Since I'm putting up the first two chapters, I'll continue my tradition of replying to reviewers. I got the idea from Ariadne the Alchemist, who writes on this site for Xenosaga fanfics. If you're reading this, Ariadne, thanks for the inspiration!
Edit: I finished watching "Race for Life", a KR season 2 episode and realized some, heck, most of the background info for Becky Curtis was wrong. I've corrected this. Sorry about that.
Now for the reviewers themselves...
KITT40146: I'm glad you liked "Marissa" and "The First Holidays". Yeah, the addition of the little one sure brings a sense of family, doesn't it? Perhaps a sense that, until then, they had all taken for granted.
TweetyPie82: This is just the beginning for Marissa, as well as my stories. The bit about the rape, though, was in the original typewritten copy of the story, and I had thought about taking it out before deciding to leave it.
KnightSky: The one for KITT40146 applies to you too, although I also do my best to stay in-character for everyone. It's surprising, but writing for Bonnie and, in a way, Michael, is rough. Writing for Devon is a bit easier in some ways, harder in others.
theravinglooney: ROFL, yeah everyone needs to look after Kitt. Well, he will develop more in this story. Even with what's happened to him, what he is undergoing is still a growing experience.
kittkatt: I'm glad you liked both stories as well. Hmm, a Marissa tale that gets Michael and Bonnie closer? We'll just have to see about that...
Okay, on with the fanfic!
Chapter 2: Setting the Stage
Rodrigo Mariz found Devon outside, in one of the courtyards. The sun was just beginning to rise and the Mexican was about to get started on his work. After all, he was one of the groundskeepers. The man looked around and saw an unusual sight: the Englishman was staring intently at something. When he came closer, he saw that Marissa was dancing, even though no music was playing.
After a long moment, he smiled and said in a low voice, "Buenos dias, jefe. The senorita out for a morning dance?"
Devon whirled about and glared at the man for a long moment, then asks levelly, "How would a groundskeeper know about things like this?"
Rodrigo shrugged his shoulders and replied, "My Laurita does the same thing…but I have a feeling she won't for much longer."
That startled him. "Laura does, too?"
"Si." He then asked, "Senor, didn't you do that too as a muchacho?"
Devon started to shake his head, but stopped himself and nodded instead.
"Yes," he admitted, "I used to…but I haven't in many years. I…one day I simply didn't hear anything at sunrise. I suppose it was because I grew up."
"Maybe," the Mexican replied. He looked at Marissa and added, "It helps to heal her, you know…the physical injuries, that is. It's why her legs healed a bit faster than they normally would have."
"How do you know all this?"
Rodrigo shrugged and answered, "Like I said, jefe, Laura dances like this too. I know plenty of things, but…I'm just a groundskeeper."
"And a good one."
The Mexican shrugged and saw Marissa slowing down and then eventually stopping. "Senor…if it were possible to hear what she does in the morning, would you take the chance?"
The Englishman looked at him for a moment, "Assuming it was, yes. I don't think it is, though. Why?"
"Just a theory, senor. Just a theory."
Devon nodded and said, "You're one of the three adults that are going on the picnic outing this afternoon."
He said with a nod, "Aye. I know Michael's another, because Kitt sounded a bit bored, but excited too."
"Yes. RC will as well, but he will be meeting the two of you at the park. He mentioned that he had to pick up something at a store first."
Rodrigo nodded. "Si, senor. We'll be ready."
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That morning, just after breakfast, Marissa was talking to Devon when a pair of youngsters came into the patio. The older man frowned at them for a moment before recognizing them.
One of them was Becky Curtis, the niece of one of Kitt's technicians, April Curtis. When she was known as Becky Phillips, she had known Kitt, Michael and Devon for quite some time, even before she had gotten aplastic anemia. She had gotten very ill on a vacation, thanks to an incompetent doctor that had prescribed the wrong antibiotic. Without Kitt and Michael finding a donor for a bone marrow transplant, she would have died. However, shortly after she recovered, her adoptive mother, Laura, died in an accident…so the child went to live with April in the Foundation headquarters. It was then that she changed her own last name.
A couple of days after Parkson had been arrested, Becky had met Marissa and had hit it off nicely with the girl…and as a result, they had been friends ever since, even though Becky was a year older than she was.
The other arrival was Chris Sato. He was more in his mid-teens, like Laura, but was an American with brown hair, freckles all over (especially on his face), and brown eyes to match. He was even as tall as the Mexican girl.
Becky waved, "Hi, Marissa!" then said, "Oh! Hi, Devon."
"Well, well. What are you two doing here this morning? The outing isn't until later today."
"We're just, um…we need to talk to Marissa for a minute."
"What about?"
The young girl also looked puzzled for a moment…and then her face brightened. "Oh! Becky's right, father, it's something important that we're working on."
He peered at them for a long moment, then said, "Ten minutes, then you come back and finish your meal."
"Okay, thanks!" she smiled and hurried off into a distant section of the outdoor dining area.
Once they arrived, Becky asked her, "Did you find out what he would like yet?"
"Yeah, this morning when I was dancing. Hard to believe father used to hear the music when he was little, too. I wish I knew of a way he could hear it once again…I think he'd like that."
Chris looked a bit surprised and puzzled, yet Becky nodded, "I'll ask Laura and Rodrigo about it. If we can't, what else…?"
Marissa thought, then answered, "Well…I know he gets plenty of something called Argyle socks, so not those."
"Goodness, not those," Chris agreed, "Hard to get something for a guy like him. Just what do you get someone like Devon?"
"Not a tea set," Marissa answered, "We got one at Christmas…"
Becky's face brightened as she said, "He likes classical music, right? I think I know where I can find some. Can you find out if there're any musicians in particular?"
"I'll try. I'll also see if he plays any instruments."
"Doubt it," Chris said as he shook his head, "but I know you're taking flute lessons. Maybe you can ask your teacher if he or she knows anything."
"He," Marissa corrected, "and it's Rodrigo Mariz. For a groundskeeper, he sure knows a lot."
"Hey, how'd you find out when it is? I thought nobody knew, except for Kitt maybe."
She laughed a little and said, "Father had told him last year not to tell any of the FLAG staff when his birthday was. Well…I found a little…what is it…loophole?"
Becky nodded, "Yeah."
"He didn't say anything to Kitt about not telling kids…so he told me."
Chris and Becky giggled and the girl replied, "Sneaky, Marissa…real sneaky!"
"You two gonna be at the picnic?" she asked the older kids.
"We sure are!" they said in unison, "So are a lot of the others here. A few that live in the city will be there, too."
The younger girl nodded and was about to add something when they heard Devon call, "Rissie!"
"I gotta go," Marissa said to them, "See you at the picnic!"
"Bye," Chris and Becky replied and she hurried off.
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A few hours later, Michael, four children (two of which were Marissa and Laura), Bonnie and Devon were down in the garage, where Kitt waited. It had been decided that Laura and the younger girl would go with Michael and Kitt to the park in the city where the picnic outing would be at while Rodrigo used his van to make a few trips from houses to the site.
"As I said before, Reginald will be joining the whole lot of you after he picks up some things," the Englishman said to them.
"Yeah, yeah, we know, Devon. We'll make sure the kids are back before curfew, don't worry about it."
He shook his head at the younger man, "I've heard that parents worry anyway…and it's true. I do have a certain young lady to worry about now."
Marissa smiled, then shivered. She had a very bad feeling, and it was strong…
"Are you all right, Rissie? Your body temperature plummeted all of a sudden."
"Huh? Yeah…I'm okay. Just a sudden cold chill."
"You sure?" Bonnie asked.
"Yes, I'm sure," the little girl answered.
The adults nodded at this and Michael said, "I'd better get going with this bunch."
"Hasta la vista, Devon," Laura said, "Cuidado!"
The little girl did a double take at her, worried about the last word spoken…as well as her tone.
Devon nodded and ruffled Marissa's hair, saying, "Be careful, my poppet."
"Um…I will. I'll tell you all about it when I get home, father."
He then squeezed the younger man's shoulder and said quietly, "Godspeed, Michael."
When he turned from them and got into Kitt, he had a cold feeling in his stomach that was starting to twist.
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Some time after first Michael and the kids left, a van pulled up to the gates of the Foundation. According to the driver, he was a friend of Rodrigo Mariz, and had been called in to tend to the grounds while the man was out. It was confirmed with the security guard posted there that let it in.
One batch down, the guard thought, Two to go…then everything begins.
A few minutes later, a truck pulled over at the gates, delivering some new equipment that was expected, which the guard confirmed as well and let in.
One to go.
His partner, a man that was in his mid-twenties with a mousy build with brown hair, echoed the statement quietly, "One to go, then we get this party started."
The older man nodded and added, "Keep in mind the extra bonus."
"Any idea how long it'll last?"
"Long enough to get it done. We'll have a crew ready and waiting at the receiving end."
"Hmm okay. We've got the van in, the truck for the pass—"
"Shh! Be quiet! What if one of those Foundation folk hears you, huh? You want to blow things this fast?"
The younger man gulped and gestured that he understood and that he was sorry.
"So what're we waiting for next?"
"Next is a second truck, a brown semi. It'll have comrades that'll help us load the goods."
"You mean, that one?"
Indeed, in front of the pair, a brown semi was pulling up to the gates…looking precisely like the one they were told about.
"How is Liberty's bell these days?" the driver asked casually.
"About to ring loud and clear. All the guests to the bell party have arrived."
The driver nodded, "We'll get the music on shortly. Stay here until the hosts are ready for the Sunday drive."
The gates opened at the same pace as before, and with a tip of the hat, the semi vanished around the corner.
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Inside Kitt, Marissa was looking at the passing scenery when she suddenly shivered again.
"Are you sure that you're all right, Rissie? Your body temperature dropped again…it's back to normal now."
"I don't know, Kitt…but something in me says that something's wrong."
Michael asked her, "Marissa, are you getting sick…? Maybe we better go back to the Foundation—"
"No!" she blurted, and then turned red. "I…I'm okay. Must be just nerves after that nightmare last night…"
"Nightmare?"
"A regular kind or one of your other kinds?"
Both Kitt and Michael had been told, by Marissa, that at times she would have dreams that foretold things that would happen in the future. Her meeting Kitt, being discovered by Michael, Bonnie and Devon, as well as what lead up to Douglas Parkson's arrest were all examples of these, although most of the time, she was not able to tell which was telling the future, and which were normal…until the event was taking place.
"I don't know," she now replied.
"Maybe it is just nerves. Relax, kiddo, everything will be fine. We'll be at the park soon. Right Kitt?"
"That's correct, Michael. If anything happens, Rissie, Devon will call."
She took a deep breath to calm herself…then nodded.
"Listen to these two," Laura, who was sitting beside her in the backseat, "They know what they're talking about…but something else is bothering you. What is it…?"
The little girl blinked, then replied, "Yesterday…we found out that a lady that father and I met at the spring festival died ten minutes after we finished talking to her."
"Maria Espara…?"
Marissa was startled. "Y-yes, that's the one."
"That's why you had a nightmare last night. Don't worry about it, I doubt anything is going to go wrong today."
"I hope you're right."