In summary this story is set between 2040-2090(+) and follows on from a
chance encounter Nene's granddaughter has with a young woman called Linna
Yamazaki.
These chapters are archived at
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Subway/7630/
Assume all the unusal legal disclaimers etc...
Any C+C welcome, apprepicated!
Cheers
Alex.
E-mail - mailto:hitomi@ndirect.co.uk
WWW home - http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Subway/7630/
Summaries...
Chapter 1 - 2090
----------
The main story line is set up and the main characters are introduced. Linna has returned
to earth for the first time in over 30 years and while visiting Nene's grave accidently
runs into her grand daughter. Unfortunately, Linna mistakes the woman for Nene. The
resulting confusion sends Raina Stingray on a hunt for who this young woman called
Linna is. As part of this hunt she encounters a young girl call Samantha who offers to tell
her the story - for a price.
Chapter 2 - 2039
----------
The story returns to the past where Linna and Priss are living together, their lives in ruins
thanks to Sylia's vengence. A drunken Priss is bought home by a young stranger who
introduces herself as Sam and Linna feeling sorry for the girl lets her stay the night. Six months
pass and the three are living together reasonably happily when Sylia reemerges in Linna's life.
She needs help against forces which seem to be operating on a global scale. In the middle of
the negotations for Linna's and Sam's services three beings attack who seem to be literally
unkillable - except Sam does, easily.
Chapter 3 - 2039
----------
Still in the past Sam is forced to reveal something of her "true" nature and what it is that Sylia
is trying to go up against. Sylia begins to learn that reality is not quite what she imagined. It also
appears that Sam has her own agenda in these events, or Games as she calls it. Her actions begin
to reveal she might be quite a bit more than what she told Sylia.
Chapter 4 - 2090
----------
Returning to the present Raina decides that she has heard enough of this bullshit and storms off
leaving an amused Sam behind. Raina is giving the redhead exactly the amusement she wants. In
the meantime Linna alone with her old friend Helen succombs to tempation and "feeds" on her old friend.
Raina after unsuccessfully trying to tail Sam returns back to her hotel room and is attacked by someone
who calls himself Gab and has a extreme dislike for Samantha. Linna after satisfying her NEED is locked
into a nightmare in which she relives her "death" in 2039.
===================================================
Chapter Five - Love, Hate and Madness. The Spices of Life.
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Time: AD 2089, 7 March, 08:05
Linna looked at her face in the mirror. It looked the same as it
always had. As it always had for the last thirty plus years. Not even
the ravages of the drink she had been abusing showed in her eyes. She
was the perfect picture of health. Linna groaned and put her head
under the tap. Why bother with the drink? She could never get drunk
anyway....
"FUCK IT!" she swore and smashed her hand into the mirror. Glass
went everywhere and Linna ground her fist into the shattered remains.
Nothing, she could not even feel the pain. "Fuck... Sam... I still...
" Linna's head fell as her memory pulled up the image of two green
eyes, a soft laugh and... Why now? Why did the bloody little redhead
have to return into her life now? Why the dream? Why anything...
The cold water overflowed the basin but Linna ignored it. She had
thought she was over this. After all this time, all these years SHE
had... Memories overcame her.
"Shit..." Linna slumped to the ground. Samantha's... Sam's
presence back in her life... "Fuck it Sam..." she moaned. "I still
bloody NEED you... Love you... Want you..." and with that admission
Linna started to cry.
"Sam, did you want a coffee?" Kelly said as the two of them sat in
the richly furnished office.
"No thanks," Sam replied. "I'm not really thirsty."
"Oh, all right," Kelly returned to her search of the desk.
Sam frowned, "why do you even bother with this charade Kelly?"
Kelly looked over at Sam as she dug out the paper she was after.
"Because I happen to like it. Besides, I notice that you tend to spent
a lot of effort on your college studies it's the same sort of thing.
It helps me to give myself something to work towards by my effort
alone. Like your cooking or music. It is mine."
"Are you saying you regret coming with me?"
"No! Of course not!" Kelly put down her papers and came over to
sit by the redhead. She looked at Sam, "I regret nothing about any of
the time I have spent with you - none of it!"
"But..."
"Oh Sam..." Kelly gently stroked the pallid cheek. "Why must you
always be so literal? There are times when I wonder what it was I
could have been if we hadn't have met - yes of course there are. I
wasn't born to this life like you were. I had hopes and dreams...."
"Before I took them from you," Sam whispered looking down at the
floor.
"No!" Kelly was getting mad. Sam was getting into one of those
moods again. "Look at me."
Sam looked up at her and Kelly fixed her eyes into those verdant
emeralds. "It was my choice to go with you. My choice to become what I
am. Mine! And I have never EVER regretted it!"
"Blluuu..." Sam stuck out her tongue and giggled. "Got you!"
Kelly took a moment and then forced herself to smile, "hahaha..."
"Oh Kelly, good morning..."
The two heads turned at the sudden interruption. An oldish man who
looked slightly embarrassed at having interrupted them walked in.
"Good morning Mr. Reynolds," Kelly greeted the senior partner with
a smile. She turned her head towards Sam, "let me introduce my cousin
and ward - Samantha. This is Mr. Reynolds, senior partner and dual
owner of the firm."
"Hello Samantha," the old man held out his hand. "Here to learn
the tricks of the trade from your brilliant cousin eh?"
"Just waiting for a lift to college actually," Sam said standing
up and shaking the hand.
"Oh really? What are you studying?"
"Music, sub-particle physics, pure maths and history."
"Oh," the old man looked a bit perplexed. "That's a bit of an odd
range of subjects."
Sam shrugged, "I'm an odd sort of person."
"And what sort of music are you studying?"
"I wouldn't start Sam off, Mr. Reynolds," Kelly interrupted before
Sam could speak. "She can speak about that subject all day, and I
really do have to drop her off at Omniu by nine."
"Omniu?" the old man whistled. "Kelly, that must be really costing
you. Now I know where that salary I pay you goes."
"No," Kelly picked up her papers and switched off her desk light.
"Sam's on a scholarship there. Oh, by the way, the Oldham case has
been rescheduled for next week. The prosecution says that they have a
new witness. We may need to lodge a complaint about the late
introduction of this new evidence, or at least see if we can buy some
more time."
The old man was not listening but was looking at Sam with
interest. "Tell me young lady have you decided what you are wanting to
do for a career?"
Sam smiled ironically and Kelly jumped in again. "I'm really sorry
but we have to get going or the traffic is going to be murder." She
picked up her coat and gave Sam a nudge towards the door
"I am having a fund raiser at my house this Saturday Kelly. I
would like you and your cousin to come. There are some people coming
that I think you might like to meet."
Kelly turned to the old man and smiled, "we will not be coming and
you have to get back to your own office - understand?"
"And stand on your head, loop the loop and jump out the window,"
Sam added with an impish grin.
"Of course," the old man turned.
"Sam!" Kelly snapped and turned back to the old man. "Mr.
Reynolds, why don't you just go back to your office and forget that we
came in. I am sure that you have a lot of work to get on with."
"And jumping to do," Sam giggled.
"Be quiet!" Kelly put a hand over the amused face and glanced at
the old man She removed the causal order to die Sam had placed on him
and sent him back to his office.
"Can we go now?" Sam pulled Kelly's hand away. "I really do want
to be there by nine."
"After you."
Raina looked at the door. The plaque read 1325, this was the
place. She raised her hand and knocked. She waited for a moment but no
reply came from within. She tried again harder this time. A noise
sounded within and the door pulled open slightly.
"What is it... YOU!?!" The door slammed shut, or almost. Raina's
foot jammed itself in it.
"Open up Linna Yamazaki," Raina said. "I need to talk to you."
"Get the fuck out of here!" Linna pulled the door open and moved
to...
"Not until you tell me why you killed my grandfather!" Raina
yelled.
Linna froze dead in her tracks. Her face looked sick. The
accusation kicked her straight in the teeth. That added to the rest of
what had been happening to her within the last few days - Helen,
Sam... She just simply stood looking dumbly ahead. Raina pushed passed
the now unresisting woman into the room.
"Why Linna?" Raina demanded. "Why did you destroy my grandmother's
life?"
"I didn't mean it..." Linna protested feebly. She was so caught up
in the quagmire of her own emotions that she was not even thinking
straight.
"Oh really," Raina said scornfully. "And I suppose that makes
everything all right? The fact that you did not mean it?"
Linna childishly put her hands over her ears as if that would keep
the contemptuous voice out and backed away. "Go away..."
"No! Tell me what happened Linna Yamazaki! Tell me why you did it!
Now!"
"It wasn't me..." Linna began to blubber as she completely lost
it. "Sylia, Priss.... Please, it wasn't me..."
"Tell me!" Raina knelt down beside the woman and looked her dead
on. Her hair fell over her shoulders.
"Red..." Linna whimpered. "Like fire..."
"Tell me..." this was almost too easy Raina thought to herself.
The Master had been wrong about the strength of this one. She would be
broken without too much trouble at all.
"Sam..." Linna said. "She was the one... Sam..."
* * * *
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Time: AD 2039, 23 December, 16:09
Priss stared numbly at the meal that Loria had left out for her.
It was cold. It was always cold. Cold, empty... She picked it up and
sat in the overstuffed settee. She stared down at the leftovers. She
stared at the empty room. Loria had gone out again and left her alone.
Empty, alone, with a cold meal.
The grief hit her full on and she burst into tears. "Linna...
Sam... Why..." The cold meal fell unnoticed to the floor as Priss
pulled her knees up to her chest and began to cry her heart out.
Sylia stare at the old paper. "THOUSANDS DIE IN UNKNOWN TERRORIST
ATTACK!" was the headline blazed across the front of it. Thousands...
nameless faces all of them. Nameless faces that meant nothing to her -
all except three. Three..
"Sis?" Mackie quietly walked into the room and then sighed. The
meal that Nene had made for his sister was completely untouched -
again.
"Oh sis..." he said in a tone of tender sadness. "You have to stop
this. You can't keep blaming yourself for something that..."
"I bought them into it," Sylia quietly cut him off. "Me. If I had
not asked them then..."
"Then what?" Mackie said. "They might be still alive? Yes, they
might be. But they also might still be dead - who knows. You cannot
keep living in the world of maybe. It was not your fault! Linna, Sam,
Yoko - they all accepted the risks. They all knew what might happen...
Besides that you don't even know who was responsible. No one does. It
might even have nothing to do with..."
"Stupid boy!" Sylia yelled at him venting the pent-up rage that
had been building over the last two months. "Of course it was! How can
you be so na�ve and not put one and one together! Get out of here!
Leave me alone!"
"Sis..."
"GET OUT!" Sylia threw the plate and cold remains at him. "NOW!"
Mackie slipped out and pulled the door close just as the plate
smashed against the metal.
"Still no change?" Nene said with wide green eyes as she comforted
the toddler in her arms.
"She's hurting so much..." Mackie said with torn expression on his
face. "And I can't do anything to help her..."
"She isn't the only one," Nene said as she felt the tears threaten
to run down her face again. "Linna... Linna was my best friend... and
now... now..."
"Nene-chan," Mackie rushed over to his beloved wife and gently
pulled her to him. The glorious green eyes that had first so ensnared
him filled with tears and Mackie whispered words of comfort as she
started to cry.
Sylia turned back from the image of her only remaining family on
the screen and cursed herself for overreacting yet again. She had a
choice she had to make. She had already lost two sets of dear
friends... two teams... in this... mission. What did she do now? Let
things go? Carry on? And if so with who... Priss?
"No," Sylia said. "Enough. I've had enough deaths... Enough
friends..." She switched off the monitor and sat back. "Lights," she
ordered and the room went dark - a seething dark. "Enough friends...
But I will make them pay... The question is how..." She sat silent in
the darkness and began to plan. She would have her vengeance, no
matter what the price!
Loria pulled up outside the dark caravan. She turned off the motor
on her bike and slowly dismounted. She did not like the look of the
black caravan. It probably meant that the mortal was having another
fit of depression and Loria would be in for another evening of... She
sighed. She did not need this...
"Sam, what are you up to now?" she muttered as she rolled the bike
into the porch. Loria had tried a search for the vanished pair but she
had had no success. Sam had pulled another disappearing act and would
reappear only when she was ready. She was certainly not dead. Loria
had felt the strength of the attack launched against Sam and it had
been laughable. Loria herself could have done far far better than that
pathetic attempt. And even if she had gone up to full strength... She
smiled. No, Sam was Playing and some time soon she would renter this
Game. Until that time Loria was stuck here on her own in this...
place. She sighed and headed towards the caravan muttering "boring,
boring, boring..."
"Priss?" she called out as she opened the door and switched on the
lights. "Priss! Are you here?"
There was no answer so Loria extended her senses. Priss was not
here - she was at Hades. Loria sighed and turned off the light. A
moment later she was standing on the dance floor looking around. It
did not take her long to spot the figure of Priss and the "woman"
Sophia deep in conversation. Sophia was actually trying to comfort the
woman - strange. Loria found it odd that a being of Sophia's power
would bother to take the time to befriend one from this lowly world.
Not just amuse herself with them, or Play with them, but actually
befriend them. Well, Sam had done it at times but then Sam was Sam.
Odd was not a word that could begin to describe that... girl's
behaviour. But for others - odd.
"Hi cutie..."
Loria took a moment to consider what she should do. This was not a
normal situation for her.
"Hey doll..."
She could either not bother doing anything...
"Hey are yo..." the annoyance vanished - literally.
...interfere or just keep watch. Or... go and have some fun. She
was bored of this world. There was very little to do here and with
Sam's exit she really felt like moving on. There was just one slight
problem. She needed someone to take up her slack. Someone who was more
suited to this kind of... stupidity. Someone like... She smiled.
"Priss!" Loria exclaimed running over to the private table. "Thank
God I found you!" She reached down and hugged the surprised woman. "I
came home and you were gone. I was worried..."
"Loria..." Priss looked up. "I'm sorry I... I just could not stay
in that empty place... Not with all those memories..."
"Hey," Loria said with a smile. "I understand, it's all right, I
was just worried out you. As long as I know where you are that's
fine..."
"I should have called you... I really am sorry..."
"Forget it," Loria laughed it off. "Its good to see you again
Sophia."
"Loria," Sophia smiled back. "I think I must apologise as well. I
did not think that you might be worried. Priss has been telling me of
your friends who died in that... terrorist attack two months ago. I'm
so sorry. This Sam and Linna sound like they were both wonderful
people. I know what it's like to lose good friends..."
"Yes..." Loria said looking down. "So do I. It is not something I
wish to experience... Sorry, can we change the subject."
Sophia nodded, "sorry, of course. Would you like me to get you a
drink, or meal, or something. On the house of course."
"Thank you, I would like something to eat if I could," Loria
patted her stomach. "I haven't had anything to eat all day."
"I'll get something for all of us then," Sophia stood up and
walked off.
"So Priss," Loria took the other woman's hand in her own. "How did
things go today?"
"If you're asking did I fall to pieces then the answer is no - at
least not until tonight."
"Priss I've asked an old friend to come around and stay for a
while. Her name is Kelly. She knew Sam very well. And..." her voice
trailed off.
"What?" Priss prompted her.
"I am going to have to go away for a time."
"No..." Priss's face fell. "Loria - why?"
"My parents have called me," Loria said simply. "I have to return
home."
"Oh," Priss replied with a unhappy expression on her face. "And
just who is this Kelly?"
Loria almost smiled to herself at that question. Kelly... Friend,
sister, lover...
"A friend... A very good friend..."
"A lover?" Priss asked with an odd look in her eye.
Loria looked at Priss slightly surprised. "Is it that obvious?"
"Well..." Priss looked embarrassed. "Sam and Linna were... I
caught them once just the day before... their deaths. Were Sam and
Kelly..."
"Priss, let the past be. There are things that are best left
alone, and this is one of them. All right?"
Priss slowly nodded and let the subject drop. "When do you have
to go?"
"Within the next few days. It'll be that long until Kelly
arrives."
"I'll miss you," Priss said with a sad expression. "I've gotten
to..."
"No you won't," Loria interrupted with a grin. "You'll forget
about me in time." As I will most certainly forget about you and this
dump, she thought to herself.
At that moment Sophia returned holding a tray of rich smelling hot
food and Priss suddenly felt slightly more interested in a meal.
"There you all go," Sophia laid the dishes down. "Dig in."
Priss needed no second prompting and was attacking the first
decent hot meal this week with avengeance.
"Well it seems someone was hungry at least," Sophia laughed.
"What?" Priss said with a mouth still full.
"Nothing..."
* * * *
Location: Tokyo, Japan (Alt)
Time: AD 2030, 20 August.
"Irashai-irashai," Linna smiled widely at the latest customers to
walk through the door. She picked up two menus and walking over to the
couple said, "if you would like to wait a moment please I will get you
a table." The two nodded and with a thank you began to read from the
list of offerings.
As soon as Linna had turned away she dropped the smile a bit.
Table? Gods... if only. She looked around the caf� come restaurant.
The lunch crowd of city workers was jamming the place to bursting
point. Even with the extension that they had just opened, thanks to a
generous hand from the landlord, the place was still completely
packed.
"Yuki..." Linna moved over to the extended bar and manoeuvred
herself past the people. "We have a slight logistics problem."
"Tables?" the brunette said with a faint sigh. "Not again..."
Linna nodded.
"How many?"
"Two."
"Ah... Look there!" Yuki pointed towards a group of three who were
just in the process of packing up.
"Lucky," Linna grinned and moved to 'help' the leavers.
With that little crisis averted Yuki turned and walked into the
slightly expanded and updated kitchen. "How are we going?" she asked
the two slaves busy at work.
"Counting the minutes," Nami said putting the finishing touches on
some cakes.
"Hai! You can bloody well say that again!" Sam swore as she
hurried around keeping an eye on various things. "This is getting to
be slightly ridiculous!"
Yuki jumped out the way as the redhead rushed past her. "Well
don't blame me. I can't help it if people actually like your cooking."
"Well, when I offered to help this was not exactly what I was
envisaging," Sam exclaimed.
Yuki shrugged, "word spreads. For some reason you are a hit."
"Well if it goes on much longer like this I will be more of a
collapsed hit!"
"The lunch rush finishes soon then we can all rest..."
"Yeah sure," Sam muttered under her breath. "And I gave up a job
in New York for this..."
Yuki smiled sweetly, "you did indeed. Now, get back to work."
"Kill," Sam said turning towards her. "Kill, kill, kill."
"Bye..." Yuki giggled and ran out.
Linna gave a big sigh of relief when the last of the office
workers finally left and she turned the closed sign for the Wednesday
half day.
"That was not fun," she complained to Yuki as the four of them
settled down for a breather.
"Is it my fault?" Yuki replied. "I've put up the prices twice now.
I dare not do it any more."
"I didn't think that we would make it," Nami mopped her brow
taking a swig of coffee.
"And I am beginning to feel like some sort of luncheon production
machine," Sam said stretching her muscles. The day's activities had
exhausted her so she bent over a couple of times at the waist to pull
her thigh and calve muscles. She had to limber up. She had aches in
muscles she did not know she even had!
"Sam could you stop that," Linna suddenly said.
"Stop what?" the redhead looked up from massaging her calves.
"That..." Linna said vaguely gesturing. "Its distracting me."
"Eh?" Sam straightened up. "What? Me stretching?"
"Yes," Linna said with a completely serious expression. "Its far
too early to go to bed and that isn't helping."
Sam blushed and then grinned. Yuki shook her head and threw a
towel at Linna. "Don't you two ever think of anything else?" she said
teasingly.
"Tell the Red-Succubus that," Linna commented with a sniff and Sam
cringed with embarrassment.
"I don't want to know," Yuki replied waving a hand to dismiss the
subject. "Enough of the small talk. There is still a lot of work we
have to do you know. Cleaning up for one and preparing for tonight as
another."
"Tonight?" Nami queried. "What's... oh right, that damned private
party. That's tonight isn't it?"
"Why did you have to agree to host it Yuki?" Sam said her face
still reddish.
"The money they offered," she said. "It was too good to miss. It's
not often we get offered 4 days worth of income just to host an event
for a couple of hours."
"Into most of the wee hours of the morning you mean," Nami
corrected her. "They are only arriving at 22:00 remember. Who are they
again anyway?"
"I don't really know," Yuki admitted. "Some sort of gaijin social
club or something. The man I spoke to didn't really speak brilliant
Japanese."
"Wonderful," Nami said. "Sam is the only one here who can speak
any decent English. Who is going to be cooking?"
"Not a problem," Yuki finished her coffee. "He has a Japanese wife
and other Japanese are coming so don't worry."
"How many of them will there be?" Sam asked. "I need to know what
to prepare for tonight."
Yuki thought for a moment, "probably about 15 maximum. And they
aren't expecting a large meal. They wanted to come here because we
don't have any neighbours to worry about."
"I don't understand," Linna said. "Why is that important?"
"The guy said they would be singing and playing a lot," Yuki said
with a shrug. "But he did not say at what."
"Wonderful," Nami commented. "Music city - here we come."
"Well," Sam said draining her cup and standing up. "If we are
going to get ready I need to get some shopping done. Linna? Want to
come?"
"Sure," Linna replied gulping the rest of her drink down. "Just
give me a moment to get changed."
"15 minutes okay?"
"Linna," Yuki said with a slightly evil grin on her face as she
watched the two lovers begin to get ready.
"What?" Linna frowned clenching the towel in her hand. She could
almost tell what was coming next - the infamous "Yuki Comment of the
Day".
"Shopping remember does not involve stopping into a love hotel on
the way for a 'quick one'," she wagged her finger. "The last time you
did that..."
"Kill!" Sam yelled and joined Linna in the destruction of the evil
ogre monster.
"Sam," Linna began uncertain how to approach this topic. She knew
virtually nothing about the inhuman girl who had become her lover and
somehow that just did not seem right. And yet how could she ask? What
could she ask?
"Hmm..." Sam turned.
"How long have you been doing this sort of thing?" Linna asked as
the two of them carried the heavy bags of shopping between them.
"What sort of thing?" Sam re-queried repositioning a rather heavy
bag.
"Jumping worlds and seducing innocent young girls like me towards
your evil ways?"
"Eh?" Sam glanced at Linna's face to see if she was serious. "You?
Innocent?"
"Seriously Sam," Linna repeated. "How long?"
Sam sighed. "Linna, I couldn't tell you even if I knew. My
homeland, my world, was destroyed so long ago that I can't even
remember how long it has been. I've just been wandering in and out of
the ShadowLands ever since that epoch. And besides, even if I could
remember I doubt you would be able to understand the periods
involved." Sam paused and looked thoughtful. "I am not even sure if
Time as a concept exists in the ShadowLands..."
"ShadowLands?" Linna frowned. "What are those?"
"Sorry," Sam tried to struggle for the words to get across to
Linna what she meant. "They are... difficult to describe. Imagine a
place that belongs nowhere and yet is everywhere. It is almost like...
well... a limbo I suppose you could call it. It sort of serves like
a... dumping ground almost. It's really difficult to explain but it's
the ultimate collection point for all the flotsam in the Multiverse
that does not belong any where else."
"Flotsam? You mean you're crap?" Linna grinned.
"Hahaha," Sam replied with a dry look. "No, what I mean is that
all those who don't belong anywhere else or who have been rejected by
the Multiverse tend to eventually end up there."
"You've been rejected by the universe?" Linna was confused. "How
can the universe reject you?"
"In my case very easily - thanks to Him," Sam mumbled almost to
herself.
"Sorry?" Linna asked hearing the redhead mutter something to
herself in a bitter tone. "What was that?"
Sam dismissed the dark thoughts from her early past and looked up
at Linna. "How indeed? It is difficult to put into words but what you
humans conceptualise as the Multiverse is not static. It tends to
change and evolve. It..." Sam tried desperately to look for the words.
"It has Cycles. Cycles where it lives and dies, is reborn and moves
on. Those who don't fit, those who can't fit, are rejected. The ones
who survive that process and who continue to live long enough
generally end up in the ShadowLands."
"This cosmic waste dump?" Linna frowned.
Sam nodded.
"So you are like a refugee from the dump?" Linna said trying
desperately to wrap her brain around what the redhead was saying.
"Yes and no," Sam replied in an unhappy voice. "I seem to be
something of a special case."
"I'm lost," Linna said shaking her head.
"It seems the ShadowLands do not want me either," Sam said softly
casting her eyes down to the pavement to avoid looking at Linna's
face. "And so I end up bouncing between the two of them."
"Why?" Linna said giving the redhead's hand a warm squeeze. She
had briefly seen the distressed expression that had lurked in those
two dark emerald eyes. It had almost wretched at her heart. Something
about this subject... She took a deep breath before she continued.
"Why doesn't it or the Multiverse want you? I mean, you look perfectly
human to me..." She smiled, "you work perfectly human as well - at
least from one perspective..."
Sam grinned briefly for a moment and her eyes lit up. But then
they clouded over again and dropped back to examining the pavement "I
don't know Linna - I honestly don't know." The eyes came up and fixed
on the brunette. "But hey! You know me. I'm always the odd one out -
the special case." Sam forced a grin onto her face although Linna
could see that the girl's eyes were deeply haunted. "And so to pass
the time I wander through the various Multiverses Cycle after Cycle -
learning, travelling, living. I don't seem to age or die. Hahaha... It
seems that death does not want me either." Sam's grin was slowly
becoming a grimace, and her eyes... Linna almost cringed at the
tortured expression that glimmered deep in those emerald deeps.
"Immortal, that's little old me. Always coming back for more of
the same... Cycle after Cycle, world after world, time after time..."
The teenager's shoulders were beginning to shake. "I've seen wonders
and horrors that would drive you insane. I've made good friends...
lovers..." A bag fell to the ground and the unnaturally white face
locked on Linna's. "I've... been really lucky if you think about
it..." Slowly tears began to run down the deathless cheeks and the
voice began finally to crack. "Lucky... So lucky... Really happy..."
"Sam..." Linna put down her bags and embraced the redhead as she
started to cry. "Shh..."
"Linna!" Sam began to sob almost incoherently. "You can't begin to
imagine what its like! I'm so lonely! Everyone.... Oh Gods... I just
want it to end Linna! Please Linna... Please..." Sam broke down in the
warmth of the brunette's embrace. "Make it end! Please! I just want it
all to fucking END!!"
People stopped and stared briefly before moving on embarrassed at
the sight of the slightly hysterical girl. Linna did her best to
soothe Sam but the girl was completely losing it. She just kept crying
and holding onto Linna in an embrace that almost threatened to hurt
her. Linna held on however - there was nothing else she could do. What
words could she possible hope to use to comfort someone who had... She
just held on and waited for the weeping fit to pass. It was all she
could do.
Eventually Sam seemed to recover something of herself and slid out
from Linna's embrace. "Sorry..." she said drying her eyes. "I don't
usually do this sort of thing..." She knelt and picked up her bags.
She turned a flushed face to Linna and a forced smile appeared on her
face. "Shall we go... I think Yuki will be ringing the hotels if we
don't get back soon."
"Sam..." Linna said uncertain what to do.
Sam grinned once more and then turned and started to walk away
forcing her way through the still watching crowds.
"SAM!" Linna jumped to her feet and grabbing the rest of the
shopping rushed after the girl that had come to mean so much to her.
"Wait!"
The private party was far easier to run than any of them had ever
imagined, and far more enjoyable. The group was comprised of 15 people
from various racial backgrounds who surprisingly enough seemed to be
into playing and singing balladic music. Linna did not say anything
else to Sam about her breakdown earlier that day but simply kept a
watchful eye on the redhead. Sam however just seemed to be her bright
and cheerful self and if Linna had not seen it herself she would never
imagined anything was wrong.
By 23:30 the music and drinks were beginning to flow much more
freely. With all the work finished Nami quietly bid Yuki goodnight and
slipped out. She left the remaining three hostesses to sit in the
background and listen to the haunting melodies that the singers were
producing. One particular player was a music student and when she
began to play everyone was absolutely entranced by the cascading
waterfall of music that emerged from her harp.
Linna blinked back tears as the chimes of music seemed to pierce
her very soul. It was almost as if the music touched some part of her
being invoking all the sorrowful and happy memories that she had ever
experienced and distilled them down to one instant. When the woman
finally stopped and the last rippling sounds faded from the room there
was complete silence for a moment then everyone started to clap and
cheer. The player smiled nervously at all the overwhelming eruption of
cheers and shaking her head at the demands for more sat down.
"Christ she is good!" Linna exclaimed drying her eyes and glancing
over at Yuki. The woman could not even speak but just nodded
enthusiastically. When the cheering and clapping had settled down
enough one of the men stood up and began to speak.
"I don't know how anyone can follow that one Rachael but we have
to try," he spun around. "Ladies! How about any of you?"
Linna jerked up. "Us?" she spluttered surprised at the request
that came from out of the blue.
"Yes," the gaijin smiled. "You have been wonderful hosts and it
would be very rude of me not to offer you the opportunity. Will you
honour us?"
Linna shook her head wildly, "I couldn't..." she spluttered and
looked over at Yuki.
"Don't look at me!" Yuki exclaimed holding up her hands in horror.
"I now my limitations. Music and me don't mix. Sorry."
"Well then it appears that..." he looked expectantly at the
redhead sitting quietly at the bar. "Miss?"
"I don't think that would be a good idea," Sam said uncertainly.
"Come on Sam," Linna said with a smile.
"You have a lovely voice," Yuki said encouragingly. "I've heard
you before."
"Yes come on," the man said walking over to her. "Sing or play
anything you like. Its not like we're professionals. In fact most of
us are bloody awful." He smiled at himself and looked around. "Really,
if people can listen to me then you will be a smash believe me."
"Sam please," Linna said. "I would love to hear you. Loria said
that you are really very good - so pretty please...."
Sam was silent for a moment then she said softly, "you don't
understand. I don't sing."
"Come on folks - lets give her some encouragement!"
The caf� erupted into applause again and the girl who had just
played walked over. She flashed a sympathetic look at the redhead and
then whispered, "I'll play background for you if you'd like. You don't
have to be alone you know."
Sam frowned slightly and took a closer look at the woman. Then she
just sighed and shook her head. "No, that's all right Thanks all the
same though. However, do you think I could borrow your harp?"
The girl was surprised. "You can play?"
Sam look at her for a moment and her eyes glittered. "Oh yes," she
said. "I can play." She held out her hand and Rachael wordlessly let
her have the small wooden instrument. Sam held it for a moment gently
caressing the worn silky wood and getting a feel for the instrument.
Her fingers strummed the strings testing their tension and resonance.
Her face dropped slightly but she made no comment. This was not an
instrument she would have used out of choice but... She nodded her
thanks to the girl and slowly made her way up to the small makeshift
stage. She sat down on the chair and the cheers faded away as everyone
sat waiting expectantly for her to play.
Sam looked out on the small group and wondered what she should
play. She knew lore and songs from places these children could not
even imagine. Melodies that could kill, enslave, heal and even
create... And all they wanted was a simple song. She almost smiled at
the irony. Her eyes fell on the expectant look on Linna's face and it
caused the brief memory of another face long forgotten to flicker
through her mind.
Sam wet her lips and drew a deep breath. It took an effort for her
to drag that flickering memory to the fore. She had lived too long,
seen too much for her to be able to recall everything. Slowly images
began to wash against her minds eye. A memory of a clear starlit
night, of cool wind, moist air, music, laughter.... A memory of a time
and place long since vanished... A memory of hymns to the stars. Sam
closed her eyes and felt once again the ancient sounds and melodies
from that time roll through her mind. A smile came to her face, a
smile of such sweet joy that she almost cried. How could she have
forgotten Elvandar... Lost in the memories she began to play.
The music and voice flowing from the stage slowly wrapped each of
its victims in an embrace so complete and absolute that everything
else was lost in it. Where the previous singer had been enchanting
Sam's voice was unknowable, inconceivable... The music invaded every
part of their being. It seeped into their souls, their essences and
everything about them was so completely known... Each of them were
flooded with the same indescribable sensations of loss and grief as
Sam played the ancient Lament she had once written for the senseless
death of a beloved friend.
How long the experience lasted none of the listeners would ever
remember. The song, the words, the melody - it all pasted beyond their
abilities to retain. All that remained, all that would ever remain,
was the memory of the experience. It was a memory that each of them
would lock into the depths of their souls. Something only ever to
bring out at absolute need. But however long the experience lasted
eventually it had to come to an end.
Sam opened her eyes as the last of the unearthly strains resonated
about the room. She took a moment to come back to herself and looked
around. "Oh dear..." she said at the sight of the mindless faces
staring up at their Lady. She had got slightly carried away in her
memories. She stood up and put the harp down on the seat. She looked
down at her watch, 01:30. She had only been playing for an hour or so.
She got up and walked over to the bar. Pouring herself an orange she
looked back at the enthralled audience.
"Yip," she said with a grin. "Still got it." She slowly finished
the fruit juice and then walked across to Linna. Left alone the humans
would all come back from their own private experiences within the next
hour or so. The Lament was supposed to invoke a very private and
personal memory. Each would perceive it in a slightly different and
unique way. At least that was what Sam remembered. She could not be
100% sure. It had been a very, very long time ago she had written it.
"Linna," Sam knelt down and kissed the woman gently on the lips.
No response. Sam sighed and after a moment an evil smile flickered
across her face.
"YAAAA!!!" Linna suddenly came back to reality as a surge of
intense pain and pleasure erupted from a very intimate place on her
body.
Sam removed her hand and smiled down at the gasping woman.
"Welcome back," she said with an innocent expression on her face.
Linna did not answer. She could not answer. She had just been
horribly awakened from the most... indescribable experience in her
life by the most... She took a number of deep breaths her eyes
following Sam as the fiend sat down beside her. When she had recovered
her senses she looked at her lover and swallowed.
"I don't think I could ever listen to you play again. I don't
think I would ever want to come back...."
Sam's face grew concerned, "was it that strong? What about the
others? I did not think the Lament would affect people that badly..."
"Lament? Is that what that..." she shuddered, "...was called?"
Sam was not listening. She returned to the stage and retrieved the
small harp. Pausing for a moment she hummed and then struck another
quick tune on the instrument. The nature of this one was completely
different from the previous and it set Linna's teeth on edge as the
disharmony of the notes jangled at her very nerves. The sound had a
similar affect on everyone else.
Eyes opened and people shuttered as the music bought them back to
their senses. Sam put down the harp and ignoring the glances that
people threw in her direction as she ran over to Linna.
"I'm going up," she whispered. "Don't be too long or I will be
asleep and at the moment I don't feel very sleepy..." She gave Linna a
quick kiss on the cheek and then ran out leaving Linna breathing very
hard.
Linna shifted and with a snort woke up. Her movement caused the
figure nestled against her to stir and then with a deep exhale of air
go still again. Linna smiled and with a hand tenderly ran her finger
up and down the modestly curvaceous form. With the other hand she
lightly cupped one of her lover's small warm breasts and gently rubbed
the sensitive nipple. The sensation of skin and the reaction she got
made her purr with delight.
"I'm not a cat you know," a sleepy voice murmured.
Linna snatched back her hand. "Sorry, I thought you were asleep."
"I was," Sam mumbled and rolled onto her back. "But it's a bit
difficult to do that when someone is playing with your tits." She
yawned and then stretched, "what's the time now anyway?"
"03:12," Linna read from the clock.
"Linna," Sam commented dryly. "I have to get up at 05:30 and I
would like to get some sleep before then. I don't really have the
desire to fuck you just right now. Do you think you can lay off for a
few hours. Remember, I'm older than you are - I need my beauty sleep!"
"Never," Linna gave one of the breasts a nibble. "You are
beautiful enough for me..."
"Ahhh..." Sam sucked in air. "Linna... please..."
"What?" Linna let go of the nub of hardening flesh. "You want to
play?"
"Sleep, I want to sleep, please..." Sam begged.
"Spoil sport," Linna gave the nub another bite before she rolled
over. "I won't be so merciful tomorrow, slave."
"You're the one working early tomorrow remember," Sam said.
"Night..."
Linna sighed and tried to get back to sleep. However her
activities had over stimulated her. She did not want to go to sleep
right now. What she wanted to do right at this moment was "play" - the
one thing that she had been denied. Linna pouted, she really did want
to play - now. Linna waited and listened to the sound of the breathing
beside her. It gradually got slower; slower and deeper until finally
it reached that pitch that Linna associated with sleep. Linna almost
felt like a naughty schoolgirl who was just about to do something very
wrong. It was a good feeling that made her heart pound with
excitement. Slowly she rolled over and placed her hand on the lower
part of her lover's flat stomach and pushed with her finger down
towards...
"FUCK!!!" Sam shouted suddenly coming very much awake. She bolted
straight up and looked wildly about. Her eyes came to rest on the
evilly grinning Linna. Her hand was resting on a very intimate place
that had been the reason for Sam's rude awakening
"For Christ's sake Linna! Will you stop it!" Sam exclaimed
angrily.
Linna blinked as the very annoyed redhead glared at her.
"I'm never going to get any sleep now!" Sam growled throwing back
the covers. She got up and headed towards the bathroom. Linna grinned
as she was treated to the sight of the pert buttocks of the redhead in
motion. A few moments later there was a sound of a flush and Sam
walked back into the room and returned to the bed.
Linna reached out and pulled the fuming girl to her. "Playtime?"
"Gods Linna you are almost as bad as Nikki," Sam growled as she
nestled herself against Linna for warmth.
Linna went stiff. Nikki?
Sam noticed the tensing in Linna's body and rolled onto her back.
"What's up?"
"Just who is Nikki?" Linna said in a flat voice.
"Nikki? She was a priestess of Isis - why?" Sam frowned at the
darkening expression on Linna's face. "You're not jealous are you
Linna? She died over 6000 years ago."
"You were lovers weren't you?" Linna said harshly as she felt an
irrational anger begin to build in her.
"Yes we were," Sam sat up. "Why? What's wrong Linna? Does that
bother you?"
"How many lovers have you had?" Linna demanded.
"In all my life? Shit Linna, do you have any concept how long a
time that is..." Sam sighed as she saw the expression on Linna's face.
"I have absolutely no idea. But why should..."
"You must have some idea," Linna butted in. "I mean... Tens?
Hundreds? Thousands? What?"
"I've told you Linna," Sam pulled back slightly surprised by the
strength of Linna's reaction. "I really don't know. I could take a
wild guess at maybe a couple of thousand. But..."
"A couple of..." Linna's mouth dropped and she gasped in shock.
"Bloody hell!" she yelled. "You really DO like to get around don't
you!?"
Sam's face went completely white. "That's not fair Linna! I'm an
Immortal! I've lived for... Gods... Do you have any idea how
lonely...."
"Lonely?!" Linna shrieked incredulously. "That's not lonely!
That's bed jumping like some bloody little redheaded whore! How the
hell..."
Slap!
Linna's head rocked at the force of the blow that Sam gave her.
Linna was shocked for a moment and her hand rose to the aching cheek
while a flushed tearful face looked down at her.
"I love who I love, Linna Yamazaki," Sam said coldly. "And I live
how I want to live. Neither you, the Council, nor any other fucking
force in existence is going to tell me otherwise!" Sam got up and
grabbing a tee shirt pulled it hurriedly on.
"I think I am going to be sleeping alone from now on," she
exclaimed bitterly. "Since you seem to think I am some sort of loose
legged tramp then you can go and find someone else to fuck you. I am
obviously not good enough for the likes of you!" She turned and
stormed out smashing the door closed with a bang that caused something
in the hall to fall down with a crash.
Linna was stunned. All she could do was listen to the sound of
feet running downstairs and the sobs that accompanied them. "Oh
fuck..." she moaned. What had she done... What had her big mouth done
yet again... "FUCK! FUCK!" She threw off the bed covers and ran to the
door.
"SAM!" she yelled and hurriedly half threw herself down the
stairs. At the bottom she paused for a moment. She could see that the
light to Yuki's room was on and the sound of crying was coming from
within.
"Sam!" Linna exclaimed as she rushed over to the half open door
and pushed her way in. "I'm sorry... I." That was as far as she got.
"Get out!" a furious Yuki snarled at her as she held the weeping
teenager.
"Sam..." Linna tired again.
"GET OUT!!" Yuki screamed in fury and threw a glass cup at her.
Linna just managed to dodge out the way as it struck the wall above
her head. The shattering glass rained down on her and she could feel
the shards get into her hair.
Linna gave a desperate look at her crying lover and the enraged
Yuki who was holding her and her shoulders slumped. She wasn't going
to be able to say or do anything with them in this state. She had said
enough already. Her and her bloody mouth...
"I'm so sorry..." Linna turned and fled. Jumping over the glass
shards she ran up stairs back to her cold empty bedroom. Rushing into
the shower unit she began to wash the glass from her hair.
"Linna," she said to herself in an angry voice. "YOU ARE A FUCKING
IDIOT!!!"
No one spoke up to disagree.
Yoko almost smiled when she saw the form of the human called Linna
emerge from this small caf� out in the middle of nowhere. So, she had
been right after all. No matter what the "Great Lords" might say, she
had always doubted that such a foulness like Samantha would succumb so
easily to even a simultaneous strike. The beings who made up the Full
Holding, lost in memories of past glory, often failed to recall the
fact that they had lost the majority of their once vaunted strength as
a result of the Rebellion. They were still divinely strong but not
enough to defeat HER! However, this was one secret that Yoko would
hold to herself for now. It was difficult to know what the future
might hold and this information might one-day prove very useful.
Yoko flagged down a taxi and getting inside directed the autocab
to take her to the nearest station. She knew that Samantha would
probably not stay on this world for very long. The Corrupter was
always one to travel the ShadowLands playing her Games for amusement
and personally Luc did not care. Yoko/Luc knew that Samantha still
lived and that was all he/she needed. Finding Samantha's corruption
was always possible if you knew how. It was simply a case of knowing
what to look for.
Linna swept madly at the pavement outside of the caf� and wished
that it were the bloody stubborn little redhead that she was punishing
instead of the poor sidewalk. Really! It had been over two weeks now
and Linna had tried apologising so many times that she had given it
up. Sam still refused to have anything to do with her. Even Yuki had
had no luck in trying to convince the stubborn fool that Linna meant
it. So as of this moment in time Linna was stuck on another world,
without any lover or any way of getting back to her real home. The
thought of her own world had been growing ever more heavily on her
mind. Ever since the attack that had caused Sam to bring them here
Linna had put the thought of Priss and Sylia out of her mind. She had
had far more interesting things with which to occupy her attention but
now...
Linna attacked the remains of last night's festivities with
avengeance. All this week the locals were celebrating the ending of
summer with far more zest than Linna had ever experienced. In this
world the tradition seem to be far more popular than on her own. So
much so that the last three days of the week were a local holiday with
businesses and schools closing down. It almost seemed to be a
replacement for the bon festivals on her world. It had been something
that Linna had been so looking forward to. Something she had wanted to
share with Sam. she sighed.
"Linna," Yuki said coming outside. "You are really going to have
to do something about the two of you. This is getting to be serious."
"What the hell do you think I have been trying to do!" Linna said
spinning on Yuki. "I have tried apologising! I have tried speaking to
her! You've seen what the result of that has been! That girl is just
so... Argggrrrr..." The broom snapped.
Yuki disregarded the display of frustration and carried on in what
she hoped was a reasonable tone. "What was it you said to her anyway?
I've known Sam for a few years, and while admittedly she can hold a
grudge, is moody, tends to fly off the handle and is generally
difficult to..." Yuki stopped herself. This was not the time for
listing her friend's numerous character flaws. "I have not seen her
get this uptight before," she finished lamely.
Linna sighed yet again. "I forgot who she was and went off at the
deep end when she told me that she had had thousands of other lo..."
Linna suddenly shut her mouth. Yuki did not know the truth about Linna
or Sam. She thought they were... Linna cursed herself. She had to
remember she was an alien to this world.
"Thousands of other what?" Yuki asked in a puzzled voice.
"She told me that she had had other lovers," Linna restated. "And
I... well... sort of called her a tramp..."
Yuki blinked. "Damn it Linna! What made you say a stupid thing
like that!" she exclaimed. "Sam's nineteen! All girls her age are
sexually active! What the hell did you expect? No wonder she's
furious!"
Linna could not really think of a suitable reply to that. Yuki was
right, but did not understand quite the extent to which that statement
was true. "I fucked up," Linna admitted. "But what do I do to correct
that fuck up? Please Yuki, I'm at my wits end."
Yuki took a deep breath. "Put down the brush and come in. Sam is
out shopping for the morning so lets see if we can use the time to get
some sort of plan together shall we?" She opened the door and her and
Linna went inside. They had a lot of thinking to do and very little
time to do it.
* * * *
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Time: AD 2040, 3rd July, 15:02
"You're mad sis!" Mackie exclaimed as he looked at the plans that
Sylia had drawn up. "You can't seriously be thinking of doing
this...."
"Why not?" Sylia replied looking at the schematics on the monitor.
"I have all the equipment I need, cell samples and the knowledge. The
procedure itself is child's play. The only complication is the time
taken to nurture the clones and the environment I need in which to
raise them. I have to let them develop suitable life experiences on
which I can overlay the original memory engrams." Sylia looked Mackie
in the eye, "it might be tricky but I do not see any major problems."
"But the ethics of it!" Mackie spluttered trying to get through to
her. "You just can't create copies of people to suit your personal
needs!"
"Sam and Linna are dead," Sylia calmly stated. "I don't mind
copying myself and Priss doesn't give a fuck about me full stop. If
you're worried about Nene don't be. I am not intending to use her as a
template. Only if Sam's cells do not respond to cloning. Although..."
Sylia broke off thoughtfully, "she might be useful as a test..."
"Sylia!" Mackie panicking slightly grabbed her arm. "Listen to
yourself will you for a moment! Listen to what you are saying!"
Sylia stared at him and her face was completely serene and sane.
"I know exactly what I am doing Mackie. I do not intend to get anyone
else killed but I do intend to finish this. Now, let me go."
Mackie slumped and did as she asked. This was no longer the sister
that he knew. This was someone completely.
"I have always been this way Mackie," Sylia said perceiving what
her brother was thinking. "You just never accepted it. Now, if you
don't mind I have work to do."
Mackie left. He did not want to know any more. He hurried up the
corridor and re-entered the shop. He spotted the redheaded form of his
wife as she served a customer. He waited impatiently for her to finish
and then hurried over to stand by her.
"Nene," he said. "Get packed. I want you out of here."
Nene was stunned, "wh... what?!?"
Mackie took hold of her shoulders and stared down into that face
he loved so much. "Please Nene-chan, if you have ever trusted me
before trust me now. Pack and leave."
"But... but why?" Nene begged her eyes filling with tears. "Is...
is it something I..."
"Sylia," Mackie said simply. "I am afraid that she might try to...
hurt you... or Nina..."
Nene looked incredulously at him. "What!"
"Please Nene," Mackie held her to him. "I don't have time to
explain now. I have just spoken to her... She's... Just go - now."
"I'm not leaving you!" Nene cried out clinging to him.
"I'll be fine. It's not me she wants to use as 'material' for
her... plans..." His voice caused Nene to shudder. "But you and
Nina... I don't know what she might do. She has completely lost it.
Now love - just go!"
He grabbed her and pulled her towards their apartments thinking
furiously. Once he had gotten his wife and daughter out of harms way
he needed to warn Priss. Once that had been done... He had to deal
with Sylia. He had to stop her - somehow.
Priss nodded, "that's right Kelly," she said as her roommate
experimented with the holds on the guitar. Kelly made an attempt at a
cord and smiled pleased with the result.
"I never thought it was that easy," Kelly said. "I've never been
musical I just leave that up to Sam. She's always the one playing with
this kind of stuff. You should hear her play. It is..."
Priss cut her off, "Sam's dead Kelly."
Kelly smiled nervously. "Yes, sorry. I tend to forget at times.
Silly me..." She turned she attention back to the guitar, "would you
show me another cord?"
Priss let it drop. If Kelly and Sam had been close then that was
Kelly's business. After all, she still had difficulty accepting that
Linna was just not going to walk in the door like old times. Even now,
after over 5 months... Her train of thought was interrupted by Kelly
speaking.
"... isn't that right?" Kelly looked at Priss.
Priss nodded, "yes, of course."
"Good," Kelly put down the guitar. "Give me about 20 minutes to
get ready okay?" She laughed and hurried out.
"Eh?" Priss said.
The vidcom started to bleep and Priss got up. She reached down and
touching a switch frowned. "Mackie? Is that you? Long time no..."
"Priss listen to me very carefully. I don't have much time left,"
Mackie's earnest face alerted Priss to the fact that something was
very wrong.
"I'm listening. What is it?" she said squatting down on the floor
in front of the screen.
"Has Sylia been in contact with you in the last few days?"
"No," Priss angrily exclaimed. "Of course not! She is responsible
for Linna..."
"Listen to me Priss! If she tries to contact you then do..." the
line suddenly went dead. Priss waited for a few moments to see if it
was just a blip from this aged machine.
"What the..." she got up and pounded the unit. "Come on you heap
of crap..."
"Priss? Are you getting ready?" Kelly's voice interrupted her.
Priss gave the aged vidcom unit another bash but the line was dead
and buried.
"Hey Priss! Did you hear me?"
"Yes!" Priss turned from the faulty unit and shrugged. If it were
that important then Mackie would ring back and leave a message. Priss
would be damned before she willingly rang that place! She...
"Priss!"
"I'm getting ready now!" Priss stabbed the <MESSAGES> button and
ran to get ready for whatever it was she had agreed to. The subject of
Mackie was pushed to the back of her mind. It had been ages since the
two roommates had gone out and Priss was rather looking forward to it
now.
"Kompai!" Priss said knocking glasses with Kelly and Sophia.
"Well Boss," Priss said to the bar owner/friend/employer. "Did you
managed to find out anything of any interest?"
Sophia took a sip of her drink and looked at Priss. "Well, put it
like this unless you have access to an extremely rich fortune I would
not bother with pursuing your idea any more. I checked on this
Stingray person and she is not just wealthy, she is seriously rolling
in it. In fact, the more I dug the more connections I came up with."
She looked at Priss, "believe me girl, this is not a woman you want to
take on. She has fingers into more pies than I could find, and not all
of them are legal."
"What do you mean?" Priss said. "Yakuza?"
"That's one way of putting it," Sophia commented. "I have my own
contacts with... let us say the more seamier side of Tokyo life... and
they tell me that Miss Stingray is a very serious figure, with very
serious connections. In fact they even hinted that she does far more
than just have connections."
"What? You mean she's a Crime boss?" Priss smiled. "Ridiculous!"
"Literally speaking? No," Sophia replied. "But let us just say
that if she speaks on a subject then the Yakuza do more than just
listen. My contacts were very reluctant to speak much about her. I
think they were afraid."
"So, you're saying I have no hope of getting back at her?" Priss
said in a dark tone. "I can't accept that. She ruined my life! She
caused the death of my lover and two of my only friends! I will NOT
let her get away with it!!" Priss was on her feet. "I will MAKE her
PAY!!"
"Priss!" Kelly said startled as she tried to grab her roommate and
pull her down. "Calm down will..."
"NO!" Priss yelled pounding the table. "I want her DEAD! I want
her to GROVEL at my feet! I want REVEN..."
Kelly reached out and gently caressed Priss's madly hysterical
mind. The woman suddenly cut off in mid statement and sat numbly down.
"There. there Priss. Just relax..."
Sophia shot Kelly a weird glance and her eyes narrowed. She had
detected just for a moment a flare of alien power from the brown
haired girl. A flare of unbelievable strength, and yet had seemed
almost common place, almost familiar. Who or what the hell was this
Kelly? Carefully Sophia schooled her face and calmed her mind so that
nothing seemed untoward. For a moment Sophia almost doubted the nature
of what she had detected. This Kelly was human! It was only because
Sophia had long established an intimate link directly with Priss's
mind that she had felt anything at all. Whatever Kelly had done had
been impossible for Sophia to detect directly.
"She's just overwrought," Kelly said with a smile turning back to
Sophia. "I don't think she sleep much last night."
"That's okay," Sophia said. "But you may need to watch her. Priss
wants payback very badly and this Stingray person isn't someone to go
against. Especially not when Priss is one of my prize employees."
"Don't worry," Kelly said. "I'll keep her out of mischief, even if
I have to sit on her in the process."
"Thanks," Sophia said with a relieved smile. "If it was someone
less influential then I would have been happy to help but..." She
shook her head.
"I'll keep her in line," Kelly said reassuringly as she took the
bottle from the now sleepy Priss. "I think you have drunk enough
tonight my girl. Time to be going to bed."
"Hmmm... Good idea..." Priss sleepily agreed her face red. "Got to
work tomorrow..."
"Do you need a taxi?" Sophia asked Kelly getting to her feet.
"Yes," Kelly agreed with a smile. "I'm definitely not letting
Priss ride that damned bike of hers back. Not in this state."
"Don't blame you," Sophia snorted with amusement. "Tell her she's
doing the late shift tomorrow. And that I expect her to be sober when
she comes in. I don't want someone with a hangover serving drinks. It
will give the club a bad name."
"Don't worry about that," Kelly promised. "When I have finished
with her Priss will be sober. Good night Sophia and thanks..."
"Don't fret it," Sophia smiled. "I look after my friends. Good
night."
The smile dropped as soon as Kelly was out of sight. "I look after
that which is mine whoever you are. And Priss is most definitely
mine..." Sophia got up and walked over to the bar. She gestured for
the barman to join her. This Kelly... whatever her Game was Sophia
would find it out. Those of the ShadowLands were very possessive about
what was theirs.
==================================================
Rough exert from Chapter 6....
Secrets of the Past...
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Time: AD 2040, 3rd November, 23:02
"YEAH!!" Priss screamed out loud as she and the others rushed
forward to swamp the band which had just finished their final set.
They were FUCKEN BRILLIANT!! Priss like the others yelled out her
appreciation.
Kelly winced at the sound of all the yelling. What had possessed
her to let Priss talk her into coming to this concert? This screaming
and incoherent music WERE NOT her impression of having a good time!
She stumbled as the crowd pushed forward and she was crushed against
those in front of her. "Shit... Fuck..." she whimpered as the life was
being slowly crushed from her. How the hell did this people like
this!?!
"Aren't they GREAT!!" Priss said turning excitedly and yelling at
Kelly.
Kelly did not bother to answer. She was just waiting for this
torture to end!
When she got no answer Priss simply turned back and cheered.
Kelly's torture lasted for another 15 minutes until at last the crowds
began to quieten down enough for people to start to leave. Kelly
almost wanted to shout her relief as the two of them slowly began to
make their way out of the pit in which they had been standing for the
last 2 hours. Kelly rubbed her sore limbs. Gods! Had could these
mortals stand it.
"Kelly! You coming or what!" Priss grabbed hold of her roommates
arm and dragged her towards the stream of people making their way out.
"If we hurry we might be able to get an autograph..."
Kelly sighed and followed as Priss yanked her through the crowds.
Then suddenly a _rush_ of alien sensations flooded her senses. It
caught her completely unawares and she tripped and fell pulling Priss
with her. Kelly floundered for a moment and then scrambled to her feet
looking wildly about. That _rush_ had been incredibly powerful, far
stronger than anything she had ever encountered. Somewhere very close
by one of her own Clan, one of Sam's other "children". From the
strength of the feeling it was someone who was far older and far
stronger than her.
- So, you are what our Mistress is currently amusing herself with
- an amused voice ran through Kelly's mind. - Typical... -
Kelly looked desperately about but she could see no one. - Who are
you? Where are you? - she sent.
"Kelly, what the hell is up with you?" Priss swore picking herself
up and trying to avoid getting stampled beneath the rush of people
trying to leave. "Kelly?" Priss looked around and she frowned. Kelly
was gone. She swung around but she could see no sign of her roommate.
"What the hell is going on here?" Priss cursed to herself. Kelly
had only been here a moment ago. Why would she suddenly just leave
without a word? Priss took a moment to think but she came up blank.
This did not make any sense whatsoever.
"Get out of the bloody way woman!" a man swore at her. "You're
holding up the queue!"
Before Priss could answer she was pushed out of the way and off
balance as people tried to get out. Priss yelped in pain as she was
thrown to one side and the crowd surged passed her. She had to
scramble to the wall and flatten herself against it to avoid being
crushed. She closed her eyes and hung on for dear life while the
hoards flooded past. Then the jostling and the noise just stopped. It
all just stopped - everything.
Priss opened her eyes and blinked in disbelief. The crowds of
people leaving the packed auditorium were gone. It was completely
empty and silent. Priss slowly let go of the viselike grip she had on
the wall and looked around. She could see no one.
"What the fuck...." she whispered incredulously as she realized
that not only had everyone disappeared but all the rubbish, the empty
drink cans, everything that had been here a moment before was gone as
well. It was almost as if in a second of time all trace of the concert
that had just happened had been erased.
Priss wondered for a moment if she was going mad, or dreaming.
Maybe she had been kicked as and concussion. She reached up a hand and
pinched herself hard. "Ahh!!" Nothing changed.
"Hello?" Priss called out down the silent exit passage. Nothing.
Priss swallowed and began to feel worried. She slowly entered the exit
passage and followed it.
"The lights are still on," she muttered to herself as she emerged
into the main ticket hall. "So where the hell is everyone?" She drew a
breath and shouted, "HELLOO!!" The cry echoed around the large hall
and Priss waited. No one came to see what the source of the sound was.
"HELP!!" Priss shouted again, but similarly nothing happened.
"Oh Gods..." Priss said as she began to realize that something
completely insane had happened. Her heart began to beat faster and her
breath came in shorter gasps as she hurried over to the street exit.
Outside the night air was warm and peaceful. Priss looked wildly
around. What should have been a busy Tokyo street bustling with people
and vehicles was silent. There was nothing, no cars, no sounds and no
people.
"HELLOO!!" Priss screamed out. She was beginning to feel afraid.
"HELLOOO!!!"
Priss chose a direction at random and began to run. There had to
be someone around! She could not be here all alone! That was
impossible! The panic that she was beginning to feel added an almost
desperate strength to her body as she ran down the empty silent
streets.
"No... No....Please..." Priss weased as she ran. "Not... not...
alone...." She could not accept it. There had to be someone....
anyone...
Finally she came weasing to a stop. The sweat from her mad run
dripped from her face and her sides were in pain from severe stitch.
Priss dragged in great gulps of air and raised to head to look around.
She was standing in another empty and silent street.
"No... No..." she gasped. "Please.... someone... anyone...." She
was alone. She was all alone....Alone...
"NOO!!!" Priss screamed.
Kelly took a moment to orientate herself. The abrupt change of
scenery from 2040 Tokyo to a blackened dead ancient world took her
slightly surprise. She blinked and looked around. She had a nasty
feeling that she had not been bought here for a social visit.
"Well, well, well," a voice said from all around her. "What does
Sam see in something like you? She must be getting really bored..."
Kelly ignored the insult and put her hands on her hips. "I satisfy
her," she simply said. She had to remain calm. She had Sam's favor -
she had to remember that. However powerful this other "sister" was
they all came from the same source, and answered to the same. She knew
from Loria that Sam rarely gave a shit about what her "children" did,
even to each other. But Kelly doubted that Sam would let this other
"sister" kill her - at least that was what she hoped. Sam could be
malicious at times.
"Why don't you show yourself?" Kelly said. "I am getting tired
talking to think air."
The voice giggled childishly for a moment and then a figure
appeared wrapped in living Darkness. Kelly swallowed as she felt the
strength of the Power emanating from the cloaked figure. It put even
the strength of Loria to shame. This was someone who had been around
for a VERY long time. And someone who Sam had obviously been VERY
affectionate to.
"Satisfy her?" the voice giggled again. "Somehow I doubt that. It
takes far more than you can possibly imagine to really satisfy our
Mistress."
Keep calm, Kelly told herself. "What do you want of me? I object
to being just pulled out here to..."
"Want of you?" the voice queried. "Nothing."
"Then why did you bring me here?" Kelly frowned.
"I didn't," the voice said simply.
"What do you mean?" Kelly said. "I have no time for Games. What do
you want of me?"
The voice giggled, "you are a naive innocent, aren't you little
one? Now I can see what dearest Sam finds of interest in you. She
always enjoys... educating the innocent...."
"What do you mean?" Kelly felt a cold shudder pass through her.
What was this figure talking about. She knew that Sam was...
"A corrupter?" the voice said with amusement. "That hardly begins
to..." The voice broke off with a laugh. "Well, why spoil the fun.
You'll find out in time. Sam is not Sam. Sam IS Samantha."
Kelly was utterly confused. She had absolutely no idea what this
nutter was going on about. Of course she knew Sam was Samantha.
"Oh child," the voice said warmly. "She has found a rare one in
you, hasn't she. If you were not hers already, I would take you
myself..."
Kelly opened her mouth to reply and was suddenly being pushed by a
crowd of people trying to leave the Hikyosha Arena.
"Bloody hell woman!" a man cursed and grabbed hold of Kelly's arm
before she was stampled. "Get a grip on yourself!"
Kelly froze Time and in the peaceful stillness that followed she
took a moment to calm herself. What the heck had all that been about?
What had just happened to her? Who had that Being been? And what had
she meant? Kelly shook her head slightly. She had hundreds of
questions but no answers. She had the feeling that she had just been
told something very important, but what? Maybe she should ask Sam...
"No..." Kelly said out loud as somehow that did not sound a very
good idea. She might... Kelly swallowed and decided that something's
were best left unsaid. She looked around and realized that she could
not detect the presence of Priss anywhere.
"Priss?" she said. "Where are you?"
* * * *
Samantha smiled as the screams of pain and sounds of wet tearing
bought some life back to this dead and barren world. She giggled in
amusement as her pets amused themselves with the leftovers of what had
once been one of her dearest companions.
"Really," Samantha said to the still living remains. "I would have
thought you knew better than to interfere in my Games my dear." She
sighed, "but then maybe you are getting forgetful in your old age."
She giggled and then continued, "don't worry my dear. I do not intend
to let them have you for too long, just enough to remind you..."
Her pets twittered with amusement and slowly caressed the
quivering form. Samantha knelt down and touched her lover's ruined
face. She smiled, "soon my dear they will let you come back to me...
Then, oh yes then what fun we shall have! Just like the old days..."
Samantha giggled and stood up. Turning to her truest children she
said, "look after my precious." Then she was gone and the Darkness
twittered as it slowly began to "look after" its Mistress's beloved
child - just like she had asked.
* * * *
* * * *
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Time: AD 2040, 12th November, 03:02
Sophia immediately felt the alien presence in her private
apartment as soon as it appeared. "Hello Sam," she said as she caused
the lights to come on. "It has been a while. I was wondering where you
had got to."
The figure that stood at the opposite end of the room did not
reply but walked slowly across the room until she stood a few feet
away. "You are part of the Holding Sophia," was the only thing the
black clad figure said.
"Yes," Sophia calmly. "I am and yes I knew of the order."
"An order of that kind requires full consensus," the white faced
figure said.
"Yes, it does," Sophia replied.
The lights went out and the room was dark once more.
"Then you agreed to the order," the white faced figure said.
"Yes, I did," Sophia said standing up and looking at the green
eyes of the figure opposite.
"Why?" Sam asked. "I thought you were my friend."
"And I am," Sophia sent a silent summons. "But there are other
considerations above and beyond friendship."
"Such as..." Sam looked at the creatures that arrived at Sophia's
summons.
"Stability for one," Sophia commented causing the lights to
reappear. "Sanity for another. I told you Sam that the Council is
beginning to pull itself apart. I can't allow that to happen, even out
of friendship. The results of that fighting would be unimaginable."
"Really?" Samantha smiled darkly. "You have little imagination
then. I could show you..."
"Destruction and death that would make us all quiver?" Sophia
finished for her. "Yes, Samantha. I am sure you could. I am sure you
could unleash horrors that would destroy everything that the Council
has ever tried to build. But then that seems to be all you are ever
wanting to do. Kill, destroy, mock and corrupt." Her face fell, "all
trace of the Sam I once knew and loved has gone - hasn't it? All there
is left now is just Samantha. Is that not the case 'Sam'?"
The figure did not reply. It just stood watching Sophia.
"Why could you not just let it go?" Sophia whispered. "We could
have helped heal you. We loved you. We all loved you. That was why we
rose up to fight HIM. But no, you turned away. You started down this
road until all that was the Sam we loved became part of Samantha. And
now it is too late - isn't it Samantha?"
"He RAPED ME!!" Sam suddenly broke through and howled at her old
friend. "He TOOK ME and USED ME in front of half OF THE FUCKING
COURT!! THEY DID NOTHING!! THEY ALL JUST STOOD AND WATCHED HIM!
THROUGH OUT IT ALL - THEY JUST WATCHED!! HOW THE HELL DO YOU WANT ME
TO FEEL!?! HAPPY?!? LOVING?!? FORGIVING?!?"
Sophia felt the HATRED and the INSANE RAGE smash against the Wards
she had around the room. The sheer POWER of it made her wince, even
her. She looked at the Darkness that was flowing like an insane
Corruption from the enraged figure. The members of her Clan she had
called were consumed almost immediately and the gibbering Darkness
licked at her Wards.
"Enough," Sophia said and exerted her full strength. The Darkness
froze in place. Sophia did not even pretend she had the strength to
stop it but here in this place she could at least contain it. "I know
what He did to you Samantha... Sam. I know the torture that He put you
through and I know how long He made it last. But THIS IS NOT THE
ANSWER!"
"And what is?" Samantha said back in control of herself. "What old
friend? Forgive Him? Forget it ever happened? Or perhaps you would
suggest I do something to Him instead?" She giggled, "but what? Its
not like I can do the same to Him now is it? So, what do you suggest -
Sophia?" She smiled mockingly, "go up and give Him a slap on the hand
and call Him a bad boy?"
"Of course not Sam," Sophia said gently with tears in her eyes.
Sam's pain hurt her even now. Slowly she raised her arms and held them
out. "I still love you. I can help you. Let me try... please... please
Sam. Let me, let all of us help you. We can make it better. We can..."
"Control me?" Samantha giggled. "Stop me? Is that the help I need
Sophia?"
"Sam..."
"Oh, poor Sophia... Grieving for her poor lost little Sam..."
Samantha stood and her face was completely insane now. "I have my own
answer thank you. I don't need any help, at least not that kind of
help..." Samantha looked up at the frozen Darkness and smiled. The
writhing Darkness twittered in response and one part broke off and
headed lazily for Sophia.
Sophia attempted to destroy it but she found she could not move. A
sick horror filled her as she finally realized why Samantha had come
here.
"That's right my dear old friend," Samantha giggled. "Michael
maybe merely a pawn, but he still needs allies if he is to Play the
Game I want. So my dear Sophia you will indeed help me. You will be
the first of the allies I need." She giggled as her black eyes bored
into Sophia's horrified face. "Or at least part of you will be. The
rest I am afraid will be..."
Sophia tried to scream, tried to run, tried to summon her Power,
but she was completely frozen. She could only watch as the frozen
Darkness came twittering closer and closer. Samantha watched with an
amused expression on her face as the Darkness slowly entered her old
friend and a new child was born.
* * * *
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