Note : I already released this fanfic on the temporary ffml's. Nothing
has changed since that release (haven't had time to work on it), so if
you got that, no need to read this one.
This piece is different from anything I've written before, and I'm not
quite comfortable with it yet... any comments/criticism would be of
great assistance. Thanks. That said...
Stormwalker <stormwalker@airmail.net> presents the alpha version of...
Awakenings
A Bubblegum Crisis fanfiction by Douglas A. Reeves
Part the First - Introductions
Nene Romanova was having a good day. Work had been easier
than usual, and she'd been able to relax and talk to her friends
a while. The weather as she left the AD Police building was
perfect: sunny and warm, but not overly so, and she looked
forward to the ride home on her scooter. The evening looked
promising, too; Priss would be performing live. All in all, a
pleasant day, indeed.
It had been a while since she'd been able to make it to one
of Priss's concerts over at Hot Legs, and she was particularly
excited about that. Besides the fact that her friend was a great
singer, there were always lots of good-looking guys there, and
she might even be able to find a date for a change. Certainly
she couldn't have any worse luck than she'd been having.
She wouldn't dwell on that, though. If she was anything,
she was an optimist, and she couldn't help but find the bright
side of things. The one for her was out there, somewhere... she
just had to find him, and eventually she would.
* * * * * * * * *
Hot Legs was packed as usual when Priss performed. For all
his threats of not letting her sing there again, the manager
there couldn't let such a big draw go. When the fans surged
forward as the singer walked on stage, Nene just sat at her
table. She could see and hear fine from there, and it was less
trouble than trying not to get sandwiched in the crowd.
Still, it could get lonely sitting by herself. Ordinarily,
she'd have Linna to talk to, but she hadn't been able to make it
this time, and Nene was alone. She sighed, and turned her chair
to get a better view of the show. At least it would provide a
welcome distraction. After all... that WAS why she was here...
wasn't it?
<Don't lie to yourself, Nene,> she thought. <You want to
find someone... go talk to people. Don't just sit there and feel
sorry for yourself.>
<Easier said than done,> another part of her responded,
voicing her nervousness. Truthfully, she had to admit that she
was tired of being lonely. She told herself that she could have
someone any time she wanted... but it really wasn't true. She
wanted someone now, but she was afraid to go find them.
It was then that her introspection was interrupted. "Excuse
me," a male voice asked, "haven't I seen you here before with
Linna?"
She looked up at the reference to her absent friend, and
found herself staring into the deepest green eyes she had ever
seen. For a moment she was frozen, but she recovered quickly,
answering, "Probably so... you know her?"
"I've talked to her a few times... but I don't believe she
ever introduced me to you. My name's Michael."
"I'm Nene. Nice to meet you," she managed, her heart
pounding as she looked him over. He was moderately tall, with
brown hair and those fiery green eyes, and he had a smile that
would melt the coldest heart. Yes... he was worth trying for,
she decided.
"Wow... that's a beautiful name. May I sit down?"
"Sure." Gesturing to the stage, she asked, "Are you a Priss
fan?"
Michael nodded as he took a seat across the table from her.
"Very much. It's nice to hear someone who's NOT exactly the same
as everyone else. I take it you're a fan, too?"
Nene smiled mischievously, "Oh, yes..."
* * *
They sat and talked through the entire concert, with the
conversation drifting from music, to work (he was a computer
analyst for a small company), to computers, and life in general.
The longer they talked, the more Nene found herself enjoying
Michael's company... and from the look of things, that enjoyment
was mutual. In fact, neither of them noticed after the concert
when Priss approached their table.
"Hi, Nene. Who's the man?" she asked.
"Oh, this is Michael. Just met him tonight... he's a really
nice guy."
"Ah," Priss answered with a wickedly knowing grin, "You'll
just have to tell me all about him later, then."
Nene grinned back. "Count on it," and Priss walked off with
a wave.
When she was gone, Michael let his jaw drop a bit. "You
KNOW her?"
"Oh, I didn't mention that?" Nene let her grin turn impish,
"Must have slipped my mind. Yes, we're old friends, actually."
"Where from?"
"Long story," Nene answered, trying to sidestep the subject.
It worked. "Ah, I see... perhaps some other time?"
"Maybe so," she nodded, trying very hard not to let the
relief show on her face. She didn't like having to lie, and she
wasn't too good at it, so avoiding the lie altogether was best to
her. "I will tell you one thing, though... I thought it was all
over the time I gave her a traffic ticket..." she went on to
relate the story, with him hanging on her every word. <Yes,
Nene... this is good> she thought. <Very, very good.>
"Sounds like you enjoyed that," Michael prodded.
Nene grinned again, a little embarrassed this time. "I
admit it... it was fun."
"Well, tonight's been very fun for me. I have to go now...
but are you doing anything this Saturday night?"
"Not yet..." she answered, trying not to sound TOO hopeful.
"Would you like to have dinner with me? Say, about seven
o'clock?"
"I'd love to," she smiled. "Here, let me give you my phone
number, and we'll make plans."
"All right," he agreed, taking the napkin she wrote on.
"I'll talk to you tomorrow, I guess."
Nene nodded. "Bye, Michael."
Michael waved on the way out. "See you Saturday."
When he was gone, Nene broke out in a huge grin. Finally,
she had a date! Of course, she only had two days to prepare...
she'd have to get some help.
* * * * * * * * *
Linna grinned as she grabbed a towel off of the rack. "I'd
say that's enough training for today. Now... tell me about this
date you have tomorrow!"
An exhausted Nene smiled. "You've met him, or at least he
says you have. His name's Michael"
"Do you have any idea how many people I've talked to at
Priss concerts?"
"Good point," Nene conceded. "Anyway, he's really nice, and
good looking, and he's into the same things I am."
"He's a computer hacker?"
"No, but he does programming work. He was telling me about
this project he's on now... it sounded interesting."
"Sounds like you two get along pretty well, then."
Nene nodded. "He's wonderful. I can hardly wait for
tomorrow night."
"Now... what did you need help with?"
"Well, this being my first date and all... I don't know what
to wear..."
* * * * * * * * *
Nene looked across the table at Michael, noticing again just
how handsome he was... and polite, too... and they had so much in
common. And... <Calm down, Nene,> she told herself. <This is
your first date... don't run away with it.>
"So... what's it like, working for AD Police, anyway?" he
asked her.
"Well, it's fun sometimes, and sometimes it's really
frustrating. I have to do a lot of paperwork, but getting my
hands on their computer is worth it."
"Been doing a little hacking?" he teased.
"Not on that machine," Nene shivered. "I'd be afraid to,
even if I could." <Ok, so it's a lie... but I couldn't exactly
come out and say it, could I?>
"Still, it must be tempting. I mean, it's tempting for me,
and my company's computer isn't nearly as powerful." With a
shrug, he acknowledged, "Of course, it's not nearly as well
monitored either."
"You HAVE been, haven't you?" Nene teased with a grin.
"So have you," he shot back.
"I'll never admit it," she laughed.
"Fair enough," he conceded, then glanced around the room,
"Hey, where's our dinner, anyway? I haven't seen our waiter in
fifteen minutes."
"Who knows? I'm having a wonderful time, though, just
talking to you."
"So am I, Nene. We definitely need to do this again."
<Yes!> Nene thought. "Definitely."
* * *
The rest of the evening seemed to fly by. Dinner was
wonderful, though when Nene saw the price she was glad Michael
was paying, and then they went for a walk in one of Megatokyo's
few remaining parks. The more time she spent with Michael, the
more time she wanted to spend with him. They were alike in so
many ways... and yet they were so different as well. They shared
most of the same interests, and yet they looked at them in
different ways. He was practical... she was a dreamer; he
adjusted to the world, she wanted to change it. And yet, there
seemed to be a curious balance struck between them. Nene had to
remind herself that she'd only barely met him, and yet she felt
like she knew him so well already.
When he took her home, they stood and talked for a few
moments on the doorstep.
Looking down into her eyes, he said, "I can't believe the
evening's over already."
"I can't really, either. It's been so much fun."
"Hasn't it, though? I wish it didn't have to end."
"Me, too. When do you want to go out again?"
"Oh... soon, I think. Is Tuesday too soon?"
Nene grinned, "Too soon? I'll have trouble waiting that
long!"
"Perfect. Tuesday it is," he smiled. "Well, I'd probably
best be going... it's getting late."
"Wait," Nene reminded... "You're forgetting something."
"Oh?"
She stood on her toes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and
pulled him down for a quick kiss. "Ok."
He grinned, "Good night, Nene. I'll see you Tuesday." With
a wave, he turned and walked off. Nene watched him until he was
out of sight, then opened the security door. She practically
skipped the whole way to her apartment, then when she was inside,
she broke out in a very schoolgirl-like grin. "Wait 'til I tell
them about THIS!"
***********
End Part One