Lavo Standard (15) (9-15-09)

Through Jade’s body Libro was eyewitnessing the meeting between Juno and Ric off the west exit, and Ric’s face invoked some fear in Libro, letting him recollect what happened shortly before he was accepted by Juno and her family.

“There, there, Libro. Could you tell me what you remember about the guy?”

Libro inhaled and exhaled to calm down by using Jade’s body. And began an explanation.

“(On the day I met Juno, I was gadding about near her house. And I happened to see the guy forcibly capture a little human boy into a car and drive away. The boy was resisting being carried away, repeatedly calling out ‘Mom!’ but he couldn’t do anything effective at the mercy of the strength of an adult man. Jade, we must protect Juno! He is a villain!)”

Jade was perplexed.

“But Libro, if so, don’t you think we’ll run a risk attempting to save the girl from him? Hmm, I wish there was any safe solution,” she crossed herself.

In the meantime, Juno made up her mind to go to wherever Ric suggested, although what she wanted the most was to enter his apartment and find out every detail of his life.

“I’m pleased because you’ve come,” Ric expressed appreciation.

“Where we have a lesson, Ric?” looking up and showing a smile, Juno asked Ric.

“Well, do you remember I live in an apartment a walking distance from here? Having a lesson there will be quieter than a cafe or restaurant with people, I believe. Or, would you prefer some bar with beer?”

“I like your home!” Juno was in transports of happiness.

As Juno began walking after Ric, a lady, who appeared to be a high-school student, came before the couple and interrupted their progress. The lady just slightly bowed to both Juno and Ric, with her attitude looking similar to that of those who handed out packs of tissue papers with advertisements inside or those who promoted some cult around rail stations aloud: one of the unique and common advertising methods in Japan. Here, the motivation of the lady was about to be considered closer to that to take the latter kind of action about a religion. Within a second, she started to talk of the concept.

“Good afternoon. Excuse me for interrupting, but do you know what ‘the slime club’ is? Have you watched the green slime on TV? Our group aims to give our members a fun time with cute slimes like the green one. Hi, may I ask your name?” said Jade, stooping to make her eye-level closer to Juno’s. And as Jade studied if Juno was interested in the word ‘slime’ through her eyes, there was certainly a desired response.

“Hi, I’m Juno. Do you know about the green slime? Do you know his name is Libro? I lived with him together,” Juno’s eyes were settled to Jade’s with no budging.

“(Juno, your reaction is moving me),” Libro was in tears.

Jade was quick: Before Ric pulled Juno’s arm to leave, Jade immediately held Juno’s hands and continued the conversation. At this moment, Libro exerted his full effort, intensively concentrating on the eyes and hands of Jade to inform Juno of Daryl’s kidnapping.

“(Juno, please get what I’m trying to tell you.)”

Meanwhile, Jade was understanding what miracle Libro was driving and opened her mouth to Juno.

“Do you sense something, Juno?”

Juno was surely sensing signals and learning about the kidnap. Each sequential picture of the incident that Libro witnessed ran inside Juno’s brain. Those were the scenes in which Daryl was on the way to the convenience store near his house for shopping and Ric was forcibly carrying him away.

Through the interaction, Juno felt as if her mind was roused by an alarm and could not move even a bit due to fear. The given scenes were clearly depicted and so shocking to a 4th grader that her brain intuitively prescribed stoppage to her muscles. Having learned how Libro assimilated into Jade and why he followed Juno, however, she pulled herself together and remarked in small volume:

“Libro, I’ve missed you too. I’ve never forgotten how Akichalo, Takeko, you and I spent time in my room together.” Tears running down Juno’s cheeks were contributed by fear about Ric.

“Well done Juno, you got things right. Go back home now,” suggesting the ticket gate by pointing a finger, Jade pushed Juno’s back toward there off Ric.

“Hey what are you doing? I don’t hesitate to say you are taking up our time. Juno, come on,” passing Jade, Ric, looking irritated, gripped and pulled Juno’s arm. Yet unexpectedly to Ric, Juno rejected his offer, shouting, “Don’t touch me!”

While Juno was struggling to pull her arm off his grip, Jade forced his apart and commanded her, “Run, go past the gate!” And accordingly Juno rushed through the gate, having forgone buying a ticket and inserting it into the machine. Although Libro failed to revert to a slime and face Juno, the situation allowed him and Jade reassurance--at least until Ric worked his insight and almost surely concluded that Jade’s human state was achieved thanks to an act of Libro.

“You are David, ah, now you are renamed Libro, aren’t you? What are you doing here? You are supposed to live as a human on behalf of Daryl, aren’t you? There must have been some errors in the process of programming and creating you... Whatever they were, you acted way mischievously. You defective shouldn’t deserve anything in the world. Disappear,” freeing all disrespect to the life of Libro, Ric was clutching Jade’s arm. His fingers were no longer the human’s, but talons.

“(What did he say? Am I ‘David?’ I don’t know! Juno named me Libro, called me Libro, and I prefer it!)”

“That’s right, you are Libro, O.K.? But before talking about your name, we are really in a dangerous situation, aren’t we?” said Jade, wearing a wry smile.