Chapter 7: Turbulence

"No...no this is not happening...not again..." Ayase shivered and trembled, huddling up close to Kurt. Under any other circumstances she would have held her head high in militaristic resolve. But now that she had someone she cared about again, things had changed.

"Look, I'm sure this will stay isolated to the Chinese coast..." Kurt tried to reassure her, holding her as she trembled. "This won't be another Lost Christmas, things will be different." Kurt sighed, his own suspicions contradicting that statement. His phone started ringing from its location on the coffee table, and he leaned over and answered.

"Hello?"

"Kurt! Tell me you've seen the news." Tsugumi's worried voice shouted through the connection.

"Yes...me and Ayase just heard the report, any word from Shinbungi?"

"Hai! He wants development of the project to move faster...he said something about putting a team together." Tsugumi paused for a moment. "Hows Aya-nee?"

Kurt glances to the aforementioned woman as she hugs him, close enough to overhear the conversation. "...she's a little shaken up...but she's alright."

"Good...I'll head over to the warehouse and get working."

"Alright, we'll be over there shortly."

Kurt clicked the phone shut and set it back on the coffee table. "So...this happens, we've been ordered to speed up development, and theres talk of a team of some kind." He shakes his head, letting another sigh occur. "So where do we go from here?" He asks, still holding Ayase in his embrace.

"We do what we can...and hope..." She pauses, looking up at him, "Hope this doesn't ruin the lives of so many like it did before..."

[-]

Tsugumi barrelled into the warehouse, moving in a blur. She flew into the room she set up for her software research and immediately brought a dozen display's and interfaces online. The model of the endlave appeared before her as she sat down in a chair, and she quickly began typing on a keyboard, lines upon lines of code zooming across displays.

"Doesn't sound like you've changed a bit..." a male voice says, causing the raven-haired girl to whirl around.

"What the? how did you..." She freezes as the owner of the voice enters the room, and she blinks a few times to make sure she's not hallucinating. "...Shu?"

Shu nods, "Hai...Shinbungi contacted me, said something about needing my help with a project or something." He pauses for a moment, listening for the girl's reaction. "he said come here...and the guards let me right in, do you have any idea what he has planned?"

"Only speculation..." she folds her arms across her chest and hmphs. "You know you could have at least left a message before up and disappearing a few years ago." Shu slumps slightly and sighs.

"I am sorry...but I needed to be alone for awhile..." Tsugumi sighed and shook her head at the answer.

"I'll take it for now...but you owe a better explanation later." She taps a few keys and leans back in her chair. " I'm not sure entirely what Shinbungi has planned, but I do know that this project we've been working on has just been kicked into high gear. Aya-nee and Kurt should be here soon."

"Kurt?"

Tsugumi giggles. "Head of the project and Aya-nee's boyfriend..." Shu only nods and heads back out of the room.

[-]Chinese Coast[-]

A lone woman with flowing black hair stands on a mountain, overlooking what looks like a city ravaged by purple, crystalline structures. Her figure is slim and well defined, and she wears what looks like a sleek armor of some kind, complemented by a trench coat. On her back is a black rifle, and a sword rests at her hip. her steel gray eyes match her pale skin as they scan the view. Need to find shelter...safety...off this land... The woman looks to her right and continues looking over her surroundings. She spots a boat near what looks like a large body of water and heads for it.

As she approaches, a couple of armed men intercept her. "You there! what are you doing here? this area's been restricted." The lead man says. She pays them no head and continues heading for her destination. "Listen lady!" one of the men steps in front of her, followed by his companions. "I'm gonna have to ask you to come with us." She stops moving and studies the men, Can't be caught...must persist...eliminate if necessary... She resumes moving forward and one of the men shoots his gun, the bullet hitting her shoulder. The ensuing wound leaks an odd white fluid and she glares at the men.

In a flash, she unsheath's her sword and slices in attack...three heads fall to the ground. She puts the sword away and resumes her pace...clutching her shoulder as she heads for the boat.

[-]Undisclosed location[-]

"What do you mean project 527's escaped!?" the dark man shouts in anger, beating his fist on his desk. The lieutenant only stands firm and nods slightly.

"I'm sorry sir, but during the outbreak the facility containing her was damaged, and she broke out of her cell and acquired armor and weapons."

"Find her! Catch her! and if need be kill her! And don't come back until you do!"

[-]

Ayase sat in her wheelchair aboard the train, watching the scenery zip past the window. So much had happened in the past couple of hours, from admitting to love to another outbreak of the nightmare she thought she had left behind. She looked to her left and saw the man she loved. He had donned his sunglasses once again, despite her urgings for him to forgo their use. He glanced at her and faintly smiled. She returned with her own, forced, faint smile. "Don't worry...I'm sure things will turn out alright." He assured her for what seemed like the hundredth time.

She only nodded and returned her gaze to the window. Leaning back in her chair she sighed quietly to herself. Things we're just going smoothly...and now this happens... she looked down to her lap, to the legs that kept her from a normal life. If only I could have my legs back...I wouldn't feel like a burden. Truth was she had been feeling like that, ever since that night. She longed to be able to tackle him in loving embrace, to wrap her legs around him. A tone from the trains intercom brought her from her thoughts.

The two exited the train with little dialogue and proceeded to head for the warehouse. "Ne...Ayase?" Kurt asked as they came within view.

"Hai?"

"Were we expecting anybody else?"

"No...why?"

"Then who's that at the door with Tsugumi?"

Ayase blinked and squinted at the figure next to the familiar raven-haired girl. She blinked again and then gasped. Kurt looked at her with an odd expression, then a respectful one as waves of anger seemed to start to emanate from the girl. "Ayase? You alright?" He asked as they neared the entrance.

"Just fine..." she mutters. Kurt looked to the man, taking note of his rather casual dress suit and walking stick, Probably blind...

"Tsugumi! care to introduce your friend here?" he calls as the arrive. The girl nods.

"Hai, Kurt, meet Ouma Shu, an old friend of ours." Ayase hmpd, earning a frown from the man.

"Eh...pleasure to meet you, might I ask why you have come to visit?" Kurt asks as the arrive and stop.

"I was sent by Shinbungi...though I'm afraid I was given much reason as to why..." Shu replies in an even tone. "I do hope I am not intruding."

Kurt shakes his head. "No of course not..just a bit unexpected...then again so are recent events." He says with a light sigh, "Well lets head in..."

{A/N} Sorry for the delay...I've been extremely busy IRL with school and family, so I haven't had much time to write...anyway this ones a bit shorter, the next one will be longer, promise!

Ayase: "It had better..."

'Scripter: -meep-

Shu: "I thought this was supposed to be about Ayase and Kurt? What am I doing here?"

'Scripter: "Its a secret...now shush! remeber to Rate and Review!"

-The17thScripter