Previous chapters of this story are available on my website at:
http://web2.airmail.net/a0011387/fanfic/
If you haven't read them, go get them before you read this if you want it to
make sense.
Also, there is a sketch there which I drew of a character who is introduced
in this chapter. You might want to check it out.
Stormwalker <stormwalker@airmail.net> presents...
Nene slumped weakly into her chair, gritting her teeth against
the throbbing pain in her thigh. She had come back to work too soon,
she thought to herself, though she would never admit it to anyone else.
Treatment had largely healed the external wound from the gunshot, but
the muscle damage had been more severe and would take longer to repair.
She could walk... the support wrap around her thigh allowed that, at
least, but she had a pronounced limp, and the pain was nearly
overwhelming.
Still, it was good to be back. She had been terribly bored during
her week away from work. The first two days had been spent in bed,
while the doctors worked to repair as much of the damage as they could
before letting the natural healing process take over. Linna had stayed
with her throughout that time to keep her company, which had helped,
but she still hated to be idle.
Linna... it had been good to see emotion in her eyes again, even
if that was worry or concern. Those eyes had been so empty since her
return, and even now the barriers were still up, shielding her feelings
even from those she held most dear. Nene's heart ached for her,
wondering what secret pain she still held, wanting to help her, but
powerless to reach.
There were good signs, though. She had managed to get Linna to
smilea little, and even laugh. She was still Linna, even with whatever
wounds she carried... and occasionally a glimpse of the old friend she
had known would show through. Even so, she couldn't get that first
sight out of her mind... that ghostly, soulless look that had so torn
her heart. Silently, she swore she would get through to Linna,
somehow.
When she had finally been released from the hospital, she had at
least been able to get to her computer. Sylia had drummed up a little
research work for her, but once she had disposed of that she was stuck
idle again. Linna, again, had been there, and Priss had dropped by
from time to time, but the lack of activity had worn on her very
quickly.
Finally, over Sylia's protests, she had decided to go back to
work. She would not be cleared for field work for another week at
least... more likely two, as the torn muscles in her leg slowly knitted
themeselves together... but she had other things to do. There was data
to be sifted, and open cases to look into; it was enough to keep her
busy, at least, and even if it was not the most fun work, it was better
than nothing. Her leg might not agree--she understood now why Sylia
had been so insistent that she wait longer--but she could only take so
much of nothing, and she had reached her limit.
Her desk phone buzzed, drawing her from her reflection, and she
sighed loudly. This would be Leon, calling her into his office to chew
her out for being stupid. She had been dreading this since she first
woke up... he had told her not to go alone, and she had done it
anyway... and she had very nearly paid the highest price. If Leon was
anything, he was protective of his officers. He had lost too many of
them already, and Nene was sure she was going to hear about it. <May
as well get it over with,> she thought, and tapped the inetercom
switch. "Cybercrime, Romanova."
"Welcome back, Nene," Leon's voice answered, the words carrying
only slightly more weight than they normally might. "I know you're
having a tough time getting around right now, so there's no rush, but
if you would drop by my office when you get the chance, I'd appreciate
it."
She frowned. He was being unusually patient, considering the
circumstances; usually when he had called her in for a lecture before,
he had clearly wanted to get it over with. Perhaps it really was
because of her injury, but then again, perhaps it wasn't...
*****
Megatokyo 2037
Bubblegum Crisis : Cry of the Phoenix
A fanfiction by Douglas A. Reeves
Chapter Three - Preparations
*****
"Nene," Leon greeted her as she entered, motioning to a chair.
"Have a seat."
Nene nodded silently. Pausing a moment to consider the chair, she
used the arms to lower herself carefully into it. Sitting was one of
those motions that put too much strain on her wounded leg, and while
she might unceremoniously drop into her own chair, here some semblence
of grace was still necessary. Wincing slightly as she settled in, she
leaned back against the chair, then looked up at her boss.
"How's the leg holding up?" he asked, as though it were idle
conversation.
Nene looked oddly at him a moment. She knew why she was here, and he
had to know that she knew, so why was he being so casual? It
bothered her... she knew the lecture was coming, and she just wanted to
get it over with. "It's been better," she answered dryly. "The muscle
tears are going to take at least two weeks to heal."
He nodded. "You seem to be getting around pretty well on it,
though. Don't push too hard, or it'll take longer to heal." He paused
a moment, glancing down at a file on his desk, then looked her straight
in the eye. "You disobeyed a direct instruction, Nene. This isn't
like your little adventures in traffic... I could fire you for this,
and nobody would blink."
She nodded, looking down at the floor, and when she answered her
voice was unusually soft. "I know."
"Good. I don't want it to happen again." She heard him open a
drawer, and she looked up to see him drop the file from his desk into
it. He rummaged for a moment, then came up with another file. "Now,
I've got someone I want you to meet."
A look of puzzlement flashed across Nene's face. <Someone to
meet? Am I not in trouble?> Leon's expression was neutral, though she
thought there was the faintest hint of a smile there. <He's up to
something.>
The smile grew slightly. Tapping the intercom for his secretary,
he said, "Send her in, please." Then, he turned back to Nene. "I know
you often do the work of two or three people back there, Nene, so I've
decided to assign you a partner."
Before she could respond, the door opened to reveal a young woman
in an ADP uniform. <She can't be older than seventeen,> Nene realized
with dismay. She was pretty, with short, unruly blonde hair and blue
eyes, and a slight but reasonably atheletic form. Her expression was
cheery, almost innocent, and yet there was a certain determination to
it... Nene recognized that look; it was the same one she'd seen on a
dozen other bright-eyed rookies that wanted to make a good impression.
<Oh, no...> she thought, trying to keep the resignation from showing on
her face. <...he gave me a kid.>
Leon's smile twisted slightly, a change that would have gone
unnoticed by most people. Nene, however, knew that look too well.
"Akiko, I'd like you to meet Inspector Nene Romanova. She's the head
of our cybercrime group, so you'll be answering to her, as well as
working with her on a daily basis."
Akiko bowed slightly. "Nice to meet you, Inspector." She smiled,
and Nene barely restrained a sigh.
*****
Nene leaned back slightly in her chair as she watched Akiko work
through the "test" she had set up for her. The girl was hunched
forward in her chair, her eyes fixed on the screen, scarcely moving
except for her fingers on the keys. She was, at this moment, the image
of the single-minded focus common to all real hackers... not that Nene
would remotely consider applying that label to Akiko yet. The test
itself was a relatively simple problem, an exercise in pattern
recognition she had designed to judge the girl's skills, and to her
credit she had performed admirably thus far.
<Well, at least she's not inept,> she thought glumly. <I still
can't believe he saddled me with this kid.> She turned her eyes back
to the screen, where Akiko had just misidentified one of the more
complex keys. <Not good enough, though. She's going to need some
practice.> "That's enough," she said, trying to sound cheerier than she
felt.
"Did I do something wrong?" Akiko turned to her, and her
expression told Nene that she had not quite managed to disguise her
irritation.
"No, no..." Nene assured. "Well, actually, you did miss one, but
you did well for someone who's just started. I"m just not really
feeling great today."
Akiko nodded, her eyes softening with concern. "Yeah... the Chief
told me what happened," she said quietly. "You must be very brave--"
"No!" Nene snapped. "I was *stupid*, and I'm lucky I'm not dead."
Akiko recoiled, and she paused a moment, drawing a deep breath. "I'm
sorry," she said, adopting a gentler tone. "I shouldn't jump on you
like that. It's just... I should have known better."
Akiko nodded. "I'm glad you're ok... well, not ok, but you know
what I mean," she said softly.
Nene sighed. "Go ahead and work on the test some more. When
you're done with that, you can go home."
A cheerful smile replaced the concerned frown on the girl's face.
"Thanks!" She turned back to the computer, absorbing herself in the
work.
"No problem," Nene mumbled, leaning back in her chair again. <And
that, of course, is why Leon gave you to me... so that I have to look
out for you and I can't go do stupid stuff. Damn him.>
*****
Linna glanced at the clock across the room and sighed. It was
only three o'clock in the afternoon, and she was already bored. She
couldn't go out alone without constantly looking over her shoulder,
and hanging around Sylia's place all day left very few options to
keep her occupied. Sylia's current projects had no use for her, either
for lack of trust or lack of the necessary skills. Priss usually slept
until late afternoon, and Nene was working again, so she spent most of
her afternoons alone.
There were times when solitude was a blessing, but since her
return it had provided nothing but a chance for the worst of memories
to catch up with her. Things half-remembered flooded her thoughts...
battles fought, old friends lost, her reawakening and the sickening
horror as she realized what was being done to her. She remembered her
escape, and the paranoia that gripped her as she searched for safe
haven, using the New Years' crowds for cover. The look on Nene's
face upon seeing her the first time.
She was still stunned at how much Nene had changed. Before, she
had been in some ways very much a child, innocent and idealistic. Now,
she was a woman... but even moreso, she was hardened. Linna had heard
parts of the story... she knew some of what had happened in the two
years she had been... away... but it was the change in Nene that drove
home the impact. Even so, she was still as caring as ever, with a soft
heart beneath the shell, and Linna hoped she would never give that up.
Nene had been there for her when she came back, when she was still in
shock from her revival, and she had made sure she was there for Nene
as she recovered for her injury. She hoped she was returning at least
in part what Nene had done for her. She sighed, and as she rested
her head on one of the couch's pillows she realized she was suddenly
sleepy...
The beeping of the clock startled her from her reverie. Looking
up, she stared at the digital readout in surprise. 5:00. She knew she
hadn't fallen asleep... she'd never closed her eyes. How long had she
been absorbed in her thoughts? It didn't seem that long, but... <I
must have gotten caught up in it,> she decided, shaking her head.
<Well, Nene's about to get off work; hopefully, she'll stop by and we
can find something to do.> She smiled at that thought. GENOM had
taken almost everything away from her... but Priss was right; she
still had her friends. Maybe she could forge some sort of life out of
this after all.
*****
Sylia tapped in the last of her instructions before saving them
to the datapacket. Before typing in the command to send it, however,
she paused. Did she really want to do this? Were all the preparations
in place? If not, this message would be an invitation to disaster.
The most important question, of course, was whether she could
trust her agent. The instructions had to be followed precisely as
given, with no creativity or interperetation, if her plan was to
succeed. The time and the place had been carefully orchestrated, as
had the means, to reduce the possibility of unexpected variables.
Certainly the fee was large enough that she could expect such
precision, but there was also the human factor that made such things
difficult.
It was a gamble, doubtless, but it was also one she had to take.
As matters stood, the Knight Sabers faced terrible risks in resuming
operations... risks which would be reduced if her plan succeeded. If
it failed... if the worst happened... there were contingencies. She
trusted... the executor of those plans to ensure that they were carried
out. Either way, even if she failed, the obstacle was removed... but
she cared not to think of the price.
She stared at the screen a moment longer, checking over each
detail before keying the command to send. It was done now; she
could only be ready when the time came. It would be soon, and yet
she had work to do in the interim. Pulling up a set of schematics,
she set to work.
*****
Leon slipped through the crowded doorway into a transformed
world. The club was alive, its heartbeat a thunderous bass pulse
that reverberated with youthful energy. The floor itself moved with
the crowd, as souls yet untamed sought to escape reality for
a short time. The air was heavy with cigarette smoke, but with hints
of other, less legal vices as well, and he quietly wondered how busy
his men would be if he ordered a bust.
That wasn't his job, though... N-Police could handle it. Besides,
he wasn't here for that, not now. Chief McNichol was safely far away; the
young-old man named Leon was out to forget his "real" life, and
hopefully this place would do. He looked down from the throbbing mass
on the first floor, his smile growing at the primal ritual below.
Yes... it would do nicely.
Ordering himself a drink, he found a darkened corner to settle
into. The band wasn't bad, he reflected, though they wouldn't hold a
candle to Priss in her heyday. It was more of an electronic sound,
less vocals, more synth, and LOTS of bass. The beat drove the crowd
to a frenzy, and in his younger days he might just have joined them.
<Younger days...> he thought, a sardonic grin crossing his face.
He was hardly old, even if he seemed so at times. He wasn't even
thirty yet. His injuries, though, still kept him off the dance
floor... his knee would never take the pounding, and if he hurt himself
again he'd never hear the end of it at work. He had already seen a
couple of other ADP officers here, and as he scanned the crowd... wait!
His eyes fell on the brown-haired woman at the bar. <That's
Priss!> he realized, then frowned as he saw the collection of glasses
that had accumulated next to her. She was facing partly away from him,
but he could see enough of her face to notice the scar along her
cheekbone. It looked worse somehow in the harsh artificial lighting,
and he found himself wondering how she had obtained it. She wore a
bitter scowl, and her eyes glanced across to the band on stage a couple
of times, reflecting an emotion that Leon knew well. Jealousy.
<What did this to her?> he wondered, unable to tear his gaze from
her. He remembered when she'd suddenly disappeared. No warning, no
final concert... just one day she'd stopped performing. The Knight
Sabers had come out a couple of times after that... but there were only
three. Then even that had stopped. At the time, he had assumed one of
them had quit... but it was worse than that. He didn't need his
investigative instincts to tell him... not after seeing what had really
become of Priss.
Priss was trying to destroy herself... and slowly succeeding. He
couldn't see that happening if a Knight Saber had quit.
He could, however, see it happening if one had been killed.
*****
Nene set the menu down on the table and glanced around the room.
The restaurant was nicer than her usual grab-and-go fare, but would
never be considered formal, either. The atmosphere was casual and
friendly; this place was popular among office workers as an escape
from the daily grind. It was the height of the lunch rush, and the
crowd of same-looking businesspeople gave an almost eerie sense of
cloned society.
Then... there was HER. Shifting her gaze to the girl sitting
across the table from her, Nene tried not to wince. The wild mop
of blonde hair, the innocent wonder in her eyes, the almost girlish
way she carried herself... to say that she stood out from the crowd
would have been a horrid understatement. Even in her perfect--too
perfect--AD Police uniform, she looked like a little kid. Hell...
she *was* a little kid.
She sighed, and Akiko looked up at her with that same ever-present
smile. "Thanks for taking me out to lunch," she said cheerily.
Nene shrugged. "Well, if we're going to be partners, I thought we
should get to know each other," she said, noncommittal. "That's hard
to do in the office."
Akiko smiled that infuriating smile again. "Okay!" she agreed
enthusastically. "What do you want to know?"
Nene tried not to roll her eyes. <Could she at least not *act*
like a kid for once? What are you trying to *do* to me, Leon?> She
glanced away a moment to push that thought out of her mind, then
looked her new partner in the eyes. "For starters... how old are you
*really*, Akiko?"
The girl's eyes widened slightly, and Nene smiled a little with
satisfaction... she had been right, after all. "I... I'm twenty," she
verbally backpedaled, "Didn't the chief tell you that?"
Nene shook her head, her smile twisting a little. "Akiko, I know
better than that. I'm not going to go running to Leon; you can tell me
the truth." Akiko blushed, embarrassed at having been caught. "So...
how old *are* you?"
Akiko closed her eyes, shaking her head a moment before answering,
"I'm seventeen."
Nene sighed inwardly, trying not to let it show on her face. <You
guessed that, didn't you, Leon?> Forcing a slight smile, she
continued. "Now, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Akiko shook her head,
still blushing slightly. "All right. So whatever possessed you to
hack your own records so you could get into AD Police? That's not an
easy hack... I should know... and this isn't exactly the most glamorous
job in town."
Akiko smiled, her eyes seeming to defocus slightly. "Well, AD
Police does so many good things, stopping the boomers, catching the
badguys behind them, protecting people... I want to help out, too."
Nene suppressed another sigh, resting her forehead on her hand.
"It's not all like that, Akiko. It's hard... and it's dangerous work.
Lots of AD Police inspectors get hurt, or even killed."
Akiko nodded slowly. "I know... you're all so brave," she said
admiringly. "I want to be that, too... I want to be a good officer.
The chief told me he put me with you because you're one of his best
officers, and he said you'd help me learn to do everything the right
way."
Nene closed her eyes and shook her head. "He told you that, huh?
I guess I have to live up to it, then." With a sigh, she added, "Just
promise me that when we get out in the field that you'll do what I tell
you... I don't want you to get hurt."
Akiko's smile faded a little as she nodded, and the concerned look
came back into her eyes again. "Are you feeling ok, Nene-sempai?" she
asked quietly.
Nene sighed. "Yes, I'm fine," she answered, wincing slightly as
she shifted in her chair. "Well... except for my leg, and it's
starting to get better now."
Akiko smiled. "Good. Nene-sempai," she asked hesitantly, "do you
mind if I ask you a question?"
Nene looked up, then shook her head. "Go ahead," she answered.
"It's only fair, after all."
"Okay..." Akiko paused a moment. "If it's not to personal... why
did *you* join AD Police?"
Nene sighed. "It's been a long time, Akiko... and I don't really
remember. I know why I do it now... it's a challenge, and it's
something I can do with my skills that actually means something, I
think."
"See... it's special?" Akiko prodded gently. "Like I said. You
like to help people, don't you, Nene-sempai?"
<Here I am being analyzed by the kid,> Nene thought. <I hate
being analyzed.> "I guess I do," she admitted.
"And you should," Akiko said matter-of-factly. She paused a
moment, as if she had something else to say, but then the waitress
showed up to take their order. With Akiko sutiably distracted, Nene
determined to avoid that topic of discussion in the future...
*****
"Come on, Nene, how bad can it be?" Linna suggested soothingly
as Nene stalked across Sylia's living room floor, mumbling about her
new partner.
"Oh, let's see," Nene answered, counting off on her fingers as
she elaborated, "She thinks that ADP is this group of white knights
that run around saving people from boomers and punishing the badguys,
and that the world is this nice, happy place, and she's got her head
full of all these silly ideals, and she's all smiley and bubbly and
happy and stuff and she drives me up a wall! She's a little kid!" By
the time she finished, she was nearly shouting with exasperation. "And
you're laughing at me!"
Linna shook her head, trying to suppress her amusement. "I'm
sorry, Nene," she answered with a grin that only served to increase
the redhead's irritation. "It's just that you sound exactly like Priss
griping about *you* all that time ago."
Nene glared sharply at Linna. "I was *never* like that."
Linna burst out laughing again, and Nene threw her hands up in the
air in frustration. "Nene, you were *exactly* like that," she said,
still grinning.
Nene sighed, easing herself into a convenient chair. "Fine," she
said, her voice heavy with resignation. "Have it your way. Now I've
got to babysit this girl, though, and I've even got to take her out in
the field! I'll never get *anything* done with her tagging along!"
Linna smiled at Nene. "Surely it's not that bad," she said
soothingly. "You *did* say she was smart... maybe she'll learn fast."
"Maybe so," Nene answered unenthusiastically. "Still... why did
Leon have to give me a kid for a partner?"
Linna shrugged. "Take it as a compliment. He trusts you. I
mean, if you were Chief of ADP, would you assign a rookie partner to an
officer you weren't sure about?"
Nene started to answer, then stopped. "I guess not," she answered
after a few moments. "I hadn't really thought of it that way."
Pausing again, she smiled slightly. "Thanks... I think I feel better
now."
Linna returned the smile, a flicker of something unrecognizable
passing through her eyes for a moment. "You're welcome, Nene...
anytime."
*****
Priss scowled as the hologram dodged another of her punches. Her
timing was all off... this was only level four, and she hadn't managed
to hit the damn thing! She had a little time remaining, so she
stepped back and waited for the computer to attack.
It paused a few seconds, then darted forward with a jab at her
head. She narrowly evaded it, countering with a wild haymaker that the
computer easily dodged. She was getting angry now; no computer made a
fool of her! Charging in, she threw a vicious left to its midsection.
It connected, and the hologram dissipated.
"Level four clear. Commencing level five," Sylia's voice intoned.
A new hologram appeared in front of her, immediately moving into a
fighting stance. She started swinging immediately, missing first with
a left, then a right, and scarcely able to evade its counterpunch. She
was breathing heavily now... bar fights didn't last this long, and she
was tiring quickly. <Gotta end this soon.>
The hologram moved toward her, starting into a punch. She ducked,
then cursed herself as she recognized the feint for what it was. She
twisted around, trying to dodge the real attack, a mid-level kick, but
lost her balance and fell hard. An instant later, she heard the buzzer
as the computer moved in for the kill.
"Dammit!" Priss shouted, slamming her hand against the floor.
Slowly, she dragged herself to her feet, surprised at how sore she was.
<I'm better than that,> she thought to herself. <What the hell's wrong
with me?> Shaking her head in disgust, she headed for the door. By
the time she reached the observation room, her anger had reached a low
boil.
"Hey, Priss," Nene greeted, almost cheerfully. Priss glared at her
sharply, her irritation exacerbated by the pleasantness of the
greeting. Slumping into a chair, she tried to ignore the concern that
flashed across Nene's face.
"It's not that bad, Priss," Nene offered reassuringly.
"It *is* that bad!" she snapped back viciously. "I didn't even
clear level five! That's almost as bad as *you*!"
Nene's eyes narrowed with anger. "Don't even start, Priss," she
answered darkly. For a moment she was silent, then added, "Did you
really expect that after being away for two years you could just walk
back in here and pick it up like you'd never missed a step? You should
know better."
Priss fixed Nene with an angry glare. "What do you know?" she
snapped back, her voice almost a snarl. "You've never exactly been
much of a fighter. I may be out of practice, but I'm not *about* to
take lectures from someone who couldn't fight their way out of a paper
bag." She was vaugely aware of the disapproving glance Linna shot in
her direction, but she really didn't care anymore.
"I know enough," Nene answered with forced calm. "I was *trying*
to cheer you up, but since you seem bent on insulting me, I guess I
won't try anymore."
Priss laughed bitterly, looking up at the ceiling in mock
resignation. "Like I said, you're hardly one to give advice on my
fighting skills."
"Priss, that's not--" Sylia started to say before Nene cut her
off.
"Fine," Nene said evenly, pushing herself up by the arms of
her chair. "You want to see me fight? I'll fight."
"Nene, wait," Linna started to interrupt. "You're still--"
"Priss wants a show," Nene cut her off, her voice cold with
restrained fury. Priss looked up at the mention of her name, and was
met with a piercing gaze. "She's going to get one, as soon as I can
get into a softsuit." Sylia started to protest as well, but Nene was
already gone, the doors closing behind her.
"Priss, that really wasn't necessary," Linna said flatly. "She
was trying to help, after all."
"I don't care what she was trying to do," Priss answered angrily,
meeting Linna's gaze with eyes of fire. "I don't want to talk about
it." Linna sighed and turned away, and several moments passed in
silence before a soft chime announced Nene's arrival in the training
chamber. Priss looked up with a bitter smile. "This should be good."
Sylia sighed, leaning into the microphone. "Nene, this is not a
good idea; you need more time to heal."
Nene's voice answered from the speaker, as ice-laden as before. "I
really don't care, Sylia. Set for level five, please."
Sylia sighed. "Very well," she answered. "Level five... begin."
Priss moved to the window where she could see the fight. Nene had
adopted a defensive stance, waiting for the computer's fighter to press
the attack. It did so quickly, moving in with a flurry of punches that
Nene sidestepped. A brief flash of pain crossed her face as she
shifted her weight to her wounded leg, then it was displaced by a cold
determination. Stepping back to her right foot, she pivoted and lashed
out with her left leg in a vicious kick that caught the computer off
guard. It jumped back, reducing the force of the attack, but still it
reeled backward, giving Nene a chance to recover.
Again the computer stepped in, leading with a punch to Nene's
stomach that she blocked with her left hand, then a jab at her head
that she narrowly dodged. She winced again as she stepped left, and she
faltered a moment before regaining her balance. The computer,
recognizing her wound for what it was, pressed the attack with a
sweep-kick. Nene jumped over the sweep, nearly losing her balance due
to the strength difference in her legs. Shifting her weight to her
good leg on landing, she retaliated with a strong left as she rose.
The hologram reeled and fell, while Nene's injured left leg buckled
under the sudden shift of weight back to that side. She dropped to her
knees beside the computer's fighter, her features twisted in pain, and
she drove her hand into her opponent's chest. The hologram dissipated
as the computer registered her victory, and she slumped forward to the
floor.
"Nene!" Linna gasped, immediately heading for the door to aid her
injured friend. Priss looked after her for a moment, then walked numbly
back to her chair, falling back into it.
"She cleared it," she said in disbelief.
Sylia nodded, glancing meaningfully at her. "She cleared it...
and probably set her recovery back by two weeks in the process."
Priss sighed. <She can fight... and I can't. She's hurt, and
she still cleared level five... and I didn't.> Just then, the doors
opened, and Linna came in with Nene leaning heavily on her for support.
Priss started to look away, but not before she saw Nene's eyes... and
the silent, defiant triumph within them. <Damn it all.>
***
Priss stared out the door to the garage as Nene gingerly climbed
onto her motorcycle and started it up. The kid had gotten tough, she
had to admit; she wouldn't even accept a ride home. <Dammit, Priss,
you really made an ass of yourself today, didn't you?> she thought as
she pulled on her motorcycle jacket and walked out to her own bike.
She needed a drink, badly, to forget the day's events, and Sylia wasn't
about to let her have one there. She was just pulling on her helmet when
she heard the high-heeled footsteps on the garage floor. <Not
now...> "What do you want, Sylia?" she asked irritably.
"We need to talk about a program to get you back into fighting
condition," Sylia answered flatly. "You made a very poor showing
today."
"Don't you think I know that?" she shot back, her tone biting.
"Do you think I'm *happy* about it?"
"I have no doubt that you know," Sylia said, "but going and
getting drunk is not going to make you better, and you know it."
Priss turned slowly to glare at Sylia. "What was that supposed
to mean?" she asked sharply.
Sylia met Priss's gaze levelly. "I think you know exactly what
it means, Priss. The drinking is killing you. You've become slow,
clumsy, and weak. You've lost your edge. If you intend to do any
good to the Knight Sabers, or to yourself, then it stops. Now."
Priss' eyes narrowed, her hands clenching into fists--she didn't
take that kind of insult from anyone! "I don't need you to tell me how
to live, Sylia."
Sylia took a step forward, her gaze boring into Priss. "That may
be so. If you intend to be a part of the Knight Sabers, however, you
will stop drinking."
Priss' eyes flared with defiance. "Yes, ma'am," she answered
sarcastically, turning away from Sylia's piercing stare. She pulled
her helmet on and climbed on the bike. It rumbled to life, the raucous
sound filling the garage and drowning out any response Sylia might have
had. Turning toward the door, she twisted the throttle open and tore
off into the night.
*****
Priss throttled up her bike, the anger and frustration surging
through her, intensified by the adrenaline rush that came with riding.
The wind whipped viciously around her as she pushed the bike even
harder. Here, at least, she still reigned; it was her and the road,
and nobody could take that away from her. She was alone, and alone she
was supreme.
Her features twisted into a scowl as the road blurred past her.
Nene had beaten her, even injured. She cursed herself for fighting so
badly... she could do better than that--she *knew* she could. Worse
than Nene's triumph, though, was Sylia's cold disapproval. <Who died
and made her God, anyway? Where does she get off telling me how to
live? I can handle myself just fine.>
She just had to figure out why she had *really* fought so badly.
She was out of practice... that could explain it, but somehow that
answer didn't seem to be enough. She'd *been* in fights, and won them.
Hell... she'd been in fights almost every week... but the rules were
different. In a bar fight, whoever walked away won. In the damned
simulator, you only got one touch. Nobody fights like that in the real
world.
Sylia had, of course, an answer for that, too. Hardsuited combat
*was* that way. If you got hit with the right weapon, all the armor
in the world might not protect you. Linna had taught them all that
lesson, after all. She shook her head, trying to clear out that image.
She could never forget... the sight of Linna overwhelmed by a crowd of
boomers... the sound of her scream... she suppressed a shudder. <I
need a drink,> she thought.
<Oh, *that's* gonna help,> another voice in the back of her mind
accused. <What's the real reason you fight so badly, Priss? 'Cause
you're so hung over your reflexes are shot?> She shook her head, not
wanting to hear that thought. She was fine. She didn't drink that
much more than she had when she was with the Sabers before, she told
herself. She had it under control.
<Tell that to Linna,> the renegade voice shot back at her. <Do
you even *remember* what condition you were in when she found you?>
Yes, she thought bitterly. She remmebered. It had been a rough night,
though, not her usual. <Sure it was. Just like the rough night when
you got your face slashed open in that brawl.> She winced inwardly
at that memory. <How about all the other 'rough nights' the last
couple of months? Maybe... EVERY night.>
She needed a drink, all right. It was times like this when she
needed it most... to drown her doubts, to make the questions go away.
She needed it to take her back to a better day, when people flooded
into Hot Legs just to hear her sing. She needed it to remember, and
to forget.
She couldn't forget, though. She couldn't forget what had
happened before, and what was happening now. Linna was back... and
the look of disappointment in those eyes when she'd found her in the
bar was something she could not shake. The hurt in Linna's voice when
she asked if this was what she had died for... it cut deeply into her
soul. <Am I really... trying to kill myself?> she asked. It couldn't
be. She was stronger than that. She had to be stronger than that.
She was a fighter, after all... she'd never be beaten.
<Then why *don't* you fight it?> that infuriating voice asked
again, and she had no answer for it this time. Why didn't she? Why
did she run, and hide? *Did* she really want to destroy herself?
Had Linna really sacrificed herself for nothing?
<No.> She could not believe that... could not accept it. Linna
had seen enough pain for a lifetime already, and Priss would not be the
cause of more. She would make Linna's sacrifice worthwhile, and if
that meant she had to stop drinking, and start fighting, then she
would find a way. It was something to live for, she decided...
something to live for when she really didn't have much else.
*****
Sylia sighed softly as she settled into the databank room's chair,
trying not to display the frustration that came with another setback.
Perhaps it was just as well that Nene had aggravated her injury, she
told herself. While Linna's performance had been virtually unchanged,
Priss was far from ready for combat. Sylia had every bit of confidence
that her assault specialist would recover--after all, she had never
been one to accept defeat--but it would take time. Priss had fallen
into the same self-destructive spiral Sylia had pulled her out of the
first time, and if she had to, she would pull her out again.
Time, time, time... time was an odd commodity. Sometimes you
never had enough, sometimes you had too much. In this case, she had
both problems. There was far too much to be done before the Knight
Sabers could begin operations, and too little time to do it. At the
same time, until certain events fell into place, they could not start
working anyway. For now, she was caught in a bind. There was much to
be done, but she could not yet begin... not until her instructions had
been carried out. Time passed.
She reflected on that for a moment. Time passed, as it always
had... four years since she first recruited her team. She had always
hoped that they would gain something in return for their part in her
crusade... and they had. Priss had found a better outlet for her
anger, and a chance at a better life. Nene had found the challenge she
had always desired. Linna... Linna had found the chance to be the
best at something, instead of forever finishing second. Then, Linna
fell, and all of that was taken away. Priss had fallen back into her
old self-destructive ways. Nene had lost her innocence, and the
idealistic fire that drove her had burned low. Linna was lost
altogether... and Sylia knew the responsibility for all fell on her
shoulders.
Now she had a second chance, to do it right... to finish the work
she had started. Linna was back, and Priss had returned with her.
Nene could perhaps regain some of what she had lost. The fight could
go on, for herself, for her father's legacty... and perhaps most
importantly of all, for the Knight Sabers themselves. Before that
could happen, though, there was much to be done... and much of it would
be done soon.
*****
Nene sighed as she tapped away at her report. She was stuck at
home again... the cost of teaching Priss a lesson had been aggravation
of the injured muscles in her leg. She could walk, but not far, and as
much as she disliked being stuck in the apartment, she had no desire to
try to go into the office in her condition. Besides, she really needed
a day away from Akiko. Aside from being too annoyingly cheery, she
reminded Nene of things she didn't want to remember.
Finishing the draft, she skimmed through it quickly for errors
before forwarding it to Leon for his observation. That was the end of
her work for the day... she would have to think of something else to
keep her occupied. For a few minutes she sat there considering, before
a soft knock at her door attracted her attention.
"Just a minute," she called out, using the arms of her chair to
push herself to her feet. Limping over to the door, she checked the
peephole to see who it was, then smiled slightly. Pulling the door
open, she smiled. "Hello, Linna."
"Hello, Nene," Linna answered quietly, stepping quickly inside.
"How's your leg holding up?"
Nene took a step toward her couch and winced. "Badly," she
answered. "Or not at all... take your pick." Gingerly making her
way over, she dropped unceremoniously onto the couch, then smiled.
"Better, though, now that I have some company."
Linna smiled slightly, sitting down next to her. "Well, I
know how much you hate not having anything to do, so I thought I
would drop by."
Nene smiled. "Thanks, Linna. I... I guess I shouldn't have
done that last night, huh?"
Linna shook her head. "Probably not... you know what Sylia had
to say about it. Still... Priss was pushing you pretty hard. I think
the realization that she's so out of shape hurt her a lot."
Nene sighed. "Why did she have to take it out on me, though? I
was trying to help!" Shaking her head, she saw the concerned look in
Linna's eyes and forced herself to smile. "Don't worry about it, I'll
be all right."
Linna laid her hand on Nene's shoulder. "Don't let her get to
you, Nene. Priss has a lot of things she's going to have to deal
with, it's not your fault."
Nene nodded. "Just like the rest of us." She looked away for
a moment, then met Linna's concerned gaze with one of her own.
"Speaking of that... how are *you* doing?" she asked softly. "I've
been worried about you, you know."
Linna smiled, but there was something lacking in the expression.
"I'm fine, really, Nene. I just need some time."
Nene shook her head. "Linna, I know better than that. I've seen
the look in your eyes when you think nobody is watching. I remember
you sitting in this room not two weeks ago looking like your heart had
been torn out, and I know this is hard for you. You've got to talk to
someone about it."
Linna lowered her gaze, looking down at her hands. "It's..." she
sighed, trying to find the words. "I'm alone, even when I'm not. I
can't go out much without it being dangerous... Sylia doesn't want me
to go out at all for a while, but I can't stand to be holed up in that
apartment all the time. Except for you and Priss, I don't have any
friends anymore, so I'm alone most of the time. I don't have a job
anymore... I don't have my own home... I don't have a life, Nene."
Nene rested her own hand atop Linna's. "I know, that's got to
be hard. If there's anything I can do to help... just let me know,
and I'm there."
Linna smiled slightly, a part-formed teardrop scattering from the
corner of her eye as she blinked it away. "That's just it, Nene...
you're there... and that's the best thing you *can* do." She paused,
a flash of fear passing through her eyes. "Promise me you won't
get killed, though... you scared me when I heard you'd been shot."
Nene nodded, her answer a whipser as she squeezed Linna's hand
gently. "I won't... I promise." She smiled, trying to lighten the
moment. "Besides, I've got that teenaged partner of mine I have to
watch out for... I can't do stupid things anymore."
Linna laughed softly, and Nene smiled. <It's about time,> Nene
thought. <I've missed hearing you laugh, even when you were laughing
at me...> "So..." she asked. "Since we're both stuck inside all day,
what are we going to do to pass the time...?"
*****
Sylia's glanced quickly around the parking area as she eased her
Mercedes into its reserved space. There were no other cars, save
for the delivery truck... Nene was at work, of course, and the customer
parking was in a different area. Still, as the Knight Sabers were soon
to resume operations, she found herself falling again into the habit of
searching her surroundings at all times. There were too many reasons to be
wary, and she knew that such public appearances would have to be
curtailed soon.
Finding nothing of immediate interest, she turned off the ignition
and took the small datapad from the passenger seat. The driver's door
rose on cue, and she stepped out, pausing a moment to smooth her skirt
before closing the door again. A small LED on the dashboard flashed
twice to indicate that the security system was active, and she turned
toward the elevator that would take her above ground to her shop.
The doors opened for her immediately upon entering the security
code, and she pressed the button for the ground floor. The doors
closed again, and she wrinkled her nose at a very faint, unfamiliar
scent. The elevator rose, a soft chime announcing its arrival at the
destination, and the doors opened. Even as she stepped forward, a
sharper, more powerful version of that same odor flooded into the car.
She knew it immediately... the entire shop was flooded with gas! No...
not the shop, it was coming from the apartment above! <It wasn't
supposed to be done this way!> she thought belatedly as she
instinctively dove back into the elevator, her hand slapping at the
control panel. <There was supposed to be a warning-->
Instants later, a frayed wire in one of the upstairs lighting
fixtures experienced a sudden surge in power. It sparked, blowing out
the fixture, which in turn ignited the gas. Wood and cloth were turned
to vapor, and metal to debris as the entire top floor of the building
exploded, triggering a similar reaction in the floor below, and then
below that, and downward in a devastating chain reaction. Debris
rained on the streets around as the remains of the Ladys633 building
shuddered, then collapsed in a spectacular firestorm, falling in on the
parking garage below.
Drowned in the cacophany was the sound of an automobile alarm,
triggered by the blast. It lasted but an instant, and then was
silenced, crushed by its collapsing world.
*****
The young man shook his head as he tapped away at the computer in
front of him. There was something about this problem that bothered
him; the compound in question was simply not strong enough to handle
the load placed upon it. He sighed, saving his work, and decided to
ask the professor about it the next day in lecture. The project, after
all, was not due for another four weeks; he had time to spare.
He settled back into his chair, remembering a time when such
problems were literally a world away. A faint smile crossed his face
at images of motorcycles, and armor, and being surrounded by beautiful
women. Those had been good times... but nothing lasted forever. He
sighed, remembering the one that they had lost, at the cracks he had
seen in his sister's emotionless facade then. He had to leave after
that... it was time to find his own path, she told him... away from the
war, the pain, and the death.
At the time, he had agreed; now, he was unsure. To be certain, he
had grown up since that time... he was scarcely the boy he had been.
He enjoyed his studies, certainly, and had found a certain fulfillment
in them. He *could* do the things his sister did so well, and though
he might never have her mind for tactics, he could do other things even
better than she. Still, he wondered if he would ever return. He
wondered what she would think of him now... what they would think of
him now.
A soft beep sounded from his computer, and he sat up at his desk.
Tapping a key, he was presented with an image he recognized as one of
his sister's lawyers. She had insisted once that he meet them; he had
never understood why. If they were contacting him now, though, the
reasons could not be good. "What can I do for you?" he asked.
A pained look crossed the man's face. "Mackie Stingray?" The
young man nodded slightly, and the face on the screen seemed to draw
a breath before continuing. "I... regret to inform you that there has
been an accident." He hesitated again, unsure how to phrase the next
sentence. "Your sister... is dead."
Mackie closed his eyes a moment, unwilling to betray the emotions
that would show there. "I... see," he said softly. "I will... return
as soon as possible, and we can discuss affairs when I arrive."
The lawyer nodded, his enforced professionalism softening some.
"I am sorry, Mr. Stingray."
Mackie gave only a slight nod in response, then reached to cut off
the connection. For a moment, he sat in silence. Sylia was dead, and
her responsibilities fell to him. He had somehow known this would
happen eventually... and now his time had come.
*****
End Chapter Three
Author's notes:
I know some of you really dislike me now. Some of my prereaders do after
reading this, so it's inevitable that some of you will as well. That's
fine... I'd rather it not be that way, but with this story, if someone
doesn't hate me by now, I'm not telling it right. That said, I do ask you
to stick around for the rest of this story. I'm already working on Chapter
4, and if there's anything I can promise you, it's that it's far from over
yet.
The world of Bubblegum Crisis is a dark, violent place. In that world,
people die. Lots of people die during the OAV series, and while the Knight
Sabers have been spared that death thus far, it's unrealistic to think they
can escape it forever. Someone once asked me if this story will end in
fire.
I asked him, in return, if Bubblegum Crisis can end any other way.
This is not to say I'm against happy endings... but I believe in
realistically happy endings... and the problems of the BGC world will not
just go away without a fight. It will be hard, and it will be violent...
and I make no promises that everyone will walk away alive. That, of course,
should be apparent by now.
I've probably said too much now, but there is much yet to come. I hope
you've enjoyed the ride thus far. Comments are, as always, welcomed.
Regards,
Douglas A. "Stormwalker" Reeves
06 July 2000
--
Douglas A. "Stormwalker" Reeves <stormwalker@airmail.net>
Computer tech, anime fan, hopeless romantic, and sometime writer
Fanfiction Archive - http://web2.airmail.net/a0011387/fanfic/
"Sometimes the lost cause is the only cause worth fighting for."