Chapter 766

Being The Best

Earlier:

Young Allison spent a very restless night. She was haunted by watching Savannah and Cameron in a fight for their lives. It seemed to repeat over and over. In one of the dreams they were both killed. She even seemed to be there one time herself. She couldn't move. Her arms and legs seemed to weigh thousands of pounds. The Grays surrounded her. She was about to be killed or worse, captured, when she woke up.

Her eyes opened. She looked to her left side and no one was there. She looked over to her right side and Savannah was there. Wait. She blinked her eyes and looked again. It was Anna. She remembered Anna was with her when she went to bed. Anna was concerned she seemed troubled. It looked like she spent the entire night with her.

"You stayed with me the whole night?" Young Allison asked.

Anna was very troubled by Young Allison's restlessness.

"Yes." Anna said.

Young Allison felt bad about it.

"But you don't sleep." Young Allison said. "It must've been boring."

Anna felt the need to do something to assist.

"You were very troubled." Anna said. "I watched you struggling to stay asleep. I sat next to you and held your hand. It seemed to comfort you."

Young Allison watched Savannah fight for her life for real. She was in real danger more than once.

"I was worried about Savannah and Cameron." Young Allison said. "To see what happens, as it happens, is very troubling."

Anna tilted her head slightly.

"Everything was resolved before you went to bed." Anna said. "You shouldn't have been troubled. There was nothing further to worry about. Savannah made it home safely with Cameron, John, and Ally. A drone accompanied them as well as Gail in the manned drone. They didn't face any trouble or threats. John Henry informed me Savannah spent the night alone in her room."

Young Allison felt she should have done more. She didn't think Savannah should have spent the night alone. If Anna thought her troubles were bad, what did Savannah need to go through by herself? Maybe it was a sense of guilt.

"The images were still in my mind." Young Allison said. "I was powerless to help either of them. I saw what could have happened."

Anna wanted to remind Young Allison the future was closer than she knew. It was without even accelerating the timeline. What could happen wasn't the same as what actually happened. They were two different things. One was reality, the other was not.

"It didn't. You also know it could have been you instead of Savannah." Anna said. "In a few years, it may very well be you."

Anna strongly doubted it would be a few years. More than likely it would be a few months at the most, especially if Young Allison went on her temporal mission with Cameron.

Young Allison did know it could be her one day. It could have been her if she already would have completed her temporal mission. It was a lot to think about. She wanted to do more and she wanted to take some of the heat off of Savannah. She wanted to spread the risk around. She wondered if she pushed her fate needlessly. In her dream, she WAS there. It was as troubling as it was fresh in her mind.

It wasn't uncommon to have dreams of helplessness or trying to run, but being in slow motion. Things like it were common. In her dream she was in a combat zone. She may have trained, but she was never in combat. Training was as close as it came. It wasn't the same no matter how much one trained. Death or injuries weren't part of the training. The real thing was different and dangerous, there was finality to it. With training, one could always reset and try it again. In real life it was all a one shot deal. If things didn't work out, it got messed up, it usually wouldn't end well. How could it?

Young Allison wasn't sure if she could really make Anna understand. She knew cyborgs didn't sleep. If they didn't sleep, they couldn't dream. Cameron confessed to her on more than one occasion she experienced some type of 'dreams'. They were very troubling and sounded more like nightmares to her. Cameron also told her there were times when she 'daydreamed'. She thought about something to the point where everything else didn't seem to exist, other than what she currently thought about. She didn't think any other Terminators were afflicted with the same things, at least to the same extent.

"I dreamt I was there." Young Allison said. "I wanted to help them but I couldn't."

Anna understood humans often thought dreams were real and the events were actually happening in real time. It was only when they awoke they were sure it was a dream. Even then, some dreams were so intense, people needed to be convinced the incident didn't actually take place. Her construction would never allow her to dream. She didn't have any personal experience. She hoped she never went through what Cameron went through when she was trapped inside the hidden room for months with the electrical wire tangled in her hair.

"I don't sleep, so I don't dream." Anna said. "How did you know the dream wasn't real?"

It seemed very real to Young Allison. It was like she was really there and everything happened.

"You don't know it's not real sometimes." Young Allison said. "Since it is all happening in your mind, it seems real at the time. I woke up when I thought I was going to die. It all seemed real until my eyes opened and I looked around."

Anna suppressed a glitch impulse. She didn't like Young Allison to experience bad things. She hoped she wasn't responsible for any of them.

"It sounds like it was very unpleasant." Anna said.

It seemed as real as it was unpleasant to Young Allison.

"It was." Young Allison said.

Anna thought there could be pleasant dreams then too. She wondered how it worked. She read some people made love in their dreams. She thought those would be the kind to have all of the time. Those would be sweet dreams.

"If you dream you love someone, does it seem real too?" Anna asked.

Young Allison felt many times in the morning she seemed to remember things she didn't remember dreaming about. It always seemed to be the same way since she was a child. It seemed 'normal' to her, even if it seemed it wasn't normal. It was just the way it was. She didn't know about her nightly 'conditioning' sessions, even if she 'felt' the aftereffects.

Now Young Allison wondered what else she dreamt about. Some dreams were forgotten as soon as she woke up. She wondered if she was dreaming about Savannah or maybe she 'touched' herself. She wasn't even sure when she started doing it. What she did find out years later was she always stopped too soon. She always stopped when things started to feel 'different'. One time she kept going, and BAM, she felt something new and wonderful. She was afraid to go as far again for two weeks, but 'pushed' it again, and BAM, there it was again. It took her another year to find out if she didn't stop, she could feel BAM - BAM - BAM or more in a row.

She better understood what she actually witnessed when she watched Allison or her mother with another female. Reading about it wasn't the same. She did read not to stop when she felt things start to 'change'. It was why she pushed it the first time. She read a lot of things in Cosmo before and since. She needed to refocus.

She understood everyone was different. It didn't matter if everyone was equipped with the same things from birth. They were all different in detail. Some people could feel things more intensely than other ones could. It included both pleasure and pain. There were a number of physical ailments which could affect people in negative ways for various things. She read where only one out of ten females was able to experience a 'finish' on her 'first time'. It actually didn't sound very promising. It was even a little more disconcerting to read approximately a quarter of the females never experienced a 'finish' ever. She was sure they were both physical and mental roadblocks many of those individuals faced. She didn't want to think about other people.

She was unsure where Anna's questions were going. She wanted to know a little bit more how it related to her specifically. Why else would there be so many questions?

"Did I say anything when I was restless?" Young Allison asked.

Anna heard things from Young Allison before as she listened outside her door. Last night she was right next to her.

"Yes." Anna said.

Anna didn't elaborate. It seemed intrusive to say what she heard. Based upon what Young Allison just told her, she might not even remember they occurred. If she were to mention it to Young Allison now, it would actually change how the dream occurred. Maybe it was something personal. Somehow it seemed like something dreams would be. Since they happened in the individual's mind, they all needed to be very personal.

Young Allison knew who she watched in her dream. She must have called to them before they 'died'. Maybe it was after they died.

"I called for Cameron and Savannah, didn't I?" Young Allison asked.

Anna could hear the pain and anguish in her words.

"Yes." Anna said. "It's when I decided to lay next to you. I didn't want you to be alone. You sounded like you were alone in your dream and it was very uncomfortable. It bothered me a great deal to see you in distress. I hope you don't mind because I stayed with you."

Young Allison was surprised she never knew Anna was there and so close to her. She was usually well attuned to her surroundings. It showed how a Terminator could get in close to a target if they wanted to. She was glad she wasn't a target.

"I didn't know you were there until I woke up." Young Allison said. "You could have left earlier."

Anna lifted her hand. Young Allison's hand lifted with it.

"You're still holding my hand." Anna said. "I didn't want to disturb you. I was sure as long as you held my hand I needed to be here with you. I wanted to give you whatever support I could, even if it was just being here. I felt very inadequate, but I did what I could. I was there if you needed me."

Young Allison quickly let go. She didn't know it either. Now it looked like she physically restrained Anna. She must really have needed someone if she held Anna's hand through most of her rest. She felt a little embarrassed.

"I'm sorry." Young Allison said. "I didn't know."

Anna actually found the experience to be very enlightening. She could feel Young Allison react to different parts of her dream. She didn't know what they were, but she did know parts were different. Her heartbeat and breathing would change as well as her readings.

"There's nothing to be sorry about. I found it fascinating." Anna said. "I was able to scan you all night, continuously. I've never done it before. It was a beautiful experience. I just wish I could have been in your dream with you to assist you."

Anna wondered if Young Allison ever dreamt about her. It didn't seem like the right time to ask about it.

Young Allison was worried about what else she may have said, or even worse, done. She knew there were times when she 'touched herself' when she was restless. Sometimes it helped relieve stress and anxiety.

"I hope I didn't do anything inappropriate." Young Allison said. "I don't always know what happens when I'm not fully awake. Sometimes even then I'm not sure about things."

Anna was there to encourage Young Allison to find pleasure with herself. There was no down side to it. It would benefit her when she was with others because she would know how to respond and seek what 'worked' for her. Her studies indicated there were a lot of females who weren't able to enjoy what their bodies could offer them. She was certain most of the females who were unable to finish through traditional intercourse probably didn't experiment enough when they were younger with themselves. She didn't see it as a problem for Young Allison to be curious and fulfilled.

"No. You didn't do anything wrong." Anna said. "However, it's natural to 'experiment'. You're at the age where you will want to 'experiment' more. Your body is able to provide you with new sensations. You will seek them out and expand and develop them. I think you've been able to observe some of what goes on around here and know it can be quite intense at times for those involved. I believe it should give you something to look forward to."

Young Allison turned a little 'red'.

Anna was disappointed she wasn't scanning Young Allison when it happened. She would make sure she scanned Young Allison first if the subject came up again. She would make sure both things happened. She would like to see exactly what the changes were and try to determine where they occurred. She knew they were all actually in her head.

Young Allison thought about it earlier. She was experimenting. It seemed to happen more when she was involved with CamNet and the strange relationship they were in. Savannah was able to help both of them refocus and stop what they were doing. She continued to experiment though. She was sure Anna, and everyone else, knew she was too. She needed to keep her verbal response quiet unlike Allison and her mother did. They were both vocal at times. Maybe as she got older the feelings would intensify. Maybe if she didn't need to 'hide' it, it would be better. She wanted to change the subject fast. Right now she wanted to get away from it all.

"I need to do my physical training now." Young Allison said.

She wanted a different conversation.

Anna wanted her to attend to her personal needs. Certain things needed to be done in a certain order.

"You can freshen up and you will eat a balanced meal first." Anna said.

Young Allison frowned some. It seemed she heard the same things a lot.

"Now you sound like my mother." Young Allison said.

Anna wanted Young Allison to see it for what it really was.

"Or someone who cares about you." Anna said. "It's the same as your mother does. You need to understand your mother is the one who cares but most about you and has since before you were born. Others who come into your life will care as well but it will be different than what your mother feels for you. It's her instinct to protect you. You've seen videos of all of the animals and how they protect their young. They can become extremely violent and aggressive when they need to. Your mother feels the same way for all of her daughters."

Young Allison understood the care and concern for loved ones. She knew it wasn't something to take for granted. Not everyone had parents to watch over them, or even a mother. Now she thought about Savannah and how she lost everything. It wasn't just her father, it was her mother, and it was her Liquid Metal Terminator mother as well. All of them were gone from her life at a very young age. She really wondered if something couldn't be done to 'fix' some of it. She was pretty sure if she ever got the opportunity to do so, she would try on her own. Her mind was wandering.

"I'm sorry again." Young Allison said. "I know everyone is looking out for me. Maybe we can practice swimming too."

Anna was unable to swim, but she could go in the water. There was no buoyancy to her chassis and sheath. The only way she figured she could actually move in the water would be as if she moved very fast and tried to have momentum keep her above the surface. More than likely, if she ever fell overboard from a ship, it would be a long walk back home on the seafloor. She knew it was a thought Cameron experienced before as well. She pictured herself battling various sea creatures as they attempted to attack her on her journey back to land. She wasn't sure if any of them could terminate her, but some of them would be able to damage her before she could terminate them. What was she thinking? They were going to the pool.

"I don't swim, but I will take you and accompany you." Anna said. "Do you wish to run before or after you swim?"

Young Allison wanted physical and mental 'exercise' to help her forget her dreams and the other 'things' she thought about.

"I can do both." Young Allison said. "You can test me on physics and chemistry as we run, or surprise me with a different subject. You can really test me without preparation. It will sort of be like 'mental combat'."

Young Allison sought out the challenge of being tested. She felt it drove and pushed her to do more. She always wanted to better herself. She wondered sometimes when she dreamt if she was testing herself subconsciously. She wasn't really sure how dreams worked. There didn't seem to be any definitive answer for everyone.

Anna knew the things Claire liked to do with Young Allison. She could see how special those times were to them, especially Claire. It seemed it was always pleasurable for someone to teach another something they felt very passionately about. It was almost as if they could share a piece of themselves in a different manner.

"You also need to practice your music lessons with your mother. It's a very special time for her to share what she cares about with you." Anna said. "She enjoys watching you dance too. I think she feels it's a part of her in you when you excel in those things."

Young Allison felt guilty again. She needed to think more about others. Other people mattered too. There was another issue, it was a big one. She knew the troops were far from done in the field. They were still teams out there searching. There were still two more big trucks to track down and probably a number of box cars, as well as storage locations of HK equipment. Skynet didn't sleep either. She wanted to talk about something different.

"What about operations?" Young Allison asked. "There are still things happening, even as I was asleep. I know they needed to travel to where the new leads were. I need to find out what happened, and what's being done."

Young Allison knew there were Terminators still out searching for the other two trucks. They were at it all night.

Anna already knew how things were supposed to play out.

"Cameron and Savannah won't be involved in any operations. They're to come and see you." Anna said. "Savannah wishes to speak with you about some 'things'."

Young Allison was thrilled to hear it, but she was as quickly worried where things were actually headed. Savannah 'shared' with Allison when she should spend time with her. There was no reason they couldn't be the ones to 'share'. It was going to happen anyway. Why couldn't it be now? She was more than ready now since she knew what her body could 'feel'. She could only imagine how special it would be to have the same feeling delivered by someone she loved. She wanted it to be Savannah.

"Is she coming to see me or Allison?" Young Allison asked.

Anna thought she covered the bases on it. It was always a touchy subject which she didn't care to become involved in. There was little she could do about it. Savannah was free to make her own decisions, even if Young Allison wasn't.

"It will be both." Anna said. "She wishes to see you first and spend as much time with you as she needs to."

Young Allison wasn't sure it was going to be a pleasant visit with Anna's wording. She hoped for a distraction for Allison and her mother. She knew the girls all liked to be with her mother. She was aware Savannah did as well. It didn't bother her as much as she thought it would. She hoped to have some indirect influence over what would actually occur.

"Maybe Savannah can bring Vanna. I asked you if you could make it happen before." Young Allison said. "If Vanna is here, the people who belong together, will be together. I don't think it's an unreasonable suggestion on anyone's part. I'm sure if anyone were to ask Vanna, she would be more than happy to come anytime Savannah did to see her true love, Allison."

Anna was assured it would happen this time. Maybe it should happen every time. Young Allison's suggestion actually seemed like a good one. She thought it would take a lot of pressure off of Young Allison if Vanna and Allison could be together all of the time. She was sure Savannah would still be able to see Allison, when Vanna was able to spend some time with Claire. It was a very involved situation from every level.

"I've relayed the information. Allison loves both of them, Vanna and Savannah." Anna said. "They are the SAME person."

Young Allison saw things a little differently. It was because they were different.

"Allison may be 'me', but I'm not her." Young Allison said. "Vanna may be Savannah but Savannah is not Vanna. Maybe Vanna would like to spend a little time with me. I'm not opposed to the idea. Vanna is the same as Savannah right?"

Anna was appalled at Young Allison's suggestion. There was actually nothing to prevent such an event from happening. She was sure Vanna wouldn't mind the 'original version' of Allison as she first remembered her. Somehow she knew it was a bad idea. She didn't want to be pulled into the conversation. It was time to put the brakes on it.

"I don't want to have THIS discussion." Anna said. "YOU need to speak with Savannah about everything. I'm not even going to comment on your last suggestion. We both know it's not the right thing."

Young Allison counted on the 'Savannah' in Anna to help her out and back her up.

"I thought it was…." Young Allison said.

Anna changed directions. It was time to move on and get away from the personal subjects. She was sure it would all happen at some point anyway. Why wouldn't it? it happened with everyone else, in every timeline. Young Allison wouldn't be any different.

"I'll make you breakfast." Anna said. "Let's get started."

Young Allison wanted to know the current state of operations.

"Don't you want to see what happened with everything since I went to bed?" Young Allison asked. "I do."

Anna held up her phone. There were less invasive ways to obtain and share the information. She could also control the narrative this way. Young Allison wouldn't go off on a tangent.

"I'll fill you in as we exercise…." Anna said. "I have all the answers."

Young Allison took care of all the morning 'business' before she went to get breakfast. She looked in the mirror at herself. She didn't know why. She just looked. Maybe it was to make sure everything was real. The night's dreams still bothered her.

Maybe it was the things she 'remembered' she didn't remember dreaming about which were most troublesome. She really wondered sometimes where all the ideas and thoughts came from.

Anna took the opportunity to 'condition' Young Allison through much of her sleep last night. She was already there so she made the most of it. She did what she could to put peaceful thoughts into Young Allison's mind when the nightmares started to creep in.

Young Allison ate her 'balanced meal' and headed out for her PT.

Anna filled Young Allison in on everything as they ran. They soon reached the pool at the park.

They went into the female's locker room and changed.

Young Allison looked at Anna as she put her swimsuit on. She always 'looked' without looking at Anna or Savannah. She loved to see their beautiful figures. She wanted to look the same way too. Now Anna was 'different'. Her body no longer filled her swimsuit. The 'changes' to her sheath bothered her.

"Your swimsuit doesn't fit you as nice anymore." Young Allison said. "It looks a little loose."

Anna felt a glitch impulse. It was a subject which was very troubling to her. She only recently was able to deal with it. She was still appalled whenever she looked in the mirror naked. She felt she was less 'female' now. She pulled it together and tried to blow it off as no big deal. It was a big deal to her.

"I must admit I find it somewhat disturbing. I was accustomed to my previous appearance." Anna said. "You know my sheath is Resequencing to a slightly younger appearance."

Anna faced Young Allison and rotated side to side.

Young Allison thought Anna was still beautiful.

"It's happening much faster than I thought it would." Young Allison said. "You will look more like me in a few days."

Anna looked down at the front of her sheath and pulled the swimsuit forward to look inside.

"I think I look young enough right now. Appearances can be deceiving." Anna said. "I'm a machine and you're vastly advanced beyond your physical years in your knowledge. We will both be more than we seem."

Young Allison reached into her backpack before she put her clothes in it, she took something out.

"Last time when we were at the mall I bought you something." Young Allison said.

It was a flotation device to fit around Anna's waist.

Anna was thrilled at the idea. She could float in the water for once. She wondered what it would feel like. It was never a good feeling to sink to the bottom rather unceremoniously.

"You got it for me? I want to try it." Anna said. "It may work. Thank You."

Young Allison wanted Anna to swim with her, even if it was awkward for Anna. She wanted to share the experience with her. There was a functional use as well.

"We're here early so no one will give us a hard time." Young Allison said. "It may not look the greatest, but I did want to see if it would help you. They make some which will self inflate. If our Terminators ever need to operate on a boat or around water they could prove useful."

Young Allison looked around to make sure everything was clear. Two of the Detail came with them. One would act as Anna's 'father' if the need arose. The extra muscle was always nice to have around.

Anna was able to 'swim' as Young Allison helped her.

"This is very different from what I imagined." Anna said.

Young Allison knew her future and her 'duties'. She didn't look forward to some of them, but she would do them. She needed to keep her promises and help protect the future and John.

"I'm sure a lot of my 'experiences' will be as well." Young Allison said. "I'm still going to need to do them."

Anna could see the uneasiness Young Allison experienced when she thought about things which would happen in the future, or even when she was older. Maybe she needed to slack off on the 'conditioning' some. Some of those things were 'heavy' for a person to contemplate who never did them. Most of what was on the internet was rather crude and invasive. She didn't care for what she witnessed either. She actually wondered what was wrong with some of those people. It included the people giving, as well as receiving. Most of it was very degrading.

"Yes. The ways of the future are already set." Anna said. "You're still a long way from those 'obligations'. You mustn't think about them or dwell on them. They will all happen, when they are to happen. It will be right when the time is right."

Young Allison swam for a long time back and forth in the large pool. She mulled over her future and her dreams. She wondered what she wanted for herself. Maybe her whole life was for 'others' to decide and use her for.

Anna didn't like the silence Young Allison slipped into.

"You look tired." Anna said.

Young Allison focused on her swimming ability to make the 'other things' go away for now.

"I am tired." Young Allison said. "I need to push myself a little harder, a little longer. I'm working on my breathing. I want to build speed and endurance."

Anna 'swam' next to Young Allison the entire time.

When they finished they got dressed again.

"You look even smaller now." Young Allison said.

Anna looked down at her sheath.

"I am. The colder temperature of the water seemed to accelerate the process, except in certain 'parts'. They're standing out more." Anna said. "Do you want to jog back or run?"

Young Allison smiled with the revelation. She was aware her body responded the same way at times. She thought about how to go back home. There were several options open to them.

"I'd say, 'I will race you', but it's a contest I can't win." Young Allison said.

Anna wanted to give Young Allison some options.

"You can establish rules and restrictions for me." Anna said. "It would make it fair and competitive. I would adhere to your rules and guidelines as long as they were done in good taste and not degrading to me."

Young Allison thought Anna knew her physical abilities at this point.

"You know the rate I run and tire at." Young Allison said.

Anna knew Young Allison expended a lot of energy already.

"I do." Anna said. "But you've already run and practiced swimming. You won't be at your prime ability."

Young Allison was up to a challenge. It would prevent her from slacking off and she would need to exert herself.

"Set your 'speed' for my normal speed when I start out in the morning." Young Allison said. "It will push me some."

Anna didn't want to overdo it.

"You'll still be at a disadvantage now." Anna said. "You're tired."

Young Allison flashed Anna her sly smile.

"It will make my victory much sweeter." Young Allison said. "I want the challenge."

Young Allison always chose the challenge in whatever she did. It was what Cameron and Savannah asked her to do. It was about being the best, and then making herself better….

She saw Savannah always push herself. She was aware Savannah took the risks for real when the need arose. Savannah didn't back away from the fight, especially when she was defending those she loved. It seemed during those times Savannah excelled and was even better than in practice or simulations. She really wondered if she would ever be able to do the same. She doubted it.

It would be her goal to develop The same ability and fortitude. She would never be a Terminator, but she wanted to be at least as close to Savannah in ability as possible. Savannah wasn't a Terminator either. She was a teenager.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

I'm Perfect

Upon each other
We can heap lots of praise
It gets us very little
As we negotiate life's maze

We can try really hard
To stay ahead of life's game
We can point a finger to blame
Or to each other say a vile name

It is all more of the same
It buys us nothing but hurt
As angry words to each other
We may often rudely blurt

Existence becomes a battle
Each day a brutal slog
Our minds can clog
Each day turns into a fog

I may not know everything
But one thing I can predict
I know I'll never be able to say
I'm perfect

Nobody