Before we left, Usagi cast her spell on the gemstone. First the black crescent moon icon faded, and then the stone went as dark as onyx. We left quickly before the police would show up, but not before Rei fried the surveillance system. The police may not be willing to look too carefully at the Sailor Senshi, but I was a different matter.
Soon enough, we were arriving back at the Hikawa Shrine, and just in time for what would be our first after-action meeting.
“Hey kid,” said Mao as we entered the living quarters. “Heard things got hairy for ya. You should have called.”
“Sorry,” I said a bit sheepishly. “I might have, but it turned out she was pretty easy to handle. I got a gift for the R&D guys, though.”
“Wait, ‘She’?” said Mao in surprise.
“Yeah, I’ll tell you guys more in a minute. Let’s just get settled in first.”
##Soon, everyone was accounted for. Sousuke was outside in plain clothes, pretending to be a visitor to the shrine while Kurz was in the Armslave watching from nearby with the cloak up. Everyone else was inside, including Kubiak, Kaname, and Naru. Even Grandfather Hino was present, as he was in on the whole thing anyhow. Slowly, I went through the story about what happened, answering questions as they came up. Mao’s were objective. Luna’s where a bit more speculative. Everyone else’s ran the gamut from ‘Good Question’ to ‘How the Heck is that Relevant!?’.
“So,” Mao began contemplatively as she sipped a melon soda, and probably dearly wishing for cheap beer instead. “We have a new group of players on the scene calling themselves the Black Moon Clan, and they’re being spearheaded by these ‘Ayakashi Sisters’ who are led by a guy named Rubeus. They also employ drone soldiers that may or may not be nanomachine colonies controlled by gemstone computers.” She then groaned resentfully and I then knew for sure she didn’t just want beer, but Wild Turkey instead. “You do realize that this is a nightmare, right?” grumbled Mao.
I shrugged. “It’ll be a headache for the brass. Look, I know where you’re coming from here. These Droids seem pretty nasty, and they can be. But they’re as susceptible to shrapnel as you and me, with the only difference being that they can put themselves back together again. However, while they’re doing that, they’re vulnerable. Pry off the gemstone with a combat knife and the combatant is down, permanently.”
“What if we just shoot the gemstones?” countered Mao.
“I think they may be tougher than they look. Sitting on their foreheads like that makes them into clear targets, so I would imagine that if you’re gonna try to shoot one, use something chambered for .50-cal BMG. Besides, there’s also the Senshi. Sailor Moon’s purification ability seems to purge the gemstone computers. At the very least I have no idea how to reactivate this one.”
Mao shrugged. “Well, there’s nothing for it then. You might as well send that into R&D. The eggheads should be able to figure it out. Also, do you have any idea how the hell these guys are keeping a mobile base in sub-orbit over the city without tripping any radars?”
I shrugged back at Mao. “They’re probably phase-shifted.”
“What-shifted?”
“Out of phase with our reality. Just a tad. Radar wouldn’t pick them up, but I bet there’s a gravitational anomaly. Pass that along to Teletha. She should know whose ear to whisper into.”
“How do you figure that?” asked Mao.
“Simple. They gotta be using some sort of anti-gravity engine to keep that monstrosity in the air. And as long as they’re not completely out of synch with reality, pun not intended, then the effect that engine is having should bleed over.”
Mao snorted. “Sounds like they’re being a little overconfident.”
“Not really. They just weren’t expecting anyone to have a gravitometer sensitive enough to detect them in this area in this time period.” I then gave Mao an evil grin. “Let’s disabuse them of that notion, shall we?”
##
I packed up the gemstone and the nanomachine samples, then handed them over to Mao so she could have them shipped through the appropriate carriers. Later that night after everyone had left, I went to work on setting up the work station. It came with everything I needed, including a hardware-encrypted satellite transceiver unit to provide a secure data connection. Fortunately, all I had to do was point it through my window. If anyone was going to be eavesdropping, they’d have to be in my room or at the receiving end.
“How is it going?” I heard Rei from outside my door. Ever since we’d settled things between each other, I’d taken to leaving it open - a sign of open invitation.
I turned and saw Rei standing in my door wearing pink flannel pajamas. I smiled - it wasn’t a particularly glamorous appearance for her, but it was down to earth. They covered her up well, and Rei had a body that was fairly difficult to hide. That helped to bring out the small, earnest smile on her mouth and the look of mingled curiosity and mild concern in her eyes.
“So-so,” I replied with a smile of my own as I turned back to my work. “I’m having to set up the OS manually. Mithril’s procedures don’t permit for a machine ready-configured to connect to their secured networks to ever be shipped, so I’m having to establish a connection to a special server just so I can verify that I am who I am.”
“I thought you said this machine had hardware that does that,” said Rei as she crossed the threshold and settled on the floor next to me - I didn’t have a chair, my desk being one of the low-profile variety that you’re meant to kneel or sit on the floor.
“Just the encryption algorithms,” I reminded her. “Those are so complex that the only way a fast connection can be maintained is if that’s all handled by dedicated processors. For all intents and purposes, this computer is actually two in the package of one.”
“So what exactly is happening here then?”
“I’m working on getting a hold of the digital security certificates that will allow me to establish a connection with the secure networks. Once I get that, it’s all going to be placed on this USB flash-drive here.” With that, I gestured to a small and absurdly rugged looking thumb drive. “It even has a crypto-locked keyring case.” I then gestured to the case in question. It did indeed have a keyring, and a series of five lettered push-buttons. It was designed for the flash drive to slide inside the device for a snug fit that would not allow anyone to connect leads to the USB terminals. “I’m not supposed to leave this machine unattended without removing this flash drive. This will be a digital key for for the secure networks.”
Rei gave me a startled look. “All this just for online courses!?”
“Online courses for classified material,” I reminded her. “I’m allowing you in here right now because Teletha has granted you and the rest of the Senshi clearance on whatever I learn on a need-to-know basis. She also feels that I’ll be a pretty good judge of what a need-to-know will constitute for you. Finally, she knew I’d be running into weird shit that R&D would want to know about. If I had this up and running right away, I wouldn’t have needed to bother Mao with the work of getting those samples shipped out - I could have made arrangements through the secure network.”
That mollified Rei quickly enough. “Well, I can see that then. But what will this change?”
I shrugged. “Well, Mithril considers me their property now - within reason. It’s all in the contract, but the short version is that in exchange for the generous pay, sign on bonus, and this issued equipment - I get to keep this workstation except for the hard drive and encryption hardware, those will have to be physically destroyed at some point in time - Mithril gets to have me for at least eight years.”
Rei suddenly glared at me. “Eight years!?”
“Easy!” I warned her back. “It’s not like I’ve sold myself into indentured service. I get pay, housing allowance, food allowance (thank you, Teletha!), cost of living adjustments, any applicable bonus pays, education stipends, and even vacation time. And it’s all very much the same sort of compensation that American servicemen get - and that is nothing to sneer at no matter where you come from. In fact, I may need your help.”
“How so?” said Rei, suddenly puzzled.
“I can’t buy property here in Japan because I’m not a Japanese citizen. However, if I were to designate a Japanese National to hold property for me in my name, then that’s a different matter.”
“You want to buy a house!?” cried out Rei, her eyes practically goggling. And it’s not too hard to imagine why. The number of high school kids in the region that owned property could probably be counted on one hand.
“Not so much a house as a work space. I’d like to see if I can find a small property in an industrial waterfront. With that I’ll actually be able to work without relying on outside assistance, and it makes it easier for Mithril’s ‘special couriers’ to get to me. Although I would love for it to have living quarters as well, because screw that commute.”
Rei made a sour look. “I couldn’t imagine living in a place like that.”
“That’s because you’re too used to thin walls. In America, we know how to build walls so well insulated that you can set a bomb off in the next room and you wouldn’t even know about it.”
Rei blinked and said only one word. “Why?”
I shrugged. “Blame the Cold War. A society tends to learn a lot about things like that when global thermonuclear war is suddenly a thing that can actually happen. Especially blame the Russians. They made no pretenses with Sputnik - they came out and said that was an unarmed ICBM.”
Rei paled at the thought - apparently that aspect of the Cold War hadn’t been covered in her history lessons, but she quickly got back on track.
“Why do you want to do this?”
I sighed and looked to Rei, saw the pleading look in her eyes, and then sighed as I took her hand in mine.
“Rei, I promised you a house on Mars, no matter what it took. This is part of what it’s going to take. I can’t stay here at the shrine forever. Don’t get me wrong: I am learning a lot, it is helpful to me, and I am grateful to you and Grandfather for it. But if I’m going to grow my wings, I need more room than the shrine has to do it. I am going to need shop space, or else I’m going to have to rely solely on Mithril. And that means that I would be separated even further from you and the friends I’ve been making here. And you know that’s the last thing I want to do.”
Rei sighed and lowered her head in exasperation. “I know. It’s just that this is all so sudden.”
“Well, it’s not gonna be right away,” I reassured her. “It’ll be at least a year before we can really get the ball rolling on this.”
“But who would I talk to? My father is the only person I could think of who would have the connections.”
“You also have your Grandfather. I wouldn’t be surprised if he actually had just as many connections as your father.”
Rei groaned. “You know I don’t like asking that old letch for favors. I owe him too much as is.”
I rolled my eyes. “Rei, he loves you like a daughter. If you ask him to, I’m sure your grandfather would move Mount Fuji itself for you if he could do it. I know I would.”
Rei suddenly looked like she bit into a rotten lemon.
“Ugh, gross! I just imagined you as my Grandfather! Don’t do that again!”
I grimaced at the imagery that provided. “Jeeze. Alright, comparisons to the old man are officially a no-no.”
##
That night my workstation was up and running - satellite up-link secured and the algorithm-key safe on the encrypted and cypher-locked thumb drive. Additionally, the USB drive was designed so that if the cypher-lock was forcibly compromised, then the force of the exertion would destroy the memory chips inside. Total security.
After I bathed, I returned to my room and bedded down for the night. But before I could reach up and tug on the string to turn off the light, Phobos pushed her way in through the cracked window and fluttered to the side of my bed where she took her human form, kneeling in seza.
“Rest easy, Lord Darkwood. I’ll be watching over you tonight.”
I blinked at that. “You don’t have to sit at attention like that.”
“I can, though, and I shall,” replied Phobos with a serene smile. “I used to do this all the time for My Lady when she was a child.”
“Here?” I said in surprise. “How did you do that without being noticed?”
Phobos gave me a chiding look. “Before the Fall, Lord Darkwood.”
“Oh.”
Phobos smiled once more. “Worry not. You’re not used to thinking in such time spans. Eventually, if you receive the gift of long life, then it will come to you. But at any rate, You shouldn’t concern yourself. I am used to doing this sort of thing and I’ve learned to meditate through the night - even though I may seem asleep, I can react at a moment’s notice.”
“But you’d go through that for me?” I asked, a bit perplexed.
“You have very suddenly become quite precious to my Lady. And as of late, you seem to run into trouble at every turn. I suspect that it shan’t be long before trouble attempts to find you, alone and vulnerable, in your bed. However, with myself standing watch there shall be no way anyone or anything will be able to approached unnoticed.
“So please, lay your concerns to rest, my Lord. I’ll make sure no harm befalls you through the night, just as my sister shall for my Lady.”
I scoffed bemusedly. “Okay, Phobos. Just try not to wear yourself out. See you in the morning.”
“You as well, my Lord. Rest well.”
You might think that I would have trouble falling asleep with someone standing vigil over me like that, and normally you might be right. But for whatever reason, Phobos’s presence actually felt comforting, and I was asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow.
##
For once, the school day passed entirely without anything noteworthy, though the fact that it was Saturday, and therefore a half-day, might have had something to do with it. Everyone was eager to go their own way and enjoy what was left of their weekend.
“Uncle Ziiiiiiiiii!” came a familiar voice as I exited the school’s gates. I blinked as Chibi-usa hit me with all the force her twelve year old body could muster.
“doooouuuf,” I groaned. I looked down at the pink head of hair and scruffled it. “Hey there, cute stuff. Trying out for the rugby team?”
Chibi-Usa glared up at me. “Can’t I say hi to my favoritist uncle in the whole world?”
I laughed and snapped up the pink haired little girl, giving her a little light toss, causing her to squeal in delight.
“See!” cried out Chibi-usa. “I told you Uncle Z is fun!”
“Eh?” I said as I looked to where Chibi-usa was looking. To my surprise, a gaggle of youngsters had accompanied her.
One twelve-year-old girl with amethyst eyes and midnight-violet hair in a shoulder-length Hime-cut. She was wearing a black leaotard under a dark-hued sundress.
Another girl with similar eyes and hair, but much younger, probably about eight and her hair went clear to her hips. She looked prim and proper wearing a violet blouse that could be called ‘business casual for preteens’ and an amethyst skirt with white stockings and black dress shoes. On top of it all, she had a doll dressed as a kunoichi-hime perched on her shoulder.
The third girl was another twelve year old, with warm, brown eyes and jet-black hair. She wore a green mid-drift jacket with a forest green undershirt tucked into a pair of snug, but utilitarian looking shorts. She even wore boots and heat-sleeves, the latter of which matched her undershirt. In fact, I even saw a wrench peaking out of one of her jacket pockets.
Okay, this was a strange bunch, but I’ve dealt with worse.
“You’re Zii-oji?” said the one in the green outfit. “You’re weird.”
I glowered at the girl. “What? Just because I’m an American?”
“No, because you act all lovey-dovey with Usa-chan!” exclaimed the girl.
“Hey! Her mom is like an older sister to me!” I snapped back, just barely remembering how it would look if I said her mother was like a little sister instead. “I helped take care of Chibiusa when her mom and dad were too tired to look after her. Hell, I was there when she was born! So if she says that I’m as good as family, you had better damn well believe it!”
Most of that was just me blowing smoke, but I was pretty sure that things would turn out that way regardless. I didn’t remember the specifics just yet, but something told me that if someone handed me a colicky infant, I’d know exactly what to do. And I’m pretty sure that’d make me utterly indispensable in House Chiba-Tsukino once Little Usagi showed up.
“Hey! No cursing!” snapped the green outfitted girl.
I gave her a simmering glower. “Okay then, kiddo. How about this. Ice cream.”
I don’t think I could have gotten a better reaction if I had tried. I mean, I know all kids love ice cream, but this girl took it to a whole new level.
“ARE YOU SERIOUS!?” yelled the girl excitedly, causing the others to back away slightly. “YOU MEAN IT!?”
“Jeeeze, kid. I know we’re outside and all, but even outside voices have their limits. And yes, I mean it. There’s a new ice cream place that opened up not too far from here and I am gonna meet with my girlfriend there.”
“Heee-eeeeeeeeh!” cried out the assembly of girls.
“Relax,” I said chidingly to the group. “After I treat you girls, Rei and I are taking off.”
“Well what are we waiting for!?” said the girl in green. “ICE CREAM! Let’s Go!”
I laughed and started walking. Chibiusa was quick to pounce, forcing me into giving her a piggyback ride. Not that I cared - kid was adorable.
“So, I’m Ezekiel Darkwood - male representative of class 1-C at Juuban Municiple High School.”
“My name is Hatako Kobayashi of Class 3-A at Juuban Elementary School,” said the the girl with the doll. “And this is my Angel, Suzuka.”
At that, the doll suddenly bowed and said, “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Darkwood-san.”
“Oh wow! I’ve heard of you! Light-Speed Suzuka! The pleasure is all mine, ladies.”
“You’ve heard of us in America?” said Hatoko, her cheeks starting to color.
“Of course I have. Just like baseball in the US, Angelic Layer in Japan is thought to be The Big Leagues of all Angelic Layer. And I’ve always admired you for blowing away everyone’s preconceptions of what a girl as young as you can do.”
“Thank you, Darkwood-san,” said Hatoko mildly, “but half of the effort was Suzuka’s as well.”
“Well, credit where it’s due then, Miss Suzuka.”
“You damn me with faint praise, Darkwood-san,” replied the doll primly. “But I’m retired anyhow. This season was my last since this old frame can’t take much more abuse.”
“What a shame!” I replied, and I meant it.
“I’ll miss it,” Suzuka agreed, nodding her head. “But at least my mistress will keep me around - I can fulfill a role as her Persocom, and if nothing else I can also train her next angel.”
“Indeed. So, how about you, little miss mechanic?”
The girl in green blinked. “You noticed?”
“I’m an engineer-in-training, small stuff. I cut my teeth on keeping old cars alive and building computers out of scraps.”
The girl looked me over once more. “Huh. Well, I guess you’re alright. I’m Skuld Ravenhair, class 6-D. And the quiet girl is Hotaru Tomoe from class 6-C. Come on, Hotaru-chan, say hi to him. He doesn’t seem mean at all!”
That got my attention and I looked the girl over once again, coming to a stop. There was no mistaking it - this girl was definitely Sailor Saturn - she just didn’t know it at the time.
“Hotaru-chan?” I said kindly. “Did you just make all these friends today?”
Meekly, the petite girl in black and gray nodded her head.
“It’s tough being shy, huh?”
Hotaru gave me a surprised look.
“I know. I used to be the same way. But you always wanted friends, right?”
Once again, Hotaru nodded her head while giving me an astounded look.
“Tell you what. If you stick with me and Chibiusa, you’ll get a whole bunch of Big Sisters to look after you... and me as well. Would you like that?”
Hotaru nodded her head once more and I had to resist the urge to scoop her up right there and hug the living daylights out of her. She was just so adorable!
We spent the next few minutes chatting animatedly on the way to the ice cream stand. Skuld was a budding gear head and was setting off alarm bells in my head for some reason. I had the sense I knew her from somewhere, and that worried me because it was the same sense of deja vu I got from the others.
I put it aside for he time being, though. We all got to talking about the virtues of Linux-based kernels versus Macintosh-based kernels in Persocoms and Angels.
When we got to the ice cream stand, the place was packed in. But despite the apparent popularity of the place, there was just something that felt off about the place.
“Do you feel that?” asked Skuld. I turned to her and she was giving me a surprised look, as though the idea that I could sense the wrongness in the air filled her with excitement, dread, and anxiety.
“Girls,” I said in a low tone, “I want you all to keep clear for a little bit. Things might get messy, so I don’t want you to get involved.”
“Wait, what’s going on here?” said Hatoko querulously. “Why is something wrong? Why would things get messy?”
Shit, I thought to myself. Now I just unzipped my fly.
But thankfully, Chibiusa came to my rescue... but in a way I did not expect.
“Uncle Z is kind of a hero - a real champion of justice. It’s a secret, though, so you gotta stay quiet about it. Promise?” She then offered up a fist with her pinky finger extended.
The three girls gave Chibiusa surprised looks, but then they all nodded their heads in agreement, holding up their pinkies and hooking them all onto Chibiusa’s.
“Promise!” they all said together as the shook on the pinky-swear.
“Awesome,” I said, drawing their attention back to me. “Sit tight and watch. Your Uncle Z is gonna do something awesome.”
“Yaaayyyy!” cheered the girls as I turned to go, but then I paused as I thought of something.
“Oh, Chibiusa? You mind holding on to this for me?” I said as I took off my arrowhead pendant. “This is special, so I wouldn’t want to lose it if things get crazy.” I gave her a meaningful wink and Chibiusa nodded her head as she winked back.
“Sure thing, Uncle Z,” she said as she accepted the pendant.
Awful trusting of you, boy, came Raven’s voice in my head as I turned away once more to approach the ice cream stall.
She’s a good kid. More reliable than she seems - just inexperienced. That only changes when people give a person a chance. The old bird only chuckled mirthfully at that. It was only then I realized that he was doing the same with me, giving me just a bit of power to work with on my own without him getting too involved.
But I was fine with that.
At first I made like I was an interested customer, vying for a spot in line as I scouted the place out. The closer I got, the worst the weird vibe became. In fact, I noticed that people around me were acting strange. In Japan, the general public tends to be polite, even if a bit impersonal.But now... they were downright rude as they jostled me, shooting me glares, telling me to watch my step, and some even calling me a filthy gaijin.
Definitely something wrong there. And I had to restrain myself to keep from knocking someone’s lights out.
I slipped away to the side, looking for a back door. I not only found one, but discovered that it was unlocked. I listened at first to see if there was anyone on the other side, then cracked the door open.
Nothing but darkness, but nothing that my tool kit could fix. And I had just the right tool for the job - my trusty 3xAA-cell LED Mag Light. Feeling the cool, metallic, and solid weight of the flashlight in my hand was a comfort, and the cool-white LED light banished the darkness into crisp reliefs of light and shadow.
Right away, I knew that something was off about this place. For one thing, it was far too big on the inside. Outside this place was just a little ice cream stall - barely more than four walls with a back room. This was a cavernous refrigerated storehouse. All around were stacks of boxes - I assumed they were cartons of ice cream. However, there were also oddly shaped pillars of ice.
This room is cold enough as it is, I thought. Why would you need so much ice? A memory from before jumped out at me. In my place stood Minako, and the horrified look on her face as she discovered...
Oh shit...
I went to once of the pillars and wiped the surface frost away... revealing one of my fellow JMHS students, a look of horror frozen on his face in the ice.
“Fuck.”
“How rude,” said an elegant and cold voice. I turned as saw a Yuki-onna hovering before me. But I knew better.
“Droid,” I stated. “Creation of the Black Moon Clan.”
The droid’s eyes narrowed at me.
“Tomorrowlander.”
That again!? Tomorrowland? What is that supposed to mean!?
“I will freeze you where you stand and Mistress Berthier will reward me richly.”
I raised an eyebrow. “What reward does a machine desire?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.
“Be silent! NIPASU!” And with that she blew at me like Superman using his ice-breath. I hit the attack head-on with a blast of air to disperse it, followed it up immediately with a more concentrated blast to knock her off balance, and then dove for a dark corner, shutting off my flash light as I did so.
And then I made like a hole in the dark.
When I was young, nobody could find me unless they found Telly first. This was a game that I was always good at. And the dry, frosted floor made sure that my shoes would not squeak and give me away as I duck-walked through the maze of stores and frozen people. The Yuki-Onna, on the other hand, taunted as she looked around for me. Of course, I wasn’t gonna take her on my own. I remember this one - her ability to freeze was incredible and she could turn me into an ice cube long before I could get the drop on her.
I needed back up, so the moment I had my flash light put away, I pulled my phone out and sent a short, coded message to the Junior Student Council that included my location. After that, I knew it would only be a matter of time. So long as I could evade this crazy droid, I’d be just fine. And even if I couldn’t... well, Rei and the others would be along soon enough to get me sorted out. Even if I wouldn’t enjoy the experience of being flash-frozen.
Content with that, I continued to silently evade the increasingly impatient Yuki-onna. I was worried she might try something drastic when suddenly I heard the door to the store room open.
“Oh! It looks like we have uninvited guests!”
I took a chance and poked my head out and my heart sank to the frozen floor. Chibiusa and her friends had all come to see what was going on.
“What have you done to Uncle Z!?” demanded Chibiusa.
“Nothing yet, but would you like to see what I want to do to him? Just keep nice and still, little girlies!”
Just as the Yuki-onna inhaled to blast the helpless quartet, everything suddenly slowed down and I heard Raven’s voice once more.
Oh dear, looks like your little friends have just bitten off more than they can chew. I better drive for just a moment, boy. As much as I’d like these four to learn a lesson, I must admit that I’m quite fond of them all. Now, pay close attention - you’re gonna want to remember this trick for later. It’s just like riding that longboard you had in California.
And then, without willing it, I began to move, and then just like stepping onto a skateboard that was already in motion, I found myself stepping onto a firm cushion of air on the floor, and rode it, shooting past the Yuki-onna like a startled cat and aimed straight at the girls. The next thing I knew we were all bouncing together in a bubble of air with the consistency of molasses, bouncing across the floor, and well clear of the attack as the girls all squealed in panic.
“Are you all okay?” I asked desperately.
“I’m fine.”
“Me too.”
“That was scary.”
“That was fun!”
I sighed, then looked around. The Yuki-onna wasn’t wasting any time and was bearing down on us once again. Fortunately, Rei apparently had the presence of mind to transform into Sailor Mars wherever she was, and so I had another weapon to use.
“Zee-Onii! You’re arm is on fire!” squealed Hotaru in alarm.
“Don’t worry, that’s a good thing,” I said as I started to create a tightly compressed shell of air, spinning around us and heating the air inside. “It’s alright. It won’t burn you. Just stay close to me and you’ll all be safe.”
The Yuki-onna blew over the shield and I had to crank up the heat just to keep the temperature above freezing.
“Scrap this!” growled Skuld all the sudden as she turned and glared at me head-on. “I know what you are. Usa-chan does to - it’s pretty obvious. Zee-kun’s an Avatar, Provisional-class, Special Duty, Limited. He is in direct service to Raven, a First-class, Type-two, Unlimited God.”
“I got a license for this?” I said in surprise.
“Didn’t he tell you!?” asked Skuld in shock.
“Are you kidding? I’m lucky he tells me enough to survive! Besides, what does this make you? A Goddess?”
“Yeah. A Second-class, Type-one, Limited. I can’t do much, but I can help out with a simple heat generating spell.”
“Every little bit helps. Do it!”
“Right. Hang on! It’s about ti get hot!” Skluld then held her hands out and suddenly a spark ignited in the air between her palms and turned into an orb of plasma. “Alright! I did it, but I dunno if I can hold it for long.”
“That’s right you little meat bags,” snarled the Yuki-onna. “Entropy is ever present. You cannot escape it. Sooner or later, all lights go out, and then there is only the cold darkness!”
“SHINE AQUA ILLUSION!” snapped out Ami’s voice.
“CELESTIAL FIRE!” called out Rei as well.
The double-whammy of sudden heat and sudden cold knocked the Droid for a loop. However, before any of other Senshi could do anything, Skuld dropped her plasma-orb and lept out of the protective circle I had made, whipping out something that looked like a croquet mallet from hammer space.
“IN MY NAME, HALT AND CATCH FIRE!” she cried out as she brought the hammer down on the Yuki-onna’s head. And just like a marionette with its strings cut, the Droid dropped to the deck, her eyes glassy and lifeless.
Everyone simply stared in surprise.
“Ah... she’s not burning, though,” said Makoto.
“A programmer’s euphemism,” I explained as I slowly got up, making sure I didn’t send any of the girls sprawling. “Basically, it’s a command that halts all of a computer CPU’s functionality, effectively bricking the machine until your can do a hard-boot of the system. That was absolutely awesome there, Skuld. You think we can salvage her?”
Skuld nodded. “Yeah, it’d be a waste not to. Not very often you see a setup like one of these - when done right, they’re very reliable.” The young Goddess then blinked as something occurred to her, and then she smiled at me. “You know what? I think Usa-chan’s right. You are a pretty cool guy.”
I just shrugged. “I try to be. So... Introductions?”
“Why?” asked Rei, arching an eyebrow.
“In case you haven’t noticed, things aren’t what they appear. May I introduce the young Miss Skuld, Goddess, Second-class, type-one, limited.”
“Suck up,” said Skuld as she playfully punched me in the side.
“Well gee,” I said, rolling my eyes, “forgive me for being a natural charmer.”
“Wait, she’s a Goddess?” said Usagi. “But she’s... she’s... She’s a little ANGEL!” And suddenly, Usagi had to be restrained by her generals or else she’d glomp the stuffing out of poor Skuld.
I sighed. “And that is her Royal Highness, Princess Serenity of the Silver Moon Kingdom.”
Skuld shot me an astonished look. “No WAY! She’s a total goof ball!”
I laughed at that. “The best goofball of them all!” I then leaned over and whispered conspiratorily into Skuld’s ear, “Don’t sweat the formalities. Usagi’s a huge sweetheart and a lot of fun to be around.”
##
We left the girls in the company of the senshi. I knew they were in good hands, and regardless, they were Chibiusa’s friends. The remains of the Droid I left with Skuld... who extracted from me a promise to talk about my license with her older sisters.
Belldandy and Urd.
It only then occurred to me. Ah! Megami-sama. Fortunately, I kept my cool.
“Hey, wake up there lover-boy,” said Rei with a slightly annoyed tone. “Isn’t something else supposed to have your undivided attention?” I looked over the table and my brain simply stopped.
There was Rei, the menu splayed out in front of her. She was leaning over the table, hands steepled before her, and her head tilted. And her face, dear sweet Raven that face! She grinned at me a smile that promised only mischief to come later, with bedroom eyes that absolutely smoldered with desire.
Wow.
“Oh dear,” she said coyly. “What am I ever supposed to do if this is all it takes to break your mind?”
I reached up and flicked the side of my head, both for the image and to make sure I wasn’t in some sort of hallucination. But nope, still there! Still Rei.
Time to bring on my A-game.
“Hey! No fair catching me off guard like that.”
Rei chuckled. “Oh? And what about all the times you did it to me?”
I blinked at that. “Come again?”
Rei gave me that annoyed-yet-bemused look that seems to be the Gods’ gift to all women.
“Well, I guess you can’t be blamed for not noticing before. I did such a good job covering it all up with my anger. And it was so easy with the way you just showed up with no warning at all. I’m still angry at Grandfather for that. You see, I’d secretly watch you all the time. You act cool, Zeke, a lot of times without realizing it. You have that weird ability to be charming and respectful, and yet politely indifferent. It’s almost like your on a whole different level - I don’t mean like your better than everyone else, but more like you see the world from a very different perspective and...” Rei shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know. I mean... I know you seen what things look like from the outside. I’m not freaking out about that, by the way, because Washy-chan did say that it’s probably not an exact match.” She then glared at me. “Right?”
I sighed. “Different in some important ways, yes, but largely the same.”
“Right,” agreed Rei. She then continued, her tone growing more sober. “But that’s not what it is. I know that you’ve had a past life, and that you’ve had horrible things happen to you that have forced you to look inside yourself. But even with all that, every time I see your face... I look into your eyes... And I see something that I can’t describe. And I would watch you in secret, just so I can see it.”
So that explains the weird sense of being watched I always had back at the shrine!
Rei suddenly laughed. It had a slightly rueful and bitter edge to it as she looked down at the menu on the table, but I could tell she wasn’t really looking at it.
“It drove me nuts, though, because not only could I not get over this resentment of you, I could only ever see that look whenever you look at me in the eyes. So, I guess I should say I’m sorry for acting so crazy before. Because really, I think I was crazy...” She then looked at me, and gave me those smoldering bedroom eyes once more. “...and I think I still am, because I’m in love with the most bizarre and wonderful boy in the world.”
Rei smiled at me expectantly.
“You know, when I first saw you, my heart just about stopped - you were so beautiful.” I then grinned at her. “And then you bit my head off for being a clumsy and stupid looking foreign man who was saying absurd things.”
Rei glowered at me.
I smiled as I continued. “It’s true, though, that it was absurd. Story of my life, you know. But I like that about you. You’re willing to fight for what you believe in. You positively radiate it.” I then sighed. “I’ve had just a few friend that would fight for me. Telly and Kubiak. But my friends always have to part ways from me.” I then looked into Rei’s beautiful violet eyes. “I would count myself among the luckiest man on Earth if you were to be by my side forever.”
Rei turned a brilliant shade of red. “That sounds a little too much like a marriage proposal.”
I felt my own face flush in embarrassment. “Ah... sorry.”
“No, it’s alright,” said Rei as her blush died down to a gentle rose. “I... appreciate that you want me to be with you so much. But let’s wait on making things official.”
##
Next, we did the traditional thing and went to catch a movie. I didn’t really care too much about what I saw, seeing as I hadn’t been to a theater in a long time. Rei, however, wanted to see something that would make her feel ‘alive’.
"Sadako 3D?" I said as I eyed the movie poster with some mild trepidation. "No thanks."
Rei gave me a cockeyed look. "I would have thought you of all people would be the least squeamish about a horror film."
I shook my head. "Not horror. Slasher. Big difference. In a slasher, everyone dies, except maybe one or two people. And even if it was just regular horror, then no thanks. While I was with Raven after The Accident, he was good enough to give me a some exercises in handling a real haunting."
Rei maintained the cockeyed look, though it was a bit more incredulous now. "He did? How did that turn out?"
"Total fucking nightmare fuel if I wasn't already having nightmares about The Accident. But out of everything I experienced, there was one thing that stuck with me the most. Imagine a dark room with only one door. There are counting marks all over the walls, and in the corner is a table with a crumpled up paper bag on it. The bottom have of the bag is slick and blackened from the putrid, rotting bit of human remains that are undoubtedly inside - I didn't even have to look inside to know. And as I walked up to that thing... it suddenly rustled like something inside had woken up suddenly.
"And then it suddenly speaks! In a deep, distorted baritone overlayed by the rustling of the bag. It said, 'I walked. I could do nothing but walk. And then, I saw me, walking in front of my self. But, it wasn’t really me. Watch out. The gap in the door... it’s a separate reality. The only me is me. Are you sure the only you is you?' And that shit right there fucking chilled me to the bone far more than anything else, because that was exactly what I had been experiencing up until that point. I am never forgetting that shit as long as I live."
Rei was looking at me like she'd seen a ghost. "Okay!" she suddenly squeaked out. "No horror for me! My quota is now full. How about that Pixar film instead?"
And so, that night, Rei and I had a absolute blast watching Pixar’s Brave. Fun Fact: Rei can do a passable imitation of Merida where she goes, “Awwww, wee lamb!”
##
“EZEKIEL DARKWOOD! I got half a mind to claw out your eyes!”
Rei and I both blinked as Luna dropped out of the darkness and landed lightly on her paws to glare at me.
“Errr... what?” I said.
“Luna, what’s gotten into you!?” hissed Rei.
“Only the fact that he suddenly dumped another Senshi on us without saying anything!”
“WHAT!?” cried out Rei. “How!?
I sighed. “That girl that was with me earlier? The one who looked like a younger version of you only with shorter hair? That was Hotaru Tomoe - aka Sailor Saturn.”
Rei gave me a horrified look. “ARE YOU SERIOUS!? Why didn’t you say anything!?”
“Because I figured it could wait. We had this date tonight and it was bad enough that business with the Droid and the Goddess delayed things.”
“DAMMIT ZEKE!” cursed Rei vehemently. “I’m not the center of the universe here!” Rei then turned to Luna. “What’s going on now?”
Luna sighed. “For now, nothing. Chibiusa is going to be keeping close to her new friend and telling us what she learns. The others are all upset at you, Zeke, for letting this blindside them.”
I sighed. “Right. Time to eat crow and kiss ass.”
An aggrieved “AWK!?” sounded from the tree top up above and I winced, knowing that I had probably just offended Phobos and Deimos.
Rei confirmed by raising an eyebrow at me. “What is that saying that American’s like to use? You’re just batting a thousand today, aren’t you?”
Commentary Thread ===> HERE!
Soon enough, we were arriving back at the Hikawa Shrine, and just in time for what would be our first after-action meeting.
“Hey kid,” said Mao as we entered the living quarters. “Heard things got hairy for ya. You should have called.”
“Sorry,” I said a bit sheepishly. “I might have, but it turned out she was pretty easy to handle. I got a gift for the R&D guys, though.”
“Wait, ‘She’?” said Mao in surprise.
“Yeah, I’ll tell you guys more in a minute. Let’s just get settled in first.”
##Soon, everyone was accounted for. Sousuke was outside in plain clothes, pretending to be a visitor to the shrine while Kurz was in the Armslave watching from nearby with the cloak up. Everyone else was inside, including Kubiak, Kaname, and Naru. Even Grandfather Hino was present, as he was in on the whole thing anyhow. Slowly, I went through the story about what happened, answering questions as they came up. Mao’s were objective. Luna’s where a bit more speculative. Everyone else’s ran the gamut from ‘Good Question’ to ‘How the Heck is that Relevant!?’.
“So,” Mao began contemplatively as she sipped a melon soda, and probably dearly wishing for cheap beer instead. “We have a new group of players on the scene calling themselves the Black Moon Clan, and they’re being spearheaded by these ‘Ayakashi Sisters’ who are led by a guy named Rubeus. They also employ drone soldiers that may or may not be nanomachine colonies controlled by gemstone computers.” She then groaned resentfully and I then knew for sure she didn’t just want beer, but Wild Turkey instead. “You do realize that this is a nightmare, right?” grumbled Mao.
I shrugged. “It’ll be a headache for the brass. Look, I know where you’re coming from here. These Droids seem pretty nasty, and they can be. But they’re as susceptible to shrapnel as you and me, with the only difference being that they can put themselves back together again. However, while they’re doing that, they’re vulnerable. Pry off the gemstone with a combat knife and the combatant is down, permanently.”
“What if we just shoot the gemstones?” countered Mao.
“I think they may be tougher than they look. Sitting on their foreheads like that makes them into clear targets, so I would imagine that if you’re gonna try to shoot one, use something chambered for .50-cal BMG. Besides, there’s also the Senshi. Sailor Moon’s purification ability seems to purge the gemstone computers. At the very least I have no idea how to reactivate this one.”
Mao shrugged. “Well, there’s nothing for it then. You might as well send that into R&D. The eggheads should be able to figure it out. Also, do you have any idea how the hell these guys are keeping a mobile base in sub-orbit over the city without tripping any radars?”
I shrugged back at Mao. “They’re probably phase-shifted.”
“What-shifted?”
“Out of phase with our reality. Just a tad. Radar wouldn’t pick them up, but I bet there’s a gravitational anomaly. Pass that along to Teletha. She should know whose ear to whisper into.”
“How do you figure that?” asked Mao.
“Simple. They gotta be using some sort of anti-gravity engine to keep that monstrosity in the air. And as long as they’re not completely out of synch with reality, pun not intended, then the effect that engine is having should bleed over.”
Mao snorted. “Sounds like they’re being a little overconfident.”
“Not really. They just weren’t expecting anyone to have a gravitometer sensitive enough to detect them in this area in this time period.” I then gave Mao an evil grin. “Let’s disabuse them of that notion, shall we?”
##
I packed up the gemstone and the nanomachine samples, then handed them over to Mao so she could have them shipped through the appropriate carriers. Later that night after everyone had left, I went to work on setting up the work station. It came with everything I needed, including a hardware-encrypted satellite transceiver unit to provide a secure data connection. Fortunately, all I had to do was point it through my window. If anyone was going to be eavesdropping, they’d have to be in my room or at the receiving end.
“How is it going?” I heard Rei from outside my door. Ever since we’d settled things between each other, I’d taken to leaving it open - a sign of open invitation.
I turned and saw Rei standing in my door wearing pink flannel pajamas. I smiled - it wasn’t a particularly glamorous appearance for her, but it was down to earth. They covered her up well, and Rei had a body that was fairly difficult to hide. That helped to bring out the small, earnest smile on her mouth and the look of mingled curiosity and mild concern in her eyes.
“So-so,” I replied with a smile of my own as I turned back to my work. “I’m having to set up the OS manually. Mithril’s procedures don’t permit for a machine ready-configured to connect to their secured networks to ever be shipped, so I’m having to establish a connection to a special server just so I can verify that I am who I am.”
“I thought you said this machine had hardware that does that,” said Rei as she crossed the threshold and settled on the floor next to me - I didn’t have a chair, my desk being one of the low-profile variety that you’re meant to kneel or sit on the floor.
“Just the encryption algorithms,” I reminded her. “Those are so complex that the only way a fast connection can be maintained is if that’s all handled by dedicated processors. For all intents and purposes, this computer is actually two in the package of one.”
“So what exactly is happening here then?”
“I’m working on getting a hold of the digital security certificates that will allow me to establish a connection with the secure networks. Once I get that, it’s all going to be placed on this USB flash-drive here.” With that, I gestured to a small and absurdly rugged looking thumb drive. “It even has a crypto-locked keyring case.” I then gestured to the case in question. It did indeed have a keyring, and a series of five lettered push-buttons. It was designed for the flash drive to slide inside the device for a snug fit that would not allow anyone to connect leads to the USB terminals. “I’m not supposed to leave this machine unattended without removing this flash drive. This will be a digital key for for the secure networks.”
Rei gave me a startled look. “All this just for online courses!?”
“Online courses for classified material,” I reminded her. “I’m allowing you in here right now because Teletha has granted you and the rest of the Senshi clearance on whatever I learn on a need-to-know basis. She also feels that I’ll be a pretty good judge of what a need-to-know will constitute for you. Finally, she knew I’d be running into weird shit that R&D would want to know about. If I had this up and running right away, I wouldn’t have needed to bother Mao with the work of getting those samples shipped out - I could have made arrangements through the secure network.”
That mollified Rei quickly enough. “Well, I can see that then. But what will this change?”
I shrugged. “Well, Mithril considers me their property now - within reason. It’s all in the contract, but the short version is that in exchange for the generous pay, sign on bonus, and this issued equipment - I get to keep this workstation except for the hard drive and encryption hardware, those will have to be physically destroyed at some point in time - Mithril gets to have me for at least eight years.”
Rei suddenly glared at me. “Eight years!?”
“Easy!” I warned her back. “It’s not like I’ve sold myself into indentured service. I get pay, housing allowance, food allowance (thank you, Teletha!), cost of living adjustments, any applicable bonus pays, education stipends, and even vacation time. And it’s all very much the same sort of compensation that American servicemen get - and that is nothing to sneer at no matter where you come from. In fact, I may need your help.”
“How so?” said Rei, suddenly puzzled.
“I can’t buy property here in Japan because I’m not a Japanese citizen. However, if I were to designate a Japanese National to hold property for me in my name, then that’s a different matter.”
“You want to buy a house!?” cried out Rei, her eyes practically goggling. And it’s not too hard to imagine why. The number of high school kids in the region that owned property could probably be counted on one hand.
“Not so much a house as a work space. I’d like to see if I can find a small property in an industrial waterfront. With that I’ll actually be able to work without relying on outside assistance, and it makes it easier for Mithril’s ‘special couriers’ to get to me. Although I would love for it to have living quarters as well, because screw that commute.”
Rei made a sour look. “I couldn’t imagine living in a place like that.”
“That’s because you’re too used to thin walls. In America, we know how to build walls so well insulated that you can set a bomb off in the next room and you wouldn’t even know about it.”
Rei blinked and said only one word. “Why?”
I shrugged. “Blame the Cold War. A society tends to learn a lot about things like that when global thermonuclear war is suddenly a thing that can actually happen. Especially blame the Russians. They made no pretenses with Sputnik - they came out and said that was an unarmed ICBM.”
Rei paled at the thought - apparently that aspect of the Cold War hadn’t been covered in her history lessons, but she quickly got back on track.
“Why do you want to do this?”
I sighed and looked to Rei, saw the pleading look in her eyes, and then sighed as I took her hand in mine.
“Rei, I promised you a house on Mars, no matter what it took. This is part of what it’s going to take. I can’t stay here at the shrine forever. Don’t get me wrong: I am learning a lot, it is helpful to me, and I am grateful to you and Grandfather for it. But if I’m going to grow my wings, I need more room than the shrine has to do it. I am going to need shop space, or else I’m going to have to rely solely on Mithril. And that means that I would be separated even further from you and the friends I’ve been making here. And you know that’s the last thing I want to do.”
Rei sighed and lowered her head in exasperation. “I know. It’s just that this is all so sudden.”
“Well, it’s not gonna be right away,” I reassured her. “It’ll be at least a year before we can really get the ball rolling on this.”
“But who would I talk to? My father is the only person I could think of who would have the connections.”
“You also have your Grandfather. I wouldn’t be surprised if he actually had just as many connections as your father.”
Rei groaned. “You know I don’t like asking that old letch for favors. I owe him too much as is.”
I rolled my eyes. “Rei, he loves you like a daughter. If you ask him to, I’m sure your grandfather would move Mount Fuji itself for you if he could do it. I know I would.”
Rei suddenly looked like she bit into a rotten lemon.
“Ugh, gross! I just imagined you as my Grandfather! Don’t do that again!”
I grimaced at the imagery that provided. “Jeeze. Alright, comparisons to the old man are officially a no-no.”
##
That night my workstation was up and running - satellite up-link secured and the algorithm-key safe on the encrypted and cypher-locked thumb drive. Additionally, the USB drive was designed so that if the cypher-lock was forcibly compromised, then the force of the exertion would destroy the memory chips inside. Total security.
After I bathed, I returned to my room and bedded down for the night. But before I could reach up and tug on the string to turn off the light, Phobos pushed her way in through the cracked window and fluttered to the side of my bed where she took her human form, kneeling in seza.
“Rest easy, Lord Darkwood. I’ll be watching over you tonight.”
I blinked at that. “You don’t have to sit at attention like that.”
“I can, though, and I shall,” replied Phobos with a serene smile. “I used to do this all the time for My Lady when she was a child.”
“Here?” I said in surprise. “How did you do that without being noticed?”
Phobos gave me a chiding look. “Before the Fall, Lord Darkwood.”
“Oh.”
Phobos smiled once more. “Worry not. You’re not used to thinking in such time spans. Eventually, if you receive the gift of long life, then it will come to you. But at any rate, You shouldn’t concern yourself. I am used to doing this sort of thing and I’ve learned to meditate through the night - even though I may seem asleep, I can react at a moment’s notice.”
“But you’d go through that for me?” I asked, a bit perplexed.
“You have very suddenly become quite precious to my Lady. And as of late, you seem to run into trouble at every turn. I suspect that it shan’t be long before trouble attempts to find you, alone and vulnerable, in your bed. However, with myself standing watch there shall be no way anyone or anything will be able to approached unnoticed.
“So please, lay your concerns to rest, my Lord. I’ll make sure no harm befalls you through the night, just as my sister shall for my Lady.”
I scoffed bemusedly. “Okay, Phobos. Just try not to wear yourself out. See you in the morning.”
“You as well, my Lord. Rest well.”
You might think that I would have trouble falling asleep with someone standing vigil over me like that, and normally you might be right. But for whatever reason, Phobos’s presence actually felt comforting, and I was asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow.
##
For once, the school day passed entirely without anything noteworthy, though the fact that it was Saturday, and therefore a half-day, might have had something to do with it. Everyone was eager to go their own way and enjoy what was left of their weekend.
“Uncle Ziiiiiiiiii!” came a familiar voice as I exited the school’s gates. I blinked as Chibi-usa hit me with all the force her twelve year old body could muster.
“doooouuuf,” I groaned. I looked down at the pink head of hair and scruffled it. “Hey there, cute stuff. Trying out for the rugby team?”
Chibi-Usa glared up at me. “Can’t I say hi to my favoritist uncle in the whole world?”
I laughed and snapped up the pink haired little girl, giving her a little light toss, causing her to squeal in delight.
“See!” cried out Chibi-usa. “I told you Uncle Z is fun!”
“Eh?” I said as I looked to where Chibi-usa was looking. To my surprise, a gaggle of youngsters had accompanied her.
One twelve-year-old girl with amethyst eyes and midnight-violet hair in a shoulder-length Hime-cut. She was wearing a black leaotard under a dark-hued sundress.
Another girl with similar eyes and hair, but much younger, probably about eight and her hair went clear to her hips. She looked prim and proper wearing a violet blouse that could be called ‘business casual for preteens’ and an amethyst skirt with white stockings and black dress shoes. On top of it all, she had a doll dressed as a kunoichi-hime perched on her shoulder.
The third girl was another twelve year old, with warm, brown eyes and jet-black hair. She wore a green mid-drift jacket with a forest green undershirt tucked into a pair of snug, but utilitarian looking shorts. She even wore boots and heat-sleeves, the latter of which matched her undershirt. In fact, I even saw a wrench peaking out of one of her jacket pockets.
Okay, this was a strange bunch, but I’ve dealt with worse.
“You’re Zii-oji?” said the one in the green outfit. “You’re weird.”
I glowered at the girl. “What? Just because I’m an American?”
“No, because you act all lovey-dovey with Usa-chan!” exclaimed the girl.
“Hey! Her mom is like an older sister to me!” I snapped back, just barely remembering how it would look if I said her mother was like a little sister instead. “I helped take care of Chibiusa when her mom and dad were too tired to look after her. Hell, I was there when she was born! So if she says that I’m as good as family, you had better damn well believe it!”
Most of that was just me blowing smoke, but I was pretty sure that things would turn out that way regardless. I didn’t remember the specifics just yet, but something told me that if someone handed me a colicky infant, I’d know exactly what to do. And I’m pretty sure that’d make me utterly indispensable in House Chiba-Tsukino once Little Usagi showed up.
“Hey! No cursing!” snapped the green outfitted girl.
I gave her a simmering glower. “Okay then, kiddo. How about this. Ice cream.”
I don’t think I could have gotten a better reaction if I had tried. I mean, I know all kids love ice cream, but this girl took it to a whole new level.
“ARE YOU SERIOUS!?” yelled the girl excitedly, causing the others to back away slightly. “YOU MEAN IT!?”
“Jeeeze, kid. I know we’re outside and all, but even outside voices have their limits. And yes, I mean it. There’s a new ice cream place that opened up not too far from here and I am gonna meet with my girlfriend there.”
“Heee-eeeeeeeeh!” cried out the assembly of girls.
“Relax,” I said chidingly to the group. “After I treat you girls, Rei and I are taking off.”
“Well what are we waiting for!?” said the girl in green. “ICE CREAM! Let’s Go!”
I laughed and started walking. Chibiusa was quick to pounce, forcing me into giving her a piggyback ride. Not that I cared - kid was adorable.
“So, I’m Ezekiel Darkwood - male representative of class 1-C at Juuban Municiple High School.”
“My name is Hatako Kobayashi of Class 3-A at Juuban Elementary School,” said the the girl with the doll. “And this is my Angel, Suzuka.”
At that, the doll suddenly bowed and said, “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Darkwood-san.”
“Oh wow! I’ve heard of you! Light-Speed Suzuka! The pleasure is all mine, ladies.”
“You’ve heard of us in America?” said Hatoko, her cheeks starting to color.
“Of course I have. Just like baseball in the US, Angelic Layer in Japan is thought to be The Big Leagues of all Angelic Layer. And I’ve always admired you for blowing away everyone’s preconceptions of what a girl as young as you can do.”
“Thank you, Darkwood-san,” said Hatoko mildly, “but half of the effort was Suzuka’s as well.”
“Well, credit where it’s due then, Miss Suzuka.”
“You damn me with faint praise, Darkwood-san,” replied the doll primly. “But I’m retired anyhow. This season was my last since this old frame can’t take much more abuse.”
“What a shame!” I replied, and I meant it.
“I’ll miss it,” Suzuka agreed, nodding her head. “But at least my mistress will keep me around - I can fulfill a role as her Persocom, and if nothing else I can also train her next angel.”
“Indeed. So, how about you, little miss mechanic?”
The girl in green blinked. “You noticed?”
“I’m an engineer-in-training, small stuff. I cut my teeth on keeping old cars alive and building computers out of scraps.”
The girl looked me over once more. “Huh. Well, I guess you’re alright. I’m Skuld Ravenhair, class 6-D. And the quiet girl is Hotaru Tomoe from class 6-C. Come on, Hotaru-chan, say hi to him. He doesn’t seem mean at all!”
That got my attention and I looked the girl over once again, coming to a stop. There was no mistaking it - this girl was definitely Sailor Saturn - she just didn’t know it at the time.
“Hotaru-chan?” I said kindly. “Did you just make all these friends today?”
Meekly, the petite girl in black and gray nodded her head.
“It’s tough being shy, huh?”
Hotaru gave me a surprised look.
“I know. I used to be the same way. But you always wanted friends, right?”
Once again, Hotaru nodded her head while giving me an astounded look.
“Tell you what. If you stick with me and Chibiusa, you’ll get a whole bunch of Big Sisters to look after you... and me as well. Would you like that?”
Hotaru nodded her head once more and I had to resist the urge to scoop her up right there and hug the living daylights out of her. She was just so adorable!
We spent the next few minutes chatting animatedly on the way to the ice cream stand. Skuld was a budding gear head and was setting off alarm bells in my head for some reason. I had the sense I knew her from somewhere, and that worried me because it was the same sense of deja vu I got from the others.
I put it aside for he time being, though. We all got to talking about the virtues of Linux-based kernels versus Macintosh-based kernels in Persocoms and Angels.
When we got to the ice cream stand, the place was packed in. But despite the apparent popularity of the place, there was just something that felt off about the place.
“Do you feel that?” asked Skuld. I turned to her and she was giving me a surprised look, as though the idea that I could sense the wrongness in the air filled her with excitement, dread, and anxiety.
“Girls,” I said in a low tone, “I want you all to keep clear for a little bit. Things might get messy, so I don’t want you to get involved.”
“Wait, what’s going on here?” said Hatoko querulously. “Why is something wrong? Why would things get messy?”
Shit, I thought to myself. Now I just unzipped my fly.
But thankfully, Chibiusa came to my rescue... but in a way I did not expect.
“Uncle Z is kind of a hero - a real champion of justice. It’s a secret, though, so you gotta stay quiet about it. Promise?” She then offered up a fist with her pinky finger extended.
The three girls gave Chibiusa surprised looks, but then they all nodded their heads in agreement, holding up their pinkies and hooking them all onto Chibiusa’s.
“Promise!” they all said together as the shook on the pinky-swear.
“Awesome,” I said, drawing their attention back to me. “Sit tight and watch. Your Uncle Z is gonna do something awesome.”
“Yaaayyyy!” cheered the girls as I turned to go, but then I paused as I thought of something.
“Oh, Chibiusa? You mind holding on to this for me?” I said as I took off my arrowhead pendant. “This is special, so I wouldn’t want to lose it if things get crazy.” I gave her a meaningful wink and Chibiusa nodded her head as she winked back.
“Sure thing, Uncle Z,” she said as she accepted the pendant.
Awful trusting of you, boy, came Raven’s voice in my head as I turned away once more to approach the ice cream stall.
She’s a good kid. More reliable than she seems - just inexperienced. That only changes when people give a person a chance. The old bird only chuckled mirthfully at that. It was only then I realized that he was doing the same with me, giving me just a bit of power to work with on my own without him getting too involved.
But I was fine with that.
At first I made like I was an interested customer, vying for a spot in line as I scouted the place out. The closer I got, the worst the weird vibe became. In fact, I noticed that people around me were acting strange. In Japan, the general public tends to be polite, even if a bit impersonal.But now... they were downright rude as they jostled me, shooting me glares, telling me to watch my step, and some even calling me a filthy gaijin.
Definitely something wrong there. And I had to restrain myself to keep from knocking someone’s lights out.
I slipped away to the side, looking for a back door. I not only found one, but discovered that it was unlocked. I listened at first to see if there was anyone on the other side, then cracked the door open.
Nothing but darkness, but nothing that my tool kit could fix. And I had just the right tool for the job - my trusty 3xAA-cell LED Mag Light. Feeling the cool, metallic, and solid weight of the flashlight in my hand was a comfort, and the cool-white LED light banished the darkness into crisp reliefs of light and shadow.
Right away, I knew that something was off about this place. For one thing, it was far too big on the inside. Outside this place was just a little ice cream stall - barely more than four walls with a back room. This was a cavernous refrigerated storehouse. All around were stacks of boxes - I assumed they were cartons of ice cream. However, there were also oddly shaped pillars of ice.
This room is cold enough as it is, I thought. Why would you need so much ice? A memory from before jumped out at me. In my place stood Minako, and the horrified look on her face as she discovered...
Oh shit...
I went to once of the pillars and wiped the surface frost away... revealing one of my fellow JMHS students, a look of horror frozen on his face in the ice.
“Fuck.”
“How rude,” said an elegant and cold voice. I turned as saw a Yuki-onna hovering before me. But I knew better.
“Droid,” I stated. “Creation of the Black Moon Clan.”
The droid’s eyes narrowed at me.
“Tomorrowlander.”
That again!? Tomorrowland? What is that supposed to mean!?
“I will freeze you where you stand and Mistress Berthier will reward me richly.”
I raised an eyebrow. “What reward does a machine desire?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.
“Be silent! NIPASU!” And with that she blew at me like Superman using his ice-breath. I hit the attack head-on with a blast of air to disperse it, followed it up immediately with a more concentrated blast to knock her off balance, and then dove for a dark corner, shutting off my flash light as I did so.
And then I made like a hole in the dark.
When I was young, nobody could find me unless they found Telly first. This was a game that I was always good at. And the dry, frosted floor made sure that my shoes would not squeak and give me away as I duck-walked through the maze of stores and frozen people. The Yuki-Onna, on the other hand, taunted as she looked around for me. Of course, I wasn’t gonna take her on my own. I remember this one - her ability to freeze was incredible and she could turn me into an ice cube long before I could get the drop on her.
I needed back up, so the moment I had my flash light put away, I pulled my phone out and sent a short, coded message to the Junior Student Council that included my location. After that, I knew it would only be a matter of time. So long as I could evade this crazy droid, I’d be just fine. And even if I couldn’t... well, Rei and the others would be along soon enough to get me sorted out. Even if I wouldn’t enjoy the experience of being flash-frozen.
Content with that, I continued to silently evade the increasingly impatient Yuki-onna. I was worried she might try something drastic when suddenly I heard the door to the store room open.
“Oh! It looks like we have uninvited guests!”
I took a chance and poked my head out and my heart sank to the frozen floor. Chibiusa and her friends had all come to see what was going on.
“What have you done to Uncle Z!?” demanded Chibiusa.
“Nothing yet, but would you like to see what I want to do to him? Just keep nice and still, little girlies!”
Just as the Yuki-onna inhaled to blast the helpless quartet, everything suddenly slowed down and I heard Raven’s voice once more.
Oh dear, looks like your little friends have just bitten off more than they can chew. I better drive for just a moment, boy. As much as I’d like these four to learn a lesson, I must admit that I’m quite fond of them all. Now, pay close attention - you’re gonna want to remember this trick for later. It’s just like riding that longboard you had in California.
And then, without willing it, I began to move, and then just like stepping onto a skateboard that was already in motion, I found myself stepping onto a firm cushion of air on the floor, and rode it, shooting past the Yuki-onna like a startled cat and aimed straight at the girls. The next thing I knew we were all bouncing together in a bubble of air with the consistency of molasses, bouncing across the floor, and well clear of the attack as the girls all squealed in panic.
“Are you all okay?” I asked desperately.
“I’m fine.”
“Me too.”
“That was scary.”
“That was fun!”
I sighed, then looked around. The Yuki-onna wasn’t wasting any time and was bearing down on us once again. Fortunately, Rei apparently had the presence of mind to transform into Sailor Mars wherever she was, and so I had another weapon to use.
“Zee-Onii! You’re arm is on fire!” squealed Hotaru in alarm.
“Don’t worry, that’s a good thing,” I said as I started to create a tightly compressed shell of air, spinning around us and heating the air inside. “It’s alright. It won’t burn you. Just stay close to me and you’ll all be safe.”
The Yuki-onna blew over the shield and I had to crank up the heat just to keep the temperature above freezing.
“Scrap this!” growled Skuld all the sudden as she turned and glared at me head-on. “I know what you are. Usa-chan does to - it’s pretty obvious. Zee-kun’s an Avatar, Provisional-class, Special Duty, Limited. He is in direct service to Raven, a First-class, Type-two, Unlimited God.”
“I got a license for this?” I said in surprise.
“Didn’t he tell you!?” asked Skuld in shock.
“Are you kidding? I’m lucky he tells me enough to survive! Besides, what does this make you? A Goddess?”
“Yeah. A Second-class, Type-one, Limited. I can’t do much, but I can help out with a simple heat generating spell.”
“Every little bit helps. Do it!”
“Right. Hang on! It’s about ti get hot!” Skluld then held her hands out and suddenly a spark ignited in the air between her palms and turned into an orb of plasma. “Alright! I did it, but I dunno if I can hold it for long.”
“That’s right you little meat bags,” snarled the Yuki-onna. “Entropy is ever present. You cannot escape it. Sooner or later, all lights go out, and then there is only the cold darkness!”
“SHINE AQUA ILLUSION!” snapped out Ami’s voice.
“CELESTIAL FIRE!” called out Rei as well.
The double-whammy of sudden heat and sudden cold knocked the Droid for a loop. However, before any of other Senshi could do anything, Skuld dropped her plasma-orb and lept out of the protective circle I had made, whipping out something that looked like a croquet mallet from hammer space.
“IN MY NAME, HALT AND CATCH FIRE!” she cried out as she brought the hammer down on the Yuki-onna’s head. And just like a marionette with its strings cut, the Droid dropped to the deck, her eyes glassy and lifeless.
Everyone simply stared in surprise.
“Ah... she’s not burning, though,” said Makoto.
“A programmer’s euphemism,” I explained as I slowly got up, making sure I didn’t send any of the girls sprawling. “Basically, it’s a command that halts all of a computer CPU’s functionality, effectively bricking the machine until your can do a hard-boot of the system. That was absolutely awesome there, Skuld. You think we can salvage her?”
Skuld nodded. “Yeah, it’d be a waste not to. Not very often you see a setup like one of these - when done right, they’re very reliable.” The young Goddess then blinked as something occurred to her, and then she smiled at me. “You know what? I think Usa-chan’s right. You are a pretty cool guy.”
I just shrugged. “I try to be. So... Introductions?”
“Why?” asked Rei, arching an eyebrow.
“In case you haven’t noticed, things aren’t what they appear. May I introduce the young Miss Skuld, Goddess, Second-class, type-one, limited.”
“Suck up,” said Skuld as she playfully punched me in the side.
“Well gee,” I said, rolling my eyes, “forgive me for being a natural charmer.”
“Wait, she’s a Goddess?” said Usagi. “But she’s... she’s... She’s a little ANGEL!” And suddenly, Usagi had to be restrained by her generals or else she’d glomp the stuffing out of poor Skuld.
I sighed. “And that is her Royal Highness, Princess Serenity of the Silver Moon Kingdom.”
Skuld shot me an astonished look. “No WAY! She’s a total goof ball!”
I laughed at that. “The best goofball of them all!” I then leaned over and whispered conspiratorily into Skuld’s ear, “Don’t sweat the formalities. Usagi’s a huge sweetheart and a lot of fun to be around.”
##
We left the girls in the company of the senshi. I knew they were in good hands, and regardless, they were Chibiusa’s friends. The remains of the Droid I left with Skuld... who extracted from me a promise to talk about my license with her older sisters.
Belldandy and Urd.
It only then occurred to me. Ah! Megami-sama. Fortunately, I kept my cool.
“Hey, wake up there lover-boy,” said Rei with a slightly annoyed tone. “Isn’t something else supposed to have your undivided attention?” I looked over the table and my brain simply stopped.
There was Rei, the menu splayed out in front of her. She was leaning over the table, hands steepled before her, and her head tilted. And her face, dear sweet Raven that face! She grinned at me a smile that promised only mischief to come later, with bedroom eyes that absolutely smoldered with desire.
Wow.
“Oh dear,” she said coyly. “What am I ever supposed to do if this is all it takes to break your mind?”
I reached up and flicked the side of my head, both for the image and to make sure I wasn’t in some sort of hallucination. But nope, still there! Still Rei.
Time to bring on my A-game.
“Hey! No fair catching me off guard like that.”
Rei chuckled. “Oh? And what about all the times you did it to me?”
I blinked at that. “Come again?”
Rei gave me that annoyed-yet-bemused look that seems to be the Gods’ gift to all women.
“Well, I guess you can’t be blamed for not noticing before. I did such a good job covering it all up with my anger. And it was so easy with the way you just showed up with no warning at all. I’m still angry at Grandfather for that. You see, I’d secretly watch you all the time. You act cool, Zeke, a lot of times without realizing it. You have that weird ability to be charming and respectful, and yet politely indifferent. It’s almost like your on a whole different level - I don’t mean like your better than everyone else, but more like you see the world from a very different perspective and...” Rei shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know. I mean... I know you seen what things look like from the outside. I’m not freaking out about that, by the way, because Washy-chan did say that it’s probably not an exact match.” She then glared at me. “Right?”
I sighed. “Different in some important ways, yes, but largely the same.”
“Right,” agreed Rei. She then continued, her tone growing more sober. “But that’s not what it is. I know that you’ve had a past life, and that you’ve had horrible things happen to you that have forced you to look inside yourself. But even with all that, every time I see your face... I look into your eyes... And I see something that I can’t describe. And I would watch you in secret, just so I can see it.”
So that explains the weird sense of being watched I always had back at the shrine!
Rei suddenly laughed. It had a slightly rueful and bitter edge to it as she looked down at the menu on the table, but I could tell she wasn’t really looking at it.
“It drove me nuts, though, because not only could I not get over this resentment of you, I could only ever see that look whenever you look at me in the eyes. So, I guess I should say I’m sorry for acting so crazy before. Because really, I think I was crazy...” She then looked at me, and gave me those smoldering bedroom eyes once more. “...and I think I still am, because I’m in love with the most bizarre and wonderful boy in the world.”
Rei smiled at me expectantly.
“You know, when I first saw you, my heart just about stopped - you were so beautiful.” I then grinned at her. “And then you bit my head off for being a clumsy and stupid looking foreign man who was saying absurd things.”
Rei glowered at me.
I smiled as I continued. “It’s true, though, that it was absurd. Story of my life, you know. But I like that about you. You’re willing to fight for what you believe in. You positively radiate it.” I then sighed. “I’ve had just a few friend that would fight for me. Telly and Kubiak. But my friends always have to part ways from me.” I then looked into Rei’s beautiful violet eyes. “I would count myself among the luckiest man on Earth if you were to be by my side forever.”
Rei turned a brilliant shade of red. “That sounds a little too much like a marriage proposal.”
I felt my own face flush in embarrassment. “Ah... sorry.”
“No, it’s alright,” said Rei as her blush died down to a gentle rose. “I... appreciate that you want me to be with you so much. But let’s wait on making things official.”
##
Next, we did the traditional thing and went to catch a movie. I didn’t really care too much about what I saw, seeing as I hadn’t been to a theater in a long time. Rei, however, wanted to see something that would make her feel ‘alive’.
"Sadako 3D?" I said as I eyed the movie poster with some mild trepidation. "No thanks."
Rei gave me a cockeyed look. "I would have thought you of all people would be the least squeamish about a horror film."
I shook my head. "Not horror. Slasher. Big difference. In a slasher, everyone dies, except maybe one or two people. And even if it was just regular horror, then no thanks. While I was with Raven after The Accident, he was good enough to give me a some exercises in handling a real haunting."
Rei maintained the cockeyed look, though it was a bit more incredulous now. "He did? How did that turn out?"
"Total fucking nightmare fuel if I wasn't already having nightmares about The Accident. But out of everything I experienced, there was one thing that stuck with me the most. Imagine a dark room with only one door. There are counting marks all over the walls, and in the corner is a table with a crumpled up paper bag on it. The bottom have of the bag is slick and blackened from the putrid, rotting bit of human remains that are undoubtedly inside - I didn't even have to look inside to know. And as I walked up to that thing... it suddenly rustled like something inside had woken up suddenly.
"And then it suddenly speaks! In a deep, distorted baritone overlayed by the rustling of the bag. It said, 'I walked. I could do nothing but walk. And then, I saw me, walking in front of my self. But, it wasn’t really me. Watch out. The gap in the door... it’s a separate reality. The only me is me. Are you sure the only you is you?' And that shit right there fucking chilled me to the bone far more than anything else, because that was exactly what I had been experiencing up until that point. I am never forgetting that shit as long as I live."
Rei was looking at me like she'd seen a ghost. "Okay!" she suddenly squeaked out. "No horror for me! My quota is now full. How about that Pixar film instead?"
And so, that night, Rei and I had a absolute blast watching Pixar’s Brave. Fun Fact: Rei can do a passable imitation of Merida where she goes, “Awwww, wee lamb!”
##
“EZEKIEL DARKWOOD! I got half a mind to claw out your eyes!”
Rei and I both blinked as Luna dropped out of the darkness and landed lightly on her paws to glare at me.
“Errr... what?” I said.
“Luna, what’s gotten into you!?” hissed Rei.
“Only the fact that he suddenly dumped another Senshi on us without saying anything!”
“WHAT!?” cried out Rei. “How!?
I sighed. “That girl that was with me earlier? The one who looked like a younger version of you only with shorter hair? That was Hotaru Tomoe - aka Sailor Saturn.”
Rei gave me a horrified look. “ARE YOU SERIOUS!? Why didn’t you say anything!?”
“Because I figured it could wait. We had this date tonight and it was bad enough that business with the Droid and the Goddess delayed things.”
“DAMMIT ZEKE!” cursed Rei vehemently. “I’m not the center of the universe here!” Rei then turned to Luna. “What’s going on now?”
Luna sighed. “For now, nothing. Chibiusa is going to be keeping close to her new friend and telling us what she learns. The others are all upset at you, Zeke, for letting this blindside them.”
I sighed. “Right. Time to eat crow and kiss ass.”
An aggrieved “AWK!?” sounded from the tree top up above and I winced, knowing that I had probably just offended Phobos and Deimos.
Rei confirmed by raising an eyebrow at me. “What is that saying that American’s like to use? You’re just batting a thousand today, aren’t you?”
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