-*- mode: text; fill-column: 79; -*- `Ne, Mako, want to go out?' `Where?' `Here.' Pull out the VGAi manga and show her the bit with the confrontation between Mai and Ai-chan. `And I suppose you have a new toy for the trip.' Her voice makes clear it isn't a question. `That new beam saber with the horrendous magnetic interference.' `Pin-pon. So, are we going?' `Just what are we planning on doing to them?' `Not much. See if we can't set up a nice three-way.' `Of course we _can,_ but where's the fun in that?' `I meant without mucking with people's persona-matrixes.' `Thought so. Sure, when're we coming back?' `When I have my math done.' `Local time.' `20 minutes?' `Fine. The rice will be done by then.' She checks the rice and the dozen sapphires of her emergency kit, gathers her school bag, looks up at me, `You ready?' `Un.' Wrap my arms about her and trigger the spell. We arrive as planned, on the top of Tokyo Tower. We break apart, each grabbing onto a convient antenna support frame, and look out over the city. `See? Told you this was a good place for making a quiet entrance to a new world.' She nods, complains, `You coulda warned me to change into my flight suit first.' She bounces off into space as she triggers the transformation. The flash is muffled by the nearby antenna, but still feels like a great big `look here' sign. Oh well. I spread my wings and drop into space after her. `When did we get here?' `A week early. I want to find out what Mai looks like in person.' `And do a quick scan of her tape while we're at it?' I don't answer Mako's rhetorical question. `Sure. Let's find the school.' It takes less time than expected, as the local computers are both well connected and very open. Welaway, we drop onto the roof after a few minutes flight, and I shake out my wings and fold them at my back while Mako picks the lock. Matsui-kun looks nigh on dead when we get to the AV room. `Matsui-kun. Mai-chan. Its so nice to meet you at last! Here, let me help you up.' I pick him up bodily, left handed, let the spells push at their controls, and let the healing spells muck with him, clean up his chemistry, and attempt to fix a week's neglect. It mostly succeedes, and the computer s me, telling me that it's done scanning Mai's tape. `You feel better? Good. Mai isn't going to disappear if you take her home, get something to eat, introduce her to your parents and get some sleep. Ja ne.' Matsui-kun responds to the command in my tone, and the two of them leave. Mako turns to me, `You know this will really muck up the story.' `Hai. Want to go check on Nobuko-chan?' `You already know where her house is?' `Un. Ikimashou ka?' She follows, and we buzz a commuter-train full of people returning at 9 in the evening. One little girl calls out, `Papa! It's Iczer-two and Iczer-three!' I slow to match the train, wave, then speed up again. Mako-chan blew the girl a kiss. `I want a daughter like that someday.' I say, wondering if the girl would have recognized the outfits without the spell on my hair. It is finally long enough to pull off the appropriately tangled mess, and now it was firmer than a gallon of hairspray would have managed. Combined with our outfits, built from elements of dozens of anime and manga, it was surprising that she figured out the intended look. I personally feel the black jackboots and tight armorcloth suit Mako-chan very well, and occasionally make a point of letting her know. We quickly arrive at our destination, and find Nobuko in her room. She doesn't notice us during the three minutes that we watch her, and I take the readings we had come for. `Ara! She's a 5.5.' Mako-chan voices the thought. `I'm thinking more of a five, but she's pretty close. Poor child, to be stuck someplace like this.' Mako nods, asks, `So, shall we check on Moemi-chan?' I nod. It takes us two tries because the school has her address wrong. As Moemi-chan read out as about a three our plot was looking more and more feasible. *Need to check Ai-chan still, and Youta-chan.* Mako glares at me. `What! I didn't say it out loud.' `Really? You were thinking damn loud, then.' `You were eavesdropping!' We continue to bicker happily, walking for rememberance of what happened the last time we tried to fly and argue at the same time. I really hadn't meant to collapse that electric pole, and the exploding transfomer was quite unexepected. `I can't read her,' I whine, across the street from where Ai-chan is staying. `Guess you'll have to do that the hard way,' Mako-chan tells me. I nod, `But it'll be less fun if she's not into girls.' `True, but it might still work out, even if she's straight.' `Yep!' I nod, decisively, and shake my wings out. She lights her beam-tsubasa, and I take off after her. The whine of the elevator motors wakes us in the morning. Mako-chan sits up and stretches, her breasts shifting enticingly as she yawns. She smiles, `See something you like?' `Only the prettiest girl in known space,' I smile up at her. `Flatterer,' she scolds, smiling, then leans forward and kisses me. I wrap my wings around her, loving, as usual, the soft touch of her skin against their membranes. It's a while later that we pack the tent and bedding up. I remove the locking spell on the closet we borrowed, and we slip out onto the roof. `Shall we?' `Lets.' I throw myself off the roof, Mako-chan following, beam-tsubasa already lit. I fall for a few stories, then spread my wings, pulling up with a single downbeat, and soar. It's lots of fun, but the locals don't seem to be used to it. I wave at the news helicopter, and the pilot waves tentatively back. I smile, and tuck my wings, diving towards the ground. Within moments, I'm down, and the helicopter is circling a few kilometers away, giving me time to get my disguise spells together. By the time Mako-chan arrives, I look like plain old Mizuno Suika again, blue hair tied back in a tidy braid, pretty face unchanged from when I recieved it from Ami, save for a few more holes in each ear, and silver hoops. Mako-chan just drops back to normal, and holds out her hand. I take it, and we walk off vaugely towards the target's school. I wrap an invisible wing around her shoulder, and she reaches up to twine her fingers with the three short clawed fingers, the longer three serve to support and shape the wing. I wrap my tip-finger across her belly, and try to lift her shirt with the claw at its end, but she catches it, letting go of my hand to do so. `Not right now,' she lets go, and takes my hand again, so I desist, contenting myself with rubbing small circles against her jeans-clad thigh with the fingertip, claw held back and out of the way. Youta-chan is just as indecisive as expected, and mostly straight. During lunch, I make my approach, `Ai-chan,' I greet the video girl. `Hello,' she pauses. `I'm Suika,' I tell her, `I'd like to help you.' She just about gives me the hairy eyeball. `Think of me as your fairy godmother,' I say, and force my disguise spells down for a moment. She blinks, `You had wings.' `Yep.' `Black ones.' `Mostly, yes.' `Are you a good fairy or a wicked fairy?' she asks, concerned. `Oh, a wicked fairy. My girlfriend seems to like it, though.' She smiles, `That's good.' `You have a problem. Actually, you have several problems, but only one of them that I don't think you can resolve well on your own.' `Oh? What problems?' `The man who made you wants you erased, and has called in another video girl to help. You're missing a good chunk of your memories. You're in love with the same boy as two other girls.' `And which don't you think I'll resolve well?' `That you're missing your memories. You can recognize the charms of your, _rivals_, just as easily as I could, and surely realize that having three people who love you is much better than one. You have friends who will help you with both Rolex and Mai-chan, and a good heart,' with that, I bring up an obfuscation, and walk away, leaving her staring at the spot I was standing in. Mako-chan grabs me, and pulls me behind a tree, `That was slick. Will it work?' `Maybe. We get to play voyuer for a while and see,' I smile up at her, and she leans down to kiss me. I tangle my fingers in her lovely brown hair, and wrap my wings about her, holding her tightly to me. After a bit, she breaks the kiss, and we secure a spot to watch from. Ai-chan is still standing where I left her, a pensive look on her face, turning slowly from side to side. After a minute more, she suddenly smiles, and flounces off, her ridiculously short skirt bouncing about her hips. We trail after her. She stops in front of Nobuko-chan with a sway of skirt, and Nobuko-chan's eyes follow it for an instant before she turns to Ai-chan's face, `Amano-sempai?' `I like you,' Ai-chan blurts, a pretty blush coloring her cheeks, `I like you a lot, and think you're a wonderful girl.' Nobuko-chan looks confused, mostly. `And I don't want to compete against you anymore,' she takes two more steps, then drops into Nobuko-chan's lap, straddling the girl, trapping her against the bench. Noboko-chan gasps, her eyes going wide and dark. Ai-chan leans in, and kisses her. Nobuko-chan moans, deep in her throat, and clutches Ai-chan close. One of the boys drops, blood covering his face. Several others grab their noses and flee the scene. A girl claps. Ai-chan, blushing brightly, stands up, extends a hand to Nobuko-chan, and asks, a little breathlessly, `Hinan shiou?' * `Running away sounds better,' Nobuko-chan says, taking Ai-chan's hand and standing up. `Yosh! Nigemashou!' Ai-chan giggles, and starts off, drawing the other girl along by her hand. `Goal!' I crow, softly. Mako-chan smacks me on the top of my head. * [I had this in English, but it didn't sound as nice -- this is the violational form of `evacuate' as in `seek shelter', thus `let's evacuate'. One can hear BOC maul it in `Godzilla', where it is `Hinan shitte kudasai' `Please evacuate' --S] `So, are we going to go watch?' I ask, pulling out a grasshopper-sized autonomous surveilance drone. Mako-chan closes my fingers over it, `No,' she smiles, `We can pretty much guess what they'll be up to, and doing is much more fun than watching.' `I don't know,' I say, turning so that I have to look up at her out of the corner of my eye, and smiling, `Watching is sometimes quite--' She cuts me off by dropping her head onto my shoulder, `Enough,' she says, laughing, `Are you going to pull another intervention, or let them approach Moemi-chan and Youta-chan on their own?' `I'll give them a couple days, then intervene if I get frustrated.' `Sounds good,' Mako-chan steps back, and I bounce off after the two girls. They're in class together, giggling, glancing at Youta-chan, blushing, glancing at each other, blushing, and generally being disruptive of the educational process. No one seems to mind much, which is nice. The two of them walk out together, and Youta-chan watches them go, a hurt look flittering across his features every few moments. `I'll look after Youta-chan, you keep the girls safe,' Mako-chan tells me. `Ryoukai!' I say, snapping to attention and saluting crisply, right fist over my heart. `Go,' she says, and I about-face and set off. Two girls hand-in-hand, or even arm-in-arm is normal enough not to raise any eyebrows. Occasionally wrapping one's arm around another girl's waist isn't going to draw stares either. The reciprocal arm around the shoulders, along with them stopping every half-block or so to resume kissing . . . that's enough to draw attention. Most everyone's smiling about it, which is good. I hang back, and watch. They don't notice me, and since I've dropped the obfuscation, that is not a good sign, so I continue along after them. They've almost reached the house that Ai-chan is staying at with Gokuraku-san, and I relax a little, so I'm as startled as the girls when two young men step out into their path. `What have we here?' one says, and I notice there's no one else around for blocks. `We're headed home, and you're in our way,' Nobuko-chan answers, firmly. `In their way, did you hear that?' he says to his friend, `Maybe we just want to talk. Would you come with us for some tea?' `No,' Ai-chan tells him, `If you just wanted to talk, you'd be picking up girls your own ages.' `Oh,' the silent boy says, `I'm hurt,' and clutches his heart dramatically. `So, we'll be on our way,' Ai-chan says, and starts to lead Nobuko-chan around them. `Please, we really want to talk to you,' the first boy says, and places his hand on Nobuko-chan's shoulder. A crackling bolt of electricity throws him against the wall, then gathers around Ai-chan's hands, flaring and shifting. His friend rushes over, `Hiro, are you OK?' `Yeah, 'Suke,' the injured boy answers. `Suke looks up, `Really, all we wanted was to talk. It's just nice to meet family on the street, OK?' The crackles around Ai-chan fades a bit, `Family,' she says. `Douseiaijin,' he says, `We didn't mean any harm, so you can put the Jedi lightning away, please.' `How'd you know we're queer,' Ai-chan asks. `We were kinda obvious,' Nobuko-chan says, `You came off very creepy-straight,' she tells 'Suke. `Sorry, I didn't mean to,' he pokes his friend, `but I can't be sure about this lump. I'm Yuusuke, this is Hiro.' `Nobuko and Ai,' Nobuko-chan makes the introductions. `See you 'round?' 'Suke asks. `Probably,' Ai-chan answers. They head off more slowly. `Why'd you have to tell them,' Hiro moans once they were down the block a bit, `We coulda strung them along for a little bit longer.' `'Cause she coulda killed you, you idiot.' `Didja see the lightning? That was like, wow! I wanna know how she did it. D'ya think she'll teach me?' `Only if you stop scaring her girl.' `But it was so much fun.' `Even, I take it, the part where you got lightninged.' `Especially . . . ' he's saying as they pass out of earshot. Once they're inside, I throw myself into the air, dropping my disguise magics altogether, and wing towards Mako-chan. I drop some of my attention to the recording of Mako-chan trailing Youta-chan and Moemi-chan home, playing it at about four times normal speed. Moemi-chan and Youta-chan walk home, not touching, not really speaking for the first while, then, suddenly, `I'm glad they're not fighting anymore, but,' `Their being together bothers you?' `Yes.' `Because they're girls?' `No, because I like them,' Youta sighs, `I like you, too.' `Why didn't you say that before?' `Because you had Takashi, and he's my friend too. I knew you wouldn't hurt him, because you're wonderful.' `I think I might have,' she says, `So I can't be perfect.' `You're still wonderful,' he sighs. `Not as wonderful as Ai,' she says, softly. `Not as needy as Ai-chan,' Youta-chan tells her. `Is that why you ran off after kissing Nobuko-chan? Because Ai-chan needed you?' `Yes. She'd spent the night walking around in the rain, and called me late, then tried to pretend she was OK,' Youta-chan sighed, and kicked at a rock, `That's one of the reasons I like her, but,' he shakes his head, `It would be nice if she took care of herself more.' `It would be nice if I'd known you liked me before I gave up on you.' Moemi-chan says. `Before you gave up on me?' Youta-chan asks, confused, and then his face closes up, settling into a blank unreadability. `Youta-kun?' Moemi-chan asks. `We're at your house,' Youta-chan says, `I'll see you tomorrow?' `Of course,' Moemi-chan says, and frowns, her eyes glittering. `Well then,' and Youta-chan turns, and walks away, blinking at the wetness of his eyes. After a block, Mako-chan appears in front of him, her arms crossed in front of her chest, `You know, if you never tell anyone when it hurts, they'll keep hurting you.' `Who are you?' `Your fairy godmother's girlfriend.' `Oh. Kay.' `Not yet, but it could be. You keep trying to be cool, trying to hide the fact that it hurts, trying to say what they want to hear. Stop lying, and live a little. Bare your heart to those you like, and see what happens.' `I'll get hurt, again.' `You're hurting now. It's a question of whether it is better to have your intestines eaten by seagulls or be impaled on a waist-high wooden stake up the rectum. Life's gonna fuck you, and you have to decide how you are going to cope.' Youta-chan is cringing at the imagery, `And that's supposed to make me feel better?' `No, it's supposed to make you talk to the girls you like, tell them the truth, and see what they tell you.' `Why would they want to hear the truth? They have better people to be with than me,' Youta-chan says, and closes his eyes, dropping his face. It doesn't go well with his carefully groomed look. `It isn't always about better, not everyone agrees on who's better, and pairs are just easier, most of the time, not ordained.' `Ordained?' `The only way. Triads aren't that unusual, and Quads aren't unknown, even long-term stable ones.' `Quads?' `Groups of four. I know a group of five who've been together for twenty years so far.' `Oh.' `Think about it,' Mako-chan tells him, then disappears. Youta-chan shakes his head, then walks home, with a little more bounce in his step. `So, Mako-chan, you decided to intervene on your own?' `Yeah. I could see too much of myself in him.' `A lot of me, too,' I tell her, and nuzzle close, tucking my face into the curve of her breast. `Moemi-chan!' Youta-chan greets her on the way to school. `Youta,' she greets back. He blinks, but holds out a hand, and she takes it. Their thumbs move gently as they walk, caressing what of the other's hand they can reach. They wait by the gate. `Nobuko-chan!' Moemi-chan calls, holding out her free hand. `Ai-chan!' Youta-chan calls at the same time, holding out his free hand. The two girls look at each other, then, still holding hands, rush up, each grasping a hand. The moment stretches, just starting to become awkward, when Ai-chan leans across and kisses Moemi-chan. Youta-chan looks over their heads, apprehensive, at Nobuko-chan. Nobuko-chan smiles. `OK, that worked, at least the first stage. I guess I have to do my math now,' I half-whine the second sentance. `Yep.' Mako-chan smiles at me. `Ahh ahh.' I sigh, and leap into flight, wings beating furiously. Mako-chan chases me down, and, after a pleasant interlude, seats me in front of my calculous book. I finish a few problems before my mind wanders, and my hands follow, drifting slow circles around Mako-chan's bare back, down over the soft roundness of her butt, the firm sleekness of her thighs. Another pleasant interlude ensues, then, in the morning, she sets me in front of my math text again. I finish all of them, but only write down half. `All right!' I shout, and pull a small, square device from nowhere, slapping it onto the table, `Let us see if we can dub Mai-chan off,' I say, standing up. `Are you done with your math?' `Of course not,' I look up at her indignantly, and her pupils dilate beautifully, limpid blackness ringed by brilliant green, I groan, deep in my throat, and press myself to her. We manage, eventually, to get dressed again, and head out. Mai's tape, somehow, is still playing, so I let the 'puter scan it again, looking around to see what they keep in the audio-video room. Not much of interest. *Ping* I trace the magics, and check the scans. Looks good. I dump a copy of her tape to the reproduction Moon Kingdom PVR in my hand, including a copy of the operating spells. It blinks four times, long, short, short, long. I hit play. I can feel the success, and press stop on the VCR. One of the Mais at Matsui's house vanishes. I pop her tape, and run it through the bulk eraser. `So it worked?' `Or I just killed her,' I say, and walk out the door, scrubbing the lock to close it behind me. I extract my lockpicks, and we head out. Matsui's house is small, and plain. I knock on the door, and Mai answers. She's wearing a different outfit, much less gaudy. `I'm guessing you're responcible for me just appearing a few feet from myself, before my other self disappeared,' she says. `Yep. I dubbed you off, onto this,' I hand her the PVR, `and erased your tape. So long as that isn't destroyed, you'll continue to exist.' She looks at the little white box in her hands, `And the buttons are turned off?' she says, having poked the pause button. `Hold switch, at the top.' She looks, but doesn't touch it, `Why?' `'Cause I wanted to.' `And you wanted to test it before you use it on Ai.' `That, too,' I take a couple steps back, `Speaking of which,' and another, `I don't want you to try and erase her,' I brandish the beam-naginata I'm now holding, and light it. Mai squeels unhappily, and even from three meters away her image ripples. `Gotcha!' she nods, vigorously. `Good,' and I flick the naginata off. Mai-chan pokes at her flesh, looks up, `Thank you,' and walks inside the house. Gokuraku looks startled to see us, when I finally knock. `I've got a present for you,' I tell him. `For me?' he asks. `More for Ai-chan, but for you as well.' `What is it?' `This,' and I hold up another PVR. `Which is?' `A Personal Video Recorder. Solid state device, sort of like a VCR, which can provide a video girl with indefinate run time.' `Oh?' `Rolex's new girl took to it easily enough, anyway.' *Ping* the 'puter pokes me. `May I come in?' He nods, and steps out of the way. I stand next to the VCR, and wait for Ai-chan to fall asleep, after _whatever_ has her heart rate up stops. Once she does, I wait for the PVR to blink, long, short, short, long. I press pause on the VCR, and play on the PVR. Pain flashes through her, and I press stop on the VCR as she calms, then returns to sleep, warm and safe feeling. `Here you go,' I hand him the PVR. `One for you,' I tell Ai-chan, handing her a PVR. `What is it?' `A PVR. It's set to start playing if the one the old man has stops.' `What's on it?' `You, backed up every day. See, it's counting down since the last time you were backed up.' `Wow,' Ai-chan smiles at me, tears glistening on her cheeks. Nobuko-chan, Moemi-chan, and Youta-chan are all hugging Ai-chan, crying happily. `One for you, one for you, and one for you,' I hand over three more. `If your main program is changed too much in too short of a time, it'll save a new program of you, to try and make sure not to overwrite a good copy if your master gets corrupted.' `Cool,' Ai-chan hugs me, then Mako-chan, then her lovers do the same. `You're the best fairy godmother a girl's ever had,' she tells me, `Not least because you're kinda wicked. Thank you,' and she hugs me again, and kisses my cheek. `You're welcome,' I tell her with a smile. `It was nice meeting you,' Mako-chan tells them, and obfuscates us both. `Bye Bye!' Ai-chan and Nobuko-chan wave. After a moment, Moemi-chan and Youta-chan join her. `Shall we go?' `Lets.' With a flash of light that is dazzlingly bright in the confined space of our kitchen, we're back where we started, and Mako-chan moves to check the rice. -Fin- --- log: EKW: thought up EKW: started 3167/Aftermath/30: added a whole sentence! Whoo! 3168/Aftermath/73: tiny, tiny edits 3169/Aftermath/36: Added a bit, and realized one of the reasons this is hard to write -- WAFFy stuff about alternate-me is somewhat depressing since I'm such a wuss when it comes to relationships. Ah well. Continued some more, just 'cause. I'm reading my VGAi script, which is and isn't helping . . . 3169/Aftermath/37: Continued. 3169/Aftermath/38: Finished! Wow! heh. 3170/Aftermath/17: Tiny edit.