Water.
One of the four elements that Greeks classified as to being fundamental to the basic structure of Life and Nature itself. Here, it was tranquil, calm, quiet, as the vat that contained it remained undisturbed.
Then, bubbles of a second element, that of the air which surrounds us, slowly started to emerge. It came, first in a small series of a few at a time, then their number increased, as they swarmed up, and grew larger. The water started to shake, as an interloper was starting to emerge from the liquid haven he had assumed for a temporary while.
He took heavy breaths, and observed his dark, wet clothes. The suit he had just bought a day ago was now completely drenched, his hair was completely soaked, and he was afraid. He swivelled his head to the left, then to the right.
All clear.
However, just as he jumped out of the water, the peace he was hoping for was shattered, as he could hear the cry of the ones who were after him.
"You ! Stop right there !"
He could do no more than move as fast as his feet could take him.
Dark.
Against the vast infinity of space, the illumination of the starts outlined the silhouette of a feminine figure: strong, elegant, graceful. She danced through the darkness, her legs and hands in an elaborate show of force. It was her practice, her means of ensuring that she retained her sharp edge.
The light came on.
"ACK !"
The graceful figure was now a woman, sweating, and holding her arm against the light that held tyranny on her enlarged pupils, a pathetic contrast.
"JET !!!"
"Dinner !"
Valentine slowly got off the floor. The interruption resulted in a loss of concentration, and subsequently, balance. She got up, and took the towel on the rack. She was wearing loose black pants, designed for excercise, and her own singlet; aside from that, not much of her had really changed.
"You stink."
Jet had to object to the presence of Faye's odour. The woman couldn't be bothered to take a shower after her excercise.
"Watchat going to do about it ?"
Jet grimaced. Faye had a similar feeling, though more relaxed, as she stretched out her arms, like a cat's.
"sigh I couldn't be bothered anyway. All that training, just wears me out after a while."
Jet gave an even deeper smile. He was holding the wok that carried his signature dish: beef with bell peppers. Minus, of course, the beef. The mass of vegetables and fake meat fell into the whit plates below him, as he rebuked Faye's last statement.
"Training ? Bullshit."
Faye gave Jet a look of disapproval.
"What do you mean ?"
"You don't know training. I've worked with you for 6 years, Faye, and all your 'training' has been jumping from one martial art to another."
"Whaddaya mean ?"
"Let's see. First you do jeet-kun-do. Then, you do taebo. Next moment, you do tai chi. After that, you couldn't be bothered with the slow movements, and went to kendo, except that you didn't like beginning with a wooden stick, so you went on to judo, but you wanted use your legs, then..."
"Alright, alright !"
A blood vein was beginning to appear on Faye's temple. She bared her teeth, then pouted, while Jet remained relaxed on the couch, his arms behind his neck, his eyes closed, and resumed talking.
"Y'know, when I met Spike, he had done jeet-kune-do for at least fi-"
"Please don't say that name."
Jet opened his right eye, and looked at Faye, her eyes cast upon her dish. Her chopsticks were still playing with the food, her face blank, her eyes almost closed, as if it were in a dream. Jet sighed. His robotic left arm picked up his chopsticks, as he decided to consume his own cooking.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay. As I once was told: the past is the past. Let bygones be bygones."
Jet frowned for a while, as he continued to eat.
A moment later, Faye had finished her firt morsel of food, and felt obliged to talk.
"Jet."
"Hmmm ?"
"Do I look any older, now that I'm, about, close to thirty years ? I swear I have a wrinkle somewhere."
Jet gave another sigh of disapproval, as he closed his eyes.
"Pah. I'm already more than forty years older. If you're old, what am I then eh ?"
Valentine smiled, as she continued to chew.
Though the smile had to be short-lived.
"Jet, I've been eating your food for close to seven years, and I'll say one things: it stinks."
It was at this moment that Jet turned round, his face still holding a frown, as he stared at Faye. She eyes were closed, and didn't noticed his short stare.
For a while, Faye reminded Jet of someone he once knew. Or rather, at least the manner the comment was said. Not the same words, but how it was said, the situation... heh.
He decided to turn back to his food, and put on a false frown.
"If you don't like it, why eat it ?"
"You're right."
And, out of the dark, a little bark was heard.
A dog, a Welsh Corgi, soon came running up towards the duo.
"Hey Ein."
Faye smiled, as she pushed the plate of food to the dog.
Ein sniffed the food for a while, and then, turned his nose away, in apparent dislike.
"Even the dog won't eat it."
"It's funny that we found Ein again, three years ago, after all this while...."
Faye smiled, as she remembered that moment, three years ago.....
"J-jet..."
"Don't move."
"What if it's a bomb ?"
"Shaddup ! This was sent by delivery !"
"What...."
"Dammit Faye, I had enough of your debts ! What the heck did you get us into this time round !! And why the HELL is there a big smile on the box ? Who did you mess with this time round ?!!"
Faye then noticed the smile. The sender was anonymous, apparently, but the smile seemed VERY familiar....
As Jet three away the wrapping, uncovered the layers, and revealed the contents of the box.... he found... another box.
A rather, a blue, plastic container of sorts. He lifted it up, and realized what it was.
"A cage ?"
Faye raised her left eyebrow.
As Jet bravely moved his finger into the cage, a sudden movement taught him one new lesson; use your left, unfeeling, robotic arm next time.
"YEOW !!!"
"It's funny that Edward decided to give Ein to us three years ago. I wonder why though."
Jet smiled. He only knew that girl for a year, but Ed was a beautiful girl. In her own way of course.
"She'll be doing fine."
And, as he said this, he reached for a remote control device, and looked for a red button.
"The new colony on Titan is expected to be the largest colony on an sattelite planetary body in the known solar system, rivalled only by that of Ganymede's. Along with Rhea, therewill now be more places to handle the burgeoning population on the colonies around Mars and Jupiter."
The newscaster continued to talk, as Jet passed a slight comment.
"In just 5 years, they finished the colony on Saturn."
"We've reached as far as Saturn. Where next ?"
"Perhaps even the very ends of this system."
"Maybe Uranus ?"
"Oh, quiet."
Though Jet pronounced the planet's name correctly, Faye's had for a while, forgotten the name of the planets of our system... and mistook Jet's answer for something else. The newscaster continued abrupt.
"In other news, the Nobel Awards for Geology and Physics has been awarded to Professor Appledelphi Siniz Hesap Luften. Professor Appledelphi's groundbreaking research into meteor craters led to the formulation of the patterns at which the debris from what was Earth's moon impact on Earth. A theory now has it that the bombardment will cease until only the smaller rocks are left to form a ring around the Earth. However, despite initial assumptions, Appledephi's findings have determined that the larger rocks that fall to Earth's surface do so in a pattern."
The screen then changed, from the blue room of the newscaster, to that of a podium, where the face of a brown-skinned individual, bearing a mix of Hispanic, Caucasian, Thai, African and Japanese traits could be seem. He was beaming to a whole host of reporters and journalists from all areas of the system. Next to him was his associate, a man with Irish and Japanese characteristics, and who was also smiling quite readily.
Behind them stood a woman. A beautiful woman, with a very good figure. Though somewhat more thin than usual, she was, without a doubt, attractive from all quarters, in terms of face, and, body. However.... she was wearing a very dirty old white tank top, and black biker shorts.
Plus, the particular red hair, and more importantly, the uneven hairstyle, goggles, and golden-yellowish eyes, all reminded Faye and Jet who she was.
"Wow. Ed sure has grown since the last we saw her."
She was accompanied by the Professor's research crew. Whereas the Professor himself seemed dressed for the occasion, with a nice tuxedo, the same couldn't be associated with his research crew, along with his associate who was still in his unkempt scientist's clothing, labcoat and all, and the red-haired woman's friends, who were all unevenly dressed in their own way. The professor couldn't be bothered, though, as he kept talking into the microphone, while carrying his award.
"Yes ! Peace and Happiness ! Now we don't have to worry about the sky falling on us !!
Am I right, MacGuyver ?"
"It's MacIntire, sir."
"YES ! Peace and Happiness ! We-"
At this moment, an unknown man, dressed in blue overalls, charged up towards the professor, waving his fists...
'DAMN YOU, YOU..."
In the midst of 5 seconds, Prof. McIntire jumped in front of Appledelphi, and received one punch towards the face. The rest of the crew, save Edward, were slightly take aback, but the Professor held his arms out stretched to restrain his crew.
The enraged man then moved both arms towards Appledelphi, but the professor remained calm, a Boddhisattiva in action, as he moved one step forward, and, with increase intensity and strength, punched the assailant with one arm to the stomach.
A few seconds later, Appledelphi was tending towards his assistant, while the police carried the assailant to his feet.
"Are you alright, MacBeth ?"
A slightly dazed MacIntire could only raise his right arm, and point his index finger, crying " IT'S MCINTIRE !"
Before passing out.
The professor, remaining nonchalant, resumed his deep smile, as he returned back to his speech.
Edward, who was impressed by her father's action, squealed.
"YES ! We propose new age of GOOD KARMA !!"
"That's my papa !!"
Edward's voice, though more mature, still retained the childlikeness associated with her youth.
"He's the bestest daddy on this Earth ! Papa !"
And, as Edward continued hugging her long lost father, Appledelphi continued.
"Yes ! Peace and Happiness for all, all the kids, and most of all.... Francoise."
The screen then resumed back to the newscaster, who was, apparently, in the midst of his coffee break.
Upon noticing that he was on air again, he almost spilt his coffee as he hastily placed his mug back on the table.
"With Appledelphi's findings, particular spots on Earth that have been found to be safe from 'rock showers' will be open for colonization. Areas of cities like Singapore, Michigan, Ottawa, London, New Delphi, once abandoned, will now be repopulated. In time to come, there is hope that Earth will return to it's former glory of being the Motherworld..."
Valentine sighed.
Images of the Merlion still formed in her head. She missed the gravity of Earth.
Jet continued watching the screen.
Somehow.... something bout Appledelphi's assailant was not right.