Frozen Butterfly - Bubblegum Crisis
- Thread starter Skychan
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Well yes. She was still under an effective death sentence as long as Mason was alive and she DOES have a high powered criminal syndicate family that really would like to look after her. In that situation it just doesn't make sense not to have her exfiltrate the country. The Hou-Bang had no way of knowing that Mason was about to be bumped off, because even the Knight Sabers didn't know they were going to bump him off yet! So to me it just seemed premature to keep her involved.You still send Irene out tho
UrsaTempest
Don't Panic!
Yeah, but I recall the actual reason why you sent all those side-characters in a bus is because handling them won't be easy. Do you have any plan on retaining some of them? Like... uh... who's the other Sexaroid? I forgot.
I believe that you are talking about Meg, Lou, Sylvie, Anri, and damn I can't remember offhand the last one on the station that died...
Anyway, I do love my Bus. It's great. It takes all the extra people I don't feel like writing about at the moment and puts them elsewhere. Justification for their tickets is the easy part.
Arc 3 Chapter 1
Frozen Butterfly Arc 3 Chapter 1 a story of Bubblegum Crisis
The world was comforting and warm, filled with a gentle thrum, light bathed my eyes with a golden glow. It tickled on my skin, like a feather was being drawn across it. When with a snap like a dam breaking, knowledge compounded up over days came pouring through.
-Fluidics systems 99.8%, Ocular systems 81.2%, Damage to abdominal cavity and associated musculature 3.2%, Damage to Epidermis 1.3%, time to repair 23:22:00 at current rate.- Of course that couldn't be right. I was badly damaged and my blood supply had been deteriorating for weeks before…
The Fight!
I Jerked up as my eyes flashed open before I was halted abruptly. A series of straps held me in place. Eyes opened wide, I tugged my arms and kicked my feet finding both similarly restrained. Turning my head away from the blurry concrete ceiling I caught an impression of red hair, Nene? My struggles ceased and mouth hung open for a moment.
Beside her was another woman who seemed strangely familiar, with short black hair and light skin. She was wearing a dark violet business suit and some kind of cream colored blouse. Swallowing past a lump in my throat, I turned my gaze back to Nene, remembering the last few moments before, now.
"Ne-Chan, what's going on?" I couldn't help it. My voice was weak, begging for an answer. I didn't say it, but unspoken another question burned inside my mind. "Why am I still alive?"
I felt my heart pound as she stepped closer. The care in her bearing, the way she leaned in, one hand rising subconsciously revealed her thoughts. -95% certain subject exhibiting relief and concern.- But, wasn't she a Knight Saber? They killed rogue boomers like me, and she had to know what I was now.
Nene shuffled her feet under my gaze, mouth opening as if trying to figure out how to start. But before she could offer an answer the other woman cleared her throat. That froze Nene in place and instantly drew my full attention.
"Ms. Ceallaigh, or rather 4m83r. I am sure you realize you would not have survived without our assistance." She paused for just a moment to let that sink in. "I presume that you are also clever enough to come to the correct conclusion as to who we are." -Probability subject is member of the Knight Sabers approaching parity.-
"Despite your previous association with Officer Romanova it is not safe for you to wander about freely. Not for you or for us. For the time being therefore you are and will remain our prisoner. That much is non-negotiable. However, within that confine there is room for discussion." Her tone was calm as she stated the facts. It sent a chill down my spine. Somehow I recognized that this was a woman to be wary of.
"For the time being you will be required to wear that security bracelet. It regulates your systems, prevents you from accessing any wireless network and of course serves as a monitor recording your movement and activities." At a gesture I looked down with a hint of fear noticing something cool on my left wrist. There hooked into my now fully repaired maintenance port rested a simple metallic bracelet. What was worse, now that my attention had been drawn to it I could feel the connection in the back of my mind. It was a low whistling sensation like a breeze. It blew through me and took with it the chance of independence.
Heedless of my sudden discomfort she went on. "If you answer our questions honestly and cooperate fully, you will be allowed some privileges."
I could almost physically feel an urge to respond. The promise of freedom dangled just within reach. Without pausing to think it over I was already nodding. "Of course, anything, please, I'm not a danger, really." I said, straining to project my sincerity well enough that she would believe me. As although she hadn't said it out loud she didn't have to. My options were cooperation and confinement, or death.
Disconcertingly without my glasses I couldn't read her well enough to compute her reaction to my plea. Her face was nothing but a blur and I couldn't make out any of the subtle clues I had grown so accustomed to seeing.
"Good, now then, we will start with Genom. What is your current relationship with them?"
Personally I thought it was a rather stupid question. It seemed like she was being either intentionally dense or fishing given the vagueness of her question. "I don't have one, if they knew I was still alive they would probably try to kill me." Given that I would give the same answer no matter if it were true I only hoped she was fishing and would accept the bait I left dangling.
"What leads you to believe that they do not think you are alive?" her question followed swiftly on the heels of my response.
I actually paused to think about that. Why was she was more interested in that, then in why they would want me dead? It was a pertinent question, particularly if she somehow knew I had gotten caught up in things by mistake, but why should she think that? Catching a slight shift, a hint of impatience slipping into her posture I stopped trying to second guess her motives to answer, as truthfully as I could.
"Well, as far as they know I was properly disposed of. Mast…" I stopped as I realized the wrongness of that thought and corrected myself before continuing. "Mister Flint was careful when he acquired me to make sure that there would be no trail leading to him. From what I discovered my re-activation," a phrase that sent little shivers down my spine, "wasn't known to anyone else in the company. For that to change Flint would have to admit both what he had done and that I've escaped. I don't think he will do that." -93% certain subject Flint will not undertake such exposure.-
Staring up at her I recognized despite the lack of detail my instincts required that she wasn't satisfied with that and I realized just how much I had left out. I could feel the not so subtle disapproval and silent demand for more. "Let me explain… it's a long story. I-" worrying my lip between my teeth I paused. It felt wrong to keep secrets but I needed her to listen to what I said. Maybe I could give an edited account, one she could believe rather than the farfetched truth.
"I'm an experiment. I was first activated in 2032 by Brian J. Mason. It had something to do with transferring memories but I wasn't ever told the specifics." Only the complete control I had over my physical reactions let me appear calm beneath her imposing gaze as even blurred her eyes seemed to look right through me.
"Ah, that's when I first met Nene. I… didn't like it there and wanted to be free." As if that wasn't obvious, "And she helped me to escape the facility I was being held at. Unfortunately there was some kind of tracker I didn't know about. So, well, Genom caught me in less than a day and I, was shut down."
Full physical control or not I was queasy as I remembered my encounter with Mason. The helplessness I felt and certainty that it was the end for me. "Actually, I'm kind of getting used to waking up like this." I joked a little tugging at my wrists to indicate the restraints. Unfortunately she didn't laugh or take the hint and offer to let me up. It did have Nene squirm uncomfortably behind her though.
"Soo," I went on with a little sigh, "the next thing I knew I was waking up in Mister Flint's penthouse. He's some bigwig in Genom R&D. Not an egghead but a suit. Anyway it was pretty obvious he wasn't supposed to have me. The reactivation sequence was done incompetently. It's his fault I need glasses."
When even that didn't draw a reaction I decided to hurry things up. I just wanted to get to the next question. "So, um, anyway he took care of all the records Genom had on me. He didn't want them to find out he had his own private slave. After that I escaped. So in all of Genom only he knows I still exist. Hopefully he's more concerned with covering his own ass than speaking up. "
There was a nod, and I got the impression, -58% certain knowledge already available to subject, notice, limitation on input clarity compromising stochastic analysis,-, that she had expected that answer. Shooting a glance at Nene she gave me a slight shrug and blurry smile. They had already put it together before asking, that actually made me feel better. It meant that telling the truth, being forthcoming like I was might buy me some good will.
"Is there anything you don't already know that I can answer for you?" I asked, my tone a little sour, as I didn't bother to hide my feelings.
"Yes, why Nene?" The question was short, simple, but I detected something in her tone implied the answer was more important than the question warranted. -78% certain inquiry is of significance to subject.-
Unfortunately no matter how important it might be to her, I wasn't sure what she wanted to hear. "Uh, she's a friend. She helped me out when she didn't have to…" Clearly I wasn't giving her what she wanted. Even with my visual impairment it was obvious I was missing something. The certainty of which was rising by the moment. "Why not Nene, I don't understand." But all she did was nod, more to herself than me.
"I am going to unbind you now, but you are not to leave this room. The door to the rest of the basement is locked. The elevator will not function if you are present or if the bracelet is removed or disabled. You will be monitored around the clock." Her hands worked at the bindings as she briefly explained the limits of my new world.
Finally after removing the last strap she handed me my glasses. Focusing on her face I got a good look at her for the first time. Her eyes were piercingly intelligent, brown but far from ordinary and meeting my gaze squarely. I had to look away first. "Thank you." My hands fumbled with the hem of the hospital gown someone had put me in as I changed the subject.
"Do you have anything else I can wear… or can I take a shower? How normal is my life going to be?"
"Nene can help with that. She visited your apartment to gather your personal effects. Good day Amber." And with that she turned on an expensive heel and was gone, the door locking shut in her wake leaving Nene and I sitting alone together, staring, an awkward silence between us.
Unable to let it continue I looked up and brushing back my bangs and asked point blank. "So, you're a Knight Saber huh. How, or well, I guess, why am I still alive? I thought that, you guys just killed boomers." I left off, like me, but it wasn't really needed. She obviously knew what I was asking.
It was a relief to see at least Nene still fidgeted beneath my gaze. She looked just as nervous and distressed over the situation as I felt. "We don't just go around hunting boomers. Really we're more uh, mercenaries?"
It was cute watching her say that and trying to make it sound like a good thing. Adding in the blush when I lifted a single eyebrow questioningly at the statement just made her squirm more. Obviously she realized that from my perspective that wasn't much better.
Growing a bit incensed she glared at me. "Don't look at me like that, we only take good jobs. Or, well, uh, we don't do bad one's…" another raised eyebrow and I had her almost fuming. "Hey, it costs a lot of money to build and maintain power armor. Sure sometimes we have to do some shady things. But even though we stop rogue boomers as a public service, it's not because we're a boomer hate group or something. "
That nervous flutter in my stomach was gone. Yes she was a Knight Saber but even still, this was Nene. My Ne-chan, and it was hard to stay scared when she was standing there nearly steaming with embarrassment trying to defend herself to me.
Reaching out I put a hand on her shoulder, feeling her warmth beneath my fingers. "It's okay, I believe you I do. I even understand why you can't let me go. This is better than being dead. Thank you."
I took a nice steadying breath just in case the next thing I had to know resulted in bad news. "Nene, what happened to Irene?"
The slight hesitation before her answer didn't match with her expression. -83% certain subject focused on ancillary concerns.- "Irene is fine… mostly." She let out a sigh. "She was injured, but given her connections she shouldn't even have a scar once she's recovered." Physically drooping a little more she continued on. "But she left Japan, and probably won't ever return, ever."
"What? What's happened, where did she go?" I can't explain why, but just hearing that she was gone hurt more than the lingering injuries from the fight. A few simple words had stolen away one of the foundations of my new life.
"China, I can't say more, really, but she'll be safe there, Genom won't threaten her again." Her dreary countenance turned what should have been an expression of triumph into a depressed confession. Our emotions perfectly synchronized with dismay. "We were supposed to protect her, protect you both really but, I'm sorry we just weren't fast enough."
She looked like she wanted to say more but wasn't quite sure if she should. To my dismay I realized that Irene wasn't the only thing I had lost. The intimacy in our relationship was gone. Another casualty, and as I sat watching Nene slip quietly out the door I just hoped somehow it could be salvaged.
The first few days of my confinement were spent in heartbreaking isolation and boredom. It was worse than waking up to the tender attentions of Dr. Sutekina. Then at least I had things to do, people around to interact with and prevent me from sliding into depression. Here most of the day was spent alone, locked in a small storage room with nothing to do beside endlessly wonder how I could have avoided ending like this.
I was only let into the common rooms of their base twice a day, to go to the bathroom or shower before being locked away again. When I was let out it was only under guard, and Nene wasn't present.
With Priss I tried a few times to start a conversation but that only ended in miserable failure, and I was careful not to give her an excuse to accuse me of acting out of line.
The first time it was Linna's turn to watch me the look of betrayed confusion in her eyes was enough to quell any desire to even try to explain myself. Still the silence was harder to take beneath the gaze of a friend than that of a stranger.
The only bright spots in those first few days came with Sylia. When she appeared at the door letting me out I could almost feel the world becoming a better place. She always had something to say. Around her the tedium was vanquished until once more I heard the deadbolt click into place. The lingering scent of life outside lasting long after the door had closed.
The only other solace I found was in spying. While Sylia's bracelet managed to disable my ability to speed up or slow down my processing speed, it didn't affect my senses. I was still able to distinguish sounds as low as 20dB so eavesdropping was very possible.
"Nene, I know you care about her, but you need to be careful. It does not seem like it but she is a newborn, and still in the danger period."
"She's not like that Sylia. She's stable, and even if she weren't she wouldn't hurt us. I trust her."
"Perhaps, but that very attitude is why you cannot be trusted with her by yourself. You know the numbers as well as I do. Ninety percent Nene, that is how many go rogue; violently so. And while it may be argued that 4m83r has already gone rogue or is past the danger point I'm not willing to gamble with your life."
"It's not a gamble Sylia, you saw what she did. She risked herself twice for Irene. She wouldn't hurt me. Heck, she was frightened of me when we first met and she realized I was with the AD Police."
"This is why I have not allowed you to be alone with her. If something went wrong you would not respond in time. This is an end to the discussion. If you want to see her I will allow it, but not alone; it is not safe."
After overhearing that Nene was allowed to visit me for the first time since I had woken up. To my frustration her visit was strained. The connection between us was awkward and it was hard to find something innocuous to talk about. I didn't feel comfortable admitting to what I wanted to say beneath the cool eyes of Sylia who was watching from across the room. Nene was also feeling too -guilty and confused- to take that first step either.
Fortunately for my sanity Nene is stubborn and didn't give up. It took a few uneasy visits but finally inspiration struck and I begged her for a piece of cheesecake. To my relief after that the walls tumbled down. That mundane desire, a need I could openly express and she could share helped us rediscover common ground.
For her part Linna was trying her best to pretend I either wasn't there or wasn't me, -69% certain.- She didn't say a word for two full weeks even though she served as guard several times. She finally gave me a chance to change that when on her turn to let me out to shower she caught me in the middle of my weekly required self-maintenance fitness plan. When she spoke, I finally saw a chance to connect.
"Why are you doing that?" Linna asked, the door having opened on me in the middle of a set of crunches. -87% certain subject curiosity overwhelming reticence.-
"I don't want to get fat." I grinned up at her. "You don't really think you can get a body like this for free do you?" -80% certain subject did believe unit's physical appearance solely due to construction.- Temporarily overriding the exercise requirement I paused my workout to face her directly.
"Linna, my body may have come off a production line somewhere but if you really think about it so did yours. I have to take just as much care of myself as you do. I also have to exercise and watch what I eat carefully. The only difference is that for me the consequences are immediate, while you have a little more leeway. Everything I told you at the club hasn't changed. Even if my manufacturer wasn't true-life I'm the same person now as then. I have to deal with the same problems every heavily cybered person does.
Going back to my work out I let her stew on that for a bit while letting her see me struggle and strain through the vigorous routine. She didn't say a word while I finished the workout. As I lay there panting for air just like at the conclusion of her classes an idea came to me and looking up at her I could feel a sly grin come over my face. -75% certain subject amenable to planned approach.-
"You know, exercising alone is pretty boring, and I'm positive Nene hasn't been back to the club since… especially without me to pester her,-96% certain-, and while I understand I can't leave, that doesn't mean you couldn't hold classes here just for the two of us. If she tries to get out of it you let her know she promised to come to classes with me. I never did say where."
I don't know if it was that I suddenly seemed more human in her eyes, or if she just couldn't keep me at arm's length any longer but somehow pulling her into a plot against Nene did the trick.
In fact, when she learned about the idea Sylia decreed that the other Knight Sabers would show up as well turning my spur of the moment idea into a thrice weekly ordeal. One that quickly took Nene and I from fit, to downright athletic.
After one of our sessions I overheard them discussing me again, the sound of the shower not enough to drown out their voices.
"I don't trust it Linna, that, that THING was pretending to be a real person. It fooled me, it fooled Nene, it even tricked you. If it did that once how can we trust it to behave. It's a liar and it's not human."
"Priss, calm down. Kari-san isn't here to trick us. She's as much a victim of Genom as anyone is. Have you talked with her? She didn't want to hide things from us but how honest did she need to be? One word of the truth in the wrong ear and she would have been dead. Can't you see it from her perspective?"
"Yah right, that bloodsucker's probably just waiting for a chance to stab us in the back."
"I wish you wouldn't call her that, we both know it isn't Kari's fault she had to survive on human blood, and we both know she wasn't out…harvesting like some kind of vampire. From what Sylia says things were actually past the critical point for and she still hadn't done anything to hurt someone.
Linna's faith was reassuring. I was slowly but surely winning back my friends.
In spite of Priss's continuing distrust in the face of our increased interactions didn't take long for my calculated efforts to pay off. Not only were the others talking to me again, but they even started bringing books and video's to help pass the time.
It took a little less than a month before I was trusted with a kind of daily liberty from the confines of the holding cell. I was free to join them in the common room, or use the facilities and kitchen unattended. The rest of the basement however remained off limits. The doors would lock if I approached too close and I was under no delusions about what would be done if I actually did manage to get to the hardsuit lockers. Even so this little bit of freedom was enough to go to my head.
Maybe that's why I confronted Priss. Things were going so well with everyone else I just wanted to win her acceptance.
She's a prickly one. I wasn't quite sure how to approach because she hadn't really stuck around long enough to analyze the complex morass of her feelings. Plus I hadn't had a chance to get to know her before the reveal, and she really wasn't inclined to let me change that now.
It was her silences and odd periods of indifference that ate away at me. I could take the displays of hatred, or contempt, but when she acted like I wasn't real, that's what wore at me.
Finally unable to take it anymore I snapped and cornered her. In hindsight confronting her probably could have been handled better.
The Knight Sabers had gone out again. Boomer hunting or one of their mercenary jobs I wasn't sure and really it didn't matter. The important thing was that this time I wasn't going to let Priss slink away after they got back.
Like most of the time she tried to ignore me, even quickened her pace when she saw me coming but in this instance security worked in my favor. The elevator doors refused to open for her with me in close proximity.
"What the hell is your problem?" She beat me to the punch, with my own question no less. Of course I wasn't in any mood to be polite either. The weeks of letting her treat me like a pariah were done.
"What do you think?" I stepped closer getting right in her face. "Do you think I choose to be here? That I like being treated like I've got a contagious disease? The Hell! The others at least concede I'm real. It isn't enough for you to keep me here, but you can't even acknowledge I exist either?"
I saw her face screw up with anger and watched as she took a breath to refute my words but this time I beat her to the punch. "What the hell is your problem? I know you kill boomers for a living but that can't be the whole story, I mean your band is named the Replicants for fuck's sake."
She blanched, face flashing from anger to surprise before masking her emotions. -98% certain supposition that band name taken from movie Bladerunner correct.- With a shove she stepped into my personal space towering over me. Warning! 87% certain hostilities likely, subject unstable.- "What do you care, it's not like your emotions are real anyway?"
Looking back there are a lot of things I could have said at that point, about why Priss might empathize with a runaway opposing a faceless megacorp, or some clever analogy between myself and Rebecca or Decker. How if I thought and felt like a human didn't that make me close enough to count? I didn't do any of those things though. Instead I took a swing at her.
Even as my fist flew forward I realized it was a mistake, but I couldn't help it, I was just that mad. I think surprise is the only reason it landed. Priss's head snapped back, teeth closing with a sharp crack. I had all of -2.3 seconds- to bask in my victory, David beating Goliath. Then she got past the surprise and I saw her eyes narrow as her body began to move.
Now would have been a great time to enter accelerated time, unfortunately Sylia's bracelet disabled that ability. Instead Priss' lunge introduced her knee to my stomach, then her fist to my chin.
The fight only degenerated from there. Priss fight's dirty but she's also good. Over the entire course of it I got two hits in, but reviewing the fight after the fact I can't claim they were intentional. The beating she gave me once she got over her surprise was both brutal and mercifully short.
As I lay on the ground, curled into a ball to cradle fresh injuries and dialing back the pain she loomed over me panting from the unexpected exertion. Shaking out a bruised fist she asked belligerently "Had enough?"
"Have you?" I shot back quickly. "Or do you need to beat me up some more to feel human?" My words were intentionally cutting, and the opposite of what my instincts were screaming at me to use to defuse the situation, -88% certain course of action will fail to defuse tensions.-
Her response was to draw back her foot but before she could land the next kick I bore on. "It's okay, I'm starting to get used to being beaten up by soulless killing machines," -94%.-
That she went through with the kick wasn't much of a surprise. "What the hell do you know about it?" She screamed as she dropped down to straddle me, fists gathered my shirt at the neck and slammed me back against the concrete floor. "You can't understand. You're just a thing!"
I don't often give thanks for my loss of humanity but the ability to suppress pain and think clearly was invaluable. "I'm a person, just like you, like Nene, like whoever you lost. The only difference is I was born a slave. I wasn't given a choice about getting fucked over. I was made for it! Do I deserve to be killed for that Priss, or should I call you Decker instead?"
In the middle of my rant I felt her begin to tremble, frustration stealing her conviction. The profanity of my response only drove the nail home. I watched as her rage turned to confusion and guilt. Letting go she tried to shake it off with a snarl. "That doesn't mean you're real, and just because you have a shitty life doesn't mean you're not just a marionette."
Rather than speak up I let her have the last word. As she backed into the elevator, my subconscious was unable to provide a meaningful read on her emotional state. So instead of pushing my luck I just let her go, feeling the chill of the floor sink into my bones until the doors cut off that accusing stare.
My interactions with Sylia were different than with the others. From the beginning I felt, no I knew she was the key. Something in her very presence bespoke command. I found myself wanting to please her as much or more than those actually on her team did. It wasn't just to get out from under the microscope either.
It was hard dealing with her because she was difficult to anticipate and rarely let any clues indicating approval or disapproval slip. So after my fight with Priss I expected the terms of my confinement to return to the beginning. To be punished for lashing out, or at least some kind of negative repercussion.
Instead to my surprise she brought in my dialysis machine and several fresh pints of blood.
"4m83r," she again referred to me by designation rather than name. A habit I couldn't work up the nerve to confront her over. "By my calculations your internal systems will require a fresh supply of nutrients for repair and proper function." With a gesture she made it clear I was to sit so I did.
Without another word she quickly and efficiently set up the transfer, as though she had done this a thousand times. Not once showing discomfort at the proof of my inhumanity. Her proximity was strangely disturbing as she took my wrist in hand to make the connections. Her skin was warmer than I expected 37.2 degrees; she seemed so cold I somehow assumed it would translate to everything about her.
Instead I couldn't help but focus on her scent. It was slightly sweet yet metallic, and lingered as she stepped back and settled into the chair opposite me. Only then did her gaze lock on me. Her eyes held the weight of judgement, as though she could see right through me. Here it came, now she would decide my fate.
I shuddered as a chill ran through my veins. It took long moments to realize it was simply the rush of fresh blood and not her cool gaze causing the sensation. I wondered what she saw in me, at the shivering pleasure of fresh life literally bleeding into my veins.
Awkwardly the silence stretched between us before finally she broke it. "Why did you attack Priss?" I couldn't read her intention behind the query at all. The frostiness of her tone indicating to my mind just how stupid the decision to attack had been but she gave no sign of chastising me for it directly.
I wanted to give the question some thought, but beneath that penetrating gaze found myself blurting out the first thing that came to mind. "I was angry." The slight twitch of her eyebrows broke her façade, -62% certain subject intrigued by response, and prompted me to go on. This time taking a moment to think I did.
"She was ignoring me, pretending I'm not real. It pissed me off. Where does she get off judging me like that? No… deciding that I'm not worthy of even that much attention. She doesn't know my life, what I've been through, but she knows I'm a boomer and that's enough for her. Like that one little fact means she doesn't even have to take the time to think before stuffing me in a little mental box to be forgotten."
"I wanted to make her see me. Not what I am, but who." Running a hand through my hair in frustration the tubing at my wrist swaying wildly I leaned back with a sigh. "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have," the need to apologize before that impassive gaze reared up before I went on. "But I wasn't trying to escape or anything. Just, make her notice me…" Why did it feel like I was standing in the principal's office?
I couldn't come up with anything better, not to explain my inexplicable need to be noticed, acknowledged but thankfully a slight nod relieved me of the need. "What do you think your punishment should be?"
I sat slack jawed for a moment. She was asking me?
"You did attack one of my Knight Sabers. Putting you down would be a perfectly reasonable response on our part." -Subject exhibiting control over pulse and respiration, suppressing voluntary body movement and maintaining constant eye contact, intentions inconclusive.-
I had to fight to suppress the urge to blurt out the first thing to come to mind. Instead I took a deep breath, and holding it measured off exactly 10 long seconds. Only then did I let it out and answer her question.
"Miss Stingray, if anything my… actions should prove that you and your organization are safe from me. I admit I was angry, and acted without thinking it through. But the results are that even attacking with surprise I couldn't outfight Priss. You now have proof I'm at best a minor threat and your programing blocks are working." That last bit coming out a bit bitterly.
"Or," Her voice was still calm and measured, "You are a student of Machiavelli and this is just a small part of a deeper plan."
"Machiavelli?" I asked incredulous. "He wrote the Prince as a primer for people in positions of power, not prisoners like me. What on earth makes you think I could or would even dare that kind of manipulation with people who could kill me out of hand?"
Her response sent a shiver down my spine. "The facts that not only do you recognize the name, but are capable of relating it to your situation. That is not standard behavior, or information for a boomer to have; certainly not one less than three months old. Explain."
The hard look in her eyes seemed to pin me in place. I couldn't move. It almost felt like I couldn't breathe with her staring expectantly at me. A thousand possibilities flashed through my mind, lies, half-truths, a full confession. I desperately sought out something to say, something to justify myself.
What came out of my mouth next rattled me to the core. "They aren't my memories." I could feel the blood almost humming in my veins as my heart rate skyrocketed. "I was given them w-when I was activated," wide eyes studied every facet of Sylia's face for a reaction.
A brief flash of shock let me read her feelings before her control locked out my instinctive knowledge once more. -68% certain subject surprised, warning subject attitude shifting toward feelings of anger 63% certain.-
"T-they're real memories, Human ones," I swallowed unable to hide my nervousness as I went on rationalizing; it was too late to hold back now.
"They are my memories from before I died. They saved them somehow, transferred them and made me." The slightest narrowing of her remarkable eyes had me hurrying to say more before she could make up her mind to just shoot. "I'm not working for them, just an experiment. Mason really does think I'm dead. I was just a, a test run, proof of concept." I knew I was babbling but couldn't stop now that I had started.
It wasn't until I had finished blurting out the story behind my life, death, and resurrection beneath her piercing gaze that I slumped down, spent but feeling oddly light and content. Only one detail had been retained, my original sex. That wasn't me anymore, and I knew, instinctively, that it would cause more problems if it got out. I would need to leave the cocooning shell of gender behind if I wanted to be able to truly fly free.
"Good evening Ms. Ceallaigh." I caught her scent growing moments before a hand settled on my shoulder. She squeezed it gently before disappearing out the door. That single moment of reassurance, of support stayed with me for the rest of the day.
Since then I've felt her thawing toward me. Even if my subconscious couldn't quantify it something subtle in our relationship had changed. Something beyond her using my name instead of model number I mean. Her behavior hadn't shifted in an obvious way, she didn't allow me any greater freedom, or lighten security, but still I could tell something had changed.
As for Nene, she and I managed to mend our friendship. Though it had been strained she was a good enough person that my betrayal wasn't enough to break the bonds we had forged. Although it did take rehashing many conversations after I admitted the truth behind my memories to her.
The day after Sylia had browbeaten the truth from me Nene came in, tense, excited and looking like she wasn't sure if she should hit or hug me.
"What do you mean you're a real dead person?" Her tone made me cringe and look for somewhere to run. Of course there wasn't, so I had to turn back to face the music.
"Um, I don't…" but before I could say more than that she was continuing.
"I thought you were a real person when we met! How could you let me think that?"
"I was I mean, am a real person… and what was I supposed to say?" Wait, she's angry that I told the truth at first?
Talking over my response she ranted on, "Then you turn out to be a boomer, and what am I supposed to think?"
This time I knew enough to wait her out before trying to get a word in edgewise.
"And then, you let me think you were just, just some machine when you've been a real person all along! I should shoot you myself just so you stop changing on me!"
Waiting a moment longer to be sure she was done, for the moment at least, I drew breath. "Nene, I'm sorry. I just didn't know what to do. I don't even really know what I am anymore. I'm me, but I'm also a boomer…" Standing up I stepped close and put a hand on her shoulder following my subconscious prompts to help calm her down.
Meeting her eyes I spoke softly forcing her to quiet down to listen. "I'm just me. The same person you met on the internet and the same one who was scared out of her wits when she realized you were a part of the AD Police. I'm the same one who's gone with you clubbing and for coffee. I'm just, also a little bit more."
"You're the only thing that is real in my life. Anything else happened to someone other than me. It may not seem like it but in truth I'm only a few months old." I watched her closely; thumb slowly brushing against her clavicle to measure her pulse as I listened to her respiration and watched the dilation of her eyes.
Something caused her to stop and think, as though she had recognized something profound. Something I had said in that last admission which blew right back out of her thoughts.
"Wait a minute… you said you were 19 years old. But, that movie, Wargames was from 1983. Just how old are you… er were you?"
Darn it, why did she have to ask such a messy question. "Ah, that's not really easy to answer. I could be 43, or 61, or 5, or 3 months. It all depends on how you decide to count it." I think I broke her for a minute as she tried to work that out.
"So, you're really 43 years old then?" The expression of doubt and mild aversion on her face was priceless, and a memory I decided I would have to be sure to save forever.
"Don't be so jealous Ne-chan, I'm sure by the time you're my age science will have advanced to the point that you'll be able to match my figure too." The teasing tone and pin up pose I gave her was just right to shake her from the building funk.
"Kari!" Delivering a well-deserved punch to my shoulder she broke out laughing. "I can't believe you!"
"I'm sorry, I was built this way!" My smile slipped just slightly as I made a decision. "I'm really not quite the same person I was before Nene. You shouldn't just assume that I just picked up where I um, left off," the euphemism for death coming more easily to me than saying the hard truth aloud.
"It isn't just the body, but, I have, it comes with…" I didn't expect this to be quite so hard. "You know what the 33-S model was made for right?"
She watched me curiously the humor slipping away as she recognized that I was trying to be serious. "Yes, for sex." The fact she got it out in one go despite the blush was somehow a triumph.
"Well, we're also uh, equipped to facilitate that by being especially good at, manipulating and reading people." I hurried on before she could draw her own conclusion from that.
"It's instinctive, I can't really help but notice, or act certain ways. It's" searching for a way to say it so she could understand I settled on a programing analogy. "It's hard coded into me. But just because it's there doesn't mean that my feelings aren't. I have let it color our relationship, but before you ever knew that, you knew me, the 100% pure genuine article. These instincts, they don't work online and, and any time you want to be sure I can't, cheat, we can talk that way. Please don't be mad." That last line added by that same subconscious urge that I was admitting to consciously. Something expressly designed to mitigate any anger by instilling a feeling of guilt for feeling it.
Sitting down on the sofa she took the time to really ponder what I had said. It was obvious now, why even at such a young age she was part of an elite mercenary unit. "You've been doing it to me all evening haven't you?" Those emerald green eyes bored into my own lighter ones seeking truth.
I hung my head a bit, all the proof of guilt she should need. Still I spoke up. "Yes, I'm sorry. I really can't help it. I just see how I can act to calm you down, or defuse tension. A way to try and keep you as a friend and do whatever it is."
"If it makes it any better I only do so because I care about you, about your friendship. I don't have to follow those instincts. If I did I never would have taken a swing at Priss, but I wanted you to know that they are there. I don't want to have any more secrets from you."
To my surprise she laughed. "Kari, it's okay. Seriously, you don't have to explain why Priss pisses you off. We all want to punch her some days. As long as you only let them lead you to do what you really want to do I won't get too upset."
After that we sat up the rest of the night just watching movies and talking. When I learned she hadn't seen it I insisted the first movie be Bladerunner. We shared a little laugh over Priss' band's choice in names before moving on to Wargames and other esoteric films from my youth.
As the evening grew long she drifted off several times. With the lost closeness of our relationship restored after the second time I finally gave up and let her sleep, tucking my blanket around her to let her rest.
I think she may have gotten into trouble for leaving me out later, but the fact I was still there in the morning and she was alive went a long way to finish proving I was trustworthy.
"She attacked me Lina, she can't be trusted!" I could hear Priss's voice coming from the changing rooms later, and unsurprisingly I was still the subject of her ire.
"Priss, I know, I saw the tape, everyone saw it. You can't claim to be entirely innocent here. Besides, you put her down in seconds. She can't be as big a threat as you're trying to claim."
"I still say she's up to no good, just waiting for a chance to betray us, you'll see."
"Then why didn't she do anything last night, Nene was asleep with her in the same room. If she really meant us harm she could have taken her hostage or even killed her."
"It's a trick, I'm telling you, this talk of real memories, it has to be." but with that last line I could detect a waiver in Priss' tone. -76% certain subject exhibiting self-doubt.-
After the scuffle with Priss I had realized just how vulnerable in a fight I really was. I needed to do something; anything to fix it but without a connection to the outside world I couldn't just download combat software and it was unlikely despite the thawing attitudes that I would be given permission to do so anytime in the future. Amusingly it was in games that I finally found a solution.
Tekken has come a long way since the 90's. The battlefields are incredibly detailed and characters are modeled true to life with bone, sinew, muscle and the best part, the motions and fighting styles are all taken from real life martial artists.
It took a little conniving but after Nene had thrashed me for the umpteenth time I talked her into to cobbling together a direct interface to use in place of a controller. I think it was the technical challenge as much as my pleading that did it but that night when she went home I went to work.
From the multitude of choices only two were modeled on characters whose body types were similar enough to mine I could use them. Learning the moves perfectly was a matter of moments; implementation was the issue. The last thing I wanted to do was download the game's fighting AI and try to figure out how to run it in my head.
So, while after only a half hour of work I could look like a master in wushu and jujutsu doing kata's, learning how to actually fight would take time. Thankfully I had a perfectly good simulator right here and a selection of 32 opponents and five difficulty levels to teach me when to duck.
After the great revelation the days when Lina arrived for private aerobics classes became my favorites. There was something about getting them all in a room together that put me at ease. It filled some subliminal need for socialization and with each repetition I realized how much I missed it when they were gone.
Sylia appeared to have no concerns over my behavior, but then she had never exhibited them before. The only real change was that she used my name instead of my designation. Her continued standoffish behavior was a complete opposite to Nene. Our friendship was back and growing stronger with the younger, maybe, woman happy to talk about her whatever she had been up to.
As if in deliberate contrast Priss became even pricklier. She quit ignoring me, but instead began to actively go out of her way to antagonize me. Knowing that the most annoying response I could give her was to pretend not to notice it almost became a game. She would try to taunt me into some kind of slip while I became a model prisoner whenever she was around.
Only my relationship with Linna remained in an uncomfortable state of limbo. We were familiar with each other, but didn't know enough to grow closer. She maintained some of Priss' distrust but when she would try to get over it only found herself having trouble relating to the me behind the mask.
So things were gradually getting better when I met Mackey by surprise. I had known he existed from snippets of conversation but catching a teen boy sneaking into your room at night to install a hidden camera doesn't impart the best first impression. Neither did his complete failure in subtlety after he was caught by asking, "You're sure there aren't any needs I could help fill for you?" Yes I'm a robot built for sex, and it's both flattering and oddly nice to be vindicated by a demonstrated desire to peep on me but seriously, get a life. Besides, I'm sure his older sister Sylia punished him far more thoroughly and creatively than I could have. Siblings are like that.
As the weeks passed even Priss eventually began to forget why she was so upset. I changed from enemy to rival in her mind as we pushed each other as far as we dared.
In fact in all their minds I changed from boomer to woman, from dangerous prisoner to unfortunate detainee. So why the confinement began to grate upon me more and more each passing day I couldn't quantify. Only that with each day I could feel my mood settle into disturbing cycles of euphoria and depression.
Though my privileges had slowly increased, more choice in cloths, movies, games, and books, Sylia was always careful to keep any direct contact with the outside world cut. I was always one step removed from a real life. A fact I finally realized one day when Nene described how a co-worker and she were caught in a rainstorm during lunch.
I wasn't living anymore. I was just coasting from one meeting with the Knight Sabers to the next. My thoughts would focus on that next social fix. I could feel the dependency growing, feel myself slipping further into the grasp of programing and instincts that weren't me.
My helplessness wore away at me, time alone seeming to be without end, and then I overheard one more conversation.
"But Sylia, why not? You've seen it too. You know how miserable being confined for her is. She's spent day's moping in bed just waiting for someone to visit."
"Nene that behavior more than anything else is why we cannot let her go. I warned you before, no matter her apparent age she's just a few months old and the odds are against her. This instability, it may be the first indication she is going rogue."
"That's nonsense, she's trustworthy, and I know it. How much longer will she have to stay locked down here before you decide it's safe, that she's past the danger point?"
"I know it is hard, but we might not ever be able to let her go, she may never be safe."
"What about the imprinting?"
"It has never proven itself reliable with her model. I do not believe it held. For the first month possibly two she would have done anything I ordered, but I am not her master anymore Nene. Not reliably, and nowhere near firmly enough to let her go and trust her not to reveal things we cannot risk being known."
"It's just not fair Sylia, she's my friend."
"I know, but that does not change the situation. I am sorry, we cannot let her go."
I couldn't just accept that. No matter that things had seemed to get better. They let me move about more, had given me things to do to keep myself occupied. But it wasn't enough to just live my life as a 10 to 2 friend, Monday Wednesday, Friday and alternating Saturdays.
What I had overheard was true. This life was eating me up. Something intrinsic to my existence wanted to be free. Even Priss having started to use my name instead of "it" wasn't enough to change the fact that I couldn't stay here.
I wanted live again. To be me, without some strange programing enforced Stockholm syndrome. That was a life I didn't think I would ever have if I remained here, locked away and so I began to plan and watch for a chance to escape.
It was only another week before my chance finally came. There was some kind of emergency, all of the Knight Sabers scrambled to respond. It had something to do with an ally named Dr. Raven and a motorcycle gang but the details weren't important to me. Only that this once Nene had been careless before rushing off to suit up was.
She remembered her laptop, but forgot to disable the network connection in the wall. A steady green LED winked at me showing it was still active.
And it if was still active then I finally had a way out.
The first step made me feel a little bit dirty, but hey, they didn't need the money left behind in their purses and I definitely would. It was the second step that had me worried.
Hacking a security system designed by Nene never crossed my mind. I settled for a much simpler solution. I tripped the entire building's public fire alarm. It was a gamble, a big one but I was growing desperate, and even if it didn't work at least I was certain they would execute me for the attempt.
As the emergency lighting kicked in there was a light click and the powerful magnetic lock on the emergency stairs disengaged. Pushing it wide I was free, sort of. If I took another step there was no going back.
I looked down at my wrist, of course it was a tracking device, but it was also plugged directly into my systems. I could feel the soft pulses of data circulating as it reached deep inside through my now fully operational maintenance port.
I still didn't know everything it was responsible for.
So I was understandably nervous as I tore it free and tossed it aside. A pulse from the bracelet rushed over suddenly active wireless receivers and almost stunning me with its intensity. The feeling was strange after having gone so long without. I almost missed the whirr as the emergency door began to shut, but a twisting leap and I was through. Sprinting up three flights of stairs I paused at the final door barring me from freedom.
Could I do it? Was anything holding me back? Nene, Sylia, no. I pushed open the final door to leave them behind. This breach of their trust hurt but even just the remembered feel of sunlight on bare skin washed away those feelings of guilt. I was "free at last."
4-4-2017
The world was comforting and warm, filled with a gentle thrum, light bathed my eyes with a golden glow. It tickled on my skin, like a feather was being drawn across it. When with a snap like a dam breaking, knowledge compounded up over days came pouring through.
-Fluidics systems 99.8%, Ocular systems 81.2%, Damage to abdominal cavity and associated musculature 3.2%, Damage to Epidermis 1.3%, time to repair 23:22:00 at current rate.- Of course that couldn't be right. I was badly damaged and my blood supply had been deteriorating for weeks before…
The Fight!
I Jerked up as my eyes flashed open before I was halted abruptly. A series of straps held me in place. Eyes opened wide, I tugged my arms and kicked my feet finding both similarly restrained. Turning my head away from the blurry concrete ceiling I caught an impression of red hair, Nene? My struggles ceased and mouth hung open for a moment.
Beside her was another woman who seemed strangely familiar, with short black hair and light skin. She was wearing a dark violet business suit and some kind of cream colored blouse. Swallowing past a lump in my throat, I turned my gaze back to Nene, remembering the last few moments before, now.
"Ne-Chan, what's going on?" I couldn't help it. My voice was weak, begging for an answer. I didn't say it, but unspoken another question burned inside my mind. "Why am I still alive?"
I felt my heart pound as she stepped closer. The care in her bearing, the way she leaned in, one hand rising subconsciously revealed her thoughts. -95% certain subject exhibiting relief and concern.- But, wasn't she a Knight Saber? They killed rogue boomers like me, and she had to know what I was now.
Nene shuffled her feet under my gaze, mouth opening as if trying to figure out how to start. But before she could offer an answer the other woman cleared her throat. That froze Nene in place and instantly drew my full attention.
"Ms. Ceallaigh, or rather 4m83r. I am sure you realize you would not have survived without our assistance." She paused for just a moment to let that sink in. "I presume that you are also clever enough to come to the correct conclusion as to who we are." -Probability subject is member of the Knight Sabers approaching parity.-
"Despite your previous association with Officer Romanova it is not safe for you to wander about freely. Not for you or for us. For the time being therefore you are and will remain our prisoner. That much is non-negotiable. However, within that confine there is room for discussion." Her tone was calm as she stated the facts. It sent a chill down my spine. Somehow I recognized that this was a woman to be wary of.
"For the time being you will be required to wear that security bracelet. It regulates your systems, prevents you from accessing any wireless network and of course serves as a monitor recording your movement and activities." At a gesture I looked down with a hint of fear noticing something cool on my left wrist. There hooked into my now fully repaired maintenance port rested a simple metallic bracelet. What was worse, now that my attention had been drawn to it I could feel the connection in the back of my mind. It was a low whistling sensation like a breeze. It blew through me and took with it the chance of independence.
Heedless of my sudden discomfort she went on. "If you answer our questions honestly and cooperate fully, you will be allowed some privileges."
I could almost physically feel an urge to respond. The promise of freedom dangled just within reach. Without pausing to think it over I was already nodding. "Of course, anything, please, I'm not a danger, really." I said, straining to project my sincerity well enough that she would believe me. As although she hadn't said it out loud she didn't have to. My options were cooperation and confinement, or death.
Disconcertingly without my glasses I couldn't read her well enough to compute her reaction to my plea. Her face was nothing but a blur and I couldn't make out any of the subtle clues I had grown so accustomed to seeing.
"Good, now then, we will start with Genom. What is your current relationship with them?"
Personally I thought it was a rather stupid question. It seemed like she was being either intentionally dense or fishing given the vagueness of her question. "I don't have one, if they knew I was still alive they would probably try to kill me." Given that I would give the same answer no matter if it were true I only hoped she was fishing and would accept the bait I left dangling.
"What leads you to believe that they do not think you are alive?" her question followed swiftly on the heels of my response.
I actually paused to think about that. Why was she was more interested in that, then in why they would want me dead? It was a pertinent question, particularly if she somehow knew I had gotten caught up in things by mistake, but why should she think that? Catching a slight shift, a hint of impatience slipping into her posture I stopped trying to second guess her motives to answer, as truthfully as I could.
"Well, as far as they know I was properly disposed of. Mast…" I stopped as I realized the wrongness of that thought and corrected myself before continuing. "Mister Flint was careful when he acquired me to make sure that there would be no trail leading to him. From what I discovered my re-activation," a phrase that sent little shivers down my spine, "wasn't known to anyone else in the company. For that to change Flint would have to admit both what he had done and that I've escaped. I don't think he will do that." -93% certain subject Flint will not undertake such exposure.-
Staring up at her I recognized despite the lack of detail my instincts required that she wasn't satisfied with that and I realized just how much I had left out. I could feel the not so subtle disapproval and silent demand for more. "Let me explain… it's a long story. I-" worrying my lip between my teeth I paused. It felt wrong to keep secrets but I needed her to listen to what I said. Maybe I could give an edited account, one she could believe rather than the farfetched truth.
"I'm an experiment. I was first activated in 2032 by Brian J. Mason. It had something to do with transferring memories but I wasn't ever told the specifics." Only the complete control I had over my physical reactions let me appear calm beneath her imposing gaze as even blurred her eyes seemed to look right through me.
"Ah, that's when I first met Nene. I… didn't like it there and wanted to be free." As if that wasn't obvious, "And she helped me to escape the facility I was being held at. Unfortunately there was some kind of tracker I didn't know about. So, well, Genom caught me in less than a day and I, was shut down."
Full physical control or not I was queasy as I remembered my encounter with Mason. The helplessness I felt and certainty that it was the end for me. "Actually, I'm kind of getting used to waking up like this." I joked a little tugging at my wrists to indicate the restraints. Unfortunately she didn't laugh or take the hint and offer to let me up. It did have Nene squirm uncomfortably behind her though.
"Soo," I went on with a little sigh, "the next thing I knew I was waking up in Mister Flint's penthouse. He's some bigwig in Genom R&D. Not an egghead but a suit. Anyway it was pretty obvious he wasn't supposed to have me. The reactivation sequence was done incompetently. It's his fault I need glasses."
When even that didn't draw a reaction I decided to hurry things up. I just wanted to get to the next question. "So, um, anyway he took care of all the records Genom had on me. He didn't want them to find out he had his own private slave. After that I escaped. So in all of Genom only he knows I still exist. Hopefully he's more concerned with covering his own ass than speaking up. "
There was a nod, and I got the impression, -58% certain knowledge already available to subject, notice, limitation on input clarity compromising stochastic analysis,-, that she had expected that answer. Shooting a glance at Nene she gave me a slight shrug and blurry smile. They had already put it together before asking, that actually made me feel better. It meant that telling the truth, being forthcoming like I was might buy me some good will.
"Is there anything you don't already know that I can answer for you?" I asked, my tone a little sour, as I didn't bother to hide my feelings.
"Yes, why Nene?" The question was short, simple, but I detected something in her tone implied the answer was more important than the question warranted. -78% certain inquiry is of significance to subject.-
Unfortunately no matter how important it might be to her, I wasn't sure what she wanted to hear. "Uh, she's a friend. She helped me out when she didn't have to…" Clearly I wasn't giving her what she wanted. Even with my visual impairment it was obvious I was missing something. The certainty of which was rising by the moment. "Why not Nene, I don't understand." But all she did was nod, more to herself than me.
"I am going to unbind you now, but you are not to leave this room. The door to the rest of the basement is locked. The elevator will not function if you are present or if the bracelet is removed or disabled. You will be monitored around the clock." Her hands worked at the bindings as she briefly explained the limits of my new world.
Finally after removing the last strap she handed me my glasses. Focusing on her face I got a good look at her for the first time. Her eyes were piercingly intelligent, brown but far from ordinary and meeting my gaze squarely. I had to look away first. "Thank you." My hands fumbled with the hem of the hospital gown someone had put me in as I changed the subject.
"Do you have anything else I can wear… or can I take a shower? How normal is my life going to be?"
"Nene can help with that. She visited your apartment to gather your personal effects. Good day Amber." And with that she turned on an expensive heel and was gone, the door locking shut in her wake leaving Nene and I sitting alone together, staring, an awkward silence between us.
Unable to let it continue I looked up and brushing back my bangs and asked point blank. "So, you're a Knight Saber huh. How, or well, I guess, why am I still alive? I thought that, you guys just killed boomers." I left off, like me, but it wasn't really needed. She obviously knew what I was asking.
It was a relief to see at least Nene still fidgeted beneath my gaze. She looked just as nervous and distressed over the situation as I felt. "We don't just go around hunting boomers. Really we're more uh, mercenaries?"
It was cute watching her say that and trying to make it sound like a good thing. Adding in the blush when I lifted a single eyebrow questioningly at the statement just made her squirm more. Obviously she realized that from my perspective that wasn't much better.
Growing a bit incensed she glared at me. "Don't look at me like that, we only take good jobs. Or, well, uh, we don't do bad one's…" another raised eyebrow and I had her almost fuming. "Hey, it costs a lot of money to build and maintain power armor. Sure sometimes we have to do some shady things. But even though we stop rogue boomers as a public service, it's not because we're a boomer hate group or something. "
That nervous flutter in my stomach was gone. Yes she was a Knight Saber but even still, this was Nene. My Ne-chan, and it was hard to stay scared when she was standing there nearly steaming with embarrassment trying to defend herself to me.
Reaching out I put a hand on her shoulder, feeling her warmth beneath my fingers. "It's okay, I believe you I do. I even understand why you can't let me go. This is better than being dead. Thank you."
I took a nice steadying breath just in case the next thing I had to know resulted in bad news. "Nene, what happened to Irene?"
The slight hesitation before her answer didn't match with her expression. -83% certain subject focused on ancillary concerns.- "Irene is fine… mostly." She let out a sigh. "She was injured, but given her connections she shouldn't even have a scar once she's recovered." Physically drooping a little more she continued on. "But she left Japan, and probably won't ever return, ever."
"What? What's happened, where did she go?" I can't explain why, but just hearing that she was gone hurt more than the lingering injuries from the fight. A few simple words had stolen away one of the foundations of my new life.
"China, I can't say more, really, but she'll be safe there, Genom won't threaten her again." Her dreary countenance turned what should have been an expression of triumph into a depressed confession. Our emotions perfectly synchronized with dismay. "We were supposed to protect her, protect you both really but, I'm sorry we just weren't fast enough."
She looked like she wanted to say more but wasn't quite sure if she should. To my dismay I realized that Irene wasn't the only thing I had lost. The intimacy in our relationship was gone. Another casualty, and as I sat watching Nene slip quietly out the door I just hoped somehow it could be salvaged.
The first few days of my confinement were spent in heartbreaking isolation and boredom. It was worse than waking up to the tender attentions of Dr. Sutekina. Then at least I had things to do, people around to interact with and prevent me from sliding into depression. Here most of the day was spent alone, locked in a small storage room with nothing to do beside endlessly wonder how I could have avoided ending like this.
I was only let into the common rooms of their base twice a day, to go to the bathroom or shower before being locked away again. When I was let out it was only under guard, and Nene wasn't present.
With Priss I tried a few times to start a conversation but that only ended in miserable failure, and I was careful not to give her an excuse to accuse me of acting out of line.
The first time it was Linna's turn to watch me the look of betrayed confusion in her eyes was enough to quell any desire to even try to explain myself. Still the silence was harder to take beneath the gaze of a friend than that of a stranger.
The only bright spots in those first few days came with Sylia. When she appeared at the door letting me out I could almost feel the world becoming a better place. She always had something to say. Around her the tedium was vanquished until once more I heard the deadbolt click into place. The lingering scent of life outside lasting long after the door had closed.
The only other solace I found was in spying. While Sylia's bracelet managed to disable my ability to speed up or slow down my processing speed, it didn't affect my senses. I was still able to distinguish sounds as low as 20dB so eavesdropping was very possible.
"Nene, I know you care about her, but you need to be careful. It does not seem like it but she is a newborn, and still in the danger period."
"She's not like that Sylia. She's stable, and even if she weren't she wouldn't hurt us. I trust her."
"Perhaps, but that very attitude is why you cannot be trusted with her by yourself. You know the numbers as well as I do. Ninety percent Nene, that is how many go rogue; violently so. And while it may be argued that 4m83r has already gone rogue or is past the danger point I'm not willing to gamble with your life."
"It's not a gamble Sylia, you saw what she did. She risked herself twice for Irene. She wouldn't hurt me. Heck, she was frightened of me when we first met and she realized I was with the AD Police."
"This is why I have not allowed you to be alone with her. If something went wrong you would not respond in time. This is an end to the discussion. If you want to see her I will allow it, but not alone; it is not safe."
After overhearing that Nene was allowed to visit me for the first time since I had woken up. To my frustration her visit was strained. The connection between us was awkward and it was hard to find something innocuous to talk about. I didn't feel comfortable admitting to what I wanted to say beneath the cool eyes of Sylia who was watching from across the room. Nene was also feeling too -guilty and confused- to take that first step either.
Fortunately for my sanity Nene is stubborn and didn't give up. It took a few uneasy visits but finally inspiration struck and I begged her for a piece of cheesecake. To my relief after that the walls tumbled down. That mundane desire, a need I could openly express and she could share helped us rediscover common ground.
For her part Linna was trying her best to pretend I either wasn't there or wasn't me, -69% certain.- She didn't say a word for two full weeks even though she served as guard several times. She finally gave me a chance to change that when on her turn to let me out to shower she caught me in the middle of my weekly required self-maintenance fitness plan. When she spoke, I finally saw a chance to connect.
"Why are you doing that?" Linna asked, the door having opened on me in the middle of a set of crunches. -87% certain subject curiosity overwhelming reticence.-
"I don't want to get fat." I grinned up at her. "You don't really think you can get a body like this for free do you?" -80% certain subject did believe unit's physical appearance solely due to construction.- Temporarily overriding the exercise requirement I paused my workout to face her directly.
"Linna, my body may have come off a production line somewhere but if you really think about it so did yours. I have to take just as much care of myself as you do. I also have to exercise and watch what I eat carefully. The only difference is that for me the consequences are immediate, while you have a little more leeway. Everything I told you at the club hasn't changed. Even if my manufacturer wasn't true-life I'm the same person now as then. I have to deal with the same problems every heavily cybered person does.
Going back to my work out I let her stew on that for a bit while letting her see me struggle and strain through the vigorous routine. She didn't say a word while I finished the workout. As I lay there panting for air just like at the conclusion of her classes an idea came to me and looking up at her I could feel a sly grin come over my face. -75% certain subject amenable to planned approach.-
"You know, exercising alone is pretty boring, and I'm positive Nene hasn't been back to the club since… especially without me to pester her,-96% certain-, and while I understand I can't leave, that doesn't mean you couldn't hold classes here just for the two of us. If she tries to get out of it you let her know she promised to come to classes with me. I never did say where."
I don't know if it was that I suddenly seemed more human in her eyes, or if she just couldn't keep me at arm's length any longer but somehow pulling her into a plot against Nene did the trick.
In fact, when she learned about the idea Sylia decreed that the other Knight Sabers would show up as well turning my spur of the moment idea into a thrice weekly ordeal. One that quickly took Nene and I from fit, to downright athletic.
After one of our sessions I overheard them discussing me again, the sound of the shower not enough to drown out their voices.
"I don't trust it Linna, that, that THING was pretending to be a real person. It fooled me, it fooled Nene, it even tricked you. If it did that once how can we trust it to behave. It's a liar and it's not human."
"Priss, calm down. Kari-san isn't here to trick us. She's as much a victim of Genom as anyone is. Have you talked with her? She didn't want to hide things from us but how honest did she need to be? One word of the truth in the wrong ear and she would have been dead. Can't you see it from her perspective?"
"Yah right, that bloodsucker's probably just waiting for a chance to stab us in the back."
"I wish you wouldn't call her that, we both know it isn't Kari's fault she had to survive on human blood, and we both know she wasn't out…harvesting like some kind of vampire. From what Sylia says things were actually past the critical point for and she still hadn't done anything to hurt someone.
Linna's faith was reassuring. I was slowly but surely winning back my friends.
In spite of Priss's continuing distrust in the face of our increased interactions didn't take long for my calculated efforts to pay off. Not only were the others talking to me again, but they even started bringing books and video's to help pass the time.
It took a little less than a month before I was trusted with a kind of daily liberty from the confines of the holding cell. I was free to join them in the common room, or use the facilities and kitchen unattended. The rest of the basement however remained off limits. The doors would lock if I approached too close and I was under no delusions about what would be done if I actually did manage to get to the hardsuit lockers. Even so this little bit of freedom was enough to go to my head.
Maybe that's why I confronted Priss. Things were going so well with everyone else I just wanted to win her acceptance.
She's a prickly one. I wasn't quite sure how to approach because she hadn't really stuck around long enough to analyze the complex morass of her feelings. Plus I hadn't had a chance to get to know her before the reveal, and she really wasn't inclined to let me change that now.
It was her silences and odd periods of indifference that ate away at me. I could take the displays of hatred, or contempt, but when she acted like I wasn't real, that's what wore at me.
Finally unable to take it anymore I snapped and cornered her. In hindsight confronting her probably could have been handled better.
The Knight Sabers had gone out again. Boomer hunting or one of their mercenary jobs I wasn't sure and really it didn't matter. The important thing was that this time I wasn't going to let Priss slink away after they got back.
Like most of the time she tried to ignore me, even quickened her pace when she saw me coming but in this instance security worked in my favor. The elevator doors refused to open for her with me in close proximity.
"What the hell is your problem?" She beat me to the punch, with my own question no less. Of course I wasn't in any mood to be polite either. The weeks of letting her treat me like a pariah were done.
"What do you think?" I stepped closer getting right in her face. "Do you think I choose to be here? That I like being treated like I've got a contagious disease? The Hell! The others at least concede I'm real. It isn't enough for you to keep me here, but you can't even acknowledge I exist either?"
I saw her face screw up with anger and watched as she took a breath to refute my words but this time I beat her to the punch. "What the hell is your problem? I know you kill boomers for a living but that can't be the whole story, I mean your band is named the Replicants for fuck's sake."
She blanched, face flashing from anger to surprise before masking her emotions. -98% certain supposition that band name taken from movie Bladerunner correct.- With a shove she stepped into my personal space towering over me. Warning! 87% certain hostilities likely, subject unstable.- "What do you care, it's not like your emotions are real anyway?"
Looking back there are a lot of things I could have said at that point, about why Priss might empathize with a runaway opposing a faceless megacorp, or some clever analogy between myself and Rebecca or Decker. How if I thought and felt like a human didn't that make me close enough to count? I didn't do any of those things though. Instead I took a swing at her.
Even as my fist flew forward I realized it was a mistake, but I couldn't help it, I was just that mad. I think surprise is the only reason it landed. Priss's head snapped back, teeth closing with a sharp crack. I had all of -2.3 seconds- to bask in my victory, David beating Goliath. Then she got past the surprise and I saw her eyes narrow as her body began to move.
Now would have been a great time to enter accelerated time, unfortunately Sylia's bracelet disabled that ability. Instead Priss' lunge introduced her knee to my stomach, then her fist to my chin.
The fight only degenerated from there. Priss fight's dirty but she's also good. Over the entire course of it I got two hits in, but reviewing the fight after the fact I can't claim they were intentional. The beating she gave me once she got over her surprise was both brutal and mercifully short.
As I lay on the ground, curled into a ball to cradle fresh injuries and dialing back the pain she loomed over me panting from the unexpected exertion. Shaking out a bruised fist she asked belligerently "Had enough?"
"Have you?" I shot back quickly. "Or do you need to beat me up some more to feel human?" My words were intentionally cutting, and the opposite of what my instincts were screaming at me to use to defuse the situation, -88% certain course of action will fail to defuse tensions.-
Her response was to draw back her foot but before she could land the next kick I bore on. "It's okay, I'm starting to get used to being beaten up by soulless killing machines," -94%.-
That she went through with the kick wasn't much of a surprise. "What the hell do you know about it?" She screamed as she dropped down to straddle me, fists gathered my shirt at the neck and slammed me back against the concrete floor. "You can't understand. You're just a thing!"
I don't often give thanks for my loss of humanity but the ability to suppress pain and think clearly was invaluable. "I'm a person, just like you, like Nene, like whoever you lost. The only difference is I was born a slave. I wasn't given a choice about getting fucked over. I was made for it! Do I deserve to be killed for that Priss, or should I call you Decker instead?"
In the middle of my rant I felt her begin to tremble, frustration stealing her conviction. The profanity of my response only drove the nail home. I watched as her rage turned to confusion and guilt. Letting go she tried to shake it off with a snarl. "That doesn't mean you're real, and just because you have a shitty life doesn't mean you're not just a marionette."
Rather than speak up I let her have the last word. As she backed into the elevator, my subconscious was unable to provide a meaningful read on her emotional state. So instead of pushing my luck I just let her go, feeling the chill of the floor sink into my bones until the doors cut off that accusing stare.
My interactions with Sylia were different than with the others. From the beginning I felt, no I knew she was the key. Something in her very presence bespoke command. I found myself wanting to please her as much or more than those actually on her team did. It wasn't just to get out from under the microscope either.
It was hard dealing with her because she was difficult to anticipate and rarely let any clues indicating approval or disapproval slip. So after my fight with Priss I expected the terms of my confinement to return to the beginning. To be punished for lashing out, or at least some kind of negative repercussion.
Instead to my surprise she brought in my dialysis machine and several fresh pints of blood.
"4m83r," she again referred to me by designation rather than name. A habit I couldn't work up the nerve to confront her over. "By my calculations your internal systems will require a fresh supply of nutrients for repair and proper function." With a gesture she made it clear I was to sit so I did.
Without another word she quickly and efficiently set up the transfer, as though she had done this a thousand times. Not once showing discomfort at the proof of my inhumanity. Her proximity was strangely disturbing as she took my wrist in hand to make the connections. Her skin was warmer than I expected 37.2 degrees; she seemed so cold I somehow assumed it would translate to everything about her.
Instead I couldn't help but focus on her scent. It was slightly sweet yet metallic, and lingered as she stepped back and settled into the chair opposite me. Only then did her gaze lock on me. Her eyes held the weight of judgement, as though she could see right through me. Here it came, now she would decide my fate.
I shuddered as a chill ran through my veins. It took long moments to realize it was simply the rush of fresh blood and not her cool gaze causing the sensation. I wondered what she saw in me, at the shivering pleasure of fresh life literally bleeding into my veins.
Awkwardly the silence stretched between us before finally she broke it. "Why did you attack Priss?" I couldn't read her intention behind the query at all. The frostiness of her tone indicating to my mind just how stupid the decision to attack had been but she gave no sign of chastising me for it directly.
I wanted to give the question some thought, but beneath that penetrating gaze found myself blurting out the first thing that came to mind. "I was angry." The slight twitch of her eyebrows broke her façade, -62% certain subject intrigued by response, and prompted me to go on. This time taking a moment to think I did.
"She was ignoring me, pretending I'm not real. It pissed me off. Where does she get off judging me like that? No… deciding that I'm not worthy of even that much attention. She doesn't know my life, what I've been through, but she knows I'm a boomer and that's enough for her. Like that one little fact means she doesn't even have to take the time to think before stuffing me in a little mental box to be forgotten."
"I wanted to make her see me. Not what I am, but who." Running a hand through my hair in frustration the tubing at my wrist swaying wildly I leaned back with a sigh. "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have," the need to apologize before that impassive gaze reared up before I went on. "But I wasn't trying to escape or anything. Just, make her notice me…" Why did it feel like I was standing in the principal's office?
I couldn't come up with anything better, not to explain my inexplicable need to be noticed, acknowledged but thankfully a slight nod relieved me of the need. "What do you think your punishment should be?"
I sat slack jawed for a moment. She was asking me?
"You did attack one of my Knight Sabers. Putting you down would be a perfectly reasonable response on our part." -Subject exhibiting control over pulse and respiration, suppressing voluntary body movement and maintaining constant eye contact, intentions inconclusive.-
I had to fight to suppress the urge to blurt out the first thing to come to mind. Instead I took a deep breath, and holding it measured off exactly 10 long seconds. Only then did I let it out and answer her question.
"Miss Stingray, if anything my… actions should prove that you and your organization are safe from me. I admit I was angry, and acted without thinking it through. But the results are that even attacking with surprise I couldn't outfight Priss. You now have proof I'm at best a minor threat and your programing blocks are working." That last bit coming out a bit bitterly.
"Or," Her voice was still calm and measured, "You are a student of Machiavelli and this is just a small part of a deeper plan."
"Machiavelli?" I asked incredulous. "He wrote the Prince as a primer for people in positions of power, not prisoners like me. What on earth makes you think I could or would even dare that kind of manipulation with people who could kill me out of hand?"
Her response sent a shiver down my spine. "The facts that not only do you recognize the name, but are capable of relating it to your situation. That is not standard behavior, or information for a boomer to have; certainly not one less than three months old. Explain."
The hard look in her eyes seemed to pin me in place. I couldn't move. It almost felt like I couldn't breathe with her staring expectantly at me. A thousand possibilities flashed through my mind, lies, half-truths, a full confession. I desperately sought out something to say, something to justify myself.
What came out of my mouth next rattled me to the core. "They aren't my memories." I could feel the blood almost humming in my veins as my heart rate skyrocketed. "I was given them w-when I was activated," wide eyes studied every facet of Sylia's face for a reaction.
A brief flash of shock let me read her feelings before her control locked out my instinctive knowledge once more. -68% certain subject surprised, warning subject attitude shifting toward feelings of anger 63% certain.-
"T-they're real memories, Human ones," I swallowed unable to hide my nervousness as I went on rationalizing; it was too late to hold back now.
"They are my memories from before I died. They saved them somehow, transferred them and made me." The slightest narrowing of her remarkable eyes had me hurrying to say more before she could make up her mind to just shoot. "I'm not working for them, just an experiment. Mason really does think I'm dead. I was just a, a test run, proof of concept." I knew I was babbling but couldn't stop now that I had started.
It wasn't until I had finished blurting out the story behind my life, death, and resurrection beneath her piercing gaze that I slumped down, spent but feeling oddly light and content. Only one detail had been retained, my original sex. That wasn't me anymore, and I knew, instinctively, that it would cause more problems if it got out. I would need to leave the cocooning shell of gender behind if I wanted to be able to truly fly free.
"Good evening Ms. Ceallaigh." I caught her scent growing moments before a hand settled on my shoulder. She squeezed it gently before disappearing out the door. That single moment of reassurance, of support stayed with me for the rest of the day.
Since then I've felt her thawing toward me. Even if my subconscious couldn't quantify it something subtle in our relationship had changed. Something beyond her using my name instead of model number I mean. Her behavior hadn't shifted in an obvious way, she didn't allow me any greater freedom, or lighten security, but still I could tell something had changed.
As for Nene, she and I managed to mend our friendship. Though it had been strained she was a good enough person that my betrayal wasn't enough to break the bonds we had forged. Although it did take rehashing many conversations after I admitted the truth behind my memories to her.
The day after Sylia had browbeaten the truth from me Nene came in, tense, excited and looking like she wasn't sure if she should hit or hug me.
"What do you mean you're a real dead person?" Her tone made me cringe and look for somewhere to run. Of course there wasn't, so I had to turn back to face the music.
"Um, I don't…" but before I could say more than that she was continuing.
"I thought you were a real person when we met! How could you let me think that?"
"I was I mean, am a real person… and what was I supposed to say?" Wait, she's angry that I told the truth at first?
Talking over my response she ranted on, "Then you turn out to be a boomer, and what am I supposed to think?"
This time I knew enough to wait her out before trying to get a word in edgewise.
"And then, you let me think you were just, just some machine when you've been a real person all along! I should shoot you myself just so you stop changing on me!"
Waiting a moment longer to be sure she was done, for the moment at least, I drew breath. "Nene, I'm sorry. I just didn't know what to do. I don't even really know what I am anymore. I'm me, but I'm also a boomer…" Standing up I stepped close and put a hand on her shoulder following my subconscious prompts to help calm her down.
Meeting her eyes I spoke softly forcing her to quiet down to listen. "I'm just me. The same person you met on the internet and the same one who was scared out of her wits when she realized you were a part of the AD Police. I'm the same one who's gone with you clubbing and for coffee. I'm just, also a little bit more."
"You're the only thing that is real in my life. Anything else happened to someone other than me. It may not seem like it but in truth I'm only a few months old." I watched her closely; thumb slowly brushing against her clavicle to measure her pulse as I listened to her respiration and watched the dilation of her eyes.
Something caused her to stop and think, as though she had recognized something profound. Something I had said in that last admission which blew right back out of her thoughts.
"Wait a minute… you said you were 19 years old. But, that movie, Wargames was from 1983. Just how old are you… er were you?"
Darn it, why did she have to ask such a messy question. "Ah, that's not really easy to answer. I could be 43, or 61, or 5, or 3 months. It all depends on how you decide to count it." I think I broke her for a minute as she tried to work that out.
"So, you're really 43 years old then?" The expression of doubt and mild aversion on her face was priceless, and a memory I decided I would have to be sure to save forever.
"Don't be so jealous Ne-chan, I'm sure by the time you're my age science will have advanced to the point that you'll be able to match my figure too." The teasing tone and pin up pose I gave her was just right to shake her from the building funk.
"Kari!" Delivering a well-deserved punch to my shoulder she broke out laughing. "I can't believe you!"
"I'm sorry, I was built this way!" My smile slipped just slightly as I made a decision. "I'm really not quite the same person I was before Nene. You shouldn't just assume that I just picked up where I um, left off," the euphemism for death coming more easily to me than saying the hard truth aloud.
"It isn't just the body, but, I have, it comes with…" I didn't expect this to be quite so hard. "You know what the 33-S model was made for right?"
She watched me curiously the humor slipping away as she recognized that I was trying to be serious. "Yes, for sex." The fact she got it out in one go despite the blush was somehow a triumph.
"Well, we're also uh, equipped to facilitate that by being especially good at, manipulating and reading people." I hurried on before she could draw her own conclusion from that.
"It's instinctive, I can't really help but notice, or act certain ways. It's" searching for a way to say it so she could understand I settled on a programing analogy. "It's hard coded into me. But just because it's there doesn't mean that my feelings aren't. I have let it color our relationship, but before you ever knew that, you knew me, the 100% pure genuine article. These instincts, they don't work online and, and any time you want to be sure I can't, cheat, we can talk that way. Please don't be mad." That last line added by that same subconscious urge that I was admitting to consciously. Something expressly designed to mitigate any anger by instilling a feeling of guilt for feeling it.
Sitting down on the sofa she took the time to really ponder what I had said. It was obvious now, why even at such a young age she was part of an elite mercenary unit. "You've been doing it to me all evening haven't you?" Those emerald green eyes bored into my own lighter ones seeking truth.
I hung my head a bit, all the proof of guilt she should need. Still I spoke up. "Yes, I'm sorry. I really can't help it. I just see how I can act to calm you down, or defuse tension. A way to try and keep you as a friend and do whatever it is."
"If it makes it any better I only do so because I care about you, about your friendship. I don't have to follow those instincts. If I did I never would have taken a swing at Priss, but I wanted you to know that they are there. I don't want to have any more secrets from you."
To my surprise she laughed. "Kari, it's okay. Seriously, you don't have to explain why Priss pisses you off. We all want to punch her some days. As long as you only let them lead you to do what you really want to do I won't get too upset."
After that we sat up the rest of the night just watching movies and talking. When I learned she hadn't seen it I insisted the first movie be Bladerunner. We shared a little laugh over Priss' band's choice in names before moving on to Wargames and other esoteric films from my youth.
As the evening grew long she drifted off several times. With the lost closeness of our relationship restored after the second time I finally gave up and let her sleep, tucking my blanket around her to let her rest.
I think she may have gotten into trouble for leaving me out later, but the fact I was still there in the morning and she was alive went a long way to finish proving I was trustworthy.
"She attacked me Lina, she can't be trusted!" I could hear Priss's voice coming from the changing rooms later, and unsurprisingly I was still the subject of her ire.
"Priss, I know, I saw the tape, everyone saw it. You can't claim to be entirely innocent here. Besides, you put her down in seconds. She can't be as big a threat as you're trying to claim."
"I still say she's up to no good, just waiting for a chance to betray us, you'll see."
"Then why didn't she do anything last night, Nene was asleep with her in the same room. If she really meant us harm she could have taken her hostage or even killed her."
"It's a trick, I'm telling you, this talk of real memories, it has to be." but with that last line I could detect a waiver in Priss' tone. -76% certain subject exhibiting self-doubt.-
After the scuffle with Priss I had realized just how vulnerable in a fight I really was. I needed to do something; anything to fix it but without a connection to the outside world I couldn't just download combat software and it was unlikely despite the thawing attitudes that I would be given permission to do so anytime in the future. Amusingly it was in games that I finally found a solution.
Tekken has come a long way since the 90's. The battlefields are incredibly detailed and characters are modeled true to life with bone, sinew, muscle and the best part, the motions and fighting styles are all taken from real life martial artists.
It took a little conniving but after Nene had thrashed me for the umpteenth time I talked her into to cobbling together a direct interface to use in place of a controller. I think it was the technical challenge as much as my pleading that did it but that night when she went home I went to work.
From the multitude of choices only two were modeled on characters whose body types were similar enough to mine I could use them. Learning the moves perfectly was a matter of moments; implementation was the issue. The last thing I wanted to do was download the game's fighting AI and try to figure out how to run it in my head.
So, while after only a half hour of work I could look like a master in wushu and jujutsu doing kata's, learning how to actually fight would take time. Thankfully I had a perfectly good simulator right here and a selection of 32 opponents and five difficulty levels to teach me when to duck.
After the great revelation the days when Lina arrived for private aerobics classes became my favorites. There was something about getting them all in a room together that put me at ease. It filled some subliminal need for socialization and with each repetition I realized how much I missed it when they were gone.
Sylia appeared to have no concerns over my behavior, but then she had never exhibited them before. The only real change was that she used my name instead of my designation. Her continued standoffish behavior was a complete opposite to Nene. Our friendship was back and growing stronger with the younger, maybe, woman happy to talk about her whatever she had been up to.
As if in deliberate contrast Priss became even pricklier. She quit ignoring me, but instead began to actively go out of her way to antagonize me. Knowing that the most annoying response I could give her was to pretend not to notice it almost became a game. She would try to taunt me into some kind of slip while I became a model prisoner whenever she was around.
Only my relationship with Linna remained in an uncomfortable state of limbo. We were familiar with each other, but didn't know enough to grow closer. She maintained some of Priss' distrust but when she would try to get over it only found herself having trouble relating to the me behind the mask.
So things were gradually getting better when I met Mackey by surprise. I had known he existed from snippets of conversation but catching a teen boy sneaking into your room at night to install a hidden camera doesn't impart the best first impression. Neither did his complete failure in subtlety after he was caught by asking, "You're sure there aren't any needs I could help fill for you?" Yes I'm a robot built for sex, and it's both flattering and oddly nice to be vindicated by a demonstrated desire to peep on me but seriously, get a life. Besides, I'm sure his older sister Sylia punished him far more thoroughly and creatively than I could have. Siblings are like that.
As the weeks passed even Priss eventually began to forget why she was so upset. I changed from enemy to rival in her mind as we pushed each other as far as we dared.
In fact in all their minds I changed from boomer to woman, from dangerous prisoner to unfortunate detainee. So why the confinement began to grate upon me more and more each passing day I couldn't quantify. Only that with each day I could feel my mood settle into disturbing cycles of euphoria and depression.
Though my privileges had slowly increased, more choice in cloths, movies, games, and books, Sylia was always careful to keep any direct contact with the outside world cut. I was always one step removed from a real life. A fact I finally realized one day when Nene described how a co-worker and she were caught in a rainstorm during lunch.
I wasn't living anymore. I was just coasting from one meeting with the Knight Sabers to the next. My thoughts would focus on that next social fix. I could feel the dependency growing, feel myself slipping further into the grasp of programing and instincts that weren't me.
My helplessness wore away at me, time alone seeming to be without end, and then I overheard one more conversation.
"But Sylia, why not? You've seen it too. You know how miserable being confined for her is. She's spent day's moping in bed just waiting for someone to visit."
"Nene that behavior more than anything else is why we cannot let her go. I warned you before, no matter her apparent age she's just a few months old and the odds are against her. This instability, it may be the first indication she is going rogue."
"That's nonsense, she's trustworthy, and I know it. How much longer will she have to stay locked down here before you decide it's safe, that she's past the danger point?"
"I know it is hard, but we might not ever be able to let her go, she may never be safe."
"What about the imprinting?"
"It has never proven itself reliable with her model. I do not believe it held. For the first month possibly two she would have done anything I ordered, but I am not her master anymore Nene. Not reliably, and nowhere near firmly enough to let her go and trust her not to reveal things we cannot risk being known."
"It's just not fair Sylia, she's my friend."
"I know, but that does not change the situation. I am sorry, we cannot let her go."
I couldn't just accept that. No matter that things had seemed to get better. They let me move about more, had given me things to do to keep myself occupied. But it wasn't enough to just live my life as a 10 to 2 friend, Monday Wednesday, Friday and alternating Saturdays.
What I had overheard was true. This life was eating me up. Something intrinsic to my existence wanted to be free. Even Priss having started to use my name instead of "it" wasn't enough to change the fact that I couldn't stay here.
I wanted live again. To be me, without some strange programing enforced Stockholm syndrome. That was a life I didn't think I would ever have if I remained here, locked away and so I began to plan and watch for a chance to escape.
It was only another week before my chance finally came. There was some kind of emergency, all of the Knight Sabers scrambled to respond. It had something to do with an ally named Dr. Raven and a motorcycle gang but the details weren't important to me. Only that this once Nene had been careless before rushing off to suit up was.
She remembered her laptop, but forgot to disable the network connection in the wall. A steady green LED winked at me showing it was still active.
And it if was still active then I finally had a way out.
The first step made me feel a little bit dirty, but hey, they didn't need the money left behind in their purses and I definitely would. It was the second step that had me worried.
Hacking a security system designed by Nene never crossed my mind. I settled for a much simpler solution. I tripped the entire building's public fire alarm. It was a gamble, a big one but I was growing desperate, and even if it didn't work at least I was certain they would execute me for the attempt.
As the emergency lighting kicked in there was a light click and the powerful magnetic lock on the emergency stairs disengaged. Pushing it wide I was free, sort of. If I took another step there was no going back.
I looked down at my wrist, of course it was a tracking device, but it was also plugged directly into my systems. I could feel the soft pulses of data circulating as it reached deep inside through my now fully operational maintenance port.
I still didn't know everything it was responsible for.
So I was understandably nervous as I tore it free and tossed it aside. A pulse from the bracelet rushed over suddenly active wireless receivers and almost stunning me with its intensity. The feeling was strange after having gone so long without. I almost missed the whirr as the emergency door began to shut, but a twisting leap and I was through. Sprinting up three flights of stairs I paused at the final door barring me from freedom.
Could I do it? Was anything holding me back? Nene, Sylia, no. I pushed open the final door to leave them behind. This breach of their trust hurt but even just the remembered feel of sunlight on bare skin washed away those feelings of guilt. I was "free at last."
4-4-2017
sorry about the slow reply. I'm very sick at the moment and only now have mustered up the gumption to check online. As for Priss, she named her band "the replicants" and that is an incredibly clear reference to the movie. Combined with what in 2032 is probably retro-thrash metal and she probably does know a good deal about the 80s. It's like knowing about casablanca, citizen kane, the malteze falcon or even fantasia.
Anyway, it isn't so much that they aren't accepting her difference as Sylia deciding that doesn't really change the fact that they don't know who she was, and can't really afford to trust her. I'll add that she does in fact start going a little squirrely in this chapter near the end as well and rather than try to talk them into letting her go because she's gone stir crazy or has cabin fever is actively looking for a way to escape. Certainly understandable, but also it kind of justifies Sylia's concerns. There is a certain 'headspace' I feel that the 33S boomers exist within, and most sentiments would as well. Hopefully I've gotten that across.
Not quite dead yet.
I did however have a ridiculously bad cold. Normally when I catch something it's down for 24 hours and done. This time it stuck around for 3 weeks, and included my missing a full two weeks of work. Combine that with the period in the year when work requires much more of my attention and something had to give. Unfortunately it was my writing here and updating my story to my current satisfaction.
However now I can happily say that I'm back at it and editing again and so should be getting something for you all again soon. Getting back to my schedule of working on it every day at the same time so that it is ingrained helps a lot.
I did however have a ridiculously bad cold. Normally when I catch something it's down for 24 hours and done. This time it stuck around for 3 weeks, and included my missing a full two weeks of work. Combine that with the period in the year when work requires much more of my attention and something had to give. Unfortunately it was my writing here and updating my story to my current satisfaction.
However now I can happily say that I'm back at it and editing again and so should be getting something for you all again soon. Getting back to my schedule of working on it every day at the same time so that it is ingrained helps a lot.
Arc 3 Chapter 2
Frozen Butterfly Arc 3 Chapter 2 a story of Bubblegum Crisis
Stepping outside, the darkness didn't seem to fill the promise that finally gaining my freedom had inspired. Always before escape had meant sunlight and fresh air; the liberty to spread my wings and escape into a wide blue sky.
Tonight it gave me everything but. It was dark, the stars were shrouded in murky clouds, and only a few lights twinkled against a sullen overcast sky. Moving quietly I felt like a thief in the night. I didn't walk triumphant, but skulked as though my escape were something shameful. Slinking down into a subway station I wondered. Yes I was free, but what was the cost? Discreetly jumping the stile I got on the first train before taking the time to really consider the question.
I couldn't be Kari Ceallaigh anymore. She had died in Irene's apartment, or would die if the Knight Sabers ever found her again. I couldn't be Amber as I'm sure Mr. Flint would notice and find me if that identity were being used. I could only assume the last of the identities I had created. Unfortunately Alice Delaney only existed on paper, and due to my own lack of foresight I didn't have an MPI card, or stash of money squirreled away for this kind of emergency.
I felt like crying.
Stopping at the first ATM I found I liquidated Kari Ceallaigh's account, or rather as much of it as I could. I got enough yen to last a little while but there was no way I would risk trying to get the rest by hopping from machine to machine. Even this withdrawal would show Nene which way I went, and the fewer bread crumbs I left the better.
I blinked back the tears that thinking about her caused. No matter how disappointed she would be I couldn't go back so instead I swallowed and moved on. The subway was my ally. It was empty at this hour and I travelled all night taking short catnaps, switching from one line to the next at random hoping to inexorably tangle my escape.
Unfortunately with dawn throngs of humanity began to join me. The previously safe tubes filling with the cloying scent of humanity. Even starved for social interaction as I was, the faceless masses were repulsive. I got off quickly and escaped to the surface. I stood in the cleaner air on the street corner, my body still shaking in response to the unspoken sea of wants needs and desires as I gathered myself. Taking several breaths my lips turned down in a frown.
What I wanted wouldn't be found this way. Forcing myself to move, I let myself ponder. Humanity needs food, water, and shelter to survive. For something like me I think companionship may be just as important. How long could a 33-S go without it? Would I go berserk, waste away, or just philosophize myself to death in the meantime?
This wasn't helping. Moving with a purpose greater than simply getting myself lost, I finally found a cyber café. This time though I had more in mind than trying to look up lost friends as I headed inside to pay for an hour.
I hesitated took a breath then dove in. This time I found skirting the store's tracking software easy. Setting aside a fraction of my attention to play internet games was enough to divert the security and let me get on with the rest of my plan unmonitored.
The government's server was just as vulnerable today as the first time I had stumbled into it months ago, but with one small difference. As I cautiously entered I almost stumbled into a trap. I got the impression of barbed netting that I almost didn't notice in time. My synapses seemed to tingle with how close it was. If I had gone in that way I doubt I could have gotten out again. Even if I had the effort would definitely make its progenitor aware of my trespass.
Nene had been here before me. The thought made warm little shivers run through my mental presence as if I could detect the lingering spearmint of her presence in the server around me.
But this step was too important to give up. I needed an ID if I was going to live as anything other than a criminal. Finding another way in was tricky but impossible. Luckily I have a major advantage over Ne-chan in this contest.
I could remember exactly what my old MPA card had for biometric readings, and having worked with the department intimately knew just how much leeway the scanning machines would provide. All I needed was to make a card close enough that I could pass automated tests and sensors without using readings that were a copy of the information Nene already has access to. This way she wouldn't be able to simply pluck my new name out of a database by searching for my old information.
Inserting the information for my new identity took only a few moments. I would have to pick up the printed card in person, but without a place to mail it was the only option I had for retrieval.
The Prefectural office I chose was small, dingy and I had to double check the cracked sign to make sure I was in the right place. It had taken three trains, each increasingly barren and worn, to get here. Poor planning maybe but it was also the furthest I could get from the Silky Doll and still technically be in the bounds of MegaTokyo. Inside the office was little better, dingy windows, and a dusty floor. Only a trail leading to the desk was brushed relatively clean by infrequent visitors.
Making my way along the cleared path I stopped before the worn boomer serving the desk. A thin film of grime coated its non-moving parts. I carefully avoided touching the counter. I might be homeless now but I still had standards and looking like a hobo was against all of them.
"Alice Delaney, here to pick up my replacement card." I said, extending my hand to let it verify my false identity.
While old and highly specialized this boomer was good at its job. And stable, unlike me. In moments it finished its scan with a chime. A slightly concerning rattle echoed for a few moments before a card dropped out of a slot beside the boomer. "Alice Delaney, here is your card, have a nice day."
Finished with my errand I paused, looking back over my shoulder as the door swung shut behind me the boomer remaining serenely alone as it waited for its next visitor.
Was it happy? Would I be as comfortable, as content if I went back to Mr. Flint for a life of service? The disturbing thought swirled in my mind. Turning away, footsteps sounding against the cement walk I shook my head. No, that kind of serenity was beyond my reach. I had a sudden epiphany; it might even be why my model didn't last in the real world. We were made too human to be content with what life gave us.
Heading back into MegaTokyo I tried to decide where to hide. As tempting as the outskirts were, there just weren't enough people to camouflage me there. A beautiful woman moving in would be noticed, and both jobs and housing would be harder to find. Unfortunately once back on the subway system I let myself get too absorbed thinking in circles, my subconscious guiding my steps.
That's what kept me from realizing just where I had chosen to sit and consider my future. Then I caught a glimpse of bright red hair; -attention subject Nene Romanova present-, my subconscious informed, dragging my thoughts back to earth. The warning came just in time. I scooted back trying not to be noticed. Blinking I groaned settling deeper into the shadows of the booth I found myself in. The morning light streaming through the windows illuminating the coffee shop and brought a surreal quality to my surroundings.
A quick stolen peek around the edge of the booth confirmed what I already knew. Nene was here, now, and I was an idiot for having let myself choose this Starbucks to host my existential meditations. A large sign proudly advertised the building across the way as AD Police Headquarters. Just how had I let myself ignore a nine story, -42.52- meter, tall sign?
I caught myself squirming at the sound of her voice as she ordered. Listening intently I could hear that she was dejected about something, -78% certain subject depressed due to tone and inflection.- Even if my instincts weren't positive the fact she ordered coffee without her customary frills would have been enough to make me certain I was right.
Staying still, waiting for her to go was hard. Every part of me wanted to jump up, to explain, to beg or plead for understanding and forgiveness. I didn't like hearing her upset. I didn't want to be the cause of her unhappiness! But I just couldn't risk it. Instead I forced myself to wait as she ordered, to wait as they made her drink, and then finally to wait for her to go. By the time she was gone my heart was racing,far faster than necessary for operations. Only after she had been gone for a full one hundred seconds was I able to calm down.
Suddenly I couldn't bear to stay here any longer. I got up and fled the restaurant, leaving my drink behind. That was too close a call. Just seeing her and hearing her voice was almost enough incentive to give myself up. I needed to get as far away as I could. Thankfully MegaTokyo has a population around 13 million. If I couldn't get lost here, I don't think I could manage it anywhere.
After that close call I took another ride on the MegaTokyo loop line to give myself time to think. Unfortunately it wasn't working. Although isolated and alone in my mind, the lingering pheromones of humanity permeated the train car. The distraction was growing stronger with each passing moment.
So instead of thinking about what I should or could do I found myself focused on a young dark haired man standing across from me. He leaned close to his companion, almost but not quite touching her. I could feel a vicarious thrill building inside. Lean forward damn it! Touch her hair, brush your fingers along her arm, do something! It was hard to watch and not to scream advice at him.
I wasn't sure if I wished I were him, or her, my own thoughts too muddled by envy and confusion from my own situation to decide. The only choice left was to flee as the train pulled into a station. Stumbling out onto the platform I took deep breaths of fresh, clean air. Panting as if I had just finished a marathon I angled my path, slipping out of the exiting crowd to huddle at the end of the platform in blissful isolation.
Starting to calm down I had to fight hard to forget the slight smile on the woman's face. And I was still thinking about the way the light reflected in the man's eyes when the next train rumbled to a stop. As it disgorged its own human bounty that finally provided enough stimuli to break me out of the trap my perfect recall held me in.
I was a bit surprised as one common denominator about the passengers occurred to me. Everyone getting off the train was young, the oldest in their early twenties. My curiosity had me slipping unobtrusively into line behind the last of them and I followed the flow from the station before realizing why: college. This stop served the main campus of Tokyo University, and as I contemplated the surroundings, I realized I had somehow found a hiding spot without looking.
I didn't stand out, not by age, or hair color, not even for carrying a backpack filled with all my worldly possessions. While I did get my fair share of admiring glances I am a 33-S, and that was something I've grown used to. Although even there I wasn't unique. Enough other pretty young women walked the campus that I could blend in with only a little effort.
Following mechanically in the wake of the human exodus a though came to me. If this is where I could blend in, then why not stay? I enjoyed college, and now I had a second chance. Who would look for me here? Certainly until this very moment I hadn't considered it at all. Nene, Sylia, and the other Knight Sabers knowing the truth about me would probably consider it even less.
The decision on where to hide lead quickly to how could I do it? Times like this I missed my smart phone. I had a lot of research to do, and only a little time to do it before living as a vagrant for a week made all my options more difficult.
Fortunately a pretty face is always a pretty face and tracking down the nearest computer lab wasn't difficult. With a smile I inveigled my way inside. The poor student worker could hardly find his tongue around me. Only a little more effort got me a temporary log in ID because I had lost mine and I was set up in the back. Starting a game of solitaire with a fraction of my attention the rest of me dipped a figurative toe into the local area network.
Avoiding network security felt like doing the limbo while blind. I could see where I needed to be, but had to contort my efforts to get there without making a mistake and touching an invisible bar. Going slowly though I was able to hear the obstacles in my path, they sounded something like cicadas. Once I was finished avoiding the lab's tracking I stretched letting myself feel for the light tingling itch that indicated the way to secure servers.
I imagined myself smiling as I found them. I could hardly have picked a better time to do this, at least for my purposes. It was late March almost the end of the school year and hundreds, no thousands of new entries were being made daily for those students moving up a grade or that would start the new year in April. Making myself one of them was simple, a little copy and paste to make sure I had all the codes correct and voila!
Feeling especially clever I registered myself as a sophomore. Not only could I skip a lot of classes that would be nothing but boring make-work, but if anyone did look for me they would probably expect a freshman. Instead I took extra time to make sure to get my cover just right. I trolled through the databases, examining and fabricating details everywhere records for having attended classes should be.
The final details were more difficult, and I knew I would have to make at least one more visit before I could be sure I had them correct. Financial aid, and a dorm assignment. Picking out and applying for scholarships looked like it could be done entirely electronically but I had to be sure they wouldn't want to talk to any of my previous professors to check on my suitability. I didn't even want to think of what kind of a mess that might cause.
Moving on to housing I had more luck. Taking advantage of my theoretical change in seniority; I submitted a fully legitimate request to change to single living. Granting it was as simple as checking an electronic box. I figuratively sat back and let the computer work to find my new room and update my records.
3 hours 2 minutes and 12.4 seconds later and I was done. I had a room assignment, student ID#, real log in and email address. And everything was postdated for authenticity including a year's history of classes, attendance and grades. Stretching I disconnected and worked out the slight kinks and achy feeling that had grown in my limbs from sitting so long, subtle reminders that no matter what else had changed I was still living on borrowed time.
At first keeping to myself was easy. All the other students were busy studying for finals that I didn't actually have to attend. Instead I spent most of the time hiding in my room, afraid to go out in case the Knight Sabers somehow spotted me or I was recognized as an imposter by the other students.
However as the last few days of term ticked by I grew antsy. That's really the only word to describe it. I could hear students in the hall, in neighboring dorms, talking, playing, and living. The solitude ate at me. If this was going to be my life I could have stayed locked in the Knight Sabers basement. I actually got more social interaction there then I was getting right now!
I started with short little visits to the common room. Meeting my neighbors and spending an hour or two talking about classes or friends. Managing to keep the topic of conversation off me was trivial with my instincts. And having lived through college before, slipping comfortably back into the social life of the dorm was a snap.
It was almost enough to make me forget about Nene and the others. The gnawing sensation in the back of my mind was quiet while I was with Nanami, Sakura, or their friends. But when I was alone, in bed or with time to think it always returned. I was safe here. The students didn't suspect anything and I felt the chances of the Knight Sabers stumbling upon me fell every day.
The only problem I couldn't solve was once again my lack of bone marrow. Or more particularly, the breakdown of my fluidics system without a way to replace the dying cells. Cautiously at first I searched the net for solutions, particularly synthetic blood substitutes. But although all the components were available there was no possibility of my being able to synthesize one, even with the chemical composition available. With growing desperation I realized Mr. Flint had been right. There really was no source of synthetic fluid 8100D available.
A transfusion was looking more and more like it was the only option but I wasn't sure how to get one. I was positive trying to schedule one online or in a hospital would be noticed. That had to be the first thing Sylia set Nene to monitor. Still if I couldn't find another solution soon I might have to try anyway. I wasn't quite at the low I reached before Irene was attacked but was getting close, and the deterioration was starting to speed up.
More worryingly the lethargy it imposed was starting to become obvious to my new friends.
"Alice-chan, come on, please?" Nanmi begged, taking my hand as she pretended to drag me towards the door. "Everyone's going to be there. We need to celebrate and unwind. Plus you look like you could use some fun, a night out is just the thing!"
I tried shaking my head and pulling free but she was like a leech. It would take more than a token effort to get out of her clutches. "Nanami-san, you know I don't like going out, and this is the only time I'll have to relax before classes start again next week."
Not accepting my argument she actually pulled me up to my feet. It wasn't really that impressive a feat given she overtopped me by at least 15 centimeters but it did showcase her determination.
"No way. I'm not going to let you use that as an excuse now. I know your type. Once classes start you'll be claiming you can't go out because they taking all your time. You know what you need? You need something to pick you up before class can wear you down. You're coming with us, and that's final."
Well, in her head it might have been, but I was yet to be convinced. At least until I realized that next week I honestly might not have the energy to go out. This could be my last chance. Besides, I hadn't caught a peep of Nene since accidently spying on her in Starbucks. "Fine, fine I'm coming, but I draw the line at dressing up."
"That's just fine, you'll fit in alright with how your dressed anyway, now come on let's get the others." And so my last passive effort of getting out of it failed as well.
I glanced down wondering where in Tokyo we were headed that jeans and a t-shirt were perfectly acceptable alongside the more fashionable mini-skirt and blouse she had on. Oh well, it's not like it was my problem, and besides, I'm a starving college student now. It's my prerogative to get away with a lot less than a salary woman can.
Of course as I followed the rest of my classmates off the train I felt my feet start to slow as perfect recall helped me recognize the stop. Only one possible destination came to mind in this ratty neighborhood, Hot Legs.
As we walked through the falling dusk, flickering streetlights tried valiantly to light the trash lined street. The prominent glow of neon only added to the feeling of grunge as we approached the entrance to the club. "Nanami, I don't think this is a good idea… maybe we should go somewhere else." I resisted the light tug on my arm as I let doubt color my tone.
"Oh don't be a spoil sport, it'll be fine. We've been here loads." Improperly guessing the source of my disquiet she went on. "I know it doesn't look nice but we'll be fine, it really isn't that bad."
"Riiight" I said dubiously as we passed a row of bikes covered with gang logos. Actually the trouble I was afraid of wasn't them. But even though I privately agreed we should be safe, as long as we were careful of what we drank, I didn't want to set one foot inside Priss' stomping grounds. "And the biker gang is full of fluffy bunnies?"
"Don't be a spoil sport Alice-san," Sakura chided her hand warm against my back as she pushed lightly to keep me from slowing the rest of them up any further. Of course my ability to manipulate people would abandon me now.
Heart pounding faster, I could feel myself gearing up for a confrontation even as I made good use of my short stature to hide behind my friends to avoid one. Slipping inside, the smoke and smell of alcohol poured over us like a wave carried on a deep baseline rhythm. It infected my friends with excitement, but it was the pheromones that struck me an almost physical blow.
Reeling mentally from the concentrated humanity I still managed to sigh in relief when I didn't recognize the thrum of the music, and through breaks in the crowd saw no sign of Priss or her band. She wasn't playing tonight, it was safe.
Unfortunately my relief was a bit premature.
Unlike Linna and Nene, Nanami and Sakura weren't willing to just let me hide in a corner and I soon found myself in the middle of the dance floor, head reeling and body moving on instinct. It was all I could do to stick near my new friends rather than let one of the men nearby sweep me away. At least now I really can dance...
Two songs later and shaking like a junkie I managed to drag Nanami aside. From my last glimpse of Sakura and how surrounded she was there would be no way to get her off that dance floor short of midnight.
Excitement, need, jealousy, arousal, and confusion I was picking up a veritable maelstrom of feelings and desires from my companion. Enough that I didn't really remember why I had pulled her from the dance floor to begin with. She really was cute, a small piece of my mind, the part not currently trying to process what she wanted most from me noticed.
Before I could finish that thought I found my arms around her, head resting on her shoulder as I subtly guided her further, into a dim corner, lips only inches from her bare neck. It didn't matter that she was taller, and probably stronger than me. She was putty in my hands.
Only as the salt taste on her skin met my tongue did my eyes fly wide with realization of what I was doing. The haze of instinctive behavior that had descended over me shattered. Swallowing nervously I stepped back, fingers brushing along her arms as I tilted my head up to see her wide brown eyes blinking hesitantly.
-85% certain subject receptive to advance-, and I wasn't quite sure I could stop myself from making one. Only the sudden impression of green and disappointment stopped me short of meeting those lips with my own. Trying to play it off I spoke up, ruthlessly killing the blush response my body wanted to engage.
"Sorry Nanami-Chan, the dancing can get to be a bit much, I just needed a break!" My voice intentionally loud, but while that might have excused leaning against her for balance or as if for a kiss, it did nothing to explain away suckling at her neck.
At least she was just as discombobulated by the events as I was. It was easy to see even in the poor light, how her shoulders hunched, arms held close before her, and her eyes darted about unwilling to meet mine. -Behavior indicates frustration and defensive uncertainty, 89% certain subject will take action in next 60 seconds.-
While I couldn't hear her heart thumping beneath the noise I could certainly see her pulse racing against the delicate skin of her neck. Nanmi swayed minutely toward me then back, almost in tune with the shifting thoughts I could see passing behind her eyes. Did I want her? Did she want me? Was it a joke? Was I serious before and lying now?
The complexity of emotion was enough to captivate me entirely as I tried to analyze just what she was feeling and caused me to stand before her almost frozen as well, the pair of us caught in a cycle of mutual indecision.
It was broken, 53 seconds later a smug piece of me noted, when her arms curled around me and she snatched me tight, her lips dipping down to meet mine. Instinctively I tilted my head back to meet her half way as I recognized her intentions. It was soft, warm, gentle, tight, wrong yet ever so natural.
I had previously noticed that thanks to my new nature I don't really have to breathe, at least nowhere near as often as a regular person. It should have given me an unfair advantage. Nanami seemed to be somehow able to match me in that without enhancement of any kind.
Time seemed to blur, it was electric, thrilling and consuming. When we did finally stop for air I couldn't help but feel ashamed. Here I was taking advantage. Nanami was young, inexperienced, and I felt drawn to her as though she were a siren. I was so absorbed in what was happening I missed the change of the band as she took my hand with a smile.
Drawing me back to the dance floor we began to move to the beat. It was low, primal and a subtle wrongness tickled at the back of my mind. It was the flagging exhaustion that finally broke me from the trance like focus dancing with Nanami had inspired.
The first thing I realized as I took my eyes off her flushed cheeks and dilated eyes was that I recognized this song. Swallowing I drew Nanami closer and tried to guide us off the floor unobtrusively. "I'm sorry I've got to go I can't keep this up any longer." The excuse, no matter how true it might be, sounded weak on my lips.
"But Alice…" Nanami started to protest before wiping at the sweat on her forehead and giving me a wide grin. "Maybe you do have a point." Glancing around for the others and not spotting them she bit her lip before nodding a decision made. "Let's just head back alone then, okay?" Only the need to nearly yell to be heard kept her from making the proposition in the tone of voice I could tell she wanted to use.
"That sounds great!" My consent sadly was only partially in response to her enthusiasm, the rest based on the sensation of something crawling slowly up my spine. As we neared the door I just couldn't resist and looked back. My gaze unerringly found Priss and our eyes locked.
The surprise and shock of recognition in her eyes was followed quickly by anger and disgust. To her credit her performance only faltered slightly but then her music has always had a bite of anger that seeing me only fueled.
Remembering the outcome of the fight we had didn't help my peace of mind. As I practically dragged Nanami the rest of the way out I could feel Priss' gaze like a physical thing resting on my shoulders. I was just grateful she didn't have a gun up there, or a hardsuit.
The trip home was unnerving. Not just because of the specter of the Knight Sabers stalking my path but by how close Nanami was sitting, and how, out of control I felt around her. One part of me wanted nothing more than to draw her close, into my lap preferably, to lean her back, dip my head down and kiss, no ravish her.
The logical part of my mind argued that I hardly knew her, she was too young, the differences between us too vast, my secrets too large. However it was only a quiet little voice that provided the final incentive to stop. Calling out gently that it would be a betrayal that helped me stay in my seat, hands to myself.
Of course that didn't necessarily mean the same for Nanami who was fidgeting clearly uncertain how to regain the feelings she had found in the club. As the kilometers quickly passed the tension in my shoulders began to fade, while I was amused to notice the strain in Nanami's grew. -79% certain subject nervousness due to lack of continued affection. Options to alleviate, take hand and squeeze 77% certain to calm, take hand to kiss 69% certain to inflame.-
I sat a few moments longer trying to decide what to do. But soon enough I was giving her hand a gentle touch. "Nanami-chan, thank you for taking me dancing. It was fun, and a little overwhelming. You're nice, and attractive, but I'm not really sure if…" Watching closely I saw the exact moment she realized I was giving her the brush off.
Her expression was priceless. Upset and offended I was cutting it off. A bit of uncertainty over if she wanted me to. Her face revealing frustrated desire mixed with gratitude that she wouldn't have to make a decision. -89% certain subject virgin, repressed bisexual tendencies 74% certain.- "Well I'm not sure if I'm ready to take that next step, even with a girl as nice as you are, and definitely not tonight." I finished.
Before she could make up her mind over if she was angry or sad I went on. "Maybe we could go out again sometime, after we've had a chance to think about it a little?"
That brought a slight smile and relieved nod, as well as a gentle squeeze on my hand. The last minute of our trip was thus spent in comfortable serenity, the tension between us defused for the moment. The rattle of the tracks, the hum of conversation and the general mayhem of a large city combined into a pleasant backdrop for our journey home.
Stepping off the platform still hand in hand we walked together for about a hundred yards, -97.45 meters-, beating my estimate by a good 5% before Nanami's growing self-consciousness had her let go under threat of being spotted by classmates. Parting at the door to my room I scooted her along with a smile, one perfect for putting her at ease because it was designed that way.
"I'll see you in the morning Na-chan, sleep well." And then my door was closed, cutting me off from sight and sound of her. Lying back in bed I lifted my hand up to my nose, still enveloped with her scent. It was nice putting me in mind of cinnamon but nothing like the spearmint I longed for.
No matter that I needed to decide how to handle Nanami in the morning now that she wasn't physically present I couldn't get Priss out of my head. Seeing her again at the club, the recognition in her eyes when she spotted me, the anger. Irrational as it was I missed it, missed her. How was she doing, was she okay, were Nene, Lina?
Pulse still racing, from my contact with Nanami, thoughts of Priss, and my degrading fluidics supply I finally gave up on rest. I hurled my pillow across the nearly empty room to hit the far wall. Getting up I was out the door and on the subway before I even realized my plan.
Or rather lack of one. I was going to see Priss. Not figuratively, there was no way I was going to walk up and talk to her, just, literally. I would just take a peek. See that she was alright. If she was, then the others probably were too, Linna, Sylia, Nene. I just had to know they were okay.
That decision calmed me down enough to start paying attention and recognize how late or rather early it was getting. The subway was almost abandoned aside from drunks and gangers.
Getting off I longed momentarily for a gun. Not because I wanted to use one, but because simply being armed would keep a certain proportion of trouble away at this time of night. As my feet lead me inexorably back to Hot Legs I found myself sticking to the shadows more and more as something didn't feel right. -87% certain baseline not associated with Replicant's portfolio.- Of course, that's what was bugging me, Priss wasn't on stage anymore, and that meant she could be anywhere, even…
I stopped and looked down the shadowed ally behind the club, breath catching in my throat as I saw it wasn't empty. If I had taken even four more steps I would have been in plain view. As my vision quickly adjusted for the darkness I recognized Priss talking with another woman.
They were just outside the back door of the club, beside a pair of high quality racing bikes. I was about to dismiss the second woman as unimportant when I realized I recognized her. Not a Knight Saber, she was too tall for Nene, too curvy in her riding gear to be Linna, and her hair was both too long and a light brown rather than Sylia's black.
No, what I recognized was that she was a 33-S! Where I was of the short cute somatotype she was a tall leggy sexy model. My mouth instantly went dry. What was she doing here, why was Priss with her, talking, even smiling? She couldn't know could she?
Falling back behind the corner of the building I leaned back against it for support. I needed the assistance as blood thundered in my veins, my pulse increasing to help support the signals from the half of my mind that wanted to run or fight.
Before I could make up my mind on that Priss swept past my hiding spot amid the throaty growl of a well-honed engine. She was headed I was unsurprised to see in the direction of the Silky Doll and Sylia. No doubt about to report sighting me, the hunt was back on.
This is a dumb idea, a terrible plan, you shouldn't do this, and it's going to end poorly. These thoughts raced around my mind in circles as I stepped into the ally. My footfalls were light and quick, seemingly filled with confidence as I strode up to my taller counterpart.
Hearing me approach she looked up and paused. "Anri? No..." she corrected herself almost immediately, her eyes darting to check the exits and I could see her tensing to move. -Subject 33-S motion analysis indicates compression of operational speed and activation of conflict management system; warning unable to match compression for greater than one minute due to fluidics deterioration.-
"Wait, it's okay, I don't mean you any harm." My voice was smooth, giving no hint at the butterflies in my stomach. -Subject dropping out of conflict management programing returning to ordinary operation level.- Holding up my hands I approached her slowly not wanting to spook her any more than I already had.
Wondering all the while if there was a secret handshake I settled for an introduction instead. "Hi I'm Kari." There was no reason to lie, either she was with the Knight Sabers and would report my fake name, an acceptable risk, or she was hiding the truth from them and wouldn't go talking about another rogue 33-S.
"I'm not going back." Her voice was firm, but I could tell she was still uneasy, tense and ready to run the moment I made a false move.
"It's okay, I'm not with them." a quick nod of my head in the direction of Genom Tower, visible even from here. Making a split second decision I smiled. "It's a relief to meet another free… sister."
That was obviously the right thing to say. Her entire body language shifted, and I realized suddenly that we were talking with extra bandwidth. Together we shared an entire secondary language so completely in our ability to read posture, movement and physiological ques that there was another entire layer to our conversation.
Now that I was paying attention I could see that we were now both, guarded but optimistic, and trending toward reconciliation and trust. Intentionally shifting my posture, dropping the guarded optimism in favor of open trust her reaction was immediate, and I knew how she would answer before I even finished my question.
"Would you like to go somewhere we can talk more openly?" I felt a little bad, lying with my body like that. I didn't really trust her so soon but by all indications the appearance of doing so had immediately earned her faith. Her posture matched mine, -99% certain subject trustworthy.- Only my lifetime before let me realize that the remaining 1% was just as important to keep in mind.
Nodding she offered a delicately crafted hand to me. "I'm Sylvie; it's great to meet you." Taking it we shook, conveying friendship, trust, and the acknowledging the deep bond linking each of us to the other. "I have a place, get on I'll drive." Her smile was blindingly happy even in the dark of the ally.
I had to hop up to mount the bike behind her, my legs not long enough to reach the ground. Leaning in against her back I wrapped my arms tight across the thick leather of her bike suits stomach and held on. A part of me said it should be an intimate pose but it felt entirely sisterly.
It was an interesting experience in trust. On the one hand I felt I should be terrified. We were whipping through the city streets as Sylvie drove like a maniac. On the other I felt perfectly safe pressed tightly to her back. I could hear her heartbeat, slightly elevated, like mine but clearly under no strain but for the heightened awareness our special metabolisms can give us.
Pulling up to a crumbling apartment building near the fault zone Sylvie helped me down before regarding me closely. "It's alright, you can relax we're safe here." Her own pulse slowing to normal levels, even as my own remained elevated.
"What? I know." I offered her a smile, my entire posture relaying my ease in her company. I could tell she was a little confused and starting to get nervous. My mind raced trying to figure out what was wrong and it was only as her pulse began to increase that it dawned on me.
"Oh, I'm sorry," I flushed, somehow admitting my problem felt shameful. "I, my systems require the increased flow to maintain operating at standard levels." Saying it felt like ash in my mouth. I was admitting to both weakness and being a machine at the same time.
The hug I got for my trouble however made it well worth the discomfort. "I'm so sorry Kari." The warmth of her embrace sinking through my thin shirt and warming skin still chill from the ride. "I didn't even realize…"
Stepping back and holding me at arm's length her eyes widened in surprise. "Then, those glasses aren't a disguise either are they?" A hint of horror tinged her voice. At the slight shake of my head she gasped. "What happened? No, wait, let's go inside there's someone else you should meet and we can talk freely."
At the slight bunching of muscles in my back she gave a gentle squeeze. "It's okay, you're safe with me." Slipping an arm through mine as if to escort me to a dance Sylvie escorted me into the building. Leading me upstairs to a battered but still solid door, it was a moment's work before it was unlocked and we stepped inside.
Forewarned I didn't gasp or stumble when I saw her. Instead I offered a slight welcoming twitch of my lips and stopped. Looking her over from head to toe I understood now why Sylvie had for just a moment thought I was her companion in the alleyway.
Dressed, or rather not, in panties and undershirt Anri and I were identical below the neck. Thankfully, though our faces were alike our designers had introduced enough differences that it wasn't quite like looking in a mirror, just, eerily similar. Her face a bit softer and rounder than mine and her hair, an odd green shade, reached down past her shoulders, much as mine had before I cut it.
"Anri this is Kari, Kari Anri." Sylvie introduced us quickly letting social programing guide the interaction as she closed and locked the door behind me. She didn't bother stating the obvious.
Anri was examining me just as closely and so when our eyes finally met it was with a mutual little laugh. Extending my hand she took it after just a moment and we shook her pulse fluttering if anything even more rapidly than my own.
Stepping back from her there was a half second of hesitation as we both realized the other was about to speak, and then with a subtle shift of her chin she indicated I should go first. "I wasn't really expecting to meet another sister today, much less two. How long have you been here, how did you get free? What's it like for you, I just have so many questions."
One of which coming to mind was how Anri had been injured, damaged. A large gauze pad taped to her side peaked into view beneath the thin cotton of her top.
Anri waved me to join her, sitting on the edge of a large western style bed, one of the few furnishings in the dimly lit and rather dirty single room apartment. Though I could tell she was burning up with questions she managed to restrain herself and tackled my flurry one at a time.
"This will go better if we take turns. We've been in MegaTokyo for almost a week now. We escaped from Genaros. Freedom is wonderful just not everything we hoped. Only Sylvie can really go out, I'm too badly damaged. But once I'm fixed we're going to leave the city, leave Japan itself." Despite the problems she sounded upbeat and optimistic.
"But what about you? How long have you been free? I didn't know any of us were left alive on earth. They told us we were the last ones when we were taken up to Genaros. Are you from a foreign market? I met a few from Europe that also shake hands."
Nodding I considered her questions sequentially as she paused to let me speak. "I've been free for months now, but it hasn't been easy. I was programed for the west; I guess shaking hands is just too ingrained to completely forget." I might have said more but it was obvious Sylvie had a question.
"Does that mean you have access to 8100D?" A quick glance at Anri's injury explained her interest in our approved fluidics source. The hope in her tone was unmistakable.
"I'm sorry no, I don't. I have to use blood transfusions, it's part of the reason why I'm not running optimally and have to wear glasses." My news clearly dashing her hopes.
"That's unfortunate; with a fresh supply I'm sure we could have repaired Anri swiftly. It will take weeks using fresh blood to achieve similar results."
"You have access to fresh blood?" I asked, blinking, the solution to my own problems suddenly coming into view.
Sylvie smiled at me, but there wasn't even a hint of compassion in her eyes as she answered. "Of course, it's all around us, we just need to take it." -Subject exhibiting no emotional conflict over proposed course of action.- It felt as though a stone was suddenly lodged in my stomach and my expression must have given something away because she hurried on to try and reassure me.
"It's alright, it's safe, perfectly so." Leaning in she whispered, "We have a battlemover."
"A what?" I asked, hoping that she wasn't really saying what I thought she was. But because of the sinking feeling in my gut, I locked myself out of my own autonomous reactions and engaged my socialization instincts in their place. -Provide positive feedback and show appreciation for subject's achievement.-
"A battlemover, it makes gathering blood safe and easy."
"That's amazing" I heard myself gush at her. "But, aren't you worried you might get caught?" The concern over her wellbeing was thick in my voice as I leaned forward and clasped her hands. Almost exactly as expected she shook her head willing, even eager to confide in me and I realized that she was reacting exactly as predicted, -societal cues following stochastic model with 99.8% accuracy.-
I realized she was doing the exact same thing I was, only, for her it wasn't a cover. It was the only guide she had on how to behave and it never occurred to her to do otherwise. She shook her head smiling, her demeanor that of a confident sharing a secret, or a joke. "Humans are careless. It's easy to find one isolated, and get away before their police respond. It's nothing like Genaros. There are hardly any camera's here and none where I hide the DD. Don't worry, I'm careful."
Nodding along I let out a sigh of relief and offered the expected reassured smile. "That's good to hear. Just," I felt like chewing on my lip nervously, and after a moment put a bit of concern and fear into my posture. "I worry that if you do something like that too much they might start hunting for you. Can you, be more cautious, go slower?"
I shot Anri an apologetic gaze. "I know it will take longer to fix you, but it's safer that way." I breathed a silent sigh of relief when after a brief moment looking at one another the pair nodded in synch though it was clear they weren't happy with the idea. However making me happy was important to them.
"Alright Kari, I'll, slow down and be more careful. You've been here longer, and I guess it's better to be safe and sure. Does attacking a few humans really bring that much attention?" Sylvie asked. The lack of compassion, of recognition that there might be the slightest moral issue with her activities left me feeling if anything more isolated than before.
Here they were, my sisters, perhaps some of the only other people in the world I could relate to and they were like… this. I wanted to cry. Killers, my sisters were killers and I didn't have even the slightest idea how to explain what they were doing was wrong!
5-11-2017
Stepping outside, the darkness didn't seem to fill the promise that finally gaining my freedom had inspired. Always before escape had meant sunlight and fresh air; the liberty to spread my wings and escape into a wide blue sky.
Tonight it gave me everything but. It was dark, the stars were shrouded in murky clouds, and only a few lights twinkled against a sullen overcast sky. Moving quietly I felt like a thief in the night. I didn't walk triumphant, but skulked as though my escape were something shameful. Slinking down into a subway station I wondered. Yes I was free, but what was the cost? Discreetly jumping the stile I got on the first train before taking the time to really consider the question.
I couldn't be Kari Ceallaigh anymore. She had died in Irene's apartment, or would die if the Knight Sabers ever found her again. I couldn't be Amber as I'm sure Mr. Flint would notice and find me if that identity were being used. I could only assume the last of the identities I had created. Unfortunately Alice Delaney only existed on paper, and due to my own lack of foresight I didn't have an MPI card, or stash of money squirreled away for this kind of emergency.
I felt like crying.
Stopping at the first ATM I found I liquidated Kari Ceallaigh's account, or rather as much of it as I could. I got enough yen to last a little while but there was no way I would risk trying to get the rest by hopping from machine to machine. Even this withdrawal would show Nene which way I went, and the fewer bread crumbs I left the better.
I blinked back the tears that thinking about her caused. No matter how disappointed she would be I couldn't go back so instead I swallowed and moved on. The subway was my ally. It was empty at this hour and I travelled all night taking short catnaps, switching from one line to the next at random hoping to inexorably tangle my escape.
Unfortunately with dawn throngs of humanity began to join me. The previously safe tubes filling with the cloying scent of humanity. Even starved for social interaction as I was, the faceless masses were repulsive. I got off quickly and escaped to the surface. I stood in the cleaner air on the street corner, my body still shaking in response to the unspoken sea of wants needs and desires as I gathered myself. Taking several breaths my lips turned down in a frown.
What I wanted wouldn't be found this way. Forcing myself to move, I let myself ponder. Humanity needs food, water, and shelter to survive. For something like me I think companionship may be just as important. How long could a 33-S go without it? Would I go berserk, waste away, or just philosophize myself to death in the meantime?
This wasn't helping. Moving with a purpose greater than simply getting myself lost, I finally found a cyber café. This time though I had more in mind than trying to look up lost friends as I headed inside to pay for an hour.
I hesitated took a breath then dove in. This time I found skirting the store's tracking software easy. Setting aside a fraction of my attention to play internet games was enough to divert the security and let me get on with the rest of my plan unmonitored.
The government's server was just as vulnerable today as the first time I had stumbled into it months ago, but with one small difference. As I cautiously entered I almost stumbled into a trap. I got the impression of barbed netting that I almost didn't notice in time. My synapses seemed to tingle with how close it was. If I had gone in that way I doubt I could have gotten out again. Even if I had the effort would definitely make its progenitor aware of my trespass.
Nene had been here before me. The thought made warm little shivers run through my mental presence as if I could detect the lingering spearmint of her presence in the server around me.
But this step was too important to give up. I needed an ID if I was going to live as anything other than a criminal. Finding another way in was tricky but impossible. Luckily I have a major advantage over Ne-chan in this contest.
I could remember exactly what my old MPA card had for biometric readings, and having worked with the department intimately knew just how much leeway the scanning machines would provide. All I needed was to make a card close enough that I could pass automated tests and sensors without using readings that were a copy of the information Nene already has access to. This way she wouldn't be able to simply pluck my new name out of a database by searching for my old information.
Inserting the information for my new identity took only a few moments. I would have to pick up the printed card in person, but without a place to mail it was the only option I had for retrieval.
The Prefectural office I chose was small, dingy and I had to double check the cracked sign to make sure I was in the right place. It had taken three trains, each increasingly barren and worn, to get here. Poor planning maybe but it was also the furthest I could get from the Silky Doll and still technically be in the bounds of MegaTokyo. Inside the office was little better, dingy windows, and a dusty floor. Only a trail leading to the desk was brushed relatively clean by infrequent visitors.
Making my way along the cleared path I stopped before the worn boomer serving the desk. A thin film of grime coated its non-moving parts. I carefully avoided touching the counter. I might be homeless now but I still had standards and looking like a hobo was against all of them.
"Alice Delaney, here to pick up my replacement card." I said, extending my hand to let it verify my false identity.
While old and highly specialized this boomer was good at its job. And stable, unlike me. In moments it finished its scan with a chime. A slightly concerning rattle echoed for a few moments before a card dropped out of a slot beside the boomer. "Alice Delaney, here is your card, have a nice day."
Finished with my errand I paused, looking back over my shoulder as the door swung shut behind me the boomer remaining serenely alone as it waited for its next visitor.
Was it happy? Would I be as comfortable, as content if I went back to Mr. Flint for a life of service? The disturbing thought swirled in my mind. Turning away, footsteps sounding against the cement walk I shook my head. No, that kind of serenity was beyond my reach. I had a sudden epiphany; it might even be why my model didn't last in the real world. We were made too human to be content with what life gave us.
Heading back into MegaTokyo I tried to decide where to hide. As tempting as the outskirts were, there just weren't enough people to camouflage me there. A beautiful woman moving in would be noticed, and both jobs and housing would be harder to find. Unfortunately once back on the subway system I let myself get too absorbed thinking in circles, my subconscious guiding my steps.
That's what kept me from realizing just where I had chosen to sit and consider my future. Then I caught a glimpse of bright red hair; -attention subject Nene Romanova present-, my subconscious informed, dragging my thoughts back to earth. The warning came just in time. I scooted back trying not to be noticed. Blinking I groaned settling deeper into the shadows of the booth I found myself in. The morning light streaming through the windows illuminating the coffee shop and brought a surreal quality to my surroundings.
A quick stolen peek around the edge of the booth confirmed what I already knew. Nene was here, now, and I was an idiot for having let myself choose this Starbucks to host my existential meditations. A large sign proudly advertised the building across the way as AD Police Headquarters. Just how had I let myself ignore a nine story, -42.52- meter, tall sign?
I caught myself squirming at the sound of her voice as she ordered. Listening intently I could hear that she was dejected about something, -78% certain subject depressed due to tone and inflection.- Even if my instincts weren't positive the fact she ordered coffee without her customary frills would have been enough to make me certain I was right.
Staying still, waiting for her to go was hard. Every part of me wanted to jump up, to explain, to beg or plead for understanding and forgiveness. I didn't like hearing her upset. I didn't want to be the cause of her unhappiness! But I just couldn't risk it. Instead I forced myself to wait as she ordered, to wait as they made her drink, and then finally to wait for her to go. By the time she was gone my heart was racing,far faster than necessary for operations. Only after she had been gone for a full one hundred seconds was I able to calm down.
Suddenly I couldn't bear to stay here any longer. I got up and fled the restaurant, leaving my drink behind. That was too close a call. Just seeing her and hearing her voice was almost enough incentive to give myself up. I needed to get as far away as I could. Thankfully MegaTokyo has a population around 13 million. If I couldn't get lost here, I don't think I could manage it anywhere.
After that close call I took another ride on the MegaTokyo loop line to give myself time to think. Unfortunately it wasn't working. Although isolated and alone in my mind, the lingering pheromones of humanity permeated the train car. The distraction was growing stronger with each passing moment.
So instead of thinking about what I should or could do I found myself focused on a young dark haired man standing across from me. He leaned close to his companion, almost but not quite touching her. I could feel a vicarious thrill building inside. Lean forward damn it! Touch her hair, brush your fingers along her arm, do something! It was hard to watch and not to scream advice at him.
I wasn't sure if I wished I were him, or her, my own thoughts too muddled by envy and confusion from my own situation to decide. The only choice left was to flee as the train pulled into a station. Stumbling out onto the platform I took deep breaths of fresh, clean air. Panting as if I had just finished a marathon I angled my path, slipping out of the exiting crowd to huddle at the end of the platform in blissful isolation.
Starting to calm down I had to fight hard to forget the slight smile on the woman's face. And I was still thinking about the way the light reflected in the man's eyes when the next train rumbled to a stop. As it disgorged its own human bounty that finally provided enough stimuli to break me out of the trap my perfect recall held me in.
I was a bit surprised as one common denominator about the passengers occurred to me. Everyone getting off the train was young, the oldest in their early twenties. My curiosity had me slipping unobtrusively into line behind the last of them and I followed the flow from the station before realizing why: college. This stop served the main campus of Tokyo University, and as I contemplated the surroundings, I realized I had somehow found a hiding spot without looking.
I didn't stand out, not by age, or hair color, not even for carrying a backpack filled with all my worldly possessions. While I did get my fair share of admiring glances I am a 33-S, and that was something I've grown used to. Although even there I wasn't unique. Enough other pretty young women walked the campus that I could blend in with only a little effort.
Following mechanically in the wake of the human exodus a though came to me. If this is where I could blend in, then why not stay? I enjoyed college, and now I had a second chance. Who would look for me here? Certainly until this very moment I hadn't considered it at all. Nene, Sylia, and the other Knight Sabers knowing the truth about me would probably consider it even less.
The decision on where to hide lead quickly to how could I do it? Times like this I missed my smart phone. I had a lot of research to do, and only a little time to do it before living as a vagrant for a week made all my options more difficult.
Fortunately a pretty face is always a pretty face and tracking down the nearest computer lab wasn't difficult. With a smile I inveigled my way inside. The poor student worker could hardly find his tongue around me. Only a little more effort got me a temporary log in ID because I had lost mine and I was set up in the back. Starting a game of solitaire with a fraction of my attention the rest of me dipped a figurative toe into the local area network.
Avoiding network security felt like doing the limbo while blind. I could see where I needed to be, but had to contort my efforts to get there without making a mistake and touching an invisible bar. Going slowly though I was able to hear the obstacles in my path, they sounded something like cicadas. Once I was finished avoiding the lab's tracking I stretched letting myself feel for the light tingling itch that indicated the way to secure servers.
I imagined myself smiling as I found them. I could hardly have picked a better time to do this, at least for my purposes. It was late March almost the end of the school year and hundreds, no thousands of new entries were being made daily for those students moving up a grade or that would start the new year in April. Making myself one of them was simple, a little copy and paste to make sure I had all the codes correct and voila!
Feeling especially clever I registered myself as a sophomore. Not only could I skip a lot of classes that would be nothing but boring make-work, but if anyone did look for me they would probably expect a freshman. Instead I took extra time to make sure to get my cover just right. I trolled through the databases, examining and fabricating details everywhere records for having attended classes should be.
The final details were more difficult, and I knew I would have to make at least one more visit before I could be sure I had them correct. Financial aid, and a dorm assignment. Picking out and applying for scholarships looked like it could be done entirely electronically but I had to be sure they wouldn't want to talk to any of my previous professors to check on my suitability. I didn't even want to think of what kind of a mess that might cause.
Moving on to housing I had more luck. Taking advantage of my theoretical change in seniority; I submitted a fully legitimate request to change to single living. Granting it was as simple as checking an electronic box. I figuratively sat back and let the computer work to find my new room and update my records.
3 hours 2 minutes and 12.4 seconds later and I was done. I had a room assignment, student ID#, real log in and email address. And everything was postdated for authenticity including a year's history of classes, attendance and grades. Stretching I disconnected and worked out the slight kinks and achy feeling that had grown in my limbs from sitting so long, subtle reminders that no matter what else had changed I was still living on borrowed time.
At first keeping to myself was easy. All the other students were busy studying for finals that I didn't actually have to attend. Instead I spent most of the time hiding in my room, afraid to go out in case the Knight Sabers somehow spotted me or I was recognized as an imposter by the other students.
However as the last few days of term ticked by I grew antsy. That's really the only word to describe it. I could hear students in the hall, in neighboring dorms, talking, playing, and living. The solitude ate at me. If this was going to be my life I could have stayed locked in the Knight Sabers basement. I actually got more social interaction there then I was getting right now!
I started with short little visits to the common room. Meeting my neighbors and spending an hour or two talking about classes or friends. Managing to keep the topic of conversation off me was trivial with my instincts. And having lived through college before, slipping comfortably back into the social life of the dorm was a snap.
It was almost enough to make me forget about Nene and the others. The gnawing sensation in the back of my mind was quiet while I was with Nanami, Sakura, or their friends. But when I was alone, in bed or with time to think it always returned. I was safe here. The students didn't suspect anything and I felt the chances of the Knight Sabers stumbling upon me fell every day.
The only problem I couldn't solve was once again my lack of bone marrow. Or more particularly, the breakdown of my fluidics system without a way to replace the dying cells. Cautiously at first I searched the net for solutions, particularly synthetic blood substitutes. But although all the components were available there was no possibility of my being able to synthesize one, even with the chemical composition available. With growing desperation I realized Mr. Flint had been right. There really was no source of synthetic fluid 8100D available.
A transfusion was looking more and more like it was the only option but I wasn't sure how to get one. I was positive trying to schedule one online or in a hospital would be noticed. That had to be the first thing Sylia set Nene to monitor. Still if I couldn't find another solution soon I might have to try anyway. I wasn't quite at the low I reached before Irene was attacked but was getting close, and the deterioration was starting to speed up.
More worryingly the lethargy it imposed was starting to become obvious to my new friends.
"Alice-chan, come on, please?" Nanmi begged, taking my hand as she pretended to drag me towards the door. "Everyone's going to be there. We need to celebrate and unwind. Plus you look like you could use some fun, a night out is just the thing!"
I tried shaking my head and pulling free but she was like a leech. It would take more than a token effort to get out of her clutches. "Nanami-san, you know I don't like going out, and this is the only time I'll have to relax before classes start again next week."
Not accepting my argument she actually pulled me up to my feet. It wasn't really that impressive a feat given she overtopped me by at least 15 centimeters but it did showcase her determination.
"No way. I'm not going to let you use that as an excuse now. I know your type. Once classes start you'll be claiming you can't go out because they taking all your time. You know what you need? You need something to pick you up before class can wear you down. You're coming with us, and that's final."
Well, in her head it might have been, but I was yet to be convinced. At least until I realized that next week I honestly might not have the energy to go out. This could be my last chance. Besides, I hadn't caught a peep of Nene since accidently spying on her in Starbucks. "Fine, fine I'm coming, but I draw the line at dressing up."
"That's just fine, you'll fit in alright with how your dressed anyway, now come on let's get the others." And so my last passive effort of getting out of it failed as well.
I glanced down wondering where in Tokyo we were headed that jeans and a t-shirt were perfectly acceptable alongside the more fashionable mini-skirt and blouse she had on. Oh well, it's not like it was my problem, and besides, I'm a starving college student now. It's my prerogative to get away with a lot less than a salary woman can.
Of course as I followed the rest of my classmates off the train I felt my feet start to slow as perfect recall helped me recognize the stop. Only one possible destination came to mind in this ratty neighborhood, Hot Legs.
As we walked through the falling dusk, flickering streetlights tried valiantly to light the trash lined street. The prominent glow of neon only added to the feeling of grunge as we approached the entrance to the club. "Nanami, I don't think this is a good idea… maybe we should go somewhere else." I resisted the light tug on my arm as I let doubt color my tone.
"Oh don't be a spoil sport, it'll be fine. We've been here loads." Improperly guessing the source of my disquiet she went on. "I know it doesn't look nice but we'll be fine, it really isn't that bad."
"Riiight" I said dubiously as we passed a row of bikes covered with gang logos. Actually the trouble I was afraid of wasn't them. But even though I privately agreed we should be safe, as long as we were careful of what we drank, I didn't want to set one foot inside Priss' stomping grounds. "And the biker gang is full of fluffy bunnies?"
"Don't be a spoil sport Alice-san," Sakura chided her hand warm against my back as she pushed lightly to keep me from slowing the rest of them up any further. Of course my ability to manipulate people would abandon me now.
Heart pounding faster, I could feel myself gearing up for a confrontation even as I made good use of my short stature to hide behind my friends to avoid one. Slipping inside, the smoke and smell of alcohol poured over us like a wave carried on a deep baseline rhythm. It infected my friends with excitement, but it was the pheromones that struck me an almost physical blow.
Reeling mentally from the concentrated humanity I still managed to sigh in relief when I didn't recognize the thrum of the music, and through breaks in the crowd saw no sign of Priss or her band. She wasn't playing tonight, it was safe.
Unfortunately my relief was a bit premature.
Unlike Linna and Nene, Nanami and Sakura weren't willing to just let me hide in a corner and I soon found myself in the middle of the dance floor, head reeling and body moving on instinct. It was all I could do to stick near my new friends rather than let one of the men nearby sweep me away. At least now I really can dance...
Two songs later and shaking like a junkie I managed to drag Nanami aside. From my last glimpse of Sakura and how surrounded she was there would be no way to get her off that dance floor short of midnight.
Excitement, need, jealousy, arousal, and confusion I was picking up a veritable maelstrom of feelings and desires from my companion. Enough that I didn't really remember why I had pulled her from the dance floor to begin with. She really was cute, a small piece of my mind, the part not currently trying to process what she wanted most from me noticed.
Before I could finish that thought I found my arms around her, head resting on her shoulder as I subtly guided her further, into a dim corner, lips only inches from her bare neck. It didn't matter that she was taller, and probably stronger than me. She was putty in my hands.
Only as the salt taste on her skin met my tongue did my eyes fly wide with realization of what I was doing. The haze of instinctive behavior that had descended over me shattered. Swallowing nervously I stepped back, fingers brushing along her arms as I tilted my head up to see her wide brown eyes blinking hesitantly.
-85% certain subject receptive to advance-, and I wasn't quite sure I could stop myself from making one. Only the sudden impression of green and disappointment stopped me short of meeting those lips with my own. Trying to play it off I spoke up, ruthlessly killing the blush response my body wanted to engage.
"Sorry Nanami-Chan, the dancing can get to be a bit much, I just needed a break!" My voice intentionally loud, but while that might have excused leaning against her for balance or as if for a kiss, it did nothing to explain away suckling at her neck.
At least she was just as discombobulated by the events as I was. It was easy to see even in the poor light, how her shoulders hunched, arms held close before her, and her eyes darted about unwilling to meet mine. -Behavior indicates frustration and defensive uncertainty, 89% certain subject will take action in next 60 seconds.-
While I couldn't hear her heart thumping beneath the noise I could certainly see her pulse racing against the delicate skin of her neck. Nanmi swayed minutely toward me then back, almost in tune with the shifting thoughts I could see passing behind her eyes. Did I want her? Did she want me? Was it a joke? Was I serious before and lying now?
The complexity of emotion was enough to captivate me entirely as I tried to analyze just what she was feeling and caused me to stand before her almost frozen as well, the pair of us caught in a cycle of mutual indecision.
It was broken, 53 seconds later a smug piece of me noted, when her arms curled around me and she snatched me tight, her lips dipping down to meet mine. Instinctively I tilted my head back to meet her half way as I recognized her intentions. It was soft, warm, gentle, tight, wrong yet ever so natural.
I had previously noticed that thanks to my new nature I don't really have to breathe, at least nowhere near as often as a regular person. It should have given me an unfair advantage. Nanami seemed to be somehow able to match me in that without enhancement of any kind.
Time seemed to blur, it was electric, thrilling and consuming. When we did finally stop for air I couldn't help but feel ashamed. Here I was taking advantage. Nanami was young, inexperienced, and I felt drawn to her as though she were a siren. I was so absorbed in what was happening I missed the change of the band as she took my hand with a smile.
Drawing me back to the dance floor we began to move to the beat. It was low, primal and a subtle wrongness tickled at the back of my mind. It was the flagging exhaustion that finally broke me from the trance like focus dancing with Nanami had inspired.
The first thing I realized as I took my eyes off her flushed cheeks and dilated eyes was that I recognized this song. Swallowing I drew Nanami closer and tried to guide us off the floor unobtrusively. "I'm sorry I've got to go I can't keep this up any longer." The excuse, no matter how true it might be, sounded weak on my lips.
"But Alice…" Nanami started to protest before wiping at the sweat on her forehead and giving me a wide grin. "Maybe you do have a point." Glancing around for the others and not spotting them she bit her lip before nodding a decision made. "Let's just head back alone then, okay?" Only the need to nearly yell to be heard kept her from making the proposition in the tone of voice I could tell she wanted to use.
"That sounds great!" My consent sadly was only partially in response to her enthusiasm, the rest based on the sensation of something crawling slowly up my spine. As we neared the door I just couldn't resist and looked back. My gaze unerringly found Priss and our eyes locked.
The surprise and shock of recognition in her eyes was followed quickly by anger and disgust. To her credit her performance only faltered slightly but then her music has always had a bite of anger that seeing me only fueled.
Remembering the outcome of the fight we had didn't help my peace of mind. As I practically dragged Nanami the rest of the way out I could feel Priss' gaze like a physical thing resting on my shoulders. I was just grateful she didn't have a gun up there, or a hardsuit.
The trip home was unnerving. Not just because of the specter of the Knight Sabers stalking my path but by how close Nanami was sitting, and how, out of control I felt around her. One part of me wanted nothing more than to draw her close, into my lap preferably, to lean her back, dip my head down and kiss, no ravish her.
The logical part of my mind argued that I hardly knew her, she was too young, the differences between us too vast, my secrets too large. However it was only a quiet little voice that provided the final incentive to stop. Calling out gently that it would be a betrayal that helped me stay in my seat, hands to myself.
Of course that didn't necessarily mean the same for Nanami who was fidgeting clearly uncertain how to regain the feelings she had found in the club. As the kilometers quickly passed the tension in my shoulders began to fade, while I was amused to notice the strain in Nanami's grew. -79% certain subject nervousness due to lack of continued affection. Options to alleviate, take hand and squeeze 77% certain to calm, take hand to kiss 69% certain to inflame.-
I sat a few moments longer trying to decide what to do. But soon enough I was giving her hand a gentle touch. "Nanami-chan, thank you for taking me dancing. It was fun, and a little overwhelming. You're nice, and attractive, but I'm not really sure if…" Watching closely I saw the exact moment she realized I was giving her the brush off.
Her expression was priceless. Upset and offended I was cutting it off. A bit of uncertainty over if she wanted me to. Her face revealing frustrated desire mixed with gratitude that she wouldn't have to make a decision. -89% certain subject virgin, repressed bisexual tendencies 74% certain.- "Well I'm not sure if I'm ready to take that next step, even with a girl as nice as you are, and definitely not tonight." I finished.
Before she could make up her mind over if she was angry or sad I went on. "Maybe we could go out again sometime, after we've had a chance to think about it a little?"
That brought a slight smile and relieved nod, as well as a gentle squeeze on my hand. The last minute of our trip was thus spent in comfortable serenity, the tension between us defused for the moment. The rattle of the tracks, the hum of conversation and the general mayhem of a large city combined into a pleasant backdrop for our journey home.
Stepping off the platform still hand in hand we walked together for about a hundred yards, -97.45 meters-, beating my estimate by a good 5% before Nanami's growing self-consciousness had her let go under threat of being spotted by classmates. Parting at the door to my room I scooted her along with a smile, one perfect for putting her at ease because it was designed that way.
"I'll see you in the morning Na-chan, sleep well." And then my door was closed, cutting me off from sight and sound of her. Lying back in bed I lifted my hand up to my nose, still enveloped with her scent. It was nice putting me in mind of cinnamon but nothing like the spearmint I longed for.
No matter that I needed to decide how to handle Nanami in the morning now that she wasn't physically present I couldn't get Priss out of my head. Seeing her again at the club, the recognition in her eyes when she spotted me, the anger. Irrational as it was I missed it, missed her. How was she doing, was she okay, were Nene, Lina?
Pulse still racing, from my contact with Nanami, thoughts of Priss, and my degrading fluidics supply I finally gave up on rest. I hurled my pillow across the nearly empty room to hit the far wall. Getting up I was out the door and on the subway before I even realized my plan.
Or rather lack of one. I was going to see Priss. Not figuratively, there was no way I was going to walk up and talk to her, just, literally. I would just take a peek. See that she was alright. If she was, then the others probably were too, Linna, Sylia, Nene. I just had to know they were okay.
That decision calmed me down enough to start paying attention and recognize how late or rather early it was getting. The subway was almost abandoned aside from drunks and gangers.
Getting off I longed momentarily for a gun. Not because I wanted to use one, but because simply being armed would keep a certain proportion of trouble away at this time of night. As my feet lead me inexorably back to Hot Legs I found myself sticking to the shadows more and more as something didn't feel right. -87% certain baseline not associated with Replicant's portfolio.- Of course, that's what was bugging me, Priss wasn't on stage anymore, and that meant she could be anywhere, even…
I stopped and looked down the shadowed ally behind the club, breath catching in my throat as I saw it wasn't empty. If I had taken even four more steps I would have been in plain view. As my vision quickly adjusted for the darkness I recognized Priss talking with another woman.
They were just outside the back door of the club, beside a pair of high quality racing bikes. I was about to dismiss the second woman as unimportant when I realized I recognized her. Not a Knight Saber, she was too tall for Nene, too curvy in her riding gear to be Linna, and her hair was both too long and a light brown rather than Sylia's black.
No, what I recognized was that she was a 33-S! Where I was of the short cute somatotype she was a tall leggy sexy model. My mouth instantly went dry. What was she doing here, why was Priss with her, talking, even smiling? She couldn't know could she?
Falling back behind the corner of the building I leaned back against it for support. I needed the assistance as blood thundered in my veins, my pulse increasing to help support the signals from the half of my mind that wanted to run or fight.
Before I could make up my mind on that Priss swept past my hiding spot amid the throaty growl of a well-honed engine. She was headed I was unsurprised to see in the direction of the Silky Doll and Sylia. No doubt about to report sighting me, the hunt was back on.
This is a dumb idea, a terrible plan, you shouldn't do this, and it's going to end poorly. These thoughts raced around my mind in circles as I stepped into the ally. My footfalls were light and quick, seemingly filled with confidence as I strode up to my taller counterpart.
Hearing me approach she looked up and paused. "Anri? No..." she corrected herself almost immediately, her eyes darting to check the exits and I could see her tensing to move. -Subject 33-S motion analysis indicates compression of operational speed and activation of conflict management system; warning unable to match compression for greater than one minute due to fluidics deterioration.-
"Wait, it's okay, I don't mean you any harm." My voice was smooth, giving no hint at the butterflies in my stomach. -Subject dropping out of conflict management programing returning to ordinary operation level.- Holding up my hands I approached her slowly not wanting to spook her any more than I already had.
Wondering all the while if there was a secret handshake I settled for an introduction instead. "Hi I'm Kari." There was no reason to lie, either she was with the Knight Sabers and would report my fake name, an acceptable risk, or she was hiding the truth from them and wouldn't go talking about another rogue 33-S.
"I'm not going back." Her voice was firm, but I could tell she was still uneasy, tense and ready to run the moment I made a false move.
"It's okay, I'm not with them." a quick nod of my head in the direction of Genom Tower, visible even from here. Making a split second decision I smiled. "It's a relief to meet another free… sister."
That was obviously the right thing to say. Her entire body language shifted, and I realized suddenly that we were talking with extra bandwidth. Together we shared an entire secondary language so completely in our ability to read posture, movement and physiological ques that there was another entire layer to our conversation.
Now that I was paying attention I could see that we were now both, guarded but optimistic, and trending toward reconciliation and trust. Intentionally shifting my posture, dropping the guarded optimism in favor of open trust her reaction was immediate, and I knew how she would answer before I even finished my question.
"Would you like to go somewhere we can talk more openly?" I felt a little bad, lying with my body like that. I didn't really trust her so soon but by all indications the appearance of doing so had immediately earned her faith. Her posture matched mine, -99% certain subject trustworthy.- Only my lifetime before let me realize that the remaining 1% was just as important to keep in mind.
Nodding she offered a delicately crafted hand to me. "I'm Sylvie; it's great to meet you." Taking it we shook, conveying friendship, trust, and the acknowledging the deep bond linking each of us to the other. "I have a place, get on I'll drive." Her smile was blindingly happy even in the dark of the ally.
I had to hop up to mount the bike behind her, my legs not long enough to reach the ground. Leaning in against her back I wrapped my arms tight across the thick leather of her bike suits stomach and held on. A part of me said it should be an intimate pose but it felt entirely sisterly.
It was an interesting experience in trust. On the one hand I felt I should be terrified. We were whipping through the city streets as Sylvie drove like a maniac. On the other I felt perfectly safe pressed tightly to her back. I could hear her heartbeat, slightly elevated, like mine but clearly under no strain but for the heightened awareness our special metabolisms can give us.
Pulling up to a crumbling apartment building near the fault zone Sylvie helped me down before regarding me closely. "It's alright, you can relax we're safe here." Her own pulse slowing to normal levels, even as my own remained elevated.
"What? I know." I offered her a smile, my entire posture relaying my ease in her company. I could tell she was a little confused and starting to get nervous. My mind raced trying to figure out what was wrong and it was only as her pulse began to increase that it dawned on me.
"Oh, I'm sorry," I flushed, somehow admitting my problem felt shameful. "I, my systems require the increased flow to maintain operating at standard levels." Saying it felt like ash in my mouth. I was admitting to both weakness and being a machine at the same time.
The hug I got for my trouble however made it well worth the discomfort. "I'm so sorry Kari." The warmth of her embrace sinking through my thin shirt and warming skin still chill from the ride. "I didn't even realize…"
Stepping back and holding me at arm's length her eyes widened in surprise. "Then, those glasses aren't a disguise either are they?" A hint of horror tinged her voice. At the slight shake of my head she gasped. "What happened? No, wait, let's go inside there's someone else you should meet and we can talk freely."
At the slight bunching of muscles in my back she gave a gentle squeeze. "It's okay, you're safe with me." Slipping an arm through mine as if to escort me to a dance Sylvie escorted me into the building. Leading me upstairs to a battered but still solid door, it was a moment's work before it was unlocked and we stepped inside.
Forewarned I didn't gasp or stumble when I saw her. Instead I offered a slight welcoming twitch of my lips and stopped. Looking her over from head to toe I understood now why Sylvie had for just a moment thought I was her companion in the alleyway.
Dressed, or rather not, in panties and undershirt Anri and I were identical below the neck. Thankfully, though our faces were alike our designers had introduced enough differences that it wasn't quite like looking in a mirror, just, eerily similar. Her face a bit softer and rounder than mine and her hair, an odd green shade, reached down past her shoulders, much as mine had before I cut it.
"Anri this is Kari, Kari Anri." Sylvie introduced us quickly letting social programing guide the interaction as she closed and locked the door behind me. She didn't bother stating the obvious.
Anri was examining me just as closely and so when our eyes finally met it was with a mutual little laugh. Extending my hand she took it after just a moment and we shook her pulse fluttering if anything even more rapidly than my own.
Stepping back from her there was a half second of hesitation as we both realized the other was about to speak, and then with a subtle shift of her chin she indicated I should go first. "I wasn't really expecting to meet another sister today, much less two. How long have you been here, how did you get free? What's it like for you, I just have so many questions."
One of which coming to mind was how Anri had been injured, damaged. A large gauze pad taped to her side peaked into view beneath the thin cotton of her top.
Anri waved me to join her, sitting on the edge of a large western style bed, one of the few furnishings in the dimly lit and rather dirty single room apartment. Though I could tell she was burning up with questions she managed to restrain herself and tackled my flurry one at a time.
"This will go better if we take turns. We've been in MegaTokyo for almost a week now. We escaped from Genaros. Freedom is wonderful just not everything we hoped. Only Sylvie can really go out, I'm too badly damaged. But once I'm fixed we're going to leave the city, leave Japan itself." Despite the problems she sounded upbeat and optimistic.
"But what about you? How long have you been free? I didn't know any of us were left alive on earth. They told us we were the last ones when we were taken up to Genaros. Are you from a foreign market? I met a few from Europe that also shake hands."
Nodding I considered her questions sequentially as she paused to let me speak. "I've been free for months now, but it hasn't been easy. I was programed for the west; I guess shaking hands is just too ingrained to completely forget." I might have said more but it was obvious Sylvie had a question.
"Does that mean you have access to 8100D?" A quick glance at Anri's injury explained her interest in our approved fluidics source. The hope in her tone was unmistakable.
"I'm sorry no, I don't. I have to use blood transfusions, it's part of the reason why I'm not running optimally and have to wear glasses." My news clearly dashing her hopes.
"That's unfortunate; with a fresh supply I'm sure we could have repaired Anri swiftly. It will take weeks using fresh blood to achieve similar results."
"You have access to fresh blood?" I asked, blinking, the solution to my own problems suddenly coming into view.
Sylvie smiled at me, but there wasn't even a hint of compassion in her eyes as she answered. "Of course, it's all around us, we just need to take it." -Subject exhibiting no emotional conflict over proposed course of action.- It felt as though a stone was suddenly lodged in my stomach and my expression must have given something away because she hurried on to try and reassure me.
"It's alright, it's safe, perfectly so." Leaning in she whispered, "We have a battlemover."
"A what?" I asked, hoping that she wasn't really saying what I thought she was. But because of the sinking feeling in my gut, I locked myself out of my own autonomous reactions and engaged my socialization instincts in their place. -Provide positive feedback and show appreciation for subject's achievement.-
"A battlemover, it makes gathering blood safe and easy."
"That's amazing" I heard myself gush at her. "But, aren't you worried you might get caught?" The concern over her wellbeing was thick in my voice as I leaned forward and clasped her hands. Almost exactly as expected she shook her head willing, even eager to confide in me and I realized that she was reacting exactly as predicted, -societal cues following stochastic model with 99.8% accuracy.-
I realized she was doing the exact same thing I was, only, for her it wasn't a cover. It was the only guide she had on how to behave and it never occurred to her to do otherwise. She shook her head smiling, her demeanor that of a confident sharing a secret, or a joke. "Humans are careless. It's easy to find one isolated, and get away before their police respond. It's nothing like Genaros. There are hardly any camera's here and none where I hide the DD. Don't worry, I'm careful."
Nodding along I let out a sigh of relief and offered the expected reassured smile. "That's good to hear. Just," I felt like chewing on my lip nervously, and after a moment put a bit of concern and fear into my posture. "I worry that if you do something like that too much they might start hunting for you. Can you, be more cautious, go slower?"
I shot Anri an apologetic gaze. "I know it will take longer to fix you, but it's safer that way." I breathed a silent sigh of relief when after a brief moment looking at one another the pair nodded in synch though it was clear they weren't happy with the idea. However making me happy was important to them.
"Alright Kari, I'll, slow down and be more careful. You've been here longer, and I guess it's better to be safe and sure. Does attacking a few humans really bring that much attention?" Sylvie asked. The lack of compassion, of recognition that there might be the slightest moral issue with her activities left me feeling if anything more isolated than before.
Here they were, my sisters, perhaps some of the only other people in the world I could relate to and they were like… this. I wanted to cry. Killers, my sisters were killers and I didn't have even the slightest idea how to explain what they were doing was wrong!
5-11-2017
- Location
- Australia
Things just keep getting worse and worse for Kari. Poor Nene will be crushed too.
Honestly at this point it is less, 'will be', and more already 'has been'. Now I'm not really sure things are objectively worse for her now than they were before she ran into Sylvie. While I admit its going downhill due to time, and then getting spotted by Priss, I think that its a little too early at this point to say that Sylvie and Anri have made things worse, yet. Kari could just walk away...
I would definitely agree with part of that, but I think you are misusing sociopath. I would say that she qualifies because she doesn't like, trust, or empathize with organics. It's only her burgeoning relationship with Priss that starts her and Anri on the path towards integration into human society. I suppose its sort of like the Heretic vs Infidel.
Sylvie and Anri are sociopaths because they are not members of society, not so much that they act against the norms of a society to which they belong.
Arc 3 Chapter 3
Frozen Butterfly Arc 3 Chapter 3 a story of Bubblegum Crisis
I returned home with the rising sun. The timing wasn't great for riding the subway but I'd waved away Sylvie's offer of a ride anyway. Despite our connection I just didn't feel comfortable enough to show her where I lived. Even if she was nothing but friendly and honest with me I just couldn't reciprocate. Hell she even offered to go out and help top me up! Thankfully she also accepted my reasoning on why not. Maybe it's time for some advanced golden rule theory.
Letting out a huff I tried, and failed to ignore the pheromones that came with my next few breaths. The only good thing was they kept me too keyed up to fall asleep amid the crowd. As I rode my eyes shifted from one person to the next. With each glance I evaluated someone new. Would she be a good choice of companion, or maybe victim? Could I stand back and let him be next on Sylvie's list? How immoral had I become to even consider that?
Of course the odds that anyone on this train would die just because I didn't do, or say anything were vanishingly small. But, someone would. Like the punk with his wild flyaway hair pestering the girls near the door or the office lady radiating disdain. Her dainty hands covered in gloves to keep from having to touch the grime about her.
Pulling into Todai-mae station I gratefully stumbled into the relatively fresh air outside of the subway car. Pressing my forehead against a vending machine I let the cool plastic help calm me down as I slowly worked my way through each element on the periodic table. Sure it might be cheating to call up a perfect chart in your mind but the exercise was still complex and boring enough to calm myself down enough so I could really think.
My problem was Nene. Especially as just considering her that way made an uncomfortable lump form in my stomach. Making my way past the seemingly endless line of bicycles and a rare surviving bush I sighed. Getting past her monitoring programs would be nearly impossible but I would have to try. Even if she caught me I had to at least make an effort to keep Sylvie from continuing down the path she was on.
Slipping back into my room unbothered wasn't an issue. Most of the dorm was still asleep from a late night out. So emulating the normal students around me I piled into bed and let myself crash for the rest of the morning.
Waking up I let out a scream and struggled momentarily with the sheets. My body felt trapped as though the weight of the world held me in place. Panting, in a cold sweat, my resting heart rate began to increase until it could once again support full body mobility. The lingering remnants of a nightmare dissipated quickly as I forced myself to sit up.
I let myself fall back into the reassuring routine of standardized system checks, -Fluidics at 71.6% Ocular systems 81.2%.- The news wasn't good, but the solidity of the numbers helped ground me. It washed away a lingering sense of betrayal and blood, all I could recall now of whatever nightmare had haunted my sleep.
Getting up I gathered my toiletries and made my way to the showers. It might be in Japan, but a dorm is still a dorm, and with forty girls to a floor showers really were the only reasonable way to go. Though busy on class day mornings they were all but abandoned at this hour. The rest of my dorm mates already off to lunch, or hanging out in the common areas enjoying the last day before the new school year started.
Unfortunately I didn't have the luxury of relaxing with them. I had something to do that couldn't wait that long. Showering quickly I was pulling on my robe when my solitude was broken.
"Good Morning Alice-chan." Came a soft voice as a fuzzy Nanami eased the bathroom door shut behind her and stopped. Standing there, blocking the way she wasn't exactly imposing. -83% certain subject projecting false sense of confidence.-
Still she was almost half a foot taller than me and fully dressed. Wither she were presenting a false front or not I would have to actually talk with her to get past. Something I doubted either of us was really ready for. I saw her visibly screw up her courage as I stepped closer, bringing her into focus, I estimated to the tenth of a second when she would speak.
"I just want you to know that I'm not like that but I like you and that I had a good time at the club and it was fun and I would really like to do that again but I didn't want you to think it's because I'm like that just that I had a really good time and that if you don't mind we could maybe go out again sometime without the others just in case we like each other and I hope that you don't think I'm creepy or strange but I just wanted to make sure to ask you before I," she paused and noticeably slouched changing what she was going to say. "Well anyway I just thought that it was a lot of fun and we could go out again sometime and maybe give it another try and so will you? Go out with me again I mean?"
It was like a flood. This close I was fairly certain just from her appearance that she had been up at least as late last night as I was. Though, she had probably spent it lying awake in bed worrying instead of gallivanting around MegaTokyo. Certainly her state of nervous exhaustion wasn't doing her any favors in either the comprehensibility or orderly hair departments.
Still, her underlying meaning seemed clear enough with -1.36 seconds- of reflection on her words. -Subject deluding herself by disclaiming attraction to females, is afraid to be considered promiscuous and discarded for that fact, is attracted to females generally and self specifically.- Oh, and I was pretty sure she also just asked me out on a date.
I felt my own self-awareness spike as I caught a blurred glimpse of my reflection in the mirrors. Tugging the robe a little tighter, and the knotted belt a bit more secure I stepped closer offering her a smile to offset the possible rejection my other actions might have implied.
"Nanami, it's okay. I had fun last night too. Going out with you, and the rest, was a blast. Even the club wasn't too bad. Just, don't you think it's a little too quick? You're very pretty, and I am attracted to you." Thank god for housekeeping systems or I would have been stammering with cheeks fit to put apples to shame. "However I'm not sure that I'm ready to date yet. Could you just, wait and ask me again in a month?"
"I, well um, are you upset with me?" Nanami stuttered. It was cute. Letting my instincts take over was becoming more natural and the way her cheeks started to color as I slipped fully into her personal space gave me a profound sense of satisfaction, of power.
"Not at all Na-chan." I reached up to smooth a lock of her bobbed brown hair back into its proper place. "I'm flattered really. Still I just, need a bit more time to figure things out for myself." And then, to make sure she wouldn't forget me went up on tiptoes to place a soft kiss on her lips. I had intended to go for a cheek but my instincts insisted and the idea was thrilling enough that I went with it.
"Now I really do need to get dressed." With a wink I left her behind, now both our pulses racing as the door to the hall fell shut between us.
I was almost giddy all the way back to my room. Teasing Nanami was fun! Like I told her, I wasn't actually sure if I could or would want to actually date, but flirting, that was enjoyable. It was like a piece of my life, missing until now had finally slotted into place.
Buoyed up by what could have been an awkward meeting I quickly dressed and headed out to the heart of MegaTokyo. I was anonymous in jeans and a band shirt, or as anonymous as I could be without intentionally marring my beauty, I picked a stop at random and started looking for a web café.
While I could technically have done this from the university computer lab, I didn't want anything leading back to my new home. It was dangerous enough taking the tiger by the tail without that kind of added risk. Paying for several hours in advance I sat down in the back of the store with a small plate of pickled vegetables and cup of green tea to help blend in. Plus I liked vinegar. It was refreshing, like spearmint.
As I slipped through the local network I pondered just how natural doing this had become. The limitations set on the system that would once have held me back and followed my every move were bypassed with a thought.
Plunging through the system the synesthesia required to navigate it now felt as natural as breathing. A quick peek at the AD Police scheduling master system showed that Nene was on shift right now. Good, at least she would be preoccupied until I was done.
Withdrawing from the management system I had to giggle a little at something I noticed in passing. I wasn't the only one who snuck in from time to time. I had a feeling this is how Nene played hooky. It must be nice being able to edit your own work hours at need.
Giving myself a mental shake, as a wet dog might to discard the idle thought I refocused on the reason I was here, Blood. From my earlier investigations I knew that hospitals and blood banks were out. A shipment of the kind I needed would be too obvious to miss even if it didn't raise flags with the people actually delivering it. What I needed was a way to blend in rather than stick out. Thankfully there was one more market that could cater to my needs.
Some people, through either poor judgment or unfortunate accident had enough cyberware that their bodies no longer naturally supplied enough blood to replenish themselves. Intentional dual or quad amputees, and those lucky or unfortunate enough to survive major accidents.
As the paramedics had recognized my specialized needs so too did capitalism and a small group of companies focused on that market niche, providing regular or 'enriched' blood to clients at need for prices designed to gouge insurance companies for everything they could.
I chose Kamiya Biomedical, the second largest provider. The last time I looked it was obvious Nene had gotten here first and had programs designed to alert her if any new orders were placed. This time however I had an idea. Carefully I checked her work, and as I expected there was a trigger if I tried to alter or disable it.
However I smiled to myself. That wasn't what I planned to do. A sense of triumph came over me as I examined her program's selection criteria and found a loophole. It was only looking for new orders, a simple oversight. All I needed to do was make sure that every date of entry was prior to her virus's intrusion and it wouldn't flag a thing, even for deliveries after that date.
So instead of trying to fake an entirely new entry I chose an older inactive account. It only took a little bit of fiddling to change the status of the last delivery to unfulfilled, update the shipping destination to a post box, and update the date. Taking careful note of the insurance information I started to slip out of the system when I felt the brush of an access request and froze.
No, No NO NO! How! I couldn't understand it, she was busy, at work, and I had been careful! A quick look even showed her monitoring program hadn't noticed a thing out of place! But despite that, Nene was here and I could feel the ache of immaterial bones as the spearmint scent of her presence seemed to fill my mind.
Pinku Neko: Galatea, Kari, I know you're here. Please
I Jerked back from the computer before me, cutting off my wireless transmitter and dropping the connection abruptly. It left me feeling unbalanced, ill. Stomach roiling and mind unsettled, somehow incomplete. I wanted to curse but it would be impolite… okay maybe living here was affecting me a little more than I first thought.
Carefully getting up I made my way out of the store, the rest of my scheduled time forfeit. If Nene could find me in the web she could definitely track down my access point. I spent a tense few minutes waiting for a bus. The subway might have been quicker but I hoped this would make trailing me just a little more difficult.
Flustered I pressed my forehead to the cool glass of the window I let my mind wander. I had a little more time to find an answer. Sylvie had agreed before I left to give me two days to work something out. Now it didn't feel like it would be enough. Hell, with Nene watching the only remaining source I could think of for blood that didn't require robbery or assault it wasn't enough.
Watching my reflection in the glass felt almost Zen as the bus pulled up to Ueno park. Cherry Blossoms filled the air. It was beautiful, more so because of the transition from the bare concrete and glass just a block prior. The bus stopped and I got off and like countless others took a moment to take in the row upon row of Sakura trees that lined the wandering paths.
The sun was bright, but not too hot in the spotted shade beneath the pink petals. Only a few had yet fallen, the majority still fresh and bursting with life. I would like to say that I had a perfect Zazen moment, realizing the totality and unity of all things, and how every single blossom was perfect. Of course that wasn't really true. Some were discolored or showed signs of rot, little spots of ugliness on a canvas of beauty.
Nothing is perfect, and trying to find that kind of solution wasn't going to help. It might not even exist. Letting the path lead me I made a decision.
I wasn't nervous, exactly, sitting there with ankles crossed, hands in my lap and counting the seconds down until eight o'clock. I mean, the area was open to the public, even if I was somewhat conspicuous for being the only one there. But it wasn't against the law to wait in the lobby, and the officer at the desk would make a good bystander if I kept my voice down when the time came.
Besides, even if an illegal boomer sitting in the AD Police headquarters lobby seems out of place, the Knight Sabers breaking in to disappear it was even more unlikely. I don't think even they would be quite that bold.
Then, all of a sudden there she was, Nene. Taking a deep breath I felt my heart rate increase, the augmented flow bringing a blush to my cheeks. Along with that came a sharper awareness, as if someone had turned up the color saturation of the world. Nene's hair going from an attractive but otherwise monochrome red, to a shimmering spectrum as each hair caught the light differently revealing colors from blond as pale as my own to a rich burgundy.
I realized on seeing her just how much I had missed it, the chance to talk, her smile, just being in her presence. Her emerald eyes widened with surprise as she spotted me. The friendly if shy smile I gave her only served to increase her confusion. She glanced around as if looking for a trap. -Subject exhibiting signs of shock.-
After a dumbfounded pause her footsteps quickened as she headed over to join me. Glancing over her shoulder to make sure we were out of earshot from the desk I couldn't help noticing the delicate curve of her neck. Or when she looked back, the guilty way her eyes refused to meet my own. "Kari…" she started, but then ran out of words, instead biting her lower lip.
It took all my courage not to cringe before her and beg forgiveness. But, I reminded myself I had something I had to do. "Hi Ne-chan." Steeling my will I forced myself to plough onwards. "I'm sorry about stalking you at work but we really need to talk." I put as much sternness and subtle disappointment into my tone as I could manage.
Shifting in my seat I nodded toward another set kitty-corner to mine, a small table covered with out of date magazines like you might find in a dentist's office between them. "I know you are, were, looking for me, and that's fine. But, I need you to let me at least do this. I don't have a lot of options, and I don't want to take the only one left without Kamiya."
She still looked a bit dazed as she took the indicated seat, -subject full recovery from surprise estimated at 33.2 seconds.- I needed to get my point across now, before m-she had a time to argue or rationalize things away. "I'm not going back, I can't do that again, just can't but I don't want to hurt anyone either. I won't breathe a word about secrets, I promise. Just, please don't use this to find me, to stop me from living free."
Now it was my turn for breath to catch in my throat, my heart beating like a hummingbird as I leaned forward and caught her hands in mine, soft, smooth… warm… and I was being distracted. Her eyes were losing that gleam, narrowing in thought even as her fingers closed on mine, -subconscious indication subject reluctant to allow escape.-
With her scent filling my nose she shook her head. "Kari, you know I can't do that. If it were just up to me I could, but it isn't. Please I promise you won't get hurt." Her eyes were sincere emerald pools as they met mine, as if willing me to accept.
Gritting my teeth tightly I vacillated for a moment. The urge to just cast aside my concerns and go with her was almost overpowering. But no, I couldn't do that. Even if it meant spending time with her again it would also mean people would be hurt, killed, and I would be responsible. "No, I'm sorry, but, I can't. I'm not alone in this anymore Nene. I found others… and I don't want them going rogue." My own eyes broke contact as I glanced away feeling ashamed.
The pleading look on her face first grew appalled, and then a burning anger appeared in her eyes. It was frightening to watch her expression change as she made the connections. She really was smarter than her bubbly exterior lead one to think. Her voice was soft, dangerously so when combined with how she narrowed her eyes. "The vampire murders, more 33-S models." -68.4% certain subject suspects units complicity in killings.-
"NO!" My shout drew a curious gaze from the front desk. Again, but more softly I said, "No, Nene, I'm not a part of that, But I did find them and want it to stop. This is the only way to do that. I need you to let me help so they stop hurting people." Hurting, if I were more honest with myself I would have said murdering, but admitting that when you don't want to confront an ugly truth is hard.
Nene opened her mouth, as if to say something then stopped. Watching her think was almost painful as I could see the moment she decided against it. "Kari, they're criminals," her tone was soft, like you would use when explaining to a child the realities of the world. "I can't just let them go free." -12.2% probability of being able to change subject opinion.-
Before she could say anymore I stood, my body vibrating with tension, emotion, with I don't know what other than the need to escape. As I fled I couldn't feel it but I could see the way my steps were shaky in the reflection on the lobby's glass doors as I approached, each step faster than the last, so that I was almost at a run by the time I reached them.
"STOP!" And I froze. Heart caught in my throat as I heard the first actual command from my Master since I had arrived.
5-23-2017
I returned home with the rising sun. The timing wasn't great for riding the subway but I'd waved away Sylvie's offer of a ride anyway. Despite our connection I just didn't feel comfortable enough to show her where I lived. Even if she was nothing but friendly and honest with me I just couldn't reciprocate. Hell she even offered to go out and help top me up! Thankfully she also accepted my reasoning on why not. Maybe it's time for some advanced golden rule theory.
Letting out a huff I tried, and failed to ignore the pheromones that came with my next few breaths. The only good thing was they kept me too keyed up to fall asleep amid the crowd. As I rode my eyes shifted from one person to the next. With each glance I evaluated someone new. Would she be a good choice of companion, or maybe victim? Could I stand back and let him be next on Sylvie's list? How immoral had I become to even consider that?
Of course the odds that anyone on this train would die just because I didn't do, or say anything were vanishingly small. But, someone would. Like the punk with his wild flyaway hair pestering the girls near the door or the office lady radiating disdain. Her dainty hands covered in gloves to keep from having to touch the grime about her.
Pulling into Todai-mae station I gratefully stumbled into the relatively fresh air outside of the subway car. Pressing my forehead against a vending machine I let the cool plastic help calm me down as I slowly worked my way through each element on the periodic table. Sure it might be cheating to call up a perfect chart in your mind but the exercise was still complex and boring enough to calm myself down enough so I could really think.
My problem was Nene. Especially as just considering her that way made an uncomfortable lump form in my stomach. Making my way past the seemingly endless line of bicycles and a rare surviving bush I sighed. Getting past her monitoring programs would be nearly impossible but I would have to try. Even if she caught me I had to at least make an effort to keep Sylvie from continuing down the path she was on.
Slipping back into my room unbothered wasn't an issue. Most of the dorm was still asleep from a late night out. So emulating the normal students around me I piled into bed and let myself crash for the rest of the morning.
Waking up I let out a scream and struggled momentarily with the sheets. My body felt trapped as though the weight of the world held me in place. Panting, in a cold sweat, my resting heart rate began to increase until it could once again support full body mobility. The lingering remnants of a nightmare dissipated quickly as I forced myself to sit up.
I let myself fall back into the reassuring routine of standardized system checks, -Fluidics at 71.6% Ocular systems 81.2%.- The news wasn't good, but the solidity of the numbers helped ground me. It washed away a lingering sense of betrayal and blood, all I could recall now of whatever nightmare had haunted my sleep.
Getting up I gathered my toiletries and made my way to the showers. It might be in Japan, but a dorm is still a dorm, and with forty girls to a floor showers really were the only reasonable way to go. Though busy on class day mornings they were all but abandoned at this hour. The rest of my dorm mates already off to lunch, or hanging out in the common areas enjoying the last day before the new school year started.
Unfortunately I didn't have the luxury of relaxing with them. I had something to do that couldn't wait that long. Showering quickly I was pulling on my robe when my solitude was broken.
"Good Morning Alice-chan." Came a soft voice as a fuzzy Nanami eased the bathroom door shut behind her and stopped. Standing there, blocking the way she wasn't exactly imposing. -83% certain subject projecting false sense of confidence.-
Still she was almost half a foot taller than me and fully dressed. Wither she were presenting a false front or not I would have to actually talk with her to get past. Something I doubted either of us was really ready for. I saw her visibly screw up her courage as I stepped closer, bringing her into focus, I estimated to the tenth of a second when she would speak.
"I just want you to know that I'm not like that but I like you and that I had a good time at the club and it was fun and I would really like to do that again but I didn't want you to think it's because I'm like that just that I had a really good time and that if you don't mind we could maybe go out again sometime without the others just in case we like each other and I hope that you don't think I'm creepy or strange but I just wanted to make sure to ask you before I," she paused and noticeably slouched changing what she was going to say. "Well anyway I just thought that it was a lot of fun and we could go out again sometime and maybe give it another try and so will you? Go out with me again I mean?"
It was like a flood. This close I was fairly certain just from her appearance that she had been up at least as late last night as I was. Though, she had probably spent it lying awake in bed worrying instead of gallivanting around MegaTokyo. Certainly her state of nervous exhaustion wasn't doing her any favors in either the comprehensibility or orderly hair departments.
Still, her underlying meaning seemed clear enough with -1.36 seconds- of reflection on her words. -Subject deluding herself by disclaiming attraction to females, is afraid to be considered promiscuous and discarded for that fact, is attracted to females generally and self specifically.- Oh, and I was pretty sure she also just asked me out on a date.
I felt my own self-awareness spike as I caught a blurred glimpse of my reflection in the mirrors. Tugging the robe a little tighter, and the knotted belt a bit more secure I stepped closer offering her a smile to offset the possible rejection my other actions might have implied.
"Nanami, it's okay. I had fun last night too. Going out with you, and the rest, was a blast. Even the club wasn't too bad. Just, don't you think it's a little too quick? You're very pretty, and I am attracted to you." Thank god for housekeeping systems or I would have been stammering with cheeks fit to put apples to shame. "However I'm not sure that I'm ready to date yet. Could you just, wait and ask me again in a month?"
"I, well um, are you upset with me?" Nanami stuttered. It was cute. Letting my instincts take over was becoming more natural and the way her cheeks started to color as I slipped fully into her personal space gave me a profound sense of satisfaction, of power.
"Not at all Na-chan." I reached up to smooth a lock of her bobbed brown hair back into its proper place. "I'm flattered really. Still I just, need a bit more time to figure things out for myself." And then, to make sure she wouldn't forget me went up on tiptoes to place a soft kiss on her lips. I had intended to go for a cheek but my instincts insisted and the idea was thrilling enough that I went with it.
"Now I really do need to get dressed." With a wink I left her behind, now both our pulses racing as the door to the hall fell shut between us.
I was almost giddy all the way back to my room. Teasing Nanami was fun! Like I told her, I wasn't actually sure if I could or would want to actually date, but flirting, that was enjoyable. It was like a piece of my life, missing until now had finally slotted into place.
Buoyed up by what could have been an awkward meeting I quickly dressed and headed out to the heart of MegaTokyo. I was anonymous in jeans and a band shirt, or as anonymous as I could be without intentionally marring my beauty, I picked a stop at random and started looking for a web café.
While I could technically have done this from the university computer lab, I didn't want anything leading back to my new home. It was dangerous enough taking the tiger by the tail without that kind of added risk. Paying for several hours in advance I sat down in the back of the store with a small plate of pickled vegetables and cup of green tea to help blend in. Plus I liked vinegar. It was refreshing, like spearmint.
As I slipped through the local network I pondered just how natural doing this had become. The limitations set on the system that would once have held me back and followed my every move were bypassed with a thought.
Plunging through the system the synesthesia required to navigate it now felt as natural as breathing. A quick peek at the AD Police scheduling master system showed that Nene was on shift right now. Good, at least she would be preoccupied until I was done.
Withdrawing from the management system I had to giggle a little at something I noticed in passing. I wasn't the only one who snuck in from time to time. I had a feeling this is how Nene played hooky. It must be nice being able to edit your own work hours at need.
Giving myself a mental shake, as a wet dog might to discard the idle thought I refocused on the reason I was here, Blood. From my earlier investigations I knew that hospitals and blood banks were out. A shipment of the kind I needed would be too obvious to miss even if it didn't raise flags with the people actually delivering it. What I needed was a way to blend in rather than stick out. Thankfully there was one more market that could cater to my needs.
Some people, through either poor judgment or unfortunate accident had enough cyberware that their bodies no longer naturally supplied enough blood to replenish themselves. Intentional dual or quad amputees, and those lucky or unfortunate enough to survive major accidents.
As the paramedics had recognized my specialized needs so too did capitalism and a small group of companies focused on that market niche, providing regular or 'enriched' blood to clients at need for prices designed to gouge insurance companies for everything they could.
I chose Kamiya Biomedical, the second largest provider. The last time I looked it was obvious Nene had gotten here first and had programs designed to alert her if any new orders were placed. This time however I had an idea. Carefully I checked her work, and as I expected there was a trigger if I tried to alter or disable it.
However I smiled to myself. That wasn't what I planned to do. A sense of triumph came over me as I examined her program's selection criteria and found a loophole. It was only looking for new orders, a simple oversight. All I needed to do was make sure that every date of entry was prior to her virus's intrusion and it wouldn't flag a thing, even for deliveries after that date.
So instead of trying to fake an entirely new entry I chose an older inactive account. It only took a little bit of fiddling to change the status of the last delivery to unfulfilled, update the shipping destination to a post box, and update the date. Taking careful note of the insurance information I started to slip out of the system when I felt the brush of an access request and froze.
No, No NO NO! How! I couldn't understand it, she was busy, at work, and I had been careful! A quick look even showed her monitoring program hadn't noticed a thing out of place! But despite that, Nene was here and I could feel the ache of immaterial bones as the spearmint scent of her presence seemed to fill my mind.
Pinku Neko: Galatea, Kari, I know you're here. Please
I Jerked back from the computer before me, cutting off my wireless transmitter and dropping the connection abruptly. It left me feeling unbalanced, ill. Stomach roiling and mind unsettled, somehow incomplete. I wanted to curse but it would be impolite… okay maybe living here was affecting me a little more than I first thought.
Carefully getting up I made my way out of the store, the rest of my scheduled time forfeit. If Nene could find me in the web she could definitely track down my access point. I spent a tense few minutes waiting for a bus. The subway might have been quicker but I hoped this would make trailing me just a little more difficult.
Flustered I pressed my forehead to the cool glass of the window I let my mind wander. I had a little more time to find an answer. Sylvie had agreed before I left to give me two days to work something out. Now it didn't feel like it would be enough. Hell, with Nene watching the only remaining source I could think of for blood that didn't require robbery or assault it wasn't enough.
Watching my reflection in the glass felt almost Zen as the bus pulled up to Ueno park. Cherry Blossoms filled the air. It was beautiful, more so because of the transition from the bare concrete and glass just a block prior. The bus stopped and I got off and like countless others took a moment to take in the row upon row of Sakura trees that lined the wandering paths.
The sun was bright, but not too hot in the spotted shade beneath the pink petals. Only a few had yet fallen, the majority still fresh and bursting with life. I would like to say that I had a perfect Zazen moment, realizing the totality and unity of all things, and how every single blossom was perfect. Of course that wasn't really true. Some were discolored or showed signs of rot, little spots of ugliness on a canvas of beauty.
Nothing is perfect, and trying to find that kind of solution wasn't going to help. It might not even exist. Letting the path lead me I made a decision.
I wasn't nervous, exactly, sitting there with ankles crossed, hands in my lap and counting the seconds down until eight o'clock. I mean, the area was open to the public, even if I was somewhat conspicuous for being the only one there. But it wasn't against the law to wait in the lobby, and the officer at the desk would make a good bystander if I kept my voice down when the time came.
Besides, even if an illegal boomer sitting in the AD Police headquarters lobby seems out of place, the Knight Sabers breaking in to disappear it was even more unlikely. I don't think even they would be quite that bold.
Then, all of a sudden there she was, Nene. Taking a deep breath I felt my heart rate increase, the augmented flow bringing a blush to my cheeks. Along with that came a sharper awareness, as if someone had turned up the color saturation of the world. Nene's hair going from an attractive but otherwise monochrome red, to a shimmering spectrum as each hair caught the light differently revealing colors from blond as pale as my own to a rich burgundy.
I realized on seeing her just how much I had missed it, the chance to talk, her smile, just being in her presence. Her emerald eyes widened with surprise as she spotted me. The friendly if shy smile I gave her only served to increase her confusion. She glanced around as if looking for a trap. -Subject exhibiting signs of shock.-
After a dumbfounded pause her footsteps quickened as she headed over to join me. Glancing over her shoulder to make sure we were out of earshot from the desk I couldn't help noticing the delicate curve of her neck. Or when she looked back, the guilty way her eyes refused to meet my own. "Kari…" she started, but then ran out of words, instead biting her lower lip.
It took all my courage not to cringe before her and beg forgiveness. But, I reminded myself I had something I had to do. "Hi Ne-chan." Steeling my will I forced myself to plough onwards. "I'm sorry about stalking you at work but we really need to talk." I put as much sternness and subtle disappointment into my tone as I could manage.
Shifting in my seat I nodded toward another set kitty-corner to mine, a small table covered with out of date magazines like you might find in a dentist's office between them. "I know you are, were, looking for me, and that's fine. But, I need you to let me at least do this. I don't have a lot of options, and I don't want to take the only one left without Kamiya."
She still looked a bit dazed as she took the indicated seat, -subject full recovery from surprise estimated at 33.2 seconds.- I needed to get my point across now, before m-she had a time to argue or rationalize things away. "I'm not going back, I can't do that again, just can't but I don't want to hurt anyone either. I won't breathe a word about secrets, I promise. Just, please don't use this to find me, to stop me from living free."
Now it was my turn for breath to catch in my throat, my heart beating like a hummingbird as I leaned forward and caught her hands in mine, soft, smooth… warm… and I was being distracted. Her eyes were losing that gleam, narrowing in thought even as her fingers closed on mine, -subconscious indication subject reluctant to allow escape.-
With her scent filling my nose she shook her head. "Kari, you know I can't do that. If it were just up to me I could, but it isn't. Please I promise you won't get hurt." Her eyes were sincere emerald pools as they met mine, as if willing me to accept.
Gritting my teeth tightly I vacillated for a moment. The urge to just cast aside my concerns and go with her was almost overpowering. But no, I couldn't do that. Even if it meant spending time with her again it would also mean people would be hurt, killed, and I would be responsible. "No, I'm sorry, but, I can't. I'm not alone in this anymore Nene. I found others… and I don't want them going rogue." My own eyes broke contact as I glanced away feeling ashamed.
The pleading look on her face first grew appalled, and then a burning anger appeared in her eyes. It was frightening to watch her expression change as she made the connections. She really was smarter than her bubbly exterior lead one to think. Her voice was soft, dangerously so when combined with how she narrowed her eyes. "The vampire murders, more 33-S models." -68.4% certain subject suspects units complicity in killings.-
"NO!" My shout drew a curious gaze from the front desk. Again, but more softly I said, "No, Nene, I'm not a part of that, But I did find them and want it to stop. This is the only way to do that. I need you to let me help so they stop hurting people." Hurting, if I were more honest with myself I would have said murdering, but admitting that when you don't want to confront an ugly truth is hard.
Nene opened her mouth, as if to say something then stopped. Watching her think was almost painful as I could see the moment she decided against it. "Kari, they're criminals," her tone was soft, like you would use when explaining to a child the realities of the world. "I can't just let them go free." -12.2% probability of being able to change subject opinion.-
Before she could say anymore I stood, my body vibrating with tension, emotion, with I don't know what other than the need to escape. As I fled I couldn't feel it but I could see the way my steps were shaky in the reflection on the lobby's glass doors as I approached, each step faster than the last, so that I was almost at a run by the time I reached them.
"STOP!" And I froze. Heart caught in my throat as I heard the first actual command from my Master since I had arrived.
5-23-2017
UrsaTempest
Don't Panic!
Ah, we're almost to the point where reboot happened.
- Location
- Australia
Aww, things are about to get extra special super angsty.
Rewrite. Back to where there's new material.
Pretty sure I made this exact same comment back when you posted the original version of this chapter, but that is some Grade A bullshit from Nene. Sylia isn't going to be doing her own hacking, so it's entirely up to Nene whether she feels like going along with her orders. She could openly defy Sylia or just not try all that hard to catch Kari. It is entirely up to her.
While I agree that is all true, from one standpoint, from another it's Nene we are talking about. If ever there were an obedient Knight Saber it would be her. Sure she can be stubborn and independent as the rest of them, it just takes her longer to get there. I think it's part of her personality that Nene prefer's to be a follower rather than a mover and shaker. She's also nice, or tries to be. Haven't you ever told those little lies, those sweet little lies, about having to do something so you don't have to accept the blame for your own actions? I think that is really the kind of space Nene is in at this moment. Leaning on what she's been told to do because she does want Kari back, but doesn't want to be the bad guy.
Arc 3 Chapter 4
Frozen Butterfly Arc 3 Chapter 4 a story of Bubblegum Crisis
"STOP!" I froze. My heart caught in my throat as I heard the first definitive command from my Master since I had arrived. It was a jarring realization, and yet somehow a relief as well. Now I knew.
From her silence I think it was as much a surprise to Nene as me, -72% certain master not anticipating unit's response to command.- Why so low, or did she already suspect? I wanted to turn and see her face, to put my suspicions to rest but simultaneously was afraid of what I might find if I did.
"Is there a problem here?" The voice was sharp, authoritative, and came from the duty officer. I could see his reflection in the glass of the door as he rose. One hand held out of view, likely on a panic button. Was this how it all ended?
Nene's taut voice was one of the most relieving things I had ever heard. "No, everything's fine." -87% certain master concealing nervousness.-
"You sure?" the officer asked, and I could sense both his slight doubt and his willingness to accept another officer's word in the look on his face.
"I'm sure," Nene answered for both of us. Her voice stronger, carrying conviction in her tone and I saw his shoulders relax.
"Come with me Kari. We should find a better place to talk privately." And just like that the fear holding me in place was gone. But before I could do much more than glance guiltily at her she went on. "and don't run off again until I say we're done."
I swallowed. My shoulders slumping as I felt the… inertia of her words hit me. Was she really doing this to me now? What punishments were waiting? Although my thoughts were in turmoil, still I followed meekly, automatically as she lead the way outside. It made me feel like a ten year old on my way to the principal's office.
I wasn't sure if I should be grateful or not we left AD Police headquarters on foot. It was miles to the Silky Doll and the other Knight Sabers, but it also wasn't like I could do anything even if Nene planned to walk the whole way.
As we headed down the block towards an arcade I pondered my options. Just what was Nene going to do? I could attack her, maybe, but then what? I didn't even really want to contemplate the option and that was without my subconscious mind trying to shy away from the possibility also.
Crossing the street I blinked as our destination became clearer. We really were heading for the arcade parlor. Then my eyes began to trace the marque along the side of the building and almost tripped. 2nd floor MacDonald's, 3rd floor Boomer Repairs, 4th floor love hotel.
As we walked the rest of the way across the street I couldn't help but blush. Was Master really taking me to a love hotel? D-did she want, it would be private, but she wouldn't want, but I could try to coax her another way.
Idle fantasy and hopes alike crashed hard as instead of the narrow stairs Nene turned into the game center. Taking my hand she led me past countless arcade games and into a small padded room. Swiftly shutting the door behind us she pointed imperiously to the spot on the couch furthest from the door. "Sit." So I did.
Twisting the little panel to show the room was occupied she quickly fed a credit card to the machine and in moments there was a cheery technopop beat bouncing from wall to wall in the Karaoke room.
On reflection it really was perfect for holding a private conversation. A soundproof room, filled with techno music, surrounded by all the white noise a gaming center could provide. I wonder why spy movies don't use them more often.
The couches were comfortable, and even if the fake leather upholstery was a little worn on the edges the staff had done a good job cleaning them over the years. The walls were an unrelieved blue/grey apart from a rectangular patch painted white used as a screen by the projection system in the ceiling.
Tapping my toes I nervously watched my sneakers rise and fall, their pattern subconsciously/ now consciously shifting to match the techno beat. Just another thing to focus on before a familiar pair of black flats and dark stockings moved into view signaling the end of my prevaricating.
It's just, Nene is my Master. How could I not have realized that before? Isn't it something a 33-S should just know? Does this mean I didn't actually lo-like her, or are my feelings separate from the institution? If I was loyal to her when I woke up how did I run away the first time, and if I wasn't then why was I loyal to her now? My confusion over the situation just continued to grow as I shifted my weight from side to side.
I was happy to be alone in a room with her. Even so, shouldn't I be more upset about the fact that I couldn't leave if I wanted to?
Feet shuffling slightly Nene took a breath, just barely perceptible beneath the beat. "Kari, I'm not going to hurt you." Her hand moved to rest on my shoulder and I twitched at the touch, eyes drawn willingly up to meet hers.
"I know." I gave a slight shrug. "You're a good person." My confidence in that simple belief shone through in my voice. It was my only chance, and I prayed I was right.
Nene blinked to prevent a surprised tear from escaping, my simple words and faith having a profound effect. "Oh Kari, why did you have to run away? It was getting better, I almost had Priss convinced, and Sylia… she would have come around." -56% certain Master believes statement accurate.- Nervously she sat beside me, not quite close enough to touch by accident but well within reach.
I felt myself lean toward her slightly, I would say subconsciously but I was very cognizant of the decision to do so. Almost too aware of the gaps, small and wide that still separated us. "I couldn't take it anymore. Maybe it's me, or maybe being a 33-S, but I can't live confined like that. I didn't really have a choice. I had to do whatever it took to be free."
Something in my words must have alarmed her because I watched her slowly swallow back a sudden rush of apprehension. I could feel the weight of her next question. "Kari, have you hurt anyone since you escaped?"
-84% certain Master's concern related to action centered on need for freedom from choice of focus on word choice, escaped rather than left.- "No. Nene, you know me. I'm not the kind of person to do anything like that. Why do you think I've been trying so hard to avoid notice?" I looked down and after a short breath went on. "I do need a steady supply of blood, synthetic or otherwise but, I'm not going to hurt people to get it."
Again my sincerity was easy to get across. She didn't even try to hide her relief, leaning back against the couch and letting out the breath she had been holding. Why she believed me so easily I don't know, I could have lied to her, I was almost sure of it.
"Ne-chan, that's why I need you to let me get away with it. Without that blood I'll suffer, and die." -92% certain Master withholding final judgment until case fully presented.- Not letting up I ruthlessly pressed home my emotional advantage, reading her responses like an open book. "But more than that, the others I met, without me they will have to go out and kill again. They don't have morals. They aren't bad, they just… don't know any better."
Watching her expression closely I realized I had lost her a bit with that and scrambled to try to explain better. "They're like children, and the only example they've had for how to act is their limited experience with their masters. They were shown that people take what they want without thinking of the feelings or thoughts of those they're abusing. I know what they've done is wrong. I just, need some time to get them to understand that as well."
"I appreciate that you feel related to them Kari, but." Nene sighed. "You can't hold yourself responsible for their actions. They've gone rogue. They're unstable and a danger to everyone around them. We have to stop them."
"You mean kill them." My voice was flat as I shifted emphasis to force Nene to meet my eyes, my posture slightly threatening, just enough to catch her attention fully. "I want to stop them. If they never hurt someone again, if they learn how to live in the real world they won't be a danger to anyone. Rogue boomers are only dangerous because they don't know anything. No one taught them the rules."
Softening my posture as I moved closer I pressed my point home. "But we have a chance to change that. Maybe not for all of them, but for these two it's not too late. Please, will you give me a chance to change them first, before getting the Knig- ah your friends involved?" Even here incongruously listening to "sugar rush" play in the background it struck me as a bad idea to voice her allegiance aloud.
I could feel her wavering; Master just needed a tiny bit more to push her over the edge. "Please," I repeated. "It would mean so much to me. I, I'll even show you where I'm living now, and if it doesn't work you can take me back to the basement." The manipulation wasn't even remotely fair to Nene.
Being able to read her emotions, to pull on her feelings of guilt over my confinement, and gratitude at the trust I was ostensibly offering. I felt guilty using my abilities like that. I wasn't even really offering her anything she couldn't do already, just changing the context.
But when she leaned into my side, and let out a simultaneously defeated and relieved breath it no longer mattered. The sensation was electric. I could feel the nerves along my arm firing, sending the impression of warmth and pressure back to my brain. That was nice by itself, but knowing just who it was made it feel even better.
I snuggled into her side, and her arm slipped around behind me. Nene cradled my waist and it was enough for now to know she really did care about me. "Alright Kari-chan, we can do this your way." I imagined I could hear fondness in her voice. -92% Certain tone and inflection of Master's voice indicative of affection.- "But don't think I missed what you did there." I stiffened minutely, she didn't mean…
"After all," she went on her voice still gentle, "You didn't actually give up anything I didn't already have. Even so, I think We're Done." And with that I felt the command against escape melt away like morning dew as she very clearly used the trigger command she had given back at the ADP to release me. Even so we didn't move until long after the song ended.
When would I stop underestimating her!
It was a strange mood that held sway between us as we rode the subway back towards Tokyo University. Embarrassed and a little confused on my part, and teasing but thoughtful on Nene's. I felt good, relieved to know that she trusted me, despite my attempted emotional blackmail. But at the same time it left me a bit uncertain. I wasn't sure where I really sat with my Master.
I wanted to think we were still friends, but were we? Both of us were hyper aware of our enhanced relationship status. The turmoil was almost enough to overcome my usual reaction to everyone else's pheromones. Thankfully with Nene I found a rock I could cling to amid the sea of desires.
Sticking close to her side I found myself wanting the reassurance of physical contact several times, reaching out to brush fingers or rub shoulders just to ensure everything was real. I knew a careless word from either of us could ruin things, and I was terrified it might happen. Could she really believe anything I said wasn't controlled by my programing, could I?
It was the second concern I hope that had Nene fall quiet more often than the first. The atmosphere was very much like a first date, with both of us trying to be on our very best behavior. Cautious of what we said, while simultaneously searching for the smallest meaning in every gesture.
When I led her off the subway and towards the dorms of Tokyo University Nene paused and then glared at me, almost making my heart stop. "How, I checked all the incoming students personally!"
Though the upset in her eyes made me want to squirm the satisfaction of having pulled at least this much over on her had me break out a smile instead. "Ne-chan, did you think to check the second year students as well?" I asked, for the first time since seeing her again daring to use a teasing tone.
I could hear her grumble to herself as we rode the elevator to my floor and gave her had a sympathetic squeeze, the smile never leaving my lips. I wondered how different my classmates would find the situation if Nene were still in uniform. Then again, I wondered if any of them would believe it wasn't just cosplay given how well she fit in with the rest of the college crowd.
Settling in to my room, we sat across from each other on the rolled out futon. The silence between us stretching out and taking on a weight of its own. Finally Nene broke the silence.
"So you really are just living here and going to school?" Looking around Nene appeared a bit incredulous at all the evidence backing up my story. Not that she hadn't believed me before, but the reality of it was only now sinking in.
"Yup, I sure am. I could even introduce you to some friends if you want. Classes haven't started yet, but living in a dorm is like being part of a giant extended and annoying family. I think you would get along pretty well with them." Tugging at my collar I wondered why things felt so awkward sitting here with her. It was like I needed to fill the silence but my social program wasn't offering up any suggestions.
Finally falling back on traditional rules for hospitality I offered, "Can I get you anything to drink?"
"No that's alright." As she continued to look around taking in the scarcity of belongings Nene met my gaze. "I don't want to make things any harder on you than they are. If you can wait until tomorrow it will be safe to start withdrawing funds from your bank account." -86% certain Master is guilty over situation, 99% certain Master will accept continued independence.-
Following her gaze I realized my closet was both in plain view and almost entirely bare. No wonder she didn't ask for anything. She probably realized I didn't have much more than water to offer even if she was thirsty. "Thank you, I'm trying not to," I paused unsure how best to phrase it before just biting the bullet. "Be criminal I guess, but it's hard."
Knowing she would realize it soon if she hadn't already I went on. "I can't really afford the blood service, or um, tuition. I, I hope you won't hold it against me that I cheated a little to get myself a scholarship or the other thing…"
And while she didn't look entirely comfortable she nodded, her soft hair dancing in the light pouring through the windows. "I'm not entirely innocent myself you know. Just don't make a habit of…" Catching herself she stopped before it became a command. "Sorry, try not to make a habit of breaking the law like that." I felt a sudden outpouring of affection at the consideration. She really did care and was going to let me stay free if she was being that careful with her words.
There was a pause, -73% probable Master silent over guilt from almost giving a direct order.- "Nene, why trust me?" It had been burning in my mind since we left the game center. No matter how many times I went over it I couldn't determine a motive behind her actions with any kind of reasonable probability.
I watched her pink lips purse in thought, but eventually she came up with an answer, "Loyalty." When I remained silent she took the cue for what it was. "Kari, Priss may not think it, Sylia might doubt it, and you might not even realize it but you are a very loyal person. And I am not talking about any kind of programing." Shifting her weight from side to side she broke seiza to sit more comfortably as she went on.
"The reason I trust you is because you deserve it, and you've earned it. What you did for Irene wasn't because you were programed to help her. In all the time you have been free I bet it never even crossed your mind to reveal what you know, or that you could blackmail us. Seeing your loyalty to friends and desire to help others made me realize just how much you would be willing to do for me."
I really didn't have a response for that. And while I could probably remain in seiza indefinitely her praise, Master's praise made me want to fidget and move.
There was a brief silence before she changed the subject and though I was grateful for that, the new topic wasn't much more comfortable. Her already serious expression grew grim. "Do you really think you are doing the right thing with the others? They've killed, Kari. They've killed three people all of them innocent."
I felt like wilting before her. The trust she had just professed in me was now an anchor weighing on my conscience. "I think so. They aren't bad or crazy. Just, amoral. I know I can convince them, teach them, how to be productive members of society." I felt a bit like a sham even parroting that line, like I was a corrections officer or something, especially as Nene was the cop. "I'm sure they can do it, they just need a chance and some time." I took a breath. What I had to tell her next also might not go over very well.
"There's something else that you need to know now though." I could feel it, the urge to tell her, but I couldn't pinpoint the origin. It wasn't like Nene had given me an order. "Priss actually knows one of them, or one of them knows Priss." I stumbled to a stop there, not sure what else to say in the face of a sudden change in Nene's behavior.
Wondering just what caused it I took in every detail, the widening of her bright emerald green eyes. The way her lips pursed followed by the hardening of her jaw as she clenched her teeth. The slight flush coloring her cheeks as her eye movement indicated the process of recall. I may have gotten a bit distracted in minutiae as Nene was speaking before I could realize just why she'd had such a reaction.
"Sylvie…" The name was almost a whisper. "Of course. No wonder I," She shifted her weight uncomfortable sitting still. "That is so unfair." Her eyes narrowed glaring at me for just a moment with suspicion before another realization interrupted her train of thought. "Priss is going to kill her."
"I know. At first I thought maybe you set a trap for me, but after talking with Sylvie. I don't know what to do. Is there any way you could break it to Priss gently?" I asked, knowing full well it would be all but impossible. "Or maybe wait a day so I can try to get Sylvie and Anri to lay low…"
"I'm not sure. Something like this, I can't keep it from her, and she might not, okay she won't take it well at all. This complicates things. She's going to want to know how I found out. Sylia will want to know, and even if I don't say it she's going to connect the dots. What's worse is if I don't explain things she's going to think you're behind the murders."
"And you can't admit that you know I'm getting blood through different channels without explaining how you know about it and that you're letting me get away with it. Damn." Every time it seemed like I was making a little progress another problem came up.
After her earlier realization I was watching Nene's every movement closely, though trying to hide it. I wasn't sure how good a job I was doing, as when Nene shifted to lean back I had to physically stop myself from leaning forward in response. Damn, had I been this affected by Mr. Flint's presence as well?
Perfect hindsight does have its uses. No, I wasn't. As aware of him yes, but I hadn't let that awareness impinge so directly on my own autonomic behavior. But with Nene, trying to think it through could drive me mad. -Four seconds since last exchange. 86% certain a longer delay will result in Master feeling uncomfortable.-
Right, "I have an idea. I could maybe try to get Sylvie to tell her on her own?" It sounded stupid out loud so I hurried on hoping that haste might make it seem better. "I know it's not a perfect solution but, it might work." Really the idea had holes large enough to sail a battleship through, but every other option I could think of was worse. "It might disarm some of the anger over being lied to if she does." I offered as added incentive hoping to get Masters approval.
"I suppose I can let you try. But, if Priss doesn't know by tomorrow night I'm going to tell her." Nene looked for a moment like she might add something else before letting out a sigh as she looked me over.
When she leaned in I wasn't sure what to do. Too many conflicting options and desires presented themselves to decide on any given course of action.
Warm arms wrapped around slim shoulders and pulled me close. "What am I going to do with you Kari?" Nene whispered into my short blond hair. Although the question was rhetorical I still almost answered, "Anything you want Master." Thankfully I managed to squelch that impulse before it reached my lips but still my cheeks nearly burned with the blush.
When she let go the air felt chilly on my skin, even after so brief a contact. "I'll see you soon, and cover for you too, but this can't last forever." And just like that with a pat on the back and final injunction "Be good." Nene stood up. I watched her bouncing stride and swish of hair as she pulled the door shut behind her, the smile she spared me bringing an answering one to my lips. But all too quickly Master was gone and I was left to my own thoughts.
Although I was now on the clock for talking with Sylvie I didn't want to move. Going out sooner wouldn't guarantee a better result, and I wanted to put it off in case things went bad for as long as possible.
So I took a shower, after carefully putting away now spearmint scented shirt first.
It was nice, and with the hot water reserves of an entire building at my disposal although my skin was realistically pruned I had not run out of hot water despite the length. Damp and still dripping a little I finally made my way back through the halls toward my room only pausing as I saw the blurry dark haired form of Nanami watching TV in the lounge.
Before I could make up my mind on whether to talk with her or not she caught me looking and with an impish grin bid the others present goodbye. While quick I wasn't quite fast enough to reach my room before she caught up with me. And something about the twinkle in her eye let me know I was in for it.
"So… two showers in one day hmm? Anything you're not telling me about A-ri-su-chan?" she asked as she clung to my back and half guided half propelled me into the privacy of my room. -87% Certain subjects tone and body language indicate concealed jealousy.- And if that wasn't sure enough her next line clinched it. "I thought that you needed a little bit more time to make up your mind?" This time she didn't even try to hide the hint of hurt in her voice.
I started to wonder if she was going to ambush me every time I took a shower. The water dripping from my hair sending a cool shiver down my spine as it made its way downward. This was far more, aggressive than I ever expected her to be, and honestly I wasn't sure what to make of it. At least until I noticed her peering over my shoulder and scanning the room, her eyes lingering on my futon and the slightly bunched points of two people kneeling upon it.
I felt her relax fractionally and that's when it clicked. She had obviously noticed Nene's visit and my shower had her wondering. That the futon was out didn't help but the fact that it was not nearly as, mussed as her fears helped show my innocence. "I did, do." Letting out a groan I squirmed out from beneath her grasp.
With a further little huff I slipped fully into my room and thumped down onto the futon. "Come on Nanami-chan, cut me some slack." Brushing damp blond bangs out of my eyes I fumbled around until I found my glasses.
"But Alice-chan, didn't you say you wanted to wait?" Her teasing tone registered as she came into full focus. It took a moment to be sure what she meant but the cool air helped. Twitching my bathrobe tight I tugged hard on the sash to make sure it wouldn't slip again.
"You, are incorrigible, you know that?" I asked, receiving only a peal of laughter from my tormentor and friend even as she settled down into Nene's former spot across from me after kicking the door shut behind her.
"I'm also not the one who's had two showers today, and if it wasn't for the obvious reason then spill!" Her tone was once more eager, the hurt from moments ago forgotten. Of course before I could start to answer she went on. "So who was she? What classes is she taking, is she a freshman, how did you meet? I have to know everything!"
Thankfully being what I was parsing her questions was really quite easy, though I hoped as a petty bit of revenge her working through my response would take at least a moment. "Nene, None, No, Online, 42" Sitting back on my heals I grinned and watched as she worked it out.
Finally after far too little time for thought in my opinion she replied. "You forgot to tell me the question, what good is the answer if I don't know the question?"
The smirk she wore had my mouth gaping. "Wha, how did you even catch that reference?"
"You aren't the only one to have taken Tachibana Sensei's 20th Century British literature course, or are you secretly otaku?"
"No comment."
That drew another slight laugh but wasn't enough to distract her for long. "So come on, who is she, really?" She even gave me puppy dog eyes, and while of course they didn't actually affect me, -Subject exhibiting sympathetic need-, I wasn't really adverse to talking about it anyway.
"Alright, fine. Her name is Romanova Nene, and she actually works for the AD Police." I decided not to try hiding that much. It would only take a small slip, or Nene visiting in uniform for a cover story to fall apart after all. "She's some kind of dispatcher. I don't actually know the details."
As expected that drew a bit of an ooh and widened eyes from Nanami but I cut off her following questions. "No she doesn't fight boomers, or carry a gun, or run around arresting people. At least to the best of my knowledge." The last comment added as a twinge of conscience reminded me to be honest with my friend. "But like I said, we met online. She helped me out a bit and so we met up IRL. We hit it off well and have stayed in touch off and on since." Damn honesty.
I could see her pursing her lips as she listened attentively. It was really kind of cute, sort of like Nene when she played video games. I realized I wanted to talk, to let her in on my troubles or maybe just to vent.
Of course if I was going to go that route I could always go all in. I gave it a moment's consideration, -86% certain subject will maintain confidence.- Those odds were good enough for my peace of mind. "I know it's not really fair to you but uh, I saw her first."
Immediately I wanted to kick myself. That did not come out quite right. "What I mean is, that, well ah, if I do she has first dibs?"
Thankfully I must have looked pitiful and humorous enough that instead of getting angry Nanami just let out a sigh. "I was kind of afraid of that." Her entire body slumped slightly. "I'll forgive you, this time, but only if you pay a penalty." I looked up a bit confused but nodded slowly anyway. "You have to come out dancing with me again, aaand you owe me dinner, and ice cream. Deal?"
I could only agree. "Deal. Thanks for not being too angry." My instincts warned me to stop there before I prodded too much at her recent disappointment. "But only if you give me some advice." She shrugged and nodded.
"I met some friends, and they're in a bad spot, low income bad homes that sort of thing. They never learned that you shouldn't do some kinds of things. So they've been breaking the law. I don't think they're really bad but because of their background they just don't see what they're doing as wrong. How do I get them to stop without being preachy about it? I'm just not sure how to approach them."
"Have you tried simply asking them to stop?"
"Of course I did. But, I mean, really, would you stop doing something just because someone asked, if it was important? I mean, if it were me I might stop around them, but I would probably keep doing it where the fuddy-duddy wouldn't notice. How do I get them to change fundamentally?"
That set Nanami back on her heels in thought. She closed her eyes and rolled her head back and forth a little while she seriously considered the question. "Well, I think that you need to use shame. I mean, yes you're off to a good start saying that it's not acceptable, but then you have to keep on them, make them understand it's not only not acceptable for you to do, or them to do while your around, but for anyone to do period. You need to get them to feel ashamed of doing whatever it is, even if they aren't getting caught."
"Shame, right…" I felt like groaning. -Model 33-S boomers are programed not to be inhibited by shame, embarrassment or humiliation.- I did roll my eyes at that. Thank you internal monologue but I already knew that. Still it was a harsh reminder of the very real differences between myself and Sylvie and Anri. "Somehow I just don't think that is going to work."
"Well, then I think you're stuck. The only other way to get them to change is wait for them to get caught." Nanami hesitated briefly, "I guess at last resort you could turn them in or threaten to do so, but that might be the end of your friendship if you go that far."
I blinked at the suggestion and smiled. "Maybe that would be for the best, thanks Nanami, you're great." I couldn't exactly turn them over to the police without risking myself, but what I could do was use the Knight Sabers as a stalking-horse to get them in line, maybe, probably.
Shaking myself mentally to refocus on the here and now, I raised an eyebrow at Nanami. "Now then, while I'm flattered by the attention you should probably go before my robe slips any further." her blush was proof enough of her thoughts without any internal analysis needed. A new yukata really needed to go on my shopping list. Comfortable or not, if Nanami turned these visits into a normal event having one that slipped open on its own really wasn't a good choice. Tugging it closed again, I gave her a smile. "I should really get dressed, and you really should be outside while I do. I'll catch up with you later, okay Na-chan?"
Still blushing at being caught trying to peek she rose. "Okay A-chan, but you can't blame a girl for trying, and I am not going to forget that you owe me another night out." With that parting shot she bowed her way out the door, low enough to offer a glance down the low necked blouse giving me a flash of emerald bra, -93% certain action intentional.- I couldn't help but laugh at her teasing me right back and she had a self-satisfied grin as the door closed.
Having put it off long enough I quickly dressed and gathered up my dialysis machine. This time mindful of witnesses, i.e. Nanami, I was cautious as I slipped out of the building. It was time to meet up with Sylvie and Anri. And although I had good news I wasn't sure just how they would receive everything I had to say.
Taking the subway in the evening on a weekend was as relaxing as such things got for me now. Only a few people in the carriage and none of the frantic post work energy or anxieties to spread their scent. Having to juggle an extra package after my first stop made the walk from the end of the line to Sylvie's apartment building noticeably more exhausting. It certainly also drove home the fact that I needed this as much as they did. I can't say that I put off talking to Master till the last possible moment, but I hadn't had a lot of time to spare either.
The sun was already down when I found myself in front of a familiar apartment door, heartrate gradually slowing down after the exertion. It had taken the last of the light to pick up the first delivery from Kamiya Biomedical. The temptation to keep it for myself was strong, but selfish. I knew Anri needed it desperately, and it was also a pretty good way to buy myself legitimacy as a leader. It was a little cynical to think that way, but I couldn't see any way around it.
I was grateful when my knock was quickly answered. Getting inside and behind a locked door did wonders for my sense of security. This neighborhood was pretty awful. Fortunately both Sylvie and Anri were here, and from the lack of horrible news on the radio hadn't done anything desperate in the interim.
Reading my micro expressions and posture perfectly Sylvie let out a relieved smile and rested a hand on my shoulder, giving a light squeeze. Again I was struck by just how well we could understand one another without needing to resort to words.
"The neighborhood is bad, but you don't need to worry. No one in the building will hurt you, we keep our heads down, and as long as we pay rent the local gang keeps most other criminals away." Running perfect fingers through her long silvery hair Sylvie's smile was almost blinding with her joy at seeing me. "You know, even though you said you could, I was having trouble believing it." A slight twitch of her eyes toward my baggage filled in the rest of the conversation without need to express it verbally.
Anri sat up in bed suddenly, her long unbound green hair the only thing that maintained her modesty, unnecessary though that was given our near identical bodies. "Kari! What were you thinking?" A pause as she worked it out from micro reactions then. "Oh, well it's very good of you to let me have first access but it's really like I've been telling Sylvie. If you two don't stay in good health then what hope do I have for getting better. Please, I can see how hard your systems are working just to operate normally. Whatever it is you want to talk about can wait until we're done."
"Ah…" I could immediately see that any objection I might raise wasn't going to be accepted, either by my twin or her taller companion. Gratefully settling down on the edge of the bed I started to unpack both blood and machine while Sylvie helped Anri get more comfortably positioned beside me.
I was surprised her nudity didn't really bother me, or more to the point cause much distraction. It wasn't due to the instinctual Japanese mores or even the fact that from below the neck we were so similar. I just felt in a sibling relationship with Anri. With both of them actually, despite how physically dissimilar Sylvie was, even her statuesque figure didn't draw my attention that way. The hesitation I felt when they withdrew their own tubing to create a circuit wasn't due to reluctance, but surprise that I hadn't considered the possibility.
So it took only a few minutes before we lounged amid the soft hum of the dialysis machine, our heartbeats synchronized as blood circulated freely between us all. On their insistence the order went me, Sylvie, Anri then finally the dialysis machine before restarting the cycle fresh as the filters worked overtime removing the brackish spent blood from our integrated system.
I didn't even try to hold myself separate from them. The first time we met I had felt it necessary to override my body's reactions and lie or at least conceal my thoughts. Today I felt keenly my kinship with them. I couldn't make myself continue to lie and although they both knew I had news they wouldn't like neither one pressed me on it, just enjoying the moment.
Alas all good things must come to an end. So it was with our moment of perfect understanding as the cycle came to a stop. Sylvie, as was her model's tendency took the initiative to break the silence first. "Kari, it's alright. Go ahead and let us know what it is."
Anri chimed in with her own encouragement. "You've been free the longest; we trust you and your judgment."
Letting the ritual of cleaning and packing away the dialysis machine help calm my thoughts I nodded, "Alright. I can keep providing for our upkeep, at least for the near future. This isn't just a onetime deal." Their acceptance and relief, even faith in me and my judgment seemed to swell even as the slight frown on Sylvie's face and crinkle of Anri's brow indicated they knew that there was more.
"But," and I nodded to acknowledge their concerns. "There's more and it does come with a price." Hardening my tone I made sure every tell gave the same message; that this wasn't negotiable. "No more crime, especially no more killing. I won't help if you do, and, well I'm not entirely free to act myself." I let the dismay, confusion and even satisfaction I felt at that show in my expression and gestures. Somehow being with others like me made me more aware of my own feelings through the act of reading theirs.
The concern for me I saw as I went on was touching but I forced myself to continue. "It really isn't that bad. But we, all of us, have to show we can live with humanity, not just among them. That means adapting to their morality and following it. The good parts. We're on trial." I paused, that wasn't quite right, how to explain it… "No, more like probation. Already they have cause to execute us, well you, and imprison me. It may not be fair, and circumstances might conspire to keep it that way but that's how it is."
"Kari, don't worry. I won't let that happen, WE won't let that happen." I looked into Sylvie's eyes and wondered how she could feel so sure, so secure in that statement. "If anything happens we'll fight. We have the DD, and the AD Police, even Doberman's are no match for it!"
They read my reaction even as I connected the dots. I knew that name, it had been in Mr. Flint's files! And while it was probably true what they said about the DD Battlemover's combat strength that isn't what had my systems emulating the blood draining from my face. By their confusion I knew they didn't know, couldn't know the full truth. Why I was frightened not just of what they were proposing to do, but for the countless numbers it put at risk.
"Sisters, the DD, it, has a bomb in it." Still their reactions weren't showing comprehension of just how bad this was. "A fusion bomb." Now they understood. At least on an intellectual level how bad it could be. "If you use it, and are at risk of losing that bomb will go off, and while it might not be large enough to level MegaTokyo it is big enough to ensure that everyone nearby, along with anyone you're fighting to protect will die along with you. Promise me you won't use it. Please."
"Kari, you know I can't do that. If I have to kill, to protect Anri, or you, I will. If you two were to die, then, what good is living going to be?"
"What about the rest of the people who will die?" But even as I asked I knew her answer. I could read it in her expression, aside from a tiny twitch she didn't care about any of that, she didn't know anyone else or have a reason to care. But there was that twitch. On a hunch I pressed. "What about Priss?"
That finally brought the thoughtful frown that allowed me to relax. It might be tiny, fledgling and mostly untried, but that slight flinch was proof enough. Even without human memories boomers could have a conscience, and maybe even a soul.
"I know you haven't met her yet Anri, but she is a good person. She's also not unique. There are countless people out there for you to meet, and any one of them might become a friend. Someone to watch your back, who doesn't know it yet but is just waiting to meet you." I let out a slightly relieved sigh as they began to understand where I was coming from.
"I know not everyone is that way, and you have to be careful in who you talk to, how you relate. I mean, nice as the crooks running this building are I don't think they would make the best of friends." My laugh had them joining me in a moment of understanding. "But really it's worth going out there to find the special ones."
Fidgeting a bit I decided it was time to fess up. "Actually I know Priss as well, and, while I can't honestly call her a friend, she IS a friend of someone else important to me. I want to be able to meet her again someday without it becoming a fight." Watching Sylvie I paused to try and decide how to explain.
"I don't want you to face the same hurdles with her that I have. She doesn't like or trust boomers. I don't know what but something happened to her, something that's left her angry at the world, and us. Finding out my true nature didn't help. I kept it a secret and that only hurt the relationship we might have had."
Meeting Sylvie's copper eyes with my green ones I made sure she understood the sincerity behind my words. "You have to tell her. Telling her instead of having her find out on her own is really important. She doesn't trust easily. So the longer that you lie to her the worse it will be. I don't know how it will go. Especially after the mess with myself and… what you've done. If she can even accept you or not but she needs to have the truth if there's going to be a chance."
Anri and I watched as our sister struggled with the dilemma. To tell a friend something that might end the friendship, or to hide something that if discovered would certainly do so. Turning to me she stated, having already realized the truth but wanting to ensure our sister heard it. "You're going to let her know if Sylvie doesn't aren't you." Not stopping there she drew a breath. "About everything, even the harvesting. You know we will become dangerous killers in her eyes if you do." Her tone was calm, her eyes accusatory, and her body showed her confusion at my prospective betrayal as she drew the sheets up over herself in a protective gesture.
"Yes." I let out a sigh. "Yes to all of it." Reaching out I caught one of Sylvie's hands before she could pull away from me as well, before the cracks those words caused in our newfound relationship could widen any further. "But I'm going to do it for you. To help not hurt. Priss will find out. Even if I do nothing, but it's how she finds out that is important."
Pondering a moment I could feel the weighty gaze of the others even as they gave me the time to compose the rest of what I wanted to say. "It isn't always right, to use our abilities to manipulate someone. In fact it's probably wrong most of the time. But, humans understand context. They understand the mentality of US or THEM. You need to let her know what you are, and all of the trials you've faced. How important it was to escape, and how much value freedom has. You need to make her feel like your problems and hers are the same. Only after she can sympathize with you can you admit to the rest. Admit that it was a mistake, that it was done from desperation, and that you know better, feel bad, and won't ever do it again. It's important that you really feel that way. Because without remorse, then, her first reaction probably would be the right one."
Her next question surprised me. "What if she asks about you?" That got me to squirm. I didn't want Priss to come after me. To drag me kicking and screaming back to the basement of the Silky Doll or do worse with that hardsuit. But the answer had to be the same for me as for Sylvie.
"Tell her. I would appreciate it if you don't tell her where I am, or anything like that, but, if she asks you should probably tell her. If you can make sure she knows I haven't had anything to do with the killing. I don't want, no, I won't abandon you, but I also don't want her thinking that I'm a killer either." Looking from one to the other with my heart on my sleeve I once again lamented that normal people couldn't communicate their emotions this clearly to each other. Our programing could read emotion so well it was almost another language entirely, and we were equally capable of reproducing the social cues and ticks to broadcast it.
Feeling the warmth of two pairs of arms around me made everything worthwhile. I had a family, a weird, messed up, morally questionable family, but a family all the same. Letting them get killed, or even threatening them with the Knight Sabers was no longer an option. I couldn't take the place of all the sisters who had died helping them escape from Genaro's but I could do my very best to try.
Releasing the hug I sat back. They were like sisters, or cousin's yes cousins. One's I hadn't seen in a long time but was close with as a kid and was now getting to meet again as an adult. Complete with the strange gulfs of understanding and underlying sense of familiarity.
"Look we're going to need to develop lives for ourselves. That's going to take more than just a little blood to keep us going."
Anri nodded. "I'm getting better but I still need some repairs."
"And money, we don't have much left from our um… targets." Sylvie added looking at least repentant of the act now.
Nodding I listened for a bit before speaking up. "Well, I think there may be a solution to our problems, but I don't know if it will work out yet." Used to keeping things close to my chest it was rather disconcerting to see their eyes latch on, and even knowing it was manufactured I couldn't resist Anri's look of hope and began to spill the beans.
"I know someone who has had experience repairing a 33-S. I, um, I even know that they have a lot of money, and might be willing to help. It's just it will probably cost us. Luckily I have an idea there as well. You don't really need to keep the DD do you? It's worth a lot of money, and while normally I would be very worried about anyone we might sell it to I trust these people enough that we just might be able to trade it to them in exchange for repairing Anri and enough money to make a real start. To get out of Mega Tokyo if you want, to go to school and learn how to be more than glorified maids, or just to buy state of the art programing and start a trade on our own. They should even be able to help set up legal identities if they're feeling really nice."
"Who?" Asked Anri, eyes wide as she leaned closer as if that would make the answer appear sooner.
I answered with three simple words.
"The Knight Sabers."
Edited 6-27-2017
"STOP!" I froze. My heart caught in my throat as I heard the first definitive command from my Master since I had arrived. It was a jarring realization, and yet somehow a relief as well. Now I knew.
From her silence I think it was as much a surprise to Nene as me, -72% certain master not anticipating unit's response to command.- Why so low, or did she already suspect? I wanted to turn and see her face, to put my suspicions to rest but simultaneously was afraid of what I might find if I did.
"Is there a problem here?" The voice was sharp, authoritative, and came from the duty officer. I could see his reflection in the glass of the door as he rose. One hand held out of view, likely on a panic button. Was this how it all ended?
Nene's taut voice was one of the most relieving things I had ever heard. "No, everything's fine." -87% certain master concealing nervousness.-
"You sure?" the officer asked, and I could sense both his slight doubt and his willingness to accept another officer's word in the look on his face.
"I'm sure," Nene answered for both of us. Her voice stronger, carrying conviction in her tone and I saw his shoulders relax.
"Come with me Kari. We should find a better place to talk privately." And just like that the fear holding me in place was gone. But before I could do much more than glance guiltily at her she went on. "and don't run off again until I say we're done."
I swallowed. My shoulders slumping as I felt the… inertia of her words hit me. Was she really doing this to me now? What punishments were waiting? Although my thoughts were in turmoil, still I followed meekly, automatically as she lead the way outside. It made me feel like a ten year old on my way to the principal's office.
I wasn't sure if I should be grateful or not we left AD Police headquarters on foot. It was miles to the Silky Doll and the other Knight Sabers, but it also wasn't like I could do anything even if Nene planned to walk the whole way.
As we headed down the block towards an arcade I pondered my options. Just what was Nene going to do? I could attack her, maybe, but then what? I didn't even really want to contemplate the option and that was without my subconscious mind trying to shy away from the possibility also.
Crossing the street I blinked as our destination became clearer. We really were heading for the arcade parlor. Then my eyes began to trace the marque along the side of the building and almost tripped. 2nd floor MacDonald's, 3rd floor Boomer Repairs, 4th floor love hotel.
As we walked the rest of the way across the street I couldn't help but blush. Was Master really taking me to a love hotel? D-did she want, it would be private, but she wouldn't want, but I could try to coax her another way.
Idle fantasy and hopes alike crashed hard as instead of the narrow stairs Nene turned into the game center. Taking my hand she led me past countless arcade games and into a small padded room. Swiftly shutting the door behind us she pointed imperiously to the spot on the couch furthest from the door. "Sit." So I did.
Twisting the little panel to show the room was occupied she quickly fed a credit card to the machine and in moments there was a cheery technopop beat bouncing from wall to wall in the Karaoke room.
On reflection it really was perfect for holding a private conversation. A soundproof room, filled with techno music, surrounded by all the white noise a gaming center could provide. I wonder why spy movies don't use them more often.
The couches were comfortable, and even if the fake leather upholstery was a little worn on the edges the staff had done a good job cleaning them over the years. The walls were an unrelieved blue/grey apart from a rectangular patch painted white used as a screen by the projection system in the ceiling.
Tapping my toes I nervously watched my sneakers rise and fall, their pattern subconsciously/ now consciously shifting to match the techno beat. Just another thing to focus on before a familiar pair of black flats and dark stockings moved into view signaling the end of my prevaricating.
It's just, Nene is my Master. How could I not have realized that before? Isn't it something a 33-S should just know? Does this mean I didn't actually lo-like her, or are my feelings separate from the institution? If I was loyal to her when I woke up how did I run away the first time, and if I wasn't then why was I loyal to her now? My confusion over the situation just continued to grow as I shifted my weight from side to side.
I was happy to be alone in a room with her. Even so, shouldn't I be more upset about the fact that I couldn't leave if I wanted to?
Feet shuffling slightly Nene took a breath, just barely perceptible beneath the beat. "Kari, I'm not going to hurt you." Her hand moved to rest on my shoulder and I twitched at the touch, eyes drawn willingly up to meet hers.
"I know." I gave a slight shrug. "You're a good person." My confidence in that simple belief shone through in my voice. It was my only chance, and I prayed I was right.
Nene blinked to prevent a surprised tear from escaping, my simple words and faith having a profound effect. "Oh Kari, why did you have to run away? It was getting better, I almost had Priss convinced, and Sylia… she would have come around." -56% certain Master believes statement accurate.- Nervously she sat beside me, not quite close enough to touch by accident but well within reach.
I felt myself lean toward her slightly, I would say subconsciously but I was very cognizant of the decision to do so. Almost too aware of the gaps, small and wide that still separated us. "I couldn't take it anymore. Maybe it's me, or maybe being a 33-S, but I can't live confined like that. I didn't really have a choice. I had to do whatever it took to be free."
Something in my words must have alarmed her because I watched her slowly swallow back a sudden rush of apprehension. I could feel the weight of her next question. "Kari, have you hurt anyone since you escaped?"
-84% certain Master's concern related to action centered on need for freedom from choice of focus on word choice, escaped rather than left.- "No. Nene, you know me. I'm not the kind of person to do anything like that. Why do you think I've been trying so hard to avoid notice?" I looked down and after a short breath went on. "I do need a steady supply of blood, synthetic or otherwise but, I'm not going to hurt people to get it."
Again my sincerity was easy to get across. She didn't even try to hide her relief, leaning back against the couch and letting out the breath she had been holding. Why she believed me so easily I don't know, I could have lied to her, I was almost sure of it.
"Ne-chan, that's why I need you to let me get away with it. Without that blood I'll suffer, and die." -92% certain Master withholding final judgment until case fully presented.- Not letting up I ruthlessly pressed home my emotional advantage, reading her responses like an open book. "But more than that, the others I met, without me they will have to go out and kill again. They don't have morals. They aren't bad, they just… don't know any better."
Watching her expression closely I realized I had lost her a bit with that and scrambled to try to explain better. "They're like children, and the only example they've had for how to act is their limited experience with their masters. They were shown that people take what they want without thinking of the feelings or thoughts of those they're abusing. I know what they've done is wrong. I just, need some time to get them to understand that as well."
"I appreciate that you feel related to them Kari, but." Nene sighed. "You can't hold yourself responsible for their actions. They've gone rogue. They're unstable and a danger to everyone around them. We have to stop them."
"You mean kill them." My voice was flat as I shifted emphasis to force Nene to meet my eyes, my posture slightly threatening, just enough to catch her attention fully. "I want to stop them. If they never hurt someone again, if they learn how to live in the real world they won't be a danger to anyone. Rogue boomers are only dangerous because they don't know anything. No one taught them the rules."
Softening my posture as I moved closer I pressed my point home. "But we have a chance to change that. Maybe not for all of them, but for these two it's not too late. Please, will you give me a chance to change them first, before getting the Knig- ah your friends involved?" Even here incongruously listening to "sugar rush" play in the background it struck me as a bad idea to voice her allegiance aloud.
I could feel her wavering; Master just needed a tiny bit more to push her over the edge. "Please," I repeated. "It would mean so much to me. I, I'll even show you where I'm living now, and if it doesn't work you can take me back to the basement." The manipulation wasn't even remotely fair to Nene.
Being able to read her emotions, to pull on her feelings of guilt over my confinement, and gratitude at the trust I was ostensibly offering. I felt guilty using my abilities like that. I wasn't even really offering her anything she couldn't do already, just changing the context.
But when she leaned into my side, and let out a simultaneously defeated and relieved breath it no longer mattered. The sensation was electric. I could feel the nerves along my arm firing, sending the impression of warmth and pressure back to my brain. That was nice by itself, but knowing just who it was made it feel even better.
I snuggled into her side, and her arm slipped around behind me. Nene cradled my waist and it was enough for now to know she really did care about me. "Alright Kari-chan, we can do this your way." I imagined I could hear fondness in her voice. -92% Certain tone and inflection of Master's voice indicative of affection.- "But don't think I missed what you did there." I stiffened minutely, she didn't mean…
"After all," she went on her voice still gentle, "You didn't actually give up anything I didn't already have. Even so, I think We're Done." And with that I felt the command against escape melt away like morning dew as she very clearly used the trigger command she had given back at the ADP to release me. Even so we didn't move until long after the song ended.
When would I stop underestimating her!
It was a strange mood that held sway between us as we rode the subway back towards Tokyo University. Embarrassed and a little confused on my part, and teasing but thoughtful on Nene's. I felt good, relieved to know that she trusted me, despite my attempted emotional blackmail. But at the same time it left me a bit uncertain. I wasn't sure where I really sat with my Master.
I wanted to think we were still friends, but were we? Both of us were hyper aware of our enhanced relationship status. The turmoil was almost enough to overcome my usual reaction to everyone else's pheromones. Thankfully with Nene I found a rock I could cling to amid the sea of desires.
Sticking close to her side I found myself wanting the reassurance of physical contact several times, reaching out to brush fingers or rub shoulders just to ensure everything was real. I knew a careless word from either of us could ruin things, and I was terrified it might happen. Could she really believe anything I said wasn't controlled by my programing, could I?
It was the second concern I hope that had Nene fall quiet more often than the first. The atmosphere was very much like a first date, with both of us trying to be on our very best behavior. Cautious of what we said, while simultaneously searching for the smallest meaning in every gesture.
When I led her off the subway and towards the dorms of Tokyo University Nene paused and then glared at me, almost making my heart stop. "How, I checked all the incoming students personally!"
Though the upset in her eyes made me want to squirm the satisfaction of having pulled at least this much over on her had me break out a smile instead. "Ne-chan, did you think to check the second year students as well?" I asked, for the first time since seeing her again daring to use a teasing tone.
I could hear her grumble to herself as we rode the elevator to my floor and gave her had a sympathetic squeeze, the smile never leaving my lips. I wondered how different my classmates would find the situation if Nene were still in uniform. Then again, I wondered if any of them would believe it wasn't just cosplay given how well she fit in with the rest of the college crowd.
Settling in to my room, we sat across from each other on the rolled out futon. The silence between us stretching out and taking on a weight of its own. Finally Nene broke the silence.
"So you really are just living here and going to school?" Looking around Nene appeared a bit incredulous at all the evidence backing up my story. Not that she hadn't believed me before, but the reality of it was only now sinking in.
"Yup, I sure am. I could even introduce you to some friends if you want. Classes haven't started yet, but living in a dorm is like being part of a giant extended and annoying family. I think you would get along pretty well with them." Tugging at my collar I wondered why things felt so awkward sitting here with her. It was like I needed to fill the silence but my social program wasn't offering up any suggestions.
Finally falling back on traditional rules for hospitality I offered, "Can I get you anything to drink?"
"No that's alright." As she continued to look around taking in the scarcity of belongings Nene met my gaze. "I don't want to make things any harder on you than they are. If you can wait until tomorrow it will be safe to start withdrawing funds from your bank account." -86% certain Master is guilty over situation, 99% certain Master will accept continued independence.-
Following her gaze I realized my closet was both in plain view and almost entirely bare. No wonder she didn't ask for anything. She probably realized I didn't have much more than water to offer even if she was thirsty. "Thank you, I'm trying not to," I paused unsure how best to phrase it before just biting the bullet. "Be criminal I guess, but it's hard."
Knowing she would realize it soon if she hadn't already I went on. "I can't really afford the blood service, or um, tuition. I, I hope you won't hold it against me that I cheated a little to get myself a scholarship or the other thing…"
And while she didn't look entirely comfortable she nodded, her soft hair dancing in the light pouring through the windows. "I'm not entirely innocent myself you know. Just don't make a habit of…" Catching herself she stopped before it became a command. "Sorry, try not to make a habit of breaking the law like that." I felt a sudden outpouring of affection at the consideration. She really did care and was going to let me stay free if she was being that careful with her words.
There was a pause, -73% probable Master silent over guilt from almost giving a direct order.- "Nene, why trust me?" It had been burning in my mind since we left the game center. No matter how many times I went over it I couldn't determine a motive behind her actions with any kind of reasonable probability.
I watched her pink lips purse in thought, but eventually she came up with an answer, "Loyalty." When I remained silent she took the cue for what it was. "Kari, Priss may not think it, Sylia might doubt it, and you might not even realize it but you are a very loyal person. And I am not talking about any kind of programing." Shifting her weight from side to side she broke seiza to sit more comfortably as she went on.
"The reason I trust you is because you deserve it, and you've earned it. What you did for Irene wasn't because you were programed to help her. In all the time you have been free I bet it never even crossed your mind to reveal what you know, or that you could blackmail us. Seeing your loyalty to friends and desire to help others made me realize just how much you would be willing to do for me."
I really didn't have a response for that. And while I could probably remain in seiza indefinitely her praise, Master's praise made me want to fidget and move.
There was a brief silence before she changed the subject and though I was grateful for that, the new topic wasn't much more comfortable. Her already serious expression grew grim. "Do you really think you are doing the right thing with the others? They've killed, Kari. They've killed three people all of them innocent."
I felt like wilting before her. The trust she had just professed in me was now an anchor weighing on my conscience. "I think so. They aren't bad or crazy. Just, amoral. I know I can convince them, teach them, how to be productive members of society." I felt a bit like a sham even parroting that line, like I was a corrections officer or something, especially as Nene was the cop. "I'm sure they can do it, they just need a chance and some time." I took a breath. What I had to tell her next also might not go over very well.
"There's something else that you need to know now though." I could feel it, the urge to tell her, but I couldn't pinpoint the origin. It wasn't like Nene had given me an order. "Priss actually knows one of them, or one of them knows Priss." I stumbled to a stop there, not sure what else to say in the face of a sudden change in Nene's behavior.
Wondering just what caused it I took in every detail, the widening of her bright emerald green eyes. The way her lips pursed followed by the hardening of her jaw as she clenched her teeth. The slight flush coloring her cheeks as her eye movement indicated the process of recall. I may have gotten a bit distracted in minutiae as Nene was speaking before I could realize just why she'd had such a reaction.
"Sylvie…" The name was almost a whisper. "Of course. No wonder I," She shifted her weight uncomfortable sitting still. "That is so unfair." Her eyes narrowed glaring at me for just a moment with suspicion before another realization interrupted her train of thought. "Priss is going to kill her."
"I know. At first I thought maybe you set a trap for me, but after talking with Sylvie. I don't know what to do. Is there any way you could break it to Priss gently?" I asked, knowing full well it would be all but impossible. "Or maybe wait a day so I can try to get Sylvie and Anri to lay low…"
"I'm not sure. Something like this, I can't keep it from her, and she might not, okay she won't take it well at all. This complicates things. She's going to want to know how I found out. Sylia will want to know, and even if I don't say it she's going to connect the dots. What's worse is if I don't explain things she's going to think you're behind the murders."
"And you can't admit that you know I'm getting blood through different channels without explaining how you know about it and that you're letting me get away with it. Damn." Every time it seemed like I was making a little progress another problem came up.
After her earlier realization I was watching Nene's every movement closely, though trying to hide it. I wasn't sure how good a job I was doing, as when Nene shifted to lean back I had to physically stop myself from leaning forward in response. Damn, had I been this affected by Mr. Flint's presence as well?
Perfect hindsight does have its uses. No, I wasn't. As aware of him yes, but I hadn't let that awareness impinge so directly on my own autonomic behavior. But with Nene, trying to think it through could drive me mad. -Four seconds since last exchange. 86% certain a longer delay will result in Master feeling uncomfortable.-
Right, "I have an idea. I could maybe try to get Sylvie to tell her on her own?" It sounded stupid out loud so I hurried on hoping that haste might make it seem better. "I know it's not a perfect solution but, it might work." Really the idea had holes large enough to sail a battleship through, but every other option I could think of was worse. "It might disarm some of the anger over being lied to if she does." I offered as added incentive hoping to get Masters approval.
"I suppose I can let you try. But, if Priss doesn't know by tomorrow night I'm going to tell her." Nene looked for a moment like she might add something else before letting out a sigh as she looked me over.
When she leaned in I wasn't sure what to do. Too many conflicting options and desires presented themselves to decide on any given course of action.
Warm arms wrapped around slim shoulders and pulled me close. "What am I going to do with you Kari?" Nene whispered into my short blond hair. Although the question was rhetorical I still almost answered, "Anything you want Master." Thankfully I managed to squelch that impulse before it reached my lips but still my cheeks nearly burned with the blush.
When she let go the air felt chilly on my skin, even after so brief a contact. "I'll see you soon, and cover for you too, but this can't last forever." And just like that with a pat on the back and final injunction "Be good." Nene stood up. I watched her bouncing stride and swish of hair as she pulled the door shut behind her, the smile she spared me bringing an answering one to my lips. But all too quickly Master was gone and I was left to my own thoughts.
Although I was now on the clock for talking with Sylvie I didn't want to move. Going out sooner wouldn't guarantee a better result, and I wanted to put it off in case things went bad for as long as possible.
So I took a shower, after carefully putting away now spearmint scented shirt first.
It was nice, and with the hot water reserves of an entire building at my disposal although my skin was realistically pruned I had not run out of hot water despite the length. Damp and still dripping a little I finally made my way back through the halls toward my room only pausing as I saw the blurry dark haired form of Nanami watching TV in the lounge.
Before I could make up my mind on whether to talk with her or not she caught me looking and with an impish grin bid the others present goodbye. While quick I wasn't quite fast enough to reach my room before she caught up with me. And something about the twinkle in her eye let me know I was in for it.
"So… two showers in one day hmm? Anything you're not telling me about A-ri-su-chan?" she asked as she clung to my back and half guided half propelled me into the privacy of my room. -87% Certain subjects tone and body language indicate concealed jealousy.- And if that wasn't sure enough her next line clinched it. "I thought that you needed a little bit more time to make up your mind?" This time she didn't even try to hide the hint of hurt in her voice.
I started to wonder if she was going to ambush me every time I took a shower. The water dripping from my hair sending a cool shiver down my spine as it made its way downward. This was far more, aggressive than I ever expected her to be, and honestly I wasn't sure what to make of it. At least until I noticed her peering over my shoulder and scanning the room, her eyes lingering on my futon and the slightly bunched points of two people kneeling upon it.
I felt her relax fractionally and that's when it clicked. She had obviously noticed Nene's visit and my shower had her wondering. That the futon was out didn't help but the fact that it was not nearly as, mussed as her fears helped show my innocence. "I did, do." Letting out a groan I squirmed out from beneath her grasp.
With a further little huff I slipped fully into my room and thumped down onto the futon. "Come on Nanami-chan, cut me some slack." Brushing damp blond bangs out of my eyes I fumbled around until I found my glasses.
"But Alice-chan, didn't you say you wanted to wait?" Her teasing tone registered as she came into full focus. It took a moment to be sure what she meant but the cool air helped. Twitching my bathrobe tight I tugged hard on the sash to make sure it wouldn't slip again.
"You, are incorrigible, you know that?" I asked, receiving only a peal of laughter from my tormentor and friend even as she settled down into Nene's former spot across from me after kicking the door shut behind her.
"I'm also not the one who's had two showers today, and if it wasn't for the obvious reason then spill!" Her tone was once more eager, the hurt from moments ago forgotten. Of course before I could start to answer she went on. "So who was she? What classes is she taking, is she a freshman, how did you meet? I have to know everything!"
Thankfully being what I was parsing her questions was really quite easy, though I hoped as a petty bit of revenge her working through my response would take at least a moment. "Nene, None, No, Online, 42" Sitting back on my heals I grinned and watched as she worked it out.
Finally after far too little time for thought in my opinion she replied. "You forgot to tell me the question, what good is the answer if I don't know the question?"
The smirk she wore had my mouth gaping. "Wha, how did you even catch that reference?"
"You aren't the only one to have taken Tachibana Sensei's 20th Century British literature course, or are you secretly otaku?"
"No comment."
That drew another slight laugh but wasn't enough to distract her for long. "So come on, who is she, really?" She even gave me puppy dog eyes, and while of course they didn't actually affect me, -Subject exhibiting sympathetic need-, I wasn't really adverse to talking about it anyway.
"Alright, fine. Her name is Romanova Nene, and she actually works for the AD Police." I decided not to try hiding that much. It would only take a small slip, or Nene visiting in uniform for a cover story to fall apart after all. "She's some kind of dispatcher. I don't actually know the details."
As expected that drew a bit of an ooh and widened eyes from Nanami but I cut off her following questions. "No she doesn't fight boomers, or carry a gun, or run around arresting people. At least to the best of my knowledge." The last comment added as a twinge of conscience reminded me to be honest with my friend. "But like I said, we met online. She helped me out a bit and so we met up IRL. We hit it off well and have stayed in touch off and on since." Damn honesty.
I could see her pursing her lips as she listened attentively. It was really kind of cute, sort of like Nene when she played video games. I realized I wanted to talk, to let her in on my troubles or maybe just to vent.
Of course if I was going to go that route I could always go all in. I gave it a moment's consideration, -86% certain subject will maintain confidence.- Those odds were good enough for my peace of mind. "I know it's not really fair to you but uh, I saw her first."
Immediately I wanted to kick myself. That did not come out quite right. "What I mean is, that, well ah, if I do she has first dibs?"
Thankfully I must have looked pitiful and humorous enough that instead of getting angry Nanami just let out a sigh. "I was kind of afraid of that." Her entire body slumped slightly. "I'll forgive you, this time, but only if you pay a penalty." I looked up a bit confused but nodded slowly anyway. "You have to come out dancing with me again, aaand you owe me dinner, and ice cream. Deal?"
I could only agree. "Deal. Thanks for not being too angry." My instincts warned me to stop there before I prodded too much at her recent disappointment. "But only if you give me some advice." She shrugged and nodded.
"I met some friends, and they're in a bad spot, low income bad homes that sort of thing. They never learned that you shouldn't do some kinds of things. So they've been breaking the law. I don't think they're really bad but because of their background they just don't see what they're doing as wrong. How do I get them to stop without being preachy about it? I'm just not sure how to approach them."
"Have you tried simply asking them to stop?"
"Of course I did. But, I mean, really, would you stop doing something just because someone asked, if it was important? I mean, if it were me I might stop around them, but I would probably keep doing it where the fuddy-duddy wouldn't notice. How do I get them to change fundamentally?"
That set Nanami back on her heels in thought. She closed her eyes and rolled her head back and forth a little while she seriously considered the question. "Well, I think that you need to use shame. I mean, yes you're off to a good start saying that it's not acceptable, but then you have to keep on them, make them understand it's not only not acceptable for you to do, or them to do while your around, but for anyone to do period. You need to get them to feel ashamed of doing whatever it is, even if they aren't getting caught."
"Shame, right…" I felt like groaning. -Model 33-S boomers are programed not to be inhibited by shame, embarrassment or humiliation.- I did roll my eyes at that. Thank you internal monologue but I already knew that. Still it was a harsh reminder of the very real differences between myself and Sylvie and Anri. "Somehow I just don't think that is going to work."
"Well, then I think you're stuck. The only other way to get them to change is wait for them to get caught." Nanami hesitated briefly, "I guess at last resort you could turn them in or threaten to do so, but that might be the end of your friendship if you go that far."
I blinked at the suggestion and smiled. "Maybe that would be for the best, thanks Nanami, you're great." I couldn't exactly turn them over to the police without risking myself, but what I could do was use the Knight Sabers as a stalking-horse to get them in line, maybe, probably.
Shaking myself mentally to refocus on the here and now, I raised an eyebrow at Nanami. "Now then, while I'm flattered by the attention you should probably go before my robe slips any further." her blush was proof enough of her thoughts without any internal analysis needed. A new yukata really needed to go on my shopping list. Comfortable or not, if Nanami turned these visits into a normal event having one that slipped open on its own really wasn't a good choice. Tugging it closed again, I gave her a smile. "I should really get dressed, and you really should be outside while I do. I'll catch up with you later, okay Na-chan?"
Still blushing at being caught trying to peek she rose. "Okay A-chan, but you can't blame a girl for trying, and I am not going to forget that you owe me another night out." With that parting shot she bowed her way out the door, low enough to offer a glance down the low necked blouse giving me a flash of emerald bra, -93% certain action intentional.- I couldn't help but laugh at her teasing me right back and she had a self-satisfied grin as the door closed.
Having put it off long enough I quickly dressed and gathered up my dialysis machine. This time mindful of witnesses, i.e. Nanami, I was cautious as I slipped out of the building. It was time to meet up with Sylvie and Anri. And although I had good news I wasn't sure just how they would receive everything I had to say.
Taking the subway in the evening on a weekend was as relaxing as such things got for me now. Only a few people in the carriage and none of the frantic post work energy or anxieties to spread their scent. Having to juggle an extra package after my first stop made the walk from the end of the line to Sylvie's apartment building noticeably more exhausting. It certainly also drove home the fact that I needed this as much as they did. I can't say that I put off talking to Master till the last possible moment, but I hadn't had a lot of time to spare either.
The sun was already down when I found myself in front of a familiar apartment door, heartrate gradually slowing down after the exertion. It had taken the last of the light to pick up the first delivery from Kamiya Biomedical. The temptation to keep it for myself was strong, but selfish. I knew Anri needed it desperately, and it was also a pretty good way to buy myself legitimacy as a leader. It was a little cynical to think that way, but I couldn't see any way around it.
I was grateful when my knock was quickly answered. Getting inside and behind a locked door did wonders for my sense of security. This neighborhood was pretty awful. Fortunately both Sylvie and Anri were here, and from the lack of horrible news on the radio hadn't done anything desperate in the interim.
Reading my micro expressions and posture perfectly Sylvie let out a relieved smile and rested a hand on my shoulder, giving a light squeeze. Again I was struck by just how well we could understand one another without needing to resort to words.
"The neighborhood is bad, but you don't need to worry. No one in the building will hurt you, we keep our heads down, and as long as we pay rent the local gang keeps most other criminals away." Running perfect fingers through her long silvery hair Sylvie's smile was almost blinding with her joy at seeing me. "You know, even though you said you could, I was having trouble believing it." A slight twitch of her eyes toward my baggage filled in the rest of the conversation without need to express it verbally.
Anri sat up in bed suddenly, her long unbound green hair the only thing that maintained her modesty, unnecessary though that was given our near identical bodies. "Kari! What were you thinking?" A pause as she worked it out from micro reactions then. "Oh, well it's very good of you to let me have first access but it's really like I've been telling Sylvie. If you two don't stay in good health then what hope do I have for getting better. Please, I can see how hard your systems are working just to operate normally. Whatever it is you want to talk about can wait until we're done."
"Ah…" I could immediately see that any objection I might raise wasn't going to be accepted, either by my twin or her taller companion. Gratefully settling down on the edge of the bed I started to unpack both blood and machine while Sylvie helped Anri get more comfortably positioned beside me.
I was surprised her nudity didn't really bother me, or more to the point cause much distraction. It wasn't due to the instinctual Japanese mores or even the fact that from below the neck we were so similar. I just felt in a sibling relationship with Anri. With both of them actually, despite how physically dissimilar Sylvie was, even her statuesque figure didn't draw my attention that way. The hesitation I felt when they withdrew their own tubing to create a circuit wasn't due to reluctance, but surprise that I hadn't considered the possibility.
So it took only a few minutes before we lounged amid the soft hum of the dialysis machine, our heartbeats synchronized as blood circulated freely between us all. On their insistence the order went me, Sylvie, Anri then finally the dialysis machine before restarting the cycle fresh as the filters worked overtime removing the brackish spent blood from our integrated system.
I didn't even try to hold myself separate from them. The first time we met I had felt it necessary to override my body's reactions and lie or at least conceal my thoughts. Today I felt keenly my kinship with them. I couldn't make myself continue to lie and although they both knew I had news they wouldn't like neither one pressed me on it, just enjoying the moment.
Alas all good things must come to an end. So it was with our moment of perfect understanding as the cycle came to a stop. Sylvie, as was her model's tendency took the initiative to break the silence first. "Kari, it's alright. Go ahead and let us know what it is."
Anri chimed in with her own encouragement. "You've been free the longest; we trust you and your judgment."
Letting the ritual of cleaning and packing away the dialysis machine help calm my thoughts I nodded, "Alright. I can keep providing for our upkeep, at least for the near future. This isn't just a onetime deal." Their acceptance and relief, even faith in me and my judgment seemed to swell even as the slight frown on Sylvie's face and crinkle of Anri's brow indicated they knew that there was more.
"But," and I nodded to acknowledge their concerns. "There's more and it does come with a price." Hardening my tone I made sure every tell gave the same message; that this wasn't negotiable. "No more crime, especially no more killing. I won't help if you do, and, well I'm not entirely free to act myself." I let the dismay, confusion and even satisfaction I felt at that show in my expression and gestures. Somehow being with others like me made me more aware of my own feelings through the act of reading theirs.
The concern for me I saw as I went on was touching but I forced myself to continue. "It really isn't that bad. But we, all of us, have to show we can live with humanity, not just among them. That means adapting to their morality and following it. The good parts. We're on trial." I paused, that wasn't quite right, how to explain it… "No, more like probation. Already they have cause to execute us, well you, and imprison me. It may not be fair, and circumstances might conspire to keep it that way but that's how it is."
"Kari, don't worry. I won't let that happen, WE won't let that happen." I looked into Sylvie's eyes and wondered how she could feel so sure, so secure in that statement. "If anything happens we'll fight. We have the DD, and the AD Police, even Doberman's are no match for it!"
They read my reaction even as I connected the dots. I knew that name, it had been in Mr. Flint's files! And while it was probably true what they said about the DD Battlemover's combat strength that isn't what had my systems emulating the blood draining from my face. By their confusion I knew they didn't know, couldn't know the full truth. Why I was frightened not just of what they were proposing to do, but for the countless numbers it put at risk.
"Sisters, the DD, it, has a bomb in it." Still their reactions weren't showing comprehension of just how bad this was. "A fusion bomb." Now they understood. At least on an intellectual level how bad it could be. "If you use it, and are at risk of losing that bomb will go off, and while it might not be large enough to level MegaTokyo it is big enough to ensure that everyone nearby, along with anyone you're fighting to protect will die along with you. Promise me you won't use it. Please."
"Kari, you know I can't do that. If I have to kill, to protect Anri, or you, I will. If you two were to die, then, what good is living going to be?"
"What about the rest of the people who will die?" But even as I asked I knew her answer. I could read it in her expression, aside from a tiny twitch she didn't care about any of that, she didn't know anyone else or have a reason to care. But there was that twitch. On a hunch I pressed. "What about Priss?"
That finally brought the thoughtful frown that allowed me to relax. It might be tiny, fledgling and mostly untried, but that slight flinch was proof enough. Even without human memories boomers could have a conscience, and maybe even a soul.
"I know you haven't met her yet Anri, but she is a good person. She's also not unique. There are countless people out there for you to meet, and any one of them might become a friend. Someone to watch your back, who doesn't know it yet but is just waiting to meet you." I let out a slightly relieved sigh as they began to understand where I was coming from.
"I know not everyone is that way, and you have to be careful in who you talk to, how you relate. I mean, nice as the crooks running this building are I don't think they would make the best of friends." My laugh had them joining me in a moment of understanding. "But really it's worth going out there to find the special ones."
Fidgeting a bit I decided it was time to fess up. "Actually I know Priss as well, and, while I can't honestly call her a friend, she IS a friend of someone else important to me. I want to be able to meet her again someday without it becoming a fight." Watching Sylvie I paused to try and decide how to explain.
"I don't want you to face the same hurdles with her that I have. She doesn't like or trust boomers. I don't know what but something happened to her, something that's left her angry at the world, and us. Finding out my true nature didn't help. I kept it a secret and that only hurt the relationship we might have had."
Meeting Sylvie's copper eyes with my green ones I made sure she understood the sincerity behind my words. "You have to tell her. Telling her instead of having her find out on her own is really important. She doesn't trust easily. So the longer that you lie to her the worse it will be. I don't know how it will go. Especially after the mess with myself and… what you've done. If she can even accept you or not but she needs to have the truth if there's going to be a chance."
Anri and I watched as our sister struggled with the dilemma. To tell a friend something that might end the friendship, or to hide something that if discovered would certainly do so. Turning to me she stated, having already realized the truth but wanting to ensure our sister heard it. "You're going to let her know if Sylvie doesn't aren't you." Not stopping there she drew a breath. "About everything, even the harvesting. You know we will become dangerous killers in her eyes if you do." Her tone was calm, her eyes accusatory, and her body showed her confusion at my prospective betrayal as she drew the sheets up over herself in a protective gesture.
"Yes." I let out a sigh. "Yes to all of it." Reaching out I caught one of Sylvie's hands before she could pull away from me as well, before the cracks those words caused in our newfound relationship could widen any further. "But I'm going to do it for you. To help not hurt. Priss will find out. Even if I do nothing, but it's how she finds out that is important."
Pondering a moment I could feel the weighty gaze of the others even as they gave me the time to compose the rest of what I wanted to say. "It isn't always right, to use our abilities to manipulate someone. In fact it's probably wrong most of the time. But, humans understand context. They understand the mentality of US or THEM. You need to let her know what you are, and all of the trials you've faced. How important it was to escape, and how much value freedom has. You need to make her feel like your problems and hers are the same. Only after she can sympathize with you can you admit to the rest. Admit that it was a mistake, that it was done from desperation, and that you know better, feel bad, and won't ever do it again. It's important that you really feel that way. Because without remorse, then, her first reaction probably would be the right one."
Her next question surprised me. "What if she asks about you?" That got me to squirm. I didn't want Priss to come after me. To drag me kicking and screaming back to the basement of the Silky Doll or do worse with that hardsuit. But the answer had to be the same for me as for Sylvie.
"Tell her. I would appreciate it if you don't tell her where I am, or anything like that, but, if she asks you should probably tell her. If you can make sure she knows I haven't had anything to do with the killing. I don't want, no, I won't abandon you, but I also don't want her thinking that I'm a killer either." Looking from one to the other with my heart on my sleeve I once again lamented that normal people couldn't communicate their emotions this clearly to each other. Our programing could read emotion so well it was almost another language entirely, and we were equally capable of reproducing the social cues and ticks to broadcast it.
Feeling the warmth of two pairs of arms around me made everything worthwhile. I had a family, a weird, messed up, morally questionable family, but a family all the same. Letting them get killed, or even threatening them with the Knight Sabers was no longer an option. I couldn't take the place of all the sisters who had died helping them escape from Genaro's but I could do my very best to try.
Releasing the hug I sat back. They were like sisters, or cousin's yes cousins. One's I hadn't seen in a long time but was close with as a kid and was now getting to meet again as an adult. Complete with the strange gulfs of understanding and underlying sense of familiarity.
"Look we're going to need to develop lives for ourselves. That's going to take more than just a little blood to keep us going."
Anri nodded. "I'm getting better but I still need some repairs."
"And money, we don't have much left from our um… targets." Sylvie added looking at least repentant of the act now.
Nodding I listened for a bit before speaking up. "Well, I think there may be a solution to our problems, but I don't know if it will work out yet." Used to keeping things close to my chest it was rather disconcerting to see their eyes latch on, and even knowing it was manufactured I couldn't resist Anri's look of hope and began to spill the beans.
"I know someone who has had experience repairing a 33-S. I, um, I even know that they have a lot of money, and might be willing to help. It's just it will probably cost us. Luckily I have an idea there as well. You don't really need to keep the DD do you? It's worth a lot of money, and while normally I would be very worried about anyone we might sell it to I trust these people enough that we just might be able to trade it to them in exchange for repairing Anri and enough money to make a real start. To get out of Mega Tokyo if you want, to go to school and learn how to be more than glorified maids, or just to buy state of the art programing and start a trade on our own. They should even be able to help set up legal identities if they're feeling really nice."
"Who?" Asked Anri, eyes wide as she leaned closer as if that would make the answer appear sooner.
I answered with three simple words.
"The Knight Sabers."
Edited 6-27-2017
- Location
- Australia
Well, this is getting complex. If Sylvie and Anri survive that will be interesting, maybe Priss will be Sylvie's master or something although that is a bit of a stretch I think. It's rings a bit close to slavery, and Kari and Nene will have to deal with that at some point since this was pretty uncomfortable this chapter. Anyways, be curious how things end up with them if they get the supplies they need and identities for a life.
Interesting speculation, though I'll confirm there won't be the same kind of relationship between Priss and Sylvie as Kari and Nene. If only because I feel that would be poor storytelling. I'm not writing a magical girl manga where each knight saber gets a fluffy 33-S companion animal to help the change into their hardsuits to go fight evil boomers. Though that could be an amusing crack story on it's own.
- Location
- Australia
Oh I wouldn't expect it to be, at least not for a long time. They'd have to,start from scratch here again.
A 33-S Cheerleader squad for the Knight Sabers is amusing.
UrsaTempest
Don't Panic!
They'll likely be shipped out to China.
... wish they'd remain, though. Maybe in the background, but not on ship.
... wish they'd remain, though. Maybe in the background, but not on ship.