Inspired By Chobits
Created By Clamp
Written by Me!
WARNING: I suck at fight scenes. Any suggestion to improve this and other areas of my writing will be gladly appreciated [Unless you guys just flame on me. Then I'd get pissed] .
CHAPTER 4:
Broken
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Dreams.
Unreal images wrapped in mystery. Sayoko was lifeless in the dark voice. Cold. Afraid. Craving for a warm, sensitive touch.
A glowing hand reach out. "Sayoko..." said a distance voice. Sayoko's eyes opened. Apollo floated over her, a vision of radiant light. He was human, a mature adolescent, with feathery wings glistening behind him. Sayoko melted as he gently cupped her face.
"Sayoko-sama..." Apollo flew behind and wrapped his strong arms around her. Warmth flooded her senses. His skin felt so real, his lips so soft... Even his breath tickling her neck was sweet and warm.
Apollo lightly caressed her face. "Are you afraid of me?" He drew her closer, their lips nearly touching. "Are you afraid of what I am? What I can do?" Sayoko curled up against his bare chest. The golden-haired Angel nuzzled his nose in her tender ear. "Please, don't be afraid of me," he blew into her ear. He raised Sayoko's face and came closer. Closer. Closer...
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Sayoko bolted up in a cold sweat. Stark darkness surrounded her. '2:30' glowed from her alarm clock. Her eyes flickered around restlessly, then she sighed. She slumped back to the bed.
The young girl pounded her head in frustration. "What is wrong with me? Thinking about my Angel like THAT! Ecchi!" Sayoko rolled around, and caught Apollo's yellow pajamas at the corner of her eyes. He was sitting on her dresser, staring intensively at a picture frame.
Sayoko fixed her glasses and climbed out of bed. "What are you looking at?" Sayoko asked, picking up the photo. It was of a young woman, with long black hair pinned up in a bun and shinning blue eyes. Behind her was Sayoko's father with Angelic Layer Headquarters in the background. Both wore laboratory coats and glasses. Sayoko stared at the picture fondly.
"This is Mama." She pointed to the woman. "She looks like Michiru-san, doesn't she? It's because they're twins. But I always thought Mama looked prettier." She set the photo down. Apollo remained fastened to the picture. But there was more than curiosity surging through his emerald eyes. Longing, anger, and unspeakable amount of grief held him captive to the picture. Seeing Sayoko's mother had broke his heart, but why he did not know.
Sayoko kissed his golden head. "Good night, Apollo," she sang as she flopped back to her bed. In a matter of moments, Sayoko slipped back to her dreamworld. Silence shrouded her bedroom.
In the lonely darkness, the Angel began to cry.
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Sayoko was lost. Utterly lost. She wandered aimlessly through the crowded lobbies of Piffle Princess. She had only been there once with Akiko, and was still unfamiliar with the surroundings. She glanced down at the blue card her father gave her. Printed on the card was the name of the mall layer number, match number, and time. She had no idea what the card was or why she had to go, but there was only one way to find out.
Searching through the crowd, Sayoko turned around and bumped into a young woman. It was a light hit, but she immediately gushed out apologies and bows.
"Gomen nasai, Onee-san! I'm so sorry! Please forgive me. I'm so clumsy! I didn't see know where I was going! Did I hurt you? I didn't mean to hit you! I'm really sorry!"
The 18 year-old blushed at Sayoko's fervent begs.
"Don't worry! I'm the one that bumped into you. Oh, and you dropped this." She handed Sayoko her glasses. Sayoko smiled sheepishly and put them on. Like Sayoko, this woman was small for her age. She had short mahogany hair with two long pieces in the front and bright cobalt eyes. On her shoulder was an adorable pink-haired Angel. Sayoko was surprised. "You play Angelic Angel?"
The young woman smiled brightly. "Hai. I've been playing for a couple of years now." She scratched her head shyly. "People say I'm good, but I think it's just my luck. So, what about you? You play Angelic Layer, ne?" She gestured to Apollo, whose head poked out Sayoko's bookbag.
Sayoko averted her eyes to the floor. "I just started playing, but I don't like it."
She stopped smiling. "But why? Angelic Layer is supposed to be fun."
Sayoko shook her braids. "I know. But last time I fought, my Angel was hurt pretty bad. I couldn't forgive myself if Apollo got hurt again."
Two gentle hands rested on Sayoko's shoulders. Sayoko looked up at the woman's comforting face.
"I know how you feel," she said reassuringly. "When I first started, I hated seeing my Angel hurt. But I had to, because I wanted to become stronger with her. You want to become strong with your Angel too, right? So that you both can win with pride?"
Sayoko stared absently into her shinning eyes. The woman's words had struck something deep inside her. Yes, she did want to win. She wanted to be good at something, something she could be proud of, and Angelic Layer might be it. Sayoko's face turned crimson.
"I'm sorry for burdening you with my stupid problems." She stuck out a friendly hand. "Atashi wa Omura Sayoko. Nice to meet you." She took out her Angel from her bag. "And this is my Angel, Apollo."
They shook hands. "Atashi wa Suzuhara Misaki. And here is Hikaru, my Angel."
The Tournament Battle Arena was swarming with Deuses ready to battle. Highly decorated with colorful banners and monitors, this behemoth of a store was packed full. Misaki and Sayoko approached the Arena. The older and more experienced Misaki walked right in, while Sayoko drew a step back.
"Suzuhara-san, are you sure this is the right place? This looks like a competition."
"Hai. The card you showed me is a registration ticket. You're signed up to battle in the Regionals."
"WHAT?!?" Sayoko exclaimed in disbelief. "That can't be! I made my Angel just this week! I can't battle this soon. You must be mistaken, Suzuhara-san!"
The young woman smiled. "You can call me Misakichi. All my friends do. And yes, you are signed up. But don't worry over it. Trust me, you'd be surprised how far beginner's luck can take you. And if you lose the first one, you can always win the second."
They entered the Arena. Sayoko was intimidated by the sheer number of participants. These Deuses were experienced, confident, and were driven by a strong passion to win. Sayoko was none of these. She was just an ordinary girl, forced to participate by her overzealous father with an Angel she couldn't even control.
::Oh, papa! Why are you making me do this?:: she though as she weaved behind Misaki through the crowd. Some people recognized her from her fight with Suzumu, and the gossip spread wildly.
"Do you see that girl with the glasses?" a voice whispered from the crowd. "I heard she went psycho on one of her opponents for calling her names. Don't fight with her. She's crazy!"
"Suzumu-san hasn't stopped crying over it," chatted another voice. "That was her favorite Angel, too. Now its nothing but scrap. Suzumu wasn't the most likable person, but even she didn't deserve that."
The rumors grew with every step Sayoko too. But as the murmurs escalated around her, so did her Anger. She didn't deserve this. What did she do to be treated this way? Sayoko clutched Apollo tightly. She never asked to be a Deus. She never asked for her Angel to ruin what little reputation she had. So why did she have to be taunted for actions she had no control over? It wasn't her fault Apollo went out of control... Or was it?
Misaki lead Sayoko to empty Layer 3. Sayoko bowed humbly. "I'm so sorry to drag you around like this. Arigatou gozaimasu, Suzu--- Misakichi-san."
Misaki waved her hand easily. "Please, don't apologize. It was no trouble. I am going to battle here anyway."
According to her registration ticket, Sayoko's match was Match 4 on Layer 3. She sat down at Layer 3, uneasy. She had no clue who she was fighting, or why she was here. But the real surprise came when Misaki pulled out the chair and sat at the same Layer. She fastened on her headset.
"Good Luck," she cheered warmly, and shook Sayoko's hands over the Layer.
A confused Sayoko copied her actions, but her confusion quickly turned into amazement.
"Wait," she asked in shock, "You mean... YOU are my opponent?"
A black-haired woman, decked in a purple suit and the official Angelic Layer Battle Committee Pin, strolled over to the pair from the front desk. "Welcome to the Regional Competition. I will be your referee for this match," she said with a pleasant smile. She leaned her microphone to Misaki. "Let's have an introduction to our Deuses. Though you don't need any introduction, Miss National Champion, please tell the audience your name." She motioned to the gathering crowd of onlookers. The spectators were all fans of the "Miracle Rookie," and some wanted to see another one of Apollo's insane episodes.
Sayoko's eyes bulged in shock. Misakichi is.. National Champion?! And she's my first opponent?!
Misaki greeted her fans with a wave. "I am Suzuhara Misaki. My Angel is Hikaru. Konnichi wa, minna!"
The announcer turned to the shaking Sayoko. "And what is your name, Miss?"
"I... I... I... I..." the words choked in her mouth. Tension grew. "I am S-Suzuhara Sayoko..no! Omura Misaki! No! I am... I am... I AM OMURA SAYOKO!!!" Her voice ended in a sharp screech. Misaki chuckled at her anxiety.
"AndMyAngelIsApollo," she slurred in a jumble. Her lips trembled as she spoke. Her body continued to shiver uncontrollably. Sayoko was at the edge of a nervous breakdown. This was all too much too fast. First her Angel demolished her first opponent. Then she was signed up to battle in the Regionals against her will. Now she would fight the National Champion, with all these strangers boring at her. Why is this happening to me?
The announcer broke the uneasy silence. "Allright! Let's begin! Entry Angel!"
Misaki pressed the Angel wings on her headset.
"The Wings of An Angel! Please guide me and Hikaru." She cast Hikaru in. Hikaru soared into the Layer and opened her pink eyes.
"Angel, Fall in!" The red-clad Angel descended to the surface with a graceful landings. The crowd clapped and cheered. Hikaru and her Deus have fought in more than 200 battle, won 3 National Championships and sixth place in the World Tournament. And yet Misaki was still the kind, friendly young girl she was when she started five years ago. No wonder she was a crowd favorite.
Sayoko staggered from her seat. Her anxiety quickly evaporated into anger as the crowd started to gossip. She was going to prove them wrong. Apollo would not go insane. She would rely only on her strength for this match. National Champion or not, Sayoko was going to fight Misaki with her own skill, and win.
"With the glory of the gods, let your wings take flight! Win, Apollo!" She threw her Angel into the Layer. Like before, wings shimmered briefly on his back while penetrating the barrier.
"Angel, Fall in!" Unlike before, Apollo landed squarely on his feet. His flowery dress was gone, in its place was a blue sleeveless shirt and cargo pants. His blue collar and fingerless gloves were adorned with miniature A's. His casual clothes were clearly not intended for Angelic Fighting, but today's match has caught his Deus offguard.
The Angels stood mere inches for each other. Statistically, they were almost identical. Both were lightweights, both had speed specialties. And though Apollo towered over her in height, the smaller Hikaru had a more important factor on her side: experience.
The referee made the signal. "Angelic Fight!"
But the Angels did not move. They couldn't. Their Deuses knew how similar they were, and each were aware of the other's weakness. But neither Deus knew how the other fought.
Apollo punched first, but Hikaru swiftly spun around and kicked his back. He stumbled, but turned around and charged. The pink-haired Angel dodged and attacked again, knocking him down. But Apollo would not give up. He struck Hikaru's legs from beneath her, then slammed his boot into her chest as she fell. She skid across the Layer and braced herself to a halt. Apollo snapped back to his feet. Though a newbie, Sayoko was too determined to let her inexperience slow down.
The Angels were on opposite sides of the Layer. Apollo and Hikaru locked eyes for what felt like an eternity, then bolted at each other and began an intense hand-to-hand combat. With surprising agility, the Angels matched each other blow for blow, kick for kick. They rolled, tumbled, leapt, and fought in near unison. But it was clear that Hikaru had the upper hand. She deflected all Apollo's moves, and could predict his next moves. Sayoko clenched her teeth. If she couldn't make a direct hit soon, she would lose the match in a matter of minutes.
As the fight progressed, a peculiar outsider peered inside the Battle Arena from the hallway. He scanned the room with shifty eyes, then ducked behind a plotted plant. His glasses poked through the bushes. Neither the attendants or the Deuses noticed him. He was rarely caught. Sneaking up on people was his specialty.
The stranger flattened himself on the ground, then wormlike, snaked his way through the throngs of feet surrounding Layer 3. Even if Misaki was now National Champion, he still checked up on his former prodigy's progress. He thrust his head between a pair of legs to catch a glance. Like always, Misaki was dominating the fight. But her opponent wasn't bad herself. He examined her appearance closely. Light brown hair, brown eyes, glasses, overall nerdy appearance... She bore a striking resemblance to one of his employees, but he wasn't quite sure.
Sayoko's face crumbled. She was losing the match. Her determination weakened as Apollo struggled to endure Hikaru's kicks. There was nothing she could do. Any attack Apollo made was used against him, and she still did not know how Misaki guessed his moves. The 12-year-old slumped her face into her shaking hands.
"There's no way I can win this," she whispered to herself. "Any direct attack I use is pointless. She'll just use it against me. Unless..."
An idea struck. Sayoko raised her head, determination refilled. It would need perfect timing and the right amount of speed, but if the plan worked, she might win the match.
Apollo flipped back to the Layer's edge, then rushed at Hikaru. Instead of attacking, however, the Angel darted to the side and began circling her. He started slow, but with every turn, he boosted his speed. Surrounded by his flitting silhouettes, Hikaru was now trapped.
"Masaka.." someone gasped from the awestruck crowd. His speed was incredible. Only the most experienced Deuses could accomplished such velocity. Apollo cycled rapidly around her, his body a golden blur. Hikaru assumed a fighting stance and prepared for a hit. Sayoko smiled secretly. ::Good. She thinks I'm about to attack. She isn't prepared for it.::
The stranger watching from the ground pushed up his glasses Omura, he thought. This girl must be his. He is the only person who uses this technique: The air began to stir around Hikaru. The weak breeze spiraled, faster and faster, until it strengthened into a whirlwind. Hikaru took a step, but the violent gust whipped over her body and hoisted her several inches off the surface.
Misaki gasped at Hikaru, who was dangling helplessly in the air. She understood now. Sayoko realized that Hikaru could outmaneuver her Angel on the ground, so she created a wind attack to keep her in the air. Unable to use her speed, Hikaru was defenseless and prone for attack.
Sayoko clutched her chair handles. "Now, Apollo!"
Apollo catapulted himself into the air. He flew behind Hikaru and pounded her back with clenched fists. She crashed chest first into the Layer.
The audience murmured loudly. But their chatting did not affect Sayoko. Her heart was pounding, forehead sweating, and her own Angel was exhausted from his attack. But she couldn't help the smile beaming on her face. It was fun. She was actually having fun playing Angelic Layer. It was hard work, but was well worth it.
"Sayoko-chan, I'm really enjoying this fight," Misaki said. Sayoko looked up. Even after that devastating attack, Misaki's cheerful smile remained intact. The injured Hikaru rose up.
"Using your speed specialty to produce a wind attack. That was really good! You must be pretty smart to think of that," Misaki continued. Sayoko rubbed her head bashfully, an embarrassed sweatdrop appearing. Inside the Layer, Apollo did the same.
"I hope to see you in the Finals someday. I know you will become a great Deus by then. However,"-- her eyes turned serious ---"You will not win this fight."
The red-clad Hikaru dashed at Apollo, who was too tired to dodge. She flipped backwards into a handstand, and suddenly somersaulted into a kick. The powerful blow struck him in the face, and the golden-haired Angel was hurled out of the Layer.
The shocked Deus ripped off her headset. "APOLLO!" she cried. The battered Apollo clanked on the ground. His face was pale and crippled with pain, his shirt and gloves torn. Exhaustion overwhelmed him. His eyes could barely open as Sayoko scooped him off the floor.
"Layer out! Hikaru Win!" the announcer exclaimed. Erupting from the crowd came a thunderous applause. Fans rushed up with autographs and pictures, but Misaki brushed them aside. She headed over to silent Sayoko.
"You did well out there. Is Apollo-san alright?" Misaki asked, sticking her hand out to her back.
No response.
Misaki retreated her hand with worry. "Go-- Gomen, Sayoko-chan. I didn't mean to hurt him. I can take a look at him if you--"
Sayoko suddenly dashed out the Battle Arena. She shoved fellow Deuses out of her path and flew out the doorway. Masaki was left stunned at the sudden exit. She looked down. Distinct teardrops were on the floor.
A firm hand rested in her shoulders. Misaki looked up in surprise. "Icchan?" she asked at the stalking stranger who watched her.
A crooked grin edged on his face. "You held back."
"Nani?"
"You held back. You could have defeated her in a minute. Why didn't you?"
Misaki blushed shyly. "She just started Angelic Layer. It wouldn't have been fair to do that to her. I--"
"--Was afraid to hurt her feelings? Ne, you're as soft as always, Misaki." Icchan folded his hands over his labcoat. "Five years, and you still care about your opponents. I thought college would toughen you up by now. Demo..." the scientist rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his dark eyes gleaming. "For a rookie to perform that type of attack, and for you to resort to your Rolling Thunder to defeat her....Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, that Omura Sayoko is a curious one..I'm interested in her.."
Misaki's eyes widened in shock. "Icchan... interested in a 12-year-old?!"
"BAKA! Not like that! Though.. she is kinda cute..." He moved a step forward to the hallway. His thoughts churned wildly. "Omura Sayoko definitely has potential. And if her Angel is what I think It is, she will most likely need my guidance. Yes.. Yes... YES!" Icchan exploded in a burst of delirious laughs, so loud it attracted the attention of all the Deuses in the room. Misaki drew a step back from her mentor. Even after five years, she still hadn't gotten used to his bizarre behavior.
The black-haired scientist rubbed his hands in anticipation. His eyes glowed devilishly. "Omura Sayoko, Chosen Deus of the Prototype ArchAngel!" he shouted in his madness. "Yes! I will track you down and make you mine. You will become my new prodigy!"