*********************************************************************
Well, here's chapter seven. It's kind of thrown together at the start but gets much
better when it gets going. At least I think it does.
Hope you guys like it!
Also, thanks to:
Xalan
jester_of_gesture
Moro Stagsleap
Pace Star
Shinigami
Shiki Senritsu
and Amy
for all of the positive reviews, (especially Xalan who must have reviewed practically
every time they read!) I could never have managed it without you all! Thank you!
*********************************************************************
Kenichi fell back against the floor, to tired to even lift Tima's dead body off his chest.
He felt sick. This wasn't like the time he had deleted that rogue virus, this time he
had really killed a sentient being. No matter what that program was or how much
Kenichi hated it for what it had done to his friends, he still felt terrible.
"Kenichi? Kenichi is everything alright?" Aki's voice suddenly cut into the silence.
"Yes… Just about Aki," Kenichi answered, looking for his stunner. The flare's light
was almost gone now.
"Whatever was going on down there, I couldn't reach you. Are you alright Koh?"
"Koh's had to shut down Aki," With great effort Kenichi finally managed to get out
from under his dead adversary and walked towards Koh.
"Why what happened?" Aki's voice was full of worry.
"That thing almost killed him. I still don't know if he's going to be okay."
"And… Tima?"
"Tima!" Kenichi grabbed his stunner, let off a flare and ran towards the limp figure
suspended a short distance away.
Tima was still hanging silently. Kenichi thought her peaceful expression seemed a
little out of place.
"Tima?" Kenichi asked quietly. Nothing.
"Tima?" Kenichi called to her, a little louder. Still nothing. A lump formed in
Kenichi's throat as he realised how similar this all was to what had happened when he
had revived her body. Carefully he undid the ropes holding Tima and lowered her to
the ground, kneeling over her.
"Please Tima, you've got to wake up," Kenichi shook her shoulders gently.
"Uh…" Tima groaned quietly but did little else.
With renewed hope Kenichi shook Tima again, this time a little harder.
"Tima?"
Tima's eyes slowly opened, trying to focus. Her face wore an expression of
confusion.
"Tima!" Kenichi yelled, the tears flowing freely down his face. He threw his arms
around her and held her tight against him. He was a little surprised when Tima did
not do the same.
"Who… who…?" she whispered.
Slowly Kenichi released Tima and moved back a little, still holding her shoulders,
"Tima…? It's me, Kenichi."
"Ken…i…?"
Tima stood up unsteadily. Her confusion seemed to deepen and she began to cry.
Seeing this Kenichi put his arms around her and once again held her close.
"Tima what's wrong?" Kenichi asked, worrying why she had suddenly broken into
tears.
Tima put her arms around Kenichi's waist and gripped his back hiding her face in his
shirt.
"Kenichi. I think it's time to leave," Aki said. A distant rumble could be heard
steadily growing louder, "I can't disconnect you inside that area, everything's too
corrupt. You've got to get outside."
"But what about Tima and Koh?" Kenichi asked looking from the sobbing girl to his
half-dead friend.
"Carry them!"
"I can't do that! I've barely the strength to stand!"
"Well drag them then. Kenichi you have to get out, the whole network's going to
pieces!"
Removing Koh's blaster and taking Tima's hand he pulled her stumbling behind him
towards Koh. Grabbing Koh's arm and dragging him on his back Kenichi hauled the
comatose program and Tima towards their entrance to the sphere. All around them
holes were beginning to appear, shafts of light illuminating their way. Twice Kenichi
experienced a moment of panic when a hole opened beneath either Tima or Koh, each
time barely managing to keep Koh from slipping through and falling to the ground far
below, or pulling back Tima who could do little more than stumble after him,
seemingly blind to the danger around her. Tears were still streaming down her
cheeks, and Kenichi's heart reached out to her even though there was little else he
could do but keep tight hold her hand as he tried to keep Tima moving.
"Aki, how much further?" Kenichi shouted, forcing himself to look away from Tima.
"Not much longer Kenichi, just another hundred feet or so!" Aki called.
Ahead of him another shaft of light was glowing, however unlike the others this hole
was a regular shape. When Kenichi reached it, he was almost blinded by a sudden
explosion of light as the upper part of the sphere dissolved.
"Kenichi come on! We're almost out of time!" Aki shouted at him.
"Aki can you download Tima and Koh into my terminal as I lower them out of the
sphere?" Kenichi asked, already beginning to carry Koh to the edge.
"Yes Kenichi. I've got a faint lock on Koh now. Just lower him through the entrance
and I'll have him."
As soon as Koh's feet were a few inches out of the sphere they began to dissolve, the
wave moving slowly up his body as more and more of it was downloaded. After a
few moments Koh was gone, leaving Tima and Kenichi.
"Koh really is in a bad state… Okay Kenichi, it's Tima's turn."
Kenichi lifted Tima up under her shoulders and began to lower her through the hole.
The instant Tima saw the hole beneath her she gasped in terror, threw her arms around
Kenichi and held on tight.
"Aki, Tima won't go, I think she's afraid," Kenichi said, patting her gently.
"Can't you make her?"
"No, she won't let go of me."
"Go back into the sphere and wait. I'll try and catch you as you fall."
"Aki are you sure?" Kenichi asked. To him the whole idea sounded suicidal.
"No. But it's the only chance we have. Wait as long as you can and then jump."
"Alright…" Kenichi manoeuvred Tima into a more comfortable position and made
his way as deep into the sphere as he could.
Kenichi stood holding Tima as close to him as he could, and she certainly seemed
happy to return his embrace. Sections of the sphere were disappearing all around
them now, and Kenichi knew that at any moment they might fall. If that was going to
happen then he was falling with Tima. He couldn't bear the thought of leaving her
alone amid such destruction.
Suddenly the ground below Tima disappeared and Kenichi was only just quick
enough to catch her before she fell. Instantly Tima had buried her face against
Kenichi and was crying again. Kenichi felt terrible for her, to wake up from a long
sleep and suddenly find everything falling apart around her.
"Come on Tima it's alright. I'm here. As long as I'm here, I won't let anything hurt
you," Kenichi said, stroking Tima's hair and holding her gently. He
felt that he couldn't bear to be even an inch from her now, not now that he had finally
found her. Tima quietly raised her eyes and gazed into Kenichi's for a moment, then
seeming to relax laid her head against him again.
Cracks suddenly spread across the entire walls and floor of the sphere, and with a
great crash the entire area shattered around them.
Just before they fell Kenichi heard Tima murmur, "Wh-wh…a…I…I…" and she
began to cry even harder, as if reminded of something horrible.
"Here we go Tima…" Kenichi whispered to her, holding her tight against him, "Aki
now!"
"Targeting… Kenichi Tima's fading in and out, I can't lock onto her, and her
shadow's disrupting your tracer beacon!"
"What?!" Kenichi began to panic.
"Tima's mind is a program. I think she's so afraid she's subconsciously trying to hide
from my tracer!"
The air was rushing by them fast now. Kenichi still couldn't see the ground but he
new it wouldn't be long before he could.
"What do I do?" Kenichi yelled against the roar of the wind.
"Try to calm her down!"
At that moment Tima reached upwards and looked at a point just past her hand,
whispering "Ke…chi-…."
"Tima…" Kenichi said thoughtfully, "Wait a minute," Kenichi said looking at Tima
again, "Aki I think she's remembering when she fell from the Ziggurat!"
"It's up to you Kenichi, either you calm her down or you both die!"
"Tima, come on, that won't happen again. Didn't I tell you I'd keep you safe?"
Kenichi said softly to the panicking girl he held in his arms. Looking below over his
shoulder, Kenichi could see vague shapes looming in a dark mist, becoming ever
more visible.
"Tima, I know how scared you must be, but please, please, don't be frightened. I
came so far to save you, I won't abandon you now! Even if Aki could save me
without you, I would never leave you!" Kenichi pulled Tima's arm back down and
embraced her again.
"Ke…i…" Tima looked up and stared into his eyes.
"That's it Tima…" Kenichi whispered, brushing a stray lock of hair back, "You don't
have to be afraid. I won't ever let anything hurt you. Please come back with me."
With a sigh Tima laid against Kenichi's chest. Kenichi looked down at the ground
and realised he only had a few more moments. Placing one arm around Tima's back
and with his other stroking her hair, he called out, "Aki?"
Tima was happy. She could no longer see what was going on around her as she had
her face buried in Kenichi's shirt, and in fact she had never actually understood since
Kenichi woke her up, but he was with her now. Nothing else mattered. Kenichi
would keep her safe.
"I've got you both!" Aki cried jubilantly. The pair began to dissolve. Kenichi looked
down at his feet from where the wave was slowly moving up his body, then down at
the ground. They weren't going to make it!
"Aki, it's not going fast enough! Can't you do something!"?
"I can shut everything else down, but it could be-"
"Do it!"
Instantly the glowing energy field Kenichi and Tima had been sharing disappeared, as
did all of Kenichi's clothing. Tima seemed a little surprised at the change in how
Kenichi's chest felt, but luckily was feeling too safe and cosy to open her eyes, in fact
she was practically asleep. Kenichi himself hadn't noticed the change, he was to busy
looking around him. Suddenly the pair were surrounded by all manner of strange and
menacing looking shapes, which Kenichi later decided, with hindsight, were all of the
viruses and corruptions the shield had been hiding them from. The wave was moving
much faster now, and they were inches from the ground. To Kenichi it actually
seemed, as the wave dissolved the last of his and Tima's bodies, that they were
actually disappearing into the ground, it had been so close.
* * * * *
Back in Kenichi's room, Aki was sitting watching her screen, which was white and
empty, but for Koh's unconscious from.
She stood up in the chair and looked intensely at the screen. Two bodies had
materialised in front of her, and Aki saw Tima first, still wearing the baggy clothes
that had been borrowed from Atlas and looking very confused.
"Hello Tima," Aki said then she looked at Kenichi, "Welcome back Keni…" her
voice trailed off.
"What?" Kenichi said, looking at the face hovering in the little box in front of him.
Aki stared for a second, then began to giggle uncontrollably.
"Look what's so funny?" Kenichi said turning away from Tima to face Aki.
"Eep!" Aki jumped back and fell over the chair, rolled across room and lay back
against the bed in hysterics.
"What on Earth…?" Kenichi wondered aloud as he looked at himself to see what was
so funny. Then he noticed.
"Ah!" Kenichi yelled quickly covering himself with his hands. Them he noticed
Tima, who was staring at his back.
Kenichi was silent for a moment and then, "…Aki... WHAT HAPPENED TO MY
CLOTHES?!"
*********************************************************************
Hehe, well, things were getting a little serious. Again, thank you to all those who
reviewed, or for that matter to all those who just read the story!
Again, R&R please, I'd really appreciate it.
And don't you dare even think this story's over! I've still got to write in Tima's
reinsertion into her body among other things. Though that may take a little while, but
stick with me!
Well, here's chapter seven. It's kind of thrown together at the start but gets much
better when it gets going. At least I think it does.
Hope you guys like it!
Also, thanks to:
Xalan
jester_of_gesture
Moro Stagsleap
Pace Star
Shinigami
Shiki Senritsu
and Amy
for all of the positive reviews, (especially Xalan who must have reviewed practically
every time they read!) I could never have managed it without you all! Thank you!
*********************************************************************
Kenichi fell back against the floor, to tired to even lift Tima's dead body off his chest.
He felt sick. This wasn't like the time he had deleted that rogue virus, this time he
had really killed a sentient being. No matter what that program was or how much
Kenichi hated it for what it had done to his friends, he still felt terrible.
"Kenichi? Kenichi is everything alright?" Aki's voice suddenly cut into the silence.
"Yes… Just about Aki," Kenichi answered, looking for his stunner. The flare's light
was almost gone now.
"Whatever was going on down there, I couldn't reach you. Are you alright Koh?"
"Koh's had to shut down Aki," With great effort Kenichi finally managed to get out
from under his dead adversary and walked towards Koh.
"Why what happened?" Aki's voice was full of worry.
"That thing almost killed him. I still don't know if he's going to be okay."
"And… Tima?"
"Tima!" Kenichi grabbed his stunner, let off a flare and ran towards the limp figure
suspended a short distance away.
Tima was still hanging silently. Kenichi thought her peaceful expression seemed a
little out of place.
"Tima?" Kenichi asked quietly. Nothing.
"Tima?" Kenichi called to her, a little louder. Still nothing. A lump formed in
Kenichi's throat as he realised how similar this all was to what had happened when he
had revived her body. Carefully he undid the ropes holding Tima and lowered her to
the ground, kneeling over her.
"Please Tima, you've got to wake up," Kenichi shook her shoulders gently.
"Uh…" Tima groaned quietly but did little else.
With renewed hope Kenichi shook Tima again, this time a little harder.
"Tima?"
Tima's eyes slowly opened, trying to focus. Her face wore an expression of
confusion.
"Tima!" Kenichi yelled, the tears flowing freely down his face. He threw his arms
around her and held her tight against him. He was a little surprised when Tima did
not do the same.
"Who… who…?" she whispered.
Slowly Kenichi released Tima and moved back a little, still holding her shoulders,
"Tima…? It's me, Kenichi."
"Ken…i…?"
Tima stood up unsteadily. Her confusion seemed to deepen and she began to cry.
Seeing this Kenichi put his arms around her and once again held her close.
"Tima what's wrong?" Kenichi asked, worrying why she had suddenly broken into
tears.
Tima put her arms around Kenichi's waist and gripped his back hiding her face in his
shirt.
"Kenichi. I think it's time to leave," Aki said. A distant rumble could be heard
steadily growing louder, "I can't disconnect you inside that area, everything's too
corrupt. You've got to get outside."
"But what about Tima and Koh?" Kenichi asked looking from the sobbing girl to his
half-dead friend.
"Carry them!"
"I can't do that! I've barely the strength to stand!"
"Well drag them then. Kenichi you have to get out, the whole network's going to
pieces!"
Removing Koh's blaster and taking Tima's hand he pulled her stumbling behind him
towards Koh. Grabbing Koh's arm and dragging him on his back Kenichi hauled the
comatose program and Tima towards their entrance to the sphere. All around them
holes were beginning to appear, shafts of light illuminating their way. Twice Kenichi
experienced a moment of panic when a hole opened beneath either Tima or Koh, each
time barely managing to keep Koh from slipping through and falling to the ground far
below, or pulling back Tima who could do little more than stumble after him,
seemingly blind to the danger around her. Tears were still streaming down her
cheeks, and Kenichi's heart reached out to her even though there was little else he
could do but keep tight hold her hand as he tried to keep Tima moving.
"Aki, how much further?" Kenichi shouted, forcing himself to look away from Tima.
"Not much longer Kenichi, just another hundred feet or so!" Aki called.
Ahead of him another shaft of light was glowing, however unlike the others this hole
was a regular shape. When Kenichi reached it, he was almost blinded by a sudden
explosion of light as the upper part of the sphere dissolved.
"Kenichi come on! We're almost out of time!" Aki shouted at him.
"Aki can you download Tima and Koh into my terminal as I lower them out of the
sphere?" Kenichi asked, already beginning to carry Koh to the edge.
"Yes Kenichi. I've got a faint lock on Koh now. Just lower him through the entrance
and I'll have him."
As soon as Koh's feet were a few inches out of the sphere they began to dissolve, the
wave moving slowly up his body as more and more of it was downloaded. After a
few moments Koh was gone, leaving Tima and Kenichi.
"Koh really is in a bad state… Okay Kenichi, it's Tima's turn."
Kenichi lifted Tima up under her shoulders and began to lower her through the hole.
The instant Tima saw the hole beneath her she gasped in terror, threw her arms around
Kenichi and held on tight.
"Aki, Tima won't go, I think she's afraid," Kenichi said, patting her gently.
"Can't you make her?"
"No, she won't let go of me."
"Go back into the sphere and wait. I'll try and catch you as you fall."
"Aki are you sure?" Kenichi asked. To him the whole idea sounded suicidal.
"No. But it's the only chance we have. Wait as long as you can and then jump."
"Alright…" Kenichi manoeuvred Tima into a more comfortable position and made
his way as deep into the sphere as he could.
Kenichi stood holding Tima as close to him as he could, and she certainly seemed
happy to return his embrace. Sections of the sphere were disappearing all around
them now, and Kenichi knew that at any moment they might fall. If that was going to
happen then he was falling with Tima. He couldn't bear the thought of leaving her
alone amid such destruction.
Suddenly the ground below Tima disappeared and Kenichi was only just quick
enough to catch her before she fell. Instantly Tima had buried her face against
Kenichi and was crying again. Kenichi felt terrible for her, to wake up from a long
sleep and suddenly find everything falling apart around her.
"Come on Tima it's alright. I'm here. As long as I'm here, I won't let anything hurt
you," Kenichi said, stroking Tima's hair and holding her gently. He
felt that he couldn't bear to be even an inch from her now, not now that he had finally
found her. Tima quietly raised her eyes and gazed into Kenichi's for a moment, then
seeming to relax laid her head against him again.
Cracks suddenly spread across the entire walls and floor of the sphere, and with a
great crash the entire area shattered around them.
Just before they fell Kenichi heard Tima murmur, "Wh-wh…a…I…I…" and she
began to cry even harder, as if reminded of something horrible.
"Here we go Tima…" Kenichi whispered to her, holding her tight against him, "Aki
now!"
"Targeting… Kenichi Tima's fading in and out, I can't lock onto her, and her
shadow's disrupting your tracer beacon!"
"What?!" Kenichi began to panic.
"Tima's mind is a program. I think she's so afraid she's subconsciously trying to hide
from my tracer!"
The air was rushing by them fast now. Kenichi still couldn't see the ground but he
new it wouldn't be long before he could.
"What do I do?" Kenichi yelled against the roar of the wind.
"Try to calm her down!"
At that moment Tima reached upwards and looked at a point just past her hand,
whispering "Ke…chi-…."
"Tima…" Kenichi said thoughtfully, "Wait a minute," Kenichi said looking at Tima
again, "Aki I think she's remembering when she fell from the Ziggurat!"
"It's up to you Kenichi, either you calm her down or you both die!"
"Tima, come on, that won't happen again. Didn't I tell you I'd keep you safe?"
Kenichi said softly to the panicking girl he held in his arms. Looking below over his
shoulder, Kenichi could see vague shapes looming in a dark mist, becoming ever
more visible.
"Tima, I know how scared you must be, but please, please, don't be frightened. I
came so far to save you, I won't abandon you now! Even if Aki could save me
without you, I would never leave you!" Kenichi pulled Tima's arm back down and
embraced her again.
"Ke…i…" Tima looked up and stared into his eyes.
"That's it Tima…" Kenichi whispered, brushing a stray lock of hair back, "You don't
have to be afraid. I won't ever let anything hurt you. Please come back with me."
With a sigh Tima laid against Kenichi's chest. Kenichi looked down at the ground
and realised he only had a few more moments. Placing one arm around Tima's back
and with his other stroking her hair, he called out, "Aki?"
Tima was happy. She could no longer see what was going on around her as she had
her face buried in Kenichi's shirt, and in fact she had never actually understood since
Kenichi woke her up, but he was with her now. Nothing else mattered. Kenichi
would keep her safe.
"I've got you both!" Aki cried jubilantly. The pair began to dissolve. Kenichi looked
down at his feet from where the wave was slowly moving up his body, then down at
the ground. They weren't going to make it!
"Aki, it's not going fast enough! Can't you do something!"?
"I can shut everything else down, but it could be-"
"Do it!"
Instantly the glowing energy field Kenichi and Tima had been sharing disappeared, as
did all of Kenichi's clothing. Tima seemed a little surprised at the change in how
Kenichi's chest felt, but luckily was feeling too safe and cosy to open her eyes, in fact
she was practically asleep. Kenichi himself hadn't noticed the change, he was to busy
looking around him. Suddenly the pair were surrounded by all manner of strange and
menacing looking shapes, which Kenichi later decided, with hindsight, were all of the
viruses and corruptions the shield had been hiding them from. The wave was moving
much faster now, and they were inches from the ground. To Kenichi it actually
seemed, as the wave dissolved the last of his and Tima's bodies, that they were
actually disappearing into the ground, it had been so close.
* * * * *
Back in Kenichi's room, Aki was sitting watching her screen, which was white and
empty, but for Koh's unconscious from.
She stood up in the chair and looked intensely at the screen. Two bodies had
materialised in front of her, and Aki saw Tima first, still wearing the baggy clothes
that had been borrowed from Atlas and looking very confused.
"Hello Tima," Aki said then she looked at Kenichi, "Welcome back Keni…" her
voice trailed off.
"What?" Kenichi said, looking at the face hovering in the little box in front of him.
Aki stared for a second, then began to giggle uncontrollably.
"Look what's so funny?" Kenichi said turning away from Tima to face Aki.
"Eep!" Aki jumped back and fell over the chair, rolled across room and lay back
against the bed in hysterics.
"What on Earth…?" Kenichi wondered aloud as he looked at himself to see what was
so funny. Then he noticed.
"Ah!" Kenichi yelled quickly covering himself with his hands. Them he noticed
Tima, who was staring at his back.
Kenichi was silent for a moment and then, "…Aki... WHAT HAPPENED TO MY
CLOTHES?!"
*********************************************************************
Hehe, well, things were getting a little serious. Again, thank you to all those who
reviewed, or for that matter to all those who just read the story!
Again, R&R please, I'd really appreciate it.
And don't you dare even think this story's over! I've still got to write in Tima's
reinsertion into her body among other things. Though that may take a little while, but
stick with me!