Title:BGC Blues 5 : Illusions Part 3/5
Author:Shehulk
A Story of Bubblegum Crisis
Sylia was on her way to the kitchen to prepare dinner when the
doorbell rang. She opened the door and smiled hesitantly at Mackie.
"Hello." He brushed past her, his expression determined. "I need to
talk to you." He had a long object wrapped in cloth under his arm and
he laid it on the coffee table before turning to face his sister.
"What's that?"
"Priss' new arm." Sylia closed the door and waved a hand towards
the couch, but Mackie refused to sit. What he needed to say was brief
and he had no intention of staying. "I'm leaving."
"Leaving?" Sylia realized that he was not talking about a short
trip out. "I don't understand."
Mackie laughed shakily and shoved his hands into the pockets of
his jacket. "I know you don't which kind of scares me. You went too far
this time, Sylia. It was bad enough that you cloned Priss, but to dump
her clone when the original Priss returned..." He shook his head. "That
was cruel."
"Mackie I didn't tell her to leave. She went before anyone could
stop her."
Mackie shrugged. "I can't blame her. By the way, I gave her the
new bike."
Sylia stared at him. "Why? I made that bike for-."
Mackie cut her off sharply. "For her, not Priss. You knew what
she was when you began that bike and you owe her that much at least. I
couldn't believe it when you told me what you had done, but I put it
down to temporary insanity and let it go. Then Priss came back and you
do a complete turn around. Suddenly the clone isn't good enough for you
and needs to be destroyed."
"I never-."
"Setsu told me!" Sylia jerked as Mackie yelled at her for the
first time in his life. "He told me what you asked him and the others
to do. To block out the clone's collective so that she wouldn't know
what was going on. And then you asked if it was possible to strip the
enclave from the clone. You know that would kill her."
Sylia closed her eyes and nodded. "I did ask that, but it was
just a knee-jerk reaction to Priss' return. Mackie I could never hurt
Priss and the clone is Priss."
Mackie looked at his sister as if seeing her for the first time
and from his expression, he wasn't too happy with what he had found.
"It doesn't matter, I've made up my mind. I'm going to Germany."
Something in his voice warned Sylia that arguing with him would
be useless. "When are you leaving?"
"Now. I'm all packed. The plane leaves in a couple of hours."
"I see." Sylia blinked back tears. "Well I guess there isn't
anything else to say."
"No." He turned to leave.
Sylia waited until he opened the door before speaking. "Say hello
to Dr. Fujita and his daughter for me."
Mackie blushed. "I... I will."
Sylia smiled. "Kyouki's a beautiful girl Mackie. I hope you'll
invite me to the wedding?"
He released his death grip on the doorknob and went back to
Sylia, enveloping her in a sturdy hug. Sylia suddenly realized that
Mackie was actually taller than her now and she wondered when that had
happened. "You better keep in touch."
"I will." He pulled away. "Goodbye, Sis."
?????
Priss found the cloth wrapped bundle on the coffee table. "What's
this?"
Sylia smiled a little. "Mackie dropped this off a little while
ago. It's your new arm. He took it upon himself to construct this one.
I'm not sure why."
Priss pulled the material away and couldn't stop a grin from
forming at what she found. "Hell yes!"
The arm was much like her old one, but instead of the dull
silver-gray, this one was highly polished to a mirror finish. She
pulled her shirt off and awkwardly fitted the limb. Sylia resisted the
urge to help, not sure she could stand it if Priss rejected her.
Priss felt the circuits in her head activate and never thought
that she would be happy that they were there. The sensors were feeding
data to her mind again and the familiar hum was comforting. "I missed
this."
Sylia studied the pattern that Mackie had chosen and frowned.
"Why did he use that image?"
Priss looked at the symbol and realized that it was a phoenix. "I
underestimate your brother sometimes. He sees a great deal." She flexed
the arm and extended the energy saber. The gleaming blade slid out with
a deadly swiftness and was retracted just as quickly. The claws had
been changed slightly and she noted the extra length with approval.
Arashi had wasted no time connecting with the new piece of
equipment and she studied the design carefully.= It has a transmitter
that is a hell of a lot more powerful than the old one. Oh, wow. It has
a built in compartment filled with high potency vitamin supplements.
Mackie's thought of everything.=
Priss smiled at her excited tone as she put her shirt back on.
"Well, as long as you like it. We'll have to take Mackie to dinner to
thank him."
"That's going to be a little difficult. Mackie left a short while
ago for Germany."
Sylia sounded sad and Priss watched her carefully. "Why is Mackie
going to Germany?"
Sylia rubbed her eyes and wondered where to start. "He's gone
back to work with Dr. Fujita. We argued when he found out about the
clone and then we argued again, when you came back and the clone left.
He doesn't want anything to do with me right now."
Priss was hesitant. "He'll get over it and come back."
"I don't think so. He's in love with Dr. Fujita's daughter." It
had taken Sylia a while to figure that out and when she did, she had
been even more appalled at her lack of interest in Mackie's life.
"What? Mackie's in love?" Priss thought about it and nodded
suddenly. "I wondered why he'd stopped trying to watch us get dressed!"
She glanced at Sylia. "How do you feel about this?"
Sylia shrugged. "It doesn't matter what I feel. I guess as long
as he's happy then I should be glad that he's found someone."
Priss had to smile. "That's good to hear. I'd hate to have to
load up the hardsuits and go drag him back."
?????
Priss slipped from the bed and looked down at Sylia's sleeping
form. She had waited until Priss was asleep again before coming to bed
and Priss wondered who she was trying to fool. Sylia couldn't make a
sound without Priss being aware of it. <Time to go.>
= You do realize that you're nuts to do this? =
<Probably, but I still have to go. She's waiting.> Priss gathered
her clothes and left the bedroom. She dressed in the living room and
retrieved Sylia's motorcycle keys from her desk. <Hope she doesn't
mind.> She laid the envelope she had prepared earlier on Sylia's desk
and looked around at what had been her home for the last three years.
Arashi grumbled quietly, = Right now I think she'd give you the
bike if it would make things right between you.=
Priss ignored her and shut the apartment door behind her. Her
booted feet made no sound as she walked down the carpeted hallway and
called the elevator. <So how are all the systems?> She lit a cigarette
and inhaled deeply.
Arashi began to list all of the things that she hadn't had time
to finish healing in Priss' body as they descended to the garage. She
paused a beat and then added, = Not to mention that garbage you're
currently polluting your lungs with. In other words, going to fight
someone who has your skills, who is in perfect condition and has what
she considers a very good reason to kill you is not a good idea.=
Priss swung her leg over the seat of the motorcycle and brought it to
life with a small grin. <Maybe, but I do
have one advantage.>
=And that is?=
<She wants to win... I'm going to.>
?????
Sylia heard the front door close and ignored the stray tear that
had escaped. She rolled over and buried her face in Priss' pillow,
inhaling deeply. The familiar scent broke through what was left of her
control and Sylia felt herself crying again. She clutched the pillow
tightly, knowing that Priss would not be returning.
?????
Priss brought the motorcycle to a halt and stared out at the
rising structure of New Aqua City. Why is that every pivotal moment in
her life seemed to happen here? She dismounted as a shadow detached
from the night and approached her. Priss saw the red cloth tied around
the clone's throat and smiled coldly. It was one of Sylia's scarves.
She nodded in greeting and saw the flare of a match as her double lit a
cigarette. "Nice night."
Priss2 leaned back and looked up at the ominous clouds overhead.
The wind was pulling at them, promising to bring the storm closer and
she laughed as another night like this one came to mind. "Yes, yes it
is."
Thunder rumbled in the distance adding to the drama and it
occurred to both of them that this was all too melodramatic. Priss
sighed and held up a hand. "Do we have to do this?"
A soft laugh. "No, you can just walk away.... and let me have
Sylia."
Ignoring the spark of temper, Priss shook her head. "I can't do
that."
"I can't just walk away. We do have a need to fight for what we
want."
Priss conceded the point. "Yes, we do. We also fight dirty."
A wicked grin appeared and was mirrored. "Always."
Priss watched her clone flick her cigarette away and nodded,
understanding the gesture. "Let's do it."
They circled each other warily, occasionally feinting a blow only
to move away and begin again. Neither drew their weapons, but both knew
that they would at some point. The goal was to win and the prize...
well, Sylia was, despite her faults, worth fighting for. Dying for.
Priss lashed out suddenly and caught her in the side with a quick
kick. Priss2 recovered and smiled in acknowledgement of the hit. "Nice,
didn't see that coming." She moved, her fist connecting with Priss' jaw
and sending her stumbling back.
Priss tasted blood and spat in the clone's general direction.
"Not too bad yourself."
Metal flashed and Priss2 pulled back as the blade narrowly missed
her throat, but it was only a dodge and Priss swept her leg out from
under her. Priss2 rolled away as the fist descended and heard the low
popping noise a split second before she heard the asphalt explode. "So
we really are playing for keeps."
Priss nodded and stepped aside as Priss2 attacked with her own
blade, but couldn't avoid it entirely. Fire burned across her stomach,
but she ignored it and remained focused on her opponent. She began a
series of methodical blows, some getting through though most were
deflected. She lashed out with her claws, catching the clone across the
face and sending her stumbling back.
Ignoring the pain from the cuts, Priss2 felt the edge of the
precipice behind her and realized what Priss was trying to do. She
tucked and rolled forward past Priss, reversing their positions. She
had left herself open however and Priss took that opening. She brought
the blade down, slicing into her shoulder.
Priss2 gasped, but did not fall. Instead, she whirled and caught
Priss in the head with a roundhouse kick. Priss staggered back and felt
the cold touch of the blade again as it sank into her thigh. Priss
cursed more from the waste of a new pair of leather pants than from the
pain. "You know how much these things cost?"
Priss2 paused, laughing. "As a matter of fact I do."
Priss darted forward and tackled her clone sending them both
skidding across the pavement. Pain seared her as the clone's blade
pierced her shoulder, but Priss knocked her arm away, extracting the
weapon. Priss2 looked up and found she was staring at Priss' energy
blade as it hovered over her throat. "You're beaten."
Breathing heavily the clone shook her head. "No."
Priss drew a deep breath and shoved the blade into her side,
careful not to injure her beyond her enclave's abilities to heal her.
Her strangled scream told Priss that while not fatal, it was definitely
painful. "Surrender."
Priss2 nodded quickly and Priss withdrew the blade. She pulled
the scarf from around the clone's neck and pocketed it. "Sylia is
mine."
The clone reluctantly agreed. "She's yours."
Priss stood up and took something out of her pocket. She tossed
the keys onto Priss2's chest. "Take the safe deposit boxes. There's
more than enough in there to get you started. You have three months to
have your Arashi alter your appearance and fingerprints. After that if
I see your face again..." She didn't finish, but then she didn't have
to. As Priss turned and limped back to Sylia's motorcycle the clone
called after her.
"How did you beat me? We're the same."
Priss looked back over her shoulder and shook her head. "No,
we're not. I was defending what was mine. You were trying to take what
had never belonged to you." She climbed onto her bike and kicked it to
life with a roar.
Priss2 lay on the hard pavement and stared up at the dark sky.
The storm had seemed to pass them by, but the rain had not fallen. A
drop of moisture ran down her cheek and mixed with the blood, soon
followed by another. She knew she should get up. Should leave or jump
off or something. She shouldn't just lay here. The wind blew across
her, drying her tears and tossing her hair around playfully.
= Come on, Priss.=
<I'm not Priss. I lost the right to be called that.>
= Whatever. You can't just lie here.... Sabishii.=
She laughed shortly. <Why not?>
= Damn it! Starting over might not be such a bad thing! =
<You know it's not that. I won't have Sylia.>
= Why not? =
The clone scowled. <Hello? Remember the fight? I lost! Sylia
belongs to the real Priss.>
= Sylia does, but not her clone.=
<What? But Sylia doesn't have a-> She froze as she realized what
Arashi was suggesting. <Are you nuts? She will not clone herself!>
= Who asked her to? =
<She won't be real.>
= Oh look who's talking! I don't think you should be throwing any
stones here.=
<I can't believe I'm actually considering this.>
= It'll take some careful planning. Why don't you get up and
we'll go discuss it over a nice big box of band-aids? =
?????
Taisei waited until Sylia had fallen into an uneasy sleep and
then contacted Arashi. Time to bring this out into the open.
?????
Arashi immediately berated Taisei. =Why the hell didn't you stop
her? =
Taisei considered lying, but knew that there had been enough of
that.= Because I wanted you and Priss back as badly as she did.=
Her quiet confession left Arashi speechless and she wasn't sure
what to say. That added to her discomfort. She decided to approach this
like she did everything else: abruptly and honestly.= Well hell. I
didn't realize you felt that way. Why didn't you tell me? =
= Tell you what? I thought you knew! Is there any other reason I
would put up with your tactless personality and brash nature? =
= Well thank you very much! Like your 'holier-than-thou' attitude
doesn't piss me off in the extreme! =
Taisei composed herself and spoke calmly.= Obviously you don't
feel the same way so I will no longer trouble you with my presence.=
She broke the link and refused to answer Arashi's hails.
Arashi fumed silently and watched Priss steer the motorcycle for
the mountains.= Where are we going? =
Priss heard the anger in the enclave's words and grimaced.
<What's you're problem?>
= Taisei.= Arashi checked on the progress of the repair nanos as
they healed Priss' side and leg. =Idiot! Tells me she's in love with me
and then refuses to talk to me! =
Priss was startled. <Is that possible?>
= Of course it is you fool! We drew our personalities from yours
remember? It stands to reason that because you're in love with Sylia
then at the least I would feel some kind of affection for her enclave.=
There was a bite to Priss' laughter. "I feel like I should
apologize."
= Not your fault. You can't help who you fall in love with any
more than I can.=
Priss agreed. <You've been awful quiet through all of this.>
= Hmm. I figured that this was between you and Sylia. You didn't
need a third voice clouding an already murky situation.=
<I appreciate it.> She could feel Arashi's grin.
= So reward me.=
Priss snorted. Of course. <Reward you? With what?>
An image of an expensive hotel filled Priss' mind. About twenty
minutes away, the Gensou's restaurant was considered one of the best in
the country. <You want breakfast?>
Arashi shrugged.= You were hurt, remember? A little rest and
nourishment will help me get you back into fighting form.=
<Fighting form, huh? Why do you think I need to be?>
Her reply was ominously quiet. = To find out who betrayed us.=
?????
Sabishii pulled the cover from the circuit box and followed
Arashi's careful instructions precisely, knowing that a mistake would
trip one of the many alarms that Sylia had installed. She clipped the
jumper onto the lead and connected it to the wire running from her arm.
Arashi had helped her adapt the limb to perform several functions that
Sylia had never intended.
Once connected, Arashi took over and bypassed the building's
security measures. She also tied into Sylia's outgoing line and found
Sylia talking to Linna.
"-she left? When?" Linna was concerned and Sabishii could hear
Nene in the background asking who had left. Linna turned to speak to
her, her voice growing fainter. "Priss left. Now be quiet."
Sylia was subdued. "Last night."
Linna resisted the urge to strangle Nene as she crowded her,
trying to hear. "Maybe we should cancel our trip."
Sylia was insistent. "No Linna, you two have gone to a lot of
trouble to arrange this time together. You have to go."
Linna was reluctant. "But with Mackie in Germany and Priss off to
God knows where you'll be alone."
Sylia smiled sadly. "It's not the first time Linna. I'll be
fine."
"What about the clone? What if she comes back?"
Sylia wasn't worried. "I dare say that she's long gone by now."
Sabishii smirked <You dare to say, hmm?>
Sylia ended the conversation and Sabishii disconnected from the
circuit. <Well. This is just too perfect!>
?????
Sylia sat in the darkness of the empty apartment, contemplating
the mess she had managed to make of her life. A lone cube of ice
clinked against the glass as she raised the whiskey to her lips. Aged
and expensive, the liquor went down with a smooth burn and she felt
every inch of its warmth as it worked its way down. <Funny how it had
seemed like a good idea at the time.>
Taisei said nothing, knowing she was as much to blame as Sylia.
Sylia raised the glass again and when she lowered it, she saw
Priss standing in front of her. "Priss." She set the glass on the table
with a clatter and stood awkwardly. "I didn't think you were coming
back."
Priss stepped closer, until the light from the moon fell across
her face. Sylia gasped and took a step back as she realized that this
was not her Priss. "You!"
Sabishii laughed and the sound chilled Sylia in a way she could
not define. "Sorry lover. Disappointed?" She moved quickly and seized
Sylia's arm in a vise like grip.
Sylia felt the metal fingers dig into her skin and wondered if
she was about to die. <Taisei! Call the others!>
= I'm trying! Something's blocking my signal.= Taisei analyzed
the source of the barrier and was surprised by what she found.= It's
the clone! Somehow, she's suppressing the signal.=
"Don't panic, Sylia. I'm not going to hurt you." Sabishii pulled
her closer and her human hand slid up and encircled her throat. "For
all of your sins we still love you. How sick is that, hmm?" She kissed
Sylia's forehead, chuckling when she flinched away. "Now, now. My touch
was good enough for you when you thought the original was dead, so
don't pretend that you hate it now." She propelled Sylia across the
room, towards the front door.
"What do you want? Where are you taking me?" They stepped into
the elevator and Priss punched the button for Sylia's lab.
"I said that I'm not going to hurt you and I meant that, but you
are going to do me a little favor."
?????
The cab halted in front of the apartment building and Linna paid
the driver as Nene stepped out into warm air and inhaled deeply. The
beautiful April weather on Kauai was a far cry from the chilly days
they had left back in MegaTokyo and Nene was determined to enjoy
herself on this trip. No matter what happened in the next two days. She
glanced at Linna who had joined her and was now staring silently up at
the building in front of them. Nene couldn't see her eyes because of
the sunglasses she was wearing, but the tension around Linna's mouth
was a dead giveaway. She'd rather be fighting a boomer with a toothpick
right now.
Linna hefted their bags and squared her shoulders. 'Once more
unto the breach...'
Nene followed her into the building and hoped that her mother had
found a way to tell her father just exactly who she was bringing home
with her.
?????
Sylia stared at her in disbelief. "No."
Sabishii shook her head and smiled ruefully. "I knew you were
going to say that." She pointed to the acceleration chamber. "Come on,
Sylia. It's not that much different than what you did."
"I thought Priss was dead!"
"And you're not dead? Is that your reason?" The blade slid out of
Sabishii's arm with a hiss and she brought it up to Sylia's throat.
"Because I can fix that, Sylia."
Sylia swallowed and met the clone's eyes with reluctance. "You
said you loved me."
"Hmm, I did say that didn't I?" The blade retracted and Sabishii
pushed Sylia back into a chair. "But you don't love me, Sylia, do you?"
She began to open drawers until she found a roll of tape. Sylia tried
to bolt, but Sabishii caught her shoulder with her cybernetic hand and
forced her back down in the chair. "Now, Now. No running away." The
tape squealed as Sabishii pulled a length and tugging Sylia's arms
behind her, wrapped it around her wrists. "Just to keep you from
interfering, mind."
"Priss will be back soon." Sylia threw out the threat wildly,
knowing that there wasn't likely to be anyone coming for quite a while.
Mackie had left days before for Germany and Linna and Nene had gone at
Sylia's urging on their trip to Hawaii. Priss had been so angry and
hurt that Sylia doubted she was ever coming back despite what she had
said.
"Oh please! Sylia you said it yourself when you saw me. You know
Priss isn't coming back anytime soon. I saw Linna and Nene board the
plane myself and I know that Mackie has left." She grinned. "You're all
alone Sylia." Sabishii stepped back and spoke to Arashi. "Okay Arashi.
Hit me."
= Brace yourself. = As the data poured into Sabishii's mind, she
swayed slightly, but never took her eyes off Sylia. "See, I don't
really need you after all." Sabishii began to power up the equipment
and ready everything for the process. She turned to Sylia and smiled a
little as she held up a scalpel. "Well, I do need one thing."
?????
Linna noiselessly tapped the stem of her wine glass and tried to
keep her expression calm. It wouldn't do to run screaming from the
room. Nene's father glared at her from across the table and Linna
wondered if this particular seating arrangement had been on purpose.
She sipped from her glass and glanced at Nene who was cheerfully
explaining to her father that she and Linna had been living together
for quiet sometime now and how she really hoped that he would
understand and make Linna welcome. Privately Linna thought that he
would prefer to make her dead, but she dutifully supported Nene in her
assertion that they were happy together and intended to stay that way.
The meal proceeded as the tension in the room rose steadily and
Linna was unsurprised when Nene's father suggested that Nene help her
mother with the dishes.
Linna watched Nene follow her mother into the kitchen and glanced
nervously at Mr. Romanova. He refilled his wine glass and settled back
in his chair, fixing Linna with a searching scowl. "So, Linna. What was
it you do again? An aerobics instructor?"
The sneer in his voice was clear and Linna curbed her temper with
effort. "Actually I haven't done that for quite some time. I'm in
investing now."
Mr. Romanova snorted. "I see. With what firm?"
"I used to be with Shitsumei, but recently I've left them and
begun to focus on my own investments."
It sounded quite simple, but Mr. Romanova wasn't fooled. "You're
unemployed." He laughed harshly and shoved himself to his feet. "So now
you're sponging off of my daughter as well as seducing her!"
Linna got to her feet and reminded herself that this was Nene's
father. "That's not true. I make more than enough to support us and
that's exactly what I do. Nene hasn't had to spend one yen for what we
have and as to my seducing her," Linna placed her clenched fists on the
table and leaned towards him. "Do you really think that she's that
gullible? Nene and I were friends for a long time before we became
lovers." She ignored his wince and continued. "I can stand here and try
and convince you that I love her until the end of time, but you
wouldn't believe me and I'm reluctant to beat my head against a brick
wall."
The kitchen door swung open and Nene stepped into the dining
room. She saw Linna and her father facing off and sighed. "Oh great. I
wondered how long it would take."
Linna straightened and shook her head. "I'm sorry Nene."
"Damn it Nene! Can't you see that she's using you?"
Nene paused and looked at Linna. "How are you using me?"
Linna groaned at her teasing. "Nene! Be serious!"
"No I am serious. How could you be using me?" she frowned in
thought and began to tick items off on her fingers. "A place to live?
No, we're living at your apartment."
"Our apartment," Linna muttered.
Nene grinned and continued. "Money? No, you pay for everything
and get huffy when I even suggest that I help. Sex? Well I'd have to
say that that was mutual, but when I think back it was me that asked to
spend the night with you."
Mr. Romanova made a strangled sound. "Gee, Linna. I think that I've
been the one using you." She turned to her father expectantly and he
threw up his hands.
"Fine! But when she hurts you," He drew a breath and focused on
her face. His expression eased suddenly. "Just remember you can always
come home." Nene hurled herself into his arms and hugged him tightly.
Linna felt some of the tension ease and exhaled softly. 'Well
that was easy.'
?????
Sabishii finished entering the data and Sylia heard the
accelerator activate with a strange sense of acceptance. Maybe this was
the only acceptable justice for her crime, she thought bleakly.
Sabishii looked at the neat white bandage on Sylia's arm and shook her
head. "I'm sorry for hurting you. I said that I wouldn't and in the end
I did." She pulled up another chair and straddled it, facing Sylia. "I
guess neither one of us is very good at keeping our promises."
Sylia found herself trying to justify her actions to Priss yet
again. "I just wanted you back."
Sabishii exhaled. "Did it occur to you that you weren't just
messing with your own life, but those of everybody else who knew us?"
It had, but Sylia realized only now that she had been selfish,
not to mention childish. "I made a mistake."
Sabishii's eyebrows shot up and she stared at Sylia in mock
surprise. "Wow! She admits it!" Sabishii tapped Sylia lightly on the
forehead. "The problem with you, Sylia, is that you're an overachiever.
You don't make little mistakes! You always go for the huge complicated
ones!"
Sylia said nothing and Sabishii let it drop. Let her original try
to straighten Sylia out. Sabishii checked the readouts on the chamber
and turned to Sylia. "So what are we going to do for the five days this
is going to take?" She let her eyes wander over Sylia's bound form
suggestively and had the pleasure of seeing Sylia's face blanch. She
slid her chair closer and let the blade in her wrist descend. The tip
caught under the first button of Sylia's blouse and popped it loose.
Sylia was frozen and Sabishii cut the next button. "Come on, Sylia. You
know this game, don't you?"
Sylia felt the material falling open and realized that she had
never felt so helpless in her life. "You don't want to do this."
Sabishii laughed as she removed another button and used the blade
to part the blouse further. The lacey edge of Sylia's bra appeared and
Sabishii's smile died. "Of course I do, Sylia. What is it they say?
'Payback's a bitch?"
Instantly the memories of the past poured through Sylia's mind.
Was the real Priss still blaming her? "Payback? So you've never really
forgiven me for what happened?"
Sabishii looked up in surprise. "For raping us, you mean? Oh
sure. That wasn't your fault, but this," She held up her artificial arm
and the weapon it housed. "This was cold-blooded calculation on your
part."
"The boomer-?" Sylia misunderstood.
Sabishii struck her, her human hand spinning Sylia's head around
with the blow. Sylia rocked back, but remained upright. She raised her
head, feeling blood trickle from the corner of her mouth. "Poor Sylia.
You've become tangled in the illusions you've created. I'm talking
about the fact that you cut off my
God Damn arm!"
Sabishii saw the comprehension dawn on Sylia's face and nodded in
satisfaction. "Understand now? You knew how badly losing our arm
effected us and you did it anyway!" She leaned forward and licked the
blood away from Sylia's mouth, making her jerk away. "So you can see
why I want my pint of blood." Sabishii tugged the shirt loose from
Sylia's skirt and pushed the material down over her shoulders. "And my
pound of flesh."
Sylia couldn't suppress her gasp of dismay. "Don't do this Priss.
This isn't you."
"It's Sabishii now. And it is we. Just think about it Sylia. If
you ever decide to kick the original out of the picture then you'll
have this to look forward to again." Sabishii used the blade to sever
the material covering her breasts and they sprang free. She grinned
wickedly and brushed the remains of the lingerie aside. "Always the
lady, hmm Sylia? Perfectly groomed, always in style..." The razor moved
to the bottom edge of Sylia's skirt and slipped under. "... Always
coordinated. I bet your underwear matches your bra, doesn't it?" The
fabric hissed as it parted and Sylia could feel the cool metal of the
clone's hand as it moved between her thighs.
Anger pushed its way to the surface and Sylia used the only
weapon left to her in an attempt to divert the clone. "I guess the
cloning process was a failure. The real Priss would never do something
like this."
Sabishii stopped and met Sylia's glare calmly. She was silent a
long moment and then she burst into laughter. She wrapped her arms
around herself as she continued helplessly until finally, gasping for
breath, she quieted. Sylia was thoroughly disconcerted and completely
confused. Sabishii wiped the tears of mirth from her eyes and still
chuckling, pulled Sylia's skirt away. "I swear, Sylia! I had no idea
that you were this blind." She eyed the pale lavender of Sylia's
panties, her smile changing. "I knew it."
Sylia knew she was blushing, but refused to rise to the bait.
Silver fingers trailed up Sylia's thigh and toyed with the lace
stretched low over her belly. Sabishii rolled her chair even closer and
whispered into Sylia's ear as her fingers slid under the silk. "Did you
know that lavender is our favorite color?"
?????
Priss sat on the small balcony of her hotel room and watched the
sea churn below her as the sun sank in a brilliant display. The smell
of the ocean washed over her and left Priss feeling strangely
refreshed. She sipped her coffee and narrowed the search pattern she
and Arashi had been running. <I doubt Genom has any of this out in the
open, but it has to be somewhere. They're too meticulous not to have
records. If we can find Kutsuu then maybe we can backtrack from her to
their source.> And if not then they could always extract the
information from Kutsuu personally. Priss' smile was ominous.
Arashi grumbled that Seiki was better at this kind of thing than
she was, but she'd see what she could do. = I wish you'd let me contact
them. =
Priss shook her head and refilled her cup. <No. I want to keep
this between us for the moment. They would let something slip to Sylia
and I don't need emotion clouding the issue.>
Arashi wasn't sure how to respond to that. She was rather
surprised at just how emotionless Priss was being in this pursuit and
she couldn't seem to read anything other than mild interest.
"There's something else you could do while you're searching
though."
= What's that? =
Priss looked out over the vast expanse and spoke quietly. "I want
you to make some... alterations to my body."
Surprised and more than a little concerned, Arashi was hesitant.
= What kind of alterations? =
"Strength, speed, stamina. Everything to the maximum level it
could be and still appear normal on the outside."
Arashi was floored by this completely uncharacteristic request. =
Priss, do you realize what you're saying? =
<I know, Arashi. I've thought about this a great deal.>
=You have? When? = Arashi was unaware that Priss had been
thinking anything of the sort and she suddenly realized that a great
deal of Priss' mind was now hidden from her. =What's happened to you? I
can't see what you're thinking anymore. =
Priss' smile was wry. <Just noticed that, huh? Actually, I'm not
sure what's going on, but I do know that I want those changes made,
Arashi. Can you do it? And quickly?>
= It'll take a lot of materials and you'll need to rest a great
deal. =
Priss thought of the mess with Sylia that was waiting for her
when she returned and sighed. "I'm in no hurry."
?????
Sylia tested the rope tied around her wrists and knew that she
wasn't going anywhere. "How long are you planning on keeping me like
this?"
Sabishii finished tying off the end of the rope securing Sylia's
ankles and stood. "Not long. I'll weld some bars over the door in the
morning."
Sylia looked down at herself, stretched across the bed and
grimaced. "You could at least throw a blanket over me."
Sabishii sat down beside her and ran her hand down Sylia's body
in a proprietary manner. "But you're so beautiful to look at. We enjoy
seeing you like this."
"Stop saying that!"
"Saying what? That you're beautiful?" Amused at her disgruntled
expression, Sabishii continued to touch her, knowing how much it
unsettled her.
"We! Stop saying we! You don't speak for her. You aren't Priss!"
Sylia threw the words at the clone and tried to twist away from the
hard fingers roaming her flesh.
Sabishii shrugged and toyed with a nipple almost idly. "If it
makes you happy to believe that, Sylia then go right ahead." She
watched the tip grow hard and smiled devilishly. "Obviously your body
thinks otherwise." Sabishii squeezed her breast rhythmically until
Sylia gasped and pulled as far away as her bonds would let her. "I
guess there is one more thing that I want from you, Sylia."
Sylia cried out as Sabishii's fingers were suddenly thrust
between her legs. Heat sufficed her face at the dampness they found and
she could feel Sabishii's breath across her breast as they gently
probed her. "You made me. You used me. And then you discarded me."
Ruthlessly biting her tongue, Sylia fought her body's reaction to
this familiar touch. "Please, don't do this."
Sabishii raked her teeth across Sylia's breast and was rewarded
by her involuntary moan. "Don't worry, Sylia. I'm not going to force
you. I plan on exacting a much more insidious revenge." She pushed
deep, watching Sylia's face intently. "I'm going to seduce you."
And then Sylia understood just what revenge it would be. "No.
Priss wil-."
The clone cut her off. "Will forgive you for what happened before
she returned, but now..." Sabishii kissed her lightly and then ran her
tongue over Sylia's lips. "... will she forgive you for what happens
tonight?"
?????
Sylia heard the bedroom door close and began the painful process
of extricating herself from the ropes. <Taisei? Can you break past the
signal?>
= No. She must still be near. Are you all right? =
Sylia twisted her wrists, ignoring the pain, as they were scraped
raw. <I'll survive, but I may well have destroyed any trust that
remained between Priss and me.>
?????
Mr. Romanova found Linna at the dining room table the next
morning after breakfast, typing away at her laptop. He shamelessly
peered over her shoulder and saw the stock quotes racing past at and
astonishing speed. Linna smiled slightly, but didn't look up from the
screen. "Looking for something?"
Mr. Romanova harrumphed. "Not really. Can you see anything at
that speed?"
"You'd be surprised." Linna made a small sound and quickly
purchased a block of stock as it dipped. She knew it would rise again
tomorrow and then she would resell it and walk away with a tidy sum.
Nene's father saw the amount of money she had just spent on a
single investment and gasped. "Are you insane? You're risking
everything on one purchase?"
Linna laughed softly. "Everything? That's pocket change, Mr.
Romanova. Nene spends more than that on computer parts."
?????
Sabishii dropped the metal bars next to the bedroom door with a
crash, making Sylia jump as she fought to untie the last rope around
her ankle. "My you're determined!" Sabishii's tone was chiding as she
watched Sylia toss the blood stained cord away. "You know, I should tie
you up again just on principal."
Sylia slowly stood, feeling every joint and muscle protest as she
did so. Her night had not been an entirely pleasant one and the hours
of confinement had taken their toll. Sabishii made a strange sound in
her throat and intercepted her as she staggered. She lifted her
unceremoniously and carried her into the bathroom where she had seemed
to be heading. Sabishii set her down and nodded at the bathtub. "Try a
long soak. It should work some of the kinks out." She reached out and
crushed the screen in the wall by the sink. "Take your time. I should
have the door fixed by the time you're out."
Surprisingly Sylia took her suggestion. <Well I can hardly fight
her in this condition.>
Taisei clarified.= You couldn't fight her at all. Sabishii is
stronger and well armed thanks to you.=
Sylia grimaced and started the water running into the large tub.
<Have you figured out how she's able to block you? She doesn't even
have to be close to be doing it, whatever it is.>
= That's because there's something else that's putting out the
scrambled signal. I think Sabishii constructed some kind of jammer.=
Sylia looked at the remains of the screen and shook her head.
<Then it probably wouldn't do any good to try to rig something with the
screen parts.>
= No. The signal is very strong.=
<Well at least she doesn't seem to be trying to kill me.>
= I don't think she can. You heard her; she's in love with you.=
Sylia sank into the warm water with a sigh of relief. <Funny way
of showing it.>
She began to assess what had happened to her in the last twenty-
four hours and Sylia wondered why she hadn't just asked Taisei to knock
her out when the clone had outlined her revenge. <Why didn't you
suggest that?>
Taisei was reluctant to answer. =Well, it probably wasn't a good
idea to provoke her further. She wasn't intending to hurt you and I
didn't want to make you that vulnerable.= There. A very carefully
worded response that betrayed nothing about the real reason she hadn't
rendered Sylia unconscious.
Sylia closed her eyes and admitted the truth that Taisei seemed
hesitant to voice. <You knew that I didn't want to be unconscious. That
I didn't want her to stop.>
= That was the other reason, yes.= Taisei knew how guilty Sylia
was feeling and tried to ease her mind.= This is not a normal
situation, Sylia. You strived very hard to convince yourself that the
clone was Priss and then the real Priss returned literally from the
dead. A little confusion is to be expected.=
<You're trying to make me feel better and I appreciate it, but
the truth is the truth. I knew who she was and I did not do everything
in my power to prevent her from...> Sylia groaned and ducked under the
water. She surfaced a moment later and slicked her hair back. <Priss
will never forgive me.> Sylia thought about what Sabishii had said
about Priss. <Is she capable of this kind of revenge?>
= Well if Sabishii is anything to go by, then yes.=
She slid deeper into the water until only her head was visible
and wondered if she wanted Priss to return.
?????
Nene dropped the room key onto the coffee table and went out to
the balcony while Linna tipped the bellhop. The vividly clear ocean
sprawled out below her and she couldn't wait to hit the beach. Linna
came up behind her and slipped her arms around Nene's waist.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
Linna sighed, beginning to feel some of the tension leaving her.
"Yes it is." The last few days had not been entirely pleasant and she
was glad that it was just the two of them now. "What do you want to do
first?" The question was rhetorical, because she knew what Nene would
say. She smiled when the redhead turned in her arms and announced,
"Let's eat!"
Chaos reigns within.
Reflect, repent, and reboot.
Order shall return.
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http://www.freespeech.org/shehulk