Disclaimer: I own nothing but a Japanese dictionary and some cheese. So unless you want the old and moldy cheese, I suggest you don't sue. I'm not giving up my Dictionary either.
Simulations of a Fake Past?
Written by,
Luna Dragon
"....." = Talking
/...../ = Thinking
~.....~ = Hotaru communicating with her Gundam
Chapter 1: Wake Up
*AC 195*
"Hotaru Tomoe, it's time, wake up." The words sounded hollow and seemed to echo in the head of the fifteen-year-old girl. Time? Time for what? Kami -- she had just gone to bed! Surely OZ couldn't start attacking again, not after she just took out over eighty suits not even an hour ago. The last two words seemed to remind her of something, trigger a long forgotten memory. Wake up. It wasn't sleep she was supposed to wake up from. It had to be something else... but what? What else could a person wake up from besides sleep?
"It's time Tomoe. Wake up." She was being shaken slightly and her brain felt like it was jerking inside her head. She didn't want to wake up. She wanted to stay in this new darkness that had surrounded her for the last hour.
/Just let me be./ Hotaru thought, clenching her eyes tightly. /Leave me alone!/
"Please Hotaru, wake up. It is time."
/No!/ Her mind contradicted, but she felt herself being propelled upward almost, and out of consciousness she slipped. A raw feeling was in her throat, and she would have gagged, had she had anything in her stomach. She wrenched up dry heaves of air and saliva as someone pulled her up into a sitting position, rubbing her back.
"Get her some oxygen! The side affects are taking place! We can't lose her!"
A mask was placed over her nose and mouth, and Hotaru felt fresh air glide slowly in and out of her lungs. What was going on? Who were these people around her on her bed? Wait...
This wasn't her bed. She wasn't at home. Her vision was still foggy and she could barely hear over everyone's loud bickering. "Can you feel this, Tomoe?" A harsh voice asked as a hand came up and grabbed her arm forcefully. A large needle was then injected into her vein and the fifteen-year-old watched as blood left her body. With a small wince, Hotaru nodded.
"She can hear; her breathing's regaining control; and she can feel." The voice that had spoken first said, and someone jotted down things in a book. He held up fingers four millimeters away from Hotaru's nose. "How many fingers do you see?"
She squinted, and the tan fingers focused. She held up her own, and the fingers matched. Three pale fingers, three tan ones. "Her eyesight is returning. How about now?" This time the fingers were far away. Cautiously, Hotaru removed the oxygen mask.
"Four fingers in front and you have two behind your back," she spoke hoarsely.
A scientist in front of her smirked. "Her blood proves negative to any defects; she's fine as far as I could tell."
"Not quite," the harsh voice that had taken the blood argued. "How far back do you remember, Tomoe?"
"Five years." Hotaru answered simply. "Nothing before that."
Warily, the seven scientists in total looked at each other in silence, before six pairs of eyes focused intently on the man whose voice that had woken Hotaru. He sighed and dismissed everyone before turning toward the girl. "What, did I answer your question incorrectly? My apologies because it's the truth."
"No, no." He said finally, crossing his arms over his chest, and Hotaru finally got a good look at him. His short hair was black; reaching over his ears in a bowl cut fashion. His slightly caring and wisdom filled eyes were a strange dark burgundy color and thin glasses covered them. He was slightly over six feet tall, and he was wearing a white lab coat with a light blue shirt and navy pants. "I didn't want to be the one to break this news to you, Hotaru, but as you saw, my team gained up on me. And since I was the leader of this operation, it was only fair anyway." He gestured to what looked like an open metal test tube and coffin. "Hotaru, your life for the past five years was not real. It was all nothing but a simulation, a virtual reality if you will. We had to completely erase your memory, there is no way to return it before you ask, and that's why all you think you remember is the past five years, at the beginning of AC 190."
Hotaru's violet eyes widened slightly with astonishment. Why? All of she had experienced in the past, the people she had met, the people she had killed, served under, obeyed, disobeyed, loved, lost... they weren't real? How was that possible? She looked around the room, with the scientists gone and her vision restored; it was easier to make out everything. Was all this real? The white walls that were littered with paper, posters, cardboard boxes stacked on top; and her 'coffin' that was propped up against the farthest wall as if it was unimportant - were those real? "Why?" She asked the man who had been patiently waiting her response.
"It was the only way you could be accepted in the simulation, and be able to be trained as a Gundam pilot."
"Akumusei. I remember." Hotaru said slowly. "Who are you?"
"Oh! Right, allow me to introduce myself. I am Dr. Kyoju, head scientist of the Chikano-Ukero Corporation. And now, you're on the L-4 colony cluster."
"Well," Hotaru asked icily, "is all this real Dr. Kyoju? Or is this just some simulation and you are not a real person like the others were not?"
"Yes. I'm real, this galaxy is real, and unfortunately, the battles will be real as well."
"Then why would you put me in a... in a... box?" She needed more information before she could fully trust the scientist in front of her, her five years of war taught her that, even if they were just simulations.
"Like I said - to train you to be a Gundam pilot."
/Then why the hell should they use a simulator? I could train and fight just as well as I can here like I did in... there./ She thought, and the look in her eyes did not go unnoticed.
"The Zero system. You're only one of three people who can handle it without going insane, and because you had already merged with your Gundam, you were able to use the Zero system by the time we installed it."
Hotaru nodded. She did, indeed remember what she was able to do before. Her father - her simulation father that she could remember - was a great genius and enabled Hotaru's Gundam to 'communicate' with her through a small computer chip that was surgically placed in her head. She wondered if she still had that ability.
"Your Gundam is in the cargo bay being prepped. You'll be able to see it, but rehab is necessary for a while."
"I'm fine," Hotaru assured angrily as she jumped from the bed. "Just get me out of these hospital gowns and into normal clothes. I'll deal with everything else on my own."
No dizziness or side affects were visible and the doctor smiled. "Very well."
~*^*^*~
"And as you can see, Akumusei operates the same way as it did in your simulator world." The tech said to Hotaru who had been barely listening to the whole conversation. She knew everything that was required and all the information running through the base. Transmitting her thoughts to the Gundam had come in handy in her virtual world. She hoped to put it to good use in the real world. The Gundam transmitted back diagnostic data. Hotaru nodded, pleased. The techs had done a good job.
"Very well. But can you mind telling me why they've all of a sudden decided to take me out of my simulation?"
The tech looked surprised. "They didn't tell you? It's quite simple really. On Earth there is a country called the Cinq Kingdom, which is where Relena Peacecraft lives. She is a total pacifist and believes weapons are not necessary. Because of her beliefs, that country has no protection against OZ forces, so we're sending you to be one of her guardians along with Akumusei because of this."
"One of?"
"Two other Gundam pilots are already there, Duo Maxwell and Heero Yuy."
Hotaru nodded, closing her eyes briefly. ~Akumusei, download all you have on those two pilots for me.~
When Hotaru's eyes opened once again, she had everything in memory. She knew all there was to know about each pilot as if she had been a good friend with the two boys for years. "Here are some bios on the two pilots and the school you will be attending." The tech interrupted her thoughts.
"No need, I know everything I need to." She answered with a smirk, turning on her heal and walking toward her Gundam. ~Even if this isn't a simulation anymore, Akumusei, it looks like it's just you and me again.~
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Luna Dragon: Well, here's the first chapter. I hope you like it, and I know some questions will arise, so I'm going to answer just a few:
[1] Akumusei isn't a Japanese word, more like two stuck together. 'Akuma' means evil spirit or the devil. 'Yusei' means planet. So, Akum + usei = Akumusei, or "Evil Planet." Technically it doesn't really mean that, but in this fic it does.
[2] Hotaru is part cyborg in this story, I'll tell you that right now. When she was stuck in her simulation, she had an ability to be able to talk with her Gundam because of a chip in her head. She can download information, pass the effects of the Zero System, and communicate with Akumusei.
[3] This is a Hotaru and Heero romance, and it takes place during AC 195.
[4] Romance and the two mentioned Gundam wing boys should come in the next chapter.
[5] Please review! (Not really a question that should be answered but, hey, it's still important.)
I hope you enjoyed this so far! R+R!
Simulations of a Fake Past?
Written by,
Luna Dragon
"....." = Talking
/...../ = Thinking
~.....~ = Hotaru communicating with her Gundam
Chapter 1: Wake Up
*AC 195*
"Hotaru Tomoe, it's time, wake up." The words sounded hollow and seemed to echo in the head of the fifteen-year-old girl. Time? Time for what? Kami -- she had just gone to bed! Surely OZ couldn't start attacking again, not after she just took out over eighty suits not even an hour ago. The last two words seemed to remind her of something, trigger a long forgotten memory. Wake up. It wasn't sleep she was supposed to wake up from. It had to be something else... but what? What else could a person wake up from besides sleep?
"It's time Tomoe. Wake up." She was being shaken slightly and her brain felt like it was jerking inside her head. She didn't want to wake up. She wanted to stay in this new darkness that had surrounded her for the last hour.
/Just let me be./ Hotaru thought, clenching her eyes tightly. /Leave me alone!/
"Please Hotaru, wake up. It is time."
/No!/ Her mind contradicted, but she felt herself being propelled upward almost, and out of consciousness she slipped. A raw feeling was in her throat, and she would have gagged, had she had anything in her stomach. She wrenched up dry heaves of air and saliva as someone pulled her up into a sitting position, rubbing her back.
"Get her some oxygen! The side affects are taking place! We can't lose her!"
A mask was placed over her nose and mouth, and Hotaru felt fresh air glide slowly in and out of her lungs. What was going on? Who were these people around her on her bed? Wait...
This wasn't her bed. She wasn't at home. Her vision was still foggy and she could barely hear over everyone's loud bickering. "Can you feel this, Tomoe?" A harsh voice asked as a hand came up and grabbed her arm forcefully. A large needle was then injected into her vein and the fifteen-year-old watched as blood left her body. With a small wince, Hotaru nodded.
"She can hear; her breathing's regaining control; and she can feel." The voice that had spoken first said, and someone jotted down things in a book. He held up fingers four millimeters away from Hotaru's nose. "How many fingers do you see?"
She squinted, and the tan fingers focused. She held up her own, and the fingers matched. Three pale fingers, three tan ones. "Her eyesight is returning. How about now?" This time the fingers were far away. Cautiously, Hotaru removed the oxygen mask.
"Four fingers in front and you have two behind your back," she spoke hoarsely.
A scientist in front of her smirked. "Her blood proves negative to any defects; she's fine as far as I could tell."
"Not quite," the harsh voice that had taken the blood argued. "How far back do you remember, Tomoe?"
"Five years." Hotaru answered simply. "Nothing before that."
Warily, the seven scientists in total looked at each other in silence, before six pairs of eyes focused intently on the man whose voice that had woken Hotaru. He sighed and dismissed everyone before turning toward the girl. "What, did I answer your question incorrectly? My apologies because it's the truth."
"No, no." He said finally, crossing his arms over his chest, and Hotaru finally got a good look at him. His short hair was black; reaching over his ears in a bowl cut fashion. His slightly caring and wisdom filled eyes were a strange dark burgundy color and thin glasses covered them. He was slightly over six feet tall, and he was wearing a white lab coat with a light blue shirt and navy pants. "I didn't want to be the one to break this news to you, Hotaru, but as you saw, my team gained up on me. And since I was the leader of this operation, it was only fair anyway." He gestured to what looked like an open metal test tube and coffin. "Hotaru, your life for the past five years was not real. It was all nothing but a simulation, a virtual reality if you will. We had to completely erase your memory, there is no way to return it before you ask, and that's why all you think you remember is the past five years, at the beginning of AC 190."
Hotaru's violet eyes widened slightly with astonishment. Why? All of she had experienced in the past, the people she had met, the people she had killed, served under, obeyed, disobeyed, loved, lost... they weren't real? How was that possible? She looked around the room, with the scientists gone and her vision restored; it was easier to make out everything. Was all this real? The white walls that were littered with paper, posters, cardboard boxes stacked on top; and her 'coffin' that was propped up against the farthest wall as if it was unimportant - were those real? "Why?" She asked the man who had been patiently waiting her response.
"It was the only way you could be accepted in the simulation, and be able to be trained as a Gundam pilot."
"Akumusei. I remember." Hotaru said slowly. "Who are you?"
"Oh! Right, allow me to introduce myself. I am Dr. Kyoju, head scientist of the Chikano-Ukero Corporation. And now, you're on the L-4 colony cluster."
"Well," Hotaru asked icily, "is all this real Dr. Kyoju? Or is this just some simulation and you are not a real person like the others were not?"
"Yes. I'm real, this galaxy is real, and unfortunately, the battles will be real as well."
"Then why would you put me in a... in a... box?" She needed more information before she could fully trust the scientist in front of her, her five years of war taught her that, even if they were just simulations.
"Like I said - to train you to be a Gundam pilot."
/Then why the hell should they use a simulator? I could train and fight just as well as I can here like I did in... there./ She thought, and the look in her eyes did not go unnoticed.
"The Zero system. You're only one of three people who can handle it without going insane, and because you had already merged with your Gundam, you were able to use the Zero system by the time we installed it."
Hotaru nodded. She did, indeed remember what she was able to do before. Her father - her simulation father that she could remember - was a great genius and enabled Hotaru's Gundam to 'communicate' with her through a small computer chip that was surgically placed in her head. She wondered if she still had that ability.
"Your Gundam is in the cargo bay being prepped. You'll be able to see it, but rehab is necessary for a while."
"I'm fine," Hotaru assured angrily as she jumped from the bed. "Just get me out of these hospital gowns and into normal clothes. I'll deal with everything else on my own."
No dizziness or side affects were visible and the doctor smiled. "Very well."
~*^*^*~
"And as you can see, Akumusei operates the same way as it did in your simulator world." The tech said to Hotaru who had been barely listening to the whole conversation. She knew everything that was required and all the information running through the base. Transmitting her thoughts to the Gundam had come in handy in her virtual world. She hoped to put it to good use in the real world. The Gundam transmitted back diagnostic data. Hotaru nodded, pleased. The techs had done a good job.
"Very well. But can you mind telling me why they've all of a sudden decided to take me out of my simulation?"
The tech looked surprised. "They didn't tell you? It's quite simple really. On Earth there is a country called the Cinq Kingdom, which is where Relena Peacecraft lives. She is a total pacifist and believes weapons are not necessary. Because of her beliefs, that country has no protection against OZ forces, so we're sending you to be one of her guardians along with Akumusei because of this."
"One of?"
"Two other Gundam pilots are already there, Duo Maxwell and Heero Yuy."
Hotaru nodded, closing her eyes briefly. ~Akumusei, download all you have on those two pilots for me.~
When Hotaru's eyes opened once again, she had everything in memory. She knew all there was to know about each pilot as if she had been a good friend with the two boys for years. "Here are some bios on the two pilots and the school you will be attending." The tech interrupted her thoughts.
"No need, I know everything I need to." She answered with a smirk, turning on her heal and walking toward her Gundam. ~Even if this isn't a simulation anymore, Akumusei, it looks like it's just you and me again.~
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Luna Dragon: Well, here's the first chapter. I hope you like it, and I know some questions will arise, so I'm going to answer just a few:
[1] Akumusei isn't a Japanese word, more like two stuck together. 'Akuma' means evil spirit or the devil. 'Yusei' means planet. So, Akum + usei = Akumusei, or "Evil Planet." Technically it doesn't really mean that, but in this fic it does.
[2] Hotaru is part cyborg in this story, I'll tell you that right now. When she was stuck in her simulation, she had an ability to be able to talk with her Gundam because of a chip in her head. She can download information, pass the effects of the Zero System, and communicate with Akumusei.
[3] This is a Hotaru and Heero romance, and it takes place during AC 195.
[4] Romance and the two mentioned Gundam wing boys should come in the next chapter.
[5] Please review! (Not really a question that should be answered but, hey, it's still important.)
I hope you enjoyed this so far! R+R!