Well, Silent Mobius is a very old series but I still love it!
I am looking for some C&C (along with the rest of people) on this chapter, flame it, burn it,
I am interested in what people think ^_^.
Cheers
Alex Gray
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Silent Mobius with reference to own original characters. This story takes place some place between volume 7
and 8.
Chapter One - An unexpected reunion
Yuki cried out in shock and pain as Katsumi stabbed the dark weapon into her chest. Disbelief
flashed across her face as she slid to the floor, her legs no longer seemly able to support her weight.
"Katsu?" she managed to splutter before the cold blackness engulfed her mind.
The others looked on with shock, unable to momentarily comprehend what Katsumi had just done,
then as one they rushed forward to where the slumped body of Yuki lay.
"KATSUMI!!" Kiddy yelled in a tone of disbelief, as her old friend stood above the corpse of the
young woman she had just killed with a slight smile on her face.
"Hello? everyone" Katsumi said quietly, with that same deceptive smile, "been a long time, hasn't
it?"
"What?!?" Nami spluttered as she stopped a short distance from Katsumi, "who are you?!?"
The others in the team stopped just short of Nami, forming a wary half circle from the figure that had
just performed the unthinkable. They did not know what to do, could not think what to do - they could only
stand and watch, waiting for someone to wake them up and tell them it was all a bad dream.
Katsumi watched the circle of her ex-companions for a moment before stepping back from the body
of Yuki. She held out her hands in mock greeting, "aren't you going to welcome me Nami? Kiddy? It's been
well over six months since we last saw each other, my dearest of friends. Have you not missed me?"
"What the hell are you!?!" Kiddy shouted as she raised her graviton to point at the figure standing
before them. "Where is Katsumi?!?"
"Hump? still the same as ever, aren't you Kiddy" Katsumi looked at her and in a deliberate
movement bought the black knife to her lips and licked the remains of Yuki's blood from it. "It is me, I have
returned?" The rest of her statement was lost in a sudden cry of anger from Kiddy as she fired the graviton at
the dark figure. The others were temporary blinded by the light and concussion of the weapon as it fired at
close range. The shock of the energy discharged from the weapon flew towards the black figure but almost just
as suddenly the beam of destructive energy was gone? just gone.
"Yes?" Katsumi said to no one in particular, "you have not changed a bit have you, Kiddy." She
took another step back and looked at each of her old comrades in turn. "Well I just wanted to let you know that
I am back and that I am well. We will each have an opportunity to talk in greater depth in the near future, but
for now...", she turned "see you around?" The black coat she wore seemed suddenly to be alive and Katsumi
melted into the darkness of the Tokyo night.
Another dark robed figure stood, quietly in the shadows watching the drama as it had played out on
the rubble below. The figure continued to watch with a dispassionate interest as the remaining women stood
shocked for a moment before rushing to the fallen form of their comrade and began to mill about with the
uncertainty and indecision that comes with panic. One of the women tried to shake the younger figure on the
ground, as if this act would restore life to the now cooling body. The figure wondered what the women hoped
this would achieve. The female was dead, the figure had felt the energy, which these beings called the soul,
leave the girl the moment the knife had been pulled out. Indeed it had been this energy, this soul, which the
figure, on a whim had stopped from escaping into the timeless void from which it had been destined, and which
was now held at the figure's mercy.
Perhaps, in time, there might be a use for it, but then maybe not?. the figure thought. In the
meantime the scene below was interest enough. The figure could sense that others also were watching the scene
below with great interest. The figure could feel their joy at the pain and sorrow which the humans below felt.
Oh? how that anguish and pain fed them, how they revelled in the feelings that it bought and the anticipation
of more, of oh so much more to come? The figure dismissed the feelings from its mind. It had long since lost
interest in those that fed on such destructive emotions. The figure did not care what they felt, as long as they
did not interfere with the story which was unfolding below.
By now Kiddy had recovered enough to be able to shout through her communicator for someone,
anyone to come and help them. She watched, almost mindlessly as Nami was shaking Yuki's still body and
calling out her youngest friend's name, still in denial that the girl was gone. Kiddy herself could only feel a
numbing coldness that extended throughout her body. At that moment, the whole of her being felt like the
emotionless cybernetics that made up the majority of her body. She could only watch as, what seemed an
eternity later, an air ambulance and police support arrived. She operated on automatic pilot as she responded to
the shouts and questions which Rally and others plied at her. Time seemed to have no meaning as she was
bundled into the ambulance and rushed back to the hospital.
The figure in the shadows watched as the last of the vehicles lifted off from the rubble strewn ground
and vanished high into the murky Tokyo night overhead. Figures still after evidence of the incident that had
just happen still crawled about in the muddy grime, but the figure paid them no attention. Those that had
originally drawn it to this place had now gone, and the figure had to decide if anything was to be gained from
following them. The figure thought for a moment, worlds of possibilities flooded through the figure's mind as
it looked into the myriad futures that were open to it. Yes? there was enough here of interest? the
possibilities? For the first time the figure moved from the shadows and a hand moved up to pull the dark cowl
from its face. The little light that was available lit the deathlessly pale face that accented the intensity of the
green eyes. Short, fiery red hair framed a fine, slightly androgynous face. A face that while human, appeared to
have elements that made it seem, almost but not quite "otherworldly". The figure shrugged off the rest of the
garment and let it fall to the ground. The form that was revealed was wearing a grey, nondescript coverall that
hugged the slender athletic figure loosely. The young girl, for a girl it was, knelt down and picked the cloak up.
Wrapping it up she looked up at the murky sky above. If her idea was going to play out then she would have to
make some slight adjustments to the history that she had just witnessed, then and only then could she take up a
role. She shrugged, manipulating the past was just as easy as changing the future, all you needed was to select
the direction and then?.
Yuki cried out with shock and pain as Katsumi stabbed the dark weapon into her chest. Disbelief
crossed her face as her best friend pulled the knife from her chest and watched with a slight smile as she
slumped to the ground.
"YUKI!!" Nami screamed with shock as Katsumi raised her knife for a second blow. Suddenly the
night was lit up by a blast of energy as Kiddy from somewhere had fired her graviton weapon at Katsumi. The
rush of energy missed Katsumi, but in hitting the rubble on which she was standing caused her to be thrown
back by the resulting explosion. Kiddy ran forward, firing the weapon again to cover Nami as she pulled the
unconscious Yuki away from her attempted murderess.
By now Katsumi had managed to recover her balance, and with a causal gesture blasted Kiddy with a
rush of power that threw her back. Katsumi held the form of the Demon sword in front of her and smiled coldly
down at her old friends.
"Hello?" she said "aren't you going to welcome me back? It has been over six months since we last
met?"
"Who the hell are you!?!" Nami shrieked out, still trying to stop the blood flowing from Yuki's
wounded chest.
"Who am I?" Katsumi repeated curiously, "Nami, you don't recognise who I am? Shame on you,
after all this time?"
"That's impossible!" screamed Nami "Katsumi would never try to kill Yuki!"
"Are you sure?" Katsumi looked down at her "are you really that sure?"
"DAMN YOU!" Kiddy suddenly erupted from where she had been thrown and staggering to her feet
tried to level the weapon again at the impostor.
Katsumi lowered the dark weapon to her side and sighed. "Believe whatever you wish. I have merely
came here to greet you all again and let you know that I am back" she paused, "I will be meeting with each of
you in the near future so we can catch up on old times, but for now?." She began to rise up into the air. "For
now, I will bid you good night." She looked down one last time at the prone form of Yuki.
"Shame?" she commented "now I will have to kill her some other time?" and with that she was
gone.
"COME BACK!! COWARD!!!" Kiddy shouted into the night. "COME BACK!!!"
"Kiddy!!" Nami yelled at her "get me some help! Yuki has been stabbed!"
"What?" Kiddy suddenly came back to reality. She stabbed at the communicator embedded in her
collar and yelled down instructions to the poor operator at the other end, ordering that an ambulance be sent
immediately. After she had got the instructions over, she rushed over to Nami and knelt down beside her.
"How is she?" she asked in a worried voice.
"She will live" Nami said "but she is badly wounded. I only hope that the ambulance gets here
soon?"
"It will" Kiddy reassured her "it has to?"
The girl nodded to herself as she looked down at the new scene as it unfolded beneath her. With a
slight modification, the stage was now set for a much more interesting chain of future events. The death of the
human had been altered and that left open much better possibilities for more personal involvement. She turned
back to the shadows which the ruined building from which she watch cast, and for a moment the darkness
seemed to writhe with an unholy glee as the girl was swallowed up and vanished
* * * *
Rally looked worriedly as the nursing staff connected Yuki up to the medical equipment embedded
in the bed on which she had been placed. The doctor who had examined the youngest member of the AMP had
assured her that the girl was seriously, but not critically wounded. The doctor had not known the extent of the
injuries in detail, but he had been able to tell her that Yuki would live, and that given time, she would heal.
Rally held onto that assurance and wished that it would be true. Yuki was the youngest of her "children", and
she would be damned if she was going to let her die!
The news of Katsumi trying to kill Yuki had come of shock to all the members of the AMP now
gathered in the small hospital room where they anxiously waited for news of Yuki's progress. When Kiddy had
spluttered out a version of what had happened, the only one who had not been jumping to their feet had been
Rally. She knew that Katsumi, like her father, had a dark side. Rally had hoped that it would not have emerged,
but with the death of Roy and the subsequent manipulation of that by the Lucifer Hawks, she was not as
surprised at the news as perhaps she should have been.
The others had been first stunned by disbelief and then vocal in the opinion that it was not Katsumi,
that had dared try to murder her best friend, but some form of impostor. It was only when Yuki was attached to
the life support equipment and that diagnostics began to be generated that attention turned was wholly back to
Yuki's condition.
Only after a while examining the information being displayed on the VDU attached to the bed's
equipment did the doctor come across to the figures anxiously waiting with the results of the analysis.
"Well?" he started looking across at them "the results of the diagnostics are encouraging. Your
friend has some internal bleeding, a pierced lung, and other damage, but nothing that is beyond the ability of
the regenerative systems. She was extremely luck, the knife wound missed her heart by almost a miracle. If it
had been even a fraction more one way then?." He paused and looked at Rally,. "Yuki will be fine, she will
need rest and medical care, but in a month or so she should have fully recovered."
"Thank God" Rally sighed with relief.
"Yes indeed?" the doctor commented oddly "well, I have to return to duty, if any other information
becomes available I will let you know?"
"Thank you" Rally looked at him trying to place the reason for the strange comment, but the doctor
just turned and left. Rally looked after him for a moment and then turned back to the others. They still had a lot
to talk about?
"Katsumi! No!!!" Yuki suddenly awoke from a horrid dream in which her best friend had killed her.
"Arghh?. I hurt?" she moaned slightly as she tried to move and found herself held down by some sort of
restraint.
"Sushhh?." a voice suddenly whispered out of the shadows. "You are safe, just don't try to move
too much yet, ok?"
Yuki's eyes blinked and watered as a small light activated revealing the figure of a young red haired
girl sitting just slightly opposite her bed. The girl got up and crossed over to stand next to her.
"How are you feeling?" she asked with a slightly concerned look on her face.
"What?" Yuki tried to get her bearings "where am I?"
"You're in Tokyo-West general hospital" the girl replied "Look, I know this must be confusing for
you, but you have been in a coma for almost 3 weeks ever since the attack?"
"Attack?" Yuki queried "what attack? Oh my God?" Her face paled as the memory of her dream
came back to her.
"No?" she started "it is not possible, Katsumi?"
"Yes?" the other girl said "I am afraid it is possible. You were attacked and nearly killed by your
old comrade over 3 weeks ago?"
"No!" Yuki tried to sit up "that's no possible?"
"Sushh, child?" the girl repeated and laid a hand on Yuki's chest and gently pushed her back.
"What is done is done, no amount of wishing can make it otherwise. You must face the fact, no matter how
hard it is - she tried to kill you."
"Who are you??" Yuki said as the girl pushed her back down into the bed.
"Alexandra Shadow, at your service" the girl said with a small smile, "or just plain Alex, if you
wish?"
"Why? why are you here?" Yuki asked trying to see who else was present "where are the others?"
"Others?" Alex asked "what? Oh, you mean your friends. They have been so worried about you,
and angry at what happened. They have been in and out to check on your progress. Nami and Rally were here
tonight, but Lucifer Hawk activity has been increasing, and they had to leave about an hour ago, to deal with
yet another incident. Don't worry, they should be back in a few hours time?"
"Why are you here?" Yuki repeated, trying to get a bearing on what had happened in the last few
weeks, and adjust herself to the shock of the lost time.
"To watch you, and ensure that you are safe" Alex replied kneeling down to look at Yuki closely.
Yuki stared at the face of the girl for the first time. She had a strangely pale, attractive face. A face
that seemed to be more of an artist's work, than a real one. Intense green eyes watched her with a oddly old and
haunted look. Short fiery red hair hung around the face, like a halo, and completed the odd image that the girl
seemed to project. Yuki looked into those green eyes, they seemed to draw her somehow? deeper? she felt
almost like she was?
Alex blinked and looked at her again. "Are you ok?" she asked "you are looking at me a bit
strangely."
"What?" Yuki shook herself "yes, I am fine, just trying to absorb what you have told me?"
"Good" the girl said as she positioned herself on the chair next to Yuki, "you had me worried there
for a moment. Look, I know this is a bad time to introduce myself, but I have been sent by my Master to help
the AMP combat the threat posed by Nemesis, and now by Katsumi".
"Your Master?" Yuki queried "what do you mean Master?"
"Oh, sorry?" the girl replied "bad choice of words. Perhaps it would be better to say my mentor. I
am apprenticed to the Master Sorceress Jamie Corin. She was the one who originally helped to teach Akiro
Natsume, Giogelf's teacher. My Master is well over 200 years old now, and I am the last of her students. She
feels responsible for what Giogelf did, when he attracted the attention of Nemesis to our world and because of
this she had sent me to try and help."
"You're a Sorceress?" Yuki asked uncertain of what that meant.
"No" Alex replied with a quick shake of her head "I'm still serving my apprenticeship, but in time I
will take over that title from my Master, but in the meantime I will certainly do what I can to help."
"Oh?" was all Yuki could think to say. The fact that the girl was some sort of Mage might explain
why to Yuki's psi-senses the girl was simply not there. The same has happened with Katsumi at times and
seemed to be some kind of protection derived from the magic that they both used. Yuki, however was more
concerned with getting herself up to date with what had happened over the last 3 weeks during which she had
been unconscious.
"You said that the Lucifer Hawk activity has been increasing, do we know why?" Yuki once again
found she eyes moving back to stare at the girl, moving down from the face to examine the rest of her form.
"No, not really" Alex commented leaning back in the chair slightly. "Possibly it has something to do
with Katsumi's reappearance, but then again?." She shrugged, "the Chief does not really know."
"Oh?" Yuki said as her eyes finished their trip over the younger girl's form, "I?" Her comment
was suddenly interrupted by a flash of images and feelings that swamped over her mind. She drew in a sudden
rush of air with a sound that caused Alex to jump to her feet.
"Are you ok?" Alex asked pushing her head closer to Yuki. "is something wrong?"
Yuki's mind clouded over for a second as the result of the vision she has just experienced, after a
second had passed she looked up at the concerned face staring at her. "Yes? I?" she suddenly realised how
close the girl was to her. Alex gave off a clean, slightly soapy smell that made Yuki suddenly think for no
reason, how attractive the younger girl was. Her eyes fell back to the girl's face and for some reason she felt
herself blush.
"Yuki?" Alex put a cool hand on Yuki's forehead "are you ok? you seemed to be flushed?"
"No!" Yuki squeaked "no, I'm fine. I just had a vision?"
"A vision?" Alex queried "oh yes, that's right, Nami told me that you were exceptionally highly
psi-rated. What did you just see? Is it something?"
An explosion from behind her suddenly threw her across the bed and hard into Yuki. Glass and
remains of the far end wall showered the two of then as the dark figure of the Lucifer Hawk forced its way
through the wall that it has just destroyed. It took a moment for it to adjust to the sudden shock of air that
rushed through the room, before it looked down at the forms of the two humans that had been hurled into the
far end of the room by the force of its entrance. It took a moment it to identify the one that it was after.
Something seemed to be confusing its senses, almost like a fog? or? The entity focused its singular eye stalk
at the red haired human as she seemed to be moving - it did not matter it would just have to kill two instead of
one.
Alex hurt, the impact of the explosion and the result of being thrown heavily against a medical bed
had knocked the breath out of her and left her feeling weak. She tried to move and the pain in her side caused
her to shriek and fallback to the ground. Her senses were still dazed when she was suddenly hauled up into the
air. The pain from her side almost caused her to black out and she screamed.
The entity held the screaming human prey in its grasp for a moment before it tossed her aside and
tossed its attention to the other girl currently unconscious. The oriental looks of her face, told the entity that this
was the one it had been order to bring back, the other girl was nothing, it could do what it wished with her. It
paused briefly, if it had more time it might amuse itself by killing the other human, but it was not that stupid, it
knew that these humans were not as weak as they looked. Others had made that mistake, and died as a result. It
would take the girl and go, it would do its mission and nothing more.
Lying where she had been thrown Alex felt the rush of warmth flow through her as her abused body
began to try to heal itself. She managed to look up and saw the looming figure of the entity move towards
Yuki. With a soft cry of pain she managed to prop herself up on one arm. Her body cried out in protest, but she
raised a hand and gestured at the entity. A bolt of black fire smashed into the back of the entity, ripping half of
its head off. Hot, black, viscous ichor sprayed the far wall, as Alex's hastily cast bolt tore through the entity and
impacted against the ceiling. The resulting explosion shattered the floor above as the bolt continued to travel
outwards.
Girders, and rubble from the explosion began to fall as the ceiling started to collapse in on itself as a
result of the explosion. Alex, grasping her side tried to focus her mind, she felt the familiar rush, as her power
once more unconsciously reached forth. The ceiling and the little that remained of the supporting wall decided
at that moment to collapse. Like a house of cards the floor below also began to collapse, the additional weight
and collateral damage started a chain reaction which began to cascade downwards.
Alex watched from a top of a building some distance away as a great deal of the hospital shuddered
and then slowly began to sink into itself. Her power had transported herself and Yuki to a safe distance away
from the now collapsing hospital. She stood up with only a minor tinge of pain as the healing process was now
virtually completed. She knelt down next to Yuki and examined her to see if she was all right. To Alex's relief
Yuki appeared to be okay. While she was bloodied and looked in a fairly bruised condition, it was nothing that
appeared to be serious. Alex raised a hand to Yuki's chest and concentrated for a moment. A faint green aura
radiated from her hand for a moment as she cast a minor healing spell on her companion. Yuki's complexion
improved and her breathing became deeper and more regular as the purifying energy swept through her form.
Alex raised her hand and slumped down on the ground.
"Fuck? what a night?" she commented to no one in particular. The coldness of the night wind
caused her to shiver slightly as she looked up at the clouds that were being pushed rapidly across the night sky.
She closed her eyes and let the cold wind rush over her, as she felt the adrenaline charged strength begin to fade
from her body. Slowly she began to feel the result of the nights exertions catch up on her.
Gods? she thought to herself, when Jamie had said this mission would be interesting, she had
bloody well meant it!
Rally looked down at the ruins of what had been the west wing of the Tokyo-West general hospital.
Her half-breed senses could still feel the resonance of the power that had caused the devastation. It must have
been at least a mid-level entity that Alex had tackled and she was still slightly astonished by the ease with
which the child appeared to have fought such a creature. The Lady Corin had been right when she said the
child would indeed be a useful resource, although some of her other statements regarding the girl, still left
Rally slightly confused as to what her old friend had meant?
The entrance of Mana broke her train of thought, and she turned to receive what she hoped would be
some good news for a change.
"You were right" Mana simply stated, putting a sheath of reports and other evidence onto the desk.
"An inside job?" Rally asked for confirmation.
"Yes" Mana replied "it would appear that the data was stolen during the Lucifer Hawk incident last
night. I would not even put it beyond the realms of possibility that the incident was staged precisely as a
cover."
"Then Nemesis would appear to be very interested in the personal history of our latest recruit?."
Rally shrugged "well, I supposed it would be inevitable, they know about the rest of us but?"
"You misunderstand Chief" Mana broke in "the evidence seems to suggest that the data hack was
performed by one of the black cloak government agencies. It is not Nemesis which seems to be showing the
interest in Lady Corin's student, but someone in our own government."
"Is that so?" Rally asked with a slight rise in her voice, "that does surprise me. Why would
someone go to all that trouble, just to get hold of data that they should have officially already have access to."
"Maybe they wanted to be sure that they got hold of the real data, and not just what we would have
provided to them" Mana wondered.
"Perhaps?" Rally said unconvinced "or perhaps they wanted to make us think that? Arghh?" she
shook her head slightly in an annoyed fashion, "why do these bureaucrats have to make life so difficult!"
"I think we may have more to worry about than noisy bureaucrats" Mana said darkly, "what worries
me, is why that information was extracted and the possible connection to the Lucifer Hawk attack."
"Yes?" Rally turned back from gazing at the dark sky above, "but I don't think there is much we
can do about that at the moment. The only thing we can do is wait and allow they to play out them hand."
"Do you think we should warn Alex?" Mana asked.
"No? I don't think there will be a need for that" Rally replied, "that girl is more than capable of
taking care of herself, as today proved. What we need to worry more about is Yuki. When Alex told me what
had happened it appeared that the entity appeared to be more interested in Yuki than Alex, and that concerns
me."
"Why?" Mana queried.
"Yuki is the weakest link in our chain. Potentially, her abilities could be as strong as your own, but
they are random, uncontrolled, and that makes her vulnerable. Remember what Katsumi said, it appears that
Yuki is the first of the targets that they intend to take out, she needs to be protected."
"Who by?" Mana replied, "it's not as if we can't spare people to watch her."
"I have a simpler solution in mind" Rally commented. "Alex has already proven herself capable of
dealing with a Lucifer Hawk attack, and I have here a request for apartments for her. I think it would be simpler
all round if she and Yuki simply shared Yuki's flat. In that way we can keep an eye on both problems."
Mana nodded "good idea. The only concern is will whoever seems to be interested will oblige?"
"Oh" Rally smiled with a predatory look on her face, "I am sure that they will?."
"Shit!" Alex swore as she tripped down the short stairway that led down to Labyrinth, letting go of
her suitcase as she did so. She unceremoniously smacked into the door that Yuki held open and took the two of
them down, to the accompaniment of Alex's clothes raining down upon them.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!!" Alex swore in parallel as she tried to disentangle herself from both Yuki and from
the embarrassing position that her face was currently in. After a moment she managed to sit up, and she flashed
an apologetic smile at the girl she was still entangled with,
"Sorry?" Alex looked at Yuki, "sort of slipped there for a moment?"
Yuki took a moment to try and recover herself from having the wind knocked out of her and the
strange feeling that had been invoked from where Alex's face had landed. She looked at the blushing face
before her and the pile of mud splattered clothes and for no reason suddenly burst out laughing.
"Hey?" Alex's face looked hurt at the sight of Yuki's laugher, "that fall hurt?"
Yuki burst into further fits of laughter as she saw that look on the younger girl's face. She rolled
backwards and tears began to roll down her face as she tried to recover her breath.
"You?" she managed to gasp out, "you? look ridiculous? I?" -the rest of her statement was lost
in her continuing fit of giggles.
"Fine." Alex said as she managed to unscramble herself, "be like that." She glared once more at Yuki
and began to try and salvage what was left of her dignity and her now filthy clothing.
Yuki watched her from where she was still laying and sitting up tried to control the fits of mirth that
seemed to want to overwhelm her. She reached forth and grabbed something frilly which seemed to be on her
head. The sight of the lacy underwear that she grasped in her hand was too much. She collapsed to floor
laughing hysterically.
It was sometime later when Alex looked up from the pile of washing she was now having to do and
answered Yuki's question.
"Yes, I would love some coffee. I have had nothing to eat or drink all day, and I am starving?"
"Well" Yuki commented with a slight smile "after your performance a while back I think I owe you
one?"
"Don't" Alex placed her hands on her hips "start that again, please."
"Oh?" Yuki turned back to trying to fight down the giggles that almost threatened to start again, "I
never said a thing?"
"Good" Alex replied "just make sure it stays like that."
Yuki did not say anything but just kept her attention on the task of making the coffee without trying
to laugh. Alex looked at her darkly for a moment then turned her attention back to the damn Japanese washing
instructions.
Finally, among a set of stringed out washing, the two of them settled down to drink the coffee that
Yuki had finished making.
"I don't know how you do it Yuki" Alex said "but your coffee is always? indescribable."
Yuki smiled at the comment, "just as your acrobatics are?"
"Right" Alex put her coffee down "I warned you, now you are going to? pay!"
The door to the caf, opened and Nami, Lebia and Kiddy walked in to be confronted with the sight of
two giggling girls rolling about and grappling on the floor.
"Oh?" Nami said with a face that grew red.
The sound of the doorbell ringing caused both heads to shoot up, and with a speed that seemed
unnatural the two forms separated and stood up.
"Well?" Kiddy said with a wide grin, "you two seem to be getting to know each other?"
"What?" Yuki spluttered out "what does that mean??"
"Oh?" Kiddy gave her a conspiratorial wink, "nothing at all."
"Now wait a moment?" Alex began as Yuki went bright red, "what are you trying to imply?"
"Nothing, nothing" Kiddy said with a smile as she moved in for the kill. "I just think the two of you
appear to be getting very friendly? What???" The rest of her comment was lost as Yuki threw the now cold
coffee at her face.
For a moment Kiddy stood shocked by the richly smelling, but cold fluid that now leaked down her
face and with a "why you?" rushed at Yuki.
Lebia groaned slightly and shook her head in mock disgust as Alex jumped to Yuki's defence and a
free for all entailed. "Why me?" she said to herself.
The resulting mess after the others had left took Alex and Yuki quite a while to clean up.
Fortunately, Alex was able to remove the stains of cold coffee from the floor by the use of a simple spell and
plenty of water, while Yuki set about gathering the remains of the cakes that had fallen victim to the ensuing
food fight. So it was that two exhausted forms slumped into two chairs after the worst of the damage had been
cleared.
"Oh, my back?" Alex complained.
"Your back?" Yuki said, "what about my feet? They are killing me."
"Not as badly as mine are?" Alex muttered with a yawn.
"Humph! You can talk!" Yuki said, "this is after all, all your fault!"
"My fault!" Alex gave Yuki a glare, "how did you decide on that. I wasn't the one who started
throwing food around!"
"No" Yuki just said "that was Nami. You were just the one who started it off by calling her a
demented old maid."
"I didn't!" Alex sat up, "you did that!"
"No I didn't, you did!"
"I?" Alex held up her hands. "Peace! Peace! Any more arguing and we will be cleaning up the
results all night?"
"Alright?" Yuki said sitting back down, "a truce, call it all your fault and it's a truce."
"What?" Alex started and then sighed, "ok, it's all my fault. I admit, I come clean, now do you
think we can get some rest. We both have an early shift tomorrow, and I for one have had enough for just the
first day?"
"Yes?" Yuki said with a smile, "it has been rather an interesting day, considering you just came
here?"
"Thanks?" Alex said "I will try and control myself better in the future. Now where are I going to
sleep?"
"Oh" Yuki suddenly said "I forgot."
"Forgot what?" Alex looked at her, "what do you mean - you forgot."
"Ahhh?" Yuki began.
"Yuki?" Alex looked at her "what have you forgotten?"
"I forgot to prepare the spare room" Yuki looked down at floor, "it's still packed with my old junk. I
was going to clean it down today, but?"
"Great?" Alex commented, "oh well, I sleep on the sofa then?"
"Well?" Yuki started.
"What?" Alex asked "is the matter now?"
"The sofa sorted of got covered in cream?" Yuki began "I had to strip it?"
"Fantastic?" Alex finished "the perfect end to a perfect day?" She looked at Yuki "I don't suppose
that there is a problem with the floor, is there?"
"Errr?" Yuki pointed to the dripping carpets and rugs, "it might be a bit wet?"
"Yes?" Alex said "it might well be?" She looked at the cleaning she had done to remove the stains
of coffee, pies and other remains. "I don't think they are going to be dry anytime soon?"
"Well?" Yuki looked at her, "if you don't mind sharing a bed?"
"Ahh?" Alex looked at her, "well? I?"
"It's the only alternative?"
"It's not that?" Alex fidgeted "its?"
"What?"
"My clothes are in the wash, remember."
"Oh" Yuki coloured, "well you will have to borrow some of mine then." She stood up, "come on."
Alex scratched uncomfortably at the strange AMP uniform that Rally had insisted that she wear. She
definitely was not a fan of whoever had designed the damned thing. While it was functional, supposed to be
resistant to the wear and tear that fighting entities would entail, it seemed to remind her of something out of the
bondage rage from the last century, all leather and straps.
"Stop fidgeting" Yuki said as they rode up the elevator towards the floor with the Chief's office.
"Sorry, I just can't get the?" Alex squirmed again and tried to pull the uniform down "?hang of
this damned contraption?"
"Don't worry, you look fine?" Yuki said.
"It just is not me?"
"It is" Yuki assured her as she looked at the figure that Alex portrayed. The uniform did indeed do
the younger girl justice. It hugged the athletic, slender form in a way that accentuated all the right
characteristics in all the right ways. Yuki's eyes slowly caressed the form of her companion and unconsciously
she licked her lips.
Yes? she thought, the uniform DID indeed do her justice?
"Yuki!" Alex suddenly said loudly.
"What?!?" Yuki suddenly came back to reality with a bang, "I'm not doing anything?"
"Hump?!?" Alex looked at her oddly, "what's that mean? I only said that the lift has arrived, and you
seemed to be thinking about something else."
"Ohhh? Yes! Yes, that's right!" Yuki shook her head slightly to clear it (plus the odd images) and
turned her attention back to Alex's statement.
Alex gave her a confused stare and then said "come on then, or we will be late." She walked out of
the lift and waited for a moment until Yuki caught up with her.
"You seem to be a bit out of it this morning" she commented "is anything wrong?"
"No?" Yuki said, shaking her head "I'm fine."
"Yuki, even though it has been over three weeks since you woke up, I don't think anyone is going to
blame you if you don't want to come back to work yet. I mean, even the Chief was surprised when you said
that you would be starting this week?"
"No" Yuki said more adamantly, "I am fine - besides, the doctors say I check out fine, and I am
getting slightly sick of just staring at walls all day?"
"What?" Alex said with a slight hurt look, "don't you like my company? The Chief said I had to stay
with you, don't you like me or something?"
"NO! No! I love you!" Yuki spluttered out, then suddenly realised what she had just said. "I mean I
love your company!" she corrected as she felt the blood beginning to rush to her face. "Come on! We have to
see the Chief!" She grabbed a bemused Alex by the arm and almost pulled her over as she half ran for the
Chief's office.
"Hey!" Alex said as she tried both to catch her balance and to try to keep up with Yuki. "Wait for
me!"
Rally glanced up as the two figures entered the room and stood to attention.
"You're late" she commented as her eyes swept back to the papers on her desk.
"Sorry Chief" Alex apologised.
"Well, enough of that, we need to get started" Rally's senses noted that Yuki seemed to be? very
tense for some reason. The girl's pulse rate was higher than it normally should be and she seemed almost to be
flushed.
"Yuki?" she asked "are you alright?"
"Wha?" Yuki almost seemed to jump, "yes! I am fine!"
"Very well?" Rally watched her carefully for a moment, trying to place what the hell the girl was so
jumpy about. "Let's get down to business then?"
The briefing took over an hour as Rally bought the two girls up to date on the current situation with
the Lucifer Hawks while Yuki had been recovering. The news was mixed, although the general activity of the
entities had been slightly less than what it had been, the nature of the attacks had changed.
"It is almost as if they are focusing on a strategy" Rally commented at one point, "and that is
something they have never really done before."
"What do you mean, by strategy?" Yuki asked.
"The targets that they are attacking" Rally elaborated, "they are not just random as they have been in
the past, but are of increasing importance. For example, for three days in a row one entity attacked the same
power station, at the same place and the same time, then on the fourth night - nothing. In Kyo-cho, another
entity attacked a police station, it could have killed every one inside, but it deliberately did not harm anyone,
but then on the very next day the same entity appears to have killed all the members of a family just a stones
throw from the same station. Why?"
"Seemingly random violence, but at the same time conforming to a plan?" Alex wondered out loud,
"I see what you mean. However, it does not mean that the plan has a purpose, it simply could be a? No, it is a
cover, a cover for something else? a distraction for something?" Her voice faded away for a moment as she
seemed lost in thought.
"I wondered something of the same" Rally commented, "but it does not make any?"
"Yes, it does make sense!" Alex suddenly said. "The entities need chaos, for them that is a purpose
in itself! Image it, they do not seem to be willing or able to launch a direct attack, so they are engaging in
terrorist tactics! Tactics which will confuse and soften us up for something big?"
"That's a possibility" Rally looked thoughtful, "but that only tells us what we already know, they
want to wipe us out."
Alex shrugged, "nothing new in that - but I think we can assume that if they are going to pull
something then it will be soon, and the odds are more than certain that Katsumi will be part of it."
"But?" Yuki butted in, "are we certain that? that it was Katsumi who tried to?"
"Oh, yes" Rally finished her sentence for her, "yes we are certain that it was Katsumi. Lets for now
just say that we have managed to confirm that fact."
"How?" asked Yuki.
Rally shook her head, "I am sorry Yuki, I cannot tell you that. The source of the information is?
shall we say very confidential."
"But?" Yuki tried to continue, but stopped when Rally held up her hand, "Yuki, I know what
Katsumi meant to you, but you have to accept my word on this. Katsumi is now our enemy."
Alex reached over and put an arm gently on Yuki's shoulder, and pulled the girl to her as Yuki
suddenly burst into tears.
"Hush? Hush?" she whispered as she gently rocked the weeping girl who grabbed onto her as if
the red head was the only pillar left in her word. Alex responded by wrapping both her arms tightly around the
weeping form and drew her closely to her. "Sshhh?" she said as she stroked the girl's head, "everything will
be fine?"
Yuki's emotional reaction caused Rally to nod, it was better that Yuki get it out of her now. She
stood up, it would be better to let Alex help Yuki recover alone. She walked briskly to the door and went
outside. She needed to see Mana anyway, and it would be a while before Yuki got over her emotional storm.
Yuki did not notice as the Chief left, she was too caught up in the surge of emotions that seemed to
be flooding through her. All coherent thought left her mind the instant Alex pulled her tightly against her. The
smell of clean soap once again wafted through Yuki's mind. The close feeling of the other girl's form, the
warmth from her body, the emotional support that came from her, the smell and finally the realisation of what
Katsumi had tried to do caused Yuki to forget reality. She pushed herself back slightly from Alex and looked
directly into those so intense green eyes. They looked slightly puzzled, at what was happening. Then Yuki
closed her eyes and with a deliberate grace planted her lips fully onto Alex's.
Alex's mind went totally blank, as she felt Yuki's moist lips clamp onto hers and a tongue suddenly
invade her mouth. Her legs began to shake and lose their strength as she felt Yuki's hands begin to caress
various sensitive parts of her body. Her body flooded with 16-year-old hormones and the feelings that Yuki's
attentions generated. She began to feel light headed and without being aware of it slowly sank into Yuki's
arms, all direct volition gone as Yuki hands continued to? aaaahhhhhh?.
Lost in bliss, Yuki adjusted her arms to support the weight of the younger girl, and slowly lowered
the two of them to the floor. Alex seemed to struggle for a moment before Yuki lowered herself on top of the
other girl, overpowering her smaller form. Greedily now Yuki kissed hungrily at those soft lips, forcing Alex's
head back as she pushed down. Yuki's hands moved - grasping, caressing, and undoing until they finally hit
upon the soft flesh beneath. As Alex felt Yuki's hands press up against her flesh, she began to feel afraid. That
fear helped, slightly, to cut through the fog that was clouding her mind. She began to struggle beneath Yuki
trying to push the heavier girl off her. Yuki reacted by pushing herself more heavily down, as her lust and the
power that it bought her gave her a sense of control she had never had.
Yuki repositioned herself, and in doing so opened her eyes as she removed her lips from Alex's and
for the first time looked down at the younger girl. Alex's face was flushed and her eyes looked wild and scared
as she stared up at Yuki. The look in those eyes and the fear that Yuki could sense radiating from the younger
girl's mind suddenly caused Yuki to realise what it was she was trying to do. She suddenly felt cold - what had
she just tried to... Self-disgust flushed through her and she gave a slight whimper as she backed away. She get
go of the pinning hold she had been unconsciously using and with horror saw what she had been doing. Alex's
uniform had been more than half stripped off, revealing the pale flesh that lay beneath. Some of the flesh was
discoloured where Yuki had... Abruptly Yuki turned and fled, she could not face any more, and she did not
want to see what would be reflected in Alex's eyes when she...
Alex barely registered the sound of Yuki's panicked exit. Her mind and body were still disjointed and
numb. She stared up at the ceiling above, breathing heavily, until she slowly sat up. Emotionally drained and
still numbed by the experience she began to slowly redress herself. This simple, mundane process slowly
brought her back to her senses. This was the first... real... encounter of a sexual nature she had ever had, and it
left her... confused... numb... She could not describe it. She liked Yuki, had... sort of like the feelings that
Yuki's caresses had initially aroused. What did that mean? What was she to do? She had feelings for Yuki...
but... She staggered to the private wash room and dashed cold water on her face - it helped. Her mind began
to clarify as the cold dissipated the last of the hormonal induced fog. She caught sight of herself in the mirror.
She was a mess, both her uniform and herself. She also noticed that there was a strange musky smell which...
"Fucking hell!" she swore aloud as she located the source of the musky odour. A long dark wet stain
ran from her pantline down the inner thigh of the left leg - what the fuck was she going to do now?
Rally and Mana were caught in the conference room, having a less than civil discussion with
elements of the Ministry of the Interior, and Defence. Officials from both departments were less than happy
with the current state of affairs and once again Rally had to fight for the survival of the AMP.
"...but I have explained the nature of our role..." Rally began, but was cut off by a sharp interruption.
"The Minister does not care about anything but results. Your department has been less than
successful in combating the threat opposed by these... things... and as a result it has been decided to bring in
those who can get results." The man leaned forward and stared at Rally, "the Minister is not unsympathetic to
either you, or your people. AMP is a valued resource, both to our city and the people, but the current crisis has
gone beyond what the Minister feels you can cope with. You need help Rally Cheyenne, and that is what
Colonel Reece and his department can bring."
"What do you mean?" Rally went cold, she had heard of Colonel Reece, and his... department before.
"Colonel Reece, will be taking over the responsibilities of AMP. Your group will be merged into his
department and he will be placed in direct command over the efforts to combat this threat - to whatever is its
conclusion." He opened his case and bought forth an electronic pad. He placed it down on the table. "Here are
the orders from the Minister. As I said before, you and your people are a highly valued asset. The role that each
of you play will be vital in our defence, but to put it bluntly, you need direction, and this will be that direction."
"I..." Rally began. She halted suddenly as the door behind her opened and a short unassuming man in
uniform entered the room.
"Have you told her?" he said abruptly.
If it were possible for the other man to cower he would have, "Ye... Yes, Colonel I have..."
"Good" the other man dismissed the lackey from his mind and focused his attention on Rally. For a
moment the dead, cold eyes watched her as if he were trying to read her soul, and then he spoke.
"You are working for me now Rally Cheyenne, you and your people." He pause for a moment before
continuing, "I have been watching your progress for sometime - you have potential, but it needs to be focused. I
am the one who will give you that focus. I am neither fair, nor cruel, kind or feeling - I simply get the job done,
and that is why I am here - to get the job done. You and your people will help with that process, it is not a
choice - you will help. I will do whatever it necessary to complete my task, and if that involves making
sacrifices then I will make them. Do you understand me, Rally Cheyenne?"
"Yes..." Rally stared at him, "I understand perfectly."
"Good, then we will begin. I have men and equipment to move into this building, you will oversee
the process. Lieutenant Carver, outside will be your liaison. He reports directly to you, and you report directly
to me. I want this facility to be fully operational in 48 hours. Understood?"
Rally got to her feet, "I understand." She turned and gestured for Mana to follow her. Mana got to
her feet and turned to follow.
"Wait" a voice said behind her, "I have a different task for you Mana Isozaki, one more fitted to your
talents."
Mana paused and her gaze flickered for a moment to Rally, as if for confirmation. Reece noticed the
glance but said nothing, he simply waited until Mana turned.
"Yes, sir" she said as Rally left the room. She had not heard as much of Reece as had Rally, but she
knew enough, and the single glance from her Chief had been enough to confirm that for now she must obey.
Yuki ran, she ran out of the office, she ran out of the AMP building, and tried to run the image of
Alex out of her mind. Finally she could run no more and stopped, leaning against a wall she tried to recover her
breath. Her feelings of self hatred and loathing that had initially started her mad flee, erupted again and Yuki
fell to her knees with tears streaming down her face. She could still see the image of Alex's face watching her
with the fear in her eyes. Yuki slowly got again to her feet, she needed to be else where, she had to escape! She
had to leave, she had to go somewhere, anywhere where the image would no longer haunt her. Slowly, on
uncertain feet she made her way back to the only place she had ever called home. She walked back the steps to
Labyrinth.
Yuki half stumbled down the small set of stairs that led to Labyrinth. She did not notice that the
lights were on and that the door when she pushed on it opened silently onto a lit room. She had only one
thought she...
"Hello Yuki-chan" a very familiar voice whispered to her.
Yuki felt cold and turned to face her former best friend. Katsumi was watching her with a smile on
her face, slipping coffee out of the cup that Yuki had once chosen specially for her.
"Katsumi...chan..." Yuki whispered with a sense of dread, "why..." The image of Alex suddenly
came to her again and Yuki felt the dread turn to something colder, aimed wholly at herself. Yuki's eyes grew
hard and she faced Katsumi.
"Why are you here - you murderess whore?!" she spat out, hoping that Katsumi would react.
"Whore?" Katsumi's eyes raised, "well, well Yuki - you have grown up, haven't you..."
"Shut up!" Yuki yelled, "either fucking kill me, or get the hell out of here!"
"Oh dear Yuki" Katsumi said, "you have had a bad day haven't you?" Katsumi altered her grip on the
coffee cup that she was holding and the smile on her face got wider. "No..." she said "no,Yuki-chan I will not
kill you. You are my best friend after all, and I like this new you... It is so... refreshing..."
"Go to hell!" Yuki said and raising a fist she moved towards Katsumi.
"Oh my..." Katsumi commented and put down her coffee, "perhaps you may be useful to me after
all..."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Yuki asked.
"For the moment, Yuki-chan, nothing" Katsumi said, "merely that at sometime in the future we may
be useful to each other."
"Me?" Yuki gasped out "help you? I would rather die..."
"Really" Katsumi commented, "no even if I could help you with, say a little love problem..."
"WHAT!?" Yuki spluttered.
"You have good taste, if nothing else..." Katsumi commented, "although I don't think your little red
head will be too conducive, after what you tried on her."
"I..." Yuki slumped down as she felt the black feelings of depression threaten to override her yet
again.
"I could change that, Yuki-chan" Katsumi promised, "I could make her willing to do anything for
you..."
"No..." Yuki tried to say.
"Imagine her beneath you, Yuki-chan... Imagine that soft flesh, her voice whispering in to your...
Imagine Yuki-chan... the eyes looking at you filled with adoration, the hot cries of your name..." Katsumi
closed her eyes and Yuki felt herself carried away by the images that her voice promised.
Yuki once again remembered the warm wetness of that lips, the touch of the silky skin... The hot
feelings once again threatened to overcome her...
Katsumi watched as Yuki closed her eyes her tongue darting over her lips. She smiled, Yuki was
hers now, and so in time would all of the AMP, then and only then, when they grovelled on their feet before
her, would her revenge be complete. Then and only then, when Rally saw her children begging, would Katsumi
let them die. Until then...
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