Title:BGC Blues 5 : Illusions Part 4/5
Author:Shehulk
A Story of Bubblegum Crisis
Priss left the elevator and was immediately waylaid by the
restaurant manager she had met last night.
"Good morning, Priss. You're out early." Iroke had pulled her
dark drown hair back into a braid and was dressed casually in slacks
and a white blouse.
"Good morning, Iroke. I didn't expect to see you here this
early." Priss was well aware of the other woman's interest and found
herself rather pleased by it. She had obviously been waiting for her
and Priss knew that she should tread carefully. "Don't they give you
time off?"
Iroke smiled invitingly. "Actually I have the whole day off. I
was wondering, if you don't have any other plans, would you like to go
for a drive?"
Priss shook her head and softened her refusal with a smile.
"Sorry, I'm under doctor's orders to rest."
Iroke looked Priss over from head to toe and sent her a heated
look. "You look good to me."
= Brazen thing, isn't she? = Arashi was amused and curious what
Priss would do.
<A little.> Priss cleared her throat and winked. "Thank you, but
I really don't think I could handle the... strain."
Iroke moved closer, her voice dropping to a confidential whisper.
"But you wouldn't have to do a thing Priss. Just sit back and relax.
I'll do all the driving."
Priss sighed in regret. "Sorry Iroke, but I'm a bit of a control
freak. I have to be the one behind the wheel." She neatly sidestepped
the young woman and went to the front desk. The man at the desk told
her where she could find a health food store and Priss asked him to
ring for a cab.
"That won't be necessary. I'll take Priss anywhere she wants me
to." Priss turned to find Iroke directly behind her and felt the
counter press into her back as she tried to put some space between
them.
"You don't give up, do you?"
Iroke shrugged and reached out to brush an imaginary piece of
lint from tthe shoulder of Priss' shirt. "I know what I want." Another
glance filled with promises and this time Priss nodded, much to
Arashi's surprise.
"All right. Let's go." They walked out of the hotel and Iroke led
her to a small red Diablo. The low-slung sports car was the last thing
Priss expected the immaculately groomed woman to drive and she studied
Iroke a little more carefully. "Nice car."
She eased into the seat, feeling her leg protest and immediately
let the seat back as far as it would go. Iroke slid behind the wheel
and fastened her seat belt before starting the car and glancing at
Priss. "Don't worry, Priss. I'll take good care of you."
Priss smirked and leaned her head back, closing her eyes as she
realized how tired she was. <Got started?>
= You said hurry. Mind you, if you start any horizontal hi-jinx
with this bimbo then not only am I stopping the process, but I'll
deaden every nerve you have from the neck down! = Her irate tone made
Priss smile.
<Don't worry. I'm not going to step out on Sylia. Maybe just look
at the neighboring countryside.>
= There are some very pretty hills and valleys waiting for you at
home, Priscilla Asagiri. Along with a woman who loves you so much she's
crazy with it.=
<Yeah. Crazy.> There was nothing Arashi could say to that. Priss
realized that she was letting a complete stranger drive her and was not
in the least bit nervous. One more change to add to the growing list.
Iroke down shifted as they flew around a curve and continued to
steal glances at Priss. She seemed a little pale, but in good health
otherwise and Iroke wondered what had happened to her. She shifted
again, but this time let her hand fall to Priss' thigh.
Priss smiled slowly and shook her head, not opening her eyes. "I
don't think that's something you can shift with, Iroke." She reminded
herself that she was already bound to Sylia.
"Depends on what I'm trying to shift."
They arrived at the health food shop and Priss asked Iroke to
wait in the car while she went in. She returned a few minutes later
with a small bag and suggested they get lunch. Iroke took her to a
little restaurant she was fond of and Priss ordered a steak, rare.
Iroke winced as Priss cut into the meat. It bled onto the plate.
"A little heavy for lunch isn't it?"
Priss grinned and chewed the bite in obvious enjoyment. "Iron.
Protein. Things that make a sick body better."
Iroke poked at her salad and shot Priss a thoughtful look.
"What... why are you under doctor's orders?"
Priss took a drink from her wine glass and shrugged. "An
accident. I wrecked my motorcycle a few weeks ago." She had thought it
best to stick with the closest version of what the public believed.
"Is that what happened to your arm?"
Priss froze and looked down at the metal hand gripping her fork.
She realized that she had actually forgotten that it was not real. She
shook her head and smiled faintly. "That happened a few years ago.
Another motorcycle accident actually." At this rate, everyone will
think that I can't drive a bike worth a damn.
= It's not motorcycles that do this stuff to you. It's your line
of work.=
<Now there's a chilling thought.>
Iroke drew a deep breath. "You know everybody thinks you're
dead."
Priss stared at her until Iroke blushed and lowered her eyes. "I
wasn't aware that you knew who I was."
"I was in MegaTokyo a few months ago and caught one of your
performances with a friend. You were fantastic. I thought I was
imagining things when I first saw you, but I realized in the car that
you were... you. I hope I haven't made you uncomfortable. I won't tell
anyone." She reached out and covered Priss'
human hand.
<This is what I get for flirting.>
= I warned you. =
"I know that the newspapers got everything mixed up, but I
haven't minded the break. I'll correct it when the time is right, but
for now, I'm just trying to get my strength back. <And then some.>
= So go rest already.= Arashi chided her gently. =You really are
pushing it. The injuries from the fight aren't healed yet and you where
never really recovered from...Kutsuu's handiwork.=
<I know.> She didn't have to fake the yawn that came over her and
Iroke understood when Priss asked to be taken back to the hotel.
?????
Linna sank into the huge tub with a groan of pleasure. "Perfect!
Absolutely perfect."
Nene slid in next to her and had to agree. "I am so glad we did
this." They soaked in silence for a time, letting their minds drift.
Nene laughed suddenly and Linna opened one eye. "Something funny?"
"Just wondering what Sylia and Priss are doing right now."
Linna chuckled. "Well if Priss has come back, then they're
probably fighting again... or making up from a fight. I'm never sure
how one of their battles will end."
"I know what you mean. I keep imagining that we'll go over one
day and find out that they've strangled each other to death." Nene
reached for the bottle of wine she had brought in with her and poured
them both a glass.
Taking the glass she handed her, Linna sipped the sweet wine and
sighed. "Do you ever get tired of it?"
"Their fighting or the job?"
"Both I guess. I mean, let's face it Nene, a great deal of the
trouble we get into is a direct result of their relationship."
Nene shrugged. "Well, you can't say it's boring. Besides, without
the Knight Sabers I wouldn't have met you." She leaned back against the
side of the tub and looked up at the ceiling. "We kind of owe our
relationship to them, if you think about it. When Priss lost her
arm...that night was bad for all of us. You and I got close in a way I
don't think we would have been able to otherwise."
"I suppose you're right, but this cloning business... that was
going too far."
"Oh I agree, but I don't think that Sylia, being Sylia, had any
other choice." She saw Linna frown at her choice of words and laughed.
"Now don't look at me like that! I'm not saying that she was right to
do what she did, I'm just saying that for Sylia, the way she is, she
had to try and fix things."
Linna watched the ruby liquid swirling in her glass and asked
quietly, "Would you try to clone me?"
Nene thought about it for a minute before finally shaking her
head. "No, but not because I wouldn't want you back, but because I know
how you feel about it."
Linna nodded, relieved. "True, but that does make you wonder.
Sylia knew how Priss would feel about it, yet she did it anyway. Isn't
that selfish?"
"Yes, but again, I think Sylia really couldn't stand to lose
Priss. She lost her parents very young and I think she's trying to keep
from ever going through that kind of loss again."
"She's overcompensating." Linna's blunt declaration made Nene
laugh and she had to concur.
"What are we doing? Here we are, on vacation, alone together with
no chance of interruptions and we're talking about Priss and Sylia's
problems! What's wrong with us?"
Linna grinned at her petulant tone and moved closer to her,
setting her glass on the rim of the tub. "Well I guess we'll just have
to find something to take our minds off of them." She ducked her head
and began to kiss Nene's neck as her hands began to roam under the
surface of the water.
Nene felt her eyes slide closed as Linna found her breasts and
spoke absently, "You're absolutely right, Linna. Let's, oh yes, right
there, find something else to do."
?????
Sylia shifted restlessly in her sleep and wrapped her arms
tighter around the pillow as she rolled onto her stomach. The clock
beside the bed read five minutes after one a.m. and Sabishii realized
that she had been watching Sylia sleep for over an hour. She wondered
at her own obsession and approached the bed quietly.
She had finished constructing the bars over the bedroom door and
had fashioned a crude lock that Sylia would be unable to break or
bypass. Sabishii had waited until she was sure Sylia was asleep before
entering and she had stood in the doorway and argued with herself
before giving in.
She stripped off her clothes and slid into the bed next to Sylia,
careful not to jar her awake. Sabishii gripped the material of Sylia's
nightgown and pulled it up, easing it out of her way. Sylia slept on,
oblivious to her presence and Sabishii knew that it wouldn't last long.
She touched Sylia's leg, causing her to sigh in her sleep and shift,
moving her leg up and leaving her open for Sabishii's touch. She slowly
pushed her fingers into Sylia and began to stealthily caress her until
she felt Sylia's body respond. Sabishii moved closer and covered Sylia,
pinning her down. She continued to probe her body and Sylia moaned.
The sound woke her and Sylia opened her eyes and felt a flash of
fear as she realized that she was being held down. "What-?"
Sabishii breathed into her ear. "Hello lover."
Sylia felt her heart pounding in her chest. "Damn you."
"Now, Sylia. No need for that." Sabishii plunged deep and Sylia
gasped burying her face in the pillow. "See? I'll make sure you enjoy
anything I do to you, so just lie still and let me play."
Sylia knew that she could not let this happen again. She strained
up, trying to dislodge Sabishii, but with little success.
"Not going to work, you know." She flipped Sylia onto her back
and climbed on top of her, settling her weight firmly over her. Sylia
felt the warm brush of Sabishii's heat against her own and realized
what she meant to do.
"Stop this! Please Sabishii, don't do this to me again." Sylia
could hear the defeat in her voice and was appalled by it, but her body
was hopelessly attuned to Priss' and even her clone could make her do
things she wouldn't otherwise.
Sabishii paused. "I'll make you a deal, Sylia. I'll leave you
alone for the rest of the time that I'm here if you'll give me
tonight."
"What do you mean?" She knew very well what Sabishii meant, but
some perverse part of her demanded that it be laid out in the open.
"I want you to make love with me tonight, Sylia. Give me this
night and I'll leave you alone when the sun rises."
Sylia glanced at the clock and calculated quickly. Five and a
half hours. Oh God. "All right."
"See there? And you thought we couldn't agree on anything."
Sabishii began to move and Sylia surrendered to the passion and met her
eagerly.
?????
Iroke saw how pale Priss was and saw her falter as she climbed
from the car. She insisted on seeing Priss to her room. Priss let her,
not feeling up to arguing with the determined girl.
Iroke watched Priss open the door and invited herself inside
before Priss could say goodbye. "I've always loved this room. The view
is spectacular."
Priss sighed and pushed the door closed. "Yes, it's very pretty.
Iroke..."
She started to explain that she was involved with someone, but
Iroke chose that moment to turn around and kiss her.
Priss didn't force her away, but she didn't respond either. She
was relieved to find only a mild interest in the whole thing and as
Iroke ended the kiss, Priss touched her cheek with a consoling smile.
"I'm sorry. I tried to tell you, but you didn't give me a chance."
Iroke sighed in disappointment. "You're in love with someone
else?"
Priss nodded. "I'm afraid so. We're arguing now, but that's
nothing new. We'll straighten things out again and I don't want to give
you the wrong impression."
Iroke ran her fingers along Priss' collar. "A relationship where
you fight all the time-."
"Makes it very passionate. I am sorry, Iroke."
She shrugged and placed a soft kiss against Priss' mouth. "I wish
I had met you before she did."
Priss laughed. "No you don't. Sylia is the only reason I'm as
tame as I am. Before her I was wild."
A speculative look flashed through her eyes and her smile was an
invitation. "But I think you'd be beautiful wild, Priss."
"Thank you, but no. I need to sleep, Iroke." She yawned again and
rubbed her eyes.
Iroke reached out and began to unbutton Priss' shirt. She had
three undone before Priss could stop her and she only laughed when
Priss caught her hands. "Stop it, Iroke. I said no."
"Calm down, Priss. I don't want anything from you," She pulled
free and undid the rest of the buttons, pulling the shirt loose and
pushing it off Priss' shoulders. "Just let me tuck you in and I'll let
myself out."
"Why?"
Iroke grew serious. "Call it indulging a fantasy. If I can't have
you, then at least let me have this."
Priss knew she should show her the door and close it firmly
behind her, but something in her eyes made her shrug and walk into the
bedroom. As Iroke followed, Arashi berated her. =You are not seriously
going to let her do this? =
<Why not? God knows I don't feel strong enough to do it myself
right now.> Priss watched as Iroke stepped close and slipped her arms
around her, her fingers unhooking her bra and tossing it over the chair
beside the bed. Iroke swallowed hard and lightly touched the angry
looking scar on Priss' shoulder.
The wound looked like it had happened weeks ago, but was in fact only
two days old. Iroke kissed the puckered flesh and Priss felt herself
respond to the contact <Oh hell.>
She admonished herself sternly as Iroke knelt and pulled her
boots off. They hit the floor with a thud and Priss inhaled sharply as
Iroke's hands slid across her stomach, reaching for the snap to her
jeans. "I don't think this was such a good idea."
Iroke tugged at the zipper and Priss resisted the urge to close
her eyes, as the metallic hiss seemed to fill the air. She definitely
should not take her eyes off this woman. The jeans were pulled off
along with her underwear and Priss found herself standing naked before
Iroke.
= Sylia is going to kill you.=
Priss felt Iroke's lips against the wound on her thigh and bit
back a groan. <And how is she going to find out?>
= Priss! You cannot sleep with this woman! =
Iroke began to kiss her way up Priss' body. <I really doubt that
I'd get much sleep.>
Arashi was stunned.= I can't believe you would betray Sylia like
this.=
<Hmm. Betray Sylia? Like she did me, you mean?> Priss did moan as
Iroke slipped her fingers between Priss' legs and touched her.
= So this is revenge? Sylia sleeps with someone else so you do
the same to make it even? This isn't a playground, Priss! =
<What's that old saying? An eye for an eye?> Iroke carefully
teased Priss' flesh, finding the moisture gathering there. Priss felt
herself falling and bounced lightly on the bed as Iroke pushed her legs
further apart and replaced her hands with her tongue. She gasped as
pleasure rocketed through her and clenched the bedspread tightly as
Iroke continued to take her on the drive she had promised.
= And a fuck for a fuck? Priss, I'm warning you, if you do this
then I'll have no choice, but to tell Taisei and she'll tell Sylia.=
Priss knew she was right and she reluctantly placed a hand on
Iroke's shoulder. "Iroke, please. You have to stop."
Iroke raised her head to look at Priss, but slid two fingers deep
inside of her. Priss groaned and shook her head. "I can't do this,
Iroke. I love Sylia."
"I told you, Priss. You don't have to do anything. Just lay back
and let me do all the work. A moment's pleasure will take nothing from
your Sylia. Just pretend you're masturbating." She ducked her head
again and Priss cried out as she suckled her clit. "GOD! Iroke! Ah!
That does not feel like... Oh!..."
The agile fingers increased their rhythm and Priss cried out again as
Iroke pushed her over the edge and she came in a violent rush.
= Well now you've done it.=
Priss opened her eyes and looked around her in confusion. She was
under the covers and the sun was just beginning to set. Iroke was
nowhere to be seen. "Iroke?"
= She's not here.= Arashi was very quiet and Priss grimaced.
<What have I done? Sylia's going to go nuts. You should have just
knocked me out.>
= You were dreaming Priss.=
"What?" Priss sat up. "What are you talking about?"
= You showed Iroke the door yesterday and went to bed... by
yourself.=
Priss was stunned. "A dream? But it was so vivid... Arashi what's
happening to me? I've never had a dream like that in my life!"
Arashi had no answer.= Just be glad that it was a dream. Sylia
would never forgive you for sleeping with someone else.=
"No shit."
= Why don't you order dinner? Or breakfast? Or something. You
haven't eaten in almost twenty-four hours and I need some more vitamins
as well.=
Priss grimaced. The thought of swallowing another large handful
of the high potency vitamins was enough to kill her appetite, but she
hit the room service button on the screen next to the bed, blocking the
video first.
She ordered a sandwich and at Arashi's urging, a large glass of
milk.= You really don't drink enough of that anyway.=
"I know, I know." Priss climbed out of bed and went into the
bathroom to retrieve one of the guest robes. She looked at herself in
the mirror over the sink and wondered why she was having such detailed
dreams. "I guess if there was anything wrong you'd spot it?"
=Yes. Whatever is happening is not the result of a physical
problem, if that's what you're asking. I will admit that your senses
seem to be working overtime lately, but I can't tell if it's because of
Kutsuu's games.=
Priss knew that she was worried. The awareness she now possessed
was vaguely disturbing, but Priss was rapidly coming to enjoy the
sensations that she was experiencing. "Well whatever it is, I hope it
lasts."
?????
Sylia saw the first rays of dawn peeking over the horizon as
Sabishii kissed her breasts and knew that this was the last time. She
moved suddenly, pushing Sabishii onto her back and looked at her
seriously. Sylia kissed her with an ardor that she had not let herself
express before and ran her hands over Sabishii's body. She used her
lips and hands in a silent apology for what she had done to Sabishii
and tried to give what comfort she could with her body.
Sabishii also saw the rising sun and knew that somewhere in the
dark hours of the night she had forgiven Sylia... for being Sylia. She
returned Sylia's caresses with a tenderness she had not been capable of
and as the sun continued to rise, they both made their apologies in
silent, bittersweet lovemaking.
?????
Linna gave the man behind the counter her name and he grinned in
recognition. "Of course Ms. Yamazaki. Your board is ready to go." He
ducked into the back and Linna turned to find Nene watching her
curiously.
"I thought it was odd that you weren't bringing your board with
you. When did you order a new one?"
Linna smiled sheepishly. "Right before I asked you if you'd like
to vacation in Hawaii."
Nene laughed. "I should have guessed."
The young man returned with a long padded case and he laid it on
the counter and unzipped it so that Linna could inspect the custom surf
board. Nene had to admit that it was beautiful. A little over six feet
long, the board was solid black, save for an emerald green dragon that
curled its way through a fog of pale smoke. The workmanship was first
rate and Linna happily handed over her credit card.
Nene winced at the final total. "2000? For a surf board?"
Linna didn't answer her as she re-zipped the bag and lifted her
prize. She had dreamed of a board like this for years and while it
would have been possible to have it shipped, there was something about
buying it in person that made it seem more real.
They left the surf shop and Linna finally answered Nene's
questions, even though they had been rhetorical. "That shop has been
shaping surf boards for over fifty years. The owner is an Olympic
surfing champion and he makes a point of testing each custom board he
builds. In other words, this little baby is perfect!"
Shaking her head at Linna's enthusiasm, Nene hailed a cab and
they headed back to the hotel, the long surf board strapped to the
roof.
?????
Sabishii carried Sylia to the table in the lab and gently laid
her down. She grabbed one of the waiting towels and began to dry her
off, wondering how long it would be until she awoke.
= A few minutes.= Arashi saw the new collective activating and
reaching the state of awareness that was Taisei.= Taisei is coming
around. What do you want me to tell her? =
"Nothing for now. Let's get them somewhere else before explaining
what's happened."
Sylia's eyes fluttered open and she saw Priss standing beside
her. "Priss? What's going on?"
Sabishii smiled down at her and shook her head. "I can't explain
it right now, Sylia. Let's get you dressed."
Her mind still clouded, Sylia allowed her self to be dressed and
she didn't question Priss' choice of attire. The casual jeans and soft
cotton shirt were not her usual style, but she let it go, trusting
Priss.
Arashi felt the first ping of an incoming communication from one
of the other enclaves and realized that it was not the new Taisei or
the old one, but the original Arashi. Damn. = Sabishii? Priss is
coming back.=
<Shit! How soon?> Sabishii finished tying the laces of Sylia's
tennis shoes and slipped an arm around her waist, supporting her as
they moved toward the elevator.
= Hard to say. Could be an hour, could be five minutes.=
<I might need to buy some time then.> She selected Sylia's
apartment and looped her duffle bag over her shoulder.
Sylia was still groggy and Sabishii said a silent prayer of
thanks as she left her sitting on the couch. "Stay here, love. I have
to get something in the bedroom." Sylia laid back and closed her eyes,
nodding.
Sabishii pulled the small charges from her pack and began wiring
them to the bars she had fastened over the doorframe. Sylia had heard
her enter the apartment and she watched her now. "What-?"
She stopped as Sabishii shushed her; jerking a thumb over her
shoulder and whispering, "Quiet! She's not ready to see you yet. Your
Priss is on her way back and I might need a little diversion."
Sylia lowered her voice. "So you're going to kill me."
"Of course not! This is just enough to take out the bars. You'll
be fine, but I'd stay in the bathroom just in case." She set the
detonator and looked at Sylia. "Okay then. It'll go in ten minutes.
We're leaving now."
"Wait." Sylia pulled a small bundle of papers from the pocket of
her slacks and slipped it through the bars to Sabishii.
Sabishii stared at the forged passports, driver's licenses and
bankbooks in bewilderment. "Why?"
"Call it restitution. You never told me what your Sylia's new
name was going to be so I left it blank. Arashi can show you how to
fill them in and adjust the photos. I transferred the Antou Corporation
into your name. It's small but she shouldn't have any problem changing
that."
Sabishii suddenly realized that Sylia couldn't have done this
before she had been sealed in the bedroom. "You fixed the link."
Sylia shrugged. "I bypassed your little jammer a few days ago.
You had better go. There's only seven minutes left."
Not understanding Sylia's behavior, Sabishii nodded and turned
away.
Sylia watched her help the new clone to her feet and they hurried
out. She wandered back into the bathroom and saw her reflection in the
mirror that lined one wall. She stepped closer and looked into her own
eyes, wondering when she had first started to lose her morality.
Perhaps it had been the night her father had been murdered and she had
vowed to avenge him. Or maybe it had begun the first time she sent the
Knight Sabers into battle, risking their lives in the pursuit of her
cause.
= Please don't start getting morbid again. You do realize that
your biggest problem is that you can't accept the fact that you're
human, Sylia. You're flawed and emotional, desperate to control the
world around you and frustrated because you can't. So you tend to go
overboard on the things that you can control.= Taisei was right, but
Sylia understood that knowing something and changing it were two
incredibly different things.
?????
Priss pulled into the garage and parked her bike next to one of
the most beautiful motorcycles she had ever seen. She took her helmet
off and whistled appreciatively at the shiny black finish that covered
every square inch of the frame, engine and even the exhaust. "Sinister
little thing, aren't you?" Wondering what Sylia had had in mind when
she built this thing, Priss dismounted and headed for the elevators.
First things first. She hit the button for the elevator and tried to
pinpoint yet again the exact part of herself that housed these
masochistic tendencies that made her return to Sylia time after time.
The doors opened and Priss came face to face with herself.
Sabishii looked up and cursed as she saw the real Priss and
tightened her arm around Sylia's waist. "Well hell. This could have
been timed better."
Priss stared at them in shock. Sylia seemed dazed, staring at
Priss oddly. "P-Priss?"
The clone pushed past her double and led Sylia to the waiting
bike. Priss followed quickly.
"What the hell have you done to her?" She caught Sylia's arm and
whirled her around, vaguely aware of the way Sylia's long hair arched
through the air. Long hair? Priss stared hard at the woman in her grip
and saw the subtle differences. She pushed Sylia into her own clone's
arms. "Where's Sylia?"
Sabishii jerked a thumb upwards and looked at her watch.
"Upstairs in the master bedroom. You've got three minutes until the
bomb goes off."
Stunned disbelief was the only way to describe Priss' expression
and the clone laughed. "Can you take the chance that I'm not lying?"
Priss ran for the elevator. As the doors closed, Sylia spoke quietly.
"Priss? What's going on?"
Sabishii kissed her tenderly and hugged her. "I'll explain it
soon, Love. We have to go now."
Priss heard the muffled explosion as she darted through the
opening doors. "No! Sylia!" The apartment door fell before the force of
her blow and Priss saw it crash across the room as she raced towards
the bedroom. The tangled mass of blackened and twisted metal made no
sense and she stopped running as Sylia appeared in what remained of the
doorway. "Sylia?"
Sylia froze and studied the woman before her carefully. The
lingering fear and concern in her eyes was what finally convinced her
and Sylia shamelessly hurled herself into her Priss' arms. "Priss!"
?????
Priss held her close as she told her a somewhat edited version of
what had happened over the last week and in the end, Priss was berating
herself for leaving Sylia alone for so long. My God! I could have lost
her that easily! "Damn it! If I hadn't been so determined to teach you
a lesson..."
Sylia shook her head. "No Priss. This wasn't your fault. It was
mine. I created this situation and the consequences of my actions just
came home to roost so to speak."
"Still, I could have come home sooner." She scattered kisses
along Sylia's face in apology, ruefully acknowledging the fact that
sometime during that ride up the elevator she had forgiven Sylia. Priss
knew then that she was well and truly entangled with Sylia forever.
Sylia felt her stomach twist at her own dishonesty. She simply
had no idea of how she was going to tell Priss what had happened. And
she had to because Sylia was very much afraid that Sabishii would and
she needed to be the one to tell Priss first.
?????
The helicopter flew in low over the crater and Nene began
snapping pictures of the steaming volcano. <It's incredible!> She
didn't even try to make her voice to carry over the sound of the
blades. There were some definite perks to speaking mind to mind. <Sorry
I dragged you away from the beach?>
<No way! This was a good idea, love!> The pilot swung them around
to the next site on the tour and Linna patted Nene's leg as the chopper
dipped suddenly, making her gasp. "It's okay, I think that was a down
draft."
Nene glared at the back of the pilot's head and muttered
silently. <I could do better than that with my eyes closed!>
<You don't want to fly one of these things yourself do you?>
Linna glanced at her in concern and Nene smiled slyly. <Maybe.>
?????
Sylia unhooked the power supplies from all of the components and
began to remove the acceleration chamber's cover. "You can take the
incubator apart."
Priss picked up a screwdriver stepped towards the machine, only
to halt as she heard something break under the weight of her boot.
Priss knelt and picked up the pieces of a broken button. Her eyes fell
on another lying a few inches away and another a little farther. She
saw the jumbled pile of clothes the same instant Sylia did.
Sylia moved, but Priss beat her to them. She recognized what was
left of Sylia's lingerie and favorite silk blouse and tried to
understand what she was looking at. Why would...? Her fists clenched in
the material. Priss saw the pieces of packing tape that were still
stuck to the chair and she turned to Sylia. "I'll kill her."
Sylia flinched at the raw hatred she heard in Priss' voice.
"Priss."
Priss threw the cloth aside and caught Sylia up in a fierce hug.
"Oh Love, why didn't you tell me?" She drew back and cupped Sylia's
face in her hands, looking for the signs that she had missed. "Are you
alright?"
Sylia inhaled sharply and nodded. She had to tell her. "I'm fine,
Priss. She didn't hurt me."
Her attention utterly focused on Sylia, Priss could now see that
her lover was hiding something. "Talk to me Sylia. What did she do to
you?"
Sylia pulled away from Priss and wrapped her arms around herself.
Priss let her go, knowing that Sylia would not lie to her again.
"Sylia?"
Bracing herself against the acceleration chamber, Sylia forced
herself to speak. "She... she didn't force me, Priss. I..." She trailed
off and waited for Priss to explode.
When Priss was finally able to speak her tone held not even a
hint of the chaos she was feeling in that moment. "What happened?"
Sylia shook her head, but Priss wanted answers. She grabbed
Sylia's shoulders and spun her around. "I asked you a question, Sylia
and you are going to answer it." She pushed Sylia into the chair and
tore away one of the strips of tape. "You are going to tell me exactly
what happened, starting with this."
?????
Linna paid for the small wooden figure and ignored Nene's
exasperated expression. She added it to the growing collection in her
bag and they left the shop and began walking back to the hotel. "Not
one word, Nene. I didn't say anything when you bought that hideous
mask."
Nene stuck her tongue out and Linna grinned. "Don't point that
thing at me unless you intend to use it."
She stopped walking and Linna turned back to her. "What?"
<Where would you like me to use it?> The heat in Nene's eyes made
Linna shiver in anticipation.
<Why don't we go back to the room and discuss it?>
?????
Priss buried her face in her hands and resisted the urge to
laugh. She was very much afraid that if she started she would be unable
to stop. Sylia had finished her 'confession' a few minutes before and
was now waiting for Priss' reaction. Priss wasn't sure how to react
because frankly, she wasn't sure how she was feeling. Half way through
the telling, Priss had suddenly realized what her clone had been doing
and from that point on nothing Sylia had said came as a surprise. Priss
had known that the clone was an almost exact copy, but she hadn't
thought that they would even seek their revenge in the same way.
<I would have done the same damn thing.> The sad part was that
Sylia had yet to understand the true reason the clone had done what she
had. Sabishii had to know that Priss would not leave Sylia over this so
the punishment was more of a test: would Sylia reveal the truth or try
to deceive Priss yet again?
"You hate me." Sylia's flat declaration made Priss' head snap up.
"What? No, Sylia, I don't hate you." She pulled Sylia to her feet
and hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry."
"You're sorry? Why would you...?" Priss' smile was self-
depreciating.
"I helped push Sabishii into this course of action. I took away
everything she had, even her name. The only thing left to her was
revenge."
Sylia remembered something that Sabishii had said and wondered if
it were true. "She said," Sylia looked into Priss' eyes. "She said that
I could look forward to the same thing if I ever left you."
Priss inhaled sharply and cursed Sabishii. She knew that Sylia
wanted her to deny it, to say that she would never be that cruel, but
she couldn't. ""Maybe. It would depend on the circumstances."
Sylia told herself that she was surprised by Priss' answer, but
she had known what her response would be. Feeling oddly chilled, Sylia
drew out of Priss' arms and took a few steps away. Priss let her go,
knowing that she needed a moment. "I suppose I could have lied, but I
try not to do that to you."
"No. No, I'm glad you told me." I think. "You... why?"
Priss shrugged and repeated, "It would depend on the
circumstances. If you left me because we had argued then I'd probably
let it go, knowing that we'd get back together sooner or later."
"And if I left you for someone else?"
Priss' face turned to stone. "You wouldn't want to do that."
Sylia felt herself trembling and was shocked to find that she was
aroused by Priss' words. "I see." Sylia laid a shaking hand on her
throat and looked at Priss intently. "What about what happened with
Sabishii?"
Reading the signs easily, Priss mentally sighed. Well she's had a
taste of it now, it's only to be expected she'd want more. Priss kept
her expression blank and stepped towards Sylia with all the deliberate
motions of a tiger stalking its prey. She caught Sylia's shoulders in a
firm grip and pulled her against her body.
Sylia felt her heart lurch and begin to pound even as she berated
herself for her behavior. 'This is ridiculous!'
Priss held her tightly and pressed her cheek against Sylia's so
that her lips were a breath away from her ear. She whispered softly,
and her voice was like honey-covered steel. "You're trying to provoke
me into reacting like she did, aren't you?"
Sylia shivered and blushed. "I don't know what's happening to
me."
Wicked laughter enveloped her and she felt the brush of Priss'
lips against the delicate shell of her ear. "It was the word. I saw how
your eyes darkened when you said it." She traced the outline with her
tongue and Sylia jerked. "I heard the catch in your voice." Priss
caught the earlobe between her teeth and Sylia gasped out, "What word?"
Priss pushed her back against the wall and let her leg slip
between Sylia's. She pressed upwards, making Sylia' skirt rise higher
until her thigh was firmly against Sylia's heat. Sylia moaned softly
and opened her eyes to stare into Priss' dark gaze. Priss smiled at the
musky smell and answered Sylia's question. "Seduction." The words
flowed over her lips like sin personified and Sylia would have fallen
if Priss' leg had not held her pinned to the wall. "Please Priss!"
Priss held up the index finger of her human hand. "See this? With
this one finger I can do things to you that will make you writhe in
pleasure." She touched Sylia's lips with the finger and traced them
lightly. "Should I, Sylia? Would you like that?"
Sylia moaned helplessly but couldn't bring herself to voice what
she wanted. Priss shook her head and continued to play with her lips.
"Not good enough, Sylia. I won't do anything unless you say it. Talk to
me Sylia. Tell me what you're thinking, what you're feeling." She
parted Sylia's lips and slipped the tip of her finger inside only to
withdraw it again at the touch of Sylia's tongue. "Tell me what you
desire. What do you want Sylia? Do you want me to touch you?" Sylia
nodded, but Priss only shook her head again. "Say it. Say where you
want me to touch you."
Desire clogged her throat, but Sylia managed, "M-my... breasts."
Instantly she was rewarded as Priss cupped her breast. Sylia
almost cried out in relief, but quickly realized that it was not
enough. Priss held her, but did nothing else. "Please!"
Priss licked the side of Sylia's throat, but refused to do more
than that. "What do you want me to do to you, Sylia?"
Frustration made her snap, "Squeeze my breasts, massage them!"
Priss complied and Sylia's head fell back in pleasure as she caressed
her. Priss watched the expressions race across Sylia's face. "Do you
like that?"
Sylia arched upwards into Priss' hand and gasped, "Yes!" But it
wasn't long before she wanted more. "Please, Priss!"
Priss smiled at her distressed plea. "Yes, Sylia? You wanted
something else?"
Sylia felt herself flush, but told her. "Unbutton my blouse." She
quickly added, "And unhook my bra."
"See how easy that was? You tell me what's on your mind and then
we both know where we stand." The buttons parted easily and Sylia felt
Priss' fingers on her flesh. "Yes!" Priss unhooked the front clasp of
her bra and freed her breasts into her waiting hands. "Ohhh Priss!"
"Yes Sylia?"
"Kiss them, please!"
Priss carefully kissed every inch of her breasts until Sylia
thought she would scream with frustration. "Suck them!" Priss drew a
hard tip into her mouth and tugged it lightly with her teeth. Sylia did
scream then, her hands gripping Priss' shoulders to hold her close.
"God, Priss!" Sylia couldn't think, her mind clouded with Priss' touch.
She grabbed one of Priss' hands and thrust it under her skirt. "Touch
me." Priss happily obliged and Sylia felt her talented fingers moving
inside her. She moved against her hand helplessly until she could feel
herself being pulled out of her body. Sylia screamed as she came,
thrusting wildly against Priss' hand. "Priss!"
Priss continued to touch her, drawing her pleasure out and
extending it until Sylia shuddered again, this time unable to make a
sound. She slumped against Priss, a quivering mass that could not
support itself. Priss swept her up into her arms and strode to the
elevator.
?????
Linna smiled happily as she read the financial section of the
newspaper. The investments she had made for Mr. Romanova were rapidly
becoming profitable and she hoped that this would help ease his mind
about her. She picked up her coffee cup and glanced at Nene.
Nene was leaning against the rail of their balcony, staring into
the night sky. She felt Linna's eyes on her and turned. "It's so
beautiful, Linna. I almost wish that we could stay here."
Linna's eyebrows arched at this and she asked quietly, "Would you
like to?"
Nene realized that Linna was serious and she thought about it.
The island was incredible, but Nene knew that she would miss her job
and the Knight Sabers. She shook her head and sighed. "No. I guess not.
It's tempting though." She pointed to the newspaper Linna held.
"Anything interesting?"
Linna shrugged. "Not really. Just checking on a few things." She
turned the page and made a small sound of discovery. "Hey! Vision is in
concert here tomorrow night."
Nene moved to look over Linna's shoulder and they studied the
article together. The concert was to be the first in Vision's comeback
tour and was expected to be a sellout. "Do you want to go?"
Nene's excited nod made Linna grin and she instructed Inji to
obtain tickets for them. =I'll try, but this is kind of short notice. =
<Do what you can.>
?????
Sylia rose up onto her elbow and looked down at Priss who was
lying beside her, eyes closed. Priss smiled slightly. "Yes?"
"What was that about?"
Priss opened her eyes and reached up to tangle her fingers in
Sylia's hair. "In the lab, you mean?"
Sylia ignored the effect Priss' touch was having on her with
difficulty. "Yes."
Priss shrugged. "Just showing you the value of open
communication." Actually, she had been as surprised as Sylia by her
actions, but the trace of uncertainty in Sylia's eyes told Priss that
she had her off balance. Which might be a good place to keep Sylia for
a while.
"Priss..."Sylia trailed off, unsure of what to say.
Priss rolled over and pinned Sylia beneath her. "Sylia, you think
too much."
?????
Sylia stretched lazily and rolled over to look at Priss. She
frowned slightly at the empty place beside her and sat up. <Priss?>
<I'm in the lab, Sylia.>
<What are you doing?>
There was a brief pause and Priss' reply seemed distracted. <This
and that.>
Dressing quickly, Sylia hurried out of the apartment and to the
elevator. Something in Priss' tone told her that this and that was
something that she needed to be aware of. <What are you doing Priss?>
Priss' humor was evident. <What's wrong Sylia? Afraid I might
break one of your toys?>
Sylia exited the elevator and entered the lab. She saw no sign of
Priss. It took only a second for her to realize that Priss had not
meant the main laboratory, but Sylia's smaller, private lab. An idea
sprang to mind and she all but ran for the elevator.
Priss heard the elevator doors open, but didn't pause in her
task. She had managed to remove all of the bolts securing the large
screen to the wall and was now lowering the heavy piece of equipment to
the floor.
"Priss! What are you doing? That isn't part of the cloning
equipment." Sylia looked around the room in disbelief. All of her
equipment had been dismantled and carefully stacked against the walls.
Priss glanced at her and smiled at the stunned look of dismay that had
swept over Sylia's face. "Can you hand me that wrench, love?"
Sylia did so automatically, not quite over the shock of finding
her private sanctum in pieces. "Priss... why have you done this?"
Priss straightened from her task of unbolting a table from the
floor. She met Sylia's eyes and smiled faintly. "I'm sorry to spring
this on you without warning you first, but I couldn't take the chance
of you talking me out of it." She leaned back against the table and
tapped the wrench against the palm of her artificial hand. The metallic
sound seemed unusually loud, but they both ignored it as Priss
continued. "I did a lot of thinking while I was away Sylia and I came
to the conclusion that you're too smart for your own good. You get so
caught up in the fact that you can do something that you forget to ask
yourself if you should."
Sylia stiffened, but didn't speak. Priss shook her head. "Now
don't go getting all self righteous on me Sylia. You know damn well
what I'm talking about. I know that taking this lab apart would only
delay any of the weirder ideas you tend to get, but I'm not doing it
just to stop you from playing Frankenstein." Priss noted Sylia's flinch
at her words but continued. "I'm just trying to ease my own mind a bit.
If you have to do everything in the main lab then you won't be able to
hide so much from everyone and maybe we'll actually get a chance to try
and talk you out of something before you do it." She dropped the tool
onto the table and moved to Sylia. Priss pulled her into her arms and
chanced a smile. "So... how mad are you?"
Sylia ignored the sick feeling churning in her stomach as the
truth of Priss' words hit home and summoned a smile of her own. It
wasn't the most enthusiastic smile Priss had ever seen but she took
what she could get. She kissed her cheek and hugged her tightly. "Trust
me, Sylia. I won't interfere with your work. I just want to know that I
can trust you not to go over anymore lines."
There wasn't much Sylia could say to that and she rested her
spinning head against Priss'. Perhaps Priss was right, but that didn't
do much to ease the sense of betrayal she was feeling.
Taisei was quick to point out. =I don't think that you have much
room to accuse Priss of betraying you, Sylia. =
She drew a deep breath and shrugged of the loss of her lab. "I
guess I can't blame you, Priss." Sylia stared into her lover's eyes and
spoke softly. "If anything ever happens to you again then you have my
word that I won't try and bring you back. I am sorry that I did what I
did. I regretted it almost as soon as Sabishii was out of the chamber,
but it was too late then. Perhaps you're right. Maybe I do get too
caught up in the science." She shook her head. "Sometimes I'm afraid
that I'm becoming like Genom. Ignoring what's right in the pursuit of
the final goal."
Priss objected strongly to the comparison. "No way! Genom goes
it's own way and doesn't give a damn how many people get hurt.
Everything you do is in an attempt to make things better." Priss
grinned. "You just need to rein in your creative streak a little."
Sylia laughed ruefully. "Rein in? I suppose you plan to be the
one holding those reins."
Priss ducked her head and kissed the side of Sylia's throat.
"Nope. I'm just going to help you burn up a little of that excess
energy in more... physical pursuits."
?????
Priss saw the outfit Sylia had chosen and immediately protested,
"Uh uh, nope. Not going to do it." She propelled Sylia back into the
bedroom and stepped into Sylia's closet. She bypassed the power suits
and evening gowns, ignored the slacks and casual skirts until she made
a sound of discovery. "Ah hah! Here, put this on."
Sylia took the rack and eyed the small skirt dubiously. Bought in
a moment's impulse the short black leather, skirt had never even been
worn and she had actually forgotten that she had it. "You're not
serious?"
Priss leaned close and began to gently bite at Sylia's lips.
Sylia moaneed low in her throat as Priss smiled encouragingly.
"Please?" Sylia nodded and went to change. Priss' smile turned evil as
she called after her. "And no pantyhose, Sylia." Sylia faltered, but
recovered quickly. She glared down at the garment and Priss heard her
mutter as she entered the bathroom, "There's no way in the world I'm
climbing onto a motorcycle in this thing."
?????
Sylia stared at the small, dark green sports car and then at
Priss. "What's this?"
Priss shrugged and opened the passenger door for her. "It's
called a car." Sylia lowered herself into the seat awkwardly and felt
the first trickle of unease as she saw the maximum speed the car was
capable of. "Um, Priss? Why don't we just take the Mercedes?" Priss
closed the door before she could attempt to climb back out again and
hurried around to the other side. She slid behind the wheel and
fastened her seat belt, shooting Sylia a devilish grin that did nothing
to calm her. "Buckle up, Love."
Sylia quickly did so as Priss shifted into reverse and eased out
of the slot, reminding herself how little it took to send the vehicle
flying. "Um, when did you get this?"
"Today."
Once out on the highway, Sylia abandoned appearances and gripped
her seat for dear life. "This was not a good idea."
Priss patted her thigh and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry,
Sylia. In a few minutes you won't care if I drive you off a cliff." Her
hand slid up the inside of Sylia's leg and covered her. Sylia jumped
and tore her eyes away from the road to look at Priss incredulously.
"You can't be serious?"
Priss made a tsking sound and pulled the car off the road. She
turned to Sylia and seemed to be trying to see through her. "You keep
asking me that, Sylia. Have I done something that makes you think I'm
not a serious person?"
Not sure where she was going with this, Sylia shook her head.
"No, but-."
Priss held up her hand and stopped her. "Okay then. Now, do you
trust me?"
Sylia nodded somewhat tentatively and Priss laughed. "Good." She
reached into her pocket and withdrew a length of scarlet silk. Sylia
recognized it instantly. "My scarf! I thought I'd lost it."
"No, just mislaid it." If there was a deeper meaning in her words
then Sylia missed them as Priss folded the scarf and raised it to her
face.
"Priss?" Sylia didn't stop her, but she wasn't happy as Priss
bound the cloth over her eyes. Instantly her anxiety returned in full
force, but Priss' hand on hers kept her from removing the blindfold.
She felt the air stir across her face as Priss whispered into her ear.
"Trust me Sylia. We're going to dinner at a little restaurant up
the coast, about an hour's drive, okay?"
Sylia nodded. "All right."
Priss squeezed her hands and continued. "Now in that time I'm
going to touch you." Sylia's heart skipped a beat. "Anyway and anywhere
I want. Don't worry about traffic, this road is fairly clear and I
won't put you in danger." As she spoke, Priss was sliding her hands
under Sylia's skirt and tugging her underwear down. Sylia blushed
furiously as it was removed and Priss kissed her cheek before starting
the car again.
Sylia felt the car accelerating but had no time to worry as
Priss' hand began to unbutton her blouse. Within minutes, she was
gasping as Priss touched her, gently rolling and pulling the tips of
her breasts between her fingers. Sylia couldn't believe how she was
feeling and as Priss dropped her hand back under the tight skirt, Sylia
let her head fall back against the headrest and let Priss do whatever
she wanted to her.
Priss saw her relax out of the corner of her eye and grinned.
'Can't have that.' She took her hand away just long enough to shift
into a higher gear and the added speed and engine noise made Sylia
tense again. Priss returned her hand and pushed her fingertips between
Sylia's wet folds. She found her clit with her thumb and began to
stroke her deliberately.
Sylia arched up, straining against the seatbelt and then cried
out as Prisss began to drive her fingers into her aggressively. She
heard the engine screaming to be shifted into a higher gear and didn't
care. Priss pulled away to shift and Sylia moaned at the loss. Priss
was fast though and soon she was thrusting into Sylia again, making her
twist and shift in her seat as she tried to get closer. Priss heard her
call for more an instant before she saw the car in front of her brake
suddenly; Priss swerved and sent Sylia flying against her hand.
The sudden thrust made Sylia climax and she cried out in both
pleasure and fear as Priss fought to regain control of the car.
Priss gripped the wheel with both hands and passed the other car,
regretting the fact that her arm housed no projectile weapons. 'Maybe I
should see about adding something.'
Arashi snickered softly.= It'd be safer for other drivers if you
didn't. I think Sylia fainted after that last maneuver.=
Priss froze. <YOU WERE WATCHING?>
Arashi realized that she had just screwed up. Hell. =Um, we can
talk about this later, okay? Going to go to sleep now, bye! =
<I'm going to kill you!> Priss turned into the restaurant parking
lot and turned off the car. She pulled away the blindfold from Sylia's
eyes and looked at her in concern. "Are you all right?"
Sylia was breathing heavily, her faced flushed and her eyes
dilated. "Priss? Is it just me or have you been a little... different
since you came back?"
Priss grinned and nodded. "Its you. Hungry?" She hopped out and
went around to open Sylia's door.
Sylia smoothed a shaking hand over her hair and accepted Priss'
help in exiting the car. She clung to Priss' arm as they crossed the
parking lot, not steady enough to make it on her own.
Priss smothered another grin and greeted the hostess. "Good
evening, Iroke. Is our table ready?"
The tall brunette smiled charmingly at them and ignored a twinge
of jealousy at the way Sylia was holding on to Priss. "Of course,
Priss. Right this way." She led them to a secluded corner and Sylia
sank into her chair gratefully. She saw the desire in the hostess's
eyes as she stared at Priss and resisted the urge to smack her. Sylia
waited until she had left and then focused on Priss. "Friend of yours?"
Priss shrugged. "I stayed here a couple of days last week. They
have a great chef."
Sylia absorbed this and managed not to slide her chair closer to
Priss' when the woman returned and introduced them to their waitress.
The young girl took their drink orders and left them with menus. Sylia
read over the selection four times before admitting that she would be
hard pressed to recognize her own name right now. She looked at Priss
over the menu and sighed. "I give up. You order for me."
"Problem?"
She closed the menu and laid it on the table with hands that
still felt weak. "You've rattled my brain."
The heated look that Priss sent her made Sylia's temperature
rise. She saw Priss lean forward as if in a dream and felt her hand
move over her thigh. "My darling Sylia, I haven't even begun to rattle
you." The throaty purr made Sylia tremble.
The waitress returned with their drinks and Sylia sipped hers in
relief, the cold liquid cooling her slightly. Priss continued to watch
her like a cat toying with a mouse and Sylia wondered what else she had
planned.
They ate in a companionable silence with only the occasional
comment from each of them until the dessert. Sylia declined any and
Priss called for the check. When the hostess returned with the receipt,
Sylia saw her slip Priss something. Priss thanked her and rose,
stepping forward to take Sylia's arm again. They left the restaurant
and Sylia was unsurprised when they went past the entrance and on to
the elevators. Priss pushed the button and the doors chimed open. Sylia
stepped inside and waited until they closed again before turning to
Priss in question. "What are you up to?"
Priss tapped the button for the top floor and refused to answer.
The elevator climbed swiftly and Sylia had little time to wonder as the
doors opened again and Priss was leading her out into a small entrance
way. There were only two doors here and Priss slid the key card that
the hostess had given her through the slot. The door swung open and
Priss held it open for her.
Sylia stepped inside and saw a room out of a dream. Champagne
colored carpet invited one to curl up in front of a large fireplace of
carved marble. The furniture was low and formless while sweeping folds
of gold silk hung across the walls, making you feel like you were
inside of a huge tent. Even the windows did nothing to detract from
that feeling as they gave a panoramic view of the moonlit sea. Sylia
heard the door close behind her and felt Priss' hands slide over her
shoulders. "Like the view?"
"Its beautiful. How did you find out about this place?"
"A friend recommended it." Priss reached around to the front of
Sylia's blouse and swiftly unbuttoned it. She worked quickly and within
seconds, Sylia was standing before her wearing nothing but a somewhat
uncertain look.
There was a knock at the door and Sylia gasped, looking at her
scattered clothes in dismay. Priss caught her before she could pick
them up and pushed her towards the bedroom. Sylia went quickly and
Priss opened the door to see the hostess. "I was expecting a waiter."
Iroke smiled invitingly and pushed the small cart inside. The
smile died when she saw the clothes lying on the floor and she sighed
in defeat. "Hmm. I didn't realize you had company." She turned to Priss
and trailed her hand down the collar of her jacket. "Can't blame a girl
for trying." Iroke winked saucily and left.
Sylia peeked out of the bedroom. "I can blame her for trying."
Priss laughed and took the bottle of champagne from the bucket. She
worked the cork loose and filled two glasses as Sylia found her courage
and joined her. Priss handed her a glass and raised hers in a toast.
"To fulfilling promises." Sylia drank to the obscure words and saw
Priss' eyes move over her body with a barely leashed hunger. "What
promises, Priss?"
Priss took her glass and set it next to hers before taking her
into her arms. "Ones I made myself." She kissed Sylia, letting her
mouth fit firmly against hers until it was hard to tell where one ended
and the other began. She took her time and relearned the taste of
Sylia, knowing now how precious that was.
Sylia could feel herself losing touch with the world around her
as her body focused on Priss and only Priss. She knew there was more to
what Priss had said, but she pushed it to the back of her mind for
later. Sylia felt herself falling and opened her eyes to see Priss
lowering her to the carpet. She sank into the thick pile as Priss
covered Sylia's body with her own. Then she was gasping as something
cold splashed across her breasts.
Priss dropped the empty glass and took the tip of one wine
covered breast into her mouth. Sylia shuddered as Priss continued to
lap the sweet liquid from her body and once again found herself at the
mercy of Priss' touch.
?????
Sabishii watched Kuraki brush out her hair and smiled at the
image she presented. "You look good with long hair."
Kuraki, formerly Sylia, paused and frowned at Sabishii. "I guess
that's why you changed it then?"
Sabishii shrugged. "Well we needed to change our appearances
anyway, so I thought I'd save Taisei the trouble and get a head start."
"And my eyes?" Kuraki watched her with pale lavender eyes and
Sabishii smiled sheepishly. "I like purple."
"Uh huh." She looked back at the mirror and tried once again to
reconcile herself to the fact that she was not Sylia Stingray. When
Priss... Sabishii had first told her, she had thought that she was
crazy and it was only after Sabishii had taken her back to Silky Doll
and she had seen herself there did she begin to believe. The real shock
had come when Sabishii had told her why she had cloned Sylia and that
she herself was a clone. Kuraki could not believe that she would have
done something so reckless as to clone Priss. She looked at Sabishii,
stretched out on the hotel bed and wondered what they were going to do
now. "Where are we going? What are we going to do?"
Sabishii shrugged. "Anything we want. It's not like we have to
worry about taking out Genom. We're free to do whatever we want."
Not quite able to grasp the concept of true freedom, Kuraki
instead focused on Sabishii's appearance. "What are you going to do to
alter your appearance?"
Sabishii climbed off the bed and moved to stand behind Kuraki at
the mirror. "Hmm. Not sure actually. Any suggestions?" She bent forward
and placed a kiss on Kuraki's shoulder, near the thin strap of her
nightgown. "Or preferences?"
Kuraki studied her thoughtfully and then nodded. "Yes. Arashi?"
=Yes, Kuraki? =
"Green eyes, please. And dark brown hair." She smiled as Sabishii
rolled her eyes.
"Green, huh?" At her nod, Sabishii sighed and agreed. "You heard
the lady, Arashi. Green eyes."
= Consider it done. = And then she added, = I think you should
know that Taisei and I have decided to change our names. =
A brief silence and then Sabishii grimaced. "Okay, out with
them."
Arashi laughed softly. =Kiji.= Sabishii rolled her eyes and
nodded. "Of course."
Taisei was more subdued. = Rihi. = Kuraki looked into the mirror
again, her expression pale. "I see."
Sabishii sighed and patted her on the shoulder. "They think
they're being clever."
"I'm not so sure they're wrong."
"We're not Knight Sabers any more, Kuraki. We never were. We can
do what ever we like."
Kuraki wasn't sure she knew how to do anything else. "What if I
can't?"
Sabishii was floored. She had never heard Sylia...Kuraki sound so
lost before and she realized that she didn't like it one bit. "I think
if there is one person on this planet that can handle finding out that
they're a clone and then go one to carve out a life for themselves then
it has to be you."
Chaos reigns within.
Reflect, repent, and reboot.
Order shall return.
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http://www.freespeech.org/shehulk