Disclaimer: I don't own Iria (though I wouldn't mind it….) and I'm not making any money off this. (If I was, do you think you'd see this disclaimer?) The only thing I own here is this story and Shiv. She's mine, do you hear me? Mine! *laughs nervously* Okay…on with the show…..
Rating: PG-13 - language, violence
Ghosts of the Past
Part 8: Escape
Nothing happened.
"If you do die," Shiv commented, "you'll be the first to die from a blank cartridge."
Putubai opened his eyes. "I…I'm not dead! I'm not dead!" His laughter became hysterical until Iria stepped forward and slapped him soundly. "I…thank you. I needed…Wait! You! I can't believe it!"
"What? That I walked right in here without getting stopped?", Iria smirked.
"No, I always thought you weren't pretty enough to be a courtesan. But I here some are taking the ugly ones these days."
"Bastard," Ranfan said simply, and slapped his other cheek. However, as she still had the knife in her hand, it left an oozing red line in its wake. The courtesan smiled. "You never did know when to keep your mouth shut, Putubai. But then, you never knew much."
Putubai whimpered, one hand to his bleeding cheek, and Ranfan smiled again. She turned to the others. "So, are we gonna head out now?"
Shiv thought a moment, then nodded. "Now's good. Nighty-night, Mr. Vice President." With that, she hit Putubai soundly over the head with the butt of her rifle. Noting the looks she received, she said, "Don't worry. He's not dead. He's just gonna have one hell of a migraine, is all." She raised the rifle and shot out all the glass from the window behind the desk. "You coming or not?"
Akira shrugged. "Never argue with a woman." He strode to the window, where he and Shiv fired cables up to the roof. The pair began to climb. After a few minutes, Ranfan followed up Shiv's cable. Alone in the office, save Putubai's unconscious self, Iria and Fujikuro looked at each other.
"You know," Iria commented, "you could learn something from him."
"Who? Putubai?"
"No! Akira."
"What does he know that I don't?"
Iria grinned. "Something vital to the existence of the male of any species. Never argue with a woman."
Fujikuro sighed defeatedly, Iria snickered, and the two began their ascent to the roof.
Iria reached as Fujikuro gave her a hand up. She smiled, not really needing the help but pleased he'd thought of it. The five stood on the roof, waiting for something they weren't even sure of themselves. After a time, Shiv pressed a button on her wrist band, summoning Ship. The sleek craft landed beside them and they all piled in; Shiv in the driver's seat and Ranfan at her side, with Akira, Iria and Fujikuro behind them.
The aircraft's shields came up without command and it flew straight for home. Shiv sighed and tucked her arms behind her head. "Well, I guess it's over. For now, anyway."
"Yeah," Iria murmured, looking back at the Tedon Tippidai building that was rapidly fading from view. "For now."
"Shiv…Shiv…Wakey-wakey, Shivie…"
Any further comments from Fujikuro were cut off as the huntress drew the knife from her sleeve and pressed it to his throat. "Those who call me 'Shivie' meet bad ends, Fuji. You know that. Is there a particular reason why you risked death to wake me from my nap?" She had done all of this without opening her eyes.
Fujikuro nodded, nervousness not entirely gone. Shiv tucked the knife back in her sleeve and sat up from the couch, yawning. "So, whaddaya need from me?"
"Have you seen Iria? Ever since we got back, she just disappeared…"
"Nope, haven't seen her," Shiv replied. "But you might try the usual place."
"Huh?"
"Don't be thick, Fuji. Where does anybody sulking go in this place?"
The pair said it at the same time. "The roof."
Fujikuro tip-toed delicately onto the roof. "Um…is this a private sulking, or can anybody join?"
Iria looked back over her shoulder, wiped something from her eye, and smiled ironically. "Well…I was going to keep this a closed meeting of one…but for you…I suppose can make an exception."
Fujikuro grinned and bowed jokingly. "Thank you for your kindness, fair maiden. I am truly honored to be in such a radiant presence as this."
Iria cocked her head to the side, suddenly serious. "Do you…do you really think I'm pretty, Fujikuro?"
Fujikuro looked startled. "What? Oh…you've been thinking about what Putubai said, haven't you?" Iria nodded sheepishly. "Don't you dare worry about that sick old man and what he thinks. He doesn't count for anything in this world, and you mark me if he doesn't get his. You are beautiful, Iria. You don't need make-up, or a fancy dress, or a fancy hair style. You're beautiful even when you have grease smears on your face from working on the creeper. Don't ever, ever let anyone tell you otherwise."
Iria smiled. "You mean it?"
"Of course I do."
"That's really good to know."
"Iria…"
"Yes?"
"There's something I've been meaning to tell you…." Fujikuro hesitated.
"Yes…?"
"Well, you see…"
"Yes…?"
"I need to tell you that…that I…" Suddenly, Fujikuro moved rapidly over to Iria, wrapped his arms tightly around her and kissed her, leaning her back. The kiss was long and tender; Iria found herself wrapping her arms around his neck. Slowly and delicately, with a touch of reluctance, Fujikuro pulled back and looked breathlessly down at Iria. She smiled up at him. "That. That's what I needed to tell you."
She smiled again. "I have something to tell you, too," she whispered, and kissed him back. They had barely parted lips when there was a familiar flash. They turned, still in the leaned back position, to see Shiv standing there, waving.
She held up her camera. "We are talking multiple prints, here."
Fujikuro looked so shocked, for a moment, Iria feared he might accidentally drop her. "Um…," Iria murmured nervously. "Could you pick me up, please?"
Fujikuro shook his head to clear it. "Oh…yeah, sure. Sorry…"
She smiled. "It's okay." She turned to Shiv. "You happy now?"
The huntress grinned. "You bet, kid."
Then, Iria thought of something. "Where's Ranfan?"
"She headed back to her apartment. You mind if she comes over tonight for a celebratory dinner?"
"Sounds great to me. As long as I don't have to cook too much. My skills aren't the greatest. Speaking of which…where's Akira, anyway?"
Shiv stiffened. "I…I don't know. Don't ask me. I'm not his keeper." The cheerful mood gone, Shiv spun away and left the roof, a soft, "I'm sorry" in her wake.
Iria looked at Fujikuro. "What was that all about?"
He shrugged. "I have no idea."
********
The update binge continues. Enjoy and prepare for MAJOR bombshells next chapter.
But don't panic; they're good bombshells. When they explode there's...confetti...yeah, confetti and...um...ice cream. (Everyone who's read my newest away message, you have my permission to start screaming.)
Ja ne.
~Kat~
Rating: PG-13 - language, violence
Ghosts of the Past
Part 8: Escape
Nothing happened.
"If you do die," Shiv commented, "you'll be the first to die from a blank cartridge."
Putubai opened his eyes. "I…I'm not dead! I'm not dead!" His laughter became hysterical until Iria stepped forward and slapped him soundly. "I…thank you. I needed…Wait! You! I can't believe it!"
"What? That I walked right in here without getting stopped?", Iria smirked.
"No, I always thought you weren't pretty enough to be a courtesan. But I here some are taking the ugly ones these days."
"Bastard," Ranfan said simply, and slapped his other cheek. However, as she still had the knife in her hand, it left an oozing red line in its wake. The courtesan smiled. "You never did know when to keep your mouth shut, Putubai. But then, you never knew much."
Putubai whimpered, one hand to his bleeding cheek, and Ranfan smiled again. She turned to the others. "So, are we gonna head out now?"
Shiv thought a moment, then nodded. "Now's good. Nighty-night, Mr. Vice President." With that, she hit Putubai soundly over the head with the butt of her rifle. Noting the looks she received, she said, "Don't worry. He's not dead. He's just gonna have one hell of a migraine, is all." She raised the rifle and shot out all the glass from the window behind the desk. "You coming or not?"
Akira shrugged. "Never argue with a woman." He strode to the window, where he and Shiv fired cables up to the roof. The pair began to climb. After a few minutes, Ranfan followed up Shiv's cable. Alone in the office, save Putubai's unconscious self, Iria and Fujikuro looked at each other.
"You know," Iria commented, "you could learn something from him."
"Who? Putubai?"
"No! Akira."
"What does he know that I don't?"
Iria grinned. "Something vital to the existence of the male of any species. Never argue with a woman."
Fujikuro sighed defeatedly, Iria snickered, and the two began their ascent to the roof.
Iria reached as Fujikuro gave her a hand up. She smiled, not really needing the help but pleased he'd thought of it. The five stood on the roof, waiting for something they weren't even sure of themselves. After a time, Shiv pressed a button on her wrist band, summoning Ship. The sleek craft landed beside them and they all piled in; Shiv in the driver's seat and Ranfan at her side, with Akira, Iria and Fujikuro behind them.
The aircraft's shields came up without command and it flew straight for home. Shiv sighed and tucked her arms behind her head. "Well, I guess it's over. For now, anyway."
"Yeah," Iria murmured, looking back at the Tedon Tippidai building that was rapidly fading from view. "For now."
"Shiv…Shiv…Wakey-wakey, Shivie…"
Any further comments from Fujikuro were cut off as the huntress drew the knife from her sleeve and pressed it to his throat. "Those who call me 'Shivie' meet bad ends, Fuji. You know that. Is there a particular reason why you risked death to wake me from my nap?" She had done all of this without opening her eyes.
Fujikuro nodded, nervousness not entirely gone. Shiv tucked the knife back in her sleeve and sat up from the couch, yawning. "So, whaddaya need from me?"
"Have you seen Iria? Ever since we got back, she just disappeared…"
"Nope, haven't seen her," Shiv replied. "But you might try the usual place."
"Huh?"
"Don't be thick, Fuji. Where does anybody sulking go in this place?"
The pair said it at the same time. "The roof."
Fujikuro tip-toed delicately onto the roof. "Um…is this a private sulking, or can anybody join?"
Iria looked back over her shoulder, wiped something from her eye, and smiled ironically. "Well…I was going to keep this a closed meeting of one…but for you…I suppose can make an exception."
Fujikuro grinned and bowed jokingly. "Thank you for your kindness, fair maiden. I am truly honored to be in such a radiant presence as this."
Iria cocked her head to the side, suddenly serious. "Do you…do you really think I'm pretty, Fujikuro?"
Fujikuro looked startled. "What? Oh…you've been thinking about what Putubai said, haven't you?" Iria nodded sheepishly. "Don't you dare worry about that sick old man and what he thinks. He doesn't count for anything in this world, and you mark me if he doesn't get his. You are beautiful, Iria. You don't need make-up, or a fancy dress, or a fancy hair style. You're beautiful even when you have grease smears on your face from working on the creeper. Don't ever, ever let anyone tell you otherwise."
Iria smiled. "You mean it?"
"Of course I do."
"That's really good to know."
"Iria…"
"Yes?"
"There's something I've been meaning to tell you…." Fujikuro hesitated.
"Yes…?"
"Well, you see…"
"Yes…?"
"I need to tell you that…that I…" Suddenly, Fujikuro moved rapidly over to Iria, wrapped his arms tightly around her and kissed her, leaning her back. The kiss was long and tender; Iria found herself wrapping her arms around his neck. Slowly and delicately, with a touch of reluctance, Fujikuro pulled back and looked breathlessly down at Iria. She smiled up at him. "That. That's what I needed to tell you."
She smiled again. "I have something to tell you, too," she whispered, and kissed him back. They had barely parted lips when there was a familiar flash. They turned, still in the leaned back position, to see Shiv standing there, waving.
She held up her camera. "We are talking multiple prints, here."
Fujikuro looked so shocked, for a moment, Iria feared he might accidentally drop her. "Um…," Iria murmured nervously. "Could you pick me up, please?"
Fujikuro shook his head to clear it. "Oh…yeah, sure. Sorry…"
She smiled. "It's okay." She turned to Shiv. "You happy now?"
The huntress grinned. "You bet, kid."
Then, Iria thought of something. "Where's Ranfan?"
"She headed back to her apartment. You mind if she comes over tonight for a celebratory dinner?"
"Sounds great to me. As long as I don't have to cook too much. My skills aren't the greatest. Speaking of which…where's Akira, anyway?"
Shiv stiffened. "I…I don't know. Don't ask me. I'm not his keeper." The cheerful mood gone, Shiv spun away and left the roof, a soft, "I'm sorry" in her wake.
Iria looked at Fujikuro. "What was that all about?"
He shrugged. "I have no idea."
********
The update binge continues. Enjoy and prepare for MAJOR bombshells next chapter.
But don't panic; they're good bombshells. When they explode there's...confetti...yeah, confetti and...um...ice cream. (Everyone who's read my newest away message, you have my permission to start screaming.)
Ja ne.
~Kat~