"Shadows"
By: Otaku Tess
CHAPTER THREE
ookami-sama
"Mmm... Achk..." I sat up groggily, as just about every joint in my body cracked. "Ouch..." I grumbled, pulling my glasses off my face with one hand, and rubbing the bruise they had left with the other. "I hate when I do that..." I sighed, bending my glasses back into their proper shape.
I got up, feeling sore from having fallen asleep on my less than comfortable sofa, not to mention a bit irritated ... and ... cold. It was very cold this morning.
"Don't tell me they turned down the heat again..." I frowned, dragging myself down the hall to check the thermostat. "Yep, they did... -- Are they trying to kill my fish....?" I sighed. The heat was usually turned down on the weekends when people weren't expected to be in, to save energy, and more importantly money. Fortunately or unfortunately, most of the time it didn't go below 55 degrees...
"50 degrees..." I grumbled, reading off the thermostat. "Geeze, it's cold..." I huffed, walking into my bathroom to see if they'd turned off the hot water in the dorms too. They didn't usually turn off the hot water... But it had happened from time to time.
I rubbed my arms vigorously, trying to create some heat while the sink ran. I checked it after a minute, and sure enough... No hot water.
"Damn..." I winced, in defeat. "So much for a bath..."
With that, I went into my room to change into something much warmer. Something warm enough to be outside in. As I changed I happened to glance out my window, and I noticed that the ravens were gone. They'd probably moved on. Hopefully. It seemed a little cold for them to be around here, anyway...
Once I was changed into something considerably warmer, I headed outside. I decided to go get some scraps from the kitchen to feed to the dogs.
"Hello?" I called, entering the kitchen area of the mess hall from the back door. "Anybody around?"
"Doctor?" Came a voice, it was Theodore Mason (affectionately Ted), the head cook on the base. I could almost always count on him to be in the kitchen. "Want some food for the dogs, I bet?"
"Yeah." I smiled, "I haven't given them anything for about a week, I hope they're okay..."
Ted chuckled. "They're basically wolves, Doctor. I wouldn't worry about 'em. They really can fend for themselves..."
"I know... -- I just like to take care of them... It makes me feel needed, you know?" I responded with a smile.
"Yeah, I getcha." He said, pleasantly, giving me a small garbage bag filled with what smelled like meat scraps.
"Thanks." I smiled, taking the bag back outside.
"No problem." Ted called, as the door shut behind me.
Ted was a nice guy, I'd considered perusing a friendship with him before... But... -- I was never one to be very assertive. It had taken all the courage I'd had to ask Dr. Casnoff and Dr. Elise if they wanted to do something -- and they'd said no... I'd prefer to let them make friends with me than the other way around. It was easier that way... I don't like to be the one to incite a friendship. It's easier to wait for consent than to ask for it...
It's easier to wait...
Before I knew it I had wandered my way to the snowfeild nearby the blast furnace. It was a long, cold walk there, but I didn't mind it much -- not like I had anything better to do, heh. Besides it was a popular hang out for the wolf-dogs, so chances are a number of them would be wandering around the area.
I dumped out the contents of the bag in the snow near a group of trees, the start of a small wooded area. I let out a taxi cab whistle and hurried to a safe distance from the pile of food. Several wolf-dogs rushed out from beyond the trees and over to the food. They munched on it hungrily, as I watched from a few yards off.
I couldn't really get too close to them, for fear of getting bitten. They wouldn't attack me on sight or anything (as they were known to do from time to time) but they didn't fully trust me either... I hoped that some time they would be more trusting towards me. But as of right now, there was really only one that would even approach me. I'd even pet her once... Unfortunately, I hadn't seen her lately.
I smiled to myself as I stood captivated by the dogs. They really were beautiful. I wish I could have had a dog as a child... But even if I had, no dog could have been as magnificent as these wolf-dogs.
Suddenly, a thunder pierced the air, and right before my eyes, one of the wolves yelped and fell into the snow, I watched in horror as the snow around the wolf turned bloody crimson.
I turned quickly to see who had shot at the animal, and found myself staring down the barrel of a gun. I stood helpless as I heard another shot go off, silencing another wolf.
"Somebody go head 'em off! Don't let 'em get away, now!" The person holding a gun to my head called, as several uniformed men hurried off through the snow after the wolves that were attempting to escape. Meanwhile others surrounded several of the slower wolves with their guns drawn. Some of the wolves attempted to attack the soldiers, but were met with the butt of a gun.
"I don't suggest you move." Growled the man holding me prisoner.
"W-why... are you doing this...?" I whimpered.
"The boss ordered that the wolves be exterminated. Too many men were attacked already." He hissed, as two other men approached me.
"Yeah!" A familiar voice interrupted, "One of those friggin' dogs damn near killed me... -- I friggin' HATE Alaska..." He added, angrily, rasing his gun. "What's with this guy?"
"Please don't hurt the dogs..." I pleaded, meekly.
"Haha. We have a job to do." The man with the gun to my head laughed, "Now, if you don't watch yourself we might just be forced to deal with you."
"Yeah, ya hippy." Angry guard chuckled.
The man holding me hostage looked over to the other two soldiers, "Should I call the boss or just take care of--" Suddenly he stopped, letting out a choked whimper, as he slipped to the ground, unconscious ... or dead.
"What the--?" I gawked, looking around for what might have caused this sudden narcoleptic behavior.
"What the hell didja do!?" The talkative guard shouted, leveling his gun at me, "Get your arms in the air!"
"I didn't do anything!" I pleaded, raising my arms hastily, just as he went down, then almost immediately afterwards the silent guard fell, too.
I stood in panic, frozen in the spot. Do I run? What if they see me and shoot at me? Do I stay here and hope they don't notice? What if they notice me? What if what happened to the soldiers happens to me? What if these guys wake up? What if they're dead? What about the dogs? Can I save the dogs? I need to go get someone! Who do I get!?
Suddenly a soft hand touched my shoulder. "Go hide." A voice with a haunting accent commanded, I didn't wait a second to dash off behind a large tree. I glanced back a few times, identifying a blond woman with a gun as the one who had ordered me to flee. She watched me until she saw where I had hidden, then headed off towards the soldiers.
I peaked out from behind the tree and watched as the blondish woman with the large gun in her hands -- and an even larger one strapped to her back -- made her way towards the group of soldiers. They had just about finished rounding up all the dogs.
I was too far away to hear anything, but I watched intently. The woman appeared to be saying something to the men, a few of them shouted at her. I could vaguely make out something about "following orders" from one of them, followed by angry shouting from all of them.
Then, with a swift, yet uncannily relaxed movement, the woman pulled the larger gun from her back and discarded the slightly smaller one in the snow near her feet. She took aim through the guns scope and spoke to them, then they slowly began to disperse, leaving back towards the communication towers.
The wolves didn't hesitate to head back out through the trees. The woman watched them go, and then turned slowly to the two fallen dogs.
Slowly I moved out from behind the tree and crept as softly as I could through the snow. She bent down beside the two dogs as I approached a few feet behind her. I saw that she was wearing a jumpsuit that looked ill-suited for this type of weather, though it did appear modest enough, as it was zipped up to her neck.
"I should have used real bullets..." She cursed, glancing to the gun laying in the snow a short distance away.
I shuddered softly, she turned her head slightly, more to acknowledge my presence than to look at me. Her thoughts were clearly on the wolves. "Are you all right?" She asked coldly.
"I -- ah -- I'm fine -- I think -- I -- the dogs..." I stuttered helplessly.
"They're dead." She answered shortly. "This one had a pup..." She paused, gesturing to the fallen beast nearest her.
"Will it be all right...?" I blinked.
"I'm sure the others will take care of her pup." She responded, without taking her eyes off the wolves.
"What ... are we going to do with them...?" I asked slowly, gesturing to the wolves, trying my hardest not to look at them.
"I haven't decided." She answered shortly. "You don't need to concern yourself anymore. The wolves are no longer your responsibility. It would be best if you left now."
"But--"
"I said go." She repeated harshly, standing and turning to me.
"But ... you saved my life." I finished, gratefully.
"Yes. And...?"
"Well, I just thought...--" I stopped, she cocked an eyebrow at me expectantly, "I... thought... I owe you one...?" I finished hopefully.
"You owe me nothing." She turned back to the wolves, "I didn't do this for you."
"Oh..." I paused. Of course she didn't... "Uhm..?" I ventured. She didn't respond. I swallowed hard, "Uh... What ... happened...? What did you say to them...?"
"..." She growled.
I took a step backwards in surprise. "I -- ah ... sorry... I'll go..." I sighed in defeat, turning to leave.
"...My boss." She started, stopping me in my tracks, "...Ordered that the wolves be rounded up and shot. He did not tell me that he had given those orders... The moment I found out about it I headed out here to stop them. If our boss has a problem with it. He can take it up with me."
"You're boss? President Baker?" I questioned, turning back to her, she was still facing the wolves.
"No."
I considered pursuing the inquiry further, but something told me it would best if I let it go... "Err..." I turned briefly to the 3 soldiers that had dropped like flies around me, then back to the woman, "Are they ... dead...?"
"No. Tranquilized. They'll be asleep for a few hours..." She stood again, but this time, did not face me.
"Well, at least they're not dead. Are you going to leave them there, though?"
"Yes. But they use anti-freezing peptides. Don't worry about them--"
"I'm not..." I responded harshly, she'd thought I was worried about them. True, I didn't want them to die... But I would be more than happy to leave them in the snow for a few hours, it was less than they deserved...
She chuckled darkly, sensing my distaste for the soldiers. She turned to me, "You care for the wolves?"
"Sometimes I bring them food..." I answered, "They can take care of themselves, I know... But..." I shrugged, "I like them."
She nodded slowly, smiling slightly.
"Are you going to leave the dogs here?" I looked past her to the dogs laying cold in the crimson ice, a light snow began to fall in the still air.
She paused, then nodded.
"Oh." I sighed, pulling my gaze from the dogs, as a sob escaped my throat. The woman picked up the tranq-gun, then began to walk away. "Wait!" I called.
She stopped, but did not turn to me, "Yes?"
"What's... your name?" I ventured softly.
"... Sniper Wolf." She answered, and headed off through the snow again.
"Can I see you again?" I blurted, without thinking.
This time she stopped completely and turned to me, then nodded, "140.06..." Then disappeared as the snow began to fall more rapidly.
I don't know how long I stood there in the freezing snow as flakes fell delicately around me. It probably wasn't for nearly as long as I thought it had been. I had a habit of losing track of time. It had felt like hours before I headed slowly back to the mess hall, in all reality it probably hadn't been more that 5 minutes. If that.
When I reached the mess hall I had a slightly late lunch, and I also picked up something to have later for dinner, then headed back to my dorm... I wasn't quite ready to let the morning's events sink in yet.
I dropped my doggy bag on the end table in the den, then headed straight to my room and flopped onto my bed. "Oww..." I groaned, landing on something that jabbed me in the back.
The photo album. I hadn't put it away yet. I slowly pulled it onto my lap and looked at the cover a moment, caressing the corners with my fingers. "Hmm..." I paused, as my fingers hovered around the edge, ready to pull the book opened.
"No..." I huffed, standing abruptly and shoving the album back into the bottom drawer of my dresser. I sighed, then lay down on my bed and rolled over on my stomach to look at my wall.
I had nearly covered my wall with posters, most of them I had gotten from AnimeCons. I scanned the wall, silently, picking out a few of my favorites. I'd put my Policenauts posters in the lab, I still had my Robotech, Gundam and Evangelion posters, though. The mecha animes had always been my favorite. I had other posters, though. Ranma ½, Revolutionary Girl Utena (an odd one), Trigun, Slayers. ...Cowboy Bebop...
Cowboy Bebop... I hadn't gotten that poster at an AnimeCon. A friend had given it to me. The first friend I had ever had... I'd met her in my first year of College, not to mention my first time in conventional schooling...
I retained my memories of her as if they had happened just yesterday. True, many of my memories were decidedly vivid... But most of them were unwanted... -- However, some, like my memories of her, were welcome ones.
I lay back on my bed, folding my hands behind my head and closing my eyes...
I pushed my glassed back up my nose, and focused my eyes on the poster I had spotted shortly after I entered the room. Two anime women, one with orange hair and a headband, and one with long blue hair, they both had guns. Something was written under it in Japanese.
"What anime is this...?" I questioned, cocking my head at the picture.
"The Dirty Pair." Came the response from the bed. I turned back to her. "It's really cool. It's based on a novel written in Japan."
She had invited me to her dorm room so we could study for a science test that was coming up. We had a lot of the same classes together, but this was the first time we'd actually met outside of class.
She was very ... cute. Not gorgeous, not beautiful ... cute. She had shoulder length strawberry-blond hair, with long bangs that flopped to one side of her face. She had bright freckles, part of the reason that she looked a little young to be in college, like myself. She glanced up at me through a small, stylish pair of round rimless glasses.
"Uh..." I fixed my less than complementary glasses nervously, "I'm sorry. What was you're name again?" It was embarrassing, I had such a terrible time with names. I knew her by sight, of course, but even after 2 months of school with her, I still couldn't put a name to her face. All I could remember about her was that she liked anime, too.
"Oh. It's'okay, kid." She smiled, resting her chin in her hands as she lay stomach down on her bed. "My name's Cassandra. But. How 'bout we keep this simple and you call me Axe, 'kay, Hal?"
"Err... Okay. Why... Axe though?" I blinked.
"It's my nickname. Got it at Ren Faire." She smiled, "I used to be really into that stuff back in Jr. High."
"Wren Fair?" I was confused.
"Renaissance Faire." She prompted.
"Oh, I've heard of those." I blushed slightly, "Never been to one, though. -- But why did you get a name like that there?"
She grinned, "I have an aptitude for the throwing ax." She pantomimed throwing an ax, as she bounced into a sitting position on her bed. "The name just kinda stuck through high school.."
"Hmm..." I paused. "So, do you want to get started studying?" The sooner I helped her with science, the sooner she could help me with English. We a had a book report coming up, and I had no clue where to start.
"Well..." She pondered a moment, "I thought we might get to know each other first. I mean, we have 5 classes together and you didn't even know my name. I... thought we could ... talk for a while?" She smiled hopefully, but I couldn't help but detect an air of sadness as well, a sadness I somehow recognized...
I paused for a moment, "Oh! -- Yeah! Of course!" I answered hastily, "What do you want ... to talk about?"
"Well, anything. Just get to know each other. How about... I ask you a question, you answer, then you ask me one that I answer ... and ... we kinda go back and fourth for a while."
"Okay. You ... go first..." I said, still standing, a little uneasy. I wasn't very good with talking to people. I hadn't been in too many social situations before college, and I preferred to just stay to myself in my classes. When Axe had approached me at the end of science the other day to propose a study session, I'd declined three times before she talked me into it... I was still nervous.
"All right." She smirked slightly, "Why don't you have a seat?" She gestured to a rolly chair pushed under a desk in the corner.
"Oh. Uhm. I dunno. Heh." I shrugged, pulling the chair out and having a seat so I could face her as she sat on the bed. "..." I paused, she looked at me expectantly, "What?" I said, blankly.
"You're turn, Hal." She smiled.
"Hey, that was kinda unfair..." I frowned and bit my lip, nervously.
"Hal, relax. Don't be so nervous. I don't want to scare you away. Trust me, I don't. Try and relax, and don't leave... Please don't leave." She tried to sound comforting, but she was also begging. I realized that the last thing she wanted me to do was leave...
She was lonely...
She suddenly seemed a lot easier to talk to, now. I now had more in common with her than I thought...
"Oh..." I paused, taking a deep breath to calm myself, "I won't leave. We can talk..."
"Great!" She sighed in relief. "Okay. I'll ask you another question because that was a little low of me." She chuckled, "Why are you here when you're so much younger than everyone? You're younger than me." She commented.
"Er... Well, I guess because I never went to real school, ya know. I studied at home through the Internet..."
"Ah, STAR." She interjected. "School Transmitting And Receiving."
"Yeah." I nodded, smiling slightly, "So, I finished Kindergarten through twelfth grade a little faster than most people."
"A little? You're a kid-genius!" She exclaimed, "I'm so jealous." She smirked good-naturedly.
"What about you, though?" I started, "You seem a little young..."
"Well, yeah. I'm 17." She sighed, "I graduated High School when I was 16. I skipped the fourth and seventh grade. Nothing terribly amazing. -- Er. My turn again." She paused, "Well... What brings you to Princeton?"
"A taxi." I responded, with a grin.
"Hardy-har." She cocked an eyebrow at me, "You and I are gonna get along." She added with a chuckle. "But seriously...?" She leaned forward, her glasses glinted in the light from the window.
"It's a good school..." I responded slowly, "My dad wanted me to go here ... ya know?"
"Heh, yeah, I know how that is." She rolled her eyes, "Mine did too. Says 'it's good publicity' -- But sorry, you were saying?"
"Uhm... Yeah. My dad wanted me to go right on to college as soon as I graduated STAR..." I continued.
"Oh, do you live around here, then?" She cocked an eyebrow.
"No... I'm from out of state. I'm staying in a dorm. I'll go home for the summer and other vacations, though."
"Geeze, your dad just sent you out here all by yourself...? I mean, you're obviously intelligent enough to go to Princeton... But you seen kinda young to be on your own at this point -- No offense. It just seems kinda ... mean." She finished, with a distasteful frown.
"Well, the dorm is safe, and as long as I don't really leave the school I'll be fine. Dad thought it was the best thing for me. -- To move on to college as soon as possible. I'm planning to get my Bachelor's and Master's degree here."
"Err..." She paused, "I dunno. Just not what I would have done if you were my kid. I can't believe he wouldn't keep you in the same state, at least..."
"My dad knows what he's doing." I started, a little defensively, "He's just kinda busy. This was best for both of us." I explained. "No distractions."
"Oh... I guess so.... Not that I ever really considered family a distraction." She seemed taken aback for a moment, but shook her head, as if to snap herself out of it, then looked back to me, "You're turn then."
"I don't view my dad as a distraction..." I said, with a frown. "I just... -- I don't know... Sometimes he's really busy with work, and all ya know? ... He has to pay for this school somehow... -- And if I wasn't around then -- and I'm kinda -- er..." I tried to finish. I wanted to defend my dad, but at this point I wasn't even sure what I had said previously, let alone what to say next. "I'm sorry." I breathed, "I'm not used to talking to people... Errr... What was that about your dad sending you here?" I asked at last.
She paused, giving me a second to recover, then responded. "Yeah. My dad's running for governor of New Jersey. It looks like he'll win, at this point. -- He seems pretty popular. He thought that his eldest child going to a school like Princeton at age 17 would be good publicity. He wants to run for president someday."
I nodded, "Do you have siblings?"
"Yeah, a little sister. She's only about five. One good thing about staying here, I don't have to put up with her. Or my Mom gloating over her every ten seconds." She chuckled.
"Aww.. you're lucky. I would love to have a sister!" I whined.
"Hah. Not my sister. She's insane."
"Well, I dunno..." I mused, then looked back to Axe, "You're turn."
"All right... Uhmmmm...." She put a hand to her chin, thoughtfully, "What's your favorite anime?"
I chuckled, "Well, that could take all night... Robotech is one."
"Oh, that one's good."
"Yeah, I'm gonna learn to build robots like that. I can show you some of my models later, if you want." I grinned.
"That would be awesome. What about K.O.R.?"
"I haven't heard of that one!"
"We'll I'll have to show you some time." She smiled...
That conversation went on and we never did get started on our studying, that night... But I'd finally met someone whom I had something in common with. A friend.
Yeah ... after that Axe and I had become almost inseparable all through college. Though I did graduate before she did... I'd gotten my masters in four years, it took her the full six... But she had a life outside of school. She went home on the weekends frequently, and she never hung around on vacations. I, on the other hand, had a lot more time to my work... I didn't always have the option of going home... So my work got done a lot faster.
She had majored in Zoology, she loved animals more than anything, I remember. She was sweet like that, she was all kindness... However, she minored in computer science, which gave us another class together. She seemed to have an aptitude for computers, even though, we both had to admit that I far surpassed her in that field.
I lay on my bed, slowly returning from my thoughts...
I hadn't seen her in years. The last time I'd seen her was actually in 1993, when we'd gone to the first OtaKon together. She'd, in fact, given me my nickname there. Otacon.
I had accidentally pronounced the word "Ah-da-kon" instead of "Oh-ta-kon," as would be expected of anyone who knew anything about Japanese... So, she commenced calling me "Ah-tacon" for the rest of the trip. I admit it was very American of me, but at least I got a nickname out of it.
I chuckled to myself, remembering. I'd kept in touch with her through e-mail and snail mail for a few years after that, though we never really got together, except that one planned meeting at OtaKon... And then one day, shortly after our last meeting together.... she'd just disappeared, and I hadn't seen or heard from her since...
I sighed, then opened my eyes again and rolled over on my bed, adjusting myself so I could look into the fish bowl sitting on my night stand.
"So guys." I started, "Do ya think the hot water is back? Heh. Yeah, I know 'How would you know,' right?" I chuckled slightly, then let out a heavy sigh. "I met this ... woman today. She said her name was 'Sniper Wolf'... I don't know what to make of her ... but... I know... I want to see her again. I have to see her again." I paused, "Aaand, I'm talking to my fish... -- ahh... What else is new, right guys...? I'm gonna see if I can take a bath..." I huffed, rolling over and pulling myself off the bed and into my bathroom.
I ran the sink water for a minute, waiting for the hot water again. "Ah, good. It's back." I smiled, as I started to run a bath.
I methodically pulled my clothes off as the water ran. Steam began to fill the room, causing the mirror to fog up. I took off my equally fogged glasses, and set them on the counter. Then paused, looking at my hazy image in the mirror, and slowly lifted a hand wiping away enough of the shroud to see my face through the mist.
I blinked for a moment, I couldn't see very well without my glasses. I leaned forward to get a better look at myself, "I ought to shave..." I grumbled. "I could use a haircut too..." With that I hopped into the bath tub.
"Hot." I winced, I definitely was watching to much Anime. I chuckled slightly, momentarily musing over why anime characters felt it prudent to exclaim "hot" or "cold" when met with water.
Within a minute, however, my mind had wandered again to the mysterious woman I had met earlier that day. She was unlike anything I had seen before, uncanny. The way she moved, the way she spoke, her hair, her eyes. They stuck in my mind, even though I had only seen her briefly.
Sniper Wolf.
What must her real name be? I wondered.
I would call her tonight by CODEC. 140.06. Maybe I wouldn't find out her name just yet... But I would talk to her. I had to get to know her. I couldn't explain it...
She'd given me her frequency. I could contact her, now... I just couldn't help but wonder... Was she lonely too? I had to find out. I owed her ... at the very least I could keep her company. At the very least ... we could get to know each other...?
I want to get to know this woman...
But until then...
She will remain ... Lady Wolf...
NOTES: Wow. Chapter three was a long one, neh...?
Small warning on the Flashbacks from here on out, they might tend to jump around from time to time, so prepare yourself. They won't necessarily be chronological any longer.
I was afraid when I created Otacon's pet fish that his speaking to them would appear too strange and a little loopy... But now that I have done a few scenes with them I like them a lot more.
I for one, talk to my cat, my cat can't respond. I know she has no idea what I'm talking about, but I feel comforted having someone to talk to who will never tell a secret. Granted fish are a bit different from a cat, but the principle is the same.... And I know for a fact some people happen to LOVE fish. (in a white wine sauce, ark ark, but seriously.) Otacon just seemed like a fish person to me. I wonder if "Gyotaku" meaning "Fish Print" has anything to do with it. (not that I know what Fish Print is, exactly) LOL
As for Axe... I'm fairly certain that will be the last mention of her. While I wanted to give Otacon a friend during his college years... I didn't want to over do it. So after he graduates she kinda fades into the background. He might have written to her once or twice after he graduated, and met up with her that one time at OtaKon... But she really kinda loses significance in his life, at least when compared to the sort of relationship he had with Emma. While he still remembers her as a friend, she didn't have the kind of effect on him that Emma did. I just thought I might explain that... So, she won't really be showing up through the rest of the story. heh. ^_^;;