, Takamina!"
"Hey, hey! Don't get ahead of yourself!"
From the side of the room, Miyuki had sat down next to Atsuko, silently watching the energetic exchange between the three puppeteers. She blinked, cocking her head to the side ever so slightly, observing the situation with interest. It was at times like these that Miyuki wished that she had emotions. Real emotions. Not the expressions she had learned to plaster onto her face during the appropriate moments.
An idea came to mind.
"Atsuko-san?"
"Milky," Atsuko shot the girl a small smile, "how many times have I told you to call me 'Acchan'? We're both automatons, after all. Our rank is the same."
"Right." Miyuki would have blushed. "Um, Acchan?"
"Yes, Milky?"
"Would you have a fight with me?"
Atsuko frowned, figuring that Takamina would have frowned at the question as well. "You too, huh?"
"It would make Sayaka happy."
"Is Sayanee's happiness all you think about?"
"I'm an automaton," Miyuki murmured, looking down at her intertwined hands seated properly on her lap. "My first and only concern is Sayaka and her wellbeing. Plus..."
"Plus what?"
"...I'd like to think that if Sayaka was happy—and I could feel emotions— I would be happy too."
"...I see." Atsuko resumed watching their eccentric masters, making eye contact with Haruka, who still stood by the door, and motioned for the reserved automaton to join them. "I would help you if I could, Milky, but Takamina is the one who makes all of the decisions. Knowing her, she would refuse, just like the many times before that she has refused."
"Hmph." Miyuki puffed up her cheeks and crossed her arms, pouting.
Atsuko raised an eyebrow, sharing a look with Haruka as the other girl made her way over.
"Where did you learn that?" Haruka asked, looking at her fellow puppet in confusion.
Miyuki shrugged, copying a motion that she had seen Sayaka do quite often. "I witnessed Haruna-san do it a few times when she was frustrated."
--
"Have you ever thought about taking a break, Sayaka?"
Sayaka frowned at this, becoming distracted from her work of repairing her steampunk goggles that had broken during the fight with Sashihara Rino. She had returned to UZA's dorm building, and was currently situated in the common room, next to the warmth of the fire.
"What do you mean, Yuki?"
"I mean have you ever thought about not participating in the arena or going on missions for a change?" The older girl had been watching Sayaka work in silence for the past thirty minutes, finding the sight of the younger girl so focused on fixing those goggles oddly compelling. "Not for very long, of course. That would never work, knowing you. Just for a day or so."
"Not really," Sayaka responded, scratching the top of her head. "As long as Miyuki is working and functioning, I have no reason to take a break. Nor do I want to, for that matter. My goal is to take the top."
"Your goal, huh?" Yuki muttered under her breath, pondering over Sayaka's words for a moment before shaking her head. "I should have known. Mayu and I are going out tomorrow. We're going to walk around town and see the sights. It's been quite a while since we've done that, and I thought that Mayu would appreciate the fresh air."
Sayaka snorted. "Mayu? Enjoy the fresh air?"
The idea of the stoic and stony cyborg-like automaton taking pleasure in or enjoying anything seemed so ridiculous it almost made Sayaka laugh out loud.
Yuki narrowed her eyes at the younger's reaction. "She's actually very nice, I'll have you know!"
Sayaka bit her lip, apologetic for angering the senior UZA member. "Sorry, Yuki. I know I don't understand Mayu like you do, but she's not exactly the most vocal."
Yuki sighed, plopping down onto one of the comfy couches. "I know. Sorry. It just irritates me a little. Mayu is the best automaton partner I could've ever asked for. She's never let me down, and she always comes through for me, as well as UZA. A lot of people here seem to forget that. I don't want to take all the credit."
"Well, you are the one controlling her," Sayaka reasoned. "Automatons can't think for themselves in battle. It only seems right to give you the credit."
"I know, but..." Yuki sighed, shaking her head once more. "Mayu may be an automaton, but she means more to me than that. I'm really attached to her."
"What would happen if she got destroyed beyond repair?" Sayaka questioned, her stomach tying itself in knots as she listened to Yuki describe her feelings. "What would you do then?"
"I wouldn't be able to live with myself." Yuki's response was instant. "I would quit being a puppeteer."
"You could always get another one."
"It wouldn't be the same," Yuki insisted. "I became the person I am today because of Mayu."
Sayaka narrowed her eyes. This was getting dangerous.
"I don't think that is the right mindset, Yuki-senpai."
Yuki shook her head, standing up to return to her shared room with Mayu. "I don't even care about that, Sayaka. Mayu may only be a standard automaton, but I don't think I could live without her."
She paused at the doorway. "You should really go easy on Miyuki, Sayaka. She might get hurt."
"I'm sure." Sayaka rolled her eyes. "Miyuki may be a Banned Doll, having been made from human parts, but Banned Dolls still can't feel emotion, Yuki. They're just like any other automaton. They're interchangeable."
--
"Are you ever going to take a day off, Sayaka?"
Sayaka only groaned. "Not you too, Rena."
It seemed that everywhere she went, be it the common room or the shared bathroom, Sayaka couldn't escape.
Rena shrugged, casually putting some toothpaste on her toothbrush as Sayaka dried her hair. "Just a suggestion. I might be rather new to the puppeteer scene in comparison to you, Sayaka, but I've spent over half of my life putting automatons together. It might be a good idea to let Miyuki rest."
"I've said this to Yuki, and I'll say it to you, too." Sayaka answered through gritted teeth as she ran a hairbrush through her short locks. "Automatons can't feel. Miyuki can't feel. Jurina can't feel. It shouldn't matter."
"That might be so," Rena answered calmly, "but don't you feel any shred of concern for her, Sayaka?"
"She's a doll, Rena," Sayaka shot back. "She's basically a plaything. I can't waste any time worrying about whatever emotion you think she feels, especially because she doesn't."
"And if she breaks?"
"I can get myself a new one," Sayaka replied curtly, collecting her toiletries and preparing to head back to her room. She headed over to the bathroom doorway and reached for the handle to exit.
"But it won't be Miyuki."
"..." Sayaka was silent, her hand still out reached for the doorknob.
"...I'm leaving now." And with that, she flung open the door and left to her room.
"There will only be one Miyuki, Sayaka!" Rena shouted after the short-haired puppeteer. "She may not be as easily replaceable as you think!"
--
"Milky!" Jurina squealed in a shrill tone, jumping on the older automaton's back. "Milky, how are you?"
They were currently hanging around the dorm's balcony, which was a popular spot for automatons to gather.
"Good like usual, Juu-chan." Miyuki replied, shooting Jurina her signature cheeky grin. "How are you?"
"Great!" Jurina replied, beaming. Had any normal citizen seen her, they would have thought that Jurina was human. It was probably only Miyuki's imagination, but the Banned Doll almost believed that she felt some admiration for the relatively newly made automaton girl. Jurina clearly spent a lot of time practicing her tone and facial expressions; even longer than Miyuki herself.
"And you, Mayuyu?"
"Fine," was the stoic automaton's terse answer as she leaned against the marble banisters of the balcony. Unlike most automatons who pasted expressions that looked like emotions onto their faces, Mayu never bothered. She remained indifferent to everyone except her master, Yuki— perhaps.
"I heard about your win against Sasshi in the arena today, Milky!" Jurina quickly asked Miyuki about the battle from earlier. "I wish I saw it!"
Miyuki would've chuckled. "It was Sayaka who really won. I only carry out the orders she gives me."
"Still." Jurina's smile only got wider. "You're amazing, Miyuki."
"I'm just curious, Jurina," Miyuki began, fully knowing that she couldn't actually feel 'curious' about anything. "Why exactly do you act the way you do?"
"I don't know," Jurina merely replied, "But it makes Rena happy."
--
"Miyuki," Sayaka greeted her automaton with a nod as she walked back into their shared room. "I'm back."
Miyuki nodded in return, seated at the small table in the center of their room. "Welcome back, Sayaka. Are you going to sleep now?"
"Yes. Or soon, at least."
"That's good. You deserve the rest."
"...Yuki and Rena both suggested that we take a break from the arena and missions."
"Is that so..."
"What do you think?"
"I want to do whatever Sayaka wants to do. And knowing Sayaka, you don't want to take a break. So therefore, I do not want to take a break either."
"I had a feeling that you'd say that." Sayaka smiled, reaching out to gently pat Miyuki on the head. "Sometimes, I think you're too loyal to me."
"In my entire life of three years, I have been with you, Sayaka. I know nothing other than loyalty to you."
"You might get yourself killed," Sayaka whispered, not removing her hand from Miyuki's feathery hair.
A soft smile, different than Miyuki's usual cheeky grin, overtook the automaton's features. It was a special smile that Miyuki seemed to be saving for moments like this, when Sayaka found herself alone with her partner. Moments where Sayaka showed her affection were rare. Sayaka didn't know if Miyuki was doing it on purpose, but especially when Miyuki was smiling so innocently, so child-like, it was difficult to remember that she wasn't actually human. And Sayaka told herself again and again that she didn't like that feeling, but God, was it hard to dislike someone like Miyuki.
"I don't really mind," Miyuki replied in an equally hushed tone. "If I break, then that means that I wasn't worthy enough to be your automaton."
"Miyuki..."
"And then Sayaka can get another automaton— one that can actually protect Sayaka properly."
"..." In the back of Sayaka's head, Rena's words from earlier resounded. There would be no other Miyuki, and that was a fact. As much as Sayaka wanted to deny it, Rena was right.
"But I haven't broken yet, so Sayaka is stuck with me for a little bit longer." And that soft smile was back on Miyuki's face, and Sayaka thought that she had never seen such a sad sight.
Topic: Clockwork Doll Chapter 2 - SayaMilky, MaYuki, WMatsui (4/5/2016) (Read 12491 times)