Birdy's Boyfriend
by amiwakawaiidesu
(based on characters and situations from "Birdy the Mighty", created by Masami Yuuki. This story is set in a different world from my story "The Better Half" since Birdy and Tsutomu haven't defeated Christella Revi yet in this world.)
-------
For Senkawa Tsutomu, life was finally getting back to normal...or at least as normal as life ever got with a Space Federation officer sharing his body. There was nothing he could do about that, but Christella Revi--nemesis of his 'partner' Birdy Cephon Altirra--had been lying low recently, and Tsutomu's own life was also much simpler now that he had survived the Exam Hell and entered senior high school.
Unfortunately, Tsutomu still hadn't found a way to tell his family about Birdy, but he could at least share his secret with his girlfriend Hiyamiya Natsumi--who had accidentally caught a glimpse of him transforming into Birdy near her apartment. Tsutomu couldn't tell Natsumi much about Birdy or the Space Federation--since Birdy was under orders to avoid unnecessary disruption of human culture--but it was still nice to have someone around who understood why he sometimes acted like he had a split personality.
Thus, to thank Natsumi for sticking by him, Tsutomu invited Natsumi on a movie date one Sunday in June, shortly before the summer break. The movie they went to see was Independence Day--a recent release from America which was pretty cheesy (especially in comparison to Birdy's real-life battles with aliens), but nevertheless entertaining. Plus, of course, it afforded Tsutomu an opportunity to cuddle up next to Natsumi in the dark.
"You're so lucky," Birdy thought to Tsutomu; "I wish my old boyfriend was still around."
You have a boyfriend? Tsutomu thought back.
"You sound surprised; why--don't you think a boy could like me?"
Well, you are a bit…um... impulsive sometimes. And rash. And violent…
Birdy sighed inside Tsutomu's head, and--for a moment--Tsutomu half-expected Birdy to take control of his free hand and punch him in the head with it; however, Birdy seemed to be in a thoughtful mood at the moment rather than a violent one.
"Well, I do have a heart, Tsutomu, even if you don't believe it; and I did have a boyfriend once. His name was Baylin, and he was the most beautiful man who ever was…"
A vision then came into Tsutomu's mind as Birdy remembered Baylin; he was a handsome young man--an Altirran like Birdy, with red-and-white shoulder-length hair--and he was also an officer of the Space Federation. Ironically, Birdy and Baylin had not known each other on their homeworld, but met at the Space Federation Academy and fell in love while they were training there. In Birdy's memory, she could still remember the day she had last seen him; it was graduation day from the Academy, and Baylin promised that Birdy would always be near his heart no matter how far apart they were…
What happened? Tsutomu asked.
"He was lost on a mission," Birdy replied. "We were assigned to different sectors, and I found out he was declared missing just before I came to Earth."
"That's so sad!" Tsutomu said out loud--even as Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum were busy blowing up the alien mothership. Natsumi glanced at Tsutomu curiously, but immediately grasped that it must be something Birdy-related.
"Sumimasen," Tsutomu said to Natsumi, sinking down in his seat as he felt the eyes of other moviegoers upon him.
"It's all right," Birdy thought to Tsutomu; "I've gotten over it. It's just sometimes I see you and Natsumi together, and it reminds me of the way we used to be…"
I'm sorry, Tsutomu replied; I was insensitive…
Tell you what; after we take Natsumi home, why don't we go out and get some ice cream? You can even eat it with your own body if you'd like.
"Oh sure, just ply me with ice cream."
You don't wan't ice cream…?
"No, I'm just kidding; ice cream would be great."
# # # # #
When Birdy first attempted to mingle among humans in her own body, she borrowed an outfit from Tsutomu's sister Hazumi and subsequently caused a flap in the Senkawa home by spilling ice cream on Hazumi's jacket--convincing Hazumi that her already weird brother was now growing even weirder as he added cross-dressing to his repertoire of odd behavior. Mrs. Senkawa, for her part, pretended to ignore the incident (much as she ignored the time Tsutomu walked up to the family at breakfast with his pants undone, or the time came home with his uniform shredded) but Tsutomu didn't want to press her luck where his mother's patience was concerned…
So instead, Tsutomu asked Natsumi to help him buy some outfits for Birdy. Natsumi had offered to let Birdy borrow some of her own old clothes, but even Tsutomu--with his limited knowledge of girls in general and fashion in particular--knew that wasn't practical since 15-year old Natsumi was much smaller than Birdy, and Natsumi's clothes from junior high school would have looked a bit silly on an older teenager like Birdy. Instead then, Natsumi invited Tsutomu (and Birdy) to join her for a shopping trip to the My City megastore in Shinjuku, where Tsutomu morphed into Birdy and Natsumi helped her find several relatively cheap outfits that didn't make her look like an overgrown 14-year old, or a girl who was overly fond of her boyfriend's ratty old clothes.
Thus, it was one of these outfits that Birdy changed into after Tsutomu walked Natsumi home to her apartment after the movie--a fitted vest, short skirt and low-heeled sandals. Thanks to her modulator, Birdy didn't have to go all the way back to Tsutomu's house to change; she was already wearing the outfit when Tsutomu ducked into a nearby alley to change bodies with her. Birdy then headed south to her favorite ice cream shop in the Shinagawa shopping district.
Not surprisingly, Birdy's outfit--which showed off her long legs and youthful figure--attracted a lot of attention from male passersby, and Tsutomu felt more than a little embarrassed.
"I wish you and Natsumi hadn't picked out such a flashy outfit!" Tsutomu complained. "All these men are staring at us!"
Oh, don't be such a sour melon, Birdy thought back, smiling at a middle-aged man as he tipped his hat to her. There's no harm in people looking; sometimes on my planet, people don't bother with clothes at all.
Tsutomu's nose might have bled if he were in his own body, but he had to admit that the novelty of looking at a naked woman was starting to wear off after spending 4 months with Birdy. When Birdy took a shower or a bath in her own form, Tsutomu was now only mildly embarrassed when he caught a glimpse of Birdy's body through Birdy's eyes.
Presently, Birdy entered the 31 Flavors store and bought a double coffee-and-mint chocolate chip cone from the handsome boy behind the sneezeguard. Since Birdy was a regular, the boy recognized her and flirted in a familiar manner.
"So, gorgeous," he said, handing Birdy her sugar cone, "how about a date Saturday?"
"You're sweet," Birdy said, "but I think I'm busy Saturday."
"You're always busy when I'm free!"
"Oh well," Birdy said with a cheerful smile. "Ja ne, Ice Cream Boy."
"Ja ne, Mysterious Gaijin."
"Why, the nerve of that guy!" Tsutomu thought. "Hitting on you like that!"
Birdy just smiled in amusement, too absorbed in her ice cream to care about much of anything else at the moment.
Then suddenly she stopped, inadvertently causing the uppermost scoop of ice cream to plop onto the ground.
"What is it?" Tsutomu asked (as an opportunistic mongrel lapped up the ice cream).
It's a presence, Birdy replied. Another of my kind...
"An Altirran? Here on Earth?"
Birdy didn't bother to reply; pausing just long enough to gulp down her remaining scoop of ice cream, she then spotted the location of the other Altirran--a nearby park--and ran there at once. So headlong was her flight that she even leapt across a busy street, jumping from rooftop to rooftop over the passing cars, before landing in the park and dropping into a combat-ready stance.
Since Birdy was the only Altirran with any legitimate business on Earth, Birdy wasn't about to let her guard down. Still wearing Earth garb, Birdy looked around the park carefully--overlooking the curious stares of people passing by--until she spotted her quarry in the form of a man with red and white hair in a business suit, intently studying a tourist map of Tokyo.
"Oh my God," Birdy said. "Baylin…?"
Though he was over a hundered meters away, Baylin seemed to hear Birdy perfectly and looked up with surprise.
"Birdy? Is that you…?"
Suddenly, Birdy's cautiousness evaporated; crossing the park at a run, she plowed into Baylin--nearly knocking him over--and spun him around in a bear hug.
"I thought you were dead!" Birdy said. "Where have you been? What are you doing here? Is it really you…?"
Baylin smiled sympathetically, returning Birdy's embrace.
"Yes, it's really me," he said. "I've been reassigned to Earth…
"Didn't you know?"
Birdy blinked with surprise.
"No, this is the first I've heard of it…
"But who cares--you're alive! I'm so happy!"
Overwhelmed by the moment, Birdy pressed her lips against Baylin's lips and kissed him passionately. Baylin was obviously just as pleased to see her as she was to see him, and she might have lingered there for minutes savoring that moment--had she not remembered Tsutomu.
Baylin seemed to sense Tsutomu's presence as well, as he drew back from Birdy with a curious look on his face.
"Birdy…is there someone else inside you?"
Birdy turned red with embarrassment, wondering how to explain this strange situation to Baylin. But it was no use trying to hide it; after a long moment, she stepped back from Baylin, closed her eyes and transformed into Senkawa Tsutomu.
"Er…konnichiwa," Tsutomu said, sticking his hand out nervously. "I understand you're a friend of Birdy's?"
Baylin was stunned for a moment, but quickly reached out to shake Tsutomu's hand.
"You could say that," Baylin said. "Baylin Denev Algenir, of the Space Federation, at your service."
"Senkawa Tsutomu…" Tsutomu replied, "of Earth. Birdy sort of killed me several months ago, so we've been sharing her body ever since then."
Baylin smiled slightly.
"Then I envy you, sir."
"He envies me being dead?" Tsutomu thought to Birdy.
No, you idiot; he envies you sharing my body.
"Oh," Tsutomu thought, suddenly blushing as well.
# # # # #
A moment later--with the kind permission of Tsutomu--Birdy transformed back into herself, then walked with Baylin to a nearby park bench. There Baylin explained how he had come to be there, and what had transpired since he had last seen Birdy.
"I wasn't able to tell you back then," Baylin said, "but my assignment to the Core Patrol was only cover for my actual assignment--working for Federation Intelligence to infiltrate Christella Revi's organization. The mission was very successful; I actually got close enough to Revi to tip off the Federation before the Fonted Incident, and I was this close…"
Baylin gestured with his thumb and forefinger.
"…to uncovering her whole organization. But I was betrayed by someone inside the government--probably one of Revi's old friends from the Science Ministry--and she decided to have me terminated. Her agents tampered with my hypershuttle, and I was almost killed by a quantum implosion when my hyperdrive malfunctioned; I managed to prevent the implosion, but my hyperdrive was ruined and I was stranded far on the opposite side of the galaxy. I might have died there, if I hadn't stumbled upon some salvagers who happened to be heading my way…"
Birdy gasped, astonished by this amazing story.
"And now you're here," Birdy said.
"Yes. Revi's operation had moved to Earth by the time I got back to the Core, so I was assigned to come here and support your operation as soon as possible."
"But I don't understand," Birdy said; "why wasn't I told…?"
"Well, because I'm dead," Baylin replied. "Or at least Revi believes I am. Inspector Megius didn't want to risk a hyperchannel communication--even a coded one--since Revi could conceivably intercept it; he wanted to preserve the element of surprise at all costs."
Birdy grinned.
"That sounds like Megius, all right," Birdy said. "So, did you come here by hypershuttle?"
"No, I came in by meteor pod."
"Oh my God--this operation really must be top-secret!"
"That's right; only you and I can know about my presence here."
"What's a 'meteor drop'?" Tsutomu asked Birdy.
It's a special type of insertion procedure for covert missions; Baylin must have been dropped from a passing cruiser, then did a freefall through the atmosphere in a special re-entry pod.
As Birdy explained that, Tsutomu felt the pride and admiration swelling in Birdy's breast as she imagined Baylin's arrival on Earth. If for no other reason than that, Tsutomu found this situation very weird and uncomfortable; before today, he'd never even imagined Birdy having a boyfriend--and now that boyfriend was right here in front of her, as real as Tsutomu himself. Perhaps even more real, insofar as Tsutomu was only a second consciousness inside Birdy at the moment.
"This is very weird," Tsutomu thought. "I feel like a Peeping Tom watching you two together."
What do you mean? Birdy asked.
"The way you're making eyes at him--and those thoughts you're thinking! It's embarrassing!"
Oh, yes; gomen nasai…
Although Birdy hadn't intended to embarrass Tsutomu, she was now thinking of her last night together with Baylin two years ago--remembering how they'd made love under the stars on a hillside near the Academy--and forgot that Tsutomu would be obliged to share that memory. Out of respect for Tsutomu, she tried to push that memory out of her mind…
But then Baylin was reaching out to touch her hand, and the warm memories came flooding back to her as she looked into his eyes.
"Can I trust you, Birdy? I know it's asking a lot to spring this on you so suddenly, but if I can't trust you, who can I trust?"
Birdy nodded, resting her other hand atop his.
"Of course. Just tell me what you need from me."
"Well, actually--now that you mention it--it would be nice if you could help me find a place to stay."
Birdy pursed her brows, thinking a question to Tsutomu.
Any chance he could stay with us?
"Are you kidding? Mom and Dad already think I'm crazy as it is!"
Yes, that's true. And I suppose Natsumi is out of the question…
"I should think so! I'm not going to ask my girlfriend to play host to some strange alien from outer space!"
"Well, you could stay in my hypershuttle," Birdy said to Baylin after a moment. "It only has the single stateroom, but I'm obviously not using it right now."
"I'm sure it'll be fine. Shall we go there now?"
"Indeed," Birdy said, rising from the park bench, and only then letting go of Baylin's hand.
# # # # #
Although Birdy was in something of a lovestruck daze, she wasn't in so much of a daze that she completely forgot Federation security protocols. Birdy's shuttle--which was hidden under a pile of cars in a junkyard--recognized her brainwave patterns and would have opened its hatch for her automatically, but Birdy tested Baylin by having him open the hatch manually instead. This required him to open a secret access panel and provide a security password known only to authorized Space Federation operatives.
Fortunately, the shuttle recognized the password and Birdy breathed a sigh of relief as she finally had proof that this was indeed the Baylin she knew, and not just some imposter sent to trick her. She already believed that truth in her heart--for everything about Baylin, his speech, his mannerisms, and even his sense of humor--were what she remembered; and so was his kiss, when she showed him to her stateroom.
"No, Baylin, I can't do this…" Birdy said, pulling away from Baylin.
"Oh yes, I forgot; Tsutomu is watching."
"Well, he is a minor," Birdy observed, "at least on this planet. I don't think it's appropriate for us to be intimate--you know, that way--while Tsutomu is inside me."
Baylin nodded, reluctantly agreeing with Birdy.
"It is ironic," Baylin said. "I come halfway across the galaxy to find you, and I still can't touch you."
Birdy rested a hand on Baylin's cheek.
"It won't be this way forever," she said. "After my mission here is complete, I'll be able to leave Earth and be separated from Tsutomu. Won't you wait for me until then?"
"Of course," Baylin said, smiling at Birdy. "I'm sorry for being so selfish."
Birdy reached up on tiptoes to give Baylin a kiss on the cheek.
"I should get Tsutomu home," she said. "He has school tomorrow, so his parents will be worried if he doesn't get home before dark. But I'll meet you here again tomorrow afternoon, then we can talk about coordinating our plans against Revi."
"Thank you, Birdy; I'll look forward to it."
Birdy then reluctantly withdrew from Baylin in order to take Tsutomu home as she had said. Outside the shuttle, Birdy changed back into Tsutomu, then let Tsutomu walk home in his own body.
For Tsutomu, it was especially strange to return to his own home today, and the familiar company of his mother, father and sister. He had seen a side of Birdy that he wasn't even aware of before, and he felt acutely aware of his own immaturity as he reflected on the epic romance of Birdy and Baylin, which spanned an entire galaxy and could not be crushed even by the will of Christella Revi.
Strangely, Birdy remained mostly silent inside Tsutomu's head for the rest of the day, but it wasn't until after he had eaten dinner with his family, bathed and retired to bed that he asked Birdy why that was.
"I was trying to give you some privacy," Birdy thought. "I know I imposed on you a lot today."
That's all right, Tsutomu replied. I'm kind of happy for you, I think…
"You're not sure?"
I was just thinking how immature I feel compared to you and Baylin. All Natsumi and I have ever done is hold hands--but I'm afraid to do anything else!
"You and Natsumi are a cute couple," Birdy replied. "You shouldn't be in a rush to do it before you're ready."
You're not that much older than me, Tsutomu noted. You obviously didn't wait.
"Maybe I should have. I really pressed my luck that first time since I didn't even use protection."
Tsutomu lifted an eyebrow as another flash of Birdy's memory came to him--a glimpse of Birdy in a dominant position above Baylin--but Birdy suppressed the memory before it became too graphic.
I didn't even know you Altirrans could get pregnant, Tsutomu thought, although I guess you'd have to have some way of reproducing…
"Actually, it's funny you should mention that; a couple months after you and I started sharing the same body, I got really freaked out after I realized I wasn't having periods any more. I actually worried that you might have gotten me pregnant, somehow."
Oh my God! Is that possible--?
Tsutomu's mind reeled with panic as he imagined a scene from a nightmare: "Tsutomu," (he imagined Natsumi asking,) "am I imagining things, or is your belly getting bigger…?"
"Actually, I don't think so; I checked the medical library in my ship once when you were asleep, and it said that we're probably both sterile as long as we're fused in the same body like we are. That's why I've stopped having periods since we've been together."
Well, that's a relief!
"Indeed. It is kind of ironic, though. Having you inside me gives me better protection than any contraceptive. It's too bad you aren't an adult--and open-minded about watching me do it with my boyfriend."
A long moment passed as Tsutomu looked up at the ceiling in the dark. Then a question occurred to him.
So, Birdy, can I ask you a personal question?
"I suppose."
What does a period actually feel like?
"Well…imagine the worst stomachache you ever had."
Okay.
"Now imagine it lasting for three or four days, and coming back every month."
Tsutomu shuddered.
Yeesh--for real?
"Oh yes."
I kind of feel like a wimp now.
"Oh well; I still like boys, even if you are the weaker sex."
# # # # #
The next day, Tsutomu walked to senior high school as usual, and was glad to see Natsumi in front of school a few minutes before the first bell rang. He thought about sharing the latest news with Natsumi--about Birdy and her boyfriend--but he kept it to himself out of respect for Birdy's privacy.
Later after school, with bookbag in hand, Tsutomu took Birdy back to her shuttle and then let her transform into herself (in her blue-and-white Federation uniform) inside the ship. Baylin--now wearing a blue-and-white Federation uniform as well--greeted Birdy warmly.
"It's good to see you, Birdy," Baylin said, giving Birdy a friendly hug. "I hope you don't mind, but I've been using your scanners to look for signs of suspicious activity."
"Any luck?"
"Maybe. Revi isn't foolish enough to use high-energy powerplants without shielding, but I know from my time with her organization that she's very interested in manipulation of human genetic material. I used your computer to access the local information web, then I looked for signs of criminal activity related to research laboratories; that turned up a possible lead."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yes, look at this," Baylin said, showing Birdy the results of his searching on a nearby computer screen. "This is a police report related to a string of break-ins in Tokyo and Yokohama, all at companies involved in human genome research and cloning technology. No suspects were ever caught and no security cameras succeeded in catching any images of the culprits."
"That is peculiar; was anything stolen from the companies?"
"Apparently not--although I have a theory about that. We know that Christella Revi is very cautious herself, but she does sometimes hire goons who aren't too subtle. My guess is that she hired an offworlder with machine empathy to knock out the security systems, enter the buildings and take the information she wanted directly from the company mainframes. An offworlder might not be subtle about his breaking-and-entering technique if he wasn't familiar with Earth culture--or may he felt he could handle any local police force that tried to challenge him."
Birdy nodded as she read the report, simultaneously impressed by Baylin's detective skills and embarrassed that she hadn't been as productive with her own ship's resources.
"That does sound like the M.O. of one of Revi's goons all right," Birdy agreed. "But how would we catch this guy?"
"Actually, I've been thinking about that, and I have an idea…"
Baylin pulled up another display--this time a map of an industrial park in Yokohama.
"This is the location of the Genkitek Corporation, which has done pioneering work in cloning and stem cell research, but which hasn't been struck yet. I believe it may be worthwhile for one of us to do a stakeout there and possibly catch the culprit in the act."
"All right," Birdy said, "I'll do it."
"Hey, wait a minute!" Tsutomu thought. "This is a school night, you know!"
Baylin expressed a similar concern.
"What about Senkawa-san?" Baylin asked. "Aren't you concerned about his safety in an operation like this?"
"I'm sure Tsutomu understands," Birdy said.
"I do?"
"Even so, I'd like to back you up on this one--if you don't mind."
"Think I can't handle a simple stakeout?" Birdy kidded Baylin.
"You know that's not it," Baylin replied; "I'd just like to make sure we catch this guy."
"Fair enough. Just let me contact headquarters first. Inspector Megius will want to know what we're up to."
Baylin gave Birdy a sudden sharp look--as if to remind her that his presence on Earth was top secret--but Birdy reassured him that she would be discreet.
"I won't mention you specifically," Birdy said, activating her shuttle's holographic chamber; "I'll just act like I came up with this lead on my own…"
Curiously, though, nothing but static appeared inside the chamber.
"What's wrong?" Baylin asked.
"I don't know," Birdy said, manipulating the controls. "It could be gravimetric interference from the pulsars in Murasaki Sector; those have been acting up recently…
"Oh well, it's not important; I'll try again later."
Birdy turned off the chamber and turned to Baylin.
"I'll take Tsutomu home to have dinner with his family, then we'll meet you on the roof of Genkitek at 7."
# # # # #
Baylin agreed to Birdy's plan, pausing just a few minutes to familiarize Birdy with a plan of the Genkitek building before escorting Birdy to the main airlock. Baylin then returned to his seat at the computer station on the bridge and collapsed in a heap of anguish.
Revi-sama, he thought, is this really necessary? Taking advantage of Birdy's feelings for Baylin this way…?
"Silence, slave! Just be grateful you have your life!
"Or would you rather perish, like the original Baylin?"
No, Revi-sama.
"Then you know what you have to do."
# # # # #
Thankfully for Tsutomu, he had a quiet afternoon at home for a change; his sister did not pester him as she usually did, and he was able to enjoy a quiet dinner with his family before 'retiring' upstairs to his room.
Tsutomu did not remain there long, however; after letting Birdy help him zip through his homework, Tsutomu transformed into Birdy, who then slipped out of Tsutomu's bedroom window in her Federation uniform and leapt across the rooftops of nearby houses as she headed southwest toward Yokohama.
Yokohama--Tokyo's port-city neighbor--was full of noise and light as evening fell; through Birdy's eyes, Tsutomu caught sight of several oceangoing freighters heading out to sea, and he mentally held his breath as Birdy leapt across several busy streets. They were bound for a relatively quiet part of the city, though--an industrial park just west of Yokohama Bay.
Although the five-story Genkitek building officially closed at 5 pm, most workers remained afterward and the last of the hard-working employees were just leaving the building as Birdy leapt onto the roof from the roof of a neighboring building. Focused on their trips home, not a single one of those employees chanced to glance upward and see Baylin as he also jumped from a neighboring building to meet Birdy.
"I think one of us should stay on the roof," Baylin suggested, "to watch the surrounding area, and one of us should take up a position inside the building."
"I'll go inside," Birdy said. "If I run across a security guard, I'd have a better chance of sweet-talking him than you would."
As if to prove her point, Birdy changed into her vest-and-skirt ensemble and Baylin nodded thoughtfully as he looked her up-and-down.
"Can't argue with that," Baylin agreed.
Birdy and Baylin paused a moment to check that their communicators were transmitting on the same frequency, then Birdy used a Space Federation gadget to unlock the rooftop door leading down into the building, and bluff the building security long enough to let her enter the building undetected.
Only then, as Birdy took to the stairs heading downward toward the ground floor, did Tsutomu express his misgivings.
"Birdy, doesn't all this seem kind of fishy? I mean this guy Baylin suddenly appears out of nowhere, then suddenly he has a hot tip about Revi?"
I think you're just jealous of Baylin, Birdy replied.
"Well, maybe…" Tsutomu admitted; Baylin was handsome and charming and cool, and on top of that he had been intimate with Birdy in a way that Tsutomu had never been. But his distrust of Baylin went deeper than that.
"I'm just not sure we can trust him; how do we know this isn't some kind of trick?"
He knows our security code.
"But what about the holographic chamber--which just happened to conk out when Baylin arrived?"
Enough already! I know Baylin, and I know I can trust him!
"All right, all right. I'm just asking…"
Birdy fumed, but she knew she was being hard on Tsutomu; Baylin's sudden appearance on Earth was indeed suspicious, but Birdy knew this man and loved him. Surely--of all the beings in the galaxy--she could trust him!
Presently, Birdy reached the ground floor exit from the stairwell and she opened the door cautiously to peek around the corner. From the stairwell she could see the front lobby of the building and a security station (where a lone guard was focusing his rapt attention on the anime Meitantei Conan). Birdy shook her head at the guard sympathetically and slipped out of the stairwell, stepping lightly on her low heels as she walked away from the lobby.
Nearby, Birdy located the main computer center where banks of mainframe computers were visible behind thick glass windows, plugging away at their assigned calculations through the evening. The center was naturally locked--and Birdy had no desire to enter the center and tamper with the sensitive equipment inside--but she knew that Baylin's predicted intruder would probably be coming here. Thus Birdy moved to a nearby alcove and hid behind a desk to watch the computer center.
Several hours passed uneventfully, with no more excitement than occasional ducking-down behind the desk when a janitor came by.
"Maybe we should disguise ourselves as a janitor," Tsutomu suggested.
I don't know if I'd make a believable janitor, Birdy replied.
"No, I meant me. I could pretend to be a janitor."
I don't know; every little thing makes you freak out, and you'd be no match for one of Revi's goons if he jumped you…
Tsutomu tried to think of a snappy comeback, but suddenly the lights went out in the building, and a moment later Birdy heard Baylin's voice over her communicator.
"Birdy," Baylin said, "someone's entering the building!"
"Hai," Birdy said, standing up from her hiding place. "I'll check it out."
It didn't take Birdy long to spot the intruder; though the rest of the ground floor was dark, flashes of light illuminated the front lobby where the security guard now sat slumped over his television set. Following the flashes, Birdy soon found herself confronting a most peculiar being indeed--a jet-black creature with no obvious head, more-or-less resembling a huge starfish walking on its five pointed legs.
"What the hell is that?" Tsutomu asked.
It's called a Phase Pug, Birdy replied, coming into a fighting stance and shifting into her Space Federation uniform. They're nasty bastards; they can phase-shift through solid matter, and manipulate electrical fields at will.
The Phase Pug, for its part, simply ignored Birdy until she stepped directly into its path.
"That's far enough!" Birdy said. "You're under arrest, by authority of the Space Federation!"
"Out of my way, Federation dog," the Pug replied. "You have nothing I desire."
Birdy stepped forward to grab the Pug, but the creature simply phase-shifted out of her way. Birdy then tried again, but this time received an electric shock for her trouble, sending her flying backward over the security desk.
"That's it," Birdy said, standing up and cracking her knuckles; "now I'm upset!"
"Are you going to use the Hyper Resolve?" Tsutomu asked.
It wouldn't work on this thing, Birdy replied, picking up a huge table that she planned to use as a melee weapon. They're vulnerable to aqueous ammonia, but where am I going to find aqueous ammonia around here?
"How about a janitorial closet?"
Seriously?
"Yeah; it's a type of cleanser, isn't it?"
Birdy shook her head in disbelief; it would never have occurred to her to use that noxious chemical as a cleanser, but humans were certainly nothing if not peculiar.
Sparing the Pug one quick glance, Birdy then leapt over the security desk and headed in the opposite direction; the Pug probably thought she was running away, but it wouldn't be gloating for long.
# # # # #
Unfortunately, Birdy hadn't made a point of studying the location of cleaning supplies in the building plans, so she didn't make it back to the front lobby with a jug of undiluted ammonia until more than five minutes later. By then, the Pug was already on its way out of the building the way it had come in, and Birdy realized she might be too late; since the Pug could phase-shift right through the front of the building, she would lose valuable seconds if she had to kick open a door to follow the creature…
But suddenly the Pug stopped, and Birdy realized that Baylin was now there standing in front of it--between the Pug and freedom outside the building.
"Don't worry!" Baylin called out to Birdy; "I've got it under control!"
"Impudent worm," the Pug said, blasting Baylin with its lightning. Baylin dodged the lightning, however, and suddenly reached for a super-soaker squirt gun he had apparently hidden earlier. Tsutomu found this utterly ridiculous--wondering what a squirt gun full of water could possibly do to the Phase Pug--until he saw the spray from the squirt gun hit the Pug and cause its skin to boil into flames.
Even Birdy cringed as the Phase Pug squealed in agony, then collapsed into a puddle of burning goo. Both the electrical power and fire suppression systems in the building came on a moment later, and Birdy was surprised to find herself being doused with water from overhead sprinklers while the pungent smell of ammonia from Baylin's gun burned her nostrils.
"Let's get out of here," Birdy said to Baylin, expecting to hear sirens in the distance at any moment. "Quickly!"
Baylin agreed, pausing only long enough to throw the stunned security guard over his shoulder before running toward the back of the building with Birdy. The two of them didn't bother to shut off any alarms as they ran out a back door; by now, the Yokohama Police and Fire Departments would already be sending units to investigate.
Aware of the weakness of humans through her dealings with Tsutomu, Birdy was cautious to check that the guard was still breathing after Baylin laid him down on some grass near the back door. Then--as the sound of sirens did indeed begin to sound in the distance--she nodded to Baylin and jumped to the rooftop of the nearest building to join him.
"I see you came prepared," Birdy said to Baylin, noting the super-soaker he was still carrying.
"Oh, this?" Baylin said, looking at the gun. "Actually, I found this upstairs while I was poking around; the younger employees probably used these things for water fights during their break times. When I realized we were dealing with a Phase Pug, though, I thought it might come in handy for more than just water fights."
"For the ammonia," Birdy surmised.
Baylin nodded.
Both Altirrans turned to face the Genkitek building, watching as police and fire units now appeared in the parking lot with sirens wailing and dome lights flashing.
"Hey, Birdy," Tsutomu thought, "I'm curious about something…"
What's that?
"If you were surprised to find ammonia here, why wasn't Baylin surprised too? He even brought that squirt gun downstairs with him, expecting to fill it with ammonia!"
Well, Baylin is very smart. He probably just knows more than I do.
"Yeah, maybe he does. Or maybe he knew how to fight the monster because he staged this whole thing!"
Birdy frowned, but again she felt a tickle of doubt in her mind. It was a little odd that Baylin not only told Birdy about the string of break-ins, but also dealt with the culprit so easily…
But he hadn't captured the culprit, which was the thing that really bothered Birdy. For Baylin--the star of the Academy, who was always so smooth and so prepared for any situation, that was an inexcusable blunder!
Birdy turned to Baylin, intending to ask him about that, but she was startled to see that Baylin's face--which had seemed so calm and self-assured--was now twisted with pain.
"Baylin…?" Birdy said, reaching out to him.
"Don't touch me!" Baylin snapped, backing away from her.
Then, after a moment, he added:
"I'm not what you think I am, Birdy. I'm not Baylin."
Birdy felt her heart skip a beat.
"I knew it!"
"What?" Birdy asked Baylin.
"I was sent to deceive you…" Baylin said, wincing again in pains, "…by Christella Revi…"
"Revi--!? Why?"
"She wanted to turn you…to her side…"
Baylin clenched his fists and fought to assert control over himself, if only for a moment; Birdy could tell that he desperately wanted to tell her something, no matter what the cost.
"Your lover--Baylin--is dead. He did try to infiltrate Revi's organization like I told you, but Revi wanted to take him as her lover, and he wouldn't go along with that. For that, she had him killed…
"But Revi couldn't bear to lose Baylin forever, so she contrived to create a clone of him even before she had him killed. I am that clone, created to serve Revi perfectly, in a way that the true Baylin never could…
"Revi's plans are diabolical; she knows she needs troops to defeat the Space Federation, and that's why she's so interested in the Earth. Humans are an easy species to manipulate genetically and clone, so all her plans here are focused on turning humanity into her private army. But she is a crafty, and she only fights when she absolutely has to. After you dealt with Hikawa so effectively, Revi decided to turn you to her side if she could; since I was already her…lover…Revi thought it only fitting to use me to seduce you, and thus humiliate you even as she sought to turn you to her side."
Birdy stared at Baylin with disbelief, not sure if she should slug him or take pity on him.
"You bastard! How could you use me this way?"
"How indeed," Baylin said. "I am not Baylin, yet I have the same feelings for you that the real Baylin had. Perhaps Revi made a mistake in copying the original pattern so closely. I love you, Birdy…even more than I fear Revi."
Then, suddenly, the mask of control was shattered; Baylin screamed with pain, foamed at the mouth and fell to his knees, gripping his head in his hands. Birdy knew that Revi must be asserting her control over Baylin, but there was nothing Birdy could do.
Finally, Baylin fell in a heap at Birdy's feet, and she already knew what she would find even before she felt for a pulse at his neck. Baylin--or rather his clone--was dead.
"Birdy…"
But Tsutomu had no idea what to say. What could be said at such a moment as this?
"Kuso," Birdy muttered, dropping to her knees as well, and letting tears pour from her eyes as she bent over Baylin's body. At least she knew now, Baylin was gone; her love would never return.
A seeming eternity later, Birdy lifted back to her feet, drew the transportation clip from behind her ear and pointed it at Baylin's body. Then a moment later, a black ball formed around the body, and the body was carried off into the sky, on its way to Space Federation Headquarters.
"Birdy," Tsutomu thought, "are you all right?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Birdy said, speaking out loud. "Let's go home, Tsutomu."
Birdy walked to the edge of the building with slow dragging steps, dropped 10 meters to the ground and paused a moment there in a crouching position, as she switched back to her civilian outfit; then, with a heaving sigh, she lifted herself into a standing position and started walking north, very slowly.
# # # # #
When Natsumi met Tsutomu at school the next morning, she knew something terrible had happened; from the bags under his eyes, he looked like he'd been up half the night.
"Birdy and I had some trouble," Tsutomu said. "She found out her boyfriend is dead."
"Oh no!"
Natsumi looked at Tsutomu, but spoke to Birdy.
"I'm so sorry! Is there anything I can do?"
To his surprise, Tsutomu felt his right arm lift on its own and his hand caressed Natsumi's cheek.
"Birdy says thank you," Tsutomu said to Natsumi, "you're very kind. But I guess her boyfriend has been gone for a while; she only just got the confirmation yesterday."
Just then, the first bell rang and Natsumi took Tsutomu's hand.
"Come on," she said; "we don't want to be late."
The rest of the day passed in a daze for Tsutomu; he had slept the day before while he let Birdy walk home to Tokyo (a very long walk), so his mind was rested, but his body was incredibly tired. Now it was Birdy's turn to sleep inside him, which left Tsutomu to wonder what he could do to possibly make her feel any better when she woke up.
His solution was imperfect but well-received; after saying good-bye to Natsumi on the way home, Tsutomu invited Birdy to return to her own body and treat herself to some ice cream.
Ice cream solves everything, eh? Birdy kidded Tsutomu.
"Probably not," Tsutomu conceded; "but it's a start."
Birdy smiled, for the first time in more than a day.
Thank you, Tsutomu. You're a good friend.
Tsutomu was happy; it was a beautiful sunny afternoon, and the troubles of recent days seemed a thousand light years away now. Before school this morning, Birdy had finally spoken to Megius and learned that the jamming was indeed arranged by Revi, and that the body received at headquarters was a very good but not-quite-perfect clone of the original Baylin. Somewhere on Earth, Revi was still hiding--and doubtless still scheming her schemes--but this scheme at least had been foiled; for now, the partners Birdy and Tsutomu could rest.
Or at least Tsutomu expected Birdy to rest, as he saw the 31 Flavors store come into view. He expected Birdy would simply order a few scoops of her favorite flavors and skip the traditional flirting with the boy behind the counter. But this time, Birdy wasn't so evasive when the boy asked Birdy for a date.
"You know what?" she said. "I think I'd love to go out on a date with you."
"You would?" the ice cream boy said.
"You would?" Tsutomu thought.
"Sure," Birdy said; "but it can't be a school night, and it can't be on Sunday because Tsutomu is seeing his girlfriend then…"
"Who's 'Tsutomu'?"
"Oh, sorry, I was just thinking out loud; how about Saturday afternoon, around 1? I could meet you here at the ice cream shop."
"Well, sure! That would be great!"
"It's a date then. I'll see you on Saturday, Ice Cream Boy."
Birdy then paid for her double-cone and walked out of the store with a faint smile on her face.
"I guess you weren't as badly hurt by this Baylin business as I thought you'd be," Tsutomu offered. "You seem to be bouncing back pretty well…"
Oh no, it still hurts, Birdy replied, as she licked her ice cream; but the real Baylin wouldn't want me to cry for him forever. He'd want me to move on, and make a new start…
Besides, didn't I tell you girls are the stronger sex?
THE END