Striker/Spriggan: Remember
By: Ominae
Rating: K
NOTE:
All characters of of Striker/Spriggan are under the copyright of Hiroshi Takashige and Ryoji Minagawa. All others belong to me and me only.
Summary:
A look at the lives of some of ARCAM's finest Striker operatives during Mother's Day when they remember the people they hold dear to them.
Chapter 3: Overlapped Memories
Balcony, Apartments, ARCAM Japan, Tokyo, Japan
A woman in her late teens was leaning on the balcony of an apartment building belonging to ARCAM's Japanese headquarters. Watching the nightlife go on in central Tokyo, she sighed while being protected from the cold by her long, black cloak-like jacket.
"How have I been here in this planet?" murmured the woman, adjusting the red beret that she had on her head. "Will I ever be like this again?"
She was, of course, referring to the lifespan that she had when Merlin granted her immortality during the Middle Ages in order to fight off the evils of people from getting their hands on ancient high-tech artifacts that they could use for their own good.
"Fighting against those people sure took me like 21 centuries to do the job."
Being an immortal had given her favor, such as living on for centuries in order to continue the fight against those who wanted to get their hands on extraterrestrial artifacts that could give them a position in the world. Throughout the years, she had fought the Crusaders in Jerusalem, Napoleon's army near the outskirts of Russia, soldiers of the United States' young army in various South American countries, Japanese rightists nearing the end of World War II and various Communist/anti-communist forces during the Cold War.
The woman gave a deep breath and shook herself in order to avoid getting potential chills from the cold wind. "I didn't like covering myself up, but establishing the ARCAM Corporation was the least thing I can do."
However, being immortal also had given her some disadvantages. For one thing, she didn't have time to give love or to be loved when she was tasked to fight off nations and corporations in the years after the Middle Ages.
The woman bit her lip, "Steve loved me though, but I had to separate from him as he was in the way of my mission." She remembered before when she was formerly in love with a man named Steve Foster, who was now working with ARCAM as the captain of the S.S. Rosinante. Of course, Steve and Dr. Mayzel were only the few people in the ARCAM Corporation who knew of her secret.
She only remembered a person who made her feel like an ordinary person and not a being.
"Mark was the only person who realized myself as a person, not as an immortal."
The woman remembered a young teen, who was recruited by Chairman Rodriguez of ARCAM Philippines after leaving a paranormal organization called the Center as he was approached by the said chairman on whether he would want to be a member. He agreed to, under the condition that his brother, Micheal, would be recruited as well. With that said, Tea sensed the awakening psychic powers from within the twin brothers when they first met in Japan before Mark and Yu would undergo their first mission to secure Rie Yamabishi's safety from the CIA and the KGB. Micheal, though, had to go back to Manila in order to attend his studies as Mark was the only one free to help Yu.
"It's been a while since I've first met Mark." She fondly remembered how she trained the two to use their psychic powers to help ARCAM in performing their mission after she sensed potential psychic energy emitting from the twin brothers. After a few days of conducting psychic training, Mark and Michael had surpassed her in terms of power and skill.
"Sis!"
The woman looked behind, seeing a young boy dressed in an ARCAM Armored Muscle Suit and wearing a black Polo jacket. He had a dark baseball cap on.
"Mark?" The woman looked a bit surprised. "Didn't expect to see you here."
"Why would I?" The boy grinned. "Of course I sensed you moping around here, Tea."
Tea fixed her eyes on the teen very carefully. "Really? And what are you here for?" She noticed that he had his left hand behind him.
"Here." Mark handed her a red rose, slowly. "For you."
"You know I'm not your mother." smirked Tea, reading his mind with her psychic abilities.
"I know." The Filipino Striker scratched the back of his head. "It's just that you're like a mom to me and Michael when you trained us after we got recruited into the Strikers."
Tea sniffed the rose, bringing a rare smile to her. "And after all the trouble Mark had to go through." She motioned him to come near her. Once he did, she brought Mark to an embrace.
"Thank you." Tea whispered to his ears, making him blush. "You just made me feel young again."
"Er..." Mark stammered. "Mom told me that one has to be a gentleman before all females." He only murmured the last one to himself. "With an exception to some."
He didn't know that Tea was able to read her mentee's mind, hearing the last remark in his brain made her giggle. "Really?"
"Yea." He nodded in her chest, not wanting to look up. "I think I should be going now."
"No." The British Striker whispered back. "Let's stay like this for a while. I'm a bit lonely right now."
Mark decided to listen to Tea for now, "Fine, sis."
The two stayed still in their respective hugs, not moving for a few minutes.
"Okay." Tea patted Mark on the shoulder. "You can let go now."
"Finally." Forgetting that Tea could read his mind. "I'm kinda hungry right now and besides, most of the guys have eaten."
"Wanna eat?" asked Tea. "You'll have to treat me out, little brother." grinned the immortal.
"Of course, sis!" boasted Mark, pointing a proud thumb at himself. "Though we may have to go out as the others have went out."
"Fine." Before she went for the door that leads out of the guest room, Tea sneaked a kiss on Mark's forehead. Being rewarded by a blush from her brother, the two went out of the apartment room and went toward the floor's elevators, going out to enjoy the rest of the Tokyo nightlife.
Chapter 3 END
PS - Now to explain this part. Tea Flatte, for you Spriggan readers, is an immortal who was bestowed on her immortality by Merlin in order to combat those who want to take advantage of the OOP (Out-of-Place) artifacts that they could use against each other. One of her accomplishments was the creations of the ARCAM Corporation. She continues to work behind the scenes as Tea Flatte. Her actual name is Tea Flatte Arcam.
