[IC][Story][Arc 1] Rob's as-yet-untitled sidestory #9

[robkelk]

Retconning proceeds... slowly, but there are very little in the way of new stories being written.

The text in blue in this scene is being replaced:

Washuu's lab, Westwoods Apartments, San Antonio, TX, USA
5:11pm, December 22, 2016


"This is the best Christmas present ever! Or Startica present. Or..."

"We get the idea, Washuu-chan." Rob hoped his interruption was enough to nudge Washuu's enthusiasm into a useful channel.

Luckily, it was. "This is the first time I've ever been able to get before-and-after scans of somebody who's gone through the ultimate recreation process! Thank you, Rob-san!"

"So, what did I come out as?"

Washuu's mood shifted as if somebody has mentioned Washuu's Pore to her face. "I don't know. You're not an esper, or a god or demigod, or a demon, or a mage, or anything other than human as far as I can tell."

"A mutant? A metahuman?"

"Both of those terms beg the question. Since I can't give a name to what you are, I'll describe you instead. You have psychokinetic powers over dihydrogen monoxide, but nothing else. The nanomachines that I had injected into you are nowhere to be seen, but their effects are still ongoing in your body. You're also substantially more able to tolerate trauma, temperature extremes, and radiation."

"'I'm tough. I can take it.' I remember thinking that while I was trying to rescue Hyoga - or while I thought I was trying to rescue her."

"And your will influenced your alteration. Other than what I've described, you're a baseline human. Oh, and your changes are at the genetic level, and they're inheritable." Washuu turned to Hyoga. "As for you, I need to call in an expert."

Hyoga's cellphone rang once. She pulled it out of her pocket and frowned at the lack of caller information on the screen. Before she could say anything, the lens of the phone's camera started to glow... and Peorth stepped out of the camera. "I'll save you a call, Washuu."

"Please, call me Washuu-chan!"

"Is that the wish you want to make? If you deserve a wish, you'll only get one, ever."

"No. No, it isn't."

"All right, Washuu. You've already run your tests." Peorth wasn't asking. "Go ahead and tell her what you know, and I'll fill in the missing pieces that I can reveal."

"Right. Hyoga, in your current form, you're a normal 18-year-and-one-day-old girl. Well, normal for your friends; you picked up a few abilities when your body was put together. You've taken the translation effect that Belldandy placed on all of the displacees and generalized it; if there's a language on Earth that you don't understand, nobody speaks it any more. You have Mikoto's electromagnetic shield, and 1/64th of her genetic pattern, too. You have Rob's durability, resistance, longevity, and 1/64th of his genetic pattern. Nobody's going to hurt you except with an area attack."

Hyoga looked at Rob with a smile on her face. "We're barely related!"

"And I see your hormones are working normally for a baseline human. I also spotted 1/64th of Usagi's genetic pattern in your makeup; I think you might have copied her good luck. I don't recognize the other 61/64ths of your DNA pattern. As for your angelic form... I'm at a loss."

"Which is where I take over." Peorth turned to Hyoga. "Would you transform, please?"

She did, and her largest wings touched the ceiling. Washuu blinked. "That roof's 50 meters high. What kind of angel are you?"

Peorth donned a pair of glasses and looked Hyoga over, very carefully. "Much like your human form, your angelic form draws on a mix of sources. I see something of Noble Scarlet in you. I'm surprised you chose her instead of one of the more powerful goddesses' angels."

"I didn't choose anyone, at least not consciously."

"Pardonnez-moi, mademoiselle. I also see a bit of Aiwass in you, but that looks like it was in you before your re-creation. You have other kinds of angels in your makeup... Oh! I see how they fit together now! You're a guardian. Not a cherub, but you have their ability to keep track of those who needs your protection. Not a goddess's angel, but you reflect the souls of your chosen bondmates the way they do and they reflect your soul. I could go on if you needed to know, but, alas, you don't need to know. But I'll tell you this: you have discharged Garm's geas on you."

"Garm's hold is gone?"

Peorth turned to Rob. "Over her, yes. Not over you. You told Belldandy that you accepted your geas willingly, you foolish boy. You have to be the hero for the rest of your life."

He grinned. "There are worse fates, milady Peorth."

"At least you're getting the hero's reward along with the hero's burden."

"What reward would that be?"

"Your reward has at least four names that I can see, and maybe more. I'll tell you three: Mii, Ami, and Hyoga."

"My loves. I hope your phrasing is poetic, and they aren't my property. And... oh, dear... I'm to have another?"

"They are not your property, and you are not their property. And you will have at least one more; the one I can see has not yet realized what love is. And now I must go; I'm a very busy goddess." Hyoga's phone's camera lens glowed again, and Peorth disappeared into the light.

"But..." Hyoga sighed. "How do I do those things she said I can do?"

"We'll worry about that later," Washuu replied. "Do you two want to stay for dinner?"

Rob smiled. "Sasami's cooking? I'd be an idiot if I were to decline."

"It's that good?"

"Some of her recipes are better than Makoto's. But before we go..."

Washuu sighed. "What do you want?"

"I just want to know how long I can expect to live, assuming I don't take any undue risks."

"You're a Hero with a capital H; taking undue risks is in the job description. But I expect you'll both live to see at least your three-hundredth birthdays, just like Mii. Maybe you'll last longer, maybe you'll be hit by a battle-cruiser tomorrow." Washuu started closing computer windows, then stopped. "I never did find out what you all want for Christmas."

Hyoga took Rob's arm and snuggled close. "What I want, only Rob can give me."

Washuu looked at the couple, then sighed. "You can answer Sasami yourself, then."

Replace the blue text above with the text below:

"At least you're getting the hero's reward along with the hero's burden."

"What reward would that be?"

"Your reward has four names. I'll tell you three: Mii, Ami, and Hyoga."

"My loves. I hope your phrasing is poetic, and they aren't my property. And... oh, dear... I'm to have another?"

"They are not your property, and you are not their property. And you will have one more; the one I can see has not yet arrived in what you call the Metacontinuity. And now I must go; I'm a very busy goddess." Hyoga's phone's camera lens glowed again, and Peorth disappeared into the light.