Mardock Scramble

“Hmm. That’s your name. It’s been a while since we’ve called the person involved in a Scramble 09 case by their proper name. Rune-Balot. You’re competent enough to be able to give informed consent to your doctor. So, right now, what do you want to do?”

Again Balot’s head was bowed, eyes downcast.

The Doctor showed no particular sign of getting impatient but sat back in his chair and looked at Oeufcoque.

“The clothes Balot just ordered online have arrived.”

Oeufcoque answered in her place, meekly.

The Doctor raised both hands as if to say so? Balot hesitantly tugged at the hem of the hospital robe that she’d been wearing since she emerged from the insulator.

“And she wants to try them on and head outside. For lunch. And at the same time file a petition to have her manipulated ID canceled.”

The Doctor’s mouth twisted.

“So you weren’t particularly hiding away, then? Why didn’t you say so?”

Balot cowered, but the Doctor was just looking to Oeufcoque for confirmation.

“And I suppose you’re going with her, right? In an I’m your bulletproof armor kind of way? But take care, though. The preliminary report for the case is already out there. There’s a good chance the enemy will try something.”

“Well, it’d be good to have an opponent she could try out her new powers on. In any case, she’s yet to experience my usefulness when it comes to dealing with Scramble 09 cases.”

The Doctor shrugged his shoulders and stood up. He took out a card carrier from his back pocket.

He chose a cash card and handed it to Balot.

Balot had no idea what to do.

She stared at the Doctor’s face before almost secretively taking it from his hand.

“The application to the Broilerhouse for your social security compensation has already gone in, but it takes a bit of time for the approval to come through. So, in the meantime, this is your property. Ask Oeufcoque for the PIN, I don’t know it.”

No man had ever given her money in this way before. Balot stared at the Doctor’s face with trepidation. The Doctor suddenly turned serious.

“Indeed. So. Looks like this is going to be the first test of your abilities. It’s certainly worth doing before we go to the courtroom, I suppose. I’m praying that you’ll be able to use Oeufcoque well without abusing him.”

Balot didn’t understand the Doctor’s words. She just looked at Oeufcoque, still perched on her shoulder. This mouse had listened to her heart in a way no one ever had before. And with a precision that no counselor could ever hope to match. There were still loads of things she wanted to talk about and countless things she wanted him to understand.

Right now, that was everything to Balot.

Balot returned to the room she had been allocated—the old morgue—and opened up the packages one by one, laying their contents out on the bed. She lifted up black leather and placed it against her skin. It was a rather snug little outfit. No skirt, but shorts.

Oeufcoque stared at the outfit, nonplussed.

“Ah…” he exclaimed, rather unenthusiastically.

Balot shrugged her shoulders and showed him the next outfit. This time they were normal pants, the blouse sleeveless, and Balot indicated by gesturing that she would add arm-warmers to it.

“Um, yeah… You know what, Balot, I’ll wait in the Doctor’s room. Come and get me when you’re finished.”

After speaking Oeufcoque jumped off the desk and walked to the door on his two feet.

When he was directly below the doorknob he leapt up—quite a jump for a mouse—and turned the knob, opening the door. He landed and was about to walk out of the room when Balot pinched the suspenders holding up his pants and hoisted him into the air.

“I’m not really one to ask for advice on feminine aesthetics, you know. And I’m not too keen on being called a Peeping Tom again…” Oeufcoque said somewhat miserably.

Balot pursed her lips and closed the door, putting Oeufcoque onto the bed.

She then took some clothes and ran into the bathroom with them. After a while Oeufcoque stood up and got off the bed, and just then the bathroom door opened. Still in her underwear she gestured at Oeufcoque to stay put. Her face showed unease rather than anger. Like when she said she was afraid at the display on the Doctor’s desk.

“Fine, fine. I’ll wait—no, stand guard—here. Don’t you worry.”

Balot still looked a little anxious, but she carried on and closed the bathroom door anyway.

“You’d be able to sense what was happening on this side of the door, you know. You’re still very insecure because you’re uncomfortable with your new powers, I suppose. Or no, maybe that’s why you’re so anxious—it’s your new powers that bring home the fact that no one is there,” Oeufcoque muttered, grumbling, and flopped down on his side. He gazed at the ceiling for a while, and then Balot was staring down at him.