Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species

Part 4: Hunger

Chapter 39: Time Flies

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com)

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A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to Greenegret for betaing!

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"Oh wow," Linna said softly as she looked at the ring dangling from the necklace chain before her. She couldn't think of anything else to say. She shouldn't have been so surprised, and in fact she had expected this long ago. But to actually see and hear it was another thing.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Priss admitted as she slipped on the necklace so it hung from her neck. She seemed relaxed as she sat in the chair next to the bed even though she was in her full biker garb, with her helmet at her feet.

"But you're not actually wearing it," Linna noted curiously.

"Doesn't fit well with biker gloves. Of course, I can't complain to you about bad fitting clothing," the singer mused with a pointed look at her friend's current wardrobe of a hospital smock and frame of metal braces and plastic bindings.

Linna offered a weak smile and said, "I'm just happy to be awake right now. This is a completely new experience for me since I've never even had a single broken bone or been seriously ill. I feel numb all over but I think it's from the painkiller they gave me this morning."

"So when are you expected to get back on your feet?"

"Well, from what they've told me, I'm healing incredibly fast. Apparently Mrs. Takeuchi, my nurse, is helping me along with some Ancient Chinese medicines and techniques. They're thinking they should be able to take off the neck brace and help me to sit up in a couple of days. And that's as much as anyone's willing to project at this point. However, they did tell me that a typical person would probably take five or six months to completely recover from everything I went through. From where I'm currently at, I'm already a couple of weeks ahead of schedule. Most of it's due to the fact that I had very little spinal or cranial damage."

Priss frowned slightly and said, "Still, even just one month is a long time. I know when I suffered through my broken leg, it drove me nuts until I was completely healed.."

"Yeah, well, they said a strong desire determines the best chance of a speedy and full recovery. When I spend more time being stir-crazy than sleeping is something I'm supposed to look forward to. Plus Sylia and Reika have made arrangements for me to get started on physical therapy as soon as I'm able to move any part of me, as well as cosmetic surgery to remove the scars."

"Reika? She's the one who escorted me here, right?"

"Yes," her friend answered softly.

Instead of continuing the conversation, Priss paused and looked around the lushly decorated room, which was quite cozy, with the door closed for privacy. She then looked out the window at the third story view over the lush grounds. A quirk of a smile curled her lips.

Seeing this reaction, Linna promptly asked, "What is it?"

"Just never would've thought Sylia had a thing for a Yakuza princess."

Linna's eyes immediately bugged out as she blurted in a horrified whisper, "What?! Rei - They - This isn't a Yakuza home!"

Priss gave her the Linna-the-Country-Hick look and responded flatly in her regular volume "This is too a Yakuza home! Any native of Tokyo knows who the Changs really are! As a kid, my friends and I used to drive through this neighborhood because the main street was good for country bike rides. And we knew whose compound this place belonged to. So when I pulled up to the gate just now, I almost called Sylia to make sure I had the right address!"

"That doesn't mean anything!" Linna retorted stubbornly. "If you never knocked on the door, then how do you know what kind of people lived here? I've only met wonderful and kind people here!"

Priss was silent for a moment and then said, "Fine. There's nothing that says Yakuza can't be wonderful and kind if they're not muscling you."

There was a moment of silence before Linna asked seriously, "So, have you set a date for the wedding?"

"No," she answered with a shake of her head. "Too much to do right now. We only got back to Tokyo yesterday, after all. Leon's checking things out at this Neo Tech Crimes Division with Daley and Nene. I'm killing time writing new songs while waiting for the rest of the band to scrounge some airfare to get over here. I'm also planning to talk to the current managers of Hot Legs about getting regular gigs there, both for exposure and for money. And we haven't even got a permanent place to live yet."

"Are you planning to have children?" Linna's curiousity was definitely in overdrive now.

Priss was quiet as she now stared out the window. She answered softly, "He really wants to, especially since he'll be turning thirty pretty soon. Keeps talking about how he wants to be young enough to play ball with our son.... Could you picture me pushing a stroller?"

Staring at the empty air before her, Linna was quiet for a long time before she answered, "I have to be able to picture you pregnant first. And I'm having a hard time with that one."

Priss slid her gaze to study Linna's profile out of the corner of her eye. Then she said, "I really missed you."

Linna blinked at this statement and responded hastily, "Well, yeah, I missed you too. We never really hung out since Galatea."

"No, we didn't. And I'm sorry about that..." Priss looked back at the window view before her and said, "When I saw that email from Nene about you being in the hospital, I was terrified that I would never be able to talk to you again. And that's not even counting the fact that I had been away from Tokyo for so long. It was my fault that I acted like you'd always be there. Some best friend I am."

Linna would have shrugged if she could. "Things happen. I was in Osaka, too, so it's not as if things were normal for any of us during the past few years anyway. And I couldn't just quit my job to go be a roadie for you guys...."

The singer chuckled and said, "If you had, you would have spent over three years on the road with some very rowdy macho guys in rather cramped living conditions. I don't know if you'd want to be subjected to that after Galatea."

"... So if I hadn't been injured, would you ever have come back to Tokyo?"

Priss was quiet again. "I would have tried to postpone it for as long as possible," she said simply. "Some dreams don't always jive well with real life."

Linna frowned at the cryptic statement, knowing there was a deeper meaning there that was just beyond her reach.

"So," Priss suddenly said, taking a lighter tone. "Is there anything you want me to do for you?"

"Well, if my apartment wasn't off limits to everyone, I'd ask you to water my plants or feed my pets if I had any," Linna joked. "Other than that, I can't think of anything else I need. I seem to have everything here."

"Oh."

"But - " Linna added quickly, as she saw potential disappointment in Priss's eyes, "Company always helps - especially since I know Nene is forbidden to visit or call because she's probably being watched too. And perhaps... well, any chance you could sing for me?"

Priss gave a pleased smile and said, "I'll bring my guitar over tomorrow and try out some new songs for you."

"I'd like that," her friend answered genuinely.

Then a stray thought occured to Priss. She leaned back in her chair casually and said, "I've told you what big stuff I've been up to the past few years. What have you been up to?"

"Not much really. Missing the Knight Sabers. Moving back to Tokyo. A couple of dating situations that didn't end well. Nothing to make any big announcements about...." Linna answered as stared at the closed door for a moment. Then she sighed and said, "I've missed being a Knight Saber so much and yet the first time there's a need, I'm the one who had to deal with it minus the hard suit."

".... There's nothing else to tell?" Priss asked expectantly.

Starting to become a little puzzled by the persistence, Linna met her gaze and answered, "No, nothing. No happily ever after romance that's comparable to you and Leon."

Priss frowned slightly, but not at the statement. "You sure there's nothing I should know even if it's just... gossipy stuff?"

Linna narrowed her eyes as she realized that there was a distinct hint of expectancy behind those words, as if Priss was trying to pull out information from her that she already knew. It suddenly dawned on her what it could be. "Oh geez! Did Nene tell you about my make-out session with Sylia?!"

".... Excuse me?"

It took only a second for Linna to realize that this was news to Priss. She closed her eyes and thought Shit!

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Reika sat at her desk in her office and stared blankly at the terminal before her. All productive concentration was out the window for as long as Linna had her visitor. And it didn't help that she was directly underneath Linna's room and could hear laughing coming through the ceiling above.

A soft tapping came from the closed door.

"Come in."

Mrs. Takeuchi entered with a tea tray. "I thought you could use this to help with some of your tension."

Reika grimaced and said, "Am I that obvious?"

"To me. Perhaps to Kou. After all, he does take after me in that way...."

"I feel so... petty. I know I have absolutely no right to be jealous but...."

As she put the tray down on the desk, the elderly woman smiled and said, "Reika, fighting your heart only creates more trouble. It's best to just accept whatever your heart wants to feel and proceed from there. It may not necessarily make you feel better now, but it allows for clearer thought in the long run.... I did interrupt them to see if Miss Priss wishes to stay for dinner, however, she declined because she has other plans."

"Good," Reika blurted, and then blushed when she realized how that sounded. "I'm sure she's doing wonders for Linna's spirits," she said, trying her best to be contrite and sincere. "And that's a good thing for someone who's healing."

Mrs. Takeuchi came up behind her and tenderly stroked her long hair, pleased to have the young woman lean back against her. "Don't forget, my dear, that you need healing too."

Reika let out a deep sigh as she tried to focus on the woman's motherly caresses.

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"... And this is the private line to call," Reika said as she handed her business card to Priss as the two of them stood on the driveway next to the waiting motorcycle. "I'll make certain your name is added to the visitor's list so the earlier confusion won't happen again. We also do request that you call beforehand to notify us of when you're coming over. The guards aren't too keen on unexpected visitors for obvious reasons."

"Thanks," Priss said flatly as she sat down on her bike.

The two women stared at each other for a moment, each with clearly critical thoughts. It was clear that they each had now figured out how important Linna was to the other.

"Do you have anything you wish to ask?" Reika prompted seriously.

"Yeah," Priss said as she paused in pulling on her helmet. "Linna finally told me about how you and her. So I'm curious to know: Are you doing this because you truly want what's best for Linna? Or are you just trying to make up for a past mistake?"

Reika didn't react at first, but then broke out into a humorless smile as she responded, "I could ask the same of you."

Priss narrowed her eyes and wordlessly pulled on her helmet as she prepared to drive away.

-- End Chapter 39 --

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