Wee. AL stuff:

"I'm sorry, dear heart, we have to work late today." My mother used to

always tell me.  I would clasp my dolly to my breast and pout, my eyes
brimming with tears.  "Now, now, Kanako, I don't want to see you cry.

Show

me a smile.  That's my good little soldier," Daddy would then command.
They're both in the army, you see.  Mom works in the intelligence bureau
while Dad is with R & D.  I don't have any brothers or sisters; my folks
were too busy to bother with making me a little playmate.  The kids my age
were too intimidated by my parents to even approach me.  I was lonely, and
then only last year, I saw the finals of the Kanto Tournament.  I saw

them,

miniature warriors battling in what they called 'layers'.  I was enchanted
and was drawn into what was to become my new focus in life.  I got hooked
into Angelic Layer and I haven't been the same ever since.

 Heh. Isn't that the story of them all? The latter part, I mean

I named her Hane.  She was beautiful, with short violet hair and a

slight

build, and she was going to make me the greatest.  I spared no expense
training her and upgrading her parts.  I intended to sweep the next
tournament underneath my heel.   I will make the whole of Japan know my
name.   Soon even my parents would have to take notice of me.

 Nice  motives.

I had Hane initiate the conflict by a flashy multi-move combo that sent

girly-girl's Angel flying near the edge of the layer.  I made Hane move at
the last instant to block her path with a nasty clothesline.  It was

brutal

and I loved every minute of it.  I enjoyed every wince on girly-girl's

face.

"Hikaru!" she cried each time her pathetic Angel received a hit from my
Hane.  I had my Angel go for the coup de grace and was startled to find
pipsqueak's Angel was no longer there.  I looked around and then I looked

up

only to have Hane receive a devastating hit that knocked her out of the
layer. She bounced on the floor once, twice and then lay still, dead like

my

heart.

At least for a moment.

"I'll defeat you someday," I swore, "Mark my words, Hizuma Kanako does

not

lose for long.  Someday I will defeat you, you'll see."  She shook her

head

and looked at me with sad eyes.

"Angelic Layer isn't about defeating your opponent; it's for having fun,

meeting people and doing your best to win. I have to go now, but I'll see
you again, okay?" she said with a respectful bow.  She gathered up her

Angel

and rushed to the stands, probably to her friends.

 Such heartfelt affection is hard to resist. One of the endearing points of
the series. I know I liked that aspect of it.

I left the stage with a heavy heart but I promised myself that I would

return.  Next year I'd fight Misaki Suzuhara, the girly-girl, the only one
who cared enough to notice me.

 Short but sweet. Nice little introspection piece. I enjoyed it.

D.B. Sommer

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