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Note: 
~ ~ denotes English 
" " denotes Japanese 
// // denotes use of electronic communication of sorts 
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In their heroic efforts to defend the public from terrorist boomer
attacks, thwart the attempt to take over the MegaTokyo reactor, and
help control the street riots afterwards, Officers Leon McNichol and
Daley Wong were awarded medals of valor. 

The other heroes of the day, however, were unavailable for any award
ceremonies, but still cheered by the public regardless of that fact. 
Once feared, the city is now embracing the band of vigilantes known as
the Knight Sabers. 

	 -Mike Loader, MegaTokyo Tribune Editorial
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=====================================
http://www.uh.edu/~rpm/fanfic.htm


	  ----------------
	  Bubblegum Crisis
	   Frozen Knights
	  ----------------


  A BGC/Batman:The Animated Series
	      crossover

	      Epilogue
            Cold Comfort

=====================================


"Well Leon-chan, we're heroes," said Daley.  He sat on Leon's desk and
handed him the paper. 

Leon paused from drinking his coffee to read the article.  "Well, it's
nice to be appreciated for once."

The wind blew, raising dust and debris in the background.  Leon tried
to ignore it. 

"When do you figure our office is gonna be rebuilt?" asked Daley. 

Leon drank down the last of his coffee and tossed the empty mug into
the rest of the wreckage that was once AD Police headquarters.  "With
the bureaucracy in this town?  God only knows.  C'mon, let's get outta
here.  This is depressing me." 

*

At the hot springs in Kyoto, four young women were taking a
well-earned soak in the waters, letting the warm water drain away all
the tension in their bodies. 

"Ugh, I think I've got a cold," muttered Linna. 

"*Sniffle* Same here," said Priss. 

"What a lousy week," said Linna. 

"It isn't entirely bad," said Nene.  "The Knight Sabers are finally
heroes, thanks to that footage of Sylia fighting Freeze."

It was, in all of their opinions, one lucky break.  The footage was
too dark to make the details of their faces clear, and the angles of
the pictures didn't help much either.  To add to the saber's luck, the
security system didn't include audio recording, and therefore didn't
record the times when they were calling each other -by-name- in there. 
They were absolutely lucky, they all agreed, that their identities
weren't blown. 

The security footage was, however, clear enough to see Sylia and
Freeze's battle, and more than enough for several television stations
that were eager to put it up on the evening news. 

"Leon came off as a big hero too," said Priss, smiling.  "Wonder if
it'll get to his head." 

Leon definitely deserved the praise, she had to admit.  Battling
roving bands of rogue experimental boomers, saving the reactor, and to
top it all off, helping the N-police to contain the riots and looting
afterwards was a hell of a lot to do in one day. 

"Aren't they going to build a more advanced AD Police building?" 
asked Linna. 

Nene shrugged, then winced.  Her injuries weren't fully healed yet. 
"We don't know.  Anyways, until we get a replacement, we're gonna be
shoved in with the N-Police." 

"Y'know what I don't like about this case the most?" said Priss. 

"MegaTokyo got trashed?" asked Linna. 

"We got trashed?" guessed Nene. 

"We didn't get paid for our trouble?" asked Linna. 

"Well, besides THOSE reasons," said Priss, "it doesn't feel finished. 
There's normally a natural flow to these things.  Y'know what I mean?" 

The others shook their heads. 

"Well... like that time with Mason?  Stuff happens, we have a big
fight, he dies.  Situation resolved.  Or that case we took up with
gramps.  That Gibson guy goes nuts, we step in, everyone lives, more
or less, happily ever after." 

"What's your point?" asked Linna. 

"Well... this time, we get screwed by our employer, then get our
collective butts trashed.  Just when Sylia's about to make things
right by getting that definite and absolute victory over Mr. Freeze, a
pack of boomers and some lady in a powersuit shows up, freezes him
into an ice block, and takes him away.  Doesn't feel finished. 
Understand?" 

"Yeah," said Linna.

"Well, sorta," said Nene. 

"Who was that lady, anyways?" asked Linna. 

"That was Nora Fries," answered Sylia, eyes closed, looking the most
tranquil of all of them.  "Or it was something that looked like her." 

"Nora Fries?" asked Nene.  "But I thought you... she..." 

"Freeze might've been working with Genom," said Sylia.  "If that's the
case... they could have somehow transferred her mind into a boomer. 
The technology is theoretically possible, and Genom would be the ones
capable of it."

After a slight pause, she added, "or it could have just been a boomer
built to imitate her.  Better to control Freeze that way." 

Nene frowned.  "Ugh.  That'd be horrible." 

"What do you think Freeze is up to?" asked Priss. 

Sylia opened her eyes and looked a bit thoughtful for a moment.  "I'd
like to think he's somewhere far away, with Nora, and content." 

"A supervillian like that?" asked Priss. 

"You saw the same records I did, Priss," said Sylia.  "Once, a long
time ago, he was just a happily married man.  This time around, he was
nothing more than a tool for Genom.  Maybe, if that's the real Nora,
and they get away from Genom's reach, they just might live happily
ever after." 

The three looked at Sylia oddly.  She would have shrugged, but her
injuries weren't fully healed either. 

"Of course, if Freeze ever surfaces in MegaTokyo and tries to take us
on again, we'll be more than ready for him."

Everyone else relaxed.  That sounded more like Sylia, definitely.

"Y'know, someone usually gets the happily ever after," grumbled Priss. 
"For once I wish it'd be us." 

Sylia already put Mr. Freeze out of her mind.  She was trying to
decide between learning bass guitar or gardening. 

*

Chairman Quincy was a fairly pleased man. 

With the damage caused by Mr. Freeze's rampage, Genom Construction
would be busy at work rebuilding MegaTokyo, earning millions in the
process. 

Johnson and Gruber's invasion into Japan was delayed as one of the
rampaging boomers just happened to destroy their unfinished
headquarters. 

Several traitorous members of the Diet were killed in the rampaging
and following riots.  A shame about that, really. 

District 3 was nearly leveled to the ground, leaving the way open for
Genom's revitalization plans. 

The BU12-BA arctic series boomers were battle tested and ready for
environmental testing in the Polar Wars.  Bidding for the product was
climbing fast from several nations.  Several more boomers geared
towards arctic combat were in development as well.

The Romulus Project, an ongoing attempt to establish mines and
colonies on Mars, was preparing to speed up on its progress, now that
there were boomers and humans that could withstand the extreme
temperatures thanks to the 'Freeze' process that changed Mr. Freeze's
metabolism all those years ago.

The Knight Sabers once more were battered around, and without a clue
as to Genom's real motives.  It was annoying that they came out of
this as heroes, but the true victory was definitely earned by Genom
this day.

As for events in the Antarctic... Quincy felt it was about time he
established a more solid grip on the situation there.  The choice for
that assignment was obvious. 

*

For as wide as he could see, there was vast empty plain.  Ice dunes
formed gentle slopes all across the land, and occasional snow drifts
added to the natural beauty. 

Victor Fries flexed his new arm.  Thanks to cloning, he was able to
have a natural arm instead of a cybernetic implant.  Thanks to the
bitterly cold nature of the Antarctic, he was able to walk about
without the use of his powersuit. 

And most importantly, he held hands with Nora. 

~It's all so beautiful,~ sighed Nora. 

~Yet still pales in comparason to you, dearest.~

Nora smiled, gave Victor a kiss on the cheek, and snuggled up to his
arm.  For the first time in a long time, Victor Fries smiled. 

There was so much to do here, far away from the rest of the world. 
His research was far from finished, as there were many possibilities
in his field he had yet to explore.  There was also the matter of a
cure.  He longed for a simple day at the beach, enjoying the warmth of
the sun once more.  The longing wasn't so bad, though, as long as he
had Nora.

~Let's go home, Nora,~ said Fries.  ~We've much to do.~

The two enjoyed the scenery a bit longer, then turned towards the
gigantic structure that would soon become Genom Tower Antarctica.

-end-