Gally couldn't understand it, she lost. She had never lost before, somehow, she always came out victorious. But now she lay there, her cybernetic body had failed her. Her enemy had shown no remorse in removing the limbs that gave her movement. Now she was on his wall, a trophy to him, kept alive only for the entertainment of others. She wanted to escape, to run away, but the bonds that held her were unforgiving. Those blasted tubes that fed her intravenously, damn those tubes. If she could reject the tubes, she could bring about her own death.
Death, death was the only release left for her. If she could die, his trophy would rot away, he would lose her. In this loss, Gally would win the final battle.
Battle, that's what had started it all. He and Gally had met on the battlefield. He was completely organic, uncommon for the days of her time. She should have won before his weapon was drawn, but something happened. A cohort behind the garbage heap, he used an EM pulse against her. It had short-circuited her systems, had it not been for her fail-safes, she would have died then.
EM pulse, electromagnetic pulse, the one thing her body was vulnerable to. She lie on the ground, most of her body's systems useless, only her life support functioned, maintaining her heart-beat and breath. He stood over her, laughing maniacally as he took out a sword, the sharp edges had cut through her metal body with ease. Damascus, it had to have been Damascus it's was the only metal that could have cut so easily.
Her arms fell from her body, being thrown into the garbage heap to join her legs. She hollered, she screamed. No one would help her, there were no Hunter-warriors in the area to hear her. He lifted her torso and carried her to his residents. Once there, he severed the connections that gave her voice, she couldn't scream any longer. The tubes, he put the tubes in her neck. The bastard, he kept her alive with those tubes.
A noise, he was coming, no doubt with another visitor to view his accomplishment. "So, this is the famous Battle Angel?" The young woman gazed into Gally's eyes, a comforting shine hidden within them. "She'll do fine"
WHAT?!! Was he selling her to this woman! No, he started to dispute her, but she killed him. Killed him, over her? She had, now she talked to her. "Don't worry, Gally, I want to help you." Help? Help Gally? That's what she said, and Gally let a look of ease set in as the tubes were slowly removed from her throat.
The woman carried Gally through the streets and took her to a familiar house. Ido, this was where Ido had moved to, after, after Desty Nova had wiped his memory. Why was this stranger bringing her here?
"Ido! I found someone who needs your help." Ido? He WAS here. But why now? And after all this time.
"Who did you find Rei?" Ido asked, working diligently at repairing some cyborgs malfunctioning arm.
His voice, she had heard HIS voice, would he be repairing her, just like old times? Tears started to form in her eyes as she recalled the last adjustment Ido had made on her. He gave her the Berserker body, the one her manager on the track had sold. But he wouldn't remember, how could he? His memory had been wiped by Desty Nova after he learned the truth of Salem. Would it still be the same? Could he remember her?
"I found the legendary Hunter-Warrior, Gally, the One who took down Greweicia so long ago." She set Gally down, upright on a tabletop, her eyes wide with admiration.
"Really, Gally you say? I'll get to work right away." The sound of his voice, the voice she had longed to hear for so long. Content, Gally slipped into unconsciousness.
Light, she could see the light through her eyelids, opening her eyes, she saw Doc Ido smiling at her, just as he had, so many years ago. "Just a few more adjustments and we'll have your voice working again, Gally." He spoke to her, he said her name. Reassured, Gally smiled and slipped back into unconsciousness.
When she woke again, she could feel her arms and legs, but they refused to function. "Ido?" she gasped weakly. Where was he? Did he forget her?
"Rest, Gally, I still have some repairs to finish." Ido looked at her, smiling as he worked on restoring her limbs. Satisfied, Gally slept.
"Gally," that voice, it was Ido's. Ido wanted her to wake. Gally stirred and slowly opened her eyes. "Good, you're awake, I've finished the repairs, Gally. How do you feel?"
Gally slowly pushed herself upright, "I feel," she coughed slightly, her throat still agitated from those damn tubes, "I feel better. Thank you, Ido." Suddenly, Gally fell back in the bed in a coughing fit.
"Don't worry, Gally, the coughing will stop when you throats healed. You get your rest, I'll bring you some food in a bit." Smiling warmly, Daisuke Ido left the room, talking quietly with an unseen voice in the next room, the sound of pots and pans as a meal was prepared.
Gally stopped coughing and just sat back, working her new limbs for the first time. "They're perfect, just like before." Satisfied, Gally allowed her mind to wander, wishing she could live in this moment forever.
Death, death was the only release left for her. If she could die, his trophy would rot away, he would lose her. In this loss, Gally would win the final battle.
Battle, that's what had started it all. He and Gally had met on the battlefield. He was completely organic, uncommon for the days of her time. She should have won before his weapon was drawn, but something happened. A cohort behind the garbage heap, he used an EM pulse against her. It had short-circuited her systems, had it not been for her fail-safes, she would have died then.
EM pulse, electromagnetic pulse, the one thing her body was vulnerable to. She lie on the ground, most of her body's systems useless, only her life support functioned, maintaining her heart-beat and breath. He stood over her, laughing maniacally as he took out a sword, the sharp edges had cut through her metal body with ease. Damascus, it had to have been Damascus it's was the only metal that could have cut so easily.
Her arms fell from her body, being thrown into the garbage heap to join her legs. She hollered, she screamed. No one would help her, there were no Hunter-warriors in the area to hear her. He lifted her torso and carried her to his residents. Once there, he severed the connections that gave her voice, she couldn't scream any longer. The tubes, he put the tubes in her neck. The bastard, he kept her alive with those tubes.
A noise, he was coming, no doubt with another visitor to view his accomplishment. "So, this is the famous Battle Angel?" The young woman gazed into Gally's eyes, a comforting shine hidden within them. "She'll do fine"
WHAT?!! Was he selling her to this woman! No, he started to dispute her, but she killed him. Killed him, over her? She had, now she talked to her. "Don't worry, Gally, I want to help you." Help? Help Gally? That's what she said, and Gally let a look of ease set in as the tubes were slowly removed from her throat.
The woman carried Gally through the streets and took her to a familiar house. Ido, this was where Ido had moved to, after, after Desty Nova had wiped his memory. Why was this stranger bringing her here?
"Ido! I found someone who needs your help." Ido? He WAS here. But why now? And after all this time.
"Who did you find Rei?" Ido asked, working diligently at repairing some cyborgs malfunctioning arm.
His voice, she had heard HIS voice, would he be repairing her, just like old times? Tears started to form in her eyes as she recalled the last adjustment Ido had made on her. He gave her the Berserker body, the one her manager on the track had sold. But he wouldn't remember, how could he? His memory had been wiped by Desty Nova after he learned the truth of Salem. Would it still be the same? Could he remember her?
"I found the legendary Hunter-Warrior, Gally, the One who took down Greweicia so long ago." She set Gally down, upright on a tabletop, her eyes wide with admiration.
"Really, Gally you say? I'll get to work right away." The sound of his voice, the voice she had longed to hear for so long. Content, Gally slipped into unconsciousness.
Light, she could see the light through her eyelids, opening her eyes, she saw Doc Ido smiling at her, just as he had, so many years ago. "Just a few more adjustments and we'll have your voice working again, Gally." He spoke to her, he said her name. Reassured, Gally smiled and slipped back into unconsciousness.
When she woke again, she could feel her arms and legs, but they refused to function. "Ido?" she gasped weakly. Where was he? Did he forget her?
"Rest, Gally, I still have some repairs to finish." Ido looked at her, smiling as he worked on restoring her limbs. Satisfied, Gally slept.
"Gally," that voice, it was Ido's. Ido wanted her to wake. Gally stirred and slowly opened her eyes. "Good, you're awake, I've finished the repairs, Gally. How do you feel?"
Gally slowly pushed herself upright, "I feel," she coughed slightly, her throat still agitated from those damn tubes, "I feel better. Thank you, Ido." Suddenly, Gally fell back in the bed in a coughing fit.
"Don't worry, Gally, the coughing will stop when you throats healed. You get your rest, I'll bring you some food in a bit." Smiling warmly, Daisuke Ido left the room, talking quietly with an unseen voice in the next room, the sound of pots and pans as a meal was prepared.
Gally stopped coughing and just sat back, working her new limbs for the first time. "They're perfect, just like before." Satisfied, Gally allowed her mind to wander, wishing she could live in this moment forever.