The last chapter was a point of pride for me, I was very happy with it, as I felt that it encapsulated what so many of the characters were trying to since the beginning of this all. Once again, this was case of something good coming out of something bad.
The original chapter 16 also included more then half of what became 17, but the file was ruined when my USB drive erased itself just before I planned to post it. These two chapters were a bit on the short side considering some of my last few chapters have tended to be at least a little bit longer.
I tried to make the last chapter a bit longer, but after an attempt to ad on what was really a "throw-away" scene to begin with, I chucked it and went with my gut and ended on the scene between Dianna and Kino. I felt that this was far more appropriate to the spirit of the story and that the other scene was rather contrite and would have undermined it.
That scene at the end was probably one of the ones that I felt might be one of the really controversial things I've ever written. I am somewhat relieved that it did not offend anyone. Yet, I'm kind of put off that it didn't garner more attention- oh well.
"What is Dianna's connection to Kino?" you might wonder. I've decided that I'll leave it ambiguous for the moment. I like the idea that it sort of transcends normal ideas and views. There is no clear way of explaining it- it's special, it's unique- both affection and motherly concern.
Also, since this story has now passed the 100th review mark, I'll try and do something to make this chapter different. Thank you.
-Bojack727
.o.o.o.
Kino stood out on the balcony, looking out onto the water. She heard the door slide open, but didn't look away. The unforgiving night sky loomed back at her.
"Kino?" Dianna asked, now wearing simply black pair of spandex shorts and a matching cut-off tank top. She had put the outfit on to be more mobile.
"Dianna." Kino replied simply to the towering female
"I know you're worried, but you have to have faith." Dianna remarked.
"It's not that, it's the fact that I hate these people so much- I've always had some enemy to hate in my life, for some reason. I don't like having to have these feelings."
Dianna nodded. "Yes, this world is an unfortunate place at times- there is a lot of tragedy around." She remarked. "And we all have our own demons."
Kino looked up at her. "Dianna, surely there are things in life that you can't bare or accept?"
Dianna placed a hand on her shoulder- sending shivers through her small body, but they weren't the kind that scared you- it was something else.
"I hate burnt toast; I loath empty bus stations at night- full of lost luggage and lost dreams." She then paused for a moment as proverbial starbursts exploded around them. "And I can't stand tyranny and oppression and unrequited love." She told Kino.
Empathy floated between them like fireflies- casting a thousand points of light in the darkness.
"We all have a universe of our own fears and demons that we must face one day." She finished. "But there are things in life to enjoy as well."
"I hope you're right." Kino replied uneasily.
"Trust me." She replied and then looked down at Kino silently. She then leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips- surprising the younger woman. Kino flinched at the shockingly soft pressure against her mouth as the taller woman kissed her. It was so gentle and comforting!
A thousand thought passed through the younger woman's mind, and she was vaguely aware that she was standing there in a stupor as the woman continued the contact. Somewhere- there were a million things going on in a million locations, and she knew that sun would indeed rise tomorrow.
"W-why'd you do that?" Kino blurted out, red-faced as she finally was released from Dianna.
She simply crossed her arms and smiled the smile of a woman that had seen the world. "You looked like you could use it."
.o.o.o.
THE HYBRID'S SONG
Chapter Thirteen: Journey into Darkness
Hayami regarded Dianna quietly. "Why are you dressed like that?" He asked, noting the black shorts and matching tank-top.
"For mobility." She replied simply and hopped into the small speedboat.
Hayami stripped off his shirt and slipped on the combat vest and zipped it up. Beside him lay a large assault rifle, complete with grenade launcher and laser targeting device and silencer. He was also carrying grenades and explosive devices in a pack around his waist. A pair of night-vision goggles hung around his neck.
"I suppose you have a point there." He replied. "Now all we have to do is brake into the place and get the antidote and then get the hell out." He explained.
"Yeah, sounds simple enough." Dianna replied, laughing darkly.
"Take this." Hayami remarked, tossing a strange gun to her.
"What is this?" She asked, holding it up to look at it. It had a pistol grip and a folding stalk- that was pulled in at the moment. It long and sleek and a dark metallic black color. There was a sealed panel on the side marked CO2, and then another handle down from that that stuck out on the side- it too was folded back. The barrel was augmented with a short suppressor tube that contained a long object much like a test tube in shape that was firmly inserted into it.
"It's CO2-powered, underwater, compact anti-personnel cannon." He replied and then slid over a small case labeled 'Caution: A-P Rocket Grenades- Extremely Dangerous!'
"Looks fun- where'd you get it?" she asked as the boat began to slowly move out from the complex.
The wind was picking up ever so slightly in his face as Hayami began to speak. "From Dr. Warlock, along with all this stuff."
"Warlock gave you all this?" Dianna asked in amazement.
"Yeah, you'd be surprised what kind of things a person can collect over the years." Hayami replied wickedly. The wind now was beginning to get a slight bite to it.
.o.o.o.
The large swimming hall had been redone in art-deco tiling and Corinthian columns had been built in place of the old metal ones. Even the floor of the pool was tiled.
Plants hung from suspended pots, their vines and leaves hanging down below them. Small palm trees and tropical plants were arranged around the large room. The walls of the room were lined with aquariums filled with fish.
Mutio sat idly in the water, looking at nothing in particular when she heard a small splash behind her. She calmly looked over at Kino, who was sitting on the edge of the pool, with her pants rolled up and her feet in the water.
Kino regarded her with a nod and remained silent for a few moments and then looked down at her again. "Mutio?"
The hybrid looked up at her silently. Ripples cascaded through the water- like stones skimming across the surface of a lake.
"You're worried about them, aren't you- about Hayami and Dianna and Emma- right?"
A silent nod was the answer. The soft glint in the probing crimson pupils voiced the words she couldn't say. Mutio instead diverted her gaze to the rippling figure in the water- a mirror image of a person, yet not real.
Kino smiled forlornly. "Yeah, me too." She lifted up the glistening coke bottle and took a drink from it.
Kino then looked back down at her and smiled. "Don't worry too much, he'll be alright- he always is."
Kisaki walked into the hall, passing under the arched entryway. He looked at the two of them thoughtfully. "They left to get the antidote." He explained.
The tension in the air quickly becoming noticable. The atmosphere was terribly opressive.
Mutio looked away. ". . .Hayami."
.o.o.o.
The small boat cut through the night air and the sea like a bullet. The salty air passed over Hayami and sent Dianna's mane of hair fluttering back like a brilliant reddish-pink flag in the wind.
And then it came to a stop, at the base of one of the massive support column for the complex. Below the inky black water, the column descended far down into the darkness.
Dianna stood up and buckled a black belt around her waist and stuck the AP-Cannon into the holder, which she then secured to her hip and then picked up the case of ammo and holstered it in similar fashion.
"This is where we split up." Dianna told Hayami as she swung one leg over the edge of the boat.
"What are you talking about?" He asked.
She smiled at him. "The water is my specialty," she began. "I'm going to enter through the underwater levels make my way up through the vents." She began. Dianna then pointed up at the massive structure above them. "The central column over there is an elevator that I'm going to use to get up there. You, however, are going to have to use the maintenance ladder that runs along the back of it." She finished.
"And don't worry about security, the cameras down cover that angle, and they also don't cover the interior of the bulkhead at the top of the ladder either, so you can get in that way and make your way to the top level." She finished at length.
"Just one question," Hayami began. "How do you know all of this?"
She smiled at him. "Well, after they released me, I spent some time figuring this place out."
"Why?"
"Simple," she answered. "When I finished killing you guys, I planned to sneak back in and kill Macintyre and his lapdog as well."
Hayami held up a closed hand. "Here take this communicator." He said and tossed it to her. "Be careful not to lose it."
She caught the device effortlessly, noting that it was in a small sealed bag. "Don't worry about that, dear." She replied and then stuck it down her top, between her breasts. "I don't think it's going anywhere now." She replied cheekily and dived into the water.
Hayami smiled and then slowly steered the boat to the spot she mentioned.
.o.o.o.
Dianna silently made her way through dark waters, her keen vision picking up all the details around her. He swam to the spot where the grill was and effortlessly tore it off and slipped in.
.o.o.o.
Rosenberg watched the reading on the monitor in front of him. "Kim, come here for a moment."
The other technician walked over to the monitor. "What is it?"
"Nothing too unusual, but there was a faint trace of movement in the lower level vents."
"It's probably nothing." Kim replied.
"Still, Macintyre doesn't want anything happening like at the secondary site." Rosenberg remarked.
"What do you think should be done about it?"
"Better be safe and release the Scylla to take care of it."
"Good, it'll take care of anything that has wondered in, and if there's nothing there then the beacon will guide it back."
.o.o.o.
Dianna swam quietly through the ducts, her gills feeding her oxygen as she moved along. She also noted that that vents had been getting much wider- as if to accommodate something moving through them.
She picked up a faint clinking sound in the distance ahead of her. . .
.o.o.o.
Hayami made his way slowly up the latter and then entered into the infrastructure of the foundation.
He eventually made his way up to the surface and stuck his head out. He looked over and spotted a guard. He slid off his assault rifle and lifted it up. . .
.o.o.o.
She suddenly came to a stop and turned around and peered into the darkness. She knew that something had to be there, but she just couldn't see anything.
She was far too smart to simply dismiss the issue, but she realized that she was working on a time frame. So, with some resignation, she turned back and proceeded to push on. However, the idea soon was joined by a feeling that she was in fact not alone.
She turned around once more and something wrapped around her arm and pulled her into the darkness!
.o.o.o.
Pap-pap!
The guard toppled onto the ground and Hayami slipped into the shadows.
He took out the small map of the complex and looked at it. He noted that the labs- where the antidote must be- were in the lower levels of the main complex. He would have find a way to double back down into them. The only question was how could he keep out of the view of the security system.
There was a load metallic groaning sound and then the lights went out. Hayami looked around. "A power failure?" he thought. "What the hell is going on?" He then looked over as a door swung open seemingly of its own accord.
(- End of Chapter Thirteen -)
.o.o.o.
Hmm, what to say about this chapter: Well, I really liked it and I think that it has a certain depth to it that the previous ones sometimes lacked. This is really just a very solid chapter.
Another thing was that I realized that some of the cast had become a bit spare in the last few chapters. The fact that Mutio was not in the last two chapters was also something I was not very satisfied with.
On a side note, I realize now that the image of Mutio that I have in my mind when I write is kind of different then the way she looked in the anime. To me, it's easy to write for a character that is adaptable, and Mutio has been adapting as this storyline has progressed. I'll be addressing her physical changes later on, but I promise that this storyline is not the end.
I hope you all enjoyed this. Thank you,
-Bojack727