21 Conifer Village / Conifer End

Previously, on Usagi Days: The public is outraged by the Professor's actions. The computer is torn apart. The Professor explains her past, and the girl in the computer—the 'luck module'.

- 21.1 - Last Weeks in Conifer Village -

The Usagis spent another three weeks in Conifer Village.

During that time they kept the Usagi under the tarp.

They picked up delivery jobs around the town, checking to see who needed parcels or letters delivered to various destinations in the Southern Wastes.

They took many baths during their remaining time in the village.

- 21.2 - The Professor is Banished from Conifer Village -

As for the Professor—she had been banished from the Village. The Usagis, plus the luck module, had seen her off at the gates.

Prof K: "Well, congratulations. You"—looking at Anemone—"have destroyed your only hope at learning anything about Ithaca Station. Who were you looking for again? Your sister or something? Yeah, good luck with that.

"And what's more"—addressing the others, now—"you've decided to let this … future monster run around freely. Do you have the strength to do what you need to, before it turns into something you can't control?

"… I could have. If you hadn't interfered with my work, I could have done what needed to be done."

She turned to leave.

"Well, whatever. It's not my problem anymore. Have a nice life."

- 21.3 - The Luck Module Needs a Name, #1 -

"We can't just keep calling her whatever. She needs a name."

The luck module looked up, perhaps sensing that the Usagis were talking about her.

Ivy: "I think 'Alice' suits her! She looks like an Alice."

Violet: "You want to call everything that. You named the stray cat that roams around the village that."

Ivy: "Well, I think it's a cute name."

Violet: "Let's try for something more original, maybe?"

Ruby: "Well, why don't we check with her?" She placed her hand on the luck module's shoulder. "What would you like to be called?"

The luck module just looked blankly at Ruby.

- 21.4 - The Luck Module Eats -

Anemone: "She's got a big appetite."

Violet: "Yeah. She can go toe-to-toe—or, belly-to-belly—with Ivy, almost. Almost. Emphasis on 'almost'. Hey, Ivy, did you hear me say, 'almost'—"

Ivy, forehead vein throbbing: "Yes, Violet. I heard you."

Ruby: "Well, girls, enjoy the food at the Lodge while we can. We don't know how much food we'll get when we're down in the Wastes."

Eimi, zooming by: "I don't know why y'all are so eager to get out of Conifer. It's safe! It's comfy! You know where your next meal is coming from. You ask me, you girls are crazy to leave."

Ruby, helping herself to another stack of pancakes: "Can't help it, Eimi! Adventure's waiting! Tearing down the open road, delivering packages … That's what we live for."

Violet and Ivy both stood up, at the same time.

Violet, boisterously: "That's right! Because you're looking at the four best delivery girls this side of the … um, Eastern Highlands!"

Anemone, hiding her face in embarrassment: "Oh, no. They're doing their 'thing' again."

Ivy: "And the other side too! Because we're the …

Violet: "… Usagi Crew!"

Ivy: "… Usagi Squad!"

Violet and Ivy looked at each other, dumbfounded.

Violet: "Uh. We're a crew."

Ivy: "No, we're—we've always been a squad. You need to get your act together."

The two continued bickering, and as they did, the Usagis heard an unfamiliar noise.

The luck module was laughing.

- 21.5 - The Girls Discuss the Luck Module -

Violet: "So, I still don't completely understand. The computer didn't do anything? The girl was controlling everything the whole time? And she's really smart or something?"

Anemone: "No. Not exactly. But her presence inside the machine, as long as she kept rolling for numbers she didn't want to see … it was enough for her to influence probability enough for the correct output to be displayed on the computer."

Ruby: "Like with the Usagi, repairing itself. It's not like it's designed to repair itself. It's just … it can happen. But we need to allow for the possibility of it to happen."

Ivy: "You guys think all this weird stuff is because of the SDF? Like, if we destroyed the SDF or whatever … the Usagi would stop repairing itself?"

Ruby shrugged. "Maybe we'll never know."

They looked out the window of the Lodge, where the luck module was playing with the stray cat outside.

Ivy: "You think she'll be okay here? After we're gone …"

Violet: "Eimi says she'll take care of the girl for as long as she can."

Anemone: "Yeah, but that's the thing, isn't it? What happens when she becomes … you know? The thing we saw in the sister village?

"The other villagers are afraid of her. I mean, they're polite enough. But there's a fear in their eyes. Maybe of what she'll become. Maybe of what they know they have to do. Or maybe both."

- 21.6 - The Luck Module Needs a Name, #2 -

Ivy: "Luck. Module. Lu-Mo. Lumo. Guys! Guys! How about 'Lumo'?"

Violet, sticking her tongue out in disgust: "Sounds like a robot."

Ivy and Violet were at the seamstress's house, waiting to pick up a blue one-piece dress for the luck module.

Violet: "Hey, wait. We're rabbits, right?"

Ivy: "… No?"

Violet, undeterred: "And a rabbit's foot is supposed to be lucky, right?"

Ivy, not understanding where Violet was going with this train of thought: "… Yes?"

Violet: "So she's a luck module. She's a Rabbit's Foot!"

Ivy: "…"

When they had the dress, they brought it back to the Lodge and had the luck module try it on.

Ivy: "Pretty!"

Violet: "Doesn't this feel so much better than those old rags?"

The luck modules nodded, hesitantly. A slight smile formed on her lips as she spun around, the hem of the dress billowing around her.

Ivy: "Looking cute, Lumo!"

The luck module tilted her head, in confusion.

Violet: "Don't listen to her, Rabbit's Foot."

The luck module frowned, tears welling up in her eyes.

Ivy: "See! Nobody wants to be called a foot, Violet."

Ruby, laughing: "You two are like her two moms or something."

Ivy, Violet, beet red: "SHUT UP! NO WE'RE NOT!"

- 21.7 - Ruby Pulls off the Tarp -

Ruby: "Well. Moment of truth."

Anemone: "You've done this like, a hundred times by now."

Ruby: "Because one day, it's just … not going to be fixed. Ever."

Anemone: "Ugh, whatever. And I thought I was supposed to be the neurotic one. Look, I'll do—"

Ruby: "No! I can do it. Just … give me a moment."

Ruby breathed in, and then out.

Then she pulled off the tarp, revealing a pristine Usagi. All the claw marks, gone. The paint looking as if it just rolled off the assembly line.

- 21.8 - The Usagis Get Ready to Leave -

It was time to go.

They had stored all the packages and letters they needed to deliver in the trunk. They had a decent supply of dried beans, rice, some dried fruit, nuts. Some smoked meats. Seasonings and spices. As many supplies as they could carry. A lot of them came from Eimi, who was practically crying as she saw them off, with the luck module by her side.

Ruby: "Well. I guess this is goodbye."

Ruby waved, and then got into the driver's seat.

Anemone, bowing: "Um … Thank you. For the food. And the hot springs. And … typing that stuff into the computer."

Eimi: "You take care, Annie."

Ivy and Violet were left. They said their tearful goodbyes to Eimi and the luck module, and after they were done, they headed for the backseat of the Usagi. They were just about to get in, when the luck module suddenly left Eimi's side and ran to the car.

The luck module slid past Violet, and sat in the backseat of the Usagi, before she could get in.

Violet: "Ah. No, sweetie, you can't come with us."

Violet tried to gently pull the girl out, but the luck module was determined. She dug into the seat.

"Aw, come on … Don't make this harder than it has to be."

Ruby and Anemone turned their head, watching from the front seats, unsure of what to do.

Ivy, who was still outside: "Wait! I got it!"

- 21.9 - The Luck Module Needs a Name, #3 -

All eyes were on Ivy now.

Ivy bent close to the side door window and breathed onto it, fogging it up. She wrote five letters with her finger.

L U C K Y

Ivy: "Lucky. But you don't like Professor K, so let's take out the K."

L U C Y

Ivy: "Lucy."

Ruby, who was illiterate: "Brilliant!"

Anemone: "Do you like the sound of that? Can we call you that?"

The luck module look at each girl, in turn.

She opened her mouth, and spoke, barely audible: "Lu … cy. Lucy."

She nodded her head, slowly. And then smiled.

"Me. Lu-cy."

- 21.10 - Lucy Makes A Choice -

Eimi: "How about it, Lucy? Do you want to stay here, with me? Or go with them?"

Lucy looked at the ground, her hand grabbing the end of her dresses anxiously.

She slowly looked up. "Lucy … go with … bunny girls."

- 21.11 - Leaving the Eastern Highlands -

The Usagi rolled out of Conifer Village, headed south.

Ruby, explaining: "See, when you go for long stretches downhill, like say, descending a mountain range, like we're doing now, you don't want to just ride the brake the whole time. (Ah, 'ride' means to keep your foot on it.) The brake fluid will get so hot that it boils, and then your brakes stop working completely …"

Violet: "Hey, hey, Rubes. Can we stop for a bit?"

Ruby: "Uh …"

Ruby stopped, and Violet got out. In her hand she had a small piece of paper wrapped in the shape of a cone. She got out, and scooped a handful of fresh, untouched snow from a nearby bush.

She returned to the car, and pulled out a bottle of syrup.

Violet: "Eimi gave me this."

She poured a bit of syrup on the snow cone, and handed it to Lucy, who was sitting in the middle backseat.

Violet: "Try it!"

Lucy held the cone in her hand, and eyed it suspiciously.

She took a bite of it.

Violet: "Ah, that was … a large bite."

Lucy gripped the side of her head, in pain. "Ow-w …"

Ivy rubbed her back. "Little bites, Lucy. Little bites."

Ruby drove off again, and the Usagi left the Eastern Highlands, with a new party member.