time for "good news/ bad news: first installment"

Good news, I finally got the third chapter of this story typed. (for those of you who care)

Bad news, I haven't gotten any new reviews for it since chapter 1. (a whopping one, I might add)

I'll say this once. If any one wants to see new chapters, write up reviews. If not, your silence will damn the fic to oblivion and follow 'Virtual Fighter' and the dodo to hell.

now, on with the fic after these words.

PSO and the NPC characters in the game aren't mine. The hunters that appear belong to their respective owners. (reminding me that I only have two currently involved. read footnote at end of chapter one for details)

Episode 3:

Jennie started to wake up groggily. She didn't remember what happened at all, except for the fact that she had felt incredible pain before finally passing out. A bright light blinded her, until she forced her eyes to focus away from it. She saw the ceiling of Montague's lab, comforting her slightly. 'At least I wasn't abducted again,' she thought. She tried to sit up, but found that there was resistance. 'What the...' She looked at her arm, trying to figure out what was wrong. It was simple to notice, she was on the table in the research room, just off of where the main lab of Montague's was. And she was strapped to it. She struggled to get free, but to no avail. She was going nowhere.

That's when she noticed something else. Her jacket and shirt were gone, leaving her bare chest visible for all to see. At least to those with clearance, that is. 'What the hell's going on?' she thought. 'What am I doing on this thing?' She stiffened when she sensed the presence of someone nearby.

"Jennie?" She recognized Ash's voice. She managed to find him sitting on her left side. By the looks of things, he was asleep in that seat for a while. The telltale sign being the sheet on his legs, which was folded in half from him removing it from his chest. Their eyes locked. "Glad to see you awake." he said with a sigh of relief.

Jeni's face was that of irritation. "Wish I could say the same," she said in a harsh tone.

Ash then noticed her topless, turning beet red before placing the sheet over her body. "Damn Montague. He should have, at the very least, put your clothes back on." Jeni noticed by his look of surprise that he apparently was asleep before her clothes were removed, or else they were off earlier and he failed to notice.

That didn't remove her emotion or her glare. "Would you mind telling me what the hell I'm doing here," she said. "And why the hell am I strapped to a frickin table WITHOUT MY CLOTHES?" She tried to get loose again, but to no avail.

Ash tried to clear out his one ear, which received the brunt of her yelling. "All of that can be answered easily, as soon as my ear stops ringing," he replied coolly. Her expression changed slightly, but was still rather cold. "Right. All I know is that you were infected with...something. The doc was quite surprised about it, but practically spoke out of my league here." He paused and looked at her, noting that her expression was still very cold. "All I know is that it is messing with you somehow. The restraints are to protect everyone here, including yourself, from the same kind of aggression and strength that you revealed on NL." Jeni looked at him with the same face before he continued. "Your shirt and jacket are gone because you were whimpering and yelling about a pain in your back, where the infection seems to originate. There was a really big purple and black mark there, which looked scabbed and shaped like a blade wound that practically covers your spine."

She gasped slightly, as her face revealed the horror she just realized. "This infection.....did he name it?"

Ash was about to answer when the door opened, revealing the outline of Doctor Montague. "Eh heh heh heh. Of course it's named, Jennie my girl." He walked in, taking in the sight before him. Jeni and Ash both looked at him, as his eyes widened slightly. "Sorry, did I interrupt something a tad more important than her condition?" The two blushed and backed away, or Ash backed off at least.

"It wasn't what you think, doc!" Ash started. "I was just filling her in on her situation."

"Then why were you in here since we moved her?" Montague asked, smirking lightly.

Ash turned a little redder, which caught Jeni's attention. "I was concerned about her, that's all!"

Montague laughed. "Sure. But why stay in here with her for hours when she could possibly destroy this entire room with you in it?"

Ash left Jeni's side and walked towards a seat further away. "It was my choice, doc. Not yours."

'He was worried about me?' She continued to look at him as he walked to the chair, which was just outside of her field of vision. She then turned to Montague. "What is it, then?"

Montague wasn't so cheerful now. "Jennie, my gal, it pains me to say this." She stared at Montague. Ash got a cup of water and drank, knowing what he was going to say and having an unusual bit of thirst. "Your going to die in two minutes." Both hunters' were shocked, with Ash choking on the water that he didn't manage to spit up.

"I THOUGHT YOU SAID SHE WAS INFECTED, NOT DYING!"

"Eh heh heh heh. That I did. You caught me." He starts laughing a little. Jennie breaks one of the straps to try and free herself to get him, but Montague got clocked before she could break the other. "That hurt."

"F5ck joo, Mon74gu3." NL walked in, rubbing his mecha knuckles from the punch he dealt. "J3nni3 go75 D-c3ll5 in h3r 4nd joo kno i7. (Fk you, Montague. Jennie has D-cells, and you know it. [this is the last time it is translated])"

Jeni looked at NL in awe. "Did someone forget to repair him?"

Eleanor showed up, looking at Montague. "He is repaired, but his circuits have taken a hit too many. Plus, you all know how stubborn he is with losing one of his original parts." A death glare from NL told Eleanor to be silent. Ash finally got the water out of his lungs and was sitting in the chair, an annoyed look plastered on his face. Bhirava and Sato now entered the room, both heading towards their masters. Bhirava started to hover around NL, begging for another item. Sato went to Jeni, but then backed away and hissed at her again.

Jeni looked sadly at her mag, hurt that it was acting harsh at her. But she already knew that it was hissing at her because of the D-cells, which the mag only identifies as a threat. Montague got up and started to speak again. "Anyway, NL is right. You have been infected with the D-cells. But I haven't a clue how long you've been contaminated, as well as knowledge to what eventually happens to the victim. You appear to only be the second case since Pioneer 1 entered Ragol, so of course our information is limited."

Jeni glared at Montague. "What eventually happens? That's obvious. You become one of them if your contaminated, not to mention that the real you technically dies when your completely one of them." She turned her head away. "I had read all the data I needed during that cursed mission. It's only a matter of time."

"But how could you get infected?" asked Ash.

Jeni strained herself to see him. "The data claimed that Heathcliff was harmed physically by a natural weapon of IT. I didn't let him even touch me with his body parts, but he kept using his tech and his sword." Her eyes widened. "Which....was connected...to his arm...."

Flashback: Jennie Knight (Seabed Final Area)

I evaded yet another swing from his weapon and continued to shoot him with my Bravace pistol. He was very strong to actually take that many shots. I had hit him about two hundred times, and still he stood. I couldn't survive much longer. My energy had been expended, and my body was teetering on the edge. I had run out of mates and fluids as well. I then fired the pistol one last time, striking him in the head. He screamed in pain as his body hit its limit. He collapsed onto his knees, an easy sign of defeat.

I started to leave the disposal area, limping along due to the pain I had endured from all the creatures in this hellhole. I looked at the corrupted body of Flowen, pitying him for what those bastard scientists had done to him, and that his life was now over. Because of me. I turned to leave when he fell forward. I didn't notice until the tip of his blade sliced down my spine, piercing my Divinity Armor to reach it. I screamed in pain and collapsed on the ground. It hurt allot worse than any other wound I suffered from, probably because I felt the blade scrape my backbone. I couldn't move my legs, I was paralyzed from the waist down. I crawled over to the teleporter, just barely managing to make it from all the pain. I managed to yell out Pioneer 2 lab before blacking out completely.

I awakened to a brightly lit room on board Pioneer 2 in the medical lab. "Ah. Your awake." One of the nurses walked to her and checked on her. "You gave everyone here quite a scare. You came through the teleporter in a bloody mess all over the place."

I looked up, seeing her face as well as my situation. I was in something like a back cast, probably to keep my back in place. My right arm was in a cast because of a broken bone. Even my leg was broken. Sato beeped near me, getting my attention. "How long was I out?"

The nurse counted her fingers. "About a week now." She looked at me. "You should stay in here until you heal completely."

"How bad?"

"A few broken bones and a nasty cut on your back. But it's all nothing to worry about. You'll be fine." I looked at her weakly before blacking out again.

End Flashback

She remained silent as she recalled that event, realizing how she had gotten infected. She turned her head so she could stare at the ceiling, the only thing apparently giving her comfort at this time. Montague and the others realized what must have happened.

"SH3333333333T!" NL turned around to avoid looking at her, thinking that doing so would prevent him from making another outburst. But his outburst got a stare from the other three. Montague went to another seat in the room and sat down to think. Elenore started to care for the mags, feeding them enough to shut them up. Ash looked at Jennie from his position, not moving much at all.

'Dammit. I can't even speak to her with all of them here.' He thought. 'I was soo close to telling her how I feel about her, and I keep getting stopped. First, her mission. Then at her house. Then a few minutes ago. And now this.' He sighed in exasperation. 'At this rate, I won't be able to until it's too late.' He lost his train of thought, as did everyone else, when Montague started to chuckle. "Did you think of something, Montague? Or do you find something funny about this?"

"Eh heh heh. I think I know how we can cure her." Everyone's attention was focused on Montague, excluding a still spaced out Jeni. He pointed to the computer he sat next to and began shifting through the files. "Doctor Osto kept a record as to what he did with Heathcliff, which were recovered by Jeni herself on Gal da Val." He started to hack the system again, pulling up the files he spoke of. "If I use a sample of the D-cells and some of Osto's D-cell research, I may be able to find a way to remove and destroy the D-cells completely without hurting her." He started to transfer the data from the main database and copy the files onto his computer. "I'm going to need a sample from her, then get to work immediately. They already have a three week head start on her body, and it may not be long before she meets the same fate as he did. Elenore, I need you to get the research lab here running as quickly as possible."

Elenore nodded. "Right away, doctor." She entered the next room to begin work, the two mags following her.

"NL," Montague continued. "I need you to prepare yourself for security purposes, in case Jennie starts to act agressive and if someone should try to interfere."

A whirr sound was heard as he processed his job. "Cod3 548, s3tting p3ri/it3r." He stomped off, grabbing his Final Impact and reaching the main door. He started to place traps at every possible entrance and then stood guard to the lab.

Montague sighed, realizing that NL would do that too late. "Looks like I can forget about ordering out tonight." He looked up to Ash. "I need you to try and remove a segment of Jennie's skin, namely at the mark." Ash got up and prepaired to turn her over. "Don't forget to wear your lab gloves. We don't need you getting infected as well." Ash gave a look of slight fear, but complied before he tried to turn her.

"Baka me." she said, before his hands even reached her. She didn't even turn her head or move her eyes, she just stared into space.

"What??"

"That's what I am. A soon-to-be-dead baka me. (note: 'baka me' is 'damn fool/idiot' in japanese.)" She was speaking so softly that Montague didn't hear her.

"That's not true." Ash was speaking in the same tone. "You have a chance to pull through this." He then rested a gloved hand on her shoulder. "If you can, I need you to turn over right now so that I can help you." He removed the straps on her other arm and legs to allow her to do so. She slowly turned herself over onto her stomach, exposing her marked back to Ash, who picked up a small blade to cut a segment off of her. "Now this may hurt a bit," he said before proceeding.

"I've felt worse," she muttered as the blade pierced her corrupted skin. He was done in minutes and had the sample in a container for the doc to use. He covered up the cut using a stray piece of material as a gause.

Ash gave the sample to Montague. "Here's your sample." He looked at Jeni, who had resumed looking at the ceiling with a dazed, spaced-out look in her eyes. "Gods, I hate lab work."

"Which is why you're only helping me today." Ash looked at Montague. "She may be importaint, but the rescuing of those hunters must take priority. Once your done with me here, I recommend that you rest up. That way, you can assemble your team tomorrow and be off."

Ash nodded. "At least I can do that. I can count on NL helping me out, but finding others will be a bit of a problem. Hell, I would ask Jennie to come and help, but you said that she isn't in any condition to fight right...."

"Who says that I can't FIGHT?" Ash and Montague turned around, noticing that Jennie had come out of it. She was actually sitting up, using one of her arms for support. "I'm coming with you."

"Eh heh heh heh. Nice statement, Jennie. But it is far too dangerous to be sending you out while your body is contaminated with D-cells. You'd more than likely kill the one's your trying to save, if not spread your infection."

Jennie glared at Montague, her eyes darkening slightly. "Montague," she said in a calm voice, "I can understand your reasoning for keeping me here. But my best friend is down there." Ash and Montague's eyes widened slightly. "The computer mentioned that she has been missing for several days now. No matter what you may say, I'm going back to Ragol. I'm NOT going to allow her to be left there."

"That is out of the question," Montague replied. "You could very well jepardize everyone if you go back. It could be a matter of time before the D-cells control you completely."

"LISTEN TO ME," she yelled, scaring them both. She took a breath to calm herself down and then continued. "How do you think Heathcliff felt when he gave up his body for science? One of his final logs mentioned that a girl from Pioneer One idolized him for who he was, a powerful warrior. And yet, he was powerless to protect her, or anyone else from the first ship, when the central dome was hit with that explosion. By then, he was already trapped on Gal da Val." She then looked at her own hands. "I had to take his life to free him, just like we all did to try and save Rico, the girl that seemed to idolize him. (AN: In episode 2, Heathcliff did mention Red Ring Rico indirectly on several of his logs. And it is quite rationall to see that she did idolize him.) I don't want to feel that way. Besides," she looked at Ash and Montague once more, "what if there is no cure. You'll risk everyone on board Pioneer 2, just like Osto risked his entire team at Gal da Val."

Montague weighed the situation. She did speak the truth about there possibly being no cure, and that could be a problem like she said. "Fine. You can go, but you are staying right here for the night."

Jeni smiled weakly at her small victory. "Thank you, doctor. But I do have one last request. If the D-cells completely control my body while I'm still with the group, I request that someone in the group should kill me, before I end up like Heathcliff."

"I understand," Montague replied. "Hopefully, we'll have a cure ready before we have to resort to that. Now I recommend that you rest while you can." Jennie nodded before laying back down, closing her eyes. Montague turned back to his station and started to analyze the sample. "Ash, give me a reading on this sample." Nothing. "Ash, where's that reading?" No response. Montague turned to him ,about to ask once again, when he noticed that Ash wasn't there. He found him a second later, laying flat on the ground with a nosebleed. 'Oh yeah, I forgot she didn't have her shirt on. Guess her naked figure was a little more than he could handle.' He chuckled to himself as he continued his work, leaving Ash unconsious on the floor.

Well, that's chapter three. Next chapter, the hunt begins. If you want your character to be involved somehow, whether it be a member of Ash's team, a Loner already on Ragol, or even one of the missing hunters, E-mail me. And don't forget to review. I want at least 3 to start the 4th one. (note: Jennie and one of the missing hunters are mine, NL belongs to someone else, and only Ash is supposed to be a little out of character)