Azumanga Daioh Fan Fiction ❯ Koyomi: Maiden for Hire ❯ Chapter 4
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
Koyomi: Maiden for Hire
Conclusion
It has now been two weeks since Tomo had Koyomi. She even told her about her days with her friends back at High School. Koyomi even made some delicious foods for Tomo and her friends. In fact, Koyomi did made her food so well, she even tried it out; Tomo prevented that stating about Yomi’s diet. Koyomi smiled, as usual, as she said to her that even if she eats it, and malfunctions, Tomo will be there.
By the time it was Day twenty-five, Koyomi gave Tomo some new clothes she made, out of her old ones. She even gave her a maiden uniform with the stitching embroidered saying “Tomo & Koyomi: Friends”.
She said that the uniform is a way of saying thank you for owning her for a 30-day trial and for being so nice.
“You sometimes remind me of some other people who like to take advantage of me,” Koyomi said.
Tomo wrapped her arm over her shoulders and said, “Oh, don’t be silly. If any perverts tried to take you again, I’d give them an Attitude Adjustment to the solar plexus!”
Tomo and Koyomi laughed and shared a moment.
But by the time the trial is over, Tomo started to grow worried. Koyomi walked by her and said, “Well, I have to leave you soon.”
“You can’t leave me. Not after all we have done,” Tomo cried, “I know! I’ll buy you officially! It’s only 2,000 Yen a week; plus, Mister Takana West can give it his approval for you.”
Koyomi then let out a sad look, “I’d appreciate it, but I cannot.”
“What? Why?”
“I’m sorry, but I’m only useful for special trial memberships.”
“Well, I cannot blame you. But, if you ever become an available model, let me know.”
“That won’t be necessary. You see, once I finish my 30-day function, I must return to the Lab to remove my memories. That way, I will give out useful information about the customers who used me, so that future owners will be examined. And by far, you have been the best user I’ve ever known, Miss Tomo Takino.”
“You really mean it?”
“Yes, I do. You told me all about your friendship with Yomi, since I look like her, I should tell you that if I were the real deal, I’d think you’d become a great friend.”
Tomo paused and have grown angry.
“I KNEW IT!” Tomo shouted, ruining her moment, “Why did you ruin it, Yomi?”
Tomo grabbed Koyomi by the arms and started to punch her very weakly.
“Why did you trick me, Yomi?” Tomo cried with tears flowing from her face, “Why? Why?? WHY???”
Koyomi looked on and grabbed her by the shoulders trying to calm her down. She wiped off her tears and asked, “What are you talking about?”
“That you… you are… really…” Tomo hesitated and then let out her courage saying in a loud voice: “ARE YOU REALLY YOMI?”
Koyomi looked on in worry saying, “Is that what you wanted to know?”
“Yes.”
Koyomi approached her and whispered into her ear, “You really have forgotten, have you?”
Tomo stood in shock. She then asked why.
She then whispered into her ear, “Your friendship really is important than your function, right?”
“Function?” Tomo said in fear.
She began to shake and started to grow frightened. Koyomi held her by her shoulders and said, “This Yomi of yours must be a real spitfire; after you’ve told me about her, it was a matter of time before you could remember… Unit #86662426.”
“I…” Tomo started to shake.
Koyomi draped her arms around Tomo and continued on, “To answer your question, I can tell you that I am not the real Yomi. The real Yomi works for “Maidens for Hire” in Tokyo as the CEO; Mister Takana West was her assistant. She created me… and you. You and I were designed to be our cutest Maidens, but your attitude was so rambunctious and loud, we had to dismantle you. However, you escaped, before we could do the job.”
“No… it cannot be.” Tomo said in nervousness, knowing that she, in fact, is a Maiden for Hire, as well.
Her eyes started to grow wide, and her body was stiffened in fright. Koyomi also told her about the real Tomo.
“The real Tomo already left overseas to the United Kingdom, three months after she finished college. She wanted to become a famous pop superstar. Don’t you remember the real Tomo? She was known as Ayu Takano in the Britain News; she had her name changed to avoid suspicion. When you arrived, Yomi was surprised to see you again. When she saw you, it was a matter of time before we caught you. She hired me to find you and convince you to come back… But since then…”
Koyomi moved back from Tomo, as she started to shake.
“Tomo… Tomo… Tomo…” She repeated her name quietly.
“Since then, your programming has improved. I couldn’t stood by and see you get dismantled. So I called Yomi and she said that you’ve been improved in your behavioral circuits, which at first was a lie, but has been at least 97% true. Miss Mizuhara provided me to grab your memory by the end of the night when you go to bed… but since you found out already… I thought I could do it now.”
“I don’t… under…” Tomo cried out weakly.
Koyomi added, “It won’t hurt; just needed your memory copied.”
She then started to buzz, “Malfunction detected. System overload critical.”
“I knew this would happen to you,” Koyomi said, “I better hurry up before I lose you completely.”
She opened Tomo’s shirt and opened her panel on the front of her waist area. She placed a memory card inside of her circuits and began to access the download.
“Activate Objective: C-156; Password: 24IY6CH16; Begin Download copy of Tomo’s programming.”
Tomo began the download her memories to the card.
“Download complete.” She said, in a monotone voice.
Koyomi closed the waist panel on Tomo and then approached her again.
“It is time we must part ways…” she whispered.
Tomo then smiled nervously and said in a robotic voice, “Hi, my name is Tomo. I’m your Maiden for Hire. I am here for… for your guaranteed service. I will cook for you, clean for you, and even help you with anything you desir-desir-desire.”
Koyomi then continued on, while Tomo continued repeating what she said, “I want to thank you for your services in ‘Maidens for Hire’ program. As of now, you are no longer a part of our services. You will be erased of your memories of me or anything from the past 30 days, but you will still function as your alter-ego, Tomo Takino. Since you will no longer remember what you really are, you will still have your old life.”
“My name is Tomo… I am your Maiden for Hire… My name is Tomo… I am your Maiden for Hire…” She repeated on and on, as the pitch of her voice alternately went from deep to high very slowly.
Koyomi brushed back Tomo’s hair, revealing a small red button on the back her neck. As Koyomi reached for the button, she whispered one last phrase to her, “But… I won’t forget you at all.”
Koyomi pressed the button.
“My name is Tomo…” Her voice slid to an unintelligible drone, before shutting off completely.
Tomo collapsed on the floor like a rag doll, with her eyes wide open, her mouth straight, and her pupils blank. Koyomi grabbed her stuff and nearly left the room. She then spotted the Maid Uniform she created for her, not too long ago.
“You can still keep it, though,” she said, “It’s only your old uniform. Think of it as your costume for Halloween now.”
She draped the Uniform over her prone body and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She then approached the doorway and stopped for a moment.
“The next time you wake up is tomorrow morning. That will be the moment you wake up from your experience. You will have forgotten about me and your true self, but you manners will not change. Goodbye, Tomo.”
Just like that, Koyomi disappeared and Tomo was on the floor, motionless and quiet.
The next morning, a girl with glasses approached Tomo who was still on the floor. It was Yomi.
“Tomo! Wake up!” She cried, “Tomo, can you hear me? Please be okay!”
Tomo then started to blink, as her eyes had color again. She got up very tentatively, and saw a first look at Yomi.
“Yomi?” She said with tears in her eyes.
Tomo hugged Yomi saying she was sorry for everything and also asked her where she’d been.
“It’s okay. I was gone for a whole month,” Yomi said, “What happened to you?”
“I don’t remember,” Tomo said, “But all I remember is this ‘Maiden for Hire’ service, and then everything went black…”
“I see,” she said, “You really need to focus more, than just watching those weirdo movies.”
“Yomi, what’s with you?” Tomo barked, “You really are such a four-eye wimp!”
Yomi started to wrestle Tomo around the floor in anger.
“YOU’RE THE WIMP!!!” She shouted.
The girls continued to wrestle around the room all through the day.
Later at the “Maidens for Hire” corporate building at Tokyo, Yomi arrived by the window at the assembly line. She watched on, seeing a line of Tomos and Yomis, dressed in Maid attires, going through the line. Yomi watched in enjoyment, but then remembered Tomo.
“I hope what Koyomi did, didn’t pay off.”
Weeks later, Yomi received a letter saying that 5,000 units the Tomo Maidens were sold successfully, because the behavior of her was enhanced better. While the Yomi units sold over 4,000 units. The “Maidens for Hire” were a huge success! She was amazed by her results that she made a phone call to her friend.
“Hey, Tomo,” she called on the phone, “Want to hang out? We’ll be having a party for the weekend. Really? That’s great! We’ll even invite Osaka, Kagura, & Sakaki to the party. You have? Thanks. Goodbye.”
She hung up and let out a big smile.
“Man, I’m good!”
Yomi got up and called to her assistant, Takana West, “Mr. West, I will be leaving for the weekend. Cancel all my appointments for the weekend, and reschedule them.”
“Yes, Miss Mizuhara,” Takana said.
Yomi stopped by the doorway and said, “Oh, yeah; remind me to make you vice president for your part in making our ‘Maidens for Hire’ an immense sensation.”
Yomi left, as Takana celebrated.
As Yomi left the office, she then remembered the real Tomo, a.k.a. Ayu Takano, and let out a tear.
“Tomo, I know you’ve been replaced, but I missed you so much, I cannot let you be forgotten. I miss you… Tomo.”
She listened in her MP3 player of Tomo’s singing and left to her limousine.
This began a series of events that led to the creation of the most advanced technology in history:
Maidens for Hire!
To be continued…
Maidens for Hire!