Dia (Halloween)/Stories
While trying to think up a Halloween outfit for herself, Dia is interrupted by none other than Regis, who insists on helping. Once her new "body" arrives, Dia shows that she can control her old one remotely as well. And, as a bonus, her new form is also equipped with taste sensors, allowing her to enjoy food.
Dia: Hmm... I don't know, what do you think?
Stella: I think it looks great.
Dia: Well, in that case... Do you think it might be okay to try... this?
Stella: Yes, definitely.
Alk: What are you two doing, all holed up in here?
Dia: Ahh!
Stella: Alk, great timing. Could you look at this—
Dia: W-wait a second! No way! I can't show anyone my drawings, they're nothing but scribbles!
Dia: I, uh... I'm in the process of coming up with a new outfit for Halloween. Well, it's more like an entirely new body frame, but you get what I mean.
Alk: That sounds like a fun idea!
Stella: It is. The new outfit is very cute. You should take a look at—
Dia: We don't need any more feedback! The design is more or less decided on, so...
Alk: Okay, no problem. I'll just have to look forward to seeing the final product for myself!
Alk: You mentioned a new body frame though... Does that mean you're swapping out your entire body? How will you do that?
Regis: That part will be handled by YOURS TRULY, of course!
Dia: We'll be using a specialized parts shop. Actually, technology's developed enough to the point that they can now replace your entire body!
Regis: Oh come now. We've gone so long without seeing each other—you could at least acknowledge my timely entrance!
Dia: Oh, Regis. I didn't see you there. This isn't a work-related matter, so... you can feel free to leave.
Alk: The World Flipper is just through the door and up the stairs here. It should be very easy to find.
Regis: You know, if I had feelings, they'd be really hurt right about now.
Regis: Anyway. To more practical matters; do you have any idea what a full-body outfitting costs? How do you intend to pay for that?
Dia: I figured we could just find cheaper alternatives for the individual parts. We don't need to buy the most expensive stuff or anything.
Regis: No, no, no! How could I stand here and allow our own diva to be outfitted with such second-rate parts? Surely you wouldn't be satisfied with that either.
Dia: *Sigh* This always happens when you show up, Regis.
Dia: All right, I get it. You want me to treat this as if it's part of my job, right?
Dia: If that's the case, I'll go all out. I won't compromise on the quality!
Regis: Haha, but of course. I wouldn't have it any other way. I'll make sure it's to your liking.
Regis: Now if you wouldn't mind telling me exactly what outfit you had in mind...
Dia: Fine. But you CAN'T laugh when you see it, okay?!
???: All eyes and electrons on me!
Dia: Ta-da! Diva Media, ready to perform!
Stella: —!
Alk: Stella's at a complete loss for words!
Alk: That is an incredible outfit! So this is what you meant by a full body replacement...
???: All eyes and electrons on me too!
Dia: Diva Media, ready to perform!
Alk: N-now there are TWO of them!
Both Dias: Hehe. Trick or treat!
Stella: There are two Divas... Am I dreaming?
Dia: Haha, you are NOT! Pretty cool, huh? I'm actually just controlling this other one remotely.
Dia: It's just a secondary unit. It can replicate simple, familiar movements. It even has a speaker installed!
Alk: Wow, the resemblance is eerie. Technology is amazing, huh.
Alk: So... this second one isn't really you? Hmm, yeah, it doesn't seem to be responding at all.
Dia: Um, Alk... Could you stop staring at it—er, me—like that? It's embarrassing...
Alk: Ah, sorry! I didn't realize I was staring... My bad...
Regis: Performing a full body part exchange like that was no easy task, you know. It's not exactly a common procedure.
Regis: And most certainly not a CHEAP one, either.
Dia: Oh, you know you'll just end up marking it off as a business expense anyway. Besides, I want to test out this new body of mine!
Dia: It just so happens to come with some brand-new functions!
Alk: New functions? Like what?
Dia: A brand-new energy-conversion mechanism, just like the one organics have! Oh, and a gustatory cortex as well.
Dia: That just means that I can eat AND taste food now!
Alk: No way, that's great! You always wanted to be able to eat food!
Stella: Let's try lots of different food together.
Dia: Definitely!
Dia: Oh! I just remembered what I want to eat... Plain curry!
Alk: Plain? With... nothing in it? Why?
Dia: What do you mean? Simple is best!
Dia: All right, let's do this! Diva Media, special Halloween Edition, all systems a go-GO!
Both versions of Dia perform for the people of Palpebra, raising their spirits. Regis is thrilled at the new source of income, but Dia starts to long for a bit more freedom. She, Inaho, and Amelia decide to work with their idol friend to put on a special impromptu performance.
Dia: Do you prefer bitter black?
Dia: Or perhaps sweet white?
Both Dias: Either way, give us the candy, Or you're in for a TRICK tonight!
Both Dias: Happy Halloween!
Dia: *sigh* Something just doesn't feel right.
Dia: This isn't what I wanted to do...
Regis: Come on, now. Keep your head up, we're making record profits! We've even got new sponsors lined up from other worlds we've toured!
Regis: What did you call it again? The Lil Devil Dias? I'd say this new duo of yours is working out quite well.
Inaho: Lil Devil Dias?
Dia: Yeah, I kind of wanted to rebrand a bit, change my image.
Dia: It's basically impossible for me to do so in my own world, after all. I just do whatever I'm told to there...
Dia: I feel like the exact same thing will happen here, too, if things keep going this way.
Stella: You have to do whatever Regis tells you?
Dia: Well, not exactly. It's just... I don't want to turn down offers for work, you know?
Dia: A girl's gotta make a living, after all.
Amelia: Gotta respect the hustle!
Inaho: Hmm. An ingenious idea has come to me, my dear metallic maiden! Come closer and I will tell you!
Dia: What kind of an idea?! Tell me!
Inaho: Hehehehe. Lend me an ear! Closer, I say!
Dia: Mhm, right...
Dia: Whoa, really? No way? And then we—
Amelia: Perfect! Uh-huh, exactly! It's gonna be so gooood...
Dia: Okay... Then, we're doing it?
Stella: Yes, let's.
Pur Lilie: This area is looking great as well. The spitting image of peace and tranquility!
Pur Lilie: Thanks to everyone's hard work, we managed to dramatically reduce peace-disturbing incidents in the area—
Dia: The night is ours—as is your world!
Pur Lilie: W-what?!
Dia: Even in the dead of night, All eyes and electrons are on me!
Dia: This is Diva Media, coming to Palpebra with a special Halloween performance!
Inaho: Featuring special guests from a world away—the yokai!
Dia: Come everyone, join us in song and dance!
Pur Lilie: W-wait a minute, what's going on here?!
Pur Lilie: Paranormal phenomena? Monsters?! This is the doing of someone from Alk's group of misfits, no doubt!
Regis: Hahaha! First she fraternizes with humans, and now yokai...
Regis: What am I ever to do with someone as incorrigible as her?
Dia: Hahahaha! Wooooow! That was so much fun—we made such a ruckus!
Amelia: Did you SEE the looks on their faces? We totally blew them out of the water!
Inaho: Indeed! Our impromptu flash mob concert idea was a smashing success!
Dia: Did you have fun too, Stella?
Stella: Of course. It was a blast.
Alk: Nice job, all of you! That was quite the show—though I have to say, it was a bit on the noisy side.
Dia: Hehe, we might have gone too far in a few places!
Alk: Oh well, it's no big deal. Probably.
Amelia: Exactly, nothing to worry about! Anyway, Dia... I gotta know—what's our next target?!
Amelia: How about coming to MY world? We could do a show on a BOAT! Ooh, or we could commandeer a pirate ship!
Inaho: No, no, no. I must INSIST that for our next show we visit Yamato! Let's host a March of the Yokai, in celebration of the newest edition of the Yokai Encyclopedia!
Amelia: Huh? We've had more than enough marching yokai!
Dia: Ladies, ladies! Don't worry—we'll do it ALL!
Dia: You can bet your bottom credit that I'm gonna keep singing everywhere I can!
Dia: Oh, this is so much fun... I can't remember the last time I laughed like this...
Regis informs Alk and co. that Dia has gone missing—and also that disappearing is a bit of a pre-performance habit for her. Alk eventually finds her, and the two talk about why Dia chooses to sing. Later, on the day of her next performance, Dia goes to see the remnants of the Administrator to affirm her convictions.
Regis: We've got a situation on our hands.
Regis: W-wait! Won't you at least hear what I have to say?!
Alk: Please leave. You're not wanted here.
Regis: You know, with that total lack of empathy, you'd make good security bots—
Regis: Ahem. I mean, LISTEN. Dia has gone missing.
Stella: Is she okay? Do you know where she went?
Regis: Well... Here's the thing. Ah, how do I put this exactly...
Regis: First, I'd like to ask that what I say stays a secret among those of us here.
Regis: You see... This isn't unusual for her. I'd go so far as to call it a habit—she usually disappears right before a performance.
Nimbus: Huh? You mean like she's got a bad case of stage fright or somethin'? I didn't think she was one to get so worked up...
Regis: Not quite. She always comes back on the day of the performance. She wouldn't skip a concert.
Regis: It's just that on our world, I have ample knowledge of all her old haunts, everywhere she likes to go. I can guarantee her safety. Here, I can't.
Nimbus: Sounds like you might just be too overprotective, no?
Light: I'm afraid I have to agree with Regis here. Having Dia wander around in an unknown world on her own is reckless.
Light: Do you have any idea as to her whereabouts?
Regis: Unfortunately, I'm at a loss. In our world, she favored places with a good vantage point—there was this observatory she always liked to visit.
Alk: Hmm. In that case, I might have an idea...
Dia: La la... La la, lalala—
Alk: So you were here after all.
Alk: It's a beautiful view, isn't it? Everyone who comes here loves it.
Dia: Alk...
Dia: Regis told you to find me, I take it?
Alk: Yep. Said it was your habit right before a performance.
Dia: That no-good bucket of bolts... Can't keep his mouth shut!
Alk: Well, now that I know you're safe, I'll just make up something to report to Regis and leave you alone!
Dia: Huh? You're not gonna force me to go back with you?
Alk: Nope! I mean, you're not planning on actually running away, right?
Alk: You love performing. You wouldn't miss a concert.
Dia: Of course... But I mean, since you came all this way, I figured you might as well stay a bit longer?
Alk: Huh? You want me to stay with you? That's... unexpected.
Dia: What? Do you think I don't care about anybody except Stella?
Alk: N-no... That's not what I thought at all, but...
Dia: I like other people too, you know. Not just Stella! That day when all of you came to my world, everything changed.
Dia: I... looked up to ALL of you! I still do.
Dia: And don't think I've forgotten about how you fought for those droids whose memories were wiped... You jumped right into danger for them!
Alk: Right. But Stella was feeling unwell at that time—I'm positive that she would have beat me to the punch otherwise.
Alk: Sometimes I think... that I don't really have a reason for doing what I do. I kind of just do it, because I feel like it's expected of me. I just pretend to be a hero.
Dia: I... think I know exactly what you mean. I feel the same.
Alk: You too? Really?
Dia: Yeah. When I first started, I didn't even really WANT to sing, you know.
Dia: But then over time I learned all sorts of things—things which I never knew, or even thought were worth knowing.
Dia: I chose to keep singing so I could share those things—those feelings—with the world. Even if I'm just pretending, or imitating, it's enough.
Dia: Because I'm a diva, after all! Singing is what I do.
Dia: Oh, I'm sorry... I made the whole conversation about me!
Alk: No, no! It was a very moving speech. Really.
Dia: Even Stella said so herself, right? She said you were the only reason everyone was able to travel between worlds.
Alk: I don't know about all that... I'm really not worthy of praise like that.
Dia: Oh come on. There's no need to be so humble around friends!
Alk: I suppose you're right.
Alk: But it's how I really feel, and I guess I want to be honest with my friends.
Dia: I agree. That's important.
Dia: Well, I guess we should head back now! I'm starting to get hungry!
Alk: I'll fix you up some plain curry again, if you want!
Dia: Hmm... Nah. This time, could you make it with meat? Just for me?
Alk: Of course!
Dia: I'm off to another performance today.
Dia: Did you know what yokai were? I learned about them recently—that and so many other wonderful things.
Dia: I'm going to sing that song today. The one you taught me.
Dia: When Diva Media's on the air...
Dia: All eyes and electrons stop and stare.