A/N: It's late, I know, very late. Do forgive me, I am in the midst of working on chapter eight as I type this.
Disclaimer: geeze, you don't have to even ask to figure out the answer to that one. No, I don't own GitS:SAC I own Mayuka Yukiko Kusanagi though
Inner Universe
Chapter 7: Tactics: Special Forces Stamina Rose
"Did I hear you correctly?"
A young woman who wore black-rimmed glasses shouted. She was at least her late twenties. Her hair was rather long, gathered up in a style that pinned it in the back, remising a Chinese style. Its colour was the colour of emerald, which made her crimson eyes seem odd, but in the end it seemed to give her completion completeness.
At the time, her comment was directed towards another young woman, in her early twenties. Her hair was even longer, simply tied back into a ponytail. She glared at the woman, her sapphire eyes flashed dangerously, despite the barrier of the green-framed glasses on her eyes. Mayuka Yukiko Kusanagi.
"Yeah, you heard me, and that's what I want, got it Mori?"
"You're nuts! Partial de-ghosting!"
"Better than having some runt run around in my head."
'Mori' shifted her glasses skeptically.
"With all do respect Serge, I refuse."
"Jun-kei, it's one simple favour I'm asking. Just one."
"In this case, that is one too many, Mayuka. And despite my expertise in such areas, it's not as simple as it seems."
Mayuka frowned.
"But I'm sure you can do it."
"It's near impossible. And I'm not only saying that cause I've never attempted anything like that before."
Mayuka sighed, it was the news she didn't want to hear.
"I'm sorry Serge…"
"No… No…"
Jun-kei sighed.
"Well, you still want to try it don't you?"
Mayuka nodded.
"I still have a plan to put into motion."
Jun-kei scowled.
"Are you brain dead or something? You told me your plan. Yeah, it's a good plan, if your intention is a homicide suicide in the end of it all! What's the point in that? Don't you want to see the fruits of your labor?"
Mayuka closed her eyes, a small smile forming.
"Yes…but I'd be happy to die knowing that the things that happened to me won't happen to some other innocent girl."
"But what about the people who care for you?"
Mayuka looked at her questionably, her eyes clouded over.
"Like you, right?"
"Yeah, just like me!"
Mayuka shook her head slowly.
"Because of the way my hand was forced early on in this game, I was forced into a position I regret, and as a result had to kill many to keep my own life. One can only ask: Do I have the right to judge which life is more important?"
Mayuka paused, almost as if waiting for an answer, but she gave no indication, so Jun remained silent.
"Then I think about an innocent girl, like I use to be once, and I remember why I want to do this personally. Why should she stain her impressionable conscience with blood, when my hands have already been dyed red? Besides, I know I'm not God, but I don't plan on dying…no, not yet."
Jun-kei nodded. One like Mayuka's motives isn't always understandable. Most just write it off as classic urge for revenge.
"Just because you don't plan on dying doesn't mean it won't happen."
"I know, I know."
"So, you don't care what it takes, do you?"
"Even if the so called odds, are against me, and 'impossible', I refuse to give up without trying, even if in the eyes of the naive and the ignorant that time of trial is seen as a vain attempt."
"So, I have no hopes of changing your mind do I?"
"What do you think?"
Jun-kei sighed. Of all questions, Mayuka picked the one she knew Jun would eventually answer with an answer that would rub salt into an old wound. Of course, Jun could pretend that wasn't what she was thinking of, to avoid setting off Mayuka…but Mayuka would be even angrier: The one thing Mayuka was attracted to was Jun's honesty, despite how hurtful it may be.
"I think you're acting just as bratty as you were when you quit S.F. Stamina Rose."
Mayuka's face dropped, becoming a scowl, as she began rubbing her left arm again.
"The special forces."
Mayuka muttered bitterly.
"Yeah, you left us high and dry oh great leader."
Jun said angrily. The comment stung, but Mayuka refused to let it show.
"In fact, the idiots who didn't leave shortly after you did…Sakaki, Osaka, Asuka, all of them died."
"The military just used us as their guenni pigs. Their damned sacrificial lambs to save the rest of their pathetic forces."
Jun-kei frowned.
"But we wouldn't have lost most of our members if you didn't go off on your own like that, idiot!"
"What! Are you sure about that? Repeat last!" Mayuka, dressed in her military attire ordered angrily over the radio she had.
'Yes Sergeant Kusanagi, you heard us correctly.'
Came the reply of the corneal.
'And I'd watch you're tongue when speaking to a superior officer!'
Mayuka ignored the bitter statement, but looked behind her to a man who was sitting less than a meter away. Mayuka frowned, as did a man, who appeared to be in his early twenties, with light blue hair, and deep gray eyes.
"Lieutenant?"
The man nodded.
"It doesn't sound good at all, kid."
Mayuka growled.
"Would you stop belittling me Himura?"
The man laughed.
"Calm down now…"
"Just remember, dumb ass, its only one rank you have over me. And stop bugging me over the fact that I'm only a few years younger."
'Himura' smiled.
"Of course it's only a few years when you look at your form but-"
"Kadaji Himura! You may know about that because of a blunder of mine, but I know so much about you that you'd quit the army in shame if I were to reveal it!"
Kadaji Himura sighed. They were on a war field and instead of fighting the damned gorilla fighters, they were arguing amongst themselves. Mayuka must have picked up his thoughts.
"This won't work. It'll never work. Not like this, not when we who are in charge do nothing but argue. We'll die here, if we keep this up. You know this as much as I do."
Kadaji nodded.
"Kadaji-san…I just wished..."
Mayuka shook her head, before turning.
"We need to act on that bomb threat immediately. Many civilians happen to be near by."
"Damn it…Wait, Kusanagi-"
"Roberts! Jonathon! Smith! Red one! Red two! Corporal Zaire! Osaka! Asuka! Sakaki!"
Immediately, the nine men assembled in front of Mayuka and she nodded.
"Alright! Gear up, and lets move out! It's a gorilla attack, area code T4, 93! They are extremely dangerous! Up to L7 in the threat level! They are not to be underestimated!"
"Wait!"
"What is it Sir?"
Mayuka asked, angrily turning back to Kadaji.
"You're taking half of our forces right there! Are you nuts?"
"No, I just don't want to deal with any civilian deaths."
Himura Kadaji gritted his teeth.
"Kusanagi-san-"
"There's nothing going on here sir. You've got some A.I tanks, and the other half of the force…you'll manage."
"We already have little numbers being Stamina Rose Squad one, of the Special Forces. Only twenty. And even if we were to get aid from squad two, that's still only forty. We can't afford to shortchange ourselves like that."
It was then Mayuka turned around, pushing him hard to the ground.
"Look, you tell me how to plan things some other time Lieutenant, when you feel it's best not to chide me over something trivial."
"Lives are not trivial! Stop playing around Kusanagi, we're in a battle field, and we have to be considerate of-"
"Winning is what matters. The sooner we win, the quicker we're out of this hellhole. How do we know we've won? When either our enemy is completely exterminated, or they surrendered."
"Exterminated? You make them sound like rodents! They are real people, with real families. If someone dear to me died in this war, I'd be in depression. Are you saying you don't care if the burden of knowing you've ruined thousands of lives rests upon your shoulders?"
Mayuka smiled.
"But that's the thing. To accuse me of doing anything show just how vein they may be."
Kadaji growled at this.
"Then, if I were to kill you now…"
He didn't finish his sentence. He was sure Mayuka understood. Mayuka looked him straight in the eyes.
"My mother and father both died when I was very young. My sister…I no longer see her as a sister anymore. If you are suggesting that someone would cry if they found out that I died…"
Her eyes hardened, becoming like ice. Kadaji nodded. It was this look in her eyes that told someone when she became the cold-blooded solider. It was the mask, the façade she used to prevent any emotion from over flooding her.
She was the perfect solider, the one that completed every mission and in record time too.
She knew her ways around every trap that was set, how to direct someone into enemy territory. How to infiltrate bases, to act like a civilian, and carry out her mission to be the notorious spy that gathered all information that was needed. She even knew every strategy that could be used, and how to counter them.
That's why she was such a capable leader: she did get angry, sad, but she bottles such emotions up so that they don't muddle her plans as she thinks. Such a deed would only make the whole experience more deadly.
Yet for some reason, the army put him in charge and her in second.
He could only assume that the reason she was never put in charge was that despite the fact that her body was still organic her methods were too cybernetic; too calculated. She went about things as though they were figures on paper rather than real people and real lives. She followed all orders without question, never considering if the man in charge had something in store for her team.
Which is why usually all orders for her to go out were so vague: they knew she would strategize it and come up with every single possible way the enemy could attack, and how to counter it. They left it to her, and took advantage of her abilities, knowing she'd complete it successful as all ways, without question.
She was just a kid after all. A damned kid that managed to hack herself into the Army database to assume training.
Yet he couldn't help but keep looking at her as she sat down at that desk everyday coming up with strategies and how to counter them. It was this strange feeling inside of him. Something was telling him what to do. And he felt it was right too.
This thing had to have been his ghost; after all he'd been a cyborg for nearly ten years now, after a car accident that nearly killed him when he was about her age. And his ghost as always was telling him he should protect her. Even if he didn't agree with her views and was sure the little idiot should get what she deserved, he felt he had to protect her. He would protect her, no matter what.
"No one would give a damn, Kadaji-san."
Mayuka finally finished.
"Well I would."
Mayuka gasped, her eyes widened before settling into that emotional mask again.
"K-Kadaji…"
"I just can't believe it doesn't get to you."
"I never had ideals like yours. Its lies you wish to believe in. War cannot come without bloodshed accompanying it. That is it's true nature in the end."
Kadaji nodded.
"I understand but-"
Suddenly alarms went off.
"Two hours…till what?"
"Till the explosion, Sir."
Mayuka answered.
"We've got to leave."
She turned to the eight-man team she called on earlier.
"Let's move out!"
"Sir yes sir!"
And with that Mayuka and the others left the field.
"If you never left none of it would have happened!"
Jun yelled. Mayuka frowned closing her eyes.
"I didn't come here to argue Mori."
She stated coldly.
"I just came here for a favour."
"Well you can forget the damned favour!"
Mayuka sighed.
"I know we're friends, but I'll even pay you. One hundred billion, U.S money."
"What the… How the fuck did you get a hold of that much?"
A small smirk whisked its way onto Mayuka's face as she stood up.
"I'm pulling Yakuza connections dumb ass."
"I thought you said you hated the Yakuza."
"Yes, so I thought I'd be a modern Raven hood. Steal from the rich, and make my self richer."
Jun-kei frowned.
"Blood money?"
"No. You know I would never go that far."
Jun-kei sighed.
"You've got me beat. Everyone could use a little money, and I have a little brother whom I have to find again ever since he left the institution."
"Aoi, right?"
Jun-kei smiled.
"The one and only. He's a wild little runt if I do say so my self."
"Doesn't he have…"
"Yeah. He has times where he can be really out there, but he's a good kid overall."
Mayuka smiled.
"I see."
"Serge,"
"What?"
"You know I still haven't forgiven you."
Mayuka frowned as Jun-kei looked up, her eyes reading something.
"Well?"
"I found what I needed to know, so you're going to have to sleep for a little while if you don't mind."
"What Jun, just wai-!"
A wicked smirk spreade across Jun's features as Mayuka's body went limp. She had lost consciousness.
"Don't worry Serge. I've got it all under control. Just don't blame me if you die."
"Sergeant!"
"Report, Smith!"
"We've got a problem sir! Several C4 explosives went off near the Yeshiva plate."
Said one of the men, as Mayuka loaded her gun.
"Shit. C4's may be a weapon of the 21st Century boys but don't underestimate it's power!"
"Your orders are?"
"Roberts and Jonathon! Work on getting civilians out of this wreck!"
"Yes m'am!"
Soon two of the squad members left.
"Smith, is there anything else?"
"Our detector found several bombs."
"What's the outage, and how much time?"
Smith shook his head.
"I don't know Sir."
"Oh, for the love of-"
"Sir?"
"Damn it! Red one and two, follow me. Smith, you're also with me. The rest of you give us back up!"
"Sir, Yes Sir!"
Mayuka nodded, before running in the direction of a building, being followed by her subordinates. The entered inside quickly.
"Ok, I want everyone to spread out! Keep your guard up, but remember, we need those bombs defused ASAP!"
"Found one Sergeant!"
"Same here Sir!"
"And there's another here!"
"Even I found one…so soon…something's not right…"
Mayuka muttered.
"Defuse them now…"
(Corporal!)
(Corporal: Yes sir?)
(Are there any more bombs in here?)
(Negative sir. I have a bad feeling about this…)
Mayuka froze as she heard the click of a gun behind her.
"Shit…ambush…"
"You've got that right Sergeant!"
(Red one! Red two!)
(Sergeant, Red two and Smith are traitors!)
"Damn…tell me something I don't know…"
Smith smiled.
"Well, I'm already assuming Sergeant that you already know you're going to die."
Mayuka cursed under her breath as she tried to point the gun, only to have it blasted out of her hands.
"Die!"
Smith yelled, shooting her in the heart, Mayuka fell over just a mere inch from her own gun, she grabbed it quickly, and fired it off four times, as Smith fell over dead.
"Unluckily for you Smith, even though you shot two times, I happen to have an armored vest on. So while that did hurt like hell, I'm still living, if not, with a punctured lung. And your second shot hit me in the side, missing every vital around there that's possible. I win again."
She said, gasping for air as she struggled to stand, and leaned heavily on the wall. She could feel the adrenalin pumping through her, almost as quickly as the blood seeped through her side. This was the last thing she needed. To loose two men and to die herself. She could almost hear that singsong voice of Kadaji's saying 'I told you so'
"Shit, this is one messed up day."
She muttered to herself, noticing how her legs began to feel weak. She couldn't feel them anymore.
"Well…I guess this ain't a bad place to die."
(Red one: Red one to Sergeant! Come in Sergeant!)
Mayuka smiled. Good old Red one. She at least made it out unscathed. She was a reliable solider indeed. They ought to giver her a medal.
Mayuka shook her head. Why the hell was her mind on such trivial thing?
(May: I'm here…I'm here.)
(Red one: Red two is dead sir. And judging from the vital status of Smith, he is as well. Our back up took care of all enemies outside. What should write in the report, sir? I'm coming to your location now.)
"Ugh…the report…"
Mayuka closed her eyes, her hand on her face. She really didn't need this now. Couldn't she just die in peace without worrying about some stupid report she was supposed to have handed in over a week ago?
"Sir?"
The solider asked again. Mayuka sighed heavily.
'Kill me now' she thought.
"Just put that we were able to hold them off so we could defuse the bombs. Red two: Daisuke Kumishiro and Smith betrayed us. And thus they are both DIA"
"But-"
"That's an order!"
"Sir…? But that's unlike y-"
"Please don't make me repeat myself. This is already humiliating enough."
Red two nodded.
"And Scarlet,"
"Yes m'am?"
The solider frowned. Never before has her superior officer refereed to her by her real name. They only seemed to use her code name. Scarlet narrowed her eyes as she noticed Mayuka didn't finish what she was saying.
"Sir, are you sure you don't want a seat? You don't look very well."
"Now's not the time for that…were…were there any civilian casualties?"
Scarlet looked at Mayuka. Her breathing was badly labored, and the wound was still bleeding. It was a lot deeper than she first thought; the gun must have been a ninety that was certain.
"No sir. All civilians are safe."
Mayuka smiled. The mission was complete. That's all she needed to know. To know they've won and taken out a few of their officers in the meantime.
"That…that's good. Tell everyone they did a great job…"
"Sir…?"
But despite that she could still feel the darkness of sleep calling her. She was tired. This damned war made her tired. And not sleeping for three days didn't help. All she wanted to do now was to close her eyes, and when she woke up she wanted to be back home again. To have everything the way it used to be.
Red One rushed to her side as she suddenly collapsed. Scarlet's expression clouded over as she began shaking Mayuka by the shoulder.
"Sir, wake up sir! Sergeant Kusanagi!"
"Damn it Kusanagi! Wake up already! This isn't a frigging hotel!"
Mayuka groaned, holding the side of her head.
"So, how do ya feel?"
"Like someone took a mallet to my head."
Mayuka said, wincing every now and then. Jun-kei smiled.
"Well, to be expected."
Mayuka frowned.
"This isn't a joke."
Jun nodded. Before turning to a cylinder tank, that had what appeared to be a floating brain. They were inside a lab now. Jun's lab.
"I replaced that part of the brain with cybernetics. It should hardly register the change. But let me know if anything happens. You're ghost is in tack though. Both of them I made sure of that."
Jun grunted, and closed her eyes. Yes, today was a long day indeed.
"So, what should I do with 'Yukiko'?"
"I'm sure you have some, but use the type of technology you used for my arm, combine it with my DNA, and make a body for her, I suppose."
"Is this some sort of sick attempt to be immortal?"
"If it was, it'd be stupid. I'd loose more of my self each time I needed a new body."
"True, true."
Jun sighed. This was troublesome indeed. But for one billion U.S…it was worth it.
"But may I ask why?"
"…She's just a kid."
Mayuka noticed Jun's turned back. She couldn't see the expression on her face, but she was sure Jun understood.
"You were always like that…I'll do what I can."
Mayuka nodded, and tried to get up, before Jun gently pushed her back down.
"Watch it there. You're getting some rest before trying anything. But first, let me see that left arm of yours."
Mayuka nodded and slowly tugged the T-shirt off. Jun-kei looked at the left arm closely. It was scarred, and had been for a few years now.
"The scar…well, it could have been worse you know."
Jun-kei looked at it. There was a little break in the skin, with scars along, scars that were easily hidden by the T-shirt. Meaning that from the collar bone down the left arm was completely prosthetic…perhaps not completely, but it sure as hell wasn't completely natural either.
"Have you had any problems with it?"
"No, except it feels really sore when it's cold or raining."
"Many old wounds are like that, and considering the prosthetic bone implants I made are drilled into the existing bone structure, and all nerves are connected, the bone structure around the bicep would really feel sore. I can't begin to imagine how much though."
Jun looked over the arm, examining it.
"Well from the X-ray, the titanium alloy bone structure in the lower arm seems to be intact and working well with what remains of the natural bone structure of the upper arm. As for the biceps, you've obviously didn't regulate them. They seem over stressed, and you have to be careful because many parts of your arm is still from the original, and if you keep it up you might damage the tissues and ligaments you know."
"I know, I know."
Jun-kei nodded.
"Good. Get your shirt back on, and get some rest. You'll need it."
Done with tugging her shirt back on, Mayuka nodded, and lied back down as Jun-kei left, turning the lights off behind her.
Jun-kei frowned when she walked into the room later. Mayuka was gone. She gritted her teeth. The brat had a habit of doing that, quite often too.
She looked around the lab, back to the bed where Mayuka was. Jun-kei sat on the bed, smiling to herself.
"Damned kid…she brings back too many memories…"
'But judging from her expression, she didn't enjoy the good old trip down memory lane either.'
Jun-kei sighed. She was getting nowhere. She looked over to the cylinder, and a schematic her computer was drawing up. She stood up and looked at it. A rendition of Mayuka as a nine year old appeared on it.
Mayuka would get her stupid little favour. She would make sure of that. It was the least she could do, after all, she owed Mayuka one.
Yukiko Kusanagi would be a separate entity, and would get the childhood that Sergeant Kusanagi deprived herself of.
But despite how great science had become between the year two thousand, and two thousand thirty-one, these things took time. Cloning always takes time. So partial cloning should take even longer.
It was then that Jun-kei noticed it. On the bed was a crumpled up piece of paper. She took the piece of paper up, and was about to throw it out…that was until curiosity got the best of her, and she unraveled the piece of paper.
Her brow creased when she frowned as she looked at the scrawl on the paper. She was just about to grab anything her hands could wrap around and whip it as hard as she could in any direction she felt at. She couldn't believe Mayuka. For it was her writing on the paper.
'Sayonara Mori-san. And Arigatou'Farewell Ms.Mori, and thank you.
"That idiot!"
She growled. She couldn't believe it. Mayuka was really giving up on the whole prospect. But she had so much opportunity, and yet she planed to throw it all away.
"Roberts!"
Scarlet screamed as she heard an explosion go off. She ran for her life as fast as her legs could carry her with Mayuka on her back.
'Red One…Roberts' vitals just went flat line…we also lost Osaka and Jonathon.'
'Shit…I've got Serge Kusanagi…but she's not in good shape.'
'Damn it Scarlet! I can't take this anymore! Sitting here at this stupid seat! We were set up! We were set up and we took a fall! We've just been massacred! We've lost five of our ten men-half our forces-and Kusanagi's probably in the worst condition!'
Scarlet sighed.
' I'm assuming Asuka and Sakaki are beat up too, eh Zaire?'
'That's right. This mission was a failure. We were betrayed by three men.'
'Three?'
'Red Two, Smith, and Roberts. So it didn't help. Especially when the gorilla fighters are packing hotter firearms than we are.'
'This is bad enough. Kusanagi's not going to die, no not under my watch! My sister will help, but we need to get to base now!'
She stopped running, right outside the tank they brought and knocked the hatched opened and she jumped inside, and turned to see Asuka and Sakaki inside already.
"Alright guys! Hold on cause were getting out of here now!"
"Hey, are you ready?"
Mayuka nodded as Motoko as she walked down the terminal.
"Motoko…"
"Don't worry about it. I'm sure you had things to do."
"Batou and the others?"
"Someone's rather fond of him."
"Your 'just friends' logo won't work after you kept finishing each other's sentences like that."
Motoko chuckled.
"Well, we have been working for a long time you know."
"I know…hey, was it hard when you went through the training?"
Motoko blinked.
"Why, are you scared?"
"Me…scared?"
"Ok…good point."
Motoko chuckled.
"No, not really. Just treat the training like a mission and you should be fine."
"And background checks?"
Motoko went pale.
"Well…they do a rather, um, extensive background check on whoever wants to apply for a force like Section Nine."
"Shit. If they find any Yakuza ties I can kiss my ass good bye on this one."
Mayuka growled. Motoko shook her head.
"The Chief will do whatever he can, but most likely they'll want lots of details on the reason you left the army."
Mayuka subconsciously grabbed hold of her left arm.
"T…The reason I quit the army…"
"Yes and-"
Motoko stopped in the middle of her sentence. Mayuka noticed her sudden silence. When Motoko looked up again, her expression was apologetic.
"I'm sorry, but I got to go. We have another situation to deal with."
Mayuka nodded, her eyes distanced.
"Don't look so worried, ok, May-chan?"
"Hai, Motoko-o-nee-sama…"
Mayuka sighed. Motoko gave her a quick hug.
"See you in three weeks."
"Yeah, see you."
Motoko backed away, and patted her shoulder.
"Good luck…and quit worrying. It doesn't help."
"Alright, I'll try."
Mayuka mentally sighed as she watched Motoko leave the terminal, then she eventually got up to head for her flight.
"Zaire! What the hell happened?"
Kadaji screamed as the tank rolled up. At his side was the field medic, Jun-kei Mori.
"We can deal with that later Himura! Zaire, Scarlet! Help me get the patience out and into the base's safe haven."
"Copy that Sergeant Mori!"
Kadaji shook his head. He didn't understand it one bit. But in the back of his mind it ringed: Something was going to happen.
"Men! Arm your weapons!"
"Are you nuts Himura!"
Scarlet said as she and Zaire walked out of the bunker.
"We can't do a counter. We lost five of our men! Anson Osaka, and Anson Sakaki are both injured, and so is Sergeant Major Kusanagi! We've sustained too much damage already!"
"What! What happened to Kusanagi?"
"Multiple gunshot wounds sir."
Zaire answered.
"Yes, well this isn't a counter…we need to defend ourselves somehow!"
"Sir! Bogy at two o'clock!"
Came a shrill shout. Himura cursed to himself. Of all times.
"Alright men, show no fear! Let us show them the power of Special Forces Stamina Rose!"
Mayuka scowled. War games. She hated these war games. But if they toughened her up, so be it. First it was the bloody artic, and now the frigging desert. It couldn't get any worse than this. She looked at the weapon she chose.
That was the first thing they did when they started training. They chose a weapon. Hers was rather peculiar though. It looked like two rectangular bars. But they were concealed blades. But not like a katana blade, it was a backhanded blade, meaning that she used it in one solid fluid motion with her whole forearm. While they could be used as a katana, there was one thing she did like; the two blades could become one katana with two blades, or a double-sided blade.
Still, nothing beat the steel reinforced knuckled gloves she was accustomed to using, or her handy C-Z 75 semi-automatic. But seeing as the idiots took those away, she'd just have to make due with what she had.
'What's the location again?'
She sent over the link to her partners.
'R12, Serge. Over.'
'Ok, I'm there now actually. Give me the signal anytime Dos. Over.'
'Roger that.'
Mayuka smiled. This training was too easy. They made a lot of fuss over three weeks for nothing.
Explosions went of continuously, each one seeming closer and closer to the bunker as Jun-kei worked feverishly.
"Shit, shit, SHIT!"
She growled. Mayuka jumped out of the cot, grabbing her shirt.
"Hey, I just took those bullets out of you dumb ass. Don't go out there. You need to let your body rest."
"And let our men die there instead? Such a brilliant plan if I've ever heard one!"
"You idiot! Lieutenant Himura's putting everything on the line to protect us out there!"
Mayuka gritted her teeth.
"Good for him. I never asked him to. And with being second in command, it's just as much my job as it is his to make sure our men can leave this war alive! And I sure as hell can't do that while sitting in a hospital bed!"
"You're no good to us wounded."
"Yes, but because of me, we've already lost five men. And I have no intention of loosing anyone else!"
Mayuka yelled, then grabbed the nearest assault rifle and ran out.
"Wait!"
"There's no time for that!"
"Ok, I'm in."
'Kusanagi, now you need to hack that computer.'
"And the radar?"
'It's clear.'
Mayuka sighed as her fingertips brushed against the keyboard. She frowned.
"Here I am, deep in enemy territory again."
'It can't be helped. You're the best at both infiltration and hacking.'
She looked up the screen glancing up and down.
"Mind telling what I'm suppose to be looking for again?"
'The floor plans.'
"I already got those."
'Have you found a way into some of those rooms?'
Mayuka smiled.
"I've just sent you the information an-"
'What is it Serge.'
Mayuka sighed as she shook her head. The faint click gave it away. There was a gun barrel at the back of her head now.
"They weren't kidding when they said they were going to make this as realistic as possible, were they?"
'What is it Kusangi?'
"Why the hell didn't you idiots keep a closer eye on the radar?"
Mayuka questioned bitterly.
'Of course we kept a close watch!'
Mayuka chuckled.
"Then mind telling me why there's an idiot with a gun to my head?"
"I'd watch it if I were you. You're in my turf!"
'There's an enemy?'
Mayuka smiled.
"That's right. There's an enemy, and I'm in his turf."
"Stop mocking me spy!"
"Mocking you, now why would I do that?"
Mayuka closed her eyes, waiting for an answer.
"Never trust the enemy. That's the way it is!"
"Yes, and trash is trash, no matter what shape or form it takes."
'Kusanagi?'
Mayuka ignored the radio comment, and opened her eyes again. Her sapphire orbs seemed cold, desolate, almost demonic.
"And I'm tired of having this piece of trash being another annoying obstical…"
Her eyes narrowed into a deathful glare, as she turned to face the man, whom stepped back, pulling on the hammer ready to fire. She simply reached into her pockets, even though her assault rifle was at her side.
"Watch it, I'll shoot you know!"
"OUT OF MY WAY!"
"Himura!"
"Kusanagi, you dumb ass! Get out of here now!"
Kadaji yelled over a near by explosion. Mayuka ran towards him anyways.
"Idiot!"
"Tell me that later!"
Mayuka yelled as she turned to her left, firing off fifty rounds before turning back to her superior officer.
"They obviously knew our disadvantage alright!"
She screamed, taking cover behind rubble as she reloaded her gun.
"Disadvantage? We're the elite of the elite!"
"Yeah, but we still have a-ARE YOU MAD-PAY ATTENTION YOU DUMB ASS, YOU NEARLY GOT YOURSELF SHOT!"
Kadaji growled.
"Well, sorry, I don't see how we have a disadvantage!"
"Numbers you idiot!"
Mayuka growled back, she stood up, firing down more approaching men before taking cover again.
"It's quality! Not quantity!"
"That may be so, but when a small group of twenty highly skilled soldiers go up against two thousand or more less skilled soldiers, which side would win?"
Mayuka stood up again, only to get hit by a stray bullet, seeing this Kadaji fired them down.
"Are you ok Kusanagi?"
"Ask me that when I don't have a bullet lodged in my shoulder!"
"Your question is a good one. It depends more on how big a gap in abilities the two sides are."
Mayuka clutched her shoulder, shaking her head.
"That's wrong. Sir, I'd suggest you duck on three."
"What?"
"One…two…"
Mayuka stood up and launched something with her right arm before hiding behind the rubble again.
"Three."
A second later an explosion went off.
"What was that?"
"Plasma grenade. I wasn't sure how that would play out. The thing's still highly unstable."
Mayuka smiled.
"We've just bought ourselves about five minutes to regroup and counter."
"Good, good."
Kadaji stood up abruptly before he looked down again.
"You sure you're alright?"
"Just a flesh wound. I'll live."
Mayuka sighed,
"As I was saying, even the dimmest of people can understand how to hold a gun, and pull back and hold a trigger. And that when it stops going off, to stop and reload. So therefore, with less forces the smaller group could be decimated, or leave a pretty big dent in the enemy's forces before being forced to surrender or retreat."
"I see."
Kadaji answered, as he noticed Mayuka sitting there.
"Don't worry, I've still got lots of ammo and grenades. But I think I over did it. Jun was right, I should have rested."
"Then why don't you?"
"Cause we still have some unfinished business with this group."
"Fool, "
Mayuka whispered as she looked down at the man.
"How pathetic. Did you really think you could stop me? Even with that stupid little gun?"
"P…please Kusanagi, it's just a war game exercise please don't…"
Mayuka stomped on his chest.
"Don't what? Kill you?"
She held a blade to his neck, the weapon she had gotten earlier dripped with blood.
"How easily one who believes they have the upper advantage can loose blood."
"Ku…Kusanagi…"
Her smile struck fear in him. It was a twisted and sadistic smirk.
"Never let your eyes off of your enemy. Isn't that what they taught you here? Have you learned nothing?"
"I did learn."
"Then you realize, that they said to treat the war game as the real thing. I have no choice but to kill you, now do I?"
"But…"
"But what?"
"I thought they said you were a hematophobic! And you said you hated killing!"
Mayuka chuckled. It was a cold cruel laugh.
"That was until my old blood started running. There was a time when I didn't even think twice about killing anyone who dared stand in my way, or my objectives. It was just another part of the job."
"You blood thirsty little bitch!"
Mayuka's eyes narrowed.
"That's one insult I don't forgive easily."
"Ugh…"
"When I was in the army, to kill was as routine as doing things like washing the dishes or something. It was rumored I was the perfect solider. In fact, the reason why I'm not reeling at the sight of blood is because of this. To be the perfect solider, one has to be devoid of all emotion. Then all fears mean nothing."
Mayuka smiled as the man fidgeted, obviously uncomfortable.
"I was one of the top soldiers in a small war that happened nine years ago, apart of Special Forces Stamina Rose Squad One."
"The A Squad? But all members are supposedly deceased!"
"All but two. I'm lucky to be one of those…if luck's the right word."
(Kusanagi! Come in Kusanagi! This is the Master Chief; you've already passed the training. There is no need to go any further.)
Mayuka sighed.
"Fools…they let me get excited and then won't let me finish the job?"
(Mayuka: Fine you idiots, he'll remain rather unscathed.)
Mayuka flung one of the two blades at the man's head, barely missing him and smirked.
"I was going to tell you that you should let Shikigami know I'm Satan incarnate, but lucky for you, Komi decided to save that pitiful soul of yours."
She watched the man breath a sigh of relief, and fainted as he wet himself. Snarling in disgust, she stepped away from the yellow stream and retrieved her plasma sword, turning it back into a handle again, and then attaching both handles to her hips where they could be easily retrieved.
(Just tell me where the rendezvous point is so I can get the hell out of here. I plan on being back in Section Nine soon.)
(Roger that. We're sending you the co-ordinates now.)
"Damn it! With these odds, there's no way!"
Kadaji yelled as the gunfire began once more.
It was then it happened…the one thing he didn't want to see.
The tank that Corporal Zaire was in blew up. Just like that, so un-expectantly.
"Corpral Zaire!"
Kadaji yelled as he ran across the field, gunning down every enemy in the path.
"ARE YOU CRAZY?"
Came Mayuka's shrill voice as back-up fire from her gun helped him. He ducked down when he saw her thowing another plasma grenade, and in seconds she was by his side.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed Kadaji?"
She yelled over the explosion.
"We just lost another man and those stupid tanks of theirs don't help."
Mayuka grimaced. She should have followed Kadaji's advice and gotten that bullet removed. It was starting to become a pain, with all the blood.
"Well, we can't do much about it, can we?"
(Sirs, there's two mecha's coming your way!)
Mayuka looked around.
"Two mecha's? Where?"
Kadaji looked everywhere himself.
"It must be a misreading Himura."
"They're not in front of us, nor behind. No way in hell are they below, nor our left or right…"
Mayuka paled.
"There's no way! Are you insisting that they're up above us?"
She growled. Kadaji's eyes widened when he saw the scene up above him.
"Sergeant!"
Before Mayuka could reply or react she was shoved over by Kadaji Himura.
Mayuka hit the ground, her senses in disarray. And that's when she heard it.
A sickening thud.
Pain shot through her left arm. Barely keeping conscious, she looked over to her left.
There was the mecha, right on her arm. But more importantly, she could make out the crushed body of someone else.
Some one whom she knew.
Her superior officer. Mayuka's eyes widened in fear at the sight of the crushed form of Kadaji Himura. His whole body, other than the shoulders up was under the machine.
At that time, it seemed the sounds of battle were drowned out by the sound of one blood-curdling scream.
"So, you said I passed?"
"That is correct."
Said a man in the far corner. Mayuka kept up a military salute, waiting to hear him speak further.
"There's no need to stand at attention like that 'Sergeant' Kusanagi."
"Yes sir. Understood."
Mayuka answered as she placed her hand at her side, the other on her hip.
"You demonstrated talent we're not use to seeing. Usually most recruits need all three weeks. But by time the first week met mid-way, you were already board of the training. And for so young too."
The man looked down at the desk, and begun reading a file.
"Mayuka Yukiko Kusanagi. Age twenty. Height, five foot six. Weight one hundred and fifty pounds. Occupation, former military Sergeant in Special Forces Stamina Rose Squad One. Known to have left the military after squad was decimated in a massacre they were sent into on purpose. Lost eighty percent of her left arm because of that. Former child prodigy, adept at hacking."
The man looked up at her again.
"I can see why Aramaki personally insisted that you were submitted for this training. But now I see that the training wasn't even necessary."
"Is that so?"
Mayuka asked coolly.
"We'll be sending you back as of now. That's where we're heading."
"I was about to ask about that,"
"I assume I get to keep the weapons?"
"That's right. They're yours. Use them well."
The man smiled. Mayuka was about to turn and leave before the man's voice stopped her again.
"I do have one piece of advice before you leave."
"And that would be?"
"I see you got carried away back there. Don't, and follow orders. Things will be easier in a place like Section Nine if you do that."
"Is that all?"
The man nodded.
"But before you leave I have a question for you. Are you by anyway related to Motoko Kusanagi?"
"She's my older sister."
"I see, so it does run in the family."
Mayuka nodded. Then turned to leave the room.
Three weeks could go by fast. Very fast.
At least it did in Section Nine. Especially with all the work they were handed. Once again someone was after Kayabuki. The prime minister.
Motoko was beginning to think it was Yoko's misfortune to have people who hate her and want her dead. A good option for her would to probably switch careers.
Of course, Motoko Kusanagi was in no position at all to give opinions on sensitive matters like that.
So once again, they had to protect Kayabuki.
Motoko didn't like this at all.
"Kusanagi-san."
Motoko turned at the sound of the woman's voice.
"Madam Prime Minister?"
"You did say something about a new recruit other than the Takeda siblings, did you not?"
Motoko nodded.
"I see. But I haven't seen a sign of them."
"She's not here yet, Madam Prime Minister. She was sent for extra training."
Yoko nodded.
"She was, was she? In what specialty?"
"Combat and espionage. She happens to be quite adept at hacking."
"Is she the same one I've heard that was taken hostage by the Yakuza six years ago?"
She questioned as she sat at her desk. Motoko nodded to her again.
"Yes the same one."
"Hmm. And what is her name?"
"Mayuka Yukiko Kusanagi."
"With a relation to you, am I correct?"
"Yes."
Yoko smiled.
"Yukiko…snow child…what a peculiar middle name."
"Depending on what view point you look at it, it could mean 'Child of Yuki'"
Motoko answered. Prime Minister Kayabuki nodded.
"Yuki Kusanagi…should have known. She is your mother, correct?"
Motoko nodded solemnly. It had been a long time since she even heard her mother's name ever since she died, nearly twenty years ago too.
"That makes the debate over your sister's name interesting, doesn't it? Because your parents named her 'Yukiko' they were referring to the fact that you mother's name was Yuki, or the fact that she was born during the winter months…or perhaps even both?"
Yoko shook her head.
"Enough of this idle chatter for now Motoko. I've got some work to be done. But when your sister does come, I hope we can meet."
"Are you saying we were just your bait?"
Mayuka screamed as she banged the corneal's desk. She didn't care anymore.
"And if I say yes, why would you do?"
"You mean that we lost more than half our men, the others who are left mortally wounded, myself included who lost my arm, just to weaken the forces before you sent out the main troops!"
"You should be happy a force with such little troops were able to serve a purpose."
"A purpose? YOU LEFT US TO BE MASSACURED!"
The man smiled, only flaring her temper.
"What are you going to do about it Sergeant Major? If you harm me, I can have you Court Marshaled."
"Damn you…"
Mayuka growled under her breath.
"You don't care about a damn thing do you?"
"Neither did you. You weren't put in charge because at one point you only see figures on paper. You're just like me."
"I'm NOTHING like you."
"If you work with me I can grant you a place of power. You soon might be Lieutenant Corneal."
Mayuka gritted her teeth.
"Bastard! Do you think I only care about position of power?"
The man smiled.
"I know you only care about it. After all, we're two of a kind. And even if you don't agree, you'll always be below me. You'll be forced to lead these missions until you die or you quit. At this point, both are unlikely."
Mayuka became silent for a while before replying. Suddenly she grabbed the badge on her uniform tearing it off, slamming it onto the desk.
"I'll always be under you? If that's the case, then I quit. You can shove that one up your ass, but I'm sure you won't like it one bit."
"You can't just walk out of here like that Kusanagi. There is paper work that needs to be done!"
"Too bad, I'm walking! Screw the paper work!"
(Major! We've got trouble! And they're packing firearms too. Strong ones.)
Batou said through the cyber link. Motoko sighed.
(Just make sure they don't get…)
"Crap."
Motoko stopped mid-sentence as she heard breaking glass. She grabbed onto her pistol, aiming it carefully.
"Madam Prime Minister, the enemy has made it inside. I suggest you follow my orders or I won't be able to guarantee your safety."
Yoko Kayabuki nodded.
"Stay behind me."
Yoko nodded and ran behind Motoko.
(Ishikawa: Major, there's no sign of a heat source that came through the window.)
(Major: Then they're just trying to spook us?)
(Ishikawa: Perhaps…)
(Major: All right! Everyone keep your guard up!)
(Roger!)
"Kusanagi-san, may I ask, what exactly is happening?"
Prime Minister Kayabuki asked.
"They already made their presence known to us. It's just a matter of time before they strike."
Mayuka sat in the bathroom, looking around the surroundings.
She was home again.
Well…technically, it was Motoko's home, but still, she was back in Japan. She stood up by the sink, looking back at her reflection in the mirror.
Her hair was long.
Sure, she never cut it before. Not even when she was little. Some of the hair she had was the hair she had back when her parents were alive. But the damn thing was becoming a nuisance. No matter how she tied it back, her bangs still got in her face. And her hair would soon be long enough to trip over.
Mayuka frowned as she took out a pair of scissors, and began to cut her hair. A few minutes after she was done, she cleaned up and stepped inside the shower.
"Is that so? So Kusanagi is back in Japan?"
Aramaki questioned the other man on the other side of the telephone.
(Yes, that's correct Aramaki.)
"Hmm, she always had a keen sense of timing…alright, I shall speak to you later."
With that he hung up.
He then took up the phone again, dialing a new number patiently waiting for an answer.
Mayuka walked out of the shower when hearing the phone ring, and grabbed the towel wrapping it around her. She walked up to the phone hitting the screen to give her videophone.
"Ah, Mister Daisuke Aramaki."
She said as she looked up, her wet bags clinging to her forehead. Aramaki cleared his throat.
"Of all ways to answer a phone, when you've just came out of the shower."
"Well, I just got in, and you chose the time to call, not me."
Mayuka answered curtly as she began to pace through her clothing in the duffel bag.
"What happened to your hair?"
"I cut it, that's all. It was getting far too troublesome."
Her answer was calm, cool. As was the question she asked right after.
"I assume you didn't call to congratulate me, did you?"
"I wish such were the case, but a situation has come up."
"In this line of work, something always comes up. It forces you to kill your ego sometimes."
Mayuka sighed as she took out her own black combat suit.
"Ok, I'll get ready. Fill me in VIA cyber link, ok?"
With that Mayuka turned off the phone and headed off to get suited up.
Chief Daisuke Aramaki sighed as he hung up the phone. Hearing as someone was trying to contact him through cyber link.
(Major: Chief.)
(Chief: What is it major?)
(Major: The enemy somehow managed to move into position with out us knowing. When they'll strike becomes the problem.)
(Chief: And the Prime Minister?)
(Major: Other than being noticeably shaken at the fact that someone wants her dead again, she's fine. For now at least.)
(Chief: According to the report I got, Mayuka passed the training and all test with flying colours. She is now back here in Japan. Though I'd rather let her rest before we give her any work, this situation won't allow us the freedom of that. I had to call her in for back up, as of now, she is an official member of Section Nine. She should be on her way.)
(Major: Roger.)
Mayuka shook her head as she ran out into the road.
(May: Now here's the problem, I have no route of transportation…)
(Chief: I'll see what I can do.)
Mayuka sighed as she took out her scanner, placing it over her right eye, connecting a wire into the jack at the back of her neck. Checking again, and making sure her C-Z 75 was on her, ready to go, and that her steel re-enforced knuckle gloves were on properly she looked around.
A young man stood there about to get on his motorcycle. Mayuka rushed to him suddenly.
"Hey, who are you?"
"I need that bike, thank you."
"What?"
"You heard me. I need that bike."
"No way! Get out of here, or I'll call the cops!"
Mayuka chuckled to herself. If only the poor fool knew that one was standing there in front of him.
"You think this is funny?"
The man yelled. Mayuka rolled her eyes.
(May: Any way I can convince him I am a cop…I don't have my badge yet…)
(Chief: There always is a way…)
(May: Like…)
Mayuka gritted her teeth. The man fed up of her silence swung wildly at her. Mayuka dodged, grabbing hold to his arm, and taking a cable from the back of her neck to link with him.
After a few moments she removed the cable and stood up again, helping the man to his feet.
"Now hun, be a dear and let me borrow this nice bike of yours!"
The man nodded, handing over both his helmet and his keys.
"Here you go, darling."
The man replied, giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Mayuka smiled before hopping on, pulling the helmet over her head and speeding off.
(Chief: What did you do to him?)
(May: Oh, reprogrammed a thing or two here and there. Made him think I'm his estranged fiancée.)
(Chief: That's illegal you know.)
(May: It's nothing permanent. I made it to last only ten minutes, just in case he was still reluctant. But some fall harder than others. If it makes you feel any better it was a one-time thing.)
Mayuka turned on the handlebars accelerating to a higher speed, into the direction of the Prime Minister's Residence.
(Togusa: Batou's down! I repeat, Batou's down!)
(Major: What!)
Motoko yelled across the link. It was the news no commander wanted to hear.
One of their men was taken down.
Motoko could feel her grip tightening around the gun.
(Ishikawa: Major, two heat sources are coming your way!)
Motoko turned around to see two men with their guns drawn.
"We don't want any deaths here lady. Our demands are simple!"
The man on the right said, he glared at them.
"And what are those demands?"
Yoko asked from behind Motoko.
"So nice for you to ask Prime Minister Kayabuki!"
Sniggered the other man.
"We're the Archangels. Second from being top dog of the Yakuza."
"Are we supposed to care who you are?"
The first man glared at Motoko.
"I'd watch my tongue. You're surrounded. There's no way out."
Motoko glared back at him.
"Answer the question."
She said, waving the pistol in a threatening manner.
"We want Kusanagi. Not you, Motoko. We know you're her sister. But it's not everyday you get the child prodigy who was behind the 'Kiss of death' virus to work for you doing cyber warfare. Even if you must force her to do so."
Motoko gritted her teeth,
(Yukimura: They're right Major. They have got the building surrounded. We could back them off in the helicopters, but that risks putting you guys in danger.)
(Tachikoma: We can help too major!)
(Ayame: Yeah, but what's the point in such if we end up killing a comrade as well…we have to plan carefully…)
(Major: Saito, Pazu, Boma.)
(Boma: I think we found who the leader is.)
(Saito: I've got a target on him now Major…but if it's not him, I can cause a ruckus for a little while.)
(Pazu: There doesn't seem to be any signs of activity yet…we'll be sitting tight for your order.)
Motoko looked back to the two men.
"Well, are you going to answer our demands?"
(Major: Where the hell are you?)
(May: I'll be there in a second. Hold tight till then.)
Suddenly a crash was heard on the floor below as the two men in front of Motoko and Yoko ran down the stairs.
"It's Kusanagi!"
"Go back Yamada! Go back!"
"She just killed off ten of our men, and she hasn't even been here for five minutes!"
"Is she some sort of demon?"
"That's right."
Came Mayuka's voice as she walked up the stairs slowly.
"I'm a demon. As dark as they come."
Mayuka walked into the room and looked around. Motoko looked at her closely. Her eyes were shadowed by her bangs, but they were as cold as ice. In her hand were the two plasma weapons.
"Poor fools. You said you want me."
She said as several men appeared. Motoko growled. The whole time they were hiding their thermo signatures. Mayuka smiled as she gripped onto the handle of the sword with her thumb, using her other four fingers, she waved them in her direction, almost curling the fingers into a fist.
"Come and get me."
The men rushed after Mayuka. Whom just dodged attacks that came her way, her swords residing by her forearms, poised and ready to strike.
(May: Leave. Now.)
(Major: Are you serious?)
(May: Just leave)
Motoko nodded and left.
(Major: Saito, Now)
Suddenly a sniper went off, causing more panic. Motoko looked back to make sure that Kayabuki was following her.
(Major: Tachikoma, Ayame, Yukimura!)
(Roger Major)
She could hear the sounds of out side as some members tried to run. Motoko suddenly came to a halt when she saw more men running up the stairs.
"Go back to where Mayuka was. She should be done by now."
"That quickly?"
"Trust me."
Yoko nodded and ran, her feet moving even faster when gunshots went off.
Yoko Kayabuki walked back up to her ruined office, looking inside, she saw Mayuka standing. All other men who were attacking laid in a pool of blood at Mayuka's feet.
"Tell me, why must weaklings strive for something that is out of their grasp?"
Mayuka answered coldly as she shut off the swords placing them at her sides.
"I'm assuming Motoko's down stairs and-"
"WATCH OUT!"
Kayabuki screamed. Mayuka looked up to see a cyborg that was about to land, and moved last second. Instead, the man machine cracked the ground. Suddenly it gave way to the cyborg's weight. Mayuka out of haste grabbed onto a ledge as the man machine latched onto her leg.
"Damn it!"
"If I die, then so shall you Kusanagi!"
"That's nice to know."
Mayuka said sarcastically, she attempted to pull herself up, but the cyborg shot her left arm.
"Idiot! You really don't mind death do you?"
"I won't feel it as much as someone like you would."
"Oh really. Feed that crap to Shikigami and the Ferryman. But I've still got things to do before I die!"
Mayuka growled. She could feel the grip of her right hand slackening. Carefully, with her left hand she reached for her C-Z 75. Bringing the hand up to her face, she hit the button at the side the scanner over her eye, before looking down, and shooting. Mayuka smiled when bullet pierced metal, right through the skull, between the eyes and the cyborg fell down. Mayuka carefully pulled herself up, holding onto her left arm.
(May: I'm done here…you guys?)
(Major: It's all clear.)
(Togusa: Same here.)
(Saito: Target is eliminated.)
(Pazu: We even made sure there were no thermo jammers. The whole place seems to be clear.)
(Ishikawa: I've got the little bugs that were trying to hack in red handed, right Boma?)
(Boma: Right.)
(Tachikoma: All is clear major! We caught a lot of them!)
(Yukimura: All weapons appear to have been neutralized.)
(Ayame: We've come out unscathed…even Batou seems to be fine.)
(Batou: I'll live. But I'm never trying that again.)
Mayuka sighed.
"And how bout you over there, Madame Prime Minister?"
"I'm fine."
Yoko muttered. She looked over at Mayuka's arm and frowned.
"It looks like it's a prosthetic."
She muttered. Mayuka turned to her, her expression neutral.
"Then how come it's bleeding?"
"It's bleeding because the prosthetic is drilled into the existing bone structure of my arm."
"What?"
"It's a long story."
"Do tell."
Mayuka eyed her coldly.
"Usually when I say that, I mean don't bother."
Mayuka said calmly as she turned to leave. Yoko looked at her.
"And you should mind who you're talking to as well."
Mayuka ignored the comment, her hand on the door that led out of what remained of the office.
"Goodbye for now Prime Minister."
"Yes. Good bye."
Mayuka nodded then walked out the door to leave.
That was unexpected. I never thought the Major was serious in letting Mayuka join. Perhaps I was wrong with my original judgment about Mayuka Kusanagi. She seems to know what she's doing. But the way she stormed in. They were right. She was like a demon.
But at least this demon isn't against us. That's a good thing.
It can't be helped; Mayuka is one of us now. I'm sure it's a good thing, I'm sure I should be happy.
But I can't shake the feeling that with her, something bad is going to happen to Section Nine.
Togusa.
a/n: yes, it's crude, but I have managed to create contracting views of Mayuka, yes I know. :P aw well!
Anywho, I created a Forum for this, I think answering reviews will be so much easier that way
(By the way I already did a reply to your Review Major Motoko Kusanagi)
Now, preview
Chapter 8: ASSASSIN: Mayuka's Gamble
Mayuka's plan is revealed to be in full swing, as a mysterious figure called "Kage" meets up with Samanosuke Karasuma, a famous journalist to reveal what Kage says is the truth. Meanwhile Mayuka shows just how motivated she is, forcing Section Nine in a tough posistion.
Ja-ne!
Jun-kei