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R2096 WEB SITE: http://qlink.queensu.ca/~4cw6/2096a.htm
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Editor's note:
Well, Adrian has done it again. In record time, he's put out an
entertaining story that clears up quite a few relationships in R2096
continuity. I'll let the story speak for itself, and trust that y'all
will enjoy yourselves reading it.
As always, feedback is very much appreciated, and any comments received
will be sent to the author.
-CW
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Prologue
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[Jusenkyo - 1950]
The Amazon Elders stood on the web of land dividing the thousand pools
of sorrow, and watched intently as one of their group strove to keep her
balance on a pole above one of the springs. Holding a jar directly above
her head, the thin, tall woman closed her aged eyes and began chanting in
an ancient Chinese dialect. Few 'modern people' would have recognised the
words, but Nature remembered them, and heeded her call. The waters from
beneath the Elder swirled into a whirlpool, and as her words increased in
intensity, the pool began to glow with a cold light.
[The youth . . . has been awakened,] murmured the spectators.
[Oh, truly she is strong in spirit to be able to summon a lost soul such
as this one.]
[Indeed, a worthy leader of our tribe.]
The old woman atop the pole opened her eyes abruptly in the middle of
a fierce incantation. Immediately, a splash of impossibly shiny water broke
out of the pool's surface like a furious serpent, and snaked itself into the
jar on top of her head. The pool lost its unnatural luminescence, and the
Elder let out a sigh of exhaustion. Closing the jar carefully, she leapt
back down onto the ground to join the other elders.
[The spirit of the tragic drowned youth is now within this jar: the pool
is now free of its spirit host.]
The other old women sighed in relief. One of them spoke up with a
smile.
[Well done, Khu Lon. Now even if Happosai gets near Jusenkyo again, he
can no longer find what he desires. ]
[Yes. We were worried when people from the nearby villages reported
sighting of a withered, immensely powerful old man.]
[A rejuvenated Happosai is something that the world cannot afford.]
Smiling bitterly, Khu Lon spoke up as well. [I know. Even after all
that had happened, I still have to give credit to the bastard for the
charmer that he was: no woman can resist that. Come, let's head back
to the village: I do not wish to stay another moment in this place.]
With that, the group of elders started towards the curls of smoke that
signalled the location of their town.
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|_|. \__\ |_|. .|_|.|_|...\/..|_|.|_|.|_|.|_|. \|_| \
/\ \ /
Created by Christopher Willmore. / \ \ /
<4cw6@qlink.queensu.ca> / / \/
Based on a story by Rumiko Takahashi and /
Developed by C. Michael Schumacher / /
\ /
R2096 pages: http://qlink.queensu.ca/~4cw6/ \/(Logo:Armakuni)
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FATALE - Alpha Draft
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by Adrian Wong <7ahw@qlink.queensu.ca>
Edited by C. Willmore
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R2096 characters and situations used with permission. Takahashi's aren't.
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"Time to turn the pages
Time to turn the screw
The tyrants down the ages
Are simply passing through
No one's good or evil
When they're dead and gone
The caravan moves on"
-Tim Rice
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" " Japanese dialogue
< > Thoughts
[ ] Chinese dialogue
/ / Illusory sounds, memories
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[Department of Exploratory History - University of Tokyo, 2080]
"Oh, Chashaku-san! Isn't this exciting?"
"Yes . . . Sakuin-chan."
Inside the tastefully-decorated exhibition area, the head of Onocorp's
genetic research program latched herself onto the arm of the Chief
Technician of the same company, as the pair made their way through the
excited crowd of young people. The child-woman of twenty-four had a
wild-eyed, almost feverish look in her shadowy eyes as she looked up at her
middle-aged, but still rather well-preserved underling.
"They say this Chinese Antique Exhibition will include the 'Bracelet of
Amazonia'," she giggled, trying to sound 'kawaii' (and failing miserably).
"You know the legend behind it, no?"
"No, actually I don't." Chashaku avoided the girl's psychotic glance and
pretended to look around at the various exhibits. Really, why did his
superior have to be a girl who was almost as obsessed with him as she with
her work? If she were better-looking, then maybe it would have been
tolerable. But she looked . . . oh well, no need to get too insulting.
Then again . . . It wasn't that there was anything much the matter with
her figure. One didn't get to be head of cloning without learning a few
tricks about tissue manipulation. No, it was definitely something about her
face . . . The oppressive obsession in her large, shadow-framed eyes, rather
than her painfully thin features, was the source of his repulsion. He
smiled bitterly as he noticed that Sakuin had the same repellent effect on
the couples around them. Wherever they walked, a path would open, just as
the sea had split open long ago in rejection of a foreign prophet.
"Well, the legend had said that once upon a time, a handsome ninja had
wandered into the Amazon Village of China by mistake . . ." she trailed off
and her large eyes widened. "Oh! Look! There it is! There it is!!"
Chashaku sighed, and turned to look at the glass case with the fabled
bracelet in it. Up close, the 'Bracelet of Amazonia' was indeed a rather
beautiful-looking piece of jewelry, seemingly made of gold. However,
something seemed to be . . . missing on it, something crucial.
<Why are there three empty sockets on the bracelet?> Chashaku wondered.
"Oh! It is beautiful, just as the legend said it was!" the girl
squealed with exaggerated glee. She peered down at the plaque on the
display, and apparently assuming that Chashaku couldn't read, summarised the
inscription for him. "According to the legend, a ninja once met a beautiful
girl in an Amazon Village and fell in love with her. However, he could not
stay as her husband - the ninja had to continue on his training trip.
Crying tears of sadness and longing, the girl gave him her bracelet to
remember her by. Even though he never saw her again, the ninja kept the
memory of her, embodied in the bracelet, and his love for her outlasted his
proximity." She turned to the man with hints of sprinkles of tears in her
eyes. "Oh, Chashaku-kun, if only I could give you something to always
remember me by . . ."
"Eh . . . we're already seeing each other everyday at work, Sakuin-chan
. . ."
Suddenly feeling a presence from behind him, Chashaku turned, and his
eyes instantly brightened.
Standing beside him was a girl that could be anywhere between fifteen
and twenty. Her sharp-chinned, delicate face, with its dramatic dark eyes
and crimson lips, was an intriguing combination of fragility and strength.
Her bangs were short - short enough to show off her beautiful dark brows,
while the rest of her hair was long enough to flow past her thighs. Her
body, loosely clad in an off the shoulder, black Chinese robe adorned with
blood-red butterfly patterns, was extremely frail. Her bust and thighs
seemed small, yet her short, tiny waist had succeeded in making her appear
more shapely and tall than she really was. A sad, lost was on her face as
she stared at the bracelet behind the glass case.
Sakuin, abruptly noticing Chashaku's shift in focus and the
breath-taking vision that had brought it about, held all the more tighter
onto him as she gave the girl a jealous, viciously animated look. The
newcomer turned her face slightly to look back at her. All traces of the
previous sadness vanished from her face, replaced by sophisticated, womanly
mischief that seemed well beyond her years.
"There is no need to look at me like that: I'm but a child, while you
are already a sophisticated woman in your full bloom."
Sakuin didn't know if that was a compliment or an insult: everyone
knew that a young girl was a much more attractive item than a woman in
Japan. Before she could decide, however, the girl extended her hand towards
her with that same smile on her face.
"My name is Mayako. Pleased to meet you . . . Gosunkugi-san."
Sakuin and Chashaku both looked at the girl in surprise. "You know my
name?"
"I've read an article in the Kunou Weekly concerning your marvelous work
at Onocorp," she smiled with narrowing eyes. "Gosunkugi-san, you are an
extraordinarily talented genetic engineer."
Sakuin's heart soar at the compliment of an 'adoring fan' as she took
Mayako's hand. Finally, someone outside her own narrow circle had
recognised her genius! "Oh please, Mayako-chan, just call me Sakuin."
Mayako chuckled. "Sakuin-san."
Chashaku, meanwhile, was overtly eager to approach the girl, but hadn't
a clue as to how to start. "Eh . . . umm . . ."
Mayako, didn't seem particularly eager to acknowledge his presence,
either. Instead, she began to chat with Sakuin over a wide scope of genetic
engineering topics.
"- and my biology professor used to say that wasn't possible. <chuckle>
Sakuin-san, truly you have brought about a new age in cloning technology."
"Oh ho ho ho ho! That was nothing, really . . ."
When he could no longer stand being left out, Chashaku cleared his
throat. Loudly. Sakuin, now back down to earth and remembering that her
love was there, introduced him to the girl.
"Mayako-chan, this is the Chief Technician of Onocorp, my co-worker."
The girl politely took his awaiting hand as she stared into his eyes.
In that split instance, Chashaku felt as if the girl was analysing his very
soul. That feeling dispersed as she took away her hand, and turned back to
Sakuin.
"Sakuin-san, I gather that you find the legend behind the Love-Pill . .
. I mean, 'Bracelet of Amazonia' an interesting tale?"
"Why yes - - -" Sakuin breathed as she embraced herself in a neurotic
parody of an innocent schoolgirl. "Even though the ninja could never meet
his love again, he still managed to keep a part of her with him always by
keeping her bracelet with him. Isn't that romantic?"
"Indeed." Mayako laughed a light, slightly bitter laugh, but Sakuin
didn't notice it. "Sakuin-san, I myself happen to have quite a bit of
insider's knowledge on many of the items presented in here today. Please do
allow me to tell you the tragic tales of romance behind some of the relics?"
her smile turned increasingly flattering as she went on, "it's the least I
can do for a scientist that I've admired from afar for so long."
Sakuin practically squealed. "Oh, you sweetheart, you!"
Mayako gave her a pleased but slightly secretive smile as she began her
storytelling.
* * * * *
[Several hours later, at a local Chinese restaurant]
"NO!" Sakuin yelled through the noodles that were currently going down
her throat, almost choking in the process, "That can't be!"
Mayako calmly sipped on her tea, and said: "That's what the records from
the Amazon village said."
"But . . . I mean, the 'Bracelet of Amazonia' was really an item that
was ROBBED away from the Amazon Village by a thieving Japanese thug?! That
wasn't romantic at all."
"Real life seldom is, Sakuin-san," Mayako said as she nibbled on the
piece of man-tou balancing between her chopsticks with delicate grace,
"legends are but beautified versions of ugly truths."
"Awww . . . that's so disappointing . . ."
"Pardon me, Mayako-chan," Chashaku cut in, once again trying to gain the
girl's attention, "but how did you come to know of all the detailed truths
behind these obscure legends?"
Mayako casually replied as she caught his eyes with her own: "My
grandfather was an adventurer, possibly the last of his kind. He had been
through quite a few treasure hunts in China, and had left a record of all
this discoveries after he passed away."
Despite the fact that he found her explanation quite unconvincing,
Chashaku found himself nodding. Something about her eyes . . . something .
. . hypnotic, seemed to have weaken his ability to doubt her words. Then
again, that could also be attributed to her peculiar beauty and enigmatic
allure.
Sakuin, who had already accepted Mayako as her fan, didn't even feel the
need to doubt her. Instead, her shadow-framed eyes turned wistful as she
imagined what a carefree life of an adventurer would have been like. "Ah!
So that's why! Pardon me asking, Mayako-chan, but are you going to follow
in his footsteps? It sounded like a very interesting way to lead one's
life."
Mayako sighed. "Being a wanderer is only feasible when one has a vast
amount of wealth to support her . . . or his explorations. Besides . . ."
she smiled meaningfully at Sakuin, "I'd rather follow in your footsteps,
Sakuin-san. You've accomplished much more for humanity than my grandfather
ever did."
"Oh, have I?" Sakuin gushed and held her palms to her burning cheeks.
"Well, ummm . . . Mayako-chan, are you in high school?"
Mayako's eyes further lengthened as her smile grew. "Actually,
Sakuin-san, I've just finished my bachelor's degree in Genetic Engineering
and Biology, and am looking for work experience." Noticing Sakuin's and
Chashaku's odd looks, she asked: "Is something the matter?"
Coughing, Chashaku spoke up: "Mayako-chan, pardon me asking, but how OLD
are you?"
Looking into his eyes with her calm, infinitely deeper ones, she
replied: "Eighteen."
While Chashaku found himself lacking strength to continue his words,
Sakuin continued the questioning for him. "And you've ALREADY finished
the bachelor's degree?"
Mayako turned to Sakuin with a smile. "My family was . . . very
concerned with my education. As a result, I entered University
comparatively sooner than those others my age. Here," opening her purse,
she took out pieces of official diplomas from the Faculty of Applied Life
Sciences of Tokyo U, "these are my diplomas. Onocorp can do a scan on this
to verify their validity if it wishes to."
For the first time, Sakuin realized what was going on: the girl had
prepared all this beforehand. This wasn't a chance encounter with an
adoring fan, it was a meeting planned by an ambitious, terribly confident
girl who knew what she wanted, and wasn't afraid to get it. Sakuin didn't
know what to say, for all this seemed way too much like a crude set-up
that could only appear in movies.
As if reading Sakuin's thoughts, Mayako smiled a seemingly understanding
smile, and spoke up. "Then of course, if my self-promotion is putting you
into an awkward situation, I can always take back my request. After all, I
don't want the pioneer of Genetic Engineering to suffer any inconveniences
due to an impertinent child's wishful thinking."
Mayako then looked away with articulate melancholy in her gesture. To a
trained eye, it would have resembled the gesture of a rather good actress.
But to Sakuin, who was never a good judge of character in the first place,
it looked heart-breakingly genuine.
"Oh, Mayako-chan, I . . . " pausing to think for a moment, she
continued, "Why don't we wait a few days while I wrap up the current step of
my project? Then, I will take the time to give you a private tour of
Onocorp, so that you can decide on whether or not you would like to
contribute your talents to the company. Sounds good?"
<There! Now, if those Ono puppet-masters refuse her, the blame will be
on them, not me.>
If Mayako knew that Sakuin was still trying to refuse her joining into
Onocorp, she didn't let it show. Instead, she smiled. "It's more than
what I could dream of, Sakuin-san."
Sakuin inwardly sighed with relief. <Thank the lucky stars that she's
still young. Deity, but I'm cunning. > She busied herself entirely with
self-praise, missing the amused, near-predatory look twinkling in the young
girl's eyes even as she smiled.
* * * * *
That same night, after dropping Chashaku home, Sakuin was driving home
through a more run-down part of Tokyo as she reflected on the earlier
events. Before they went their separate ways, Mayako had given the woman
her address and phone number, politely asking for her to keep in contact.
Sakuin had decided to do a check on them when she got back to work the next
day.
<Mayako-chan sounded genuine . . . but still, a girl with her ambition
is truly too dangerous to be let into the company just like that. Besides,
she could be a spy. I've got to verify that incredible University record of
hers as well . . .>
Unseen to her, far above the streets, a slender, long-haired figure was
leaping from rooftop to rooftop as it followed her car with equally high
speed. Calculating the path the car was taking, it leapt 150 metres forward
and landed in a small, side alley. It took a small piece of stone from
within its outfit, then began waiting for the moment when the car would
pass by on the main street. As it did, the figure aimed the stone at the
car's front tire and tensed its middle finger. . .
A sharp hiss that sounded like a tire blowing up shocked Sakuin out of
her train of thought as her car abruptly sprung out of control. Quickly
stepping on her brakes, the car took a couple of impressive spins on the
fortunately empty street and came to a complete stop after hitting a
light-pole. Groaning, Sakuin shakily got out of the car. As she had
suspected, the front tire of the car had exploded somehow, causing the
collision.
But . . . how? Her car had just received a checkup last week. She
swore that she would switch to another check-up company as she wandered away
from her car to look for a pay phone. It turned out to be quite a longer
trip than she had expected. In any case, she was glad that she could call
up her father to send someone-
"Hey there, look, a lady in distress ~"
"Guess we should . . . give her some assistance, shall we not?"
Sakuin, who was still twenty feet away from the phone booth, felt her
knees buckle as she saw the two filthy-looking, villainous men approaching
her. Even though Tatewaki Kuno's 'reforming movement' had begun gaining
nation-wide attention in 2014, the crime rate of Tokyo had been . . . mild.
But still, crime was a part of human culture. Thus, on this most seedy side
of the town, a lone woman stranded on an empty street still made for an
appetizing target for street thugs.
"Wha . . . what are you two trying to do?!" Sakuin barked, trying to
sound as tough as she usually did around the office, "You know the penalty
for assault in Tokyo!"
"You've got that right, shadow-eyes." One of the men smirked as he
whipped out a rather sharp piece of pocket knife and advanced on the
wide-eyed woman. "That's why after we've robbed you clean, we would make
sure that YOU won't get the chance to spill this to the cops."
Sakuin almost broke down crying right there and then. There she was,
the most prized engineer of Onocorp, sought after by countless head-hunters
of Tokyo, only to die here in some foul, seedy looking gutter?
<Oh, Chashaku-kun!!!>
* * * * *
[Chashaku's apartment, at the same moment]
"Oh, Chashaku-kun!!!"
"URRG . . . here I come, URRRGGG!!!!"
With that, the pair on the bed both reached the peak of their pleasure
as their passion soared sky-high. After a while, they both collapsed back
down to earth as their breathings began to calm.
"Ah, Ritsuko-chan, truly you were magnificent." Chashaku said as he
signed with the tiredness that came after the intense pleasure. The woman
giggled flirtatiously in his embrace.
"Liar. You're still spending more time with that skinny, dried up woman
than with ME!"
"Oh, be reasonable," Chashaku yawned. "Sakuin is my boss: she's
basically my bread and butter. I can't refuse her pestering if I am to keep
my job."
"Like you're mine?" The woman giggled as she fondled him, and he
swatted her on her behind.
"Don't insult me," he snorted.
* * * * *
[Back to the dark, empty street where Sakuin was stranded]
"AHHHHH!!!!!!!!" Sakuin screamed as the thugs began grabbing her
roughly.
"Heheh . . . don't waste your breath, shadow eyes. No one in this
neighbourhood will care enough to interfere - "
"Leave her."
The dry, emotionless voice from behind the thugs startled them into
turning around. They encountered a slender, long-haired girl wearing a lose
set of Chinese robes looking at them with a cold, disdainful, yet slightly
lazy look on her face, as if the very act of speaking to them was an unwise
waste of her breath. The men, were paying way to much attention to the
slender but rather shapely figure from beneath the airy robes to let that
bother them.
One of them stepped up towards her as he reached out a large hand to
tilt up her delicate chin. "Now, now, little girl, no need to look so
uptight. Why don't you let daddy make it all better huh . . . !!!"
He never got to finish off his sentence, nor did his filthy hand got to
touch that delicate chin of hers, as she rapidly tapped on his forehead with
a tiny sewing needle that he hadn't seen in her hand before. The girl
skipped backward with delicate, fluid grace and smiled tauntingly at him.
"Oi, whatever did you - "
He never got to finish off his sentence, as his head exploded in a
rather dramatic spatter of blood and brain while the girl watched with the
same smile on her face.
"I'm feeling so much better now, ojisan, arigato."
Sakuin, who was already somewhat used to such gruesome sights after
spending time around Nabiki Tendo's 'tank', merely gasped, while the other
thug opened his mouth wide and prepared to scream. Without looking, Mayako
shot the needle at him with her thumb and middle finger. It embedded itself
neatly into his forehead, causing the man to fall lifelessly onto the
ground.
"Tsk . . . and these men actually think that they were worthy to be
called criminals . . . " turning around to face Sakuin, Mayako cocked her
head to one side and asked with a rather amused looking smile, "Sakuin-san,
you looked . . . disturbed. Are you alright?"
"I . . ." Sakuin swallowed, then continued. "I'm alright."
"I'm glad," Mayako said, beautiful eyes further lengthening as her
smile blossomed, "for a moment, I thought you would have been hurt . . . or
at least scared. The streets of west-side Tokyo are just notoriously unsafe
at night these days. Why not have me escort you home?" her smile turned
increasingly flattering as she went on, "it's the least I can do for a
scientist that I've admired from afar for so long. Besides, I've always
wanted to see how the home of the greatest Genetic Engineer this side of the
globe looks like."
This time, Sakuin didn't feel quite as light-headed as she did the last
time Mayako was flattering her. Instead, she found herself shivering
slightly as realization dawned on her.
<Oh GOD! She's trying to find out where I'm living!>
"By the way, Sakuin-san, about the step of the project that you are
currently working on? When do you think you can finish it up?" she leans
closer to Sakuin and stared straight into her face with sophisticated
mischief, "Certainly no obstacle on earth can delay a woman of your
abilities. Am I right, Sakuin-san?"
Sakuin simply remained speechless as her perspiration rate increased.
* * * * *
[Onocorp Tokyo HQ - random corridor, 2080]
"Sakuin-san, I have to thank you again for kindness. Not only did you
allow me to sleep over at your place that night, but to arrange for a tour
of the mysterious Onocorp on my behalf within half a week . . . truly I am
in your debt."
"Ehehehe . . . <like I have a choice in this, you little . . . well,
Otousan will take care of you, one way or the other. > think nothing of it,
Mayako-chan. By the way, you look . . . very sophisticated today."
"A girl has got to look like a woman if she is to take a woman's job.
Am I right, Sakuin-san?"
". . . right . . ."
* * * * *
[Onocorp Tokyo HQ - Director's office, at the same moment]
The Chief Executor of the Kunou Foundation and the Director of Onocorp
were having a discussion that could only be carried out in a dark, dimly lit
environment such as the one in which they found themselves.
"I paid Madame Hibiki a little visit a while ago," Gosunkugi Kyoofu said
as he cast his stale, yellowish eyes upon Ono Tanaro. "She didn't appear to
be willing to cooperate with our plans."
"I know, Kyoofu-san," Tanaro said with a slightly bowed head, not
wanting to look directly at the skull-like old man. "Just because she had
bore project R within her womb for a few months, she thinks that she owns
it. Fear not. I'll be able to convince her, as I always have. Reiraku WILL
remain under our control."
"Hmmph . . ." Kyoofu stared off into space, appearing to be deep in
thoughts . . . or schemes. Tanaro coughed uncomfortably, as he made himself
voice out his doubt about a certain person connected to Project R.
"Pardon me for speaking frankly, Kyoofu-san. But in my opinion,
Penelope isn't the only one who might be an obstacle to the fruition of
Project R . . ."
"Oh? And who else is there?"
"Kyoofu-san, I don't think Sakuin-san is particularly . . . driven to
carry out all those tests for our subjects . . ."
Kyoofu smirked ghoulishly in the dim light. "Ah . . . I see. And
you're worried on my daughter's behalf, I suppose? You're worried that she
might not have the . . . strength to carry out the task, is that it?"
"Well . . . yes, Kyoofu-san. I think we should -"
"Indeed," Kyoofu cut him off before he could continue, "we must
motivate Sakuin-chan to do what must be done. Tanaro, since you're
the one closest to her, I'm putting her in your care. She will now be your
responsibility."
Tanaro, who was hoping that Kyoofu would have removed Sakuin from the
post and allow a pawn on the Ono side to fill the gap, was visibly
disappointed.
<Why that devious old ghoul->
Kyoofu simply smiled a as suitably ghoulish smile at the younger man.
<Truly, the young are no match for the old.>
The phone in the conference room rang, distracting Tanaro from
his brooding. He picked it up.
"Director Ono, speaking."
"Ono-san, Miss Gosunkugi had arrived together with an applicant for a
position at the Onocorp. She is currently giving the applicant a tour of
the facilities in the building -"
"WHAT?!"
"And she has asked for Mr. Gosunkugi and yourself to greet the applicant
by the Director's Office in 5 minutes-"
Tanaro slammed the receiver down onto the table. "What WAS she
thinking?! Onocorp isn't Disneyland! With all the research projects going on
. . . how could we possibly give a TOUR to an outsider?!?"
Kyoofu scratched his chin with his spidery, withered fingers. "She has
acted . . . hastily this time, and I shall chide her for it. But maybe,
this 'outsider' will have all the right qualifications as an 'insider' if
Sakuin is actually willing to give him such special treatment."
Knowing it will be unless to argue with the devious old fox, Tanaro
allowed himself to fume silently. A couple of minutes passed by in complete
silence, which was finally ended by the knocking on the door.
"Ono-san, Otousan," Sakuin's voice sounded stiff and nervous through
the wooden doors, "Mayako-chan here would like the opportunity to speak with
you both."
Tanaro sighed, and spoke up gruffly as he tried to hold in his anger.
"Come in."
As the door opened, he found that he didn't have to anyway, as his anger
dissolved completely at the sight beyond it.
Standing beside Sakuin was a glamorous-looking girl somewhere in her
late teens. Her beautiful dark eyes were dramatized by several different
shades of red eye shadow, making the youthful face appear to be more
sophisticated that it really was. Her long hair was braided to one side in
an elegant but complex bun, with a long ponytail flowing out of it down past
her thighs. Wearing a high-collared, black Chinese dress with slits on the
sides, her small-busted but extraordinarily well-proportioned body was shown
off spectacularly. It took every bit of will-power that Tanaro had for him
not to drool visibly at the delicious sight.
The girl smiled an enticing, demure smile as she bowed at him.
"Director Ono? Nice to meet you. Your company had done marvelous things on
behalf of the health-condition of us Japanese civilians. I am honoured by
your presence."
Tanaro bowed back hastily. Before he could say anything else, however,
an aged chuckling beat him to it.
"My, my, such a pretty little doll . . ." Kyoofu spoke animatedly
as he eyed the young girl up and down with almost undisguised lechery. "I
supposed you are my daughter's friend?"
Mayako smiled back with thinning eyes. "Sakuin-san is a very
spectacular person, Gosunkugi Ojisama. I consider myself extremely lucky to
have made her acquaintance."
Kyoofu grinned. Another pretty-looking girl trying to go to higher
places by sucking up to him . . . a testament of his power over the others.
He reached out his spidery, withered hand to try and touch her young,
flawless face, but she had chosen just that moment to step back and bow
formally at him.
"Gosunkugi Kyoofu . . . Chief Executor of the noble Kunou Foundation,
what an honour it is for a little girl like me to meet someone of your rank
and importance." Mayako then turned to Director Ono and Sakuin with a
slightly guilty smile on her face. "Mind if Kyoofu-san and I have a private
moment to ourselves? There are many questions that I have longed to ask a
man that only a week ago was beyond my reach." Noticing Tarano's darkening
look, she smiled mischievously and gave him a sultry glance. "The same goes
for you too, Director Ono. Right after this . . . please?"
Tanaro's displeasure was drained away as Sakuin simply stared at Mayako
incredulously. She's not just an ambitious girl, but an ambitious SLUT
girl!
<Heh, if only she knew how many before her had offered Otousan their
services in vain . . . Oh well, either way, Otousan will get rid of her.
Even SHE can't stand a chance against the silent dictator of Onocorp.>
"Very well," Kyoofu spoke up, never taking his eyes off Mayako, "I will
speak to the young lady alone. After all, I'm sure that I am qualified to
satisfy a young woman's . . . curiosity."
At hearing that, Sakuin and Tanaro left the office and left Kyoofu and
Mayako do whatever they please in the room. Kyoofu's expression turned
openly lustful as he stepped towards the girl, who was currently facing away
from him with delicately pinching her lower lip with a hand.
"Bold . . . willing to take the first step . . . I like that in a
woman." He got a hold Mayako's shoulder and roughly (as roughly as he could
with his weak old body) turned her around to assault her delicate ,
blood-red lips with his own wrinkled ones . . . while totally missing the
eerie glint of light in her dark eyes.
Before he knew it, his nose was clamped shut. As his mouth opened wider
in surprise, Mayako's breath, along with . . . something, rushed into his
mouth. He quickly pulled away, gagging a little as he realized that
something was making its way down his throat. Mayako leaned back against
the office table and leisurely studied the various decorated corners on
the ceiling with an amused smile on her face.
"Happy now, Gosunkugi-ojisan?" She chuckled. "Really, Japanese males
never cease to amaze me with their feistiness . . . even at such an advanced
age. Must be the climate of the country . . . or could it be something in
their genetics?"
After the thing had went down his protesting throat completely, Kyoofu
regained his composure and began thinking clearly once again. She must have
put whatever that . . . thing was into her mouth while she was pretending to
scratch her lower lip! Looking as coldly as he could with his skull-like
face, he stared into the girl's eyes, trying to intimidate her.
"What was that that you've just fed me, girl?"
"An intimate gift," Mayako said with dark playfulness, looking totally
unfazed in the face of one of the most powerful men of Japan, "that
Malaysian women sometimes use on their beloved husbands."
Kyoofu smirked. So the girl had decided to mess with his mind now, eh?
Truly, the young were too stupid for their own good.
Pressing down on a button, he spoke up. "Security, come up to the
director's office at once."
His confident smirk faded slowly as he saw what Mayako was holding in
her delicate hand.
"My, it appears that the wire of the emergency button has been severed,"
she said with a taunting smile, "and the other little toys that this place
got had all malfunctioned moments ago, how terribly tragic."
"What . . . toys?" Kyoofu asked coldly.
Mayako smiled back at him. "The hidden cameras at the corners of the
ceiling, the recorders from inside this desk, the phone, the hidden metal
detectors at the door . . . in fact, anything remotely mechanical that was
operating was destroyed once the others left this room. I've probably
cleaned up a few hidden bugs for you in the process as well."
Kyoofu silently cursed as he realized that some traitors within the
Cooperation had leaked out the secrets regarding the hidden devices of the
director's office. Looked down at his own watch, his sunken eyes widened as
he saw that the numbers on it were all wrong. Taking a step back, he glared
at the smiling girl.
"The newest anti-mechanic device . . . how did a little girl like you
manage to get your hands on something like that?"
Mayako didn't answer. Instead, she said something that almost shocked
the 75-year-old into a heart attack.
"Remaining proud and angry even as you are losing your advantage over me
. . . how utterly unlike your father you are."
"What do you know about my father?!" Kyoofu demanded.
"That's for me to know and for you to find out, elder-chan. But know
that in a way, he was a wiser man than you are now: he didn't have your
tendency to step on people's toes quite as frequently." Mayako said as she
turned around and began walking towards the door. "Oh, as for the details
regarding the gift that I had so intimately given you? You shall find out
within three days. By then, I shall come again. Get Tanaro to prepare a
contract to sigh me up as the Chief Tactician of Onocorp, as well as
the legal authority to command the KF assassin squad as well as the Ono
Intelligence Section: I am well aware of WHO is truly in power in this
organization."
Kyoofu laughed an angry, edgy laugh. "If you think you can make it out
this building alive, then go ahead. Otherwise, I would strongly suggest you
to come back and rid me of that thing you've made me swallow."
Mayako looked over one shoulder at the old man as if he was an annoying,
stupid child that wasn't worth her time to deal with. "Sadly for you, I
don't think 'I' am the one to worry about my well-being at this moment.
Considering the . . . what's the term, yes, exponential rate at which my
'gift' shall multiply inside you, I don't think you'll have enough blood in
your old, weak body to sustain all of them by the end of the fourth day. Oh,
and say goodbye to Sakuin-san for me? Tell her that I have to leave early
to go meet some relatives . . . or something along the line. I trust that
you won't be stupid enough to tell her about my gift? Sayonara."
With that, she pushed open the office door and casually walked outside
into the corridor. Provoked by fear and rage, Kyoofu shouted out to several
random guards chattering at the far end of the hallway, startling them with
the frantic-edge in his voice: in the past, no matter how chilling the
order, he had always given them in an oily, sing-song voice.
"Arrest her!!"
The guards, although reluctant to hurt the frail looking girl in front
of them, none the less raised their guns at her.
"Freeze!!"
The girl, however, kept on walking with a rather cold smile on her face
as she stared at them as if they were insects.
"Out of my way."
One of the guards had began pulling on his trigger, but before he could,
a blinding green light flashed out from the girl's body . . . and all of
them creased to be alive before they even knew it. A couple of smoking,
badly charred corpses were left, whereas the walls around them had all been
burned into black, fragile coal.
"You all have to thank me for being merciful," Mayako said as she
continued to walk away from the now extremely heated corridor without ever
stopping, "I have made your deaths quick . . . if a bit painful for a split
second."
Kyoofu, meanwhile, was opening and closing his aged jaws like a goldfish
. . . or a toy skeleton snapper as he witnessed what had just happened in
front of his very eyes.
"The Shishi Houkodan . . . that's . . . not possible."
Mayako simply kept on walking with her feminine, delicate sway as she
replied without turning around. "If you could have mistaken THAT for a
Shishi Houkodan, then I have no idea how in the world would you expect to
ever succeed in your current project. Oh, and be assured that you WILL pay
for this foolish, insolent trick that you've just pulled. Have fun cleaning
up the corridor."
With that, she made a right turn, and was gone from Kyoofu's field of
vision as the latter sank to his knees.
"Deity . . ."
* * * * *
[Kunou Foundation - Private Computer Clusters , a day afterwards]
"Mr. Gosunkugi, the girl's address . . . does exist, but . . ."
"What?"
"But we can't trace her personal data."
Rubbing at his temples impatiently, Kyoofu grunted as he fought against
his burning urge to just strangle the Foundation's hacker right there and
then. He spoke up in a voice that lowed the room temperature by at least 20
degrees : "And exactly why is that, pray tell?"
The hacker gulped as he continued in a trembling voice: "it . . . it
doesn't exist."
"You mean to tell me that girl has managed to own a piece of private
property, a bachelor's degree in Genetic Engineering and Biology, and she
has NO personal data?"
"Umm . . . from what the central data bank showed, that was the case."
Kyoofu then turned to the K.F. Intelligence Agent standing beside him.
"And you, have you not managed to track down the whereabouts of the girl
yet?"
"No, Sir" the man replied hesitantly, "she disappeared after you last
saw her."
Kyoofu gritted his yellowing teeth. It had been a day since that
girl calling herself Mayako had given him that . . . little something that
had wiggled down his throat. Immediately, he went for a check-up, but found
that nothing is unusual in his . . . bodily waste samples. Yet, that thing,
even if it had been digested, should have left traces of itself in his . . .
bodily wastes. The fact that the samples were normal meant that it was
still somehow inside his body.
He had hoped that he could have his underlings go and kidnap some of her
relatives to blackmail her with, but it turned out she didn't even have a
personal data in the central data bank. He had sent people to check up on
the university. They claimed that the diplomas were true, but yet, they
have no background record on that particular student. In fact, it was
almost like she had just appeared out of thin air, and was now swallowed up
by the earth . . . such a horrifically mysterious child.
That technique that she had used . . . indeed it wasn't Ryouga's fabled
technique. Ryouga's blast created an outward force, while hers generated
intense heat. The only thing known about the Shishi Houkodan was that it
was a technique developed in a certain mountain area of Japan, but which?
Ryouga, when he was alive, didn't even remember exactly WHERE it was that
the mysterious construction worker had passed on the technique to him.
Either way, there is still NO way in hell that he'd just allow a child
like that to take over the KF and Onocorp. She was but one person, while
the agents of the KF were everywhere around the city . . .
A sharp gasp startled the man out of his train of thought. He looked up
into the face of the terrified agent and asked: "What is it?!"
The man pointed at the wrinkled, veined, back of his hand. Kyoofu took
a look and hissed.
Under the wrinkled skin, a budge was . . . worming its way through the
path of one of the major veins. Immediately recognizing it for what it was,
Kyoofu immediately tapped two fingers down on either side of the wiggling
budge as he screamed out to the agent: "Get a sharp blade and cut open my
vein along the edge of my middle finger!"
The agent looked hesitant.
"Sir . . . sir?"
"DO IT!"
Knowing the price of disobedience, the man immediately produced a razor
sharp pocket-knife and put a small incision over the indicated area, cutting
the vein on the back of the wrinkled hand open . . .
. . . and a red, tiny worm with rows of segments around its fat body
squeezed itself out of the cut, causing the agent to back away quickly.
"Sample bag . . ." Kyoofu grit his teeth in pain as he forced the
worm, along with some blood, further out of his vein. At last the thing,
about an inch long was completely outside his wound, and began to crawl
rather lazily up one of his wrinkled fingers. The agent handed him a bag
while tactfully keeping as far away from the hand as possible. Kyoofu
flicked the bloody worm into the bag and sealed it up immediately. Putting
down the bag, he took out his handkerchief and pressed it down towards his
wound. The hacker as well as the agent were both disturbed by the strange
smile on the man's lips.
"You two continue on your respective duties while I am gone."
With that command, the old man took the bag and exited the room in much
lighter steps than he had while coming in. The hacker and the intelligence
agent took a look at each other, then shrugged it off and went back to their
respective duties.
* * * * *
[Sakuin's apartment, at the same time]
"Oh, Chashaku-kun, but I'm so looking forward to spending this upcoming
weekend with you!" Sakuin whined at the phone-ear in her hand. The reply
came in a tone of voice that was bordering on impatience.
"I know, Sakuin-san, I'm sad too. But there are things that I need to .
. . to do."
Sakuin's voice was shill as she replied: "What things?! I want to spent
more time with you!"
"I . . . oh my, the garbage man has come to pick up the waste bags.
Talk to you later! <click!>"
"Cha . . . Chashaku-kun! Wait!"
Sighing sadly, Sakuin said to herself: "I guess I will just have to make
time on my own then. Thank God Otousan is in complete control of Onocorp.
Chashaku-kun, we SHALL have another date before the week ends!"
* * * * *
[Chashaku's apartment, at the same time]
"So, I am to be the garbage man now, am I?" The scantly clad woman
standing outside the door pouted as Chashaku smiled.
"Come, Aniko-chan, I'm feeling an urge to . . . 'depose'."
"<giggle> Oh, you naughty boy, you!"
With that, the two began fooling around without bothering to pull up the
drapes due to the lack of other buildings in the direction of the
apartment's window . . .
. . . which explains why a slender girl hanging upside-down outside the
window could tape down the lewd game with the mini-visual recorder in her
hand as a calculating smirk formed on her glamorous, crimson lips. She
didn't enjoy the scene: the man was too old and uselessly ignorant for her
liking. Yet, she knew that it would come in handy later, should the need of
eliminating a potential obstacle arrive.
* * * * *
[Onocorp Tokyo HQ - random lab]
Looking at the worm, now lying lifelessly on a piece of watch glass, the
biologist working under Onocorp frowned as he studied the creature. "Really,
in all my career, I haven't encountered a parasite like this. It seemed to
be a hybrid between a leech and a fluke . . . something that couldn't have
existed in nature."
"Whatever it is, just tell me how to kill it off once it had entered a
human's body." Kyoofu said impatiently.
"Well," the biologist scratched his chin, "this could be challenging.
You see, this parasite is unique in that it inhabits the blood stream. And
er . . ."
The biologist looked at Kyoofu hesitantly, and the old man felt a chill
ran through him as the implication sank in.
"Go on," he ordered in a cracking voice.
"Whatever attempt to poison it will also poison your blood . . . an I
don't think you want that, sir."
Out of a corner of his eye, he saw several budges worming through
the veins on his wrist, and grit his teeth in anger and revulsion.
"Indeed I don't," Kyoofu said in an edgy voice. "Keep this incident
confidential, and keep on working at a cure. See to it that you succeed
within two days."
With that, the old man exited the room.
The biologist sweated at his command. He had hesitated in telling the
KF Executor about the small budge moving up the major artery on his
wrinkled neck in hopes of calming him, but it appeared that it was no use.
Knowing that a cure, or even a means to control the worms' growth wasn't
possible by Onocorp's technology, he prayed that the worst would come was
only removal from his post. After all, every employee of Onocorp knew of
its nasty habit of 'silencing' old employees to make sure that they don't
spill any secrets of the corporation to other organizations of concern.
* * * * *
[Onocorp Tokyo Base - Director's office, two more days afterwards]
Tanaro had a rather odd look on his face as he stared at Kyoofu, now
clad in a cloak that covered up everything under it aside from the pair of
huge sun-glasses on his face. After a while, he spoke up with a falsely
jocular expression:
"My, springtime in the winter days. I never knew you'd had it that bad
for a young girl . . . is that the reason for the change of fashion as well?
I must say it takes years off you -"
Kyoofu's subtle but dramatic growl cut him off in mid-sentence, forcing
him to trail off uncomfortably.
"Um . . . heh . . . anyway, the contract that you asked me to prepared
for the girl is here. Pretty soon, we're going to have one VERY happy
teenage girl at our Corporation . . ."
Just then, a gentle knocking could be heard from the door as a rather
husky voice spoke up politely: "Mind if I come in?"
"AH! Come in, Mayako-chan."
With that, the sophisticatedly garbed girl stepped into the room and
shot a sideways glance at Kyoofu before turning back to Tanaro with a polite
smile on her face. Kyoofu could have sworn that she had smirked in that
split instance as he trembled with anger. Mayako ignored him as she spoke
with Tanaro: "I couldn't believe it: just out of University and already the
Chief Tactician of Onocorp. It feels almost unreal."
"Don't worry, Mayako-chan. Your . . . talents have been recognized by
the Corporation, thus earned you a place as one of us. Congratulations."
"Arigato," she said while bowing formally at him, "from this day on, I
shall contribute all that I have into my work to ensure Onocorp's inevitable
triumph in the business world of Japan."
Tanaro laughed. "Ah, you surely are ambitious, my girl."
"As is everybody else fueling this organization," Mayako smiled back as
she straightened, "I might as well be mature about this if I'm to survive in
the real world."
Sakuin, dragging a resigned looking Chashaku behind her, entered the
office without knocking. "Otousan, Chashaku and I would like a day off to
go research at Tokyo's Virtual Reality Central Library . . ." Her sentence
trailed off in mid-air as the unexpected sight of Mayako entered her now
impossibly wide eyes. "Ma . . Mayako-chan . . ."
"Sakuin-san, guess what? Director Ono had agreed to sign me up as the
Chief Tactician of Onocorp." Mayako said merrily as she began reading over
the contract and signing various parts of it.
Sakuin's eyes widened as she heard that, ". . . really? How . . . nice
of him." She then turned to her father with a slightly edgy look on her
face: "Otousan . . . isn't this just so . . . NICE?"
"Indeed," Kyoofu replied in a dry voice, "a young lady of her talents
and . . . intelligence certainly deserves a significant position in the
Onocorp."
"Ah, I see that being good looking and female does have a certain
advantage in the practical business world." Chashaku was feeling sour at the
fact that Mayako had gotten herself a job that much higher-ranking than his
own by (he thought) sleeping with the Chief Executor of the KF, and couldn't
help making a smart remark.
Without taking her eyes off the contract, Mayako replied calmly. "As is
being attractive and male: it all depends on the preference and desire of
the people in power. Wouldn't you say, Chashaku-san?"
Taken back by the subtle counter, which hit much too close to home to
his liking, Chashaku kept quiet.
As Mayako was signing her contract, Tanaro looked over her shoulder to
see what she was putting in. He raised an eyebrow as he saw her full name
for the very first time.
"**Nikumi** Mayako?" he asked.
"Nikumi Mayako," the girl said as she finished up the contract and
handed it to him with a smile, "Chief Tactician of Onocorp, at your
service."
Kyoofu coughed impatiently. "Mayako-san, aren't you . . . forgetting
something?"
Mayako smiled sultrily at the strangely garbed old man, "Please be
patient, Gosunkugi-san. We can continue where we left off after I've
finished my first day of work. Maybe you can wait for me at the Foundation
sometime tonight?" Turning back to Director Ono, she requested: "Please do
show me my office."
"Of course." Tanaro smiled as he got a perverse satisfaction in the
fact that the All-mighty Gosunkugi was now degraded into a helpless old man
who could be disrespected by a young girl of eighteen.
<Truly, lust is the root of all weaknesses.>
"A secretary will be assigned to you soon: she will be handling the more
trivial parts of your work, taking phone-calls and all . . . the Personnel
Department will bring the candidate to you by tomorrow."
"<chuckle> How considerate of you, Director."
"Don't make me wait too long tonight . . ." Kyoofu growled at the happy-
looking girl, who didn't even seem to have heard him. Exchanging
pleasantries and meaningful glances, Chief Tactician Nikumi and Director Ono
exited the scene merrily, leaving a disbelieving couple and a very enraged
old man in the office.
Sakuin stared at her father for a moment, then spoke up with a rather
curious expression on her face: "Otousan . . . why?"
Kyoofu gritted his teeth as he replied: "Mayako had shown me that she
had the . . . tactical abilities for the job. She will serve us well."
"I'm not asking you about that, Otousan. I'm asking you about your new
look. What's with the cloak and the sunglasses and the . . . " Sakuin
sweated as she went on, "you're wearing aprons?"
Kyoofu's only reply was a low, animalistic growl, which startled Sakuin
and froze Chashaku's blood. Quickly, he began to drag the girl towards the
door.
"Er . . . C'mon now, Sakuin-chan, let's not tease your father about
this. . . heheh . . . So long, Gosunkugi-sama!"
The couple hastily exited the room, allowing Kyoofu to fume by
himself in the dark. Slamming a covered hand onto the desk, a word of
contempt came out between his gritting teeth:
"Bitch . . ."
* * * * *
[Onocorp Tokyo Base - Office of Genetic Research Department, a week later]
"It's over . . . all over now . . . all over before it ever begin . . ."
The once immaculate office was now barely above a hazard zone. The desktop
computer was smashed in by a phone's ear, causing shards of glass to litter
all over the desk and the chair. The binders and paper files were all lying
around the floor in random, untidy disarrays, as were the Computer disks.
Amidst the ruin sat a distraught looking woman with swollen, shadow-framed
eyes, staring at everything and nothing within the small, enclosed space as
she mumbled incoherently.
"Gone . . . all gone . . . he's gone to another . . ." tears dripped
down her sunken cheeks together with her eye-liner, making her face even
more eerie-looking than usual. It didn't matter. She had stopped caring
about the way she looked the morning when she arrived at the office to
discover a half-dozen tapes detailing the private life of one Chashaku
Daimonji lying on her desk.
She had, of course, angrily confronted him about betraying her, and he
had retorted that he was never HERS to begin with, that a boss have no right
to interfere with an employee's private life . . .
. . . after all the promotions she had given him, all the time she had
devoted into securing his position for him . . .
. . . all the emotions she had extracted in loving him . . .
A pair of slender arms encircled her from behind, startling her.
Before she could yelp, a long, delicate finger tapped itself onto her lips,
silencing her.
"There's no need to feel sad just because a man had betrayed your love."
The familiar husky voice breathed into her ear, further fueling her anger.
"What would YOU know, Nikumi? You regard men as your own tools, you've
never even felt for any of them: Otousan, Ono, they're but tools to secure
your power in Onocorp! You don't care for any of them!"
"That's right, Sakuin-san." Mayako purred intimately as she hugged
Sakuin even tighter. "That's why I'm not the one breaking down into pieces
now, why I'm not the one foolish enough to let something this trivial
seriously hurt me now."
Sakuin tried to throw Mayako off her back. But somehow, her body seemed
to have gone a great deal weaker after feeling a poke to the back of her
neck. Mayako continued to speak in her husky, mysterious voice: "Don't you
see? To give your heart to a man is to beg him to crush it while your back
is turned. Don't you know that, Sakuin-san? Remember how the story
regarding the Bracelet of Amazon was really a fake? Remember how the ninja
robbed the bracelet from the girl and told the world that she gave it to him
willingly? Men are not meant to be trusted: they're meant to be used."
Sakuin became very , very still as she heard that.
Releasing her from behind, Mayako walked around to look down at the
woman with a look of pity on her beautiful face. After studying her for a
while, she spoke up again:
"Sakuin-san . . . remember that night when I've saved you from the
street thugs? Remember that little trick that I pulled?"
The scene of the man's head exploding at a peck of a needle replayed
itself in Sakuin's mind again as her eyes widened.
Smiling faintly, Mayako leaned down so that the two of them were almost
face to face. Her breath was sweet and soothing to Sakuin's senses as she
spoke up again.
"That was an obscure Chinese technique related to the Amazons, a
technique that works on bones as well as rocks. It shatters the bones, and
sends the shrapnel through the nerves, imbedding them within the flesh. The
victim suffers severe pain and internal injuries."
An image of Chashaku howling in agony as his bones shattered within his
flabby, middle aged body entered Sakuin's mind, and her face flushed with
passion: the same kind of passion that drives a woman to fall in love in the
first place.
Mayako noted her reaction, and her eyes lengthened with her blossoming
smile as she whispered huskily:
"If you so desire, I can teach you the technique . . . for you to use it
on him."
Tears of deranged joy sprang down Sakuin's cheeks as she hugged the girl
tightly to herself while crying into her chest. Mayako's smooth, tender
hand now seemed terribly soothing as it ran across her's own short hair.
"It would be so much fun," Mayako chuckled, "almost like you're falling
in love with him all over again; only better. And this time, you won't be
the one at the receiving end of pain. Are you looking forward to it,
Sakuin-san?"
"Yes . . ." Sakuin breathed with an eerie smile on her flushed, teary
face.
"Good, then all that you need now is to wait for an opportunity to
execute your plan: choose wisely and you will have the corporation's support
in his downfall."
Sakuin nodded as Mayako smiled to herself. Chashaku, the Japanese man
who had dared insult her would soon pay for his insolence: he should have
known better than to try and disrespect her like that. And what was even
better, in her current state Sakuin would likely degenerate into a useful
pawn. Two birds with one stone . . . how absolutely beautiful.
As for Kyoofu, she would just keep on giving him those antidotes that can
control and slow down the growth of the worm population in his body, but
not kill off all of it. From now on, every time near a certain time of
the month, the worms will resurface onto the veins layering his skin, making
it almost impossible for him to be seen in public without concealing all of
himself. A merciful punishment, considering that he had tried touching
someone like her despite his exterior and interior ugliness . . .
. . . considering how much she hated Japanese men.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Epilogue
[Department of Exploratory History - Tokyo University, 2080]
Drifting through the dark, empty exhibition hall of Tokyo University
like a melancholic shadow, the frail-looking girl felt a deep sadness
stabbing into her heart. The Amazon-related antiques brought back memories
of events two centuries young in her ancient heart. . .
Memories of the ninja's incredible skill in the art . . .
Of the Amazon's own unparalleled skill . . .
Of his handsomeness . . .
Of her beauty . . .
Of his illusory, flattering praises . . .
Of her trusting, naive heart . . .
Finally, of how he had raided the village after gaining her trust;
shattering her heart as he yanked her family heirloom out of her bruised
wrist.
The once beautiful bracelet, now having lost all three pieces of its
"decorative jade", was but a mocking parody of its former self. Just like a
once-powerful old woman with her eyes plucked out . . . the Love-Pill
Bracelet was of no use to anybody anymore.
The old woman, now healed, empowered and rejuvenated by a Jusenkyo
curse, decided to end its misery with a strong, concentrated heat blast,
shattering its glass case and slowly melting it back into the mass of
metal from which it had been fashioned. Tears glistened in her now
beautiful, haunting dark eyes as the bracelet dissolved.
"I set you free. No longer shall you be a testament to fabricated lies:
that's my job now. With the spirit of youth sleeping within me, we shall
have our vengeance."
With that out of her chest, Khu Lon, now known as Nikumi Mayako, turned
away from the shattered glass and disappeared into the darkness of the
unlit exhibition hall.
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"Time for an admission
The king is good as dead
The height of his ambition
Should be to die in bed
Feverish, corrosive
The fickle crowds are gone
The caravan moves on."
-Tim Rice
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END FATALE
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Author's Notes:
Wow, the follow-up to 'Nikumi is finally finished! Let's see, up until
2092, Cologne is still mine (not that way!). So I guess that means more
stories focusing on the Cologne Arc from me then (if I have the time)! I
know I have made Cologne's portrayal a lot harsher than it was in "Nikumi",
but what the heck: the R2096 universe required her to be evil (which, in the
manga, she wasn't), so now I have to go along with it <sigh!> I hope she
still manages to stay somewhat 3D by the end of her existence in R2096 . . .
. oh well.
As for WHY she was interested in gaining power within Onocorp? That shall
be revealed afterwards in the series.
The bracelet used in this story is the Love Pill Bracelet that Cologne had
in her youth, as revealed in vol 10 of the manga. Happosai robbed it from
her as he raided the village when he was young.
'Til next time ^_-
Adrian Wong September 12, 1998.
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_________________________________________________________________
Christopher Willmore http://qlink.queensu.ca/~4cw6/2096a.htm
"Love is never completely directed at you, friendship is as
precarious as life. But hate never misses its mark, and it's as
certain as death." -Simone de Beauvoir
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Bistro/2653/index.htm