This story is based "very loosely" around ideas from Highlander and
various Vampire stories I have read recently.
In summary, the story revolves around Linna and Nene's granddaughter. The
story does not go into any detail regarding how Linna became what she is, or
indeed what she is - that will be covered later.
Any comments, C&C, or flames take.
Cheers
Alex Gray.
E-mail - mailto:hitomi@ndirect.co.uk
WWW home - http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Subway/7630/
===================================================================================================
A Knight Alone
This story is part of the 2090 BGC series.
The name Bubblegum Crisis and characters within are copyright of Artmic & Youmex.
* * * *
Chapter One - A Surprise
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Time: AD 2089, 3 March, 10:23
The day was dark and miserable. What little light there was filtered through the ominous looking clouds
that rumbled overhead. Some of the mourners attending the funeral shivered and pulled their coats around them as
the wind propelling the storm clouds overhead began to bite. A few of them wished they could get this damn service
over and done with so that they could get back into the warmth. One woman lifted her hand and took a look at her
watch. It was not an exactly subtle movement and earned the woman a dark stare from the redheaded 17-year old
girl whose grandmother it was who was being buried today. The woman was lowering her hand when she caught
sight of the teenager's frosty blue eyes staring at her. She tried to meet the rude glare, but those clear blue eyes
unmercifully bore into her own. The woman suddenly felt awkward and shifted uncomfortably. The cold contempt
in the girl's eyes was plain to see
Raina Stingray held the woman's eyes steadily for several moments before finally breaking contact. Today
was just not the day for showing the contempt she felt for her mother's in-laws and their friends. This was the last
chance that she would get to say a final farewell to her beloved grandmother, Nene, before her body was finally laid
to rest beside her husband. Raina knew virtually nothing about her grandfather as he had died years before she had
even been born. The only things she had ever learnt about him had come from her grandmother. Mackie, as been his
name. Raina could remember the love that had resonated in her grandmother's voice when she had spoken of him
and of the short life that they had shared together before the great quake of 2047 had struck Tokyo. Her
grandmother had never spoken of that time, but Raina had seen the deep pain and sorrow that had been reflected in
her eyes. She knew from her mother that the great quake had kill her grandfather, and his sister, but the pain in those
green eyes had reflected so much more than just that. Somehow Raina knew that the quake had killed far more in
her grandmother's life than just her husband and his sister. What that might have been Raina doubted she would ever
know, and from the nature of her grandmothers harrowed looks Raina never wanted to know.
Nina Stingray felt very little in her heart as she watched her mother be laid to rest next to the father she had
never really known. A few years ago she would have been laughing to see her hated mother finally dead, but now...
Now she felt nothing, just nothing. The bitterness she had nurtured towards her mother was still there, but after so
many years the flame had gone cold? It was pointless to try and re-light it. Her mother was gone, and the only
blood relative she had left was her daughter. A daughter that was more like Nene than seemed possible. Nina almost
smiled at the irony. Her mother was dead, but in a very real sense she lived on in Raina. Her daughter had both her
grandmother's looks and even more of her temperament. The same temperament that oddly made her mother love
her all the more fiercely. The thought of her daughter prompted Nina to gently place a comforting hand on Raina's
shoulder and give it a slight squeeze. She knew how much Raina had loved her grandmother, and how much pain
had been caused when Nina had had to move the two of them to the USA. She had hoped at the time that Raina
would understand Nina's need to escape her mother's strangle hold on her life. However, even now years later
Raina had not forgiven her.
Raina felt her mother's hesitant comforting squeeze and turned her sad blue eyes to look up at her. Slowly
she offered her mother a small smile. It would be sometime before Raina could fully forgive her mother the pain her
thoughtless act had caused her but... This was not the time for such recriminations. She looked back at the open
grave and tried to hold back the tears that threatened to run down her face.
The priest was beginning to feel the cold as well. He also wished to get back into the warmth as soon as it
was humanly possible. His eyes briefly scanned the horizon and noted the rumbling clouds fast approaching. He
began to speed up the service as much as he could get away with. Those clouds looked like they would be overhead
very soon, and he did not want to get soaked on his very first service of the day. He read through the words for the
service with the expertise that comes of practice and a good oratory skill. His voice went smoothly through the deep
resonances that the words required, pausing where necessary for dramatic effect and then continuing towards the
final concluding statements.
Nina frowned slightly as the pace of the service picked noticeably up. While she did not blame the man for
wanting to get the service concluded before the rain struck, somehow it did not seem right. She kept silent however,
as the service was rapidly approaching the final act of remembrance which she and her daughter would perform. She
looked down at her daughter, at the single white rose that Raina had chosen. She had wondered at first why the girl
had chosen it, but now it seemed to be the right choice.
The priest finally spoke the key phrase that was Nina's cue to scoop up some of the soil and throw it onto
the coffin. She swallowed, somehow dreading this final act that would indicate the last separation between her and
her mother. Numerous words and phrases passed through her mind. Things that she had long wanted to say but had
never had the strength to admit to herself. Finally she knelt down and picked up a handful of soil.
"Forgive me mother," Nina said as she threw the damp loam onto the wooden coffin. "I have always loved
you... and... I am sorry...." A tear ran down her cheek as she finally let go of all the hate and resentment that she had
been building up over so many years.
"Forgive me..." she whispered as she turned and hurried away. In silence she began the walk back to the
cars waiting some distance away from the grave.
Raina watched her mother go. She had seen the tears in the woman's eyes and heard that last statement. It
bought that small sad smile back to her face. If only... but it was too late now. What had been unsaid between Nene
and Nina would have to remain unsaid. She turned back to the edge of the grave and slowly threw in the single white
rose. It hit the coffin and broke apart, scattering sweet smelling blossoms over the dark wood.
"Grandmother..." she said in a soft, sad voice. The tears began to run down her face as she searched for the
words, any words that would say what she so desperately felt, but nothing came. She looked down at the broken
white petals and smiled. That was all she needed she thought and slowly she turned and followed her mother back.
The reception at the funeral home had been on for a few hours when Raina finally was able to slip away
and drive the 20 minute trip back to the graveyard. In the hours since she had left she had thought of so many things
that she wanted to say to her grandmother before she and her mother went back to the States. This would be the only
chance that she had. She needed time alone, time to get the things she had never said off her chest. It was with this in
mind that she parked the car and started to walk the short distance to her grandmother's grave. The air was fresh
from the downpour that had only stopped less than 15 minutes ago. She had to take care to avoid the small puddles
of water that had formed along the path. She had not exactly worn.... Her thoughts broke off as she suddenly came
into sight of her grandmother's grave. She was surprised to see a figure standing there. Raina could tell even at this
distance that the figure was weeping. A frown crossed her face as she wondered who this dark haired person was,
and why was she so distressed at the sight of the grave.
Raina's curiosity overcame her usually polite nature. She walked towards the figure as rapidly and yet as
silently as she could. As she got closer she could tell that the distressed figure was a very slender and graceful
looking dark haired young woman. The young woman was weeping openly and seemed to be totally ignoring
everything that was going on around her as her attention was totally fixed on the grave. When Raina managed to get
within a few meters of the woman she could hear that the young woman was speaking in a sad and almost
hauntingly lonely voice.
"Nene-chan... why... lonely..." the voice was soft and yet very melodic with a strange...
Raina's foot scuffed the gravel of the path, and with an almost inhuman speed the young woman spun
around to face Raina. Raina was too stunned by the speed of the reaction to do anything but stare. The young
woman's face was running with tears, yet her expression was hard. It was an expression that spoke of a controlled
violence. Violence that was shown in the almost defensive fighting posture that the woman had automatically
adopted. As Raina looked on however, the woman's expression rapidly changed. The icy blue eyes of hard steel
grew at first uncertain and then disbelieving as the woman examined who is was who had surprised her.
The woman almost stumbled back a few steps before she recovered herself and the two sets of disbelieving
sky blue eyes focused on each other.
"Nene??" the woman managed to say. "Is... Is that you??"
Raina's eyes opened even wider as her face went pale.
"Nene...." the woman slightly unsure of herself took a few hesitant steps forward. "It's me, Linna. Linna
Yamazaki. Don't you remember me?"
Raina was not exactly sure how she should respond. It was one thing to look like someone, but to be
actually mistaken for someone who was dead. She had absolutely no idea how to respond.
The woman, who had called herself Linna, saw her confused reaction and swore quietly under her breath.
She lowered the hand that she had stretched out and quickly turned away. Before Raina had been able to recover
herself the woman had grabbed the small travelling canvas pack that she had propped against the wet ground and
was hurrying away.
"Wait!" Raina called out and ran off after the woman.
The woman however did not seem to want to wait but as she was hampered by the pack Raina was able to
catch her rather easily.
"Please! Wait!" she said again as she grabbed the young woman's arm. The woman resisted and tried to
pull away, but Raina held fast. Finally, after a moment the woman turned to face her.
"Will you please let my arm go?" the woman asked, looking Raina in the face.
"You called me Nene - why?" Raina demanded of the woman. "Did you know my grandmother?"
"Grandmother?" the woman hissed and her eyes widened. "No wonder?"
"You did, didn't you!" Raina said excitedly as her grip on the woman's arm tightened. "You? Yaahhh!!!"
Raina cried out in pain as the woman twisted and pinned her hard against the ground. The woman grabbed
hold of Raina's arm and bent it hard against her back.
"Leave me alone - understand?" she hissed into the girl's ear, "or else?" The woman twisted Raina's arm,
hard.
"YES!!! YES!!" Raina cried out. "I understand! I understand!!"
"Remember that," the woman stated as she stood up and let Raina's arm go. She then reached down and
picking up her pack walked off as fast as she could. It was quite a while later before Raina was able to get to her
feet. Her arm and back hurt like hell and just the act of standing up bought a grimace to her face. She looked around,
but the young woman had fled.
"Linna," Raina said to herself with a frown. "Linna.. Yam... Yamazaki. That was it - Linna Yamazaki!
Who the hell is she? And where the fuck does she know grandmother from?" She ignored the pain and straightened
up.
"I will find out your secrets Linna Yamazaki. I will make you tell me!" With that she turned and hobbled
back to her grandmother's grave. She still had so much to say to the only person she had ever really loved.
Linna lifted her head and closed her eyes as the hot water from the shower cascaded over her. Her fists
slowly clenched and unclenched as she tried to forced her body to relax. Why in the name of all that was holy had
she gone to Nene's funeral? Why hadn't she just ignored the bloody obituary column, and let Nene go? Why after all
these years had she done such a... She sighed and her head fell forward. The stream of water from the shower
dragged her shoulder length hair down over her face and carried the young woman's salty tears away.
"Nene-chan..." Linna whispered sadly, as the warm memories of her old friend threatened to swamp her.
The innocence of those memories, long since past, just made her feel even worst. They only served to remind her
how alone she now was. Nene, like the others, was now gone. She was the only one left. The only one who
remembered...
"Shit!" she swore at herself. She tossed her head angrily in an effort to clear the black feelings. She could
not change the past, she had to accept it. Getting depressed or lost in memories was not going to change things. It
was not going to change her. She was what she was and there was nothing she could do about it. After all this time
she HAD to accept that those she loved and cared for would age and eventually die. It would never get easier, only
harder - she HAD to accept that. However, no matter how much she told herself this, she knew in her heart that she
would never accept it. How could she accept that those around her whom she cared for would be born, wither and
finally die, while she remained exactly as she was - forever. The death of Nene only served to bring the fact home
but... No, she would never be able to accept it, no matter what she told herself.
The face of that young girl sprang to Linna's mind. How so much like Nene that girl was. Linna had been
shocked when she had first seen her. It had been like looking at a young Nene, so much so that she had even
foolishly called that girl by Nene's name. She sighed yet again and ran her hands through her hair. Why had she
ever accepted that damned offer? Why?
She turned off the shower and stepping out grabbed a towel to dry herself off with. Placing her feet into her
slippers she moved back into the bedroom. She gave herself a quick dry off and throwing the towel onto the
carpeted floor slipped on a pair of clean pants and an old tee shirt. She yawned and stretched. Gods, was she tired.
The hot shower and the long flight from Celestian City on Luna had taken their combined toll. She had only touched
down this morning after two days of cramped conditions on the flight shuttle, and the lack of decent sleep was
beginning to tell.
"Lights," she muttered as yet another yawn overcame her. The lights switched off in response to her
command, and the small hotel room was thrown into darkness. Linna walked over to the window looking out onto
the huge sprawling metropolis that was Tokyo and sat down on the window seat. Leaning against the cold plasiglass
she drew her knees up to her chin and stared at the huge template like monstrosity that was the Genom Tower. Her
lips pursed together in contempt. Something's never change she thought. Even after the death of Quincy, still Genom
was nothing more than a large cancerous growth. Controlling, manipulating, destroying what they could not own. It
was hard to image that such evil could exist behind that facade of chrome and glass. Seen at night the Tower even
appeared to be pretty, like a huge tree covered in twinkling lights. Who would ever suspect what truly lay behind the
false promise of those jewelled stars. Linna knew, and that knowledge came of almost 40 years of experience trying
to repair the damage that that evil did. Her eyes began to droop and she jerked as she caught herself falling asleep at
the window.
"Christ?" she swore and got to her feet. She moved slowly over to the bed and got in. Almost 30 seconds
later she was fast asleep.
* * * *
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Time: AD 2089, 5 March, 09:23
Raina sat down at the desk in her hotel and looked at the blank comscreen.
"On," she ordered it. The screen flickered into life as the system came online.
"Search for all references to a woman born in the last 30 years or so by the name of Linna Yamazaki."
Raina knew that this would be a very wide search but she had to start some where.
"Searching," the comscreen reported and went away to think.
Raina got up and opening the window to her room looked out onto the cityscape beyond. The huge
monolith of the Genom Tower cast a large shadow over the city as it blocked out the light from the morning sun.
Raina looked at the Tower in disgust. Why did men insist on building such repulsive structures. She was almost
reminded of the tale about the tower of Babel, and how God had punished?.
"Search complete," the comscreen announced behind her. "1672 matches found."
"1672?" Raina groaned. She knew that this was not going to be easily, but she had hoped. Oh well?
"Display images of matches," she said as she sat down. This was going to be a long day.
Five hours of investigation later and she was swearing.
"Nothing! Shit!" she looked as her latest search and cross-reference failed to find a bloody thing. "Damn
this woman! Where the hell is she?"
She stood up and walked around the room. She had tried every search criteria she could think of, but had
found no person that looked like that woman. Of the 1672 Linna Yamazaki(s) and near phonic matches she had
tried, not one of them had looked anything like the woman she was after. Either the woman had used a false name or
had changed her appearance far more radically that this system was able to compensate for. If either was the case
then she was stuffed. Maybe she needed to tackle this from a different angle. She sat down on the bed and lay back.
"Maybe I am looking in the wrong place," she muttered to herself. "But where do I look?"
She crossed her legs and looked up at the ceiling. "Where?" she repeated. "I've tried all the public
accessible files, government records, births, deaths? Deaths! Death certificates, I could try those." She sat up.
"Recall last characteristic wild search criteria, name criteria, phonic match criteria and run against all
recorded deaths."
"Searching," the comscreen said. "Running search against all recorded deaths in historical database."
"Historical database? Oh shit! I didn't specify a date range. Cancel sear?"
"One match found," the comscreen stated. "Linna Yamazaki, age 36, killed in 2047 earthquake. Match
rated 95% against specified search criteria."
"Shit!" Raina swore and rushed over to the comscreen. "Display match," she ordered.
The comscreen showed an image that was an older version of the same woman she had just met.
"What the hell?" Raina's eyes checked the image again. It was definitely the same woman, but over 15 or
so years older than the younger version she had met only 2 days ago. How the hell was that possible? A daughter?
Re-constructive surgery?
"Get any information on this woman available," she said in an excited voice. She had a lead now, and she
would be able to follow it to get an answer to what the hell this woman had been to her grandmother.
"Well Miss Lee," the agent looked up from the figures he had displayed on his comscreen. "The last
investments which we discussed have done extremely well indeed. You can expect far more than the initial return
that was anticipated, quite a good deal more in fact."
"In general terms then how much is my total portfolio worth?" the young Japanese woman asked.
"Altogether?" the agent queried. "Well, I couldn't give you an exact figure, but I can tell you that you are
an extremely rich young woman, extremely rich. In US dollars your total investments would be worth well over $50
million, and that figure will rise as the market continues in its current bullish trend. That of course does not include
the percentage that we divert into your personal accounts. I don't have access to those figures, but I would assume
that they were pretty substantial by now."
"They serve," the young woman smiled and her blue eyes twinkled at some inner joke.
"Fine," the agent smiled back. Gods, this woman was attractive! His eyes wondered up the stylish business
skirt she was wearing and several interesting ideas popped through his mind. Although it was company policy not to
get involved with clients he wondered if he could?
"Shay," the door opened and a smartly dressed woman entered. She smiled warmly and held out her hand.
"It's so good to see you again. How have you been keeping?"
Linna stood up and grasped the hand of the other woman. "Hello Helen," she said with a similar smile. "I
heard that you had been promoted and transferred to Earth. I'm glad that you were able to take the time to see me."
"I will always have time for you Shay - you can rest assured of that," Helen said. "You are after all one of
our firm's single biggest personal clients. Although, I must say that I am surprised by the fact that you came all the
way from Celestian City just to come here."
"I also have some other... business to take care of," Linna said.
"Business?" Helen raised an eyebrow as she grabbed a chair and sat down. "Is it anything the firm can help
you with?"
"No," Linna said with a shake of her head. "It's not that kind of business. It's more? personal."
"Oh," Helen said. "How long do you think you will be in town for?"
"Probably for at least a couple of weeks," Linna shrugged. "It all sort of depends on how things go."
"Oh good," Helen's face brightened. "Then we can take some time out and do something together. It's been
a while since I've seen anyone from Celestian. It would be a good chance to catch up on how people are doing. How
about it Shay? Want me to show you the sights?"
"That would be great Helen," Linna replied. "I've never really spent much time on Earth and I would love
to have a look around."
"It's a date then," Helen said. "By the way Shay, you must tell me how you remain so young looking. I
have known you for over 7 years and I swear that you never seem to change. I could make a fortune, if it can be
bottled and sold." She finished with a smile.
Linna shrugged, "luck, I guess. Gravity on Luna is less than that of Earth - perhaps that's it. Or maybe my
family are long lived, as I never knew them - it's difficult to say."
"Well," Helen remarked. "When you find out - just remember to let me know."
"As you command, my Lady," Linna smiled.
"Jeff," Helen turned to the now silent agent. "Do you mind if we use your office? Shay and I have private
matters to discuss."
"Ah? of course Miss Shannon," he got up and crossed to Linna and held out his hand. "Nice to met you
Miss Lee."
Linna took the hand and gave it a limp shake. She hid her dislike for this man who been ogling her all the
morning and gave him a bland smile as he left.
"Let me guess," Helen said bluntly as he closed the door after him. "Leering Lenny been at work hasn't
he."
"Well?" Linna said.
"I'm sorry Shay," Helen said. "I thought I had arranged for you to see another of our people, but he must
have crept in. He's one of our senior partner's prodigies otherwise I would have kicked him out when I first got here.
He seems to think that he is God's gift but rest assured it won't happen again."
"Huh!" Linna made a dismissive gesture. "I have much more important things to worry about than some
little creep."
"The reason you called me?" Helen asked.
"Yes." Linna reached down to the brief case at her feet and bought out a datapad handing it over to Helen.
"Listed there are a number of very old private accounts. Some of them were set up during the last part of the 1990's
and some of them were set up during the 2020s, 2030s and 2040s. I believe that there is quite a large amount of
money in these accounts that has not been accessed since 2040."
"Interesting," Helen commented as she looked down the list of account numbers. "How much are we
talking about?"
"I'm not exactly sure," Linna replied. "Probably well over $10 million, but by now?"
"Whose are these accounts?" Helen asked. "I mean, I assume these are not ones that you set up."
"Hardly!" Linna laughed. "I wasn't even alive! They are however? an inheritance I suppose you could call
it."
Helen looked at Linna. "That's a bit of a dubious statement Shay. I mean even if these accounts haven't
been touched for ages it still does not give you the right?"
"If you look on the pad," Linna interrupted. "You will find all the necessary legal paperwork enclosed.
What I need however is for you to reclaim both the money for me and? several other items that are listed there."
"Items?" Helen looked at the datapad. "You mean these secure safe boxes?"
"Yes," Linna nodded. "Your firm can guarantee that the items will be removed and shipped directly to me
in complete privacy, and that is exactly what I want."
"Ok," Helen said with a slight frown. "We can do that, but I don't quite see why you would want us to
handle this."
Linna simply smiled. "So, are you okay for dinner and a run around the seamier side of Tokyo tonight? My
treat."
Helen took the hint and dropped the subject. "Tonight? Yes, that would be fine. I don't have anything
planned, but why the seamier side?"
"Because its usually far more interesting than any where else," Linna replied with a smile.
"Ha!" Helen snorted. "That much is true! Okay, it's a date then. And I can promise to show you a very
interesting time."
"I'm sure you can Helen," Linna smiled. "I'm sure you can."
"Where are you staying?" Helen asked.
"Royal Tokyu Plaza, room 1325," Linna replied.
"Okay," Helen thought for a moment. "I will pick you up at about 20:00. Is that okay?"
"Sounds fine," Linna smiled.
"And wear something casual," Helen added with a wink.
"Why?" Linna said with a dirty look. "You planning something interesting?"
"Wait and see," Helen replied.
Linna looked down at her watch and her eyes widened. "Christ!" she swore. "Sorry Helen, I have got to
push off. I'll see you tonight and we can catch up on old times, okay?"
Helen got to her feet and followed Linna as she made her way to the door.
"Look after yourself Shay," she said. "I have few friends these days?"
"Baka!" Linna said with a smile and gave her old friend an embrace. "I will be around for a very long time
yet. See you tonight? Ja'nai?" She opened the door and walked out.
Helen watched as Linna left. She shook her head slightly and smiled. Shay had not changed at all, even
after all this time. She looked down at her watch, 13:34. Seven hours in which to locate something to wear and find
some places she could show to Shay. If she remembered correctly Shay seemed to have some rather outdated tastes
in music. If she looked around she might be able to find a club or two running retro, or maybe even show Shay the
latest that Tokyo had to offer. She would have to ask some of the office girls, they always seemed to know these
things. It was with that thought that she returned to her office to arrange an "interesting" time - whatever that was
going to mean.
Raina looked at the results from her search and scratched her head, partly from confusion and partly with
disbelief. Linna Yamazaki, born before the Second Great Kanto Quake, had been raised as an orphan when her
parents like so many others had been killed in that great disaster. There had been nothing remarkable about her life
as far as Raina could find. She had died in 2047 when the totally unexpected Third Great Kanto Quake had struck
Tokyo. She had had no daughters and no other family that Raina could track down. Yet the picture of the woman in
2033 matched almost exactly the woman that Raina had just met. The same woman that was supposed to have died
in 2047 with absolutely no children. The woman who had actually mistaken Raina for her grandmother? It made
absolutely no sense whatsoever, unless the woman was an unknown daugh?
"Image search complete," the voice from the comlink interrupted her thoughts. "Four matches found."
Raina grabbed her notes and moved over to the comlink. Sitting down she looked over what her latest
search had found.
"Show me the matches in order of percentage," she ordered the machine.
"83% image match, Shay Lee, age 20. Born 2nd of January 2069. Occupation: unknown. Current place of
residence - Celine House, Celestian City, Sea of Tranquillity, Luna. No family. 70% image match, Leia Yakari, age
22. Born 5th May 2067. Occupation: student. Current place of residence - Ushiri University, Kyoto. Parents still
alive, only child. 68% image match?"
"Show me the details of the first two matches," Raina interrupted the recital.
The image of the young woman called Shay Lee was shown on the screen. The image was not exactly
brilliant, but it was enough to cause Raina to swear.
"Shit? that's her?" Raina was looking at almost exactly the same woman who had called herself Linna
Yamazaki. "Show me EVERYTHING available on this woman - everything!"
The comlink bleeped and a couple of pages of text appeared. Raina eyes quickly scanned over them. The
pages did not say much beyond the summary that Raina had already heard. Shay Lee was simply a common young
woman. She had no family, had money to her name, but beyond that - nothing. Raina could not even find a publicly
listed number for her; she was ex-directory.
"Bollocks," Raina swore as turned the comlink off. She had come to the end of the trail. Linna Yamazaki
had died in 2047, and yet Raina had just met someone who called herself Linna Yamazaki and who looked almost
the same as her dead namesake. Shay Lee, who had been born almost 40 years after Linna's death looked almost like
the dead woman's younger sister. What the hell was going on here? She began to sort through some possibilities.
Possibility number one, the woman was a clone. Possibility number two, Raina was going mad. Possibility number
three, Shay Lee was a member of the same family as Linna and that somehow she had known Nene Stingray.
Possibility number four, they just looked alike and that there was no connection. Possibility number five, Shay Lee
WAS Linna Yamazaki and that somehow she had not died and now looked years younger...
"Yeah right!" Raina snorted. She considered possibilities one and three as the most promising, but she had
to find the woman; find her and talk to her... How the hell was she going to manage that?
Linna looked at her watch, 19:40. Helen should be here in about 15 minutes or so, and Linna would finally
be able to see how much her old home had changed. When she had originally left in 2048, the city had still been in
ruins. Linna herself had been in ruins as well, her life completely shattered. The deaths of Sylia, Mackie, and so
many others as a result of the quake she had mistakenly caused had almost driven her mad with guilt. The fact that
she had only been trying to stop a far greater insanity from happening did nothing to heal the emptiness that she felt
even now after so long.
"Stop it!" Linna told herself sharply. "The past is the past, you cannot change it. You made your choice
now live with it."
A knocking sound came from the door and Linna looked up. Helen was early, she thought. She grabbed
her jacket off the bed and headed towards the door. She was just about to turn the lights off when her senses were
suddenly overwhelmed by a _rush_. Instinctively her hand went out to steady herself. The disorientation only lasted
for a moment, but that moment was enough for Linna to sense the alien flavour of the essence beyond the door...
and... the being... to whom it belonged. She almost backed away as shudders ran up and down her spine. What was
SHE doing here? Why now? She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself as slowly she opened the door.
"Hello Linna-chan," the "young" redhead standing in the corridor beyond said. "Just thought I would pop
around to say hi."
"Samantha," Linna said in a pained voice.
The elfin face pulled back in a slightly cruel smile and the green eyes glittered as if the girl acknowledged
the sentiment behind the words. "Aren't you going to let me in Linna-chan?" she giggled.
Linna stood for a moment at the door wondering what to do.
"Sam!" a voice called down the corridor. "Sam! Where are you?"
Sam turned and called out. "Down here Kelly! Room 1325!"
"Gotcha!" the voice replied and a dark haired girl came hurrying into view.
Sam smiled indulgently as the dark haired girl finally caught up.
"Don't just vanish like that Sam," she complained. "I still haven't quite got the knack of Travelling yet.
Oh..."
"Kelly," the redhead turned back to Linna. "I would like you to meet another... old friend of mine - Linna
Yamazaki. Linna, this is Kelly."
"Pleased to meet you, Miss Yamazaki," the dark haired girl smiled and nodded her head.
"Call her Linna," Sam chided the girl. "After all, you two are part of the same... family, so to speak." At the
last statement her smile became mischievous as Linna's expression turned slightly sour.
"Oh..." the girl called Kelly blushed slightly and Linna's expression became even worst.
"What do you..." Linna began to say before Sam turned and looked back down the corridor.
"Your little human friend is almost here... Shay," she said with an amused expression glancing back at
Linna.
"You leave her alone!" Linna tried to say but stopped when Helen appeared around the corridor.
"Shit!" Linna swore as Helen spotted them.
"Don't worry Linna-chan," Sam commented. "I have my own... amusements tonight. Right Kelly?"
"Sam..." Kelly punched her and giggled.
"Ah... Good evening," Helen cautiously approached the group.
"Good evening," Sam replied with a polite smile and held out her hand. "Samantha De'Naime, at your
service."
Linna tried to stop Helen before she shook hands, but her body refused to move. She could only watch
dumbly as Helen took the pale hand and shook it.
"Helen Shannon," Helen said with a smile. Inwardly she frowned - she knew this girl, but from where...
"Kelly... Duval," the brunette held out her hand. "Are you one of Sam's.... Ouch!" she exclaimed as Sam
punched her on the arm.
"No, she isn't," Sam said to the brunette. "Not yet..."
Get away Helen! Linna wanted to say. She wanted to warn her friend but the control over her body had
gone. All she could do was stand and smile while Samantha played her Games.
"Are you friends of Shay?" Helen asked wondering what the two other girls were talking about. Where did
she know this redhead from?
"Oh, Shay and I have met before," Sam said with a knowing glance at Linna.
"On Celestine?" Helen pressed. The memory of this girl was there but...
"No, from before," Sam replied and then her watch bleeped. "Oh shit," she swore. "Is it that time already?
Sorry, Kelly and I have to go. It was nice meeting you again Helen. Shay..." Linna paled at the way Samantha
looked at her. "I will be seeing you again, my dear..." Linna could see the dark hunger, the corruption that swirled
just beyond those human looking eyes. She felt sick.
"Bye!" Samantha said, and grabbing the arm of the brunette they walked abruptly away.
"Let's drop in on Yuki..." Helen overheard a comment as the two disappeared around the corner.
"Who the devil was that?" Helen said as she looked over at Shay. She was shocked to see that her friend
was trembling slightly. "Shay? What's wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing," Linna said as she got a grip on herself. "Just cold that's all." She forced herself to
smile, "are you ready to go?"
"Yes of course," Helen was confused. "That girl - who was she? I have the strangest that I knew her..."
"No one," Linna cut her off in a tone that indicated an end to the subject. "Come on, lets go." She slammed
the door behind her and stalked off.
Helen's mouth was left hanging open. "What the hell..." she muttered. "Hey! Shay! Wait for me!"
Linna's foul mood at the unexpected visit from her old "friend" began to dissipate as Helen took her on a
tour of this new Tokyo. Fortunately Helen had taken the hint and dropped all questions regarding the strange
encounter. Although confusion burned in Helen's eyes she pretended that nothing was the matter.
"This is Shoku-chu," Helen commented as they got out of the autocab and stepped onto the corner of a
brightly lit and bustling street.
"Wow!" Linna said as she looked around. The noise, commotion, and press of people gave this place an
impression of frantic life and pace. The huge buildings of central Tokyo were replaced by many smaller and older
looking structures.
"This was the only place that survived the great 2047 quake," Helen remarked as she joined Linna on the
pavement. "They still don't know why," she finished with a shrug. Linna's expression darkened slightly for a second
- she knew why.
"Well Shay," Helen said. "Come on, you wanted to see the wild side - let's get to it."
Raina swirled the rest of the drink around in her glass before downing it. The ice rattled as the glass hit
back onto the table, and Raina felt a satisfying warmth flow down her throat.
"Hey, little lady," some guy slumped into the barstool beside her. "You alone?"
"Fuck off," Raina said without even glancing up at him.
"Wha... No need for that sort of tongue girl, I just..."
Raina gave the bloke a cold stare. "Get lost," she said. "I ain't interested."
"Okay, okay..." he got up and walked off back onto the crowded dance floor. The music from the live band
was almost deafening and while not to her taste was at least not bad. The locals certainly seemed to love it. Had it
been another time Raina would have been down on the floor with them, but the death of her grandmother and the
mystery of Linna Yamazaki was too much on her mind.
"Give me another shot," she said to the boomer serving at the bar throwing down a credit chip.
"The same?" the android asked.
"Yeah, but give it a little more bite," she said.
The android put a new glass filled with amber liquid on the bar. Picking it up Raina spun around on her
stool to look back at the dancers. Her heart suddenly skipped a beat and her eyes widen as she suddenly found
herself looking at the dancing form of... Linna Yamazaki!
"Bloody hell!" she swore as she looked at the impossible. Was this luck or...
"Luck?" a voice suddenly spoke softly in her ear causing her to jump. "Get real!" The voice giggled and
then was gone. Raina looked wildly about but no one was near her. Her face went white and a shiver went up her
spine. What the hell was going on here!?!
Her eyes went back to the dancing form of Linna Yamazaki. The woman was good. She danced with a
natural grace that spoke of either natural talent, years of training, or both. Raina saw the joy on the woman's face as
she moved. It spoke almost of a release, something that the woman needed, almost like an escape. Raina got to her
feet, and moving as quickly as she could she made her way across the floor towards the happily dancing figure.
Linna was trying her best to bury herself in the pulsating music. Trying her best to find the point in which
the dance became everything and she could forget, for a moment at least, the nightmare her life had become. Usually
she was able to manage it - but not tonight.
Samantha... That was the one thought that was pounding through her head. Her presence changed
everything. Whenever that redhead turned up chaos always followed in one form or another. What the hell was she
up to now?
A hand suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her around.
"What the hell..." Linna began to swear and then froze. Red hair... Samantha...
"I want to talk to you Linna Yamazaki!" the redhead said.
Linna blinked and took a moment to get her mind into gear. "You..." she hissed, as she finally recognised
the girl that she had manhandled only a few days before.
"Shay..." Helen stopped dancing and came over to see what the commotion was about. "Who is this Shay?
What is happening?"
"Shay?" the redhead commented. "So, I was right. You are calling yourself Shay Lee aren't you Linna
Yamazaki. Now, I want you to tell me who the hell you are, and how the hell you knew my grandmother!"
"Linna?" Helen frowned and turned to her friend. "Shay..."
Linna growled with anger. "Samantha!" she swore. "What are you bloody doing to me now!"
"Well?" Raina demanded.
Linna had to think fast. "Linna Yamazaki?" she said with a frown. "I don't know what you are talking
about. Who are you anyway? And let my arm go!"
The force of her voice made Raina almost instinctively obey. Linna turned to her companion almost
immediately her arm was free.
"Come on Helen," Linna said. "Let's blow this joint. There are too many crazy people here."
"Hey!" Raina reached over to grab Linna. "You..."
"Leave me ALONE!!" Linna yelled, spinning on the redhead. Raina almost tripped over in shock at the
venom in the voice. A small crowd had begun to gather around them and Linna wanted to get out of there as fast as
possible. This stupid brat was bringing attention to her that she did not want, now of all times.
"Helen, come on!" she clamped her hand on Helen's and totally ignoring Raina barged her way out into the
crowd.
"Shay, wait a minute," Helen pulled her hand free. She tried to slow her friend up, but Shay had already
grabbed her stuff from their table and was heading towards the exit. "Shay!" Helen called after her. "Fuck!" she
swore and then hurried after her friend.
Raina tried to follow them but now that the immediate commotion had passed the crowds had returned to
dancing to the music. She could not pass through.
"Hi!" a friendly voice said from immediately behind her and a hand tapped her on the shoulder. Raina
turned around before she even realised that she had done so.
"Hi there!" a young redhead girl with bright green eyes and a ready smile stood there. "How are you
Raina?"
Raina was confused for a moment. Did she know this girl? She ransacked her memory. The girl was about
her age, had shoulder length red hair, exotic elfin like features and friendly green eyes... Raina had absolutely no
idea who she was.
"I'm sorry, but I think you may have me confused with someone else," she said and tried to turn to follow
the path that her quarry had taken.
"You are Raina Stingray," the girl said. "Nene Stingray's granddaughter, right?"
"Yes," Raina turned her attention fully on the girl. "How do you know me?"
"Oh, I know everyone," the girl said dismissively. "You, Helen, Linna, Llo..."
"Linna!" Raina broke in. "You know Linna, Linna Yamazaki?"
"Of course," the girl looked slightly annoyed at the interruption. "Known her for years."
"That Linna Yamazaki?" Raina was getting excited.
"If you mean the one that just left then yes, I do," the girl replied. "But that was not why I wanted to talk
with..."
"Who is she?" Raina broke in again.
The girl looked confused. "She's Linna Yamazaki - of course."
"No!" Raina grabbed the girl's shoulder. "WHO is she?"
"I told you," the girl said in an annoyed tone. "She's Linna Yamazaki. Who do you think she is?"
"That's not what I mean!" Raina exclaimed. "Who..."
"Hey!" the girl grimaced. "You're hurting me, let go."
"Who is she?" Raina repeated, ignoring the slender girl's request. "She's... YAAA!" Raina yelled out in
pain as her hand gripping the girl's shoulder suddenly felt like it was on fire.
"SHIT!!" she yelled and released the girl.
"Thank you," the girl calmly said and flexed her shoulder joint.
"What the fuck did you just do to me!" Raina squawked.
"Do to you?" the girl repeated. "Nothing. Why should I do anything to you?" She smiled mischievously.
Raina rubbed her hand. Who the hell was this girl?
"Samantha," the girl stuck out her hand almost as if in response to her thought. "Samantha De'Naime, at
your service."
Raina took the offered hand and gave it a shake. "Please to meet you," she said dumbly.
"Likewise," the strange girl replied with a smile. "Would you like a drink?"
Raina had the feeling that she wanted far more than just one drink, but she nodded and followed the girl
back up to the bar.
"2 Sunblinders," the girl ordered from the android waiter.
It gave her a stare. "How old are you?" it asked. "You don't look like you are old enough to even be in
here."
"How old am I?" the girl repeated scratching her nose absentmindedly. "You know that's a very interesting
question. How do you measure the age of one who came both before and after Time? I don't know, how old am I?"
she asked the android back.
"Sorry?" the android said.
"How old am I?" the girl asked it. "You were going to tell me."
"Sorry Miss," the android was confused. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know," the girl said. "What do I mean?"
Raina gave the girl a blank stare. Was she mad?
"Look," the girl said to the android. "Just get me the damn drinks, you stupid machine."
"Ah, right," the boomer turned and poured the requested drinks.
"These boomers," the girl whispered to Raina. "They're all crazy."
"There you go Miss," the android said placing two glasses on the bar.
"Thank you," the girl said and passed one over to Raina. "My treat," she said with a smile.
Raina decided it might be best just to take the drink and not try to make any sense out of what the girl had
just said. She took a sip of the strong beverage and looked this very odd girl over.
Samantha De'Naime, if that was her real name, was a slender, athletic looking girl, roughly about her age.
She was wearing clothes very similar to many others in the bar, and apart from her very exotic elfin features looked
no different from anyone else in the club
"Do you like the drink?" Samantha asked in response to the stares Raina was giving her.
"Yes, I do," Raina answered truthfully. "Although I think it's a bit strong."
"Don't worry," Samantha said with a smile. "It's actually non-alcoholic. It just contains a mixture of fruit
juices and spices. The kick comes from the combination, but it has absolutely no intoxicating effects."
"Really?" Raina said, then cursed herself. What the hell am I doing, I should be finding out what this girl
knows about Linna.
"Ah, Samantha," she began.
"Sam. Call me Sam," the other girl said. "Calling me Samantha is inappropriate at the moment."
"Ah, right," Raina said. "Sam, it is. Now, how..."
"Say are you hungry?" Sam asked. "I could kill a burger."
"No, I'm fine," Raina answered calmly. "About Lin..."
"Do you mind if I have one then?" Sam commented as she unwrapped one on the table before her.
Raina's eyes goggled. "How the hell..." she started to exclaim.
"No," Sam smiled as she hungrily attacked the hot burger. "Not Hell."
Raina swallowed as she watched the girl happily munch on the burger. She tried to get over the shivers that
ran riot up and down her spine.
"Linna..." Sam said as she chewed thoughtfully. "You want to... hmmm... tasty.. know about her right?"
"Ye... Yes.." Raina managed to reply.
"Well," Sam swallowed. "What do you have to offer for the information? Sorry, but it's a matter of
principle - I never do anything for free. So, how important is the information to you?"
"You want money?" Raina asked.
"Money?" Sam shook her head. "What the heck would I do with your stupid money. No, of course not."
"Then what do you want?" Raina said.
"What do you have to offer?" Sam replied. "My price usually depends on how desperate people are for the
commodity they want." The girl looked at her speculatively. "How about your soul?" she asked with a grin.
"What!?!" Raina spluttered.
Sam giggled, "just kidding! I wouldn't ask that for just some information, no matter how desperate you
were." She tilted her head. "How about you just owe me a favour?"
Raina did not answer. This girl was nuts!
"Yes," Sam commented. "Afraid so, but what about my offer. I tell you about Linna and you owe me a
favour? I can't say fairer than that."
"What favour?" Raina said.
"I don't know yet," Sam replied. "I'll let you know, but don't worry - it won't be anything too impossible."
"And when will you want it?"
"Don't know that either," Sam shrugged taking another bite from her burger. "But you will be alive until
I've asked it, so it won't be that long." She smiled and held out her hand. "So, do we have a deal?"
Raina stared at the hand. Why did she have the feeling that this was not a very good idea?
"Look," Sam said when she noticed Raina's caution. "Do you want the information or not? The choice is
yours, I will not force you to accept the offer. Yes or no?"
Raina took a deep breath. "Agreed," she said and clasped the other girl's hand.
Sam smiled slowly, "so be it." She took another bite and then began.
"Since the deal we have is just between you and me, then what I tell you will be for you alone. I am afraid I
can't let you go spreading the information around. That would be paramount to giving free information and I can't
have that..." Sam was thoughtful. "Now where to begin..."