Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Files
Continuation Fanfic Series
File #7: Web of Lives
Part 1: Hourglass of Blood
by P. Kristen Enos
Posted 12/31/08 (Happy New Year's Eve – Pacific Time!)
Special Thanks to my beta Analogk37.
SPOILERS WARNING!!!
Most of these stories take place AFTER the TV Series! So DON'T blame me if I ruin the ending for you because you read these stories first!
Lesbian/Yuri/Shoujo Ai Warning! (Non-explicit -- at least in the "PG13"/"R" sort of way.) Just not written for children because they probably wouldn't get half of it.
All rights belong to JVC/AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story.
* * * * *
Chapter 4: Stealth
11:26 a.m., March 8th, Tokyo
"You know, you could have brought Nene instead," Priss muttered as she browsed the menu that didn't display prices.
She and Sylia sat at the window table of the high-class restaurant, both dressed stylishly to better blend in.
"I did. Three times," Sylia answered without looking up. The slightly thick glasses she wore and pinned up hair gave her a very different aura though no less sexy. "And I had also brought Linna twice. So I figured it was your turn. Didn't want you to think I played favorites."
"I would never accuse you of that," Priss state flatly as she put down the menu and waited. She tugged slightly at the white noise dampening collar that was now small enough to look like a small blue choker to match her form fitting dress. Noting that Sylia also had one to match her own outfit, Priss couldn't help but wonder if they looked like a lesbian couple who liked to wear matching outfits, a thought that disturbed her nonconformist self.
"Besides, you do now live under my roof. I think it's only appropriate that we have a little alone time, even if it's every six months."
Priss had to admit that was valid. "Then what do you want to talk about?"
"How are the recording sessions going? I would have thought your band would have finished by now."
"Are you complaining about the rental bill for the recording studio?" she commented, knowing that the bill had to be enormous since the earthquake had cut down available studios in Tokyo by at least a quarter.
Sylia finally looked up and gave her a mild frown over the rim of the glasses.
"We're almost finished mixing. We actually did enough material for two albums but with the city still rebuilding, we know we have time to release the material since people have other money priorities right now."
Sylia then had a thoughtful look. "Would you like a dedicated recording studio at the Silky Doll?"
Priss blinked in amazement.
"It's not like the money or space is the problem. But I also don't want you to feel obligated to keep staying there. I know you only moved in because Lisa moved in with Linna."
"Yeah, about that. It doesn't bother you that I'm staying there basically rent free?"
Sylia gave her a frown again. "We're supposed to be friends, Priss. If we can coexist in my home and not see each other more than once a week, then I think it's working out…" She paused for a moment to put down her menu and give Priss a direct look. "However, I do not want you to feel like you have to be there because of Cynthia. I know you need your space."
"She's not an issue," she answered quickly. "And I admit it helps having my own room. I'm just… taking things one day at a time."
"That's perfectly fine."
At that point, the waiter came and took their orders.
"So how are things with you?" Priss asked, taking advantage of the break to shift the topic. "Now that earthquake recovery crises has completely died down, what are you spending your days with?"
"Reading and tinkering," she answered simply, punctuating her answer with a sip of wine.
Priss took just as casual of a sip of her beer and commented, "Haven't seen Reika in a while. Not since you two were practically having sex on the dance floor."
A slightly shadow passed across Sylia's face before she answered lightly, "Trust me, that didn't qualify as sex for us. Foreplay maybe… But she and I talked about a week ago. She had an accident and broke her arm. So her wedding is now being moved to the end of June."
Priss narrowed her eyes at the other woman for a moment. "So I'm curious, aren't you concerned that you may be playing with fire with Reika? After all, it's been very clear you two are still very attracted to each other."
"We've had our closure. And I have Nigel," she answered with a simple shrug. "Are you concerned that I would actually cheat on him?"
"Would you?"
"No. Not even with Reika."
"So you two are really married without being married… Have you ever been concerned that Nigel would cheat on you?"
She shook her head. "I just know he wouldn't. He's not that type of man. Let's put it this way, even if he managed to fool me by having some sort of other life with five other women, I never sensed any lack of emotional devotion from him when we're together. -- And I must say that this is a surprising line of questions from a lead singer of a rock band."
Suddenly, Sylia's cell phone started to blink in its spot on the corner of the table. The name 'Tsuji Kentarou' appeared on the name display.
"Finally!" Sylia said almost under her breath. "I'm tired of eating here." She grabbed the device and flipped it open.
Priss waited as she watched the other woman push buttons as she studied the screen. She had to admit she was curious but she remained quiet.
Sylia then glanced up at the door of the restaurant and pressed some small buttons on the frame of her glasses. A small entourage of men in suits, most of them clearly bodyguards, were gathered in front of the overly friendly host.
"He's the tall, Caucasian one," Sylia said softly.
Priss reached into the purse that Sylia lent her. She pulled out the compact mirror and checked out the figure with the slicked back hair and dark sunglasses through the mirror. "Huge and formidable on appearances alone," she commented. "So what can he – "
"Ignore him!"
Priss immediately did what she was ordered and focused her attention on Sylia.
"He's looking at us," Sylia explained behind a sip of her drink. "I wonder if he's able to see the electrical currents in our dampening collars. It would be an unusual detail in a boomer's view of things."
"But he shouldn't view these a threat, right?" she asked, not liking the idea of facing the latest boomer model without a hardsuit.
"Well, he's not charging over here. But he keeps looking at us even though they're moving to the back of the restaurant."
"So do we need to stick around then?"
Sylia glanced at her phone and said, "He's sending and receiving burst signals every two minutes. I want to keep recording for as long as possible… Besides, I'm paying too much money to rush our lunch like this."
Priss rolled her eyes and resigned herself to waiting for her food to arrive.
- End Chapter 4 -
Chapter 5: Priorities
3:17 p.m., March 19th, Tokyo
"… We calculate that we should have the shell completely built by the end of May," Sho reported excitedly through the videophone. "But there are some new things in the frame that I don't recall our team even discussing. I'm able to figure out the purposes of some of the differences but I don't know what would initiate their use without being able to look at the model's core design specs."
Reika frowned slightly at the words. "Would the changes get in the way of having the boomer work at a level similar to the original Sylvie?"
She was back home in her bed that had been augmented to serve as an office. Even though she was now able to walk around, Mrs. Takeuchi had ordered her to remain in bed as much as possible to better focus her energies on healing.
Sho shook his head adamantly. "I can create and code a core that can use all of the functions that I know about. The newer ones would just be dormant until I can figure what they are and how to trigger them."
"So how far did the Watanabe's get with this shell?"
"There was no way they could have made her work. The Sylvie model was so far in advance of anything else that had been on the boomer market. I'm still struggling trying to reprogram the core program from memory. But the biggest stumbling block is that we just don't have the material parts for a workable core, both technical and cellular."
"You've just lost me," Reika admitted, not bothering to add any excuse of why.
Realizing that his scientist enthusiasm was getting the better of him, he nodded and explained, "A boomer core has two basic components: a micro processor and brain cell matter. The two parts must be compatible in order for the boomer to work, like a right brain and a left brain in a human. While we can eventually recreate the computer component – though some parts will have to be manufactured from scratch, the cellular base is the biggest issue.
"The reason why we were able to make Sylvie work is that the vault where we had discovered the original boomer schematics also contained frozen brain cell matter from the original experiments. After several cloning attempts, we were able to produce a sustainable sample to create the core that was used for Sylvie. The boomer brain cell matter currently available on the market is nowhere near the quality level needed to support such an advanced model. When the Watanabe's acquired this model, it was not understood by their people that a special core was needed, that you couldn't just use the cellular matter from a mass manufactured boomer."
"So then are we stuck?"
"Well, no, not really. The Watanabe's have started the work for initiating another inside job to get the missing components. But since Genom has put in counter-measures because of the first break-in, there's a lot of planning going into this. I think they're planning to strike by mid April."
"Who in the Watanabe's is planning this?"
"I believe it's Yoshiko and her people."
Feeling that the matter was in good hands, Reika nodded and said, "Good. Keep me posted on how everything goes."
* * *
10:17 a.m., April 2nd, Rome
"Isn't she beautiful?!" Sho proclaimed as the proud father that he was.
'Not really,' Reika thought as she stared down at the object of his pride, which was a headless and skinless boomer body in the prep tank. She glanced at him and noted just how much his eyes glowed with passion and excitement, the clear signs of a man who was doing what he loved to do.
She looked around the very sophisticated lab with the small army of workers buzzing around machinery parts and computer terminals like an efficient hive. All of the activity made her feel all the more self-conscious of the shawl she wore, which hid her casts and her current physical handicap. She did have freedom of movement of her left arm in that only her forearm was in a cast, but it was limiting nevertheless.
"And I've been saving this for you," Sho said as he led her to his desk with the computer terminal. On the screen was an open program displaying various female faces with a variety of skin colors and hairstyles.
"What is this?"
"Well, I figured since we're building her for you, that you'd want a final say on what her final appearance will be."
"Oh." Judging by his enthusiasm, Reika didn't have the heart to admit that she really didn't care. "Um, then what are my options? All of these faces?"
"Or we can continue to customize to whatever you want," he said as he sat down and started to pull up templates that had a variety of noses, mouths, etc.
Reika looked closer at the proposed samples and frowned. The looks were clearly on the beautiful and sexy side – obviously meant for people more interested in the non-security related aspects of having such a boomer around. While she could appreciate boomers as being sentient beings, she definitely had no interest in having sex with one. Like men.
"I don't want her to stick out or attract unnecessary attention. Can you make her Asian but just not as… appealing? I want her to be a bodyguard, not a escort trophy."
Sho frowned to himself a bit as he looked at the faces. He seriously didn't think the program had the option to build a non-beautiful face. "I guess we could come up with something like that. You honestly don't have any preferences?"
"Tell you what: you now know what I want. Give me a couple of proposals and I'll choose one. I just don't want to choose one of those."
"Okay," he said, apparently satisfied with the guidelines of his new challenge. "But we do need you to finalize a name for her. We can't keep calling her Supermodel."
"… You're calling her 'Supermodel'?" Reika asked, barely able to contain her disdain.
The man merely blushed in response as he pretended to pay more attention to the face construction program.
And this is the man my father thought could be the next head of the Hou Bang?
Since this felt like naming a rottweiler puppy, any names that came her mind did not feel appropriate. "Do you have any suggestions?"
"How about 'Sylvie'?!" he offered, his full enthusiasm returning.
She stared at him. "I don't think so."
"Um, how about 'Anri'?" he offered hesitantly.
"Fine. 'Anri' it is," she conceded with an inward sigh, glad that the name was a little more Japanese.
"Ah, good, you're both here," Yoshiko Watanabe announced, causing the activity in the lab to abruptly pause at her appearance.
Reika turned to look at her but was more immediately distracted by the woman just a couple of steps behind. She recognized Mei right away, despite the hair combed in a way to hide part of her face. While she knew the former Knight Saber was Yoshiko's partner, it felt a little awkward to finally be in the woman's presence again after all of these years.
And Mei's narrow stare back was no less relaxing.
"— We've received some urgent news from Tokyo that we need to have a meeting on right now."
* * *
" -- Genom finally uncovered our insiders and had them terminated," Yoshiko explained cryptically as the four of them sat in the conference room with Largo's picture displayed on the screen. "They shouldn't be able to trace anything back to us but getting that core sample is now going to be virtually impossible."
"So, Dr. Yamada, do you have any suggestions?" Largo asked.
He thought furiously and said, "Well, the only option now is to get a sample from a deployed unit. But they'd be fully functional combat boomers now."
"But with your expertise, you could help us develop ways to exploit their weaknesses to take at least one down long enough to get a cell sample," Yoshiko pointed out. "After all, we were planning to develop such equipment after that model was built."
"True," he nodded.
"Would we be able to locate deployed models without inside information from Genom?" Largo asked.
"These boomers were built to be linked via satellite. They may have changed the frequency that was implemented with the models I worked on, but if we monitor Genom's satellite communications, we're bound to discover the current communication channel."
"So that means we will be able to identify them. Now we just have to figure how we can temporarily, if not permanently, immobilize one to get a core extraction."
Sho nodded and said, "Let me pull the team together and get started on that…"
- End Chapter 5 -
Chapter 6: Appearances
5:38 p.m., April 20th, Los Angeles
Dressed in a form fitting, black sequin dress, Reika noticed that she was once again carefully shifting and flexing her left shoulder and arm. It was a habit she had developed over the course of regaining freedom of movement for the arm, with the cast finally being removed that morning.
"Sorry," she said to Jun as her secretary tried to pull on the long glove that would be worn to hide the many surgical scars.
"There. Done," Jun said as she handed Reika the silver shawl. She then stepped back to check her boss's appearance with the eagle eye of a woman who didn't want to miss a detail. "Is there anything else?"
"No, I think that's it," Reika said as she checked herself out in the hall mirror of the hotel suite. This would be her first public appearance since the attack. But even if that wasn't the case, she wanted to look as good as possible because of her vanity. Her years of being a model only reinforced that. She still had a removable cast on her right hand, but this was the closest she felt to being fully functional again.
Densuke let out an appreciative whistle as he appeared from the bedroom in his tuxedo, with only his bow tie left to be taken care of. "It's been a while since I saw you in something that tight!"
Reika looked at him narrowly and said, "Are you already drunk?"
"No, no, no!" he said with an exaggerated slur. "Just very relaxed."
She was silent for a tense pause before remarking dismissively, "Remember that this is your family's event."
He gave her a full salute and clicked his polished loafers.
Jun stood patiently by, her gaze shifting between the two. In the beginning of her employment, she used to have her breath taken away by the occasional appearance of the devastatingly handsome man. She initially thought that Reika could take such a man for granted only because she was just so gorgeous. But the more Jun watched their relationship up close, the more she understood why Reika never spent time with him if she could help it.
She then noticed how the bleary-eyed Densuke was very unsuccessfully trying to tie his bowtie while Reika completely ignored him as she did the final checks of her make-up. Sighing to herself, she stepped forward and once again took over the task of doing his bowtie. She was also dressed up for the black tie dinner but had nowhere near as glamorous of an aura as her employers.
Densuke readily let his hands drop as he stared down and watched her.
Annoyed by the overpowering smell of alcohol, and a little overwhelmed by his nearness, Jun purposefully did not meet his gaze as she finished her task. She also did not notice the glance of her boss in the mirror's reflection.
"Are we ready now?" Reika asked the two of them expectantly.
* * *
Much Later
More than a little bored, Reika scanned the crowded ballroom of the ritzy hotel. Since this was a public event celebrating the opening of the Watanabe Grand Hotel in downtown L.A., everyone was on their best behavior as business and personal deals were started, closed and renegotiated left and right. However, she had to admit that she liked playing the role of the trophy fiancée instead of feeling any pressure to make connections or presentations.
The full set of Watanabe siblings were on hand to put their best front for this grand occasion.
"Would you like something else to drink?" Jun asked, wanting something to do since standing still was not her best trait.
Reika smiled and held up her glass. "Yes, please. Another one of these. And if you could get me something to nibble on, like vegetables would be nice. "
Happy with having a task, Jun nodded and departed.
"So it is you, Reika!" a hauntingly familiar female voice declared in American English.
She turned to see a dazzling and curvaceous Caucasian woman with flowing locks that were a shade of red that was clearly not natural but attractive, nevertheless.
"Leslie?" she said at the sight of a former flame.
"Yep. You almost fooled me with speaking Japanese. But your beauty was always too distinctive to be unrecognizable," she said as she sauntered up to her. She glanced in the direction of Jun, who was on her errand. "She's cute. Was she the reason why you left L.A.?"
"Oh, no," she answered in flawless English. "She's my secretary. Literally."
The other woman was clearly impressed. "Wow. You leave the country for over a year and suddenly you're able to afford fancy duds and a personal assistant."
"Well, I should comment the same of you," Reika countered as she made a note of the other woman's flashy attire. "I never would have guessed I'd run into you at an event like this."
"I'm working it tonight. Escort service," she admitted. "While I do have pride in being a starving actress, I realized I really like eating on a regular basis and paying my rent. I fell into this as a lark a few months ago and since the pay is pretty incredible, I decided to kiss my wait staff days goodbye. A couple of gigs a month lets me play and audition the rest of the year."
Reika narrowed her eyes curiously and asked, "How much do you 'escort'?"
Leslie gave an evasive shrug and said, "It's all acting…" She then gave Reika a very alluring look and whispered into her ear, "Of course, if you want to blow this joint with me, I promise no faking."
Reika blushed from head to toe as it suddenly hit her how much physical and sexual frustration she had built up over the past couple of months. "Aren't you here because you're escorting someone?"
"I can figure out an excuse to ditch him. Remember, I'm good at improvising."
Carefully swallowing and regaining her composure, Reika stated, "I admit it's a tempting offer but I actually am here because I'm connected to the Watanabe family."
"Yes, I'm the connection!" Densuke declared in flawless English as he stepped up to the two women. He was all grins as he eyed both of them up and down appreciatively.
Reika's face turned stone and Leslie blinked at him on confusion.
"Leslie," Reika said stiffly, "This is Densuke Watanabe. My fiancé."
Leslie's eyes widened noticeably.
"Densuke, this is Leslie. A friend of mine when I used to live here," she explained in English for Leslie's benefit as well.
"Ah," he smirked to her in Japanese, "Only a friend?"
Reika gave him the Hou Bang Clan Leader glare that stated Go! Away! Now!
Densuke abruptly did what he was ordered by giving the women a parting bow before drifting off into the crowd.
"Double wow!" Leslie said with a low whistle.
"It's… a family situation," Reika explained stiffly.
"Honey, I can spot a beard a mile away. I just never thought you'd be the one to play that game."
Reika just kept her mouth shut since there was nothing she could say to that point. At least nothing that didn't feel very, painfully obvious.
Leslie's eyes twinkled again. "But that just makes me think you'd really want to take me up on my offer, if only for a little break from playing wifey-to-be. No strings, no drama, this time. I swear. My service already booked a suite upstairs for me just in case. With this crowd, no one's going to notice us being gone for a bit."
Reika's mental wheels were spinning madly as the offer started to become too tempting to pass up. While she would never seriously date Leslie again since the other woman proved to be very emotionally extreme, they definitely had a certain physical chemistry when the circumstances were right.
"Well, I'm also a little handicapped," she admitted, holding up her still healing hand. "And my left arm is still not completely up to par."
With a triumphant grin, Leslie said, "Well, if I remember correctly, you and I were great at improvising together."
Reika gave her a conceding smile as she said, "I need to check with my staff first…"
* * *
So this was the other reason why she didn't pay attention to Densuke.
Jun watched the two women leave out the side door of the ballroom under the escort of Kou.
Now unexpectedly having the evening off, she wondered what to do.
She then noticed Densuke standing nearby, his gaze also on the exit where the women had disappeared through. He had the expression on his face of a man who didn't like what he saw.
- End Chapter 6 -
Target for the next update: Ummm, later tonight? I do want to finish posting the rest of Part 1 before the new year hits!
