Editing City Series:Volume5a Chapter6 (section)

===Letter Left by Mallette: To My Hungover Friend Beretta===

I imagine it will be midday by the time you read this, you sleepyhead. It seems our roles are reversed today. We kept the party going a bit after showering last night, but, Beretta, it’s been a while since you drank, so you need to restrain yourself more. You passed out and Miss Rosetta had to put you to bed.

And I just peeked in at you two and you’re sleeping in the same bed like sisters. I see your habit of holding onto things in your sleep hasn’t gone away. You had your arms around her tight, so I’ll have to ask who woke up first and how you explained that one.

I took a photo, so let’s get that developed later and show it off.

Oh, right. Speaking of photos, I also took one of Miss Rosetta when she was showering last night. Y’know, since that’s a ritual for anyone who joins our merry band, officially or unofficially. Anyway, it turns out her skin is really pretty. I’m honestly jealous. You know how much I love beautiful things, so I couldn’t help but sneak up behind her and touch it. Yes, two nice handfuls. That’s gotta be why she was acting so cautious around me when we were drinking afterwards. Explain this to her later on for me, okay? Tell her I love pretty things, but I’m not interested in women.

But why does a Belle de Marionnette have bigger boobs than me? Could a Belle de Marionnette professor like you explain that one to me? I’m jealous of that too. She’s even more “ideal” than us, but she hasn’t noticed. A beautiful woman with no pride in her appearance should be illegal.

I kind of understand what you were talking about before. In America, Belle de Marionnettes are treated worse than slaves as a kind of distraction from racial discrimination. And since your family makes them, you want to treat them like humans. I think I understand how you feel now. At least a little bit.

That smile when she replied to Phillip’s apology last night and that surprise when I groped her from behind in the shower were both emotions I can’t imagine from a mere machine.

Oh, I’ve written a lot that really isn’t like me.

Make sure you don’t let her see this letter, okay? I don’t want her thinking I’m always going around praising people. But do tell her I’m glad we could accept someone like her as a part of our group.

Well, I need to get to class. I’ll be borrowing your ''bicyclette'', by the way. You take your time seeing her home by foot.