FREEZING: ULTIMATE SPECIALIST
PART IV
by chuckiboo
Freezing ©Lim Dall Young/Kim Kwan Ghyum
The next morning couldn't come fast enough for Kazuya Aoi, as he anticipated getting back on his feet for the first time in nearly three months. His therapy would be overseen by Eliza Schmitz, a former Numbers officer, and a comrade of his late sister Kazuha. Waiting for her, he stretched his shoulders, getting the kinks out of his joints, as well as his legs, slowly getting used to the added weight of his cybernetic limbs. Would it be easy to walk again? He hoped so.
Sitting on the side of the bed, he took the mirror beside him, and looked at himself. Thinking about how much damage that Nova dealt him, it was a miracle he was still alive. Slowly touching the right side of his face, over the patch where his eye once resided, he realized the high consequence he paid in destroying that machine; after it blew up the Chevalier research center, containing fourty Pandoras and limiters, doctors and staff, including his grandfather, Dr. Gengo Aoi, his last surviving relative, and nearly took the life of his partner, Satellizer El Bridget. Finally accepting his new life as a cyborg, where it leads after he leaves West Genetics, only the heavens know. As he pondered, a voice called out.
"Kazuya," called Eliza who just came into the room, "you ready?"
Kazuya snapped back to reality. "Oh," he stammered, "hi, doc, didn't hear you."
Eliza smiled. "You're just like your sister, in a lot of ways. Think you can stand?"
"I'll try."
He moved closer, letting his new feet touch the floor. Sensing his uneasiness, she stood next to his sitting form.
"Just so you know, fiber optic wires are now mated to your nerves, and your cybernetic limbs act on what you think, like your originals. And because parts of your humerus and femur remained, they're connected as well, so you have more control. Come on, we'll start out slow."
Taking his arm, she helped the Asian teen stand on his new legs. Actually, he found it to be pretty easy, once he found his sense of balance. One step at a time, his motor function of walking returned, as the processors read his nerve pulses, allowing his titanium limbs to move at his will. The parts made no noise, as the bottom of the feet were padded with skin graphs to give it a more natural feel and better traction. In no time, he was moving on his own, though sometimes his limbs moved a bit faster than his body. Adjustments were made, and it became better over time. Over the course of a day, he regained his ability to walk, and was absolutely estatic about it. Even Eliza was proud.
"Like I said," smiling, "you're just like your sister, she never gave up on what she wanted." Kazuya couldn't help but smile at that comment.
For the next three days, he got used to being on his feet again, like a fish to water. In the end, he made not one stumble, and was even able to run, first at a trot, then a light jog, then a full run. He didn't know that enhancements were made to his heart and lungs, as well as his remaining humerus and femur, to make them stronger to handle the power of his new limbs, by pumping blood and oxygen through his body. And one more thing he'll notice later. Saturday came, as he was in his room performing high kicks. Dressed in shorts and tank top, he wasn't expecting anyone. Then came a knock at the door.
"Come in," he called. His partner Stella walked in, and was speechless at the sight she took hold of in her eyes that made her blush.
"Uh," he asked, "what's...wrong?" She snapped out of her trance.
"Oh, uh, nothing," replying in her sugary British tone, "I-just came to see...how you were doing, that's all."
He smiled. "I...guess you can see I'm back on my feet now, huh?"
Stella gazed down at his cybernetic legs, then his arms, soaking up the sight of his now ripped torso, showing perforated six-pack abs and broad shoulders. As well as his nice sized manhood...she broke her sight away from that, and met his left eye in gaze.
"Uh, Kazuya," she stammered again, "I-have...something to say.."
"Hold it, Stella," he interjected, "I have something to say to you." He cleared his throat. "I...feel so bad for not saving you when you were attacked by that Nova, I..." His hands were as fists, shaking. "I...could've saved you, but...I was caught off guard when it destroyed the facility...I'm...sorry-"
He suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap around his sides, and a set of breasts pressed against his bare chest, as she hugged him gently. His eye was wide, as he was confused. Backing off but keeping her arms around him, she gazed at him. 'It's now or never,' she thought as the words came to her mouth.
"I'm not mad, you did what you had to do to prevent it from causing further harm. If you would've died, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself." She then moved her arms to her sides, and took his cybernetic hands in hers. "From the moment you mistook me for your sister, it was already destined for us to be a pair. It took you freeing me from my shameful past, your unwavering faith in me, and your loving kindness to bring me back to myself. You don't realize how much you mean to me."
She hung her head. "There's...been something I've wanted to say since that week in Bali," bringing her face up, with tear-stained eyes behind her glasses, "Kazuya," softly, "I love you. I always have, since you first came and defended me in front of Genessa. For me, it was love at first sight."
The teen smiled, glad to know she felt the same way. "Stella, I meant that too what I said when we had to fight your brother and his partner," softly, "you're the only woman I want to love."
In a bold move, taking one hand, she ran it up his arm, to his shoulder, and caressed his right pec. "Can I?"
He nodded, as it moved down to his abdominals, feeling his ripped midsection. The other arm she moved back around his shoulder.
"Kazuya," she said, "I want us to officially be partners."
The smile never left his face. "It would be an honor, we can perform the baptism whenever you're ready."
She smiled as well. "Not just in that way, but..." blushing a bit, "I...want to be...your girlfriend...too...if you...don't mind..."
"I can see the 'Untouchable Queen' is untouchable no more," he joked, as both giggled, her first arm moving back to his neck.
"Why did it take so long for us to truly find each other?" she asked thinking aloud.
"My grandfather used to say, good things come to those who wait."
"Well," breathing cool mint breath into his face, "I don't need to wait for my good thing anymore," as Stella immersed Kazuya in a deep passionate kiss, he wrapping his titanium arms around her svelte waist. For this new couple, this is only the beginning of long deferred joy.
With his therapy done, and keeping in step with everything else, the next phase of his secert training began, with instructor Yumi Kim. Yumi knew more about Kazuha than anybody else, even her brother. And she also had information on him and his secret abilities. Standing in the simulation room, she and the Asian teen got to work.
"Alright," she stated, "from what I remember, your grandfather taught you a good bit about handling a volt weapon. And by how you performed in a real life situation, you learned a lot from Kazuha."
"I know I'm just a beginner," he admtted, "compared to the others, I'm an amatuer."
"Don't doubt yourself," Yumi said, "from what Chiffon and the others told of the incident, you have more strength than all of them combined. You don't realize what you're capable of, do you?" She smirked on that last part. He was somewhat confused. "Check your volt texture, and summon your weapon." He nodded, as he spread his arms, allowing the textures to form.
As Stella entered the simulation room, she just caught hold of what was happening. A disc formed on each side of her partner, measuring 16 inches in diameter, with eight jagged edges on each. Her eyes gew big at the sight, and it amazed her in every sense of the word. Yumi caught sight of her.
"El Bridget, come on over," she called to her, as she started walking toward the two. Kazuya turned his head, to see his partner, now girlfriend, coming to join them. "By request of Sister Margaret," Yumi said, "Stella is to train with us to help you perfect your high end skills. For now, it'll be light, and as you are honed, it'll be no holds barred, okay?"
"Okay," as Stella came beside Yumi, both summoning their volt weapons as well.
"Let's see what you got." And with that, the training of the world's only existing limiter specialist began.
As the training progressed, Kazuya's overall form as a versatile fighter began to take shape. Switching from fighter to limiter in seconds, easily initailizing 'freezing' with no arm stabilization, and using high end skills like Accel and Tempest Turn in conjunction with tai chi forms, he is becoming unlike any warrior that has lived in the past 25 years, since the Novas started to appear on Earth. Yumi, as an instructor, was stern in her teaching because she knew he had a strong, unwavering will like his sister. The more she pushed, the more determined he got, and the better he became. Going so far as to use Quad Accel to a point, sometimes a person can push themselves too far. And that's what happened three weeks in.
In a mock battle between he and Stella, she had him backed into a corner where he couldn't use his discs, his determination got the best of him. Using Accel, he split himself up, charged at her, and suddenly disappeared! Stella stopped and used her sense to find him, but could not.
'It's like he's...disappeared,' she thought, 'now where is he...'
As she made a step, she felt her body freeze in midstep; she then realize that he did it, while invisible? Shifting her eyes to the side, she saw a copy of him behind her, Dagger Discs at the ready. He didn't wait, as he attacked her while in 'freezing', taking her down, as she fell to the ground. Coming back to himself, he retracted his volt weapon, and suddenly, his eye rolled into his head, and his body collapsed. Yumi saw the whole thing, as she ran to him, and as Stella recovered, she rushed to her boyfriend's side. She called on her phone for medical help, as they saw after him as best they could. Minutes later, he was taken to the recovery center and given treatment, as Stella stayed there waiting for the prognosis. Eliza came out ten minutes later, and talked to her.
"His freezing is still too strong for his system at this point, he suffered a mild state of shock, but he'll recover."
She breathed a sigh of relief that it wasn't worse. He already had cybernetic limbs, and those took some getting used to. As Yumi was told, her expression softened in sadness.
"I pushed him too much," she said to herself, "and he suffered shock again."
"Don't worry yourself about it," Eliza assured, "one thing they worked into his new structure is adjustment to his nervous system. A good day's rest is all he needs." She then smiled. "Kazuya's tough as nails, just like Kazuha was. If she was here today, she'd be proud of him immensely."
"Yeah," Yumi said reluctantly, "I guess you're right." And she walked off, passing Stella. "El Bridget," she said in passing, "let's talk."
The blonde teen Brit followed her, as they went to her office and conversed.
A day later, Kazuya finally woke up to birds chirping, and the sun shining in his face. He opened his eye, to see his partner by his side. This was deja vu for him. She woke up as well.
"Kazuya," saying, a bit drowsy, in her British tone. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah," he replied, "I guess I overdid it a little."
"You sent yourself into a state of shock when you went from Quad Accel to freezing to volt weapon attack. It was too much for your nervous system to handle."
He frowned on that note. "I guess I'm knowing my limits now, I won't try that again anytime soon."
"You had me worried, dear," she said sternly, then she caught herself. "Did I just say...'dear'?"
He smiled softly. "I believe that means that you care for me a lot. My sister used to say that a lot to me when I was younger."
"Well, don't scare me or Miss Yumi like that again, okay?" He nodded in acknowledgement. "You'll be released tomorrow, so the next day, we have training."
She then gave him a kiss on the cheek, making him blush. "I love you Kazuya, and nothing will change that," as she walked out of the room, flowing uniform and all. The blush was still apparent on his face, but it strengthened his resolve even more.
Going into the final week of special training, he improved on many fronts, impressing Yumi, yet slightly staying within his limits. The next few days, the headmistress was present at the sessions, to judge his overall performance. As he was sparring with Stella, she smiled.
"How are his limbs holding up?"
"Great, no side effects or malfunctions so far. A slight adjustment to his stigmata to allow a bit more power so his nerves won't get overloaded. Otherwise, he's like his sister, but his own person."
"It's about time to present him to the world, even moreso now."
Sister Margaret long been knew that Kazuya Aoi was no ordinary teen from Japan, and he was proving to be more that even she imagined.
During the time he was kept from the rest of the student body, the three who were with them conversed, wondering what happened to him.
"Have you heard anything about our hero?" asked Elizabeth, while walking with Chiffon.
"Not so far," she said, "haven't heard nothing. I hope he didn't..." She cringed at the thought. "He's done too much to meet a fate like that..."
"I hope you're right," she added, "he has Eli beat hands down and then some, El Bridget should be glad she has him as a limiter."
The two then saw one of the second years that was there.
"Lana," Chiffon called, "you heard any news about Kazuya?"
The tan Tibetian walked toward the upperclassmen. "No," she said, "I've been worried about him and Satellizer, he was in worse shape than anyone, losing all four of his limbs and his eye," shivering, "I perish the thought."
Suddenly, an announcement came over the intercom system.
"Attention all Pandoras and Limiters-please report to the practice field at the back side of the school. I repeat- all Pandoras and Limiters-report to the practice field at the back of the school immediately."
The three girls overheard the announcement. "Wonder what's going on?" Lana asked aloud.
"We're about to find out," Chiffon said, as they headed through the school to the practice field at the back of the school. The questions surrounding the fate of the young hero of the 11th Nova clash in Alaska are about to be answered in a way they never thought of.