The sounds of gears whirring to life broke the silence of the surrounding bleak darkness, the burnt orange sky above the abandoned wastelands baring witness to the metal behemoth's rebirth. Breaking through the protective outer shell that spared it from the soul-shattering cold of space, its red eyes scanned its new surroundings as a new mission objective was calculated through its internal CPU drive.
Motors pistoned into life as large, mechanical wings extended to their full length and began to oscillate as the 15 ton metallic creature took flight. Tongues of flames littered the edge of the newly-forged crater and created shadows that danced along the sand. The only sound that could be heard was the slow beating of the beast's wings as it searched for its target.
"…Today's weather forecast predicts beautiful sunshine throughout the whole day, and with barely a cloud in the sky it's fair to say that anyone without work or school today should take advantage and soak up those rays!…"
The sweetly-sounding voice played though the speakers of the small tv set and echoed it's way around the lounge/kitchen of the small flat, not going unheard by the young woman who was preparing herself for another long day in the nearby bathroom, the door open slightly a-jar.
"Just typical!" She thought to herself as she brushed her long, ebony hair and double-checked her reflection in the mirrored cabinet before her. "It's always gorgeous and sunny when I'm working!" Reaching for the mascara she applied the blackened brush to the eyelashes of both her eyes, taking two test blinks when finished and quickly reaching for her lip gloss.
"…And in other news, what appears to be a meteorite has crash landed in the state-side wastelands in the early hours of this morning…"
The hinges of the bathroom door squeaked in protest, as the small flat's only occupant headed straight into the lounge and grabbed her handbag, which had been placed onto the chair directly in front of the TV set.
"…Witnesses have claimed to have seen what appears to be a large creature fly away from the crash site…"
The sweet-sounding voice was quickly cut short as the TV was quickly turned off with the press of a button on the remote control. "Please!" The young woman quickly tossed the offending remote onto the nearby sofa across the room.
Chichi Mau's feet ached and a pounding headache thumped between her ears as she tried to keep her footing in the large crowds of West City Main Street. The bustling commuters barging their way past caused her to lose her balance every now and then, but she stood her ground firmly and gave as good as she got, her slim and trim figure coming in handy.
A frown of agitation etched her pretty features as her ebony hair danced freely behind her back with two bangs framing her face, completing the look. A smirk slowly made its way to her face as she noticed her salvation from the continuing mob, and made a dash for a nearby deserted alley. She paused near the large bins of an Indian Takeaway as she brushed the dust and dirt she had collected on her journey from her nurse uniform.
"What!" She shouted, causing some of the commuters walking nearby to stumble in their strides. "That can't be right!" She roughly grabbed the fob watch attached to the top left of her uniform and analysed its face more closely. "Great, it's only 8.45 and it feels like I've already done an eight hour shift!" She let out a sigh and continued walking down the alley, not caring where she walked.
She let out a small surprised squeal as her right foot gave out from under her and she fell clumsily to the cobbled ground beneath her. Grabbing her ankle immediately after out of instinct, Chichi noticed the object she had stood on. Curiosity getting the better of her, she reached out and picked up a feather, or what appeared to be a feather.
It was at least half a metre in length, cool to the touch and extremely light, which was strange as it appeared to be made of some kind of metal. "But that can't be..." Chichi's head spun with so many questions and answers, all of them completely preposterous of course in her rational mind. She was quickly pulled back into reality when a large shadow danced over the alleyway, causing Chichi to look up in surprise, her hand clutched to her chest to stop her fast beating heart.
"No!" She shouted yet again as she grabbed her fob watch and noted the time yet again. Pulling herself back to her feet, she frog-marched her way down the alley and towards a large building that loomed above her over the horizon.
The heavy footsteps of the matron echoed heavily within the corridors of the fourth floor, her hook nose slightly upturned as she looked down at the nurses around her, a small smirk appeared as she saw them all squirm under her gaze. The constant frown on her face deepened significantly as she saw the dishevelled form of the young Chichi race from the nearby elevator, her dirty footprints leaving a trail behind her.
Letting a small growl escape from her lips, she closely followed her to the nurse's locker room, almost as if she were a predator stalking her prey.
With great difficulty, Chichi managed to place her key into the lock and opened her locker, her hands still shaking from exhaustion. Just as she placed her handbag inside and inspected her reflection in the mirror within, she finally realised she wasn't alone. A small shiver snaked its way up her spine.
And speaking of snakes...
"Matron Snake, I'm so sorry...I –"
"It's nice of you to make an appearance Miss. Mau. I hope this job isn't of inconvenience to you?" Her words dripped with venom.
"I-I'm sorry! There...There was a rail-strike! And I had to walk half-way across the city...and the crowds were – "
"I will not listen to your excuses!" She snapped, causing Chichi to drop her head and look at the floor. "As a trainee nurse, I expect certain...standards. And one of them is arriving to work on time! If you wish to become a qualified nurse for this hospital I will expect to see you on your toes from now on." The Matron turned and walked towards the door, however she quickly paused, her hand hovering over the door handle. "This little discretion will not go unnoticed, and it shall be written on your monthly report, I do not expect it to happen again!" She firmly opened the door and closed it roughly, leaving Chichi behind with her thoughts.
This has to be the slowest two hours of my life! Chichi thought to herself as she sorted out the notes and paperwork of a recently discharged patient. She let out a small squeak as she caught her finger on the edge of one of the pages. "Just great! As if this day couldn't get any better!" She grumbled, until she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Rough day?" A soft voice asked as Chichi turned round to face a young woman by the name of Launch. She was a tall woman with large, blue hair and the kindest eyes Chichi had ever seen. She had just recently qualified as a nurse a couple of months previous and was one of Chichi's closest friends from the hospital.
"Where do I begin? First of all there's a rail strike so I had to walk to work! Then I trip over and hurt my ankle on some stupid metal feather...thing! And then I get chewed up and spat up by Matron Tight-Ass for being late for my shift! And if that isn't bad enough she said she was going to write it into my monthly report!" Chichi inhaled and exhaled deeply to calm her nerves as Launch shook her head in sympathy.
"You're not having a good day, are yah hun?" She asked softly as Chichi slowly shook her head. "Would a new patient help?" Launch continued as Chichi looked up at her expectantly and shrugged her shoulders. "Sure...why not." She replied with a tired smile. Linking arms, they both made their way into the corridor and towards a private room. Looking through the glass pane Chichi could make out the image of an elderly man tucked tightly into his bed, a drip set to the left and a heart monitor to his right.
"This is Mr. Tsuru. Severe acute renal failure. We've pumped him with fluids for the past two hours downstairs in the ICU but his urine output is very low and his Urea level is through the roof, so unfortunately he doesn't have long with us. We would have kept him downstairs, saving him the stress of moving him but we needed the bed for a serious R.T.A. So, to put it simply, just keep him comfortable and make sure his last hours are cosy and snug!"
Chichi chuckled softly, "Boy would I love cosy and snug right now!" However her professionalism quickly returned. "Does he have any relatives?" Launch nodded, her hair swaying with the movement. "Yeah, a younger brother, a Mr. Tao, should be here in the next hour. Hopefully he'll be here on time..." Launch looked close to tears as she watched the weak old man through the glass.
She always was sensitive in these situations. Chichi thought as she watched her friend from the corner of her eye. Maybe that's why she's so good at her job... Chichi pondered as her gaze also locked onto the frail patient in the bed in front of them.
A shrill beeping filled the air, pulling the two young women from their thoughts. Launch immediately reached for a beeper on her belt and looked at its display, smiling in recognition. "Looks like I'm needed on the second floor!" She shone a large grin at Chichi standing next to her and walked down the corridor towards the nearby elevators. "I'll catch yah later Chi!" She shouted without turning round.
Chichi watched her leave with a look of envy on her face. I can't wait till I qualify so I can get a beeper and be needed at places... She thought with an air of childishness, turning back round once again to check on the old man.
"He doesn't do much, does he?"
Chichi squealed and her heart practically leaped into her throat when she realised a tall man was standing directly behind her. His head was almost leaning on her shoulder and, at this moment he was staring directly into the private cubicle like a young child curiously staring at goldfish in a tank. His jet-black hair seemed to defy the laws of gravity as it spiked in all different directions and he was dressed in a tight spandex blue outfit, with the top half covered in what appeared to be white and yellow armour.
"Who the hell are you? Where did you come from? H-How did you get here?" Chichi asked while she looked around them both to see if she could see any obvious routes. How come she didn't even see him walk towards her? "You ask a lotta questions lady." He spoke to her with a calm voice and an innocent look on his face. "Look you! Just-" She stopped mid-sentence, her finger poking a hole in his chest armour. "Just answer my questions will ya?" It was strange, but she just couldn't stay mad at this man.
"Only if you answer mine first!" He grinned triumphantly, glad at his quick retort. Chichi growled quietly in annoyance at the man before her, but it quickly dissipated when she once again looked upon the old man. "He's dying" She whispered slowly as the mysterious stranger listened intently. "He's got a couple of hours left at the most." The stranger looked sadly through the window-pane and into the tiny cubicle. "I'm sorry."
"So that's why he doesn't need you to sit at his bed-side and tell corny jokes and try to cheer him up, it would be unethical if I let you walk in there!" Chichi pointed at the door next to them as she scowled at the young man. He turned his head once again to face her, a look of utter surprise etched on his face as he looked to where she pointed and turned again to face her. "What are you talking about?" He asked as she almost slapped him.
"Well that's what you are isn't it? One of those clowns not good enough for a circus or freak show who run round here entertaining people all day? Why else would you be walking round here in that stupid get-up?" She asked as she looked down at his attire, and only now realising how tight it fit to his body causing her to blush furiously and look away almost immediately. The mystery man's jaw was inches away from creating a giant crater in the tiled floor. "Listen lady, I-"
"Ahh, Chichi! There you are!" A short man quickly interrupted their 'conversation', he was in his early 50's wearing a white coat with a small badge of a black cat on his lapel and a stethoscope hung loosely round his neck, a large grin was plastered underneath his bushy moustache. Chichi smiled the second she saw him. "Dr Briefs! Good morning, I'm guessing this is your patient then?" She asked smiling as she signalled to Mr. Tsuru and completely forgot about the stranger standing next to her, who was now watching the two intently.
"Yes, I'm afraid so. I really must go over my contract sometime as it appears they only seem to give me the hopeless cases." His grin grew a little larger as he stroked his chin in thought. Chichi couldn't help but form a small smile. "You know fine well it's because you are one of the greatest doctors in this hospital and you have the highest record of saving hopeless cases." The stranger stood between the two and looked from one to the other with an innocent stare, almost as if he were watching a tennis match.
"I suppose you're right!" Dr. Briefs grinned as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a syringe, complete with large needle, that was filled to the brim with a transparent purple liquid. Removing the protective cap from the needle, he gave it a couple of squirts to make sure he removed most of the air bubbles inside. This simple act caused a strange reaction with the nearby mystery man who suddenly started to sweat considerably and turn the same colour blue as his suit.
Chichi watched him squirm, switching his weight from one foot to the other, his eyes never leaving the needle in Dr. Brief's hand. "Are you OK?" She asked him, she was starting to get pretty worried about him, he looked as if he was about to burst. "Oh, sorry son, I didn't see you there!" Dr. Brief's looked up at the young man with a large grin. "Is there something that you want?"
The reaction was immediate.
"NO! No...nothing at all! Absolutely nothing! Nope! Not me! Look I gotta do, um...SOMETHING...and it absolutely does not involve you or that needle! So...um...BYE!" And with that the mysterious stranger took off down the corridor at break neck speed, practically knocking down everyone that stood in his path. Chichi quickly took a couple of steps forward and began to shout after him. "Hey! There's no running down the – " She quickly cut short her sentence when she noticed him just simply vanish before her.
Chichi furiously blinked and rubbed her eyes and looked again hoping to still see him there running down the corridor, but he was gone, he really had just vanished into thin air. "Oh, well, never mind then!" Dr. Brief's spoke cheerfully, he didn't even look up from the syringe he was examining and hadn't noticed the stranger's desperate need to escape. "So then, Nurse Chichi! The sooner we see our patient, the better I think!" He grinned at her yet again and made his way into the cubicle, with Chichi slowly following him, feeling a little dumbstruck.
"I need a drink!" Chichi mumbled as she staggered her way once again through West City Main Street. No matter how hard she tried her mind would constantly return her to that poor old man, Mr. Tsuru. Not even Dr. Brief's best efforts could save him. Part of her knew that his death was going to be inevitable, but no matter how many times she prepared herself for it, it still came back as a shock.
That was one of the things she hated about this job, it always made her question her own life, the choices she made, causing her to realise that no-one was destined to live forever. She had always lived on the boring, slow path, never taking any risks. And it was at times like this that she really wished she had. That way, her life would seem all the more meaningful.
The crowds dissipated slightly from those of this morning, which helped to lighten Chichi's mood a little, as she no longer had the energy to squeeze through countless sweaty suited bodies. "When I get home, I'm gonna have a nice hot bath...with a large bar of chocolate in one hand and a glass of wine in the other!" She sighed softly at the thought, and smiled when she saw a taxi slowly make its way down the road adjacent to her.
To hell with this! She thought to herself. Its payday tomorrow, might as well give in to a little treat every now and then! She quickly took a couple of steps towards the edge of the pavement and raised her hand high above her head. "Taxi!" She shouted, signalling to the driver.
She certainly did not expect to see what she saw next.
The sound of crumpling metal echoed as both Taxi and driver were suddenly crushed by what appeared to be a large metal bird. It was at least ten feet in height by Chichi's judgement, with a razor sharp beak capable of slicing a fully-grown human in half with just one bite. It unravelled its wings from its stocky body and spread them wide, almost as if it were celebrating a victory and quickly lowered its head, giant red eyes surveyed the scene of mass panic in-front of it. Men, women and children scattered in all directions, desperate to get away from the giant threat.
Chichi, however, didn't move a muscle.
She stood completely still, frozen to the spot. Her heart once again began to pound and her breathing increased ten-fold. All she wanted to do was run but her legs refused to move. The Beast's scope of vision turned slowly until it took in the sight of the young woman before it. Chichi's eyes widened in horror and she screamed in pure terror at the fate that lay before her. The Beast opened its large mouth and roared, almost in reply and raised its large, metal feet equipped with sharp, metal talons, and stomped its way towards her, denting the bonnet of the Taxi even more creating large footprints in the tarmac below.
Chichi finally regained the use of her legs and began to slowly edge backwards, away from the approaching creature, however she quickly lost her balance and fell hard onto the floor yet again, almost in the same position as she had that very morning. The creature took this as its opportunity and quickly charged towards her, wings outstretched and beak open.