Arc 1.1
/x/
Emma gingerly touched the bridge of her nose, trying not to think of the process involved that got her it looking normal again. Thanks to a mix of silicone, some Tinkertech skin grafting tech, the money from her parent's insurance and the payout from the Heberts, her nose is now good as new.
Okay, Emma. Don't think about Ange. Don't think-crap!
Emma winced as the scowling visage of Ange flooded her mind and filled her with a sense of dread.
I really thought that crazy bitch was going to kill me, Emma thought as she recalled the meeting last week at the police station between her parents and the Hebert matriarch. Her mother Zoe had hugged her close while glaring daggers at Ange, but Emma felt her mother's fear through the sweaty palms and way she backed away subtly from the Heberts. Ange for her part was very cordial, except for the way she tore into Taylor. The sudden switch between stormy fury for Taylor and sunshine with smiles when she addressed her family again was unnerving.
"Hi Emma, so, so, sorry about all this unpleasantness," Ange said as she bent down to meet her face to face. Her mom scowled and told Ange to stay away, but was silenced when Ange gave her a glance. Emma kept a stiff upper lip throughout the ordeal, when Ange smiled at her with that kind of smile that doesn't go up to the eyes.
"Alan and Danny's friendship goes a long way back, so please try to put this behind you?"
Emma fought to prevent herself from showing fear when Ange patted her shoulder. She likes to think she succeeded.
"Hey, Ems!"
Emma glared at Madison and Julia, especially the latter for freaking her out by suddenly calling her name.
"Yes," Emma said frostily,"something you need?"
Both girls looked at each other, before Julia spoke out.
"We're thinking of heading down to Fugly's. Wanna come along?"
Emma gave a look of disgust as she reached for her gut. How can anyone stuff so much grease into herself so often?
"No thanks, I'm not aiming to become a plus sized model," Emma said while Madison snickered. Emma grabbed her bag and left her seat, as she walked in front of the other two girls.
"C'mon girls, we can head down to the Boardwalk first then we can go our own ways once we're at Fugly's."
Poking Taylor was a mistake; Emma thought when they walked past the main entrance's metal detector. She reached for her nose again as she remembered the shock when her bestie lashed out in front of the entire school.
Well, former bestie now, Emma thought while the trio passed the outer fences of Winslow. Pity Sophia's decided to play truant today.
"Hey, Ems."
"Hmm? Yes, Madison?"
Madison reached for her nose.
"You're doing it again. You know, the whole touching your busted nose and brooding thing. Stop that, it's creepy."
"Yeah," Emma said as she lowered her hand," you're right. Thanks."
"No probs," Madison said brightly. "Speaking of that whacko, you've heard what she did to Rudolf?"
"That Empire senior? I've heard about him," Julia cut in, "what about him."
Madison shot an irritated look at Julia, but continued her gossip.
"I heard Hebert and some of her friends went to town on Rudolf and some of his fellow skinheads," Madison said while looking at Emma. "One of them was a redhead."
"Hey," Emma said. "No way in hell would I poke the Empire like that."
"Nah, no one thought it's you Ems," Madison said with a laugh. "The Empire got jumped by a group of girls armed with guns firing rubber rounds, who then proceeded to beat the shit out of them with their rifle butts."
"That's oddly specific, "Julia, said," how the hell did you know."
Madison grinned, as they walked past the pedestrian crossing and turned into a quiet neighborhood lined with apartment blocks.
"They were asking around to see if anyone knows anything, since the girls who attacked them wore body armour with masked helmets except one who only wore a mask. From what Ems told me, the Heberts got a crazy survivalist mother with a house like an arsenal."
Julia paused for a moment, before she put the pieces together.
"You evil bitch," Julia said with a giggle. "You sicced the Empire on Hebert!"
"Yeah," Madison said," Rudolf isn't quite so stupid to believe Ems would attack the Empire out of nowhere like that, but someone with an attitude like Hebert? Now that's a prime candidate."
"Someone might die, y'know," Emma said as she scrolled through her smartphone.
"What, you worried about Hebert now," Madison asked. "Bitch broke your nose and sent you to hospital."
"I'm more worried what happens if either the Empire or Taylor finds out you set them up," Emma said as she turned away from her screen, "Both sides are capable of fucking your shit up."
Emma's gaze met the spot where her two friends were, and saw only the walls of the nearby apartments.
"Madison? Julia? Where are you?"
A boot crunched against the floor, which caused Emma to spin around to face the source of the noise.
"You really shouldn't be worried about your little snitch friend, Emma," a young woman about eighteen walked towards her slowly, her dark blue body armour blended well with the grey bricks of the nearby blocks.
"You see," the woman removed her dark grey helmet, which allowed her fiery hair to flow freely. "There's always me to really be worried about."
"Name's Claudia," Emma felt her heart skip a bit when she saw the ruby eyes- Ange's eyes-glare at her with a mix of contempt and pity. "You do not know me, but I know all about you."
Emma turned to run, before she was shoulder checked onto the floor. She looked up and saw a brunette with a sharp face and a round faced woman with teal hair, dressed in the same armour as the redhead. On the corner of her vision, Emma saw her two friends slumped against a wall with bruises on their faces, before she screamed when she felt herself being lifted by her hair. A tap to the chest choked her scream as she began to cough before she was backhanded onto the floor again.
"Pitiful really," Claudia said as she loomed over her. "One incident involving a few thugs in an alleyway, and you turned on your friend who shielded you for most of your life."
A thumb-drive clattered as Claudia tossed it in front of Emma.
"Yeah, I know about it," Claudia sneered. "You think I don't do my research? Breaking into the local PD's databases are like child's play if you know who to hire."
Emma sat up and gave a defiant glare to the older woman.
"Thugs? You mean like what you're doing now?"
Claudia frowned, as she leaned forwards.
"What's that, Emma? I thought I heard something crazy stupid from you."
The sound of cracked bones rang across the quiet street, as Emma's fist found Claudia's chin. Emma hissed in pain before she let out a cry while she stumbled to her feet, the fingers on her right hand bloodied and bruised. Trish and Millia approached, batons drawn before Claudia stopped them with a raised hand.
"Like I said, Claudia. You're a thug, just like Taylor and that crazy bitch of a mother she has."
Claudia's eyes narrowed while she rubbed her jaw.
"Okay, you're still a stupid, backstabbing cunt. But you're one with balls."
Claudia closed in and dodged a wild swing from Emma's left arm before delivering a jab to her stomach. As Emma doubled over, the older woman grabbed Emma's left arm and twisted it at the elbow. Emma hissed in pain and tried to head-butt Claudia, before a quick chop from the older woman's free hand knocked her back. Claudia let go of Emma's now limping arm, before she swept the younger girl off her feet with a simple kick to the back of the knee.
"So," Claudia whispered as she squatted next to the heavily panting Emma. "I'll give you a chance since you've shown me you're not completely worthless."
Emma stared at the smirking Claudia.
"Say "I'm sorry, I'm worthless and will get the fuck out of the city" and then do so,"
Emma muttered something under her breath.
"What," Claudia said as she got closer to the prone redhead," I can't hear you."
"Fuck you. Fuck Ange. Fuck Taylor and her sociopathic, socially inept ass and fuck your bulldyke friends," Emma spat out with as much venom as she can muster. "She's a goddam guard dog who wasn't around when I needed her! Fuck Taylor, and fuck you!"
Claudia barked out a laugh, before she kicked Emma in the shoulder. While Emma's eyes rolled over, the older woman pulled out a pistol.
"Guess I'll just finish you and dump you in the bay like I did that skin-"
"So that's why I couldn't find that Rudolf boy anywhere."
Claudia felt her world shake when she was suddenly struck in the side of her head while a hand wrenched away her gun. She found herself flying towards a wall, as Ange slammed her into a wall with an overhead throw. Ange growled as she lifted her daughter off her feet and smacked her face twice, before pinning her against the wall again.
"You little shit! Who the fuck told you to bring our war on the Mana world into Bet!"
Ange pointed a shaky finger at Emma's prone form.
"Does that look like one of those fucking junkies who'd put our babies into a box?! Does she look like one of those shitheels who'd genocide our entire Norma race if given a chance?!"
"She hurt Taylor!"
Ange growled.
"And you're not?! She already has me unable to leave the war- both of them- behind when I'm here. She doesn't need you doing it too!"
Claudia's mouth opened to protest, before she chose silence and looked away. Ange took a deep breath, before she unhanded her daughter and stepped away.
"Trish, Millia. Restrain her."
Both Norma looked at each other hesitantly.
"Now," Ange snapped before the two scrambled to secure Claudia.
"The three of you will report to Captain Salia for punishment," Ange raised her hand to forestall any protests from the three. "I've requested her presence back on Arzenal and she's agreed to depart from Mykonos Settlement on Earth Mana to oversee your summary trial."
Ange's gaze swept over the three Norma.
"Any questions?"
Both Norma raised their hands in salute, while Claudia remained unmoving with her head bowed.
"No Ma'am!"
"Good. Trish, you know how to drive," Ange threw her a bunch of keys." There's a van at the end of the street. Use it to bring Claudia to Point Charlie and depart back to Earth Aura."
Ange watched the younger Norma depart, before she hunched over Emma and the other Bet girls to check on their injuries. Her ears perked up as the sound of damp footsteps got louder, before Taylor emerged from an alley wearing a tracksuit and sandals, holding a plastic bag with a damp wetsuit inside. Taylor's eyes blinked off the water running down her eyes as she stared at the battered form of her former best friend, before she dropped the bag and knelt down next to Emma.
"How's the skinhead."
"Claudia didn't have the nerve to shoot him, Mom," Taylor said as she examined Emma's busted right hand. "Though she did dump him in the bay. Fishing him out was difficult, even with Momoka's help."
Ange nodded before she stood up and called an ambulance with an ancient, cheap looking phone.
"Yes, I'd like to report two injured teenage girls. They're both unconscious and have some superficial wounds."
"Mom," Taylor said as Ange ended her call and stomped the phone into pieces," you only said two."
"We'll bring Emma back to the house," Ange said as she carried Emma over her shoulder," Momoka will be able to patch her up with the Light of Mana."
"Why?"
Ange stopped walking and stared at her daughter.
"You saw the info that Claudia stole from the cops, right?"
"Yeah?"
Ange sighed and kept walking to a waiting car.
"Betrayal is a knife that cuts deep, Taylor. Take it from your old lady who's been through it. But even worse are the calluses and the scars that forms afterwards, not allowing you to heal properly."
Mother and daughter got into the car, as Emma was gently set onto the back seat.
"She's betrayed you once so far," Ange said. "While I appreciate never giving them a second chance, sometimes a form of forgiveness or at least resolution has it's beauty."
Like how I sometimes wish I can forgive you. Julio. Sylvia. Akiho. Misty, Ange thought.
Taylor frowned and reached for her sidearm as she stared at her mother.
"Who're you? And what did you do to Ange Missouri Hebert?"
Ange chuckled as the car engine roared to life.
"I'm still me, Tay. Just that sometimes, the old Angelise I thought was dead and buried after I first arrived on Arzenal tries to dig out of her grave."
/x/
Emma woke to the smell of soup and a warm spoon filled with broth touching her dry lips, before she eagerly sucked up the liquid as her body demanded more.
"Go easy, Lady Emma. Mana restructuring of the body takes a lot out of you," a gentle voice said. "Sip slowly."
Lady Emma? There's only one person I know who'd address me that way.
Emma's eyes slowly peeled open, before she stared into a round face with bruise coloured hair.
"Momoka," Emma rasped, "guess I'm in someplace I'm not welcome at, huh."
"Nonsense," Momoka said while she continued to feed the injured teen," no one here is making you feel unwelcome."
"Though sometimes, " Taylor said as she entered the edge of Emma's vision, "you wear out your welcome when you rant in public about my Mom's secrets that might get her thrown in jail or call me a guard dog."
There must be brandy in the soup, Emma thought. My cheeks are burning.
Momoka stepped aside, as Taylor took her seat next to the bed. Emma looked around Taylor's room while trying to avoid looking at her former friend who stared at her.
"I'm sorry."
"What?"
"I'm sorry," Taylor said, "for the whole breaking your nose thing."
"You say this," Emma said icily, "after you sic your dog on me?"
"Claudia's my sister, she did it on her own accord and Mom's sent her home for punishment."
Emma felt the gears in her brain grind to a halt at the new revelation.
"Wait, sis-then the eyes...how?"
"Don't think too hard about it, Emma," Taylor said as she laid the redhead back onto the bed. She then fished out a length of silicone from her pocket and held if before Emma's face.
"Looks familiar? Momoka fixed your nose while we were patching you up. Though you may have problems with conventional mobile phones for a few hours, thanks to the Light of Mana."
"Huh," Emma said as she received the implants,"thanks I guess. The light thingy, it's that Blaster/Breaker trick Momoka does right?"
"Close enough," Taylor said. "Though I'm surprised you didn't spill that secret out when you were telling the whole world Mom's secrets."
Emma looked towards the wall.
"I was just preserving my ammo, you know. Leave some more secrets I can use against you."
"Liar," Taylor said. "Whenever you try lying to me, you always look away."
Emma's head snapped back to her friend.
"Bullshit! That's a load of crap and you know it!"
Taylor chuckled as Momoka gently closed the door on her way out.
"I don't need you anymore, Taylor. I've found someone stronger now. Someone to aspire to."
"Emma," Taylor grabbed her hand, " you are strong despite what happened that night. You've proven it."
"Like hell I did," Emma hissed, " your sister used me as a punching bag and the way I was helpless when the ABB cornered me proved it!"
"Claudia gives me problems when she goes all out, Emma," Taylor said. "I've seen the way you held your ground when Mom tried to intimidate you. I'd have pissed myself If I was you."
"That just proves how weak you are!"
"Emma," Taylor waved her hand, as if to literally brush aside the insult. "You're not weak. I'm not your guard dog or whatever. You're my goddam anchor when I leave the house."
Taylor squeezed her friend in a hug.
"Sorry I wasn't there for you, Ems."
Emma rubbed her eyes.
"Where were you?"
"Arzenal, getting to know the people there. The radiation suit was very uncomfortable."
Emma blinked through her tears, as she glared at her friend.
"You wore a hazmat suit while visiting an English soccer club?"
"Arzenal, with a z. Look," Taylor said, "one day when I get Mom's permission, I'll tell you more."
Emma was about to speak, when police sirens pierced the quiet and searchlights flooded in through the drapes. Both teens heard Ange shouting challenges to the police and paled.
"I think I heard my mom," Emma said as she looked at mirror on the bedside. Satisfied that there were no visible signs of trauma, she turned to her newly recovered friend.
"C'mon Tay. Let's go meet the cops before your mom starts a gun battle with the police."
