EDIT Note (08/2002)
After over a year I guess I am really going to settle back
into this ficcing business and wrap up this fic for good.
Kova is still constantly struggling out in the form of drawings
and I think I owe it to the man to finish him off decently, at
least.
I also noted after I posted the rewrite reviews and
everything fell, and asking around a friend told me the fight
scene was too complex relative to language of the original c01,
losing me some of the readers. So I went over it and simplified
it a little, yeah, nothing really major ^^;; sorry...
REWRITE Note : Well... this "rewrite" finally makes TMFFA wif
this. Not much changes, juz a fight scene. All references to
this extra scene will be limited to up to Chap 3 and the rest
will likely be incidental.
Disclaimer :
Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer.
They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination.
This story was written purely for fun.
Juz to let you know, this FF is based on the TV Series.
The Kain episode, great though it was, was ignored... sorry,
but I really needed the GP around (should be clear by Chap 13).
This story contains no sex, so please do not expect it.
Before I wrote this Fanfic, I have only read 2 Fanfics, Aikan
Muyo and To Love & To Hate. Since then I have read some others,
and have noted some writers have a tendency to portray some
characters inaccurately.
For instance, I believe Tenchi will not screw anyone he does
not seriously love, while Ryoko and Aeka are not irretrievably
unreconciliable. As I wrote suddenly I realised Mihoshi was not
a 2 dimensional dumb blonde scourge of Kiyone.
Some of the powers used in this Fic are a conglomeration of those
in Tenchi TV & OAV, though I have excluded the Light Hawk Wings,
and Washu's goddess status, simply because the imbalance would be
too great.
That's about it, I'm a simple soul at heart...
DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova
By Zyraen
Chapter I : No Need for Enigmas
"How I wish I could be as carefree as you," sighed Kiyone, as
her partner Mihoshi snuggled comfortably into her futon and
into oblivion. The blonde detective gave a loud sigh of
contentment and curled some more as if in confirmation of her
words. Letting herself lie back, hands behind her lustrous, long
green hair, Kiyone thought about all the things that had gone
wrong in her life.
"It's all because of Mihoshi!"
She remembered herself saying that to someone, sometime. Yet
it just did not seem to explain everything. Everything that had
happened, she still remembered, as some kind of nightmare she
had lived through and wished more than anything to end. Yet
Mihoshi had been living that same life, and it had seemed
wonderful to her. How they had met Tenchi, Ryoko, and all the
rest. How they had helped wrest Kagato from his throne of
power, and became high ranking Galaxy Police personnel back
at Central HQ.
Yet...
"What am I doing here!?"
Remembering the day Mihoshi had walked in and jubilantly
announced, "Kiyone, I'm so *happy*! We've got reassigned back
to Earth as resident officers again!"
"WHAT!?"
"Yup, isn't that *wonderful*!"
"H..h..how...?" Kiyone had said as she sank weakly into her
chair.
"Oh, I just asked, as they said it was OK, if I could get you to
agree and substantiate the request, which I'm sure you will! "
She smiled as she held up her hand into an OK sign, then
clasped her hands together again. "This is great! We'll be able to
see Tenchi, Sasami, and all the rest of them again."
"Sasami..." Oh yeah, Aeka had ran away for another vacation
again, and Sasami had gone after her on the pretext of getting
her back. Azaka and Kamadake, the knights, had remained to
keep the Council of Jurai in their place and protect the palace
(empty...) while their log versions had followed Sasami...
"Oh no! I haven't bought anything for them, and they'll be so
upset with me! Sasami said she'd be getting me a..." As Mihoshi
rattled on, Kiyone had toyed with the thought of getting the
transfer undone, but well, returning to Earth was hardly what
she would call unpleasant, though it would put a damper on her
future promotion prospects, not that she was doing badly...
Besides, she did not want to break Mihoshi's heart.
She had then managed to persuade her GP superior that
keeping an eye on Aeka and the true king of Jurai was very
important, in the face of growing hostilities between the Juraian
empire and the Synera Stellar Syndicate (SSS), an empire that
had risen out of a merchant syndicate that developed weapons
and ships to colonise and subjugate planets, and at least be
given credit for protecting the Juraian royalty. She even got the
boss to strongly hint she *might* return to a promotion if
nothing untoward happens until relations are smoothed over.
And so here she was, scraping a living out on the primitive
planet. At least now with the dimensional door that had been so
useful in their adventures in Space, and which Washu had given
to them as a farewell present, she and Mihoshi could pop over
to Tenchi's place anytime for a quick (heavenly) bath, a
welcomed (exquisite!) meal and a nice (and free) Karaoke
session.
"I wonder why do I even bother to stay in this apartment!? I
practically live there in Tenchi's house!" Her thoughts brought
her back. "Oh yeah, principle." Kinda stupid, though.
Looking at the clock beside her, she sighed again. It was almost
an hour since she had retired and she was still awake! Trying
vainly to turn her mind blank and sleep, Kiyone shifted and tried
a different position.
====================================
Meanwhile, high over the Earth's stratosphere, her solitary
spacecraft orbited, in auto pilot. Scarlet metal gleamed bright in
the sun's rays, while from far away, a tiny metallic speck
emerged and sped over. It seemed to be some sort of a capsule,
but there were rocket boosters behind it, and within something
stirred. A portal of darkness opened within and...
He was inside the Yagami. Grinning, the intruder smiled to
himself.
"Let's see how the GP is doing with my data."
Moving over to the bridge, the person seated himself in the
command seat, fingers flashing over the console. His eyes
scanned the screen as he accessed the GP file archives.
"Ah, I see I am still remembered," he murmured.
Before him, on the screen, a very outdated picture of himself,
followed some words. Nothing he did not know, but still, his
attention was drawn to the last few lines.
Last sighted : 40 yrs ago, in the vicinity of the Science Academy
Ship destroyed, no body found.
"I see their intelligence is neither precise nor up to date."
Tapping a few more buttons, he quickly summoned a map of the
ship.
"Just a typical GP ship. I thought the red meant it'd be a bit more
interesting. Oh well," as he absorbed the data, and left to search
the ship for anything of value.
He found nothing, except for a moment he felt like sabotaging
the engine, and then he entered Kiyone and Mihoshi's room on
the ship. The first thing that struck him was how one side, the
right, was kept immaculately neat and tidy, while on the other
side, everything seemed to be a mess. Tissue boxes, scattered
books, spilled drinks, on the left, and the right, just perfect.
Bending over the short pink table in the middle of the room, he
too could see the difference. On the left side, stains of food and
drinks marred the surface, while on the other side, only two
marks were seen - a pair of hands, pressed onto the table so
hard the person must have been very angry.
Curiosity prompted a more thorough observation. A quick
glance found him Mihoshi's photo, by her bed, the exact same
one Kiyone had placed on her altar just last year when she
thought Mihoshi was dead. Beside that, an alarm clock. One did
not have to be very smart to see it had stopped ticking.
"Pretty, cute, and not very well done."
Looking on the other side, three alarm clocks, and...
He stopped and stared.
The photo of Kiyone stared him straight in the eye, in GP
uniform, one hand placed tartly on her hip, the other holding a
blaster by her ear. Her lips were curled into a ghost of smile,
reserved and yet pretty. It seemed as though she was about to
take a shot at him.
She had.
His eyes lingered a moment longer, then he stood up, his mouth
curling in self-disgust.
"She's a GP officer!" Almost unconsciously, his hand tossed a
rod about thirty centimetres long that was sent in a curling arc
of silver right into the photo, some three metres from him across
the room, so it would fall on its face.
"Damn." The photo had not fallen. He was already over the bed
and beside it, his hand holding it up. His other hand gripped the
rod, tightly. Sweat beaded his brow as he fought against
himself.
"I'll see first."
There were two more photos near the centre of the room. One
was of Kiyone and Mihoshi singing a Karaoke duet. He sighed
as he saw how carefree and joyful she was, contrasting with the
personal photo. The other one showed Kiyone and Mihoshi in
complete GP uniform, with blazers and caps, standing before a
man who was dressed like the GP Marshall. He could not be
sure though, as the Marshall was bent over, almost on the verge
of falling, with Mihoshi holding on with one hand on his collar,
the other one on Kiyone's sleeve. The blonde detective had
apparently tripped up, and Kiyone's face was that of utter shock
and outrage, caught slightly off balance. Judging from the GP
assemblage in the background, it was some kind of ceremony,
maybe promotional...
He stifled a smile, and decided. Taking out a metal device and
passing it over each of the two photos and Kiyone's personal
one, he then proceeded to search the room, careful not to leave
any traces.
Ah, there they were, the names.
"Kiyone and Mihoshi. Hmmm, I wonder which is which."
Returning to the bridge, he accessed GP files.
"Ah, so she's Kiyone," as he looked through the long list of
Mihoshi's foul-ups under the blonde's smiling face. Opening the
other file...
"Impressive! First in her class!" he thought. Unfortunately, she
had only one significant work, though it had pushed her up from
1st Class Detective to Detective Sergeant and, after some
additional pressure by the Juraians, was redecorated to the
rather prestigious 2nd Class Chief Inspector.
"Wow, carried out a coup to oust Kagato, the impostor who
usurped the Juraian throne, while protecting Princess Aeka and
Sasami and working with the legendary warrior Yosho and his
grandson Tenchi. Looks like I missed out on a lot of stuff while
in the Academy."
Reading on, 'Other associates include Ryoko, Ryo-oh-ki, Nagi,
Ken-oh-ki, Washu, who assisted greatly in restoring the Juraian
throne to its rightful owner.'
"Washu!!" He recalled how the 'greatest genius scientist in the
universe' had appeared just last year at the Academy. He did not
have time to get to know her, but he knew she was the *best*.
Still, he had managed to steal data on her previous experimentation
with dimensional warping to supplement his new ship's resources,
albeit investing considerable care and effort put into ensuring
his intrusion remained undetected. It had helped greatly. The
Tachyon Ray he had also installed was her credit too, though he
had obtained it before he had seen her, under her invention files
from seven hundred years ago. Not that it was by any means a
slight to her, for certain regulations in the Science Academy
made it easy to obtain copies of data, not to mention he had got
the blueprint for the Ray some years before, and had been busy
working on how to miniaturise it.
Tapping a few buttons, he attempted to access files on Juraian
Royalty.
"ACCESS DENIED to GP Personnel, except to Marshall or Grand
Marshall."
Oh well, no matter, he think he knew vaguely who Aeka was. As
for Yosho, he knew from legends he was not someone to be
trifled with. Ryoko and Nagi were people he knew, not that they
noticed him. He often took pains not to be noticed.
Bringing the silver rod down in front of him, a portal opened, its
blackness seeming to flow out of the tip of the rod.
Oh, I nearly forgot.
Turning back to the ship's computer, the intruder carefully
erased all traces of his passage and accessing of files in the
memory circuits.
His figure loomed for a moment, framed against the dark circle,
ere he vanished into the portal, which closed behind him.
"Earth, here I come."
Outside Yagami, the capsule like spacecraft sped away and
downwards.
====================================
"Well, what I tell you?" Ryoko smiled at Tenchi over the couch,
while Aeka helped Sasami to clear the dishes. "The carnival did
come back."
"Ryoko, you never spoke truer," Tenchi answered, a dreamy
smile on his face as he watched as Aeka and Sasami bustle into
the kitchen with the plates, thinking of how it had all started.
"Though I'd rather some parts didn't show up." Ryoko
contemplated a world, even if it was not for her and Tenchi only,
at least without Aeka. A thought occurred to her. "Hey, what did
you mean by that?"
Tenchi just smiled at her, almost like he did when he threw her
that apple after their adventures in Time and Space, and Ryoko
*knew* he was referring to the 'most wanted space pirate' thing.
"Too bad Washu isn't here," he commented as he was about to
get up.
"She'll show up, you'll see," Ryoko's eyes questioningly
watched Tenchi get off the couch. "Hey, where are you going,
Tenchi?"
"Help the rest with the dishes... Hey, Ryoko, stop that!" As the
pirate materialised before him and latched onto him.
"But I don't want you to help them, I want you *all* to myself."
Ryoko said as she squeezed him a little tighter.
"Ryoko, what do you think you're doing!?" Aeka exclaimed to
Ryoko's back as she came out of the kitchen. "Stop that, you're
embarrassing Tenchi!" All Tenchi could manage was a weak
smile to her as sweat beaded on his brow. "I said, stop that!"
she shrieked again.
Ryoko felt two hands land on her shoulder and braced herself
for Aeka's tug.
"Uh, Aeka, could you...?" Tenchi meekly said.
"Yeah, lay off, princess, can't you see he's all mine?"
"That wasn't what I meant..." Tenchi bit his lip and tried not to
add that Aeka trying to pull Ryoko off him was, of course, that
much more embarrassing.
Ryoko got tugged off Tenchi, her arms held back by Aeka.
"Princess, you've got some nerve!"
"And you shouldn't do that to Tenchi!"
"Grrr..."
"Grrr..."
The two girls faced each other, sparks crackling in the air
between them.
"Hey, stop that! Don't fight in here!!"
"Hi, everyone!" Three pairs of eyes turned to look up the stairs,
onto the blue-eyed blonde detective, or rather, Chief Inspector.
Mihoshi stared at the two girls, arms interlocked, and Tenchi,
helpless, behind them. "Uhh, I'm not interrupting anything, am I,
huh?"
"Hello, we've decided to stop by again," Kiyone spoke calmly,
smoothly stepping before Mihoshi, and pulling her down by one
wrist, discreetly ignoring the potentially explosive situation.
Turning quickly back to her partner, "Move it, Mihoshi! Quit
staring!" under her breath.
"Uh, huh..." Mihoshi's face faded into her usual clueless smile
as she let herself be led down by Kiyone. "Say, where's lunch?"
as she looked at the empty dining table.
"We've eaten," Aeka turned from Ryoko, defusing the situation.
Ryoko gave her a disdainful stare, then as if to prove a point,
appeared next to Tenchi again, leaning on his shoulder. Tenchi
gave her a nervous look, but kept quiet so as not to alarm Aeka.
"And I'm so hungry..."
"Pipe down, Mihoshi! It's all because you had to go spill the
paint all over the wall and the stained glass and we had to
spend time to clean up the mess!"
"I'm sorry, Kiyone..."
"Sasami?" Kiyone called. The younger princess popped her
head out of the kitchen, with Ryo-oh-ki perched on top, nibbling
on a carrot.
"Oh, it's you, Kiyone! I've saved lunch for both of you!"
"Thank you, Sasami."
"Oh thank you, thank you so much!" Mihoshi rushed past her
partner and into the kitchen.
"Sasami's pretty thoughtful, you know." Tenchi commented to
Kiyone, as he stepped toward her. Ryoko seemed to be caught
a little off balance, but floated beside Tenchi, and tried to
seem as though nothing had affected her, though her eyes did
seem to warn Kiyone to stay back.
"Not like some people I know," Aeka pointedly added, moving
close beside Tenchi, but not quite touching him. Ryoko's eyes
blazed at her across Tenchi's shoulder, and Aeka disdainfully
turned away, fixing her gaze on Kiyone, while Ryoko followed
suit.
"Uh, girls, don't..." Tenchi tried.
Kiyone unconsciously stepped back under the concerted gaze of
Ryoko and Aeka. "And... I think I'll just be getting my lunch,"
And so saying, she fled into the kitchen.
Tenchi relaxed. "You know, just because I step towards her and
say something doesn't mean I'm making an advance to her."
"A step forward sure looks like an advance to me," Ryoko
sounded cold.
"I'm know you wouldn't do such a thing, Tenchi, but it's best to
be sure." Aeka added.
He sighed. The carnival certainly seemed here to stay.
====================================
Several days before, in a distant part of the universe...
The dust from the explosion finally cleared.
"What happened!?"
"Well Professor, you see, I um..."
"Forget it," she sighed. "Out, get out of my lab."
There was a brief sound of scuttling footsteps, and the door to
her lab closed.
What had happened to the Science Academy!? All she did was
leave it for seven hundred years, and now, the lab assistants
and students were all as bad as Mihoshi!
As for the professors themselves, so far *only* two others had
attempted to rival her research and invention process, and while
she had conclusively demonstrated to them that she was the
most genius scientist in the universe, that was still a pathetic
number. In her time, she could remember lecturing a whole
classroom full of ex-rivals, and happily see them walk out
deflated and with a better perspective of the universe, some with
extra (heavy) head ornaments.
Only two other professors she might have considered more
noteworthy, but these two did not attempt to prove themselves
against her or to her. As for the students, there had been only
six, in the entire academy, she might have considered promising
material.
Not only that, but they had indirectly stopped her from making
Mecha-Washus, so there was no way to get decent help around.
The Academy trains the very best to be scientists, they had said,
and Mecha-Washu, especially if it has Washu's brain, would
totally negate the need for the Academy. Besides, it also makes
for a lot of confusion.
She heard the door open behind her.
"What is it?" Her spectral computer faded out of reality as she
stopped typing, for already the lab showed no sign of damage
being done to it. She turned to face the Academy's dean, a
balding, apologetic excuse of a man with a totally unscientific
mind, at least by Washu's standards.
"Well, Professor, there's been an unfortunate incident."
"Like what?" she sounded disinterested.
"A student has vanished."
"Big deal. Who was it?"
"Yoda Shiro."
"Quite a bright chap. Heard he was doing a miniature spaceship
with stealth capabilities."
"He has taken that with him. And his other projects."
Washu yawned. "Such as...?"
"We don't know for sure. He was developing an EMP device
powerful enough to stop ships, for his other class."
"Mmm-hmmm."
"An energy blade device, that we now suspect to have a
dimension rift creator."
"Mmm..." Washu's brow wrinkled. "Say, wasn't it me who
created the one and only dimensional rift device for Tenchi last
year, during my time as a fugitive?"
"Well, none of us here has actually created another one, but
we've been studying your notes on its creation since you
arrived and we suspect he may have seen the notes, both ours
and yours."
"Oh."
"And we suspect he has materials from your lab too."
"WHAT!?" Quickly she summoned up her spectral computer
and typed furiously at it, checking for intrusions.
"And just one more thing. Remember the Tachyon Ray you
invented seven centuries ago?"
Washu snorted at her terminal. "I should remember! One of the
reasons you people gave for having me thrown out!"
"Well, an analysis on the notes have showed some of the dust
particles on it are missing, while materials required for creating
one have been found in places he might have been to, including
his room."
"Urm, yeah." Something in the back of Washu's screamed at her
to be concerned, but she was too busy with her computer.
"Found it!" Her eyes went to the top of her lab. In a corner, a
ventilator. She pointed at it. "He came in from there! The screws
are slightly loose! And there is a spot there where he placed a
levitating pulley so he can send a rope down without touching
the ceiling or the wall, that's why there's a little less oxygen in
the area! He must have deactivated the alarm devices in the
ventilator!" Washu mentally chided herself. Working in another
dimension would have prevented all this, except for the stupid
rules...
The dean's face turned white.
"That must be how he got into so many places...!"
Something clicked in Washu's mind. "Hold it! Did you say MY
Tachyon Ray?"
"Yes, only the one and only genius scientist in the universe
could have invented that." The dean sighed. "It has some
destructive powers, I believe? One or two planets, according to
your notes."
"That was what I tested it on in my alternate dimension. BUT I
had the right settings for that result."
The dean's eyes bulged out as he absorbed the meaning of her
words.
"That means if you alter the settings...?"
"Theoretically, it means it can destroy anything from just a
space ship to a planetary system to an asteroid field to a *really*
large space fleet." Washu said solemnly.
"Is that written down anywhere?"
"Only on my personal notes. From that one experiment I
extrapolated other settings for the other results." 'Which he may
have seen', the obvious extension to that line, remained
unspoken.
"Oh no," the dean whispered. "Now we've really got a
situation."
"It's all your stupid regulations. I should have abolished that rule
on always making back-up notes on paper during my brief
chairmanship." Washu looked thoughtfully at her computer, and
sure enough, another thought locked into place. She did not
usually think of such things, but still she asked. "Say, have we
ever released any findings to further the ship arms, stealth, and
all that?"
"Once in a while, but nothing that serious."
"So this Yoda guy, whoever he is, has this really tiny spaceship
that can't be detected by ships, can only be shot at by manual
firing, armed with the most powerful weapons of our time, short
of something just about only I can invent?"
The dean could only nod dumbly, as he watched the red-headed
scientist type furiously at her terminal, summoning up the GP
files.
"What are you standing there for? Get me his file!!!" Washu
screamed.
====================================
"Hello, welcome to Mos Burger! What would be your order, sir?"
Kiyone smiled at a customer. Removing his sunglasses, the
man smiled back.
He was a little taller than Kiyone, with a head of somewhat long,
fine black hair, combed neatly with a side parting. A thin
moustache joined up with a goatee, that looked fine on the end
of his sharp chin with high cheek bones. His eyes were blue
beneath his high forehead, and despite his slightly coarse
complexion and that he looked like he was thirty odd years old,
he was still rather strikingly dash in his white tee, with a sky blue
vest and blue trousers. That, plus something in his demeanour
and expression, suddenly made Kiyone's smile a lot more
natural.
"Just a Teriyaki Chicken burger, please."
"Would you like a meal instead, sir? It's better value for money."
His eyes seemed to twinkle as he considered it.
Was that my imagination? Kiyone thought to herself. And what
am I doing looking at his eyes?
"Well, okay, I guess. Thank you." His hand placed the money on
the counter, a genial but nevertheless somehow distant smile
on his face.
"Thank you, sir." She did not have to return change, the amount
was exact. "Please take a seat and wait for your burger." She
pressed the number tag into his hand, a little harder than was
usual for her. "Next, please." Kiyone tried to ignore the
commotion at the other counter originating from another
blunder from Mihoshi, and as she turned her head slightly aside,
she saw the man's head tilt slightly back, snatching a quick look
back at her. With the briefest flicker of surprised astonishment
within the depths of his blue eyes, the man quickly broke eye
contact and hurried around the corner on her right.
Kiyone blinked.
There might have been something there... or maybe not. I'm not
sure, but there was nothing carnal about that, almost as if he
were not looking at my appearance at all, just of me, for myself...
but I'm not sure...
Hello!? An irate part of her mind reminded. There's like another
fellow in line?
"Oh, sorry to have kept you waiting, sir! May I take your order?"
Damn, thought Kiyone to herself. Mihoshi is rubbing off on me.
The manager finally finished with Mihoshi, and the blonde lady
quickly got to work, not at the counter any more, but at
distributing the food. Picking up the first order, she quickly got
out.
"53. 53. Ah, there." She saw the same man Kiyone had served,
with the tag, seated just a table away. "There you are!" Hurrying
over, she failed to see a bag sticking out in her way.
"Ahh....!"
Kiyone heard her, shook her head, and waited expectantly for
the crash. It didn't come.
Seeing there were no more customers before her, Kiyone
quickly walked out from behind the counter and peered round
the corner. Mihoshi was being helped up by a man, whose left
hand on her shoulder had stopped her from falling, while the
tray balanced nicely in the his other hand.
Well, what do you know, it's him again... Kiyone thought as she
heard the store manager move behind her to look upon the
scene.
"Uh, I'm sorry," Mihoshi started as she stood up. "Thank you,
really."
The man smiled, a seemingly more youthful smile than befitted
his age, then turned his back and started placing his meal on his
table. "Don't mention it. Besides, I paid for this food, so I had
best make sure it comes to me intact. Say, what's your name?"
He turned slowly around as he asked the question, and he was
looking straight at Kiyone as he said the last word.
Kiyone blinked.
Wait, was that meant for me?
Of course not! Don't be stupid, Kiyone.
Mihoshi didn't notice anything out of the way either. "I, uh, am
Mihoshi, what's your na.." before she realised all the people
looking at her and the man, who sat down and started
unwrapping his burger. "Oh, this is so embarrassing!!" As she
started hopping around distractedly.
"Mihoshi, get back here!" Kiyone called.
"Uh, coming, Kiyone!"
As Mihoshi hurried over, Kiyone's quick glance to the side
found a soft smile playing on the man's lips, as they
soundlessly pronounced what she felt certain was her name.
"Kiyone." She could almost hear him, then he abruptly bit into
the burger, moving just a little too quickly for it to be natural.
He knows my name!
Big deal. And pray tell, what were you doing looking at him?
That? Oh that was nothing, just coincidence.
Yeah right. And in case you forgot, this is a job, even if it's only
part time.
Quickly she hurried back to her place, just as the manager was
about to call for her.
She glanced at her watch, forgetting all thoughts about nice, not
too bad looking men giving her admiring, respectful and
somehow apprehensive looks. She and Mihoshi would have to
report for their next job soon, in about an hour and a half, then
after that shift, which would mean they have to skip dinner, they
could return to their apartment and to Tenchi's place for a bath
and supper.
====================================
In an alley somewhere in the city, a group of three men were
discussing some job...
"I don't know about this, ain't right. I mean how much can there
be in that place?"
"Well, at least we get to walk out easy peasy, not like the tough
calls with banks nowadays. Security in those kind o' places?
Hell I don't think no one cares, so there ain't gonna be no one
there."
The other ruffian, the youngest of them, looked somewhat
uncertain, but swallowed his doubts before the glare of his
leader. "Okay, whatever you say boss."
"Remember the plan," The thick set fellow reminded, looking at
him. "You and I just go in clean and easy, while Hirotomo, you
cover us."
"Okay..." the other two chorused.
"Oh, and one more thing. Please don't be squeamish about
pulling the trigger. Last time you should have put some slugs in
that fatso, then maybe we wouldn't have gotten nailed."
"Sorry boss. Won't happen again." The third, lanky fellow
looked sheepish.
"Let's get going then."
====================================
"Ooops..." The blonde stared at the growing puddle of soft
drinks on the floor, along with the scattered fries.
"MIHOSHI!"
Kiyone rolled her eyes as she heard the manager thunder, and
yet another customer came in.
Great, now she's managed to knock over one of the trays while
only halfway out from around the counter... This is just making
my day.
"Thank you, sir," Kiyone replied cheerily, passing the tag and
change to the customer, as the other cashier, the one two
metres on her right and closest to Mihoshi, passed the blonde
some serviettes to clean up the mess with. "Have a seat first,
your food will soon be right with you!"
Well, so long as Mihoshi doesn't get anywhere near your meal,
that is.
"Next please."
A rather slovenly youth, maybe just in his late teens, who looked
like he had just got out of bed without shaving and was dressed
shabbily, shuffled over before Kiyone.
"Welcome to Mosburger! Your order, sir?"
"Erm... ketchup and chilli?" He ventured, uncertainly.
"No no no!" A middle aged man, dressed slightly better than the
youth and clean shaven at least, who was standing second in
line before the other cashier, exclaimed to the chap in
annoyance. "It's burgers and fries!"
Kiyone smiled somewhat, in some form of empathy. It was
reminiscent of Mihoshi, as the youth stared uncertainly at the
man, then turned back to her, his mouth drawling hesitantly.
"Erm, burgers and..."
"What kind of burger, sir?" Kiyone interrupted before he could
finish. "Our specialty are rice burgers, and that will go with what
size fries, sir?" Her hand picked up the pen as she prepared to
mark down the order.
"Uh, okay... whatever..." The lad before her mumbled, and the
middle-aged woman behind him scowled in irritation at the
delay.
"Next please," the other cashier announced, and the middle
aged man stepped forward. "One large coke, that's all." Then he
furtively looked at the youth on his right, and whispered loudly.
"Tsukune rice burger and fries!"
"Tsu... Tsuku..."
But Kiyone was already scribbling down the order as he
muttered, unsure how to pronounce the name. "Would you like
a drink with that, sir?"
The middle aged man called over to the youth again. "It's
TSUKUNE, you dimwit! And no, no drink... Now get the money
out!"
Kiyone naturally assumed his words were directed at the youth,
so she casually reached up a hand, as she ripped the order off
her pad and looked up...
Click...
"Heh, oh yes." The young man before her announced, a roguish
grin visible on his face behind the .45 automatic pistol muzzle
she found aiming right between her eyes. "This is my kind of
order." If he were smarter, he might have noticed how Kiyone
looked at him in mild surprise rather than fear, but he wasn't, so
he didn't. "Get the moolah out, doll."
The middle aged man smiled at the other, more distraught
cashier before him. "Just to let those behind me who think they
want to act hero, or rather dead, there's another of our chaps
inside here by the door, so... it's your choice." His muzzle
pressed harder on the temple of the cashier before him, who
had froze half turned as she had been going to get his drink
when he had put the weapon to her head.
Kiyone frowned in irritation as she heard her colleague
frantically opening her cash register. The youth in front of her
wasn't a problem, these people were probably just the run of the
mill mugger types and not hard core murderers or quick shots,
but she was still worried about the safety of the earthling girl
beside her. If she reacted her colleague might well get her brains
blown out, and she could see another gunman, lanky form
leaning relaxed by the entrance door, a revolver held at his waist
level, sweeping around to shadow everyone before him, as well
as the turn around the corner near where Mihoshi was cleaning
as more patrons might come around it.
"What's the problem? You deaf or what?" The young fellow
leaned forward, frowning. Dimly Kiyone registered, in the
background of the manager's teeth chattering nervously and
her colleague's hand rifling through the cash register, Mihoshi
humming contentedly to herself, still happily lost on a level,
namely that of shoes and knees, where everything seemed as it
should be. The youth frowned, pushing the muzzle hard into her
face, and she could feel the cold metal press against the bridge
of her nose as he leaned even closer. "Or do you want me to go
around back and show you the real meaning of a stick up?"
"It's a hold up you idiot!" The other man shouted, his gaze
swivelling aside to his accomplice.
Well, if I assessed them correctly, this should work...
The youth, inclining his face to the side, was about to murmur
some lame apology to his boss when Kiyone's head ducked
down from in front of his gun. Her wrists shot up in that same
instant, seizing his hand and aiming his gun out over her head,
before she jerked him forward over the counter towards her.
"What the...!" The youth managed, then Kiyone's right hand
pressed the trigger, praying it had the desired effect.
The explosive shot made everyone nearby, and most importantly,
Kiyone's colleague at the other cash register, drop to the ground
instantly, while Mihoshi looked up in surprise. There were
surprised shouts as most of the patrons who were seated
around the corner and not within sight of the gunmen fled out
the back door of the joint. Yet there was one who stayed, and as he
looked up from his meal, one could see that his expression was very
much like Kiyone's as the gun was held before her, that of mild
surprise with a touch of annoyance.
Back in front, Kiyone ducked down behind the counter, twisting the
youth's wrist and throwing him over her in the same motion, a
heartbeat before the middle aged man settled his aim on her.
"Aargh!" Wrenching pain shot up the youth's arm as his grip
loosened, and Kiyone promptly snatched the weapon into her right
hand. The thud as the youth hit the tiles was followed by a shot
as a bullet whizzed over the surface of the counter close to her.
Kiyone glared at the youth sprawled before her as he groggily
returned to his senses, and her eyes narrowed.
So, show me the meaning of a stick up, huh?
Her fingers tightened on the gun's trigger, and she fired twice
towards the direction of the youth as another bullet from the
leader's weapon ricocheted off the counter top.
"Don't you dare hurt Kiyone!" Mihoshi cried in anger as she
suddenly realised where the man standing next to her was
aiming at, and acted.
"Whoa!" The man exclaimed as his legs were tugged out from
under him.
However, the lanky fellow near the door, who had not opened
fire at Kiyone as she had not been visible from his position,
quite happily switched to the alternative target.
Too bad, it has to be that cute blonde. Ah well mustn't be
squeamish that's what the boss said... the lanky fellow thought,
and Kiyone's eyes peeked up from behind the counter just in
time to see him take aim.
MIHOSHI!
"Gaaah!" The gunman exclaimed as a paper cup hurtled
towards him, spilling its contents right into his face.
Something gripped Mihoshi by the ankle and pulled her away,
before the bullet the gunman had loosed just skimmed by before
her head.
"Damned!" The man swore aloud as he hurriedly wiped the
droplets of soft drink off his face.
Oops... the fellow holding Mihoshi by the ankle thought as his
attention focused on the barrel of the weapon being aimed at
him by the dripping, angry gunman right at his crouching form.
Oh well...
There was a report, and a yelp of pain as the pistol dropped to
the floor, with the gunman clutching at the bloodied hole that
had appeared in the middle of his right hand.
Heh, he thought, smiling. Kiyone.
"Let go of me, you!" Mihoshi cried, thinking the man was some
kind of pervert, before planting her heel straight into his right
hand holding on to her ankle.
Ouch! He winced and let go at the pain, then stepped around
the corner.
"Look, I was just trying to..." He blinked as his eyes met those of
the leader, who was still on the ground and about to fire at Mihoshi.
Seeing what seemed to be another threat looming up from around the
corner, the leader reacted, and the stranger's eyes widened as
they focused on the pistol muzzle that had just swiveled over to
face him.
There was another report and a cry, before Kiyone landed on
the floor, having dived sideways over the counter, face grim and
holding the smoking automatic in her right hand.
Mihoshi, who was lying face up on the ground, finally registered the
who the person who had grabbed her was. "Oh, it's you!" Behind her,
on the floor, the leader cradled his broken hand, trying to stop his
tears of pain.
The man ignored Mihoshi, watching Kiyone as she jumped to
her feet, seeming no less surprised than her partner at who
the unexpected ally was.
It's *him* again!
She hid her surprise well though, even though it exacerbated
her disconcertment to see him arch an eyebrow approvingly at her,
flashing that odd, too youthful smile.
"Nice shooting, ace." He flashed her a thumbs up, blue eyes
shining oddly.
"Right," was all she could be bothered to say, her eyes quickly
returning to the two criminals. "Show's over." She was about to
read them their rights when she remembered she was not exactly
a law enforcer on this planet. "Get yourselves off the floor."
Leaning his back to the glass, the lanky man by the door got up
painfully to his feet. The middle-aged man made as if to get up,
then his left hand reached out...
BANG!
"I said show's over." Kiyone repeated menacingly, as the leader
stared. The slug had just whizzed by his fingers to embed itself
squarely in the ground inside the trigger hole of the pistol lying
on the floor in front of him. "If you want to try again, that might
be your life that's over next time."
Still clutching his injured hand, the man got up slowly to his feet,
glaring at Kiyone.
"Reimura, go get the cops." She kept her aim steady, not even glancing
over to where her colleague was.
Trembling, the other cashier girl behind the counter got up, as
did the three customers who had been lying low on the floor
around the front of the counter.
Reimura blinked as she saw the youth before her on the ground,
behind the counter where Kiyone had been, with his closed
eyes and pale face. "Is he...?"
"He'll be fine when he comes round. Just go call the cops."
The girl hurried to the back of the store, stepping over the
manager, who was still huddled in a corner biting his fingernails
in terror. It really wasn't her fault that she didn't see that where
the young rogue lay sprawled unconscious, there were two
holes just in front of where his legs were splayed slightly apart,
which was probably the cause of his fainting.
As Mihoshi got to her feet, the three customers who had been
queuing up rather hastily left the outlet. Kiyone got both men to
press themselves against the glass wall by the door, before
training the pistol on them behind their backs.
"I'll be talking and relaxing now," she announced, her voice
deliberately steady and neutral. "Feel free to run, especially
because you can now believe I'm not aiming this gun at you.
Remember, you have to be lucky for at least five seconds to pull
the door open and get out, while I have only to be lucky once for
each of you." Here her voice became grim. "And believe me,
when it comes to shooting, luck has very little to do with me."
"Erm... sorry about kicking you, but even though we've kinda
met," Mihoshi tripped uncertainly over her words, as she faced
the man. "I'm not really used to having strangers touch me..."
For a response, the stranger looked intently at Kiyone, amused,
before arching a questioning eyebrow, and tilting his head
slightly in Mihoshi's direction.
Your turn, he seemed to be say.
"I'm very sorry about this..." Kiyone bowed her head
sheepishly, apologising on behalf of Mihoshi, who was looking
from one to the other, still confused.
"Kiyone, what's going on?"
"Well, for starters, you owe this man over here your life." The
green haired detective muttered crossly. "That's about it, except
for the part where you nearly got yourself killed twice..."
"Oh, I did?" Mihoshi raised a finger to her lips, looking puzzled.
Kiyone rolled her eyes, deciding since Mihoshi was not about to
do so, she would be obligated to say something on her behalf.
"Thank you, sir."
The fellow shook his head deprecatingly. "I wouldn't dare
accept that... It'd be two slugs in my guts by now if not for you."
His smile was warm and sincere, but his eyes seemed to refuse
to look straight at her, as if roving around, lost and worried.
"Not really," Kiyone replied, a little mirth creeping inside her
voice, as she noted with some degree of amused curiosity his
broken eye contact. Generally such details would have been
missed by most, while Kiyone herself would not usually bother
to even consciously register such details, but somehow at this
moment, even while keeping one eye on the crooks by the door,
she still did take note of it. "They would be in Mihoshi, if
not for you."
"Maybe... who knows?" His voice was soft, almost too soft, and
it was with some surprise that Kiyone suddenly realised she
found him and his reservations rather... intriguing.
"Oh so I guess I really do owe him, huh?" Mihoshi asked, then
her arms suddenly opening wide as if to administer a grateful
hug, she jumped at the stranger, who started back in surprise.
"Oh thank you thank you so much for sav..." Her foot stepped on a
certain paper cup which contents had saved her from being
shot earlier, and her eyes widened... "...waaaAAH!"
Oh great... Kiyone slapped her hand to her forehead as Mihoshi,
hands flailing helplessly, careened straight into the surprised
fellow, and there was a brief commotion...
"Ooops." Mihoshi exclaimed, looking under her. "Did I hurt
you?" She was sort of face up.
"Not really," came a muffled voice from under her, seeming to
come from somewhere near the small of her back. "But do you
mind getting up, please? It's a little cramped down here, even if
it's a hormonally desirable place for my head to be in." It was
with some astonishment that Kiyone realised the person sounded calm
and amused, rather than angry and irritated.
"Come on, Mihoshi..." Kiyone helped her partner up, and the
black haired stranger sprang nimbly to his feet, and dusted
himself off. "I'm very sorry, sir, you'll have to forgive Mihoshi,
she tends to get a little over enthusiastic..."
"Can tell," he murmured, and although his twinkling eyes rested
on Mihoshi, somehow Kiyone felt they were actually looking at
her...
Let's try this, then...
"Mihoshi!" She cried, turning her attention fully to her partner.
"You should be the one apologising!"
"I'm..."
Not waiting for Mihoshi's reply, Kiyone shot a sideward glance
to the stranger, and she was surprised to note a tremor of thrill
run through her, as sure enough, the bright, blue eyes were
watching her, and his face was lighted up with a smile, radiant
and vibrant, yet somehow oddly young for his age.
His eyes widened, as they met hers, and within them, affirmation
of what she had seen earlier... a burning, all consuming
affection, yet somehow withdrawn and fearful, almost as if in
awe of her...
Hurriedly, he broke off, averting his eyes, with his smile
threatening to fall apart...
Unbidden, Kiyone felt her cheeks warm up. No one had looked
at her that way before! It was not at her body, then at her. It was
just at her. She had learned long ago to see lust for what it was,
learning from Mihoshi's mistakes. All the men she and Mihoshi
met she had seen through, and she had grown to distance
herself from their attentions. With the exception of Tenchi and
Katsuhito, this stranger was the only man who looked on her
with a different eye.
What *am* I thinking!? She snarled at herself.
"Kiyone?" Mihoshi asked, surprised. "What's wrong?"
"Huh?" She blinked. "Oh, nothing!" She was a little
disconcerted to note, out of the corner of her eye, the stranger
was studiously keeping his sights on Mihoshi, as if deliberately
forcing himself not to risk another look at Kiyone. Yet this
contrasted very intensely with the same youthful smile he
continued to wear, despite it initially faltering, and it looked
somehow so out of place, it burned an impression deep within
Kiyone's mind.
"Oh my, that's a funny smile you got, sir," it seemed even
Mihoshi had noticed. "You look kind of odd, you know that?"
Then she smiled. "But nice."
For a reply, the fellow's eyes seemed to twinkle at Mihoshi, and
Kiyone started again in astonishment as she saw he regarded
her with the same detached affection Tenchi showed Mihoshi.
"Uh... sorry about that, sir... uh..." Mihoshi stumbled over her
words again. "Uh... what's your name?"
Kiyone felt a thought sink into her...
Where *are* my manners? I didn't even ask him for his name...
The fellow raised an eyebrow, looking amused. "Heh, wouldn't
you like to know..." but Kiyone noted that his smile had
subsided into a more ordinary one at the question.
Before she could sort out her thoughts further, the front doors
suddenly burst open at this point, to reveal three uniformed
men. The two by the side pushed the one in the middle out in
front.
"Erm, hi!" The fellow greeted nervously, waving his truncheon
weakly around. "Did something happen here?" Then, as an
afterthought. "I, I mean we, we're the police."
Inept morons, Kiyone could not help thinking.
"I'll be going now," the stranger whispered. "Good day."
Kiyone just managed to make out that odd smile flash for an
instant, and his gaze met hers briefly again, before he vanished
back around the corner.
"Hey wait!" One of the cops made to move over, but Kiyone
noted that the figure of the stranger as he disappeared was
moving marginally faster now than earlier...
Almost like he was running away.
She resisted an impulse to race after him.
No I don't like him! She muttered at her mind. It's just that he
feels and acts funny, and besides that's my police instincts...
"I lost him... I think he went out the back door," said the
policeman, returning back around the corner, looking sheepish.
"Erm, I don't suppose you know who he is?" He addressed
Kiyone and Mihoshi.
"Just a customer," Kiyone replied, her face calm. "So, what will
it be?"
Then the police were prying and poking and making notes
already, not to mention taking the two ruffians and the
unconscious youth into custody.
====================================
When the police left about an hour later, it was drizzling
somewhat outside, and by then Kiyone felt certain she had long
since sorted out her thoughts.
All right, I'm just grateful towards him, that's all it is. After all, he
saved Mihoshi twice, even if the second time was inadvertant
and if I see him again I must remember to thank him...
Not today you won't... A voice smirked inside her. Maybe next
week if you are lucky.
Her mind's eye briefly glimpsed the blue eyes and odd smile
upon her, then she almost angrily consigned the image back
into the shadowed recesses of her mind.
What's *wrong* with me!?
Kiyone frowned in irritation, and glanced at her watch.
Great, time for our next job...
"Mihoshi, it's five thirty already! Time to get going."
"Oh?" The blonde looked at Kiyone questioningly. "For what?"
Kiyone rolled her eyes. "Our next job, don't you remember? The
one at the florists' department store?"
"Uh, oh okay..." Mihoshi quite naturally made to go out the front
door.
"MIHOSHI!"
"Huh, Kiyone?"
The green haired detective glared back, and pointed at herself.
"What?" Mihoshi asked, putting a finger to her lips, and looking
utterly confused.
"We need to get *changed*..." Kiyone growled. "*These* are our
service uniforms for this place..."
"Uh, oh okay," Mihoshi followed her lead, then paused as
Kiyone stopped halfway to the changing room. "Kiyone?"
"You go first," Kiyone smiled, as her eyes went to the manager
of the joint, still sitting in a chair facing the counter, trying to
recompose himself by slucking on a cup of iced peach tea. As
Mihoshi went around the corner, Kiyone stepped up behind the
man. "Hello!"
"Aaah!" The pasty-faced fellow nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Oh, whew, it's you, Kiyone...that nearly gave me a heart
attack..."
"You think I did okay back there?" Kiyone asked, smiling
winningly at the man.
"You were great! Awesome! How could I ever repay you!?"
"Well, how about..." Kiyone's eyes twinkled. "...a bonus? And a
raise?"
"Uhh..."
"Eight thousand yen for today's work, and an eight hundred yen
wage increase per hour for me and Mihoshi?" She grinned.
"Erm..." the man licked his lips nervously. "How about three
thousand and three hundred respectively?"
"HEY, that's not even half! Come on, we're in house security
guards too, you know!" Kiyone grumbled, but she noted though
the manager was cowed, there was a steely defiance about him.
"Seven thousand, seven hundred each at least."
A while later...
"...and so that's a six thousand yen bonus and a six hundred
yen increase." Kiyone smiled, winking at her partner. "How
about that?"
"Yay!" Mihoshi applauded, then stopped, looking thoughtful.
"Uh, so do we *really* have to go to this job and miss dinner...?"
Mihoshi asked as they made to leave by the front door of the
restaurant, and Kiyone sighed.
"Look, we don't have a choice, things are so expensive here, we
need to scrape together everything we can."
"But... it's raining out there!"
"Like I said, we don't have a choice..." Pushing open the door
to the restaurant, Kiyone saw that there was something hanging
in front of the door.
An umbrella.
"What the...?" Kiyone picked it up and saw within it, packet of
fries, wrapped up neatly in plastic to prevent its contents from
spilling out, and... a card.
'For Kiyone, and Mihoshi.' It read. The rain seemed to become
heavier.
"Hey, Kiyone, where's that from?"
"I don't know, but..." the green haired detective fingered the
label with the price tag still attached to the handle, and she
remembered the rain had only just started. "It sure is new."
Looking around, her eyes found a small shop on her left, selling,
among other things, umbrellas. Beyond the building ended. "It's
from that man, Mihoshi."
"Huh? How?"
"He walked out the exit behind, round the back of the building,
went into that shop to buy this, wrapped his fries up, put both
packet and card in, hung it here and left." Her eyes rove around
carefully, as she noted she had not seen the umbrella earlier,
only as she and Mihoshi left the joint. "And only just a while
ago."
"Oh..." Mihoshi scratched her head, then reached into the
umbrella and unwrapped the packet of fries, which was
somehow still hot, as if the fries had just been fried. "Nice..."
She was about to pop one into her mouth when...
"Wait!" Kiyone cried, and Mihoshi froze.
Hey, what are you so worried about? Kiyone's mind asked her.
Come on, if he wanted to hurt you two he wouldn't have helped
you out back there, right?
"Uh, never mind..." Kiyone answered.
"Oh, it's really warm..." Mihoshi laughed as she downed it. "So, I
guess whoever he is, he sure is thoughtful, huh?"
Kiyone allowed herself a smile. "Yeah, I suppose so." And she
rather gingerly helped herself to a french fry.
Eyes followed their movements, and despite the raindrops
pelting down on him, the person's face gave way reluctantly to a
fragile smile as he watched them.
Which suddenly quivered, and died.
Shaking his head, he walked quickly away and into the rain.
====================================
"We must try to get hold of the princesses of Jurai." One voice
said.
"Pointless, they've got Yosho protecting them." Another voice.
"We could try to get better weapons and ships." Another voice.
"Say, which reminds me, have you all heard of a small incident
at the Science Academy?" A fourth voice.
"Look, you just said 'small'. Why would we have heard it?"
"It's small because they want to keep it small. It seems that
some student has stolen some really awesome technology from
them."
"How big is this tech?"
"Remember how our breakthroughs often come from the few
spies I have inside? Well, I've only been working at the student
level. This fellow has got technology from the best."
"Like?"
"Have you heard of Professor Washu?"
"Yes, I heard she became the de facto head of the Academy
since the Kagato incident, although the dean and the chairman
are technically in charge."
"I heard she was the chairman."
"Well, she was, at least until she resigned. And he stole from
her."
"WHAT?"
"Among others."
A pause as the three others absorbed the potential in his
statement.
"In fact, she has left the Science Academy. It's ostensibly to visit
her former associates Aeka and Sasami on Earth, but we believe
she wishes to track this guy down."
"That bad, huh?"
"We have to get to that spy."
"Any ideas where he went?"
"Nope. But I think we'd do well to keep an eye on Washu. At the
same time, try to get hold of the princesses somehow, okay?"
"No problem."
"Oh, and one more thing. I have a hunch that guy was one of
our agents."
"Are you sure? I've seen the most of the latest recruits."
"About a hundred years ago."
"Darned, that's not good. Any ex-agent would have to be almost
perfect to have avoided termination for so long."
"Yes, and on his files, he is very *good* at spying." A pause. "If it
is him."
"Real neat, as if the episode at the Science Academy didn't tell
us that much already. Now, let's get to work, gentlemen."
"Just one more thing. Do you think we should use the new
prototypes? They're pretty good, so we may want to save them
for later, unless the situation warrants them."
"Hmm, good question. Use the weaker X and L prototypes. The
rest we will hold in reserve."
"I, for one, recommend the Cam models. They are suited for
subterfuge, are they not?"
"Very well, then. Terminate?"
"Concur." The other three voices chimed.
"Syndicate meeting concluded."
=== End of Chapter ===
I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it.
If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as
my sole proofreader is myself.
This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com
with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism, and
whether I fulfilled/broke my own guidelines for the characters.
After over a year I guess I am really going to settle back
into this ficcing business and wrap up this fic for good.
Kova is still constantly struggling out in the form of drawings
and I think I owe it to the man to finish him off decently, at
least.
I also noted after I posted the rewrite reviews and
everything fell, and asking around a friend told me the fight
scene was too complex relative to language of the original c01,
losing me some of the readers. So I went over it and simplified
it a little, yeah, nothing really major ^^;; sorry...
REWRITE Note : Well... this "rewrite" finally makes TMFFA wif
this. Not much changes, juz a fight scene. All references to
this extra scene will be limited to up to Chap 3 and the rest
will likely be incidental.
Disclaimer :
Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer.
They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination.
This story was written purely for fun.
Juz to let you know, this FF is based on the TV Series.
The Kain episode, great though it was, was ignored... sorry,
but I really needed the GP around (should be clear by Chap 13).
This story contains no sex, so please do not expect it.
Before I wrote this Fanfic, I have only read 2 Fanfics, Aikan
Muyo and To Love & To Hate. Since then I have read some others,
and have noted some writers have a tendency to portray some
characters inaccurately.
For instance, I believe Tenchi will not screw anyone he does
not seriously love, while Ryoko and Aeka are not irretrievably
unreconciliable. As I wrote suddenly I realised Mihoshi was not
a 2 dimensional dumb blonde scourge of Kiyone.
Some of the powers used in this Fic are a conglomeration of those
in Tenchi TV & OAV, though I have excluded the Light Hawk Wings,
and Washu's goddess status, simply because the imbalance would be
too great.
That's about it, I'm a simple soul at heart...
DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova
By Zyraen
Chapter I : No Need for Enigmas
"How I wish I could be as carefree as you," sighed Kiyone, as
her partner Mihoshi snuggled comfortably into her futon and
into oblivion. The blonde detective gave a loud sigh of
contentment and curled some more as if in confirmation of her
words. Letting herself lie back, hands behind her lustrous, long
green hair, Kiyone thought about all the things that had gone
wrong in her life.
"It's all because of Mihoshi!"
She remembered herself saying that to someone, sometime. Yet
it just did not seem to explain everything. Everything that had
happened, she still remembered, as some kind of nightmare she
had lived through and wished more than anything to end. Yet
Mihoshi had been living that same life, and it had seemed
wonderful to her. How they had met Tenchi, Ryoko, and all the
rest. How they had helped wrest Kagato from his throne of
power, and became high ranking Galaxy Police personnel back
at Central HQ.
Yet...
"What am I doing here!?"
Remembering the day Mihoshi had walked in and jubilantly
announced, "Kiyone, I'm so *happy*! We've got reassigned back
to Earth as resident officers again!"
"WHAT!?"
"Yup, isn't that *wonderful*!"
"H..h..how...?" Kiyone had said as she sank weakly into her
chair.
"Oh, I just asked, as they said it was OK, if I could get you to
agree and substantiate the request, which I'm sure you will! "
She smiled as she held up her hand into an OK sign, then
clasped her hands together again. "This is great! We'll be able to
see Tenchi, Sasami, and all the rest of them again."
"Sasami..." Oh yeah, Aeka had ran away for another vacation
again, and Sasami had gone after her on the pretext of getting
her back. Azaka and Kamadake, the knights, had remained to
keep the Council of Jurai in their place and protect the palace
(empty...) while their log versions had followed Sasami...
"Oh no! I haven't bought anything for them, and they'll be so
upset with me! Sasami said she'd be getting me a..." As Mihoshi
rattled on, Kiyone had toyed with the thought of getting the
transfer undone, but well, returning to Earth was hardly what
she would call unpleasant, though it would put a damper on her
future promotion prospects, not that she was doing badly...
Besides, she did not want to break Mihoshi's heart.
She had then managed to persuade her GP superior that
keeping an eye on Aeka and the true king of Jurai was very
important, in the face of growing hostilities between the Juraian
empire and the Synera Stellar Syndicate (SSS), an empire that
had risen out of a merchant syndicate that developed weapons
and ships to colonise and subjugate planets, and at least be
given credit for protecting the Juraian royalty. She even got the
boss to strongly hint she *might* return to a promotion if
nothing untoward happens until relations are smoothed over.
And so here she was, scraping a living out on the primitive
planet. At least now with the dimensional door that had been so
useful in their adventures in Space, and which Washu had given
to them as a farewell present, she and Mihoshi could pop over
to Tenchi's place anytime for a quick (heavenly) bath, a
welcomed (exquisite!) meal and a nice (and free) Karaoke
session.
"I wonder why do I even bother to stay in this apartment!? I
practically live there in Tenchi's house!" Her thoughts brought
her back. "Oh yeah, principle." Kinda stupid, though.
Looking at the clock beside her, she sighed again. It was almost
an hour since she had retired and she was still awake! Trying
vainly to turn her mind blank and sleep, Kiyone shifted and tried
a different position.
====================================
Meanwhile, high over the Earth's stratosphere, her solitary
spacecraft orbited, in auto pilot. Scarlet metal gleamed bright in
the sun's rays, while from far away, a tiny metallic speck
emerged and sped over. It seemed to be some sort of a capsule,
but there were rocket boosters behind it, and within something
stirred. A portal of darkness opened within and...
He was inside the Yagami. Grinning, the intruder smiled to
himself.
"Let's see how the GP is doing with my data."
Moving over to the bridge, the person seated himself in the
command seat, fingers flashing over the console. His eyes
scanned the screen as he accessed the GP file archives.
"Ah, I see I am still remembered," he murmured.
Before him, on the screen, a very outdated picture of himself,
followed some words. Nothing he did not know, but still, his
attention was drawn to the last few lines.
Last sighted : 40 yrs ago, in the vicinity of the Science Academy
Ship destroyed, no body found.
"I see their intelligence is neither precise nor up to date."
Tapping a few more buttons, he quickly summoned a map of the
ship.
"Just a typical GP ship. I thought the red meant it'd be a bit more
interesting. Oh well," as he absorbed the data, and left to search
the ship for anything of value.
He found nothing, except for a moment he felt like sabotaging
the engine, and then he entered Kiyone and Mihoshi's room on
the ship. The first thing that struck him was how one side, the
right, was kept immaculately neat and tidy, while on the other
side, everything seemed to be a mess. Tissue boxes, scattered
books, spilled drinks, on the left, and the right, just perfect.
Bending over the short pink table in the middle of the room, he
too could see the difference. On the left side, stains of food and
drinks marred the surface, while on the other side, only two
marks were seen - a pair of hands, pressed onto the table so
hard the person must have been very angry.
Curiosity prompted a more thorough observation. A quick
glance found him Mihoshi's photo, by her bed, the exact same
one Kiyone had placed on her altar just last year when she
thought Mihoshi was dead. Beside that, an alarm clock. One did
not have to be very smart to see it had stopped ticking.
"Pretty, cute, and not very well done."
Looking on the other side, three alarm clocks, and...
He stopped and stared.
The photo of Kiyone stared him straight in the eye, in GP
uniform, one hand placed tartly on her hip, the other holding a
blaster by her ear. Her lips were curled into a ghost of smile,
reserved and yet pretty. It seemed as though she was about to
take a shot at him.
She had.
His eyes lingered a moment longer, then he stood up, his mouth
curling in self-disgust.
"She's a GP officer!" Almost unconsciously, his hand tossed a
rod about thirty centimetres long that was sent in a curling arc
of silver right into the photo, some three metres from him across
the room, so it would fall on its face.
"Damn." The photo had not fallen. He was already over the bed
and beside it, his hand holding it up. His other hand gripped the
rod, tightly. Sweat beaded his brow as he fought against
himself.
"I'll see first."
There were two more photos near the centre of the room. One
was of Kiyone and Mihoshi singing a Karaoke duet. He sighed
as he saw how carefree and joyful she was, contrasting with the
personal photo. The other one showed Kiyone and Mihoshi in
complete GP uniform, with blazers and caps, standing before a
man who was dressed like the GP Marshall. He could not be
sure though, as the Marshall was bent over, almost on the verge
of falling, with Mihoshi holding on with one hand on his collar,
the other one on Kiyone's sleeve. The blonde detective had
apparently tripped up, and Kiyone's face was that of utter shock
and outrage, caught slightly off balance. Judging from the GP
assemblage in the background, it was some kind of ceremony,
maybe promotional...
He stifled a smile, and decided. Taking out a metal device and
passing it over each of the two photos and Kiyone's personal
one, he then proceeded to search the room, careful not to leave
any traces.
Ah, there they were, the names.
"Kiyone and Mihoshi. Hmmm, I wonder which is which."
Returning to the bridge, he accessed GP files.
"Ah, so she's Kiyone," as he looked through the long list of
Mihoshi's foul-ups under the blonde's smiling face. Opening the
other file...
"Impressive! First in her class!" he thought. Unfortunately, she
had only one significant work, though it had pushed her up from
1st Class Detective to Detective Sergeant and, after some
additional pressure by the Juraians, was redecorated to the
rather prestigious 2nd Class Chief Inspector.
"Wow, carried out a coup to oust Kagato, the impostor who
usurped the Juraian throne, while protecting Princess Aeka and
Sasami and working with the legendary warrior Yosho and his
grandson Tenchi. Looks like I missed out on a lot of stuff while
in the Academy."
Reading on, 'Other associates include Ryoko, Ryo-oh-ki, Nagi,
Ken-oh-ki, Washu, who assisted greatly in restoring the Juraian
throne to its rightful owner.'
"Washu!!" He recalled how the 'greatest genius scientist in the
universe' had appeared just last year at the Academy. He did not
have time to get to know her, but he knew she was the *best*.
Still, he had managed to steal data on her previous experimentation
with dimensional warping to supplement his new ship's resources,
albeit investing considerable care and effort put into ensuring
his intrusion remained undetected. It had helped greatly. The
Tachyon Ray he had also installed was her credit too, though he
had obtained it before he had seen her, under her invention files
from seven hundred years ago. Not that it was by any means a
slight to her, for certain regulations in the Science Academy
made it easy to obtain copies of data, not to mention he had got
the blueprint for the Ray some years before, and had been busy
working on how to miniaturise it.
Tapping a few buttons, he attempted to access files on Juraian
Royalty.
"ACCESS DENIED to GP Personnel, except to Marshall or Grand
Marshall."
Oh well, no matter, he think he knew vaguely who Aeka was. As
for Yosho, he knew from legends he was not someone to be
trifled with. Ryoko and Nagi were people he knew, not that they
noticed him. He often took pains not to be noticed.
Bringing the silver rod down in front of him, a portal opened, its
blackness seeming to flow out of the tip of the rod.
Oh, I nearly forgot.
Turning back to the ship's computer, the intruder carefully
erased all traces of his passage and accessing of files in the
memory circuits.
His figure loomed for a moment, framed against the dark circle,
ere he vanished into the portal, which closed behind him.
"Earth, here I come."
Outside Yagami, the capsule like spacecraft sped away and
downwards.
====================================
"Well, what I tell you?" Ryoko smiled at Tenchi over the couch,
while Aeka helped Sasami to clear the dishes. "The carnival did
come back."
"Ryoko, you never spoke truer," Tenchi answered, a dreamy
smile on his face as he watched as Aeka and Sasami bustle into
the kitchen with the plates, thinking of how it had all started.
"Though I'd rather some parts didn't show up." Ryoko
contemplated a world, even if it was not for her and Tenchi only,
at least without Aeka. A thought occurred to her. "Hey, what did
you mean by that?"
Tenchi just smiled at her, almost like he did when he threw her
that apple after their adventures in Time and Space, and Ryoko
*knew* he was referring to the 'most wanted space pirate' thing.
"Too bad Washu isn't here," he commented as he was about to
get up.
"She'll show up, you'll see," Ryoko's eyes questioningly
watched Tenchi get off the couch. "Hey, where are you going,
Tenchi?"
"Help the rest with the dishes... Hey, Ryoko, stop that!" As the
pirate materialised before him and latched onto him.
"But I don't want you to help them, I want you *all* to myself."
Ryoko said as she squeezed him a little tighter.
"Ryoko, what do you think you're doing!?" Aeka exclaimed to
Ryoko's back as she came out of the kitchen. "Stop that, you're
embarrassing Tenchi!" All Tenchi could manage was a weak
smile to her as sweat beaded on his brow. "I said, stop that!"
she shrieked again.
Ryoko felt two hands land on her shoulder and braced herself
for Aeka's tug.
"Uh, Aeka, could you...?" Tenchi meekly said.
"Yeah, lay off, princess, can't you see he's all mine?"
"That wasn't what I meant..." Tenchi bit his lip and tried not to
add that Aeka trying to pull Ryoko off him was, of course, that
much more embarrassing.
Ryoko got tugged off Tenchi, her arms held back by Aeka.
"Princess, you've got some nerve!"
"And you shouldn't do that to Tenchi!"
"Grrr..."
"Grrr..."
The two girls faced each other, sparks crackling in the air
between them.
"Hey, stop that! Don't fight in here!!"
"Hi, everyone!" Three pairs of eyes turned to look up the stairs,
onto the blue-eyed blonde detective, or rather, Chief Inspector.
Mihoshi stared at the two girls, arms interlocked, and Tenchi,
helpless, behind them. "Uhh, I'm not interrupting anything, am I,
huh?"
"Hello, we've decided to stop by again," Kiyone spoke calmly,
smoothly stepping before Mihoshi, and pulling her down by one
wrist, discreetly ignoring the potentially explosive situation.
Turning quickly back to her partner, "Move it, Mihoshi! Quit
staring!" under her breath.
"Uh, huh..." Mihoshi's face faded into her usual clueless smile
as she let herself be led down by Kiyone. "Say, where's lunch?"
as she looked at the empty dining table.
"We've eaten," Aeka turned from Ryoko, defusing the situation.
Ryoko gave her a disdainful stare, then as if to prove a point,
appeared next to Tenchi again, leaning on his shoulder. Tenchi
gave her a nervous look, but kept quiet so as not to alarm Aeka.
"And I'm so hungry..."
"Pipe down, Mihoshi! It's all because you had to go spill the
paint all over the wall and the stained glass and we had to
spend time to clean up the mess!"
"I'm sorry, Kiyone..."
"Sasami?" Kiyone called. The younger princess popped her
head out of the kitchen, with Ryo-oh-ki perched on top, nibbling
on a carrot.
"Oh, it's you, Kiyone! I've saved lunch for both of you!"
"Thank you, Sasami."
"Oh thank you, thank you so much!" Mihoshi rushed past her
partner and into the kitchen.
"Sasami's pretty thoughtful, you know." Tenchi commented to
Kiyone, as he stepped toward her. Ryoko seemed to be caught
a little off balance, but floated beside Tenchi, and tried to
seem as though nothing had affected her, though her eyes did
seem to warn Kiyone to stay back.
"Not like some people I know," Aeka pointedly added, moving
close beside Tenchi, but not quite touching him. Ryoko's eyes
blazed at her across Tenchi's shoulder, and Aeka disdainfully
turned away, fixing her gaze on Kiyone, while Ryoko followed
suit.
"Uh, girls, don't..." Tenchi tried.
Kiyone unconsciously stepped back under the concerted gaze of
Ryoko and Aeka. "And... I think I'll just be getting my lunch,"
And so saying, she fled into the kitchen.
Tenchi relaxed. "You know, just because I step towards her and
say something doesn't mean I'm making an advance to her."
"A step forward sure looks like an advance to me," Ryoko
sounded cold.
"I'm know you wouldn't do such a thing, Tenchi, but it's best to
be sure." Aeka added.
He sighed. The carnival certainly seemed here to stay.
====================================
Several days before, in a distant part of the universe...
The dust from the explosion finally cleared.
"What happened!?"
"Well Professor, you see, I um..."
"Forget it," she sighed. "Out, get out of my lab."
There was a brief sound of scuttling footsteps, and the door to
her lab closed.
What had happened to the Science Academy!? All she did was
leave it for seven hundred years, and now, the lab assistants
and students were all as bad as Mihoshi!
As for the professors themselves, so far *only* two others had
attempted to rival her research and invention process, and while
she had conclusively demonstrated to them that she was the
most genius scientist in the universe, that was still a pathetic
number. In her time, she could remember lecturing a whole
classroom full of ex-rivals, and happily see them walk out
deflated and with a better perspective of the universe, some with
extra (heavy) head ornaments.
Only two other professors she might have considered more
noteworthy, but these two did not attempt to prove themselves
against her or to her. As for the students, there had been only
six, in the entire academy, she might have considered promising
material.
Not only that, but they had indirectly stopped her from making
Mecha-Washus, so there was no way to get decent help around.
The Academy trains the very best to be scientists, they had said,
and Mecha-Washu, especially if it has Washu's brain, would
totally negate the need for the Academy. Besides, it also makes
for a lot of confusion.
She heard the door open behind her.
"What is it?" Her spectral computer faded out of reality as she
stopped typing, for already the lab showed no sign of damage
being done to it. She turned to face the Academy's dean, a
balding, apologetic excuse of a man with a totally unscientific
mind, at least by Washu's standards.
"Well, Professor, there's been an unfortunate incident."
"Like what?" she sounded disinterested.
"A student has vanished."
"Big deal. Who was it?"
"Yoda Shiro."
"Quite a bright chap. Heard he was doing a miniature spaceship
with stealth capabilities."
"He has taken that with him. And his other projects."
Washu yawned. "Such as...?"
"We don't know for sure. He was developing an EMP device
powerful enough to stop ships, for his other class."
"Mmm-hmmm."
"An energy blade device, that we now suspect to have a
dimension rift creator."
"Mmm..." Washu's brow wrinkled. "Say, wasn't it me who
created the one and only dimensional rift device for Tenchi last
year, during my time as a fugitive?"
"Well, none of us here has actually created another one, but
we've been studying your notes on its creation since you
arrived and we suspect he may have seen the notes, both ours
and yours."
"Oh."
"And we suspect he has materials from your lab too."
"WHAT!?" Quickly she summoned up her spectral computer
and typed furiously at it, checking for intrusions.
"And just one more thing. Remember the Tachyon Ray you
invented seven centuries ago?"
Washu snorted at her terminal. "I should remember! One of the
reasons you people gave for having me thrown out!"
"Well, an analysis on the notes have showed some of the dust
particles on it are missing, while materials required for creating
one have been found in places he might have been to, including
his room."
"Urm, yeah." Something in the back of Washu's screamed at her
to be concerned, but she was too busy with her computer.
"Found it!" Her eyes went to the top of her lab. In a corner, a
ventilator. She pointed at it. "He came in from there! The screws
are slightly loose! And there is a spot there where he placed a
levitating pulley so he can send a rope down without touching
the ceiling or the wall, that's why there's a little less oxygen in
the area! He must have deactivated the alarm devices in the
ventilator!" Washu mentally chided herself. Working in another
dimension would have prevented all this, except for the stupid
rules...
The dean's face turned white.
"That must be how he got into so many places...!"
Something clicked in Washu's mind. "Hold it! Did you say MY
Tachyon Ray?"
"Yes, only the one and only genius scientist in the universe
could have invented that." The dean sighed. "It has some
destructive powers, I believe? One or two planets, according to
your notes."
"That was what I tested it on in my alternate dimension. BUT I
had the right settings for that result."
The dean's eyes bulged out as he absorbed the meaning of her
words.
"That means if you alter the settings...?"
"Theoretically, it means it can destroy anything from just a
space ship to a planetary system to an asteroid field to a *really*
large space fleet." Washu said solemnly.
"Is that written down anywhere?"
"Only on my personal notes. From that one experiment I
extrapolated other settings for the other results." 'Which he may
have seen', the obvious extension to that line, remained
unspoken.
"Oh no," the dean whispered. "Now we've really got a
situation."
"It's all your stupid regulations. I should have abolished that rule
on always making back-up notes on paper during my brief
chairmanship." Washu looked thoughtfully at her computer, and
sure enough, another thought locked into place. She did not
usually think of such things, but still she asked. "Say, have we
ever released any findings to further the ship arms, stealth, and
all that?"
"Once in a while, but nothing that serious."
"So this Yoda guy, whoever he is, has this really tiny spaceship
that can't be detected by ships, can only be shot at by manual
firing, armed with the most powerful weapons of our time, short
of something just about only I can invent?"
The dean could only nod dumbly, as he watched the red-headed
scientist type furiously at her terminal, summoning up the GP
files.
"What are you standing there for? Get me his file!!!" Washu
screamed.
====================================
"Hello, welcome to Mos Burger! What would be your order, sir?"
Kiyone smiled at a customer. Removing his sunglasses, the
man smiled back.
He was a little taller than Kiyone, with a head of somewhat long,
fine black hair, combed neatly with a side parting. A thin
moustache joined up with a goatee, that looked fine on the end
of his sharp chin with high cheek bones. His eyes were blue
beneath his high forehead, and despite his slightly coarse
complexion and that he looked like he was thirty odd years old,
he was still rather strikingly dash in his white tee, with a sky blue
vest and blue trousers. That, plus something in his demeanour
and expression, suddenly made Kiyone's smile a lot more
natural.
"Just a Teriyaki Chicken burger, please."
"Would you like a meal instead, sir? It's better value for money."
His eyes seemed to twinkle as he considered it.
Was that my imagination? Kiyone thought to herself. And what
am I doing looking at his eyes?
"Well, okay, I guess. Thank you." His hand placed the money on
the counter, a genial but nevertheless somehow distant smile
on his face.
"Thank you, sir." She did not have to return change, the amount
was exact. "Please take a seat and wait for your burger." She
pressed the number tag into his hand, a little harder than was
usual for her. "Next, please." Kiyone tried to ignore the
commotion at the other counter originating from another
blunder from Mihoshi, and as she turned her head slightly aside,
she saw the man's head tilt slightly back, snatching a quick look
back at her. With the briefest flicker of surprised astonishment
within the depths of his blue eyes, the man quickly broke eye
contact and hurried around the corner on her right.
Kiyone blinked.
There might have been something there... or maybe not. I'm not
sure, but there was nothing carnal about that, almost as if he
were not looking at my appearance at all, just of me, for myself...
but I'm not sure...
Hello!? An irate part of her mind reminded. There's like another
fellow in line?
"Oh, sorry to have kept you waiting, sir! May I take your order?"
Damn, thought Kiyone to herself. Mihoshi is rubbing off on me.
The manager finally finished with Mihoshi, and the blonde lady
quickly got to work, not at the counter any more, but at
distributing the food. Picking up the first order, she quickly got
out.
"53. 53. Ah, there." She saw the same man Kiyone had served,
with the tag, seated just a table away. "There you are!" Hurrying
over, she failed to see a bag sticking out in her way.
"Ahh....!"
Kiyone heard her, shook her head, and waited expectantly for
the crash. It didn't come.
Seeing there were no more customers before her, Kiyone
quickly walked out from behind the counter and peered round
the corner. Mihoshi was being helped up by a man, whose left
hand on her shoulder had stopped her from falling, while the
tray balanced nicely in the his other hand.
Well, what do you know, it's him again... Kiyone thought as she
heard the store manager move behind her to look upon the
scene.
"Uh, I'm sorry," Mihoshi started as she stood up. "Thank you,
really."
The man smiled, a seemingly more youthful smile than befitted
his age, then turned his back and started placing his meal on his
table. "Don't mention it. Besides, I paid for this food, so I had
best make sure it comes to me intact. Say, what's your name?"
He turned slowly around as he asked the question, and he was
looking straight at Kiyone as he said the last word.
Kiyone blinked.
Wait, was that meant for me?
Of course not! Don't be stupid, Kiyone.
Mihoshi didn't notice anything out of the way either. "I, uh, am
Mihoshi, what's your na.." before she realised all the people
looking at her and the man, who sat down and started
unwrapping his burger. "Oh, this is so embarrassing!!" As she
started hopping around distractedly.
"Mihoshi, get back here!" Kiyone called.
"Uh, coming, Kiyone!"
As Mihoshi hurried over, Kiyone's quick glance to the side
found a soft smile playing on the man's lips, as they
soundlessly pronounced what she felt certain was her name.
"Kiyone." She could almost hear him, then he abruptly bit into
the burger, moving just a little too quickly for it to be natural.
He knows my name!
Big deal. And pray tell, what were you doing looking at him?
That? Oh that was nothing, just coincidence.
Yeah right. And in case you forgot, this is a job, even if it's only
part time.
Quickly she hurried back to her place, just as the manager was
about to call for her.
She glanced at her watch, forgetting all thoughts about nice, not
too bad looking men giving her admiring, respectful and
somehow apprehensive looks. She and Mihoshi would have to
report for their next job soon, in about an hour and a half, then
after that shift, which would mean they have to skip dinner, they
could return to their apartment and to Tenchi's place for a bath
and supper.
====================================
In an alley somewhere in the city, a group of three men were
discussing some job...
"I don't know about this, ain't right. I mean how much can there
be in that place?"
"Well, at least we get to walk out easy peasy, not like the tough
calls with banks nowadays. Security in those kind o' places?
Hell I don't think no one cares, so there ain't gonna be no one
there."
The other ruffian, the youngest of them, looked somewhat
uncertain, but swallowed his doubts before the glare of his
leader. "Okay, whatever you say boss."
"Remember the plan," The thick set fellow reminded, looking at
him. "You and I just go in clean and easy, while Hirotomo, you
cover us."
"Okay..." the other two chorused.
"Oh, and one more thing. Please don't be squeamish about
pulling the trigger. Last time you should have put some slugs in
that fatso, then maybe we wouldn't have gotten nailed."
"Sorry boss. Won't happen again." The third, lanky fellow
looked sheepish.
"Let's get going then."
====================================
"Ooops..." The blonde stared at the growing puddle of soft
drinks on the floor, along with the scattered fries.
"MIHOSHI!"
Kiyone rolled her eyes as she heard the manager thunder, and
yet another customer came in.
Great, now she's managed to knock over one of the trays while
only halfway out from around the counter... This is just making
my day.
"Thank you, sir," Kiyone replied cheerily, passing the tag and
change to the customer, as the other cashier, the one two
metres on her right and closest to Mihoshi, passed the blonde
some serviettes to clean up the mess with. "Have a seat first,
your food will soon be right with you!"
Well, so long as Mihoshi doesn't get anywhere near your meal,
that is.
"Next please."
A rather slovenly youth, maybe just in his late teens, who looked
like he had just got out of bed without shaving and was dressed
shabbily, shuffled over before Kiyone.
"Welcome to Mosburger! Your order, sir?"
"Erm... ketchup and chilli?" He ventured, uncertainly.
"No no no!" A middle aged man, dressed slightly better than the
youth and clean shaven at least, who was standing second in
line before the other cashier, exclaimed to the chap in
annoyance. "It's burgers and fries!"
Kiyone smiled somewhat, in some form of empathy. It was
reminiscent of Mihoshi, as the youth stared uncertainly at the
man, then turned back to her, his mouth drawling hesitantly.
"Erm, burgers and..."
"What kind of burger, sir?" Kiyone interrupted before he could
finish. "Our specialty are rice burgers, and that will go with what
size fries, sir?" Her hand picked up the pen as she prepared to
mark down the order.
"Uh, okay... whatever..." The lad before her mumbled, and the
middle-aged woman behind him scowled in irritation at the
delay.
"Next please," the other cashier announced, and the middle
aged man stepped forward. "One large coke, that's all." Then he
furtively looked at the youth on his right, and whispered loudly.
"Tsukune rice burger and fries!"
"Tsu... Tsuku..."
But Kiyone was already scribbling down the order as he
muttered, unsure how to pronounce the name. "Would you like
a drink with that, sir?"
The middle aged man called over to the youth again. "It's
TSUKUNE, you dimwit! And no, no drink... Now get the money
out!"
Kiyone naturally assumed his words were directed at the youth,
so she casually reached up a hand, as she ripped the order off
her pad and looked up...
Click...
"Heh, oh yes." The young man before her announced, a roguish
grin visible on his face behind the .45 automatic pistol muzzle
she found aiming right between her eyes. "This is my kind of
order." If he were smarter, he might have noticed how Kiyone
looked at him in mild surprise rather than fear, but he wasn't, so
he didn't. "Get the moolah out, doll."
The middle aged man smiled at the other, more distraught
cashier before him. "Just to let those behind me who think they
want to act hero, or rather dead, there's another of our chaps
inside here by the door, so... it's your choice." His muzzle
pressed harder on the temple of the cashier before him, who
had froze half turned as she had been going to get his drink
when he had put the weapon to her head.
Kiyone frowned in irritation as she heard her colleague
frantically opening her cash register. The youth in front of her
wasn't a problem, these people were probably just the run of the
mill mugger types and not hard core murderers or quick shots,
but she was still worried about the safety of the earthling girl
beside her. If she reacted her colleague might well get her brains
blown out, and she could see another gunman, lanky form
leaning relaxed by the entrance door, a revolver held at his waist
level, sweeping around to shadow everyone before him, as well
as the turn around the corner near where Mihoshi was cleaning
as more patrons might come around it.
"What's the problem? You deaf or what?" The young fellow
leaned forward, frowning. Dimly Kiyone registered, in the
background of the manager's teeth chattering nervously and
her colleague's hand rifling through the cash register, Mihoshi
humming contentedly to herself, still happily lost on a level,
namely that of shoes and knees, where everything seemed as it
should be. The youth frowned, pushing the muzzle hard into her
face, and she could feel the cold metal press against the bridge
of her nose as he leaned even closer. "Or do you want me to go
around back and show you the real meaning of a stick up?"
"It's a hold up you idiot!" The other man shouted, his gaze
swivelling aside to his accomplice.
Well, if I assessed them correctly, this should work...
The youth, inclining his face to the side, was about to murmur
some lame apology to his boss when Kiyone's head ducked
down from in front of his gun. Her wrists shot up in that same
instant, seizing his hand and aiming his gun out over her head,
before she jerked him forward over the counter towards her.
"What the...!" The youth managed, then Kiyone's right hand
pressed the trigger, praying it had the desired effect.
The explosive shot made everyone nearby, and most importantly,
Kiyone's colleague at the other cash register, drop to the ground
instantly, while Mihoshi looked up in surprise. There were
surprised shouts as most of the patrons who were seated
around the corner and not within sight of the gunmen fled out
the back door of the joint. Yet there was one who stayed, and as he
looked up from his meal, one could see that his expression was very
much like Kiyone's as the gun was held before her, that of mild
surprise with a touch of annoyance.
Back in front, Kiyone ducked down behind the counter, twisting the
youth's wrist and throwing him over her in the same motion, a
heartbeat before the middle aged man settled his aim on her.
"Aargh!" Wrenching pain shot up the youth's arm as his grip
loosened, and Kiyone promptly snatched the weapon into her right
hand. The thud as the youth hit the tiles was followed by a shot
as a bullet whizzed over the surface of the counter close to her.
Kiyone glared at the youth sprawled before her as he groggily
returned to his senses, and her eyes narrowed.
So, show me the meaning of a stick up, huh?
Her fingers tightened on the gun's trigger, and she fired twice
towards the direction of the youth as another bullet from the
leader's weapon ricocheted off the counter top.
"Don't you dare hurt Kiyone!" Mihoshi cried in anger as she
suddenly realised where the man standing next to her was
aiming at, and acted.
"Whoa!" The man exclaimed as his legs were tugged out from
under him.
However, the lanky fellow near the door, who had not opened
fire at Kiyone as she had not been visible from his position,
quite happily switched to the alternative target.
Too bad, it has to be that cute blonde. Ah well mustn't be
squeamish that's what the boss said... the lanky fellow thought,
and Kiyone's eyes peeked up from behind the counter just in
time to see him take aim.
MIHOSHI!
"Gaaah!" The gunman exclaimed as a paper cup hurtled
towards him, spilling its contents right into his face.
Something gripped Mihoshi by the ankle and pulled her away,
before the bullet the gunman had loosed just skimmed by before
her head.
"Damned!" The man swore aloud as he hurriedly wiped the
droplets of soft drink off his face.
Oops... the fellow holding Mihoshi by the ankle thought as his
attention focused on the barrel of the weapon being aimed at
him by the dripping, angry gunman right at his crouching form.
Oh well...
There was a report, and a yelp of pain as the pistol dropped to
the floor, with the gunman clutching at the bloodied hole that
had appeared in the middle of his right hand.
Heh, he thought, smiling. Kiyone.
"Let go of me, you!" Mihoshi cried, thinking the man was some
kind of pervert, before planting her heel straight into his right
hand holding on to her ankle.
Ouch! He winced and let go at the pain, then stepped around
the corner.
"Look, I was just trying to..." He blinked as his eyes met those of
the leader, who was still on the ground and about to fire at Mihoshi.
Seeing what seemed to be another threat looming up from around the
corner, the leader reacted, and the stranger's eyes widened as
they focused on the pistol muzzle that had just swiveled over to
face him.
There was another report and a cry, before Kiyone landed on
the floor, having dived sideways over the counter, face grim and
holding the smoking automatic in her right hand.
Mihoshi, who was lying face up on the ground, finally registered the
who the person who had grabbed her was. "Oh, it's you!" Behind her,
on the floor, the leader cradled his broken hand, trying to stop his
tears of pain.
The man ignored Mihoshi, watching Kiyone as she jumped to
her feet, seeming no less surprised than her partner at who
the unexpected ally was.
It's *him* again!
She hid her surprise well though, even though it exacerbated
her disconcertment to see him arch an eyebrow approvingly at her,
flashing that odd, too youthful smile.
"Nice shooting, ace." He flashed her a thumbs up, blue eyes
shining oddly.
"Right," was all she could be bothered to say, her eyes quickly
returning to the two criminals. "Show's over." She was about to
read them their rights when she remembered she was not exactly
a law enforcer on this planet. "Get yourselves off the floor."
Leaning his back to the glass, the lanky man by the door got up
painfully to his feet. The middle-aged man made as if to get up,
then his left hand reached out...
BANG!
"I said show's over." Kiyone repeated menacingly, as the leader
stared. The slug had just whizzed by his fingers to embed itself
squarely in the ground inside the trigger hole of the pistol lying
on the floor in front of him. "If you want to try again, that might
be your life that's over next time."
Still clutching his injured hand, the man got up slowly to his feet,
glaring at Kiyone.
"Reimura, go get the cops." She kept her aim steady, not even glancing
over to where her colleague was.
Trembling, the other cashier girl behind the counter got up, as
did the three customers who had been lying low on the floor
around the front of the counter.
Reimura blinked as she saw the youth before her on the ground,
behind the counter where Kiyone had been, with his closed
eyes and pale face. "Is he...?"
"He'll be fine when he comes round. Just go call the cops."
The girl hurried to the back of the store, stepping over the
manager, who was still huddled in a corner biting his fingernails
in terror. It really wasn't her fault that she didn't see that where
the young rogue lay sprawled unconscious, there were two
holes just in front of where his legs were splayed slightly apart,
which was probably the cause of his fainting.
As Mihoshi got to her feet, the three customers who had been
queuing up rather hastily left the outlet. Kiyone got both men to
press themselves against the glass wall by the door, before
training the pistol on them behind their backs.
"I'll be talking and relaxing now," she announced, her voice
deliberately steady and neutral. "Feel free to run, especially
because you can now believe I'm not aiming this gun at you.
Remember, you have to be lucky for at least five seconds to pull
the door open and get out, while I have only to be lucky once for
each of you." Here her voice became grim. "And believe me,
when it comes to shooting, luck has very little to do with me."
"Erm... sorry about kicking you, but even though we've kinda
met," Mihoshi tripped uncertainly over her words, as she faced
the man. "I'm not really used to having strangers touch me..."
For a response, the stranger looked intently at Kiyone, amused,
before arching a questioning eyebrow, and tilting his head
slightly in Mihoshi's direction.
Your turn, he seemed to be say.
"I'm very sorry about this..." Kiyone bowed her head
sheepishly, apologising on behalf of Mihoshi, who was looking
from one to the other, still confused.
"Kiyone, what's going on?"
"Well, for starters, you owe this man over here your life." The
green haired detective muttered crossly. "That's about it, except
for the part where you nearly got yourself killed twice..."
"Oh, I did?" Mihoshi raised a finger to her lips, looking puzzled.
Kiyone rolled her eyes, deciding since Mihoshi was not about to
do so, she would be obligated to say something on her behalf.
"Thank you, sir."
The fellow shook his head deprecatingly. "I wouldn't dare
accept that... It'd be two slugs in my guts by now if not for you."
His smile was warm and sincere, but his eyes seemed to refuse
to look straight at her, as if roving around, lost and worried.
"Not really," Kiyone replied, a little mirth creeping inside her
voice, as she noted with some degree of amused curiosity his
broken eye contact. Generally such details would have been
missed by most, while Kiyone herself would not usually bother
to even consciously register such details, but somehow at this
moment, even while keeping one eye on the crooks by the door,
she still did take note of it. "They would be in Mihoshi, if
not for you."
"Maybe... who knows?" His voice was soft, almost too soft, and
it was with some surprise that Kiyone suddenly realised she
found him and his reservations rather... intriguing.
"Oh so I guess I really do owe him, huh?" Mihoshi asked, then
her arms suddenly opening wide as if to administer a grateful
hug, she jumped at the stranger, who started back in surprise.
"Oh thank you thank you so much for sav..." Her foot stepped on a
certain paper cup which contents had saved her from being
shot earlier, and her eyes widened... "...waaaAAH!"
Oh great... Kiyone slapped her hand to her forehead as Mihoshi,
hands flailing helplessly, careened straight into the surprised
fellow, and there was a brief commotion...
"Ooops." Mihoshi exclaimed, looking under her. "Did I hurt
you?" She was sort of face up.
"Not really," came a muffled voice from under her, seeming to
come from somewhere near the small of her back. "But do you
mind getting up, please? It's a little cramped down here, even if
it's a hormonally desirable place for my head to be in." It was
with some astonishment that Kiyone realised the person sounded calm
and amused, rather than angry and irritated.
"Come on, Mihoshi..." Kiyone helped her partner up, and the
black haired stranger sprang nimbly to his feet, and dusted
himself off. "I'm very sorry, sir, you'll have to forgive Mihoshi,
she tends to get a little over enthusiastic..."
"Can tell," he murmured, and although his twinkling eyes rested
on Mihoshi, somehow Kiyone felt they were actually looking at
her...
Let's try this, then...
"Mihoshi!" She cried, turning her attention fully to her partner.
"You should be the one apologising!"
"I'm..."
Not waiting for Mihoshi's reply, Kiyone shot a sideward glance
to the stranger, and she was surprised to note a tremor of thrill
run through her, as sure enough, the bright, blue eyes were
watching her, and his face was lighted up with a smile, radiant
and vibrant, yet somehow oddly young for his age.
His eyes widened, as they met hers, and within them, affirmation
of what she had seen earlier... a burning, all consuming
affection, yet somehow withdrawn and fearful, almost as if in
awe of her...
Hurriedly, he broke off, averting his eyes, with his smile
threatening to fall apart...
Unbidden, Kiyone felt her cheeks warm up. No one had looked
at her that way before! It was not at her body, then at her. It was
just at her. She had learned long ago to see lust for what it was,
learning from Mihoshi's mistakes. All the men she and Mihoshi
met she had seen through, and she had grown to distance
herself from their attentions. With the exception of Tenchi and
Katsuhito, this stranger was the only man who looked on her
with a different eye.
What *am* I thinking!? She snarled at herself.
"Kiyone?" Mihoshi asked, surprised. "What's wrong?"
"Huh?" She blinked. "Oh, nothing!" She was a little
disconcerted to note, out of the corner of her eye, the stranger
was studiously keeping his sights on Mihoshi, as if deliberately
forcing himself not to risk another look at Kiyone. Yet this
contrasted very intensely with the same youthful smile he
continued to wear, despite it initially faltering, and it looked
somehow so out of place, it burned an impression deep within
Kiyone's mind.
"Oh my, that's a funny smile you got, sir," it seemed even
Mihoshi had noticed. "You look kind of odd, you know that?"
Then she smiled. "But nice."
For a reply, the fellow's eyes seemed to twinkle at Mihoshi, and
Kiyone started again in astonishment as she saw he regarded
her with the same detached affection Tenchi showed Mihoshi.
"Uh... sorry about that, sir... uh..." Mihoshi stumbled over her
words again. "Uh... what's your name?"
Kiyone felt a thought sink into her...
Where *are* my manners? I didn't even ask him for his name...
The fellow raised an eyebrow, looking amused. "Heh, wouldn't
you like to know..." but Kiyone noted that his smile had
subsided into a more ordinary one at the question.
Before she could sort out her thoughts further, the front doors
suddenly burst open at this point, to reveal three uniformed
men. The two by the side pushed the one in the middle out in
front.
"Erm, hi!" The fellow greeted nervously, waving his truncheon
weakly around. "Did something happen here?" Then, as an
afterthought. "I, I mean we, we're the police."
Inept morons, Kiyone could not help thinking.
"I'll be going now," the stranger whispered. "Good day."
Kiyone just managed to make out that odd smile flash for an
instant, and his gaze met hers briefly again, before he vanished
back around the corner.
"Hey wait!" One of the cops made to move over, but Kiyone
noted that the figure of the stranger as he disappeared was
moving marginally faster now than earlier...
Almost like he was running away.
She resisted an impulse to race after him.
No I don't like him! She muttered at her mind. It's just that he
feels and acts funny, and besides that's my police instincts...
"I lost him... I think he went out the back door," said the
policeman, returning back around the corner, looking sheepish.
"Erm, I don't suppose you know who he is?" He addressed
Kiyone and Mihoshi.
"Just a customer," Kiyone replied, her face calm. "So, what will
it be?"
Then the police were prying and poking and making notes
already, not to mention taking the two ruffians and the
unconscious youth into custody.
====================================
When the police left about an hour later, it was drizzling
somewhat outside, and by then Kiyone felt certain she had long
since sorted out her thoughts.
All right, I'm just grateful towards him, that's all it is. After all, he
saved Mihoshi twice, even if the second time was inadvertant
and if I see him again I must remember to thank him...
Not today you won't... A voice smirked inside her. Maybe next
week if you are lucky.
Her mind's eye briefly glimpsed the blue eyes and odd smile
upon her, then she almost angrily consigned the image back
into the shadowed recesses of her mind.
What's *wrong* with me!?
Kiyone frowned in irritation, and glanced at her watch.
Great, time for our next job...
"Mihoshi, it's five thirty already! Time to get going."
"Oh?" The blonde looked at Kiyone questioningly. "For what?"
Kiyone rolled her eyes. "Our next job, don't you remember? The
one at the florists' department store?"
"Uh, oh okay..." Mihoshi quite naturally made to go out the front
door.
"MIHOSHI!"
"Huh, Kiyone?"
The green haired detective glared back, and pointed at herself.
"What?" Mihoshi asked, putting a finger to her lips, and looking
utterly confused.
"We need to get *changed*..." Kiyone growled. "*These* are our
service uniforms for this place..."
"Uh, oh okay," Mihoshi followed her lead, then paused as
Kiyone stopped halfway to the changing room. "Kiyone?"
"You go first," Kiyone smiled, as her eyes went to the manager
of the joint, still sitting in a chair facing the counter, trying to
recompose himself by slucking on a cup of iced peach tea. As
Mihoshi went around the corner, Kiyone stepped up behind the
man. "Hello!"
"Aaah!" The pasty-faced fellow nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Oh, whew, it's you, Kiyone...that nearly gave me a heart
attack..."
"You think I did okay back there?" Kiyone asked, smiling
winningly at the man.
"You were great! Awesome! How could I ever repay you!?"
"Well, how about..." Kiyone's eyes twinkled. "...a bonus? And a
raise?"
"Uhh..."
"Eight thousand yen for today's work, and an eight hundred yen
wage increase per hour for me and Mihoshi?" She grinned.
"Erm..." the man licked his lips nervously. "How about three
thousand and three hundred respectively?"
"HEY, that's not even half! Come on, we're in house security
guards too, you know!" Kiyone grumbled, but she noted though
the manager was cowed, there was a steely defiance about him.
"Seven thousand, seven hundred each at least."
A while later...
"...and so that's a six thousand yen bonus and a six hundred
yen increase." Kiyone smiled, winking at her partner. "How
about that?"
"Yay!" Mihoshi applauded, then stopped, looking thoughtful.
"Uh, so do we *really* have to go to this job and miss dinner...?"
Mihoshi asked as they made to leave by the front door of the
restaurant, and Kiyone sighed.
"Look, we don't have a choice, things are so expensive here, we
need to scrape together everything we can."
"But... it's raining out there!"
"Like I said, we don't have a choice..." Pushing open the door
to the restaurant, Kiyone saw that there was something hanging
in front of the door.
An umbrella.
"What the...?" Kiyone picked it up and saw within it, packet of
fries, wrapped up neatly in plastic to prevent its contents from
spilling out, and... a card.
'For Kiyone, and Mihoshi.' It read. The rain seemed to become
heavier.
"Hey, Kiyone, where's that from?"
"I don't know, but..." the green haired detective fingered the
label with the price tag still attached to the handle, and she
remembered the rain had only just started. "It sure is new."
Looking around, her eyes found a small shop on her left, selling,
among other things, umbrellas. Beyond the building ended. "It's
from that man, Mihoshi."
"Huh? How?"
"He walked out the exit behind, round the back of the building,
went into that shop to buy this, wrapped his fries up, put both
packet and card in, hung it here and left." Her eyes rove around
carefully, as she noted she had not seen the umbrella earlier,
only as she and Mihoshi left the joint. "And only just a while
ago."
"Oh..." Mihoshi scratched her head, then reached into the
umbrella and unwrapped the packet of fries, which was
somehow still hot, as if the fries had just been fried. "Nice..."
She was about to pop one into her mouth when...
"Wait!" Kiyone cried, and Mihoshi froze.
Hey, what are you so worried about? Kiyone's mind asked her.
Come on, if he wanted to hurt you two he wouldn't have helped
you out back there, right?
"Uh, never mind..." Kiyone answered.
"Oh, it's really warm..." Mihoshi laughed as she downed it. "So, I
guess whoever he is, he sure is thoughtful, huh?"
Kiyone allowed herself a smile. "Yeah, I suppose so." And she
rather gingerly helped herself to a french fry.
Eyes followed their movements, and despite the raindrops
pelting down on him, the person's face gave way reluctantly to a
fragile smile as he watched them.
Which suddenly quivered, and died.
Shaking his head, he walked quickly away and into the rain.
====================================
"We must try to get hold of the princesses of Jurai." One voice
said.
"Pointless, they've got Yosho protecting them." Another voice.
"We could try to get better weapons and ships." Another voice.
"Say, which reminds me, have you all heard of a small incident
at the Science Academy?" A fourth voice.
"Look, you just said 'small'. Why would we have heard it?"
"It's small because they want to keep it small. It seems that
some student has stolen some really awesome technology from
them."
"How big is this tech?"
"Remember how our breakthroughs often come from the few
spies I have inside? Well, I've only been working at the student
level. This fellow has got technology from the best."
"Like?"
"Have you heard of Professor Washu?"
"Yes, I heard she became the de facto head of the Academy
since the Kagato incident, although the dean and the chairman
are technically in charge."
"I heard she was the chairman."
"Well, she was, at least until she resigned. And he stole from
her."
"WHAT?"
"Among others."
A pause as the three others absorbed the potential in his
statement.
"In fact, she has left the Science Academy. It's ostensibly to visit
her former associates Aeka and Sasami on Earth, but we believe
she wishes to track this guy down."
"That bad, huh?"
"We have to get to that spy."
"Any ideas where he went?"
"Nope. But I think we'd do well to keep an eye on Washu. At the
same time, try to get hold of the princesses somehow, okay?"
"No problem."
"Oh, and one more thing. I have a hunch that guy was one of
our agents."
"Are you sure? I've seen the most of the latest recruits."
"About a hundred years ago."
"Darned, that's not good. Any ex-agent would have to be almost
perfect to have avoided termination for so long."
"Yes, and on his files, he is very *good* at spying." A pause. "If it
is him."
"Real neat, as if the episode at the Science Academy didn't tell
us that much already. Now, let's get to work, gentlemen."
"Just one more thing. Do you think we should use the new
prototypes? They're pretty good, so we may want to save them
for later, unless the situation warrants them."
"Hmm, good question. Use the weaker X and L prototypes. The
rest we will hold in reserve."
"I, for one, recommend the Cam models. They are suited for
subterfuge, are they not?"
"Very well, then. Terminate?"
"Concur." The other three voices chimed.
"Syndicate meeting concluded."
=== End of Chapter ===
I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it.
If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as
my sole proofreader is myself.
This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com
with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism, and
whether I fulfilled/broke my own guidelines for the characters.