M: About the question I got as to Meridiana's location: Personally, I always got the idea that Meridiana was an anonymous city somewhere in the USA a la Gotham City. However, there isn't a whole lot of information given during the show (never read the comic) concerning the specific location of Meridiana, so I foolishly assumed that since it features a nice harbor and a wide bay, it's near one side or the other of the USA. Please don't discount this Fic because I was unaware of certain facts, but thanks for noticing my mistake.
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Six
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Data Seven felt the wind slide through fur and knew that this was a terrible place to fight. The wind was blowing towards the dark-skinned assassin's claim at the back of the train car- like fighting in a wind tunnel. Best to put some breathing space between him and the other human before trying to fight, he decided.
With one provocative snarl, he retreated along the bright white roofs, bringing the scar-faced human with him. He might have mistaken Data Seven's retreat for cowardice, but the man was quite athletic, able to barely make the leaps in the face of the wind. He could not keep up the pace, and soon Data Seven indulged in a bit of arrogance as the Assassin ran on from three cars behind.
Not content to simply follow the panther's trail, he showed no emotion as he flung another of his home-made daggers on a coruscating impact course, too fast to dodge.
At the last second, the car slewed to the left on a sharp track curve, causing both combatants to nearly fall off. Another invisible projectile sliced into an arboretum to Data Seven's right, which distracted him as his opponent closed on the final car.
For all his speed, the man's reaction time was not up to par; Data Seven pounced on him the moment he reached the roof, sinking fangs into what looked like moccasin cloth covering his arms. He screamed into the deafening gale, but the pain hadn't made him surrender.
Instead, he hauled out another knife to slash across the front. Unable to dodge in any direction save one, Data Seven leaped back, but still lost a few black hairs on the wind. He followed with another slash for good measure to keep him at bay like some circus animal from the ring.
His attacker might have wanted it that way, but Data Seven ended the similarities by jumping backwards over a branch he'd been hiding from view with his torso. It burst into the man's gut like a heavy weight wrestler, propelling him back onto the next car.
Data Seven sniffed. He's bleeding from somewhere. Just have to stay away from the strange teeth he throws.
His recovery was surprising considering their location- he was suddenly up again, brandishing a new weapon aside from the glass daggers; a more conventional whip with a nasty-looking ball at the end. He wielded the rubber pommel with ease, lashing the gap ahead as if daring Data Seven to come closer.
He did, but not in the way he target expected. He took another high leap from mid point, and landed sleekly behind him on the other side, biting into the whip before it could strike him. Ignoring the vise it was caught in, the tip went on to wrap about Data Seven's back right paw, immobilizing it, and leaving one of the human's hands free to bring out the knife for the kill.
They were right over the bridge Data Seven had seen coming earlier when both made rapid moves to kill the other. The human slashed down at the head of his prey, while said animal sprung back with both of his free paws in seeming slow-motion, jerking the whip free and knocking him off-balance for a fatal few seconds.
Ignoring the whip and man's cry, Data Seven did not hesitate. This BAD MAN had tried to kill both him and his friend. He might even have something to do with Big Sis' kidnapping, but interrogation was impossibility. He gave one last claw swipe, and the man disappeared into the river below.
It was then that the fatigue of the fight hit him, and Data Seven allowed himself to collapse upon the roof, oblivious to whatever might come next...
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Adrian Sidelman had taken to his work with renewed enthusiasm after his miraculous survival. As much as he tried to hide it, he knew several students suspected something was wrong- 'he' wasn't himself these days.
None of them could ever guess why, because none... well, one knew the identity underneath, or more precisely, what that alter ego had done with Lucas for the past few nights. Miraculous. Entrancing. They could not turn back from it, and so they repeated what had almost become routine for the night in Adrian's apartment...
"Oh. Ohhhh... that was wonderful. Thank you, Lucas."
"I was about to say the same thing. These last few days... they've been like paradise."
He laughed out loud from the bed. "And in Meridiana. Who'd have thought it?"
In turn, Cyber Six let out a half-giggle. "So this is your first time too? No wonder that wolf-woman had it so easy with you."
Heavy rain had broken out beyond the window, leaving only a candle to provide the only light. Considering that, it was surprisingly strong in the room, illuminating their spot.
Yes. She thought, like this. Every day until I die. I love this man too much to hurt him now. I'm glad I got the chance to experience this before going... almost like a real human woman could do.
The light was strong, but the shadows grew long. So it was not until the third prescience in the room moved closer that the light shone off his gun and caused Cyber Six to sit upright in bed, stark naked. Both she and her partner were more than startled to see a yellow monocle glaring out of the darkness, and black hair much like his creation's sprouting from above it.
Paralyzed by the utter impossibility of the situation, Cyber Six was slow than she should have been. It gave the very much alive Von Reichter enough time to smirk and drive a corkscrewing bullet straight past her.
Lucas did not cry out in pain, or grunt. He simply fell from on high, down to the wooden floor length by length, obviously not wanting to leave the world yet.
Not a chance for another miracle. With a simple metal slug, the man standing before a weeping Cyber Six had accomplished what all his creations could not. A second shot would finish the job.
He hesitated for some unknown reason, watching his most advanced creation on the floor with Lucas' body, feeling him franticly for a pulse and finding none.
Two more seconds in the pounding rain, and Cyber Six looked up at him. Something had to break.
The scream that tore out of her mouth was not an animal howl or that of one gone mad, but of a woman who had at last found some semblance of a happy, peaceful life, only to lose it all in a flash... and who now had the destroyer of her happiness back in her sights.
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Jose stumbled out from the greasy undercarriage of the train dizzy, and immensely glad that the trip was over. Clinging to the train through the muffled air was as unpleasant experience as he ever wanted to have, and his only entertainment had been hearing the sounds of Data Seven's fight. Now he'd lost sight of the one he wanted to chase down, and couldn't find him in the swirling crowd around the platform.
They were in a much larger city that Meridiana, and he couldn't tell one street from another. Instead, he practically leaped to the top of median to scan the crowd, and found who he was looking for. In what Jose saw as the ultimate disdain for the child he'd nearly killed, Data Seven was walking away from the train, making tiny changes to try and jury-rig the injuries he'd received. The whip had rubbed his flesh raw at the leg, and worn it down close to the bone, and nothing Lucas had brought could help.
Now, he thought gleefully, was the time to try and get revenge. He'd show that traitorous animal that no one made a fool of him and lived.
With that, he took a pratfall down to street level, attracting a few odds stares. He glared back and pompously walked out of the station. Data Seven and Lucas still didn't turn, both of them simply trodding up the street to a hotel. For a moment, Jose wished he'd brought his two remaining Fixed Ideas to help- they could simply push through the crowd and grab the human and wounded panther with little trouble. As it was, he'd have to make do on his own- something he'd never done before.
More apprehension brought him to a halt, momentarily halting his anger. Was what why Data Seven hadn't turned around to attack him? Because he thought that he was helpless without Fixed Ideas or Technos to help him?
He wanted to run up and scream, to show him and the world that they were wrong, but the truth of that realization was too fresh to ignore.
Just you wait, everyone. Especially you, father. You think you've made me helpless by keeping me as a child. I'll prove you wrong, and kill them both in the process! Somehow... Someway... I'll be greater than you! I swear it!
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M: This chapter is short for all the reasons I stated in Chap 5. On a side note: does anyone know how to make paragraph gaps in the new ffnet format? I've tried everything, but all the separate narratives stay too close together for my liking. Thanks in advance, and REVIEW PLEASE.