Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species

Part 4: Hunger

Chapter 44: Indiscretions

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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"Come on, Nene," Priss said as she helped her friend from the wreckage. "Let's go before we're considered part of an encore."

As she and the white Knight Saber helped Nene to her feet, Priss glanced at the crowd that was staring at them.

The pedestrians, both civilians and civil servants, were unsure what to make of these female-shaped boomers. The police squads were already swarming over the boomer wreckage while news crews started to feel emboldened to come forward.

"Let's go," Priss said, realizing that the news hawks were getting close.

Before she could take another step, a familiar tall figure in the crowd caught her eye. She and Leon stared at each other for a moment.

Priss then focused on her thrusters and jumped out of range of the swarm of reporters.

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Priss stepped out of the launch tube and froze at the sight of a concerned Sylia waiting in her bathrobe. She even lifted her visor to make certain she wasn't hallucinating. "How --?"

The distinctive sound of hardsuit steps came from behind her, and the white figure appeared out of the corner of her eye.

Priss took a step away from this form that suddenly didn't seem so familiar even though the shape was the same. "Then who --?"

The visor of the white Knight Saber lifted, revealing Sylvie's elegant features.

"NO WAY!" Nene blurted since she too had arrived to this scene.

"Sorry to fool you both," Sylia explained with a humorless smirk. "But Sylvie was set up as a last resort that we had hoped we would never use. I suppose it was good fortune she was available."

Sylvie bowed to the surprised women, which looked quite odd given what she was wearing, and said, "Please accept my apology for the masquerade. I had asked Sylia to be considered as a backup as atonement for my intent to harm your fallen comrade."

"What if you had come at us in battle?!" a freaked-out Nene blurted.

"Nene," Sylia explained calmly, "had she done anything remotely close to betraying my trust in her, I would have used her kill-switch. She knows this."

"It's true," Sylvie said, her eyes still lowered.

"Still, you were great for your first time, Sylvie!" Mackey blurted since he too had been waiting to the side.

"Why, thank you, Mackey," she replied with a smile and a nod.

Already mad, Nene's temper unleashed as she shoved her boyfriend towards the elevator and yelled, "Get out of here so we can change!"

"Yes, ma'am!" he declared with a gulp as he ran for his life.

The speechless Nene just shook her head and went up to the ramp, wordlessly preparing to get out of her hardsuit.

Sylvie looked up to see Priss staring at her, which she met with a returning gaze.

"Thanks for saving me," Priss said softly.

Sylvie smiled in response and bowed again.

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Alone in the locker room, Priss zipped up her jacket and picked up her guitar case.

"Priss," Sylia said softly from the doorway. "I'd like to run some scans on you. In fact I should have as soon as you came back from your battle with Galatea."

"No," she answered in a low, firm voice. "What happened today caught me off guard, but I'm not totally surprised either. We both know why my body reacted that way, and that's good enough for me."

"But if I can find some way to cure -"

"I said 'no'," she repeated, anger started to brim beneath her words. She then took a deep, calming breath and said, "I don't want to know what you find. It's enough to know that it's there. I won't be turned into some lab rat, too.... And you're right, as much as I despise the fact that we're being used, innocent people are caught in the middle of this. So consider me on active status again."

Sylia narrowed her eyes and then asked frankly, "Even though you ultimately redeemed yourself, what if you fail in battle again?"

Priss smirked and said, "Then let me get the shit beaten out of me. I deserve it for taking such chances. And if I really do go rogue and endanger someone, then use the kill-switch you've implanted in our suits. You can't tell me there isn't one."

Sylia frowned. "Is this honestly what you want?"

"Promise me," Priss stated softly. "I'd rather die than kill an innocent person. And if there's any way that I can still be of use, then I'd like to take those chances as often as they come. And promise me that you'll keep this just between the two of us, just like before."

The two women stared at each other, measuring the seriousness of the other.

"I promise," Sylia finally said.

After taking a breath, Priss then asked, "So is Sylvie part of the team permanently now that she's proven herself?"

"I don't know yet. I have to talk to her about it. It wouldn't hurt to have as many able bodies available as possible, even when Linna returns to active status herself."

Priss then frowned at a sudden thought and said, "What about this little display we were part of? Are you going to do anything about it?"

Sylia let out a sigh and said, "I don't know if there's anything to be done, other than accept the fact that the entire world now knows about us. I'm having Mackey record as much as of the news footage from the fight as possible to see if there's anything we can analyze. Someone was obviously trying to flush us out. And I'm pretty certain it's related to the fact that we have Sylvie. There are some very smart people at Genom. It may just be the general state of things and we might just have to learn to accept it."

Priss broke out into a quirk of a grin and said, "Well, at least it's a relief that it's not really rogue boomers after all."

Sylia gave her a pointed look but said nothing.

From inside her jacket pocket, Priss's phone suddenly chirped, indicating a waiting message.

Ignoring her phone, Priss slipped the guitar case strap over her shoulder and said, "Well, I'm late for an appointment with Linna. I'm sure she's dying to know the details since she probably watched every televised moment of it."

Sylia arched an eyebrow and said, "You know that was her who called?"

Priss walked towards the door and without looking back just said, "That was Leon."

-- End Chapter 44 --

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