Dear Readers,
David has blessed us with another installment of FlashFic. Please PM him, saying he's my favorite unicorn.
I did NOT write this. All credit MUST go to:
u/65609/
(David Tai)
Please forward your compliments to him directly. All reviews will be forwarded to him as well.
Thank you, and enjoy.
Nano Notes: This Fic is in the same continuity as the previous one. Please see notes in Ch1 for details.
"I'm back," Seirah announced, as she stepped into IKARI's recreational room.
The youngest of the Ikari Warriors, known as Whip, had been the subject of rumors every since the day she came aboard. She was -rumored- to be nineteen years old, but that was surely impossible. Heidern would never stand for someone that young to join his mercenary cell. She was also rumored to be a product of NESTS. The clone... and sister? of K'.
Well. Her affiliation, and strange lineage probably explained Heidern's interest in her.
Anyone who investigated these rumor too closely, however, were repelled back by the steely glare of the Commander, the rest of the Ikari Warriors, and Voodoo. Voodoo being the name of Seirah's personal weapon.
Of course, if one wanted to find out the juiciest tidbits about her, one would ask Ralf Jones. Tidbits such as: she was nicknamed "Whip" after "Winnie-the-Pooh". Or, as he put it, "Whippy's a total softy inside. Don't let her glare scare you off."
Given that "Whippy" usually left Ralf in a beaten and battered state with her Voodoo whenever she caught him telling stories about her, everyone was firmly convinced he was a masochist.
The Ikari Warriors 'wreck' room was surprisingly quiet and clean. Which you'd think would be -thrilling- to Seirah. However, knowing Clark and Ralf, a clean room meant -something- was going on. Had the Commander had made Jones or Still (or both) scrub the room with a toothbrush?
Seirah let out a little 'mou' sigh. She decided to check in on Leona, especially since she'd heard about the Southtown caper and wanted to hear the story from her.
Steel-tipped boots clacked against the floor as Seirah made her way to Leona's quarters. She paused before knocking on Leona's door. Was... yes. She heard voices from a room nearby. It was Heidern's voice, there was no doubt about that, but that was not the calm, measured tones of a man in complete charge of the situation.
Making way towards Heidern's quarters, Seirah came to a stop. Both Clark and Ralf were crouched and listening, ears cupped against the door.
Clark motioned over to Seirah to come over, and to be quiet.
"What's going on?" Seirah whispered, as she went into stealth mode, managing to somehow approach without being heard as she crouched down next to Clark, leaning over.
"Got caught with Yagami," Ralf answered, sotto voce.
"What!?" Seirah knew all about Leona's concert visits, but surely the person she looked up to would have told her if there were anything more than that.
"Got busted for trying to yank him out of quarantine," Clark clarified, nudging Ralf.
"You gotta explain it more. Leona's got it -bad- for the kid. I mean, that picture..."
"If you hadn't -shown- that to Heidern of all people, we wouldn't be in this position," Clark muttered.
"You should've known better than to show -me-," Ralf retorted. To which Clark only rolled his eyes.
"Wait, what are you talking about?" As usual whenever Clark and Ralf were involved, Seirah was still catching up with a conversation in media res.
Ralf gave a short laugh, even as Clark was listening to the door. "Oh you got to see this..."
Bringing up a phone, Ralf showed her Leona's picture.
After a brief moment of stunned contemplation, Seiran asked, quietly, "So who else has seen this picture?"
"Just me, Clark, and the Commander," Ralf responded.
"I see..." Whip said, her voice hard and cold as steel. As she pulled Voodoo out, Ralf gave a short start.
"Wait, Whippy, what are you doing?"
"If I kill you now, nobody else will know," Whip responded, running her hand lovingly over Voodoo's handle.
"But..."
Clark's reflexes were quick and sure. He shoved Ralf onto the floor, and ran.
Ralf scrambled backward on his butt, holding up a hand. "Hey, now, Whippy... it was only a little teasing, that's all..."
"Tell your excuses to Voodoo. Seirah may have mercy, but Voodoo will not."
Leona let a sigh escape her lips as the sound of thrashing in the corridor stopped Heidern's lecture mid-stream.
Yanking the door open, Heidern shouted, "QUIET OUT THERE!"
Whip's voice: "Yes sir."
Ralf's voice: "SIR! GET ME OUT OF THIS!"
Heidern's voice: "Just take him to the interrogation chamber and be quiet!"
There was the sound of dragging down the corridor, just before Heidern shut the door.
Leona slumped her shoulders, and prepared to listen for another hour...
