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How does mass density affect gravity?
If I have two equal mass of objects, and one is less dense but spread over a larger volume, how does their gravity differ from two masses of equal mass and density? (assuming the given volumes do not intersect.)
If we assume that the objects are spherically symmetric, then as long as you are outside the object the gravitational field is not dependant on the radius (and therefore density) of the object.
Classically (i.e. non-relativitically) this result is due to [Gauss' law](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gauss's_law_for_gravity). When we move to general relativity the result is due to [Birkhoff's theorem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birkhoff%27s_theorem_%28relativity%29).
If one has two spherical objects with same mass $m$ and densities $\rho\_1$ and $\rho\_2$, the gravitational field is the same in the two cases $\rho\_1=\rho\_2$ and $\rho\_1\neq\rho\_2$. This is a consequence of Gauss' law (see answer of John Rennie).
However, if the mass distribution is not spherical, the gravitational field does depend not only on the densities of the two mass distributions, but also on the geometrical shapes. The situation gets more complicated.
*Example*
I consider here a situation where the dependence of the gravitational field on the density and shapes of the charge distributions is very pronounced.
Consider a comparison between A) two spherical objects with mass $m$ and density $\rho$; and B) one spherical object with density $\rho\_1$, and the a thin foil with the same mass $m$ but with a very small density $\rho\_2\ll \rho\_1$.
At large distances from these two objects, the gravitational field is the same in the two cases A) and B). Indeed, it is the same as of a single sphere of mass $2m$.
At small distances however, the gravitational field is completely different.
Consider for example the point located at the same distance $d$ between the two spheres in A) and between the sphere and the thin foil in case B). Suppose also that in the case B) the distance $d$ is smaller than the dimensions of the thin foil.
Case A) the gravitational field in the middle point is simply zero, since the contributions of the two spheres are equal and opposite and cancel each other.
Case B) the gravitational field of the thin foil is largely negligible (it is proportional to the mass *density* in this case) if the distance $d$ is much smaller than the linear dimension of the foil, and the only contribution to the field in this point is that of the sphere. In this limit (linear dimension much greater than $d$) the foil can be thought as an infinite plane with finite mass $m$ but with density $\rho\_2=0$ (see also the related problem of the electric field of an infinite charged plane).
| stackexchange/physics |
Dragon Age Elvish Lore Chapter 1
Aaria ran through the forest in search of the little girl calling her name "Aaria! Help me please!" Aaria looked around the forest but all she could see was trees and grass "Where are you Da"len?" Aaria said while running the forest "Aaria!" the little girl kept screaming "Hang in there Da'len! I'm coming!" Aaria ran and ran but could not find the little girl "Behiind yooouuu" Aaria got a fright when she turned around to see and old human man standing behind her, Aaria blinked when she realized who's face it was "Master?" Aaria said while memorize of her master flooded her mind, she could barely see him since he had a shadow over his face "you will pay for what you have done!" He said coming out of the shadow and revealing a cut along his right eye "I-I" Aaria studded when she remembered the scar she had given him before she ran back to her Dalish camp, Aaria became very frighten when her master became very close...
* * *
Tamlen watched Aaria as she shifted in her sleep _wake up Aaria...You are dreaming of them again..._ Tamlen thought while poking her, Aaria didn't wake up "_Aaria wake up"_ Tamlen said in a soft whisper but Aaria didn't wake up , Tamlen tried poking her again and Aaria woke up with a fright "Ah!" Tamlen put his right index finger upon his lips "shoo, everyone is still asleep" Aaria breathed heavy while looking around "w-was I?" Tamlen nodded "yes... you were sleep talking" Aaria looked to the ground noticing how heavy she was breathing, and tried to calm her self down again "I was dreaming of them again... Stupid Shems" Aaria said angrily, Tamlen laughed "now are you ready?" Aaria looked at him confused "we are going hunting remember?" Aaria looked at the sky "oh, that's right... sorry long night couldn't sleep... since last night was my mother birthday..." Aaria looked sad "hmm, okay lets get our stuff together...well, your stuff" Aaria forced a smile and looked at him revealing her dimples "I'll get my bow and daggers" aaria grabbed her bow and daggers and looked at a brown side rag bag her mothere gave to her when she was only a Da'len that was sitting next to her gear _that bag has my skeatch book in it... I could draw a few thing in the hunt... I am sure Tamlen won't mind_ aaria grabbed the bag and walked over to tamlen "ready" she whispered and off they went...
* * *
Aaria and Tamlen raced through the forest laugh and randomly shooting, Aaria was learning how to shoot while running, she was learning fast and Tamlen was happy, when they decided to stop and have a rest Aaria looked up into a tree and started climbing it "where are you going?" Tamlen asked while watching her climb "you'll see!" she yelled as she disappeared into the leaves and the next thing Tamlen knew Apples were falling from the sky with Aaria following behind landing on her feet nearly doing the splits, Aaria and Tamlen smiled at each other and Aaria sat crossed legged while grabing and Apple and wiping it _keeper always said she looked and acted like her mother... _"Tamlen?" Tamlen quickly snaped out of his daydream and looked at her "yes?" "do you think..." Aari said while biting into her apple "do you think keeper will realize we're gone?"Aaria said with apple in her mouth, Tamlen nodded while grabbing an apple and sitting down "I told her last night that we were going hunting today" Tamlen said biting into the apple and noticing Aaria staring at him "you are a treasured friend Tamlen..." Aaria finally said "you are too..." they both remained silent for awhile and Aaria looked away "I will let nothing hurt you or our clan, Aaria" Aaria looked at him and smiled " nor I, Tamlen..." when Aaria finished her apple she stood up and shook the dirt from her Dalish kilt and threw the apple cor into the bush " I'll be back..." Tamlen watched her as she ran of into the forest
* * *
Aaria ran and ran untill she found a perfect place to draw, she kept running and finnaly found a really blue river with a beautiful waterfall, as she sniffed the air she smelled roses and the freashness of the air... she loved it and didn't want to leave _perfect!_ she thought to herself smilling while positionning herself on a rock that showed the whole thing. Aaria sat down and drew the wonderful landscape.
* * *
Tamlen decided to eat all the apples as he waited for Aaria _where did she run off too?_ Tamlen thought looking around, Tamlen sat cross legged with his cheek in his hand while drawing in the dirt, TAmlen grew bored and sighed, Tamlen looked around again... no Aaria "come on Aaria" Thats when he saw it... three figures running "Aaria?" he got up and ran a head of the three figures _Aaria!_ Tamlen Ran and ran untill hestopped in front of the figures and stood with his bow out _Humans! _ he thought with his eyes narrowed , Tamlen held his bow out and aimed it at the Shemlen in front of the two that were later behind him, the shemlen in front of them fell to the ground as he saw Tamlen's bow in front of them, the human in front of him pointed at him as if he were a wild animal "its a Dalish" Tamlen became angry "and you three a somewhere you shouldn't be" Tamlen said angrily "You have no right to stop us elf!" Tamlen pointed his bow at the secon shemlen "is that so?" just then Aaria came out of know where with her bow pointing at the shemlen who was still on the ground "what do you three want?" Aaria said narrowing her eye _I hate shemlen!_ "please, we didn't know these were your forest" Tamlen snorted "these are not our forest fool! you stumbled too close to our camp" the shemlen on the ground stood up "What were you three doing anyway?" Aaria said snarling at the three men who stood there afraid "well! are you gonna speak?" the shemlen in front looked at his fellow followers "w-we found a ruin and w-we thought there might be tr-" "Treasure? fools last time we checked there were know ruins" TAmlen raised an eye brow "if there is a ruin, you should have treasure to prove it!" the shemlen in front nodded "w-we found this just in the entrance" the first shemlen came close and gave the treasure to Tamlen, Aaria still held her bow in front of the shemlen "Aaria look at this!" Aaria took one last look at the three shemlen that stood before her and looked at the treasure, it was a ruin stone with elvish writing on it "it has elvish on it... elvish writing" Tamlen looked at the three shemlen "where did you find this ruin?" "we found it to the west..." Tamlen looked at Aaria "how about it? want to check this ruin out?" Aaria looked at Tamlen "What should we do with these three first?" "hmm" Aaria looked up "i know! you three can get lost before i shoot my bow throught each and everyone of you're heads" the three men looked at each other and screamed as they ran away, Tamlen laughed "You and shemlen it is really entertaining to watch, you know?" Aaria looked at Tamlen " I hate Humans... You know that " Tamlen nodded "anyway where were you?" Aaria reaceh into her rag bag and grabbed her skeatch book "i was at this place" Aaria showed Tamlen the river with he water and the beautiful roses "wow, you have quite the talent, Aaria" Aaria smiled, Tamlen handed the book to her "keep it" she said "no..." Tamlen said shaking her head then notice her sad expression "how about this, do you have your pencil?" Aaria nodded and handed him the pencil "may i have the book please" Aaria gave him the book, Tamlen took the book and wrote _Aaria and Tamlen's home_ Aaria smiled as he wrote it "we will go see it when we come back from the ruins, okay?" Aaria nodded and took the book from Tamlen and put it in her rag bag, Aaria started walking to the south "where you going? didn't they say to the west?" Aaria quickly ran to Tamlen side "i knew that" And Tamlen and Aaria headed towards the ruin.
End file.
| fanfiction |
Half Chance may refer to:
Half Chance, Alabama
Half Chance Iron Bridge | wikipedia |
in metals and alloys , localized @xmath12 and/or @xmath0 electrons inherently possessing ` spin ' and ` orbital ' degrees of freedom are dominant sources of not only various magnetic phenomena but also unconventional superconductivity .
extensive studies on a lot of ` spin'-active systems have successfully revealed the variety of the magnetic phenomena arising from competition of the inter - site ruderman - kittel - kasuya - yosida ( rkky ) interaction and the on - site magnetic kondo effect , which was represented as the well - known ` doniach diagram ' . on the other hand ,
there is less variety of researches on ` orbital'-driven physics .
although the ` orbital ' itself must have potential variety , there are few evidences of interplay between the orbital degrees of freedom and the conduction electron . in the @xmath0-electron systems ,
strong intra - atomic spin - orbit coupling forces the spin and orbital degrees of freedom to be described in terms of the total angular momentum _
* j*_. when the magnetic moment due to _ * j * _ interacts strongly with itinerant conduction electrons , physically observable quantities follow the fermi - liquid ( fl ) model of landau , which is known as heavy fermion state . when some conditions were fulfilled unexpectedly , the fl state could become unstable , instead , an anomalous metallic state would emerge , so - called non - fermi liquid ( nfl ) state.@xcite in the vicinity of the quantum critical point , there emerges unconventional superconductivity.@xcite on the other hand , emergence of a different type of nfl state was predicted theoretically , in case electric quadrupoles of the localized @xmath0 electrons , which become active only in an orbitally degenerate state , interact with the conduction electrons , that is the quadrupole ( two - channel ) kondo effect.@xcite it is quite different from the ordinary ( single - channel ) @xmath13 kondo effect in terms of scattering process of the conduction electrons ; the scattering source is not magnetic dipole but the time - reversal electric quadrupole .
thereby , the impurity quadrupoles were overcompensated by the conduction electrons , leading to the residual entropy of ( 0.5)@xmath14ln2 and the nfl behavior : the magnetic susceptibility @xmath15 and the specific heat divided by temperature , @xmath16 , show ln@xmath3 dependence , and the electrical resistivity follows @xmath17 , where @xmath18 is residual resistivity and @xmath19 is a coefficient.@xcite nfl state and the residual entropy were also expected in a quadrupole kondo ` lattice ' , in which quadrupole moments are periodically placed.@xcite very recently , the peculiar temperature dependence of @xmath7 and @xmath20 have been theoretically predicted.@xcite moreover , in the lattice model , new types of electronic ordered states have been proposed.@xcite nevertheless , there is no experimental evidence on the exotic states , probably because there are rare systems carrying purely active quadrupoles . over the past few decades ,
experimental efforts have been paid to address the issues that could arise from the impurity quadrupole kondo effect.@xcite nfl behaviors were observed in uranium- and praseodymium - based systems with 5@xmath21 and 4@xmath21 configurations , respectively , such as u@xmath22y@xmath23pd@xmath24@xcite , ube@xmath25@xcite , u@xmath22th@xmath23be@xmath25@xcite , u@xmath22th@xmath23ru@xmath26si@xmath26@xcite , and pr@xmath22la@xmath23pb@xmath27@xcite . however , there is no firm experimental evidence for the impurity quadrupole kondo effect , since atomic disorder or uncertainty in the crystalline electric field ( cef ) ground states particularly in the u - based systems prevent the clarification .
recently , a family of the praseodymium - based systems ( @xmath3 : transition metals , @xmath28 : al , zn , and cd ) have emerged as a prototype to study the quadrupole kondo effect , since the cef ground state is a non - kramers doubly degenerated state , that is labeled as the @xmath29 doublet in the cubic @xmath30 point group , having no magnetic dipoles but electric quadrupoles.@xcite in , an afq order occurs at = 0.11 k.@xcite although the entropy release of @xmath14ln2 is expected from an order of the doubly degenerated cef ground state , the entropy at estimated from the specific heat is only 20% of @xmath14ln2 .
therefore , there should be another mechanism , except the afq order , which consumes the rest of the entropy above .
on the other hand , below , a superconducting transition sets in at = 0.05 k , suggesting a possible interplay between the quadrupole fluctuations and the superconducting cooper - pair formation.@xcite the coexistence of superconductivity with quadrupole order also manifests in isostructural compounds , , and .@xcite in and , the strong hybridization between the 4@xmath0 elections and the conduction electrons was revealed by the al - nmr and pr 3@xmath12 - 4@xmath0 resonant photoemission measurements.@xcite the large seebeck coefficient divided by temperature @xmath31 observed in ( @xmath3 = ti , v and ta ) also suggests the strong hybridization effect ,
although that for at @xmath32 is two or three orders smaller than those of .@xcite exhibits nfl behavior above = 0.6 k ; the 4@xmath0 contributions in both @xmath1 and @xmath33 follow @xmath34 for 2@xmath3520 k@xcite , however , in the temperature range , the magnetic degrees of freedom in the first excited state must interfere in the nfl behavior .
quadrupolar quantum criticality induced by application of magnetic field has been proposed.@xcite in the present work , we study the transport , thermodynamic and magnetic properties for the non - kramers doublet system in magnetic fields applied along the [ 100 ] direction . for _ * b * _ @xmath36 [ 100 ] , the afq order collapses at around 5 t , whose value is much lower than the critical fields for the afq order in the [ 110 ] and [ 111 ] field directions.@xcite since high quality of the sample is necessary to reveal the inherent behavior arising from the quadrupolar degrees of freedom as described above , we have chosen single - cryslltaine samples with low residual resistivity of 0.2 @xmath37 cm ( residual resistivity ratio , rrr@xmath4100).@xcite the manifestation of the afq order guarantees the high - quality of the crystals , otherwise it is destroyed by the atomic disorder .
our measurements of the specific heat and the electrical resistivity in magnetic fields have revealed emergence of the nfl state possibly arising from formation of a quadrupole kondo lattice .
furthermore , we have observed a magnetic - field induced crossover from the nfl state to an exotic heavy - fermion ground state in the quadrupole kondo lattice .
single - crystalline samples of used in the present work were grown by using the melt - growth method described in the previous papers.@xcite magnetization was measured using a commercial squid magnetometer ( quantum design mpms ) between 1.9 and 350 k in magnetic fields up to 5 t. magnetization measurements at low temperatures down to 0.045 k were performed by a capacitive faraday method using a high - resolution capacitive force - sensing device installed in a @xmath38he-@xmath39he dilution refrigerator.@xcite electrical resistance was measured by a standard four - probe dc method in a laboratory - built system with a @xmath38he-@xmath39he dilution refrigerator .
thermopower was measured using a laboratory - made probe by applying a temperature difference of 0.04 - 0.3 k along a bar - shaped sample .
specific heat in magnetic fields was measured by a relaxation method at temperatures between 0.4 k and 300 k. the measurements at low temperatures down to 0.06 k were done under quasi - adiabatic conditions with a @xmath38he-@xmath39he dilution refrigerator equipped with a superconducting magnet of 12 t.
contribution to the specific heat @xmath2 of in magnetic fields up to 12 t applied along the [ 100 ] direction .
the data of @xmath2 are vertically offset for clarity .
indicates the temperature of afq order .
the open triangles are @xmath40 , where schottky - type peaks appear as a result of the splitting of the ground state doublet by applying the magnetic fields .
( b ) entropy @xmath41 estimated by integrating @xmath42 in various fields.the arrow indicates characteristic temperature @xmath43 defined as the temperature where @xmath41 reaches @xmath44@xmath14ln2 .
the inset shows the data of @xmath2 for 3@xmath45@[email protected] t plotted with vertical offsets .
the open and closed triangles , respectively , represent and a crossover temperature @xmath46 emerging only in @xmath474.5 and 5 t , which will be described in the text . a pr ion encapsulated into the symmetric zn - cage , which is formed by four zn atoms at the 16@xmath48 site and twelve zn atoms at the 96@xmath49 site ,
is also shown in the inset . ]
figure [ hc ] ( a ) shows the temperature dependence of the 4@xmath0 contribution to the specific heat , @xmath2 , of in magnetic fields @xmath50 @xmath6 12 t applied along the [ 100 ] direction . to estimate the 4@xmath0 contribution @xmath2 to the total specific heat @xmath51 , we subtracted the nuclear and phonon contributions @xmath52 and @xmath53 as described below . the hamiltonian of a nuclear spin of a pr nucleus , @xmath545/2 , in magnetic field _ * b * _ can be represented as @xmath55 where @xmath560.052 k is a coupling constant of hyper - fine interaction of a pr ion @xcite , and _ * j * _ , @xmath571.72 , and @xmath58 are the total angular momentum of 4@xmath0 electrons , nuclear @xmath49-factor , and nuclear magneton , respectively .
the component of _ * j * _ along the magnetic field direction was regarded as the isothermal magnetization measured at @xmath590.045 k. thereby , the nuclear specific heat was estimated by taking the eigenvalues of the hamiltonian into consideration . the nuclear contribution is zero in @xmath470 . applying magnetic field ,
it gradually increases on cooling , @xmath60 , in @xmath5 = 3 t , @xmath61 is increased up to about 3.5 j / k mol at 0.1 k. the contribution of the phonon was subtracted by using the specific heat of the la analog .
the main panel of fig .
[ hc ] ( b ) shows the entropy @xmath41 estimated by integrating @xmath62 .
the value of @xmath41 reaches @xmath14ln2 at 2 k , supporting that the physical properties at @xmath3 @xmath63 2 k are governed by the doublet ground state . and ( b ) the electrical resistivity @xmath64 of in the magnetic fields * * _ b_**@xmath65[100 ] .
in the temperature region 0.8@xmath663 , @xmath2 and @xmath64 in magnetic fields better follow the calculation by using a two - channel anderson lattice model @xcite as shown with the ( red ) solid curves than the ( blue ) dotted curve calculated with the impurity quadrupole kondo model@xcite .
the inset of ( a ) shows the temperature dependence of @xmath62 with vertical offsets .
the temperature variation of @xmath67 is shown in the inset of ( b ) . at the value of 1
, @xmath7 follows @xmath34 .
the arrows show the characteristic temperature , @xmath68 , where @xmath7 deviates from @xmath69 relation . ]
the sharp peak at @xmath70 0.11 k for @xmath50 = 0 in fig .
[ hc ] ( a ) is the manifestation of the afq order.@xcite as shown with the open triangles in the inset of fig .
[ hc ] ( b ) , upon applying magnetic field for @xmath713 t , the peak shifts to lower temperatures and disappears at @xmath474.5 t. the behavior of the specific heat peak at in the magnetic fields is much different from the previous report where the peak is split into two for 1@xmath723 t.@xcite this inconsistency results from an extrinsic effect of another grain contained in the previous sample whose crystalline axis is directed away from the @xmath73-axis of the dominant crystal . on the other hand , as shown with the open triangles in fig .
[ hc ] ( a ) , @xmath8 in @xmath5 = 6 t shows a broad peak at 0.6 k , which shifts to 2 k with increasing @xmath5 up to 12 t. the height and width can be explained by taking account of the zeeman splitting of the ground state doublet .
because the split singlets lose quadrupolar degrees of freedom , no phase transition occurs in @xmath50 @xmath74 6
t. we pay attention to another broad peak in @xmath2(@xmath5 = 0 ) at around 0.4 k in fig .
[ hc](a ) .
when @xmath62 is plotted vs ln@xmath3 in the inset of fig .
[ scale](a ) , we find the @xmath75ln@xmath3 dependence between 0.2 and 0.8 k. since this @xmath75ln@xmath3 dependence of @xmath62 emerges below 2 k , it arises from the degrees of freedom of the @xmath29 ground state . here , we define a characteristic temperature , @xmath43 , as the temperature where @xmath41 reaches @xmath44@xmath14ln2 .
this definition follows the cox s definition of the kondo temperature @xmath76 for the impurity quadrupole kondo system.@xcite as shown in fig .
[ hc](b ) , a defined @xmath43 remains at around 0.4 k up to @xmath473 t and increases for @xmath773 t ( see fig .
[ diagram ] ( a ) ) .
we plot in fig .
[ scale ] ( a ) the values of @xmath78 at various fields , which are well scaled with respect to @xmath79 in the range of @xmath800.8 .
this scaling behavior will be discussed in detail by combining the nfl behavior of the electrical resistivity .
the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity @xmath7 in magnetic fields between 0 and 9 t applied along the [ 100 ] direction are shown in fig .
[ rho01 ] .
it is noted that all the data are plotted without offset . in @xmath814 t
, @xmath7 shows upward convex curvature at @xmath63 @xmath3 @xmath63 1.0 k , that is the nfl behavior . on cooling below 0.5 k ,
@xmath7 is likely to follow the @xmath34 variation as shown with the dashed lines .
the absolute value of @xmath7 for @xmath814 t is increased with increasing the magnetic field .
on the other hand , above 6 t , @xmath7 shows downward curvature .
the residual resistivity is increased with increasing the magnetic field .
4 t and ( b ) @xmath714 t applied along the [ 100 ] direction .
the open triangles indicate the afq ordering temperature , .
the dashed lines are fits to the data using the relation of @xmath64 @xmath82 @xmath34 .
it is noted that the data are plotted without offset . ]
we pay our attention again to the nfl behavior of the upward convex curve at @xmath63 @xmath3 @xmath63 1.0 k. here , the data of @xmath7 are replotted in the inset of fig .
[ scale ] ( b ) as @xmath83 vs @xmath3 , where @xmath84 is the residual resistivity . in the @xmath3 region where @xmath83 stays at 1.0
, @xmath85 follows @xmath34 .
the arrows denote the characteristic temperature , @xmath68 , where @xmath7 starts deviating from the @xmath34 dependence on heating .
we represent the data of @xmath86 vs @xmath87 in fig .
[ scale ] ( b ) , where @xmath7 follows the scaling well in the temperature range of 0.5 @xmath63 @xmath87 @xmath45
3 . as shown in the inset of fig .
[ scale ] ( b ) , @xmath68 stays at around 0.35 k up to @xmath474 t , and increases significantly once @xmath50 exceeds 4 t ( see the ( red ) opened diamonds in fig .
[ diagram ] ( a ) ) .
the field dependence of @xmath68 coincides with that of @xmath43 described in the previous subsection , suggesting the same origin of the both @xmath68 and @xmath43.@xcite let us discuss possible mechanisms for the observed nfl behaviors of @xmath8 and @xmath89 in the magnetic fields well scaled with respect to @xmath90 and @xmath91 , respectively .
one is the contribution of a rattling phonon , which gives rise to @xmath92.@xcite there is an optical phonon excitation at around 7 mev ( 80 k ) , which is attributed to the low - energy vibration of the zn atom.@xcite however , as this phonon excitation probably ceases at @xmath931 k , interaction of the optical phonon mode with the conduction electrons must be too weak to modify the low - temperature electronic transport .
the second is the impurity quadrupole kondo effect predicted by cox _
_ , which leads to @xmath94 and @xmath95 as mentioned in the introduction.@xcite the @xmath34 dependence of @xmath7 may be applicable to the present data .
however , in the present case of , the quadrupole moments are not included as impurities but placed periodically , therefore , formation of the quadrupole kondo lattice is a promising candidate bringing about the nfl state.@xcite the theoretical analyses on the temperature variations of @xmath1 and @xmath96 with the two - channel anderson lattice model have led the following relations ; @xmath97 where @xmath98 and @xmath99 ( @xmath1001 and 2 ) are parameters.@xcite the calculations are shown by the ( red ) solid curves in fig .
[ scale ] ( a ) and ( b ) .
the curves are in better agreement with our experimental data for wider temperature range than those calculated by the impurity quadrupole kondo model as shown with the ( blue ) dotted line .
in the present case , the nfl behavior does not persist down to the low - temperature limit .
this is certain because this nfl behavior does not arise from the conventional quantum critical point but from the quadrupole kondo effect as described in the introduction .
the quadrupoles are over - screened by the conduction electrons , leading to the unstable electronic state with the residual entropy of ( 0.5)@xmath14ln2 at zero temperature in principle . in real systems , however , the residual entropy should go to zero at @xmath3 = 0 by a mechanism following the third law of thermodynamics .
in fact , in the magnetic fields @xmath5 @xmath45 4 t , the residual entropy is released by the intersite quadrupole interaction , leading to occurrence of the quadrupole order .
the nfl behavior certainly manifests itself in the limited temperature range , where the magnetic entropy goes down from @xmath14ln2 to ( 0.5)@xmath14ln2 . in zero magnetic field , where the nfl behaviors of the electrical resistivity and the specific heat appear in the temperature range from 1.5 k to 0.2 k. taking these experimental results and the analyses on them , this is the first observation of the nfl state in the nonmagnetic quadrupole - active system , whose origin is intrinsically different from that observed in the vicinity of the conventional quantum critical point .
the scaling plots of @xmath101 and @xmath89 using the characteristic temperatures @xmath79 and @xmath87 , respectively , as shown in fig .
[ scale](a ) and ( b ) , imply the possible formation of the quadrupole kondo lattice resulting from hybridization between the quadrupoles and the conduction electrons with an energy scale of @xmath10 . of in the magnetic field of [email protected] t applied along the [ 100 ] direction .
the data in the magnetic fields are offset for clarity .
the open and solid triangles indicate the afq order temperature and the crossover temperature @xmath46 , respectively .
the inset is the plot of @xmath1 vs @xmath102 in @xmath103 t with vertical offset . ]
the contour plot is made from the derivative of the magnetization with respect to the magnetic field , d@xmath104d@xmath50 , as shown in fig .
[ mh ] ( b ) .
the nfl state passes through the region denoted by @xmath105 to the field - induced fermi liquid ground state , fl . @xmath106 and @xmath68 are the characteristic temperatures for the nfl behavior determined by the measurements of the specific heat and the electrical resistivity , respectively .
@xmath40 is the temperature where a schottky - type peak appears due to the splitting of the ground state doublet .
( b ) magnetic field variation of the specific heat divided by temperature , @xmath62 at around 0.07 k. ( c ) coefficient @xmath19 of the electrical resistivity , @xmath107 ( left - hand scale ) and the seebeck coefficient divided by temperature , @xmath31 , at 0.08 k ( right - hand scale)@xcite . ] looking close to the data of @xmath7 at @xmath50 = 4 t as shown with the solid triangles in fig .
[ rho ] , we find another knee at @xmath105 = 0.12 k above = 0.08 k. in contrast to the drop of at @xmath50 @xmath74 3 t , @xmath105 stays at around 0.13 k for @xmath50 @xmath108 4 and 5 t. as shown in the inset of fig .
[ hc ] ( b ) , this @xmath105 coincides with the broad peak of @xmath8 at @xmath105 = 0.12 k in @xmath50 = 4.5 and 5 t. the field dependences of @xmath105 observed in the @xmath7 and @xmath109 measurements are plotted with the blue and red closed circles , respectively , in the @xmath110 phase diagram in fig .
[ diagram ] ( a ) .
the @xmath105 line can be a boundary of two states , meaning a phase transition or a crossover . in the present case ,
the crossover is likely to occur at @xmath105 , because the peak of @xmath109 becomes very broad despite the rather robust @xmath105 against the magnetic field .
on cooling below @xmath105 , @xmath7 follows @xmath111 at low temperature for 4@xmath1126 t , as shown in the inset of fig .
[ rho ] . the @xmath19 coefficient as a function of @xmath5
is plotted in fig .
[ diagram ] ( c ) .
it is strongly enhanced at around 4.5 t , where @xmath62 at 0.07 k is also peaked .
moreover , there is a peak at 5.5 t in the seebeck coefficient divided by temperature , @xmath31 , at 0.08 k.@xcite the coincidence of these peaks at around 5 t suggests a peculiar feature of the heavy fermion state on cooling through @xmath105 in a narrow range of @xmath5 , 3.5@xmath1136 t. fig .
[ mh ] ( a ) and ( b ) show the isothermal magnetization and the derivative of the magnetization with respect to the magnetic field , d@xmath104d@xmath50 , at @xmath590.045 , 0.08 , 0.17 , 0.55 , and 1.2 k in the magnetic field of @xmath8114 t applied along the [ 100 ] direction , respectively .
the isothermal magnetization shows metamagnetic behavior at around 5 t , where d@xmath104d@xmath50 shows a peak .
the peak shifts slightly to higher fields and becomes broader with increasing temperatures , which is likely to be connected to the schottky anomaly due to the splitting of the @xmath114 doublet in the magnetic field for @xmath776 t. the contour plot in fig .
[ diagram ] ( a ) indicates the derivative of the magnetization with respect to the magnetic field , d@xmath104d@xmath50 .
note that the d@xmath104d@xmath50 is largely enhanced only in the narrow range of @xmath5 , [email protected] t. furthermore , the elastic modulus of the @xmath115 mode , which is a part of the @xmath29-type @xmath116 mode , shows strong softening in the magnetic field at around @xmath475 t.@xcite all these observations suggest development of an exotic fermi liquid state on cooling through @xmath105 in a range of @xmath5 , [email protected] t. d@xmath50 of at temperatures between 0.045 and 1.2 k in the magnetic field @xmath8114 t applied along the [ 100 ] direction .
the data are vertically offset for clarity .
the solid and dotted lines indicate the data for ascending the magnetic fields . ]
there are some possible mechanisms to form the exotic fermi liquid state at @xmath117 .
one is a crossover from the nfl state to a fl state expected in the two - channel kondo model taking in magnetic field effect.@xcite perhaps , emergence of a fl state accompanied with a free magnetic spin in the vicinity of the nfl state has been pointed out by taking into account possible competition between the magnetic and quadrupole kondo effects on the basis of an extended two - channel kondo model.@xcite another is a cross - over due to the composite electronic order @xcite or the hastatic order @xcite in the quadrupole kondo lattice as were mentioned above . in any cases
, it is noted that the hybridization between the quadrupoles and the conduction electrons gives rise to a new type of the electronic ground state .
it is highly desirable to detect the order parameter by microscopic techniques .
indeed , we expected that the quadrupole induced quantum critical behavior in @xmath8 would appear when the afq order is fully suppressed .
however , as shown in fig .
[ diagram ] ( b ) , @xmath62 does not diverse in the vicinity of 4.5 t on cooling to 0.07 k at all .
it seems that the doniach picture is not valid for this pure quadrupole system .
although it is still an open question why the quantum criticality was not detected in , a peculiar feature of the quadrupole must give rise to the unique electronic phenomena .
we report the low - temperature transport , thermodynamic and magnetic properties on a cubic system in which the non - kramers doublet ground state has purely the quadrupolar degrees of freedom . in the moderately wide temperature range at @xmath118 ,
non - fermi liquid behaviors were clearly observed in the electrical resistivity @xmath1 and the specific heat @xmath2 .
both @xmath1 and @xmath2 in magnetic fields @xmath50 @xmath119 6 t applied along the [ 100 ] direction can be well scaled with a characteristic temperature @xmath9 , suggesting the formation of the quadrupole kondo lattice due to the hybridization between the quadrupoles and the conduction electrons .
it indicates that the nfl behavior observed in the present system is intrinsically different from that observed in the vicinity of the conventional quantum critical point .
furthermore , @xmath120 and @xmath2 exhibit anomalies at @[email protected] k in the vicinity of 5 t , where the coefficient @xmath19 for @xmath107 , @xmath121 , and @xmath122 , have significant enhancement as a function of @xmath5 .
the concomitant increase in d@xmath104d@xmath5 indicates formation of a magnetic - field induced fermi liquid ground state to remove the residual entropy in the quadrupole kondo lattice .
these observations imply that the doniach picture relevant to the spin kondo systems should not be valid for this purely quadrupole - active system , possibly leading us beyond the doniach picture .
the authors would like to thank a. tsuruta , k. miyake , h. kusunose , s. hoshino , j. otsuki , y. kuramoto , k. uenishi , y. yamane , i. ishii , t. suzuki and k. iwasa for helpful discussions .
we also thank y. shibata for the electron - probe microanalysis performed at n - bard , hiroshima university .
the magnetization measurements with mpms and specific heat measurements with ppms were carried out at n - bard , hiroshima university .
this work was financially supported by jsps kakenhi grant numbers 21102516 , 23102718 , 26707017 , and 15h05884 , 15h05886 ( j - physics ) , and by the mazda foundation research grant , japan and hiroshima university fujii research fund .
y. machida , t. yoshida , t. ikeura , k. izawa , a. nakama , r. higashinaka , y. aoki , h. sato , a. sakai , s. nakatsuji , n. nagasawa , k. matsumoto , t. onimaru , and t. takabatake : j. phys .
ser . * 592 * , 012025 ( 2015 ) . | arxiv |
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Get Up Dates Daily > Blog > Entertainment > Jenna Bush Hager's 5 Best Moments On 'Today' In 2022
Jenna Bush Hager's 5 Best Moments On 'Today' In 2022
Entertainment 25 Views Posted by Susan Rodriguez December 30, 2022
Goldie Hawn Reflects On The Medicinal Qualities Of Love
Jenna Bush Hager is one of the Today show's most beloved hosts. She frequently shares personal anecdotes and funny stories about her family while on the air. Here are our picks for her best moments on Today this year.
The Actor Hager's Husband Didn't Want Her To Interview
Hager has interviewed all kinds of stars without any issues, from political figures to rock stars to Oscar-winning actors. However, Hager revealed that her husband, Henry, asked her not to interview one young actor.
After the couple went to see Elvis, Hager said that her husband said he wasn't "comfortable" with her interviewing the movie's star, Austin Butler. Read more about why Henry wanted Hager to avoid one-on-one time with Butler here.
Hager Cringes At Throwback Family Photo
As the daughter of a former president, Hager is no stranger to having embarrassing photos taken of her. During one episode of Today, she and her co-host Hoda Kotb took a look at a throwback picture of Hager and her family.
"You look like the 4th of July!" Kotb enthused, while Hager groaned, "I just was desperate to be Kelly Taylor on 90210." Read more about Hager's embarrassing throwback family picture here.
Her Tips For Weight Loss
Hager usually keeps things light when talking about her life, but the morning show host isn't afraid to share details about her personal life. After viewers repeatedly commented on her weight loss, she and Kotb discussed the changes she had made in her life.
Hager and Kotb spoke about the uselessness of "yo-yo dieting" and how it never keeps the weight off. Hager shared her workout secret, as well as her views on her body as she gets older. Read more about Hager's thoughts on body confidence here.
Hager Said She Didn't Want A Portrait Her Dad Painted Of Her
Former President George W. Bush has taken up a few hobbies since he left the Oval Office, but it looks like painting is his favorite. Bush specializes in portraits, painting pictures of immigrants, military veterans, and his own family.
Hager shared the portrait he painted of her, but admitted that she was not a fan of the painting, saying her dad never even sent it to her because she said she didn't want it. Read more about fan reactions to the painting here.
Her Personal Time With King Charles
Working for the Today show means Hager gets to meet all kinds of interesting people—including the King of England! Hager had traveled to Scotland to interview Queen Consort Camilla Parker Bowles, but Bowles' flight was delayed, meaning Hager got some one-on-one time with the king.
Hager and her husband had dinner with King Charles the night before he ascended to the throne. Read more about her conversation with King Charles, as well as the moment she found out Queen Elizabeth was sick, here.
From embarrassing family photos to dramatic interviews, Hager has experienced it all on the Today show this past year. Here's hoping 2023 will bring some more memorable moments for the morning show host!
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Hunger Games Rue's Story
p style="line-height: 24.4799995422363px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: #fefefe;"I stood up perched in a tree looking at the worn and old district I live in. The once beautiful forests lay dead and battered with their branches all cracked and pricked up like sharp knives. The tree I stood in was one of many which still survived through these sad times, and really like a second home to me./p
p style="line-height: 24.4799995422363px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: #fefefe;"Peering through its hunter green leaves, I watched as some men were walking in the fertile fields to start their hard days work. They would come here every day as a ritual like I did, though today I came for a bit more reassurance. The sun still wasn't present, so I lay back and hummed my short four note tune. I remembered the first time I whistled it as a call to say that the working day was finished, and soon after the mocking jays nearby learnt the tune and whistled it with me when the day was over./p
p style="line-height: 24.4799995422363px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: #fefefe;"Treading carefully, I climbed a couple of branches towards the top of the tree and poked my head out of the top. A small fresh breeze whispered by and brushed the leaves surrounding me. I inhaled and exhaled wishing for this moment to never end, hoping that today could be over already. But it wouldn't be. I would have to face something that others have faced before me. The reaping./p
p style="line-height: 24.4799995422363px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: #fefefe;"Lowering my head with frustration, I slowly glided down a few tree branches and leaped out of the grand tree. I shuffled my wild crisp hair, removing all the small leaves that lay silently in it. I shivered slightly as the thought of the horrible reaping appeared in my head. I had my name only put in one time since I have turned twelve and it is my first year in this experience. Though if I wanted to have some 'Tesserae' I would have had to put my name in the reaping bowl a couple more times. The Tesserae is just enough food and oil for one person for a year, so many people in the Districts usually sign up for this so that they can feed their families. I didn't since most of us start in our second year if we survive the reaping./p
p style="line-height: 24.4799995422363px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: #fefefe;"I started to drag my feet slowly and wistfully through the muddy and murky path that lay in front of me. I thought about my family and how they would - and should - still be asleep at this time. They never knew that I walked among the paths in the woods at this time of day, and they would probably never know. My eyes widened suddenly as I remembered what my mum had told me last night:/p
p style="line-height: 24.4799995422363px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: #fefefe;""Wake up early in the morning so that you can be properly prepared. I will be awake the usual time to help you."/p
p style="line-height: 24.4799995422363px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: #fefefe;"I cursed silently to myself and started to sprint through the winding paths and dodged random rocks that seemed to be planted here and there. As I entered a small clearing, there was the slight scent of honey looming in the clear air. Slowly I inhaled its sweet intoxicating scent and smiled. I had loved honey ever since the day I was born, but I was only allowed it when I had a cough since it helped to sooth my treacherous throat./p
p style="line-height: 24.4799995422363px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: #fefefe;"Blinking back to reality, little specks were starting to appear from behind the hills. Mother was surely going to be awake by now! I started to run again, tripping over my feet but continuing on at times. I could see the little shack from a distance, and as it slowly came closer to view, I squinted my eyes so that I could see closer. Not a light in the house! Great news for me but that didn't mean that mother wasn't close to waking! I continued to run until I climbed up a creeper which was lined on the side of the house and swung through the window into my room with an echoing thud. /p
p style="line-height: 24.4799995422363px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: #fefefe;"I heard movement and saw a light flicker from behind my door. I quickly jumped into my side of the bed and closed my eyes slightly. Footsteps came closer and closer to the door, the thudding noise seemed louder as the shadow cam closer. The door creaked open slowly, and I half opened my eyes, pretending to have just woken up from my sleep./p
p style="line-height: 24.4799995422363px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: #fefefe;""Rue, was that you who made the noise?" my Mother inquired./p
p style="line-height: 24.4799995422363px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: #fefefe;""No Mother, it must have been from outside." I said as innocently as possible./p
p style="line-height: 24.4799995422363px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: #fefefe;""Well since you are awake, why don't we get you ready for the reaping?" she asked with a fake smile plastered against her face./p
p style="line-height: 24.4799995422363px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: #fefefe;"I forced a smile upon my face, and stood up in my muddy clothes and followed my Mother into the bathroom where she had placed my best clothes ready for me to wear. I stopped at the doorway and stared towards my mother. I tried to hide the worried look in my eyes, but it didn't seem to work as a silent tear glided gracefully down my face. /p
p style="line-height: 24.4799995422363px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: #fefefe;"My mother got up quickly and walked towards me and rubbed the tear from my cheek and brought her hands underneath my chin and lifted my head up to face hers. Her beady brown eyes were filled with caring love. She planted a small smile on her face and whispered "It is going to be okay Rue, don't worry."/p
p style="line-height: 24.4799995422363px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: #fefefe;"I nodded and gave her a small smile. She had been through this so she would surely know how I felt at this moment in time. Mother was a lucky one since she was never selected. Many people were never selected, so I guess she was like one of them ordinary people from District 11. I just wish I didn't have to go through this!/p
p style="line-height: 24.4799995422363px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: #fefefe;"I was never good with pressurizing events, but all I ever did was stare blankly and show no emotion. Really that is what I did everyday just to avoid the people around me. I did a slight smile at the thought of it, and brought myself slowly back to reality./p
p style="line-height: 24.4799995422363px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: #fefefe;"My mother was quickly sorting out the order which I would put my clothes on. She lay down some lacey pearl white leggings on the small bathroom cupboard, with my pale pink flowery dress next to it. Mt mother had sewn small flowers in to the edges of it as she used to work as a dress maker before being a farmers wife, and she had kept it from the day which she had made it. /p
p style="line-height: 24.4799995422363px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: #fefefe;"I slowly stepped into the cold shower and brushed off all the leaves and mud off of my smooth caramel skin. Once I was finished, I quickly wrapped a rough towel around me and dried myself. I slipped into the leggings, adjusting them at the bottom making sure they look as nice as possible. My mother helped me to get the dress on, and turned me round to face a cracked mirror. /p
p style="line-height: 24.4799995422363px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: #fefefe;"The outfit looked beautiful, and as I did a small twirl, I could feel my mother beaming proudly on me. The only thing that was out of order was my wild obnoxious hair bouncing wildly in its tight curls. Mother quickly took a small part and plaited it until my head wad completely plaited, with a small homemade like hairband at the front. /p
p style="line-height: 24.4799995422363px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: #fefefe;"Mother added in some small wild pink flowers into my hair, and whispered "Good luck my beautiful Rue, may the odds ever be in your favor."/p
End file.
| fanfiction |
pythiosis is a chronic granulomatous disease caused by the oomycete pythium insidiosum belonging to the kingdom stramenopila
.
these opportunistic pathogens live in warm stagnant water and are most often reported in regions with tropical and subtropical environments . in brazil ,
the disease occurs predominantly in horses , however , outbreaks have been reported in sheep and cattle , .
pythiosis has three distinct forms of clinical presentation in domestic animals : cutaneous , , , gastrointestinal and rhinofacial . in cattle ,
the cutaneous form of the disease is sporadic and widely described and usually occurs during the rainy season in subtropical areas .
the clinical diagnosis is based on epidemiological characteristics and pathological lesions . however , for definitive diagnosis , cultivation and identification of the agent are crucial
. techniques of immunohistochemistry , serological testing by elisa and polymerase chain reaction ( pcr ) are employed to establish the definitive diagnosis of the disease , .
the aim of this study is to report the epidemiological , pathological and mycological findings of cutaneous pythiosis in cattle in southern brazil .
during the month of february of 2016 , 23 calves presented ulcerated cutaneous lesions in thoracic and pelvic limbs , sometimes extending to the ventral thoracic region .
the herd consisted of 150 beef cattle ( 100 adults and 50 calves ) in moderate body condition , belonging to a property in the city of triunfo in southern of brazil ( 295608.2 s 512754,2w ) .
the cattle were kept next to a river , in native grass areas with extensive marshy regions ( fig .
the cutaneous lesions were observed after an initial period of 15 days after the animals were introduced into the area and had a clinical course of 2030 days , with subsequent spontaneous regression in all affected calves after this period .
calves affected received supportive therapy , to prevent secondary skin infections with basic wound management techniques .
cutaneous biopsies were performed in eight calves , from which six samples were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin , processed routinely for histopathology , and stained with hematoxylin - eosin ( he ) and gomori methenamine silver ( gms ) .
two samples were kept at room temperature , and later submitted to cultivation and isolation of the agent .
grossly , the lesions were located predominantly in the distal regions of the thoracic and pelvic limbs , and sometimes in carpal - ulnar region of forelimbs and ventral thoracic region .
these consisted of multifocal ulcerated areas , with approximately 5 cm in diameter , reddish surface , sometimes covered by crusts ( fig .
histopathological examination revealed multifocal pyogranulomas in the superficial and deep dermis characterized by inflammatory infiltrate of neutrophils , eosinophils and a marked amount of epithelioid macrophages in the central region , surrounded by rare multinucleated giant cells ( fig .
, there were still occasional transverse and longitudinal sections of non - stained hyphae , surrounded often by eosinophilic radiated material morphologically compatible with splendore - hoeppli reaction .
skin sections stained with gms showed rare centrally located hyphae with approximately 49 m in diameter , ramified and rarely septate .
these hyphae were also stained by immunohistochemistry , predominantly observed in the center of these pyogranulomas ( fig .
1d ) , employing the polyclonal antibody ( non - commercial ) anti - p .
insidiosum produced in rabbits , at a 1:100 dilution in phosphate buffered saline ( pbs ) , developed with a red chromogen , 3-amino-9-ethylcarbazole ( aec , dako north america , carpinteria , usa ) .
plates of polystyrene of 96 wells were sensitized with the antigen diluted in pbs and incubated overnight at 4 c .
each well received 100 l of bovine serum albumin 0.2% and , after the incubation period , the plates were washed and stored at 4 c until the moment of the use .
the tested serums were diluted at 1:2000 in pbs in ph 7.2 , distributed 100 l in each well in the plates and incubated at 37 c for 1 h. then , the plates were incubated with a specific secondary antibody for the species ( anti - igg bovine conjugated with peroxidase ) with dilution of 1:5000 .
the plates then received the chromogen buffer ( ortho - phenylene - diamine ) and the reading was carried out through a spectrophotomer of plates with 490 nm .
the determination of levels of antibodies by elisa showed positive results for the detection of anti - pythiumantibodies for all cattle , suggesting that these animals did develop pythiosis .
the cutaneous biopsies were cultivated on corn meal agar ( cma ) at 37 c for 48 h. a hyaline colony with a short and whitish radiating mycelium was observed .
the microscopic evaluation revealed the presence of sparsely septate hyphae similar to p. insidiosum growth . for molecular identification ,
total dna was extracted of the isolate according to the protocol described in the literature , .
the sample was sequenced and data obtained were deposited in genbank under the accession number kx369614 .
it is usually considered a sporadic disease , which occurs during the rainy season in subtropical areas .
the diagnosis of cutaneous pythiosis in cattle in the present outbreak was obtained through the epidemiological and the pathological findings associated with the molecular techniques , serological analyses and cultivation of p. insidiosum .
the epidemiological findings described , are similar to those seen in this study , in which only young animals that remained in swampy regions were affected . in a previous report , the time between introduction of the animals in flooded areas and the onset of clinical signs was 15 days with a clinical course that extended over a period of two months , similar to that observed in this study .
high rainfall and heavy flooding in the region , influenced by el nio , suggests that the precipitation factor predisposed the occurrence of this outbreak associated with the presence of the animals for long periods in this marshy environment .
the clinical and pathological findings observed in this study were similar to those described by other authors , , , , that reported ulcerated lesions with thickening of the dermis and edema in distal regions of fore and hind limbs .
one aspect observed in this outbreak and not described to date , was the presence of lesions in the proximal regions located in radio - ulnar region of forelimbs and ventral thoracic region .
the location of the lesions is therefore directly related to the parts of the body that stay in direct contact with water containing zoospores of p. insidiosum
. in bovines ,
histopathological lesions are characterized by multifocal pyogranulomas in superficial and deep dermis , composed of polymorphonuclear cells and a predominance of epithelioid macrophages and multinucleated giant cells .
a limited number of ramified septate hyphae , surrounded by splendore - hoeppli reactions suggest deposition of antigen - antibody complexes around the agent , similarly observed in this study .
pcr assays , immunohistochemistry , and immunoblot analyses have been developed for identification and differentiation of p. insidiosum
.
the differentiation of p. insidiosum from other species and organisms that cause similar clinical signs is very important to select the appropriate treatment .
pithiosis is a self - limiting condition in cattle , and spontaneous healing has been reported to occur after a few weeks to two months .
thus , it does not require specific treatment , . in horses , it is a chronic disease and effective treatment is obtained with wide surgical excision followed by the use of immunotherapy .
immunotherapic treatment in horses has an effectiveness of 72% when employed alone and of 90% when combined to surgical debridement of diseased tissue , , .
the microbial culture is a traditional method to identify p. insidiosum ; however , it requires expertise to identify this specific microorganism . in this study
the pcr test followed by sequencing confirmed the previous morphological identification in the cattle samples of the present work .
the molecular techniques represent an important sensitive and specific diagnostic tool for pythiosis . the serological analysis by elisa , proved to be a specific , sensitive and rapid technical in the diagnosis of bovine pythiosis . the combination of pathological , serological , cultivation and molecular techniques employed in this study were crucial and allowed to characterize the outbreak of cutaneous pythiosis in cattle in southern brazil .
the author(s ) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research , authorship , and/or publication of this article . | pubmed |
Computing energy of Guassian basis set
Actually, I'd like to compute decay rate using :
$$ \Gamma = 2\pi \ | \langle ab|V|cd \rangle|^2 \delta\ (\epsilon\_f-\epsilon\_i) $$
where a, b, c, d are the MOs and V is coulomb interaction, and $\epsilon\_f$ and $\epsilon\_i$ are final and initial energy of the system.
I am interested in computing this value regarding to a special atom (for example atom A) which means MOs should be expandes in terms of basis set:
$$ \Gamma = 2\pi \ \sum\_{\mu, \nu,\lambda, \sigma \ \in A }C\_{\mu,a}\ C\_{\nu,b}C\_{\lambda,c}C\_{\sigma,d}|\langle \mu\nu|V|\lambda \sigma \rangle|^2 \delta \ (\epsilon\_{\mu}-\epsilon\_{\nu}-\epsilon\_{\lambda}+\epsilon\_{\sigma}) $$
where $\mu, \nu, \lambda, \sigma$ are states in Gaussian basis sets, and $\epsilon$ are corresponding energies.
It seems a straightforward calculation, but I am completely confused because I don't know how I can calculate the energy of basis sets! I think the energy of the basis set is not meaningful.
Somebody, suggests using a numerical atomic orbital basis set to compute this kind of decay rate. (for numerical atomic orbital, the energy of states is meaningful) but I also don't know how to compute this kind of basis set!
Is there any suggestion to resolve this problem?
First, these Coulombic interaction integrals can be simplified to $ \langle \mu\nu|\frac{1}{r\_{12}}|\lambda \sigma \rangle $, which is the common two electron integral in the AO basis (your atom-centered gaussian basis functions).
You are correct that energies are only well defined for eigenfunctions of the Hamiltonian, and thus basis set functions (the choice of which is arbitrary) do not have a well-defined energy. Therefore, the most straightforward workaround for this is to calculate the two electron integrals in the AO basis, forming the rank 4 tensor of two electron integrals, $g(\mu,\nu,\rho,\sigma) = \langle \mu\nu|\frac{1}{r\_{12}}|\lambda \sigma \rangle $. Then, you must (approximately) solve the Schrödinger equation with some level of electronic structure theory (e.g. CCSD, MP2, etc.) to solve for the molecular orbital coefficient matrix, C. The a$^{th}$ column of the matrix C is the weightings of the AO basis (atom-centered gaussian basis functions) to give the a$^{th}$ molecular orbital with well-defined energy $\epsilon\_a$.
Finally, you should rotate $g(\mu,\nu,\rho,\sigma)$ with the coefficient matrix C to yield $g(a,b,c,d)$:
$$g(a,b,c,d)=C\_{\mu a}C\_{\nu b}g(\mu,\nu,\rho,\sigma)C\_{\rho c}C\_{\sigma d}$$
Note that, in this form, this change of basis scales as $N^8$, where N is the number of basis functions used, but can be implemented efficiently (by doing one rotation at a time) to scale as $N^5$. See the [Crawdad programming tutorial](http://sirius.chem.vt.edu/wiki/doku.php?id=crawdad:programming) on MP2 (site seems to be down right now) for more discussion on tensor rotations. Although it was done for MP2, it works identically for you.
| stackexchange/chemistry |
the suprachoroidal space ( scs ) has been long known as a potential space between the choroid and the sclera . while the inner border of the choroid , which is the bruch s membrane , is compact , the outer border is more a zone of transition , consisting of several fibrous lamellae with variable thickness.1 until recently
, the scs could only be visualized on histology,2 and could only be demonstrated in vivo by ultrasonography in pathologic conditions such as idiopathic uveal effusion syndrome or posterior scleritis where excess fluid accumulation around the optic nerve results in a
t sign.3 optical coherence tomography ( oct ) imaging has revolutionized the practice of ophthalmology in the past 2 decades , mostly for retinal conditions , and enabled detailed in vivo imaging of retinal structures with an axial resolution as high as 3 m.4 further advances in oct technology have made it possible to clearly image not only the retina , but the layers underneath it .
this is achieved by using enhanced depth imaging ( edi)-oct , a technique that allows standard spectral - domain oct instruments to visualize the choroid,5 or by swept - source oct , which uses a longer wavelength that allows deeper penetration.6 these advanced imaging techniques have increased our understanding of retinal pathologies , demonstrating changes in choroidal thickness in a variety of conditions , such as central serous chorioretinopathy,711 polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy,1214 myopic degeneration,1516 and age - related macular degeneration ( amd).1719 choroidal imaging has also provided new insight on eyes with diabetic retinopathy , adult vitelliform pattern dystrophy , stargardt s disease , pseudophakic cystoid macular edema , and intraocular inflammation.2024 they can be used to diagnose and monitor choroidal nevi and tumors , and even improve the detection of choroidal melanoma.2529 further advances have now made it possible to image the scs in vivo ( figure 1 ) to reveal new insights into its role in healthy and pathologic eyes . the ability to accurately image
the choroid has made it an integral component in the evaluation of retinal conditions , and we expect the same for the scs .
importantly , the scs may not only be useful for diagnosis and monitoring but may also provide a new route for both medical and surgical treatments .
the purpose of this opinion piece is to focus on the scs and its evolving relevance to retinal specialists .
the majority of studies on choroidal thickness have defined the inner border of the sclera as the outer boundary of the choroid . however , some researchers have noted a hyporeflective band between the outer border of the choroid and sclera , which may cause variability in choroidal thickness measurements.30 a recent study has identified this hyporeflective band to correspond to the scs , and discussed the importance of its recognition to accurate measurement of choroidal thickness .
the scs can be demonstrated and accurately measured by both edi - oct and swept - source oct , and has been shown to be present in approximately 50% of people above the age of 50 years.31,32 the presence of the scs has been correlated to hyperopic refractive error,31 and is generally absent in the eyes of young , healthy persons.31,32 it has been theorized that in hyperopic eyes , there is increased hydrostatic pressure from compression of the vortex veins by the sclera , resulting in a subclinical suprachoroidal effusion that makes the small amount of fluid in the scs visible on imaging .
it has also been suggested that with age there is an increase in leakage of proteins from choroidal vessels to the scs , increasing its osmotic pressure as well , and results in the higher rates of its detection in older individuals.31 the scs has been reported to be demonstrated in 20%50% of eyes with amd.3133 except for the patients increased age , it has been suggested that choroidal thinning in amd may increase the likelihood of scs s presence.33 presence of scs was also found in 50%60% of patients with macular holes and epiretinal membranes,32 but this may be due to their age and not necessarily correlated to these conditions .
it has also been shown that there is loculation of fluid in the outer choroid in approximately 65% of eyes with central serous chorioretinopathy.34 while the presence or thickness of the scs in retinal diseases has not been fully elucidated , it may become another parameter that will be useful for their diagnosis and follow - up .
intravitreal injections are currently the mainstay of treatment for a wide variety of retinal diseases , and constitute an effective method to achieve high intraocular levels of antibiotic , antiviral , antifungal , steroidal , and anti - vegf drugs.35,36 intravitreal injections have a good safety profile , but it should be remembered that they can cause ocular complications , including cataract formation , glaucoma , choroidal hemorrhage , endophthalmitis , vitreous hemorrhage , and retinal detachment,37 and the injected drug can be absorbed and induce systemic adverse effects .
topical administration of drugs generally achieves low concentration in the vitreous , and is not commonly used for the treatment of retinal diseases.38 systemic treatment is also limited , as the blood - retina - barrier limits the ability of the drugs to reach the eye , and high doses may cause systemic adverse effects.39 periocular ( subconjunctival , sub - tenon , or retrobulbar ) injections can bypass the blood - retina - barrier without intraocular penetration .
however , the injected drug still has to traverse the sclera , which is less permeable to larger molecules , and may not achieve therapeutic drug levels at the level of the retina.39,40 the scs is an attractive route of drug delivery , which may enable bypassing the sclera without the risk of intraocular penetration .
animal studies have shown that the scs can accommodate up to 1 ml of fluid , which rapidly diffused into the posterior segment.41 this volume is much larger than what is required for achieving therapeutic levels for clinically relevant drugs .
injections of 1050 l into the scs have been demonstrated to be well tolerated with a low risk of ocular complications.42,43 oct imaging of the scs may also become a useful means of ensuring the injected drug was properly administered , as well as of following its pharmacokinetics.42 suprachoroidal drug delivery to the vitreous has been shown to decline with an increase in drug lipophilicity and molecular weight.44 this evidence makes the scs an attractive route for drug delivery , as it may allow for larger volumes of drugs and longer duration of action to be achieved with a safer procedure .
in addition , drug delivery through the scs bypasses the internal limiting membrane barrier and outer blood - retina - barrier , and may be a preferred route for drug delivery targeting the retinal pigment epithelium .
first , the injection can be done using standard small - gauge needles , but this is a delicate procedure and penetration into the choroid or the vitreous cavity is possible .
second , surgical cannulation has been shown to be effective and safe in achieving drug delivery to the posterior pole,45 but this is a complicated procedure that can not be performed in - office .
finally , scs drug delivery can be performed using microneedles small - gauge needles ( 3033 g ) only 0.71.0 mm in length that are only long enough to penetrate the sclera and reach the scs.46 these microneedles have been demonstrated to be safe and effective in several animal studies.4649 specifically , administration of corticosteroids via this route was shown to reduce intraocular inflammation,48 and antiglaucoma agents were shown to reduce intraocular pressure.49 a microneedle for scs injection in humans has been developed by clearside biomedical inc .
( alpharetta , ga , usa ) , and a phase 1/2 study evaluating the safety and tolerability of 4 mg/100 l triamcinolone acetonide administered to the scs in patients with noninfectious uveitis has been performed ( clinicaltrials.gov nct01789320 ; data not published yet ) .
it is likely that in the near future , this will become a common route of drug delivery for the treatment of retinal diseases .
this concept has been described over a century ago , when iatrogenic creation of a cyclodialysis cleft was performed to reduce intraocular pressure in patients with severe glaucoma , thus creating an alternate route of aqueous fluid passage into the scs.50,51 glaucoma surgery in the scs has several important advantages over penetrating procedures .
it can be entered by transscleral ( external ) or intracameral ( internal ) approaches , it does not disturb the conjunctiva or preclude subsequent surgeries , and has an increased safety profile.50,52,53 several surgical techniques have been developed to use the scs for glaucoma , such as a silicone drainage device that is implanted under a scleral flap and connects the anterior chamber and scs,54,55 the gold micro shunt which is implanted in the scs,56 and several types of supraciliary microstents that are inserted through a clear corneal incision ( often during cataract surgery ) to create an internal connection from the anterior chamber to the scs.5759 the scs has not been the target of vitreoretinal surgeons , and was likely only accessed by them in complicated cases requiring surgical drainage of suprachoroidal hemorrhage .
however , as technology and instrumentations continue to evolve , it may become useful and important in vitreoretinal surgery .
for instance , it has been shown that injection of sodium hyaluronate into the scs in patients with retinal detachment achieved choroidal detachment that lasted long enough to allow successful retinopexy.60 more recently , a technique of suprachoroidal buckling has been described , using an illuminated catheter inserted into the scs and navigated to any desired location , where a long - lasting hyaluronic acid filler can be injected to create internal choroidal indentation .
this technique can be performed without or in combination with vitrectomy , and has been successfully used for the treatment of patients with retinal detachment and myopic tractional maculopathies.6163 although pars plana vitrectomy and scleral buckles are effective surgical techniques , they may still cause complications such as pain , diplopia , refractive error shifts , cataract progression , glaucoma , vitreous hemorrhage , and endophthalmitis.64 suprachoroidal buckling can be an elegant and relatively noninvasive technique that may become a useful adjunct to vitreoretinal surgery , although the technical difficulty may limit its widespread use for now .
retinal prostheses are electrical devices that can be implanted directly under or on top of the retina , and restore some vision in patients with severe visual loss . at present ,
several devices have been developed for this purpose,65 although only the argus ii system has been approved by the us food and drug administration .
results from patients implanted with the argus ii demonstrated long - term efficacy and safety,66 and paved the way for further research into this field . despite the encouraging results
, it should be remembered that implantation of retina prostheses requires a complicated surgical procedure , that may be associated with significant complications .
a retinal prosthesis that can be placed in the scs would have the advantages of a simpler surgical procedure and increased safety profile .
recently , a prototype for a retinal prosthesis implanted in the scs has been developed .
the device consists of a conformable silicone substrate that holds 21 electrodes inserted into the scs and placed under the macula .
a wire exits through the sclera , and is passed through a tunnel dissected under the temporalis fascia to a percutaneous pedestal which is placed periauricularly.67 the device has been studied in cadaver and animal eyes,68 and recently reported to have resulted in some vision gain with a favorable safety profile in three human patients with end - stage retinitis pigmentosa.69 further research into this type of retinal prosthesis is ongoing .
the scs is receiving increasing attention , and its potential role in the diagnosis and treatment of various retinal conditions is being recognized .
technological advances have only recently made it possible for the scs to be clearly imaged , and its variability in aging , health , and disease states is currently being understood .
it is also emerging as a target for drug delivery and surgical procedures , spawning an array of novel devices for clinical use , from microneedles to retinal prostheses .
it is likely that in the near future , the scs will become a routine component in the diagnosis , monitoring , and treatment of retinal diseases , and it is likely that new discoveries regarding its potential uses will be made in the near future . in the meantime
, we suggest clinicians try to identify and characterize the scs in their patients oct scans , as awareness of it holds the promise for interesting and clinically significant insights . | pubmed |
it is well known that qcd in principle has a @xmath0 term .
the @xmath0 term is deeply associated with non - perturbative properties of qcd at low energy and provides us with interesting issues such as the strong cp problem , possibilities of rich phase structures in @xmath0 space and so on .
so it is a challenging subject to investigate the dynamics of qcd with the @xmath0 term .
the @xmath0 term in lattice field theory makes the boltzmann weight complex and prevents one from performing monte carlo ( mc ) simulations directly .
this is the sign problem .
this problem can be circumvented by fourier - transforming the topological charge distribution@xcite @xmath4_q\;e^{-s(\phi ) } } { \int{\cal d}\phi\;e^{-s(\phi)}},\ ] ] where @xmath5 are the topological charge , a field of the system and an action , respectively .
the measure @xmath6_q$ ] implies that the integral is restricted to configurations of @xmath7 with @xmath8 .
the partition function is given in terms of @xmath1 by @xmath9 although this method works well for small volumes , it does not work for large ones because errors of @xmath1 affect strongly the behavior of the free energy density , @xmath10 ( @xmath11 is a volume ) .
this is called flattening@xcite .
flattening can be remedied by reducing the errors , but this is hopeless , because exponentially increasing statistics are needed as volume increases . in order to deal with flattening ,
we have utilized the maximum entropy method ( mem)@xcite . in ref.@xcite
, we applied the mem to mock data of the gaussian @xmath1 to study whether the mem is effective to our issue . in the non - flattening case
, the mem reproduces the exact @xmath2 , while it gives smooth @xmath2 in the case where flattening occurs in the fourier method . in the present work , as the next step , we apply the mem to mc data of the cp@xmath12 model , which has several dynamical properties in common with qcd .
we simulated the cp@xmath3 model with a fixed point action at a fixed coupling constant , @xmath13@xcite .
the lattice extension @xmath14 is changed from 4 to 96 .
the statistics are more than 1 million for each case . of the mc data of the cp@xmath3 model .
lattice extension @xmath14 of the system is changed from 6 to 56.,width=302,height=207 ] [ fig : free ] figure [ fig : free ] displays @xmath15 obtained numerically by fourier - transforming @xmath1 of the mc data for various volumes . up to @xmath16 ,
the fourier transform works , but @xmath15 for @xmath17 and 56 can not be calculated properly . especially for @xmath18 ,
@xmath15 becomes flat for @xmath19 .
this is nothing but flattening .
the density @xmath15 for @xmath17 breaks down for @xmath20 due to the negative values of @xmath21 .
we also call it flattening because errors of @xmath1 disturb the behavior of @xmath15 . in order to deal with flattening ,
we employ the mem . to this end
, we utilize the inverse fourier transform .
the mem is based on bayes theorem and gives the most probable image of @xmath2 . in our case ,
the most important object is the posterior probability @xmath22 which is the probability that @xmath2 is realized when the mc data of @xmath23 and information @xmath24 are given .
information @xmath24 represents our state of knowledge about @xmath2 .
here we impose the criterion @xmath25 .
the probability @xmath26 is represented in terms of @xmath27 and the entropy @xmath28 : @xmath29,\ ] ] where @xmath30 is a real positive parameter .
conventionally the shannon - jaynes entropy is employed ; @xmath31,\ ] ] where @xmath32 is called the default model and is chosen so as to be consistent with information @xmath24 . to sum up
, our task is to calculate the most probable image @xmath33 such that @xmath34 is maximized ( see refs.@xcite for details ) .
we apply the mem to such mc data that flattening occurs in the fourier method as well as to such mc data that it does not . here
we use the mc data for @xmath16(data a ) as an example of the non - flattening case and for @xmath17(data b ) for the flattening one .
two types of default model are used : ( i ) gaussian type , @xmath35 $ ] , where a parameter @xmath36 is changed from 0.6 to 5.0 .
( ii ) weak coupling region type , @xmath37 , which will be explained later . in the analysis , the newton method with quadruple precision
is used to calculate an image @xmath38 with high precision . of the mc data for @xmath16 .
the gaussian type default models with @xmath39 and 1.0 are used . as a comparison
, the result of the fourier transform(@xmath40 ) is also displayed.,width=245,height=226 ] [ fig : dataa ] figure [ fig : dataa ] displays the most probable image @xmath41 of data a , as an example of the non - flattening case . the gaussian type default models @xmath42 with @xmath39 and 1.0 are used . the partition function @xmath43 obtained by fourier - transforming @xmath1 of data
a is also displayed .
the result of the mem agrees with that of the fourier transform in the whole @xmath0 region .
note that errors of @xmath33 are too small to be visible , where the error of @xmath41 means the uncertainty of @xmath44@xcite . of the mc data for @xmath17 .
two types of default model are used .
the result of the fourier transform(@xmath40 ) is also displayed.,width=245,height=226 ] [ fig : datab ] next , let us turn to the data b , the flattening case .
the results are shown in fig .
[ fig : datab ] . the partition function @xmath45 of data
b breaks down for @xmath20 because the values of @xmath46 become negative in this region . for the mem analysis ,
the gaussian type @xmath42 with @xmath47 and the weak coupling region type @xmath37 are used .
since @xmath1 of data a was successfully fourier - transformed to @xmath48 , we use @xmath49 as @xmath37 for the analysis of data for larger volumes .
the results of the mem reproduce smooth @xmath50 in the whole @xmath0 region .
for @xmath51 they depend on the default models and give no definite solution about the behavior of @xmath2 for @xmath52 due to the large magnitude of the errors . for @xmath53 , however , the results of the mem show no @xmath32-dependence and their errors are small .
we thus obtain a reasonably good solution of @xmath2 for @xmath17 up to @xmath54 , which is wider than the valid region of the fourier method .
we applied the mem to the mc data of the cp@xmath3 model for various volumes .
it was found that the mem is applicable to the cp@xmath3 model in the non - flattening and the flattening cases , and that the mem has the advantage of calculating @xmath2 for somewhat wider @xmath0 region than the fourier transform at least for @xmath17 .
the following subjects remain to be investigated ; ( i ) a systematic study of the @xmath32-dependence of @xmath33 and its error , ( ii ) investigation on a question whether the mem is more effective than the fourier method , and ( iii ) a study of the feasibility of distinction between flattening and the signal of a first order phase transition@xcite .
references g. bhanot , e. rabinovici , n. seiberg and p. woit , nucl . phys .
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wiese , nucl .
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r. burkhalter , m. imachi , y. shinno and h. yoneyama , prog .
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j. c. plefka and s. samuel , phys .
rev . * d56 * ( 1997 ) , 44 .
m. imachi , s. kanou and h. yoneyama , prog .
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r. k. bryan , eur .
j. * 18 * ( 1990 ) , 165 .
m. jarrell and j. e. gubernatis , phys . rep .
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m. asakawa , t. hatsuda and y. nakahara , prog .
nucl . phys .
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m. imachi , y. shinno and h. yoneyama , prog .
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m. imachi , y. shinno and h. yoneyama , poster at this conference . | arxiv |
This script is for educational purposes only
Crying Game
FADE IN:
EXT. CARNIVAL - DAY
A loudspeaker playing Percy Sledge's "When a Man Loves a
Woman," as we see a carnival in the distance — with a Ferris
Wheel turning round and round.
A black man is by a stall. On his arm is an Irish girl with
blond hair. The black man is drunk, and is tossing rings
around a bowling pin.
JODY
And that's cricket, hon.
An attendant hands him the teddy bear. It looks ridiculous in
his huge hands. He gives it to the girl.
JODY
You want it?
GIRL
Sure.
JODY
Doesn't matter if you don't.
He puts his arm around her and drags her on.
JODY
Jody won't be offended. Jody's never
offended. What'd you say your name was?
GIRL
Jude.
JODY
Jude. Suits you, Jude.
JUDE
The teddy bear?
JODY
No, fuck the bear. The name. Jude. And
it's June. Jude in June.
He comes to a small canvas tent with a sign on it - TOILET.JODY
Gotta piss, Jude.
He holds her hand.
JODY
Don't run off, Jude.
JUDE
You don't know me, do you?
Jody walks inside the canvas flap and vanishes from sight. We
can still see his hand, holding Jude's. She leans against the
canvas, looking bored.
JODY
(inside)
What if I did?
JUDE
You'd know I wouldn't run off.
She stands there, listening to the sound of him urinate. Her
eyes flick around the carnival. They settle on a tall dark-
haired man in a dark jacket. He nods.
JODY
Never pissed holding a girl's hand, Jude.
JUDE
You didn't?
JODY
And you know what?
JUDE
Tell me, Jody
He staggers out, buttoning up.
JODY
It's nice.
He goes to kiss her. She turns her head away.
JUDE
Not here.
JODY
Who gives a fuck.
JUDE
You never know.2.She pulls him over toward the water.
JODY
I never know nothing.
JUDE
People. They could be looking.
Jody follows her, as she walks backward, drawing him on. He
moves his hips to a song as Jude leads him over the beach,
under a train trestle.
JUDE
Come and get me, soldier --
JODY
Whatever you say, Jude...
He sinks down on his knees toward her. She wraps her arms
around his neck and kisses him. Jody writhes on top of her,
fumbling with his belt. Jude cocks one eye upward. A shadow
falls across them.
CLOSE ON JODY, kissing her. A gun is put to his head. He
turns around, drunkenly.
JODY
What the fuck --
The gun whacks him across the cheek and he falls sideways.
Jude scrambles to her feet and darts like an animal through a
field.
Jody feels his cheek. He can see her blond head vanishing
among the fields. He looks up and sees a group of men around
him. The tallest of them, Fergus, cocks the gun.
INT. CAR - DAY
A mini, driving down a country road. Two men in the front,
three in the back.
On the floor of the car Jody lies, with three pairs of feet
on top of him, a black bag over his head and the barrel of a
gun dangling close to his face. Fergus holds the gun. He is
smoking a cigarette. His movements are slow and somewhat
innocent.
FERGUS
So what's your name, soldier?3.JODY
Fuck you.
FERGUS
Yeah.
EXT. SMALL FARMHOUSE - EVENING.
INT. FARMHOUSE - NIGHT.
Jody pulled through and tied to a chair. Maguire, a small
lean man, talks to him through the hood.
MAGUIRE
The situation is simple. You're being
held hostage by the Irish Republican
Army. They've got one of our senior
members under interrogation in
Castleraigh. We've informed them that if
they don't release him within three days,
you'll be shot. You'll be treated as our
guest until further developments. Have
you anything to say?
Jody is motionless under the black hood.
FERGUS
Give him a cup of tea.
MAGUIRE
Do you want a cup of tea?
He still says nothing.
DISSOLVE.
All the men are drinking tea. The blond woman comes in with a
plate and some food on it.
FERGUS
See does he want some.
JUDE
Do you want some food?
Jody sits as still as a grave, saying nothing.
DISSOLVE.
Late at night -- it is dark. The men are sleeping. Fergus is
sitting by a chair, gun in his hand, watching the prisoner.
Jude comes in, with a flashlight.4.FERGUS
Hey -- what's he like?
JUDE
Horny bastard.
FERGUS
Did you give him it?
JUDE
There are certain things I wouldn't do
for my country.
FERGUS
Have a look at him.
JUDE
Can't.
FERGUS
Poke him or something. See if he's still
alive.
JUDE
He's all right.
FERGUS
Hasn't moved for twelve hours. Go on.
Have a heart.
She moves over to him. She prods him in the legs with her
foot. He doesn't move. Then she lifts the hood ever so
slightly, to peer inside. Suddenly the man moves like
lightning, jerking his head down so the hood comes off,
throwing his body, tied to the chair, over Jude.
JODY
You fucking bitch -- you fucking whore --
He pins her to the ground, his body bent with the chair. He
writhes on top of her in a grotesque parody of love. She is
screaming and the room is alive, each man awake, grabbing
guns, screaming.
MAGUIRE
Turn the fucking thing off --
EXT. FARMHOUSE - NIGHT.
Fergus follows Jude out a back door, holding her by the arm.
FERGUS
You all right?5.JUDE
Fucking animal.
She takes in huge gobs of air.
FERGUS
You don't know that.
JUDE
Fucking do. I had him all over me.
He touches her face.
FERGUS
Tough work, that.
JUDE
Someone's got to do it.
She rubs her hand on his chest.
JUDE
Nah, it was a breeze. Just thought of
you.
She sidles closer, coming on to him.
JUDE
And you know what, Fergus? One of you
made me want it...
She puts her lips to his neck.
FERGUS
Which one?
She doesn't answer. They embrace.
EXT. FARMHOUSE - MORNING.
A hot summer's day. There are tall hedges all around the
house. Fergus leads Jody, still bound and hooded, over toward
a greenhouse.
INT. GREENHOUSE - DAY
Dusty tomato plants and vines everywhere. Broken glass. The
sun pouring through. Fergus leads Jody over to a wrought iron
chair and sits him in it. He sits opposite, gun on his lap.
Fergus takes some sandwiches out of a brown paper bag. He
holds one out toward him.6.FERGUS
Eat something, would you?
JODY
Can't.
FERGUS
What do you mean you can't?
JODY
Can't eat through a canvas bag.
Fergus walks over to him, lifts the hood up so his mouth is
revealed, and pushes the sandwich toward his lips. Jody eats,
slowly.
JODY
This is a farce, man.
FERGUS
How is it a farce?
JODY
I seen your fucking face.
FERGUS
So, what do I look like?
JODY
You're the one about five ten with the
killer smile and the baby face.
FERGUS
Am I?
JODY
Yeah. And the brown eyes.
Fergus pushes the last crumbs of the sandwich toward Jody's
mouth.
JODY
You're the handsome one.
Jody eats the last bits.
JODY
Thank you, handsome.
FERGUS
My pleasure.7.EXT. FARMHOUSE - DAY
Jude makes her way from the door toward the greenhouse. She
is carrying a pot of tea and two cups.
INT. GREENHOUSE - DAY
It is sweltering now in the greenhouse. CLOSE ON JODY'S
COWLED HEAD. The hood is drenched with sweat.
JODY
I can't fucking breathe, man. Be a
Christian, will you?
Jude comes into view.
JODY
Tell him to take the hood off, honey...
Jude says nothing. Lays the tea on the ground.
FERGUS
How did you know it was her?
JODY
I can smell her perfume.
Jude pours out the tea.
JUDE
See, if we took the hood off, we'd have
to shoot you. As it is, you've got a
fifty-fifty chance.
JODY
Thought you liked me, bitch.
JUDE
It was fun while it lasted.
JODY
Nice lady.
His breathing becomes labored.
JODY
Please, man, I'm suffocating in here.
FERGUS
Can't we take it off?
JUDE
Have to check with himself.8.Fergus gives her the gun.
FERGUS
You look after him.
Jody's head follows Fergus while he leaves.
JODY
Don't leave me with her, man. She's
dangerous...
Jude smiles, holding the gun on her lap.
INT. FARMHOUSE - DAY
Fergus enters. Maguire and the others. Maguire has a
newspaper, which has a headline regarding the kidnapping.
MAGUIRE
Made the front page. They'll move now,
the fuckers.
FERGUS
Request permission to take the hood off,
Tommy.
MAGUIRE
Why would you do that?
FERGUS
The poor whore's suffocating in the heat.
MAGUIRE
So?
FERGUS
And anyway, he's seen our faces.
MAGUIRE
You sure?
FERGUS
He described me down to a T. Knows what
Jude looks like.
Maguire reads the paper.
FERGUS
Tommy --9.MAGUIRE
You're his keeper. If you don't mind him
seeing you, I don't mind. But you're the
only one he looks at.
FERGUS
Thanks.
MAGUIRE
It's your decision.
INT. GREENHOUSE - DAY
Jude, drinking tea, looking at Jody sweating. Fergus enters.
He puts his arm casually around her.
FERGUS
Leave us, Judie.
JUDE
My pleasure.
She goes. Fergus walks to Jody and slowly takes the hood off.
Jody looks up at him, his face bathed in sweat. He breathes
in mighty gulps of air. He smiles.
JODY
Thank you, soldier.
Fergus smiles.
JODY
Never thought fresh air would taste this
good.
Fergus pours out a cup of tea and brings it to his lips.
JODY
Now, if you took the ropes off, I'd be
able to feed myself.
FERGUS
No fucking way.
JODY
Only joking.
Fergus drinks.
JODY
You know, I was wrong about one thing.10.FERGUS
What's that?
JODY
Five ten. Brown eyes. But you're no
pinup.
FERGUS
No?
JODY
Nope. Not handsome at all.
FERGUS
You trying to hurt my feelings?
JODY
No. It's the truth.
FERGUS
Well, I could say the same about you.
JODY
Could you?
FERGUS
But I won't. We're more polite around
these parts.
JODY
So I've noticed.
Fergus looks at him. Jody isn't smiling anymore. Fergus goes
back to his seat and drinks his tea. He fingers the gun on
his lap.
JODY
Hey --
FERGUS
What is it now?
JODY
You're going to have to do it, aren't
you?
FERGUS
Do what?
JODY
Kill me.11.FERGUS
What makes you think that?
JODY
They're going to let that guy die. And
you're going to kill me.
FERGUS
They won't let him die.
JODY
You want to bet?
FERGUS
I'm not a gambling man.
JODY
And even if he doesn't die -- you can't
just let me loose.
FERGUS
Why can't we?
JODY
Not in your nature.
FERGUS
What do you know about my nature?
JODY
I'm talking about your people, not you.
FERGUS
What the fuck do you know about my
people?
JODY
Only that you're all tough undeluded
motherfuckers. And that it's not in your
nature to let me go.
FERGUS
Shut the fuck up, would you?
JODY
And you know the funny thing?
FERGUS
No, what's the funny thing?
JODY
I didn't even fancy her.12.FERGUS
Didn't look like that to me...
JODY
She's not my type.
He looks at Fergus.
JODY
C'mere.
FERGUS
No.
JODY
Ah, c'mere. I want to show you something.
FERGUS
What?
JODY
My inside pocket.
Fergus holds the gun to his face. He fishes inside Jody's
inside pocket.
JODY
Take out the wallet.
Fergus's hand emerges with a wallet.
JODY
Open it.
CLOSE ON THE WALLET. Credit cards, army identification
photograph.
JODY
Inside. There's a picture.
Fergus takes out a picture. It is of Jody, in cricket whites,
smiling, holding a bat. Fergus smiles.
JODY
No, not that one. There's another.
Fergus takes out another picture of Jody and of a beautiful
black woman, smiling.
JODY
Now she's my type.13.FERGUS
She'd be anyone's type.
JODY
Don't you think of it, fucker.
FERGUS
Why not?
JODY
She's mine. Anyway, she wouldn't suit
you.
FERGUS
No?
JODY
Absolutely not.
FERGUS
She your wife?
JODY
Suppose you could say that.
Jody chuckles.
FERGUS
You make a nice couple.
JODY
Don't I know it.
FERGUS
So what were you fucking around for,
then?
JODY
You fuckers set me up. That bitch --
FERGUS
She's a friend of mine
JODY
Okay. That nice lady. Meets me in a bar.
I'm saying what the fuck am I doing here
anyway. She buys me a drink. She holds my
hand. I'm looking at her saying I don't
like you, bitch. But what the fuck. Maybe
I'll get to understand.
FERGUS
What?14.JODY
What the fuck am I doing here.
FERGUS
What the fuck were you doing here?
JODY
I got sent.
FERGUS
You could have said no.
JODY
Can't. Once I signed up.
FERGUS
Why did you sign up?
JODY
It was a job. So I get sent to the only
place in the world they call you nigger
to your face.
FERGUS
Shouldn't take it personally.
JODY
(He imitates a Belfast accent)
"Go back to your banana tree, nigger." No
use telling them I came from Tottenham.
FERGUS
And you play cricket?.
JODY
Best game in the world.
FERGUS
Ever see hurling?
JODY
That game where a bunch of paddies whack
sticks at each other?
FERGUS
Best game in the world.
JODY
Never.
FERGUS
The fastest.15.JODY
Well, in Antigua cricket's the black
man's game. The kids play it from the age
of two. My daddy had me throwing googlies
from the age of five. Then we moved to
Tottenham and it was something different.
FERGUS
How different?
JODY
Toffs' game there. But not at home. .
Fergus looks at him.
JODY
So when you come to shoot me, Paddy,
remember, you're getting rid of a shit-
hot bowler.
FERGUS
I'll bear that in mind.
He keeps looking at him.
FERGUS
And by the way, it's not Paddy. It's
Fergus.
Jody smiles.
JODY
Nice to meet you, Fergus.
FERGUS
My pleasure, Jody
EXT. GREENHOUSE - NIGHT.
Fergus leads Jody outside, holding the gun against him.
FERGUS
Take it easy, now. Just go slow. Down by
that tree.
JODY
Tree.
He walks toward it, breathing heavily.
JODY
You've got to loosen my hands.16.FERGUS
Can't.
JODY
Well then, you're going to have to take
my dick out for me, aren t you?
Fergus, in the dark, stands motionless, looking at him.
JODY
Come on, man, I'm going to wet my pants!
Fergus turns him around and unzips his fly.
JODY
Take the fucker out, man, I'm dying --
Fergus takes Jody's penis out.
Jody takes two steps toward the wall.
JODY
I gotta lean forward or I'll dribble all
over myself. Will you hold my hands for
me.
Fergus holds his hands from behind, so Jody can lean forward.
Jody now pisses with immense relief
JODY
Now, that was worth waiting for.
FERGUS
Hurry up, would you?
JODY
These things take time, Fergus.
He shakes his body.
JODY
It's amazing how these small details take
on such importance...
He steps back.
JODY
Now put it back in.
FERGUS
Give us a break.17.JODY
I can't do it! It's only a piece of meat.
For fuck's sake, it's got no major
diseases.
Fergus puts Jody's penis back in his pants and zips him up.
JODY
Thank you. I had a case of the clap two
years ago. Crabs in Ulster. But all in
all it's served me well.
FERGUS
Shut up, would you?
JODY
I'm sorry. Didn't mean to offend you,
Fergus.
Fergus leads him hack toward the greenhouse.
INT. GREENHOUSE - NIGHT.
Fergus leads Jody back to his chair.
JODY
Fergus?
FERGUS
Yeah?
JODY
Thanks. I know that wasn't easy for you.
He begins to laugh.
FERGUS
The pleasure was all mine.
Fergus begins to laugh, without knowing why.
EXT. FARMHOUSE - NIGHT.
Maguire, walking out of the house, woken by the sound of
laughter.
INT. GREENHOUSE - NIGHT.
Jody, still laughing. Suddenly the hood is slammed back over
his head.
Maguire, standing there in the dark, looking at Fergus.18.MAGUIRE
What the fuck is this?
FERGUS
It's nothing. He's just got a sense of
humor, that's all.
MAGUIRE
You're on duty. Keep your fucking mouth
shut. Go in and get some sleep.
Fergus gets up slowly, walks toward the door.
JODY
Yeah. Get some sleep.
EXT. FARMHOUSE - NIGHT.
Fergus, walking toward the house. He looks back and sees the
figures of Maguire and Jody in the dark, in absolute silence.
INT. FARMHOUSE - NIGHT.
Fergus sleeping.
INT. GREENHOUSE - NIGHT.
Jody sleeping. Maguire sitting with an Armalite in his hands,
watching him.
EXT. FARMHOUSE AND FIELDS - DAY
The sun coming up over the low hills around the farmhouse.
INT. GREENHOUSE - DAY
Fergus enters, with a tray and some breakfast. Maguire is
sitting where he sat before, stock-still.
FERGUS
Did he talk?
Maguire shakes his head.
FERGUS
Didn't make you laugh?
Maguire shakes his head.
FERGUS
Here. Have some breakfast.
He hands Maguire a plate. Jody stirs.19.JODY
Good morning, Fergus?
Maguire looks hard at him.
MAGUIRE
So he knows your name?
FERGUS
I told him.
MAGUIRE
Are you all there?
He rises, and drags Fergus out the door.
FERGUS
Back in a minute, Jody
EXT. GREENHOUSE - DAY
MAGUIRE
You'll have minimal contact with the
prisoner, do you hear me?
FERGUS
Yes.
MAGUIRE
And do you know why?
FERGUS
Why?
MAGUIRE
Because tomorrow we might have to shoot
him, that's why.
Maguire goes back to the house.
INT. GREENHOUSE - DAY
Jody sitting with the hood on again. Fergus enters.
JODY
They giving you trouble, Fergus?
Fergus says nothing. He takes a plate and brings it toward
Jody20.JODY
It happens. Y'see, there's two kinds of
people. Those who give and those who
take.
Fergus lifts up Jody's hood to expose his mouth and begins to
feed him.
JODY
Ah, take the thing off, man.
Fergus says nothing and keeps feeding him.
JODY
It's okay. I understand. Don't mind if I
prattle on, do you?
Fergus shakes his head and says nothing.
JODY
I will take it by your silence that you
don't.
He eats. Fergus feeds himself, then feeds more to Jody.
JODY
Two types, Fergus. The scorpion and the
frog. Ever heard of them?
Fergus says nothing.
JODY
Scorpion wants to cross a river, but he
can't swim. Goes to the frog, who can,
and asks for a ride. Frog says, "If I
give you a ride on my back, you'll go and
sting me." Scorpion replies, "It would
not be in my interest to sting you since
as I'll be on your back we both would
drown." Frog thinks about this logic for
a while and accepts the deal. Takes the
scorpion on his back. Braves the waters.
Halfway over feels a burning spear in his
side and realizes the scorpion has stung
him after all. And as they both sink
beneath the waves the frog cries out,
"Why did you sting me, Mr. Scorpion, for
now we both will drown?" Scorpion
replies, "I can't help it, it's in my
nature."
Jody chuckles under his hood.21.FERGUS
So what's that supposed to mean?
JODY
Means what it says. The scorpion does
what is in his nature. Take off the hood,
man.
FERGUS
Why?
JODY
'Cause you're kind. It's in your nature.
Fergus walks toward him and pulls off the hood. Jody smiles
up at him.
JODY
See? I was right about you.
FERGUS
Don't be so sure.
JODY
Jody's always right.
INT. GREENHOUSE - LATE AFTERNOON.
Both men dozing in the heat.
JODY
Where would you most like to be now, man?
FERGUS
Doesn't matter where.
JODY
Come on, man. If this shit was all over.
FERGUS
Having a pint in the Rock.
JODY
You lack imagination, Fergus. Think of
something more alluring.
FERGUS
Like what?
JODY
Like having a pint in the Metro --
Fergus laughs.22.FERGUS
Having two pints in the Rock.
JODY
Having a pint in the Metro, and Dil's
having a margarita.
FERGUS
Who's Dil?
JODY
My special friend.
FERGUS
Oh, yeah.
JODY
We got simple tastes, you and me.
FERGUS
The best.
JODY
But you fellas never get a break, do you?
FERGUS
Do you?
JODY
Oh, yes. We do a tour of duty and we're
finished. But you guys are never
finished, are you?
FERGUS
We don't look on it like that.
JODY
I've often wondered how you do it.
FERGUS
Depends on what you believe in.
JODY
What do you believe in?
FERGUS
That you guys shouldn't be here.
JODY
It's as simple as that?
FERGUS
Yes.23.Jude enters.
JUDE
Put that thing back on him, Fergus.
FERGUS
He's hot.
JUDE
Doesn't matter if he's hot. Just cover
the fucker up.
JODY
Have you no feelings, woman?
JUDE
You shut your face --
She pulls the hood down over him.
JUDE
You're heading for trouble, Fergus --
JODY
He's a good soldier, Jude.
She whacks him with a pistol.
JUDE
I said shut the fuck up --
JODY
He believes in the future --
INT. GREENHOUSE - NIGHT.
Jody, sitting in the hood. Fergus lifts it a bit; Jody's
mouth, with blood now in his lips.
FERGUS
Is it bad?
JODY
No. Not bad. Women are trouble, you know
that, Fergus?
FERGUS
I didn't.
JODY
Some kinds of women are...24.FERGUS
She can't help it.
JODY
Dil wasn't trouble. No trouble at all.
FERGUS
You liked her?
JODY
Present tense, please. Love her. Whatever
she is. I'm thinking of her now, Fergus.
Will you think of her too?
FERGUS
Don't know her.
JODY
Want you to do something, Fergus.
FERGUS
What?
JODY
If they kill me --
FERGUS
Don't think that way.
JODY
But they will. As sure as night follows
day. They have to. I want you to find her
out. Tell her I was thinking of her.
Fergus is moved. He can't reply.
JODY
See if she's all right.
FERGUS
I don't know her.
JODY
Take her picture. C'mere.
Fergus walks toward him.
JODY
Take it. In the inside pocket.
Their faces, close to each other as Fergus searches out her
picture.25.JODY
Take the whole lot. I won't need it.
FERGUS
I told you not to talk that way --
JODY
Go to Millie's Hair Salon in
Spitalfields. Take her to the Metro for a
margarita. Don't have to tell her who you
are. Just tell her Jody was thinking --
FERGUS
Stop it --
The door opens. Maguire is there, with another.
MAGUIRE
Volunteer?
Fergus turns toward him.
MAGUIRE
We need you inside.
Fergus walks toward Maguire and the other man walks forward,
takes his seat. Fergus, unseen by Maguire, puts the wallet in
his pocket.
INT. FARMHOUSE - NIGHT.
Maguire, Jude, Fergus, and the others.
MAGUIRE
We've had word. They've used every trick
in the book on him. He's starting to
talk. You're going to have to do it in
the morning.
Maguire lights a cigarette. Fergus looks at him and nods.
MAGUIRE
You OK about that?
FERGUS
I'm a volunteer, am n't I?
MAGUIRE
Good. I was beginning to have my doubts
about you for the last few days.
JUDE
Not the only one --26.MAGUIRE
Shut up, Jude. You best get some sleep
tonight, Fergus.
FERGUS
Peter.
MAGUIRE
What?
FERGUS
Request permission to guard the prisoner
tonight --
JUDE
You're crazy. Don't let him, Peter.
MAGUIRE
Shut the fuck up, Jude.
He turns back to Fergus. He puts his arm on Fergus's
shoulder.
MAGUIRE
Why do you want to do that for?
FERGUS
Would make me feel better about it.
MAGUIRE
You sure about that?
FERGUS
I'm sure.
MAGUIRE
Okay. You're a good man, Fergus.
Fergus leaves.
INT. GREENHOUSE - NIGHT.
Fergus takes his place in the chair beside Jody.
Jody begins to laugh under the hood. It turns into the sound
of crying.
FERGUS
Don't.
JODY
I'm sorry.27.The crying stops.
JODY
Help me.
FERGUS
How can I?
JODY
I don't know. Just help me. Give me a
cigarette.
Fergus takes out a cigarette, lights it, and lifts up Jody's
hood so he can smoke.
JODY
Don't even smoke, you know that? It just
seemed the right thing to do.
Fergus watches him puff the cigarette, the hood just above
his lips. Jody coughs, but keeps the cigarette in his lips.
Fergus gently takes the cigarette from his mouth.
FERGUS
Go to sleep now.
JODY
I don't want to sleep. Tell me something.
FERGUS
What?
JODY
A story.
FERGUS
Like the one about the frog?
JODY
And the scorpion. No. Tell me anything.
FERGUS
When I was a child...
JODY
Yeah?
FERGUS
I thought as a child. But when I became a
man I put away childish things...
JODY
What does that mean?28.FERGUS
Nothing.
JODY
Tell me something, anything.
Fergus is silent; his eyes wet.
JODY
Not a lot of use, are you, Fergus?
FERGUS
Me? No, I'm not good for much...
EXT. FIELDS - MORNING.
The farmhouse covered in mist. The sun coming through it.
EXT. GREENHOUSE - MORNING.
Maguire opens the door to the greenhouse and clicks the
chamber of his gun. Fergus has a gun in his hand. He checks
the chamber.
Fergus takes Jody, whose hands are still tied behind his
back, by the elbow.
FERGUS
Stand up, now --
Jody rises. Fergus leads him through the door, past Maguire.
MAGUIRE
I wish to say on behalf of the Irish
Republican Army --
Fergus turns with sudden fierceness.
FERGUS
Leave him be --
He pulls Jody through the fields.
EXT. TREES - MORNING.
Fergus pushing Jody through a copse of trees, the gun at his
back.
JODY
Take the hood off, Fergus --
FERGUS
No.29.JODY
I want to see a bit. Please, please.
Don't make me die like an animal.
Fergus pulls the hood off. Jody looks around him. He has a
cut lip where Jude struck him.
Fergus prods him on with the gun. Jody stumbles forward.
Fergus is all cold and businesslike.
JODY
I'm glad you're doing it, do you know
that, Fergus?
FERGUS
Why?
JODY
Cause you're my friend. And I want you to
go to the Metro --
FERGUS
Stop that talk now --
JODY
Hurling's a fast game, isn't it, Fergus?
FERGUS
The fastest.
JODY
Faster than cricket?
FERGUS
Cricket's in the halfpenny place.
JODY
So if I ran now, there's no way I'd beat
you, is there?
FERGUS
You won't run.
JODY
But if I did... you wouldn't shoot a
brother in the back --
Jody suddenly sprints, and, loosening the ties on his hands,
then freeing them, he is off like a hare. Fergus screams in
fury after him.
FERGUS
JODY!!!30.Fergus aims, then changes his mind and runs.
FERGUS
You stupid bastard --
JODY
What you say, faster?
FERGUS
I said you bastard -- stop --
JODY
Got to catch me first --
Fergus gains on him -- stretches his arm out -- but Jody
sprints ahead again -- as if he has been playing with him. He
laughs in exhilaration. Fergus pants behind him, wheezing,
almost laughing.
JODY
Used to run the mile, you know -- four
times round the cricket pitch -- what was
that game called?
FERGUS
Hurling --
JODY
What?
FERGUS
Hurling --
Jody runs, whipping through the trees -- always ahead of him.
JODY
Come on, Fergie -- you can do it -- a bit
more wind --
Fergus grabs his shoulder and Jody shrugs it off, gaining on
him again.
JODY
Bit of fun, Fergus, eh?
And suddenly the trees give way. Jody turns, laughing, to
Fergus.
JODY
Told you I was fast --
Fergus is panting, pointing the gun at Jody31.JODY
Don't do it.
And suddenly a Saracen tank whips around the corner, hits
Jody with the full of its fender. His body flies in the air
and bounces forward as another tank tries to grind to a halt
and the huge wheels grind over him.
Fergus, screaming, "No-!" He almost moves forward, then sees
soldiers spilling from the tank around the body. Fergus turns
and runs.
EXT. TREES - DAY
Fergus whipping through the trees, his body crouched low as
he runs.
INT. GREENHOUSE - DAY
Tinker sitting in the greenhouse. A helicopter screams into
view through the panes and automatic fire comes from it,
shattering every pane in seconds and tearing Tinker to bits.
INT. FARMHOUSE - DAY
Bullets whipping through every window, taking chunks from the
masonry, tearing the walls apart. Maguire, Jude, and the
others on the floor, scrambling for weapons.
EXT. TREES - DAY
Fergus, hearing the gunfire, runs through overhanging
branches till eventually he is hidden from sight.
EXT. CARNIVAL ON THE MONAGHAN BORDER - DAWN.
A forlorn-looking building over nondescript fields.
An old man wheels a bicycle slowly toward it; a rusty car
appears; and Fergus gets out of it.
TOMMY
Fergus!
FERGUS
You're back in the pink, Tommy? How're
you keeping?
INT. CARAVAN - DAY
The old man pouring whiskey into a teacup.32.TOMMY
You'll notice I've asked you nothing.
FERGUS
That's wise, Tommy.
TOMMY
All right, then. I like to be wise.
He pours Fergus more whiskey.
TOMMY
So what do you need, Fergus?
FERGUS
Need to go across the water.
TOMMY
Do you now.
FERGUS
Need to lose myself awhile.
TOMMY
Aha.
He looks at Fergus and lights a cigarette.
He puffs.
TOMMY
There’s a man I know ships cattle to
London.
EXT. DUBLIN BAY - EVENING.
The ferry, churning into the sunset.
FADE TO BLACK.
INT. BUILDING SITE - DAY
FADE UP into an elegant, empty Georgian room, covered in
clouds of dust. A figure among the clouds of dust, hacking at
a wall with a sledgehammer. It is Fergus, dressed in
laborer's overalls, covered in dust. He is knocking the
bricks from an outer wall. He works furiously and
relentlessly, like a machine.
We see the wall, with the hammer striking it. One brick falls
away, then another. Daylight pours through the clouds of dust
and the growing hole.33.Fergus's face, as he works.
The hole. More bricks falling away. Through the clouds of
dust and the streams of daylight we now see a patch of green.
Fergus's face, working. His rhythm slows.
The hole. More bricks fall away. Then the hammer stops. The
dust begins to clear.
His face.
The jagged hole. The dust drifts across it, revealing a
cricket pitch, with tiny sticklike figures running on the
green.
EXT. HOSTEL - DAY
Fergus, returning from work, crosses the street, and enters
through a white door.
INT. HOSTEL - DAY
Fergus dressing. He puts on a cheap suit, like any country
boy in a big city. He takes Jody's wallet from the trousers
of his overalls. He flips it open, sees the picture of the
soldier and Dil. He puts it in the pocket of his suit.
EXT. STREET - DAY
Fergus walking down a street looking for an address. Some
distance down the street is a sign -- MILLIE'S UNISEX HAIR
SALON.
EXT. STREET - DAY
Fergus, standing as the crowds go by him, looking in the
window. He has the picture in his hand. We see Dil from his
point of view, then Fergus walks inside.
INT. HAIR SALON - DAY
Fergus enters. The door gives a loud ping.
A GIRL
We're closing. I'll see you tomorrow, Dil
She leaves the salon.
DIL
You want something in particular?34.FERGUS
Just a bit of a trim...
Dil checks her watch and stubs out a cigarette.
DIL
Come on...
She gestures toward a chair. Fergus sits down. She comes
toward him and fiddles with his hair.
She pushes his head back into a basin behind him. She begins
to knead his hair in hot water and shampoo.
DIL
Someone recommend you?
FERGUS
In a way.
DIL
Who?
FERGUS
Guy I work with.
DIL
What's his name?
Fergus can't think of an answer. The hands with the purple
nails run over his scalp.
FERGUS
Doesn't the water get to your nails?
DIL
What's it to you?
FERGUS
Nothing.
Fergus, sitting up. She begins to cut.
DIL
You American?
FERGUS
No.
DIL
Not English.35.FERGUS
No.
DIL
Scottish?
FERGUS
How'd you guess?
DIL
The accent, I suppose.
FERGUS
And what's it like?
DIL
Like treacle.
She imitates his accent saying it. Fergus laughs.
DIL
Nice laugh.
Dil raises Fergus's head up, with his new-cut hair and holds
a mirror up behind his head so he can see the back. He looks
like a young London stockbroker. The hair salon around them
is empty.
DIL
That should make her happy.
FERGUS
Who's she?
DIL
Don't know. Who is she?
EXT. HAIR SALON - EVENING.
Fergus emerges from the shop. He takes one last look through
the window where Dil is taking off her smock, touching up her
hair, etc. It is as if she has forgotten all about him. He
walks off through the crowds and then ducks into a doorway.
The doorway of the shop. Dil comes out, dressed in a pair of
high heels, a very short skirt, different, more raunchy
clothes on her than we saw inside. She locks the glass door
and walks down the street, across the road, and into a pub
called the Metro. Fergus follows.36.INT. METRO - EVENING.
Half full, with an after-work crowd. Dil makes her way
through it.
BARMAN
Hi, Dil
DIL
Hiya, hon.
She sits down at the bar. Fergus comes toward the bar and
takes a seat.
BARMAN
What'll it be?
FERGUS
A bottle of Guinness.
Dil, looking at Fergus.
DIL
See that, Col?
COL
See what, Dil?
DIL
He gave me a look.
COL
Did he?
Fergus blushes. He buries himself in his drink.
DIL
Just cut his hair, you know.
COL
Yeah?
DIL
What you think?
COL
Nice.
Fergus throws his eyes toward her again. She has her face
turned away, but sees him in the mirror.
DIL
There, he did it again.37.COL
Saw that one.
DIL
What would you call it?
COL
Now, that was a look.
She eyes Fergus in the mirror.
DIL
Ask him to ask me what I'm drinking.
The barman, with infinite weariness, approaches Fergus.
COL
She wants to know do you want to know
what she's drinking.
Fergus is about to talk when she pipes up.
DIL
A margarita.
The barman mixes it. She stares at the mirror, staring at
Fergus, who is trying to avoid her eyes. The barman hands her
the drink.
DIL
Now he can look.... Ask him does he like
his hair, Col.
COL
She wants to know, sir, do you like your
hair.
FERGUS
Tell her I'm very happy with it.
DIL
He's Scottish, Col.
COL
Scottish?
FERGUS
Yeah.
DIL
What'd he say, Col?38.COL
He agreed that he was.
DIL
What do you think his name is?
COL
I've no thoughts on the subject.
FERGUS
Jimmy.
DIL
Jimmy?
COL
That's what he said. Jimmy.
DIL
Hi, Jimmy.
FERGUS
Hiya, Dil
A burly man sits down beside her. He puts his hand on her
knee.
MAN
Sing the song, Dil --
She slaps the hand away.
DIL
Fuck off, Dave.
DAVE
C'mon, babe! You know what I like...
Easy!
She turns back to Fergus and finds his seat empty.
EXT. METRO - NIGHT.
Fergus, standing across the road from the pub. He is
sweating. Dil comes out of the pub. She looks this way and
that, as if searching for Fergus. Fergus stands back into a
shadow.
Dave, the burly man, comes out. He grabs her by the elbow.
She shrugs him off. She walks off. Dave follows, grabs her by
the elbow again. The sense of an old argument. Dave suddenly
strikes her across the face with his open palm.39.She leans her head against a wall. Dave then puts his arms
around her, consoles her.
EXT. STREET - NIGHT.
Dave walking, holding Dil by the arm. The street is
dilapidated, full of squats. They stop outside a door. Dil
opens the door with a key from her purse and they both walk
inside.
Fergus stands there, observing.
A light comes on in an upstairs room. Dil enters; we see her
shadow in silhouette behind the curtain and the shadow of
Dave coming in behind her. He begins to remove her blouse.
She stands absolutely still as he does so.
Fergus backs away, then walks off.
INT. HOSTEL - NIGHT.
Fergus, in bed. Fade to black as we see Jody as a bowler,
running in slow motion, toward the camera. He releases the
ball; we see Fergus in bed, breathing heavily.
INT. SITE - NEXT DAY
Fergus takes a break and watches the batsman hit a ball. He
imitates the batsman's motion with his sledgehammer. Then a
voice interrupts him.
DEVEROUX
So Pat's a cricket fan, eh?
Fergus turns. We see Tristram Deveroux, a young Sloane type
in a three-piece suit, whose house it is. Beside him is
Franknum, the cockney foreman.
FERGUS
It's not Pat. It's Jim.
DEVEROUX
Jim, Pat, Mick, what the fuck. Long as
you remember you're not at Lords.
Fergus resumes work.
INT. METRO - NIGHT.
It is now crowded with people, black, white, punky and street
chic, a lot of leather All the women are heavily made-up.
Someone is singing from the tiny stage and rows of cheap
colored bulbs are flashing around it.40.From the way Fergus walks through, it is obvious he has never
been here at night. He seems most out of place in his cheap
suit, making his way through the crowd to the bar.
AT THE BAR.
Fergus looks through the odd crowd, but can't find Dil. Col,
the barman, sees him and smiles.
COL
So can we consider you a regular, sir?
FERGUS
Is that good or bad?
COL
Well, you get to say, The usual, Col.
Things like that.
Col pushes a colored cocktail with one of those Japanese
umbrellas toward him.
COL
So let's call this the usual.
FERGUS
Thanks.
Fergus reaches for his wallet to pay, but Col interrupts.
COL
No, no. It's on me.
Fergus tries to pretend he's familiar with the drink, and by
implication, whatever are the norms of the place. He lifts
the glass to his mouth, but the umbrella keeps getting in the
way.
COL
Take it out, if you want.
Fergus takes out the umbrella. He holds it in one hand and
drinks with the other.
COL
You came to see her, didn't you?
Fergus shrugs. He takes out a cigarette. A guy in leather to
his left smiles at him.
COL
Something I should tell you. She's --41.FERGUS
She's what?
The barman looks up toward the stage.
COL
She's on.
THE JUKEBOX.
A hand presses a button. The needle selects a disk. A song by
Dave Berry, "The Crying Game."
AT THE BAR.
Fergus looks up. Close-up of Dil's hand, as music begins,
making movements to the music. We see Dil, standing on a
stage, swaying slightly. She seems a little drunk. She mimes
to the song. She mouths the words so perfectly and the voice
on the song is so feminine that there is no way of knowing
who is doing the singing. She does all sorts of strange
movements, as if she is drawing moonbeams with her hands.
The crowd seems to know this act. They cheer, whether out of
approval or derision we can't be sure.
Fergus watching.
Dil singing, noticing him. She comes to the end of the song.
The crowd cheers.
Fergus, watching her make her way through the crowded bar,
toward him.
DIL
He's still looking, Col.
COL
Persistent.
DIL
Good thing in a man.
COL
An excellent quality.
DIL
Maybe he wants something.
COL
I would expect he does.42.DIL
Ask him.
COL
Ask him yourself.
She looks at Fergus directly, sits down next to him.
DIL
So tell me.
Fergus says nothing. He shrugs.
DIL
Everybody wants something.
FERGUS
Not me.
DIL
Not you. How quaint. How old-fashioned
and quaint. Isn't it, Col?
Col shrugs.
DIL
You old-fashioned?
FERGUS
Must be.
The burly man comes up to her.
MAN
Got the money, Dil?
DIL
Fuck off, Dave.
DAVE
You fucking promised.
DIL
Did I?
DAVE
You fucking did.
He suddenly jerks her roughly off the stool, spilling her
drink.
DAVE
Didn't you? Well, come on!43.He drags her through the crowd. In the mirror, Fergus watches
them go. The barman eyes him.
COL
It takes all types.
FERGUS
So who's he?
COL
He's what she should run a mile from.
FERGUS
Then why doesn't she?
COL
Who knows the secrets of the human heart.
Fergus suddenly stands and makes his way to the door.
EXT. PUB - NIGHT.
Fergus comes out. A black bouncer is there, but there is no
sign of Dil. He walks a few yards and hears voices down an
alley. He looks up it.
P0V - ALLEY.
We see Dil pushing Dave away. He grabs her, turns her
roughly.
DAVE
Don't be like that --
DIL
You heard me --
She beats his arms away. Money falls on the ground. She
staggers away from him. He picks up the money, then runs
after her.
DAVE
Got very fucking grand, haven't we --
He tries to pull her back.
DAVE
Talk to me, you stupid bitch --
They both bump into Fergus, who just stands there and doesn't
move an inch. She smiles.44.DIL
Hi.
FERGUS
Hi. You forgot your bag.
He holds it up to show her.
DIL
Thank you.
DAVE
Who the fuck is he?
DIL
Jimmy.
DAVE
It's him, isn't it?
DIL
Maybe.
Dave eyes Fergus. Fergus grabs his wrists and upends him on
the ground.
DIL
See, they get the wrong idea.
DAVE
(from the ground)
Cunt.
Fergus puts his foot on Dave's neck.
FERGUS
What was that?
DIL
They all get the wrong idea.
DAVE
Cunt. Scrag-eyed dyke cunt.
DIL
Charming.
Dave grabs for her ankle. She kicks his hand away. Fergus
presses down his foot. He looks to Dil.
FERGUS
What'll I do?45.DIL
Break his neck.
Fergus presses his foot.
DIL
No, don't.
She bends low to Dave.
DIL
He's going to take his foot off slowly,
David. Then you're to go home, like a
good boy. You hear me?
DAVE
Cunt.
But his voice is softer. Fergus removes his foot. Dil grabs
his arm.
DIL
Come on, honey.
She draws him away.
EXT. METRO - NIGHT.
They walk out of the alley.
FERGUS
You all right?
DIL
Yes, thank you.
FERGUS
What was that all about?
DIL
He wants me to perform for him.
FERGUS
Perform?
DIL
You know.
FERGUS
You on the game?
DIL
God no. I'm a hairdresser.46.Fergus looks back. Dave is rising.
FERGUS
He's getting up.
DIL
You can't leave me then, can you?
EXT. STAIRCASE OUTSIDE DIL'S FLAT
Fergus and Dil climb slowly upstairs.
DIL
You want me to ask you in, right?
FERGUS
No, I didn't --
DIL
But I'm not cheap, you know that? Loud,
but never cheap.
There is a movement lower down the staircase. We see Dave,
holding his neck.
DAVE
Fucking dumb dyke carrot cunt.
Dil leans close to Fergus.
DIL
If you kissed me, it would really get his
goat.
She tilts up her face. Fergus kisses her, tenderly.
DIL
Now, if you asked me to meet you
tomorrow, it would really drive him
insane.
FERGUS
Where?
DIL
Half-five. At Millie's.
She goes in and closes the door. Fergus stands and looks down
at Dave, who turns to leave.
EXT. HAIR SALON - DAY
Dil walks out of the salon, smiling, and walks toward Fergus.47.DIL
Give me that look again.
FERGUS
What look?
DIL
The one you gave me in the Metro.
Fergus takes a bunch of flowers from behind his back. She
holds them, with theatrical feeling.
DIL
Darling, you shouldn't have.
She laughs and leans toward him and kisses him in a
classically old-fashioned way. The girls inside the salon
pull back a curtain, and they all clap.
FERGUS
What's that about?
DIL
They're jealous.
FERGUS
Why?
DIL
I wonder.
She takes his arm and walks off with him.
INT. INDIAN RESTAURANT - NIGHT.
Fergus and Dil looking at their menus. A waiter places drinks
on their table, then leaves.
DIL
Now's the time you're meant to do
something, isn't it?
FERGUS
Like what?
DIL
Make a pass or something. Isn't that the
way it goes?
FERGUS
Must be.48.EXT. STREET - NIGHT.
They are walking in an alleyway toward her house.
DIL
You got a special friend, Jimmy?
FERGUS
How special?
DIL
You want one?
And suddenly a car drives very fast toward them, headlights
on. Fergus pulls her into a doorway to avoid it.
FERGUS
Jesus Christ!
DIL
Jesus.
The car continues down the road, stops, and then screeches
off.
FERGUS
That Dave?
DIL
The things a girl has to put up with.
She looks down toward where the car has pulled away.
DIL
I'm frightened, Jimmy. That's not like
him.
EXT. DIL'S FLAT.
A car pulls up behind Dil and Fergus.
DIL
Piss off, Dave!
FERGUS
Tough guy, huh? Are you going to be all
right on your own?
DIL
I'm not on my own, am I?
She touches his cheek.49.DIL
Come on up, would you?
INT. DIL'S FLAT - NIGHT.
Dil comes in in the darkness. Fergus stands like a shadow in
the doorway. The light comes on; she takes off her raincoat.
DIL
Won't hurt you to come in.
Fergus enters slowly. He looks around the room; there is an
exaggerated femininity about everything in it.
DIL
Would you like a drink?
FERGUS
Yes, please.
DIL
What'll it be?
FERGUS
Whiskey.
She goes into a small kitchen. Fergus looks at the
mantelpiece and sees a picture of Jody. The camera tracks
into the soldier's smiling face. Then into Fergus's face. His
reverie is broken by the sound of a voice outside -- Dave's.
She comes through with two drinks.
FERGUS
Someone out there.
DIL
Jesus fucking Christ.
She opens the window door, and we see Dave on the street, in
a neck brace.
DIL
Hey, Stirling fucking Moss --
DAVE
It's Dave.
She goes back into the room and begins taking things up.
DAVE
Talk to me, Dil --50.DIL
Sure, Dave --
DAVE
Please, Dil --
She flings things down: men's clothes, leather trousers, a
suitcase, a teddy bear.
DIL
Take your clothes.
DAVE
Don't throw my clothes out the window!
DIL
Fuck off back to Essex!
DAVE
Fucking mad!
Fergus looks to the man down in the street, a parody of
rejection with his things in his arms.
DAVE
Don't chuck my clothes out!
DIL
Take your fucking goldfish, too!
Dil grabs a large goldfish bowl and flings it down. The bowl
breaks to bits on the pavement. Goldfish thrash around in the
street.
DAVE
You fucking bitch!
He tries to pick up the flapping fish in his hands.
DAVE
Murderer!
Upstairs, Dil closes the window shut.
DIL
Sorry. How'd he drive with his neck in a
brace?
FERGUS
Must be in love to manage that.
DIL
Doesn't know the meaning of the word.51.Fergus stands as Dil hands him a glass.
FERGUS
He lived here with you?
DIL
Tried to. Sit down, will you?
Fergus walks past the photograph and sits down. He looks from
her to the picture.
FERGUS
What about him?
He nods toward the picture. She looks down into her drink.
DIL
He was different.
FERGUS
How different?
DIL
As different as it's possible to be.
FERGUS
Tell me about him.
DIL
No.
FERGUS
Shouldn't I go?
DIL
Yes.
And they fall into one another's arms. She stretches up with
her whole body over him. They grow suddenly and violently
passionate.
They fall into the cushions of the couch onto the floor. The
photograph above them seems to smile. He draws up her dress
with his hands. She suddenly pulls away.
DIL
No --
FERGUS
Did you do that to him?
She comes up toward him once more. She puts her mouth close
to his ear.52.DIL
You want to know how I kissed him?
FERGUS
Yes...
DIL
Are you jealous of him?
FERGUS
Maybe.
DIL
That's good...
She opens the buttons on his shirt and her mouth travels down
his chest. Fergus tries to draw her up toward him, but her
hand reaches up to his mouth and presses his head back while
her other hand undoes his pants. She kisses his stomach; her
mouth moves down his body. Fergus stares at the picture of
Jody. Jody's eyes seem to burn through him. Dil raises her
head and kisses his mouth. There are tears in his eyes.
FERGUS
What would he think?
DIL
Can't think. He's dead. In Ireland. He
was a soldier. Went there like a fool.
She sits in front of the mirror.
FERGUS
Do you miss him?
DIL
What do you think?
FERGUS
I think you do.
DIL
(dreamily)
You say that like a gentleman.
FERGUS
Do I?
DIL
Like you're concerned.
Fergus gets up and stands behind her, gently pushes the hair
from her face.53.DIL
But you can t stay, you know that?
FERGUS
Didn't think I could.
DIL
A real gentleman...
She embraces him.
FERGUS
Shouldn't you be in mourning?
DIL
I am.
She sits back down in front of the mirror. Fergus leaves. She
reapplies her lipstick.
INT. METRO - NIGHT.
Singer in a blue dress. Dil and Fergus by the bar. Both
drinking drinks with umbrellas. Dave comes up behind them
with his neck brace.
DAVE
Look, I'm sorry.
DIL
Fuck off, Dave.
DAVE
No, I won't fucking fuck off. Said I'm
sorry, didn't I?
DIL
Yeah. I heard. You hear, Jimmy?
Fergus nods. He stands. Dave steps two feet back.
FERGUS
I was only going to ask her for a dance.
Fergus takes Dil's arm.
FERGUS
Shall we?
The woman is singing.
As they circle, people begin to look at them admiringly. Dil
holds her cheek close to his.54.FERGUS
Did he come here too?
DIL
Is this an obsession of yours?
FERGUS
Maybe.
DIL
He did sometimes.
FERGUS
Did he dance with you?
Dil doesn't answer. Looks at him out of the corner of her
eye.
DIL
So what do you want with me, Jimmy?
FERGUS
Want to look after you.
DIL
What does that mean?
FERGUS
Something I heard someone say once.
She draws back and looks at him.
DIL
You mean that?
FERGUS
Yeah.
She dances closer.
DIL
Why?
FERGUS
If I told you, you wouldn't believe me.
In the bar, people singing along with the music. Col sings.
Dave sitting at the bar, sulking.
DIL
You're not having me on, are you? 'Cause
Dil can't stand that.55.FERGUS
No.
She puts her cheek against his. Dave, at the bar, slams his
drink down.
DIL
And she does get very upset...
Dave stands up to leave. On the stage the act finishes. Dil
draws Fergus back to the bar.
AT THE BAR.
Col, the barman, pours her drink.
DIL
One for him, too.
Col pours and smiles.
DIL
Drink.
FERGUS
What is this?
DIL
I'm superstitious. Drink.
He drinks. He grimaces. She throws it back in one.
DIL
Can't leave me now.
FERGUS
Aha.
DIL
The thing is, can you go the distance?
FERGUS
Depends what it is.
DIL
No, depends on nothing.
She takes the bottle herself and fills their glasses. She
slams it back. He sips.
DIL
In one.56.She tilts his glass back. He swallows it in one.
INT. DIL'S FLAT - NIGHT.
She enters; Fergus walks in slowly. He looks from the cricket
whites that are hanging up behind a curtain to the
photographs.
DIL
What you thinking of, hon?
FERGUS
I'm thinking of your man.
DIL
Why?
FERGUS
I'm wondering why you keep his things.
DIL
Told you, I'm superstitious.
She turns toward him and undoes her hair. It falls around her
shoulders.
FERGUS
Did he ever tell you you were beautiful?
DIL
All the time.
Fergus runs his hand down her throat.
DIL
Even now.
FERGUS
No...
DIL
He looks after me. He's a gentleman too.
She draws him behind a curtain toward the bed, pulls him
down. They kiss passionately.
DIL
Give me one minute.
She walks into the bathroom. Fergus lies there, looking at
the picture, listening to the sound of running water. She
comes out then, dressed in a silk kimono. She looks
extraordinarily beautiful.57.He reaches out his hand and grasps hers. He draws her toward
him. He begins to kiss her face and neck.
FERGUS
Would he have minded?
She murmurs no. His hands slip the wrap down from her
shoulders.
CLOSE ON HIS HANDS, traveling down her neck, in the darkness.
Then the hands stop. The kimono falls to the floor gently,
with a whisper. The camera travels with it, and we see, in a
close-up, that she is a man.
Fergus sits there, frozen, staring at her.
DIL
You did know, didn't you?
Fergus says nothing.
DIL
Oh my God.
She gives a strange little laugh, then reaches out to touch
him. Fergus smacks the hand away.
FERGUS
Jesus. I feel sick --
He gets up and runs to the bathroom. She grabs his feet.
DIL
Don't go, Jimmy --
He kicks her away. He runs into the bathroom and vomits into
the tub.
She crouches on the floor.
DIL
I'm sorry. I thought you knew.
He retches again.
DIL
What were you doing in the bar if you
didn't know -- I’m bleeding...
She lights a cigarette.
Fergus runs the taps. He washes his face, rinses his mouth.58.DIL
It's all right, Jimmy. I can take it.
Just not on the face.
Fergus slams the door shut. She is sitting on the couch, the
kimono round her once more, looking very much like a woman. A
trace of blood on her mouth.
DIL
Y'see, I'm not a young thing any
longer.... Funny the way things go. Don't
you find that, Jimmy? Never the way you
expected.
Fergus comes out of the bathroom.
FERGUS
I'm sorry.
She looks up. Some hope in her face.
DIL
You mean that?
And he makes to go. She grabs him to stop him.
DIL
Don't go like that. Say something...
He pulls away from her. She falls to the floor.
DIL
Jesus.
He drags himself away and runs down the stairs.
INT. FERGUS'S FLAT
Fergus in bed. Flash to shot of blackness, Jody grinning in
cricket whites, throwing the ball up and down in his hand.
INT. METRO - NIGHT.
The place is hopping. Fergus enters. He now sees it as he
should have seen it the first night -- as a transvestite bar.
He makes his way through the crowds. All the women too-
heavily made-up. Some beautifully sleek young things he looks
at he realizes are young men. He makes his way to the bar
where Dil is sitting, nursing a drink with an umbrella in it.
Her face is bruised. She is wearing dark glasses.
As he walks toward her she sees him in the mirror. She talks
to Col the barman.59.DIL
He's back, Col
COL
Hi.
DIL
Don't want any of those looks, Col. They
don't mean much.
COL
Stop it, Dil --
DIL
No. Tell him to go fuck himself.
Fergus sits. Col turns to him.
COL
She wants me to tell you go fuck
yourself.
FERGUS
I'm sorry.
There is a tear running down her cheek, under the dark
glasses.
DIL
Tell him to stop messing Dil around --
FERGUS
Dil --
DIL
Tell him it hurt --
FERGUS
I have to talk to her, Col --
COL
Says he's got to talk to you --
Fergus touches her arm.
FERGUS
Come on, Dil --
DIL
Where?
She whips her arm away.60.DIL
Tell him again, Col. Go fuck himself --
She walks into the crowd, toward the door.
Fergus leaves.
EXT. STREET - NIGHT.
Fergus, walking outside Dil's place. The blinds in her room
are down and the light is on inside. We see her outline,
pacing up and down behind the blinds, smoking a cigarette. We
hear the song "The Crying Game."
Fergus stands beneath her doorway, scribbles a note, and
sticks it in the letter box.
EXT. CRICKET PITCH - DAY
A man removes a large number six from a huge scoreboard with
a pole and replaces it with a number nine.
Below the scoreboard we can see Dil walking across a lawn
toward the building where Fergus is working.
INT. SITE - DAY
Fergus, fitting a new window into the finished wall. On the
pitch we see the cricketers, distorted through the moving
glass of the window. Across the pitch Dil walks, with a lunch
basket in her hand, dressed in a very short skirt with high
heels. As she approaches the site a chorus of whistles breaks
out.
Fergus, hearing the whistling, stares out. He sees Dil moving
toward the site. He drops the window and the glass shatters.
As the whistles continue, we see Dil in the site's lift,
which rises up. We see Deveroux and Franknum climbing up a
ladder toward Fergus .
DEVEROUX
How much did that frame cost, Mr.
Franknum?
FRANKNUM
Two hundred quid, Mr. Deveroux.
DEVEROUX
Your Pat just cost me two hundred quid.
FERGUS
Sorry.61.DEVEROUX
Sorry won't bring the bloody thing back,
will it, Mr. Franknum?
FRANKNUM
Not in my experience.
DEVEROUX
Off his wages.
FERGUS
Do you mean that?
DEVEROUX
He wants to know do I mean that.
FRANKNUM
I'm sure you do, Mr. Deveroux.
DEVEROUX
Bloody right I do...
Through this conversation Fergus can hear the chorus of wolf
whistles increasing. He looks out the gap where the window
should be and sees Dil in the lift. The laborers whistle at
her, looking up her skirt, etc.
She passes by a gap in the wall and blows a kiss at him.
DEVEROUX
Is that his tart? Does Pat have a tart?
FERGUS
She's not a tart.
DEVEROUX
No, of course not, she's a lady.
FERGUS
She's not that either.
Fergus walks out of the room.
Fergus walks round the scaffolding. Dil sees him and waves,
sits on some bricks and opens the hamper.
DIL
Darling --
She is acting bright and businesslike, like any wife. She is
wearing dark glasses to cover the bruise on her face. She
pecks him on the cheek.62.DIL
Never let the sun go down on an argument,
Jody used to say.
FERGUS
What you doing here?
DIL
Got your note. So let's kiss and make up,
hon.
FERGUS
Don't call me that.
DIL
Sorry, darling.
FERGUS
Give it over, Dil --
DIL
Apologies, my sweet.
Fergus smiles in spite of himself.
DIL
That's more like it, dear. Have a cuppa.
She takes out a thermos and pours him some tea.
FERGUS
You're something else, Dil, you know
that?
DIL
Never said a truer word.
She hands him a neatly cut sandwich.
DIL
See, I was always best looking after
someone. Must be something in the genes.
FERGUS
Must be.
DIL
And the fact that you didn't know is
basically the fault of yours truly. And
even when you were throwing up, I could
tell you cared.63.FERGUS
You could?
DIL
Do you care, Jimmy?
FERGUS
Sure I do.
DIL
You mean that?
FERGUS
Yeah. I care, Dil.
She lowers her head.
FERGUS
You crying, Dil?
He removes her glasses and looks at her moist eyes.
DIL
I'm tired and emotional.
Then he hears a voice behind him.
DEVEROUX
Do it on your own time, Paddy.
FERGUS
What?
DEVEROUX
Whatever it is she does for you.
Fergus looks from Dil to Deveroux.
FERGUS
If I was her I'd consider that an insult.
DEVEROUX
Consider it how you like. Just get that
bloody tart out of here.
Fergus stands up suddenly. He speaks quietly.
FERGUS
Did you ever pick your teeth up with
broken fingers?
Deveroux stares, suddenly chilled.64.DEVEROUX
What's that supposed to mean?
FERGUS
It's a simple question.
Deveroux says nothing. Fergus looks down to Dil.
FERGUS
Come on, dear.
He holds out his arm. Dil gathers up her things and takes it.
Her face is wreathed in a smile.
DIL
He didn't answer, honey --
Fergus walks her down the scaffolding ramp.
FRANKNUM
Sorry about that, Mr. Deveroux.
Dil and Fergus descend from the site in the lift.
DIL
My, oh my, Jimmy, how gallant.
FERGUS
Shut up.
DIL
Made me feel all funny inside.
FERGUS
I said stop it.
DIL
Ask me to meet you again, Jimmy.
FERGUS
You think that's wise?
DIL
Nothing's wise.
The lift stops with a thud.
FERGUS
I didn't mean to hit you.
DIL
I know that.65.FERGUS
Kind of liked you as a girl.
DIL
That's a start.
FERGUS
So I'm sorry.
DIL
Make it up to me, then.
FERGUS
How?
DIL
Ask to meet me again.
FERGUS
Will you meet me again?
DIL
When?
FERGUS
Whenever. Tonight.
She leans forward and kisses him. Fergus hears a wail of
catcalls behind him. He watches Dil go as the lift takes him
back up to the site.
EXT. HAIR SALON - EVENING.
Fergus, outside the hair salon. Dil, inside, is throwing off
her smock and walking toward him. All the girls are smiling.
Fergus looks from Dil to the girls as they approach.
FERGUS
Do they know?
DIL
Know what, honey?
FERGUS
Know what I didn't know. And don't call
me that.
DIL
Can't help it, Jimmy. A girl has her
feelings.
FERGUS
Thing is, Dil, you're not a girl.66.DIL
Details, baby, details.
FERGUS
So they do know.
DIL
All right, they do.
She takes his arm as they walk off.
FERGUS
Don't.
DIL
Sorry.
FERGUS
I should have known, shouldn't I?
DIL
Probably.
FERGUS
Kind of wish I didn't.
DIL
You can always pretend.
FERGUS
That's true.... Your soldier knew, didn't
he?
DIL
Absolutely.
FERGUS
Won't be quite the same though, will it?
DIL
Are you pretending yet?
FERGUS
I'm working on it.
Fergus hears a car following them, and turns around to look.
FERGUS
There's Dave. He knew too.
DIL
Stop it, Jimmy.67.FERGUS
Am I becoming repetitious?
DIL
A little.
FERGUS
Sorry.
They reach her door. The car stops.
FERGUS
Don't ask me in.
DIL
Please, Jimmy.
FERGUS
No. Can't pretend that much.
DIL
I miss you, Jimmy.
FERGUS
Should have stayed a girl.
DIL
Don't be cruel.
FERGUS
Okay. Be a good girl and go inside.
DIL
Only if you kiss me.
Fergus kisses her. He looks at her open lips as if in
disbelief at himself.
FERGUS
Happy now?
DIL
Delirious.
She goes inside.
INT. HOSTEL - NIGHT.
Fergus walks into the room and turns on a small desk-light.
Then he hears a voice.
JUDE
Hello, stranger.68.He sees Jude sitting in the corner. Her hair is now dark
brown.
JUDE
You vanished.
He stares at her, says nothing.
JUDE
What was it, Fergus? Did you blow the
gaff on us or did you just fuck up?
FERGUS
Leave me alone, Jude.
JUDE
No. That's the last thing I'll do. You
never asked what happened.
FERGUS
I heard.
JUDE
Eddie and Tinker died.
FERGUS
I know.
JUDE
Maguire and me got out by the skin of our
teeth. No thanks to you.... What you
think of the hair?
FERGUS
Suits you.
She walks round the room.
JUDE
Aye, I was sick of being blond. Needed a
tougher look, if you know what I mean.
She lies down on the bed beside him, takes off a black
leather glove, and puts her hand on his crotch.
JUDE
Fuck me, Fergus.
He takes her hand away.
JUDE
Am I to take it that's a no?69.He says nothing.
JUDE
We had a court-martial in your absence.
They wanted to put a bullet in your head.
I pleaded for clemency. Said we should
find out what happened first. So what did
happen?
FERGUS
He ran. I couldn't shoot him in the back.
I tried to catch him. He made it to the
road and got hit by a Saracen.
JUDE
So you did fuck up.
FERGUS
Yes.
JUDE
But you know what the thing is, Fergus?
FERGUS
No, what is the thing?
JUDE
You vanished quite effectively. Became
Mister Nobody. And you've no idea how
useful that could be.
FERGUS
What do you mean?
JUDE
We've got some plans here. And we'll need
a Mister Nobody to execute them.
FERGUS
No way, Jude. I'm out.
JUDE
You're never out, Fergus.
She looks at him hard. He looks away.
JUDE
Maybe you don't care whether you die or
not. But consider the girl, Fergus. The
wee black chick.
He leaps up from the bed.70.FERGUS
Leave her out of this.
JUDE
Jesus, Fergus, you're a walking cliche.
You know we won't leave her out of this.
But I'm glad to see you care.
She brings her lips close to his so they touch.
JUDE
And I must admit I'm curious.
He grabs her hair and pulls her head back.
FERGUS
What the fuck do you know, Jude?
She pulls a gun and sticks it between his teeth.
JUDE
You fucking tell me, boy --
Fergus stares at her. Then says quietly:
FERGUS
She's nobody. She likes me.
JUDE
So I suppose a fuck is out of the
question. Keep your head down, Fergus. No
sudden moves. And not a whisper to her.
You'll be hearing from us.
She kisses him briefly, with the gun at his temple.
JUDE
Keep the faith.
She goes. Fergus stands in the darkness.
EXT. HAIR SALON - EVENING.
Fergus, walking toward the hair salon, flowers in his hand.
He stands outside watching, the flowers behind his back. Then
the chair turns and we see it is Jude.
Fergus freezes. He sees Jude looking at him, smiling
brightly, then talking back to Dil71.INT. HAIR SALON - EVENING.
JUDE
He your boyfriend?
Jude, turning in the chair.
JUDE
Lucky you.
INT. INDIAN RESTAURANT - NIGHT.
DIL
Carnations.
FERGUS
What?
DIL
He'd bring me carnations.
FERGUS
So I got it wrong, then.
DIL
Not at all, honey.
FERGUS
Don't.
DIL
Okay.
She smiles brightly at something behind Fergus. He turns and
sees Jude is there. Fergus stands, suddenly.
He throws some money on the table, grabs her arm, and frog-
marches her out.
FERGUS
Come on.
DIL
Why, honey --
FERGUS
Come on.
DIL
You gonna tell me why?
FERGUS
No.72.As they pass Jude, she smiles.
EXT. INDIAN RESTAURANT - NIGHT.
Outside the restaurant. Fergus marches Dil away.
DIL
What's wrong, Jimmy? Tell me what's wrong
--
FERGUS
Not here.
They pass out of shot. In the background we see Jude rising.
INT. METRO - NIGHT.
Dil and Fergus making their way to their seats at the bar.
DIL
You gonna tell me what it is?
A figure sitting down at the bar. It is Jude.
JUDE
What was it?
DIL
You know her, Jimmy?
JUDE
Jimmy, is it? Do you know me, Jimmy?
FERGUS
Dil, this is Jude.
DIL
You following me?
JUDE
Yeah. Just checking. He being nice to
you, Dil?
DIL
Ever so nice. Aren't you, Jimmy?
JUDE
That's good. I'm glad. Young love, as
they say.
DIL
Absolutely. The younger the better.
Doesn't come your way much, I suppose.73.JUDE
Don't go looking for it, Dil.
DIL
Well, maybe you'll get lucky. Someday.
JUDE
A bit heavy on the powder, isn't she,
Jimmy?
DIL
A girl has to have a bit of glamour.
JUDE
Absolutely. Long as she can keep it.
Isn't that right, James...
She leaves. Dil watches her go.
DIL
It's her, isn't it?
FERGUS
What's her?
DIL
She's the thing you had to tell me.
FERGUS
Kind of.
DIL
I'm sorry, you know that? I'm really
sorry.
She looks at Col
DIL
You see that, Col?
COL
Saw it, Dil.
DIL
Fuck it, is what I say.
COL
Yeah. Fuck it, Dil.
DIL
Fucking men, Col --74.COL
Fuck 'em.
There are tears in her eyes. She stands.
DIL
And fuck you, Jimmy --
She staggers out of the pub. Fergus sits there. There is an
expression in Col's eyes that makes Fergus feel very, very
small.
COL
You could always make it up to her.
FERGUS
How?
COL
When a girl runs out like that, she
generally wants to be followed.
FERGUS
She's not a girl, Col --
COL
Whatever you say.
But Fergus rises and walks out.
EXT. METRO - NIGHT.
A figure standing down the alleyway, smoking. Fergus looks
toward it, but Jude is standing there, waiting.
JUDE
She went that way --
Jude grabs his arm.
JUDE
But you come with me.
She draws him down an alley where the same car is waiting.
They get inside.
ANOTHER CAR - BY THE PUB.
Dil, sitting inside a taxi watching Fergus and Jude getting
in the car.75.INT. CAR - NIGHT.
In the moving car. Jude is driving, Maguire next to her.
Fergus sits in the back.
FERGUS
So it was you all the time.
MAGUIRE
Who'd you think it was?
FERGUS
I thought it was Dave.
MAGUIRE
And who's Dave when he's at home?
FERGUS
He's at home.
MAGUIRE
Should blow you away, you know that?
FERGUS
I know that.
Maguire stubs his cigarette out on Fergus's hand, then whacks
him on the teeth with his closed fist.
MAGUIRE
I'm getting emotional. And I don't want
to get fucking emotional -- you
understand, Hennessy?
FERGUS
I understand.
MAGUIRE
Fuck you, too --
Jude drives. Fergus looks through the back window at the
street outside.
JUDE
Leave him alone, Peter. He's in love.
MAGUIRE
That true, Fergus? You in love?
FERGUS
Absolutely.76.MAGUIRE
And what's she like between the sheets?
FERGUS
Definitely unusual.
MAGUIRE
And who is she?
FERGUS
Just a girl.
MAGUIRE
And you know what'll happen if you fuck
up again, don't you?
FERGUS
Aye, I do, Peter.
MAGUIRE
Good.
EXT. REGENCY SQUARE - NIGHT.
The car draws to a halt in a sedate square. Several doors
down is the entrance to what looks like a sedate conservative
club.
In the car, Maguire turns off the engine. He nods toward the
building.
MAGUIRE
So what do you think that is, Hennessy?
FERGUS
A hotel?
MAGUIRE
It's a knocking-shop. Tres discreet, huh?
He visits his ladies on Tuesday and
Thursday nights and Saturday mornings.
His security's in the car beyond.
He nods toward a car, a Daimler, parked some distance away.
Fergus looks from the window to the car.
FERGUS
Who is he?
MAGUIRE
Doesn't matter who he is. He is what we
would call a legitimate target.77.FERGUS
Thank God for that.
MAGUIRE
You being cynical, Hennessy?
FERGUS
Hope not.
MAGUIRE
Good. So what do you think?
FERGUS
Whoever hits him'll be hit, if those men
are any good. And I presume you can't get
in.
MAGUIRE
Right.
FERGUS
So it's on the street.
MAGUIRE
Right.
FERGUS
Kind of suicide, isn't it?
Jude turns around to look at him.
FERGUS
But, then, I don't have a choice.
JUDE
Och, you do, Fergie.
FERGUS
Of course. I forgot.
JUDE
Come on, Fergie. A rehearsal.
Jude and Fergus get out of the car. They walk down the
street, down from the brothel-cum-club, where there is a cafe-
bar with some tables outside.
EXT. REGENCY SQUARE - NIGHT.
Fergus and Jude, crossing the street.
JUDE
You keep your mind on the job, boy --78.FERGUS
And then you'll leave her out of it?
JUDE
Aye. Then we'll leave her be.
They take their seats by the tables. We can see the brothel
down the way.
JUDE
He's arthritic. Takes him two minutes to
get to the door.
She checks her watch. Fergus is sweating.
FERGUS
And what if I say no?
JUDE
You know what. Go.
Down by the brothel, the door swings open.
Fergus walks like any pedestrian down toward the brothel.
There is an old, portly gent in a City suit emerging from it.
The car by the pavement kicks into action and the door opens.
Fergus quickens his pace.
Jude, by the cafe, watches. Fergus, walking.
The gent makes his way, with gout-ridden slowness, across the
pavement, through the passersby, toward the car.
A burly security man emerging from the car, walking toward
the old gent.
Fergus reaches the car just before he does, and passes
between him and the open door. The old gent's stomach brushes
Fergus's elbow.
GENT
Pardon me, young man --
Fergus walks on.
Jude, from the cafe, watches -- Fergus walking on, the old
man being eased with painstaking care inside the Daimler.
Then the door closing and the Daimler pulling off.
When the Daimler has passed Fergus, he turns around and walks
back.79.Jude smiles and leaps up as he approaches.
JUDE
You were made for this.
FERGUS
Was I?
JUDE
Perfect.
FERGUS
And what happens then?
JUDE
We'll be on the other side. We'll move
when you do.
FERGUS
And what if you don't?
JUDE
Fergus, I think you don't trust me.
FERGUS
You may be right.
JUDE
Stay late at your work tomorrow night and
I'll bring you the gear.
Jude begins to walk away.
FERGUS
Jude?
JUDE
Yes?
FERGUS
Who's the old geezer?
JUDE
Some judge...
She walks off, crosses the road to Maguire, in the car.
Fergus turns around to see Dil in front of the cafe. She goes
inside; he follows.
FERGUS
Why'd you follow me, Dil?80.DIL
Was jealous, Jimmy.
She downs a drink and motions for another. She seems high.
FERGUS
Shouldn't be, Dil
DIL
Why shouldn't I be jealous?
There are tears streaming down her face. He takes his hand
and begins to wipe her face.
DIL
Don't. My makeup.
She sits down; he joins her.
DIL
She own you, Jimmy?
FERGUS
Yes.
DIL
She from Scotland too?
FERGUS
You could say that.
DIL
And you're not going to tell me more?
FERGUS
I can't.
He wipes the tears from her face with a tissue then dabs the
tissue in her drink and wipes some more.
DIL
What you doing, Jimmy?
FERGUS
I'm not sure.
DIL
Do you like me even a little bit?
FERGUS
More than that.
Dil's face, staring at him.81.FERGUS
Come on, let's go for a walk.
She allows herself to be led out.
EXT. HAIR SALON - NIGHT.
Dil and Fergus walking. Fergus stops her by the window.
FERGUS
You do something for me, Dil?
DIL
Anything.
FERGUS
You'd do anything for me?
DIL
Afraid so.
FERGUS
You got the keys to the shop?
They walk inside.
INT. HAIR SALON - NIGHT.
Dil and Fergus standing in the darkness.
DIL
You want another haircut, baby?
FERGUS
No. Sit down.
He sits her down in one of the chairs.
FERGUS
You'd do anything for me?
Dil nods.
DIL
Anything.
Fergus takes up a scissors to snip at her hair. Her head
leaps back.
DIL
No way --82.FERGUS
You said anything, Dil
DIL
A girl has to draw the line somewhere --
FERGUS
Want to change you to a man, Dil...
She stares at him.
DIL
Why?
FERGUS
It's a secret.
DIL
You'd like me better that way, Jimmy?
FERGUS
Yes.
DIL
And you wouldn't leave me?
FERGUS
No.
DIL
You promise?
FERGUS
I promise.
She takes a breath.
DIL
Go on, then.
Fergus begins to cut.
CLOSE-UP ON DlL'S FACE as her hair is shorn. Tears stream
down her cheeks.
DIL
You're no good at this, Jimmy.
FERGUS
I'm sorry.
But he keeps cutting. He gives Dil a short, cropped military
cut like Jody's.83.DIL
You want to make me look like him...
FERGUS
No. Want to make you into something new.
That nobody recognizes...
She looks in the mirror at it in the dark.
DIL
Don't recognize myself, Jimmy.
INT. DIL'S FLAT - NIGHT.
Dil enters, with her new haircut. She goes to turn on the
light. He stops her hand.
FERGUS
No.
She looks at her hand on his.
FERGUS
Better in the dark.
Her fingers close around his.
DIL
So it's true, then?
FERGUS
What?
DIL
You like me better like this.
FERGUS
Yes.
She brings her lips to his neck. He lets them stay there. His
hands travel up to her blouse. He begins to undo the buttons.
DIL
Oh, Jimmy --
Slowly the blouse slips down, exposing her male torso. She
falls down to her knees and tugs at his belt.
FERGUS
No. No. Dil... get up...
He raises her to her feet and leads her toward the bed. She
stretches languorously down on it.84.He unzips her skirt slowly, and draws it off. She turns on
the bed sexily, her face to the mattress. She is wearing
suspender-belts underneath her skirt.
DIL
Baby...
But Fergus stands and walks quietly over to the wardrobe
where the soldier's things are. Dil on the bed, slowly turns.
DIL
What are you doing, honey...
We see Fergus from her point of view, coming toward her with
Jody's white cricket shirt, glowing eerily in the dark.
FERGUS
Don't call me that --
DIL
Sorry. What you doing?
Fergus draws her slowly up to a standing position.
FERGUS
Try this on, Dil
He wraps the shirt around her.
DIL
Why?
FERGUS
For me.
DIL
For you...
She kisses him.
EXT. SMALL HOTEL - NIGHT.
Fergus leading Dil, dressed in Jody's cricket clothes, down
the street and inside.
DIL
Why are we going here, Jimmy?
FERGUS
Look on it like a honeymoon.85.INT. SMALL HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT.
From above, we see the figures of Fergus and Dil, sleeping on
a double bed, both fully clothed. Fergus smokes, then puts
out the cigarette.
Time lapse. The light gradually fills the room. Fergus wakes.
Looks at the bedside clock, and very gingerly rises, puts on
his coat, and walks out.
EXT. SITE - EVENING.
A car pulls up at the site. Jude gets out. She has a satchel
in her hand.
INT. SITE - EVENING.
Fergus looking down a ladder-staircase at Jude.
JUDE
You a handyman, Fergie?
FERGUS
I take pride in my work.
JUDE
I sincerely hope so.
Fergus climbs down a ladder to Jude; she hands him something
from the bag.
JUDE
Tools of the trade.
She kisses him. Fergus looks at her expressionlessly.
JUDE
And forget about the girl.
Fergus opens what Jude has given him -- looking inside. There
is a gun wrapped in an oilcloth.
INT. SMALL HOTEL - NIGHT.
Fergus enters. The room is empty. He calls.
FERGUS
Dil?
No reply. He runs outside.86.EXT. DIL'S FLAT - NIGHT.
Fergus looks up at her building, but the lights are off in
her flat. The sound of feet behind him. He turns and sees Dil
walking toward him, a bottle in her hand. He runs toward her.
FERGUS
Dil! Dil! What the fuck are you doing
here?
DIL
I'm going home!
FERGUS
Told you to stay in the hotel!
DIL
Thought you was fooling me. Thought you
was leaving me.
They are tussling in the darkness of the park. She is very
drunk.
FERGUS
I had to go to work!
DIL
Stayed all day in that room thinking
every noise was you. There's something
you're not telling me, Jimmy.
He takes her arm.
FERGUS
Come on...
DIL
No! I'm going home...
Fergus and Dil, on the stairs up to Dil's flat.
DIL
So tell me.
FERGUS
I was trying to get out of something.
DIL
No! Tell me everything, Jimmy.
Fergus looks at her.87.FERGUS
You got to forget you ever saw me, Dil.
DIL
You mean that?
FERGUS
Yes.
And she suddenly faints into his arms. As if on cue.
FERGUS
Stop it, would you?
There is no response. He shakes her.
FERGUS
Give it over, Dil, for fuck's sake --
Still no response. He grows alarmed. He slaps her cheek. She
opens her eyes slowly.
DIL
Sorry. I get nervous. I got this blood
condition. Just help me inside, Jimmy,
then I'll be all right.
INT. DIL'S FLAT - NIGHT.
He walks in holding her. Leans her against the wall, then
goes to the window to check the street outside.
She takes a large slug from a bottle of whiskey.
FERGUS
You heard what I said, Dil?
DIL
My pills...
She points weakly to a cabinet through the open door of the
bathroom.
FERGUS
What pills?
DIL
Prescription. For my condition.
FERGUS
What condition?88.DIL
My condition. Ennui.
He goes and gets the pills.
She takes a handful of pills. She drinks from the whiskey
bottle.
FERGUS
Are you supposed to take that many?
DIL
Only in times of extreme stress.
She walks around the room, drinking, then sits down.
DIL
See, they all say good-bye sometime.
'Cept for him.
She looks at the picture of Jody. Then she looks at Fergus.
FERGUS
Are you all right, Dil?
DIL
I will be.
She stares straight ahead, the bottle clutched in her hands
between her knees.
DIL
Go on, then.
Fergus walks slowly toward the door.
FERGUS
Good-bye, Dil
DIL
Jimmy?
FERGUS
What?
DIL
Don't go like that.
She looks at him, standing up. Something incredibly
attractive about her.
DIL
Can't help what I am.89.He walks slowly toward her. He kisses her, on the lips.
We see the photograph with the soldier's smiling face. Fergus
looks from it to her. She seems to be in a sweet narcotic
haze. She reaches out her hand and strokes his.
DIL
Knew you had a heart...
Fergus sits down on the bed. Dil is lying back on it.
FERGUS
Dil Can I tell you something? I knew your
man.
DIL
You knew which man?
FERGUS
Your soldier.
DIL
You knew my Jody?
She still strokes his hand. Her voice is dreamily slurred,
her eyes far away.
FERGUS
Lifted him from a carnival in Belfast.
Held him hostage for three days.
DIL
You knew my Jody?
FERGUS
Are you listening?
Dil smiles woozily.
DIL
Yes.
FERGUS
I got the order to shoot him. Before I
could do it he ran. Ran into a tank and
died.
DIL
Died...
FERGUS
Did you hear me?90.DIL
You killed my Jody?
FERGUS
In a manner of speaking.
DIL
It was you...
She is not rational. She is smiling, far away somewhere.
FERGUS
You should scream. You should beat my
head off.
She woozily tries to hit him round the face.
DIL
You killed my Jody
FERGUS
No.
DIL
You didn't.
FERGUS
I suppose I tried.
DIL
You tried.
FERGUS
Don't you want to kill me?
Dil raises an unsteady hand and points it at him.
DIL
Bang...
He strokes her cheek. She says very slowly and sleepily
DIL
Don't leave me tonight. Might kill me,
too.
FERGUS
Okay.
Her eyes close. She falls into a deep sleep. Fergus looks
down at her, almost fondly.91.INT. DIL'S FLAT - MORNING.
They are lying on the bed together, fully clothed. Dil wakes.
She rises very quietly and goes to his coat, thrown across a
chair. She searches through the pockets and takes out the
gun.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - MORNING.
Jude in bed. An alarm sounds; she reaches to turn it off.
INT. DIL'S FLAT.
Dil takes several silk stockings out of a drawer and ties
them very securely to each corner of the brass bed. She ties
them round both of Fergus's feet, very gently, so as not to
wake him.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - MORNING.
Jude, in front of a mirror, getting ready.
INT. DIL'S FLAT.
She draws one of Fergus's hands up, very gingerly, and ties
that securely to the upright. She ties the other and is
drawing it upward when he wakes. She jerks the silk stocking
so it is secure.
FERGUS
What the fuck --
Dil speaks unnaturally quietly.
DIL
So tell me what you're doing, Jimmy.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - MORNING.
Jude, fully dressed. She takes a gun from under the bed and
slips it in her handbag.
INT. DIL'S FLAT - MORNING.
Dil crouching beside Fergus, his gun in her hand.
DIL
Didn't really listen last night. I heard
but I didn't listen.
Fergus, staring at her. He tries to pull on the bindings.92.DIL
That won't do you no good. Dil knows how
to tie a body.
She stands up, still pointing the gun at Fergus.
DIL
Wondered why you came on to me like that
when you gave me the look.
FERGUS
He asked me to see were you all right.
EXT. STREET - DAY
Jude on the street. Maguire's car pulls up rapidly and she
gets inside.
INT. DIL'S FLAT.
DIL
See, I fix on anyone that's nice to me.
Just the littlest bit nice and I'm yours.
FERGUS
Stop it, Dil --
DIL
Just don't kick Dil and she'll be
touched. Be nice to her and she'll be
yours forever.
She looks at him, tears in her eyes.
DIL
See, I should blow you away, Jimmy. But I
can't do that. Yet.
FERGUS
Let me go, Dil
He drags at his bindings.
DIL
Why?
FERGUS
Got to be somewhere.
DIL
Try and go, then.93.EXT. STREET BY BROTHEL - DAY
The figure of the judge in the window. Outline of a woman.
Jude and Maguire are in the car, parked across the street.
They look toward a paper seller.
MAGUIRE
Where the fuck is he? Christ --
INT. DIL'S FLAT.
Fergus pulls furiously at his bindings.
FERGUS
Let me go for fuck's sake, Dil -- or
they'll be here
DIL
Let them come then.
IN THE CAR. OUTSIDE BROTHEL.
JUDE
Can't stay here, Peter -- drive around
once more --
He drives off.
INT. DIL'S FLAT.
Fergus collapsed back on the bed, exhausted.
DIL
Just want your company for a little while
longer...
EXT. STREET BY BROTHEL - DAY
Maguire's car driving round once more. No sign of Fergus.
MAGUIRE
That fucker's dead --
JUDE
No, we are.
INT. DIL'S FLAT.
Fergus strains and roars from the bed.
FERGUS
You don't know what you're doing, Dil --94.DIL
Never did...
MAGUIRE'S POINT OF VIEW -- the brothel door opening. The
elderly judge comes out. The car with his security men guns
up.
MAGUIRE
Give me the shooter, Jude --
JUDE
You're crazy --
MAGUIRE
Give me the fucking shooter!
He grabs it from her pocket. Throws open the door and runs
across the street. Jude dives into the driver's seat.
INT. DIL'S FLAT.
Fergus, pulling at his bindings.
EXT. OUTSIDE THE BROTHEL.
The judge walking toward the open door of the car, held open
by his goon. Maguire, running toward him, gun in hand. The
goon sees him. Maguire shoots as he runs. Once, twice, three
times, four. The judge falls. The goon, hit in the arm, pulls
an Uzi and returns fire. Maguire hit, still shooting. Other
goons tear from the car. Mayhem, screaming. Jude hits the
pedal on her car and screeches off. Maguire, dead.
INT. DIL'S FLAT - DAY
Dil dressed in the soldier's cricket clothes. She looks like
a sweet little boy. She places a cassette in the tape deck --
"The Crying Game" song. She comes to the bed, and points the
gun at Fergus's head.
DIL
You like me now, Jimmy?
FERGUS
I like you, Dil --
DIL
Give me a bit more, baby, a bit more.
FERGUS
More what?95.DIL
More endearments.
FERGUS
I like you, DIl
DIL
Love me.
FERGUS
Yes.
DIL
Tell me you love me.
FERGUS
Whatever you say, Dil.
DIL
Then say it.
FERGUS
Love you, Dil.
DIL
You do?
FERGUS
Yeah.
DIL
What would you do for me?
FERGUS
Anything.
She begins to cry and lays the gun gently on his chest.
DIL
Say it again.
FERGUS
I'd do anything for you, Dil.
She pulls on his bindings to release him.
EXT. STREET.
Two police cars, sirens wailing.96.INT. DIL'S FLAT.
Dil's face, close to Fergus's, as the stockings that bound
his hands are nearly undone.
DIL
And you'll never leave me?
FERGUS
Never.
DIL
I know you're lying, Jimmy, but it's nice
to hear it.
His arm is free. He strokes her hair.
FERGUS
I'm sorry, Dil.
She shudders with weeping. The music of the song plays in the
background.
Jude walking through the open door, arms extended, holding a
gun.
JUDE
You stupid shit -- Once was bad enough.
But twice.
Dil rises from the bed and points her gun at Jude.
DIL
You didn't knock, honey --
Dil fires, hits Jude. Jude falls and is writhing on the
floor.
FERGUS
Dil!
JUDE
Get that thing off me, Fergus --
Dil walks closer, holding the gun and pointing it at Jude.
DIL
What was that she called you, Jimmy?
FERGUS
Fergus.97.DIL
What's Fergus?
FERGUS
It's my name, Dil --
DIL
What happened to Jimmy?
JUDE
I said get it off me, Fergus --
Jude, on the floor, reaches for her gun. Manages to grab it.
DIL
What's she going to do, Jimmy? She going
to blow you away?
Dil shoots again, like a child, playing with a toy. She hits
Jude in her gun shoulder. Jude spins one way, the gun the
other.
DIL
Was she there too? When you got my Jody?
Fergus screams
FERGUS
Dil!!!
DIL
I asked you a question, honey -- were you
there too --
JUDE
You sick bitch --
As she raises the gun, Dil shoots her repeatedly, saying:
DIL
You was there, wasn't you? You used those
tits and that ass to get him, didn't you?
Fergus screams from the bed. He rips free his other arm. Dil
shoots Jude in the throat, and she falls dead, covered in
blood. Dil turns the gun on Fergus.
DIL
She was there, wasn't she?98.FERGUS
She was --
DIL
And she used her tits and that cute
little ass to get him, didn't she?
FERGUS
Yes.
DIL
Tell me what she wore.
FERGUS
Can't remember...
Dil points the gun at him, squeezing on the trigger. Then she
stops.
DIL
Can't do it, Jimmy. He won't let me.
She looks at the picture; walks over and sits down in front
of it.
DIL
You won't let me, Jody --
She raises the gun and places it in her mouth. Fergus takes
it gently from her mouth and places it on the table. He lifts
her up by the shoulders.
FERGUS
You've got to go now, Dil --
DIL
Do I?
FERGUS
Yes. Now.
DIL
Am I in trouble, Jimmy?
FERGUS
Not if you go.
DIL
Will I see you again?
FERGUS
You will, Dil99.DIL
Promise?
FERGUS
I promise.
DIL
Where am I to go, Jimmy?
FERGUS
The Metro.
DIL
Meet Col --
FERGUS
Yes. Say hello to Col --
He leads her out the door. Fergus goes back into the room,
past Jude's body. Looks out the window to where he can see
Dil staggering down the street, through the crowds that have
gathered. The wail of police sirens coming closer. He watches
Dil run off, with her funny walk. Then looks down and sees
the cop cars pushing through the knot of people around the
house. He picks up the gun, wipes it with a rag to remove
Dil's fingerprints. He turns to the picture of the soldier;
talks to it.
FERGUS
You should have stayed at home.
He sits in the chair by the window, waiting.
FADE TO BLACK.
INT. PRISON VISITING ROOM - DAY
FADE UP to reveal a large interior, with light streaming in
the windows. Large barred doors open and a group of women
come through, with parcels, children in tow, etc. Among them
is Dil, looking resplendent. She walks past the rows of
convicts with their families, up to a glass cage, where
Fergus sits, waiting.
DIL
Got you the multivitamins and the iron
tablets, hon --
FERGUS
Don't call me that --100.DIL
Sorry, love. Now, the white ones are
magnesium supplement --
FERGUS
Stop it, Dil --
DIL
I've got to keep you healthy, Jimmy. I'm
counting the days. Two thousand three
hundred and thirty-four left.
FERGUS
Thirty-five.
DIL
I'm sorry, darling. I keep forgetting the
leap year. What am I supposed to call you
then, Jimmy?
FERGUS
Fergus.
DIL
Fergus. Fergus my love, light of my life -
-
FERGUS
Please, Dil --
DIL
Can't help it. You're doing time for me.
No greater love, as the man says. Wish
you'd tell me why.
FERGUS
As the man said, it's in my nature.
DIL
What's that supposed to mean?
She shakes her head.
FERGUS
Well, there was this scorpion, you see.
And he wants to go across the river. But
he can't swim. So he goes to this frog,
who can swim, and he says to him, "Excuse
me, Mr. Froggy..."101.CAMERA PULLS BACK, and as Fergus tells the story of the
scorpion and the frog, the music comes up -- "Stand By Your
Man."
FADE OUT.102. | screenplays |
Dungeons and Dragons 1. Chapter I
**Hey there :D**
**So, I started playing Dungeons and Dragons, and the Dungeon Master asked me to write out a paragraph for my character background. And **_**I**_** said, "Nope." ****And then I proceeded to write out a story instead XD**
**I hope you enjoy :)**
* * *
**Chapter I**
"Executing."
The Drow warrior screamed as the blade ran through him; the steel bit into his flesh as his consciousness faded, and his body fell heavily to the ground.
"Good! Very good, Number 108!" A strong, female voice called out from above, addressing the Changeling boy who had just taken the Drow warrior's life.
The owner of the voice, Shivra the Storm, leader of Do'zbaretho, approached the Changeling; carelessly treading over the warrior's dead body, she stopped in front of him, and slowly asked him.
"Now... Answer me, 108: What are you?"
Synthetic Changeling Number One-Oh-Eight's empty eyes turned towards Shivra as he mechanically answered.
"... I... I am... A weapon."
* * *
108's eyes stared blankly at a bird as it roosted on a nearby branch; 108 had no concept of 'emotions', however he possessed an interestingly strong sense of curiousity; 108 had in fact taught himself to read and write in Common without anyone knowing.
But aside from his general thirst for knowledge, 108 was _especially_ curious about towards things he had not seen before... Like living things.
It was because he had been raised by Drow, and given minimal opportunities to learn about the outside world; his purpose was to fight for them, and nothing more.
"Number 108! Do not drop your guard, and keep your senses sharp about you. You know the rule: 'No witnesses'."
108 turned his head towards the man who had addressed him, Lamalggar the Lightning.
Lamalggar was a Drow Ranger, and second in command of their clan, 'Do'zbaretho', headed by a group of Drow who had been exiled for the practice of forbidden arts; hiding above ground, Do'zbaretho's goal was to take vengeance on the ones who had them exiled.
"Keep that retractable blade you're so fond of in your hand," he ordered, with a slightly mocking tone, 108 complied, and drew a seemingly bladeless sword from the sheath on his boot.
It was something he had constructed himself, following the instruction of Thintel the Thunder, another important Drow in Do'zbaretho; the weapon's blade was telescopic, and could shift from the deceptive length of a dagger, to that of a longsword, and slide back into the hilt when not in use, Thintel called it 'a symbol of 108's loyalties'.
108 threw the hilt up into the air, and caught it in a reverse-grip as the blade popped out, as Lamalggar added, "as you know, Do'zbaretho's position cannot be compromised; any and all unfamiliar faces are to be silenced," he looked up at the sun, and sighed in frustration, "that fool Regdar is late; likely drinking himself to oblivion in some tavern." Irritated, he proceeded to slam his fist into an adjacent tree before finishing, "Number 108, go entertain yourself; I'm afraid we'll be here for quite some time."
108 knew that 'entertain yourself' meant 'return with something to eat', but he did not even consider raising a complaint; he was a merely a weapon, a tool for Do'zbaretho. He did not have the right to speak against them.
"... I will return shortly," 108 replied with a short nod, and shot off to find something to hunt.
* * *
108 stealthily made his way through the forest, careful not to make any noise, or present too much of himself in the open; then...
_... I hear something._
108's ears faintly picked up the sounds of shouting; it seemed to be coming from a particularly dense gathering of trees; 108's curiousity overtook him and he instantly forgot about Lamalggar.
108 raised his 'dagger', and started towards the source of the shouting.
Before he could get any closer...
_WHOOSH!_
An arrow emerged the darkened grove, and flew towards 108, before hitting the side of 108's blade, and being directed harmlessly into the ground.
Right after 108 deflected the arrow, it was followed by a small human girl, who ran out of the trees, screaming.
_The arrow... Was aimed at her...?_ 108 logically concluded; the girl ran past him and tripped over, falling to the ground before a final figure emerged,
"A Changeling...!" The Drow who had just ran into sight yelled in disgust, and his hand flew to his quiver; 108 tightened his grip on his weapon; whenever a stranger saw him, they would always yell out something to this effect, and attack him; 108's kind was hated by all, but Do'zbaretho had taken him in.
At least, that's what they had told him.
"Entering combat..." He said to no-one in particular, and dashed towards the Drow, "assaulting..."
"Argh!" The Drow pulled back, but he was too slow, a small gash was left on his shin from 108's strike.
"Chaining..." 108 slammed his foot into the ground and vaulted over the Drow, skimming the Drow's shoulder with his blade as he did so.
"Filth...!" The Drow drew a new arrow, and aimed, point-blank at 108's head before receiving a hard kick to the gut.
"_Urgh...!_"
The arrow missed its target completely, and lodged itself into a nearby tree trunk as 108 emotionlessly stepped back and voiced his thoughts yet again, in a monotone voice.
"Combination complete."
Refusing to yield, the Drow attempted to draw another arrow, but was interrupted as the tip of 108's blade rushed towards his heart; the Drow countered, and locked 108's arm with his own, stopping the blade centimetres from his chest,
"Hah! Fool!" The Drow gloated and aimed again at 108's head; in this position, neither combatant could move their arms, but the Drow could still manage to fire off an arrow.
The Drow paused for a moment, wanting to see an expression of terror on 108's face before he killed him. A fatal mistake.
Using the Drow's hesitation, 108 applied pressure near the end his hilt.
"Executing."
The blade of his weapon extended and impaled the Drow through the heart; his smug expression changed to shock, and stayed there.
108 pushed his opponent's dead body aside and whipped his weapon downward, flicking the blood off of it before sheathing it.
"Conflict... Resolved."
108 began to turn around, intending to make his way back to Lamalggar, but was interrupted by a cry.
"Thank you...!"
The girl from earlier had picked herself up off of the ground and ran over to 108; she stopped to catch her breath as tears dripped from her eyes, "I... I thought he was g-going to k-kill me..." Wiping them dry, she continued, "I... Just wanted t-to get some f-flowers for mummy... She's... She's s-... Sick..."
108 curiously studied her face; he had completely forgotten about her.
"P-Please sir, could you help me get back t-to my mummy, please...?"
108 considered the situation for a moment, and did what he always did.
He followed orders.
"... No... Witnesses..."
* * *
**So, how was that? :P**
**If you liked it, head over to my profile to check out some other things I've done c:**
**ALSO: I am currently participating in **_**The Twelve Shots of Summer**_**, it's **_**immense**_** fun all around, the other, (more experienced,) writers and I write up a story per week, each on a different theme, please check out those, because they are doing some amazing stuff over there.**
**That's it for me! Chapter II will be up soon, and this time I really **_**do**_** mean that, (**_**X Days**_**, lol.)**
**#SymbolicDesignation,**
**-X**
2. Chapter II
**Back!**
**Told you I'd update quick XD**
**This should be updating daily c:**
**Enjoy :D**
* * *
**Chapter II**
Two days after the attack from the Drow archer, Lamalggar announced to 108 that they would be venturing to the forest again, to meet 'Regdar'.
"Of course, I would prefer not having to bring a companion along," he complained, "but we must always be in the company of at least one other person, when leaving the cave," he ground his teeth together in irritation before finishing, "ridiculous. I work better alone."
108, knowing Drow customs, thought it odd.
"You are... Strange, Lamalggar. Are Drow not... Accustomed to travelling in groups?"
Lamalggar looked at him indignantly, and suddenly struck him on the side of the head, sending him down to the ground.
"It is not your place to ask questions. Yours is but to serve."
"... Of course. My apologies."
Ten minutes later, they had reached the same spot that they had been before; 108 immediately saw that a human man with glasses was waiting for them.
"Ah, Lamalggar! Good to see you could make it!" He called out in a manner that 108 thought was a bit too friendly.
"Amusing to hear, seeing as you did not appear for our previously scheduled meeting, Regdar," Lamalggar replied sternly; ignoring him entirely, Regdar turned to 108.
"Oh... A Changeling. I take it you're the infamous 108th-"
"_Regdar!_" Lamalggar angrily interrupted, "time and time again, I've warned you about that mouth of yours. Not every worthless thought in your head must be shared with the world!"
Regdar's eyes widened at his sudden outburst, but he didn't push any further.
"Forgive me, Lamalggar; I shall be more careful in the future," he adjusted his glasses before changing the subject, "now then, you required more targets, did you not?"
At this, Lamalggar seemed to relax a little.
"Indeed. As our only source of information to the events in the town, we are usin-," Lamalggar stopped himself upon realising what he was saying, but it seemed Regdar was not paying full attention, so he continued, "we are... _Relying_, on you for intel."
"Hm? Ah, yes. Of course!" Adjusting his glasses again, Regdar's tone became slightly more serious, "should the Changeling not be present during this? If you'll recall, the last time one of your... Friends overheard our exchange, the end results were..." Regdar trailed off and glanced at 108, who maintained a blank expression, "... Unpleasant."
"... I do not believe it will be an issue with Number 108. But if it comforts you..." Lamalggar turned his head to 108 and inclined towards the forest, "... Leave us."
108 bowed his head slightly, "as you wish."
108 took the exact same path as he had two days ago, wishing to remain on familiar ground; recalling the attack from the Drow archer, he made sure to keep his blade steadily in front of him.
Soon, he reached the treeline and immediately noticed the lack of corpses, he then noticed two stones, set into the ground; it appeared that someone had buried the casualties from the incident.
What 108 found interesting was that _both_ had been buried; he'd expected either one, or the other, if any.
_Logically... A neutral third-party...?_
This again, raised a question in 108's mind, why would an unrelated faction bury two strangers? It went against everything Do'zbaretho had taught him about the outside world, which, he again found himself thinking, was not all that much.
His curiousity reached dangerously high levels, and he couldn't help but examine the graves closer, but something far more interesting caught his eye before he could.
_... Tracks..._
Leaves on the ground, as well as the ground itself had clearly been disturbed around the gravesite, but 108's expertly trained senses also picked up faint impressions on the grass leading away from the graves. 108 realised that the tracks headed towards a nearby cliff, far below which, lay deadly rapids; realising that the mysterious gravedigger was heading for a dead end, 108's interest skyrocketed and exploded into a cluster of colourful chemical reactions in his head.
"... Investigating..."
* * *
Drops of rain started to fall as 108 swiftly ran alongside the tracks, itching to find his target; when the trees started thinning out, 108 took to leaping to and from the remaining treetops, just to lower his chances of being spotted; at the very moment 108 started to wonder if Lamalggar and Regdar were bothered by the rain... He saw it.
A lone figure looking out over the cliff, staring down at the torrent of water that swirled so far away; they wore a long brown cloak, with the hood up, so 108 couldn't see the person's face, or even glean any other features from them; their rain-soaked hood completely obscured any kind of identifying features.
108 stayed perched upon a tree branch, not wishing to engage the enigmatic hooded figure; as he watched on, the figure drew a longsword, causing 108 to tense up, had they noticed him? He was confident he had hid himself well...
_... No..._
108 relaxed as he realised that they were merely training; practicing sword strikes and the like.
Five minutes passed; 108's attention never wavering from the cloaked swordsman, who tirelessly swung at the air, engaged in a fight to the death against an imaginary opponent.
_Ah... A bird...?_
For the first time since 108 made his way onto the branch, 108's gaze drifted as he found himself staring at a small bird, flitting past his face.
Then, reminding himself to keep his eyes on the swordsman, 108 directed his eyes back to the swordsman... Only to find that the swordsman was looking right at him.
"Ah...!" 108 gasped and lost his balance, crashing onto the ground in a vulnerable position.
_Fool...!_ An image of Lamalggar leapt to 108's mind as 108 hurried to right himself, preparing to draw his weapon after he had done so.
108 flipped himself upright, and his hand flew to his boot, but he froze mid-action; to his surprise, the swordsman had not moved to attack him, in fact...
"... Are you okay?" A startling soft, female voice called over to 108 from beneath the hood; 108 did not know how to react, he had never encountered an armed person who hadn't immediately tried to kill him, that was the way of the world.
But this one was different.
"Can you stand...?" The swordswoman offered 108 her hand, which he promptly declined to take, and stood up on his own, mentally noting what information he could lift from her; her face was still darkened by the shadow of her hood, but he could see what looked like leather armour, an ornate longsword hanging from her waist, and lastly, a small, sapphire pendant with intricate carvings in its surface, suspended from her neck by a chain of gold and silver.
"..." Seeing the manner in which 108 blew her off, she retracted her hand, "so... I'm Fi... What's your name?"
"... You will... Not attack me?" He ignored the question while maintaining his distance.
"Now, why would I do that?" She replied kindly.
"... I am... A monster..." He stared at his pale hand, reciting one of the many lines that Do'zbaretho had drilled into him.
"... Well..." Fi sighed as she dropped her hood, "I guess that makes two of us."
108 stared in awe at the Changeling swordswoman before him; it was as if he was looking at an older, female version of himself: The light cobalt skin, the slim figure...
And the blazing white eyes...
* * *
**Hello again :D**
**Well, when I was assigned the character name 'Fie', I decided to incorporate it into the backstory instead, and changed his name to...**
**...**
**Well, you'll see next chapter :)**
**-X**
3. Chapter III
**Who loves Zelda references?**
**Iiii dooo!**
**XD**
**You'll see what I mean :P**
* * *
**Chapter III**
"Hah...!" Digging his hand into the earth, 108 pivoted about his arm and swung his leg toward Fi, who avoided it with minimal effort.
"Almost got me that time!" She laughed; 108 grunted in frustration and somersaulted towards her, intending to cut her leg with his blade.
"Ahaha!" Fi cheerfully skipped to the side as 108's blade passed by her and buried itself within the ground.
"You'll never hit me if you keep holding back!" She sang out as she stretched her arms behind her back; it's true, he _was_ holding himself back, he only aimed for her limbs, afraid of causing her permanent injury, "I'm not even using any form of magic-"
"_Gragh!_" 108 ripped the blade out of the ground and charged towards Fi once more, yelling out,
"I _will_ win this!"
* * *
_Thunk_
The morning rays of the sun glinted off of 108's blade as it made a dull sound, lodging itself into the tree that Fi had kicked it towards, 108's legs were then swept out from beneath him as Fi forcefully threw him down into the grass.
"_Hmngh!_" 108's world turned upside-down as the wind was knocked out of him.
"That makes it 18 to 0, Ghirahim!" Fi laughed as she knelt next to 108, "better luck next time!" She sang cheerily; it was a routine thing now, they would spar, she would win, and it would always end with her saying 'better luck next time'.
108 sat up, gingerly rubbing the back of his head, and asked her.
"'Ghirahim'? And what is that...?"
"Your name! You said you didn't have one, so I thought of one for you!" Fi grinned, as if she had thought of something extremely clever.
"Why... 'Ghirahim'...? It's strange-"
"Hahah...!" Fi's laughing interrupted 108, "exactly...! I noticed when we spar, Ghirahim-"
"Do not call me that."
"-you make the silliest noises!" Fi's facial expression suddenly became very mockingly serious, "gragh!" She dramatically shouted in a deep voice.
"Is that meant to be me-"
"_HMMMNGH!_" She broke off laughing, before concluding, "'gragh' and 'hmngh'. Therefore 'Ghirahim'."
"... I... Cannot even begin to describe how foolish that is."
"Well, that's rude." Fi pouted, "I thought that up with my heart and soul!"
"Then your heart and soul are equally foolish." 108 retorted, going to retrieve his blade.
Fi paused and started laughing again.
"You know why I like you, Ghirahim?" (108's eye twitched upon hearing her call him that,) "you say exactly what you think; your face clearly reflects your heart" Fi smiled, "well..." She added, "_now_ you do... Not like when we first met."
"You have changed as well, Fi," 108 pointed out, "you've adopted this... Childish way of speaking and acting. I have seen nothing like it."
"_Well_, this is my _normal_ manner of speech, if you must know. I simply choose when to allow myself to speak freely. _And_..." Her tone shifted, but retained some of its playfulness, "... If you wish to talk of 'change', I'd point out that before you met me, you had _no_ emotion. Zero."
Using her right hand, Fi conjured a likeness of 108 with a facial expression of extreme neutrality, "now... If you'd just leave your clan, everything would be perfect."
"... As I have said..." 108 finally spoke, "it is not so simple as you make it out to be."
"I think you forget: I have limited precognition," Fi reminded 108, "it'll turn out well."
"Yes, '_limited_'; you told me you could only make semi-accurate predictions of the rest of the day, _and_ only in your sleep; unless I leave soon, your 'gift' is pointless." 108 reasoned.
"... If you say so." Fi shrugged, and pulled out a small leather-bound book and inscribed something in it.
"... Again with that 'journal' of yours? Exactly which part of this conversation merits recording?"
"None of your business," Fi replied, playfully sticking out her tongue, ("Child." 108 muttered,) "now, as per usual, you shall leave, and I shall hide this, and we will meet here later. Good day." Fi smiled pleasantly, "oh, but I'll be occupied tomorrow, so I shall see you the dawn after next; no objections...!" Fi ended the conversation in a playful way.
108 silently waved, and started to walk away before stopping upon hearing her voice.
"Oh, actually... One more thing..." Fi started up again, "just remember..." She seemed to be choosing her words carefully, "you're... A person. With your own will." Fi paused again before ending for good, "use it."
Far, far away, Regdar the Rain utilized his magic to watch 108's interactions with the Swordmage named 'Fi', as he had for the past week; his mouth spread into a wide grin as he quietly remarked to himself.
"Intriguing... _Very_ intriguing... It would seem that the puppet is growing a mind and soul of its own..."
* * *
"_What_ in the nine hells are you doing, Number 108?" Shivra the Storm slowly asked, rounding on him.
"...I have incapacitated the enemy, as instructed."
"_No_, you fool... _Why_..." She accented the last word with a kick to the head of the Drow warrior 108 had knocked out, "... Have you not killed him...?!"
Thintel stood a fair way behind Shivra, and observed the situation with a troubled expression, 108 had _never_ failed to finish off his opponent in the daily deathmatches Do'zbaretho put him through.
"... You did not specify whether I had to kill my opponent or not; you merely said that I must 'fight'; I merely took what I thought was the best course of action."
Silence.
Thintel, who was looking aimlessly around at the walls, froze mid-stare, save for his eyes, which snapped towards 108.
Shivra merely stared at 108, thinking that she misheard him.
"... What..." Shivra looked at 108, dumbfounded, "... You... What _you_ thought was the 'best course of'...?!" She stopped talking out of shock, unable to finish, "... It seems that you do not understand, Number 108; you are but a tool: We issue an order, you carry it out, we issue another order, and that represents the entirety of your purpose. A tool does not need to 'think'. Understood...?"
"..." Once upon a time, 108 would have answered straight away, but now... Now he no longer believed in what they said; he felt different, like he could have a different 'purpose', perhaps even choose one.
"_Understood, Number 108?_"
"... Yes."
"Good. Now, answer me, 108: What are you?"
"... I..."
_"You know why I like you, Ghirahim?... You say exactly what you think."_
"I..."
_"Your name! You said you didn't have one, so I thought of one for you!"_
"I... Am..."
"_Answer_ me, Number 108...!"
_"You're... A person. With your own will."_
"I... Am...!" 108 didn't know if he could say it anymore, if he could believe it anymore.
_"Use it."_
* * *
**So, the thing is: I was assigned the name 'Fie', I decided, "'Fie' sounds like 'Fi'. Therefore Skyward Sword."**
**... Seemed fitting... To me...**
**See you next time XD**
4. Chapter IV
**Did you know that in Japanese, 'Four' is 'Shi', and 'Death' is also 'Shi'?**
**That's why 4 is considered an unlucky number, like 13.**
**But I like to think of them as lucky numbers :)**
* * *
**Chapter IV**
"_Fi!_" 108 skidded to a halt, having ran all the way to Fi's usual spot.
"Ghirahim! You're a bit early; you shouldn't announce your attack," Fi jokingly started, but 108 cut her off.
"My clan... They're..." 108 stopped as he started to pant heavily, "they're..."
"Calm down; deep breaths-"
"They're searching for you!" 108 forced himself to say it.
"... Me?" Fi repeated, seemingly unconcerned.
"Yes... You..." 108 slowly caught his breath, and began to talk normally again, "they think I've 'changed', and they're looking for anything, or any_one_ who may be the cause...!"
"Indeed we are...!"
"What...!?" 108 spun around to see Shivra, Regdar, and 20 Drow troops behind him.
"And you..." Shivra menacingly drew her longsword, "... Led us straight to her."
The Drow troops formed a circle around 108 and Fi, trapping them as Shivra took slow, deliberate steps towards Fi.
"Now then... Who should I kill first?"
_Think... __**Think**__...!_
Just as 108 attempted to think of a plan...
"Ha... Hahaha..." Someone started to laugh... "_Hahahahaha!_"
"Fi... What's wrong with you...?" 108 asked uncertainly as Fi continued to laugh insanely.
And finally... She stopped.
"... Found you..." She whispered, almost inaudibly, looking at Shivra.
"Me?... No, I believe we found _you_." Shivra replied, slightly confused.
"That..." Fi pulled a rolled up sheet of parchment out of her pouch, "... Is where you're wrong."
Fi unrolled the parchment for all to see:
_SHIVRA the STORM_
_Leader of DO'ZBARETHO_
_4 ASTRAL DIAMONDS_
"Oh... I see..." Shivra chuckled to herself as Fi grinned at her, "so those fools have finally put a bounty on my head, have they?" Shivra flourished her weapon and sneered, "A bounty poster... How quaint, I had no idea anyone still even used those."
"That's right," Fi confirmed her bounty, ignoring her comment on the poster, all traces of her former friendly personality had disappeared, "I borrowed your tool over here to get to you, and it worked out perfectly; my apologies, but he won't be released unless I die." 108 flinched upon hearing her call him a 'tool', was she really the Fi he knew?
"Oh... You've enchanted my property...? Now I see why he has been acting so irrationally."
108's head hurt; they were talking about things he did not understand.
"En-... -chanted...?" The words slipped out of his mouth as he clutched his head and fell to his knees.
"Listen to me, Number 108!" Shivra suddenly called out, "this woman has deceived you; she has placed an enchantment on you, and pretended to be your 'friend'. _That_ is the reason for these 'feelings' you are experiencing."
"What...!?" 108 murmured, in shock; it wasn't true, it _couldn't_ be true, "Fi...?" 108 looked up at Fi as a single tear fell from his eye; he needed to know that it wasn't true...
"Sorry, '108'." Fi gave 108 a chilling smile, "everything she said is true."
"No..."
"I used you."
"No... No...!" 108 started to yell; he didn't want to hear her.
"I was never your friend...!" Fi shouted gleefully over 108.
_Drip..._
_Drip..._
The sky turned black as rain started to fall; tears slowly rolled down 108's face, almost imperceptible beneath the rain.
"... Better luck next time." Fi laughed.
"... You're dead." Hatred rose up within 108, a tidal wave of emotion growing taller and taller... And then it crashed down.
"_AAGGHH!_" 108 let out a guttural cry, and ripped his blade out of its sheath as he charged towards Fi.
* * *
_Clang!_
_Whoosh!_
_Crash!_
108 smashed his blade against Fi's, not caring about the condition of his weapon.
He didn't care about anything anymore.
"Yes, yes!" Shivra laughed maniacally, "kill her, 108! Kill her, and release yourself from her control!"
Fi ducked past 108's sword strike and grabbed 108's neck, slamming him into a tree.
"I told you!" Fi taunted, "you'll never beat me if you hold back!"
"_Shut up!_" 108 screamed and kicked Fi back as hard as he could.
They fought for what seemed like hours, but while 108's fury refused to allow his body to tire, Fi seemed to be slowing down; finally, 108 drove his blade through Fi's armour, it fell to the ground, broken in two, and she escaped with a minor wound.
But it was too easy... Was she letting him win?
"_Fight back!_" 108 roared, "_Fight back, you coward!_"
108 stepped forward and swung his blade down, extending it to compensate for the distance between them.
"Heh..." Fi's eyes flashed as she looked up, triumphantly, "you let your guard down!"
Fi swung her longsword horizontally, aiming to sever 108's right arm as his vertical slash came down upon her, "say 'goodbye' to your sword arm!"
Unexpectedly, 108 released his blade, and pulled his arm back; Fi's counterattack passed harmlessly through the air leaving her open, however, 108 was equally vulnerable, as his weapon was now falling to the ground.
"Wh-..." Fi uttered in confusion, "... -at...?" Then, right before 108's blade fell out of reach, he used his left hand to catch it midair, using the momentum to deal a deep slash across Fi's body.
"Ah..." Fi let out a short sound, as her blood spurted violently from her chest.
And then... She fell.
"... That wasn't my sword arm."
* * *
**...**
5. Chapter V
**Fi is dead.**
* * *
**Chapter V**
Cold rain beat down upon 108 as he sheathed his weapon, and looked at the still, bloodied body of Fi.
"... Is there a problem?" Shivra inquired.
"... No." 108 answered in a dry, husky voice, "it's nothing."
"... Well then... Shall we?" Shivra inclined back towards Do'zbaretho's camp, then departed; 108 soon lost sight of her as the fauna and downpour of water obscured her figure.
It had been nine days since Number 108 had first met Fi the Swordmage; so many strange events had taken place, and so many changes had been seen.
One way or another, it was all about to end.
* * *
"W-... Wait..."
"!" 108 looked back, startled, to see Fi clenching his ankle with her pale hand.
"... Don't touch me." 108 didn't feel anymore anger. He felt nothing.
He just wanted to get away from her.
Kicking her hand away, he prepared to leave the cliff, but...
"Wait...!" She grabbed him again, more forcefully this time.
_SNAP!_
Lightning flashed across the blackened sky as 108 viciously broke Fi's wrist beneath his foot.
"You... Will not see me... Again." 108 glared at Fi, and departed.
"... Goodbye..."
* * *
_"Morning!"_
_"Hello, Fi."_
_"Ugh, you sound like you're dead, you really need a friend to talk to."_
_"I... Am not allowed the luxrury of... 'Friends'."_
_"Well that won't do... How about... I be your friend?"_
108 gasped as he awoke, breathing heavily.
"... A dream..."
108 stood slowly, and started walking out of his chamber.
_They said... I'd be released, if she died... But if anything... I feel even worse..._
"Why...?" 108 asked himself aloud, he felt drained, but there was still a lingering sadness that filled his heart, "... It would've been better if I never met her... Then I wouldn't have these... Thoughts."
* * *
_"... That looks rather valuable."_
_"Ah...!? No way, I'm not giving this to you."_
_"I did not ask-"_
_"This pendant was my mother's... It's very important to me... So don't get any ideas!"_
_"Ow! Wh- Why did you slap me?"_
_"Hahaha...!"_
* * *
"Number 108, are you ready for today's bout?" Thintel called out; it was just a formality, 108 was expected to be ready no matter what the circumstances.
"... Proceed." 108 said, with perceptible reluctance; just like every other day, a member of Do'zbaretho who 'was not serving well' would be forced to fight 108 to the death, if they won, they could go free.
108's opponent let out a battle cry, and rushed towards him, at that moment...
_!... Where's my blade?... I'll make this quick._
108 struck his left fist into the attacking Drow's sword arm, disarming him before following up with a sharp palm strike to the base of his chin.
"Guh...!" The Drow's head snapped back as his vertebrae cracked against each other; he fell down, unconscious, but alive.
"I've left my retractable blade." 108 announced to Thintel, leaving the arena before he could be stopped.
* * *
_"... I saw two graves back there... Was it you who...?"_
_"What? You followed me just to ask me that?"_
_"..."_
_"... Yes... I buried them."_
_"Why? Did you know them?"_
_"No."_
_"Was there a... Reward of any sort?"_
_"No."_
_"I... Don't understand. Why did you take the time to bury them?"_
_"I think... Everyone deserves a proper burial. Bloodthirsty Drow and innocent children alike."_
_"..."_
_"... My parents didn't get one..."_
* * *
108 searched the camp for quite some time, but found no trace of his beloved blade, then he remembered the way Fi grabbed his leg.
_... She... Took it?_
108 left the camp and returned to the cliff, finding Fi's body, still lying in the bloodstained grass, and sure enough, in her hand was 108's weapon, sheath and all; 108 paused before kneeling down and taking it back.
"Huh...?" 108 flinched as a ray of light caught him in the eye, it had reflected off of...
"... Her pendant..." Fi's pendant had been lying inside the sheath, upon it being picked up, it had fallen out.
_Did she... Put it there...?_
Confused, 108 reached out to pick it up...
"Heh-Heh-Heh..."
"Who's there?!" 108 whipped around to see who had just laughed, "... Regdar."
Regdar the Rain leisurely strolled to the edge of the cliff, and looked right at 108.
"You seem flustered, 108," Regdar smirked, "not too long ago, I wouldn't have even considered you being capable of making such a face."
"... If there is something you want to say, say it." 108 muttered with an irritable scowl on his face.
"... Heh-Heh-Heh..." Regdar snickered once again.
"_What_ are you laughing at?!" 108 exploded, he was not in a gaming mood.
"Oh, nothing... It's just... _So_ funny... That you don't know the truth about Fi the Swordmage."
108 froze momentarily before regaining his composure.
"The... 'Truth'...?"
"Yes... The truth..." Regdar adjusted his glasses while ominously looking down, "... I must confess, I have a rather... Weak control over my mouth."
"... I've heard as much." 108 agreed, he had heard about Regdar's tendency to talk too much, mainly from a complaining Lamalggar: _"Regdar the Rain, being a human, and not an official member of Do'zbaretho, has an inclination towards... Allowing too much information to spill from him, especially if he is in the middle of torturing someone."_
"Well... I, at the very least, know myself; you, Number 108, do not. You don't know if your thoughts are in fact your thoughts, if your emotions are your own..." Regdar smirked again before adjusting his glasses again and continuing, "... Or if you _were_ in fact that Swordmage's friend or not."
108's eye twitched, and his heart skipped a beat.
"... What are you..."
"... Well... You pose no threat to me..." Regdar stated arrogantly as he stroked his chin in though, "as you've heard: I enjoy talking..." Regdar finally looked up, directly into 108's eyes, wearing a smug expression of superiority on his face, "... So why don't I educate you?"
Regdar reached into a pouch on his side, and pulled out a small, leather-bound book.
"That's...!"
"I'll tell you... About her true intentions; the Changeling woman, Fi."
* * *
**Rain, Thunder, Lightning, Storm.**
**These names came about, somewhat by accident.**
**Just a bit of trivia.**
6. Chapter VI
**The Final Chapter**
* * *
**Chapter VI**
"Her... True intentions..." 108 again found himself repeating what Regdar had said,
"_Yes_, you fool," Regdar sighed in exasperation, "are you going to parrot my words back to me, or..." He conjured a flame from his hand, "are you going to listen...?" Regdar slowly started to lower Fi's journal into the fire...
"_Ah...!_" 108 couldn't help but yell out in protest; he wanted to know, he _needed_ to know if there was any truth in Regdar's words.
108 had always regarded his curiousity as something akin to a rope, guiding him to his destiny... But at this moment... It felt like the noose that was slowly dragging him to fate's hand.
"Don't move...!" Regdar shouted at 108, "... Or this journal will be no more."
Not wanting to provoke him further, 108 reluctantly stood still, but at this, Regdar merely chuckled, and abruptly plunged the journal into the flames.
"_NO!_" 108 screamed in horror before realising that the journal was still intact; Regdar dispelled the illusory flame around his hand and mockingly dangled the journal over the cliff, "hah...! You scream delightfully, Number 108... or do you prefer 'Ghirahim'?" 108 felt a stab of grief in his heart as he remembered the name, "hahaha...! Ohhh..." Regdar let out a disturbingly satisfied laugh, "Ah, 108... Your face is simply exquisite."
108 knew that Regdar was a torture specialist who enjoyed toying with his victims, but never before had he actually witnessed him doing so; he had no idea that he could be so sadistic.
_This man is truly... Disgusting._
* * *
"Question 1!" Regdar announced while chortling to himself, "... Who is this?" pointed at the motionless form of Fi.
"..." 108 never truly understood anyone, least of all himself, but he now knew the kind of man Regdar was.
And it frightened him.
"... Time's up!" Regdar unexpectedly dropped the journal off of the cliff.
"_WAIT!_" 108 realised too late what Regdar had done, as he proceeded to howl with laughter; he had caught the journal with his foot.
"Now, answer me before I truly dispose of this...!" Regdar threatened, continuing to play with the journal, pacing around the cliff's edge.
"... F-..." 108's throat clenched up momentarily before being forced open again, "... Fi... That's-... She's Fi..." 108 made himself say it, but couldn't bear to look at her.
"That is correct!" Regdar 'congratulated' 108, giving him a slow, exaggerated round of applause, "Question 2!" He stopped mid-sentence to hold the journal next to his ear, and give it a small shake, as if listening for something, "... You had trouble saying her name."
108's breathing ceased for a moment, he had no idea what he meant, or how to answer.
"... Excuse me...?" 108 considered simply asking him directly, but Regdar spoke up without missing a beat.
"You stuttered," he stated plainly, "Did you not stutter?"
"... I..."
"_Answer_ me...!" Regdar's mood whiplashed as his fingers applied pressure to Fi's journal, slightly warping its shape.
"I- I did!" 108 quickly agreed with Regdar; for 108, it was as if his heart was in Regdar's grasp, rather than the journal.
"That's a pass! Two for two, very well done, 108," Regdar mocked him whilst giving him another round of sarcastic clapping, "I never had you pegged as the intellectual type, but here you are, barely managing to answer these simple questions. Majestic. Like a bird of prey. Steering a wagon." He laughed one last time before slamming his foot into the ground, "now!" He suddenly stopped pacing, and calmly asked, "why?"
"... 'Why'...?"
"_Why_ did you stutter? Was there a reason? Tell me!" Regdar once again gripped the journal forcefully.
"I...!" 108's stomach lurched as he relived his blade sinking into Fi's flesh; dropping to his knees, he forced himself not to vomit as he whispered an answer to Regdar, "... Because I want her back..."
_Clap..._
_Clap..._
_Clap..._
Regdar clapped three times within the space of three seconds, and carelessly threw Fi's journal over to 108 so that it landed in the grass beside him.
"You 'want her back'...?" Regdar murmured, just loud enough for 108 to hear him, "now that's strange... I thought your 'emotions' were only an effect of _her_ enchantment..." Regdar sat on a nearby boulder and pushed his glasses back up as they slipped off-centre, "... So why can you still 'feel'? Care to take a guess?"
"..." 108 didn't care why. He just wished that he couldn't.
108's hand slowly crept towards the small book that lay in the green grass to his right, and his fingers closed around it; unsurprisingly, he didn't feel happy or triumphant; he just wanted to get it over with.
Seeing that 108 had neglected to guess, and instead opted to examine Fi's journal, Regdar smiled that disturbing smile again as 108 opened it to a random page and started to read...
* * *
_Day 8_
_One week's passed since I met Ghirahim, and he's coming along nicely._
_I think I've managed to instill some 'humanity', into him, and on top of that it looks like I've gained his trust; one might say we're 'best of friends'._
_He's asking why I have this 'journal' as I'm writing; it's more of a 'log', but beyond that... I've always been a bit sentimental._
_He doesn't need to know that I'm aiming to capture his clan's leader, of course; that would likely... Complicate things._
_Day 9_
_I had a nightmare this morning..._
_The first one I've had since I was a child._
_In it... Ghirahim was killed by his clan. By Do'zbaretho._
_They did it... Because he's grown soft._
_Because I've made him soft._
_It's the same as when my parents were killed, what I dreamt will come to pass. I know it._
_Unless I change it._
_Day 10_
_Today's entry is being written in the morning, rather than the afternoon._
_If the plan succeeds... I won't live to see it anyway._
_I... Fully intended to capture Shivra the Storm... But I've dragged Ghirahim into it as well._
_I never wanted anyone else to die. Least of all, him._
_... It looks like he's not the only one who's grown soft._
_If he's to live, I have to make it look like he was manipulated by me..._
_If his loyalties are seen to lie with Do'zbaretho, he will be spared._
_I can't let him die._
_So I'll have to die._
_He'll have to kill me._
* * *
108's eyes slowly widened, as his mouth half-opened in shock, time seemed to stop for him as the journal slipped through his hands and bounced once... Twice... Before settling back in the blood-stained grass.
From the moment 108 was born, he had always been manipulated, controlled; he had lived his lfe the way others wanted, whether it was Do'zbaretho, or Fi.
But now he'd discovered something for himself.
The truth.
"_FIIIIIIIIIIIII!_" Ghirahim screamed in despair at his own foolishness, at how easily he had been tricked by everyone around him; tears flooded out of his eyes, and down his face as he slammed his fists into the crimson grass.
Through his crying eyes, Ghirahim saw Regdar throw his head back, was he laughing? He couldn't hear him over his own screaming.
Ghirahim snatched his blade out of its sheath and charged straight at Regdar, who just laughed even harder.
"You think you can take _me?_" Regdar raised his hands, ready to perform a binding spell; before Ghirahim could reach him, Regdar would immobolie him, then wipe his memory.
But then something unexpected happened.
Ghirahim thrust his own left hand forward and sent a blast of energy at Regdar. "impossible...!" For the first time, Regdar's composure broke as he narrowly avoided the blast, it's not that it was strong, or even particularly fast, Regdar was simple shocked that Ghirahim knew how to perform magic.
Regdar's drifting thoughts were roughly interrupted when Ghirahim's blade sunk into his right shoulder after being thrown.
"_Aaghh...!_" Regar let out a cry of pain; besides his knowledge in sorcery, he was an otherwise ordinary man, in fact his physique was likely bellow average; Regdar tumbled backwards and landed on his back, knocking the wind out of himself.
Ghirahim leaped through the air, and landed right on Regdar's diaphragm, following up by carelessly ripping the sword out of his flesh, while giving him a solid punch in the same motion.'
"1- 108...!" Regdar sputtered out in fear, and fresh blood oozed from his mouth.
"_DON'T...!_" Ghirahim roared, and slashed his blade through Regdar's body, "... _CALL ME THAT!_"
* * *
Rain started to fall as Ghirahim lay the last stone on the earth mound beneath which Fi's body now lay, he then extended his blade and thrust it into the ground as a grave marker.
He didn't want to touch that weapon again.
Mentally broken, Ghirahim started to walk towards the edge of the cliff when he saw the book had opened to its first page:
_Day 1_
_I've made contact with Do'zbaretho, but not how I expected._
_A Changeling boy followed me, curious as to why I buried the Drow and the girl he killed._
_I think this Changeling boy was raised to be some sort of... Assassin. It disgusts me._
_My objective IS to capture Shivra..._
_But if I can help this boy, too, what's the problem?_
Ghirahim looked away from the book, and stared off the end of the cliff.
_So... She knew that I was the one who killed them..._
All of a sudden, the ground trembled, and a large number of footsteps started to approach; Shivra the Storm and an enourmous company of Do'zbaretho soldiers appeared from beyond the cliff.
"Well now... What's going on here?" She whispered, the bloodlust in her words was so thick that it could be _felt_.
"... What." Ghirahim asked her unemotionally; she sniggered.
"Well, it looks to me like you're still on that Changeling woman's side, yes?" Ghirahim didn't answer.
If Shivra and her grounp had not shown up when they did, Ghirahim would have likely thrown himslef off of the cliff, but now that she was here, he wanted nothing more than to kill her too.
Ghirahim dashed forwards, intending to break both of her legs, only to have Shivra snap her fingers; the army of Drow behind her all let loose a wind-type spell, Ghirahim was flung far, far backwards, over the cliff.
As he fell, he caught one last glimpse of Shivra smirking, before she walked away.
"_SHIVRA!_" Ghirahim bellowed as he fell down...
Down...
Down...
* * *
Ghirahim's frail body washed ashore, further down the current, weak and tired; it wasn't moving.
A bird flew down and landed on his back, as the rainfall started to lessen.
The Rain was gone.
But the Thunder still sounded.
The Lightning still flashed.
The Storm still raged.
Ghirahim coughed, and slowly opened his eyes.
It wasn't over yet.
* * *
**And that's **_**it!**_
**:P**
**Back to being myself XD**
**I couldn't bring myself to say anything goofy in the past two chapters, what with all the seriousness.**
**I hope you enjoyed **_**Change**_**, and if you **_**did**_**, please leave a review, maybe a follow and a hug 3**
**And if you want to see my other works, feel free to check out my profile! I am working on **_**X Days**_** Chapter V faster than I was on IV, but... We shall see.**
**AND.**
**I'm still participating in **_**The Twelve Shots of Summer**_**, a little Community hosted by the lovely Chromatic Guardian, (that's not his actual name,) new stories on that, coming tomorrow!**
**Until then, have a nice day :)**
**-X**
End file.
| fanfiction |
The Feminine Mystique is a book by Betty Friedan that is widely credited with sparking the beginning of second-wave feminism in the United States. It was published on February 19, 1963 by W. W. Norton.
In 1957, Friedan was asked to conduct a survey of her former Smith College classmates for their 15th anniversary reunion; the results, in which she found that many of them were unhappy with their lives as housewives, prompted her to begin research for The Feminine Mystique, conducting interviews with other suburban housewives, as well as researching psychology, media, and advertising. She originally intended to publish an article on the topic, not a book, but no magazine would publish her article.
During 1964, The Feminine Mystique became the bestselling nonfiction book with over one million copies sold. In the book, Friedan challenged the widely shared belief in the 1950s that fulfillment as a woman had only one definition for American women after 1949the housewife-mother.
The phrase feminine mystique was created by Friedan to show the assumptions that women would be fulfilled from their housework, marriage, sexual lives, and children. It was said that women, who were actually feminine, should not have wanted to work, get an education, or have political opinions. Friedan wanted to prove that women were unsatisfied but could not voice their feelings.
Synopsis
The Feminine Mystique begins with an introduction describing what Friedan called the problem that has no namethe widespread unhappiness of women in the 1950s and early 1960s. It discusses the lives of several housewives from around the United States who were unhappy despite living in material comfort and being married with children. Furthermore, Friedan questioned the women's magazine, women's education system and advertisers for creating this widespread image of women. The detrimental effects induced by this image were that it narrowed women into the domestic sphere, and that it led many women to lose their own identities.
Chapter 1: Friedan points out that the average age of marriage was dropping, the portion of women attending college was decreasing and the birthrate was increasing for women throughout the 1950s, yet the widespread trend of unhappy women persisted, although American culture insisted that fulfillment for women could be found in marriage and housewifery. Although aware of and sharing this dissatisfaction, women in the 1950s misinterpreted it as an individual problem and rarely talked about it with other women. As Friedan pointed out, part of the strange newness of the problem is that it cannot be understood in terms of the age-old material problems of man: poverty, sickness, hunger, cold. This chapter concludes by declaring We can no longer ignore that voice within women that says: 'I want something more than my husband and my children and my home.'
Chapter 2: Friedan states that the editorial decisions concerning women's magazines at the time were being made mostly by men, who insisted on stories and articles that showed women as either happy housewives or unhappy careerists, thus creating the feminine mystiquethe idea that women were naturally fulfilled by devoting their lives to being housewives and mothers. Friedan also states that this is in contrast to the 1930s, at which time women's magazines often featured confident and independent heroines, many of whom were involved in careers.
Chapter 3: Friedan recalls her own decision to conform to society's expectations by giving up her promising career in psychology to raise children, and shows that other young women still struggled with the same kind of decision. Many women dropped out of school early to marry, afraid that if they waited too long or became too educated, they would not be able to attract a husband. Friedan argues at the end of the chapter that although theorists discuss how men need to find their identity, women are expected to be autonomous. She states, Anatomy is woman's destiny, say the theorists of femininity; the identity of woman is determined by her biology. Friedan goes on to argue that the problem is women needing to mature and find their human identity. She argues, In a sense that goes beyond any woman's life, I think this is a crisis of women growing upa turning point from an immaturity that has been called femininity to full human identity.
Chapter 4: Friedan discusses early American feminists and how they fought against the assumption that the proper role of a woman was to be solely a wife and mother. She notes that they secured important rights for women, including education, the right to pursue a career, and the right to vote.
Chapter 5: In this chapter, Friedan, who had a degree in psychology, criticizes the founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud whose ideas were very influential in the United States at the time of the book's publication. She notes that Freud saw women as childlike and as destined to be housewives, once pointing out that Freud wrote, I believe that all reforming action in law and education would break down in front of the fact that, long before the age at which a man can earn a position in society, Nature has determined woman's destiny through beauty, charm, and sweetness. Law and custom have much to give women that has been withheld from them, but the position of women will surely be what it is: in youth an adored darling and in mature years a loved wife. Friedan also points out that Freud's unproven concept of penis envy had been used to label women who wanted careers as neurotic, and that the popularity of Freud's work and ideas elevated the feminine mystique of female fulfillment in housewifery into a scientific religion that most women were not educated enough to criticize.
Chapter 6: Friedan criticizes functionalism, which attempted to make the social sciences more credible by studying the institutions of society as if they were parts of a social body, as in biology. Institutions were studied in terms of their function in society, and women were confined to their sexual biological roles as housewives and mothers as well as being told that doing otherwise would upset the social balance. Friedan points out that this is unproven and that Margaret Mead, a prominent functionalist, had a flourishing career as an anthropologist.
Chapter 7: Friedan discusses the change in women's education from the 1940s to the early 1960s, in which many women's schools concentrated on non-challenging classes that focused mostly on marriage, family, and other subjects deemed suitable for women, as educators influenced by functionalism felt that too much education would spoil women's femininity and capacity for sexual fulfillment. Friedan says that this change in education arrested girls in their emotional development at a young age, because they never had to face the painful identity crisis and subsequent maturation that comes from dealing with many adult challenges.
Chapter 8: Friedan notes that the uncertainties and fears during World War II and the Cold War made Americans long for the comfort of home, so they tried to create an idealized home life with the father as breadwinner and the mother as housewife. Friedan notes that this was helped along by the fact that many of the women who worked during the war filling jobs previously filled by men faced dismissal, discrimination, or hostility when the men returned, and that educators blamed over-educated, career-focused mothers for the maladjustment of soldiers in World War II. Yet as Friedan shows, later studies found that overbearing mothers, not careerists, were the ones who raised maladjusted children.
Chapter 9: Friedan shows that advertisers tried to encourage housewives to think of themselves as professionals who needed many specialized products in order to do their jobs, while discouraging housewives from having actual careers, since that would mean they would not spend as much time and effort on housework and therefore would not buy as many household products, cutting into advertisers' profits.
Chapter 10: Friedan interviews several full-time housewives, finding that although they are not fulfilled by their housework, they are all extremely busy with it. She postulates that these women unconsciously stretch their home duties to fill the time available, because the feminine mystique has taught women that this is their role, and if they ever complete their tasks they will become unneeded.
Chapter 11: Friedan notes that many housewives have sought fulfillment in sex, unable to find it in housework and children; Friedan notes that sex cannot fulfill all of a person's needs, and that attempts to make it do so often drive married women to have affairs or drive their husbands away as they become obsessed with sex.
Chapter 12: Friedan discusses the fact that many children have lost interest in life or emotional growth, attributing the change to the mother's own lack of fulfillment, a side effect of the feminine mystique. When the mother lacks a self, Friedan notes, she often tries to live through her children, causing the children to lose their own sense of themselves as separate human beings with their own lives.
Chapter 13: Friedan discusses the psychologist Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs and notes that women have been trapped at the basic, physiological level, expected to find their identity through their sexual role alone. Friedan says that women need meaningful work just as men do to achieve self-actualization, the highest level on the hierarchy of needs.
Chapter 14: In the final chapter of The Feminine Mystique, Friedan discusses several case studies of women who have begun to go against the feminine mystique. She also advocates a new life plan for her women readers, including not viewing housework as a career, not trying to find total fulfillment through marriage and motherhood alone, and finding meaningful work that uses their full mental capacity. She discusses the conflicts that some women may face in this journey to self-actualization, including their own fears and resistance from others. For each conflict, Friedan offers examples of women who have overcome it. Friedan ends her book by promoting education and meaningful work as the ultimate method by which American women can avoid becoming trapped in the feminine mystique, calling for a drastic rethinking of what it means to be feminine, and offering several educational and occupational suggestions.
Intended sequel
Friedan originally intended to write a sequel to The Feminine Mystique, which was to be called Woman: The Fourth Dimension, but instead only wrote an article by that name, which appeared in the Ladies' Home Journal in June 1964.
Influences
Friedan's chapter on Freud was inspired by the philosopher Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex 1949.
Legacy
The Feminine Mystique drew large numbers of white, middle-class women to the feminist cause. Her book took the complicated and jargon-laden ideas of psychologists, economists, and political theorists, and translated them into powerful, readable, relatable prose that touched millions.
Politicians began to recognize the frustrations of women due in part to Betty Friedan. In 1963 the commission appointed to review the status of women recommended an end to inequities. Legislation followed. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 stipulated that women receive the same pay as men for the same work.
NOW The National Organization for Women was organized in 1966 with 30 women from different backgrounds; Friedan was one of them, and helped draft the founding statement of NOW. The statement called for the true equality for all women. NOW demanded the removal of all barriers to equal and economic advance. Friedan's influence can be seen in the founding statement; a main emphasis of the book is women's need for identity and autonomy, and NOW's statement says NOW is dedicated to the proposition that women first and foremost are human beings, who must have the chance to develop their fullest human potential.
The Feminine Mystique is widely regarded as one of the most influential nonfiction books of the 20th century, and is widely credited with sparking the beginning of second-wave feminism in the United States. Futurist Alvin Toffler declared that it pulled the trigger on history. Friedan received hundreds of letters from unhappy housewives after its publication, and she herself went on to help found, and become the first president of the National Organization for Women, an influential feminist organization.
In addition to its contribution to feminism, The Feminine Mystique related to many other coinciding movements. Her work indicates for us the ways that feminism was interconnected with the struggles of working-class men and women, with black and Jewish battles against racism and anti-Semitism As a result, The Feminine Mystique had substantial impact on a wide range of political activists, thinkers, and ordinary individuals.
By the year 2000, The Feminine Mystique had sold more than 3 million copies and had been translated into many foreign languages.
On February 22 and 23, 2013, a symposium titled React: The Feminine Mystique at 50, co-sponsored by The New School for Public Engagement and The Parsons School of Design, was held. An accompanying exhibit titled REACT was also on display, consisting of twenty-five pieces of artwork responding to The Feminine Mystique.
Also in February 2013, a fiftieth-anniversary edition of The Feminine Mystique was published, with a new introduction by Gail Collins.
Also in 2013, to celebrate its centennial the U.S. Department of Labor created a list of over 100 Books that Shaped Work in America, which included The Feminine Mystique. The Department of Labor later chose The Feminine Mystique as one of its top ten books from that list.
Also in 2013, The Feminine Mystique was discussed in Makers: Women Who Make America.
In 2014 the Betty Friedan Hometown Tribute committee won the Superior Achievement award in the special projects category for its 50th anniversary celebration of the publication of The Feminine Mystique. They received the award from the Illinois State Historical Society.
Criticism
From immediately after its publishing and continuing until even now, The Feminine Mystique has been the recipient of much backlash against feminism. Significant numbers of women responded angrily to the book, which they felt implied that wives and mothers could never be fulfilled. Women who valued their roles as mothers and housewives interpreted Friedan's message as one that threatened their stability, devalued their labor, and disrespected their intelligence. In a Letter to Editor in McCall's, one woman wrote, All this time I thought I was happy, and a nice person. Now I discover I've been miserable and some sort of monster in disguisenow out of disguise. How awful! Another said, Mrs. Friedan should save her pity for those who really need itthe half starved, oppressed people in the world. When women critical of the work were not expressing personal offense at Friedan's description of the housewife's plight, they were accusing her of planning to destroy American families. Jessica Weiss quoted in her paper, If the mothers, or housewives as we are called took this advice, what would become of our children? Or better yet, the future of the world.
Historian Joanne Meyerowitz argues that many of the contemporary magazines and articles of the period did not place women solely in the home, as Friedan stated, but in fact supported the notions of full- or part-time jobs for women seeking to follow a career path rather than being a housewife. These articles did, however, still emphasize the importance of maintaining the traditional image of femininity.
Daniel Horowitz, a Professor of American Studies at Smith College, points out that although Friedan presented herself as a typical suburban housewife, she was involved with radical politics and labor journalism in her youth, and during the time she wrote The Feminine Mystique she worked as a freelance journalist for women's magazines and as a community organizer.
The W. W. Norton publishing house, where Betty Friedan's work was initially circulated to be published as a book also generated some criticism. In fact an employee under the alias L M wrote in a two-page memo that Friedan's theoretical views were too obvious and feminine, as well as critiquing her approach by suggesting it to be unscientific.
In addition, Friedan has been criticized for focusing solely on the plight of middle-class white women, and not giving enough attention to the differing situations encountered by women in less stable economic situations, or women of other races. According to Kirsten Fermaglich and Lisa Fine, women of colorAfrican American, Latina, Asian American and Native American womenwere completely absent from Friedan's vision, as were white working-class and poor women. Despite being written during the Civil Rights Movement, Friedan's text barely mentions African-American women. She has also been criticized for prejudice against homosexuality. In part, this criticism stems from her adherence to the paradigmatic belief at the time that bad mothers caused deviance from heteronormative and cisnormative society as in, bad mothers caused people to be LGBTQ+. She continued this trend by resisting efforts by the National Organization of Women, of which she was the first president, to integrate lesbians' rights into their platform. Despite these criticisms, her language aimed at white American middle-class women won large numbers of supporters to the feminist cause, implying perhaps that Friedan's decision to exclude other groups was deliberate in mobilizing a group of women that had in some cases not thought of the improvement of their rights.
In 2005, conservative magazine Human Events included The Feminine Mystique on its list of Ten Most Harmful Books of the 19th and 20th Centuries as number seven.
See also
Biblical patriarchy
Cult of Domesticity
History of feminism
Home economics
Father Knows Best
The Female Eunuch
The Stepford Wives
References
Notes
Further reading
Coontz, Stephanie. A Strange Stirring: The Feminine Mystique and American Women at the Dawn of the 1960s Basic Books; 2011 222 pages
Meyerowitz, Joanne. The Myth of the Feminine Mystique in Myth America: A Historical Anthology, Volume II. 1997. Gerster, Patrick, and Cords, Nicholas. eds. Brandywine Press, St. James, NY.
External links
The Feminine Mystique at 50, Gail Collins' essay in The New York Times, an excerpt from her introduction to the 50th-anniversary edition of The Feminine Mystique
Writings of Betty Friedan, focusing on The Feminine Mystique from C-SPAN's American Writers: A Journey Through History
Cheerless Fantasies, A Corrective Catalogue of Errors in Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique
Category:1963 non-fiction books
Category:American non-fiction books
Category:Books by Betty Friedan
Category:English-language books
Category:Feminist books
Category:History of the United States 19451964
Category:Obscenity controversies in literature
Category:Second-wave feminism | wikipedia |
George G. Sharp, Inc. is a marine design and naval architecture firm established in 1920 in New York City by George Gillies Sharp, former Chief Surveyor of the American Bureau of Shipping. The firm started with the design of excursion steamboats on the Delaware and Hudson rivers, then moved into oceangoing passenger and cargo shipping. From 1934 Sharp designed a standardized series of merchant ships for the U.S. Department of Commerce. During World War II Sharp designed the standardized Victory ship, of which 534 were built, and 50 escort carriers.
Some of the 1500 vessels designed by Sharp include:
Type C2 ship prototype
Type C3 ship prototype
SS Ancon, SS Panama and SS Cristobal, World of Tomorrow ships for the Panama Railroad Steamship line, 1939
Milwaukee Clipper, the last passenger steamship on the Great Lakes, 1940
Mississippi River Towboat, built for the U.S. Army Engineers, 1942
Victory ship, 534 built during World War II
, 50 built during World War II
and three other destroyer tenders based on C3 hulls during World War II
, 13 built for the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II
, and passenger cargo ships for the Mississippi Shipping Company's South American Service, 194647
and storeships for the U.S. Navy in the 1950s
, class of seven for the U.S. Navy in the 1960s
[[NS Savannah|NS Savannah]], the first nuclear-powered merchant ship
, four nuclear-powered cruisers for the U.S. Navy in the 1970s
Staten Island Ferrys Andrew J. Barberi and Samuel I. Newhouse 1970s, Alice Austen and John A. Noble 1980s and 1990s, and the Guy V. Molinari, Senator John. J. Marchi and Spirit of America 2000s.
By the 1930s Sharp was described together with Gibbs & Cox as one of the leading naval architecture firms in the United States. In 1938, he designed the passenger cargo vessel Cristobal for Panama Line Service to the Canal Zone.
Sharp prepared the working drawings for the Casablanca class escort carriers built by Henry J. Kaiser's California Shipbuilding Corporation in 194243. and the working plans for the Victory Ship series in 1943, allowing individual shipbuilding yards to modify the plans according to local practices.
After World War II, the company developed a 17,000-ton luxury liner, the SS Del Norte, for service between New Orleans and the east coast of South America. The Del Norte was built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation at Pascagoula, Mississippi and each room featured ocean views through casement windows. The ships were characterized by a dummy funnel in which officer's quarters, radio room and emergency generator were housed. Del Norte'', first of the three, was described as 'today's ship of tomorrow,' it was the first cargo-passenger ship equipped with commercial radar.
In addition to design services, Sharp provides consultation on modification, maintenance, safety, systems integration and program management, with about 600 employees.
References
External links
George G. Sharp, Inc. website
Delta Steamship Lines, IncThe Del-TripletsSS Del Norte, Del Sud & Del Mar
Category:American naval architects
Category:Design companies established in 1920
Category:1920 establishments in New York state | wikipedia |
Ranma 1. une nouvelle aube
Ben non, ce n'est pas une fic HP, lol.
J'aime bien Ranma ½ , mais je dois avouer que l'idée de ce scénario, et surtout l'envie de l'écrire, me sont venues un peu par hasard.
D'ailleurs, même si je n'ai jamais encore lut d'autres fanfics basées sur cette série, je me doute bien que ce sujet à déjà dut être exploiter auparavant un bon millier de fois au bas mot.
Mais bon, à défaut d'exploiter une idée originale, j'espère au moins le faire d'une façon valable et plaisante.
Quoi que je doute franchement qu'une personne tombe un jour sur cette fic ou prenne seulement la peine de la lire.
A moins peut-être les gentilles personnes qui recevront un mail les avertissant que je viens de posté une nouvelle histoire et qui croiront que ça concerne l'univers HP, voir un nouveau chapitre de l'une de mes autres fics.
Si vous faites partit de ça là, je m'excuse réellement pour le dérangement. ( le chapitre 3 de « one more time » ne devrait plus tarder)
Voilà !
Si tu es encore là aimable lecteur, nonobstant cette introduction explicative, et que tu comptes malgré tout parcourir de tes yeux avides de récit cette modeste histoire, je te remercie et te souhaite sincèrement une très bonne, une excellente lecture.
**Une nuit pour une vie**
Chapitre 1 : une nouvelle aube
Fermant doucement les yeux, il laissa agréablement ses oreilles pour quelques courts instants se réjouir du son simple et agréable qu'émettaient alors joyeusement ces oiseaux aux couleurs estivales qui avaient eut le bon goût de choisir le jardin de la famille Tendo comme lieu de pause dans leur long et dangereux périple migratoire.
Il était assis à même le sol de la salle de bain, sur le froid et inconfortable carrelage qui recouvrait le plancher de cette pièce de son manteau blanc, son esprit fort éloigné en ce début de matinée ensoleillée du mois de juin de toute considération d'agrément ou de bien-être.
Car de bien-être il lui sembla alors qu'il ne puisse un jour en connaître de nouveau.
« Il » ?
« Elle », plus exactement à ce moment précis en réalité.
Et, malheureusement, cela depuis plusieurs jours sans discontinuité pour son plus grand désespoir et sa totale consternation.
_-l'eau chaude……..l'eau chaude ne marche plus…….._soupira-t-il tristement, la raison du fin mot de cette histoire se dessinant tel un horrible et inimaginable scénario dans son esprit catastrophé en prévision des conséquences qui s'annonçaient d'hors et déjà d'une gravitées capable de chambouler à tout jamais le cours jusque ici somme toute serein et insouciant de son existence.
Son corps refusait tout simplement et catégoriquement de changer d'apparence à nouveau.
Le plus ignominieux à ses yeux étant bien sur la raison de cet état de fait.
Raison qu'il devina sans peine.
Mais que son âme ne pouvait accepter.
_-pff……« j 'ai une carte Ranma, je connais l'emplacement d'une source maudite au japon, cette fois c'est sur on va guérir, fais moi confiance »………._singea-t-il avec mauvaise humeur la voie de son vieil ami/adversaire. _Imbécile de Ryoga ! J'arrive pas à croire que……pfffff………lui faire confiance hein ? Ha ! _
De repensez ainsi à lui donna soudain à Ranma la furieuse envie d'écraser sauvagement et au plus vite son poing contre le visage de benêt de cette diable de tête de cochon.
Cette forêt ou ils étaient allés ensemble dans l'espoir de trouver une source.
Cette foutue forêt………et tous ses enchantements diaboliques………
Le tirant brusquement de ses pensées, une main d'une rudesse qu'il devina aussitôt comme appartenant à la fille la plus violente, la moins féminine, la plus têtue de tout le Japon frappa à plusieurs reprise et sans la moindre délicatesse sur la fine porte de la salle de bain.
_-Ranma ? Le petit-déjeuner est prêt……….Ranma ?………tu comptes passé toute la journée enfermé la-dedans ou quoi ?_
_-laisse-moi tranquille Akane………tes manières de sauvages sont vraiment les dernières choses dont j'ai besoin maintenant………._
_-quoi ?_
Il n'eut nullement besoin de la voir pour savoir précisément quelle devait être son expression à ce moment là.
Esquissant un pale sourire, le premier depuis bien longtemps, il s'amusa à se représenter mentalement le visage convulsé de colère, les yeux exorbité de contrariétés, le poing dressé vers le ciel et les joues en feu que devait présentement arborer son « adorable » et surtout très « douce » fiancée.
_-bien……comme tu veux……continu à te morfondre si ça t'amuses……….mais tu sais, ce n'est pas ainsi que tu résoudras ton……heuuu…….. « problèmes » _choisit-elle avec une précaution toute à son honneur malgré son état avancé de profond énervement. _Ranma ?……je……je peux entrer dis ? _demanda-t-elle plus timidement après quelques instants de silence.
_-pas question……._
_-RANNNNNNNNNNNNMMMMMMMAAAAAA !_
_-et Akane……je……tu as vu P-chan ces temps-ci ?_
Alors qu'elle était à deux doigts d'enfoncer la porte et de battre violemment comme plâtre cet insolent, l'ultime question de Ranma la surpris tant qu'elle en oublia provisoirement sa fureur.
_-quoi ?_
_-l'immonde bestiole avec laquelle tu dors, tu te souviens ? Tu l'as vu récemment ?_
_-heuuu, non………pas depuis au moins un bon mois……pou……pourquoi ?_
Un mois ?
Comme par hasard.
_-pour rien, laisse tomber_
_-bon alors ? Tu sors oui ?_
La gentillesse de cette fille avait des manières si originales et singulières de s'exprimer que régulièrement le jeune homme, la jeune femme hélas actuellement, en était littéralement coi.
Mais il le savait bien, gentille elle l'était tout de même profondément.
Quelque fois.
A l'occasion.
Éventuellement……
_-je…..j'ai pas très faim là…….je vais plutôt aller faire un tour je pense………_
Et sans qu'Akane ne puisse ajouter un seul petit mot, la porte s'ouvrit brusquement en grand, une petite et exceptionnellement mignonne rouquine la fixant de ses deux grands yeux aux nombreux reflets bleus, mais dans lesquels se lisait une profonde et immense lassitude.
_-toi ? Tu n'as pas faim ? _
Le dernier stade.
L'ultime degré de déliquescence.
Quant Ranma avait quelque chose sur le cœur il pouvait rougner, crier, se plaindre, hurler dans les pires de cas .
Tout.
Mais jamais, au grand jamais il ne sautait un repas.
Mise à part peut-être ceux confectionnés par les soins d'Akane, ce qui du reste au passage raviva temporairement un élan de sourde et juste colère dans l'esprit de la jeune femme.
_-a plus……._fut les seules discrètes paroles qu'il prononça avant de s'éloigner doucement en direction de la sortie de la résidence Tendo.
Sous les yeux d'une Akane tout sauf satisfaite de voir le d'habitude si énergique et prompte à se lancer dans toutes sortes d'actions diverses jeune homme à présent si léthargique et déprimé.
Cette situation bien entendu la troublait grandement elle-aussi.
Il était par le passé arriver bien souvent que Ranma se retrouve prisonnier de son corps de fille.
Coup sur la tête, intolérance au contact de l'eau chaude…..etc.
Mais cette fois les données de l'équation étaient bien différentes.
Car, du moins pour ce qu'elle en savait, il n'était rien arrivé de spécial à Ranma qui pouvait expliquer cette incapacité inquiétante à retrouver son apparence normale.
La grand mère de Shampoo avait juré sur ses ancêtres qu'elle n'y était pour rien et même ce pervers d'Happosai paraissait innocent.
Alors quoi ?
Que s'était-il donc passé ?
_-à moins que…….à moins que cela ai un rapport avec ce voyage qu'ils ont fait Ryoga et lui……oui ! Tout à commencé quelques jours à peine après leur retour………mais pourquoi m'a-t-il demandé si P-chan était présent à la maison ?…..quel rapport ?_
Le fait qu'Akane n'ai jamais put faire le rapprochement, pourtant si diablement évident, entre son cochon noir et Ryoga est un sujet d'étude qui aurait probablement passionné des centaines de comportementalistes et autres chercheurs de la psyché humaine.
Mais heureusement pour le jeune homme, jamais encore son cerveau n'avait établi les bonnes connections.
_-Ranma ! Tu me caches quelques chose ! _hurla sans ménagement Akane, faisant au passage bondir sa sœur Nabiki, elle toujours couchée dans son lit, dimanche oblige, et tout le reste de la famille qui était en train de prendre leur premier repas de la journée dans une ambiance jusque là fort paisible.
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Comment faire pour retrouver un type qui les trois quart du temps ne sait même pas lui-même ou il se trouve précisément ?
Une interrogation inextricablement complexe auquel Ranma préféra simplement donner une réponse sommaire.
On ne peut pas.
Il faut que le type en question vous tombe dessus.
Marchant lentement aux travers des rues du quartier commerçant, les multiples senteurs des différents étalages qui en temps normaux lui aurait immédiatement fait monter l'eau à la bouche ne parvenaient aujourd'hui qu'a lui retourner désagréablement l'estomac.
Estomac qui récemment se révélait d'une sensibilité si accru, que la seule idée d'ingurgiter quoi que ce soit le dégoûter au plus haut point.
Plus qu'étonnant de la part d'une personne qui jadis aurait put consommer du ciment frais et s'en sortir malgré tout bel et bien vivant.
_-pour une fois que j'ai vraiment besoin de le voir ce foutu « P-brain » ! _bougonna-t-il intérieurement.
Des souvenirs de leur escapade dans cette forêt perdue et immense dans le seul vain espoir de dénicher une source revenaient régulièrement le hanter.
Cette sensation mystérieuse qu'ils avaient alors ressentit, cette odeur entêtante, mais bizarrement plaisante et séduisante, qui les avaient accompagnés tout au long de leur sombre parcourt.
Il s'était mit à pleuvoir.
D'abord doucement, puis en littéralement en trombe.
Mais Ryoga avait un parapluie pour se protéger du contact de cette eau glacée synonyme de transformation pour eux deux.
Il s'était moqué de Ranma bien sur, lui toujours si imprévoyant et insouciant.
Tant de choses auraient put se passer différemment.
Il aurait fallut si peu de choses pour qu'à présent ils n'en soient pas là.
Un bruit derrière lui.
Il n'y fait pas attention, il a tellement d'autre chose plus grave en tête.
Il soupire pour peut-être déjà la dixième fois de la matinée.
Et une baffe à lui arracher le crane s'abat sans pitié sur lui, l'envoyant s'écraser à plus de dix mètres de là dans une benne à ordure.
_-Ranma ! Tu fais honte à ton pauvre vieux père ! Qu'est-ce que j'apprends ? Tu n'as pas déjeuner ? Écoute, l'école d'art martiaux Saotome repose sur deux principes fondamentaux mon fils : 1) toujours s'empiffr…….._
_-la ferme ! _Rugit la victime de cette traîtresse attaque en assénant un furieux coup de pied sauté en plein de la tronche de Genma, qui sous l'impact put à loisir apprécier la dureté de l'asphalte recouvrant la route. _je ne suis pas d'humeur à ça………_
_-hahahaahahhaha, je n'ai absolument rien sentit ! _trouva la force de fanfaronner Genma depuis sa position allongé, l'empreinte du 36 de la chaussure de Ranma encore visible en travers de son visage. _On y va, Ranma ! _
_-comment ça on y va ? On va ou ?_
_-dans la montagne ! tu as bien besoin de te renforcer l'esprit et de retrouver les valeurs de bases de l'école d'art martiaux sans-pitié ! _
_-les valeurs de bases hein ?_
_-oui !_
_-manger, dormir, voler, boire ?……comme le vieux ?_
_-oui !…..heuu…non !_
_-hors de ma vue misérable ! _décida finalement de conclure cet entretien futile Ranma.
En agrémentant, ça va de soi, sa dernière déclaration d'un de ces classiques vigoureux coup de pied qui lança si haut Genma dans les airs que la possibilité qu'il devienne un nouvel satellite naturel de la terre lui traversa furtivement l'esprit.
Loin de toute cette bruyante agitation, mais juste à coté physiquement, un jeune homme à l'âme pure et honnête priait pour le pardon de ses fautes passées dans un temple.
A ceci près que son âme justement, à ses yeux, n'était plus du tout pure et honnête et avait bien besoin d'une vigoureuse douche spirituellement salvatrice.
_-je ne pourrai plus jamais me présenter devant Akane……je……je ne suis qu'un misérable, un être vil et corrompu……..un monstre de lubricité, une pathétique pantomime d'être humain……..toute personne posant ses yeux sur moi ne ferait que se les souillaient tant je suis impur…..je suis un……._
_-un imbécile, un tordu, un porc, un idiot sans le moindre sens de l'orientation, un débile profond, un lâche qui fuis, un……._se porta à son secours une gentille personne.
Réflexe ?
Habitude ?
Quoi qu'il en soit, et sans qu'il comprenne comment, son poing s'envola aussitôt en direction de l'importun.
Mais ce dernier s'y attendait et esquiva la tarte à la phalange sans la moindre difficulté.
_-et on frappe les filles en plus ?_
_-Ra……Ranma !_
_-Ryoga…….._
_-je…..je suis à Tokyo ?_
_-EVIDEMENT PAUVRE ABRUTI !_
S'en suivit derechef une bagarre si longue que le récit en serait aussi superflu qu'exténuant pour l'auteur de cette modeste histoire.
Plus tard, apaisés et calmés, les deux jeune gens décidèrent d'un commun accord qu'il était grand temps pour eux d'avoir une petite discussion sur les évènements survenus lors de leur dernière tentative pour se débarrasser des malédictions pesant sur leurs étranges destins.
Conversation qu'ils choisirent d'échanger, comme à leur habitude, à l'endroit le plus normal et le plus courant pour cela.
Le toit de la résidence Tendo.
La dispute entre deux avait été en fait si longue que déjà le soleil entamait sa descente finale vers l'ouest, vers d'autre terres inconnues.
Observant l'atmosphère lentement se dardait d'une luminosité orangée, Ranma ressentit un curieux vague à l'âme.
Comment annonçait tout cela à Ryoga ?
Quelle serait sa réaction ?
Un seul moyen de le savoir.
Hélas………
_-c'est magnifique ce ciel, tu ne trouves pas P-chan ?_
_-hmmm, ne recommence pas Ranma ! Je te préviens !_
Si l'envi de claquer le beignet de cet imbécile de cochon fut soudain extrêmement forte, Ranma trouva néanmoins la force de reprendre la discussion sans violence.
Un exploit.
_-alors comme ça on se sent « impur » ? c'est bien ce que tu disait au temple tout à l'heure non ?_
_-heu je…….je…….tu ne veux pas te re-transformer ? Ça me mets mal à l'aise……tu……tu comprends ?_
_-hoooooo, monsieur est mal à l'aise………c'est vrai que pour moi la situation est un vrai conte de fée !_
Il n'en puis plus.
Il devait à tout prix encore le cogner.
Le saisissant par le col, il se mit alors en tête de consciencieusement l'éclater de toute la force de sa rage, de sa colère, de sa haine quasiment.
Ryoga ne bougea pas.
Le laissant même, dans une certaine mesure, faire.
Sentant avec justesse que Ranma avait besoin de ça pour évacuer, se libérer.
Car des deux, Ryoga préférait tout de même largement avoir été à sa place plutôt qu'a la sienne.
_-je…….je ne peux plus redevenir un homme………._finit par murmurer Ranma au bout de quelques minutes, assis en tailleur sur le toit et complètement essoufflé de ses efforts.
_-quoi ? _tenta d'articuler Ryoga, son visage affreusement boursouflé à cause de la tornade de coups qu'il venait docilement de recevoir.
_-je ne peux plus………._
_-et même………?_
_-même l'eau chaude oui……..bon sang, c'est un vrai cauchemar………_
_-mais comment ? Pourquoi ?_
Ils y étaient.
La fameuse question à laquelle il redoutait tant de répondre.
_-et bien……je crois que…….._
_-tu crois quoi ? Accouche bordel !_
Un choix de mots maladroits.
Mais heureusement pour Ryoga, son interlocuteur n'était plus trop d'humeur à cogner.
Ce qui n'empêcha tout de même pas Ranma de lui collait au passage un petit uppercut, histoire de lui faire bien comprendre son profond désappointement.
_-ce qu'il s'est passer dans la forêt……….même si nous n'étions pas nous-mêmes……..ça s'est malgré tout vraiment passé………et…….je crois que……..je crois qu'il y a eut une….une conséquence……non, en fait j'en suis quasiment sure………_trouva l'extraordinaire courage d'expliquer Ranma à un Ryoga qui était désormais à deux doigts de partir pour le restant de sa vie en pèlerinage expiatoire.
_-tu ne sous-entends quand même pas ce que je crois que tu sous-entends ?_
_-hein ?_
_-tu veux dire que ?_
_-je……..je………ha, s'est tellement humiliant à dire !……..je……je crois que je suis enceinte_
Une musique démarra dans l'esprit de Ryoga.
La douce musique des adieux, du départ éternel, de la vie de moine, d'une retraite en ermite dans la montagne à se sustenter de racines et de fruits.
_-enceinte ? _souffla-t-il d'une voie inaudible avant de superbement et héroïquement s'évanouir.
Durant le cours laps de temps ou il fut inconscient, il fit un rêve.
Un doux rêve.
Il était adulte, marié à Akane et follement heureux.
Heureux à un point qu'une comédie musicale américaine des années cinquante n'était qu'une farce en comparaison.
Le réveil fut brutal.
Pas seulement le retour à la dure réalité.
Mais aussi parce que Ranma choisit de le sortir de sa torpeur à grand coup de gifles dans la tête.
_-ha non ! Pas de ça hein ! Tu ne me laisses pas tomber maintenant t'as compris ?_
_-je…..je suis maudit…….j'ai dut offenser les dieux dans une vie antérieur…….et maintenant je suis maudit………ma vie est une tragédie……je ne même plus de vie…….._
_-la ferme imbécile ! tu ne comprends pas ? C'est comme un combat, rien de plus !_
_-un combat ?_
_-sauf que cette fois il n'y a pas encore d'adversaire………..il…..il faut que l'on trouve une solution d'accord ? Que l'on retourne la-bas…..dans cette forêt……pour comprendre qui nous as fait ça ! Nous n'étions pas dans nos états normaux et quelqu'un va payer pour ça !_
_-mais ça ne changera rien au problème Ranma !_
Vrai.
Mais à ce moment là Ranma n'avait pas vraiment envi d'entendre des arguments logiques.
Il lui fallait juste un coupable.
Un coupable pour cette innommable nuit.
_-et….et Akane ? _s'enquit le porcelet.
_-quoi Akane ?_
_-Ranma, tu réalises un peu dans quel situation on est ? On va…..on va être parents !_
Le mot frappa Ranma de la puissance d'une balle de revolver.
Parent……..
Lui dans le rôle de la maman.
Et Ryoga dans le rôle du papa.
Un frisson désagréablement glacial lui parcourut l'échine.
C'était absolument hors de question.
Les visages des Tendo défilèrent tous devant ses yeux.
Leurs regards accusateurs, plein de reproches et surtout de moqueries.
Le fait de ce changer en fille n'était-il pas déjà suffisant qu'en plus il dut subir ça ?
Et que dirait son père si par malheur il venait à l'apprendre ?
Ou pire………sa mère !
Se mettant debout, Ryoga ferma doucement les yeux, serra ses poings puissants et pris son air sérieux des grands jours.
_-hmmm, ne t'inquiètes pas Ranma……je ne fuirai pas mes responsabilités……._
_-hé ?_
_-on trouvera un endroit ou vivre, tu resteras à la maison et tu préparera un délicieux dîner pendant que moi je serai au travail…….ça ne sera pas rose tous les jours bien sur, hooo non, mais on y arrivera !…….on……._
_-j'appréciai beaucoup que tu réfléchisses un peu plus en profondeur au problème Ryoga ! _lui demanda-t-il aimablement en lui décochant un nouveau terrible coup de poing dans la figure.
_-calme toi, tu ne dois pas faire d'efforts violents maintenant, d'ailleurs tu aurais dut me le dire plus tôt, on n'aurai jamais dut se battre comme on l'a fait toute la journée ! Pense au bébé voyons !_
_-mais comment tu fais pour pouvoir encore parler après tout ce que je t'ai mis dans la poire ?_
_-je suis très résistant_
_-en effet……..alors prends encore ça pour tes idées stupides !_
Beaucoup de problèmes en perspectives.
Dont un en particulier qui était présentement en train de finir l'un de ses devoirs scolaires dans sa confortable chambre.
Akane Tendo.
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Voilà !
Bon, je me suis bien amusé à écrire ce premier chapitre par contre je ne sais pas du tout s'il sera aussi amusant à lire. (j'en doute un peu à vrai dire, lol)
Au menu du prochain chapitre : le récit complet de ce qui s'est passé dans cette fameuse forêt, la maman de Ranma et encore bien d'autres choses.
A bientôt pour la suite !
2. nuit câline, journée chagrine
Bonjour !
Tout d'abords, les remerciements.
Lunenoire : mille merci pour ta review qui m'a réellement fait très plaisir.
Thealie : je suis vraiment heureux que tu ais apprécier ce premier chapitre et j'espère avec la même sincérité que cette suite te distraira autant.
Méo : tous mes remerciements pour ton gentil et encourageant message.
A vous trois, un grand « arigato gozaimasu ». (comme dirait les persos de l'univers de Madame Takahashi, lol)
Petit rappel explicatif nécessaire, la mère de Ranma, Nodoka, ne sait pas qu'il peut se changer en fille.
En effet, ils ne se sont pas vu depuis des années suite à le décision de Genma, le père de Ranma, de partir du foyer familial pour faire suivre à Ranma un entraînement capable de faire de lui un homme honorable et fort, un vrai mec quoi.
Problème, pour accepter de laisser partir son mari et son fils ainsi, Nodoka a fait jurer sur l'honneur à Genma que si Ranma une fois grand n'était pas devenu effectivement un homme bien comme il faut, et surtout très viril, il devrait alors tous joyeusement faire seppuku. (suicide)
La tuile.
Donc, par peur de devoir se suicider à cause des transformations que subit son corps au contact de l'eau froide, Ranma, sous les conseils avisés et intéressés de Genma, pris la difficile décision de ne jamais plus se présenter devant sa mère tant que son « problème » de changement de sexe ne serait pas entièrement résolu.
Hélas pour lui, sa mère rend parfois quelques visites au Tendo, la futur belle fille de Ranma, dans l'espoir de le voir.
À ce moment là, bien entendu Ranma se change en fille, ne lui dit pas qui il est réellement et se fait un peu honteusement passé pour une cousine imaginaire d'Akane répondant au nom de Ranko.
Voilà pourquoi Nodoka appelle son propre enfant par un autre prénom et ne sait même pas que s'est bel et bien lui qu'elle a sous les yeux.
Bonne lecture !
Chapitre 2 : nuit câline, journée chagrine
Une nuit, quelques semaines en arrière.
Ce qu'il y avait de bien chez Ryoga, comme l'avait appris au fil du temps et de leur pérégrination commune Ranma, s'était qu'avec lui, tout et n'importe quoi pouvait arriver.
Surtout le n'importe quoi du reste.
Vous partiez le lundi avec une carte, sur et certain de la destination ainsi que de la route à empruntée pour y parvenir sans embûche.
Et vous vous retrouviez le vendredi à vous demandez par quelle bizarre et surprenante plaisanterie du destin vous aviez put avoir l'ahurissante bêtise de croire un seul instant qu'une personne incapable de retrouver sa propre maison pouvait bien vous conduire en temps et en heure au lieu désiré.
_-on n'est plus très loin, je le sens !_
_-pitié……tais-toi Ryoga………au moins tais-toi……._murmura alors imperceptiblement un jeune homme à la lassitude si grande en son cœur et en son corps que le fait même d'entendre encore ne serait-ce qu'une fois la voie de cette personne qu'il tenait pour unique et seule responsable de ses récentes déconvenues lui était littéralement insupportable.
_-courage Ranma ! Tu ne vas pas me dire qu'une petite marche comme celle-là a pu te fatiguer quand même ?_
_-quoi ? Mais ça fait plus de cinq jours que tu me balades d'un bout à l'autre du pays espèce de pauvre imbécile !_
_-arrête de couiner comme une fille ! Ne donnerais-tu pas tout pour être enfin guéri de cette terrible malédiction ?_
Une autre chose amusante dans l'étrange relation d'amitié conflictuelle qu'unissait ces deux làétait le détail coquasse que Ryoga connaissait finalement presque beaucoup mieux la forme des semelles des chaussures de Ranma que le corps même de celles-ci.
Et très gentiment, l'unique héritier de la famille Saotome décida aussitôt d'offrir à son compagnon de voyage un nouvel examen gratuit et fort instructif de la manière dont ses chaussures de style chinoise avaient été jadis consciencieusement manufacturées de part un aussi furieux que rapide coup de pied latéral.
Étonnamment, et un peu injustement, il se trouva que la mâchoire de Ryoga ne prit qu'un plaisir modéré à cet offre pourtant généreuse que lui offrit le pied droit de Ranma de l'instruire en profondeur sur l'art millénaire de la maroquinerie en chine.
_-donne moi cette fichue carte ! À ce rythme là on ne sera toujours pas rentré pour noël ! _lança-t-il avec humeur en arrachant le précieux bout de papier des mains d'un Ryoga encore en train de se demander ce qui venait de lui arriver.
_-hein ? Mais tu as raison…….on n'est plus qu'a moins de dix kilomètres de la source selon ce plan ! _S'étonna grandement Ranma.
_-sérieux ?_
_-oui………_
_-Ranma ! Dis-tu bien la vérité ?_
_-j'ai l'air de rigoler, P-chan ?_
_-c'est……c'est un miracle……j'ai réussit à nous amener à destination……_pleura quasiment de joie ce garçon sincère et généreux mais hélas si continuellement malchanceux.
Hokkaido.
Yamagata.
Nagano.
Sendai.
Aizu.
Morioka.
Alors que les différentes étapes de ce « miracle » défilaient lentement dans l'esprit de Ranma, une sourde et brûlante colère emplit inexorablement son cœur avide de justice pour son estomac affamé et ses pieds meurtris.
_-saleté d'immonde porcelet……..tu te rends compte que cette forêt n'était qu'a cinquante kilomètres du dojo Tendo ?_
_-silence misérable ! Ne viens pas gâcher cet instant de bonheur avec tes puériles et infantiles considérations kilométriques………je l'ai fait ! J'y suis arrivé !_
_-haaaaaa……laisse tomber……mais fait moi penser la prochaine fois que je dois partir quelque part avec toi de plutôt prendre le bus, ok Ryoga ? _soupira Ranma, épuisé tant par ce voyage éreintant que par son monstre de foire d'ami d'enfance.
La lune, jusqu'à alors discrète, choisit finalement de se débarrasser de ce nuage ennuyeux qui depuis un bon moment déjà s'amusait perversement à la dissimuler aux regards des hommes.
Sa lumière diaphane inondant alors de ses rayons à la blancheur laiteuse cette forêt ou le plan, ainsi que le manque de sens de l'orientation de Ryoga, les avaient en définitive conduit.
Les arbres, couvrant par milliers les nombreux hectares composant cet immense domaine boisé, n'étaient en aucun cas menaçants ou de formes bizarrement angoissantes comme cela arrivait parfois lorsque la nuit s'emparait du monde et déformer pernicieusement de part son manteau d'obscurité les sens et la perception des pauvres âmes parcourant encore la terre à ces heures indues.
En réalité, et sans qu'il ne se l'explique, le fardeau que composait le lourd sac de voyage de Ranma sembla soudain comme inexplicablement s'alléger.
Oui.
Cet endroit était bien.
Sain et sans danger.
Réconfortant même en un sens.
_-allez Ryoga, nous y sommes presque ! Mais cette fois s'est moi qui ouvre la route _claironna-t-il, une brusque sensation de griserie frivole enflammant son cœur.
Une légèreté que parut totalement partagé son compagnon et qui la manifesta en choisissant de ne pas remettre en question sa prise de commandement des opérations et en décorant son visage d'un large et sincère sourire.
Depuis quant Ryoga le laissait-il prendre aussi aisément les choses en mains ?
Peu importait, seul comptait à présent la source synonyme pour eux de libération et de bonheur.
Adieu ce corps de fille qui l'empêchait de voir sa mère et qui n'était source que de soucis.
Adieu ce ridicule corps de petit cochon noir qui l'empêchait, lui Ryoga, de déclarer sa flamme à Akane et qui le plongeait si régulièrement dans un océan de honte sans fond.
Au bout de plusieurs dizaines de mètres ils n'en purent plus.
Ils devaient courir.
Atteindre au plus vite la source et se baigner dans son eau miraculeuse.
Ils s'élancèrent donc, sans prendre garde à ses nombreux nuages qui s'amoncelaient dans le ciel et qui déjà faisait choir sur eux les premières gouttes annonciatrices de l'orage implacable qui allait s'abattre sous peu.
Comme ils n'eurent cure de ce que pourtant leurs yeux définissaient bien comme quelque chose de totalement inhabituel et singulier.
Une brume.
Un ensemble de volutes à la douce teinte mirmillon qui rapidement les entoura, les baigna de son aura exquise avant de disparaître aussi prestement qu'il était apparu mais en laissant en eux l'empreinte inaltérable de son insolite pouvoir.
Le déluge s'abattit enfin.
A quelques pas devant lui, Ranma entendit plus qu'il ne vit Ryoga éclatait de rire, le son de sa voie portait par la tempête ne lui parvenant que comme filtré par quelque invisible et impalpable barrière.
_-hahahaha……alors Ranma ? On n'a pas pensé à prendre un parapluie ?_
_-attend-moi Ryoga ! _cria ce dernier, constatant au passage le changement prévisible que l'eau du ciel avait déjà effectuée sur sa propre voie ainsi que sur l'ensemble de son corps.
Ils ne regardaient plus la carte.
D'ailleurs, ils se moquaient bien désormais de l'endroit ou leurs jambes choisiraient de les conduire.
Les arbres défilaient si vite autour de lui que Ranma se demanda un instant par quel miracle il n'en n'avait pas encore percuté violemment un.
Ryoga lui par contre ne paraissait nullement s'en soucier.
S'était comme s'il savait ou il allait, ou il devait aller, comme si une voie invisible lui murmurait délicatement à l'oreille la direction à prendre pour se mettre à l'abri, pour trouver cette cabane de forestier que sinon il n'aurait probablement jamais découverte.
_-la ! Regarde ! Une cabane…….._informa-t-il Ranma en lui offrant enfin généreusement, et comme si cela était la chose qu'il était naturel pour lui de faire, la protection de son parapluie/ombrelle rouge.
Ranma du reste n'y prêta pas non plus vraiment attention, jugeant lui aussi qu'il était après tout normal pour un garçon de faire ce genre de chose « galante » à l'intention d'une damoiselle.
Une damoiselle ?
Le mot tourna un instant dans l'esprit du jeune homme.
_-je…..je ne suis pas une……._essaya de lui souffler avec raison une partie encore lucide de son cerveau.
Mais à peine passa-t-il le pas de la porte de cette fameuse cabane qu'il en oublia aussitôt jusqu'à avoir eut le départ d'une telle réflexion.
Un feu puissant brûlait déjà dans la minuscule cheminée de la maisonnée.
Étrange.
Quelqu'un vivait-il donc ici ?
_-pfiouuuuuu, quelle averse ! _déclara Ryoga en repliant d'un geste habile et rapide son parapluie.
Le cadre était littéralement enchanteur.
Et tellement romantique.
Un jeune couple fuyant l'orage trouve un abri dans une mystérieuse cabane perdue au fond des bois.
Ça ressemblait furieusement à un scénario de sitcom mais :
1) Ryoga n'avait jamais regardé de soap.
2) il s'en foutait royalement, pris qu'il était dans cette danse fiévreuse que lui jouait insolemment son cœur et son âme.
Un couple ?
A cet pensée les joues de l'innocent et pur Ryoga se teintèrent d'une adorable nuance rosé.
_-tu….tu dois avoir froid Ranma……._
_-un peu oui _minauda-t-elle.
_-installe-toi donc près de la cheminée……je…..je vais faire un peu de feu_
_-le feu est déjà allumé………_
_-hahahahahahhaahhaha…….c'est vrai, tu as raison, quel idiot je fais !_
S'asseyant tous les deux près de l'âtre en un silence complice , ils laissèrent paisiblement les puissantes flammes de la joyeuse flambée doucement les réchauffaient.
Temps que ce polisson de Ryoga choisit d'ailleurs de mettre intelligemment à profit pour laisser ses yeux se perdre un instant sur l'angélique et délicat visage du merveilleux spécimen de féminité se trouvant présentement assis à ses cotés.
En effet, les cheveux de Ranma, toujours humides, formaient de petites mèches rousses lui retombant subtilement sur le front et devant les yeux avec une telle touchante beauté qu'une personne chagrine et mesquine aurait alors aussitôt crié que cela ne pouvait être que vicieusement fait exprès.
_-je……je……je me sens si étrange ce soir Ryoga…….._
_-oui……moi aussi pour être tout à fait honnête_
_-je veux dire……je sais bien que tu n'es qu'un idiot, un pervers qui utilise sa forme de stupide cochon ridicule pour dormir avec Akane, que tu n'as pas le moindre sens de l'orientation et que tu es plus bête et têtu que tout un troupeau de mules mais………_
_-n'en dit pas plus Ranma……je comprends parfaitement ce que tu ressens……pour moi aussi tu n'es qu'une grande gueule, un désaxé qui aime à se travestir, un être immoral qui utilise sa capacité à se transformer avec une vulgarité et une indécence scandaleuse…..mais moi aussi je…..je me sens…….je me sens si différent…..comme si j'avais enfin ouvert les yeux après une longue nuit d'aveuglement_
_-peut-être as-tu enfin réalisé quelle merveilleuse, somptueuse, talentueuse et formidable personne je suis ! Et combien tu as la chance de seulement me connaître !_
_-peut-être………._acquiesça-t-il, fermant ses yeux et en serrant ses poings devant le désarroi profond que ressentait alors tout son être.
Un grand lit deux places se trouvait de l'autre coté la pièce et sans qu'il ne puisse s'en empêcher, les yeux de Ryoga s'y attardèrent une toute petite paire de seconde.
Un regard qui n'échappa toutefois certes pas à Ranma et qui en nourrit aussitôt un grand trouble.
_-mais…..mais…..mais à quoi tu penses enfin Ryoga !_
_-ha ! pardon ! Ce n'est pas ce que tu crois je………désolé ! _s'excusa-t-il.
_-bougre de coquin va……_
_-je……je……RANMA ! _hurla-t-il finalement en ouvrant en grand ses deux bras, toute trace de logique et de mesure ayant disparu en lui.
_-RYOGA ! _répondit sur le même ton l'intéressé en se jetant avec passion dans l'espace alors amoureusement ouvert.
Cette histoire étant avant tout destinée à un public au goût bien entendu certain et sur, je ne me permettrait pas de vous infligez la lecture des évènements, cabrioles et autres obscénités en tout genre que connurent les plusieurs dizaines de minutes suivantes. (oui, car n'oublions pas que Ranma et Ryoga sont deux jeunes gens aux forts tempéraments et qu'ils sont tout deux particulièrement en bonne santé et vigoureux)
Laissez-moi donc effectuer des à présent une courte ellipse temporelle et reprendre le récit à un moment plus décent, soit le lendemain matin.
La conscience regagnant doucement son esprit encore ensommeillé, Ranma Saotome se pressa tendrement contre ce corps chaud encore synonyme pour lui à cet instant là de réconfort, de douceur et d'affectueuses caresses.
Il se sentait bien.
Il se sentait comme délicieusement allongé dans une sorte de cocon brûlant de pure tendresse et de bien être.
De se réveiller dans ce contexte aux cotés de quelqu'un était une expérience aussi nouvelle que foncièrement agréable pour lui et, l'espace d'une folle seconde, il se prit à souhaiter que cela ne s'arrête jamais.
Sauf que……..
Il avait son corps de fille.
La personne contre laquelle il se pressait si lascivement avait elle pour sa part un corps tout ce qu'il y avait de plus masculin.
Que cette même personne était aussi nue que lui-même l'était.
Et qu'il sentit soudain que cette situation n'avait absolument rien de normale.
Son sommeil avait été bizarrement parcourut de nombreux rêves à tendances érotiques.
Ce qui lui avait donné du reste l'occasion de se représenter une Akane bien loin de l'image qu'il avait habituellement d'elle.
Mais là.
Se dressant sur ses mains, il se suréleva lentement et laissa ses yeux se repaître du spectacle qu'offrait le visage assoupit de celui qu'il pouvait d'hors et déjà appelé son amant de la veille.
Sa mâchoire inférieur s'affaissa.
Ses yeux s'écarquillèrent.
Mais il ne cria pas.
Pas encore.
Il s'éloigna de lui.
S'assit sans brusquerie au bord du lit.
Fixa sans expression longuement le mur adjacent.
Se leva.
Passa lentement et sans se presser quelques vêtements pour couvrir sa nudité.
S'approcha de la cheminée.
Saisit une monstrueusement énorme bûche de bois.
Revint vers le lit.
Inspira une énorme goulée d'air.
Et entama sans plus attendre le long processus destiné à réduire Ryoga Hibiki à l'état de pulpe sanguinolente.
_-je vais t'arracher la tête, je vais te réduire les os en poussières, je vais te détruire ton sale crane de pervers, je vais………._
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Une journée, temps présent.
_-hmm, je me demande encore comment j'ai put survivre à ça………._se demanda Ryoga, adossé à des murs du couloir principal de la résidence Tendo et attendant patiemment que la personne lui ayant « offert » sa première nuit d'amour charnel lui donne enfin la permission d'entrée dans la pièce ou elle s'était précédemment enfermée seule.
Une interrogation légitime, car quant pour la quarante neuvième fois la bûche s'abattit à nouveau sur lui, il crut sincèrement sa dernière heure arrivée.
Mais Ranma ne lui avait pas porté le coup de grâce.
A sa place, lui l'aurait probablement fait.
Mais pas Ranma.
Il avait finalement lâché la bûche, s'était à nouveau assis sur le lit et lui avait demandé, ordonner, de se barrer de là en vitesse.
Prétextant qu'il voulait être seul.
Évidement, Ryoga n'avait certes pas demandé son reste et avait profité de l'occasion pour ramper jusqu'à la porte à l'aide des quelques forces lui restant encore.
Pourtant aujourd'hui il s'en voulait d'avoir fuit.
Il aurait dut rester.
Et supporter sa colère.
_-c'est bon…….tu peux entrer porcelet……_l'informa une voie féminine depuis l'autre coté de la porte de la salle de bain.
Pénétrant dans la pièce, il le retrouva assis sur la baignoire et tenant dans la main un mystérieux objet que le gentil mais fort ignorant Ryoga n'identifia pas du tout.
_-qu'est ce que c'est ?_
_-un artefact chinois…….._
_-ho ?_
_-ouais……._
_-et à quoi il sert ?_
_-à repérer les crétins…..et regarde, il s'est mit en marche des que tu es entré !_
_-Ranma…….je sais que j'ai juré de ne plus me battre avec toi désormais à cause de…..enfin……à cause de « tu sais quoi », mais ne pousse pas le bouchon trop loin quand même !_
_-la ferme ! Tu n'as aucun droit mis à part celui de te taire !_
_-RAAAAAANNNNNNNMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAA !_
_-ha ! C'est bientôt prêt……_le coupa-t-il sans même le regarder.
La curiosité l'emportant sur la contrariété, Ryoga s'approcha tout près de lui et pencha ses yeux sur cet objet source pour lui de tant de mystères.
_-si ça devient bleu……._
_-quoi ? Qu'est-ce qui va se passer si ça devient bleu ! _le pressa de répondre Ryoga, lui à présent très méfiant et même presque effrayé quant aux propriétés éventuellement magiques, voir destructrices, de cet artefact.
_-si ça devient bleu…..on est vraiment très mal……._
_-quoi ? Vraiment ? C'est dangereux à ce point ?_
_-pff……..comme tu es bête mon pauvre Ryoga…….._
L'ennuyeux avec nombre de femmes, s'est le fait que beaucoup d'entre elles ont la capacité quasi mystique de se déplacer à pas si légers qu'ils s'en sont quasiment indétectables.
Ou peut-être est-ce juste que nombre d'hommes sont trop balourds pour écouter.
Quoi qu'il en soit, la dernier femme au monde dont Ranma avait envi de voir le charmant bout du nez rappliquer en ces lieux, choisit cet exact moment pour faire une entrée si désappointante et déplaisante dans la pièce que les deux gens présents en eurent littéralement les cheveux qui se dressèrent sur la tête.
_-bonjour Ranko ! Comme personne ne répondait je me suis permise d'entrée !_
_-ma……madame Saotome !_
_-tu vas bien ? Depuis le temps que nous nous sommes pas……mais…….mais tu…….mais……._bafouilla l'honorable et douce femme en fixant son regard sur l'objet tenu par la jeune damoiselle. _mon dieu Ranko mais ça serait ?_
_-non, non, non, non, non, non…..hahahahhahahaha……mais non voyons ! Ce n'est pas ce que vous………_
_-c'est un puissant artefact chinois madame ! _jugea opportun et particulièrement brillant d'intervenir Ryoga.
_-alors toi, tu gardes surtout ta grande bouche bien fermée d'accord ? _lui murmura d'un ton lourd de menace Ranma.
_-mais qu'est-ce qu'il raconte ?_
_-une blague ! C'est une plaisanterie madame……hahahahah…….quel farceur ce Ryoga !_
_-hahahahah, je comprends mieux…….._acheva-t-elle en dérobant d'un geste précis et rapide des mains de Ranma le test de grossesse.
Un silence.
Pesant.
Lourd.
Intenable.
Au bout d'un moment que les deux futurs « parents » trouvèrent effroyablement long, les yeux de Nodoka quittèrent enfin le petit objet et vinrent aussitôt se poser très sérieusement sur la pauvre petite Ranko.
_-hmmm………..je vois…….._
_-vous…..vous voyez quoi madame ? _
_-un moyen d'utiliser cet artefact ?_
_-mais tu vas la boucler toi oui ou non ! _rugit Ranma à l'adresse de Ryoga.
_-félicitation ! _lui sourit-elle en lui rendant le test.
Le cœur de Ranma manqua un battement.
Comment ça félicitation ?
Parce qu'il y avait de quoi être heureux peut-être ?
Sa vie était foutue.
Les Tendo allait le passer à la moulinette.
Akane allait l'égorger.
Et félicitation elle dit ?
_-mais tu es si jeune Ranko………mon dieu, je ne sais quoi te dire………c'est vraiment…….inattendu……….que vont dire tes parents ?_
_-hein ?_ demanda Ryoga, ne comprenant plus grand chose à la conversation.
_-c'est……heuu……c'est le papa ?_
_-vi………hélas…….._murmura misérablement Ranma, ses derniers espoirs venant de partir sans pitié en fumée.
Sa mère était au courant.
Si un trou était apparu alors donnant directement pour l'enfer il s'y serait jeté sans la moindre hésitation.
Et peut-être même avec un ultime murmure de remerciement.
_-ha Kasumi ! Tu connais la grande nouvelle ? _lança-t-elle à une belle jeune femme apparut à son tour dans le couloir.
_-hein ? Quoi ? Noooooooooooooon madame ! Je voudrais que ça reste entre nous s'il vous plait ! _supplia-t-il en vain.
_-bonjour madame Saotome…….quelle nouvelle ?_
_-Ranko attend un merveilleux évènements !_
_-je vous demande pardon ?_
_-ça sera peut-être un garçon _rêvassa à haute voie Nodoka.
_-pitiéééééééééééééé ! _continua à gémir un Ranma au comble du désespoir.
_-que se passe-t-il ici ?_
_-papa…….madame Saotome a une bien « étrange » nouvelle concernant Ranko _lui expliqua sa fille aînée.
_-Haaaaa, bonjour madame Saotome, je suis désolé mais Genma n'est pas là, il…….une nouvelle, allons bon, et laquelle ?_
_-Ranko est enceinte monsieur Tendo, n'est-ce pas merveilleux ?_
_-enceinte…………….._
Alors qu'il se voyait déjà mort, Ranma eut soudain la stupéfaction de voir son futur beau père non point se mettre à hurler à l'image d'un damné, mais plutôt se tourner lentement en direction des escaliers.
_-Akane ! Viens voir ici s'il te plait……..Ranko a une « grosse » surprise à t'annoncée _cria-t-il alors, la froide morsure de la mort résonnant comme une terrible menace dans sa voie glaciale.
_-noooooooooooooooon !_
_-allons Ranko, il ne faut pas être timide, ce qui est fait est fait maintenant _tenta de la consoler la gentille Nodoka.
_-qu'est-ce qu'il y a encore ? Ha ! Bonjour madame Saotome ! Quel plaisir de vous revoir, je……_
_-« Ranko » est enceinte………._l'informa sans détour et sans la moindre bonne humeur son père.
-_hein ? _se figea de stupeur Akane.
_-alors ? Il fait quoi cet artefact ?_
_-quoi ? _continua-t-elle à ne pas saisir.
_-par pitié, que quelqu'un sorte cet imbécile…….._pleurnicha l'heureuse maman.
_-Ranko voyons, tu parles de ton futur mari ! _Larepris gentiment Nodoka, une femme au demeurant très charmante mais plutôt conservatrice.
_-hé ? _exigea derechef des explications Akane.
_-je vais faire du thé, je sens que de démêler cette affaire va prendre beaucoup de temps _décida Kasumi avec le sens pratique que tous lui connaissaient.
_-je viens t'aider _lui proposa Nodoka.
_-RAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNMMMMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ! _rugit enfin le maître de maison, une fois tout ce petit monde suffisamment éloigné pour qu'il puisse exprimer à loisir sa rage et sa fureur.
Un beau bordel.
Une nouvelle journée tout à fait normal dans la vie du jeune Ranma Saotome.
Mais la suite s'annonçait d'hors et déjà encore pire pour la jeune maman et le très au courant des techniques modernes pour détecter une grossesse papa.
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Voilà.
Au menu du prochain chapitre : Akane qui réagit, Ranma et son père, Ryoga et ses nouveaux devoirs et Ryoga contre la colère des fiancées de Ranma.
A plus !
3. conséquences et décisions
Salut !
Pour commencer, les remerciements.
Thealie : un grand merci pour ta review et pour tout tes encouragements. J'espère sincèrement que cette suite te plaira.
Une suite un peu moins fo-folle que les précédentes.
On va essayé aujourd'hui d'aborder quelques problèmes sérieux, lol.
Et oui, on prend quelques jours de congés parce que on n'a pas put les prendre durant la période des fêtes et hop, on se retrouve étrangement à les passer à écrire.
Victime que l'on est d'une bizarre fièvre de coucher sur le papier les scenarii que l'on a imaginé.
Mais bon, ça peut durer, lol.
Et des Lundi, je retourne au taf.
Donc les prochains chapitres de cette fic, et de toutes les autres d'ailleurs, seront un peu plus long à venir.
Bonne lecture !
Chapitre 3 : conséquences et décisions
Une fraîche nuit vint une nouvelle fois recouvrir doucement la partie la plus orientale du monde, le ballet immuable des étoiles en profitant alors pour donnait l'une de ses immuables et magnifiques représentations.
Trois personnes étaient là, dans un parc, regroupés autour d'un feu timide.
Hélas, aucune d'entre elles n'avaient le cœur suffisamment léger et serein à cet instant là pour jouir à sa juste valeur du spectacle d'une beauté étourdissante qui se jouait présentement dans les cieux.
Le silence régnait en maître sur le camp improvisé, seulement quelque fois interrompu par les pleurs sincères et désespérés de l'une de ces trois aimables personnes.
Elle, gémissant et couinant à l'image parfaite d'une toute petite fille par trop sensible devant le film Titanic.
_-non mais t'as pas bientôt finis de geindre papa ! _s'emporta finalement de colère l'unique enfant de cette malheureuse âme en peine.
_-bhouuuuuuu, tous mes espoirs pour l'avenir……..ma retraite paisible aux crochets des Tendo……..les délicieux petits plats de Kasumi…….mon unique chance de ne plus jamais avoir à travailler de ma vie……….tout vient de partir en fumée à cause du comportement pervers et irresponsable de la chair de ma chair, du sang de mon sang ! Ranma ! Tu as couvert d'une honte éternelle ton pauvre père !_
_-mais t'as jamais travaillé de ta vie ! C'est qui l'irresponsable ! C'est qui hein ? C'est qui devrait avoir honte de lui !_
_-toi bien sur………« madame Hibiki »……._le poignarda sans pitié d'une phrase assassine son père.
_-la ferme ! _couina d'une voir suraigu la malheureuse jeune maman, bien trop encore secouée par l'impact désastreux de cette funeste journée pour trouver la force de donner à son profiteur des autres de paternel une pourtant justifiée et méritée leçon.
L'atroce film des derniers évènements se projeta lentement dans son esprit.
La fureur de Shoun, le chef de famille des Tendo.
Le désappointement blessé lisible dans les yeux de Kasumi.
L'hilarité cruelle que n'avait que difficilement réussit à dissimuler cette traîtresse insensible de Nabiki.
Et Akane……….
_-elle avait l'air dévastée…….._pensa tristement à haute voie Ryoga, le fil de ses pensées suivant visiblement le même chemin que celui de Ranma.
Ce n'était d'ailleurs pas étonnement Ranma qui avait dut courageusement supportée la tornade effrayante de coups que la benjamine des filles Tendo s'était alors mis en tête de distribuer avec moult violence.
Mais, encore une fois, ce pauvre et vaillant Ryoga qui du reste en portait toujours les affreusement visibles traces.
_-c'est……c'est parce que je suis en……en……bon sang que c'est dur à dire !…….parce que je suis enceinte qu'elle ne m'a pas touchée…….._
_-t'inquiètes pas pour ça………elle m'a largement frappé pour deux………voir pour trois ou quatre_
_-hmmm……depuis le début de cette histoire tu n'arrêtes pas de prendre rouste sur rouste mon pauvre Ryoga_
_-c'est le juste prix à payer pour mes immondes pêchés……….._
_-en effet ! Tu ne les as pas volées toutes ces raclées !_
_-merci pour ta sollicitude Ranma………_
_-mais de rien !_
_-j'ai faim ! _les coupa soudain un peu abruptement et sans guère d'égards Genma, son estomac hurlant littéralement famine.
Grave problème.
Car à présent que le père d'Akane les avaient tous mis manu militari à la porte de la résidence Tendo, ils se retrouvaient hélas à présent sans plus de toit pour couvrir leurs têtes que de riz pour garnir leurs gamelles.
En réalité, s'était plus sur les conseils de la douce Kasumi que sous les menaces, pourtant bel et bien existantes toutefois, de Shoun qu'ils avaient au final choisis de prendre rapidement la poudre d'escampette.
Car sous ses apparences calmes et tranquilles, Shoun pouvait se révéler à l'occasion d'une impulsivité dans ses réactions confinant à l'hystérique.
Et quant cela se produisait, mieux valait pour la source de tout ce mécontentement d'être aussi loin que possible de lui.
Très très loin.
Kasumi leur avait donc gentiment demandé de partir pour quelques jours, le temps minimum nécessaire à son père pour retrouver sa sérénité et pour apaiser enfin son terrible courroux.
_-j'ai faim ! _revint à la charge le ventripotent quadragénaire.
_-ça vaaaaaaaaaaaa ! On avait compris la première fois ! _lui conseilla de ne point persévérer dans ses pleurnicheries son colérique de fils.
_-hmmm, je ne vois plus qu'une solution si on veut éviter la disette……..Ranma !_
_-Ryoga ?……qu…..quoi encore ?_
_-tu te souviens de là ou j'habite ?_
_-laisse-moi réfléchir…….vu que j'ai dut te ramener chez toi une bonne trentaine de fois……heuuuuuuu………_
_-oui ou non !_
_-bien sur que oui imbécile !_
_-bien………_
_-haaa excellente idée, bravo ! Voilà bien un homme digne d'entrer dans la famille Saotome _exprima bruyamment sa joie Genma.
Toutefois, juste avant de prendre une double attaque conjointe principalement à base de crochets du droit et de furieux « high kick » de la part d'un Ranma et d'un Ryoga désapprouvent vivement son éternel comportement de pique-assiette.
_-monsieur Saotome………je veux bien consentir à accueillir Ranma chez moi, pour les raisons évidentes que nous connaissons parfaitement tous, mais mon hospitalité à des limites…..de plus, je ne sais même pas si mes parents seront là ou pas alors……… _
_-héhéhéhéhé…….il y a peut-être de la place au zoo pour un vieux panda miteux, va savoir _ricana Ranma, taquin.
Une larme amère s'égara un court instant dans l'œil de Genma, avant de s'envolait portée par le vent pour une lointaine destination inconnue.
Ho cruelle destiné, ho fatalité féroce et impitoyable.
Vois comme elle se joue sévèrement de la vie du plus humble de ses enfant !
Abandonné.
Rejeté par les siens tel un malpropre.
La vie de Genma ne représentait-elle donc rien aux yeux de ses jeunes gens ingrats et égoïstes.
_-mais qu'ai-je fait pour mériter cela par tous les dieux ? Cette indifférence, ce mépris……..hooo mon tendre Ranma, hooo mon cher Ryoga…….n'y -t-il dans vos cœurs secs comme la pierre donc aucune trace de pitié ? Aucune bribe de compassion ? Car comme l'a dit le seigneur……le bien que vous faites au plus humble……..hein ?……mais……mais…….._
Une tirade intéressante tant elle reposait sur un monceau de mauvaise fois affligeantes.
Mais une tirade qu'a part un écureuil curieux perché sur un arbre à quelque mètres de là personne n'avait entendu.
Son tendre Ranma, son cher Ryoga s'étant depuis un bon moment déjà fait pernicieusement la malle.
Il en pleura longuement de dépit.
La police reçut quelques jours plus tard un coup de fil étrange d'une certaine madame Kobayashi se plaignant de la présence déplaisante dans son jardin d'un grand panda qui, en plus d'avoir un air violemment idiot et faignant, avait le toupet de s'amuser avec un vieux pneu crasseux volait elle n'osait présumé ou.
Une équipe du zoo de Tokyo arriva 10 minutes plus tard.
Et Genma Saotome trouva enfin un endroit chaud et sec ou passait des heures à manger et dormir.
Un peu comme chez les Tendo quoi.
La télévision en moins.
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_-maman ! papa ! _appela d'une voie forte Ryoga depuis le vestibule de la maison familial._ je suis rentré !_
Pour seul réponse, un silence lourd comme une chape de plomb retomba pesamment sur les lieux.
Personne.
Bien sur.
_-haa, ils doivent être encore perdus je ne sais ou…….._
Ce qui du reste était rigoureusement exact.
Mais pour une fois, les deux parents de Ryoga avaient eut le bonne idée de se perdre non pas chacun égoïstement de leurs cotés, mais joyeusement et amoureusement ensemble dans le cadre magique et enchanteur d'une seconde lune de miel.
D'ailleurs, à l'instant même ou nos deux compères pénétrèrent ensemble dans la maison, le couple d'éternels voyageurs que composaient madame et monsieur Hibiki se trouvait pour sa part à bien des kilomètres de là, dans la superbe et charmante île d'Okinawa à savouraient délicatement deux délicieux cocktails à base d'un rhum léger et très parfumé.
_-ou est la cuisine ? _s'enquit aussitôt un Ranma bavant si peu élégamment en prévision du repas à venir que Ryoga songea un instant à revenir sur sa belle promesse de ne plus utiliser la force pour le punir de ses coupables excès.
_-calme-toi sale goret ! Le frigo est probablement vide de toute façon !_
_-héééé ! qui traites-tu de goret ? P-chan……..et qu'est-ce que tu racontes ? Le frigo est vide ?_
_-bien sur imbécile ! tu crois vraiment qu'avec notre difficulté à retrouver notre chemin nous nous permettons de garder des aliments périssables ?_
Monstrueuse et infâme nouvelle qui dépita littéralement le malheureux Ranma.
_-holala…..quant je pense que j'ai faillit d'être reconnaissant pendant une seconde……..et en quoi on va éviter la disette ici alors, explique-moi un peu ?_
_-on garde toujours une « caisse » d'urgence pour ce genre de situation……je vais aller faire des courses_
Une proposition généreuse et hautement louable que celle de piocher dans les fonds familiaux pour sustenter son invité(e).
Mais qui derrière la façade des bonnes intentions recelait toutefois en son sein un périlleux et dangereux point faible.
_-tout seul ?_
_-heuu, c'est peut-être pas une bonne idée non ?_
_-bhouuuuuuu, mais qu'est-ce que j'ai fait au ciel pour mériter ça moi ?……..Ryoga, est-ce que tu crois que ça serait vraiment souhaitable que tu disparaisses durant des semaines à un moment difficile comme celui-ci ? _le questionna-t-il en essayant de ne pas s'énerver.
_-non……._
_-braaaaaaavo ! Alors « je » vais aller faire les courses, d'accord ?……toi tu n'as qu'a attendre ici et……et…….pffff……faire ce qu'il te chante…….._finit d'une voie lasse un Ranma pressentant déjà son séjour ici comme une longue et fastidieuse série de catastrophes annoncées. _Et surtout ne sort pas de la maison ! _
Il est un fait bien connu par toutes les personnes connaissant en tant sois peu Ryoga Hibiki.
Soit, qu'il a une façon bien à lui et très personnelle d'assimiler les nouvelles informations qui lui parviennent et une manière toute aussi singulière de les comprendre.
Le regard que lui lança alors subitement cochonnet surpris tant Ranma qu'il en arriva à se demander furtivement quelle idée ridiculement inutile avait bien put encore passée par le crâne épais de Ryoga Hibiki.
_-tu te fais donc tant de soucis pour moi Ranma ? _Déclama-t-il enfin.
_-hé ?_
_-ne t'en fais pas…….je ne partirai pas…..s'est promis !_
_-non mais je………_
_-n'ajoute rien Ranma ! Moi, Ryoga Hibiki, suis extrêmement touché par tellement de prévenance et d'attention ! _clama-t-il, les yeux clos et les poings serrés, avec dans la voie une intensité aussi surprenante qu'inutile.
_-ha ?………bien……..ok……..bon…….je vais y aller alors……oui……s'est ça…….je vais aller faire un petit tour moi…….ça me fera du bien tiens………._murmura doucement Ranma en s'éloignant en direction de la porte, se questionnant une nouvelle fois sur le sens de l'humour si particulier de la trame cosmique du destin qui avait choisit de lui imposer cette épreuve.
_-tiens ! N'oublie pas l'argent !_
_-ha ben oui……ça serait bête……..à plus Ryoga………_
Regardant sa désormais inséparable moitié quittait d'un pas lourd de lassitude leur nouveau foyer, il se fit l'aimable réflexion que malgré tout, ce fichu Ranma avait tout de même quelques qualités cachées.
Et en plus, l'air de rien, c'est qu'elle était fichtrement bien foutue et plaisante à l'œil !
_-tetetetete……mais à quoi je pense moi ! _rougit-il aussitôt de confusion, se réprimandant vertement lui-même pour cet écart peu louable de pensée.
Mais c'est que la situation était troublante aussi.
Une bonne partie de sa vie, il avait maudit jusqu'au seul nom de Ranma Saotome.
Pour ce qu'il s'était passé à l'école, alors que tous deux n'étaient encore que des enfants.
Pour cette malédiction qui le forçait à se transformer en infâme petit cochon noir au simple contact de l'eau froide.
Pour Akane.
Toutefois, au fil du temps, Ranma s'était révélé être un ami.
Oui.
Un vrai ami.
Toujours là, présent, pour porter une main secourable dans les coups durs.
Et puis il y avait eut cette fameuse nuit.
Cette troublante, dérangeante, savoureuse et inoubliable nuit.
Bien des fois par le passé Ranma s'était amusé à se moquer de lui et à le faire tourner en bourrique avec ce corps dont il prétendait pourtant avoir si honte.
Si souvent en fait qu'il était arrivé à Ryoga de se demander si quelque part le fait d'être occasionnellement une fille n'était pas devenu une partie intégrante de l'identité même de Ranma.
De ce qu'il était réellement, au fond de lui.
Détestait-il vraiment autant cette partie de lui-même comme il le clamait si fort ?
Difficile à croire au vu de plusieurs de ses actes si moralement déplacés que Ryoga se demandait encore comment son vieil ami n'était pas simplement mort de honte sur le coup au moment ou il les commettait.
_-hmmm, il agit tellement comme un pervers des fois………_
Après toute cette haine, après toute cette colère.
Et maintenant après cette amitié, après tous ces moments difficiles affrontés cote à cote.
Voilà qu'elle était enceinte.
Elle, oui.
Car du « il », il n'en demeurait étrangement plus grande trace dans l'esprit de Ryoga.
Non, plus guère de trace…….
Tap tap.
Un cognement sur le porte le tira brusquement de ses rêveries.
_-oui ? Qui est là ? _
Aucune réponse.
Tap tap.
Une nouvelle fois.
_-qui est là ? _somma-t-il l'inconnu de se présenter.
Pas le moindre son.
Furieux devant tant d'impertinence, il se précipita derechef vers la porte et en grand mouvement ouvrit brutalement la porte.
Les ténèbres l'accueillirent.
Inquiétant, fourbe.
Le vent caressait de sa main invisible les plus hautes des branches des acacias bordant l'allée donnant accés à la maison des Hibiki.
Les faisant lentement et voluptueusement dansaient.
La lune, de par ses rayons fantomatiques, donna à toute la scène une aura irréelle et mystérieuse.
Un présence maléfique se fit alors sentir.
Puis, enfin, tel l'épervier fondant sur sa proie.
Il arriva.
_-on me nomme la foudre bleu du lycée Furinkan……..certains me nomment aussi l'aigle royale de la sainte lumière…..d'autres encore me surnomment le vent divin soufflant sur les montagnes par un temps léger de mi-saison printanier………mais pour toi ce sera juste Tatewaki kuno, 17 ans, célibataire……..qui apporte la justice !_
_-hein ?_
_-silence misérable…….tes supplications pathétiques ne te sauveront pas……….ce que….ce que tu as osé faire à une si innocente et pure jeune fille ne mérite aucune pitié ! _
_-les nouvelles vont vites……_constata avec étonnement Ryoga.
_-si tu as une ultime prière, c'est le moment ou jamais de la faire ! Car je te le jure, toi qui a souillé innommablement ma colombe, ma perle des mers du sud, ma fille à la natte rousse chérie, tu ne verras pas le soleil se lev……_
A la grande satisfaction de Ryoga, il ne put heureusement pas finir sa phrase ridicule et si diablement longue.
Mais sa joie fut hélas de très courte durée.
Car les deux personnes qui venaient présentement de le débarrasser de cet importun, en l'assommant comme des brutes, le fixaient à présent avec des yeux si assassins, si malveillant, qu'il y vit sa propre mort avant même le début du combat.
_-Shampoo……..Ukyo………_marmonna-t-il, plus que soucieux.
_-Shampoo va tuer imbécile de cochon ! Tout de suite !_
_-Ryoga ! Prépare-toi à mourir vermine ! _hurla sauvagement Ukyo en agrippant son énorme spatule.
Il eut le temps de compter jusqu'à trois.
Et à quatre, tout un attirail d'ustensiles divers vinrent douloureusement percutés sa tête et le plongaient dans une douce inconscience qui allait avoir malgré tout la délicatesse de lui éviter de vivre en « direct live » la mémorable raclée à venir.
L'ultime chose que Ryoga Hibiki entendit ce jour là fut une longue suite de cris guerriers poussait par deux demoiselles au comble de l'exaspération quant à leur chance de devenir un jour madame Saotome.
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Des membres de famille « responsables » des gênes qui composeraient le patrimoine génétique de l'enfant à naître, à part lui même, Ranma connaissait : son père (mon dieu), sa mère ( un bon point pour le petit), Ryoga (il ne pourra jamais sortir tout seul le malheureux enfant) et les parents de P-chan (braves gens, mais avec le même problème que leur fils).
_-avec un peu de chance il prendra mon physique, le sens de l'honneur de Ryoga, notre goût des arts martiaux à tous les deux, les principes de ma mère et surtout……rien…..mais alors rien du tout de mon père !_
Pourquoi pensait-il donc à ça ?
Il n'en savait rien.
Mais puisque l'enfant était une réalité.
Une réalité qu'il ne pourrait plus jamais ne serait-ce qu'un jour oublier.
Le gentil lecteur de cet humble et modeste histoire sera peut-être surpris que la simple idée d'un avortement n'ait encore jamais traversé l'esprit de Ranma.
En réalité, elle l'a fait.
Un instant.
Durant une courte seconde, juste après qu'il est découvert son état.
Toutefois, il l'a repoussa.
Par respect pour le caractère sacré de la vie ?
Pour une autre raison n'appartenant qu'a lui ?
Ce n'est pas très important au final.
Parcourant du regards les nombreux étalages qui composaient les rayons de la grande épicerie dans laquelle il avait au bout du compte choisit de faire ses modestes emplettes, ses yeux se posèrent sur l'un de ses grands miroirs dont se servent les commerçants pour repérer les voleurs.
Et ce qu'il y vit lui déplut.
Lui déplut très fortement pour être plus précis..
Car il se vit lui, en fille, avec un charmant petit sachet à commission, faisant les courses pour cet imbécile congénitale de Ryoga.
Comme une gentille et douce jeune femme.
Une vison insupportable.
Intolérable.
Scandaleuse.
Ridicule.
Grossièrement grotesque.
_-non mais qu'est-ce que tu crois pauvre fou de Ryoga ! Que tu vas m'appeler bobonne et que je vais te faire gentiment la popotte ? C'est ça misérable hein ? C'est ça que tu pense dans ta petite tête de débile profond ! Ryogaaaaaaaaa ! _hurla-t-il dans le vide, au beau milieu du magasin, en jetant au loin son sac de course.
Une expression de mécontentement que ne comprit pas à sa juste valeur dramatique le reste de la clientèle qui s'empressa aussitôt de gentiment s'enfuir par la sortie la plus proche.
Même le gérant de la boutique, homme prudent de nature, préféra l'espace de quelques prudents instants se mettre à l'abri de cette folle furieuse qui visiblement avait une fort méchante dent contre un certain Ryoga.
De toute les personnes anciennement présente, une seule trouva le courage de rester et d'affronter la furie.
Il faut dire aussi qu'elle la connaissait bien.
Qu'elle l'aimait même.
Et même encore maintenant, après toutes ces affligeantes nouvelles, elle gardait encore quelque part au fond de son cœur le fol espoir que tout s'arrange, que tout trouve enfin un dénouement heureux.
_-je vais lui dévisser la tête ! Je vais lui…….._
_-tu vas lui quoi ?_
_-Akane……….._
Elle avait les yeux rouges.
Manifestement, de fracassait impitoyablement Ryoga n'avait pas suffit à lui faire évacuer tout ses sentiments.
Elle n'y était pourtant pas vraiment aller de main morte se souvint Ranma avec une certaine satisfaction perverse.
_-tu….tu n'es pas avec « lui » ?_
_-non…..je l'ai laissé à la maison……hahahaha _tenta-t-il maladroitement de plaisanter.
_-à la maison ?_
_-heuu, je……comme je suis partit de chez toi et que…….enfin…..tu…….. _
_-tu vis chez Ryoga………_
Ce n'était pas une question, et elle n'attendait nullement une réponse.
_-pro…..provisoirement j'espère ! _
_-provisoirement ? Pourquoi ? Tu comptes aller ou après ? chez ta mère ?_
_-je………_
Le ton de sa voie cassant et brutal ne laissa aucune ambiguïté perdurer longtemps en Ranma concernant l'état émotionnelle d'Akane.
Ils s'étaient croisés par hasard.
Quelques heures à peine après la véritable corrida qui s'était déroulée à la résidence Tendo.
Elle ne désirait pas du tout lui parler.
Sa seule présence paraissait même profondément la contrariée.
Dans ces conditions, il apparut aussitôt comme évident à Ranma que de poursuivre cette discussion plus longtemps ne pouvait amener que de mauvaises choses.
Il était trop tôt pour ça.
Bien trop tôt.
_-je….je vais y aller Akane……… _
Se tournant pour sortir de ce magasin devenu en l'espace d'une paire de seconde un endroit singulièrement hostile, Ranma se retrouva stoppé net par le son chevrotant et hésitant des mots que lança Akane.
_-mon père n'a toujours pas ouvert la bouche depuis votre départ……._
_-je…..je suis sur qu'il ira mieux demain_
_-tu t'en soucis encore ?_
_-bien sur…….Akane…..tu sais je……j'espère vraiment qu'un jour je……_
_-oui ?_
_-rien…….je……pardon, j'y vais……au-revoir Akane……._
J'espère vraiment qu'un jour je pourrai revenir.
Il n'avait pas eut le courage de le dire.
Non.
Décidément il était vraiment trop tôt pour ça.
Que ce soit pour les Tendo ou pour lui.
Plusieurs minutes plus tard, alors que les clients avaient déjà repris leurs habitudes de consommateurs, que le régent était revenu dans son bureau et que Ranma était partit, seul et triste, une jeune femme était encore elle à la même place.
Ne bougeant pas.
Les yeux perdus dans le vague.
_-au revoir Ranma………_
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Voilà !
Merci d'avoir accordé un peu de votre temps à lire ce chapitre.
A plus !
4. œstrogène et testostérone
Voyez-vous, Windows est vraiment une chose capricieuse.
Vous démarrez gentiment votre ordinateur, innocent et confiant que vous êtes, et boum !
Un écran bleu de l'enfer vous prévient fort courtoisement qu'a partir de maintenant, votre ordinateur ne va plus en faire qu'à sa tête.
C'est quand même beau la technologie, non ?
Beau, certes, mais un peu frustrant parfois.
Enfin bref, voici enfin la suite.
Vous remarquez d'ailleurs que progressivement je n'utiliserai plus que le genre féminin pour faire référence à Ranma.
Sauf bien sur quand j'évoquerai ses propres pensées.
Bonne lecture !
(version bis, j'ai fait quelque ajustement)
Chapitre 4 : œstrogène et testostérone
Le destin est un fieffé coquin.
Une réflexion qu'allait avoir bientôt tout le loisir de mesurer la justesse un jeune homme au caractère pure et droit mais, hélas pour son triste quotidien, qui était aussi doublement maudit.
Maudit une première fois par ses propres gênes, qui faisaient de lui une sorte de boussole cherchant éternellement et sans réussite un insaisissable nord.
Maudit une deuxième fois par une terrible et cruelle source chinoise au combien maléfique.
Mais il n'était pas du genre à geindre inutilement.
La vie l'avait endurci.
Et, étrangement, lui avait appris un bon moyen pour ne plus songer continuellement à son propre malheur.
Un moyen simple.
Toutefois, un moyen terriblement efficace.
Celui qui consistait à reporter toute sa tristesse, sa peine, à l'encontre de quelqu'un d'autre.
De faire endosser à un individu toute la lourde responsabilité de ses tourments.
Cette personne en l'occurrence était Ranma Saotome.
« Avait été » Ranma.
Car maintenant……….
La septième heure de la journée n'avait pas encore sonnée en ce doux et ensoleillé début de matinée et Ryoga Hibiki dormait encore du sommeil du juste.
Un repos salvateur qu'il n'avait du reste certes pas volé au vu des évènements qui étaient survenus la veille et plus précisément de la nouvelle terrible raclée qu'il avait courageusement, mais comment faire autrement, encaissé en toute fin de soirée.
D'ailleurs, s'il avait été éveillé, une grande surprise n'aurait alors guère mis longtemps à saisir son cœur en constatant les multiples bandages recouvrant désormais généreusement l'ensemble de son torse, ses épaules et la partie gauche de son visage.
Il était allongé dans sa chambre, pile au milieu de ce même lit qu'il avait toujours connu depuis sa plus tendre enfance.
Ranma était là lui, elle, aussi.
Recroquevillée adorablement à l'extrémité droite du lit, à l'image parfaite d'un chaton dans son panier.
Le lecteur attentif que vous êtes n'aura aucunement manqué de faire le parallèle entre cette situation et celle précédemment survenue dans une certaine cabane durant une certaine nuit cause de tout ce trouble.
Et vous avez bien raison.
Un problème allait en effet rapidement se posait.
Car oui, eux aussi, nos deux héros, ne manquèrent pas de faire la même comparaison.
Mais voilà que je brûle les étapes.
Revenons-en donc à notre charmante paire, elle si paisiblement assoupie et pour le moment l'esprit fort éloigné de toute considération autre que celle du bien être et du repos.
On dit que même endormis, on peut sentir la présence d'une autre personne près de soi.
Difficile à prouver.
Pourtant, totalement inconsciemment, le bras de Ryoga Hibiki se lança soudain en quête d'une douceur que son subconscient lui murmurait proche de lui.
Une douceur qu'il trouva sans peine.
Une douceur que sa main reconnut et eut aussitôt envi de ne plus jamais lâcher.
Délicatement, les doigts du jeune homme, qui à cet instant n'étaient plus que tendresse, se déposèrent donc sur les hanches de son amie et, sans brusquerie aucune, ramenèrent le corps de la damoiselle tout contre celui de Ryoga.
Ranma ne se réveilla pas.
Bien au contraire, elle soupira, déplia ses genoux et, alors qu'elle faisait jusqu'à présent dos au garçon, roula sur elle-même pour se blottir contre cette agréable présence.
Présence qui choisit cette opportunité pour enveloppé aimablement de ses deux bras la dite damoiselle en une étreinte aussi instinctive que naturelle.
Une heure passa ainsi.
Sans plus de bruits que ceux qu'émettaient leurs deux respirations.
Quant la conscience choisit finalement de refaire un petit tour dans l'esprit de Ranma, ce fut une odeur qui attira en premier son attention.
Celle d'un onguent.
Plus exactement, celle de l'onguent avec lequel il avait joyeusement tartiné la carcasse défoncée de coups de Ryoga.
Et ainsi, pour la deuxième fois cet matin là, il soupira longuement d'un contentement serein.
La famille Saotome disposait d'un talent très utile.
Un sixième sens quasiment infaillible qui les avertissaient à coup sur de la présence d'un danger plus ou moins proche.
Par exemple, quant par le passé Shampoo s'était amusée à se glisser sournoisement entre ses draps à la faveur du petit matin, un curieux sentiment de malaise était alors à chaque fois venu troublé pernicieusement ses rêves.
Bien sur, cela ne l'avait jamais empêché de se faire surprendre par Akane et d'en suite se faire copieusement rossé par cette sauvageonne.
Mais le fait était là.
Il avait « sentit » un danger.
Il avait sut que quelque chose n'allait pas, ne tournait pas rond.
Mais ce matin là, rien.
Juste un puissant sentiment que tout allait pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes.
Qu'il était ici loin des problèmes parcourant habituellement ce monde, dans une sorte d'havre à l'abri de tout mal.
Une impression curieuse.
Mais une sensation qu'il ressentait malgré tout et qui par la suite entraînerait un grand questionnement intérieur sur sa propre identité et sur les conséquences multiples des récents bouleversements qu'avait connu sa vie.
La nuit porte conseil dit-on.
Mais la nuit peut aussi apporté des réponses à des questions que l'on ne s'est encore même pas vraiment posées.
Et des réponses que l'on est peut-être pas encore tout à fait près à entendre, ou seulement à comprendre.
Un souffle chaud caressa soudain son front.
La brise d'un être qui vit, d'un cœur qui bat dans une poitrine.
L'exhalaison d'une vie.
Tout simplement.
Leurs nez se frôlèrent.
Un doux contact qui fit tout à coup brûlait un bien étrange feu sur le visage de Ranma.
Il bouge imperceptiblement.
Elle se meut légèrement.
Et enfin, pendant le court, donc l'éternel, espace temporelle que dure un battement de cil, leurs lèvres s'effleurèrent.
Précisément à cet instant, des millions d'inductions nerveuses partirent de leurs lèvres respectives pour rejoindre à la vitesse de l'éclair leurs deux cerveaux.
Chacune de ses messagères chargées d'un puissant message à délivrer au plus vite à la partie de l'encéphale ou résidait l'essence même de leur lucidité.
A peine la première de ces anonymes mais si vaillantes travailleuses de l'information atteint sa destination qu'un ordre impérieux et indiscutable fut alors lancé à tout le corps.
« réveille-toi ! »
Ce que bien sur ils furent obliger de faire.
Il ouvrirent donc lentement les yeux et, avec autant de stupeur que d'embarra, plongèrent leur regard l'un dans l'autre.
_-Ryogaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa…………..je suis extrêmement déçue…….._murmura d'une voie lourde de menaces diverses la jeune femme sans pourtant encore avoir fait le moindre geste.
_-hé ?……je……..non mais attend je………tu ne vas quand même pas croire que j'aurai osé……..je……..Ranma ?_
_-je passe des heures à te soigner, je me fais même du soucis pour ta misérable et ridicule personne, je m'endors innocemment à l'endroit ou je me suis si gentiment occupé de toi et tu……tu……tu……_
Elle avait lancé sa tirade en se levant, ne présentant que son dos à Ryoga ce qui du reste l'angoissa quelque peu.
_-mais je dormais ! Je te jure que je ne………_
_-ha tu dormais hein ?_
_-voui, voui……comme une souche !_
_-Ryoga…………._
_-ou……oui ?_
_-je n'ai qu'une chose à te dire………_
_-la……laquelle ?_
Elle se retourna.
Inspira à fond.
Et finalement………
_-TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN !_
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_-hahahahahhahahahahah ! Et voici le petit déjeuner spécial Hibiki ! _claironna d'une fausse gaieté inquiète, en entrant dans le séjour depuis la cuisine, un Ryoga en quête de pardon.
Ce qui au final était certes un peu injuste au vu du déroulement des évènements pour lesquels Ranma lui gardait rancœur quant on considérait, qu'après tout, elle était aussi fautive que lui dans cette histoire.
Connaissant sur le bout des doigts l'insolent larron qui avait eut l'outrecuidance de la mettre enceinte, Ranma savait par expérience ou exactement appuyer pour que le malheureux garçon se sente de mal en pis.
L'honneur était tout pour lui.
Alors si vous vous mettiez à le traiter de pervers, vous imaginez aisément la suite………
_-tu n'as rien mit la dedans pour encore abusé de moi j'espère ?………halala, si Akane savait à quel point tu es un pervers ce n'est pas une rouste qu'elle t'aurait mit l'autre jour, mais une véritable raclée ! _le poignarda-t-elle sans remord.
_-Ranma, je me suis déjà excusé au moins mille fois ! Et d'ailleurs, crois moi, c'était bien une raclée qu'elle m'a mit……..et sûrement pas une simple rouste !_
Toutefois, Ryoga savait bien lui aussi comment s'y prendre avec Ranma et à peine lui glissa t'il le premier plat qu'il venait de mitonner avec moult attention sous son nez, qu'aussitôt le flot de reproche se tari comme par mystérieuse magie.
En parlant de rouste, le fait qu'il n'en ai pas reçu une phénoménale pour l'incident survenu plus tôt ne cessait alors de le surprendre.
En temps normal, Ranma lui aurait brisé la tête sans la moindre pitié pour un truc comme ça.
Mais là, non.
Elle avait brandit ses poings, avait crié, et avait finalement arrêté ses meurtrières phalanges à quelques millimètres à peine du visage de Ryoga.
Étonnent.
Extrêmement surprenant même.
_-je……..je te remercie……._jugea soudain opportun de dire le jeune homme.
_-hein ?_
_-pour ce matin je……je…….._
_-je sens que tu vas encore dire une bêtise Ryoga………._lui conseilla de bien réfléchir son virulent partenaire d'infortune.
_-non, je veux dire, je te remercie de ne pas m'avoir frappé ce matin……..même si je le méritais…….je…….je suis blessé et…….enfin bref, merci !_
_-ne va te faire d'idée porcelet……..c'est parce que j'étais mal réveillé, sinon je t'aurai défoncée la boite crânienne avant que tu es seulement le temps de dire « ouf » !_
_-attend voir…….la dernière fois, dans la cabane, le fait d'être mal réveillé ne t'avais pas empêché de……._
_-tu ne sais jamais quant tu dois la fermer toi hein ?_ commença à s'emporter Ranma. _Tiens, au lieu de dire des idioties, tu ferais mieux de me remercier pour ma mansuétude _
_-hmmm…….alors c'est donc vrai………._finit par déclarer Ryoga, toujours debout, serrant fermement ses poings avec sur le visage la même expression que s'il venait découvrir le secret du sens profond de la vie.
_-quoi donc ?_
_-une grossesse change vraiment les femmes !_
Non, en effet.
Ryoga ne savait absolument pas quant-il était préférable pour lui de convenablement fermer sa grande bouche.
_-ho bougre de sale cochon…….espèce de………._
_-qu……qu'est-ce que j'ai dit encore ?_
_-je ne suis pas une femme !_
_-tu y ressemble drôlement pourtant !_
_-RYOGAAAAAAAAAAAAA !_
Malgré tout, il dut convenir que P-chan n'avait pas tout à fait tord.
Du moins, pas sur tout.
Depuis quelque temps déjà, il avait remarqué chez lui une plus grande difficulté à se mettre violemment et rapidement en colère.
Certes, il y parvenait encore malgré tout.
Mais ce n'était plus comme avant.
C'était différent à présent.
Il commençait à ressentir, à percevoir les choses légèrement différemment.
Comme s'il les regardait d'un point de vue dissemblable d'auparavant.
Son corps changeait, il le savait.
Mais ce qu'il ne savait en revanche pas, ce que s'opéraient en lui des transformations aussi subtiles qu'inévitables.
Des modifications induites par son propre corps.
Par ce corps qui désormais abritait une nouvelle vie et qui se préparait à sa manière à l'accueillir.
Il est un mot que les femmes enceintes ne connaissent que trop bien.
Hormone.
Jusqu'à alors, ses multiples transformations en fille n'avait jamais eut le temps, ou peut-être que la malédiction ne le permettait tout simplement pas, d'influencer son métabolisme suffisamment profondément pour que des changements soient perceptibles.
Mais maintenant qu'elle était enceinte, ses petites bêtes curieuses que sont les hormones eurent tout loisir de faire leur ouvrage.
Son ventre allait grossir, ainsi que ses seins, de cela il en avait parfaitement conscience.
Toutefois, son humeur, son tempérament eux aussi allaient sous peu connaître quelques menus ré-ajustage.
En réalité, tout cela avait bien entendu déjà commencé.
Tout avait en réalité commencé depuis son premier jour de grossesse.
_-hé Ranma………._le tira brutalement de ses pensées la voie de Ryoga.
_-hmm quoi ? _
_-comment on va faire par rapport à…….tu sais……mon « problème » d'orientation ? Je ne peux pas rester enfermé ici pendant neuf mois non plus_
_-ben ça mon gars tu aurais dut y penser avant ! _rugit alors férocement la joyeuse maman, le confort de Ryoga n'étant pas précisément en tête dans l'ordre de ses préoccupations actuelles.
Force fut hélas pour elle de reconnaître que le problème méritait en effet réflexion.
P-chan ne pouvait humainement pas rester tel un lion dans une cage à tourner toute la sainte journée dans cette maison.
Pourtant, chaque sortie de Ryoga à l'extérieur recelait le terrible danger de perdre toute trace de lui pour des semaines.
Chose que ne désirait certes pas Ranma qui, même si elle ne l'aurait jamais avoué et cela sous les plus savantes tortures, se sentait terriblement seule et savait par instinct qu'elle ne tiendrait jamais le coup sans quelqu'un près d'elle.
_-tu te rappelles ce gros chat chinois ? Celui avec les cloches qui voulait épouser Shampoo _s'enquit Ryoga en rejoignant Ranma autour de la table du séjour.
_-oui……..et alors ?_
_-ben justement, les cloches……..elles ne servaient pas à lier deux personnes ou un truc dans le genre ?…….les gens amoureux je crois !_
_-je me demande si les coups répétés que tu as encaissé ces temps-ci ne t'ont pas un peu amolli le cerveau mon pauvre Ryoga………._
_-tu as une autre idée peut-être ! _s'emporta à son tour le jeune homme, lassé de l'impertinence sans fin que manifestait récemment Ranma à son encontre.
_-nous ne sommes pas amoureux abruti ! Si nous en sommes là c'est uniquement à cause d'une forêt diabolique et de ta perversité sans nom !_
Si Ranma n'avait pas été d'humeur si maussade, elle aurait probablement aussitôt remarqué à quel point elle était en train d'accabler injustement et surtout continuellement Ryoga.
Ryoga qui pourtant ne s'énervait que rarement, et encore jamais vraiment sérieusement.
Mais tout le monde à ses limites.
Et la peur de se retrouvée seule, la terrible morsure du désespoir qui en découlerait à coup sur, vint alors la rappelait une nouvelle fois à l'ordre.
Certain pourrait songer que c'était là certainement un système de pensé et un comportement fort égoïste de la part de Ranma, qui ne semblait considérer Ryoga que comme une sorte de roue de secours, une main secourable à l'occasion, un compagnon dans un voyage très long qu'elle se devait contre vents et marées de supporter.
Mais préalablement on se doit de songer honnêtement à sa situation.
Quant vous êtes enceinte, que votre père est un irresponsable qui vit au zoo, que votre propre mère ne doit rien savoir sur votre vrai identité et que votre ancienne belle-famille ne vous regarde même plus, vous ne pensez alors qu'à une seule chose, survivre.
Survivre vous et l'enfant que vous portez.
_-écoute Ryoga………je ne pense pas que ce foutu chat nous soit de la moindre utilité mais………mais tu nous as peut-être mis malgré tout sur la bonne piste_
_-tu penses ?_
_-oui……….la vielle peut nous être utile, elle a toujours une vraie armée de bibelots et d'artefacts chinois entreposés chez elle…….alors qui sait ? Ou au moins elle pourra sûrement nous dire quoi faire_
_-la vielle ?……..tu veux dire la grand mère de Shampoo?_
_-l'arrière, arrière, arrière grand mère de Shampoo oui……elle…….pourquoi ? Ou est le problème ?_
_-ou est le problème ? Tu me demandes ou est le problèmes ?_
Ryoga avait repéré un point faible dans son plan.
Il avait anticipé avant elle une faille là ou elle n'avait rien vu.
Et cela la contraria grandement.
_-ben quoi ? _
_-Ranma……depuis qu'elle est au Japon, c'est quoi l'obsession de la veille bique ?_
_-et bien…….heuuu……..ha ! Que j'épouse Sham……..ha oui…….en effet……elle ne sera peut-être pas ravi de me revoir depuis que je suis……enfin……que je suis comme ça………_consentit-elle à reconnaître.
_-exact ! De plus, si elle peut t'en vouloir à toi, imagine alors ce qu'elle doit penser de moi……._
Encore une fois, cochonnet avait vu juste.
Si ils allaient là-bas pour trouver un moyen de ne plus perdre Ryoga et que la vielle décide de l'estourbir, ils ne seraient pas vraiment beaucoup plus avancés.
_-haaaa, je vois ce qui t'embêtes en réalité….._commença Ranma, un air malicieux au visage.
_-de me faire tuer……oui, en effet, ça m'embête un peu………je me dois humblement de l'avouer_
_-non, P-brain, tu as plutôt peur de retombé sur Shampoo et Ukyo avoue ! Le « grand » Hibiki a les miquettes devant deux filles, voilà tout !_
_-si elles t'avaient mis la raclée qu'elles m'ont foutues hier soir, toi aussi tu ne serais pas rassuré de traîner la-bas !_ bondit sur ses jambes Ryoga, le rouge au front de confusion et de gêne.
_-hmm…….je reconnais qu'elles peuvent devenir de vraies furies à l'occasion……….bon, je comprends tes inquiétudes et à vrai dire, moi non plus je ne suis pas très rassuré mais………_
_-mais ?_
_-on ne peut pas faire autrement……..il nous faut voir la vielle à tout prix, ou alors……..ou alors la prochaine fois que tu rentrera à la maison, si tu rentres un jour…….. je ne serai déjà plus tout seul ici si tu vois ce que je veux dire………_
_-hein ?……que……que…….qu'est-ce que tu veux dire par là ? _lui demanda de s'expliquer sur le champ Ryoga, quelques sinistres et totalement fantaisistes scénarii s'étant déjà compulsés dans son esprit inquiet.
_-ça faisait combien de temps que tu n'étais pas revenu ici avant hier soir ?_
_-et bien……hmm…….un an je dirai…….._
_-tu comprends maintenant ?_
_-hooooooooooo ! _
Il comprit parfaitement.
Il comprit que s'il passait la porte d'entrée seul, il ne reverra pas Ranma avant que leur enfant ne soit bel et bien né.
Voir plus.
_-d'accord Ranma…….allons chez la vielle !_
Le temps de finir le repas, de se rafraîchir, de passer quelques vêtements frais.
Et ils se mirent en route.
Constatant d'ailleurs au passage la présence d'un corps allongé à deux pas à peine de la porte de la résidence des Hibiki.
Un Kendoka.
La foudre bleu du lycée Furinkan.
_-la…….la……fille à la natte rousse _murmura-t-il en un souffle inaudible.
_-alors toi, c'est vraiment pas le moment !_
Un terrible coup de pied.
Le kendoka fut vaincu.
A nouveau……….
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A quelques mètres de l'entrée du « Cat café », un drôle de couple observait en secret depuis l'angle d'un immeuble si nul danger ne les menaçait.
Car maintenant qu'ils étaient arrivés à destination, le doute avait pernicieusement gagné leurs cœurs, eux pourtant d'habitude si vaillants et prompte à commettre courageusement toute sorte d'exploits divers.
_-on y va ?_
_-ou…..oui ! Allons-y Ranma !_
_-on ne va pas se laisser faire par une veille peau non ?_
_-surement pas !_
_-on ne va pas plier l'échine devant ce fossile préhistorique ?_
_-hooooooo non !_
_-alors en avant nom de nom !_
_-yahaaaaaaa !_
_-wo hai ni…….«hairen »…….._
Ryoga se demanda un instant dans quel but Ranma avait dit ça.
Ranma se demanda pour sa part à quoi pouvait bien penser Ryoga en imitant ainsi la voie de Shampoo et en osant balançait une telle idiotie.
Mais cette froideur dans le ton.
Cette sombre sentence perceptible dans la voie.
Ce frisson glacial qui les gagna alors.
Cette façon implacable de prononcer le mot « hairen ».
_-ho non………_couinèrent-ils ensemble sans encore oser se retourner.
_-sale cochon toujours en vie ? Shampoo remédier à ça !_
Cette fois, le doute ne leur fut plus permis.
La terrible, la destructrice, la têtue, la si peu forte en syntaxe et en grammaire, l'impitoyable Shampoo se tenait là, derrière eux, prête comme jamais à régler définitivement son sort à Ryoga.
_-att……..attend Shampoo !_
_-attendre quoi ? À cause de lui pas de mariage pour Shampoo avant au moins un an ! Et encore ! Grand mère doit vérifier dans code des amazones si ça seulement encore possible !_
_-ben, de toute façon tu sais…….._
_-de toute façon quoi !_
_-non non rien…….enfin bref, le problème n'est pas là ! Je ne te laisserai pas tuer Ryoga !_
_-pourquoi ? _
_-et bien…..heuu……et bien déjà parce il n'y a que moi qui ai le droit de le tué celui-là ! Et personne d'autre ! et…..et que je ne le ferai que quand j'en aurai envi ! Compris ?_
_-bien joué Ranma _lui murmura l'intéressé à l'oreille, très satisfait par la dernière tirade de la mère de son futur enfant.
_-pour une fois dans ta vie Ryoga ferme-là et laisse moi faire !_
_-si moi laisser en vie imbécile, Ranma m'épouse dans un an ? _revint à la charge la chinoise, qui décidément ne perdait jamais longtemps le nord.
_-ne me fait pas de chantage dans un moment pareil !_
_-oui ou non ?_
_-hors de question !_
_-Shampoo voit……..Shampoo tue !_
_-cours Ryoga ! Vers le café ! _
Bien qu'il ne fut qu'a moins d'une poignée de mètres, la distance parut étrangement très longue à notre sympathique duo.
Peut-être parce que une chinoise enragée les poursuivait.
Peut-être parce que ils ne savaient même pas si la veille leur laisserait le temps de parler ou au minimum essayerait de calmer Shampoo.
Ou encore peut-être parce que cette journée s'annonçait d'hors et déjà comme aussi infernale que les précédentes depuis qu'un test de grossesse avait par un sinistre après-midi confirmé la réalité de son état à Ranma Saotome.
Allez savoir………..
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Comme vous l'avez deviné, la troisième partie n'est bien entendu que l'introduction au prochain chapitre.
Je vous remercie sincèrement d'avoir lut ce chapitre et j'espère avec la même sincérité qu'il vous aura divertit.
A plus !
5. boys don’t cry
Un grand merci à Thealie pour son adorable review.
Tiens, pour ceux qui lisent cette histoire sans forcement trop connaître l'univers de madame Takahashi, voilà un petit résumé des transformations :
Ranma : fille
Ryoga : cochon (Akane ne le sait pas et l'a adopté en lui donnant le nom de P-chan)
Shampoo : chatte
Mousse : canard
Genma : panda
Au niveau des relations amoureuses c'est très simple.
Quasiment toutes les filles de l'histoire veulent se marier avec Ranma.
Toutes pour diverses raison, dont certaines aussi futiles et discutables que par exemple un combat perdu ou une veille promesse faites par son père alors que Ranma n'était qu'un enfant.
Ryoga aime Akane.
Mousse aime Shampoo.
Personne n'aime Genma, lol. (Shoun, le pere d'Akane, et lui sont très bon potes quand même)
Bonne lecture !
Chapitre 5 : boys don't cry
En une dernière et particulièrement chanceuse esquive, Ranma parvint enfin à pénétrer dans le restaurant d'un pas que le mot « pressé » ne suffira pas vraiment à qualifier à sa juste valeur.
Manifestement, Shampoo ne partageait pas les mêmes légitimes réticences qu'Akane qu'en à la nécessité de ne pas lui distribuer furieusement des coups.
Mais heureusement pour lui, Ranma était un garçon/fille plein de ressource, fort rapide et extrêmement habile dans l'art de s'enfuire à toute jambes.
Après tout, vous ne passez pas tant de temps sous le même toit qu'une furie comme Akane sans en gagner au passage un sens développé de la survie.
Ryoga pour sa part l'était juste un peu moins.
État de fait qui pouvait d'hors et déjà être constaté d'un simple regard en direction de sa pauvre et extrêmement marquée par la brutalité de la chinoise figure.
_-la vielle ! Il faut que l'on parle ! _interpella sommairement l'honorable vielle dame un Ranma alors tout sauf disposait à faire montre des habituelles civilités dont une personne bien élevé se doit de faire siennes en présence d'un quelque de plus âgé qu'elle.
_-tiens mon gendre, quelle surprise…….et avec son fiancé de surcroît………_
_-dis lui d'arrêter ça ! Et ce n'est pas mon fiancé !_
_-à Ryoga ? Lui dire d'arrêter quoi ? De te mettre enceinte ? C'est trop tard pour ça je crois……._
_-à Shampoo bien sur ! _rugit la jeune maman en saisissant au vol une chaise vindicativement lancée par la colérique damoiselle susnommée.
A la surprise du couple, la vielle bique leva malgré tout soudain une main apaisante en direction de Shampoo, lui signifiant ainsi clairement son désir de la voir stoppait dans la seconde ses destructrices attaques.
_-bonne nouvelle mon gendre ! Je viens de finir la re-lecture du code des amazones et ton……comment dire…….problème, ne remet pas en cause tes fiançailles avec ma petite fille…….tu devras juste faire une sorte de pèlerinage expiatoire en Chine et ensuite présentait publiquement des excuses à Shampoo devant une foule d'au moins 65 personnes minimum_
_-quoi ?_
_-hala hairen ! Shampoo est heureuse !_
_-non mais vous rigolez là j'espère ?_
_-pas du tout…….c'est le code…….._
Le code n'était certes pas une affaire à prendre à la légère.
C'était en effet pour les amazones chinoises une sorte de mélange bizarre entre la Bible et le code pénal.
En clair, cela codifiait autant leur vie spirituelle que matérielle et cela jusqu'au moindre détail.
Du reste, Ranma avait appris avec le temps à ne pas trop faire de plaisanteries douteuses sur ce bouquin tant ces dames pouvaient se révéler susceptibles concernant ce sujet précis.
_-quoi qu'il en soit……….je ne suis pas venu pour ça ! _tenta courageusement de se calmer Ranma, n'ayant pas oublié à quel point ils avaient besoin des connaissances de la vielle.
_-tu veux une potion d'avortement ?_
_-non ! Bon, vous connaissez tous de quelle effarante et ridicule tare congénitale est victime Ryoga ?_
_-héééééééééé ! _s'insurgea ce dernier, choqué par le peu de cas que faisait Ranma de sa sensibilité et de son amour propre.
_-oui ! _répondirent en cœurs les deux femmes.
_-hééééééééééé !_
_-le problème est là……..je sais bien que vous devez me haïr et que vous pensez probablement que je n'ai nul droit de vous demandez un service mais je……._
_-pas du tout_
_-ha bon ?_
_-non……..tu sais, j'ai été jeune moi aussi…….et parfois les jeunes gens se laissent aller à commettre des choses un peu surprenante…….il n'y a pas là de quoi faire tant de foin que ça _ lui expliqua calmement la vielle dame.
Un silence lourd comme une chape de plomb s'abattit sur la pièce.
Les joues de Shampoo roussirent imperceptiblement tandis que les mâchoires inférieures de Ranma et Ryoga manquèrent de peu de toucher le sol.
_-vous…….vous êtes très ouverte d'esprit ! _ce vit alors obligé de concéder Ryoga.
_-hahahahahahhaahah ! J'ai déjà vécu bien des années tu sais mon petit _(« trop », commenta Ranma, ce qui lui fallut du reste un vigoureux coup de canne de la part de la vielle pour son incroyable effronterie)_, et j'ai vu par le passé des choses bien plus surprenante qu'une fille enceinte, crois moi……..en réalité, je dois avouer qu'il n'y a que des avantages dans cette situation…….car quant Ranma sera enfin le mari de Shampoo, votre enfant deviendra de fait mon petit fils ou ma petite fille……..on adore les grandes familles en Chine !_
_-extrêmement ouverte d'esprit !_
Les japonais ont l'amusante habitude d'être plutôt très pointilleux sur certain sujet qu'ils jugent comme un peu inconvenant de converser ou de traiter, et donc, d'entendre ainsi une femme parlait d'accueillir un enfant illégitime comme l'un des siens sans le moindre soucis, et même avec joie, fut une expérience tout spécialement étonnante pour eux.
Étonnante, mais enrichissante également quand à la générosité de la vielle.
_-enfin bref, à vrai dire à chaque pas que nous faisons dehors, je prends le risque de perdre Ryoga pour des mois et des mois……..et ce matin, nous nous sommes rappelés ce gros chat miteux et laid qui voulait épouser Shampoo_
_-brrrrrr……._frissonna de déplaisir la chinoise en se remémorant l'horrible et idiot félin.
_-et nous voudrions savoir si vous ne connaissiez pas des artefacts un peu similaires aux clochettes du chat……..vous voyez ? pour que Ryoga et moi puissions nous retrouver ou que nous soyons !_
Une tirade qui laissa un drôle de goût dans la bouche de Ranma, sans qu'il ne se l'explique clairement.
Ou plutôt si.
Tout était justement trop clair.
Son petit monologue les faisait honteusement passer tous les deux pour deux parfaits amoureux transis d'une immense affection réciproque et ne désirant pour rien au monde être séparés, ne serait-ce que pour une poignée de secondes.
Choquant.
Révoltant.
Ainsi, rapide comme l'éclair, elle décocha donc derechef un furieux coup de pied dans la tête de cet insolent de porcelet.
Histoire d'être bien sur que des pensées bizarres n'aillent pas s'y installer.
_-la ferme toi !_
_-mais je n'ai rien dit bon sang !_
_-ha ?……hmm…….peu importe ! Vous avez ça en stock ou pas ? _
_-hmm……laisse-moi voir ça………je crois avoir peut-être quelque chose se rapprochant de ce que vous desirez……._
Sans rien ajouter, la vielle se dirigea d'un bond léger et gracile vers l'arrière de la cuisine du restaurant.
Et plus exactement vers le mini salon ou la grand mère et la petit fille se délassait le soir en regardant un peu la télévision.
La pièce comptée deux grands placards, une table basse typiquement japonaise, un meuble télé et bien entendu……..une télévision.
Dans l'un des deux placards, se cachait discrètement un grand carton emplit, à l'image de la hotte du père noël, de mille mystérieux et envoûtant objets.
Parmi tout ce bric à brac, une paire de bibelot retint alors tout spécialement l'attention de la grand mère.
Deux minuscules objets circulaires et dont l'apparence ne laissait en rien, à l'observateur amateur qui les contemplait, présumait de leur vrai pouvoir.
Car pouvoir ils avaient bien.
Un petit pouvoir.
Presque insignifiant.
Mais dans le cas présent ou se retrouvaient nos deux héros, il se révélait hautement pratique.
_-cela a empêché les empereurs de chine de ne plus retrouver leurs chemins pendant près de 3000 ans_
_-encore les empereurs de chine………._
_-tu te moques Ranma ?_
_-non non……pensez-vous……..vous disiez ?_
_-regardez ces deux bagues……..lorsque elles sont éloignées l'une de l'autre de plus de 50 mètres, elle se mettent aussitôt à émettre une lumière bleutée clignotante………plus les clignotements sont rapides, plus l'autre bague est proche……..si elles s'éteignent, c'est que l'autre bague se trouve à moins de 10 mètres de sa ?_
_-quel rapport avec les empereurs de Chine ? _demanda Ryoga.
_-c'est simple…..si par exemple tu mets l'une des bagues à ton doigts et que tu laisse l'autre à un endroit précis, le clignotement t'indiqueras toujours la route à suivre pour rentrer à ce lieu……..et pareil si deux personnes les portent……ou qu'elles soient, elles pourront se retrouver !_
_-c'est parfait ! _s'exclamèrent à l'unisson les deux jeunes gens.
_-bravo mémé, pour une fois tes artefacts me sont vraiment utiles ! _renchérit Ranma.
_-mille merci grand mère ! _explosa d'une satisfaction sincère Ryoga.
Même Shampoo oublia sa brûlante contrariété un instant devant tant de bonne humeur et de joie.
Toujours retrouvait l'autre.
Ce qui en soit signifiait : « toujours retrouvait son chemin ».
Je vous laisse imaginez les sensations de Ryoga à la simple idée d'un tel miracle lui qui parfois avait du mal à sortir de sa propre maison.
Mais bon…….
La vie est ainsi faite que quant il vous arrive quelque chose de vraiment super agréable, la méfiance s'impose.
Pourquoi un tel cadeau du destin ?
Quel en sera le prix ?
Dans quelle direction la roue céleste du Karma va t-elle désormais tourner ?
Vous vous dites peut-être que l'auteur de cette histoire ne doit être qu'un sinistre cynique pour avoir oser tenir un tel éhonté propos.
Hélas, les évènements allaient lui donner raison. ( non mais ho, vous croyez quoi ?)
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C'est donc de forte bonne humeur que le dorénavant inséparable duo rentra paisiblement dans leur doux et acceuillant foyer.
Maintenant qu'elle était sure de ne plus perdre Ryoga, les neuf prochains mois apparurent comme par magie bien plus lumineux aux yeux de Ranma.
La peur de la solitude est une chose horriblement pesante.
Et encore plus celle de l'abandon.
Cet enfant naîtrait avec ces deux parents à ses cotés, elle s'en fit la promesse solennelle.
Car pour lui qui n'avait connus sa mère que très tard, et dans des conditions assez rocambolesques, cela sonnait dans son esprit comme un impératif.
Il n'en avait jamais parlé bien entendu.
Mais personne n'est jamais séparé de sa mère, comme lui l'avait été, sans que quelque part un creux, un sentiment douloureux, ne perdurent.
Toutefois, ces soucis étaient derrière elle.
Même l'incident survenu ce matin là ne parvint pas à la perturber.
Étant donné que après tout, il ne s'était rien passer de bien méchant au final.
_-tu as faim ? _questionna Ryoga une fois de retour à la maison.
_-assez oui……..il doit rester du ramen je pense…….tu t'en occupes !_
_-pourquoi moi ?_
_-pourquoi il me demande celui-là en plus……..et bien parce que tout est à cause de toi, parce que j'ai été obligé hier de faire les courses avec un petit sac tout mignon comme la dernière des femmes au foyer, parce que à cause de ta perversité sans nom je dois te supporter tous les jours pendant encore plus d'une année entière et parce que sinon je demande à Shampoo de venir nous livrer ! Tu t'expliqueras avec elle !_
_-Ranma ! voilà qui est mesquin !_
_-à ton service P-chan !_
Un échange d'idée qui certes d'un œil extérieur peut paraître un rien abrupte pour deux personnes prétendument de si bonne humeur.
Toutefois, en réalité tout cela avait été dit sur un ton plutôt badin, comme une vielle conversation non encore terminée et que les interlocuteurs prenaient plaisir à périodiquement reprendre.
Ce qui d'ailleurs était exactement le cas.
La tuile énorme qu'ils s'apprêtaient à recevoir joyeusement dans leurs gueules n'était à ce moment là qu'encore à une cinquantaine de kilomètre d'eux.
A l'aéroport international de Tokyo plus précisément.
Elle se penchait doucement vers le bord de la route et d'une voie guillerette appelait un taxi.
C'est court cinquante bornes en taxi.
Surtout si le chauffeur choisit intelligemment de prendre la voie expresse plutôt que la nationale pour rejoindre le cœur de la capitale et ainsi s'éviter tous les gros embouteillages.
C'est ce qu'il fit.
Le destin était en marche.
Et plus rien ne pouvait à présent l'arrêter.
_-alors ?_
_-hmm…….je dois avouer que pour un cochon, tu prépares très proprement à manger !_
_-Ranmaaaaaaaa !_
_-ça va, ça va……..c'est très bon Ryoga……..tu fais le ramen comme un chef_
_-haha ! tu vois !_
_-il faut dire aussi que ça demande une grande expertise et un immense savoir-faire de tout simplement faire bouillir de l'eau et d'y plonger les nouilles………tu m'épates !………d'ailleurs, en parlant d'eau, ça fait longtemps que je n'ai pas vu P-chan_
_-ne parle pas de malheur tu veux ?_ bougonna Ryoga.
Son visage s'éclaira soudain.
Un éclair de génie le traversa si brutalement que sa conscience en vacilla douloureusement une courte seconde.
P-chan.
Mais bien sur !
_-qu……qu'est-ce qui t'arrives Ryoga ? _s'empressa de demander Ranma devant la face de complet ahuri qu'afficha alors le père de sa futur progéniture et en priant secrètement pour que ce ne soit pas la manifestation d'une défaillance génétique des Hibiki, encore une, transmissible à l'enfant.
_-Aka…….Akane n'est pas en colère contre P-chan !_
_-ne me dit pas que…….que tu comptes aller la-bas quand même ?_
_-ou est le problème ? Je pourrais revenir sans risque avec la bague !_
Ca s'était vraiment un truc que Ranma apprécié beaucoup chez Ryoga en temps normal.
Le fait qu'avec lui, on ne savait jamais ce qu'il allait se passer ou ce qu'il allait faire.
Sauf que là, ils étaient tout sauf en temps normal.
Heureusement, l'esprit de Ryoga sembla suivre un cheminement rapide et cohérent comme le devina à son regard Ranma.
_-tu as compris le problème ?_
_-désolé Ranma, ce n'est pas très délicat de parler du dojo Tendo dans un moment pareil…….et encore moins d'Akane………de plus, si je me transformai, je perdrai la bague à coup sur………je m'excuse !_
_-ha, laisse tomber, s'est déjà bien que tu t'en sois aperçu tout seul……..mais fais voir ta bague d'ailleurs, c'est les mêmes ?_
_-je n'ai pas trop regardé à vrai dire…….on dirait bien oui………_
Se relevant légèrement de la position en tailleur qu'ils avaient adopté pour s'installer autour de la table et ainsi confortablement se sustenter, ils se rapprochèrent l'un de l'autre et inspectèrent plus minutieusement les deux anneaux, sans toutefois les enlever de leurs doigts.
Le taxi synonyme pour eux de bien des tourments se gara contre le trottoir adjacent à la résidence des Hibiki à cet instant précis.
Libérant les démons qui allaient faire abattre tout le poids de leur cruauté titanesque sur le malheureux couple.
_-c'est marrant, la tienne à des reflets bleus et la miennes des reflets verts non ? _constata Ryoga.
_-oui, c'est vrai………quel coup de pot quand même que la vielle bique ai eut ça chez elle…….._
_-pff……à qui le dis-tu !_
Leur attention accaparée comme elle l'était, ils n'entendirent pas la porte s'ouvrir.
Pas plus qu'ils ne les entendirent arriver.
_-au fait, je me posait une question……tu……tu crois que nos malédictions peuvent se transmettre au petit ? Ça serait vraiment terrible !_
_-non, rassure-toi, ça m'étonnerait Ryoga……..je n'ai jamais entendu parlé de malédiction de ce genre qui se poursuivraient sur plusieurs générations…….c'est nous qui sommes maudits et personne d'autre……..enfin, je l'espère sincèrement de tout mon cœur ! _
_-j'espère aussi………_
_-mais au fait, comment ça « le petit » ?_
_-qu'est-ce que tu veux dire ?_
_-qui te dis que ce sera un garçon ?_
_-tu ne préférerais pas ?_
_-ben je………._
_-bonjour Ryoga !…….un garçon ? _les coupa abruptement une tierce voix.
_-hé ? _s'étonnèrent-ils grandement.
Le cœur de Ryoga se mit à faire le grand huit dans sa poitrine.
Le rouge monta aux joues de Ranma devant l'ambiguïté sans nom de la situation.
Un garçon.
Une fille.
Très proches physiquement qui plus est.
Deux bagues aux doigts.
Et qui parlent à la cool du sexe de leur futur enfant.
S'en fut trop pour madame et monsieur Hibiki, eux honnêtes et gentilles personnes qui revenaient alors à peine de leurs seconde lune de miel.
_-et bien chérie, j'ai comme l'impression que…….._commença madame Hibiki.
_-oui, moi aussi ma puce, j'ai bien l'impression que…….._poursuivit monsieur Hibiki.
_-vous……..vous avez l'impression que quoi ? _s'enquit timidement Ryoga.
_-que nous allons avoir un mariage ! _répondirent-ils exactement en même temps et, ma foi, particulièrement gaiement.
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Une semaine plus tard.
Un magnifique et angélique sourire illuminant comme toujours son beau visage, Kasumi Tendo entra doucement dans le magasin d'Ukyo afin de commander plusieurs de ses délicieux plats.
_-bonjour !_
_-ha ! Bonjour Kasumi ! Que puis-je pour toi ?_
_-5 okonomiyaki je te pris_
_-et 5 qui marches ! Ça sera prêt dans une minute !_
Ukyo appréciait beaucoup la fille aînée de la famille Tendo.
Un mélange subtil de pure féminité et de douceur quasi bouddhique.
Un exemple pour toute femme.
_-comment ça va au dojo ? _s'enquit alors poliment la jeune damoiselle.
_-hoo, comme d'habitude_
_-je vois…….._
_-ton père va mieux ?_
_-bien mieux merci ! Il a enfin recommencé à parler…….mais hélas ce n'est que pour dire des obscénités à l'encontre de Ranma et de monsieur Saotome_
_-ha d'accord…….heuu…….et Akane ?_
_-elle va bien mieux aussi…….tiens d'ailleurs, aujourd'hui, après avoir appris la nouvelle du mariage entre Ranma et Ryoga, elle a aussitôt mise une armure de kendo et est partit en courant chez les Hibiki…….j'espère que tout va bien se passer_
_-quoi ?_
_-oui, c'est bizarre hein ? Une armure de kendo ne va pas vraiment bien à une fille……….je lui ai fait remarqué mais………._
_-non, mais je veux dire……pardon ? Le mariage de qui et qui !_
_-Ranma et Ryoga……tu ne savais pas ? C'est les parents de Ryoga qui ont insisté rapport à la grossesse de Ranma tu comprends…….mais d'après ce que j'ai cru comprendre, ça sera plus une cérémonie pour la forme, juste avec la famille proche, plutôt qu'un vrai mariage……Ukyo ? Tu t'en vas ?_
_-ex…..excuse moi, je dois y aller là ! Je te livrerai la commande chez toi, ok ?_
_-oui, bien sur !_
Sa spatule sur le dos.
La rage au cœur.
Les cheveux dressés de contrariété.
Et Ukyo partit en courant expliquait sa façon de voir les choses concernant ce mariage au deux jeunes promis.
A quelques kilomètres de là, une autre damoiselle brûlant d'une juste colère, s'apprêtait à entrer au domicile des Hibiki.
_-imbécile de Ranma ! Cette fois-ci plus de pitié ! Ranma ! Montre toi vermine ! _hurla-t-elle de toute l'incroyable capacité de ses deux poumons.
_-non mais ça va pas bien de crier comme ça non ? _osa insolemment venir la faire sursauter une petite voix derrière elle.
Pivot 360 degré.
Cri pour libérer son Ki.
Attaque au front à l'aide d'un boken. (sabre en bois)
Et voilà un Ranma avec une énorme bosse sur le haut du crane.
_-ça me fait plaisir de te revoir Akane…….._
_-moi aussi _murmura-t-elle d'un air terrible signifiant clairement l'exact opposé de sa déclaration, son boken toujours incrusté dans le front de Ranma.
_-je suppose que tu as appris la « grande » nouvelle ?_
_-tu supposes bien scélérat ! Alors ça ne te suffit plus de porter l'enfant de Ryoga ? Tu dois aussi devenir sa…….sa femme !_
_-tu ne sais rien du problème……alors tu serais gentille de ne pas t'emportée bêtement de la sorte comme la brute que tu es !_
_-ha je suis une brute hein ?_ lui demanda-t-elle de clarifier sa pensée à le refrappant violemment.
_-exactement !_
Une conversation tout à fait normal entre ses deux là en somme.
Le fait qu'Akane se soit sentit oblige de venir jusque ici pour lui montrer à quel point elle désapprouvait vertement ce mariage aurait put en d'autres circonstances être source d'une certaine fierté purement masculine pour Ranma.
Imaginez-vous un peu.
Une fille a qui vous avez fait le pire coup possible, un enfant dans le dos, accourt pour dire « non » à votre union avec une autre personne.
Comme c'est beau.
Ça aurait à coup sur arraché une larme à Kuno s'il avait assisté à la scène.
Sauf que Ranma avait présentement la tête a mille lieux de songé à de telle frivoles considérations, inquiets qu'il était pour son propre devenir.
Madame Hibiki.
Si on lui avait dit ça quelques semaines à peine en arrière, il aurait certainement bien rigolé.
Mais comment expliquait aux parents de Ryoga dans quelles sinistres conditions tout cela s'était passé ?
Et comment leur expliquait qu'en réalité la futur épouse de leur fils était un homme ?
Ils ne le croiraient jamais.
Ils riraient.
Se gausseraient.
Et diraient qu'ils étaient une sacré bande de petits plaisantins.
Ranma dut toutefois convenir que les Hibiki étaient vraiment des gens hautement charmants.
Polis, gentils, attentionnés et prévenant.
Depuis une semaine qu'ils étaient rentrés, ils étaient littéralement au petit soins pour elle.
Un vrai marasme.
L'ultime catastrophe.
_-alors c'est vrai ? Tu vas vraiment l'épouser ?_
_-ce n'est pas un mariage idiote ! C'est plus comme……..comme une sorte de fiançailles…….très officielle………voilà, oui, c'est ça………et puis pourquoi tu portes une armure de Kendo nom de nom ?_
_-ben je…….je…….tu vois sur le coup…….dans l'excitation de la nouvelle je………_
_-et dire que je pensais que tu ne pouvais pas être moins sexy…….ben si…….bravo…….tu as réussit…….tu l'as fait !_
Les mots étaient sortit tout seul.
Vite.
Trop vite.
En réalité, cela lui avait fait réellement plaisir de la revoir mais avec tout ces soucis, sa langue avait démarré avant son cerveau.
Akane le gratifia d'un large sourire.
L'assura de tout ses bons sentiments pour le mariage.
Lui souhaita une bonne grossesse ainsi qu'un accouchement facile.
Elle lui demanda instamment de la re-contacter une fois que l'enfant serait de ce monde pour qu'elle vienne le voir.
Et, sans plus de cérémonies futiles, se mit à le battre comme plâtre.
Leur fiançailles furent officiellement rompu ce jour là sur décision de Shoun après qu'Akane lui ai fait le résumé de sa « visite » chez les Hibiki.
Ranma et Ryoga ne se marièrent pas.
Mais comme avait tenté de l'expliquer Ranma à Akane, ils furent seulement « fiancé » et reçurent la bénédiction des parents de Ryoga ainsi que de Genma qui avait eut pour l'occasion l'autorisation de sortir du zoo.
Toutefois, ils se durent promettre de se marier en bonne et dut forme maximum 6 mois après l'accouchement.
Il perdit une fiancé.
Il gagna un fiancé.
Et cela le même jour.
Oui.
Vraiment.
Le destin a un sens de l'humour tout particulier.
Le jeune couple dépendait des Hibiki pour leur survie.
Sans eux pas de toit.
Pas de nourriture.
Alors comment dire non à ces fiançailles ?
Certes ils auraient put vivre dans la montagne.
Mais ce ne sont pas des conditions acceptables de vie pour une fille portant un enfant.
Il n'y eut guère de monde pour assister à la cérémonie.
Monsieur et madame Hibiki, Ranma et Ryoga, Genma et l'employé du zoo chargé de le surveiller puis de le ramener et Ukyo.
De toutes ses prétendantes, elle était probablement celle qui connaissait et aimait le plus Ranma.
Car oui, son amour pour lui était si puissant qu'elle accepta de la soutenir, de rester près de lui en ces temps délicat.
Comme elle resterait près de lui pendant les neufs mois que durerait sa grossesse.
Comme une amie.
Comme sa meilleur amie.
Comme la femme qui avait pour le lui les sentiments les plus pures, les plus sincères.
Les garçons ne pleurent pas.
Mais les filles en ont le droit.
Et ce soir là, Ukyo ne s'en priva pas.
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J'ai fait l'étrange choix de finir ce chapitre sur les sentiments d'Ukyo plutôt que sur la cérémonie en elle-même ou sur les impressions de Ranma et Ryoga.
Pourquoi ?
Et bien parce que déjà j'adore ce perso et parce que surtout elle aura un rôle important pour la suite de l'histoire.
De plus j'ai trouvé amusant que le titre de ce chapitre, boys don't cry, fasse justement référence aux sentiments d'une fille qui durant un moment s'est fait passé pour un type.
Voilà, le prochain chapitre se nommera : « walking on sunshine »
A plus !
6. walking on sunshine
Et c'est repartit !
Les différentes parties de ce chapitre ne se passent pas à la même époques mais pas de panique, ça reste très clair. (j'espère, lol)
Une suite pas super axée comédie, mais nécessaire pour faire avancer l'histoire.
Bonne lecture !
Chapitre 6 : walking on sunshine
Un léger rayon de soleil lui chatouillant délicatement la joue, Ranma ouvrit doucement ses yeux et contempla avec un plaisir non simulé cette nouvelle matinée d'hors et déjà annonciatrice de mille promesses de joie et de bonheur.
Le blanc, qui régnait en maître sur les murs, le plafond et même sur le lit de la grande pièce dans laquelle elle venait de passer une courte nuit de repos, s'accorda à merveille à l'humeur alors fort bienheureuse du cœur de Ranma.
Deux autres personnes étaient auprès d'elle sur ce même matelas, et une troisième dormait encore à quelques mètre de là à peine, sur une sorte de lit de camp improvisé.
Deux étaient ses meilleurs amis.
Quant à la troisième……….
Que dire sur elle ?
Existe-il dans notre vocabulaire un seul mot ayant la prétention de seulement essayer de décrire une telle merveille ?
Quel serait cet adjectif prétentieux qui se croirait de taille à prendre la mesure de l'ange qui se reposait alors tout contre sa jeune et rayonnante maman ?
Non.
Je ne ferai pas l'affront à Ranma et Ryoga de tentait avec mon misérable et insignifiant vocabulaire de mettre quelque qualificatif ridicule d'inconsistance sur leur merveilleux enfant nouvellement née.
Car, comme vous l'avez sûrement deviné, la scène se déroulait dans un hôpital.
Ou plus exactement, dans une des chambres de repos de la section obstétrique de cet immense complexe entièrement dédié à la médecine et aux soins.
Ryoga, assis sur une chaise mais le haut de son corps reposant sur le lit, était encore assoupis.
En réalité, Ranma eut quasiment l'impression que l'accouchement avait été en quelque sorte plus une épreuve pour l'aimable et si dévoué jeune homme que pour elle même tant l'inquiétude la concernant avait rongé impitoyablement Ryoga la veille.
Quasiment.
Car, maintenant elle le savait, donnait la vie n'était certes pas une affaire aisée que l'on pouvait prendre de façon désinvolte.
Heureusement pour la petite famille, l'enfant avait eut pour sa maman l'aimable attention de n'être ni trop lourd, ni peu désireux de faire durer inutilement le supplice.
Tout avait été réglé en moins de deux heures, ce qui en soit est un vrai petit miracle.
Mais d'ailleurs, qu'elle était donc le nom de cette nouvelle étincelle de vie ?
Étonnement, le choix du prénom n'avait fournit aux deux parents qu'un très court et pacifique débat.
Ryoga avait lancé des propositions.
Ranma en avait retenu une.
La décision fut aussitôt fixée.
Ce serait « enfant de fleur »
Hanako.
Remuant légèrement, la troisième personne présente, celle qui se trouvait sur le petit lit, choisit cet instant pour s'éveiller à son tour.
Son regard s'attarda un long moment sur le plafond, comme si elle ne parvenait pas à se rappeler ou elle était ni ce qu'elle pouvait bien faire là.
Puis, brutalement, ses yeux s'écarquillèrent et, d'un mouvement rapide, elle se précipita aussitôt vers son amie, un large sourire éclairant déjà son visage.
_-Ranma ! _
_-chuuuuuuuuuuuuuut ! _l'enjoignit-elle de se calmer en désignant l'enfant.
_-oups ! Désolé………elle dort toujours ?_
_-c'est fatiguant de naître………._lui expliqua Ranma.
_-j'imagine……….hé, regarde Ryoga, il n'a pas l'air très en forme lui non plus _plaisanta aimablement Ukyo en pointant du doigt le père d'Hanako.
_-pff……comme d'habitude, c'est moi qui fait tout le boulot et c'est lui qui est crevé ! _poursuivit la boutade Ranma, mais sans la moindre trace de sévérité dans les yeux.
_-je le réveille ?_
_-non, laisse-le va………le connaissant, je ne crois pas qu'il ait beaucoup dormit cette nuit le pauvre_
Et elle le connaissait bien.
Il les avait en effet veillées, Ranma et Hanako, courageusement jusque bien avant dans la nuit.
Son cœur équitablement partagé entre un immense bonheur et un incommensurable soulagement de savoir tout le monde se portant pour le mieux.
Ranma soupira.
La journée s'annonçait si diablement longue.
Les Hibiki passeraient les voir d'ici probablement maximum une demi-heure.
Ensuite viendrait à coup sur Genma, Kasumi, Nabiki, Akane, les deux chinoises, Shoun et Mousse peut-être.
_-à quoi tu penses ?_
_-hmmm ? Ha, non…..je me demandait juste à quelle heure commencerait les visites………_
_-tu vas te faire couvrir de cadeaux aujourd'hui _la taquina gentiment la brune.
_-très drôle……..je préférerai me faire couvrir de sommeil, crois moi_
_-haaaa ! Elle ouvre les yeux ! _s'emporta de gaieté Ukyo en constatant que les deux petites billes bleus du regard de l'enfant s'ouvraient délicatement sur le monde. _bonjour Hanako !_
En fait, Hanako n'était pas précisément sur le même matelas que sa mère, mais plutôt dans une sorte de berceau sur pied, typique de ceux utilisés dans les hôpitaux , qui avait été intelligemment déposé par les infirmières au plus proche du lit médicalisé ou s'était reposait Ranma.
_-bonjour Hanako……..bonjour ma puce _murmura tendrement Ranma en se plongeant sans retenu et amoureusement dans le regard de sa fille.
Un problème amusant auquel personne n'avait réellement pensé jusque à encore très récemment était le fait non moins amusant que Ranma n'avait à proprement parler pas d'existence légale.
Il existait un Ranma Saotome.
Un jeune homme de désormais 17 ans qui étudiait au lycée Furinkan et qui était le fils de Genma et Nodoka Saotome.
Mais il n'existait nul part sur les registres officiels du gouvernement une Ranma Saotome, jeune fille qui aurait éternellement 16 ans et qui était dorénavant maman d'une petite Hanako.
Pour être clair, la maman d'Hanako n'avait pas d'identité.
Ennuyeux.
D'autant plus qu'il était littéralement hors de question pour Ranma que sa fille soit de mère inconnue.
Que ce soit aux yeux de l'état ou aux yeux de n'importe qui d'autres sur cette terre.
Hélas, comment faire ?
Histoire de simplifier un peu l'équation, il avait été décidé qu'Hanako porterait le nom de famille de son père.
Mais sa mère devait elle-aussi avoir un nom malgré tout.
Avec le sens commun que nous lui connaissons tous, ce fut Ryoga qui mit un point final à la question en clamant haut et fort que si équation il y avait, pourquoi ce serait-il donc à eux de la résoudre ?
La maman était Ranma ?
Et bien la maman serait et resterait Ranma.
_-laissons l'état se dépatouiller tout seul avec cette histoire ! L'enfant a déjà un nom de famille, non ? Et Ranma a un nom aussi que je sache ! _avait-il déclarait quelques semaines auparavant.
Ainsi fut-il discuté, ainsi fut-il fait et ainsi fut-il déclaré énergiquement la veille par Ryoga dans le bureau du fonctionnaire chargé de cette question.
L'aimable vielle homme releva les noms, le prénom de la petite, quelques documents administratifs nécessaires et se chargea derechef de donnait une existence légale à Hanako, fille de monsieur Ryoga Hibiki et de mademoiselle Ranma Saotome.
Comme dans un rêve.
Sans problème.
Sauf que, et bien qu'aucun des deux parents ne le savaient et vraisemblablement ne le sauront jamais, un drôle de ballet s'était déroulé un peu auparavant dans ce même bureau.
Un ballet orchestré par l'inénarrable Shoun Tendo en personne, assisté de Genma, qui comptait justement parmi ses amis ce dit fonctionnaire.
Car Shoun n'avait pas oublier qui était Ranma.
Pas plus qu'il n'avait oublié l'affection qu'il lui portait jadis et qu'il nourrissait encore pour ce diable de polisson.
Désormais, dans la circonscription de Nerima du moins, il existait une Ranma Saotome.
Et si personne ne venait poser trop de question et si les intéressés ne poussaient pas l'état à s'intéressait de près à eux, tout devait gentiment et tranquillement se passer comme sur des roulettes.
_-elle est si mignonne ! _se pâma de bonheur Ukyo.
_-il me tarde que ses dents poussent………._
_-pourquoi ? Ce n'est pas une période très agréable pour les parents d'après ce que j'ai cru comprendre_
_-pour voir si elle aura les mêmes que Ryoga_
_-tu veux dire……..si elle aura les mêmes crocs que lui ? _demanda-t-elle en tirant sans ménagement sur l'une des joues de Ryoga afin de mieux voir ça dentition.
_-tous les Hibiki les ont………_
_-mais elle n'est pas seulement une Hibiki ! Elle est aussi une Saotome !_
_-Ukyo ! _se plaignit alors le papa, l'une de ses joues toujours cruellement tenaillée entre les doigts de la damoiselle.
_-désolé ! Ben comme ça tu pourras voir Hanako…… _
_-hmmmmmmm………._bougonna-t-il, toutes une armée de cernes visibles sous ses yeux.
Toutefois, de voir en effet sa fille lui enleva rapidement toute velléité belliqueuse pour ce vigoureux réveil.
Lui le doublement maudit.
Lui le malchanceux.
Lui l'oublié des dieux venait d'être bénit au delà de toute ses espérances.
Quant une porte se ferme, une autre s'ouvre comme on dit.
En tant que passionné des armes martiaux, longtemps il avait espéré que ce soit un fils.
Mais étrangement le jour ou ils avaient appris grâce à une échographie, encore une technologie bien obscure pour lui, que ce serait une fille il n'en conçu pas le moindre regret.
_-imbécile ! tu crois que les filles ne s'intéressent jamais aux arts martiaux ? Tu as oublié Shampoo ? Et Akane ? _lui avait alors remit en mémoire Ranma, toutefois sur un ton bien plus patient que la retranscription de cette conversation pourrait le laisser sous-entendre.
Non pas que Ryoga fut en quoi que ce soit un machiste bien entendu.
Mais il avait seulement quelques idées un peu préconçues sur certains sujets.
Idées que du reste, la vie quotidienne avec Ranma et la perspective d'avoir une fille lui avait bien vite ôté.
Durant son court repos, il avait fait un rêve.
Ou plus exactement, il avait revu ses 9 derniers mois.
Les épreuves, les coups durs, les bons moments et surtout cette fameuse soirée.
Cette soirée ou lui et Ranma avaient été officiellement fiancés.
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Quelques mois plus tôt.
_-Ranma ! Explique-toi immédiatement ! _rugit de déconvenue une damoiselle alors plus qu'extrêmement courroucée.
_-haaaaa, c'est pas vrai……encore une………_
_-encore une quoi ?_
Se relevant de l'endroit ou Akane l'avait abandonné après l'avoir copieusement tabassé à grand coups de boken, Ranma se prépara à affronter la colère d'une autre de ses « adorées » et tellement « douces » fiancées.
_-holala, mais qui t'as mis dans cet état ?_
_-cette sale brute d'Akane………._
_-je croyais qu'elle ne voulait plus te frapper ?_
_-ouais ben, je crois que l'on peut sans se tromper considérait qu'elle a changé d'opinion à ce sujet……….._
_-c'est quoi cette histoire de mariage ? _ne perdit toutefois pas le nord Ukyo.
_- « fiançailles » ! Ce sont des fiançailles et pas un mariage ! Et si je pouvais me l'éviter je le ferai mais………_
_-mais quoi ?_
_-je……..les parents de Ryoga, tu comprends…….je………_
_-quoi ? viens vivre chez moi si c'est ça le problème !_
Intéressante perspective.
Mais assez égoïste d'un certain point de vue.
D'autant plus qu'a présent les Hibiki étaient au courant.
Et que diraient-ils à Ryoga si Ranma partait ainsi pour un autre foyer ?
Et qu'en penserait Ryoga ?
Car l'air de rien, il était tout autant impliqué qu'elle dans cette histoire, même s'il avait le rôle le plus facile des deux.
_-écoute, ces fiançailles ne me plaisent pas plus qu'a toi……..beaucoup moins même, soit en sur !…….mais en même temps, ça ne signifie pas grand chose pour être honnête……..je veux dire, ce n'est qu'une cérémonie informelle juste pour marquait le coup……rien de plus_
_-hmm, je vois………._
_-j'ai déjà perdu une famille, les Tendo………et les Hibiki sont vraiment des braves gens…….si je venais chez toi on n'en finirait plus……..avec Shampoo et même Akane…………ça serait tous les jours la guerre dans ton restaurant ! Elles ne comprendraient pas ce que je fais chez toi…….ici au moins je devrai avoir la paix…….. « on » devrait avoir la paix ! _
Ranma avait attaqué sous le bon angle l'armure de la jeune fille.
Le sens du commerce d'Ukyo ne pouvait en effet supportait l'idée d'une lutte perpétuelle à l'endroit même qui était sa seule et unique source de revenu.
_-pff, ces sales pestes !_
_-comme tu dis………_
_-alors ? Ça se passe quant ?_
_-ce soir_
_-je peux venir ?_
_-tu veux ? _s'étonna Ranma.
_-bien sur ! on est…….on…….on est ami non ?_
_-oui, de très bons amis même, U-chan ! Mais ne commence pas à frapper Ryoga d'accord ? Ça m'étonnerai que ces parents comprennent ce qui se passe si tu te mettais à le rouster !_
_-t'inquiètes, pour ce soir je le laisserai tranquille _l'assura-t-elle, en agrémentant sa déclaration d'un petit clin d'œil complice.
Ce qu'elle fit du reste, malgré toutes les inquiétudes infondées de Ryoga.
Vers 19 heures 30, le gentil employé du zoo arriva enfin avec Genma au bout d'une laisse et les Hibiki décidèrent qu'il était plus que temps de commencer.
La cérémonie n'était, comme l'avait prédit Ranma, vraiment pas grand chose.
Les deux fiancées devaient boire un thé sacré et se promettre ensuite l'un à l'autre le mariage ainsi qu'un amour aussi sincère qu'éternel.
Ranma portait un magnifique kimono féminin traditionnel.
Ryoga le même genre de truc, mais pour les hommes.
Facile.
Sans problème.
Sur un pied.
Et en souriant encore !
_-moi, Ranma, promet solennellement en ce jour de toujours…….de………de toujours aimer………hmmm……..de toujours………._
_-tout va bien Ranma ? _Demanda gentiment madame Hibiki, craignant que sa belle fille n'ait attrapé brutalement froid.
_-oui, oui…….je…….un petit chat dans la gorge madame, rien de plus……….bon ! Allons-y ! tu es prêt Ryoga ? _cria l'heureuse maman en serrant ses deux poings en en affichant un air menaçant.
_-oui ! _répondit son « être aimer », prêt comme jamais.
_-ce n'est pas un combat bande d'idiots ! _les coupa un peu cruellement dans leur élan Ukyo.
_-silence ! Moi, Ranma ! Promet solennellement en ce jour de toujours t'aimer Ryoga ! Et de me marier avec toi dans les six mois qui suivront la venu au monde de notre enfant !_
_-j'ai compris ! Moi, Ryoga ! J'accepte tes vœux et promets solennellement de toujours t'aimer ! Et de me marier avec toi dans les six mois qui suivront la venu au monde de notre enfant !_
_-bien !_
_-parfait !_
_-voilà qui est fait !_
_-exactement !_
_-hooo, comme s'était beau……..n'est pas chérie ? _interrogea madame Hibiki en se tournant vers son mari.
_-très beau ! Ça me rappelle nos propres fiançailles !_
_-félicitation ! _lança gaiement l'employé du zoo.
_-bombobobombomboobbom ! _surenchérit Genma.
S'en suivit l'absorption du thé, qui ressembla malheureusement plus à un concourt de celui qui boirait le plus vite et avec l'air le plus dégoûté possible qu'a réellement un moment chargé en émotion comme il aurait été plus décent qu'il fut.
_-Ryoga !_
_-Ranma !_
_-l'émotion qui m'étreint le cœur est incroyablement incroyable !_
_-je n'aurai sut dire mieux !_
_-quelle belle fiançailles !_
_-un pur concentré de bonheur !_
_-il ne manque plus que le baiser pour clore la cérémonie à présent…….._leur expliqua madame Hibiki.
Ranma se paralysa.
Ryoga devint plus rouge qu'une borne incendie.
Ukyo saisit sa spatule, sa patience ayant plus qu'atteinte ses limites.
L'employé du zoo applaudit encore plus fort.
Genma entama son sixième morceau de bambou.
Les Hibiki versèrent une larme devant la beauté de ce jeune couple.
_-maman ! Allons ! On ne peut pas faire ça voyons ! _s'empressa de protester Ryoga.
_-ha oui ! Ils ne peuvent pas du tout ! _tomba d'accord avec lui Ukyo, sa spatule sous le cou de l'heureux fiancé.
_-pourquoi ? Vous êtes fiancés maintenant……..et puis…….pardon mais, ça bien dut déjà arriver j'imagine non ?…..puisque Ranma est…….enfin, vous voyez quoi………._
Les informations ne parvenaient plus aux oreilles de Ranma qu'au compte goutte tant la surprise l'avait laissé coi.
Ne pouvait-on pas le laisser un peu tranquille ?
Sa situation n'était-elle pas déjà assez terrible ?
Manifestement non, comme allait lui prouver les évènements à suivre.
_-un bisou ! Un bisou ! Un bisou ! _chantèrent-ils tous en cœur.
_-je……je……je vais craquer Ryoga ! _souffla Ranma.
_-courage Ranma ! Tiens bon ! Je vais trouver une solution !_
Ding dong.
La sonnette retentit joyeusement, donnant au passage un cours répit aux deux tourtereaux.
_-ha ! Voilà les plats que j'ai commandé !_
_-tu as commandé à manger chérie ? _pressa de répondre son épouse monsieur Hibiki.
_-oui, c'est plus simple comme ça pour ce soir……._
_-comme tu es prévoyante ma mie !_
_-livraison du Cat-Café ! _retentit une voix féminine depuis le pas de la porte.
Peu de personne sur terre peuvent comprendre le doute qui assaillit alors de sa morsure glacée le cœur fragile et délicat de Shampoo lorsque elle découvrit ce triste spectacle.
Son adoré Ranma vulgairement déguisé en parfaite épouse.
Cet imbécile de Ryoga auprès de lui.
Elle ne put en supporter d'avantage.
Elle pouvait être aussi douce que foncièrement violente.
Et là, elle n'eut pas vraiment envi d'être douce.
Mais elle ne trouva pas la force d'être violente non plus.
_-Shampoo ! _couinèrent ensemble Ranma et Ryoga.
Plus personne n'osa parler.
Que devrait-elle encore endurer pour lui ?
Un homme méritait-il tant de souffrances, tant de douleurs ?
Avait-elle vraiment un jour sut pourquoi elle lui courait tellement après ?
Devant ce triste spectacle, l'esprit de Shampoo s'ouvrit enfin à de plus larges perspectives.
Non.
Personne ne méritait ça.
Personne n'avait le droit de la traiter ainsi.
Même pour le code, même pour sa grand-mère.
Elle était Shampoo, fière et puissante amazone chinoise, et sûrement pas une simple courtisane sans plus d'honneur que d'amour propre.
Se fut l'ultime goutte qui vint faire déborder un vase déjà bien trop plein.
_-voici votre commande_
_-je……je…….merci mademoiselle…….tenez, voilà l'argent_
_-merci madame_
Au moins une fois être digne de son nom et de son rang.
Sans rien ajouter.
Sans ne serait-ce que murmurait un simple mot.
Elle se retira.
Bien décidé à sérieusement reprendre sa vie en main.
_-vous la connaissez ?_
_-heuu, non maman…….enfin si…….un peu………_
_-hmmmm………enfin bref ! Reprenons ! Le bisou ! Le bisou ! Le bisou !_
C'est toujours comme ça les réunions de famille.
Ça part à chaque fois dans tous les sens.
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Plus tard, cette même soirée.
Marchant au hasard dans les rues de la préfecture de Nerima, Ukyo laissait tranquillement ses pieds lui dictaient la route à suivre.
Elle avait bien lut dans les yeux de la chinoise quant cette dernière avait débarqué chez les Hibiki.
Akane.
Et à présent Shampoo.
Le nombre de fiancées de Ranma fondait comme neige au soleil.
Il ne restait plus qu'elle et Kodachi en lice dorénavant.
Mais cette dernière ne comptait pas, tant l'unique héritier de la famille Saotome ne nourrissait que de l'indifférence, voir du dégoût, à son égard.
Pourtant, cet état de fait ne parvint pas à la réjouir.
Comment être satisfaite d'une telle situation ?
Dans son esprit, la scène à laquelle elle venait d'assister se rejoua encore une fois.
Le visage convulsé de colère de Ranma.
La mine incroyablement gênée de Ryoga.
Et puis leurs lèvres, qui lentement s'étaient rapprochées l'une de l'autre pour finalement s'unir en un frileux et rapide baiser.
Une larme s'échappa de son magnifique regard noisette.
_-pourquoi je ne parviens pas à l'oublier ?_
L'amour est un arbre aux nombreux fruits.
Certains sont sucrés.
D'autres sont amers.
Ukyo venait de mordre dans le plus acide et blessant de ces fruits.
Mais aussi déplaisants soient parfois ces fruits, aucun de nous ne peut s'empêcher de les manger.
_-pour lui je ne suis qu'U-chan…….la vielle amie, celle qui fait les okonomiyaky qu'il aime tant goulûment dévorer………..mais je…….je…….bon sang ! Je l'aime comme une folle ! _pleura-t-elle sans retenu en s'adossant au mur d'une boutique de vêtements.
Elle eut honte d'elle-même.
Voilà qu'elle pleurait comme une fillette !
_-soit ! Soyons U-chan ! Soyons son amie puisque telle est mon rôle……pour l'instant !_
Ukyo avait un grand sens pratique et possédait une aussi grande logique.
Elle était la dernière de ses fiancées encore près de lui.
C'était la dernière ligne droite.
Car qu'arriverait-il après que cet enfant soit venu au monde ?
Ranma pourrait enfin redevenir un homme et il ne s'en priverait certainement pas.
Bien entendu, jamais il n'épouserai Ryoga.
Alors qu'allait-il faire ?
Il ne pouvait pas rester chez les Hibiki pour toujours non plus.
_-Ranma, je serai toujours là pour toi et pour ton enfant……..et peut-être……oui, peut-être qu'un jour……….._
Ne vous trompez pas, ce n'était nullement là des calculs mesquins et bas.
Ses sentiments étaient sincères et honnêtes.
Mais elle pensait au long terme.
Et elle devina que le temps pourrait devenir le meilleur de ses alliés.
_-un enfant de Ranma…….._sourit-elle toute seule dans le noir à cette simple idée.
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Temps présent, onze heure du matin.
_-rhoooooo ! c'est vraiment une merveille cette petite ! gizou giza gizou ! Hanako ? gizou gizou _se laissa emporter par l'émotion Shoun devant l'adorable frimousse de la petite.
De revoir la bonne veille face joyeuse de Shoun dessina un sourire sur le visage las de Ranma.
Ce très cher Shoun.
_-hahahahahhaha Tendo ! Quant les Saotome font des filles s'est quelque chose hein ? _fanfaronna Genma.
_-qu'est-ce que tu veux dire par là Saotome ? Que mes filles ne sont pas jolies ?_
_-non non ! Hahahahahaha ! Calme toi Tendo ! Ce n'est pas du tout ça !_
Tous les Tendo étaient présent dans la chambre.
Les Hibiki étaient déjà passés et étaient restés deux heures avant de devoir finalement partir.
Toutefois, ni Shampoo ni Mousse n'avaient encore montré le bout de leur nez.
Ce qui en soit n'était pas vraiment une mauvaise nouvelle.
Évidement, pour l'une des filles de Shoun, cette enfant représentait un bien surprenant mélange de sentiments confus.
Car en théorie, ça aurait été à elle de porter l'enfant de Ranma et d'ainsi offrir un avenir tout tracé à l'école d'art martiaux sans pitié ainsi qu'a sa famille.
Mais finalement, cet enfant Ranma l'avait porté elle-même.
Et s'était l'avenir des famille Hibiki et Saotome qu'il assurait, et non plus celle des Tendo.
Elle tentait bien chaque jour de se persuader que Ranma n'avait jamais compté, que c'était leurs parents qui avaient décidés pour eux……etc……..
Malgré tout.
Là.
Devant l'adorable Hanako.
Ce ne fut certes pas aussi facile de se convaincre soi-même.
Le poids de ce que l'on a perdu est le plus lourd à porter.
_-Hanako ? Regarde, c'est tatie Akane……..tu sais ? la tatie très violente_
_-Ranma !_
_-je plaisante Akane, je plaisante……..ça me fait très plaisir que tu sois venu……._
_-votre fille est magnifique……félicitation à vous deux !_
_-ne félicite pas trop Ryoga, ça lui monte à la tête et après il est infernal à la maison !_
Ils rirent tous de bon cœur à la boutade, chacun désirant plus que tout que cette bonne humeur perdure pour toujours entre les trois familles réunies.
_-Ranma ?_
_-oui Nabiki ?_
_-vous avez essayé l'eau froide sur elle ?_
_-ce n'est pas un monstre de foire ! Et je ne vous laisserai pas faire d'expérience sur elle ! _s'insurgea Ryoga, outré devant une telle scandaleuse proposition.
_-ça va Ryoga……ne t'énerves pas……..la petite a déjà eut un bain tu ne te rappelles pas ?_
_-oui mais…….l'eau n'était pas froide, non Ramna ?_
_-j'ai vérifié……elle n'était certes pas complètement froide, mais bien assez pour nous transformer toi et moi………pas de soucis, notre Hanako n'est pas maudite _
La fatigue peut-être.
L'accouchement de la veille probablement.
Quoi qu'il en soit, sa dernière déclaration ne manqua pas d'être relever par l'ensemble des personnes réunis en ces lieux.
_-comment ça toi et moi ? Ryoga……tu…..toi aussi tu es maudit ? _sauta aussitôt sur l'occasion la pourtant d'habitude si longue à la détente Akane.
Et hop.
Sans crié gare, voilà comment en deux secondes le plus beau jour de votre vie devient comme par magie vraiment beaucoup moins agréable.
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Voilà, j'espère que cette suite vous aura diverti.
Les grandes lignes du prochain chapitre restent encore à fixer donc…….pas de teaser cette fois, lol.
A plus !
7. le prix des choses
Bonjour à tous !
Un chapitre assez sérieux cette fois.
Mais bon, il faut bien que nos héros traversent quelques épreuves quand même, lol.
Grosse bise baveuse et sincère à Lunenoire pour ses gentils messages.
Bonne lecture !
Chapitre 7 : le prix des choses
Une promesse est une promesse.
Voilà certes un dicton que Ranma Saotome aurait bien aimé que l'on lui laisse un peu l'occasion d'oublier.
Hélas, les Hibiki semblaient s'être mis obstinément en tête de le lui rappeler à chaque nouvelle occasion se présentant gaiement à eux.
Une pression que la jeune maman commençait singulièrement à trouver pour le moins pesante, voir presque irritante, malgré la douce et sincère affection qu'elle portait aux parents de Ryoga.
_-qu'est-ce que tu en penses toi Ryoga ? _
Assis sur l'une des chaises trônant dans le salon de la résidence familiale, la petite Hanako gentiment installée sur ses genoux, l'intéressé ne lui répondit toutefois pas immédiatement, perdu qu'il était dans ses propres maussades et tristes pensées.
_-hmm ? Ha ! Oui……le mariage ?…….heuu……je ne sais pas trop quoi te dire……_lança-t-il d'une voix lointaine à un Ranma qui faisait depuis une bonne heure déjà les cent pas dans la pièce.
_-comment ça tu ne sais pas ?_
_-hein ?_
_-bon sang……….tu ne pourrais pas te concentrer un peu sur le problème nom de nom de bougre de tête de cochon !_
Depuis deux jours déjà, le malheureux jeune homme paraissait en effet comme littéralement plongé dans une sorte d'état second léthargique dont seul sa fille, et à l'occasion Ranma, parvenaient à le sortir.
Il serait fort inopportun et maladroit de sous-estimer le bonheur que lui avait par le passé apportait le seul fait d'être auprès d'Akane.
Et cela même sous l'apparence grotesque et risible d'un petit cochon noir à l'éternel foulard bicolore.
Mais maintenant elle savait.
Après la phrase prononçait avec une maladresse et une légèreté affligeante par Ranma, il n'avait fallut guère de temps à l'esprit d'Akane pour enfin faire les bonnes connections, pour reliait entre eux les si nombreux indices liant inexorablement P-chan à Ryoga.
La jeune fille, fidèle à elle-même, avait pris tout cela avec sa douceur et sa tempérance coutumière.
En clair, elle s'était alors mis à gueuler comme un porc que l'on égorge.
_--vous deux, vous……..vous……vous m'aurez vraiment tout fait ! _avait-elle rugit, une flamme si menaçante brûlant dans ses yeux que la peur qu'Hanako devienne orpheline avait durant une monstrueuse minute traversait les cranes épais de ses deux parents.
Malgré tout, aucune baffe ne fut distribuer ce jour-là, aucun coup de poing ne fut brutalement propulser contre une malchanceuse mâchoire et aucun coup de pied ne vint meurtrir qui que ce soit.
Akane, en se drapant dans le peu de dignité lui demeurant encore, se contenta juste de partir.
Mais non sans avoir au préalable furieusement exprimait son mécontentement de par une diatribe verbale si vulgaire que je n'oserai nullement vous la retranscrire de peur de profondément choquait vos chastes et purs yeux.
Elle sortit donc, claquant si violemment la porte de la chambre que les gonds s'en arrachèrent sous l'impact.
Shoun ne dit rien.
Kasumi se contenta de lancé un de ses célèbres « halala ».
Nabiki se retint difficilement de rire, tout comme d'ailleurs cet insensible de Genma.
Ranma eut de la peine pour Ryoga et pour son ex-fiancée.
Ukyo fut grandement étonnée d'apprendre qu'Akane ne savait rien à ce sujet.
Ryoga eut l'impression que l'on venait de lui arracher son cœur encore battant de la poitrine.
_-j'apprécierait beaucoup que tu tournes enfin la page sur cette histoire et que tu te mettes à réfléchir à des trucs plus importants _revint à la charge Ranma, la question du mariage le hantant littéralement.
Le truc s'était que justement, pour lui, Akane était un sujet on ne peut plus important et sérieux.
Il savait bien qu'il était tombé amoureux d'elle pour des raisons que peu pouvait vraiment comprendre.
Mais ceux-la ne connaissait pas l'Akane que lui avait vu.
La vraie.
La jeune fille fragile qui pleurait la nuit quant une contrariété trop forte la tourmentait.
La damoiselle a la générosité sincère et profonde.
Oui.
Il la connaissait bien.
Il était peut-être même l'un de ceux à la connaître le mieux.
_-P-chan n'existe plus………_souffla-t-il doucement en déposant un tendre baiser sur le front de sa fille.
_-et c'est pas plus mal ! Franchement Ryoga…….ça me faisait mal aux tripes de te voir te ridiculiser comme ça………tu vaux bien mieux que ça !_
Il ne put s'empêcher de sourire devant la déclaration pleine d'une sincérité touchante de Ranma.
Les neufs mois d'affilés en compagnie de Ranma avait été une expérience qu'avec le recul le jeune homme pouvait maintenant sereinement qualifié d'excellente.
Du moment ou ils avaient été fiancés, une espèce d'entente non officielle et non dite avait été passée entre eux.
Plus de disputes aussi ridicules qu'inutiles.
Plus de blagues dans le seul but de faire vicieusement enrager l'autre.
Plus de crises de colère capricieuses.
Ils étaient dorénavant une équipe.
Des partenaires.
Et quasiment un autre mot que la conscience de Ryoga avait malgré tout encore un peu de mal à reconnaître comme tel et encore plus de mal à exactement nommait.
Pourtant, tous les gens de leur entourage qu'ils avaient connus une fois leur fiançailles effectuées et qui donc n'étaient pas au courant de la drôle de malédiction frappant Ranma, l'utilisaient sans peine lorsque ils parlaient d'eux.
Ils ressemblaient tellement à « ça »
Ils en avaient tant l'apparence.
Oui.
Ils apparaissaient aux yeux de tous comme un classique, tout à fait normal et ma foi fort adorable petit couple.
Bien entendu, si on avait osé présenter les choses sous cet angle aux deux personnes concernées, leur réaction aurait été certainement de nier tout cela avec force.
La comparaison entre ces deux entités féminines si importantes dans sa vie ne manqua aucunement de se faire en Ryoga.
D'un coté Akane.
De l'autre Ranma.
Car ne vous y trompez pas, son ancien camarade d'école, son meilleur adversaire de combat, n'existait pour ainsi dire plus.
Seul demeurait encore pour lui la mère de sa fille, cette jeune femme au tempérament fort avec laquelle il venait de partager plusieurs mois de vie commune.
Et le résultat de toutes ses réflexions ne cessait de le troubler au plus haut point.
Qui était Ranma Saotome ?
Ce garçon têtu, prétentieux et imbu de lui-même qu'il avait appris contre vent et marée à lentement respecté comme un rival, puis en tant qu'ami ?
Ou cette fille têtu, d'une beauté saisissante, mortellement rapide et sauvage mais aussi parfois douce et soucieuse de lui qu'il avait appris à aimer ?
Aimer ?
Ce mot si puissant et même dangereux s'appliquait-il en conséquence à cette relation marquée du sceau du non-conformisme ?
_-je…..je ne sais pas……..ce pourrait-il que ?……._tenta-il mentalement de mettre au clair ses impressions, sans bien sur y parvenir.
Si s'était aussi simple, nos vies amoureuses seraient bien plus aisées.
Mais beaucoup moins amusante.
_-alors ? Comment on va faire pour ce mariage Ryoga ? _insista une nouvelle fois Ranma.
Car oui quoi à la fin !
La politesse avait ses limites quand même.
Certes elle aimait beaucoup les Hibiki, certes elle appréciait également énormément ce gredin de cochon mais bon, ils parlaient d'un mariage là !
Tout cela allait bien trop loin.
Il était un homme après tout !
Jamais auparavant elle n'avait soupçonné qu'il y avait tant à découvrir au sujet de Ryoga Hibiki.
Elle l'avait toujours vu comme un garçon honnête, au sens de l'honneur sans faille et se dévouant généreusement pour ses amis.
Ces neuf mois avaient été extrêmement instructifs pour elle.
Il pouvait se révéler d'une patience angélique digne de Kasumi.
Son sens du sacrifice le poussait régulièrement plus loin que ses limites.
Et cela sans que la moindre plainte ne franchisse jamais ses lèvres.
Un être humain hors du commun, elle dut le reconnaître.
Interrompant le cheminement sans fin des pensées de ses géniteurs, Hanako choisit cet instant pour leur faire savoir à grand coup de pleurs stridents qu'une désagréable sensation de vide avait présentement le toupet incroyable d'assaillir insolemment son ventre.
_-elle doit avoir faim…….hein ma puce que tu as faim ? Viens par là ma chérie……._réagit Ranma en joignant prestement le geste à la parole et en prenant délicatement l'enfant des bras de son père pour les siens. _on va voir ce qu'il y a à la cuisine, qu'est-ce que tu en penses Hanako ?_
Pour éviter tout suspens inutile à vos cœurs sensibles je m'en vais de ce pas répondre aussitôt à cette terrible question : elle n'en pensait que du bien.
Parfois, les hommes prennent un problème par le bon bout.
Par le bout le plus logique.
Le plus censé.
En utilisant leur matière grise quoi.
Ainsi ils vont droit au cœur du problème et le résolve rapidement.
Mais la plupart du temps, ils le prennent par le plus étrange et inattendu bout possible.
C'est ce que fit en Ryoga en observant l'adorable petit couple quittait le salon en direction de la cuisine puis en les rejoignant.
_-qu'est-ce que ses seins ont grossis…….._se fit-il donc la réflexion en observant à la sauvette à le bustier extrêmement généreux de Ranma.
Inutile de préciser que dans la seconde qui suivit la naissance de cette peu louable pensée, le visage de Ryoga s'empourpra derechef d'une délicieuse couleur cramoisie, tournant au rouge vif.
Toutefois, ce n'est pas tant le fait d'avoir songé à la poitrine de Ranma en des termes si triviaux qui le fit se sentir pour le moins mal à l'aise.
Mais surtout le fait, plus troublant, que ce n'était aucunement la première fois qu'il se surprenait lui-même à laisser traîner son regard à des endroits de l'anatomie de son amie ou ils n'avaient normalement rien à y faire.
Ce qui l'amena donc, par une voie on ne peux plus tortueuse, à en arriver au vrai problème.
_-heuu……Ranma ?……je……peux te poser une question ?_
_-bien sur, va s'y_
_-je…..je…..maintenant qu'Hanako est avec nous……heuuu……pourquoi tu ne t'es pas encore re-transformer en homme ?_
_-je….c'est très simple voyons ! _commença-t-il, passablement gênée et en rougissant légèrement.
_-pourquoi alors ?_
_-justement parce que Hanako est avec nous bien sur !_
_-quoi ? _
_-écoute…….elle a besoin de sa maman…….et c'est bien ce que je suis……..je n'ai pas envi de la perturber en allant et venant un coup en homme un coup en fille tu comprends ?_
_-oui, je comprends……_
En fait, non, il ne comprenait pas bien.
Il ne comprit pas qu'inconsciemment le fait de rester en fille signifiait pour Ranma une forme salvatrice de stabilité dans sa vie.
La stabilité que lui avait apporté les Hibiki et le fait de vivre chez eux, avec Ryoga.
Et il ne comprit pas non plus que Ranma avait quelque part tout simplement peur de perdre cette situation paisible et heureuse.
De perdre cette nouvelle gentille famille que les évènements par la force des choses lui avaient gentiment apportée.
S'il ne le comprit pas exactement, il comprit en revanche bien mieux que Ranma allait rester ainsi encore pour un bon moment.
Un moment, qu'inconsciemment lui aussi, il espéra le plus long possible.
_-wahou……elle avait sacrement faim……._constata Ryoga en regardant Ranma finir de nourrir Hanako.
_-oui……elle a dut hériter de ton coté glouton !_
_-tu ne te défends pas trop mal non plus avec des baguettes je crois me souvenir…….._
_-comment oses-tu être aussi médisant ? _plaisanta Ranma. _allez Hanako, il est temps d'aller faire un gros dodo……regarde, tu tombes de fatigues…….._
Ils la bordèrent.
Lui chantèrent même une courte berceuse en un délicieux et doux canon.
Et quand elle ferma finalement ses yeux sur ce monde pour basculait dans celui enchanté des rêves, elle le fit sereinement, certaine qu'a son réveil deux bras seraient déjà amoureusement là pour l'accueillir tendrement.
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_-échec !_
_-haaaaa ! Attends Tendo ! Laisse-moi réfléchir !_
_-il n'y a pas de pause au Shogi, Saotome………_
_-allons, allons……ce n'est qu'un jeu Tendo !_
Une scène normale au dojo Tendo.
Shoun et Genma jouant paisiblement au Shogi par une douce et magnifique après-midi inondée de soleil.
Tout était parfaitement normal.
Niquel.
Pas de soucis.
_-Saotome ?_
_-oui Tendo ?_
_-je me demandais………_
_-quoi ?_
_-ton fils et ma fille ne sont plus fiancés n'est-ce pas ?_
_-oui ! C'est ça ! Hahahahahahahaha !_
_-hahahahahaha ! Oui ! C'est bien ça !_
_-hahahahahaha !_
_-hahahahahaha !_
_-hahahahahaha !_
_-alors pourquoi tu passes encore toutes tes journées à glander ici espèce de parasite ! Tu manges ici, tu dors ici, tu te laves ici, et tu oses même venir tricher au Shogi ici ! _hurla Shoun, fort énervé.
_-allons Tendo, nous sommes des vieux amis non ? _
_-entre le maître et toi cette maison est un vrai chantier…….et mes finances ne sont pas éternelles non plus…….._
_-Tendo…..on a mangé le même riz quant on s'entraînait rappelle toi ! _joua son va-tout Genma, connaissant la sensibilité à fleur de peau de son vielle ami.
_-trouve-toi un travail, participe un peu aux dépenses quotidiennes ou bien va-t-en !_
_-moi ? Travailler !_
_-OUI ! TOI !_
Genma en fut dévasté.
Comme la vie était dur.
Comme la vie était injuste.
Il se mit à pleurer d'amertume sur son funeste et tragique destin
Loin de tout ce foin, une jeune fille s'approcha quant à elle d'un pas pressé de la porte d'entrée de la résidence Tendo.
_-bonjour ! Il y a quelqu'un ? J'apporte votre commande !_
_-ha ! Ukyo ! Tu as fait vite !_
_-toujours ! Ça va Kasumi ?_
_-ho tu sais……entre papa et monsieur Saotome qui se disputent et Akane qui boude dans sa chambre depuis plusieurs jours, ce n'est pas très gaie ici……._
_-hmmm…….je peux la voir ? J'aimerai lui parler_
_-bien sur, tu sais ou est sa chambre ?_
_-pas de problème, merci !_
Gravissant l'escalier menant au premier étage, elle prépara déjà le petit discours qu'elle s'apprêtait à servir à la fille cadette de la famille Tendo.
Ils avaient tous été si longtemps amis.
Mais maintenant, plus personne ne se voyait, ne se parlait.
Akane broyait du noir.
Shampoo était devenu plus que distante.
Ryoga et Ranma restait dans leur coin.
Une situation à laquelle elle comptait bien mettre un terme.
Elle n'avait certes pas oublié ses prétentions de fiancés de Ranma.
Malgré tout, à ce rythme là, ils seraient tous devenus des étrangers les uns pour les autres avant de même s'en apercevoir.
Et puis, l'air de rien, elle avait un sacré bon plan !
Ukyo inspira une grosse goulée d'air, pris sa mine sérieuse des grands jours et frappa à trois reprises contre le bois composant la porte de la chambre d'Akane.
_-entré……….qui que vous soyez………_
_-salut !_
_-ha….Ukyo…..tu es venu toi aussi m'apprendre une autre bizarre et dérangeante nouvelle ? _bougonna la d'habitude si énergique damoiselle, ne se sentant entourée que par une bande de sournois menteurs.
_-exactement !_
_-pfffff…….et laquelle ? _
_-tu n'es qu'une parfaite petite idiote Akane………_
Et boum !
Pour sur elle lui avait bien cloué le bec là !
Mais vu que l'idiote en question paraissait sur le point de lui jeter une chaise en travers de la tête, la vaillante restauratrice changeant illico de stratégie et attaqua sur un nouveau front en allant s'assoire près d'elle, sur son lit.
_-tu en veux toujours à Ryoga ?_
_-je……je ne sais pas si je lui en veux………_
Bonne nouvelle.
On pouvait donc encore espérer que tous le monde finissent bien gentiment par se rabibocher en un joyeux final digne de la petite maison dans la prairie.
_-je ne sais pas si je lui en veux simplement ou si je le hait complètement !_
_-ha…….d'accord……..s'était ça………_
_-comment tu aurais réagis toi ? D'abord mon imbécile de fiancé se fait mettre enceinte par qui ? Par Ryoga………et ensuite j'apprend quoi ? Que ce même Ryoga, que j'avais finis par pardonner, à pendant des mois et des mois profitait honteusement de ma gentillesse en se glissant comme un pervers dans ma chambre sous l'apparence d'un petit cochon !_
Akane avait cette incroyable faculté de faire d'une situation très compliquée une syntaxe rapide et compréhensible par tous.
Hélas, pas mal de nuances disparaissaient au passage.
_-tu sais très bien que Ryoga n'a pas mit Ranma enceinte dans son état normal……._
_-ça, c'est ce qu'ils nous ont racontés !_
_-hooo Akane ! Tu crois vraiment que Ryoga et Ranma auraient put avoir envi de coucher ensemble « volontairement » et en pleine connaissance de cause ?_
_-plus rien ne m'étonnerait à présent………mais……...non, je ne pense pas quand même……._concéda-t-elle.
_-précisément ! Dis-moi…….cette histoire avec Ryoga……..as-tu pris au moins la peine de le voir d'un autre point de vue ? Du sien ?_
_-comment ça ?_
_-que faisait Ryoga quant il était ici, avec toi ? Sous la forme de cochon…….._
_-et bien, il…….il restait là quoi ! Qu'est-ce que tu veux savoir ?_
_-il t'a déjà suivit dans la salle de bain ? Il t'a déjà reluqué quant tu te déshabillais ? A-t-il profité de son apparence pour faire quelque chose de vraiment horriblement indécent ?_
_-heuu……non…….ou veux-tu en venir ?_
Le point final de l'attaque qu'elle avait déjà affectueusement surnommé « l'opération ouverture des yeux d'Akane concernant l'incroyable amour de Ryoga pour elle et l'élimination de deux gènes énervantes ».
Elle en sourit de joie.
La route pour le cœur de Ranma s'ouvrait enfin devant elle, libre de toute autre fiancée et de ce porcelet de Ryoga.
_-il ne venait ici que pour une chose Akane……te voir ! Être avec toi ! Pour voir de l'amour pour lui dans tes yeux !_
Les joues d'Akane rougirent.
Voila une façon bien originale de présenter les choses.
Elle avait sut que Ryoga avait eut des sentiments pour elle évidement, mais était-ce pour cela qu'il s'était comporté aussi bizarrement ?
Et elle ?
Que pensait-elle de lui au plus profond de son cœur ?
De l'amitié il y en avait eut.
Énormément même.
Mais de l'amour ?
Un vrai amour.
Non.
Jamais.
_-et même si tu avais raison Ukyo…….ça ne change rien pour moi…….je n'ai jamais été amoureuse de Ryoga_
_-c'est la prochaine étape……_
_-hein ?_
_-non je veux dire ! Hahahahahahaha ! Non non, rien……..hmm………tu sais quoi ? Je pense que l'on devrait aller chez les Hibilki, tout de suite, toutes les deux !_
_-hors de question ! Je n'ai pas envi de voir ces deux dégénérés !_
_-l'amitié est la plus précieuse des perles de l'océan……_
_-c'est beau_
_-merci………nous avons été si proche par le passé, tellement amis tous ensemble ! Tu ne veux pas au moins aller la-bas et tentait de retrouver ça……cette ambiance…..rappelle toi la belle époque, pas si lointaine, ou tout allait pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes !_
_-ça n'a jamais été comme ça………_
_-va-tu laissé ces sordides histoires horriblement gommaient cette belle page de nos existences ?_
_-ha bon, c'est sordide maintenant ? _
_-Akane ! Viens avec moi chez les parents de Ryoga ! Je suis sur que tu y verras bien plus clair après !_
C'est cette dernière phrase qui la décida.
La promesse d'y voir plus clair.
Une promesse porteuse de bien des espoirs en ces temps ou plus personne ne savait exactement sur quel pied il devait danser.
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Le vent souffla entre ses cheveux faisant au passage dansait délicatement quelques mèches.
Une jeune fille se tenait là, fière, sur une petite colline verdoyante qui avait la particularité pratique d'être totalement déserte à cette heure de la journée.
Deux objets étaient posés devant elle.
Un sceau.
Une bouilloire.
Sa dernière conversation avec Ryoga avait quelque peu troublée Ranma.
Elle devait savoir ou elle en était.
Maintenant.
_-allez ! C'est partit ! _cria-t-elle en saisissant brusquement le sceau et en s'en vidant le contenu dessus.
Un frisson.
Désagréable.
Pénible.
Glacée.
Et surtout inutile.
_-quelle idiot ! Je me suis trompé ! _
Elle saisit la bouilloire.
L'eau chaude, presque bouillante, coula sur elle.
Chaud-froid.
Pas bon ça.
Elle risquait d'attraper un vilain rhume.
Ou pire, une angine.
Mais ce n'est pas ça qui la poussa à crier.
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Le téléphone se mit soudain à sonner, tirant l'aimable et gentil guide de son occupation du moment : se préparer à manger.
Il était fier de son métier.
Après tout ce n'était pas tout le monde qui était en charge de s'occuper d'un site aussi particulier que celui des sources maudites.
Il se considérait chanceux et il aimait beaucoup sa vie.
Un mec très sympa.
Vraiment.
Une vraie crème cet homme là.
_-allô ? Ha ! Monsieur Saotome ! Comment allez-vous depuis le temps ? Moi ça va bien……j'ai pris un peu de poids mais ça va……vous savez ce que s'est, on se dit que l'on va faire de l'exercice et puis hop…..on ne fait rien !……..quoi ? Vous avez un problème ? Expliquait-moi tout vos soucis……_
A l'autre bout du fil, son correspondant était pour sa par beaucoup moins joyeux et peu disposait à tailler une bavette.
Carrément désespéré même on pourrait dire.
_-oui bordel ! Je me suis fait couler de l'eau chaude dessus et rien ! Aucune transformation ! _s'emporta de confusion Ranma.
_-hmm……étrange, je le reconnais…….il vous est arrivé quelque chose de particulier ces temps-ci ? Quelque chose qui sorte de l'ordinaire ?_
_-heuu…..et bien dire…….je…..j'ai eut une fille……._avoua-t-elle, un rien déstabilisé par le calme sans faille du guide.
_-quoi ? Vous avez été enceinte ?_
_-oui, c'est ça…….._
_-ha ben ça explique tout !_
_-vraiment ? _s'enquit Ranma, rassurée.
_-oui……en fait c'est le seul moyen connu de stopper la malédiction……_
_-comment ça ?_
_-ben quant une femme tombe enceinte, comme elle porte une nouvelle personne en elle, ça bloque irrémédiablement la transformation……sinon ça tuerait le petit, vous imaginez bien……comme quoi, l'air de rien, c'est fichtrement bien foutues ces malédictions vous ne trouvez pas ?_
_-alors je……je suis……._
_-oui ! Vous êtes guéris ! _cria-t-il avec bonne humeur
Bonne nouvelle.
Sauf que…….
_-alors pourquoi je suis toujours une fille !_
_-et bien……je dois avouer que c'est la première fois que j'entend parler d'un homme tombé dans la source de la jeune fille et qui est devenu enceinte par la suite……..la malédiction est levée, c'est sur mais……..vous voilà devenu femme ! Une vraie femme ! Enfin, la bonne nouvelle c' est que vous êtes un cas unique ! Félicitation !_
_-je……je……..je suis une fille ? Pour toujours ?_
_-j'en ai bien l'impression monsieur……non……madame Saotome désormais…….._
_-une fille…….._
_-complète et totale ! Voilà ! Je suis heureux de vous avoir été utile ! Bonne journée !_
_-bonne journée…….._murmura-t-elle d'une voix brisée.
Elle s'effondra à genoux, la tonalité du téléphone non raccroché lui parvenant encore de façon lointaine.
Une larme.
Puis une autre.
Et elle pleura.
Elle pleura comme encore jamais elle n'avait pleuré avant.
De tout son être, de toute son âme.
Elle avait appris à s'habituer à son corps de fille, mais là.
C'est ainsi que Ryoga la retrouva juste un peu plus tard, accroupie par terre, les genoux remontés contre sa poitrine et mille larmes souillant impunément son magnifique visage.
_-Ranma ! Bon sang, Hanako va bien ! _demanda-t-il en la rejoignant, son cœur faisant des bonds dans sa poitrine.
_-oui……elle dort encore…….._
_-qu'est-ce qui y a Ranma ? Qu'est-ce qui t'arrive ? Raconte-moi !_
_-je…..je suis une fille Ryoga………_
_-heuuu……oui……je sais……et alors ?_
_-tu comprends pas ! Je suis une fille ! Je ne suis plus maudit ! je suis une fille et je le serai pour toujours !_
Et elle lui expliqua tout.
Ryoga dut se montrer patient car son récit fut souvent entrecoupé de pleurs et autre excès de désespoir.
Mais quant enfin il connut le fin mot de l'histoire, il se contenta de soupirer, de glisser son bras gauche sur les épaules de son amie et de lui faire son sourire le plus encourageant et gentil.
_-il reste la source du jeune homme…….on va aller en chine Ranma…….on va trouver un moyen d'y aller, je te le promet !_
_-mais même avec ça……je ne serai plus jamais un garçon à 100 tu comprends ? Même si je me baigne dans la source du jeune homme, je me transformerai en garçon au contact de l'eau froide, oui, mais jamais, jamais plus je ne serai entièrement un homme comme j'aurai put l'être avant si je m'était baigné dans cette même source !_
_-oui, c'est vrai……..mais ce matin tu m'as dit toi-même que de toute façon, maintenant qu'il y avait Hanako, tu voulais rester une fille………pour elle………pour qu'elle est sa maman avec elle…….._tenta-t-il de la consoler.
_-pour un moment oui ! Mais pas pour toute ma vie ! Non, pas pour toute ma vie……….ho Ryoga ! Que vais-je devenir ?_
Elle se jeta alors dans ses bras.
Parce qu'il était son meilleur ami.
Parce qu'il la comprenait.
Parce qu'il étaient si proches.
Parce qu'elle avait besoin de soutien et de se faire consoler.
Ryoga avait laisse la porte ouverte en rentrant.
Akane et Ukyo, qui venaient pour les voir, ne manquèrent alors pas de se poser bien des questions en voyant le mignon mais un peu troublant tableau que leur offrirent les deux jeunes gens à ce moment là.
_-ha ben oui…….tu avais raison Ukyo…….j'y vois plus clair maintenant, c'est sur………_
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Voilà.
Un grand, un immense merci d'avoir pris le temps de lire ce chapitre.
A plus !
8. multiples étapes
Bonjour à tous et bienvenue pour ce huitième chapitre !
Un grand merci à Thealie et à Lunenoire pour leurs gentils messages.
Sans plus attendre, et sans blabla inutiles, voici la suite, lol.
Bonne lecture !
Chapitre 8 : multiples étapes
Assis autour de la seule table de style européen de la maison, quatre jeune gens méditaient alors en silence sur l'incroyable tournure qu'avait récemment pris les évènements et plus particulièrement la vie de l'un d'entre eux, Ranma Saotome.
Une catastrophe avait engendré un immense et merveilleux bonheur.
Mais maintenant, cet immense et merveilleux bonheur était la cause involontaire d'une tragédie sans nom.
Bien qu'en fait, le mot « tragédie » puisse paraître somme toute quelque peu disproportionné.
Parlons plutôt d'une déconvenue très vive.
Ou encore d'une aussi inattendue que virulente contrariété.
_-c'est vraiment……..étonnant !………on devrait peut-être le dire à Shampoo non ? Après tout, ça la concernera un jour aussi _entama doucement la conversation Ukyo, sentant avec justesse que la plus grande circonspection se devait d'être alors de mise afin de ne pas replonger aussitôt Ranma dans un océan d'apitoiement personnel.
_-hmm, oui, elle aussi elle sera guérie de la malédiction le jour ou elle tombera enceinte……._
_-Akane……tu crois vraiment que Shampoo est en tête de mes préoccupations là, maintenant ? _bougonna d'une voix sombre la jeune et heureuse maman de la petite Hanako.
_-ça va ! La situation n'est pas si terrible que ça après tout ! _
Une déclaration empourprée d'un optimisme d'une telle magnifique ampleur que la principale concernée en resta muette de stupéfaction.
Mais étant d'une nature fort généreuse, Ranma laissa quelques instants à Akane dans l'espoir un peu fou que la fille cadette de la famille Tendo réalise d'elle-même à quel point sa vision positive de la conjoncture actuelle des choses ne reposait aucunement sur un socle solide et fiable.
Peine perdue.
_-ha…….et c'est quoi pour toi alors une situation terrible, hein Akane ? _
_-heuu……et bien……peu importe ! L'important c'est que ton problème à une solution…….du moins……que l'on peut faire quelque chose pour y remédier !_
_-ça ne rime à rien d'espérer trouver une source au Japon……on a déjà essayé des dizaines fois rappelles-toi Ranma…..notre seul espoir c'est……_commença Ryoga.
_-je le sais bien……._
_-vous savez quoi ? _s'enquit Ukyo en interrompant Ranma.
_-notre seul espoir c'est la Chine……._finit de lui expliquer Ranma, la mine tout sauf joyeuse.
_-et bien quoi ? Ou est le problème ?_
_-Ukyo……tu sais combien ça coûte d'aller en Chine ? Et crois moi, ce n'est pas l'argent qui nous étouffe malheureusement………et puis il y a Hanako de toute façon, il est hors de question que je la laisse durant des semaines entières !_
_-Ranma a raison……mes parents la garderaient avec plaisir mais…….enfin…….on….._
_-vous voulez rester près d'elle…….c'est tout à fait compréhensible _déclara Akane, se mettant facilement à leur place.
Pourtant il allait bien falloir que l'un des deux acceptent de se dévouer pour accomplir cette périlleuse mission.
Et l'identité de l'heureux gagnant ne faisait déjà plus guère de doute dans les esprits de toutes ces joyeuses personnes réunis en ces lieux.
_-Ranma…….._
_-Ryoga…….._
_-je……je vais y aller…….je me baignerai et je te ramènerai de l'eau maudite dans un récipient !_
Quelle générosité.
Quelle bel esprit de sacrifice.
Pourtant………
_-n'en dit surtout pas plus Ryoga……les mots sont inutiles !_
_-je suis heureux que tu me comprennes !_
_-oui…..je comprend……..je comprend surtout que si c'est toi qui y va, tout seul, la prochaine fois que tu reverras Hanako elle sera déjà scolarisée ! _le ramena-t-elle un peu durement sur terre.
_-Ranma a raison ! _poursuivit Akane.
_-non mais sérieux, à quoi tu penses enfin Ryoga ! _l'acheva Ukyo.
Terriblement cruelle et impitoyable réalité.
Hélas, ils avaient par trop raison.
Nul espoir pour lui de parvenir ou que ce soit qu'il avait initialement planifiée d'aller comme destination et encore moins de chance qu'il n'en revienne avant de longs, de très longs mois, et cela même avec l'assistance des bagues offertes gracieusement par la grand mère de Shampoo.
_-en effet……..il faudrait que quelqu'un vienne avec moi……._reconnut-il volontiers.
_-et pourquoi pas Mousse ? Il es chinois après tout ! _proposa Akane.
_-tu me parles bien de Mousse ? Le Mousse qui est tombé dans la toute première des sources maudites ? Le Mousse myope comme une taupe et plus mesquin et traître que n'importe qui d'autre vivant sur cette terre ? _
_-hmm…….pas faux ça Ranma…….Shampoo alors ? En plus elle serait plus que contente d'y aller…..comme ça, elle aurait aussi l'occasion de se baigner dans la source de la jeune fille noyée……et puis en plus, elle a sûrement de l'argent grâce au restaurant_
_-si c'est possible, j'aimerai que Shampoo soit le moins impliquée possible la-dedans…….je ne voudrai pas qu'elle se remette en tête de m'épouser si vous voyiez ce que je veux dire……_
Ukyo n'en put soudain plus.
L'occasion était trop belle, l'opportunité offerte trop tentante et séduisante pour oser seulement ne pas l'envisager.
Ryoga et Akane sur un bateau pour la Chine, tout deux sous les ailes protectrices du doux et bienveillant cupidon.
Et elle dans le rôle bien sur de la gentille entremetteuse.
La chance de sa vie !
_-lucky !_
_-non mais qu'est-ce qui t'arrive Ukyo ? _demanda Ranma, lui plus qu'outré par un tel excès de soudaine bonne humeur en ces temps pourtant tellement propices aux doutes.
_-hmm……rien, rien ! Je me disais……..Akane, dans presque un mois c'est les vacances scolaires non ? Deux grosses semaines de pures et complètes libertés !_
_-et…..et alors ?_
_-et alors ? Pourquoi nous n'accompagnerions pas Ryoga en Chine !_
_-quoi ? Mais et l'argent ? Mon père ne voudra jamais me……._
_-Shampoo n'est pas la seule à avoir un commerce tu sais…….._gloussa de contentement la restauratrice.
_-mais……mais enfin je……..en Chine ?_
_-ben quoi ? C'est une bonne occasion de faire un beau voyage ! Qu'est-ce que tu en dis toi Ryoga ?_
Un voyage avec Akane.
Que vouliez-vous qu'il en dise ?
_-ça…..ça serait très bien oui……mais……mais je ne veux pas vous imposez ça……et puis le voyage sera peut-être dangereux ! On ne sait jamais…….._
_-hahahahahahaha ! Que dis-tu…….pas de problèmes voyons ! Quasiment tous les gens que je connais sont déjà allé la-bas, et puis ça ne peut qu'être bon pour le commerce……peut-être aurai-je l'occasion d'apprendre la-bas de nouvelle façons d'assaisonner mes okonomiyakis ! Alors Akane ? Une grande aventure tous les trois ? Tu es partante ?_
_-je…..je ne sais pas_
_-ils ont besoin de nous ! On ne va les laisser tomber quand même !_
_-vu comme ça, c'est sur que………_
_-ce serait un acte très généreux Akane…….mais si tu refusais, je comprendrai parfaitement…..surtout après tout ce qu'il s'est passé ces derniers mois _intervint enfin Ranma, le regard sincère et compatissant.
Six yeux la fixaient intensément, attendant patiemment sa réponse.
Oui.
Ils s'étaient passés énormément de choses ces derniers mois entre eux.
Mais n'était-ce pas dans des moments pareils que les vrais amis se serraient les coudes ?
Ils avaient là une occasion unique de guérir enfin Ryoga et dans le même temps de permettre à Ranma de retrouvait, au moins partiellement, son corps d'homme.
La Chine.
Ainsi soit-il.
_-d'a……d'accord !_
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A la suite de cette discussion, le départ fut donc fixé pour dans un mois.
Plus précisément, le premier jour des vacances d'hiver.
Si la question du financement du voyage d'Akane ne posa pas de problème, Ukyo ayant accepté de la financer, il n'en alla pas exactement de même pour le pauvre Ryoga qui se retrouva bien malgré lui à devoir faire un véritable « forcing » mental auprès de ses parents pour qu'ils consentent enfin à lui avancer généreusement la somme.
Mais il avait sut intelligemment trouver les bons arguments.
Que cela était pour le bien de la petite famille.
Qu'il leur expliquerait tout en détail des son retour.
Qu'il y avait une bonne raison à tout cela.
Que s'ils aimaient Hanako ils se devaient de l'aider.
Les Hibiki étant des gens profondément sympathiques et aimables, ils finirent évidement par céder et faire confiance à leur fils, malgré l'aspect pour le moins fallacieux du dernier argument évoqué.
A présent, en ce début de soirée du mois de février, il ne restait plus que deux petits jours avant le départ et Ryoga, présentement allongé sur son lit dans sa chambre, regardait avec une mélancolie grandissante sa compagne et sa fille paisiblement installées à quelques mètres à peine de lui.
Ces neufs derniers mois Ranma avait dormit dans la chambre d'ami de la résidence des Hibiki mais ils leur arrivaient pourtant régulièrement de passer du temps ainsi tous les deux, maintenant tous les trois, dans la chambre de Ryoga pour discuter un peu, pour passer tranquillement et paisiblement le temps.
Toutefois ce soir là, Ranma se sentit plus d'humeur à penser qu'à réellement papoter comme à l'accoutumé.
Le choc de la découverte de son impossibilité à redevenir un homme avait certes eut un immense impact sur elle lorsqu'elle avait appris.
Malgré tout, le temps aidant, elle voyait désormais les choses d'un œil légèrement différent et serein.
La vérité, c'est qu'elle s'était habituée à son corps féminin et que, elle dut bien finir par se l'avouer, cela ne le gênait pas tant que ça de demeurer ainsi.
Mais c'était une question de choix.
Elle voulait avoir la possibilité de choisir quel sexe serait le mieux pour elle, avoir la chance de pouvoir changer d'opinion la dessus et de toujours se garder une porte de sortie.
Hors de question pour elle d'être prisonnière de cette situation, de devoir passivement accepter son sort sans avoir au minimum son mot à dire.
_-pourtant…….si je me pouvais me transformer maintenant…….est-ce que je le ferai ?…….non, je ne crois pas………_songea-t-elle mentalement, la petite Hanako s'agitant doucement entre ses bras.
Toujours sur son lit, Ryoga tenta de deviner de quelle nature était ce doute qui paraissait s'être insolemment installait dans l'esprit de Ranma et qu'il pouvait aisément lire sur son magnifique visage.
Mais ça ne marchait pas comme ça avec elle.
Il fallait arriver à la faire parler, parvenir à entamer la conversation.
Hélas, quelque fois cela relevait de la mission impossible.
Ranma se tenait là, debout, ses yeux scrutant tranquillement la nuit au travers de la seule fenêtre de la chambre, la délicieuse Hanako toujours dans ses bras.
Ce tableau d'une beauté rare toucha profondément le cœur pur et sincère de Ryoga.
Cela le toucha tant en réalité qu'il ressentit le besoin presque physique d'être au plus près d'elles, de les rejoindre, de ressentir à nouveau cette sensation de famille, de clan.
Ce qu'il fit du reste sans attendre.
Il se leva donc, et s'approcha doucement des deux demoiselles les plus importantes de sa vie.
Hanako.
Le soleil de son existence.
Jamais encore il n'avait ressentit autant d'amour pour un autre être humain.
Jamais rien même de relativement s'approchant.
Rien d'autre n'était semblable.
Tout ne paraissait que grotesque en comparaison.
Alors il voulut simplement déposer un tendre et affectueux baiser sur le front de sa merveille d'entre toute les merveilles.
Ranma, contemplant encore la rue, le sentit se rapprocher dans son dos plus qu'elle ne véritablement l'entendit.
Elle se douta qu'il venait pour embrasser leur fille.
Ce bougre de cochon pleurait quasiment de joie à chaque fois qu'il la regardait pensa-t-elle en souriant.
Le frou frou de ses pas sur la moquettes qui recouvrait le sol s'accentua légèrement.
Elle ne bougea pas.
Un contact.
Un frôlement tactile d'une intensité puissante.
Un torse venait soudain de se coller sensuellement tout contre elle.
Et deux bras, d'une insolence confinant au scandaleux, l'entouraient déjà avec délicatesse de leur étreinte voluptueuse, provoquant au passage une brûlante montée de sang sur les joues de la jeune fille.
_-Ry…..Ryoga mais que………_
Il se pencha.
Et déposa sur Hanako la bise qu'il s'était promis plus tôt de lui donner avant de finalement reculer d'un pas.
_-haa…..ce n'était que ça…….il voulait juste embrasser Hanako………_se fit rapidement la réflexion Ranma, son cœur étrangement partagé entre de nombreux sentiments fort différents.
_-Ranma ?_
_-ou…….oui, quoi ?_
_-je…….tu…….enfin on………_
_-hmm ?_
_-je……tu vas…….heuu…….._
_-et bien quoi Ryoga ? Qu'est-ce tu veux dire ?_
_-tu…..tu vas beaucoup me manquer que je serai en Chine……. « vous » allez beaucoup me manquer quant je serai en Chine je veux dire !……hmm……..toi et Hanako !_
Et hop !
Un nouveau concourt de celui qui rougira le plus fort et le plus longtemps.
_-la petite tombe de fatigue….je…je vais la couchée……_bafouilla quelque peu Ranma avant de prendre un rien trop vite la direction de la chambre de la petite.
Pourquoi s'était-il aussi lascivement frotté à elle ?
Il n'en sut rien.
En fait, il ne se l'expliqua même pas.
Ce qui d'ailleurs eut le don de le faire se sentir brutalement extrêmement idiot et maladroit dans sa manière d'exprimer son transport pour elle.
Mais, plus grave, plus troublant, plus difficile à gérer.
Ce petit incident avait eut l'outrecuidance sans nom de passablement et puissamment l'exciter.
Invraisemblable.
Incroyable.
Indécent surtout !
Regagnant son lit aussi vite que faire se put, il s'empressa de violemment fermer ses yeux et tenta de toute la force de son esprit de tourner ses pensées vers de sujets à même de ramenaient un peu de sérénité dans son Karma alors à ce moment là fort peu disposé à la méditation.
A deux jours d'un voyage avec Akane, voilà qu'une autre personne éclipsait totalement la cadette de la famille Tendo de son esprit.
Mais y existait-elle vraiment encore ?
Son amour pour elle, s'il existait encore, n'était-il pas juste en réalité les toutes dernières réminiscences d'une ancienne et quelque peu inutile et futile addiction.
Car oui.
Les faits étaient là.
Si dans un premier temps il s'était fait une joie de voyager avec Akane, maintenant il s'en foutait.
Bien sur, il était ravi qu'elle vienne.
En tant que soutien, ami et surtout boussole.
Mais rien de plus.
En tout cas plus pour les raisons pour lesquelles il aurait put être heureux dans la même situation auparavant.
Trois coups sur la porte.
_-oui ? Entré !_
_-c'est……ce n'est que moi……._murmura Ranma d'une voix ou perçait un net embarras.
Un embarras que partageait plus que vigoureusement Ryoga du reste.
Sans rien ajouter, la damoiselle choisit pourtant de se rapprocher et de gentiment venir à son tour s'installait sur le lit, en position assisse, à coté de lui.
Une proximité physique dont n'eut pas spécialement besoin Ryoga pour se sentir à nouveau plus que « troublé ».
Une question le tarabustait.
Pourquoi est-elle revenu ?
Le soir ils avaient en effet une sorte de petit rituel non dit et non formel.
Ils passaient une partie de la soirée ensemble, tous les trois, puis Hanako était mise au lit.
Libre à chacun ensuite de s'occuper comme bon il entendait.
Télé, aller faire un tour ou même aller directement se coucher.
Alors pourquoi ?
Une interrogation qui justement tarabustait avec précisément la même intensité Ranma.
Aussi bizarre que cela puisse paraître, elle ne savait pas non plus exactement ce qui l'avait poussé à revenir dans la chambre de Ryoga.
Elle avait juste pensé que c'était l'avant dernière nuit avant sa départ.
Et qu'elle avait encore envie de le voir un peu.
_-je……Ranma……on…….on n'a jamais vraiment reparlé de……..enfin, tu sais……..de cette fameuse nuit……._trouva-t-il le courage de commencer, son pouls cardiaque si haut qu'il crut un instant faire une crise de taticardie.
_-cette fameuse nuit ? De laquelle veux-tu parler ? _s'enquit timidement Ranma, sachant parfaitement de quelle nuit il voulait parler.
_-tu sais…..dans……dans la cabane…….._
_-ha ! Je……enfin, on en a déjà parlé des dizaines de fois au contraire………tu le sais bien…….. _
_-on a souvent parlé des conséquences, oui……..tu vois…….mais on a jamais parlé exactement de ce qui s'est passé……entre…..hmm……entre nous……._
_-ou…..ou veux tu en venir Ryoga ?_
Encore une question inutile.
Car Ranma savait bien évidement ou Ryoga voulait nettement en venir.
Mais c'était là un terrain ou Ranma se sentait véritablement confuse et indécise.
Cette nuit avait été……..et bien oui, même si elle refusait encore obstinément de se l'avouer, cette nuit là avait été pour elle un moment extraordinaire.
Une farandole des sens.
Un ouragan de passion.
Une tornade enflammée d'ardeur.
Un cyclone de plaisir brûlant.
D'accord, je vais arrêter là avec mes qualificatifs, vous avez bien compris.
De son coté, la gêne en Ryoga avait désormais atteint des sommets digne de l'Everest.
Pourquoi avait-il lancé la conversation la-dessus ?
Comment avait-il osé parler d'un sujet si indécent ?
_-je….excuse moi ! Je……j'ai un peu soif……je vais aller boire quelque chose _s'excusa-t-il en bredouillant et en essayant maladroitement de se lever.
Mais pour se lever, vu que lit était contre le mur, il devait en un premier temps enjamber Ranma.
Manœuvre délicate qu'il essaya d'effectuer le mieux qu'il put, généreusement aider par Ranma qui ramena ses genoux sur elle pour lui faciliter le passage.
Mais Ryoga était trop troublé pour se mouvoir avec son aisance coutumière.
Leurs genoux entrèrent en contact.
Ryoga trébucha, partit sur l'avant.
Et, sans plus de cérémonie, se retrouva littéralement avachi sur elle.
Le souffle chaud de la respiration du garçon vint chatouiller à cadence régulière la joue gauche de Ranma.
Leurs yeux étaient totalement fixés, perdus, noyés, les uns dans les autres.
L'azur du regard de Ranma dans l'adorable couleur noisette de celui de Ryoga.
_-je……._tenta de formuler le début d'une phrase cohérente Ranma.
Ryoga était généralement une personne assez indécise.
Mais une fois que sa décision « tait prise, sa volonté devenait inébranlable.
La vision de ces lèvres.
La proximité de leurs corps.
Il sut sans hésitation aucune ce qui lui restait à faire.
_-Ranma………_
Une poignée de millimètres.
Les ultimes traces d'indécision qui s'envolent.
Le désir qui monte encore d'un degré.
Et il déposa délicatement ses lèvres sur celles de Ranma, priant secrètement qu'un Tenshin Amaguriken ne soit pas la seule réponse de la belle à la démonstration de sa sincère et réelle affection.
Il serait faux de dire que cette éventualité n'ai pas traversé l'esprit de la belle en question.
En fait, il s'en fallut de peu, de très très peu même.
Mais petit à petit, peu à peu, le contact insolent de ses lèvres emplis de désir pour elle se fit agréable.
Doux.
Voluptueux.
Un mystérieux et indéfinissable mélange de la délicatesse la plus extrême et de la passion la plus torride.
En un seul baiser.
Comme l'a dit Nietzsche, l'esprit n'est qu'un jouet pour le corps.
Qui a déjà était la proie d'une telle exaltation des sens peut tout à fait le comprendre.
La main droite de Ryoga, pris d'une frénésie aventurière dépassant de loin le sens commun, remonta avec une lenteur toute calculée le long de l'une des cuisses de Ranma.
Elle ne sut plus quoi faire.
Une partie de son cerveau, celle ou demeurait la logique et la réflexion, hurlait :« ce n'est pas bien ! Bougre de sale perverse !
Mais au même moment une autre partie hurlait tout aussi fort, sinon plus : « va s'y ! ça devait finir comme ça de toute façon ! Et après tout, tu y as bien déjà pensé non ? Avoue !»
Elle laissa finalement la main de Ryoga et ses décidément bien habiles phalanges paisiblement se promenaient sur elle.
La confusion était totale en elle.
Oui ?
Non ?
Son instinct ne l'avait jamais trahis et une fois de plus elle s'en remit totalement à lui.
Décision peu réfléchie somme toute, tant l'instinct dépend de la partie la plus animale de notre esprit.
Et, comme il était prévisible, la décision de son instinct fut aussi sans appel que favorable ux avances de Ryoga.
Va s'y !
Bon.
Puisque tout le monde semblait s'être mis d'accord.
Après tout……..
Elle laissa donc ses mains se promenaient librement à leur tour sur le torse du jeune homme, à l'instant précis ou celles de Ryoga entrèrent en contact avec la peau douce et soyeuse de son ventre.
Cette histoire n'ayant nullement pour but de décrire les ébats amoureux de ces deux joyeux gens, je choisirai donc ce moment pour discrètement sortir de cette chambre et laissait un peu Ranma et Ryoga exprimaient à leur guise cet amour qui jusque alors ne voulait pas dire son nom.
Sachez juste que pour l'un comme l'autre, ce fut véritablement comme une nouvelle première fois.
Ils se redécouvrirent, s'aimèrent comme il l'avait fais jadis, à la différence notable que cette fois ils savaient exactement ce qu'ils faisaient et surtout étaient pleinement et totalement conscient de leurs actes.
En clair, une grande nuit.
Ce furent, bien plus tard, les premiers rayons de soleil de la matinée qui éveillèrent Ranma le lendemain.
Depuis le lit, elle contempla le ciel et ce bleu si pure et magnifique que seul donne l'hiver et son froid mordant à l'atmosphère.
Pas un nuage.
Plus de nuage.
Ryoga reposait tout contre elle, un bras enroulé amoureusement autour de la taille de Ranma et sa tête enfouit au creux de son cou.
Se sentir en paix avec soit-même est une expérience formidable.
Une expérience dont découvrit toute la juste mesure Ranma ce matin là.
Tout était désormais si limpide, si clair.
Plus de questionnement intérieur sur son étrange relation avec Ryoga.
À présent, elle savait.
Et elle en était heureuse.
Resserrant sa prise sur sa taille, comme pour s'assurer qu'elle était bien toujours là et qu'il n'avait pas rêvé, Ryoga se réveilla à son tour et s'empressa aussitôt d'embrasser ce cou délectable qui se pressentait devant lui.
Une attention adorable que Ranma récompensa d'un large et spontané sourire.
_-haaa…….tu pars demain……._
_-je sais…….mais ne parlons pas de ça maintenant _lui demanda-t-il, se sentant à cet instant si bien qu'il ne désira aucunement songer à cette triste mais nécessaire perspective.
_-à ce sujet…….._
_-hmm ? Quoi ?_
_-au sujet de l'eau de la source…….._
_-Ranma……..je sais que c'est important mais……..tu penses vraiment que c'est le meilleur moment pour évoquer ton coté masculin ?_
Une tirade fort vrai et qui ne manqua pas de déclencher aussitôt une vague de rire chez les deux amants.
_-non, ce que je veux dire c'est……..je…….je……je ne sais pas si j'ai encore vraiment envi que tu me ramènes de cette eau…….._
La nouvelle surpris, puis toucha Ryoga.
il en aurait nourrit d'ailleurs aussitôt qu'encore plus d'affection pour elle tant il lui avait dut lui falloir de courage pour lui avouer ça.
_-j'en ramènerai…….il faut que tu es le choix, même si tu décides pour l'instant de ne pas t'asperger de cette eau…….mais il faut que tu en ai au moins la possibilité……_
La phrase toucha énormément Ranma.
Il la comprenait.
Il avait parfaitement deviné son trouble de la veille.
Soudain, elle réalisa que jamais encore elle n'avait été aussi proche de qui que ce soit sur terre.
Que jamais elle n'avait tant connu quelqu'un, que jamais personne ne l'avait tant comprise que comme venait de le faire Ryoga.
Oui.
Elle tenait à lui.
Aussi fort qu'il tenait à elle.
Alors pourquoi ne pas être un peu honnête ?
Pourquoi ne pas dire les choses enfin clairement ?
_-Ryoga……je……je t'……._
Un doigts vint se poser sur ses lèvres.
Et il l'embrassa.
Les mots ne sont pas toujours utiles.
À cet instant là, ils ne servaient à rien.
Il existait bien d'autre façon d'exprimer ce qu'ils avaient à ce dire.
Et pourquoi pas en remettant les couverts ?
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Le jour du départ arriva.
Ils étaient tous là, au port de Tokyo, prêt comme jamais à affronté ce périple qui s'annonçait d'hors et déjà comme capital pour leur avenir.
_-faites bien attention à vous d'accord ? Bon voyage ! Et surtout bonne guérison Ryoga ! J'aurai aimé voir ça !_
Triste mais déterminé, Ryoga couvrit sa fille de mille baisers et sourit tendrement à Ranma.
_-merci…..le bateau va appareiller…….on devrait y aller !_
_-hooo…..voilà des au-revoirs un peu froid je trouve, n'est-ce pas Akane ? Il y aurait-il eut un peu de dispute dans l'air ces jours-ci entre vous deux ? _sauta sur l'occasion Ukyo, toujours à l'affût d'un moyen d'attendrir Akane concernant Ryoga.
Mais le seul effet visible fut une nouvelle crise de violent rougissements de la part de Ranma et Ryoga.
_-on…….on s'est déjà dit au-revoir un peu auparavant……._l'informa Ranma, un sourire étrange flottant sur sa bouche.
Ukyo et Akane échangèrent un long regard, sans comprendre.
_-enfin bref ! En avant pour la _ChineCria soudain Ryoga, le cœur gros de laisser sa petite famille ainsi, mais impatient d'enfin être débarrassé de cette odieuse malédiction.
Le bateau quitta le port une demi-heure plus tard.
Ranma resta un long moment sur le quai.
Suivant des yeux le parcourt du ferry.
_-allez, rentrons Hanako……..papa reviendra vite, j'en suis sur !_
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Bof, moins tournée vers la comédie que ce que je pensais au départ cette suite.
Mais bon, le prochain chapitre devrait être résolument comique normalement.
Avec entre autre, le voyage en Chine et les occupations de Ranma.
A plus !
9. le bon, la brute et la truande
Bonjours à tous !
Avant de commencer, je voudrai préciser un petit truc.
La parution de ce manga s'est étalée entre la fin des années 80 et les années 90.
Cette donc de l'image que l'on avait de la Chine à cette époque que je me suis inspiré pour cette suite.
Voilà, je tiens une nouvelle fois à renouveler tous mes remerciements les plus sincères aux personnes lisant cette histoire et plus particulièrement à Thealie, Lunenoire ainsi qu'aux gentils forumeurs du site « Rumiko No Sekai ».
Bonne lecture !
Chapitre 9 : le bon, la brute et la truande
Soupirant profondément de lassitude, Ryoga laissa ses yeux se posaient sur le mur crasseux et humide lui faisant directement face.
A vrai dire, il ne comprenait pas.
Non.
Il ne comprenait pas du tout ce qui avait bien se passer pour que tout tourne aussi rapidement affreusement mal.
_-quel ignoble scandale ! Nous sommes les malheureuses victimes d'une terrible erreur judiciaire ! _Rugit-il enfin, son âme brûlant d'un désir impérieux de justice.
A quelques mètre à peine de là, une jeune damoiselle regarda son ami s'escrimait dans le vide, elle aussi une sourde colère grandissant en elle.
Mais pas exactement pour les mêmes raisons.
_-Ryoga ?_
_-oui Ukyo ? Tu as une idée pour sortir de cette cellule ?_
_-ou as-tu appris à parler chinois ?_
_-ha je……ben en fait, j'ai mémorisées quelques phrases toutes faites durant la traversée en bateau……..je me suis dit que ça pouvait toujours servir……_
_-hmmm……..je vois……._
_-pourquoi ?_
_-parce que tu as dis au douanier que sa mère était une vielle chèvre acariâtre ! imbécile de sale crétin congénitale !_
_-tu mens ! Et qu'en sais tu de toute façon ? Tu ne parles pas non plus chinois que je sache !_
_-ho bougre de……._
Un imbroglio qui en d'autres circonstances auraient put certainement les faire sourire.
Sacrement bien rigoler même.
Mais là, dans cette prison immonde, ils ne sentaient vraiment d'humeur à apprécier toute la cocasserie de leur mésaventure.
Tout avait pourtant magnifiquement et magiquement débuté.
Le voyage en ferry sur le « Takahashi princess » avait été littéralement enchanteur.
Le trio en avait profité pour gaiement papoter et cette coquine d'Ukyo eut même alors le fol espoir que tous ses plans sentimentalo-machiavéliques réussiraient sans l'ombre d'un problème.
Mais le destin nous réserve toujours de bien distrayantes et surprenantes consternations.
Désespérée du tour dramatique qu'avait si tôt pris leur expédition en Chine, et commençant passablement à regretter d'avoir accepter d'y participer, Akane revit clairement la scène coupable de leur présence en ces lieux se déroulait devant ses yeux.
La Chine n'étant pas précisément le pays le plus ouvert et démocratique du monde, les personnes désirant y entrer se doivent en un premier temps de passer par les superbes, accueillants et chaleureux bureaux du service générale des douanes.
Bureaux qui du reste servent aussi à la police, aux services secrets et à la garde personnelle des chefs du parti communiste.
Et douaniers qui faisaient également office de policiers, d'agents des services secrets et de membres de la garde personnelle des chefs du parti communiste.
Oui, je sais, ils sont fichtrement bien organisés dans tous ces pays totalitaires.
La magie des dictatures probablement.
Quoi qu'il en soit, une fois devant l'aimable fonctionnaire chargé de leur cas, Ryoga choisit avec sa bravoure habituelle de tout prendre courageusement en main.
Chose pour laquelle les filles lui furent un temps grandement reconnaissant tant le dit fonctionnaire avait une allure patibulaire et peu engageante.
Un tout petit et très court moment.
A partir de là, les évènements se déroulèrent très vite.
Ryoga marmonna quelques mots bizarres.
Le douanier écarquilla les yeux violemment, devint tout rouge, hurla et aussitôt après, prouvant s'il le fallait que les fonctionnaires ne sont pas toujours aussi affreusement lents et faignants qu'ils le sont chez nous, une escouade entière de belliqueux soudards se chargèrent avec un empressement joyeux de les balancer dans la plus pouilleuse et crade des geôle possible et inimaginable.
Fâcheux.
Déplaisant même aurais-je le front d'osé insolemment dire.
_-bon ! Je ne vois plus qu'une solution !_
_-laquelle ? _s'enquit timidement Akane.
_-le Bakusaitenketsu bien sur ! Je vais défoncer les murs, ils ne nous restera plus qu'a courir très vite après !_
Bon plan.
Sauf qu'Akane n'était pas vraiment sur de leur capacité à parvenir à se substituer sans pertes et fracas à tous les agents des forces de l'ordre présent dans cet immense bâtiment, que d'après ce qu'elle se souvenait de leur incarcération leur cellule se trouvée deux étages sous terre et qu'elle n'avait pas la moindre envi de passer les vingt prochaines années dans un pénitencier Chinois pour tentative d'évasion avec violence.
De plus que les chinois ne rigolaient pas du tout au niveau de la justice, très expéditive, et que leurs pénitenciers n'étaient pas spécialement réputés pour le confort qu'ils offraient.
Elle sourit.
Et tenta donc d'expliquer sereinement à Ryoga le peu de sens de son entreprise.
_-heuuu…….tu sais, je ne suis pas sur que………_
Hélas, un bruit vint soudain discourtoisement interrompre ses propos.
Quelqu'un approchait.
Le cliquetis familier d'un trousseau de clé que l'on manipule retentit.
Puis, la lourde porte de bois cerclée de fer s'ouvrit en grand sur ce même douanier ayant donné l'ordre de les enfermés un peu plus tôt.
_-……………………….. _pesta-t-il férocement.
_-quoi ? Écoutez, nous ne parlons pas vraiment bien votre langue…….notez, nous le regrettons sincèrement, mais nous…….._
_-…………………….. ! _continua-t-il à baragouiner, faisant manifestement peu cas des explications pourtant aimables d'Ukyo.
_-il ne me paraît pas trop d'humeur à nous entendre _constata Akane.
En effet il ne l'était pas.
De plus, le fait que ces trois insolents jeune gens osent discuter entre eux alors qu'il leur faisait vertement par de leur manque incroyable de la politesse la plus élémentaire lors de leur première rencontre ne manqua pas de le faire fulminer encore plus.
Hurlant que sa mère n'était en aucun cas une chèvre, et encore moins une chèvre acariâtre, il saisit alors prestement Akane au niveau du bras droit.
Une familiarité uniquement motivée par sa présente contrariété, car au final ce n'était pas un si mauvais bougre que cela cet homme là, mais un acte qu'il allait vite être toutefois amené à vivement regretter.
Ranma, s'il avait été là, aurait certes put le mettre en garde.
Ryoga essaya même de courtoisement le prévenir.
Mais il était déjà trop tard.
Akane Tendo n'était pas une damoiselle qui appréciait ce genre de comportement léger et irréfléchie.
Comme elle n'était pas une damoiselle qu'il était prudent et avisé de mettre inutilement en rogne.
_-non mais quel goujat celui-là ! _cria-t-elle d'un air si mauvais que le chinois en ressentit les mâchoires glacées de la mort se resserraient sur sa gorge.
Atémi.
Ippon.
Marteau pilon javanais.
German souplex.
Descente du genoux perpendiculairement à l'axe de la colonne vertébrale de la victime.
La totale.
_-Ryoga ! À toi ! _intervint avec bon sens Ukyo, sentant qu'ils avaient là une occasion unique de se faire la sucette en beauté.
_-compris ! Bakusaitenketsu ! _
Il précipita à la vitesse de l'éclair son index vers le mur le plus proche.
Puisque ils étaient sous terre et puisque Ryoga avait un certain savoir-faire dans le creusage de tunnel, autant choisir cette voie après tout.
_-Bakusaitenketsu ! _continua-t-il à hurler à mesure que la terre et la pierre explosaient devant lui, créant petit à petit un chemin sur vers la liberté, les filles le suivant prudemment.
Le douanier ne revint à lui que dix minutes plus tard.
Les marques de la douceur d'Akane encore cruellement visibles sur de nombreuses parties de son corps meurtri.
Il se leva.
Constata non sans une certaine surprise qu'un énorme passage avait été creusé à même la roche sur le mur ouest de la cellule.
Se lança dans une longue méditation sur le caractère si belliqueux, violent et vindicatif des femmes japonaises.
Et s'évanouit lourdement à nouveau, la commotion cérébrale engendrée par les coups d'Akane le travaillant quelque peu.
Mais ne vous faites pas de souci pour lui, il s'en remit très bien.
Il en profita même pour repensait calmement à ses priorités dans la vie et finalement choisir une nouvelle profession plus tranquille convenant mieux à son vrai tempérament, agent de voyage.
Quant la lumière du jour inonda enfin de ses bien faits les visages fatigués de nos trois amis, la joie fut bien évidement immense en eux.
Comme il leur fut bon de se sentir totalement libre.
Toutefois, la peur de se faire reprendre les ramena vite à la réalité et les poussa sans plus attendre à mettre le plus grand nombre possible de kilomètres entre eux et cet affreux bâtiment.
Jusenkyo était au nord.
Très loin au nord.
Et au vu de leur maigre économie et de la grandeur de ce gigantesque pays, un seul moyen de locomotion sembla parfaitement répondre à tous leurs critères de sélection.
Le train.
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Bien loin de s'imaginer dans quelle étrange situation s'étaient malencontreusement fourrés ses amis, Ranma profita pour sa part de la clémence qu'avait généreusement accordé le ciel à ce somptueux dimanche après-midi pour faire une tranquille et paisible ballade dans le parc municipal avec la petite Hanako.
Elle avait d'ailleurs pour cette occasion empruntée une charmante poussette au voisin des Hibiki, un couple dont les enfants étaient désormais trop âgés pour avoir la moindre utilité de ce jadis pourtant tellement usité objet.
Le parc était un endroit qu'elle adorait.
Quoi que, comme elle le constata d'elle-même, plus pour exactement les mêmes raisons qu'auparavant.
Avant, ça avait été plus le petit lac et ses promenades en bateaux, les quelques marchands de glaces, boissons et les attractions foraines saisonnières qui l'avaient séduite.
Maintenant elle appréciait plus la tranquillité et la beauté simple du paysage de ces lieux littéralement idéal pour promener un enfant en bas âge.
Les choses changent.
Les gens aussi.
_-hé ! Ranma ! _l'interpella soudain une voie qu'elle reconnut aussitôt comme familière, mais sans réellement parvenir immédiatement à y mettre un visage dessus.
Elle se retourna.
Et plongea son regard dans un spectacle qui la ramena bien des mois en arrière.
A l'époque ou sa vie ne se résumait encore qu'a une suite de combats contre des adversaires occasionnels et à des disputes sans fins avec Akane.
_-Daisuke ! Hiroshi ! Bon sang, comment allez-vous ? _répondit-elle avec une joie non feinte, sincèrement heureuse de revoir ses deux anciens camarades de classe.
_-tu voles notre réplique ! Ranma, ça fait des mois que l'on ne t'as plus vu au lycée nom de nom ! Qu'est-ce que tu deviens sale déserteur ? _s'enquit Daisuke, un sourire illuminant son honnête et joyeuse bouille.
_-ha dire ?…….disons que j'ai pris une année sabbatique en gros, hahahahaha !_
_-hahahahahahahaha ! _Rirent de bon cœur en retour ses deux vieux complices.
Un silence s'abattit sur la scène.
Le genre de silence qui a le don de mettre tout le monde furieusement mal à l'aise.
Les oiseaux se gardèrent bien d'émettre le plus petit sons durant quelques courtes minutes.
Et même les écureuils, ces éternels insouciants, ne se permirent pas l'audace de faire juter ne serait-ce qu'une seule de ces noisettes qu'ils avaient vaillamment mise de coté durant le printemps.
_-c'est quoi ça ? _demanda Hiroshi en pointant un doigt plus qu'interrogateur en direction de la poussette.
Cette question, Ranma s'était bien doutée qu'elle devrait y répondre un jour ou l'autre à tous ces gens qu'elle connaissait et qui n'étaient pas encore au courant du merveilleux évènement ayant bénit son existence.
Elle y avait souvent pensé en réalité.
Se demandant comment elle présenterait les choses et craignant même un peu la réaction forcement surprise, voir peut-être même moqueuse, de ses interlocuteurs.
Mais ça s'était le passé.
Aujourd'hui elle se moquait bien de ce que pouvaient en penser les gens.
Hanako était la plus belle chose qui lui soit jamais arrivée de toute sa vie et il était totalement hors de question qu'elle se sente gênée de quoi que ce soit à ce propos.
Et s'il fallait distribuer des baffes pour bien le faire comprendre aux autres, elle était tout à fait disposé à le faire sans la moindre hésitation..
_- « ça », Hiroshi, et je te prierai de ne plus jamais la désignée d'une façon si triviale, c'est ma fille, Hanako _
_-ta fille ?_
_-oui, ma fille ! _claironna-t-elle fièrement.
Les deux compères ne dirent rien pendant un instant.
Ils se regardèrent.
Posèrent à nouveau les yeux sur Ranma et sa fille.
Se regardèrent à nouveau.
Et haussèrent finalement simplement les épaules.
_-elle est magnifique Ranma ! _déclara le plus sincèrement du monde le gentil Daisuke.
_-oui, c'est une vraie perle ! Félicitation Ranma ! _surenchérit avec la même honnêteté le non moins aimable Hiroshi.
_-j'ai…..j'ai préféré surprendre pour un temps ma scolarité vous comprenez, quant j'était enceinte et maintenant pour m'occuper d'elle_ leur expliqua-t-elle, ému par la réaction simple et franche de ses deux amis.
_-oui, je comprends……mais……..Ranma……..heuu…….dis le mois si ça te gêne de répondre à ça mais……..qui est le père ?_
L'interrogation de Daisuke était logique et prévisible.
Si on lui avait demandé cela quelques semaines en arrière, la réponse aurait été probablement un peu longue à venir tant ses sentiments et impressions au sujet de Ryoga étaient encore mal discernées et seulement comprises par elle-même.
Toutefois, sur cette question aussi, les choses étaient limpides à présent.
Limpides certes.
Mais l'air de rien, ce n'était pas si facile à dire que cela.
Surtout à deux personnes qui l'avaient très bien connu en tant qu'homme on ne peut plus viril et très masculin.
_-c'est Ryoga, vous vous rappelez bien de lui non ?_
_-ha oui……un bandeau jaune et noir sur le front ? Et avec un sens de l'orientation un peu spécial non ?_
_-oui, voilà Hiroshi, c'est lui_
Rien.
Pas de rougissements, pas de sentiments de gênes.
Elle avait réussit à parler de ça sans problème.
Et cela sonna fortement en elle comme la confirmation ultime, s'il en était encore toutefois besoin, du choix de vie qu'elle s'apprêtait à faire.
Comme une preuve finale.
_-tu reviens en classe alors pour la prochaine année ? bon, nous ne serons plus ensemble puisque tu devras refaire l'année que tu as abandonné mais……ça serait vraiment sympa de te revoir au lycée Ranma tu sais_
_-merci Daisuke, je ne sais pas encore……je vais voir……mais ça me ferait très plaisir à moi aussi de revenir au lycée _
_-parfait ! On se revoit bientôt alors ? C'est une promesse ? On ne va attendre encore neuf mois pour te revoir j'espère ! _lui fit promettre Hiroshi.
_-promis !_
_-d'accord, à plus alors Ranma ! Et n'oublie pas ta promesse surtout ! C'est une véritable honte de nous avoir caché un tel cadeau des dieux ! _insista le jeune homme en évoquant bien sur Hanako.
_-je vous le promet ! _les assura-t-elle en souriant.
Alors qu'elle les regardait doucement s'éloigner, une larme dansa insolemment dans l'un de ses yeux.
Leur preuve d'amitié la toucha profondément.
Eux qui pourtant par le passé s'étaient révélés à l'occasion légèrement conservateurs, voilà à présent qu'ils la grondaient parce qu'elle n'avait pas données de nouvelles et qu'elle ne leur avait pas annoncé la naissance d'Hanako.
Voilà qui fut certes une belle leçon pour Ranma.
On ne peut jamais totalement prévoir la réaction des gens ou savoir ce qu'ils cachent précieusement au fond de leurs cœurs.
_-et bien Hanako, tu as un succès fou dis moi _confessa-t-elle alors tendrement à son trésor de fille en s'accroupissant pour ce mettre à son niveau et en lui déposant un baiser emplit d'un amour sans limite sur le front. _allez ! prochaine étape le dojo Tendo ! car si maman ne t'amènes pas voir tonton Shoun, comme elle lui a dit qu'elle le ferait, il va encore devenir tout fou et pleurait de déception pendant des heures cet animal………_
Ce qui de fait était rigoureusement exact.
Shoun ne plaisantait jamais sur trois sujets.
Un, ses filles.
Deux, le dojo et la survie de l'école d'art martiaux sans pitié.
Trois, de voir le plus souvent possible Hanako.
Shoun, tout comme il considérait encore malgré tout Ranma comme un membre à part entière de sa famille, aimait autant Hanako que si elle avait été sa propre petite fille.
Un grand sentimental.
Un vrai concentré d'émotion.
A dire vrai, il aurait littéralement adoré pouvoir demandé à Ranma de revenir vivre sous son toit.
Mais les évènements, et les usages si important au japon, ne lui avaient hélas pas donné cette opportunité.
Ça n'aurait pas été « convenable » de faire une telle chose.
Ça n'aurait pas été « opportun » vis à vis d'Akane, de Ryoga et des Hibiki.
Alors il se contentait de cette situation.
Il faisait contre mauvaise fortune bon cœur.
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Ryoga détestait le train, lui l'éternel marcheur.
Mais il dut toutefois convenir que l'air de rien, cette invention avait de sacrés avantages.
Dont l'un, tout particulièrement, qui n'était vraiment pas négligeable.
On ne pouvait pas se perdre, gentiment transportait que l'on était jusqu'à sa destination finale.
Un vrai miracle de la science moderne.
Bien que ce miracle est déjà plus de deux siècles d'existence, mais ce n'était pas là le genre de considérations dont ce souciait beaucoup le courageux Ryoga.
Sa famille lui manquait.
Il n'aurait jamais crut possible avant qu'un jour il puisse devenir sédentaire.
Pas lui.
Pas Ryoga Hibiki.
Pourtant, c'est bien ce qu'il avait été ces neuf derniers mois.
Et pour son plus grand plaisir en plus.
_-à quoi tu pense Ryoga ? _s'enquit Akane, elle que les cahots constant du train ne semblaient pas du tout déranger.
_-hmm ? Ha je……je pensais à Hanako et à Ranma……._
_-tu te fais du souci ?_
_-du souci ? pas vraiment…….un peu bien sur, on ne sait jamais ce qui peut arriver, mais je fais totalement confiance à Ranma……..non je……je pensais juste à elles……..c'est tout…….._
Quelque chose dans le ton de Ryoga la poussa à vouloir en savoir plus.
Quelque chose qu'elle ne s'expliqua pas clairement mais qui l'intrigua au plus haut point.
_-c'est bizarre……._
_-de quoi ?_
_-je ne sais pas si tu as remarqué mais……depuis quelques mois tu fais systématiquement référence à Ranma en utilisant le féminin, tu ne parles plus jamais de lui en tant que…….en tant que « il »……heuu…..enfin, je ne sais pas si je suis très claire ! _s'excusa-t-elle en un rire un peu forcé.
Pas de problème, elle était on ne peut plus claire et compréhensible.
Si claire du reste que les joues de Ryoga en roussirent légèrement.
_-ha ?…….je n'avais pas remarqué…….mais…….mais c'est comme ça que je la vois………._
_-quoi ?_
_-heuu je veux dire, c'est……c'est compliqué à expliquer mais…….pour moi, désormais, Ranma est…….._
_-et voilà le ravitaillement ! _les coupa brutalement Ukyo, les bras chargés de plusieurs repas tout prêts, achetés dans le wagon restaurant. _ça m'étonnerai que ça soit très bon mais…….on s'en contentera !_
Saisissant au vol le sandwich qui lui avait lancé Ukyo, Akane ne lâcha malgré tout pas des yeux Ryoga.
Il avait faillit lui dire quelque chose.
Était-ce bien ce qu'elle pensait ?
La relation qu'elle avait deviné ce jour là, une semaine auparavant au port de Tokyo, était-elle ce qu'elle croyait ?
J'ai un peu honteusement dépeint la pauvre Akane comme la dernière des brutes au fil de ce récit.
Ce qu'en soit elle pouvait tout à fait être.
Mais il serait injuste de ne pas reconnaître également l'une de ses plus utiles qualités.
Elle était très intuitive.
Enfin, des fois.
Sur certain sujets très particulier.
A l'occasion.
Bref………
Ce que son cœur lui murmura à cet instant là, son esprit eut toutefois plus de mal à le croire.
Malgré tout, les signes étaient là.
L'attitude de Ryoga.
La façon qu'il avait de continuellement soupiré, d'être absent comme totalement perdu dans ses propres pensées.
Hanako lui manquait bien sur.
Elle lui manquait même affreusement.
Mais Akane sentit avec justesse qu'elle n'était pas la seule à occuper présentement son esprit.
Il ne « soupirerait » pas de cette manière si c'était le cas.
Non.
Le cœur de Ryoga se languissait sur des rivages quelque peu différents.
Des rivages aux cheveux roux, au caractère fort et au visage d'une beauté angélique.
_-de quoi vous discutiez tous les deux ? Je trouve qu'il y avait comme une drôle d'ambiance…..aurai-je interrompue quelque chose ? _s'enquit Ukyo, pleine d'espoir.
_-non, on parlait de……..d'Hanako et Ranma…….._répondit d'une voix un peu lointaine Akane.
Pauvre Ukyo.
Akane se doutait bien de la motivation qui s'était cachée derrière sa généreuse proposition de lui financé le voyage.
Ce n'était d'ailleurs pas la première fois qu'elle tentait un truc dans le genre.
Mais si ce que croyait Akane était juste, la désillusion d'Ukyo risquait fort d'être d'une cruauté mordante.
_-haaaaa, tu sais bien comment ça se passe à chaque fois……..Shampoo doit déjà installer une tente dans le jardin des Hibiki pour faire le siège de la maison dans l'espoir de le conquérir, hahahahahaha !_
_-ça m'étonnerait…….._murmura Ryoga, ne paraissant pourtant guère passionné par la conversation.
_-pourquoi tu dis ça ? Connaissant Shampoo, plus rien ne m'étonnerait !_
_-Shampoo n'a pas approchée Ranma depuis des mois…….elle n'est même pas venue la voir le jour de la naissance d'Hanako……….et puis même si elle faisait ça, elle perdrait son temps……._
_-n'est pas venue « le » voir tu veux dire ?_
_-si tu veux………_
L'étonnement déforma le visage d'habitude si beau de la jeune restauratrice.
Comment ça si elle voulait ?
Il y avait deux façons de voir les choses maintenant ?
Et pourquoi par l'enfer ces deux imbéciles ne se rapprochaient-ils pas un peu ?
Elle avait tout fait pour.
Elle les avait laissés seul, s'était littéralement comportée comme une VRP cherchant à vendre Ryoga dans ses discussions avec Akane.
Et réciproquement dans ses conversations avec Ryoga.
Alors quoi bon sang ?
Ryoga aimait bien comme un fou Akane non ?
Et pourquoi Akane la regardait-elle avec ce drôle de regard tout d'un coup ?
Ce regard peiné, compatissant, avec presque de la pitié à l'intérieur.
_-je…….je……..Ryoga ? pourquoi tu dis qu'elle perdrait son temps Shampoo ? Comment tu le sais ? Ranma te l'a dit, c'est ça ?_
_-oui, si on veut…….._
_-arrête un peu avec tes « si on veux », d'accord ? Qu'est-ce qui se passe ici à la fin ? Akane me regarde comme si je venais de perdre un proche et toi tu me parles comme si tu savais précisément ce que Ranma a dans le cœur ! Mais qu'est-ce que tu peux en savoir hein ? Je suis ici celle qui le connais le mieux !_
_-Ukyo, calme-toi voyons…….Ryoga voulait juste dire que…….._essaya d'apaiser les esprits Akane.
_-quoi ? Qu'est-ce qu'il voulait dire celui-là encore ?_
_-je voulais dire que je n'essayerai pas de sortir avec Akane, Ukyo………et que nous ne sommes pas tout à fait aussi idiots que tu sembles le croire……….il m'a fallut beaucoup de temps mettre mes sentiments aux clairs, mais maintenant il n'existe plus la moindre trace de doute en moi…….je sais qui j'aime……et personne ne changera ça_
Boum.
Vous parlez d'un cassage d'ambiance.
Mais hélas pour les espoirs d'Ukyo, Ryoga pensa alors qu'il était de son devoir, de son honneur, de bien mettre les points sur les i.
Il commençait à être plus que lassé des tentatives grossières de la damoiselle pour le pousser dans les bras d'Akane.
Le but de ce voyage était sa guérison et de ramener de l'eau de source à Ranma et à Genma et Mousse par la même occasion.
Leurs vies à Ranma et à lui avaient été si sujettes aux troubles, aux hésitations, aux questionnements intérieur déchirants.
Pas question que quoi que ce soit vienne les troubler maintenant.
Il était plus que temps que Ukyo fasse son deuil de ses fiançailles avec Ranma.
_-je te remercie sincèrement d'être venu Ukyo…..ta présence est vraiment un plus appréciable……de par tes connaissances, tes talents et tout simplement de par ta personnalité………mais………ça suffit………il ne se passera rien entre moi et Akane et il ne se passera rien entre toi et Ranma……….car, nous nous aim……_
Tous ceux connaissant un peu le caractère de Ryoga mesureront aisément la somme de courage qu'il lui avait fallut pour dire ça.
Pour parler ainsi de ses sentiments, de ce qu'il ressentait, alors qu'un an en arrière à peine il devait s'entraîner avec une statue avant d'osait parler à Akane.
Mais il avait changé.
Il avait énormément mûrit.
Quelle scandale alors que sa superbe tirade se soit vu violemment interrompu par un coup terrible de spatule en travers de la tête.
_-vous ! Vous ! Je…..je ne veux rien entendre ! Je ne veux même plus vous voir ! _rugit-elle en portant une nouvelle frénétique attaque sur Ryoga. _je ne veux plus vous voir !_
Elle ramassa ses quelques bagages.
Et sortit en courant du compartiment.
_-Ryoga ! On doit la rattraper ! On ne peut pas la laisser comme ça ! Ryoga……?_
Le crane enfoncé dans la banquette ou il était précédemment confortablement assis, il n'entendit pas la requête d'Akane.
Il n'entendit rien du tout pendant les trois heures suivantes du reste.
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Voilà !
J'ai utilisé pour cette suite la bonne vielle technique du parallèle de situation.
En clair, les deux scènes avec Ranma et Ryoga ont le même but, qu'ils avouent publiquement leurs sentiments.
Cette fic arrive bientôt à sa fin.
Je ne sais pas exactement combien il y aura de chapitre pour être honnête, mais c'est un fait.
A noter qu'a la suite du dernier chapitre, il y en aura deux de plus « bonus », qui se passeront plus tard et qui mettront en scène la première aventure d'un personnage.
Mais je n'en dirais pas plus, lol.
A plus !
(oui, je sais, cette suite n'était pas plus comique que la précédente, désolé)
10. amour maternelle et affection fraternell
Bonjour à tous !
Je dois avouer que j'aime beaucoup le personnage de Genma.
Et surtout lui faire faire n'importe quoi dans ma fic du reste, lol.
La question de savoir comment il y a longtemps ce bougre de coquin a réussit à séduire Nodoka ne cesse encore de tourmenter inlassablement les fans de l'œuvre de madame Takahashi. (oui je sais, j'exagère un peu là)
Enfin bref, tout ça pour dire que ce chapitre sera vraisemblablement l'avant dernier de l'intrigue principale.
Mais pas de souci, il y aura par la suite au moins encore un chapitre « épilogue ». (peut-être même deux, je ne sais pas encore)
Comment ça quel rapport avec Genma et Nodoka ?
Il en fallait un ?
Bonne lecture !
Chapitre 10 : amour maternelle et affection fraternelle
Expirant et inspirant à plusieurs reprises, Ranma essaya tant bien que mal de calmer le début de panique qui venait cruellement d'étreindre son cœur quelques instants à peine auparavant.
Mais cela devait être fait, autant pour son propre bien que pour celui d'Hanako.
Elle avait fait parvenir une missive jusqu'au domicile de sa mère la veille lui demandant de venir la voir deux jours plus tard au dojo Tendo.
Une nouvelle que la gentille Nodoka avait accueillit avec réellement autant de joie que d'impatience tellement il lui tardait de poser à nouveau son regard sur l'angélique visage de l'adorable petite Hanako.
Le jour fatidique était enfin arrivé.
Et Ranma attendait désormais l'arrivé imminente de sa mère, sa fille près d'elle, son cœur équitablement partagé entre un fort désir de prendre à toute vitesse ses jambes à son cou et la sensation que la vérité ne pourrait apporter au final que le plus grand des bonheur.
Du moins, c'est ce qu'elle espérait.
_-Hanako ? Tu va revoir ta mamie aujourd'hui ma puce……enfin, c'est aujourd'hui qu'elle va apprendre qu'elle est grand-mère _souffla doucement Ranma en caressant du bout des doigts la joue droite de sa fille.
_-Ranma ? _l'appela Nabiki depuis l'entré du salon.
_-oui ?_
_-ta mère vient d'arriver, je lui dit que tu es là ?_
_-oui, s'il te plait Nabiki_
_-tu…..tu es sur de toi Ranma à propos de tout ça ?_ s'enquit-elle, le teint plus que pale de son ex futur beau frère l'inquiétant quelque peu.
_-certaine !_
_-très bien, je vais la chercher alors……ha, et au fait……_
_-quoi ?_
_-bonne chance !_
_-mer…..merci _
Une attention pour laquelle elle fut grandement reconnaissante à Nabiki car, de la chance, elle sentait confusément qu'elle allait en avoir rudement besoin.
Comment expliquait la situation à Nodoka ?
Comment évitait la terrible sentence du seppuku pour elle et Genma ?
Il existe des histoires qui ont le pouvoir de toucher toutes les âmes.
Des récits simples, mais vrais.
Des contes qui nous parle, nous émeuve.
Ranma allait lui raconter une histoire.
Une histoire vraie, arrivée il y a bien longtemps déjà mais dont les conséquences se poursuivaient encore de nos jours.
_-bonjour Ranko ! Et voilà la petite Hanako ! Comme tu es belle mon ange ! Elle te ressembles beaucoup !_
_-ha oui ?_
_-oui ! Regarde ses yeux, les mêmes merveilleux yeux bleus que les tiens_
S'asseyant au coté de Ranma, Nodoka lui lança alors un généreux et franc sourire avant de finalement reporter son attention sur sa petite fille.
Hanako serait le pont.
Le pont que les relierait, qui permettrait qu'a nouveau les Saotome ne soient plus qu'un.
_-tu m'as demandé de venir pour une raison particulière Ranko ? En dehors de la joie immense de voir Hanako bien sur……._le perça-t-elle abruptement à jour, elle qui avait bien deviné qu'une raison cachée se dissimulait derrière cette forte courtoise invitation.
Bien qu'en fait, elle était très loin de se douter de la nature exacte de cette dite raison.
Elle s'était simplement imaginé que Ranko voulait discuter de femme à femme.
Peut-être pour avoir ce genre de discussion qu'il est plus facile d'aborder avec une femme que l'on connaît mais qui n'est pas de notre famille plutôt qu'avec sa propre mère.
Oui.
Comme vous pouvez le constater, elle était très très loin du compte.
_-je…..j'aimerai vous parler de Ranma en réalité si vous le permettez_
_-Ranma ? _s'étonna-t-elle grandement.
_-je…..je vais vous narrer des événements…….des évènements que je voudrais que vous écoutiez jusqu'au bout, sans m'interrompre _
_-mais Ranko je…..je ne comprends pas, que veux-tu dire ?_
_-vous êtes d'accord ?_
_-heuu….oui, bien sur, va s'y, je t'écoute_
Le moment clef.
Là ou tout allait se jouer.
_-il y a plus de deux ans maintenant, votre fils à suivit son père en Chine pour un entraînement plus que « spécial »_
_-ho oui, c'est ce que m'avez promis mon époux il y a bien longtemps de cela déjà, d'entraînait durement Ranma pour qu'il devienne un homme vigoureux et fort !_
Apparemment, elle n'avait pas précisément saisit ce que Ranko avait voulut dire par « sans m'interrompre ».
_-voilà, Ranma avait un peu sottement cru que son père savait ce qu'il faisait, qu'il pouvait lui faire confiance, que s'était un homme responsable, qu'il avait au minimum le début d'une étincelle d'intelligence dans son énorme et risible crâne……._
_-hoo Ranko, comme tu sembles bien connaître mon époux ! Tu as tout de suite deviné sa vrai nature !_
_-hmm……bref, ils se retrouvèrent donc en un lieux nommé Jusenkyo, un endroit célèbre pour les particularités étranges des nombreuses sources d'eau qui s'y trouvant_
_-ha ? Elles ont des bienfaits curatifs ?_
_-non….._
_-elles sont bénéfiques pour le corps ?_
_-pas vraiment……_
_-tu sais, j'adore les sources naturelles et si tu veux je connais pas mal d'endroits très sympathiques ou on pourrait……_
_-madame ! Restez concentrée s'il vous plait_
_-ho excuse moi, continu ton histoire Ranko…… _
_-là il……il arriva quelque chose………une chose très importante qui changea profondément sa vie………madame Saotome, Ranma et Genma sont tombés dans des sources maudites, dans deux sources différentes pour être précise_
La crainte et l'inquiétude apparurent brusquement sur le visage de Nodoka.
Elle n'aimait pas le tour que prenait cette histoire mais hélas, elle risquait de ne guère plus apprécier la suite.
_-comment ça maudites ? Que veux-tu dire par là ?_
_-elles ont le pouvoir de, comment dire , de changer quelqu'un, de le transformer, mais ne vous inquiétez pas, Ranma va très bien ! _
_-comment pourrait-il aller bien en étant maudit voyons ? _
_-et bien parce que……..parce que……parce que grâce à cette malédiction sa vie à connue un tournant incroyable, terriblement inattendue certes, mais si merveilleux !_
_-tu m'as parlé de transformations…….quelles précisément ?_
Plutôt que de répondre par une vaine et forcement hésitante suite de mots, Ranma préféra juste tendre les bras et ramener vers elle le magnifique bonheur d'un peu plus de trois kilos qu'elle et son compagnon avaient nommée « enfant de fleur ».
_-voilà ce qu'ont fait ces transformations madame…….Hanako est……..elle est votre petite-fille ! _souffla Ranma, la voie rendue chevrotante par les nombreuses larmes que l'émotion avait insolemment crées dans ses yeux.
_-tu……tu veux dire que !_
_-oui, c'est ça !_
_-que…….?_
_-oui ! Vous avez bien compris !_
_-que tu as eu une relation avec mon Ranma !_
_-hè ?_
_-mon dieux…….voilà pourquoi Akane était si triste depuis des mois ! Et Ryoga ? Il le sait ? Hooo le pauvre garçon, il va être dévasté !_
_-mais non voyons ! C'est moi Ranma ! Maman, je suis Ranma ! Le pouvoir des sources de Jusenkyo est de transformé au contact de l'eau froide ceux qui s'y baignent ! _
_-Ranma ? Mon enfant ? Mon normalement si puissant, masculin et viril fils ?_
_-heuuu……oui…….hmm…….Mais il y a plus encore !_
_-je…..je…….plus étrange que cela ? _Trouva la force de murmurait Nodoka, ne sachant plus exactement sur quelle planète elle venait présentement d'atterrir.
_-avant, je pouvais redevenir un garçon avec de l'eau chaude mais plus maintenant !_
_-pardon ? _
_-le fait que j'ai été enceinte m'a libéré de la malédiction, seulement, je suis comme ça à présent, uniquement comme ça……une fille, tu me comprends maman ? Et je suis heureux, je suis heureux d'avoir un jour été maudit comme je suis heureux que par une bizarre et incroyablement folle nuit moi et Ryoga nous ayons complètement perdu notre sens commun car aujourd'hui je me sens la plus chanceuse des personnes au monde ! Grâce à Hanako ! Et aussi grâce à…….oui, grâce à Ryoga !_
Beau discours.
Et si vrai aussi.
Elle avait parlé avec son cœur, honnêtement, et elle était sure qu'une femme aussi généreuse que Nodoka la comprendrait à coup sur.
D'ailleurs, en parlant d'elle, elle sembla subitement chercher quelque chose.
Un regard à gauche, un coup d'œil discret à droite.
_-tu…..tu ne cherches pas ton sabre là quand même maman ? Hahahahahahaha !_
_-hahahahahahahaha !_
_-hahahahahahahaha !_
_-hahahahahahahaha ! Si, précisément, je me demande bien ou il est passé…….._
_-maman ! Tu n'as pas écouté ce que je t'ai expliqué ou quoi ?_
_-hmm ? Hoo, c'est cette histoire de seppuku qui te fait peur ? Allons Ranma, tu crois vraiment que j'aurai put te faire le moindre mal mon chéri ? À toi ? Mon enfant ?_ _et alors que tu as une si magnifique et merveilleuse petite fille que j'aime tellement !_ la rassura-t-elle en la prenant tendrement dans ses bras, elle si comblée d'avoir enfin retrouvé le sang de son sang, la chair de sa chair.
_-non bien sur ! Hahahahahaha ! Quelle idée voyons !_
_-mais en parlant de ça, tu sais ou es ton père ?_
_-hein ? Et bien je…….._
_-bobombobom ! _les interrompit soudain une tierce voix.
Un gros panda ayant passablement mal mesurait le risque encouru par sa faignante de carcasse venait en effet de faire son apparition, se croyant parfaitement à l'abri du sabre mortelle de sa tendre épouse.
_-ha ! Genma !_
_-bobom !_
_-je te confis Ranma et tu me ramènes une jeune maman ? Tu ne peux pas savoir à quel point je suis impatiente d'entendre ta version des faits mon chéri……._
_-bobom ?_
_-ça y est ! Je me souviens ! J'ai laisse mon sabre à la maison ! Quelle sotte je fais ! Attends moi ici Genma tu veux ? Je reviens le plus vite possible……._
Elle déposa une ultime bise sur l'une des joues d'Hanako, sourit gentiment à Ranma et quitta d'un pas pressé la pièce.
_-l'ombre de la mort plane sur toi papa désormais _constata avec un cruel réalisme Ranma.
_-BOBOM !_
_-hé vous autres ! C'est bon, ce n'est plus la peine de nous écouté en douce !_
Joignant le geste à la parole, il ouvrit en grand la porte coulissante de la pièce et découvrit sans surprise le clan Tendo quasiment au grand complet avec des gobelets en plastiques collés aux oreilles.
_-c'est super Ranma ! Ta maman l'a vraiment très bien pris ! _exulta de joie Kasumi.
_-vous vous êtes fait bien trop de soucis pour rien tu vois ! _poursuivit Nabiki.
_-elles ont raisons……Ranma, je suis ravi pour toi et pour ta mère !_
_-merci monsieur Tendo_
_-BOBOM ! _
_-et si on amenait Hanako au parc pour fêter ça ? _proposa Shoun, se voyant déjà faire mille grimaces pour amuser l'enfant.
_-très bonne idée papa ! Tu payes ?_
_-d'accord Nabiki, d'accord…..j'invite !_
_-j'en profiterai au passage pour faire quelques courses pour le souper de ce soir alors _déclara la si consciencieuse et vaillante Kasumi.
_-en route dans ce cas ! Viens là ma puce…….on va allez se promener tu veux ? _
Déposant sa fille dans la poussette qui l'attendait à quelques mètres à peine de là, Ranma et la joyeuse troupe se mirent donc en route, tous rassurés et plus que souriants.
Le dernier point réel d'angoisse dans la vie de Ranma venait en effet de disparaître.
Il avait enfin retrouvé sa maman et avait trouvé le courage d'être sincère avec elle.
A présent, il ne lui restait plus qu'a attendre patiemment le retour de Ryoga, lui aussi enfin pour toujours bientôt débarrassé du poids sans nom de sa malédiction.
Rapidement, le silence tomba sur le grand salon de la résidence Tendo.
Imperturbable.
Apaisant d'une certaine manière.
Réconfortant presque.
Relaxant.
Reposant.
Mais pas pour tous hélas.
_-BOBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM ! _hurla alors longuement de dépit un vieux panda malheureux et oublié.
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_-dis Ryoga, et si on faisait une pause ? _demanda Akane, sa langue sur le point d'aller fort discourtoisement s'enroulait autour de ses chevilles.
_-courage ! Encore deux minuscules kilomètres et on y est !_
_-c'est ce que tu me dis depuis une heure déjà……..tu es sur de savoir ou tu vas ?_
_-fais moi confiance ! Je sais bien que mon sens de l'orientation n'est pas vraiment super efficient mais je retrouverai Jusenkyo les yeux fermés !_
Et pour une fois il avait on ne peut plus raison le bougre, comme la vision lointaine de piquets en bambou dressés vers le ciel leur indiqua vite.
_-regarde Akane ! On y est ! C'est là ! _hurla de joie le gentil jeune homme.
Le train les avait gentiment déposé dans une minuscule bourgade répondant au doux nom de kenko à une cinquante de kilomètres en aval de Jusenkyo.
Cinquante kilomètres.
Deux jours de marches éreintantes.
Et oui, Ryoga avait mené leur déambulation.
Quoi que d'un coté, ça aurait put être pire.
Deux jours n'étant pas le record d'errance involontaire de notre sympathique ami.
A leur plus grande tristesse, ils n'avaient pas réussit à remettre la main sur la pauvre Ukyo, et cela malgré le fait qu'un train soit un espace clôt et aux dimensions somme toute plutôt restreintes.
Elle a dut probablement se cacher avaient-ils alors pensé.
En réalité, faisant preuve d'un bon sens tout à son honneur, Ukyo avait décidé que le meilleur endroit pour ruminait tranquillement sa vibrante contrariété sans que l'un de ces deux idiots viennent la déranger était tout simplement la locomotive.
Elle était donc entré doucement dans la cabine de pilotage du train, s'était assise à même le sol à une poignée de centimètre du conducteur, et avait lentement commencé à pleurer.
Contrairement à ce qu'elle avait crut au début, le conducteur du dit train l'avait tout à fait entendu entré.
Et lorsque le son des premiers pleurs et reniflements parvinrent à ses oreilles, le brave homme soupira, appuya sur le bouton de régulation de vitesse, se leva et alla voir de visu ce que pouvait bien pousser une si charmante et belle damoiselle à venir s'enfermer ainsi dans une locomotive crasseuse du fin fond de la Chine.
La discussion qu'ils eurent, je ne la retranscrirait pas.
Cela leur appartient.
A eux seul.
Mais le vieil homme, qui se nommé Chang et qui parlait couramment japonais, sut toutefois écouter Ukyo.
Comme il sut trouver les mots qui la consolèrent.
Bien sur, certains passages du récit de la jeune femme ne manquèrent pas de le troubler.
Notamment ceux concernant de drôles d'histoires de transformations, de changement de sexe, de cochon aussi ridicule que pervers et j'en passe et des meilleurs.
Il pensa juste sur le moment qu'Ukyo usait de paraboles, d'images, de propos abstraits pour définir sa peine.
En revanche, il comprit très clairement le nœud du problème.
Elle aimait quelqu'un qui pour sa part aimait une autre personne.
Une histoire veille comme le monde.
La seule phrase de leur entretien que je me permettrait de citer est celle-ci.
_-petite, je comprends que tu es mal mais tu sais, la seule vrai liberté que l'on ai sur terre, le plus grand don que Bouddha nous ai accordé est celui d'aimé……tu as le droit d'aimé ce Ranma, mais lui aussi a le droit d'aimer, il a le droit d'aimer qui il veut………en revanche, on ne peut pas forcer une autre personne à nous aimer, ça ne marche pas comme ça………tu n'as pas le droit de dire à cette personne qui elle se doit d'aimer, ou qui toi tu penses qu'elle se doit d'aimer……..Ukyo, si tu ne dois retenir qu'un seul conseil d'un vieux fou comme moi alors écoute celui-là : laisse-le, passe à autre chose, sinon crois moi, ton amour pour lui risque de l'éloigner de toi pour toujours ! Et alors tu n'auras pas seulement perdu un amour, mais aussi un ami_
Une tirade qui la toucha.
Et qui l'amena à prendre une décision importante.
_-c'est laquelle celle du jeune homme noyé ?_
_-il vaudrait mieux demander au guide, ça serait vraiment bête de se tromper maintenant tu ne crois pas ?_ plaisanta gaiement Ryoga.
Guide qu'ils trouvèrent sans mal dans sa maison alors qu'il se mitonnait avec amour un délicieux ragoût de pomme de terre délicatement assaisonné de multiple herbes aromatiques.
Car il était gourmand cet homme là.
Comme le prouvait d'ailleurs son plus que généreux tour de taille.
_-encore des visiteurs ? Et bien décidément aujourd'hui je suis débordé !_
_-tiens ? Quelqu'un d'autre et déjà passé par ici depuis ce matin ? _s'enquit Akane.
_-oui, une damoiselle japonaise comme vous……..elle m'a demandé ou se trouvait la source du jeune homme noyé_
_-quoi ?_
_-quoi quoi ?_
_-comment elle s'appelait ?_
_-ha ça je n'en sais rien……c'est un endroit public vous savez, on ne demande pas leurs cartes d'identités au gens avant qu'ils aillent se promener_
_-vous pouvez nous amener à cette source s'il vous plait ? _insista la fille cadette de la famille Tendo.
_-et mon ragoût ?_
_-monsieur, Akane à formuler ça sous l'apparence d'une question parce que c'est une jeune femme exquise et très polie……._
_-me…..merci Ryoga_
_-mais si c'est moi qui m'en mêle……_
_-pas la peine de devenir menaçant ! D'accord, venez……mais je nous inviterai pas à dîner pour la peine !_
Galopant à la suite du ventripotent guide de Juenkyo, Ryoga et Akane se retrouvèrent vite au lieux qui durant tant de temps fut l'objet d'un désir farouche et implacable dans les esprits de nos héros.
Du moins, ceux de sexe masculins en tout cas.
Elle n'avait pourtant rien de bien particulière en apparence cette source.
Le même genre de piquet en bambou planté au milieu.
Les mêmes touffes d'herbes d'humides tout autour.
La même eau d'une clarté incroyable.
Toutefois, à la différence des autres sources, une fille se tenait là.
Silencieuse.
Perdue dans ses pensées.
Une fille qui durant des années, dégoûtée comme elle était de la façon dont l'avait honteusement abandonné Genma, s'était fait passée pour un homme.
Oui.
Être une fille avait longtemps était trop dur pour elle.
Trop pénible à porter.
Et maintenant, à présent que la seule raison qui l'avait amené à retrouver de l'intérêt dans la féminité venait de fondre comme neige au soleil, les reflets bleutés de l'eau de la source du jeune homme noyé avait pour elle des accents extrêmement tentateurs.
Enfin, c'est comme ça que l'interprétèrent Ryoga et Akane.
Comme quoi, des fois, il vaut mieux s'accorder un bon moment de réflexion avant de commencer à se raconter à soi-même un peu n'importe quoi.
_-Ukyo ! Non ! _la supplia de ne pas commettre cet acte fou Akane.
_-tiens, Akane et Ryoga……..je me demandais si vous arriveriez un jour……._
_-tu…..tu ne vas quand même pas sauter hein ? N'est-ce pas Ukyo ?_
_-et ben moi en tout cas je ne vais pas m'en priver ! _lanca un Ryoga au comble de l'extase avant de se jeter la tête la première dans l'eau.
Adieu le petit cochon noir.
Adieu P-chan.
Adieu les humiliations.
Bonjour la joie.
Bonjour les jours de pluie sans craindre de se faire mouiller.
Bonjour les sorties à la plage et à la piscine.
Fini le cauchemar !
Scrutant la surface de l'eau, Akane regarda avec un étonnement grandissant Ryoga sortir de l'eau.
_-Ryoga ! Comme tu es poilu ! Et petit ! Et affreusement bizarre à regarder !_
_-wahou ! Wahou ! _aboya-t-il de désappointement.
_-heuu…..monsieur, ça c'est la source du chien noyé……celle du jeune homme c'est celle juste à coté………_
De plus que ce n'était nullement un fier dog allemand ou un fidèle chien de berger qui était venu se noyer ici.
Mais un aussi ridicule que court sur patte bouldog.
Grognant, pestant, aboyant, Ryoga se dirigea enfin vers la bonne source.
_-Ukyo ! Tu ne pouvais pas réfléchir devant la bonne source au moins ! _jugea-t-il bon de se plaindre une fois qu'il eut repris forme humaine.
_-la ferme toi ! J'ai vraiment tout sauf envi de t'entendre t'apitoyer misérablement !_
_-ça y est ! Tu es guérit Ryoga ! _le félicita Akane.
_-et bien techniquement non, en fait il est toujours maudit…….mais ça ne se voit pas, c'est tout_
_-silence le guide ! Ne viens pas troubler ce moment de bonheur ! Hanako ! Papa peut rentrer maintenant ! Et tu n'aurais jamais à rougir de lui !_
_-pff…..ça reste à voir ça _bougonna Ukyo.
_-Akane ! Va vite chercher un sceau d'eau froide s'il te plait !_
_-pourquoi donc Ryoga ?_
_-s'il te plait !_
_-d'accord……_
Elle retourna donc à la cabane du guide.
Dénicha un sceau.
Le remplit d'eau froide.
Et revint gentiment en balançait le contenu sur le jeune homme.
_-encore !_
_-je crois que ça va aller Ryoga….on a bien compris……_
_-hmm…..oui, tu as raison, j'ai tout le reste de ma vie pour m'asperger d'eau froide à présent ! _pleura-t-il quasiment de joie.
_-mais quel imbécile……_
_-Ukyo ! Se jeter dans cette source n'est pas la solution tu sais !_
_-pfffff…….._
_-hoooooo tu peux rire de moi si tu veux ! Mais je n'ai que trop connu les affres d'être maudit ! Ne fais pas ça ! tu es très jolie et charmante et……_
_-mais je n'ai jamais voulu me jeter dedans abrutit ! Je suis venu ici pour vous retrouver ! Ce n'est pas ma faute si il vous a fallut plus de deux jours pour faire une si courte distance !_
_-hein ? _couinèrent ensemble Akane et Ryoga de stupéfaction devant le film qu'ils s'étaient un peu trop vite fait.
_-quelqu'un m'a ouvert les yeux on va dire…….j'ai……j'ai comprit que ça ne servait à rien de vous en vouloir……nous sommes partit du Japon en amis……j'aimerai beaucoup que nous y retournions de la même façon !_
Avant que cette histoire ne sombre dans la mièvrerie la plus totale, il est important de préciser que ce n'est en aucune manière la faute de l'auteur mais bien celle du récit lui-même.
Et il est important aussi de préciser que les mauvaises excuses ne sont pas forcement l'apanage des imbéciles et que ça arrive aussi souvent que des gens très brillants y ait également recours.
Non mais !
_-Ukyo…..je……je suis heureux que tu comprennes ! _s'emporta l'émotif Ryoga.
_-ne pousse pas trop quand même……je t'en veux toujours un peu quand même……je t'en veux mais…….je peux l'accepter_
N'ayant certes pas oublier les autres raisons de ce voyage, Ryoga sortit un grand récipient hermétique de son sac et le remplit aussitôt à ras-bord de cette eau miraculeuse.
Genma et mousse apprécierait sûrement le geste.
Quand à Ranma, c'était là une question à laquelle il n'avait pas encore de réponse définitive.
Bien que de son coté, Ranma avait d'hors et déjà fait son choix.
_-Ryoga, tant qu'on est là on ne devrait pas aussi prendre un peu d'eau de la source de la jeune fille ?_
_-pourquoi ?_
_-Shampoo……ça lui fera extrêmement plaisir je suis sur……._
_-tu….tu es vraiment une personne généreuse Akane ! Après tout ce qu'il s'est passé tu penses d'abord aux autres avant toi-même……je……je suis très ému !_
_-Ryoga…..tu vas finir par me faire rougir !_
_-ha ben bravo, c'est maintenant que vous vous rapprochez vous ? _intervint Ukyo, un rien mesquine.
_-ça n'a rien à voir avec ça ! Akane a raison…..je vais aussi emporter un peu d'eau de la source de la jeun fille noyée……_
Ainsi fut-il fait.
Les bras lourdement chargés, ils dirent au-revoir au guide et au site de Jusenkyo.
Akane et Ukyo n'y retournèrent plus jamais de leur vie, mais gardèrent malgré tout un souvenir plaisant de ce drôle de voyage.
Ryoga quant à lui y retournerait, bien des années plus tard.
Beaucoup d'année plus tard, dans le cadre d'un voyage qui se révélerait très important pour la personne la plus importante de sa vie.
Pour son rayon de soleil.
Pour la lumière de son existence.
Pour la petite Hanako.
Mais ceci est une autre histoire qui sera traitait plus en profondeur ultérieurement.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Voilà.
Dans le prochain chapitre, le retour de Ryoga et pas mal de sentiments.
Un grand, un immense merci d'avoir lut ce chapitre.
A plus !
11. toki no kioku
Chapitre 11 : toki no kioku
La nuit recouvrait déjà cette partie orientale du monde lorsque un taxi de couleur rouge se gara lentement devant la résidence de la famille Hibiki.
A son bord, deux personnes se dirent au-revoir avec chaleur et se souhaitèrent une bonne nuit.
La première de ces dites personnes, Akane, avait fermement tenu à raccompagnée la seconde, Ryoga, prétextant non sans une certaine logique qu'il serait vraiment bien sot qu'il se perde maintenant à la toute fin de leur expédition.
Une logique dont Ryoga ne pouvait que reconnaître le bon sens et la juste vérité.
_-tu passeras le bonjour à Ranma ? Elle va être très heureuse de te revoir je suis sur _déclara Akane en souriant, elle qui par la force des choses avait fini par utiliser la même formulation que Ryoga pour désigner son ancien fiancé.
_-merci Akane ! Merci pour tout !_
_-pas de problème, embrasse aussi Hanako de ma part_
_-ok……heuu……Akane ?_
_-oui ?_
_-tu pense que ça ira pour Ukyo ? Malgré ce qu'elle nous a dit elle avez l'air plus que triste_
_-ne t'inquiètes pas, je crois comprendre parfaitement ce qu'elle ressent……elle se fera une raison, je suis sur qu'elle finira par saisir et accepté tout cela _lui expliqua la fille cadette de la famille Tendo.
Oui, elle comprenait.
Elle ne comprenait même que trop bien ce que devait ressentir Ukyo.
Qui aurait put prédire un jour que tout ce finirait ainsi ?
_-pas que ça me gêne, mais le compteur tourne vous savez _jugea bon d'intervenir le conducteur du taxi, un homme bourru et peu diplomate pour qui son métier représentait toute son existence.
_-bon, j'y vais alors, au-revoir Akane, prend bien soin de toi surtout_
_-merci, je vais essayer……..au revoir Ryoga………_finit-elle laconiquement.
Sortant du véhicule, il adressa un dernier salut de la main en direction du taxi avant de se retourner finalement vers le lieux sur terre ou il s'était tant languit de retourner durant son périple en Chine.
Sa maison.
Leur maison.
Leur nid douillet.
Silencieux et prudent, il ouvrit délicatement la porte, se déchaussa, et entreprit de gravir à pas de loup l'escalier le séparant encore de sa chambre, croisant mentalement les doigts pour qu'une certaine damoiselle de sa connaissance ai choisit ce lieu pour abriter son repos nocturne.
Une marche.
Puis une autre.
Le palier.
Il sourit comme un enfant.
Il ne put s'en empêcher.
Et au bout du couloir, tel une promesse de bonheur, se dessina enfin la porte lui barrant temporairement le passage de son doux jardin d'eden.
L'idée de faire d'abord un détour par la chambre de sa fille lui titilla un instant l'esprit.
Mais il la repoussa, ne désirant certes pas prendre le risque d'éveiller la petite et au passage déclencher une de ses violentes crises de larmes dont elle était à l'occasion si friande.
Il avait bien le temps désormais.
Plus rien ne l'éloignerait jamais de son adorable famille, il s'en fit la promesse solennelle.
Il poursuivit donc tranquillement son chemin.
La porte, qui pouvait se révéler difficile à manœuvrer quant l'humidité la faisait gonfler, ne grinça pas quant il l'ouvrit.
Pas plus que la poignée n'émit ce son déplaisamment bizarre qu'elle faisait parfois quant une personne l'actionnait un peu brusquement.
Non.
Il s'avança un peu plus.
Et la vit.
Le drap était enroulé autour de son corps tel quelque mystérieux et audacieux amant.
Elle portait un t-shirt et une sorte de short de couleur sombre.
Elle avait calé le coussin en boule entre son cou et son visage.
Sa main droite reposait sur son ventre à la peau laiteuse.
Elle était merveilleuse.
Tout simplement.
Il dévora littéralement la scène des yeux.
Se repaissant de ce spectacle au combien angélique.
N'en perdant pas la moindre miettes.
Qui n'est jamais partit ne peut comprendre la joie simple mais intense du retour.
Mais lui jusque là n'avait connut que la peine déchirante du départ.
Maintenant, il comprenait ce sentiment dans son entière mesure et le bien être qu'il apportait à celui qui l'éprouvait.
Toujours en silence, il ôta délicatement la majorité de ses vêtements.
Ne conservant sur sa personne qu'un modeste caleçon.
Pourtant, alors qu'il aurait put dans la seconde la rejoindre au lit, il s'offrit le luxe de patienter encore un peu.
L'anticipation est une chose merveilleuse.
Et quant vous avez devant vous la promesse de tant de douceur, de tellement d'affection, l'attente n'en est que plus délicieusement puissante.
Il avança d'un pas.
Son cœur s'accéléra.
Il souleva légèrement le drap et, n'y tenant plus, se pressa enfin amoureusement tout contre elle.
L'odeur des ses cheveux l'étourdit presque.
La douceur de sa peau le chavira de contentement.
Il déposa un affectueux baiser sur sa nuque.
Et comme dans ces contes de fées qui avaient tendrement bercés leur enfance, elle s'éveilla.
_-hmm ? _marmonna-t-elle, le sommeil ne l'ayant pas encore totalement libéré de son emprise.
_-bonjour vous…….._
_-Ry……Ryoga ? _s'enquit la belle en se retournant légèrement.
_-tu attendais quelqu'un d'autre ? _s'autorisa-t-il à plaisanter.
Sans plus attendre, et ne faisant guère grand cas de sa petite boutade, Ranma répondit aussitôt à son étreinte et se pressant à son tour contre cette personne si chère à son cœur et qui lui avait tellement manquée.
_-alors ? _l'invita-t-elle avec empressement à répondre sans préciser la question, elle à présent bel et bien parfaitement éveillée.
Mais la question il la connaissait précisément et il se fit une joie d'aussitôt y répondre.
_-complètement guéri _murmura amoureusement Ryoga au creux de l'oreille de Ranma, une joie immense clairement décelable dans sa voix.
Une joie qu'elle partagea au delà de toute mesure et qu'elle tenu absolument à lui prouvait en un passionné et fougueux baiser.
_-j'en ai ramené pour tous le monde, ton père, Mousse……et même de la source de la jeune fille pour Shampoo _lui expliqua-t-il, une fois ses lèvres décollées de celles de sa belle.
_-et pour moi ?_
_-bien entendu, je te l'avais promis_
_-c'est très gentil à toi……mais je n'en aurai pas besoin, je le sais bien à présent….._
_-j'espère bien ! _déclara-t-il en riant.
Leurs esprits s'étaient exprimés.
Mais de tous leurs êtres, ce n'était pas cette partie d'eux qui allait se révéler rapidement la plus bavarde.
Les corps avaient leurs mots à dire aussi.
Et ils ne s'en privèrent pas.
**FIN !**
End file.
| fanfiction |
Gundam Wing/AC 1. Missions, Disguises, and the Gabriel Aca...
Authors Note - Hey, this is Riley, your author. Just letting ya know that Relena will be OOC, and maybe the pilots, I'll let you decide. I do not own Gundam Wing, blah blah. Riley and Vienna are mine! I created them. If you wish to use them, contact me first, and ask then, and I will give you permission, or decline, whichever I choose to say. Oh, and I may jump around a bit, like, one second its one day, and then the next minute its the next day, but it all goes with the story, so please deal!
Okay, now let me tell you a few things about me, which may come up some time, and you are starting to wonder. First, I do not like yaoi, or agree with. I have nothing against people who do write them, I just don't read or write them. Second, is that for some weird reason, I just cannot seem to write good mobile suit fights, and any thing dealing with a mobile suit of any kind, so in this story, there will be no mobile suits whatsoever. They may refer back to the Gundams, but they have been blown up and are long gone. So if you came here expecting that, don't expect it!
Well, read on, and I hope you enjoy it!! Chao!
Disclaimer: no I don't own GW. Just a fan of it.
Chapter One
It was a dark night with only the sound of the whistling of the wind making any noise at all. The compound was quiet and nothing at all moved. The guards stood in the shadows, waiting for anyone to attack, while others slept at their posts. Two guards near the back entrance of the main building of the compound were quietly conversing between each other.
"Are you certain it was him? Jarson would never do anything like that, I don't think," one of them was saying.
The other nodded. "I swear on my death bed it was him! If you ever find me wrong, you can cut my throat."
"Don't mind if I do," an unfamiliar feminine voice said from the dark night. A quick flash of light shone into the two unsuspecting guards faces. Before either could do a thing, one had his throat slit by a sword, killing him instantly, while the other was stabbed with a dagger in the chest. From the shadows two figures formed, coming from the darkness. In the faint light of the emergency patrol lamp, to a sharp eye it was easy to see that the two figures were feminine in shape. The one with short black hair spoke to the other, "That was almost too easy."
The other smirked. "No kidding. That guy was almost telling us to kill him." She glanced at the man fallen at her feet. She kicked him aside farther into she shadows. "Hide the other. We need to make sure we are not found out until our job is finished."
"One step ahead of you." The other had already hidden the man with the slit throat before her friend had said a word. "Alright, come on then, let's go."
A week later, the news of a blown up base was all over. Everyone wondered who the culprit was, but it was yet to be determined. On the streets, the newspapers were sold out, but the people without one had no need to worry. On the television news, stories of the same explosion were constantly playing. A crowd had gathered before the main screen in the city, staring up at it as a picture was shown of the blown up base, which had once been a well-functioned compound, even if no one really knew what went on in there.
"Eye witnesses say not a thing stirred that night," the news reporter was saying, "while others say they saw something, but did not know exactly what. One man said he swore he saw a ghostly figure, but we cannot be sure. Is this just another peculiar happening, or is it a warning to us?"
In an apartment, two girls sat on a sofa watching the news story on their own television. One had long brown hair and green eyes, and the other had short black hair and brown eyes.
The one with brown hair sighed, shaking her head. "Will these nitwits ever get it right? Yes, it is a warning, not some silly peculiar happening. Who do they think we are, pranksters?"
Her friend shook her own head. "Well, at least we haven't been found out yet. Let them keep guessing who we really are."
They were quiet for a few minutes, each in her own thoughts, until the black haired one said, "When do you think he will give us our next mission?" She rubbed her hands together. "That last one was as simple as pie."
The brunette snorted. "Says the one who stumbled and fell down the stairwell."
"Hey, not my fault, Riles! How was I to know some idiot was going to leave a puddle on that lousy step!"
"Denial, denial. Dear Vienna, when will you ever learn?"
Vienna glared at her. "Shut up." Riley started laughing. Vienna gave her an annoyed stare.
Riley shook her head. "I just can't forget your face when you tumbled down the stairs! I was so surprised no one heard you coming! Every time you landed on a step a loud thud echoed!" She grabbed her stomach, as she laughed harder. Vienna sunk deeper into the couch.
"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, cause I sure didn't, and I've got a few bruises to remind me." She rolled her eyes and stared at the TV. Now it was showing what the base looked like now, which was actually just a large area that was burnt to a crisp, with debris everywhere, with a few policemen and soldiers walking around, searching for clues. Suddenly, Vienna sat up, her eyes focused on a young person walking around at the site in the background. He had unruly dark brown hair and wore blue jeans and a jacket. Riley glanced at her friend.
"Uh, V, are you okay?" she asked.
"Look!" Vienna exclaimed. Riley looked at the TV and almost jumped out of her seat.
"Holy crap! What the heck is he doing there!" she yelled, her eyes bugging out.
"No idea, but I'm not sure I wanna find out," Vienna replied. She jumped up from her seat and ran to the front door of the apartment. "Come on Riles. I'm not gonna sit around here, waiting for him to find us out. If we left anything, he is certain to find it!"
Heero Yuy wandered the ruins, searching for something, anything at all, that could give him a clue. He had been there for an hour but had found nothing. He sighed inwardly as his search continued. Whoever that person is, he sure is good. No wonder no one has been able to find out why all these bases and compounds are being blown up. I know it isn't Duo or anyone, since Dr. J wouldn't let us out of the compound until yesterday. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed two girls walking to the ruins. He looked them over for a moment, looking for anything different. He noticed nothing; at least nothing he could see from so far away.
The two stopped to talk to one of the policemen. The one with black hair did the persuading and soon they were allowed into the boundaries. Now Heero knew something was up. Those two knew something and he was going to find out.
Vienna watched the brown haired boy closely, though very discretely. Riley walked besides her, searching the ground as if she, too, was looking for clues. "Riley, he's watching us."
"Just act normal. He has never seen or met us before, so we don't have much to worry about. Keep watching him and stick close. If he makes a move as if to get near us tell me and we can get away from here."
Vienna looked away from the boy to her friend. "Go away? Are you kidding? We need to stay here and make sure he finds nothing."
"Fine, but if we get into any trouble I will blame you."
"Okay but we won't get caught. Trust me."
Riley rolled her eyes. "The last time you said trust me, it nearly got us blown up, need I remind you."
"Be quiet, Riley. You don't have to remind me of every minor mistake I have made."
Riley straightened and faced Vienna. "Minor? You call nearly getting us blown up minor? Well I suppose if we get thrown into space with nothing to protect us you would call that a minor problem too, right?"
Vienna glared at her. "No, I would not call that minor. Now shut up or else he will get suspicious."
"I'm not the one making a scene, ya know."
"Oh really? Well who is the one yelling!?" Vienna yelled.
"Look at yourself, bird brain!" Riley yelled.
By now they were attracting watchful eyes, including the Prussian blue eyes of Heero Yuy. He looked around before walking across to the girls. They continued to argue though oblivious to the danger they were putting themselves in.
"At least I don't trip over my own feet!" Riley was yelling.
"Oh really? Well I don't stare at any cute boy that comes my way like you do!" At that moment, Heero Yuy reached them. Vienna noticed him and her jaw hit the floor.
Riley smirked. "You were saying?" she taunted. She knew who he was and the trouble he could cause them, but at that moment, she couldn't care if he was God himself.
Vienna stomped on Riley's foot. Riley grunted and started hobbling around, grabbed her booted foot. "That was my new pair of boots, Vienna," she mumbled.
Heero raised an eyebrow at Riley. "Who are you two?" he asked in his regular monotonous voice.
Just then a slight beeping went off and all three looked down at their pagers; Vienna was the one who smiled triumphantly. "Its for me," she announced. She grabbed Riley's wrist and pulled her after her. "I have to go answer it, so come on Betty, I don't want to go alone."
Riley stared at Vienna. When they were far enough from Heero, Riley pulled her arm away from Vienna and glared at her. "Betty? You couldn't come up with a better name than Betty!?"
Vienna sighed. "Pardon me, but I was in a hurry, little Miss Grump."
Riley took a deep breath. "Sorry. So, who's beeping you?"
Vienna smiled knowingly. "Who do ya think?"
An hour later, Vienna and Riley were riding down the road on their motorbikes. Backpacks were strapped to their backs and guns at the ready strapped to their thighs. The road wound around the cliffs forcing them to turn every which way without speaking to one another.
Vienna concentrated on the road ahead, while her head turned with thoughts. Why does he want us to go to the hangar? He hardly ever calls us together for any reason, unless he found any info on any planned attacks, then of course he would. But still.
Riley, meanwhile, was troubled over the same thing. Why would he call us? He must have found hints that an attack will take place. Man, I wish he had given Vienna more information. That would really put the load off my shoulders. Her long brown hair whipped into her face. She shook it away as the hidden main entrance came into view. It was actually a camouflaged door in the rock of the cliffs with a small mechanical pad next to it. She slowed her bike down and pushed a green button near a built in speaker. She waited until a voice came over it.
"Who's there?" the person asked.
"Riley and Vienna, Dr. J. Let us in," Riley said. She glanced over her shoulder at Vienna.
"Alright, Riley, I'm letting you in," came the reply. A large piece of the rock shifted to the side, revealing an entrance into a rather long cavern leading into the main hangar. She and Vienna started up the bikes and drove in, the rock sliding shut behind them. At the end of the cavern they drove into the hangar that had an extremely high ceiling.
Vienna got off her bike first and was the first to greet the old man, Dr. J, whom Riley had spoken to on the speaker. "Hey J, what's up?"
"I have another mission for the both of you," Dr. J replied. Riley came up behind her friend to listen.
Vienna smiled. "Sounds like fun. What is it?"
"I will tell you but first, I will show you to the rooms you will be staying in." The old scientist turned around and walked away. Vienna sighed.
"He does this every time: he keeps us hanging," Vienna grumbled.
Riley shrugged. "Oh well. At least we have another mission other than sitting around on our butts waiting around."
"I guess. Come on, before we lose him."
They took off running.
A ways down a hall that lead off from the hangar, they turned into a small, furnished room with a TV, sofa, beanbag chair, and against the wall a small refrigerator was set. Two doors were on opposite sides of the room and another door was across from where they stood, a few feet from the refrigerator.
"Vienna, your dorm is to the right and Riley, yours is to the left. The door just across is the bathroom. This room is the small living room for you two, got it?"
Riley rolled her eyes. "Please, we have stayed here before," she said.
Dr. J continued, "Put your things away and meet me in the lab."
Riley and Vienna rushed to throw their bags into the rooms. Riley tossed hers inside onto the bed but Vienna threw hers inside and accidentally hit a lamp that was on a table, shattering it. Riley smacked her forehead. "Ugh. V, don't ya think you can do one tiny little thing without breaking something?"
Vienna shrugged, quickly closing the door behind her. "I dunno. Just forget the lamp. I'll worry about it later. Let's go see what we're here for."
In minutes the two were in the lab waiting for the scientist to acknowledge their arrival. Vienna switched from one foot to the other and Riley leaned back against a long wooden table.
"Girls," Dr. J suddenly said, "please take a seat." He indicated three chairs and Vienna and Riley sat in two of them; Dr. J sat in the other. "Now, your next mission will be a different one than what you are used to. This time the two of you will not really be working alone." He had the girls' attention. "Instead, you will be with the boys."
Vienna smiled happily. "You mean WuFei and them? Really?"
Dr. J nodded. "Yes, I do mean then. Now understand you aren't working with them directly at first."
"I don't get it," Vienna commented, scratching her head.
"It isn't that hard to not understand actually. You two will be with them, though they don't know why you are there," Dr. J explained.
Vienna stared at him, squinting. "I'm getting far more confused than ever."
"Ditto," Riley agreed.
Dr. J sighed. "Vienna let me explain without you adding something to it." She glared at him but settled back into the chair. "I will start from the beginning. You two will be staying in the school that Relena Peacecraft runs, the St. Gabriel Academy. As it always is, she is the main target this new group plans to get rid of and this time, they plan on accomplishing it, or so my sources have told me."
Riley interrupted, "Um, I know we have been blowing up their bases and all but uh, I would really like to know who they are, what they are called, and who is running this new group."
"Actually Riley, I too would like the answers to those questions. I can only say they call themselves the World Rebellion Federation and are far more powerful than Romefeller, White Fang, and Oz. As for who runs the group, the person has never been named or heard of, at least from what information I have received."
"Oohh, hushy hush, huh?" Vienna said, a smile playing on her lips.
"I am wondering who this person may be," Dr. J said absently. "Their leader is very dangerous, and that is why I am sending you two and the boys, but back to the main topic. The WRF are planning to rid of Relena, as in killing her."
"They'd be doing us favour," Vienna muttered. Riley snorted as she tried to hold in her laughter.
Dr. J cleared his throat. "You two will be leaving in the morning for the shuttle port at seven. The shuttle leaves at seven forty-five. You are to be there before hand. A cab will be waiting for you at the next port and take you to the school. You are enrolled as Kali Marietta," he said to Riley, "and Diamond Kastle."
Vienna grunted. "You couldn't have chosen a better name than Diamond for me? I mean, think of it, Diamond Kastle? It makes me sound as if I'm a castle made of diamonds!"
"You will live. You are to call yourselves those names when in the presence of Relena and the other students, especially the boys. Only call each other by your real names when completely alone. The boys will also be there for the same reason as you two. You are to introduce yourselves to them in your alias names."
"Problem," Riley stated. "Today Vienna and I went down to the site of the base we had blown up a week earlier, but only because on the TV we saw Heero in the background looking around and we wanted to be sure he didn't find anything. Well, as it turns out, he saw us and walked over. So he knows what we look like and will know something is up since he saw us a day or so before on the L2 colony."
"I suppose you two will have to colour your hair or something." The girls' shrugged. The scientist went on. "Vienna I want you to get as close to Relena as you can. If things go well, she will invite you with her to the dinner that is being held at a famous man's mansion, which you are to take Riley to as well. At this dinner I have heard that someone will be there that is of most interest to me. His name is Raphael Baltimore. I think he may be involved with the World Rebellion Federation. Find out who he is and watch him carefully. I think he may be the one planning on killing Relena."
"Will the boys be with us?"
Dr. J shook his head. "No, they shouldn't be."
"Then why are they there," Vienna pressed.
"I need them to meet you two. I have told them that someone at the school is waiting for them. This person, I said, is to join them against the new group and they are to bring this person to the hangar on earth, a few minutes drive from the school and Relena's mansion. This person is you two, only there are two of you and I led them to believe it is only one."
"How will they know it's us they are searching for?" Riley wondered aloud.
"Two days after you first arrive, which is the day of the dinner, they are to meet the person in the park at midnight. The park you are to meet them at is a private one and is closed at midnight, so you will have to jump the walls to meet them. No one else would be stupid enough to go into that park at midnight unless they were to meet someone."
"So we meet them after the dinner? But what if we fail and Relena does get killed. Do we still go along with the plan to meet them?"
"Yes you will, but you won't fail. You two are exceptionally well trained and should not fail. Oh, and another thing, never let on that you are the sisters of two of the boys, okay?"
Vienna nodded. "Cool. We can deal with that."
"Oh, and also," Dr. J added, "at this dinner, you are to wear fancy dresses and act like ladies."
They both groaned.
The next afternoon found two very different girls standing on the circular driveway of the school grounds. Riley now had light blonde hair and blue eyes and Vienna had reddish-brownish hair and green eyes.
Vienna stared up at the large building that was before her. She had expected a big school, but not quite this big. She put her attention on a girl around her age with honey blonde hair walking down the steps to she and Riley. It was Relena Peacecraft, no doubt.
Relena smiled a small smile at them looking from one to the other. "Hello. You two must be Diamond Kastle and Kali Marietta. Now who is who?"
"I'm Kali," Riley said, pasting a smile on her face.
"I'm Diamond, though my friends call me Dia."
Relena raised an eyebrow. "Alright then. May I show you to your rooms?" She turned to an old man standing behind her. "Pagan, please attend to their things. You know the rooms. Now girls, follow me please."
While Relena's back was turned, Vienna started fluttering her eyelashes and clasped her hands together, mocking Relena. She leaned close to Riley and whispered, "Oh Heero, dear Heero, where for art thou Heero?!"
Riley snorted again which caused Vienna to start laughing. Relena glanced at them over her shoulder. She just shook her head and continued walking.
Once they entered the main entryway, a girl came running up to Relena, the girl's cheeks flushed. She babbled on for a few minutes, before finally noticing the other two. She looked them over from head to toe, a frown on her face. Riley looked down at her outfit: black short shorts, a red spaghetti strap shirt, and brown knee-high hiking boots. She looked over at Vienna's outfit: black pants with an over sized navy blue shirt and sneakers. She focused on the girl again. What was she staring at? she thought. It isn't like her prissy uniform is much better.
Relena started walking up a set of stairs after the other girl walked out to the driveway. She began talking, "You girl's will need to wear the uniforms we have here. They are hanging in your wardrobes waiting for you. Supper will be at eight sharp, and then breakfast is at seven in the morning and lunch at twelve. As for other things, I will find someone to show you around, for I am rather busy at the moment. I will show you to your rooms and then call on someone to show you completely around. Ah, here we are. You two will be sharing a room. You can decide who sleeps where." Relena opened the door for them and passed Vienna the key. "Now I must go. A special guest is to arrive today in a few hours. Someone will be sent in a few minutes to assist you. Wait in your rooms and he will be right with you."
Vienna entered the room first, looking around. It was richly furnished: plush white carpet was at their feet, a large window was at the other end of the room, a red sofa was set in the center, with over- stuffed chairs near it and a fireplace was against the far left wall. As it had been in the hangar on the L2 colony, there were two doors on either side of the room with each leading to a separate bedroom.
"Well, I guess you can have the room on the right, if you want Vienna," Riley offered. "I doubt it really matters."
"Alright then. I guess that Pagan person will be along soon, so we really have nothing to do. Hey, let's go to the window and see if we can locate the boys. I am dying to see what WuFei looks like. I mean, after all these years I finally get to see my brother again!"
Riley smiled at her friend's enthusiasm. "Yeah, me too but we can't let them know just yet. They will know eventually, but not right now."
"I know Riles, I know," Vienna sighed. She wandered to the window and stared out. Her eyes fell upon a group of four boys standing away from the other students. Vienna squinted at one that looked familiar. She smiled. "Hey, I found them! It's too easy to spot Heero. They're in the back of the courtyard. Oh, look at WuFei! He still has that small ponytail of his."
Riley ran over. "I see them too! Hey, there's Trowa! He still wears his bangs the same way? I thought he would have changed them by now. And of course, he's still thin." She frowned. "Wait. Someone's missing."
Vienna nodded. "Yeah. Oh, Duo's missing. You know, the boy with the braid? Oh well. He's probably in the kitchen eating everything in sight."
"You're probably right."
"Lets ditch the tour guide. We can find our own way around here. Come on, I'm not about to wait around." Vienna grabbed Riley's arm and pulled her across the room and out the door. Riley grabbed the doorknob on the way and pulled the door shut behind her. They ran down the hall to the corner. Riley took the turn quickly and bumped right into someone.
"Whoa! Hold it there, babe!"
Riley steadied herself and looked up at the person. It was a boy, taller than she, with cobalt eyes and long brown hair pulled back in a braid. Her eyes widened. What were the odds of bumping into Duo Maxwell? "Sorry. Didn't see ya comin'."
"Oh, its two lovely ladies. Forgive me," he said, acting polite.
Vienna raised her eyebrows. "Aha. Right, whatever."
Riley smiled. "Yeah, sure." She noticed Vienna was giving her the I- know-you-think-he's-cute look. "It was really my fault though. Sorry. We were just heading out to the courtyard."
Duo nodded. "Wait, are you two the new girls that I was suppose to show around?"
Vienna's eyes widened. "You were our tour guide?"
He nodded. "Yeah, as long as you names are Kali and Diamond."
"Dia, please, Diamond is a girly name," Vienna grumbled.
Duo laughed. "Yeah, sure. Well, guess I better give you the tour, even if you really don't need one."
"Oh, forget the tour," Vienna said. "Instead, could you show us around to people instead? We need to get to know some people around here. Like, could you introduce us to any of your friends?"
"Fine, but I'm warning you. My friends are an odd group. Now, shall we be on our way?" he asked in a joking manner.
"Lets hit the road!" Vienna whooped.
Duo led them out of the school into the back courtyard. He waved to a platinum blonde boy at the far end. "Come on you guys, over here," Duo said, jogging over to the four other boys. Vienna and Riley hung back.
"This is easier than I thought it would be," Vienna commented.
"Yeah, go figure."
They walked over, smiling. "Hi!" they said at the same moment. They both watched Heero. He narrowed his eyes at them as if trying to remember why they looked so familiar. The girls held their breath, hoping he would not recognize them.
WuFei glanced at them and he frowned. "What are they doing here?" he asked, distaste dripping.
Duo slapped the black haired boy on the back. "Aw, come on WuFei, give 'em a chance. They're new. Guys, this is Kali and Dia."
"Hi," the blonde boy greeted them. He stuck out his hand. "I'm Quatre Winner."
Vienna shook it.
"Trowa Barton," a boy with long, brown bangs said in a quiet voice. (A/n. I know Trowa's real last name isn't Barton, but in this story it is, ok? Good. Back to the story) Riley looked at him and smiled happily.
When the last two did not reply, Duo stepped in. "And the one with the attitude problem, that's WuFei Chang. (A/n. And yes, I do know his real name is Chang WuFei, but I think Chang makes a better last name) And then Heero Yuy. Can't forget him."
Riley smirked. "Nope, can't forget the perfect soldier, can we?" she said without thinking. Vienna stared at her in horror. Riley froze, one thought running through her mind: Oops!!
Heero stared at her, his death glare fixed only on her. "What did you say?" he said in a cold, monotonous voice.
"Nothing. It's an inside joke, hehe."
"Nice move," Vienna whispered so only Riley could hear.
"Right," was all Heero said. He looked at both of them suspiciously. Something was up; he knew it.
"Hey, Heero, where are ya going?" Duo asked when his friend turned to go inside.
"I have things to do."
Riley glanced at Vienna. Vienna shook her head and sighed. "This is going to be harder than I thought," she whispered, going against what she had said a moment before.
2. That Wasn't The Plan!
Disclaimer- I do not own GW!!!
Chapter Two
Heero sat in his darkened room late that night sitting at a desk typing on his laptop. The bluish light illuminated his face, casting an eerie glow. His fingers flew over the keyboard. He clicked a button and a screen appeared. It had the word 'Profiles', written across the top and a box for the person's name to be typed in. He clicked in the box and typed the name, 'Diamond Kastle'. He pushed 'enter' and waited. A dull beep came from the speakers and the computer said, "No such name in these files".
"Hm." Heero typed in the name 'Kali Marietta'. The same thing happened. He leaned back in his seat. "That's what I thought."
"Riley, I can't believe you did that!" Vienna exclaimed, dropping onto the sofa next to Riley.
Riley frowned. "Hey, I'm sorry! Sheesh. You've done worse, so don't go blaming me."
"Yeah, but I never put us in real danger. This is Heero Yuy we are talking about here! Not some ordinary bimbo!"
Riley sighed. "I know, I know. But there isn't exactly anything we can do now, is there?"
Vienna shook her head. "Not really. Maybe we should contact J."
Riley sat up straight. "No way. We are not calling him. This is an important mission and I don't want it to be blown because of me. I'll fix it, okay?"
Vienna watched her friend's expression. "Oh, fine. I guess things really can't get worse, can they?"
Just then, a knock sounded on their door. They both stared at each other. "Maybe it can."
"You open the door since you got us into this mess," Vienna said.
Riley sighed, but stood to answer the knock. She opened the door a crack to see who it was. Vienna watched. Riley pushed the door fully open to reveal no one. She stepped outside and looked left and right. There was no one in the hall. Frowning, Riley stepped back inside and was about to close the door, when she noticed it. Stuck to the door was a note, being held up by a knife. She tensed and slowly pulled the knife from the door, the note still attached to it. She quickly shut the door.
"What happened?" Vienna asked.
Riley walked over and sat down on the sofa. "No one was there but this was stuck to the door with this knife. You read the note."
Riley passed the note, and Vienna began reading: "Watch your step, watch your back, we are on your track." Vienna looked up at her friend. Riley stared at the note in surprise. She let the knife fall to her lap as she grabbed the note from Vienna. Her temporary dyed blonde hair fell over her shoulders as she looked over the short note.
"I can't believe this. I know this isn't Heero. He would just say it to our face."
"Heero wouldn't write something so corny anyways," Vienna replied, scrunching up her nose.
Riley shrugged. "Who is it then?"
"Dunno, but that leaves us to find out whom."
Riley and Vienna entered the dining hall the next morning, wearing their uniforms. They looked around. The table only had a few people sitting at it at the moment. Relena was at the head of the table, someone they did not know was sitting on her right, probably that guest she had mentioned the day before, and then the pilots were on the left, talking quietly. Heero saw them come in and his face darkened. Relena looked up from her whispered conversation with the man on her right. She smiled at them welcomingly.
"Hello there. I guess I forgot to mention that students eat in what they call the mess hall, but no matter. You can feel free to join us this morning." She turned to the man on her right. "Mr. Baltimore, these are two of my latest arrivals, Diamond Kastle and Kali Marietta. Girls, this is Raphael Baltimore."
Riley and Vienna stiffened noticeably. Relena had not noticed the change in them, but Raphael had. A tiny smirk appeared, but he quickly erased it. The girls felt Heero staring at them in wonder, as were the other four.
Vienna tried to calm her beating heart. She pasted a smile on her face. "Hello, Mr. Baltimore."
He stood and shook his head. "Oh, please, call me Raphael."
Riley gave a curt nod, but nothing more.
Raphael stepped back from his seat and walked over to them. He took Vienna's hand and kissed it, then did the same for Riley. When he stepped back, he smiled. It sent shivers down Riley and Vienna's backs. "It's a pleasure to meet you both." He turned and walked back to his seat.
As soon as Relena and Raphael weren't looking, the girls wiped the back of their hands on their skirts. When they stopped, they both looked at each other and whispered, "Yuck!"
Duo and Quatre started laughing quietly. Trowa seemed amused and WuFei was raising his eyebrows. Heero was watching Raphael. He then looked at Vienna and Riley.
"Girls, take a seat," Relena called to them.
"Thank you, Miss Relena," Vienna said with fake respect. They walked to the side the boys were on, but Raphael then commented, "Please, do me the honours of sitting by me."
Riley looked to Relena, who nodded for them to do so. She sighed inwardly, but she and Vienna walked to the other side. As it turned out, Vienna had to sit by Raphael. Breakfast was served a few minutes later.
Riley glanced at Heero. He was secretly watching Raphael, who was talking to Vienna. It was easy to tell Vienna was bored to death, though trying to look interested.
Riley dug into her breakfast, ignoring everyone else around her. By the time she had finished, Vienna was terribly bored and had hardly touched her meal. Riley tuned into the conversation in time to hear him say something that caught she and Vienna off guard.
"Diamond, would you care to join me at a dinner event tomorrow evening?" Raphael asked. "I would be most pleased, and I believe Miss Relena will be attending the dinner as well."
Vienna hesitated, glancing back at Riley, whose eyes were wide. She suddenly nodded and whispered loud enough just for Vienna to hear, "Say yes. This gets us a free ticket to the dinner. If you say yes, we don't have to get on Relena's good side!"
Vienna nodded. "Yes, I would be delighted, Mr. Raphael." Inside she was gagging. Why me? Why oh why!
Relena stared at Raphael in surprise. She cleared her throat. "Mr. Baltimore, are you certain you wish to take Miss Diamond to this dinner?"
Raphael turned to Relena. "Yes, I am very certain."
"Mr. Raphael," Vienna interjected, "er, Raphael, would there be any way you would be able to find a date for my friend, Kali? She adores social events."
Riley looked at Vienna sharply. From the corner of her eye, she saw the boys give her weird looks. She groaned. This was most certainly attracting attention.
Raphael smiled. "I am sure I can. Miss Relena, do you know of any suitable young men?"
"Oh, well, I-" Relena started.
"I'll go," a cold voice suddenly said.
Duo's jaw dropped. "You'll what!" he exclaimed, staring at Heero. Heero kicked him under the table. Duo grunted and reached down to rub his shin.
"I said, I'll go," Heero repeated.
Riley looked at Vienna. Vienna looked at her. What is he planning? they both thought.
Raphael shrugged, though Vienna noticed that the idea made the man uncomfortable. "Alright then, I suppose, as long as it is alright with Miss Relena and Miss Kali." He looked over at Relena. She sighed and shrugged.
"I don't control Heero. He control's himself," she replied.
Riley rubbed her temples, thinking. What the heck is he thinking? It's so obvious he has something planned, but what is it? I know he isn't trying to be friendly because he doesn't trust us. A light bulb went on in her head. Dr. J. I'll bet my bottom dollar it was him. Heero knows an attack will be against Relena so he needed to find a way to get to the dinner. And of course he would jump at the chance of going with me if it meant not having to go with Relena. That has to be it. But then, why did Dr.J say none of the pilots would be there?
Raphael forced a smile. "Good. It is settled. My limo shall take us to the dinner. Miss Relena, you are of course expected to join us. Now, I must leave for my room. I have many things to settle and do."
He took his leave quickly. Relena straightened. "Well, I too have things to do. I will see you girls later, since it seems some shopping is needed. How about noon? I'll meet you out front and tell your teachers you are to be excused from your classes." Vienna noticed Relena was sounding a bit upset, and as she walked out of the dining hall, she could tell Relena was tense. She smiled. The reason was obvious.
WuFei suddenly said to Heero, "What are you doing?"
Vienna turned to Riley, ignoring her brother. "Come on, let's go. We may want to get some sleep before we go shopping with Ms. Terror."
Riley smiled in spite of her predicament. "True."
They stood and began to walk to the door.
"Hold it!"
They stopped walking and slowly turned on their heels. Heero was standing and watching them. "The two of you owe us an explanation."
"What do you mean?" Vienna held her breath.
"I mean your real names. What are they?"
"Kali and Diamond. How many times do I have to repeat it?" Vienna said, annoyance in her voice.
"Come on, Dia," Riley tried to pull her friend out of the room, but Vienna pulled back.
"No. We need to get a few things into his thick head."
Riley winced. "Bad thing to say. Now I really think we should go." She yanked Vienna's arm and pulled her out of the room. In the hall, Vienna calmed down. They walked far enough down the hall until they were certain no one could hear them.
"He knows we aren't Kali and Diamond," Vienna said urgently.
"I know. But how does he know? Does he recognize us?"
"I don't know. Man, this isn't good."
Riley looked worried. "Oh yeah, so not good. If it could have been anyone but him, it would not have been so bad."
Vienna looked tired. "Nothing we can do. May as well go to our rooms and try to sleep."
"Yeah."
Heero watched the door close behind the girls and sat back down. They seem so familiar, but yet they don't, he thought.
"Heero, are you sure you want to go with Kali?" Trowa asked.
Duo got a sneaky smile and leaned to Heero and said, "Does Hero have a crush, hm?"
Heero glared at him. "No."
"Then what?" Quatre asked. "The plan was for you to go with Relena."
"I get it," Duo said. "He didn't want to go with Relena so he figured Kali was a better choice."
"There is something about them that seems so familiar," Heero said. "I think I've seen them before, but I can't remember where. Also, I looked them up in the government files; their profiles are non- existent."
"What?" Duo scratched the back of his head. "Do you mean to tell me their ghosts?"
WuFei sighed. "No, you idiot."
"What are you trying to say, Heero?" Trowa said.
"They aren't who they say they are. They may very well be after Relena."
Duo snickered. "Good, they'd be getting her outta our way. Sounds good to me."
"Duo," Quatre warned.
"What? I'm stating the truth."
Heero shook his head. "I'll keep a close watch on Relena and the other two. If they're the ones after Relena, I'll stop them."
Riley slept the whole morning, both of them ditching what classes they had that morning. Vienna did not sleep at all. Instead, she spent it drawing in the room she slept in. She lay on her bed, her pencil moving across the sheet of paper. She stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth as she put the finishing touches on it. She smiled and held it up to her face. "Not as good as it could have been, but it's still good." She set it aside and stood from her bed, yawning. She looked at herself in the mirror hung on the wall. She hardly recognized the face that stared back at her. This girl had reddish hair and green eyes. It was the same face and figure, but still not the same. Sighing, she walked from the room into the living area. She noticed the note set on the table, the knife next to it. She went over to it, sat down on the couch and picked up both things. She reread the note, and then studied the knife. It was a simple design. The noticeable thing about it was the small symbol of a snake, coiled up. Vienna shrugged. Nothing important was there. Sighing, she lie back on the couch and fell asleep.
** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **
Vienna stared at herself in the full-length mirror, making sure she did not look like a complete fool. It was the night of the dinner and she was set to go. Riley was, of course, still getting ready in her own room, but Vienna was already finished. Her dress was a long sleeved gown, velvet material, and black in colour. It flowed down to her heels and swished when she moved. She wore simple black dress shoes with a slight heel. Her short dyed hair was loose around her face and she wore very little make-up; she was not into girly stuff like that. She made certain the holsters that held her two weapons under her gown were not noticeable. After some adjusting, they weren't noticeable and she left her room.
She had been standing in the living area for three minutes when Riley finally came out. She was a big contrast to Vienna. Her dress cut a few inches above her knees and was a pearl white silk. It had a scoop neck, and she wore a silver necklace. Her long blonde dyed hair was swept back in an elegant clip with some strands of hair framing her face. Her shoes were white platforms with studs on the sides. She wore not much make-up either, but then again, she was going with Heero.
"You ready?" Vienna asked.
"Yup. Got your weapons?" Riley asked.
Vienna nodded. "Yeah. So, where are you hiding yours?" She smiled with interest, knowing it would be hard to hide the weapons with what Riley was wearing.
Riley smirked. "You don't want to know."
"Okay. Are you ready for your date with Heero?"
"Shut up, V. If I had my own way, I would have shot myself already just to save him the trouble."
Vienna laughed. "Yeah, so watch your step. You don't want to get him ticked."
Riley sighed and looked at the knife sitting on the table. She picked it up and twisted it in her hand. "I think I'll take this and use it. May as well put it to good use." She disappeared into her room and returned a moment later, the knife out of sight.
"Are you ready now?"
Riley shrugged. "As good as I'll get."
They walked from their room and down the hall to the grand staircase. When they turned the corner, they noticed that instead of waiting by the limo Relena, Raphael, and Heero were in the foyer. Next to Heero, Duo was standing, talking a mile a minute. Raphael was the first to notice them. He smiled.
"Good evening, ladies. You two do look ravishing," he complimented.
Heero and Duo watched them walk down the stairs. Duo's eyes had almost popped out of his head.
Duo grinned. "Whoa, baby! Dang Heero, you and Raphael got the good end of the bargain!"
The girls reached the base of the stairs and Raphael instantly came forward and took Vienna's arm in his. He smiled down at her and they began walking out to the limo. Riley made certain that Raphael wasn't trying anything and then put her attention on Relena.
Relena was smiling at her. "Hello, Kali. You do look great in that dress. I knew it was perfect for you."
Riley smiled back. "I was about to say the same for you."
"Why thank you. Well, it seems your friend and Raphael have hit it off."
Riley bit back the nasty remark that had come to mind. Relena was trying to act like a friend for a change. She forced a light laugh. "I suppose you could say that.
Relena nodded and walked outside, unaccompanied. Riley followed her, missing the quick exchange between Heero and Duo. Heero soon caught up to her and they walked out side by side, neither touching the other.
Riley looked up at him. "Touch me and I will hurt you," she said.
Heero looked down at her. "Hn. I doubt it."
The limo ride was uneventful. Relena tried a bit too hard to get Heero's attention; Vienna was stuck listening to Raphael blabber on about certain boring topics, and Riley just stared out the window. When the limo pulled up into the driveway of the grand estate where the dinner was being held, neither Vienna nor Riley knew what to expect. When Vienna stepped out, she had to stare straight up to see the top of the mansion.
"Kinda big, isn't it?" Vienna commented to Riley.
"Yep. You could say that," Riley replied, smiling.
Raphael was already at the door greeting an old colleague of his, laughing and cheering. Relena slipped past him into the crowd to mingle. Riley and Vienna noticed this and ran to keep up with her. Heero watched them go, his eyes narrowed.
In the mansion, Vienna looked high and low, but the crowd was too thick to see Relena anywhere.
"She sure does move fast," Riley muttered.
"Yeah, a little too fast." She turned around so she faced the door and then gasped. "Riley, he's gone. We have got to find him."
"Who's gone?" Riley asked.
"Raphael. He isn't at the door!"
"Crap! You find Raphael, I'll find Relena."
Vienna sighed. "Why do I get Raphael?"
"He's your date," Riley reminded her. She walked deeper into the crowd, pushing past people, and asking if anyone had seen Relena.
Vienna scowled and began her search, grumbling to herself. "Why me? I always get stuck with the enemy. Where is he anyways? He couldn't have walked away that fast."
Heero, on the other hand, had had Raphael in his sight the whole time. He was hidden in the shadows, not far from where Raphael stood, listening to a conversation he was having with a man in a business suit. Raphael was talking in hushed tones, but Heero could still hear it loud enough. He took a few steps closer before keeping perfectly still, blending with the shadows.
"They're here," Raphael was saying. "I lost sight of them a awhile go when they chased after Relena Peacecraft. Find Relena and somewhere you will find them."
The other man nodded slowly. "No problem."
Raphael nodded. "Good. Now be sure you just scare them, nothing more."
The man disappeared into the shadows, as Heero had done. Raphael turned back to the crowd, an evil smile on his face. He strode into the crowd.
Heero knew what was going to take place, and perhaps on who. He jumped from the shadows. He looked about for Relena; he saw her across the room.
Vienna had seen Raphael walk away from a back corner and walk into the crowd. She moved forward to reach him. "Hi, Raphael."
Raphael turned and smiled down at her. "Diamond, I've been searching for you. I would like you to meet some people. Men, this is Diamond."
The men he was talking to all murmured their hellos', some kissing her hand.
One of them, who looked young and somewhat like Raphael, smiled at her and glanced up at Raphael. "Where did you pick her up?" he asked.
"Diamond is a dear friend of mine from Ms. Relena's school, Daryn."
Vienna eyed the young man curiously.
Daryn nodded. "You wouldn't mind if borrowed her for a moment, would you?"
The breath in Vienna's throat caught.
"Not at all, just bring her back," Raphael replied.
Daryn nodded and held out his arm to her. "Come on."
Taking a deep breath, Vienna took his arm and let him take her away from Raphael.
Raphael watched the boy closely.
"Raphael, are things going all right with you and Daryn? You two aren't as close as you once were," one of the older men said.
Raphael nodded. "Yes, but it isn't getting any better. He distances himself from me more often, but what else can you expect from a son?"
** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **
"Kali, over here!"
Riley turned when someone called her alias name. She spotted Relena waving to her near the front. She walked forward, keeping an eye out for anything. "Hello, Ms. Relena and how is your evening going?"
"Splendid. And yours?" Relena asked, taking a sip from a teacup she was holding.
"Great," Riley replied.
Relena nodded. "That's good. Have you seen Heero around? I've been meaning to speak with him."
Riley pretended to cough, covering her mouth to hide her smile. "The last I saw him was when we came inside. I'm sorry."
Relena sighed. "It's all right."
Riley tried to change the subject. "Have you seen any of your friends? Or did they not come?"
Relena shook her head. "No. I came because I am the Vice Foreign Minster. It's expected for me."
Riley nodded, as the tiniest bit of sympathy for Relena rose. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw it, and acted quickly. Shoving Relena to the floor and out of harm's way, she quickly looked up to where she had seen the gunman seconds before. He was gone.
Most of the people in the room were screaming and hiding, some ducking. Riley looked around, trying to locate where the gunman had gone. Before she could find him again, another shot rang through the air: left side of the room, upper balcony, right corner. Riley thought frantically. That shot wasn't directed at Relena. What the heck is going on here!? she thought.
Relena grabbed her arm. "What's going on, Kali?"
Riley looked at her irately. "What do you think?" Riley searched the crowd for Vienna but she couldn't see her anywhere. In fact, she couldn't find Heero or Raphael either. She shook her head. Look again, she instructed herself. You must have missed them. She looked again, but the results were the same. She glanced back at Relena. She was on her own.
As Daryn continued to talk, Vienna got a glimpse of Riley talking to Relena. She smiled inwardly, glad that someone was watching over Relena. She focused her attention back on Daryn.
He smiled at her. "Let's go outside for a moment. I need a breather." Vienna didn't have a chance to reply. Daryn took her hand again and led her out of the mansion. They stood on the steps leading down to the driveway, staring at the night sky. Vienna gave Daryn a side-glance. He seemed to be thinking. A cold feeling came over her. Something wasn't right. She looked over her shoulder just in time to see Raphael walk out to them. Vienna forced a smile, her head reeling. This is not good. I should not be out here alone with Raphael and some boy. This sounds a whole lot like some horror movie to me!
Daryn didn't even turn around, but he still said, "Hello Father. Nice of you to join us."
It hit Vienna like a ton of rocks as it dawned on her. It all looked so obvious now. Her breathing became ragged. "I - I need to be getting back inside," she said. She started walking back inside, but she felt Raphael grab her arm and yank her back.
"I don't think so," he whispered into her ear.
The sound of a gunshot rang clear. Vienna stared over Raphael's shoulder into the main hall, where everyone was. She saw Riley shove Relena to the ground. She looked for Heero, but she couldn't see him. Fear crept over her. Instinctively, she tried to get away but Raphael was too strong. He shoved her forward, handing her to Daryn. "Take her to the limo," Raphael instructed as another shot was heard. She hoped it hadn't hit Riley or Relena.
Daryn dragged her away but not without a fight. Vienna let him drag her away from Raphael, who had gone to the door at a fast pace as if trying to get to someone inside. As soon as his back was turned, Vienna jabbed her elbow into Daryn's stomach. He groaned but he still did not let go. She kicked back, hitting him in the shins. He loosened his grip, giving Vienna her chance. She pulled away, spun on her heel, and brought her elbow down onto his back. He fell to the ground with a thud, moaning in pain.
This caught Raphael's attention. The man turned. He growled and ran to her. She heard him coming and got ready to attack, but suddenly someone jumped in front of her and leapt at Raphael. The two flew backwards and started rolling around on the driveway, throwing punches at one another and trying to kick the other off. Vienna watched anxiously. She got a quick glimpse of the other person. She gasped. "Heero?"
Riley ducked as another shot came near her. Relena was lying on the floor, staring at her. "Kali, what is going on? These people aren't even trying to hit me."
Riley sighed. "I know that, Relena!" She then grabbed Relena's upper arm and pulled her up. "Come on, we gotta get you outta here." She ran to a side door that led out of the hall and pushed Relena through it. "Go!" Relena ran inside. They found themselves in something that looked like a parlor. Riley spotted another door across the room. "There!"
"What is happening, Kali?" Relena asked they entered another room.
Riley glared at the girl. "Will you shut up and stop repeating the same question?"
The sound of a door being thrown open in the room they had left was heard. Riley glanced over her shoulder. "They're coming! Keep going! Get out of here fast, okay? I want you to run from this room and find a way to get back to the school. The men will go after me. Now go!"
Relena nodded and ran. Riley turned and looked for a hiding place. There was none.
Trowa shoved down on the brakes and the car slid to a stop in front of the main gate that led into the estate. He jumped out and ran around to the other side. Duo, Quatre, and WuFei climbed out and the four of them ran into the courtyard. The first people they saw were Heero and Raphael rolling on the ground, and Vienna, preparing to go after Riley. WuFei ran forward and stood next to Vienna. "What's going on?" he asked her.
Vienna quickly filled him in on everything as fast she could.
Duo nodded. "So you mean Kali is still in there with Relena?"
"Yeah."
"I'm going to go in and get them," Duo announced. "Dia, you stay here with Quatre and help Heero if he needs it. Trowa, WuFei, you guys are coming with me."
For once, WuFei did not yell at Duo for bossing him around. They ran into the mansion and stopped in the door of the hall. Duo looked around and then noticed three men dressed all in black disappearing through a door across the room on the left.
Riley pointed her two twin guns at the door, as it swung open to show three men in black. They all wore masks over their faces so as not to show their features. She held her breath, keeping her guns aimed. "Get any closer and I'll shoot," she warned.
One of them snickered. "Yeah right, pretty one."
"Wanna bet?" Riley said. She shot a bullet. It went into the wall; if it had been a few inches closer, it would have hit one of the men. She smirked and blew at the barrel of her gun. "I win."
"Get her!" the one in the middle shouted.
Riley's eyes widened. She squeaked. "Trouble!" She looked up and noticed the ceiling fan. She leapt up and grabbed hold of the center of it. She swung on it until she was going high enough to fly through the door. As she was about to let herself fly, a bullet shot through the air. It hit the chain holding up the fan and the fan dropped to the floor. She landed on her back heavily, knocking the breath out of her. She lay there for a few seconds and looked over at the three men. One of them was rushing at her.
Suddenly, one of them said, "Let's get out of here. I hear people coming."
"But we can't leave without her. The boss will be ticked," another said.
The third sighed. "Leave her. We can find her later." They all ran from the room.
Riley groaned and forced herself up. She rubbed her forehead. Her back ached horribly. She reached over her shoulder and rubbed it. She winced; it only made it worse. She staggered to her feet and jogged to the door the men and Relena had run out of. She now found herself in the library with a broken window to her left. She hurried over there and looked out. She could feel herself getting weaker by the minute, but she knew she had to get out of there. She lifted her leg over the windowsill and climbed out. All the glass had been shattered and cleared out.
She dropped to the grass below the window. She bent over from the impact, her back killing her. She cried out in pain, dropping to her knees. She held herself up, bracing her hands on the ground. She took a deep breath and saw someone running to her. She squinted, trying to make out who it was. She smiled. "Vienna!" she called out.
Vienna knelt down beside her friend. "Riley, are you okay? You look horrible."
"I feel horrible. I fell from a ceiling fan in one of the rooms back in there. Trust me, it is not a fun thing to do. Ah, dang this hurts like heck."
"Can you at least walk?"
Riley nodded. "Yeah, I think so." Vienna helped her to her feet.
"You'll be fine, Riles. It may hurt tomorrow, but it won't last forever."
Riley smiled. "I know, Vienna," she said, walking a step. Her smile turned to a wince. She bit her lip. "So, what happened to you? You left me in there alone with Relena."
"Sorry about that. I'll tell ya later. Right now, we've gotta get outta here before the boys get here."
Suddenly, behind them a voice said, "A bit late for that."
3. Revealed Identities and Forgotten Memori...
Authors Note - I do not own Gundam Wing, but Vienna and Riley and Katana Rosco are mine, so don't take them!
Disclaimer: do I have to do this again?
Chapter Three
Riley glared at Duo standing behind her. "Oh back off, braid boy."
"Braid boy?" Duo gasped.
WuFei smirked. "It fits," he said.
Vienna looked around. "Just let us go and we won't bother you."
Duo laughed. "I think not."
"Where's Relena? You didn't kill her yet, did you?"
Vienna stared at him. "Are you kidding? We would never try to kill Relena."
"So, you weren't responsible for the attack?" Trowa asked.
"No they weren't," Heero said, walking toward them from the mansion with Quatre. "It was someone else."
"But then why were they here?" Trowa wondered.
Heero looked at them. "They will have to answer that."
"Which we won't," Vienna stated.
Riley said interrupting, "Where's Raphael?"
Heero shook his head. "He got away." Riley shrugged, causing another sharp pain in her back. She grunted and hunched over a bit. Vienna watched her friend carefully.
Duo sighed. "This will get nowhere! Heero, I vote we keep them prisoners and torture them until they talk."
Vienna raised her eyebrows. "I doubt you could." Should we tell them? I doubt it would matter now.
Riley shook her head, straightening up again. "We won't tell you anything. Take us anywhere you want, but it still won't do you good."
WuFei leaned toward Heero and whispered something in his ear. Heero listened and nodded. "Duo, Trowa, grab them."
Duo grabbed Riley's arm and twisted it behind her back. Riley screamed in pain.
"Hey, be careful with her!" Vienna snapped. She was in the same predicament as Riley, only she was hardly in any pain.
"Walk," WuFei commanded. Duo and Trowa shoved the girls' forward, but Duo was a bit gentler.
They had walked out the gate when Quatre said, "Heero, we still have to meet that person at the park and find Relena as well."
"You and WuFei go. As for Relena, I saw her leave in the limo. She ran passed me on the way."
WuFei and Quatre ran away into the night.
Vienna and Riley exchanged smiles. They knew they could tell the boys who they were and all that, but, without saying a word, they both agreed: why not have a little fun?
They were taken to a black convertible that was parked outside the gate. They were forced to sit in the back with Heero while Duo drove and Trowa sat in the passenger seat. They drove for a few hours until they came to the coastline. They drove along the road near the ocean, the cool ocean breeze whipping at Riley and Vienna's hair. As it had been on the L2 colony, they had an underground hiding place in the rocky cliffs.
Duo typed in the code and the rock shifted aside. All of this was all too familiar to the girls'. The car drove inside, the rock closing behind them. It was the same layout as on the colony, which didn't surprised Vienna.
Vienna smiled. "Is this the place where your Gundams are or are they still on the L1colony?"
Heero glanced at her. Trowa watched them from the rearview mirror, and Duo stopped the car off to the side of the hangar. He turned around in his seat to stare at them. "What?"
"How do you know about all this?" Trowa asked.
Riley looked over at Vienna. "Hm, now who is the big-mouth?"
"Shut up," Vienna hissed.
"How did you two know that?" Heero asked again.
"If you think we will say anything, you are so wrong," Riley replied, crossing her arms over her chest.
Duo shook his head. "Forget 'em. Call in the old man and he can do what he wants with them."
Riley smirked. "Sure, invite Dr. J. Then you will get your answers," she whispered to Vienna.
"All right you two. Get out." Vienna stepped out first, followed by Riley.
"Where do we put them?" Duo asked as he and Heero twisted their arms behind their backs again.
"In a room somewhere until WuFei and Quatre get back with that person, whoever he is. Trowa, get a hold of Dr. J and tell him to get down here."
"No need. I'm already here," an old voice said.
They all looked to see Dr. J walking toward them. He smiled at Vienna and Riley. "Hello, girls. How did it go?"
"How does it look?" Vienna said.
The old man looked to the boys. "Let them go. They're with me." Heero and Duo let go, looking at one another in surprise. Behind them Trowa stood there quietly, taking it all in.
Riley cleared her throat. "Thank you, J." She massaged her aching arm.
"So how did it go?" Dr. J asked.
"Well, it could be considered good news. Relena wasn't shot. Riley got her out of there."
Duo waved his hands in the air. "Wait up a sec. Who is Riley?"
Riley gave him a blank look. "You are so dense. It's me, you idiot. I'm Riley."
"I thought you were Kali."
"Oh, gosh! Someone help him!" she whispered.
Vienna turned to him. "Let's get this straight first. My name is Vienna, my friend over here, is Riley. Kali and Diamond were alias names. Get it?"
Duo rolled his eyes. "Yes, I get it."
"Good."
Dr. J scratched his chin. "Girls, did you find Raphael?"
Riley snorted. "Oh yeah! He was Vienna's date to the dinner." She burst out laughing.
Vienna made an annoyed look. "Hey, at least I didn't go with Heero!"
Riley stopped laughing. "That isn't funny."
Vienna smiled innocently. "Of course it is!"
"Will you two please stop fighting?" Dr. J demanded.
"Fine," Riley said. "Vienna and I are gonna hit the showers, that is if I can make it there. I can't wait to get out of this dress, get out these annoying contacts, and then get my hair to its original colour. J, you wouldn't have happened to bring any of our clothes, would you? The ones we brought are still at the school."
"In the lab, on the counter."
The girls walked from the room.
Duo jumped to attention. "What the heck is going on? I thought they were our enemies?"
"They're not, Duo," Dr. J replied. "Actually, they are my top spies, or agents, whichever you wish to call them. They have been with me for some time and have begun to grow on me. They do anything for me."
"Wait a minute," Heero said. "I saw these two girls at the last base that was blown up. One was a brunette and one had black hair."
Dr. J nodded. "Yes, those girls were Riley and Vienna. The black haired one was Vienna. The brunette was Riley."
"That explains a lot of things," Trowa said.
Heero nodded. "Yes, it does."
Dr. J smiled. "Seems as if those girls have given you boys some trouble."
Duo smiled wryly. "You could say that."
Dr. J chuckled. "That's nothing new, trust me. Those girls are full of spunk and get each other in trouble many times. But they are still valuable in many ways and great girls under it all." He looked about, noticing they were two pilots short. "Where're WuFei and Quatre?"
Quatre glanced at his watch as he and WuFei sat on the bench, waiting. "Where is he?" Quatre asked, slightly grumpy. "We've been here for two hours."
WuFei grunted and slumped farther down on the bench. "You think I know? I just wish Heero had never sent me here. I would have been a bigger help with those no-good liars."
"We don't know if they're liars."
"Then what do you want to call them?" WuFei snapped.
Quatre looked over at him. "I'm not exactly thrilled on being here either, but we can deal with it." He looked to his right down the path. He sat up straight when he saw a shape forming in the dark, coming toward them. "WuFei, look!"
WuFei leaned forward. "It's about time." They stood and jogged over. "Hey, we've been-"
They stopped short when they saw who was coming to them. It was a girl, but it was no girl they knew. This girl had jet-black hair that went down to her mid-back and was streaked with silver. Her eyes were black with flecks of silver in them. She smiled. "Hey. You waiting for me?"
Quatre faltered. "Well, um, it depends."
She tapped her chin with a finger. "Yes, I see. Well, I know who you are and I am certain you are they. But I thought there were three more of you?"
WuFei glared at her. "Who are you, woman?" He could not place it, but somehow this girl seemed familiar; too familiar.
"Katana Rosco. I am here to meet with the five pilots of the Gundams. Dr. J assured me the meeting was to be here, at midnight."
"It's one in the morning," WuFei pointed out.
Katana had a quick answer, "My shuttle was a late take-of. It was suppose to leave at six this morning, but did not leave the port until half an hour later. And then the shuttle docking port was crowded with people. I just couldn't get through and find a taxi within half an hour. I am so sorry to have kept you waiting."
Quatre smiled warmly at her. "It's all right. I am Quatre Winner and this is WuFei Chang."
"I know that already. Dr. J told me all your names. Are we ready to leave? I'm tired after my adventure."
"Oh, yea, let's go," Quatre said quickly. WuFei followed slowly, sizing up this new girl. He did not like her and that name was so darn familiar, but he couldn't place it.
Riley smiled happily at her reflection. Her brown hair was back, and she was glad she didn't need to wear those annoying contacts and the stupid uniforms. Instead of the uniforms, she now wore tight black jeans that flared at the bottom, a white spaghetti strap shirt that stopped mid-drift, and her silver gym shoes.
"Riley, are you ready yet?" Vienna complained outside the bathroom door. "I want get back to Dr. J."
"I'm comin!" Riley ran a brush through her hair and opened the door. "Glad to see the Vienna I know and not Diamond."
"So am I," Vienna agreed. "And what the heck do you do in there? You were in there for an hour and a half!"
Riley smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, but you can't really blame me with my injury."
"Oh well, come on."
Dr. J wasn't in the hangar when they got there, but the three boys were. Vienna glanced at Riley. Riley seemed unhappy.
"Great," Riley muttered. "Now we have to deal with them. At least your hot-headed brother isn't here."
"Watch it!" Vienna whispered back.
Trowa looked up at them. "We have company," he said to the other two. Heero and Duo turned.
Duo smiled at them. The girls walked forward, acting nonchalant.
"Where's J?" Vienna asked.
"He's off somewhere doing something," Duo replied. "He didn't say exactly what."
Riley nodded, looking away. She scratched the back of her head. She felt someone's eyes burning into the back of her head. She looked back at them and noticed Trowa was staring at her. Riley tensed up. Has he figured it out? Naw, he couldn't have. He has never seen me before. Oh, drat! My hair, it looks like his and so do my eyes! Blast those family genetics! Riley scolded mentally.
"How did you two meet Dr. J?" Heero asked them.
Vienna answered, "It's a long story. I really don't know much about Riley, but I lived on the streets until I was seven when J found me and brought me in. I had been with Dr. J for only two years when one day he brought Riley. He said we were to train together and be partners. We kinda grew up together after that."
Riley wasn't listening. Instead, she found herself drifting back into the dark memories of her past.
** ~~ FLASHBACK ~~ **
Riley was six. She was standing before a burning tent, the heat of the fire slapping her in the face. She stared at it in horror. A minute ago the tent had been perfectly fine and now it was burning to ashes, and the screams of people echoed in her ears. She felt tears rising into her eyes. She brushed them aside and looked everywhere around her, looking for her brother and sister. "Trowa!" she yelled. "Cathy! Where are you guys!"
Riley sniffed, tears starting to blur her vision. She couldn't find them. Where were they? Were they dead? She didn't know. "Cathy!" she yelled again.
"Riley!"
Riley stared wildly around her. Cathrine! "Cathy, over here!"
Out of the smoke she saw her older sister running toward her. Cathrine knelt beside her youngest sibling and held her tight. "It's alright sis, come on. Let's go."
Riley smiled through her tears and started coughing as smoke seeped into her nostrils. "Alright, Cathy."
** ~~ ** ~~ **
"Hey, earth to Riley, come in, Riley!"
Riley snapped out of it and glanced sharply at Vienna. "What?" she asked absently.
Vienna laughed. "Are you okay? You totally left us there."
Riley blinked and nodded. She bit her lip. "Um, I gotta do something I forgot about." She turned and hurried from the hangar as fast she could.
Vienna frowned and watched her friend go.
"Is she okay?" Duo asked.
"I don't know. Maybe I better go to talk to her." Vienna made to follow but Trowa grabbed her arm. Vienna looked back at him.
"Let her go," he said to her.
Vienna didn't have time to think of her friend's weird behavior before a beeping noise sounded, announcing the arrival of someone at the entrance. Dr. J walked into the hangar and pushed a button beside the door he came out from. "Who's there?" he asked.
"WuFei and Quatre reporting," Quatre's voice said over the intercom.
"Alright, I'm letting you in."
The sound of the rock sliding aside seemed to ring in the young people's ears. Vienna covered her ears after Trowa had dropped her arm to cover his own. Quatre and WuFei walked in, followed by a familiar girl.
Vienna glared at the girl. "Katana." she growled.
Katana smiled at Vienna. "Why, Vienna my dear friend. How have you been?"
Vienna rolled up her long sleeves and marched over to Katana. "I'll be glad to show you."
Duo held her back. "I don't think that's necessary."
"Oh, you don't know how wrong you are," Vienna declared to Duo.
Katana faked a pout. "Vienna, are you not glad to see your best friend?"
Vienna scoffed. "Best friend? I would say the exact opposite!"
"Vienna, calm down," Dr. J said, walking to the group putting a lot of his weight on his cane. "Katana, I would like to know why you are here, when I told you not to return?"
WuFei frowned. "Dr. J, she's the one we were suppose to meet in the park." He looked at Katana next to him. "Isn't she?"
"No!" Vienna spat out. "The person you were suppose to meet was Riley and I! But since you guys decided to capture us, we could not be there at the rendezvous!"
Heero whipped out his gun and pointed it at Katana. "Then why is she here and who the heck is she?"
Dr. J rubbed his forehead. "Heero put the gun down. She's Katana Rosco, one of my earlier students. She and Vienna trained together before Riley came along. A month before I brought Riley in to meet Vienna, I caught Katana going through my files. I sent her away never to return and replaced her."
"I was replaced!" Katana exclaimed.
Vienna frowned. She's acting, she thought.
"That still doesn't explain why she is here," Trowa said, ignoring her. They all looked at Katana waiting for a reply.
She looked to each in turn; she looked at Vienna last. Vienna glared at her. "I came here to help you. I've changed, really."
Vienna snorted. "Right, and pigs can fly."
Quatre stepped forward. "If she said she changed her ways, then I think we should at least give her a chance."
Katana smiled sweetly at him. "Why, thank you."
Vienna burst in, waving her hands in the air. "Oh no. She is not joining the team. Riley and I are fine without Little Miss Tramp!"
"Tramp!?" Katana shouted. "How dare you!"
Vienna rolled her eyes. "I'm leaving. I'm gonna go see if Riley is okay." She turned and left. She could feel Katana's eyes glaring at her back and she groaned. The day, or morning, she thought, couldn't get any worse.
Riley lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling. She was on the bed in her dorm, just lying there. She sighed and rolled over onto her stomach, wincing. She sniffed, and then she felt as if she was spinning in circles. She had no idea why she suddenly felt this way. She groaned and closed her eyes. "What the heck is going on?"
**~~ FLASHBACK ~~**
"Riley, are you okay?" Cathrine asked softly.
"Yeah," Riley whispered back. "Where are Trowa and Mum and Daddy?"
Cathy smiled. "Trowa is trying to find them. They'll be here soon, don't worry."
Riley nodded, and laid her head on the older girl's arm. She then heard footsteps running toward them. She sat up and looked back into the smoke. When the two forms got a little closer she smiled happily. "Trowa!" she exclaimed.
"Trowa?" Cathrine sat up beside her little sister. She smiled. "It is him. And he's with Dad!"
Riley nodded. "Yeah, but where's Mum?"
Cathy bit her lip. "I don't know."
Trowa and their father dropped down beside them. Riley crawled to her brother and gave him a big hug. "Trowa, where's Mummy?"
Her dad answered for his son. His green eyes looked sad as he looked into her eyes. "I'm sorry Riles, she didn't make it."
Cathy gasped behind them. "No!"
"It will be all right you guys. We still have each other," Trowa said.
Cathrine smiled half-heartedly. "Yeah, your right of course Trowa."
Riley sighed, sniffing. "I'm gonna miss Mummy." A tear formed in the corner of her green eyes.
Her dad reached over and brushed aside strands of her long blonde hair. (a/n her hair eventually turns dark brown) "We all will."
Suddenly, the sound of rocks rubbing against rock and gravel caused them all to stiffen. They all looked about, searching for the cause. Riley was more scared than she had ever been before. She moved to her dad. He smiled down at her and put his arm around her small shoulders. She smiled at him.
The noise got louder and closer. Their father stood, holding Riley in his arms, looked around, and saw it. Tumbling down the hill behind them, an avalanche of rocks was coming straight at them.
**~~ ** ~~**
Riley sat bolt upright, sweat pouring down her face. Tears mixed with the sweat. She was breathing heavily; the memories as fresh as if it had happened yesterday. The pain in her back was forgotten. She closed her eyes and lay back against the pillow. She heard the door open and she cracked her eyes open to see Vienna standing in the doorway.
"Riley, you okay? You don't look too good."
"Yeah, I'm fine V. I'm just a littlelight-headed, that's all."
Vienna looked her over critically. "Okay. Let's go back to the others. There is someone here that I need some help to fight against." She smirked.
Riley raised an eyebrow. "Do I want to know who?"
Vienna shook her head. "You haven't met her, but you've heard of her. Remember how I told you about Katana Rosco?"
Riley nodded absently, as she pushed the images she had just witnessed aside and focused on what her friend was telling her. "Wasn't she the one who was going through J's stuff and he sent her away, and then I came along?"
"Yup, that's her. Come on. Right now she's talking to J, I think. I'm hoping he forces her to leave. She swears that she has changed."
Riley smiled. "But we don't need anyone else. You and I make a good team all alone, but now we have the g-boys. That's a lot already."
"I know, but still. The boys are in the hangar. Oh, and WuFei and Quatre are here, too."
They continued to talk as they entered the hangar. The only two in there were Duo and Heero. The girls stopped, not sure if they should leave or talk to them. They glanced at each other and shrugged.
"Hey, girls!" Duo greeted.
Vienna smiled. "Hi Duo. What's up?" He sure changes his mind about people quickly, she thought.
"Nothing much. You two okay?"
"I won't be until Katana leaves," Vienna said smiling.
"What's going on?" Riley asked smiling casually the best she could.
Duo shrugged a shoulder. "No one knows until the old man gets back and tells us." Duo grinned suddenly. "Isn't that girl such a babe? What was her name again?"
Vienna sweat-dropped. "She's about as cute as a warthog."
Duo laughed; Heero rolled his eyes, and Riley smirked.
Vienna sighed. "If you really want a girl Duo, go for Riley or someone, just anyone besides Katana."
Riley glared at her. She punched Vienna in the arm. Vienna rubbed her arm, even if it didn't hurt.
"I was just saying." Vienna said.
"Humph. If I was Duo's girlfriend, I would kill myself first."
Vienna smirked. "I'll quote you on that one of these days." Riley rolled her eyes, folding her arms across her chest.
"At least I'm not dating the enemy."
"I'm not dating the enemy, you nitwit! I had to go with Raphael because it was our only ticket to the dinner! You yourself told me to accept it!"
Riley smiled. "I know. I'm just playin' with ya. Don't take it that seriously."
Vienna shook her head. "Idiot."
Suddenly the sound of a big crash came from the back rooms and an ear splitting yell.
10/2/02 - That definitely could've ended better. Hhmm. Anyways, sorry if this is confusing. I did write this story a while ago, when my writing skills were still being developed. As they still are.
4. When The World Crumbles Around You
Authors Note - Again, I do not own Gundam Wing!! And also again, Riley and Vienna and Katana are mine!!!!
Disclaimer: is this getting boring? No, I don't own it!
Chapter Four
With Vienna in the lead, Heero and Duo ran to see what had happened. Riley trailed behind at the quickest pace she could manage due to her back. Vienna reached the source first and tripped over something in the doorway. With a squeal she fell forwards. "Ouch," she muttered, rubbing her head. She sighed. "This always happens to me."
Heero ignored her. "What happened?"
They were in the lab and Dr. J was standing across the room, staring at Katana who was towering over the fallen Vienna. Katana wore a smug smirk on her face. She lightly kicked Vienna in the side without anyone else noticing. Vienna grunted and sat up. She glared up at Katana.
"Here," Heero offered her his hand and helped her up. She brushed at her shirt irately. Heero looked at Katana.
"What happened? We heard a crash," Duo said.
"Oh, it was just a minor accident," Katana explained. "I was leaving and I accidentally knocked over a cup filled with a strange liquid. I yelled when it almost spilled on me."
Riley walked fully into the room. She looked at Katana and looked her up and down critically. "Is this the non-famous Katana?" she asked Vienna.
Katana glared at her. "Who are you?"
Riley glared back at her. "Riley, the girl who replaced you, you good for nothing mutt."
Katana's left eye began to twitch. "Better watch your mouth, orphan, or I just may have to shut it for you."
Heero frowned. If Katana and Riley had never met before, then how had Katana known Riley was an orphan?
Riley's eyes flared. "Call me orphan again and I swear, you won't be able to walk for days."
Katana stepped towards her menacingly.
Duo looked expectantly at Riley. "Come on Riley, show her what you're made of!"
Riley wanted so much to show this girl a lesson, but something held her back. Something that hit her memory hard.
**~~ FLASHBACK ~~**
"Take your time, Riley," Cathy whispered into the four year olds ear. "Hold the knife steady, and throw!"
Riley threw the knife and it totally missed the target. Riley sighed in frustration.
Beside her, she heard her older brother say, "It's okay Riley. You're getting better."
Riley shook her head angrily. "No, Trowa. I'm getting worse!"
The tent flap behind them was pushed aside, spilling sunlight onto them. Riley ignored the person and glared at the target. "I hate this. Why can't I do it! I'm gonna show that stupid target that Riley Barton doesn't give up that easily." Riley made as if to stomp to the target to retrieve her knife but a strong arm pulled her back.
"No, Riley," she heard a gruff voice say behind her.
Riley turned to face her father. She frowned. "Don't let anger take control of you," he told her. "Anger is just something that accomplishes nothing."
Riley took a deep breath. "All right, Daddy. I'll try."
Her father gave her a big hug. "Okay then. Cathy will keep teaching you, and one day you will be just as good as your Mum and Cathy here."
"No one is better than Cathy or Mum," Riley pointed out. "Trowa is better than me even!"
Trowa, who was only six, shook his head. "You'll be better one of these days. You just aren't there yet."
~~ ** ~~
Riley snapped out of it. She backed off, taking a step away. "There's no point in fighting you. Anger doesn't solve anything."
Katana stared at her. "Are you some nut? That's the lamest excuse I've ever heard. It's just an excuse to get out of a fight that you know you will lose to."
Surprising everyone, Riley leapt at her, grabbed her by the neck collar and pulled her close. "My father was not a wimp." She shoved Katana away from her, knocking the girl off her feet. Riley shook her head and walked back to Vienna.
Vienna looked at her. "I didn't know you still remembered your father. I know you remember your older brother, but-" She stopped and bit her lip. "Never mind."
Riley shook her head, shoving all the emotions welling up inside her down. "I remember them all."
Vienna nodded, noting the disapproving look Dr. J was giving her.
Duo looked from one girl to the other. "You have a brother? Who was he?"
Riley looked at the boys. She noticed that Trowa seemed thoughtful. She only wished she could tell him who she really was, but she knew she couldn't. "He's dead. He died with my parents and sister," she said, making an excuse. It was not a complete lie. She knew that her older sister was alive, but she did not know where, so it seemed as if she was dead, and Trowa was not the Trowa she used to know as a kid. This Trowa was different.
Dr. J cleared his throat. "Riley, you don't need to say anything else."
Riley glanced at the scientist as if hoping he would give her the motion meaning she could tell the complete truth. He only shook his head.
WuFei stepped forward. "It's just like a woman. Weak and too sensitive."
Vienna jumped in his face. "You stay out of this, WuFei. It does not involve you."
He glared at her. "Get out of my face."
"Give me a reason!" Vienna shot back.
"Hold it," Dr. J pushed the two apart. "We don't have time for this. Katana, get out of my face for the time being. Girls, I need to talk to you." He looked to the boys. "Alone," he added, purposely.
Duo nodded. "We gotcha old man, we're leavin'."
Quatre nodded at the girls. "See you guys later." They filed out, WuFei going last. He shot one last glare at Vienna before walking out.
Katana walked by, the anger noticeably centered toward Vienna and Riley.
Dr. J shut the door, shaking his head. He turned to face them. "One of these days, one of you is going to spoil everything. Stop dropping hints. Riley, keep everything to your self. If you have to talk about your family, tell Vienna in private, not within the boys' hearing. And Vienna, quit with the glaring at WuFei. You are not helping the situation any either."
Vienna glared at him. "What is so wrong about telling them who we are?" she demanded. "We aren't hurting anybody."
Dr. J shook his head. "Forget it. Just do as I say and things will work out. In the mean time-"
Suddenly the floor under them shook crazily and things on shelves toppled to the floor. They were knocked off their feet, landing heavily on the floor. Loud blasts could be heard from inside the hangar. Riley gasped. "That sounds like an explosion."
"That's 'cause it was, Riley!" Vienna shouted. She got to her feet, but had to grab at a table to keep her balance as the floor shook again. She helped Riley to her feet and they made their way to the door of the lab. "We'll go check it out."
Vienna entered the hangar first and instantly wished she hadn't. The hangar was blown to smithereens, dust and rubble everywhere. Some of the walls were no longer there and many of the items that had been in the hangar were only pieces of charred wood. The entrance to the hangar was no longer there at all, and instead left a gaping hole in the rock to the outside. Another explosion flung them off their feet; Riley hit her head, knocking her out, and Vienna slammed into the wall. She winced, but ignored the pain in her right arm. She had to find out the cause of this and get help. She pushed off the wall and shot across the room, just as another explosion ripped the air. She fell forward but someone caught her, holding her up off the ground. She let out a sigh of relief as the person pulled her back up. She looked up into the face of Heero. She smiled faintly. "Thanks," she said.
"Yeah," he grunted. He looked from her to his surroundings.
She followed his gaze. "What's going on?" she asked him.
"We're being attacked, now come on."
"We have to get Riley," she said.
"Later."
Vienna followed him as he made his way across the rubble and debris that littered the floor. She absently glanced up at the roof and gasped. "Heero, a few more blows and the ceiling will cave in!"
Heero looked up sharply and nodded his agreement. "We have to get out of here." He hoisted himself over a large piece of rock and reached back over to help Vienna over.
"Where are Trowa and the others?" Vienna said.
"The back room."
Another explosion hit. Vienna kept on her feet, looking up to the roof. It was easy to see that one more hit and it would more then certainly fall in on them.
Heero turned to her. "We don't have enough time for this. You have to go back and drag your friend out of here. I'll get the others."
"What about J?"
"He can take care of himself. Just get yourself out of here."
Vienna nodded and ran back the way she came, tripping once and awhile over things, but not falling. She had just about reached her friend when the dreaded final explosion corrupted. This one was harder than the rest, and as she had thought, the ceiling fell. Pieces of the ceiling fell here and there but Vienna kept going. She had to get them out of there. A loud crack came from above her and she glanced up. A large piece of the rock was falling quickly to her.
Duo hit the wall as the final explosion came. He groaned and rubbed his shoulder. "What is going on out there?"
"We're under attack, idiot," WuFei spat. "What else?" He stepped away from the wall to where Quatre was.
Just then a piece of the ceiling fell where WuFei had been standing moments before. WuFei jumped in surprise. Quatre hurried to WuFei. "That could have crushed you!" he exclaimed.
Duo stared wildly at the rock. "We have to leave, now!"
"I'm with Duo," Trowa said. "Let's go."
"What about Heero?" Quatre asked as another rock fell, followed by a chorus of others.
Over the noise, Duo yelled to the blonde, "He's capable of protecting himself!"
The four sprinted for the emergency exit at the other side of the room. Trowa shoved it open and it flew back. They rushed into the fresh air in the early morning of 4 am.
**~~ FLASHBACK ~~**
The rocks rolled to the small group at a fast pace. The six-year- old Riley dug herself deeper into her father's arms. He held her tight. He looked to Cathy. "Come on!" he shouted. Cathy stumbled to her feet and bent down to help Trowa up. They waited for their dad, but he shook his head, letting go of Riley. "No, I can't run. My leg is hurt badly. Take Riley and go."
Cathrine shook her head. "No Dad, you're coming with us."
"No!" their dad thundered. "Get out of here. Take care of Riley. She only has you two now."
Trowa nodded. "Okay, Dad." He took Riley's hand and his older sister's, and they started to run.
Riley glanced back and her mind was then made up. She shook her head angrily. "No!" she shouted. She yanked her hand back from Trowa's and ran back to her father.
"Riley!" Cathrine shouted to her. "Stop!"
Trowa started to run after her, but Cathrine held him back. "Let me go, Cathy!"
"I'm not losing you too."
The rocks were not more than a minute away when Riley dropped down beside her father. He glared at her. "Riley, go back!" He shouted at her.
She shook her stubbornly. "No Daddy."
"Go!"
"I'm not leaving you alone," she stated again.
The rocks were too close for the young girl to make her escape now. Her father threw himself over his youngest daughter, shielding her with his own body as the rocks hit, hard and deadly.
**~~ ** ~~**
Heero heard the ceiling falling apart and stopped. He knew the others would know where to go and do, but Vienna may not. He ran back after her. He came close enough in time to see a large piece of the rock falling down upon Vienna. He sprinted farther and dove at her, pushing her out of the way. The two rolled across the floor away from the rock. Vienna was breathing heavily when she stopped moving. She painfully sat up, holding her head in her hands, her head throbbing.
Heero grunted and sat up. He looked to her. "You okay?"
Vienna nodded. "Fine."
Heero jumped to his feet, pulling her up with him. "Come on. We will be lucky if we get out now."
Vienna shook her head. "Not without Riley."
Heero glared at her. "We can't help her now!"
"I'm not leaving, Heero."
Heero was too angry to deal with her stubbornness right then to care what she thought. He grabbed her arm and pulled her after him.
Quatre hugged himself. "Where are they? They should have been out by now."
Duo shook his head sadly. "I would have thought for sure Heero would make it out." Duo glanced at WuFei; he was looking away from them all. "WuFei, you okay?" he asked.
"Yes, Maxwell," WuFei replied, turning around.
Quatre sighed. "I hope they get out."
"We all do," Duo said.
Suddenly gunfire shot through the air, some barely missing them. The four scattered, hoping to get away. Quatre and Trowa ended up going left and Duo and WuFei right. The bullets licked at their heels as they ran. WuFei ran off the road to the beach, Duo hurrying after him. Trowa and Quatre ran into a rocky outcropping, out of view of their pursuers, wherever they were. Quatre was breathing heavily as he leaned back against the rock surface. He said to Trowa, "Where are they coming from? They seem to be everywhere."
Trowa walked as far out of the outcropping as he dared and looked up into the sky. "Well, I'm not certain, but I think they may be in some sort of machine in the air. It is hard to tell in the dark. We'll just have to wait until dawn."
"That's only an hour or so away. We can wait it out."
Trowa shrugged and sat down beside his friend. "We better hope they won't find us or the others."
Meanwhile, Duo was lying on his back in the sand, under a ledge. WuFei was sitting across from him, his eyes closed. Duo shook his head. "WuFei, what are you doing?"
"Thinking, Maxwell, now shut up."
"Will you stop calling me Maxwell? The name is Duo. My last name is Maxwell."
"Shut up, Maxwell."
"Duo! D-u-o!"
"Maxwell."
"Argh!"
Heero shoved Vienna out the main entrance just as the hangar caved. Vienna finally yanked her arm away and turned back to the hangar but it was gone, totally filled with rocks and debris. There was no way she could get in there now, let alone to get someone out. Her shoulders sagged and she felt the emotions welling up in her. There was nothing she could do for her friend now. They were gone forever.
"Come on Vienna, let's find the others," Heero said.
She blinked away the tears and turned to face the handsome boy. She gave a nod. "Yeah."
She had just stepped out when Heero pulled her back as bullets rained down on them, forcing them to back away from the opening. They were sheltered by the over hanging rocks, but that did not stop the bullet's from hitting the rocks and slowly making them disintegrate. Vienna looked around frantically. "Have any bright ideas, Heero?" she asked, slightly sarcastic.
"Not exactly," he replied truthfully.
Vienna sighed. "That's great. That's really just great. We will stand here, waiting to be hit by bullets. Oh, what a great idea. I wish I had popped some popcorn for this joyous occasion."
"Not now, Vienna."
"Ha!"
He rolled his eyes and looked up into the dark sky. It was getting lighter out. He could barely see the outline of something in the sky, but he was not certain what it was exactly. A helicopter?
Vienna ranted on, while Heero thought furiously, his mind racing.
"Hey, we got something on radar!"
Lucretzia Noin looked up quickly and made her way to the console where the soldier was sitting. She leaned on the back of his chair and examined the screen. "What? Where?"
The soldier pointed to an area on the screen. "Here on earth, on the coast near the Sanq Kingdom."
Noin straightened and called over her shoulder to some other soldiers standing near the door, "Get a nearby team out there, now!"
The three soldiers scurried off to do her bidding, forgetting to salute her. She overlooked it and turned her attention back to the console. "Move in on that, I want to see the exact location of it."
The soldier, who was named Clarke, pushed a few buttons and the screen focused in on it. She leaned forward past the soldier to get a closer look. She frowned. "That's near the." she jumped back. "I'm going to my office. Contact me when the team arrives there."
"As you say, Lieutenant."
Noin walked quickly down the hall to her office, idea's running through her mind like flies. She shoved the door open of her office and made her way to the vid phone at her desk. She pushed a button and said, "Get Lady Une on the line."
The screen was blank for a minute and then Une's face appeared. She looked worried. "Is everything all right, Noin?"
Noin braced her hands on the desk. "A reading of an attack near the coast has been discovered."
"Near the coast?"
"Of the Sanq Kingdom. I sent a team down there to check it out." She sighed. "I don't know what to think of this. Miss Relena was attacked only a few hours ago at a dinner banquet, but she managed to get away with the help of someone she says had attended the school for a very short time. This person, who is called Kali Marietta, went along with Miss Relena, as well as her friend, a girl named Diamond Kastle."
Une nodded. "Yes, I remember something like that in the newspaper this morning. It had two photos of two different scenes. One was of a girl and Miss Relena kneeling on the ground and another of a second girl outside, being attacked by a young man."
"What does the second picture mean? It didn't deal with Miss Relena did it?"
"No, that's what is a bit confusing. It could have just been some reporter thinking it would make a good picture, but that is a rough theory."
"That's not all. The attack going at as we speak is where one of the Gundam hangars is. I think that may be the reason why that area is being attacked. I would bet that the boys are in there."
Just then, a soldier rushed into the office, breathing heavily. He saluted the lieutenant and then said hurriedly, "An incoming call from the team, Lieutenant."
Noin nodded. "Thank you, Randy. I'll take it in here."
On the other line, Une said, "Get back to me when you finish getting the update. I'll be waiting." She disconnected the line.
I know this chapter is a bit shorter than the rest, but I figured, 'oh what the heck,' so you will just have to wait. Until then, later!
~~ ** ~~ Riley ~~ ** ~~
5. Picking Up The Pieces
Authors Note: Okay, the fifth chapter! Finally.well, read on, and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own GW, okay? Why do I have to continue to put this?
Chapter Five
She was surrounded.the dust was choking her, and she could feel a heavy burden atop her. Her leg was throbbing too. In fact, she hurt all over. She groaned and then she drifted on into a deep sleep.
Vienna sighed and leaned back against the rocky surface, knowing she would die sometime within the next hour. At the rate Heero was thinking, Duo would have already finished forming a plan by now. She glanced up at the outcropping of rock that was protecting she and Heero from their deaths. It was holding, but it was easy to see it would give before long. Vienna looked at Heero, watching him. He looked alert and ready, and yet deep in thought too. She rubbed her eyes, realizing how tired she really was. It had been a long night, talking with Dr. J and the boys, and then the attack. "Heero, you may as well give up. The attackers will never quit. It's obvious they will never run out of bullets."
Heero did not say anything. He ignored her, watching for anything.
Vienna stepped forward. "Heero, hello, I'm talking to you." He did nothing. She threw her hands up into the air. "Okay then, I get the point! But can you at least answer me? Are you ever going to get an idea into your head? You are as slow as a snail."
Heero glared at her over his shoulder. She stared back at him, unfazed. She shook her head. "You aren't scaring me in the least."
His eyebrows rose slightly. He smirked and looked away. She sighed again.
All of a sudden, a loud explosion boomed in the air. Vienna screamed and dropped to the earth from surprise. Her brown eyes were wide. "Heero, are they blowing things up again?"
Heero shook his head. "Someone is attacking them. I can't see who it is." The bullets that had been raining down on them slowed, and then stopped as the bullets were now directed at helicopters and jeeps, coming to the teenagers' rescue. Vienna was smiling crazily with relief.
"We're saved!" she exclaimed.
"Not quite. We don't know who these new people are. They could be enemies."
Vienna stood and walked a bit from under the outcropping. "I doubt that. Who else would be attacking the WRF?"
Heero glanced at her. "The who?"
"Dr. J never told you about them?"
"No."
"Well," Vienna began, "the WRF stands for the World Rebellion Federation. They are the people we are going against. They are more powerful than Oz, White Fang, and Romefeller, at least from what J said. Riley and I have been blowing their bases up, as you probably figured out by now." She sobered. "It's hard to think Riley is gone."
Heero watched her, not doing anything. For once, he didn't know what to do. She looked as if she need comforting, but from him? That just was not his thing, and then it would more than likely scare the poor girl.
She shook her head, and forced a smile as another explosion erupted. Vienna leaned against the rocks for support. "I think I have had enough of explosives for one day," she said to no one in particular. "I wonder how they are getting those explosives into those things the WRF are in anyways."
They watched for a few more minutes, and to their relief, the WRF made a retreat from the oncoming attack against them. They cleared out, disappearing into the distance. Their rescuers slowly descended to the ground where Heero and Vienna were waiting. There were four helicopters, each equipped with guns on top of each, and missile launchers underneath. Heero held a gun just in case these people were not friends, going against Vienna's protests.
"Heero, please, this is how you repay these people for saving our butts?"
The wind from the propellers of the helicopters twisted her short hair around her neck and face. She brushed the hair away, and held it back with her hands; Heero had an arm in front of his eyes to block the wind. The propellers stopped and someone stepped out of the helicopter.
The man was tall and thin, with bushy red hair and brown eyes. He smiled at them, but his smile froze when he saw Heero's gun.
Vienna noticed and grabbed the barrel of the gun. "Heero, put it away. He isn't here to fight us."
Heero looked from Vienna to the man and put it away. Vienna smiled and nodded. "Thank you," she said.
Heero recognized the uniform and eased up. This man was from the Preventers.
The man stuck his hand out to Heero. "Are you Mr. Yuy, sir?"
Heero shook the man's hand, and said, "Heero will be fine."
"Right. And who is your lovely partner here?"
Vienna blushed a pale pink. "Vienna. And I'm not really his partner. We just got stuck together." An amused look came over the man's face. She suddenly glared at him. "Whatever is in your head, forget it."
"Hm, um, yes, ma'am. And I am Jaykan, sent here by Lieutenant Noin of the Preventers."
"That's nice," Vienna commented. She glanced over her shoulder to the place where the entrance to the main hangar had once been, and was now Riley's grave. She cast her eyes to the floor and shifted from one foot the other. Now that she and Heero were in danger no longer, the pain and sorrow had hit her, and now she felt like crying and giving up, but she could not do that there and now. Her heart ached. The two people she had grown up with were dead. Her 'sister', and the only man she could have called father, but never had even thought of it until then. Why do things always have to happen this way, she thought. I gain friends and lose them. Is this how life goes?
Quatre sat up when the steady flow of bullets came to a halt. "What's going on, Trowa?"
At the front, Trowa was standing, looking out. He walked a ways out into the open early morning air and looked around. "I think they left," he said. "Let's go find the others."
Quatre smiled and the two friends went off. They had been hiding around the side of the hangar and it was only a short way to get to where the helicopters, Jaykan, Heero, and Vienna were. Jaykan noticed them first and mentioned it to Heero. Heero looked over. Quatre grinned and waved happily. He ran ahead of Trowa to them. "You guys made it out!" he exclaimed. "I knew you would."
Vienna bit back a remark that came to mind.
Heero took a quick glance back at Vienna. "We're fine."
Trowa reached them. Vienna saw him and then she realized something she had forgotten. Trowa's sister had just died, and he didn't know it. She know felt like a betrayer. How could she keep the truth from Trowa, when he deserved to know? She did not know what to do. Dr. J was gone, so he could not stop her from telling him, and it would not go against Riley either. Ever since Vienna could remember Dr. J telling Riley about her brother, Riley had more than anything wanted to tell him who she was. Now she never will, Vienna concluded. And it's all because of the World Rebellion. I swear, those people will pay, and their leader will die at my own hand, if it's the last thing I do.
Trowa was in his own thoughts. He had noticed Vienna was upset and troubled over something, but he was not certain as to what it was. Riley. It all became clear. Riley was not there. Where was she? She had to be alive somewhere. But then what if she wasn't? A dull pain filled him at that thought. He felt as if someone had stabbed him. Why do I feel as if I lost a part of me? He wondered. Is it because she always reminded me of my younger sister, who just happens to have the same name? He shook his head. No. Your little sister is dead; this Riley was just a girl with the same name. But then what about her mysterious past and her appearance? She really does look like me a bit, and she definitely looks like dad. I'll have to talk to Cathy about this. Trowa looked up and his and Vienna's eyes locked. The pain in her eyes told him for sure. Riley was gone. Now the pain hit him harder, though he had no idea why.
Duo walked ahead of WuFei on the beach as they made their way to the stone steps that lead up to the road, where they had seen, and heard, the helicopters land. They had not spoken to the other since their argument. Duo was glad; he had nothing to say to him anyways.
When he came upon the steps, he ran up them to the top. He first saw the helicopters and then his friends talking with one of the pilots. He smiled and jogged over. "Hey guys! You have no idea how glad I am to see you."
"Hello, Duo," Quatre said. "It's good to see you too."
Duo looked from one to the other; someone was missing. "Hey, uh, where are the old man and that friend of Vienna's?"
Heero glared at Duo. "Shut up, Duo," he growled.
Duo started at the tone of his friend's voice. That was nothing new, but there was something about it this time that stuck out from the others. He was trying to protect someone. Duo looked past Heero to Vienna standing in the back. She was staring off into space, hugging herself and shivering, even if it was not that cold out. He still did not get it. He shrugged. "Okay, whatever." WuFei walked up behind Trowa.
Jaykan had kept quiet all the while, but he had to ask, "Are all of you the people that those others were attacking?"
Heero nodded. "That was us."
"Alright then. I need to take you all back to our base. It is not far from here, which is why we got here so quickly after receiving our call from Lieutenant Noin. If this is all of you, we should be going. We have three helicopters, two extra seats in each. That's the perfect amount."
Duo frowned and looked around. "We are missing two people. Where are they?"
Heero groaned, shaking his head in wonderment as to how Duo could be so stupid. From the corner of his eye, he saw Vienna flinch, and quickly wipe away a tear that had appeared. She bit the inside of her lip and stared at the ground.
Duo looked at everyone. "Was it something I said?" he went on.
Surprising everyone, Trowa slapped Duo upside the head, glaring at him.
"Ow!" Duo rubbed the back of his head.
Jaykan cleared his throat. "We really should be going, before your friends decide to come back," he said in a desperate attempt to lighten the tense mood that had come over them all. "How 'bout I take Vienna and Heero, and then the blonde and his friend can go in another, and then the last two go in the third."
Suddenly, Vienna exclaimed, "What a minute!"
Everyone paused to stare at her.
Her eyes were wide. "Where's Katana?" she asked.
All of them looked at one another; no one knew what had happened to her. Jaykan raised his eyebrows. "Who is Katana?"
"A girl who was staying with us," Vienna replied, not planning on giving out any information.
"Let's hope she's gone," Trowa said. "All she did was cause trouble."
Vienna shrugged, even though her rival's disappears troubled her. That girl did not appear and then disappear just as things were going bad. Katana was up to something.
They all spilt up into their different helicopters and flew away to the Preventers nearby base, the sunset rising behind them, welcoming another day.
After that day's events, they all went their different ways. WuFei went on his own to who knows where, Quatre returned to his mansion to do business, Heero and Duo did their thing, and Trowa returned to the circus and his sister; that left Vienna on her own. She did not know where to go, or what to do. Trowa had noticed that she was left to fend for herself, and he offered for her to join him. Vienna agreed to it with a smile.
And now, in the taxi driving them to the circus campground a few hours drive from the Sanq Kingdom, Vienna stared out the window, Trowa sitting beside her on the other side of the car. She had been glad he had asked her to join him. She hated the idea of being alone. She had always been with Riley, and if she couldn't be with Riley, her brother was the only other person she could imagine she would rather be with. Except Heero, an unwanted voice in her head suddenly said. Vienna almost gasped, but bit it back. Where did that come from? I'm still mad at him! So why is he on my mind? Is it because he helped me escape? She shook her head.
"Here we are," the taxi driver announced.
Vienna sat up straight in her seat as the taxi pulled to a stop. She stared up at the large main tent. She had only been to a circus once before, but that was when she was eight. There were plenty of things going on outside the big tent that she could not keep count of.
Trowa opened the door and stepped out. Vienna did the same, but slower. The driver took their things from the trunk, set them on the grass, and drove off. Vienna watched the taxi disappear and then she heard a happy cry.
"Trowa!"
Vienna spun around and saw a girl around her mid twenties or so, running forward to Trowa. Riley's sister, she thought. The girl had reddish brown hair that stopped near her chin and was slightly wavy. She gave Trowa a big hug and then noticed Vienna. She smiled at her. "And who are you? Trowa, is she a friend of yours?"
Trowa looked back at her. "Yeah."
Vienna walked forward and held her hand out. "Vienna."
"Cathrine. It's nice to meet you Vienna."
"You too." Vienna let the brother and sister talk between themselves, while she stood from afar, watching everything around her. She sighed, feeling Riley surrounding her. "So this was your life," she whispered to Riley, as if her friend was there with her. She looked down at her feet when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up quickly to see Cathrine smiling at her, though silently wishing it had been Riley.
"You can stay with me in my trailer. That way you don't have to sleep with the lions or something."
Vienna smiled. "Thanks. What about Trowa though?"
She glanced back at her brother. "Oh, he's fine. He has his own trailer, you know. Come on, let's get your stuff and you settled in." She picked up a bag of Vienna's and led her to a cluster of trailers to the left of the main tent.
Trowa went after them, but walked into his trailer instead of Cathrine's.
In Cathrine's trailer there was a small kitchen and table, a tiny bathroom, bedroom, a very small guest room that could have been a closet, and a living room. Pictures were on the wall in a few places, but otherwise, not much were there in means of decoration. The floor was a thick carpet of dark blue, and a rug was at the entrance of the door.
"You can keep your stuff in this closet," Cathrine said, putting a suitcase on the floor of a small closet near the couch in the living room. "The bathroom is right over there and the kitchen there. The room you will be staying in is beside my own. Eat and do anything you want to do, but right now I have to get back to the big tent for practice. I'll be back in half an hour." She smiled happily at Vienna and walked from the trailer.
Vienna walked over to a picture hanging over the couch. She leaned forward and stared at it. It was of a family of five: the father had brown hair and emerald green eyes. The mother had a reddish brown hair color and chestnut brown eyes. Just like Cathrine, Vienna thought. She then knew who this family was. Standing in front of his father, an eight- year-old Trowa stood, smiling at the camera. Vienna smiled too, trying to picture the Trowa she knew smiling. Standing before her mother was Cathrine, only two years older than her younger brother. And lastly, was Riley. She was only four then, but she still had the green eyes. Her hair was blonde, but it was still her best friends younger self. She sighed, remembering her best friend, and the one person she had considered family besides her brother. She slumped onto the couch and stayed there until Cathrine returned to the trailer forty-five minutes later.
Duo stared at the TV screen in boredom. His cobalt blue eyes drifted from the screen to his friend sitting at the table, typing on his laptop. He stared at him for a minute. What is he thinking about? Duo wondered. He sure is the strong, silent type. Dang is it annoying. Why won't he ever open up?
Heero paused and looked to Duo. "What is it?" he said.
Duo jumped, surprised. "Oh, nothing, just seeing what you were doing."
Heero looked back to his laptop. "I'm working," he replied.
"Yeah, I kinda figured that, Heero," Duo said sarcastically. "When aren't you working?" He stood, stretched, and walked to where Heero was sitting. He leaned on the back of the chair and watched. Heero ignored him and continued his work. A minute later, Duo became tired and wandered away into the kitchen. He scavenged through the refrigerator until he came upon a can of soda. He popped the top and took a long drink.
The sound of the phone ringing met his ears and he waited for Heero to pick it up. The phone continued to ring. Duo groaned, but put his soda on the table and picked up the phone in the kitchen. "Hello? Duo speaking."
"Hey, Duo!" a cheery voice exclaimed. "Guess who?"
Duo almost dropped the phone from shock. "Hilde?" he gasped out. "Is that really you?"
"Yeah, silly! Who else?"
Duo shrugged, but then realized Hilde couldn't see him. "I don't know. I just haven't talked to you in awhile."
"That's why I called. I was in the L1 colony and thought you might want to get together with me sometime. What do you say?"
Duo could not stop grinning. "Cool! When?"
"How about tomorrow night? I can meet you at your place. Say, around eight o'clock?"
"Yeah, sure! See you then. Bye!"
"Later, Duo!"
Duo hung up the phone and almost leapt for joy. The death of Dr. J and Riley had been a bummer, but now his day was getting brighter. He then frowned on that thought. He shouldn't be feeling that way. Sure, he had hardly known the girl, but still. She had been full of excitement and fun, and looked like someone he could have become good friends with. He sighed, wishing he had gotten to know her better.
Cathrine passed Vienna a piece of pizza on a paper plate and took a seat across from her in a chair. Vienna dug in, hungry since her dinner the night before.
Cathrine laughed. "You sure are hungry," she said.
Vienna smiled and nodded. "Yup. I guess being in danger does that to ya," she said without thinking of what she had just said.
Cathrine noticed the change. She decided to divert the subject. "So, do you have any family?"
Vienna hesitated, but then shook her head. "No. I never knew any of them. I know I had two parents and an older brother, but they all died."
"Oh, sorry. You and I have something in common though. I lost my family too. I only have Trowa now." She sighed. "I had a younger sister and two parents. My mom died in a fire, and my dad and sister died from a rock avalanche." Vienna flinched. Cathrine did not notice. "I miss them all, but I miss my sister a whole lot. She, Trowa, and I were so close." She smiled softly. "Trowa and I would spend a whole day trying to teach her how to throw knives and things like that. Before the fire, she had become so good she was out throwing my mom, which was surprising since Mom was one of the best."
Vienna thought this would be a good chance to get information on her friend's life before. "What was your sister like? I mean, how do you remember her?"
"Well, she looked like my father. Green eyes and dimples at the corners of her mouth. I remember that she had blonde hair when she died, but it would eventually become a dark brown, I would think. My father's hair was like that. Her name was Riley Marie Avianna Barton. I wish I could have known her longer."
Vienna bit her lip. This would be hard to keep the secret inside her. She decided to give Cathrine some hope, without giving the secret. "Don't worry, Cathrine. She loved you and Trowa more than anything."
Cathrine stared at her in surprise. "How would you know?"
"I knew her. She died a few years ago."
Tears came into Cathrine's eyes. "You mean, she was alive all that time and I never knew?"
Vienna nodded her head slowly. "She always talked about her older brother and sister. Oh, and she was excellent at knife throwing. She could shoot one as quick as lightning, and she did it perfectly. I don't see how she could've done it."
Cathrine shook her head. "I wish I had known about her. If I'd have known, I would have searched for her." She sat up straight. "I have to tell Trowa. I'll be right back. Wait, come with me, Vienna."
Vienna followed her excited new friend to Trowa's trailer. Cathrine knocked loudly and stepped back to wait. The door opened and Trowa stood in the doorway. He looked at them both, before holding the door open. They entered and Cathrine told him everything the second she stepped inside. Trowa listened, the surprise in his emerald green eyes noticeable. When Cathrine finished, he glanced at Vienna. She smiled at him.
"What about your best friend, Riley?" he asked. "The one who died last night?"
Vienna bit the inside of her lip. "She was my best friend, but your sister was only a friend of my best friend Riley." She suddenly laughed. "That's a bit confusing. My best friend is named Riley, and so is your sister. That's a bit weird."
Trowa raised an eyebrow, but let it go. She's hiding something, he thought to himself. Something isn't right.
"I'm glad you're here, Vienna," Cathrine said. "I feel so much better now. Even if I still won't ever meet her, at least I know she never died that awful night."
Vienna faked a smile and nodded. If only you two knew. If only you knew.
Authors Note--
I know this chapter was shorter than the others, but I decided to make it shorter, so deal with it! I know this chapter centered on the memories of Riley, but it fits, ok? There is a ton more Vienna cummin your way, so hang on!
6. Some Secrets Are Best Kept Hidden
Authors Note - Here's the next chapter! Whoo-hoo! Sing and shout for joy. well, I do not own Gundam Wing. I do own Riley, Katana, and Vienna, bur so far no one else.
Disclaimer: sigh you know I don't own it
Chapter Six
A month past, and the World Rebellion Federation grew stronger. They went along with their plans, while Vienna spent the month enjoying herself at the circus with Cathrine and Trowa. A few times she joined in on an act with the two, and they taught her some about throwing knives.
Vienna threw the knife. It shot through the air, and went passed the target. Instead, it planted itself in the far wall, inches from where the ringmaster was walking. He froze, but then looked over at the trio and stared at them. It was obvious he was trying not to laugh and be serious at the same time. Vienna covered her mouth with her hand. "I am so sorry, Ringmaster!" she exclaimed. "I meant to hit the target."
He chuckled. "As always, Vienna, be more careful with your knives. You have a very good teacher, so don't let her go to waste." He smiled at the young girl and walked on. When he walked out of earshot, Vienna started laughing. "That was what? The fourth time I've done that to him?"
An amused twinkle entered Trowa's eyes. "Actually, the sixth time."
Cathrine started laughing as well. She patted Vienna on the shoulder. "You sure do bring some life to the circus, Vienna."
Vienna beamed. "Aw, it's nothing. Man, am I hungry. Can we get some chow?"
Cathrine nodded. "Yeah sure. Let's go."
Vienna walked forward, not looking where she was going, and suddenly tripped over the pouch that held all of Cathrine's knives. She let out a squeal and fell head first onto the grass. She grunted and hoisted herself up on her elbows. Behind her, she heard a snicker from Trowa, and Cathrine laughing mercilessly. "I meant to do that, really."
"Sure, Vienna, whatever you say."
The next morning Vienna dropped into a chair at the small breakfast table in Cathrine's trailer. Across from her sat Trowa and Cathrine to her left. Trowa was reading something and Cathrine was eating her breakfast. Vienna shrugged and poured herself a bowl of cereal. After living with those two for a month, she had learned they were not very talkative at the breakfast table early in the morning.
"Vienna, are you ready to leave for the next colony?" Cathrine asked.
Vienna looked up, continuing to pour her cereal into the bowl. "Um, sure. What colony are we going to?"
"Colony L1. We'll be staying there for another month or so."
Vienna nodded. "Cool. I'll pack my stuff after breakfast."
Trowa looked up from his reading. "Look what I found," he said, putting down his newspaper for the two girls to see. On the front page was a photo of Relena Peacecraft giving a speech. "Look closely behind Relena," Trowa said. Vienna leaned forward over the table, almost upsetting her bowl. She squinted at the photo and saw what Trowa was referring to. In the distant background of the photo, there was a person dressed all in black, watching. Vienna's eyes looked up and saw Trowa watching her. She nodded, as if saying she knew they had to do something soon or things would go too far.
Cathrine noticed the exchange. She frowned. "You two aren't planning to leave me, are you?"
Vienna sat back. "No, Cathy, not yet. We'll wait until we're contacted by the others."
Trowa nodded in agreement. Cathrine sighed. "I knew this would happen sometime soon. I just met you Vienna, and you're like the sister I never met. You're the only one who connects me to my little sister."
Vienna bit her lip. "Yeah, Cathy, but unlike Riley, I don't plan on dying."
Trowa picked up the newspaper again and Cathrine stared into her food. Vienna poured the milk into her cereal, not seeing Trowa watching her again over the newspaper.
He was hoping for something to reveal the secret she held. He knew she was holding back something, but he did not know what.
A knock on the trailer door brought all of them back to the present and Trowa stood to answer the door. The ringmaster stood there, smiling. "Hello, Trowa. Are you all ready to pack up?"
Trowa nodded. "Let us finish our breakfast."
"Will do. Come out when you're finished. We need all the help we can get."
Trowa shut the door.
"Guess we better get packing," Vienna said from the table. Cathrine was already standing and cleaning and putting away the dishes. Vienna washed out her bowl and went to pack. While Cathrine was busy, Trowa followed Vienna to the room she had been staying in. When he knocked, Vienna was bent over the cot, putting clothes into a suitcase.
Expecting Cathrine to be the knocker, Vienna did not look up, but said, "Come on in."
Trowa entered. "Who are you?" he asked, getting quickly to the point.
Vienna jumped and spun around. His stone-face expression told her he meant business. But then again, when doesn't he have a stone-face? Vienna thought to herself. She decided to bluff her way through this one. "What do you mean?"
"Who are you?" he repeated.
"You already know who I am, Trowa. Vienna, the girl that's been staying with you and your sister."
"You have no last name? Just Vienna?"
Vienna faltered. She knew that one was coming. "Uh, no, I have a last name, I just never say it, because there is no need for friends to know it." Vienna, you are getting him more suspicious of you! Drop it before he threatens you and you give it away, she fought with herself. But then Dr. J is dead, and there is no need to hide everything anymore.Oh, what am I kidding. Trowa and Cathrine deserve to know my true identity, let alone know Riley's. Oh, what to do, what to do. She sighed, tormented between the two options. Tell him, not to tell him, tell him, not to tell him.oh crud this is getting nowhere. Trowa was waiting patiently, but she had to choose quickly. What is better? Continue to hide it or give it away. What use is there in hiding it when the one telling Riley and I not to reveal us is dead? So, where is the point in hiding? "Chang," she finally said. Her brown eyes looked into his green ones as the surprise registered on his face.
His eyes narrowed. "And your friend Riley, what of her? Was she hiding something too, or was it just you?"
Vienna felt as if she had betrayed herself. "You asked about me, not Riley. Now if you will excuse me, I have packing to do." She turned her back on him and finished her packing. Trowa soon left her alone to think.
"Heero, I need your help!"
Heero sighed and looked up from his laptop to see Duo walking into the room, carrying two sets of clothing. "What is it, Duo?" he asked.
"I need your opinion on what to wear for tonight," Duo said, holding up the clothing.
"Why would I care what you wear tonight?"
"I'm going out to dinner with Hilde, and I need some help on what to wear."
Heero raised his eyebrows. "Again? You've been going out to dinner with her ever since last month, every Friday."
Duo shrugged. "Yeah, so? There a crime in that?"
Heero shrugged. "No." He went back to his typing.
"So? Will you help me?"
"I don't care Duo. Wear whatever you have on."
"But I've been wearing this all day! And besides, I wore it last time I went to dinner with her."
"Then wear whatever you are holding in your right hand."
"But that has a stain on it."
Heero glared at Duo. "Then why are you considering it? Wear whatever is left, Duo."
"But then the other one I wore on the first dinner."
"Duo! Get out!"
Duo jumped. "Okay, okay, I'm leaving!" He hurried from the room.
Heero shook his head in wonderment. How could that boy be such an airhead?
Just then, the phone rang. Heero stood to answer it. "Hello?"
"Go to the corner of Basil and Maine Street tonight at midnight. It's important," the person on the other line said, getting straight to the point.
Heero frowned, his eyes narrowing. "Who are you?"
"Just do it! One of your friends life depends on it!" The person hung up.
Heero hung up the receiver and stood there, thinking. Who was that? The voice had not sounded familiar at all, and yet something was familiar. Should he go? It would be dangerous but then, danger was nothing to him.
"Duo!"
Duo came scurrying back into the room, his shirt off, just wearing his pants. His braid was half undone, flowing behind him. "What?" he gasped out.
"Tonight, you're with me."
"But my dinner with Hilde!?"
"Is canceled. Re-schedule, cause you will be with me all night for a meeting."
Duo sighed. "Where are we going now?"
"Tonight, we go into the heart of the city. Be prepared. We may need our weapons."
Vienna stacked another box into the truck and wiped the sweat from her brow. She had been working for an hour and a half with no break. She and the other circus performers and workers had been working their butts off since morning. And now, totally tired, she dropped down alongside the truck to the grass. She rested her head back against the tire and closed her eyes. She was just starting to fall asleep when a shadow fell over her. She looked up to see someone standing over her, but who she could not tell. She squinted up at him. "Who are you?" she asked quietly.
The person smiled. "You forgot me already?" the kind voice asked.
Vienna's lips spread into a smile. "Quatre!"
"At your service," he said, helping her up. His platinum blonde hair sparkled gold in the sunlight.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
He shrugged. "I had nothing better to do, so I figured I may as well join you and Trowa. Is that alright?"
Vienna nodded. "Oh yeah, fine. I think Trowa is in the main tent packing a few last minute things before they take down the tent, if you want to talk to him."
"Thanks." He walked over to the main tent and entered.
Vienna rolled her eyes. "Well, back to work I guess."
"Vienna!"
Vienna turned to the sound of the voice. She saw Cathrine jogging over to her, smiling. "What is it, Cathy?"
"I just wanted to let you know that I'm having lunch over by the trees and that I packed you a lunch, too. Come on, it's about time you took a break anyway."
"Yeah, sure."
She and Cathrine walked to the trees. Cathrine had already spread out a picnic blanket out and the lunch was set atop it. Vienna sat down across from Cathrine and took a sandwich from the basket. "When do we ship outta here?" Vienna asked, taking a bite.
"Oh, around another two hours or so. The guys are just finishing up, and then we can leave. The stuff will be shipped by carrier shuttle, while we go in a passenger shuttle."
"Aha, I see."
Cathrine fingered her can of soda for a moment. "Vienna, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."
Vienna waited. "What is it?"
Cathrine looked up at her. "Why do you seem so distant? I don't know why, but I feel as if you're hiding something from me. Trowa told me you are WuFei's sister, but nothing more. I guess I can see now how much you and WuFei rather resemble each other, but I didn't notice before."
Vienna shrugged. "I'm not really hiding much. Depends on what you want to know."
"Well, I don't know. Trowa has been wondering whom your friend Riley is. The one who died last month? He says neither of you ever said your last name, or mentioned anything of your lives before."
Vienna watched two men pack away the main tent. "Well, no one really ever asked us, and we don't like to talk about our pasts. Mine basically revolves around Dr. J. The only thing I remember before him is a girl who acted like my sister. Actually, she was my sister-in-law. Her name was Meiran."
Cathrine nodded. "Yeah, I remember her from Trowa. He told me about her. She was WuFei's wife, right?"
Vienna nodded. "Yeah. She knew of me, but WuFei never did."
"Hmm. and Riley?"
Vienna shrugged. "I don't even know. She never told me about her past. It's one big black mystery that we'll never know now." Cathrine nodded.
"Well, thanks. I don't mean to sound pushy or anything."
Vienna shook her head. "No problem. You're a close friend, so it doesn't bother me." She bit her lip, wondering if she should tell Cathrine about Riley. It wouldn't hurt. "Cathrine, there's something I want to tell you." She paused a moment, having second thoughts.
Cathrine looked at her expectantly. "Yes?"
Vienna sighed. "Promise you won't tell anyone?"
Cathrine nodded solemnly. "Of course."
"This is going to blow your mind, so be prepared."
Duo finished tying his braid just as Heero entered the room, carrying a pouch full of an array of weapons. It was nine at night and Heero had been busy ever since that phone call he had received. Deep in his own thoughts, he had ignored Duo, only talking when needed, or to boss him around.
"Duo, choose a weapon," Heero said.
Duo wandered over and examined the weapons laid out for him to choose. "I'll take the two pistols I guess." He took the two pistols and spun them around on a finger. "Why so uptight, buddy? It's just a minor meeting."
"Hn." Heero bent over and took two Uzi's and put them into the waistline of his pants.
Duo sighed. "Why do I have to come along? I was looking forward to an enjoyable dinner with Hilde, but no, of course I can't enjoy myself. You have to force me to come along and join you."
Heero ignored him.
"Oh, now you're going to ignore me? How thoughtful of you."
Heero glared at him.
Duo crossed his arms. "What?"
Heero rolled his eyes. "Nothing, Duo."
"Well, while you do your thing, I'm gonna watch some TV." Duo dropped onto the couch and flipped on the TV. He turned the volume up so loud it was blaring from the speakers. Heero came over and grabbed the remote. He turned it down to low and stalked off. Duo snorted and slumped into his seat
The unending blackness outside her shuttle window was like a mist swallowing her up. She was getting helplessly lost, drifting aimlessly through space, the air gone, and she was losing her held-in air quickly. She stared frantically around her, searching for anything that could save her. Anything at all, but nothing was there. She felt herself falling. Suddenly, Dr. J's face appeared before her. He was frowning. "Vienna," he said in a haunting tone. "I told you not to tell. Now things have taken a sharp turn."
"I'm sorry!" she cried out.
He shook his head. "No Vienna, this time you've done it. You should have known what I said was for the best." His face disappeared and instead, Trowa's appeared. His emerald green eyes were full of sadness and pain. The pain she had caused him. His face faded into Riley's face. Her face was lit with a smile.
"Thanks, V," she said, her voice sounding distant. "Now I feel much better about things."
Vienna smiled faintly, but then remembered what Dr. J had said. She looked away, but then glanced back at her friend, but Riley was gone. "Riley, come back!" Vienna shouted. "Riley!"
"Vienna, wake up!"
She felt faint and wanted to sleep some more, but someone wouldn't let her. She awoke with a start, sweat rolling down her face. Her breathing was ragged and her head felt heavy. She sighed and dropped her head back against the seat of the shuttle. Next to her, Trowa was looking at her with worry. She smiled. "I'm okay," she whispered.
He shook his head. "You sure didn't sound like it."
Cathrine, in the seat ahead of them, was turned around and staring at Vienna, totally frightened. "What happened? You kept calling out Riley's name, and before you murmured something, but we couldn't make it out."
Across the aisle, Quatre was watching. "Vienna, are you all right?"
Vienna remembered the dream perfectly, and knew she had called out in reality while she was talking in her dream. "I'm sorry. It was a nightmare. Really, I'm fine though."
Cathrine nodded slowly. "Okay."
Out of the corner of her eye she could see Trowa watching her. Hours before Cathrine had told him about Riley, and he had stayed for only a quick glimpse of shock on his face. He had gone off on his own for the next hour, no one knowing where he had gone. When he had returned, he had stuck to Vienna.
Vienna smiled at them. "Seriously, it was just a nightmare, and I'll be fine in a moment."
Quatre shrugged. "Okay then."
Vienna looked out the window and wished she hadn't. The feelings of the dream swept back to her once she saw the blackness once again. She held in the sigh and instead, wiped the sweat from her face. It would be a long flight.
The night was still, with not one person walking around on the streets. A shadowy figure darted across the street. He walked under the street sign, glancing up at it: Basil Street. The one he needed. Across from him was the sign for Main Street. This was the spot. He settled down in the dark corner, three trashcans stacked in front of him. He looked over the top, looking around. "Where is she?" he grumbled through gritted teeth.
Just then, the person he had been waiting for came running to him. She bent down beside him and got into a crouch. "Have they appeared?" she whispered into the others ear.
"No," he replied. "We're early."
"Good. Wait, here comes someone!"
Walking across the street to the corner of Basil Street was a girl with long black hair hung freely about her face. She was thin, but looked strong.
Hidden, the girl kneeling beside her partner whispered angrily, "My sister, the little wench. How is she still alive? She died in the mobile suit years ago."
The man next to her said, "She's stronger than she appears, obviously. We better watch out for her."
"You have no idea, Dar," the girl shot back. "My sister is very strong. Stronger than I thought possible."
The girl on the street leaned back against a lamppost to wait. She did not have to wait long, for the two shapes of Duo and Heero came running toward her. She smiled. "It's about time," she called to them. "You're late." Heero reached her first. He looked her up and down.
"Who are you?" he asked cautiously.
The girl smiled and stuck her hand out. "I'm Meiran. Meiran Chang."
Duo's jaw dropped. "Did you say Meiran Chang?"
The girl smiled and nodded. "Yes."
"But-but! WuFei's wife name is.I mean was..."
The girl named Meiran laughed. "Yes, I am WuFei's wife, who was supposedly dead. I lived, actually, and have been searching for the five Gundam pilots ever since- you guys. I knew WuFei piloted one, and searched for him."
Heero nodded. "Hm. So what was this about one of our friend's life is in danger?"
Meiran's smile disappeared. "Yes. Her name is Vienna Chang, my sister- in-law. You know her, correct?"
Duo stepped alongside Heero. "Sure we know her! Only, her last name wasn't Chang. We haven't seen her in a month or so, but yeah, we know her."
Heero shook his head. "Duo, Vienna never gave out her last name, or Riley. Vienna's last name could very well be Chang."
Meiran nodded, suddenly very cautious. "Vienna's last name is Chang. She is the sister of WuFei. She was hidden from him though. Only I know of her, thanks to Dr. J. And you mention a girl named Riley? She's Riley Barton, sister of the boy you call Trowa Barton." She narrowed her eyes. Did they know? Dang it, I should have kept my mouth shut!
Duo's jaw dropped. "This is nuts! You mean to tell me that Vienna is WuFei's sister, and now you tell me that Riley is Trowa's sister?"
Drat! "Yes, I said that. It's the truth." There was no way backing out of this now.
"Hm," Heero said. "This clears up a lot of things." He looked into Meiran's eyes. "How is Vienna in danger?"
"The group called the World Rebellion Federation is after them. Vienna and Riley, that is. For what purpose I don't know yet, but I know for certain they want both of them."
Duo shook his head. "Riley is dead. She died last month. Vienna is the only one remaining."
Meiran winced. "This means I must work faster, and that they are not in a good condition, giving us the advantage. You must-"
Suddenly, a bullet shot among the group, hitting the street sign. Meiran jumped back and yelled to Heero and Duo, "Run! They found us out. I'll meet you back at your place!" She took off at a fast pace, Heero and Duo running in the other direction.
10/2/02 - Ack! Looking back on these chapters (I'm editing them, actually), I realize just how terrible my writing was back then. Some things don't even make sense. Ack again! Oh well. Hope everyone continues to read it, nonetheless!
7. A Few Questions Answered
Everyone, I know nothing of Midii Une, so when I get things about her wrong, ignore them! Since I know nothing of her, I am making it up as I go along, OK?
Disclaimer: I don't own GW
Chapter Seven
"Shuttle landing in ten seconds," the speaker announced to its passengers. Vienna woke, a headache forming, and squinted in the brightness of the shuttle's overhead lights.
"We're there?" she asked sleepily.
Trowa nodded.
Vienna smiled. "Good. I'm just gonna stretch and-" She stood up, forgetting how low the ceiling cabinet that held their belongings was. She hit her head and dropped back into the seat. "Ow!" she moaned, rubbing the sore spot. "That hurt."
Quatre smiled at her. "Watch out for the cabinet."
"You're a bit late, Quatre," she muttered, glaring at him.
The shuttle landed and everyone stood, Vienna being careful not to hit her head on the cabinet again. Trowa gathered his things, plus a suitcase of Vienna's, and walked from the shuttle, waiting for her at the bottom of the ramp. She came half running down the ramp, stumbling as she went. Trowa caught her at the bottom by the arm. She smiled up at him gratefully.
"That's the second person that has saved me from a head first landing," she commented, recalling the time Heero had caught her while the hangar had been under attack.
Cathrine waved them forward. "We don't have time for idle chit-chat, so keep walking! We have a circus camp ground to get to!"
They all piled into numerous cabs, including the other circus workers (of course). It was very early in the morning. She glanced at the wristwatch on her wrist. 2 a.m.! Dang, that was early. "No wonder I'm tired," she mumbled.
Beside her, Cathrine smile. "Yeah, that's the life of a circus performer."
"I'm not a circus performer," Vienna complained. "But I'm still stuck awake at 2 a.m.!" She sighed. "Riley would be laughing her head off at me right now if she knew I was awake this early. She would say, 'V, you're crazy! You will never catch me up that early'."
Cathrine smiled. "She would?" She laughed. "That's funny, considering she's part of my family, who just happen to be very early morning risers."
Vienna was glad Quatre was not in the cab she was in, or otherwise the secret would get around, but Quatre was in a different cab with Trowa. "Early morning risers? That's the total opposite of Riley! If she gets up at 11 a.m. she complains about it being too early."
Cathrine laughed. "Vienna, you sure are something!"
Vienna nodded. "Yeah. Right now though, I wish I were a piece of candy so I could bite my arm off and enjoy it. That's how hungry I am." Cathrine laughed harder.
"Whatever."
Vienna shrugged. "Whatever to you too."
A few minutes later the taxicabs' pulled onto the grounds, where all of the supplies and such had been left, packed in boxes and crates. A few workers, who had arrived before them, had started setting the circus up. The ringmaster had left two days before hand and was giving out demands to the people under him as they arrived. As Vienna and Cathrine walked up to him he smiled at them and motioned them aside. He sent Trowa and Quatre to help with setting up the tent. The girls stood off to the side and the ringmaster came over.
"Girls, I have a question to ask you," the ringmaster started. "Yesterday a girl came by here, asking when the circus would arrive. I was doing business here at the time and spoke with her in person. As it turned out, she was not interested in seeing the circus, but was searching for a girl by the name of Riley Barton." He looked directly at Cathrine. "I thought this Riley might be dealing with you, Cathrine, seeing as your last name is Barton."
Cathrine watched Vienna from the corner of her eye. Vienna looked at her and shook her head. Instead, Vienna stepped forward and said, "Ringmaster, I know her, but Cathrine hasn't met her at all. Riley was one of my friends. Who was wanting to know?"
"She didn't give me name. All she gave me was this note and told me to give it to you, once I told her there was no Riley here."
Vienna took the note the ringmaster had been holding out to her. "All right. If we may, may we go find this girl?"
"I suppose, just be back by ten a.m.. That's when everyone will be going to bed to make up for the lack of sleep." He turned to leave and then added, "You can take the circus van if you want. We won't be needing it."
The circus van had been brought over by space porting shuttles early, so it was set to go for them. They got into the van, Cathrine in the drivers seat, and Vienna quickly read the note to herself.
Vienna,
If you are wondering how I know your friend Riley, it's because she and I go way back, and we had kept in contact until a year ago. I searched for her, but found no trace until the other day, when I saw a picture of a traveling circus with a new member, Vienna Chang. I knew the name from Riley and thought you could help, and that maybe Riley was with you. As it seems she is not, I would still like to meet with you. My phone number is 000-808-2134. You can get a hold of me there. I will give more information by phone.
Sincerely,
Midii Une
Vienna gasped. "Midii Une!?" she exclaimed.
Cathrine jumped with surprise at the sudden outburst. "Vienna, are you alright?"
Vienna nodded. "Yeah, it's just this note is from Midii Une! Riley told me about this girl. They were friends for awhile, but when things started to get complicated, she was forced to stop the correspondence."
Cathrine nodded. "Hm. Well, it seems we have to find her."
"Yeah and she left a number. Drive into the heart of the city and I can call her from a pay phone, just in case it's a player."
Cathrine nodded. "Got ya."
The van pulled out, heading for the city.
Meiran glanced at her watch, breathing heavily as she leaned back against the brick wall of a building. She had been running for the past hour from her pursuer, and she had finally gotten far enough ahead to rest. Her legs felt weak from running, and she wanted to drop from weariness, but if she did, it could cost her very life and her friends'. She peeked around the corner of the building and saw her pursuer standing there, looking around for her. She had not seen her yet, so it gave Meiran the advantage to size this person up. She looked thin and strong, around Meiran's height, and she moved like a cat: precise, careful, and graceful. Her hair was long and when she stepped into the faint pool of light coming from a lamppost, she could see that her hair was streaked with silver. Her eyes narrowed. Her pursuer seemed so familiar.
Her pursuer then saw her and shouted at her. Meiran jumped and took off down the street again. She was glad the streets were empty of cars and people; otherwise it would be difficult to move around freely. She continued to run, noting the street signs as she went. She found herself in the heart of the city, instead of the outskirts. She looked around for somewhere to go. She did not have much time. She ran across the street, just as the blaring headlights of a van shone on her. Meiran's eyes widened in horror; the van screeched to a halt, spinning around, missing Meiran by half a foot.
Meiran sighed with relief.
The driver of the van stepped out. "Are you okay?"
It was a girl's voice. Meiran looked up to see a young woman standing over her, waiting. "Uh, yeah, sorry," she apologized.
The woman shrugged. "As long as you're alright." She helped Meiran to her feet.
Meiran glanced over her shoulder, glad that her pursuer was not there- yet.
"Cathrine, who is it?" another voice asked. A girl, a few years younger than the woman, came over. The girl looked at Meiran and gasped. "Oh my gosh," she exclaimed.
Meiran was taken aback. "Vienna?" she gasped out.
Vienna nodded. "Who would have thought."
Ssss-thunk!
A bullet planted itself into the side of the van, followed by a few more shots. Vienna whipped out a gun and started shooting back. Meiran was about to reach for her own, but was then grabbed by Cathrine. "Come on, Vienna can cover for us until we get inside."
Cathrine and Meiran got into the van. Vienna backed into the passenger seat, aiming and shooting. At the last second, she leapt inside and shouted, "Punch it, Cathrine!" Their attacker got a shot at the windshield and the glass shattered, flying at Cathrine and Vienna. It only gave them few cuts, and they pushed the debris away.
Cathrine gunned the engine and shot off like a rocket, leaving the pursuer in the dust.
Katana cursed as the van drove away. She slammed her gun down onto the road, her blood boiling. "You can run, but you can't hide, Meiran!" she yelled at the top of her lungs after the van. "You can't escape from me! You or Vienna! Neither of you will live long!"
Behind her, her partner said, "They can't hear you, Kat, so don't waste your breath."
Katana sighed and turned around, picking her gun up off the ground. "I know. It just makes me so mad that I was so close to killing her. Again, Meiran lives to see another day, but sometime soon, she won't." She slipped the gun into the pocket looped onto her belt. "Ya know, Daryn, I really want to kill both of them, my sister and Vienna."
Her partner shook his head. "You can kill Meiran, but not Vienna. The boss wanted both of them alive, but your plan had a little problem. It went without a hitch, but you killed Riley in it. So now, we have to be certain nothing happens to Vienna."
"Great, now we are her protectors?"
"Not necessarily. We're just making sure she doesn't die before we are done with her. We would have a better chance if you hadn't killed Riley, 'cause now, the boss will be killing us, for killing her. She and Vienna are the main points in this game, Kat, and you killed one of them.
"It's like a chess game. The two main points in the game are the King and Queen. Without one, you are at a disadvantage, but with both, your chance is high. And in this game we're playing, we just lost one of those pieces."
Katana spat on the ground angrily. "If you blame me again, I will hurt you, got it, Daryn?"
He shrugged. "Whatever, but if you kill me, the boss will do the same to you. Consider that."
Katana growled, shaking her head. Her partner was right. Man it sucks to be partner to your leader's son, she thought.
Cathrine stopped the van at the campground and looked over at Vienna. "I'm going to get Trowa and Quatre and bring them here. I'm not really part of this, but they are. The four of you can talk." She smiled and left.
Alone, Vienna turned in her seat so she could face her sister-in-law. They just stared at each other for a minute until Meiran broke the silence. "Vienna, what happened to you? You just disappeared those many years ago and I could never find you again."
Vienna sighed. "I don't know," she said in a strangled voice. "I've no idea. I don't remember anything at all. The only thing I remember about my past before my life on the streets was your face and voice. That's all I remember."
Meiran's eyes clouded over. "You don't know anything about it? Hmm. That sounds suspicious."
"Yeah, I know," Vienna replied. "My life on the streets wasn't too bad, though. I had friends that I stayed with. I hung out with a small group of orphans in an old house on the far side of the city we were in. We had food and all, so we were well off, I guess. I lived like that for three years when the old man, Dr. J, stumbled upon me, and took me in. He trained me, along with another girl with the name Katana Rosco."
Meiran tensed noticeably. Vienna became worried. "Meiran, what's wrong?"
"Did you say Katana Rosco?"
"Yeah, why? She a friend of yours?"
Meiran shook her head. "No. She's my sister."
Vienna's jaw dropped. "The bratty, annoying, pesky girl who is my sworn enemy, is your sister?" Vienna exclaimed.
Meiran nodded. "That's her, but you forgot to say sneak and traitor."
Vienna rolled her eyes. "How could I forget her most important qualities?"
Meiran laughed at her friend's sarcasm. The laughter faded. Vienna looked stared at Meiran wide-eyed. "But, if she's your sister, then that means that she's- holy crap! She's my sister-in-law!"
Meiran's smile disappeared. "I'm afraid so."
Vienna sighed. "Great. My enemy is a family member. What is the world coming to?"
"So, how are things going for you and WuFei? Since he knows who you are now, I would like to know how he is adjusting," Meiran asked, trying to change the subject.
Vienna shrugged. "I haven't told him. I was never allowed to. Neither was Riley allowed to tell Trowa. Dr. J made us keep our identities secret from the boys, and we kept it. But then when Riley died a month or so ago, I went to stay with Cathrine and Trowa at the circus. Trowa figured me out and cornered me in a room. I ended up telling him my last name, so he knows who I am. Later, I told Cathrine who Riley was, and then Trowa. Basically, only Trowa and Cathrine, and now you, know who Riley and I really are."
Meiran bit her lip so hard she could taste the blood. "Not anymore," she said. She hated herself now. Deep down she knew something had been wrong when she had had that short conversation with the two boys. "When I met with Duo and Heero, I told them that you were the sister of WuFei, and Riley was the sister of Trowa."
Vienna's face fell. "Oh, great. Well, I knew the truth would come out some time; it may as well be now, before all the trouble starts. Guess I have to tell Quatre now, too."
"Have to tell me what?" Quatre asked, he and Trowa standing next to the car window in Vienna's door.
"Eek!" Vienna jumped in her seat. She sighed in relief, seeing who it was. She slapped Quatre's hand, resting on the rolled down window. "Don't scare me like that ever again, Quatre."
He smiled. "Sorry."
In the back, Meiran leaned forward to the front. "Hey guys," she greeted casually as if she had met them already.
Trowa stared at her, his brow furrowed. "Who are you?"
Meiran stuck her hand out. "Meiran Chang, nice to meet you. No need for you to introduce yourselves. I already know who you are."
The boys were dumbfounded.
Vienna hid her smile. She could tell they were thoroughly confused by everything, but they were keeping quiet instead. "Guys, this is Meiran, WuFei's wife."
Meiran punched her friend in the arm. "You sure get to the point."
"It saves time," Vienna commented.
Meiran suddenly jumped. "Time? What time is it?"
Quatre looked at his watch, out of his stupor. "Four in the morning."
"Oh crud! Vienna, we gotta leave, pronto!"
Duo stared out the living room window to the street below. He let the curtain drop back into place as he turned. "Do you think they got her?" he asked Heero.
Heero looked up. "I don't know," he replied. He was sitting on the couch, thinking and waiting. Duo knew what was on his friend's mind, so he had no need to ask.
"I wonder why they never told us who they really were," Duo said absently.
"Hn."
Duo sat on the couch and leaned back.
"It was Dr. J," Heero said.
"Hm?" Duo glanced at Heero. "What did you say?"
Heero looked as if he had just solved a difficult puzzle. "Dr. J. That's it!" Heero jumped up and ran to the table. He dropped down into a chair and loaded up his laptop.
Duo walked up behind his friend. "What's it? What did you get?"
"Dr. J," Heero repeated.
"Yes, I got that," Duo grumbled sarcastically, "but what about Dr. J?"
The laptop finished loading up, and Heero instantly signed online. "It's Dr. J, Duo. He's the master mind!"
Duo was thoroughly confused now. "Dr. J is the master mind of what? I don't get you, Heero! I don't get a dang thing!"
Heero's fingers flew over the keyboard, going from page to page. Duo could just watch in silence. Heero paused on one page that had one word written on it: Rebellion.
"Rebellion?" Duo repeated aloud from reading. "What does that stand for?"
Heero moved the mouse to click on it, and a whole new page came up. Heero ignored Duo's question for the moment. A listing of files ran down the screens, all different numbers and letters in no certain order flashed by until it stopped on one file folder. "The main file," Heero whispered to himself. For the first time in forever, Heero smiled.
^_^_^
Vienna drove down the road in the city, following Meiran's directions.
"Down that street!" Meiran commanded.
Vienna spun the van in a semi-circle to make the turn. "Meiran, mind telling me where we are going?"
"To Heero's place. I said I would meet them back there," she replied.
Vienna nodded. "Right."
"How do you know where they live?" Trowa asked from the front seat beside Vienna.
"I've been watching them for the past month," Meiran answered. "Where they went, what they did. Everything. A few times I think Duo noticed me, but of course, he thought nothing of it."
Quatre nodded. "That sounds like Duo."
"Stop!" Meiran exclaimed suddenly, scaring everyone inside the van.
Vienna jammed on the brakes, forcing the van to swerve. She was thrown forward at the sudden stop. She was breathing heavily as she leaned against the wheel. "What's wrong, Meiran? We could have been in an accident right then!"
Meiran smiled like a maniac. "Sorry," she apologized. "But we're here. That's their apartment building."
They all got out of the van, while Vienna parked the van correctly. She stepped out and ran after the others to catch up.
Duo stared at the screen. "Main file?" he echoed. "What do you mean?"
This time, Heero answered. "Rebellion stands for the World Rebellion Federation, but he only used Rebellion. The main file will have everything we need to figure this out. I hope."
Duo frowned. "Where does Dr. J fit into your discoveries?"
"Everything. He deals with everything."
Duo sighed. "I'm not going to get anything sensible out of you."
A knock sounded on the front door. Seeing as Heero was on the trail of something, Duo went to answer it. He was surprised to find almost the whole team standing on his doorstep.
Vienna smiled. "Hey Duo. Thought we would all drop by for a visit."
Meiran shrugged. "You guys maybe, but I'm coming back here on business."
Duo ushered them all into the living room. They all took a seat somewhere, except Vienna, who wandered over to Heero at the table and watched from over his shoulder. Duo said to her, "If you want to strike up a conversation with him, you won't get very far. He isn't speaking sensibly."
"Shut up, Duo," Heero said.
Vienna smirked at Duo. "That sounded quite sensible to me. Meiran and Quatre laughed.
Duo crossed his arms over his chest. "Pardon me. It's obvious he likes you more than me."
He got death glares from both Vienna and Heero: not a good thing. "Shut up, Duo," they both said in unison. A ghost of a smile came onto Trowa's face.
Meiran stood. "Heero, can you come over here please? I need to talk to you and Duo, as I had planned earlier."
Heero ignored her.
Meiran sighed. "Vienna, knock some sense into him."
Vienna ignored her as well; she and Heero were transfixed to the screen.
Meiran tossed her hands into the air. "I give up on the two of them."
Katana strode down the hall, her fancy black boots clacking on the solid steel as she walked along. She had just arrived back to the station five minutes before, and already she had been called to their leader's quarters. She had planned for this call, and was ready. She pushed the button beside the two main doors that led into His quarters and waited.
"State your name and office," a mechanical voice said over the speaker.
"Katana Rosco, head agent and commander."
"Enter."
The main doors opened, admitting her inside. She stepped inside, feeling the slight wind as the doors slid shut quickly behind her. She was in the main room, the office, which consisted only of plush red carpet, a long window, and a grand oak desk across the room with a straight back armchair, facing away from her. Every office her leader had (for he had a different office at every base) was exactly the same as this one.
"Reporting, sir," Katana said, saluting him. The chair turned around to show her leader.
"I see you are here Katana, but what of my son? He accompanied you, so he should be reporting with you."
"He said he had business to attend to, sir. He begs your pardon."
The man nodded. "I see. I will speak to him later. But now, report your mission."
"Things did not go as well as it had been planned. My sister and the two boys did meet, and they talked for a short while, but then Meiran began to give out some information that was strictly forbidden for anyone to know. Daryn shot at them, and I followed suit. They separated. Daryn said for me to let them go, but I ran after my sister. I knew if she had information on us, that she was to be destroyed, or captured. I was gaining, but then she got ahead. She met up with some friends of hers and drove off in their van. I shot at them in an effort to stop them, but they escaped. One of them had a gun, and returned fire. I am more than certain that the one with the gun was Vienna Chang, the one we are after."
"She is also your sister-in-law, as well as Meiran's," the leader added.
Katana faltered. "Yes, that is correct."
He sighed. "We've got a problem. I assume she is going to get together with the boys again and refer information. This is not good, not good at all."
"No, sir."
"We must do something about it then. Rosco, go and talk to the old man. See if you can get something from him." He turned the chair around to face the window again. "You are dismissed with your orders, Rosco."
"Yes, sir." Katana turned stiffly and walked from the room. Once the doors had closed behind her, she let out her breath and leaned against the door. "That was too close for my comfort. Sometimes Raphael can be too annoying and hard-headed."
Taking a few good breaths, she walked to the bottom level cells. She used the elevators to reach the level. The elevator doors opened with a hiss and she stepped out. She grabbed the cell keys from a hook beside the elevator and continued down the solid steel hallway to the cells. Near the end of the hall, she stopped and slipped a key into the lock of a cell. The barred door opened and she walked inside, closing the door behind her.
"Feeling all right, old man?" she asked, her voice echoing.
The stiff shape of a man sitting on the raised steel bench moved. "Quite, Katana."
"You will address me by Commander Rosco, not my first name," she hissed.
The man rose to his feet, leaning against the walls for support. He walked slowly into the light so she could get a good look at him.
Katana winced. "J, you certainly do not look so great."
The man smiled. "Is it rather scary, seeing your ancient trainer looking like this?"
Katana shook her head. "Not exactly. After you threw me out, all I wanted was to see you in pain."
He sighed. "You got what you wanted though. And I am not talking about my pain."
Katana chuckled. "Yes, I suppose I did. I got your plan into my leaders hands, and now, the plan is no longer yours."
The man, now known as Dr. J, tensed in anger. "If you had not taken most of my files and plans, I would have had them destroyed by now."
Katana put on a face of mock sympathy. "The poor man has found feelings for those two girls. Yes, poor Riley and Vienna. They were going to be used as weapons in your plans. The main keys in the whole plot they were. Yes, I can see why you would have destroyed it. You never wanted to destroy it when the training was in action. You suddenly wanted to destroy it when you started to like these girls as daughters, instead of machines in your evil plans." Dr. J's mouth twisted. "So, old man, now that your worst nightmares are coming true, what have you to say for yourself, seeing as these plans were once yours."
"You can't accomplish the plans, you know," Dr. J said. "You may know where one of the girls are, but you don't know of the other. With one, you won't get far. The two of them complete the other. Without one, the other is off key."
Katana removed her gun from the waistband of her pants. "You're going to tell us where the other one is, J. Where is she?"
"She's dead," Dr. J said. "You know that."
Katana dug the barrel of the gun into his neck. "Is she really, Dr. J? Or is this just another game of yours? Answer carefully, since your life depends on it."
Vienna stared at the screen as another list of files rolled down the screen. "What are you looking for now?" she asked.
"The weapons file, to see exactly what their main weapon, or weapons, are," Heero replied. "I have a hunch, but I need to make sure."
Meiran shook her head. "I don't get it," she stated.
"Don't get what?" Duo asked.
"Heero will talk to her, but he won't talk to us!"
Quatre shrugged. "Well, Heero will be Heero. You can never understand him." Trowa nodded his agreement.
"Okay then, whatever you guys say."
On the screen, it stopped on a file, and opened up the files pages. The list of weapons needed was there, plain and simple.
Vienna's eyes widened at what she saw listed. "What the- that can't be! Heero?"
Heero nodded. "I was right," he whispered.
Meiran and the others at the couch ran over to see what their friends were talking about. Meiran glanced at it and smiled grimly. "That's what I thought," she muttered. The other pilots looked at the screen in complete shock.
8. The Unexpected Visitor
Authors Note - Hey!! Another day, another chapter.normally how it goes, right? Well, anyhoo, I do not own GW, I do own Katana, Riley, Vienna, and the other people you don't recognize (such as Raphael, Daryn, all them) Now hop to the story, and don't forget to R&R!! Oh, and as for the family of Trowa and Riley, I am creating it all from my head, since I know nothing of Trowa's family, so bare with me here.
Disclaimer: I don't own GW.
Chapter Eight
Vienna stared at the screen in horror and shock. The names listed on the screen were the last things she expected. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out.
Meiran placed her hand on Vienna's shoulder. "This was what I had thought, but now it's confirmed."
Duo blinked twice before saying, "This is a shocker. Especially since humans aren't the most likely of weapons."
Heero shook his head. "Weapons may be able to physically hurt someone, but a human being's inner torment, or whatever the plans are, can do far more than that."
Quatre nodded. "It cuts into the heart of someone who cares for that person."
Vienna's eyes widened. "That's why," she whispered to herself, the realization hitting her like lightening. "He knew about it. He knew."
Trowa stared at Vienna with concern. "Vienna, are you all right?"
"Oh man, what have I done," Vienna whispered to herself again, closing her eyes and rubbing her forehead. "I get it now. Oh, Dr. J, why didn't you tell me?"
"Vienna?" Meiran said quietly, placing a hand on her sister-in-laws shoulder.
Vienna opened her eyes. "Now I understand."
"I think she's delirious," Duo stated.
"No," Heero said. "She's not."
Vienna stepped back from the group. She looked up at Heero, who had turned in his seat to watch her. His Prussian blue eyes met hers, and they held: he knew what she was thinking. He was the only one who understood her.
Dr. J sighed and rested his head back against the steel walls of his cell, weary, tired, and angry with himself. He had done too many things to those girls already and now, because of him, their lives would be used against their will and beliefs just because of his lousy idea. He hated himself more than anything for everything that he had done to them.
First he had ruined Heero's life by making him the perfect soldier, and now he had ruined the lives of two young girls as wellby making them into human weapons against the earth and colonies.
"J, what will you do next?" he asked himself. Silence was his answer. He started talking to himself aloud. "I don't know what got into me. Those operations I did to them have caused them such a hideous future. They won't even be able to control themselves. Someone will be doing it for them."
Just then, he heard the soft sound of someone's silent footsteps creeping to the cell door. The heels of the person's shoes were making a soft clacking sound, and were making slow process. A shadow was seen on the floor outside his barred cell door. He leaned forward on his cane, holding his breath, an idea of who was coming in mind.
The shadow grew larger until the person came into light, standing before the door. He had long hair to his waist and wore a long trench coat over a sleeveless shirt and black leather pants. He smiled. It could only be one person he knew of.
"Riley," he said, more as a statement than a question.
The person did not reply, but pulled a gun from a holster around his waist, and spun the gun on his finger, staring at the professor. Dr. J waited silently for the person to say something. Instead of saying what he thought, the person stopped spinning the gun and aimed it at Dr. J, cocked and ready to shoot.
Meiran paced the floor of the living room floor quickly, thinking hard. "So you two mean to tell me that this professor of yours knew of the plan and ideas of this new group all along, and never told you?"
Vienna nodded. "Yes. The plans and ideas were his all along, but somehow WRF got his plans and used them as his own."
Duo nodded. "Now all of Heero's ramblings are coming clearer."
Vienna went on, "I guess sometime while he had been training Riley and I he grew to like us as friends or something, and decided not to use his plan at all. But when the World Rebellion Federation appeared and he discovered their plans, he knew them as his very own, exactly."
Heero finished for her. "So he had to stop them. He used Riley and Vienna to blow up the bases that he had technically created. He used them to help destroy WRF's plans to harm them, without them knowing about it."
Vienna shook her head. "I can't believe all along he never told us. And now, I realize why he never wanted us to tell you guys who we really were, especially my brother and Trowa. If they knew, and whatever plans were going to be used on Riley and I did happen, then they would have been hurt deeper than if they hadn't have know." Vienna looked at Trowa. "I'm sorry, Trowa. I knew I shouldn't have told you," she apologized apologized.
Meiran sat down next to Vienna. "He would have found out anyway, even if you hadn't told him. I told Heero and Duo without thinking, so word would have gotten around."
Duo smiled at Vienna. "See? It wasn't all your fault."
Quatre rolled his eyes. "How encouraging Duo."
Vienna smiled. "Thanks for trying Duo, but I still feel bad about everything." She sighed. "I'm going for a walk. I'll be back later."
She walked away from them and into the hallway. In the hall, she felt the tears rise to her eyes, so she hurriedly left the apartment for the streets of the large colony.
Katana glared out her office window angrily, wishing she could smash it open with her bare hands to let off steam. Instead, she was forced to sit in her office, calm and reserved. If she had her way, she would tear that base to pieces just so Dr. J could die in the darkness of space, even if it meant taking her own life.
"One of these days, old man, you will regret for ever messing with me," she said to her reflection in the window. "You may have out run me this time, but next time you won't be so lucky. Those girls of yours are as good as dead."
Dr. J stared at the barrel of the gun pointed at him. He followed the barrel up to the hand, and then up to the gun's owner. In the faint light that came into his cell he could not see the person 's face clearly, but his emerald green eyes shone like jewels.
Dr. J smiled. "Riley. I am surprised you came for me."
The person sneered. "Who said I came to rescue you, you little traitor."
Dr. J sighed, his smile disappearing. "I deserved that."
"Yeah, you did."
Dr. J looked into the eyes of who he believed to be Riley. "You remember, don't you?" he asked quietly, surprising Riley.
"Remember what?" she asked, her voice slightly quivering, but she was doing a good job of hiding it.
"The operation," Dr. J replied, "but you already knew what I meant."
Riley lowered the gun slightly, her hand shaking slightly. "Why do you think that? I don't even know what operation you're talking about."
"Stop acting innocent, Riley. You remember the operation, unlike Vienna. She had it done when she was seven; you were nine. I knew there was a chance you would remember. The older the person is, the more likely that person will remember. Nine years of age was the boarder line, so you either did or didn't."
"Why would I mention it?" she spat out. "All it does is bring back bad memories of pain. I knew what you were planning on doing to Vienna and I. I knew about it this whole time. That's why I fought with everything I had against the WRF, just to save Vienna and myself from the pain we would go through for them and you." She steadied the gun, aiming at his head. "I can shoot you at any second you know. I have been wanting to do this for years, but I never thought I would ever really be able to do it."
Dr. J nodded. "Then what are you waiting for?"
Riley's voice cracked. "I don't know."
Just then, they heard someone walking in their direction down the stairs. She looked sharply back the way she had come and frowned.
"Go, Riley. It's either kill me, or be captured and have everything you planned so carefully go to waste."
Riley grunted and looked for a way out, other than the staircase and elevator.
The voices were getting closer..
She searched still, but saw nothing.
They were at the corner.
She looked higher up and smiled.
Two men walked around the corner, only to be met with an empty hallway.
The streets were barely filled with morning joggers and early risers as Vienna walked down the sidewalk, past the bank to the park. She walked across the grass to a bench near the children's playground. She sat down and leaned back. She folded her arms and stared out across the park. She had so many things on her mind that she could not sort them all out. Normally, she had Riley to pour herself out to.
She closed her eyes and imagined Riley sitting beside her, smiling and laughing. She could hear Riley's laughter in the air, as if her friend was back and sitting right there. Vienna's eyes opened and she looked to the empty bench next to her. Riley was not there. She sniffed, blinking back tears. She never cried before Riley had died, but now she was crying often, but only when she was alone to herself, where no one could see her cry. And then and there, she was alone, and the tears came. She buried her head in her hands, the tears running down her cheeks to her arms, only to hide in her long-sleeved black shirt.
She had been sitting there crying for only two minutes, when she felt someone's presence with her. She held back the fresh tears that had been forming, and looked up. She almost jumped out of her skin when she saw Heero sitting beside her on the bench, staring out across the park like she had done earlier. He did not look at her or anything of that sort to acknowledge her. She sighed and looked away, trying to hide the tears that were overflowing. Why is he here? I never asked him to come, and he isn't the type to try to comfort someone. So then, why on earth is he here with me? She took in a quiet breath and let her mind wander for a moment, before coming back to reality. "How do you do it?" she asked.
She glanced over at him as he turned his head to look at her. "Do what?" he asked.
"Hide your feelings and everything; how do you keep it all inside?"
Heero shrugged. "It isn't something I'm proud of." He shifted so he was leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "It's good to show your emotions. If you keep everything inside you tend to not trust people much, and they don't trust you."
Vienna nodded. "Is that why you don't trust people, and depend on yourself only?"
"Yeah."
"Well, at least you know mostly everyone back at your apartment. I mean, they are good friends of yours, so they know a lot about you, and you can tell them things you wouldn't tell others. I don't know them hardly that well, so I have no one to tell my thoughts to. Riley was the only one I told, but now that she's gone, I have no one but myself to talk to."
"What about Meiran?"
"Meiran is my sister-in-law, and the last time I probably saw her was when I was three or four, so I hardly know her either." She cleared her throat. "Why am I telling you this anyway? You have your own life to worry about, so why am I bothering you with mine?" She stood, rubbed her arms from the sudden chill, and made to walk away.
Heero grabbed her wrist, holding her back. She paused and turned back to face him. He did not let go of her wrist even when she had stopped, but instead said, "You can talk to me any time."
Vienna's eyebrows shot up. A smile formed as she thought, so the perfect soldier does have a heart after all.
Riley crawled on her hands and knees through the vents of the base, collecting dust onto her hands and knees. She frowned at her grimy appearance, but moved on. She turned a corner and found herself crawling over the main hall. She continued on until she found herself over the hangar where all the space ships and vehicles of the base were kept. She smiled and sat back to lift the vent off the floor of the vent. She slipped her fingers under the vent and lifted slowly. It made a slight clanging sound but nothing noticeable. After waiting a minute to make certain no one had heard, she poked her head down into the space and looked about. Only a few people were inside, but she could take them out easily.
She reached down to the side of her thigh were she had a pouch strapped, and pulled the flap back to reveal an array of knives and daggers. She chose a small dagger and let the flap-cover drop back over the pouch. She fingered the tiny blade, a smirk growing over her face. She searched for the man who seemed to be in charge. She spotted him: he was obviously the captain of some sort. She took aim and threw it. The dagger shot across the room and hit the captain squarely in the heart. The captain coughed up blood and dropped to the floor. Riley backed away from the vent opening and put the covering half way over. She watched as a mechanic and three soldiers ran over, calling and shouting. They gathered around their captain nervously, looking around for the attacker.
Riley removed another dagger from her pouch and threw it at the mechanic, after removing the covering again. It hit him in the back and he fell forward. Two of the soldiers grew frightened and one of them jumped up and cried, "I'm getting outta here." He took his last breath as another dagger hit him in the back. The remaining two soldiers were pulling out their guns and searching for the attacker: for her.
"Get behind me and keep an eye out," one of them said to the other, taking charge. They stood back-to-back, ready and waiting.
Riley waited patiently for the right moment, her third dagger ready and waiting. She sat there for five minutes, when one of the soldiers lost concentration.
"Come on man, it's obvious whoever it was is gone," the one with bright red hair said. "You know Commander Katana will get mad if she finds out- " He stopped mid-sentence, Riley's dagger sticking out from his chest.
The remaining soldier spun around, pointing his gun around wildly. "Come out with your hands up," he called. "There is no point in hiding when you can face me like a man and fight."
Riley chuckled. "Fight like a man, huh? Well, what if I'm not a man?" she asked herself. She turned the last dagger around on her forefinger. "If I can't fight like a man, then I'll fight like a girl!" She threw the dagger. He turned sharply, causing the dagger to hit him in the arm. He gasped out in pain and gritted his teeth. Riley cursed under her breath. There was only one way out of this now.
She dropped through the vent opening and landed gracefully and quietly to the floor below. She charged at the soldier's back. At the last second, the soldier turned and punched her in the stomach. She had the wind knocked out of her and she stumbled backwards a few steps. The soldier yanked the dagger from his arm and dropped it the floor. He came at her, punching her in the chin. She groaned, backing away from him as quick as she could. She looked up at the soldier and her eyes widened.
"WuFei!" she gasped out, trying to catch her breath. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She opened her eyes again to see the soldier staring at her. He frowned, but then he saw who she was.
"Riley," he whispered. He stared at her. "Riley! What are you doing alive?" he thundered.
Riley smiled weakly, her breathing still ragged. "I'm not really sure. I thought I was dead, too, until I awoke in a pile of rubble with a splitting headache and scrapes and bruises all over." She winced as a sharp pain in her stomach ruptured. "Dang, you punch hard," she said to him. "I didn't think you were that strong."
"Hmph," WuFei grumbled. "Well, I can't kill you now, no matter how much I want to."
Riley scowled. "Gee, thanks, WuFei. I feel so loved." She straightened, her breathing still a bit uneven. "So, what are you doing here? Fighting for our enemy now are we?"
WuFei shrugged, glancing down at his bleeding arm. Riley followed his gaze and exclaimed, "If I had known it were you-"
"Yeah, I know, you wouldn't have attacked me," WuFei finished. He wiped some of the blood off his arm.
"Here," Riley walked forward, tearing off a piece of her shirt at the bottom. "Let me bandage it for you."
WuFei glared at her. "I don't need your help."
Riley smiled and shook her head. "Oh really? Then why are you wincing every few seconds and tightening your arm muscles?"
WuFei opened his mouth to say something, but didn't.
Riley took this as her chance. She took hold of his arm and started to wrap the strip of her shirt tightly around his upper arm. Once she finished, she stepped back and looked to the entrance to the hangar. She needed to get out of there before anyone came in. She walked past WuFei, who was watching her, and bent down to take the bloody daggers from the backs and chests of the victims dead on the floor. She ignored WuFei, going about retrieving her things. She wiped the blood off all of the daggers onto the back of the captain and slipped them back into her pouch.
"You aren't that bad."
"Hm?" Riley turned to WuFei. "What did you say?"
"I said you aren't that bad," WuFei repeated.
Riley smiled. "Thanks, but are you referring to my aim or my ability in bandaging?"
WuFei folded his arms. "Both, I guess."
"That's quite a compliment coming from you." She laughed at his expression. She turned away from him and wandered to the ships. "Which of these is the fastest and most important?" she asked him.
WuFei walked to her side and pointed to the one in the middle. "That's the Rebellion 080. It's the fastest, and it's the ship that Katana Rosco owns."
Riley smirked. "Perfect." She had figured out that Katana was working with the WRF when she had been rummaging through their files a few hours earlier. "Come on Wu-man. We gotta get out of here," she said, jogging to the Rebellion 080.
"It's WuFei! Not Wu-man!" He sighed and looked around before following, grumbling to himself, "Why am I doing this? I never let a girl lead me around before." He walked up the lowered plank Riley was walking up and told himself mentally, there's something about her that makes me trust her. What is it?
In the cockpit, WuFei found Riley at the pilots seat, starting the ship up. He leaned over the seat and said in her ear, "What do you think you are doing?"
"Piloting this thing, what does it look like?" She pushed up a few more switches. "You may want to buckle up unless you want to be throw to the back of this ship."
WuFei sat down in the co-pilots seat. "How do you think we are getting out of here without some people noticing?"
"I never said I was hoping to get out of here unnoticed. That's impossible." The ship was ready and Riley started to move it around so it faced the exit just as a group of soldiers ran in, shooting. WuFei gripped the arms of the chair as she ship spun sharply around.
Riley shoved the joystick forward and the ship drove onto the take-off strip. She paused and then pushed forward another joystick and the ship shot off down the strip and took off at the end. The vast blackness of space greeted her and WuFei after the threat of death back at the WRF base.
Katana rummaged through her papers, searching for the information on Riley and Vienna she had ordered delivered earlier that day, but had not looked at yet. She found the papers under her file folders and set aside the papers on Riley to read the ones of her archrival, Vienna. She flipped to the first page and began reading. It was Vienna's recent profile, uploaded at the first day of the year. She sighed and flipped to the next page; she knew everything on the profile all ready.
The next page was of her family. Katana smiled and read to see what they said of this. She read aloud: "Vienna Chang's family has never been identified, other than the fact that she had a mother and father, along with an older brother. Mother nor father have been found, but there have been leads to the whereabouts of her older brother." Katana scowled in disgust, and flipped to the next page. "I know all that too," she grumbled. "Whoever wrote this up on Vienna sucks at doing his job. He's missing a lot of details."
The third page was of her living situations, friends, and occupations. None of this was new to Katana either. The next few pages proved to be nothing new, but old news. Sighing, she dropped the information on Vienna into her trash bin and picked up the one on Riley. She did not know much of anything on Riley, so this would be more fruitful on information, and perhaps on Vienna - she hoped. The profile did nothing for Katana, so she moved on to the family page. Attached to the page was a newspaper clipping of a few years ago. She set the clipping on the desk and got to reading the actual paper on Riley.
"Riley Barton's family has been recorded as circus performers in a traveling circus. Her father was Trenton Barton, her mother Marianne Barton, and she then had an older brother and sister. Her brother is Trowa Barton, still a circus performer, along with their sister, Cathrine Barton (Bloom). Riley had been reported dead in a fire that occurred against the circus when she was at the age of six, but her body had never been found. Her parents died in the fire, with only her older siblings escaping. And now, it turns out Riley herself has survived and been undercover for some reason or other."
Katana raised her eyebrows, and nodded. "I knew most of that, but I still learned something more."
"Commander Rosco! Important news!"
Katana tossed the papers onto her desk in anger. "What is it, officer? You know I hate it when I am disturbed!"
The officer saluted and reported, "A ship has been stolen from the hangar, Commander."
Katana stared at him, her mouth twisting. "And which ship would that be?"
The officer coughed. "The Rebellion 080, Commander. Your ship, to be exact."
Katana glared at him. "Who stole my ship?! Answer immediately or I will demand you be shot."
"Their identities have not been recovered, but a soldier was one of them, Commander. With the soldier was a girl, not much older than twenty, if that." When Katana's glare got fiercer, he added hastily, "The recording of it is on the caption screen, Commander."
Katana spun around and punched in something on a keyboard, and on a screen across the room, the video of the escape was shown. Katana walked forward to it and watched carefully. As soon as she saw the soldier and girl, her eyes turned a bright red. She yelled out in fury, grabbed the officer by the scruff of the neck and with a great strength, tossed him across the room. He hit the bookshelf along the wall and was knocked senseless. She growled and glared at the screen, muttering angrily, "Riley Barton and WuFei Chang."
"Dang that was fun!" Riley exclaimed to her partner sitting beside her in the cockpit.
WuFei looked at her in annoyance. "That was fun?"
Riley shrugged. "Yeah, sure. We just outsmarted the WRF. Aren't you the littlest bit excited?"
WuFei shook his head. "Not really. You just blew my cover, so now I can't go back."
Riley frowned at him. "You want to go back? So you are my enemy."
"No!" he said, his voice tense. "I was there undercover. You know, pretending to be with them so I could figure out their plans and tell them to Heero."
Riley folded her arms. "Hm. Well, there was no point in you staying there anyways. I already know their plans."
WuFei blinked in surprise. "You do?"
Riley scowled at the control panel. "Ya. You won't believe it if I told you though."
WuFei raised an eyebrow. "Try me."
Riley sighed. "Fine." She quickly filled him in on everything that she knew, including all the information about the WRF's weapons. She also added in that Dr. J was alive.
WuFei stared at her wide-eyed. "What the heck! That old creep is living, too?"
Riley nodded. "Yup. He is being kept prisoner at the base we just left. I talked to him for a short while, but then we heard some people coming. I escaped through a vent, and ended up at the hangar. You know the rest from there."
WuFei nodded. "We need to find the others and fill them in on everything. I also think you should explain what you have been doing for this past month."
Riley glanced at him. "Would it be okay if I told you along with the others, wherever they are?"
"That's fine."
Riley smiled. "Good. Um, do you happen to know where they are? Like, where they all are staying?"
"Heero and Duo normally stay at their apartment on the L1 colony, Quatre works at his mansion, and Trowa and his circus travel everywhere, so we can't keep up with them most of the time."
Riley sighed. "I guess I will just have to search for Vienna then. I'm guessing she went off on her own."
WuFei grunted. "The clumsy friend of yours, right?"
Riley snorted. "That's her, but she isn't that clumsy, like you make her sound."
"She gives Chinese people a bad name," he stated in disgust.
Anger welled up inside Riley suddenly. She glared at WuFei and said defiantly, "That is a horrible thing to say about your own sister!"
WuFei stared at her in shock. "What did you say?" he asked.
Riley slapped herself mentally. "Nothing, nothing. I'm just talking nonsense."
WuFei shook his head. "No, you said sister. You said she was my sister. What is that suppose to mean? I don't have a family."
Riley sighed. She closed her eyes for a moment, before opening them again. He knows, she told herself. I blew the secret! Dr. J is going to kill me! Man oh man.I guess I may as well tell him fully, since he knows, but it hasn't registered. She glanced at his face, and then back to the control panel. "You're right. I did say she was your sister, and she is. She was hidden from you, so you never knew about her. The only people in your family who did was your mother, and Meiran."
WuFei's eyes widened. "Meiran knew about her!"
Riley nodded. "Yeah, she did."
Suddenly, something beeped, causing both of them to jump. WuFei saw the 'incoming call' light blinking, and he pushed down on the button. A separate screen popped up, and on the screen was Katana, glaring at them angrily.
Riley evened the glare. "What do you want Katana?"
Katana looked as if she was about to blow any second. "Barton, you know very well what I am mad about!"
Riley's senses went on full alert. Katana had called her Barton; how had she known? "How do you.?" Riley trailed off as it became obvious. Of course she had known. She was working for the World Rebellion Federation, and they had all the information they needed on she and Vienna. It was too obvious. She could just hope WuFei had not noticed.
"I just wanted you to know that I am not sending some of my soldiers after you. There would be no point," Katana said.
Riley raised an eyebrow. "And why wouldn't there be? You do want your ship back, I'm guessing."
"Yes, of course I do, but why should I go after it when there is already a bomb planted in case of an emergency."
WuFei frowned. "A bomb?"
Katana smiled evenly at him. "Yes, WuFei, a bomb. We have three on every space ship we own, just in case of one of them being stolen. They aren't set while in the base, but if it comes to our attention a ship has been stolen, we can set off the bomb from at the base, even if the ship is across the universe." She laughed. "And now, the three bombs on my ship are already set, and counting down."
WuFei and Riley looked at one another, and back to Katana on the screen. Riley frowned. "Katana, there's one problem: your boss wants me alive!"
Katana shrugged. "I know, but he already thinks your dead, so it really doesn't matter." She looked down at her watch and smiled. "Oh, look at the time. You only have a few more seconds to live, and counting down. Later you two! I'll be sure to give your friends your good-byes." Katana chuckled as she took another look at her watch. "20. 19. 18."
Riley leapt up, as did WuFei, and they ran to the back to search for space suits, but Katana's counting down rang in their ears as they searched.
"16. 15. 14."
WuFei threw things all over the place as he searched. Riley joined in on the search, searching frantically.
"13. 12."
WuFei shouted triumphantly, pulling two suits from a hidden closet. Riley, across the room, looked up from her searching.
"10. 9. 8."
"Come on, Riley!" WuFei shouted at her, already halfway in his space suit. Riley ran to him and took the space suit he held out to her.
"6. 5. 4."
Riley yanked the suit on quickly, fumbling with an annoying wrist cuff.
"3. 2."
Riley zipped up the suit and pulled on the helmet over her head.
"1."
9. Make New Friends, But Keep The Old
Authors Note: Did I leave you hanging? Well, here is the next chapter, so you don't have to wait any longer. Remember, I do not own GW, but I do own the characters: Riley, Vienna, Katana.and all the others you have never head of.
Disclaimer: I don't own it.
Chapter Nine
Duo looked down at his watch for the umpteenth time within twenty minutes as he paced the floor. Meiran watched him pass her again.
"Duo, please sit down," she pleaded with him. "You are making the rest of us nervous, even if there is nothing to worry about."
Duo spun around. "They have been gone for over two hours! Isn't that something worth worrying over?"
Quatre stood and pulled Duo to the seat he had been sitting in. "Sit down and rest. Vienna should be fine with Heero, and you know that."
"You're right," Duo said. "I'm the optimist. I shouldn't be worrying." He smiled brightly and leaned back heavily into the chair. "Thanks, Quatre." He closed his eyes to sleep.
Quatre sighed and sat down on the couch next to Trowa. Trowa glanced at him, but then looked away again to stare at the far wall.
It was quiet for a minute or two, when Duo suddenly leapt up from the chair and exclaimed, "I'm going to go searching for them." He dashed off across the room to the hall.
Meiran jumped up and dragged him back into the living room. "I don't think so, Duo. If they want to return, they will, but until then, let them get away and do what they want to without having to worry about you popping up and spoiling something."
Duo dropped onto the floor and sat there dejectedly.
They heard the front door open and the sound of people walking to the living room.
"Hello?" someone called out. Vienna soon appeared in the doorway. She smiled when she saw everyone. "Hey guys."
Duo jumped up and smiled happily. "You're back!"
Vienna laughed. "Of course I would come back. Where else would I go?"
Heero walked up behind her; Vienna stepped aside so he could pass.
Meiran smiled at her sister-in-law. "Where have you two been?" she asked.
Vienna shrugged, walking over to sit by Trowa on the couch. "We were mainly at the park talking."
Duo sat in an empty chair by the window. "Well, at least you two weren't kidnapped by Katana or someone."
"Of course not," Vienna said.
Quatre laughed. "Is that what you thought, Duo?"
Duo shrugged. "I dunno. My mind can wander."
Heero rolled his eyes at his friends comment.
Vienna sighed and leaned back in her seat. "I'm so tired. I haven't slept for hours."
Duo yawned. "Ya, you're right. I'm pooped out." He stood and stretched. "I'm gonna hit the sack, even if it is early in the morning. I'll see you all later."
Vienna dropped her head into her hands. "I wanna drop dead just so I can sleep," she mumbled.
From across the room, Heero offered, "You can sleep in my bed if you want. I'm not tired."
Vienna looked at him sleepily. "Thanks. What room is yours?"
"Second door on the left."
"Got ya." Vienna stood and walked from the room.
Once she had gone, Meiran burst out angrily, "I can't believe this!"
Trowa looked up at her. "Can't believe what?"
"What she is going through!" Meiran exclaimed. "I mean, first she loses her best friend Riley, and as if that isn't enough torment, now she has to live with the guilt of causing Trowa heartache, and the idea that she is being tracked down by a group of killers and traitors who want to use her for a weapon. I have no idea what she is going through, but it has to be worse than I can ever imagine."
Quatre nodded sympathetically. "You're right. Poor Vienna. I never really thought of that."
Heero walked over to the small group and sat down in a single chair. "She is stronger than she looks," he said. Everyone looked at him in surprise. He went on. "She and I talked in the park for awhile, and I found more about her than anyone. Probably not as much as Riley, but enough."
Meiran frowned. "What are you getting at, Heero?"
"I'm saying you need to give her more credit. Yes, she has more pain than most people right now, but she is doing better than any of you would have done," he said with defiance.
Quatre held up his hands. "Okay, Heero, we got it. You don't have to bite our heads off."
Trowa frowned. "Heero, what's up with you? You never cared for anyone's feelings before, so why Vienna?"
Heero stared at him for a moment, before shrugging. He leaned back and closed his eyes, blocking the others out of his view and mind.
Noin sighed in boredom as another hour ticked by without anything new going on. The day had had no developments, and so Noin had told the soldiers on duty to break away from the control room, and she, instead, took over. But that was an hour ago, before she got bored out of her mind.
She stretched, bending back in her chair, and then straightened again. She yawned and cracked her knuckles. She blinked once before looking to the screens: nothing showed anything of importance or mystery. "Another day of boredom," she muttered.
A knock sounded on the control room door and then opened. "Lieutenant Noin, I've brought some coffee for you."
Noin smiled back at the soldier behind her. "Thanks, Benny. Bring it over here."
Benny walked forward and handed Noin her mug of coffee. She took a sip and almost burnt her tongue. She gasped and set the mug on a table nearby. Benny smiled down at her and then backed out of the room.
Noin waited for it to cool down before taking another sip. She sighed with delight and set it back on the table. She leaned forward and started using the computers to search the blackness of space for anything of interest. She had been searching for no more than five minutes, when a reading came up. She brought the image up close and then asked the computer to identify it.
"Human life form 1," the computers monotone voice said. "Human life form 2 found one mile north."
Noin's eyes widened and she leapt up. She pushed down a red button and a score of soldiers trouped into the control room.
"Human life forms have been found drifting in space," Noin exclaimed hurriedly. "Get a team and get out there ASAP! I want them in the infirmary alive."
Vienna walked the length of Heero's room slowly, thinking as she walked. So much had been going on, she just couldn't sort them out. Talking to Heero had helped a lot, but he was Heero, and Heero was not the type to feel sorry for someone, or anything like that. Vienna paused. She did not want anyone to pity her. She hated that. It showed they thought she was weak and defenseless. "Just like Meiran thinks," she said aloud. "Meiran pities me more than anyone." She frowned at her reflection in a mirror near the bed. Her reflection turned, and instead she saw Meiran's face staring back at her.
She shook her head and the image disappeared. A headache was forming, and Vienna was forced to sit down at Heero's desk chair. She leaned against the table, her head in her hands. She was so tired, but she just did not want to get up. And so, she fell asleep at the desk.
Vienna awoke early the next morning feeling quite refreshed. She sat up in the bed and stretched. She froze: she was in a bed. She sprang from the bed and looked around. She was still in Heero's room, that was obvious, but she had fallen asleep at his desk, not in his bed. She frowned, but shook of the feeling, and made the bed again. She stood before the mirror and used her fingers for a comb.
"Vienna, are you awake?"
Vienna jumped slightly. "Uh, yeah Meiran."
The door opened and Meiran stepped inside. She smiled at Vienna and shut the door. "How are you doing?" she asked.
"Fine. I feel much better." Vienna's thoughts of Meiran came back to mind, but she shoved them to the back of her mind.
Meiran laughed. "I would hope so. You slept all afternoon and night yesterday. You went to bed at nine a.m., slept through the rest of the day, and now you wake up."
Vienna smiled. "I didn't know I slept that long."
"Well, you did," Meiran said. She walked to the bed and set an entire outfit on the bed. "Take a shower and get dressed in these."
"Oh, thanks."
Meiran was about to leave when Vienna called to her, "Mer, do you know if anyone came in here last night?"
Meiran thought a moment. "Yeah, actually. Heero did. He said he needed to get something from his room, but he was gone for more than five minutes."
Vienna nodded slowly. "Okay then. So, where did he sleep?"
Meiran smiled. "In the living room on the couch. Trowa and Quatre returned to the circus, and I went back to my apartment."
Vienna stared at her. "I was left here alone!? With two guys?"
"Yeah, but you slept the whole time, so it doesn't matter now." She walked to the door. "Hurry and shower. I'm gonna make breakfast."
Vienna waited until her friend left and then gathered the clothing and headed for the connected bathroom.
After a ten-minute shower, she dressed, and entered the kitchen five minutes later. She smiled happily as she took a seat at the table, the aroma of pancakes and bacon causing her to realize just how hungry she was.
Meiran flipped a pancake onto a plate and shoved the plate across the table to Vienna. Vienna dug in, finishing it all within three minutes.
"Dang, girl!" Meiran exclaimed. "You must have been hungry."
Vienna laughed. "Well, I skipped breakfast, lunch, and dinner yesterday."
Meiran shrugged. "Point taken."
"Yummy, something smells great," Duo chirped, walking into the kitchen and dropping in the chair across from Vienna. "Good morning, Vienna. Glad you are joining us for a meal today."
Vienna forced a smile. "Har-har, very funny."
Meiran served Duo, made a plate for herself, and sat down next to Vienna. She glanced at Duo and her eyes widened. Duo sat there, hunched over his plate, eating like a starving pig. "Duo, are you even tasting the food?" she asked.
Duo paused for a moment and nodded. "Itch delifisious," he said.
The girls looked at each other. "What did he say?" Vienna wanted to know.
Behind her, Heero said, "He said it's delicious."
Meiran smiled at him. "Oh, hi Heero. Make yourself a plate."
Heero walked to the counter, piled his plate with a little of everything, and sat down with the others.
"How did you know what he said?" Meiran asked him.
Heero shrugged. "After living with him you get used to him talking like that."
Duo said through his full mouth, "Yeth, but yur fud ithn't as gud ith dis."
The girls looked to Heero for the interpretation. "He basically said my food isn't as good as this."
"Oohh." the girls nodded.
Suddenly, Vienna gasped. "Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed.
Meiran frowned. "What is it, Vienna?"
Vienna jumped up and ran from the room. She returned, holding a piece of paper in her hand. "Heero, can I borrow your phone?" she asked.
Heero pointed to the phone hanging on the wall.
"Thanks." Vienna grabbed the phone, unfolded the paper, and started dialing. Everyone at the table was watching her, trying to figure out whom she was calling. "How could I forget?" she mumbled to herself, the phone ringing.
On the other line, it picked up, and a sleepy voice said, "Who's there?"
Vienna smiled, the sleepy voice reminding her of Riley in the morning. "Is this Midii Une?" Vienna asked.
An expression of recognition came over Meiran. Vienna had told her about Midii some time earlier.
The girl on the other line replied, "This is she. Who is this?"
"This is Vienna Chang."
"Oh! Hi!" Midii exclaimed, suddenly very awake. "I've been waiting for your call for the past few days."
"I'm sorry. I got sidetracked."
"Oh, its perfectly okay," Midii said. "And how are you?"
"I'm fine actually, considering what's been going on." Vienna then realized Midii had no clue what she meant. Then she remembered Midii probably had no idea Riley was gone forever.
"And how is Riley? Is she doing okay?"
Vienna bit her lip. "Um, that's a topic I want to tell you in person, if you don't mind."
Midii hesitated. "Um, sure, okay. You sound as if something terrible has happened."
Vienna glanced at her friends sitting at the table. Meiran and Duo were talking, but Heero was watching her, as if trying to listen in. She sighed. "It would be easy if you came to where I am staying, Midii. Would you mind coming over?"
"That's fine. Let me have your address and I'll be right over."
"Okay, hang on." Vienna covered the mouthpiece and asked Heero, "What's your address?"
Heero told her and Vienna referred it to Midii. They hung up and Vienna leaned against the wall for support. She sighed and tucked the paper into her back pocket. "A friend of Riley's is coming over," she said. "That's okay, right?"
Heero nodded. "As long as you know you can trust her."
Vienna nodded. "If she is a friend of Riley's, then she's a friend of mine."
"Who's coming over again?" Duo asked.
Vienna sat back down at the table. "Her name is Midi Une. She was friends with Riley for some time before Riley was instructed to stop contacting her."
Duo smiled. "Cool!"
Vienna raised her eyebrows at him. "Right."
Meiran rolled her eyes. "Ignore him."
"I always do," Vienna commented casually.
"Hey!" Duo cried out.
Vienna and Meiran started laughing.
They all moved into the living room to wait; Duo and Meiran turned on the TV, and Vienna and Heero stayed at his laptop to try to find out as much information as he could.
Duo flipped through each channel, but nothing appealed to him. He gave up in defeat, settling with the news for Meiran. Meiran became absorbed in the news, so Duo was left on his own. He was more than happy to answer the doorbell when it rang half an hour after Vienna's phone call. He led in a blonde, blue-eyed girl into the living room, and Vienna looked up and smiled.
"You must be Midii," Vienna said, walking to her, her hand held out.
Midii took her hand and shook it. "Yeah, that's me." She glanced at Heero, Duo, and then Meiran. "Do you live with all these guys?"
Vienna shook her head. "Not really. I'm normally with Riley."
Midii brightened. "Where is Riley? I've been dying to see her again." She looked past Vienna's shoulder.
"Um, that's what I wanted to talk to you about, Midii. Let's sit down first."
Midii did, but she could tell by Vienna's tone of voice the news wasn't good. "Is she okay? I've been wondering about her ever since you called."
Vienna scratched her head. "To put it bluntly, Riley died in a cave-in around a month ago," Vienna said.
Midii blinked. "In a cave-in?" She wanted to laugh. When they had been younger Riley would always brag of how she would die fighting, or at least standing up for something she believed in. But a cave-in?
Vienna watched Midii carefully. Midii sat there, not moving or talking. She was expressionless. "I wish I had known."
The ringing of the phone interrupted them, but the girls did not make any move to get it. Meiran stood to answer it. She had been gone for five minutes when she ran back into the living room wildly. "We gotta move," she said to all of them.
Vienna stood. "What's wrong, Meiran?"
"One of your friends called. I think her name is Lucretzia Noin? Well, she said she found two human forms drifting in space yesterday. She sent a team to get them, and when they arrived at the Preventers base, she identified one of them as WuFei Chang, and the other was a girl she couldn't identify, but she knew they had been together, since their space suits were identical."
They all jumped up. "Did they say what she looked like?" Heero asked.
Meiran shook her head. "She only said that she was a girl, and that they were both still unconscious, but breathing, and she wanted you all to come down ASAP."
Duo grabbed his coat from the back of the couch. "Well, lets move people! Next stop, earth!"
Vienna dropped into the shuttle seat in a heap after walking all over the shuttle port with the others searching for their shuttle, and almost missing it. Midii sat down next to her, Heero and Duo sat in front of them, and Meiran sat behind them all. They had picked up Trowa, Cathrine, and Quatre on the way to the port, since they would want to know what was going on, and be there too. Cathrine joined Meiran, and Trowa and Quatre sat behind Cathrine and Meiran.
Vienna glanced out the window, the memory of her dream the last time she had been on a shuttle coming to mind. She could still hear Riley thanking her, and Dr. J criticizing her. She frowned and looked away from the window.
"Are you okay?" Midii asked beside her.
Vienna looked at her and smiled forcefully. "Yeah, I was just remembering something."
"Oh," Midii brushed her blonde hair aside, and glanced back at Trowa and Quatre. Vienna followed her gaze and smiled.
"Midii, do you like one of them?" she asked.
Midii sat back in her seat and looked at Vienna quizzically. "No."
Vienna smirked. "Why don't I believe you?"
Midii glared at her. "Well, you should."
Vienna licked her lips. "Okay, whatever." She leaned toward Midii and whispered in her ear, "Which one do you think is cute?"
Midii looked at Vienna blankly. "I don't like either one of them, it's just that the one with the long brown bangs looks very familiar, but I can't place why."
Vienna smirked. "That's actually Riley's brother. And the girl with the wavy red-brown hair, that's Cathrine, their older sister."
Midii looked back over her seat quickly to get a look at the two of them. Cathrine smiled at her. Midii smiled back and dropped back into the seat. She looked at Vienna with a weird look on her face. "This is crazy. I never knew Riley had a brother and sister."
Vienna nodded. "Yeah, she did. Trowa is older than her by two years, and I think Cathrine is older by four."
Midii nodded. "Hm. And if you really want to know, yes, I do think Riley's brother is sort of cute, though that doesn't mean I have a crush on him, which I don't."
Vienna giggled, but then stopped. "Did I just giggle?" she asked Midii.
Midii nodded. "Yeah, why?"
"I hate it when I do that. I sound like Relena." Her face twisted into a grimace. "I hate that prissy princess. She's all too haughty and girly. Ugh!"
Midii laughed, causing Duo to turn around.
"What's so funny back here?" he asked.
"Nothing, Maxwell," Vienna said.
Duo glared at her. "Your brother calls me that, and just him calling me that is enough, so quit it!"
Vienna's eyes twinkled. "I can call you Maxwell if I want to, Maxwell." The expression Duo gave her was enough to please her. "All right, Maxwell. I'll stop."
"Girls," Duo muttered, turning back around, his braid falling over the chair to their side.
Midii smiled. "Hey Duo, you're forgetting something." She grabbed hold of Duo's braid and yanked.
"Oww-ow-ow!" Duo yelped. "Leggo my braid!"
The girls laughed mercilessly, but Midii still let go of Duo's braid.
Heero rolled his eyes, a hint of a smile forming. At least Vienna is enjoying herself, he thought.
They arrived at the Preventers base around twelve the next day, and Noin was waiting for them. She greeted Vienna with a hug, for their last visit Noin had grown to like Vienna as a good friend.
"Hey, Noin," Vienna greeted. Cathrine and Midii and Meiran walked up behind her and smiled at Noin.
Noin smiled back at them. "Who are your friends?"
Vienna pointed to her friends. "That is Midii Une, Meiran Chang, and Cathrine Barton."
Noin nodded. "Yeah, I've met Cathrine. And, did you say Meiran Chang?" Meiran smiled and nodded. Noin's brow furrowed. "But wasn't that."
Meiran rolled her eyes. "Yes people, that's me: WuFei's long-lost wife. What, is that my official title now?"
Noin nodded again. "He'll be glad to see you then," she said, purposefully ignoring the sarcastic remark.
Meiran shrugged. "He might, he might not. It all depends on his mood, I guess."
"Let's get going then," Noin said to them all. "Maybe you can identify the mystery girl."
They started down the hall for the infirmary where WuFei was being kept, and as they rounded a corner, shouting could be heard. Vienna hurried forward to the infirmary and pushed open the door a crack. The shouting was distinct and coming from inside.
"Go on in," Noin said to her.
Meiran grabbed Vienna's wrist and dragged her into the infirmary. Inside, the room was completely white, consisting of carts and shelves lined with different bottles and medicines. A stiff, metal bed was set in the center of the room, and at that moment WuFei was sitting on it, glaring at a woman dressed in a lab coat. Her hair was twisted into two low ponytails, and each was draped over a shoulder. She looked up when they entered and frowned. "You aren't allowed in here," she said to them.
"Oh-" Vienna started, but Noin stepped inside behind her.
"It's all right, Sally, they're with me," Noin said.
"Hello, Noin." Sally glanced at WuFei again as he rambled on. "I hope you're here to help me out."
"Maybe, in a way. I brought the pilots and a few of their friends here with me."
WuFei looked back at everyone crowding the door and his eyes widened. "What the-"
Meiran looked at WuFei quickly and then to Vienna. "He hasn't changed much."
Vienna shrugged. "No, not really. His attitude is still the same."
WuFei watched the two of them carefully and when Vienna thought his eyes couldn't get much bigger, they did. He tried to say something, but he couldn't: he was stupefied, and his jaw dropped to the floor.
Meiran smiled. "Miss me, honey?" WuFei's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fainted.
10. Alone In The Midst Of Friends
Authors Note - Hey again! I'm not gonna have a long thing, I am just saying hi, so get on with the story. Latah!
Disclaimer: I don't own it..
Chapter Ten
Vienna winced as WuFei's body fell backwards over the bed and hit the floor. "That gotta hurt," she muttered as she ran over to him. "Someone help me lift him back onto the bed."
Trowa volunteered and together they lifted the unconscious Chinese boy onto the bed. He grunted, but did not wake up. Vienna rubbed the back of her neck before looking up at Meiran. "Hey, he's your husband, Meiran. Try to get him awake."
Meiran walked over but said, "He may be my husband, but he's also your brother."
Vienna sent her a murderous glare that could have frightened the bravest of men. "Meiran-" she growled.
Too late. Sally and Noin had heard, and were looking to Vienna for an answer. Meiran grimaced slightly, cursing her big mouth.
Heero came to their rescue just then. "I'll fill you in later, but now, we have business to do," he said to the two older women.
Midii and Cathrine made their way to the bed to join the other girls. Midii nudged Vienna in the side. "I never knew you had a brother."
Vienna smiled. "Yeah, but you know hardly anything about me."
Midii nodded. "Very true."
"He's waking up!" Cathrine announced.
Meiran put her attention to WuFei and shook his arm. "WuFei, wake up," she whispered.
"Come on, Wu-man, wakey, wakey," Duo chirped, pushing his way through the girls. "You can't sleep the day away."
WuFei moved and soon his eyes opened. He jerked up when he saw mostly women around him. He glared at them all. "What do you all want?" His eyes stopped on Vienna, but then went around to Meiran and froze. She smiled at him. He felt mixed emotions. He was glad she was back and alive, but yet, where had she been hiding in the past years? Had she been hiding from him? What had she been doing?
"Surprised to see me, huh?" Meiran asked. Vienna waited for her brother to answer and his reply surprised her.
"Where have you been?" he thundered. "If you've been alive for the past few years, you could have at least told me!"
Meiran frowned. "I couldn't, WuFei. I-"
"I don't want to hear it!" he shouted in her face. He shoved Vienna aside, knocking her to the ground, and stormed out of the room.
"WuFei!" Meiran called. He did not turn around or acknowledge that he had heard her. She sighed heavily and leaned against the bed for support. Cathrine wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"It's okay Meiran. He's just surprised, that's all." Cathrine smiled sympathetically.
Midii bent down to help Vienna up from the floor. "For a brother, he sure doesn't treat you well."
Vienna shook her head sadly. "He doesn't know I'm his sister."
Midii looked surprised. "Really? The way he looked at you for those few seconds seemed as if he knew you as his sister. But then, I may be wrong."
Meiran turned and nodded. "She's right."
Duo shrugged. "I dunno. But let me tell you, he will never let this down!" he cheered. "That faint is going down in history."
Trowa and Heero shook their heads. Quatre smiled, but said nothing about it.
Meiran suddenly brightened and turned to Noin. "Didn't you say there was someone else that you found in space with WuFei?"
Noin nodded. "Yes, I did. Would you like to see her?"
They all nodded, some more enthusiastic than others.
"Let's go then," Noin said.
"What about WuFei?" Quatre asked. "Shouldn't we try to find him?"
Sally smiled at the blonde. "WuFei won't get far. Even if he did try to get away from here, the guards wouldn't let him. He'll eventually cool down and return to his senses."
"You're right," Meiran consented. "He's thick headed, but not that thick."
Cathrine hurried ahead of everyone, excited about meeting this other person that just might be her long lost sister. Noin laughed and stopped at another door not far from the last one, which was also another infirmary, but smaller and more advanced than the last. "Now, she was in a worse condition than WuFei, so don't be surprised if she is still unconscious." She pushed the door open and entered. Her eyes widened in shock. "What the-"
Cathrine jumped inside and looked to the bed. The sheets were ruffled, revealing that they had been used, but it was empty.
WuFei slowed as he came upon the fourth hallway he had gone through since he had left the infirmary. He sighed and glared at the floor as he walked. What was she thinking? He thought. Why did she hide from me and keep the secret of Vienna from me. What kind of a wife hides important secrets from her husband? He sighed. There are so many questions, but no answers.
Suddenly, WuFei's wrist was grabbed and yanked into an open storage room. The door was slammed shut and locked. "Let go of me!" WuFei struggled against his attacker and managed to get his arm free. He tried to reach the door, but the mysterious person blocked it.
"WuFei, it's me," the person said.
WuFei hesitated at the sound of the person's voice. "Riley?" he called softly.
"Duh," the person replied sarcastically. The light was switched on, putting a light on things (a/n. ignore the pun). Standing before him was Riley, but she looked somewhat different. She was the same, but he could easily tell she was in pain. "Of course it's me, Wu-man. Who else?"
"Are you all right?" he asked.
Riley forced a small smile. "Yeah, I'm-argh!" WuFei had grabbed her upper arm in a vice-like grip, causing her to wince and cry out in pain. He released her arm and she sighed in relief, massaging her arm.
WuFei stared at her. "You aren't okay," he stated.
Riley glared at him. "What did you do that for?" she asked him.
"When it comes to acting, you can't fool me."
"Whatever," she grumbled. She shrugged. "I can't very well have you worrying over me."
WuFei snorted. "Me? Worrying over you? That was the last thing on my mind."
Riley scowled. "Thanks." A sharp pain caused her to wince again.
WuFei sighed. "Where else are you hurt?"
"Why should I tell you?"
"I was trying to be nice," he said.
"Well that's a new one, considering what you just did to your wife!"
WuFei glared at her, his fists clenched. "Keep her out of this."
"No," Riley said. "You sure did treat her like dirt. Did you ever think that there was a reason why she never revealed herself to you? No! Instead, you blame everything on her, and leave her in the dust to feel guilty."
"She deserves it. She should have told me she was alive to save me from all the pain!"
Riley raised an eyebrow. "The pain? Yeah, right, I'm so sure you missed her." Riley folded her arms across her chest and looked away from WuFei.
"You're wrong."
Riley's eyes looked his way without turning her head. He looked at her and then said, "Can you move? I'm getting out."
Riley reached behind her, unlocked the door, and opened it. He stepped past her into the hall. "You can't run from it," she told him, following him out.
He faced her. "Will you stop telling me what I can or can not do and what I am feeling? You're wrong the whole way, Riley. You don't know anything."
He started down the hall, but Riley said, "You're right, but I do now this: you don't know what Vienna has gone through. You don't know her feelings, her life, her past, you don't know anything about your own sister."
WuFei blinked and said nothing.
Riley continued. "She has wanted more than anything to tell you who she is. Every day, every night, you were on her mind. She and I both went through enough heartache because of secrets that we were forced to keep, WuFei. So many secrets were hid inside us that we grew to become bottled up, not showing our true emotions. You are her brother, her flesh and blood, and you can't see it. Whenever she looked at you, she was wanting more than anything to tell you."
"Stop it!" WuFei yelled angrily. He glared at her.
Riley looked sad. "She does love you ya know, as does Meiran. Meiran hid herself from you for a reason. Vienna never told you who she was because of a secret she was forced to keep because if she revealed it, she would cause you more pain than ever before."
WuFei stared at her for a moment. "And what about you?"
Riley's emerald green eyes looked to the floor. "This has nothing to do with me."
WuFei shook his head. "You're hiding something too. Come on, tell me then. Vienna is my sister, and Meiran is alive. That's two secrets revealed, now what is yours?"
Vienna gritted her teeth together as she dug her long fingernails into the palms of her hands. She jammed her eyes closed and then opened them again. How could the room be empty? All of her hopes and just washed down the drain.
"Where could she be?" Quatre asked.
Sally frowned. "She couldn't have gone far. She was badly injured on her right side, her midsection and left arm were rather beaten up, too."
"What did she look like?" Trowa asked. Vienna couldn't help noticing the tint of hopefulness in his voice.
Sally licked her lips. "She had long brown hair that, I think, would have come to about her waist. She may have been around 5'7 in height."
Vienna grinned. "That's all we needed to know." She looked at Trowa and Cathrine. Cathrine was beaming, causing Vienna's grin to widen all the more. "Come on, let's go find them." She turned and rushed out the door into the hall, just as she heard the faint sound of a door slamming shut. Heero stepped out just in time to see Vienna dashing around a corner. He quickly followed her.
Vienna followed the sound of voices: two very familiar voices. She came to another corner and looked around it. There, standing in the middle of the hall, was her brother and best friend. She smiled and hurried around the corner.
Riley looked up sharply at the sound of approaching feet. She smiled. "Vienna?"
Vienna smiled back, the happiness overflowing inside her. "Riley!" She ran to her best friend and gave her a hug. Riley hugged her in return, but she winced as Vienna gripped Riley's stomach too tightly. She gasped out in pain, but Vienna had not noticed; WuFei had though.
Vienna pulled back. "Where have you been, Riles?" she asked. "We all thought you were dead."
Riley shrugged. "It takes more than a cave-in to put down me."
Vienna smiled. "That's my buddy!"
"Vienna?" someone called.
The girls looked to were the voice had come from, and soon the whole group walked around the corner. Riley smiled at them. "Hey guys!" she called.
"Riley," Vienna whispered sharply. "They know."
Riley frowned at Vienna. "Who know what?"
"They all know who you are. At first, it was just Cathrine and Trowa that I had told, but soon it spread, and now everyone knows."
Riley's eyes widened in shock. "You told them who we were?"
Vienna nodded. "Yeah. Everyone except WuFei."
Riley coughed. "Um, well, actually, he knows who you are, but not me."
Vienna blinked. "He knows that I'm-"
Riley nodded, a smile spreading across her face. "He knows. I guess secrets can't be secrets forever."
Vienna nodded and glanced back at the quickly approaching group. "Well, let's enjoy this moment as best we can."
Riley grabbed Vienna's shoulder. "There's something you need to know. The reason Dr. J didn't want us to tell them was-"
"I already know, Riles."
"You do?"
Vienna nodded. "Heero and I figured I out on his computer. Well, actually he did."
Riley sighed. "Our lives are a mess."
Vienna smiled. "Let's put on a smile for our friends and family, okay, Riley? We can't show them how we feel."
Riley and Vienna bumped fists and a true smile lifted their faces for the first time in a while.
Cathrine reached Riley first and looked her over, tears flooding her eyes. "Is it really you?" she whispered.
"Yeah," Riley replied, "It's me."
Cathrine smiled happily and hugged Riley just as Vienna had before. Riley hugged harder, not wanting to let go. She had dreamt of this moment ever since she had been told who she was, and now, it was there, playing out as she had dreamed. But then, why did she feel so sad and alone?
Vienna walked slowly forward to WuFei, smiling at him. "Hey, WuFei," she greeted. "This is probably a bit new for you."
WuFei looked her over wearily. "I never knew I had a sister," he said.
Vienna's smile grew. "And I always wanted you to know." She took a deep breath. Man, she was nervous. She had wanted this forever, but now she had no idea what to do.
"Why don't you two hug each other?" Duo suggested, staring at them, tapping his foot against the floor. "After all, that's what family does."
Vienna and WuFei glared at him. "Shut up, Maxwell!" they exclaimed.
Duo held up his hands in defense. "Excuse me. I just meant that you should be thankful you have family."
Vienna softened. "You're right. I'm sorry, Duo. I forgot that you-"
Duo waved his hands at her. "Stop right there. Sympathy is the last thing I want right now, okay?"
Cathrine had pulled back by now, and Riley was watching Duo's reactions. He can't hide his emotions well, she thought. It was easy to see he was putting on an act for Vienna and WuFei's benefit, while trying to hide his feelings inside. She looked around. No one else seemed to have noticed Duo's change in attitude. An idea came to Riley's mind and she threw it into action. It was a simple gesture, but she knew it would brighten Duo's mood anyway. She took a deep breath and walked to him. He was looking away from her, so it was easy to grab him from behind. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. He jumped slightly, but only enough for Riley to feel it. "You have family, Duo," she said in his ear.
He looked back at her over his shoulder.
She smiled encouragingly. "Your friends are your family. Family isn't just by blood, but also by the people you keep."
Vienna folded her arms across her chest smiling and shaking her head. She sure has a way with boys, she thought, a slightly giggle escaping her. She quickly bit her lip to keep from giggling anymore.
"Thanks," Duo replied, smiling.
Riley released him, letting him turn around. She smiled. "Your welcome, Duo." She punched him in the arm in a fun way and turned around, only to be smothered in another hug from Midii.
Duo watched Riley greet her long time friend, thinking. What was that? Riley didn't have to do that, but yet, she did. A smile formed. Dang, she sure is something. That rang a bell. He straightened. What am I thinking? Hilde is the only girl in my life, so why is Riley suddenly invading my thoughts?
Vienna shuffled her feet before looking up at Meiran across the hall, standing next to Noin. Meiran smiled and nodded encouragingly at her. Vienna nodded and turned to WuFei. He looked at her and she looked back at him. "Well, here goes nothing," Vienna muttered, boosting up her courage. She smiled and rushed WuFei. She grabbed him and hugged him tightly. He looked down at her in surprise, but he soon eased up and smiled. "I'm glad I have a brother," she told him. "I always felt so alone. Riley was the only person I could call family, but now, I have you and Meiran." She looked back at Meiran and then back to WuFei. "Bro, you can't let her go."
WuFei looked past her to Meiran, and stared at her for a minute. He sighed and smiled at Vienna. Vienna smiled back.
Meanwhile, Midii was gushing on and on about how she had missed Riley and that she was glad she was back: "I'm so happy to see you!" she cried. "You have no idea how excited I am."
Riley laughed. "I can imagine."
Midii laughed with her. The girl hugged another time, and over Midii's shoulder, Riley saw Trowa, standing in the back of the group, his emotionless face the same, watching her with his emerald green eyes, duplicates of her own. She sighed. "Midii, I have something to do," she told her friend.
Midii let her go and nodded, knowing what she was referring to.
Riley patted her friend's arm and walked past everyone to Trowa. Quatre smiled at her and Heero gave a brisk nod, but none of them stopped her. Riley stopped before Trowa, who was leaning back against the wall, staring at her. His eyes showed pain and betrayal. To anyone else, that would have been all they would see, but a sister can see more than anyone, and right then, Riley saw more in those eyes. "I'm sorry, Trowa," she said sincerely. "I wanted to tell you, I really did, but Dr. J made Vienna and I promise not to reveal our identities to anyone. If it hadn't been for Vienna, you and Cathy would still be in the dark about everything, and I wouldn't be standing here before you."
Trowa said and did nothing for a moment. Riley waited for him to say something.
"Trowa, say something," she whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear. Her pleading green eyes touched a nerve, and he couldn't hold back. Riley noticed the change in his eyes, and a small smile formed. "Can I have a hug at least?" she asked.
Just those words cause Trowa to do something he had forgotten to do many years ago, ever since the day of the fire: he smiled at her.
Riley's eyes lit up. "I knew you could still smile," she said defiantly. "I knew it!"
Trowa shook his head. "Squirt," he muttered.
Riley laughed at her old nickname. "That's me and don't forget it."
He pushed off the wall and gave her a bear hug. Riley felt a tear rise but she quickly blinked it away before anyone could notice.
That night, they all stayed at the Preventers base in dorm rooms near the offices. Each room fitted four people for each, and they all split up into the groups: Vienna, Riley, Midii, and Cathrine were in one room, Heero, Duo, Trowa, and Quatre were in another, and in the third was Meiran and WuFei. After much persuading, Vienna and Riley had talked them into sharing a room together. After all, they were legally husband and wife.
"Riley, are you awake?" Vienna called into the darkness of the dorm to her friend in the bunk above her late that night.
A shadow leaned over the side of the bunk to the bed under it. Long hair flowed down, reaching the bed covers of Vienna's lower bunk. "Yeah, what's wrong, V?" Riley asked her friend.
Vienna sighed. "I don't know. I just can't get to sleep."
Riley had an idea as to why Vienna could not sleep. "Is it because of what we were trained for?"
"Mostly Dr. J, but how did you know?"
Riley smiled softly. "Why do you think I'm awake?"
"Yeah. So what are we going to do, Riles? They know who we are, so now it makes life on us a ton harder."
"I know."
"And it's all my fault," Vienna replied. "I started the whole thing."
"No. I blabbed it to WuFei, and as Meiran said, she told Duo and Heero, so it would have gotten around anyway."
"At least Dr. J is dead, so he can't torment us anymore."
Riley rubbed her forehead. "That's where you're wrong, V. He isn't dead. The old man is still alive."
Vienna sat up. "What?" she whispered urgently. "He's alive? How did he survive?"
"The same way I did, I guess."
"How did you survive?" Vienna pressed.
Riley sighed. "Let's go talk outside. I don't want to chance on the others hearing."
"Okay." Vienna waited for Riley to climb down and then she stepped out from under the upper bunk. They walked across the floor to the door, where their coats were hung. Vienna and Riley shrugged their coats on and slipped their feet into slippers. Vienna had packed her own night clothing and slippers, but Riley was borrowing one of Noin's, which was long black flannel pants, and a white spaghetti strap shirt. Vienna loaned her the second pair of slippers she had brought, and they walked into the hall of the dorms. They wandered down the hall a ways and then dropped to the floor, leaning against the wall.
Vienna looked at her friend, who was staring across the hall. Her long brown hair was free around her shoulders, flowing over her shoulders and to her lap. Riley glanced at Vienna, a frowned fixed on her face. "I missed them," she said.
Vienna waited for her to continue, but when she did not, she said, "You missed whom?"
Riley looked away again. "Trowa and Cathy. I missed their laughter, smiles, hugs, and voices. All of it I missed."
Vienna nodded. "Yeah. At least you remember all that. All I can remember is Meiran's face and voice. I don't remember WuFei at all, or my mother and father."
Riley smiled at Vienna. "You have him now though."
Vienna nodded. "Yeah. We both got our wish."
Riley smiled. "I feel a bit better now. And now, I'm tired as ever. What about you?"
Vienna yawned, answering her friend's question. "Yes. Come on, let's go back to bed."
The girls stood and made their way back to the dorm.
The girls slept fitfully for another three hours, when suddenly, a slight noise woke Riley up. She sat up in bed, her eyes moving around the room. Everything was in order, so what had she heard.
Shh-clink!
Riley's ears twitched. There it was again. She frowned, her brow furrowed. She pushed aside the covers and with great agility, swung over the bed to the floor and landed without making any noise. She reached under her upper bunk, and shook Vienna. "V, wake up."
Vienna woke up easily and sat up. "What is it, Riley?"
"Listen."
Clink-ssh-thunk!
Vienna became alert. "What was that?"
Riley walked to the door, followed by Vienna.
"Let's get dressed and go check it out," Vienna suggested.
Riley nodded. Vienna quickly dressed into black pants and a black shirt, and Riley dressed into what she had been wearing the day before: black leather pants and white sleeveless top.
Vienna grabbed a flashlight and her gun from her suitcase, and Riley retrieved her pouch of daggers from a drawer in a dresser.
"All right, let's move."
Authors Note: So, what do you all think? Good? Well, I'll get to the next chapter so you can read on. Later ppl!
11. Midnight Attack
Disclaimer: NO, I don't own it.
Chapter Eleven
The hallway was dark and motionless as the girls stepped out into it, silently closing the door behind them. They stood listening, hoping to pin point where the noise was coming from.
"It's coming from down the hall," Riley said.
Vienna nodded. "Yeah. Come on, let's go check it out."
Riley walked ahead and Vienna trailed behind, keeping a look out for an ambush. They trained their flashlights ahead of them so as not to bump into something, but it did not reveal much. At the end of the hall, the sound echoed off the walls, causing a double affect. Riley frowned. "How are we suppose to know what way it's coming from?" she wanted to know, looking down both sides of the main hall they had walked into.
Vienna sighed. "I'm not sure, really." She thought for a moment. "Let's split up," she concluded. "You can take the left, and I'll take the right. We cover more ground that way."
Riley raised her eyebrow. "We become easier targets though."
"We'll have to take that chance."
Riley shrugged. "Okay, whatever. Catch ya later then."
"Later," Vienna replied. She waited for Riley to start down the left side of the hall before she headed down the right. Her sneakers did not make any noise, unlike the heels on Riley's boots, so this gave Vienna an advantage.
Many doors lined the main hall: some were offices, others were file rooms; she was not always sure. She passed an open door and looked inside. A brass plate was nailed to the side of the doorframe and it read: Surveillance Room.
Vienna stepped into the doorframe and looked around inside. The room was dimly lit, with only the pale blue light coming from the security camera screens that filled the room. She saw the back of a high chair, and the hat that some of the Preventers wore poking above the back of the seat. "Hello?" she called softly. "Hello, sir, are you awake?" When the soldier did not answer, she frowned and ran her hand over the walls, searching for the light switch that was hardly ever used. She found it and switched the light on. She squinted in the sudden light; quickly shutting the door behind her, she hoped that the bright light had not caught anyone's attention. She cleared her throat. "Sir, are you sleeping on the job?" she tried again. She walked to the seat and tapped on the top of the hat. "Sir?"
She gasped in shock as the man's head rolled to the side, causing the hat to fall away from his head and to the floor. Vienna spun the chair around with sudden urgency and her eyes widened in horror at the sight before her. Sitting upright in the seat was a soldier, but he was dead. His arms were covered in blood, his shirt was soaked, and a deep gash was in his throat, from which more blood was trickling. A haunted feeling overcame her, and she felt another presence in the room. And this new presence was not the dead man in front of her.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are," Riley chanted, turning down another corridor into the next. She had been wandering around for a few minutes now and nothing had come up. She sighed, tossing her long hair over her shoulder. She paused and rubbed her eyes. "Why did we have to have a prowler just when I was having a good nights sleep for once."
She moaned and let her arm drop to her side. She picked up her feet again, walking down the corridor at a normal rate. Her eyes watched out for anything out of the ordinary, but nothing had revealed itself as of yet. "I sure hope Vienna is having better luck than I am," she grumbled. "This sucks. If something was wrong, shouldn't I have seen something by now?"
Suddenly, out of a vent that was in the ceiling, three figures dressed all in black dropped into the corridor, a few feet in front of Riley. Riley gaped. "Okay, okay, I see it!" she cried out to the heavens. "I get the point already." She stepped back, pulling another dagger from her pouch. She held the daggers, ready to toss them at any minute.
The three straightened and looked at Riley; they all wore masks to hide their identities. Riley looked over the outfits and on the black shirt, patched over where the heart would be, was the picture of a coiled up snake, ready to strike. Something tugged at the back of her mind, as if she knew it, but could not place it.
She came back to reality when the three advanced on her. One leapt at her, but she jumped to the side, cutting the man across the arm. She brushed her hair aside, but this gave the enemies an open shot. One punched her in the stomach quickly and accurately, and Riley stumbled back. She looked up to see one charging at her and she swerved to the side, only to be met by another, who grabbed her arm, and threw her across the corridor. Riley hit the opposite wall and her body slumped to the floor in a heap.
Vienna reached back for her gun in the waistline of her pants, keeping her eyes peeled for any signs of someone hiding in the shadows. She felt the cold barrel of the gun and eased the weapon out of the pants. She held it hand now and cocked it. She took a slow, shaky breath. She turned 360-degrees, searching. She knew someone else was in there with her, but where could he hide in a brightly lit room?
Suddenly, Vienna heard enough to confirm it. The sound of something moving slightly caused her to look up at the ceiling to see a man staring at her from above, somehow able to keep himself up there without falling. He smiled crookedly at her before dropping down beside her. He reached out to grab her arm, but she was ready.
"Oh no you don't," Vienna muttered. She got down to the floor and swung her legs out at the man's ankles. The man fell backwards and Vienna was on him again. She grabbed him by the scruff of the collar and shoved him up against the door. "Who are you?" she demanded. "Who sent you?" For an answer, he spat in her face. Vienna let him go, dropping back to wipe away the saliva from her cheek. She was bowled over by a punch to the chin and a kick at her shins. She gritted her teeth, trying to ignore the pain she felt. "You're gonna pay for that, buster."
The man smirked. "Oh, I'm sure you will."
Vienna growled, but noticed a patch on the man's black shirt. It was of a snake, coiled up. She gasped, an image from a month ago playing before her.
*** Flash Back ***
Vienna noticed the note set on the table, the knife next to it. She walked over to it, sat down on the couch, and picked up both objects. She re-read the note, and studied the knife. It was a simple design, but the noticeable thing about it was the small carving of a coiled up snake resting in the bottom of the blade.
*** End of Flash Back ***
The World Rebellion Federation! That was the answer! The note, the knife, Raphael at Relena's school: all of it fell together. "That's it!" Vienna whispered.
"Argh!"
Vienna jumped in surprise as her attacked came charging at her, his eyes full of anger. She jumped away, but he still hit her in the arm, knocking her backwards.
Click!
Vienna steadied herself with the help of the wall and looked to the doorway. It had been opened and standing there was Heero Yuy, his gun trained on the man dressed all in black.
"Get even a step closer to her and I'll shoot," Heero threatened.
The man straightened and stared at Heero's gun, and then up to his face. "And if I don't, then what will you do with me?"
"I'll leave that up to Noin to decide. Now, hands on your head, and don't move."
The man sighed, but did as he was told. Heero kept his gun steady, but walked forward still, motioning for Vienna to get behind the man.
"Search him," Heero told her. "If he has any weapons, consider them yours."
Vienna smiled at that prospect. "I'll be happy to oblige."
She searched him, and came upon a wallet, gun, knife, and a bottle of powder. She held up the bottle between her thumb and forefinger, examining it. She glanced at the man. "And what were you planning on using this for?"
"I'm not saying anything," the man grumbled.
Vienna rolled her eyes. "Whatever. But first, lets see who you are."
She flipped open the wallet, and found an I.D. card. She slipped it out, and read aloud: "Name: Randolph Sanders, age twenty-five, sex: male." She put it back in the wallet and tossed the wallet to Heero.
Randolph sighed. "Are you two done yet?"
"Shut up," Heero said, tucking the wallet into his back pocket.
Randolph smirked. "And why should I when you are defenseless?" Suddenly, Randolph spun his leg out, jabbing Heero in the gut. Heero dropped the gun as he fell back from the sudden blow. He gasped out, but got his breath back quickly. He blocked another punch aimed for his face, and another to his knees. Vienna watched the two struggle and she pulled out her own gun, aiming at the two, trying to get a perfect shot at Randolph, but he and Heero moved quickly, making it all the more harder.
"Will you two quit moving?" she demanded.
Heero grunted. "Kind of hard, don't ya think?"
Vienna ignored him and focused again on her task at hand. She aimed and shot, just as Heero stepped in the way. Her eyes widened in shock. "Heero!" she yelled out. Quick as lightening, Heero pulled Randolph in the way, shielding himself from the bullet. Randolph was hit square in the back and he coughed up blood. Heero dropped the man and stepped back, trying not to get any more blood on himself.
"Oh my gosh," Vienna sighed with relief. "I thought you were a goner."
Heero frowned. "Hn. So did I."
Vienna smiled. "My bad."
"Obviously."
"Hey, I just saved your butt, man!"
Heero glared at her. "Yeah, and you almost shot me in the process."
"Well pardon me if I'm not perfect!" She crossed her arms and glared back at him. "You weren't supposed to get in the way of the bullet."
"You shouldn't have shot until you had a good view of him."
"I did, until you decided to move your butt into the way."
Heero shook his head. "There's no point in fighting with you."
Vienna raised her eyebrows. "Because I'm a girl?"
"No. I'm not the sexist. That's WuFei's department."
Vienna faked a gasp. "Did the perfect soldier just crack a joke?" She faked a faint to the floor. "I never thought I would see the day."
He rolled his eyes. "Get up, Vienna."
Vienna smiled and jumped up. "Come on then. Let's get out of here. Riley is wandering around here somewhere all alone, so we better go find her."
Heero walked out of the Surveillance Room ahead of Vienna, and said, "Riley should be fine. Duo is supposed to have followed her in case trouble came up."
Vienna rolled her eyes. "Oh, that's real encouraging, Heero. That's really encouraging."
Duo walked down another corridor, keeping a close eye out for Riley. He had an idea where she had been heading, but they were just hunches. "Where are you," he muttered as if Riley was there with him. He rounded a corner and halted abruptly. A way downs the corridor stood three figures, and a fourth was slumped against the wall. His eyes widened and he quickly backtracked around the corner again. He frowned and looked around the corner again to satisfy that he had not been seeing things.
"That must be Riley," he said. "It has to be. So how am I going to get her out of that situation?" He thought for a moment and figured there was no time to twaddle when the three stooges could kill her at any second. He took a deep breath and ran into the corridor.
~~**~~
Zieke, one of the three, squatted down next to Riley's limp form and lifted her chin with his finger. He studied her face before taking out a small photograph from his pocket and examined it. "It's one of them," he told the others. "She's Riley Barton all right." He dropped her chin and stood. "Come on, let's get her outta here and into the truck before she wakes up. The others will find Vienna Chang."
"Got ya, sir," one of the others replied.
"Oh, just get moving, Daniel," Zieke exclaimed.
"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" a different and unfamiliar voice announced.
Zieke looked up to see Duo standing there, smirking like an idiot. He snorted. "We don't have time for this. Daniel, Caster, get that clown out of my sight. I'll get the girl to the truck."
"Afraid you'll lose against me?" Duo taunted. "Are you afraid to lose a fight in front of your fellow soldiers?"
Zieke ignored him and bent down to throw Riley over his shoulders when a bullet was shot, barely missing Zieke's hand. Zieke jumped back, glaring at Duo. "Who do you think you are?"
"I'm Duo Maxwell, the Great Shinigami and God of Death, and you are about to find out the meaning of my name." Duo aimed and shot another, but Zieke was quick, and rolled out of the way. "Blast," Duo muttered.
Riley groaned and groggily lifted her head. She squinted around her and raised her hand to her head. "What the-"
Duo glanced at her, but had to ignore her while he maneuvered out of the way of Zieke's pistol. He ducked, moved forward, jumped out of the way, and ran forward again. It was a repeating maneuver, but he was soon close enough to Zieke to get to him with his fists. He aimed a punch at Zieke's face; Zieke blocked it and retaliated with a kick in the side. Duo didn't see it coming.
Riley winced as she tried to get up to her feet. She glanced at the other two watching the fight and looked them over. Each of them had a gun and a whip, which to her seemed odd. Why carry a whip? She glanced at Zieke, who was blocking an on-coming attack from Duo. She waited for the remaining two to look away from her and she charged them. She knocked into one and the other fell sideways from the impact. She quickly grabbed the long black whip from one of their belt loops and backed away. She pulled a knife from her pocket and threw it at one of the two rushing at her. He staggered back into the man behind him and they fell to the floor. Riley felt a sharp pain in her head and she slowed down a bit, letting off her guard.
Zieke had seen her attack his comrades and he jumped back from Duo. He yanked his own whip from his belt loop and spun the cord out at Riley.
"Riley!" Duo cried.
Riley gasped, turning. The whip lashed out at her, wrapping itself tightly around her waist, and pulled her forward. She crashed to the floor at Zieke's feet. His whip was still tightly around her waist, and he gave it a good yank just to hear her scream.
Duo shot at Zieke's arm. "Your fight is with me, not her."
Zieke growled as fresh blood soaked through the black shirt he wore. "You have no idea how much trouble you caused yourself, kid."
Vienna grabbed Heero's arm in alarm as she heard the faint sound of a scream in the empty halls.
"What are you doing?" Heero asked, looking down at her.
Vienna noticed she was grabbing his arm tightly and she instantly dropped it in embarrassment. "Sorry, but someone-"
"Someone screamed," Heero finished.
"Yeah, and it sounded like Riley." The two took off at a fast pace, both pulling out their guns.
"Wouldn't someone hear the scream, Heero?" Vienna asked him.
"Nobody would this far away. The dorms and other places are across the building, far away from here. No one would hear it. The only person who could would be the guard in the surveillance room, but he's busy right now."
Vienna snorted. "No kidding."
The cord lashed around Riley's waist was causing an unbearable pain, and she was grinding her teeth in an effort not to yell out. Her eyes were jammed closed, but she pried them open so she could get a look at the situation. As she shifted, the bruises and other pains from the cave-in that had lasted all that time mixed with the fresh pain from the whip and Riley couldn't hold it in. She let out another shout and bit her lip to stop from shouting out again. Dang it! She thought. How much pain can a girl go through before she hits the limit?
"Let her go," Duo said, glancing at Riley on the floor. "She hasn't done anything to you."
Zieke glared at him. "The boss wants she and that other girl, and so I have to make certain she doesn't escape from me. Is that satisfactory enough for you?"
Duo shook his head. "That doesn't give you the right to hurt her." Who does this guy think he is? He asked himself. He can't do that to Riley. She's going through enough already to have to deal with a whiplash as well. But what can I do? If I try to attack Zieke by weapons, he will only jump out of the way and pull hard on the whip at the same time. And then if I attack head-on, the same thing would happen. Blast it. "He's got me cornered," he whispered. "Whatever I do, he will pull on the whip. Man, do I hate reality."
Heero pushed Vienna backward as she was about to run around the corner to come to Riley's aide. They had arrived a minute earlier, and had been watching and analyzing the situation. Heero had come up with the same conclusions as Duo had, only it would be easier for him to shoot that guy with the whip than it would be for Duo, since Heero wasn't expected to be there.
"If you shoot from here you have a chance of missing," Vienna said to him in a low whisper.
He looked at her sharply. The way she had answered, it had been as if she had read his mind. "Hn," he grunted. "We may have to take that chance. This hallway is a dead end. The only way out is back our way, or out that window at the end of the hall. If we went through the window, they would hear us for sure, and our cover would be blown."
"But what about Riley? She's in enough pain with just the whip around her. It'll be worse when that guy yanks on it."
"I may not miss," Heero replied.
"There's a greater chance you will," Vienna stated. "We can't risk it."
Heero glared at her. "Then what else do you propose we do?"
Vienna frowned. "Like I know?"
He rolled his eyes. "Girls."
"Boys." Vienna crossed her arms and stared down the hall again. She looked over the situation again and then noticed something she hadn't before. Behind Duo, Riley, and the third guy, there were two more men on the ground. One was obviously dead, but the other wasn't: he was trying to push his dead friend off him. She smiled, an idea forming. She ducked back behind the corner. She spun around and quickly grabbed Heero's gun from his jean waistline.
"Hey!" he whispered fiercely.
She ignored him, turned back around, and carefully aimed the gun to the moving man on the floor. She could only hope no one would see her.
"Vienna-"
"Shut up," she whispered back.
She cocked the gun and waited for the perfect moment. It came as her target sat up, the dead man beside him. She shot the gun and the bullet was a good one: it went right into the man's chest.
Zieke jumped at the sound of a gunshot and glanced over his shoulder. Vienna grinned. Things were going as she had hoped. "It's up to you, Duo," she muttered.
Duo knew it was his chance, so he took things into his own hands. He shot Zieke's hand that was holding the handle of the whip and rammed into his stomach. Zieke barely had time to react to the bullet in his hand before he had Duo on him.
"Yes!" Vienna shouted. The whip now lay on the ground beside Riley- that was what Vienna had hoped for.
"Let's go," Heero said.
"Okie dokie!"
She handed him his gun back and they sprinted down the hall to help out their friends. Heero went to Duo, and Vienna to Riley.
Riley grunted as Vienna dropped down next to her. "It's me, Riles," Vienna said. "I'll get ya outta this."
Riley smiled up at her. "Aren't you the little hero, huh? I know it was you who shot that guy back there to buy Duo the time. I saw you."
Vienna blushed. "It was nothing."
Riley shook her head, suddenly wishing she hadn't. "Naw. If you hadn't, I don't know what would have happened."
Vienna cleared her throat. "Come on, let's get you out of here."
With Vienna's help, Riley got the whip off, to reveal that it had cut the black spaghetti strap shirt to where it was a crop-top. A long, bloody whiplash went around her middle, showing where she had been hurt. Vienna winced. "Dang, that gotta hurt," she muttered.
Riley snorted. "You've no idea," she grumbled. "Let's just get outta here before that guy finds another whip and decides to lasso me again."
Vienna smiled and helped her friend to her feet. They both looked back at Duo and Heero to make certain they were okay.
Duo was ducking a blow as Heero came up behind Zieke and hit him in the base of the neck. Zieke stumbled before dropping. Heero pulled out his gun and pointed it at Zieke, but didn't shoot.
Duo stared at him. "Shoot, Heero!" he yelled.
"We need him for questioning," Heero replied. Suddenly, Zieke reached out with one hand and grabbed a gun from one of his dead partner's utility belt. Before Duo could grab the gun from Zieke's hand, the man shot himself in the head. His hand dropped lifelessly to his side, the gun dropping to the ground beside him. Heero curse silently, bending down. "He's dead."
"Thanks for stating the obvious," Riley said with a grunt.
Heero looked up with her in annoyance. "I'm glad you still have your sense of humour."
Duo shrugged. "Can't do anything about it now. Where are these guys from, anyways?"
"The World Rebellion Federation."
Duo looked at Riley. "How do you know?"
"They have the same plans as the WRF do. Didn't you hear that guy say that his boss wanted me and another girl? He was obviously referring to Vienna."
"Plus," Vienna added. "I figured something out." She bent down and pointed to the coiled up snake on Zieke's black shirt. "See this? Riley, remember when we were staying at Relena's school and we got a mystery visitor who left us a note on our door with a knife?"
Riley nodded slowly. She then felt dizzy and toppled sideways. Duo rushed to her and held her up. "Careful there, Riley," he said. He put her back on her feet and let her lean against him for support.
Vienna continued, "Well, while you were sleeping, I looked back over the note and knife. On the knife I found a carved figure of a coiled up snake; an exact duplicate of this coiled up snake on this persons shirt."
Riley squinted down at it. "I guess you're right. Why didn't you tell me about the knife?"
"I guess I forgot."
"We never knew of a note and knife," Heero spoke up.
Vienna looked at him. "The seven of us weren't exactly on the best terms then."
"Vienna, how can you trace the coiled up snake emblem to WRF?" Riley asked.
Vienna smiled. "We got the note after Raphael had arrived at the school also, remember? And then at the dinner party someone was shooting at you, and I was being taken outside with Raphael and his son Daryn against my will. Raphael has to be tied in with WRF somehow."
"And his son," Riley added.
Vienna nodded.
Duo frowned. "There's a problem though."
"What's the problem?" Vienna asked.
"If Raphael was the one who had planned the attack on you guys, then why would he be trying to keep you both alive now? When Riley was supposedly dead, things went a bit wrong. Without Riley, the plans wouldn't work well enough since they needed both of you to go with the plan. And now you say that at the dinner party Raphael was trying to kill Riley? What's up with that?"
Vienna blinked. "You're right. That was a bit confusing, but now I get what you're saying. Why would he want to kill Riley when he needs her and I to fulfill his plan?"
Heero shook his head. "That's what we have to figure out."
Authors Note - Was that last part a bit confusing for ya? I hope not, since you have to understand that to get one of the keys to the puzzle, if you catch my drift. Is this getting better? I hope it is. Well, the next chapter is on the way. Later guys!
12. More Questions Explained
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing, okie??
Chapter Twelve
Riley winced as Sally applied some kind of ointment on Riley's whiplash. "Careful there, Sally. That whip was not one of the most gentlest whips there ever were."
Sally chuckled. "Okay, Riley. Just one more minute. There we go."
Riley sat up on the bed. She looked at Vienna, who was sitting in a chair in the corner reading a book. "Hey Vienna, think you can come back to earth to at least let me know you are with us?"
Vienna grunted and continued reading.
Riley sighed, rolling her eyes. She shook her head.
Sally washed her hands in the sink and dried them off. "May I let the others in now?" she asked.
"Sure," Riley replied. She put her hands behind her head and stretched.
Sally opened the door. "You all can come in now," she called out to everyone sitting outside. Riley heard various footsteps walking to the door and in stepped Trowa, Duo, Heero, and Cathrine. Cathrine walked over to Riley and gave her a hug.
"I'm glad you're okay, Riley," she said. "I couldn't stand to lose you again, you know." She ruffled her younger sisters hair.
"Hey!" Riley brushed Cathrine's hand away and quickly used her fingers as a comb to fix her hair. "My hair is rather delicate, Cathy. It takes forever to fix."
"Stop grumbling," Trowa said from the doorway. "You look fine."
Riley smiled. "Thanks, bro." Her smile broadened. "I've been dying to say that for the longest time," she chirped cheerily.
Heero noticed Vienna reading her book, oblivious to everything else around her. He wandered over and tried to read the title of the book. He finally used his finger to lift the book up so he could read it; Vienna kept reading the book as if Heero wasn't there. He raised his eyebrows at the title. "'Dreaming of My Romeo'?" he read. He looked back at Riley. "What kind of junk does she read?"
"It isn't junk," Vienna replied defiantly, coming out of her dream world. "It is a very sappy book about two young lovers. But then, what would you know about romance, Heero? You aren't anything but a toy soldier with no feelings, let alone a romantic side."
Duo smiled. "Good one. Now why didn't I ever think of that one?" He scratched the back of his head.
Riley leaned forward over his shoulder. "That's probably because you aren't that smart, Duo."
Duo nodded thoughtfully. "You could be right." He then paused and frowned. "Wait a minute. Hey!" Riley and Cathrine started laughing.
Heero ignored them all. He stared at her. "Oh really? One of these days, you're gonna eat your words."
Vienna raised her eyebrows and stood up so she was face to face with him. "Is that so?"
"I doubt even you have a romantic side," Heero went on.
Duo jumped up onto the bed next to Riley. "This is getting good," he said to Riley. "I've never seen Heero like this before. Too bad we don't have popcorn, huh?"
Riley nodded. "Yeah; I mean, other than the popcorn part, that is. I've never seen Vienna like this. Normally she isn't this aggressive."
"Who do you thinks gonna win?" Duo asked. "I bet Heero will."
Riley shook her head. "Naw, Vienna will."
"How much you wanna bet?" Duo asked her, smiling.
Riley smirked. "How about twenty bucks?" she suggested.
Duo held out his hand. "Deal."
"Deal." They shook on it. Riley smiled. "You may as well cough it up now, Duo. It'll save you the time."
"Oh, I think not," he replied. "If anyone will be eating their words around here it will be you."
"Big words for such a small brain."
"Will you two hush?" Sally said.
"Sorry," the two grumbled.
Vienna glared at Heero. "I have a romantic side, but no one has ever seen it. Not even Riley."
"Prove it."
Riley bit her lip in amusement. "Oh, he asked for it," she muttered excitedly. "Come on, Vienna!" she shouted, just as Midii, Meiran, WuFei, and Quatre all ran in.
"What's all the excitement?" Quatre asked Sally.
Everyone except Vienna and Heero glared at him. "Shut up!" they all shouted.
Quatre blushed and backed up a step. WuFei pushed to the front and stopped when he saw Vienna glaring at Heero. He whistled low. "For a girl she sure has a nasty glare."
"Shows what you know about girls, Wu-man," Riley said.
"Oh you shut up, Riley," he shot back.
"Shhh!!!" everyone hissed. Riley and WuFei glared at one another but stayed quiet.
Vienna smirked. "Prove it?" she repeated. "You really want me to prove it?"
Heero nodded. "Go ahead. Prove it to us."
Riley noticed an evil glint in her friend's eye. An ominous feeling came over her and her eyes widened. "Uh-oh," she whispered. "She wouldn't."
Vienna smiled. "Are you ready for this?"
Heero frowned a bit, suddenly a bit uncertain about this. Duo noticed and cheered his friend on. "Come on, Heero! You can't let a girl whip you."
Riley eyes grew bigger. "She wouldn't!" she muttered again.
Vienna dropped the book onto the chair behind her, grabbed Heero around the neck, and pulled him close for a big kiss. Everyone's jaw dropped to the floor, except Riley. Riley slapped her forehead. "She would," she finished.
The kiss lasted for what seemed an eternity, but Vienna finally broke it by pulling away. She smiled sweetly at the extremely surprised Heero with glee. "How was that, toy soldier?" she shot in his face with a flourish. With a pleased smirk on her face, she walked from the room.
Riley grinned happily now. She looked at Duo, who shoved the twenty bucks into her hand. "Okay, I think you won," he said.
Riley grabbed it. "Thank you." She smiled and slipped down off of the bed. She grunted in pain as the whiplash and numerous other injuries throbbed with the sudden movement. She ignored them and walked out of the room as quickly as possible. "Hey Vienna, wait up, girl!"
Near the end of the hall, Vienna slowed down when Riley called and waited for her to catch up.
Riley grabbed Vienna's arm when she reached her and smiled like a clown. "I can't believe you did that, V!"
Vienna smiled. "I can't either. I wasn't thinking."
"Obviously!" Riley blurted out. "But- dang! I never would have done that, but maybe I should. You sure got his attention, that's for certain."
Vienna shook her head, her eyes closed. "Why did I do that? I let my pride get in the way and then my romantic side did too. I'm never gonna live this down."
Riley smirked. "Correction: Heero will never live this down."
Vienna smiled and said, "I think I'm gonna head over to the cafeteria. I'm getting pretty hungry."
Riley nodded and patted her friend on the back. "Okay V, I have something to do anyways. I'll catch ya later."
"Yeah, later." Vienna watched as Riley walked back the way they had came and past the room they had been in. She frowned. "Where is she going?" she muttered. She sighed and shook her head. "Why bother. There are some things I will never know, and why I kissed Heero will always be one of them."
She started down the hall, and with her stomach growling urging her on, she started to run. At the cafeteria doors a minute later, she pushed them open and walked inside. There were only a few tables occupied in one corner of the room, so she walked over to a table farthest from everyone else. After a quick visit to the food line, she grabbed an apple, a soda, and a piece of cake. She set the tray on the table and sat down in a chair. She groaned, staring at the food. Suddenly, she let her head drop to the table and she started hitting her head against it. "Why? Why? Why?" she kept repeating over and over.
Duo wandered in, a bright smile on his face. He looked around for a place to sit and then he saw Vienna sitting across the room, alone. He noticed she was banging her head on the table, and his smile faltered. What the heck? He thought. Has she lost it? He walked over to her table and cautiously lowered himself into a seat across from her. He watched her closely for two minutes, but she still didn't notice him. He cleared his throat.
Vienna looked up for a moment, but started banging her head again, muttering unexplainable things.
Duo raised an eyebrow. He cleared his throat again. "Vienna, if you don't mind my asking, but, are you okay?"
Vienna hit her head five more times before stopping to look at him. "Why?" she squeaked.
He frowned. "Why what?"
"Why?" she asked again.
Duo scratched his head. "What are you - whoa!"
Vienna grabbed him by the collar and pulled him across the table. "Why did I do that, Duo? Why!?"
He gulped nervously, blinking. "Will you let me go?" he asked, glancing down at her vice-like grip on his black shirt.
She dropped hold of the shirt and he landed on the table. "Thanks," he gasped out, catching his breath. He slid back into his seat. "Now, what is your problem?"
"Why did I do that? Why did I kiss him?" she groaned, starting to hit her head again.
"First things first," Duo said. He grabbed her hair so she couldn't hit her head anymore. "Stop hitting your head before you get a concussion. Secondly, I have no idea why you did that. Why don't you explain that to me?"
Vienna glared at him. "Let go of my hair," she grumbled. "You are about to pull it out."
Duo smiled and let her hair go.
"Thank you. And I really don't know why I did that. I just wanted to prove Heero wrong I guess. Or something like that."
Duo shrugged, taking Vienna's soda and popping the top. He took a drink of it and set it back on the table. Vienna stared at him in annoyance. He smiled at her innocently.
"I want to hurt you," Vienna stated.
"How can you hurt this cute little face?" Duo asked.
Vienna snorted and rolled her eyes. "Cute? Right, about as cute as a pig, which you are."
Duo glared at her. "Shut up."
Vienna pulled her piece of cake close to her and dug in. At least eating will get my mind off that kiss, she thought to herself. She ate two bites before noticed Duo staring at her cake hungrily. She pulled the cake closer to her. "Mine," was all she said.
"Just one little bite?"
"No."
*
Heero paced the floor of his dorm, wearing a hole in the carpet. His eyes were fixed on the ground, not daring to look up. His lips were in a tight line as well.
What happened? he thought. That was definitely unexpected. What were the odds of her doing THAT? I always thought she was quiet person, not some- oh, someone like Riley or Duo. She's too, um, too- Oh, heck! He sighed. Is she ever going to get out of my head? Especially that- that- that kiss! Gosh, I sound like an idiot, stammering on like this. What's wrong with me? I've never been this agitated before. Is it Vienna? Is she the reason why I've been acting different lately? It has to be. I started acting different when she and Riley appeared, after all. An image of Vienna smiling came to mind. His frown deepened. Great, now I am seeing her even when she isn't around. What the heck is going on here? She has invaded my thoughts. Why can't I get her off my mind! I am going-
Knock Knock!
He stopped and turned to the door. "Go away, Duo," he called.
"Duo?!" a surprised and defiant female voice declared. "I'm not Duo!"
Riley? What's she doing here? He shook his head. "What do you want, Riley?" he asked.
"Open the door and I'll tell you."
"You can talk through the door."
The rapid beating of fists on the door was the reply. Heero sighed and opened the door.
Riley glared at him. "Thank you," she muttered. She pushed her way in and walked over to a chair. She pulled it over to the center of the room, turned it around, and sat down in it backwards.
Heero closed the door after checking to see no one else was coming. "What do you want?" he repeated.
"Can't a girl want to have a nice conversation with a guy?"
Heero snorted. "Coming from you? No."
Riley pursed her lips. "How kind of you, but then, you aren't known for nice words, so I'll let it pass." She straightened. "Actually, I'm here 'cause I wanted to talk to you about something-"
"No, I do not like Vienna!" he burst out.
Riley blinked and stared at him in surprise. "Um, I wasn't going to ask that," she said, but then smiled, "but since you brought the topic up, I've been wondering what's been going on between you two."
Heero glared at her. "Nothing. Nothing at all."
"Oh really? I may have been gone for a whole month, Heero, but I'm not blind. Plus, the others have said the opposite of what you just said. They've told me about how you let Vienna sleep in your bed while you slept on the couch, and how the two of you are always talking together, totally ignoring everyone else."
"We were trying to figure out the World Rebellion Federations plans! And she had no where else to sleep that day, and Duo would never have given his up."
Riley raised her eyebrows. "Hmm. Whatever you say. But, anyhoo, I really wanted to ask if you had figured out our question yet."
"Our question?" Heero said, sitting down on his bottom bunk.
"Yeah, the one about the attack at the dinner party. You know the one."
"Hn. That one. No, I haven't," he replied.
"Oh," Riley sighed, resting her head on her hands atop of the chairs back. "I had hoped you had. It's driving me crazy. I mean, why would he try to kill me, when his whole plan needs both of us alive? It doesn't make sense."
"We might be looking at the wrong angle," Heero thought aloud. "Who else was there? With Raphael, I mean."
Riley paused for a minute. "Um. There was Relena of course, me and Vienna, and- oh, and Daryn, Raphael's son."
"Bingo."
Riley almost fell out of her chair. "Bingo? When did you start saying that?"
Heero ignored her. He rambled on with his thoughts. "Maybe Daryn had something to do with it. No, that doesn't fit in. Maybe Raphael isn't the leader as I had thought, maybe its Daryn. No, that doesn't work either. Why would a son rule over his father? No, definitely not. It has to be Raphael in control and commanding all the attacks. It has to be him. I saw him talking to that guy in the back that night after all." He sighed and rubbed his forehead.
Riley drummed her fingers on the chairs back. "Are you finished so I can talk?" she asked him in a bored tone.
Heero glanced at her.
She took that as her cue to talk. "Well, while you were rambling on aimlessly, you reminded me of something. When I was being shot at, I noticed that-"
Suddenly the door opened and Trowa stepped inside. He glanced at Heero, then to Riley, and back to Heero. "Am I interrupting something?"
Riley smacked her forehead and turned her back on them both. Heero shook his head. Riley turned back around and smiled at her brother. "If you had been interrupting something, Vienna would be in here instead of me."
Heero sent her a murderous look. She smiled and waved cheekily. "I'm leaving now. I'll talk to you later, Heero." She slipped out into the hall.
Katana drummed her fingers on her desk irritably, angry thoughts running like wild fire. She had been sitting like this for some time, and it was growing old quickly. She stood from her desk and walked across the room. She went down to the bottom floor and into a large room lined with desks and tables and cabinets. Papers, bottles, chemicals, and numerous other things were on top of these. Standing over an object was a man with graying hair and round glasses perched on his nose. His eyes were fixed on the object he was working on, intent on his project. Katana watched him work for a moment before saying, "How is it coming along?"
The man continued to work. "It's coming along perfectly. Another day or two and it will be finished."
"Two days is too long. By then they could have figured it all out. Have it done by tomorrow evening, even if it means no sleep at all. It's either that, or your head will be delivered to me on a silver platter."
The man nodded. "It will be done."
"Good." She began circling the table and the man. "And so, Jackson, is it able enough to control both minds, as Raphael and I asked for it to be?"
Jackson, as he was called, nodded. "It is quite able, and more."
"Does it have a turbo?"
"Yes, ma'am. But I must warn you, if you use the turbo, as soon as you turn the machine off, their minds will have been overpowered, and they will die instantly if they are not strong enough."
"That's the whole point, Jackson. Once we are done with them, we put them on turbo, have a little fun, and kill them. Now, get to work and have it done by the assigned date." She turned and walked away. "I'm putting my faith in you!" she called over her shoulder.
Everyone was sitting in the conference room, gathered around the long table reaching over half the length of the room. Noin sat at the head of the table, everyone else lining along the sides. Riley and Vienna sat on her right with their brothers, and Heero, Duo, and Quatre were across from them.
"Does anyone know what is going on?" Noin asked them, looking at each face. "You all seem to have an idea, but I don't know anything. All I know is that it includes these two girls."
Riley snorted. "We're the main point in their game," she said, staring at the oak table. She looked up at Noin, her eyes filled with anger. "I better explain a little something first. Their leader is Raphael Baltimore, and the person directly under him is Katana. His son, Daryn, would be under him instead of Katana, but as I recently found out, Raphael and Daryn basically hate each other."
Vienna stared at her. "What the heck? And how do you know all this?"
Riley glanced at her. "Before I met up with WuFei in one of their base hangars, I had been ravaging around digging up information. I found that out, plus other things. I know what they plan to do with us, what are their weapons, and so on. I couldn't find out where all their bases are though."
"What are they planning on using you two for anyways?" Quatre asked, the other boys nodding in agreement.
Riley sighed. "Mind control. As we speak, a mind control device is being created by a brilliant genius. This device will be able to control my mind and Vienna's. The chip that Dr. J put into Vienna and I when we were younger allows that device to control us."
"You aren't making sense," Trowa said.
"Okay. Let me put it this way. When Vienna was around five, Dr. J performed a surgery on her in which he planted the chip. He used a certain medicine that caused her to forget all of her earlier memories except a few, the surgery included as a memory to be forgotten. Before me was Katana, who went through the exact same thing as Vienna did. She was with them for four years, until Dr. J realized Katana had found everything out while going through his files. He had to get rid of her, so he sent her away. He then found me, a nine-year-old kid on the streets. He chose me to replace her, but there was a difference. Vienna had had the surgery when she was around five, so the medicine would work without a hitch. But I was nine when he chose me, so there was a great chance the medicine wouldn't work on me, since the older the person was, the bigger chance of it not working. He decided to take the chance. Time was running short, and he needed someone. I went through the surgery, had the chip planted, and when I awoke, I remembered everything still. The medicine hadn't worked. I told no one, 'cause I knew telling would only cause a problem, and not solve anything."
Noin frowned, staring at Riley. "And now things are coming out into the open."
"Yeah," Riley replied, folding her arms, a hint of a smile forming. "Doesn't matter now. The mind control device is being created, the WRF have found out everything they need, and now to complete it, all they need is Vienna and I."
"What do they plan to use you two for?" Duo asked.
Vienna shrugged. "We don't know."
Riley sighed and rested her head in her cupped hands. "I'm not sure if we'll ever know. Katana or Raphael will never tell us for sure, and they aren't stupid enough to have it where someone could hack into their file and find that exact answer. They're smarter than that. Especially Raphael."
Heero grunted. "Wait a minute." He looked at Riley. "You said Katana went through the same surgery?"
Riley narrowed her eyes. "That's right. So?"
"So that means that Katana has the same chip inside her as well," he finished.
Vienna smiled. "I get it. She can be controlled too. If Riley and I can be, so can she."
WuFei smirked. "Things get better by the minute."
Duo whooped loudly. "Great! Now we can see some action."
Riley gave him an annoyed stare. "Duo, the only action you will be seeing is my fist meeting your face if you don't shut up."
He smiled at her teasingly. "Is that a threat, babe?"
Riley bounced out of her seat, shoving the chair she was sitting in reeling backwards to the floor. Her eyes were fixed on Duo dangerously. "Watch it!"
"Whoa Riles, slow down," Vienna said, standing up. "He is just mocking you. Turn the volume down a notch." She bent over and picked up the chair and set it upright. "Sit!" she commanded.
Riley dropped into the chair. "I'm not a dog."
Vienna smiled and started backing away slowly, bent over and clucking her tongue. "Come here, puppy. Come here, little girl."
"Don't start," Riley stated, a smile breaking her face.
"Come here, doggie."
Riley pushed back the chair gently and took off at Vienna. Vienna squealed and took off running out of the conference room, Riley hot on her tail.
The boys and Noin winced as the sound of glass shattering on the floor was heard.
"Sorry!" Vienna shouted.
"Come here, Vienna!" Riley called. "The only thing you gotta worry about right now is the remaining time in your life!"
In the conference room, WuFei and Trowa were groaning and shaking their heads. In sync, the boys said, "Sisters."
Authors Note: What do you guys think? This chapter was basically where it clears some things up. Such as, what's up with the 'Vienna-Riley' weapon thing. I know it was rather dull, but still.live with it. The story will get better, so wait. The next chapter is coming up, so stay tuned!
OH! Also, I know Heero is seriously out of character in this story, but I need him to be for it to actually fit into the story. Thanx!
13. Torn Apart
Authors Note: Hullo, I just thought I would mention that there is two lines bad-talking Britney Spears, so if you like her, please don't get offended and upset at me, ok? I ask forgiveness now, but I'm leaving it there.
Disclaimer: I don't own it.
Chapter Thirteen
Riley kicked up her feet onto the table set up in the center of the room and put her hands behind her head. "This is the life," she whispered. "No one around, no one to bother me."
"Mind if I join you?" someone asked.
Riley's eyes popped open as something heavy landed on to the couch she was sitting on. She glanced over and glared at Duo. "Duo!"
He smiled at her. "What?"
"I came in here to get away from everyone. I don't want you to follow me. Of all people, it had to be you?"
Duo grunted. "I know you can't resist me, so just admit it."
Riley snorted, rolling her eyes. "Yeah right. I haven't, and never will." She suddenly noticed how close he was and moved away.
He smiled at her. "Am I that scary?"
"Obviously I will never be alone."
Vienna sighed in delight as she settled down in the cafeteria, a good book in hand. She flipped it open to where she had left off and began reading. Just another day. Alone, no worries, nothing. No Dr. J or talking Riley. Just my book and me. She began reading her book, getting hopelessly lost in the sappy novel.
Quatre walked in just then and saw Vienna sitting on her own, reading. He smiled and wandered over. He stopped by her table. "Hey, Vienna, watcha up to?"
"Hn."
He looked down at the book's cover and read the title: Dreaming of My Romeo. His eyes widened and he jumped back. Vienna looked up at him, frowning. "Quatre, are you okay?" she asked.
He smiled nervously. "Yeah, fine. Bye!" He dashed off.
Vienna stared after him in bewilderment. "What's eating him?"
An hour later, Noin gathered everyone into the conference hall again to make an announcement. All of them were there instead of just the pilots and the two girls.
Duo drummed his fingers on the table in boredom, staring glumly across the table at Riley, who was staring at Vienna as she continued to read her romance novel. None of the boys dared to sit by her, thinking she would do to them as she had done to Heero.
Midii tapped Riley on the shoulder. "Do you know when Noin is going to get here? This is getting boring. We've all been sitting here for over ten minutes waiting."
Noin walked into the room, followed by none other than the Vice Foreign Minister Dorlian.
Riley and Vienna both leapt up, staring at Relena in surprise. "Relena!" they gasped.
The boys' eyes widened, but none of them said anything.
Relena glanced at the girls, uncertain. "Do I know you two?" she asked.
"Um, well." Vienna looked at Riley. Riley shrugged. "In a way you do," Vienna finished.
Relena raised her eyebrows. "Who are you then?"
Riley cleared her throat. "Our real names are Riley Barton and Vienna Chang, but you know us as Kali Marietta and Diamond Kastle."
Relena looked as if she had been just given a million bucks. "You're the girls that disappeared after the banquet! And that means that- which of you is Kali?"
Riley looked Relena over wearily. "That would be me, but my real name is Riley Barton."
Relena smiled. "I never got to thank you for saving me. I doubt I would have made it out alive if not for you."
Riley grunted. "Actually, those people weren't after you."
"They weren't?"
"No," Heero said. "They were trying to kill Riley and Vienna. Mostly Riley, seeing as Vienna was outside. You just happened to be with Riley at the time, making it look as if they were after you."
Relena thought a moment. "I see. So you girls are wanted dead by those people?"
"Didn't Noin tell you anything?" Vienna asked disapprovingly.
Noin stepped forward. "The only thing I told her was that I had the Gundam pilots and two others here at the base, and that they needed somewhere safe to be. I asked if she would let you all stay in her mansion for the time being. I called her not long after the attack against us."
Quatre smiled. "We wouldn't want to interfere. We could go to my summer house if need be."
Trowa shook his head. "It would be obvious. Any of our places would be too obvious."
"Yeah, but Relena's place isn't much better," Riley interjected. "I mean, come on. They known Relena is friends with the Gundam pilots, and has housed them many times if the need arises. The mansion is the first place they would search for us."
"What about St. Gabriel Academy?" Relena suggested.
"Wrong again," Vienna said "That would be the second most obvious. Plus, what would the students think if the boys arrived for a few days, left for almost two months, and then come back as new students now? That doesn't even include the many times they've taken shelter there in the past. I'm sure that the students who have been at that school for a few years are more than suspicious by now."
Duo nodded. "Good point, actually."
Noin sighed. "Where else can you go? You can't stay here. They know you are here."
Cathrine sighed. "I would say that the circus would be a good idea, but the ringmaster can't give all of you jobs. Plus, the men after you guys probably have the circus in mind as to a place you would hide anyway."
"I don't have a place we could go to," Meiran said. "I have a one room apartment on earth, but we can't house so many in there."
Midii shook her head. "I have a small apartment too, so I'm out of ideas."
"We may have to go to Relena's place," Quatre said in defeat. "There is nowhere else."
"Yeah, but we better be on our toes," WuFei muttered. Heero grunted his agreement.
Relena smiled reassuringly. "It will be all right. I have enough guards to guard the estate 24/7."
Riley snorted. "For the WRF, a few weak patrolmen will be simple."
"It's settled," Noin said. "Relena's mansion then."
Vienna straightened. "It would be less obvious if the only people who went to the mansion were the boys and Riley and I. If Cathrine, or Meiran or Midii joined us, they could capture them and use them as bait to get us out and rescue them."
"What would stop them from taking them when they are back in their homes?" Duo asked.
Riley shook her head. "They won't know where they are. Cathrine they would, since she's always with Trowa, but Meiran and Midii they wouldn't. They aren't important in this. The people the WRF are looking out for are Vienna and I, and then the boys. Cathrine could stay with Meiran or someone while this goes on so she would be safe."
"Hilde," Duo suddenly whispered.
Riley glanced at him. "What?"
"Hilde," Duo repeated, looking up at he.
"Isn't she your girlfriend or something? I think I remember something like that," Riley mumbled, scratching her head.
Duo smiled. "Not quite. But I'm worried about her. I left her without a word about where I was going. I forgot until now."
Midii smiled. "Simple. She can come with me, so she won't be alone. Cathrine can go with Meiran."
Duo smiled. "Thanks, Midii."
She shrugged. "It would be fun to have a girl around while Vienna and Riley are gone."
Noin smiled. "Good. I think it's best that you all leave as soon as possible, so you do not endanger yourselves or any others."
Riley sighed inwardly and nodded. "We can pack now and be ready in an hour."
Relena smiled. "The sooner the better."
Vienna grunted. "Yeah, whatever." She glanced at Riley and motioned for Riley to walk with her to a corner of the room. Riley nodded and followed. In a hushed tone, Vienna said, "We'll have to be on guard. All Raphael would need is a minute, and he would have us. Every second we are in that mansion we may be in his grasp."
"I know. So much can go wrong. Let's make a pact now, that if Raphael or someone has one of us then the other will run and get the others. If I was caught, and you stayed around to fight, they would eventually get you too. Then they would have both us, so it's better if the other would run. Promise?"
"Promise." The girls bumped fists and exchanged smiles before heading out of the room to pack.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That night Heero, Duo, Riley, Trowa, Vienna, WuFei, and Quatre all arrived at the mansion with Relena at their front. Heero brought up the rear with WuFei before him, making sure Vienna and Riley stayed in the center of them. All the boys had their guns out, and Vienna had her one gun ready, though she wished she had her sword. Riley had her dagger pouch strapped to her right thigh, the flap unbuckled so if need be she could take the daggers out in a flash.
Vienna, who was walking in front of Riley, whispered to Riley over her shoulder, "I think the boys are taking this to the extremes, don't ya think?"
"I dunno. Maybe a little. They act as if we can't protect ourselves. We're just as strong as any of them." Riley looked about the courtyard as they began walking up the steps leading into the mansion.
"Yeah, really. I'm sure you could kill any of them with one throw of a dagger, and I could kill any of them with my sword. It's too bad I don't have it with me."
"Yup. We gotta go with them though. At least we know they care."
Vienna rolled her eyes. "Only Trowa and WuFei more likely. The others just don't want the universe in danger, though I don't see how Raphael plans on using only you and I to take over."
"Who said he was trying to take over the universe?"
"Duo," Vienna replied.
"He's been reading too many comics."
Relena opened the door and they all hurried in. The foyer was magnificent, with a large grand staircase before them leading up to two separate hallways.
To their right, an old man came bustling into the foyer, smiling. "Welcome everyone," he greeted cordially. "I hope the trip was well."
Relena smiled softly. "It was fine. We made it here without any problems."
"Splendid. Would you like me to show them to their rooms?" he asked.
"I can show the rooms to them, but would you mind bringing in their luggage?" she asked.
The man nodded. "Of course."
"Come on, everyone," Relena called. The boys spread out, giving Riley and Vienna room to breathe. They all relaxed and put away their weapons. "I have seven rooms available. Trowa, you're in this one," she said, opening a door. Trowa stepped inside and looked around. The room was a good size consisting of a desk, king size bed, dresser, connected bathroom, mirror, and other furniture.
Relena moved on, showing Heero his room; the room was the same as Trowa's. "I figure you guys want the girls in the center?"
"That would be better," WuFei said, speaking for everyone.
Relena smiled. "All right then." The next room was Vienna's, and the only difference in hers from the others was that on the outer wall there were French doors that led out onto a balcony. Riley's room was next, and was the same as Vienna's; from there it went Duo, WuFei, and Quatre, all of these three the same as Trowa's and Heero's.
It was almost ten at night by the time the man named Pagan, as they soon found out, had brought their luggage up to their rooms and they were ready to fall asleep.
WuFei and Trowa were uncertain about the girls sleeping in rooms with balconies all alone. After much persuading, Riley and Vienna were able to convince their brothers that they were able to fend for themselves.
Riley stayed in Vienna's room with her friend talking after the boys had gone to their rooms. Riley stood by the French doors, leaning against the cold glass, while Vienna sat on the bed under the canopy.
"What do you think of all this?" Vienna asked, leaning forward on her elbows. "If you ask me, I don't think we are safe anywhere we go. If you're right about this mind control device, I bet it has the ability to reach anywhere around the universe to find us and take over. I doubt it has a limit."
"I was thinking the exact same thing," Riley said quietly, folding her arms across her chest. "We're the reason for all of this. They're after us, not any of them. All we are doing is bringing them pain and anger and death! They could die just protecting us from harm."
Vienna nodded half-heartedly. "I know, but what can we do about it?"
Riley rubbed her temple. "If I think of something you'll be the first to know."
"Same here. In the mean time we just hang loose. Stay undercover, and try our best to stay concealed, even if the odds are 1 to 10."
"Yeah." Riley noticed Vienna's drooping eyes and she smiled. "I'll let you get some sleep. You look like you're about to drop from sleepiness. I'll see ya in the morning', okay?"
Vienna nodded. "Yeah, goodnight-" She was cut off by a yawn, causing her jaw to pop.
Riley chuckled and walked out, making sure to lock the door on her way out. She stood in the hall, looking straight ahead. She was tired but she knew she would never get to sleep. So many things were on her mind that her mind would be bothering her so much she would never get a wink of sleep. In defeat, she shuffled to the grand staircase and started down. She found her way to the kitchen, and dug around for what she would need to make coffee. She found what she wanted and prepared it. As the coffee was being heated, she sat down at the kitchen's center island, and started to read the newspaper that was in the middle of the island. She ended up reading the comics and an area of an article on Britney Spears' New CD coming out. The only thing Riley found interesting in that was the point that Britney wasn't pregnant yet.
The faint beeping announced that the coffee was ready, and she stood up to make herself a cup of it. The delicious smell of coffee drifted in the kitchen as Riley sat back down at the island and took a few sips from the cup. She was warmed inside and she felt better than before. She sighed, closing her eyes. When she opened her eyes again, she took another drink. She glanced down at her watch. The numbers glared at her: 1:00. Had she been talking with Vienna for that long?
The faint but defining sound of a thud from upstairs caused Riley to become alert. Her eyes narrowed and she froze, waiting. Another thud was heard, and she knew something was wrong. She dropped the cup onto the island, shattering the glass cup and the coffee flowed over the table to the floor. Riley ignored it all, and on her way out she grabbed a butcher knife off the counter. Her daggers were in her room, and she had no time to get them. She ran up the steps three at a time until she reached the top of the stairs. She was already at Vienna's door by the time Heero and Duo came running out of their room doors. Riley ran in and then remembered distinctively locking the door when she had left. She narrowed her eyes in wonder, but put the thought aside. The next thing she noticed was how cold it was in the room. The balcony!
She ran across the room to the balcony. She grabbed the railing and stared down. Attached to the bottom of one of the rungs was a sturdy rope that went down to the earth below. She was just able to see a sturdy man carrying off a struggling bundle into the darkness, and she knew she was too late.
"Damn!" Riley cursed without thinking of what she was saying. "Damn them!" She raised the butcher knife over her head and threw it at a root growing in the grass below. The knife struck the root, cutting it in half. She suddenly felt weak, and she grabbed the railing for support.
Behind her, Heero was searching the room for clues, and Duo came over and put his arm around Riley's waist, holding her up. "Riley, will you be okay?"
"They got her," Riley said in a strangled growl. "They took her. Why didn't I see it coming! We haven't even been here for over four hours and already they've attacked and taken one of us. Damn, I knew this would happen."
"Riley, you couldn't help it. We had nowhere else to go," Duo tried to calm her. Riley shook her head stubbornly.
"It's obvious she put up a good fight," Heero said behind them.
Duo and Riley turned. Riley could feel her strength coming back now, but for some reason she felt safer with Duo close by her. "What do you mean?" Duo asked.
"There are blood stains on the carpet," was the reply. Riley's eyes widened and she felt the strength go out of her again.
"Whoa, baby!" Duo exclaimed as he felt Riley give out. He pulled her back up, putting most of her weight on him. "We can't have you giving up Riley," he told her. "Come on. You were your tough old self a few seconds ago."
Heero paused by the bed and looked sadly out the window. She's gone, he thought. They have Vienna. And I let this happen. I should have known they wouldn't take long in coming. I let this happen to her. He blinked in confusion. What's going on? I'm acting as if I really care for her. What's up with this?
"Penny for your thoughts, Heero?"
Heero snapped his head in their direction to see Riley waiting for an answer. He shook his head. "Nothing. I was just wondering about something."
Riley nodded. "Don't need to say anything else. I already get it."
"Do you think they searched Riley's room?" Duo suggested.
"They could have. I'll look, and you put Riley in your room where she can take a minute to gain her strength back."
Riley grunted. "I'm fine, just a little upset over it all." She stood up on her own feet. Duo let her go, but stayed close.
"Shouldn't we go after them?" Duo asked.
Heero shook his head. "They're too far away by now. The chase would be worthless. All we can do is try to keep them from getting Riley, and at the same time getting Vienna back. For now Duo, I want you to get the others. They'll want to know."
Duo winced. "I guess I'll be the one to tell WuFei about his sister, huh?"
"I'll do it," Riley said. "He and I get along better than you and him."
She walked out of the room and down the hall to WuFei's room. They must be heavy sleepers to have slept through that racket, she thought. She didn't bother to knock on WuFei's door; she just pushed it open. "WuFei, wake up!" she called a bit louder than needed.
WuFei jumped out of bed in surprise and stared at her in shock. Riley raised her eyebrows at him. The only thing he wore were boxers that had pigs with wings flying on them.
Riley cleared her throat. "Normally I would be laughing my head off right now, but there is something far more important right now. Raphael has already struck." As she explained a shorter version of what happened, she felt the anger growing inside her like boiling water. As she finished up, WuFei seemed to have forgotten what he was wearing and started running for the door.
"WuFei!" she shouted after him.
"What?" he shouted turning around.
Riley threw a pair of pants at him. "You may want get some clothes on."
She jogged past him and headed for her room. The door was open and everyone except she and WuFei were in there. Trowa looked at her when she came in and he gave her a comforting hug. She hugged him back. "Thanks, Trowa," she said, smiling up at him, "but I'm not the one who needs comforting right now."
Trowa glanced back at WuFei as he entered the room. He nodded. "Got it."
Riley finally surveyed the room she had planned on staying in. The balcony doors were wide open and again there was a rope hanging from the railing. Her bed sheets had obviously been shifted through, and the connected bathroom door was open. Heero stood on the balcony, searching the French doors, Quatre was talking with Duo off to the side, and then WuFei and Trowa were talking out in the hall.
She sighed, her hands clenching into fists. So much was going wrong. If she wasn't careful, she could end up being caught as well, and then things would go from bad to worse. "I'm cornered," she whispered. "They have Vienna, every place I can go they will still find me, and no matter what area and distance I am, I'm still vulnerable. Man, this sucks like heck."
"Riley, come here," Heero called to her. "Take a look at this." He moved out of the way as she looked at the area he pointed at. On the lock of the French doors there were scratches, as if they had been pick- locked open. "Hm. They're smart. Breaking the glass open would not only wake Vienna and I up, but also give us time to escape, and for you guys to get in our rooms. Pick locking the door isn't as noisy, and it gives them a sneak attack approach. These guys are not idiots. They know what they're doing."
"Hn," he grunted. "If that's the case, then the same scratches from a pick lock should be on Vienna's balcony doors."
"One step ahead of you," Riley stated as she lifted herself onto the railing of the balcony and leapt across the gap between her balcony and Vienna's. She landed on Vienna's balcony, rolling until she hit the other end. She sat up, shaking her head. "I'm okay!" she called once she noticed all of them were gathered on the other balcony. She jumped up and started searching the doors to Vienna's balcony. She frowned: there were no scratches.
"Well?" WuFei shouted over to her.
Riley shook her head. "None." She looked across at them. "No scratches."
"Then how did they get in Vienna's room?" Quatre said.
Riley paused. "I think I know. Meet me back in the hall outside Vienna's door." She entered Vienna's room again and went across to the door. She knelt down on her knee and looked at the lock under the doorknob. She smirked. "I was right," she whispered.
"Did you figure it out?" Duo asked over her.
Riley nodded. "Oh yeah. There are scratches on this lock." She looked up at them. "I locked her door when I went downstairs to the kitchen. My guess is that they came up to my balcony, broke through those doors, and split up. One searched for me, the other came around into the hall, pick-locked this door, and came in this way. When the man in here had Vienna, he probably heard me coming up the stairs, and Heero and Duo coming out of their rooms. He had no time to go back to meet with his partner, so he had to go down Vienna's balcony."
Trowa nodded. "But then what happened to the other guy?"
Riley froze. She had only seen one man running away with a large burden. That had to be Vienna and her captor. But then that would mean- "Crap!" She leapt up and ran into her room just in time to see a man dressed in black disappearing over the side of her balcony. "Oh no you don't," she growled. She sprinted onto her balcony and climbed over the side. She slid down on the rope after the man, her eyes flaring. She dropped to the earth and was off again.
"Riley," someone called from the balcony above, "get back here!"
She ignored him and continued running after her target. Her anger pushed her onwards, not letting her stop for anything. As she ran, she came across the butcher knife she had thrown down earlier and swept it up into her hands as she ran past it. Now she had a weapon.
When the man got into a wider range, she aimed and threw the knife. It hit the man between the shoulder blades and he dropped to the ground. Riley slowed to a halt by the body and dropped down beside him. She pulled the butcher knife from the man's back and pushed him over. It was easy to see that the man was dead. Her breathing became ragged as she realized she had killed him. She dropped the knife and stared at it. Blood covered its blade and was dripping onto the grass. She then looked down at her hands. They were coloured in the man's blood. She stood up, staring at her hands in shock and anger. She had killed so many people and she wasn't over twenty years old. Her hands were bloodstained for life; there was no turning back. The lights in the mansion turned on one by one and soon the lights outside began turning on. She stared at the mansion and her mind was made up. She turned and fled from the estate.
14. A Connected Past
Authors Note: Well, how do you guys think the story is going?? Do you think a plot is forming here?? I have it planned now, and am nearing the climax, so keep reading, and enjoy it! Later guys, and thanks for reading. And be sure to review, whenever I get this posted. Ta-ta!
Disclaimer: You know I don't.
Chapter Fourteen
Jackson rubbed his hands together in anxiety as he put the finishes touches on the mind control device. One more wire, and done! He bit his lip and held the device up to the bright light above him. It was the exact way Raphael and Katana had wanted it, so he would live to see another day. He looked at the clock on the wall and squinted at it to read the time. "Five in the morning. Plenty of time remaining before it's actually due," he said to himself. He smiled and rubbed his eyes. If he hurried, he could add in the extra bit, and it would be finished in his mind eye. It had everything that his leaders wanted, but he was adding one more thing in it for an old friend.
**~~~~**
The next morning, Trowa entered the parlor looking as tired as ever. He looked up and saw the other boys sitting on the chairs and sofas. He sat down next to Duo. "What are you all doing up this early?"
Duo shrugged. "Same reason as you, I guess."
Quatre nodded. "Yeah. We're all worried about Vienna and Riley."
WuFei leaned back in his chair. "They can't hide. No matter if they're captured or not, they are still in plain view of the World Rebellion."
"You're right," Heero agreed. "Even if Riley and Vienna were in this room with us, Raphael could still reach them and take over."
"They win no matter what we do," Duo said.
"I did some researching last night when you all went to your rooms," Heero said. "It took me awhile to actually hack my way into the files, but I eventually did. I found out that whenever the girls are being controlled, the machine doubles their strength and agility, and if they are put on a higher level, it triples. They would be far stronger than us."
Trowa stood up, ignoring Heero's last comments. "I vote we go out and look for Riley. Raphael may be able to control her mind from miles away, but I would still feel at least a little bit better knowing that she was with us, instead of wandering around out there alone."
Duo nodded. "So would I."
Quatre smiled. "Let's go then.
**~~**
The early morning bustle on the streets and sidewalks were pressing Riley into a tough crowd to get through. She shoved her way through the people, but some would just push her back. She came to an alley and jumped inside, out of the crowd. She stared at the jumble of men and women and children walking past the alley entrance. "My gosh," she muttered. "Why don't these people just drive instead of crowding the sidewalk?" She shook her head and brushed her hair back behind her ears.
"Leave me alone!" a small cry called out.
Riley turned around sharply and stared down the alley. It was faintly lit, but it was light enough for her to see at the far end of the alley two large boys ganging up against a young kid who didn't look a day over six. The older boys were rubbing their hands together and laughing.
"Aw, come on little boy. You aren't afraid of us, are you?" one boy taunted. He slammed his fist into the palm of his left hand.
Riley glared at the boys. "Hey!" she shouted. "You leave him alone."
The boys spun around. One with black hair sneered at her. "Well, look at that. A pretty girl wants to fight us."
The other snickered. "I would like to see her try."
Riley scowled. "Well then. You better get ready for this one." She charged them, throwing herself onto the first boy. He landed heavily on the ground with Riley on top of him. She punched him in the nose before rolling of him and getting onto one knee.
"You're gonna pay for that, girl," the second said. "No one hurt's my friend but me."
Riley smirked. "If you're as weak as he is you're gonna be a cinch."
He lunged at her and would have brought her to the floor, but she had quickly slipped out of his reach. He fell to the rough cement. "Stupid girl," he grumbled getting to his feet. "You don't know who you're messing with."
"I know I'm fighting a chubby hot head that doesn't have any sense of mind, but otherwise, not really," she retorted, smiling.
Behind her, she heard the small boy shout out, "Watch out!"
Riley spun around too late. The boy she had punched earlier threw an even harder punch at her stomach, and she fell back a few steps only to be met by a kick to the back of her knees. She fell forward, racked with pain in her stomach.
"Ha! That will teach you to mess with us," the black haired one said defiantly.
Riley grunted, pushing up onto her knees. Her arms shook with the weight she was putting on them and from how much air had been knocked out of her. She closed her eyes for a second, took a deep breath, and looked over at the boy. He was standing off in the corner, staring at her wide- eyed. When he saw her looking at him, he smiled. She smiled back as she heard a movement behind her. Her eyes narrowed and she rolled to the side. As she turned, her nose was inches away from a knife that one of the boys had taken out. The knife was yanked out and coming at her again. She rolled back the way she had come and kept rolling until she reached the boy. She got onto one knee and glanced at the boy. She got his attention and motioned for him to get out of the alley. "Get out," she whispered fiercely.
The boy nodded and waited until she had moved out of his way. When the boys were focusing on trying to stab her, he ran out of the alley and to the busy sidewalk.
"The kid's getting away!" the black haired boy cried.
"Forget him, Jason, the only thing I care 'bout right now is getting rid of this girl," the second said.
Riley was up on her feet, looking from one boy to the other, hoping of finding some weakness. The black haired boy, Jason, was glaring at her and the second, a fiery red head, was flicking his knife back and forth. Riley feinted to the left, then sharply changed direction and came at the red head. With her sudden change of direction, his grip had somewhat lost hold of his knife and Riley was able to wrestle it out of his hands. She backed away, aiming the knife at the boys. "If either one of you get any closer, I'll throw it straight at your chest."
Jason smiled. "You don't even know how to throw one."
Riley raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? Well let me tell you, I've been throwing daggers and knives since I was five, so I wouldn't be talking. And just to prove it, watch this." Expertly, she twisted the knife around her hand, threw it up into the air, turned around on the ball of her left foot, reached her hand up, and caught the blade in her hand. She smirked. "Care to test me?" she asked, her sarcasm dripping. Oh, crap, she thought. I hope they don't see the blood on my hand. When she had caught the blade, it had run along the length of the palm. She could feel the blood and knew it would start running down her arm any second. She didn't have time to wait.
She started walking past them, sticking close to the wall, still aiming the dagger at them above her head. The boys stayed away as she turned out of the alley and out of view.
As soon as she was out of the alley, she stopped to wipe the blood off the blade and put it into the waistband of her pants, and turned to run when she hit a small boy. She looked down. "What are you still doing here?" she exclaimed, recognizing the boy as the one in the alley. "I told you to run away."
He smiled up at her. "I wanted to wait for you. You saved me, and besides, I have nowhere else to go."
Riley bit her lip as the pain from her hand began sinking in. The blood began dripping down her arm and she hid it behind her back so the boy wouldn't see. "Come on then. If we wait around here much longer, they may come after us again."
She took his hand with her clean one and they walked quickly away from the alley.
Duo rubbed his hands together, looking around the busy street and sidewalk, searching for a familiar brunette. "Darn these people," he muttered. "I can't see through them." He sighed as another man pushed him aside to get by. "Hey, watch it!" Duo yelled after him, but the man kept on going. He shook his head. "Idiots." He continued on and then bumped into another person, only this one was a young girl with brown hair and holding the hand of a child. "Oh, sorry," he apologized.
"No problem," she replied, going on.
Duo nodded and then paused. "Wait a second." He spun around and began pushing through the crowd after the girl. That girl had to be Riley. But I don't remember Riley having a kid.
He soon got to a clear area and spotted the girl and the boy turning into the city park across the street. He looked both ways and then ran across. He entered the park and saw her sitting down on a bench with the little boy. Still not sure if it was her, he walked forward and hid behind a large oak near the bench to listen and watch.
Riley pulled her bleeding hand out from behind her back and inspected it. The boy, sitting next to her, stared at her hand wide-eyed.
"You're hurt!" he cried. "I did this to you. If I hadn't been-"
"No, it isn't your fault," Riley assured him. "If I hadn't done that fancy trick I wouldn't have cut myself with that knife. I've been trying to learn it for this whole year and I still haven't got it quite right. I somehow drop it or cut myself, like I just did."
He nodded. "Oh."
Riley didn't have anything to wrap her hand with, so instead she pressed her clean hand on the wound in an effort to stop the bleeding. It wasn't helping much. She winced and looked at the boy. She looked him over, trying to see where he may have come from. He had dark blonde hair that stopped above his ears and dark brown eyes. His clothing was a pair of dirty and ripped shorts that didn't look very warm for the upcoming winter and a shirt that looked like shreds. "Where are your parents?" she asked him.
He looked down at his hands. "I don't have any. They've been dead since I can remember. I lived in an orphanage, but that place was so dirty and grungy, that I left. I haven't been back since, um, two months ago, I think."
Riley blinked in surprise. "So you live on the streets?"
He nodded and then his eyes grew frightened. "You aren't gonna take me back to the orphanage, are you? Please don't! The people there are so mean and we never get hardly any food!"
"Whoa, slow down!" she said. "I won't send you back if you're so strongly against it."
"You won't?" he asked in surprise.
Riley shook her head. "No, but trust me on this: the orphanage has to be better than living on the streets. I've lived on the streets too, and I know how horrible it is."
"You've lived on the streets?"
She nodded. "Yeah. I was on the streets for two or three years; much longer than you."
"You're like me. You don't have a family either?"
Riley shrugged. "Actually, I do. My parents are dead, but I still have an older brother and sister. I found them a few months ago." She looked at her cut; the blood was still coming. She stopped applying pressure and tore off some of her shirt. It was one of her favourites, but her health was more important. She wrapped it around her hand. "So, how old are you?"
"I'm five," he replied.
Riley shook her head. "You're younger than I was when I started out on my own." Suddenly, she heard something, or someone, moving around behind the large oak nearby. She stared at the oak and waited.
"What's wrong?" the boy asked, looking around.
"Shh," Riley warned. "Stay right here." She rose up off the bench and made her way to the other side of the tree. She saw the back of the person and with a shout, she jumped on him, pulling him around to face her and throwing him on the ground. She found herself staring into the face of Duo Maxwell.
Duo shifted his weight, trying to get a better look at the girl. He knew it was Riley, but still-
Wait.
They had stopped talking. He frowned and leaned farther out from behind the tree.
Suddenly, a loud shout was heard behind him and he quickly found himself on his back and staring up into pretty emerald green eyes.
"Duo!" the attacker gasped out.
He blinked. "Riley, hey! What a surprise!"
She backed off him and stood. She glared down at him. "Were you spying on me?'
He sat up and rubbed the back of his neck. "Next time, see whom your attacking first before you attack. And no, I wasn't spying on you."
She rolled her eyes. "Men are such babies," she grumbled.
"Aren't you going to help me up?"
She held out her hand to him. He took it, and when she had pulled him up halfway, she leaned down to his face and smiled. "Bye!" She let go of his hand and let him fall back on his butt. She turned and walked back to the bench.
The little boy looked at her, confused. "Who is that?" he asked.
She shook her head and sat down. "Just an idiot clown who has nothing better to do than spy on me."
Duo came out from behind the tree, frowning. "That was harsh," he muttered, leaning on the back of the bench. "That is no way to treat a handsome young man."
Riley snorted. "Hn. Yes, I shouldn't treat a handsome man like that, but your aren't a handsome man."
He glared at her. "Gee, thanks, Riles."
"Who are you?" the boy asked him. He glanced at Riley. "Is he your boyfriend?" he asked innocently.
Riley eye's widened and Duo's jaw dropped. "Heck no!" they both exclaimed.
Riley jumped up and pointed at Duo. "That clown as my boyfriend? Yeah, that will be the day!"
"To be in a relationship with her you have to be equipped with body armor and a shield!" Duo stated, folding his arms across his chest. "The very idea of it."
The boy started laughing.
Riley and Duo looked at one another and then at the laughing boy. "And what is so funny?" Riley asked.
"Nuthin'," he said through his laughter.
Riley shook her head. "Anyways. I'm Riley Barton and this is Duo Maxwell. Do you have a name?" she asked, sitting back down on the bench.
The boy stopped laughing and shook his head. "No. Everyone at the orphanage called me Kid, or Shorty, because I'm so small."
Riley nodded. "Well, you'll need a name if you're gonna stay with me."
The boy smiled at her hopefully. "I can stay with you?" he asked excitedly.
Riley paused. What was she thinking? She couldn't take care of this kid! She was lucky she was still there, and it was only a matter of days before she was gone, so of all times to take in a lost boy this was not the best time. She looked at the boy's expectant face. She just couldn't turn him down. She knew what it is like on the streets, and how dangerous it is. She had been there.
"Riley, can I talk to you a minute?" Duo asked, glaring at her.
Riley nodded. "Just stay right here," she told the boy. "I'll be back."
She stood and she and Duo went a few feet away to talk.
"What?" she asked him.
He stared at her. "Hello! You can't take care of him! Right now, you got to focus on keeping away from the World Rebellion, and the idea of taking care of him right now- well, that's crazy! And what will Trowa and everyone else think?"
"I already know all that, Duo, but you of all people should be backing me up right now!" Her eyes stared into his. "I've lived on the streets and so have you. You and I both know how dangerous and hard it is out there, especially for a five year old boy." She jabbed her finger into his chest. "The city is far too dangerous. There was so many times that I could have been hurt, Duo. You may have lived on the streets like I did, but you have not the slightest idea what it was like for me. I was a girl, all alone on the streets with no protection at all. So many men have gotten so close to-" she stopped short. She took a deep breath, biting her lip. She looked over at the boy on the bench, all of the horrible memories from the past coming back. She pushed them away and faced Duo again. This time, he didn't look so harsh. He actually looked like he cared.
"They didn't-?" He didn't need to finish.
Riley snorted. "Thank goodness no. The only reason men didn't hurt me was because of an older boy that I could trust. He defended me whenever I needed him. He would always fight them off.
"Now do you see why I won't let the kid go?" she pushed on. "The same stuff could happen to him by older women and he may not have anyone to protect him like I did. I'm not letting him go, Duo. I know I am putting me and him in a dangerous position, but he is in more danger on the streets, and I would be filled with guilt knowing that I sent a kid into the wild and unmoral world only to be destroyed." She backed up a step.
For once, he didn't say anything. She shook her head and walked back to the bench. She felt him watching her, but she didn't care. She sat down on the bench in front of the boy.
"Is everything okay?" he asked her in his small voice.
Riley put on a smile and nodded, even though right then she wanted to find a gym and punch all the stuffing out of those punching bags. "Yeah. Now, about a name: I've got the perfect name for you." When she had been talking to Duo and had mentioned the boy that had defended her, she knew the name she wanted to give the boy. "What do you think of the name Solo?"
The boy smiled. "I like it. Why do you like that name?"
Riley saw Duo walk back behind the bench and she waited for him. "Well, Solo was the name of a good friend of mine. He helped me when I lived on the streets and I think his name should be passed on to you." She failed to notice the shocked look on Duo's face.
"What happened to him?"
"I don't know what happened to him. I was found by an older man who took me in, and I never saw Solo again."
"He's dead," Duo said bluntly.
Riley jumped at Duo's abrupt statement. She stared at him. "What? How do you know who I'm talking about?"
"Did Solo lead a band of orphans?" he asked her.
She nodded cautiously. "Yeah. I guess he could have been considered the leader. I never joined the team for some reason, but yeah, he was. How do you know that?"
He stared past her. "Because I was in that band of orphans. Solo and I were good friends." He glanced down at her. "And I do remember him mentioning a younger girl that he had met. He said that she wouldn't join the band, but he couldn't figure out why. That was you, wasn't it? You were the girl he was talking about."
Riley couldn't believe what she was hearing. Could Duo really have been good friends with the boy who had helped her numerous times before?
Something told her that this wasn't a joke.
Trowa sighed, dropping onto the sofa in Relena's parlour. He had spent the past three hours searching for Riley in his certain area to search, and hadn't found her. He was the second person to come back, but right then WuFei was up in his room showering; WuFei hadn't found her either.
He groaned and closed his eyes. He could only hope one of the others had found her.
Just then, the chime of the doorbell rung. Trowa sat up, waiting for Pagan to answer the door. When the old man didn't come down stairs, he went to answer the door. He found Heero standing there, alone. He gave a nod at Heero. "Nothing?"
Heero shook his head. "No." He stepped inside and waited for Trowa to shut the door. As Trowa was about to walk back into the parlour to wait, Heero said, "She'll be back. You and Cathrine are the only family she has left. Leaving you is something she wouldn't want to do. And she wouldn't be stupid enough to fall into a trap set for her." He glanced side-ways at Trowa and walked on to the grand staircase.
Trowa watched him, a faint smile appearing. "Thanks, Heero," he whispered. As if he had heard, Heero turned and nodded at him. Then an idea came to Trowa. "And Heero," he called, "we'll find Vienna. You don't have to worry about her."
Heero paused and shook his head. What was that about? How did he-? He looked back to where Trowa had stood, but he wasn't there.
The new Solo looked up at Riley as she held his hand, walking down the sidewalk. Her smile was gone and she seemed to be deep in thought. He sighed and then looked over at Duo, walking on the other side of him. Duo was like Riley, only not as stone-faced. He looked down at the boy and smiled.
"You okay, kid?" he asked.
Solo smiled and nodded. Despite the fact Duo had fallen into the habit of calling him kid, as the other orphans had, it didn't seem as bad when he said it.
"Good. We're almost there, so it isn't much farther."
Riley glanced at Duo and then down at the boy who held her hand. She sighed inwardly. Man, this is such a mess, she thought. First I have the problem of Raphael and his crew, secondly I now have to take care of Solo, and thirdly there's the problem with Duo. Well, it isn't really a problem, it's just- Actually I don't know what to call it. It's a complication; I guess I could call it that. I just don't get it. I never would have thought the real Solo would connect Duo and me. We're so different, but we're still alike in many ways.
"Riley, are you okay?" Solo asked her.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"
Solos shrugged. "You just seem so sad about something."
Riley forced a smile to comfort him. "I'm fine. I've just got some things on my mind."
Solo cocked his head to the side like a dog would. "Like what?"
Riley hesitated. He wouldn't understand any of it, and she didn't want him to worry about something that didn't involve him either. Plus, there was the fact that Duo was standing right there and he was part of her thoughts. Okay, most of her thoughts.
When Riley didn't reply, Solo tugged on her hand. "It help's to talk about stuff. It makes you feel better."
"Who told you that?" Riley asked.
"A boy at the orphanage. He was talking to somehow else, but I heard him."
Riley nodded. "Well, that kid's smart. It does help to talk about it, but what I have on my mind isn't stuff you would understand."
Solo frowned. "Will you tell me when I can understand it?"
Riley smiled, nodding her head. "Sure thing." She looked up and whispered too low for Solo to hear, "I hope it's all over by then."
Solo may not have heard her, but Duo certainly had. He looked at her. "So do I," he replied loud enough for her to hear. Riley glanced at him. Duo smiled, and then showed his crossed fingers.
They came to the gate that led into the estate around ten A.M., and Solo was dumbstruck by the size of the place.
"Is there where you guys live?" he gasped out.
Riley laughed, forgetting her worries. "No. We're just staying here with my brother and some other friends and the Vice Foreign Minister Dorlian. You know her, don't you?"
Solo scrunched up his nose. "The rich girl who acts like an old woman on TV? Yeah, I've heard of her."
Riley snorted, covering her mouth in an effort not to burst out laughing. She heard Duo snickering, but didn't dare look at him in fear of not being able to contain her own laughter. "Solo, I've never heard that description before, but I think you know the person we're talking about. Oh, and I wouldn't call her that if I were you, okay?" Riley said. "It wouldn't be a good thing. Just call her Vice Foreign Minister Dorlian."
Duo raised his eyebrows. "That's a bit long, Riley. Solo, how about instead of calling her that mouthful, try Queenie, okay?"
Riley glared at him. "Duo!"
By now they had come to the door leading into the mansion and their voices had brought Pagan to the door. Pagan opened the door and ushered them inside.
"Thank you, my man," Duo said, flipping a quarter into the air. "Have a tip for your services."
Riley rolled her eyes. "Oh, gosh," she muttered.
Pagan walked to the base of the grand staircase and called up, "Miss Relena, Mr. Maxwell has returned with Miss Barton. Do you wish to admit them?"
Riley winced as she heard a racket of numerous doors opening, and then the pounding footsteps of people running to the staircase. Riley looked at Duo. "Well, it seems I was missed."
"You have no idea," Duo replied. "Trowa was a wreck."
Trowa came bounding down the stairs first, followed by the others, and Relena came shortly after. Riley took a quick peek at Solo to see what he was thinking of this. He seemed frightened, and he hid behind Riley, holding onto her legs.
"Riley!" Trowa exclaimed, but he then saw the small boy clinging to his sister and he stopped a foot in front of Riley. He looked from Riley to the little kid, and then to Duo. "Care to explain this?" he asked Duo.
"Explain what?" Duo asked. "The kid?"
WuFei came up behind Trowa. "What's going on? You confounded onna, where have you been?"
Riley rolled her eyes. "I have been walking around the city, WuFei. And guys, this is Solo." She looked over her shoulder at the small boy.
The boy looked around her to the four boys and Relena. He shook his head stubbornly and ducked behind her again. Riley sighed.
Duo bent down to Solo's level. "Solo, they won't hurt you. They're my friends, and Riley's too."
Solo nodded. "Promise?"
"Promise."
Solo let go of Riley's legs and walked out to stand between she and Duo. He looked up at the others, looking them all over carefully.
"Well?" Trowa pressed, waiting for an answer.
"This is Solo," Riley continued. "He lives on the streets by himself."
"And so you brought him here?" Quatre asked in disbelief.
"Riley, you know you can't take care of him," Trowa said. "There is too much going on right now."
Riley groaned. "You think I don't know that? I know it's dangerous and I also know it's equally dangerous in the city, living on your own. Solo is only five, younger than I was when I first started to live on the streets, and it was dangerous then. It's even worse nowadays."
"Still," Trowa replied.
Riley glared at him, surprising him and the others. "He isn't leaving," she growled.
Solo tugged at Riley's arm, hoping to get her attention. "Riley," he called softly.
Riley looked down at him. "What?"
"Don't get upset. You'll make me upset."
Riley smiled. "Don't worry about it. I'm fine."
Heero looked at Duo. "And what about you? You let her bring the kid."
"I'm behind her all the way," he said easily.
"You are?" Riley asked in surprise. "In the park you were reacting the same way as they are."
Duo shrugged. "Now I see your view of things." He turned to the others. "Heero, you've mostly been with Dr. J your whole life and he is practically all you know, right?" Heero shrugged. "And Trowa, you've been with the circus and your trainer. WuFei has been with his people and Meiran. Quatre, well, you were born into a rich family and you had your family and instructor your whole life. Now, can any of you tell me what's it like to actually live on the streets for months at a time?" No one said anything. "There you have it then. None of you do; only Riley, Solo, and I do. Riley has had it worse than me on the streets, so she of all people knows the worst part about living out there. I do too, and if Riley hadn't found Solo, what do you think would happen to him? I'll tell you what would happen. He could be killed, hurt, captured, and a million other things could happen. Now, if none of you can see our view, then you are more thick-headed and cold hearted than I thought."
Riley looked down at her boots as Duo finished his 'speech'. Solo looked up at her and smiled reassuringly. Not wanting to be in there a minute longer, Riley said to Solo, "Are you hungry?"
His face brightened. "Yeah!"
"I'll take you out to eat. Does pizza sound good?"
The boy's face scrunched up. "What's pizza?"
Duo stared down at him, a horrified expression on his face. "How can you not know what pizza is? Okay, Riley and I are showing you the finer foods in the food pyramid."
Riley took one glance at her brother, who was watching her. She only smiled at him half-heartedly and took Solo's hand. Solo then grabbed Duo's hand and started running back out of the mansion, pulling Riley and Duo with him.
15. Bringing Back the Past
Disclaimer: Again???
Chapter Fifteen
The world seemed to spin around her as she slowly gained consciousness. She groaned, pushing herself up against the cold hard wall. She cracked her eyes opened and looked around. Concrete walls, a large iron gate with a lock, a lumpy cot, and no lighting. She sighed. "Great, another prison cell," she grumbled. "My luck gets better and better."
"I see you're finally awake," a cool and collected voice said from the other side of the gate.
Vienna jumped in surprise and looked through the bars so she could see the person on the other side. Her eyes narrowed. "Katana Rosco, I should have known. And how are you? Terrible, I hope."
Katana smirked. "Quite the opposite actually. But if it cheers you up a bit, my two men only found you, not your friend. She wasn't in her guest room that night." She pulled a wooden chair up to the gate and sat down in it. "But now things get exciting. With you on my hands I can get some things done. Our plan can finally be set in motion." She rubbed her hands together in anticipation.
"If I ask you a question, will you answer it truthfully?" Vienna interrupted.
Katana shrugged. "Depends on the question."
"What do you need Riley and me for? We're only two girls who won't be helpful to you at all. Mobile suits are much more effective."
"Wrong. Look at OZ and White Fang. They used mobile suits and look where it got them. They never achieved what they wanted and now almost all of them are dead except for a few stray men. Mobile suits are bulky and are easily seen. They can be picked up on radar quickly and be destroyed within three minutes. Plus, it's hard getting them past security. Now, human assassins are just as effective but not as easily seen and able to locate." Katana waited for Vienna to say something.
Vienna stared at her. "It's not that easy you know. Once the assassins are captured, what then? And how would you be able to take over the earth and colonies with only two people? You aren't making that much sense."
Katana raised her eyebrows. "I didn't say I would answer three questions." She stood up. "I'll be leaving later tonight so you won't be able to call to speak with me. Your dinner will be down in the next hour, so eat it up. You may not get much more food until I get back. I seem to be the only one who actually cares for your well-being."
"My dinner? It isn't still morning?"
Katana laughed. "No. You've been in this cell since this morning, and you spent all of yesterday in a plane that flew you here to the base. So, in total, you have been gone for almost two days. Good-night Vienna, and enjoy your stay." She turned and walked away, leaving Vienna alone.
Vienna sighed and crawled up onto the cot. She sat down on it and rested her head in her hands. She wasn't tired at all and her mind was reeling. She had so much to think about, such as a way out of there. She looked around again. There were no cracks in the concrete, which to her seemed unusual, no windows, no small holes in the wall or ground, and no object she could use to pick the lock of the gate. She rolled her eyes. "Okay, maybe an escape is a bit out of the question. But where am I? I can't be in any space station 'cause my cell is made of concrete." Just then, she felt a gust of wind blow into her cell. She shivered, rubbing her arms. Where did that come from? She stood up and walked to the gate. She strained to look through the solid bars down the faintly lighted corridor lined with other cells. She looked down the other way and found she was near the end of the corridor, where at the end it took a sharp turn. "Hmm. Could be coming from there, or it could be-" She glanced up and looked around at the ceiling. She sighed; there were no windows on the ceiling. "Dang it. They certainly have me in a tight bottle, don't they?"
She dropped back into the cot and lay down. She put her hands behind her head and stared up at the ceiling. Her gaze drifted to a far corner of the ceiling, and that's when she saw the security camera that focused into the cell. I better watch what I do and say. If I don't, I could be putting me and everyone else in danger.
**---**
Solo stared at his reflection in the mirror, his eyebrows raised. Riley stood behind him smiling. "It's an improvement from the rags you wore before," she said.
Solo nodded. "Yup!"
Earlier, Riley and Duo had bought Solo some clothes when they had taken him out for pizza, along with other things he would need. They had returned around three in the afternoon, and so far Riley had avoided a confrontation with her brother, but she knew it was only a matter of time before he caught up with her. Now, they were getting ready to have dinner.
Solo tugged on the black t-shirt, smiling. "I like it," he announced. He wore blue jeans with a black belt, a black t-shirt, and gym shoes. He had washed his hair and combed it, so he looked rather nice, and a large improvement than before.
Riley patted his head. "That's good. Now you wait here and I'm going to change in the bathroom. I'll be out in a flash." She turned and headed for the bathroom.
Solo started wandering around the room. It was the room Riley had planned on staying in, only this time the balcony was barred and locked. He came upon Riley's dagger pouch on her bedside table, and he pulled himself up onto the bed and reached for it. He pulled it over and lifted the cover. He peeked inside, his eyes widening. "Wow!" he exclaimed in awe. He pulled a dagger out and admired it. He twisted it this way and that letting the moonlight coming from an open window cast a glow on its sharp blade. He touched the pointed tip of it with his fingertip, and he gasped in shock as his finger was pricked and began bleeding. He accidentally dropped the pouch and the array of daggers fell out onto the floor. The dagger he had been holding was dropped onto the bed as he sucked on his bleeding finger.
Just then, Riley stepped out and saw her daggers on the floor and Solo sitting on her bed. Her eyes widened and she ran over to the boy. She jumped onto the bed and set the dagger on the bed aside. She pulled Solo close and pulled his finger out of his mouth. She inspected it and smiled. "It didn't harm you too much, Solo," she said. "It's nothing a simple band-aid won't fix. Just sit tight and I'll grab one." She reached into her bedside desk drawer and removed a first aid kit. She flipped open the top and took out a band-aid. She wrapped it around Solo's little finger. "All better."
Solo looked at it and smiled at her. "Thanks, Riley."
"It's okay, just don't play with my daggers anymore, okay? No one's allowed to touch them." She grabbed the dagger he had pricked his finger on and looked at it. She smiled softly.
Solo looked at it and shrugged. "Stupid dagger," he stated.
Riley shook her head. "This dagger is special to me, actually."
"Why?" he asked.
"When my mom first started teaching me how to throw knives and daggers, she gave this to me as a present."
Solo looked up at her. "I thought you didn't have a mommy."
Riley smiled. "Both of us did once. Mine died when I was six years old, and my mom started teaching me when I was four, so that's how I got it."
"Oh."
Riley got down on the floor and began gathering all her daggers together. When she finished putting them all back, she set the pouch back on the table. "Come on then. Let's see how much longer it'll take for dinner to be ready."
"Okay!" Solo exclaimed. "I sure am hungry, even if I did eat all that pizza stuff!" He ran for the open door and ran out.
Riley smiled and hurried after him. She walked out into the hall and saw her brother standing across the hall. She frowned. "How long have you been standing there?" she asked.
"Long enough," he replied. He glanced at Solo as he disappeared down the staircase. "You really care about that boy, don't you?"
Riley sighed and leaned against the doorframe. "Yeah. He reminds me of myself, only much younger." She looked up at him. "What is wrong with you guys, anyway? It's as if none of you trust me anymore. The only person who seems to is Duo, and even he didn't when he first saw the boy."
Trowa stared at her. "Riley, I do trust you, but I think you're getting in over your head."
"Maybe I am, but I don't care," she replied. "Solo needs me and I'm willing to help him."
"But you can't always be there for him," Trowa pointed out. "What happens when the World Rebellion do find you and capture you? What will the boy do and think then? You're there one second, totally giving your all to him, and the next your completely gone and he's alone again. All you are doing is making it harder on yourself and him."
Riley closed her eyes and shook her head. "If only you knew how terrible it is out there," she whispered.
"Then tell me, Riley," Trowa said, his voice getting higher. "Tell me how awful it is. I already know how bad it is out there, but obviously you seem to know a ton more than I do, so go on. Fill me in with it all. I would like to know your point of view."
Riley looked at him and he noticed silent tears threatening to fall. He felt his growing anger burn away. She shook her head. "It's funny. You're my brother and yet you know so little about me." A tear ran down her cheek. "Do you even know what I went through on the streets? Or how I survived the rock avalanche that night our parents died? Do you know anything?"
He didn't reply.
She sighed and folded her arms across her chest. "Look, I don't think you want to hear what I went through on the streets, but I will say that the only reason I can stand and talk to you now is because of a boy older than me named Solo, another orphan who lived on the streets while I did. The only reason I lived through the rock avalanche was because our dad moved to the far left where the avalanche seemed to be moving away from and threw himself over me." She cocked her head to the side. "Don't you see? So many people have protected me from harm. Now it's my turn to protect someone else."
Trowa stared at her and began shaking his head. "He can stay, but you are totally responsible for him."
Riley smiled. "That's fine. I already knew that."
"You'll have to tell him what's going on so he doesn't get worried about you," Trowa said.
Riley bit her lip. "He's kinda young, don't ya think?"
Trowa shrugged. "Then explain it in a way he would understand."
"All right." She smiled. "Thanks, bro. I feel better knowing you aren't completely against me now."
He didn't say anything. He looked into her room and then back at her. "I didn't know you still had that dagger that Mom gave you."
Riley smiled. "Of course."
"How do you still have it? I thought it was lost in the fire."
Riley shook her head. "While Mom and Dad were in the arena during the show, and you and Cathrine were practicing for your act, I was outside of the big tent trying to do a trick with that dagger. When the fire began burning and screams filled the air, I stuck the knife in my boot where it would be safe." She glanced at her watch. "We better be getting down to dinner. It'll be starting in a minute or so."
**---**
Vienna drummed her fingers on her knees, waiting. She sighed for the umpteenth time and closed her eyes. She dreamed she was back with her brother and sister-in-law again, and the three of them were hanging out and having fun with Riley and the others. She snorted. Some dream.
The sound of keys clanging together and heavy footsteps on the ground outside her cell brought her back to the present and she waited for the person to step into view. It was a man with a beard; he opened the cell just enough for him to put the tray inside the cell door before slamming it shut. Vienna stared at him as if he was drunk. "I don't bite," she grumbled.
The man sneered at her and stomped away. She rolled her eyes and went to get the tray. She reached down to pick it up and a hand grabbed her wrist. She squeaked in surprise, stumbling backwards and landing heavily on her butt. She took a deep breath as an old man came into view. He was crouched on the floor staying as hidden as he could in the shadows. She saw him motion for her to come closer. She did but kept her guard up. She bent down low so she could hear the man.
"Are you Vienna Chang?" he whispered.
She nodded. "Who are you?"
"A friend. I will help as much as I can. Wait here a second." The man disappeared again and soon reappeared, this time standing and reaching up to the security camera. He did something to it quickly. "You can stand up now," he said.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" she asked again, standing up, carrying the tray.
The man smiled. "You can call me Jack. I'm a friend."
Vienna glanced up at the security camera. "What did you do to the camera?"
"I disabled it. Now it can't record what you say and do, so I can say things to you freely. We don't have to worry about them coming to exchange it because no one dares to come in your cell." He chuckled.
"Why not?"
"All most everyone is afraid of you. They've heard of how strong and smart you are, and so they don't want to get close to you."
"Idiots," she said smiling.
"Yes, they are. I am here to give you and your friends aid. I can't get you out, but I can give you information. If you tell me where your friends are, I can send them all the information they will need on the bases of the World Rebellion and anything else they might want."
Vienna frowned. "How do I know I can trust you?"
Jack hesitated. He reached down into his sock and removed a silver locket. He handed it to Vienna. "I've hidden this secret for the past few years. Don't tell any of your friends about it. Not any of them at all, you hear me?"
Vienna nodded and opened the heart shaped locket. Inside was a small picture of two girls and a boy. Vienna's brow furrowed trying to figure out who they were. She looked at the man. He sighed. "Wait a second." He bent his head, and after a few seconds of waiting, Vienna noticed he was removing contacts from his eyes. When he looked up and stared into her eyes, she gasped in shock. Those eyes- they were so hauntingly familiar.
She smiled, remembering why. "I'm with you all the way, Jack," she said.
He smiled back. "Good." He slipped the contacts back in, causing his eyes to transfer back to brown.
Vienna held the locket out to him, but he shook his head. "You hold onto it and give it to them when you see them again."
She nodded. "My friends are staying in the Peacecraft mansion with Relena. All the boys are there, and so is Riley."
Jack nodded. "Got it. Here is some information you might want to look over. Also, here is a letter to you from me, explaining a matter you may want to know, but I don't have the time to explain it now. Read it and keep an open mind. I've got to go, Vienna. Take care and make certain no one sees the information I'm giving you."
Vienna took the papers he gave her and smiled at him. "You can count on me."
"Good. Take care, Vienna. Oh, and I'll see if I can bring you decent meals from now on." With that said, he disappeared down the hall. Vienna sat there until she couldn't hear him anymore and she then put all the papers on her tray and went to the cot. She got as comfortable as she possibly could and began reading.
**---**
That night, Riley lay in her bed wide-awake. She had been lying there for the past hour, but she just couldn't fall asleep. She glanced at the balcony to make sure it was locked tight. It was. She sighed and rolled onto her right side so her back was to the balcony. She looked down and saw Solo sleeping on a cot a foot from her bed. He looked like a little cub warm in his den. She smiled. "Now he can finally sleep safely," she whispered to herself. "He doesn't have to keep awake so he doesn't get ambushed." Her smile drifted away, and a memory from years ago came to mind.
**-FLASHBACK-**
The dark streets of the city seemed to be completely empty of people, but it was covered in shadows. Riley wandered down an empty sidewalk alone, her green eyes wide with fear. She looked around. The wind blew at a street sign, causing it to creak. She jumped and scurried to the doorway of a shop. She huddled in the corner, watching. She felt her eyes start to droop. They closed and she slept for only a few minutes before another sound met her ears. Her eyes popped open and she looked around again. She didn't see anything. She bit her lip as it began to tremble.
She gasped in fright as she heard the sound of someone breathing close by. She pulled her knees closer to her chest and watched.
A shadow fell across her feet, slowly growing bigger. She whimpered quietly, a tear starting to make its way down her face. She didn't dare look up, afraid of what she may see. The breathing got louder until she could feel it on her cheek. She shrank back against the shop doorway. A hand reached out and grabbed her arm. It slowly began to pull her out from her hiding place.
**-*-**
Riley sat straight up in the bed breathing heavily. She closed her eyes and her head dropped into her hands. Suddenly she felt a hand on her arm and she leapt away. The other person stepped back. She heard it sniff. Riley reached over and snapped on the bedside lamp. The small light lit up the face of the intruder. Solo. His face was wide with fear and worry as he stared at her. "Riley?" he asked hesitantly.
She let out the breath she had been holding. "I'm sorry Solo. I just had a bad dream, that's all."
Solo smiled slightly. "So did I. I dreamed someone was trying to get me and take me away from you and Duo." A tear started to fall down his cheek.
Riley patted the bed. "Come up here," she said. He crawled up beside her and Riley put her arms around him. "I had a dream somewhat like yours. Guess you and I are quite a pair, huh?"
Solo looked up at her and smiled. She smiled back.
**---**
Duo glanced at his watch. It was going on eleven A.M., and Riley and Solo hadn't come downstairs yet. He sighed, looking at the door as if he could conjure them up with a thought. He heard Quatre laughing quietly behind him in a chair by the burning fire. He glanced at him with an annoyed stare. "What's so funny?" he asked.
"You," Quatre replied. "You're acting like a mother hen. I promise you, Riley and the kid are just sleeping. Trowa checked on them only ten minutes ago. You were here when he came in and told us."
He shrugged. "I wasn't really paying much attention."
"What else is new?" WuFei grumbled from across the room.
Duo glared at him. "Who asked you, Wu-man?"
WuFei glared back at him. "Will you stop calling me that? My name is WuFei, not Wu-man, or any other idiotic nickname you can come up with."
Duo looked over at Heero sitting at the table by a window. He had his laptop set up again. "Hey Heero, what are you doing this time?"
Heero ignored him.
"Earth to Mr. Perfect Soldier," Duo called. "I'm talking to you."
His answer was a distinct, "hn". Duo threw his hands into the air. "Fine. Let's just have everyone irritate me today. The only person who hasn't yet is Trowa."
Trowa, who was reading a book, looked up. He looked at Duo, shook his head and went back to reading.
Duo slumped in his seat. "A perfect record."
"What are you complaining about now Duo?" Riley asked from the doorway.
He looked up with a sudden jerk and smiled. "Good morning, Riley." He waved at Solo. "Hey little buddy."
Quatre smiled. "Sure, he gets cheerful and nice when she comes in." WuFei smirked.
Riley ignored their comments and walked right over to Heero. "What are you looking up?" she asked looking over his shoulder.
"Trying to find the whereabouts of where they could be keeping Vienna," he replied.
Riley raised an eyebrow. "All that jumble of numbers and letters is information?" Heero nodded. Riley smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "And that's why I leave the searching stuff up to you. Heaven knows I can't do it." She turned and looked around at everyone. "All of you are bumps on a log," she stated suddenly. "The only person who is actually doing anything to help around here is Heero. Come up, up on your feet you guys. Be useful. Trowa, you're kinda good with computers, you help Heero out. Quatre, I want you and WuFei to see if you can scrape up any information on unusual occurrences, places being built, basically anything that could be significant. Solo, can you stay here with Heero and Trowa and maybe get them anything they may need?"
He nodded, a proud smile on his face. "I can do that. Leave it up to me."
She nodded and gave him a mock salute. "Good job, Captain Solo," she said, feeling as if she had just popped out of a Star Wars movie.
"And what about me?" Duo asked, standing up.
Riley smiled. "You're coming with me."
**---**
Vienna heard people coming long before she saw them. Stowing the papers and such in the small pillow she had been given and putting that under the cot, she stood to wait. Five men came into view; Jack was one of them. He opened the gate and stepped inside. He pulled a pair of handcuffs out and motioned for her to hold her hands out. She did and he snapped them on.
Vienna already knew what his job was in the World Rebellion. He had created the control device that would be used on she and Riley, if they ever caught her. That was what he had explained in the note he had given her. Even though he had created the enemies main weapon against her, she still trusted him because of who he really was. He smiled at her encouragingly.
"What's going on?" she whispered under her breath.
He winced. "They're testing the control device, and you're the person they're testing it on."
Authors note: Hey everyone! Phew! It took me forever to get this chapter done. I've been sick with the chicken pox, and ideas just seemed to fly into my mind as I sat on the couch watching stupid TV shows during the long days.
In this chapter, I know Trowa was rather out-of-character, seeing as he talked a ton more, and he got a bit angry. I thought I would explain this to you guys though. (1) If you haven't noticed, Trowa is much more open and more talkative, which is because Riley (his sister) is back, and he is slowly growing to be his old self, as he was before his family was broken up. (2) Trowa gets angry now because it is dealing with his sister, who is in danger and putting herself in harms way. He lost her once and he doesn't want to lose her again.
Well, I think that about clears it up. Have any more questions, I am willing to answer them.
**Please note that I wrote this story last year, and most of the author notes are old.
16. Allies or Foes?
Authors note: Me again. On to chapter sixteen we go! Well, this certainly is turning into a long story, and I haven't even gotten to the climax yet.hmmm.. I wanted this story to be a long one, and I guess it will be.Goodie!
Disclaimer: Must I right this again? I write it in every chapter! Er, rather.
Chapter Sixteen
Riley glanced at her watch again and groaned. "Aw, cummon, Jake. Today of all days you just had to be late."
"Kind of reminds me of you," Duo commented from his leaning position against the brick wall of a restaurant. "You're never on time, either."
Riley glared at him. "Neither are you, Maxwell."
For once, Duo didn't reject to being called by his last name, for he noticed a ruggedly handsome man wearing a bright red shirt running across the street toward them. He raised his eyebrows questioningly and looked at Riley. She smiled at the man who stopped in front of her. "Jake, it's been too long," she greeted giving him a hug.
The man smiled crookedly and returned the hug. "Definitely. Well, you certainly are getting prettier the more I see you." His eyes began to look her over.
Riley snorted and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, as in turning into a thorny rose, perhaps." She noticed what Jake was doing and suddenly remembered all the cautious feelings she had had against Jake before, and they were easily returning.
Jake looked around, not noticing Duo watching him closely. "Did Vienna not come with you? Normally the two of you are inseparable."
Riley folded her arms across her chest. "Actually, she couldn't make it. She's kind of.locked up in something at the moment." She wasn't lying. Vienna probably was locked up in something, like a prison cell.
Jake shrugged. "Too bad. So, what did you call me for on such late notice?"
Riley smiled. "We can talk about that later when we get inside the restaurant, but at the moment I would like for you to meet my friend, Duo Maxwell."
Jake looked at Duo and stared at him suspiciously. "Have we met before?" he asked cautiously.
Behind Jake, Riley shook her head madly at Duo. He noticed it but didn't look as if he had. "No, I don't believe we have. If we have before, I would have most certainly remembered you."
Jake nodded. "Right, and how did you come to meet Riley?"
Riley stepped forward. "Let's be going inside. I'm hungry, and we have much to talk about."
Jake shook off the suspicious feelings he had against the young man and switched back to his regular self. He smiled. "Yes, of course." He walked to the restaurants door and held it open for Riley. She walked through and then turned around to wait for Jake and Duo. Duo, expecting Jake to continue to hold the door open for him, was about to walk through when Jake turned and stepped inside, letting the door go. Riley noticed and slapped the door open again just in time to save Duo from hitting the glass. She smiled at him apologetically and mouthed a 'sorry'. He frowned at Jake and shrugged it off.
Riley and Duo walked into the foyer of the restaurant to find Jake already flirting with one of the waitresses. Riley rolled her eyes.
"Please tell me he isn't one of your old boyfriends?" Duo asked in her ear.
"Far from it," Riley replied through gritted teeth.
"Right," Duo muttered. He stayed back as Riley went to get Jake. I don't trust that guy, he thought. Something about him isn't right.
--***--
Vienna was tossed into her prison cell in an exhausted heap. She grunted as her weak body hit the cold and rough concrete floor. She lay there as the soldiers walked away laughing. She was shaking uncontrollably and her muscles were tired and weak. She sighed faintly and cracked her eyes open. She knew where she was, but she couldn't get her vision to focus. She weakly reached up and rubbed her eyes. She used what energy she had left to put herself in a sitting position, and dropped back against the concrete wall. She tried to recollect what had been going on for the past five hours, but it all seemed to slip away before she could catch it. In defeat, she let her head drop back against the wall. She felt herself falling asleep, but the sound of someone hitting the gate brought her back to reality. Right then she didn't care who it was, but whoever was interrupting her sleep would be in big trouble.
"Vienna, are you awake?" a quiet voice called from the other side of the bars.
Vienna opened her eyes and rotated them so she was looking at the interrupter. "Yes, Jack, though I wish I was asleep right now. I feel as if I've worked my butt off, but I don't remember a blasted thing."
Jack nodded. "Yeah, I know. You'll feel like this until your body gets accustomed to the control device."
Vienna's eyes popped open and she looked squarely at Jack. "That's why I'm so tired?"
He nodded. " Yes." He went on explaining. "When the device takes over, it flows through your veins and such so it can completely control you. Nothing different really happens to your outer appearance, except for your eye colour."
"My eye colour?" she echoed.
Jack nodded. "Yes, take a look." He removed a small mirror from one of his coat pockets and held it out to Vienna. "Look at your eyes."
Vienna reached out and took the mirror. She held it up so she could look at her eyes. She gasped and her eyes widened. She looked closer in the mirror until all she could see in the mirror was her left eye. "Oh my gosh! My eyes are green! Is that possible?"
"It is if you're under that device's control. Don't worry. Your new eye colour fades within the hour after your brain gains control of your body again. Something in the currents causes it to change. That's the only way any one can tell if you are under the device's control or not. If your eyes are a colour other than brown, then your friends will know to stay away."
Vienna frowned and handed him back the mirror. "This is too weird. How about you explain to me exactly how the device works."
"Raphael is calling it the M.C.D, standing for Mind Control Device. He obviously lacks an imagination," Jack added in. "Anyways, the M.C.D is hooked up to the main computers where Raphael and Katana can easily reach it. Now, the way it actually works is simple. On the side of it there is a control panel that looks like your typical keyboard with a small screen above it, set into the framework of the machine. To actually gain control of someone, that person has to have a disc inside them that is programmed to connect with the device, otherwise it won't work. Each disc, and there are only three that are working, have a different code that needs to be logged into the machine's memory before it can actually connect with the disc. Once that is done, you press a button and the device sends out readings to the disc. When the disc and device connect, the disc will send brain waves to your brain, which basically causes it to shut down and let the device take control.
"Now that your body is taken over, whoever wants control over you just has to slip a band on their wrist. The band is just like any other bracelet you may have. It snaps right on. But, whoever wears the band is the only person who can command you about. Anyone without it can't do anything to you. They can yell at you to do something and you won't do it. When no one is wearing the band but the disc and machine are still controlling you, you act like any other human being. Walk around, eat, do whatever you want basically, but once the band is put on someone's wrist again and they tell you to do something, you'll drop whatever you were doing before to do what they command. "
Vienna nodded, trying to soak it all in. It was all adding on to the large headache she already had.
"Also, there is a turbo button you will need to know of. If they ever use turbo on you or Riley, both of you are in grave danger. The turbo will double your strength and speed from what it is without it, which makes you far from stoppable. Since you are being overworked far beyond normal, when the connection is cut, you might be so overworked your heart just can't take it. It can give out and you will die. It may not happen, but your chance of living after being on turbo is a 4 of 10 chance."
She closed her eyes. "You've told me all the negative thoughts, so tell me: is there any other way, other than turning off the M.C.D manually, that anyone could break the bonds between the disc and device?"
"None that I know of, but we haven't tested that yet, and I know they never will." He suddenly smiled. "You sure gave Katana a hard time, though."
"What do you mean?" Vienna wondered.
"When Katana programmed the M.C.D. to make contact with the disc inside you, she expected it to take control over you instantly, but it didn't. You're stronger mentally than physically, and so when it tried to make contact, you fought it with your mind. You struggled with it for almost five minutes. Katana got mad at me and demanded to know why it wasn't working. I simply told her that some people are stronger mentally than most and that these few can fight against the connection from actually happening. You were one of those few."
Vienna rubbed her forehead. "So, this is a good thing then?"
Jack shook his head. "If they put you on turbo it isn't good. A person, such as yourself, who is stronger mentally, normally is a bit weaker in strength. If a person like this is put on turbo, their chance of surviving after is 2 out of 10, rather than 4 out of 10."
She dropped her head into her hands, suddenly weaker. "What about Riley? Is she the same way?"
He shrugged. "I doubt it. From what I've noticed, you are much smarter than she is. Your intelligence level is over twenty times higher than hers. Your way of thinking is far advanced than it should be. It may be the same, if not higher, than that of the Gundam pilot Heero Yuy."
Vienna's eye's widened. Higher than Heero's? That was almost impossible!
"I should be going," Jack said suddenly. "Someone is bound to be searching for me. I'll come check on you later. And so you know, I'm planning on sending some information out to your friends, so they will know about what's going on with you. I'll bring you some food later."
Vienna nodded dumbly. She had much to think about.
--***--
A cold glass of soda was slid across the table to Riley. She caught it and waited for the waitress to leave. The waitress lingered a bit longer than she should have, considering the fact Jake was flirting like crazy.
Duo cleared his throat loudly, hoping to get Jake's attention. Jake ignored him. Duo looked at Riley in frustration. She sighed and rolled her eyes. "He's always like this," she whispered to him. "Sometimes he's even worse."
"Worse?" Duo snorted. "He can't get much worse."
Riley raised her eyebrows. "Oh, yes he can. Sometimes he gets a little touchy, and then-" She trailed off. "Now do you see why I brought you, though?"
He nodded, glaring at Jake. "Why do we need his help if he's nothing but a big rat?"
"He always knows everything about anything, so I figured he may know something about the World Rebellion."
"And are you sure we can trust this guy? He isn't against us in any way, is he?"
"I don't think so. He's never worked for any group that was against us."
Duo nodded. "Okay then. Try to get his attention. The other's won't wait for us forever."
"Yeah." Riley kicked Jake under the table in the shin. He grunted and glared at Riley sharply. She smiled sweetly at the waitress. "When we're ready to order we'll call for you."
The petite waitress nodded and hurried away.
Jake frowned. "What did you do that for?"
She glared back at him. "We don't have time for you to make all the women swoon all over you."
He smirked. "You haven't yet."
Riley nodded. "And I never will, so drop it."
Duo could sense her anger rising quickly and he could easily see why. This guy was getting on his nerves as well. Jake crossed his arms on the table and stared evenly at Riley. "Fine then. What do you want to talk about then?"
Duo frowned. This guy acts as if I'm not even here. He seems to focus only on Riley.
"We have some questions for you," Riley started.
"Ask away," Jake replied. "I have all the time in the world."
Two hours later, Riley decided to call it quits. They had gotten all the information out of Jake as they possibly could, and it wasn't much at all. She stacked their plates and checked the price of their bill. "Okay, everyone chip in your amount," she said. She and Duo put their money together and Duo reached out to take Jake's.
Jake shrugged. "I don't have any money with me."
Duo rolled his eyes and paid Jake's amount due; he put all the bills in one stack. He waved the waitress over and gave her the money. "We better be going, Riley. The other's will start worrying soon."
She looked at her watch. "Yeah, you're right." She smiled at Jake. "It was nice seeing you again, Jake. Thanks for your help."
He returned the smile. "Sure. Maybe we can get together later?" he hinted.
"I have ton's of things to do," she said quickly. "And I'm not even sure how much longer I'll be in town, but I'll be sure to get together with you some other time."
"Okay then," he said, standing to his feet. "I'll take your word for it."
Duo also stood. Riley did likewise. "I'll be seeing you around, Jake," Riley said.
Duo forced a smile at him. "Maybe we'll meet again," he said politely.
Jake's face darkened. "I'm sure we will," he said with a menacing tone. "I'm sure we will."
--***--
Katana strode down the hallway of the World Rebellion's headquarters in the Arctic, a smirk fixed on her face. She neared the main office where her leader, Raphael Baltimore, was at that moment. She double-checked to make sure her weapon was there before pushing a button beside the door of the office.
Above the door a small camera fixed on her for a moment before the doors opened, signifying Raphael had admitted her. She stepped inside and smiled warmly at the man standing behind his grand oak desk.
Raphael smiled, his dark brown eyes staring at her. "Hello, Rosco. I thought you had gone to the base facility in space."
Katana clasped her hands behind her back, dangerously close to a metal object tucked into the waistline of her pants. "I had planned on it, but something came up."
Raphael raised his eyebrow. "Such as? Nothing should be keeping you from a job I assigned."
Katana's hands grasped the metal object and removed it from the waistline of her pants, but she kept it hidden behind her back. "I know, sir, but there have been a change of plans." She began walking forward to the desk slowly, closer and closer. Raphael didn't notice that her smile was more venomous than ever before.
He frowned. "Then would you mind explaining what these change of plans are?"
She looked around leisurely. "Is this room soundproof?" she asked nonchalantly. She already knew the room was, but she wanted to remind Raphael of the minor fact.
Now Raphael was more confused and hesitant than ever. "Yes, why?" He felt his hands instinctively going to the pistols on his desk.
With a flash, Katana had a gun in her hand, aiming it at Raphael's head. "If you even try to reach for a weapon, I'll shoot."
Raphael pulled his hand back, glaring at her. "Come on, Katana, what is this? Put that gun away. You and I aren't enemies."
She snickered. "Oh, I'm afraid we are," she said. "As I said before, there has been a change in plans, and you just didn't make the cut. A new leader is needed; a person who knows what she is doing."
"Katana, killing me won't get you anywhere. Everyone will know about this. They'll come after you."
Katana clucked her tongue. "Tsk, tsk. I'm afraid you're wrong. No one will be coming after me." She began to circle around the desk. "As you said minutes before, this office is soundproof. Not to mention the fact everyone thinks I'm gone. No one will hear the shot, no one will hear you beg, and no one will guess it was me. To everyone in this base, I am on a shuttle flying to one of our other main bases." She smiled, cocking the gun. "I'm afraid all your hopes are down the drain, sir. No one will help you."
Raphael stared at the gun warily and then at her. "I knew you were blood thirsty," he growled angrily.
"Hm. You forget power hungry," she said. She placed the barrel of the gun against his temple. "So bye-bye to your short lived power, and say hello to the new leader, Katana Rosco."
-------
The bright yellow taxi pulled up to the front gate of the Peacecraft estate, and Riley pushed the left passenger door open. She stepped out and shut the door behind her. Duo came around from the other side and went to the taxi driver's window to pay their fee.
While Duo was paying and chatting, Riley was gazing around her casually. The trees overhead were bare from the winter weather, and no birds could be seen from where she stood. She folded her arms across her chest, a cold breeze picking up. She sighed and noticed the puff of air that appeared as she breathed out. Suddenly, she noticed in a tall bush the faint color of red between the branches. She acted as if she had not noticed, but her eyes were watching from the corner of her eye. The color moved slightly, and then she caught a quick glimpse of what might have been a hand. She frowned. Someone is over there, watching us, she thought. I'll bet it's a Rebellion soldier. She shook her head. It can't be a soldier. They wear uniforms that are black, not red.
"Ready to go in?" Duo asked her.
She nodded, smiling. "Yeah. I was just waiting for you."
They walked inside together through the gate. As they passed through, Riley glanced into the bushes and saw that the person was gone. She sighed inwardly. She had been hoping to catch him and ask him a few questions. To her surprise, Duo took her hand and pulled her quickly to the door. He didn't let her hand go until they were inside and the door was shut. She looked at him, her gaze questioning. "What did you do that for?"
He looked through a window next to the door. "Someone was watching us. I'm not sure whom, but I have an idea. I wanted to get you in here just in case."
"You saw him too?" she asked.
He looked at her. "You saw him?"
She smirked. "I may not be a Gundam pilot, Duo, but that doesn't mean I'm not capable of caring for myself."
He let the curtain drop back over the window. "I know that."
"Riley!" Solo yelled, running out of a door nearby. He jumped into her out stretched arms.
"Hey buddy. What've you been doing?" she asked him.
He smiled. "I've been helpin' your brother and Heero like you told me to."
Duo ruffled the boy's hair. "Aren't you the little helper?"
Duo and Riley set aside their thoughts about the intruder outside and went to see the others. Heero was still on his laptop, Quatre and Trowa were looking through newspapers they had found in Relena's office, and WuFei was nowhere to be seen.
Trowa looked up at them when they walked in. "Where have you two been?"
Riley set Solo back down on the floor. "We met up with an old friend of mine. I thought he might have heard something about the Rebellion. He's one of those people who hangs out in bars and knows just about anything that is talked about."
"Did he have any information?" Quatre asked.
She shook her head, dropping down onto the couch. "Nothing that we didn't already know." Solo crawled up onto the couch next to her.
Duo leaned against the doorframe. "Did you guys find anything?" The three boys shook their heads.
Riley sighed. "We're getting nowhere," she mumbled.
"Is there anything I can help you with?" Relena asked, walking into the room smiling.
Riley glanced at her distastefully before closing her eyes. "If we can't find anything, the very idea that you will is a complete miracle."
Relena glanced at her. "Actually, I have helped out Heero many times. Isn't that right, Heero?"
At his laptop, Heero grunted. Relena took that as a yes. She smiled. "See?"
Riley rolled her eyes. "Relena, forget it. If we need your help, we'll ask for it."
"Alright then. I'll be up in my office if you need me." Riley stuck her tongue out at Relena as she walked away.
"Relena isn't that bad, Riley," Quatre said. "She's quite nice if you get to know her, but you aren't giving her a chance."
Riley opened her eyes and looked at Quatre quizzically. "Whose side are you on?"
Quatre shrugged. "No ones. I'm just saying that Relena isn't the little miss perfect you take her to be."
Riley snorted. "She's rich, she's a pain, she's a sad little puppy dog, and she acts to darn goody-goody. If you ask me, all those reasons are good enough to dislike her. Plus, she won't leave Heero alone. I guess I should tell her he's taken."
Heero looked at her sharply, giving her one of his death glares. She just laughed. "Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about, Yuy."
Solo looked up at her. "What are you talking about?"
"Nothing you need to worry about, Solo. It's nothing you would understand quite yet."
-------
From outside the window, standing in the shadows, he watched Riley laugh as she watched a young man with a braid chase a young kid around the room. He continued to watch as the young kid squealed and jumped onto Riley's lap. She held him tight and pretended to ward off the kid's 'predator'. A small smile crossed his face. "This could definitely be very helpful information."
-------
Katana kicked her feet up on her new desk and smirked. She gazed around the office, dwelling in her victory and promotion. Lying at the base of the swivel chair lay the dead body of Raphael, whom had a pool of blood surrounding his head. A large bullet hole was in the center of his temple, from which the blood was coming. She glanced down at it, causing her smile to widen. She had always hated that man, and now her revenge against him was complete. Now, there was only one other person she had to take care of. Oh, how she couldn't wait for the day when Vienna would meet her doom.
The feel of her cellular phone vibrating against her hip caused her to abandon her thoughts and answer the phone. She smiled when she heard the voice of one of her spies. "What do you have?" she asked.
She heard a low laugh before he replied. "I think I have the answer to your problem. What if I was to tell you that we have a connection that would bring both Riley Barton and a Gundam pilot into your very hands?"
17. Course Of Attack
Authors Note: A new chapter!! After a long writers block, and after finally getting back into this story, I'm ready to continue it!
Disclaimer: I don't own GW. Riley and Vienna and all the others characters you've most likely never heard of, are mine.
Chapter Seventeen
She couldn't sleep. Her mind was far too troubled to even think about sleeping. And so, standing in the midst of Relena's garden, Riley gazed about expressionless. In the moonlight, the garden seemed like a lover's dream with the red roses and carnations, the blooming willow tree off in the far corner, and the small pond in the garden's center. She knew the flowers would soon be gone due to the cold weather that was late that year, and the pond would freeze up not long after.
Stepping up to the pond, she dipped her hand in and scooped up a small pool of water in her cupped hand. She looked into it and stared at her small, wavering reflection. She frowned. Her eyes were so dull nowadays. The only time she actually felt like her old self was when she was around Solo. Over the past three days, he had become like a son to her, if you wanted to go that far. The two of them had grown so close, and Solo had grown to trust her completely, Duo as well. If Solo wasn't hanging around Riley, he would be off with Duo. And, though she wouldn't admit it, she and Duo had become like parents to him. If anything happened to Solo, she would kill herself for not protecting him. As of yet, he still didn't know about what was going on. Trowa had continued to remind her, but she was always putting it off. She didn't want to worry the kid.
A slight breeze blew at her and some of the water flowed over the top of her fingers. She spread her fingers and let the cold water run through them. She had let Vienna slip through her fingers, and she wouldn't allow the same to happen to Solo.
With a growl, she grabbed a stone from nearby and lunged it into the water.
-------
Jack stared at the dead form of what had once been Raphael Baltimore, a shocked look on his face. From what he had heard, Raphael had been found only just that morning in his office, though the physicians said he had been dead since three days ago. Most were saying it was suicide, but Jack knew better.
"Alright, move him out of here," a restrained voice said from beside him. He looked over and recognized Raphael's son. Daryn looked tired and his eyes were desolate, and yet there was something more. Anger, perhaps?
"Everyone out of the way, let them through!" Daryn shouted at the cluster of curious soldiers. He shoved three grown, ten years his senior, out of the way to prove his point.
Jack searched the crowd for the once face he wanted to see. He knew she was there. He could see her name written all over this murder.
------
Early the next morning, Riley woke up earlier than usual after tossing and turning throughout the night, due to a variety of nightmares. Rising quietly so as not to wake Solo, she quickly put on a robe over her pajamas, slippers on her feet, and left the room. Padding down the hallway to the main stairs, she tied her robe securely around her and removed a hair band from within one of its pockets; she tied her hair back in a low ponytail as she started down the stairs. The grandfather clock on the parlour rang out, letting everyone know it was seven in the morning. She winced at the sound -she had always hated noisy clocks.
She found the morning paper sitting on the doorstep, and brought it in with her. As she neared the kitchen, the delicious aroma of coffee wafted to her, causing her footsteps to quicken. When she stepped inside, she was surprised to see WuFei sitting at the center island, staring into his coffee cup. He looked up at her out of the corners of his eyes before turning his gaze back into the murky depths of his black coffee. Knowing WuFei wasn't always thrilled about her company, she turned to leave when she heard him say, "There should be enough coffee left for one more person."
Though surprised, she took it as an invitation to stay and began preparing her own cup of coffee with a lot of creamer and milk. She soon joined WuFei at the island and watched him as he opened the morning's newspaper. He was just starting to read the first page when a white envelope fell out onto the table; it had been hidden within the many pages of the paper. WuFei picked it up and glanced at it. "It's for you," he said, his eyes narrowed, and slid it across the tabletop to her.
"What?" Riley picked it up and looked for a return address -there was none. She sliced it open with her thumbnail and removed its contents. Four sheets of paper had been folded inside, two of which were letters, and the other two were blueprints of some kind. She set the two letters aside and looked at the blueprints.
WuFei bit back a growl of frustration. "Well, what are they?"
Riley looked up at him, surprise written across her face. "They're blueprints of the World Rebellion's two main bases."
------
Vienna stared at the ceiling above her, hands tucked behind her head. She had woken up an hour or so ago and hadn't been able to fall back to sleep. Turning onto her side, she stared at the bars the prevented her escape. She glared at them as if she could force them apart with her mind, but, of course, that couldn't happen. She sighed and closed her eyes.
She imagined she was back in the training room that she and Riley had spent most of their days, building up their strength and improving their skills. She was punching and kicking at a black punching back that hung from the ceiling, and Riley was throwing daggers at a stuffed doll across the room. She paused, breathing heavily, and watched as Riley threw her last dagger. It sliced through the air and hit its mark: in the center of the doll's forehead. Riley smiled at Vienna. "I never miss," she bragged playfully.
Suddenly, Rebellions soldiers stormed in through one of the three doors. Vienna watched in horror as one of them drew a revolver from his holster. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the gun was shot and its bullet hit its mark; Riley fell to the ground, a pool of blood forming around her. "Noo!"
Vienna awoke with a jerk, slamming her head into someone else's. She groaned, holding a hand up to her forehead, and looked to see who had been leaning over her. She recognized the wincing figure a foot from her bed as Jack, and was about to apologize to him when she noticed that he wasn't the only one who had invaded her prison cell; two soldiers were standing at the open door, staring at her coldly.
Jack rubbed his forehead and looked at her with concern. He wanted to know if she was all right, but he knew he couldn't voice his concern in front of Katana's soldiers. She shrugged. He nodded briskly before removing handcuffs from his back pocket and motioned for her to hold her arms out. She did as he wanted and he put on the handcuffs.
Jack looked over at the soldiers. "Let's go," he instructed them, stepping behind Vienna and pushing her onward. She walked ahead of him, the two soldiers in front of her.
Low enough just for Jack to hear, she asked, "What's going on?"
She heard him sigh before replying just as quietly, "A lot's happened. Raphael's been murdered and Katana has taken over." Vienna bit back a shout of indignation and waited for Jack to continue. "She's already taken full control of everything, and she's putting her plan's into motion. Soldiers are being shipped out as we speak to all their stations throughout Earth and the colonies."
"How does she expect to even get started when she doesn't even have Riley yet? And then why does she want me now?"
Jack thought a moment before answering. "I know she has a plan as to how she will capture Riley, but I'm not sure what it is exactly. To answer you're second question, I'm really not sure on that either. All I do is follow orders."
"Do you have any idea why they didn't just activate the machine and connect the discs inside Riley and I while we were at the Peacecraft mansion? I'm guessing they can still give us commands even if we are across the universe, right? So then, why didn't they just do that? It would have been easier than sending out men to capture us."
"You are right, they can give you commands even if they aren't standing before you. In the wrist band there's a small microphone that when they talk into, it sends it straight to your disc. It's sort of like they're speaking to you telepathically.
"The reason they didn't do that in the first place was because of who the two of you were with. Though you and Riley would be stronger than they are, the pilots could still overpower the two of you if they all worked together. If you two were ever alone in the mansion, and Katana knew about it, then she would have done that, but since the pilots were so protective of the two of you, they never let either of you go anywhere alone."
Vienna looked at the two soldiers in front of her; they were talking between themselves now, and seemed to be oblivious to she and Jack's conversation. "I sure hope the guys are being more protective of Riley, then."
Jack nodded grimly. "We better hope so."
-------
Everyone was gathered around the center island, though it had been a tight fit. Heero poured over the first blueprint with careful scrutiny. Quatre was examining the second blueprint, which was of a base in the L3 Colony Cluster. WuFei were reading over the letter that had been included, while Riley was re-reading the small note over and over again. She bit the inside of her lip in an effort to bite back tears of relief, and at the same, tears of agony. The note was from an unknown source -he refused to give a name- and all it told her was of Vienna's location and her well- being.
Solo, who was sitting on Duo's lap, shifted his position and leaned toward, trying to see what she was reading. "Riley, watcha doin'?" he asked, craning his neck.
She looked down at him. "I'm just reading a note from a friend."
"Oh," was the uninterested reply.
Trowa watched the small boy that had captured his sister's heart. He shifted his gaze over to Riley and made eye contact. Without saying a word, he sent her a message. She sighed and looked over at Solo before nodding slowly.
"Solo, come with me a minute," Riley said, getting to her feet. Duo let Solo climb down, and then made a motion, asking if she wanted him to come. She shook her head.
"Where're we going?" Solo asked, reaching up and taking her hand.
"We're going out to the garden for a minute. We'll come back." She led him outside and around the back way to the garden. It was mid-fall, and the wind was chillier than it had been. Absently, she remembered the flowers around her and noticed they were slowly dying. She glanced down at Solo; he wore a simple pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. She could hear his teeth chattering quietly and she could feel him slightly shaking. She quickly took him over to the garden's bench and sat down. She pulled him up onto her lap and hugged him to her in an effort to get him warm. His shaking calmed down a notch and his teeth stopped chattering.
"What is it you wanted to talk about?" he asked.
Riley took a deep breath. "I've been meaning to talk to you for some time, Solo. You see, something is going on with me, and there may come a time that I won't be here for you. I want you to know that I still love you, and no matter where I am, I always will."
Solo looked up at her in puzzlement. "Gone? Why might you leave?"
"Well, one of my friend's is in trouble, and if she needs my help, I'll have to go and help her. That means I won't be here for you."
"What about Duo? Will he still be here?"
"To be completely truthful, Solo, I really don't know. My friend may need Duo's help, too."
"Then where will I go?"
Riley closed her eyes and sighed. She should have known this would be difficult. She should have known this was too much for her to handle on top of everything else. Oh, she hated it when Trowa was right!
Solo tugged on a strand of her hair that had fallen out of its ponytail. "Riley, what's wrong? Something's the matter, I know. Everybody's been acting sad lately, especially you, but I don't know why. Does it deal with your friend who needs help?" He tilted his head back so he could look up at her face. His eyes widened when he saw tears forming in the corners of her eyes. He hugged Riley tightly in an effort to stop her tears. "Riley, don't cry. I'll be fine. If you have to leave, I'll be good. Where ever you need me to go, I'll go, just as long as you're happy."
Riley smiled through her tears and hugged Solo back. "Sometimes I swear you're an angel in disguise, Solo."
"Are you happy now?" he asked sincerely.
Riley chuckled. How had the conversation switched to her well-being?
Solo grinned. "You'll see, I'll be good when you're gone, and when you get home, I'll have a big surprise waiting for you, you'll see! You'll be so happy when you see it!" He jumped down onto the ground and turned back around to face her.
Riley ruffled his hair affectionately, even though she knew he hated it. "You little squirt."
Solo scrunched up his nose and waved her hand away. "Aw, quit it, now was that all?"
Riley shrugged. "I guess. You ready to go back in?"
Solo shivered, and with a decisive nod, he said, "Yes."
The two of them hurried back inside, welcoming the heat once they stepped back inside the mansion. Relena was just heading up the stairs when they came in and she turned around. "You're wanted in the kitchen," she said.
Riley nodded. "Thanks." She bent down to Solo's level. "Solo, do you think you could entertain yourself up in my room for awhile? Duo and I need to talk about some things with the others."
"Does it concern your friend?" Riley nodded, and he shrugged. "Okay then. Come get me when you guys are done though, 'kay?"
"I certainly will. There's paper in the desk drawer if you want to draw." She watched as he ran up the stairs only a few paces behind Relena. Relena jumped out of the way as he came running up behind her, almost toppling her over the side of the railing. Riley bit back a snort and hurried to the kitchen. When the stepped inside, Duo looked up at her and smiled. She returned the smile and sat down on the remaining stool. She leaned forward to see what they were all doing. The blueprint of the base in the Arctic -Granger- was spread out on the table. "That's their headquarters, correct?" she asked, looking at Heero for an answer.
He looked up at her and nodded. "From the note we received, it states that Vienna is here," he said, pointing to a section in the lower level of the base. "There's only one way in and out of the lower holding cells, and its entrance is in the center of one of the main hallways."
"Then we either find uniforms and pretend to be Rebellion soldiers, or cause a major distraction. Either way, there are still risks." Riley sighed and drummed her fingers on the table.
"What other choice do we have?"
For the next few hours, they all planned their course of attack against the two bases and what they would do. The group would be split into three's: WuFei, Quatre, and Duo would attack the Gemini base in the L3 colony cluster, while Heero, Trowa, and Riley would attack the Granger. The date would be exactly a week from that day.
-------
The hallways were dark and not a sound stirred the air. The outline of a woman disappeared down another hall, her actions quick and precise, resembling that of a panther. With a glance, she took in every single security camera without the need of night goggles, and analyzed her situation. The nearest security camera was directly above her, moving from left to right, but not low enough to catch her on tape. The second closest was two feet down the hallway, on the opposite wall. She knew that camera wouldn't catch her on tape either.
Looking up at the camera above her, she reached for its wiring and began pulling them out. When the small red light went off, she knew it had been disconnected. She turned her attention on the next camera. She waited for it to swivel away from her, focusing in the other direction, before she sprinted to the opposite wall and ducked underneath the second camera. She pulled out this ones wiring, too. She continued to do this until she came to her destination.
She put her ear to its door and listened. She could hear the faint sound of a man snoring. Smirking, she tried the doorknob, but found it locked. With a low growl, she removed a picklock from her pocket and picked the lock; she was inside in mere moments. The security guard had his back to her and his snoring was all the more distinct. She closed the door behind her softly and crept up on the guard. She removed a gun from the waistline of her pants and slowly eased her way around to the guard's front. His head was titled to the side, with drool escaping out of the corners of his open mouth. With a frown of disgust, she quickly attached the silencer onto the gun. All it took was a pull of the trigger, and the man drifted into unconsciousness. With a grunt of approval, she tucked the weapon back into the waistline of her pants, and got to work on the remaining security cameras. She shut them all down, and then got to work on the security codes. Within five minutes, she had everything she needed, and was heading back down the hallway, a floppy disc tucked into her pocket.
------
The ringing of the telephone woke Riley up with a start. She glanced at her alarm clock and growled in annoyance. Who in their right mind was calling at five-thirty in the morning? The telephone stopped ringing, signifying someone else had picked it up. She sighed and dropped back on the bed. She felt someone climb up onto the bed beside her and she looked down to find Solo, crawling over to her. She smiled. "Did the phone wake you up?" she asked.
He dropped down beside her with a yawn. "Yeah. What time is it?"
"Too early, go back to sleep," Riley mumbled, closing her eyes.
"Can I stay up here with you?"
"Go right ahead. It's probably more comfortable up here, anyways." Solo snuggled up next to her and the two of them fell asleep that way, though not for long.
Only five minutes later, the door to their room was slammed open and Duo came stumbling in, pulling a shirt down over his head. Riley cracked an eye open but quickly shut it again. "Duo, next time you come in my room, make sure your shirt is on properly."
Duo continued to tug on it, but it seemed to be stuck. "Uh, sorry, but we're kinda in a hurry."
Riley shifted Solo to where he wasn't laying on her and sat up, rubbing her eyes. When she opened them again, Trowa was standing in the doorway, glaring daggers at Duo. Riley burst out laughing, knowing what was going through her older brother's head. Duo finally got his shirt on correctly and looked over his shoulder to see what Riley was laughing at. He jumped when he saw the death glare Trowa was giving him. He smiled nervously and shook his head furiously. "It isn't what you think, man! I didn't even touch her!"
Still laughing, Riley climbed out of the bed and grabbed her robe. "Chill out, Trowa, he only just got here." She folded her arms across her chest and walked over to the two of them. "So, what's all the commotion about? First the phone rings, then Duo comes stumbling into my room, and now you appear. Something is up."
Trowa shifted his eyes away from Duo to look at his sister. "Noin called. Someone hacked into the computers at Preventers HQ. Their security guard was found dead with a bullet in his forehead."
Riley frowned. "Any idea who it could be?"
Trowa shrugged. "They don't know, but they're almost positive it was an agent of some kind from the World Rebellion."
Riley face grew pale. "Why do they say that?"
"A virus was left behind on their computers called Rebellion Fever. You can only guess from there."
Duo looked quickly over his shoulder, remembering Solo was in the room. He sighed with relief, seeing that the boy had fallen back to sleep again. He turned back around and looked at Riley. She looked to be in a stupor. He looked over at Trowa, who stepped forward to grab Riley's arm. "Riley, snap out of it," he instructed.
She blinked twice and her eyes seemed to clear, but in its place was a cloud of anxiety and heartache. "Vienna," she whispered. "They're already taking the first steps. That means that Raphael must have a plan as to how to capture me, otherwise he wouldn't have made the first move with Vienna."
"We don't know for sure that it was Vienna," Duo pointed out.
Riley looked at him sharply. "I know it was. Their only 'agents' are Vienna and I. Everyone else is just soldiers. Their only purpose is to invade bases that Vienna and I have already shut down, so if any Rebellion agent got inside the Preventers HQ, it was Vienna."
Just then WuFei passed their doorway and glared at them. "Come on you guys, we don't have all day!"
"Give me three minutes to get dressed," Riley said, turning around to head for the wardrobe.
Trowa held her back. "You're staying here, Riles. If you're right that they have a plan to capture you, then this could be a setup to get you out of the mansion."
"What! Trowa, I'm just as safe with you guys as I am here. The protection here is pathetic! At Preventers, the security will be on maximum."
"Then I'll just increase the security here," Trowa replied before disappearing out the door. Riley stared after him angrily. With a growl, she slammed the door shut with a bang.
------
"He came in some time after midnight, only a few hours ago," Noin was saying, showing the boys into the security room. "Whoever it was tore apart our security cameras on his way here. Once inside, he killed our security guard and shut down our remaining cameras. We aren't sure what he downloaded, but we suspect it was some of our security codes. After, he put the virus into our computers."
"How long will it take to get rid of the virus?" Quatre asked, who was standing near the back.
Noin sighed. "More than a few days."
"Until then I suggest you keep a high security on this base," Heero said.
"Security has already been increased, but whoever got in here early this morning will have no problem getting past the security again, no matter how much I increase it."
"Was anything left behind?" Trowa asked.
Noin shook her head. "Nothing. They even checked the cameras for fingerprints, but the person must have been wearing gloves."
"Any sign of forced entry?" WuFei asked.
"They were minor scratches from a picklock on the security room door, but otherwise, there wasn't any."
Duo frowned. "Sound's like the World Rebellion to me. From what Riley says, they're a pretty complicated group."
"I doubt they'll come back to this base again, but I would make sure the other bases are on the lookout. They could strike again any time," Heero said.
Just then, Lady Une's voice came over the intercom, "Noin, report to my office ASAP. We have something to discuss."
Noin looked at the pilots. "Why don't you guys come along? I'm sure Une would want your opinion on this, too."
In Lady Une's office, Une sat her desk, shifting through papers. She looked up as the door was pushed open and Noin stepped in. She stood when she noticed the pilots were following her in. "Good, that saves me a phone call," she said with a smile.
Noin sat in one of the three chairs, and Heero and Quatre made themselves comfortable in the other two; Duo, WuFei, and Trowa stood.
Une sat back down and folded her arms on her desktop. "Any ideas?"
"I'm assuming Noin filled you in on the entire process of the World Rebellion?" Heero asked. Une nodded for him to continue. "Then you would know of Riley Barton and Vienna Chang, and that Vienna was captured awhile ago. From what Riley tells us, the Rebellion only has two agents who do this kind of stuff: she and Vienna; the soldiers are just backup."
"So you're saying that Vienna got in here last night?" Une finished for them.
Heero nodded. "Under the influence of the control device, that is."
"That means their plans have already been set in motion. It's only a matter of days until their next move, then. Any idea where they'll hit next?"
"I'm guessing another Preventers base will be hit." Heero leaned forward. "Yesterday, Riley received a letter from an anonymous person. Inside were two blueprints of their two main bases, the Gemini and Granger, along with a note concerning Vienna's health and conditions, and another note giving us the facts about the mind control device. How the sender knew where Riley was, we don't know."
Noin smiled. "Then I'm correct in assuming you already have a course of attack?"
"Yes, but we had planned on attacking a week from yesterday. With this turn of events, we need to attack sooner, before things get worse."
-------
Riley was sitting in the parlour drumming her fingers on the arm of the couch when the clock struck ten in the morning. Without moving her head, she looked down at her wristwatch and groaned. The boys had been gone for a long while, and she was beginning to get agitated. On second though, it was more like beyond agitation.
"Riley, is there something I can get you before I head out to pick up Miss Relena from one of her meetings?" Pagan asked, stepping into the parlour.
Riley looked at him from the corner of her eye. "Can you get me a car?"
Pagan blinked in surprise. "A car, ma'am?"
With a sigh and roll of the eyes, Riley stood to her feet and stretched. "Never mind, Pagan. I was only being sarcastic." She patted him on the arm and headed upstairs. As she neared the top of the stairs, the faint sound of a scuffle met her ears. With a frown, her eyes narrowed. Where was it coming from?
Silently, she started down the hallway in which the bedrooms were kept. The sound grew louder as she drew nearer. The sound was indefinitely coming from inside her room. She listened a moment longer, but when she heard the muffled yelp of Solo nothing held her back. She threw her weight into the door and it slammed open.
-------
Katana watched as the shuttle pulled into the hangar, fiddling with the band wrapped around her wrist. She smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Behind her, the door was pushed open and she heard someone enter. She narrowed her eyes. "What do you want?"
He strode over to her and gripped her arm fiercely. "I know you killed him," he stated, seething with anger. "You may have others fooled, but not me."
Katana looked down at his hand, preventing her from moving away. "I suggest you remove your hand at once before I call in my guards."
"Your guards! Those men were my father's guards, and they still would be had you not killed him." He dropped his hand, but continued to glare at her. "I never should have trusted you."
Katana returned his glare. "If not for me, Raphael's dream would not be coming true, and this federation would never have come to be. In truth, I should have been the leader from the start. We could already have half of the things we want, had I come to power ages ago."
Before Daryn could continue, the door was pushed open again, and Vienna stepped inside. Her emotionless green eyes seemed to stare straight through Katana, piercing her to the core. Katana turned from Daryn and smiled chillingly at Vienna. "Did you get them?" she asked.
Vienna gave a brisk nod, removing a disc from a pocket hidden within her trench coat. She walked forward to Katana, holding it out. Katana took it. "Did you have any trouble at all?"
"No."
"Good." Katana strode over to the computers and inserted the disc. She quickly saved the information into the computers logs, and then pulled of the band. She set it by the M.C.D before disconnecting the connection between the machine and Vienna. She turned around in time to see Vienna slump to the floor, breathing heavily. "Daryn, pick her up while I call one of my men from the Core group." The Core was a group of four men, all of which who were skilled assassins; the group was known to few people.
While she waited for her man to pick up the call, she looked back over her shoulder. Daryn had done what she had asked. Vienna was conscious, but very weak. She looked up at her through slitted eyes. Katana turned her back on Vienna, hiding a shiver that passed through her.
The call went through and a voice, somehow familiar to Vienna, answered. "You called, Commander Rosco?"
"Do you have him yet?" she asked, watching Vienna from the corner of her eye.
"Not quite. We have a slight setback."
"A setback! What kind of setback?" Katana demanded, her voice rising.
"We had assumed Riley Barton had left with the others to check out the Preventers base, but as it turns out, she had stayed behind."
An idea formed in Katana's mind. "Is she in the room with you, and are you certain no one else is in the mansion?"
There wasn't a reply for a few moments. "Yeah, and she's giving my two men a load of trouble. I was watching from a tree just outside the balcony doors, but now I'm going in. And, yes, nobody else is in the mansion. An old man just left in a limo about four minutes ago."
Katana's fingers were flying over the M.C.D.'s keyboard. "Get in there quickly, but don't be surprised if Riley suddenly backs off of her attack."
------
Riley threw a punch at one of the two hooded men, hitting him square in the jaw. He reeled backwards, moaning. The second man came at her from behind, ramming into her back. She fell forwards, holding her hands out in front of her. Her chin missed slamming into the floor by inches, but her head had been jerked terribly. She grunted and rolled aside. She got onto one knee and looked over to Solo, standing near the balcony doors, which had been torn off their hinges and broken into wooden shards. "Solo, get out," she shouted at him. "Don't just stand there!"
Solo prepared to sprint for the door when a third man climbed up onto the balcony and leapt at the boy. He caught Solo around the waist, pulling him down to the floor. "Get offa me!" Solo shouted.
Riley got to her feet, but suddenly felt light-headed. She placed a hand to her forehead. What was wrong with her? There was a slight tingle in the back of her head now.
Suddenly, a pain ruptured inside her head. She screamed in pain, clutching her head. She dropped back to the floor, her eyes jammed closed. She felt as if a thousand nails were being drilled into her head, and her body seemed to be going numb. She couldn't think, she couldn't move, she couldn't even scream anymore, no matter how much she wanted to. It was as if her body wasn't her own anymore.
Okay, this was an edited version of the first chapter seventeen. Originally, the first one had been put up, but the actual document had been screwed up royally, and it couldn't be fixed, so I had to go back and copy, paste, and re-type the entire chapter. Sorry for the inconvenience!
18. Overload
Authors Note: This is a filler chapter, so it won't be hardly as long as the others, but it's still eventful.
Disclaimer: Don't own GW
Chapter Eighteen
"Leave her alone!"
With a sudden surge of adrenaline, Vienna leapt from the chair she sat in and lunged at Katana. Katana turned around sharply before being shoved to the ground, slamming her head against the floor. Vienna punched her in the face before staggering to her feet again. The M.C.D. was set up beside her, and she threw her entire body into it, sending it crashing to the floor.
"No!" Katana swung out with her leg and brought Vienna down beside her. She got up onto her knees and glared at the Chinese girl. "You ruined everything!" She threw a punch at her face, but Vienna moved her head out of the way just in time and Katana's fist hit the floor. With a screech of pain, Katana got to her feet and kicked Vienna in the side. "So much depended on that, and you just ruined it all!"
"Good riddance," Vienna grumbled through clenched teeth.
Katana grabbed Vienna by the collar of her trench coat and slammed her into the nearest wall. She let go of her collar and Vienna slid to the floor. She aimed another kick before turning back around and noticing Daryn standing off to the side, smiling. "You were standing there the entire time, and you didn't even bother to help!"
Daryn stared at her with an icy gaze. "Personally, I was rooting for Vienna." He knew she could very well kill him then and there if she wanted to, but something told him she wouldn't. He strode over to the mind control device lying on the floor. He bent down and picked it up, setting it back in its place. "It isn't broken," he stated. "Get Jack to fix some minor details and maybe some of the wiring, and it should work. But, if you're wondering, the connection with Riley was cut off."
Katana seethed inwardly, but she fought to keep control. She dug her fingernails into the palms of her hands and headed for the door. "Take Vienna back to her prison cell, make sure a guard is on duty, and have someone report to me the second she wakes up."
------
Riley lay on the floor panting, her breath coming in short gasps. She knew what had happened, and the thought scared her. Why did they bother now?
"Come on, get her while she's weak!" she heard the ringleader shout at his two men.
Her eye's widened. She knew that voice! It belonged to only one person she knew of. She looked up sharply in time to see the two men dive at her. She rolled out of the way, slamming into the footboard of her bed. She climbed to her feet, using the bedposts for support, and spun herself around to the side of the bed where her bedside table was. She pulled its drawer open and removed one of her daggers from within. She spun back around, taking in the position of every person in the room. The odds were definitely against her. I'm going to need a miracle to get out of this one, she thought.
Just then, the sound of car doors slamming shut outside met their ears. The leader glanced sharply at Riley. "Get her."
She swiped at the first man that came at her. He howled in pain as blood began falling from a long and deep gash left in his right arm. The second swung at her with his fist, but she blocked it weakly, using her knife like it was a sword. Before the two readied to charge her again, she glimpsed a helicopter out the balcony doors, coming their way. She smiled, thinking she was saved.
Caught off guard, one of the men rammed into her from the side, and she was shoved onto the bed. She groaned, and forced herself to sit up.
"Agent Rawthorne, come on!" someone shouted from the helicopter, leaning out of an open door. Riley's hope fell. The helicopter hadn't come to help her. "We have explicit instructions to bring you back immediately."
"Give me one minute," Rawthorne shouted back, his determined eyes focused on Riley. She glared at him.
"No, you are to get out, now."
Suddenly, a volley of gunshots came at the helicopter. The helicopter didn't waver; the bullets seemed to be bouncing off it. Rawthorne looked back at the door as he heard pounding footsteps running up the main staircase toward them. He cast one last, hateful glance at Riley before furiously motioning for his men to get into the helicopter. Neither of them moved at first, but when Rawthorne shouted angrily at them, the scrambled for the balcony, ducking as bullets grazed their heads and arms. Gathering up all the strength she had left, she lunged off of the bed, rolled as she hit the floor, and tried to pull Solo away from Rawthorne.
Rawthorne grasp on Solo slipped, but Rawthorne was stronger than she, and easily pulled him back and out onto the balcony. He pulled a gun out from a holster around his waist and pointed it at Solo's head. Riley hissed through her bared teeth. He was using Solo as a shield. She knew that at least two of the pilots were down there, and that they wouldn't shoot if there were a possibility of harming Solo. Again, she used the bedpost to get to her feet, but only managed to go two steps away from the bed. If she walked another step, she would for sure crumble to the floor.
Solo looked over at her, terror evident on his face. All she could do was watch helplessly as Rawthorne got into the helicopter, pulling Solo in with him, and then stare after the helicopter as it flew away.
Faintly, she could hear three people running into the room, but the world around was going fuzzy and she felt as if she was spinning. She dropped to the floor in heap, the sound of someone calling her name slowly fading away.
Trowa rushed over as his sister crumbled to the ground, WuFei and Quatre at his heels; he lifted her easily up onto the rumpled bed. Quatre glanced at her grimly before heading for the door. "I'm going to find a first aid kit, and then call a doctor."
WuFei looked around the room with a critical eye, a frown on his face. He noted the blood spatters on the carpet, the broken balcony doors, and that there was an indent in the wall just behind the door, where the doorknob would have hit. "Well, the three men that were here obviously weren't expecting anyone, especially Riley, to be in the mansion."
Trowa looked over at him. "Why do you say that?"
WuFei showed him the indent in the wall. "Riley must have heard noises coming from in here as she walked down the hallway, and when she entered, she must have slammed the door open, otherwise the doorknob wouldn't have made such a noticeable dent in the wall."
Just then, Heero and Duo ran in, almost knocking WuFei to the ground. "Is she okay?" Duo managed to gasp out, breathing heavily.
"She's out cold, but mainly from weariness," Trowa said. "She has a lot of cuts and bruises."
Heero's gaze darkened. "Those were World Rebellion soldiers," he said, "but then why did they take Solo, but leave Riley behind? That doesn't click."
Quatre came back into the room, a first aid kit in hand. He tossed it over to Trowa. "A doctor will be here in a few minutes," he said.
WuFei walked over to Riley and stared down at her still form; the only hint that she was alive was the rise and fall of her chest. He transferred his gaze over to Trowa. "You say the main cause she blacked out was from weariness?"
Trowa nodded, looking at WuFei blankly. He watched as WuFei's mouth twitched.
"Why is that of any significance?" Duo asked.
"It has a great deal if significance," he muttered. "Is there any smelling salts in that first aid kit?" he asked Trowa.
Trowa shifted through the kits contents before holding up a small vial of it. He passed it to WuFei. "Why do you need to wake her?"
"I need to see something," he said, twisting off the cap. He then held it under her nose and moved it back and forth. Riley grunted and her fingers moved. "Riley, open you eyes."
She did, but only for a second before falling asleep again -a second was all WuFei had needed. He had seen the colour of her eyes, and that, in itself, explained everything.
19. Veils of Mistrust
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing.
Chapter Nineteen
"I really don't think that is necessary," Trowa stated, glaring across the table at WuFei. "Locking her up in one of the other spare guestrooms won't help anything."
WuFei looked back at him fiercely. "We can't trust her. As I have told you before, the only way we can know if she is under that machines influence is if her eye colour changes, and when she opened her eyes, they were a bright blue."
"You also said that it takes an hour to wear off."
"But there is still the possibility."
Quatre sighed into his cup of orange juice, listening to Trowa and WuFei argue. Rarely had he ever heard Trowa so defiant. When silence finally filled the air, he looked up at the two. Trowa was staring, unblinkingly, at the wall to his right; WuFei was staring at the table, his hands clenched into fists.
Without a word, Trowa then stood up and walked from the kitchen, passing Duo as he went. Duo looked back at him over his shoulder before shrugging and sitting down in the chair Trowa had vacated moments before. He glanced at WuFei, noted his rigged posture, and didn't say anything.
"Would you like something to drink, Duo?" Quatre asked, breaking the silence that had fallen over the room.
Duo looked up at him. "Sure. Whatever you're having will be fine."
Quatre retrieved a cup from the cupboard, and filled it with orange juice. Duo took it thankfully before gulping it down. WuFei watched him through narrowed eyes. With a sigh of content, Duo set the empty cup back on the table, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "That was good, thanks Quatre." He yawned as he got to his feet again. "Anyone know where Heero is?"
"Upstairs, guarding the door."
Duo looked at WuFei; he knew what door WuFei was referring to. "So now she needs a guard?" he asked sarcastically.
Quatre watched WuFei warily, knowing what was coming next. But it didn't come. Instead, WuFei left the room wordlessly, following Trowa's example.
The world spun as she opened her eyes, and she felt as if she was on an upside-down roller coaster that was spinning out of control. She placed a hand to her forehead, and closed her eyes. She lay like this for another five minutes before sitting up, and slowly opening her eyes again. Other than being light-headed and sore in a few areas, she felt perfectly fine. It was nothing a warm shower wouldn't fix, she reasoned.
She was getting to her feet when she heard something at the door. She frowned, then noticing that she was in a different room entirely. It had no balcony, and the room's colours were different, but otherwise it was much the same. Again, she heard something at the door, and went to open it, but it wouldn't open. She twisted the knob again; it had been locked from the outside. The feeling of loneliness overwhelmed her. Not even her friend's could trust her motives anymore.
Turning her back on the door, she looked around, searching for a change of clothes that she hoped someone might have left for her. She found none, but then went to search the bathroom. Though a change of clothes wasn't present, a robe was hanging on the back of the door, along with a pair of slippers and everything else she would need to take a shower.
A hot shower was exactly what she had needed, and after a relaxing fifteen minutes, she finally turned it off, wrapped a towel around her, and stepped out. The bathroom was steamy and the mirror was fogged up. Using a washcloth, she cleared an area of the mirror so she could see her reflection. Her wet hair hung limply down her back, and her green eyes looked lifeless. She turned her back on the mirror and pulled on the robe and slippers. She wanted to pull her wet hair out of her face, but there wasn't a hair band in sight.
She pulled open the door and walked back into the bedroom. She stopped short, seeing a tray sitting on the now made-up bed, and a change of clothes beside it. She found a note on each of these, and read the note on the tray first.
'Thought you might want something to eat for breakfast. It isn't much, but I think it should be enough. -Quatre'
She smiled and looked down at the tray. A simple glass of milk, a banana, and a bowl of warm cinnamon oatmeal were set up on the tray, and a spoon was lying atop a folded napkin. She smiled and shook her head, sending water droplets onto the note, blurring the words. She picked up the second note, lying on her change of clothes.
'I didn't think you would want to walk around in a bathrobe all day. -Duo'
Riley laughed, and set the two notes aside. She changed quickly into the outfit Duo had brought up for her, ate her breakfast, and tried the door again. This time it was unlocked, but someone was waiting for her. She stopped short, finding WuFei leaning against the wall to the left of the door. She looked at him warily. "Is something wrong?" she asked.
"We're meeting the others in the parlour," was the reply, and he started down the hall.
She frowned, a dark look washing over her face. He doesn't trust me. She sighed and followed him, staying a foot behind him. She folded her arms across her chest as they entered the parlour a minute later, determined not to let WuFei's distrust shake her. As long as the others trusted her, what was one out of five? But, as she looked up, all her hopes were tossed aside. Everyone, excluding Quatre and Duo, was avoiding eye contact. Make that three out of five, she thought sadly. Limply, she dropped into a straight back chair and looked out the window.
"Is Relena joining us?" Quatre asked.
"She said she would come as soon as she could," Heero said. "She had something to do."
Silence fell over the room again. Riley fidgeted, twirling a strand of her wet hair around her middle and index fingers. Everyone in the room jumped a little as Duo unexpectedly jumped to his feet angrily, glaring at everyone in the room, minus Riley.
"What is everyone's problem?" he shouted. "She didn't do anything wrong! Is it her fault Dr. J did this to her? No! Trowa," he said, looking over at the Latin boy sitting beside Quatre, "she's your sister, and if I'm not mistaken, early this morning you were angry at everyone else for treating her like this, and yet here you are, acting just like them! Come on you guys; this is pathetic. None of you should be stooping this low as to turn your back on her when she needs us most."
The corners of Riley's mouth twitched. "Duo, it's okay. Just sit down," she said quietly, but loud enough for everyone to hear.
"It's not okay," he stated, looking at her. "We're your friends, and friend's don't just turn their backs like that."
"Let's drop it," she said. "If they don't trust me, that's their choice, but whether they trust me or not, we still have to figure out what we're going to do. You can cut me out of the original plans if you want to. I'll stay back here and you can chain me to a wall, but as we all know, not even chains can stop me, can they? So maybe then you guys will want to drown me, that way you don't have to worry about me anymore." She stopped; she was letting her anger and frustration come out. She pursed her lips. "Sorry, I didn't mean to go that far," she apologized.
"No need to apologize," Trowa said. "You have the right to be angry with us. You don't deserve any of this. Duo's right. We should be behind you all the way."
"My mother always used to say that friend's are closer than a brother," Quatre said with a smile.
Riley chewed on her bottom lip. "Can we put it behind us? I'd rather we just move on. We have more important things to talk about than my feelings."
"We still don't have everyone present," Heero said from the far corner of the room. "Relena still needs to get here."
"Where is she, anyway?" Duo asked, still standing.
In answer to his question, they could all hear the front doors opening, but not just one set of footsteps was heard. Heero and WuFei narrowed their eyes, as the many footsteps grew closer.
Riley frowned. "Whom did you guys invite?" she asked.
Quatre shrugged. "The only other person was Relena."
The doors to the parlour were swung open, and Relena stepped inside with a satisfied smile on her face. Behind her, three other girls followed in. Only two of which did Riley recognize, the third she had never met, but knew by name.
WuFei stood up, looking indignant. "What are they doing here?"
Meiran smiled cockily at him. "You didn't think we would let you boys have all the fun, did you?"
"Did you forget that we once fought in the war too?" Midii asked, folding her arms across her chest. "We may be girls, but that doesn't mean we're weak." Riley smiled, catching the unspoken jab at WuFei.
The third girl looked at each person in turn, but her eyes stopped when they locked with Riley's emerald green ones. "You must be Riley," she said with a smile, walking forward with her hand held out.
Riley stood and shook the girls hand. "And you must be Hilde," she replied evenly.
"You've heard about me?"
"I know about you, anyway." Riley dropped her hand.
"Again, what are they doing here?" WuFei repeated. Heero nodded his agreement.
"You can't expect to do this with just the six of you," Relena replied with a dignified flair. "Besides, I thought we needed some girls in on this."
Riley arched an eyebrow. "And what am I, a man?" she asked sarcastically. She smirked in satisfaction at the faint blush that crept up into Relena's cheeks.
"Where's Cathrine?" Trowa asked.
"She returned to the circus," Meiran replied, but quickly added, "Trust me, she can take care of herself. Besides, I'm more than positive that your circus will have security."
"It does," Riley said. She looked around the room. "We're going to need more chairs. Hilde, you can feel free to take mine. Meiran, I think there should be enough room for you next to Trowa. Midii, you and I will need to go find some."
"You two stay here, I'll get them," Duo offered.
Riley gave him a look. "We can get them," she said pointedly. Duo got the hint and sat back down.
Out in the hall, Riley didn't even glance at the five chairs that were in there; she just continued to walk past them all to the front doors. Midii knew her friend wanted her to follow.
A cool wind was blowing when they both stepped outside, but neither of them paid much attention. They sat down on the steps side-by-side without a word. Riley pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them to her, as if trying to get warm. Midii merely adjusted her jean jacket and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. She pursed her lips and brushed a strand of blonde hair out of her face. She was waiting for Riley to say something, but a minute passed and still Riley said nothing. She looked over at her friend. Riley was staring at the ground, resting her chin on her knees; she sighed. "Do you know what happened?" she asked quietly.
Midii looked down at her hands. "Relena told us on the way here. I didn't want to believe it." She took a deep breath. "I still trust you, if that's what you were wanting to ask me. My trust and friendship isn't going to dissolve because of one stupid machine and its wielder. You've been my friend since we were young." She paused.
A wry smile crossed Riley's face. "If you think about it, that wasn't long ago; we're still young." Her hands tightened into fists. "We're only seventeen. Seventeen, Midii! Still teenagers, and yet we're thrown into a web of death and deceit. The world isn't supposed to be like this."
"Our innocent youth may have been lost years ago, but if we do something about it now, Riles, then we can at least give the teenagers of the future theirs. We can't be so selfless to where we dwell in our own misery and ignore everyone else's. We have the future to think about, and if we don't do anything about it now, then the future is spoiled. No child will be innocent. Every single kid will be a witness to the evil that surrounds us. We can prevent that. We may just be seventeen, but that doesn't mean we're helpless." She smiled and put an arm around her friend. "Now come on. You and I both know that Vienna would hate for you to be like this. I can imagine her now." Midii jumped to her feet and turned around to face Riley, a mock frown on her face. "Stop being such a baby, Riles," she said, imitating Vienna. "Get off that big butt of yours and do something about it. Sitting around isn't going to get you anywhere. Now come on!" She then stomped up the stairs and as she reached the top step, she pretended to trip and fall flat on her face.
Riley burst out laughing, hugging herself as she doubled over in laughter. "Are you sure you aren't Vienna, 'cause that was exactly like her."
Midii got to her feet with a smile, and bowed low, sweeping an arm out. "Thank you, thank you very much. I'll be here all week!" She then helped Riley to her feet and hooked arms with her friend. "Now, are we ready to face the world and our problems?"
Riley saluted with her free hand. "Yessir, Commander, sir!"
"Do I look like a man to you?"
Laughing, the two friends headed back inside, and didn't even remember what it was they had meant to do until they walked into the parlour and everyone asked where the two chairs were.
------
"The only way Team 1 will be able to get onto Granger is if we can sneak onto a cargo ship that I think is taking supplies there."
It was an hour later, and everyone was gathered around a large card table that had been brought in. Papers littered the tabletop, pens and pencils were strewn about, an empty paper cup was set before each person, and a plate, which had once held cookies, was now empty and sitting in the center of the table.
Riley leaned forward. "You think?" she echoed. "We can't play a guessing game, Heero. We need facts, not assumptions."
He looked at her irritably. "Look, I'm almost certain that Granger is its destination. The coordinates are the same, and much about what is on that cargo ship is unknown." He waited a few seconds until continuing. "It leaves two days from now at six in the morning. They should begin loading it at around five. We need to be on board the second after they finish loading it," he said, looking at his other teammates: Riley, WuFei, and Meiran.
"Why not before they begin loading?" Relena questioned.
"There's the chance that there are no closets or any other hiding places in the cargo hold. If we wait until the second after they finish loading it, we can get on board and hide among the crates, but we will need to be fast. We can't be seen."
Duo picked it up from there. "My team needs to be ready for the cold, 'cause we're headin' for the Arctic. Relena will need to schedule a private jet to take us as close as we can get. From there, we're taking snowmobiles. When we get close enough, we'll have to leave them and walk the rest of the way." He looked down at the blueprint for the Gemini base. "It looks as if they have electric fences surrounding the area with a guardhouse on the north entrance. There's another at the south entrance, where we'll be entering, but we'll need a diversion at the north. A friend of mine, by the name of Howard, will be coming with us. He'll take care of that. While most of the attention is focused at the north entrance, we're going to force our way in through the south, drawing as little attention as possible." His team members -Trowa, Quatre, and Hilde -all nodded.
Relena stood up. "I'll go schedule that jet now. I don't really think I'm needed here much longer anyways." Riley waited until Relena had left the room before kicking her feet up on the vacated chair.
"Each team," Heero continued, "should arrive and get in the base by 3 P.M. Team 2 will be setting bombs throughout the base, scheduled to go off at exactly 3:45. You need to be out of the base and at least a mile away by the time they go off. You will go back to the jet and it will fly you back here to the mansion.
"At 3:40, my team, at Granger, will separate -Riley and I heading down to the prison cells, WuFei and Meiran going to the control room. Each of us will by hidden by our destinations by the time it's 3:45. When that time comes, the bombs at Gemini will go off, and sirens at Granger will sound. Half the soldiers at Granger will be rushing to their transport ships, while the other half should group in the main hangar. While this is going on, WuFei and Meiran will sneak into the control room, rid of anyone that is in there, lock the door, and get to the computers. They will then find the cell number that Vienna is being kept in and unlock it by using the computer. They will give us the cell number via our walkie-talkies. Riley and I will get Vienna out and head to the emergency escape pods on the second level. Meiran and WuFei will set up a bomb in the control room. They will program it to go off at 4:00. That gives them five minutes to get down to the escape pods, and for all of us to get off the base. By the time anyone knows that escape pods have been used, the bomb in the control room should go off, causing more mayhem. If anything goes wrong, Lady Une has already scheduled six of her fighter pilots and their ships to be waiting just out of radar range. They will proceed to attack Granger and prevent anyone from stopping our escape pods."
Duo let out a deep sigh. "That's a lot to remember, isn't it?"
WuFei looked at him. "And you better remember everything, otherwise you will ruin everything."
"He'll remember," Quatre assured WuFei. "If he doesn't Trowa and I know what to do."
Riley looked down at her watch. "Almost lunch. Is anyone up for going out?"
------
Rawthorne smiled to himself and flicked a switch, causing silence to wash over the back cabin of the shuttle. After the helicopter had brought he and his team to an abandoned area where their private shuttle had been waiting, they had gone inside and he had went directly to his cabin. He had been in there for the past hour and a half, listening for anything of importance. His wait had paid off. Ever since he had planted that listening device over four days ago, nothing of importance had been heard, until then.
He leaned back in his chair and smiled contently, the face of a familiar brunette forming in his head. He chuckled, breaking the silence, and whispered, "If only you knew, Riley, if only you knew what was coming."
A/N: YAY! You guys have no idea how glad I am to have this chapter finally done! It has been irritating me for the longest time, and has been pulling at me to finish it for the past week. I know, I know, this chapter was a bit of a bore, but it had to be done. Honestly, it took a lot of brain power on my part just having to think their entire plan through, make sure that it would work, and all that other hee-haw. Some of my friends helped me out on this one, and I thank them profusely. They're always there for my in a clutch. Well, as you can guess, some excitement is on the way, finally. Sorry for the lack thereof, guys. I'm not sure when chapter twenty will be posted. I have yet to write it, and I think it will take some time just getting the facts and all that straight. Thank-you so much for keeping up with it!
P.S. For my two new readers (sorry, I don't know your names at the moment 'cause I'm up in my room, which, regretfully, doesn't have the internet) hello and thank-you for reading my story! I was so thrilled to see that I had two new reviews. *grin*
20. Preparation For Trouble
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing (Gee, that's getting old)
Chapter Twenty
Sleep hadn't come easy for the nervous and scared Solo as he lay on a bed in one of the small cabins. The idea of being far away from Riley and Duo was scary enough, but the thought that a big, mean looking man guarding the door was even worse. He didn't know what was going on, but he knew it dealt with Riley and Duo and their friends.
He curled up into a ball and pulled the covers up to his chin. With a sigh, he closed his eyes and attempted sleep, but it wouldn't come. His fright and nervousness wouldn't allow it, and images of what these people would do to him continued to run through his mind.
He jumped when he heard the door being opened. He sat up in the bed and pulled the covers tight around him, as if he could use it as a shield. A head poked in through the doorway; Solo recognized it as the face of the man who had pulled him into the helicopter.
"Mind if I come in?" the man asked politely. When Solo didn't reply, he stepped inside and closed the door. Solo moved closer to the wall as the man walked past him and sat down in a wooden chair in the corner. He crossed his legs and folded his arms across his chest. He smiled. "I'm not going to hurt you, Solo. Riley would kill me for sure if I did that."
Solo frowned. "How do you know my name, and how do you know Riley? She isn't a friend of yours."
The man paused. "Riley is a friend of mine, matter of fact. Or, at least she used to be." He removed a small tin from his jacket pocket and opened the lid. The faint smell of chocolates wafted over to where Solo sat on the bed. Solo eyed the tin of chocolates warily, not sure whether he should take one should the man ask. They sure did smell good, though.
Rawthorne noticed the boy's interest in the tin of chocolates. He held the tin out to him. "Would you like one? They're homemade chocolates. They taste a whole lot better than store chocolate, let me tell you." He watched silently, waiting. He could almost see the thoughts running through the boy's mind. Finally, Solo reached out and took one. He stuck it in his mouth hungrily. "Good?" Rawthorne asked.
Solo nodded, letting the delicious chocolate melt in his mouth.
"I'm glad you like them." He closed the tin and set them down next to Solo on the bed. "You can have them, if you like. I have more in my cabin."
Solo hesitated before slowly reaching out and taking the tin. "Thank you," he said quietly, not sure what else to say.
"You're quite welcome," Rawthorne said pleasantly, sitting back in the chair. He then feigned surprise. "I don't think I introduced myself. I'm Agent Rawthorne, but if you prefer, you can call me-"
Just then, the door was thrown open again and the angry, burly looking man stood in the doorway. "Agent Rawthorne, Commander Rosco wishes to speak with you by vidphone."
The annoyance was evident on Rawthorne's face. "Tell her I'll be there in a moment. I'm busy right now."
"She will not wait," the man said.
Rawthorne bit back a frustrated groan. He stood and smiled at Solo. "Maybe we can talk some other time, Solo. Enjoy the chocolates." The guard shut the door behind him, leaving Solo to himself.
Now that he was alone, Solo lie back down on the bed and put the tin of chocolates next to his pillow. No matter how many chocolates and friendly smiles Agent Rawthorne gave him, Solo knew that there was no way that that man could ever be, or ever have been, a friend of Riley's.
------
Riley stood just outside the front doors of the Peacecraft mansion, watching the snow fall, blanketing the ground and trees in a white sheet. She smiled sadly, thinking how better an evening it would have been if Solo had been here to enjoy it with her. She balled her hands into fists. She couldn't stand the thought of Solo in the hands of -that man. Her jaw clenched thinking about him. "Rawthorne," she growled under her breath. How she and Vienna had ever trusted him she would never know.
She wanted to punch something, anything, to vent this anger out on. She couldn't just stand there. She started down the porch steps and walked across the front yard to the left side of the mansion, heading to the back of the estate. The two pathways on either side of the mansion both led out onto the wide portico out back, where Relena had lawn chairs and a table set out. A pool was to the left, and a Jacuzzi on the right side; Riley was walking on the pool's side of the portico. She walked around the pool and past the portico. Her destination was the gardens.
Once she reached the entrance to the gardens, her long hair, which was loose down her back, was covered in snowflakes as well as her clothes, which only consisted of flare jeans and a jean jacket over a white t- shirt. If she had planned on going to the gardens, she would have worn something warmer.
She remembered where the pond was- in the gardens center. A thin layer of ice was forming over the pond, and the surrounding area wasn't as welcoming as it had been the last time she had come. She turned around in a full circle, looking around her. She tilted her face up and let the snow fall on her face, the snow latching onto her eyelashes. Like a little girl, she stuck her tongue out, and the snow fell onto her tongue. She smiled, and started spinning again. This was what her teenager years were supposed to be like. Having fun in the snow, laughing, playing games. There was so much stuff she was missing.
Duo stepped out onto the portico and looked about. Where had Riley gotten to, and how long had she been gone? When Trowa realized she wasn't in the house, he had called for a sweep around the entire estate. Duo and Hilde had been sent out to the backyard.
"Duo, I found her footprints," Hilde announced by the pool. He jogged over to her and, with his eyes, followed the footprints to see where they led.
"They go to the gardens," he said. "I think she likes it there."
"Maybe we shouldn't disturb her then," Hilde replied. "She probably went there to be alone."
"I know, but Heero wants everyone to get to bed early, and she could stay out here all night. It's too dangerous for her to be out here alone, anyways. Go on and tell Trowa we found her and that I'll bring her back in a few minutes. I'll wait for her here, but if she doesn't come in four minutes, I'll need to go get her."
Hilde hesitated. "Okay. I'll be inside, then." She started walking back inside, glancing over her shoulder just as Duo started walking toward the gardens. She frowned. So much for waiting four minutes.
Riley stopped spinning around and looked up at the sky again. She folded her arms tightly across her chest and just watched. She wondered how many minutes had past since she left. It felt like only five, but to her, time moved slower than it really did. She looked down at her watch and blinked in surprise. She had been gone for the past fifteen minutes. She frowned. That protective brother of hers would be worried by now, or if he wasn't, he was about to be. It was then she noticed the second set of footprints. They pretty much followed hers, but they turned off abruptly into a small alcove in the bushes, where she remembered there was a bench, only four feet from where she stood in the center of the gardens. Who was he, and how had she not seen him coming?
Cautiously, she crept up to the alcove, but stopped short when Duo appeared. She stared at him blankly for a moment before the reality of the situation hit her. Her eyes narrowed. "How long have you been standing there?"
Duo shrugged. "Not long. I was coming to find you, but when I saw you I didn't want to interrupt your, uh, dancing?" A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
Riley scowled. "So you have been standing there awhile. Great, just great." She sighed. "Why were you looking for me anyway? Did Trowa send out a search party?"
"Cut him some slack. The guy just found out his youngest sister is alive, only to realize she's being chased by a dangerous group. You can see where he's coming from."
"I guess, but it still doesn't mean I need to be smothered." She started to yawn and, without success, tried to hide it. Duo cracked a smile. "Let's go," Riley said grumpily. "I'm starting to freeze to death anyways."
The two started walking back to the mansion in silence, with Duo walking at a slower pace than Riley, who was in a hurry to get back so she could be warm. "Where's the fire?" Duo asked.
"Shut up, Maxwell."
"It isn't my fault you didn't wear warmer clothing. Maybe you should think the next time you go out."
"I don't need two older brother's, Duo, so just be quiet until we get inside," she said through clenched teeth. The snow was still falling, and she was getting colder and wetter the longer they stayed out there.
Duo didn't say anything, but Riley could hear him doing something. She didn't know what it was until she felt him drape his warm jacket around her shoulders. He then fell into step beside her. "Thanks," she said after a pause. She pulled the jacket closer around her. It was warm from his body heat, and it warmed her quickly.
Just before they stepped onto the portico, Hilde came running out to greet them, followed soon after by Midii. "Took you guys long enough!" Midii exclaimed. "Trowa's been pacing in the hall, Quatre is still out getting the few extra supplies, Meiran and WuFei are annoyed that they're doing all the loading up by themselves, and Heero's angry at everyone for some reason or other."
Riley shook her head. "Heero takes things too seriously."
"Either way, the entire place is in a whirlwind," Midii added.
Riley noticed Hilde was taking in the fact that she was wearing Duo's jacket while he simply wore a long-sleeved black shirt. She looked sidelong at Duo; he hadn't noticed. Figures. "I'm going to head inside and change," Riley said. She shrugged off Duo's jacket. "Thanks for letting me use it, Duo."
"I'll come with you," Midii said. Riley noticed that her eyes were shining, and that a curious look was in them too. She knew what would be coming when they could talk alone in her room upstairs.
As soon as Riley and Midii stepped into the main hall, a wave of relief seemed to rush over Trowa when he saw them. "Where have you been?" he asked Riley, walking up to her.
"I was outside in the garden, thinking," she replied.
Trowa took in her bedraggled appearance. "I can see that."
"We'll be back down to help in ten minutes," Midii said, pulling Riley toward the staircase.
Upstairs in her room, Riley closed the door behind Midii and went to the closet, while Midii jumped up onto her bed and watched her expectantly, waiting. Riley turned from the closet with a change of clothes in her arms. She looked at Midii. "I know what you want to hear, and trust me, it's nothing to talk about."
"Oh, come on," Midii said. "You come back wearing his jacket while he wears a simple long-sleeved shirt in very cold weather, and you call that nothing?" But Riley had already closed the bathroom door before her friend had even finished. Midii frowned when she heard Riley lock the door. "I'm not lesbian, Riles. I'm not going to walk in on you."
"Did I say you were?" Riley called through the door. The door opened again three minutes later and Riley stepped out. "I'm just used to locking doors behind me, is all." She tossed the wet clothes in a hamper that was hidden behind a potted plant by the bathroom door. "We should probably head back downstairs. If Heero's in a bad mood, then we should at least be doing something so he doesn't vent his anger out on us."
Midii jumped up and grabbed her friend's arm. "Not until you tell me what happened outside."
Riley gave her friend an exasperated look. "Nothing happened. I was in the gardens, Duo found me, we walked back, I got cold, he gave me his jacket, and then you guys appeared. Again, nothing happened."
The others were all gathered in the kitchen; each face, save Quatre and Duo, looked either annoyed or tired. Mostly everyone was sitting, but Trowa and Heero were standing. Riley leaned up against the doorframe and Midii jumped up onto the counter. "I take it that everything that needed to be done is done?" Riley asked.
WuFei glared at her. "And you just happened to not be around. What a coincidence."
"Shut up, WuFei."
"Cool it you guys," Quatre cut in. "It isn't anything worth arguing over."
Hilde, who was staring out the kitchen window, commented absently, "Sure is pretty out there. Too bad it's wasted on us." Relena followed her line of sight.
Meiran stood up from her seat at the island. "I'm heading up to bed. We have an early start in the morning and I know I can't work on five hours sleep."
"Guess we all should head up," Duo agreed. "It's only eight o'clock, but if you do the math, that leaves maybe six hours of sleep, maybe more."
Riley frowned. "What time do we leave in the morning?"
"Four," Heero replied.
Riley stared at him. "Four in the morning? Do you know how early that is?" She sighed. "I pity anyone that gets in my way tomorrow," she said under her breath.
Midii smiled at her. "I'll be sure to have Duo wake you up."
A few minutes later, Heero grabbed Riley's arm as she prepared to follow the others up to bed. "Riley, I want to talk to you before you head upstairs."
She stopped and looked back him. "Okay, sure." She furrowed her brow.
Heero waited until he was sure everyone was upstairs before he said anything. "I just want to make something clear to you," he started; Riley's eyebrows rose. "At Granger, you are not to go looking for Solo. If he's in any of the prison cells and we have enough time, we will try to get him out, but otherwise, we will have to wait until another time to get him out."
Riley gritted her teeth. "I'm not going to leave him there in the hands of -of -that man!" she exclaimed, refusing to say Rawthorne's true name. "He's my responsibility. He's only around five, Heero. He doesn't know what's really going on. They could do anything to make him spill information he doesn't know. I can't let that happen!"
His gaze hardened. "If you look for him, you put everyone in jeopardy, not just yourself, not just your team -everyone, as in every person that lives and breathes on either Earth or a colony. If you look for him, you will be captured, no question, and the Rebellion will have everything they need to get started. Heck, they already started, remember? So I tell you again, you are not looking for that blasted kid."
Riley's hands clenched into fists. "And I guess you're going to stop me?" She scoffed, "I'd like to see you try!"
"You know the consequences, and if you're so blinded by your own need that you risk the lives of billions of people, then you aren't the person I thought you were," he growled. He brushed past her aggressively and stalked away, leaving Riley alone to think in the dark.
That next morning, Riley was awake an hour before anyone else. The first person to wake up after her, Hilde, found Riley in the kitchen holding a cup of coffee in one hand and a photograph in the other. Hilde noticed that Riley's eyes were clear of any emotion, and yet a single tear was rolling down her left cheek. Riley hadn't noticed her yet, and Hilde used this to her advantage. She maneuvered around until she could see the photo without Riley seeing her. She squinted, trying to make it out. It was of two girls standing side-by-side with their arms around each other's shoulders. Before Hilde could identify who the girls were, though she had a good idea who, Riley tucked the photo away into a pocket on the inside of her brown bomber jacket.
"Stealth obviously isn't one of your strong points is it, Hilde?" Riley asked with her back still to her.
Hilde looked away, as if she was ashamed about spying on the pretty brunette. "Sorry, you looked so absorbed about whatever was in the picture, that I didn't want to disturb you."
Riley turned around so she could look at Hilde's face. "And curiousity got the better of you and you just had to see what the picture was of." Her face was clear, Hilde noticed, of any tears or signs that she had been upset. How Riley could change moods so quickly seemed to catch Hilde off guard.
Hilde smiled half-heartedly and shrugged her left shoulder. "Again, I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it. Doesn't make any difference. Can't hide much around here, anyways."
Hilde would have contradicted that, had she not caught herself beforehand. "Mind if I make myself some coffee and join you?"
Riley shrugged and turned back around in her seat. "If you want. I'm not much company."
Hilde soon joined Riley at the island with one empty seat separating them. She didn't know what to say, so she kept quiet and sipped her coffee.
Riley watched the girl out of the corner of her eye. So this is Hilde Shebeiker. Quiet, somewhat reserved, and easily intimidated. Hm, that contradicts what I've been told about her. So what's going on then?
Hilde moved her right thumb in a circular motion on the side of her mug. She was studying Riley. From what she could tell, the girl was definitely not someone who talked about her feelings much; the change in moods Hilde had witnessed proved that much. She kept everything to herself, but Hilde guessed that the only person who knew the most about Riley's thoughts and feeling was WuFei's sister, though she couldn't remember the girl's name. From what I've been told, Riley's a fun person to be around, so why do I seem to be seeing a totally different person?
Though it wasn't visible, some sort of solid wall seemed to have been built between the two girls. How it had been built, neither was sure of, but it had been somehow, and something -or someone- had caused it.
"I thought you weren't a morning riser," Duo said to Riley, walking into the kitchen. WuFei and Meiran followed him in.
"I could say the same thing for you," Riley replied, giving him a twisted smile.
"So I decided to be good this morning and get up on time, should a man be criticized for that?" he asked with mock surprise.
"We don't have time for friendly banter," WuFei said, looking from Duo to Riley and back again. "Heero and Quatre are already pulling the vans up."
After everyone had eaten a quick breakfast, they all said good-bye to Relena and Midii, who was staying back to hold down the fort, and went out front. Before everyone climbed into his or her team van, they all gathered together to have one last meeting.
"Everyone knows what to do?" Heero asked; he waited until every head nodded. "And everyone's synchronized their watches?" Again, all heads nodded. "Alright then. Everything each team will need is in their van. And if anything goes wrong at all, get out of there and notify someone as soon as you're able. Everyone got it? Okay, let's go." The huddle broke, and everyone said their quick good-byes.
Trowa hugged Riley tightly and let her go. "You better get back here safe and sound," he said, looking her in the eye.
She smiled and nodded. "I will, I promise."
Heero and Duo shook hands. "Good luck, buddy," Duo said. "You guys better come back in one piece, especially you. No matter the job, you always seem to come back with some sort of injury."
"I could say the same for you."
Meiran gave Riley a brief hug. "I'll see you when you come back, okay? And when you see Vienna, give her a big hug for me."
"Sure thing, but you can give her one yourself when we both come back."
Meiran smiled.
"Let's get a move on," Heero said, climbing into the driver's seat of the first black van.
Riley watched as her brother and Meiran climbed into the van. With a sigh, she turned to climb into her team's van when Duo gave her a big hug from behind. She started. "Duo, I can't breath," she managed to gasp out.
He let her go. "Take care of yourself, okay?"
"You too. Don't scare all the guards at Gemini too much."
"Har-de-har-har. But seriously, if it gets too dangerous, get out. We can't have you being captured."
Riley bit the inside of her lip. It always came back to that -if the World Rebellion got her, all hope was lost. Did everyone have regrets about including her in on this? "Yeah, I know. See you around, Duo." The only seat left in her teams van was the front passenger seat, next to Heero. She held back a groan and climbed in. She slammed the door shut and stared out the large front window. It was going to be a long drive.
------
Vienna's head snapped to the right as a hand made contact with her left cheek. She spat out some blood that rose up in her mouth. How long had this been going on? She couldn't even remember.
Katana yanked Vienna to her feet and slammed her up against the wall again and again. After the third time, she let the Chinese girl slump back down to the floor. She turned and strode over to a table set up in the center of the room. She picked up a washcloth, dipped it into a water bowl, and tossed it at Vienna. "Clean up before you're taken back to your lovely guest room." A guard stood just outside the door, and he jumped in surprise as the door was slammed open. "When she's done cleaning herself up, take her back to the prison cell," Katana snapped. She looked down at her watch as she walked down the corridor. Rawthorne should be here by now.
Rawthorne was disembarking from the shuttle as she entered the hangar. When he saw her coming toward him, he smiled at her with a pleased smile on his face. "Mission accomplished, ma'am," he said. "The kid should be coming along any second now."
"Good." She looked up and watched as a man dressed in all black walked down the ramp to the hangar floor, a small boy in tow. Katana looked down at the young boy. She bent down so she could look at him face-to-face. "You must be the kid Riley has come to adore," she said evenly. "I'm Katana, and you are?"
Solo looked at her warily. He didn't like the looks of her. There was something about her that didn't seem right. He didn't answer her question.
She raised an eyebrow. "Cat got your tongue?" She stood up to her full height. "I want you to watch him. Don't put him in a prison cell. Who knows what could happen if you put him in there with Vienna."
"Of course, but I must speak to you on an important matter," Rawthorne said in a secretive tone. "Alone."
"I see. I will meet you in my office then in ten minutes. Have one of your men keep an eye on the boy in your quarters until you get back."
Vienna buried her face into the warm, wet cloth. She leaned her head back against the wall and rested. The cloth felt good on her face. She wished she could stay there long enough to enjoy it, but she knew that was impossible. She took it off and wiped the blood off her face, arms, and legs. She had many cuts and bruises, and her head was pounding. She finally wiped the blood splatters off the floor and wall, and pushed herself up onto her feet. She walked slowly to the table, her body aching with each step. She dropped the cloth onto the table and made her way to the door. It opened before she even reached it. The guard came forward, took her arm firmly in one hand, and started walking her quickly out into the corridor.
Her arm was throbbing in his vice-like grip, and with the fast pace he was walking her body was screaming at her to stop. They turned a corner and walked past a man dressed in black carrying a young boy over his shoulder. Vienna frowned and looked back at the boy. He looked at her with a blank stare and a small smile. He knew that both of them were there unwillingly.
They neared the door that led down to the prison cells, and while the guard was opening the door, Vienna glanced further down the hall. She froze when she recognized a familiar man walking down the hall. What the heck is he doing here?
Rawthorne stepped into Katana's office four minutes after he had seen Vienna. He had winced when he had seen her. She had been beaten up badly, for what he wasn't sure, but he had a pretty good idea as to who was the beater.
"Rawthorne, take a seat," Katana said, waving her hand at a chair across the desk from her.
Rawthorne closed the door and sat down. This office once belonged to Raphael. Katana seems to have had no problem moving in.
"Now, what was so important that you had to speak to me about?" Katana asked. "Did you finally here something vitally important on the listening device you planted some time ago? That thing has yet to have been of any use."
"I overheard their game plan. Somehow they got the plans for Granger and Gemini from so unknown source, and they plan to attack both bases at the same time. The two teams should arrive at both bases around 3 P.M." He went on to explain the entire plan for both teams, while Katana listened with a smirk on her face. While he talked, Rawthorne could see the wheels turning in Katana's cold eyes. Yes, she definitely had a plan.
------
"They've started loading," Heero whispered to his teammates. Riley, who was crouched beside him, gave him a look as if to say 'duh, we figured that'. He glared at her. Things were definitely not good between the two of them. Neither had said a word to each other since the night before, but the rift between them was noticeable to WuFei and Meiran, though neither of them had commented on it.
Meiran leaned up against the wall behind her and crossed her legs. She smiled at Riley encouragingly. Riley smiled half-heartedly back, and turned her gaze elsewhere. She was distracted about something.
WuFei sat next to her with his eyes closed, perfectly content. He looked to be meditating, or so Riley thought.
The group was hidden behind boxes of crates and barrels that were being shipped out later that day. It was in a corner of the loading area, a few feet from the cargo ship they would soon be boarding. They had arrived less than fifteen minutes ago and had barely found a hiding place before being caught.
"They're halfway done loading," Heero announced fifteen minutes later. He looked back at them. "Let's get on early. While they go back to get more crates, we'll sneak aboard and hide amongst the crates and boxes already on board."
"Sounds good to me," Meiran said, shrugging her shoulders.
"You're the leader," WuFei said.
"Okay, it's settled then. Get ready to move." Heero went back to watching the progress of the workers. Riley looked over at him with a glare. He hadn't even asked what she thought of the idea. Meiran noted the exchange. I wonder what happened between the two of them. Everyone put their small backpack's on, which were filled with various things they would each need, and got ready to run.
"Let's go," Heero said abruptly. He got to his feet and sprinted for the cargo ship. WuFei, Meiran, and Riley were close at his heels. He climbed up into the cargo hold, reached back down to help Meiran up, followed by Riley; WuFei climbed up on his own. The four hurried to the front of the cargo hold and ducked down behind the crates. They had to shift some of them around a bit, but they managed to get situated before any of the workers returned.
A minute later, the workers came back. Two of them climbed into the cargo hold, waited for the heavy crates to be placed inside by a forklift, and then pushed them further inside. As they drew closer to the team's hiding places, the team didn't breath and didn't move an inch. The workers finished and left for the next load. The team let out the breath they had been holding in.
After another six trips, all the crates and boxes were loaded, and the cargo hold was locked shut. Five minutes later, at six A.M., the ship pulled out and headed off to its destination.
------
Duo slowed the van to a stop alongside the jet Relena had hired for them, and got out. He looked about with a hand over his eyes in an effort to see through the falling snow. He smiled and waved when he saw Howard, his old friend, walking toward him.
"Howard, how've ya been, man?" Duo asked, giving the man a hug. "It's been a long time."
Howard returned the hug. "Yes, it has been a long time. I've been doing fine, and you?"
"Great, considering what all's been going on."
"Yes, I know. Well, the pilot's ready when you guys are. Need any help unloading?"
Duo glanced back over his shoulder; through the snow, he could see that the others had everything out of the van, but would, indeed, need help carrying them into the jet. "Yeah, we could use some help."
When everything was secured in the jet, everyone climbed aboard and shut and locked the door. Duo walked to the cockpit and placed a hand on the pilot's shoulder. "We're ready when you are," he said.
The pilot nodded. "Get ready for take-off then. Everything's already been cleared."
Duo returned to the main cabin area and sat down in his seat beside Hilde. He looked at her. "You ready for this?"
She smiled. "As ready as I'll ever be."
And at 5:50, the jet took off.
Authors Note: Okay, I decided to cut it off there, and even though I think I said I was going to post the action scene in this chapter. Sorry! If I added everything into this chapter, it would most likely be over twelve pages, so I figured 'why not cut it into two chapters?' Well, the next chapter should be up soon. Where I live, we're in the midst of a winter mix "storm" so I seriously doubt I'll have school tomorrow, and there's even a chance I won't have school Tuesday, either, so I just might be able to get chapter 21 out quickly, if I put my mind to it.
21. The Trap
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing.
Chapter Twenty-One
Riley could feel someone trying to shake her awake. She had to give them credit, they were very persistent, but there was no way she was going to wake up. She was too tired. Suddenly someone slapped her across the right cheek, sending her upright with a start. She almost shouted out in anger when WuFei covered her mouth from behind. It was then she remembered where they were: in the cargo hold of a ship. WuFei removed his hand from covering her mouth. "Who slapped me?" she hissed, looking purposefully at Heero, who was crouched a foot away, looking around the side of a crate. He looked alert, as if listening for something.
"Sorry, but you wouldn't wake up," Meiran said.
Riley looked at her in surprise. "You slapped me?" she asked dubiously.
"Shut up," Heero growled. "I'm trying to listen."
Riley glowered at him. "Why don't you shut up," she grumbled, rubbing her sore cheek. She looked around and noticed that everyone was dressed and ready to leave. She quickly reached over and grabbed her backpack. "I'll be right back," she whispered, crawling away, moving further into the maze of crates. She found a small circle of space that was a safe distance from the others, and started removing things from the backpack. She pulled out a holster, a pistol, her pouch of daggers, and a change of clothes. She quickly changed out of her winter clothing, consisting of leather pants and a long sleeved shirt, into a pair of jeans and a sleeveless white top. She pulled her lace-up boots back on, and tied the holster around her waist. She slipped the pistol into it, and then tied her dagger pouch around her right thigh; she removed a dagger from the pouch and tucked it into her right boot. It was still chilly in the cargo hold, so she pulled her brown bomber jacket back on. Stuffing her clothes into the backpack, she swung it over one shoulder and made her way back to the others.
"Good timing," Meiran said. "Heero said that the ship should be pulling into port in a few minutes, so be ready."
------
The jet coasted to a stop on a makeshift runway in the middle of nowhere with only a small building nearby. The passengers inside gathered their things and stepped out of the jet after it had completely stopped. The harsh arctic wind slapped them in the face as they made their way to the building built off to the side of the runway. Duo, in the lead, reached the door first and knocked rapidly. It opened almost immediately, and a small man dressed in Eskimo-style clothing ushered them all inside.
"Thanks, man," Duo said, rubbing his arms. "It's freezing out there."
The man smiled politely, and closed the door after everyone had gathered inside. The building was small, not much larger than a one-room shack, which was basically what it truly was. Duo and the others couldn't move freely in the cramped space, but none complained.
"We need to move quickly," Trowa said, looking at his watch.
Hilde smiled at the man and asked, using gestures, "You take us," and here she motioned to everyone standing in the room, "to snowmobiles?" She then acted as if she was riding a snowmobile.
The small man was obviously holding back a grin. "Yes, I can take you to the snowmobiles. They're parked just out back. I also packed you all some extra blankets so you won't be so cold on the ride out, and a few granola bars in case you get hungry."
Hilde pursed her lips and seemed to crawl into a shell as she realized the man knew perfect English and that she had just looked entirely ridiculous.
Duo noticed her embarrassment and stepped forward to shake the man's hand. "Thank you for everything. We'll bring the snowmobiles back to you safe and sound."
The man nodded. "You're most welcome." He showed them out the back entrance to the three snowmobiles. "I assume you know how to work these things?" he asked incredulously.
"Uh, that would be a no," Duo said, answering for everyone.
"It's pretty simple. Let me show you how." After a quick run-through of the controls and basic maneuvering techniques, the man wished them a safe journey and went back inside.
"We need to pair up," Quatre said, taking in the fact that only three snowmobiles were in sight.
"Seeing as there are five of us," Howard said, "and I am making the diversion, I should be the lone rider. You guys decide who goes with who from there."
Duo ran his fingers along the seat of one of the snowmobiles. "Okay, Trowa, why don't you and Quatre ride one, and Hilde and I can ride the other? That okay with everyone?"
"Whatever," Hilde agreed, shrugging her shoulders.
"Okay, let's get going then."
Everyone climbed onto their assigned snowmobile and started off with Duo and Hilde in front followed by Howard, and Trowa and Quatre brought up the rear.
------
Solo wandered around Rawthorne's quarters aimlessly, examining everything he came upon. The guard stood at the door, watching his every move. Solo stared back at him with a frown. "Do you ever smile?" he asked innocently.
The guard looked at him, surprised by the unexpected question. "Uh, if the time calls for it, yes, I do smile. Why do you ask?"
Solo shrugged. "I dunno. You haven't smiled at all, so I was wondering." He went back to looking around the room. He came across the bed table on the left side of the bed. A simple lamp and cheap alarm clock were on its top, and the small pullout drawer was open a crack. Something had prevented it from closing, and its upper corner was sticking out. He hesitated before pulling it open.
The guard noticed and started walking toward him. "Weren't you ever taught not to nose around into peoples things?" he asked. He reached over to close the drawer, but the boy had already pulled out the object that had prevented it from closing. It was a photograph of a girl leaning up against the outer wall of a building. She was looking at the camera, but her face held an expression of surprise, as if she had not been expecting anyone to take a picture. The girl looked very familiar, but Solo couldn't figure out why. She had elbow-length medium brown hair and bright eyes, and she wore a brown bomber jacket over her clothing.
The guard grabbed the picture and put it back into the drawer; he closed it with a hard push. "Sit over there in the corner where you can't do anything else," he instructed. "And don't do or say anything until Agent Rawthorne gets back, you hear me?"
With a sigh, Solo went and sat in the corner. He pulled his knees up to his chest and hugged them to him. For some reason, he could still remember every detail of the girl in the picture. Why did she look so familiar to him, and whom did she remind him of?
------
The snowmobiles drew close to the Gemini base, a black silhouette in the distance. The three snowmobiles slowed to a halt, lined up in a row. "Here's where we depart," Howard said, smiling at the other's surrounding him. "Good luck, guys. Remember, don't get caught."
"Same to you, Howard," Quatre said with a warm smile.
"Later man. I'll see you back at the jet." Duo gave his friend a chin-up gesture.
"Be careful," Hilde added.
Trowa reached out and shook Howard's hand.
Howard saluted and with a cheery smile, started moving forward again at a slower pace than before so the sound of the motor wouldn't draw so much attention yet. The other two snowmobiles started up and drove to the left, circling around to the back of Gemini. When they drew close, they slowed and crept forward at a snail's pace, the motor just above a low hum. It was time-consuming, but they needed to take their time to get everything done right.
They came upon the left corner of the base and halted. The motors were cut, and the riders dismounted. They grouped together. "Everyone got everything?" Duo asked. "Okay, good. Let's get a move on then. Time is of the essence."
They disappeared into the shadows and moved along the wall to the southern entrance. Duo was leading the way, and he stopped a foot from the entrance, motioning for the others to wait there. He went on cautiously and crouched down. He looked around the corner, avoiding the electric fence on the outside of the wall, and looked in through the mesh-wire gate. A guard was sitting inside the gatehouse, watching the security monitors; another was patrolling the southern entrance area with a rifle in hand; a third guard could be seen walking in their direction along the inside of the eastern wall. Duo backed away.
"There are three guards in the vicinity," he reported to the others, "from what I could see anyway. One is in the guardhouse, another walking around, and another is walking back and forth along the eastern wall. I'm guessing another guard is walking along the western wall as well. Our best bet is to gain the attention of the guy in the guardhouse and the one patrolling the southern area just after Howard sets off the bomb at the north entrance. If luck's with us, the guy in the guardhouse will open the gate to come out and investigate. Otherwise, we may have problem."
"It could work, depending on how curious the gatekeeper is," Quatre commented.
"It's all we have, though," Hilde said. "Let's go for it."
Duo looked to Trowa, who nodded in reply. "Okay then, now we just need to wait for Howard."
------
Howard ducked down near the north entrance and placed the bomb just out of view but close enough to do major damage. He backed away and set another one two feet away. Both were set to go off in two minutes. He smiled to himself and hurried away to his snowmobile. He jumped on and drove off at a slow pace, and then faster as he drew further away. He smiled in satisfaction when he heard the bombs go off behind him a little while later. He glanced back over his shoulder. Sure enough, smoke was billowing up from the north entrance of Gemini. Now, he thought, it's up to you guys.
------
Duo heard the bombs go off, and the four of them drew closer to the south entrance. Trowa looked around the corner this time. "The gatekeeper's heard it and gone to investigate, leaving a rookie behind. Now there's just that rookie and one guard nearby."
"Good, all the better for us," Duo said cheerfully. He then picked up two of the granola bars the man back at the runway had given them, and threw one at the gate. Sparks shot up as the bar made contact with the gate; Duo hadn't realized the gate was electrified as well, though it should have been obvious.
The rookie had seen and heard the sparks and, as the four had hoped, opened the gate via computer and came out to investigate. He came out with an automatic pistol raised, but he didn't have enough time to react before Trowa had lunged at him, knocking the pistol from his grasp. Hilde picked it up and ducked back into the shadows, just inside the base. She could see the other patrol guard making his way over. He was cautious, and when he saw what was going on, she watched as he reached back around for his walkie-talkie. She aimed and fired, shooting the guards hand. He howled and was about to cry out when Quatre came up behind him and knocked him out. Quatre caught the guard before he fell to the ground and patiently dragged him into the gatehouse.
Duo dragged the rookie in after Quatre, and Trowa walked over to her, massaging his right shoulder. "You're lucky that gun had a silencer," he said, motioning to the weapon she held. She winced. She hadn't even thought about that. Her instincts had taken over and logic had been shoved aside.
Duo and Quatre came out of the gatehouse and waved Trowa and Hilde over. "Are you okay, Trowa?" Quatre asked his friend.
Trowa nodded. "Yeah, I just hurt my shoulder a bit, nothing to worry about. I'll be okay."
"If you're sure you're fine, we need to hurry," Duo cut in. "It's five after three. We're running behind schedule."
------
Heero listened intently, hoping to hear what was going on outside of the cargo ship. It had landed five minutes ago, but there had been a lot of commotion outside of the ship up until that moment. It was ten after three; the cargo ship had had a little set back on the way, so now they were running behind.
"Do you hear anything?" Riley whispered.
A quick nod was her only answer. His brow furrowed as he strained to hear a conversation that had just started between the head of security and two patrol guards. A few minutes later, all was quiet. He crept back to the other three. "From what it sounds like, only two patrol guards have been left to watch over the ship. From how the head of security was talking, they might be rookies."
Riley frowned. "Two rookies?" she asked. She didn't like the sound of this. Who would leave just two patrol guards, rookies for that matter, to watch over expensive cargo? WuFei was thinking the same thing, but didn't comment.
"It should be safe to go then," Meiran said. "We just need to make sure we get to these two rookies before they can trigger an alarm."
"Unless they think they're manly enough to take us down by themselves," Riley commented sarcastically.
"I doubt it," WuFei said sardonically.
"If you guys are ready, we can get a move on."
The only way out was through the way they had come in. WuFei and Heero had brought supplies in case they had to jack the door open, but, coincidentally, someone had unlocked the cargo hold door after they had pulled into the hangar. Heero and Meiran lifted the door up just enough for everyone to crawl under. Everyone ducked down after they landed safely on the ground; Heero reached back up and pulled the door shut.
"Be careful," Heero whispered. "I don't like how this is going. Look out for a trap of any kind at all. WuFei and Meiran, you guys go around the left side, and Riley and I will take the right. Stop the guards before they get to the alarm."
As they soon found out, the guards weren't rookies, and they put up a good fight. One almost reached the alarm, but Meiran managed to drag him down a foot away from it. She had then soundly knocked him out and removed his pistol from its holster. She tossed it to WuFei, standing nearby, and he had put it on safety and tucked it into the waistband of his pants.
Heero had easily managed to bring down the second guard, but when a third guard came up behind him, Riley had to rush over to help. With a swift kick to the side, she had managed to get the third guard off Heero's back and onto the floor. The two ended up rolling across the floor, throwing punches every few seconds. In the end, Riley managed to slam the man's head up against the wall, and he slipped into unconsciousness. Bruised and tired, Riley had walked back over to Heero.
"I thought you said they were rookies, and that they were only two of them?" Riley asked accusingly.
He glared at her.
"He misunderstood, is all," Meiran said, coming to his defense even though she knew he could very easily defend himself if he wanted to. "Either way, we defeated them with not much of a problem."
Riley's eyebrows rose. "You guys may not have had a problem, but that guy over there," she said, jabbing her finger over her shoulder, "gave me one bruise too many and a headache."
WuFei glanced down as his watch. "We need to really get a move on. We only have fourteen minutes until 3:40."
"This is where we split up then," Meiran said, looking over at Riley. "You two be careful, okay?" She looked at Heero and then back to Riley. "I don't think I could stand either of you getting hurt."
"You too," Heero replied. He then said, "Let's get going."
------
Trowa did not like how things were turning out. They hadn't run into much trouble at all; there was a patrol guard here and there, but it mostly was smooth going. They had already set bombs throughout the base and were heading back out. Despite the slim amount of time they had had, they had managed to get the job done with only a few minor injuries. Quatre and Duo were up front, while Hilde and Trowa walked at the back.
Trowa had noticed Hilde's tension ever since they had first entered the base. Her brow was furrowed, and he could see the doubt in her eyes. Her hands tightly gripped the gun she held, and her eyes flicked back in forth, searching for any sign of an enemy.
"I honestly wish someone would jump out of the shadows and attack," she suddenly whispered to him. She shook her head. "This assignment is almost too easy. We've only run into about twelve guards and soldiers, and most of them were rookies. No one would be stupid enough to believe that rookies could protect this entire base against an attack. I'm telling ya, this situation has 'trap' written all over it."
"I've been thinking the same thing," he said.
She looked up at him. "You too?" She sighed. "Well, there really isn't much we can do about it now, is there? The bombs have been set. There's no turning back."
"We found the exit door," Duo whispered back to them. "I'm going to make sure everything's clear."
Hilde watched him as he disappeared out the door. She sucked in a deep breath. "If he comes back in and says it's all clear, then I know this is a trap someway or another."
Duo returned four minutes later. He held the door open and waved them out. "It's all clear."
Trowa could see the uncertainty in Duo's face, as well. He was having the same thoughts as he and Hilde were.
"Are you positive?" Quatre asked as Trowa closed the door behind them. "I mean, why wouldn't they have guards back at the south entrance? They wouldn't be taking that long to check out the explosion would they?"
Duo frowned as they neared the south entrance; the two rookies from earlier weren't in the guardhouse, and the south gate was still open. He hesitated, looking around. I don't like this, he thought, I don't like this at all.
"We have eight minutes to get back to the snowmobiles and get out of here," Hilde said. "We're going to have to run the rest of the way, and then drive pretty quickly to escape the explosion."
If the bombs haven't been deactivated already, Duo thought grimly. "Okay, let's move it, and if anyone see's any sign of movement, let us know immediately."
But they got to their snowmobiles without a problem, and they were never followed as they drove away.
------
"Someone's coming," Heero whispered. He grabbed Riley's arm and pulled her into an empty storage room. He dropped her arm one they were inside; he looked through the door crack and watched as the soldier walked past the door.
"How did you know this was a storage closet?" Riley asked.
"I studied the entire layout of this base before we left," he replied. He pushed the door open and motioned for her to come out. "It's clear, let's go."
They stepped back out into the corridor, and Heero looked around the corner. He stepped around it and started walking cautiously down it. Riley followed him as she walked backwards, watching their backs. Heero stopped abruptly, causing Riley to stumble into him. Heero gained his balance quickly, and grabbed a hold of Riley's arms, preventing her from falling. "Watch where you're going next time, he muttered.
Riley glared at him through narrowed eyes. "Next time give me a bit of warning when you suddenly stop."
He held a finger up to his lips and held his hand up, signaling for her to stop and wait. He crept forward and looked around another corner. He looked back over his shoulder at her and with a jerk of the head, motioned for her to follow him again. Halfway down the next corridor, Heero opened a door and stepped inside. Frowning, Riley did the same and closed the door. They were now in a small room with a simple wooden desk with a chair on either side, and a rather large steel box was in the corner behind the desk.
"An interrogation room," Heero said, noticing the steel box. "That box holds enough equipment to make any captive give out information."
Riley sighed. "I know."
Suddenly, a siren went off, causing her to jump. Heero grabbed her arm and brought her down to a crouch. They crawled to the door and opened it enough for both of them to see out of it but not enough for it to be noticeable. "Duo and his team accomplished their mission," Riley said to herself aloud.
Heero didn't reply. He was watching the soldiers as they came from all directions. He frowned as he watched. The postures of the soldiers' were rigged and all of them walked at a brisk pace, but none were rushing; all of their faces were clear of any expression.
Riley's brow furrowed. "Why does this look as if it was planned?"
Heero didn't reply for a few minutes; his face was as blank as all of the soldiers'. When he spoke, his voice was even deeper than before and full of a silent anger: "They know we're here."
---*---
I am so sorry this chapter didn't come out as fast as I said it would, but I do have a good excuse, or at least I think do. When I was halfway through with the chapter some days ago, I lost the floppy disk I had saved it on. And so, I wasted numerous days desperately trying to find it. Finally, I found it an hour ago, and I have been working on it ever since just so I could get it posted.
Anyway, the next chapter is coming soon. Look out for it!
22. As You Wish
Disclaimer: Don't own Gundam Wing. Ya know, this is getting annoying, so from now on, I'm just not going to bother writing these things. You guys know I don't own GW, so it isn't like I need to remind you at the start of every chapter.
Chapter Twenty-Two
WuFei halted as he neared a corner, slowly approaching it with the siren ringing in his ears. He cautiously looked around the corner -there was no one in sight. He motioned for his wife to come after him, and they hurried down the next corridor. WuFei paused before the control room door and looked back at Meiran. "You ready?" he asked.
She nodded, turning off the safety on her pistol and making sure the silencer was in working condition. "Let's go."
WuFei held his pistol up in his right hand and with his left pushed the door open. They both swept into the room, ready for anything.
"Drop your weapons or you'll be swimming in your own blood."
WuFei and Meiran both froze, looking around at the score of soldiers standing around them, their weapons raised and aiming at them. After a moment's hesitation of assessing the situation, they both found it to be a hopeless cause, and dropped their weapons.
------
Solo stared around in fright as the siren rang through the air. The siren was excruciatingly loud. His heart beat madly and he feared it would pop right out of his chest. He wanted to know what was going on, why their was so much noise. The guard watching over him opened the door and stepped out into the hall, looking left and right as soldiers filed past the door.
Without fully comprehending what he was doing, Solo hurried back over to the bedside table, removed the photograph from its drawer, and tucked it safely into the waistline of his pants, pulling his shirt over it; he had seen Duo do this many times before, always trying to hide something from someone. Duo would always wink at him before telling him to not tell.
Solo plopped back down onto the floor in the corner, and was sitting there just like before by the time the guard closed the door and turned back around.
------
Riley sprinted down the many corridors, following Heero's directions exactly. She had one destination: the emergency escape pods. Anger and resentment were building up inside of her as the realization that she was running from a fight was all too evident in her mind. Heero had instructed her to run, not listening to her excuses.
"They know we're here, and we can't do much about it. The most I can do is make sure you get out of here," Heero had said, looking at her with a fire in his Prussian blue eyes. Riley had tried to protest, but he had silenced her with a glare. "No excuses, Riley. Get out of here while you still can. I've no doubt in my mind that a trap is waiting for Meiran and WuFei, so we can't wait around here for them. You have to get out of here."
"But as soon as an escape pod is activated, they'll know," Riley had said.
"By the time they can do anything about it, you should be in space. The fighter pilots Lady Une sent out will know something is wrong when they see only one escape pod leaving instead of two. They'll take care of anyone that comes after you. Now remember my directions. They're your only hope of getting out of here safely."
Riley had memorized them and left. She had shot at anyone that came in her path, and so far, no one had been able to stop her.
She turned around another corner and smiled in relief as the escape pod hangar came into view. She rammed into the door and it flew open, banging into the wall before slamming shut behind her again. She raced inside, gasping for air. Her eyes widened in shock, and she skidded to a halt, burning a layer of rubber from the sole's of her boots. Her heart beat wildly as she stared at the man that blocked her way.
A satisfied smirk played at the man's lips as he looked at her tauntingly. "Riley Barton. I was hoping you would come," he said. "I've just been dieing to see you again. Too bad it couldn't have been under any other circumstance."
Riley's gaze darkened. She growled, as her pent up rage seemed to broaden. "Jake Rawthorne. A pleasure, I'm sure."
"As always," he replied. He let his eyes wander, his obvious perusal sending an unexpected chill down Riley's spine. She folded her arms across her chest and glared at him defiantly. His chocolate brown eyes met hers again, and she frowned at the coldness of them.
"Jake, why are you doing this?" she asked just above a whisper, her angry expression transforming into a pitying look. "We were friends, remember? What happened to that?"
He snorted, ignoring the emotions rolling around inside of him. "That was in the past, and it's no longer relevant. Don't dwell on it. What happened has run its course, and our friendship seems to have come to a stand still. I can't be a friend with the two people I've been ordered to control." He waited for that to sink in; it didn't take long. For the second time in his life, Jake saw a heart-wrenching sorrow fill those emerald green eyes. He gritted his teeth, his heart speeding up. "It's over, Riley."
Riley clenched her hands into fists and hardness replaced the sorrow in her eyes. Anger and hatred built up inside of her and the sadness was washed away down river. Her mouth twisted as she stared at him. "Don't think I'm going down easily," she growled.
"I don't want to hurt you," he said, "but if it comes down to that, I will."
"So be it."
------
The runway and building came into view as Duo and the others slowed their snowmobiles to a stand still. The back door to the building was pushed open and the Eskimo-looking man came out to greet them as they were climbing off of the snowmobiles. "Hello, my friends. You have returned."
Quatre shook the man's hand and smiled. "Yes, thank you," he said, "for everything."
"No problem," the man replied. "I would do anything for the dear Miss Peacecraft. She is a wonderful lady."
Quatre nodded. "She really is something."
Duo rolled his eyes and butted in. He shook the man's hand roughly. "Thanks, man, but we should be going. "
"Of course. Your older friend is inside waiting for you, and the pilot of your jet is ready and waiting for you in the jet's cockpit."
Duo gave the man a pat on the shoulder and headed into the building. "Howard, buddy, where are ya?"
Howard stood from one of the few chairs in the building and smiled at the braided ex-pilot. "Duo, you made it back alive. I am impressed."
Hilde followed Duo inside and smiled in relief on seeing Howard. "You're okay," she said.
"Of course I'm all right, young lady. You honestly thought something would prevent me from seeing you guys again?"
Trowa and Quatre came up behind Duo. Trowa rested a hand on Duo's shoulder. "We should be going. I want to be at the mansion if something happens."
"So do I; let's get a move on."
The team thanked the man again and went out to the jet. The pilot looked back at them when they clambered aboard. He smiled. "Ya'll ready to get going?" he asked.
Trowa secured his seatbelt and nodded to the pilot. "Ready when you are."
"Yessir. Get ready for take-off." The pilot began flipping switches and twirling gauges, and the flooring beneath the team's feet began to vibrate. The jet moved down to the closest end of the runway and turned around. When it was in position, the pilot called back. "Systems a-go." The jet glided down the runway, gaining speed the further it went until the wheels lifted off the ground and, once a good few feet above the ground were retracted back into the underside of the jet. "It'll be a few good hours, so feel free to fall asleep, people," the pilot said. "I'll wake you if anything vital happens."
------
Riley doubled over as a perfectly aimed punch was slammed into her stomach. She recoiled, sharply sucking in air. That one hurt, she thought absently. She straightened and glared at Jake, gritting her teeth. They circled each other slowly, waiting for the ideal moment to make a move; Jake attacked. He lunged forward and rammed her to the ground. She dropped and he reached down to her daggers pouch. Before she could react, he had nimbly removed a dagger and was out of reach. She growled and jumped to her feet, heading for him. He ducked out of the way of her right hook, spun, and swiped at her left arm with his newly attained dagger.
Riley winced, turning around to face him. Blood came from the open wound, gliding down the smooth length of Riley's arm, dipping into the curve of where her arm bends and then going down to her hand. She wiped most of it away, not touching the wound itself. With her right hand covered in her own blood, she sprinted for Jake and dove at him. They both rolled to the floor and Riley knocked the dagger from his hand; it skidded a foot away from them. They gripped each other's shoulders as they rolled. When Riley got a firm hold of him by sitting on top of him, Jake released her left shoulder and grasped the area of her arm where the bloody gash was. When Riley gasped in pain, he tightened his grip while she loosened her hold of him. He then kicked her off of him. She rolled away and he retrieved his dagger. He turned on her again and dropped on top of her. He grabbed the wound again, and Riley cried out. He held the dagger at her throat and started pressing it down. "Stop screaming or this dagger will do some serious damage." She bit her lip until she tasted blood. "That's better." He stopped pressing the dagger to her throat, but continued to hold it dangerously close. "You know I don't want to keep hurting you, Riley, so don't make me." He let go of her arm, and she released the air she hadn't known she had been holding.
He pulled her roughly to her feet, staining her white sleeveless top with her own blood. He pushed her up against one of the escape pods and stared into her face. "Look at me." Riley continued to stare at the ground, her mouth twisted into a grimace and her breathing coming in uneven gasps. "I said look at me." When she didn't comply the second time, he forced her chin up; her eyes averted so she was looking at the wall to her right. "If you're going to be so stubborn," he growled. He slammed her up against the escape pod again, jolting her.
Riley's head pounded to the beat of an unheard drum as she suffered from loss of blood and the rough handling she was being given. She knew she had to do something, and quick. She was too weak to fight her way out of this now, and no matter what she could do, it wouldn't be enough time to get into an escape pod and get out. But maybe-
With a last surge of adrenaline, Riley lunged forward, surprising Jake, and punched him soundly in the chin. He stumbled backwards, holding his jaw. Riley turned sharply and, ignoring her spinning head and the blurriness of her vision, she stumbled to the side of the escape pod, reached inside and slammed her bloodied hand onto a single red button, followed by a smaller green button. She removed her arm quickly as the glass covering came down over the open top of the pod and the engine came to life. She turned in time to see Jake running at her.
He didn't know her intentions of activating an escape pod without her inside it, but he knew she had a plan, and he had to prevent it from happening. She met him halfway and with a kick to his legs, Riley prevented him from reaching the pod in time. She dropped down onto him as a final attempt to stall him, and watched as the pod shot out of port and into space. She smiled as darkness engulfed her, sending her into a spiraling tunnel of black abyss.
------
Heero cautiously made his way down the stairs with his back pressed up against the wall. He barely breathed, listening for any sign of movement from below. There had been none thus far, but he was still wary.
What am I doing going down here? he thought. All I'm doing is digging myself in deeper. I know there's a trap waiting for me down here. Nobody would be so stupid as to leave Vienna unattended.
He stepped down from the final step and stopped. He stood listening, waiting for any sign of movement. He heard the slight shuffle of someone shifting their position and then a groan mixed with a depressing sigh. Vienna. He started moving forward again, his eyes flicking back and forth, searching for any sign of movement in the shadows of the prison cells. He tightened his grip on the automatic pistol he held in his hand. He looked into each cell, hoping Vienna would be in any of them. He wasn't sure which she was in, but he knew she had to be down here.
He heard the shuffling again and stopped. Silence reigned for the next two minutes as Heero stood as still as a statue, waiting -waiting for anything that would reveal to him that someone was down there.
---
Vienna shifted her position on the uncomfortable cot and groaned as her aching body protested. She sighed and stared up at the ceiling. She was tired, but she couldn't seem to fall asleep. She closed her eyes and listened to the sound of her breathing -and the sound of someone stealthily making their way to her prison cell. She frowned and her eyes narrowed. That isn't Katana or Daryn, she thought. If it were, they would be walking with more determination than that. No, this is someone who isn't supposed to be down here. Maybe Jake? She pushed Jake from her mind. No, it can't be Jake. He seems to have Katana's trust, so he wouldn't be trying to help me. But then who? She moaned, pushing herself into a sitting position. Oh well. Whoever said curiousity killed the cat can bite me; I wanna know who it is, no matter how much it kills me. Groggily, she got to her feet, but instantly stumbled into the wall on her left. She closed her eyes, waiting for her head to stop spinning. Her breathing was coming in short gasps, and her body was slightly shaking. "Darn weak body," she grumbled under her breath. She moved to the cell door using the wall as a crutch. She stopped at the door and stood shakily, waiting. She heard nothing for a few moments, but then she heard it again; they were just around the corner. She held her breath as she saw the head of a shadow come into view. She herself was hidden in shadows, but she wished she could become invisible nonetheless. The head became a body, and before long the person stepped into view. Vienna squinted, trying to make out who it was. Blast the poor lighting, she thought wryly. The person glanced into her cell, didn't see her, and kept going. As they drew further away Vienna was certain that the person was a male. Actually, he looked rather familiar to her. Her eyes widened when she noticed him raise his left hand higher; he held a pistol in that hand.
"Heero?" Vienna gasped out, barely above a whisper. She knew it was wishful thinking that someone was there to help get her out, but still; the outline looked so much like him that she couldn't help but hope.
The figure whipped around, looking left and right, searching the shadows. She could almost imagine his familiar eyes: narrowed, looking into every nook and cranny, searching.
Vienna smiled for the first time in a long while and a quiet laugh of relief escaped her lips. "You really are Heero, aren't you?" she said, louder this time.
"Where are you?"
"Here." Vienna stuck her hand out between two bars and waited for him to see it. He strode purposefully to her, still keeping an eye out for any sign of a trap. When she saw him coming, Vienna let her hand fall to her side and, not being to stand any longer, let herself slump to the floor.
He saw her drop and quickened his steps. He crouched down beside her, faintly seeing the shape of her in the shadows. "Are you seriously hurt?"
"Not really. I have some cuts and bruises, my head's throbbing, and my body aches, but other than that, no; I'm absolutely peachy."
Heero grunted. "I'm glad you still have your sense of humour."
Vienna smiled half-heartedly. "Let me tell ya, it's hard living in these surroundings." She reached up to rub her forehead. "So, how do you plan on getting me out of here?"
Heero hesitated. I don't have a plan, he thought to himself. Not anymore.
"You don't have a plan, do you?" She sighed and crawled away from the wall so she could sit in the dismal available light. She watched as a flicker of concern flashed across his eyes before disappearing. No matter how much you may change, you'll always be the same Heero Yuy, won't you? she thought sadly. She sat Indian-style and placed her hands in her lap. She smiled. "So tell me, I know you didn't come here alone. Are the others here?"
"Some of them, but somehow word of our plan got out and now the Rebellion knows we're here." He straightened and started testing the bars and doorframe. "Are you sure there isn't any weakness in this door whatsoever?"
Vienna shrugged. "I've tried, but you're stronger than me, so maybe you can do something."
Heero pulled sharply at each bar before moving down to the lock on the door. He frowned. The only way the door could be opened was by computer; there was no lock at all. He remembered seeing a keypad near the staircase, but he didn't know the code to unlock the doors. Then again, who ever said trying never helped? "I'll be back."
A sadness engulfed Vienna as she watched him start walking away from her. It had been so long since she had spoken with any of her true friends. She crawled back to the cot and climbed up onto it. Though she didn't lie down, as soon as she rested her head against the wall, she fell asleep peacefully knowing Heero was there trying to find a way to get her out.
------
Katana smirked, staring happily at her older sister and brother-in-law as they stood before her, hands tied and held at gunpoint. WuFei was fixing her with a glare; Meiran's face was unreadable. She turned to one of her soldiers and signaled for him to follow her outside for a moment. He quickly followed her from the room.
"Yes, Commander?" The soldier saluted her smartly.
"I want you to fetch me Jackson, and tell him to bring the M.C.D. with him," Katana said. "I want him to be here by the time one of my teams' return with Vienna and Yuy. Oh, and while you're at it, after you give the message to Jackson, I want you to find out what's holding Rawthorne. He should have been back here with that Barton girl by now."
"Yessir, er, ma'am. I'll get right to it."
Katana rolled her eyes at the soldier's retreated back. "Idiots," she mumbled as she walked back into the control room.
------
Sammy Becker yawned widely, his jaw popping as he did so. It had been a long night sitting there in that small fighter ship. There wasn't much room to move in there, and he had been in there for over twenty-four hours.
A sudden beeping on the screen jerked him fully awake and he looked to the green radar screen before him. His eyes widened in surprise, and quickly turned on the intercom connecting his ship to his friend Carlos Rivera's fighter ship. "Carlos, is your radar screen picking up an escape pod coming from the Granger space station coordinates?
A buzzing sound was all he heard until his friend picked up: "Yeah, but there's only one. We were expecting two, and they weren't to be expected for another half-hour or so."
Sammy frowned. "Do a heat scan of the pod and see if anyone's inside."
Carlos didn't reply for five minutes. "Negative for any signs of a life form. Think it's a sign that they need help?"
"It's as good an SOS as we're ever gonna get. I'm going to contact Lady Une." He disconnected from Carlos and contacted Lady Une at Preventers HQ.
"Lady Une speaking," came the feminine and aristocratic voice of the woman he had come to admire greatly.
"Lady Une, this is Fighter Pilot 0036, Sammy Becker. I think there's been some trouble on the Granger space station."
------
Jake Rawthorne turned sharply around a corner, almost colliding with a lowly soldier who seemed to be in a hurry. "Watch it, kid," he snapped.
The soldier stumbled back a step and looked up into his face. He recognized his superior and jumped to attention. "Message from Commander Rosco, sir." The soldier's eyes traveled from Jake's face down to the unconscious girl in his arms.
Rawthorne walked past the soldier and called to him over his shoulder, "Yes, I know. I'm wanted in the control room with Riley, correct?"
The soldier blinked. "Er, yessir."
"Well, I'm on my way, so you can just go back to your little job or whatever it is you do around here."
The control room was only a short distance away, but Riley was heavier than she looked, and she was weighing him down. He shifted her in his arms and kicked the door. He stepped back and waited for someone to open it for him.
"Stop making all that noise, Duo," Riley muttered, slowly coming awake.
Jake looked down at her, not sure whether to laugh or feel jealous that this Duo guy seemed to be on Riley's mind. Riley's eyes slowly opened and met his. She jumped, almost causing him to drop her onto the floor. Almost instantly she reached up to her forehead and rubbed it. "Let me down, Jake," she grumbled.
The door opened, saving him from answering. A soldier held it open for him, and he could see Katana standing in the center of the room beyond. He entered, noticing the young man and woman standing not far from Katana held at gunpoint. Both of them looked at Riley and worry lines creased their foreheads.
"It's about time you got here," Katana said. She looked at Riley. "Tie her up and make her stand a good distance from these other two. She isn't of any use until Vienna gets here."
Jake frowned, but did as he was told. He tied her hands together behind her back and stepped away, but immediately rushed to her again as her knees buckled and she started to fall forward. "She needs to sit down, Katana."
Katana looked at him sharply. "Why? I told you not to seriously hurt her."
"It was either that or let it her escape. Now will you please call a medic, or if you won't give her that decency let me alt least get her arm cleaned and bandaged."
Katana didn't like the way he was talking to her, but he was one of her best and she decided to let it slide this once. "Fine. Sit her down in a chair and I'll get someone to bring you some bandages and salves."
A soldier brought Jake a chair for Riley, and she dropped into it; she groaned and leaned her head back. The soldier hurried from the room to get the supplies.
Jake watched her worriedly, not sure what to do now. He noticed the look Katana was giving him and he backed away. He leaned against the wall closest to Riley and folded his arms across his chest.
Katana stared at Jake for a minute before turning her gaze onto Riley. He couldn't be in love with her, she thought in disgust. Her gaze went back to Jake. He was watching Riley like a mother hen protecting her chicks. That's just what I need from him: a weakness, she thought grimly.
The door to the control room and Jackson bustled in followed by his young lab assistant carrying the M.C.D and the soldier carrying the medical supplies.
"Put the machine where it belongs," Katana instructed the lab assistant; the young man hurried to do her bidding. She looked at Jackson; his gaze was riveted on Riley.
Jackson turned and took the medical supplies from the soldier and went to Riley. He knelt beside her and began setting out the supplies next to him.
"Get off your knees, Jackson," Katana said, "one of the soldier's can bandage her arm."
Jackson looked at her. "I've had some experience with medicine. Your soldiers we're trained to kill, not heal."
Katana's lip straightened into a thin line at his obvious dismal. "I said, get off your knees," she commanded. When he ignored her, her eyes grew with a furious intensity. "Now!"
He began to wind an ACE bandage around the girl's arm with special care. When he finished, he looked up at Riley with a smile. "All done," he said softly.
Her emerald green eyes met his and she smiled back. "Thank you, uh, Jackson, isn't it?"
He nodded. "You can call me Jack."
"Jackson, get away from her!" Katana shouted. "You have a job to do, now get to it before I have you shot!"
Jackson calmly got to his feet and turned to face her. "You won't kill me no matter how much I bother you. I am the only one who knows how to thoroughly work the machine, so keep your idle threats to yourself." He pushed past the soldier's making their way forward to restrain him. He patiently began to hook the M.C.D to the main computers, feeling the icy stare Katana was giving him.
Katana was seething. How dare he talk to her that way! Angrily, she grabbed a soldier by his collar and jerked him off his feet, slamming him into a wall. "Go and find out what's keeping that team from bring Yuy and Chang to me. I want them here now, and if they aren't here in the next eight minutes, rest assured you will not live to see tomorrow."
The soldier squirmed out of her grasp and stumbled for the door. He rushed from the room, leaving his furious leader behind.
------
The sound of the intercom system built into the jet dragged Trowa from his nap. He looked around through half-closed eyes at the others: Duo was sleeping soundly in the seat across the aisle, beside him Quatre was asleep with a peaceful smile on his face, and Hilde, the only other person awake, was looking out the window in thought.
"Jet 304, come in, please."
The pilot pushed a button, accepting the call. "Is something the matter, tower?"
"I have a message for your passengers from Lady Une of Preventers."
Trowa unbuckled his seatbelt and walked to the cockpit. The pilot looked up at him, and Trowa nodded for him to tell the tower to refer the message.
"Proceed, tower," the pilot replied.
"Roger. They are to contact Lady Une at headquarters. She says it's urgent."
"Roger that, tower. Thank you." The pilot waited for the tower to hang up before following suit.
Trowa sat in the co-pilots seat and dialed the number for Preventers HQ. Une picked it up and her face appeared on the video screen. She smiled in relief seeing Trowa, but he could tell she was worried about something; his heart seemed to skip a beat. "What's the matter, Lady Une?"
She frowned. "One of the two men we sent to keep an eye on the Granger station reported half an hour ago that an escape pod had been ejected from the station. There was only one, and it showed negative for any sign of life. We've come to believe that it was a sign that Heero and the others are in trouble."
Trowa's heart went into his throat. Riley was part of Heero's team. Was she in danger; was she hurt, and what of WuFei and Meiran? "What do you plan to do?"
"We're going to send in back-up, but Noin said that you four would want to go with them."
Trowa nodded. "Yes, we would."
"I believed you would. Tell the pilot of your jet to change his flight plan. Have him fly to headquarters where you and the others will board a shuttle heading for Granger. I'll alert all towers of your flight change, and that you will be allowed to fly at the fastest rate possible. I will make certain nothing holds you back."
"Thank you, Lady Une."
"I'm just sorry I couldn't bring you better news, Trowa. I'll see you all when you arrive." She disconnected and the screen went black.
Trowa sat back in the chair, and after a moment's pause looked at the pilot. He smiled half-heartedly at Trowa. "I'll do as she says. We should arrive there within three or so hours."
Trowa nodded absently and walked into the main cabin of the jet. He would have to report what Une had told him to the others. But as he looked up, he found that his three friends were already awake.
------
"Vienna, wake up."
Vienna grunted irritably, not wanting to leave her peaceful slumber. "Go away, I'm tired," she muttered.
"We don't have time for you to be lazy," the voice said, more urgently this time. The person shook Vienna's shoulders in an effort to wake her.
"Fine, fine, I'm awake," she mumbled. She cracked her eyes open and saw a figure looming over her. She let out a startled shriek and slammed up against the wall, jerking herself fully awake with a painful jolt. She winced and rubbed her forehead. "Ouch. That hurt."
"Am I going to have to carry you?"
Vienna looked up at the person who had startled her and her eyes widened in shock. "Heero!? H-how did you-" She looked past him to see the cell door wide open. She looked back at him. "How did you get the door open?"
He hauled her to her feet and let her lean on him for support. "No time to explain. We have to leave now. It was almost too easy to crack the code." He let her figure out the meaning behind his words. She caught his meaning quickly.
"Then what are we walking so slowly for?" she exclaimed. "Let's get moving." With a sudden burst of strength, she managed to hold her own weight without leaning on Heero and started walking purposefully to the staircase that would lead them out.
Though he didn't show it, Heero was surprised at the strength she had somehow managed to attain in a few short minutes. He easily fell into step beside her, both quickening their steps. He helped her up the stairs, ignoring her protests that she could do it herself, and they reached the top of the stairs within two minutes. Heero held her back and placed his ear to the door, listening for any sound of movement. Hearing none, he cautiously pushed the door open and stepped out into the corridor. He held his automatic pistol in his right hand and with his left held onto Vienna's wrist, pulling her after him.
They started down the corridor keeping their eyes peeled for anything that could signify an attack. There were none, that is until various soldiers dropped out of the air ducts and hidden doorways, surrounding them in a matter of seconds.
"Blast it," Heero muttered under his breath. He counted the soldiers, coming up with a sum of twenty men.
"Look's like we aren't going anywhere," Vienna said darkly. No matter how hard she had held onto that one slim chance of freedom, it had slipped through her fingers, and she knew no matter how hard she and Heero fought, they were outnumbered by far.
"We suggest you drop your weapons," one of the soldiers's said from behind Heero, "and come quietly. We've been given explicit orders to keep you both in one piece."
Heero glared at him. Vienna looked at him and shook her head. "Just drop your gun, Heero," she said quietly. He looked at her, and she could see the anger burning in his eyes. She held his gaze. "I'm not strong enough to fight them, and twenty men will no doubt take you down in less than two minutes. There's no chance of us winning, so why waste your strength?"
The soldier that had spoken earlier watched Heero closely. He had heard plenty of this young man: he had been a Gundam pilot, had a strong will and determination, and didn't back down from fights very often. This was why he was surprised when he heard the sound of Heero's gun dropping to the floor. He looked at the young man in surprise, and a sudden ghost of a chill ran through him at the intense burning hate in the man's eyes. He looked to the girl. How had she, a small girl a few years younger than the ex-pilot, managed to restrain his anger? He hesitated before motioning for some of his men to tie their prisoners' arms behind their backs.
Heero glared at the soldier's that came close. "Lay a hand one me and I will kill you," he said gravely, his tone of voice bring all the soldiers to a halt. "I give you my word I won't run. If you don't believe me, it's your death."
The soldier's looked at one another before falling into a tightly knit line around Vienna and Heero. The procession made their way to the control room.
Vienna looked at Heero. "Try to keep your temper in check, Heero. If you let it get the better of you, you'll only make matters worse," she whispered low enough for him alone to hear. "Promise me that when we get to where ever we're going, you will not make any attempt to protect me. If you do so, you will only make it worse for Riley and me. Promise me, Heero."
He looked down at her angrily, furious that she would ask such a thing of him. She continued to look back at him, unaffected by his glare. How was it he could frighten any grown man, but he couldn't scare a girl not a day over eighteen?
"Heero," she said with a hint of warning in her voice. Her own gaze hardened. "Promise me."
He cursed under his breath and looked away from her. He didn't reply for a few minutes, but soon looked back at her to make sure she was defiant in what she was saying. Her brown eyes showed him she stood firm in what she had said. He growled, but gave a slow nod of consent. "As you wish."
--*--
I know I say this every time, but -I'm sorry this took so long! As it grows closer and closer to the end, it gets harder to write because I have to get every fact down right. I hope you guys enjoyed it!
23. Prelude to Pain
Author's Note: I've come to realize that Midii Une could be Lady Une (which should have been a bit obvious), and that I have made them two different people. I'm not going to change that, but I thought I would just let anyone know that I am aware of that 'theory', I guess you could call it. Anyway, on with the chapter I'm sure all of you have been waiting for. *wink*
Chapter Twenty-Three
Riley watched Katana pace the control room angrily, waiting for the arrival of her other prisoners. It had been five minutes since Katana had sent the second soldier to find them, and Riley didn't doubt for a second that she would kill the soldier if he didn't return with the prisoner's in the allotted time. She looked over at WuFei and Meiran standing across the room. Both were still held at gunpoint, and Riley could see Meiran was getting tired of standing. If not for the gun being pressed into her back, Riley was sure she would be leaning up against WuFei. Her husband, on the other hand, didn't seem to be tiring in the least. His angry gaze followed Katana's every movement, only occasionally did he glance at his wife and Riley to make certain they were all right.
Meiran felt Riley looking at her and turned her head to smile at the pretty brunette. "You okay?" she mouthed to her friend. Riley nodded, but then flicked her gaze in the direction of Jake, the man keeping a steady watch over her. She then rolled her eyes and slightly shook her head. Meiran smiled, knowing what her friend was saying. At least she can keep up a good front, she thought.
The control room door was pushed open roughly and a group of twenty soldiers walked in with Vienna and Heero in the midst of them. The frightened soldier who had been sent to find them stepped forward and saluted Katana.
Katana slowed to a halt in front of him and sneered. "Saved by twenty seconds. Consider yourself lucky."
Riley straightened as she looked at her best friend for the first time in what seemed like years. Vienna's brown eyes connected with Riley's and the two girls smiled at each other, forgetting that their lives were about to change drastically. Everything seemed to fade away: the fear, anger, and nervousness, and suddenly the two of them were back at Dr. J's lab working out together, laughing and joking around as they played small pranks on the other.
All of a sudden, not fully comprehending what she was doing, Vienna broke away from the security detail and ran to Riley. To surprise everyone further, Riley stood from her chair with untied hands; Jake was the first to see the frayed rope bindings on the floor behind the chair. The two embraced each other with smiles.
"How did she get her hands untied?" Katana demanded angrily, glaring at Jake. The man frowned, looking at Riley.
"She had one of her daggers hidden somewhere, I'll bet," Jake grumbled loudly just as two soldier's stepped forward to pull the girls apart.
The soldier restraining Riley removed a dagger she had stuck into the waistline of her pants and held it aloft in the air for Katana to see. "She cut the ropes," he said, stating the obvious.
Riley rolled her eyes, staring pointedly at Jake with a satisfied smirk on her face. "You didn't honestly think I would keep all my weapons in clear view?" Her smirk widened when Jake's glare darkened.
"No matter," Katana said, and walked over to stand in between the two girls. She smiled with certainty at her two 'prizes'. "We have work to do, but first," she turned and strode over to the M.C.D., "let's get these other prisoner's off our hands."
Riley and Vienna started, both glancing at Meiran, WuFei, and Heero worriedly, and then to the M.C.D., where Katana was strapping the control bracelet on her right wrist. Both knew what was coming and that neither would be able to fight the machine off long.
------
Trowa was the first one off the jet and the first to meet Lady Une on the landing strip
"Everything is ready," Lady Une said once all of team one had gathered around. "Whatever you will need is already aboard the shuttles. You will all be on shuttle 037 on the take-off strip there." She pointed to a shuttle a short distance away. "Noin and Milliardo are waiting for you aboard." Everyone was surprised that Milliardo Peacecraft, a.k.a Zechs Merquise (a/n: spelling??), would be joining them all as well. "I will continue to keep in contact with everything to see how things are going," she added. She jutted her chin in the direction of the shuttle. "Not get going. You haven't much time."
"Thanks," Duo replied, and everyone took off for the shuttle, anxious to get moving.
The group clambered aboard the jet, and all of them were startled to find Midii Une already on board, buckled into a seat. She smiled at them as if it was any normal day during December. "Took you long enough to get here," she commented.
Noin poked her head out into the main cabin area from the door to the cockpit. "Buckle yourselves in. We take off in less than a minute." She disappeared back into the cockpit.
Everyone dropped into a seat and buckled up. Within three minutes they were in the air heading for the Granger space station.
------
Vienna held her breath, waiting. She knew what was coming, and she wasn't looking forward to it. She glanced at Riley. So it comes to this, she thought sadly. Riley looked at her, but the smile Vienna had always found hope in didn't appear, and for one of the few times since she had known Riley, Vienna saw fear, an overwhelming sadness, and defeat in her friend's emerald green eyes. None of those were what she wanted to see.
"Release them."
The soldier's let the girls go and backed away, standing beside Jake Rawthorne, who hadn't moved from his spot against the wall. He was watching Katana closely, he too knowing what to expect. His gaze flickered to Riley. He sent a silent apology to his old friend before hardening his heart against the conflicting emotions inside him.
A sudden coldness seemed to envelope Heero as he stood across the room with Meiran and WuFei. Both Meiran and WuFei's faces were strained, and a wild fury was burning behind WuFei's eyes. The same fury was inside Heero, but the promise he had made to Vienna kept it in check. Unlike Meiran and WuFei, his face was an emotionless mask.
Jackson stood a foot away from Katana, his hand on the M.C.D. He knew what to expect, and he also blamed himself because of it. He had created the blasted machine, the machine that would ruin the lives of two teenage girls, one of which being his own. His gaze moved over to her and he watched her, his heart starting to ache. He watched as she reached out and took hold of her best friend's hand and gave it a squeeze. He felt compassion for her. She wanted her friend to know that neither of them was in this alone. God, what have I done? he thought in anguish.
Riley's heart beat wildly to an unheard war drum. Her life had come to this: being a weapon that would ruin the world and colonies. Never before had she felt so hopeless. Unlike Vienna, she had barely any hope left. There was nothing neither she nor any other friend she had in this room could do to stop what was going to happen. Fate had caught up to her, and it was about to let out all its frustrations.
-*-
Katana watched the two girls in delight. She could see it in their eyes: fear. There wasn't much of it, but there was slightly more than a baby flame. And she loved it. Her fingers were itching to start the process, but she held back for a little while longer, letting the mixture of various emotions stir in the air, letting the tension build. She had been waiting for this. She wanted to see Meiran hurt, see that oaf of a husband boil, see that brown-haired wench squirm in agony, and see Vienna cry out and fight against the evil that would soon overcome her and eventually kill her; kill both she and her pathetic friend. So why wait any longer? she thought. All it takes is the push of a button, and it will all happen. She smiled. "Is it ready, Jackson?"
She heard the older man shuffle his feet before answering. "It's ready."
Katana frowned, noticing the tinge of anger behind those simple words. Is he backing out on my, too? she thought. Hm. Daryn must have talked to him before he ditched me. Oh well. There's no time for Jackson to back out now. Her left hand rose into the air toward the M.C.D. and, without glancing at the small keyboard, typed in an access code. She looked to Vienna and smiled cruelly. Oh yes, Vienna. You're going to pay. Her hand moved downward to a small button to the left of the keyboard. Her eyes traveled to Riley, and her smile broadened. You better be ready for this one, wench. Her finger de-pressed the activate button.
Nothing happened for a few moments, but all of a sudden Riley let out a strangled cry and dropped to her knees, holding her head in her hands. Meiran and WuFei instinctively lunged forward to help her, but five guards rushed forward to restrain them. They struggled against their captors but soon stopped short at the angry shout that escaped from Riley, followed by a silent moan. Every eye turned to look at the brunette kneeling on the floor. Her hands slowly fell away and landed flat on the floor; she didn't move.
Katana grinned. "Get up, Barton."
As if mechanically, Riley rose to her feet and her long brown hair, which had been shielding her face, fell away. Piercing bright blue eyes stared back into Katana's black ones.
That didn't take long, she thought. Indefinitely she has weaker mental strength than Vienna. She licked her lips in thought. How should I test you, Barton? Her eyes looked at a guard standing behind Riley. "Kill him," Katana instructed, jutting her chin toward the guard.
Riley swung around swiftly and dealt a heavy blow into the guard's stomach. The guard doubled over, his eyes bulging. He coughed and blood splattered onto the floor, some of which getting onto Riley's clothing. He dropped to the floor, blood dribbling from the corners of his mouth. Riley then swung her arm down and hit the man in the back of the neck with the side of her hand. He dropped to the floor, and before long he grew deathly still.
Jake, standing stock-still, stared at Riley in shock. He had known the machine was effective, but he didn't know it worked this well. Riley had turned on the innocent guard without a second thought and killed him. She was much stronger, too; stronger than Vienna had been when he had used the machine to put her under his control. The change in Riley had been abrupt and had knocked the air out of him. He was still getting his breath back.
Meiran and WuFei watched fearfully, fully comprehending the strength Riley had gained and the effectiveness of the mind-controlling machine. WuFei glanced at Heero and started. The ex-pilot was standing there without any guards holding him back, his arms folded across his chest and his emotionless eyes watching Riley. This isn't affecting him at all! WuFei thought wildly.
Standing beside WuFei, Heero watched as Riley turned back around to face Katana; he gritted his teeth. His hands tightened, squeezing his muscled upper arms in an effort not to lash out at the nearest guard. Get a hold of yourself, Yuy! he commanded himself angrily. You swore you wouldn't interfere, and you aren't going back on that vow. No matter how bad it gets.
Taking a deep breath, Vienna stared in horror at the dead guard lying on the floor a mere foot away from her. Riley had killed him in less than a minute with a punch to the stomach and a swift blow to the back of the neck; the thought was frightening. Riley had never been so cold-blooded; Vienna doubted the real Riley would have even thought of doing such a thing no matter the prize given to her. She quickly swept her gaze away from the dead man on the floor to Katana. The gleeful smile on her sister-in-laws face was nauseating.
"Perfect," Katana said, and turned to the keyboard. She typed in another code and glanced at Vienna before pressing the activate button. "Get ready for this one, sister," Katana growled excitedly at Meiran.
WuFei let out a fierce growl and angrily kicked one of the guards holding him back in the shins. The guard's hold loosened and another kick was aimed at the shins of the second guard restraining him. He lunged out of their grasp and bolted toward his sister.
"Restrain him!" Katana shrieked, her eyes focused on Vienna. The girl was obviously fighting the machine's power. Like Riley, she held her head in her hands, but she wasn't falling to the ground. Her face was contorted in pain and frustration. A low growl, much like her brother's, escaped her. Vienna stumbled to the left and ran into the wall; the jolt didn't seem to affect her. She slid down the wall, groaning and moaning as she fought the machine mentally.
Give in to it, Vienna. You know you want to.
No! I can't -give -in!
The pain will go away and you'll be at peace.
I -can't! It'll only bring death to my friends and family, so I won't give in. I won't, I won't, I won't!
Don't be so stubborn. You want to give in; I can feel it. You can feel it too, Vienna. Just let it go and you can be as free as a bird.
Can't! Heero, Meiran, WuFei -I won't hurt them!
You can be free. The pain will go away, and you and Riley can be free again to do whatever you want.
Vienna whimpered as she felt herself starting to give in.
-*-
Heero stared, mixed emotions twisting and turning inside him. Part of him wanted to kill Katana and every follower of hers in this room so he could stop them from hurting Vienna, while the other part of him continued to remind him of his promise. His hands clenched and opened over and over as he fought the urge to help. The sound of her voice making him promise not act foolishly echoed in his mind, and finally, Vienna's promise won. He held back his anger and focused on the promise. He was not going to break that vow.
-*-
The voices inside Vienna's head were fading away. The coaxing, peaceful voice was winning, and in a matter of movements would have complete control. Her true being weakly fought back one last time before giving in.
-*-
I decided to stop there for this chapter. I could go on, but I think if I continued the chapter would be too long, and you guys would grow tired. That could very well NOT happen, but I would still rather split the chapter into two separate ones. Hope you guys enjoyed it! Only two more chapters remaining until the end!
24. Lean On Me
Chapter Twenty-Four
"Twenty more minutes."
Duo looked up to find Noin standing just outside the closed cockpit door, leaning back against the wall. She smiled sadly at him and shifted her gaze to Trowa, who was slumped forward in his seat with his head in his hands. Duo couldn't help noticing how devastated his friend looked; his own face must match Trowa's perfectly.
Beside his friend, Quatre placed a comforting hand on Trowa's shoulder. He sighed and glanced at Duo. "How're you holding up?" he asked.
Duo shrugged, leaned back in his chair, and folded his arms across his chest. "As well as can be expected," he replied, his body language signaling that he didn't want to talk about it. The longer they talked about it, the more he thought of Riley and Solo, and the more he thought of them the more heartache he felt. Plus, there was no way he was going to admit to himself that he was more than worried about Riley. He knew the others were worried like good friends would be, but in the back of his mind he knew that he cared about her more than that. Trowa's love was a brotherly love, and the others loved her as a friend, but Duo was starting to believe his feelings didn't belong in either category.
He abruptly unbuckled his seatbelt, which he had kept buckled for longer than he had needed to, and stood to his feet. He slid past a sleeping Hilde and started down the aisle of the shuttle to the restrooms in the back. Everyone, minus Zechs in the cockpit and the sleeping Hilde, jumped at the sound of the restroom door slamming shut.
In the cramped space just large enough for a sink, toilet, and a trashcan, Duo braced his hands on the sink's rim and stared at his reflection in the mirror. His eyes were blank, emotionless, and the rapid rise and fall of his shoulders showed how hard and quickly he was breathing.
He twisted one of the faucet knobs, spraying ice-cold water into the sink. He cupped his hand underneath and splashing his face with the water. He blinked, letting the water drip down his face. Again, he looked into the mirror. Quietly he growled, "Get a hold of yourself, Maxwell."
------
The burly guard slammed into the wall, the loud crack of his head against steel resounding throughout the control room. Vienna leisurely walked over to the limp form, dragged the carcass to its feet, and twisted the dead man's neck. She let him drop to the floor, staring at the body blankly.
Riley was leaning up against the wall nonchalantly a foot away, her arms folded across her chest, watching her friend kill the man with ease. She smirked.
Vienna wiped the back of her hand along her jaw line, turning to face Katana. She raised an eyebrow as if asking if the kill was satisfactory. She waited until Katana gave a brief nod before grabbing a nearby chair and sitting down in it backwards.
"Couldn't have done it better myself," Katana said, smiling. She glanced at the expressions on her three captives faces. Meiran was watching her two friends with dismay, her eyes blinked rapidly as if they had a mind of their own; WuFei was watching his sister and friend with a contained fury, his lips twisted into a scowl; Heero was the only one to look unaffected, though Katana silently knew otherwise. Her eyes went back to Meiran, watching her until her sister felt someone staring at her.
Meiran turned her head in her sister's direction. She frowned and gave her a disgusted look. "How can you revel in this?" she asked, glaring at her sister. She shook her head and looked back to Vienna. "It's hard to believe we're related."
Katana's eyes flashed. "Be quiet or you'll be the first to go," she said threateningly.
Meiran looked back at her sharply, her brow furrowed. What had Katana meant by that? Her heart quickened when a malicious smile slowly crossed her sister's face. WuFei reached out and gripped Meiran's hand, pulling her a step closer to him.
Katana laughed. "Do you honestly think I'm just going to let the three of you live, rotting away in one of my many prison cells?" Her laughter grew louder. "Using the three of you as target practice is an ideal way to give my two prizes some more time to get accustomed to their new strength." At this Heero looked away from Vienna to glare at her. "And of course, Yuy," Katana added, walking around the small group to stand in front of her captives, "I'll be sure to save you for Vienna." She glanced over her shoulder to the Chinese girl sitting in the chair with a bored expression on her face. "I'm sure you're just dying to talk to her again."
It was taking all of Heero's willpower not to kill Katana then and there. He didn't even care if he got killed by one of her guards; it was better than dying slowly by the hand of Vienna. But no -he had made a vow not to interfere, and he was going to keep it.
Katana stepped back, away from Meiran, WuFei, and Heero, and looked to Vienna and Riley with a smug look. She jutted her chin in the direction of the captives. "Kill them." The guards surrounding the captives jumped away and hurried to the back of the room where they would be out of the way.
Vienna and Riley snapped to attention just as Meiran, Heero, and WuFei dispersed.
------
Richard paced the floor angrily, wishing he could be out where all the action was. But, of course, he was given the lousy, simple job: babysitting a puny kid. He glanced at the boy that was his ward and glared viciously at the boy's sleeping form. Puny brat, he thought angrily.
Sighing, he kicked at the wall to his left, causing the boy to jump in his sleep. He laughed, realizing the kid hadn't woken up at all. The door opened behind him, and he turned to see who it was.
"Richard Carter?" the white-haired man standing in the doorway asked.
Richard nodded, standing at attention; he knew this older man had to be above his station. "Yessir."
"I would like to have a word with you for a moment, if I may." The man glanced at the boy sleeping in the corner. "The kid should be alright for a few minutes. You'll only just be in the room next door."
Richard nodded and followed the man out into the hall. He closed the door silently behind him after double-checking to make certain the boy was indeed asleep.
As soon as the click of the door shutting met his ear, Solo's brown eyes snapped open and anxiously looked around the room. He sat upon confirming the room was clear. He clambered to his feet and ran to the door. He tugged on the doorknob and it swung open. Grown-ups think kids don't know anything, he thought as he closed the door behind him. He looked both ways down the hall, one thought in mind: he had to get out of there.
------
"Riley, you've got to listen to me," WuFei gasped out, dodging a kick to the knees. "I know the real you is in there somewhere."
Riley paused long enough to glare at him and say, "Why don't you just shut up? All your doing is wasting my time with your idle chat." She sliced her fist up into an upper cut, aiming for his chin. He jumped back, his chin missing the blow by inches. She let out a low growl, kicking him in the chest. He took a sharp intake of breath and stumbled backwards, hugging himself as if it would stop the pain.
Meiran ran to his aide, stepping in front of him. She stared at Riley with mild anger and frustration. Her friend wouldn't do this, she knew it was the machine, but she couldn't help getting angry. She was looking at a friend that had become a monster.
"Get away, Meiran," WuFei said, reaching toward her and pulling her behind him. "I don't want you getting hurt."
"Oh, so you would rather die then!?" she shouted at his back.
Riley jumped WuFei, who managed to shove Meiran out of the way in time. Meiran rolled across the floor, away from her husband and Riley. WuFei landed on the floor with a bang, Riley digging her knee into his chest. He gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain, and pushed her off. She rolled once before getting into a crouching position. She growled and lunged for him again. They rolled, clutching one another's arms in vice-like grips. They stopped rolling with WuFei on top of Riley. He released one of her arms and, apologizing mentally, punching her in the face. Her head snapped to the left, but she wasn't stunned for long. With a quick thrust she managed to kick him off her and send him rolling across the room. He grunted as he rolled to a stop, his head pounding. He glanced up; Riley was wiping blood from the corner of her mouth, advancing toward him. She was a mere foot away when the door to the control room slammed open and a worn-out soldier ran in.
"Commander Rosco!" the man gasped out. "Shuttles and fighter jets are coming this way!"
Riley had stopped mid-step, looking toward Katana; across the room, Vienna had paused as well with an angry Heero slowly getting to his feet.
Katana frowned at the soldier's announcement and hurriedly accessed the radar screens from the main computer. Every screen throughout the room lit up with a greenish glow, showing a large amount of ships heading their way; two large shuttles were in the midst of them. She cursed and pushed away from the computer, rolling the chair to the main control panel nearby. She pushed the intercom button and said, "All soldiers and pilots report to your ships. Enemy forces are heading our way. I repeat, all soldiers and pilots report to your ships!"
------
"You guys better buckle up!" Noin called to everyone in the cabin compartment. "We're in for a bumpy ride."
With only a few moments time to do as she asked, the five passengers in the back were thrown back in their seats as the shuttle shot forward, heading for the hangar of the Granger space station.
The main hangar door was grinding open, letting out the many small fighter jets into open space. They swung out in an arc in an attempt to surround the Preventer's space force, but there were more of the Preventers than there were of the Rebellion.
Zechs and Noin, in the ####### of the shuttle 037, gritted their teeth as Noin and Zechs maneuvered the shuttle through space. With the two of them working together not many of the fighter jets could get close enough to do any harm, but the 037 shuttle managed to be bumped numerous times, get quite a few scratches, and had one of the wings nearly torn off.
"They're closing the hangar door," Noin said, looking out the large front window to the station.
"Then we need to go faster," Zechs replied simply, being jolted in his seat as another fighter jet rammed into them.
The closer the shuttle drew to the hangar, the narrower the opening became. Noin gritted her teeth and put the boosters to their fullest. The shuttle dove into the hangar opening, the door hitting the roof of the shuttle. The entire roof was scraped and a large, ripped gash was torn through it. The hangar door slammed shut, missing the back end of the shuttle by inches.
"Well," Quatre said, stepping into the #######, "we definitely won't be using this shuttle to get out of here, will we?"
Zechs and Noin turned in their seats to glare at the Arabian. He shrugged apologetically and backed away. "Sorry for stating the obvious," he said.
"Alright, everyone got everything?" Duo shouted, watching as his friends started strapping pistols, grenades, and bombs to their bodies. Zechs and Noin hurried out of the ####### and did the same.
"We're ready," Hilde announced, glancing around the cabin.
"Good," Duo replied, the sound of thundering footsteps being heard outside the shuttle, "because I don't think the guys out there are going to wait for us."
------
Vienna dodged a punch aimed at her stomach and swung her own fist at Heero's nose. He ducked down, and swung out with his right leg at Vienna's legs, bringing her crashing to the floor. He leapt onto of her, digging his knees into her thighs and his hands tightly gripping her hands above her head. "I don't want to kill you," He said through gritted teeth, staring into the furious, wild green eyes.
Vienna spat in his face. "That's your problem," she stated, and rammed her head forward, hitting him square in the forehead. He grunted in pain and quickly rolled to the side to avoid any further sudden movements she might make. She jumped to her feet and came at him. He rolled to the side and stumbled to his feet, slightly light-headed. He shook his head, clearing it away, and prepared to block any punches and kicks she would throw at him.
Across the room, Jake watched as Vienna fought Heero and Riley fought both Meiran and WuFei. At least it's even odds, he thought. With Riley's strength she can take on two people at a time, but Vienna can only take on one person. She has the thinking capacity of two world-class geniuses, whereas Riley has the strength and agility. He whistled. I would hate to have to fight both of them at one time. The two of them are like a two- piece jigsaw puzzle.
He turned his attention to Katana, who was glaring at the computer screens. He had been so keenly focused on the two brawls going on that he hadn't even heard the blaring siren. Bold, red words were flashing at the bottom of every screen in the room: INTRUDERS. He frowned, knowing who these intruders were.
Just then the door to the control room opened again. Jake watched to see who was coming in. He took a double take to make certain his eyes weren't deceiving him: it was Solo, Riley's brat. Jake cursed. How did he get out? He sprinted across the room, heading for the small boy.
Solo looked around, staring wide-eyed at everything that was going on around him. He looked to his right and his mouth turned up into a grin. "Riley!" he shouted happily, and started running to her. Riley didn't turn around; she kept on punching and kicking the two people surrounding her. He knew something wasn't right about this; Riley wouldn't hurt her friends, but all he cared about at that moment was that Riley was in the same room, and that all he had to do was run until he could be bundled up in one of her hugs.
To his surprise a man ran at him and pulled him away from Riley. He backed up against the wall and held Solo against him. The boy struggled wildly, desperately trying to get away. "Let me go!" he cried.
The man held him tighter. "You're going to get yourself killed, kid!" the man muttered in his ear. Solo stilled, continuing to gaze at Riley across the room.
"Rawthorne, lock the door!" Katana shouted at him from the other side of the control room. "We can't have them getting inside!"
I'm a little busy, Katana, Jake thought as he inched his way to the door, still holding Solo in his arms. He shifted the small boy so he was holding him under one arm and with the other reached out to shut and bolt the door. Just as the door shut he could hear shouts and storming feet coming down the hall. Jake frowned, thinking grimly, This is going to be one hell of an hour.
------
Trowa slowed to a halt before the control room door with Zechs at his side. Noin and the others were behind them fighting off anyone that came forward to stop them. There hadn't been many since most had left hours ago when the Gemini base had exploded, and the remaining others were in space fighting the Preventers forces.
Zechs twisted the doorknob and shook his head. "We're gonna have to break it down."
Trowa nodded. He could hear the sound of people running around inside the room and the occasional grunt and shout of pain; he didn't exactly want to know what was going on inside there. He wasn't sure if he could face it.
Duo, Quatre, Hilde, Midii, and Noin came running around the corner, Noin and Quatre bringing up the rear with their weapons raised. Quatre reached for a grenade hanging from his belt, pulled out the pin, and tossed it down the hall; a loud explosion ripped the air a few seconds later.
"All clear," Midii announced, slowly down. She glanced at the door. "We're going to need a bomb for that one," she stated, taking in the entire door with a glance. "A grenade won't be able to do it."
"Bomb coming right up," Hilde replied, bending down to set the bomb up at the foot of the door. She plugged in all the right wires, set the timer, and started it up. "Everybody back!" she exclaimed, pulling Midii down the hall after her. Everyone that had been gathered around the door dispersed down both sides of the hallway trying to escape the blast. They all ducked down as the bomb went off, scattering debris and bomb fragments all over them. They all got to their feet and rushed through the open, mangled doorway.
------
Jake had heard Hilde shout for everyone to back away, and he had done just that. Tossing Solo over one shoulder he had rushed across the room where Katana was standing with Jackson. He had barely escaped the full brunt of the explosion, saving both his and the little boy's life. He set the boy down on the ground at the same moment Trowa and the others rushed in. He shoved Solo behind him, thinking Jackson was standing somewhere close at hand so he could take him. But, as it was, no one was anywhere near; but there was something right behind him.
Katana realized what was about to happen before it went through. Her eyes widened and she spun on her heel, shouting out to get Jake's attention. She reached out to grab the boy before he fell backwards, but she was too slow.
Solo fell backwards, his arms flailing wildly as he tried to grab something to prevent him from falling. His lower back hit the counter where the M.C.D. was set up, and his arms reached behind him instinctively to grab hold of it. His hands went past the counter and struck the machine. The heels of his palms slammed down onto the machine's control panel and the one key button.
Riley and Vienna's screams of pain jolted Jake to reality, and he turned around to see what was going on- what he had caused. Solo, his face pale and brown eyes wide in terror at the screams, was leaning back against the counter and the machine, his hands still resting on the control panel. He had frozen in place, afraid to move. Jake's eyes traveled down the boy's arms to the control panel, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw a light at the top of the panel shining in all its red glory. His mouth formed the word 'No' but no sound came out. Even if it had, no one would have heard it over the screams of Riley and Vienna.
The two girls, curled up into tight balls on either side of the room, were twitching, screaming, and gripping their heads in pain as the machine erupted into full force. All their friends tried to reach them to help, but the guards standing in the room restrained them all. No matter how hard they all fought, none could reach them. Not even Heero, Meiran, and WuFei, who were only a few feet away.
Jackson quickly pulled the young boy Solo away from the machine and held him tightly in his embrace. The boy was shivering uncontrollably, not understanding what was going on. Only Jack, Katana, and Jake knew. The turbo button had been pushed, and there was no way of fixing the blunder. If they turned it off now, there was no telling if either of the girls would survive, and that was not a choice anyone in that room wanted to make.
------
After what seemed like hours, the screams died down into silent whimpers, and then nothing. No one moved, blinked, or made any noise to disturb the deathly silence. Everyone was staring at the two curled up figures on the floor, holding their breath to see what would happen.
Slowly, the girls uncurled from their tight ball-like positions and got to their feet, moving with all the patience in the universe. They straightened and their faces were turned forward with their eyes closed. They both turned to where they were facing Katana, and if they had been shocked their eyes snapped open, startling everyone in the room. No longer were their eyes green and blue; they were a fiery red.
Katana stared at them in utter shock, frozen in place. The fiery stares emanating from Riley and Vienna were causing her to shake in her boots; never had she been more frightened in her life. Remember, she thought, you have full control over them. They will do what you command. They can't, or won't, hurt you. Her rigid body relaxed and a self-satisfied smirk came to her lips. She had not wanted to do this to the girls just yet; she had wanted to wait for another time, another place, when it would be more useful. But, since fate had taken control and had dealt her what stood before her, she would have to play the game fate's way. "Okay then," she said under her breath. If not for the fact that the room was deathly silent, no one would have heard her, but as it was everyone did, and it seemed to bring them all back to awareness.
Solo, even more anxious to get to Riley, squirmed his way out of Jackson's grasp, which had loosened during the past few minutes, and ran to Riley. She didn't even move or look toward him as he ran to her. When he reached her he wrapped his arms around her legs, hugging them close to him, and silent tears fell down his face, followed by muffled sobs. Slowly, Riley looked down at him without any sign of emotion.
"Solo, get away!" Duo shouted, understanding the extent of the danger Solo had just put himself unknowingly in. He strained against the guard holding him, and was surprised to find that Heero was as well. He stared at his friend in anger.
"There's nothing you can do, Duo," Heero said quietly. "You'll only get yourself killed."
"Riley," Katana barked at the brunette. Riley's gaze turned from the boy to Katana, her attention focused solely on her master. "Dispose of the brat," she commanded, folding her arms across her chest. "He's just a mere nuisance."
Solo quickly let go of Riley's legs as he felt her move and backed up a step. He looked up into her face questioningly. "Riley?" he whimpered, his eyes filling with more tears. The girl he had grown to love as a mother stared down at him coldly.
Duo watched in horror, his heart quickening, as Riley's arm drew back, preparing to slap the boy across the face. "No, don't," he whispered brokenly. "Fight it."
Riley stared into the tear-filled brown eyes, her face revealing nothing. Her brain was screaming at her to kill him. Katana had commanded her to, so why had not she not gone through with it yet? Angry at herself, her hand rose higher in the air, but just as she was preparing to let her hand fly, something stopped her- a small niggling at the back of her mind. She gritted her teeth, growing furious at her lack of ability to follow orders. Kill him! she shouted mentally. You must kill him!
Solo backed up another step, his eyes staring fearfully at Riley's raised hand. "Riley," he said again, his voice growing weaker and weaker as the seconds passed. "Riley?"
The hand flew.
Solo squeaked and jammed his eyes closed, waiting for the blow. But it never came. Slowly, he opened his eyes to find Riley's hand stopped a few inches from his cheek. His brown eyes traveled up to her face, and his heart filled with a kindling of hope. Small tears were forming in her eyes, and her lips were quivering. Though she looked upset, she also looked furious. Her face was contorted in anger, but her eyes told him otherwise. Gathering all the courage he had, he stepped up to her and hugged her legs again. He could feel her shaking.
Duo watched, his heart in his throat. She hadn't slapped him; she had stopped. The real Riley was still in there somewhere, fighting for control!
Katana stared in anger and frustration. "I said kill him!" she screamed.
Riley's shaking grew worse. She had to kill him, but something was holding her back. She bit her lip until she tasted blood, her eyes filling with more tears. Tears are a sign of weakness! she thought angrily. Why are you crying?!
I can't kill him.
The realization struck home, and she stumbled backwards, away from Solo. She gripped her head and cried out in anguish, her mind reeling with confusion and anger. "What is happening to me?" she growled, dropping to her knees.
A few feet away, Vienna's gaze left Katana and went to her friend kneeling on the ground. She could feel her friend's pain; understood it. She had to go to her. It was the loyalty of her friendship that moved her forward, closing the gap between she and Riley. Loyalty broke all bonds.
Katana watched, her anger growing. "Vienna, stay where you are!" she commanded. "I said stay where you are!" Vienna kept walking.
Jake watched, and he knew what was going on. He had always known the friendship between the two girls had been strong, but not this powerful. It connected them by a hidden bond that was unbreakable. Nothing could break it: not Katana, not death, and not mind control. He knew, too, what was going to happen, and he did not want to be in the crossfire that he assumed would ensue. Moving slowly so not to draw attention to himself, he disappeared from the room.
------
Vienna bent down beside her friend and placed a hand on Riley's shoulder. Again, she was fighting herself mentally. She was fighting herself: one half commanding her to get away, the other telling her to stay, that her friend needed her. She knelt there for what seemed like hours, fighting herself, until she felt a part of her give. Slowly, she gained control again. Her toes were tingling, like they would feel after having fallen asleep. Her heart was slowly, and she was starting to feel at peace. Underneath her hand she could feel the same changes happening inside her friend; she could feel the changes. Something was happening to the two of them, and they were going through it together.
Riley moaned, the wars inside her drifting away. Peace was starting to flow through her, as she it was flowing through Vienna. What was happening to them? She opened her eyes and turned her head to look into Vienna's eyes, a fiery red much like her own, but now they did not burn with a fire of hatred, but one of righteous anger. The knowledge of what had happened to the two of them came to her in a moment, and they both understood. Weakly, the two friends smiled at each other before lapsing into a deep sleep.
------
A strangled shout of range erupted from Katana as she watched her two chances of hope crumble. Those two girls had been her only chance of turning her dream into reality. With them dead, as they must now be, she had nothing. She was nothing. "NO!" she shouted, and bolted across the room to the two bodies on the ground; Heero and the others ran with her.
Suddenly, they all stopped, frozen in surprise and wonder as they watched one of the bodies move. It was Riley.
Riley grunted, weakly pushing herself up into a sitting position. She was shaking, breathing in rapid, uneven gasps. Her red eyes swept over the crowd before her, Katana closer than anyone else, and her eyes focused on Katana, and a fury burned to life. "You," she said waveringly. And as if forgetting her, her eyes went to the lifeless body of her friend beside her. The sight did not seem to affect her. Instead, she reached out and rolled her friend onto her back. Vienna's body flipped over easily, revealing her ashen face to everyone. They gasped, but not Riley. Calmly, she placed a hand on her friend's forehead and closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. She let it out, and breathed deeply again. In and out, over and over she did this, keeping the full attention of every single person in the control room.
"Breath," Riley whispered softly. "Breath." She could feel it; she could feel Vienna's heart beat weakly, but it was there. A small smile lit her face. "Now grow." She paused, waiting. "Grow stronger." The heartbeat was beating more urgently pumping life into her friend again. She senses the rise and fall of her friend's chest, and she opened her eyes, revealing sparkling emerald green orbs. "Vienna," she called, smiling. "Come on, V," she said, using her friend's old nickname. "We aren't finished yet. We still have things and people to live for."
Vienna's eyes fluttered open, and brown eyes met green. She smiled, and Riley's body seemed to give out. She slumped forward, but kept herself up right nonetheless. "This is a change," Vienna said, her voice weak. "Since when are you ever awake before me?" Riley chuckled, her body starting to shake from overexertion.
The faces of everyone in the room were one of unbelief. What they had just witnessed they would never understand, but they didn't need to. All they knew was that the bond of friendship went beyond simple words and actions.
Katana stuttered helplessly, lost in amazement and fright at what she had seen. Vienna had been dead, and Riley had only been alive by a thread. How could they be sitting there joking? She blinked, and watched as Vienna closed her eyes again.
Riley straightened, somehow finding more strength from within. "You can't go back to sleep yet, Vienna," she said, and her head turned to look at Katana, the soft look in her eyes fading away. "We still have work to do." She pushed herself to her feet and bent down to help her friend up from the ground. Vienna leaned up against Riley, noticeably weaker than her friend. They stepped forward together toward Katana, and she took one step back. Riley reached up and removed a single dagger from underneath her shirt, her eyes remaining fixated on Katana. She passed it to Vienna, who took it. Katana turned to run, but the two girls were quicker than her.
With Riley's unwavering hand on her shoulder and her friend's strong presence, Vienna gripped the end of the dagger's blade, bent her arm back behind her head, aimed, and let the dagger fly. It went true, and katana fell, three feet from safety. No one needed to check to be certain she was dead.
"With mine and my mother's dagger she is stabbed," Riley said quietly.
"But by my hand she is killed," Vienna finished, and as one body the friends dropped to the floor.
25. Epilogue
Chapter Twenty-Five
Riley Barton watched her friend sleep, a peaceful smile lit up on Vienna's face. She had been in a coma for three months now, and there wasn't a day that passed by that riley worried about tomorrow. What had happened in the control room on the Granger space station was still fuzzy to her, and she doubted she would ever fully remember what happened. The others had tried to explain the miracle that had happened between she and Vienna to her, but it just seemed too unbelievable to be true. If she had been able to give her friend strength to survive, then how was it that Vienna was laying in a coma in the hospital?
She sighed, drawing the attention of Heero Yuy, who sat on Vienna's right. Riley smiled at him sadly, aching for him. He had rarely left Vienna's side for the entire three months she had been there. She and the others and tried to get him away for an hour at most, but he wouldn't hear of it. He was too stubborn, and so he left himself in the pit of misery, sitting in the same chair for days on end. Riley admired him for it. She doubted Vienna would ever find anyone so devoted.
She bit her lip, feeling tears starting to rise. She had been holding them at bay for weeks, refusing to let them fall. Never would she let anyone see her crumble under the pressure, and especially not Duo or Solo. If duo saw her cry he would never leave her be, she knew. He had been watching her like a hawk as it was. It would be worse if she let herself fall. As for Solo, ever since that day at the Granger station, their relationship had been on shaky ground. She had to gain his trust all over again, and every time she saw him hesitate in approaching her, it broke her heart. She remembered what had happened with him on the station, and she tried to forget it. It only caused her more emotional pain.
"Why don't you get away for a little while, Riley."
Riley jerked, surprised that Heero had said anything, but even more angry at herself that she had let her feelings show. Stubbornly, she shook her head. "No, I'm fine."
"I insist," Heero said. "You need to. I can bear it, but if you stay another minute you'll crumble." She gave him a startled look. He shrugged. "Hey, I've been hiding everything about myself for much longer than you have, so don't think you can hide anything from me. I can read you like a book." He paused. "As can Duo," he added.
She stared at him for a moment before looking away, folding her arms across her chest- her shield. "You know, maybe I will take a break." She got to her feet, grabbed her wallet of the table nearby, and headed for the door.
"You can't run from it, Riley," Heero said to her back.
She stopped in the doorway and said to him over her shoulder, "Maybe I should say the same to you."
------
An hour later Riley found herself wandering down an empty street, the moon shining brightly down on her from above. She did not know where she was heading; just that she did not want to go back to that hospital room and have to face Heero again. All her problems were piled up in Vienna's hospital room, and if she returned she would be picking them up again.
She could hear the sound of jeering men nearby, and she knew she must be close to a pub. She looked both ways before heading in that direction. She needed to be in the midst of a crowd. Maybe the noise could drown out her depression and loneliness.
The pub was a short distance away and was easy to find. She stepped inside and the smell of sweaty men, the sound of jeering people, and the clanging of beer mugs slammed into her. Welcoming the noise, she pushed through the crowd, heading for the bar. She dropped down onto a stool and sat at the counter, staring absently at the TV screen in the corner.
"What's a pretty thing like you doing here?" a gruff voice asked from behind the counter.
Riley looked at the bartender and shrugged, ignoring his compliment. "Nowhere to go, nothing to do," she replied.
The bartender nodded, glancing to the pub's entrance as the doors were pushed open, signifying the arrival of more customers. "Would ya like anything to drink?"
Riley shook her head. "No thanks."
"Suit yourself." The bartender walked away, going to help another customer further down the bar.
She had been sitting there by herself for only a minute when the three bar stools to her left and two bar stools to her right were pulled back and people sat down in them. She grew rigged, upset that anyone would crowd her in like that. She turned to the man on her right and was about to tell him off when she saw his face. She faltered. "Duo?"
He glanced at her and smiled. He then waved down the bartender and began ordering drinks for the entire group. Riley looked past him to find Trowa sitting beside him. She looked to her left to find Heero beside her, followed by WuFei and Quatre. She blinked. "What are you guys doing here?"
Heero looked at her for a moment before giving her a rare half smile. "Just having a drink with a good friend."
End file.
| fanfiction |
participation in sports has dramatically increased over the last three decades and sport related injury has increased proportionally ( 9 ) .
sports injury surveillance classification systems have become increasingly popular during this time to gather information on these injury types , rates , mechanisms , and risk factors ( 11 ) . although many systems exist , little is known about the time and training that is necessary to use them .
however , it is commonly assumed by practitioners that injury surveillance is an added burden to their already heavy workload ( 4 ) .
the data from these surveillance systems allow for an objective assessment of the risks of sports participation and guide changes to rules , equipment , and injury prevention efforts ( 9,11 ) .
sport injuries have been examined thoroughly in previous studies ; however , there is a need to create a universal or comprehensive system .
the orchard sports injury classification system ( osics ) is a widely used ( 20 ) , free program , specifically designed for sports medicine application ( 21 ) .
currently , osics is being used for a broad spectrum of sports , including soccer , cricket , tennis , and rugby that can be easily adapted to include other sports .
osics has gone through many modifications since its inception , resulting in different versions , which address the criticisms of previous editions ( 22 ) .
drastic changes were made in the tenth edition to improve efficiency , accuracy , and inter - user agreement over previous editions ( 22 ) .
these upgrades include the development of a fourth character in the coding system for more detailed coding ( 22 ) .
additional sections of codes include pediatric , and post - surgical sections , and expanded to include inadequately covered codes ( 22 ) .
osics encompasses the full range of sports medicine diagnoses , adaptable to all sports and levels of competition , making it a preferable injury surveillance system ( 10 ) .
the international classification of disease ( icd ) has been used to classify disease for over a hundred years ( 15 ) .
although previous research identified gaps in the sports and leisure injury codes ( 6 ) , the expansive list of procedure codes allow for accurate documentation of treatment initiated by healthcare providers ( 19 ) . in 1970 ,
the current procedural terminology ( cpt ) code system , broadened to include diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in surgery , medicine , and the specialties ( 22 ) .
the combined use of icd and cpt codes expand the ability to code for medical , surgical , diagnostic , and therapeutic services ( 3,19 ) .
however , cpt codes are owned and maintained by the american medical association , therefore ; they are exclusively used in the united states .
icd and cpt codes have potential to be used a universal language for medical documentation , injury surveillance , and communication among healthcare professionals internationally
however , each of these systems only focuses on their particular subset of patients and collects injury data based on the needs and concerns of the sports governing body .
for example , the national collegiate athletic association ( ncaa ) collects information on collegiate athletes in the united states , and the fdration internationale de football association ( fifa ) collects information on international professional soccer players .
although the information from these surveillance systems is important for each individual organization , the information can only be used for that particular demographic , and is not generalizable .
there is a lack of universality and currently none of the sports injury surveillance classification systems evaluate treatment method per pathology over time .
therefore , we created the osics 10.1 plus , which combines the universality of osics 10.1 and cpt codes .
the purpose of this study was to establish the level of usefulness and level of effectiveness of the osics 10.1 plus for recording injuries and interventions as a comprehensive system that can be utilized regardless of setting .
level of effectiveness was assessed by the ability of osics 10.1 plus to match the participant s previous records and level of usefulness was assessed by the ease of use statements .
three hundred and forty - two ( males=148 , females=192 , no response=2 ; age=30.99.5y ; experience=9.110.5y ) athletic trainers ( ats ) in the united states completed the survey .
participants were primarily employed in the secondary school ( n=135 ) or collegiate setting ( n=171 ) .
a summary of the demographic information for the participants that completed the osics 10.1 plus assessment is depicted in table 1 .
participants collected the location of injury , severity of injury , and treatment pertaining to any injury that occurred within the last six months .
the participants recorded the collected information into a web - based survey we created using qualtrics software ( qualtrics llc , provo , ut ) .
the survey includes the orchard sports injury classification system 10.1 , to collect information on the injury , and cpt codes to collect information on the treatment initiated , both of which are validated tools . at the end of the survey ,
the participants completed a questionnaire to analyze the usefulness , and level of agreement for osics 10.1 plus in recording injuries and intervention methods .
level of effectiveness was assessed by the ability of osics 10.1 plus to match the participant s previous medical records and level of usefulness was assessed by the ease of use statements .
we performed analyses of central tendency to evaluate the effectiveness , and usefulness of the osics 10.1 plus .
grounded theory was utilized to develop the codes that were extracted from the qualitative feedback .
grounded theory is a systematic evaluation of data that uses codes to group common themes to serve as the basis for a new theoretical framework .
three hundred and forty - two ( males=148 , females=192 , no response=2 ; age=30.99.5y ; experience=9.110.5y ) athletic trainers ( ats ) in the united states completed the survey .
participants were primarily employed in the secondary school ( n=135 ) or collegiate setting ( n=171 ) .
a summary of the demographic information for the participants that completed the osics 10.1 plus assessment is depicted in table 1 .
participants collected the location of injury , severity of injury , and treatment pertaining to any injury that occurred within the last six months .
the participants recorded the collected information into a web - based survey we created using qualtrics software ( qualtrics llc , provo , ut ) .
the survey includes the orchard sports injury classification system 10.1 , to collect information on the injury , and cpt codes to collect information on the treatment initiated , both of which are validated tools . at the end of the survey , the participants completed a questionnaire to analyze the usefulness , and level of agreement for osics 10.1 plus in recording injuries and intervention methods .
level of effectiveness was assessed by the ability of osics 10.1 plus to match the participant s previous medical records and level of usefulness was assessed by the ease of use statements .
we performed analyses of central tendency to evaluate the effectiveness , and usefulness of the osics 10.1 plus .
grounded theory was utilized to develop the codes that were extracted from the qualitative feedback .
grounded theory is a systematic evaluation of data that uses codes to group common themes to serve as the basis for a new theoretical framework .
participants indicated that the osics plus was useful with scores indicating overall agreement to the statements : easy to use , easy to enter an injury , and easy to enter the associated interventions .
respondents indicated that osics 10.1 plus was neither effective nor ineffective with scores indicating neutral agreement to the following statements : that the osics matched their current injury or intervention records .
a majority of participants indicated that they could find the injury and interventions of interest .
a majority of respondents indicated they would consider using osics 10.1 plus for injury surveillance at their institution .
the summary of the osics 10.1 plus assessment by participants is depicted in table 2 .
the feedback from the open - ended questions provided insight regarding the osics 10.1 plus .
these themes were 1 ) feedback that promoted the use of osics 10.1 plus as an injury surveillance system , 2 ) feedback that did not support the use of osics 10.1 plus , and 3 ) a general misunderstanding of documentation and injury surveillance by the respondent athletic trainers .
the feedback from the open - ended questions provided supporting comments to promote the use of osics 10.1 plus . participating
feedback revealed that the system was easy to use , convenient , organized , easy to navigate , and user friendly . when asked compared to your current system , what did you like about osics ?
respondents denoted that the system had a nice appearance , was streamlined in a logical order , and that the selecting options were preferable to the typing that was involved in their current system .
respondents indicated that the osics 10.1 plus is overall easy to use , easy to enter an injury , and easy to enter the associated interventions .
the second subtheme that developed was the potential osics 10.1 plus had as an injury surveillance system and for use in the profession .
for example , respondents said that it would be great if osics 10.1 plus could be imbedded into their current electronic medical record ( emr ) .
in addition , respondents indicated that with fine - tuning , the osics system and individual customization , the system would more widely appeal to them .
conversely , several participants provided feedback on their experience with osics 10.1 plus , which does not promote the use of the system in its current state .
feedback indicated that participants had concerns about compound injuries because osics10.1 plus , in its current format , only allows for the recording of singular injuries , rather than compound injuries such as a lateral ankle sprain and a fibular fracture .
additional feedback revealed that some participants felt modifications needed to be made to the interface , including too many screens to load ; the system was not navigational on mobile devices , no go back button or arrow , and a technical glitch that caused some sections to loop twice
. however , most participants indicated if these issues were resolved than the system would be much more effective .
the second sub theme that emerged was lack of information , and that many additions need to be made to make the system more effective .
missing sports included olympic sports , recreational activities , martial arts , performing arts , ice hockey and injuries that were out of season or not sport related .
additionally participants indicated missing interventions as well , such as referral , non - traditional medicine , varying concussion treatments , and emergency care .
osics 10.1 plus has preliminary support for the use as an injury surveillance system . with modification , respondents indicated that osics 10.1 plus could be effective system .
only 65.8% ( 225/342 ) of participants felt as though they could find the interventions they were looking for and 60.0% ( 205/342 ) would consider using osics 10.1 plus .
the most prevalent , yet unexpected theme that emerged from the participants feedback was the apparent misunderstanding of 1 ) the difference between medical documentation and injury surveillance and 2 ) the use of cpt for billing for reimbursement .
feedback from participants indicated that they wanted the specificity of medical documentation such as progress notes , daily notes , specific parameters , etc .
sports injury surveillance classification systems are designed to gather information on injury types , rates , mechanisms , and risk factors ( 11 ) .
the data from these surveillance systems allows for an objective assessment of the risks of sports participation and guide changes to rules , equipment , and injury prevention efforts ( 9,11 ) .
the effectiveness of a well - designed surveillance system is based on the following nine characteristics according to the world health organization : simplicity ( 12,7 ) , flexibility ( 12,7 ) , acceptability ( 12,7 ) , reliability ( 12,7 ) , utility ( 12 ) , sustainability ( 12 ) , timeliness ( 7 ) , security ( 12 ) , and confidentiality ( 12 ) .
the quantitative data and qualitative feedback indicate support for and potential use of the osics 10.1 plus for simplicity , flexibility , acceptability , reliability , utility , and timeliness . additional research in 2014 , indicated that surveillance systems needed to be user - friendly and delivered in a range of accessible formats to increase reach , adoption , implementation , and maintenance ( 4 ) . increasing
the use of surveillance systems and injury surveillance data will increase our understanding of the extent of the injury problem ( 4 ) .
unfortunately , the majority of sports injury surveillance systems exist in professional and elite sport settings , resulting in a knowledge gap about injuries in amateur and community sport settings ( 5 ) . with minor modifications , osics 10.1 plus
could serve as an effective , useful , and comprehensive injury surveillance system to address this gap .
in addition , recently published research revealed that future sports injury surveillance research should address potential discrepancies in reporting that are associated with participating ats employment status ( 13 ) .
full - time secondary school ats reported higher overall injury rates and average numbers of athletic training services in high school football than their part - time counterparts ( 13 ) .
thus there is the need for improved injury surveillance and an increase in full - time ats in the high school setting ( 13 ) .
respondents reflected on the potential that the osics system could have on the athletic training profession , this would be a great tool for tracking injures in order to show the need for athletic trainers based on the number and types of injuries occurring and it can be very beneficial to our profession and our institutions to utilize injury surveillance systems and analyze the data to incorporate injury prevention .
the goal of the tool was to create a comprehensive injury and intervention recording system regardless of injury or setting .
osics 10.1 plus is designed to gather information on these injury types , rates , mechanisms , and risk factors in large populations of athletes .
this information is essential to guide rules and equipment changes , and injury prevention efforts such as altered training regimens and interventional assessments .
uniquely , osics 10.1 plus also allows for the objective assessment of interventions per pathology over time , which can potentially improve patient care .
recent developments and publications in injury surveillance systems indicate that injury surveillance has improved , but still needs development .
the datalys center which is responsible for the ncaa isp , partnered with the national athletic trainers association research and education foundation to launch the national athletic treatment , injury and outcomes network ( nation ) surveillance program ( sp ) in high schools ( 2 ) .
datalys center has improved both nation and its sister project , the ncaa isp , by identifying previous issues with the isp .
the nation - sp goal is to provide a comprehensive examination of both time loss and non - time loss injuries , sustained by student athletes that receive services from ats working in the high school setting ( 2 ) .
however , two fundamental problems still exist 1 ) only 70% of us public high schools and 55% of public high school student - athletes had access to an at ( 2 ) , and 2 ) participation in data entry .
the ncaa isp has a long standing history for injury surveillance , however during the five academic years from 200910 through 201314 the participation among teams for the study period ranged from a low of 0.7% in men s tennis to a high of 13.2% in men s ice hockey ( 14 ) .
this is a fundamental problem because the majority of the injuries are not being recorded on injury surveillance systems , thus injury types , rates , mechanisms , and risk factors are not accurate .
osics 10.1 plus provides a mechanism to promote the athletic training profession by tracking the interventions used , per pathology overtime to aid in the efforts to achieve reimbursement .
however , this research indicates that there is an apparent misunderstanding of the use of cpt codes for reimbursement and with difference between medical documentation and injury surveillance .
the 2011 nata reimbursement manual states , coding is a complex subject that requires educating yourself or hiring a certified coder . unless you hire a coder or billing agency you should purchase new coding books every year when they are updated
prior to the start of the survey , the following statement was provided , to participants : the osics 10.1 plus is not a medical documentation system .
sport injury surveillance systems are designed and developed to gather information on injury types , rates , mechanisms , and risk factors in large populations of athletes to allow for an objective assessment of the risks of sports participation .
the information gathered from these injury surveillance studies are key to guiding rule and equipment changes , and injury prevention efforts such as altered training regimens and interventional assessments .
medical documentation on the other hand is much more detailed and serves an entirely different purpose .
medical documentation includes the observable , measurable , and reproducible findings from examination and diagnostic tests , and assessment .
injury surveillance and medical documentation are both important to medical professionals and the medical field , however this study is specifically looking into the use of osics 10.1 plus as an injury surveillance system .
however , participants still struggled to differentiate between medical documentation practices and the role of injury surveillance .
this was particularly obvious in the lack of understanding about using cpt codes to bill for reimbursement .
cpt codes are used for reimbursement of services and tend to be broad as compared to the specificity a medical professional is expected to have in their documentation . for example , cpt code 97032 is for electrical stimulation and cpt code 97110 is for therapeutic exercise . each intervention would be billed in fifteen minute units , however , no additional details are included in the process to bill .
a practitioner would be expected to document , in their medical records , the parameters of the electrical stimulation intervention as well as for the therapeutic exercise .
many participants wanted to include the specific parameters of their intervention ( as they would in a medical note ) , however , those details are beyond the scope of osics 10.1 plus and injury surveillance in general .
osics 10.1 plus was designed to objectively assess the use of interventions per pathology over time , not to detail each treatment and its parameters .
additionally , future research on the implementation of emr , and injury surveillance needs to be conducted with careful consideration ( 18 ) .
research has indicated that lack of emr adoption by clinicians was a result of systems development , implementation factor concerns , and organizational pressures ( 18 ) .
the lack of understanding demonstrated in this study may also be a factor for the lack of adoption and full utilization of emr by ats .
there is a need for a conceptual framework to guide the implementation and evaluation of emr from the perspectives of different stakeholders ( 18 ) .
electronic medical record ( emr ) keeping , the most effective mechanism to engage in medical documentation , has been present in the medical field for years .
drastic uptake began in 2009 , with the health information technology for economic and clinical health ( hitech ) act of 2009 , which provided financial incentives to implement emrs ( 8) .
currently , the uptake of emrs in athletic training facilities at colleges and universities , secondary schools , and professional sports is not described in the literature and their implementation rate is unknown ( 1 ) .
the advancement of technology and the sports medicine profession has led to development and advancement of computer and web - based medical record systems .
these advantages of emr include portability , ease of access , control of access , and adaptability ( 16 ) .
although there are several different systems available , there needs to be a standardization of the data and a uniform documentation system ( 16 ) .
the standardization of data would allow for the exchange of information between systems , analyses across teams at varying levels of play , improved information flow , and analysis of injury patterns with the goal of preventing or reducing injuries ( 16 ) . in conclusion , a comprehensive surveillance system is needed to record injuries and intervention methods regardless of setting .
the information gathered by a comprehensive system allows us to assess the risks of sports participation and guide changes to rules , equipment , and injury prevention efforts .
the use of osics 10.1 plus as an injury and intervention tracking system has potential to promote the employment of ats by demonstrating a need for patient care and assist in reimbursement efforts by accurately monitoring interventions .
the results of this end - user study indicate that participants agree that osics 10.1 plus is useful and could serve as an effective mechanism for injury surveillance with minor modifications .
however , this study also indicates that we , as ats , need to work toward better understanding regular medical documentation and reimbursement first , as we continue to develop easy to use and effective injury surveillance tools . | pubmed |
Condition for two points to collide with constant speed $v_1$ and $v_2$ at any point of time? [closed]
**Closed.** This question is [off-topic](/help/closed-questions). It is not currently accepting answers.
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We have been given the initial speed of 2 particles. They have a constant speed. At any point of time $t\geq0$, their positions are given by $i+v\cdot t$ where $i$ is the initial position of the particle. So what is the condition that these 2 particles will collide?
Example: let's say position of the first particle is 1 and its speed is 3 and the position of the second particle is 3 and its speed is 1. Then they will collide at $t=1$. So how we will be sure that two points will collide if these parameters are given ?
Note: Consider their masses to be negligible
Here's one idea: The trajectory of particle $i$ can be represented in parametric form: $\vec{p\_i(t)}=(x\_i(t), y\_i(t), z\_i(t))$
I'm going to assume that when you said, "constant speed," you actually meant constant *velocity.* If that's true, then the $x\_i$, $y\_i$, and $z\_i$ functions all will be *linear* functions.
So does the line $x\_1(t)$ intersect the line $x\_2(t)$? If not, then there is no collision. But, if the lines do intersect, then how about the lines $y\_1$ and $y\_2$? Do they intersect? And, do they intersect *at the same* $t$? Finally, how about $z\_1$ and $z\_2$?
If all three pairs of 2D lines intersect, and if all three of them intersect at the same $t$, then there must exist some point in 4D spacetime that is on both trajectories (i.e., the particles collide.)
A collision means that the two particles exist at the same point in space at the same instant in time. Therefore, if the motion of particle 1 and particle 2 is given by $x\_1(t)$ and $x\_2(t)$ respectively, then a collision will occur if there exists a time $T\geq0$ such that $x\_1(T)=x\_2(T)$. Note that this is true for any two functions $x\_1(t)$ and $x\_2(t)$, even if the velocity is changing or if the motion is in more than one dimension.
If at least one of the particles has a finite size and both have velocity vectors directed toward the center of mass (in the center of mass system), then they will collide.
| stackexchange/physics |
Conus sinaiensis is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails, cone shells or cones.
These snails are predatory and venomous. They are capable of stinging humans.
Description
Distribution
This marine species of cone snail occurs in the Gulf of Aqaba.
References
Petuch E.J. & Berschauer D.P. 2016. A new species of Miliariconus Tucker and Tenorio, 2009 Conidae: Puncticulinae from the northern Red Sea. The Festivus. 483: 183-187
External links
sinaiensis
Category:Gastropods described in 2016 | wikipedia |
One Year Later: Pokemon Go
thegaminggeek / August 25, 2017
I started playing Pokemon Go the day after it became available in our country: August 7, 2016. It's been more than a year now and while the core gameplay remains unchanged, there have been several improvements that have vastly improved the game experience (at least, from my perspective). And that's what I want to talk about today, because there are a lot of people who have already stopped playing prior to these changes so they haven't seen how much Pokemon Go has improved since it launched. Are these changes enough to bring people back into the game? Probably not everyone who stopped, but any returning players are welcome.
Improved Pokemon Tracker
When I started, Niantic had already changed the game's Pokemon Tracker so I didn't get the chance to see this "three step" tracker myself. What I experienced was a tracking system that told me which Pokemon are nearby within a certain area, in order of nearest to farthest. And that was it.
It wasn't very useful – any nearby Pokemon could be anywhere within the area. Finding specific Pokemon required walking, monitoring the order of nearby Pokemon being displayed and calculating their position based on how their order changed. For example, if I saw a Pikachu near me and a Squirtle after, if I walked and they swapped positions that would tell me that I'm walking towards Squirtle and farther away from Pikachu.
Now, the app's tracker will tell you what Pokemon are close to Pokestops near you. If you wanted a specific Pokemon in your tracker, all you needed to do was go to the Pokestop that it's close to and walk around it. Despite being Pokestop dependent, it is much more helpful in catching Pokemon because you have a clearer idea of where to go without the game giving you an exact X on your map and making it too easy.
Thanks to its improved tracking system, I now have a better idea of where to go if I want to catch that Chikorita.
Nanab Berries and Pinap Berries
This may be considered a minor change, but the addition of the Nanab Berry and Pinap Berry were big in my eyes (especially the Pinap Berry). When used, the Nanab Berry "calms" Pokemon down, making them less jittery and erratic and makes it easier for players to land hits with their Poke Balls. Pinap Berries meanwhile increase the number of candies that you would get upon catching Pokemon (candies are used for evolving and for power ups).
Together with Razz Berries (increases the success rate of catching Pokemon), players now have to be a little more strategic when it comes to catching Pokemon. Am I going to use a Razz Berry on this Dratini that I want to catch to guarantee me catching it or am I going to use a Pinap Berry so I can get more candies and make it easier for me to evolve this Dratini into a Dragonite? As a player, I love having that option.
A new feature that's only been recently added into Pokemon Go are Raid Battles. They're effectively boss fights, involving overpowered Pokemon that spawn randomly in Gyms. Some can be taken down solo if you have the right Pokemon and if they're strong enough, but most will need the help of other Pokemon Go players if you want to beat them.
Wanna join me beat this Magikarp Raid Boss up?
To be honest, none of my friends are active Pokemon Go players so I don't usually get to do Raid Battles. But I still enjoy them as a solo Pokemon Go Trainer particularly because these Raid battles give me the opportunity to catch certain Pokemon that are rare in my location (examples of which are Quilava and Muk). Speaking of rare Pokemon, Raid Battles are the only way of catching Legendary Pokemon – something that I can't do but am happy that other people can.
Even if I've already captured a Pokemon Raid Boss (e.g. Croconaws are common where I live), I still do these Raid Battles for a chance to get the Rare Candy item – candy that you can change into any specific candy that you want. These Rare Candies are very helpful as again, you need them for evolving and for making your Pokemon stronger.
I've seen Pokemon Go be lauded as an excellent social game as it brings Pokemon Go players together to the same areas, but there really hasn't been any true multiplayer functions in the game before Raid Battles were introduced. Now, Pokemon Go players actually have something that they can do together.
Improved Gym Defender System
The biggest improvement to Pokemon Go, at least in my eyes, is the Gym Defender system revamp. Back then, I didn't enjoy Gym battles that much and let me explain why. First, let me talk about taking over opposing Gyms. Before the revamp, Gyms can have as many as 10 Pokemon defenders and these can be of the same types. Without going into specific details, let me just say that taking over gyms can take so much time especially if you're faced with several Blisseys or Snorlax. And trying to defend a gym that's occupied by players of the same team as you are can also be tedious – you also need to battle Pokemon in order to open up a slot and be able to get in.
Not only is it better in terms of gameplay, Gyms are also better to look at now with all of the Gym's Defenders lined up.
Getting into a gym can require a lot of time and effort and what do you get? Once every 20 hours, you can collect what's called a Defender Bonus – 10 coins for every Gym that you're defending, up to a maximum of ten gyms (or 100 coins). I don't know if I've managed to convince you on how difficult it was to get into Gyms but for a casual Pokemon Go player like me, the most coins I've managed to collect at one time is 30 (three Gyms taken over).
This has improved in several different ways. First, Gyms are now limited to six slots instead of ten so it's faster to take Gyms down. Second, Gyms can only be defended by one of each kind of Pokemon so you don't have to battle crazy combinations like three walls of Blissey. This also introduces more variety to the game as players can't keep relying on their Snorlax or Gyarados – they need to train other kinds of Pokemon so they can get into more Gyms. Third, all six slots are open to the defending team so you can immediately start defending a Gym that's occupied by a teammate if it's not yet full.
It's easier to take Gyms down now so the rewards system was also revamped. You now earn 1 coin for every 10 minutes that you have a Pokemon Gym Defender, up to a maximum of 50 coins per day. You get these coins as soon as your Pokemon gets kicked out of a Gym, so if you have a well-defended Gym then you're likely to get those 50 coins.
Admittedly, this reward system is flawed – you don't get any coins if your Pokemon doesn't get kicked out. But that simply means that you need to take over more Gyms to increase your coin-making opportunities – but not as many as what was required back then (5 Gyms to get 50 coins in a day) so this new system is still much better for me than the previous one. Since the Gym revamp, I've been able to earn coins at a much faster rate. I'm now able to buy Incubators more often, which helps me hatch more eggs, which helps me fill my Pokedex faster. I acknowledge that there are others who prefer the old rewards system (in particular, hardcore players who can easily take multiple Gyms over), but this new system is much more casual player friendly – and what kind of players are those who play games on their mobile phones anyway?
There are other improvements to Pokemon Go but what I covered are the ones that have improved gameplay and the overall game experience. Is Pokemon Go a different game now? No, it's still the same, revolving around collecting and battling Pokemon. I don't think this is the best version of Pokemon on mobile that we can have (there's still no trading and no player to player battling) but both the experience of collecting and battling Pokemon have vastly improved, to a point where I think former Pokemon Go players should at least consider checking the game out again.
What do you think about Pokemon Go, now that it's more than a year old? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment or two below!
August 25, 2017 in Alky's Random Thoughts. Tags: mobile games, Niantic, nintendo, Pokemon, Pokemon Go, video games
Were the Speed Limit Restrictions in Pokemon Go Necessary?
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Super Mario Run – Another Home Run for Nintendo?
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One thought on "One Year Later: Pokemon Go"
DDOCentral says:
Reblogged this on DDOCentral. | slim_pajama |
So far over $104k worth of games have been reclaimed DRM-free on GOG. They are also reclaiming Mount & Blade and Eador in Russian-speaking lands if keys were handled by StarForce.
"We're doing our best to add more games. Stay tuned for future updates and announcements as soon as we know more." Visit GOG.com's Reclaim page to learn more. | slim_pajama |
USS Sagittarius AKN-2 was an S-class Indus net cargo ship in the service of the United States Navy in World War II. Named after the constellation Sagittarius, it was the only ship of the Navy to bear this name.
Sagittarius was laid down on 8 November 1943 as liberty ship SS J. Fred Essary MCE hull 1835 by Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, under a Maritime Commission contract; launched on 30 November 1943, sponsored by Mrs. J. Fred Essary; acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission on a bare-boat charter on 8 December 1943; converted to a net cargo ship; and commissioned as Sagittarius AKN-2 on 18 March 1944.
Service history
Following shakedown in Chesapeake Bay, Sagittarius departed Norfolk on 1 May; transited the Panama Canal on 9 May; and arrived at San Diego on 21 May. Ten days later, she put into Pearl Harbor; and, on 8 June, she sailed for the Marianas. Arriving at Saipan on 1 August, she installed harbor defense nets there and at Tinian until early September. On 4 September, she sailed for Nouméa, New Caledonia; took on nets as cargo; and steamed for Ulithi, where she laid nets from mid-October to mid-November. She then got underway for Pearl Harbor, arriving on 29 November.
In December, Sagittarius continued on to San Francisco for repairs and alterations at Mare Island. At the end of January 1945, she headed back to Hawaii; and, in March, she steamed for Ulithi. Arriving on 2 April, she became flagship of TU 52.8.3; then waited for further routing to the Ryukyus.
Ten days later, the AKN sailed for Okinawa. She arrived in the Hagushi anchorage on 18 April; joined TF 51; and, within hours, underwent her first enemy air attack. On 28 April, she splashed her first kamikaze. On 2 May, she shifted to Nakagusuku Wan, where, as at Hagushi, the almost daily air raids continued. Despite the interruptions, however, Sagittarius conducted net laying operations until 26 May. On 27 May, having downed her second kamikaze and assisted in destroying a third, she headed for Pearl Harbor.
Steaming via the Marianas, she exploded a drifting Japanese mine one day out of Saipan, on 4 June. On 17 June, she arrived at Pearl Harbor only to depart again, laden with nets, on 8 July. From 24 July to 9 August, she conducted net operations at Ulithi, then returned to Pearl Harbor.
Arriving after the cessation of hostilities in the Pacific, Sagittarius steamed west again in mid-September; took on reclaimed nets at Ulithi; transported them to Saipan; then headed back to Pearl Harbor and San Francisco. She arrived at the latter on 19 November; and, in December, continued on to the east coast for inactivation. Sagittarius was decommissioned at Norfolk on 16 January 1946 and returned to the Maritime Commission three days later. Her name was struck from the Navy List on 7 February 1946. Sagittarius was scrapped in 1972.
Awards
Sagittarius earned two battle stars during World War II.
References
External links
Photo gallery at navsource.org
Category:Indus-class net cargo ships
Category:Ships built in Baltimore
Category:1943 ships
Category:World War II auxiliary ships of the United States | wikipedia |
Dichloromethane solubility in water
I heard dichloromethane is soluble in water 1:50, but I also heard it is not because it can't form hydrogen bonds. I'm confused. Is there a way to extract it? Would putting the water to $40~\mathrm{^\circ C}$ make it evaporate trough water?
The solubility of dichloromethane in water (as well as the solubility of water in dichloromethane) depends on temperature.
At a temperature of $T=20\ \mathrm{^\circ C}$, the solubility amounts to $17.6\ \mathrm g$ dichloromethane per $1\ \mathrm{kg}$ water; i.e. the mass fraction of dichloromethane is $w\_{\ce{C2H2Cl2}}=0.0173$ or $w\_{\ce{C2H2Cl2}}=1.73\,\%$.
[source: “Aqueous Solubility and Henry’s Law Constants of Organic Compounds”, in *CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 90th Edition (CD-ROM Version 2010),* David R. Lide, ed., CRC Press/Taylor and Francis, Boca Raton, FL.]
(See [here](http://srdata.nist.gov/solubility/sol_detail.aspx?goBack=Y&sysID=60_242) for values at other temperatures.)
You cannot simply evaporate pure dichloromethane (boiling point: $40\ \mathrm{^\circ C}$) from such mixtures since dichloromethane and water form an azeotrope, which boils at $38.8\ \mathrm{^\circ C}$. The mass fraction of water in this azeotrope is about $w\_{\ce{H2O}}=1\,\%$.
| stackexchange/chemistry |
Fate/stay night A Need for Passion
A Need for Passion (Kirei x Archer)
Kirei Kotomine confidently strolled into the room next to the church hall, just after meeting with his father. When he walked into the middle of the room he stopped suddenly, as he was faced with Archer sitting casually on the sofa. However, Kirei did not hesitate, and remained collected while looking at Archer.
Archer smirked at Kirei's attempt to look composed. "I hear you just eliminated yourself from the Holy Grail War."
Kirei remained silent as he locked eyes with Archer. Archer only continued to smile. "Shame, I thought you had potential."
Beginning to grow nervous, Kirei edged slowly towards the door. Archer took this as an opportunity, as Kirei was lowering his guard. "Why don't you sit down? You deserve a break, since you're removed from the war. You're finally free."
Kirei stopped dead in his tracks, unsure of what to do. To avoid suspicion, he gingerly sat down next to Archer.
Archer moved closer to Kirei, so they were almost touching. "So tell me, why is it that you gave up so easily? Do not find pleasure in anything?" Archer smirked, pretending to be innocent.
Kirei tried to keep his composure, but Archer was making it difficult. He couldn't hide the way he felt about Archer, no matter how hard he tried. Hesitantly he stuttered "…There is no point in taking the grail. I do not have a wish to be granted."
With this, Archer swiftly pinned Kirei against the side of the sofa, as Kirei let out a short, startled gasp. "You don't desire…anything?" Archer said playfully, his eyes filled with lust. Suddenly, Kirei broke his composure as he kissed Archer passionately, while Archer began to run his hands roughly through Kirei's hair. A moan escaped from Kirei as Archer battled with Kirei's tongue, his hands slowly sliding down onto Kirei's chest. Kirei knew his father would kill him if he knew what he was doing, but the thrill of pure risk fuelled his desire even more. Slowly Archer began to undress Kirei from his church robes, until he wore nothing but his underwear. Archer licked his chest and neck as he began to undress himself. Suddenly they were both in their underwear, as their gazes met.
Archer smiled. "Looks like you do have a desire." He slowly slid his hands down Kirei's boxers as Kirei let out a moan of pleasure, at which Archer began to quicken his pace. Kirei began to lose control of himself as Archer continued to pleasure him. He kissed and bit Archer's neck and licked his perfect body. All of a sudden Archer pulled down Kirei's boxers to reveal his erection, at which Kirei gasped and panted in shock and exhaustion. "It looks like your body has betrayed you" Archer laughed, "I wonder what your father would think?" Archer then lowered his boxers slowly to tease Kirei, and revealed his own erect member. Kirei had never felt so aroused in his life, as Archer began to rub his body against his. Kirei could not contain his moans of delight that grew louder and louder. Kirei couldn't believe what he was doing, but he couldn't stop himself. His body had become weak, and he did not object when Archer turned him on his stomach. "Just relax, "Archer whispered seductively in his ear, as Kirei continued to breath heavily. Kirei released a shout as Archer penetrated him, clutching the fabric of the sofa in pain. But suddenly a bundle of nerves were hit repeatedly, and he felt overwhelming pleasure that made him shout Archer's name.
All of a sudden, they both heard a shocked gasp as someone else entered the room. "What the hell?!" Archer's master roared, as Kirei opened his eyes in horror at the sight of his father.
End file.
| fanfiction |
angular correlations between jets produced together with heavy particles have been studied actively for a long time , because they can provide important information about the heavy particles @xcite .
for instance it has been shown that the distribution of the azimuthal angle difference @xmath1 between two partons in the gluon fusion production of a higgs boson plus the two partons is very sensitive to a charge - conjugation and parity ( cp ) property of the higgs boson @xcite . by observing the @xmath2 distribution and comparing it with theoretical predictions
, we can measure cp violation in the higgs sector @xcite .
+ in order to read the information of heavy particles from angular correlations between jets produced in association with them , it will be necessary to produce the accurate predictions of observables , such as @xmath2 , which measure the angular correlations .
tree level merging algorithms @xcite , which combine leading order ( lo ) cross sections for multi - parton in final state with the parton shower , are nowadays standard tools used for simulating processes including multi - jet in final state .
models of the parton shower base the dokshitzer - gribov - lipatov - altarelli - parisi ( dglap ) evolution equation @xcite and thus the parton shower guarantees the leading logarithmic ( ll ) accuracy for the kinematics of produced partons .
therefore the accuracy guaranteed in merging algorithms can be seen as the lo plus ll .
the virtue of merging algorithms is that they can combine lo cross sections smoothly with the ll parton shower so that the dependence on an artificial scale at which they are combined is minimized . +
a lo multi - parton production cross section predicts angular correlations between the produced partons at the lo accuracy , while the ll parton shower does not have ability to predict angular correlations between any partons .
considering this fact , when our objective is to predict angular correlations between constructed jets , the accuracy minimally required for the kinematics of the jets should be the lo , neither lo+ll nor ll . if the kinematics of a jet is determined or largely influenced by the ll parton shower during a merging procedure , it hardly has the lo accuracy and hence it is not appropriate to use the event containing this jet .
merging algorithms in the literature potentially have the ambiguity in the accuracy of jets , namely it is not necessarily clear whether the kinematics of a jet constructed by clustering particles in final state after a merging procedure has the lo accuracy or not .
this is because their virtue is smooth combination of lo cross sections and the ll parton shower . + in ref @xcite , the azimuthal angle difference @xmath1 between the two highest transverse momentum @xmath3 jets with a large rapidity separation in the @xmath4 pair production is studied by using the ckkw - l merging algorithm @xcite with the parton shower model @xcite in pythia8 @xcite .
there , it is found that the correlation between the 2-jet can be lost in a non - negligible fraction of the events when the lo cross sections for the @xmath4 plus up to 2-parton are merged with the parton shower , because a jet originating from the parton shower has a higher @xmath3 than one of the two jets originating from the 2-parton of the lo cross section .
this shows one example of the case that the kinematics of a jet is determined or largely influenced by the ll parton shower during a merging procedure .
although it is also found that the loss of the correlation can be avoided by merging the lo @xmath5-parton cross section additionally , calculating lo cross sections for higher multiplicity is time - consuming , thus we want to avoid it .
+ in this work i construct a new merging algorithm which does guarantee the lo accuracy of angular correlations between jets and hence does not have the above ambiguity .
the sudakov suppression is calculated in the same way as the mlm @xcite and the @xmath6-jet mlm @xcite algorithms .
the differences from these algorithms are * the definition of jets used during a merging procedure is set identical to the one used during physics analyses of jets . * the lo @xmath7-parton production cross section , where @xmath7 denotes the maximal number of partons produced by the lo cross section , is not allowed to produce the events which contain more than @xmath7-jet .
the first point indicates that @xmath0-jet events are generated exclusively according to the lo @xmath0-parton production cross section and furthermore each of the @xmath0-jet is close to each of the @xmath0-parton in terms of the jet measure . as a result
, angular correlations between the @xmath0-jet should follow those between the @xmath0-parton and hence the lo accuracy of them should be robust .
in addition to this , when @xmath0-jet events are exclusively subjects to a study , only the lo @xmath0-parton production cross section is needed , thus event generation is efficient .
+ the second point makes it forbidden to produce the events which contain more than @xmath7-jet .
if our objective is to predict angular correlations between two jets such as @xmath2 at the lo accuracy , not only do the two jets have angular correlations between them at the lo accuracy , but all of the additional jets also should have angular correlations with the two jets at the same accuracy , because the additional jets can affect @xmath2 kinematically . if the kinematics of the additional jets is determined by the ll parton shower , those jets do not have angular correlations with any other jets .
in such a case , the accuracy of @xmath2 will be less than the lo .
our objective is to predict angular correlations between jets at the lo accuracy , therefore the events which contain more than @xmath7-jet should not be used for analyses . in my algorithm
, this is naturally achieved by the above second point .
+ the @xmath4 production in proton - proton collisions is simulated and the azimuthal angle difference @xmath1 between the two highest @xmath3 jets with large rapidity separations is studied by using the 2-jet events exclusively .
the new algorithm is validated by comparing the @xmath2 distributions with the predictions of one of well - established algorithms , the ckkw - l algorithm @xcite .
it is observed that the new algorithm at @xmath8 produces a consistent result with the ckkw - l algorithm at @xmath9 .
+ in section [ sec : formalism ] , my formalism of tree level merging algorithms and my notations are introduced .
following these , in section [ sec : new - algorithms ] the new merging algorithm and an event generation procedure according to it are described in detail . in section
[ sec : numerical - study ] , the results of the simulation are presented . in section [ sec : conclusion ] , i summarize my findings .
in this section , my formalism of tree level merging algorithms and my notations are introduced . following these , the new algorithm is described in section [ sec : new - algorithms ] .
this section is largely based on ref .
+ the dokshitzer - gribov - lipatov - altarelli - parisi ( dglap ) evolution equation @xcite can be written with the sudakov form factor in the following form @xcite @xmath10 where @xmath11 denotes the sudakov form factor @xmath12 here only the quark parton distribution function @xmath13 ( pdf ) and the splitting function @xmath14 for @xmath15 without the virtual correction are introduced in order to simplify writing .
the generalization is , however , simple . by integrating eq .
( [ dglap - with - sudakov ] ) over @xmath16 , it follows that @xmath17 where a short hand notation is introduced @xmath18 using eq .
( [ dglap - with - sudakov - integrate ] ) iteratively and dividing it by @xmath19 , we can obtain the following form of the dglap equation @xcite @xmath20 the first term of the right hand side ( rhs ) in the above equation can be seen as the probability of generating no radiation from a quark @xmath21 in a proton during the scale evolution of the proton between @xmath22 and @xmath23 ( @xmath24 ) .
the second term of the rhs represents the integrated probability of generating exclusively one radiation from the quark during the evolution , and so on . the left hand side ( lhs ) ensures the probability conservation .
+ i write the no radiation probability from a quark @xmath21 in a proton during the scale evolution of the proton between @xmath25 and @xmath26 ( @xmath27 ) in the following form @xcite @xmath28 then , eq . ( [ infinite - iteration - dglap - with - sudakov - previous ] ) can be expressed as @xmath29 it is an easy task to find the explicit form of @xmath30 from the above equation @xcite @xmath31 given the scale @xmath22 and the energy fraction @xmath32 of an incoming quark in a proton , eq .
( [ infinite - iteration - dglap - with - sudakov ] ) allows us to generate radiations from the incoming quark by evolving the proton from the scale @xmath22 .
this is known as backward evolution @xcite .
( [ infinite - iteration - dglap - with - sudakov ] ) derived from the dglap equation concerns only radiation from an incoming quark in a proton i.e. initial state radiation . here
i generalize the equation to the one which can predict radiation from outgoing partons i.e. final state radiation , as well as initial state radiation .
what we should notice for this purpose is that the pdfs play a role in constraining scale evolution of the proton , or in other words constraining radiation from the quark in the proton during scale evolution of the proton .
hence , when radiation from outgoing partons is concerned , we replace the pdfs with a function which bases the kinematic information of the outgoing partons .
the function constrains radiation from the outgoing partons , through the energy and momentum conservation for instance .
+ i let @xmath33 denotes a complete specification of an event sample consisting of @xmath34 partons .
the information of two incoming partons is implicitly included .
then , i introduce a function for the evolution of a @xmath33 @xmath35 which constrains the evolution of the @xmath33 at the evolution scale @xmath36 and the energy fraction @xmath37 . by using the constraint function , eq .
( [ infinite - iteration - dglap - with - sudakov ] ) can be generalized to @xmath38 and accordingly @xmath39 which is defined as the no radiation probability for a @xmath33 as a whole , during the scale evolution of it between @xmath25 and @xmath26 ( @xmath27 ) . in other words
, this is the probability that a @xmath33 remains the same during the evolution .
the splitting probability has the following form @xmath40 where the appropriate splitting function(s ) should be used for @xmath41 according to a branching process @xmath42 . for initial state radiation ,
the constraint function @xmath43 always includes the pdfs .
the soft gluon singularity at @xmath44 in the splitting functions will be avoided by introducing @xmath45 functions in the constraint function .
+ let us consider a hard process which produces @xmath46 and express its leading order ( lo ) cross section as @xmath47 .
the dglap evolution of the hard process can be expressed by multiplying @xmath47 by eq .
( [ infinite - iteration - dglap - with - sudakov - general ] ) , @xmath48 tree level merging algorithms are designed as to improve the above dglap evolution by replacing the terms constructed by the leading order cross section times the universal radiation probability with the exact lo cross sections for multi - parton in final state @xcite . in my notations
, it proceeds as @xmath49 the soft and collinear divergences in lo cross sections are regularized in the following way . by using the definition of the evolution variable @xmath36 ,
calculate the minimum value @xmath50 from a @xmath33 and require @xmath51 .
this is expressed as @xmath52 in the above equation is finite everywhere in its phase space . ] .
notice that the constraint functions in eq .
( [ improved - dglap-1 ] ) are different from those in eq .
( [ x - dglap - evolution ] ) , since some part of the constraint is already included in the exact lo cross section .
i call @xmath53 a weight function hereafter , since it is used to re - weight an event sample during a merging procedure .
the cut off scale @xmath23 is called merging scale and separates phase space into two regions .
partons in the phase space above the merging scale are produced following exact lo cross sections and those in the phase space below the merging scale are produced following the dglap equation .
the further evolution of each term in the above equation will be performed between the scale @xmath23 and a lower cutoff scale for complete event generation . in my notations ,
the term consisting of the cross section @xmath54 in the rhs of the above equation is called the @xmath0 th term .
+ below tree level merging algorithms which have been proposed and studied in the literature are briefly reviewed .
this information can be useful when i describe my algorithm in section [ sec : new - algorithms ] .
there are fundamentally two different types of merging algorithms .
one of the two is constructed to generate events according to the improved dglap equation strictly , eq .
( [ improved - dglap-1 ] ) in my notations , by explicitly calculating the sudakov form factors .
this procedure is necessary in order to minimize the dependence on the merging scale and smoothly combine lo cross sections with the parton shower .
algorithms of this type include the ckkw with the vetoed parton shower @xcite , the ckkw with the truncated shower @xcite and the ckkw - l @xcite algorithms .
the other of the two types does not calculate the sudakov form factors explicitly and hence event generation follow the improved dglap equation approximately .
algorithms of this type include the mlm @xcite , the @xmath6-jet mlm @xcite and the shower @xmath6 @xcite algorithms . in the mlm and the @xmath6-jet mlm algorithms , partons in final state obtained after the complete shower evolution
are clustered according to the cone jet algorithm and the exclusive @xmath6-jet algorithm , respectively . then ,
if the number of the constructed jets is not equal to the number of partons produced by a lo cross section or if the constructed jets are not close to the partons in terms of the jet measure , the event is vetoed . in the shower @xmath6 algorithm ,
if the scale of the first emission is above the merging scale , then the event is vetoed .
in this section , the ideas of the new merging algorithm and an event generation procedure according to the algorithm are described in detail .
+ the new algorithm is constructed with a goal of eliminating the ambiguity in the accuracy of jets which potentially exists in merging algorithms as discussed in section [ sec : intro ] , and hence of guaranteeing the leading order ( lo ) accuracy of angular correlations between jets .
the following idea is strictly implemented in the algorithm : + _ the @xmath0-jet events are generated exclusively according to the lo @xmath0-parton production cross section and furthermore each of the @xmath0-jet is close to each of the @xmath0-parton in terms of the jet measure . _ + for an algorithm which implements the above idea , which i call the model a algorithm , eq .
( [ improved - dglap-1 ] ) may be written in the following form : @xmath55 here the weight functions are omitted in order to simplify writing . in the numerical studies in section [ sec : numerical - study ] , they are taken into account .
the expression @xmath56 indicates that the soft and collinear divergences in lo cross sections are regularized by the definition of @xmath57 .
the definition of @xmath57 must respect the definition of jets used in analyses , namely a jet clustering algorithm and parameters that the algorithm contains . throughout of this work
, the anti-@xmath58 algorithm @xcite is used as a jet clustering algorithm , thus i concentrate on discussing the case of using the anti-@xmath58 algorithm .
the anti-@xmath58 algorithm basically contains two parameters which we can choose their values freely , namely the radius parameter @xmath59 and the lower transverse momentum cutoff on jets @xmath60 .
hence @xmath57 should be defined as [ me - cutoff ] @xmath61 where @xmath62 , @xmath63 and @xmath64 are the transverse momentum with respect to the beam , rapidity and azimuthal angle of outgoing parton @xmath65 . imposing cutoffs on the rapidity of partons in not needed . in order
to avoid missed phase space , the above two parameters must satisfy @xmath66 + let us consider generating an @xmath0-jet event according to the @xmath0 th term in eq .
( [ improved - dglap-2 ] ) , @xmath67 a parton shower program is executed on an event sample @xmath33 generated by the lo cross section @xmath68 , by setting the shower starting scale to @xmath69 .
once the shower evolution is performed until the shower cutoff scale , all partons in the final state within a rapidity range @xmath70 are clustered to construct jets according to the anti-@xmath58 algorithm with the radius parameter @xmath59 and the lower @xmath3 cutoff @xmath60 .
if the number of the constructed jets @xmath71 is not identical to @xmath0 , the event sample is vetoed .
if the event sample survives , the distance parameters @xmath72 defined in eq . ( [ r - para ] ) between the @xmath0-jet and the @xmath0-parton are calculated , and then it is checked whether the following is satisfied between each of the @xmath0-jet and each of the @xmath0-parton , or not @xmath73 if a jet satisfies the above relation with a parton , it means that the jet is close to the parton in terms of the measure of the anti-@xmath58 algorithm .
the jet is called matched with the parton .
if a matching between a jet and a parton is confirmed for all of the @xmath0-jet and all of the @xmath0-parton , then the event sample is accepted . once the event sample is accepted , all partons in the final state are again clustered to construct jets which are defined in the same way as above , but this time only those within a rapidity range @xmath74 are clustered .
a value for @xmath75 should reflect actual detectors at experiments and can be different from @xmath76 which is used during the merging procedure .
the following relation should be satisfied between the two @xmath77 if values for these two cuts are different , the jets constructed at this stage can not be identical to those constructed during the merging procedure and thus are not necessarily matched with the @xmath0-parton in some events . however , if @xmath75 is large enough so that there is only a small fraction of the events @xmath33 above @xmath75 , then the effect is expected to be small . in the numerical studies ,
i use @xmath78 and @xmath79 .
the constructed jets will be used for physics analyses .
+ the accepted events have @xmath0-jet exclusively and each of the @xmath0-jet is close to each of the @xmath0-parton produced by the lo cross section @xmath54 in terms of the jet measure .
angular correlations between the @xmath0-jet should follow those between the @xmath0-parton .
since angular correlations between the @xmath0-parton is at the lo accuracy , those between the @xmath0-jet should also be at the lo accuracy .
+ as is clear , the algorithm calculates the effects of the sudakov form factors in the same way as the mlm @xcite and the @xmath6-jet mlm @xcite algorithms . ] .
the differences from these algorithms are * the definition of jets used during a merging procedure is set identical to the one used during physics analyses of jets . * the lo @xmath7-parton production cross section is not allowed to produce the events which contain more than @xmath7-jet . as to the first point ,
the mlm and the @xmath6-jet mlm algorithms use the cone algorithm and the exclusive @xmath6-jet algorithm , respectively , as a clustering algorithm , and parameters that the clustering algorithm contains are chosen independently of the definition of jets used in physics analyses . in other words , the definition of jets used in physics analyses is nothing to do with a merging procedure in these merging algorithms . in my algorithm ,
the first point is essential in order to guarantee the lo accuracy of angular correlations between jets .
+ the maximal number @xmath7 of partons produced by the lo cross section is limited .
if we follow the treatment of the lo @xmath7-parton production cross section in the mlm and the @xmath6-jet mlm algorithms , the cross section is allowed to produce the events which contain @xmath7 or more than @xmath7-jet and each of the hardest @xmath7-jet is required to be matched with each of the @xmath7-parton . in this approach , the kinematics of the additional jets
i.e. jets softer than the @xmath7-jet in terms of the jet measure is determined by the leading logarithmic ( ll ) parton shower and hence they do not have angular correlations with any other jets . since our objective is to predict angular correlations between jets at the lo accuracy , not only
do the jets used for an observable such as @xmath80 have angular correlations between them at the lo accuracy , but all of the jets including jets not used for the observable should have angular correlations between them at the same accuracy , because even the jets not used for the observable can affect the observable kinematically . if some of the jets not used for the observable are generated by the ll parton shower , then the accuracy of the observable will be less than the lo . considering this argument , the treatment of the lo @xmath7-parton production cross section in the mlm and the @xmath6-jet mlm algorithms is not appropriate to our objective . in my algorithm
, the second point above guarantees the lo accuracy of angular correlations between jets in all events .
+ the parameter @xmath81 in eq .
( [ c - match - parameter ] ) is an important parameter , since the sudakov suppression can depend on it .
the implementations of the mlm algorithm in alpgen @xcite and in madgraph5`_`amc@nlo @xcite use @xmath82 .
however there is nothing that uniquely determines @xmath81 , thus which should be considered as a tuning parameter and can also depend on a jet clustering algorithm . in my implementation of the new algorithm with the anti-@xmath58 algorithm ,
@xmath83 is used .
+ below i describe a procedure of event generation for completeness .
the numerical studies in section [ sec : numerical - study ] are performed according to this . 1 .
generate the event samples for the @xmath84-parton production processes at proton - proton ( pp ) collisions according to the lo cross sections , i.e. @xmath85 . here the @xmath4 production is simulated , thus @xmath86 .
madgraph5`_`amc@nlo@xcite version 5.2.2.1 is used for this purpose .
the soft and collinear singularity is regularized by imposing eq .
( [ me - cutoff ] ) .
i use @xmath87 a fixed value @xmath23 is used for the scales in the strong couplings and in the parton distribution functions ( pdfs ) .
the pdf set cteq6l1 @xcite is used .
note that , when the @xmath34-jet events are exclusively subjects to a study , only the events @xmath33 are needed to be generated .
2 . select an event sample for the @xmath34 partons process , i.e. @xmath33 , with the probability proportional to its integrated lo cross section obtained in step 1 , @xmath88 3 .
construct a pythia8 parton shower history of the @xmath33 .
the history consists of intermediate events @xmath89 with the clustering scales @xmath90 .
4 . calculate the weight function for the @xmath33 .
let us define the energy fractions and the parton types of the incoming partons in the @xmath91 by @xmath92 , @xmath93 and @xmath94 , @xmath95 , respectively .
the weight function for the @xmath91 is given by @xcite @xmath96 from which the total weight function for the @xmath33 is @xmath97 where @xmath98 and @xmath99 .
the pythia8 shower model uses the different strong couplings for initial state radiation and final state radiation .
therefore , when a radiation is classified as the initial state radiation ( the final state radiation ) with a scale @xmath100 by the shower history construction , @xmath101 @xmath102 is used for the factor in eq .
( [ general - const - function ] ) .
the scale @xmath22 should be determined from the intermediate event @xmath103 .
i define it by @xmath104 where @xmath105 .
this scale @xmath22 is also used as the renormalization scales of the strong couplings @xmath106 for the hard process , namely @xmath107 is added as a multiplicative factor in the weight function .
i use @xmath108 in the above factor .
once the weight function is calculated , the @xmath33 is re - weighted with the function .
however , since the weight function is not bounded above by unity , the upper bound of the weight function must be found at first by calculating the weight function for a large number of events @xmath33 .
the integrated lo cross section obtained in step 1 has to be multiplied by the obtained upper bound of the weight function .
calculate the effects of the sudakov form factors by using the method described above .
i use the parton shower model @xcite in pythia8 @xcite version 8186 .
the default tune of the version 8186 , tune 4c @xcite , is used .
the parameters in the anti-@xmath58 algorithm and the cutoff values on the rapidity of partons are set to @xmath109 i use fastjet @xcite version @xmath110 for executing the anti-@xmath58 algorithm . the parton shower starting scale , which is the maximal shower evolution scale and is denoted by @xmath69 in eq .
( [ improved - dglap-2 ] ) , is set to @xmath111 6 .
repeat the above procedures from step 2 to step 5 until a large number of the accepted event samples are obtained .
in this section , the model a algorithm is validated by discussing numerical differences between its predictions and the predictions of another merging algorithm . as another merging algorithm
, i choose the ckkw - l merging algorithm @xcite , which is one of well - established algorithms .
the top quark pair production process at the 14 tev lhc is simulated , and then angular correlations between the two highest transverse momentum jets are studied by using the @xmath112-jet events exclusively . the merging scale in the ckkw - l algorithm is set as eq .
( [ me - cut - value ] ) .
+ as an observable measuring angular correlations between the two hardest jets i.e. the two highest transverse momentum jets , the azimuthal angle difference is chosen @xmath113 the events which contain 2-jet are exclusively picked up at first and then if the 2-jet pass the following rapidity cut , @xmath2 is evaluated by using the 2-jet , @xmath114 which are often called the vector boson fusion ( vbf ) cuts .
one of the 2-jet which has a positive rapidity is chosen for @xmath115 and the other jet which has a negative rapidity is chosen for @xmath116 .
the studies based on the leading order ( lo ) @xmath112-parton production cross section @xcite have shown that there are strong correlations between the two partons with a large rapidity separation , when the @xmath4 is near or far away from the threshold of its production @xcite . here
i do not impose any cuts on the @xmath4 , however .
the rapidity cut on jets is set as @xmath117 .
the @xmath4 is assumed stable , since the main purpose of this study is to investigate a way of accurately modeling the kinematic activity of jets induced by the hard process .
hence the hadronization after the shower evolution and the multiple interaction in pythia8 are also turned off . + of the highest @xmath3 jet ( left panel ) and that of the second highest @xmath3 jet ( right panel ) in the 2-jet events
. the correspondence between the curves and the merging algorithms is labeled inside the left panel . ] at first , i show the transverse momentum @xmath3 distributions of jets .
in the left and the right panels of figure [ figure : jet - dist ] , the normalized differential cross section as a function of the transverse momentum @xmath3 of the highest @xmath3 jet and that of the second highest @xmath3 jet in the 2-jet events are shown , respectively .
the blue solid curve represents the distribution of the model a algorithm . the red solid curve and the black dashed curve represent the distributions of the ckkw - l algorithm , the maximal number @xmath7 of partons produced by the lo cross section is @xmath8 for the former and @xmath9 for the latter .
+ the important difference of the two algorithms is that only the @xmath118-parton production cross section contributes to the 2-jet events in the model a algorithm , while the @xmath119 , @xmath120 and @xmath118-parton production cross sections contribute to the 2-jet events in the ckkw - l algorithm at @xmath8 and the @xmath119 , @xmath120 , @xmath118 and @xmath121-parton production cross sections contribute to the 2-jet events in the ckkw - l algorithm at @xmath9 and @xmath120-parton cross sections to the the 2-jet events is less than @xmath122 , since the merging scale is set as eq .
( [ me - cut - value ] ) . ] .
+ the panels show that the model a algorithm produces softer distributions than the ckkw - l algorithm , and that the ckkw - l at @xmath8 and the ckkw - l at @xmath9 produce consistent distributions . since the two algorithms calculate the sudakov form factors in the very different ways , the differences in the @xmath3 distributions are not unexpected . the model a algorithm contains a tuning parameter @xmath81 in eq .
( [ c - match - parameter ] ) .
in addition to this , the parton shower starting scale , which is defined as in eq .
( [ starting - scale ] ) , is not uniquely determined .
therefore , we may tune the algorithm by using these parameters so that the @xmath3 distributions become consistent with the experimental data , before predicting @xmath2 distributions .
this issue is discussed again in section [ sec : conclusion ] . + with the rapidity separation @xmath123 ( upper two panels ) and @xmath124 ( lower two panels ) in the 2-jet events .
the correspondence between the curves and the merging algorithms are shown inside the panels.,title="fig : " ] with the rapidity separation @xmath123 ( upper two panels ) and @xmath124 ( lower two panels ) in the 2-jet events .
the correspondence between the curves and the merging algorithms are shown inside the panels.,title="fig : " ] in figure [ figure : dphi - dist ] the @xmath2 distributions are shown . the normalized differential cross section as a function of @xmath2 with the rapidity separation @xmath123 and that as a function of @xmath2 with the rapidity separation @xmath124 are shown in the upper two panels and the lower two panels , respectively . the correspondence between the curves and the merging algorithms are shown inside the panels .
+ in the left panels of figure [ figure : dphi - dist ] , the ckkw - l at @xmath8 and the ckkw - l at @xmath9 are compared .
the difference between the two predictions , particularly in the upper left panel , can be explained from a loss of the correlation due to the contribution from the leading logarithmic ( ll ) parton shower in the ckkw - l at @xmath8 @xcite .
+ in the right panels of figure [ figure : dphi - dist ] , the model a algorithm and the ckkw - l at @xmath9 are compared .
it is shown that the model a algorithm produces a consistent prediction with the ckkw - l at @xmath9 , despite that only the lo @xmath112-parton cross section contributes to the events in the model a algorithm . since the lo accuracy of @xmath2
is guaranteed in the model a algorithm , this observation confirms the finding in ref .
@xcite that the lo accuracy of @xmath2 in the 2-jet events can not be fully retained due to the contribution from the ll parton shower in the ckkw - l at @xmath8 and it can be retained by merging the lo @xmath5-parton cross section additionally i.e. the ckkw - l at @xmath9
. it should be worth emphasizing that , in the model a algorithm , the lo @xmath5-parton cross section never contributes the @xmath2 distributions in figure [ figure : dphi - dist ] , since it contributes exclusively to the 3-jet events .
in this paper , a new tree level merging algorithm which guarantees the leading order ( lo ) accuracy of angular correlations between jets is proposed .
the new algorithm has been constructed with a goal of eliminating the ambiguity in the accuracy of jets , namely it is not necessarily clear whether the kinematics of a jet constructed by clustering partons in final state after a merging procedure has the lo accuracy or not .
this ambiguity potentially exists in merging algorithm , because their virtue is smooth combination of lo cross sections and the leading logarithmic ( ll ) parton shower .
the new algorithm requires that @xmath0-jet events are generated exclusively according to the lo @xmath0-parton production cross section and each of the @xmath0-jet is close to each of the @xmath0-parton in terms of the jet measure . as a result
, angular correlations between the @xmath0-jet should follow those between the @xmath0-parton and thus the lo accuracy of them is robust .
furthermore , as long as the @xmath0-jet events are exclusively under consideration , only the lo @xmath0-parton production cross section is needed and hence event generation is efficient . + the @xmath4 production in proton - proton collisions is simulated and then the distributions of the azimuthal angle differences @xmath80 between the two highest transverse momentum @xmath3 jets with large rapidity separations , namely @xmath123 and @xmath124 in addition to @xmath125 i.e. the vbf cuts , are studied by using the 2-jet events exclusively .
the new algorithm is evaluated by comparing its predictions with the predictions of one of well - established merging algorithms , the ckkw - l algorithm .
+ it has been observed that the new algorithm produces a consistent prediction with the ckkw - l at @xmath9 , where @xmath7 denotes the maximal number of partons produced by the lo cross section , despite that only the lo @xmath112-parton cross section contributes to the events in the mew algorithm . since the lo accuracy of @xmath2
is guaranteed in the new algorithm , this observation confirms the previous finding that the lo accuracy of @xmath2 in the 2-jet events can not be fully retained due to contribution from the leading logarithmic ( ll ) parton shower in the ckkw - l at @xmath8 and it can be retained by merging the lo @xmath5-parton cross section additionally i.e. in the ckkw - l at @xmath9 . + in the numerical studies of this work , only the @xmath2 distributions in the @xmath112-jet events are studied and only the ckkw - l algorithm with the pythia8 parton shower is used as one of other merging algorithms to validate the new algorithm . therefore , the observation in this work is limited to this situation , obviously . however , it is always the case that other merging algorithms including the ckkw - l algorithm potentially have the ambiguity in the accuracy of jets , dependently of a process , an observable and a shower model .
in contrast , the new algorithm does not have the ambiguity and always guarantees the lo accuracy of angular correlations between jets , independently of a process , an observable and a shower model .
+ there are basically two parameters which can not be determined uniquely in the new algorithm , namely @xmath81 and the definition of the parton shower starting scale .
this fact might be seen as a weak point in the algorithm .
however merging algorithms and parton shower programs are just models after all .
a promising approach will be to tune the algorithm together with a parton shower model by using these parameters so that the @xmath3 and the rapidity distributions of jets in a given process become consistent with the data at first and then make the predictions of observables measuring angular correlations between the jets .
the work of j.n . is supported by the institutional strategy of the university of tbingen ( dfg , zuk 63 ) .
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* 178 * ( 2008 ) 852 [ arxiv:0710.3820 [ hep - ph ] ] .
t. sjostrand , s. mrenna and p. z. skands , `` pythia 6.4 physics and manual , '' jhep * 0605 * ( 2006 ) 026 [ hep - ph/0603175 ] .
j. alwall , r. frederix , s. frixione , v. hirschi , f. maltoni , o. mattelaer , h .- s .
shao and t. stelzer _ et al .
_ , `` the automated computation of tree - level and next - to - leading order differential cross sections , and their matching to parton shower simulations , '' jhep * 1407 * , 079 ( 2014 ) [ arxiv:1405.0301 [ hep - ph ] ] .
j. pumplin , d. r. stump , j. huston , h. l. lai , p. m. nadolsky and w. k. tung , `` new generation of parton distributions with uncertainties from global qcd analysis , '' jhep * 0207 * ( 2002 ) 012 [ hep - ph/0201195 ] . | arxiv |
Star Fox star hound
? : After the battle of Fox versus Andros, the whole population of the Lielack system had to clean his mess. The star fox team was in charge of jailing henchmen of the evil wizard. But without the Star Fox team knowing it; the military general of Lielack hired a five star team of bounty hunters called " The Star Hound" team. Their first mission was on a new planet of Tapearia, where a criminal mastermind named Chery was.
P.S. The star hound team include: Hound Skywalker, Chachino petey, Lacey artage and boxer devlin. (We join fox on tapearia)
Fox: All right, his ship is up ahead. Falco take my left.
Falco:(mumbles to himself) why do I always get the left side, nothing ever happens on the left side(
Fox: peppy, you take right and slippy, you take rear
Peppy and Slippy: got it!
Falco: Wait! Whats that!?
(Four ships come down from over head)
Hound: Hey fox your being pulled off this mission generals orders
Fox: but what about Chery?
Hound: we are star hound we can take care of him.
(Star fox team flies off)
Falco: I don't think we should leave something as important as this up to those bounty hunters
Hound: I heard that(. O.K. chachino takes star speed to the other side of the ship will lacey takes information on the ships shield and boxer
Boxer: ya
Hound: you blow shit up. I'll try to find the power core. Move!
Lacey: enemy shield confirmed. He's trying to make contact
Chery: oh yay. Some one to play with. Forces 1-9 ATTACK!!!
?: The battle starts without me?
Hound: bro get out of here!
Lancy: who is that?
Chachino: it's hounds brother Rudder
Rudder: watch and learn shorty
Hound: I'm not shorty!
(Rudder's ship transforms into biosuit then blows shit up)
Hound: show off
Lancy: hey everyone, the ship's shields are down
Hound: new plan, everyone FIRE!!
BANG BANG BANG BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!
Lancy: hound now's your chance
(Hound's ship docks on Chery's ship and runs in)
Ship: self-destruct in 5 minutes
Hound: it's always the same they always put it on self-destruct
(Hound opens door and finds Chery on the ground stunned)
Chery: you can't win (presses button on chest that says" body self-destruct in 10-9-8")
Hound: (runs) OH CRAP OH CRAP OH CRAP!!
Just as Chery's body was at 3 sec. Hound threw him off the ship and chery's body went boom. His head falls on ship
Hound: you have the right to remain silent. Anything you do say or....wait, scratch do
Chery: I'll return some day. THAT'S A PROMISE!!!!!
Will chery return? What will happen to star hound? WHY THE F*** CAN'T I GET A PART IN THIS FLICK?!?!
Join us in chapter 2
End file.
| fanfiction |
Katoa is a genus of cicadas from Southeast Asia. The type species is Katoa tenmokuensis. Formerly placed in the tribe Tibicinini, after detailed morphological analysis, in 2012 Lee placed the genus among the Cicadettini, also of the subfamily Cicadettinae. After molecular phylogenetic analysis and physical examination, in 2018 Marshal, et al., placed the genus in its own tribe, Katoini, remaining in the subfamily Cicadettinae.
Species
These six species are members of the genus Katoa:
Katoa chlorotica Chou & Lu, 1997
Katoa neokanagana Liu & G.K.C., 1940
Katoa paucispina Lei & Chou, 1995
Katoa paura Chou & Lu, 1997
Katoa taibaiensis Chou & Lei, 1995
Katoa tenmokuensis Ouchi, 1938
References
Category:Cicadettinae
Category:Cicadidae genera
Category:Fauna of Southeast Asia | wikipedia |
Why do we treat weight as acting on the object?
When drawing force diagrams I am really struggling to understand why we put the weight of an object as a force acting *on* it, rather than as a force acting on whatever else there is around it.
For example, if we have a book on a table, and are drawing two separate force diagrams for the forces acting on each object, then surely the weight of the book is a force acting on the table, not the book?
Or if you model a diagram of a person standing, it feels wrong to label the weight as acting on the person, when surely it is acting on the floor? And the force acting on the person is the reaction of the floor to the weight?
It all just feels a bit off! Please can someone offer some help to correct my intuition?
(I should add that I kind of understand that the weight of an object does act on it, insofar as gravity does pull things down...)
>
> Please can someone offer some help to correct my intuition?
>
>
>
Drawing a free-body diagram is an important exercise that takes some practice to get right. I have found that the following systematic approach works well, I will use your book on a table scenario to demonstrate.
First, list all objects involved in the scenario. Here it is the book, the table, and the earth. The book and table are explicitly mentioned, and usually we must include the earth also unless we are specifically told that the scenario is in space far from the earth.
Second, describe all of the significant interactions in the scenario. This involves finding pairs of objects that interact and the mechanism of their interaction. For example, here we get:
1. The earth and the book interact by gravity
2. The earth and the table interact by gravity
3. The table and the book interact by contact
4. The table and the earth interact by contact
Notice what is not included: there is no contact interaction between the earth and the book because they are not touching and there is no gravitational interaction between the book and the table because it is so small that we are just going to ignore it. Notice also that sometimes you can have multiple different interactions between the same objects, such as 2 and 4 which are two different interactions (gravity and contact) between the earth and the table. Deciding which interactions to analyze can be challenging, but this approach is at least systematic.
Third, choose one object, and go back through the list and mark every time it occurs. So if we are analyzing the book then we would get:
1. The earth and the **book** interact by gravity
2. The earth and the table interact by gravity
3. The table and the **book** interact by contact
4. The table and the earth interact by contact
Fourth, draw the free body diagram for that object. The number of times that the object was marked in the list above is the number of forces that should be included on the free body diagram for that object. In this case the force from interaction 1 is the weight of the book and the force from interaction 3 is the normal force. The weight of the book is an interaction between the earth and the book so it would never show up on a free body diagram for the table.
I hope this helps. It is not fool-proof and does require some thought, but at least it is a systematic approach to free-body diagrams. Also, if you do multiple free body diagrams then the interactions identify 3rd law pairs of equal and opposite forces.
[Dale's answer](https://physics.stackexchange.com/a/522329/179151) gives a great methodology for making free body diagrams, which are important for understanding the system in question. I wanted to specifically address the below question in a more "conceptual physics" way:
>
> For example, if we have a book on a table, and are drawing two separate force diagrams for the forces acting on each object, then surely the weight of the book is a force acting on the table, not the book?
>
>
>
The weight of the book, by definition, is the force of gravity acting *on the book*. So you cannot say "the weight of the book acts on the table".
Your confusion most likely lies in the fact that for the book laying on the table, the magnitude of the book's weight is equal to the magnitude of the force of interaction between the book and the table. In other words, you view the table as exactly supporting the book, and so you make the incorrect jump from "the table pushes on the book with a force that has a magnitude equal to its weight" to "the weight of the book acts on the table".
To the layperson in physics, these might not seem like different statements, but once you start getting into physics you need to realize the differences. Two forces having the same magnitude is not a sufficient condition for the forces to be the same force. The weight of an object only acts on that object. If forces of interaction happen to have the same magnitude of that weight, then that's fine, but you still have to recognize the difference in the forces.
When we are drawing Free body diagram of a particular object we are only concerned with the the question that what forces are acting on the object and not with what force acting on the surrounding?
Why? Because to get the full knowledge of the dynamics of the object in question you just need to know the force (for acceleration), initial velocity, and initial position. And the rest is just some maths.
When we represent a book on the table and ask what forces are acting then we must include the gravitational force acting downward on the object and any other forces in knowledge (such as normal force, etc.)
There are seveal other very nice answers here, but I want to focus very closely on "why do we say weight acts *on* the book?"
---
Let's conduct a thought experiment
>
> Slide the table (or other support) out from under the book leaving it unsupported. What happens to the book?
>
>
>
It falls down right? So it goes from not moving to moving downward which means it accelerated, and Newton's 1st and 2nd laws tell us that this means it is subject to a net force.
But ...
* the book is not in contact with any solid objects so that force doesn't include solid-contact forces
* the book *is* in the air so there are buoyant forces (wait until you get to the chapter on fluids...) but they point up and are way too small to account for this anyway
So there is some non-contact force acting *downward* on the book. Which we call the "weight".
---
The second un-stated question is "Why does day to day experience include "weight" as an effect on other objects?" and that is well covered by otehr answers, but I'll include a brief version here.
When the book is on the table it doesn't accelerate downward even though it's weight points down. That is because it is also subject to an upward force from the table (called "the normal force" among other things), and Newton's 3rd law tells us that the tabel is subject to an equal and oposite force from the book.
So the table "recieves" the weight of the book as the consequence of preventing gravity from pulling the book downward.
>
> When drawing force diagrams I am really struggling to understand why
> we put the weight of an object as a force acting on it, rather than as
> a force acting on whatever else there is around it.
>
>
>
We do both. It depends on which free body diagram you are looking at. If it is a free body diagram of the object having the weight, it is shown as the force of gravity acting on the object. If it is a free body diagram of another object upon which the first object acts, it is shown as a force acting on the other object.
>
> For example, if we have a book on a table, and are drawing two
> separate force diagrams for the forces acting on each object, then
> surely the weight of the book is a force acting on the table, not the
> book?
>
>
>
The force of gravity is acting on the book. It is called its weight because we generally think of weight in terms of the reading of a scale upon which something is placed. But it is nonetheless the force of gravity acting on the book.
Below are free body diagrams (FBD) of a book a table upon which the book rests. Each free body diagram shows all the external forces acting on each object.
The FBD of the book shows the force of gravity acting on the book (aka its weight) and the equal and opposite reaction force of the table on the book.
The FBD of the table shows the weight of the book acting on the table, as well as the force of gravity acting on the table itself (its own weight). For equilibrium, the FBD also shows the reaction forces of the floor on the table (assumes four legs symmetrically arranged).
If we were to show a free body diagram of the floor, we would instead show those forces that are acting up on the table in the table FBD acting down on the floor for the floor FBD, as that is the force exerted by the table/book on the floor.
>
> Or if you model a diagram of a person standing, it feels wrong to
> label the weight as acting on the person, when surely it is acting on
> the floor? And the force acting on the person is the reaction of the
> floor to the weight?
>
>
>
The "weight" acting on the person is the downward force of gravity on the person. The free body diagram of the person shows an equal and opposite reaction by the floor for equilibrium. If we were to show a free body diagram of the floor, the person's weight would be shown acting down on the floor, because the person becomes an external force acting on the floor.
Hope this helps.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/CLjwI.jpg)
If something is immovable then any gravity force acting on it does not matter, as there is surely an equal and opposite contact force that keeps it from moving. Thus the weight on non-moving bodies can be safely disregarded unless the *deformation* of objects is studied.
| stackexchange/physics |
Star Fox 1. The Much Hated Introish Thing
_**Heyy guyz! I came up wif th main idea for this story while listening to the song thats probably gunna show up in it sumwhere.**_
[Anonymous POV]
Damn!
My ship is hit!
Shit! Where am I anyway? I don't recognize this system! Does that planet have rings?
OH SHIT! AN ASTEROID FIELD!
[Omniscient POV]
'Damn. Can this class get any more boring?' Thought Kevin.
"Alright class, take out your textbooks and turn to page three-hundred and ninety-four" Said the teacher, Mr. Fagginston.
Kevin rummaged around in his backpack for his book. When he found it he made a face at the cover.
>'wow, couldn't they have at least put some thought into the title. I mean, not that just plain ol' "Social Studies" isn't working for me. He flipped through his book until he found the page his fellow classmates were reading.<p>
He took one look at the title of that chapter and groaned. It was as if Mr Fagginston had read his mind. The Renaissance. He probably knew more about this era than the textbook writers did. He had had a major interest in this as a kid. He had even made a small patch of chain mail in the forge his friends dad owned. He had burned himself, but hey, he was only seven.
Apparently Kevin didn't even look like he was reading, because soon enough, Mr. Fag (nickname) called on him.
"Alright Kevin, since you look SO interested in this reading, why don't you give us an overview of what this chapter says, hmm?"
Kev, as his friends called him, opened his mouth to make one of his usual smartass answers when he realized he didn't know what the book actually said.
" I - umm... Uh..." the rest of the class started laughing nervously at him, glancing at their teacher to see if he approved. Kevin felt his face flush red and sank low in his chair, letting his long, jet black hair cover his green eyes. Mr. Fag sneered smugly, flipping his head as his medium-long brown hair got in his eyes.
"Right, thats what I thought. Come and see me after class Mr. Sampson."
" Yes Mr. F" He sighed, sinking even lower into his chair, scowling.
The bell rang for the class to get out for the day.
Kevin slowly packed up his stuff and headed to Mr. Fagginstons desk with his head bowed. On the way someone caught him by the arm. He glared up at the offender, only to see it was his best friend Tommie.
"Woah, dude. If looks could kill, i think you would just have blown up the room."
Tommie was taller than average, with blond hair and a light brown eyes. He wasn't exactly fat, but he also wasn't the skinniest person in the room. Despite all this, and his position on the Football team, he was still Kevin's friend. They had known each other since preschool. Tommie was 'in' with basically all the groups. The jocks loved him cuz he's on the football team, and he's pretty smart, so he has a lot of regular friends too. All the girls loved him because he is 'sensitive', but this also means that nobody wants to hurt his feelings, including kevin, who knew how it could go wrong if he blew off his steam at Tommie.
Kevin sighed frowning slightly, looking down again "Yeah, sorry. Im just not looking forward to another 'session' with Mr. Fag."
"SHH! Not while he's so close!" Kevin whispered forcefully "He might hear you!"
"Tommie? Why are you still here? Shouldn't you be getting out to the bus circle?"
Tommie stiffened as Mr Fag walked up behind him. "Y-yes sir!" He stuttered while turning around, rushing out of the room.
Kevin frowned at his friends obvious fear of Mr Fag.
"Alright Kevin, I know your nit looking forward to this, so lets just get it over with. You are just not paying enough attention in class, and its showing in your grades. Now, i know you can do better. Your test scores in this area are out of the roof! So tell me; Why don't you do better in this class? Hell, I don't even care if you pay attention or not. Just get your homework done and turned in, maybe even do a little of the classwork. Thats all I'm asking."
Kevin looked up from his shoes for a second, only to see Mr Fagginston looking at him with genuine concern.
Great.
That just made him feel worse about what he was about to say. "Yeah, and you'll stop being a bitch to all us kids in your class. THATS gonna happen real soon."
Mr. Fagginston sighed. He was used to being treated this way by Kevin, didn't mind it even. Their battle of wits oftentimes was the highlight of is day. But acting this way when he wasn't joking was getting annoying.
"Really now, Kev, you need to start doing better if you want to get into a good collage and get a good job. All you are doing for yourself now is letting your grades slip. This will ruin your life in the future. Now being a freshman, you have time to redeem yourself. If you-"
"I don't care!" Kevin snapped storming past his teacher and to the door. Just before he made it out though, he turned back to his social studies teacher "And don't call me 'Kev'." He whipped around and rushed down the hallway, his hand grabbing the strap of his backpack so tightly that he could feel his nails piercing the skin of his palm.
Mr Fagginston sighed and walked calmly back to his desk, sat down, and laid his head on his arms. After a moment, he sat up and picked up the phone, brushing his hair out of his eyes. He dialed a few numbers, then put the phone to his ear to listen. It rang... Then, "Ah, Mrs. Sampson! Yes, how are you doing? Good! Now, I was calling about your son..."
"That dick-shitting Roadkill-eating, damned, son-of-a-slut" Kevin muttered as he burst out of the schools double doors. He more-or-less stomped down the sidewalk on the way to the bus circle, his head down, kicking a rock, and muttering under his breath. As he fumed, he accidentally brushed past a burly Junior, who was walking to a car packed full of his friends. Being the next-to-top dog (almost a senior), there was no way that the junior was going to let that go. He whipped around and yelled "Hey, prick! You better be more careful nex time, ya hear?"
Kevin looked over his shoulder with an annoyed expression "Fuck off, shit head."
The Juniors eyes were almost popping out of their sockets.
He finally strangled out a sensible phrase, saying "Why you little mutha fucka [unintelligible] kick you so hard in your manjina that-" One of his friends, taking pity on the Freshi, decided to move it along by honking the horn.
The Junior calmed down enough to speak properly, and glared at Kevin, saying "Next time Shit-bag." and turned to get into the car.
The whole front courtyard was silent except for the growling of car and bus engines and the hissing of the wind through the trees, but Kevin was oblivious. He turned to go to his bus, looking up just in time to see it leaving the bus circle.
"DAMMIT" He yelled, kicking a large stone at the school building, narrowly missing someones head.
>He stalked down the front walk of the school, a dark cloud seeming to hang over him. Even the stalker he had had since sixth grade was afraid to follow him.<p>
[Kevin's Point of View (POV)]
Today was just not my day. First I got in trouble in class for not caring to learn crap i already knew, and then my fag teacher had to go and act all nice about it. Then i freaking bump into some freak who decides to call me names, but two can play at that game, which caused me to miss my damn bus.
>I am NOT in a good mood!<p>
I walked down the street, passing a lot of people giving me funny looks. My town doesn't exactly have the 'clean slate' when it comes to crime, so younger people walking home was not exactly common. I didn't really care though, in fact i welcomed it. I was so pissed off that if someone tried to jump me, I probably could have killed them by cursing at them.
Walking isn't exactly hard either, so it gave me time to think. For me, thats not much of a good thing when i'm in this state,cuz all i can think about is how much i want to kill something or hurt someone. Don't get me wrong, I'm not normally like this. I only really ever get mad in Superbad occasions, so me being super-mad like this was like Superman being hurt by a bullet. It never happens. I walked for around half an hour, and was thinking of ways I could get back at Mr Fag the whole way.
I knew meeting my mom would only make my mood worse at the moment, so instead of going directly to my apartment, I went to the abandoned construction site for some kind of Greeny lookout tower thing in the middle of the park. At first I was pissed when they started building, because that was the only place I could go to chill, but then when they gave up due to the economy going bad, I saw an opportunity.
You see, I am a man of many talents, my mom forced me to swim in the city YMCA when i was young, but now Im on a team and am in it for the fitness and physical challenge. Naturally, as a good swimmer, Im stronger than I look. The only thing is that I look OK-Strong.
My real passion, though, is climbing. Ever since I was little, i had been climbing. When I was younger, like, 4 to 5 years old, my parents would to call me Houdini because I would just disappear, and they would find me on the second floor of an undeveloped house with no steps. How i ever got up there, Im not sure, but I am beast at climbing. I can climb trees in no time flat, and I can climb some buildings, like unfinished ones, in only slightly longer time.
Anyways, I walked through the park, slowly feeling better. Peace and quiet have always helped with any anger I have, but Nature is always best for me. I would always go for a walk in the park as compared to sitting in the house doing absolute shit all day. As I neared the framework that had been set down for the building, I grabbed some things the workers had been using to construct the building.
A climbed to the top floor of the building that had been put up. I screwed around with the pieces of metal and wood that I had picked up, feeling much better than I had coming into the Park. It was getting dark out, but I didn't want to go to my apartment just yet, so i lay on my back and stared up at the stars. I named a couple of constellations, and found Mars, but other than that I just hung out and stargazed.
I was thinking about my mom. Ever since my dad died, she hadn't been the same. I mean, of course, who is, Right? But still. She seemed more withdrawn, and didn't seem to want to do much else that work, eat, tell me to do my homework, and go to bed.
When she isn't yelling at me for something of course.
I was lost deep in thought, staring, when I saw a light flash through the sky.
'Oh look a meteorite.' I thought lazily, smiling as i listed the properties of a meteor in my head.
>Then my smile stiffened as I realized that this meteorite wasn't just flashing through the sky, but was getting closer, and was headed right for me.<p>
_**Haha! Hows THAT for a cliffhanger? Will i kill my original character and Move on to using someone more interesting, or will i have him be the bad guy? Maybe that Smartass Dickhead of a Junior would make a good main character if i tweak him just a bit. Or give him a sap story to explain meanness.**_
_**I wont ask for ideas yet, cuz i haven't finished with my original idea for the story, but if you could tell me how Im doing, (good, OK, Bad, Sucked so bad that your eyeballs were bleeding) it would be well appreciated. Also, any ideas for improving my style or you don't like a way I wrote something, tell me**_.
2. Almost a Big Freaking Daimond
I wont ask for ideas yet, cuz i haven't finished with my original idea for the story, but if you could tell me how Im doing, (good, OK,Nn Bad, Sucked so bad that your eyeballs were bleeding) it would be well appreciated. Also, any ideas for improving my style or you don't like a way I wrote something, tell me.
[Anonymous POV]
Oh shit, Im going down! Im not going to survive this! OH SSSHHHHIIIIII-
Wait! Wats that?
Maybe... Nah...
...Hell... Its worth a shot...
[Kevin's POV]
"Oh shit, oh shit, ohshit, ohshit, ohshitohshitohshit,OHSITOHSITOHSHIT!"
I scrambled down the side of the building like my life depended on it, and,well... It did.
I am sweating like a black man from Alaska coming to California for the first time. Which is to say, I AM SOAKED.
[Authors Note (AN): No, Im not racist. Its just that black absorbs heat. Some of my best friends are 'black']
As soon as I felt my feet hit the ground, I started running.
I could hear it right behind me, I felt its searing heat, and with a light so blinding, I heard a resounding beat.
It had been skipping off the park's Central lake, only a few hundred meters behind me.
>I slowed to a stop, and leaned onto a tree beside me, my breath hitching in my chest, The adrenaline I had been running off of a moment ago going sour.<p>
I was nearly recovered when I almost stopped breathing. The meteor had been headed strait for the tower, if not over it. So why did it hit a few hundred meters short of its destination?
I hoped I had just made a simple mistake. Maybe I had taken off in the wrong direction when I got to the ground, or had panicked when I thought I was about to die. I replayed the scene in my head over again, dread slowly settling in my stomach as I realized neither of these scenarios were true.
>I knew that going back was an Idiotic idea, but I was drawn in by my own curiosity. I reluctantly turned to go find my space rock.<p>
A few dozen meters away from the lake, I slowed down to a walk. If my theory was correct, no matter how stupid it sounded, I would need to be able to run as fast as i could if i was to make it out alive. If my theory was wrong, then who cared. At least I was better rested.
As i neared the ridge just in front of the Lake, I dropped to my stomach and Army crawled closer. A was soon at the top, and finally worked up enough courage to pop my head over the ridge to see...
>Nothing.<p>
All the water was gone from the lake, which explained my wet front, and there was a single, solitary, scrape in the dirt leading to a big black rock, pitted by its burning trip through the atmosphere.
>I stood up, disgusted with myself. Of course there were no such things as aliens! What crazy freak-notion gave you that idea?<p>
I surveyed the damage to the front of my clothes. I groaned.
"Mom is SO going to kill me for this." I said to nobody in particular.
I sighed and made my way to the space rock. Maybe there was some interesting metal or diamond or something inside of it, just waiting to be found. That would solve my family's financial problems, at least.
I was just close enough to touch it, so, being Fearless Leader (or Dumbass Freshman), I did.
>It was warm. Hot even. And smooth. Except for the little pits dotting all along the surface. I looked at it for a few minutes, just feeling the smoothness of it and admiring the perfect pits it had. Then I set to work, trying to find some kind of Crystal or space mineral in it. I reached to the top, and stuck my finger in one of the pits of the Meteorite, and pulled it away. Ti came off easier than I expected it would, though after a thousand degree descent, I don't think any substance would be too firm. I looked down at where my finger had pulled away in surprise, then smiled. There was a clear crystalline under the black shell. Maybe it was a good idea to come back...<p>
[Anonymous POV]
Damn...
I've been saying that a lot lately haven't I?
Well, anyway, I finally got the strength to shift after my crash. I felt like I had just been strapped to a rock and dropped into an ocean. Every muscle and bone in my body was sore.
At least I knew I was still alive. Pain meant chemical reactions occurring in my brain, and chemical reactions meant a functioning body, and functioning body means alive.
I sat up from my padded seat, every bone in my back popping and groaning from the motion. I grimaced from the pain.
I did a few stretches, trying to get my body to stop shaking and stop hurting, if possible. Every time I moved a loud snapping could be heard. Soon enough I had my body back under my control, and noticed it was pitch black in the cabin of my ship. That was new.
I looked at where my control panel should be. No lights. That means no power.
Shit.
I grabbed the buckle of my seat and unlatched myself. Then I grabbed the re-breather from my pocket. Im glad I brought it. Who knew if the world I was in had breathable air or not?
I quickly put my RB on and reached for the latch that released the door. I pulled, but nothing happened. I sighed heavily. Alright, lets do this the hard way.
I grabbed the handles on the roof of the pod, and brought my feet up to kick...
[Kevin's POV]
I smiled as I heard the radio announcer in my head, "14 year old Kevin Sampson finds worlds largest and heaviest diamond, worth an astonishing amount of 20 trillion dollars." He wondered how his mom should react to that news. She certainly wouldn't be angry for his shirt anymore.
I felt giddy as he pulled off some more meteor, the charred matter staining my hands black. After a few minutes of searching, I got angry. I couldn't find any more diamond. I came to a split second anger decision and grabbed the piece I had already soon as I touched the smooth rock, though, I felt like I had just been shocked by a mini tesla coil. I grinned with this newfound energy and pulled.
The crystalline mineral came off easily via my strong pull. I was dissapointed though. Don't get me wrong, It wasn't that I couldn't find any more, it was that the one I had gotten all excited about was small, round and had a hole through the middle, like a fruit loop.
I sulked at the fact, but pocketed that one crystal with glee.
I froze when he heard a loud thump, coming from the empty crater that used to be a lake.
I was even more surprised when I realized I wasn't scared, or even alarmed by the sound. Only mildly curious as to what was making it. I hurried over to the edge of the lake crater. It was deep and muddy, and had no water in it. All there was was some smoking sharpish looking black rock thing in the center of the lake.
'Maybe its another meteorite, or split off the original.' I thought, trying to make sense of it. Not only did a meteorite crash to earth and NOT wipe out any life, except for maybe a few fish and possibly a squirrel I saw that was flattened, but it looked like TWO meteorites had hit, with very few causalities!
>"Man how the news guys would freak for this" I muttered to myself as I jumped into the lake crater, sliding down the steep bank of mud. I quickly made my way, shlurping my way to the middle. More thuds were audible from the rock, and I was starting to be frightened, but only a little bit.<p>
Then suddenly,
BANG
A voice called put from the thing, sounding only slightly older than me, but muffled somewhat. The voice said "Shistaghulairan Des Moin estyr syrystroom?" Well, thats what it sounded like anyways.
>Then de called out "You speak Cornerian then?" My head shot up in recognition, my hair, previously plastered to my forehead, but now dry, getting in my eyes. I reached down to brush my hair out of my eyes when another discharged shot vaporized a bit more mud, close enough to my feet that I could feel the heat. "Don't try anything funny, now, or i'll shoot. Good. Now slowly put your hands on your head, and turn around."<p>
I did as the voice so calmly asked.
Now I had a good look at his face. Obviously it was a He, from the body posture, form, and its general resemblance to a humanoid figure. He was slightly shorter than me, and his hands seemed to have some kind of gloves on. The mysterious figure was also wearing some kind of mask, with reflective goggle lenses, and a small contraption sticking out of the mouth.
All in all, it cut a fairly normal impression. Except for the deadly ray gun and the mask.
I realized the figure had started speaking again.
"Alright, now tell me, does your race know what type of chemicals make up your atmosphere? And don't try anything funny. I have a charged Laser Gun and Im not afraid to use it."
"Yeah, I realized," I muttered, glancing at the smoldering pits in the mud.
"Haha! So you do speak Cornerian, and you do have a sense of humor! Now, answer my question."
"All right, all right! Jeez! The atmosphere is made up of Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide, and some other minor gasses, the closest third being Nitrogen. Now, will you please point that gun somewhere else, its scaring me!"
The figure on the rock tilted his head quizzically, then slowly lowered his gun. A stiff buzzing that I hadn't noticed before suddenly stopped when he turned his gun off.
The masked figure got off the ship and walked towards me. Funny. I don't feel afraid anymore.
I let my hands drop, and felt the tension in the air grow as the figure in the mask tensed up.
As soon as he realized I wasn't going for a weapon, though, he relaxed slightly and led my up up put of the lake pit.
I was trailing behind him, and quickly realized he was headed to town.
"Wait!" I yelled, grabbing his arm.
The mysterious figure grabbed my hand, reached back, and with an enormous strength, flipped me onto the ground in front of him.
When he realized I wasn't trying to hurt him, he let my go.
"Wait why?" he asked seriously.
I sputtered, trying to catch my breath. Then answered, "The people in the town have never seen an alien before... Hell, I've never seen an alien before. They might try to kill you!"
The guy above me chuckled darkly at that. "Id like to see them try."
I scrambled to my feet and stood in front of him. "I wouldn't. I don't want you getting hurt, and more importantly, I don't want you hurting anybody."
The masked figure looked at me for a moment, then laughed a genuine laugh of amusement at my serious face.
"Haha! Well, you're a good person and its a pleasure to meet you, whats your name?" he said, reaching a gloved hand out to me.
"Kevin. Kevin Sampson." I said, taking his hand and shaking it.
The guy took off his mask, revealing a red-furred face, with a white stripe down his forehead, and emerald green eyes. "My name is Fox. Fox McCloud." he replied
_**Yay! Done with the second Chapter! Apparently, you cant post from an iPad! So I had one heck of a time trying to get this story transferred! Please rate, or review, or read, or like, or whatever you want to do now. Im not asking for suggestions yet, but tell me how you like my style, or if you don't like it. Any suggestions on how to write stuff more to the readers satisfaction is helpful. Thanks, hope you read more soon, and bye!**_
3. Sugar Rush
I looked at the strange creature across from me. He didn't seem to have any sense of self preservation as he stared at me in astonishment, his mouth 'catchin' flies' as Falco would have put it.
After a few more moments his examination got uncomfortable.
"Well, I had better be going then" I said politely, not wanting to offend him any more than I had by pointing my blaster at him.
This creature, Kevin, I think he said, quickly snapped out of his daze, and quickly grabbed my arm. Again, I was startled at how strong this creature was. He moved quicker than it looked like he could too.
I had to stop myself from putting him into a hold, since I was still on high alert from my crash onto this planet, which I still didn't know the name of.
I frowned slightly as I realized the creature across from me was talking again.
"...really can, you see? They would kill you with many more guns than you could take out."
This last part caught my attention. "And how many of these guns do you suppose they have on call for the assassination of an interstellarly well known bounty hunter?"
I said that last bit a little smugly, but hey, this thing was starting to annoy me with the talk of that I cant take down his planets common soldiers.
"On call at any moment, or all the forces? Cuz just on call in the city alone, we have, like, what? A couple hundred?"
I felt myself pale slightly at the thought of having to fight more than a few dozen soldiers at once.
I asked the thing across from me, "So what would you prepose I do then? Sit here and wait for someone to come?" Crap. My voice shook more than I would have liked.
The thing looked at me with a thoughtful expression.
After a few minutes, he finally answered, "Well I guess I could let you stay at my place until you could find a way to get off Earth..."
"So this planets name is Earth?"
"Yup. Let me be the first to welcome the first interstellar traveler to our planet."
I grinned slightly at his brash confidence and obvious disinterest in me being Fox McCloud. Ever since the Lylatt War, people had been tripping up all over the place to meet him. This creature not being interested brought back some of the Old Fox. The one before all the damned fans and paparazzi.
Fox grinned at Kevin warmly and said "Thanks! I really-" and then I realized something, "Wait. The FIRST one? So you mean to say Im the first off-worlder to EVER come to this planet?"
"Ahh... Yup, thats about it."
So thats why I'd never heard of this furless creature.
"Well, in that case, I wont feel stupid asking, What species are you? I didn't think I recognized your species, but I didn't want to ask."
"Ah, Im human, and you, are some kind of fox, but my *ahem* 'species' hasn't seen a fox anything like you... Ever. Some people may take you as some kind of mutant freak and stick you somewhere to study you. Thats why Im trying to keep you from the city."
I felt my ears flick back in embarrassment for not listening to this human earlier. I was on an uncharted planet and had just about brushed off the advice of a native. That would have been stupid.
I sighed heavily.
"All right. But you'll go to your apartment, and I'll try to rebuild my ship."
"Oh. That's a ship down there? I thought it was some kind of rock."
Damn. Thats right. Its a piece of space-junk now.
"Dammit" I said, realizing something important.
"What?" Kevin asked, worried.
"All my power is gone! I cant sent a distress signal for the rest of Star Fox to pick up... Hell, for ANYONE to pick up.
We both sighed heavily.
After a while, Kevin finally spoke up, motioning somewhere to his right "Um... We could try to carry your ship to the building over there"
I shrugged, knowing there was nothing else we could do.
[Kevin's POV]
Fox had told me to grab a socket wrench, a few different sockets (god willing that both our species made our bolts and other things the same) a screw driver, a metal file, a welder, a hammer, and some wires.
I was not happy. I only had screw drivers, a hammer, socket wrenches and some wires at my apartment. The only problem was that I would need to buy the welder and the metal file.
I walked past the workshop store on my way home, finding a had a bit of time to look around and find how much a welder and file cost. I walked in, heading down the isles, browsing for the things I needed, muttering about coming back.. There was someone standing behind the cash register, but I didn't pay him any mind. I quickly found what I needed and left the store.
[The next morning]
I woke up, and began my normal weekend routine; eat, shower, change, pack up, and get out the door.
I hopped on the city bus and sat down, my mom hadn't been at home when I went to bed, and was never up when I woke up, so I didn't have to deal with her about class yesterday, because I was sure Mr Fag had called her.
I got to the store feeling shittier than usual, and I had no idea why, because I had gotten to sleep earlier than I normally would have yesterday after all the excitement.
I walked in and froze. Bitch Ass Junior was just inside, smirking at me.
"Ah, The Bitch Came Back." He said, also referring to the song he was playing on his phone.
"Um... Yeah... I was just... Um..." I was at a loss of words. I hadn't expected to see him here, or at all. At least, not till monday.
He walked up to me and grabbed my arm, leading me outside.
"Im just happy you didn't notice me last night, because if you had we wouldnt have this WONDERFUL moment to ourselves!" he said with a mocking tone.
He led me into the ally beside the store, where he dropped me, stepping back and cracking his knuckles.
"Alright Smartass, come at me."
"What?" I asked startled.
"You heard me." He growled evilly.
'Alright' I thought smugly. Junior was standing loosely, in a threatening stance.
I rushed at him, swinging with my right, but quickly throwing a real punch with my left.
Junior easily dodged the first punch, and caught my hand with the second, twisting my arm into a painful position that forced my head to the ground. His elbow was on mine, pushing me down further.
"Ha! And here I was thinking you might have been a fighter!"
There was an explosion of pain in my face as I felt my nose break, blood spattering the pavement.
I growled anomalistically and jerked free of the junior. I jumped back before he could do anything to my, and surveyed him with wild eyes, my nose crooked.
The tense silence continued between us for a time. I finally snapped.
I charged at him with a roar, swinging my fists like a madman, hatred burning in my eyes.
The junior looked scared, backing away. I smirked, despite the pain it caused my pouring nose. I finally got close enough to hit him and, to my surprise, he sidestepped, grabbed one of my arms and the back of my hair, and threw me headfirst into the wall.
My head connected with a loud CRACK, and i slumped to the ground, my limbs no longer under my control.
"Next time be more careful about who you make enemies with kid, cuz I'm just join' easy on you.
He walked out of the ally calmly as if nothing happened. I, on the other hand, was slumped against the wall, my crooked nose streaming and my eye puffing up.
A few minutes later, i regained control of my body, and pushed myself up, standing up shakily. I felt my face.
Yup. My eye was swelling, no doubt green by now, and my nose was squished against my face. At least my nose had stopped flowing with blood.
I stumbled out past the corner, wiping my upper lip, my sleeve quickly becoming sticky with blood.
I walked back into the store, trying to act normal, although its hard when you can barely see out of one eye, and you can see most of your nose with the other.
I got a few looks, but like i said, my town isn't exactly the most peachy place, so this was fairly common. I bought the welder and the file and quickly rushed back to the park.
I walked to the lookout tower frame and went inside. Fox and I had dragged his ship in here the other night, and fox had started working on it. It was surprisingly light. He had already knocked off a lot of the burnt material from the outside, and it was looking more and more like a ship.
As soon as I got in, he looked up and said "Well, you look like hell. What happened?"
So I told him about BitchAss.
When I finished, he looked at me with pity. "Well that sucks. Do you want me to go out and get him for you?"
"NO" I shouted. "If you go somewhere you'll be shot by somebody."
Fox sighed.
"Well at least let me fix that for you." he said, pointing at my nose.
"Oh, ok."
I knew it was going to hurt, but when Fox twisted the bridge of my nose back into place, I jerked away, whimpering from the pain.
With my nose bleeding again, I couldn't do much to help Fox with his ship until it stopped.
I sat back and watched Fox tapping off the black stuff with the hammer before filing the rest of it off. It looked pretty hard, but Fox didn't even seem to be tired. I quickly realized he was much stronger than his body hinted.
As soon as my nose was done bleeding, I grabbed the hammer and started tapping off pieces of burnt space-rock. With the two of us working, it took a hell of a lot less time than I thought it would. When we had finished, I asked fox if he wanted to go back to my place for some lunch. Most everybody was at work (Including my mom), and the ones who weren't were sleeping or inside playing video games.
[Fox's POV]
We got to Kevin's apartment fairly quickly. Nobody spotted us. When we got inside, Kevin let out a sigh of relief, and walked to a white cabinet with two levels. He opened one of them and brought out a bottle of some kind.
"Do you want something to drink? We have water, Kool-aid, soda, stuff like that."
I looked at him funny.
"Whats Kool-aid?"
"Here try some." He said while reaching into the cabinet, bringing out a large pitcher of red liquid.
He took the pitcher and put it on the table. He pulled some cups out of a cabinet above a sink, and poured the Kool-aid into one. He handed the cup to me, and I took a sip.
My eyes must have been as big as plates. It was very sweet and tasted faintly like an exotic fruit.
"Wow! It's so sweet!"
Kevin laughed at this. "You haven't even had soda yet!"
I was exited to get some soda.
"Oh! Please get me one!" I said excitedly, a faint buzzing developed in the back of my head as I finished off my Kool-aid.
Kevin laughed at me, pulling out another bottle from the cabinet box. "Here, this'll have you bouncing off the walls."
I eagerly grabbed the bottle, popped it open, and took a big gulp from it.
My eyes watered as the liquid burned its way down my throat. I coughed for a while, then looked up at Kevin, who was looking at me, smiling.
"You humans LIKE this torture?" I spat at him.
Kevin laughed. "Its not torture! You just drank it too fast. Take a sip."
I did as Kevin suggested warily. I was not eager to burn myself again.
My eyes snapped open as I swallowed.
It was delicious!
I put the bottle to my muzzle and took another swig.
[Kevin's POV]
We went back to the ship, throwing ourself into our work with passion. The seven or eight sodas each didn't help.
By the end of the next few hours, Fox was asleep.
I grunted when I looked at him, sitting in the small cabin of his ship, his head hanging back and mouth open.
"Cant hold his Caffeine" I mumbled to myself, tierdly.
My eye was throbbing again. The swelling had gone down, but being tired made it hurt.
I made one more round of the ship, looking for any more black matter left on the outside that I could scrape away. When I didnt find any, I grabbed the vulpine from his seat and dragged him out.
He jerked into wakefulness when his feet banged against the floor.
He jumped out of my hands and pulled out his gun with a lazer-charging-to-be-fired sound. He glanced around wildly, saying "Wha... Where are they!"
He quickly realized what had happened, and put his gun away.
"Dude, you really need to CALM IT DOWN. I would have yelled if someone was here." i said.
"Yeah.. Sorry."
We made our way back to my apartment. It was harder now that people were home, but not by much.
As soon as we got inside, I shoved fox into the bathroom, and told him he wasn't allowed to come out until he took a shower, cuz DAYUM! He reeked!
I can't say much though, I probably smell the same.
When Fox finished, I showed him to my room, and left to go take a shower.
I'll spare you the bathroom experience, so; When I got back to my room, I found Fox out cold on my bed. I smirked at how vulnerable he looked without his jumpiness and acting all badass with his gun.
My face split into a large yawn. Damn. We worked our butts off and I was exhausted. It probably didnt help tha it was going to take a lot of rest to recover from the beating I took today. I grabbed a blanket from the closet, and hopped onto the couch behind my drum set.
I was asleep before my head even hit the padded armrest.
**Done. Review please. I want to know if anybody has read this yet.**
4. Radio and boring music
**I'm sorry if fox is out of character, but Ive never played the games, so I just have to guess off what Ive read and what it seems like he would be like. Also, kinda boring in start. Should start getting much better after this chapter. I'll definitely put in some fight scenes.**
I woke up that morning still exhausted. I guess hours of hard work will do that to you, huh?
I rolled off my couch, landing on the double pedal of my drum set.
"Ow! Friggin damned crap of a shitting pot headed bitch assed fucking [keeps going for a while]"
Yeah. Im not much of a morning person, and its only worse when I'm sore. I struggled to get up, knocking over one of my cymbals onto the edge of my dresser, making Fox jump straight up into the air.
He landed back on my bed looking at me with wide eyes. He was awake now. Good.
I picked my cymbal up and put it back in place, then stumbled into the bathroom across the hall, yawning.
I turned on the cold water in my sink, and splashed my face, trying to wake myself up. It worked, but only a little. When I got back to my room, I found Fox messing with my guitar, which I normally had on a stand in the corner. He strummed once, unaware I was there, and smiled. He messed with the strings and found how it worked, then strummed out a few different chords making a tune. He was pretty good.
I moved past the doorframe, making Fox scramble to put everything back. He turned and looked at me guiltily.
"Sorry about that. It just looked cool."
"Nah. Its fine. I really don't play guitar anyways. Bet you're pretty good, though."
Fox grinned at what I said, his ears perking up slightly.
"Thanks!"
I grinned back at him.
"Alright, let's see how well you can do this. Here." I grabbed my MP3 player from my dresser and hooked it up to the speaker on my floor, "Listen and see if you can play."
I put one of the most simple songs I had on it. Hard to Handle, by The Black Crowes. I had it on there to learn how to play drums, along with Me and My Gang.
Its pretty simple when its broken down, other than the solos, so I figured that it's the perfect beginners song. Fox listened to the music intently, his head bobbing slightly to the beat.
"What is this music?" he asked when the song was over.
"It's rock, but that's not even the good stuff, this is to see if you can get the hang of it." I replied.
"Hmm." he said, not really interested in me, more on the guitar.
He picked it up and strummed a chord, then a few notes.
"Ok," he said flashing me a smile.
I played the song again. He played it pretty good, only struggling with the solo.
"Damn! You're freaking beast at this!" I hollered over the loud music, "It took me a week just to be able to change notes fast enough, and here you come owning it your first freaking time!"
I was in awe.
"Hey... Try this one. It'll be kinda stupid at first, just fast strumming, but it'll be cool if we play it together."
I scrolled through my playlist and picked out my song. Track 4 of The Black Parade. Also known as The Sharpest Lives.
I let Fox listen to the song, then he quickly played it. This song, apparently, was even easier. He played it nearly perfectly.
We went through songs, and after a while, I joined him. He would play the guitar part, me playing the drums. He became particularly attached to one song, but after we played It through a third time, he decided we needed to get back to fixing his ship.
I told him to go to the kitchen and grab something for us to eat while I changed.
Crap.
I just realized I've got no clean pants left. Oh well.
I grabbed the pair from Friday off the floor. I put them on, and grinned. I felt GOOD. I don't even know why, cuz this morning I felt like crap.
[Fox's POV]
We arrived at the half-building where my ship was being kept sometime after midday.
Kevin seemed even more energetic than he did when we found out I could play the guitar. He had bought some 'buffer' as he called it on the way. He said it would keep my ship from rusting. That would be useful.
He showed me how to use it, and we quickly got to work. He was buffing the ship while I was trying to fix the wiring on the inside to get my radio to work.
I'm no expert when it comes to repairs, cuz that's Slippy's job, but I know my wirings, and soon enough I had my ships radio up and running.
The ship itself was too beat up to get flying again (with me fixing it anyways) so Kevin and I quickly gave up on that idea.
Now was the moment of truth. I was going to send a radio signal back out into the galaxy, hoping the expansions and contractions of space time didn't destroy my message. I was calling to anybody. I wanted to get back to the Great Fox.
"Attention. Urgent rescue request code 1186370A. Request by Fox McCloud. Star date 9540, space day 678. Planet, Unknown. Quadrant, unknown. Galaxy, unknown. Send immediate help or rescue team. End message."
I switched off the sender node of the radio.
"Now all we can do is wait" I said.
Kevin looked at me funny.
"So your space-time-continuum technology space-time jumping crap can't even send a message through space sometimes? And what was with all the 'Unknown' crap?"
"Space stretches and bends as it grows and shifts, so a simple wavelength gets bent and warped to the point of no recognition through space at the wrong times. The 'unknown' was because this is an unexplored region in space to where I come from, so theres no names to these places. Does that answer you?"
Kevin pursed his lips, processing what I just said.
"So... It might take, like, a week for anyone to get that 'Urgent Message'?
I thought for a second.
"Well... That depends on how far they are, but yeah. It could."
"So I'm stuck hiding you for a week. Great. Perfect. Just freaking peachy."
"What's 'peachy' mean?" I asked slightly confused.
"Oh... I guess it's cuz a peach is sweet, and the sarcasm... Never mind." Kevin sighed and started walking away.
I followed him in silence. I knew he didn't want to talk to me. We got to his apartment and pulled his keys out of his pocket. He unlocked the door and let me in.
As soon as I let fox walk past me, I turned and grabbed the thing that dropped out of my pocket. It was that diamond-rock-thing. Although, knowing my life, it probably isn't a diamond.
I picked it up anyway, and bounced it on my palm as I walked into my room. I snapped a leather rope off the necklace that I was going to give to my girlfriend before she dumped me, and looped it through the rock, slipping it around my neck and into my shirt.
Fox was in my room, playing my guitar again. That made me smile.
"Alright, time to go to bed. I got school tomorrow, and there ain't nuthin I can do bout it, so you need to quiet down."
Fox looked up, questioningly, "You still go to school?"
"Uh, duh. Why? Don't you?"
"Nah, I never went to school. There was never anything there I needed to know."
"Ha. Fuckin lucky." I grumbled.
I walked to the bathroom and got ready for bed.
The next day I groaned as I sat up, the blood rushing out of my head. I started trying to make my way to the kitchen, and slammed right into the door frame.
"Ow..." I stumbled into the kitchen, my baggy pajama pants tripping me, and the cold air on my bare chest giving me goose bumps.
I got my cereal into the bowl somehow, but missed my bowl when pouring the milk.
"Dmit" I tried to curse but it didn't work.
I slurped up my cereal and moved back to my room to get ready for school. Fox was going through some kind of yoga thing in my room.
"wutrya doing" I slurred at him, swaying sleepily on my feet.
"Im stretching for incase I get picked up today," he said, perfectly alert.
"Mmkay," I replied.
I took off my pajama bottoms and put some clean jeans on. I grabbed a shirt out of my drawer and pulled on my jacket.
I looked at fox, standing in plain view of anyone who happened to walk in.
"You should probly make sure you're not seen," I said to him, a little more awake.
"Ok, no problem,"
I walked out and went to my bus stop.
Have you ever had a zit or something on your face, and you feel like you kind of need to hide your face so nobody can see it? How about a black eye?
Although it was fading some, I still didn't like the way people looked at me.
I got out of my Third Block class, on my way to lunch, only to bump into the Junior I had pissed off Friday. Literally. I ran into him while turning a corner.
"Weeellllll! Looky who we have here! A stray Freshy, just on his way to lunch!" He said in a mockingly kind tone, "Let's just teach him to be on time more often, then, shall we?"
His hand connected with my face so fast I didn't even flinch when it hit.
My face was blank. My mind was blank. My nose was streaming blood onto the floor, staining it. I felt a fire inside my chest, I felt angry and calm at the same time. It was frightening at how dangerous I felt.
I almost tried to deck him again, but I remembered what had happened in the alley, so I faked turned away, and flicked a foot behind me to try to kick him. All I remember after that was getting up off the floor, being helped by Tommie, and being taken to the principals office. Apparently they deemed that I had lost a lot of blood and needed to go home to recover.
I got picked up by my mom, who was pissed that I was fighting in school, but worried about me at the same time. I slept through everything she asked me.
I went to my room and promptly fell asleep. I remember waking up periodically with my mom, then going back to sleep.
The next morning I woke up with a slight headache, but no tiredness at all. I started getting out of bed, but my mom walked in and stopped me. She sat on the edge if my bed and said "Kev, we need to talk."
Oh shit. My mom was in my room. Where is Fox?
I broke out in a cold sweat. I was trying to think up some reason for hiding an alien life form from the world. Maybe they'll believe that I was brainwashed? My mom continued.
"You were in bad condition yesterday when they brought you home. What happened?"
I breathed a sigh of relief. Fox wasn't found.
"I don't know," I lied, frowning at the weakness of my voice.
I tried to clear my throat. "I just remember turning around and hitting the floor."
My mom looked at me skeptically for a while then accepted it. If I didn't want the kid who did it to get in trouble, there was probably a reason.
"Alright. Well, I've got to go to work. I picked your homework for today and yesterday up. Make sure you do it, eat plenty, and don't leave the house."
"Alright mom. Love you!"
"Love you too, honey!"
As soon as the door clicked closed, I hopped out of bed, calling for fox. He wouldn't have left, could he?
I heard a shuffling from the bathroom.
I walked over and watched Fox struggling to get out of the cabinet under the sink. He finally popped out, straightening quickly.
"Wow. You look like you've been to a war on Venom and back," he said, examining my face.
I looked over in the mirror and did a double take. I was pale as a ghost, and my nose was cut on the bridge. My left eye was blue and green, and there were scrapes all along the side of my face. I did look like a war survivor.
My face sagged.
"Hey" Fox said, noticing my sadness, "What's up?"
"Stupid Junior beats me up every friggin day since Friday- three days ago... wait, three of four? Oh well. Ever since three or four days ago. I can't even get a friggin punch in."
Fox looked at me sympathetically.
"I could try and teach you some fighting techniques if you want"
He was just being kind, but for some reason, it got on my nerves.
"No! I don't want any damned Kung-Fu lessons! I just... I wanna... UGH!" I whipped around and stalked into my room. I grabbed my jacket, a knife, and my wallet. I stalked to the door and left. Leaving Fox wondering why I was so angry.
I walked o my favorite place in the city other than the park. Tommie's house.
I was always welcome there. His mom was nice, and his dad was always able to make a joke of something.
One time my mom kicked me out of the apartment because I had spilled some Pixy-Stick on the floor and she thought I was doing crack. I came over here and they let me stay for a few days. They didn't even ask why I had been kicked out.
I loved Tommie's parents almost as much as I loved my mom. Though I did wish my mom was as cool as them sometimes.
I was playing Black Ops with Tommie in his living-room. We were yelling into our headsets from the couch, as usual.
He was kicking everyones asses with his supa-skillz at video games, while I was trying to keep myself hidden and not get killed.
My parents had never really let me have very many video games, so the ones I played, I was either super good at naturally, or I sucked.
Soon enough, it started getting dark. I needed to get home. I thanked Tommie's parents for having me over and walked home. It was drizzling when I got back to my apartment.
I was feeling pretty good when I got back. I needed to apologize to Fox for being so angry when I left.
A long story short, he was gone.
**I didn't really feel much like writing recently, but I want to send a shout out to Species Unknown to say thanks for being the first reviewer of my first story.**
5. Where it starts getting good
I searched everywhere for him, I even looked under my bed.
I was starting to get nervous. What if somebody caught him and took him to the government or a zoo or something?
I admit, I almost cried.
He was one of my only true friends, and now he was gone.
'No! Snap out of it Kevin! You will find him. Maybe he just went for a stroll or something... That's It! He went back to his ship!' My wobbly knees got slightly more sturdy.
I ran to my room to grab my big knife. I always kept it under my pillow in case of emergencies. I think being beaten and robbed in the middle of the night in the park for not having it counts.
I flung my pillow off my bed and grabbed my knife. I noticed the rock I had strung together on my bed. It must have fallen out of my pocket while I was sleeping. I grabbed it too.
I almost ran to the park through the flickering street lights like a mad man, but I restrained myself. Getting attention drawn to myself was the last thing I wanted in the middle of the night. There were all kinds of 'dangers', like robbers and highwaymen, who would beat you down and kill you for a dime.
I felt like the Energizer Bunny. I was so jumpy and seemed so staticy that I felt like if they hooked me up to some generator or something that I could power the block for a week.
I finally made it to the park, and as soon as I broke out of sight of the city, I broke into a dead sprint. I was so worried and nervous that I didn't even feel tired. In fact, before long, I realized I had sprinted the whole freaking half mile to the middle of the park and I wasn't even breathing that hard.
I reached the building in the middle of the park, guided by the light of the waxing moon. There was a flickering light inside, like a fire, but I knew Fox wouldn't have done that.
Somebody had found the ship.
I crept closer, proud at how silent I was as I creeped up. I peered into a window hole. I was just far enough away that the light didn't reach me. I was watching inside, and was filled with dread at what I saw.
Fox was lying on the floor, his eye swollen, and his muzzle dripping blood. His hands were bound behind his back. The gang that had captured him didn't look any better than he did, all beat up and battered. Fox must have given one helluva fight, but he was outnumbered by like, 20 to one, and they had all kinds of bats and ropes and chains and crap. It didn't help that his gun was in pieces on the ground either.
I realized I recognized the one who was interrogating Fox. He was the guy who had honked the horn back in the school parking lot to keep BitchAss off me. I felt a pit in my stomach, but not of fear. This was rage and hate.
"What are you and where did you come from. Answer me!" The-Guy-Who-Honked barked at Fox, kicking him viciously in the stomach. Fox coughed up another globule of blood.
"Tell us who has been helping you get around! We might not kill you then." The-Guy-Who-Honked said viciously, stepping on one of Fox's hands, cracking a bone.
Fox whimpered, but didn't answer.
"Alright then, well just learn how to work this ship without you. Somebody get me a bat. I wanna smash this buggers head right in" The-Guy-Who-Honked, who I'll now call BitchAssJr grinned evilly as one of his gang members pulled out a bat. He stood in front of Fox with a wide stance, and brought the bat up, all the way behind his head, his back facing me.
I snapped.
I was in the room before I even had time to think. I grabbed the thick part of the bat, holding it firmly. When BitchAssJr swung down, his hands slipped right off the end of the bat and, with no resistance, flew right down, smashing his own *ahem* baby-makers. He doubled over in pain.
The rest of the group was just processing I was there. I stepped in front of Fox. All my fear was gone. All my nervousness was gone. All my rage was gone.
I was a pool of calm. I had no fear. The only sound was BichAssJr on the floorwhimpering and cursing an octive higher than normal. I prepared myself.
The first of the gang broke out of their trance. He charged me blindly, his bat swinging at my head.
I'm not sure how I did any of what I was about to do. The bat was swinging to my head, but it seemed slow. Everything seemed sharper and more vibrant than before. I stepped forward, and caught the bat near the hand that was swinging it. I pulled it free as I elbowed the kid to the head.
My last coherent thought was not of anything very relevant. I was sad that most of these kids were close to my age, and I felt sad that they had to suffer like this.
The boy I elbowed in the face dropped like a rock, breaking the rest of the kids from their trance. They charged at me.
Elbow to face, duck and jump up with an uppercut.
Punch to face, bob left, trap the arm, break the elbow. Elbow to the face of the guy to my left.
Swinging club at my head, matrix duck, whip back with a hammer-fist to the head. Back fist and hook punch to the face of the guy coming up on my right.
Nobody escaped. Nobody died. Nobody got seriously hurt. Nobody spent much more than a few seconds in front of me.
I was in a damned Beast Mode.
I was breathing hard as the last of the kids came at me. This last one was cautious. He had a weighted chain in his hand, and was swinging it in small circles at his waist. I started at him, but he ducked it, retreating to a corner. I waited for him, and waited for it, and waited. He wasn't coming at me was he? I lunged at him again, but he was ready. He sidestepped and brought the end of the chain down on my back, me running head on into the wall.
I slumped to the ground, stunned. I got back up, and let out a growl as I turned...
WHAM! Someone had punched me right to the side of the face. I went down again, blood spattering the floor under me from my mouth.
Some of the kinds had gotten off the floor and were back, angrier than before. BitchAssJr was back and picked me up, holding me in the air by my throat. I panicked slightly when I couldn't breath, then I calmed down.
Nobody could beat me. Not if I didn't let them. I reached my left hand down and grabbed his ear, and slammed my fist into his face. Then again. And again.
The rest of the kids, who had been cheering for their leader, suddenly got quiet. BAJ dropped to his knees, blood spraying from his nose onto my jacket, but I kept punching. He fell to his back, but I kept punching him. I finally got up off him, and took my corner back. BAJ was out cold. He had a broken nose, his eye was swelling, he had bruises all over his face, and I'm sure a few teeth are at least loose.
The rest of the kids were scared. I could see it in their faces. They were all taller, buffer and more badass looking than me, but somehow I had beaten them all singlehandedly, and was barely hurt. Some of them grabbed BAJ, and dragged him away from me.
One of the less wounded ones picked him up and slung him over his shoulder. The gang backed out of the building, keeping a close eye on me, but I didn't care. I dropped to my knees by Fox. He was breathing, and his muzzle stopped bleeding.
He was OK.
The gang had taken off now, going back to whatever base they had. I suddenly felt exhausted. I dropped to my knees, then to my stomach.
I winced as I landed on something hard, right in the middle of my chest. I pulled out the necklace and stared, slack-jawed. It was was hot to the touch and was shining dully, but was dimming quickly. I watched the light fade. As soon as it was gone, I passed out.
Have you ever swam the 500 yard free, then had to get out and turn around and swim in two relays – the 100 and 400 a— just after each other? That's how I felt when I woke up that morning. It probably didn't help that I had been sleeping on concrete and was one of the most awkward sleeping positions I could possibly have twisted into.
I untwisted my arm from under my leg and tried to sit up, wincing as my muscles screamed bloody murder.
I turned my head as far as I could, which was pretty far considering I was stiffer than a board and had a crick in my neck, and looked at Fox. My motions had awakened him, and he was sitting up. He looked a lot better than he had the night before, but that's probably because you can't see bruises very well through fur. His muzzle was matted with dried blood, and there were a few cuts around in his shredded shirt.
"Ugh... Oh dear gods. What happened to you?" He asked, looking at how battered I looked, "I take back what I said before. NOW you look like you've been through a war on Venom."
"Ha. Yeah, yesterday was no freaking walk in the park was it?"
Fox's eyes widened "Oh Hell no! Dude, you fought better than Falco claims he can fight, and that's sayin' something!" Fox grinned painfully "And you said you can't fight. Yeah right"
The realization of what happened last night hit me like another fight. I just beat like 20 of the best fighters in the town singlehandedly. Without any training. What the Hell had happened?
Then I remembered the rock. I remembered how every time I was near it I felt energized. I remembered how everything seemed sharper when I had it.
I pulled my necklace out, and showed it to Fox.
"Do you know what this is?"
He took it in his hand and his eyes widened. He gasped loudly and look like he had been slapped across the face...
His face went blank "Nope. I've no Idea what it is. But you should have seen your face when I did that. Priceless" He was grinning maniacally and started to crack up.
I looked at him a moment, then joined him. We laughed like maniacs, half out of the actual hilarium* of the moment, and half of relief of not dying. We laughed till it hurt, which didn't take very long, considering it already felt like we had broken a couple ribs.
**[* Hilarium - n. The essence of hilariousness or the atmosphere of a good nature, also could be a place where they put retired comedians. A made up word by yours truly.]**
I wiped a tear of mirth/pain off the edge of my eye, "Yeah I guess I would have. Dude, we should probably get back to my apartment. It's pretty early in the morning, and I still need to go to school."
All anger on my part earlier was forgotten. I stuck my necklace back on and started leading the way back to my house.
Fox and I got back in my apartment and I took a cold, then hot shower. As I was brushing my teeth, I finally got a good look at myself in the mirror. Damn. My fading black eye coupled with the gash along the bridge of my nose and the scrapes on my cheek made me look like I had been in a fucking war zone.
Which wasn't that far from the truth, but still.
I sighed. I would just have to live with it till I could heal. I started out the door to my bus stop.
A long story short, life was Hell for the first three periods of the day, what with everyone asking what had happened to me and the teachers asking who the bully was. I finally signed a contract I wrote in class saying that anyone who talked to me about it wouldn't be acknowledged by me for five minutes after I showed it to them. That finally stopped the questions,but there were still the rumors.
The stories ranged from that I had been in a drug bust and barely gotten away, or was attacked by a ninja and barely escaped with my life. The craziest one I had heard was that I had gotten into a fight with Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee at the same time and won. Yeah right.
After lunch though, school got interesting. I started noticing little things, like the newly chewed gum stuck conveniently on the seat of my chair, or the lockers that suddenly flung open when I walked by. A was suspicious when I saw a kid with a face full of bruises following me through the hallways.
Great. They know I'm here. BitchAssJr was going to be here soon, I bet.
I made it into last period with only one incident of being tripped in the hallways, and one piece of gum I sat in. Mr Fagginston was the last of my concerns. I just wanted to get my work done and get out of school as quickly as possible. I didn't want another fight. I was still exhausted from yesterdays.
Mr Fagginston was watching me. I could feel it.
For once I didn't care. I just kept doing my work.
I finally looked up and saw an approving look on his face, he flashed me a smile and nodded, looking back down at the paper he was grading.
The rest of Fifth Block was uneventful.
The bell rang for class to let out. I walked up to Mr Fags desk to ask for my work from yesterday that I missed.
"Oh no. You have done excellently the past hour, you don't need any more work to dampen your day." He said.
I was surprised. Mr Fag wasn't being a fag.
"Thanks!" I rushed out of the room before he could change his mind.
I didn't get far.
"Ah, looky here. A Freshi bein' fresh. How typical." BitchAss was just outside the doors of the school.
"Lay off, numb nuts." I said, not even looking at him.
"Looky here Fresh-stuffs. You been messin wit my gang las night, an I don't preciate that. You goin na Hell, right now." He pushed himself off the wall and lunged at me. My soreness seemed to disappear.
I sidestepped him, reached out and grabbed his hair. His legs flipped it from under him as his upper body tried to stop the pain from his scalp.
I looked down at him in disgust.
"Does it bother you at all that I took out your whole fucking group of shitheads BY MYSELF?"
He gurgled an answer from the ground, "No, cuz I can do it too. Thas why I'm the fucking leader."
He jumped up, leaping back so I couldn't take advantage of the moment.
I looked at him, standing in a stance, stiff.
"An it doesn't bother you that I gave you that black eye some few days ago?" BitchAss hissed between his teeth.
"Ah, lemme think... No. And it would be 'a' few not 'some' few, dumbass." I was feeling really good. I pulled off my backpack and put it on the ground beside me, standing loose.
BA shuffled in, keeping his stance and guard up, like a boxer.
"Wow. Your cool," I said, drawing a light giggle from the audience.
He threw two punches in quick succession to my face. I leaned back, so he would just miss my face.
"Ooh, not far enough. Maybe you should try again."
I knew it was tempting fate, but I kept messing with him, making him madder and madder. Soon he would explode. This was what I was hoping for.
You see, I could tell by his stance and the way he beat the crap out of me earlier that he had had lessons in this crap, so I knew that if I could get him to attack, I could counter while he was off balance. I didn't have to wait long.
BA's face was so red with rage and embarrassment that he looked like a fucking Christmas elf with his green shirt.
"Ha! So Christmas is in early? Oh wait. That's just you."
The crowd was laughing freely at him, making him flush even more. He let out a scream of rage, hurling himself at me, fists flying.
I was ready. I knew he was a football player, so as soon as he lunged for my legs, I jumped. He did a face flaunt in the dirt, me landing softly on his butt. I stepped off his Ass and onto the ground.
"Well, I guess he just can't fight worth a damn, no show! Clear out!" I started waving the people off, grinning.
There was another cry of rage. This time he didn't charge me. This time he just threw a punch to my face. I bobbed out of the way, grabbing his wrist with my left hand, and pushing the back of his elbow with my right. His face was to the ground now.
"You like revenge, right? How's this." I clicked him in the face. "Now leave me alone!"
One of the teachers finally noticed us.
"Oh god! He's hurt! Somebody call the nurse!" I rolled my eyes.
I picked up my backpack and walked into the crowd. The teachers had saw me, but hadn't recognized me. In the commotion, she lost me. There were a few kids, obviously victims of this guy, who came up to me and whispered a good job as I walked to my bus. I grinned and allowed myself to relax. Nobody would snitch me out. That much I knew.
I got on the bus, feeling extremely good about myself. As I sat down, my fatigue came back in full, times 2. I slumped against the seat, suddenly sweating. I opened the window just in time to hear the teacher who broke up the fight telling Mr Fag what had happened.
"... It was a medium sized kid with long black hair..." I watched Mr Fags face darken.
I read his lips. He said my name. I slumped down in my seat and closed my eyes. There goes my grades. Suspension for me.
** to both who reviewed. You encouraged me to keep writing, and I thank you. If you want to see how I envisioned most of the first fight, look up Kid Coudi's 'Mr Rager' official video. It's pretty epic, even though Kevin isn't black.**
6. To infinity and beyond Or a tube
**K, so first I'm gunna rage cuz my mom got pissed and went off on me cuz apparently I wasn't pulling in karate sparring, and my brother got a bloody nose and I don't even remember even freaking touching him, other than blocking. Second, has anyone noticed That in the 'Publish', the 'Rules and guidelines' section, that it says "Spell check all story and poetry."**
**Wait...**
**"Spell check all STORY and poetry."**
**Shouldn't it say STORIES and poetry?**
**And they tell us to spell check...**
**—**
I'm thanking God right now that my mom doesn't get home before I do. That gave me time to finish freaking out and then chill and get my thoughts together.
Fox was in my room, chillin' on my guitar. Damn, he's getting good.
I dropped my backpack off in front of my room, and flopped onto my bed.
Fox looked at me with an eyebrow raised "What's pulling your tail– er, I mean, what's up?"
"I beat the crap put of the Bitchy Junior before coming home—"
"Ah, good! Whats the problem then? He won't mess with you any more."
"AS I WAS SAYING, A teacher saw me, and so I'm going to get suspended when I go back. Hell my life'll get suspended when my mom hears about this.
"Ah. Well then, I guess you need a bit of good news then, huh?"
"Yeah, I guess I woul- Wait... Do you mean you HAVE good news?"
"Yup."
"Great! What is it!"
"I got a returned radio transmission today. The rest of my team should be here to get me by the morning of tomorrow."
"Oh. That is good I guess... But I just helped an alien, no offense, get back to space! What am I supposed to do after that? Sit and twiddle my thumbs as the silence communities debate on wether you are even out there? No! So what am I supposed to do, Huh? Tell me!" I was on the verge of yelling. I was a wreck from being about to be suspended, and I didn't want to lose my new friend, even if he didn't belong here.
"Well... I was planning on asking, but I didn't think you would want to do it, seeing as your mom is still... Alive... And all," Fox choked out that last part, "but, if you really want, we could use you on the team. Your fighting matches, if not bests, mine, and seeing the video games we've been playing all week, you MIGHT be pretty good at flying. MIGHT."
I couldn't believe my ears. I was going to go to space. As in light years away. To fight and be a mercenary. It was like a video gamers dream come true. And seeing as I'm a gamer, it was exactly that.
"R-really? You'd let me be a part of the team?" Fox had already told me all about how Star Fox was the best mercenary group in the universe (literally), and A little about Falco and Slippy, and Peppy, and the Corneria system, and all that crap, so I was freaking honored, "I would be honored."
Fox suddenly grinned at me. "Dude, you just got so serious it wasn't even funny." Then he started cracking up.
I laughed along with him for a while. And he didn't say anything.
"Wait... You actually mean it?"
"Yeah. Why would I mess around now? I mean, I got the message, they're coming for me, and I've found an amazing fighter. Why would I pass that up?"
I thought on that.
"I dunno... But I'm not sure 'amazing fighter' is the right term. I'm really not all that good by myself."
"Pshhh! Yeah, and taking out like 30 armed gangsters by yourself isn't good."
"I see your point, but it was only twenty. Nope! No! Shush! Don't say anything! Imma need ta get packed, and you distracting me isn't helping."
Fox snorted and crossed his arms, but didn't say anything.
I ran to the closet and grabbed one of those suction bags my mom always has for storing laundry. You fold and put the clothes in, then suck out all the air through a pump. For a science project last year, I had made a hand pump to make an almost vacuum chamber, so I grabbed that and some duct tape and modified the end to fit to the bags nozzle thing.
When I got my pile of clothes to fit into the bag, along with essentials like duct tape, my homemade hidden blade, a hunting knife, a flashlight, and my MP3 player, song with some other various items, I zipped it shut and pumped the air out. Then I ran to the cabinet and got the super glue, and glued some belts to make straps for a backpack. It weighed a ton, but it was small(ish) and wouldn't get in my way.
I glued on another little pouch for the pump and stuck it in.
I walked back to my room, considering something.
"Hey, Fox," I said hesitantly, "Do you think we'll be able to take my drum set? I don't want to get out of practice while we're 'away'."
"Hell, the Great Fox is big enough, but you could only take the drum set on one condition... That we take the guitar too." Fox grinned wolfishly (or foxishly, your pick) at me. I grinned back.
"Why would we leave that? I mean it's not like we're gunna come back here every time we need to practice."
Alright... I've got all essential items, plus my drum set, the guitar, and the speaker... Oh shit. Where are they going to pick us up? They can't just land a Fucking huge space station thing in the middle of town!
"Uh, Fox?" I said, the blood pounding in my head, "Where do you suppose that they'll pick us up? And what with? Cuz the Great Fox isn't just gunna land here and nobody notice it."
I would say Fox paled, but I couldn't really tell. "Oh shit. You're right. The ships shields are for lasers too, so your bullets would tear the ship to pieces... We gotta tell them to take the Arwings. There's no other way they could get here unnoticed."
I looked at him. He looked at me. We said simultaneously, "To the ship!"
We had ran the whole way there, and I wasn't tired. I suspect my space crystal helped.
But if the pattern held, that meant I would be exhausted In a minute or two.
I slowed to a jog as we neared the Tower with Fox's ship.
When we got to the ship, the exhaustion hit me full force. I wasn't breathing hard, but I felt like I just swam a Thousand Free for time.
I leaned against the ship and let my muscles go slack. I've found this is the best way for me to regain my energy.
After a moment of fox panting, I turned and hit the radio button like fox had done earlier.
"Alright. This is Kevin, and... Oh shit. They won't listen to me will they?" I said, turning to Fox.
"Probably not" He said, walking past me to get closer to the radio.
"This is Fox McCloud speaking. Members of Star Fox, do not come to the surface of this planet in the Great Fox. Do not come to this part of the planet during its day. You will be killed. Also, I have a friend who we are taking along. Don't shoot him."
I was super excited. There were real 'aliens' coming to my planet to come and pick me and Fox up like a couple of guys picking up their friend from his house. It was mind blowing to think about.
I was thinking about how cool it would be to be an interplanetary mercenary when my thoughts were interrupted by a squawking on the radio.
"Hey Fox, Falco here, i must have heard you wrong, but i thought you said you found someone you're taking along?"
"Yup, thats right." there was a pause before the next answer.
"Lets get this straight, we're coming to pick up your sorry ass off another uncharted planet and you find ANOTHER member for the team? Is it going to be like this with you every new fucking planet?"
I could hear the playfulness in his voice, but I could also tell Falco was cocky and was trying to act all cool. The usual shit you find on any planet I guess. Although, to be on the team, he had to have a reason to be all cocky. I heard another voice in the radio, a higher pitched one. It kind of grated on my ears, but I could tell whatever it was was smart.
"Hey Fox! It's great to hear you're all right! We should be there in about... Twelve centums. Give or take a few centimes. So be ready for us!"
"All right."
Fox switched off the radio, and started walking away from the ship. I followed him a while, and realized he was headed back to my apartment.
"Hey! Aren't we supposed to be getting ready to leave? I mean, they said they'd be here in like twelve minutes."
"No. Slippy said they'd be here in twelve centums. A centum is the universal unit of time in the galaxy. It's roughly two-anda-half minutes to your clock, so we've got about an hour before they get here.
Oh... Well tonight wasn't going to be as exiting as I would have liked. [This chapter isn't as exiting as I would have liked either]
We headed back to the apartment.
We rushed back into my apartment when we got there, grabbing the stuff we would need. I grabbed my pack, and the case I had thrown my cymbals and stands into. I had taken to drum heads out and stacked the drums up inside of each other. Now I was just carrying the big bass drum with the other drums inside, my pack, and the case with my cymbals, stands, and a few drum heads in it.
Fox's load was just about half as heavy as mine. He was carrying the speaker, and had the guitar slung across his back. He had other various items of his in the pockets of one of my pairs of pants that he was wearing.
I glanced enviously at him. He had half the crap and half the weight to carry, and was rubbing it in my face. He was carrying the speaker in one hand, even though I could tell he was straining to keep it up like that.
Why doesn't my super-power crystal thingy do much when I want it to?
I complained quietly the whole way back to the Tower.
When Fox and I got there, we dropped our stuff onto the slightly bloodstained floor of the building. It kind of scared me that I was the one who spilled most of the blood, but most of it wasn't mine. It reminded me of just how powerful I was now that I had the crystal.
Fox radioed to the rest of Star Fox to see where they were. This time there was no delay between transmissions. They must be getting close.
Fox had asked where they were, and the high pitched voice, Slippy, Fox had said, told him that he was using the radio waves to determine where we were through some kind of positioning shit. I understood almost half of what Slippy said, I'm sad to say, cuz I could tell that fox had gotten like, none of it.
Anyways, they were close. Like, directly-above-us-in-the-atmosphere close. I was starting to get butterflies in the pit of my stomach like I do before a long race. It was almost scary. It was exhilarating.
I was starting to think that maybe the team had been stopped by something when Fox called out to me. He was pointing to the sky. I looked, and saw two streaks in the sky that could easily have been passed up as asteroids. But they were getting closer. The ships were speeding to the ground at frightening speeds, past the speed of sound, I'd bet. But pulled up short of the ground, one doing a tight loop before touching down, the other just plain landing. The one that flipped opened with a hiss, a blue figure doing a backflip out, it's arms out parallel to the ground, it landed on one knee, one arm, or wing I should say, still out, the other was on the ground. He stood up.
This one must have been Falco.
'Wow. His mom was creative,' I thought 'I mean, naming a falcon thing Falco is super-duper creative. At least Slippys parents were... Oh.' I saw the other ship hiss open, and out hopped a frog-like creature. 'Never mind. His parents weren't very creative either. Toads are slippery, so call one Slippy. I get it. Though at least they were more creative than Falco's parents.'
All in all, I wasn't super impressed with the team. You had Fox, the great leader guy, skilled at everything except technology, then you had Falco, the usual football jock of space, and you had the nerd. I was mildly concerned about the shape of the rest of the galaxy if the best mercenary team was only what it looked like.
Falco and Slippy immediately went to Fox, Falco saying hey, and Slippy asking if he was OK and what had happened and if there was any trouble on the planet. When they finished their quick catch-up session, Falco looked at me with what I would call a sneer, but I couldn't be sure with a beak.
"So you're the new recruit, huh? Why do you think you're good enough to be on this team? This is a team for highly skilled professionals, not a charity for scrawny kids off the street."
I didn't like Falco already.
Slippy pushed past Falco and walked up to me, sticking out his hand. "Hi! I'm Slippy! Welcome to the team!"
"Thanks. Is this really all the team? I mean, you guys don't really look like much."
Slippy, being the chatty one, started babbling immediately. "Oh we'll we do have another member, but— Hey!"
Falco cut him off with a shove.
"BUT, they didn't come because they were not really needed here." Falco finished for Slippy.
"Huh. OK." I said, acting indifferent. I made a mental note to ask Slippy who the other team member was and why he didn't come.
"Alrighty then," Falco said, clapping his wings/hands together, "What are we going to do with Fox's ship?"
I looked at the ship and realized Falco had a point. We couldn't just leave this piece of technology lying around for some government agency to find, making people pre-maturely aware of aliens.
We all thought for a moment, Fox said, "Well, we could dump it back into the lake I originally crashed into. That would get rid of it for a while. The lake is pretty deep."
I nodded. "Yeah. Being the city park, not many people swim underwater here much either, so it might not be found for years after we've left."
"Good, now how do we get it there? This gravity is higher than most life-sustaining planets, so everything is heavier here." Slippy said, "We might not even be able to lift it."
I looked at Slippy, seeing that he wasn't lying, and Falco nodding only proved it was true.
"Fox and I carried it here from the lake by ourselves! It can't be that heavy!" I exclaimed.
"Well then you can do it again," Falco said smugly.
I was hating Falco almost as much as I hated Mr. Fag. But Mr Fag had a reason to be a fag. He was a teacher and knew how to deal with bitchy students. Falco's just being a fag to be a fag.
"Nah. Fox, Slippy and I will just sit here and watch as you try to get the thing out by yourself." I said sarcastically.
"Pshh! You know thats impossible! Jus cuz your bein' a bitch about what you and someone else did doesn't mean someone can do it them 'imself! In fact, let's see you try! I betcha five hundred credits that you couldn't move this thing to the lake!"
I turned to Fox. "How much is a credit? Like, how many meals can you buy for a certain amount of credits?"
"Well... Let's see... With 5 to 8 credits you could buy a decent meal at someplace like a fast-food joint." Falco was doing a poor job at hiding his laughing at me at asking this question.
"Well, that means its about the same as a dollar in USA money." I turned to Falco, "I accept"
Falco smirked. He thought he couldn't lose. I was hoping I wasn't remembering the weight wrong.
I walked behind the ship and pushed on the mostly hollow hull. I felt it rock forward slightly, but my straining was in vain. I couldn't move it. Falco started laughing at me again.
I got pissed. Someone had to show this freak a lesson. I redoubled my efforts. I felt the ship start to slide.
[A/N Shit. I just looked up an Arwing and found out its much bigger than I originally thought. Please bear with me, I didn't know, and I'm not about to change the whole story to accommodate. I'm going to try to resize it mentally as the story goes on.]
I felt satisfaction in knowing that I could move this and Falco didn't think he could. It was big, yes, but the wings had fallen mostly off and the whole inside was mostly gone or hollow.
I slid it, faster and faster through the door, my muscles burning with strain. I just thought of it like a 500 though. Kill yourself now. You can rest later. Falco was jeering at me the whole way.
I pushed for what felt like forever, but soon I made it to the top of the ridge leading down to the lake. It would be easy from here.
The nose of the ship slowly started tilting down, then sped up. Soon enough, I was almost jogging it down the hill.
I finally made it to the lake, and the ship flew right in into the lake with a ginormous splash. I ended up getting soaked, but the ship, still having some air in it, was floating to the center of the lake, slowly sinking.
I watched as the ship finally filled and sank below the surface. I turned around and grimaced. I hadn't thought of everything. The ground was torn up in a path to the lake where I had pushed the ship through the grass, tearing it up.
I walked back to the team, Falco glaring at me with crossed arms, and Slippy looking at me with open mouthed amazement. Fox was standing slightly behind Falco, smiling lightly and giving me a little thumbs up.
"Alrighty then! Let's get going!" I said with a lot more energy than I actually felt.
Another long story short, it was hell trying to pack everything into the Arwings. Falco complained the hell out of the whole situation. He was complaining to look cool, I know, but still, it got freaking annoying.
Now that I think about it, that's probably why Fox opted to ride with Slippy...
Falco is complaining about how stupid it was to be lugging a couple of 'noise makers' across the galaxy. I was trying to ignore him, checking to make sure all my cymbals and drum heads are still with us and in their places. I felt my anger rising. Fox had told me when he first started to hear my music that all they had in the rest of the Universe so far was either pure tribal drum beats, or crappy opera-like stuff from the way he described it.
Honestly, I felt sorry for the universe.
Having opera coming into existence is bad enough, but not having any other types of music? That's just sad. Though, it does make sense. If you had to cater to thousands of species worth of listeners, that could get pretty fucking hectic.
"Kevin?" Falco had been talking to me, apparently. Of course, I had zoned him out by now.
"Yup?"
"You ready to go? We've been sitting on this God awful planet for like, fifteen centimes now. I'm getting fucking hungry."
Of course. He wants to get away from my planet, and calls it 'God awful'. Just super polite and manner-full.
"'God awful'? This happens to be my planet you're talking about," I said.
"Oh yeah, whatever." Falco mumbled.
I suppressed my rage. Why was I so angry anyways? I was trying to get away too. Maybe its like a team pride thing. Your home team sucks, but it's still your home team, so you want to defend it.
I breathed a slow outward breath, trying not to hit Falco. I was sorely tempted, seeing as my crystal would supposedly give me super-epic fighting skills, but I didn't. I didn't want to be kicked off the team while still on my own planet. That would kinda suck.
"A'rite. Let's get going." I said, trying not to let the anger color my voice.
Falco ginned at me crookedly, "Now that's what I like ta hear!"
"Heh, yeah... Heh, heh." I said halfheartedly. I was getting tired and needed to get some sleep or I'd be dead by the next day, I knew that much about myself.
I climbed into the 'Arwing' as Fox had called it, and moved to cram myself in the back. The drums took up a lot of room, so I didn't have a lot to spare.
Falco hopped in, sliding everything closed and settling in his seat. He looked at me and grinned again, shaking his head. I heard the engine (or was it the thrusters?) start with a high pitched whine.
I felt the same thing as when an elevator starts going up. There is a little jerk, then it's all smooth. I watched clouds move past and took one last look behind me at my planet. I felt bad. Like, really bad. I was ready to kill myself for some reason. I almost broke down crying right there. My head was trying to work through the haze of depression as we left the atmosphere, but I wasn't getting anything.
Suddenly I got distracted by us passing the Asteroid belt. I swear I saw one of the Dwarf planets that they think are in there. My depression quickly faded and was replaced by an overpowering sense of curiosity. I wanted to see what was on the dwarf planets, even if there was nothing, but we were speeding away at super speeds. I heard a crackle in the radio and Fox's voice came on.
"Alright. Where are we and which way is the Great Fox?"
Falco pressed the radio button thing and said, "It is about 2 degrees to the left and a Lightterm away."
"Alright. Get in formation and we'll go Faarlight."
I was bubbling over with curiosity again, but this time at what they were saying. What was a Lightterm? Or a Faarlight? Hell, what did the Great Fox look like? How were we going to get there so fast? How were—
My train of thought was cut off as Falco hit something. There was a tremendous shudder within the ship, and then all of space seemed to be flashing by. I was at a loss for words. Space just seemed to be bending around us. We were speeding through the universe at untold speeds! I felt like I was in Star Wars. We just entered light speed. Or warp speed. Or however fast we were going.
I was overjoyed! I was ecstatic! I was fucking Freaking out!
My eyes were huge as I took in the surroundings. Which were all the same. It was like a white tunnel, or a large tube of lights, which were probably hundreds of stars.
White...
White...
White...
Board...
In a good few minutes, I was out.
7. I'm sorry for this
**Ok, after this chapter, if I don't get 5 or more reviews, I'm done with this story, until I have five, then I'll start again.**
I woke up again to the sound of Fox talking on the radio.
"Alright. We're almost there. Get ready to pull into the Great Fox, and be home."
For a moment I thought I was back on earth, in the car with my mom, listening to one of those Books-on-tape things. But I wasn't. I was in space, with no home other than this great big spaceship in the middle of nowhere. Literally. We weren't even close to any planets or stars.
I groaned and pulled my head up sluggishly. I was even more tired than I had been before I fell asleep, somehow. It was killing me.
My head started kicking in, which was odd, because my head never works until, like an hour after I wake up. Not thirty seconds.
Falco was grumbling to himself, something about a cat and missing someone and Fox being a douche bag for dragging him out into the middle of nowhere for a rescue mission.
I tried ignoring Falco and concentrating on the whole Head-in-the-game-way-too-early thing.
As we were pulling into the hanger, I got an Idea of what it might be. I didn't have time to test it though, cuz Falco turned off the ship and popped open the overhead hatch.
"Alright, get out."
Geez. Blunt much?
"Alright just give me a second" I said.
"Alright. One. Now get out."
I scowled at Falco and muttered under my breath "Geez, who shit in your Sugar Puffs?"
I grabbed my stuff and got out of the ship, quite an accomplishment if you have all the crap to carry around that I did. Once I got out of the ship, I set my stuff down and stretched.
There was an amazing smell coming from somewhere, but I couldn't tell where. I heard Falco come up behind me and so I asked, "What's that smell?"
"Oh, thats food, y'know, the stuff you eat? Your room's this way." I was confused. Fox had only told me about Falco, Slippy, and Pepper, but nobody else. General Pepper wouldn't be on the ship, and all the others are in the room. 'Oh well' I thought. I started following Falco.
We walked up a flight (or metal spiral staircase) of stairs and walked down a hall. Falco walked like a man on a mission and didn't seem like he was going to stop at any of the doors, when abruptly, he stopped. He grabbed the door handle on the right and opened it.
"This is your room. Come to the kitchen in a coupl'a minutes for some grub."
He pushed me into the room and shut the door. I set my stuff down and realized I didn't know where the kitchen was. I turned and opened the door, and looked down the hallways, but Falco was already gone.
I shut my door again. "Well shit. How am I supposed to make it to the kitchen if I don't freaking know where it is?" I said to myself. "Oh well, I'll figure it out."
I surveyed my room. It appeared to be some sort of storage space at some point in time. It had empty boxes stacked everywhere, and there was a mattress, but it was flipped up onto its side and pushed against the wall.
I sighed. "Home sweet home."
After stacking all the boxes into a corner and setting the bed in a place kinda out of the way, I decided to be done redecorating for a day. I headed out my door and down the hall to try to find the kitchen from the way I came in.
I found my way back to the hanger by memory, and the smell I had smelled earlier was getting better.
It had smelled good when I left, it smelled amazing now. I could smell it by breathing through my mouth, it was so strong. It smelled like Jambalaya and Bratwursts and something mildly sweet all mixed together. It smelled like Heaven on Earth, and being a swimmer, I can appreciate food like that.
I followed my nose, feeling like I was floating down the halls, swallowing constantly to get the saliva out of my mouth. I soon arrived, my stomach grumbling and my head spinning with hunger. I must have looked hilarious, because as soon as I entered, the Star Fox team looked at me simultaneously. Falco burst out laughing, and Fox tried to hide a grin. Slippy just looked at me with a grin and looked back at the table.
"HAHAHA! Oh man! You should see your FACE! Aw, shit! Awwww shit! Priceless!" Falco kept laughing, and I just drifted my way over to the table, unable to process him laughing at me.
"Yeah," Fox said, "I forgot how people get when they smell this particular dish. Its an amazing recipe developed by the natives of Ceronia, but a stove is no match to a full out fire, so this wont be as strong as it would be."
"Thas' Fine" I wheezed out, and got back to drooling all over the place.
Fox chuckled at me, shaking his head. "Man, you need to taste it. It is AMAZING."
I concentrated long enough to get some of my wit back, "Im HERE to taste it, otherwise I would be... Kinda... Smells good... Hungry... Eat time, please..." My train of thought was hijacked by the smells again.
Falco busted up again, pointing at me.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh man! Hahaha! Oh, your brain just went like PLOOPH." He crossed his eyes and stuck his tongue out the side of his beak. I still didn't care, but this time I processed it.
"Kay, yeah, whatever." I grumbled.
Then I heard a new voice. It was feminine, yet slightly threatening, like, it gave the vibe, 'Don't mess with me or I'll kick your ass.' It said, "Hey boys, what's all the commotion about? It's not like you all to—"
The blue vixen walked out of the door in front of the table, and froze as she saw me standing in the doorway, the Star Fox team facing away from me. She looked startled, but I didn't get why.
"Fox! Falco! Look out!" She yelled, dropping the tray of food she was carrying. Luckily it landed on the table, although I didn't see why I cared about that when there was a streak of yelling Blue Vixen flying at me.
That's not something you see everyday.
My mind quickly went blank. And by that, I mean everything. I dropped to the floor like a rag doll, but apparently the crystal had a reason, cuz' the vixen just kept flying right over me, her yell turing into a startled questioning sound just as quickly.
She kept flying into the hallway, catching herself on the wall. I rolled backwards over my head onto my feet, coming up in a stance facing her, when I realized what I was doing.
This must be another member of Star Fox, which means that if I hurt her, I would have Hell to pay. It also crossed my mind that she was a girl and I wasn't supposed to hurt that particular race. Although I'm not sure if that rule applied to Anthro Fox women, cuz she seemed pretty ready for me to fight back.
She flung at me with controlled accuracy, throwing punches and kicks at me enough that would make my head spin if I had been thinking about it, but I wasn't. I was just reacting. Block, scoop, push leg away, lean, grab fist, pull her past me, block again; this battle was the most intense fight I had ever been in, although I haven't been in very many. It felt like an epic dance, she would gracefully attack, I would effectively, but not-as-gracefully, defend.
I almost felt a connection to her, and I tried to more fully open that connection. Then I realized something.
Somehow she was also attacking with her mind.
My barriers down, she slipped into my mind without a problem, which was a problem, because in her all out assault, she had let down her mental guards. When she made it into my mind, something clicked in my head. It felt like someone had snapped my brain.
I fell to the ground writhing with the biggest headache I had ever felt in my life. It was like someone was forcing a splinter of ice right through the back of my skull. My mouth was locked open in a silent scream, and my I couldn't see anything. The pain continued.
After a good half minute, the pain subsided to a barely bearable throbbing, which still felt like my head was split open, but hey, you get used to it. I noticed the blue vixen was on the floor too, tear streaks down her fur. I felt sorry for her, but when I tried to think of anything, the throbbing got worse.
'What the fuck was that?' I thought as soon as I could capably think without my head exploding. My consciousness was slowly bringing itself out of the tight ball it made around my core. I got up off the floor, which was hard enough in my condition, and started stumbling to my room. I didn't know where any of the other of the team was, and I didn't want to know. I just wanted to get to my bed and I got to the door, I heard a squeak, and then something hitting the floor. It must have been the vixen.
Lucky. At least she can pass out.
I stumbled the way back to my room in a haze, my eyes filling around the edges with red and black, and bright white spots were floating in my vision. The pain was so great that I was soaked by the time I got to my room. I collapsed onto the mattress on the floor, my head pounding. I rolled over and stuck my head off and away from the side. Then I threw up.
I fell back down, and curled up into a tight ball, whimpering in pain. That's how I drifted off to sleep.
**K, so I'm sorry about the wait, if any of you were even waiting, it's been finals week and my head has felt like shit for the whole week. Not as bad as Kevin's though. Sorry it's short, but I just needed to get it done, and any ideas you have, please do tell. Also, if any of you could comment and tell me if I should turn Kevin into an Anthro or not, please tell. Right now is the best time to, so if I get two or more yes then I'll do it. Still not continuing till five comments though.**
8. Pancakes
**Thank you so much to everyone who commented! I didn't even know I had people reading the story! I just finished with finals week, so this chapter should be better than the last one.**
I woke up feeling like shit. I was thirsty, and my head felt fuzzy, and I still couldn't open my eyes cuz there was some kind of shit on them gluing them shut. Possibly from crying. I was also hungrier than a dead man.
Of course, throwing up right before I passed probably didn't help.
I groaned, and winced in pain as the inside of my throat felt like it shattered. I wanted to wipe the stuff out of my eyes, but my muscles burned any time I moved. I decided it would be best for me to lay there for a minute or two. Out of boredom, I started rubbing my fingers on my palm, and found my skin felt lumpy, almost like I had been burned.
I was interested, but I still couldn't do anything, so I just kept rubbing my palm, trying to keep myself from drifting off to sleep again. Soon enough, though, I got extremely board, and decided to try and move again.
It hurt like being stabbed with a red hot needle, but I managed to get my hand to my eyes. I tried wiping the stuff out, but to no avail, so I just picked at it until I could open my eyes. The whole thing took a good couple of minutes, but in my state, it was an accomplishment.
I realized I was no longer on my bed. I was in a brown room, not mine, which was grey. I sat bolt upright, and stiffened, tearing up. My body burned like I was in a fire. I whimpered briefly right after I found my lungs again, and I tried to blink to water out of my eyes. I glanced around, and realized I WAS in my room, I had just knocked down a pile of cardboard boxes, thats the brown I had seen.
I decided it would probably be best for me to try to get moving, so despite the pain in my everywhere, I forced myself to get up and the pained sounds to go down. I finally got myself onto my feet, and waddled to my bed, trying to use as little amounts of muscle as possible.
I don't know why, but I felt extremely cold, and the object on my chest was even colder, making it extremely uncomfortable. I painfully pulled off my necklace and dropped it onto my bed. Well, that source of cold was gone, but I was still freezing. I decided the pain wasn't worth putting on any of my shirts or sweaters, so I just waddled to the door and tried to turn the knob.
That simple act took me a good five or six minutes, but still, I was sorer than Hell. I finally got my door opened and waddled down the hallway, trying to make my way to the kitchen. My head throbbing had gone down, and I was thinking much more clearly. I noticed through my concentration on my movements that there was another delicious smelling something coming from the kitchen.
I hurriedly waddled my way there. I was starving.
I found my way into the dining room area, but didn't see anybody in it.
"Hello? Anybody there?" my throat was still sore, and I was more croaking than speaking.
I heard Fox's voice from the cooking area, "Hey, Kevin! You're the first one up! I hope you like these, cuz it's all we're getting for breakfast. We're running low on supplies, and will need to run to the nearest planets marketplace to get more. Oh yeah, yesterday, the— Woah." Fox walked out the door to the cooking area and finally saw me, "Dude are you OK? You sound bad, but I didn't expect you to look this bad."
"No," I croaked, "I feel like I was tossed into an oven and set on high for a fricking day-and-a-half.
Fox chuckled at that, "Yeah, honestly, you look like it too."
I took the time and pained effort to look down at myself. I was covered in little white lumps on my skin, the rest of which was a bright red. It looked like my whole body was a second degree burn. It felt like it too. At that moment, Falco walked in, looking like your average teenager just out of bed. His feathers were slightly ruffled, he was barely awake, and shuffled his way along the floor in his... Pajamas I guess. He yawned as he entered.
"Hey, gyz... 's there enythn' to eat? I'm starving..." He yawned again and shuffled to the table, his eyes closed. He fell into a seat and quickly fell asleep.
"Not a morning person, huh?" I croaked.
"Nope, not really at all." Fox replied, still watching Falco snoring.
There was a brief but very awkward silence that followed. I looked at Fox, who was staring into space, then back at Falco. And back again. And again.
"SO," I croaked, bringing my hands together with a smack, "what smells so good?"
"Huh? Oh. That'd be my pancakes." his eyes got wide, "Oh shit! There still cooking!"
I tried to laugh as he ran to the kitchen to get his pancakes out of... Whatever they were cooking in. Suddenly I was hit by a wave of smell. The already amazing smell of his pancakes just intensified. My mouth watered instantly, and I had trouble swallowing it all, since my whole body was busted.
I walked to the table and collapsed into a seat, losing myself on the mouthwatering smell. It was like heaven on earth. Or in space. Or wherever I was.
Suddenly, there was a click to my right. My eyes snapped open and I saw a huge plate stacked at least a foot-and-a-half high of pancakes. The scent was so thick in the air that I almost stopped breathing. I started reaching for the top pancake, but Fox stopped me.
"Nope," he said, blocking my path, "Give it just another couple of seconds."
"Why?"
Fox didn't even answer, he just grinned. He held up his hand and counted down from five.
As soon as the fifth finger dropped, the door opened and Slippy walked in, closely followed by the blue vixen from the night before.
Slippy looked only slightly tired, but the Blue Vixen seemed alert, even of she looked almost like I felt. When Slippy saw me he looked at me with his head cocked and a slight frown on his face. A second later he shrugged and kept moving. The vixen looked at me warily, like I was some kind of bug she had just found could sting you.
I watched her with the same feeling. Kind of a 'danger ahead' vibe. It was annoying to have to deal with like this. Tough as soon as Slippy walked by, the scent of the pancakes drifted back into my nose from his wake. I forgot about everything else.
I sat there salivating, the others sitting down around me, but I didn't notice. As soon as everyone was seated, we passed plates (or some kind of food-holding utensil. It was weird, almost like a tray) and grabbed a couple of pancakes to start ourselves off. Of course, Fox, Falco and I grabbed four each, but Slippy and the Vixen only grabbed two. There was still a stack left, but it was rapidly diminishing.
I almost started to stuff my face right there, but I remembered that there was a lady at the table. I needed to follow 'the eating rules' as my mom had named them. If there was one thing she had taught me, that was it. Etiquette.
I looked to the side of my plate, but didn't find a fork, or knife, or spoon for that matter. I was confused for a second, but then I remembered that I was off my planet. I glanced around to see how the Vixen was eating, because if anyone knew how to eat properly, it was her.
To my surprise, she was eating just as Falco and Fox were. Ravenously tearing into the pancakes. The only one not wolfing everything down was Slippy. He was eating it the same, just more slowly. Oh well.
I tore into my first steaming pancake. I immediately stopped and chewed longer. Whatever Fox had out in there, it was amazing. It was gooey inside, but the edges were slightly crusty, and they tasted... Tasted like... Deliciousness. Deliciousness in a small gooey, amazing package from heaven.
To make a long story short, we finished all the pancakes. Me eating the majority of them.
After finishing, I sat back contentedly, my stomach distending considerably. I sat there just enjoying the feeling of not moving my pained body, when I heard someone get up to leave. I glanced up, and saw the vixen walking towards the door.
Fox leaned back and grabbed her wrist as she walked by saying, "Ah! No. Krystal, get back here."
Krystal. Well, ain't that ironic. Yesterday I was fighting crystal against Krystal.
"Krystal," Fox continued, "I want you to meet Kevin. He is joining the team."
Her eyes widened, "What!"
"You heard me, he's joining the team. You need to get used to him. I want you to talk about what happened yesterday."
Krystal sighed heavily but sat down.
"Alright. You there. Telepath. I jumped you yesterday because you were blocking me from your mind and I didn't know you were there." I started to try to say something. "Hep! Nep! I'm not finished. No. Yes, I am a telepath as well, no, I don't read your mind just because I can, yes, I only use my skill to tell if people are around. Happy now? I only jumped you cuz you startled me."
I was still trying to process this, but only one statement surfaced.
"But I'm not a telepath" I said, mildly confused.
Krystal's eyebrows creased. "But you were blocking me from your mind yesterday! You have to be a telepath!"
I felt a pressure in my head, and realized that, hey, she was invading. I let my mind go blank, trying to see if that would block her out.
"Hmm..." she said frowning slightly. "we'll you're not actually a telepath, but all your recent memories are fuzzy. Why is that?"
'Damn. She still got through.' I thought, but I croaked "Probably because I have had so many changes in my life happen so fast I haven't fully comprehended it."
"Well, maybe," she said shrugging, "But I'm going to take one more look." I felt the pressure in my head increase again. But this time I was determined to keep her out. I forced myself to stop all my thinking except for one. I ran that one thought through my head forcefully, and repeatedly, my will as hard as steel. The pressure went away.
Krystal's eyebrows furrowed even more, and I felt the pressure again. I forced my thought harder. Suddenly Krystal's eyes widened and she randomly yelled, "These pancakes are delicious!"
Fox looked startled.
"Um... Thanks?"
I realized what had happened and a grin spread on my face.
"Sorry, that was me" I croaked.
Falco looked at me and, after a moment, burst out laughing. He slowly realized I wasn't joking.
"Wait," he said, the mirth still in his voice, "If you made her say that, you would have to be telepathic, but Krystal just said you weren't. How does that work?"
My grin painfully widened.
"When she was pushing into my head, I only thought that sentence, and I guess that when I pushed her away hard enough, I pushed that thought into her mind."
Krystal looked stunned.
"But you've never had any training! You're not telepathic! Otherwise I would have picked up on it!" she sounded almost panicked.
I threw a theory that just popped into my head out. "I think when we fought last night that when you slipped into my head, your mind went flush with my mind and opened that part of my head up to me. Cuz I've had a headache, and that would explain that, and the whole..." my voice trailed off as I realized how ridiculous my theory sounded.
Falco looked from me to Krystal incredulously. Then he burst out laughing.
"Hahahaha! Oh jeez! Do you realize how stupid that sounded? It's like you—"
"No." Krystal interrupted, her eyebrows furrowed, "It makes sense. Most people only control three to five percent of their brains. A telepath has more like nine to fifteen percent control. That why we can read the signals from other peoples brains. We are more in-tune with our brain waves." She frowned again. "But the whole me-unlocking-your-brain doesn't make much sense."
"hey," I said holding my hands up, "that was just a theory."
"Maybe" she said, looking at me, again, like she would a bug she just found could bite.
I winced as I grinned again, feeling the soreness in my face all over again. There was a brief silence.
"Yeah. I'm going back to my room. I want to stretch. Or sleep. Or both. So... Yeah." I said, everyone looking at me, but lost in their own thoughts.
I tried to walk back to my room with less stiffness than I felt, which was much harder than it sounds, cuz I was SORE.
When I finally got there, I shut the door and leaned against the wall, thankful for the support. I knew stretching would help somewhat, but I really didn't feel like doing anything.
I hobbled over and collapsed onto my bed.
I was asleep almost instantly.
Oh God. Why?
I couldn't move my anything without pain. It was even worse than this morning.
I felt like crying because of all the pain. But I didn't. I was stronger than that. Or at least I forced myself to be.
I gathered my will power and forced myself to sit up. This time I did tear up. And I nearly cried out.
No. That wasn't good enough. I tightened my jaw and forced down my tears. I would be strong, no matter the pain, no matter the challenges.
I pushed myself to my feet, ignoring the pain my body was flooded with. I narrowed my eyes and pulled my elbow to my opposite shoulder. It hurt like hell, but I knew this stretching would only make it better.
A few hours of self inflicted torture, I left my room, barely stiff at all. It still hurt slightly, but at least I could move now. I walked around the ship, trying to find everything and commit it to memory. The kitchen, my room, and the spacecraft hanger were already there, but there was still more than three fourths the ship to be explored.
Soon enough, I found the most interesting room in the ship. The armory/training room.
It was a dream come true for me. There were blasters of all sizes, dummies, targets, and some contraption that looked really cool.
I picked up the hexagonal object, and turned it over in my hands. It looked slightly like a button, so of course I pushed it. I felt a blue pulse of something flash out around me. It felt cool, but I still didn't get what it did. I shrugged and put it down. The blasters had caught my attention.
I walked to the table with the blasters on it, and looked at the different types. They all were different in some way. Some were thicker, some thinner, some longer, or shorter, or glowed slightly at the base of the barrel. I knew that meant some were for different things, and so I decided it was time to find out what.
I picked up the first gun, a short, thin barreled gun, and shot at the target at the far end of the room, like fifty meters away, and completely missed.
"Damn. I suck at aiming." I muttered to myself. I held the gun up straight and looked down the sight, steadying it with my left hand. I shot three shots in quick succession. This gun absorbed all the impact, but the three shots were flying far away from each other. I realized that part of my miss was the gun. It was super inaccurate. Though considering the short barrel, that made sense.
I picked up another gun off the table, this time almost the complete opposite of the one I just had. It was long barreled, and a medium size. Also, it was heavy, but not unbearably so, just heavier than the other one. It seemed uncomfortable in my hand, but I wanted to try it anyways.
I turned and shot at a closer target, hitting it close to the middle, only an inch or two off. This one had recoil. It butted against my palm whining high pitched, the very faint glow on the end of the barrel changing from a green to a deep red. I looked at it curiously, the whining growing higher, then stopping, the light turning green. I shot at the target again, this time aiming, and still hitting a good inch off the center.
I quickly turned and shot at the target across the room again, but the gun only half shot. The plasma, or whatever it shot, flashed out of existence close to halfway across the room. The gun recoiled furiously, jarring my shoulder. I heard a chuckle, and spun around, pointing the gun in that direction.
"Hey there, calm down." Fox said, holding his hands up from the door. I could hear the amusement in mis voice.
I lowered the pistol, holding it like you see in those movies, a wide stance, both hands on it, pointing it to the ground. I thought I must have looked pretty epic, but Fox just chuckled again.
"What?" I asked, my pride stinging.
"Oh, nothing. Its just that you only have to hold it like that in a mission. They turn off."
I felt my face flush.
"Ah, no worries" he said, walking towards me, "You're new in this whole better technologies thing, you wouldn't have had any way to know. Oh, by the way, those guns there, they all have their special circumstantial use, like the one you started on, it's for stealth missions. It makes basically no sound, it's small, and it has a super high firing rate, so you can shoot basically as fast as your fingers can move. The one you're holding, you should wait till the light turns green before you shoot."
Of course the light was green by now. It only took about a second-and-a-half to two seconds to turn lights. I turned and fired at the target across the room, missing the middle by only a half a foot.
Fox raised his eyebrows at that. "That's pretty good," he said, "That guns speciality is its balance. It has a bad-ish firing rate, but that comes with fast and powerful shots, and OK accuracy."
I looked at him skeptically, "OK accuracy? That was great accuracy! I nearly got center from fifty meters with a PISTOL."
"I know, but it's mostly not that accurate. Try again to see."
'Alright,' I thought, 'this should be easy enough.'
I lifted the pistol and shot, barely aiming, this time hitting slightly under my previous shot.
"Oh! What now! What. Now." I yelled in triumph.
"Damn, you're pretty good with that one. You should come practice with it more often." Fox said grudgingly
"I think I will," I said smugly.
Fox turned to leave, but stopped at the door frame.
"Oh yeah, we're going to be landing on a planet soon. We need supplies, so we're going to pick them up there. We might end up being there a few... Days I guess you would call them."
I grinned at him.
"Sweet,"
Fox grinned back, then left. I went back and shot a few more targets, then remembered something. I had forgotten to ask fox what that weird-looking contraption thing was. Oh well. I'll get 'im next time.
**Thank you to anybody who was bearing with me through that, and to those of you who were hoping, yes, Kevin will be an Anthro, but it'll take another chapter or two to get him there. I still have a scene I have planned that I want him to be human for. Again, any Ideas for the story after this chapter would be appreciated, and tell me if you want me to start some kind of adventure against a threatening alien force. If so, also tell me what kind of powers these aliens should have, and I'll try to do the rest.**
9. Big tree
**Ok, really quick, I've had a request (kind of) for Kevin to stay human, so if you want, I'll go with majority rules, because I don't care. If you want him to stay one way or another, please say so. Thank you. **
**I've got a poll up on my profile, so if you would, please vote there.**
We flew the whole Great Fox to the planet, and we were currently flying down to the surface. The whole team was in the control room looking out the front window. The surface of the planet was mostly forest, and looked almost like earth, other than the mile high trees and the fact the trunks were blue, not brown.
During our decent, I saw a couple of animals, possibly the intelligent species, but I'm guessing since they aren't Anthro that they are just animals. We flew for a couple of minutes, trying to find a town I guess. It was pretty boring.
I watched a small dragon-like flying animal zip past the window. It had two sets of wings, one closer to the front, and one farther back. Each pair flapped at different times, it's little spindly arms tucked close to its body while the more muscular legs extended straight out, a thin membrane stretched across them.
As I turned my head back from watching this creature, I saw little puffs of smoke in the distance. That was where we seemed to be headed.
The control room had been silent before. Not an awkward silence, but a kind of mutual nobody-wants-to-talk kind of quiet. But Fox broke that.
"Alright everyone. We are going to land in a few centums, so everyone get ready. We may end up being here a few days."
Alright. That wasn't expected. Not that I was bothered by being on another planet. In fact, I enjoyed being here. There was a thrill of knowing I was on a planet containing life that not even the smartest of my race knew about.
As we got closer, I felt something in my gut. It was that feeling you get when you know you're forgetting something, but can't figure out exactly what it is. I started patting my pockets, trying to feel anything that may be amiss, but nothing... Wait. My necklace crystal is gone.
I felt the panic well up in my chest for a moment then forced it down. It couldn't be anywhere other than where I had been on this ship. Let's see...
Got it. When I was hurling, I had taken off my necklace and thrown it somewhere. I walked out of the control room, but as soon as I rounded the first corner, I took off running. I needed that necklace.
I sprinted down the hallways to my room and threw my door open, gasping for breath. I basically fell into my room and started searching. I looked across my room and the panic started welling up again. It wasn't there. I took another moment to search, but still didn't find anything.
I was panicking now. I was breathing hard and scrambling across my room haphazardly, always avoiding the dry puke stain though. I even flipped my mattress, but to no avail. Soon I was around the room like a tornado, tearing down towers of boxes, shifting through everything to try to find my necklace. I was just about ready to cry. Without that necklace, I was nothing.
I flipped my mattress, and threw around boxes.
No, not there, or there... Or there, or there or there. Come on. No, no no NoNoNo NO NO NO NO! CRAP! It's not ANYWHERE!
I punched down on one of the boxes, my fist going right through it.
I cursed my luck.
I slumped down on my mattress, all my anger gone. Now all I felt was sadness and a serious amount of nervousness. I no longer had my crystal. I was no longer of any use to the team. What if they took me back to Earth? What if I wasn't allowed to stay any more?
I wasn't expecting the knock at my door. It broke me out of my self pity and set me back to thinking streight. I was going anyways. Hopefully I could get somebody to teach me how to fight before my first actual fight. Then I wouldn't seem like I sucked so bad.
I lost myself to a make believe fight in my head, imagining how epic I would look.
"Hey, you in there?" It was Falco.
I had completely forgotten somebody was at my door. "Oh. Yup, I'm here!" I called out to him.
"Alright then hotshot, get out here, were about to land."
I hardened myself to my feelings and forced myself to get out there. Falco was leaning against the wall opposite my door, staring off into space with a bored expression. I looked at him, trying to look as calm as possible.
"Alight, let's go."
The longer I was away from the crystal, the better it seemed. I didn't need it. I mean, we were only going to get supplies right? Why would I need it for that?
I was walking between Fox and Falco towards the large city-like village in the forest. They had been giving me the low down about the planet in general as we walked across the hanger and onto the dirt road.
This was a basic planet, still following it's age old customs of tribal settings and houses and stuff, but has the high tech stuff that benefits the communities with little things that could create big problems, like medicine, or interplanetary trade, were updated.
They had imported stuff that worked effectively, and they had the hangers for the outerworld ships to land in, but stuck with their traditional almost everything else.
I was trying to take it all in when we passed the first group of children.
They were a group of little little kids, say, five to six years old at max. And of course, they were Anthro. This particular group of kids was made up of all kinds of animals, rabbits, a squirrel, a fox, and some birds, things like that.
When they saw us passing, they ran up, laughing, and grabbed Fox's, Krystal's, Slippy's and Falco's hands. For the next minute or two they walked with us, babbling happily in some native dialect I couldn't understand. A few of the kids were running around us, playing what looked like tag, weaving in and out of our group.
More children were joining us as we walked, I watched them smiling. It made me happy to see that even children of other planets were as innocent and— well, childish— as they were back home. I looked at a little girl bunny and smiled, trying to be friendly, and maybe make a good impression on them.
The little girl tilted her head down and let her ears cover her face. She peeked through the slit her ears made and flashed a smile back at me, then scampered off to another group of bunnies on the edge of our small sea of kids.
I frowned slightly, noticing for the first time that there were no children actually near me. They were holding hands with the rest of the group, but they all gave me a wide berth, and anytime one got near, they would look at me shyly and dart off in the other direction.
I moved over to talk to Fox.
"Hey, why are they avoiding me? Do you know?"
Fox glanced around, seeing that what I was saying was true. Even the kid holding his hand from my side had run off somewhere to get away.
"I dunno, Maybe—"
"They think you look funny. No one has seen anything like you before. They're just shy." Krystal interrupted, looking just as happy as I had been a minute ago.
I frowned. There was nothing to be afraid of from me. I wasn't gunna hurt anybody. Why didn't they want to come close?
I walked in silence for a few minutes, pondering deep thoughts of nothing, walking alone, when a ball hit my foot. I looked up, and saw that one of the little kids had overshot the ball, and now it was at my feet. Being scared of me, the kids had no idea what to do. I picked it up, motioning for one of them to come get it.
A small cat, I'd say six or seven, cautiously walked to me to get it, his ears streight up in caution. He finally got close enough to get the ball, and looked up at me expectantly. I smiled at him again, and gave him the ball, I rubbed his head like I would a cat at home. He looked back up at me with a smile, then ran off to join his friends.
I felt kind of sad that he left, and I was alone again, but then I realized I wasn't. The little bunny from earlier had come back and was looking up at me again shyly. I reached my hand out to her and she took it, walking beside me beaming. After a few minutes more of walking, though, some of the kids had gotten tired and gone home, and others were dragging behind, including the little bunny on my hand.
Sensing her fatigue, I let go of her handgrabbed her, and put her on my shoulders. She squeaked when I first grabbed and picked her up, and she was stiff up on my shoulders for a second, but once she got used to it, she relaxed and started laughing, pointing around with one hand while the other had a handful my hair, her ears bouncing in time with my step.
The team looked at me funny. I looked back at them the same.
"What? You never heard of a piggy-back ride?" Fox laughed, grabbing one of the kids beside him and put them on his shoulders too. The kid looked scared for a second, then started laughing just like the bunny on my shoulders. Then I realized something.
"Wait, you all really HAVENT heard of a piggy-back ride?"
Fox looked at me with a small grin, "Nope!"
I laughed at how ecstatic the kids on our shoulders were, pointing and laughing at things, and waving to their friends waaaaay down on the ground.
Again, we were walking. Another few minutes passed, this time kids were running close to me and holding my hand too. I was the happiest I had been in a long time.
But it wasn't to last. As soon as we got close to the city, which we had been approaching all these minutes, there were more and more adults that saw us from their houses surrounding the city. Of course, it only took a few seconds for one of them to recognize the Star Fox team.
"It's Star Fox!" I heard them yell.
Fox's smile disappeared, and I heard him mumble, "Crap."
He put down the kid and turned to look at me, saying grimly, "I forgot to tell you to look out for the reporters and fans. It gets crazy around cities."
Of course, me being me, I was nervous. I was not used to being looked at by large crowds, even if just because I was traveling with someone famous. I was really hoping that these reporters weren't like the paparazzi back on earth. That would suck.
By now i had put down the bunny on my shoulders, and they had all run off because all the adults were swarming us now, asking us questions, trying to shake the teams hands, mine included for some reason, or just to touch them, mainly Fox.
"Hey," I asked Fox, "Are these reporters for some kind of newspaper or are they going to be like an intergalactic television thing?"
He leaned his head towards me and shouted over the roar of adults talking, "They're for the TV, and they're going to follow us anywhere just to get a couple of pictures."
Crap. They were paparazzi.
I cringed at the thought, knowing I had never been good with crowds, let alone crowds looking in my general direction. Thats when I started seeing what I guessed looked like cameras.
The reporters soon crowded us, shoving the rest of the civilians out of the way to get a good shot. They were shouting all kinds of questions, even crap like what their favorite colors were. I was, of course, cringing behind Fox, who had his jaw set and was marching through, not answering a single question. Falco, on the other hand, was loving it. He was answering any question he could, even walking slowly so he could answer more.
Krystal grabbed Falco by the arm and marched him right after me and Fox. We were in town now, kind of a Tree-Top village, with bridges and ladders everywhere, as well as houses carved into the trees. We were walking down the main dirt road (on the ground of course) toward the biggest damn tree I'd ever seen. It was like the size of the one in that one movie, Avatar.
I walked in the lichen curtain at the entrance, following Fox. I was blinded by light. We had been traveling under the forest canopy, but this tree was hollow, and had no leaves to block the light. I could see the shape of Fox in front of me, so I followed his silhouette through my blind moment, and as soon as my eyes adjusted, my jaw dropped.
It was the biggest mall in the history of malls.
It traveled upwards in a constant spiral, the middle a big tube, different shops carved into the walls along the upward slope. There were all kinds of normal things in it, like clothes, towels, and different household products; and then there was all the stuff I had no idea what it even did. I even saw some kids playing with little hover crafts, and some kind of laser tag game. I didn't even realize I had stopped until all the reporters started jostling me forward, then I jogged to get back up with the guys.
I caught up with Fox and just enjoyed looking at all the wonders around me for a few minutes.
Then I realized we were still going up.
"Hey Fox," I asked hesitantly, "Where exactly are we going again?"
He glanced up at me and then glanced forward again, and muttered through the side of his mouth, "To get supplies."
'OK,' I thought, 'He's either pissed at me for something, or he's as nervous as I am around reporters.'
Judging by his stiff tail, jerky motions, and darting eyes, it was the latter.
I shrugged and kept walking beside him, admiring the different shops and losing myself in the dull roar of conversations swirling in the air around me.
We went through another few loops around the ramp before we stopped before one of the biggest food store I'd ever seen in my life. It was the size of a regular supermarket, but it was pure food. There were no other items. I looked at Fox to see if this was our stop. He glanced back, nodded, and walked right in.
That was the biggest shopping spree I'd ever been on. We had grabbed everything we could possibly need for months, including what looked just like flower, but was a curious shade of red and was slightly sweeter (yes I tasted some), salt of some kind, called something else of course, and candy out of the wazoo.
The three hours we were in there shopping had left me exhausted. I was barely able to stay awake, and my feet were pinched in my shoes.
We made our way back to the ship with a line of people (hired of course) pushing our big carts full of food behind us, following.
Long story short, we walked all the way back to the ship.
"Damn too long again" Falco groaned as soon as we got the last cart of food into the Great Fox.
"We need a list so we don't have to go in and sit there DECIDING what we want. We need to be able to go in, get our crap, and get out." he flopped down onto a hammock that was set up against a wall.
I must say, I agreed with Falco for once.
Fox dropped the box he was carrying and leaned back, his back popping, and groaned.
"Alright, I don't know about you all, but I need some sanity after all that."
"What do you mean?" I asked curiously.
"I'm going to a Grubsta, weather any of you all come or not." and with that he turned and walked back out the door.
Falco, who was reclining on a hammock, put his wing in the air.
"I'm in." and followed.
Krystal shook her head and went further into the ship.
I was still curious as to where we were going, so Hell with it, "Imma coming." I called, jogging after Fox.
**Done, again, tell if you want Kevin human or not in the Poll on my profile. Also if you could, please give me some ideas, and I'm hoping to put some kind of fight in the next chapter, so if you no gusta, tell. Also, I've got a twist I hope to put into the story, but again, I need some type of enemy speicies or group to fight, so if you have ideas, tell. I'm done.**
10. I need to find it
**Alright, so far, I've only had a few 'votes', and they've all been for Kevin to stay human, so I'll keep him like that unless an overwhelming opposition breaks out.**
We had walked out of the Great Fox and streight into the thick woods, avoiding the reporters camping out in front of the ship. We were now walking through the shadows of the forest, back to the city. I groaned inwardly at the prospect of walking all the way back to the city. Although the redness and the hard, bubble-like formations on my skin had gone down, they were still there, and my soreness was starting to come back.
Despite my bodily protests, I walked all the way without complaining once. When we made it, we kind of snuck around, mostly staying in shadows, and darting around, trying to make sure we weren't seen. Fox seemed to know exactly where he was going, so I didn't feel the need to ask.
A good fifteen minutes later, we arrived deep in the city, still slinking around in the shadows, but it was getting dark, so it wasn't too hard. We broke off the main road pretty quickly, taking side paths and going through alleys smelling of piss, but eventually we ended up at a wooden building, with a sign with (obviously) alien writing on it. Fox walked streight in, Falco and I following.
I walked into the dimly lit room full of tables with some kind of impression that it was some kind of boxing or fight club, possibly to help Fox and Falco train, but I was utterly mistaken.
Fox walked through the room with confidence, silencing conversations and drawing the stares of more than just a few of the people sitting around the room. He walked right up to the long wooden counter at the front and motioned to the man behind it. The man took one look at Fox and said,
"I presume you'll be takin' the usual, aye?"
Fox just nodded.
The tension was building in my muscles. The man behind the counter was busying himself with some kind of task, and the whole room seemed to be made of shadows, leaning in, getting ready to stab us in the back and gruesomely...
"Alright, 'ere y'ar, jus' like ye norm'ly get. A'rite everyone," he said, raising his voice to address everyone, "This is Fox McCloud. He's a regular 'ere, an' a good friend o' mine, so I don' want no trouble for 'im, or it'll jus' be trouble back t' you."
The dull roar of the room came back slowly. But the man had slid something across the table, which Fox had picked up. He brought the strange object up in front of his face... and took a drink.
Then it clicked. How had I not seen it before? We were in a bar. The tables, the customers drinking, the tavern-like building. It all made sense, but I hadn't made sense of it.
Fox brought the cup down from his muzzle, and wiped his mouth with his wrist, then grinned at me.
"So what do you want? They've got..." and he went off to name a series of complex and alien names, which I couldn't remember, let alone repeat if I wanted to. This left me still mildly confused from the whole transitioning-from-threatening-to-mildly-friendly environment, so - my mind working at top speed - I came up with a brilliant solution.
"Uhh... Um, I'll take the first one..." I mumbled stupidly.
"Alright then," Fox said enthusiastically, "And you Falco?"
And Falco, looking completely uninterested, said, "I'll go with the (spouts off random completely unpronounceable alien name like its nothing)"
Fox, who was now leaning back on the counter, holding himself up by his elbows, cup still in hand, turned his head to face the bartender and said, "You got that?"
The bartender didn't even bother to reply. He was already busy making the drinks.
I can honestly say I was feeling slightly guilty. My mom had made it clear that she didn't want me drinking alcohol until I was at least able to support myself financially, and I already felt like I was going behind her back to have some thrilling adventure, but I derailed my train of thought right there. I had already ordered, and they were almost done, so just this once couldn't hurt, right?
Right.
I leaned against the counter with a firm resolve. I heard a sharp click on the bar beside me, and heard the bartender say, "Yer up,"
I turned and looked at the green liquid before me. I suddenly got really nervose. What if this stuff was poisonous to me? What if it was like, pure arsenic, or cyanide, or something? What if it would make me throw up? What if...
Nope!
I stopped thinking and put the drink to my lips and took a quick gulp. The liquid burned down my throat, leaving a sour taste in my mouth and my eyes watering.
"You all LIKE this stuff?" I choked out.
"You drank it too fast. Just take a sip," Falco said, rolling his eyes. Fox burst out laughing, and my face turned red as I realized that this is exactly what Fox had done with soda back on Earth.
I brought the drink to my lips again and took a small sip, still thinking the sour taste would ruin the drink for me, but I was in for a surprise.
The liquid entered my mouth sour and bubbly, almost seeming carbonated, but as I held it in my mouth the taste changed. It went from a bitter and sour taste to a salty and nutty taste, like peanuts, only with a slight fruity tang. I was amazed at the taste changed, and it must have shown (all my emotions do don't they? I'll have to work on that), because Falco was smirking at me and Fox was almost to the breaking point again with laughter.
I looked at the table and mumbled, "It's pretty good..." while trying not to smile. It wasn't super amazing, but it was good. Fox grinned at me, then looked back at the bar tender.
"Alright, then we'll take a few more!"
I never thought I would get drunk. Ever. But that's what I was. I think.
The lights around me seemed to smear when I moved my eyes, like a slow camera trying to catch up, and my head was buzzing slightly with an uncomfortable pinch in the back of my skull. I had almost missed part of the door when Fox, Falco, and I were leaving, but they were worse. I had only taken a few drinks, but Fox and Falco had each gotten twice as much as me.
Fox and Falco left stumbling around side by side, singing a bar song we'd just heard throwing their arms around wildly, each carrying another bottle of the drink we'd been drinking.
They were obviously accustomed to it, but I was feeling sick. They stumbled down the road, but I had stopped. My head was throbbing at the motion of walking, and the world seemed to be spinning around me. I still had some coherent thought and sense, which was telling me to get out of the middle of the road.
I leaned my forehead against my arm on the wall of the alley and closed my eyes. The world wouldn't stop spinning! My face felt hot, and my stomach was squirming and burning. I told myself I needed to catch back up with Fox and Falco, but my stomach...
Then I threw up.
And felt much better.
My puddle of puke was soaking into the dirt in the side of the alley, and I just watched it, letting my head clear. There was still a buzz and a fuzziness to my thought, but I was much more capable of thinking than I was before. I pulled my head off the wall and spat, trying to get the taste of my tongue and the acid off my teeth. I turned to follow Fox...
And ran face to face with a panther and some kind of lizard.
"Hey..." I said, not fully comprehending the situation.
"So you seem to be hanging out with Star Fox..." the lizard said tilting his head slightly sideways and narrowing his eyes while giving me a maniacal grin.
"Mmm... Yup, jus' gotta go follow them an' get back t' th' ship," I slurred, trying to stumble past the panther and lizard.
"Well now, Panther can't just let you do that, now can he?" The panther said pushing me back up against the wall. That's when It started to dawn on me that I was in danger.
The lizard laughed erratically, and the panther punched me in the face.
I slumped down the wall, all the sluggishness fading. I was being attacked, and I didn't have my crystal. Great. Of course I get attacked my first day without my crystal. Thank you, Murphy.
I pushed myself up and away from my attackers and watched them warily. I need to try to mimic what I would do with the crystal. Normally I would dodge a punch and then bob in and throw one of my own, but what if— WHAM! I got another punch to the face.
I stumbled backwards, blood dripping from my split lip. I wouldn't let myself give up though. I stood up streight again and put my hands up in front of my face like a boxer. The lizard cackled again, and the panther chuckled.
"Oh, a persistent one, are we? Well then, Panther will just have to take care of that!" he side-kicked me with the last word, catching me in the stomach, then pivoted, and kicked me in the face when I doubled over. I could feel a bruise forming as I fell to the ground.
The panther saw the bruise and laughed, saying, "Your species is so weak! A bruise already? Panther is doing good today!"
I saw him move again, but I didn't care much this time. I just curled up into a ball, physically and mentally, trying to shield myself from any pain coming my way.
"Hey!" I heard a voice call. "What are you doing?"
It sounded familiar, but I was in a mental shell, shutting myself from the outside world. There was a shuffle, and the sound of running feet, then the sound of someone walking closer. My body tightened up as I felt a hand on my shoulder. I heard the voice, Fox, saying, "Hey, they're gone, you can get up."
I let my body and conciseness uncurl, and got up.
"So much for a great fighter," Falco muttered, swaying on his feet a few feet away.
"Oh come on, he's drunk you prick!" Fox shot back.
As if to emphasize his point, I doubled over and started throwing up again. When I finished, I spit, wiped my mouth on my sleeve, and motioned for them to lead the way. We walked back to the ship in silence, allowing me to reflect on my fighting and how badly I sucked.
I got to the ship in a state of utter determination, rage, and euphoric exhaustion. I was feeling like I was going to pass out if I didn't sleep, and was loopy from the effects of the pain and lack of sleep (and probably some booze). I hobbled into my room and went streight to flipping my bed back down off the wall I'd flipped it onto. I flopped down and immediately fell asleep.
**I'm sorry for the short chapter, but I need to get the (hopefully) main part of the story started, so I need approval for my main enemy. I'm planning on making them Slender-man like creatures in shape, and Space Pirate like in behavior. I'll post another Poll on my page for votes. Also, I've still got a bit of time for Kevin to become anthro, so if you really want him to, tell me. Thank you.**
11. Acceptance
May any entity, evil or benign —who is in any way empowered or entertained by my suffering — be destroyed in the slowest, most painful way possible, and rot forevermore in the deepest pit in Hell.
In other words, I had a hangover.
I groaned and grunted as I tried to get myself out of bed. I swear, that panther and lizard must have put red hot needles into my brain. I finally got myself off my mattress and up on my feet, so I hobbled over to the door. I finally got theodor open and stumbled through, winching as every step sent another jolt of pain to my brain.
By the time I had made it to the kitchen, Fox and Falco were already there, but weren't looking any better than I felt.
"Hey" Fox said miserably.
"Hey" I croaked back.
Krystal came out of the kitchen with bowls of green and purple mush. I really hope its not breakfast, cuz they smelled nasty. She put them down in front of us, and smirked.
"You see Kevin? Next time you should follow MY example, not those twits." she flicked her ears at Fox and Falco.
"I think I will, nex' time," I croaked, "It'll sure be a helluva lot less painful."
Her devilish grin widened and she turned back to the kitchen.
I looked back at the bowls she had laid out, and asked, "So, what're we suppos' t' do with these?"
Falco groaned and Fox just said, "Recover."
As it turned out, they were supposed to help you recover from a hangover, but they worked like smelling salts, but after that, you had to ingest some of it. Needless to say, it was nasty.
The minute afterwords was just as bad as the hangover itself, but after you got the taste to die down to being bearable, you noticed that the headache wasn't as bad, and you could think more clearly. I guess I was just happy that we didn't have to wait it out.
Fox Falco and I were all still in the kitchen, listening to Krystal bustling around in the kitchen. I heard someone walk in behind me and turned to see Slippy walking towards the table. He smiled warmly at me and sat down, looking at the door of the kitchen expectantly.
"Here comes the worst part" I heard Fox mutter under his breath.
Krystal then burst forth carrying the most majestic looking pile of bacon-like objects that I had ever seen. My mouth watered at the smell, which was almost like bacon, and the greasy sizzling and popping was like sweet music to my ears. Having thrown up twice since my last meal, I was starving.
She put the plate down on the table and sat down behind it. She heaped her plate full of the delicious breakfast treat, and heaped another plate, which she handed to Slippy. My hunger took over and I reached for a slice of the greasy and salty slice of heaven. Krystal immediately smacked my hand away from the pile and shook her finger at me like a mother scolding a child, saying,
"No, no, no! If you want the paste to work fully, you can't eat or drink anything except water."
She then promptly dove into the task of shoving all of the bacon she could into her mouth and eating it. She was a demon sent to make my Hell complete, I swear.
Slippy and Krystal were eating their way through the pile of bacon while Falco, Fox, and I watched like starving animals, which, in every case, wasn't far off. They made it about half way down the stack when Falco stood up and left. Fox promptly followed. Knowing there was nothing else I was allowed to do here, I chugged the last of my water and got up to follow.
I jogged down the hallway to catch up, and when I did, I asked,
"So, where we be going?" [yes I meant to say that]
"SHHH!" they both hissed (for lack of a better word) at me. I stopped and put my hands up by my head.
"OK, jeez," I whispered, "now really, where are we going?"
"Were going to get something to eat. Where else?" Falco whispered back.
Well that seemed reasonable enough, so I followed them for another minute before we arrived. We were at the big freezer room, where we had been putting a lot of the food we had bought earlier. We entered cautiously, and closed the door quietly behind me, trying not to get caught, and when it shut, we immediately went to the fruits. We chowed down on these strange yet delicious fruits that were called Laugratines.
They were shaped kind of like pears, only with more curve to them and they were a heck of a lot juicier, with a reddish-purple skin that had a texture like peaches. In short, they were probably one of the most amazing fruits I had ever eaten in my life.
I savored every bite, knowing that if what Krystal had said was true, I was probably going to have my headache the rest of the day. Oh well. These laugratines were worth it.
I grabbed another one out of the barrel they were in, and spoke my mind.
"So, I'm gunna guess, rule one of hangover club is that we don't complain about hangover club, right?"
"Yup," he said, thim reference lost on him, "Also, you've gotta act like you're starving till midday meal." Falco managed to fit between bites of some other fruit.
'I can do that,' I thought, shrugging.
When we left the storage freezer thing, we made sure to bring every speck of evidence with us, taking the cores of the fruits, and sweeping the crumbs of things into our hands. There weren't very many crumbs, cus we ate mainly fruits, but you can't very well eat cores, so we did have a few of those.
We dumped the cores into a bin in Fox's room, hoping they wouldn't be discovered, and headed to the training room. It was deserted, of course, and I was looking foreword to training with these guys, even if one was kind of annoying. I was feeling like a boss, so I picked up the first weapon, a staff of some kind, and twirled it around. Falco looked at me, unimpressed, then, out of nowhere, stuck out his hand, knocking the staff away, then he stepped foreword and pulled out a knife, putting it to my throat.
"Dead." he stated coldly.
"Hey! I wasn't even expecting that!" I said, annoyed.
"Yeah," he countered, "But your enemy isn't going to wait till you find your balls now will they?"
I wanted to do something, but I knew this wasn't going to get me anywhere, so I just pushed my anger back, and let out a deep breath.
"Good decision" Falco said threateningly, walking away.
I looked at Fox, but he just shook his head slightly, making a small swiping motion with one hand, as if to say 'Ignore him'. I nodded and followed Falco to the mat in the middle of the room. He stepped onto the mat, and walked to the center.
"Alright, come at me." He said, surprising me.
I felt my anger explode and I had the urge to charge head first at him, to try to take him down any way I possibly could. I felt the muscles in my calves and legs bunch up, then stopped, remembering another time this had happened. It was with BitchAss when I had ended up with a busted nose.
I looked at him warily, trying to think of another way to come at him, when my thoughts were interrupted by Falco.
"Good. You didn't take the bait. Never do that, cuz you normally end up with something broken." Then he turned to Fox, "You better not have told him anything."
He shook his head, an eyebrow raised at me.
"Ok, now for real, let's see what you got," Falco said, sliding down into a stance facing me.
'Alright, let's do this.' I thought seriously.
I walked cautiously to him, trying to mimic how I would do it with the crystal. I put my hands up to guard my face, and slid in, an inch at a time. I watched his eyes, his hands, his feet, all at the same time, my mind racing, trying to figure out what to do in any situation he would throw at me.
I realized he was waiting as well.
I inched foreword, planning for how he would react if I threw a punch. Once I had my scenario fixated in my head, I lunged foreword and shot my fist out, trying to catch him in the face. He didn't react the way I planned. At all.
I had expected Falco to step aside and catch my arm, or for him to sweep my arm away, then punch at my face or body. That never happened.
Falco leabackup the side, letting my momentum carry me past, then did a downward elbow to my neck, making me drop to the floor like a rock. I laid there for a moment letting my quick defeat sink in. I still sucked.
I signed heavily and got up, not even feeling mad, just depressed. I faced him again, keeping my face blank. He was still in the loose stance he was before, just watching. I knew I wasn't going to beat him, so I halfheartedly attacked him, and, again, getting beaten.
Around the sixth round of Fox cheering me on, even though he had been watching me fail. I was starting to get frustrated. I mean, yes, I knew Falco was going to beat me, and yes, they both knew it too by now, so why not instruct me? Why not teach me what's was doing wrong so I could get better? I had been pushing the frustration and anger down, but it was building.
I lunged at Falco again, putting a little more effort into the attack. He countered me yet again, with little effort, putting me face first onto the ground again. Something snapped.
I sprung up from the ground, my teeth bared like an animal. I was breathing hard and crouched into a tense fighting position, glaring at my tormentor. I looked at his stance, not caring to analyze what he would do anymore. I just wanted to hurt him.
I flung myself at him, my fists flying and feet kicking. I was a whirlwind of motion and emotion. I would throw something and Falco would counter, but for some reason he couldn't hit me. Somehow I would get my arm up just in time, or I would twitch out of the way right before he hit me.
I honestly don't see who was more surprised, me or Falco. Our skirmish went on, us exchanging blows, but never hitting each other. I felt giddy as I realized I was holding my ground. I could do this! I started watching Falco, looking for any opening he would present, but that's when he got me.
He had used a side kick. The same thing he had used on me five or six times during our little fight, but for some reason, I just couldn't get out of the way. He hit me square in the chest, sending me flying a good two or three feet away. I landed on my back, getting the breath knocked out of me.
I regained my breath quickly enough, and Fox walked over to me, his hand extended to help me up. I lay there looking at it, not thinking at all, just staring blankly. After a time he dropped his hand and crouched beside me.
"Look, you're doing better. Thats all that counts. He means well, even if it doesn't seem like it," he said, motioning to Falco.
I stared at him mutely, still not thinking. It was better that way. No thoughts, no troubles, no disappointment.
Fox sighed and stood up, his ears back slightly. I looked at Falco, who was standing across the room, his arms crossed, looking bored.
I sighed to myself and slowly sat up. I glared at Falco and pushed myself to my feet. Falco raised some of his fingers from his arm, and rolled his eyes. I felt my anger start building again. But this time It wasn't going to control me.
I walked to Falco again, but before he slid into his stance, I put my hand straight out, trying to look epic.
"If we are to do this, we do this my way." I said, trying to sound ominous.
Falco smirked and narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Alright, so what's 'your' way?" He asked sarcastically.
I never answered, but turned and walked to the door. I had noticed them the other day when I was leaving, but now was the time to use them.
I grabbed the two mildly heavy and curved objects and walked them to the center. Once there, I presented one to Falco, watching the disbelief on his face. He took it gingerly, holding it more like he would a toy than a weapon.
"What the hell is this?" he asked in disgust.
I raised an eyebrow and laughed quietly at him.
"So you've never seen one before? This is a beautiful device used by skilled artisan warriors in a deadly dance of which one wrong move could easily have you killed," I spouted out as I made it up off the top of my head, "Its deadly grace is only matched by the proper handling of another tool of the likes. It is the perfect balance of accuracy and brute force, grace and wit, talent and practice, or for your stolid mind, this work of art is simply called the sword."
I gave a small bow at the end of my monologue, leaving Falco with his mouth open, and a dumb expression on his face. Fox didn't look much better,
I moved to the center of the sparring mat, and held my sword up. It was curved like a scimitar but had a deadly hook back out at the end, making it one of the most exotic weapons I had ever used. I looked at Fox, but he was looking back with the strangest expression. It was a mix between awe, confusion, and kind of a 'what the hell are you doing' look.
Falco suddenly burst out laughing, startling me.
"You've gotta be joking right? This is what we use to sharpen the practice spears and spikes that hold in the targets! This is like fighting with spoons! Theres no way two IDIOTS would fight with these! You'd kill yourself before your enemy even got close!" he went on laughing for a while.
"You know what?" he continued, "I'll do it. I'll just sit back and watch as you cut yoself up." he walked to the middle of the ring, a wide grin on his face, shaking his head in disbelief. I looked over at Fox for support, but he looked confused and worried.
I shrugged and raised the sharpener up again. My interest in the dark ages was about to pay off. As a kid, I had always been interested in anything to do with them, especially the armor and weaponry. I had a sword for a while, and I had gotten pretty good at using it when I had it. I had also gotten pretty good at the other weapons of the time, like the javelin and the long bow.
Needless to say, I felt more than confident I could beat Falco.
I raised the sword, noting that it wasn't very well balanced, but it was lighter than I was used to using, so it shouldn't be a problem. Falco smirked and swing his sword at me, just basically throwing the blade in my general direction. I raised my arm and sucked in my stomach, arching back slightly, letting the blade smoothly glide past me, then I dropped the blade to Falco's throat.
"Dead." I said, mimicking how Falco had said it earlier.
Falco narrowed his eyes and we stepped apart, assuming fighting positions again.
Falco slashed at me again, more intent on hitting me this time, but I sidestepped his blade and jumped behind him, putting my blade to his throat.
"Dead." I said again.
I let Falco loose and he jumped away, assuming a threatening stance with the sword awkwardly clutched in his hand.
Falco was glaring at me, and suddenly lunged at me, slashing his sword through the air. I easily leaned diagonally, letting his sword arch down parallel to my body. I chuckled softly, and Falco heard as he stumbled past, and lunged again, slashing madly. I dodged every one of his attacks, never even touching his blade with my own.
I started taunting him, just to rub it in a little.
"What, that the best you can do? Why don't I try fighting a wall. It'll have a better chance of hitting me."
Falco roared and lunged again, swinging his sword straight down at me. I blocked his blade with my own, reveling in the beautifully loud sound of metal striking metal. I stepped foreword, holding his blade up with mine, and head butted him on the forehead, being careful not to hit his beak.
Falco stumbled back, crying out in pain.
"Hey! Not fair! We're only supposed to use our Lincras!"
Ah, so that's what they're called.
"Oh well," I said, shrugging, "Life isn't fair, it's about what you can do, and what you can't do."
Cold, I know, but this is the message he'd been sending me earlier, so whatever.
"What's all the noise?" I heard. I turned and saw that Krystal had walked in, Her ears perked up and a curious look on her face. I heard a shuffling behind me, then Krystal scream. I whipped around and parred Falco's desperate stab to my back, twisting my blade around his in the process, and yanking as the hooked end of mine caught the middle of his blade.
His blade flew streight up, leaving Falco with a dazed look in his eyes, and even a look of... Fear?
I spun my Lincras vertically on either side of him, cutting off feathers from his cheeks, up again, then down towards his head with terrifying speed. Falco dipped his head and dropped to his knees, knowing he would die. Krystal screamed again, and the blade sped closer and closer to his head. Faster, faster, the split air hissing, then...
Stop.
Half an inch from Falco's skull, the hook on the end of the blade following the curve of his cranium, I stopped the blade dead, then pulled it up again,
"Dead." I said.
Falco peeked out one eye, looking amazed to be alive, and I tossed my sword aside. The whole room seemed to let out a deep breath. I looked down at him, and he looked solemnly back at me. We stood there a moment. The whole world frozen, then I smiled, and extended my hand. Falco looked at it, then back at me.
"You should take it," I said encouragingly, "like, right now."
Falco gingerly grabbed my hand, and I yanked the hell out of his arm. Just in time.
The blade of Falco's sword embedded itself an inch into the metal floor, where Falco had been just a moment before. The room was silent as Falco's cheek feathers landed on either side of the blade sticking out of the floor.
"Jeez! You make me feel like I'm playing roulette!" I said sarcastically to Falco, trying to break the tension.
Falco looked at me a moment, then his face broke into a smile. He nodded at me, and I nodded back, knowing that I had just gained his respect. I felt relieved. I was finally part of the team. I turned to Fox and grinned and he grinned back.
But not because of the same thing. Krystal, who was walking towards us, had her tail in the air stiffly, broadcasting her discontent, and also something else. Her tailfur was sticking streight up, making her tail look poofy and almost comical. I almost started cracking up with Fox, both of us trying to keep a streight face.
I was just about to my bursting point with contained laughter, when, WHAM! Krystal slapped me across the face.
"Don't DO that!" she cried indignantly.
My face stung slightly as she spun around and walked out of the room stiffly, her tailfur still standing on end.
As soon as she was gone, Fox, Falco and I busted up like the group of teenage guys we were.
"Oh shit! Did you see her tail? It was like BZZT!" Falco said while making an exploding motion with his wings.
Fox and I were laughing up too hard to speak. We calmed down for a second, then Fox's composure cracked, sending us all into another fit of laughter. By the time we finished laughing once and for all, we were all on the ground, clutching our stomachs in pain.
I stood painfully, clutching my aching midriff with one arm. Fox and Falco weren't faring much better. We stood there in the middle of the training arena for a few moments, letting our abs and laughing muscles recover, then Falco broke the silence, saying, "Alright guys, I think it's time for some food. How 'bout you?"
At the suggestion, my stomach growled louder than a bear, voicing its want for something to grind. Fox's face split into a grin at my body's discreetness, or lack thereof. I scowled at him, and the three of us headed to the door.
Needless to say, we were navigating the carpeted hallways of the Great Fox to find the kitchen. I followed Falco, who was walking with a brash confidence that I would never have thought possible for one who had just nearly lost his head.
I was lost deep in thought, only surfacing my mind to make sure I was actually following Fox and Falco. They were a few steps ahead of me, talking to each other. I of course didn't hear any of this, only paying any mind to where I was going and my thoughts. I was baffled at the lack of skill in actual weapons, but this didn't worry me. In fact, if anything, it encouraged me. If nobody knew how to fight with swords or any of the like, I had an advantage.
I let myself loose with my thoughts, walking as if in a trance, not blinking, looking around, or listening. It was as relaxing as its always been.
Shortly after, I was rudely jolted out of my peaceful trance by Falco snickering. My eyes focused and darted around wildly, realizing I was sitting at the food-room table, back streight, no expression, and my arms dangling at my sides. Falco and Fox were sitting a few seats down, trying not to laugh at me.
I rolled my eyes and stood up, walking through the wooden door to the kitchen, the hinges squeaking slightly. This got my mind thinking. I hadn't thought of it up till now, but if they had plasma guns, and space ships that were affordable, why not automatic sliding doors or something? I opened my mouth to ask Fox, then thought better of it, closing my mouth with a sharp clack.
I continued past the counters and stoves– which were the same concept of the ones back on earth– and streight to the metal door in the back. I undid the small locking mechanism on the side of the door, and pulled it open. It was thick, so it was heavier than the other doors, but when I got it open, I was free to explore my destination. The freezer.
I was looking for anything that could possibly be earth related to cook. My eyes took in the sight of shelves and shelves of exotic fruits, nuts, berries, preserved animal meats, and other sacs of food items. My eyes stopped on a small shelf full of large– huge compared to what I was used to– white, slightly oval-like items.
Apparently eggs are universal. Literally.
I picked up one of the softball sized eggs and looked at it, impressed. It was a good two or three pounds, and, I assumed, a harder shell than an earth egg. It also wasn't white, as I'd first thought. It was a creamy yellowish color, like the clouds at sunrise.
I suddenly felt a wave of homesickness wash over me, making my stomach churn. I was thousands of miles — no, LIGHTYEARS away from my planet, let alone my house or any of my friends. The mere thought made me feel small and insignificant. I suddenly wanted nothing more than to be back at my crummy apartment, munching on Doritos while watching some stupid TV show, laughing along with my mom.
No. I had to stop thinking of home! If I couldn't stand being away from things at earth, I'd just bring things from earth here. The egg in hand, I straightened and strode confidently into the kitchen and leaned out the door to the Food-Room, calling Fox up from his heated debate with Falco,
"Hey, Fox! Do you all have milk here? Or pepper? Or cheese? Or pans and stuff?"
Fox looked back at me, shrugging.
"Well, we got the pans, but what the hell is pepper? Or milk? Or cheese?" he said, elongating the new words to try and get used to them.
I thought for a moment, leaning against the door frame, before replying.
"Pepper is kind of a spicy herb that makes stuff feel hot, I guess. Milk makes up cheese and milk is... Well, milk is... Hmm... I'm not quite sure how to put this." I said, trying to think of a non-embarrassing way to put it.
I stood there a moment, biting my lip. Fox and Falco were still looking at me, waiting for my answer.
"Maybe... Lactose?" I ventured, trying to think of a word they would understand, "Um... The calcium and fat rich liquid that is creamy in color? No? *sigh* Alright. It's makes up breasts and is fed to infants from the mothers to help make them grow."
Falco looked at me a moment, then cracked up, cackling wildly while pounding the table. Fox chuckled at this too, but nodded, and rolled his eyes at Falco.
"Yeah," he said, "We've got 'milk' and 'cheese' but I'm not sure about this 'pepper'. Come on," he said, getting up from the table and walking into the kitchen.
I fell on line behind Fox, cursing myself in my head for making a fool of myself. Fox walked into the freezer and walked to a humongous block wrapped in some kind of plastic wrap, and opened open the top.
I whistled loudly. That was a lot of cheese. The block must have been a good three feet wide by three feet deep by four feet tall.
Whilst I was admiring the cheese, Fox had walked across the freezer to a large spigot in the wall. He pulled the lever above it down, making the white liquid flow into a cup he was holding under it.
"Is this it?" he asked, offering the cup to me.
"Yup." I said, taking the cup.
We walked out of the coolness of the freezer and back into the kitchen. Fox, who was walking behind me, closed the door, and moved in front of me, taking me to a big range-like contraption.
**[AN: for those of you who don't know, a range is an old stove, used a long time ago.]**
The only difference this had is it was smaller and had dials instead of a door to put in logs. I guess it was kind of a mix between a grill and a stove.
He pulled open a drawer below the thing, pulling out a pan, almost just like the ones on earth. He put it on top of the Grill-stove and moved out of my way, motioning for me to begin.
I looked at the egg and the milk in my hands, then I realized I was missing the bowl.
"Eh, I need a bowl." I said, not able to think of a less demanding way to put it.
"Alright," Fox said, shrugging. He reached to my left and opened a cabinet, then reached up and pulled out a bowl. He handed it to me, and looked questioningly at the egg in my hand.
"So... What is that for?"
I looked at him, confused.
"What? The egg? I'm gonna cook it." I said incredulously, "Why? Am I not supposed to?"
"Well, I've never heard of somebody cooking one," he said.
"Hmm... Oh well," I shrugged, "Your loss."
I put the bowl on the counter and smacked the egg on the edge, cracking it open, revealing the gooey egg-mess, just like the eggs from earth, only a lot more of it. I put the egg over the bowl and put my thumbs inside the crack, and pulled apart, looking like the little professional I was at cooking the only thing I knew how to. Eggs.
I glanced at Fox and smirked, then I looked down at the goop in the bowl... And froze.
It was Purple.
I regained from my split second hesitation well. I smoothly went back into action, acting unfazed. I opened the drawer below me, and found something to stir it up with. I think it was some kind of small fork spatula thing, but whatever. I stuck it into the bowl and started beating like I always did.
Fox was looking at me with a curious expression, and moved closer. He and I both wached as the purple egg became a solid purple color throughout, acting very egg-like. So it must just be the color. Oh well. I stopped beating and walked into the freezer.
I walked to the big-ass cheese block and grabbed a chunk from a corner, then turned and walked back out the door, shutting it behind me.
I went back to my range and put the hunk of cheese down by my bowl of egg. I grabbed the glass of milk I had put down earlier and dumped about half the content in the bowl. I chugged most of the rest. It was slightly stronger than I was used to, but it was still milk.
I mixed the milk and egg together for a second, making a lighter purple color, which was still an interesting color. I wiped my hands on my jeans and turned to Fox.
"So... How do I turn this puppy on?"
"Puppy? What puppy?" he asked confused.
I frowned remembering I was with aliens.
"How do I turn it on?" I asked wearily, motioning to the range.
"Oh, that's easy, you..." he went on to explain some short process, and a flame sprung to life under the grille of the range.
"Thanks!" I said, grinning.
I stuck the pan on the hot stove and let it sit for a moment. During this time, I realized they didn't have any cooking grease, so I racked my brains for anything that I could use. I glanced at the pan, which seemed almost sufficiently heated. On impulse, I grabbed the remainder of the milk and poured it into the pan, making it steam.
I reached down and turned the knob down, lowering the heat of the range. Even aliens had that same concept. Fox was just looking at me like I was crazy now.
"What?" I said, looking at him as I grabbed the bowl of egg and dumped it into the pan. It sizzled and popped, just like the eggs back home, and even gave off nearly the same aroma. I looked down at the only flipping tool I had. A fork-spatula. Great.
I reached back into the drawer and grabbed another one, hopefully to help me pick up the eggs. By now they were cooked about half through, leaving a very small amount of still liquid on top. I stuck my flippers under and slid the egg back at an angle, dumping the liquid in the pan first, allowing it to cook better. I then flipped the egg the rest of the way over, hearing the sizzle as the two parts re-bonded.
I put the spatulas down and grabbed my handful of cheese, crumbling it over the cooked side of the egg. It started melting as soon as it touched the heated purple substance. When I finished crumbling the cheese, I grabbed the mini spatulas and picked up one edge, and seeing that it was cooked on the other side, I picked the rest of that side up and folded it onto the other half, then scooped it up, and put it onto the plate I had brought in earlier.
I then turned off the stove and walked past Fox, who was staring at me in astonishment. There wasn't even anything left in the pan. I walked out of the kitchen, holding my plate like a waiter, and spun it down in front of my seat, then sat, getting ready to chow down.
"That looks HORRIBLE!" Falco exclaimed, a disgusted look on his face.
"Well, I can't say you look much better, but you think you're so great." I countered smoothly.
Fox chuckled from the kitchen door and Falco sat there glaring at me.
I tore off a corner of my strange looking omelet, and took a bite. It didn't even need season salt! The egg must have been naturally salted!
I pulled off another piece and was about to stick it into my mouth when I heard another voice at the door.
"That smells GOOD! Who cooked it?" Krystal walked in, her eyes closed and her nose in the air.
"Um... I cooked it." I said, knowing she didn't really like me.
"Oh," she said, her head coming down and her eyes opening, "On second thought, I already ate this morning."
"You know," I said, annoyed, "this is the only thing I have ever learned to cook in my entire life, and over the course of my life, I've gotten pretty damn good at cooking it, so it's your loss if you don't want any."
Ok, it wasn't exactly classy, but I was tired of her treating me like a bug.
She looked at me in shock, making me start to regret being that mean. Even Fox was looking at me in anger. I almost apologized when Krystal's face broke out into a big grin.
"You're capable of standing up for yourself. Good," she smiled and walked to sit next to me.
"Ok," I said, mildly confused, splitting my omelette in half and giving the uneaten half to her. She took it up gingerly, her soft furred fingers brushing mine, and she took a small bite. Her eyes widened and her ears shot streight forward. She looked over at me with her wide eyes and looked back down at the purple object in her hands.
"Hah!" Falco exclaimed, "Told you it looked bad!"
She then took no time to shove most of it into her mouth and start chewing like crazy.
Falco glared at her while Fox and I laughed. I broke half off my half and handed it to Fox, who put it in his mouth and started chewing. His eyebrows raised and he looked at me, nodding in approval.
I grinned and put the rest of my omelette in my mouth, leaving Falco grumbling halfheartedly about being left out.
I was finally accepted to the team. By all the members.
Life would be good!
**Finished. **
**I kind of feel guilty that I haven't spent more time on this story, cuz I meant to get like, two or three chapters done over spring break, but that didn't happen. So here's what I did get done.**
12. Burning Planet
I woke up in my room, feeling more rested than I had in weeks. I vaguely remembered the night before, which had, to my knowledge, been filled with harmless banter and joking around between me Falco and Fox. I was in my room, sitting on the edge of my bed, trying to find the courage to disturb my inner calm by getting up and starting my day.
I put my feet off the edge of the mattress and stood, trying not to think too deeply about anything. The strain I'm my muscles threw off my peace slightly, but not completely. I glided smoothly to the door, still not thinking or showing any emotion. I loved this feeling, because it was the only time I never worried about anything. Everything important is pushed out of my mind, and anything unimportant is noticed with new beauty and meaning.
I realized with disappointment that to open the door, I had to raise my hand, which I knew would break the feeling. With this thought, the delicate pane of peace and calm shattered, leaving me feeling energized and almost bouncing with enthusiasm. I shrugged, and grabbed the doorknob, twisting it to open the door.
The whole ship seemed brighter as I walked through its halls this time. I made my way through these halls to check and see if breakfast was ready. As I entered the kitchen, I noticed it was as empty as my bladder was begging to be. With this revelation, I jogged down the hallways and left the ship, heading into the woods the same way we had a few days ago. When I had gotten a sufficient distance from the ship, I unzipped my pants, and answered the call of nature.
A good fifteen to twenty seconds, later, I was pulling my pants back up, zipping my jeans, and turning to head back to the ship. I was walking back, taking the time to look around and admire the beauty of the woods. It was amazingly quiet, considering I was walking through the woods, and it felt like there should have been at least a few animals about, chirping or making other various noises.
The air seemed to stiffen around me, and then i heard it. A sharp shushing noise, like someone was walking thought the woods, trying to go unnoticed. I immediately dropped into a low crouch and tried to detect what direction the sound was coming from. I strained my ears, trying to make out any noise, but the only thing I heard was the pounding in my ears from my blood.
I was about to give up, thinking maybe I had imagined it, when I heard it again, only closer. Now that I knew it was coming from my right, I listened as I slowly and quietly moved to get behind one of the huge trees. I could make out a faint whispering, which sounded almost like it was in hysterics. I realized, though, that it was just like a crazy hysteric. Not a scared hysteric.
At this point, I was curious. Who would be wandering the woods at this time in the morning? The only reasonable explanation I could come up with was that maybe they were lost and going crazy.
The noises were moving closer, only a few hundred feet away now. I took a step out from behind the tree and prepared to announce my presence, as not to startle the people. As I took the revealing step, one of the few branches on the floor of the woods snapped under my feet. I immediately froze and cursed my luck. Of course I step on the only thing that would startle the strangers when trying to do the opposite!
I looked up and realized that, while I had been overwhelmed by my noise, the shushing figure had shushed again, masking my noise perfectly. I quickly glanced around, trying to pinpoint where the people were and froze again. These people weren't lost, they were sneaking!
These were the two bastards that had beat the shit out of me at the bar!
I quickly backed up to hide behind the tree again, hoping they hadn't see me. I pressed up against the tree and listened.
"Shush! I told you, we need to be quiet!" shushed the panther, who was dressed in an all black catsuit (ironically). The lizard, who had on a regular black jumpsuit, was giggling and grinning like a maniac.
"Hee hee! I can't wait to see the look on their faces when we get in and out without them even knowing!" the lizard chortled quietly.
"Shut up!" the panther whispered forcefully, "The only way we'll make it in is if we don't make any noise! If you can't stop yourself, then I guess Panther will have to do it for you."
The lizard shut up.
I was kind of curious as to who this panther was, though. This panther was speaking highly of them, but it was confusing, because he was talking about someone supposedly not there as if he or she was... Oh well.
I waited as they moved closer, and quietly shuffled around the tree so they couldn't see me as they walked past. They went on in silence. Apparently this panther was feared enough to keep the crazy lizard silent, and the other panther as a loyal tattle-tale. I figured that they were both just underlings sent to do someone else's dirty work, though.
I stood still behind the tree, making as little noise as possible until the only noise I could hear was the sound of my heart beating and my breath rasping through my nose. I peeked out from behind my tree to see if the panther and crazy lizard were gone, and didn't see anything.
I pushed off the tree and took off at an angle to the ship. I wanted to get there before the two wackos, so I was sprinting. I was off like a shot. I needed to get to the ship around the two, but not be seen, so I was going to use their sneaking to my advantage.
I felt the adrenaline rush as my blood sped up through my body. Why didn't I run every day? It felt good enough.
I pumped my legs like a demon from a holy man, quickly making my way back to the ship. I'm just glad I decided to take a piss so far away, otherwise the creeps would have gone unnoticed.
I sprinted for what seemed like an eternity, hopefully giving myself enough time to warn the team about the two wanna-be sneaks. I cleared the woods a good two-hundred to three-hundred yards away from the ship, and sprinted my way towards it. I reached the entrance ramp huffing and puffing more than the Big Bad Wolf, and muscles weaker than Jell-O. Now I remember why I don't run that often.
'Or maybe that's a reason TO run more often.' I thought to myself.
I shrugged and shuffled into the ship, leg muscles exhausted. There was either going to be someone close by that I could call, or I would have to keep jogging to the rooms and get them. I decided to try to keep jogging. If those two creeps wanted something from the ship, Fox would want to know what.
Fox McCloud was awoken from the calm and peaceful embrace of sleep rudely by the clanging sound of a fist on the door.
"Damn it," he cursed lightly to himself.
He pushed the covers off himself and sat up, putting his feet on the floor. He sat there a moment, staring at the floor sleepily.
Ever since the end of the Aparoid Invasion, he had been having trouble motivating himself to get up every morning, and it was only getting worse. Simply put, his life was dull, with no reason to live it. He woke up every morning and did the same thing. He ate, worked out, and trained. There was the occasional mission that he and the team would undertake, but these were always only one or two day things to break the [month] long waits.
The only reason he and Falco had started drinking was because there was nothing better to do.
There was another loud bang from the door, startling Fox. He had completely forgotten there was someone there.
"Coming," he called, forcing himself to get up and walk to the door.
He opened the door and found Kevin panting outside his door.
"What is it," Fox sighed heavily.
"Two... Two people. Trying to get... To get into the ship." Kevin panted heavily.
Fox's ears immediately perked up. Two people getting into the ship, breaking in, and were important enough that Kevin had deemed it necessary to Come report it? Interesting.
"What did they look like?" Fox asked, instantly awake.
"One was a lizard thing... And the other was a black... A black panther." Kevin said, a bit more quickly now that he was catching his breath.
"Damn it," Fox muttered, "Panther and Leon,"
"Who?" Kevin asked.
"They're members of Star Wolf, our rival team. They're probably here to sabotage the ship, or take something important." Fox said darkly.
"Alright then, let's go stop them," Kevin sighed wearily, preparing himself mentally for another run.
Fox and I arrived at the hanger very quickly. Fox was panting, but not as hard as I was.
I was bent over panting like a dog, my hands on my knees to hold me up. Fox was looking out around the corner, trying to spot the two intruders. We stood there like that a moment, the only sound was my breathing.
After I more-or-less caught my breath, Fox spotted them.
"There," he said, sweeping his hand out behind him to push me up against the wall.
I peeked over his shoulder, scanning the room. THERE. I spotted the two black clad figures slinking across the room to the ships. We I started moving forward, in attempt to stop them, but Fox held out his arm, stopping me.
"Let's just see what they do," he whispered quietly.
I leaned back against the wall, my head still turned to look at the intruders. They seemed to be messing with the inner workings of the ships, as if... Well, of course to sabotage.
We watched them pull out one or two parts from each ship, and for one in particular, replace a few parts.
"Damn," Fox muttered, "They're screwing with my ship. This must mean that Wolf is planning a race or battle or something."
"Who is Wolf?" I asked quietly.
"He's the leader of their team, Star Wolf. He's always trying to prove he's better than me at flying, even though I beat him every time." Fox whispered to me.
Alright, so they were henchmen. I was right. Kudos to me.
We watched and waited as the two black clad sneak-wannabes slunk out of the room, Leon giggling to himself quietly as Panther shushed him.
We waited a good five minutes after they left before we started talking.
"Alright, so they work for Wolf, who has some kind of inferiority complex, and wants to prove himself better than you, which he's not, so he's going to challenge you with a ship battle with ships that he's altered, and he thinks this is going to make him better than you?" I babbled tiredly, wanting to know if I was right.
"Hmm... Yup, that sounds about right," Fox said, turning back and walking back down the hallway.
"Wait. Where are you going? Aren't we going to fix the ships?" I asked, confused.
"Well, yeah," he said over his shoulder, "But I've got no idea how to do it. We gotta get Slippy."
Oh.
We arrived back at the hanger after retrieving Slippy from his room. He seemed kind of mellow about the whole thing, but when he got to the ships, he talked non-stop throughout the inspection. I don't even know what he was talking about most of the time, just tried to block out his high annoying voice. In the end, he finally deemed we needed a few more parts, of course, and he took out the extra part from, what I had learned, was Fox's ship. He wanted to inspect it to find out it was and what it did.
The whole process only took half an hour (by my reckoning. It's not like there was a clock). I was impressed, cuz even auto shops on earth, with their simple machines compared to this, couldn't ever find a problem, replace the parts, and inspect a faulty part in less than a day.
I watched Slippy test out to see if the ship would start right, sending Fox in and telling him to start it. The engine purred to life in a flash, then stayed on with a blue glow. I was curious, so I reached out to touch the engine (I assumed) which held the blue glow inside a clear window.
The window of course was smooth, since it was, or was like, glass, but it wasn't hot, or even warm. In fact, it didn't even seem to have a hot or coldness, just a kind of pinch when I touched it. Slippy saw my interest and smiled at me.
"Thats the engine," he said to me, "It's run off a plasma substance that gathers and stores energy from surrounding heat and life sources."
'Thats pretty cool,' I thought.
Slippy went over and got into a long discussion with Fox about how the ships got broken, what they took, and what it would have done to the ships performance and functions. During this time, I had no interest invested whatsoever, so my mind was wandering the deepest recesses of space, time, and matter.
Mostly matter though.
That engine concept interested me. The plasma gathering and storing energy for later use could be used for a hell of a lot of things. I was already coming up with gun designs and probably other impossible things to use it for, so I was busy. There was one idea that I could tell was ingenious, but was just out of my mental grasp. It was like that word you know, and have used, and it's on the tip of your tongue, but you just can't think of what it is.
I was interrupted from my deep pondering by a hand on my shoulder as Slippy tried to get my attention.
"Hey," he said to me as my eyes focused, "Were going for breakfast. Wanna come along?"
My stomach rumbled as it realized it had been cheated of food all morning so far.
"Sure," I said, looking around and realizing that Fox had already started to the kitchen. Slippy and I jogged to catch up.
We were in the control room after eating, on the call of General Peppy. He was a large rabbit, large meaning kinda chubby, and he had on a legit pair of glasses. Maybe humans weren't that far behind in visual technologies.
"Alright," he said to the group, his eyes lingering on me a moment through the monitor.
"There have been reports of attacks on civilized planets in the Gulake quadrant, on the Luther fringes of the known galaxy. They appear to be synchronized and intelligent attacks, and seem to be advancing from the depths of unknown space."
"I want you and your team to investigate these attacks," he said, looking at Fox, "I am sending the coordinates of the planets now."
There was a high pitched beep and Falco we to over and pressed something, causing a file, or whatever they call it, to pop up on the screen.
"We have it," Falco said affirmatively.
"Good," Peppy said, "Report to me your findings. Good luck, Star Fox."
"Thank you, Commander," Fox said, saluting.
The screen went blank, and the team, except me and Krystal, went to work. Fox went to some kind of control unit, Falco and Slippy both went to computers. The ship hummed momentarily, then went quiet.
"That was it turing on, right?" I asked nervously. I hadn't thought about if Panther and Leon had gotten to this ships engine.
"Yup," Falco confirmed.
I felt slight relief. No engine trouble. Good.
I waited a moment, only hearing the soft click of buttons being pushed and joy sticks being maneuvered. The silence started getting awkward, so I glanced over at Krystal, trying to get her attention without noise. She didn't notice me. She was staring at something, so I followed her gaze.
I saw Fox.
It suddenly clicked in my head. She liked him. And now that I think about it, he likes her.
The way he would get a dreamy expression when I would talk about the team on earth, but never mentioned Krystal. He didn't want anybody to know he liked her. Seeing as they aren't dating or a couple, he probably doesn't know she likes him.
That's interesting.
But not useful to me in any way.
I shrugged and walked out of the room, heading down the hallways to my room. I entered, and saw something beautiful. There was something shining in my eye! I basically jumped to the shiny object, not even caring to put my feet on the ground. I fell streight to my knees and grabbed the object.
It was my crystal! I had finally found it! I picked it up and kissed it.
I was back in business!
I put it around my neck and tucked it under my shirt, feeling happier than I had since being on this planet. I more or less floated over to my pack and finally bothered unpacking.
I pulled out a couple'a pairs of clothes and carried them over to one of the scattered boxes. I flipped it over and put my clothes on it, and started making furniture of the surrounding boxes. I grabbed one and flipped it over and covered the puke-spot near the wall, planning on using it as a table-night stand thing. I grabbed three more boxes and stacked them on the other side of the room beside each other, planning on using them as a place to out my clothes.
I grabbed my clothes and sorted them on the boxes. One pile shirts, the other pants, then socks and underwear. I had also grabbed my full-body Under Armor, and some knives, so I set those aside.
I grabbed a couple of necessary items for the mission, like my knives, and put on a new set of clothes, including my under armor underneath. I tucked a couple of knives in various places, like my sock, pocket, and the back waistline of my pants. It was kinda dumb, but whatever. Better some knives to fight with than nothing.
I left my room and went back to the control room. Slippy was tinkering with something, and Fox and Falco were playing some kind of game. Krystal was nowhere to be seen.
I went over to Fox and Falco and watched what they were doing. It looked like a game kind of like rock-paper-scissors. They did the three taps before showing, then made hand gestures to see who won. It looked like they had gun, wall, and rock. Whatever.
"So... How do you play?" I asked.
"Ok, so you have a mirror, a laser, and a rock. The mirror beats laser, the laser beats rock, and the rock beats mirror." Fox said.
Makes sense.
"Could I play?" I asked.
"Sure. Why not?" said Falco.
"Cool," I muttered.
We played a few rounds when Fox got up.
"We should be arriving soon," he said as he stood.
Falco got up too, and walked towards his monitor.
I just stayed sitting on the floor, watching patiently. I realized that there was a slight pinching on my chest, and it itched like crazy. I scratched, but that only worked for a little while before it came back. I looked down my shirt, but there was no rash or redness. I gave up scratching, thinking maybe I was developing some kind of allergy to something in space, or something.
"We are now leaving Faarlite," Falco said to Fox.
I watched Fox and Falco pushing buttons and flipping switches and stuff, but it wasn't all that interesting. I was starting to scratch at a spot on my jeans when I felt the ship shudder slightly.
"Umm... We seem to be taking fire," Slippy said, looking at his screen, "The rear shield is at 98 percent."
Well crap on a cracker.
The monitor started to freak out, then the face of a wolf appeared. He had grey and white fur, and as far as I could tell, looked kinda punkey. He smirked at us contemptuously.
"So you're here to investigate these attacks too? Well I'm sorry Fox, but I just can't let you do that." he growled at us.
"Oh please, Wolf," Falco said dismissively, "We could beat you in a ship fight anywhere, any day."
"Oh really now? Well then, if you aren't too scared to come out and play, then let's settle this once and for all, Fox." he said smirking at us again.
Fox sighed and turned off the monitor.
"Damnit," he said, "Well. It looks like we're going to be taking the Arwings to the surface."
Cool! I'm gunna fly!
Fox led us to the hanger, where Krystal was, messing with something in the back of one of the ships.
"Alright, everyone, grab an Arwing and let's go." he hopped up onto one of the ships and sat inside it, pulling the windshield down.
Falco Slippy and Krystal all did the same, leaving one Arwing left. I walked over and clambered in, pulling the windshield closed. It hissed as the ship sealed itself, and I looked at the control panel. Or joy sticks and six buttons. It looked really easy to work.
I heard the other ships hum to life beside me, and looked for the power button. I pressed the big red one on my right. The ship flickered to life. The screen that was in the dashboard thing turned on and showed Fox, Falco, Slippy and Krystal, all in different corners.
They were all wearing little headsets and talking to each other, obviously some kind of launching procedure. Fox went through the team, asking them if they could hear, and other simple things. When he got to me, he asked if I could hear, and waited for my response.
"Yup," I said affirmingly.
"You're going to need to put in your headset if you want to talk to us," Fox said, sighing.
I looked at the dashboard and saw the headset, and put it on.
"Yup, I can hear," I said.
"Good, then let's get going,"
Fox had told me how to operate the Arwing over the monitor, and I'll have to admit, aliens are smart. Their controls are really freaking easy to use.
We had left the Great Fox, and we were currently scanning the skies for the Star Wolf team. There was not a trace.
"Huh," Falco puffed, "That's not much like Wolf. To drop a challenge and just leave it."
"Yeah," Fox muttered, "That's what worries me. That he didn't leave."
"So, lemme get this straight," I said, "He normally follows up on his challenges, and he doesn't appear to be here, so... Ambush?"
I saw a laser flash past my Arwing's windshield. Yup. Ambush.
"Alright! Everyone, scatter!" Fox called, "We'll all split up and outmaneuver them till we've got the advantage!"
Everyone immediately split up. I curled up and right, doing a flip, then realized there was nobody on my tail. That meant... Yup, only four members on the Star Wolf team.
I sat back and watched as the team spun and twirled around everything the Star Wolf team threw at them. It all seemed so random though... They all seemed to be doing their own thing. I watched tensely. At any moment, one of the team could be shot down.
Pfft! Who am I kidding? The Star Fox team getting shot down? Right.
I relaxed and enjoyed the show. I still didn't see any correlation in their actions though. Well, not until the Star Wolf team ended up in a circle, back to back with one of our guns pointed at them.
That was freaking awesome.
"Alright, Fox..." I heard Wolf's voice crackle over the system, "You win... This time."
The Star Wolf team simultaneously flew off towards the planet below us.
"Alright guys, good job," Fox said, "Now let's get down there and figure this out.
We flew off towards the planet.
This planet was nothing like the one I had first seen. The one we had gone on to restock was green and had lush forests and full of other people and animals. This one was very different. And I'm guessing it wasn't natural.
The land was a barren, charred wasteland. There were a few odd lumps on the ground, but it was mostly just charred dirt and ash. It was as if the whole planet had been burned.
We flew overhead for a few minutes, just scanning the surface for any life. There was nothing to find. It seemed that everything had been killed.
"Well this is a downer," I said after the eternity of awed silence.
Only Fox responded.
"Well, the only thing that's clear is that these invaders are very powerful, and are not afraid to slaughter hundreds of innocents to get what they want. The only problem is finding them."
Falco nodded solemnly in agreement, whilst the rest of us just gazed over the charred horizon. A few more Arwings flew in line beside us. A few more spots appeared in our screens.
"What kind of monsters would do this?" Wolf asked, his voice shaking slightly, wether in anger, fear, or sadness, I couldn't tell.
The two rival teams sat in silence, gazing over the horrendous scene before them.
Finally, Fox broke the silence.
"We need to search for survivors. There might still be somebody alive," his voice was cold and hard, "Everyone split up, that'll ensure we get everywhere."
"Alright," Wolf said wearily, "Panther, you go sunward. Leon, you go thirty degrees left of that. I'll take thirty right,"
"Yes, sir," they said, flying off.
Fox split us up into different directions, his voice stone cold and hard as iron. We split off our focal point, flying slowly over the land below, looking desperately for any signs of life. I didn't have high hopes of finding anyone. It just wasn't going to happen.
The silence only deepened the despair, making me sag in my seat. I scanned in silence, turning off the chat monster as the signals got worse and worse. There just wasn't any hope.
Suddenly, about eleven o'clock of me, there was movement. I did a double take, then quickly switched on my radio.
"Hey, guys! I found something!" I yelled excitedly to the screen.
for a moment they just looked at me funny, then I realized I had forgotten to put in the ear piece. I grinned at my own stupidity, then grabbed the headset.
"I've got some movement. You all might want to see it," I said more professionally.
"Great. Send us your coordinates," Fox said, his hard mask falling away.
"Uhmm," I waited for instruction.
"Oh," Fox said, hitting his forehead with the palm of his hand, "Ok, you..."
He lead me through the complex method of sending the coordinates. As soon as I had hit send, I set off, turning off my radio from the exited chatter.
I flew closer to the figure, thinking that maybe I could help them in some way. They might be in shock! I reviewed how to treat for shock in my head. Were you supposed to raise the arms or legs? 'Ah, whatever.' I thought, 'It's probably different for aliens anyways.'
I landed a good hundred feet away from the lone figure, standing still facing away from me, and made my way toward them.
"Hey," I called out, picking up my pace to a jog, "Are you OK?"
As I approached, I slowed down. There must be something wrong. I started to close the twenty foot gap between us when shit hit the fan.
I was taking cautious steps, not wanting to startle the person, when the ground gave out below me. At the first split second, I thought it might just be a one or two foot hole beneath an ash layering. As the rest of my body fell through the layer, seeing what was in the pit below, I realized what was happening.
We weren't alone on this planet.
The team reached the coordinates quickly. We had been talking excitedly the whole way. Maybe the survivor could tell us up what had happened! We might even be able to get an advantage on this new enemy.
The first sign of what was wrong was the empty Arwing near the pit. Our happiness slowly paled as we got out of our Arwings and looked around. There was nobody to be seen. We widened our search from the Arwing, nearing the pit.
As I reached the pit, I looked down, and felt the blood rush out of my face.
There were tracks, and the takeoff marks of ships, but that's not what alarmed me. The thing that alarmed me was the small pool of fresh blood at the bottom.
It wasn't enough to have killed someone from blood loss, but it was enough to show something had happened.
Suddenly the nagging sensation in my stomach became a coil of fear. No Kevin, pit with blood, no bodies.
Kevin had been kidnapped.
**Thank you all for waiting! I feel like I've been battling writers block throughout this chapter, so if it seems to have sucky transitions, or is kind of dull at spots, I'm sorry. It's mildly stressful to keep up with this. Also, I have the end of the year coming up, so the IPad I've been writing this on is being taken away (seeing as it's school owned). This means I might not be writing for a while. I'm actually starting to get into the good part of the story too. Darn. Anyways, thank you for reading, and if you can spare the time, please review! even if I'm probably not going to see it for a while.**
**Thanks,**
**DisturbedFire out.**
13. Revival of Intrest (kind of)
I lay still, trying not to twitch and give away my ploy. This would be my only chance.
I lay completely still, forcing a calm over myself. I stared at the backs of my eyelids intently, trying not to fall asleep. I slowly felt myself getting drowsy, and as my determination faltered, I started to watch the show my mind was playing me on the backs of my eyelids. The pictures were dark and undecipherable, almost not even there. I watched these flitting pictures with interest, allowing them to strengthen on my eyes.
I twitched back into wakefulness as the noises started to accompany the show. I didn't open my eyes, but I almost did, trying to force myself not to wake up. It was successful for a couple seconds, then I started to drift back into sleep. This time I tried to ignore the pictures and just see the dark shining red of the light through my eyelids.
I started to count as well. Just a simple series of numbers to keep yourself busy in your extreme boredom.
1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96, 192, 384, 768, 1536... Just double the numbers.
I got really far into that before I gave up. Maybe they weren't coming tonight? Or today. Or whatever it is right now. It's not like I've got a clock in here or anything, cuz if I did, life would seem so much more real, ya know? It's like, when you do stuff and have no idea how much time has passed, or lost track, then time either seems to speed by, or go nowhere. Like in school, when I forget to study for some test, the periods before it seem to speed by like nothing else as I try to study, while on a regular day you can look at the clock twice an eternity and only have a minute and a half pass by. I mean, what's up with that?
I realized I was watching my minds slide show again, but this time I didn't fight it. If they weren't coming, why keep myself up?
I seemed to slowly seep into the fluffy dark land of oblivion, listening to the mentally produced noises around my little world. I felt a stinging itch hit me uncomfortably for a moment, then found myself back at home, looking at the faces of people I knew in my kitchen. My small group of school friends, my mom, the landlord, even my teachers. They were all standing- well I think so, I'm actually not even sure that in the dream they were anything other than heads, but I assume they were standing- around the table solemnly, staring, pale faced and emotionless.
It creeped me out really. Or at least, it did creep me out.
Until all hell broke loose.
Suddenly the door splintered into oblivion, and two tall, skinny, four armed bug-like silhouettes drifted into the room. The figures from my other silvery dreams. Everyone in the room screamed. A piercing chord of fright from unopened mouths and expressionless faces. They flowed through the doorway, with me following almost like a cameraman, not able to interact with any of the actors. As we passed into what should have been the small living room, I suddenly found myself on a crowded street in downtown New York, watching the screens in times square as they blew out and a ship suddenly rounded the building, shooting into the crowd, killing randomly. People falling down, mutilated limbs bleeding rivers of hot sticky blood into the sewers, and coating the vision of my dream. I suddenly found the spilt blood sizzling and boiling, like acid. People were being hit by balls of heated plasma, ripping through flesh with pure energy, and hitting the next people in the crowd, burning pits into their flesh, fusing muscle and bone. The screaming. It seemed to consume everything. But not from fear. From pain. Suddenly it was a field. A field of burned and bloody bodies, swarming with flies and accented with moans of the dying. I drifted over the field, stopping over the line of my acquaintances, their unseeing eyes staring accusingly at me. I felt dread. Guilt. Fear.
Thats when I saw the bug-creatures. They were walking through the field of bodies as if through one of flowers. They would pick up a mutilated body, each worse than the last, laughing. I cringed from the disgusting scene, nauseated. Suddenly, the point of view changed, leaving me standing in the field. The creatures saw me, tossing the stiff dead body to the side and growling menacingly at me. I turned and tried to run, but my feet wouldn't move. I looked at the creatures, bounding on all six limbs after me, their long arms rippling and propelling them as well as their legs. I looked down as if in molasses, and saw them. The stiff, swollen, crackling joints on the hands of the mutilated, seeping skeletal hands of my friends, mom, and teachers gripping at me, keeping me in place. I yanked and pulled, but no matter what I did, the dead wouldn't let me go. Nothing I could do would allow me to get rid of their dead gazes, locked on me with an expressionless and accusing gaze. I turned through the thickness of the air and saw the creatures flinging themselves off piles of dead bodies, wiry muscles flexing and rippling as they pounced. There was nothing to do now but scream. And I tried. But nothing. Not a sound escaped my lips but another moan of the dead.
* * *
><p>I jerked awake, soaked with sweat and panting hard. I was twitching and shaking insecurely. I jumped up and off the grey table, pacing around the room in circles. I completely ignored the bowl of slop at the end of the table. I was shaking with fear. How was I supposed to beat these things? They were invincible! They just took out all of New York and walked through fields of carnage like they were on a holiday! They murdered me and...<p>
Wait a minute.
I was still alive. It was just a dream. None of that happened. I knew this.
But it didn't make it seem any less real.
I had more or less stopped shaking, and was slowly coming out of the hazy nightmare. I scratched my shoulder absentmindedly, and stopped walking as I looked sharply at my lower arm. I found a welt the size of a grape on it. It looked like either some massive zit, or a shot that had a freaking huge needle.
Judging my current situation, it was probably the shot.
I faintly remembered the sharp itching numbness, and the want to scratch it before I had gone completely out.
I perked up as I realized what that meant.
That meant I was awake when they gave it to me. Which means I can be awake when they come to get me.
* * *
><p>I arrived at the coordinates shortly after receiving them. I was curious to see what Slippy had to show us, but I didn't want to get my hopes up in case It didn't lead us to Kevin.<p>
I hopped out of my Arwing and walked to the already assembled rest of the team.
"Oh, come ON Slippy! Just show us the damned thing already!" Falco was fuming, his eyes almost seeming to pop out of his skull.
"Oh, there you are Fox!" Slippy happily exclaimed, ignoring Falco.
"Yup," I said wearily, "Now, what is it that you wanted to show us?" I asked.
Slippy suddenly turned solemn and nodded sharply, "Follow me."
We walked a few paces and stopped by a small metal device lying in the scorched dirt. It was circular and only a few inches across, four prongs sticking out of the top. We stood there a moment, not understanding what it was.
"So," Falco, of course, "What the hell is it?"
"Well," said Slippy slowly, "From what I can tell, it appears to be a holographic communal sender-receiver node."
Judging by the blank faces, nobody but Slippy understood what he said at all.
"So could you tell us what it is in simple terms?" I asked politely.
Slippy sighed heavily, "Come on guys! It's a communication device!"
There was a collective 'Oh' from us, and then another one when we realized what that meant. If they were sending messages to this device, we could use its receiver to trace where the sender's coordinates were. Thats where they would be holding Kevin.
* * *
><p>I let my eyelids droop and close, humming some motivational songs to myself as I tried to keep myself awake enough not to fall asleep, but to seem like I was asleep. I had thought about it earlier and came to the conclusion that, if these aliens were experimenting on me, they must be studying me, and so they have to be monitoring my internal functions somehow. That meant that they could probably read my brain waves.<p>
When I came to that conclusion after a long mental adventure, I wondered why they had taken me before I was actually asleep. In a few minutes, it clicked.
Brain waves.
You send out waves as your brain activity increases, and so as you go to sleep, your waves reach a certain level. As I had reached the state of near sleep, my brain activity was reduced enough that it fooled the machines that monitored me. That meant if I did the same thing again, I could make myself wake up before they stick me with the sedative.
And so here I was, laying on the table, trying not to actually feel asleep.
I felt the drowsiness of the day's non-activities start to get to me, making my eyes roll up in my skull slightly and my muscles to relax. I let my mind go and watched the projection on my eyelids passively, waiting as it got stronger and stronger. There was a low hiss from on above me, but I ignored it and kept up my sleeping charade.
I felt myself being lifted and cradled like a baby and the air softly passing my face. I peeked through my eyelids drowsily, and found myself traveling up through a hole in the ceiling. The cradling sensation slowly lulled me into a drowsy sleep state. I tried pushing myself out of being asleep, but it was like trying to talk through molasses. I just couldn't force myself to do anything.
My couscous mind started to panic, but it was so far gone that I only FELT an oozing, echo of it. I felt my mind push harder to wake me, but it wasn't doing anything, and then I felt a sharp stinging sensation in my left arm, forcing my body to connect with my mind.
I felt a sudden rush of panic and fear, forcing my adrenaline to flood my veins, but I also felt a kind of fluffy darkness in my veins. Something I could fall into and just let it all go. I considered it for a second, and as I felt the fluff start to cloud my mind, I grabbed the side of my cheek between my teeth and bit down hard, forcing the dark to recede as well as a little flow of blood to seep onto my tongue.
I opened my eyes slightly, peeking through my eyelashes, and almost freaked out. There was a whitish grey alien face above me. I forced my muscles to not do anything as I stared back at the creature, pretending not to be seeing anything. It was a mostly featureless face, smooth and kind of a rounded cone shape, kinda like an anteater, but it had no mouth and it's eyes were paneled like a fly's, but were the same off-white and almost flush with the rest of the creatures face.
I felt a shiver come on, but forced it back, knowing that any reaction whatsoever could give me away. I felt my fear and disgust force the sedative back, and allowed myself to close my eyes. I felt four solid limbs supporting me, so that meant that the creature had at least four arms, and judging by the steady swing back and fourth, two legs.
I stiffened a little as I was lain on a cool surface, another creature standing over me. I forced myself to relax and studied my captors. they were much different than any of the other aliens I had seen. They were in no way even close to being humanoid, with four arms, and another pair of tentacle-like appendages. Their bodies went from hips to a kind of solid gut, then went off as shoulders and arms, but above that, there was another little 'gut' before the next set of shoulders and arms. The tentacles (although they were more like really freaking skinny arms with a hell-of-a-lot of joints that ended in a kind of three-fingered hand) seemed to be coming from their backs, and twitched a lot, kind of like tails. They were both completely that ashy white-grey color, and seemed almost to shine dully.
I watched in amazement at the two creatures who seemed to be bickering above me. They were quite the specimens. One was obviously agitated, and it showed in the frequency it's tentacle things swished and twitched. The other one seemed to be trying to convince it of something, and was waving its limbs in what seemed to be motions as it spoke. Their language was fast, precise, and had a lot of clicks, snaps, and tone changes in it, and they were sounding up a storm.
I caught myself jerking awake, and knew I wouldn't last much longer. I glanced around the room frantically, trying to find an escape route. I hadn't really thought this far into my plan, I guess. I did, however see a panel that seemed to either be a clear substance like glass, or some kind of bubble or force field, and behind it was a group of the creatures, watching the two who were beside me noising it up.
Finally the aggressive one started to raise the volume of its sounds, (obviously yelling, but that would sound awkward for this kind of noise) and the other one raised its hands in surrender. I almost laughed, because it did the exact same thing I do as an 'alright, I surrender' motion, only with all of its upper limbs.
The aggressive one turned around and walked out of my field of vision. I was left looking at the other one, who made a quiet, sudden purring sound, and looked at me, seeming to meet my gaze. I almost stiffened, but caught myself and made myself keep looking at it. I had read somewhere that 80-90 percent of the time you think you are spotted, but the spotter doesn't look certain, they aren't, and if you stay still, they wont see you, so I was hoping like hell that it was true.
The creature didn't seem to notice my slightly open eyes, and as I looked into those nearly indiscernible eyes, I could almost swear it looked almost sad. It's tentacles were drooping slightly, and it made the purring noise again. I saw it straighten slightly and look up, above my head. I couldn't look cuz I would have to move, so I just hoped nothing bad was happening. I heard the noises of the creatures start up again, and felt a needle pierce my arm. It suddenly burned like liquid fire, and then seemed to freeze over, taking my consciousness with it.
* * *
><p>I woke up with an aching throb everywhere, and just generally feeling like shit, and as I tried to sit up to restart my daily routine, I found that I was strapped down. It was kind of unnerving after all this time. Why now? What did they want that they couldn't already have gotten?<p>
I suddenly had visions of them taking out my organs before my eyes, and possibly eating them. I thrashed against my bonds in terror, then stopped as I felt a tearing and piercing pain in basically every bone. I looked down at my body, and saw a needle in every large limb of my body. They were all attached to tubes of blue liquid things, and I realized that the throbbing was caused by the liquid slowly emptying into me.
I'll be the first to admit I started to cry a little. Not in fear though, in frustration. Now there was no way I'd get out, and this liquid may just be a kind of torture method, devised to make my veins and organs tear themselves apart due to too many fluids. I resolved that no matter how painful this may get, I wouldn't pass out, and I wouldn't beg.
I was like that for the better part of the day, and was really getting bored. I was still trying to convince myself that if I dozed off, it wouldn't be considered passing out since it wasn't from pain. I figured that sleeping was different and closed my eyes. I slowly drifted off, the fullness of my veins physically noticeable now.
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><p>I woke up feeling balloted and sensitive. The stuff from the tubes was gone, all in me now, and I was ready for a creature to walk in and start some kind of interrogation.<p>
I was ready for a long time, then got hungry.
I realized I was hungry when my stomach basically transformed into a hawk and screeched at me. I struggled against my bonds again, not thrashing wildly because of the needles, but straining with all my might, trying to see if maybe one would give way. Nothing did.
After a few minutes, I relaxed and lay, still staring at the ceiling. I felt the burn in all of my muscles, and knew that if I ever got out of this, I would really need to work out again, cuz I was getting tired way too easily. I closed my eyes and lay there until I fell asleep again.
* * *
><p>This time I woke up feeling refreshed and energized. I was still hungry as hell, but I felt like I had slept for a month, which for all I know, I could have. I sighed as I felt the bonds still on my body, and my good mood dropped immediately. I decided another attempt at breaking free would be worth it, and started pulling halfheartedly, knowing they wouldn't budge. Of course they didn't, but I heard a creaking, as if something was straining heavily.<p>
I looked at the source of the noise, the bond on my left hand. I pulled again, curiously, and heard the creak. I yanked my hand up, and the rope-thingy just snapped. I looked at my hand in disbelief, and turned to my right hand, yanking it up too. This rope snapped just as easily. I pulled both my legs up as the same time, trying to break both at the same time, but instead of snapping my foot ropes, the one across my middle snapped and I ended up sitting up.
I reached down, grinning wildly at this new strength and reached down to tear the foot ropes off. They were just as easy as the other ones, and I grinned as they snapped under the pressure. I felt an indescribable bubbling sensation in my chest, and tore the needles out of me, throwing them at the wall across from me. They shattered loudly, leaving small scratches where they hit.
I spun myself on the table, hanging my feet over the edge and feeling the floor. I set my weight on my feet and stood up slowly, feeling the weight of my body on the bottoms of my feet. I felt bulgy, like something extra was filling me up, which is probably true, but I also felt light, like I could just jump up punch through walls, or do a quadruple backflip. Wanting to test this, I of course opted for a chance at escape as well.
I jumped up onto the table, just a streight up sanding-jump, and reached out of the ceiling, feeling every motion my body made like a butterfly's wing beat. Just smooth, fluid, and almost seeming delicate. I felt the ceiling for the hatch which I knew was there by now, and felt it, a smooth seam in the center of the lighted panel, and of course I was looking away, cuz it was bright.
I tugged and felt the panel give slightly, so I tugged harder, making it crack open a little, but that was it. I tugged and pulled for a long time, reveling at the feeling of my muscles tightening against my skin, almost making my skin feel too small. Soon enough though, I started getting really frustrated that I couldn't open it, or even look at it. I started jerking at it angrily, only making it worse when one hand slipped and the crack slammed shut on the other fingers.
I felt a fit of boiling rage boil up from somewhere in the back of my belly and yelled, slamming my clenched fist against the panel. Two things happen in that moment. The first was that the panel darkened, and the second was that I felt something give under my punch. I looked up, surprised, and saw that there was a set of knuckle shaped dents in the panel, which was now only half as bright as it was, making it possible to look at.
I felt giddy as reached up to try to tug the panel open again, but paused when I saw my hand. The knuckles were all split wide open, oozing blood, and two of my fingers were at funny angles. So thats what gave. I opened my hand, curious at the lack of pain, and saw my fingers slowly twitch upright, then with a loud CRUNCH, pop back into place, sending only a dull wave of pain to me.
I clenched and unclenched my hand for a little while, looking to make sure it was working right, and then realized that if I didn't cover it, it might just keep bleeding. I looked around for something to wrap it with, but I was still in an empty room. I panicked for a second, then realized, hey, I've got a shirt. I can use that. So I took off my shirt and ripped off a section to wrap around my knuckles.
After tying them up, I got back up and tugged at the panel, feeling it give a little bit more, and a little bit more. I felt a little stream of blood trickle down onto my wrist, but ignored it as I gave one last heave, causing the panel to give way. I let a feeling of triumph wash over me for a second, then forced it back as I put it in my minds eye that now I had to escape for good.
I hopped a little, and grabbed the ground of the floor above me, and heaved myself up. I looked around the empty room above me, just as big as my cell, but full of monitors displaying things, and strange letters, I glanced over them for a moment, then looked around for the door.
I found it, and started heading out, but just before leaving, something caught my eye. I looked at the monitor by the door. It had little graphs, and it was blinking red. All the stats were at zero. And the flashing red letters probably meant an alarm.
Shit.
I heard a commotion out in the hallway and felt a cold pit of fear sink into my stomach. I jumped out into the hallway, and sure enough, there were two of the creatures to my left. They both stopped when they saw me and we all... Well, I glared at them. I'm not sure what they were doing. They were just tall, pale, skinny, unreadable demons to me.
We all stood there, looking at each other silently, then the creature on the left raised one of the tentacle appendages and pointed it in my direction, screeching loudly. I'm not ashamed to say I turned and hauled ass outa there. I flew down the pale-grey corridors effortlessly. Everything was extremely tall and narrow, and the same color. The only reason I was able to tell where one wall ended and the next began was because of a dark-grey grid pattern covering every surface, only broken by the occasional monitor set into the wall.
The click clacking of the creatures noise-language behind me ceased, and all I could hear now was the air rushing past my ears and the sound of my breathing. I glanced over my shoulder, not hearing anything I wouldn't hear alone.
And there was an alien face right behind me.
I was wrong with my earlier assumption that they didn't have mouths. They had something much worse.
When I turned around, the alien's face, which I will say, still looked kind of like an ant-eater's, split open at the snout-part, and a whole octopus worth of tentacles came out, waving wildly in my direction. They were about the length of my middle finger, but were thin as a pencil and were barbed on the inside, leading to a dark hole in the center, filled with little rings of spikies that shifted back and forth, creating a grinding sensation, like a garbage disposal.
I will be the first to say that that face, along with four limbs and two tentacles stretched out towards me, made me scream. [No, of course not a girlie scream. What kind of intergalactic prisoner would he be if he screamed like a girl?] I pumped my legs as hard as I physically could, and took off, flying through the corridors, and hopefully leaving the creatures behind. After a minute of running, I looked back, and neither of them were in sight.
I slowed down, and allowed my shaking legs to rest a little bit, walking it off. I looked around and tried to find some way out. All I could see was that maddening pattern of grid. I looked down at my hand, and noted that the blood was drying on the shirt as a red with bluish specks in it. Why the hell my liver left it in my body, I have no idea.
I glanced up again and realized I was in another room like the one I had escaped from. Monitors everywhere, and a hexagonal panel in the center of the floor. I stepped on the panel, hoping maybe to open it, but nothing happened. I said 'open' but of course that didn't work, cuz I wasn't even using a language that was close. Then I decided to look at the monitor on the wall with a slider that went from a black hexagon to a white hexagon. I slid it open, and heard a small hiss from the middle of the room. I practically skipped over to the opening and peered down into the hole.
And a flying fuzzy brick hit me square in the face.
Not really a brick, I realized, as it started to punch and scratch me.
Astounding myself with my reflexes, I caught both scratching tools and held them up in the air. I was looking at a scruffy looking cat, black and white, who was glaring at me like he was looking at hell incarnate, his ears turned and flattened against his skull.
"Do you speak this language?" I whispered softly to him.
His head cocked a little and his eyes narrowed even further.
"Yeah," he said, not being quiet about it at all, "Why?"
"SHHH!" I hissed at him. "I just broke out and I'm trying to escape. I saw your... Well this room, and figured that there would be a prisoner here too, so I wanted to see if you wanted to help me escape."
The little cat, cuz I'm gonna judge him to be about nine to eleven, looked at me like I was crazy.
"Of course I want to escape. I'm a fucking prisoner, aren't I?" he stumbled uncomfortably over the f-word, and I grinned at his mild innocence display, dropping his wrists.
"Alright then, just follow me, keep your voice down, keep an eye out for an escape, and watch your language. You're still too young to be using those words." I whispered, smiling a little.
"Not until we find my sister." he whispered, crossing his arms and turning his ears back, his tail, which I had not noticed until now, swishing back and forth agitatedly.
"Kid, I don't know how much about this place you know, but I've been sprinting through this place for nearly five minu... A long time, and I still haven't found an end. I've probably passed a good number of holding cells, and we don't have the time to look through all of them for one person." I whispered quickly.
"No." he whispered back again, not moving.
"Oh, come on!" I whispered, exasperated, "We've got to..."
I heard a clicking start up behind me, and I saw the kids eyes widen. I knew I was in deep crap now. I spun around to face the closed faced creature, who's mouth split open and started motioning as it spoke; "You little lower creature and you young little lower creature," he said pointing at me and the kid with an upper arm, "are in near time going to hurt much as me and other upper superiors feed you to the /'oi~."
[I am going to use a /' for a clicking noise, a ~ for a popping sound]
It kept talking, but I freaked out and punched it in the face, grabbing the kids arm and yanking him after me as I hurdled past the alien and into the hallway again. I heard the alien make a faint velociraptor noise, and I ran dead into a wall of the creatures.
I was grabbed by two of them by the arms arms immobilizing them, and the third grabbed the kid and held him with it's tentacles. I struggled, but the things locked me down by using their other arms to grab me. I was greeted to the sight of the alien I punched being pulled out of the room by two of its comrades. It was being dragged, and it's face was partially caved in where I hit it. Something was oozing out of the caved in area, and I felt a curious feeling of sickening satisfaction as I realized that I may have killed it.
I looked down at my hand, and found that the knuckles were bleeding. Not as bad as the other hand, but they were definitely oozing some blue-flecked red of their own. I struggled fiercely, but having six limbs, the aliens had leverage over me, so not even my newly found brute strength could get me out. I stopped struggling as one of the creatures who was dragging his fallen comrade got right up in my face and stared at me. I glared right back at him... Her... It. I glared back at IT with hate.
We stayed there a moment then it finally spoke, it's snout thing splitting up and clacking back together right in front of me.
"You lower creature person have killed our over-walker leader. You two under-walkers will be feed to great /'oi~." It said, it's face forming the words awkwardly.
I spat in the creatures face and it jerked back slightly, making a squelching noise, then lashed back with one of its tentacle-tongue things, catching me on my jaw. The friction of the action forced my face to the side a little, and I could feel blood starting to well up from the stinging cut where the creature had sliced me with its tentacle-teeth. I bright my face level with the aliens, and glared defiantly at it, not allowing myself to show any weakness to this thing.
It stepped back and looked at the little kid.
"You. I see you in early time. You have blood-friend. She now also feed to great /'oi~."
It looked up and addressed the two creatures holding me, making a flurry of unrecognizable clicks, hisses, tone changes, and pops. The two holding me turned around and started marching me away. I looked back over my shoulder and saw the kid being carried wiggling back into his cell. I knew it wasn't going to get me anywhere to struggle, so I slumped down and allowed the things to carry me.
All I could do now was to wait and find out what this great /'oi~ thing was.
* * *
><p><strong>I'm sorry it's taking me forever to get this thing cranked out, but I lost interest at the beginning of the year, and never really started to get back into it from when I got my device back. Now, I am a little excited to see where this will go again, but first I've gotten more feedback on another story, and so I may halt this one for a while until I finish the other one, or at least only focus at one-at-a-time. Hopefully those of you who are interested will comment, because there is no better way to encourage a writer to write than to tell them how to improve, create suspense, or give ideas if they seem to be in a rut. Right now, I kinda got a glimmer of where it is going, but it may end up completely different when I get there. That first song I had said gave me the story idea? Yeah. I can't even remember what song it was anymore.<strong>
**So anyway, please tell me how bad I'm doing so that I can get better!**
**Thank you,**
**DisturbedFire out.**
* * *
><p><strong>I forgot to ask! Should I throw in a side romance thingy? It probably won't affect where the story goes, but I just thought I'd ask, just in case. Please tell me in comments or in a poll that I'm setting up in my profile.<strong>
14. The Starting-of-Action Plot is Revealed
I woke up to the sound of the lid-hatch opening above my head, creating a dull confusion in my still sluggish brain. For one thing, I was wondering why I was still alive. Weren't the aliens going to feed me to that great /'oi~ thing? Why hadn't they? I finally focused my eyes on the alien who was now standing above me, fiddling with a bunch of equipment that it was carrying in it's arms.
"So," I slurred, "Time of dying, much yet?"
The alien looked at me funny and I remembered that it didn't natively speak my language, so it wouldn't understand that skewered sentance.
"Am I being feed for this 'great thingamabob' yet?" I amended.
It looked at me for a moment, then said something that I never thought I'd hear from one of my captors.
"You must be quiet." it said, "I'm going to help you escape."
I didn't say anything, not quite believing the creature. I hadn't thought they would try and torture me before I was killed, but here it was. They sent one of their kind to give me hope, just before they snatched it away.
"Right." I finally answered sarcastically, "And how are you going to do that? Blow a hole through all the walls in this damn building to give me a clear shot at getting outside to hide out, assuming that we're not in space somewhere right now?"
"No." it stated, focused intently on the things in its hands. "You are going to defeat the Great /'oi~."
"And how am I going to do that?" I asked, "Actually, what is this thing anyways? It's obviously powerful, or respected, or your ruler, or something, cuz you all call it 'great' and you say it will destroy me, so what is it?"
The alien remained silent for a moment, then "It's a giant beast, with six legs, many appendages, and much strength. You will be feed for it to keep it not hungry so it doesn't break out and destroy our people."
"Ok, so two things. One, are we are on a ship, and HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO KILL SOMETHING THAT YOU FEED SO IT DOESN'T DESTROY YOU?!"
"You will have the Fluid." he said simple, not affected by my anger, and ignoring my first question all together.
"And what may that be, pray tell?" I asked, not caring about my first question anymore.
It looked at me funny, and I realized that I used another figure of speech.
"We were a great race in the olden days." the alien said, completely ignoring my question, "We were strong, proud creatures, who were, as we believed, the only complex organisms in the universe. We had monitored the heavens for many many lifetimes, listening for any sign of life out there. We never heard anything, and so we were content to sit on our planet and live out our lives. One day though, our scientists came out with the capability to travel across great distances of space in short periods of time. Our planet, which was slowly dying as our sun weakened, was becoming too limiting for our people, and we needed to find one that we could survive on. Our people sent out an expedition of scientists to examine the planet they found, and it seemed perfect, except one thing. There were others there already. Nobody had even thought about there being other life forms for centuries, but here they were, and they were aggressive. They killed many of our expedition, and when we retreated, the peaceful nature of these scientists was shattered."
"They returned to our planet and told of what happened, and for a long time, we prepared to wipe them out. We returned after that time, having only developed weapons of destruction to wipe them out. We did, but only at a cost of many lives. On this new planet, we flourished, and came to realize from many more deep space expeditions, that there were many, many planets like that one."
"Slowly, our populations grew too much for the planet to sustain, and we left for a new one, but this time we left to conquer. It did not take long, and the planets native species did not stand a chance. We killed almost all of them, and the rest were used as slaves and experimental beings. We lived peacefully for many generations, but our populations again reached the limits of the planets capacity. We needed much more living space. We left to conquer our galaxy, and succeeded. None of the other races stood a chance."
"We lived peacefully for many lifetimes to come. In that time, we discovered, learned, and trained in the art of war. We were once a peaceful people, but now all we seem to want is power, territory, and goods. We have become shameless, slaughtering innocents, razing harmless cities, killing unnecessarily. We have all the space we would ever need, but it's it's not enough. Our leaders want us to conquer and expand for wealth. To become the rulers of the universe. We have created weapons and armor for the ultimate army, but that's not enough either. They want to be the Ultimate Race."
The alien paused for a moment, then made that shuddering purr again.
"And we almost have."
I looked at it for a moment, trying to process all of what I was just told.
"And... So why are you helping me?" I asked, still skeptical.
"Because this destroys all the other races and creatures histories, leaving us ignorant of history." it said after a moment.
"No, really." I said, "Why? If you are the ultimate race, you don't need to care about the other races, let alone their histories."
The alien looked at the ground a moment, then tilted its head back up toward me again.
"Alright. I believe that what is being done goes against the Ultimate Ones. I am afraid that if we create an ultimate species, there will be no reason to look to them, or that our Leaders will declare themselves the more powerful." it said, and then; "That is why I am making you the first, and - if you will help - only, one of the ultimate race."
"Woah, woah, woah. What?" I said, my head snapping up from examining its feet to look it streight in the face.
"I want to make you able to kill the great /'oi~. You need this altering to do this."
"No, but you said that this Ultimate Race shouldn't be created, but that now you want to make me one?"
"Temporarily," said the alien, "We have been testing different aspects of the serum on different subjects from captured planets, and none of them seemed to be permanent. Only one part was able to be created and sustained in a creature."
"What is it." I groaned, not wanting to be altered, especially if it wasn't going to be cool or permanent.
"We created a sustained method of creating a chemical that seems to reduce the amount of effort needed to do physical work."
"Wait... So you are telling me that you created a super-strength serum?"
"Yes, as well as a natural armor, a method to strengthen your skeleton, and a way to increase your immunity to diseases and the strength of your organs. We also created attachable weapons, such as blasters or communicators that we can implant into your body, but those take to long to implant, and sadly, only the strength liquid is permanent, to our knowing."
"...And... What is your knowing?"
"Well, the immunity tests have not been evaluated enough and the natural armor is only as long as the implanted liquid is still in existence. For the strengthening of your skeletal, it can be permanent, but for some subjects it did not bond, so we call it temporary."
"Umm... OK?" I said, seriously worried about how I would turn out after all of these 'alterations' were completed. But then again, I would have no chance of living through this encounter if it didn't try it.
"Good. I will need to sedate you."
"Wait! I need-" and there was a prick in my arm, and the fluffy darkness engulfed me again. I struggled to keep myself awake, but the alien looked at me, tilted its head, then turned for a moment, knelt, stood, turned back to me, and pricked my other arm with another sedative. This time the darkness flooded my veins and slammed my eyes shut.
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><p><strong>Sorry for the short chapter, but I needed to set that up, and I need to ask again, I have another chance to turn Kevin into an Anthro if you want me to, and I also have an idea for a kind of humanoid-alien-like thing I could turn kevin into, and I need to know what you good people want me to do, so if you could tell me in the poll that I'm setting up in my profile, it would be appreciated!<strong>
**Thank you all!**
**DisturbedFire out.**
15. Sorry for the Wait
I felt a pinching in my eyes, surfacing my consciousness. My eyelids glowed red, meaning there was most likely a bright, piercing light outside. Not a good idea to open my eyes. I lay there, allowing my consciousness to seep in as I felt the sensations of my body. They felt good.
I felt beautifully rested, and felt powerful, and even though I just woke up. The only thing that did not feel good was that my hands and feet were tied together, and the slight chafing on my body, one at about shoulder level and the other at mid-thigh. That and that I was slanted at somewhere around a 45 degree angle, my head up. Finally, I grew curious enough to want to know what was going on outside my own little bubble, so I peered through my eyelashes...
...And wanted to go right back to being obliviously asleep.
I was in a brightly light arena - looking right at one of the damn spotlights of course - and was most likely tied to something. I looked around, trying to look as asleep as possible. There were two stone slabs to either side of me - facing at angles so that I could not see what was on them, and it looked like they had ropes around them. I shifted a little on the cold rock beneath myself, and deduced that there were at least two other people in here with me.
The arena was filling with alien thingamabobs, the dull roar of clicks, clacks, clucks, and hisses growing louder. My mind ground away at the information given to me almost instantly. I was in an arena, filled with spectators. I was tied down so that wasn't good, and I was expected to be fighting this 'Great /'oi~', so that's probably where I was, but the two others to my sides didn't make sense... Who were they? I had assumed I would be alone in the feeding...
The kid. That one alien told him he would be feed too. But then who was the other? I feel like it would have to be a freaking huge monster to devour more than one or two creatures at a time, even if one was a little kid.
I shrugged and shook my head, deciding that it wasn't worth dragging this out.
I opened my eyes fully, ready for whatever they wanted to throw at me. I heard a swell in the nose level of the crowd, and started to scan the area for anything that would be useful.
The arena was quite remarkable, actually. From what I could see, it was oval shaped, the walls were a good twenty feet tall, and it was a good hundred to hundred and fifty feet or so to the closest part of the wall, which was made out of something that looked like metal, but despite that modern feature, the arena in general looked quite old. There were two posts to either side of me, and looked to made of ancient wood. They had gouges in them, and both seemed to be coated in layers of dust, most likely from the ground, which was covered in a dark, coppery-crimson colored dirt, a hazy layer of dust-like dirt seeming to hover above the actual ground, which was packed down by countless who-knows-whats before me.
I glared around the arena, but I'm not sure why. It just seemed like the thing to do. The crowd seemed to stare back at me, clicking and clacking to themselves. I looked for anything that would mean a weakness in the security of the wall of the arena, but not only was the wall tall, but there was a band of three suspicious green lines on the inside of the wall - kind of like how the three layered barbed wires stick in from their fences - that looked like lasers.
I heard a low, long, drawn out sound behind me, and did everything I could to shift positions enough to see over the back of the rock. I had no such luck, but as soon as I stopped struggling, an alien stepped out in front of my rock, holding a long, brass-colored, pencil-thin stick in its hand. It strode out from my rock a few paces, then stopped and looked up at the crowd. It clicked the back of the stick like a pen, then started making noises into it.
I heard the noises repeat from the stands, like an echo, while the thing speaking waved its arms around, making motions and jesters, reminding me of a stage announcer. As I thought it, I knew it to be true. The thing in its hand was a microphone, and the noises I heard coming back were it's, repeated through a sound system.
It spoke for a time, then swung back to me, it gestured to me with two of its arms, and the crowd went wild. The creature in front of me went quiet until the noise died down, then started speaking again. But it only made a few noises before gesturing to the wall in front of itself, and as it did so, a short, wide door opened from the seemingly flawless metal walls. Two other prisoners were escorted out onto the field with tight mustard colored sacs on their heads. The crowd went ballistic.
The prisoners were led to the two posts to either side of me, and their hands were tied around the thick posts by the guards escorting them. The guards finished quickly, and retreated quickly followed by the announcer alien. Right before it left the arena though, it turned back, made a few noises, waved it's arm, and jumped into the closing doors. As soon as they banged shut, though, I heard another one open, but it was to my right behind the other rock. I strained to see over the other rock, and eventually shuffled far enough to see the top of a ginormous door opening from that side of the arena.
I shuddered involuntarily and tried to get farther up on the rock. Another violent shudder racked my body, and I finally shifted far enough up to see what was going on. I felt my body shudder again, but now I knew it wasn't just me. The whole arena was shaking.
I was looking right at one of the biggest creatures I had ever seen in my life, and it was slowly making its way over to me. The walls and stands of the arena started to raise higher as the giant made its way out of the doors. The creature was easily twenty feet tall, but it was hunched over, bringing it closer to fifteen feet. It's head was long, and looked like a big watermelon. A big, pac-man watermelon with giant, pointy teeth and a mouth that was leaking thick strings of steaming drool. The head was attached to a thick neck which was about as thick as the head itself, and continued down for a few feet before attaching to the strangest body I had seen on a creature yet.
The body started out thick and bony by the arms, like some kind of rib cage, but under that, it thinned out to just about half the size. The legs were short but thick, and a stumpy tail dragged along the ground behind it. It had an awkward gait - kind of a slow swing of the body to throw the leg out in front - and it moved slowly, shaking the ground with each step. The tail of the beast swiped the dirt, throwing up clouds of dust.
I gaped like a fish for a moment, trying to grasp the situation. I am supposed to fight that?!
Then again, the original aliens that we're trying to FEED me to the the great thingy, not make me fight it. It was the scientist one that wanted me to fight it. The ground shook again, bringing me back to my senses. I struggled like mad to get out of the ropes holding me on the slab, shimmering and flopping around like a fish out of water.
I soon shifted far enough up on the rock to let myself flop backwards off the rock, and so of course I did without hesitation.
And the rope that was still holding my feet to the rock caught and all I did was slam my head against the ground as I fell upside down.
"Great. Perfect. Totally freaking brilliant." I muttered to myself as I shifted around, trying to free my legs. I finally got them out from beneath the rope, and pushed off, grateful to be free of the stupid rope. My body fell to the ground, and, my feet being tied together, hit the ground solidly, but it didn't hurt. I arched my butt up, then pushed myself up onto my feet with my face.
I started working my way out of the ropes holding my hands together, but when they didn't want to budge, loosen or slide off, I got mad, and started to strain my arms in different directions without thinking, trying to break the ropes. I felt my heart quicken and the blood pulsing in my neck as the ropes dug into my skin.
I grunted and pulled, feeling the blood filling my face as I strained. The ropes on my hands suddenly started popping and cracking softly, groaning as the minute fibers slowly relinquished their singularity. They groaned louder and louder until I felt my wrists start to inch apart. Then suddenly with a sigh from the ropes, my wrists were free. I quickly got to work on loosing the bonds from my ankles, ignoring the throbbing and tickling of liquid from my wrists. The old ropes on my feet were easily broken since they were old and I had a better leverage point.
I spread my feet to shoulder length and rolled my neck, put my arms out and slowly raised them to the sky as I stretched my whole body upwards, trying to dispel the stiffness. I jogged to the post closest to the creature - which was only halfway there with it's slow saunter - and found the little kid I broke out earlier hanging from the post by his wrists, unconscious. I grabbed him by the armpits and shook him, trying to wake him up. He just kind of made a snoring noise and his head flopped around.
'Fuck'. I thought, annoyed. I reached up and started working on his bound wrists, muttering angrily to myself. I fumbled for a moment, feeling the ground shudder beneath me with every step the monster took. I finally got the knot undone, and the rope fell from his wrists, letting the feline flop onto the ground unceremoniously.
"Fuck," I mumbled to myself as I realized what happened. The kid, on the other hand, immediately pounced up into a crouch hissing, his ears back and eyes in slits. He scanned the area hysterically, not seeming to see anything until his pupils seemed to contract and focus on me. He suddenly seemed to shift from an angry and slightly threatening animal to small and frightened little kid in the span of a second. He shuffled over to me and huddled close to me as he took in his surroundings.
"Hey you," I said softly, trying not to scare the poor kid to death, "I need your help. We're going to get everybody here out, so go and try to untie the people on those rocks over there, okay?"
He looked up at me with wide eyes uncomprehendingly for a moment so I nodded encouragingly, and he took off to the slabs in the center of the arena.
'Good,' I thought briefly. 'At least the others might have at least the _hope_ of a fighting chance if I fail.'
I turned to face the beast towering above me. It's many beady eyes glinted wetly, like grapes in it's head, it's jowls dripping thick, steaming ropes of drool.
I sighed, a feeling of heavyness and thickness settling into my body. I had never felt it before, but I knew now what it was.
True dispair.
* * *
><p><strong>Hey guys. I'm sorry that this chapter took forever and a half, probably more so for you than me. My excuses are that I was tired, I had schoolwork, and I got sick for a long while, but those aren't good enough. The real reason was probably that I was just super unmotivated up until now. I did have a lot of school stuff, and that just seemed to drain all creativity and will out of me. I know I should have just muscled through it, and I'm sorry. I really didn't even have a clear plan for this chapter at all. I just wanted to get to what I had planned for next chapter.<strong>
**Again, sorry for the super-long wait, and I hope you enjoy, even if the wait makes it bitter.**
**DisturbedFire.**
16. Dance With the Devil
I looked up at the grimacing maw of the creature above me, dripping hot strings of saliva onto the ground. I looked on in a dazed, apathetic state, not seeming to process or care what was about to happen to me. The creature slowly bent over and sniffed at me, then arched up to the blazing red-hued sky and roared.
It bent over and swiped it's paw at me; as it neared, I seemed to break out of the spell. I stumbled back and fell to the ground awkwardly. The creature finished it's slow sweep and twisted it's upper body back to the foreward position. It's head twitched to each side, and it bent over, putting it's giant paws on the ground to either side of me. I closed my eyes and twisted my head away as it brought it's face close to me, and took a deep breath through two deep slits in the top of it's lumpy head. It swung it's head foreward and nudged me back. I opened my eyes as it pushed itself up with it's arms and brought it's arm back up for another swipe.
I scrambled to my feet and jumped out of the way. When the creature missed this time, it shook it's head and snorted, then made a kind of deep chirping sound. It twisted it's head to the side and brought it close to me, bringing it's black, beady, baseball-sized eyes right in front of me. It looked at me without emotion, without mercy, without intelligence. I looked into those eyes fearfully, and felt my strength leave. I started to back up, but I ran into something. I glanced back, and saw that the creature was using it's arms to create a barrier around me, trying to keep me from leaving. I could see the little kid through the small gaps in the creature's claws, seeing him struggling to detach the unconscious person on the other post.
For him. For the prisoners. I had been given gifts by the doctor for a reason. It was time to use them. I jabbed my hand into the eye of the beast, grabbing a handful of slimy, black mush. Fluid gushed out around my hand, staining the ragged t-shirt I was wearing. I twisted my hand and was yanked toward the beast as it quickly jerked it's head away. I was lifted by the quick motion, and when I fell out of the eye, I flipped and landed on my back. I was dazed for a moment as I tried to regain my breath, but creature was incapacitated too, falling onto the ground with an earth shaking boom, clutching it's wounded eye. It roared in pain and shuddered on the ground for a moment, and I quickly got up and ran, trying to put some distance between me and the shaking beast.
The doctor had told me that he gave me certain powers. What were they? I just couldn't seem to remember.
Suddenly something that was me, but not me seemed to speak to me, but without words. Just pictures and feelings. I felt a rush of confidence and calm as the beast stood up. It was no longer holding it's eye, but it was hunched over as if straining. I looked at the slowly leaking hole it it's head and saw it twitch. Then it started to move, compressing as the folds of skin moved up the creature's face. I watched in a fascinated horror as the beast revealed two larger, red, orbs in a mass of sunken, puffy flesh.
As I peered into the dark orb, I felt myself being pulled in, a fascination forming with the angry orb. The dark red center, nearly black, webbed with lighter veins, became lighter as it got closer to the edge, then seemed to merge with the puffy folds of skin under the shiny sphere.
I felt another nudge of consciousness that wasn't me. It told me to look away, but I couldn't. I watched as the creature raised a paw to swing at me. I knew I wouldn't live if I didn't move, but I couldn't. My body wouldn't look away from that red death trap. I felt resigned to my fate as the raised claws started to approach, but the me that wasn't me wasn't. I felt a strange sensation as I suddenly broke out in a massive sweat. The great paw was about to smash my face into the ground, but I felt the liquid I just released harden, encasing me in a hard shell.
The paw struck me, and I went flying through the air. I smashed into the ground in a bone-shattering collision, but the shell that I was encased in took the force as it shattered. I suddenly remembered the doctor telling me about the skin-armor fluid he was going to inject into my skin. Well, there it was.
I shook my head and grinned savagely as I remembered the rest of the conversation. If the alien had given me all the things he promised, then maybe, just maybe, this could be possible.
"Alright," I said, slowly getting to my feet, "Let's dance."
I ran at the creature at full sprint, my mind seeming to pulsate, but not painfully. It was like there were two beings in me, corresponding and acting through each other. I neared the creature and it swung it's long arms, trying to strike me down, but I reacted of instinct and jumped onto it's hand, crouching down and grabbing a handful of the thick leathery skin. It's arm finished the swing, carrying me along behind it's shoulder. I jumped onto the creatures back and grabbed the skin of it's neck, pulling hard to the left. The creature screeched deafeningly, and reached it's long stringy arms back and grabbed at me. I felt and reacted, thinking less and less as my body took control, reacting to the slightest touch of the creature and shifted out of it's grasp.
The beast growled in frustration, a deep low, reverberating sound, deep below me. It suddenly spun and fell backwards, catching me by surprise as it smashed my body against the thick wooden post behind me. I was shaken off as the post split and I fell to the ground, landing painfully on the cracked, trunk-like post. I rolled over, feeling my sore ribs tenderly. They came back wet and sticky with blood. I looked up at the creature looming over me, bearing it's teeth in a savage grin. I knew I didn't have any more time. I grabbed the split half of the post I landed on.
I tried to shuffle to my feet, but the creature pinned me down with it's raptor-like feet, punching it's claws into the flesh of my shoulders. I felt my shirt slowly soaking up the warm liquid as the creature reached it's arm down and grabbed my body from under it's foot. It raised me to it's mouth and started to put me in, but I brought the post up and jabbed it into the creature's mouth, trying to drive it into the brain, but I slipped, and all I did was jab the roof. The creature roared, splattering me with hot saliva.
It pulled me out of it's mouth and slammed me to the ground with it's paw. My vision swam in black as my head cracked against the ground, and bright spots flitted around as I felt a dull cracking of one of my bones. The darkness receded as the monster grabbed my legs once more. It shook me violently up and down using it's whole arm, roaring. My body flopped around painfully and I saw the darkness creeping back into my vision. I felt the wooden stick still in my hand and raised it as I was flung toward the ground, then jammed it down as my path reversed.
My spear sunk deep into the flesh of the wrist of the creature, and as I was raised, it let go, leaving me to fly streight up into the air with nothing but my spear. The flight seemed to take forever, but never seemed to take long enough. I could see globs of blood seeming to float beside me, but I couldn't tell if it was mine or the beast's. I felt myself stop raising and my body slowly turned in the air, leaving me to face the dusty, dry, hard ground. I looked and saw the spear in my hand as if from somewhere else, and looked back down at the monster clutching at it's bloody wrist in agony. I felt gravity retake me and suddenly, all my worry, all my pain, all my caring, was just gone. I slowly started descending toward the creature, but then I heard a scream. I turned my head, I saw the little kid that was looking up at me, wide eyed and open mouthed in terror. He knew as well as I that he would be next.
But he deserved better. He didn't deserve to die. Not like this. Not because I gave up.
I felt the wind whistling in my ears as I descended toward the monster. It had also heard the scream and was starting to shuffle in that direction. I tightened my grip on the spear and raised it above my head, letting out a bloodcurdling battle cry that cracking my throat and shaking my vocal cords. The monster looked up in surprise just as I plunged the spear to the hilt just above it's bloody eye.
My body bounced off the skull and smacked to the ground painfully. I stood painfully and looked the creature right in it's eye. It looked back with fear as the lights faded, and it collapsed to the ground, shaking the arena. I felt the darkness grip me once more, and my body buckled beneath me as I fell to the ground.
I stared at the sky, marveling at the calm surrounding me as my consciousness faded. I watched as a bird flew in from the clouds, getting closer and closer, wondering why it was so big and why it didn't flap it's wings. I saw it spit green fire and heard a roaring as it got nearer, like an engine...
Then darkness embraced me.
* * *
><p><strong>Sorry for the wait on the last one and the shortness of this one. I figured that I should hurry this one along as compensation, but for fair warning, finals are coming up, and all the teachers decided that they are the only one giving homework, and so they all gave big-ass projects. I won't be able to write for a while because of this, so don't expect much in the near future. I'm sorry that there are such gaps between my posts, but it's out of my control now.<strong>
**Hopefully you enjoyed this. I tried to write it to the song Dance With the Devil by Breaking Benjamin, but about half way through, I got tired of listening to the song over and over, so I just went on with it.**
**Thank you for reading,**
**DisturbedFire**
17. Rainbow of Death
Brightness.
Darkness.
I couldn't tell what I was seeing. The world seemed to be shining white, yet everything was dark. There was noise, but I couldn't make anything out. I couldn't feel my body, but I seemed to feel the world. It was peaceful, but it felt like the eye of a hurricane.
At first this is all I was. A blob of sensation in the vast realm of nothingness. Then I started to dream.
At first all I would see was a flash of color, just a glimpse and it was gone, then it started to creep in from the edges of my vision. My consciousness was a canvas of ever changing colors, bringing a dull senses of peace, panic, or anger. I watched the colors swirl lazily in my subconsciousness. They brought reason and life to my sphere of half-conciousness.
The rainbow of colors shimmered and circulated, circling like the liquid of a stirred pot. I watched lazily as they slowed and stopped, then started in the other direction. They swirled faster and faster, panicking my subconsciousness with its sudden violence. It twirled faster and faster, becoming a blurred circle, the colors becoming brown, and then suddenly it all sucked into a black sphere in the middle of the swirl. The sphere glowed black, but was webbed with pulsing blood-red veins. It seemed to hold immense power, which radiated off of it.
I felt a pinch in my brain and another stream of consciousness merged with my own. It was vast and dark, filled with cold anger. It sent a wave of feelings and pictures to my mind, making me realize that I was on the verge of death. It sent feelings of urgency and need, as well as pictures of myself, lying dead on the ground. My tired mind knew this was truth, but I was so tired. There was no way I would be able to wake myself up. I have enough trouble when I'm fully alive and well. My mind started to wander again, and the colors started swirling back out from behind the sphere. I enjoyed them, their calming dance, their soothing colors, the feeling of peace, and my mind started to slow down as it prepared for it's final sleep...
* * *
><p>Star Fox and the prisoner kid stood over the battered body of Kevin. His breathing was shallow and quick, and the gashes covering his body slowly oozed blood, which was soaking into the bandages wrapped around him. The medic bot was patching up the worst of the gashes, stitching up the deep ones, and smearing healing salve over all of them. The six companions watched in silence as the heart rate slowed and the brain activity started to diminish. Yet no tears were shed. He was new, and although he had been good to have on the team, nobody had really bonded with him except for Fox, and he had to stay strong for his friends.<p>
Fox eventually broke the silence, bringing the others from their silent contemplations.
"He was a good soldier," Fox said quietly, "I only regret not being able to fight beside him."
The others nodded, remembering the last moments of the battle with the Beast. The human had killed the beast, something almost unbelievable. Krystal sniffed once, and Fox stormed out of the room, breezing past the other prisoner, who was lying on the other medic bed, it's strong and steady pulse a bitter contrast to Kevin's.
The rest of the group lingered for a few moments, quietly paying respects to the dying warrior. The little kid was staring at his body silently. He hadn't spoken a word since being rescued.
The medic bot finished it's work and with a light beep, it folded away into the wall. The kid watched it incomprehensibly, far off in his own mind. He drifted away to the side of the other prisoner's bed, and after feeling their forehead, he drifted out after Fox. Krystal, having noticed his strange actions, went to see if he was doing Ok, as well as to get away from the dying person in front of her. Slippy and Falco followed a few minutes later, leaving a fading body behind.
* * *
><p>My mind got slower and slower, feeling more and more tired, and I felt at peace as thoughts faded and my life dimmed. I felt a breif nagging in the back of my mind, but I ignored it. I was ready. There was a warm void awaiting me, an endless rest, a deep peace. The feeling got stronger and stronger, almost feeling like a worm wriggling on my brain. It brought me to my senses slightly, as if arousing me from drowsiness. I tried to push it away, annoyed, but it persisted through my efforts. I felt a twitch in my pelvis - which was wierd, because I couldn't feel my body - and a spear of fire shot up through my belly and up my throat, piercing my brain with painfully pleasing force.<p>
My brain jolted into wakefulness, scrambling around with a strong sense of urgency and need. I immediately banished the colors to the Netherlands of my mind. I pushed against sleep and forced my tired body to continue. A trickle of warm sensation brushed against my consciousness, and when welcomed, a flood of pain and soreness flooded my sensitive mind.
I clenched my teeth and bore it, knowing that if I let go, I would die. I clenched my hand as hard as I could and made it close, but there wasn't very much pressure behind it. I surfaced my mind long enough to open my eyes before they fell shut again.
My inner struggle happened seemingly endlessly. I was fighting with everything I had, and I surfaced in and out of bodily consciousness repeatedly, twitching something, opening my eyes for a split second before all control left and all I knew of the outside world was the faint feeling I felt of my back against a soft bed. I was weary beyond belief, and was getting even more tired.
I felt my mind slip for a second, and with a pulsation of fear and surprise, I reached deep within myself and pushed harder than ever. I felt my pulse beat in my temple slowly, like a drum, and the noise in my erase became defending. My pelvis twitched once more, and I felt an indescribable warmth and strength seem to infuse with my very bones.
My eyes shot open and I forced the immense effort to sit up. As soon as I did, my whole body started responding once more. I felt my pulse start to speed up and my vision flashed and went dark before slowly fading in. I swing my feet over the edge of the bed, laying my feet on the ground, feeling the cold floor through the tatters of what was left of my shoes. I stood slowly, keeping my hands on the edge of the bed in case I wasn't strong enough or my vision blanked again.
After successfully propping myself onto my feet, I started to shuffle to the door.
* * *
><p>Star Fox and their rescued victim were sitting in the eating hall, small portions of untouched food sitting in front of each of them. Even Slippy, who was known for his ginormous appetite, hadn't touched his food. Fox and Falco were discussing how to get revenge for their fallen comrade, Slippy was throwing in some suggestions here and there, while Krystal tried to get the little cat to eat the food that he was staring at so glumly. They had been in this room for a few hours since leaving the nearly dead human in the infirmary.<p>
"There's no way we can fight them in a head on battle!" Fox suddenly yelled, breaking the silence of the mostly quiet room, "Did you see all the cannons that they were firing at us on our way out?"
"Yeah, I did bozo," Falco yelled back, "An' I'm telling you, I could take out most of those motherfuckers by myself if you had the balls to let me!"
Everybody's attention was drawn by this commotion, and nobody noticed as a deflated looking figure shuffled his way to the table.
"This isn't about you!" Fox yelled, standing up and slamming his hands on the table, "Why can't you pull your head out of your ass long enough to see that!"
"DON'T. TALK TO ME. ABOUT HAVING THINGS. UP MY ASS." Falco bellowed, standing up and getting right in Fox's face.
"HEY! JUST BECAUSE–"
"Guys? Guys? GUYS? GUYS?!" Slippy piped up, his high pitched voice drawing Falco's anger.
"SON OF A BITCH SLIP–"
"MY MOM WAS NOT A BITCH!" Fox howled, cutting him off.
"I WASN'T TALKING TO YOU ASS HOLE!"
"Guys?"
The room suddenly got deathly quiet as the shriveled looking human made himself known at the table. He eased down into a chair and pulled the nearest plate to him.
"I've got a massive headache right now that you wouldn't believe. Could you all please be a little quieter?" he rasped quietly.
Everyone stared at him, open mouthed and speechless as he mumbled a brief thank you and started eating.
* * *
><p><strong>Hey guys. Finals are over! Woohoo!<strong>
**So I started this chapter with no real goal in mind, and that's why it's so short. I now have a vague idea of where I want to go. I know it's been forever since I started asking, but I'm still not sure if I want to make Kevin Anthro or not, but I promise, I will tally votes and make a decision by next chapter. Sorry for my shortness of chapters, but honestly, I wanted to have this split into two, leaving some kind of cliff hanger when Kevin seemed like he was going to die. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed, and I hope I can get another chapter up soon, assuming the teachers don't start piling on the homework soon.**
**DisturbedFire**
End file.
| fanfiction |
Taumarunui High School is a high school in Taumarunui, New Zealand. There are approximately 300 students.
The school was originally located in the township.
The school's colours are navy blue and gold.
Notable alumni
Prof. James L. Beck Professor of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology.
Prof. John C. Butcher Honorary Research Professor, Dept. of Mathematics, University of Auckland.
Ben Fouhy, world champion kayaker.
Marc and Todd Hunter from the band Dragon.
Ivan Mercep, 2008 recipient of the New Zealand Institute of Architects Gold Medal.
Jenny Ludlam actress.
See also
List of schools in New Zealand
References
External links
Taumarunui High School Website
Category:Boarding schools in New Zealand
Category:Secondary schools in Manawatū-Whanganui | wikipedia |
Inverse square law and how it applies to projectors
I was adjusting the position of our projector on our SLA printer and have found that at further distances our models have less adhesion.
Does the inverse square law of light apply to DLP projectors?
I am aware that the inverse square law only is 100% applicable when you have a point as your light source, but I assume close to the same holds constant for other real world light sources.
Any ideas as to to what extent this is true or not?
The usual way of picturing the inverse square law is to imagine a sphere of light emanating from a point. Since the same about of energy is spread over an increasing area, and that area increases with the square of the radius, the intensity of light must decrease as the square of the radius. However, this is also true for any portion of the sphere as well.
Picture lifted from [here](http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Forces/isq.html).
You can think of a directed light source, like a projector or a laser, as just a portion of a spherical light source, with the rest of the sphere blocked off. Even lasers diverge as the travel long distances, so they are subject to the inverse square law as well. There is actually no such thing as a perfectly collimated light source (though exotic sources like [Bessel beams](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessel_beam) come close).
If you project an image of a square, does the side of the square grow linearly with distance? If so, the area of the square grows as the square of the distance.
The power the projector uses to light up the interior of the square stays the same, so the power per square foot of image goes as $1/r^2$.
| stackexchange/physics |
Gotham 1. Mixed feelings and emotions
**Hi Guys, I found a beta reader:D The lovely MadiPII so I decided to re-fresh also this chapter and the next chapter so they will be easier to read:D Most chapters are written from Cat's point of view but some are also from Bruce's point of view:D**
* * *
**Chapter 1: Mixed feelings and emotions**
Caught in the riptide,
I was searching for the truth
**Point of view: Cat**
I recently had done something stupid, more than the usual stupid things I manage to get caught in. And I blame it all to myself but I also know that I had no other choice. It was better because this way Bruce would stay out of harm's way. Having assassins after you once is more than enough. If they come after me a second time than its only after me and not Bruce because I love him way too much. I want to keep him save.
Well, you probably think what did you do Selina, or better yet Cat because people call me that way. Okay, I prefer them to call me Cat, but what's the difference?
Anyway, one day Ivy came to meet me on the streets and told me she had a message from Bruce. He wanted to see me.
At first I wasn't planned to go, since our last meeting also turned out differently than I first thought. Instead of just bringing back his stuff that I had stolen the past few days while I was a guest at the Manor, I also did something else. Something I better shouldn't have.
But I really wanted it and while I was a guest I gave Bruce several hints about boys kissing girls, but like any boy, he was playing stupid, If you're not completely clear with what you wanted they just don't get it.
Well, that night I was tired of leaving useless hints so I just did what my instinct told me. And they told me Bruce was ready but wasn't the person to start a kiss, especially since he thought it all was a game to me. So, to prove him it wasn't a game….
I kissed him.
I kissed Bruce briefly on his lips, but long enough to get that feeling. That feeling that begins just like a spark. Tossing and turning inside of your heart.
And it indeed was tossing and turning in my heart, leaving me to get caught in the riptide of emotions.
Cat! What have you done?
Quickly I left, not waiting for Bruce's reply, action or whatever a boy does when he gets kissed by a girl.
Outside I jump off the balcony and ran into the darkness, back to my hideout where I just sat for hours and hours. Not able to fall asleep because the confusing feeling in my heart.
But, after a long debate with myself ( a very long debate) I decide to go anyway, just to see what Bruce wanted and to find out why he send messages for me all around the city.
Again, I shouldn't have done that.
Slowly I walk through the balcony doors into the study, noticing Bruce playing chess with himself. The first thing he said was that he was glad that I was safe.
The way he said 'safe' and the smile on his face when he said it made me realize that the previous kiss also had turned his heart upside down.
Then he told me that him and Alfred where off for a few days in Switzerland, where they had a chalet, whatever that is. Walking toward me, holding a brown bag made me realize I was on his mind his entire vacation and as result, a present.
Curiously I opened the paper bag and took out a glass snow globe with a tiny house inside it. Beaming like the sun I turned it over so it started to snow inside the globe.
It was the first present I ever got and I loved it.
Bruce then asked me if I wanted to stay and live in his house so that I would have a proper life. And for a brief moment I also wanted to, stay, be with him.
But then the mixed emotions caught me up again and asked in defense why it was better for me in the Mansion then on the streets. I knew the answer myself, but like I said, mixed emotions.
I would be safe, but Bruce not. After all, the managed to get in the house before, so why wouldn't they again? And what if we weren't fast enough? What if they would catch Bruce and threat me with him?
No, it might be best if he stayed safe in his own house and I on the streets. And there was only one thing left to do. One thing that I knew would tear the poor boys heart, and mine, apart.
I gave him back the present, and told him I only came to visit to tell him to stop harassing me. His eyes became teary the moment the words came out of my mouth. Immediately I felt sorry, and wanted to take it back but I knew I couldn't.
I had to do it, for his safety.
I told him I had lied about everything to the detective to keep me out of juvie so there was no reason for him to buy me presents or send messages or for us to hang out. He just had to stop bugging me.
The sadness in his eyes made me feel horrible and my own eyes almost gave up on me too, so I quickly turn back to the balcony door and leave. Jumping off the balcony, and disappearing into the night, ignoring the tears that streamed down my cheeks. I didn't mind them.
Crying seemed to me the only solution so I cried the entire night in my hideout. With my knees up I kept rocking myself, telling myself it was for the best.
For the second time I felt like I was caught in a riptide of emotions.
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**So, that was the first chapter, let me know what you think so far:D I would love to hear your thoughts and reviews will make me only update faster LOL**
2. Memory's
**Hi guys, thank you all so much for your lovely reviews, favs and follows:D They mean a lot to me:D Thanks to MadiPII for beta this chapter:D**
**Bold: Cat's memory's**
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**Chapter 2: Memory's**
There was a reason,
I collided into you
I woke up the next morning with my face covered with dried up tears and I realized I must had fallen asleep crying. Something I normally wouldn't do, but I didn't care because of the circumstances. Yesterday I had to break the friendship between Bruce and me. Though it felt more like I had destroyed the romance between us, because for me it was more than a friendship. By the expression on Bruce's face he must have felt the same.
But now it didn't matter anymore. I did it and Bruce would be safe now. That's all that I wanted, right? It will get easier, right?
Maybe not.
I wiped a fresh tear off my face, when I wandered slowly back to a memory of me and Bruce. The only thing that was left of our friendship, somewhere in the back of my head.
* * *
**"Please Cat! You know I can't run so fast" Bruce shouts somewhere from behind me and I hear him stumble on his feet the moment he trips over a branch.**
**Worried I stop and turn around to see if he was alright. Bruce sat straight up with a painful expression on his face, holding his ankle with one hand.**
**"B, are you alright?" I shout, still standing in the same spot. I tried to figure out if the pain he had was real or that he was just messing with me. For all I knew he was just playing with me and trying to lure me back so he could grab me.**
**"No, my ankle hurts" Bruce replies, still having the same painful look in his eyes.**
**Okay, maybe it wasn't a trap.**
**Slowly I walk toward Bruce holding out my hand to help him back up. But that was foolish of me and I should have known. Bruce took my hand, but instead of trying to get back up he pulls me toward him, causing me to stumble and land on top of him. My face just a few inches from his.**
**Alarmed by it all I scoot back, rolling of him and tried to stand up again but Bruce grabs me around my waist back to him. I fall back beside him and couldn't help to let out a loud giggle.**
**Bruce, who found my giggle sound funny started to tickle me while I tried rolling away from his fingers, both giggling rolling over each other.**
**Finally I had freed myself and turn over toward Bruce, only to get my revenge by thickle him back. Bruce let out a soft yelp, rolling and laughing on the ground, trying to get away from me.**
**"Cat! Stop!" Bruce says, trying to roll away from me. "I hit something with my knee and I think I need to check it."**
**"Yeah right" I reply, not falling in the same trap again and went for his stomach.**
**"No really" Bruce knocks away my hands and curls up to protect his stomach for another tickle war.**
**Suddenly my eyes fall on one of his knees, realizing Bruce wasn't faking this time.**
**"B, your bleeding!" I exclaim moving closer toward him and pointed at his injured knee. "I'm so sorry, I thought you were faking again. What did you hit?"**
**"I don't know, probably a rock" Bruce replies, sitting up and pulled up his ... to check his knee. Luckily it wasn't that bad as it first seemed. Only one small bleeding scar. Nothing more.**
**"You are such a baby sometimes" I say with a teasing smile and stand back up my feet, dusting the sand and leaves from my clothes.**
**"Well, it hurts" Bruce replies, holding out his hand so I could help him to stand up.**
**"You get back up yourself" I reply, knocks his hand away with a grin and start walking back to the house. "I'm not falling for that 'get me back up' move of yours."**
**"I wasn't trying…" Bruce tried in defense, crawling back up his feet. "Honest. Ouch!"**
**"Yeah, and I won't fall for that either!"**
**"Cat! Wait! I found something!"**
* * *
I hear a soft meow close to my left ear, knocking me back to reality. Slowly I turn my head watching as one of my cats walks toward me and moves his body gently against my face; begging me to cuddle her.
Slowly I sit up, taking the cat in my arms and starts cuddle ling it gently until the cat purrs satisfied. My eyes fall on a small silver box; the one that I had taken from Bruce's house. The first moment I finally dared to enter his house during night-time.
* * *
**Slowly and quietly I walk through the open balcony door into the Mansion study room. The curtains softly blowing in the wind around me. Suddenly I hear a loud smash from my right and I looked up alarmed, realizing it was just the Butler Alfred.**
**Just when I was about to walk again my ear catches a soft moan from my right, quickly ducking behind the cough I see its just Bruce who moves and shifts in his sleep.**
**Realizing the boy was still fast asleep I slowly stood back onto my feet, keeping a close eye on Bruce while I walk alongside the cough to the other side of the room. My head jerks up the moment I hear Alfred walking through the house into another room.**
**I was still safe.**
**Curiously I look at the wall, noticing all kinds of pictures, files and other stuff related to Bruce's parents. That moment I realized the poor boy did his own investigation.**
**My eyes catches something, noticing a small silver box. Quickly I take it and put it into one of my pockets.**
**Slowly I turn around, walking back toward the cough. Slowly I climb up a …. And for seconds I watch how Bruce sleeps. Softly moaning and moving in his sleep.**
**That moment I realize I felt something for Bruce; something more than just friendship. All I wanted was just stay and watch him sleeping; Pretending.**
**Pretending…**
* * *
Another tear falls down my cheek onto the soft coat of the cat, which looks curiously up to me.
"It's nothing" I say softly to the cat and cuddle her some more before I lay her down onto the blanket next to me. The cat walks a few times in circles before she finally curled up and closes her eyes to take a nap.
Slowly I pick up the small silver box, moving it a few times through my fingers before opening it and looking at the small item inside.
* * *
**"Cat! Wait! I found something!"**
**Bruce came running after me while shouting at me to stop, which of course I didn't. I wasn't in the mood anymore and really wanted get back to the mansion. Also Alfred might be wondering where we got to.**
**Bruce quickly catches me up, grabs me gently by one of my arms and turns me toward him.**
**"Bruce, I'm tired and really want to go back to the house" I say with a tired look on my face while trying to free my arm from his grip.**
**"Look" Bruce replies, ignoring what I just said and held up a small silver locket. "I think my knee hit this instead of a rock."**
**"Wow, a necklace. I'm so excited" I say sarcastic and uninterested. "Can we go now?"**
**"Wait!" Bruce exclaims, again grabbing my arm. "I want you to have it."**
**"What? Why?" I ask looking suspiciously at him and wonder why he wanted to give it to me. "I mean, doesn't it belong to your mother?"**
**"No, I have never seen her wearing it and beside. It's not something that my mother would wear because she was more a pearl necklace person" Bruce replies, opening the hinges and held it out to me. "Do you like it?"**
**"Well, yeah… but…" I stammered, totally surprised by a present like that. And anyway, I didn't wear any jewelry, especially not something like that. It was too beautiful and expensive for a girl like me.**
**But I saw Bruce's look in his eyes, realizing he wouldn't take a no for an answer so I turn around so he could place it around my neck. A tiny shiver went through my back the second I felt his fingers in the back of my neck, locking the hinge.**
**"It looks good on you" Bruce says with a gentle smile as I turn around to show it.**
**"Thank you" I whisper softly, clearing my throat awkwardly. "So, what's next?"**
**"Maybe you can take me to the city later" Bruce says as we walk back to the mansion.**
* * *
Slowly I take out the silver locket and play with it while wondering what to do with it. It was hard keeping it, but it would be even harder selling it, though it would be a lot of money. Well, if Clyde would give an honest pay for it. Knowing him he would give her five bucks though it was worth more than that.
No, maybe it was better to keep it. It was, next to my memory's the only thing that was left of Bruce and me. I would keep it. I would wear it, securely hidden underneath my clothes. Close to my heart and maybe one day it would be save again.
Save to go back to Bruce.
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**So, that was the second chapter, let me know what you think so far:D I would love to hear your thoughts and reviews will make me only update faster LOL**
3. Calling your name in the midnight hour
**Hi guys, third chapter, thanks for all your support by review, favs and follows:D Means a lot. Thanks to lovely MaidPII for being my beta reader:D**
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**Chapter 3: Calling your name in the midnight hour**
"So, you wanted to talk with me?" I ask, looking up from my milk, glancing over across the table at Detective Gordon who takes tiny sips from his coffee.
I just had bumped into him minutes ago on the streets as I was running off after pick-pocketing a man's pocket. The man shouted for help as he ran after me and as I was about to escape up a fire escape someone grabbed me around my waist, pulling me back.
I start to shout for my attacker to let me go, but fiercely the arms turned me around and I looked into the smiling face that belonged to the Detective.
"Nice to see you again, Selina" Gordon says, still holding my arm in a tight grip.
"It's Cat for you!" I scowl back at him and try another attempt to free my arm as the man I just robbed stops beside us.
"Thank you for stopping her, sir" the man says, totally exhausted because of all the running. "The girl has my wallet."
"I do not!" I shout in defense, glancing angry to the man and still desperately trying to get away from the Detective.
Gordon didn't buy it, grabbed the wallet from underneath my jacket and tossed it over to the man.
"Let's go before he puts charges against you" Gordon whispers, pushing me with him into a nearby dinner.
And there we sat now, ordering our food and saying nothing to each other for like ten minutes or so; until I got bored and broke the silence.
"So, you wanted to talk with me? I ask, looking up from my milk, glancing over across the table at Detective Gordon, "Because I think this is not just a friendly threat."
"Your right" Gordon replies after sipping from his coffee. "I was already looking for you because I wanted to know what happened between you and Bruce."
"Why did you ask me and not Bruce himself?" I ask, placing my bagel back onto the napkin that I had sprayed onto the table. Slowly I take the locket from underneath my shirt and start to wriggle with it. "Because I don't want to talk about it."
"Bruce doesn't want it either so I thought maybe you might."
Gordon took another sip from his coffee and started with his bagel, waiting for me to talk again. But I didn't plan to. It was already painful enough to think about it.
Gordon, who realized I wasn't about to spill anything to him decided to change the topic.
"Where do you stay?"
"Where I always stay, on the streets" I reply, smirking sarcastic and roll my eyes. "Duh. And before you ask me to come back to Wayne Manor, no interests. I'm perfectly happy where I am right now."
"I wasn't going to." Gordon replies looking over to me and noticed the doubtful look in my eyes. "Honest."
I let go the locket and start tearing the bagel apart before eating it and took another sip from my milk. I tried not to look in the Detective's eyes, because I was scared he would notice my anxious look that was a result from a last night attack.
While wandering down the streets, the assassins had tried to grab me again. I barely escaped. I was startled by the attack but didn't want to bother the Detective with it. Besides, I'm used to the rough life at night.
I escaped, that's the important thing. Next time, be more on guard and don't wander around on the streets alone.
"Selina?" I heard the Detective say and I look up to him. The worried look on his face made me realize he must have called my name several times before getting a reply.
"Cat!" I snap, trying to look as casual as possible so he wouldn't see something was bothering me. The detective really had to start remembering my name. It starts to get really annoying. I took another piece of bagel in my mouth and start chewing it.
"Cat" Detective Gordon corrects himself and smiles gently at me, watching how I tear the bagel into tinier pieces, almost into crumbs. "Is everything alright?"
"Look, I'm fine!" I snap angrily, grabbing my jacket from the seat next to me as I stood up. "I don't want to talk about Bruce. I don't want to talk about my well-being. I don't want to talk about anything."
I put on my jacket, turn around and go for the door, noticing a few people looking up, astounded about my sudden rude behavior.
"Cat! Wait!" the Detective shouts and before I even could have opened the door and make a run for it he grabs me gently by my arm and turns me around.
"Let me go or I'll scream!" I threat the Detective and he let go my arm immediately.
"Why are you acting like this?" Gordon asks, looking worried at me while I folded my arms in stubbornness.
"What is it what you want from me?" I ask, shooting an angry look at him. "It's not like you care about me or anything."
The Detective kept looking worried at me. I didn't like it because to me, it was all an act.
"Cat, why is it so hard for you to believe anyone would care about you?" the detective asks, pushing me back to the table we sat minutes before. "Why is it so hard for you to accept help?"
I plopped back down onto the seat, kept looking at the floor and not planned to open up to the Detective. Gordon sighs deeply.
"Why don't I just give you my address, and when you ever feel in the mood to talk or need anything you more than welcome to visit me." The Detective writes something down onto a napkin and hands it over to me.
For a minute I just look at him, wondering whether he meant it or not. Stubbornly, I look the other way. The Detective places the napkin in front of me onto the table.
"Please accept this gesture, Cat" the Detective said, taking his own jacket and put it on. "Just in case; here's some money, just to keep you up your feet. Please Cat; try to stay out of trouble."
The Detective wraps the money into the napkin with his address, places it back on the table, before standing up and leaving.
* * *
Slowly and with mixed feelings I walk out the dinner, stuff the napkin and money in my pocket and walk down the street wandering what to do next. The Detective's nice gesture had made me doubt about everything. Maybe he did care.
"Of course he doesn't, Cat" I thought to myself, "He just wants you to come back and solve the case for him."
"Cat! Slow down!" a voice behind me shouts, knocking me back to reality. I start walking slower and suddenly Ivy pops up beside me, holding the same stupid bag she always had with her, tightly wrapped around her. Like she was hiding something in it and didn't want anyone to see it. Not that I cared, because the girl was already creepy enough, with or without the bag.
I start picking up my pace again because I really wasn't in the mood to spend time with Ivy. Besides being creepy, the girl was also curious and probably was eager to hear everything about my last meeting with Bruce.
Ivy, who was the kind of person who wouldn't let go easily, also start picking up her pace and kept walking beside me, blabbing about all kinds of stuff. I didn't really listen.
Suddenly, Ivy grabs my arm and stops me, standing still in front of me. I tried to walk around her but she kept stepping from one side to the other the same time as I did, which started to get really annoying.
"Ivy, what is it!" I snap angry, folding my arms. Maybe it was better to give in before she would follow me to my hideout.
"Wow, that's beautiful" Ivy suddenly exclaims and I look confused back, wandering what she was talking about. Her eyes were fixed on my chest and I realized I hadn't hid the locket underneath my jacket after leaving the dinner. "Where did you get that?"
"Nowhere" I say, quickly hiding the locket under my clothes. But even then her eyes kept fixed on the same place, like she could see straight through my clothes. "Ivy, please tell me what you want or let me go. I have more important stuff to do than standing here and waiting until you finally tell me what you want."
"Like flirting with Detective Gordon?"
I look puzzled at her. "What are you talking about Ivy?"
"You know" Ivy said taunting. "Back in the dinner; what did you have to do to make him give you money? Did he give you that necklace?"
"What are you trying to say Ivy?" I ask offended, wondering if she was implying that I was sleeping with the cop. What kind of person did she think I was?
"Isn't the cop a bit too old for you?" Ivy still had the same taunting expression on her face. I got the sudden urge to punch it straight off her face but I managed to hold it in. After all, punching a ten year old girl was cowardly.
"Look Ivy, I don't owe you any explanation of what I do or don't do" I snap angrily and walk around her. "Now, if you don't mind, I have better things to do."
Quickly I jump up a fire ladder and climb up to the roof. Away from creepy Ivy and her childish questions.
* * *
It was already dark when I bought some milk and donuts in the local supermarket with the money that Gordon had given me and slowly walked back down the street. I ate some of the donuts and drank some of the milk too, leaving some for the stray cats that wandered around the alley where my hideout was located as well.
Slowly I bent down, poured some of the leftover milk in a cup, and left it for the cats to drink. Slowly they came walking toward the milk from the shadows and I started to rub their ears gently.
Suddenly my ears pick up a female giggle. I quickly stood up and hid behind some dumpsters just as three people walk into the alley. One tall figure and two figures the size of children about my age. The tall figure was walking behind the other two, like he was their bodyguard.
I narrow my eyes to take a better look and suddenly I recognize two of them. The tall figure was Alfred and one of the other two was Bruce Wayne. But who was the girl beside him? And why was she holding his arm?
"I really liked our night out, Bruce. We should do it again sometime" the girl says and hugs Bruce's arm.
A sharp pain struck at my heart. Did Bruce have a girlfriend? But what about me? Okay, I know I broke up our friendship, but that doesn't mean he had to move on this quick, right?
The girl had long brown hair, straight down her face. Her clothes and the jewelry showed she was rich, like Bruce.
Suddenly Bruce stops in his tracks and bends down.
"What are you doing, Master Bruce?" Alfred asks and he and the girl stops.
"I just have to tie up my shoe lace" Bruce replies. "You go ahead. I will catch up to you in a second."
Alfred and the girl started walking again while Bruce re-ties his shoes again. One of the stray cats walks meowing toward me, still hiding behind the dumpster I quickly grab the cat before Bruce would even hear or see the cat.
I probably shouldn't have done it just then, because the moment I held out my hands toward the cat I hit my arm against the dumpster. A sharp pain went through my elbow.
Bruce's head turned alarmingly in my direction and I quickly backed away further behind the dumpster. I held my breath, waiting for Bruce to start walking again.
I didn't hear anything. Did that mean Bruce had left?
Slowly and quietly I peek around the dumpster, suddenly looking straight into Bruce's eyes. Bruce had bend down beside the dumpster to see what had made the noise. About the same time I peeked around the dumpster and now our faces were just inches away from each others.
Both holding our breath, and gazing in each other eyes for which looked like an eternity; I finally decided to speak up.
"Bruce?"
It was just a soft whisper, but loud enough for him to hear. Why did I say his name? Why couldn't I get a hold of myself? Why did the name escape so quickly from my mouth?
"Master Bruce, what are you looking at?" Alfred's voice echoes through the alley. Bruce's head looks up alarmed and turns toward Alfred and the girl. Both of them looking confused at the sight of Bruce bending beside a dumpster.
"Nothing!" Bruce replies. "I thought I saw something!" Bruce looked one more time straight into my eyes before standing up and running toward Alfred and the girl.
Again Bruce's name escaped from my mouth in a whisper. Only it was louder than the first time and Bruce had heard it. Or maybe he just wanted to check if I was still there.
Slowly his head turned my way again, meeting my eyes. Only this time I could see a tear escape from his eyes. Or maybe I just thought I saw a tear. I couldn't tell because my own eyes went blurry too because of the tears that streamed down my face.
"Master Bruce?"
"I'm coming Alfred."
Bruce wipes something from his cheek and walks towards Alfred, the girl quickly grabbing his arm again.
I watched as how Bruce and the girl walked, suddenly noticing Alfred was standing still. I look at him, catching his eyes. Alfred kept looking at me like he saw me, but that wasn't possible, right? Alfred can't see in the dark.
The doubt started the moment I saw the look in his eyes before he walked after Bruce and the girl.
Alfred's eyes where filled with disapproval.
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**So, that was the third chapter, let me know what you think:D I would love to hear your thoughts and reviews make me update faster LOL**
4. Reaching from you from an endless dream
**Thank you so much for your follows, favs and reviews, they mean a lot:D Here is the fourth chapter, enjoy reading:D**
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**Chapter 4: Reaching from you from an endless dream**
I kept sitting behind the dumpster for almost an hour, thinking and patting the coat of a cat that accompanied me. I had stopped crying minutes ago, as if I had run out of tears. All that was left was that empty feeling inside my heart.
Seeing Bruce with another girl made me realize I had blown my changes with him and that there might be a change he would never trust me again. That I couldn't go back to him once it was safe again.
And why wouldn't Bruce move on? It's not like I ever told him my true feelings, even though I kissed him; but he still could think that was just one of my cat and mouse games.
Now I realize that kissing him back then was a big mistake because now I had this strange and confusing feelings and Bruce didn't even know the truth.
I was alone; really alone.
The cat starts to play with my locket. Scared that the chain would break, I quickly hid it back underneath my jacket, protecting the only thing that was left of Bruce, close to my heart.
It started to rain softly. Realizing it might be better for me to find a dry spot to sleep, I stood up, kissed the cat goodnight, and left the alley.
Slowly , and still wondering about what happened the past few hours, I walked across the street to the other curve, not realizing I had let down my guard.
The squealing tires of a van knocks me back to senses and alarmed I turn my head towards it, seeing a few men coming out of the back and make their way toward me.
Shit!
I start to run to the other end of the curve and quickly make my way into the alley, still hearing the boots of my attacker's pound by each step. I keep running, scoping my eyes down the building walls to find an escape up to the roof.
Suddenly I feel a sharp sting in my left ankle, making me winch in pain as I stumbled to keep myself up my feet. Now was a bad moment to be getting cramps, but I didn't have much time to shake it off, so I had to bare the pain a bit longer.
Running and ignoring the pain at the same time I noticed an escape, just a few feet away from me. Quickly I sped up my momentum and leaped to the railing of the fire escape, pulling it down and ran up to the roof.
It was hard because of the sting in my ankle seems not wearing off but I managed, as I climbed over the edge of the roof and ran straight across the rooftop. I could hear the boots coming up the fire escape, which meant they weren't planning on giving up.
Who where they and what did they want? It couldn't be the assassins because they looked different, but then again, maybe they hired other assassins.
Quickly I leap to the other roof, only this time I didn't make a soft landing. While landing on my feet my left ankle gave up on me and I fell face down in a water puddle. The water went through my clothes, making me colder than I already was.
I could hear the men approach me, leaping over to the rooftop that I was laying on, and landing close behind me. Quickly I roll over to my back seeing them walking slowly toward me. Suddenly my vision started to become blurry.
With the help of my arms I try to make backwards momentum, backing further and further away from them until I feel something hard, solid and cold in my back. I hit the wall of the rooftop edge.
There was no way to escape.
Accept!
I tried to regain my vision by blinking my eyes several times as I suddenly see one of the men bends over me to pick me up. Anger boils up inside me and there was no way I would make it easy for them.
I hold my hands up to the man's face, who started to scream the seconds my fingers hits his eyes. Trying to free himself from my grip, he slapped me straight in my face, leaving a red burning mark on my cheek.
The sudden slap in my face made me dizzy again and my vision becoming even blurrier.
"I think you have to drug her some more" the man said angry through his teeth, still moaning a bit in pain. "This one has too much fire in her."
They drugged me? So the sting in my ankle wasn't just a cramp.
Another man approached me, aiming a tranquilizer gun on my upper left arm and less than a second later I felt a sharp sting. I winch and with my back against the edge I try making some kind of sideways momentum to get away from them.
Moving, moving.
"Why don't you just give up?" the man with the tranquilizer gun asked. With a mean grin on his face, he came closer and closer towards me. "Just give up!"
"I won't" I try to scream but it sounds more like a loud whisper, but still firm enough to show them I'm not an easy prey.
Dizzy, eyes blurry.
No, keep fighting Cat!
Blinking, moving, kicking with my leg toward the mean smirking, still approaching man.
Dizzy, fussy eyesight.
Keep fighting.
Suddenly the man bends over me, grabs me around my waist and pins me to the ground, holding his face really close to mine.
"Just… give… up!" the man says, each word firmer then the last one was, his face moving closer and closer toward mine.
"Careful, this one can scratch" the other man warns him; the one I had scratched earlier.
"No, she won't. Will you?" the man asks taunting me, pinning my arms alongside my body.
I tried to struggle myself free, but the drug finally does what it's made for and my eyesight becomes black.
* * *
_Cold and alone._
_Where am I?_
_Pain in my entire body._
_Dizzy, nauseous._
_Slowly I open my eyes, noticing I'm alone in a dark and cold alley._
_What happened?_
_Wait! I'm not alone. I can feel someone's presence._
_"Who is there?" I try to say but nothing more than a whisper rolls over my lips._
_I try to look up, noticing a small person walking toward me. Coming from the shadows, it slowly moved closer and closer toward me. I try to regain my eyesight, noticing the person is about my age._
_A boy._
_Bruce?_
_A happy feeling burns up inside me as Bruce bends down beside me, moving my body closer toward him._
_"Bruce, you came?" I whisper softly and Bruce replies with his most gentle smile. A smile that feels welcome in this cold and dark alley; a smile that I had missed so much._
_"Of course I came" Bruce whispers back, holding his face close toward mine, our lips a few inches away from touching each other. "I love you, Cat!"_
_"I love you too, Bruce" I whisper softly back, holding my lips closer towards his, waiting for him to kiss me._
_BANG!_
_What was that?_
_Bruce slowly lets me go and stands up, turning around, walking away from me._
_"Wait Bruce! Don't go! You've got to help me…"_
_Bruce stops, turns his head, looking me straight in my eyes. His lips mouths; "I love you" before turning around and walking further away from me, disappearing into the night._
_"Bruce! Don't go! Bruce! You've got to help me! Bruce! BRUCE! BRUCE!"_
I jerk up straight, screaming Bruce's name from the top of my lungs. I notice its dark around me. I feel hard, solid and cold stone underneath me. After a few seconds my eyes are adjusted to the darkness, realizing I wasn't in an alley but in a small cell made out of stone, no windows; and the only source of light flickering from underneath the large metal door.
I was locked in. They got to me and locked me in a cell.
"Help me Bruce! Help me!"
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**So, that was the fourth chapter which contained some drama for Cat. Tell me what you think of it so far:D**
5. Bruce, you are always here with me
**Hi guys, here is the fifth chapter of this story:D Enjoy reading:D**
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**Chapter 5: Bruce, you always here with me**
So many miles between us now
But you are always here with me
I sit straight up on a tiny mattress, the only comfort in this cold cell, playing with my locket. I find it strange they didn't take the only piece of jewellery I had." Probably haven't searched me yet.", I thought only caught me and locked me up. But that wouldn't mean they would try it later.
The light that flow through underneath the metal door into my cell exposed that the sun had come up. At least, it must be the sun because during the night the source of light flickered on and off, like a dodgy ceiling lamp. But this beamed constant through from underneath the door so there must be a large window just outside my door. Not that it would be in much use right now but it at least gave me some sense off time.
I heard boots pounding on the concrete floor outside my cell, coming down a few steps. Does that mean they've locked me in a basement?
Quickly I hide the locket inside one of my jacket pockets, zipping it tightly before standing up. The pounding of the boots stop at the same time, making me realize the person had reached my cell.
A small slide opens, sun beaming straight into the cell revealing a person peeking through the open slide. His eyes fall on me while I stood in the middle of the small cell, trying to cover my eyes from the sun so I could see his face.
"Take a few steps back, girl!" the man orders with a stern voice at me, burning his eyes into mine. "With your back against the wall!"
Slowly I back away until my back hits the cold and stone wall, pressing myself against it. The slide closes, a key is been put in the lock and the door opens slowly, the man peeking carefully around it to see if I was still on the other side of the room.
His entire body language showed this one was scared, scared of me; scared what I could do to him.
The man walks inside, keeping his eyes focused on me while bending down and places a plate with food onto the floor. Something that looked like thick porridge, and a glass with something that looked like watery lemonade.
I scoff softly at the sight of my breakfast, a small and tiny smile forms around my lips.
"I thought I ordered milk" I say with a sarcastic smile. "And what is that? Doesn't look like the marmalade scones I ordered."
I take a step forward, placing my hands challengingly on my hips and glance up to the man who quickly shifts back of my sudden move.
"What? Kidnapping a 13 year old girl and not delivering the food she ordered?" I ask, cocking my head mischievously to the side, while taking another step closer.
This man was scared but I wasn't planned to show him any fear.
"Stay there!" the man ordered, trying to keep his voice stern and steady but failed. There was a slight tremor in it. His eyes become panicked and that's when I noticed this man was younger than the other two. Even his face was covered with a scarf I could see he wasn't older than 20 years.
20 years old; scared and inexperienced. I make a move toward the door, the young man quickly running to be there first and closes the door straight in my face.
Disappointed I pound against the metal door, grab the handle and try to pull it open. The young man had locked it just in time. Angry, I kick against the door, knowing it wouldn't help me much right now but it at least released some of my tension.
Outside I could hear the young man quickly running back upstairs, slamming another door behind him. Annoyed I turn around and make way to my dodgy breakfast.
Slowly I sit down on the mattress, holding the plate steady on my lap while picking up the bowl with, well, porridge by the smell of it. Only, it was way too lumpy to be porridge.
I smell softly, making sure I didn't smell any sleeping drugs before eating it. It smells safe so I took a few bites, only it tasted too much like rubber so I decided to only drink the watery lemonade.
I move the plate away from me as I lay down on my back, looking up to the ceiling wandering back to the outside world. Would anyone miss me?
I thought about the 5 friends I had in my life, only to find out that they were even less numbered then I first thought.
Ivy: well, she wouldn't since I acted a bit too rude to her yesterday and she probably thought I would be with Detective Gordon, since she accused me from having a romantic relationship with the Detective.
Samantha: the girl I sometimes hang out with in the 'flea' mall. Maybe she would, though our meetings weren't very often so, maybe she wouldn't notice me gone either. And even if she would, she had hardly any courage to go to the cops and report me missing.
Roy: a 19 year old guy who sometimes looked me up, gave me a roof over my head when it was raining, giving me food and some money to keep me on my feet. Once I asked him why he did that and he just replied with a smile and said; "You're like a little sister to me" A scoff was the only reply he got, but his smile didn't disappear from his face. Roy would miss me sooner or later.
Detective Gordon; That's a maybe. During our last visit he showed me another side to him. A side I never had seen before, it almost looked like he really cared about my well-being. He gave me his address and some money.
Address?
Quickly I zip one of my jacket pockets open, taking the folded napkin out of it. Completely drenched of the water puddle I had fallen in made it hard to unfold and after I finally managed the writing was unreadable. Angry and disappointed I toss it across the room. If I managed to escape there was no address I could go to.
Well, maybe to the last person on my list.
Bruce; I knew where he lives but even if they managed to keep track of me I would be putting him in danger. Would Bruce notice and or report me missing; probably not.
But then a memory of last night put doubt in my mind. Me and Bruce, and that stupid rich girl beside him; dangling around his arm like she was his new bracelet.
The memory of Bruce, his face so close to mines, my soft whisper he probably must have heard. The same after my second whisper, the one that made him stop and turn, glancing back over to me, meeting my eyes in the dark. Though I'm not sure if he could see mine, but I saw his clear as day.
A single tear, dropping from his eyes, flowing down his cheek. There was a tear, right?
My mind started wandering back to the dream I had before I woke up in this stupid and cold cell. That's when I realize it was in the same alley as the one where he walked through with Alfred and Ms. Rich-Girl.
The moment he turns to look one more time, the same as in my dream with the only difference being that Bruce mouthed; "I love you". But his expression was the same and, now I remember there was a tear as well when he said it.
I sigh deeply, wandering my mind back to reality. My fingers searching down in my jacket for the pocket I had hidden the locket in. Slowly unzipping the pocket, fingers inside searching for the silver locket.
Carefully I ran it through my fingers before taking it slowly to my lips.
Bruce, so many miles are between us now. But you are always here with me.
A single tear flows down my cheek as I press a soft kiss on the locket.
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**So, that was the fifth chapter, let me know what you think so far:D Love to hear your thoughts:D**
6. This feelings begins, just like a spark
**Hi guys, thanks for your reviews/favs/follows, they mean a lot. This chapter isn't proofread yet, tried to correct as much as I could but there could be still grammar mistakes. Big thanks to my beta SellyStew for proofreading:D**
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**Chapter 6: This feeling begins, just like a spark**
**Point of view: Bruce**
Last night, seeing Cat in the alley felt strange, but also familiar. It felt nice seeing that she was safe. She was safe, but not with me.
I sigh softly as I sip from my orange juice, thinking back to the late night hour when I met Cat behind the dumpster. Her face so close to mine. Why didn't I have the courage to kiss her? One kiss and she would know how I really felt. Or would that have made things even more difficult?
She told me to stop hassling her. Stop bugging her, buying presents, and to stop sending messages around town. It all sounded cold and hard in that moment. Like a slap in the face. Her words broke my heart.
But then the meeting in the alley. I can't even explain why I wanted to go through the alley. It was like I wanted to see her. Like I knew there was a chance she might be there, feeding her cats, like she told me about once.
But then again, the city has many alleys, so how did I know which one she would be in?
Noticing my shoelaces were loose I told Alfred and my friend Rachel to go ahead and I would catch up with them after re-tying my shoes.
They kept walking and while bending down I heard a loud pound, like something hit hard against the dumpster a few feet away from me. I looked over, noticing something duck back behind the dumpster.
A curly head that only could belong to one person, Cat.
Curiously I stood up, walking slowly while sneaking toward the dumpster, bending down beside it. At just about the same time the curly head popped out from behind the dumpster, a few inches away from my face. Her green eyes sparkled a bit, like she was happy to see me.
But she couldn't have because she told me to leave her alone. Why would she be happy to see me now?
A soft whisper escaped her lips, but loud enough for me to hear. She whispered my name. Not that it was the strangest thing for her to do, because she had said my name before, but it was more in the way it sounded. Did I imagine it or was there a slight tremor in her voice? A glimpse of love sparkling her eyes?
I don't know, but her soft breath against my face brought back that feeling. The feeling like I wanted to kiss her. Tell her that I love her, and maybe I hadn't imagined it. Maybe she loves me back.
I almost kissed her, only I should have done it sooner because suddenly Alfred's voice echoes through the alley taking my attention away from Cat.
One more time I looked her in the eyes. They were watery, like she was about to cry, but I didn't want to let Alfred know she was there. He might call the police and she would be sent upstate. With pain in my heart I stood up and ran back to Alfred and Rachel.
Again Cat whispered my name. Maybe I had imagined her. I wanted to check if she was still there. I didn't know but I turned my head, seeing her curly head peeking around the dumpster, looking me straight in my eyes.
Something flickered and caught my attention. I noticed the silver locket around her neck. The one I had given to her after finding it in the woods.
She still had it and she wears it around her neck. I single tear flows down my cheek as I walk further with Alfred and Rachel back to the limo, my mind back to the locket. She still has it. Does that mean? I smile slightly as I feel something, fluttering from my belly to my heart. A warm feeling only Cat can give me. That feeling, that starts with a spark.
"Master Bruce, is everything alright?" Alfred's asks, knocking me back out of thinking and I look up, realizing I was still holding the glass with juice, barely even having drank from it. "Shall I take that?"
"Yes, you can Alfred," I reply, placing the glass on the coffee table and standing up, making my way toward the door. "After that, can you take me to the city? I have to send a message."
"And to who would that be, master Bruce?" Alfred asked, but by the look in his eyes I could see he already knew the answer, so there was no way to deny it.
"Cat!" I reply with a smile, turning around and leaving the room. But I could still hear Alfred sigh with deep disapproval.
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Slowly Alfred steers the car through the streets of Gotham while I keep looking through the backseat windows to see if I could spot Cat. There was no sign of her.
I started to get really worried. I know that Cat has a lot hiding places, and that she had the skills to move unseen through the streets if she didn't want to be found, but still... I had been driving by all of her favourite places and still found no sign of the curly haired girl I had seen in the alley for a long while.
I asked Alfred if he could go around the block again, and begged him to let me go alone this time into the 'flee' building. Maybe Cat would be there, or I could ask for her.
The look Alfred gives me through the rear view mirror told me there was not any chance that he would let me step out of the car without him.
"Please, Alfred! You really have to trust me and let me go inside. Cat could be in there."
"I still don't know why you even want to look for her, Master Bruce," Alfred says, glancing at me through the rear view mirror. "Not after what she said and did to you."
"I don't know either, but after I saw her in the alley I really wanted to speak with her," I look away so Alfred can't read the real reason for visiting Cat on my face.
Alfred stops the car to give way to another car, and I know that it's my only chance I get to escape Alfred for a few minutes. I open the backseat door and step quickly outside of the car, running into an alley while ignoring Alfred who ran after me, yelling for me to stop and come back.
I knew exactly where to find the 'flee' since Cat took me there once, and it wasn't hard for me to find it on my own. Quickly I ran inside the building before Alfred could come around the building to stop me.
Slowly, and not drawing too much attention, I walk through the building scoping the place for Cat. There was no sign of her here.
"Can I help you?" a male voice asks behind me and I quickly circle around to see who the voice belongs to.
A young guy about 19 years old stands in front of me, his hands hidden inside the pockets of his dark blue sweater, his eyes searching me up and down from under the hoodie that covers most of his face.
The guy looks at me with so much suspicion that I get too scared to move or breathe. Maybe I should've stayed in the car.
"Well?" the guy asks, waiting for my reply.
"I—I" I stammer and swallow to get my voice back. Cat once told me I should never show fear to them, otherwise I would be mince-meat. I straighten my back to look more confident. "Do you know Cat?"
"Yeah, I know her. Why?" the guy asks, now folding his arms in front of his chest, looking fiercely down on me.
His eyes burn questionably into mine, making my courage sink, but I tried to keep my back straight. Show no fear!
"I'm looking for her. Have you seen her?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.
"Why you wanna know?" Still glancing suspicious down on me.
"Have you seen her?" I ask, and my voice even surprised me. This time I sounded, and felt, more confident.
I look up, meeting the guy's eyes while waiting for his reply. The way he narrowed his eyes let me know he was still testing me.
"Nope, haven't see her for days," the guy says, breaking the tense silence, placing his hands back into his pockets. "Anything else?"
I notice an angry looking Alfred walking inside the building, and then I realized I had to break the chat before Alfred could grab me and drag me back to the car.
"Master Bruce!" Alfred shouts the second he spots me talking with the street kid and passes with red face toward us.
"If you see her, can you tell her that-" I try to ask, but my question gets cut off the second Alfred grabs my arm tightly and pulls me away from the guy and drags me to the exit.
"What's your name?" the guy shouts as I try to free myself from Alfred's grip so that I can reply to the guy's question.
"Bruce Wayne!"
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**So, let me know what you think so far:D I love reading your thoughts:D**
7. Bruce's adventure on the streets
**Hi guys, another update, huge thanks to Sellystew for beta reading this:D**
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**Chapter 7: Bruce's adventure on the streets**
**Point of view: Bruce**
A few days later I still hadn't received a message from Cat, which made me worried and I started to doubt the possibility of her still liking me. In the alley, her eyes, her voice, was it all imagined?
I decided not to give up now. I wanted to talk with her. To ask her why she had told me all of those things, why she wanted me to stop bugging her.
All I could do was go for another search through the city, but this time without Alfred. He was already mad enough at me for yelling my name in a; 'street kid infested shopping mall'.
Nope, I had to call a taxi instead of taking the limo, and I had to do it when Alfred wasn't home.
About half-past ten Alfred finally went out for grocery shopping, leaving me alone in the big house. He didn't want to leave me alone at first, but after I told him I had some reading to do he finally went along and left.
I had already called the taxi, because I knew around which time Alfred always went grocery shopping. About five minutes later the taxi pulled up in front of the house and I stepped inside, telling the driver to take me to Gotham city.
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**Point of view: Cat**
_Cold and alone I walk through an alley, not really recognizing which one because they all looked similar to one another. Normally I could tell the difference between each alley, knowing them all by name, but now it doesn't seem to be important. I didn't care, all I wanted was to find Bruce and tell him how I felt about him._
_Wait! I can't tell him. He would laugh straight in my face, right? He had a date with another girl, meaning he moved on, so maybe I should too._
_I keep walking, when suddenly a stray cat walks towards me. The cat meowed for milk or food, but I didn't have any with me right now._
_I bent down, picking up the cat and started rubbing his ears softly as the cat purrs, satisfied._
_Aside from the cat, I suddenly feel someone else's presence as a small person comes out from the shadow walking toward me. It's Bruce Wayne._
_Wait! Why is Bruce Wayne wandering around dark alleys alone?_
_"Bruce?" I say softly, still holding the cat tightly against my chest, rubbing its ears. Bruce walks toward me, gently grabbing my elbow, but it still hurts. Why does it hurt?_
_Bruce moves closer, pressing his body against mine. I can't move anymore, but I don't care. Bruce is with me, and not with Miss Rich girl._
_"I missed you so much, Cat," Bruce whispers softly in my ear, and then looks into my eyes. "They are so green... So beautiful." A gentle smile forms on his lips. A welcoming smile. A smile that I had missed so much. I wanted to kiss him. Feel his warm and soft lips underneath mine._
_"BRUCE, WHERE ARE YOU?!"_
_Who's that? I don't recognize the voice, but it sounds like a girl. Bruce seems to recognize the person it belongs to..._
_Slowly he lets me go, turns around and slowly walks toward the person who's coming into the alley. It's Miss Rich girl._
_"Wait Bruce! Don't go! You've got to help me…"_
_Bruce stops, turning his head, looking me straight in my eyes. Again he mouths; "I love you," before turning around, walking away._
_"Bruce! Don't go, Bruce! You've got to help me, Bruce! BRUCE! BRUCE!"_
"BRUCE!" I shout from the top of my lungs and sit up straight at the same time, panting heavily as cold sweat runs down my face. I must have been tossing and turning in my sleep.
Suddenly I realize I hadn't hid the locket away before going to sleep, and now it was GONE!
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**Point of view: Bruce**
Before I stepped into the taxi, I had my usual clothes replaced by the street clothes Cat gave me the day we were chased by assassins. She said I blend in easier once I wear it, and she was right. Almost no one gave me a second look.
I walked around through the city, visiting the alleys Cat could be in. I asked several people if they had seen a girl with Cat's description for the past few minutes, but no one had.
After bumping into Ivy and asking her if she had seen Cat, which was a no, I really started to get worried. Cat had once told me that Ivy sometimes stalks her for days after bumping into her. So if Ivy hadn't seen her for days, something must have happened to Cat.
I say bye to Ivy and start walking again, asking other people for Cat without any success. Some of them don't even stop to listen. Just look anxiously at me and keep walking fast.
"Hardly anyone speaks to street kids," a girly voice says behind me, and I circle around to see Ivy. She must have followed me. "And right now you don't look like a billionaire." Ivy eyed at my clothes.
"Ivy, could you just stop following me?" I ask, turning around again, walking away from her.
"But there is something I know about Cat," Ivy replies with a taunting voice, which made me question her trustworthiness.
"Why didn't you tell me before?" I ask, turning for her again and folding my arms, looking doubtfully down on her.
"Because you didn't ask," Her voice still taunting.
"Yes I did," I say looking confused at her, trying to figure out what her plans were.
"No, you asked if I had seen Cat, not if I knew where she might be." Ivy places her hands on her hips while moving them from left to right, like she was luring me into something. I had no other choice than to bite.
"Okay, do you know where Cat might be?"
"Not right now," Ivy replied, a playful smile forming around her lips.
I, knowing for sure she was playing with me now, roll my eyes and turn around. Making sure to get away from her as soon as possible. Cat was right. Ivy was schemery.
"Fine, then I won't give you advice. You just have to forget her. Cat moved on so maybe you should too!" Ivy shouted at my back.
I tried to ignore her, but somehow I also wanted to know what she was talking about. Slowly I turned around, but I don't walk back toward her. I just keep standing a few feet away from her, folding my arms questioningly and wait for her to finish whatever she was trying to tell me.
"So, you're curious then?" Ivy asks, a playful smile curling up the corner of her lip. "Cat is sleeping with someone else."
I was just about to ask her what she was talking about when suddenly someone grabs me by my wrist and pulls me away from Ivy, dragging me without saying anything into an alley.
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**Point of view: Cat**
How could I have been so stupid? Why didn't I make sure I had hid the locket safely in my pocket before I went to sleep?
The plate with my breakfast told me I had slept for too long, figuring out it must be past midday, and that it was almost time for my lunch.
But it wasn't the missed breakfast that triggered my alarm bells. What if the person who brought me my breakfast had seen me sleeping while holding the locket in my hand?
Quickly I tried to block my panic mode, because there could have been another reason besides a kidnapper who stole it. Maybe it had fallen onto the floor while I was tossing and turning in my sleep.
Securely I start scoping the floor next to my mattress for the missing locket, running my fingers over the cold concrete cell floor, searching until they would grab the locket. Nothing!
Oh no, they found it, and they took it from me.
Someone approaches my cell, putting the key in its place and opens the door. Quickly I stand up on my feet, pressing my back against the wall.
I knew that this was another kidnapper because the young one first checked if it was safe for him to enter. This one didn't seem to be scared.
The man enters the room and I saw I was right. This one was taller with much more anger in his eyes, and he also didn't cover his face with a scarf. Like he didn't care that I could see his face.
The man picks up the old plate, replaces it with the new one and then looks at me with a mean smirk on his face.
"You're a fighter, I can give you that," he says in a taunting voice and points at the scars I gave him the night of the kidnapping. They were almost healed by now.
"I'm sorry, did it hurt?" I ask in sarcastic tone, letting him know I wasn't scared of him or any of his mates. "I can give you some more if you don't let me go."
"Is that right, missy?" the man asks, his face turning red with the anger that boiled up inside him. With a loud smash the plate hits the floor, the old breakfast sprayed onto the concrete floor as he slowly walks toward me. "Let me show you how much pain I can give you."
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**So, what do you think so far? Who grabs Bruce and what is the guy about to do with Cat? Please review if you like to read the next chapter:D**
8. Tranquilizer darts and blood
**Hi guys, next chapter, big thanks to sellystew for being my beta:D**
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**Chapter 8: Tranquilizer darts and blood**
**Point of view: Bruce**
It was the 19 year old guy who had grabbed me away from Ivy into an alley. After introducing himself as Roy he told me that he had done some investigating of his own. After our meeting days earlier he still had seen no sign of Cat, which had triggered his alarm bells.
Roy also had asked people about Cat, and after a few chats he finally heard something useful.
The same night as our alley meeting, someone had seen her hours later crossing the road when suddenly a van came around the corner. Cat spotted a few men coming from the back of the van and ran into an alley when they chased her.
Roy took me to the alley the person spoke about, and the two of us scoped the entire alley for something that would bring us to Cat.
About ten minutes later something drew my attention, and I called for Roy to come check it out. Roy immediately turns around and ran back to me when I pointed at something on the ground. Something that looked like a tranquilizer dart.
A cold chill ran down my spine. Could this mean they caught her?
Roy bends down and picks it up. It was, indeed, a tranquilizer dart. Roy assured me that there was no reason for panic. It couldn't mean they got her. Cat was a fighter, so there was always a slight chance she got away.
Roy's eye caught something, and while following his gaze I noticed a fire escape attached to one of the buildings. Just one, which meant it might be used by Cat as an attempt to escape her attackers.
Roy made a run toward it and I quickly followed him. I had used fire escapes before so it wasn't hard for me to climb up onto them and up to the rooftop.
Soon as I reached the rooftop I noticed Roy, having arrived seconds before me, was already scoping the place. I stood for a few seconds, trying to regain my breath when suddenly the sun flickered onto something.
It caught my eyes, and it was on the rooftop of the next building.
I call out Roy's name, point in the direction I had seen it and then made a run toward the edge, building up my momentum along the way.
I was going to jump and Roy knew it, but Roy didn't know I had done it before. While blocking out his yelling I took a leap and landed on both feet on the next rooftop.
The landing, however, wasn't so perfect, and I fell face down. I really had to start doing something about that.
Behind me I could hear Roy coming, also making the jump and landing perfectly on both feet beside me.
"Where did a billionaire learn to jump rooftops?" Roy asked with a grin, looking down on me surprisingly impressed.
"I'll explain later," I say, crawling back up and taking Roy's held out hand to get back on my feet. "It's just that I saw something over there."
I point at the edge and again it flickered by the sun's reflection. Both Roy and I made a run toward it, and from afar we could recognize the shape and size. It was another tranquilizer dart.
Now we got worried, but not only by the sight of the dart. There was also a puddle of dried up blood.
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**Point of view: Cat**
The man came closer and closer toward me, untying his pant belt along the way. This could mean only one thing.
Slowly I back away from the kidnapper who was about to hurt me. Quickly I realize that backing away wasn't such a great idea at all, especially since it wasn't a large cell, so my back hit the wall behind me really fast, cornering me in.
The door was the only way for me to get out.
Quickly I tried to run to one of the side walls so that I could run safely around the kidnapper and make way to the door, but the kidnapper was faster than me. He grabbed me around my waist and threw me back on the mattress.
I tried to break my fall but hit hard on my already injured elbow, causing another sharp pain that went through my entire body. I couldn't help myself and let out a painful moan.
Quickly I tried to regain myself and stand up, but the kidnapper threw me back down and bends over me, pinning me against the mattress while trying to grab the zipper of my jacket to unzip it.
I put up my hands in defense, reaching for his face, but he managed to dodge my fingers and pinned my arms aside my body.
"NO!" I scream, trying to free myself from his grip, but the man was stronger. Anxiously I tried to think of another way out, but I couldn't think of any. All I could do was try to wriggle as much as my body would let me and make it harder for him to undress me. Again I screamed as loud as I could. "NO!"
The man keeps trying to get me pinned onto the mattress while unzipping my jacket at the same time and even though I made it harder by wriggling, the man managed to unzip my jacket, placing one of his arms underneath my back to hold up my body, pressing it against his.
I managed to free one of my arms and start hitting him in his face, screaming at him to let me go, but my struggles didn't seem to bother him. It was more like each second he grew more excited. The man managed to get my jacket off, and now went for the zipper of my sweater.
"You certainly have a lot of clothes on," he whispers tauntingly in my ear as I start to scream more while he tries to remove my sweater.
I try another attempt for his face and this time my fingers made contact with his eyes. The man starts to scream in pain, and for a brief second I can free my body from underneath his as I kick him hard in his stomach.
Quickly I try to move away from him, but suddenly I feel a sharp pain in my upper left thigh, making me the one to scream in pain this time.
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**Point of view: Bruce**
Roy and I went to GPCD to ask for detective Gordon and tell him everything about Cat and the discovery we'd made which could only mean that Cat was kidnapped.
Detective Gordon wasn't at his desk when we arrived, and detective Bullock didn't seem to listen when we told him. He just told us that she would pop up like she always did and that we had to buzz off.
While Bullock was answering a phone call and wasn't paying any attention to us anymore we figured it might be best to go. Roy writes down a message on a stick-it paper and attached it onto detective Gordon's desk before leaving.
Outside of the GPCD Roy held up a taxi, shoving me inside it and told me to go home and to stay home. The streets weren't a place for a twelve year old billionaire.
"But I want to help find Cat!" I shout, holding the backseat door open before Roy could close it.
"I'll do that!" Roy answers, looking firmly. "Wayne Manor!" Roy orders to the driver before shutting the door and disappearing into an alley.
The taxi driver brought me back to the Manor and from afar I could see Alfred's car parked in front of the manor and figured he must be home from the supermarket.
I told the driver to stop outside the gate, gave him money for the ride and stepped out. While the driver drove away I slowly opened the gate door and snuck up to the house, sneaking inside through a window that I had left open before leaving.
"Are you sure you're at the right house?" a stern voice asks the second I climbed through the window and turned around, noticing an old man about Alfred's age sitting on the leather couch.
"I can ask you the same," I reply, folding my arms while looking suspiciously at the strange visitor inside my house.
"Ah, there you are Master Bruce," Alfred says, walking inside the study with a tray of drinks and beverages. "Where did you come from?"
"I was just…." I said slowly, trying to think of an excuse. I couldn't tell him I came from the city. "Explored the secret passages in the manor," I said the first thing that popped up inside my head.
"Why are you wearing that?" Alfred asks, placing the tray on the coffee table while signalling with his eyes at my clothes.
"I didn't want to ruin my other clothes," I said quickly. Alfred narrows his eyebrows. "It's dirty and dusty in there."
"Fine then, Master Bruce. You can have your secrets," Alfred replies, pouring some drinks into glasses. "Go change again and then you can meet my friend properly."
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**So, that was chapter 8, let me know what you think. Reviews make me happy and upload faster LOL**
9. Bleeding wound and concussions
**Hi guys, new chapter. English isn't my first language, so there might be some grammar mistakes, will change it soon my beta sends it back to me:D**
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**Chapter 9: Bleeding wound and concussion**
Alfred's friend introduced himself as Max and while Alfred was busy with doing some things around the house, I stay with Max in the study and listen to all the story's he tells me. Story's about the time he stayed at Wayne Manor, years ago.
Alfred and Max are long-time friends and they had a lot of adventures when they were about my age. Max even told me the names of all the girls they dated but, for him, there was only one girl he loved dearly. Her name was Madelyn.
Max's eyes went sad when he mentioned her name. Something must had happened between them, maybe just like something had happened between Cat and me. Cat, the only girl I loved, stupidly asked the wrong questions which made her bolt.
She was in danger, I could feel it. The tranquilizer darts Roy and I found proofs everything. And then the dry blood stain. My heart pounded in my chest seeing all that blood. Blood that could be hers, blood that could be of one of the kidnappers, which was most likely to Roy. Cat was a fighter. A girl not easy to catch. But still.
I cold chill runs down my spine.
"Is everything alright, Bruce?" Max asks, knocking me back to senses and I look up meeting not only Max's worried eyes but also Rachel's, who probably just had arrived and let in by Alfred. "You look a bit pale."
"It's nothing" I reply quickly and try to smile before I stand up and address to Rachel. "Why are you here?"
"We had plans for today, remember?" Rachel asks, glazing confused at me.
"Yes, I remember" I reply quickly, (not that I did) and give her a polite smile while figuring out how to get myself out of this. The last thing I wanted was hurting her feelings.
"Ah Miss. …" Alfred says walking inside the study again and looked questioned over to me. "What are the plans for this evening?"
"We had plans to take a swim in the pool" Rachel replies.
_Swimming, that was the plan_ I thought to myself remembering everything again. I was just about to tell her to skip the plans, but before I even could open my mouth she smiles, grabs my arm and leads me out the study.
* * *
A sharp pain stings straight through my left thy and I scream in pain, feeling something wet dripping down my leg. I smell the copper of my own blood and quickly I try to add some pressure on the wound by covering it with one of my hands.
The kidnapper regains himself, getting all exited again and made a new attempt to grab me. I was too busy with my wound I didn't see him coming until I feel his arms around my waist again, pulling me toward him.
"NO!" I scream again, trying to free myself from his grip but then my breath gets cut off by the kidnappers hand, covering my mouth and nose.
I couldn't scream, couldn't breathe, couldn't think straight because of the pounding pain in my thy, I was completely defenceless. I feel the kidnapper moving onto me again, trying to move between my legs, trying to press his body against mine.
The pain, the pressure of his body on mine became all too much. A dizzy feeling overwhelmed me, realizing I had lost all the strength I needed to keep fighting. I wanted to fight, not giving up, not letting him rape me but I just couldn't stop him. I was too weak.
I feel his hand removing my pants, moving it away from under me, moving between my legs again, keeping his other hand on my mouth and nose the entire time. Tears stream down my face and I close my eyes.
Suddenly the man's grip became looser and I felt him moving off of me. I start to cough, taking some deep breaths before I finally dare to open my eyes. Just a few inches away from me lies the kidnapper, unconscious on the floor. Beside him stand a another man, holding my food tray in his hand. He's one of the other kidnappers.
I look at him with widened eyes, still taking in gulps of air, my leather jacket pressing against my chest tightly.
Slowly the second kidnappers walks upon me, quickly backing away from him until my back hits the wall behind me and I can go nowhere. The man says nothing, just bends beside me grabbing my left leg and takes a closer look to the cut. I flinch, let out a painful yelp as his fingers touches the wound.
"Well, it seems we have to take you to the hospital" the kidnapper says, standing back to his feet. Then, before I could even react, the man grabs me under my arms, pulling me up to get me on my feet. A sharp pain went through my leg and I curl up in pain but the kidnapper holds me straight on my feet, avoiding me to lie down on the matrass again.
Realizing I wasn't able to walk on my own the kidnapper picks me up in his arms, bridle style, and walks with me out the door. I was too tired to fight so I let him.
* * *
Rachel decided to take a swim on her own after I told her I didn't feel well enough to swim so I sit with Alfred and Max beside the poolside. Alfred and Max reliving some old memory's, my head slowly wandering back to Cat. All kinds of horrible images went through the back of my head. Images of her alone, wounded in some dark and cold place.
I really wanted to stop wasting my time here by the pool and go back to Gotham, searching for Cat again. But Roy had told me to leave it to him but how could I? After all, it was my fault I left her there in that alley. I was too cowardly to ask her to come back. Maybe, if I did, everything might had been different. What if I had kissed her like I wanted to instead of leaving her there on her own. Maybe she would have agreed to come to my house and she wouldn't be kidnapped.
I can't forget her face. Forget the look in her eyes and the soft whispering of my name. I should have kissed her.
"Master Bruce, are you okay?" Alfred's voice nocks me back to reality and I realize a tear had fell down my cheek. Alfred looks worried at me and I read a questioned look in his eyes. Quickly I rub the tear away.
"It's nothing" I say, trying to smile but Alfred's doubtful look stops me from doing. "I don't want to talk about it."
Quickly I rise to my feet and was just about to walk back to the house when suddenly one of my feet slips from under me and I fall backwards on the ground. My head hits the poolside and everything becomes dark.
Detective Gordon arrives at the GCPD, tossing some files on his desk when he notice the stick-it note that Roy and Bruce had left on his desk. Curiously he picks it up and reads it.
**Can't find Cat. Have you seen her? Come and meet me tonight 10.00 pm at the docks.
Roy.**
Detective Gordon didn't remember the name but it sounded urgent and now, thinking about it, he hadn't seen Cat in days. Not after he had left her some money and his address at the diner.
He hadn't been worried when she didn't show up at his apartment because knowing Cat she really liked to be in depended Maybe she hadn't even taken the money and the address.
Detective Gordon sighs deeply, folds the note and sticks it into his pocket when suddenly his cell-phone rings. Quickly he picks up, hearing a worried Alfred telling him he had to come to the hospital.
Bruce had slips beside the poolside and brought to hospital unconscious.
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**So, that was chapter nine, let me know what you think so far. I really would like to get some new reviews before I upload the next chapter because I really like to know your thoughts so far:D **
10. So many miles between us now
**Hi guys, I'm sorry for the long wait, but here is the next chapter, enjoy reading:D**
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**Chapter 10: So many miles between us now**
I have never felt so alone and helpless when one of my kidnappers was about to rape me. He almost succeed if one of the other kidnappers weren't home and hadn't dragged him off me. I felt relieved that not all where just like that pig and also didn't approve that kind of behavior.
Soon the kidnapper was dragged off me I took in a few deep breaths, curled up while pressing my jacket against my chest. Not that anything of my body was exposed. I still had my sweater and shirt on but it felt comforting hugging something, though it even was a jacket.
A sharp pain stings through my thy, realizing the second kidnapper had sat down beside me and inspected the cut on my leg, which turned out deeper than either of us had expected. My heart leaped when he told my attacker they had to take me to a hospital to get it stitched. This could mean an change for me to escape.
Happy that I had a change to get out of this mess but, also because I didn't have any strength in my body left to fight I let the kidnapper pick me up in his arms and carry me out the door.
We went up a small stair to the main level, realizing they indeed kept me prison in the basement. While walking through a large and empty hall I heard quick footsteps coming toward us and I froze. Scared that it would be the attacker again.
"What happened?" the voice asked that belong to the footsteps and I realize it's the younger kidnapper. Did I imagine it or was there a slight worry in his voice.
"He just couldn't help himself, the bastard" the kidnapper who hold me scowled through his teeth and his head signaled to the first kidnapper, still laying unconscious on the cell floor. "I have to take her to the hospital."
The young kidnapper opens the door for us and, walks with us up to their van and helps him getting me inside. I flinch slightly as he sat me down in one of the passenger seats and straps the seat-belt.
"Do you want me to come in case she gets feisty again?" the young kidnapper asks and a few seconds later he sits down behind us and I realize he must have nod because I hadn't heard a reply.
It wasn't a long drive to the hospital and the wound kept bleeding, though I tried to hold as much pressure on it as possible. And the pain didn't wear off either, just kept pounding and sharp sting's went through my thy.
Along the way the guy who saved me kept telling me some possible details that I could use as excuse in case one of the doctor's might ask too many questions. I could just pick one of those but I wasn't allowed to tell the real reason or even give them a slight hint of me being kidnapped.
I just nod obeyed while fighting against the nosia feeling that started in my stomach. I also felt dizzy now, meaning I had lost way too much blood.
* * *
They park their van in the parking lot and the young kidnapper carry's me into the elevator while the other guy stays at the vehicle. Soon as the elevator reached the hospital main floor and the doors open the young man asks a male nurse, to help him with me. The man immediately brings a stretcher and he lies me down on it.
"Can I stay with her? She's my niece" the young kidnapper says to the male nurse as he rides the … inside an empty room. He just nod as reply, then hands him some bandage and orders him to keep pressure on the wound while he would get a doctor.
The man leaves and while waiting, keeping pressure on the wound the kidnapper starts to apologize to me for how they have threaten me the past few days.
"Well, then let me go!" I grin through my teeth and flinch in pain when another sting goes right through the wound.
The guy was just about to reply but got interrupted once the doctor walked inside and asked me for my name. I didn't reply, just looked challenged at the kidnapper to leave the reply to him. After all he had told the other guy I was his niece.
The doctor looks questioned over to the young guy, waiting for a reply but all the guy did was looking at me. A beg full look in his eyes and slightly mouthed at me for help.
"Well, maybe you can tell me later, after I called the cops" the doctor said, looking suspicious from the guy over to me. "And maybe it might be better if you wait in the waiting room while I check on her wound and wait for the police to arrive."
The young men stands up slowly, looking at me with a sad look in his eyes but I just look away. I didn't really know what to do. I really wanted a way out and escape but soon as the guy would leave there might be a change he would go back to the van and tell the other kidnapper what happened. Then I would be in some real trouble.
"Cat!" I reply shortly and the doctor gives me a questioned look. "My name is Cat, and I really would like him to stay."
The young men sits down, sighing relieved and smiles gently at me. His way of a thank you I suppose.
The doctor starts cleaning the wound, stitched it up and was just about to do bandage on it when suddenly his beeper went off. He just quickly glances over to it, told us he had to go to an emergency so he would ask another nurse to finish the bandage.
I just shrugged and the doctor left, heard him outside asking someone for another nurse to help me.
Suddenly I saw a stretcher passing by my room with a young boy laying on it, unconscious. At first I didn't recognize him but then I hear Alfred's worried voice, telling the doctor the boy had slipped and bumped his head on the poolside.
My heart stopped beating for a moment. Forgetting in what kind of situation I was I almost screamed Bruce's name but then I saw the girl. The same girl that was with him in the alley.
A jealous sting went through my heart. Bruce wasn't even missing me. Our sudden meeting in the alley didn't mean anything to him. Tears start to fill my eyes but I quickly fight against them. I didn't cry much, wasn't planned to start with it now. Especially not in front of one of my kidnappers.
I look away from the door, noticing the young kidnapper moving closer toward me. He placed one of his hands gently on my wounded leg, looking me in my eyes. Again I read worry in it.
"I'm fine!" I snap angry, slapping his hand from my knee. Just about the same time as a nurse walks in, telling us she would put some bandage on the wound.
A few minutes later she was finished, told the guy he had to clean the wound twice a day and put new bandage on it. He just nods as reply.
"You can sit here until you feel well enough to leave" the nurse says, smiling gently at me before leaving the room again.
The young kidnapper helps me off the stretcher and while leaning on him we leave the room, making our way back to the elevator that leads to the parking lot. While doing so I could see nurses and doctors run in and out a room. Also I noticed the girl coming out of it, crying and making her way to the lady's room.
The elevator door opens and the young man tries to push me gently into it but I keep standing in my tracks. Keep looking at the room, wondering whether to hit my kidnapper and make a run to the room while screaming for help.
"We really have to go" the man says trying another attempt to get me in the elevator. I still don't co-operate.
"Just let me…" I say slowly, almost in a whisper and look him in the eyes. Then I look over to the room again while a tear escapes from one of my eyes.
"Steve would be really mad if we don't hurry" he replies. I give him a questioned look. "The guy who did that to you" points at my thy.
"I could tell that doctor everything once you were out the room but instead I'll let you stay so just let me…" I point at the room.
"Fine" he replies, helping me up to the room. "But no tricks, okay?"
I don't reply, just look through the bedroom window at the bed where lies the helpless, still unconscious Bruce. Doctors are busy with cleaning a bleeding wound on the back of his head while Detective Gordon and Alfred stands aside watching. Worried looks on both faces.
"Can I help you?" a stern male voice asks and I feel my kidnapper flinch up a bit. I look over and notice an old man standing beside us, worried look in his eyes. "Do you know Bruce Wayne?"
"No!" my kidnapper replies for me. "She's just resting for a moment. Her thy you see" points at my wound. The old man just nods as he understands it. Gently my kidnapper pushes me back away from the room while I look inside of it one more time.
Bruce's eyelids tremble slightly, like he's waking up.
I just want to stay and look, but then my kidnapper picks me up in his arms and walks back toward the elevator doors, stepping inside and wait until it reaches the parking lot level.
"You took your time!" The other kidnapper who waited for us steps outside the van, holds the door open while the younger one sat me down in the seat again.
"You know what doctors are like, Dwayne" he just replies and sits down behind us again while Dwayne sits down behind the steering wheel again and drives out the parking lot.
My eyelids start to become heavy, and while trying to keep them open as long as possible to memories all the streets we pass in case I might get another change to escape. But I couldn't hold them open for much longer and a few minutes later I fell asleep.
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**So, let me know what you think so far and if you like to read the next chapter:D**
11. A kidnapper with a soft spot
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**Chapter 11: A kidnapper with a soft spot**
**Point of view: Bruce Wayne**
Slowly I open my eyes with nothing then a painful pounding inside my head. Also I had no idea where I was nor I knew how I got here. I was just about to sit up straight when someone pushed me gently back and orders me to lie down again.
I notice it's a doctor, realizing I must be in hospital. But why? What happened?
"Do you know your name, young man?" he asks and I quickly reply with Bruce Wayne. The doctor sighs relieved. "No memory loss it seems." The doctor address this to someone else that stood aside and I look over, noticing a pale and worried looking Alfred.
"Yes, that's a relieve" Alfred replies, rushing over to my bed and takes my hand gently into his. "How do you feel Master Bruce?"
"My head hurts and I feel dizzy, that's all" I reply and try to smile as proof but I couldn't fool Alfred. He looks doubtfully at me.
"Detective Gordon is also here but he took Rachel to the cafeteria. I can get them if that's okay?" the question was more addressed to the doctor then to me.
"That's fine" the doctor replies with a smile. "But not too long because he needs his rest too."
Alfred left, leaving Max with me in the room. I still didn't remember why Alfred had taken me to a hospital but after asking it to Max he told me I had slipped and hit my head on the poolside.
"Your girlfriend was really worried, you know?" Max says with a cheeky smile. I think he was revering to Rachel, since she was the only girl who was at the house when it happened.
"She's not my girlfriend" I say slowly and swallowed. _Even though she would like it._ But I didn't say that. The only girl on my mind that I would have as girlfriend was Cat.
I thought about the note Roy and I had left on the detective's desk. Maybe I should ask him about it. But only when Alfred isn't in the room. I didn't want Alfred to find out I was in the city all on my own.
Max nods understandable, though he also looks a bit doubtfully. "Alfred told me you had a date with her just a few days ago."
"It wasn't really a date. We just went to a movie" I explain, wriggling with the sheets awkwardly. I really didn't want him to bring up that night. It made me think more and more about Cat and blamed myself for what happened afterwards. _I should have taken her back to the house._
"Everything alright, Bruce?" Max asks, noticing the serious look on my face. Or maybe it was the tears that streamed down my cheeks again. Quickly I wiped them off. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing" I whisper but Max narrows his eyes doubtfully. "I'm just worried about another girl that I know" I say, giving in. I really had to talk with someone but first I had to know if he wouldn't tell it to Alfred.
Max promised me he wouldn't.
"Her name is Cat and she lives on the streets. We were friends and there was a moment I thought we were more but then she started to push me away. The night Alfred, Rachel and I left the movies and we were on our way to the car we went through an alley. I was re-tieing my shoe laces when I heard a knock against one of the dumpsters. I thought it would just be a stray cat or so but when I looked over I saw a face hiding back behind the dumpsters. I went over, noticing it was Cat. Alfred called for me so I had to go but I really would I hadn't done that because the next day, when I tried to search for her I couldn't find her. I left messages for her but I didn't get a reply from her so I went again. That's when people told me they hadn't seen her for days. Not after they had seen her chased by some men into an alley. I became worried and with one of her friends I searched the alley, finding tranquilizer darts and blood, meaning they must have taken her.
Max listened the entire time, didn't interrupt me once. His face became more and more worried while I told the story.
"You really can't tell Alfred about it."
* * *
**Point of view: Selina Kyle**
We arrived at the house again and Dwayne orders the younger kidnapper, still don't know his name, to bring me back to my cell. Checking on me from time to time and clean the wound.
The man slowly takes me by my arm and pulls me with him down the hall, toward the door that lead to the basement and my cell. I was thinking about whether to give the man a kick and go for a run, but my thy still hurt a lot, meaning I wouldn't be able to run fast enough.
A door on the left opens and Steve walks through it into the hallway, narrowing his eyes angry toward me when we passed him.
"Looks like she didn't make any trouble I see" Steve says but the younger kidnapper ignores him, opens the door to the basement and supports me while we step down the small stair.
Then he opens the cell door, taking me inside and let me sit down on the matrass. That's when I notice something sparkle in my left eye corner and when I look over I notice it's the locket that I thought was stolen.
The guy follows my gaze, noticing the locket as well but I quickly try an attempt to get it before he does. But the sharp pain that went through my thy while I tried caught off my breath, making me dizzy and fall back on the matrass.
The guy carefully picks the locket up and takes a closer look before looking questioned at me. I just look back to him, not saying anything.
"How does a girl like yourself get a hold on something valuable like this piece of jewelry?" His voice sounds friendly, not mean like Dwayne and Steve.
I say nothing, just look at the concrete floor. His voice might sound friendly but it doesn't mean I could show him how valuable that locket was to me. And then I didn't mean the money I could get for it.
Suddenly the locket dangles in front of my eyes and I look up, noticing the kidnapper standing close beside me. I look suspicious up to him, wondering whether he really wanted to give it back or was just playing with me.
Slowly he takes my hand and places the locket into it with a gentle smile. "Don't let any of them find it."
The guy then turns around and walks back to the door but I start to speak.
"Thank you" I say, smiling politely at him after he turned back to me. I place the locket into one of my jacket pocket.
"Brett" he says then and I look questioned to him. "You told me your name at the hospital. My name is Brett."
Slowly he leaves the cell and closes the door behind him.
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**Point of view: Bruce Wayne**
Alfred had returned with Rachel and the detective, and now everyone was sitting beside my bed, listening to a story that Rachel told. I however wasn't really listening and by the looks Max gave me I knew he didn't either. He knew exactly of whom I was thinking about.
Alfred thought my wandered look was because I was tired and suggested the other's it might be better if they went for a snack so I could sleep. I didn't complain. Not that I wanted to sleep but I really like to be alone, figuring out what to do next.
I had no idea when the doctor's would let me go home, but soon I was I had to find Roy and ask him if he already knew something more of Cat.
That's when the note came to mind again and I asked Gordon to stay for a while longer, just a few extra minutes for some private talk.
Alfred patted me on my head, Rachel gave me a kiss on my cheek, which I felt awkwardly about, and Max gave me a comforting smile before they all left the room.
"I want to talk with you about someone" I say as everyone is out hearing sight and Gordon had sit down on a chair closer beside my bed. "Cat."
Me mention Cat's name caused a reaction in Gordon's eyes. Maybe he did find the note Roy and I left. What the detective says next proved I was right.
"She's missing."
"Yes" I reply, meeting the detective's worried eyes. "Roy left a note on your desk, have you spoken with him?"
"I was about to but then Alfred called. Told me they had taken you to hospital. But can you tell me some more?"
I started to explain everything to Gordon. That I had seen her in the alley, tried to find her but couldn't. About that I had left messages without getting a reply. His eyes grew wide when I told him I went to the city on my own for another search. How I met Roy and the tranquilizer dart and blood we found. I told everything.
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12. She can't stop smiling
**Hi guys, thank you so much for your feedback, means a lot. Here is chapter 12, enjoy:D**
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**Chapter 12: She can't stop smiling the moment she sees you**
**Point of view: Bruce Wayne**
I was finally home again. I still had some headache, which could take a while before it would wear off since I have a minor concussion. Alfred kept a close full eye on me, making sure I would go to bed on time and would take some naps during the day.
Max kept me company while Alfred did his things in and around the house and also Rachel came visiting me more often. Well, more like every day.
I liked having her around but not the kisses on my cheeks she gave me when she left again. It made me feel awkward and it also felt like a betrayal towards Cat. But I didn't tell her. I didn't know how to tell without hurting her feelings.
I sat in the study, eating my breakfast when Max enters the room, sitting down onto the cough the opposite of me. For minutes we just sit there, not saying anything until Max found it time to break the awkward silence.
"I met a girl when I stayed at this house years ago" Max says and I look up. Her name was Madelyn and she was so beautiful."
First the old man smiles but than a sad look forms on his face when he wanders back at that moment.
"You told me that girl, what's her name?"
"Cat" I reply slowly, looking questioned.
"Yes, Cat." Max removes a tear from his face. "When you told me she pushed you away I knew exactly how you felt. I have felt the same way when Madelyn pushed me away."
Another silence.
"What happened?" I ask after swallowing slowly. I start to doubt if it was the right question to ask. Maybe Max didn't want to talk about it.
"Her family, you see" Max starts, looking over to me. "They were very poor and my family was rich. My family didn't approve her but I didn't care. I kept seeing her behind my parents back. One day I gave her a present. A silver-colour locket. I made it myself and gave it to her. I wanted to show her how much she meant to me. At first she liked it and she wore it every day until one day she came to meet me and told me she couldn't see me anymore. She didn't give me a reason, just left crying and ran into the woods."
Max swallowed.
"I followed her into the woods, just hid behind some bushes. I was too scared to walk up to her and scare her off again. She cried for minutes, then took off the locket and threw it away. I don't know the reason why she did that but after she left I tried to search for it but I never found it again."
The locket really peeked my interest and after max talked about Madelyn throwing it away in the woods made me even more curious. Maybe the locket was the same locket I gave Cat.
"This might sound weird but could you describe the locket?" I say, standing up slowly and walks over to the cough, sitting down beside Max.
Max looks strangely but does describe it. "It was a small oval round locket, so you can add a picture in it or so. On the back of the locket I carved four tiny waves."
It was exactly like the one I gave Cat as present. But how could I tell that to Max.
"But enough about me. Why don't you tell me something more about this girl, Cat?"
I look up, totally surprised by his sudden change of topic. Maybe it was better. That way I didn't had to tell about Cat and the locket.
"She's about my age and she lives on the streets. I met her when detective Gordon took her to the house and placed her here under witness protection. She's cheeky, bubbly, feisty, stubborn but she can also be really nice. In her own way."
I smile softly, thinking back about the moments she looked when she asked me awkwardly questions. Mainly questions about me kissing girls. Or me kissing her. The way her nose wrinkles when she's curious about something.
"I have a picture of her in my room. I will get it" I say suddenly, stand up and leave the study to retrieve the picture I was talking about.
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**Point of view: Selina Kyle**
Brett was really nice to me. Most of the time it was him who brought me my breakfast, lunch and dinner and twice a day, during lunch and dinner, he cleaned my wound and put new bandage on while I ate.
Suddenly his eyes glance over toward my chest. "I thought I told you to keep it hidden" he says and I look down, realizing I hadn't put the locket under my clothes. Quickly I did so.
"Who gave you that locket anyway?"
I didn't reply, just kept eating my breakfast as he finished bandaging my wound.
"What's his name?"
I look puzzled up when he asked me this sudden question, wondering if he was still talking about the locket or was revering to someone else.
"I figure it's a boy who gave you that" signalling with his eyes toward the spot the locket would be.
"Bruce Wayne" I whisper softly and tears filling my eyes again. _And that's why I don't want to talk about him._ "Why don't you just let me go?"
I place my hand gently onto his arm, looking him in his eyes. I really wanted to convince him it was better to let me go but I didn't know how.
That's when suddenly Steve walks inside and quickly I pull my hand back. But not fast enough. An anger expression forms on his face as he sees what my intentions are.
"I know what you're trying!" he scowls angry at me, stepping fiercely toward me. Quickly I stand up on my feet and press my back against the wall.
"Steve! Don't!" Brett yells as the man grabs one of my wrists and drags me toward him. "It's not what you think!"
"Oh isn't it" Steve scowls at him but the anger in his eyes showed he didn't believe any of it.
As Steve looks over to Brett I notice a small window of opportunity's, lift up my feet and kicks him against his knee causing him to loosen his grip on my wrist.
"Cat! Don't!" Brett yells as I try to wriggle myself free. "He will hurt you."
"You're right about that!" Steve scowls and pushes me to the concrete floor. Then he leans over me and gives me a punch straight in my face. Blood starts to drip from my nose. But Steve, not planned to stop, punches me some more while I try to roll over and cover my face with my arms. I roll up like a ball when Steve starts to kick against my back.
I hear Brett shouting at Steve to stop and tries to drag him away from me but the large man is too strong for him. Then he shouts for Dwayne.
Steve keeps beating me, kicking me wherever he could kick me until everything went dark.
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**Point of View: Bruce Wayne**
I walk back into the study, holding a picture frame in my hand that I took from my nightstand. It contained a picture of me and Cat. I had to pursue Alfred to take it, even though he thought it might be better not to get too attached on her.
I hand it over to Max and sit down beside him again, both looking at the picture. It wasn't a really beautiful one. More a funny one. Cat couldn't help herself and had to stick out her tongue at the very last moment. Max smiles.
"She looks nice. So, she's your girlfriend?"
"I thought we were until she pushed me away. Now I'm not sure anymore."
Max nods understandable. "But what about Rachel? I mean, she really fancies you."
"I know and I like her but not the same way as I like Cat. I think."
"It's hard to find the one" Max says and his face turns sad again. I knew he thought about Madelyn again.
"How do you know she's the one?" I ask, looking over to Max, taking over the picture again.
"She's the person that can't stop smiling when she first sees you" Max replies with a smile, glaring to the picture in my hands.
His words make me think of Cat her smile.
"But I can't help feeling I have seen her before."
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**Chapter 12, what did you think. Let me know by review, I like to hear your thoughts before uploading the next chapter:D**
13. Getting closer to Cat
**Heyy guys, next chapter. Thank you all to the new followers who decided to start following or favoring this story. It means a lot. **
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**Chapter 13: Getting closer to Cat**
"So, you're Roy, right?" Jim asks walking upon a young guy with blue hoodie that covered most of his face. Jim had been sitting in the flee all day waiting for the boy that matched the description to show up.
Roy looks up alarmed, figuring he had done something wrong made him trying to run away from the cop but Jim was already kind of expecting it and grabs the boy by his arm, forcing him to turn back.
"You left a note on my desk, telling you wanted to see me" Jim says quickly before the boy would start a struggle. "You're worried about Cat?"
"Yeah, but after you didn't show up I figured you wouldn't be, like usual" Roy replies, freeing his arm with a fiercely pull so Jim had to let go. "What changed your mind?"
"Bruce" Jim replies shortly pointing at the door and signalled Roy to walk with him to a more private spot. I met Bruce in hospital after his accident and he told me about Cat and that I should look you up. Bruce gave me your description and the place where I could find you so, here I am."
"Yeah, a few days later then I was expecting you" Roy says bluntly and fold his arms. "I did some investigation myself. Talked with some guys who had seen Cat running the night of her disappearing. They gave me the licence plate number of the van they took her with." Roy hands over a piece of paper with some numbers written in a sloppy, almost unreadable handwriting.
"I will look it up and get back to you once I know more" Jim replies, trying to encrypt the numbers on the paper.
Jim opens the door of his car, tosses the paper on the dashboard and steps in, ready to shut the door if Roy didn't grab it and kept it open.
"No way" Roy says with a firm undertone in his voice. "I did most of the investigation so you can't seclude me out. And besides, Cat is like a sister to me so, I'll help you to find her."
Jim narrows his eyes questioned, wondering how it would be possible that a girl like Cat had so much trust in a guy way older than her. Had a brother/sister bond with him. All he learned about Cat was that she was skittish toward other people, never trust them and certainly didn't bond with other people.
Jim knew it might get dangerous, certainly didn't want any more people to get hurt but the firm look in the young boy eyes made him change his mind. Also it was no use to say no, since the boy would go investigate on his own and this way he could keep an eye on him.
"Step in" Jim signals with his head to the passenger seat and starts the car. Soon as Roy had buckled up, Jim drives off toward GCPD building to look up the licence plate number, if he ever could encrypt it.
* * *
**Point of view: Bruce Wayne**
"She's the person that can't stop smiling when she first sees you." This sentence keep's running through my head when I look at the picture I'm holding. The picture of Cat and me. The only picture of Cat and me.
I don't know why I had kept the picture. She had hurt my feelings by telling me I was too obsessive and had to stop hassling her. But somehow I couldn't force myself to throw away this picture. Somewhere, deep inside I thought she said all these things because she was scared. Even though I never had seen her scared. Even not when the assassins were chasing us. Even not when her fence Clyde locked us in. She stayed cool and tried to find a way out.
I don't remember her being scared, but I certainly remember her smile. A smile that brightened up her face. It made her cheeks glow like they were made of porcelain.
She smiled after I gave her the present. The same smile as she popped up in front of me when I was balancing on the stair railing. She smiled when she asked me if I wanted to kiss her and even I said no at first, she kept smiling. After I said all those ridicules things she didn't stop smiling. Just replies with; You think too much, kid. I'm just trying to be nice.
"But I can't help feeling I have seen her before" Max says slowly, knocks me out of wandering and I look up alarmed. Max has a thoughtful gaze in his eyes, like he was trying to remember where he had seen her.
"What do you mean?" I ask curiously as Max takes the picture from my hands to take a closer look.
"I'm not sure" Max replies as he keeps looking at Cat's face. Trying to remember why she looked so familiar. "Oh, I know. She was at the hospital, standing outside your room looking inside."
Cat was at the hospital? Why? Did she escape but how did she know where I was? All these questions keeps running through my head as Max drives us back to the hospital. There might be a change some-one had seen her.
Without waiting the car had stopped I open the backseat door and jump out, ignoring Max's shouting as I run inside the hospital.
I step closer toward the nice looking lady behind the desk, show her the picture and ask her if she had seen the girl that was on it.
She had to think for a moment but then told me she indeed remembered her.
"A young guy took her in with a large cut on her thy" she says and it's like a cold fist kludges around my heart. _Cat was wounded?_ "They managed to stop the bleeding and stitched the wound but then there was something urgent. The doctor left, telling me to finish it but once I got there she was gone."
"What do you mean, gone?" I ask as Max stands still beside me, wrapping an arm around me to comfort.
"I think they must have left without our notice."
"They guy with her. Can you describe him?"
The lady gave us his description and we left. No idea what to do next.
* * *
"Thanks" Jim says as he takes the piece of paper with the address over from one of his college's.
Jim had asked an officer to look up the licence plate number and write down the address, which didn't take that long.
Roy and he left the building when suddenly Ivy came walking upon them, calls out Roy's name which made him turn around.
"Look, Ivy, can't talk" Roy says as Jim walks to the parking lot to get his car. "I really have to go."
Ivy is just about to say something but Roy already has turn around and quickly follows Jim inside the parking lot.
Ivy, who is determined not get ignored this time follows Roy inside the parking lot, asking him to tell her what is going on and if it has something to do with Cat.
"I know it's more than usual for Cat to stay away for quite some time, but more than a week is ridicules" she says, trying to keep up Roy's pace. "Something's wrong with her, right?"
Roy circles around which make Ivy to stop in her tracks otherwise she had bumped into him.
"Look, Ivy!" Roy says firmly, grabs her by her arm turning her around and orders her to go back outside when they suddenly hear a loud noise. Both freeze as they hear it again, followed by an loud yell which sounded to belong to Jim.
Roy, totally forgetting Ivy turns around to see what's going on as he notice a police officer fighting with Jim. Quickly he runs toward them to help but too late. The officer slams Jim with a bat against his head who falls unconscious on the concrete ground of the parking lot.
"Roy!" Ivy squeaks and Roy turns back, seeing a pale looking Ivy standing.
Roy quickly steps toward her, pushes something in her hand, turns her around and orders her to run and find Bruce as the officer approaches him.
Ivy does what's been told, turns around and runs as fast as she can out the parking lot back to the street while Roy does his best to stand on his feet during his struggle with the officer.
But the guy is too strong and after a punch straight in his face, Roy falls down unconscious on the ground.
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**So sorry guys, no Cat in this story. Also another cliff-hanger, don't know why I'm keep doing that. Maybe because I like it *wink*. Anyway, let me know what you'll think of this chapter or what you think of the story so far:D**
14. Locked up
**Hi guys, thank you so much for all of your feedback:D It means a lot:D**
* * *
**Chapter 14: Locked up**
Jim opens his eyes slowly, noticing he's lying in a moving vehicle with a still unconscious Roy beside him. His head is pounding heavy, causing his eyesight to blur again. The vehicle stops and outside Jim can hear a person walking around the vehicle and a few seconds later the back of the van opens.
Quickly Jim closes his eyes, pretending he was still unconscious so he could do a surprise attack once the kidnapper took him out.
And it worked. The kidnapper fell for the trick and as he tried to shove Jim out the van, he suddenly opens his eyes and tries to punch the man. A struggle follows and after taking a few punches in his face, Jim's eyes become blurry and his feet also starts to become wobbly, causing him to stumble on fall on the street.
Another man, probably one of his mates, lift's Jim back to his feet and drags him inside the house while the other man takes the unconscious Roy inside.
Along the way to the basement, Jim kept trying to get away, pushing the man against the wall, kicking and punching but nothing works. The cell door opens and Jim gets pushed inside rudely, falling on his knees. Followed by the other man, bringing Roy inside and lies him down on the stinking mattress.
The cell door closes and it becomes dark inside. As Jim tries to turn around to sit up straight he hears a soft moan coming from his left.
Jim looks over alarmed, and as soon his eyes are a bit adjusted to the darkness he sees a small shape that only could belong to one person...
"Selina!"
* * *
**Point of view: Bruce Wayne**
"There's nothing we can do accept for going to the police" Max says as he and I walk back upon the house and along the way I noticed Alfred's car was gone, meaning he would be out for grocery shopping. But why isn't the front door closed?
Max quickly grabs my arm, pulling me back from the door and signaled at me he would go in first and I had to stay closely behind him.
Slowly and quietly we walk down the hallway when we hear a sudden noise coming from the study. A break in? In clear daylight?
Max grabs one of my cricket bat's to use it for a weapon, signals me to stay behind before jumping inside the study, ready to hit the intruder. A loud, girly scream follows and I quickly run inside.
A few feet away from Max, completely frozen in her tracks stands Ivy. Her entire face as red as her long and dirty hair, panting heavy which told me she must have running for quite some time.
"Ivy, what are you doing here?" I exclaim, walking around Max upon the still shocked looking girl in my study. I wondered how she knew where I lived but then again; she's a friend of Cat. Maybe she told her.
Still looking with widened eyes to Max she holds out a shaky hand toward me and I noticed she was holding a small piece of paper.
Slowly I took it from her, insisted Max to put down the bat and told Ivy it might be better to take a seat. The girl plops down into the large cough, Max said he would get something to drink and I sat down slowly while unfolding the paper and read something that looks like an address.
"What's this?" I ask Ivy who looks at me with anxious eyes. The girl shrugs. "Where did you get this?"
"Roy gave it to me" she replies and her panting has stopped. "Some officer attacked detective Gordon and right before the guy would grab him, Roy ordered me to run and give this to you."
The girl stands up slowly and looks curious around her. "This is surely a big house. Don't know why Cat wouldn't live here.
So Cat told Ivy his offer as well.
"I certainly would if you asked." Ivy turns around at the sound of Max walking back into the study with a tray of fresh lemonade.
Soon as Max hands her a glass she gulps it all up quickly and sits down into the cough again.
"Is it a lead to Cat?" she points at the paper.
"It could be" I say slowly, hand it over to Max to read. "It certainly looks like an address. Can we go there?"
* * *
**Point of view: Selina Kyle**
_I try to open my eyes but I can't. It feels like my entire face is numb. Beneath me I feel the cold, stoned ground and I realize I must be in an alley. _
_A soft meow beside my left ear, again I try to open my eyes and this time I manage to do so and keep them open. I notice it's one of the stray cats I used to feed once in a while._
_Suddenly his little head jerks up alarmed, looking at something with widened eyes before running away into the darkness._
_Ignoring the pain in my entire body, I try to sit up straight to look whatever had frightened the cat. I notice a person walking toward me. A familiar person._
"_Bruce?"_
_My voice echoes through the alley as the boy in front of me stops. I can see his eyes, looking confused at me. Then he takes a step toward me._
"_Cat?"_
_A happy feeling burns up inside me as Bruce bends down beside me, moving closer toward me as he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me into a hug._
"_Bruce, it is really you" I whisper softly in his ear and as he pulls away I see a tear streaming down his face. The boy looks away. "What's wrong, Bruce?"_
_Still no reply and gently I take his face in my hands, forcing to look me in my eyes. Another tear falls down._
"_I love you Cat, but…"_
"_BRUCE!" A female voice echoes through the alley and I feel Bruce freeze up._
"_It's her, isn't it? The girl you were earlier with?"_
_Bruce tries to stand up but I quickly grab his hand. My fingers intertwines with his. Just for a brief second until Bruce let's go, turns around and walks away from me._
"_Bruce, don't go" I'll say and I try to stand up. A sharp pain in my thy forces me to give up and fall back down onto the cold and hard ground. "You've got to help me…"_
_Bruce doesn't stop, just keeps walking further and further from me, disappearing into the night._
"_Bruce! Don't go Bruce! You've got to help me Bruce! BRUCE! BRUCE!"_
Quickly I open my eyes, screaming for Bruce as loud as I could, trying to sit up straight but somebody forced me to lie down again. Who? Maybe Brett?
No, it wasn't Brett. I sensed another smell. Coffee, mixed with donuts.
"Detective Gordon?" I whisper softly, moving my head over and soon my eyes were adjusted to the darkness around me I could see his face. Smiling gently at me as he tried to clean my face with something. A felt a sharp pain going through my face soon he did. "What happened?"
"It looks like one of them has beaten you" I hear someone say and I try to follow the voice. It sounds familiar.
Behind detective Gordon I see Roy standing, looking worried as he watched how the detective cleans my brushes and helps me to sit up straight.
"You guys found me" I say and I feel relieved. Relieved it's all over and I could go home. Back to Bruce.
But the feeling wears off quickly as I see nothing is changed. It's still dark, a glimpse of sunlight underneath the cell door. Meaning; Roy and the detective found me but couldn't rescue me. Instead, they got locked up with me.
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**So, what do you think? I really like to get some new reviews about your thoughts so far before uploading a new chapter LOL**
15. Playing hero
**Hi guys, sorry for leaving you hanging for so long, it's just that I don't have much chapters left, since the story is almost ending and I'm breeding on sequel which doesn't go so well. It's really, really, really hard since I don't know what to do with the characters etc and I'm not quite happy with the last chapter of this story or if I even should write a sequel to this story *sigh*. But of course, I'm really happy you guys are excited about this story and want to know what comes next:D**
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**Chapter 15: Playing hero**
**Point of view: Bruce Wayne**
Quickly Max and I drive to the address on the paper, after Ivy dropped off in town first. She had tried to pursue me to let her stay at my house, just to rest for a while longer but I remembered Cat told me once the little girl couldn't be trusted so I thought it might be better if she went back to Gotham.
Since either of us was very familiar in town it took a while for us to find the right street but soon we found it Max thought it might be best to park the car on the end of the street and walk further upon the house.
The house was easy to find, overgrown garden, broken windows, plaster painting on the door and the parked van Ivy described, parked in front of the house was a big give away.
Slowly Max and I sneak upon the garden path, if you could call it a path since it was overgrown with weed it almost looked like it was part of the grass, upon the house and hid underneath one of the broken windows.
Slowly I tried to peek up, looking inside I noticed 3 men. The one Ivy described, who looked strong and aggressive, big scar underneath one of his eyes, probably Cat's present for kidnapping her. The other two, one looked like about the same age as the first one, the other looked much younger. Probably one of the other men's son, around 20 years old. He also looked nicer than the other kidnappers.
There was no sign of Cat, Jim or Roy but they had to be in the house somewhere because three of them argued whether to go on with the plans or not, which was, moving Cat to another place and get rid of Roy and Jim.
Suddenly someone grabs me from behind, tightly around my waist, moving me away from the window. Max tried to fight my attacker off of me but the guy screamed for help and quickly his friends come for help. The other three men came running out the house, noticed us and joined their friend and grabs Max.
* * *
**Point of view: Selina Kyle**
I was glad not being alone anymore. The detective and Roy were both strong men and with the both of them they could knock out the first person who came inside the cell, right? I wasn't sure of anything anymore.
My body hurt, by all the beating I got from Steve and also the wound on my thy felt like it was on fire. My head rested on Roy's lap, who rubbed gently with his fingers through my curls and talked suiting words to me while the detective cleaned the large wound. I tried to be strong, not to flinch every time the detective put the cloth, soaked with cleaning alcohol on the wound but it was hard.
Somehow I felt safe, having Roy around. From the moment I was little, had escaped from the horrible foster family, Roy took me to Gotham. He wanted to take me in, I wanted to stay independed, so we found a middle ground. He came to see me once in a while, only to see how I was doing, though I think he still didn't like the whole idea of me being on the streets alone.
Also it was nice to see the detective. Our last meeting at the diner, the detective's questions: _"Cat, why is it so hard for you to believe anyone would care about you? Why is it so hard for you to accept help?" _ ran through my head as I stare through my half open eyelids toward the detective. That day, I wanted to shout at him that no-one ever would care about a street girl like me, but instead I had kept quiet.
At the diner, the detective had looked worried, like he did care but I thought it was an act. Now, looking at the detective while he cleaned my wound I could see the pain in his eyes. Like he was blaming himself for all of this.
Once the detective was done with the cleaning, he grabs new bandage and put it on and helped me to sit up slowly.
"How did you guys find me?" I asked weakly, my voice not louder than a whisper since lack of using it. I rest my head against Roy's large, muscelier arm while they told me everything.
How Bruce had come to the Flea on his own, asked Roy about me and how an angry Alfred had dragged him back to the car. But that hadn't stopped him. Days later he came back to Gotham, alone and Roy caught him after talking with Ivy.
They told me more, but I wasn't really listening anymore. I could only think about Bruce and I felt becoming warm inside knowing that he was the one who had missed me first. Would it mean he still cared for me? But then, who's the girl who was with him in the alley. In the hospital?
Suddenly remembering the hospital, Bruce being unconscious I asked what had happened to him. The detective told me he had slipped, hit his head against the poolside behind his house and I felt relieved once he told me Bruce was fine and home again.
Bruce was safe.
* * *
**Point of view: Bruce Wayne**
They had knocked Max unconscious and tied me to a chair, asking me questions who I was and what we were doing here. I didn't reply any of them.
"I know this boy from the papers, " the aggressive kidnapper says, looking me straight in the face. I try to look away but the guy grabs my chin. "It's Bruce Wayne. You know? That billionaire boy that lost his parents. They were shot in his presence." A cold chill runs down my spine, thinking back to that moment and I freeze up. "We can get a lot of money from his butler."
"Leave Alfred out of this!" I shout angry, trying to free myself from his tight grip but the guy isn't impressed. Just smirks mean.
"Why are you here, boy?" the guy grabs my arm and pushes me back in the chair, pinching my arm painfully. I just stare back at him, stubborn. "Answer!"
"You kidnapped a friend of mine, a girl called Cat!" I snap back angry, even though I felt really scared inside but I didn't want them to know that. I had to be brave, for Cat.
"Oh, and you wanted to be her hero, right?" the guy asks taunting, mean smirk on his face as his friends laugh, accept for the young kidnapper. He looks almost pitiful at me. I wonder why. "Well, then be her hero, boy!"
The guy grabs me rudely by my arms, lifting me back up my feet and drags me out the room, down the hallway while some other men take the unconscious Max.
The guy opens a door, leading to what looked like a basement and drags me down the steps, standing still beside a large metal door.
"While you're playing a hero, I will have a chat with your butler."
The guy unlocks the large door, opens it and pushes me inside.
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**Well, another cliff hanger, sorry guys. Poor Bruce, now he's locked up too. How would they ever escape? Anyway, let me know what you think:D**
16. The locket
**Hi guys, sorry for the long delay but here is chapter 16:D**
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**Chapter 16: The locket**
We hear noises outside the large metal door that lead to our cell and a few seconds later someone unlocked the door which caused both the detective and Roy to jump up, ready to protect me from whoever was outside.
The door opens and someone gets pushed inside, falling on his knees. An unconscious man, dragged inside by another kidnapper and the door closes again.
I recognize the boy immediately. It's Bruce Wayne.
"Bruce!" I shout as try to move closer toward him but the pain in my body won't let me. Bruce, still lying on the floor, turns around at the sound of my voice. There is relieve in his eyes.
"Cat!" Bruce stands up and runs toward me, taking my face in his hands and he gently touches the bruises on my face. I flinch. "Sorry. Who did this to you?"
"It doesn't matter" I reply, tilt my head a bit so it's resting in Bruce's hand, closing my eyes and sigh softly. I'm not sure if it's one of my dreams again and my brain is fooling me but if so, I try to keep holding on the 'dream' for as long as possible. It's all I have in this cold and dark cell.
"Bruce?"
Someone is calling for him again. The girl? Meaning; Bruce has to go now and I'm alone again.
I feel Bruce move, quickly I grab his wrist and hold his hand tightly against my cheek.
"Don't go" I whisper as Bruce moves back again. "Don't leave me, Bruce. You've got to help me." A tear flows down my cheek.
"I'm not going anywhere, Cat" Bruce says. "You're safe now."
I open my eyes slowly, Bruce his face close to mine.
"You came" I say, looking in big brown eyes, a smile forms around his lips. "You're really here, it's not a dream." Then, without warning, without even trying to hold it back, though I would feel totally childish afterwards, I started to cry as I lean closer toward him, embrace him in a tight hug. Bruce moves with his fingers through my hair, gently, as I cry unstoppable.
* * *
One phone call, one thread, causing Alfred's most feared nightmare to become reality. Bruce was kidnapped and they wanted ransom, if he wanted to see him back in one piece.
Alfred immediately called the police, asking for detective Gordon but it seemed he was missing as well. There was only one thing left to do. Do what they asked.
And Alfred would, if it wasn't for Bruce to leave a note, telling Max and he had a lead to Cat.
"What were you thinking, you silly little boy?" Alfred thought, grabbing the piece over paper from the side table and read the small note.
_Found a lead, off with Max to get Cat back. In case something might go wrong; address, (maybe you can think of one)_
Alfred grabs his gun, puts it under his belt and leaves the house.
* * *
Roy and the detective had taken care of Bruce's unconscious friend Max, who now sat up straight on the soft matrass, watching at Bruce and me talking. I finally had stopped crying, now playing with the silver locket Bruce had given me.
"I still have it" I whisper, showing the locket to Bruce and he smiles. The locket, resting on my chest, slightly moving up and down as I breath in and out. Bruce looks at it and gently touches the locket with his index finger.
"I'm glad" Bruce says as he looks in my eyes.
"You found it!" Max exclaims suddenly, standing up from the matrass and walks toward us, pointing at the locket as he sits down beside us.
"Yeah, well.." I reply, my eyes shooting questioned at Bruce.
"Sorry, I didn't want to startle you." A smile forms on his face. "It's just… I know that locket. I made it for my girlfriend when I was about your age."
"I'm sorry" I say, unlocking the hinch and hand the locket over to Max. "I didn't know that." Max smiles, taking the locket in his hands, his mind wandering back in time.
"Her name was Meredith. We were the best of friends. I always knew she was the one for me." Max stands up, walking slowly to one of the walls and leans against it. "We were so happy together."
"What happened?" I ask, noticing the sad look on the old man's face.
"A lot of things happened" Max replies, tears forming in his eyes. I start to feel sorry for even asking the question. "My family didn't like her. They wanted me to marry a rich girl instead of a girl from a poor family. At first she didn't care what my parents thought about her but they made it harder and harder for her so I gave her this locket, as proof that I really loved her." His voice broke and I look over to Bruce. "I didn't know how hard it was for her at the time."
Again I look at Bruce, wandering if Max's story felt familiar to him as well.
"It didn't work. I don't know what was going through that little head of hers, but she burst into tears and ran into the forest. I followed her, watching at her as she threw the locket away. I wanted to go at her but she ran off, without even noticing I had followed her.
"And that's were Bruce found it. Where Meredith threw it."
"It's been there undisturbed for 50 years." Another tears flows down his cheek.
"So, what happened with Meredith?" It was Roy who asked the question, also listening intensely. Max didn't reply, just kept staring in the distant. "Max? What happened?"
"I lost her!" Max's voice broke, slowly walking back toward the matrass and sat down. "And it's all my fault."
"It's not your fault" I say, walking toward the old man and he looks up with teary eyes. "People can do things they don't understand at the time." For a slight moment I look over to Bruce, remembering how much pain I had done to him by telling him to leave me alone. "And realize too late they made a mistake."
Bruce looks up, looking at me and I wander if he knew what I was trying to say.
"You're a nice girl, Cat" Max says, standing back up his feet and walks toward me, taking my hand in his.
Suddenly, without even hearing the key placed in the lock. The door swings open and a harsh voice echoes through the cell and we all circle around alarmed.
"Time for you to go, girl." It's Steve, looking mean at me, holding a rope in his hand. What did he mean with that?
Steve walks inside, passing angry toward me and grabs my arm, trying to tie my arms behind my back. Roy immediately comes to the rescue, grabs Steve and starts to fight with him, causing me to fall back onto the floor.
Steve, too strong for Roy, pushes him off of him into a corner of the cell. Quickly he takes another attempt, grabs me around my waist and pulls me back on my feet. A sharp pain stings through my thy.
"Leave her alone!" It's Bruce who shouts, running toward Steve and hits him in the face. Not that it worked, but still it was a nice thing to do.
Steve grabs Bruce's arms and tries to break them behind his back but the boy keeps fighting, wriggling, trying to free himself.
A gunshot echoes through the air.
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**So, that was chapter 16, let me know what you'll think:D**
17. The rescue
**Okay guys, this is the last chapter of this story, I'm really sorry but I think you already saw it coming. The story is complete:D Though, like I maybe already mentioned earlier, I have a sequel in mind but I don't know the title yet:D Anyway, here's chapter 17:D**
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**Chapter 17: The rescue**
Alfred, taking his own car because the limo would be too noticeable on the streets of Gotham, he quickly speeds toward the address Bruce described. He even ignored the red lights, luckily for him there wasn't much cops on the streets and those that were, were too caught up with other things.
Almost 15 minutes later, Alfred pulled up in the street, noticing Max's car parked at the side of the road. Just as for Bruce and Max, also Alfred couldn't miss the house because it really stands out from the rest of the street.
Quietly Alfred stalks up to the gate, walking into the overgrown garden up to the house and peeks inside through the broken window. There was no sign of any kidnapper, well, not in the living room.
Slowly Alfred tried the door, which wasn't locked. Quietly he sneaks inside, listening as footsteps approach him but disappear into the next room.
Alfred peeks around the corner, noticing the hallway was clear and quickly he ran across it when he suddenly stops in his tracks.
A noise, coming from downstairs, possibly the basement. Yelling, screaming which sounds familiar.
_Master Bruce!_
Slowly, quietly Alfred walks down the steps, aiming the gun in front of him. Ready to shoot if anyone was about to come out all the sudden. The noises became clearer, a girl screams. Alfred knows that scream too well.
_Miss Kyle!_
"Leave her alone!" Alfred hears Bruce shouting and he can hear the boy moving to whomever is in there. A few seconds later the poor boy grunt's, and Alfred hears his cries to let him go.
No moment to hesitate and Alfred moves toward the cell. Soon he's around the corner he sees Bruce, held with arms behind his back, Jim on the floor rocking Selina up and down to comfort her, his friend wounded on the matrass and a guy about 19 year old, laying in the corner of the cell, trying to get up again to attack the man that was holding Bruce.
A gunshot echoes through the cell.
Bruce collapses on the floor, the man on top of him.
"Bruce!" Cat screams, her face buried into Jim chest seconds ago, now, terrified looking over to Bruce. Jim tries to stop her but Cat wriggles, trying to free herself from Jim's grip, moving closer to her friend. "Bruce!"
As Cat tries to shove the man off of Bruce, the guy grabs her wrist and tries to drag her toward him.
"Let me go!" Cat screams, trying to free herself and trying to glance at Bruce at the same time. The poor boy still lies underneath the man, blood streaming from underneath them. Cat can't see who's blood it is.
Then, suddenly the kidnappers grip loosen when Roy smacks him against the head with the food tray. The man collapses onto the floor, unconscious.
"Bruce!" Cat panted, moving back and shoves the guy off of Bruce. "Bruce!"
"Master Bruce!" Alfred calls out, worried look on his face and bends down beside Cat and the boy. "Please say something. Please tell me I didn't shot you by accident."
Suddenly, a soft moan and Bruce's eyelids start to tremble. A few seconds later he opens his eyes.
"Master Bruce! Are you alright?"
"I'm fine" Bruce replies and coughs a bit. "But did you really have to shoot me?" Bruce looks at his upper arm, blood seeping from the bullet wound.
As they wrap a bandage around Bruce's arm for pressure, Jim helps Max to get. "We have to be careful, they were with the three of them" Jim says, Max leaning onto him and Roy. Cat and Alfred help Bruce to stand up.
"No worries" Alfred replies. "They fled the moment they heard the gunshot. "They are long gone."
* * *
**Point of view: Selina Kyle**
I sit on the cough in Jim Gordon's apartment, Roy sitting next to me, Jim in the other room, talking on the phone with Alfred.
I was still shaking about everything that had happened. After getting out of the house we split up. Bruce, Alfred and Max in Alfred's car. Jim, Roy and I in Max's car. They said Jim could drop the car off later.
We went straight to Jim's apartment, which was less classy then his ex-girlfriend's apartment but it looked cosy anyway.
Jim came back out the other room, three cups holding in his hand. Slowly he hands one over to me and Roy, then sits down onto the other cough. An awkward silence follows.
"Look" Jim starts, breaking the silence by clearing his throat first. "Selina, I know you probably will run off again when you get bored, but I want you to know you can stay as long if you want."
I just shrug, then smile. "I might get less bored if you call me Cat, like anyone else."
Jim chuckles. "Fine, Cat."
Roy and Jim start talking about whatever. I didn't really care because after a while my eyes went heavy, my head falling onto Roy's lap. Softly he starts to stroke my hair as I fall asleep.
* * *
**Point of view: Bruce Wayne**
We arrived at Wayne Manor and while Max and I sit in the study, Alfred talks outside with Jim on the phone. Letting him know everything was fine.
Max was attending my wound, cleaned it and wraps new bandage around it. Luckily it was just a flesh wound but it still hurt. Not that I would admit that to anyone.
After cleaning my wound and putting away the first aid kid, Max glances at me. It was like he wanted to say something but didn't know how to start. I just smile.
"You and Cat…" Max starts, breaking the silence and I look up. "You remind me of Madelyn and me. I feel my belly flutter, quickly looking down, like I had something interesting on my lap. "I can tell when two people should be together."
"It's easier for her this way" I reply softly, not louder than a whisper.
"Look, Bruce, I've never should have let Meredith push me away" Max takes my hand into his. "I hate to see the same thing happen to you." Max holds up the locket. "Here, give it to her and don't let her go."
* * *
**Well, that's it guys, thank you all so much for reading, following and reviewing it. It means a lot:D**
**Keep an eye out for the sequel:D**
End file.
| fanfiction |
Diesel additive spill. Odor elimination
I am not chemist, however I am interested in science and know some basics.
So I have real life problem to solve and I hope there will be some people interested to help me or at least understand more how chemistry works. Anyway I would appreciate any answer.
So I have unfortunate spill of diesel addtive VIF (czech republic product). Composition is like this from the site(some translations maybe wrong):
Name - % in mixture
2-ethylhexyl nitrate - 50-100
solvent naphtha light - <5
solvent naphtha hard - <5
2,6-Di-tert-butylphenol - <5
1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene - <2.5
1,3,5-trimethylbenzen - <2.5
So I spilled this stuff in my car's trunk. Don't ask how it was, this is a fact and I cannot revert it back. It was a canister with it, so I spilled around 2 litres of it. I noticed it only after a day.
I took out the rug from the trunk and it was full of this liquid. The rug is textile. I tried to take it out with water and actually it was kind of eager to go out with water. It was lot of it, and I didn't want to do it manually. I cleaned my hands with soap and no smell was left on my hands after washing them, so I assumed I can clean the rug in the washing machine. Which was probably the worst mistake.
So instead of it being cleaned, I have
1. Rug that smell like the worse mechanical/technical smell in the world, however with no stains.
2. Washing machine which not only smells worse, but it gives this smell to anything that was washed in the machine and the smell is kind of concentrated.
So I have several questions on what can give this smell? Which component exactly? I wrote to the manufacturer with this questions, but they only told me I can try some solvent like technical petrol. But it was not an answer to the question "how to get rid of the smell"
So after reading some threads, everybody advising activated charcoal as best deodorizer.
I bought a kilo of it, and put around 200 grams to the washing machine for like 20 hours, and after that I didn't notice any change in the smell.
So the questions is: what is the formula for absorption with activated carbon? How to calculate how much of it I need to deodorize well? Will it deodorize at all? Maybe activate carbon pores are too small for the molecules or etc?
To get the smell out of your washing machine and rug you have to do two things
1.) Get the source of the smell into the water and
2.) Keep it in the water for flushing.
To get it into the water I suggest using dish soap. Dish soap is far more design to handle the greasy materials you listed and will dissolve them better than regular laundry detergent. The draw back to this is that dish soap will form foam quite readily which laundry detergent is formulated not to do. If you have a top loading washer this can cause suds to over flow your washer. You may obfuscate this issue by monitoring and adding rubbing alcohol as needed to suppress the suds. If front loading washer you do not need to monitor but it will take a long time, as these machines can sense suds and will wait for the suds to die down before restarting. I also suggest using [LA's Awesome](http://www.dollargeneral.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11786549) as it is a very effective degreaser and uses limonene (orange oil) as an emulsifier.
To keep the smell in the water I suggest activated charcoal which can be bought for use in aquarium filters. This will absorb the petro-chemicals and carry them away. I suggest you use activated charcoal after a first attempt with the prior suggest method of soap and degreaser as charcoal can coat your drier affecting the next load or two, but washing a rag can help clean it out.
One of the comments mentions scaling as a possible issue. LA's awesome has chealating agents and this should be of no issue. If you choose to etch some scale I would suggest vinegar for this over citric acid.
| stackexchange/chemistry |
The family of Colin Marr from Lochgelly, who died of a knife wound to the chest in 2007, have submitted two new reports to the Procurator Fiscal which challenge the official Police conclusion that his death was suicide.
Fife Police have acknowledged that there were shortcomings in their investigation and have given the family their apologies.
Mr Marr's mother, Margaret and stepfather Stuart Graham have engaged Tony Whittle, West Yorkshire Police former CID head, to look into the matter for them.
Mr Graham said: "The professional guidance and expert help from Tony Whittle has proved to be the turning point in our quest for the truth. These last few months have given us hope that we may finally uncover the exact circumstances in which our much loved, and desperately missed son died. | slim_pajama |
is a railway station on the Rokko Island Line in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, operated by Kobe New Transit.
Lines
Minami-Uozaki Station is served by the Rokko Island Line automated guideway transit, and is located 2.0 kilometers from the terminus of the line at Sumiyoshi Station.
Station layout
Minami-Uozaki Station has a single island platform.
Platforms
Adjacent stations
History
Minami-Uozaki Station opened on February 21, 1990.
Category:Railway stations in Hyōgo Prefecture
Category:Railway stations opened in 1990
Category:1990 establishments in Japan | wikipedia |
Isidoro Acevedo may refer to:
a poem by Jorge Luis Borges commemorating his grandfather Isidoro de Acevedo Laprida
Isidoro Acevedo communist 18671952, Spanish communist | wikipedia |
Bactra stagnicolana is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is known from Angola, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, South Africa South Africa and Zimbabwe.
References
Category:Bactrini
Category:Moths described in 1852 | wikipedia |
endometriosis is defined as the growth of endometrial tissue including endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterine cavity , causing diverse diseases and signs such as infertility , pelvic pain , and dysmenorrhea ( 1 , 2 ) . depending on the diagnostic method , the prevalence of this disease during reproductive period is reported to be 5 - 10% in the general population .
the frequency of this disease among women who visit gynecologists for fallopian tube obstruction varies between 1 - 7% and in infertile women it varies between 9 - 50% ( 3 , 4 ) .
although , this disease has been described and diagnosed for more than 100 years now , the mechanisms underlying the development of the disease are still unclear .
while the transplantation of endometrial tissue into the pelvic peritoneum via retrograde menstruation is considered as one of the most widely accepted explanation for the pathogenesis of the disease , this physiological process does not lead to the onset of the disease in the majority of cases .
therefore , diverse factors are thought to be involved in the development of the disease , such as environmental , immunological , endocrine and genetic predispositions ( 5 ) .
angiogenesis is known to play a key role in the implantation and growth of the endometrial tissue displaced by retrograde menstruation ( 6 , 7 ) .
endo - metriotic lesions with high proliferative activity have a higher microvessel density compared to lesions with low proliferative activity ( 8) . vascular endothelial growth factor ( vegf )
is a heparin - binding glycoprotein which is known as one of the strongest factors with angiogenesis properties ( 6 ) .
this glycoprotein plays a fundamental role in regulating angiogenesis and vascular permeability in both physiological and pathological states ( 9 ) .
there are many reasons indicating the role of vegf in the development of endometriosis , such as expression of vegf in stromal and epithelial cells and its regulation by estrogen ( 10 , 11 ) .
comparison of endometrial epithelial cells in patients suffering from endo - metriosis with healthy subjects shows higher levels of vegf , specifically at the end of the secretory phase of menstrual cycle , and these cells are found more in red than black endometriotic lesions ( 12 , 13 ) .
furthermore , peritoneal cavity fluid in patients with endometriosis shows significantly elevated levels of vegf compared to that of controls ( 6 , 14 , 15 ) .
vegf is also considered as a diagnostic tool and candidate gene for the diagnosis of endometriosis .
based on genetic association studies , a few mutations and single nucleotide polymorphisms ( snps ) found in vegf gene are regarded functionally important .
for example , + 405 g > c polymorphism in 5 untranslated region affects the level of vegf protein expression ( 16 , 17 ) .
numerous studies have reported that vegf gene polymorphisms are associated with prostate cancer , development of proliferative diabetic retinopathy and decreased risk of breast cancer ( 1820 ) .
recently , the association of -460 c > t vegf gene polymorphism with endometriosis was demonstrated ( 21 ) .
furthermore , three research groups which have investigated the existence of any association between endometriosis and + 405 g > c polymorphism in chinese ( 21 ) , south indians ( 5 ) and korean women ( 2 ) , have reported positive findings , but to date , these results have not been confirmed in other populations . in the present study ,
the correlation of vegf gene + 405 g > c polymorphism with endo - metriosis in an iranian population was assessed .
to assess + 405 g > c vegf gene polymorphism , blood samples were collected from 20 50-year old women , who had been referred to avicenna infertility clinic and tehran clinic hospital in tehran , iran .
one - hundred and five patients with endometriosis and 150 women with no gynecological problems were selected as cases and controls , respectively .
women having rheumatoid arthritis , giant cell arthritis , diabetic retinopathy , psoriasis and behet 's disease were excluded from the study .
the protocol of the study was also approved by the ethics committee of avicenna research institute .
five milliliters of peripheral blood samples were collected in tubes containing 200 l of 0.5 m edta .
genomic dna was extracted from the obtained blood samples using the salting - out method .
genotyping of the 405 g > c polymorphisms in vegf gene was determined by employing pcr / rflp method .
one pair of primers ( forward : 5 ' ccacttgaatcgggccgacg 3 ' , reverse : 5 ' gtctgtctgtctgtccgtca 3 ' ) was used to amplify the relevant fragment and analyze the + 405 c > g variation .
each pcr reaction with a total volume of 25 l , contained 50 ng of genomic dna , 5 pmol of each primer , 1.5 mm of mgcl2 ( roche , germany ) and one unit of dna polymerase ( roche , germany ) .
amplification was performed in a programmable thermal cycler gradient pcr system ( eppendorf , germany ) .
the pcr amplification was carried out for 30 cycles ( denaturation at 94 c for 30 sec , annealing at 61 c for 30 sec , extension at 72 c for 30 sec and final extension for 7 min at 72 c ) .
the pcr products , harboring the polymorphism at 5 utr of vegf gene were analyzed using 1.5% agarose gel electrophoresis followed by ethidium bromide staining and ultraviolet visualization .
the pcr products were digested with restriction enzyme bsmfi ( new england biolabs , uk ) at 65 c overnight for + 405 c > g polymorphism , separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis , and identified using silver nitrate staining .
the + 405 g allele was cut into two fragments of 101 and 181 bp , while the + 405 c allele remained uncut ( 282 bp ) ( figure 1 ) .
restriction digestion of pcr products demonstrating the patterns of digestion in different genotypes of vegf + 405 g > c polymorphism .
m : marker viii ( roche ) , 1 : homozygote ( variant ) , 3 : heterozygote ( variant and wild type ) , 5 : homozygote ( wild type ) , 2 , 4 and 6 : pcr product according to the restriction digestion pattern and gel staining analysis , genotypes of the participants were divided into three groups based on the presence or absence of polymorphism : wild - type homozygote , variant homozygote and heterozygote dnas .
allele ratios and genotype distributions in the cases and controls were analyzed by logistic regression .
gg genotype and g alleles were assumed as reference group in the analysis using pearson 's chi - square exact test .
to assess + 405 g > c vegf gene polymorphism , blood samples were collected from 20 50-year old women , who had been referred to avicenna infertility clinic and tehran clinic hospital in tehran , iran .
one - hundred and five patients with endometriosis and 150 women with no gynecological problems were selected as cases and controls , respectively .
women having rheumatoid arthritis , giant cell arthritis , diabetic retinopathy , psoriasis and behet 's disease were excluded from the study .
the protocol of the study was also approved by the ethics committee of avicenna research institute .
five milliliters of peripheral blood samples were collected in tubes containing 200 l of 0.5 m edta .
genomic dna was extracted from the obtained blood samples using the salting - out method .
genotyping of the 405 g > c polymorphisms in vegf gene was determined by employing pcr / rflp method .
one pair of primers ( forward : 5 ' ccacttgaatcgggccgacg 3 ' , reverse : 5 ' gtctgtctgtctgtccgtca 3 ' ) was used to amplify the relevant fragment and analyze the + 405 c > g variation .
each pcr reaction with a total volume of 25 l , contained 50 ng of genomic dna , 5 pmol of each primer , 1.5 mm of mgcl2 ( roche , germany ) and one unit of dna polymerase ( roche , germany ) .
amplification was performed in a programmable thermal cycler gradient pcr system ( eppendorf , germany ) .
the pcr amplification was carried out for 30 cycles ( denaturation at 94 c for 30 sec , annealing at 61 c for 30 sec , extension at 72 c for 30 sec and final extension for 7 min at 72 c ) .
the pcr products , harboring the polymorphism at 5 utr of vegf gene were analyzed using 1.5% agarose gel electrophoresis followed by ethidium bromide staining and ultraviolet visualization .
the pcr products were digested with restriction enzyme bsmfi ( new england biolabs , uk ) at 65 c overnight for + 405 c > g polymorphism , separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis , and identified using silver nitrate staining .
the + 405 g allele was cut into two fragments of 101 and 181 bp , while the + 405 c allele remained uncut ( 282 bp ) ( figure 1 ) .
restriction digestion of pcr products demonstrating the patterns of digestion in different genotypes of vegf + 405 g > c polymorphism .
m : marker viii ( roche ) , 1 : homozygote ( variant ) , 3 : heterozygote ( variant and wild type ) , 5 : homozygote ( wild type ) , 2 , 4 and 6 : pcr product
according to the restriction digestion pattern and gel staining analysis , genotypes of the participants were divided into three groups based on the presence or absence of polymorphism : wild - type homozygote , variant homozygote and heterozygote dnas .
allele ratios and genotype distributions in the cases and controls were analyzed by logistic regression .
gg genotype and g alleles were assumed as reference group in the analysis using pearson 's chi - square exact test .
the + 405 vegf genotype frequencies in the case group were as follows : 41.3% g / g , 46.2% c / g and % 12.5 c / c representing 43 , 48 and 13 patients respectively .
the genotype frequencies in the control group were 32% gg , % 53.3 gc and 14.7% cc in 48 , 80 and 22 patients , respectively .
there were no statistically significant differences between the cases and controls in terms of 405 g / c genotype distributions and allele frequencies ( p = 0.267 ) , table 1 .
a key mediator in angiogenesis is vascular endothelial growth factor , as it stimulates endothelial cell proliferation and migration and increases vascular permeability .
recent studies have shown the association of vegf gene polymorphisms with the development of diseases in which angiogenesis plays an important role . in the present study ,
the possible correlation between endometriosis and + 405 g > c vegf gene polymorphism was studied in an iranian population .
awata et al . showed that + 405 c / c vegf gene polymorphism versus g / g genotype in type ii diabetes mellitus increases the possibility of retinopathy of about three folds ( 22 ) .
patients with psoriasis showed a significant increase in the frequency of c allele and + 405 c / c genotype of vegf gene compared to healthy controls ( 23 ) .
this gene consists of 8 exons and the gene transcript undergoes alternative splicing processes to produce a protein family ( 24 ) .
there are a few transcription factor binding sites in 5 untranslated region in vegf gene ( 25 ) .
hence , polymorphisms in this region result in different levels of gene expression in people , causing various ranges of diseases .
three separate research groups carried out case - control studies on various populations to determine the association between endometriosis and + 405 g > c vegf gene polymorphism .
watson et al showed that the g allele at + 405 possibly resided within a potential myeloid zinc finger protein ( mzf1 ) binding site and had direct effects on the level of gene transcription and ultimately on lps - stimulated vegf protein expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells ( pbmcs ) ( 17 ) .
evaluated 215 women with endometriosis and 210 with no evidence of the disease and reported significant difference between the prevalence of endometriosis and + 405 g > c polymorphism ( p = 0.002 ) in a way that the g allele frequency was 81.7% in rafs stage iii
in contrast , kim et al . selected 215 women with an advanced stage of endometriosis as the case group , 219 women without endometriosis and 70 fertile women as the control group and showed that the frequency of + 405 c / c genotype in patients with severe endometriosis was more than that of the control group ( 2 ) .
examined 203 italian women affected by endometriosis and 140 women without laparoscopic evidence of the disease and confirmed the possibility of endometriosis to be almost two times higher in patients carrying the c allele .
moreover , they showed that the existence of this allele could be a risk factor for the implantation of endometrial fragments which are refluxed into the peritoneal cavity ( 26 ) . on the other hand , awata et al .
showed a high serum vegf levels in healthy japanese population with + 405 c / c genotype distribution .
our findings were not in lines with previously stated studies perhaps due to difference in geographical location or the genetic basis of the studied population , as the possibility of a disease occurrence depends on both its prevalence in the population and environmental factors ( 27 ) .
. therefore selection of different control groups might lead to dissimilar results ( 27 ) .
for example , in the present study , the control group was comprised of women without the disease as confirmed by laparoscopy , while in a study on the japanese population female neonates were selected as the control group ( 9 ) . on the other hand , in a study carried out on the korean population ,
the control group was made up of women who had either benign ovarian cysts , infertility , pelvic pain or dysmenorrhea ( 2 ) .
in the present study , the genotype and allele distribution of the + 405 c > g vegf gene polymorphism was not significantly different between the cases and the controls . however , further studies on larger iranian populations may be necessary to confirm these observations . | pubmed |
Vampire Knight 1. Chapter 1
**Author Notes:** Hello everyone and Happy New Year! I hope it will be a fabulous one for all of you. Here's a tiny offering of my favourite Vampire Knight trio, a two parter. Enjoy :)
**Summary:** There were three unhappy people here this evening, but by the end of tonight, Kaname knew there would be only one. Himself. KxY, ZxY.
**Rating:** 'M'
**Disclaimer:** Vampire Knight belongs to Matsuri Hino.
**25 Feb 2015: **Thanks to the talented **Sheankelor's** review, I've decided to add Yuuki's POV to this chapter. I only realised after I'd written it that it belongs here anyway. I will work on the next chapter as soon as real life allows me to. It's been a very busy 2 months despite the recent holidays. In the meantime, enjoy the extra little snippet and I thank you all for your kind patience :)
\- Story Start -
The forecast snow had started falling.
Right on time, Zero thought, looking up at the dancing, floating flakes in the darkening sky. If only he could predict the outcome of tonight's party as accurately. He flipped up the collar of his worn black leather jacket and frowned, the vague thought that he really, _really_ should replace it crossing his mind, the same as it did every year.
He never did. It never got put into action simply because it wasn't important enough a thought to retain in his head. Nothing was. Not anymore.
There was a time when someone would remind him without fail, nag him even... well, that time was over.
Zero shook his head hard to dispel the maudlin thoughts hovering at the periphery of his mind. He was only here because the Vampire Council had requested for a senior hunter to attend the Kurans' New Year soiree. He was not here to take a trip down memory lane; that was a painful place that didn't bear visiting.
Forcing himself to move, Zero crossed the deserted road and walked up to the imposing iron wrought gates. It was strangely quiet for a house that was supposed to be hosting a party. Narrowed amethyst eyes looked from the long white gravel path that curved all the way from the gates to the front doors of the mansion, cutting across a growing carpet of white.
Perhaps the guests were all assembled in the basement?
It wouldn't be the first time Zero had been to such a party, hidden from prying eyes and from sunlight. Again, he pushed aside a past memory, this time of low voices and soft music, the muted clink of glasses and the unmistakable aura of bloodsuckers. Then, as if a switch had been flicked or a veil had been lifted, his hunter senses started tingling. There _were_ two purebloods inside the house, their auras burning bright and familiar in his senses.
His adopted sister and the ex-Leader of the Moon Dorms of Cross Academy.
The love of his life and the rival for her affections.
Siblings... betrothed couple... lov- no. _Stop_.
It was none of his business what they were to each other. It never had been.
Using more force than the simple task warranted, Zero unlatched the gate - it was not padlocked - causing a loud 'clang' to disturb the cold, still air. It didn't matter. They knew he was here or they wouldn't have revealed their own presences. He strode up the path, hating how his heart was already beating faster, his emotions getting the better of him. Longing at the thought of seeing one of them, intense irritation at the thought of seeing the other.
Going up the three marble steps that led to the double doors, Zero lifted a hand to knock, but the doors were pulled open from the inside... and there she was.
The girl who had been a part of his life ever since he was twelve... the girl he had fallen in love with even though he had tried so hard not to... the girl he had lost.
Yuuki Kuran.
She no longer resembled the slightly ditzy and clumsy Yuuki Cross. Her shiny auburn hair was now waist long and dead straight, her evening dress - probably costing the earth - pale cream and soft, clinging to her slight curves. A simple silver ribbon nestled at the base of her white neck, her only adornment.
Zero pulled his gaze away from that tempting sight, a delicious taste he would never forget making his fangs tingle. He looked at her again, frowning. She had never been fat or even remotely plump in the past, no matter how much she ate, but she seemed far thinner now than he remembered.
"Zero."
Even her eyes were different. Still large and hypnotic, but with rosewood tints that no longer lay buried under a spell. They pulled him in, inviting him to put aside his animosity and drown in their luminous depths, in foolish dreams of young and innocent love.
"Yuuki."
Despite his curt voice, she smiled at him, a smile that was sweet and just a bit nervous.
"Zero. I've missed you."
Four words that stabbed straight into his heart. He stood there staring at her, incapable of a reply or indeed, anything at all... until _he_ appeared at her shoulder.
"Kiryuu. Thank you for coming."
Wrenching his gaze away from Yuuki's beautiful eyes, Zero encountered Kaname Kuran, impeccably turned out in a white tuxedo.
"Kuran."
The male pureblood smiled, but his eyes didn't.
"Yuuki seems to have forgotten her manners. Please, come in."
\- o -
An elegant foyer led to a large and beautifully appointed living room, the paintings on the walls as exquisite as the furniture. It didn't hide the fact that there was no one here except the three of them, not even Seiren.
"So - where's the party?" Zero asked. He stood with his feet apart, facing his host and hostess.
Yuuki had gone to sit in an armchair by the fireplace, slender legs crossed at the knee and fingers loosely linked. She turned to glance up at her brother who stood beside her before turning back to Zero.
"There is no party here tonight, Zero," she admitted. "I'm sorry to have misled you."
Zero stared at her, more surprised by her admission than by her words. The Yuuki he had known wouldn't have confessed to any misdeed so easily, with hardly a blush on her cheeks. She would have hemmed and hawed, denied and accused, looked flushed and flustered and done everything in her power to avoid owning up.
"It was my idea," Kuran added.
Zero's jaw clenched. So the two of them had managed to hoodwink both the Vampire Council _and_ the HA. Why wasn't he surprised?
"So there isn't any reason for me to remain here any longer," he replied, keeping his eyes on Yuuki. "Is there?"
It hurt to see her again. It hurt even more to see her like this. The Kuran Princess, ensconced in the lap of luxury she was born to, betrothed to the one she was destined for... but he still didn't want to leave. Not yet.
"There is a reason," Yuuki replied. "Please stay. Have dinner with us before you go."
Zero exhaled, lips turning up in a mirthless smile. It looked like Fate had no compunction in granting him this one tiny wish since she would never give him what he wanted most of all.
"Why?"
Yuuki's smile turned tremulous once more, her fingers tightening around each other.
"It's the start of a new year. A time to let bygones be bygones, a time to mend bridges."
When Zero just raised an eyebrow, she took a deep breath.
"And I've missed you, Zero."
Surprised yet again at her candour, Zero's gaze flicked to her brother whose eyes were still on him. Kuran nodded without hesitation, making Zero wonder if this had already been planned.
"Yuuki's wish is my command. Do stay for dinner, Kiryuu."
And even though Zero knew he shouldn't, that he would regret it once tonight ended, he found himself nodding anyway.
Yuuki's wish... was his command too.
\- o -
Dinner was ready and waiting to be served in the stately dining room.
Large silver chafing dishes stood on the sideboard, containing bacon and spinach stuffed portobello mushrooms, grilled lamb chops with spicy mint sauce, roast chicken with rosemary gravy, mashed potatoes, crispy fries and buttered vegetables. A large pot of cream of asparagus stood next to a hot food cabinet displaying a selection of pastries. A chilled bowl of mango and prawn salad rested in a tureen of ice.
Zero's stomach growled as he stared at the food and smelled the appetising aromas. He hadn't eaten lunch, too preoccupied with this evening's soiree.
"I know it isn't much," Yuuki began, but Zero shook his head and she fell silent.
"Where are the cooks? I'm pretty sure neither one of you prepared all this."
Kuran's small smile was wry as if he had already expected Zero's disparaging tone.
"Our chef cooked dinner and we gave him and the rest of the staff the night off. They left just a few minutes ago."
"We wanted a private dinner, Zero," Yuuki explained and gestured to the first chair on the left of the head of table. "Please, have a seat."
Zero's gaze slid from the chair to the dishes and then to Yuuki.
"I would like to serve you," she said with a deprecating smile.
In the blink of an eye, Zero was transported back a couple of years to when home was Cross Academy, and the shabby, comfortable kitchen there was where he had learned to cook, a skill borne of both interest and necessity. He had served meals to Cross and Yuuki numerous times without blinking an eye, and only realised now that Yuuki had never returned the favour. Not even once.
Perhaps it was just for show or perhaps she meant what she said, that she wanted to mend the bridge between them. It wasn't possible of course; she had already made her choice by going off with Kuran. But since she had offered...
With a curt nod, Zero went to sit at the place she directed. He watched as she took a plate from the stack on the sideboard and began filling it with a selection of food, the clink of cutlery against fine porcelain the only sounds breaking the silence. He didn't say anything even when she dropped a spoonful of cold salad on top of the lamb, the plate's growing quantity making him wonder if she intended all three of them to eat from the same plate.
Glancing at Kuran who was watching Yuuki, Zero saw the familiar look in those eyes. Wholehearted adoration, the expression Kuran always wore whenever he looked at Yuuki, the expression Zero always tried to ignore.
"There you go."
The laden plate was placed in front of Zero. He looked back to see Yuuki smiling down at him.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome." Yuuki's smile widened and she looked almost like her old self before she turned back to the sideboard.
"Allow me, dear one. Why don't you go sit down?"
Kaname smiled at Yuuki as he took the empty plate from her hand and suddenly, Zero wasn't hungry anymore.
\- o -
Yuuki knew she was staring instead of eating, but she couldn't help it. She wanted to feast her eyes on Zero while she could. In fact, now that he was here, she never wanted him to leave.
She thought she had learned all about decorum and poise and being the perfect Kuran princess, thanks to Hanabusa Aido's constant lecturing and nagging over the past two years. It was true, she could converse well with anyone now (well, almost anyone), she held herself with a grace she never could have managed two years ago _and_ she hadn't fallen down the dratted staircase in a whole year.
Yet the moment she had felt Zero's aura outside, she had sped to the door like a child and flung it open before she could stop herself. It had been too long since she had last seen him. His hair was longer now, but he was still wearing that rag of a coat. He should have thrown it out years ago. She would have made sure he had... if she had been there.
He was also as grumpy as ever and while she knew it had always been an act, she wasn't so sure now. When he had first caught sight of her, his amethyst eyes had the same look a starving man might give a plate of food. It made her wish again - right there and then - what she had wished every single day since... that she could go back to that fateful day.
Only there was nothing she could have changed then that wouldn't leave her with regrets. If she had chosen to stay with Zero, she would have broken her onii-san's heart, the person she had thought was always out of her reach, but turned out to be the one she was meant for. Kaname worshipped her, she knew that. She adored him too, and she had loved these past two years with him, but she had also missed Zero _so much!_
Tearing her eyes away from the silver haired hunter who was eating in stoic silence - she winced at how she had plated his food - and ignoring her, she glanced at Kaname instead, seeing his calm gaze on Zero. He had to know how much she had missed Zero and what it meant. To his credit, he had never pressed her too hard for answers, but allowed his halfhearted questions to be parried.
Yuuki felt her eyes sting and bit her lip, dropping her gaze to her untouched plate. She was with Kaname now, she shouldn't be thinking of anyone else. Her carefree life as Yuuki Cross, adopted daughter of the late Chairman Cross and almost sister to Zero Kiryuu was over.
It was too late to wish for something else, something that could never be.
\- o -
Kiryuu looked as uptight as ever, that familiar scowl sitting on his face. He was a respected figure now in the HA, but he looked thinner and older somehow as if the added responsibilities and living on his own had taken their toll on him.
Appearances aside though, Kaname knew some things would never change. Such as Kiryuu's love for Yuuki, and hers for him in return. The former was something Kaname had known for years. The latter, only recently. What he had thought was sisterly affection was anything but.
In the past two years they had lived together, Kaname had seen the differences in his beloved princess, subtle at first and then more and more obvious as the weeks turned into months. He would catch her reading a book without turning a page for hours, or staring out a window without seeing what lay outside, or even ignoring Aido as he bemoaned her lack of concentration. At mealtimes, she would look down at her plate, filled with the tastiest delicacies their chef could come up with, and take only a few bites. She changed the subject whenever Kaname brought it up and he, coward that he was, allowed her to do so.
He was fearful of having his fears confirmed, of having his fragile bubble of happiness shatter.
Even in the past six months when his careful, tender wooing finally culminated in them being lovers, he knew she still wasn't as contented as he was. Oh, she was happy enough with him and he knew she loved him, but her smile had lost the brilliance it once had and along with it, a part of her life and a part of her heart.
They were with _him_. Zero Kiryuu. And Kaname knew he could no longer allow it to go on, he who loved her more than life itself.
Looking at Kiryuu who was now eating the mess on his plate without tasting it and then at Yuuki who was doing anything but eating, Kaname loosened his grip on his unused fork and put it down. He reached for his goblet and took a sip of water, his mind made up.
There were three unhappy people here this evening, but by the end of tonight, Kaname knew there would be only one. Himself.
_To be continued..._
2. Chapter 2
**Author Notes:** Hello again! Thank you for the alerts and favs and a huge Thank You for the reviews *bows* I meant to write and finish this story much earlier, but my muse refused to oblige. I finally had to catch her, tie her down and beg her on bended knees. There will be a 3rd part coming... when it comes. In the meantime, enjoy this chapter :)
\- Chapter Start -
"Onii-san? You're not eating."
Drawn from his resigned thoughts, Kaname looked up to find Yuuki's curious gaze on him. He smiled at her, but it felt more like a grimace.
"I'm not very hungry," he admitted.
"Neither am I," she replied. She glanced from his plate to her own, both equally untouched.
A loud sigh made them both turn to Kiryuu who had stopped eating and was watching them, head propped on one fist.
"Should I ask if the food is poisoned?" he asked in a dry tone.
"Oh, of course it isn't, Zero!" Yuuki assured him, not seeming to take umbrage at his words. She quickly ate a forkful of mash potatoes and then smiled at him. "See? It's good."
"Only you two aren't eating."
Kaname decided this conversation was getting nowhere.
"Kiryuu, Yuuki has told you her reason for inviting you here," he began, "but I haven't told you mine."
The hunter straightened up at once, amethyst eyes narrowing at Kaname in suspicion.
"What reason is that?"
"Onii-san?"
Kaname kept his gaze on Kiryuu even though he could feel Yuuki's puzzled gaze on him.
"For the past two years, I have done everything in my power to help Yuuki adapt to her new life." He paused, fighting against an inbuilt instinct that refused to admit failure. "She has done well, very well, but she isn't as... happy... as she could be. As she should be."
There was a pause as Kiryuu's eyes flicked to Yuuki and then they were back to Kaname, sharp and accusing.
"And why is that?" he asked, his voice tight.
"Onii-san, I _am _happy," Yuuki protested.
Breaking his stare with Kiryuu, Kaname turned to her and smiled again, feeling that same sharp pang in his heart. He had thought - hoped, rather - that her earnest, childlike desire to do what she felt was right would be more than enough, but it wasn't. _He_ wasn't.
"Not as content as I had hoped, dear one," he replied, holding her gaze. "Did you think I didn't know? Zero didn't come with us the day we left Cross Academy, but he never left your heart."
A bloom of guilty colour swept into Yuuki's pale cheeks at once. She darted a quick glance at Kiryuu who looked like he had suddenly turned to stone before turning back to Kaname.
"How - how long have you known?" she whispered.
"For some time now."
"I am so sorry," Yuuki apologised, her eyes welling up with tears. "I thought I could-"
"Don't, Yuuki," Kaname interrupted, his voice steady despite the knife digging into his chest. "You have known Zero for longer than you know me. He was your classmate and fellow School Prefect. He was by your side when I couldn't be, he protected you when I had to keep my distance."
Perhaps he was once again making excuses for Yuuki, but what he had said was true. it was inevitable his gentle sister would care deeply for Kiryuu; he just hadn't realised it was more than that until it was too late.
Looking at Kiryuu, Kaname noted he hadn't moved at all.
"That is why I invited you here tonight," he revealed. "If Yuuki would rather be with you, she has only to say so. I won't stand in her way since I know you have always loved her."
The words 'and would never hurt her' were left unsaid, but implied nonetheless.
Stunned amethyst eyes blinked and then Kiryuu's lips drew back in a snarl, a dull flush creeping up his neck. "You don't know anything about me, Kuran!"
"Then tell me I'm wrong," Kaname challenged, but the hunter only glared at him before looking away, lips pressed tight in a mutinous line.
"Zero, it it true?"
"It doesn't matter."
"It does. Is it true?"
"What the hell does it matter! You made your choice two years ago!"
"I know," Yuuki whispered, her eyes now welling with tears. "And I don't-" she faltered.
"And you don't regret it," Kiryuu finished for her, his voice hard.
"No! I mean yes... I mean, oh God." Yuuki covered her mouth with one hand and shook her head.
"You left with Kuran because you love him," Kiryuu growled, fingers clenched tight around his utensils as if those words were causing him pain.
Yuuki blinked. Then her hand came down and she stamped her foot hard under the table, a habit Kaname thought she had finally outgrown.
"Of course I love him! He's my onii-san, Zero, but I love you too!"
A look of uncertainty crossed Kiryuu's face as if he didn't quite know whether to believe her or not, but that look vanished in an instant and he snorted.
"Not as much apparently since you still followed _him_," he bit out before turning to Kaname. "I don't know what sort of sick game you're playing, Kuran, but I've had enough."
Pushing his chair back, he stood abruptly, tossing down his knife and fork before swinging on his heel.
Before Kaname could do anything, Yuuki was out of her chair and facing Kiryuu, arms held wide as if to block his exit, long hair fanning out about her.
"No - wait, Zero! Please!" She took a step forward and grabbed his arm, but he flung it upward, yanking his wrist from her grasp as he glared down at her.
Kaname was on his feet before he knew it. Kiryuu looked a hairsbreadth from backhanding Yuuki right across the face, and Kaname swore he would _kill_ the boy if he dared to strike his precious girl... only Kiryuu's fierce mask crumpled, and uttering a groan, his arm came down and Yuuki was suddenly crushed in his embrace, his face buried in her hair and hers in his chest.
Kaname found himself staring at them, the pain in his chest now mixed with bittersweet triumph. He had been right, Kiryuu's bluster was just that - bluster. He was doing the right thing, Kaname insisted to himself as Yuuki's slender arms went about Kiryuu's waist, a sight that made him curl his hands into tight fists.
"This doesn't change a thing, Yuuki," Kiryuu warned, his voice shaking and half muffled in her hair.
... and Kiryuu was still in denial. Kaname was still trying to decide if he should laugh or cry over that when Yuuki tipped her head back to look up at the hunter.
"This changes everything and you know it," she insisted. Her face was wet with tears, but she was smiling, her eyes sparkling in a way Kaname hadn't seen in months.
Kiryuu just glowered at her right before he swooped down and kissed her.
Desperately... as if he had been longing to do this one thing for all his life.
Roughly... as if he had never kissed before and wasn't quite sure how to go about it.
But oh-so-thoroughly as if this was his one and only chance to kiss the girl he loved.
It was their first kiss together, Kaname realised as he stared at them, the ache in his chest now morphing into something almost like envy. It had to be. This kiss looked like everything his own kisses with Yuuki had never been. He had never, _ever_ kissed her like that... but then, he had never treated her the same way Kiryuu did either.
A few moments passed before Kaname remembered he should be making his exit before he changed his mind. Neither of them would notice anyway.
Certainly not Kiryuu who was framing Yuuki's heart shaped face with his hands and muttering incoherent, scolding words in between more kisses.
Certainly not Yuuki who was standing on tiptoes, her arms now around Kiryuu's neck as she leaned into him, ignored his words and returned kiss for kiss.
Two halves of a puzzle that had just locked into place with not a sliver of space left for anyone else.
Dragging his gaze away, Kaname forced his legs to move, walking away from the table and out of the dining room. There were arrangements to be made, discussions to be held, but all of that could come later, he thought wearily. Right now, he just wanted to hide somewhere and lick his wounds while Kiryuu savoured his victory - he had gotten the girl after all, the girl they both loved. And Yuuki... she would want some time with Zero now that they were together.
Kaname stopped when the pain in his chest intensified, almost forcing a gasp from him. He closed his burning eyes, but images rushed through his mind anyway, unstoppable images of what would arise from those passionate kisses. Kiryuu might look like he was a novice at physical intimacy, but that was so very easily rectified.
"Onii-san? Onii-san, wait... wait!"
This time, it was Kaname's arm that was grabbed with enough force to swing him around. He found himself staring down at a Yuuki who was breathless with pink cheeks and red lips. His gaze shifted to take in Kiryuu standing behind her, looking just as flushed and a bit half dazed as well.
"Where are you going?" Yuuki demanded.
"Somewhere," Kaname replied and when she frowned, "Yuuki, surely you aren't so cruel as to want me to remain now that you have Zero."
She stared at him, the sparkle in her eyes dimming as if she had only just realised what her actions meant.
"But I..." Pausing, she looked over her shoulder at Kiryuu who just raised an eyebrow and folded his arms across his chest. Licking her lips, she turned back at Kaname.
"I thought," she began, but a derisive laugh interrupted her, Kiryuu taking a couple of steps closer and glaring at her.
"You thought what, Yuuki? That you could have us both?" he demanded. "This isn't a game, damnit! So who is it going to be - him or me?"
\- o -
Yuuki's heart was still beating fast as she stared up into Zero's angry face. She couldn't think. Granted, her brain was mush and her lips still tingling from Zero's passionate kisses - where on earth had he learned to kiss like _that?_ \- but there was something missing right here, if she could only put her finger on it.
She turned to look at Kaname; he looked implacable. She turned to Zero; _he_ looked annoyed.
Huffing, she turned back to Kaname with her usual imploring expression in place, but for once, he only shook his head at her.
"Zero is right, dear one. You have to choose between us."
Yuuki stared at him. Was that why he had agreed to invite Zero over, so she could choose between them?
But she had already done that two years ago, hadn't she?
She had chosen Kaname. He was a part of her real family, her newly discovered brother and fiance. She had just had a new world open up for her, fraught with dangers, full of possibilities and opportunities and new powers that were fascinating and powerful... she just hadn't realised how much Zero was a part of her life until she had to live without him for two years.
But now that he was here and Kaname was allowing her to choose again, would she choose Zero instead?
Could she?
Oh, of course she couldn't! The part of her heart that had always ached with emptiness would now be filled, but the other half wouldn't be instead. How vexing! She felt like stamping her foot again, her gaze swinging from one male to the other.
"But that's just it - I can't choose between you two," she protested, taking a couple of steps back so she could face them at the same time.
And still, they stayed silent, stubbornly and infuriatingly silent. Seeing them like this, literally standing on the same side and - for once - agreeing with each other, would be almost amusing if she weren't so exasperated at them both right now. She knew they both loved her even if one showed it openly and the other only when forced. She knew she loved them just as much, which made it impossible to choose.
Wait - didn't that mean she _couldn't_ choose between them?
Yuuki felt her heart start to beat even faster as she stared from Kaname to Zero and then back to Kaname. So what would happen if she didn't choose?
Or if her choice was not one, but both of them?
She looked at Kaname. The young Kuran prince of purest bloodline with unmatched power and strength, revered in the vampire world. Then she turned to Zero, the young and capable hunter of untold power and strength, respected in the hunter world. Two strong and proud individuals who had always heartily disliked, if not hated, one another.
And here she was, the girl they both wanted, about to ask the impossible of them. But really, she found herself thinking irreverently, was there any better test of their love and devotion to her?
That last thought - one part primal and one part feminine - almost made her smile. Taking a deep breath, she nodded.
"Very well," she said at last. "Since it is my choice to make, I choose... both of you."
As expected, both males blinked at her before giving each other shocked glances and then turning to stare at her again.
"Yuuki," Kaname began, a frown drawing his eyebrows together, but Zero cut in.
"Don't be silly! You can't have us both, you know," he scolded her.
Annoyed, Yuuki straightened to her full five feet in height and folded her arms across her chest. She tipped her chin up, eyes flashing.
"I'll tell you what is silly, Zero Kiryuu," she retorted. "Forcing me to choose between the two men I love, that's what! Onii-san is right. I love you, but I also love him."
When they continued to just stare at her, she huffed and rolled her eyes.
"I want you both in my life!" she exclaimed. "Don't you see? It's the most obvious answer!"
_To be continued..._
3. Chapter 3
**Author Notes:** Hello, everyone! Thank you once again for the wonderful reviews! It's been a really busy time for me but here is the 3rd chapter at last with a final one to follow. Enjoy this chapter and I look forward to your feedback :)
\- Chapter Start -
_"I want you both in my life!" she exclaimed. "Don't you see? It's the most obvious answer!"_
In the bewildered silence following Yuuki's exasperated outburst, Kaname and Zero both stared at her as if their brains were suddenly incapable of processing her words.
"That's your answer?" Zero asked at last, his deep voice rich with disbelief. "You want us _both?_ Really? What are you, still twelve?"
Cheeks flushing red - Zero hadn't lost the knack for making her feel both small _and_ stupid - Yuuki tossed her head again and glared at him, her hands now fisted at her sides. She sure as hell wasn't twelve anymore and she sure as hell wasn't going to back down from this either!
Wow, look at that - she had sworn too. Twice.
"You didn't kiss me like I was twelve just a minute ago!" she shot back.
Zero blinked, his mouth falling open at her rebuttal before he snapped it shut, looking disconcerted and even embarrassed.
Well, _that_ shut him up all right, thought Yuuki and almost spoiled it all by giggling. She kept her lips pressed together and tipped her chin even higher, daring him to comment further. Instead, Zero frowned and turned to Kaname, giving a tiny shrug and jerk of his head as if saying _'I tried. Your turn.'_
Breathing out a soft sigh, Kaname turned to Yuuki again.
"Yuuki," he began in a conciliatory tone. "You can't have us both. It... doesn't work that way."
She just raised her eyebrows. "Why not?"
Kaname blinked.
"Because we are... he is-" Breaking off abruptly, he half swung to Zero and then back to Yuuki again, his eyes slightly narrowed this time.
"Because Zero would never share and we both know that," he stated with absolute certainty.
Eyebrows still up, Yuuki just tipped her head at Zero, wondering if he realised her onii-san had thrown the ball back in his court.
"You don't know-" Zero began before he broke off, scowling in frustration and making Yuuki swallow another inappropriate giggle.
"There you go," Kaname said as if Zero had just proven his point.
"But what about you, onii-san?" Yuuki asked sweetly. "Would _you_ be willing to share?"
When he didn't say anything, she suddenly knew how she was going to go about this. Simple - just play one against the other and take advantage of longstanding rivalry, stubbornness, sheer male pride and hope like crazy that she would get what she wanted. Yes, the whole thing might just backfire on her and yes, it wasn't fair play, but hey, Kaname hadn't told her his reason for inviting Zero here, and Zero hadn't told her how he had felt about her all this time. Yet here they were, asking her to choose between them!
They were so much more alike than they wanted to admit and so exasperating sometimes. She would knock their gorgeous heads together right now if she didn't love them so much.
Kaname was still staring at her and Yuuki's breath caught in her throat when she saw the flash of rare indecision in his eyes before it was gone.
"Onii-san? Would you be willing to share?" she repeated in a soft, coaxing voice.
Kaname licked his lips as if to stall for time, his expression that of a haunted man who had just been given a second chance at life... at the price of his freedom. There was a moment when he seemed on the verge of shaking his head, but then he exhaled and nodded instead, shoulders slumping a bit beneath his tuxedo jacket.
"You know me all too well, dear one," he finally said in a low voice. "If the alternative is to live without you, then I would."
Yuuki's lips parted in surprise - she honestly hadn't expected it to be this easy. She felt giddy all of a sudden, like the time she had drunk a whole glass of champagne on an empty stomach.
"You would?" she whispered. "Even if it's with Zero?"
Kaname nodded, holding her gaze with his, a tiny and rueful smile now hovering about his lips.
"You would what, Kuran?" Zero demanded.
One of Kaname's eyebrows went up and then he turned to the hunter. All traces of uncertainty were wiped clean from his face, leaving him once again the cool and collected pureblood.
"I would be willing to share, Kiryuu, since that is what Yuuki has decided," he replied calmly. "Would you do the same for the girl you love?"
Zero looked stunned as his eyes went from brother to sister and back again, his mouth opening and closing a couple of times without any words coming out.
"You - you can't be serious!" he finally burst out. "This is insane!"
His bewildered expression made that same giddy feeling bubble and rise inside Yuuki, but she didn't let it show. Instead, she gave a resolute nod and folded her arms across her chest.
"No, it's not," she countered. "I love you both - it's as simple as that."
Zero raked both hands through his silver hair, looking exasperated.
"Simple, how? This would never work!" he protested. "How would we even - what sort of arrangements..." He trailed off, shaking his head.
"And yet, you haven't said no," Kaname gently pointed out what Yuuki hadn't realised.
If looks alone could wound, Kaname's pale skin would be sporting serious burns from those infuriated amethyst eyes.
"I don't have to," Zero snarled. "You're a pureblood and," his gaze flicked to Yuuki, faltered and then hardened, "so is she. There's no place for me here."
Yuuki wondered if he could hear the bleak tone in his voice. Ignoring his glare, she took a step closer and gently touched his arm.
"Zero, this has nothing to do with what we are, only how we feel. _Please_ don't ask me to choose between the two of you. I can't. I won't. I did it two years ago and I've regretted -" biting her lower lip, she cast an apologetic glance at Kaname, "well, not regretted, but I... uhm..."
When Kaname just smiled at her and shook his head, Yuuki gave him a tremulous smile in return before turning back to Zero. He had turned his face away, but her hand was still on his arm and more importantly, she knew he was still listening.
"I don't want to live without you, the same way I don't want to live without Kaname. Can't we at least give it a try?" she asked softly. "Please?"
Zero didn't move for almost a minute, his chest rising and falling quickly as he fought with himself. Then just as Yuuki was sure he would say no, he exhaled loudly and dipped his head forward in a gesture of defeat, silver hair covering his eyes.
"You always have to have your own way, don't you?" he mumbled.
Yuuki pressed her other hand to her mouth. Had she - had she heard right? Had Zero just said what she thought he had said?
"Are - are you saying..." she whispered.
His head snapped up then and he glared at her with narrowed eyes.
"I'm saying yes, alright? Alright? You win, damnit!"
"Oh, Zero!"
Ignoring his ferocious glare with the same ease as she had his previous one, Yuuki flung her arms around him, pinning his arms to his sides and hugging him tightly. Tears were stinging her eyes and her heart felt like it was going to burst from her chest - she couldn't breathe properly - but she didn't care. She had known it would be easier to persuade Kaname, but she thought it would take longer to bring him around and longer still - much, much longer - to persuade Zero.
But miracle of miracles, she had somehow managed to convince them both! And in the same night!
Perhaps there was something to be said for competing male pride after all.
Grinning widely, Yuuki turned towards her resigned looking onii-san and reached out a hand. When he took it, she yanked him close with a strength borne of sheer happiness and relief. The startled squawks Kaname and Zero made as they collided with each other and found themselves pressed cheek to cheek made her laugh out loud.
"Don't make me regret this," Zero gritted out as he took a hasty step back.
Yuuki looked up at him with an impish smile, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears.
"You won't," she said and reached up to kiss him, cupping his face with her small hands. She took her time about it, making it a kiss that was sweet and grateful, unconsciously teaching him like how Kaname had taught her in the beginning.
Zero responded to her tutoring as she had known he would, hesitantly at first and then with growing confidence, the fingers of one hand tangled in her hair and the other splayed at the small of her back to pull her even closer. Yuuki's heart sang with pure joy as she let him take over the kiss. She couldn't deny it felt a bit awkward to kiss him so passionately with Kaname standing just inches away... yet it was also freeing because she no longer had to hide how she felt about both of them.
When Zero finally released her, his eyes dark with passion, Yuuki smiled at him and turned to Kaname. She reached up to curl slender fingers around the back of his neck. He resisted at first, likely balking at the idea of kissing her right after Zero, but when she nodded encouragingly and applied a touch more pressure, he dipped his head obediently. Yuuki was still standing close enough to Zero to feel his body stiffening and instinct made her grab his shoulder to keep him from moving away.
Kissing Kaname's soft lips was a sweetly familiar joy, one no less enjoyable than kissing Zero's. Yuuki took her time with it as well. Perhaps on a subconscious level, there was an awareness that they had to get used to seeing her kiss each other anyway, but mostly, she just wanted to convey to Kaname how grateful she was for giving her this chance.
By the time she drew back, her fangs were starting to tingle, hunger of a different kind making itself known. Seeing the telltale flush on Kaname and Zero's faces and the faint glow in their eyes, she knew they were feeling it too. What should come next was what would usually follow for Kaname and herself if they were alone - she could sense through their blood bond how much he longed to feed from her again and have her do the same to him.
But they weren't alone now.
Zero was here too and she wanted the same thing with him - to be blood bonded with him the way she was with her onii-san. Zero had bitten her numerous times in the past, but she was human then and those times hadn't counted. She had bitten him just before leaving Cross Academy, so if he returned the favour now, it would complete their bond. They would be lovers as well as bond mates, the way she and Kaname already were.
"Zero, I want you to bite me," Yuuki said before she could change her mind, her words coming out in a breathless rush.
Those dearly familiar amethyst eyes widened in surprise before narrowing at her.
"You bit me the day you left," Zero said in an 'I can't believe you forgot that!' kind of voice.
"I know."
"So you should know if I bite you now, it would-"
"I know," Yuuki repeated, her voice trembling. "It would complete the blood bond between us."
Zero stared at her before swinging to Kaname.
"And you're OK with this?" he demanded, his tone as disbelieving as before.
Yuui turned to Kaname as well, biting her tingling lower lip. Again, it wasn't fair to him, but how could she share a blood bond with one and not the other? How could she claim to love Zero as much as Kaname if he didn't have the same claim on her that Kaname did?
Her anguish must have been transparent in her eyes or perhaps Kaname knew her only too well because after a moment, he turned to Zero, his expression as calm as before.
"I am," he answered.
"But why?" Zero looked flabbergasted.
Kaname reached for Yuuki's hand and raised it to his lips, brushing a gentle kiss over each knuckle as his eyes smiled at her. Then he turned to Zero.
"Because, Kiryuu, when you turned up here this evening, I was already prepared to lose the one thing I hold most dear in the world. So even though this arrangement is not something I would choose, it is still more than what I expected to have."
Yuuki blinked rapidly, her eyes stinging again. Her onii-san's love for her was truly selfless. She didn't deserve him, but if she wanted his happiness, she would have to secure her own first. Perhaps her decision, unorthodox as it was, would allow her to secure the happiness of all three of them.
"So, what do you say, Zero?" Kaname prompted and gave a small, wry smile when the hunter's eyebrows shot up. "Like it or not, we will be meeting each other more often from now on. You might as well call me Kaname."
When Zero nodded, Yuuki took a deep breath and held out her free hand to him and then smiled at both males in turn.
"In that case, gentlemen, may I suggest a more private place to adjourn to?" she asked, her heart beating quickly at what would follow.
At their nods, she led them through the living room and to the foyer, towards the wide marble staircase that led upstairs to the master bedroom.
_To be continued..._
4. Chapter 4
**Author Notes:** Hello again, everyone! Thank you once more for the wonderful reviews and enjoy this next chapter. Uhm, was it supposed to be the last chapter? Well, enjoy it anyway and I look forward to your feedback :)
\- Chapter Start -
All Zero could hear was the swift pounding of his heart against his rib cage as he climbed the wide marble staircase. If he weren't still in a state of shock, he suspected he might even be running about the place, screaming his head off at what he had just agreed to – becoming Yuuki's lover and bond mate when she was _already_ Kuran's betrothed and bond mate.
What the hell - was he mad?
Hadn't he sworn to kill Yuuki the next time their paths crossed?
Hadn't she said she would be waiting for him?
Or had she known even then that he wouldn't be able to harm a hair on her head?
He could feel Yuuki's fingers trembling in his grasp - proof that she too, was affected by her own impulsive decision to blood bond with him. But there was nothing from Kuran to indicate his true feelings about having his precious princess turn the tables on the two of them... all without batting one of her enormous, soulful eyes.
Zero ground his teeth in exasperation. Honestly, did Yuuki think it was as simple as being confronted with a choice of vanilla and chocolate ice cream at that small sundae shop near Cross Academy they used to frequent, and that it was perfectly fine to have both instead of one?
That wasn't a decision that would shake the earth, but this was! Both the vampire world and the hunter one!
Zero's pragmatic mind was already boggling over the logistics of such an arrangement and the schedules they would have to come up with. He prayed Yuuki would handle that aspect because the very thought of having to call Kuran to make sure they didn't plan on dating her the same night was enough to make Zero feel hot and cold all over.
Besides, Yuuki may have said she loved him as much as she did Kuran, but _they_ were siblings and purebloods, revered and respected in their world. Zero wasn't a part of that world and despite his acquiescence, he knew he wasn't the type of person to settle for being the third party in a relationship.
So where did this arrangement leave him then?
Nowhere.
The sudden tightening of Yuuki's fingers around his own came a split second before Zero could tear his his hand away. Turning to glare at her, he encountered her imploring gaze again, pleading for him to stay. Damnit all to hell, he could never say no to her.
With a growl of annoyance at his own easy capitulation, he looked away only to realise they had reached the top of the marble staircase. He had been so lost in his thoughts he hadn't noticed a single thing about his surroundings.
Two large doors with ornate carvings and gold doorknobs faced them across a wide carpeted corridor. There was a muted flow of power from Kuran and the doors opened inward without a sound. At a tug from Yuuki's hand, Zero braced himself and crossed the threshold with his host and hostess, the doorway being wide enough to accomplish this with ease. Then he stopped short, startled eyes darting about and taking everything in.
The Kurans' master bedroom - it couldn't be anything else - was enormous. Sumptuous. From the plush carpeting to the high ceiling, from the floor length curtains at the French windows to the gauzy hangings over the huge bed, from the polished mother of pearl finish of the furniture to the cleverly hidden lighting; everything gave off an impression of airy space and soft, soft white.
Zero felt his uncertainty about their new arrangement spike at the sight of the luxurious furnishings, a world away from his small, spartan bedroom. Just a glance at that bed had his mind conjuring up images of Yuuki and Kuran between the sheets... naked and entwined, dark hair tumbling against pale skin and red lips as they lost themselves in each other.
Ignoring the sharp, much too familiar pang squeezing his chest, Zero turned to Yuuki and pulled his hand free. "Well?"
Despite his brusque tone, Yuuki smiled at him. "Come sit on the bed, Zero. We'll be more comfortable there."
She grabbed his hands and started backing towards the bed, pulling him along. Heart lurching in shock, Zero twisted around to look at Kuran, still standing at the doorway with his hands in his trouser pockets. He swung back to Yuuki.
"Wait - what about him?"
Yuuki blinked, delicate eyebrows drawing together in puzzlement.
"I'm already bonded with Kaname, Zero. I... I thought you knew that."
"No! I mean, why the hell is he still here?"
"Like it or not, Zero, this is my bedroom," Kuran replied in an even tone, "I have every right to be here."
As if underlining his words, the doors closed behind him with a sharp click and he started approaching the bed. That graceful, predatory walk rooted Zero to the spot, making him wonder if he had zoned out at some point and completely missed the part where he agreed to having an audience. He swung to Yuuki again, yanking his hands from her grasp.
"And you're OK with him watching us?" he demanded in disbelief.
Yuuki nodded, her eyes imploring him again.
"Yes, I am. Zero... you're not the only one in my life. Kaname is too, and I don't want to go behind either of your backs."
Zero blinked, taken aback as much by her ready answer as the words themselves. Where was the Yuuki who had been terrified her beloved Kaname-senpai would find out what they had been up to?
That was it - the world had officially gone mad. Either that or he was having one hell of a dream.
Taking his nonplussed silence for agreement, Yuuki went to sit at the foot of the enormous bed and crossed one slender leg over the other. She held Zero's stunned gaze and smiled as she reached up to pull at one end of the silver ribbon around her neck, causing the loops to slip free and the length of silk to slither down to her lap.
The effect of that simple, teasing act had Zero's fangs extended to their full length in a heartbeat, igniting a hunger inside him that had nothing to do with the food in his belly. Before he knew it, he was sitting beside her, his burning gaze locked onto the base of that white slender neck.
Fate was being cruel again, giving him a skewed version of what he had always dreamed of. Well, to hell with it - he was going to grab it with both hands anyway. No way was he walking away from this now, despite his misgivings and the silent, daunting presence of Kaname Kuran standing just three feet away.
Bending his head, Zero put his lips at Yuuki's ear and heard the tiny hitch in her breath.
"You always have to win, don't you?" he muttered. He heard her soft laugh and felt gentle fingers brushing over his ear piercings and threading through his hair.
"Only when you let me," she whispered.
Surrendering to the inevitable, Zero allowed her to guide his face lower until his mouth was at a level with the base of her neck. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, his heart racing in his chest. He had gone without blood - hers or anyone else's - for two years now and the sheer prospect of feeding from the only girl he had loved - oh God, how he had longed for this moment!
Clamping his hands around Yuuki's tiny waist, he lifted her bodily onto his lap to make it easier for both of them. Her surprised giggle broke off when he started licking at her bite area, drawing his tongue over the sweet smelling skin again and again.
Zero... bite me!"
He ignored her entreaty and his own hunger as he licked and sucked at her neck, elation flooding him when her breathing quickened and she started shifting about on his lap. He knew she was experiencing the same sweet pain of anticipation he was, and he let it build higher and higher until he was literally shaking with need.
At last, his control splintered and he bit down, driving his fangs into Yuuki. The taste of that intoxicating blood filling his mouth shot straight to his head like the headiest of wine, its familiarity sweeping him back to the past, bringing up memories that were all at once painful and poignant. Back to all those times he had slaked his desperate thirst on her human blood.
The first time at the bottom of that staircase when he had attacked her from behind.
The second time in the guest bathroom after she had gone to search him out.
The third time behind the stage while preparations for the school dance was going on.
The fourth time in the kitchen after she had cut her finger on a broken plate...
Like still photographs caught up in a tornado, those memories and others swirled around inside Zero's brain. His senses exploded as their blood bond came full circle, sweeping through those past memories to forge a brand new one, one that demanded equal participation from both parties.
Raising his head, Zero stared at Yuuki, his chest heaving. Once upon a time, the crimson glow in her beautiful eyes and the pointed fangs between her rosebud lips would have shocked and disgusted him, but no longer. He had had two years to reconcile himself to two facts - one, she was Yuuki Kuran now, pureblood vampire princess; and two, he still loved her anyway.
He would always love her...
She was staring back at him, a look of desperation in her eyes, her entire body trembling as if held by the thinnest, frailest of control.
He would do anything for her...
"Bite me, Yuuki!" Zero rasped.
She didn't hesitate like she had two years ago, merely reached up and pressed her lips to the left side of his neck, marked by the large taming tattoo - the same place she had bitten him two years ago. After two eager swipes of her tongue, she bit down hungrily, the sensation of her fangs in his flesh turning his legs to water.
Groaning in pleasure, he mimicked her action and lost himself in the taste of her blood once more. Only one thing marred this sublime experience - the subtle yet unmistakable taste of Kaname Kuran. The tiny, distant part of Zero that could still think thrust that thought away at once, disliking what it meant. He held Yuuki tighter and drank even deeper, wanting to lose himself completely in her. He felt reborn and revitalised and closer to her than he had ever been.
In the past, her human blood had been just a temporary measure to keep his demons at bay, but their bond now made it a necessity he knew he would crave for the rest of his life. He was no longer aware of anything save Yuuki, the two of them lost in the silken, pulsing, crimson cocoon of their bond.
A few minutes later - perhaps an eternity - Zero felt something shift in his consciousness. Yuuki had withdrawn her fangs and was carefully licking his wounds closed, the gentle touches on his sensitised skin making him shiver. He drank a bit more before stopping with reluctance, licking her wounds closed with equal tenderness and then cleaning his own lips.
When he finally raised his head, Yuuki was smiling at him, her pretty face flushed and her huge eyes back to their rosewood hue.
"I love you," Zero confessed in a low voice at last. "Always have."
_Always will._
Yuuki's smile widened, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears as she reached up to frame his face with her small hands.
"I love you too, Zero."
Kissing her followed naturally, the scent of his blood on her tongue strange but not unpleasant. The desire flooding through Zero now was one that had nothing to do with her blood and everything to do with _her_. He deepened the kiss, only half aware he had shifted around to lower her onto the bed and followed her down with their mouths still fused together.
He wanted her right now.
"Want you," he muttered against her lips. "I want you so much."
"I know," Yuuki whispered. "Make love to me, please."
Zero groaned in assent, only to freeze at the unexpected sound of a throat clearing. Bolting upright in shock, he twisted his head to find Kuran still standing beside the bed, chiseled jaw tight and eyes half lidded. Zero flushed red at once, chagrin clearing his head and chasing away his ardour.
Oh God, he had forgotten about Kuran's presence! He had almost - almost... Seeing Kuran's gaze shift to the side, Zero turned to see Yuuki giving her brother that same pleading look, the one he knew neither of them would be able to resist. His heart skipped a beat when she smiled and nodded before looking at him.
"Don't stop, Zero. I don't want us to hide anything from Kaname."
Zero felt the blood drain from his face. He still couldn't believe the overprotective Kuran had witnessed the completion of their blood bond and hadn't killed him for it, but - but -
"Are you crazy, Yuuki? You want him to see us make love?" he demanded, too incensed to feel any embarrassment at his own words. He wanted to _shake_ Yuuki to within an inch of her immortal life for even suggesting such a crazy thing.
"No, I'm not and yes, I do want him to see, Zero."
Almost sputtering in shock, Zero swung back to Kuran.
"This is crazy and you know it!" he snarled. "Surely _you_ of all people can't want to see us do this!"
When Kuran just shrugged at him with that same implacable look on his face, Zero turned to meet Yuuki's enormous eyes once more, feeling a mix of embarrassment, excitement, elation and exasperation welling up inside him.
"Fine," he bit out, breathing hard.
The world had gotten even madder than before, but it looked like the maddest one of all... was still himself.
_To be continued..._
5. Chapter 5
**Author Notes:** Hello and thank you once more for the wonderful reviews! If you have an account, do sign in when you review so I can write you a personal thank you :) Enjoy this chapter and I look forward to your feedback.
\- Chapter Start -
Zero swooped down to kiss Yuuki again, bearing her backwards to lie on the bed once more. It was a kiss very similar to the first one he had given her in the dining room - full of frustration and longing; lacking in both finesse and experience.
He got away with it for only a few seconds before two small hands held his head firmly, raising it a bit and angling it to the side. Then Yuuki took over the kiss, imbuing it with passion, love and that gentle touch he had always known her for.
_Damnit_, she knew him all too well.
With the wind taken out of his sails, Zero raised his head and looked down at her, supporting his weight on straightened arms.
"Sorry," he muttered. "I didn't mean-"
A slender finger across his lips stopped him.
"It's alright, Zero. I just don't want our first time to be in anger."
Her sweet smile took the sting out of her words, but Zero still flushed at the subtle rebuke. After years of dreaming of this event, never daring to think or even hope it would come true, he should be worshipping her with all he had instead of taking out his anger at his own actions on her.
And he would, he vowed, from this moment on. But first...
"There's never been anyone but you, Yuuki," he confessed before he could change his mind.
She just blinked up at him.
"Never had the time or interest to look for anyone else," he added frankly.
Her small mouth formed an oval of surprise.
Zero tried for a smile. He was sure it looked like a grimace. "I know what you're thinking - stupid of me, huh?"
"Oh no, Zero!" Yuuki shook her head at once. "Never that. Just... never mind. So I will be your first?"
Zero nodded solemnly, ignoring Kuran's presence just a few feet away. It was only right to let Yuuki know. While Zero was aware of the mechanics of making love - which male wasn't? - he was likely to botch it up one way or another. Yuuki, obtuse though she may be sometimes, was bound to notice since she and Kuran were... lovers.
Zero froze. Yuuki was no longer the innocent he himself was in this aspect - oh no, Kaname Kuran had seen to that. Despite already knowing this, irrational anger started licking at Zero's veins, burning away his earlier embarrassment and euphoria.
"But I'm not your first," he bit out, scowling down at her. "Am I?"
Yuuki's happy smile faltered at his words. When she glanced to the side, Zero sat upright and turned to Kuran, eyes flashing.
"_You_ got there first," he hissed.
Kuran's face was impassive save for the rise of one enquiring eyebrow.
"What of it?" he wanted to know.
In one smooth, lithe movement, Zero was up and off the bed, facing his rival. Stormy amethyst eyes clashed with calm garnet.
"Zero?" Yuuki sounded alarmed, but neither male looked at her.
"But don't forget, Zero," Kuran continued in an even tone, "_you_ made her yours first."
Zero frowned in confusion, taken back by the cryptic words.
"What the hell do you mean?" he demanded. "I never-"
"It was you who bit her first, you who took her first blood," Kuran interrupted, a resentful tone creeping into his voice.
Zero stared at him, his mind immediately leaping back to the past again, back to that fateful day at the bottom of that darkened staircase. He had attacked Yuuki from behind, unable to control his bloodlust.
"You took something from her that day, something that was promised to _me_." Kaname's voice had gone deadly soft, resentment giving way to something more ominous, pulsing in the air around them.
"What was more," he continued, his voice growing louder, the words tumbling out as if he had been holding them back all these years, "you took something from _me_ that was meant for _her_ as well."
"Onii-san, please," Yuuki protested.
Kuran's crimson tinged eyes shifted to her and all at once, it was as if a light switch had been flicked inside of him. That ominous aura around him dissipated as he looked back at Zero, raising an elegant hand to touch two fingertips to the base of his left neck.
"_My_ first blood," he whispered.
Another memory unfolded in Zero's mind, one also drenched in red. He was pressing Bloody Rose to Kuran's temple while he drank his fill of that powerful, intoxicating blood. Well, not so much drinking as gulping... spilling... wasting.
Shaking his head hard, Zero thrust away a belated twinge of guilt.
"You offered, damnit!" he snarled. "You forced me to bite you!"
Kuran pressed his lips together.
"Didn't you?" Zero insisted. He was damned if he would let Kuran pin the blame for this on him as well.
Slowly, Kuran nodded, a haunting look of defeat in his eyes.
"I did," he confirmed before giving a mirthless chuckle. "But the fact still remains that you took both our first bloods, Zero. How ironic that up until now, you hadn't even realised."
Silence descended between them. It was tense and awkward, laden with unspoken apologies and unvoiced regrets, brought about by rash action from one party and careful plotting from the other.
Bewildered, Zero looked from brother to sister and back again, seeing the same wariness etched in their delicate features as they returned his gaze. Exhaling loudly, he turned away and raked trembling fingers through his hair, aware that he had been dealt another rude shock. At this rate, he would probably end up a basket case before the night was out.
Still, even a Level D like him knew how important the first drawing of blood was for a vampire. How much more value would a pureblood place upon that honour?
And he had stolen that gift from both of them, desperate with hunger and bloodlust. He hadn't known what it meant at that time, hadn't appreciated what it signified, just plain hadn't thought about it since then. But now that he knew...
Taking a deep breath, Zero turned to Yuuki, his troubled gaze meeting her wide eyed one.
"I'm sorry, Yuuki. I never meant to steal it from you."
She shook her head at once, lips trembling in a smile.
"Don't apologise, Zero, please. I've never held that against you. You know that, right?"
Zero nodded soberly. Turning, he met Kuran's watchful eyes, unconsciously squaring his shoulders.
"My... apologies," he said gruffly.
Kuran uttered a soft sigh, shoulders lifting in a tiny shrug.
"I admit I did force your hand that time," he conceded, "but I am willing to let go of the past. What about you?"
Trembling fingers closed around Zero's, prompting him to look down at Yuuki again.
"Will you do the same, Zero? Forget the past and let us start over?"
"I'm sorry," he repeated. "I never-"
"I know. Stop apologising!"
Zero gave her a small smile, his throat feeling tight. He turned back to Kuran and exhaled, wishing he felt as calm as the pureblood looked. There was absolutely no sign of the regal resentment that had flared up earlier.
"Alright," he replied.
"Be very sure, Zero," Kuran warned, a steely tone creeping into his voice. "I will not have you bring up this subject again in future."
Shoving his hands deep in his trouser pockets, Zero nodded curtly. He had taken something very precious from both siblings, but they were willing to put it behind them. He supposed he could do the same. It seemed to be the night for promising contrary things anyway. That thought nagged at him now, prodding him to act differently tonight, to be reckless and impulsive, throw his habitual caution to the winds.
What the heck - he had already come this far, hadn't he?
"I am sure... Kaname," Zero answered and smirked when those rosewood orbs widened a bit in surprise. Turning back to Yuuki, he raised one eyebrow, that same recklessness making him bolder than usual.
"So, where were we?" he asked, deliberately letting the provocation of that question hang between them as he raised her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to her soft palm.
Yuuki gave an enchanting smile, eyelashes lowered and cheeks flushed pink.
"Do you still want me then?" she murmured.
Instead of answering, Zero sat down on the bed and took her in her arms once more. It was time to make good his promise to worship her.
\- o -
When Zero Kiryuu turned up at his doorstep this evening, Kaname had been prepared to lose it all.
When Yuuki turned the tables on both of them, Kaname had persuaded himself he was alright with sharing her with Zero. But when she insisted she wanted him to watch them together, he had been caught by surprise, only his swift pureblood reflexes allowing him to swiftly mask his reaction.
Yuuki's insistence at wanting to be honest and open with both of them was sweet, and certainly Zero's open mouthed shock and dismay was gratifying. Watching them together, though, left Kaname with mixed feelings. It was difficult enough remaining aloof and collected with the alluring scent of blood - especially Yuuki's - lingering in the air, which was why he had reacted so quickly to Zero's accusation earlier. It was even more difficult persuading himself that he was only furious at seeing someone else touch his precious girl and nothing more.
He had never thought he could witness Zero biting Yuuki and not want to do anything to stop it.
He had never imagined he could witness Zero stripping her and caressing her milky skin all over and not want to kill him on sight.
Worst of all, he had never realised the sight of the silver haired hunter learning the delights of Yuuki's body for the first time and pleasuring her to the best of his ability would leave him hot and bothered and aroused against his will.
It was... unbelievable.
Was it because of Yuuki's obvious enjoyment, eyes closed and lips parted in pleasure, slender body writhing about on the sheets as Zero's eager hands and mouth traversed all over it, from neck to soft breasts, from stomach to pale thighs, and the secret place in between?
Was it because of the respect Kaname had always felt for Zero's iron will and steadfast devotion to Yuuki, mixed with the sobering knowledge that just like him, Zero had accepted this new arrangement in his life?
Or was it again that tantalising scent of their mingled blood in the air, only instead of sharpening the cold, righteous anger Kaname knew he should be experiencing, it was blunting it, allowing him to view their love making from an entirely different perspective?
All Kaname knew was that he was as hard as a rock by the time Yuuki came with a soft cry of bliss, her orgasm brought about by Zero's untried but determined mouth against her moist centre. Kaname found himself unbuttoning and shedding his tuxedo jacket with trembling fingers, his burning gaze riveted to the couple on the bed, his heart leaping when Zero - face flushed with passion and triumph - positioned himself between Yuuki's trembling thighs and with a groan of longing, seated himself deep inside her with one sure thrust.
"Aahh...!"
Seeing Yuuki's back arch as she gasped with pleasure and seeing a fiercer version of that same pleasure on Zero's face as he started to move within her left Kaname's body almost painful with pent up need. He hung grimly onto his self control, unsure of whether he wanted to shove Zero away and take his place... or join him in pleasing Yuuki.
In the end, Kaname remained where he was, taking in the sight of Yuuki's slender legs around Zero's hips, her hands gripping his muscular arms, the rapid flexing of Zero's buttocks as he pushed them closer and closer to an explosive end, and the rapt expressions on their faces as they came in each other's arms with heartfelt cries.
It was all Kaname could do not to come on the spot with Yuuki's orgasm rippling across their shared bond.
\- o -
"Zero?" Yuuki's voice was soft, enquiring.
Zero mumbled something in reply, his arms tightening around her. He should get up, he was probably squashing her with his head pillowed on her soft breasts, but her arms and legs were still wrapped around him, enticing him to stay right where he was.
"I believe it is my turn, Zero."
The strained, almost clipped words made Zero's eyes snap open. He scrambled to sit upright, head jerking in Kaname's direction and eyes widening as they took in the pureblood's less than pristine appearance, sans jacket and shirt unbuttoned. There was a vivid flush on Kaname's cheeks now, his eyes glowing crimson and sharp fangs showing between his lips.
Zero's startled gaze dropped to the tented front of those tailored trousers, a frisson of shock going through him at the realisation of what it meant. Pushed into action by instinct and that fixated crimson gaze, he turned back to Yuuki, daring to give her a quick peck on the lips before getting down from the bed.
It was disconcerting to realise he had almost forgotten Kaname's presence again, and that he didn't have the luxury of basking in the afterglow of lovemaking with Yuuki. He should leave the bedroom now, if not the house, if he didn't want to see what was about to happen and yet... a part of him didn't want to leave.
Zero stood by the bed uncertainly, unaware that his and Kaname's positions were now reversed as Yuuki held out a hand to her brother with a welcoming smile.
There was a blur of movement and in the time it took Zero to blink, Kaname was naked, as pale and slender as Yuuki, his erection long and proudly jutting out. Rather belatedly, Zero realised Kaname had been affected by their blood exchange all this while but had still held himself back, allowing them to complete their blood bond first.
With a wry twist of his lips, Zero turned away.
"Zero, don't leave yet." Yuuki's voice was soft.
Zero stopped but didn't turn around. "Why not?"
"We want you to see this."
It was Kaname who replied and Zero spun around at once. "What? Why?!"
"Because I got to watch you earlier with Yuuki," Kaname replied, his gaze steady despite their brilliant crimson hue. "So it's only fair you get to do the same with us."
Zero gaped at him, speechless with shock.
_To be continued..._
6. Chapter 6
**Author Notes:** Hello again! Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews and enjoy this next chapter! As always, I look forward to your feedback :)
\- Chapter Start -
Zero was sure there was something wrong with his ears if not his mind. Surely Kaname Kuran - regal pureblood who protected his own privacy with the same obsession he did Yuuki - couldn't possibly have just asked Zero Kiryuu - former love rival in school and Level D nobody - to witness him making love to Yuuki.
Could he?
The expectant look on Kaname's face said he had, but Zero continued to stare at him, his mind spinning around in endless circles and coming up blank each time.
"Well, Zero?" Kaname prompted after a few moments. He was leaning against the colourful pillows piled at the headboard with casual ease despite the fine tremors wracking his body and the obvious signs of blood lust on his face. Yuuki was straddled across his lap, long hair tumbling down her back as she looked over her shoulder at Zero, a hopeful smile on her face.
Zero finally shook his head and decided nothing was going to make sense this evening. He went to the foot of the bed and sat down again, one foot tucked under him, the other flat on the floor.
What the heck. They had asked him to stay, hadn't they?
With pleased smiles that showed their fangs, Kaname and Yuuki turned back to each other. That was when Zero found out he could ignore the bittersweet pang in his chest, but not the intoxicating scent of rich, powerful, pure blood. In a heartbeat, his fangs sharpened again and his chest tightened with blood lust, compounded by the fierce elation coming from Yuuki through their bond.
With an effort, Zero reined in his hunger. He was not a greedy person by nature and his innate sense of honesty kicked in, reminding him it was Kaname's turn now. Besides, loathe as he was to admit it, the two siblings made an alluring sight, slender fingers combing through long tresses and lithe bodies pressing against one another. The soft sounds of their drinking imbued the whole picture with a sweetly erotic slant.
Zero was mesmerised despite himself, unable to look away even if his life depended on it.
After what seemed like only a few minutes, Kaname raised his head and licked his lips clean, his eyes - rosewood once more - glowing with love and adoration as he gazed at Yuuki. They started kissing and caressing each other again, the air around the bed now with a completely different intent.
Zero stayed right where he was. A part of him knew it would hurt to watch what came next, but the other, larger part still wanted to stay and witness their intimacy for himself.
Kaname's hand soon disappeared between Yuuki's milky thighs and she uttered a soft gasp. Her pleased reaction rippled to both males through their respective bonds with her, her soft cries of bliss falling on their ears like the sweetest of music. She rose unsteadily onto her knees, clutching at Kaname's shoulders and throwing her head back as he started suckling at her breasts at the same time, sharpening her cries of delight.
Zero shifted at the foot of the bed, too entranced by Yuuki's obvious pleasure to bother with the subtle, insistent changes happening to his own body. It wasn't until Kaname had withdrawn his hand and licked his fingers clean with a teasing smile at Yuuki that Zero realise what those changes were.
Jerking his gaze downward, his mouth fell open in shock.
_Wait - what?_
Pressing a palm to his growing erection, he darted a swift, almost panicked glance at the couple a few feet away and then at the bedroom door. He should escape, _now_, before Kaname or Yuuki saw his aroused state.
"Onii-san, oh please...!"
Zero looked up to see Yuuki positioning herself over Kaname's rigid manhood which the latter held upright with one hand, its head swollen and leaking. The moment Yuuki sank down upon it, Zero forgot about all about leaving, an electrifying spark of sharp bliss reaching him from the bond he shared with her. Before he knew it, he had grasped his own throbbing length and was stroking it, unconsciously timing his actions to Yuuki's as she rocked back and forth over Kaname, long hair swishing across her back with every movement.
Zero found himself staring at the rapt expression on Kaname's face, cheeks flushed with passion and eyes half lidded as he rested his hands on Yuuki's hips and allowed her free rein. Yuuki started moving faster, driving herself harder onto her brother. Zero kept up with her, unaware that her other lover felt exactly the same way. Their breathing and pounding hearts soon synchronised, both males as tuned in to Yuuki's pleasure as they were to their own.
The outcome was inevitable - all three of them came within seconds of each other with pleasured cries that filled the air. Zero kept his eyes open as his release pulsed through his fingers, inexplicably relishing the sight of Kaname and Yuuki convulsing in each other's arms. It wasn't until they had exchanged loving kisses and turned to him that Zero realised what he had been caught doing, thanks to Kaname's expression of mild surprise and Yuuki's growing impish smile.
_Oh God._
Jerking his hand away from his softening flesh, Zero felt a rush of red hot shame surge into his face, burning away the remnants of his satisfaction. It was too late now to clean away the evidence or pretend he hadn't been affected by their love making. Yuuki's giggle of delight only made him flush deeper.
"I should go," he mumbled, leaping from the bed and wobbling a bit on his feet. Turning his back on them, he cursed his lack of control.
If only he wasn't naked.
If only he had something to clean up with.
If only he hadn't stayed in the first place, damnit!
He heard someone getting down from the bed before two slender arms surrounded his waist, soft breasts pressing against his back.
"I'm sorry, Zero," Yuuki said, her breathless voice somewhat muffled between his shoulder blades. "I didn't mean to laugh, I was just so... please don't be angry?"
Zero bit his lip. He was still breathing quickly, fingers and thighs slick with his seed.
How could he claim to be Kaname's love rival for Yuuki when the sight of them making love only left him aroused instead of angered or jealous?
What must they think of him now?
"Zero, turn around. Please." Kaname's voice was quiet. Calm.
Yuuki's arms fell away and Zero turned around reluctantly, meeting Kaname's eyes with unaccustomed hesitation.
"If you recall, I was just as aroused seeing you with Yuuki earlier," Kaname said. "I had felt her pleasure through my bond with her... as I am sure you had."
When Zero only huffed and rolled his eyes, Kaname gave a small smile and tipped his head at a door in the adjacent wall.
"Why don't you go clean up in the bathroom? We will manage here."
Zero nodded and all but ran for the door, finding the bathroom as large and as opulent as the bedroom. With the door firmly closed and locked behind him, he went to wash his hands at the sink and stared at his reflection, face still flushed and eyes dark with confusion. Little wonder when he had just given his virginity to the girl he loved with her brother looking on... and then witnessed them make love in turn.
Taking a deep breath, Zero let it out slowly and hung his head, waiting for self disgust or shame or regret - or all three - to set in. But none of them did. His body remained warm and sated with the two highs it had experienced. Shaking his head a bit, he went to the spacious glass walled shower, resolved not to think anymore.
After all, what was done was done. It was time he left anyway, but first, he wanted to know how his new agreement as Yuuki's lover would take place.
\- o -
Zero took a long hot shower before emerging from the steamy warmth of the bathroom, wrapped in a fluffy white terrycloth robe. He wasn't surprised to see Kaname and Yuuki already dressed, the former in a long sleeved black shirt and trousers, the latter in a soft yellow wool dress with long sleeves. He nodded at them both, squashing down an irrational stab of disappointment - surely he wasn't expecting another bout of lovemaking?
"Zero." Yuuki hurried to him and grabbed his hands, reaching up to kiss him on the lips. "I know what you're thinking, but don't go yet."
Zero looked at Kaname, raising an eyebrow in silent query.
"I agree," Kaname replied smoothly, approaching them. "Why don't we go downstairs and have something to eat? I find myself rather... hungry."
Yuuki laughed, her eyes dancing.
"That's a wonderful idea, onii-san! I'm hungry too!"
\- o -
After Zero had gone back to the bathroom to change into his shirt and trousers, the three of them left the master bedroom. Going down the same sweeping marble staircase now felt a bit unreal in the wake of what just happened. It was colder downstairs after the toasty warmth of the bedroom and hot bath, a silent reminder that it was still winter.
Yuuki headed straight for the dining room, Kaname a step behind her. Zero lagged behind. Even without looking, he knew he wouldn't be touching the food in the dining room. The tealights would have gone out from under the chafing dishes by now, but Yuuki still lifted one cover after another only to replace each one with a little moue of disgust. The food was cold and no longer appetising, congealed in their sauces.
Zero folded his arms and leaned against the doorway, his lips twitching at the similar pouts on both siblings' faces. Then he sighed and straightened up.
"If you two will just point me to the kitchen, I'll see if I can whip something up."
\- o -
Fluffy scrambled eggs cooked in butter and cheese, dusted with salt and pepper. Fried black pepper and herb sausages. Golden squares of toast with dishes of butter and marmalade. Sliced tomatoes and zucchini. Hot coffee and tea.
Zero's forehead wrinkled at the platters he had set down on the marble counter top that served as a table with tall bar stools on either side. What he had cooked was more breakfast than dinner, but he hadn't felt like rummaging through the numerous gleaming freezers and then stand around waiting for frozen meat to thaw. He looked up at his audience of two.
"Alright, help yourselves," he invited and sat down opposite them at the counter.
Despite his diffident tone, he felt rather self conscious. Making a meal of whatever he could find in the Chairman's fridge was one thing - it was sometimes bursting with the strangest assortments of meat and vegetables, or sometimes had almost nothing at all. Making a meal in this huge, modern kitchen with every convenience known to man (or vampire) was quite another thing altogether. It didn't help that Kaname and Yuuki were observing him all the while, the former with a curious, reserved air and the latter with happy, expectant smiles.
Yuuki moved first, grabbing a piece of toast with one hand, eschewing the tongs laying nearby and reaching for the butter with another. Then Kaname reached for another piece of toast and the scrambled eggs and Zero was left blinking in surprise as his host and hostess fell upon the simple meal as though they hadn't eaten in weeks, making soft, gratifying sounds of pure enjoyment as they chewed and swallowed.
After the first few mouthfuls, Kuran looked up as if he felt Zero's scrutiny. He swallowed and wiped his lips, looking rather abashed.
"My apologies. Please do join us, Zero."
Zero smirked and helped himself to toast as well. He buttered it, added slices of tomato and zucchini, and then spooned a generous amount of scrambled egg on top.
"I was going to, just surprised to see you enjoying such simple fare," he said frankly.
"It's delicious, Zero!" Yuuki answered, still chewing. Then she swallowed and gave him a reproachful look before sighing. "You have no idea how much I've missed-"
She broke off, eyes widening as she glanced at Kuran and then down at her half eaten toast, a faint blush on her cheeks.
"I'm sorry, onii-san," she murmured. "You have the best chef in the world..."
"But Zero's cooking is still better?" Kaname finished for her.
Yuuki smiled at him.
"Yes," she said simply.
Kaname smiled back at her.
"In that case, dear one, we'll just have to get Zero to cook for us more often, won't we?"
A simple enough question, but Zero frowned in puzzlement when Yuuki's smile faltered, her eyes widening again.
"Onii-san," she breathed, darting a sideways glance at Zero and then back to Kaname. "Are you saying...?"
When Kaname just nodded, she beamed at him and reached up to plant a noisy kiss on his cheek.
"What?" Zero demanded, putting down his toast. He had a feeling his world was about to be turned upside down. Again.
Yuuki turned to him, her eyes sparkling.
"Zero, would you... would you live here from now on? With us?"
_To be continued..._
7. Chapter 7
**Author Notes:** Hello again and thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! I will end this story at ten chapters so three more to go. As always, enjoy this next next chapter and please review :)
\- Chapter Start -
Zero was right. It was another shocking question to add to the others he had already been asked. It also required a momentous decision that would change his life even more than his previous ones had.
And all in the same evening.
"Live here? With you two?" he echoed. "Why?"
"Because I want to see you every day," Yuuki replied without hesitation.
Zero scoffed and turned to Kaname.
"Why?" he demanded again.
Kaname only replied with a small, enigmatic smile and a side glance at Yuuki.
_Right. Anything for Yuuki._
Zero shook his head. He was dreaming and would wake up any moment now to find himself back in his narrow bed in his small apartment. That was reality, what his life was right now. It wasn't much, but it was all his, one no longer burdened by blood tablets that didn't work or the threat of impending madness. One _he_ was in charge of, not pushy and self appointed father figures like Cross or his own brusque sensei, Yagari.
It was an independent life and - if Zero were completely honest with himself - lonely as hell with nothing but work or sleep to occupy his long hours.
But this alternative... it was a complete one hundred and eighty degree change! He would be jumping not into the fire this time, but a raging inferno. This wasn't just some... some impersonal arrangement of looking to share a place with strangers to save on rent money. This was Kuran Manor and his housemates would be their owners. Zero was pretty sure Kaname and Yuuki didn't need monetary assistance from anyone - let alone himself - to sustain this huge house and whatever equally luxurious residences he was sure they owned.
Taking a deep breath, Zero let it out and glanced around the enormous kitchen, not seeing the polished marble surfaces and gleaming utensils, but the rest of the house in his mind's eye. He could see himself staying here for a week or two, or even a month - if forced - but move in permanently?
A practical voice in his head pointed out he would be able to see Yuuki whenever he liked without the awkwardness of wondering if she was with Kaname.
_That's because she would _be_ with Kaname__. This is his home after all!_
Then it reminded him they had already agreed to accept each other's presence and importance in Yuuki's life.
_How does that help me when I want to be with her__?_
And then it mocked him for how he had still managed to complete his blood bond with Yuuki _and_ consummate it with Kaname standing just three feet away.
Scowling, Zero ran both hands down his flushed face. As if that wasn't bad enough, he had also jerked off to the sight of-
"Zero, please say you'll stay here. I need you." Yuuki's voice was soft but fervent.
Zero looked up to see her staring at him, eyes huge and glowing. He could feel her need traveling across their newly created bond, loving tendrils brushing against his senses and teasing his fangs. Oh God. He wanted her again. Blood, body and soul.
Groaning, he wrenched his gaze away and saw Kaname watching him as well. The calm acceptance in that perfect face sent shock rippling up Zero's spine. Kaname _knew_. He knew what their new bond would do to Zero and Yuuki.
Was that why he had prompted Yuuki to ask him that question?
"But what would the others think?" Zero asked, more to stall for time than anything else.
"Others? Which others?" Yuuki asked, startled. She glanced around the kitchen as if expecting to see other people popping up from behind the counters.
"Since when have you cared about the opinion of others, Zero?" Kaname finally spoke up, a hint of a smirk played about his lips.
Zero glared at him.
No, he had never been one to bother about what others thought and neither had the Kurans. Besides, he was a respected hunter at the Hunter Association now, and he knew his superiors held the Kurans in high esteem.
So maybe - just maybe - it wouldn't be complete and utter madness if he...
_Wait. Am I even contemplating this?!_
\- o -
Kaname watched the emotions playing over Zero's face with detached amusement. He wasn't surprised at the shocked confusion on the hunter's usually stoic face; they had thrown a lot at him this evening. What he _was_ surprised at was his own capitulation to Yuuki's unasked wish. She hadn't voiced it... likely hadn't even thought of it on a conscious level yet.
That was the key word - 'yet'.
Kaname had no doubt in his mind Yuuki would come to the realisation soon enough whether it was two minutes from now or two hours. It had been the same way with them when they were first bonded. Consummation hadn't happened immediately what with Yuuki's prevalent shyness, but blood sharing had occurred frequently then. Yuuki would want to be close to Zero now that their bond was still very new. Zero would too, but on a lesser scale. Not that he had realised it either.
It was inevitable Zero would end up staying with them. It was just as inevitable Kaname would agree to it because no matter how deeply Zero got involved in their lives, it was still better - infinitely better - than the bleak and lonely future Kaname had envisaged for himself just a few hours earlier.
Besides, Zero Kiryuu was a level D vampire. A powerful and stable one to be sure, but with a lifespan so much shorter than that of a pureblood's. His days here on earth were numbered, and his time with them - no matter how long it lasted - would one day be nothing more than a brief interlude in their almost immortal lives.
Kaname frowned, thrusting that thought away almost as soon as it formed. It was unsettling... almost upsetting.
"Onii-san? Are you sure you're OK with this?"
Kaname blinked and turned to Yuuki, mildly surprised she had asked the question instead of Zero.
"Of course I am, dear one," he replied, forcing a smile.
"You don't look it," Zero said in his usual blunt way.
"I was thinking of something else," Kaname parried.
Zero folded his arms across his chest.
"Those other people perhaps?" he snarked and then he shook his head.
"This isn't a good idea, you know," he muttered.
For some strange reason, Kaname found himself smiling again.
"And yet you haven't said no," he said gently.
Zero scowled at him, but it was obvious his heart wasn't in it this time.
"It wouldn't make any difference, would it?"
Yuuki's gaze had been darting back and forth between the two males. Now she gave a delighted peal of laughter and jumped up, reaching across the counter to cup Zero's face in her hands.
"No, it wouldn't, Zero," she said, "but I still want to hear your answer."
\- o -
Zero stared at Yuuki, conscious of her small warm hands on his cheeks. He was once again split between enchantment and exasperation, a common occurrence whenever it came to Yuuki. She may not have weighed the seriousness of her request, but he had.
No matter how he looked at it, he would be giving up his solitary independence, or at least a big portion of it. His boring independence, that little voice reminded him before he squashed it. He would be turning his life upside down just when it had stabilised. He would be inviting both suspicion and derision from the hunters and the vampires.
But all of that was moot anyway since he had already bonded with Yuuki. So maybe she had thought things through and came to this conclusion before he did. There was no going back for him now and since he had already made so many reckless decisions this evening... well, what was one more?
"Alright," Zero said before he could change his mind. "We'll give this a try."
When Yuuki squealed and pulled him closer to kiss him, he returned the kiss willingly, not even minding the fact that Kaname was sitting right there.
\- o -
The walk back upstairs a few minutes later felt both new and familiar to the three of them. They knew what would soon take place in the bedroom and it showed in the way Zero's eyes trailed over Yuuki's slender figure and the way she smiled up at him, one hand tucked into his elbow and the other tucked into Kaname's as she walked between them. It was there in the calm expression on Kaname's face as he opened the door again with his mind and in the nod Zero gave him when the pureblood closed the door behind them.
Yuuki smiled happily at Kaname before turning to Zero, her eyes already glowing crimson.
"Zero."
There was no hesitation when Zero reached for her, bending his tall frame to fit his face in the crook of her slender neck. He felt her stretch up to do the same, her arms going around his neck and her delicate tongue tracing the bite area within his tattoo before she bit down.
Zero shivered and gave himself up to the moment, delighting in the feel of Yuuki in his arms, her delicious and powerful blood flooding his mouth and the radiant pleasure radiating from their bond. A small part of him still squirmed at Kaname's presence, but he tuned it out.
Tightening his arms around Yuuki, Zero allowed their bond to fan his desire even higher. He slipped his fangs free after a couple of minutes and licked her wounds closed and then he hoisted her up in his arms, feeling her slender legs go around his waist. With her fangs still buried in his neck, he strode over to the bed and sat down with her on his lap. His hands were shaking when he reached between their bodies to hurriedly undo his trousers, allowing his hard flesh to spring free.
Yuuki murmured against his neck and raised her head, panting softly as she licked her lips clean. There was no mistaking the warm assent in her eyes as she looked down at him, or the sweet scent of her arousal.
Zero was more than eager to comply. He found the hem of her woolen dress and tugged it up to her waist, growling in approval when he encountered nothing but smooth, bare skin. Then he paused, suddenly uncertain. He wanted her right now, but he wasn't sure enough of himself to just claim her her with no other form of foreplay first.
"Inside me, Zero. Please. Now."
Exhaling in relief, Zero held himself in one hand and steadied Yuuki with the other as she positioned herself over him, milky thighs spread wide over his and hands clutching his shoulders. She sank down upon him without warning, her sudden descent pulling a surprised cry from Zero.
"Yuuki...!" He shuddered hard at the sudden squeeze wet heat engulfing his flesh, almost coming on the spot.
"I love you," Yuuki whispered and kissed him. "Make love to me, Zero. Don't hold back."
Zero groaned into the kiss and clamped his hands around her waist. He bucked his hips, giving a sharp upward thrust.
Yuuki broke the kiss on a little scream and threw her head back. Then she was grinding down on him and Zero was thrusting up, the bond egging them towards a swift and inevitable end. In a matter of moments, Zero felt his body tighten and hastily slipped a hand between her legs, thumb finding and stroking the wet nub it found. He was deaf and blind to everything except the fierce pounding of his blood and Yuuki's sweet rocking actions, her panting cries competing with the waves of ecstasy spilling from their bond.
Zero felt her convulse around him a heartbeat before his world exploded.
\- o -
Yuuki stirred, her body still quivering with soft, delicious aftershocks of pleasure. She was lying on Zero's chest with his cotton shirt soft against her cheek, the swift rise and fall slowing down along with his heartbeat. Their bond was content for now, but she knew it wouldn't last long. She couldn't believe she had forgotten how needy she and Kaname had been when they had first blood bonded. She had been too shy then to allow it to lead to sexual intimacy and Kaname too indulgent to force her, but blood sharing had occurred frequently.
And speaking of Kaname...
Opening her eyes, Yuuki saw him leaning against the bedroom door, arms folded across his chest. His posture was casual, but there was no mistaking the hunger she felt from their bond or the flush of desire high on his cheeks.
Pushing to sit up, Yuuki felt Zero's hands slide down her back as his flesh slipped out of her. It looked like she was going to be unbelievably sated until her bond with Zero stabilised, but she wasn't about to complain, not when she finally had the two men she loved with her.
"Onii-san?" she called. She got up off of Zero who scrambled to sit up, looking abashed as if he had forgotten all about Kaname's presence again.
"I should be catching up on my correspondence, dear one," Kaname said. Contrary to his words, he was nearing the bed, his eyes glittering as he stared at Yuuki.
She just shook her head and grabbed his hand, pulling him down to sit beside her. The sight of Zero moving hastily to the other side of the bed and tucking himself back in made her want to giggle - as if Kaname hadn't already seen all there was to see of him - but she held it back and grabbed his knee instead.
"Don't go anywhere, Zero. Please."
Zero stopped straightening his clothes and glared over his shoulder at her, amethyst eyes darting to Kaname and then back to her.
"You want me to watch, don't you," he grumbled.
When she smiled and nodded, he rolled his eyes and huffed, his cheeks turning pink again.
"Fine," he said shortly. "After all, I'll be living here, won't I?"
_To be continued..._
8. Chapter 8
**Author Notes:** Hello everyone. Thank you once again for the wonderful reviews! Enjoy this chapter, it should answer some of your questions :)
\- Chapter Start -
_A month later..._
The black limousine wound its way through heavy traffic, enroute to Kuran Manor. Kaname sat at the back. He was in a reflective mood, his thoughts not on the paperwork he had left behind, but on the silver haired hunter who lived with him and Yuuki.
Zero Kiryuu had his own set of rooms - bedroom, study and bath - on the same floor as the master bedroom. The two Kurans knew how much the hunter valued his independence and they wanted him to be comfortable in their home. They were right. Zero had accepted his new living accommodation with diffident but sincere gratitude and would inevitably sleep in his own bed, citing his unpredictable work schedule as his reason.
Kaname knew there were other reasons; a likely one being Zero was still wary of falling asleep in his presence. Kaname couldn't argue with that since he felt the same way himself. They both loved Yuuki and had made peace with each other, but old habits die hard.
Finding he had another similarity with Zero was strange, but finding he could coexist with the hunter quite peacefully stranger still.
Of course, it hadn't all been smooth sailing at first.
A wry smile touched Kaname's well shaped lips. Zero had come home early one evening after stopping by the supermarket. He had planned to cook an elaborate eight course Chinese dinner for all three of them... only to find Kaname and Yuuki getting dressed for a gala party at Aido's.
Then there was the time Kaname himself had returned home after a frustrating workday, wanting nothing more than to relax in the hot tub with Yuuki... only to find Zero had already taken her out on a date.
A few days after that, Yuuki had spent an enjoyable two hours at a spa with Sayori and was looking forward to seeing her two lovers... only to find Zero away on a hunt and Kaname caught up in a series of back to back meetings.
That was it. Yuuki had put her foot down and, once the two males showed up, insisted with flashing eyes and hands on hips that the three of them noted down their activities in her monthly planner. Things had gone far smoother as a result.
They weren't the only ones in the Kuran household who had to adjust to Zero's presence in their lives. The staff had to contend with a Level D vampire who was also a vampire hunter, who didn't keep the same hours as the Kurans, and who sometimes carried the scent of death and blood into the house with him, thanks to the nature of his job. They were too well trained to voice any protests, but the chef was a different matter.
The excitable Italian vampire had approached Kaname and Yuuki in tears when Zero first moved in, thinking he was about to be replaced... only to praise the hunter's cooking to the skies a few days later. That Chinese feast hadn't gone to waste after all - the staff had all enjoyed an unexpected and delicious supper.
Kaname's smile widened at the other, far more important benefit. Yuuki was radiant once more and eating like she had in the old days. With a bottomless appetite was how Zero had put it, his dry words offset by a small smile. Kaname didn't mind that she was enjoying not only Zero's cooking but also his company.
They had also arranged with the Hunter Association and Vampire Council for Zero to be known as Yuuki's personal bodyguard whenever he wasn't on hunter missions, to explain his presence at Kuran Manor. If Kaname's inner circle nobles suspected it was more than that, they didn't say a word. They all knew how Zero Kiryuu felt about Yuuki, even during Cross Academy days.
The limousine turned into the private road that led to Kuran Manor and Kaname sat up in anticipation. The sight of Zero's motorbike in the driveway made him frown, his contented thoughts scattering. The bike was lying on its side and there was a trail of dark coloured droplets on the white gravel leading to the front door.
"Stop the car."
Almost before the limousine had rolled to a stop in front of the gates, Kaname had gotten down, nostrils flaring at the unmistakable scent of Zero's blood. Before he knew it, he had flung open the iron gates with his mind, ignoring the screeching sound of protesting metal, and was striding up the drive. He followed the crimson drops into the hall and up to the foot of the marble staircase where the chef, housekeeper and two maids were clustered around, their faces white with worry.
"Kaname-sama!"
"It's Zero-san, Kaname-sama!"
"He's hurt!"
"I am sure he is fine," Kaname said calmly. "Pick up his bike and clean up the bloodstains, there are some outside as well."
"Yes, Kaname-sama. At once!"
Kaname forced himself to walk up the stairs at a normal pace. He stopped outside Zero's room and knocked twice on the door.
"Zero?"
Nothing.
Kaname knocked again, louder this time.
"Zero. I know you're in there."
Still nothing. Kaname exhaled, torn between concern and exasperation.
"I'm coming in."
"No, Kaname! No. I-I'm fine-"
It was the pained gasp in those words that did it. Kaname tried the door handle and found it unlocked. He was inside the room with the door firmly closed again and standing at the door of the attached bathroom in a heartbeat.
Zero was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, face white with pain as he pressed his bloodstained T-shirt to his left shoulder.
"You are not fine," Kaname commented, relieved despite himself. Only a shoulder wound then.
Zero shrugged with his other shoulder, not looking up. The sharp points of his fangs were visible between his lips.
"I... was careless," he said, his sullen tone betraying his frustration.
"Let me see."
"No. I'm - hey!"
Kaname had whipped the T-shirt away and was bending over him, fingertips gently inspecting the injury. The pale skin around the puncture wound was hot and inflamed, purple lines of poison radiating outward from what looked like a bullet hole.
"You got shot with Bloody Rose?"
Zero glared at him then, lips drawn back in a snarl.
"I said I was careless!" He snapped. Then he blinked. "Wh-what are you doing..."
"What does it look like?"
Kaname's voice was muffled since he had his lips pressed to the wound, one hand firmly gripping Zero's left upper arm, the other holding down his other shoulder.
"S-stop! There's n-no need..."
Zero sounded like he was blushing as he squirmed and shivered. Kaname would have smirked if he wasn't busy licking the torn flesh and encouraging it to heal. As it was, he stayed silent, taking note of Zero's shallow, uneven breathing and mumbled protests.
After a minute or two, Kaname raised his head and surveyed the wound. It was closing, but not quickly enough. Before he could think any further - or perhaps he already had - he straightened up and shrugged out of his suit jacket. It fell on the edge of the tub beside Zero, followed by the silk tie and then the silk shirt, gold cufflinks clinking softly onto the tiled floor.
"What the - no, Kaname! Look, I'm fine! There's no... ahh!" Zero groaned after having lifted the wrong arm in protest.
Naked to the waist, Kaname finger combed his long hair to one side and bent over Zero again, placing the exposed side of his neck within easy reach. It was the same side where Zero had bitten him once.
"Drink."
"No."
Kaname drew back just far enough to glare at Zero, their noses barely two inches apart.
"You _will_ drink," he insisted in a low voice. "You need to heal properly and I will _not_ have you drain Yuuki when she returns. Do you think she hasn't felt your pain through your bond with her? She could be here any minute now, demanding to know what happened to you."
Zero scowled at the reminder, breathing hard as pride warred with need. His gaze went to the door and then back to Kaname before involuntarily dropping to that tempting white neck.
"I... damnit!"
With a groan of defeat, Zero curled a shaking hand around Kaname's neck and pulled it closer to his waiting fangs.
Kaname closed his eyes, tensing as Zero traced his bite area with his tongue before biting down. He was someone who always deliberated on his actions, weighed both pros and cons before making a decision.
This was for Yuuki. She was his only Achilles heel and he knew it, her opinions mattering more than logic or reason. This was why he had almost panicked upon seeing Zero's blood earlier... why he had used his saliva to treat Zero's wound... why he had insisted on the hunter drinking his blood to heal faster.
It was all for Yuuki. And it was also _because_ of Yuuki, because of the countless times Kaname had seen Zero feeding from her and the ecstatic expression on her face. Zero had fed from him once too, but that time was marred by the danger of Rido Kuran and the grim knowledge that only Zero could take him down.
That wasn't the case now. They were also alone in a bathroom, but there was no danger and no desperation... only silence and laboured breathing and bare chests pressed up against one other.
Kaname couldn't deny the strange thrill of having Zero's fangs pierce his neck again, of making himself vulnerable before the hunter. If it was forbidden for a lower class vampire to bite a pureblood, then it was twice as forbidden now that Kaname was already bonded to someone else. He couldn't help the shaky breath that escaped him when Zero's fangs plunged deeper into his neck, their owner giving a soft moan as he pressed even closer.
Kaname dug his nails into his palms and reminded himself he was only doing this for Yuuki's sake. Besides, Zero lived in his home and as such, his health and safety were Kaname's responsibility.
When a trembling hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him even closer, Kaname quickly shifted his weight to keep his balance.
"Wait... Zero."
Carefully, he lowered himself to sit beside the hunter on the broad rim of the tub. He stretched out an arm, pressing his palm against the wall tiles in front of him for support, his other hand still cupping the back of that silver head pressed to his neck. His head was starting to spin and it took Kaname a few moments to realise why. Zero was still drinking deeply, drawing out his blood with rapid pulls. He should have taken enough of his blood by now, certainly enough to heal.
Kaname knew he should stop him, now, before he was further weakened. In the distance, he could hear the sound of a door opening and closing and then light, running footsteps.
"Zero! Why do I - Kaname? Why do I smell - ohh!"
Zero's head jerked up in shock, his fangs tearing at Kaname's neck and pulling a gasp from him.
"Yuuki!"
Kaname twisted around to see Yuuki standing at the open door, hands braced on either side, her eyes huge as she stared at them.
"What happened? What are you two doing?"
Zero was still frozen in place, staring at Yuuki with what looked like horrified guilt in his eyes, lips stained with Kaname's blood.
Kaname felt his stomach drop the floor. Slowly, he stood up and turned to Yuuki, seeing her eyes focus on the side of his neck before darting up to meet his.
"Onii-san," she whispered. "Did you give Zero your blood?"
_To be continued..._
9. Chapter 9
**Author Notes:** Hello everyone, I wish you A Happy New Year! Thank you once again for your wonderful reviews and enjoy this chapter :)
\- Chapter Start -
Yuuki sighed as she trudged along beside her shopping companion.
Ruka Souen was indefatigable when it came to shopping for dresses especially when it was for an occasion concerning her - her engagement party to Akatsuki Kain. She had turned a casual comment from Kaname Kuran about Yuuki needing a new dress into a personal mission to find the perfect outfit for the Kuran princess. She had even dragged Yuuki through six upscale boutiques in town, but hadn't found anything worthy as yet.
As they passed a bakery, Yuuki cast a longing glance at the cream cakes and pastries displayed in the shop windows. She wanted a break. She wanted to sit down and eat a sweet pastry! Or two. Or half a dozen!
She had never been fond of shopping for clothes anyway.
When she was young, Kaien Cross had taken care of her clothing needs. He always enjoyed it more than she did - squealing over a fluffy sweater with a cute kitten on it, or a colourful pleated miniskirt before making her try them on, and then squealing some more. When Yuuki started attending Cross Academy, she had only needed a few tops and skirts since she was usually in her school uniform. Yori's advice had proved invaluable then.
Yuuki hadn't even bothered to buy herself a dress for the school prom, but luckily Kaname-nii-san had taken care of that for her. Recalling the white, floaty dress complete with white rose choker and pretty shoes, Yuuki couldn't help smiling despite her tired ankles. Her brother had taken care of her and treated her like a precious jewel before she knew who she was, and after. His loving attentiveness and tender indulgence hadn't ceased one bit, not even after Zero moved in with them. He was truly the best brother and fiance she could hope for.
And Zero. He may not have loved her as long as Kaname had since he had only come into her life when she was eleven, but he loved her just as deeply.
Yuuki gave a happy sigh and hugged herself, her dragging steps turning almost into skips The past month had been nothing short of utter joy. That hollow space in her heart had filled up with Zero's presence and love, and Yuuki had never been happier. She now had the two men she adored with her and what was more, they had come to terms with with each other's presence. As impossible as the situation should be, it seemed to be working out just fine.
Yuuki's smile turned into a grin. Even that taskmaster Aido had commented that her lessons were finally sinking into her head and that tutoring her wasn't a total waste of his time. Of course, he had been careful to tack on a respectful 'Yuuki-sama' at the end.
"Yuuki-sama!"
Blinking, Yuuki saw Ruka with one expensively shod foot already inside another posh boutique up ahead, an impatient frown on her pretty face.
"Would you please not dawdle, Yuuki-sama? We still haven't found your dress yet."
"I'm coming." Yuuki took a step forward and then she froze - wait, what was that?
_A throb of pain._
_Shock. Disbelief. _
_And a sense of growing weakness._
It had taken all of Yuuki's reflexes and diplomacy to get away from Ruka without raising any suspicions. She wasn't sure if she succeeded, but it couldn't be helped. She had to find out what had happened to Zero.
\- o -
Yuuki stood frozen at the doorway of Zero's bathroom, her eyes wide. She was staring at the scene before her, but her mind was still stuck on what she had seen just before Zero opened his eyes and saw her.
Kaname... sitting on the edge of the bathtub and half turned away from her, head tipped up and eyes closed, one hand cupping Zero's silver head to his neck.
Zero... sitting beside him with one hand gripping Kaname's shoulder and the other wrapped around his back.
There was no mistaking what they had been doing. Not in that position and not with the unmistakable scents of their blood thick in the air - so inviting and alluring.
"Yuuki!"
Yuuki blinked and stared at Zero's horrified expression made up of equal parts shame and guilt. His lips and chin were still crimson with Kaname's blood. Yuuki could feel her fangs starting to throb in sync with the pounding of her heart. She turned to Kaname who wore the same expression Zero did.
"What happened? What are you two doing?" she asked. Something hard was squeezing inside her chest, something she couldn't determine what it was at first.
Was it incredulity?
Betrayal?
Anger?
Yes. All three. But there was also a burst of bright shocking triumph, a mad urge to giggle herself silly and an even madder urge to have her two lovers right here and now.
Instinct told Yuuki to show only the first three expressions on her face while keeping hidden the last three.
"Onii-san," she whispered. "Did you... did you give Zero your blood?"
Kaname turned even paler as he nodded.
"Yes, I did," he whispered. "I'm sorry, Yuuki, for not asking you first."
"How could you? Your blood belongs to me!"
Kaname swallowed.
"Forgive me, Yuuki. I didn't..."
When he shook his head without finishing his sentence, it took all the willpower Yuuki had to not lunge at him and kiss him senseless. Zero's injuries may have validated Kaname's decision, but he still believed she would think it nothing but an excuse. It was obvious to her though that her beloved brother had given his blood to Zero out of consideration for her. It didn't matter that she was now a pureblood with regenerative powers and strength equal to his. She was his princess and his younger sister, someone to cherish and protect, and she would always remain so.
Only there was someone else her beloved onii-san also wanted to cherish and protect even if he hadn't quite realised it yet.
Biting the inside of her cheek hard to keep from squealing, Yuuki glanced at Zero. He looked flustered and guilty, but she wasn't sure if it was due to being caught red handed... or something more.
Well, there was only one way to find out.
With a resolute nod, Yuuki turned back to Kaname who was still staring at the floor.
"I will forgive you, onii-san, on one condition," she said softly.
"Name it."
"Strip."
The open mouthed shock on both Kaname and Zero's faces was priceless.
"Strip?" Kaname echoed.
"Yes."
Kaname glanced at Zero before giving a jerky nod at Yuuki, colour surging into his cheeks. He unzipped his trousers and pulled it down together with his underwear, revealing his half hard erection.
"Lie down on the floor."
When Kaname complied right in front of Zero's wide eyed gaze, Yuuki stepped inside the bathroom, her heels clicking on the tiled floor. She knelt down between Kaname's spread legs, looped her long hair behind her ears and looked down at him.
\- o -
If Kaname had looked shocked then Zero was absolutely flabbergasted. This was the first time he had seen Yuuki taking her brother to task over something. It left his mind a total blank and his stomach squirming with guilt. Added with the large amount of Kaname's pure blood he had just ingested and Zero didn't know what to think anymore. He could feel faint, muted emotions coming from Yuuki over their bond, but was too confused to make any sense of them.
Besides, Kaname's telltale flush had grabbed all of Zero's attention. It wasn't due to modesty since they were already used to seeing each other's bodies so it had to be embarrassment at being caught half aroused or that Zero would get to witness him being punished in some way.
Perhaps even both.
Yuuki reached for Kaname's arousal with one small hand and stroked it a few times. She bent down to lick the swollen pink head, causing Kaname to utter a soft sound as he leaned up on his elbows.
Zero couldn't help exhaling in relief, feeling something tight inside his chest loosen a bit. So Yuuki's intent was only to pleasure Kaname - she must have already forgiven him. Then she raised her head and he felt her pureblood will emanating from her.
"You are not allowed to find release, nii-san," Yuuki whispered. "Not until I say so."
With that, she dipped her head and took him in her mouth. The sight of Kaname's head tipping back with a cry, long legs jerking, sent a wave of guilty pleasure rippling through Zero. It was something he had never thought he would witness - Kaname at Yuuki's mercy.
Over the past month, he and Kaname had taken turns to love Yuuki and she had seemed the very happy recipient of their ardent attentions. It never occurred to Zero that the tables could be turned like this and so completely at that. He was rock hard in a matter of seconds, Kaname's pure blood playing havoc with his emotions. It was... _enthralling_ to see Kaname helpless in Yuuki's hands, to hear the needy sounds he made as she took him in deeper and deeper, hands grasping his length and elbows keeping him from bucking up into her mouth.
Zero licked his lips, feeling a strange heat coil inside his belly. He wanted to keep on watching, but more than that, he wanted to... no, he couldn't possibly! But that urge was growing stronger and stronger with each passing moment as Kaname started writhing about on the floor, his cries turning to hoarse whimpers.
"P-please, Yuuki..."
Zero clenched his hands into fists, one bead of sweat rolling down his cheek followed by another. He wanted so much to...
"Yuuki, please. I-I... so close...!"
Kaname's groan and the desperate need painted on his face was Zero's undoing. He stepped forward and dropped onto his knees.
"My turn, Yuuki," he growled, grasping her by the shoulders and pulling her up, not roughly but firmly. His heart was pounding in his ears; he had stopped thinking at this point. All he could do was obey that overpowering impulse inside him. He didn't even wonder why Yuuki had shifted backwards without so much as a protest.
Moving between Kaname's pale, trembling thighs, Zero pressed his hands against them to keep them spread and took over in pleasuring Kaname with his mouth.
"Wha- Zero...!"
It was the first time Zero had touched Kaname like this, but he was past feeling any hesitation or uncertainty. Kaname looked so beautifully needy, tendrils of dark hair clinging to his forehead and neck as he squirmed on the floor and panted and pleaded for release.
Zero fixed his gaze on Kaname's flushed face as he took him deeper and deeper inside his mouth. He allowed instinct to guide him and slowly managed to swallow the pureblood right to the hilt.
"Zero! Yuuki, please...!" Kaname was almost sobbing by now, his fingers alternately clenching and scrabbling on floor tiles.
Zero raised his head to look at Yuuki, Kaname uttering a long groan as his heated flesh left the confines of Zero's warm mouth. For just a second, Zero saw a bright gleam in Yuuki's eyes, but it vanished a second later and she nodded solemnly.
"Very well, Kaname," she said softly and her will dissipated.
Zero took Kaname into his mouth again, as deep as he could. With nothing to hold him back, Kaname arched his neck and screamed, his body convulsing as he poured his release down Zero's throat. Zero found himself rapidly swallowing until Kaname finally went still on the floor, panting and shaking.
Slowly, Zero raised his head and stared at Kaname. Now that euphoria of the moment had passed, the enormity of what he had just done was starting to dawn on him. He wiped a trembling hand across his mouth and swallowed, feeling his stomach drop right down to the floor. He had just given his first blowjob to Kaname Kuran and was now a hairsbreadth from coming inside his trousers himself.
Horrified, Zero scrambled to his feet, not daring to look at either Kaname or Yuuki. His face was burning, his heartbeat thundering in his ears.
Oh God, what had he done?
What must Kaname think of him now?
And Yuuki?
Zero darted a swift glance at her. She was leaning against the wall and staring at him wide eyed, one hand splayed over her chest, the other covering her mouth.
"I... I..." Biting his lip, Zero stepped out of the bathroom. This was his set of rooms, but he had to get out of here. He had just closed his hand around the bedroom door handle when a strong grip closed around his other wrist.
"Wait."
Slowly, Zero turned to see Kaname standing there, naked, chest heaving lightly and eyes glowing with warmth. Zero's confused gaze shifted to take in Yuuki at the bathroom door, her hand still over her mouth. He looked back at Kaname,
"Don't say a word," he warned.
Kaname shook his head and smiled.
"Two words then, Zero. Allow me," he replied. His tone was both a command and a request.
_To be continued..._
10. Chapter 10
**Author Notes:** Hello everyone and A Happy Valentine's Day! We have come to the end of a story I mistakenly thought I could tell within two or three chapters. What was I thinking?
Thank You to everyone who has been reading and following this fanfic and Thank You So Much to those who also reviewed - I have loved reading all your comments. I knew what direction this story was going to go, but your words helped to shape it along the way and offered much needed encouragement. Enjoy this final chapter :)
\- Chapter Start -
Zero stared at Kaname, his mind spinning.
_Did I hear right?_
_Did Kaname just offer to return the favour?_
_Or perhaps he meant something else, like he just wanted to get the door for me?_
No, that wasn't likely. Besides, the half eager, half shy smile on Kaname's face told Zero he had heard right. So how was he supposed to reply?
_Yes, please?_
_Or don't you dare?_
_Or please give me some time to wrap my head around what I just did to you before you blow away what's left of my sanity?_
"Kaname, I... you don't have-" Zero pressed his lips together, not wanting to complete his sentence. Because no matter how confused he felt right now, he didn't want to say no.
"Allow me," Kaname repeated.
In the time it took Zero to blink, he was carried to his bed and deposited gently on it, Kaname mindful of his newly healed shoulder. In the next second, Zero's jeans were undone, and both it and his underwear pulled right off of him. He raised himself onto one elbow and stared in disbelief at the smiling pureblood now crouched between his legs.
"Kaname! W-what the hell!" he sputtered.
"Allow me, Zero," Kaname repeated, his tone persuasive and coaxing.
Zero opened his mouth, closed it again and then swallowed, tempted beyond belief. A small part of his mind recognised that Kaname was asking his permission which was more than what he himself had done earlier... but - but what would Yuuki think?
As if his thoughts had called to her, she appeared at the foot of the bed behind Kaname, her smile almost a mirror image of her brother's.
"Yuuki," Zero said helplessly, not knowing how to proceed.
Kaname glanced over his shoulder at Yuuki, the two of them seeming to share a silent conversation before they turned back to Zero with expectant smiles. Not knowing what else to do, Zero nodded. For some strange reason which he couldn't fathom right now, it looked like he didn't need to worry about Yuuki's reaction.
Kaname dipped his head then and Zero groaned at the sensation of warm lips against the wet head of his erection. His head tipped back, hips bucking up once before he could stop himself. Kaname choked and quickly raised his head, coughing a bit.
"Sorry!" Zero gasped, flushing bright red. "I didn't mean-"
"Here, let me." Yuuki sat beside Kaname, one hand on his shoulder and the other resting on Zero's leg.
Once again, Zero felt her pureblood will emerge, this time pressing down on his hips to hold them still. He stared at Kaname who bent over him again, cheeks hollowing as he slowly sucked him in.
It felt... oh God, it felt _incredible_.
Zero groaned and clenched his jaw, head tipping back once more. His whole body was starting to shake. He had been hard ever since he saw Yuuki tease Kaname and he wasn't sure he could hold out much longer.
"Ka-kaname, stop! I-I can't... " he tried to warn Kaname of his impending release, but the pureblood just took him in deeper, somehow managing to swallow him right down to the root.
Zero's body went rigid almost immediately, toes curling into the sheets. He cried out as his release slammed into him a second later, muscles convulsing with the force of his orgasm and sending his seed spurting down Kaname's throat. It seemed to last a lifetime.
When Zero finally collapsed on the bed, panting and shaking, a flurry of movement made him turn his head. Yuuki was stripping off her clothes at the speed of light, jacket, dress and underwear flying every which way. Then she was lying flat on her back beside him and Kaname was lifting her slender legs onto his shoulders before going down on her.
Still breathing hard, Zero turned onto his side to watch. Yuuki must have been just as aroused watching Kaname get him off because she came almost immediately with a shriek, powerful ripples of her enjoyment traveling to Zero through their bond. Before they started to fade, Kaname had straightened up and shifted closer to Yuuki before sliding smoothly into her.
As always, Zero found their lovemaking intensely arousing, his spent flesh hardening once more at the sight. He waited until Kaname had spent himself inside Yuuki and withdrew before he took over, pulling Yuuki upright and urging her onto his waiting erection.
\- o -
"Do you forgive me, Yuuki? For not asking you first?"
Lying on on one side of Yuuki, Zero couldn't help rolling his eyes a little. It was obvious Yuuki had already forgiven her brother, but Kaname still felt the need to have it confirmed. Zero should be used seeing this side of Kaname after a month of living together, but it still managed to surprise him... like now.
Then again, he too was putty in Yuuki's hands, wasn't he?
Pushing that thought away, Zero sat up and ran a hand over Yuuki's thigh. He should take a shower and then go check his motorbike which he had left lying in the middle of the driveway, not to mention clean up the blood he must have tracked upstairs.
"Zero? " Yuuki sat up and Kaname did the same on her other side.
"If it's about your bike, Zero, the servants have taken care of it as well as any cleaning up needed," Kaname said. He was diplomatic enough not to say anymore, but Zero flushed all the same.
"Sorry," he apologised. "I always shower at the HA after missions, but-"
A gentle hand on his arm stopped him.
"It's alright, Zero. You were hurt," Yuuki said, her face filled with concern. "Don't worry about it."
Zero smiled and gave her a quick kiss.
"I was careless," he admitted and forced himself to look at Kaname. "I appreciate your help though."
Kaname nodded, glancing at Yuuki with a trace of apprehension on his face.
Yuuki looked from one male to the other and then she giggled.
"It's alright, nii-san! I'm glad you helped Zero and you're forgiven. But only because it's Zero."
"Thank you, dear one," Kaname said and kissed her forehead.
"Even though I hope you realise I am fully capable of doing the same," she reminded him firmly.
"Of course," Kaname murmured, shooting Zero a look that said _that_ would never happen as long as he was around. "But I don't mind helping Zero."
"You don't?" Zero asked with a frown.
Kaname smiled at him, eyes flashing crimson for the briefest of moments.
"On condition that I get to bite you in return," he told Zero.
Zero's amethyst eyes widened and then narrowed.
"But that would bond us!" he exclaimed and then turned to Yuuki who just laughed.
"Since the two of you are fine with having to share me, how could you imagine I would mind sharing either of you with the other?" she asked with the air of one who was stating the obvious.
"What are you saying?" Zero demanded.
"It means you and I would become lovers, Zero, the way we are now with Yuuki," Kaname suggested, his even voice at odds with the strangely alluring flush on his cheeks. He turned to Yuuki.
"Am I right, dear one?"
Zero stared at the two of them in stunned silence, suggestive images forming in his mind, of him and Kaname intimately joined together in bed. He felt his whole body flush with heat, his heart starting to beat faster.
A mere month ago, the very idea would have had him bolting from Kuran Manor, never to return.
But Kaname was no longer a stranger... and pleasuring him earlier hadn't felt in the least bit repulsive... nor had the blowjob he had received in turn... nor the whole idea of them becoming lovers, if Zero were totally honest with himself. There would be no more watching and waiting... but joining in. Together. With just Kaname... or with him and Yuuki.
"Zero? Are you alright?" Yuuki's soft voice broke into Zero's thoughts, making him start. He flushed a little at how far his thoughts had gone.
"You don't have to decide anything right now," Kaname said. "Shall we just play it by ear?"
Taking a deep breath, Zero nodded.
"Alright," he said and decided a change of subject was needed. "For now, I'm hungry."
"Me too!" Yuuki agreed with a laugh.
Kaname chuckled and got down from the bed, scooping Yuuki into his arms. He went to the door and glanced over his shoulder.
"Meet you in the kitchen after we clean up?"
"Alright," Zero agreed. It was the chef's night off after all.
\- o -
After a quick shower, Zero went downstairs to the kitchen where he found ample ingredients for frying noodles in the enormous fridge. He had already chopped garlic, carrots, green onion, beansprouts and chicken meat by the time Kaname and Yuuki walked into the kitchen, hair wet from the shower.
The two siblings sat down at the counter and watched Zero as he cooked, Kaname asking Yuuki about her shopping and Yuuki explaining how it had been interrupted when she felt Zero's distress. Her heavy sigh at having to set another date with Ruka made her two lovers share a grin with each other.
They ate their simple meal in a relaxed atmosphere that almost masked the subtle undercurrent of tension flowing between Kaname and Zero. Yuuki saw the surreptitious glances they gave each other and couldn't help smiling down at her plate.
It would happen soon, she was sure of it. Then they would finally become a threesome for real.
\- o -
_A week later..._
The closing of a door and the soft murmur of familiar voices drew Zero from a light doze. Opening his eyes, he realised he was in bed.
Kaname and Yuuki's enormous one, to be exact.
Zero jerked upright and stifled a groan as he looked around him. He had returned from an overnight mission this afternoon and was looking forward to a good long nap... right after he penned his coming week's schedule in Yuuki's planner. It was lying on her bedside table, but it was a mistake sitting down on the bed, even for a moment. He might be as familiar with it as he was with his own, but the last thing he wanted was to be caught sleeping in it by Yuuki or Kaname... as if he were some lovesick puppy pining for their return.
Both purebloods had been away on one of Kaname's four day business trips and were due to return this evening. Glancing at his wristwatch, Zero scowled - it was already evening. Right on cue, the attached bathroom door opened and the two Kurans stepped out, smiling at him.
"Hi, sleepyhead! Did we wake you?" Yuuki asked with a merry laugh. She was wearing a set of matching pink lace underwear, the sight of which drove the last vestiges of sleep from Zero's eyes.
"In that case, our apologies," Kaname added gravely. He was clad only in a pair of tailored slacks.
Zero had no doubts he would find their missing clothing in the laundry hamper in the bathroom, just like he had no doubts as to what they were about to do, judging from the glow in their eyes and the ripples of warmth he could feel from Yuuki over their bond. When his body gave an answering throb, he quickly got down from the bed.
"It's fine," he said quickly. "I'll just go back-"
He broke off when Yuuki appeared by his side, clinging to his arm.
"Where are you going, Zero?" she asked before reaching up to press a lingering kiss to his lips. "I've missed you. And you're always welcome to our bed, you know that."
Zero ducked his head.
"I didn't mean to fall asleep in it," he muttered.
"Stay, Zero," Kaname advised, his eyes gleaming. "Yuuki didn't buy that lacy underwear for my benefit, you know."
Yuuki smiled and struck a pose and then she unhooked her bra, letting the silk and lace garment drop to her feet. Zero felt his flesh harden even more inside his jeans and didn't protest when she started undoing them.
"Shall we?" Kaname murmured as he removed his own trousers and underwear.
To Zero's chagrin, the sight of Kaname's naked and aroused body made him harden even more. He just nodded and reached for Yuuki.
After five weeks, making love to her with Kaname looking on had ceased to feel awkward. Zero delighted in their mutual bite, the potent taste of Yuuki's blood and the sweet taste of her body, bringing her to a shuddering release before settling between her pale thighs. He had just buried himself inside her quivering depths when a single questing fingertip slid up his inner thigh and brushed light as a butterfly wing against his entrance. He froze at once, almost wrenching his neck to look behind him.
"Go ahead, Zero, don't mind me," Kaname purred, garnet eyes gleaming with something more than mere amusement or mischief.
Zero's breath caught in his throat when that fingertip - now slick with some cool liquid - brushed against his sensitive flesh again, almost breaching him before drawing away.
"Kaname, what the hell...!" he sputtered.
"Kiss me, Zero." Yuuki cupped his face and drew him down towards her, clenching her body tightly around his length at the same time.
Zero groaned and kissed her deeply. He withdrew and thrust into her only to stiffen again when that same finger circled his entrance several times before slowly pushing inside. Breaking the kiss, he raised his head, breathing hard.
Kaname leaned over his back, long hair brushing Zero's cheek.
"Only my fingers, Zero," he whispered. "Nothing more, I promise."
Caught between Yuuki's enticingly squeezing body, Kaname's slight, but immovable weight against his back, and that sly finger buried deep inside him, Zero hesitated.
Yuuki framed his face with her small hands again and smiled up at him, her eyes tender.
"Trust us, Zero," she said softly.
And even though Zero knew he shouldn't give in so easily, he nodded.
Kaname was as good as his word. He slid his finger in and out of Zero, following his rhythm of thrusting into Yuuki. Their tandem movements were slow at first, almost hypnotically so... until Kaname brushed up against something that brought a sharp spark of pleasure. Zero twisted his head to look at him, a mute question in his eyes.
"Does that feel good?" Kaname whispered.
Zero nodded and then grimaced as one finger became two. He took a deep breath, grounding himself before he started thrusting into Yuuki's willing body faster and faster, driven by those skilled, twisting fingers deep inside him and the electrifying burst of pleasure they caused with each push.
When he came, it was harder than he ever had, his startled cry melding with Yuuki's as he poured his passion into her. He collapsed onto her for several long moments, panting hard, limbs trembling until it occurred to him that Kaname would want his turn.
With an effort, Zero slipped out from Yuuki and turned to see Kaname kneeling on the bed, those glowing eyes fixed on him. Kaname was keeping very still, tiny tremors wracking his pale limbs, his engorged length weeping droplets of clear liquid.
"Zero," Kaname said quietly. "Would you... let me bond with you?"
Zero stared at him, still breathing quickly from his recent stunning high, before turning to stare at Yuuki. She sat up and nodded quickly, her huge eyes shimmering with happy tears.
"Nothing would make me happier," she assured him. "But only if you want the same."
Zero turned back to Kaname and swallowed, his just slowing down heartbeat quickening again. He couldn't deny he had thought of little else this past week and his dreams had taken on an increasingly erotic slant. With the two of them being Yuuki's lovers and openly so, it was inevitable their relationship would progress to this possibility. After all, neither male found the other unattractive, not after their mutual blowjobs last week.
"Whatever I expect from you, Zero, I would give in equal measure," Kaname said in that same quiet tone. "I promise."
Zero nodded, an old fear he hadn't quite realised he was still carrying lifting from his shoulders at once.
"In that case, I accept."
Kaname smiled and leaned forward, pressing a swift kiss to Zero's lips before the former could even blink.
"Kaname!"
"Bite me, Zero."
Long fingers cupped the back of Zero's head and drew him down to the crook of Kaname's neck where he had bitten a mere week ago. As his fangs throbbed and grew, Zero found himself licking the soft skin with hungry anticipation.
"... because I intend to do the same."
The whispered words against the unmarked side of his neck were Zero's only warning before a wet tongue mimicked his ministrations. Then twin stings of pain pierced his neck, driving a muffled cry from him.
Like Yuuki's bite, Kaname's was a sweet, sweet pain... a sensation that made Zero's muscles clench before turning to water. His own blood rushed through his veins in an explosion of joyful familiarity, his body singing with the closure of a second bond. With a groan, Zero drove his own fangs into Kaname's flesh and found himself utterly and completely lost.
Moments... minutes... or hours later, Zero vaguely felt his trembling arms being guided around Kaname's shoulders before strong hands slid under his thighs and lifted him. He raised his head and blinked down at smiling garnet eyes. Kaname reached up and licked Zero's lips, making the hunter pull back before licking his own lips self consciously.
"Allow me?" Kaname whispered.
Feeling something blunt probe against his entrance, Zero finally realised he was straddled across Kaname's lap, thighs parted vulnerably wide. He flailed for a moment, almost losing his balance until familiar arms closed around him from the back and a loving kiss was pressed to his cheek.
"Trust us, Zero," Yuuki whispered.
Flushing red, Zero nodded and gave himself up to the almost shy look in Kaname's eyes and the warmth of Yuuki's embrace. Kaname was slender from head to foot, but Zero felt every inch of that silk coated steel as it entered him in slow degrees, a silent testament to its owner's patience and willpower. Waves of pleasure rippled from his new bond with Kaname and happy warmth from his with Yuuki, leaving him speechless.
"You can... have me later," Kaname panted, an almost guttural note in his voice when he was finally buried deep inside Zero. "For now, Zero... please..."
Unable to speak, Zero nodded and allowed Kaname to raise and lower him. He shifted back and forth until he felt those electrifying sparks with each thrust and then he began pushing down hard. Kaname increased his speed, thrusting up and up until they finally came in each other's arms, their cries of release mingling with Yuuki's delighted laugh before all three of them collapsed onto the bed in a tangle of sated limbs.
\- o -
Zero opened his eyes to find he was the middle of a sandwich - he was lying on top of Kaname and Yuuki was sprawled over his back.
"Did you mean what you said?" he asked.
Gentle fingers found his face and then his chin, lifting it.
"Every word of it," Kaname assured him, a faint blush suffusing his cheeks. "You have every right to claim my body in turn, didn't I make that clear enough?"
Zero flushed and shifted, encouraging Yuuki to slide off of his back.
"You did," he admitted, "I just - never mind."
At the sound of Yuuki's giggle, Zero turned to frown at her.
"Don't worry, Zero," she said and gave Kaname a mischievous glance. "Nii-san's first time was with me so he's still innocent in... other aspects!"
Zero stared at her and then swung to Kaname whose blush probably mirrored his by now. He should have realised it himself. After all, Kaname had loved no one else but Yuuki - the same as him - so why did he imagine he wouldn't be Kaname's first... that way?
"Well," Kaname finally broke the slightly awkward silence, "now you know how things stand, will you be both our lovers, Zero?"
For once, Zero didn't hesitate to nod.
"For as long as I can," he said firmly and smiled before turning to Yuuki, "and for as long as you two want me."
She grabbed his and Kaname's hands in hers and beamed, her eyes sparkling brighter than a thousand stars.
"Then that will be forever, Zero. It's the most obvious answer!"
THE END
**A/N:** Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it, please do let me know :)
End file.
| fanfiction |
the primary aim of this research was to examine the role of social support on the mental health of disabled iranian war veterans . it was hypothesized that veterans with higher social support would experience less mental health problems .
this study also aimed to investigate the association between the different patterns of coping strategies and mental health .
it was hypothesized that participants who use adaptive and constructive coping strategies would have a better mental health status , and that those who used unconstructive coping would have more mental health problems .
participants were 85 iranian disabled war veterans who took part in the iran - iraq war .
convenient sampling was used , and the participants were recruited from the cities of shiraz , mashhad and kerman .
the participants were recruited through veterans foundation , employer and employment agencies , personal approach and by direct request from those who were acquainted with disabled veterans .
research assistants then contacted the participants and made an appointment at their convenience at their homes .
then written informed consent was obtained that included statements about the voluntary nature of the participation and the methods used to ensure participants anonymity .
the veterans ' age ranged from 34 to 62 years ( m=43.6 , sd=5.2 ) .
demographic and military service characteristics of iranian disabled war veterans ( n=85 )
impact of event - revised scale ( ies - r ) : the impact of event - revised scale ( 16 ) was used to assess the traumatic experiences of the participants .
the scale has 22 items and consists of three subscales comprising intrusion , avoidance and hyper - arousal .
a score of 20 was considered as the cut - off point on the ies - r to qualify as an indicator of ptsd .
this measure is one of the most widely used instruments by which to assess the three symptom domains of ptsd .
the ies - r has been reported to have a high reliability and validity ( 15 ) .
the analyses of the scale on an iranian sample indicated an acceptable internal consistency for different scales of impact of event ( avoidance=.66 ; intrusion=.84 ; hyper - arousal=.85 ) ( 17 ) .
hospital anxiety and depression scale ( hads ) : the hads ( 18 )
the hads is a 14-item scale measuring depression and anxiety in and outside hospital and community settings
. scores of 07 in respective scales are considered as normal , with 810 borderline and 11 or over indicating clinical distress .
this scale has been validated in iran and found to have a good reliability and validity for the iranian population ( 19 ) .
social support was measured using the mos , a 19-item measure of perceived social support .
it includes four aspects of social support : ( a ) tangible ( b ) emotion ( c ) affection and ( d ) positive social interaction .
researchers reported high internal consistency for different dimensions of the scale including tangible support ( .91 ) , emotion / information support ( .96 ) , affection support ( .94 ) , positive social interaction ( .94 ) , and total support ( .93 ) .
there is also good evidence of test retest reliability and stability over time ( 20 ) .
the short form ( sf-36 ) health survey questionnaire ( 21 ) : the sf-36 was used to assess general health status .
the scale was designed for use in clinical practice and research , health policy evaluations , and general population surveys .
the sf-36 is a self administered questionnaire containing 36 items which measures health on eight multi - item dimensions .
this scale ranged from 0 ( poor health ) to 100 ( excellent health ) with a higher score indicating better health and a lower score indicating poor health .
for the purpose of this study , the subscale of physical function ( pf ) was used to assess the physical ability of the participants .
the sf-36 has been used widely to assess general health status and patients perceived health in clinical and research contexts .
the internal reliability of the scale has been reported ranging from .82 to .92 for different subscales .
this scale has been used on iranian samples and the studies have found a good reliability and validity for this scale ( 22 ) .
brief cope scale : the brief cope scale ( 23 ) was used to measure various styles of coping .
the brief cope scale is a 28-item self - report measure of both adaptive and maladaptive coping skills .
the brief cope was developed based on concepts of coping from lazarus and folkman ( 1984 ) ( 24 ) .
research has shown that the brief cope is a reliable and valid measure for the iranian war veterans ( 25 ) .
participants were 85 iranian disabled war veterans who took part in the iran - iraq war .
convenient sampling was used , and the participants were recruited from the cities of shiraz , mashhad and kerman .
the participants were recruited through veterans foundation , employer and employment agencies , personal approach and by direct request from those who were acquainted with disabled veterans .
research assistants then contacted the participants and made an appointment at their convenience at their homes .
then written informed consent was obtained that included statements about the voluntary nature of the participation and the methods used to ensure participants anonymity .
the veterans ' age ranged from 34 to 62 years ( m=43.6 , sd=5.2 ) .
impact of event - revised scale ( ies - r ) : the impact of event - revised scale ( 16 ) was used to assess the traumatic experiences of the participants .
the scale has 22 items and consists of three subscales comprising intrusion , avoidance and hyper - arousal .
a score of 20 was considered as the cut - off point on the ies - r to qualify as an indicator of ptsd .
this measure is one of the most widely used instruments by which to assess the three symptom domains of ptsd .
the ies - r has been reported to have a high reliability and validity ( 15 ) .
the analyses of the scale on an iranian sample indicated an acceptable internal consistency for different scales of impact of event ( avoidance=.66 ; intrusion=.84 ; hyper - arousal=.85 ) ( 17 ) .
hospital anxiety and depression scale ( hads ) : the hads ( 18 ) was used to measure the extent of anxiety and depression within the research sample .
the hads is a 14-item scale measuring depression and anxiety in and outside hospital and community settings .
scores of 07 in respective scales are considered as normal , with 810 borderline and 11 or over indicating clinical distress .
this scale has been validated in iran and found to have a good reliability and validity for the iranian population ( 19 ) .
it includes four aspects of social support : ( a ) tangible ( b ) emotion ( c ) affection and ( d ) positive social interaction .
researchers reported high internal consistency for different dimensions of the scale including tangible support ( .91 ) , emotion / information support ( .96 ) , affection support ( .94 ) , positive social interaction ( .94 ) , and total support ( .93 ) .
there is also good evidence of test retest reliability and stability over time ( 20 )
.
the short form ( sf-36 ) health survey questionnaire ( 21 ) : the sf-36 was used to assess general health status .
the scale was designed for use in clinical practice and research , health policy evaluations , and general population surveys .
the sf-36 is a self administered questionnaire containing 36 items which measures health on eight multi - item dimensions .
this scale ranged from 0 ( poor health ) to 100 ( excellent health ) with a higher score indicating better health and a lower score indicating poor health .
for the purpose of this study , the subscale of physical function ( pf ) was used to assess the physical ability of the participants .
the sf-36 has been used widely to assess general health status and patients perceived health in clinical and research contexts .
the internal reliability of the scale has been reported ranging from .82 to .92 for different subscales .
this scale has been used on iranian samples and the studies have found a good reliability and validity for this scale ( 22 ) .
brief cope scale : the brief cope scale ( 23 ) was used to measure various styles of coping .
the brief cope scale is a 28-item self - report measure of both adaptive and maladaptive coping skills .
the brief cope was developed based on concepts of coping from lazarus and folkman ( 1984 ) ( 24 ) .
research has shown that the brief cope is a reliable and valid measure for the iranian war veterans ( 25 ) .
table 2 demonstrates the means and standard deviations of participants in different subscales of the ies - r ( i.e. , avoidance , intrusion , and hyperarousal ) and also total scores of the scale .
table 2 also shows the percentages of veterans scoring above the recommended cut - off point .
as noted in this table , only 33 respondents ( 23% ) scored above 25 on ies - r .
the mean score of the sample on anxiety was 6.24 , which is within the normal range .
the majority , 50 ( 64% ) of the veterans , fell within the normal range
, 18 ( 23% ) of the veterans fell within the borderline clinical range , and 10 ( 12% ) of the veterans were identified as clinical cases . regarding depression ,
as demonstrated in table 2 , the mean score of the participants was 6.34 which was within the normal range .
forty nine ( 62% ) of the subjects fell within the normal depression range , 19 ( 24% ) fell in the borderline clinical
level , and 10 ( 14% ) fell in the clinical depression rate .
results on all the mental health measures indicated that most veterans had a good mental health status .
the means and standard deviations of different scales of social support are also shown in table 2 .
the highest dimension of social support was on affective support ( m=3.77 ) and the lowest was on emotional support ( m=3.13 ) .
what coping strategies were used more frequently by the participants , the data on different scales of the cope were analysed . on average , veterans reported using various styles of coping strategies to manage their disability .
the most frequently reported coping methods were religious coping , followed by planning , acceptance , active coping , positive reframing , instrumental support , emotional support , self distraction , venting , and humour .
the least frequently used coping strategies were behavioural disengagement followed by denial and self - blame , the most maladaptive and unconstructive forms of copings .
a paired - sample t- test analysis was conducted to examine whether there was a significant difference between religious coping strategy and non - religious coping methods .
the results revealed a significant difference between the subscale of religious coping of the cope and all the non - religious coping measures except active coping , planning and acceptance .
means & standard deviations on different scales of ies - r , hads , and mos social support survey among disabled war veterans note .
iers r = impact event scale - revised ; hads = hospital anxiety and depression scale ; mos = medical outcomes study the relationships between mental health measures and predictor variables including social support were examined .
there was a significant negative correlation between anxiety ( r= .31 , p < .001 ) , depression ( r= .39 , p<.001 ) , and ptsd ( r= .27 , p<.05 ) with social support . using the enter method
; a significant model emerged for all the three mental health indexes as dependent variables .
the model explained 12% variance ( r=.12 ) of ptsd , 16% variance ( r=.16 ) of anxiety and 22% variance ( r=.22 ) of depression .
social support had a significant contribution on ptsd ( f ( 3 , 82)=4.47 , p<.01 ) , anxiety ( f(3,82)=5.59 , p<.01 ) and depression ( f ( 3 , 82)=7.75 , p<01 ) .
after social support , physical function had a significant contribution on predicting anxiety ( f ( 3 , 82)=5.05 , p<.01 ) and depression ( f ( 3 , 82)=6.20 , p<.01 ) .
.
standardised regression analysis for variables predicting ptsd , anxiety and depression ( n=85 ) ptsd = posttraumatic stress disorder
table 2 demonstrates the means and standard deviations of participants in different subscales of the ies - r ( i.e. , avoidance , intrusion , and hyperarousal ) and also total scores of the scale .
table 2 also shows the percentages of veterans scoring above the recommended cut - off point .
as noted in this table , only 33 respondents ( 23% ) scored above 25 on ies - r .
the mean score of the sample on anxiety was 6.24 , which is within the normal range .
the majority , 50 ( 64% ) of the veterans , fell within the normal range
, 18 ( 23% ) of the veterans fell within the borderline clinical range , and 10 ( 12% ) of the veterans were identified as clinical cases . regarding depression ,
as demonstrated in table 2 , the mean score of the participants was 6.34 which was within the normal range .
forty nine ( 62% ) of the subjects fell within the normal depression range , 19 ( 24% ) fell in the borderline clinical
level , and 10 ( 14% ) fell in the clinical depression rate .
results on all the mental health measures indicated that most veterans had a good mental health status .
the means and standard deviations of different scales of social support are also shown in table 2 .
the highest dimension of social support was on affective support ( m=3.77 ) and the lowest was on emotional support ( m=3.13 ) .
what coping strategies were used more frequently by the participants , the data on different scales of the cope were analysed . on average , veterans reported using various styles of coping strategies to manage their disability .
the most frequently reported coping methods were religious coping , followed by planning , acceptance , active coping , positive reframing , instrumental support , emotional support , self distraction , venting , and humour .
the least frequently used coping strategies were behavioural disengagement followed by denial and self - blame , the most maladaptive and unconstructive forms of copings .
a paired - sample t- test analysis was conducted to examine whether there was a significant difference between religious coping strategy and non - religious coping methods .
the results revealed a significant difference between the subscale of religious coping of the cope and all the non - religious coping measures except active coping , planning and acceptance .
means & standard deviations on different scales of ies - r , hads , and mos social support survey among disabled war veterans note .
iers r = impact event scale - revised ; hads = hospital anxiety and depression scale ; mos = medical outcomes study
there was a significant negative correlation between anxiety ( r= .31 , p < .001 ) , depression ( r= .39 , p<.001 ) , and ptsd ( r= .27 , p<.05 ) with social support .
using the enter method ; a significant model emerged for all the three mental health indexes as dependent variables .
the model explained 12% variance ( r=.12 ) of ptsd , 16% variance ( r=.16 ) of anxiety and 22% variance ( r=.22 ) of depression .
social support had a significant contribution on ptsd ( f ( 3 , 82)=4.47 , p<.01 ) , anxiety ( f(3,82)=5.59 , p<.01 ) and depression ( f ( 3 , 82)=7.75 , p<01 ) .
after social support , physical function had a significant contribution on predicting anxiety ( f ( 3 , 82)=5.05 , p<.01 ) and depression ( f ( 3 , 82)=6.20 , p<.01 ) .
.
standardised regression analysis for variables predicting ptsd , anxiety and depression ( n=85 ) ptsd = posttraumatic stress disorder
pearson product - moment correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the relationships between various coping strategies of cope scale with anxiety , depression , and ptsd .
there was a significant negative association between constructive coping strategies and some of the mental health measures .
correlation of anxiety ( hads ) , depression ( hads ) , and ptsd with cope subscales as presented in table 4 , positive reframing was correlated with depression ; and acceptance was correlated with anxiety , depression , and ptsd . in addition , there was a significant positive correlation between unconstructive coping methods and mental health variables .
research showed that self - blame and denial were correlated with anxiety ; denial was also correlated with ptsd .
the current research showed that iranian disabled veterans had a low prevalence of mental health problems .
although the number of participants recruited for this study was not sufficient to draw a conclusion on the prevalence of mental health problems , the low prevalence of symptoms of ptsd , depression and anxiety among veterans may have several reasons .
the reason that this sample of iranian veterans showed a low prevalence of mental health problems may be due to the social support they received from their families , combat comrades and the community .
the study showed that the participants scored relatively high on various scales of social support measure .
the low prevalence of ptsd , anxiety and depression among this research sample compared to earlier investigations on iranian veterans may be due to the demographic characteristics of the participants which have been changed . as noted earlier , the veterans involving in the iran - iraq war were mostly young and single , and now these demographic characteristics have altered .
most importantly , the participants of the current study were recruited from the general population of disabled veterans , while previous studies selected their subjects through those veterans who suffered from mental health problems and were referred for treatment .
findings from this research on the cope scale demonstrated a significant association between the greater use of maladaptive coping styles and higher levels of mental health problems .
these findings support the research hypothesis that those participants who used adaptive coping strategies would have a better mental health status than those participants who used maladaptive coping methods .
results also support other researches indicating that those who used maladaptive coping styles experience higher mental health problems compared to those who used adaptive coping methods ( 23 ) . as expected , a higher perceived social support was significantly associated with low scores on the mental health measures .
the current study showed that social support significantly predicts mental health even when other variables such as physical ability and deployment type were controlled .
these results are consistent with a large body of work demonstrating a link between perceived social support and subsequent psychological functioning in war veterans ( 8) . the majority of iranians supported troops during and after the war .
furthermore , iranian culture , as a collectivist culture , emphasizes social networks and support .
the findings of this research on the positive relation between the use of social support and well - being are similar with some other studies conducted on iranian veterans indicating that individuals with higher social support experience lesser depression ( 15 ) . in spite of the strengths of the present study , the results may have somewhat limited generalizability . as with many clinical trials , the sample included a self - selected sample of participants , who differ from the wider population . in the future studies , a large group of war veterans with diverse demographics
in spite of the strengths of the present study , the results may have somewhat limited generalizability . as with many clinical trials , the sample included a self - selected sample of participants , who differ from the wider population . in the future studies , a large group of war veterans with diverse demographics should be studied .
this research also demonstrated that social support had a significant contribution in the mental health of disabled iranian war veterans .
the current study also showed a positive relationship between constructive coping strategies and mental health indexes and a negative association between unconstructive coping strategies and mental health . | pubmed |
Does electron shielding increase or stay constant moving LEFT to RIGHT across a period?
Does electron shielding increase or stay constant moving left to right across a period?
I have read about both, and I just want to know which one is right.
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I believe that electron shielding remains **constant** because when you move across a period, you are essentially adding more *valence electrons*, not *shielding electrons*, in your valence shell. Therefore, your
**valence-electron-count** increases from left to right in a period, but your **shielding-electron-count** stays the same.
So the overall shielding remains constant, just the amount of valence electrons increases
---
However, my explanation has a flaw:
It does not support the reason why an atom's radius increases when it becomes an **anion**.
When an atom becomes an anion, it adds more *valence electrons* to its outermost shell. Now this is controversial to what I said previously, because a gain in valence electrons, but not shielding electrons, wouldn't increase the electron shielding of the atom. So the atomic radius wouldn't increase either!
The only way for an atom's radius to increase when it becomes an anion is if the electrons that are added to the valence shell have some sort of effect on the shielding, right?
This supports the *first* thought in my question that if we move left to right across a period, shielding increases.
---
But the idea that electron shielding increases as we move left to right has a flaw as well:
It is controversial to another periodic trend: **ionization energy**
If electron shielding *did* increase across a period from left to right, then this would mean that ionization energy is lower as we move from left to right, which is not true.
The only way for ionization energy to increase across a period is if the only the number of protons and *valence electrons* have effect on the amount of energy required, not the shielding electrons. So the shielding-effect must stay the same all throughout a period.
This goes with the what I had initially said about electron-shielding remaining constant.
---
So now we have a flaw for each possible answer to my question!
Please correct me if I am wrong in any of my context.
To answer this question, it's important to define what you mean by shielding. Generally, shielding refers to a reduction in the effective nuclear charge experienced by an electron in a given orbital due to the other electrons on the same atom.
The quantitative degree of shielding for a given electron can be approximated by Slater's rules. According to those rules, electrons within the same group of orbitals (for example 4d) have a coefficient of 0.35 (except for 1s electrons, which have 0.30). So valence electrons do shield each other, just not as much as the lower level electrons shield the valence electrons.
For example, let's consider the elements with increasing numbers of 2p electrons (B, C, N, O, F, Ne). Going from left to right, each addition of a 2p electron reduces the effective nuclear charge experienced by another 2p electron by 0.35. So the amount of shielding is increasing as we move left to right.
The apparent contradiction with the ionization energy comes about because you have not considered the increase in the actual nuclear charge. Each time we add a 2p electron, we also add a proton to the nucleus. So even though 0.35 of that charge is shielded from a valence 2p electron, that electron still experiences an increase of 0.65 effective charge and is therefore bound more tightly than a 2p electron on the element to its left.
As a specific case, let's compare the shielding experienced by a 2p electron in carbon versus neon. The carbon electron configuration is $1s^22s^22p^2$. Using Slater's rules, we can calculate that the shielding coefficient for a 2p electron is 2(0.85) + 3(0.35) = 2.75. So the effective nuclear charge experienced by the 2p electron is 6-2.75=3.25.
For neon, the electron config is $1s^22s^22p^6$, so the shielding coefficient of a 2p electron is 2(0.85)+7(0.35)=4.15. So there's more shielding. But the effective charge is 10-4.15=5.85, so the effective charge is still greater and the energy of the coulombic interacation of the electron with the nuclear charge is greater in magnitude. Hence, the ionization energy is greater.
EDIT: Original version of this answer did not address the question about anion formation (presumably mostly interested in anion formation by addition to an already partially filled shell). When an anion is formed, the additional electron increases the shielding of the other valence electrons, but there is no change in the actual nuclear charge. Thus, each valence electron experiences a lower effective nuclear charge. Since the size of an orbital is a function of the energy of interaction with the nuclear charge, the atomic size increases.
Hopefully by explaining the 'flaws' may shed some light on your question.
>
> It does not support the reason why an atom's radius increases when it becomes an anion.
>
>
>
The valence shell is not only comprised of 1 single orbital position of a fixed radius regardless of the number of electrons, the different orbitals with different geometries fill up as we move right across a period, and the more orbitals, there is more repulsion and range of radii for the orbitals, increasing the atomic radius. These orbitals are governed by the wavefunctions of these orbitals, which can be expressed in terms of the radius(as you usually use polar coordinates anyways) which increases as the number of electrons increase.
For anions it is the same, as the electrons occupy orbitals and pair repulsion and orbital repulsion increases.
But the idea that electron shielding increases as we move left to right has a flaw as well:It is controversial to another periodic trend: ionization energy
Lets take an example:
Ionization energy of neon is higher than that of fluorine, which is one to the left across the same period, this is much because the valence shell with a full S and p orbitals has a higher stability due to something caused by symmetric repulsion (which is partly why palladium has a full d subshell despite the s orbitals of lower energy being available)and thus there will require more energy to ionize the atom as it moves right across a period
| stackexchange/chemistry |
both type i and type ii diabetes are powerful and independent risk factors for coronary artery disease ( cad ) , stroke , and peripheral arterial disease [ 1 - 3 ] .
atherosclerosis accounts for virtually 80% of all deaths among north american diabetic patients , compared with one third of all deaths in the general north american population .
prolonged exposure to hyperglycemia is now recognized as the primary casual factor in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications [ 4 - 6 ] .
hyperglycemia induces a large number of alterations in vascular tissue that potentially promote accelerated atherosclerosis .
currently , three major mechanisms have emerged that encompass most of the pathological alterations observed in the vasculature of diabetic animals and humans : 1 ) nonenzymatic glycosylation of proteins and lipids 2 ) oxidative stress 3 ) protein kinase c ( pkc ) activation .
for example , hyperglycemia - induced oxidative stress promotes the formation of advanced glycosylation end products and pkc activation .
the effects of hyperglycemia are often irreversible and lead to progressive cell dysfunction . for example , in diabetic patients with functioning pancreatic transplants renal pathology continues to progress for at least 5 years after diabetes has been cured . the mechanism for these observations is unclear , but suggests that cellular perturbations may persist despite the return of normoglycemia ( the so - called memory effect ) .
thus , persistent rather than transient , acute metabolic changes are of pivotal importance in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications .
one of the important mechanisms responsible for the accelerated atherosclerosis in diabetes is the nonenzymatic reaction between glucose and proteins or lipoproteins in arterial walls , collectively known as maillard , or browning reaction .
glucose forms chemically reversible early glycosylation products with reactive amino groups of circulating or vessel wall proteins ( schiff bases ) , which subsequently rearrange to form the more stable amadori - type early glycosylation products .
equilibrium levels of schiff - base and amadori products ( the best known of which is hemoglobin a1c ) are reached in hours and weeks , respectively ( figure 1 ) .
some of the early glycosylation products on long - lived proteins ( e.g. vessel wall collagen ) continue to undergo complex series of chemical rearrangement to form advanced glycosylation end products ( ages ) .
although ages comprise a large number of chemical structures , carboxymethyl - lysine - protein adducts are the predominant ages present in vivo . the formation of advanced glycosylation end products .
ages accumulate continuously on long - lived vessel wall proteins with aging and at an accelerated rate in diabetes .
the degree of nonenzymatic glycation is determined mainly by the glucose concentration and time of exposure . however , another critical factor to the formation of ages is the tissue microenvironment redox potential .
thus , situations in which the local redox potential has been shifted to favor oxidant stress , ages formation increases substantially [ 7,13 - 17 ] .
ages can accelerate the atherosclerotic process by diverse mechanism , which can be classified as non - receptor dependent ( table 1 ) and receptor - mediated ( table 2 ) .
atherosclerosis promoting effects of ages : non - receptor mediated mechanisms atherosclerosis promoting effects of ages : receptor mediated mechanisms igf - i = insulin - like growth factor i ; il-1 = interleukin-1 ; pdgf = platelet - derived growth factor ; tnf- = tumor necrosis factor-. glycosylation of proteins and lipoproteins can interfere with their normal function by disrupting molecular conformation , alter enzymatic activity , reduce degradative capacity , and interfere with receptor recognition ( table 1 ) .
thus , changes in the normal physiology of proteins that are relevant to atherogenesis , may promote atherosclerosis in diabetic individuals .
perhaps the most studied example is interference of the normal physiology of the low - density lipoprotein ( ldl ) particle .
the glycosylation process occurs both on the apoprotein b and phospholipid components of ldl , leading to both functional alternations in ldl clearance and increased susceptibility to oxidative modifications .
clinical studies have shown an increased level of ages on ldl obtained from diabetics compared with normal individuals .
glycosylation of ldl apo b ( the surface protein of ldl ) occurs mainly on a positively charged lysine residues within the putative ldl receptor binding domain which are essential for the specific recognition of ldl by the ldl receptor .
ldl glycosylation is increased in correlation with glucose levels , and age - apob levels are up to 4-fold higher in diabetic patients .
glycosylation of apob results in a significant impairment of ldl - receptor - mediated uptake decreasing the in vivo clearance of ldl compared to native ldl ( figure 2 ) .
several studies have shown that degradation of glycated ldl is impaired in cultured human fibroblasts ( which posses ldl receptor ) compared with normal ldl , and that this impairment is proportional to the extent of glycation .
in contrast to fibroblasts , human monocyte - derived macrophages recognize glycated ldl to a greater extent than native ldl .
the uptake of glycated ldl by these cells , however , is not mediated by the ldl receptor pathway , but by a high - capacity , low - affinity receptor pathway .
thus , glycated ldl are poorly recognized by the specific ldl receptor and are preferentially recognized by a nonspecific ( scavenger ) receptor present on human macrophages . because ldl glycosylation enhances its uptake by human aortic intimal cells and monocyte - derived macrophages with stimulation of foam cells formation , the recognition of glycated ldl by the scavenger receptor pathway is thought to promote intracellular accumulation of cholesteryl esters and promote atherosclerosis ( figure 2 ) .
advanced glycosylation of the phospholipid component of ldl is accompanied by the progressive oxidative modification of unsaturated fatty acid residues .
glycosylation of ldl apob reduces its recognition by the ldl receptor and increases uptake through the scavenger receptor ( see text for details ) .
another atherogenic effect of glycation is to confer increased susceptibility of ldl to oxidative modification .
oxidation reactions occur normally during glycation can oxidize the amine - containing phospholipids component of ldl , independently of transition metals or exogenous free radical - generating systems .
advanced glycosylation of an amine - containing phospholipids component of ldl is accompanied by progressive oxidative modification of unsaturated fatty acid residues .
ldl oxidation following age - ldl formation occurs in direct proportion to glucose concentration and can be inhibited by the age formation inhibitor aminoguanidine .
thus , glycation confers increased susceptibility of ldl to oxidative modification , which is considered a critical step in its atherogenicity .
deposition of the membrane attack complex of complement ( mac ) in blood vessels stimulates proliferation of fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells , in part by releasing growth factors such as fibroblast growth factor and platelet derived growth factor from mac - targeted endothelium .
mac deposition is normally restricted because cells express the regulatory membrane protein cd59 , which limits complement activation and mac formation .
glycation of the complement regulatory protein cd59 results in its inactivation and may increased the sensitivity of the diabetic endothelium to mac - induced release of growth factors and cytokines .
glycosylation of matrix components such as collagen vi , laminin , and vitronectin decreased binding of anionic heparan sulfate , leading to greater turnover of heparan sulfate .
the absence of hs is thought to stimulate a compensatory overproduction of other matrix components through altered partitioning of growth - regulatory factors between matrix bound proteoglycans and cells .
ages on matrix also alter the normal interactions of transmembrane integrin receptors with three specific matrix liganeds .
for example , modification of the cell binding domains of type iv collagen causes decreased endothelial cell adhesion .
the cellular interactions of ages are mediated through a specific receptor for age determinants on cell surfaces .
the presence of the age receptor ( rage ) , a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily of receptors , has been demonstrated in all cells relevant to the atherosclerotic process including monocyte - derived macrophages , endothelial cells , and smooth muscle cells ( table 2 ) . the macrophage age receptor system is closely tied to age turnover , and is thought to represent a mechanism that responds to raising age levels with aging and degrade senescent proteins .
however , under certain pathological circumstances , sustained upregulation of rage occurs . in pathological lesions ,
abundance of rage expressing cells is usually associated with sites of accumulated rage ligands . in diabetic vasculature ,
cells expressing high levels of rage are often proximal to areas in which ages are abundant .
age interaction with rage on endothelial cells results in the induction of oxidative stress and consequently of the transcription factor nf-b and vcam-1 ( figure 3 ) .
in addition , engagement of ages with their specific receptors results in reduced endothelial barrier function . with increased permeability of endothelial cell monolayers .
thus , the interaction of ages with rage - bearing endothelial cells can mediate initiating events in atherogenesis .
for example , increased endothelial permeability can lead to increased lipid entry into the subendothelium .
enhancement of adhesive interactions of monocytes with the endothelial surface can subsequently result in transendothelial migration ( figure 4 ) .
binding of soluble ages to rage - bearing monocytes induces chemotaxis , followed by mononuclear infiltration through an intact endothelial monolayer .
pathological studies of human atherosclerotic plaques showed infiltration of rage - expressing cells in the expanded intima . monocyte - macrophage interaction with ages results also in the production of mediators such as interleukin-1 , tumor necrosis factor- , platelet - derived growth factor , and insulin growth factor - i , which have a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis . in smooth muscle cells ,
although the precise mechanism of this response is unknown , the growth - promoting effects mediated by the rage are likely to be cytokine or growth - factor mediated .
thus , under conditions of enhanced tissue age deposition , receptor - mediated interaction of age - proteins with vascular wall cells facilitate the migration of inflammatory cells into the lesion with the subsequent release of growth - promoting cytokines .
the potential role of rage in the atherogenic process in diabetes has been demonstrated by park and associates . in the model of atherosclerosis - prone mice due to homozygous deletion of apolipoprotein e ( apoe ) gene ,
the induction of diabetes using streptozotocin resulted in atherosclerosis of increased severity compared to euglycemic apoe controls .
the development of vascular was more rapid with the formation of more complex lesions ( fibrous caps , extensive monocyte infiltration , etc ) and atherosclerosis extending distally in the aorta and major arteries .
increased expression of rage and the presence of ages in the vessel wall , especially at sites of vascular lesions were also evident .
blockade of age - rage interaction using a truncated soluble extracellular domain of rage resulted in a striking suppression of lesions in diabetic mice , with lesions largely arrested at the fatty streak stage and a large reduction in complex lesions .
glycosylation of proteins and lipoproteins can interfere with their normal function by disrupting molecular conformation , alter enzymatic activity , reduce degradative capacity , and interfere with receptor recognition ( table 1 ) .
thus , changes in the normal physiology of proteins that are relevant to atherogenesis , may promote atherosclerosis in diabetic individuals .
perhaps the most studied example is interference of the normal physiology of the low - density lipoprotein ( ldl ) particle .
the glycosylation process occurs both on the apoprotein b and phospholipid components of ldl , leading to both functional alternations in ldl clearance and increased susceptibility to oxidative modifications .
clinical studies have shown an increased level of ages on ldl obtained from diabetics compared with normal individuals .
glycosylation of ldl apo b ( the surface protein of ldl ) occurs mainly on a positively charged lysine residues within the putative ldl receptor binding domain which are essential for the specific recognition of ldl by the ldl receptor .
ldl glycosylation is increased in correlation with glucose levels , and age - apob levels are up to 4-fold higher in diabetic patients .
glycosylation of apob results in a significant impairment of ldl - receptor - mediated uptake decreasing the in vivo clearance of ldl compared to native ldl ( figure 2 ) .
several studies have shown that degradation of glycated ldl is impaired in cultured human fibroblasts ( which posses ldl receptor ) compared with normal ldl , and that this impairment is proportional to the extent of glycation .
in contrast to fibroblasts , human monocyte - derived macrophages recognize glycated ldl to a greater extent than native ldl .
the uptake of glycated ldl by these cells , however , is not mediated by the ldl receptor pathway , but by a high - capacity , low - affinity receptor pathway .
thus , glycated ldl are poorly recognized by the specific ldl receptor and are preferentially recognized by a nonspecific ( scavenger ) receptor present on human macrophages . because ldl glycosylation enhances its uptake by human aortic intimal cells and monocyte - derived macrophages with stimulation of foam cells formation , the recognition of glycated ldl by the scavenger receptor pathway is thought to promote intracellular accumulation of cholesteryl esters and promote atherosclerosis ( figure 2 ) .
advanced glycosylation of the phospholipid component of ldl is accompanied by the progressive oxidative modification of unsaturated fatty acid residues .
glycosylation of ldl apob reduces its recognition by the ldl receptor and increases uptake through the scavenger receptor ( see text for details ) .
another atherogenic effect of glycation is to confer increased susceptibility of ldl to oxidative modification .
oxidation reactions occur normally during glycation can oxidize the amine - containing phospholipids component of ldl , independently of transition metals or exogenous free radical - generating systems .
advanced glycosylation of an amine - containing phospholipids component of ldl is accompanied by progressive oxidative modification of unsaturated fatty acid residues .
ldl oxidation following age - ldl formation occurs in direct proportion to glucose concentration and can be inhibited by the age formation inhibitor aminoguanidine .
thus , glycation confers increased susceptibility of ldl to oxidative modification , which is considered a critical step in its atherogenicity .
deposition of the membrane attack complex of complement ( mac ) in blood vessels stimulates proliferation of fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells , in part by releasing growth factors such as fibroblast growth factor and platelet derived growth factor from mac - targeted endothelium .
mac deposition is normally restricted because cells express the regulatory membrane protein cd59 , which limits complement activation and mac formation .
glycation of the complement regulatory protein cd59 results in its inactivation and may increased the sensitivity of the diabetic endothelium to mac - induced release of growth factors and cytokines .
glycosylation of matrix components such as collagen vi , laminin , and vitronectin decreased binding of anionic heparan sulfate , leading to greater turnover of heparan sulfate .
the absence of hs is thought to stimulate a compensatory overproduction of other matrix components through altered partitioning of growth - regulatory factors between matrix bound proteoglycans and cells .
ages on matrix also alter the normal interactions of transmembrane integrin receptors with three specific matrix liganeds .
for example , modification of the cell binding domains of type iv collagen causes decreased endothelial cell adhesion .
the cellular interactions of ages are mediated through a specific receptor for age determinants on cell surfaces . the presence of the age receptor ( rage )
, a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily of receptors , has been demonstrated in all cells relevant to the atherosclerotic process including monocyte - derived macrophages , endothelial cells , and smooth muscle cells ( table 2 ) .
the macrophage age receptor system is closely tied to age turnover , and is thought to represent a mechanism that responds to raising age levels with aging and degrade senescent proteins . in mature animals ,
however , under certain pathological circumstances , sustained upregulation of rage occurs . in pathological lesions ,
abundance of rage expressing cells is usually associated with sites of accumulated rage ligands . in diabetic vasculature ,
cells expressing high levels of rage are often proximal to areas in which ages are abundant .
age interaction with rage on endothelial cells results in the induction of oxidative stress and consequently of the transcription factor nf-b and vcam-1 ( figure 3 ) .
in addition , engagement of ages with their specific receptors results in reduced endothelial barrier function . with increased permeability of endothelial cell monolayers .
thus , the interaction of ages with rage - bearing endothelial cells can mediate initiating events in atherogenesis .
for example , increased endothelial permeability can lead to increased lipid entry into the subendothelium .
enhancement of adhesive interactions of monocytes with the endothelial surface can subsequently result in transendothelial migration ( figure 4 ) .
binding of soluble ages to rage - bearing monocytes induces chemotaxis , followed by mononuclear infiltration through an intact endothelial monolayer .
pathological studies of human atherosclerotic plaques showed infiltration of rage - expressing cells in the expanded intima .
monocyte - macrophage interaction with ages results also in the production of mediators such as interleukin-1 , tumor necrosis factor- , platelet - derived growth factor , and insulin growth factor - i , which have a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis . in smooth muscle cells ,
although the precise mechanism of this response is unknown , the growth - promoting effects mediated by the rage are likely to be cytokine or growth - factor mediated .
thus , under conditions of enhanced tissue age deposition , receptor - mediated interaction of age - proteins with vascular wall cells facilitate the migration of inflammatory cells into the lesion with the subsequent release of growth - promoting cytokines .
the potential role of rage in the atherogenic process in diabetes has been demonstrated by park and associates . in the model of atherosclerosis - prone mice due to homozygous deletion of apolipoprotein e ( apoe ) gene ,
the induction of diabetes using streptozotocin resulted in atherosclerosis of increased severity compared to euglycemic apoe controls .
the development of vascular was more rapid with the formation of more complex lesions ( fibrous caps , extensive monocyte infiltration , etc ) and atherosclerosis extending distally in the aorta and major arteries . increased expression of rage and the presence of ages in the vessel wall , especially at sites of vascular lesions were also evident .
blockade of age - rage interaction using a truncated soluble extracellular domain of rage resulted in a striking suppression of lesions in diabetic mice , with lesions largely arrested at the fatty streak stage and a large reduction in complex lesions .
the metabolic consequences of hyperglycemia can be expressed in cells in which glucose transport is largely independent of insulin .
the resulting intracellular hyperglycemia has been implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications through the activation of the protein kinase c ( pkc ) system [ 44 - 46 ] .
high ambient glucose concentrations activate pkc by increasing the formation of diacylglycerol ( dag ) , the major endogenous cellular co - factor for pkc activation , from glycolytic intermediates such as dihydroxy - acetone phosphate and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate .
the elevation of dag and subsequent activation of pkc in the vasculature can be maintained chronically .
although several pkc isoforms are expressed in vascular tissue , in the rat model of diabetes there is a preferential activation of pkc 2 in the aorta , heart , and retina , and pkc 1 in the glomeruli .
the pkc system is ubiquitously distributed in cells and is involved in the transcription of several growth factors , and in signal transduction in response to growth factors . in vascular smooth muscle cells ,
pkc activation has been shown to modulate growth rate , dna synthesis , and growth factor receptor turnover .
for example , hyperglycemia - induced pkc activation also results in increased platelet derived growth factor- receptor expression on smooth muscle cells and other vascular wall cells ( e.g. , endothelial cells , monocyte - macrophages ) .
pkc activation increases the expression of transforming growth factor- ( tgf- ) , which is one of the most important growth factor regulating extracellular matrix production by activating gene expression of proteoglycans and collagen and decreasing the synthesis of proteolytic enzymes that degrade matrix proteins . increased expression of tgf-
is thought to lead to thickening of capillary basement membrane one of the early structural abnormalities observed in almost all tissues in diabetes .
pkc selective inhibitor ( ly333531 ) attenuates glomerular expression of tgf- and ecm proteins such as fibronectin and type iv collagen .
oxidative stress is widely invoked as a pathogenic mechanism for atherosclerosis . among the sequelae of hyperglycemia
a major mechanism appears to be the hyperglycemia - induced intracellular reactive oxygen species ( ros ) , produced by the proton electromechanical gradient generated by the mitochondrial electron transport chain and resulting in increased production of superoxide .
two other mechanisms have been proposed that may explain how hyperglycemia causes increased ros formation .
one mechanism involves the transition metal - catalyzed autoxidation of free glucose , as described in cell - free systems . through this mechanism ,
glucose itself initiates autoxidative reaction and free radical production yielding superoxide anion ( o2 ) and hydrogen peroxide ( h2o2 ) .
the other mechanism involves the transition metalcatalyzed autoxidation of protein - bound amadori products , which yields superoxide and hydroxyl radicals and highly reactive dicarbonyl compounds ( see glycoxidation ) .
there is also evidence that hyperglycemia may compromise natural antioxidant defenses . under normal circumstances ,
free radicals are rapidly eliminated by antioxidants such as reduced glutathione , vitamin c , and vitamin e. reduced glutathione content , as well as reduced vitamin e have been reported in diabetic patients .
plasma and tissue levels of vitamin c are 4050% lower in diabetic patients compared with nondiabetic subjects .
importantly , there appears to be a tight pathogenic link between hyperglycemia - induced oxidant stress and the two hyperglycemia - dependent mechanisms of vascular damage described above , namely ages formation and pkc activation ( figure 5 ) .
relationship between rates of oxidant generation , antioxidant activity , oxidative stress , and oxidative damage in diabetes .
the overall rate of formation of oxidative products leading to oxidative tissue damage is dependent on ambient levels of both [ o2 ] and substrate .
increased generation of [ o2 ] depends on several sources including glucose autoxidation , increased mitochondrial superoxide production , and as a result of the receptor for advanced glycosylation end products activation .
oxidative stress activates protein kinase c ( pkc ) and accelerates the formation of advanced glycosylation endproducts ( ages ) .
some of the individual advanced glycosylation products such as n - carboxymethyl)lysine ( cml ) and pentosidine are formed in reactions of protein with glucose only under oxidative conditions [ 15,64 - 66 ] .
thus , some ages are produced by combined processes of glycation and oxidation and have been termed glycoxidation products .
each age structure has its own formation mechanism and thus its own dependence on oxidative stress .
however , since glycoxidation products on proteins are irreversible , it has been suggested that they may be an integrative biomarker for the accumulated oxidative stress the respective tissue has been exposed to . as previously discussed , the interaction between age epitopes and the cell surface age receptor upregulate oxidative stress response genes and release oxygen radicals .
thus , hyperglycemia simultaneously enhances both ages formation and oxidative stress , and the mutual facilitatory interactions between glycation and oxidation chemistry can contribute sinergistically to the formation of ages , oxidative stress , and diabetic complications ( figure 5 ) .
indeed , there are strong correlations between levels of glycoxidation products in skin collagen and the severity of diabetic retinal , renal , and vascular disease .
oxidative stress may also be involved in the activation of dag - pkc in vascular tissue .
furthermore , several studies have shown that antioxidants such as vitamin e can inhibit pkc activation probably by decreasing dag levels [ 7,71 - 73 ] .
some of the individual advanced glycosylation products such as n - carboxymethyl)lysine ( cml ) and pentosidine are formed in reactions of protein with glucose only under oxidative conditions [ 15,64 - 66 ] .
thus , some ages are produced by combined processes of glycation and oxidation and have been termed glycoxidation products .
each age structure has its own formation mechanism and thus its own dependence on oxidative stress .
however , since glycoxidation products on proteins are irreversible , it has been suggested that they may be an integrative biomarker for the accumulated oxidative stress the respective tissue has been exposed to . as previously discussed , the interaction between age epitopes and the cell surface age receptor upregulate oxidative stress response genes and release oxygen radicals .
thus , hyperglycemia simultaneously enhances both ages formation and oxidative stress , and the mutual facilitatory interactions between glycation and oxidation chemistry can contribute sinergistically to the formation of ages , oxidative stress , and diabetic complications ( figure 5 ) .
indeed , there are strong correlations between levels of glycoxidation products in skin collagen and the severity of diabetic retinal , renal , and vascular disease .
oxidative stress may also be involved in the activation of dag - pkc in vascular tissue .
furthermore , several studies have shown that antioxidants such as vitamin e can inhibit pkc activation probably by decreasing dag levels [ 7,71 - 73 ] . | pubmed |
the occupation time @xmath0 of a stochastic process @xmath1 is simply the time that the process spends above its mean value ( say @xmath2 ) when observed over the period @xmath3 $ ] , @xmath4 dt ' , \label{occupdef}\ ] ] where @xmath5 $ ] is the heaviside step function and we assume , for simplicity , that the process starts at @xmath6 . since the seminal work of lvy @xcite who computed the exact probability distribution of @xmath0 in the case when @xmath1 is just an ordinary brownian motion
, there has been a lot of interest in the mathematics community to study the occupation time for various processes@xcite .
recently the study of the occupation time has seen a revival in the physics community in the context of nonequilibrium systems@xcite due to its potential applications in a wide range of physical systems which include , amongst others , optical imaging@xcite , analysis of the morphology of growing surfaces@xcite and analysis of the fluorescence intermittency emitting from colloidal semiconductor dots@xcite .
the occupation time @xmath0 is clearly a random variable .
its probability distribution @xmath7 evidently depends on the window size @xmath8 .
it turns out that quite generically there are essentially two types of asymptotic behaviors of this distribution @xmath7 depending on whether the underlying stochastic process @xmath1 is _ non - stationary _ or _ stationary_. a non - stationary process is one where the two - time correlation function @xmath9 depends on both times @xmath8 and @xmath10 .
an example is the ordinary brownian motion , @xmath11 where @xmath12 is a gaussian white noise with @xmath13 and @xmath14 . in this case ,
@xmath15 . in a stationary process ,
on the other hand , the two - time correlation function depends only on the time difference , @xmath16 .
a simple example of a stationary process is the orstein - uhlenbeck process , @xmath17 , where a particle moves in a parabolic potential in presence of external thermal noise . in this case
, the particle reaches equilibrium at long times when the two - time correlation simply becomes , @xmath18 $ ] . in the non - stationary case
, one expects that in the asymptotic limit @xmath19 , @xmath20 but keeping the ratio @xmath21 fixed , the distribution @xmath7 has the generic scaling behavior , @xmath22 where the scaling function @xmath23 has nonzero support only in the range @xmath24 $ ] .
for example , in the case of ordinary brownian motion , the scaling function @xmath23 can be computed exactly@xcite , @xmath25 .
this is known as the arc - sine law of lvy since the cumulative distribution has an arc - sine form , @xmath26 .
note that for the brownian case the scaling actually holds for all @xmath8 and @xmath0 .
the analytical calculation of this scaling function @xmath23 is , however , nontrivial even for this simple brownian case . following the work of lvy
, there have been various generalizations of this arc - sine law .
for example , the scaling function @xmath23 has been computed exactly for the so called lvy processes@xcite , and recently for a more general class of renewal processes@xcite .
the occupation time distribution has also been studied recently for a brownian particle moving in a random sinai type potential and the corresponding scaling function @xmath23 has been computed exactly@xcite . for stationary processes ,
on the other hand , the distribution @xmath7 is expected to have the following generic asymptotic behavior in the appropriate scaling limit @xmath20 , @xmath19 with the ratio @xmath21 fixed@xcite , @xmath27 where @xmath28 is a large deviation function with , in general , non - gaussian tails@xcite .
for example , for the ornstein - uhlenbeck stationary process discussed in the previous paragraph , the function @xmath28 has recently been computed exactly by utilizing a mapping to a quantum mechanical path integral problem@xcite . the calculation of either the scaling function @xmath23 for non - stationary processes or the large deviation function @xmath28 for stationary processes is a challenging theoretical problem . so far
, exact results exist only for markov processes where the value of the process @xmath1 at time @xmath8 depends only on its value at the previous time step , say at @xmath29 where @xmath30 is an infinitesimal time step , but is completely independent on the previous history of the process . for example , the ordinary brownian motion and the orstein - uhlenbeck processes are both markovian . on the other hand , most processes in nature are non - markovian and the markov processes are more of exceptions rather than rules .
non - markov processes are known to be notoriously difficult for the analytical calculation of even simpler quantities such as persistence , i.e. , the probability that the process does not change sign up to time @xmath8@xcite .
naturally the analytical calculation of the occupation time distribution for non - markovian processes is even more difficult . for a certain class of `
smooth ' non - markovian processes such as the diffusion equation , it is possible to compute the occupation time distribution@xcite using the independent interval approximation ( iia ) which assumes that the intervals between successive zero crossings are statistically independent@xcite .
but these iia results are only approximate . to our knowledge
, there exists no exact result for the occupation time distribution for a non - markov process , either stationary or non - stationary . in this paper ,
we obtain , for the first time , an exact analytical result for the occupation time distribution for a stationary non - markovian process .
to be more precise , we actually study the occupation time distribution of a discrete stationary non - markovian sequence and not a continuous stochastic process .
nevertheless the asymptotic behavior as given by eq .
( [ scaling2 ] ) still remains true and we compute analytically the corresponding large deviation function @xmath28 .
recently the importance of studying the statistical properties such as the persistence and the distribution of the number of zeros of _ discrete stochastic sequences _ , as opposed to the more traditional _ continuous stochastic processes _ , has been emphasized in a number of articles@xcite .
there are two principal reasons for studying a stochastic sequence .
first , in various experiments and numerical simulations , even though the underlying physical process is continuous in time , in practice one actually measures the events only at discrete time points .
the result of this discretization can lead to subtle and important differences between the ` true ' properties of the process and the ` measured ' properties@xcite . to estimate these differences , it is important to study the properties of a discrete sequence .
the second reason follows from the observation@xcite that many processes in nature such as weather records are stationary under translations in time only by an integer multiple of a basic period .
for example , the seasons repeat typically every one year . for such processes ,
it was observed in ref .
@xcite that the persistence of the underlying continuous process coincides with that of the discrete sequence obtained from the measurement of the process only at times that are integer multiples of the basic period . in particular , in ref .
@xcite a specific discrete sequence was obtained as a limiting case of the diffusion equation on a hierarchical lattice .
this rather simple _ toy _ sequence , even though non - markovian , had the remarkable property of being solvable for certain statistical properties such as the persistence@xcite and the distribution of the number of zeros@xcite .
furthermore , these exact results were rather nontrivial@xcite even for this toy sequence .
it is always important to have a such a solvable non - markovian toy model which can then be used as a benchmark to predict the possible expected behaviors of various observables in a more complex non - markovian process . in this paper
we show that the occupation time distribution can also be computed exactly for this toy model and like other quantities such as the persistence , it is rather nontrivial even for this simple toy model .
we further make an interesting observation that the occupation time for this toy sequence is related to a specific physical observable in an ising spin glass chain with nearest neighbor interactions . in a given sample of the spin glass chain
, one can ask : what is the average ( thermal ) number of spins that are aligned to the direction of their local fields ?
this physical object is a random variable that fluctuates from one sample of disorder to another .
a natural question is : what is the probability distribution ( over disorder ) of this thermal average ?
it turns out that this distribution is nontrivial even at infinite temperature .
in fact , we show that at infinite temperature this distribution in the spin glass chain coincides exactly with the occupation time distribution of the toy sequence mentioned above .
this connection is useful as it raises a general question for any spin glass model ( and not just restricted to a chain ) : what is the probability distribution of the average ( thermal ) number of spins that are aligned to their local fields ?
in this paper , we show that the analytical computation of this distribution in the limit of infinite temperature , though still nontrivial , is tractable in few cases . in particular , we calculate analytically this infinite temperature distribution in the sherrington - kirkpatrick ( sk ) model of mean field spin glasses@xcite .
the layout of the paper is as follows . in sec .
ii , we define the toy sequence , recall some of its properties and known results and then compute the occupation time distribution exactly . in sec .
iii , we establish the connection to a spin glass chain and raise the general question regarding the distribution of the average number of spins aligned to their local fields in a generic spin glass model . in sec .
iv , we compute this distribution analytically in the sk model at infinite temperature and show that it is nontrivial even at infinite temperature .
finally we conclude in sec .
v with a summary and some open questions .
the toy sequence we study in this section was originally derived as a limiting case of the diffusion process on a hierarchical lattice@xcite .
this is a sequence @xmath31 of correlated random variables constructed via the following rule , @xmath32 where @xmath33 s are independent and identically distributed ( i.i.d ) random variables , each drawn from the same symmetric continuous distribution @xmath34 .
note that even though @xmath33 s are uncorrelated , the variables @xmath35 s are correlated .
the two point correlation function , @xmath36 can be easily computed from eq .
( [ psi1 ] ) , @xmath37 , \label{corr1}\ ] ] where @xmath38 is the kronecker delta function and @xmath39 which we assume to be finite .
thus the sequence @xmath31 has only nearest neighbor correlation .
also note that for large sequence size @xmath40 , the sequence is _ stationary _ since @xmath41 depends only on the difference @xmath42 , and not individually on @xmath43 or @xmath44 .
the sequence @xmath31 is also _ non - markovian_. to see this , one can try to express a specific member of the sequence , say @xmath35 , only in terms of other members of the sequence@xcite .
this can be easily done using eq .
( [ psi1 ] ) and one gets for any @xmath45 , @xmath46 this relation clearly demonstrates the history dependence of the sequence in the sense that @xmath35 depends not just only on the previous member @xmath47 ( as would have been in the markov case ) , but on the whole history of the sequence preceding @xmath35 .
we now turn to the exact computation of the occupation time distribution for the sequence in eq .
( [ psi1 ] ) .
the occupation time @xmath48 in this case is simply the number of @xmath35 s that are positive out of the total number @xmath40 and is given by the discrete counterpart of eq .
( [ occupdef ] ) , @xmath49 clearly @xmath48 is a random variable over the range @xmath50 .
let us denote its probability distribution by @xmath51 which is formally given by , @xmath52\prod_{i}\rho(\phi_i)d\phi_i .
\label{distri0}\ ] ] analogous to the asymptotic behavior in eq .
( [ scaling2 ] ) for continuous stationary processes , we will show that in the appropriate scaling limit @xmath53 , @xmath54 but keeping the ratio @xmath55 fixed , the distribution @xmath51 has the scaling behavior , @xmath56 where the large deviation function @xmath28 can be computed analytically .
note also that since @xmath34 is symmetric around the origin , the number of positive members of the sequence must have the same distribution as the number of negative members , i.e. , @xmath57 .
consequently , we must have @xmath58 , i.e. , the large deviation function over the allowed range @xmath59 must be symmetric around @xmath60 . to compute the distribution @xmath51 we use a transfer matrix method which has already been used successfully to calculate other quantities for this sequence such as the persistence@xcite and the distribution of the number of sign changes@xcite . to start with ,
we define @xmath61 denoting respectively the joint probability that the first member of the sequence @xmath62 is positive ( negative ) and that the sequence of size @xmath40 has a total @xmath48 number of positive members , given the value of @xmath63 .
let us also define @xmath64 which denotes the probability of having @xmath48 positive members in a sequence of size @xmath40 , given @xmath63 .
the required occupation time distribution is then given by , @xmath65 the reason for this small detour is simply that one can write quite easily a recursion relation for the joint probabilities @xmath61 .
however it is not easy to write a recursion directly for the distribution @xmath51 .
the probabilities @xmath61 satisfy the following recursion relations , @xmath66 the above recursion relations are valid for all @xmath67 and @xmath68 with the initial conditions @xmath69 and @xmath70 . these recursion relations in eq .
( [ recur1 ] ) are easy to follow .
consider first the relation for @xmath71 . in order for the first member @xmath62 to be positive
, it follows from the definition , @xmath72 , that @xmath73 for a given @xmath63 .
this explains the integration range on the right hand side of the first line in eq .
( [ recur1 ] ) . also once the first member is positive , in order to have a total @xmath48 positive members , we need to ensure that the rest of the chain of size @xmath74 ( excluding the first member ) has exactly @xmath75 positive members .
the probability of this latter event , for a given @xmath76 , is simply @xmath77 .
this explains the integrand on the right hand side of eq .
( [ recur1 ] ) .
the second line of eq .
( [ recur1 ] ) can be understood following a similar line of reasoning .
note that the recursion relations in eq .
( [ recur1 ] ) also satisfy the one sided boundary conditions , @xmath78 and @xmath79 .
the first condition follows from the fact that if @xmath80 , then the first member of the sequence @xmath72 can be positive only with a vanishing probability . on the other hand if @xmath81 , then @xmath62 can be negative only with probability zero thus giving rise to the second condition .
note however that the values at the other boundaries namely @xmath82 and @xmath83 are unspecified .
we next define the generating functions , @xmath84 with the understanding that @xmath85 for @xmath86 since @xmath48 can take values only in the range @xmath50 .
we also define @xmath87 . using eq .
( [ recur1 ] ) , it is easy to see that the generating functions satisfy the recursions , @xmath88 with the boundary conditions @xmath89 and @xmath90 for all @xmath91 .
these generating functions also satisfy the condition @xmath92 for all @xmath93 .
the next step is to differentiate the recursion relations in eq .
( [ recur2 ] ) with respect to @xmath63 which gives , @xmath94 further simplifications can be made by using the symmetry @xmath95 and by making a change of variable from @xmath63 to @xmath96 .
note that since @xmath34 is symmetric around the origin , @xmath97 corresponds to @xmath98 .
thus @xmath99 is a monotonic function of @xmath63 .
note further that as @xmath100 , @xmath101 , where we have again used the fact that @xmath102 is symmetric around the origin .
let us also write , @xmath103 and @xmath104 where @xmath105 .
then the relations in eq .
( [ recur3 ] ) simplify to , @xmath106 which are valid over @xmath107 . in terms of the variable @xmath108 , the boundary conditions @xmath89 and @xmath90 translate to @xmath109 and @xmath110 for all @xmath91 .
note also the interesting fact that the distribution @xmath34 has completely disappeared in eq .
( [ recur4 ] ) .
the consequence of this , as we will see later , is that occupation time distribution @xmath51 is completely universal , i.e. , independent of the distribution @xmath34 as long as it is symmetric and continuous . the recursion relations in eq .
( [ recur4 ] ) , though much simplified , are still nontrivial since they are nonlocal in @xmath108 .
we next employ the technique of separation of variables , @xmath111 where we have suppressed the @xmath93 dependence for convenience of notations . substituting this form in eq .
( [ recur4 ] ) , we get a non - local eigenvalue equation , @xmath112 \nonumber \\ { { d f^{-}}\over { du}}&= & -\lambda \left[f^+(-u)+f^{-}(-u)\right ] , \label{eigen1}\end{aligned}\ ] ] where the eigenvalue @xmath113 is yet to be determined .
we also have the boundary conditions , @xmath114 and @xmath115 .
it is easy to see from eq .
( [ eigen1 ] ) that the sum , @xmath116 satisfies the non - local first order equation , @xmath117 where @xmath118 .
differentiating this equation once more , we get a local second order equation , @xmath119 whose most general solution is given by @xmath120 where @xmath121 , @xmath122 are arbitrary constants .
one further notices that this general solution will also satisfy the first order non - local equation @xmath117 provided @xmath123 .
thus we arrive at the solution , @xmath124 $ ] . substituting this solution on the right hand side of the first line in eq .
( [ eigen1 ] ) and solving the resulting equation using the boundary condition @xmath125 , we get @xmath126 .
\label{fplus}\ ] ] the other function @xmath127 then follows from the relation , @xmath128 where @xmath129 $ ] and @xmath130 is given by eq .
( [ fplus ] ) .
the function @xmath127 still has to satisfy the boundary condition @xmath115 .
in fact , this condition determines the eigenvalue @xmath113 and we get @xmath131 where @xmath118 . for large @xmath40 ,
only the smallest eigenvalue @xmath113 will dominate which is given by @xmath132 using the exact @xmath133 from eq .
( [ eigenv ] ) , we are now ready to compute the large @xmath40 behavior of the occupation time distribution @xmath51 . in eq .
( [ pmn ] ) , after making a change of variable @xmath134 , we find the generating function , @xmath135 .
we substitute the large @xmath40 behavior @xmath136 and carry out the integration using the exact expression of @xmath137 to obtain the following exact large @xmath40 result , @xmath138}^{-n } , \label{asymp1}\ ] ] where @xmath133 is given by eq .
( [ eigenv ] ) . by inverting the generating function and carrying out a standard steepest decent analysis for large @xmath40 , large @xmath48 but keeping the ratio @xmath55 fixed , we get the desired result , @xmath139 $ ] where the large deviation function @xmath28 is given by the exact formula @xmath140 .
\label{ldf}\ ] ] we first note that the function @xmath141/(1-y)$ ] inside the ` log ' in eq .
( [ ldf ] ) is invariant under the transformation @xmath142 and @xmath143 , i.e. , @xmath144 .
this obviously indicates that @xmath58 as expected .
determining @xmath28 in closed form seems difficult , though it can be obtained quite trivially using mathematica , as displayed by the solid line in fig
it is however easy and instructive to obtain analytical expressions of @xmath28 in the regimes near @xmath145 and @xmath60 .
it turns out that these limits correspond respectively to @xmath146 and @xmath147 in the function @xmath148 . keeping @xmath149 fixed we expand @xmath148 for small @xmath93 and near @xmath147 in a taylor series and
then take the logarithm and maximize to obtain the following limiting behaviors , @xmath150 these limiting forms have interesting physical implications .
consider first the limit @xmath151 or equivalently @xmath152 .
note that @xmath153 $ ] is just the probability that all the members are either negative or positive up to length @xmath40 which is precisely the persistence of the sequence .
the persistence for this sequence was earlier computed in ref .
@xcite and it was found to decay for large @xmath40 as @xmath154 $ ] with the persistence exponent @xmath155 .
thus the limiting form of @xmath28 as @xmath151 in eq .
( [ limiting1 ] ) is consistent with the persistence exponent , @xmath156 .
the other limit @xmath157 is also interesting and can be derived independently from a central limit theorem . to see this we find from eq .
( [ occupseq ] ) that @xmath158 where @xmath159 , @xmath160 and @xmath161 .
in general the summands @xmath162 are of course highly correlated and one can not employ the central limit theorem to evaluate the sum . however , one can do so in the limit when @xmath163 when the variables @xmath162 become only weakly correlated .
then the central limit theorem predicts a gaussian distribution for the sum , @xmath164 $ ] where @xmath165 is the variance .
one can calculate this variance independently by computing the correlation functions @xmath166 where @xmath160 .
it is shown in the appendix that for large @xmath40 , @xmath167 .
hence the central limit theorem predicts that in the limit @xmath168 , @xmath169 $ ] thus yielding exactly the same limiting form of @xmath28 for @xmath157 as in eq .
( [ limiting1 ] ) .
thus the occupation time distribution @xmath51 , though gaussian near the mean value @xmath170 , becomes non - gaussian as @xmath55 deviates away from its mean and approaches the tails @xmath151 or @xmath171 .
this crossover from gaussian behavior near @xmath60 to non - gaussian behavior near @xmath172 is characterized by the large deviation function @xmath28 changing from a quadratic function near @xmath60 to non - quadratic behavior near @xmath172 as given by eq .
( [ limiting1 ] ) .
we conclude this section by noting the important fact that the large deviation function @xmath28 in eq .
( [ ldf ] ) and in fact the full occupation time distribution @xmath51 is completely universal , i.e. , independent of the distribution @xmath34 ( as long as @xmath34 is symmetric and continuous ) .
moreover , this universality holds for any arbitrary @xmath40 and not just asymptotically for large @xmath40 .
we start this section by raising a physical question for a general spin glass model defined on a finite lattice of @xmath40 sites : what is the distribution ( over disorder ) of the thermally averaged number of spins that are aligned to their local fields ?
this distribution depends on the temperature and on the system size @xmath40 .
it turns out that the distribution remains nontrivial even in the infinite temperature limit .
in fact , for a nearest neighbor ising spin glass chain , we show that this infinite temperature limiting distribution is precisely that of the occupation time distribution of the toy sequence computed in the previous section . the infinite temperature limit , though nontrivial , is tractable in few other cases such as the sk model of ising spin glass which will be discussed in detail in the next section .
consider a spin glass model on a lattice of @xmath40 sites defined by the hamiltonian , @xmath173 where @xmath174 s are the spin variables ( not necessarily ising ) and @xmath175 denotes the coupling between site @xmath43 and site @xmath44 . in the nearest neighbor model ,
the sum in eq .
( [ hamil ] ) runs over nearest neighbor pairs . on the other hand , for long range mean field models such as the sk model
, the sum runs over all pairs of sites .
the variables @xmath175 s are independent and each is drawn from the identical distribution @xmath176 , which we assume to be symmetric and continuous .
henceforth we will use the short hand notation @xmath177 and @xmath178 to denote respectively the set of couplings and the set of spins .
thus the @xmath179 s have the joint distribution @xmath180d\vec j = \prod_{i , j}\rho(j_{i , j})dj_{i , j}$ ] .
the local field that a spin at site @xmath43 sees is simply @xmath181 .
if the spin gets aligned to its local field , we must have @xmath182 .
hence the total number of spins @xmath183 $ ] in a given configuration that are aligned to their local fields can be formally written as , @xmath184&= & \sum_i \theta [ h_is_i ] \nonumber \\ & = & \sum_{i } \theta
\left [ s_i\sum_j j_{i , j}s_j\right ] . \label{align1}\end{aligned}\ ] ] evidently @xmath185 is a random variable that depends on the couplings @xmath177 as well as the spins @xmath178 .
let us first compute the thermal average of @xmath185 over the spin configurations for a fixed quenched disorder @xmath177 , @xmath186e^{-\beta e(\vec s ) } , \label{thermal1}\ ] ] where @xmath187 is the partition function and @xmath188 is the inverse temperature
. this thermal average @xmath189 is a random variable that varies from one realization of disorder to another .
we then ask : what is the probability distribution of this random variable ( over disorder ) at a given inverse temperature @xmath188 ?
this probability distribution @xmath190 can be formally represented as , @xmath191 q\left[\vec j\right]d{\vec j}. \label{distri1}\ ] ]
the analytical calculation of @xmath192 at arbitrary @xmath188 seems difficult .
let us , therefore , consider a simpler limit , namely the limit of infinite temperature or equivalently @xmath193 . in this limit , the thermal average in eq .
( [ thermal1 ] ) becomes simple , @xmath194/n_c$ ] where @xmath195 is the total number of spin configurations .
thus all spin configurations are equally likely . however , the distribution @xmath196 as in eq .
( [ distri1 ] ) , even in this infinite temperature limit , is still nontrivial .
let us now focus on ising spins where @xmath197 . here
@xmath198 where @xmath40 is total number of lattice sites .
( [ distri1 ] ) , using eq .
( [ align1 ] ) , then becomes simpler for the ising case ,
@xmath199q\left[\vec j\right]d \vec j $ ] .
the next step is to make a gauge transformation , @xmath200 .
since the spins are ising , i.e. , @xmath197 , @xmath201 s have the same distribution as the @xmath175 s .
the advantage of this gauge transformation is that one can then do away with the configuration sum over the spins and we simply get , @xmath202q\left[\vec \phi\right ] d{\vec \phi}. \label{gauge}\ ] ] now consider the special case of a nearest neighbor ising spin glass chain of size @xmath40 where @xmath203 with free boundary conditions .
various properties of this spin glass chain such as the statistics of the number of metastable states have been studied analytically by li@xcite and by derrida and gardner@xcite .
recently it was also shown that the persistence in the toy sequence studied in this paper is the same as the average fraction of metastable spins in the ising chain@xcite . in the present context , we find the distribution @xmath196 in eq .
( [ gauge ] ) reduces to , @xmath204q\left[\vec \phi\right]d\vec \phi .
\label{1dchain}\ ] ] comparing eqs .
( [ 1dchain ] ) and ( [ distri0 ] ) one immediately finds @xmath205 , where @xmath51 is precisely the occupation time distribution that was computed in sec .
this thus establishes the promised link between the spin glass problem discussed in this section and the non - markovian toy sequence discussed in sec .
the infinite temperature distribution ( over disorder ) of the thermally averaged number of locally aligned spins is identical to that of the occupation time distribution of the toy sequence discussed in sec .
ii . from the exact results of @xmath51 derived in sec .
ii , one therefore knows the distribution @xmath196 exactly as well .
a question naturally arises : are there other solvable cases for @xmath196 apart from the @xmath206-d chain ? in the next section we show that indeed the infinite range sk model is one such case where the distribution @xmath196 can be computed analytically .
in this section we calculate the infinite temperature distribution @xmath196 of the thermally averaged number of locally aligned spins in the infinite range sk model defined by the hamiltonian in eq .
( [ hamil ] ) where @xmath207 runs over all pairs of the total number of @xmath40 sites .
the couplings @xmath175 s are independent of each other and we assume that each is drawn from a gaussian distribution , @xmath208 . the choice @xmath209 is necessary to ensure that the free energy is extensive in the large @xmath40 limit .
it is clear from eq .
( [ gauge ] ) that if we define @xmath210 where each of the @xmath201 s are independent gaussian variables with the distribution @xmath211 , then @xmath212 .
it turns out that for technical reasons it is easier to consider the variable @xmath213 where @xmath214 .
hence @xmath215 .
in what follows we will first compute the distribution @xmath216 and derive the corresponding distribution of @xmath48 using the simple shift @xmath215 .
since we are eventually interested in the limit @xmath54 , @xmath217 but keeping the ratio @xmath218 fixed , we set @xmath219 and write @xmath220 \right \rangle}_{\psi } \nonumber \\ & = & \int_{-\infty}^{\infty } { { d\mu}\over { 2\pi}}e^{-i\mu mn } { \left\langle e^{i\mu\sum_{i=1}^n { \rm sgn}(\psi_i)}\right \rangle}_{\psi } , \label{deltarep}\end{aligned}\ ] ] where we have used the representation of the delta function , @xmath221 and @xmath222 denotes the expectation over the distributions of @xmath35 s . using the identity , @xmath223
, one can rewrite eq .
( [ deltarep ] ) as @xmath224 we next use the representation , @xmath225 in eq .
( [ sigmarep ] ) , make the transformation @xmath226 and @xmath227 and then sum over the @xmath228 variables to obtain @xmath229 \right\rangle } _
\label{cosrep}\end{aligned}\ ] ] the next step is to evaluate the the expectation value @xmath230 .
using @xmath231 , we note that @xmath232 . using the gaussian distribution @xmath233
, one can easily evaluate the expectation value to finally obtain , @xmath234 $ ] .
we next expand the sum , @xmath235 and use a hubbard - stratonovich transformation , @xmath236=\sqrt { { n\over { 2\pi}}}\int_{-\infty}^{\infty } dz e^{iz \sum_i \lambda_i -nz^2/2}$ ] , to finally write the expected value of the product as , @xmath237 we then substitute eq .
( [ hs ] ) in eq .
( [ cosrep ] ) and carry out the gaussian integrations over the variables @xmath238 s and @xmath239 s to get @xmath240}^n , \label{final0}\ ] ] where the function @xmath241 is given by @xmath242 , \label{azmu}\ ] ] with @xmath243 being the complementary error function .
we next expand the right hand side of eq .
( [ azmu ] ) in a binomial series , substitute the resulting series in eq .
( [ final0 ] ) and carry out the integration with respect to @xmath244 to obtain , @xmath245}^{(1-m)n/2 } { \left[{\rm erfc(-z/\sqrt{2}})\right]}^{(1+m)n/2}. \label{binomial}\end{aligned}\ ] ] keeping @xmath246 fixed we then use the stirling s formula to approximate the combinatorial factor in eq .
( [ binomial ] ) for large @xmath40 and then use the steepest descent method to evaluate the integral in eq .
( [ binomial ] ) for large @xmath40 .
this gives , ignoring pre - exponential factors , a similar asymptotic behavior as in the @xmath206-d case , @xmath247 where the large deviation function @xmath248 in this case is given by , @xmath249 .
\label{thetam}\ ] ] in terms of the original variable @xmath250 , the distribution is then given by @xmath251 $ ] with @xmath252 where @xmath253 is given exactly by eq .
( [ thetam ] ) .
the function @xmath28 is symmetric around @xmath60 since @xmath248 in eq .
( [ thetam ] ) is symmetric around @xmath254 . as in the @xmath206-d case
, it seems difficult to obtain a closed form expression of @xmath28 .
however , it can be easily evaluated from eq .
( [ thetam ] ) using mathematica as displayed by the dotted line in fig.1 .
moreover , similar to the @xmath206-d case , one can evaluate @xmath28 analytically near @xmath60 as well as near the tail regions @xmath172 . omitting the details of algebra , we find , @xmath255 where @xmath256 $ ] , @xmath257 and @xmath258 is the root of the equation , @xmath259 solving eq .
( [ root1 ] ) numerically yields @xmath260 which gives @xmath261 and @xmath262 .
thus the limiting behaviors of @xmath28 near @xmath60 and @xmath172 in the sk model in eq .
( [ limitingsk ] ) are qualitatively similar to those in the @xmath206-d case in eq .
( [ limiting1 ] ) . using similar arguments as in sec .
i , one can understand the behavior near @xmath60 as a consequence of a central limit theorem which predicts a gaussian behavior for @xmath263 $ ] , where @xmath264 is the variance . comparing with eq .
( [ limitingsk ] ) we find that the variance for large @xmath40 is given exactly by , @xmath265 .
this result for the variance can also be derived by a direct method as shown in the appendix , thus providing an additional consistency check .
the results for the statistics of @xmath48 in the @xmath206-d case and in the sk model can be jointly summarized as : the mean is always given by , @xmath159 and the variance for large @xmath40 is given by , @xmath266 .
the behavior in the tail region near @xmath151 ( or equivalently near @xmath171 ) is also interesting .
let us , for simplicity , consider the @xmath171 limit where @xmath267 .
it is clear from the expression of @xmath268 in eq .
( [ gauge ] ) that the delta function will contribute only when each of the @xmath269 function inside the sum are satisfied , i.e. , if @xmath270 .
thus evidently @xmath271 . but
this quantity is just the average number of _ metastable _ configurations in the spin glass . to see this clearly ,
consider again the spin glass hamiltonian in eq .
( [ hamil ] )
. a spin configuration is called metastable if the energy required to flip any of the @xmath40 spins is strictly positive .
in other words , all the spins must be aligned to their local fields in a metastable configuration .
hence , for a fixed disorder , the fraction of metastable configurations ( out of the total number of @xmath272 spin configurations ) is given by , @xmath273 where @xmath274 s are the local fields .
finally , the average ( over disorder ) fraction of the metastable configurations is given by , @xmath275 d\vec j$ ] .
using once again the gauge transformation for ising spins , @xmath276 one can easily express this average fraction as @xmath277 .
our results on the large deviation function near @xmath278 in eq .
( [ limitingsk ] ) indicates that @xmath279 for large @xmath40 with @xmath261 . on the other hand ,
the average number of metastable configurations in the sk model was computed long ago by tanaka and edwards@xcite and also by bray and moore@xcite and this average is known to increase exponentially for large @xmath40 as @xmath280 where @xmath281@xcite . hence the average fraction scales as @xmath282 with @xmath283 .
thus the constant @xmath284 in eq .
( [ limitingsk ] ) is precisely the same as the constant @xmath285 and hence the limiting behavior of our large deviation function near the tails @xmath278 is completely consistent with the calculation of average number of metastable states .
let us conclude this section with the following comment .
in the case of the @xmath206-d toy sequence , we found in sec - ii that the full occupation time distribution @xmath51 and consequently the associated large deviation function is completely independent of the distribution @xmath34 . in the case of the sk model
, we have derived the large devaition function for a specific form of the disorder distribution , namely the gaussian form .
naturally the question arises as to how universal is this large deviation function as one changes the disorder distribution . evidently for finite
n the results in the sk case , unlike the @xmath206-d case , will depend on the details of the distribution @xmath176 .
however , due to the @xmath286 scaling in the definition of the distribution of the @xmath175 , the large @xmath40 results inculding the large deviation are universal ( upto rescaling by a constant factor ) , provided the variance of the @xmath175 s is finite . in the case of mean field spin glasses with power law or lvy interactions@xcite ,
the variance of the @xmath175 is no longer finite and it would be interesting to study the occupation time distribution in this context .
the three main points of this paper are : ( i ) we have been able to derive , for the first time , exact results for the occupation time distribution of a non - markovian process . in our case ,
the stochastic process is not continuous in time , but rather a discrete toy sequence .
nevertheless this toy sequence retains the non - markovian property which makes the results nontrivial .
besides the fact that exact results are always useful and instructive , this toy sequence also appears in various physical contexts such as diffusion process and spin glasses , thus extending the range of applications of our results .
( ii ) we also established an exact mapping of this sequence to an ising spin glass chain using a gauge transformation .
the occupation time distribution in the sequence then translates , via this mapping , into the distribution of the thermally averaged number of spins that are aligned to their local fields in the spin glass chain at infinite temperature when all spin configurations are equally likely .
this observation raises an interesting new question for any generic finite sized spin glass model : at a given temperature , what is the distribution of the thermally averaged number of locally aligned spins ?
our exact results in one dimension show that this distribution remains nontrivial even at infinite temperature .
( iii ) we then were able to compute analytically this infinite temperature distribution in the sk model of spin glasses with gaussian disorder and argued that for very large @xmath40 , the associated large deviation function is again universal , i.e. , independent of the precise form of the disorder distribution .
we leave open the possibility of computing this distribution at a finite temperature for any spin glass model .
for example , it would be interesting to know how this distribution changes as one goes below the spin glass transition temperature .
the study of the number of metastable spins in various other spin glass models is an open question .
we mention a few cases where exact results along these lines may be possible as the average number of metastable states is calculable : the sk model in the presence of external fields@xcite , p - spin spin glass models@xcite , spin glasses on random graphs@xcite , mean field spin glasses with lvy interactions@xcite , the hopfield neural network model @xcite and the random orthogonal model@xcite .
the study of spin glass models on random graphs of fixed connectivity @xmath285 are of particular interest as they interpolate between the one dimensional toy model studied here , at @xmath287 , and the sk model in the limit @xmath288 .
in this appendix we compute the variances of the occupation time both in the one dimensional toy sequence and in the sk model by a more direct method .
these results are identical to those obtained from the limiting forms of the large deviation functions near @xmath60 .
we have in general , @xmath290 \rangle \nonumber \\ & = & { n\over 4 } + 2 \sum_{i < j } \left ( \langle \theta(\psi_i ) \theta(\psi_j ) \rangle - { 1\over 4 } \right ) \nonumber \\ & = & { n\over 4 } + { 1\over 2 } \sum_{i < j } \langle { \rm sgn}(\psi_i ) { \rm sgn}(\psi_j)\end{aligned}\ ] ] where we have made use of the identities @xmath291 for all @xmath43 and @xmath292 . in the one dimensional model only neighboring sites are correlated and hence one has @xmath293 where we have used the isotropy of the sites in the large @xmath40 limit .
one now has that @xmath294 we introduce the function @xmath295 and use the relations @xmath296 and @xmath297 to carry out the integration and thus obtain @xmath298 putting this altogether gives the large @xmath40 asymptotic result @xmath167 .
in fact using the generating function technique used in this paper , and hence taking into account the boundary terms exactly , one can show that @xmath299 for any @xmath40 .
note that this result , for arbitrary @xmath40 , is independent of the precise form of the distribution @xmath34 .
we now turn to the sk model where @xmath300 and the random variables @xmath201 s are independent and identically distributed with the gaussian distribution @xmath211 . clearly , one has @xmath301 and @xmath302 .
we next use the well known identity that holds only for gaussian random variables , @xmath303 using this identity we get for @xmath304 , @xmath305 this yields @xmath306 which gives the result @xmath307 in the limit of large @xmath40 .
we note that the result in eq .
( [ skvar ] ) for finite @xmath40 is valid only when the distribution of the @xmath201 is gaussian .
the finite @xmath40 result for arbitrary distribution of the @xmath201 will depend in general on the details of the distribution and hence , in contrary to what happens in the one dimensional toy model , will not be universal .
however , as argued in sec .
iv , the large @xmath40 results including the result for the variance , i.e. , @xmath308 is universal as long as the variance of the @xmath201 is finite .
m. kac , trans . am .
soc . * 65 * , 1 ( 1949 ) ; d.a . darling and m.
kac , trans .
soc . * 84 * , 444 ( 1957 ) ; for a recent review of the occupation time in the mathematics literature see s. watanabe , proc .
pure math . * 57 * , 157 ( 1995 ) .
see also m. yor , _ some aspects of brownian motion _ , part 1 , ( birkhauser , zurich , 1992 ) .
a. dhar and s.n .
majumdar , phys .
e * 59 * , 6413 ( 1999 ) ; i. dornic , a. lamaitre , a. baldassari , and h. chat , j. phys .
a : math . gen . * 33 * , 7499 ( 2000 ) ; t.j .
newman and w. loinaz , phys .
86 * , 2712 ( 2001 ) ; g. de smedt , c. godrche and j.m
. luck , j. phys .
a : math . gen . * 34 * , 1247 ( 2001 ) ; s.n .
majumdar , a.j .
bray , and g.c.m.a .
ehrhardt , phys .
e * 64 * , 015101r ( 2001 ) ; g.c.m.a .
ehrhardt and a.j .
bray , phys .
lett . * 88 * , 070601 ( 2002 ) ; g.c.m.a .
ehrhardt , a.j .
bray , and s.n .
majumdar , phys .
e * 65 * , 041102 ( 2002 ) . | arxiv |
If you have ever been to Las Vegas before, then you know that years ago, it is not the most ideal place to find a place to eat in because all you can find are cheap fast food restaurants and coffee shops where all you can order is inexpensive food that lacks flavor. But the great thing is that those times are now gone. Today, we have a Las Vegas where we can find all kinds of restaurants that are famous all over the world. You can find all the greatest chefs making their name here. Upon visiting, you will discover that Las Vegas is not only for those who love to gamble. It is also for those who love fine dining. You don't have to worry about not being able to have a particular food because there are so many restaurants that you can choose from. Among the best ones that you can try out here are the Thai restaurants that can rival the most famous ones in the country. Here in this article, we are going to talk about the most important things that you have to know so that you'd be able to find the best Thai place.
Because of the exquisite taste that it can offer us, Thai has always been among our favorites. You will certainly not have any difficulty in finding them because there are so many choices available for you. However, if your visit is limited and you need to choose only a few places to go to, it is very important that you end up only with the best one.
When it comes to finding the best Thai restaurant in Las Vegas, you will have a lot of help. For one, you can always asks the people you know if they can recommend some place for you. They'd be able to warn you about the bad experiences they've had as well as the best ones.
Aside from your friends and colleagues, the Internet is also very helpful. We are aware of the fact that the Internet is very powerful because it can give us almost anything we want. You can find a lot of food blogs that will provide a guide on what you should do while you are in Vegas. These blogs will tell you everything you know so that you will have an idea of what you should expect from these places, from the price of the dishes they offer to the description of the taste of their food. Another great thing about it is that you would know which among them has satisfied customers the most because there are also reviews that you can read on. | slim_pajama |
organophosphorous poisoning ( op ) are known to have many neurological manifestations such asseizure and coma .
we present a case of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome ( pres ) caused by op .
a 32-year - old male , with no other medical problems previously , presentedwith excessive salivation , sweating and breathlessness .
further historyrevealed that he had consumed op with suicidal intention , though the precise name of the poison was not known . on examination ,
he was in a coma with glasgow coma scale was e1 m4 v3 , with bilateral pin point pupils .
examination revealed a heart rate of 80 beats / min , blood pressure of 140/90 mmhg , had had excessivesecretions and crepitations in the chest .
laboratory investigation revealed raised plasma cholinesterase levels , confirming the diagnosis of op . during his stay in intensive care unit ,
patient had tachycardia with heart rate varying between 110 and 140/min and high blood pressure varying between 140/90 and 200/110 mmhg , presumably due to sympathetic over - stimulation caused by the op .
the patient was restless and irritable requiring sedation and analgesia with midazolam and fentanyl infusion .
from the day 4 of poisoning , patient was complaining of headache , blurring of vision and weakness on the right side of the body .
his secretions had reduced and hence atropine was weaned off on the 6 day . despite sedation with midazolam and propofol ,
tracheostomy was carried out on 8 day and ventilator support was continued . on 9 day , patient developed focal seizures in the right upper limb and face .
focal seizures persisted next day ; hence , tablet levetiracetam 500 mg was started [ table 1 ] .
course during of the patient intensive care unit stay magnetic resonance imaging ( mri ) of the brain performed on 10 day revealed multifocal hyperintensities mainly in subcortical areas of parietal and occipital areas in t2-weighted images [ figure 1 ] .
apparent diffusion coefficient was calculated , which also showed increase values indicating pres [ figure 2 ] .
multifocal hyper intensities mainly in subcortical areas of parietal , occipital and temporal cortex in t2-weighted images , with increased values of apparent diffusion coefficient t2-hyperintense , elevated signal on diffusion weighted imaging ( t2-shine through ) oral metaprolol was started along with labetalol infusion for better control of blood pressure .
patient 's blood pressure normalized from the 16 day ; hence , metoprolol and labetalol were tapered off . he was weaned from ventilator , shifted to the ward and tracheostomy was decannulatedover the next fewdays .
patient gradually recovered motor power over next 5 days and was discharged from hospital with out any neurological deficits .
a 32-year - old male , with no other medical problems previously , presentedwith excessive salivation , sweating and breathlessness .
further historyrevealed that he had consumed op with suicidal intention , though the precise name of the poison was not known . on examination ,
he was in a coma with glasgow coma scale was e1 m4 v3 , with bilateral pin point pupils .
examination revealed a heart rate of 80 beats / min , blood pressure of 140/90 mmhg , had had excessivesecretions and crepitations in the chest .
laboratory investigation revealed raised plasma cholinesterase levels , confirming the diagnosis of op . during his stay in intensive care unit ,
patient had tachycardia with heart rate varying between 110 and 140/min and high blood pressure varying between 140/90 and 200/110 mmhg , presumably due to sympathetic over - stimulation caused by the op .
the patient was restless and irritable requiring sedation and analgesia with midazolam and fentanyl infusion .
from the day 4 of poisoning , patient was complaining of headache , blurring of vision and weakness on the right side of the body .
his secretions had reduced and hence atropine was weaned off on the 6 day . despite sedation with midazolam and propofol ,
tracheostomy was carried out on 8 day and ventilator support was continued . on 9 day , patient developed focal seizures in the right upper limb and face .
focal seizures persisted next day ; hence , tablet levetiracetam 500 mg was started [ table 1 ] .
course during of the patient intensive care unit stay magnetic resonance imaging ( mri ) of the brain performed on 10 day revealed multifocal hyperintensities mainly in subcortical areas of parietal and occipital areas in t2-weighted images [ figure 1 ] .
apparent diffusion coefficient was calculated , which also showed increase values indicating pres [ figure 2 ] .
multifocal hyper intensities mainly in subcortical areas of parietal , occipital and temporal cortex in t2-weighted images , with increased values of apparent diffusion coefficient t2-hyperintense , elevated signal on diffusion weighted imaging ( t2-shine through ) oral metaprolol was started along with labetalol infusion for better control of blood pressure .
patient 's blood pressure normalized from the 16 day ; hence , metoprolol and labetalol were tapered off . he was weaned from ventilator , shifted to the ward and tracheostomy was decannulatedover the next fewdays .
patient gradually recovered motor power over next 5 days and was discharged from hospital with out any neurological deficits .
op are known to cause three well - defined neurological syndromes . ( a ) initial cholinergic crisis during , which mental obtundation , cognitive impairment , convulsions or coma may be present .
( b ) the intermediate syndrome , in which proximal muscle weakness , cranial nerve palsies and respiratory muscle weakness are seen .
( c ) delayed organophosphate induced polyneuropathy that usually presents as calf and distal muscle weakness , foot drop or claw hand .
unilateral proximal and distal muscle weakness and focal seizures presenting about a week after poisoning are not seen in delayed neurotoxicity of op .
development of latter symptoms along with ahistory of persistent high blood pressure raised the suspicion of intracranial hemorrhage .
mri imaging revealed multifocal hyperintensities mainly in the subcortical areas of parietal and occipital regionsin t2-weighted images .
anything that is t2-hyperintense ( e.g. , cerebral edema as well as ischemia ) can falsely elevate signals on diffusion weighted imaging(t2-shinethrough ) . to eliminate the effect of t2-signals
pres is a clinical - neuroradiological entity involving mainly the posterior circulation of the central nervous system and appearing as vasogenic edema on mri .
the exact pathogenesis of vasogenic edema in pres remains unclear ; possibly it is due to the failure of autoregulation and endothelial damage .
hypertension may lead to disruption of the blood brain barrier and cytotoxic drugs like cyclosporine known to cause direct damage to the endothelium may lead to pres .
we could not get any report of pres caused by op . some of the organophosphates , especially those crossing the blood brain barrier are known to cause direct neurotoxic effects and convulsions .
hence , its direct neurotoxic effect can not be ascertained . though most of the organophosphates are more likely to cause bradycardia and hypotension , in a few patients tachycardia and hypertension may occur due to their ncotinic action .
our patient had tachycardia and hypertension from the time of presentation , which continued despite stopping atropine infusion and adequate sedation .
hence , autonomic dysregulation leading to persistent hypertension as well as direct neurotoxic effects by op , together might have contributed to the development of pres .
therefore , we conclude that in patients of organophosphate compound poisoning who develop hypertension , the possibility of pres should be entertained . in patients with toxic encephalopathy mri scan with diffusion weighted imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient calculation should be carried out to differentiate vasogenic edema from pres . | pubmed |
Sailor Moon Rei's Heartbreak
A/N: Just A Short One Shot Of Rei Struggling To Deal With Her Feeling After Darien Is Revealed To Be Tuxedo Mask & The Moon Princess' True Love.
_Am I dreaming? I must be because there is absolutely no way that meatball head could be the Princess! She's so spineless and weak, always running away there is just no way! Something must have gone wrong. Darien, my Darien, is Tuxedo Mask and the Moon Princess' true love! God this can't be happening!_
"Rei!" a voiced yelled snapping Rei out of her trance.
"What?!" the dark haired beauty snapped as she looked up to see her fellow Scouts and cat guardians looking at her.
"We were discussing Serena", Ami said quietly. "She's been in a deep depression ever since we found out she's the Princess."
"Poor girl", Lita added in. "All those memories coming back to her really overloaded her and losing Darien has completely pushed her over the edge."
Rei tried to keep her feeling hidden but she could feel herself growing angrier by the minute.
"I've got some the things to take care of at the temple", she said abruptly standing up from their table at the coffee house.
"But Rei?" Mina said shocked that she was leaving in the middle of a meeting.
"Is something going on?" Luna asked the girls, also surprised by Rei sudden departure.
"I think Rei is just dealing with some things right now", Lita said knowingly. "We should all just give her some space."
The others at the table nodded in agreement.
"Alright then", Luna said. "Let's get back to business.
…
_Serena, Serena, Serena! It's all they want to talk about, she thought as she raced toward the temple. I'm the one who lost the guy I love forever, up until a few days ago Serena hated Darien now everyone wants to pretend they had some miracle romance?_
Rei reached the temple in record time and hurried to her small room, ignoring her grandfather's questions. As soon as the door closed behind her she allowed herself to slump down resting her head against the door. Finally alone Rei allowed her emotions to overcome her & began to sob with all her heart. When she was unable to cry anymore she wiped her face with her sleeves and struggled to stop her body from shaking.
_Why am I so hurt by this? Rei thought as she pulled herself up from the floor. _
She noticed her floor length mirror and walked closer to it, gazing at her reflection. She barely recognized the person she saw, her eyes were blood shot, her face red and puffy & her hair a complete mess. Not liking what she saw Rei turned away from the mirror and decided to take a hot shower and mediate.
After her shower Rei found herself sitting in front of the flames mediating for two hours and still had not found relief. When the third hour was upon her, Rei was saying her final chant...
"I am flame, flame is light. I am fire, fire is sight."
(_Rei's Vision)_
Rei suddenly found herself in a beautiful bedroom designed with red and black furnishings. On a great bed sat a beautiful girl in a ruby colored ball gown, her hair was in an elegant black bun and rubies adorned her from head to toe. Rei was in awe of this gorgeous woman and knew not what to say to her.
Once she noticed Rei the woman stood and smiled at her.
"I have been waiting for you Rei." she said softly.
"W-Who are you?" Rei asked though she already had an idea.
"I am Amerie, The Princess of Mars, and your past self Rei", she said smiling.
"Why am I here?" Rei asked tears filling her eyes.
"You know the answer to that question Rei." Princess Amerie said. "You're hurting and searching for someone to understand you and who better to understand you than your past self?"
Rei could say nothing, only allowing the tears she was struggling to hold back spill over. The wise Princess gently wrapped her arms around Rei and tried to sooth her.
"It is alright to be hurt Rei, it is even alright to be angry", the Princess said. "But you must not allow these feelings to consume you and turn you into a bitter person. What is meant to be will be, in this life or the next."
Rei pulled away shocked. "Y-you loved him too?" she said stunned.
"I did", the Princess said quietly. "Which is why I understand your heartbreak better than anyone, I too have felt it."
Rei felt her eyes fill once again with tears but Princess Amerie put up a hand to stop her from crying.
"And that is also how I know that you will get past this", she said passionately grabbing Rei's hands. "You are the Princess of the Fire Planet, a warrior princess and even now in your time you are a brave and gallant solider. There is nothing you cannot do! I call you now to wake up and remember who you are!
Rei stared at the Princess feeling something stir inside her and reached out to embrace Princess Amerie but she was not tangible. Everything was becoming blurry and fading away.
"Noo!" Rei yelled. "Wait! Princess Amerie, wait!"
As she faded away completely, the Princess gave Rei once last smile. "Remember who you are."
(_End of Vision)_
When Rei's eyes burst opened she found herself covered in sweat still sitting in front of the fire. What had happened? Had it all been a dream? As she looked into the fire, Rei realized it had not been a dream. She had gone back in time and met her past herself, Princess Amerie.
Soaked with sweat Rei took another shower and reflected on everything that had just happened. As she returned to her room, she once again noticed her reflection in the mirror. Instead of the devastated girl that had been there earlier, she now saw a beautiful girl, with bright eyes and an even brighter future ahead of her. Rei smiled at herself, feeling truly happy for the first time since the revelation. Princess Amerie was right she would get past this; she was the Princess of Mars and the Solider of Passion. She would love and protect her Princess and find her own happily ever after. One day.
End file.
| fanfiction |
Carlos Antonio Bautista Bettini Francese is an Argentinian businessman, politician, and diplomat who was the Argentinian ambassador to Spain and Andorra. In his youth he was a close friend of Nestor Kirchner and Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, both of whom appointed him to the ambassadorship during their terms as president of Argentina. His appointment to this position was a matter of considerable controversy owing to his background as a lobbyist for Spanish businesses in Argentina.
Bettini, who was a member of the Montoneros, a militant left-wing group of the 1960s and 70s, has been accused to be the perpetrator of a famous murder in 1976. More recently, his activities on behalf of Spanish interests have caused him to face charges of corruption and bribery.
Early life and education
Bettini was born on October 13, 1951, in La Plata, where his family was one of the best known and wealthiest families in the city. In his youth he played rugby for a club called San Luis.
Bettini was a friend of Cristina Fernández when they were in their teens in La Plata. Some sources say that they were romantically involved. He knew Cristina five years before they both met Néstor Kirchner. His connections to both Kirchners would end up being pivotal in shaping his political and diplomatic career. To this day he is described as an intimate of Cristina Kirchner.
In his early years, Bettini belonged to the Montoneros, a militant left-wing group of the 1960s and 70s, and according to some sources was the principal perpetrator of the ETA-style murder of retired Naval Captain Jorge Bigliardi on a street in La Plata on June 12, 1976. It was said that Bettini was able to approach Bigliardi without arousing suspicion because they were friends. Bettini, who went by the alias Soldado Emilio, is said to have committed the crime in collaboration with his brother and another member of the Montoneros. Some sources indicate that his brother-in-law Jorge Devoto, another Naval Captain who lived in the same building as Bigliardi, was another proposed target for assassination by Bettini and his confederates.
Bettini's father, Antonio Bautista Bettini, was a federal prosecutor and a professor at several universities who was disappeared in 1977 during the military dictatorship. His brother, Marcelo Gabriel José Bettini, a student of agronomics, was disappeared in 1976; Jorge Alberto Daniel Devoto, a Naval Captain who was the husband of Bettini's sister Maria, was disappeared in 1977. Bettini's maternal grandmother, María de las Mercedes Hourquebie de Francese, was also disappeared in that year.
Bettini went into exile in Spain after the disappearances of his family members. He received a law degree in 1986 from Universidad Complutense de Madrid in Spain.
Career
Exile in Spain
In Spain, Bettini became a close friend and political and business ally of Felipe González, the longtime leader of Spain's Socialist Workers' Party. He also had business dealings with Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, the richest man in the world. In addition, he is said to have befriended a circle of pro-Franco industrialists and members of the conservative Catholic group Opus Dei.
After Isabel Martínez de Perón was released from Spanish prison and moved to Madrid, Bettini reportedly approached her and won her confidence and developed a close relationship to her, soon taking the place of Mario Rotundo, who had been in charge of the assets she had inherited from her husband. After he took over this role, Bettini reportedly was an accomplice of Argentinian President Carlos Menem and Isabel Perón in the management of several funds.
From 1983 to 1993, he served as an advisor on foreign relations to the Spanish government Ombudsman, a position that during those years was held in turn by Joaquín Ruiz-Giménez Cortés, Álvaro Gil-Robles, and Margarita Retuerto Buades. He is said to have acquired this job thanks to the influence of González, who also arranged for Bettini to receive Spanish citizenship.
Return to Argentina
Returning to Argentina in 1991, Bettini served between 1993 and 1996 as the director of Aerolineas Argentinas. During part of his tenure in this position, he also worked as a lobbyist in Argentina for Spanish companies. Spanish politician and union leader Ariel Basteiro called this the period of greatest depletion for the airline, explaining that under Bettini's control its interests shifted from Argentina to Spain, specifically toward the Spanish state airline, Iberia. According to Basteiro, Bettini promoted a business strategy for the airline that involved borrowing a hundred million dollars, selling real estate, equipment, and aircraft, and cutting back on services. The result was a significant loss of market share to Iberia.
During the presidency of Carlos Menem, he was a consultant in the Ministry of Justice under Jorge Maiorano, Rodolfo Barra, and Elias Jassán. He was the head of the cabinet of Attorney General Nicolás Becerra from 1998 until Becerra's retirement in February 2004.
During the years 1993 to 1996, he was also a member of the organizing committee for IDEA Instituto para el Desarrollo Empresarial de la Argentina and a member of Patronato de la Fundación Euroamérica. He was Argentina's representative to the annual meeting of the UN Commission for the Prevention of Crime in Vienna 1994,1995 and to an international conference of Ombudsmen in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1994.
In December 1999, Patricia Bullrich, then Minister of Corrections, filed a complaint against Bettini with federal Judge Jorge Urso for corruption, specifically for an attempt to bribe Bullrich herself, in connection with his alleged activity on behalf of a Spanish firm, Dycasa, that sought to secure a contract to build and renovate prisons in Argentina. Bullrich's allegations were studied by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, which suggested prosecuting him, at the very least, on the charge of inappropriate exercise of public functions. Although there was a raid on Bettini's office and a plan was apparently underway to prosecute Bettini, it came to nothing. Proceedings against him were halted, and it was widely argued that this happened because of his high position and connections. It was noted in particular that Becerra, his superior, had close ties to Dycasa.
On June 2, 2001, Bullrich, then Minister of Labor, said in a television interview that...no one had shown interest in the proposed privatization of Aerolineas Argentinas in 1990 and that Carlos Menem had to personally call Felipe González to ask that Iberia do so. A report by a committee of experts who ruled that the proposal was inviable economically and technically never came to anything.
At one point, Bettini also was the subject of a preliminary probe into charges of conspiracy, involving payments made to benefit the interests of the so-called Floating Casino.
Ambassador to Spain
Bettini has been Argentina's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain and the Principality of Andorra since August 6, 2004. He has served in this capacity under both President Néstor Kirchner and President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.
His appointment as ambassador to Spain caused controversy because he had no diplomatic background and was viewed as a lobbyist for Spanish business interests in Argentina. Patricia Bullrich openly criticized his appointment, saying that it was inappropriate to appoint a lobbyist for Spain to the ambassadorship. Bullrich cited Bettini's alleged actions on behalf of Dycasa, and noted that he had been reported at the time to the Anti-Corruption Bureau. Bettini denied having ever worked as a lobbyist, and announced that he would file a complaint against Bullrich in response to her accusations. Opposition leader Elisa Carrio warned that if he was appointed ambassador, she would file a criminal complaint for illegal appointment.
One source noted that although Bettini, upon being appointed ambassador to Spain, denied ever having been a lobbyist or representative for Spanish companies, stating that such activities would be inappropriate for a public official or diplomat, he had explicitly identified himself in 2000 as a lobbyist for Spanish business and political interests.
In a 2013 public address by Maria Bettini, the disappearances of the Bettini family members were used to contrast the terror and human-rights abuses of the military dictatorship with what Carlos Bettini himself, at that event, described as the benign human-rights policies of the Kirchners.
Honors and awards
In 2004 the Kingdom of Spain awarded Bettini the Grand Cross of the Order of Isabel the Catholic, with the degree of Commendation. This award was viewed as a reflection of the closeness of Bettini's relationship with the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party.
References
Category:Argentine businesspeople
Category:Ambassadors of Argentina to Spain
Category:Ambassadors of Argentina to Andorra
Category:1951 births
Category:Living people | wikipedia |
Awww... he finally told her. And she reciprocated. And the world didn't end for either of them. How very sweet. He was even able to get the bauble for her that he couldn't get in the last vignette. I really hope they can make their plans work. They both deserve happiness and each other.
The words have been spoken.You have come such a long way.The heart is on the sleeve.It has been all worth it. | slim_pajama |
pubmed |
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in recent years the game based control has received extensive attention from control community .
the game theory has been applied to various control problems , including control of hybrid systems@xcite , planning hybrid power systems and distributed power control @xcite , @xcite , analysis and control of networks @xcite , distributed coverage of mobile agents @xcite , @xcite , road congestion control @xcite , just to name few .
particularly , the game theoretic control is a promising new approach to the distributed control of multi - agent systems . in @xcite
the consensus of multi - agent systems is investigated .
@xcite describes a solution framework for multi - agent control problem using game theory .
non - cooperative dynamic game theory provides an environment for formulating multi - agent decision control problems using distributed optimization @xcite .
learning is an important tool to realize a global goal for game theoretic approach of multi - agent systems @xcite .
an hourglass architecture was proposed in @xcite to illustrate the game theoretic control using potential games as the interface ( refer to fig .
[ fig.1 ] ) . ]
consider a multi - agent system .
assume a system level objective function is given .
this paper considers whether the system designer is able to design local information based utility functions for individual agents , such that the multi - agent system becomes a networked potential game with the objective function as the potential function .
then as the agents using their local information to maximize their utility functions the overall system can maximize the ( system level ) objective function .
the paper consists mainly of two parts : first , the fixed topology case is considered .
a necessary and sufficient condition is obtained to assure the existence of local information based utility functions .
then we show that the networked evolutionary potential games are special case of this kind of multi - agent systems .
second , the case of time - varying topology is investigated .
the concepts and results about state based potential game proposed by j.r .
marden @xcite have been used and combined with our previous results .
similar to fixed topology case , a necessary and sufficient condition is also obtained .
certain state transition process is proposed as strategy depending markov process , which assures the non - decreasing requirement of the state based potential function .
an illustrative example is presented , which shows that the game theoretic control makes the multi - agent system reach consensus with probability @xmath0 .
the rest of this paper is organized as follows : section 2 provides some necessary preliminaries , including ( i ) semi - tensor product of matrices , which is a basic tool in our approach ; ( ii)the potential equation , which is a key result used in this paper ; ( iii ) networked potential game , which is an important example of the multi - agent systems concerned in this paper .
section 3 considers the game theoretic control for fixed topology multi - agent systems .
a necessary and sufficient condition is presented .
it is also shown that networked potential games meet the requirement . the game theoretic control for time - varying topology
is discussed in section 4 .
state based potential game is reviewed first .
a necessary and sufficient conditions is also obtained .
an illustrative example is presented .
section 5 is a brief conclusion .
this subsection gives a brief review for semi - tensor product ( stp ) .
we refer to @xcite , @xcite , @xcite for details . for statement
ease , we first introduce some notations : 1 .
@xmath1 : the set of @xmath2 dimensional real matrices .
2 . @xmath3 ( @xmath4 ) : the set of columns ( rows ) of @xmath5 ; @xmath6 ( @xmath7 ) : the @xmath8-th column ( row ) of @xmath5 .
@xmath9 , @xmath10 ; 4 .
@xmath11 : the @xmath8-th column of the identity matrix @xmath12 ; 5 .
@xmath13 ; 6 .
@xmath14 is a logical matrix , if @xmath15 .
the set of @xmath16 logical matrices is denoted as @xmath17 ; 7 .
let @xmath18 be a logical matrix , i.e. , @xmath19
. then @xmath20 $ ] . for brevity , @xmath21.\ ] ] 8 .
set of random vectors : @xmath22 9 .
set of random matrices : @xmath23 [ d2.1.1 ] let @xmath24 , @xmath25 , and @xmath26 be the least common multiple of @xmath27 and @xmath28 . then the ( left ) stp of @xmath5 and @xmath29 , denoted by @xmath30 , is defined as @xmath31 where the @xmath32 is the kronecker product .
[ r2.1.2 ] 1 . if @xmath33 , the stp defined in definition [ d2.1.1 ] degenerates to the conventional matrix product .
hence , stp is a generalization of the conventional matrix product .
hence , we adopt as the convention that @xmath34 .
2 . all the major properties of conventional matrix product , such as the associativity and the distributivity etc .
, remain available .
the following proposition shows that the stp has certain communicative property .
[ p2.1.3 ] given @xmath24 . 1 .
let @xmath35 be a column vector
. then @xmath36 2 .
let @xmath35 be a row vector .
then @xmath37 to explore further communicating properties , we introduce the swap matrix .
[ d2.1.4 ] a swap matrix @xmath38}\in { \cal m}_{mn\times mn}$ ] is defined as follows : @xmath39}&=&\d_{mn}[1,m+1,\cdots,(n-1)m+1;\\ ~&~&2,m+2,\cdots,(n-1)m+2;\\ ~&~&\cdots~;~m,2m,\cdots , nm ] .
\end{array}\end{aligned}\ ] ] the following proposition shows that the swap matrix is orthogonal .
[ p2.1.5 ] @xmath40}^t = w_{[m , n]}^{-1}=w_{[n , m]}.\end{aligned}\ ] ] its fundamental function is to swap two factors .
[ p2.1.6 ] 1 .
let @xmath41 , @xmath42 be two column vectors
. then @xmath43}\ltimes x\ltimes y = y\ltimes x.\end{aligned}\ ] ] 2 .
let @xmath41 , @xmath42 be two row vectors
. then @xmath44}=y\ltimes x.\end{aligned}\ ] ] [ d2.2.1 ] @xcite a finite game is denoted by @xmath45 , where ( i ) @xmath46 is the set of players ; ( ii ) @xmath47 is the profile of strategies ( or actions ) @xmath48 , where @xmath49 is the set of strategies of player @xmath8 ; ( iii ) @xmath50 and each @xmath51 is the utility ( or payoff ) function of player @xmath8 . to use stp , the action @xmath52 is denoted as @xmath53 , where @xmath54 is expressed as @xmath55 .
then each utility function @xmath56 can be expressed as @xmath57 where @xmath58 is called the structure vector of @xmath56 ( @xmath59 ) .
the set of finite games with @xmath60 , @xmath61 is denoted by @xmath62}$ ] .
@xmath63}$ ] is completely determined by @xmath64 .
hence , @xmath62}$ ] has a vector space structure as @xmath65 @xcite .
[ d2.2.2 ] consider a finite game @xmath66 .
@xmath67 is a potential game if there exists a function @xmath68 , called the potential function , such that for every @xmath69 and for every @xmath70 and @xmath71 @xmath72 potential games have some nice properties , which make them helpful in control design .
we listed some as follows : [ t2.2.3 ] @xcite if @xmath67 is a potential game , then the potential function @xmath73 is unique up to a constant number . precisely , if @xmath74 and @xmath75 are two potential functions of @xmath67 , then @xmath76 .
[ t2.2.4 ] @xcite every finite potential game possesses a pure nash equilibrium .
the myopic best response adjustment ( mbra ) leads to a nash equilibrium .
( please also refer to ( [ 2.3.4])-([2.3.5 ] ) for mbra . )
consider a finite game @xmath77 , where @xmath60 , @xmath61 , @xmath78 , and the payoff function of player @xmath8 is denoted as ( [ 2.2.1 ] ) .
we need some new notations as : @xmath79}:= \begin{cases } \prod_{j = p}^qk_j , & q\geq p\\ 1 , & q < p ; \end{cases}\end{aligned}\ ] ] and @xmath80}}\otimes { \bf 1}_{k_i}\otimes i_{k^{[i+1,n]}}\in { \cal m}_{k\times
k / k_i},~ i=1,\cdots , n.\end{aligned}\ ] ] then we construct a linear equation , called the potential equation , as @xmath81 where @xmath82 .
then we have the following result : @xcite , @xcite [ t2.2.5 ] a finite game @xmath63}$ ] is a potential game , if and only if the potential equation ( [ 2.2.5 ] ) has solution . moreover , if @xmath83 is a solution then the potential function can be expressed as @xmath84 where @xmath85 , the structure vector of the potential function , is @xmath86 [ d2.3.1]@xcite a networked evolutionary game ( neg ) , denoted by @xmath87 , consists of 1 .
a network graph @xmath88 ; 2 . a fundamental network game ( fng ) , @xmath67 , such that if @xmath89 , then @xmath8 and @xmath90 play fng with strategies @xmath91 and @xmath92 respectively ; 3 . a local information based strategy updating rule ( sur ) , @xmath93
a markov - type strategy profile dynamics of an neg can be expressed as @xmath94 where @xmath95 , @xmath78 . using vector form expression of the strategies , ( [ 2.3.1 ] ) can be expressed into its algebraic state space form as @xmath96 where @xmath97 , and when only pure strategies are allowed then @xmath98 ;
if the mixed strategies are allowed then @xmath99 .
( @xmath100 . )
the @xmath101 in ( [ 2.3.1 ] ) is determined by the sur . in the following , mbra , as the only sur used in this paper , is briefly introduced .
denote by @xmath102 the neighborhood of node @xmath8 . as a convention
, we assume @xmath103 .
let @xmath104 be the payoff of the player @xmath8 in the fng between @xmath8 and @xmath90 , then the overall payoff of player @xmath8 is @xmath105 assume the sur used is mbra , that is @xmath106 where the elements of @xmath107 are named as @xmath108 @xmath109 is precisely defined as follows : * if @xmath110 , then @xmath111 * if @xmath112 , then @xmath113 if only the local information is allowed to use , then ( [ 2.3.2 ] ) becomes @xmath114 and the rest determining process remains unchanged .
[ r2.3.2 ] if only the local information is allowed to use , the convergence described in theorem [ t2.2.4 ] is not assured , unless the utilities are themselves local information depending .
that is why we need to design the local information depending utilities .
as pointed in @xcite or @xcite , in general , a multi - agent system may not originally a networked evolutionary game .
there is a system level objective function @xmath115 that a system designer seeks to maximize .
then we may design a set of suitable utility functions such that the system becomes a potential game with @xmath116 as its potential function .
this is the first task in game theoretic approach , which is described in top part of fig .
[ fig.1 ] .
second task is : since the information used is a local one , a learning sur is necessarily to assure the system converges to the maximum object value .
we start with a motivated example . ]
assume there are three players : @xmath117 , connected as in fig .
[ fig.2 ] .
assume each player has two strategies @xmath118 , @xmath119 .
the system level object is to guide players to a synchronized form @xmath120 .
so a system level objective function can be described as @xmath121 the system designer wants to maximize @xmath116 , which leads the system to the synchronization .
the structure vector of @xmath116 is figured out as @xmath122.\ ] ] assume @xmath123a_1a_2\\ c_2(a)&=&[3,4,2,3,2,0,1,-1]a_1a_2a_3\\ c_3(a)&=&[1,0,1,0]a_2a_3 . \end{array}\end{aligned}\ ] ] it is easy to calculate that @xmath124\\ v^c_2&=&[3,4,2,3,2,0,1,-1]\\ v^c_3&=&[1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0 ] .
\end{array}\ ] ] using ( [ 2.2.4 ] ) , we have @xmath125 then the potential equation ( [ 2.2.5 ] ) can be built , and a solution is obtained as @xmath126^t,\ ] ] and @xmath127 follows as @xmath128^t.\ ] ] according to theorem [ t2.2.5 ] this game is potential . moreover , using ( [ 2.2.7 ] ) we can calculate that @xmath129.\ ] ] note that @xmath130 hence @xmath131 is also a potential function . observing that in this networked game the utility functions @xmath56 depends only on its neighborhood .
hence the local information mbra , as defined in ( [ 2.3.5 ] ) is the same as the global information mbra , as in ( [ 2.3.4 ] ) .
according to theorem [ t2.2.4 ] , the local information mbra can lead the system to a nash equilibrium , which maximizes the system objective function .
motivated by this example , it is natural to seek a set of local information based utility functions , which then can lead the system to a maximum point .
consider a game @xmath63}$ ] .
assume @xmath132 , say @xmath133 could be a neighborhood of a node .
then we try to draw " the nodes of @xmath133 from all the nodes in @xmath134 .
we construct a matrix , called the @xmath133-drawing matrix , to do this . set @xmath135 where @xmath136 then we have the following result .
[ l3.2.1 ] let @xmath132
. then @xmath137 [ r3.2.2 ] 1 .
the proof of lemma [ l3.2.1 ] is based on the fact that for two column vectors @xmath138 , @xmath139 then a straightforward computation leads to the conclusion .
2 . from the proof it is clear that formula ( [ 3.2.3 ] ) is also available for @xmath140 , @xmath78 . consider @xmath63}$ ] being a networked evolutionary game .
assume the utilities are adjustable .
a natural question is : are we able to design a neighborhood - determinant utilities such that @xmath67 becomes a potential game and local information is enough to assure the convergence .
[ 3.2.3 ] assume @xmath63}$ ] is a utility - adjustable networked evolutionary game .
the system objective function is @xmath141 then there exists a set of neighborhood - determinant utilities , which turn @xmath67 to be a potential game , if and only if @xmath142 _ proof_. by the requirement , we have @xmath143 where @xmath144 . using the same argument as in the proof of theorem [ t2.2.5 ] , one sees that @xmath67 is a potential game , if and only if , @xmath145 where @xmath146 , which means @xmath147 is independent of @xmath148 . plugging ( [ 3.2.5 ] ) into ( [ 3.2.6 ] ) yields @xmath149 which is equivalent to ( [ 3.2.4 ] ) .
@xmath150 for convenience in use , denote by @xmath29 a basis of the vector space on the right hand side of ( [ 3.2.4 ] ) .
that is , @xmath151 are linearly independent and @xmath152 consider an evolutionary game @xmath153 , assume the fundamental network game @xmath67 is potential , then we call @xmath154 a networked potential game ( npg )
. assume the system objective function @xmath155 where @xmath156 is the potential function for @xmath67 over the edge @xmath157 .
using the natural utility function ( [ 2.3.3 ] ) , it is clear that ( [ 3.2.4 ] ) is satisfied .
this fact shows that pretty of multi - agent systems verify the requirements of theorem [ t3.2.3 ] . in the following we give an example .
[ e3.3.1 ] consider an neg @xmath158 , where the network graph is as in fig .
[ fig3 ] , and the fng , @xmath67 , is the prisoner s dilemma game with payoff matrix shown in table [ tab2 ] .
[ fig3 ] ] .payoff bi - matrix of prisoner s dilemma [ tab2 ] [ cols="^,^,^",options="header " , ] using potential equation , we can prove that prisoner s dilemma is a potential game and one of its potential function is @xmath159a_1a_2 $ ] .
then the overall potential function @xmath116 is @xmath160 where @xmath161.\ ] ] according to ( [ 3.2.1 ] ) and ( [ 3.2.2 ] ) , we have @xmath162 additionally , @xmath163 define @xmath164 it is easy to check that @xmath165 which is equivalent to ( [ 3.2.4 ] ) .
the state based potential game is proposed in @xcite .
this subsection briefly review some related basic concepts and results .
[ d4.1.1 ] 1 . a finite state based evolutionary game is a tuple @xmath166 , where @xmath167 is the set of players ; @xmath47 is the strategy profile ; @xmath168 is the set of payoff ( utility ) functions , and @xmath169 ; @xmath170 is the state space ; @xmath171 is the the probability distributions over the finite state space @xmath170 .
@xmath172 , where @xmath173 . similar to @xmath174 , we can also to express states in vector form as @xmath175 3 .
the state @xmath176 satisfies @xmath177 which can be expressed into its algebraic state space form as @xmath178 where @xmath97 .
the strategy dynamics of an evolutionary game is of the following form @xmath179 where @xmath180 .
the dynamics is determined by an sur . in this paper
we assume @xmath101 is independent of @xmath181 , hence it can be expressed in algebraic state space form as @xmath182 [ d4.1.2 ] the action state pair @xmath183 $ ] is a recurrent state equilibrium with respect to the state transition process @xmath184 if the following two conditions are satisfied : * the state @xmath185 satisfies @xmath186 for every state @xmath187 . * for every agent @xmath69 and every state @xmath187 , @xmath188 [ d4.1.3 ] a state based game
@xmath166 is a state based potential game if there exists a potential function @xmath189 that satisfies the following two properties for every action state pair @xmath190\in s\times x$ ] : * for any agent @xmath69 and action @xmath191 @xmath192 * for any state @xmath193 in the support of @xmath194 @xmath195 the
better reply with inertia " dynamics is important for state based games .
define an agent s strict better reply set for any action state pair @xmath190\in s\times x$ ] as @xmath196 the better reply with inertia dynamics can be described as follows . * if @xmath197 then @xmath198 * otherwise , if @xmath199 then @xmath200 where @xmath201 is referred to as the agent s inertia .
[ t4.1.4 ] let @xmath202 be a state based potential game with potential function @xmath189 .
if all agents adhere to the better reply with inertia dynamics then the action state pair converges almost surely to an action invariant set of recurrent state equilibria .
assume a state based multi - agent system is described as @xmath203 , where @xmath46 ; @xmath47 and @xmath49 , @xmath78 ; @xmath169 ; @xmath204 ; @xmath172 ; and the system level object is a state - depending function @xmath205 .
the system objective function can be expressed as @xmath206 where @xmath144 , @xmath207 , @xmath100 .
split @xmath208 into @xmath209 equal blocks as @xmath210.\ ] ] assume @xmath211 is fixed .
then the structure vector of @xmath212 is @xmath213 corresponding to @xmath212 , we can construct @xmath214 as in ( [ 3.2.8 ] ) , that is @xmath215 where @xmath216 is the neighborhood of player @xmath90 under fixed state @xmath211 .
define @xmath217 next , we need to design the state evolutionary process ( sep ) .
we suggest the following two ways to construct it .
* sep-1 ( remaining priority ) : + construct @xmath218 then * * if @xmath219 , then @xmath220 * * if @xmath221 , then @xmath222 * sep-2 ( equal probability ) : @xmath223 then @xmath224 by the above construction it is clear that [ l4.2.1 ] both the sep-1 determined by ( [ 4.2.2])-([4.2.3 ] ) and the sep-2 determined by ( [ 4.2.301 ] ) assure ( [ 4.1.5 ] ) .
similar to theorem [ 3.2.3 ] , we have the following result : [ t4.2.2 ] assume @xmath225 is a state based utility - adjustable networked evolutionary game .
the system objective function is @xmath226 then there exists a set of neighborhood - determinant state based utilities , which turn @xmath227 to be a state based potential game , if and only if @xmath228 [ r4.2.3 ] using the sep-1 determined by ( [ 4.2.2])-([4.2.3 ] ) or the sep-2 determined by ( [ 4.2.301 ] ) and the system objective function satisfying ( [ 4.2.4 ] ) , we can convert a multi - agent system to a state based potential game .
then using better reply with inertia dynamics , the system will converge almost surely to an action invariant set of recurrent state equilibria .
[ e4.3.1 ] [ fig4 ] ] consider a consensus problem of a multi - agent system with its network graph depicted in fig .
there are 4 agents , @xmath229 with a common action set @xmath230 , @xmath231 .
assume all players can only communicate with their neighbors . additionally , there is a switch , denoted by @xmath232 , which can link agent @xmath0 with @xmath233 , or agent @xmath0 with @xmath234 , or neither of them .
the system objective function is @xmath235 define the state set @xmath236 , where @xmath237 means the switch @xmath232 is open ; @xmath238 means the switch @xmath232 is connected with node @xmath234 ; @xmath239 means the switch @xmath232 is connected with node @xmath233 .
then there are @xmath234 states shown in fig .
[ fig5 ] . ]
then we have @xmath240 where @xmath241,\\ v^{\phi(x_2 , \cdot)}&=[12 , 8 , 7 , 5 , 9 , 5 , 6 , 4 , 8 , 6 , 5 , 5 , 5 , 3 , 4 , 4],\\ v^{\phi(x_3 , \cdot)}&=[12 , 8 , 8 , 6 , 8 , 4 , 6 , 4 , 8 , 6 , 4 , 4 , 6 , 4 , 4 , 4].\\ \end{array}\end{aligned}\ ] ] next , we design the sep .
assume we use the sep-2 , then according to ( [ 4.2.301 ] ) , we can design the state transition function as @xmath242,\\ v^{p(x_2,\cdot)}&= \left[\begin{array}{cccccccccccccccc } 0 & 0 & \frac{1}{3 } & \frac{1}{3 } & 0 & 0 & \frac{1}{3 } & \frac{1}{3 } & \frac{1}{3 } & \frac{1}{3 } & 0 & 0 & \frac{1}{3 } & \frac{1}{3 } & 0 & 0\\ \frac{1}{2 } & \frac{1}{2 } & \frac{1}{3 } & \frac{1}{3 } & 1 & 1 & \frac{1}{3 } & \frac{1}{3 } & \frac{1}{3 } & \frac{1}{3 } & 1 & 1 & \frac{1}{3 } & \frac{1}{3 } & \frac{1}{2 } & \frac{1}{2}\\ \frac{1}{2 } & \frac{1}{2 } & \frac{1}{3 } & \frac{1}{3 } & 0 & 0 & \frac{1}{3 } & \frac{1}{3 } & \frac{1}{3 } & \frac{1}{3 } & 0 & 0 & \frac{1}{3 } & \frac{1}{3 } & \frac{1}{2 } & \frac{1}{2 } \end{array}\right],\end{aligned}\ ] ] @xmath243 . \end{aligned}\ ] ] then we construct @xmath244 note that @xmath245 , which is the same as the one in example [ e3.3.1 ] . in addition , it is easy to calculate that @xmath246 using them , it is ready to verify that @xmath247 it is easy to prove that ( [ 4.3.3 ] ) is equivalent to ( [ 4.2.4 ] ) . according to theorem [ t4.2.2 ] , there exists a state based potential game @xmath67 with a set of neighborhood - determinant utilities and the @xmath248 in ( [ 4.3.1 ] ) as its potential function
a group of utilities functions are given bellow . @xmath249 using the state transition function @xmath194 , we have the state dynamic equation @xmath250 where @xmath251.\ ] ] using better reply with inertia dynamics and let @xmath252 , then we have the strategy dynamic equation @xmath253 where @xmath254 finally , we can prove that @xmath255 $ ] is the only recurrent state equilibrium , where @xmath256 and @xmath257 .
then theorem [ t4.1.4 ] assures that when the better reply with inertia dynamics is used , the action state pair converges almost surely to this @xmath255 $ ] .
note that @xmath258 is unique and @xmath257 is an invariant set .
[ fig6 ] presents several simulations of the better reply inertia on the consensus problem of multi agent system .
we can see that the action of all the four agents will reach the consensus @xmath256 , which maximizes the objective function ( [ 4.3.1 ] ) of the mas .
.475 $ ] , @xmath259 $ ] and @xmath260 $ ] .
note that the better reply with inertia dynamic guarantees convergence to @xmath256.[fig6],title="fig : " ] .475 $ ] , @xmath259 $ ] and @xmath260 $ ] .
note that the better reply with inertia dynamic guarantees convergence to @xmath256.[fig6],title="fig : " ]
this paper considers the problem of game theoretic control of multi - agent systems .
assume there is a system level objective function , say consensus , then we may design a local information based utility functions such that the multi - agent system becomes a potential game with the system level objective function as the potential function .
then individual agents can use their local information to reach an equilibrium , which maximizes the objective function .
two cases have been investigated .
( i ) fixed topology , and ( ii ) time - varying topology .
necessary and sufficient conditions have been obtained for both cases .
some examples are presented to illustrate the theoretical results . 1 . the state transition process used in this paper for time - varying topology is designable .
a challenge problem for further investigation is to relax this . 2 .
when the necessary and sufficient condition fails , can we design a near - potential game @xcite to reach the same goal ?
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the reported frequency of patients with obstructive colon cancer has ranged from 8% to 29% ( 3 ) .
left - sided colon malignancies are more prone to obstruct the colon lumen than are the right - sided malignancies .
this is because the diameter of the left colon is smaller than that of the right colon .
ct is a sensitive imaging modality for detecting bowel obstruction , and the multiplanar reconstruction images can provide additional information on the transition point in problematic cases ( 1 ) . identifying the transitional zones and an obstructing lesion on ct , and these usually appear as irregular circumferential thickening of the colon , is important to differentiate this entity from other benign conditions such as adynamic ileus , colonic pseudoobstruction and stercoral colitis , and all these maladies can present with colonic dilatation . because of the relatively larger diameter of the cecal lumen , cecal adenocarcinomas have a tendency to grow without displaying clinical manifestations for a long time ( 4 )
therefore , cecal cancer only infrequently presents as bowel obstruction ; as the initial manifestation , distal small bowel obstruction has been reported to occur in 1.5 - 8.1% of the patients with cecal cancer ( 5 ) .
additionally , adenocarcinoma developing near the ileocecal valve area can cause distal small bowel obstruction even though the tumor is small ( fig .
ct is also useful for examining cecal cancer patients who present with small bowel obstruction .
careful inspection of the cecum on the ct , and especially the ileocecal valve area , is needed to diagnose this rare condition .
closed - loop obstruction is a unique form of mechanical obstruction in which two points of a bowel segment are occluded , and this most frequently occurs in the small bowel ( 6 ) . on rare occasion
an obstructing colon cancer with a competent ileocecal valve can lead to the condition in which the intraluminal pressure of the colon proximal to the obstructing mass increases due to failure of decompression through the ileocecal valve ; this produces effects that are similar to those of a closed - loop obstruction in the small bowel ( 7 ) .
on ct , this condition can be identified as an obstructive colon mass that causes severe dilatation of the proximal colon ( fig .
the affected colon is usually filled with fecal material , and the small bowel is not dilated due to a competent ileocecal valve .
radiologists and surgeons should be aware of a closed - loop obstruction associated with colon cancer because this is an urgent surgical situation that can lead to a perforated colon .
perforation occurs in 2.5 - 10% of the patients with colon cancer ( 8 , 9 ) .
perforated colon cancer can present as a free perforation with peritoneal spillage or as a localized perforation with an abscess or fistula formation ( 9 ) ( figs . 3 , 4 ) .
in addition , perforation can occur at the site of the colon cancer secondary to tumor necrosis or the adjacent inflammation , or it can occur at the proximal portion of the colon cancer due to the increased pressure proximal to the tumor ( 3 ) ( figs . 3 , 4 ) .
perforated colon cancer can occasionally cause fistula formation between the colon and the adjacent organs such as the urinary bladder , the female genital tract or the bowel .
the various potential causes of colonic perforation include malignant neoplasm , diverticulitis , trauma , ischemia , inflammatory bowel disease and stercoral colitis ( 10 ) .
perforation of the colon that is induced by these causes can be diagnosed by ct with the demonstration of a focal defect in the colon wall that may be accompanied by a fluid - density abscess , free air or stranding of the pericolic fat . in order to differentiate colonic perforation that is caused by cancer from that caused by various benign conditions , identifying
the irregular wall thickening of the adjacent colon is critical for making the diagnosis of an underlying colon cancer .
ct has been reported to be an effective modality for detecting perforated colorectal cancer because it reveals pericolic inflammatory changes and abscess formation , as well as a colorectal mass ( 8) . however , in some cases , identification of severe pericolic inflammation with a large abscess or peritoneal spillage may make it difficult to make an accurate diagnosis because these situations can mimic various conditions that cause perforation of the colon .
although it is still a matter of debate whether perforation can cause peritoneal seeding , making an early , accurate diagnosis and administering aggressive treatment might improve patient survival ( 3 ) .
abscess formation associated with colon cancer is a rare complication that occurs in 0.3 - 4% of the patients with colon cancer ( 11 ) .
perforation of the colon , fistula formation between the colon and adjacent structures , or direct tumor invasion can result in the formation of an abscess .
the most common location for abscess formation is the peritoneal cavity , including the paracolic space and the pelvic cavity ( figs . 3 , 5 ) ; however , fistula formation or inflammation that spreads along the tissue planes may lead to abscesses in unusual locations such as the retroperitoneum , the abdominal wall , the perirectal space , the psoas muscle and the thigh ( 11 - 13 ) ( figs .
6 , 7 ) . in the cases that present with these unusual clinical findings , making the accurate diagnosis of an underlying colon cancer may be more difficult .
further , abscess - forming colon cancers that occur in the right lower quadrant or the pelvic cavity can be mistaken for inflammatory conditions , including diverticulitis , appendicitis with perforation and pelvic inflammatory disease . relatively severe pericolic fat stranding adjacent to a thickened colon wall is generally the most significant ct finding for differentiating inflammatory diseases from colon cancer that is without perforation or abscess ( 4 , 14 ) . however ,
if perforation or abscess is present in patients with colon cancer , then physicians can be faced with diagnostic uncertainty with a ct finding of severe pericolic fat stranding .
evaluation and characterization of a thickened bowel wall is needed in this situation ; marked asymmetric wall thickening with loss of stratified enhancement that involves a short segment of the colon favors the diagnosis of an underlying malignancy , while preserved layering of a thickened bowel wall is an important feature favoring the diagnosis of benign inflammatory conditions ( 4 , 14 ) .
moreover , an abrupt transition from a normal to an abnormal bowel wall is characteristic of malignancy , whereas a smooth , gradual , long transition is usually present in benign conditions ( 4 ) .
the presence of pericolic lymphadenopathy is more commonly found in colon cancer than it is in benign conditions ( 4 , 14 ) .
therefore , in cases that display the confusing manifestations of severe pericolic fat stranding , the physician must perform a morphologic analysis of the abnormal bowel , including determining the enhancement pattern , the length of the abnormal bowel , the wall thickness at the site of interest and the transition from a normal wall to an abnormal wall . in patients with mucinous carcinoma of the colon or appendix
, the hypoattenuated areas caused by extracellular mucin components can sometimes mimic the appearance of an abscess .
it has also been reported that for colon cancer patients who present with an abdominal wall abscess , many cases were a mucinous carcinoma , and this is thought to be due to the tumor characteristics ; mucinous carcinomas have a tendency to grow slowly and to spread by direct extension ( 12 ) .
the presence of intratumoral calcification and the relative absence of pericolic fat stranding can be useful for differentiating a mucinous carcinoma from an abscess ( fig .
yet the overlap in the imaging appearances often complicates differentiating an abdominal wall abscess from abdominal wall invasion by a mucinous carcinoma ( fig .
cecal cancer infrequently presents as an acute appendicitis with or without abscess formation ( 11 , 15 ) .
cecal cancer has been found to be a cause of acute appendicitis in 10 - 25% of elderly patients and in only 3% of the patients between the ages of 20 and 40 years ( 11 , 15 ) .
making an accurate preoperative diagnosis can be difficult because the affected patients clinically present with acute abdominal symptoms that are compatible with an acute appendicitis .
therefore , identifying the cecal wall thickening with a loss of the layered enhancement patterns in patients with the clinical and imaging findings of an acute appendicitis should raise a suspicion for an underlying cecal cancer as the cause of the appendicitis ( fig .
10 ) . in patients with acute appendicitis and who do not have cecal cancer , the appendiceal wall inflammation can occasionally extend directly to the cecum , resulting in cecal wall thickening .
cecal wall thickening that appears as focal wall thickening at the cecal apex contiguous with the appendix has been reported to be present in 80% of the patients with acute appendicitis ( 16 ) .
colonic wall thickening proximal to a colon mass is known as ischemic or obstructive colitis , and this had been reported to be present in 1 - 11% of the patients with obstructive colon cancer ( 17 , 18 ) .
although bowel ischemia induced by bowel distention is generally regarded as the mechanism that is involved in the development of colon wall thickening , this can occur in patients who are without obstruction of the colon .
moreover , one report showed that many of these changes in the colon were pathologically confirmed to be submucosal edema rather than frank bowel ischemia ( 18 ) .
colon ischemia or submucosal edema can manifest on ct as smooth , annular wall thickening with a homogeneous or layered enhancement pattern that is frequently contiguous with an irregularly thickened tumorous segment ( 17 , 18 ) . some patients ( 10 - 30% ) occasionally have intervening normal mucosa between the tumor and the ischemic segment ; this can be explained by the laplace law ; the tension applied to the bowel wall increases proportionately to an increase in both the intraluminal pressure and the wall diameter ( 17 , 18 ) ( fig .
. a segmental distribution of colon wall thickening that is distal to a large fungating mass can also be present in approximately 10% of patients with colon cancer , and this pathologically corresponds to edema or colitis ( 19 ) ( fig .
12 ) . because bowel ischemia or edema commonly occurs in cases that have obstructing or large fungating masses , this secondary ischemic change can be easily distinguished from primary ischemic colitis
although intussusception is rare in adults , the majority of adult intussusceptions are caused by lead points ( 20 ) , and more than half of the patients with colon intussusceptions are related to malignant lesions such as adenocarcinoma , lymphoma or metastatic lesions ( 20 ) .
adenocarcinoma of the colon is the most common lead mass for colon intussusceptions , and it can present as the ileocolic or colocolic forms ( figs . 13 , 14 ) .
the ct demonstration of a bowel - within - bowel configuration with or without contained mesenteric fat or mesenteric vessels is considered pathognomonic for intussusceptions .
a colon cancer can usually be identified as an enhancing mass within intussusceptions ; however , identification of a lead mass is not always possible due to an edematous bowel wall ( 4 , 20 ) . in a previous study that used a multidetector - row ct scanner ,
the investigators reported that a lead mass could be distinguished from an edematous bowel in approximately 70% of the cases ( 21 ) .
in addition , they found that those intussusceptions with a lead point tended to be longer and larger in diameter as compared with the intussusceptions without a lead point ; mechanical obstruction and pericolic infiltration were also valuable signs for determining the presence of a lead point ( 21 ) .
an accurate preoperative diagnosis of these conditions is critical to ensure that prompt , proper , treatment is administered .
a variety of complicated situations can obscure making the diagnosis of underlying colon cancer , and the imaging features of colon cancer overlap with those imaging features of other pathological conditions .
being knowledgeable of the potential imaging findings of complicated colon cancers can help physicians arrive at an accurate diagnosis and then administer the appropriate treatment . | pubmed |
Cowie Scottish Gaelic: Collaidh, meaning wooded place is a village in the Stirling council area of Scotland. Historically part of Stirlingshire, it lies on the minor B9124 road approximately 4 miles south-east of Stirling and about a mile north of the A9 road. The United Kingdom Census 2011 recorded the population as 2,713.
Cowie was formerly a pit village and stone quarrying was carried on in the surrounds. It is now the site of a factory manufacturing engineered wood products and other light industries. Recent years have seen significant new housing developments in the village for commuters.
Notes
External links
Category:Villages in Stirling council area | wikipedia |
Code Geass The Final Geass
The lines between us were so thick we died of them. A little more each day. I hated him.
Liar.
_Betrayer_.
Murderer._ Murderer_.
My friend, we were loyal once. Fraternity of future and past patricides. Truth hedged in lies. You … We were always so strong, weren't we? We sinners. We used to laugh. You were horrible at singing, but Nunnally always told it was beautiful. And you were so horrible at running. Your stamina was pathetic.
_We were always together, weren't we_?
_I loved you_.
I loved you.
A couple of damn masochists. All you wanted to do was live.
_All you wanted was to die_.
Selfish bastard! I hate you! I hate you! Why couldn't you stop? Why couldn't you just stop?
_The only stop is death. A rolling stone only goes downhill faster_.
Riddles. Even now, you're a liar. The two of us, we're damned, aren't we?
_Unforgivably_.
You damned to die and I to live.
_Yes_.
You poisoned everything I loved.
_I did_.
You broke me.
_You can't break the broken_.
… You grew up so beautiful, Lelouch. The world was torn apart and you and I were on opposite sides. A Japanese as a Knight of Rounds and a Prince leading a revolt. It would have been easier to let me die.
_A lot of things would have been easier_.
Part of me, a very small part really wanted to live for you, Lelouch, and the other wanted to die simply to defy Zero. You made me into a real bastard.
I remembered all the times we smiled together. I remember your face crunched beneath my boot at the place we first met, a starburst clutched in my hand. I remembered hating you, hurting you. And I remembered loving you, kissing you, holding you. I remembered begin your enemy and being your knight.
Lelouch, how can I hate someone who wants me to live so badly?
How can I love someone who controls me so absolutely?
I felt the sword push through you and all I could think is this is twisted. I didn't want you to die. Just everything you stood for. You were prepared for this from the start, weren't you? You were prepared to die from the moment you first used your Geass.
Idiot. Selfish fucking bastard. Even dying, I felt you smile as the pieces all clicked into place. You and I were cursed. I killed you and you killed me.
This mask is my coffin.
Lulu.
_Susaku_.
My king.
_My enemy_.
Destroyer.
_White Knight_.
My friend.
_My love_.
We are Zero.
End file.
| fanfiction |
Linear combination of eigenfunctions
In the textbook "*Molecular Quantum Mechanics*" by Atkins and Friedman [1, p. 11], it says in chapter 1:
>
> … a general function can be expanded in terms of all the eigenfunctions of an operator, a so-called complete set of functions.
>
>
>
Can ANY function be written as a linear combination of eigenfunctions of ANY operator? I think not.
What are the criteria here for which functions can be written as linear combinations of which operators?
### References
1. Atkins, P. W.; Friedman, R. *Molecular Quantum Mechanics*, 5th ed.; Oxford University Press: Oxford ; New York, **2011**. ISBN 978-0-19-954142-3.
The complete, formal mathematical answer is a bit complex. It might be better to get that discussion from [Math Stack Exchange](https://math.stackexchange.com/).
An answer to the world of Chemistry is more straightforward: Yes, for any physically relevant operator and any relevant function, you always can. That’s a fundamental property of quantum mechanics: (functional) states are superpositions of eigenstates.
| stackexchange/chemistry |
How can I compare the UV/Vis absorption difference after metal ion chelating of crown ether-containing polymer?
Recently I have synthesized the polymer that contains 1-aza-18-crown-6 in the repeating unit. I want to know if there is any UV/Vis absorption difference after the chelation of metal ion. Considered metal ions are Cs, Co, Sr. In the other papers that compare the UV/Vis absorption difference, they use some metal salts that are soluble in some organic solvents like $\ce{CH\_3CN}$, EtOH, or MeOH. And in this case the crown ether-containing compounds are also dissolved in $\ce{CH\_3CN}$, EtOH, or MeOH. But the problem is, in my case, the synthesized polymer does not dissolve in $\ce{CH\_3CN}$, EtOH, or MeOH. It dissolves in $\ce{CH3Cl}$, $\ce{CH2Cl2}$, toluene, chlorobenzene, THF, and dioxane, but does not dissolve in $\ce{CH3CN}$, EtOH, MeOH, acetone, hexane, ether, and EtOAc. I tried to find some Cs, Co, or Sr salts that are soluble in THF, but I couldn't find it. Some said that $\ce{Cs2CO3}$ and CsF dissolves in THF, but it failed as I tried. In this situation How can I compare UV/Vis absorption difference after metal ion chelating based on solution measurement?
* I want to measure the difference for UV/Vis absorption, not other spectroscopy!
About the salt: Instead of $\ce{CsCO3}$ I would try $\ce{CsCl}$ for which [sciencemadness](https://www.sciencemadness.org/smwiki/index.php/Caesium_chloride) reports a solubility in ethanol of $\pu{0.76 g/100 mL}$ (at $\pu{25 ^\circ{}C}$). Perhaps this little already is enough. If your institution is subscriber, Pabsch *et al.* report comparison of experimentally determined solubilities of inorganic salts (including $\ce{CsCl}$, $\ce{CsHCO3}$, and $\ce{Cs2CO3}$) in organic solvents methanol, ethanol, and *N*-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). According to the freely available SI (Table S4), both $\ce{CsCl}$ and $\ce{CsHCO3}$ worked well enough for MeOH, EthOH, NMP. If your institution is subscriber to the Reaxys database, solubility of salts (expressed in Hill formulae) is an indexed property, too.
To the spectroscopic experiment:
* Does / do your polymer(s) without the metal cation loading dissolve well enough in these three solvents (perhaps especially NMP)? If so, record their spectra once "empty", and once loaded.
* Often (early level of teaching lab report), the UV spectra's ordinate is absorption; this helps to note if the data are recorded within the linear range of the detectors. For the subsequent comparison, it can become more meaningful if substituted by $\log \varepsilon$ as function either over $\lambda$ [nm], or $E$ [eV] instead. With this in mind, you don't need to record the UV-Vis spectrum in one sweep either; if suitable/necessary prepare e.g., one solution suitable for the interval of $200 \dots \pu{300 nm}$, and a second one for the range of $300 \dots \pu{700 nm}$ to both stay well within the dynamic range of the detectors. But equally to take full advantage of the linear range of the detectors, too.
* Third, with the data in hand, compare both the position (energy scale) and $\varepsilon{}$ of the absorption peaks for the unloaded vs the loaded ligand. There will be some variation of the spectra's bands because of the solvent ([solvatochromism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solvatochromism), red / batho-, or blue / hypsochromic shift). Hence compare the spectra pairwise (both in MeOH, or both in NMP) about the "empty" and "loaded" ligand. You can facilitate their determination with spectra recorded with good resolution / small increments while sweeping the wavelength, and processing the collected data by derivative spectroscopy. Agilent's application note ([link to a pdf](http://www.youngin.com/application/AN-0608-0115EN.pdf)) can serve as a primer to this useful technique. Depending on the spectrometer software, this functionality is not promptly seen (invest some time to read the documentation). Alternatively, Tom O'Haver's [pragmatic introduction to signal processing](https://terpconnect.umd.edu/%7Etoh/spectrum/TOC.html) dedicates a [special section](https://terpconnect.umd.edu/%7Etoh/spectrum/Differentiation.html#Spectroscopy) to this topic (with templates for spreadsheet Excel .xls / Open Office Calc .ods, and MATLAB/Octave scripts ready to use).
Pabsch, D.; Figiel, P.; Sadowski, G.; Held, C. Solubility of Electrolytes in Organic Solvents: Solvent-Specific Effects and Ion-Specific Effects. *J. Chem. Eng. Data* **2022**, *67*, 2706-2718. <https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jced.2c00203>.
| stackexchange/chemistry |
let @xmath3 be an @xmath19-dimensional euclidean space , with inner product @xmath20 .
let @xmath0 be a ( finite ) irreducible crystallographic root system spanning @xmath3 and @xmath4 be a fixed nonnegative integer .
we denote by @xmath21 the collection of hyperplanes in @xmath3 defined by the affine equations @xmath6 for @xmath22 and @xmath8 , known as the @xmath4th _ extended catalan arrangement _ associated to @xmath0 .
thus @xmath21 is invariant under the action of the weyl group @xmath1 associated to @xmath0 and reduces to the coxeter arrangement @xmath23 for @xmath24 .
let @xmath25 denote the generalized cluster complex associated to the pair @xmath11 by s. fomin and n. reading @xcite .
this is a simplicial complex which reduces to the cluster complex @xmath26 of s. fomin and a. zelevinsky @xcite when @xmath14 .
it contains a natural subcomplex , called the positive part of @xmath25 and denoted by @xmath10 , as an induced subcomplex .
the complex @xmath25 was also studied independently by the second author @xcite when @xmath0 is of type @xmath15 or @xmath16 ; see section [ pre ] for further information and references .
the weyl group @xmath1 acts on the coroot lattice @xmath2 of @xmath0 and its dilate @xmath27 , where @xmath13 denotes the coxeter number of @xmath0 .
hence @xmath1 acts also on the quotient @xmath28 . for
a fixed choice of a positive system @xmath29 , consider the partial order on @xmath30 defined by letting @xmath31 if @xmath32 is a nonnegative linear combination of positive roots , known as the _ root poset _ of @xmath0 .
an _ order filter _ or _ dual order ideal _ in @xmath30 is a subset @xmath33 of @xmath30 such that @xmath34 and @xmath31 in @xmath30 imply @xmath35 .
the filter @xmath33 is called _ positive _ if it does not contain any simple root . the following theorem connects the objects just discussed . parts ( i ) , ( ii ) and ( iii ) appear in ( * ? ? ?
* corollary 1.3 ) , ( * ? ? ?
* proposition 2.13 ) and ( * ? ? ?
* theorem 7.4.2 ) , respectively .
the last statement was found independently in @xcite .
let @xmath0 be an irreducible crystallographic root system of rank @xmath19 with weyl group @xmath1 , coxeter number @xmath13 and exponents @xmath36 .
let @xmath4 be a positive integer and let @xmath37 the following are equal to @xmath12 : 1 .
the number of bounded regions of @xmath5 which lie in the fundamental chamber of @xmath38 , 2 .
the number of facets of @xmath10 and 3 . the number of orbits of the action of @xmath1 on @xmath39
. moreover , for @xmath14 this number is equal to the number of positive filters in the root poset of @xmath0 .
[ thm0 ] the purpose of this paper is to define and study a refinement of the number @xmath12 and prove that it has similar properties with the one defined by the first author @xcite for the total number @xmath40 of regions of @xmath5 in the fundamental chamber of @xmath38 . to be more precise
let @xmath41 be the affine hyperplane in @xmath3 defined by the equation @xmath6 and @xmath42 be the fundamental alcove of the affine weyl arrangement corresponding to @xmath0 .
wall _ of a region @xmath43 of @xmath5 is a hyperplane in @xmath3 which supports a facet of @xmath43 . for @xmath44
we denote by @xmath45 the number of regions @xmath43 of @xmath21 in the fundamental chamber of @xmath38 for which exactly @xmath46 walls of @xmath43 of the form @xmath47 separate @xmath43 from @xmath42 , meaning that @xmath48 holds for @xmath49 .
the numbers @xmath45 were introduced and studied in @xcite .
let @xmath50 and @xmath51 be the @xmath52th entries of the @xmath13-vector of the simplicial complexes @xmath25 and @xmath10 , respectively .
it follows from case by case computations in @xcite that @xmath53 for all @xmath52 when @xmath0 is of classical type in the cartan - killing classification .
we define @xmath54 as the number of bounded regions @xmath43 of @xmath21 in the fundamental chamber of @xmath38 for which exactly @xmath46 walls of @xmath43 of the form @xmath47 do not separate @xmath43 from the fundamental alcove @xmath42 .
theorem [ thm0 ] implies that the sum of the numbers @xmath54 , as well as that of @xmath55 , for @xmath44 is equal to @xmath12 .
the significance of the numbers @xmath54 comes from the following conjecture , which can be viewed as the positive analogue of ( * ? ? ? * conjecture 3.1 ) . for any irreducible crystallographic root system @xmath0 and
all @xmath56 and @xmath44 we have @xmath57 .
[ conj0 ] our first main result ( corollary [ cor : conj ] ) establishes the previous conjecture when @xmath14 and when @xmath0 has type @xmath15 , @xmath16 or @xmath17 and @xmath4 is arbitrary .
our second main result provides combinatorial interpretations to the numbers @xmath54 similar to the ones given in @xcite for @xmath45 . to state
this result we need to recall ( or modify ) some definitions and notation from @xcite . for @xmath58
consider the stabilizer of @xmath59 with respect to the @xmath1-action on @xmath60 .
this is a subgroup of @xmath1 generated by reflections .
the minimum number of reflections needed to generate this subgroup is its _ rank _ and is denoted by @xmath61 .
we may use the notation @xmath62 for a @xmath1-orbit @xmath63 in @xmath60 since stabilizers of elements of @xmath60 in the same @xmath1-orbit are conjugate subgroups of @xmath1 and hence have the same rank .
a subset @xmath64 of @xmath30 is an _ order ideal _ if @xmath65 is a filter .
an increasing chain @xmath66 of ideals in @xmath30 is a _ geometric chain of ideals _ of length @xmath4 if @xmath67 holds for all indices @xmath68 with @xmath69 and @xmath70 holds for all indices @xmath68 , where @xmath71 for @xmath72 and @xmath73 for @xmath74 .
such a chain is called _ positive _ if @xmath75 contains the set of simple roots or , equivalently , if @xmath76 is a positive filter .
a positive root @xmath77 is _ indecomposable _ of _ rank _ @xmath4 with respect to this increasing chain of ideals if @xmath77 is a maximal element of @xmath78 and it is not possible to write @xmath79 with @xmath80 and @xmath81 for indices @xmath82 with @xmath83 .
the following theorem refines part of theorem [ thm0 ] .
let @xmath0 be an irreducible crystallographic root system of rank @xmath19 with weyl group @xmath1 , @xmath4 be a positive integer and @xmath84 be the set of orbits of the action of @xmath1 on @xmath85 .
for any @xmath44 the following are equal : 1 . the number @xmath86 , 2 . the number of positive geometric chains of ideals in the root poset @xmath30 of length @xmath4 having @xmath52 indecomposable elements of rank @xmath4 , 3 .
the number of orbits @xmath87 with @xmath88 and 4 . the number of points in @xmath89 which lie in @xmath52 walls of @xmath90 . in particular , the number of positive geometric chains of ideals in @xmath30 of length @xmath4 is equal to @xmath12 .
[ thm1 ] the equivalence of ( iii ) and ( iv ) follows essentially from the results of ( * ? ? ?
* section 7.4 ) . in the special case
@xmath14 the arrangement @xmath21 consists of the hyperplanes @xmath91 and @xmath92 for all @xmath7 and is known as the _ catalan arrangement _ associated to @xmath0 , denoted @xmath93 .
moreover a geometric chain of ideals consists of a single ideal @xmath64 in @xmath0 .
this chain is positive if @xmath64 contains the set of simple roots or , equivalently , if @xmath94 is a positive filter and in that case the set of rank one indecomposable elements is the set of maximal elements of @xmath64 .
we write @xmath95 instead of @xmath54 when @xmath14 .
part of the next corollary is implicit in the work of e. sommers ( * ? ? ?
* section 6 ) .
let @xmath0 be an irreducible crystallographic root system of rank @xmath19 with weyl group @xmath1 and @xmath96 be the set of orbits of the action of @xmath1 on @xmath97 .
for any @xmath98 the following are equal : 1 .
the number of ideals in the root poset @xmath30 which contain the set of simple roots and have @xmath52 maximal elements , 2 . the number @xmath99 of bounded regions @xmath43 of @xmath93 in the fundamental chamber of @xmath38 such that @xmath52 walls of @xmath43 of the form @xmath92 do not separate @xmath43 from @xmath42 , 3 .
the number of orbits @xmath100 with @xmath88 , 4 . the number of points in @xmath101 which lie in @xmath52 walls of @xmath102 and 5 . the entry @xmath103 of the @xmath13-vector of the positive part of @xmath104 . [ cor1 ]
our last theorem provides a different interpretation to the numbers @xmath105 in terms of order filters in @xmath30 . for any irreducible crystallographic root system @xmath0 and any nonnegative integer @xmath52 the number
@xmath95 is equal to the number of positive filters in @xmath30 having @xmath52 minimal elements .
[ thm2 ] theorem [ thm1 ] is proved in sections [ som ] and [ proof ] by means of two bijections .
the first is the restriction of a bijection of ( * ? ? ?
* section 3 ) and maps the set of positive geometric chains of ideals in @xmath30 of length @xmath4 to the set of bounded regions of @xmath21 in the fundamental chamber ( theorem [ cor : bij1 ] ) while the second maps this set of regions to the set of @xmath1-orbits of @xmath60 . in the case
@xmath14 the composite of these two bijections gives essentially a bijection of sommers @xcite from the set of positive filters in @xmath30 to @xmath106 .
the proof of theorem [ thm1 ] in these two sections parallels the one of theorem 1.2 in @xcite and for this reason most of the details are omitted .
the main difference is that the unique alcove in a fixed bounded region of @xmath21 which is furthest away from @xmath42 plays the role played in @xcite by the unique alcove in a region of @xmath21 closest to @xmath42 .
the existence of these maximal alcoves was first established and exploited in the special case @xmath14 by sommers @xcite . in section [ f ] we prove conjecture [ conj0 ] when @xmath14 and when @xmath0 has type @xmath15 , @xmath16 or @xmath17 and @xmath4 is arbitrary ( corollary [ cor : conj ] ) using the fact that @xmath107 holds for all @xmath52 in these cases . a key ingredient in the proof is a new combinatorial interpretation ( see part ( iii ) of theorems [ thm : eleni1 ] and [ thm : eleni2 ] ) to the @xmath108-numbers defined from the @xmath45 and @xmath54 via the usual identity relating @xmath108-vectors and @xmath13-vectors of simplicial complexes . in section [ class ]
we compute the numbers which appear in theorem [ thm1 ] for root systems of classical type and those in corollary [ cor1 ] for root systems of exceptional type .
we also prove theorem [ thm2 ] by exploiting the symmetry of the distribution of the set of all filters in @xmath30 by the number of minimal elements , observed by d. panyushev @xcite .
some useful background material is summarized in section [ pre ] .
we conclude with some remarks in section [ remarks ] .
apart from @xcite , our motivation for this work comes to a great extent from the papers by fomin and reading @xcite , fomin and zelevinsky @xcite and sommers @xcite .
in this section we introduce notation and terminology and recall a few useful facts related to root systems , affine weyl groups , generalized cluster complexes and the combinatorics of @xmath5 .
we refer to @xcite and @xcite for further background and references and warn the reader that , throughout the paper , some of our notation and terminology differs from that employed in @xcite ( this is done in part to ease the co - existence of order filters and order ideals in this paper , typically denoted by the letters @xmath33 and @xmath64 , respectively , and in part to match some of the notation of @xcite ) . * root systems and weyl groups .
* let @xmath3 be an @xmath19-dimensional euclidean space with inner product @xmath20 . given a hyperplane arrangement @xmath109 in @xmath3 , meaning a discrete set of affine subspaces of @xmath3 of codimension one , the _ regions _ of @xmath109 are the connected components of the space obtained from @xmath3 by removing the hyperplanes in @xmath109 .
let @xmath0 be a crystallographic root system spanning @xmath3 .
for any real @xmath110 and @xmath22 we denote by @xmath41 the hyperplane in @xmath3 defined by the equation @xmath111 and set @xmath112 .
we fix a positive system @xmath29 and the corresponding ( ordered ) set of simple roots @xmath113 . for @xmath114 we denote by @xmath115 the orthogonal reflection in the hyperpane @xmath116 , called a _ simple reflection_. we will often write @xmath117 instead of @xmath0 , where @xmath118 is an index set in bijection with @xmath119 , and denote by @xmath120 the parabolic root system corresponding to @xmath121 . if @xmath0 is irreducible we denote by @xmath122 the highest positive root , by @xmath123 the exponents and by @xmath13 the coxeter number of @xmath0 and set @xmath124 , where @xmath4 is a fixed positive integer .
the following well known lemmas will be used , as in @xcite .
( ( * ? ? ?
* lemma 2.1 ) ) ( i ) if @xmath125 with @xmath126 and @xmath127 then there exists @xmath52 with @xmath128 such that @xmath129 .
\(ii ) ( cf .
@xcite ) if @xmath130 and @xmath131 then @xmath132 or there exists @xmath52 with @xmath133 such that @xmath134 .
@xmath135[lem : ro ] ( ( * ? ? ?
* ch . 6 , 1.11 , proposition 31 ) @xcite ) if @xmath0 is irreducible and @xmath136 then @xmath137 .
[ lem : h ] we denote by @xmath23 the _ coxeter arrangement _ associated to @xmath0 , i.e. the collection of linear hyperplanes @xmath91 in @xmath3 with @xmath22 , and by @xmath1 the corresponding _ weyl group _ , generated by the reflections in these hyperplanes .
thus @xmath1 is finite and minimally generated by the set of simple reflections , it leaves @xmath0 invariant and acts simply transitively on the set of regions of @xmath38 , called _
chambers_. the _ fundamental chamber _ is the region defined by the inequalities @xmath138 for @xmath139 .
a subset of @xmath3 is called _ dominant _ if it is contained in the fundamental chamber . the _ coroot lattice
_ @xmath2 of @xmath0 is the @xmath140-span of the set of coroots @xmath141 > from now on we assume for simplicity that @xmath0 is irreducible .
the group @xmath1 acts on the lattice @xmath2 and on its sublattice @xmath142 , hence it also acts on the quotient @xmath143 .
we denote by @xmath84 the set of orbits of the @xmath1-action on @xmath144 and use the notation @xmath145 and @xmath146 when @xmath14 .
we denote by @xmath147 the _ affine coxeter arrangement _ , which is the infinite hyperplane arrangement in @xmath3 consisting of the hyperplanes @xmath41 for @xmath22 and @xmath148 , and by @xmath149 the _ affine weyl group _ , generated by the reflections in the hyperplanes of @xmath147 .
the group @xmath149 is the semidirect product of @xmath1 and the translation group in @xmath3 corresponding to the coroot lattice @xmath2 and is minimally generated by the set @xmath150 of _ simple affine reflections _
, where @xmath151 is the reflection in the hyperplane @xmath152 . for @xmath153 and @xmath44 ,
the reflection @xmath115 is a _
right ascent _ of @xmath154 if @xmath155 , where @xmath156 is the length of the shortest expression of @xmath154 as a product of simple affine reflections .
the group @xmath149 acts simply transitively on the set of regions of @xmath157 , called _
alcoves_. the _ fundamental alcove _ of @xmath157 can be defined as @xmath158 note that every alcove can be written as @xmath159 for a unique @xmath160 . moreover ,
given @xmath139 , there exists a unique integer @xmath161 , denoted @xmath162 , such that @xmath163 holds for all @xmath164 .
the next lemma is a reformulation of the main result of @xcite .
* theorem 5.2 ) ) .
let @xmath165 be an integer for each @xmath139 .
there exists @xmath153 such that @xmath166 for each @xmath167 if and only if @xmath168 for all @xmath169 with @xmath170 .
[ lem : alc ] we say that two open regions in @xmath3 are _ separated _ by a hyperplane @xmath171 if they lie in different half - spaces relative to @xmath172 . if @xmath43 is a region of a subarrangement of @xmath157 or the closure of such a region ( in particular , if @xmath43 is a chamber or an alcove ) , we refer to the hyperplanes of @xmath147 which support facets of the closure of @xmath43 as the _ walls _ of @xmath43 . * generalized cluster complexes . *
let @xmath0 be crystallographic ( possibly reducible ) of rank @xmath19 .
the generalized cluster complex @xmath25 is an abstract simplicial complex on the vertex set @xmath173 consisting of the negative simple roots and @xmath4 copies of each positive root ; we refer to ( * ? ? ?
* section 1.2 ) for the definition .
it is a pure complex of dimension @xmath174 ( * ? ? ?
* proposition 1.7 ) .
if @xmath0 is a direct product @xmath175 then @xmath25 is the simplicial join of @xmath176 and @xmath177 .
we denote by @xmath10 the induced subcomplex of @xmath25 on the set of vertices obtained from @xmath173 by removing the negative simple roots and call this simplicial complex the _ positive part _ of @xmath25 . for @xmath178
we denote by @xmath179 and @xmath180 the number of @xmath181-dimensional faces of the complex @xmath25 and @xmath10 , respectively .
these numbers are related to the @xmath50 and @xmath55 by the equations @xmath182 and @xmath183 respectively .
following @xcite we give explicit combinatorial descriptions of the complexes @xmath25 and @xmath10 when @xmath0 has type @xmath15 , @xmath16 or @xmath17 .
for @xmath184 let @xmath185 be a convex polygon with @xmath186 vertices . a diagonal of @xmath185
is called _ @xmath4-allowable _ if it divides @xmath185 into two polygons each with number of vertices congruent to 2 mod @xmath4 .
vertices of @xmath25 are the @xmath4-allowable diagonals of @xmath185 and faces are the sets of pairwise noncrossing diagonals of this kind . for @xmath187 or @xmath188
let @xmath189 be a centrally symmetric convex polygon with @xmath190 vertices .
a vertex of @xmath25 is either a diameter of @xmath189 , i.e. a diagonal connecting antipodal vertices , or a pair of @xmath4-allowable diagonals related by a half - turn about the center of @xmath189 .
a set of vertices of @xmath25 forms a face if the diagonals of @xmath189 defining these vertices are pairwise noncrossing . in all cases
the explicit bijection of @xmath173 with the set of allowable diagonals of @xmath185 or @xmath189 just described is analogous to the one given in ( * ? ? ?
* section 3.5 ) for the usual cluster complex @xmath104 , so that the negative simple roots form an @xmath4-snake of allowable diagonals in @xmath185 or @xmath189 and @xmath10 is the subcomplex of @xmath191 obtained by removing the vertices in the @xmath4-snake .
the _ negative part _ of a face @xmath192 of @xmath25 is the set of indices @xmath193 , where @xmath194 , which correspond to the negative simple roots contained in @xmath192 .
the next lemma appears as ( * ? ? ?
* proposition 3.6 ) in the case @xmath14 and follows from the explicit description of the relevant complexes in the remaining cases .
assume that either @xmath14 or @xmath117 has type @xmath195 or @xmath17 .
for any @xmath121 the map @xmath196 is a bijection from the set of faces of @xmath197 with negative part @xmath198 to the set of faces of @xmath199 . in particular @xmath200 where @xmath201 if @xmath202 for any complex @xmath203 .
@xmath135[lem : fr ] for @xmath14 essentially the same equation as ( [ ff+fr ] ) has appeared in the context of quiver representations in ( * ? ? ?
* section 6 ) .
* regions of @xmath5 and chains of filters .
* let @xmath0 be irreducible and crystallographic of rank @xmath19 . for @xmath44 let @xmath45 be the number of dominant regions @xmath43 of @xmath21 for which exactly @xmath46 walls of @xmath43 of the form @xmath47 separate @xmath43 from @xmath42 , as in section [ intro ] .
we recall another combinatorial interpretation of @xmath45 from @xcite using slightly different terminology .
we call a decreasing chain @xmath204 of filters in @xmath30 a _ geometric chain of filters _ of length @xmath4 if ( [ bi2 ] ) and ( [ bi1 ] ) hold under the same conventions as in section [ intro ] ( the term _ co - filtered chain of dual order ideals _ was used in @xcite instead ) .
a positive root @xmath77 is _ indecomposable _ of _ rank _ @xmath4 with respect to this chain if @xmath205 and it is not possible to write @xmath79 with @xmath206 and @xmath207 for indices @xmath208 with @xmath83 .
let @xmath209 be the set of points @xmath210 which satisfy @xmath211 for @xmath212 , where @xmath213 .
the following statement combines parts of theorems 3.6 and 3.11 in @xcite .
the map @xmath214 is a bijection from the set of geometric chains of filters of length @xmath4 in @xmath30 to the set of dominant regions of @xmath5 .
moreover a positive root @xmath77 is indecomposable of rank @xmath4 with respect to @xmath33 if and only if @xmath47 is a wall of @xmath209 which separates @xmath209 from @xmath42 .
in particular @xmath45 is equal to the number of geometric chains of filters in @xmath30 of length @xmath4 having @xmath215 indecomposable elements of rank @xmath4 .
@xmath135[thm : ath2 ] by modifying the definition given earlier or using the interpretation in the last statement of the previous theorem we can define the numbers @xmath216 when @xmath0 is reducible as well .
clearly @xmath217 for any crystallographic root systems @xmath218 .
in this section we generalize some of the results of sommers @xcite on bounded dominant regions of @xmath93 and positive filters in @xmath30 to bounded dominant regions of @xmath21 and positive geometric chains of ideals and establish the equality of the numbers appearing in ( i ) and ( ii ) in the statement of theorem [ thm1 ] .
the results of this and the following section are analogues of the results of sections 3 and 4 of @xcite on the set of all dominant regions of @xmath21 .
their proofs are obtained by minor adjustments from those of @xcite , suggested by the modifications of the relevant definitions , and thus are only sketched or omitted .
let @xmath0 be irreducible and crystallographic of rank @xmath19 and let @xmath64 be a positive geometric chain of ideals @xmath219 in @xmath30 of length @xmath4 , so that ( [ bi2 ] ) and ( [ bi1 ] ) hold , where @xmath220 , and @xmath221 .
we define @xmath222 for any @xmath139 .
observe that @xmath223 is well defined since @xmath221 and that @xmath224 for @xmath225 , with @xmath226 if and only if @xmath227 .
if @xmath228 and @xmath229 for all @xmath52 then @xmath230 [ lem0 ] _ proof .
_ this is clear from the definition . @xmath135
let @xmath139 and @xmath231 . 1 .
if @xmath232 then @xmath225 .
if @xmath233 then there exist @xmath234 with @xmath79 and @xmath235 .
moreover we may choose @xmath236 so that @xmath237 .
[ lem1 ] _ proof .
_ analogous to the proof of ( * ? ? ?
* lemma 3.2 ) .
@xmath135 if @xmath238 and @xmath239 are integers such that @xmath240 then @xmath241 or @xmath242 .
[ lem : cp ] _ proof .
_ by induction on @xmath243 , as in the proof of ( * ? ?
* lemma 3.3 ) .
@xmath135 we have @xmath244 whenever @xmath238 .
[ cor : k ] _ proof .
_ the second inequality is a special case of lemma [ lem0 ] and the first follows from lemma [ lem : cp ] letting @xmath245 and @xmath246 .
@xmath135 we denote by @xmath247 the set of points @xmath210 which satisfy the inequalities in ( [ map ] ) ( thus we allow a slight abuse of notation since the same set was denoted by @xmath209 in section [ pre ] , where @xmath33 is the chain of complementary filters @xmath248 ) .
since @xmath249 we have @xmath250 for all @xmath114 and @xmath251 and therefore @xmath247 is bounded .
there exists a unique @xmath153 such that @xmath252 for @xmath139 .
moreover , @xmath253 . in particular
, @xmath247 is nonempty .
[ prop : min ] _ proof . _
the existence in the first statement follows from lemma [ lem : alc ] and corollary [ cor : k ] while uniqueness is obvious . for the second statement
let @xmath139 and @xmath254 .
part ( i ) of lemma [ lem1 ] implies that @xmath224 if and only if @xmath255 .
hence from the inequalities @xmath256 which hold for @xmath164 , we conclude that @xmath257 .
@xmath135 let @xmath258 be the map which assigns the set @xmath247 to a positive geometric chain of ideals @xmath64 in @xmath30 of length @xmath4 .
conversely , given a bounded dominant region @xmath43 of @xmath21 let @xmath259 be the sequence @xmath260 where @xmath261 is the set of @xmath167 for which @xmath262 holds in @xmath43 .
clearly each @xmath261 is an ideal in @xmath30 .
the map @xmath258 is a bijection from the set of positive geometric chains of ideals in @xmath30 of length @xmath4 to the set of bounded dominant regions of @xmath21 , and the map @xmath263 is its inverse .
[ cor : bij1 ] _ proof .
_ that @xmath258 is well defined follows from proposition [ prop : min ] , which guarantees that @xmath247 is nonempty ( and bounded ) . to check that @xmath263 is well defined observe that if @xmath43 is a bounded dominant region of @xmath21 and if @xmath264 and @xmath265 hold for @xmath49 then @xmath266 must hold for @xmath49 , so that @xmath267 satisfies ( [ bi2 ] )
similarly , @xmath267 satisfies ( [ bi1 ] ) . that @xmath221 follows from ( * ? ? ?
* lemma 4.1 ) .
it is clear that @xmath258 and @xmath263 are inverses of each other .
@xmath135 let @xmath268 be a bounded dominant region of @xmath21 , where @xmath269 .
let @xmath270 denote the element of the affine weyl group @xmath149 which is assigned to @xmath64 in proposition [ prop : min ] .
the following proposition implies that @xmath271 is the alcove in @xmath43 which is the furthest away from @xmath42 .
in the special case @xmath14 the existence of such an alcove was established by sommers ( * ? ? ?
* proposition 5.4 ) .
let @xmath43 be a bounded dominant region of @xmath21 .
the element @xmath270 is the unique @xmath153 such that @xmath272 and whenever @xmath139 , @xmath273 and @xmath274 holds for some @xmath49 we have @xmath275 for all @xmath164 . [ prop : wr ] _ proof . _ analogous to the proof of ( * ? ? ?
* proposition 3.7 ) .
@xmath135 we now introduce the notion of an indecomposable element with respect to the increasing chain of ideals @xmath64 . given @xmath254 ,
a root @xmath139 is indecomposable of rank @xmath161 with respect to @xmath64 if @xmath225 and 1 .
@xmath231 , 2 .
it is not possible to write @xmath79 with @xmath80 and @xmath81 for indices @xmath82 with @xmath276 and 3 . if @xmath277 for some @xmath278 then @xmath279 .
[ def ] observe that , by part ( i ) of lemma [ lem1 ] , the assumption @xmath280 in this definition is actually implied by condition ( i ) . for @xmath281
the definition is equivalent to the one proposed in section [ intro ] , as the following lemma shows . a positive root @xmath77 is indecomposable of rank @xmath4 with respect to @xmath64 if and only if @xmath77 is a maximal element of @xmath282 and it is not possible to write @xmath79 with @xmath283 and @xmath81 for indices @xmath82 with @xmath83 .
[ lem : m ] _ proof .
_ suppose that @xmath284 is indecomposable of rank @xmath4 .
since @xmath285 we must have @xmath286 .
hence to show that @xmath77 satisfies the condition in the statement of the lemma it suffices to show that @xmath77 is maximal in @xmath75 . if not then by lemma [ lem : ro ] ( i ) there exists @xmath287 such that @xmath288
. then clearly @xmath289 and @xmath290 by corollary [ cor : k ] . hence @xmath291 and
condition ( iii ) of definition [ def ] leads to a contradiction . for the converse , suppose that @xmath284 satisfies the condition in the statement of the lemma
in view of part ( i ) of lemma [ lem1 ] , condition ( iii ) in definition [ def ] is satisfied since @xmath77 is assumed to be maximal in @xmath75 .
hence to show that @xmath77 is indecomposable of rank @xmath4 it suffices to show that @xmath285 .
this is implied by the assumption that @xmath292 and part ( i ) of lemma [ lem1 ] .
@xmath135 suppose that @xmath77 is indecomposable with respect to @xmath64 . 1 .
we have @xmath293 whenever @xmath79 with @xmath234 .
we have @xmath294 whenever @xmath295 .
[ lem : ind ] _ proof . _
analogous to the proof of ( * ? ? ?
* lemma 3.10 ) . for part ( ii ) , letting @xmath231 and @xmath296 , we prove instead that @xmath297 .
this implies the result by corollary [ cor : k ] . @xmath135
the following theorem explains the connection between indecomposable elements of @xmath64 and walls of @xmath247
. if @xmath64 is a positive geometric chain of ideals in @xmath30 of length @xmath4 with corresponding region @xmath268 and @xmath254 then the following sets are equal : 1 .
the set of indecomposable roots @xmath139 with respect to @xmath64 of rank @xmath161 , 2 .
the set of @xmath139 such that @xmath298 is a wall of @xmath43 which does not separate @xmath43 from @xmath42 and 3 .
the set of @xmath139 such that @xmath298 is a wall of @xmath271 which does not separate @xmath271 from @xmath42 .
[ mylemma ] _ proof .
_ we prove that @xmath299 for the three sets defined in the statement of the theorem as in the proof of ( * ? ? ?
* theorem 3.11 ) , replacing the inequalities @xmath300 which appear there by @xmath301 and recalling from the proof of proposition [ prop : wr ] that @xmath302 holds for all @xmath139 and @xmath251 .
@xmath135 we denote by @xmath303 the subset of @xmath149 consisting of the elements @xmath270 for the bounded dominant regions @xmath43 of @xmath21 ; see figure [ figure1 ] for the case @xmath304 and @xmath305 .
we abbreviate this set as @xmath306 in the case @xmath14 .
the elements of @xmath306 are called _ maximal _ in @xcite . for any nonnegative integers @xmath307 the following are equal : 1 . the number of positive geometric chains of ideals in @xmath30 of length @xmath4 having @xmath308 indecomposable elements of rank @xmath161 for each @xmath254 , 2 . the number of bounded dominant regions @xmath43 of @xmath21 such that @xmath308 walls of @xmath43 of the form @xmath298 do not separate @xmath43 from @xmath42 for each @xmath254 and 3 . the number of @xmath309 such that @xmath308 walls of @xmath310 of the form @xmath298 do not separate @xmath310 from @xmath42 for each @xmath254 . [ cor : ik ] _ proof . _ combine theorems [ cor : bij1 ] and [ mylemma ] . @xmath135
the following corollary is immediate . for any nonnegative integer @xmath52 the numbers which appear in ( i ) and ( ii ) in the statement of theorem [ thm1 ] are both equal to the number of @xmath309 such that @xmath52 walls of @xmath310 of the form
@xmath47 do not separate @xmath310 from @xmath42 .
@xmath135[cor : part1 ] as was the case with @xmath45 , the interpretation in part ( ii ) of theorem [ thm1 ] mentioned in the previous corollary or the original definition can be used to define @xmath54 when @xmath0 is reducible .
equivalently we define @xmath311 for any crystallographic root systems @xmath218 .
we now consider the special case @xmath14 .
a positive geometric chain of ideals @xmath64 of length @xmath4 in this case is simply a single ideal @xmath64 in @xmath30 such that @xmath312 , meaning that @xmath313 is a positive filter . by lemma [ lem : m ]
the rank one indecomposable elements of @xmath64 are exactly the maximal elements of @xmath64 . for any nonnegative
integer @xmath52 the following are equal to @xmath314 : 1 . the number of ideals in the root poset @xmath30 which contain all simple roots and have @xmath52 maximal elements , 2 . the number of bounded dominant regions @xmath43 of @xmath93 such that @xmath52 walls of @xmath43 of the form @xmath92 do not separate @xmath43 from @xmath42 , 3 . the number of @xmath315 such that @xmath52 walls of @xmath310 of the form
@xmath92 do not separate @xmath310 from @xmath42 and 4 .
the number of elements @xmath315 having @xmath52 right ascents .
[ cor : shi ] _ proof .
_ this follows from the case @xmath14 of corollary [ cor : ik ] and ( * ? ? ?
* lemma 2.5 ) . @xmath135
in this section we complete the proof of theorem [ thm1 ] ( see corollary [ cor : proof ] ) .
we assume that @xmath0 is irreducible and crystallographic of rank @xmath19 . as in (
* section 4 ) , by the reflection in @xmath1 corresponding to a hyperplane @xmath41 we mean the reflection in the linear hyperplane @xmath91 .
we let @xmath316 , as in section [ pre ] , and @xmath317 .
the following elementary lemma , for which a detailed proof can be found in ( * ? ? ?
* section 7.4 ) , implies that @xmath318 is a set of representatives for the orbits of the @xmath1-action on @xmath144 .
the natural inclusion map from @xmath318 to the set @xmath84 of orbits of the @xmath1-action on @xmath144 is a bijection . moreover , if @xmath319 then the stabilizer of @xmath59 with respect to the @xmath1-action on @xmath144 is the subgroup of @xmath1 generated by the reflections corresponding to the walls of @xmath320 which contain @xmath59 .
in particular , @xmath61 is equal to the number of walls of @xmath320 which contain @xmath59 .
@xmath135[lem : hai ] we will define a bijection @xmath321 such that for @xmath309 , the number of walls of @xmath310 of the form @xmath47 which do not separate @xmath310 from @xmath42 is equal to the number of walls of @xmath320 which contain @xmath322 .
let @xmath323 be the region of @xmath5 defined by the inequalities @xmath324 for @xmath114 .
let @xmath325 be the unique element @xmath154 of @xmath303 such that @xmath326 .
we define the map @xmath327 by @xmath328 for @xmath309 .
observe that , by lemma [ lem : h ] , the alcove @xmath329 can be described explicitly as the open simplex in @xmath3 defined by the linear inequalities @xmath330 for @xmath331 and @xmath332 . for any @xmath254
we define the simplex @xmath333 so that @xmath334 . for any @xmath19-dimensional simplex @xmath335 in @xmath3 bounded by hyperplanes @xmath41 in @xmath147 with @xmath336
we denote by @xmath337 the wall of @xmath335 orthogonal to @xmath122 or @xmath338 , if @xmath339 or @xmath340 , respectively .
we write @xmath341 instead of @xmath342 for @xmath153 .
the reader is invited to test the results that follow in the case pictured in figure [ figure1 ] .
the map @xmath343 is a bijection from @xmath303 to @xmath318 .
moreover for any @xmath309 , @xmath254 and @xmath44 , the point @xmath344 lies on the wall @xmath345 if and only if the wall @xmath346 of @xmath310 is of the form @xmath298 and does not separate @xmath310 from @xmath42 . [ bij ] _ proof . _ analogous to the proof of (
* theorem 4.2 ) .
@xmath135 = 3.0 in for any nonnegative integers @xmath307 each of the quantities which appear in the statement of corollary [ cor : ik ] is equal to the number of points in @xmath318 which lie in @xmath308 walls of @xmath347 for all @xmath254 .
[ ik : new ] _ proof .
_ this follows from theorem [ bij ] .
@xmath135 the next corollary completes the proof of theorem [ thm1 ] . for any @xmath44
the following are equal to @xmath348 : 1 . the number of points in @xmath318 which lie in @xmath52 walls of @xmath320 and 2 . the number of @xmath309 such that @xmath52 walls of @xmath310 of the form @xmath47 do not separate @xmath310 from @xmath349 .
[ cor : proof ] _ proof .
_ by lemma [ lem : hai ] , the number of orbits @xmath87 with rank @xmath88 is equal to the number of points in @xmath318 which lie in @xmath52 walls of @xmath320 .
the statement now follows by specializing corollary [ ik : new ] and recalling that @xmath334 .
@xmath135 part ( ii ) of corollary [ cor : proof ] implies that @xmath350 is equal to the cardinality of @xmath351 .
an argument similar to the one employed in ( * ? ? ?
* remark 4.5 ) shows that @xmath352 is equinumerous to @xmath353 .
therefore from theorem [ thm0 ] ( iii ) we conclude that @xmath354 .
since the reduced euler characteristic @xmath355 of @xmath356 is equal to @xmath357 , it follows from the results of the next section that @xmath358 if @xmath0 has type @xmath15 , @xmath16 or @xmath17 ( see ( * ? ? ?
* ( 3.1 ) ) for the corresponding property of @xmath191 ) .
@xmath135[rem ] the following conjecture is the positive analogue of ( * ? ? ?
* conjecture 3.7 ) . for any crystallographic root system
@xmath0 and all @xmath56 the complex @xmath10 is pure @xmath359-dimensional and shellable and has reduced euler characteristic equal to @xmath360 .
in particular it is cohen - macaulay and has the homotopy type of a wedge of @xmath361 spheres of dimension @xmath174 .
let @xmath0 be a crystallographic root system of rank @xmath19 spanning the euclidean space @xmath3 .
we define numbers @xmath362 and @xmath364 by the relations @xmath365 and @xmath366 respectively . comparing to equation ( [ f+fr ] )
we see that conjecture [ conj0 ] for the pair @xmath11 is equivalent to the statement that @xmath367 for all @xmath52 , where @xmath180 is as in section [ pre ]
. we will give a combinatorial interpretation to the numbers @xmath368 and @xmath369 as follows .
for @xmath370 we denote by @xmath371 the collection of @xmath110-dimensional ( nonempty ) sets of the form @xmath372 where @xmath373 can be @xmath374 and @xmath375 and @xmath376 denote the two open half - spaces in @xmath3 defined by the inequalities @xmath262 and @xmath274 , respectively .
observe that each element of @xmath371 is dominant .
we also denote by @xmath377 the elements of @xmath371 which are bounded subsets of @xmath3 or , equivalently , the sets of the form ( [ cells ] ) with @xmath378 or @xmath379 for @xmath114 . in the special case @xmath14 part ( iii ) of the following theorem
is the content of remark 5.10 ( v ) in @xcite . for any irreducible crystallographic root system @xmath0 and all @xmath56 and @xmath370 the number @xmath380 counts 1 .
pairs @xmath381 where @xmath43 is a dominant region of @xmath21 and @xmath382 is a set of @xmath383 walls of @xmath43 of the form @xmath47 which separate @xmath43 from @xmath42 , 2 .
pairs @xmath384 where @xmath33 is a geometric chain of filters in @xmath30 of length @xmath4 and @xmath385 is a set of @xmath383 indecomposable roots of rank @xmath4 with respect to @xmath33 and 3 .
the elements of @xmath371 .
[ thm : eleni1 ] _ proof .
_ > from ( [ f_i ] ) we have @xmath386 which cleary implies ( i ) and ( ii ) ( see theorem [ thm : ath2 ] ) . to complete the proof it suffices to give a bijection from the set @xmath387 of pairs @xmath381 which appear in ( i ) to @xmath371 .
given such a pair @xmath388 let @xmath389 be the intersection ( [ cells ] ) , where @xmath373 is chosen so that @xmath390 unless @xmath281 and @xmath391 , in which case @xmath392 .
let @xmath393 and let @xmath394 be the intersection of the hyperplanes in @xmath382 .
it follows from ( * ? ? ?
* corollary 3.14 ) that @xmath382 is a proper subset of the set of walls of an alcove of @xmath147 and hence that @xmath394 is nonempty and @xmath110-dimensional .
to show that @xmath389 is nonempty and @xmath110-dimensional , so that @xmath395 is well defined , we need to show that @xmath394 is not contained in any hyperplane @xmath298 with @xmath139 and @xmath212 other than those in @xmath382 .
so suppose that @xmath396 with @xmath139 and @xmath397 .
then there are real numbers @xmath398 such that @xmath399 and @xmath400 .
observe that the @xmath401 are minimal elements of the last filter in the geometric chain of filters in @xmath30 corresponding to @xmath43 and hence that they form an antichain in @xmath30 , meaning a set of pairwise incomparable elements .
it follows from the first main result of @xcite ( see the proof of ( * ? ? ?
* corollary 6.2 ) ) that the coefficients @xmath402 in ( [ lambdas ] ) are nonnegative integers . hence either @xmath403 or @xmath404 and @xmath281 for some @xmath52 , so that @xmath405 . to show that @xmath406 is a bijection
we will show that given @xmath407 there exists a unique @xmath408 with @xmath409 .
let @xmath410 be the linear basis of @xmath3 which is dual to @xmath119 , in the sense that @xmath411 observe that if @xmath412 with @xmath388 , @xmath63 is a point in @xmath413 and @xmath414 are sufficiently small positive numbers then @xmath415 since regions of @xmath5 are pairwise disjoint this implies uniqueness of @xmath43 , and hence of @xmath416 . to prove the existence let @xmath43 be the unique region of @xmath5 defined by ( [ epsilon ] ) .
equivalently @xmath43 can be obtained by replacing all hyperplanes of the form @xmath47 in the intersection ( [ cells ] ) defining @xmath413 by @xmath417 .
it suffices to show that any such hyperplane @xmath47 is a wall of @xmath43 since then , if @xmath382 is the set of hyperplanes of the form @xmath47 which contain @xmath413 then @xmath418 and @xmath419 .
suppose on the contrary that @xmath420 is not a wall of @xmath43 .
it follows from theorem [ thm : ath2 ] that @xmath77 is not indecomposable of rank @xmath4 with respect to the geometric chain @xmath33 of filters @xmath421 corresponding to @xmath43 and hence that one can write @xmath422 for some @xmath206 , @xmath207 with @xmath423 .
since @xmath424 for @xmath425 and @xmath426 and @xmath427 hold for @xmath49 , so that @xmath428 and @xmath429 hold for @xmath425 , we must have @xmath430 and @xmath431 for @xmath425 .
however one of @xmath432 must be less than @xmath4 and this contradicts the fact that @xmath413 can be contained in @xmath298 for @xmath139 only if @xmath281 .
@xmath135 the proof of the next theorem is entirely similar to that of theorem [ thm : eleni1 ] and is omitted . for any irreducible crystallographic root system @xmath0 and all @xmath56 and @xmath370 the number @xmath433 counts 1 .
pairs @xmath381 where @xmath43 is a dominant bounded region of @xmath21 and @xmath382 is a set of @xmath383 walls of @xmath43 of the form @xmath434 which do not separate @xmath43 from @xmath42 , 2 .
pairs @xmath435 where @xmath64 is a positive geometric chain of ideals in @xmath30 of length @xmath4 and @xmath385 is a set of @xmath383 indecomposable roots of rank @xmath4 with respect to @xmath64 and 3 .
the elements of @xmath377 .
@xmath135 [ thm : eleni2 ] the reader is invited to use part ( iii ) of theorems [ thm : eleni1 ] and [ thm : eleni2 ] as well as figure [ figure1 ] to verify that @xmath436 , @xmath437 , @xmath438 , @xmath439 , @xmath440 and @xmath441 when @xmath304 and @xmath305 .
it should be clear that apart from the necessary modifications in the statements of part ( i ) , theorems [ thm : eleni1 ] and [ thm : eleni2 ] are also valid when @xmath0 is reducible .
for any crystallographic root system @xmath117 and all @xmath56 and @xmath442 we have @xmath443 [ lem : ff+ ] _ proof . _ for @xmath193 let @xmath444 be the linear span of the simple roots indexed by the elements of @xmath198 and let @xmath445 be the orthogonal projection onto @xmath446 .
we define the _ simple part _ of @xmath447 as the set of indices @xmath448 such that @xmath449 .
observe that if @xmath198 is the simple part of @xmath413 then for @xmath139 and @xmath425 we have @xmath450 it follows that @xmath451 induces a bijection from the set of elements of @xmath452 with simple part @xmath198 to @xmath453 . hence counting the elements of @xmath454 according to
their simple part proves the lemma . @xmath135 the same type of argument as that in the next corollary appears in the proof of ( * ? ? ?
* proposition 6.1 ) .
if for some pair @xmath11 every parabolic subsystem of @xmath0 satisfies ( [ ff+fr ] ) and we have @xmath107 for all @xmath52 then we have @xmath57 for all @xmath52 as well .
[ cor : if ] _ proof .
_ > from the assumption we have @xmath455 for all @xmath110 .
equation ( [ ff+fr ] ) and lemma [ lem : ff+ ] imply that @xmath456 for all @xmath110 via mbius inversion on the set of pairs @xmath457 partially ordered by letting @xmath458 this is equivalent to the conclusion of the corollary .
@xmath135 conjecture [ conj0 ] holds for root systems of type @xmath15 , @xmath16 or @xmath17 and any @xmath459 and for all root systems when @xmath14 .
[ cor : conj ] _ proof .
_ this follows from lemma [ lem : fr ] , the previous corollary and the fact that the equality @xmath107 can be checked case by case from the explicit formulas given in @xcite in the cases under consideration .
we conclude this section with a combinatorial interpretation to @xmath460 similar to those provided in parts ( i ) and ( ii ) of theorem [ thm : eleni2 ] . for any irreducible crystallographic root system @xmath0 and all @xmath56 and @xmath370 the number @xmath433 counts 1 .
pairs @xmath381 where @xmath43 is a dominant region of @xmath21 and @xmath382 is a set of @xmath383 walls of @xmath43 of the form @xmath434 which separate @xmath43 from @xmath42 such that @xmath382 contains all such walls of @xmath43 with @xmath461 and 2 .
pairs @xmath384 where @xmath33 is a geometric chain of filters in @xmath30 of length @xmath4 and @xmath385 is a set of @xmath383 indecomposable roots of rank @xmath4 with respect to @xmath33 which contains all simple indecomposable roots of rank @xmath4 with respect to @xmath33 .
[ thm : eleni3 ] _ proof .
_ the sets in ( i ) and ( ii ) are equinumerous by theorem [ thm : ath2 ] . to complete the proof
one can argue that the map @xmath406 in the proof of theorem [ thm : eleni1 ] restricts to a bijection from the set in ( i ) to @xmath377 .
alternatively , arguing as in the proof of corollary [ cor : if ] , it suffices to show that @xmath462 where @xmath194 and @xmath463 denotes the cardinality of the set of pairs , say @xmath464 , which appears in ( ii ) .
let @xmath465 denote the set of pairs defined in ( ii ) of the statement of theorem [ thm : eleni1 ] .
for @xmath466 call the set of simple roots which are indecomposable of rank @xmath4 with respect to @xmath33 and are not contained in @xmath385 the _ simple part _ of @xmath384 and for any @xmath193 denote by @xmath467 the order filter of roots @xmath468 for which @xmath469 for some @xmath470 .
it is straightforward to check from the definitions that the map which sends a pair @xmath384 to @xmath471 , where @xmath472 denotes the chain obtained from @xmath33 by removing @xmath467 from each filter of @xmath33 , induces a bijection from the set of elements of @xmath465 with simple part @xmath198 to @xmath473 . therefore counting the elements of @xmath474 according to their simple part gives the desired equality . @xmath135
in this section we compute the numbers @xmath54 and @xmath475 in the cases of the classical root systems .
the number @xmath54 is equal to lr @xmath476 , & if @xmath184 , + + @xmath477 , & if @xmath187 or @xmath188 , + + @xmath478 , & if @xmath479 . [ thm : abcd ] _ proof . _
the proof can be obtained from that of ( * ? ? ?
* proposition 5.1 ) by replacing the quantity @xmath480 by @xmath481 and using theorem 1.3 ( iii ) instead of ( * ? ? ?
* theorem 1.2 ( ii ) ) .
@xmath135 the following corollary is a straightforward consequence of proposition [ thm : abcd ] and equation ( [ f_i+ ] ) .
the number @xmath433 is equal to lr @xmath482 , & if @xmath184 , + + @xmath483 , & if @xmath484 or @xmath188 , + + @xmath485 , & if @xmath479 .
@xmath135[cor : abcd ] in the case @xmath14 , the following corollary for @xmath184 and @xmath486 is a special case of ( * ? ? ?
* ( 34 ) ) and ( * ? ? ?
* ( 46 ) ) , respectively .
the number @xmath487 is equal to lr @xmath482 , & if @xmath184 , + + @xmath483 , & if @xmath187 or @xmath188 .
moreover @xmath488 [ cor : ab ] _ proof . _
combine corollaries [ cor : conj ] and [ cor : abcd ] . @xmath135
the number of positive filters in @xmath30 with @xmath52 minimal elements has been computed for the exceptional root systems by victor reiner as shown in the following table .
.the numbers @xmath95 for the exceptional root systems . [ cols="<,<,<,<,<,<,<,<,<,<",options="header " , ] _ proof of theorem [ thm2 ] .
_ we will prove the statement of the theorem without the assumption that @xmath0 is irreducible .
let @xmath19 be the rank of @xmath194 .
we write @xmath489 instead of @xmath490 , so that @xmath491 counts the filters in @xmath492 with @xmath110 minimal elements as well as the ideals in @xmath492 with @xmath110 maximal elements .
let @xmath493 denote the number of positive filters in @xmath30 with @xmath110 minimal elements .
counting filters in @xmath492 by the set of simple roots they contain gives @xmath494 similarly , counting ideals in @xmath492 by the set of simple roots they do not contain gives @xmath495 since it is known @xcite that @xmath496 the previous relation can also be written as @xmath497 comparing ( [ dual1 ] ) and ( [ dual2 ] ) and using mbius inversion as in section [ f ] gives @xmath498 for all @xmath193 , which is the statement of the theorem .
the following reciprocity relation @xmath499 was observed by fomin and reading ( * ? ? ?
* ( 2.12 ) )
. we will show that , as suggested by s. fomin ( private communication ) , this relation is in fact an instance of ehrhart reciprocity .
let @xmath500 be the cardinality of @xmath501 for @xmath502 .
it is clear that the vertices of the simplex @xmath503 have rational coordinates in the basis @xmath119 of @xmath3 of simple roots , hence also in the basis @xmath504 of @xmath3 .
therefore the function @xmath500 is the ehrhart quasi - polynomial of @xmath503 with respect to the lattice @xmath2 ( see ( * ? ? ?
* section 4.6 ) for an introduction to the theory of ehrhart quasi - polynomials ) .
ehrhart reciprocity ( * ? ? ?
* theorem 4.6.26 ) implies that @xmath505 for @xmath502 and hence , setting @xmath506 and consulting ( * ? ? ?
* theorem 1.1 ) , that @xmath507 remark [ rem ] asserts that @xmath508 and hence ( [ rec ] ) holds .
\3 . after this paper
was completed the following came to our attention .
( i ) the numbers @xmath509 of positive filters in @xmath30 with @xmath52 minimal elements are also discussed and partially computed in ( * ? ? ?
* section 3 ) .
( ii ) theorem 2.7 in @xcite implies that lemma [ lem : fr ] is valid for all pairs @xmath11 . in view of ( ii ) and the equality @xmath107 ( see @xcite ) when @xmath479 , it follows from corollary [ cor : if ] that conjecture [ conj0 ] is also valid for root systems of type @xmath510 and arbitrary @xmath4 . _
acknowledgements_. we are grateful to sergey fomin and nathan reading for making their work @xcite available to us .
we also thank sergey fomin for useful discussions and victor reiner for providing the data of table [ except ] as well as the software to confirm it .
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In several French-speaking countries and international organisations, a Chef de Cabinet French; literally Office Chief is a senior civil servant who acts as an aide or private secretary to a government figure, typically a minister. They typically work in the ministerial office cabinet.
The title is used by the head of an office in the United Nations Secretariat, appointed by the Secretary-General, or in the European Commission, appointed by an individual European Commissioner for his or her personal cabinet. The position's rank and responsibilities are equivalent to a chief of staff. The current chef de cabinet to the United Nations Secretary‑General is Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti.
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in the last ten years or so we have witnessed huge progress in neutrino oscillation physics . the outstanding experimental results lead to quite a clear overall picture of the neutrino sector .
we know that there are two mass - squared differences separated roughly by a factor of 30 , and in the lepton mixing matrix there are two large mixing angles , and one mixing angle which has to be small . in the first part of this talk i review the present status of neutrino oscillations by reporting the results of a global analysis of latest world neutrino oscillation data from solar , atmospheric , reactor and accelerator experiments .
this analysis is performed in the three - flavour framework and represents an update of the work published in refs .
@xcite .
the recent developments in neutrino oscillations triggered a lot of activity in the community , and many new neutrino oscillation experiments are under construction , or under active investigation , to address important open questions , such as the value of the small mixing angle @xmath0 , leptonic cp violation and the type of the neutrino mass hierarchy .
in the second part of the talk i try to give an outlook , where we could stand in about ten years from now .
these results are based on a simulation of up - coming long - baseline accelerator and reactor experiments , which are expected to deliver physics results within the anticipated time scale @xcite .
three - flavour neutrino oscillations are described in general by the two independent mass - squared differences @xmath1 , @xmath2 , three mixing angles @xmath3 , and one complex phase @xmath4 . throughout this work
i will use the standard parameterization for the pmns lepton mixing matrix @xmath5 with the abbreviations @xmath6 , @xmath7 .
the type of the neutrino mass hierarchy is determined by the sign of @xmath8 : @xmath9 corresponds to the normal hierarchy and @xmath10 to the inverted one .
in tab . [ tab:3nu - summary ] i summarize the present status of three - flavour neutrino oscillation parameters .
the numbers are obtained from a global analysis of current oscillation data from solar @xcite , atmospheric @xcite , reactor @xcite , and accelerator @xcite data .
details of the analysis can be found in ref .
@xcite and references therein . in the following
i give some brief comments on the determination of the atmospheric and the solar parameters , and on the bound on @xmath0 .
@xmath11 acc . & 3@xmath12 range + ' '' '' @xmath13 $ ] & @xmath14 & 4% & @xmath15 + ' '' '' @xmath16 $ ] & @xmath17 & 14% & @xmath18 + ' '' ''
@xmath19 & @xmath20 & 9% & @xmath21 + ' '' '' @xmath22 & @xmath23 & 11% & @xmath24 + ' '' ''
@xmath25 & @xmath26 & @xmath26 & @xmath27 + [ tab:3nu - summary ] and @xmath8 at 90 ( contour lines ) and the k2k long - baseline experiment ( coloured regions).,scaledwidth=55.0% ] [ fig : atm ] _ the atmospheric parameters. _ in fig . [
fig : atm ] i show the allowed regions for @xmath28 and @xmath8 from separate analyses of super - k atmospheric neutrino data @xcite , and data from the k2k long - baseline experiment @xcite .
the latter probes the @xmath29 disappearance oscillation channel in the same region of @xmath30 as explored by atmospheric neutrinos .
the neutrino beam is produced at the kek proton synchrotron , and originally consists of 98% muon neutrinos with a mean energy of 1.3 gev .
the @xmath29 content of the beam is observed at the super - k detector at a distance of 250 km , where 107 events have been detected , whereas @xmath31 have been expected for no oscillations .
[ fig : atm ] illustrates that the neutrino mass - squared difference indicated by the @xmath29 disappearance observed in k2k is in perfect agreement with atmospheric neutrino oscillations .
hence , k2k data provide the first confirmation of oscillations with @xmath8 from a man - made neutrino source .
k2k gives a rather weak constraint on the mixing angle due to low statistics in the current data sample , and the constraints on @xmath22 of tab .
[ tab:3nu - summary ] are dominated by atmospheric data .
both data sets give a best fit point of @xmath32 , _
i.e. _ maximal mixing . in our analysis of atmospheric neutrino data we neglect the small contribution of oscillations with @xmath1 .
taking into account this sub - leading effect , in refs .
@xcite a small deviation from maximal mixing was found , due to an excess of sub - gev @xmath33-like events .
this indication currently is not statistically significant ( about @xmath34 ) , and so - far it has not been confirmed by a three - flavour analysis of the super - k collaboration @xcite . [ cols="^,^ " , ] [ fig : theta13 ] _ the bound on @xmath0 .
_ for the third mixing angle currently only an upper bound exists .
this bound is dominated by the chooz reactor experiment @xcite , in combination with the @xmath2-determination from atmospheric and k2k experiments .
however , recent improved data of solar and kamland experiments lead to a non - negligible contribution of these experiments to the global bound , especially for low values of @xmath8 within the present allowed range @xcite . from the left panel of fig .
[ fig : theta13 ] one deduces the following limits at 90% c.l.(@xmath35 ) : @xmath36 in the right panel of fig .
[ fig : theta13 ] we illustrate how the combination of solar and kamland data leads to a non - trivial bound on @xmath0 .
the allowed regions in the plane of @xmath19 and @xmath25 show the complementarity of the two data sets , which follows from the very different conversion mechanisms : vacuum oscillations at a baseline of order 180 km for kamland , and adiabatic msw conversion inside the sun for solar neutrinos . for a further discussion see the appendix of ref .
@xcite or ref .
in this section i discuss the potential of long - baseline experiments , from which results are to be expected within the coming ten years .
the first results will be obtained by the conventional beam experiments minos and the cngs experiments icarus and opera .
subsequent information might be available from new reactor experiments .
we take as examples d - chooz as a first stage experiment , and a generic second - generation experiment labeled reactor - ii , which could be realized at sites in brazil , china , japan , taiwan , or usa , see ref .
@xcite for an overview . towards the end of the anticipated time scale results from super - beam experiments
t2k and no@xmath37a could be available .
the main characteristics of these experiments are summarized in tab .
[ tab : lbl ] . for the simulation the globes software @xcite is used .
technical details and experiment descriptions can be found in refs .
@xcite . in
the following i discuss the expected improvement on the leading atmospheric parameters , and the sensitivity to @xmath0 , the cp phase @xmath4 and the type of the neutrino mass hierarchy .
a discussion of prospects to improve the determination of the leading solar parameters can be found in ref .
@xcite .
@xmath38 & channel + + minos @xcite & @xmath39 & @xmath40 & @xmath41 & @xmath42 + icarus @xcite & @xmath43 & @xmath44 & @xmath41 & @xmath45 + opera @xcite & @xmath43 & @xmath44 & @xmath41 & @xmath45 + + d - chooz @xcite & @xmath46 & @xmath47 & @xmath48 & @xmath49 + reactor - ii @xcite & @xmath50 & @xmath47 & @xmath51 & @xmath49 + + t2k @xcite & @xmath52 & @xmath53 & @xmath41 & @xmath54 + no@xmath37a @xcite & @xmath55 & @xmath56 & @xmath41 & @xmath54 + [ tab : lbl ] on @xmath57 ( left ) and @xmath22 ( right ) as a function of the true value of @xmath8 and for the true value @xmath58 . the dots with the error bars indicate the present accuracy at @xmath59 from atmospheric and k2k data .
the gray shaded region is excluded at @xmath35 by present data.,scaledwidth=80.0% ] [ fig : atm - prospect ] _ the atmospheric parameters. _ in fig .
[ fig : atm - prospect ] i show how the upcoming experiments will improve the accuracy on @xmath60 and @xmath22 .
already minos will decrease significantly the error on @xmath60 . the non - trivial constraint on @xmath60 from the cngs experiments results from the fact that in this analysis also the @xmath29 disappearance channel is included for these experiments ( see ref .
@xcite for details ) . for
not too small values of @xmath60 t2k will provide a determination of order 2% at @xmath59 , which corresponds roughly to an improvement of one order of magnitude with respect to the present error .
however , from the right panel of fig .
[ fig : atm - prospect ] one observes that for most values of @xmath60 t2k will improve the accuracy on @xmath22 only by a factor of 2 with respect to the present uncertainty .
the main reason for this only modest improvement comes from the fact that disappearance experiments measure @xmath61 , and a small uncertainty on @xmath61 translates into a relatively large error for @xmath22 , if @xmath28 is close to maximal mixing .
it is interesting to note that the lower bound on @xmath60 from no@xmath37a is comparable to the one from t2k , however , the upper bound is significantly weaker because of a strong correlation between @xmath60 and @xmath22 . also the @xmath22 measurement of no@xmath37a
is affected by this correlation , which gets resolved only in the range @xmath62 ev@xmath63 .
this correlation appears because the no@xmath37a detector is optimized for electrons , whereas the atmospheric parameters are determined essentially by the @xmath29 disappearance channel .
let me add that as in ref .
@xcite we assume here a low - z - calorimeter . using the totally active scintillator detector ( tasd ) as proposed in ref .
@xcite improves the performance of no@xmath37a for the atmospheric parameters . at 90 edges of the bars
are obtained for the statistics limits only , whereas the right edges are obtained after successively switching on systematics , correlations , and degeneracies , _
i.e. _ , they correspond to the final sensitivity .
the gray shaded region is excluded at 90 oscillation parameters , we use @xmath64 , @xmath65 , @xmath66 , @xmath67.,scaledwidth=60.0% ] [ fig : th13 ] _ the limit on @xmath0 .
[ fig : th13 ] shows the limits which can be obtained on @xmath68 by the experiments under consideration , if no signal for a finite @xmath0 is found .
one observes that the conventional beams may improve the present limit roughly by factor of 2 , d - chooz by a factor of 4 , and the super - beams by a factor of 6 .
an optimized reactor experiment could improve the present bound by more than one order of magnitude , reaching a limit for @xmath68 below @xmath69 at 90% c.l .
the limits shown in fig . [ fig : th13 ] depend on the true value of @xmath8 ; in general stronger limits can be reached for larger values of @xmath2 .
the figure illustrates that the @xmath68 limits from @xmath70 appearance beam experiments are strongly affected by correlations , mainly between @xmath68 and @xmath4 .
the bars labeled ` degeneracies ' originate from the fact that the hierarchy can not be determined , and the sensitivity is quoted for the hierarchy which gives the worse limit ( see the appendix of ref .
@xcite for a detailed discussion of the sensitivity limit ) . clearly ,
the @xmath68 limit from reactor experiments is completely free from correlations and degeneracies @xcite , since the @xmath71 survival probability does not depend on @xmath4 and @xmath28 , and the dependence on the solar parameters is negligibly small .
these experiments are dominated by systematical uncertainties , related mainly to the comparison of the near and far detectors . a possibility to reduce significantly
the impact of these uncertainties has been presented in ref .
@xcite .
the @xmath72 ( dashed ) allowed regions ( 2 d.o.f . ) in the @xmath73-@xmath4 plane for the true values @xmath74 and @xmath75 .
the black curves refer to the allowed regions for the normal mass hierarchy ( assumed to be the true hierarchy ) , whereas the gray curves refer to the @xmath76-degenerate solution ( inverted hierarchy ) , where the projections of the minima onto the @xmath68-@xmath4 plane are shown as diamonds ( normal hierarchy ) and triangles ( inverted hierarchy ) . for the latter , the @xmath77-value with respect to the best - fit point
is also given . ]
_ possibilities for large @xmath0 .
_ finally i discuss the potential of the experiments of tab .
[ tab : lbl ] if @xmath0 is not too far from the present upper bound . in fig .
[ fig : deltatheta1 ] the allowed regions in the @xmath68-@xmath4 plane are shown assuming a true value of @xmath78 . for the super - beam experiments
t2k and no@xmath37a one observes the strong correlation between @xmath68 and @xmath4 , which introduces a large uncertainty in @xmath68 but does not permit to draw any conclusions on @xmath4 .
in contrast , the reactor experiment provides an accurate measurement of @xmath68 with an accuracy at the level of 10% at 90% c.l .
none of the experiments on its own can identify the mass hierarchy . as indicated in the figure , the best fit point of
the wrong hierarchy is as good as the true best fit point .
however , from the combination of t2k+no@xmath37a+reactor - ii the wrong hierarchy can be disfavoured with @xmath79 , which corresponds roughly to the 90% c.l .
the crucial element for the mass hierarchy determination is the long baseline of 812 km for no@xmath37a , leading to matter effects which allow to distinguish between normal and inverted hierarchy .
let me add , that the hierarchy sensitivity strongly depends on the true value of @xmath4 ; typically it is optimal for @xmath80 , and worst for @xmath81 @xcite . as visible from fig .
[ fig : deltatheta1 ] no information can be obtained on cp violation , _
i.e. _ , at least one of the cp - conserving values @xmath82 is contained within the 90% c.l .
region , even though the assumed true value @xmath75 corresponds to maximal cp violation .
the reason is that no anti - neutrino data is included in this analysis , since due to the low cross sections it seems unlikely that significant anti - neutrino data will be available within the anticipated time scale .
note however , that from the combined analysis some values of @xmath4 can be excluded for a given mass hierarchy .
i have reviewed the present status of neutrino oscillations from world neutrino oscillation data , including solar , atmospheric , reactor and accelerator experiments .
the results of a global analysis within the three - flavour framework have been presented , and in particular , the bound on @xmath0 , which emerges from the interplay of various data sets has been discussed . furthermore , a prospect on where we could stand in neutrino oscillations in ten years from now has been given .
based on a simulation of upcoming long - baseline accelerator and reactor experiments the improvements on the leading atmospheric parameters , as well as the sensitivity to @xmath0 , @xmath4 and the neutrino mass hierarchy have been discussed .
i thank the organizers for the very pleasant and interesting conference .
the results presented here have been obtained in collaboration with p. huber , m. lindner , m. maltoni , m. rolinec , m.a .
trtola , j.w.f .
valle and w. winter .
is supported by a `` marie curie intra - european fellowship within the 6th european community framework program . ''
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Safe yet strong exothermic reaction?
I'm studying chemical engineering at uni (Belgium), and this year (my 2nd) we have to develop and build a stirling engine. It has to be powered by a relatively safe exothermic reaction (not dangerous for bystanders, so no formation of toxic fumes,...) and the whole thing is electrically controlled but that's not important here,
I've come up with this so far:
* Sodium acetate crystallization
* Hydratation of anhydrous copper sulphate
* calcium chloride and water
* sodiumhypochlorite oxidizing sodiumsulfite
An 'open flame' reaction is not allowed sadly enough..
I'm hoping to at least reach 70-80 degrees Celsius (158-176° Fahrenheit)
Chances are quite big that there are better reactions but I really can't think of anything else..
Thanks A LOT in advance everyone!
Here are some more options:
* Pd-catalyzed oxidation of dilute hydrogen gas in air: $\ce{2H2 + O2 -> 2H2O}$ If you use a **dilute** hydrogen gas mix (say 95% nitrogen and 5% hydrogen), no flaming combustion can occur in air. But oxidation still happens, at least when catalyzed by palladium particles. This is how microbiological anaerobic chambers maintain a zero-oxygen environment. You can probably buy some catalyst fairly cheaply from a microbiology anaerobic chamber company like Coy labs.
* Phosphorus pentoxide hydration. [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphorus_pentoxide#Applications) says this reaction, $\ce{P4O10 + 6 H2O -> 4 H3PO4}$, has $\Delta H\_{reac}=-177\text{ kJ/mol}$. There is no flame and no fumes, but the reaction does create phosphoric acid, which is corrosive and can be dangerous.
* A modification of your sulfite / bleach idea: use sodium dithionite instead of sodium sulfite. Sodium dithionite ($\ce{Na2S2O4}$) is air-unstable but if you can work out a way to handle without air exposure it will be more exothermic than sulfite. Instead of dithionite itself you could use the much easier to handle [Rongalite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rongalite) and hypochlorite. Possibly, using calcium hypochlorite suspensions in water (mostly insoluble) will allow you to use higher concentrations of hypochlorite and Rongalite without the reaction rate and temperature skyrocketing (since the rate will be controlled by $\ce{Ca(OCl)2}$ dissolution).
| stackexchange/chemistry |
October Road Their First Encounter
She was there. New in town. Finally. Relaxing. Reflecting. Enjoying the weather. Taking in the scenery. Minding her self. Quietly. Reading. 14 pages later…
"Hey! You having fun? Whatcha doin here?"
"I'm, uh, reading."
"You're just sitting here chillen by yourself, reading…"
"Yeah?"
"Well that's cool! You come here a lot?"
"Nno. I just moved here so I haven't been in town long."
"Oh really? Did you move for school?"
"Yup! I go to school right over there." She pointed towards the west and he knew exactly where she attended. He smiled ever so coyly and nodded his light-brown haired head, as if he was already categorizing what kind of person she was.
She wasn't quite sure what he wanted, what he was up to, where he came from in this huge park, or why he just couldn't stop smiling. And most importantly, why he came up to her. Now. Tonight. But there he was, in his lil gardening cart, completely and utterly focused on her.
And so he asked. Continued to ask anyway, about her. Where she was from, what she has seen already in town, what sports she watches on tv, who her favorite Sox player was and why, how she likes her roommates, what she likes to do in her spare time, and the kicker of them all: what she wants to do with her life and in the future. As if anyone really knew how to answer that infamous question.
It wasn't until he made this comment that she realized he was _really_ interested: "It amazes me that I found a beautiful girl sitting alone in the park who's still single. When at first I thought, well maybe she came here alone to reflect because she had a fight with her boyfriend and needed to think… but no, she's single. Another plus."
Another plus. How she despised that phrase. It was like someone was adding her like a math problem. Oh but "another plus was how she's a Sox fan, carries great conversation and has the most beautiful smile." Yesss, that seemed to be God's flaw with creating her. That wretched smile, as she called it, is what usually grabbed people's attention and gets her in trouble. Didn't help that she was a giggly person to begin with, so she was always smiling.
By now it was sunset, the park lights flickered on and the music was faint, but it was still there. Classical. Music. She knew of the song but wasn't musically round enough to know the title or the composer. But before she realized she kindly said no, he asked her to dance. He asked in a sly way, so much so that she sort of felt bad that she stated she doesn't dance unless there is a significant amount of vodka in her system. Which was totally true, but it sort of would have been romantic if they did dance. However, the subject quickly changed to alcohol consumption and the infamous stupidity of their drunken pasts. She had to admit they did have many things in common, or so it seemed, and he was really nice… but he was already talking about the future. Together. And what her parents would think of him. He also was saying things that he just had to take her to and experience, go to Sox games together, cook dinners for each other, so on and so on. She didn't quite know how to take that. He didn't even officially ask her out on a first date and already he's talking about the future?!
As the night went on, she decided it was time to go. And over an hour later, he drove her down the block closer to her building in his lil cart. But before she crossed the street, he said he would most definitely call her after his shift was over, to make sure it wasn't a phony number she gave him. She knew it was highly unlikely that he would call that same day and told him she did not believe him too. But he reassured her he would; he's not _that_ guy.
He hugged her goodbye (it wasn't a pat-on-the-back hug either. It was a hug-hug,) and he waited just a little longer till he would leave. As she started to walk away, he yelled back at her to be careful walking home alone in the dark.
Awww. He does care.
A few hours later, after she told her roommate about the peculiar guy she met in the park that night, she had a new voicemail. Sure enough, it was him. Even though he seemed a lil creepy talking about all those future plans, she was still a girl and he was still a guy. So she listened to it.
"Hey Janet it's me Eddie. I was calling to see if you were up still, I sent you a text too to see if you were up but I guess not. I just wanted to say that it was really nice meeting you tonight. And I'm being completely honest and I think you're really beautiful and I would love to be able to take you out and show you a fantastic time. If you get this soon you can call me back, if not I'll call you again tomorrow. Or if you want, I'll be working in the park again tomorrow night so you could come by there and say hi. But I hope you have a great night and I'll talk to you soon."
She wanted to believe him, believe what she heard, believe what happened that night, yet there was something telling her to be careful. Something saying don't trust him completely, something saying this won't end good, something saying he's too good to be true. Was she too much out of his league? Maybe. Or maybe he was out of her league. He was a pretty boy. She, apparently, was a pretty girl. It was true; they seemed to have a lot in common. A lot of the small things were the same too. And to meet some one so random, so honest, so kind, to meet him just like she did, something had to be wrong. Something had to be off.
And it was. Totally off. She tried, at first, to make it work. Tried to like him as much as he seemed to like her. He just liked her too much. Too fast. And she didn't care who he was (that THE Eddie Latekka was only talking to her…), didn't matter if he was the Pope, she still would have done the same thing to any other guy. So she ended it. For now. After all, it was a small town and he was the town hottie and she was the new cute college student and she knew the odds of running into him were pretty big. For now, they just wouldn't try to get to know each other any more. She learned from experience to trust her instincts and to listen to her self more than to listen to some boy, no matter how much he tried to flatter her. No matter how much he implied he loved her. No matter how much he wanted to marry her. She knew if the timing was off, it was off.
And yes, he pushed after that. He pushed so hard to not let it happen. Tried to make her explain just why it wouldn't work, why they can't at least still talk instead of cutting ties all together. But no matter what she said, he wasn't listening. For hours they fought, and he still was not listening. God bless any boy who would not listen to her; she respected herself enough to know that she was right, this would not be good for her. He would not be good for her. And she respected herself enough to stick through with what she wanted and did not give in.
If he cursed her and hated her for it, well then, at least she didn't hate herself for not listening. And really, who knows what the future would bring.
End file.
| fanfiction |
descriptions of the patient , the controls , and healthy participants as well as the methods are provided at neurology.org/nn .
a 53-year - old caucasian man had been diagnosed with myeloproliferative disease 3 years before .
one year later , he received allogenic stem cell transplantation combined with thymoglobulin , busulfan , and cyclophosphamide treatment .
one year before admission , he developed gastrointestinal graft vs host disease that was treated with 50 mg / day cyclosporine .
in addition , bk virus associated cystitis and mucositis as well as a cold agglutinin disease were diagnosed and treated with acyclovir , trimethoprim / sulfamethoxazole 1:5 , and rituximab .
he presented with fatigue , myoclonic jerks of the legs , tetraparesis , and incontinence . on clinical work - up , he demonstrated exaggerated deep tendon reflexes of the legs , pyramidal signs , bilateral hypesthesia and hypalgesia below th 8 , and ataxia with unsteadiness of gait , as well as fecal and urinary incontinence .
mri of the spinal cord revealed t2-hyperintense beaded , partially contrast enhancing lesions between c4 and th8 indicative of transverse myelitis ( figure 1a ) .
cranial mri showed an enlarged homogenously contrast - enhancing hypophysis indicative of hypophysitis ( data not shown ) .
( b ) cryosections of rat ( b.a ) or monkey cerebellum ( b.b ) , murine whole brain ( b.c ) , monkey exocrine pancreas ( b.d ) , and recombinant hek293 expressing the pancreatic autoantigen cuzd1 ( b.e ) were incubated with the patient 's serum ( 1:100 ) .
blood testing demonstrated no antibodies against neurotropic viruses ( herpes simplex 1/2 , cytomegalovirus , epstein - barr , varicella - zoster , hepatitis b / c , lymphochoriovirus , polio , echo ) or bacteria ( borrelia , treponema , leptospira , mycobacterium , mycoplasma ) .
csf analysis displayed a slightly increased cell count ( 5/l ) , elevated total protein ( 651 mg / l ) , a moderate impairment of blood csf barrier function ( albumin - ratio 11 10 ) , and absence of oligoclonal bands or intrathecal immunoglobulin synthesis .
indirect immunofluorescence assay ( ifa ) of the patient 's serum displayed a strong granular cytoplasmic immunoglobulin g ( igg ) staining in the molecular layer of rat , porcine , and monkey cerebellum at a titer of 1:1,000 , but no staining of purkinje cells , cell nuclei , or hippocampal neurons was observed ( figure 1b ) . testing with living or fixed rat hippocampal neurons was negative .
sagittal cryosections of murine whole brain demonstrated restriction of staining to the cerebellar molecular layer .
csf was not tested . on the assumption of an autoimmune - mediated neurologic disorder ,
the patient 's sensory loss dissolved within 1 week whereas tetraparesis improved much more slowly .
analysis of the igg subclass distribution revealed igg1 and igg3 reactivities . additionally , exocrine pancreas showed a reticulo - granular staining ( figure 1b ) that could be attributed to cuzd1 by recombinant cell ifa ( rc - ifa ) .
further monospecific analyses were conducted with recombinant hek293 cells expressing 28 established neural autoantigens : hu , yo , ri , cv2 , sox1 , pnma1 , pnma2 , arhgap26 , zic4 , dner / tr , gad65 , gad67 , amphiphysin , recoverin , gaba b receptor , glycine receptor , dppx , glutamate receptors ( types nmda , ampa , mglur1 , mglur5 ) , lgi1 , caspr2 , aqp4 ( m1 and m23 ) , mog , mp-0 , and mag . however , none revealed specific reactivity .
histoimmunoprecipitation with rat and porcine cerebellum and the index patient 's serum revealed proteins with an apparent molecular mass of 110 kda in sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis ( sds - page ) ( figure 2 ) .
the precipitated protein could be identified as glutamate receptor 2 ( glur2 ; grid2 ; uniprot acc .
q63226 ) by matrix - assisted laser desorption / ionization time of flight analysis .
western blot analysis of the hip using a polyclonal anti - glur2 antibody confirmed this finding ( figure 2 ) .
in contrast to anti - glur2 , the patient 's autoantibody was not able to bind to the denatured 110 kda protein . when used in ifa , anti - glur2 produced fluorescence patterns on rat and monkey cerebellum matching those generated by the patient 's serum .
cryosections of rat or pig cerebellum were incubated with the patient 's serum ( 1:100 ) , washed in phosphate - buffered saline , and solubilized using 1% triton x-100 .
the immunocomplexes were eluted by sodium dodecyl sulfate ( sds ) and subjected to sds
arrows indicate the position of the immunoprecipitated antigen at 113 kda while dotted arrows indicate the position of immunoglobulin g heavy and light chain at 52 kda and 27 kda , respectively .
lanes 3 , 4 : rat cerebellum precipitated with sera exhibiting as yet undefined neuroimmune reactions ( controls ) .
lane 1 : molecular weight marker ; lanes 2 , 3 : histoimmunoprecipitate of the patient 's serum ( cerebellum rat ) ; lanes 4 , 5 : rat cerebellum precipitated with sera exhibiting as yet undefined neuroimmune reactions ( controls ) ; lanes 6 , 7 : histoimmunoprecipitate of the patient 's serum ( cerebellum monkey ) ; lanes 8 , 9 : monkey cerebellum precipitated with sera exhibiting as yet undefined neuroimmune reactions ( controls ) .
the patient 's serum reacted in rc - ifa using live or fixed transfected hek293 cells expressing glur2 but not with mock - transfected cells ( figure 3a ) . when used in neutralization experiments ,
hek293 fractions containing glur2 abolished the brain tissue reaction of the patient 's autoantibodies ( figure 3b ) .
antibody binding was unaffected when comparable fractions of mock - transfected cells or of cells expressing cuzd1 were used .
likewise , the autoantibodies against exocrine pancreas could be abolished by preincubation with cuzd1 but not with glur2 .
double - labeling of hek293-glur2 as well as of rat and monkey cerebellum with the patient 's serum and the polyclonal anti - glur2 antibody revealed a nearly perfect congruence ( figure 3 , c e ) .
the patient 's serum was incubated diluted 1:100 on formalin - fixed recombinant hek293 cells expressing glurd2 ( a.a ) or a mock - transfected control with empty vector ( a.b ) .
( b ) neutralization of immunofluorescence reaction on cerebellum ( rat : b.a , b.b ; monkey : b.c , b.d ) .
the patient 's serum diluted 1:320 was preincubated with extracts of hek293 cells transfected with the glurd2 ( b.a , b.c ) or with empty vector as control ( b.b , b.d ) .
( c e ) immunofluorescence staining of recombinant hek293 expressing glurd2 ( c.ac.c ) , rat cerebellum ( d.ad.c ) , and monkey cerebellum ( e.ae.c ) .
hek293 and tissue sections with patient 's serum diluted 1:100 ( green , c.ae.a ) and 1:500 polyclonal rabbit anti - glurd2 antibody ( red , c.be.b ) .
sera from 38 patients with early - stage relapsing - remitting multiple sclerosis of whom 19 presented with transverse myelitis and 85 with various neural autoantibodies ( anti - nmdar , anti - hu , anti - yo , anti - ri , anti - aqp4 , anti - lgi1 , anti - caspr2 , anti - gad ) and 205 healthy participants were analyzed by ifa in parallel to the samples of the index patient .
none of these control sera produced a similar immunofluorescence pattern on the different brain tissues or showed a reaction with the recombinant glur2 substrate .
a 53-year - old caucasian man had been diagnosed with myeloproliferative disease 3 years before .
one year later , he received allogenic stem cell transplantation combined with thymoglobulin , busulfan , and cyclophosphamide treatment .
one year before admission , he developed gastrointestinal graft vs host disease that was treated with 50 mg / day cyclosporine .
in addition , bk virus associated cystitis and mucositis as well as a cold agglutinin disease were diagnosed and treated with acyclovir , trimethoprim / sulfamethoxazole 1:5 , and rituximab .
he presented with fatigue , myoclonic jerks of the legs , tetraparesis , and incontinence . on clinical work - up , he demonstrated exaggerated deep tendon reflexes of the legs , pyramidal signs , bilateral hypesthesia and hypalgesia below th 8 , and ataxia with unsteadiness of gait , as well as fecal and urinary incontinence .
mri of the spinal cord revealed t2-hyperintense beaded , partially contrast enhancing lesions between c4 and th8 indicative of transverse myelitis ( figure 1a ) .
cranial mri showed an enlarged homogenously contrast - enhancing hypophysis indicative of hypophysitis ( data not shown ) .
( b ) cryosections of rat ( b.a ) or monkey cerebellum ( b.b ) , murine whole brain ( b.c ) , monkey exocrine pancreas ( b.d ) , and recombinant hek293 expressing the pancreatic autoantigen cuzd1 ( b.e ) were incubated with the patient 's serum ( 1:100 ) .
blood testing demonstrated no antibodies against neurotropic viruses ( herpes simplex 1/2 , cytomegalovirus , epstein - barr , varicella - zoster , hepatitis b / c , lymphochoriovirus , polio , echo ) or bacteria ( borrelia , treponema , leptospira , mycobacterium , mycoplasma ) .
csf analysis displayed a slightly increased cell count ( 5/l ) , elevated total protein ( 651 mg / l ) , a moderate impairment of blood csf barrier function ( albumin - ratio 11 10 ) , and absence of oligoclonal bands or intrathecal immunoglobulin synthesis .
indirect immunofluorescence assay ( ifa ) of the patient 's serum displayed a strong granular cytoplasmic immunoglobulin g ( igg ) staining in the molecular layer of rat , porcine , and monkey cerebellum at a titer of 1:1,000 , but no staining of purkinje cells , cell nuclei , or hippocampal neurons was observed ( figure 1b ) . testing with living or fixed rat hippocampal neurons was negative .
sagittal cryosections of murine whole brain demonstrated restriction of staining to the cerebellar molecular layer .
csf was not tested . on the assumption of an autoimmune - mediated neurologic disorder ,
the patient 's sensory loss dissolved within 1 week whereas tetraparesis improved much more slowly .
analysis of the igg subclass distribution revealed igg1 and igg3 reactivities . additionally , exocrine pancreas showed a reticulo - granular staining ( figure 1b ) that could be attributed to cuzd1 by recombinant cell ifa ( rc - ifa ) .
further monospecific analyses were conducted with recombinant hek293 cells expressing 28 established neural autoantigens : hu , yo , ri , cv2 , sox1 , pnma1 , pnma2 , arhgap26 , zic4 , dner / tr , gad65 , gad67 , amphiphysin , recoverin , gaba b receptor , glycine receptor , dppx , glutamate receptors ( types nmda , ampa , mglur1 , mglur5 ) , lgi1 , caspr2 , aqp4 ( m1 and m23 ) , mog , mp-0 , and mag . however , none revealed specific reactivity .
histoimmunoprecipitation with rat and porcine cerebellum and the index patient 's serum revealed proteins with an apparent molecular mass of 110 kda in sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis ( sds - page ) ( figure 2 ) .
these proteins were absent in control histoimmunoprecipitates ( hips ) . the precipitated protein could be identified as glutamate receptor 2 ( glur2 ; grid2 ; uniprot acc .
q63226 ) by matrix - assisted laser desorption / ionization time of flight analysis .
western blot analysis of the hip using a polyclonal anti - glur2 antibody confirmed this finding ( figure 2 ) .
in contrast to anti - glur2 , the patient 's autoantibody was not able to bind to the denatured 110 kda protein . when used in ifa , anti - glur2 produced fluorescence patterns on rat and monkey cerebellum matching those generated by the patient 's serum .
cryosections of rat or pig cerebellum were incubated with the patient 's serum ( 1:100 ) , washed in phosphate - buffered saline , and solubilized using 1% triton x-100 .
the immunocomplexes were eluted by sodium dodecyl sulfate ( sds ) and subjected to sds
arrows indicate the position of the immunoprecipitated antigen at 113 kda while dotted arrows indicate the position of immunoglobulin g heavy and light chain at 52 kda and 27 kda , respectively .
lanes 3 , 4 : rat cerebellum precipitated with sera exhibiting as yet undefined neuroimmune reactions ( controls ) .
lane 1 : molecular weight marker ; lanes 2 , 3 : histoimmunoprecipitate of the patient 's serum ( cerebellum rat ) ; lanes 4 , 5 : rat cerebellum precipitated with sera exhibiting as yet undefined neuroimmune reactions ( controls ) ; lanes 6 , 7 : histoimmunoprecipitate of the patient 's serum ( cerebellum monkey ) ; lanes 8 , 9 : monkey cerebellum precipitated with sera exhibiting as yet undefined neuroimmune reactions ( controls ) .
the patient 's serum reacted in rc - ifa using live or fixed transfected hek293 cells expressing glur2 but not with mock - transfected cells ( figure 3a ) .
when used in neutralization experiments , hek293 fractions containing glur2 abolished the brain tissue reaction of the patient 's autoantibodies ( figure 3b ) .
antibody binding was unaffected when comparable fractions of mock - transfected cells or of cells expressing cuzd1 were used .
likewise , the autoantibodies against exocrine pancreas could be abolished by preincubation with cuzd1 but not with glur2 .
double - labeling of hek293-glur2 as well as of rat and monkey cerebellum with the patient 's serum and the polyclonal anti - glur2 antibody revealed a nearly perfect congruence ( figure 3 , c e ) .
the patient 's serum was incubated diluted 1:100 on formalin - fixed recombinant hek293 cells expressing glurd2 ( a.a ) or a mock - transfected control with empty vector ( a.b ) .
( b ) neutralization of immunofluorescence reaction on cerebellum ( rat : b.a , b.b ; monkey : b.c , b.d ) .
the patient 's serum diluted 1:320 was preincubated with extracts of hek293 cells transfected with the glurd2 ( b.a , b.c ) or with empty vector as control ( b.b , b.d ) .
( c e ) immunofluorescence staining of recombinant hek293 expressing glurd2 ( c.ac.c ) , rat cerebellum ( d.ad.c ) , and monkey cerebellum ( e.ae.c ) .
hek293 and tissue sections with patient 's serum diluted 1:100 ( green , c.ae.a ) and 1:500 polyclonal rabbit anti - glurd2 antibody ( red , c.be.b ) .
sera from 38 patients with early - stage relapsing - remitting multiple sclerosis of whom 19 presented with transverse myelitis and 85 with various neural autoantibodies ( anti - nmdar , anti - hu , anti - yo , anti - ri , anti - aqp4 , anti - lgi1 , anti - caspr2 , anti - gad ) and 205 healthy participants were analyzed by ifa in parallel to the samples of the index patient .
none of these control sera produced a similar immunofluorescence pattern on the different brain tissues or showed a reaction with the recombinant glur2 substrate .
we report high titer autoantibodies against glur2 in a patient who had received allogenic stem cell transplantation and developed graft vs host disease affecting the gut accompanied by transverse myelitis with tetraparesis , sensory loss below th8 , and incontinence .
much like formerly reported japanese patients with anti - glur2 , our patient improved upon administration of steroids .
the patient 's serum reacted exclusively with the cerebellar molecular layer but not with hippocampal tissue and in vitro cultivated hippocampal neurons or with any of the 28 established brain autoantigens used in this study .
the direct binding of the patient 's antibodies to glur2 was verified by rc - ifa using hek293 cells expressing glur2 and the neutralizing effect of recombinant glur2 on the autoantibodies ' tissue binding .
the experiments also demonstrate binding to an extracellular epitope because of the reaction with glur2 on the surface of live hek293 cells .
autoantibodies against glur2 have so far only been described in a few japanese patients with encephalitis .
however , the surface expression of glur2 and the disease - ameliorating effect of steroids allow speculation about a direct pathogenic role of the autoantibodies as has been demonstrated for autoantibodies against nmdar in autoimmune encephalitis .
our case supports this speculation by showing autoantibody binding to the extracellular domain of glur2 .
because of the high serum titer the presence in csf is likely a result of the normal igg diffusion through the blood
anti - glur2 should be considered in patients under suspicion of autoimmune encephalitis or myelitis in the absence of other autoantibodies even though it is very rare .
were involved in immunoprecipitation , interpretation of data , antibody testing , microscopy , and writing of the manuscript .
were involved in the conception and organization of the research project and in writing of the manuscript .
t. rosenkranz served on the scientific advisory board for biogen , genzyme sanofi , roche , teva , merck , bayer , and novartis ; and received travel funding and/or speaker honoraria from novartis , pfizer , bayer , merck , teva , genzyme , sanofi , and biogen .
n. melzer received travel funding and/or speaker honoraria from biogen , glaxosmithkline , teva , and fresenius medical care ; performs immunoadsorption about 5% of his time ; and received research support from fresenius medical care .
meinck reports no disclosures . c. terborg received speaker honoraria from astra zeneca and german diabetes society and received research support from asklepios proresearch .
w. stocker holds patents for untersuchungen an unbeweglich gemachtem biologischem material , verfahren zum nachweis von anti - nmda - rezeptor - autoantikrpern zum einsatz in diagnoseverfahren , and diagnosekit sowie ein verfahren zur untersuchung einer menschlichen patientenprobe auf das vorhandensein von neuromyelitis - optica - spezifischen antikrpern ; is employed by euroimmun ag and klinisch - immunologisches ; and holds stock or stock options in euroimmun ag . | pubmed |
pubmed |
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How does a catalyst affect the rate equation?
If I determine the order of the reactants in a reaction without using a catalyst, and then use a catalyst, will the order of the reactants then be different?
Yes. It is possible for a catalyst to change the order of a reaction since it shows different path to the reaction i.e. reaction occurs through different mechanism. In the new path, rate determining step (slow step) may involve different number of reactant molecules.
For example, in case of reaction catalyzed on metal surfaces, most of the times, the rate does not depend on the concentration of the reactants at higher concentration since now it is surface area that governs the rate.
| stackexchange/chemistry |
as evidence supporting the extra - galactic nature of gamma - ray bursts ( grb s ) mounts ( metzger et al .
1997 ; frail et al . 1997 ) , the class of models based on hyper - accreting black holes has become the favorite mechanism for driving these explosions ( e.g. , popham , woosley , & fryer 1998 ; eberl , ruffert , & janka 1998 ) .
calculations show that a fraction of the gravitational potential energy released as the material in the disk ( @xmath3 m ) accretes into a small black hole ( @xmath4 m ) can be converted into a `` fireball '' which produces the observed gamma - rays ( meszaros & rees 1992 ) . such systems form in collapsars or hypernovae ( woosley 1993 , 1996 ; paczynski 1997 ) and in the merger of compact binaries consisting of : two neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole ( paczyski 1991 ; narayan , paczyski , & piran 1992 ) ; a helium star and a black hole ( fryer & woosley 1998 ) , and , the topic of this paper , a white dwarf and a black hole . several mechanisms have been proposed to facilitate the conversion of potential energy into grb explosion energy . due to the high densities involved during the merging process
, the potential energy may be emitted in the form of neutrinos , and the subsequent annihilation of these neutrinos could power a grb ( goodman , dar , & nussinov 1987 ) .
meszaros & rees ( 1992 ) first pointed out the advantages of disk geometry for enhancing neutrino annihilation . however , unless the accretion rate is very high , over a few hundredths of a solar mass per second , popham et al .
( 1998 ) have shown that neutrino emission is inefficent as the energy released in the disk is advected into the hole . alternatively , and especially for lower accretion rates and lower disk viscosity
, the amplification of magnetic field in the disk can tap either the black hole rotational energy or the potential energy of the accreting material to drive to drive a relativistic jet and create a grb ( blandford & znajek 1977 ; macdonald et al . 1986 ; paczynski 1991,1997 ; woosley 1996 ; meszaros & rees 1997 , katz 1997 )
. however , these magnetically based models are currently not sufficiently accurate to make quantitative predictions ( livio , ogilvie , & pringle 1998 ) .
one scenario to form binaries consisting of a black hole and a white dwarf ( wd / bh binaries ) begins with main - sequence stellar systems having extreme mass ratios ( @xmath5 m , @xmath6 m ) .
the formation scenario for white dwarf binaries with neutron star companions is similar , only with a primary star mass between @xmath78 and @xmath730 m . as the massive star evolves off the main sequence
, a common envelope phase may occur that ejects the primary s hydrogen envelope . beyond some critical mass ( roughly @xmath8 m )
, massive stars are thought to form black holes , either by a failed explosion , or through significant fallback ( woosley & weaver 1995 , fryer 1998 ) . the more massive primary eventually collapses into a @xmath9mblack hole and forms a binary consisting of a black hole and a main - sequence star . as the secondary expands and the orbit shrinks , a second mass transfer phase commences .
this phase is observed in the closest of these systems as a low - mass x - ray binary ( e.g. j0422 + 32-nova per , 2023 + 338 nova cyg ) .
roughly 20 binary systems with a black hole and a low - mass companion have been observed and many , as yet undetected systems may exist ( see tanaka & shibazaki , 1996 , for a review ) .
these systems generally involve main - sequence secondaries that lose a significant amount of their mass while still burning hydrogen and do not evolve into massive ( @xmath10 m ) white dwarfs .
however , slightly wider binaries do not undergo mass transfer until after the secondary has evolved off the main sequence and produce the systems which we model in this paper .
unfortunately , the formation rate of the observed low mass x - ray binaries is difficult to determine , and estimating the number of wider systems from observations is impossible .
it is these more massive companions that dominate the merging wd / bh binaries and hence , the typical merging system consists of a black hole and massive ( @xmath11 m ) white dwarf . an alternative evolution scenario for wd
/ bh binaries begins with less extreme mass ratios in a system where the primary initially forms a neutron star in a supernova explosion . as the secondary expands off the main - sequence and a common envelope phase ensues , the neutron star accretes rapidly via neutrino emission ( allowing the accretion rate to greatly exceed the photon eddington limit ) and eventually collapses to a low mass black hole ( see fryer , benz , & herant 1996 , bethe & brown 1998 ) .
because this common envelope phase happens quickly , it is unlikely that systems evolving through this scenario will be observed , and no merger rate can be predicted from the observations .
unfortunately , uncertainties in black hole formation and binary evolution also make it difficult to make any firm predictions using population synthesis studies , but the merger rate is likely to lie in the range from @xmath12yr@xmath1 per milky - way like galaxy ( fryer , woosley , & hartmann 1999 ) .
the large uncertainties in the merger rate are primarily due to uncertainties in the critical mass beyond which massive progenitor stars collapse to black holes and in the kick imparted to black holes .
black holes and white dwarfs can also merge through collisions in dense star regions such as in galactic centers and globular clusters .
sigurdsson & rees ( 1997 ) predict a neutron star / white dwarf merger rate of @xmath13yr@xmath1 per galaxy .
low mass black holes will merge with white dwarfs roughly at the same rate ( or an order of magnitude less ) depending upon the black hole formation rate .
this rate is comparable to the merger rate predicted by quinlan & shapiro ( 1987 , 1989 , 1990 ) .
depending on the beaming fraction , this rate is certainly sufficient to give the observed grb statistics ( wijers et al .
1998 ) , provided , of course , that the merger produces a grb . in this paper
, we model the merger of black holes and white dwarfs on the computer using a three - dimensional hydrodynamics code based on the smooth particle hydrodynamics ( sph ) method ( benz 1990 ) .
we follow the merger from the initial roche - lobe overflow through the complete disruption of the white dwarf into a disk .
roche - lobe overflow for compact objects differs from that for giant stars in several ways : ( b ) due to the degeneracy of the compact object , its radius increases as it loses mass , and ( c ) the orbital angular momentum is far from conserved ( @xmath14 the mass transfer is not `` conservative '' ) .
we discuss this physics , applicable to most compact object mergers , in 2 .
a description of the code along with a presentation of the simulations , including a comparison to the analytic estimates of 2 , is given in 3 .
we conclude with a discussion of the accretion disks formed in these mergers and their suitability as grb models .
whether or not the accretion disks formed in wd / bh mergers produce the necessary grb explosion energies is determined by the accretion rate and the angular momentum of those disks , which in turn , depends upon the size and mass of the accretion disk .
it is important to know , then , how quickly , and at what radius , the white dwarf is torn up by the gravitational potential of the black hole and transformed into an accretion disk which might fuel a grb .
one might naively assume that , since the white dwarf is less massive than the black hole ( @xmath15 m , @xmath16 m ) , that stable accretion will occur and the white dwarf will slowly accrete onto the black hole over many orbital periods .
however , as we shall discuss in this section , several aspects of physics conspire to destabilize this mass transfer , leading to the rapid transformation of most of the white dwarf into an accretion disk .
this was seen in the merger of double white dwarf binaries by davies , benz & hills ( 1991 ) .
gravitational radiation plays an important role in the merging of double neutron star or black hole / neutron star systems . for these systems ,
the emission of gravitational waves tightens the binaries on a timescale comparable to those of the hydrodynamical evolution .
however , white dwarfs fill their roche lobes at much wider separations where the gravitational wave merging timescale is 1 - 100yr ( depending upon the white dwarf and black hole masses ) .
although gravitational radiation does cause the orbit to tighten sufficiently to drive the white dwarf to fill its roche lobe in the first place , once roche - lobe overflow occurs , the mass transfer rate from the white dwarf onto a disk around the black hole is determined by the transfer of angular momentum and the white dwarf mass - radius relationship which drive unstable mass transfer on much shorter timescales ( @xmath0minutes ) .
one such destabilizing effect is the inverse relationship of the radii of degenerate objects ( neutron star , white dwarf ) with respect to mass . for a @xmath17 polytrope approximation of a white dwarf equation of state ,
this relationship is ( nauenberg 1972 ) : @xmath18^{1/2 } \ , \left ( \frac{\mu_e}{2 } \right)^{-5/3 } \,{\rm km}\ ] ] where @xmath19 , @xmath20 , and @xmath21 are the radius , mass , and mean molecular weight per electron of the white dwarf and @xmath22 is the chandrasekhar mass .
our simulated white dwarfs differ slightly from this simple relation due to deviations from a simple @xmath17 polytrope ( fig .
1 ) . the radius of the white dwarf and the masses of the white dwarf and black hole determine the orbital separation at which roche - lobe overflow commences ( eggleton 1983 ) : @xmath23 where @xmath24 is the mass ratio ( fig .
stable mass transfer would require that as the white dwarf loses mass , its orbit widens to place it just at this critical roche lobe separation .
if the white dwarf binary instead remains at a constant orbital separation , the accretion will quickly become unstable as the white dwarf itself expands .
this effect is important for all merging systems involving a compact secondary .
the orbital separation need not remain constant . in conservative mass transfer ,
when an object accretes onto a more massive companion , orbital angular momentum conservation requires that the orbit expands .
however , some fraction of the material can be lost from the system and carry away angular momentum .
hence , although the total angular momentum is conserved , the orbital angular momentum of the binary system decreases , and the orbital separation may actually decrease during mass transfer .
this `` non - conservative '' mass - transfer can be parameterized and solved ( see podsiadlowski , joss , & hsu 1992 and references therein ) .
in addition , for mergers with black holes or neutron stars , some of the orbital angular momentum is converted to angular momentum of the accretion disk or to spin angular momentum of the black hole .
the change of orbital angular momentum ( @xmath25 ) of the binary is then given by : @xmath26 \delta m_{\rm wd } \frac{2 \pi a^2}{p}\ ] ] where @xmath27 is the fraction of mass lost by the white dwarf that is accreted by the black hole ( or becomes part of the black hole s accretion disk ) , @xmath28 and @xmath29 are the specific angular momenta ( in the rest frame of the black hole ) of the ejected material and the material which is either accreted onto the black hole or becomes part of the accretion disk .
@xmath30 and @xmath31 are the orbital separation and period of the binary system .
following the procedure of podsiadlowski , joss , & hsu ( 1992 ) , we derive the orbital separation ( @xmath30 ) of the binary during mass transfer including the loss of angular momentum to the accretion disk : @xmath32 where the values of the constants differ only slightly from those derived by podsiadlowski , joss , & hsu ( 1992 ) : @xmath33 @xmath34 and @xmath35 and where superscript 0 denotes pre - mass transfer phase values . in roche - lobe overflow onto compact objects ( neutron stars or black holes ) ,
much of the angular momentum is placed into a disk around that compact object . for the merger of binaries consisting of a black hole and a neutron star ,
roughly half of the orbital angular momentum is fed directly into spinning up the black hole ( eberl , ruffert , & janka 1998 ) . for wider roche - lobe overflow systems
( e.g. white dwarf mergers ) much of the orbital angular momentum is converted into disk angular momentum .
( see papaloizou & lin 1995 for a review ) . in systems where the mass transfer is stable and the primary , disk and secondary
coexist for many orbital periods , the angular momentum of the disk can be transferred back to the orbital angular momentum of the binary . however , for the runaway accretion caused by the expansion of the white dwarf , the white dwarf is disrupted quickly ( 2 - 3 orbital periods ) and the torques between the disk and the binary stars are unable convert the disk angular momentum back to that of the orbit before the disruption of the white dwarf .
figure 2 shows the orbital evolution for @xmath36 and @xmath37mwhite dwarfs merging with a @xmath38mblack hole for a range of values of @xmath29 ( in terms of the white dwarf specific angular momentum @xmath39 ) and assuming no mass is ejected from the system ( @xmath40 ) .
the critical separation for roche lobe overflow , shown in figure 2 , marks the dividing line between stable and unstable mass accretion .
if the orbit widens faster than the white dwarf expands , the accretion rate onto the black hole is limited to the gravitational wave timescale ( 1 - 100yr ) and the merger occurs on these timescales . however , if @xmath41 for @xmath42mwhite dwarfs respectively , the mass transfer is unstable .
if the accreting material transports all of its angular momentum to the accretion disk , then the angular momentum of the disk is roughly the angular momentum of the material at the lagrange point . assuming tidal locking , for the binary systems we model , this angular momentum is roughly : @xmath43 where @xmath30 is the orbital separation , @xmath19 is the white dwarf radius , and @xmath44 is the specific angular momentum of the white dwarf in the rest frame of the black hole ( @xmath45 ) . for these high values of @xmath29 , unstable mass transfer is inevitable , and we expect the white dwarf to be tidally disrupted rapidly . but to accurately calculate the mass transfer , and ultimately , the mass accretion rate onto the black hole , we must resort to numerical simulations .
for our simulations , we use a three dimensional sph code ( davies , benz , & hills 1991 ) with 6000 - 16000 particles .
we employ the equation of state developed by lattimer & swesty ( 1991 ) for densities above @xmath46 and , for low densities , the equation of state by blinnikov , dunina - barkovskaya & nadyozhin ( 1996 ) .
we include a nuclear burning network for temperatures above @xmath47 ( woosley 1986 ) , though we find that burning is not important , except well within the accretion disk . as we are concerned with the tidal disruption of the white dwarf and not the accretion of matter in the disk formed from this disruption , we model the black hole ( or neutron star ) as a point mass and remove particles that fall within @xmath48 cm of the black hole , well before general relativistic effects are important .
similarly , since we are not following the evolution of the accretion disk , the the numerically determined artificial viscosity should not impact our results .
however , as a check , we have varied the artificial viscosity by an order of magnitude and find it does not effect the radius at which the white dwarf is disrupted or the initial structure of the accretion disk formed by this disruption . on the other hand , the true physical viscosity does affect the rate at which material is accreted onto the black hole , and hence the pair fireball energy , which we discuss in 4 . with this code , we modeled the tidal disruption of 4 binary systems consisting of a white dwarf ( with masses of 0.7 , 1.1 m ) and a black hole ( with masses of 3 , 10 m ) and one system consisting of a @xmath37 m white dwarf and a @xmath49mneutron star .
we followed the evolution from the initial roche - lobe overflow through the destruction of the white dwarf and the formation of an accretion disk ( figs . 3 , 4 ) .
we assume that gravitational radiation has brought the white dwarf close enough to its black hole companion to overfill its roche - lobe and transfer mass onto the black hole .
we estimate this critical separation using eq .
( [ eq : rl ] ) . by increasing the separation by 20 - 30%
, we see that no mass transfer takes place ( fig .
3 ) , assuring that our initial separation is within 30% of the actual roche - lobe overflow separation . we will come back to this error estimate in our discussion of the accretion disk properties at the end of this section . before we discuss the disk properties ,
let us first validate our physical picture of the tidal disruption process . from 2 , we expect the specific angular momentum of the disk ( in the rest frame of the black hole ) to be initially @xmath50 and then rise as more of the white dwarf it disrupted .
the angular momentum of the simulated disk is @xmath51 and then increases to @xmath52 as the white dwarf is disrupted ( fig .
5 ) . physically
, this means that as the white dwarf transfers mass onto a disk around the black hole , the angular momentum of matter at the lagrange point is first added to the disk .
when the white dwarf is finally disrupted , nearly all of its angular momentum is immediately put into the disk , and the average disk angular momentum equals the initial white dwarf angular momentum .
the disk must then shed this angular momentum before this material can accrete onto the black hole ( see 4 ) . because much of the orbital angular momentum is converted into disk angular momentum
, the orbital separation does not expand as one might expect in conservative mass - transfer , and the white dwarf is quickly disrupted by tidal forces . as the black hole accretes mass , the orbital separation of the white dwarf / black hole binary is described by equation ( [ eq : rad ] ) . using equation ( [ eq : rad ] ) and assuming no mass is ejected from the system ( very little mass
is ejected in our simulations , see figs . 3 , 4 ) , we can plot data from the simulations along with the derived separations for a range @xmath29 values ( fig .
the remarkable agreement of the best fit of @xmath29 using equation ( [ eq : rad ] ) and the actual @xmath29 values from figure 5 suggests that we have indeed found the relevant physics , and that the orbital separation can be estimated by our simple mass - transfer model . in these simulations ,
the mass transfer from the white dwarf becomes increasingly unstable as more of the white dwarf expands beyond its roche radius and accretes onto a disk around the black hole .
our simulations show that after losing @xmath53 m , the transfer rate becomes so great that the white dwarf is disrupted .
this occurs rapidly ( in an orbit time ) , dumping the remains of the white dwarf into an accretion disk around the black hole .
this critical mass loss after which the accretion runs away is the one parameter not determined by our analytic model . using our simulations to constrain this parameter ,
we are able to describe both the angular momentum and the mass growth rate of the disk from the tidal disruption of the white dwarf .
the specific angular momentum of the disk is given by @xmath54 where @xmath55 is the gravitational constant , @xmath56 is the black hole mass , and @xmath57m(for initial white dwarf masses of 0.7 , 1.1 m respectively ) is the white dwarf mass at the time of disruption taken from our simulations .
the orbital separation ( @xmath30 ) can be derived from equation ( [ eq : rad ] ) .
the mass transfer rate of the white dwarf onto the disk is roughly @xmath58 where @xmath59 is the orbital timescale for the binary system after the white dwarf has lost @xmath60 m .
these results are summarized in table 1 and the mass - transfer rate can be compared to the simulated rates shown in figure 7 .
note that mass - transfer rates derived from analytical estimates agree within a factor of 2 with those obtained from our simulations .
the actual accretion rate onto the black hole is not likely to exceed this mass - transfer rate .
many of these results rely upon our knowing the exact separation where roche lobe overflow commences .
as we have already mentioned , by increasing the separation by 30% , we find no accretion occurs over many orbits , which suggests that the error in the initial separation is less than 30% .
if the errors in the initial orbital separation are less than 30% , our maximum mass - transfer rates are accurate to @xmath6130% and the disk angular momenta are accurate to @xmath6115% . even changing the initial separation by a factor of 2 only results in a factor of 3 change in the maximum accretion rate and a change in the angular momenta by less than 40% .
with these results , we can now address the viability of wd / bh mergers as a grb model .
the mass transfer rate of the white dwarf onto the black hole accretion disk should , in a steady state , balance the accretion rate into the black hole .
the actual accretion rate is determined by the efficiency at which the angular momentum is removed from the disk ( popham , woosley , & fryer 1998 ) : @xmath62 where @xmath63 is the standard accretion disk parameter , @xmath64 and @xmath56 are , respectively , the mass of the disk and the black hole in m , and @xmath65 is the outer disk radius in @xmath66 cm .
figure 8 shows the mass of the disk as a function of radius for our two @xmath67mmodels , from which , given a value of @xmath63 , we can determine the accretion rate onto the black hole . for values of @xmath68 ,
the accretion rate is limited by the disk accretion and not the mass - transfer rate . using equation ( [ eq : mdot ] )
, we estimate the effective disk viscosity ( @xmath63 ) from accretion rate onto the black hole of our hydrodynamical simulations to be @xmath69 . the energy from neutrino annihilation can be estimated by integrating the following approximate fit to the pair luminosity results of popham , woosley , & fryer ( 1998 ) : @xmath70 where @xmath71 is the spin parameter .
this fit is reasonably accurate for accretion rates between @xmath72 and @xmath73ms@xmath1 .
table 2 gives the maximum energies for each of our simulations . in the optimistic situation where @xmath74 and the disk accretion rate equals the mass - transfer rate from the white dwarf into a black hole accretion disk , the disruption of a white dwarf around a black hole can not explain the most energetic gamma - ray bursts without requiring that the mechanism produce strongly beamed jets .
indeed , with isotropic energy requirements as high as @xmath75 ( kulkarni et al .
1998 ) , the beaming must be extremely high ( the burst must be constrained to 0.1% of the sky , that is , the beaming factor @xmath76 ) .
however , a wide range of grb energies may exist , and wd / bh mergers may only constitute a subset of the observations . if @xmath77 , the accretion rate drops by about a factor of 5 . for the most optimistic mergers of a @xmath37mwhite dwarf with a black hole ,
this lowers the accretion rate on the black hole to @xmath78 and increases the accretion time , causing a net decrease in the total energy produced by neutrino annihilation of roughly 1 - 2 orders of magnitude . with beaming factors of @xmath79 , wd /
bh mergers could still explain bursts with inferred isotropic energies between @xmath80erg .
alternatively , and perhaps more likely for the low - mass accretion rates derived here , the grb can be powered by the magnetic fields of the disk , which become stretched and amplified as the material accretes .
these magnetic fields then extract the rotational energy of the black hole ( blandford & znajek 1977 ; macdonald et al .
1986 ; paczynski 1991,1997 ; woosley 1993 ; katz 1994 , 1997 ; hartmann & woosley 1995 ; thompson 1996 ; meszaros & rees 1997 ; popham et al .
very roughly , using blandford - znajek for example , @xmath81 where @xmath82 is the specific angular momentum of the black hole and @xmath83 is the magnetic field strength in the disk . table 2 lists the total energy that an initially non - rotating black hole would emit over its accretion timescale assuming the magnetic field energy is 10% of the equipartition energy , or @xmath84 .
these high magnetic fields are reasonable if the disk viscosity depends upon the magnetic field strength . in this case , the viscosity is initially @xmath85 allowing the disk to continue winding the magnetic field until a sufficiently strong equipartion field is generated , thereby increasing the viscosity and allowing the disk to accrete .
a successful grb explosion must also avoid excessive baryonic contamination .
the disruption of the white dwarf forms a hot thick disk around the black hole ( figure 9 ) , with some of the matter along the angular momentum axis above the black hole ( table 2 ) .
the explosion will force its way along this polar region , sweeping up this material ( and possibly pushing some aside ) . assuming all of the material
is swept along with the burst , we can estimate a lower limit for the lorentz factors ( table 2 ) . beaming factors of at least 100
are required to achieve the high lorentz factors needed to power a gamma - ray burst . even assuming that beaming factors of 100 do occur
, low mass white dwarfs do not produce enough energy ( or high enough lorentz factors ) to power a gamma - ray burst .
thus , there is some critical white dwarf mass ( between @xmath86mdepending upon beaming ) below which no visible grb will form . because of the strong dependence of the grb luminosity on the lorentz factor , the transition from observed gamma - ray burst to non - detectable explosion is sharp .
those explosions that do not achieve the high lorentz factors will only be observable in our own galaxy , and , given the low event rate , will not be detected .
we reiterate , however , that most of the merging white dwarfs will be massive ( fryer , woosley , & hartmann 1999 ) and a large fraction of the merging systems may become grbs .
the merger of a black hole and a massive white dwarf can produce the energies ( @xmath87 ) and the high lorentz factors to explain the long duration grbs if the bursts themselves are highly beamed ( beaming factors @xmath88 ) .
assuming the grb rate for isotropic bursts is @xmath89yr@xmath1 per galaxy of roughly the milky way s size ( wijers et al .
1998 ) , the merger rate of massive white dwarfs and black holes with beaming factors @xmath90 must be @xmath91yr@xmath1 per galaxy , within the uncertainties of the predicted rates ( see 1 ) .
from these results , one might conclude that mergers of white dwarfs and black holes are not likely to play a major role in the production of gamma - ray bursts . however , our estimates of the energy released via magnetic fields are very uncertain .
some magnetic field mechanisms may convert a large fraction of the potential energy of the accreting material into burst energy .
if a magnetic field mechanism can be constructed which converts 10% of the potential energy into burst energy , wd / bh mergers would have energies in excess of @xmath92erg . with beaming into 10gamma - ray bursts .
the merger of a neutron star and a white dwarf is a different story . at these accretion rates , popham ,
woosley , & fryer ( 1998 ) found that much of the energy is advected into the black hole .
the hard surface of the neutron star acts as a plug , stopping up this accretion .
unless the neutron star mass quickly exceeds the upper neutron star mass limit , causing it to collapse to a black hole and removing this plug , the accreting material will flow around the neutron star , building up a spherically symmetric atmosphere .
any explosion from the surface will be baryon rich with velocities much less than the speed of light ( fryer , benz , & herant 1994 ) .
these outbursts will be too dim to observe beyond our galaxy , and are too rare to observe within our galaxy .
this research has been supported by nasa ( nag5 - 2843 and mit sc a292701 ) , and the nsf ( ast-97 - 31569 ) .
we would like to thank bob popham , thomas janka , and william lee for many useful corrections and comments .
we acknowledge many helpful conversations and communications on the subject of gamma - ray bursts with andrew macfadyen , dieter hartmann , max ruffert , jonathon katz and we thank aimee hungerford for helpful comments on the manuscript .
fryer , c.l . , 1998 , proceedings of the 2nd international workshop on laboratory astrophysics with intense lasers , to appear in apj supplements , ed .
remington + fryer , c.l . ,
woosley , s.e . , & hartmann , d. , 1999 , in preparation woosley , s.e .
, 1986 saas - fee lecture notes , 1986 , in nucleosynthesis and chemical evolution , 16th advanced course , swiss society of astrophysics and astronomy , ed . b. hauck , a. maeder , and g. meynet , geneva observatory , 1 @xmath93 & 4.98 & 3.10 & 2.37 & 1.49 & 1.27@xmath59(s ) & 58.4 & 48.1 & 18.9 & 15.4 & 12.1 @xmath94 & 2.67 & 1.24 & 1.87 & 0.903 & 0.651 @xmath95 & 0.00856 & 0.01 & 0.0477 & 0.0584 & 0.074 @xmath96 & 5.0 & 3.2 & 2.5 & 1.6 & 1.2 @xmath97 & 0.5 & 0.5 & 0.8 & 0.8 & 0.8 @xmath98 & 0.012 & 0.008 & 0.063 & 0.079 & 0.075 @xmath99 & 0.21 & 0.54 & 0.31 & 0.69 @xmath100 & 0.001 & 0.003 & 3 & 50 @xmath101 & @xmath69 & @xmath102 & @xmath102 & @xmath103 @xmath104 & @xmath105 & @xmath106 & @xmath107 & @xmath107 @xmath108 & @xmath109 & @xmath110 & @xmath111 & @xmath112 | arxiv |
Mass Effect Heart of Justice
You know those stories that begin with 'it's hard growing up on the streets,' and then they tell you their sob story and the hardships they've gone through to prove it—how their dad didn't love them and they had to steal things from their run-down corner store just to eat one meal a day—you've heard it before. So I'm not going to tell you that story.
I'm going to tell you the truth.
I never had a dad. Never had a mom either, but I made do. I always had other people to fill in for those roles, from gangs, to the military, to the crew that serves under me now. I've never been a sister, never been a daughter, or a wife.
But nothing ever begins at the end and heroes aren't created from having an easy life. All heroes are born from strife.
Here's my truth:
"Shepard. Shepard! Damn it, where are you?"
I only heard my name yelled like that when the cops who knew me thought I'd swiped credits from some stuck-up Volus, but this reeked of desperation so much that it made the hairs on my neck stand straight up.
"_Shepard_!"
The second time he yelled started my heart pounding and adrenaline tingling over my senses—he never yelled like that. This was bad. I tore my attention away from the guts of the small speeder I was trying to fix and pushed myself up with enough force to start myself into a sprint. The smell of rotting metal pushed itself into my lungs as I wound through the ruined halls of our gang's section in the slums, dodging piles of garbage as fast as my eyes registered they were there, following his voice amidst the noise from machines and beings going about daily life here on Earth—
I started slowing down, enough so that I got a solid grip on a corner wall to swing myself around and screech myself to a stop right in front of Tharun, close enough that I could trace the tattoo on his face that was common to most Turians. He nearly collided with me he but had quicker reflexes than I did; he was turned around and towing me along behind him almost before my feet had stopped. I knew better than to protest being dragged along. When Tharun was this worked up I knew we had problems.
I breathed steady and even so I could keep up with him without running out of steam. His legs were so much longer than mine with our age difference that I found it hard to keep up. Talking at the same time burned air, but I had to know what was going on. "Unless you've some Asari dancer waiting for you at the end of this run, I don't see why we have to go this fast."
I was trying to calm him down, but by the way his hand tightened quickly on my arm made me escalate how serious this was. Someone in our group must have gotten nabbed for doing something seriously stupid or had picked on the wrong gang, and I had to come in and moderate—either delicately or with force. I was known for either.
Tharun turned his head so that he could talk without turning his eyes from where he was running. "It's Fa'lan. You know how he was working on that problem? For his Pilgrimage?"
It had something to do with a couple of disappearances in this sector. I didn't know all the details; Fa'lan kept most of his thoughts to himself. I nodded that I understood and Tharun must have felt it because we kept on running.
"Well, he found what he was looking for. The disappearances weren't random and they weren't just killings between gangs. They're slavers."
I almost stumbled when he said it. It was Tharun's grip on my arm that kept me going. It wasn't really the thought of slavers that got to me, it was what I knew Tharun was going to say next that made me want to run faster and yet stop dead in my tracks at the same time.
"They've got him, Shepard. They've got Fa'lan, and I don't think they're interested in letting him run off."
It was at this point I should have asked myself how Tharun knew all this, but when you're young and in crisis mode, when all you hear is blood thumping in your ears, you don't take a moment to question something that your friend says about another friend, especially not a friend you'd known for so long and through so much.
As we ran, various beings jumped out of our way, figuring we were either running away from trouble or towards it—wanting to be a part of neither. I didn't blame them for thinking it. Most of the time it was true.
It didn't take long for us to get to where he had left Fa'lan: everything was so tight-packed on Earth, especially in the slums, that you could stand on rooftops and jump from one to another without a second thought, so Tharun started slowing down before I had to take gulping breaths. This was the second hint I got but missed: Tharun slowed down enough that he was starting to fall behind me, his grip tightening on my arm instead of loosening, and by time I stopped as the door slid open in front of me to reveal a group of Batarians and a Krogan lounging on some crates Tharun's grip was so hard that he had locked my arm behind my back. I understood too late.
I dug in my heels before my feet could unwillingly carry me across the threshold, but Tharun kept his ground, making me arch my back painfully so my arm wouldn't wrench out of its socket. The Krogan was rising, toting an impressive rifle, one of the Batarians with a particularly nice scar across the top of his skull pushed himself away from the wall he had been leaning against and gestured at Tharun.
"This the one?"
Tharun hesitated enough for me to notice but answered all the same. "Yeah."
The Batarian looked me over, a casual thing at first, but I noticed where he lingered and what he was looking for. "She's good. Usually the rats down here are too starved for a good sell. Looks like we have a deal then."
I gulped in a breath to give my lungs something to work with. I wasn't just breathless from the run, and I was too angry to be scared. I was pissed. "A _deal_?"
One of the Batarians moved behind me to take Tharun's place as the lead Batarian flipped his gun at someone out of my sight. I was too busy watching Tharun's eyes refuse to meet mine to notice how the Batarian was yanking my arm so hard that something was grinding in my shoulder, and that there was the sound of a cold click of a pistol warming up as it was pressed against my back. I heard a shuffle and a sharp intake of breath on my left and Fa'lan stumbled to the ground from the second newly-opened door, his suit visor making a dangerous cracking sound as his face connected with the floor plating. The human who had pushed him in brought up the rear and pressed his heel into Fa'lan's neck to keep him down. I could hear Fa'lan sobbing.
I felt sick, and it only made it worse when Tharun finally met my eyes. I could read him and he knew it. He knew what he was doing, who he was selling me to, and he could look at me…and dare offer an excuse.
"I'm sorry, Shepard," he whispered. And almost managed to sound like he meant it. I guess those years of friendship managed to make him feel somewhat guilty. "They offered me a chance to get off-world. I get a ride in their ship to wherever they travel, a pile of credits—a chance to get out of this slum. They promised me a _life_, Shepard."
That's when he looked back at Fa'lan, the Quarian's neck being crushed by the human's boot, and actually flinched before turning back to me. "How could I say no?"
He was actually asking me, like there was another reasonable answer besides that he was being the most selfish, despicable trash I had ever known in my life. And I lived with garbage.
I ground my teeth, looked him straight and hard so he couldn't ignore me, and I gave him my answer. "I'll give you another promise, Tharun." Then I stared straight into the Batarian's eyes, the ones that had already rated and tagged me for sale. "I promise you that he lied."
Tharun was turned towards me so he couldn't see the Batarian smile. It was a smile meant for a spider that had something caught in its trap, a blackmailer who knew your every grimy secret. The hate I held for Tharun evaporated and rekindled as a nova around that smile.
The Batarian knelt beside Fa'lan, his gaze steady on me. "I can sell you, but this one," he tapped on Fa'lan's helmet, "isn't what I'm after." He put a finger on the clasps on the Quarian's visor. "You ever seen what happens when you take the helmet off a Quarian?" He wasn't even talking to Tharun anymore: he'd already won that battle. The pain from my shoulder was finally starting to leak into my awareness, making my sight a little blurry. I didn't respond. Fa'lan must've known what was coming because I could hear him start begging—actually begging—for mercy.
That smile was steady underneath his sets of eyes as the Batarian said, "Me neither. But I can guess."
Then the helmet was off.
I've never heard a Quarian scream like that before and I never want to again. Fa'lan knew he was dead the moment his helmet lost the airtight seal—he knew there was nothing he could do about it—he knew he was going to die slowly as viruses ravaged his immune system until his body couldn't take any more. Tharun didn't watch. I did. I wasn't about to pretend that this wasn't happening, that there might've been a chance, however slim, that I could have stopped this and saved my friend's life. I watched so I'd remember. The Batarian let him thrash and scream, taking his time to stare at me all the while, watching to see how much it hurt me to watch my friend die. Then the Batarian spat on Fa'lan.
Apparently Tharun didn't have the guts to face what he'd done. He took one look at my face which sent his eyes plummeting straight down to the floor, turned, and walked away. He walked away from me, in the arms of a slaver, from his friend in the arms of death. Then the Batarian wasn't enjoying Fa'lan scream if Tharun wasn't there to listen so his pistol was out and a flash of light burned through Fa'lan's skull, stopping the sound so quick the scream echoed in my ears. It was in that moment, when the echo was dying, the lead Batarian just holstering his blaster, and the Batarian that held my arm was distracted long enough that I had a chance to move. I don't know how it all worked or how I moved that fast. All I remember when I look back is that the butt of the pistol was close enough to the hand pinned to my back that I could grab it, that it caused the guard to lose his grip and I got a shot off through his chest, the Krogan was too slow with that huge gun to stop the bolt that went through his cranium and the human lunged at me instead of drawing his pistol, allowing me to pivot and get a shot at his stomach with hardly any effort. This also kept the lead Batarian from getting a shot at me as the human had blocked his line of fire.
It was luck. It was fate. It was truth.
I shoved the dying human backward at the Batarian, causing that smile to turn upside down, causing him to stumble as he shoved the dead weight off of him and his gun hand to stall long enough for me to get mine under his chin. My shoulder was blazing with pain but it just made it harder for me to keep from pulling the trigger. His eyes were pinched—a little bit of fear, hate, and admiration keeping them bright.
It was when he could hear the pistol winding up for a shot that his courage broke, and I heard the tiniest whisper of 'mercy' escape from the mouth that had been smiling not moments ago. It was that word from his mouth that set me off.
"Mercy? You're asking for mercy?"
The air from Fa'lan's suit still hissed in the air, the human made slight moaning sounds as he died—the Krogan and other Batarian were long gone. I didn't care that I'd just killed them. I pressed the pistol into the soft tissue at the bottom of his neck, the cold steel cutting into his skin, and I watched those eyes sink somewhere dark and feral as he realized he was going to die.
"Did you give Fa'lan mercy? All those slaves you've bought and sold, did you give them mercy? And you think you deserve…" I couldn't finish the sentence. My throat was swelled shut, I could hardly breathe, my finger ached on the trigger, and I wanted to watch this Batarian die.
"I'm not going to give you mercy," I whispered. I thought of Fa'lan and what he deserved, and I thought of Tharun…and what he deserved.
I slowly backed away until my pistol was aimed right over his forehead, his glittering eyes watching the pistol's path anchor for a killing shot.
Then I brought my arm back.
And swung _hard_.
The butt of the pistol cracked against his skull, sending him to the floor, unconscious. I didn't know why I didn't shoot him then, when he was laying there helpless just as Fa'lan had been, and I didn't know why I didn't go hunt down Tharun as soon as that pistol hit my hand. I did hunt down a security official, who wasn't hard to find in a place like this, and brought him back to the pile of dead bodies and an unconscious Batarian. The guy didn't bat an eye, didn't ask what happened. I think he could guess.
I get now, looking back, why I didn't shoot. I didn't want revenge, I wanted justice. Revenge would satisfy me once. Justice would satisfy Fa'lan. It would satisfy me. It would satisfy the countless slaves bartered and sold. The only thing it wouldn't satisfy was Tharun. Was it enough that he had watched his friend suffer and die? Was it enough that he thought he had sold me and had to live with that for the rest of his life?
Or maybe I would see if he had made his way back to the home that we shared with a couple members of our gang…Maybe I could meet him there—see what excuses he had then.
Maybe.
And maybe that's what made me think about the rest of this galaxy, that shaped me into what I am today, although I would never label myself with the word that seems to haunt me wherever I go.
It just needs to be done, and I seem to be the only one willing to do it. And maybe I tracked Tharun down later that day and maybe I met him years later in a spaceport on some dead planet. It doesn't matter. It doesn't change anything. That's my truth.
Strife creates either villains or heroes.
Down in the slums I learned that the hard way.
End file.
| fanfiction |
Is there a free online resource where I can get the solubility of a solute in a solvent?
I'm looking for a online resource that lets me find the solubility at of any solute (e.g Choline Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Dextrose) in any solvent (e.g. Ethylene Glycol, Oleic Acid, Isopropanol, Water). Preferably, I'd like a webpage that lets me enter solute and solvent, then gives the answer, but even just lookup tables would be helpful.
You need to narrow down your question. Currently, the potential solutes include NaOH (inorganic salt), dextrose (organic neutral compound), and choline chloride (organic quaternary ammonium salt) on one hand, and on the other hand a wide range of potential solvents. It is unlikely a single database will (ever) cover such a broad range of possibilities.
Nevertheless, there are some resources that may be useful to consult. For example solubility tables [like this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solubility_table) or the properties tables for some of the compounds in wikipedia, like [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choline). If you know both solvent, and solute, NIST-IUPAC's solubility database [here](https://srdata.nist.gov/solubility/sol_detail.aspx?sysID=62_223) may be worth to visit.
If your institution / library provides access to Reaxys/Beilstein (a commercial database by Elsevier), you may find solubility data in the category of *physical properties*. This database covers both organic and inorganic (including metal organic) compounds and will provide you both the numerical value, as well the primary reference.
| stackexchange/chemistry |
Though Chef Traci Des Jardins grew up in the United States, the spirit of Mexico courses through her veins, as her mother's family hailed from the Mexican state of Sonora. As a fervent fan of fried fish tacos, Des Jardins delivers an impeccable take on the Baja staple. Crispy fish, cabbage slaw and pico de gallo come together to form this San Francisco favorite. | slim_pajama |
masers ( microwave amplification by simulated emission of radiation ) are monochromatic , intense radio sources originating from population inversion in clouds of molecular gas .
masers occur astrophysically and are typically associated with star formation , ysos ( e.g. johanson , migenes & breen 2014 ; see session 5 , iau symp .
242 , 2007 ) and late type stars in our local galaxy ( e.g. vlemming et al .
luminous masers which are observed at extragalactic distances are termed _ megamasers _ , and widely appear in either hydroxyl ( oh ; mostly 1665 mhz and 1667 mhz from the hyperfine levels in the ground rotational state @xmath2 ) or water ( 22.23508 ghz ; @xmath3 ) molecules , and are typically associated with mergers , starbursting and active galactic nuclei ( agn ) activity ( for a review , see lo 2005 ) .
megamasers are remarkable probes of extragalactic phenomena .
the parsec - scale environments around supermassive black holes have been probed ( e.g. greenecet al .
2013 ; kuo et al . 2011
; reid et al . 2009 ) and hubble s constant has been constrained ( e.g. humphreys et al . 2013 ; reid et al . 2013 ; kuo et al .
2013 ; braatz et al . 2010 ; herrnstein et al .
1999 ) through observations of extragalactic water .
hydroxyl ( oh ) megamasers have been utilized to trace star formation and to estimate the galaxy merger rate ( e.g. darling 2002 ) .
unfortunately , megamasers are rare and the precise relationship between megamasers and global galactic processes remains enigmatic .
so far , over 4000 galaxies have been searched for 22 ghz water emission with only 150 detections and nearly 500 galaxies have been surveyed for hydroxyl emission with 120 detections ( see wagner 2013 and references therein ) .
many attempts to link megamasing of either molecular species to other galaxy observables have largely been met with only modest success ( e.g. darling & giovanelli 2006 ; zhang 2012 ; zhu 2011 ) , but significant connections have been achieved , linking oh megamasers to large dense gas fractions ( darling 2007 ) and water emission to high column densities ( zhang et al .
2006 ; castangia et al .
2013 ) , large x - ray luminosities ( kondrakto e al . 2006 ) and high corrected [ oiii]/h@xmath4 ( constantin 2012 ) .
luminous oh emission is frequently powered by starbursting in lirg / ulirg galaxies while water megamasers are usually associated with agn ( lo 2005 ) . though agn and starbursting activity frequent the same galactic nucleus ( e.g. dixon & joseph 2011 ; wild et al . 2010 ) , very luminous oh and h@xmath1o emission were not until recently observed in the same galaxy ( wagner 2013 ; tarchi et al .
2011 , hereafter t11 ) .
this observation led to the hypothesis that oh and h@xmath1o exclude each other due to the different and respectively restrictive conditions each molecule demands for masing ( see lo 2005 , lonsdale 2002 ) . however , water emission has since been discovered in multiple regions in arp 299 including arp 299-a ( ic 694 ) , a galactic nucleus also hosting an oh megamaser ( t11 ) . another possible dual megamaser candidate ,
iizw96 , was found in a tentative water detection by wagner ( 2013 ) .
it is thus unclear whether galaxies hosting dual megamasers are experiencing a brief phase of galaxy evolution ( such as a transition from starburst nucleus to an agn ) or whether the relationship between the two megamaser species is more complicated than previously believed . the frequency of simultaneous oh and h@xmath1o has previously been somewhat badly constrained as many masing galaxies have yet to be searched for emission in the remaining molecule . of the nearly 4500 galaxies searched for maser emission in either molecule ,
@xmath5 have been searched for masers of both species ( see tarchi 2012 ; wagner 2013 ) . of those which have been searched and
have emission in at least one molecule ( @xmath6 ) , the majority ( 38 ) only emit in water while 18 are only oh emitters .
the number of extragalactic oh megamasers surveyed for h@xmath1o emission is thus somewhat under - sampled in the literature . where previous work has attempted to link megamaser luminosities with galaxy observables ,
ours is the first survey of which we are aware which aims to exclusively address the question of the relationship between the two megamaser species .
here we present results of a survey of known oh megamaser hosts for 22 ghz water emission to probe the dependency of h@xmath1o emission on conditions sufficient for oh megamasers .
our sample is taken from t11 and consists of the subset of their galaxies which are established oh emitters observable by the gbt which had never been observed for h@xmath1o emission or for which significantly tighter upper limits on 22 ghz emission might be obtained . due to observing time limitations , rise times of objects , and rfi , we carried out observations for 22 ghz emission for 47 galaxies hosting oh masers .
figure [ ff ] summarizes nuclear activity and distribution in redshift @xmath7 of sample members .
nuclear activity types are fairly well - represented in @xmath7 , mitigating sensitivity biases for detections in a particular group .
we note that oh megamasers are fairly uniformly distributed in galaxy activity type ( i.e. hii , liner , seyfert ) , occupying roughly the same optical population as ( u)lirg galaxies ( darling & giovanelli 2006 ) , so our sample is decently representative of the oh maser / megamaser population .
observations were carried out at the robert c. byrd green bank telescope ( gbt ) between the dates of feb 27 and april 6 , 2014 under project code agbt14a_381 .
we utilized the gbt spectrometer backend and observed with two 200 mhz bands , the first band being centered on systemic velocity and the second offset by 180 mhz toward lower frequencies .
each band contained 8192 spectral channels giving a velocity resolution of 0.366 km s@xmath8 at 20 ghz .
spectra were taken by nodding between beams 3 and 4 of the kfpa receiver every 2.5 minutes for a 5 minute nod cycle .
the telescope was pointed and focused every 30 - 60 minutes or whenever the telescope slewed more than a total of 10 degrees on the sky .
system temperatures were typically 40 - 60 k. with few exceptions , observations were carried out above elevations of 30@xmath9 over the horizon with objects closer to the horizon experiencing increases in system temperatures and compromises in rms sensitivity . the project was granted @xmath6 hours of telescope time divided into 8 epochs .
good observing conditions and zenith opacities ( 0.02 - 0.03 ) were enjoyed over the course of the observations .
all objects were observed in ll and rr circular polarizations which were averaged to produce final spectra . to test our setup
, we successfully observed the bright water megamaser in mrk 1029 .
we encountered a bright rfi source from a pair of satellites which prevented observations of all the galaxies on our source list .
we were the first observers to encounter this rfi which likely arose from detecting the side lobes of one or both of these satellites which had recently began servicing nearby locales .
the rfi persisted over our @xmath10 months of observations .
these effects were mitigated by restricting observations to certain portions of the sky .
most data reduction was carried out with gbtidl on nrao green bank computing platforms .
local weather conditions were determined from the gbt cleo tool , which estimates zenith opacities by averaging weather data over 3 surrounding stations .
amplitude calibration was carried out with appropriate calibrators in ott et al .
spectra were then examined band by band and flagged for obvious signs of rfi .
15 of our 61 observed sources were sufficiently damaged by rfi that no constraints on 22 ghz water emission could be achieved .
each of our nod scans in a given observation ( including those across multiple nights of observation ) were then averaged .
non - emitting portions of the averaged spectrum were fit with 3rd order polynomial to flatten baselines . during inspection ,
reference spectra were smoothed with 16 channel boxcar routine to bring out weaker features , though we found that this sometimes introduced spurious spikes in the data .
all apparent signals were verified against the spectrum without reference spectral smoothing .
all spectra were immediately smoothed with a 4 channel boxcar scheme which was successful in eliminating about half the noise .
because masers detected in this paper had a distinctly non - gaussian character , line fluxes were first calculated within gbtidl using their ` stats ` procedure , and then subsequently calculated using a numeric integrator based on simpson s rule .
we assume our survey is sufficiently sensitive to detect the flux from a @xmath11 peak with a fwhm of 2 km s@xmath12 ( approximately 5 channels ; see wagner 2013 ) .
upper limits for isotropic luminosities of masers can then be estimated with the method in bennert et al .
( 2009 ) , i.e. @xmath13 \times \frac{1}{1+z } \times \left ( \frac{d_{l}}{\mbox{mpc } } \right)^2,\ ] ] where @xmath14 is the sensitivity of the survey which we took as the integrated volume of our @xmath15 guassian curve with a fwhm of 2 km s@xmath8 .
we estimate our errors in calibration to be between @xmath16% .
our observations are summarized in table 2 .
we include all observed sources in this table , including 15 sources badly damaged with rfi , for which upper limits on emission could not be achieved .
note that rms sensitivities reported are 1 @xmath17 for the entire band after boxcar smoothing .
of the 46 uncompromised sources observed , we detect confident water emission toward one source and we set new upper limits for water emission on 45 galaxies , 40 of which have yet to be observed for 22 ghz emission .
we now discuss our sole maser detection .
iizw96 is a complex merger between at least two galaxies .
the oh megamaser is offset from obvious galactic nuclei ( migenes et al .
2012 ) , in a @xmath18 reddish clump of gas .
soft x - ray emission and strong ir emission lines ( goldader et al . 1997 ) suggests this clump is an extra - nuclear , obscured starburst , similar to that found in arp 299 , regions c and c in t11 ( imani et al .
iizw96 resembles arp 299 morphologically : goldader et al .
( 1997 ) observes that both galaxies possess similar projected size ( 10 - 15 kpc ) , and are composed of distinct nuclei which are strongly interacting and are in a similar , very short ( @xmath19 myr ) intermediate " stage of merging .
water emission toward iizw96 was tentatively detected by wagner ( 2013 ) but could not be confirmed above 5@xmath17 as integration time was only 12 minutes . in figure
[ fig21 ] , we present the iizw96 feature after approximately an hour of integration .
this generous observation time was sufficient to resolve the finer features of the water maser which were not previously detected .
the @xmath20 km s@xmath8 profile exhibits a double - humped character in agreement with wagner ( 2013 ) but we do not detect his two side - lobes .
we also obtain an isotropic luminosity somewhat smaller than wagner ( 2013 ) at @xmath21 but the maser remains very luminous .
this difference might be attributed to wagner s possible inclusion of tentative side bumps in the maser luminosity in addition to uncertainties in wagner s measurement arising from short integration times and possibly to short - term maser variability .
our observation confirms this detection beyond doubt ( @xmath22 ) and establishes iizw96 as the second system to host formal megamasers in both oh and h@xmath1o species .
ripples in the baseline of the spectrum of iizw96 persist after baseline removal .
the residual baseline structure is a time and frequency dependent ripple caused by some combination of rfi and system instability .
wagner ( 2013 ) drew connections between iizw96 and the water feature in ngc 2146 which is associated with star formation . with larger integration times , the line in iizw96 better resembles the profile of arp 299 itself ( see figure [ fig2 ] ) .
we should carefully note , however , that arp 299 s profile contains water emission from several regions within the merger ( not just ic 694 ) and a similar situation could be the case with iizw96 .
because of this and the fact that water emission profiles are time - variable , no conclusive connections between the systems can be made without radio interferometric followups .
as with arp 299 , we do not detect high velocity line emission in iizw96 .
our observations reveal narrow features in the water spectrum of iizw96 . though iizw96 is among the most powerful starbursts known ( inami et al .
2010 ) , there is a possibility it also hosts an obscured agn ( migenes et al .
2012 ) which could provide a pumping mechanism for the maser .
if water emission arises from more than one location in iizw96 , it may make the maser more difficult to detect via interferometric measurements , especially with vlbi , because if the already somewhat low flux is broken up into multiple spatial regions , longer integration times will be required to detect emission from any single region .
however , the narrow lines in the water maser emission may suggest the presence of compact emission which would render such followup worthwhile .
a survey for h@xmath1o emission among oh megamaser hosts poses a problem in that oh megamasers are spread more widely in @xmath7 , rending maser emission more difficult to constrain . in figure
[ fig2 ] , we plot detection limits of our survey as a function of @xmath7 for @xmath23 gaussian peak with 2 km s@xmath8 fwhm assuming a 1 , 2 and 4 mjy rms noise over the entire 200 mhz band .
superposed on this are the individual upper limits of the masers in our sample , variations in upper limits being derived from system temperatures and differing integration times ( @xmath24 minutes ) .
the location of our megamaser detection is indicated with a cross .
one will note that at very high @xmath7 ( @xmath25 ) , our survey will only be effective in observing masers with @xmath26 .
though such water masers are inherently rare ( see bennert et al . 2009 ) , very luminous water megamasers at high @xmath7 have been detected . with only a few exceptions ( iras 10039 - 3338 , iras 11010 + 4107 , iras 11506 - 3851 , iras 12243 - 0036 , iras 15065 - 1107 , iras
15247 - 0945 ) , our survey does not provide upper bounds on water emission below @xmath27 .
very luminous water masers tend to be associated with agn activity and masers appearing on molecular disks may have velocities far ( 1000s of km s@xmath8 ) displaced from the systemic . at 20 ghz
our 200 mhz bands span a velocity of range of @xmath28 km s@xmath8 centered on the systemic velocity .
our second 200 mhz band offers similar velocity coverage toward lower frequencies covering a total velocity coverage of about ( -4500 km s@xmath8 , + 1500 km s@xmath8 ) . in this particular
regard , our observations are identical to water observations of e.g. braatz ( 2008 ) . in some cases
, rfi prevented full use of the band , so upper bounds on emission were determined from portions of the band near the systemic velocity ( see notes on table 2 ) . in these special cases , our upper bounds do not constrain emission of possible high velocity features .
maser luminosities of agn - pumped water masers can vary dramatically on the timescale of years .
we can not exclude the possibility that a fraction of our nondetections arose from missing maser flares . simply integrating the water megamaser luminosity function ( bennert et al .
2009 ; mckean 2011 ) over the volume of our survey as characterized by our bandwidth of @xmath29 mhz , number of pointings ( 46 ) and field of view ( 2.5 arcmin ) with upper and lower isotropic luminosity limits of @xmath30 and @xmath31 , i.e. assuming the survey is blind , predicts @xmath32 masers with luminosities @xmath33 in our survey volume .
12% of 100,000 monte carlo simulations which treated maser luminosities with our detection limits predicted we would detect at least one maser .
however , with a global detection rate of @xmath34 across all galaxies surveyed in the literature and @xmath35 detection rates among seyfert 2 galaxies , we might estimate the number of detections to be @xmath36 maser detections with @xmath37 detection toward a seyfert 2 type nucleus .
previous to this study , approximately 61 galaxies had been searched for both oh and h@xmath1o emission which also showed emission in one of the two molecules . with 43 observations of galaxies which have never previously been observed , our study nearly doubles this number . in particular , previous to the present study , 35 objects which had been searched in both molecules showed emission in only water while only 18 galaxies showed only hydroxyl .
now a total of 103 galaxies have been searched for emission in both molecules and show emission in at least one maser species , 60 of these being established oh maser hosts .
previous studies have included ugc 5101 as a possible dual megamaser .
a very luminous water maser was detected toward ugc 5101 ( martin 1989 ) , which has not been detected in followup observations ( baan et al . 1992 ) .
we re - reduced vlbi 1665 mhz observations ( vlba project vlba_vsn000352 ) of ugc 5101 and were unable to either find a line or to image the emission .
of the tentative detections discussed , ugc 5101 is the only maser observation where follow up observations were unsuccessful in detecting a signal . for these reasons ,
we omit ugc 5101 in our analysis , but will provide some discussion on how our results change if the questionable case of ugc 5101 is considered . in the bottom panel of figure [ fig3 ] , we plot a `` baldwin , phillips & terlevich '' ( bpt ) diagnostic panel for as many galaxies in our sample as have values for optical spectroscopy line values available in the literature ( lozinskaya et al .
2009 ; darling & giovanelli 2006 ; veillux et al . 1999 ; zenner & lenten 1993 ; garcia - marlin 2006 ; baan et al .
1998 ) . plus
symbols represent oh maser hosts for which no water was detected . in this figure , iras 16399 - 0937 has been included twice as the location of the oh megamaser is unknown ( sales et al .
blue and inset red triangles mark positions of galaxies with dual masers , the size of the triangles being proportional to @xmath38 $ ] for water and hydroxyl respectively .
the dashed line is kauffman et al .
( 2003 ) demarcation line distinguishing starburst galaxies from agn .
the solid line is the demarcation criterion from kewley et al .
( 2001 ) or the `` extreme - stardust '' line . with the exception of ugc 5101 , both systems ( arp299 and iizw96 ) hosting dual megamasers are classified as hii nuclei . in general , however , dual masers trace the bpt positions of sole oh emitters well
. a ks test in @xmath39})/\mbox{h}\beta$ ] between dual masers and oh maser hosts does not exclude the possibility that the two may be drawn from the same distribution ( @xmath40 ) and a test in @xmath41})/\mbox{h}\alpha$ ] gives @xmath42 . in figure [ fig4 ] , we plot all galaxies searched for both oh and h@xmath1o emission in oh vs. h@xmath1o maser luminosity space .
objects appearing in red are oh megamaser which have never previously been observed in the literature .
yellow circles corresponding to oh megamasers which have been observed previously but for which tighter upper bounds were achieved in this study .
upper limits in emission in oh and h@xmath1o are indicated by horizontal and vertical arrows respectively . t11 noted a lack of h@xmath1o kilomasers in oh megamaser hosts compared to oh kilomasers among h@xmath1o hosts , i.e. between quadrants i ( hereafter qi ) and qiii .
we carried out a survival analysis ( e.g. feigelson & babu , 2012 ; feigelson & nelson 1985 ) between the heavily censored samples of upper limits and maser luminosities in q1 and q3 to investigate a potential of the lack of water kilomasers compared to oh kilomasers in dual megamaser hosts .
we used the survival analysis package ( therneau 2015 ) in r ( r core team 2013 ) , utilizing both the mantel - haenszel and peto & peto tests to bracket the effects of different non - detection weightings .
the probabilities that we observe no emission from q1 with the null hypothesis that there is no difference between maser luminosities between quadrants is @xmath43 and @xmath44 for the mantel - haenszel and peto & peto tests respectively .
the difference between kilomaser luminosities and hence numbers of detections between the quadrants is thus marginally significant . in every case of coexistance ,
oh is less luminous than its h@xmath1o counterpart ( see figure [ fig3 ] ) .
oh megamasers coexisting with h@xmath1o masers are substantially less luminous than sole oh masers .
while this might appear to indicate that coexisting oh megamasers are a distinct population from sole oh megamasers , this is likely due to the independent natures of the water ( bennert et al .
2009 ; henkel et al .
2005 ) and hydroxyl ( darling et al .
2002 ) luminosity functions .
dual megamasers are confined to relatively small survey volume compared to the entire oh megamaser catalog . comparing luminosity functions
reveals that in a given relatively small survey volume , where the two luminosity functions intersect . such luminous
oh masers are more abundant per volume than h@xmath1o .
] , more h@xmath1o masers of a given luminosity will appear than oh of the same luminosity which implies that the brightest maser in the volume will likely be of h@xmath1o type .
indeed , this is the same effect which makes comparisons between q1 and qiii of figure [ fig4 ] difficult . this effect would need to be disentangled before one considers this trend as evidence for an interplay between the two megamaser species .
we find no statistical difference in our water maser detection rate ( 2.17% ) among oh hosts and the rate of the rest of the literature combined ( 3.7% ) .
so far all galaxies co - hosting dual megamasers , including ugc5101 are merger remnants .
if one excludes ugc5101 , the remaining two dual megamasers are merging galaxies with spatially distinct nuclei which are optically classified hii - type .
interferometric followups , in particular using vlbi , on iizw96 is needed to diagnose its masing behavior , but the known additional similarities between iizw96 and arp 299 could suggest tight constraints on dual megamasering in general .
lllc [ tab_properties ] arp 299 & 1.1 & 2.1 & hii + iizw96 & 1.9 & 2.6 & hii + ngc 253 & -2.0 & 0.74 & hii / sy2 + ngc 1068 & -0.08 & 2.2 & sy2 + _ ugc 5101 _ & 1.73 & 3.2 & sy1 + m 82 & -2.1 & 0.0 & hii + ngc 3079 & -1.1 & 2.7 & sy2 + _ iras 17526 _ & 0.81 & 2.55 & hii +
we have reported on a systematic search for 22 ghz water emission in established oh megamaser hosts with the robert c. byrd green bank telescope ( gbt ) .
our @xmath6 hour survey of 47 sources nearly doubles the number of galaxies now searched for both oh and h@xmath1o emission with confirmed emission in at least one molecule .
this effort is additionally significant because many galaxies searched for emission in both molecules are established water masers leaving many oh megamasers un - probed .
we confirm to @xmath45 the previously tentative water maser detection toward iizw96 .
this finding reinforces the celebrated similarities ( e.g. imani et al .
2010 ; goldader et al .
1997 ) between iizw96 and arp 299 , the only other known host of both megamaser species .
our hour - long integration was sufficient to resolve multiple , luminous narrow water features toward iizw96 .
iizw96 provides another vital site to investigate dual megamasing .
our survey is sensitive enough to eliminate 6 galaxies as h@xmath1o megamaser ( @xmath46 ) candidates .
for the first time , we verify , on a statistical basis , a marginally significant lack of h@xmath1o kilomasers among oh megamaser hosts .
the two , and so far only , dual megamaser hosts are hii type and are galaxy mergers with spatially distinct nuclei . b.w . was supported by the high impact doctoral research award ( hidra ) at brigham young university .
we would like to thank dr .
jim braatz and dr .
amanda kepley at gbt and dr .
jennifer donley at lanl for their counsel and useful conversations during the course of this project .
we would also like to thank our thoughtful anonymous referee whose insightful comments which have greatly improved the quality of this work .
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, 346 , 6210 zhang j. s. , henkel , . , kadler , m. , greenhill , l. j. , nagar , n. , wilson , a. s. , braatz , j. a. , 2006 , a&a , 450 , 933 zhang , j.s . , henkel , c. , guo , q. , wang , j. , 2012 , arvie preprint arxiv:1201.2075 zhu , g. , zaw , i. , blanton , m.r . , greenhill , l. , 2011 , , 742 , 73 [ tab : a ] iras 00057 + 4021 & 00:08:20.5 & + 40:37:57 & 0.044660 & 3.77 & 1.93 & @xmath471.26 & sy 2 + iras 03260 - 1422 & 03:28:24.3 & -14:12:07 & 0.043350 & 2.78 & 2.04 & @xmath47 1.11 & starburst + iras 03521 + 0028@xmath48 & 03:54:42.2 & + 00:37:03 & 0.151910 & - & 1.96 & - & starburst + iras 03566 + 1647@xmath48 & 03:59:29.1 & + 16:56:26 & 0.133522 & - & 1.61 & - & sy2 + iras 04121 + 0223@xmath48 & 04:12:47.1 & + 02:30:36 & 0.122424 & - & 2.29 & - & hii + iras 06487 + 2208 & 06:51:45.8 & + 22:04:27 & 0.143390 & 2.70 & 2.90 & @xmath472.17 & hii , ulirg + iras 07163 + 0817@xmath48 & 07:19:05.5 & + 08:12:07 & 0.110973 & - & 1.47 & - & hii + iras 07572 + 0533@xmath48 & 07:59:57.2 & + 05:25:00 & 0.190000 & - & 2.63 & - & liner , ulirg + iras 08071 + 0509 & 08:09:47.2 & + 05:01:09 & 0.052203 & 1.66 & 1.90 & @xmath47 1.08 & radio jet , hii + iras 08201 + 2801 & 08:23:12.6 & + 27:51:40 & 0.167830 & 2.44 & 3.30 & @xmath472.27 & hii , ulirg + iras 08279 + 0956@xmath48 & 08:30:40.9 & + 09:46:28 & 0.208634 & - & 2.98 & - & liner + iras 08449 + 2332 & 08:47:50.2 & + 23:21:10 & 0.151458 & 2.54 & 2.12 & @xmath472.20 & hii , ulirg + iras 08474 + 1813@xmath49 & 08:50:18.3 & + 18:02:01 & 0.145404 & 2.35 & 2.66 & @xmath47 2.13 & sy 2 , ulirg + iras 09039 + 0503@xmath48 & 09:06:34.2 & + 04:51:25 & 0.125140 & - & 2.63 & - & liner + iras 09531 + 1430@xmath49 & 09:55:51.1 & + 14:16:01 & 0.215275 & 2.20 & 3.01 & @xmath472.45 & sy 2 + iras 09539 + 0857@xmath49 & 09:56:34.3 & + 08:43:06 & 0.128899 & 2.14 & 3.26 & @xmath471.98 & + _ iras 10039 - 3338 _ & 10:06:05.1 & -33:53:17 & 0.034100 & 2.47 & 2.86 & @xmath47 0.87 & lirg , merger + iras 10036 + 2740 & 10:06:26.3 & + 27:25:46 & 0.165531 & 2.14 & 1.99 & @xmath47 2.204 & ulirg + iras 10173 + 0828 & 10:20:00.2 & + 08:13:34 & 0.049087 & 1.67 & 2.46 & @xmath47 1.03 & lirg + iras 10339 + 1548@xmath48 & 10:36:37.9 & + 15:32:42 & 0.197236 & - & 2.34 & - & sy 2 , ulrig + iras 10378 + 1109@xmath49 & 10:40:29.2 & 10:53:18 & 0.136274 & 2.61 & 3.20 & @xmath472.12 & ulirg , liner + iras 11010 + 4107 & 11:03:53.2 & + 40:50:57 & 0.034524 & 1.47 & 1.74 & @xmath470.67 & lirg , ring - like + iras 11029 + 3130 & 11:05:37.5 & + 31:14:32 & 0.198604 & 2.43 & 2.53 & @xmath472.55 & liner , ulirg + iras 11180 + 1623 & 11:20:41.7 & + 16:06:57 & 0.166000 & 1.89 & 2.17 & @xmath472.15 & liner , ulirg + _ iras 11506 - 3851 _ & 11:53:11.7 & -39:07:49 & 0.010781 & 3.84 & 1.52 & @xmath47 - 0.613 & lirg + iras 11524 + 1058 & 11:55:02.8 & + 10:41:44 & 0.178670 & 2.48 & 2.81 & @xmath47 2.34 & liner , ulirg + iras 12018 + 1941 & 12:04:24.5 & + 19:25:10 & 0.168646 & 2.43 & 2.49 & @xmath47 2.28 & sy 2 + iras 12032 + 1707 & 12:05:47.7 & + 16:51:08 & 0.217787 & 2.42 & 4.15 & @xmath472.50 & liner , ulirg + _ iras 12112 + 0305 _ & 12:13:46.0 & + 02:48:38 & 0.073317 & 5.94 & 2.78 & @xmath471.454 & liner , ulirg , hii + iras 12162 + 1047 & 12:18:47.7 & + 10:31:11 & 0.146500 & 2.43 & 2.05 & @xmath47 2.15 & + _
iras 12243 - 0036 _ & 12:26:54.6 & -00:52:39 & 0.007268 & 1.60 & -0.01 & @xmath47 -0.546 & sy 2 , lirg + _ iras 12540 + 5708 _ & 12:56:14.2 & + 56:52:25 & 0.042170 & 2.37 & 2.84 & @xmath471.04 & lirg , sy 1 + iras 12548 + 2403 & 12:57:20.0 & + 23:47:46 & 0.131700 & 3.40 & 1.89 & @xmath47 2.20 & + iras 13218 + 0552@xmath48 & 13:24:19.9 & + 05:37:05 & 0.205102 & - & 3.07 & - & sy 1.5 + iras 14043 + 0624@xmath48 & 14:06:49.8 & + 06:10:36 & 0.113187 & - & 1.68 & - & + iras 14059 + 2000@xmath48 & 14:08:18.7 & + 19:46:23 & 0.123700 & - & 2.97 & - & + iras 14070 + 0525 & 14:09:31.2 & + 05:11:31 & 0.264380 & 3.88 & 3.88 & @xmath472.88 & ulirg , sy 2 + iras 14553 + 1245 & 14:57:43.4 & + 12:33:16 & 0.124900 & 2.28 & 1.94 & @xmath47 2.00 & + iras 14586 + 1431 & 15:01:00.4 & + 14:20:15 & 0.147700 & 2.39 & 2.54 & @xmath472.37 & + _ iras 15065 - 1107 _ & 15:09:16.1 & -11:19:18 & 0.006174 & 2.10 & 0.04 & @xmath47 - 0.61 & sy 2 , hii + _ _ iras 15179 + 3956__@xmath48 & 15:19:47.1 & 39:45:38 & 0.047570 & - & 1.02 & @xmath501.23@xmath51 & merger , hii + iras 15224 + 1033 & 15:24:51.5 & + 10:22:45 & 0.134049 & 2.53 & 2.22 & @xmath472.08 & + iras 15250 + 3609 & 15:26:59.4 & + 35:58:38 & 0.055155 & 1.57 & 2.52 & @xmath471.09 & ulirg , liner + iras 15247 - 0945 & 15:27:27.8 & -09:55:41 & 0.040004 & 1.67 & 1.59 & @xmath470.84 & liner + iras 15587 + 1609@xmath49 & 16:01:03.6 & + 16:01:03 & 0.137181 & 2.00 & 3.04 & @xmath472.00 & hii + iras 16100 + 2528@xmath48 & 16:12:05.4 & + 25:20:23 & 0.132385 & - & 1.68 & - & liner + iras 16255 + 2801@xmath48 & 16:27:38.1 & + 27:54:52 & 0.133612 & - & 2.38 & - & hii , ulrig + iras 16300 + 1558 & 16:32:21.4 & + 15:51:46 & 0.241747 & 1.79 & 2.71 & @xmath47 2.46 & ulirg , sy2 + iras 16399 - 0937 & 16:42:40.2 & -09:43:14 & 0.027012 & 2.00 & 1.68 & @xmath470.570 & lirg + iras 17160 + 2006 & 17:18:15.6 & + 20:02:58 & 0.109800 & 1.77 & 2.04 & @xmath471.75 & + iras 17208 - 0014 & 17:23:21.9 & -00:17:01 & 0.042810 & 1.80 & 3.04 & @xmath470.92 & starburst , liner + iras 17540 + 2935 & 17:55:56.1 & + 29:35:26 & 0.108108 & 2.23 & 1.56 & @xmath471.83 & liner + iras 18368 + 3549 & 18:38:35.4 & + 35:52:20 & 0.116170 & 2.28 & 2.81 & @xmath471.90 & sy 2 + iras 18544 - 3718 & 18:57:52.7 & -37:14:38 & 0.073424 & 3.32 & 2.23 & @xmath471.66 & hii , spiral + iras 18588 + 3517 & 19:00:41.2 & + 35:21:27 & 0.106727 & 2.09 & 2.12 & @xmath471.79 & hii , spiral + _ * iras
20550 + 1656 * _ & 20:57:23.9 & + 17:07:39 & 0.036098 & 1.28 & 1.92 & * 2.60 * & hii , lirg , merger + iras 21077 + 3358 & 21:09:49.0 & + 34:10:20 & 0.176699 & 2.71 & 2.94 & @xmath47 2.35 & liner + iras 21271 + 2514 & 21:29:29.4 & + 25:27:50 & 0.150797 & 2.80 & 3.36 & @xmath472.43 & + iras 22025 + 4205 & 22:04:36.1 & + 42:19:38 & 0.014310 & 2.02 & 0.86 & @xmath47 -0.047 & spiral + iras 23019 + 3405@xmath48 & 23:04:21.1 & + 34:21:48 & 0.108038 & - & 1.78 & - & sy 2 + iras 23365 + 3604 & 23:39:01.3 & + 36:21:08 & 0.064480 & 2.44 & 2.30 & @xmath471.40 & pec , liner , ulirg + | arxiv |
subdwarf b stars are evolved and compact objects which are thought to be core helium burning .
they populate the extreme horizontal branch ( ehb ) at effective temperatures of @xmath2@xmath3 k and surface gravities @xmath4 between 5.0 and 6.2 .
variable sdb stars ( sdbvs ) can be divided into the following subclasses : the @xmath1-mode pulsators show higher amplitudes and shorter periods at higher temperatures .
@xcite discovered ec 14026 - 2647 as the class prototype .
the @xmath0-mode pulsators have lower amplitudes and longer periods at lower temperatures and the class prototype pg1716 + 426 was discovered by @xcite .
hybrid pulsators show both @xmath1- and @xmath0-modes .
these are particularly exciting objects , since the two mode types probe different regions in the star .
both mode types are thought to be driven by the same @xmath5-mechanism @xcite .
figure 1 shows the location of some sdb pulsators in the @xmath6@xmath7 diagram .
the hs0702 + 6043 photometric data have been taken at the calar alto observatory in january 2005 with the 2.2 m telescope equipped with cafos , using a b filter . from the whole ten day data set we used the best six nights ( @xmath8 56 hours ) for a further analysis after subtraction of the @xmath1-modes .
the hs2201 + 2610 data have also been taken at calar alto observatory in september and november 2006 with the same setup as above .
five nights of observation yield a total of about 26 hours of high s / n photometric data .
we reduced the data in a standard way , using the aperture photometry package tripp @xcite . to denoise our hs0702 + 6043 data ,
we applied the so - called @xmath9 @xmath10 algorithm @xcite which is based on wavelet transformations .
the basic procedure of the filter is to decompose the noisy light curve into different scales , i.e. different frequency bands , and to compare transformation coefficients to a simulated pure noise light curve . setting a threshold value during the reconstruction
therefore produces a filtered and denoised light curve .
the following frequency spectra ( lomb - scargle - periodograms , lsps ) have been generated using the scargle algorithm , because it can handle unevenly sampled data .
the confidence levels ( derived from false alarm probabilities ) are based on ten thousand white noise simulations .
figure 2 shows the window functions .
the hybrid character of hs0702 + 6043 is described in @xcite and with the 2005 data presented here , we are able to provide a better resolution of the @xmath0-mode domain
. the results of our frequency analysis are summarized in the top part of table 1 .
figure 3 displays the @xmath0-mode regime . in our 2006 data of hs2201 + 2610 we detect a long - period variation shown in figure 4 .
other data provided by one of us ( r. s. ) also show this variation .
our frequency analysis is summarized in the bottom part of table 1 .
in addition to the hybrid behaviour , the interest for hs2201 + 2610 increased a lot recently due to the presence of an orbiting planet ( @xcite , and these proceedings ) .
we resolve three gravity modes in the hybrid pulsator hs0702 + 6043 and detect a long - period variation in hs2201 + 2610 . we therefore propose to add the latter to the list of hybrid pulsators .
ccrrrr object&id & frequency & period & amplitude & type + & & [ @xmath11hz ] & [ s ] & [ mmi ] & + hs0702 + 6043&f1 & 2753.9 & 363.1 & 21.7 & @xmath1 + & f2 & 2606.1 & 383.7 & 4.6 & @xmath1 + & f3 & 271.7 & 3680.8 & 1.8 & @xmath0 + & f4 & 318.1 & 3144.2 & 1.3 & @xmath0 + & f5 & 206.3 & 4847.0 & 0.9 & @xmath0 + hs2201 + 2610&f1 & 2861.2 & 349.5 & 6.6 & @xmath1 + & f2 & 2823.7 & 354.2 & 3.3 & @xmath1 + & f3 & 2880.8 & 347.1 & 1.5 & @xmath1 + & ( f4 ) & 2725.9 & 366.9 & 0.8 & @xmath1 + & ( f5 ) & 2906.3 & 344.1 & 0.4 & @xmath1 + & f6 & 307.2 & 3255.6 & 1.5 & @xmath0 + charpinet , s. , fontaine , g. , brassard , p. , et al .
1997 , apj , 483 , l123 dorman , b. , oconnell , r. w. , & rood , r. t.1995 , apj , 442 , 105 fligge , m. & solanki , s. k. 1997 , a&as , 124 , 579 fontaine , g. , brassard , p. , charpinet , s. , et al .
2003 , apj , 597 , 518 green , e. m. , fontaine , g. , reed , m. d. , et al . 2003 , apj , 583 , l31 jeffery , c. s. & saio , h. 2006 , mnras , 372 , l48 kilkenny , d. , koen , c. , odonoghue , d. , & stobie , r. s. 1997 , mnras , 285 , 640 schuh , s. , dreizler , s. , deetjen , j. l. , & ghler , e. 2003 , balta , 12 , 167 schuh , s. , huber , j. , dreizler , s. , et al . 2006 , a&a , 445 , l31 silvotti , r. , janulis , r. , schuh , s. , et al .
2002 , a&a , 389 , 180 silvotti , r. , schuh , s. , janulis , r. , et al .
2007 , nature , 449 , 189 | arxiv |
Apple?
**Authors notes:** Eh a bit long to be a drabble, so here's a sappy, dare I say cliqued oneshot :) Hope you like
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Five years.
Five years had passed since the end of the hundred year war.
Five years and he was still fighting.
Though this time, he fought with the Avatar and his friends.
The end of the war brought a limited time of peace. Not even a year after his Uncle ascended the throne rebellion had broken loose.
Bitter members of the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes were angry that the Fire Nation seemingly only received a smack on the wrist for their hundred years of torture. The war and death of loved ones still hanging in their minds, they wanted the Fire Nation to pay.
Then came the Firebenders. The arrogant bureaucrats and nobility that wanted power back. Some citizens who had the bigotry for the other nations so ingrained in them revolted with violent hate crimes and prejudice. While Azula still roamed free, tirelessly trying to set events in motion to see the Fire nations return to power.
So it happened, Zuko continued to travel with the Avatar, rounding up rouge benders and fighters, as the quartet valiantly tried to keep the loosely maintained peace.
Though today... today was quiet.
Peaceful.
And what the Heir to the throne of the Fire Nation wanted more than anything...
Was an apple.
He'd had them often back home, crunchy, red and juicy, he'd picked them with his mother often.
It had been ten years since he'd had one… and then he saw it, just feet away from their camp, a large apple tree, one lone apple hanging from its branches.Mouth watering and mind hardly daring to believe it. Zuko shot a thin stream of fire, burning through the stem sending the apple falling to the soft grassy floor with a thud.
He allowed his lips to curve upward slightly in pride as he strut to his prize. Bending down to pick it up, the ground suddenly rumbled, a stalagmite of earth sending the plump fruit in a neat arc over his head.
He whirled around, eyes narrowed as he came face to face with the blind earthbender who was tossing the apple in her feminine hands.
"Thanks Princess," She grinned, rubbing the apple on her sleeve.
Zuko stood there dumbly a moment, finding himself too shocked to speak. He soon found his sharp tongue and his eyes narrowed in anger.
"That was mine," Zuko ground out fiercely, sounding like the spoiled prince he was five years ago, "Give it back,"
She ignored him as she had since he first joined their group.
"I haven't had one of these in _years_," She held it up in mock examination, even though she couldn't see it. He knew she did it just to peeve him.
He growled feeling his hands go hot. Her sole mission in life, it seemed, was to make him miserable. A cruel trick of the universe that the one girl he felt understood him and his uncle, the one girl he respected, the one girl he found alluring and mesmerizing, was also the girl who knew just how to push his buttons and puncture his ego with minimal effort.
"Imagine that," His voice was steel, he held his hand out, "Give it back,"
Her smirk widened and Zuko found himself both infuriated and captivated by her trademark grin.
"Well… If you really want it," She shrugged in a would-be innocent manner, "Then come get it,"
She held the forbidden fruit before him.
Challenging him.
And if there was anything Zuko loved… it was a challenge.
He was in front of her in a flash as she pulled the apple just out of his reach.
Without thinking he pulled her toward him in a kiss. She let out a soft squeak of surprise, sinking into his kiss, as his hand inched ever closer to the apple.
They stood under the tree for what seemed an eternity, his fingers nearly grazed it, when the earth slid from beneath Zuko's feet, sending him to the ground with a grunt.
Toph's flushed face was looking down on him smugly, her candy lips moist and swollen.
She held the juicy red apple tantalizingly in front of him.
"Almost," She grinned cheekily as a grinning Zuko got up to try again.
End file.
| fanfiction |
Gunsmoke 1. Chapter 1
**After the Wolves**
_**A/N: This is A/U to my own Gunsmoke canon - sort of meta fan fiction. I'll be re-posting my other Gunsmoke fics. They are sort of prequels to this story but you don't have to read them first. To be honest, I took them down because of the racist flames I got in my PM. I was shocked and saddened so I removed my stories. After some thought, I decided to put them back up. We are one of the smaller fandoms and we need to stick together! Much love to all who were so very supportive.**_
_**I have no beta. All my fubars are belong to me.**_
**~~Chapter One**
I winced at the glare from the sun and from the bright pain that scored my throat with hot iron nails. I coughed hard. Each spasm was as painful as a pistol shot to the chest. I had dug a bullet out of my own leg two days before and it hardly bled. Now, if I didn't get some broth in my belly and a good night's sleep by a warm fire, I was going to die from an ague that started as a light case of the sniffles when I rode out of Dodge a ten days ago.
I shielded my eyes with one hand and squinted through the haze of my fever. A pack of wolves growled over a large bloody patch in a vast meadow of clean white snow.
I checked my ammunition. I had four bullets in my pistol and two shells in my rifle. I watched the beta wolf face down the others while the alpha ate his fill. If I could pick off the alpha, the rest would scatter and I could take a piece of their kill. They would be wary of me only temporarily - hopefully, long enough for me to get beyond their territory. If I missed, I would be only a loud noise and harmless – and easy prey.
I heard the thick crackle of cartilage being separated from a large joint.
"What do you think, Buck?" I murmured. The horse flared his nostrils and kept an ear turned to the wolf pack, but he was otherwise silent and still.
We moved slowly along the tree line until the pack was downwind. The alpha wolf lifted his head and sniffed the air. I raised my rifle, aimed and fired.
The shot rang in my ears and seemed to reverberate all around me. Buck stamped a foot and nodded sharply. The wolves ran into the trees on the opposite side of the meadow. I heard a distant rumbling - perhaps the sound of a storm closing in.
As I approached the kill, I could not, at first, make sense of what I was seeing. A bloody boot. A leather poke with its contents strewn about. Torn dungarees. A clenched fist stood straight up out of the snow.
The wolf kill was a man.
I dismounted and knelt by the body. The man was young, a teenager. I pressed my fingers against his cheek. He was cold but not frozen, his half-open eyes not yet clouded over. He'd been dead an hour, maybe two. I searched him and pulled out a worn buckskin wallet from his coat pocket. Inside was a manumission stamped with the crumbling seal of a deed office in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. The boy's name was Lucien Lemieux, he was nineteen years old and he was the son of a freed man.
I sighed and felt a tug in my heart. Even after Emancipation, Negroes carried proof of their status as free people. They were right to be distrustful of white men. The war had been over for twenty years but former slaves were still being abducted and sold to plantation owners in Cuba and Panama. But freedom papers were a flimsy shield against determined slavers. Free men and their families fled to these mountains where they were less likely to encounter whites.
I tucked the document back into the billfold and pushed it deep into my coat pocket. A finely wrought metal cross on a silver chain was embedded in the gore on the boy's chest. I lifted his head and eased the necklace from around his neck. I dropped it into my coat pocket with the manumission.
I stared sadly at Lucian's face. His skin was fair – lighter than my own skin when tanned in the summer. He could've passed for white if he wanted to. My guess was he didn't want to, when members of his family perhaps could not. His half-open eyes were gray and flecked with bronze, like granite stone and fool's gold. I reached down and gently closed them.
Light, wet snowflakes began to fall and the icy wind picked up. The wolves paced along the tree line. It was time to go. The ground was too hard to dig and even if it wasn't, I didn't have the strength to bury the body. I had no choice but to leave him.
"I'm sorry, son," I said.
I heaved myself onto my horse and watched the wolves. I thought about shooting another but the pack was not advancing and I needed all the bullets I could save. There was a trail of blood and drag marks leading from the trees. I spurred my horse and followed them from force of habit, even though I knew I had little time to spare before I had to find a place to make camp.
The trail led into the trees and to the bottom of a steep, rocky slope. The snow was churned with wolf tracks, and the hoof prints of a horse. A large rock jutted from the ground, a clot of blood and hair pasted to one jagged edge. It was easy for me to reconstruct the scene. The slope was nearly sheer and the footing treacherous. A horse could not make it up the slope with a man on his back. Lucien had gotten off his horse, slipped on an icy patch and hit his head on the rock. There was blood, but not a lot. He died here, hitting his head hard enough to stop his heart.
The wolves had not hunted the boy, only scavenged his dead body.
I turned my horse in a circle, searching the ground. Fading hoof prints went up the slope and into the low clouds. Horses are creatures of habit and usually ran straight home if left to their own devices. I looked back at the wolves. They were cautiously approaching their fallen alpha. There was no shelter for me as long as I was in their territory and there was nowhere else for me to go but up the slope. I had nothing to lose by following that horse home. Hopefully, his home wasn't far.
I burned with fever and was lightheaded from lack of food. I dismounted and swooned, nearly falling myself. I wrapped the reins around my saddle horn then cinched them under my arms and around my back. If I slipped or lost consciousness, I would not fall to the ground. Buck was used to tracking other horses and often picked up sign that I had lost. He would drag me along until he found the horse or I told him to stop. I hooked my arm around his neck.
"Let's go find him, boy," I said.
We stumbled up the incline, leaning on each other like a couple of drunken bums.
**xxxXXXxxx**
2. Chapter 2
**~~Chapter 2**
By the time we reached the summit, I was literally at the end of my rope. I hung off Buck, my shins and knees barked and bruised, the arm I tied to my saddle, numb and cold. I was going to send Buck on with a note and my identification and hope that he found the horse's farm – if not to come back for me, but to put him up so he wouldn't freeze to death. I pawed through my saddlebags with frozen fingers.
I had paper but no pencil.
I sank to the ground. I resigned myself to dying here, alone, food for the wolves. I tried to shy Buck away but he only took a couple of sidesteps and stood waiting for me. I slipped into unconsciousness. I don't know how long I was out but fortunately, Buck woke me with a nicker and a burst of warm horse breath straight into my face.
I rolled to my side. I looked down the slope. A small valley sparkled in the last rays of the sun like a jewel box filled with emeralds and gold coins. A cob house was built on a stone shelf at the base of the cliff on the far side of the valley. There was a corral, a barn with an arched door and a garden surrounded by a sapling fence. A small field beyond the barn was divided in half by a low rock wall. In the center of one half was a snow-dusted haystack. The other half held the remnants of a corn harvest. Three goats and a tiny burro grazed in patches of green grass among the broken stalks and melting snow. The little farm was neat as a pin, the ground as clean as if it'd been swept by a broom.
I was pretty sure that I was hallucinating. Or that I was dead and that was where I'd live out eternity.
I blinked and rubbed my eyes but the little farm was still there. Smoke puffed from the chimney in one perfect ball of cotton. I sat for a few minutes and waited for the feeling to return to my arm. I felt faint disappointment that I wasn't in Heaven.
I mounted my horse and started carefully down the incline. It wasn't as steep as the slope we just climbed but there were more trees and the ground was padded with slippery pine needles. It was slow going. By the time I was within shouting distance of the house, sun had sunk behind the cliff. Someone stepped onto the porch and lit a lantern by the door.
The light was as warm and soft as a sigh of relief.
A short-legged, but heavily built dog charged toward us, barking furiously. He circled us, growling and nipping at Buck's ankles. He stopped me in the dooryard, placing himself between me and the house, his head down and his teeth bared. The goats and burro trotted over, stood in a bunch and watched the scene silently.
A boy of perhaps twelve or thirteen stood on the porch. He leveled a shotgun at me. He was bundled in an oversized coat. On his head was a battered felt hat that came down over his ears. I would've been amused were it not for the buffalo gun he pointed unwaveringly at my head.
"Drop your guns on the ground, please," he said.
"I'm -," I started.
"I will send you into the Hereafter without a second thought, sir."
His eyes were steely under the brim of his ridiculously large hat. I fumbled with the buttons on my coat.
"Slowly," said the boy.
I held up my hands.
"My - ." I swallowed painfully. "My fingers are frozen," I said. I pushed at the lapel of my coat with a clawed hand and showed my badge. "My name is Matt Dillon. I'm a U.S. Marshal out of Dodge City."
"You are a very long way from Dodge City."
"I was hunting a murderer."
"Did you capture him?"
"Yes."
"Where is he?"
I let the silence hang in the air.
"How can I know that you are telling me the truth?" the boy asked.
"You can't," I said.
"Keep your hands up."
He walked over and tugged my pistol from its scabbard and tossed it onto the porch. He took my rifle and stepped back, cracking the breach and flipping out the cartridge with his thumbnail, while he held his own rifle tucked in the crook of his elbow - and aimed at me. In spite of the fact that he might yet decide to shoot me, I was impressed. He handled the weapons as well as any experienced gunman.
"Your rifle is recently fired," he said.
"I shot a wolf this morning," I said.
His eyes traveled over my face. He lowered his shotgun slightly. "Are you ill, Marshal?"
"I'd be obliged if your Pa can spare some grain for my horse and I could spend the night in your barn. I'll be on my way by morning," I said, but was seized by a long, ragged bout of coughing that nearly toppled me from my saddle.
The boy regarded me with raised brows. "If you spend the night in our barn, you will be dead by morning," he said.
"The barn will be fine. I can pay."
The boy leaned the shotguns against the porch rail. "I will not have your death on my conscience."
"You just threatened to shoot me without a second thought."
"That was, perhaps, hyperbole." He stepped forward and reached up to help me. The dog barked a warning. "Quiet, Mortimer," said the boy. "Let's get you inside, Mr. Dillon."
I looked him over. His wrists were thin at the end of his sleeves and I could tell that the bulk of his upper body was mostly coat.
"I can manage," I wheezed.
"You are going to fall over, Marshal," said the boy.
"I'm fine."
The boy stepped back. "As you wish."
I swung my leg over Buck's rump. My limbs felt weightless and disconnected from my body. I could see the ground coming up to meet me but was helpless to stop myself falling. I lay on my back, blinking at the sky. Mortimer the dog ambled over, sniffed at me then sneezed. The burro and his chorus of goats seemed to confer with each other for a moment then turned and walked away. The boy stood by with his hands folded behind his back.
"Pride goeth before a -," he said.
"I get it," I snapped.
**xxxXXXxxx**
3. Chapter 3
**~~Chapter 3**
I held out my hand and let him haul me to my feet. I swayed a little and he turned to support me with his arm around my waist. He was stronger than he looked. We staggered up the porch stairs and into the house. The boy half-carried me to a chair. He searched a shelf and selected a jar filled with brown powder. He tapped a big spoonful into a tea pot and poured in hot water from a kettle over the fire. He rushed back to help me out of my coat.
"Your fingers are not frozen but very near," he said, massaging my hands. "I see you also have a bullet wound in your leg." He pressed a wrist to my forehead. He poured from the teapot into a cup. "Drink this."
I tried to scoot closer to the fire but he stopped me with a hand on my shoulder.
"I know you feel cold but your fever is very bad. I need to keep you cool a little while longer."
"You're a little young to be doctoring," I said, shivering.
"Hippocrates was practicing medicine at nine."
"So, a couple of years older than you, then."
"You are free to bed down in the stall with the other ass on this farm."
I hid my grin in my cup and choked down a sip of the bitter tea. I looked around the room. There was a kitchen at one end and two other doors. Through one I could see one narrow bed with a battered poppet propped against the pillows. A throw rug on the stone floor was faded but clean. There was a large pair of boots lined neatly by the front door but there was only one place set at the table.
"Are you here by yourself?" I asked.
"The tea will quiet your cough," he said, gently urging me with two fingers on my wrist, to lift the cup to my mouth. He gazed thoughtfully out of the window. "I thought the shot that you fired was my brother," he said. "He is to return from Fort Hardy today."
"Fort Hardy?" I asked. I peered blearily into my cup.
"Less a fort and more a trading post with a couple of fat Calvary men to guard it," he said. "It is thirty miles northeast from here. We pick up our mail and some supplies there. My brother is late and there is a storm coming."
My brain sluggishly turned over this information. "Where are your folks?" I asked.
He swung the kettle back over the fire and stood with his back to me. "My parents are dead," he said, after a moment.
"I'm sorry."
He turned and peered into my face. I blinked once, slowly.
"I believe you've had enough of this tea," he said, prying my cold fingers from the cup. "I had to guess the dose because you are the largest man I have ever seen." He handed me another cup. "This is only warm water but drink it down, too. You are dry as paper."
"Your brother - .What is - ," I began. I swallowed thickly.
"I must get your horse and our animals into the barn. Can you manage getting undressed on your own? I need to look at that bullet wound in your leg." He refilled the kettle from a bucket of water and poked up the fire. He buttoned his coat and headed for the door.
"Wait," I rasped. I struggled to get up.
"We can talk later, Marshal. I'll be back shortly. Stay away from the fire," he said, going out and closing the door firmly behind him.
I slumped back into the chair. I could feel myself sinking into a well of exhaustion. All I wanted to do was lay down by the fire and sleep.
I got as far as toeing off my boots.
**xxxxxx**
"Marshal? Mr. Dillon?"
I felt cool fingers pat lightly against my cheeks.
"Wake up, Marshal."
I blinked awake. "Doc?" I croaked.
"It is James."
Everything - my headache, my sore throat, my burning lungs –seemed blurred around the edges. I was clammy with sweat. I sat up and leaned forward with my head down, propping my forearms on my thighs.
James pressed his cheek to the space between my shoulders.
"Wha – what're doing?" I asked.
"Listening to your lungs rattle like pebbles in a tin can," he said.
"I just need a couple hours of sleep," I mumbled.
"You need much more than that. You are going to get worse before you get better."
He tugged at my vest, trying to work it off my shoulders.
"Why are you pulling on me," I asked, querulously.
"Your horse smells better than you do."
I ran my fingers through my hair and held my hand against the back of my neck, suppressing a frisson of irritation. All of this fussing was not necessary. A good, hard sleep was usually all I needed to set me on the mend.
"Sleep," I rasped.
"You will have a bath first. And you will have more water and then some broth."
"You're bossy."
"I could knock you out and strip you myself."
I waved a hand. "Settle down, cowboy," I said. I rose slowly and the room tilted. I reached out and gripped James on his shoulders to steady myself. I could feel his collar bones under my thumbs, hard and thin as a wooden hanger. His fingers worked at the buttons on my shirt.
"I can do it," I said.
"Let me," said James.
"You don't even know me."
"Really, Marshal. You must learn to allow others to do for you."
Maybe he _did_ know me.
I stood with my hands on his shoulders and gazed at his face as he undressed me. He had thick, upswept brows and a high, clear forehead. His mouth was soft and his jaw was strong and delicate at the same time. His eyes were large and set far apart – and they were the exact shade of Lucien Lémieux's. In fact, he was the spitting image of Lucien except his skin was smooth and dark as a plum.
This skinny kid was the reason Lucien Lemieux refused to pass for white.
**xxxXXXxxx**
4. Chapter 4
**~~Chapter 4 **
I've done my share of informing people that their loved one is dead. No lawman worth a damn ever gets used to it. With his brother gone, James was a Negro boy without family, without protection, easy prey for animals that were worse than wolves.
I opened my mouth to tell him that his brother was dead but what came out was another long bout of wrenching coughs that nearly brought me to my knees. I could taste blood and the infection that filled my lungs. I leaned heavily on James, breathing through my mouth in ragged gasps. The boy murmured something in French as he wiped my nose and chin with a warm, damp cloth. I don't speak French but my mind translated whatever he said into an endearment. I pondered that while he peeled off my undergarments then led me to a cut-down barrel the size of a large bucket in front of the fireplace.
"I can –," I began.
"We have to do this standing up, Marshal. I wouldn't be able to get you out of a proper bath tub."
"But - ."
"Stop protesting, Mr. Dillon. You can hardly see straight. It will go quicker if I do it," he said, manhandling me into the barrel.
I stood with my head down while James dipped a small pitcher into another bucket then poured the warm water over me. Once again, the boy was right. The water felt good and I my chest loosened minutely from the steam. I braced my hands on the mantle and let him scrub my body with a rough sponge and wood-scented soap. He cleaned the crusted blood from my leg and remarked about my other scars, suggesting that perhaps my fool-headed stubbornness was a result of the amount of lead that had been shot into my body over the years. I found his scolding chatter to be soothing, much in the way that I felt when I heard the same from Doc. I was too tired to be embarrassed when he got to my privates. He moved them around gently, using the back of his hand the way Doc did, washing them thoroughly. I stood obediently while he dressed me in a linen nightshirt that was about a foot too short.
I was trembling with fatigue when he finally allowed me to sit in a large rocking chair by the fire. He wrapped a quilt around my shoulders. I immediately began to nod off.
"Stay awake, Marshal," said James. "It is better to be up upright when you cough."
I watched him with half-closed eyes as he dragged a side table to my chair and went about his tasks. He moved with grace and economy, his hands sure, quick and steady. He _would_ make a good doctor someday. Or a good gunman.
He set a small bowl of broth and another cup of the bitter tea before me. I held the bowl in my trembling hands and took a sip. The broth was hot and salty and thick with fat. It was delicious and I was starving but I barely had the strength to swallow. James stood beside me and alternated between hard thumps and gentle stroking on my back as I doubled over with coughing between sips. When I finished about half of the broth, he made me take a few swallows of the tea.
I leaned back in the chair with my eyes closed, gathering the strength to tell the boy that his brother was dead.
"It's time I let you sleep," said James.
He helped me into one of the other rooms and tucked me into a narrow bed, covering me in a feather-stuffed quilt that was five inches thick and felt like it weighed twenty pounds. James bent over me and pulled the quilt to my chin, his face close to mine. I could've told him then that his brother was dead but fatigue turned me a coward. I stared into his eyes.
"Granite and fool's gold," I murmured.
He smiled indulgently – the way a physician would with a delirious patient.
I didn't even try to stay awake. I was asleep before James left the room.
Pressure in my bladder woke me some time later. It was dark. My throat was painful again. I heard voices and warm laughter. I swallowed, frowning. I heard James laugh again. Maybe his brother was home and Lucien Lémieux was just some poor drifter who died alone. I was glad that I hadn't told James that his brother was dead. I struggled out of the bed and shuffled to the bedroom door. I held myself up with a shoulder against the doorframe.
The main room was lit by the fire and one lamp. Mortimer lay on his side with his back to me. He acknowledged my presence with a twitch of his ear, apparently deciding that I wasn't worth more of his attention. A sound drew my attention to the fireplace.
My eyes traveled from the dog to the cut-down barrel, up a pair of long, slender legs, over the curve of a buttock, the fullness of a breast and the strong column of a neck. Soapy water slicked smooth, dark skin.
"James?" I croaked.
James whipped his head around. "Mr. Dillon! You startled me," he said. He snatched a sheet off a chair and clutched it to his chest. Water soaked through and clung to his flat belly and full breasts.
_Her_ full breasts.
"Did you need something, Marshal? You've only slept for three hours."
"I uh…I have to-." I stood there, ogling her breasts. "I have to -," I said. "I mean - ."
"There is a pot in your room." James stepped out of the barrel. "Would you like me to help you?"
"I – Am I- ? Are you -?"
"I'll help," she said.
"I can manage."
"That is your favorite thing to say, "I can manage".
James came over and wrapped a damp arm around my waist. I looked down at her.
"You're a girl."
James gave an exasperated sigh. "Stop being so provincial, Marshal. It is wasted on me. All I read these days is medical books. I am familiar with male anatomy. And, I've already seen yours – up close. Besides, you are falling off your feet. Now come along. I'll hold it for you."
"Uh – ."
"The pot, Marshall. I'll hold the pot."
"I know what you meant," I snapped.
James held the pot in one hand and waited. When I fumbled a bit, she captured my wrist in her other hand to steady my aim. I made the mistake of looking down – right into the deep cleft between her breasts. In spite of my fever, I felt my shaft thicken. My stream faltered and my face burned. James gave no indication that she noticed, distracting me with threats to exile me to the barn for being such a difficult patient. She eased me onto the edge of the bed, brought me more tea and pounded my back while I coughed.
I lay back on the pillows and drifted on the drugged tea. When James came back, she was dressed in the baggy pants and oversized jumper again. She smeared a pungent salve on my chest and neck, laid a clean cloth over it and pulled the heavy quilt up to my chin.
She pressed her wrist to my forehead before retrieving the pot and going out.
**xxxXXXxxx**
5. Chapter 5
**~~Chapter 5**
I had no sense of how much time passed. I'd wake, coughing, struggling to draw breath, my body hot as if I lay on a bed of coals. James was there each time, to pound my back and force tea and broth on me or to roll me to my side, to keep me from drowning in the fluid that filled my lungs. I was seized by terrible stomach cramps and what I eliminated from my gut was watery and foul. James took it in stride, patiently washing the shit and sweat from my body and holding a folded towel between my legs when I became too weak to even use the chamber pot properly.
I woke when my fever broke. I lay naked atop damp sheets with my hands folded on my chest. My eyelids and lips seemed glued shut and I was thirstier than I'd ever been in my life. I couldn't swallow. I felt empty and cool. I heard a woman's quiet sobbing. I felt a moment of panic because I thought I was dead. But dead men don't need a piss and their stomachs don't growl with hunger.
And, as far as I know, they don't have erections.
I lifted my hands and rubbed my eyes until I could open one. James sat in the chair next to the bed with her hands covering her face. She was the source of the crying I heard.
"I'm not dead," I croaked.
James stood and turned to me, quickly wiping her eyes with the flat of her fingers.
"Yes, Marshal. You are very much alive," she said, pouring a cup of water for me. She handed me the cup and tested my temperature with the inside of her wrist again. "You are still warm but much less so than last night."
I took a sip of water. It still hurt to swallow but the pain was more of a dull ache in the glands under my jaw, versus the searing rake that clawed my throat before. I sat up and swung my legs over the side of the bed. My entire body felt tender and fragile. My breath rattled in my lungs but it was no longer the alarming gurgling sounds of a drowning man. I coughed gently, experimentally. That hurt, too. But I didn't feel like my next cough might turn me inside out. I was on the mend. I looked at James. She was dressed like a boy but her hair billowed with soft ringlets down to the middle of her back. Her over-sized shirt hung off her shoulders such that the two buttons she'd left undone revealed a hint of her cleavage and the fullness it promised.
I pulled the sheets over my lap.
"How long?" I rasped.
"Six days. You were delirious until yesterday afternoon then you were nearly comatose for the last eighteen hours. I couldn't rouse you - which, I must say, was actually more frightening than your thrashing and punching," she said. "Three days ago you walked out into the storm while I was sleeping. Barefoot and naked, you nearly made it to the barn before I discovered you gone."
I rubbed my hand along my jaw. I had less than two days' beard and I was clean and smelled faintly of James's wood soap. Six days was a long time to tend a man you didn't know.
"The storm?"
"Five days, now."
"James - ."
"Jimmy. Everybody calls me Jimmy."
"Jimmy. I have to tell you - ."
She held up a hand. "Wait. I have a clean nightshirt for you."
"I'd rather have my pants."
"No," said James, shaking her head. "You are better but you are not well. You may walk around a bit so you can cough and help clear your lungs but other than that, it's bed for you for the next couple of days." She frowned, staring at me intently. "Your recovery is nothing short of miraculous. Any other man would be dead. Still, you need to convalesce. Do not argue, Marshal."
"I won't," I said. Truth be told, I felt weak as wet newsprint. "James?"
She turned in the doorway. "Yes, marshal?"
"How'd you get me back inside? You said I wondered out into the storm."
"Who is Pruit Dover?"
I blinked, startled. "What?"
"You were calling for him. I pretended to be him and you followed me back inside."
"Huh," I mused.
"Who is he?"
"Someone I used to know."
"Well, he is your guardian angel, now. Another minute and I would have lost you in the storm," she said.
"James. I have to tell you -."
"Our mule found his way home. He was standing outside the barn when I retrieved you from your walkabout," she said. She inhaled deeply through her nose and held her breath for a moment. "I'd hoped that Luc either stayed at the Fort or found shelter in the old prospector's shanty."
"I'm sorry."
She covered her mouth with a trembling hand and hiccupped a sob into her palm. After several long seconds, she straightened, squaring her shoulders and swallowing hard.
"Clyde's legs and hindquarters are covered in bites." She said. "Wolves must have..." She stopped and gazed at me. "You shot a wolf that morning."
"I found Lucien. I should've told you sooner."
Her hand fluttered to her neck. "Was he – did he –?" Her voice broke.
"He didn't suffer," I said quickly. "He dismounted to climb the slope, slipped on a patch of ice and hit his head on a rock. In my opinion, he was ... gone right then. The wolves came after."
"But Clyde was bitten very badly."
"A horse would've run but a mule will fight first. To the wolves, Clyde wasn't worth the trouble. I mean... I'm sorry." I should have spared her that detail. "If you'll look in my coat, I have his billfold in the inside pocket."
When she returned, she stood in the doorway with her hand at her side and the billfold dangling from her fingertips. In her other hand she held the cross necklace in the cup of her palm, her eyes round with horror. The chain was bunched and caked with dried blood. I cursed myself silently. I'd forgotten about the necklace.
She clutched the bloody necklace in her fist and pressed it to her chest. She slid down the wall next to the doorframe, coming to rest with her legs drawn up. She laid her cheek on her bony knee, her body quaking with silent sobs. Her ankles were thin under the rolled cuff of her pants. They seemed somehow vulnerable, even covered with the thick socks she wore. She gulped for air, breathing in quick shallow bursts.
I should've waited until I had all my wits about me before I told her about her brother. I had fucked this right and proper.
"You need to breathe, James," I said.
I wrapped the sheet around my waist, slipped off the edge of the bed and sat next to her against the wall. After a moment's hesitation, I pulled her into my arms, drawing her across my lap. As weak as I was, she still felt light as a feather pillow to me. She stiffened at first then collapsed against me and wailed like a heartbroken child – which was what she was, in spite of her protestations that nineteen years old was all grown up.
Lucien's was about as sad and lonely a death that I've ever seen. I've come across dead men on the prairie. While sad, most of those men had no one and nothing to return to. Lucien had a home and family. He had this girl and this farm with its odd menagerie; he had this warm little house.
It was more than what I had.
I held James, rocking her a bit and rubbing her back. She turned her face into my neck, making mournful crooning sounds. But her breathing had slowed and I no longer feared she would swoon. My chest was wet with her tears. I shivered and started to cough again. James sat up and gazed sadly into my face.
"I'll get you a fresh nightshirt," she said, finally.
**xxxXXXxxx**
6. Chapter 6
**~~Chapter 6**
I convalesced over the next few days. The storm had stopped abruptly, the sun came out and the two feet of snow that had accumulated melted down to six inches of granulated ice. The air warmed enough that you could be comfortable working in shirt sleeves. James worked non-stop over those days before the real winter storms moved in and snow got too deep to navigate. I knew she just needed to keep moving.
She worked quickly and efficiently, preparing the farm for the long winter. She came in well after dark each day, made my dinner and medicated tea then collapsed into bed. I watched from the window as she dug the haystack out and stowed it in the hay loft using a platform pulleys and ropes tied to the burro and one of the goats when Buck refused to cooperate. Clyde the mule limped around the corral, looking on guiltily while the other animals did his job. James shooed all of the chickens into their barn roost after closing the coop for the winter then plucked twenty in one day to hang them high in the barn rafters for freezing.
I woke from an afternoon nap to see her leading my horse out of the trees with a 3-point buck slung across his rump. The next day, she gutted and skinned the buck, kneeling on the ground like an Indian woman, scraping the fat off the hide with a flat, sharp rock. In my current state, I couldn't do much to help – not that James would allow it – but she let me sit outside for a bit and bring her firewood, one stick at a time, while she dried strips of venison over a smoky fire in the yard. Mortimer sat at my feet and gnawed happily on the deer's amputated ears.
I kept her talking, asking innocuous questions, gently drilling down to the answers I really wanted.
"James is a boy's name," I said, handing her another piece of wood.
"Luc and I are twins," she said.
"That so."
"He came feet first. I came head first, two minutes later. Father named me James when I was only half out. My mother wrote my second name in the Bible but I never knew it until I learned to read."
"What is your middle name?"
"Anna," she said softly, looking embarrassed.
"James Anna," I said. I liked the feel of her full name in my mouth. There was no way I was calling her Jimmy.
"It's Jimmy, Marshal," she sighed.
She took off her battered hat and wiped her brow with the back of her wrist. Her hair was coiled in a bun at the nape of her neck. Some had escaped and curled in wispy ringlets around her face. It was the first time I'd seen her face, without the hat, in full sunlight. I had thought she was pretty in lamplight. Standing in the sun, dressed in a man's trousers and shirt, she was beautiful.
I immediately felt guilty. Many women were already married with a couple of children by the time they were James's age but at nineteen, she was too young for me - and too young for me to be thinking what I was thinking.
It was my curse to fall a little in love with every woman I met - my impulse to protect, Doc tells me.
She rolled the kinks out of her neck and loosened another button on her shirt. I dragged my eyes away.
"How long have you lived on this farm?" I asked.
"Since I was an infant. My father brought us here as soon my mother, Luc and I were well enough to travel."
Her eyes filled but didn't spill over. I hadn't seen her cry since the night I held her on my lap.
"It's a pretty little valley," I said. "A smart place to build a farm."
"Life in Louisiana was untenable, even with the Emancipation," she said, attacking the deer hide with the scraper. "New Orleans had a prosperous community of free people of color but it also had typhus, cholera and yellow fever. There were kidnappers and brigands everywhere else. We were luckier than most. My father could pass for white. My grandfather was a wealthy plantation owner. He loved my grandmother and indulged her lavishly. Freed her, bought her a house in the French Quarter. He sent my father to Paris to be educated – and to protect him from his grown sons, who would've killed my father or sold him into slavery if given the chance."
I'd heard about the families of plantation owners murdering or selling the master's mulatto children to keep them from receiving an inheritance. It got worse when people thought that freed slaves could file a claim against their father's estate – what was left of it after the war.
"I'm sorry to say that it hasn't got much better for Negroes," I said.
"I have not been beyond Fort Hardy since my mother died. We tried to get her to Denver but the baby came early. It was beyond the doctoring my father could do," she said.
"I'm -." I closed my mouth. I could tell she didn't need to hear "I'm sorry" again. I watched her grimly grind out an ember beneath the heel of her boot.
I looked around the orderly dooryard. It was a small farm but would need more than one person come planting and harvest season. The valley was isolated but more and more families were putting down stakes before they reached the California coast. There were competing railroad companies blasting through the mountains, now. Small towns built up around railroad trading posts. And with them came the killers and the spoilers.
This place would not stay hidden for long.
"You can't stay here," I said gently.
Her jaw hardened, a stubborn line appearing between her brows. "This is my home."
"James Anna -."
"I will not leave it," she yelled.
"You'll never be a doctor if you don't."
"Go to hell," she screamed, chucking the scraping stone at me. It grazed my ear, stinging, like a wasp. "You go to hell!"
She leapt at me, connecting with enough force to knock me off the stump. I landed hard with her on top of me, flailing and kicking and pounding me with her fists. The fall knocked the wind out of me and in my weakened state, I was momentarily paralyzed. When I got my breath, I tried to grab her wrists. I finally just enveloped her in a bear hug. She was lightweight but strong. She kicked and bucked and bit me hard on the flesh above my heart. I was going to have bruises on top of bruises and even got cracked a good one in the balls.
But I held on to her, letting her scream and beat her grief out on me.
"Shh, honey," I soothed. "Shh. I know."
Mortimer circled us, whining and letting out distressed little barks.
She finally calmed enough that I let her go. She scrambled to her feet, snatched up her rifle and sprinted into the trees. Mortimer ran alongside her.
I waited in the cabin an hour or so for James to return. It was late afternoon, the temperature was dropping rapidly and she'd left her coat draped on the porch rail. I was shrugging into my own coat to go find her when she walked into the cabin. Her braid had uncoiled and there were pine needles in her hair. There was a long, shallow scratch that followed the curve of her jaw. She stood at the threshold, shivering. I reached around her and closed the door. She ducked under my arm, flinching away from my touch. She sat down hard in the chair by the fire. I watched her for a moment then put on my hat and went out to put up the animals for the night.
Dark, fat clouds with flat bottoms hung heavily over the valley and seemed to sink toward me as I watched. This was the blizzard that would snow us in for the winter. I had hoped that the sunny weather might hold. A couple of days of that and I could make it down these mountains. But I was still too weak to ride very far. It was mid-December. I'd not get out of these mountains until the spring thaw. At this elevation, spring came as late as May.
My people in Dodge would think I was dead. _My people._ Doc, Chester, Quint, a new friend named Festus and … Kitty.
Doc was a practical man. After a reasonable amount of time, he'd accept the fact of my death, mourn my loss, perhaps, and move on. Chester would never give up hope. He'd die an old man, still waiting from me to ride down Front Street. Quint and Festus might come looking for me. When they didn't find me, they'd stop looking and get drunk in my honor once a year.
Kitty and I had a terrible row before I left - the same one we'd had for the past seven years. My last words to her were, "If I wanted a wife, I'd go out a find one." Kitty reared back like I'd struck her. It was a nasty thing to say. But I'd needed to end it with her and she needed a life without the hope of …me. Her hope was a burden that grew heavier and heavier as the years went by – for both of us. When I left Dodge, I rode by the Long Branch without a glance.
With me "dead", there was nothing holding Kitty to Dodge, not even the Long Branch. She could sell it today and retire to anywhere else in the world a wealthy woman. She could marry. She was still young enough to bear children, if that's what she wanted. She could be happy. I did love Kitty and I wanted the best for her.
What was best for her never was me.
**xxxXXXxxx**
7. Chapter 7
**Thank you all so much for the great feedback! I'm a die hard Original Spock fan girl but Dillon is giving him a run for his money. I was too young to enjoy Gunsmoke when it was on air. I vague recollections of hearing the theme music while laying in my crib (late 1960's). My mother LOVED Dillon. I started watching it when she died as a way to help process my grief. I fell in love two minutes into the very first episode. I wanted to know all of these people. I wanted live with them. I love Doc like he is my father. Chester is my brother. Festus is my best friend. Kitty is so, so, so beautiful and tough and smart.**
**I want Dillon to beat up everybody and save me from everything. Damn, I love that big ass cowboy! **
**Anyway. Bear with me. This story willearn it's M rating apace. **
**~~Chapter 7**
I puttered around the barn until after dark, mucking out the stalls, oiling the tack and scrubbing the water troughs. I still had a bad cough but I was tired of inactivity and I wanted to give James some time alone in the house. I even stacked the hay in the loft and sharpened the tools. I lit a lamp in the barn and walked around the outside to see if any light shone through any holes that needed to be patched or loose boards that needed nailing down. The neat little barn was snug as a new boot. I looked at the house. James had lit the porch lamp. I figured that was my signal that it was safe to come back in.
Buck rumbled and fluttered his lips at me when I went in to snuff the lamp. I walked over and scratched his ears. The burro and goats crowded into Clyde's stall with him even though they had their own pen in the opposite corner.
"Looks like this is home for now, boy," I said. Buck turned in a circle then lay down on the hay and soft sand in his stall. He lifted his tail and broke wind. "Okay, then," I laughed. "Don't get too comfortable. We might be sharing that stall."
**xxxxxx**
I climbed the porch stairs but hesitated at the door, not sure if I should knock or just go in. I decided to split the difference, rapping the door twice with my knuckles as I opened it. James sat with her back to the fire, reading a book. She'd cleaned herself up and now wore a simple brown dress made of heavy wool. Her hair was loose on her shoulders, damp but drying into a thicket of spirals. In spite of my earlier hesitation, I found myself closing the door and hanging my coat and hat next to it as if I'd lived there my whole life.
James didn't look up as I entered. I walked to the fireplace and stood at a careful distance, not wanting to crowd her. Mortimer ambled over and used my leg as a scratching post. Something simmered aromatically in a Dutch oven set over some coals. I stifled a cough.
"I hitched up the guide ropes," I said.
You could get lost in your own dooryard during a blinding snow storm if you didn't string up guide ropes. The ropes were fastened at each end to rings embedded in the walls of each of the outbuildings. There was a smaller rope with circle clamps on both ends – one for the guide rope and one for the belt of whoever needed to go to the barn or to the woodshed.
"Thank you," James said quietly.
"I think this will be the storm that snows us in."
"Yes."
I sat down in the other armchair. James looked up at me sharply then ducked her head and frowned severely at her book.
"What is it," I asked.
She gave a tiny negative shake of her head.
Since she had her back to the fireplace, we were facing each other. I reached over and rested my fingertips briefly on her knee. She didn't pull away.
"Talk," I said softly.
"That's my father's chair," she whispered. "He -. He was a big man. Not like you but still very broad. It was the only chair in the house in which he was truly comfortable."
I flinched internally. To my great shame, the last way I wanted her to think of me was in a fatherly way. I changed the subject.
"You have a large collection of books," I said.
Her chin started to tremble and she blinked back tears. Well, shit. That was the wrong thing to say. Those were probably her father's books, too.
"Yes," she said. Her breath hitched in her chest.
I leaned back in my chair which started a coughing fit. It was like magic. James's mood changed instantly.
She set aside her book, reached out and pressed the inside of her wrist against my forehead. She went back to doctoring, chiding me, fussing with medicated tea and soup and bullying me into bed early.
"You must obey my orders, Marshal. You could still have a set-back that might kill you this time," she scolded.
I protested weakly, just to make her angry at me. Truth be told, I might have over-done it by stacking the hay in the loft. The other tasks were light work. Pitching hay and breathing in dust and chaff was probably not a good idea.
"I can manage," I grumbled.
She slapped my hands away because, apparently, I _couldn't_ manage taking off my own boots. She straightened the bed and beat the pillows into shape while I undressed. I was pulling the nightshirt down over my head when she turned back to me.
"Give me your johnny," she said.
I blinked. "Huh?"
"Your undergarments need washing."
"Oh," I said. I have no idea why I thought she meant something _entirely_ different.
She stood watching me expectantly. I turned my back, even though I was sufficiently covered by the nightshirt. James made an exasperated noise.
"I know you've already seen me," I snapped. I turned back with the "johnny" in my hands. "Someone has to maintain a sense of decorum around here," I said.
"You are being ridiculous," said James. She snatched the garment from me and pointed sternly at the bed.
James bustled around, in her element when she was caring for someone else. I grumbled and harrumphed just to keep her going. I lay back on the pillows and let her rub the pungent salve on my chest. She pulled up the heavy quilt and tucked it under my chin. The warm weight of the quilt and the drugged tea turned my limbs to jelly. James left and came back with a pan of steaming water that she placed on the bedside table. She leaned over me to adjust the pillows. I fancied that I could smell her, even over the sharp odor of the salve.
Her scent was warm and sweet like a cedar wood fire.
"You must stay in bed tomorrow, Marshal."
"Whatever you say, cowboy," I said.
She pressed the inside of her wrist against my forehead.
"Your face is very flushed," she said.
I _was_ feeling slightly feverish. Some of it was from pushing too hard doing chores; the rest, from the feel of her hands on my body.
**xxxXXXxxx**
8. Chapter 8
**~~Chapter 8**
I woke the following morning feeling very weak and almost as sick as I did before my fever broke. It was a pretty bad set-back but the fever didn't get high enough to send me into a delirium and my cough was quiet if I rested propped up on pillows.
James declared that I would live – unless she shot me for being such a bad patient.
She was in and out over the next two days, busy with the last of the winter chores and checking on me. She'd rush in and press her wrist against my forehead in that way I was beginning to love. I found that she would linger if she thought I was sleeping. Once, she gently brushed my hair from my forehead with her fingers.
There was something happening beyond the intimacy forced upon us by my illness and our isolation. There was a growing tension, a pleasant anticipation, like watching train approach with your lover on board.
In the evenings, we'd start to read in front of the fireplace but after a few minutes, we talked to each other, our books abandoned in our laps. We talked about everything, her family, my people, her life in the valley, my life in Dodge City. I marveled at the ease with which I told her things that I never told anyone before. She listened intently, her eyes roaming my face as if she were memorizing every line and wrinkle. I was making my own memories of her – the way she chewed her bottom lip when she was thinking, her slightly over-sized ears and those eyes so startling in a dark face.
I had a lot of time to think on it while I lay in bed. I meet women all the time that I'm attracted to. Most times, I shut it down. Other times, depending on the circumstances, I let it happen. If there was a time to shut it down, this was it. James was half my age. She was grieving and all alone in the world. Add to that, I was probably the first man she'd ever known, outside her father and brother. A man with less integrity would take advantage of that. I heard her muffled sobs at night. I wanted to go to her but I didn't. It was bad enough that I was the one who found her brother. I did not want her feelings for me to become intertwined with her feelings of grief.
She needed time and I was willing to wait.
I wondered what Doc would say of me actually thinking about the future of – _with_ – this woman. I couldn't bring James to Dodge. I would not leave her all alone in this valley. "A skinny Negro girl? You can't do _anything_ the easy way, can you?" Doc would say. Being the practical man that he is, he would then advise me to shut it down.
I couldn't shut it down. This was going to happen. And like the time I fell off my horse and landed at her feet, I was helpless to stop it.
**xxxxx**
I was making a pot of coffee when James burst into the house, practically flying in on a blast of snow. She was wet to her knees and furred with ice crystals. I put down my cup and helped her close the door. The wind pushed heavily against it like a giant hand. James stomped and puffed and shivered as I helped her out of her coat and muffler. She clomped to the fire and sat in her chair.
"Mr. Dillon, if you could help me with my boots?" she said, lifting her feet. "My fingers are too stiff."
I knelt at her feet and propped her boot on my thigh. I worked the laces free and tugged off the boot.
"These are nearly frozen solid," I said. "What were you thinking tramping around for so long?"
"There's barely a foot of snow on the ground in the fields. I needed to spread the compost on the corn field before the snow got too deep. We have been saving manure and leavings for a year. Seemed a shame to let it go to waste."
I tugged off her other boot.
"It's not worth losing toes over, cowboy. Your socks are wet."
"I might not get to the barn for a week. I had to -."
"I get it." I peeled the soaked socks off her feet. I warmed her cold toes in my hands. "Next time, come in and dry off at some point. You don't want to get as sick as I was."
"Being cold does not make you sick. That is a myth. In fact - ."
I gave her my most severe U.S. Marshal frown. Her mouth snapped shut. The smell of compost rose as the ice on her pants began to melt. I stood and filled the large kettle with water and swung it over the fire. I shouldered into my coat and headed for the back door.
"You just told me to stay indoors," said James.
"I'm just going to the woodshed," I said, ignoring her protests. The shed was only a few feet away from the house. When I went to fetch more wood earlier, I saw a tin tub propped against the wall. I paused at the door for a moment. The wind blew the snow almost horizontal. I could still see pretty well but soon, visibility would be zero and the guide ropes would be needed even to go to the few yards to the wood shed. Fortunately, I had stocked the large wood box in the anteroom off the kitchen while James worked in the field. I retrieved the tub, went back inside and set it close to the fireplace.
James watched me with an arched brow. "I don't need the tub, Mr. Dillon."
There were three large barrels of water for cooking and drinking in the anteroom with the wood box. It was enough to last two weeks if we got snowed in but washing would be limited to sponge baths. I picked up the bucket and walked through to the front door.
"It's not too late for me fetch a couple buckets of water, James. You're still shivering and you stink."
I opened the door. Mortimer stood on the porch with a huge snow rabbit in his mouth. He dropped it at my feet and pushed it toward me with his nose when I didn't immediately pick it up.
"Thanks, Mortimer. Looks like dinner and maybe a new hat," I said. He wagged his tail vigorously and looked up at me with merry eyes, now my new best friend.
It took two trips to fill the tub and re-fill the kettle. When I came in the second time, James was undressing. I averted my eyes as I refilled the kettle and poked up the fire.
I went to hang my coat and hat. I stood by the door with my back to her. I heard a small splash. I breathed deeply through my nose.
"Do you have a curtain or...something?" I asked.
"I usually do this in my bedroom," she said.
"Oh." I turned and focused my attention on the far wall. "I'll wait in my room until you're done."
"You can't."
I stopped. "Why not?" I asked the far wall.
"That rabbit needs to be prepared now."
"It can wait."
"Have you ever skinned and gutted a cold and stiff rabbit, Marshal?"
The gentlemanly thing to do was just shut myself in the room until she finished her bath and deal with a stiff rabbit later. I took another deep breath and blew it out through pursed lips.
"Ok," I said.
I walked into the kitchen and began sharpening a knife.
**xxxXXXxxx**
9. Chapter 9
**~~Chapter 9**
The wind swirled violently around the house rattling the shutters and whistling under the eaves, searching for a way in. We had a day, maybe two that we could get to the outbuildings with relative ease. After that, it would be a once-a-week expedition using snow shoes and the guide ropes.
James Anna and I would have a lot of time in close quarters, free from distractions.
It had only been three and a half weeks since I arrived here. I wasn't quite myself yet but I could feel my strength returning – and with it, my libido. There were things I could do to help re-gain my strength and blow off steam – push-ups, calisthenics that I learned in the army. As far as my other urges, there were things that could be done about that, too. The problem was, I hadn't been with a woman for several months, which made … things a lot harder to deal with.
I realized with a pang that in all of our long conversations in front of the fire, I'd never mentioned Kitty to James.
Over the years, my relationship with Kitty waxed and waned. There were times when I visited her rooms every night and often came back for more during the day. We tore at each other in a fever of lust, barely taking time to remove our clothes. Other times, it was meals at Delmonico's or drinks and conversation at the Long Branch. The last couple of years, the times we were lovers shortened and the time we were "just friends" lengthened. The sex, if we had it, was perfunctory and empty and left me feeling a little lonely.
On occasion, if I happened to be in Wichita or St. Louis, I took a lover. I kept these encounters to myself but if there was one thing Kitty Russell knew, it was a man who had just fucked another woman. She seemed to choose to ignore it but I was fooling myself if I believed that, if it meant nothing more than a man's release to me, it would mean the same to Kitty.
Being with the Wichita or St. Louis women began to wear on me, though. I didn't like the feeling that I was sneaking around. I liked even less the feeling that I was using these women to stave off the inevitable with Kitty. On top of that, I repeatedly told Kitty that we couldn't be together. At the same time, my actions held her to me. It was dishonorable behavior and I needed to start thinking with the head on my shoulders and not the one hanging between my legs.
In the months leading up to our big row, I kept myself to myself and my cock in my pants. I thought celibacy might lend me some clarity.
A wise old man once said to me, "Pray to God but send for a doctor." What I believe he was trying to say was, ask and it shall be answered – just not in the way that you think. The Lord _will_ give you what you need. You have to get out of your head, see it, take it - or leave it. I lay on that ridge above this valley preparing to die when James Anna Lémieux stepped out unto her porch and lit a lantern. The Lord provides.
But here I was - a man who claimed to be unafraid of _dying_ - cleaning a god damned rabbit with my back to the most beautiful and unlikely future I could ever imagine, my body braced like I was about to take a bullet, rather than go all-in with a nineteen year old, one hundred and fifteen-pound black girl.
I sat at the kitchen table while I cleaned the rabbit with James bossing me from the bath tub about how to properly prepare it. She kept up a steady stream of chatter and questions to which I half-listened, responding with grunts and monosyllables, trying to keep my mind on not severing my thumb instead of the thought of her body made soft and warm from her bath.
"Give the feet and ears to Mortimer," James said.
"Sure," I said.
"But not the whole head. He should not eat the brain."
"Right."
"One of the chickens laid an egg. It is far past egg season."
"Huh."
"Do you think it will hatch?"
"Maybe."
"Remind me to fetch the snow shoes from the woodshed."
"Okay."
I chopped the rabbit into parts and placed it in a pot. I gave the liver and heart to Mortimer and minced the entrails for chicken feed. I decided to finish the job and sliced onions and carrots for stew. I rummaged through the cupboard opening jars and sniffing the contents. I found some laurel and dropped a couple of leaves and a few peppercorns in with the rabbit.
"Where'd you learn to cook, Marshal?"
"Picked it up here and there."
"You're pretty skilled for a bachelor."
"Could be."
"I'll wager you have left a trail of heartbroken, doe-eyed shop girls with ruffled skirts and flowing golden hair."
"Never had much luck with blonds."
I picked up the pot and carried it to the fireplace. I set it in some coals off to the side. I added a log and jabbed at it with the poker. I stared into the flames.
"There's no one waiting for you back in Dodge City, Mr. Dillon?"
Right then, with that question, I made my decision. I have been told by everyone I know that I think too much but after all my mental contortions, it ended up feeling as easy as turning a page in a book.
I finally looked at James.
"I have a first name, you know," I said.
She gazed at me with her head cocked. She raised a hand to swipe a strand of hair from her cheek, briefly revealing her breast above the cloudy bathwater that hid the rest of her body. I lifted the kettle from its hook over the fire and added more hot water to her bath. I put the kettle back and pulled a chair to the side of the tub.
"You side-stepped my question," she said, watching me with narrowed eyes.
I scooped the sponge out of the water.
"Sit up, cowboy" I said.
Without hesitating a single second, James leaned forward and wrapped her arms around her knees, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
I dipped the sponge back into the water and began to wash the smooth brown skin on her back with slow circular strokes. James bowed her head and sighed deeply.
"There was someone waiting for me back in Dodge," I said. "I told her to stop."
"Did you love her?"
"I always will."
"Then why did you leave her?"
"Lawmen make a lot of enemies. It's not always safe for the people close to me."
"Outlaws bent on revenge?"
"That and - ."
"And what, Matthew?"
"Always some young buck looking to make a reputation," I said. I squeezed suds from the sponge and watched them slide down her back. "Always another man to kill," I murmured.
"How many?"
"Enough."
"Do you think about quitting?"
"Every day."
"Then why don't you?"
"Never had a good enough reason."
"What's a good enough reason?"
I hooked a finger under a long ringlet of hair that had escaped her bun, pulled it straight and released it.
"Don't you want a family? Children?" she asked.
"I'd need to disappear. Live somewhere far away, where people don't know me. It's a lot to ask of someone to do that with me."
She gazed at me for a long moment then looked away. She stood and stepped out of the tub. She tugged a sheet off the chair wrapped it around her body. She turned her back to me. Her neck was slick with water and steam curled off her shoulders. I walked around the tub so we faced each other. I stood close and looked down at her bowed head.
"I'll bet there are plenty of women who would go anywhere with you, if you asked," she said, her voice a near whisper.
"Maybe you could introduce me to a couple."
"I don't know any white women. In fact, I don't know any women at all."
I lifted her chin with my knuckle.
"I guess it's just you, then," I said.
"Do not pity me, Marshal," she said, her eyes flashing.
"That's the last thing I feel for you."
She stepped out of my reach and wound the sheet more tightly around herself. She frowned down at her feet.
"You would stay here for me?" she asked.
I was done. I felt everything I thought I knew about myself come apart in my chest. This girl had roped me in and set her brand upon my heart.
"I might jump off a cliff if you asked me to," I said.
**xxxXXXxxx**
10. Chapter 10
Hi, Gunsmoke fans! Wait, what are we called? Smokers? Gunnies? Gunners? Smokies? I personally call myself Mrs. Dillon, but that's just me.
Anyway - I love y'all like Chester loves biscuits and gravy. I have not abandoned you! I'm TOTALLY going to update this. I've been traveling and had the flu and all kinds of work stuff.
Thank you so much for the love! I'll be back soon.
End file.
| fanfiction |
a transcriptional factor encoded by the aml1 ( runx1 ) gene , aml1 , was first identified on chromosome 21 , which is disrupted in t(8;21)(q22;q22 ) .
this translocation leads to the generation of the aml1eto fusion protein in aml.5 aml1 not only regulates the transcription of various genes that are important for hematopoiesis,6 , 7 but is also indispensable for liverderived hematopoiesis.8 we previously reported that the corepressor msin3a suppresses aml1 transcriptional activity by linking aml1 to hdacs when the former is unphosphorylated.9 aml1 is released from msin3a following its erkinduced phosphorylation and becomes active as a transcriptional activator .
transcriptional repression is mediated by eto through its interaction with a complex composed of ncor / msin3/hdac1.10 indeed , several studies have shown hdac inhibitors to be effective against aml with t(8;21).11 , 12 , 13 , 14 however , the proposed mechanism of action is different among these studies .
a previous study reported that valproic acid treatment induced cell differentiation and caspasedependent apoptosis , which was mediated by the dissociation of the aml1eto / hdac1 complex from the promoter of aml1eto target genes.12 proteasomal degradation of aml1eto by hdac inhibitors was reported in two different studies.13 , 15 the induction of leukemic cell apoptosis by the activation of the death receptor pathway by hdac inhibitors has also been reported.14
synergistic transcriptional repression by hypermethylation and histone deacetylation at the promoter region of aml / mds has made hdac inhibitors potentially useful candidates for combined use with hypomethylating agents.16 entinostat is a benzamide hdac inhibitor that modifies chromatin structuring through the inhibition of class i hdac.17 the methylation status of tumor suppressor genes including p15
, cdh1 , dapk1 , and socs1 was studied in patients with aml or mds treated with 5azacytidine , a hypomethylating agent , and entinostat.18 no correlation was observed between their clinical response and baseline methylation and methylation reversal .
thus , it was hypothesized that the methylation reversal of tumor suppressor genes was not predictive of clinical response to these combination therapies .
histone deacetylase inhibition induces aml cell apoptosis partly through the accumulation of dna damage and inhibition of dna repair.19 mln4924 is the firstinclass neural precursor cell expressed , developmentally downregulated 8activating enzyme inhibitor , and its antileukemia effects are mediated through the inhibition of nfb.20 in fact , mln4924 and the hdac inhibitor , belinostat , were reported to show synergistic antiaml efficacy in diverse aml cell types.21
tcell lymphomas are composed of a heterogeneous subset of tcellderived nonhodgkin 's lymphomas and show poor prognosis following treatment with the presently available therapeutic options.22 therefore , novel treatment strategies are necessary for the improvement of the prognosis of patients with tcls .
recently , epigenetic defects due to recurrent mutations in epigenetic regulators such as the ras homolog gene family , member a and fyn kinase have been detected in tcls.23 thus , epigenetic therapies are expected to be effective for tcls . in cell lines derived from patients with tcl ,
hdac inhibitors including belinostat were synergistic in combination with decitabine , a hypomethylating agent in vitro and in vivo.24 gene expression profiling was different between single treatment conditions and combination therapy in a gene expression array . a greater fraction of genes was affected by the combination therapy than that affected by singledrug treatment . in addition , a significant upregulation of molecules related to the protein kinase cascade and cell cycle arrest was reported as the effects of the combination treatment on the transcriptome .
aurora a kinase is a serinethreonine kinase , and its function is crucial in cell signaling and mitotic division.25 increased aak expression is found to be related to malignant transformation , especially in tcls.26 , 27 alisertib selectively inhibits aak through its competitive binding to the atpbinding site on aak.22 treatment with alisertib perturbs the cell cycle , leading to the accumulation of cells in the g2/m phase and the development of polyploidization . combination treatment with alisertib and
this combination therapy led to the polyploidy of t cells and failure of their cytokinesis .
cutaneous tcl is a category of tcl , and suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid ( vorinostat ) has been approved by the fda for its treatment.28 a preclinical modeling study that sought to identify biomarkers predictive of vorinostat responses in patients with ctcl revealed that persistent activation of the stat signaling pathway is associated with lymphoma cell resistance to vorinostat.29 an analysis of a phase iib trial studying the use of vorinostat for patients with ctcl reported that increased nuclear localization of stat1 and high levels of nuclear stat3 phosphorylation in skin samples correlated with resistance to vorinostat therapy.30
the introduction of autologous stem cell transplantation and novel drug treatments including a proteasome inhibitor ( bortezomib ) and immunomodulatory drugs ( thalidomide , lenalidomide , and pomalidomide ) has improved the survival rates of patients with mm . however , many cases of relapsed / refractory mm are reported and , therefore , new therapies to treat such individuals are needed .
several preclinical studies have revealed the efficacy of hdac inhibitors in treating mm.31 , 32 vorinostat induced p21 by modifying the acetylation and methylation of core histones and by restricting enzyme accessibility of dnase i more strongly in the promoter region of myeloma cells.33 vorinostat was also capable of overcoming cell adhesionmediated drug resistance by inhibiting interleukin6 secretion from the bone marrow stromal cells bound by mm cells.31 pretreatment with bortezomib enhanced the mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis induced by vorinostat in mm cells .
indeed , this combination was effective in both dexamethasone and doxorubicinresistant mm cells.32 proteasomes contribute to the maintenance of protein homeostasis by degrading the ubiquitinated misfolded and unfolded proteins that are sometimes cytotoxic.34 abundant proteins including immunoglobulins are produced in mm cells , and certain misfolded / unfolded proteins interfere with cell functionality.35 cancer cells are more sensitive to proteasome inhibition than normal cells due to their dependence on proteasomes for the clearance of cytotoxic proteins .
when ubiquitinated misfolded / unfolded proteins are generated at levels beyond a proteasome 's capacity for degradation , such proteins will accumulate into aggresomes .
an aggresome is a pericentriolar microtubulebased structure formed by the retrograde transport of aggregate proteins .
aggresome formation generally occurs as a cellular response to the excessive accumulation of misfolded / unfolded proteins.36 , 37 the formed aggresomes within the peripheries of cells travel in microtubules to microtubule organizing centers.38 this transportation is mediated by dynein and hdac6 , a microtubuleassociated deacetylase,39 which recruits misfolded / unfolded proteins to dynein motors for transport to aggresomes .
the hdac6inhibited cells fail to clear protein aggregates due to the failure of proper aggresome formation .
bortezomib is a reversible inhibitor of chymotrypsin that occurs in the 20s subunit of proteasomes.40 , 41 treatment of mm cells with bortezomib induces aggresome formation.42 , 43 lbh589 ( panobinostat ) is an oral panhdac inhibitor and the combination of bortezomib and panobinostat induced apoptosis by inhibiting protein degradation through a synergistic mechanism ( fig .
2).44 this may partly explain the synergism induced by combined bortezomib and panobinostat therapy in mm patients.45
ubiquitinated unfolded / misfolded proteins degraded by proteasomes .
bortezomib and panobinostat synergistically block protein degradation and induce growth inhibition and apoptosis of multiple myeloma cells .
recent studies suggest that hdac inhibition by panobinostat might induce antileukemia activity by blocking the chaperone function of hsp90 .
cxcchemokine receptor type 4 is a receptor for stromal cellderived factor 1 , and its elevated expression in aml cells is associated with poor prognoses of aml.46 cxcchemokine receptor type 4 is a client protein of hsp90 and is protected from degradation by the 20s proteasome.47 treatment of aml cells with panobinostat not only induced acetylation of hsp90 , but also reduced cxcr4 protein levels by reducing interactions between cxcr4 and hsp90 . in an aml mouse model harboring t(8;21 ) , treatment with panobinostat resulted in a robust antileukemic response through proteasomal degradation of aml1eto9a , the fusion protein generated by t(8;21).15
we discovered that panobinostat induces degradation of ppp3ca , a catalytic subunit of calcineurin , in mm cells ( fig .
3).48 protein phosphatase 3 catalytic subunit is a serine / threonine protein phosphatase , and nfatc1 is one of its dephosphorylation targets.49 the translocation of dephosphorylated nfatc1 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus is indispensable for t cell activation induced by tcell receptor activation .
calcineurin inhibitors such as fk506 and cyclosporine a are widely used as immunosuppressive agents to inhibit the interaction between ppp3ca and its heterodimeric partner calcineurin b. in mouse models of tcell acute lymphoblastic leukemia , calcineurin activation has been shown to play an important role in the maintenance of tumor cells.50 however , certain studies have highlighted the importance of calcineurin in b cell functionality .
this includes a study that addressed defective b cell activation stemming from calcineurin inactivation.51 we found that ppp3ca was highly expressed in cd138positive bone marrow cells from patients with advanced mm.48 these results indicate a possible correlation between high ppp3ca expression and the pathogenesis of mm . in this study , ppp3ca acted as a client protein of hsp90 in mm cells .
treatment with acy1215 , a selective hdac6 inhibitor , resulted in ppp3ca degradation through its release from hsp90.52 therefore , panobinostat may induce protein degradation of ppp3ca by blocking the chaperone function of hsp90.48 ppp3ca has been shown to be indispensable to the maintenance of mm cell growth via nfb signaling .
although fk506 itself did not affect ppp3ca expression or mm cell growth , its combined use with panobinostat enhanced the inhibition of ppp3ca and cell growth induced by panobinostat in vitro and in vivo .
calcineurin b has been shown to protect ppp3ca from degradation and the additive effect of fk506 is thought to enhance the degradation of unstable ppp3ca in panobinostattreated mm cells.53
protein phosphatase 3 catalytic subunit ( ppp3ca ) is a client protein of heat shock protein ( hsp90 ) deacetylated by histone deacetylase 6 ( hdac6 ) .
hdac6 inhibition by panobinostat and bortezomib blocks hsp90 function through its acetylation and degradation of ppp3ca .
ac , acetylation ; cam , calmodulin ; cnb , calcineurin b ; k , lysine ; mm , multiple myeloma .
fk506 is one of the several immunosuppressive drugs widely used in allogeneic stem cell transplantation , including rist .
the latter is both feasible and effective in certain heavily treated patients with relapsed / refractory mm including those who experienced a relapse following autologous stem cell transplantation , by reducing the intensity of other conditioning therapies.54 the introduction of panobinostat in combination with fk506 as a consolidation therapy following rist may be effective in patients with residual disease due to the reduced intensity of the conditioning therapies . combined bortezomib and an hsp90 inhibitor therapy has shown promising results in relapsed / refractory mm.55 however , hsp90 inhibitors such as 17aag induce protein expression of hsp70 , which protects cancer cells from apoptosis and may reduce the antimyeloma effects of this combination therapy.56 however , increases in hsp70 expression by panobinostat alone or in combination with fk506 proved that the loss of the antimyeloma effects due to hsp70 expression were less pronounced with this combination therapy than they were with direct inhibition of hsp90.48
combined panobinostat with bortezomib and dexamethasone therapy is expected to be effective even in patients who are resistant to bortezomib.57 the analyses of our patients revealed that ppp3ca expression was significantly higher in patients who were bortezomibresistant than in those who were sensitive.48 bortezomib reduced ppp3ca expression through hdac6 inhibition and direct transcriptional suppression of ppp3ca . combined bortezomib and panobinostat therapy synergistically inhibited mm cell viability by reducing ppp3ca ( fig .
therefore , the antimyeloma effects of this combination therapy may be explained by the synergistic ppp3ca reduction as well as inhibition of aggresome formation induced by bortezomib .
proper balancing of the activation and inactivation of adhesion molecules 4 integrins are essential for the efficient migration and homeostasis of lymphocyte distribution.58 in mm , itga4 are associated with cell adhesionmediated drug resistance.59 the correlation between 4
integrin and ppp3ca expression in patients with mm may explain why patients with high ppp3ca expression respond so poorly to bortezomibcontaining chemotherapies.48
lytic bone lesions generated by osteoclast formation are serious complications often observed in patients with mm.60 the induction of nfatc1 is necessary for osteoclast differentiation , which is inhibited by fk506 treatment.61 panobinostatinhibited osteoclast differentiation was believed to be mediated by ppp3ca protein degradation.48 the addition of fk506 strengthened the blockade of osteoclast formation by panobinostat alone .
the inhibition of mm cell proliferation and osteoclast formation by panobinostat and fk506 should prove useful for mm treatment by stopping the vicious cycle that occurs between the proliferation of mm cells and bone lysis ( fig .
4).60
cytokine production like macrophage inflammatory protein1 ( mip1a ) , interleukin6 ( il6 ) , and receptor activator of nuclear factorb ligand ( rankl ) by multiple myeloma ( mm ) cells and osteoclasts creates a vicious cycle of mm cell proliferation and induces bone lysis .
blockade of mm cell proliferation and bone lysis by panobinostat would be useful in stopping this cycle .
in this review , we interpreted the underlying mechanisms of action of hdac inhibitors used in the treatment of hematological malignancies including aml / mds , tcls , and mm .
the fusion partner of aml1 in t(8;21)(q22;q22 ) , eto , mediates transcriptional repression through its interaction with the complex ncor / msin3/hdac1 .
in fact , hdac inhibitors have been proposed as effective treatment agents for patients with aml associated with t(8;21 ) .
in tcl cell lines , hdac inhibitors including belinostat showed synergism with decitabine , a hypomethylating agent in vitro and in vivo .
the usefulness of monitoring the persistent stat signaling pathway activation as a biomarker in patients with ctcl resistant to vorinostat treatment was suggested .
panobinostat in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone can be prescribed to patients with relapsed / refractory mm .
indeed , this combination therapy appears to be effective in such patients , including those resistant to bortezomib treatment .
bortezomib also reduced ppp3ca expression , and the latter was shown to be a common target of panobinostat and bortezomib .
the antimyeloma effects of panobinostat combined with bortezomib and dexamethasone therapy may be explained by the synergistic ppp3ca reduction in tandem with panobinostatinduced blockade of aggresome formation enhanced by bortezomib .
the authors have no conflict of interest .
abbreviationsaakaurora a kinaseamlacute myelogenous leukemiactclcutaneous tcell lymphomacxcr4cxcchemokine receptor type 4etoeight twentyone oncoproteinhdachistone deacetylasehspheat shock proteinmdsmyelodysplastic syndromemmmultiple myelomamsin3amammalian sin3 transcription regulator family member ancornuclear receptor corepressornfatc1nuclear factor of activated tcells , cytoplasmic ,
calcineurindependent 1nfbnuclear factorbppp3caprotein phosphatase 3 catalytic subunit ristreduced intensityconditioned allogeneic stem cell transplantationstatsignal transducer and activator of transcriptiontcltcell lymphoma
acute myelogenous leukemia cutaneous tcell lymphoma cxcchemokine receptor type 4 eight twentyone oncoprotein myelodysplastic syndrome mammalian sin3 transcription regulator family member a nuclear receptor corepressor nuclear factor of activated tcells , cytoplasmic , calcineurindependent 1 protein phosphatase 3 catalytic subunit reduced intensityconditioned allogeneic stem cell transplantation signal transducer and activator of transcription | pubmed |
parkinson s disease ( pd ) , with an incidence ranging from approximately 1% in people over 65 years old to 4% in people over 86 years old , is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after alzheimer s disease ( ad ) .
dopaminergic neuron loss in the substantia nigra ( sn ) gradually results in pd , with the presence of -synuclein aggregations called lewy bodies ( lbs ) in the living neurons .
the clinical manifestations of pd include motor symptoms , such as resting tremor , muscular rigidity , bradykinesia , and postural instability , as well as non - motor features such as autonomic dysfunctions , sensory abnormalities , sleep disorders , depression , and dementia .
the majority of patients are sporadic , which might be caused by a complex interaction of genetic variants with environmental risk factors .
decades of research have proven the important role of -synuclein in the pathogenesis of pd .
there is increasing research interest in identifying causative mutations of snca ( the gene encoding -synuclein ) , as well as their mechanism , using cellular and animal models .
to date , some hypotheses have been proposed concerning the involvement of -synuclein in the pathogenesis of pd , such as aggregation , mitochondrial dysfunction , oxidative stress , microglial activation and inflammation , and impaired autophagy ; however , the detailed mechanisms remain unclear .
the function of lbs in the disease process has also proved elusive , with evidence of both neuroprotection and toxicity . in this review
, we summarize the current progress in the field of -synuclein , especially its clinical application in earlier diagnosis and treatment .
pd is a common neurodegenerative movement disorder caused by the loss of nigral dopaminergic neurons , with the presence of misfolded proteins in the affected brain regions .
these deposits are mainly formed by amyloid fibrils of the 140-amino acid presynaptic protein -synuclein .
currently , it is believed that -synuclein oligomers ( oas ) are the most toxic species .
it seems that toxicity mediated by oas is a general phenomenon related to their structure .
understanding the structural elements of -synuclein - induced toxicity might contribute to developing clinical applications in the diagnosis and treatment of pd and other synucleinopathies . as the major constituent of lbs
, -synuclein plays an important role in the regulation of synaptic vesicle release and trafficking , fatty acid - binding , and neuronal survival . in its native state , human -synuclein
is largely unfolded . through a nucleation polymerization mechanism , involving major structural rearrangements , -synuclein transforms into different , transient prefibrillar species that vary in size and morphology . despite the assistance of molecular chaperones during protein folding ,
protein misfolding is inevitable because of changes in the environment and various other factors , including errors in post - translational modifications , an increase in the rate of degradation , and errors in trafficking .
when the misfolded protein interacts with complementary intermediates , the pathway of amyloid fibril formation from monomers to oligomers , and consequently mature fibrils , is initiated .
the aggregation of soluble proteins into insoluble , -sheet - rich amyloid fibrils with different structures can trigger different diseases .
for example , intraneuronal -synuclein aggregates are found in pd , lewy body dementia ( lbd ) , and multiple system atrophy ( msa ) , while extracellular -amyloid deposits and intracellular phosphorylated tau proteins are found in ad . in huntington
s disease , polyglutamine - expanded huntingtin protein accumulates in intranuclear inclusion bodies or neurites .
the -synuclein aggregations found in pd , lbd , and msa also have different structures , which led to the hypothesis that different variants of -synuclein account for different neurotoxic phenotypes within synucleinopathies .
recently , researchers from belgium injected oligomers , ribbons , and fibrils of -synuclein into rat brains separately .
they found that each assembly could affect neuron transmission after acute exposure , but only fibrillar -synuclein had a lasting toxic effect , whereas ribbon - like -synu - clein resulted in more lewy body inclusions .
this discovery contradicts the widely - accepted hypothesis that oligomers are the most neurotoxic entities in pd .
therefore , although all -synuclein assemblies might have a role during pathogenesis , fibrillar -synuclein might have the largest neurotoxic potential over the long - term .
mounting evidence supports the view that inflammation plays an important role in mediating the processing of cytokines into mature forms .
the bestknown cytokine is il-1 , a pro - inflammatory cytokine critical for initiating the immune response .
recently , some researchers focused on the ability of different -synuclein assemblies to induce inflammation .
a study conducted in england showed that only fibrillar -synuclein triggers inflammation by activating toll - like receptor 2 and the nucleotide oligomerization domainlike receptor pyrin domain containing 3 inflammasome .
this finding contrasts with the idea that -synuclein oligomers are the primary neurotoxic species in pd . from this study
, we suggest that the ability of amyloids to induce inflammatory responses relies on -synuclein in its fibrillar state , and fibrillar -synuclein might be the primary cytotoxic agent in the pathogenesis of pd . above all , we believe that fibrillar -synuclein may be more toxic than the -synuclein oligomer in pd .
the discoveries of -synuclein in different assemblies led to the hypothesis that structural elements could account for the different clinicopathological traits of synucleinopathies .
intrinsic , unfolded -synuclein is mainly located in human mature neurons , although it also exists in erythrocytes and platelets .
intrinsic -synuclein plays an important role in neurotransmission , maintains synaptic homeostasis and is present in presynaptic nerve terminals .
recently , studies showed that lewy pathology in neurons can graft across the brain and -synuclein aggregates might be transported from neuron - to - neuron in a prion - like way . by fluorescence labeling of -synuclein , braak and
del tredici proposed that certain brain regions , besides the sn , such as the olfactory bulb , dorsal nucleus of the vagus nerve , and in later stages , the amygdala , hippocampus , and neocortex , were vulnerable to the progression of sporadic pd .
-synuclein was observed in early - affected pd regions in both excitatory and inhibitory synapses ; however , it was only observed in excitatory synapses at later stages , such as in the cerebral cortex , hippocampus , and thalamus , although some was detected in inhibitory synapses .
recently , researchers from the usa injected radiolabeled -synuclein into mouse brains via an intracerebroventricular route and discovered that -synuclein in cerebrospinal fluid ( csf ) can be released into blood , with a small fraction being contained in exosomes that are specific to the central nervous system ( cns ) . according to this study ,
we speculated that the exosomes , 40100 nm membrane vesicles of endocytic origin , might mediate toxic -synuclein propagation between neurons .
this study revealed that -synuclein could be transported from csf to blood in vivo by intracerebroventricular injection for the first time . in a future study
, we may evaluate plasma neuronal derived exosomes to assist with the prediction of the stage of pd and other synucleinopathies . in another study
, researchers from belgium found that -synuclein can cross the bloodbrain barrier and spread to the cns after intravenous injection .
furthermore , by tracking -synuclein assembly , they found that misfolded -synuclein always occurs in defined brain areas in the early stages and then diffuses in the later stages ; in this process , -synuclein oligomers diffused the fastest .
further investigations are needed to understand the methods and routes by which -synuclein spreads in association with pathology .
nineteen years ago , researchers reported a pattern of familial aggregation for pd and found the first pd mutation ( a53 t , in snca ) in a large italian pedigree .
this mutation encodes a presynaptic protein involved in the modulation of neurotransmitter release , endoplasmic reticulum ( er)/golgi trafficking , or is loosely associated with synaptic vesicles in the italian family and in three unrelated families of greek origin with an autosomal dominant inheritance for pd .
this finding of a specific molecular alteration associated with pd promoted our understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease .
later , several genes had been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of pd , such as snca , lrrk2 , vps35 , park2 , pink1 , and dj-1 .
in addition to a53 t , four other point mutations have been discovered in snca
a30p , e46k , g51d , and h50q that are associated with an autosomal inheritance of pd , with the last two being newly discovered .
missense or multiplication ( duplicated and triplicated ) mutations in snca contribute to the development of intracellular inclusion bodies and play an important role in pd pathology .
in addition , strong evidence has been presented for snca being the gene responsible for sporadic pd .
patients with different mutations in snca display different clinical features , ranging from classical pd symptoms ( resting tremor , muscle rigidity , bradykinesia , and postural instability ) to sensitivity to levodopa therapy and atypical symptoms .
for example , pd patients carrying the a53 t mutation usually have an earlier onset , faster disease progression , lower prevalence of tremor , and a higher prevalence of dementia , bad moods , and autonomic disturbances compared with sporadic pd patients .
patients with the a30p mutation seems to present later after disease onset and have milder clinical features , wh - ereas carriers of the e46k mutation usually show more severe symptoms with early onset of dementia , which is similar to lbd .
it has been detected in pd patients from french , british , and japanese families while being absent in control subjects .
another new point mutation , h50q , mainly occurs in pd patients with a positive family history and dementia but also appeared in one patient with later onset sporadic pd ( table 1 ) . to summarize the latest research , not only -sy - nuclein expression but also gene expression dosage is related to the clinical features of familiar pd , because genomic triplications of -synuclein are associated with an earlier occurrence of the disease , faster progression , more common dementia , and a shorter lifespan compared with patients carrying duplicated -synuclein [ 24 - 26 ] .
thus , the clinical phenotype of familiar pd appears to be gene dose - dependent .
recently , genome - wide association studies ( gwass ) have demonstrated that mutated and multiplicated snca can also increase the risk of sporadic pd ( table 1 ) ; however , further investigations are necessary to better understand the role of snca in sporadic pd .
recently , researchers from china suggested that snca is associated with motor progression , while mapt ( encoding microtubule - associated protein tau ) variants are associated with clinical severity , leading to a hypothesis that if different genes are mutated , then different point mutations in each gene could result in different types of pd progression .
this hypothesis may have an application in clinical traits , and the gene mutations might become biomarkers for pd in the future . in conclusion ,
the differences between mutations and mutation types are considerable ( table 1 ) , and the detection of novel mutations ( types ) of snca is justified both in clinical diagnosis and research
. this could allow clinicians to predict those patients who are at risk for specific motor or non - motor features , such as autonomic dysfunctions .
for a successful study , large amounts of clinical data will be needed , and the information obtained from the majority of gwass will be insufficient .
however , before the appearance of classical symptoms , at least 60% of nigral dopaminergic neurons have already degenerated .
there is no biomarker available to reveal neurodegeneration before the appearance of clinical symptoms ; therefore , misdiagnosis is common , occurring in up to 20% of cases , particularly in the early stage of the disease .
here we summarize 11 studies of -synuclein in body tissues which targeting -synuclein as a biomarker for the diagnosis of pd ( table 2 ) .
the parkinson s progression markers initiative study found that the -synuclein level in csf was lower in pd compared with that in healthy controls .
moreover , the -synuclein level was significantly lower in pd patients with the non - tremor - dominant type than in those with the tremor - dominant type .
thus , csf -synuclein could be a potential biomarker to predict the progression of pd from its early stage . in the study
mentioned above , by injecting radiolabeled -synuclein intracerebroventricularly into the mouse brain , researchers from the usa found that a small portion of -synuclein specific to the csf was transported to blood via exosomes .
by contrast , the csf -synuclein levels were lower in pd patients when compared with controls , which suggested an increased secretion of this protein into the blood .
thus , we could hypothesize that the csf exosomes might serve as carriers for interneuronal transmission of a pathogenic species of -synuclein that could initiate oligomerization of soluble -synuclein in target cells , thereby inducing disease pathology .
researchers showed that not only -synuclein but also changes in the csf levels of neurofilament light , ykl-40 , tau , phosphorylated tau , and -amyloid correlated with motor progression and cognitive decline in patients with pd .
thus , we could combine -synuclein with other csf biomarkers to improve the accuracy of diagnosis and prognosis .
although diagnosis of pd primarily depends on clinical symptoms and physical examination , cognitive impairment is a common and important feature of pd , especially in the early stage .
snca was the first gene implicated in the pathogenesis of pd and it remains the primary risk factor for idiopathic pd worldwide .
however , the role of -synuclein in cognitive impairment is not completely clear . to examine the relationship between csf markers ( -synuclein ) and cognition , a large , multicenter cohort study including 414 early ,
untreated pd [ 34% with mild cognitive impairment ( mci ) ] and 189 healthy controls was conducted in norway .
the researchers found that in the pd group , lower -synuclein was associated with reduced performance on the executive - attention and composite cognition .
the data also revealed that abeta was significantly decreased in pd patients with mci compared to pd patients without mci and controls .
this study suggested that -synuclein pathology contributes to early cognitive impairment in pd , particularly executive - attentional dysfunction .
csf -synuclein , as a biomarker , could assist in diagnosis and in the development of new cognition - enhancing treatments .
cognitive impairment is often the only symptom that presents at the early stage of pd ; therefore , it is difficult to discriminate among pd , pd with dementia ( pdd ) , and dementia with lewy bodies ( dlb ) .
these disorders are similar in their motor and cognitive dysfunctions and are characterized by lewy body pathology .
recently , researchers used targeted high - throughput sequencing to characterize the 135 kb snca locus in a large multinational cohort of patients with pd , pdd , dlb , and healthy controls .
their data showed that pd , pdd , and dlb , rather than a disease continuum , have distinct genetic etiologies despite being on one genomic locus .
their analysis of 43 tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms across the snca locus showed two distinct association profiles for symptoms of parkinsonism and/or dementia , respectively , toward the 3 or the 5 end of the snca gene .
in addition , they defined a specific haplotype of intron 4 that is associated directly with pdd .
such genetic predictors of cognitive decline might serve as diagnosis biomarkers for these disorders and will assist with treatment .
longitudinal studies that investigate snca variability and the progression of motor and non - motor features are required . however , the procedure for collecting csf is invasive and is not suitable or necessary in most cases , leading to development of alternative methods to test -synuclein .
recently , several studies showed that -synuclein aggregation could be found outside the cns , especially in the enteric nervous system of the gastrointestinal ( gi ) tract .
although previous studies with small cohorts revealed high sensitivity and specificity rates of enteric neuronal -synuclein in pd patients , this was not sustained in large - scale studies that showed that enteric -synuclein could also be found in healthy individuals .
rese - archers from south korea detected the presence of -synuclein immunoreactivity in gastric and colonic mucosa in a similar manner in patients with pd , msa , and controls , which suggested that enteric mucosal -synuclein would play a limited role as a biomarker in pd diagnosis .
longitudinal studies are needed to identify more sensitive and specific biopsy samples and biomarkers to define reliably the presence of pathological -synuclein .
advanced alternative detection methods and multicenter efforts , including software - based image analysis , are also warranted .
-synuclein has been detected not only in the gi tract but also in pd patients serum , saliva , submandibular gland , skin , olfactory mucosa and urine .
interestingly , a recent study suggested that crystallins prevent protein ( -synuclein ) aggregation in a physiological state , but that they might lose this ability in cataract disease because the prevalence of cataracts is higher in pd patients . during in vivo access to lens tissue during standard cataract surgery , researchers found higher levels of -sy - nuclein in the residual lens fragments in the supernatant of the pd group than in that of the controls .
to the best of our knowledge , this is the first study to investigate the cataract lenses of patients with pd in vivo .
although this study did not reveal an accurate biomarker , there are indications of differences between the lenses of the pd group and those of the controls .
we encourage further research of lenses and other human tissues in pd patients that could contribute to the ongoing search for pd biomarkers ( such as -synuclein ) for early diagnosis and prognosis , which will lead to a better understanding of the mechanism of pd .
currently there is no disease - modifying treatment for most neurodegenerative disorders , particularly pd , which is one of the most challenging neurodegenerative disorders to treat .
currently , despite limitations such as a large variety of motor and nonmotor symptoms and drug complications , medical therapies , especially levodopa , remain the most effective treatment of pd
. however , medical or surgical treatments , such as deep brain stimulation , that focus on managing the disease symptoms can not delay or recover the progressive loss of dopamine ( da ) neurons . in pioneering work ,
researchers induced stem cells such as embryonic stem cells , induced pluripotent stem cells , and neural stem cells into da neurons in animal models .
however , further studies are needed to better understand the cell sources , mechanisms , and appropriate methods of transplantation . here
, we will introduce some updates for new discoveries and novel therapeutic strategies based on the pathogenic mechanism of pd .
numerically , approximately 510% of pd patients carry mutations in the glucocerebrosidase gene ( gba ) , which might increase the risk of developing pd by approximately 20 times .
gba mutations lead to reduced enzyme activity and the mutant protein might be trapped in the er , leading to an unfolded protein response and er - associated degradation and stress .
this interaction could be exploited to elevate glucocerebrosidase enzyme activities and therefore reduce -synuclein levels to modify the course of pd .
this approach offers the potential to modify glucocerebrosidase activity or substrate accumulation as an alternative neuroprotective strategy in the future .
currently , increasing numbers of researchers are focusing on the proteotoxic mechanisms underlying -synuclein s effects , exploring not only neuroprotective approaches but also restorative strategies .
immunotherapy using antibodies targeting -synuclein in animal and cellular models has been shown to be effective in alleviating pathological , motor , and non - motor symptoms . indeed , not only the active immunization model , in which a transgenic mouse model for synucleinopathies is immunized with recombinant -synuclein , but also the passive immunization mouse model , in which a monoclonal antibody has been built that can generate antibodies that target -synuclein , can achieve palliation or cure pd . the mechanisms underlying such immunotherapy are as follows : the antibodies aid the clearance of extracellular -synuclein and the block cellto - cell transmission of the protein .
however , these methods have some limitations : first , immunotherapy should not interfere with the normal physiological function of -synuclein .
this could be solved by generating a conformation - specific antibody that does not bind normal -synuclein .
second , how are the antibodies transmitted to the specific regions of brain parenchyma ? perhaps the antibodies could be engineered artificially such they could pass the blood - brain barrier .
finally , to ensure the safety and feasibility of the humanized antibodies , immunotherapy must be tested in a non - human primate first .
moreover , it might be possible to transfer protein aggregation immunotherapy to other proteinopathies , such as alzheimer s , huntington s , and prion diseases .
forty healthy volunteers in different groups received intravenous infusions of prx002 at doses of 0.3 , 1.0 , 3.0 , 10 , or 30 mg / kg .
significantly , all doses decreased the free -synuclein in plasma without any serious side effects .
undoubtedly , this research provided an important insight into antibody therapy and might imply that almost all serum -synuclein could be bound without adverse reactions .
however , we should not lose sight of the fact that the antibody concentration in the brain is far lower than that in serum ; therefore , if we could engineer a specific epitope or isoform of -synuclein to guide them to the target brain region , this might provide a platform to realize the therapeutic effect of immunotherapy against -synuclein .
recently , researchers from the united states generated a new antibody for an -synuclein peptide and tested it in a rat model of pd to verify its effectiveness .
the researchers injected an adeno - associated virus ( aav)--synuclein vector into the right sn of 344 fisher rats , while control rats were injected with an aav vector expressing green fluorescent protein .
after one week , the researchers found that the -synuclein peptide antibodies ( ab1 and ab2 ) reduce the loss of -synuclein - induced dopaminergic cells significantly .
antibody - treated rats had lower -synuclein levels in the ipsilateral sn and revealed improved behavioral deficits .
these data suggested that the -synuclein peptide antibody , which was raised against the n - terminal region of the protein , could reduce dopaminergic neuron loss and behavioral deficits .
moreover , the combined application of drug combinations and/or multi - target drugs might produce significant and long - lasting results compared with monotherapies .
for example , treatment including immunotherapy against -synuclein to reduce -synuclein accumulation and cell - to - cell transfer combined with drugs that reduce neuroinflammation could have synergistic outcomes .
therefore , such comprehensive treatment might be an efficient therapeutic strategy to halt the progression of pd .
high iron levels have been found in the sn of pd patients ; therefore , there is significant interest in the idea of whether -synuclein interacts with iron and whether iron overload could aggravate mutant -sy - nuclein toxicity .
a study conducted in france suggested that increased intracellular -synuclein concentrations could facilitate the accumulation of intra - cellular iron in neurons exposed to excess iron .
these results suggested that iron treatments , such as iron chelation or attenuation of its uptake into neurons , could be a future therapeutic option to treat pd .
furthermore , researchers from hong kong investigated drosophila melanogaster strains that overexpress a53 t , a30p , and wild - type ( wt ) snca together with iron treatment .
they found that iron treatment could induce a more distinctive motor decline in flies expressing the a53 t mutant than in those expressing the a30p mutant but had little effect in the wt , which was the same order as the intrinsic aggregation order of these mutated proteins .
contrary to previous findings , iron treatment did not cause any loss of dopaminergic neurons , which suggested that iron overload might increase the binding between iron and -synuclein and strengthen the aggregation of -synuclein .
the pathology of pd involves not only the cns dopaminergic system but also other systems , including the cholinergic system and serotonergic system , which indicates that therapeutic strategies should not just focus on the dopaminergic nervous pathway .
thus , although studies concerning therapy for pd are in sight , continued efforts are required to develop new therapeutic strategies to treat , or even prevent , the occurrence and development of pd .
studies over the last two decades have validated the important role of -synuclein in the pathogenesis of pd , although our understanding of the relationship between -synuclein and pd is incomplete .
recent advances have revealed the structure and distribution of -synuclein and its mechanisms of toxicity in pd .
recently , point mutations in snca have been identified that correlate with the clinical situation .
however , pd remains one of the most challenging disorders to diagnose and treat because it affects multiple organ systems and requires treatment of both motor and non - motor symptoms . in the future , it will be crucial to determine if -synuclein represents an early stage and disease - specific diagnostic biomarker and whether it represents a promising approach for treatment . | pubmed |
Parent Blog: Lindsay and Dustin Barber
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Lindsay and Dustin Barber
Hometown: Alden, Iowa
We first became involved with University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital when Hunter was born at 31 weeks on August 9, 2018.
I was admitted for monitoring when I was 25 weeks pregnant because Hunter was considered to be intrauterine growth restricted (IUGR) and I had absent blood flow. On August 9, blood flow had reversed and he was born by cesarean section two hours later.
Hunter was born nine weeks early with a bowel and heart defect so he was put in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). He had his first surgery at 1 day old because of a bowel obstruction and had an ostomy placed, then had his second surgery two months later to have it removed.
He stayed in the NICU for about 78 days or so when he was moved to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) for his third surgery for his heart once he was big enough. He was discharged from the hospital and returned by helicopter three weeks later for severe tracheomalacia – a condition in which the cartilage in his trachea is soft enough that the trachea collapses. He stayed for another 34 days spending most of that time in the PICU. Because of the tracheomalacia he ended up needing his fourth surgery during that time.
We had a great experience while he was at UI Stead Family Children's Hospital. Everyone was really nice and caring. They explained everything in terms we could understand. They helped us get what we needed to bring him home. We are very grateful to the hospital for saving Hunter's life twice and for keeping him stable while waiting for him to grow big enough for his heart surgery. We weren't given much hope of him surviving the pregnancy at a different hospital but at that first ultrasound at UI Hospitals &Clinics, they gave us hope he would survive.
If you have any doubts about anything going on with your child go for a second opinion at UI Stead Family Children's Hospital. It's the best hospital with the best staff and doctors.
Parent Blog
Every patient's story is personal and can inspire others. If you would like to share how University of Iowa Health Care has improved your child's life, consider sharing their story with us. | slim_pajama |
they have a theoretical advantage over metal analogues in their secure initial fixation and subsequent degradation with eventual replacement by host tissues . the rigidfix anterior cruciate ligament ( acl ) cross pin ( mitek , westwood , ma , usa ) utilises polylactic ( pla ) pins to give the advantage of 360 bone - to - graft contact at the graft tunnel , with clinically acceptable pull - out strength and proven patient outcomes [ 2 , 3 ] .
this fixation method does , however , have the disadvantages of local tissue response , such as inflammation and swelling [ 4 , 5 ] .
we report the case of implant migration and the loose body presenting as a subcutaneous collection .
a 25-year - old fit and well male sustained a left complete acl rupture in august 2001 due to a rotational soccer injury .
this was confirmed at subsequent arthroscopy , and after a course of physiotherapy and a period of nonoperative treatment he elected for a reconstruction .
this procedure was performed 3 years after the initial injury in august 2004 using bone patellar tendon bone ( btb ) without complication .
9 and 10 mm bone plugs were harvested and fixed in the femoral canal with two rigidfix cross pins placed from the lateral side of the femur as per the standard operative technique .
the tibia was fixed with a 20 mm 9 mm metal interference screw .
a concomitant posterior 1/3 tear of the medial meniscus was repaired at the time of operation with 2 mitek bioabsorbable sutures .
postoperatively , the patient made a full recovery and returned to sporting activity at 6 months .
whilst on holiday in february 2008 , the patient developed an acute collection on the medial side of his knee overlying the medial femoral condyle .
this was incised and drained , and a 22 mm fragment consistent with the rigidfix implant was retrieved .
the wound healed and was treated with antibiotics , although no evidence of infection was documented .
the patient s inflammatory markers were normal and at last follow - up there was no evidence of superficial or deep infection .
the range of movement in the knee was 0120 and the acl was stable based on the normal anterior drawer and lachman tests.fig .
1retrieved rigidfix cross pin retrieved rigidfix cross pin magnetic resonance imaging ( mri ) undertaken in october 2008 demonstrated an intact reconstructed acl with a well - healed medial meniscus ( figs . 2 , 3).fig .
2post operative mri scan showing intact acl and healed medial meniscus ( coronal view)fig .
3post operative mri scan showing intact acl ( sagittal view ) post operative mri scan showing intact acl and healed medial meniscus ( coronal view ) post operative mri scan showing intact acl ( sagittal view ) the patient gave informed consent prior to being included in the study .
we believe this to be the second reported case of loosening of the rigidfix bioabsorbable pin for btb acl reconstruction . unlike in the previous case , where the entire pin was found in two sections within the joint , we describe a subcutaneous pla implant fragment that caused local inflammation within the tissues on the medial aspect of the knee .
cross - pin transverse femoral fixation in acl reconstruction principally leads to increased pull - out strength of the graft .
this , however , can lead to backing out of the pin if not positioned correctly , which is not the case in this patient , as the operation was done according to the standard rigidfix surgical technique .
the timing of the backing out of the pin is unclear . what was apparent , however , was that the graft appeared to incorporate well on mri and give a clinically acceptable outcome , even after losing one pin [ 3 , 4 ] .
the pla implant remained unabsorbed 42 months postoperatively ( fig . 1 ) .
this is in keeping with previous studies demonstrating the presence of bioabsorbable implant remnants up to 5.7 years after implantation [ 1 , 4 ] .
while the backing out of these smooth pins did not cause any loss of acl function in this case , it did result in the implant acting as a loose body .
this loose body was in contact with the joint for an undefined period of time before it became embedded in the medial soft tissues .
this intraarticular contact theoretically placed the joint at risk of both mechanical and chemical damage .
this is thought to promote inflammation , and has been directly linked to a reduction in cultured cell growth and possible chondral damage . local clearance by macrophages and polymophonuclear leukocytes
is thought to be overloaded by excessive breakdown of bioabsorbable implants , which in theory could be increased by the presence of a loose pla pin in the intra - articular space .
it is unclear as to the stage at which the pin backed out , and therefore how long the loose body was indeed loose .
the fragment was also discovered in the subcutaneous tissues on the contralateral side of the knee to its insertion point , so it can only be postulated that it must have travelled through the joint itself .
while bioabsorbable implants do have the benefits of good initial fixation and a larger surface area for integration than interference screws , they do carry a risk of backing out and the subsequent loose body reaction .
we have not been able to determine the cause of the pins backing out in this case .
it is , however , a rare occurrence for what is a well - tolerated operation with good functional outcome .
it is worth considering a loose body from this graft in the event of knee pain or failure to progress in the postoperative period . | pubmed |
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3. 15shki - This is a fifteen puzzle game. But it is not an ordinary one because it uses accelerometer to slide numbered square tiles. You should't touch your screen or press your keys. Just only tilt your device toward you want to slide a tile. | slim_pajama |
Ronaldo Antonio Dinolis Rodríguez born November 17, 1994 is a Panamanian footballer in the position of striker, currently a rider of the Costa Rica Santos de Guápiles F.C. .
Club career
Dinolis began his football career in the second-division Panama club New York FC. In January 2017 he moved to the first-league Sporting San Miguelito . In Panameña League he made his debut on January 14, 2017 in a 3-0 defeat against Tauro, while the first goal in the top division was scored on February 8 in the same year in a 3-1 win against Atlético Veragüense . He immediately won a place in the starting lineup and quickly became the top scorer in the competition. In the autumn season Apertura 2017 was chosen in the official LPF plebiscite to the best eleven of the Panama league. He spent no more than a year and a half in Sporting, after which in June 2018 he moved to the Costa Rica team Santos de Guápiles.
Representative career
In the senior national team of Panama, Dinolis made his debut for the term of the coach Hernán Darío Gómez, 24 October 2017 in a 5-0 friendly against Grenada . In the same meeting he scored two goals, his first in the national team.
References
External links
Category:1994 births
Category:Panamanian footballers
Category:Panama international footballers
Category:Panamanian expatriate footballers
Category:Expatriate footballers in Costa Rica
Category:Sporting San Miguelito players
Category:Santos de Guápiles footballers
Category:Association football forwards
Category:Living people | wikipedia |
chronic pancreatitis ( cp ) is characterized by irreversible damage to the pancreas that may lead on to the development of abdominal pain as well as varying degrees of endocrine and exocrine insufficiency .
however , pancreatic biopsy is usually not performed in routine clinical settings because obtaining a histological diagnosis of cp is risky and carries a high rate of potentially severe complications .
the diagnosis of cp is thus based upon the demonstration of morphological and/or functional changes in the pancreas that occurs because of irreversible damage to the pancreatic parenchyma .
the morphological changes in the pancreas can be appreciated by various imaging methods such as abdominal x - ray , transabdominal ultrasound ( ultrasonography ) , computed tomography ( ct ) , magnetic resonance imaging and endoscopic retrograde cholangio pancreatography
. however , these imaging modalities can pick up advanced morphological changes only , and the diagnostic ability of these modalities to diagnose early and minimal cp is limited .
the pancreatic function tests have been shown to improve the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity but because of associated technical challenges , patient discomfort and limited availability , these functional tests are infrequently performed .
due to the ability to place the transducer in close proximity to the pancreas , endoscopic ultrasound ( eus ) is considered to be the most sensitive imaging modality for diagnosing pancreatic disorders .
eus has been shown to demonstrate subtle alterations in the pancreatic parenchymal and ductal structure even before traditional imaging and functional testing demonstrate any abnormality . the eus diagnosis of cp
is based upon the demonstration of ductal and parenchymal features , and a number of diagnostic criteria incorporating these eus features have been proposed to diagnose cp .
improvement in eus equipment and availability of newer and sophisticated eus applications like color doppler , contrast eus and elastography , have further improved the diagnostic ability of eus .
the eus features to diagnose cp [ figures 19 ] have evolved over a period from a pure qualitative approach to more advanced and complicated scoring systems incorporating multiple parenchymal and ductal eus features .
increasing the number of these eus features required for diagnosis of cp increases the specificity and lowering the threshold number of criteria increases the sensitivity , but decreases the already poor specificity of eus .
the rosemont criteria developed by leading experts has attempted to surmount the limitations of the current diagnostic criteria , define precisely each eus criterion and thus develop criteria that have good inter - observer agreement .
the various eus features that have to be demonstrated for the diagnosis of cp are : examination of pancreatic body from stomach using radial echoendoscope .
thus , this patient has one major a and 4 minor endoscopic ultrasound features and is consistent with chronic pancreatitis examination of pancreatic body from stomach using radial echoendoscope .
thus , this patient has only 4 minor endoscopic ultrasound features and is indeterminate for chronic pancreatitis examination of pancreatic body from stomach using radial echoendoscope .
thus , this patient has only 4 minor endoscopic ultrasound features and is indeterminate for chronic pancreatitis examination of pancreatic body from stomach using radial echoendoscope .
thus , this patient has one major a and 2 minor endoscopic ultrasound features and is suggestive of chronic pancreatitis examination of pancreatic body from stomach using radial echoendoscope .
the main pancreatic duct is dilated with an irregular contour and has echogenic structures suggestive of calculi .
thus , this patient has two major a endoscopic ultrasound features and is consistent with chronic pancreatitis examination of pancreatic body from stomach using linear echoendoscope .
thus , this patient has one major a and 2 minor endoscopic ultrasound features and is suggestive of chronic pancreatitis quantitative endoscopic ultrasound ( eus ) elastography and strain ratio measurement with radial echoendoscope at the body of pancreas : the eus shows echogenic foci with shadowing ( right side ) .
a stable eus image for at least 5 s is obtained for eus quantitative analysis .
the region of interest for the elastographic evaluation is manually selected to include the targeted area of the pancreas ( region a ) and soft ( red ) reference area corresponding to normal gastric wall ( region b )
. a strain ratio of 13.6 has been obtained quantitative endoscopic ultrasound ( eus ) elastography and strain ratio measurement with radial echoendoscope at the body of pancreas : the eus shows stranding with echogenic foci and lobularity ( right side ) .
a stable eus image for at least 5 s is obtained for eus quantitative analysis .
the region of interest for the elastographic evaluation is manually selected to include the targeted area of the pancreas ( region a ) and soft ( red ) reference area corresponding to normal gastric wall ( region b )
. a strain ratio of 147.7 has been obtained examination of pancreatic body from stomach using radial echoendoscope .
thus , this patient has major a and b criteria along with 1 minor criteria and is consistent with chronic pancreatitis
hyperechoic foci with shadowing ( major a ) : they have been defined as echogenic structures 2 mm in length and width that shadow .
they histologically correlate with pancreatic parenchymal calcification.lobularity with honeycombing ( major b ) : well - circumscribed , 5 mm structures with rims that are hyperechoic relative to the echogenicity of its central areas are defined as lobules .
at least three contiguous lobules that are present in the body or tail of the pancreas are labeled as honeycombing lobularity .
the histological correlate of lobularity is not known.lobularity without honeycombing ( minor ) : lobules as defined above that are non - contiguous and present in body and tail.hyperechoic foci without shadowing ( minor ) : defined as above but without shadowing.cysts ( minor ) : anechoic , rounded / elliptic structures that should measure 2 mm in short axis.stranding ( minor ) : hyperechoic lines 3 mm in length seen in at least two different directions with respect to the imaged plane .
hyperechoic foci with shadowing ( major a ) : they have been defined as echogenic structures 2 mm in length and width that shadow .
lobularity with honeycombing ( major b ) : well - circumscribed , 5 mm structures with rims that are hyperechoic relative to the echogenicity of its central areas are defined as lobules .
at least three contiguous lobules that are present in the body or tail of the pancreas are labeled as honeycombing lobularity .
lobularity without honeycombing ( minor ) : lobules as defined above that are non - contiguous and present in body and tail .
cysts ( minor ) : anechoic , rounded / elliptic structures that should measure 2 mm in short axis . stranding ( minor ) : hyperechoic lines 3 mm in length seen in at least two different directions with respect to the imaged plane .
all other features should be looked in the body and tail of pancreas only
main pancreatic duct ( mpd ) calculi ( major a ) : echogenic structures within mpd with acoustic shadowing located anywhere in the head , body and tail.irregular mpd contour ( minor ) : mpd that is uneven or irregular in outline and ectatic in its course .
these features should be demonstrated in the body and tail of pancreas only.dilated side branches ( minor ) : presence of 3 tubular anechoic structures each measuring 1 mm in width and communicating with mpd .
these should be demonstrated in the body and tail of pancreas only.main pancreatic duct dilatation ( minor ) : mpd diameter 3.5 mm in the pancreatic body or 1.5 mm in the pancreatic tail.hyper echoic duct margin ( minor ) : relatively hyperechoic duct wall found in > 50% of the entire mpd of the body and tail .
main pancreatic duct ( mpd ) calculi ( major a ) : echogenic structures within mpd with acoustic shadowing located anywhere in the head , body and tail . irregular mpd contour ( minor ) : mpd that is uneven or irregular in outline and ectatic in its course .
dilated side branches ( minor ) : presence of 3 tubular anechoic structures each measuring 1 mm in width and communicating with mpd .
main pancreatic duct dilatation ( minor ) : mpd diameter 3.5 mm in the pancreatic body or 1.5 mm in the pancreatic tail .
hyper echoic duct margin ( minor ) : relatively hyperechoic duct wall found in > 50% of the entire mpd of the body and tail .
endoscopic ultrasound diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis based upon rosemont criteria
consistent with cp : one major a feature with 3 minor features or 1 major a feature and major b feature or 2 major a features.suggestive of cp : one major a feature with <3 minor features or 1 major b feature with 3 minor features or 5 minor features.indeterminate for cp : 3 or 4 minor features with no major features or major b feature alone or with <3 minor features .
consistent with cp : one major a feature with 3 minor features or 1 major a feature and major b feature or 2 major a features .
suggestive of cp : one major a feature with <3 minor features or 1 major b feature with 3 minor features or 5 minor features .
indeterminate for cp : 3 or 4 minor features with no major features or major b feature alone or with <3 minor features .
a number of conditions such as aging , smoking , obesity , and chronic alcohol consumption may cause similar eus changes in the pancreas .
although , rosemont criteria has refined the past criteria with more objectivity initial studies have failed to demonstrate any significant improvement in kappa scores . to decrease
interobserver variability adjunctive imaging technologies like digital image analysis and elastography have been used for diagnosis of cp with encouraging results .
however , further studies with larger sample size are needed to determine the exact diagnostic role of these ancillary eus techniques .
hyperechoic foci with shadowing ( major a ) : they have been defined as echogenic structures 2 mm in length and width that shadow .
they histologically correlate with pancreatic parenchymal calcification.lobularity with honeycombing ( major b ) : well - circumscribed , 5 mm structures with rims that are hyperechoic relative to the echogenicity of its central areas are defined as lobules .
at least three contiguous lobules that are present in the body or tail of the pancreas are labeled as honeycombing lobularity .
the histological correlate of lobularity is not known.lobularity without honeycombing ( minor ) : lobules as defined above that are non - contiguous and present in body and tail.hyperechoic foci without shadowing ( minor ) : defined as above but without shadowing.cysts ( minor ) : anechoic , rounded / elliptic structures that should measure 2 mm in short axis.stranding ( minor ) : hyperechoic lines 3 mm in length seen in at least two different directions with respect to the imaged plane .
hyperechoic foci with shadowing ( major a ) : they have been defined as echogenic structures 2 mm in length and width that shadow .
lobularity with honeycombing ( major b ) : well - circumscribed , 5 mm structures with rims that are hyperechoic relative to the echogenicity of its central areas are defined as lobules .
at least three contiguous lobules that are present in the body or tail of the pancreas are labeled as honeycombing lobularity .
lobularity without honeycombing ( minor ) : lobules as defined above that are non - contiguous and present in body and tail .
cysts ( minor ) : anechoic , rounded / elliptic structures that should measure 2 mm in short axis . stranding ( minor ) : hyperechoic lines
3 mm in length seen in at least two different directions with respect to the imaged plane .
all other features should be looked in the body and tail of pancreas only
main pancreatic duct ( mpd ) calculi ( major a ) : echogenic structures within mpd with acoustic shadowing located anywhere in the head , body and tail.irregular mpd contour ( minor ) : mpd that is uneven or irregular in outline and ectatic in its course .
these features should be demonstrated in the body and tail of pancreas only.dilated side branches ( minor ) : presence of 3 tubular anechoic structures each measuring 1 mm in width and communicating with mpd .
these should be demonstrated in the body and tail of pancreas only.main pancreatic duct dilatation ( minor ) : mpd diameter 3.5 mm in the pancreatic body or 1.5 mm in the pancreatic tail.hyper echoic duct margin ( minor ) : relatively hyperechoic duct wall found in > 50% of the entire mpd of the body and tail .
main pancreatic duct ( mpd ) calculi ( major a ) : echogenic structures within mpd with acoustic shadowing located anywhere in the head , body and tail .
irregular mpd contour ( minor ) : mpd that is uneven or irregular in outline and ectatic in its course .
dilated side branches ( minor ) : presence of 3 tubular anechoic structures each measuring 1 mm in width and communicating with mpd .
main pancreatic duct dilatation ( minor ) : mpd diameter 3.5 mm in the pancreatic body or 1.5 mm in the pancreatic tail .
hyper echoic duct margin ( minor ) : relatively hyperechoic duct wall found in > 50% of the entire mpd of the body and tail .
endoscopic ultrasound diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis based upon rosemont criteria
consistent with cp : one major a feature with 3 minor features or 1 major a feature and major b feature or 2 major a features.suggestive of cp : one major a feature with <3 minor features or 1 major b feature with 3 minor features or 5
minor features.indeterminate for cp : 3 or 4 minor features with no major features or major b feature alone or with <3 minor features .
consistent with cp : one major a feature with 3 minor features or 1 major a feature and major b feature or 2 major a features .
suggestive of cp : one major a feature with <3 minor features or 1 major b feature with 3 minor features or 5 minor features .
indeterminate for cp : 3 or 4 minor features with no major features or major b feature alone or with <3 minor features .
a number of conditions such as aging , smoking , obesity , and chronic alcohol consumption may cause similar eus changes in the pancreas .
although , rosemont criteria has refined the past criteria with more objectivity initial studies have failed to demonstrate any significant improvement in kappa scores . to decrease interobserver variability adjunctive imaging technologies like digital image analysis and elastography have been used for diagnosis of cp with encouraging results . however ,
further studies with larger sample size are needed to determine the exact diagnostic role of these ancillary eus techniques .
hyperechoic foci with shadowing ( major a ) : they have been defined as echogenic structures 2 mm in length and width that shadow .
they histologically correlate with pancreatic parenchymal calcification.lobularity with honeycombing ( major b ) : well - circumscribed , 5 mm structures with rims that are hyperechoic relative to the echogenicity of its central areas are defined as lobules .
at least three contiguous lobules that are present in the body or tail of the pancreas are labeled as honeycombing lobularity .
the histological correlate of lobularity is not known.lobularity without honeycombing ( minor ) : lobules as defined above that are non - contiguous and present in body and tail.hyperechoic foci without shadowing ( minor ) : defined as above but without shadowing.cysts ( minor ) : anechoic , rounded / elliptic structures that should measure 2 mm in short axis.stranding ( minor ) : hyperechoic lines 3 mm in length seen in at least two different directions with respect to the imaged plane .
hyperechoic foci with shadowing ( major a ) : they have been defined as echogenic structures 2 mm in length and width that shadow .
lobularity with honeycombing ( major b ) : well - circumscribed , 5 mm structures with rims that are hyperechoic relative to the echogenicity of its central areas are defined as lobules .
at least three contiguous lobules that are present in the body or tail of the pancreas are labeled as honeycombing lobularity .
lobularity without honeycombing ( minor ) : lobules as defined above that are non - contiguous and present in body and tail .
cysts ( minor ) : anechoic , rounded / elliptic structures that should measure 2 mm in short axis . stranding ( minor ) : hyperechoic lines
3 mm in length seen in at least two different directions with respect to the imaged plane .
except for ductal calculi all other features should be looked in the body and tail of pancreas only
main pancreatic duct ( mpd ) calculi ( major a ) : echogenic structures within mpd with acoustic shadowing located anywhere in the head , body and tail.irregular mpd contour ( minor ) : mpd that is uneven or irregular in outline and ectatic in its course .
these features should be demonstrated in the body and tail of pancreas only.dilated side branches ( minor ) : presence of 3 tubular anechoic structures each measuring 1 mm in width and communicating with mpd .
these should be demonstrated in the body and tail of pancreas only.main pancreatic duct dilatation ( minor ) : mpd diameter 3.5 mm in the pancreatic body or 1.5 mm in the pancreatic tail.hyper echoic duct margin ( minor ) : relatively hyperechoic duct wall found in > 50% of the entire mpd of the body and tail .
main pancreatic duct ( mpd ) calculi ( major a ) : echogenic structures within mpd with acoustic shadowing located anywhere in the head , body and tail . irregular mpd contour ( minor ) : mpd that is uneven or irregular in outline and ectatic in its course .
these features should be demonstrated in the body and tail of pancreas only . dilated side branches ( minor ) : presence of 3 tubular anechoic structures each measuring 1 mm in width and communicating with mpd .
main pancreatic duct dilatation ( minor ) : mpd diameter 3.5 mm in the pancreatic body or 1.5 mm in the pancreatic tail .
hyper echoic duct margin ( minor ) : relatively hyperechoic duct wall found in > 50% of the entire mpd of the body and tail .
endoscopic ultrasound diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis based upon rosemont criteria
consistent with cp : one major a feature with 3 minor features or 1 major a feature and major b feature or 2 major a features.suggestive of cp : one major a feature with <3 minor features or 1 major b feature with 3 minor features or 5
minor features.indeterminate for cp : 3 or 4 minor features with no major features or major b feature alone or with <3 minor features .
consistent with cp : one major a feature with 3 minor features or 1 major a feature and major b feature or 2 major a features .
suggestive of cp : one major a feature with <3 minor features or 1 major b feature with 3 minor features or 5 minor features . indeterminate for cp : 3 or 4 minor features with no major features or major
a number of conditions such as aging , smoking , obesity , and chronic alcohol consumption may cause similar eus changes in the pancreas .
although , rosemont criteria has refined the past criteria with more objectivity initial studies have failed to demonstrate any significant improvement in kappa scores . to decrease interobserver variability adjunctive imaging technologies like digital image analysis and elastography have been used for diagnosis of cp with encouraging results . however ,
further studies with larger sample size are needed to determine the exact diagnostic role of these ancillary eus techniques .
the eus procedure for looking for changes of cp is similar to the standard eus examination of the pancreas .
the complete eus examination of the pancreas is possible from gastric and duodenal stations with uncinate process being visualized from the second part of the duodenum .
both radial and linear eus have been shown to be equally accurate for the diagnosis of cp .
radial eus , however , provides cross sectional imaging similar to other cross sectional imaging modalities like ct and this makes the imaging of mpd easier as it is seen as a long linear structure in contrast to a dot like appearance on linear eus . in order to correctly identify the changes of cp
, the endoscopist needs to know the normal appearances of the pancreas as well as the normal variations seen in a nonpathological pancreas .
the important things to keep in mind are :
the normal pancreas has a diffusely speckled salt and pepper pattern of the body and tail with a barely visualized single , smooth and anechoic mpd.with the current advanced eus imaging systems side branches of mpd can also be seen in normal individuals especially the elderly and only if side branches are 1 mm , they are considered to be abnormal.even in normal individuals the mpd can be mildly tortuous and therefore the mpd should be carefully evaluated for a gradual decrease in its diameter from the head to tail , which is an important feature of the normal duct.the duct of alternating sizes or beading is abnormal.the dorsal and ventral pancreas can have different echogenicity with the dorsal anlage of the pancreas being more echogenic than the ventral pancreas .
the normal pancreas has a diffusely speckled salt and pepper pattern of the body and tail with a barely visualized single , smooth and anechoic mpd . with the current advanced eus imaging systems side branches of mpd
can also be seen in normal individuals especially the elderly and only if side branches are 1 mm , they are considered to be abnormal . even in normal individuals
the mpd can be mildly tortuous and therefore the mpd should be carefully evaluated for a gradual decrease in its diameter from the head to tail , which is an important feature of the normal duct .
the dorsal and ventral pancreas can have different echogenicity with the dorsal anlage of the pancreas being more echogenic than the ventral pancreas .
as mentioned above most of these eus features of cp are visualized in the body and tail and currently it is not clear how best to diagnose focal cp in the head as the isolated eus findings like lobularity in the head with normal body and tail of pancreas are generally reported as normal .
endoscopic ultrasound elastography has also been shown to be an accurate tool for the diagnosis of cp and strain ratio obtained using quantitative eus elastography has been shown to vary significantly in various rosemont classification groups thus allowing quantification of pancreatic fibrosis . in quantitative elastography ,
the tissue stiffness is measured in the targeted area ( region of interest [ roi ] a ) and outside the targeted area in a region representing normal tissue ( roi b ) .
thereafter , the strain ratio value is calculated as the quotient b / a , which seems to be better and more objective than visual color changes of qualitative elastography [ figures 7 and 8 ] . in a study on eus elastography in cp ,
region b selected was the normal surrounding gastroduodenal wall and strain ratio cut - off of 2.25 yielded an accuracy of 91.1% for diagnosis of cp .
the results appear promising , but further studies with larger sample size are needed to confirm these interesting results .
although eus can demonstrate subtle alterations in the pancreatic parenchymal and ductal structure , the exact role of eus in the diagnosis of cp is still not established.the eus features to diagnose cp have evolved over a period of time from a pure qualitative approach to more advanced and complicated scoring systems incorporating multiple parenchymal and ductal eus features.the rosemont criteria have attempted to define precisely each eus criterion and thus have good inter - observer agreement .
but , initial studies have failed to demonstrate any significant improvement in the inter - observer variability.a number of conditions such as aging , smoking , obesity , and chronic alcohol consumption may cause eus changes similar to cp . therefore
, eus findings should be interpreted in appropriate clinical context.most of the eus features of cp except ductal calculi and cysts should be located in the body and tail only.in order to correctly identify the changes of cp , the endoscopist needs to know the normal appearances of the pancreas as well as the normal variations seen in nonpathological pancreas.quantitative eus elastography appear promising technique for diagnosis of cp .
although eus can demonstrate subtle alterations in the pancreatic parenchymal and ductal structure , the exact role of eus in the diagnosis of cp is still not established .
the eus features to diagnose cp have evolved over a period of time from a pure qualitative approach to more advanced and complicated scoring systems incorporating multiple parenchymal and ductal eus features .
the rosemont criteria have attempted to define precisely each eus criterion and thus have good inter - observer agreement .
but , initial studies have failed to demonstrate any significant improvement in the inter - observer variability .
a number of conditions such as aging , smoking , obesity , and chronic alcohol consumption may cause eus changes similar to cp . therefore
most of the eus features of cp except ductal calculi and cysts should be located in the body and tail only . in order to correctly identify the changes of cp
, the endoscopist needs to know the normal appearances of the pancreas as well as the normal variations seen in nonpathological pancreas . | pubmed |
for a graph @xmath3 we denote by @xmath4 the set of its vertices , and by @xmath5 the set of its edges .
[ def : h - path][def : h - cycle ] for @xmath6 , * the _ @xmath0-power of a path _ , denoted by @xmath7 , is a graph with @xmath8 vertices @xmath9 , @xmath10 , @xmath11 , @xmath12 such that , for @xmath13 , @xmath14 , @xmath15 if and only if @xmath16 ; * the _ @xmath0-power of a cycle _ , denoted by @xmath17 , is a graph with @xmath8 vertices @xmath9 , @xmath10 , @xmath11 , @xmath12 such that , for @xmath18 , @xmath14 , @xmath19 if and only if @xmath16 or @xmath20 .
thus , for instance , @xmath21 and @xmath22 are the graphs made of @xmath8 isolated nodes , @xmath23 is the path with @xmath8 vertices , and @xmath24 is the cycle with @xmath8 vertices .
figures [ fig : p_1 - 6_2 ] , and [ fig : q_1 - 6_2 ] show some powers of paths and cycles , respectively .
+ [ def : indipendent subset ] an _ independent subset of a graph @xmath3 _ is a subset of @xmath4 not containing adjacent vertices .
let @xmath25 , and @xmath26 be the hasse diagrams of the posets of independent subsets of @xmath7 , and @xmath17 , respectively , ordered by inclusion . clearly , @xmath27 is a boolean lattice with @xmath8 atoms ( @xmath8-cube , for short ) .
every independent subset @xmath28 of @xmath7 can be represented by a binary string @xmath29 , where , for @xmath30 , @xmath31 if and only if @xmath32 .
specifically , each independent subset of @xmath7 is associated with a binary string of length @xmath8 such that the distance between any two @xmath33 s of the string is greater than @xmath0 .
following @xcite ( see also @xcite ) , a _
fibonacci string of order @xmath8 _ is a binary strings of length @xmath8 without ( two ) consecutive @xmath33 s .
recalling that the hamming distance between two binary strings @xmath34 and @xmath35 is the number @xmath36 of bits where @xmath34 and @xmath35 differ , we can define the _ fibonacci cube of order @xmath8 _ , denoted @xmath37 , as the graph @xmath38 , where @xmath39 is the set of all fibonacci strings of order @xmath8 and , for all @xmath40 , @xmath41 if and only if @xmath42 .
one can observe that for @xmath1 the binary strings associated with independent subsets of @xmath7 are _ fibonacci strings of order @xmath8 _ , and the hasse diagram of the set of all such strings ordered bitwise is @xmath37 .
fibonacci cubes were introduced as an interconnection scheme for multicomputers in @xcite , and their combinatorial structure has been further investigated , _
e.g. _ in @xcite .
several generalizations of the notion of fibonacci cubes has been proposed ( see , _
e.g. _ , @xcite ) .
consider the _
generalized fibonacci cubes _ described in @xcite , _
i.e. _ , the graphs @xmath43 obtained from the @xmath8-cube @xmath44 of all binary strings of length @xmath8 by removing all vertices that contain the binary string @xmath34 as a substring . in this notation
the fibonacci cube is @xmath45 .
it is not difficult to see that @xmath25 can not be expressed , in general , in terms of @xmath43 .
instead we have : @xmath46 where @xmath47 is the subgraph of @xmath44 obtaining by removing all strings that contain either @xmath34 or @xmath35 .
a similar argument can be carried out in the case of cycles .
indeed , every independent subset @xmath28 of @xmath17 can be represented by a circular binary string ( _ i.e. _ , a sequence of @xmath48 s and @xmath33 s with the first and last bits considered to be adjacent ) @xmath29 , where , for @xmath30 , @xmath31 if and only if @xmath32 .
thus , each independent subset of @xmath17 is associated with a circular binary string of length @xmath8 such that the distance between any two @xmath33 s of the string is greater than @xmath0 .
lucas cube of order @xmath8 _ , denoted @xmath49 , is defined as the graph whose vertices are the binary strings of length @xmath8 without either two consecutive @xmath33 s or a @xmath33 in the first and in the last position , and in which the vertices are adjacent when their hamming distance is exactly @xmath33 ( see @xcite ) . for @xmath1 the hasse diagram of the set of all circular binary strings associated with independent subsets of @xmath17 ordered bitwise is @xmath49 .
a generalization of the notion of lucas cubes has been proposed in @xcite .
consider the _
generalized lucas cubes _ described in @xcite , that is , the graphs @xmath50 obtained from the @xmath8-cube @xmath44 of all binary strings of length @xmath8 by removing all vertices that have a _ circular containing _ @xmath34 as a substring ( _ i.e. _ , such that @xmath34 is contained in the circular binary strings obtained by connecting first and last bits of the string ) . in this notation
the lucas cube is @xmath51 .
it is not difficult to see that @xmath26 can not be expressed , in general , in terms of @xmath50 .
instead we have : @xmath52 as far as we now , our @xmath25 , and @xmath26 are new generalizations of fibonacci and lucas cubes , respectively . in the first part of the paper we evaluate @xmath53 , _
i.e. _ , the number of _ independent subsets _ of @xmath7 , and @xmath54 , _
i.e. _ , the number of edges of @xmath25 . our main result ( theorem [ th : main ] ) is that , for @xmath55 , the sequence @xmath54 is obtained by convolving the sequence @xmath56 with itself . in the second part of the paper we derive similar results for @xmath57 , _
i.e. _ , the number of _ independent subsets _ of @xmath17 , and @xmath58 , _
i.e. _ , the number of edges of @xmath26 .
for @xmath59 , we denote by @xmath60 the number of independent @xmath61-subsets of @xmath7 . for @xmath1 ,
@xmath60 counts the number of binary strings @xmath62 such that @xmath63 .
[ lem : p_nk formula ] for @xmath64 , @xmath65 this result is theorem 1 of @xcite .
below we write down a different proof . by definition
[ def : indipendent subset ] , any two elements @xmath66 of an independent subset of @xmath7 must satisfy @xmath67 .
it is straightforward to check that whenever @xmath68 , @xmath69 .
it is also immediate to see that when @xmath70 our lemma holds true .
suppose now @xmath71 .
we can complete the proof of our lemma by establishing a bijection between independent @xmath61-subset of @xmath7 and @xmath61-subsets of a set with @xmath72 elements .
let @xmath73 be the set of all @xmath61-subsets of a set @xmath74 , and @xmath75 the set of all independent @xmath61-subsets of @xmath7 .
consider the map @xmath76 such that , for any @xmath77 , with @xmath78 , @xmath79 [ claim:1 ] the map @xmath80 associates with each @xmath61-subset @xmath81 an independent @xmath61-subset of @xmath7 . to see this
we first remark that @xmath82 is a @xmath61-subset of @xmath83 .
furthermore , for each pair @xmath84 , with @xmath85 , we have @xmath86 hence , by definition [ def : h - path ] , @xmath87 .
thus , @xmath82 is an independent subset of @xmath7 .
[ claim:2 ] the map @xmath80 is bijective .
it is easy to see that @xmath80 is injective .
then , we consider the map @xmath88 such that , for any @xmath89 , with @xmath90 , @xmath91 following the same steps as for @xmath80 , one checks that @xmath92 is injective .
thus , @xmath80 is surjective . by claims [ claim:1 ] and [ claim:2 ]
we have established a bijection between independent @xmath61-subsets of @xmath7 and @xmath61-subsets of a set with @xmath93 elements .
the lemma is proved .
the coefficients @xmath60 also enjoy the following property : @xmath94 . for @xmath95 ,
the number of all independent subsets of @xmath7 is @xmath96 denote by @xmath97 the @xmath98 element of the fibonacci sequence @xmath99 , @xmath100 , and @xmath101 , for @xmath102 .
then , @xmath103 is the number of elements of the fibonacci cube of order @xmath8 .
the following , simple fact is crucial for our work .
[ lem : p_n recurrence ] for @xmath104 , @xmath105 a proof of this lemma can be also obtained using the first part of ( * ? ? ?
* proof of theorem 1 ) . for @xmath106 , by definition [ def : indipendent subset ] ,
the independent subsets of @xmath7 have no more than @xmath33 element .
thus , there are @xmath107 independent subsets of @xmath7 .
consider the case @xmath108 .
let @xmath109 be the set of all independent subsets of @xmath7 , let @xmath110 be the set of the independent subsets of @xmath7 that contain @xmath111 , and let @xmath112 .
the elements of @xmath113 are in one - to - one correspondence with the @xmath114 independent subsets of @xmath115 , and those of @xmath110 are in one - to - one correspondence with the @xmath116 independent subsets of @xmath117 .
figure [ fig : p_3 - 4_h ] shows a few hasse diagrams @xmath25 .
notice that , as stated in the introduction , for each @xmath8 , @xmath118 is the fibonacci cube @xmath37 . . ]
let @xmath54 be the number of edges of @xmath25 . noting that in @xmath25 each non - empty independent @xmath61-subset covers exactly @xmath61 independent @xmath119-subsets
, we can write @xmath120 for @xmath1 , @xmath54 counts the number of edges of @xmath37 . let now @xmath121 be the number of independent @xmath61-subsets of @xmath7 containing the vertex @xmath122 , and let , for @xmath123 , @xmath124 , @xmath125 [ lem : t formula ] for @xmath126 , and @xmath127 , @xmath128 no independent subset of @xmath7 containing @xmath122 contains any of the elements @xmath129 .
let @xmath130 and @xmath131 be non - negative integers whose sum is @xmath132 .
each independent @xmath61-subset of @xmath7 containing @xmath122 can be obtained by adding @xmath122 to a @xmath119-subset @xmath133 such that \(a ) @xmath134 is an independent @xmath130-subset of @xmath7 ; \(b ) @xmath135 is an independent @xmath131-subset of @xmath7 .
viceversa , one can obtain each of this pairs of subsets by removing @xmath122 from an independent @xmath61-subset of @xmath7 containing @xmath122 .
thus , @xmath121 is obtained by counting independently the subsets of type ( a ) and ( b ) . noting that the subsets of type ( b ) are in bijection with the independent @xmath131-subsets of @xmath136 , the lemma is proved .
@xmath137 counts the number of strings @xmath138 such that : ( i ) @xmath63 , and ( ii ) @xmath139 . in order to obtain our main result
, we prepare a lemma .
[ lem : somma tabelle t ] for positive @xmath8 , @xmath140 the inner sum counts the number of @xmath61-subsets exactly @xmath61 times , one for each element of the subset .
that is , @xmath141 .
the lemma follows directly from equation ( [ eq : h_nh formula ] ) .
next we introduce a family of fibonacci - like sequences .
[ def : gen fibonacci ] for @xmath142 , and @xmath143 , we define the _ @xmath0-fibonacci sequence _ @xmath144 whose elements are @xmath145 from lemma [ lem : p_n recurrence ] , and setting for @xmath142 , and @xmath124 , @xmath146 we have that , @xmath147 thus , our fibonacci - like sequences are obtained by adding a prefix of @xmath0 ones to the sequence @xmath148 .
therefore , we have : * @xmath149 ; * @xmath150 is the fibonacci sequence ; * more generally , @xmath151 . in the following , we use the discrete convolution operation @xmath152 , as follows .
@xmath153 [ th : main ] for @xmath55 , the following holds .
@xmath154 the sum @xmath155 counts the number of independent subsets of @xmath156 containing @xmath122 .
we can also obtain such a value by counting the independent subsets of both @xmath157 , and @xmath158 .
thus , we have : @xmath159 using lemma [ lem : somma tabelle t ] we can write @xmath160 by equation ( [ eq : f and p ] ) we have @xmath161 by ( [ eq : convolution ] ) , the theorem is proved . for @xmath1
, we obtain the number of edges of @xmath37 by using fibonacci numbers : @xmath162 the latter result is ( * ? ? ?
* proposition 3 ) .
for @xmath59 , we denote by @xmath163 the number of independent @xmath61-subsets of @xmath17 . for @xmath1 , @xmath2 ,
@xmath163 counts the number of binary strings @xmath164 such that @xmath63 .
[ lem : q_nk formula ] for @xmath165 , and @xmath166 , @xmath167 moreover , @xmath168 , and @xmath169 , for each @xmath165 .
fix an element @xmath170 , and let @xmath171 .
any independent subset of @xmath17 containing @xmath122 does not contain the @xmath0 elements preceding @xmath122 and the @xmath0 elements following @xmath122 .
thus , the number of independent @xmath61-subsets of @xmath17 containing @xmath122 equals @xmath172 the total number of independent @xmath61-subsets of @xmath17 is obtained by multiplying @xmath173 by @xmath8 , then dividing it by @xmath61 ( each subset is counted @xmath61 times by the previous proceeding ) . the case @xmath174 , as well as the cases @xmath175 , can be easily verified . for @xmath95 ,
the number of all independent subsets of @xmath17 is @xmath176 denote by @xmath177 the @xmath98 element of the lucas sequence @xmath178 , @xmath179 , and @xmath180 , for @xmath102 .
then , for @xmath2 , @xmath181 is the number of elements of the lucas cube of order @xmath8 .
the coefficients @xmath57 satisfy a recursion that closely resemble that of lemma 2.2 .
[ lem : q_n recurrence ] for @xmath104 , @xmath182 the case @xmath183 can be easily checked .
let @xmath184 , and let @xmath109 be the set of the independent subsets of @xmath17 .
let @xmath110 be the subset of these subsets that ( i ) do not contain @xmath111 , and that ( ii ) contain no one of the following pairs : @xmath185 .
furthermore let @xmath113 be the subset of the remaining independent subsets of @xmath17 .
it is easy to see that the elements of @xmath110 are exactly the independent subsets of @xmath186 .
indeed , @xmath111 is not a vertex of @xmath186 and the vertices of pairs @xmath187 , @xmath188 , @xmath11 , @xmath189 are connected in @xmath186 . on the other hand , to show that @xmath190 we argue as follows .
first we recall ( see the proof of lemma [ lem : q_nk formula ] ) that the number of independent @xmath61-subsets of @xmath17 that contain @xmath111 is @xmath173 .
secondly we obtain that the number of independent @xmath61-subsets of @xmath17 containing one of the pairs @xmath187 , @xmath188 , @xmath11 , @xmath189 is @xmath191 . to see this , consider the pair @xmath192 .
the independent subsets containing such a pair do not contain the @xmath0 vertices from @xmath193 to @xmath111 , do not contain the @xmath0 vertices from @xmath194 to @xmath195 , and do not contain the @xmath0 vertices from @xmath196 to @xmath197 .
thus , the removal of such vertices and of the vertices @xmath198 and @xmath199 turns @xmath17 into @xmath200 . hence we can obtain all the independent @xmath61-subsets of @xmath17 that contain the pair @xmath192 by simply adding these two vertices to one of the @xmath201 independent @xmath202-subsets of @xmath200 .
same reasoning can be carried out for any other one of the pairs : @xmath188 , @xmath11 , @xmath189 .
using lemmas [ lem : p_nk formula ] and [ lem : q_nk formula ] one can easily derive that @xmath203 hence , we derive the size of @xmath113 : @xmath204 summing up we have shown that @xmath205 , that is @xmath206 the proof of the case @xmath207 is obtained in a similar way , observing that @xmath208 , and that @xmath209 .
figure [ fig : q_3 - 4_h ] shows a few hasse diagrams @xmath26 .
notice that , as stated in the introduction , for each @xmath8 , @xmath210 is the lucas cube @xmath49 .
as shown in the proof of lemma [ lem : q_nk formula ] , the value @xmath213 is the analogue of the coefficient @xmath121 : in the case of cycles we have no dependencies on @xmath214 , because each choice of vertex is equivalent .
we can obtain @xmath58 in terms of a fibonacci - like sequence , as follows . | arxiv |
duplicate or redundant publication describes a practice where 2 or more articles that share substantially similar information are published by the same author(s ) , without clear , visible reference to the previous publication .
it is time and resource wasting for the readers , peer reviewers , and editors and unnecessarily saturates the literature with redundant results .
furthermore , when redundant publications are unintentionally included in a systematic review or meta - analysis , the conclusion of that review may be incorrect .
this definition usually refers to articles that share similar hypotheses , methodology , and results .
another phrase that may be used to describe such a practice is least publishable unit .
it refers to the creation of multiple publications out of material that may , perhaps more suitably , be published as a single article . obviously ,
when articles fit this definition of salami - slicing , the practice should be deemed inappropriate and unethical .
in other words , if a single sample / cohort or data set is used to test a different hypothesis with different outcome measures and results , salami - slicing may be considered appropriate .
it may lead to publications that are more presentable and readable , which can benefit editors , reviewers , and readers .
as such , the act of salami - slicing involves the judgment of the authors , and in certain circumstances , it may be considered appropriate . yet
authors must clearly cross - reference and acknowledge the other article(s ) in instances where salami - slicing is being practiced .
the issue of redundant publication and salami - slicing has been reported in some surgical disciplines .
however , very little is known about redundant publication and related problems in the general pediatrics literature .
the objectives of this study were ( a ) to determine the rate of redundant publication and salami - slicing in the pediatrics literature and ( b ) to characterize these publications .
the subsequent literature searches looked for other articles ( redundant or salami - sliced publications ) similar to the index articles .
index articles in jama pediatrics ( formerly known as archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine ) , pediatrics , and the journal of pediatrics in the year 2010 were identified using pubmed . only original articles in print ( not published online ahead of print ) were considered .
the following types of publications were excluded : case reports , editorials , letters , reviews , systematic reviews , and meta - analyses .
potential redundant and salami - sliced publications were identified by searching pubmed for the combination of the first or second , and last authors surnames and their first initials associated with the index articles .
the dates were limited to include articles published between 2008 and 2012 , encompassing a 5-year period with respect to the year of the index articles .
if a single search yielded more than 200 titles and abstracts , or if the search involved only one author , a keyword from the title of the index article was added to limit the search results .
all identified titles and abstracts were reviewed for content at this stage by 2 authors ( rh and ka ) and those that addressed similar topics as the index articles were included for full text review .
the same 2 authors independently analyzed the full texts to determine if the articles met the definition of duplicate publication
( identical or nearly identical methods , results and conclusions ) or salami - slicing ( substantial part of the index article repeated or continued ) as defined by schein and paladugu . specifically , the study methods including objectives and hypotheses being tested , and results including tables and figures , were contrasted to ascertain the degree of overlap .
disagreements regarding classification of the suspected duplicates between the 2 authors were resolved with discussions involving the senior author ( ph ) .
therefore , the initial definition used in this study ( as above ) was intentionally broad to include all potential redundant material .
the full texts of those articles chosen with the aforementioned methods , considered to be suspected duplicates or salami - sliced publications , were reviewed by all 3 authors .
the salami - sliced articles were then further characterized , and a decision was made as to whether the salami - slicing was considered legitimate .
the definition of legitimate salami - slicing at this stage was ( a ) the presence of clear reference to the index article and ( b ) the assessment of different contexts or testing of different hypothesis than the index article .
the subsequent literature searches looked for other articles ( redundant or salami - sliced publications ) similar to the index articles .
index articles in jama pediatrics ( formerly known as archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine ) , pediatrics , and the journal of pediatrics in the year 2010 were identified using pubmed . only original articles in print ( not published online ahead of print ) were considered .
the following types of publications were excluded : case reports , editorials , letters , reviews , systematic reviews , and meta - analyses .
potential redundant and salami - sliced publications were identified by searching pubmed for the combination of the first or second , and last authors surnames and their first initials associated with the index articles .
the dates were limited to include articles published between 2008 and 2012 , encompassing a 5-year period with respect to the year of the index articles .
if a single search yielded more than 200 titles and abstracts , or if the search involved only one author , a keyword from the title of the index article was added to limit the search results .
all identified titles and abstracts were reviewed for content at this stage by 2 authors ( rh and ka ) and those that addressed similar topics as the index articles were included for full text review .
the same 2 authors independently analyzed the full texts to determine if the articles met the definition of duplicate publication
( identical or nearly identical methods , results and conclusions ) or salami - slicing
( substantial part of the index article repeated or continued ) as defined by schein and paladugu .
specifically , the study methods including objectives and hypotheses being tested , and results including tables and figures , were contrasted to ascertain the degree of overlap .
disagreements regarding classification of the suspected duplicates between the 2 authors were resolved with discussions involving the senior author ( ph ) .
therefore , the initial definition used in this study ( as above ) was intentionally broad to include all potential redundant material .
the full texts of those articles chosen with the aforementioned methods , considered to be suspected duplicates or salami - sliced publications , were reviewed by all 3 authors .
the salami - sliced articles were then further characterized , and a decision was made as to whether the salami - slicing was considered legitimate . the definition of legitimate salami - slicing at this stage was ( a ) the presence of clear reference to the index article and ( b ) the assessment of different contexts or testing of different hypothesis than the index article .
a total of 1838 original index articles were identified as published in 2010 in the 3 pediatrics journals ( figure 1 ) .
flow diagram of the search and review process for inclusion of studies in the literature review .
the initial duplicate search using authors names , as described above , yielded 321 titles and abstracts .
further review identified 170 titles and abstracts that covered similar topics as their respective index articles ( n = 126 ) .
full texts of the 170 potential duplicate articles published between 2008 and 2012 were then retrieved , further reviewed , and compared to the 126 index articles ( 22 index articles in jama pediatrics , 62 in pediatrics , and 42 in the journal of pediatrics ) .
after full text review , 45 of the 170 ( 26.5% ) suspected duplicates , which corresponded to 39 of 126 ( 31.0% ) index articles , were found to have some form of redundancy ( 9 jama pediatrics index articles , 15 pediatrics index articles , and 15 journal of pediatrics index articles ) .
of the 45 suspected duplicates , none were classified as a duplicate publication . therefore , all 45 articles were considered to be salami - sliced
( figure 1 ) . of the 39 index articles ( corresponding to 45 salami - sliced articles ) , most ( 92.3% )
were associated with only 1 salami - sliced publication ; 2 ( 5.1% ) index articles had 2 salami - sliced publications each ; and 1 ( 2.6% ) index article was associated with 4 salami - sliced publications .
five ( 12.8% ) index articles were of level 1 evidence ( rcts ) , 31 ( 79.5% ) were of level 2 evidence ( low - quality rcts , or prospective or retrospective cohort studies with or without a control / comparison group ) , and 2 were of level 3 evidence .
the country of origin of the index articles was identified : 24 ( 61.5% ) were from the united states , 13 ( 33.3% ) were from europe , 1 ( 2.6% ) was from china , and 1 ( 2.6% ) was from canada . regarding the publication year of the salami - sliced articles , 14 ( 31.1% )
were published in the same year as the index articles , 8 ( 17.8% ) were published within 2 years ( 2008 - 2009 ) prior to the index articles , and 23 ( 51.1% ) were published within 2 years ( 2011 - 2012 ) after the index articles .
most ( 95.6% ) of the salami - sliced articles were published in journals with lower impact factor than the index journals .
twenty - one salami - sliced articles ( corresponding to 19 index articles ) were judged to be legitimate since they clearly cross - referenced the index article .
most ( n = 15 ) contained either secondary or different analyses using the same or similar sample / cohort ; 6 articles used data from a large database or trial ( ie , the index article was not the original source of data but also used the same database ) .
the remaining ( n = 24 ) salami - sliced articles ( corresponding to 20 index articles ) were judged not to be completely legitimate , according to the definition agreed on by the authors ( see above ) .
seven studies had clearly cross - referenced the index articles but either performed very similar analyses with the same or similar sample / cohort , or simply performed the same analyses but for longer duration .
it was unclear whether salami - slicing was truly necessary for these publications since the articles may have been combined .
two studies had performed slightly different analyses but attained similar results and conclusions ; they also only vaguely referenced the respective index article ( ie , only mentioned with other studies in the introduction or discussion sections ) .
six studies conducted different analyses with the same cohort with data from a large database or trial , which was clearly referenced but the index article was not cross - referenced .
the remaining 9 salami - sliced articles did not contain any reference to the index article ( or other sources of data ) .
five studies used different outcome measures with the same cohort ; 1 study performed longer analysis with the same cohort ; and 2 other studies contained slightly different analysis with the same or similar cohort .
one was a qualitative study with semistructured interviews , and although these 2 articles assessed different contexts , identical data ( quotes from participants ) were used in both analyses within the different contexts .
redundant publications continue to be a persistent problem despite the widespread recognition that it is an unethical practice .
they can dilute the scientific literature , artificially exaggerate published evidence , increase the workload of editors and reviewers , alter systematic review and meta - analysis conclusions , and reduce the opportunity of other studies being published due to the limited physical space available in most journals . as well , publishing redundant material can violate copyright agreements , which is unlawful . to our knowledge , this is the first study to specifically address the issue of duplicate publications and related problems in the general pediatrics literature .
was identified with our search method ; however , salami - slicing was a much more common practice .
specifically , 45 salami - sliced articles were identified , which corresponded to 2.4% of all index articles .
interestingly , the duplicate rates in other medical fields have been mostly reported to be slightly higher .
a recent study in otolaryngology that used a similar search method showed an overall redundant publication rate of 7.5% .
other studies in plastic surgery ( < 1% ) and in the journal of hand surgery ( 5.5% ) also demonstrated similar rates of duplicates , although the search methods were different . even with similar search methods , classifying suspected duplicates
is a subjective process as the definition of salami - slicing , as mentioned above , can vary .
this caveat should be noted when interpreting these studies , as well as the present study . to this end
, future studies may employ plagiarism detection software that can provide a more objective analysis . however , there are concerns even with plagiarism detection software since most are designed to look for word matches , and if authors simply alter wording or phrases , redundancy may not easily be detected .
although salami - slicing is not always considered unethical , it is regarded by many to be a deceptive practice .
for instance , multiple studies can originate from a large complex database or different qualitative themes can be reported using a single cohort s in - depth interviews .
in other words , there are scenarios where dividing up data from the same or similar source may be appropriate and can actually help the publication to be more presentable and readable . yet
it is a practice that has been discouraged by many editors of prominent medical journals . at the very least
as well , authors should be encouraged to declare in their initial publication that they intend to perform and publish follow - up studies , if possible .
this may allow editors and reviewers to ascertain whether there is a future potential for salami - slicing and to judge whether this should be considered appropriate . in the current study ,
however , some authors did not reference the index article , even though there was clear overlap .
that is , the salami - sliced article reported longer follow - up data but the methods , results , and conclusions were identical or very similar to the index article .
again , such practice may not technically be unethical , but the original study should clearly be referenced in the subsequent article(s ) , even if authors explicitly acknowledge the reuse of data sets in the letter of submission .
perhaps authors should publish follow - up studies with similar findings as brief scientific communications with a clear reference to the initial study or delay publishing until the entire study has been completed .
we adopted a simplistic approach to categorize salami - sliced articles as legitimate ( see above ) , and others may define legitimate salami - slicing differently .
that is , some of the salami - sliced articles that were judged not to be in the legitimate category in this study may be acceptable to some authors .
although there is variability in defining what may be considered legitimate salami - slicing , we believe there should be increased awareness of this practice in readers of pediatrics journals .
they were chosen because they have the highest impact factors , and most researchers aspire to publish in such reputable journals . however , the acceptance rate for these journals is relatively low due to the rigorous review process and the high number of manuscript submissions .
thus , it is likely that the duplication rate could have been higher if more or other journals were used to identify the index articles .
as well , there are numerous open access journals that are not indexed in pubmed and the gray literature , which may both contain more duplicates .
similarly , the index articles from only 1 year ( 2010 ) were selected , and the duplicate search period involved 2 years before and 2 years after to span a total of 5 years .
presumably , some authors may have published redundant articles beyond the searched time period , thus underrepresenting the duplication rate .
however , previous studies have shown that most duplicates tend to occur within a few months of each other .
one potential reason for this close timeline may be due to authors submitting dual studies at or near the same time to avoid literature search detection by the reviewers and editors .
another search factor that may have led to the underestimation of the duplication rate may have been the inclusion of only select authors names and the inclusion of only english language articles . however , our search was more exhaustive than previous studies since we combined first or second , and last authors names of the index articles , while previous studies used narrower search methodology .
regarding the language limitation , there is evidence that redundant publication in the form of different languages is common in some parts of the world .
the cause of duplicate publication has not been well studied . the most likely motivation behind this practice is to expand one s number of publications on their curriculum vitae .
perhaps there should be more meaningful and sensible methods to assess the merit of a researcher s scientific contribution rather than relying on the number of publications . more emphasis
should be placed on the scientific rigor and content , and measures such as citation indices may help reduce the rate of duplicate material in the scientific literature .
salami - slicing was a common practice in the general pediatrics literature identified with our search method .
studies of high level of evidence , such as rcts , were at greatest risk for salami - slicing and thus continued surveillance and rigorous review in the future is warranted . | pubmed |
A song of Ice and Fire Mi precioso, precioso mundo imaginario
* Muy Gore y desagradable. Spoilers para Choque de Reyes / Segunda Temporada. No he leído más allá de la mitad de CHdR, todo esto es pura especulación. Sansa me produce sentimientos encontrados, la mayor parte del tiempo la odio, pero en este fic la amo mucho.*
Sansa vive en su mundo imaginario la mayor parte del tiempo.
Todos piensan, los que la conocen –creen conocerla- y los que no, que se refugia a soñar con su vida en Invernalia. Creen que fantasea con que Ser Loras o Lord Beric vendrá a rescatarla y la devolverá a su castillo y se enamorará de ella. Creen que es lo que parece: estúpida.
Si todos viesen el mundo en el que la niña vive, quizás la mirarían con otros ojos, o no la insultarían con tanto descaro.
El mundo interior en el que Sansa vive es de color rojo. Está teñido de suelo a techo con la sangre de las entrañas de Joffrey, que cuelgan de las lámparas de lujosos salones, rellenan los colchones de Varys, Petyr, Cersei, y todos los demás, y los obliga a dormir envueltos en su hedor.
En su fantasía Joffrey es un monstruo de mil cabezas que ella misma clava en mil picas, con sus dos mil ojos devorados por dos mil cuervos blancos, los mismos que anuncian la llegada del verano, de los buenos tiempos y augurios.
Todo empezó cuando ella misma fue obligada a observar la cabeza de su padre en lo alto de las almenas. Aquella vez miró, pero no vio. Comprendió que Joffrey no podía obligarla a vivir como él quería dentro de su mente. Fuera, por medio de amenazas, sí. Pero no en su mundo.
Y todo empezó en ese momento porque estuvo más cerca que nunca. Un pequeño empujoncito habría cambiado para siempre la historia de los Siete Reinos. Un pequeño empujón y la cabecita dorada de Joffrey y su puta corona se habrían estrellado contra el suelo diez metros más abajo. Odió mucho al Perro cuando se lo impidió.
Pero hoy en día no. Hoy en día se lo agradece. "_Por supuesto, a ella la habrían torturado y decapitado por haber matado al Rey", _pueden decir algunos_._ Sansa a lo que menos le teme es a la muerte. Hoy por hoy, Sansa no le tiene miedo a nada. No hay nada que puedan hacerle que le fastidie más que saber que Joffrey sigue existiendo. No, qué va, Sansa no celebra el vivir para ver un nuevo amanecer. Sansa celebra estar viva porque no quiere una muerte lenta para Joffrey.
Ella quiere verlo sufrir. Quiere que su mundo exterior sea como el interior. De un rojo vivo y brillante.
Tiene un plan. Las mujeres Stark no sólo son inteligentes, sino también frías y calculadoras. Su plan pasa por delante de sus ojos cada noche antes de dormir, y la manda al mundo de los sueños con una sonrisa en la boca.
Primero, sumergirá la cabeza de Cersei en ácido. La bella reina. Después irá metiendo partes de su cuerpo, despacio, hasta que sea una masa informe y grotesca. La golpeará ella misma, pero no hasta la muerte. Cómo le sobrevendrá la muerte lo tiene muy claro: Cersei Lannister morirá empalada.
Después será Jaime, el Matarreyes. Le cortará la lengua y los dedos con la misma espada con la que se deshonró a sí mismo matando a Aerys Targaryen. Después lo mandará desollar vivo, y si consigue seguir respirando después, bueno… dejará que muera desangrado.
A Tywin Lannister aún no había tenido el placer de conocerlo, pero un hombre capaz de engendrar semejantes monstruos debía ser el enviado de los mismísimos Siete Infiernos. Él moriría como su propio padre. En el mismo lugar, el Septon Supremo, por la mano del mismo hombre, y por el filo de _Hielo_. Estaría desnudo y cubierto de desechos, despojado de su escarlata y su oro, y con ningún rastro de dignidad.
Les diría a todos que Tommen y Myrcella serían vendidos a esclavistas para su servicio en las casas de placer de las ciudades libres, pero no lo haría. Los niños no tenían la culpa de estar rodeados de dementes, y eran bastante decentes como seres humanos.
Tyrion sería mandado a vestir el negro. Eso enfurecería más a Joffrey que una muerte rápida. El hombrecillo había demostrado compasión hacia ella, y ella le mostraría compasión perdonándole la vida.
El resto del Consejo y de la corte, incluida la Guardia Real, la Guardia de la Ciudad, la Guardia de la Reina, etc. serían quemados vivos. En una pira. Sansa casi podía escuchar el sonido de los gritos de todos ellos, entremezclados y componiendo una sinfonía del horror de lo más perfecta.
Y cuando llegase a Joffrey… el plato final, el más dulce de todos. El Protector de los Siete Reinos moriría reinando, sentado en su trono. Tras ver el horror que había sufrido toda su familia, Sansa lo mandaría mutilar de las formas más… creativas posibles, empezando por la polla y siguiendo por cada una de sus extremidades, pero no le dejaría morir por las heridas, que irían siendo cauterizadas. Joffrey moriría en su amado trono de hierro, devorado por las ratas. Cientos y cientos de ratas, cebándose en su carne aún viva, arrancándole las entrañas y desgarrando sus músculos. Y en el momento justo antes de perder el último aliento de vida, allí estaría ella, vestida de blanco, empuñando a su querida _Comecorazones_, para asestarle el golpe final. Aún estaba estudiando dónde se lo propinaría. Entre los ojos, en el corazón haciendo honor a su nombre, en lo que quedase de su estómago… daba igual. El caso es que la sangre de Joffrey mancharía su vestido blanco, sus manos, su cara y su pelo limpio. Gotearía de sus dedos y caería tibia sobre sus pies descalzos. Le cortaría la cabeza después, y la pondría en la más alta de las espadas del trono, la central, y allí se sentaría ella, a mirar a todos sus vasallos, temblorosos, preguntándose quién sería el próximo. Desde allí, bajo la atenta mirada del difunto Rey Joffrey, ella inspiraría terror, y pasarían a llamarla "_La Reina Loca_" cuando quemase hasta los cimientos la Fortaleza Roja. Le encantaba ese sobrenombre. Pero ella nunca sería reina de nada, porque una vez acabado su trabajo volvería a su sitio, con su familia, con sus hermanos pequeños y a servir a su nuevo señor, Lord Robb Stark. Volvería con su madre, e incluso iría al Muro a visitar a Jon. Visitaría la cripta de su familia y hablaría con su padre. Le contaría todo lo que había hecho y cómo había sido debidamente vengado. Le hablaría de hacer justicia y de lo poco noble que había sido lo que había hecho, pero le detallaría la satisfacción que le había producido cada gota de sangre cruelmente derramada.
Así que sí, conservando las esperanzas de que sus sueños de niña estúpida se hiciesen realidad, se alegraba de que Sandor Clegane le hubiese impedido despeñar a Joffrey aquella cálida tarde de verano… porque lo que le esperaba a su Alteza, era la más fría y cruel de las muertes norteñas.
End file.
| fanfiction |
p3ht ( 9194 % regioregular , rieke metals ) was dissolved in chlorobenzene ( vwr chemicals ) with a concentration of 0.15
mol l and spin - coated ( 7080 nm ) on znse / pt crystal and glass / ito ( 15 sq , xinyan ) , respectively .
quinacridone ( tci ) was purified by repeated temperature gradient sublimation and vacuum - evaporated ( 90100 nm ) on both substrates mentioned before .
subsequently , a thin layer ( 40 nm ) of pva ( 99 + % hydrolyzed , aldrich ) solution , 7 mg pva dissolved in 1 ml deionized water , was spin - coated ( 900 rpm ; 3 seconds ) onto the pigment and polymer , respectively , and finally dried under air .
the thickness of the pva layer was measured by a dektak profilometer ( bruker ) .
pt served as a counter electrode ( ce ) and a silver wire coated with agcl as a quasi - reference electrode ( qre ) , see ref . for fabrication details .
a glass / ito electrode covered with a thin film of the studied material , which was deposited as described above , has been used as working electrode ( we ) . in the case of p3ht
, we used a concentration of 0.3 mol l. a solution of 0.1 m tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate ( tbapf6 , 99 % , fluka analytical ) in acetonitrile ( roth ) was used as an electrolyte solution .
the midpoint potential of the ferrocene / ferrocenium redox couple was found to be + 353 mv vs. ag / agcl ( for a description of non - aqueous reference potential determination see for example , ref . ) .
the cyclic voltammograms were recorded at a scan rate of 10 mv s by sweeping the potential between 0 mv and 650 mv for p3ht and between 0 mv and 1400 mv for quinacridone .
all spectroscopic measurements have been performed with an ifs 66/s spectrometer ( bruker ) using the atr - ftir technique . for the spectroelectrochemical cell , shown schematically in figure 1 , we used znse / pt / studied material as a we , pt electrode as a ce and an ag / agcl electrode as a qre
. znse was covered with a thin layer of pt ( 7 nm ) serving as ir - transparent electrode for contacting the we .
we used the same electrolyte solution as mentioned above , which flows through the cell during the measurement .
we changed the potential for p3ht between 0 mv and 600 mv in steps of 100 mv and for quinacridone from 0 mv to 1300 mv , also in steps of 100 mv .
we plotted the spectra as log(tox / tref ) , where tref is the spectrum obtained at 0 mv for quinacridone and p3ht , respectively , and all other related spectra during oxidation are denoted as tox .
p3ht ( 9194 % regioregular , rieke metals ) was dissolved in chlorobenzene ( vwr chemicals ) with a concentration of 0.15
mol l and spin - coated ( 7080 nm ) on znse / pt crystal and glass / ito ( 15 sq , xinyan ) , respectively .
quinacridone ( tci ) was purified by repeated temperature gradient sublimation and vacuum - evaporated ( 90100 nm ) on both substrates mentioned before .
subsequently , a thin layer ( 40 nm ) of pva ( 99 + % hydrolyzed , aldrich ) solution , 7 mg pva dissolved in 1 ml deionized water , was spin - coated ( 900 rpm ; 3 seconds ) onto the pigment and polymer , respectively , and finally dried under air .
the thickness of the pva layer was measured by a dektak profilometer ( bruker ) .
pt served as a counter electrode ( ce ) and a silver wire coated with agcl as a quasi - reference electrode ( qre ) , see ref . for fabrication details .
a glass / ito electrode covered with a thin film of the studied material , which was deposited as described above , has been used as working electrode ( we ) . in the case of p3ht
, we used a concentration of 0.3 mol l. a solution of 0.1 m tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate ( tbapf6 , 99 % , fluka analytical ) in acetonitrile ( roth ) was used as an electrolyte solution .
the midpoint potential of the ferrocene / ferrocenium redox couple was found to be + 353 mv vs. ag / agcl ( for a description of non - aqueous reference potential determination see for example , ref . ) .
the cyclic voltammograms were recorded at a scan rate of 10 mv s by sweeping the potential between 0 mv and 650 mv for p3ht and between 0 mv and 1400 mv for quinacridone .
all spectroscopic measurements have been performed with an ifs 66/s spectrometer ( bruker ) using the atr - ftir technique . for the spectroelectrochemical cell , shown schematically in figure 1 , we used znse / pt / studied material as a we , pt electrode as a ce and an ag / agcl electrode as a qre
. znse was covered with a thin layer of pt ( 7 nm ) serving as ir - transparent electrode for contacting the we .
we used the same electrolyte solution as mentioned above , which flows through the cell during the measurement .
we changed the potential for p3ht between 0 mv and 600 mv in steps of 100 mv and for quinacridone from 0 mv to 1300 mv , also in steps of 100 mv .
we plotted the spectra as log(tox / tref ) , where tref is the spectrum obtained at 0 mv for quinacridone and p3ht , respectively , and all other related spectra during oxidation are denoted as tox .
as a service to our authors and readers , this journal provides supporting information supplied by the authors .
such materials are peer reviewed and may be re - organized for online delivery , but are not copy - edited or typeset . technical support issues arising from supporting information ( other than missing files ) should be addressed to the authors | pubmed |
Why is the universe expanding while its components actually attract each other?
First of all, what's the difference between gravity & gravitation? Anyway that's not the actual question. If every matter attracts each other toward itself, then wasn't the universe supposed to be compact at a point rather than expanding?
Your question assumes that the universe started out as a point at the Big Bang and then expanded outwards, however this is not the case. Have a look at my answer to [Did the Big Bang happen at a point?](https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/136860/did-the-big-bang-happen-at-a-point) for more on this.
However your main point remains, that is shouldn't gravity be slowing the expansion, and indeed it did until a few billion years ago.
The expanding universe is described by a solution to Einstein's equations called the FLRW metric. When we solve the equations we find out that the universe had to start out expanding. We describe the expansion by a scale factor $a$, and the expansion rate can be described by the rate of change of the scale factor $\dot{a}$. The equations tells us that the expansion rate $\dot{a}$ has indeed slowed down with time as the mutual gravity of all the matter in the universe opposes the expansion.
Until recently we expected that this slowing would continue and almost but not quite bring the expansion to a complete stop. However we have since discovered dark energy, which has the opposite effect to matter and causes the expansion to speed up not slow down. Dark energy only dominates when the matter density falls below a certain value and this happened a few billion years ago. So for the last few billion years the expansion has been speeding up and we expect it to carry on speeding up fo the forseeable future.
If you're interested to know more I describe how the scale factor is calculated in [How does the Hubble parameter change with the age of the universe?](https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/136056/how-does-the-hubble-parameter-change-with-the-age-of-the-universe).
EDIT As John Rennie points out, my answer here is incorrect. To quote John
>
> I have to say I think this answer is entirely wrong. You give the impression that the universe is expanding outwards from a point, which it isn't, and the expansion rate is an initial condition. In fact gravity was slowing the expansion until a few billion years ago when dark energy took over and started accelerating the expansion again.
>
>
>
As I can't delete the answer below and, rather than edit it, I would prefer to leave it as is in order to correct a misconception about the big bang that might be widely shared.
Please read my answer in the light of John's comment and his post [Did the big bang happen at a point?](https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/136860/did-the-big-bang-happen-at-a-point). END EDIT
You mean, just immediately after the big bang, is the universe thought to have been compact? Yes.
If you assume, as we do, that the expansion of space of the universe following the big bang was a (much) larger "outward" force than the attractive (but very weak) force of gravity, that might answer your question
For example, I, as just a not very strong human, can easily pull a small rock away from the ground, despite the **whole** earth trying to pull it back. That's how weak gravity is. (Or the gravitational force, as in your first line).
Also, at the time immediately after the big bang, matter as we now know it did not exist, it was energy/radiation rather than anything like the stars and galaxies we see today.
There are lots of similar questions to yours on this site, have a search, or look at [Expanding Universe](http://www.space.com/52-the-expanding-universe-from-the-big-bang-to-today.html)
You are correct that the gravity of everythig in the Unuverse should have contracted the universe from everything we know, but the fact is we don't have all the answers. For example, what caused the big bang? What cause the sudden inflation? what is dark energy?
String theory has some potential answers for the initial inflation but string theory has run into problems when it tries to unify quantum mechanics with General Relativity. Dark energy is still a mystery but it is the only way the behavior of the expansion of the universe can be explained. In order for a theory to be valid the thoery has to be able to predict things that can be verified independantly of the problem the theory is trying to solve. it's not enough to say thet there is dark energy causing the expansion. Dark energy has to be explained and predictions from the explanation have to be verified.
It's a very exciting time for physics where hopefully some new ideas will emerge.
| stackexchange/physics |
Blood+ 1. A Promise to Kill, A Resolve to Die
Prologue: A Promise to Kill, A Resolve to Die
She slowly reached out and with a moment's hesitation, finally touched the back of her companion's hand with hers. "Haji...I need you...to do me a favor..." She couldn't look him in the eyes, she couldn't bear to see the sadness she was about to inflict upon her most trusted Chevalier, she could hardly hold back her tears at the thought of hurting Haji.
Yet this was something she had to ask. This was something only he could do.
With a smile, Haji whispered, his greenish-grey eyes looking lovingly at the girl, who seemed to be no older than sixteen. "Saya, you know that I will do everything that I can to help you get what you need."
Saya bit her bottom lip, to the point where she could barely stand the pain. "I need you to make me a promise..."
"A promise?" He could feel her grip his hand more firmly than before. "Saya...what kind of promise?"
A tear fell, and slid slowly down Saya's cheek, and when she spoke, her voice shook. "That when this is all over, Haji you'll..." Another tear fell, and her body trembled as badly as her voice had, the silent sobs of anguish tortured her. When she felt she couldn't take any more of it, she did the first thing that came to her mind and cried out what it was that she needed Haji to promise to. "When this is all over, I need you to kill me, Haji!"
Every breath that Haji held onto escaped at that moment, only he wasn't allowed to die...he couldn't die from this kind of wound. "Kill you? Wh-what do you mean, Saya?"
Her shoulders slumped forward in defeat, she'd hurt the one person she'd vowed to never hurt, at least no more than the damage she'd already inflicted on him. "Haji...you and I both know what I am...and I could never co-exist with humans...not after learning that I'm..." She looked down at the hand that was still using to clutch onto Haji's. "That's why...after I defeat Diva...after I complete this mission that I'm setting out to do...I want you to kill me with your own hands...Haji, you're the only one who can do this for me..."
"But Saya...I-"
"Promise me, Haji!"
With a sigh, he quietly whispered, "I promise that when this is all over, I will kill you, if that is still your wish at that time..."
Saya nodded, and released Haji's hand, "Thank you."
2. The Time of Awakening
Chapter 1: The Time of Awakening
He held onto the bow with his right hand, careful so as not to get the bandage that had been wound to cover every inch of the skin, caught in the strings of the cello as he played. Ever so gently he caressed the strings with the bow, creating beautiful music as he calculated his every movement. His eyes were closed, yet he didn't miss a single beat. The music flowed and filled the air around him.
He existed within a cocoon of sound.
As the notes reverberated off of the stone walls, he waited, knowing that at any moment it would happen.
She would awaken, and their search would continue.
It had been thirty years since Saya'd fallen into her usual hibernation, and Haji was eager to see her walking around once again.
Although the only reason that he was there waiting for her to awake wasn't just that he missed her, it was the fact that after waking up she would need to feed on blood.
Her Chevalier's blood.
Haji's blood.
And as her protector, friend and lifelong companion, he was more than happy to oblige and give her what she needed.
Whether it be a lover, a shoulder to cry on, or simply just another hand to hold as she continued on with her fight.
He would be there, no matter what the occasion might be, he would never leave his post as her Chevalier.
That had been his personal promise to himself.
So as the music continued to play on, he waited, waited for the magical moment that would be his and Saya's reunion.
Hour after hour passed, yet the cocoon that Saya had woven around herself as a means of protection while she slept remained intact.
Eventually, just as Haji's song came to an end, just as the last lingering note faded into inexistence, the cocoon's surface rippled, and instantly grabbed Haji's attention.
Gradually a rip in the fabric that made up the cocoon appeared, extending down the center of it, until at last, a gaping hole was all that remained of that side of the cocoon, and in its place, was Saya.
Her eyes were still closed, but she gently shook her head from side-to-side in slight jerky motions, as if she were trapped in a nightmare. Her black hair had become overgrown, and like a vine had found itself wrapped around her arms, legs and torso. She was wearing no clothes, and her hair was the only means of covering her body from Haji's eyes.
Despite all of this, it was Saya's face that Haji kept looking at, a small smile forming upon his lips, and ever so quietly he whispered out to her, "Saya I have missed you so."
End file.
| fanfiction |
this was a cross - sectional analysis of gxts among individuals screened for participation in the look ahead clinical trial ( 8) . individuals with previously diagnosed diabetes , aged 4576 years , with bmi 25 kg / m ( 27 kg / m if using insulin ) were recruited .
informed consent was obtained from all participants before screening , consistent with the declaration of helsinki and each center 's institutional review board guidelines .
participants were excluded if they had baseline a1c 11% , resting blood pressure 160/100 mmhg , fasting triglycerides 600 mg / dl , or factors that might limit their successful participation in an intensive lifestyle intervention focused on weight loss .
individuals with a history of recent or significant cardiovascular disease or symptoms ( defined in ref .
eligible participants underwent a maximal gxt within 3 months of the initial examination . study entry flow diagram .
participants included in the present analysis were the 5,783 individuals seen in screening visit 3 .
immediately before the gxt , a brief physical examination was conducted to assess contraindications to exercise which , if present , disqualified volunteers from further participation .
however , because heart rate data from participants using -blockers were not considered informative , these heart rate data are not included in this report . other data from participants taking -blockers ( e.g. , st segment changes ) are included .
all gxts were done before randomization , and the analyses herein include the 5,783 individuals who underwent the gxt , regardless of whether they were ultimately randomized .
full details of the look ahead design and methods ( 8) and participants ( 9 ) are reported elsewhere .
height and weight were measured using standard protocols and were used to calculate bmi ( weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters ) .
seated heart rate and blood pressure measurements were obtained after a 5-min rest using an automated dinamap monitor pro 100 .
the gxt protocol was designed such that most participants would achieve maximal voluntary exertion over 812 min , in accordance with american college of sports medicine recommendations ( 10 ) . a supine resting 12-lead electrocardiogram ( ecg )
each participant started walking on the treadmill at 1.5 mph on a level ( 0% ) grade , and speed was increased gradually by 0.5 mph units until the participant reached a brisk but comfortable self - selected walking speed or 4.0 mph .
this self - selected treadmill speed was used for the gxt . after a brief rest
the speed remained constant while the grade was increased by 1% every minute until voluntary exhaustion or until the participant exhibited or reported signs or symptoms of exercise intolerance , using american college of sports medicine criteria ( 10 ) . during the last 10 s of each exercise stage and at the point of test termination , heart rate was measured from a 12-lead ecg , and rating of perceived exertion ( rpe ) was obtained using the borg 15-category scale ( 10 ) . under this rpe scale , the participant reports exertion levels along a scale from 6 ( no exertion ) to 20 ( maximal exertion ) .
blood pressure was measured during the last 45 s of each even minute exercise stage ( i.e. , stages 2 , 4 , and 6 ) and at the point of test termination .
peak exercise capacity expressed as mets was estimated from treadmill speed and elevation ( 10 ) . at test termination , the participant was placed in a supine position with heart rate and blood pressure monitored at 2-min intervals for at least 8 min or until the supervising physician indicated that sufficient recovery had occurred . the supervising physician was asked to record any significant st segment changes , type and frequency of arrhythmias , ecg - determined heart rate , and blood pressure at rest and at specified times during each test .
abnormal gxt results were defined by criteria related to risk of acute exercise - related cardiovascular events or cvd mortality : electrocardiographic changes suggestive of coronary ischemia ( st segment depression of 1.0 mm ) or ventricular arrhythmias ( ventricular fibrillation , ventricular tachycardia , runs of at least three premature ventricular contractions , or exercise - induced bundle branch block ) , exercise - induced angina , abnormal hemodynamic response ( heart rate recovery < 22 bpm over 2 min after exercise ) , and impaired exercise capacity ( highest achieved workload of < 5 mets ) . because of the lack of a consensus threshold for defining an abnormal systolic blood pressure ( sbp ) response , this was analyzed as a continuous variable .
logistic regression was used to assess relationships between the prevalence of each abnormality and individual risk factors .
full details of the look ahead design and methods ( 8) and participants ( 9 ) are reported elsewhere . height and weight
were measured using standard protocols and were used to calculate bmi ( weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters ) .
seated heart rate and blood pressure measurements were obtained after a 5-min rest using an automated dinamap monitor pro 100 .
the gxt protocol was designed such that most participants would achieve maximal voluntary exertion over 812 min , in accordance with american college of sports medicine recommendations ( 10 ) . a supine resting 12-lead electrocardiogram ( ecg )
each participant started walking on the treadmill at 1.5 mph on a level ( 0% ) grade , and speed was increased gradually by 0.5 mph units until the participant reached a brisk but comfortable self - selected walking speed or 4.0 mph .
this self - selected treadmill speed was used for the gxt . after a brief rest
the speed remained constant while the grade was increased by 1% every minute until voluntary exhaustion or until the participant exhibited or reported signs or symptoms of exercise intolerance , using american college of sports medicine criteria ( 10 ) . during the last 10 s of each exercise stage and at the point of test termination , heart rate was measured from a 12-lead ecg , and rating of perceived exertion ( rpe ) was obtained using the borg 15-category scale ( 10 ) . under this rpe scale , the participant reports exertion levels along a scale from 6 ( no exertion ) to 20 ( maximal exertion ) .
blood pressure was measured during the last 45 s of each even minute exercise stage ( i.e. , stages 2 , 4 , and 6 ) and at the point of test termination .
peak exercise capacity expressed as mets was estimated from treadmill speed and elevation ( 10 ) . at test termination , the participant was placed in a supine position with heart rate and blood pressure monitored at 2-min intervals for at least 8 min or until the supervising physician indicated that sufficient recovery had occurred . the supervising physician was asked to record any significant st segment changes , type and frequency of arrhythmias , ecg - determined heart rate , and blood pressure at rest and at specified times during each test .
abnormal gxt results were defined by criteria related to risk of acute exercise - related cardiovascular events or cvd mortality : electrocardiographic changes suggestive of coronary ischemia ( st segment depression of 1.0 mm ) or ventricular arrhythmias ( ventricular fibrillation , ventricular tachycardia , runs of at least three premature ventricular contractions , or exercise - induced bundle branch block ) , exercise - induced angina , abnormal hemodynamic response ( heart rate recovery
< 22 bpm over 2 min after exercise ) , and impaired exercise capacity ( highest achieved workload of < 5 mets ) .
because of the lack of a consensus threshold for defining an abnormal systolic blood pressure ( sbp ) response , this was analyzed as a continuous variable .
logistic regression was used to assess relationships between the prevalence of each abnormality and individual risk factors .
look ahead screened 27,260 potential participants , of whom 5,783 underwent a gxt ( fig . 1 ) and are described in table 1 .
their mean achieved rpe was 19.3 , and the 25th percentile was 19 , according to the borg scale , which indicates that most participants reported being at or very near maximal voluntary effort .
2 ) , and 638 subjects were not randomly assigned into the look ahead trial because of safety concerns due to gxt abnormalities . the most frequent abnormality was impaired exercise capacity ( 12.0% ) , followed by st segment depression ( 7.6% ) , heart rate recovery abnormalities ( 5.0% ) , exercise - induced angina ( 1.1% ) , and ventricular arrhythmias ( 0.7% ) .
characteristics of cohort receiving baseline gxt * ethnicity is missing for 58 participants because of a change in how it was recorded .
self - report of prior heart attack , stroke , transient ischemia attack , bypass surgery , angioplasty , endarterectomy , congestive heart failure , or stent . number or prevalence ( % ) of abnormal test prevalence by predictor variables
b : abnormal test prevalence ( % ) by sex : , men ; , women .
c : abnormal test prevalence ( % ) by age : , 4554 years ; , 5564 years ; , 6575 years .
d : abnormal test prevalence ( % ) by ethnicity : , latino ; , not latino .
e : abnormal test prevalence ( % ) by race : , african american ; , american indian ; , white ; , other / multiracial / unknown .
f : abnormal test prevalence ( % ) by use of blood pressure medicines : , yes ; , no .
g : abnormal test prevalence ( % ) by systolic blood pressure : , < 120 mmhg ; , 120129 mmhg ; , 130139 mmhg ; , 140149 mmhg ; , 150159 mmhg .
h : abnormal test prevalence ( % ) by diastolic blood pressure : , < 70 mmhg ; , 7084 mmhg ; , at least 85 mmhg .
i : abnormal test prevalence ( % ) by years with diabetes : , < 5 years ; , 5 to < 10 years ; , at least 10 years .
j : abnormal test prevalence ( % ) by cardiovascular disease history : , yes ; , no .
k : abnormal test prevalence ( % ) by bmi : , 25 to < 30 kg / m ; , 30 to < 35
kg / m ; , 35 to < 40 kg / m ; , at least 40 kg / m .
l : abnormal test prevalence ( % ) by use of insulin : , yes ; , no . * p < 0.05 .
ang , exercise - induced angina ; arr , ventricular arrhythmia ( ventricular fibrillation , ventricular tachycardia , runs of at least three premature ventricular beats , or exercise - induced bundle branch block ) ; any , any abnormality from among those listed ; ex c , impaired exercise capacity ( highest achieved workload of < 5.0 mets ; hrr , heart rate recovery of < 22 bpm over 2 min after exercise ; st , st segment depression of at least 1.0 mm .
the bivariate associations between each category of abnormality and predictor variables are shown in fig . 2 and supplementary table a1 ( available in an online appendix at http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/dc09-1787/dc1 ) .
greater mean sbp responses were observed for participants who were male , younger , non - latino , or african american ; did not use antihypertensive medications or insulin ; and had midrange resting sbp or higher resting diastolic blood pressure ( dbp ) , shorter duration of diabetes , no history of cvd , or bmi < 40 kg / m ( table 2 ) .
systolic blood pressure response ( maximum minus pretest resting ) and maximum mets among risk factor subgroups data are means sd .
higher workload was attained by participants who were male , younger , or latino ; were not taking blood pressure medications ; had lower baseline sbp , higher baseline dbp , shorter durations of diabetes , no history of cvd , or lower bmi ; or did not use insulin ( table 2 ) .
more than one in five ( 22.5% ) look ahead participants had an abnormal gxt despite a prescreening process that excluded anyone who reported cvd symptoms during the previous 3 months or those with any history of several cvd abnormalities .
other studies have sought to determine the prevalence of cvd in individuals with diabetes , using various markers for cvd . in the milan study on atherosclerosis in diabetes ( misad ) ( 4,5 ) , all participants had diabetes and were aged 4065 years at study entry , and only st segment changes constituted an abnormal gxt . in misad , 13.2% of the 735 participants had abnormal tests .
although this overall abnormal rate is lower than what we observed , misad had a higher rate of st segment changes than our population did ( 7.6% ) .
the detection of ischemia in asymptomatic diabetics ( diad ) ( 13 ) study , which evaluated 522 individuals with type 2 diabetes , who were aged 5075 years and had no history of cvd , found that 113 ( 22% ) had abnormal adenosine perfusion stress tests . to the extent that these markers approximate true cvd , the prevalence of cvd in middle - aged asymptomatic diabetic adults is likely between 13 and 22% .
although this is the first description of such a large group of diabetic participants to undergo stress testing , in nondiabetic populations , the association of greater age with gxt abnormalities has been known for several decades ( 14 ) . of the participants ,
12% were not able to attain a workload of at least 5 mets , with 58% of the abnormal tests due to impaired exercise capacity .
of those who did not achieve at least 5 mets , 73.6% reported a borg score of at least 19 , compared with 83.6% of those who did reach at least 5 mets ( p < 0.001 ) .
therefore , motivation may have been a factor in poor exercise capacity for some participants .
( 15 ) found that among the 5,145 randomized look ahead participants , greater age , higher bmi , and higher a1c predicted lower exercise capacity .
the present analysis , which includes participants not randomized and thus may represent a broader and potentially more generalizable cross - section of the diabetic population , also adds analysis of ecg and blood pressure variables .
in contrast to the report of ribisl et al . , the association between a1c and impaired exercise capacity is not present in this larger sample
( 2 ) showed that in 6,213 men referred for a clinical exercise test , 25.5% failed to achieved a maximal exercise capacity of 5 mets , and those with diabetes had an age - adjusted relative mortality risk from any cause of 2.3 ( 95% ci 1.53.5 ) compared with those who achieved > 8 mets . in our study , the lower prevalence ( 12% ) of impaired exercise capacity may be explained in part by population differences .
participants in the study of myers et al . underwent exercise testing for clinical reasons , which included symptomatic cvd or other conditions for which potential participants in look ahead were excluded before stress testing .
this analysis showed divergent directions of association between sbp and dbp and impaired exercise capacity .
these bivariate associations persist in regression models in which sbp and dbp are controlled for each other .
elevated sbp is a well - recognized risk factor for cvd and has been associated with decreased exercise endurance ( 16 ) .
sufficiently elevated dbp is also a diagnostic criterion for hypertension and is associated with adverse cvd events ( 17 ) and ischemia ( 4 ) .
however , in older populations , lower dbp is associated with cvd ( 18 ) and is believed to result from decreased compliance of the aorta and its large branches due to atherosclerotic disease ( 19 ) .
wider pulse pressure has been shown to be a strong predictor of cvd events in older individuals with type 2 diabetes ( 20 ) .
some younger look ahead participants may be expected to have less central atherosclerotic burden and , hence , better arterial compliance , on the basis of age alone . however , all participants had type 2 diabetes .
the clear association of lower dbp with abnormal gxts in this population suggests that decreased arterial compliance may originate at an earlier age in individuals with diabetes .
st segment depression of at least 1.0 mm is a recognized threshold for an abnormal ecg response to exercise .
this definition provides a sensitivity of 45% and a specificity of 85% for coronary artery disease diagnosed by angiography ( 21 ) .
factors associated with an increased risk of st segment depression and ventricular arrhythmia included greater age and lower bmi .
the association of lower bmi with ecg changes may be explained by the increased rate of impaired exercise capacity with higher bmi . those with a lower bmi exercised to a higher level ( table 2 ) , creating a greater cardiac stress , which increased the chance of detecting st segment changes or arrhythmias .
the recent acknowledgment that diabetes imparts risk of cvd events equivalent to a known history of cvd ( 22 ) makes our observed rate of angina seem low ( 1.1% ) for a cohort of individuals with diabetes aged > 45 years . however , before the gxt , we excluded potential participants who reported recent angina .
nevertheless , our data show that even in asymptomatic overweight or obese adults with diabetes who have been carefully screened for cardiovascular symptoms , angina still occurs with maximal stress testing , albeit at a rate of 1.1% .
many of the predictors of abnormal heart rate recovery we found are known risk factors for cvd ( 22 ) .
as discussed , those with lower bmi exercised to higher met levels than those with higher bmi .
this higher inherent workload leads to a higher catecholamine state , which causes less difference between baseline and peak exercise heart rate and a slower heart rate recovery after exercise .
higher bmi was associated with a higher resting and first - stage exercise heart rate and a smaller increase in heart rate from resting to peak exercise ( p < 0.001 in each case , data not shown ) .
others have proposed that either an exaggerated ( 23 ) or a low ( 7,24 ) sbp response may reflect underlying cardiovascular abnormalities . the cross - sectional data presented here do not settle the question of whether a larger or smaller sbp response to exercise increases cvd risk . however , because greater age was associated with every category of established abnormality that we examined and greater age was associated with lower sbp response , it is conceivable that a lower sbp response is associated with higher risk of adverse cvd outcomes .
look ahead gxt eligibility criteria were adopted for participant safety , given that unsupervised exercise training was part of the study intervention .
these tests eliminated 638 potential participants : 11.1% of those reaching the final stage of screening and 49% of those who had abnormal gxt results .
these criteria may reduce the rate of the trial 's primary end point and the generalizability of the findings .
for the first year of testing , data forms included text fields for significant st segment changes and angina ; however , these responses were not required .
this approach was changed thereafter to require physicians to indicate the degree of st depression .
independent reviews by an experienced exercise physiologist and a clinician experienced in gxt were conducted for all tests that included at least 1.0 mm of st depression and the 405 instances when physicians noted st depression but did not quantify it .
the 180 instances for which these two reviewers disagreed were resolved by a cardiologist independent of look ahead , whose decision was final .
full data were not available for the 638 participants who were deemed ineligible for randomization into look ahead by physicians who supervised their gxts , but whose results are included in this analysis , which may have led to an underestimation of abnormality rates . because the present analysis is concerned with baseline data in look ahead , follow - up outcome data on the participants are not available for this report .
some clinicians may argue that our definition of abnormal gxt results may more accurately be termed predictors of cvd events or cvd mortality . whether heart rate recovery and maximal achieved workload should be used to define abnormality or simply be included among a list of risk criteria
is certainly open for debate ; however , for simplicity , we included these factors in what we termed abnormal . among a large cohort of overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes
, 22.5% had abnormal stress tests by ecg , angina , heart rate recovery , or exercise capacity criteria despite thorough pretest screening .
diminished exercise capacity is the most common abnormality in this cohort , occurring at nearly twice the rate of any other abnormality .
the most consistent risk factor for any type of abnormality is older age , which is even a more consistent risk factor than duration of diabetes or history of cvd .
. continued follow - up in these individuals as part of the look ahead study will determine whether any of these abnormalities during exercise testing are accurate predictors of subsequent cardiovascular events .
of the participants , 12% were not able to attain a workload of at least 5 mets , with 58% of the abnormal tests due to impaired exercise capacity . of those who did not achieve at least 5 mets ,
73.6% reported a borg score of at least 19 , compared with 83.6% of those who did reach at least 5 mets ( p < 0.001 ) .
therefore , motivation may have been a factor in poor exercise capacity for some participants .
( 15 ) found that among the 5,145 randomized look ahead participants , greater age , higher bmi , and higher a1c predicted lower exercise capacity .
the present analysis , which includes participants not randomized and thus may represent a broader and potentially more generalizable cross - section of the diabetic population , also adds analysis of ecg and blood pressure variables .
in contrast to the report of ribisl et al . , the association between a1c and impaired exercise capacity is not present in this larger sample
( 2 ) showed that in 6,213 men referred for a clinical exercise test , 25.5% failed to achieved a maximal exercise capacity of 5 mets , and those with diabetes had an age - adjusted relative mortality risk from any cause of 2.3 ( 95% ci 1.53.5 ) compared with those who achieved > 8 mets . in our study , the lower prevalence ( 12% ) of impaired exercise capacity may be explained in part by population differences .
participants in the study of myers et al . underwent exercise testing for clinical reasons , which included symptomatic cvd or other conditions for which potential participants in look ahead were excluded before stress testing .
this analysis showed divergent directions of association between sbp and dbp and impaired exercise capacity .
these bivariate associations persist in regression models in which sbp and dbp are controlled for each other .
elevated sbp is a well - recognized risk factor for cvd and has been associated with decreased exercise endurance ( 16 ) .
sufficiently elevated dbp is also a diagnostic criterion for hypertension and is associated with adverse cvd events ( 17 ) and ischemia ( 4 ) .
however , in older populations , lower dbp is associated with cvd ( 18 ) and is believed to result from decreased compliance of the aorta and its large branches due to atherosclerotic disease ( 19 ) .
wider pulse pressure has been shown to be a strong predictor of cvd events in older individuals with type 2 diabetes ( 20 ) .
some younger look ahead participants may be expected to have less central atherosclerotic burden and , hence , better arterial compliance , on the basis of age alone .
the clear association of lower dbp with abnormal gxts in this population suggests that decreased arterial compliance may originate at an earlier age in individuals with diabetes .
st segment depression of at least 1.0 mm is a recognized threshold for an abnormal ecg response to exercise .
this definition provides a sensitivity of 45% and a specificity of 85% for coronary artery disease diagnosed by angiography ( 21 ) .
factors associated with an increased risk of st segment depression and ventricular arrhythmia included greater age and lower bmi .
the association of lower bmi with ecg changes may be explained by the increased rate of impaired exercise capacity with higher bmi . those with a lower bmi exercised to a higher level ( table 2 ) , creating a greater cardiac stress , which increased the chance of detecting st segment changes or arrhythmias .
the recent acknowledgment that diabetes imparts risk of cvd events equivalent to a known history of cvd ( 22 ) makes our observed rate of angina seem low ( 1.1% ) for a cohort of individuals with diabetes aged > 45 years .
nevertheless , our data show that even in asymptomatic overweight or obese adults with diabetes who have been carefully screened for cardiovascular symptoms , angina still occurs with maximal stress testing , albeit at a rate of 1.1% .
many of the predictors of abnormal heart rate recovery we found are known risk factors for cvd ( 22 ) .
as discussed , those with lower bmi exercised to higher met levels than those with higher bmi .
this higher inherent workload leads to a higher catecholamine state , which causes less difference between baseline and peak exercise heart rate and a slower heart rate recovery after exercise . in fact , our data confirm out this conclusion .
higher bmi was associated with a higher resting and first - stage exercise heart rate and a smaller increase in heart rate from resting to peak exercise ( p < 0.001 in each case , data not shown ) .
others have proposed that either an exaggerated ( 23 ) or a low ( 7,24 ) sbp response may reflect underlying cardiovascular abnormalities .
the cross - sectional data presented here do not settle the question of whether a larger or smaller sbp response to exercise increases cvd risk .
however , because greater age was associated with every category of established abnormality that we examined and greater age was associated with lower sbp response , it is conceivable that a lower sbp response is associated with higher risk of adverse cvd outcomes .
look ahead gxt eligibility criteria were adopted for participant safety , given that unsupervised exercise training was part of the study intervention .
these tests eliminated 638 potential participants : 11.1% of those reaching the final stage of screening and 49% of those who had abnormal gxt results .
these criteria may reduce the rate of the trial 's primary end point and the generalizability of the findings .
for the first year of testing , data forms included text fields for significant st segment changes and angina ; however , these responses were not required .
this approach was changed thereafter to require physicians to indicate the degree of st depression .
independent reviews by an experienced exercise physiologist and a clinician experienced in gxt were conducted for all tests that included at least 1.0 mm of st depression and the 405 instances when physicians noted st depression but did not quantify it .
the 180 instances for which these two reviewers disagreed were resolved by a cardiologist independent of look ahead , whose decision was final .
full data were not available for the 638 participants who were deemed ineligible for randomization into look ahead by physicians who supervised their gxts , but whose results are included in this analysis , which may have led to an underestimation of abnormality rates .
because the present analysis is concerned with baseline data in look ahead , follow - up outcome data on the participants are not available for this report . those with clinically significant abnormalities were referred to their physicians .
some clinicians may argue that our definition of abnormal gxt results may more accurately be termed predictors of cvd events or cvd mortality .
whether heart rate recovery and maximal achieved workload should be used to define abnormality or simply be included among a list of risk criteria is certainly open for debate ; however , for simplicity , we included these factors in what we termed abnormal .
among a large cohort of overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes , 22.5% had abnormal stress tests by ecg , angina , heart rate recovery , or exercise capacity criteria despite thorough pretest screening .
diminished exercise capacity is the most common abnormality in this cohort , occurring at nearly twice the rate of any other abnormality .
the most consistent risk factor for any type of abnormality is older age , which is even a more consistent risk factor than duration of diabetes or history of cvd .
these results support heightened vigilance for cvd in older patients with diabetes . continued follow - up in these individuals as part of the look ahead
study will determine whether any of these abnormalities during exercise testing are accurate predictors of subsequent cardiovascular events . | pubmed |
Richard Tracey born 9 July 1979 is an English former professional footballer. He is currently manager of Emley.
Playing career
Tracey started his professional career at Sheffield United in 1997. On 5 March 1998 he moved to Rotherham United, where he made one start and four substitute appearances before joining Carlisle United, initially on loan, on 12 March 1999. Tracey appeared in the famous Jimmy Glass game against Plymouth Argyle, in which the goalkeeper scored in the 94th minute to keep Carlisle United in The Football League. Tracey went on to make 54 starts and 15 sub appearances for the Cumbrians, scoring 15 goals.
Tracey joined Macclesfield Town in January 2001 and played for the club 37 times, scoring five goals. On 8 March 2002 after falling out of favour with then manager David Moss, Tracey signed for Scarborough but made only one appearance in which he suffered a bad injury for the Seadogs before leaving the professional game and moving into semi-professional football.
Tracey played for several other non-league clubs, including Bradford Park Avenue and Ossett Town, and Ossett Albion.
Managerial career
Tracey managed Ossett Albion between 2013 and 2018. He was appointed manager of Emley in May 2019.
References
Category:1979 births
Category:Living people
Category:Sportspeople from Dewsbury
Category:Association football forwards
Category:Sheffield United F.C. players
Category:Rotherham United F.C. players
Category:Carlisle United F.C. players
Category:Macclesfield Town F.C. players
Category:Gateshead F.C. players
Category:Scarborough F.C. players
Category:Stocksbridge Park Steels F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Ossett Town F.C. players
Category:Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C. players
Category:Belper Town F.C. players
Category:Frickley Athletic F.C. players
Category:Ossett Albion A.F.C. players
Category:Northern Premier League players
Category:English footballers
Category:Ossett Albion A.F.C. managers
Category:A.F.C. Emley managers
Category:English football managers | wikipedia |
hence , the diagnosis arrived at was to treat it with very affordable activator therapy followed by inexpensive fixed appliance brackets .
habits play a significant role in improper development of dental as well as facial form , function and esthetics .
moreover , it is known from child psychology that habits are many a times correlated with stress or anxiety in a growing child . of the very many common childhood habits ,
it results in compromised dental and facial esthetics by posterior positioning of the mandible , protrusion of maxillary anterior teeth and deep bite .
such children on reaching maturity get conscious of these profile problems leading to a loss of self - confidence , which could even hamper their social development .
a 10 years 6 months - old girl , born on 06/02/1998 , presented in the department of dentistry , bhatia general hospital , under parental guidance with a complaint of protruding upper front teeth .
her medical history was non - contributory . according to the history charting questionnaire , her mother revealed her daughter 's lip biting habit while studying or reading .
the habit had developed since childhood and , even after repeated counselling , efforts taken to quit the habit by her previous general practitioner proved in vain .
her extraoral examination [ figures 12 ] revealed a shortened lower facial height with a convex profile .
a clinically flat mandibular plane was also noted , signifying a horizontal growth pattern , favorable for activator therapy .
the face was symmetrical and the nasolabial angle was approximately 90.on temporomandibular joint ( tmj ) examination , all movements were found to be normal .
her visual treatment objective ( vto ) clinically showed a marked improvement in profile guaranteeing a successful result . pre - treatment extraoral frontal view pre - treatment extraoral lateral profile view on intraoral examination [ figures 35 ] , the molar / canine relation was end - on tending toward angle 's class ii relation with a partially impacted lower left canine .
pre - treatment intraoral view at occlusion pre - treatment intraoral left lateral view at occlusion pre - treatment intraoral right lateral view at occlusion cephalometric analysis showed the sella - nasion - point a angle ( sna ) to be 82.4 and sella - nasion - point b angle ( snb ) to be 76.1. the resulting point a - nasion - point b angle ( anb ) of + 6.3 suggested a posterior placement of the mandible .
upper incisor to the sella - nasion ( sn ) plane was 120and lower incisor to mandibular plane ( impa ) was 110 , reconfirming upper and lower incisor proclination .
frankfort 's mandibular plane angle ( fma ) of 17 suggested a horizontal growth pattern , which was very favorable for the use of a myofunctional appliance .
the orthopantomogram showed continuous posterior and lower borders , normally positioned condyle , a pre - requisite for myofunctional treatment , adequate alveolar bone height and good root parallelism with a partially impacted lower left canine .
the ashley howe 's model analysis turned out to be 44% , revealing a borderline case for an extraction decision .
thus , the patient was diagnosed as a case of developing skeletal class ii malocclusion , exhibiting an end - on molar and canine relation .
andreasen 's modified activator with a lower lip pad was the appliance of choice for treating the class ii skeletal base malocclusion .
this was finished with pre - adjusted fixed appliances using mclaughlin , bennett and trivisi 's 0.022 slot prescription . on post - myofunctional therapy
[ figures 6 and 7 ] , the facial profile straightened and the lower one - third facial height increased significantly .
post - treatment extraoral frontal view post - treatment extraoral lateral profile view intraorally [ figures 810 ] , the molar / canine relation turned into angle 's class i relation bilaterally .
post - treatment intraoral frontal view at occlusion post - treatment intraoral left lateral view at occlusion post - treatment intraoral right lateral view at occlusion cephalometrically , sna stayed constant whereas snb increased to 79.6,which resulted in an anb of + 2.8 , normal for our indian population . both upper incisor to sn plane and impa reduced dramatically , resulting in an interincisal angle of 128 , corroborating a decrease in the upper / lower incisor proclination .
fma increased to 22 , also adding to the near - normal vertical component of growth .
these skeletal / dentoalveolar changes could be attributed to ( i ) correction of the lower lip biting habit , ( ii ) remodelling at the tmj , ( iii ) restriction of the maxillary growth and ( iv ) inherent increase in the natural mandibular bone mass .
dentoalveolar changes included angle 's class i relation , which was the end result of a correct bite registration procedure .
habit correction included keeping the lower lip away by means of the lower lip pad , which resulted in pacification of the hyperactive mentalis muscle activity .
registration of bite was an important feature as angle 's class i occlusal relation , which was obtained after following the correct bite registration procedure .
although bite registration requires case - specific parameters , a posterior clearance of 3.5 mm , an anterior clearance of 2.5 mm and guidance into angle 's class i occlusal relation were followed .
developing skeletal class ii malocclusion can be most effectively treated by non - extraction means if diagnosed at an early age and with correct patient parent motivation .
as witzig has rightly said , there are no bad patients or appliance that fail , it 's we doctors who fail to motivate the patient for a correct patient - appliance combination . | pubmed |
Not In Rivers, But In Drops" is the second single taken from 2006's full-length "In Absence of Truth" and features the album version, a live audio version from 9/30/06, which was recorded during their US stadium tour with Tool. Both "Not In Rivers, But In Drops" and "Holy Tears" were released in celebration of Isis' 10th Anniversary. A video of the song directed by Sera Timms and a remix version of the previous single "Holy Tears" done by Thomas Dimuzio. | slim_pajama |
a true aneurysm is a localized dilatation of an artery including all its walls . in contrast , a pseudoaneurysm is a hematoma formed by the leakage of blood following a breach in the arterial wall .
the blood is contained by surrounding soft tissue or adventitia , and a patent lumen connects the pseudoaneurysm and artery .
pseudoaneurysms have been associated with atherosclerosis , trauma caused by central vein cannulation , thoracic outlet syndrome , clavicular fractures , and infection ( mycobacterial , syphilitic , and bacterial ) . computed
these aneurysms most commonly occur after iatrogenic injury to the subclavian artery and can rupture , thrombose , embolize , or cause symptoms by local compression .
subclavian artery pseudoaneurysms are difficult to manage because of their proximity to vital intrathoracic structures and can not be readily compressed due to the potential for damage of downstream organs .
the risk of rupture with pseudoaneurysms is also high since they lack support from the arterial wall .
usually , in a case of right subclavian artery aneurysm ( saa ) , a median sternotomy is performed and in a case of left saa , lateral thoracotomy is preferred . in the modern era , it is also possible to manage subclavian artery pseudoaneursyms using intraluminal stents .
a 32-year - old woman presented to the clinic with fever of unknown origin and a progressively increasing cough for the past 3 months .
she also had hoarseness of voice and complained of odynophagia for the past 3 weeks .
a month later , she became pregnant but it was an ectopic pregnancy that ruptured after 6 weeks .
cultures taken from the fallopian tube were positive for mycobacterium tuberculosis . during her 10 day hospital stay , she developed sepsis and an adult respiratory distress syndrome .
she was shifted to intensive care unit and a central line was placed in her left subclavian vein .
bronchial lavage confirmed diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis ( tb ) and the absence of any malignancy .
the patient was a mother of two children , both born of vaginal deliveries without complications .
she presented again 2 months later complaining of vomiting , headache , exertional dyspnea , inability to talk , and difficulty opening left eye .
she was noted to have a left - sided hemiparesis but gradually recovered and was discharged home .
approximately 2 months later , the patient represented with a complaint of hoarseness of voice and odynophagia .
a follow - up ct scan of the chest showed a large subclavian artery pseudoaneurysm measuring 74 mm 57 mm size on the left not involving the aortic arch but adjacent to the aortic knuckle . a ct angiogram [ figure 1 ] confirmed a large left subclavian artery pseudoaneurysm . computed tomography angiogram of the thoracic aorta showing large pseudoaneurysm arising from the left subclavian artery measuring about 74 mm
57 mm her hoarseness and odynophagia were attributed to compression effects of the aneurysm on the trachea , esophagus , and recurrent laryngeal nerves .
it was also noted that her radial artery blood pressures on the right side were higher than that on the left . upon speculation ,
cause of the aneurysm could have been because of either tb or injury by central venous pressure line .
the preoperative diagnosis was left subclavian artery pseudoaneurysm possibly mycotic or related to central line injury .
repair of the aneurysm was performed through a left posterolateral thoracotomy incision and the fourth intercostal space was entered .
ct angiogram had revealed a 1 cm distance of the mass 's origin from the aorta so dissection around left subclavian artery was done to achieve the proximal control .
the aneurysmal sac was opened and found to be a pseudoaneurysm [ figure 2 ] .
a pericardial patch was used to repair the 3 cm longitudinal defect in the left subclavian artery wall .
lymph nodes were reported as showing chronic granulomatous inflammation without necrosis ( most likely due to tb ) and were negative for fungal hyphae or any malignancy .
the excised wall showed a completely necrosed tissue . repairing wall of subclavian artery after opening of the aneurysm the patient tolerated the procedure well .
intrathoracic saas can be asymptomatic or present with symptoms such as chest pain , shoulder pain , dysphagia , hoarseness , horner 's syndrome , or venous congestion .
extrathoracic saas most commonly present as tender pulsatile masses in the superior fossa , and horner 's syndrome can also be a presentation of an extrathoracic arterial aneurysm .
an intrathoracic saa on the right side is best managed by median sternotomy whereas lateral thoracotomy is preferred for the left intrathoracic saas .
resection or aneurysmorrhaphy is preferred over simple ligation because continued growth and rupture of ligated aneurysm have been reported . in many patients with a proximal left saa ,
the orifice of the subclavian artery is fragile and dilated so reconstruction by anastomosis or direct closure of the artery with a patch graft can be challenging .
pericardial patch was used in this case because of its durability and lower risk for infection or rejection . recently , as a less invasive alternative to surgical repair , endovascular stent - graft treatment has become possible . however , experience with the use of stent 's for saa 's remains limited because of its relative infrequency . in this case , stenting was not considered as a method for treatment due to lack of expertise available and the impending risk of rupture .
we described a rare and challenging case of a patient with a presumed mycotic pseudoaneurysm of the left subclavian artery . | pubmed |
the analysis of search results can be formulated in terms of a hypothesis test .
the first step consists in identifying the observables which comprise the results , e.g. the number of signal events observed or the cross section for a particular process .
then a test statistic is specified .
a good choice is @xmath0 , where @xmath1 and @xmath2 and @xmath3 are , for a given dataset , the likelihoods computed in the @xmath4 ( background only , b ) and @xmath5 ( signal plus background , sb ) hypotheses respectively .
the last step is to define rules for discovery and exclusion . in @xcite
is proposed the @xmath6 quantity value , where @xmath7 and @xmath8 the quantity @xmath9 is the probability density function of the test statistic in the sb experiments ( see fig .
[ m2lnq ] ) .
the 95% confidence level ( cl ) exclusion of the signal hypothesis is usually quoted in case of a @xmath10 .
[ m2lnq ] in the background only ( red , on the right ) and signal plus background ( blue , on the left ) hypotheses .
the black line represents the value of @xmath11 on the measured data .
the shaded areas represent @xmath12 ( red ) and @xmath13 ( blue ) .
the @xmath11 variable can be used instead of @xmath14 to ease the calculations without any loss of generality.,title="fig:",width=264 ] suppose to have the likelihood function @xmath15 , where @xmath16 are the quantities measured for each event and @xmath17 the @xmath18 parameters of the joint pdf describing the data @xcite .
the idea of the pl technique is to select a parameter @xmath19 and perform a scan over a sensible range of values . for point of the scan ,
the value of @xmath19 is fixed and the quantity @xmath20 ( @xmath21 ) is maximised with respect to the remaining @xmath18 - 1 @xmath22 parameters .
the values are then plotted versus @xmath19 ( fig .
[ plscan ] ) . without any loss of generality , the negative loglikelihood scan is usually considered in terms of @xmath23 , with its minimum value equal to 0 : this is always possible with a shift of all the scan points .
this curve minimum point abscissa represents the maximum likelihood estimator for @xmath24 , @xmath25 .
finally , upper limits and intervals of a given cl can be read simply from the pl curve , tracing horizontal lines at predefined vertical values @xcite .
[ plscan ] and the horizontal line for the 95% cl upper limit ( @xmath26 ) .
the interpolation between scan point pairs is linear , while the minimum of the scan is the minimum of a parabola built on the lowest three points.,title="fig:",width=264 ]
based on the roofit @xcite technology , rsc is composed of three parts : the analysis modelling and combination , the implementation of statistical methods and sophisticated graphics routines for results visualisation .
this framework is intended to be a product for the cms collaboration but a public version , which does not include the modelling part , is available under the name of roostatskarlsruhe @xcite .
all the rsc classes inherit from the root @xcite tobject . in this way it is possible to prototype very quickly macros to be run interactively and all the rsc objects can be written on disk in rootfiles exploiting the persistency mechanism implemented by root .
the analyses and their combinations are described in ascii configuration files in the `` ini '' format : the _ datacards_. the user at first specifies the observable(s ) involved in the analysis .
thus the signal and background components relative to the observable(s ) are characterised : the framework also allows to consider multiple components for one single observable .
the single components can be the result of a counting analysis or be represented by shapes .
both cases can be taken into account and in presence of a shape , the user can decide to describe it through a parametrisation or to read it directly from a root histogram stored in a rootfile .
the yields of the components can be described as a single quantity or as a product of many factors , e.g. @xmath27 : the product of the integrated luminosity , the production cross section , the branching ratio and the cuts efficiency .
the systematics on all the the parameters present in the model description together with their correlations can also be described in the datacard .
the construction of the roofit objects representing the ( combined ) analyses is performed through the parsing and processing of the .
this approach has two advantages : it factorises the analysis description from the actual statistical studies and provides to the analyses groups a common base to share their results .
the calculations implied by certain statistical methods may be very cpu - intensive , e.g. if the execution of many monte carlo toy experiments is foreseen .
the rsc classes that implement those methods are designed to ease the creation of multiple jobs intended for a batch system or the grid .
the outcome is collected in results objects which can be written on disk : to every statistical method class corresponds a results class .
such objects can be recollected and added together therewith profiting from a very high monte carlo toy experiments statistic .
special care was devoted to the display of the results : for every results class , a plot class is implemented . therefore in the final step of a study
the user can get a plot object out of a results object and draw it .
these two last operations are straightforward and need only two lines of ` c++ ` code to be carried out . in addition to the plots directly linked to the results
, rsc gives the possibility to build other widely accepted plots ( see fig .
[ httexclusion ] ) with standalone classes .
examples of plots produced with rsc are fig .
[ m2lnq ] , fig .
[ plscan ] , fig .
[ httexclusion ] .
a big effort was dedicated to the rsc and examples .
all the classes , methods , members and namespaces are provided with doxygen style comments and a website of roostatscms is available @xcite .
a wikipage is also present in the official cms wiki .
the framework is distributed with example root macros , ` c++ ` programs ready to be compiled and python scripts to ease the creation of the datacards .
a possible application of the rsc implementation of the statistical methods described in [ hypotheses_separation ] and [ profile_likelihood ] is discussed in section [ results ] .
for the the cms vbf @xmath28 analysis ( @xmath29 ) @xcite study , rsc was used .
given the disadvantageous @xmath30 ratio in the various mass hypotheses with this integrated luminosity , we put an exclusion limit on the h boson production cross section using the technique described in section [ hypotheses_separation ] .
[ httexclusion ] shows the expected @xmath31 production cross section ( @xmath32 ) that could be excluded with the data available , i.e. the monte carlo ( mc ) statistic available after all the cuts , in units of standard model ( sm ) @xmath32 . to derive the shape of the @xmath33 pdf for the two hypotheses several toy mc experiments were performed .
[ httexclusion ] cms analysis .
the 1@xmath32 and 2@xmath32 bands are obtained assuming to observe a 1@xmath32 or 2@xmath32 upwards ( downwards ) fluctuation of the number of observed background events .
the plot is produced with a graphics class of rsc.,title="fig:",width=283 ] to take into account the systematics , before the generation of each toy mc dataset , the parameters values affected by systematic uncertainties were fluctuated according to their expected distribution , assumed in this case gaussian . performing several toy mc experiments we derived also the distribution of the upper limits at 95% confidence level shown in fig .
[ ulsdistr ] focusing on the number of signal events ( @xmath34 ) . in this second study
systematic uncertainties were not considered .
an analysis of the coverage , i.e. the fraction of cases in which the upper limit is indeed greater than the nominal @xmath34 , was carried out ( fig .
[ coverage ] ) .
the @xmath34 value was also artificially incremented in order to study the coverage at different working points .
overcoverage is present for low signal yields leading to conservative upper limits .
this feature can be seen as a consequence of the cramr - frchet inequality @xcite .
two statistical analyses were carried out using the rsc framework .
the hypotheses separation study shows that it is possible to compute exclusion limits in the context of a hypothesis separation test by means of the integrals of the discriminating variables pdf .
the pl method can be used as well for extracting upper limits but it was verified that a significant overcoverage occurs in case of very small quantities .
the roostatscms proved to be a reliable and valuable tool for analyses modelling and complex statistical procedures deployment in a simple and flexible way .
the graphical routines embedded in the package serve as a powerful tool for results visualisation .
00 d. piparo , g. schott , g. quast `` roostatscms : a tool for analyses modelling , combination and statistical studies '' , cms note ( in preparation ) , www-ekp.physik.uni-karlsruhe.de/~roostatscms .
a.l . read `` modified frequentist analysis of search results ( the @xmath35 method ) '' , cern open-2000 - 205 .
f. james `` statistical in experimental physics 2nd edition '' , word scientific 2006 .
metzger `` statistical methods in data analysis '' , katholieke universiteit nijmegen , 2002 . w. verkerke , d. kirkby `` the roofit toolkit for data modelling '' , roofit.sourceforge.net .
d. piparo , g. schott , g. quast `` roostatskarlsruhe '' , www-ekp.physik.uni-karlsruhe.de/~roostatskarlsruhe root : an object oriented data analysis framework , root.cern.ch .
cms collaboration , cms pas hig 08 - 008 . | arxiv |
methyl paraben ( 1 ) ( also :
nipagin m ; cas no . 99 - 76 - 3 ; scheme 1 ) ,
the
methyl ester of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid , is used as
an antifungal agent and preservative ( e218 ) in cosmetics , foods , and
drugs .
the polymorphic nature of sublimates of 1 was
first noted by fischer and stauder in
the early 1930s .
l. and a. kofler found
two distinct forms with melting points ( mp ) of 126 and 110 c .
in 1939 , lindpaintner described the existence of six distinct solid
state modifications : i ( mp 127 c ) , ii ( 116 c ) , iii and iv ( 110 c ) , v ( 109 c ) , vi ( 106 c ) .
lin reported the crystal structure of the stable polymorph
at room temperature ( 1-i ) in 1983 ( csd refcode cebgof ) . in 2006 ,
vujovic and nassimbeni discussed a structure of i at
113 k ( cebgof01 ) in terms of a possible low - temperature polymorph
distinct from 1-i , but other
authors later disagreed with this interpretation .
similarly , a crystal structure of 1 at 100
k ( cebgof02 ) , determined by fun and jebas and claimed to represent
a new polymorph of 1 , is
in fact the same as cebgof01 and cebgof . during the preparation of this manuscript , we became aware of a
recent study by nath et al .
( cebgof03 ) of a polymorph of 1 whose identity we will discuss
below .
the literature dealing with the various crystal forms of the
title compound is summarized in table 1 .
hsm = hot - stage microscopy : ir =
infrared spectroscopy ; om = optical microscopy ; ss = sublimation studies ;
sx = single - crystal x - ray structure analysis ; dsc = differential scanning
calorimetry ; rt = room temperature ; lt = low temperature . proposed as
a possible low - temperature form . claimed to be distinct from cebgof and cebgof01 .
we have embarked on a comprehensive reinvestigation
of lindpaintner s original observations about the polymorphism
of methyl paraben . in this contribution , we report the crystal structures
of three metastable modifications formed either by sublimation or
from the melt , their melting points and infrared spectra . different
state of the art ab initio electronic structure calculation methods ,
based either on the lattice or the molecule and allowing for polarization ,
are contrasted to analyze the relevant contributions to relative ( lattice )
energies . the structural relationships to analogous compounds
will
be discussed on the basis of an xpac analysis , a
structure comparison method based on the comparison of corresponding
geometrical parameters .
commercial methyl paraben purchased from
merck kgaa darmstadt , germany , was used for all experiments .
the data for 1 - 107 and 1 - 112 were
collected , using cu radiation ( 1 - 107 ;
= 1.5418 ) or mo radiation ( 1 - 112 ;
= 0.7107 ) , on an oxford diffraction gemini - r ultra
diffractometer operated by crysalis software .
intensity data for 1-iii were recorded on a bruker
smart diffractometer driven by smart and saint software and using mo radiation ( = 0.7107 ) .
the data were corrected for absorption effects by means of comparison
of equivalent reflections using the program sadabs .
the structures were solved using the
direct methods procedure in shelxs97 and refined
by full - matrix least - squares on f using shelxl97 .
hydrogen atoms were located in difference
maps , and those bonded to carbon atoms were fixed in idealized positions
and their displacement parameters were set to 1.2ueq ( for ch ) or 1.5ueq ( for
the ch3 group ) of the parent c atom , while the h atom of
the oh group was refined freely .
the molecular structures of 1-iii , 1 - 107 , and 1 - 112 are shown in figure s1 , supporting
information .
ft - ir
spectra were recorded with a bruker ifs 25 spectrometer connected
with the ir microscope i ( bruker ) .
the samples were prepared on znse
discs and measured in transmission mode ( 15 cassegrain objective ,
spectral range 4000 to 600 cm , resolution 4 cm , 64 interferograms per spectrum ) .
each independent molecule was represented
by the positions of 11 non - h atoms ( see scheme 1 , supporting information , figure s3 ) .
the lattice
energies of the four structures of methyl paraben , 1-i , 1-iii , 1 - 107 , and 1 - 112 , were calculated using a range of different
ab inito methods .
periodic electronic
structure calculations were carried out with the castep plane wave
code using the perdew burke
ernzerhof
( pbe ) generalized gradient approximation ( gga ) exchange - correlation
density functional and ultrasoft pseudopotentials with the addition of either the grimme ( g06 ) or tkatchenko and scheffler ( ts ) semiempirical dispersion corrections .
the results reported
here were obtained using a plane wave cutoff energy of 780 ev and
a monkhorst - pack brillouin zone sampling
grid of spacing 2 0.07 ; the
required force tolerance for a successful geometry
convergence checks
were made by increasing the cutoff energy to 1020 and 1560 ev and
the sampling grid of spacing 2 0.03 ( see supporting information ) .
isolated
molecule charge density structures are based on crystal structures
optimized with crystaloptimizer . all
dihedrals containing oxygen atoms ( supporting
information , figure s10 ) , the cell parameters , position , and
orientation of each independent molecule were varied to minimize the
lattice energy , elatt , as the sum of the
intermolecular lattice energy , uinter ,
and the conformational intramolecular energy penalty , eintra , i.e. , elatt = uinter + eintra .
gaussian03 was used
to perform ab initio calculations on the isolated molecules to determine
eintra , the torsional forces , and
to calculate the charge density .
this was done at both the pbe0/6 - 31g(d , p )
and the mp2/6 - 31g(d , p ) level of theory .
all atomic multipole models included moments up to hexadecapole , and they
were generated from the isolated - molecule wave function , using gdma2 .
all other intermolecular contributions to the
lattice energy were represented by empirical exp-6
potentials , using either the fit or williams01 parameters .
the
effect of simulating the average polarization of the molecule within
the crystal structure was tested by calculating the distributed multipoles
and relative conformational energies using the polarizable continuum
model ( pcm ) implemented in gaussian03
with = 3 , a value typical of organic crystals
. a better estimate of the effect of the specific environment
of each isolated molecule charge density
misquitta ( wsm )
scheme , as implemented in the camcasp
suite of programs .
the induced atomic
dipole moments within each crystal structure were iterated to self - consistency
using dmacrys and used to evaluate the
induction contributing to the lattice energy ( see supporting information ) .
sublimation
experiments were carried out on a kofler hot bench at 85110
c , between two glass slides separated by a spacer ring of 530
mm height .
this method yielded at least three distinct polymorphs ,
henceforth denoted 1-i , 1-iii , and 1 - 112 .
polymorph 1-iii , the main primary phase of these
sublimation experiments , crystallized mainly as plates with a rhombic
base ( figure 1b ) .
it converted into the stable
form 1-i within minutes to days , depending on the ambient
temperature .
a few crystals of the third polymorph 1 - 112 were present in some sublimates produced at higher temperature
( > 100 c ) .
they were easily distinguishable from crystals
of the concomitant forms 1-i and 1-iii by
their coffin - lid shape ( figure 1d ) .
polymorph 1 - 112 was found to have transformed into 1-i within a few days .
single crystals of form 1 - 107 ( figure 1c ) were produced
in a thermomicroscopy experiment , by allowing small isolated droplets
to crystallize at 95 c .
quench cooling of melt droplets yielded 1 - 107 and 1-iii as
primary polymorphs . recently , nath et al . have reported that crystallization
from various solvents always gave the modification 1-i .
( a ) isometric crystal of 1-i , surrounded by form 1-iii ( sublimation experiment ) ;
( b ) crystals of 1-iii formed by sublimation at 90 c ;
( c ) form 1 - 107 crystallized from melt droplets ; ( d ) crystals
of 1 - 112 formed by sublimation at 105 c .
the following equilibrium melting points ( 0.5
c ) were determined by thermomicroscopy : 126 c ( 1-i ) , 109 c ( 1-iii ) , 112 c ( 1 - 112 ) , and 107 c ( 1 - 107 ) .
the
spectra of the four polymorphs are shown in figure 2 and typical bands are listed in table 3 .
habit and physical properties of the crystals of 1-i match lindpaintner s description of modification i .
their identity with the three
existing csd entries ( see
table 1 ) for the stable form i
was confirmed by us by single crystal x - ray diffraction .
reference lines a e and the values associated with them are
detailed in table 3 . our observations strongly suggest that 1-iii is identical with lindpaintner s modification iii .
moreover , 1-iii is identical with the structure recently
published by nath et al .
( cebgof03 ) , as
evidenced by the very low xpac dissimilarity index of x = 1.1 ( t = 198 k ; for details , see supporting
information ) .
we note , however , that the ft - ir spectrum accompanying
this structure report ( figure s6 of ref ( 10 ) ) differs substantially from that of 1-iii recorded by us ( figure 2 ) .
the most notable
discrepancies occur in the region of the characteristic oh bands ,
which are critical for the identification of a specific polymorph
of 1 . for 1 - 112 and 1 - 107 , the overall thermomicroscopic , sublimation
and crystallization characteristics observed by us do not match any
of lindpaintner s six descriptions of methyl paraben polymorphs
sufficiently closely to permit unequivocal assignment .
the structure of 1-i has the space group symmetry cc and contains three
independent molecules , denoted henceforth 13 . in recent years ,
the existence of single - component crystal structures with more than
one ( z > 1 ) independent molecule has been
discussed by different authors . to gain
a better understanding of such a structure , it is useful to establish
whether any of the independent molecules are related by a noncrystallographic
symmetry transformation .
this may be achieved by comparing their first
molecular environments to one another , as was previously demonstrated
for z > 1 polymorphs of sulfathiazole , 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene , carbamazepine , and the barbiturate
eldoral .
we have carried out such an
analysis for polymorph 1-i ( cebgof ) , using the program xpac .
it was found that the first environments of
molecules 1 and 2 are geometrically very similar with respect to 11
( out of 16 ) next - neighbor molecules ( dissimilarity indexx = 2.7 ) .
likewise , the geometry
of another portion of the first environment of molecule 1 , also comprising
11 next neighbors is replicated in the environment of molecule 3 ( again x = 2.7 ) , while the environments of molecules 2 and 3 agree
with respect to a smaller cluster with only six surrounding molecules
( x = 3.2 ) .
further analysis of these results implies
the presence of local symmetry elements , which will be discussed in
the following paragraphs .
ho = c bonded chains which
possess glide symmetry and propagate parallel to the c - axis ( figures 3a and 4 ) .
two neighboring h - bonded chains are related to one another either
by inversion ( linkage mode x ) or by translation ( t ) symmetry .
linkage type x generates two distinct
centers of inversion between neighboring chains ( figure 3b ) , while mode t results in a central glide plane
( figure 3c ) .
the h - bonded chains are arranged
into a 2d extended sheet parallel to ( 100 ) in such a way that a linkage
sequence x x t x x
t is generated ( figure 3d ) .
the identification
of the shortest translation periods within this layer structure shows
immediately that its asymmetric unit consists of three molecules ( figure 3e ) .
the central glide plane of each t - connected two - chain unit is effective on the entire 2d sheet and
is therefore a crystallographic symmetry element .
this is also true
for the central glide plane of every other chain in the x - linked units .
by contrast , all the other symmetry operations in
this sheet ( colored red in figure 3b , c ; see
also table 4 ) are
local , i.e. , effective on a specific molecule pair only .
crystallographic
and local symmetry elements in the bc - plane of 1-i ( viewed along the a*-axis ) .
( a d )
molecules are color coded , yellow ( y ) , blue ( b ) , red ( r ) , and green
( g ) , according to their symmetry relationships : translation ( y / y ,
b / b , r / r , g / g ) , glide ( y / g , r / b ) , and inversion ( y / b , r / g ) ; local
and global symmetry elements are indicated red and black , respectively ;
( a ) single h - bonded chain ; two neighboring chains related by ( b ) inversion
( x ) or ( c ) by translation ( t ) ; ( d ) x x t x x t sequence
of h - bonded chains ; the local symmetry elements
are listed in table 4 ; ( e ) alternative representation
of the same sequence , highlighting molecule types 1 ( green ) , 2 ( gray ) ,
and 3 ( pink ) . o ho = c bonded chains in
polymorphs of 1 and the analogous n
ho = c
bonded chain of 2-ii ( top : cross - section ) . as a consequence of these relationships ,
the structure
of 1-i contains two h - bonded chain types , which are crystallographically
distinct but possess the same geometry .
one chain type is composed
of molecules of type 1 and possesses crystallographic glide symmetry ,
while the other is formed by the molecules 2 and 3 .
overall , the structure
of 1-i is a sequence of the layers described above ( figure 3d , e ) that are shifted relative to one another by
1/2 1/2 0 .
the methyl paraben molecule adopts the same geometry
in each of the four polymorphs .
the crystal packing of the z = 1 forms 1-iii , 1 - 112 , and 1 - 107 is illustrated in
figure 5 .
ho = c
bonded connectivity motif as 1-i [ graph set notation c11(8 ) ] , but the resulting extended 1d h - bonded structures differ
fundamentally from one another geometrically ( figure 4 ) .
the chains of 1-i , 1-iii , 1 - 112 all possess glide symmetry , and the glide
plane and mean plane of individual chain molecules form angles of
53.8 ( both independent chains of 1-i ) , 26.4
( 1 - 107 ) , and 89.6 ( 1-iii ) ;
ho = c bonded chain
of 1-iii has an almost planar cross - section .
the latter
is also true for the chain of 1 - 112 where
neighboring molecules are related to one another by translation symmetry .
the polymorphs 1-iii and 1 - 112 may be interpreted as layer structures . in the case of 1-iii ,
antiparallel h - bonded chains , which propagate along [ 201 ] ,
form a centrosymmetric planar sheet parallel to ( 102 ) .
neighboring
layers of this kind are related to each other by a 21 screw
operation so that additional glide planes are generated . in form 1 - 112 , the h - bonded chains propagate parallel
to the b - axis and are arranged into centrosymmetric
sheets which are slightly corrugated and lie in ( 104 ) planes .
stacking of these planes
is again achieved via 21 and glide
symmetry operations . in the structure of 1 - 107 ,
the h - bonded chains propagate parallel to , and chains related
to each other by a translation along the a - axis form
planes parallel to ( 010 ) . adjacent layers of this kind are related
to each other by glide symmetry .
symmetry transformations used to
generate equivalent atoms : x 1/2 , y + 1/2 , z 1/2 .
the program xpac(11 ) was used to identify geometrically
similar building blocks ( supramolecular constructs , scs ) in the four distinct forms of methyl paraben
( figure 6 ) . the sc
a is a centrosymmetric
arrangement of two molecules belonging to neighboring h - bonded chains .
it is formed by molecules 1 and 2 of polymorph 1-i , and
it is also found in 1 - 112 . moreover , the
1d stacking of methyl paraben molecules along the c - axis in form 1 - 107 is repeated along the a - axis of 1 - 112 ( sc b ) . these are the two closest packing similarities in this group .
also worth noting is an arrangement of two inversion - related molecules
belonging to adjacent o ho bonded chains
that occurs both in 1-iii and 1 - 112 ( sc d , figure 7 ) , albeit with
a relatively high dissimilarity index x of 12.7 .
the mean planes of the two molecules forming this sc are almost perfectly
coplanar in 1-iii , while in 1 - 112 they are somewhat offset against one another .
packing relationships
involving crystal structures of methyl paraben and analogous compounds
( see table 6 ) , identified with xpac .
( a ) top : assembly of two neighboring h - bonded
chains with an instance of d highlighted ; bottom : side view , showing
the different offset .
( b ) molecular packing in the ( 102 ) plane of 1-iii ( top ) and in the ( 104 ) plane of 1 - 112 ( bottom ) with different instances of d indicated by different colors .
it has been reported by giordano et al . that crystals
of ethyl and propyl paraben ( 11 , 13 ) are isostructural and that their binary mixtures
give a continuous series of solid solutions , while the stable methyl paraben modification 1-i was
found to be clearly distinct from these two crystals .
inspired by
these observations , we have compared the crystal structures of 1-i , 1-iii , 1 - 107 ,
and 1 - 112 with those of 12 structural analogues
of methyl paraben ( table 6 ) , again using xpac .
the identified scs are
illustrated in figure 6 , and an overview of
all packing relationships is shown in figure 8 ( for more details , see supporting information ) .
in addition to the relationships discussed below , it was established
that allyl paraben ( 12 )
is isostructural with the ethyl and propyl analogues 11 and 13 .
tree diagram according to ref ( 39 ) , illustrating packing relationships between
polymorphs of 1 and crystal structures of analogous compounds
( table 6 ) .
the stacking of molecules along the c - axis of 1 - 107 and along the a - axis of 1 - 112 ( sc b ) is repeated
in methyl 4-aminobenzoate ( 2-ii ) , dimethyl terephthalate ( 3 ) , methyl 4-bromobenzoate ( 4 ) and its iodo ( 5 ) and
ethynyl ( 6 ) analogues , methyl
4-(bromomethyl)benzoate ( 7 ) and methyl 4-methylbenzoate ( 8) . form 1 - 112 is even 2d similar
( sc c ) with polymorph 2-ii of 4-aminobenzoate , with which it shares a centrosymmetric double
layer consisting of two layers of h - bonded chains .
c
chain of 1 - 112 and the n ho = c
chain of 2-ii is apparent from figure 4 .
the two crystal structures differ in the orientation of
the 21 axis by which neighboring instances of c are related to one another .
this axis lies either parallel ( 1 - 112 ) or perpendicular ( 2-ii ) to
the translation vector of the chain , and in the latter case it facilitates
a second set of intermolecular n ho =
ten out of 15 molecules forming the first environment of the
molecule of 1 - 112 belong to sc c ( see also supporting information , figure
s7 ) .
interestingly , the n hn = c bonded
chain ( along [ 110 ] ) in the second methyl 4-aminobenzoate polymorph 2-i adopts a similar
geometry ( sc h ) , but here the separation between adjacent
molecular centroids is substantially increased by 0.5 .
sc e is
a 1d column of molecules found in 1 - 107 and
in 36 .
it is composed of two instances
of sc b that are related by glide symmetry .
the structures
of 1 - 107 and dimethyl terephthalate ( 3 ) are even 2d similar ( sc f ) as they contain
essentially the same arrangement of adjacent instances of sc e along their respective b - axis .
moreover ,
the packing of instances of sc e in 3 along
the a - axis is repeated in methyl 4-bromobenzoate
( 4 ) and in the isostructural iodo analogue ( 5 ) , namely , along the c - axis ( 2d sc g ) .
the three scs shared by different polymorphs of methyl paraben ,
i.e. , a ( 0d ; 1-i , 1 - 112 ) , b ( 1d ; 1 - 112 , 1 - 107 ) , d ( 0d ; 1-iii , 1 - 112 ) , may be interpreted as particularly favorable
supramolecular arrangements .
it is however doubtful whether the geometry
of such an sc would indeed be maintained in a corresponding solid - state
phase transition .
moreover , we note that forms 1 - 107 and 1 - 112 both exhibit close
packing relationships with a number 4-substituted analogues of methyl
benzoate ( r = ch3 ; 28 ) , even though the ring substituents at the 4-position ( r ) in this group vary considerably in terms of their h - bond
capabilities and their shape ( relative to the overall size of the
molecule ) .
this indicates that the supramolecular constructs in question
remain more favorable than possible alternatives even if their geometry
is adopted to satisfy the specific preferences of r. contrary
to our original expectations , none of the four polymorphs of 1 has any close packing relationship with the three isostructural
ethyl , allyl , and propyl parabens ( r = oh ; 11 , 12 , 13 ) .
each of the applied
electronic structure calculation methods reproduces the four experimental
structures as lattice energy minima .
the reproduction of all the structures
is acceptable considering that lattice energies correspond to 0 k ,
whereas the experiments were at finite temperature .
however , the dft+g06
increase in density for all forms , particularly 1-i ( cebgof )
and 1 - 107 , seems rather too large to correspond
to the neglect of thermal expansion ( supporting
information , table s3 ) .
the range of the lattice
energy differences , 48 kj mol ( figure 9 ) , is small enough that all structures would be
considered as low energy structures and probable polymorphs on a crystal
energy landscape .
but there is no agreement in 0 k relative stability
order , although forms 1-i and 1-iii are ,
with few exceptions , calculated to be more stable than forms 1 - 107 and 1 - 112 .
isolated molecule
charge density = relaxed structures obtained using the crystaloptimizer
methodology ; molecule in polarizable continuum = relaxed structures
with average polarization from the pcm model ; molecule polarized by
polymorph = relaxed structures with the addition of the induction
energy ; periodic ab initio = density functional theory relaxations
with dispersion correction .
pbe0 or mp2 : pbe0/6 - 31g(d , p ) or mp2/6 - 31 ( d , p )
level of theory used for calculating molecular geometry and charge
density ; fit or w01 : fit or williams01 repulsion - dispersion potential
parameters ; g06 or ts : grimme or tkatchenko and scheffler dispersion
corrections .
the application of different methods affords insights
into the complex interplay of factors stabilizing the polymorphs .
although the experimental conformations are very similar , the corresponding
differences in conformational energies , eintra < 1.5 kj mol , are still comparable
to the calculated energy differences between pairs of polymorphs .
there is no a priori reason to believe that more reliable results
for methyl paraben will be given by williams01 or fit repulsion - dispersion
parameters ( both potentials are experimentally fitted ) ; mp2 or pbe0
charge densities ( both include electron correlation and are better
than the pbe functional in the periodic electronic structure calculations ) ;
or the g06 or ts semiempirical dispersion correction . the contribution
of electrostatic forces to the lattice energy is smaller than the
contribution of repulsion - dispersion .
however , strong electrostatic
potentials are associated with the para - hydroxyl
proton ( positive ) and the c = o oxygen ( negative ) in all six
conformers , as a result of the strong o
those
intermolecular potentials that incorporate the induction energy ( figures 10 and 11c ) take into account
how the charge density of the molecule adjusts to the specific crystalline
environment in the polymorph .
they are a considerable improvement
over the isolated molecule ( figure 11a ) and
pcm models ( figure 11b ) , which are based on
the assumption that the electron density of a molecule in the crystal
is independent of the position of the surrounding molecules .
the polarization
in the regions of the c = o oxygen and para - hydroxyl
proton is large compared to the electrostatic energies and different
in each of the polymorphs / conformers ( figure 10 ) .
the induction effects are smaller in the metastable forms 1 - 107 and 1 - 112 and
larger in 1-iii and 1-i ( figure 10 ) , induced by the close proximity of the c(3)h
proton ( meta ) to the para - hydroxyl
group in 1-iii and of the ch3 groups
to the c = o groups in 1-i .
the total variation
with induction affects the lattice energies of 1 significantly ,
stabilizing 1-i by 6 kj mol , 1-iii by 3.5 kj mol , and 1 - 112 by < 1 kj mol relative
to 1 - 107 .
( a f ) electrostatic potential
difference plots ( molecule polarized by polymorph
isolated molecule charge density ) around
conformers of 1 on a surface defined by twice the atomic
van der waals radii ( with a zero radius
for polar hydrogen atoms to reflect the close distances in hydrogen
bonds ) , calculated from the distributed multipoles of the pbe0/6 - 31g(d , p )
molecular charge densities and plotted using orient . the scale runs from 0.55 ev ( 53.07 kj mol , blue ) to + 0.45 ev ( 43.42 kj mol , red ) .
different models for the charge density around the 1-iii conformer on a surface defined by twice the atomic van
der waals radii ( with a zero radius for
polar hydrogen atoms to reflect the close distances in hydrogen bonds ) ,
calculated from the distributed multipoles of the pbe0/6 - 31g(d , p )
molecular charge densities and plotted using orient : as calculated for ( a ) an isolated molecule ; ( b ) a molecule
in a polarized continuum ; and ( c ) following polarization in the crystal .
the scale runs from 0.95 ev ( 91.66 kj mol , blue ) to + 1.35 ev ( 130.26 kj mol , red ) .
dispersion is a major stabilizing factor as seen
by the sensitivity to dispersion correction and its effect on the
0 k densities ( supporting information ,
table s3 ) .
the relative energy ranking changed substantially after
a relaxation with dft including the dispersion correction , and 1-i became the most stable structure as a result ( figure 9 ) .
periodic electronic structure calculations have
the advantage that they do not require a separation between intermolecular
and intramolecular interactions and that polarization is automatically
modeled well .
however , the modeling of these interactions is severely
limited by the quality of the pbe charge density , which is the best that could be afforded .
this is shown by a comparison between two state - of - the - art dispersion
corrections for organic molecules , which lead to results that are
qualitatively and quantitatively different .
the methyl paraben polymorphic system is
an example of geometrical diversity arising from a single supramolecular
synthon .
the characteristics of two polymorphs
( 1-i , 1-iii ) can be easily reconciled with
the original reports from the 1930s , while one or both of
the metastable forms 1 - 107 and 1 - 112 are reported here for the first time .
further investigations
are currently under way to confirm the identity of other polymorphs
of methyl paraben and to establish phase relationships and transformation
pathways .
the crystallographically independent molecules of
the stable form 1-i were shown to be related by local
symmetry elements .
therefore , the occurrence of z = 3 may be understood in terms of local symmetry preferences
that are incompatible with the space group symmetry of this structure .
we have previously reported a few similar examples and assume
that many z > 1 structures can be interpreted
in a similar fashion .
the analysis of 1-i was based on a geometry comparison of its distinct molecular
environments with the xpac method , which has the
advantage that individual data points and molecule / molecule arrangements
are intrinsically linked together .
the analysis of molecular environments
is increasingly recognized as a powerful tool to evaluate and compare
crystal structures , and other methods
include the visual inspection of 2d hirshfeld fingerprint plots ( figure 5 of ref ( 10 ) depicts the three plots for 1-i ) and distance / energy plots proposed by gavezzotti .
the calculations demonstrated that improvements in
the quality of the molecular or crystal charge density and the other
approximations made in representing the intra- and intermolecular
forces are needed to accurately calculate stability ( energy ) differences
between polymorphs .
polarization and dispersion interactions , significant
contributions to the lattice energy , are often inadequately represented
by readily available model intermolecular potentials and computationally
affordable periodic dft methods .
the
applied methods are good enough for crystal structure prediction studies ,
as all polymorphs were calculated to be within the energy range normally
considered for experimental polymorphs .
however , currently calculations
are unable to give conclusive results on the 0 k stability order of
the methyl paraben polymorphs .
while the computational results are
ambiguous with regard to the 0 k order of stability of 1-i and 1-iii , experimental evidence clearly indicates 1-i as the stable polymorph at room temperature and that forms 1-i and 1-iii are monotropically related .
these results appear to contradict the view that any polymorphic
system should tend to a lowest z = 1 form and the proposed interpretation of z > 1 structures as high energy polymorphs that
manifest incomplete or interrupted crystallisation .
measuring and computing polymorphic energy differences can be a challenge ,
particularly when metastable forms are only obtained as mixed phases
and when the energy differences are small . | pubmed |
an increased frequency of aflatoxins ( afs ) contamination in corn has been reported in the last few years , where feed imported from third countries or crop raised in different european countries , mainly in west and south europe were implicated ( streit et al . , 2012 ;
corn and related products are widely used as feedstuff in dairy animals as an important source of fermentable carbohydrates .
recent works also showed an increased afs contamination rate in corn produced in italy ( causin , 2013 ) . from 2003 to 2012 , regions of northern italy which are the main national corn producers were affected by particular climatic conditions .
an increase in temperature and drought stress caused a high rate of corn crops contaminated with aflatoxin b1 ( afb1 ) . in 2012 , during a wide survey conducted on corn produced in northern italy , 31.326 samples taken at storage plants were analysed .
the results showed that afb1 contamination above the eu limit of 20 g / kg , was detected in samples representative of about 784.000 corn tons , corresponding to 45.2% of the total production ( causin , 2013 ) .
a correspondence between af contamination in corn and the presence of afs metabolites in italian cow milk and dairy products was observed ( bolzoni et al . , 2013 ) . as a consequence of the last afs contamination crisis ,
the italian ministry of health enforced measures to minimise the risk of contamination of milk and dairy products by aflatoxin m1 ( afm1 ) .
preventive measures along bovine dairy production chain and more stringent requirements for food business operators ( fbos ) own - check monitoring programmes were established ( italian ministry of health , 2013 ) .
aflatoxin m1 contamination levels in goat and sheep milk is generally lower as compared to cow s milk ( virdis et al . , 2008 ) .
sheep and goat mainly graze on pasture and their lower intake in concentrate reduces the exposure to afs .
the use of concentrate and feedstuff in the formulation of small ruminants feeding is limited due to economic reasons and to effectiveness on milk production ( molle et al . , 2008 ) .
the ability to convert the afb1 ingested with feedstuff to afm1 excreted with milk , referred to as carry - over , is also variable between large and small ruminants .
previous works reported carry - over values ranging between 0.35 and 3% in cows ( veldman et al . , 1992 ; frobisch et al . ,
1986 ) and between 0.018 and 3.1% in goats ( goto and hsieh , 1985 ; nageswara rao and chopra , 2001 ; ronchi et al .
lower carry - over rates were found in dairy sheep , ranging between 0.08 and 0.33% ( battacone et al . , 2005 ) .
the own - check programmes developed in sardinia region by fbos in the last years included monitoring for afm1 in sheep and goat milk only in few cases . only few cheese - making factories conducted afm1 analysis by means of rapid detection methods on internal laboratories .
most of the analyses for afm1 detection were carried out at the regional farmers association laboratory using high - performance liquid chromatography ( hplc ) . in the current work
the results of the afm1 monitoring programme conducted in sardinia region on sheep and goat milk during eight years period , from 2005 to 2013 , are presented .
during the period from 2005 to 2013 a total of 517 sheep milk and 88 goat milk samples were collected for the detection of afm1 .
samples were represented by : 75 bulk tank milk samples , of which 56 and 19 were obtained from sheep and goat farms , respectively ; 443 milk tank trucks samples , 401 from sheep and 42 from goat farms and 87 milk samples from silo tanks ( 60 from sheep milk and 27 from goat milk processing plants ) .
all the analysis were performed by the regional farmers association laboratory using the hplc 1100 series ( agilent technologies inc . , santa clara , ca , usa ) with automatic sampler las g1313a and a fluorescence detector ( fld ) g1321 , following the iso 14501:1998 standard .
r / min for 15 min to separate the fat fraction and the skimmed sample injected into an immune - affinity columns ( vicam ) with a flow of 2 ml / min . each column was washed with 10 ml of ultrapure water ( millq ; millipore , billerica , ma , usa ) with a flow of 2 ml / min and the afm1 eluted from the column using 4 ml of acetonitrile .
then , the eluate was dried at 45 - 50c with a nitrogen flow and the dried residue resuspended with 500 l of water - methanol ( 50:50 w / v ) . finally ,
10 l of the solution were loaded into a zorbax sb c18 column 1504.6 mm with a 5 m diameter ( agilent technologies inc . ) .
the mobile phase ( water - methanol - acetonitrile , 63:26:11 w / v ) was injected with a flow of 1 ml / min in isocratic condition .
all the standard for the afm1 detection were dissolved in methanol - water solution ( 10 g / ml ) and stored at 4c until use .
the calibration curve was determined by loading 5 afm1 standard solution at the concentration of 0.012 , 0.025 , 0.050 , 0.100 , 0.200 and 0.300
a total of 517 sheep ( table 1 ) and 88 goat ( table 2 ) bulk tank milk samples collected at farm level , from trucks and from silo tanks were analysed for the detection of afm1 . in all milk samples collected from 2005 to 2012 , 345 ( 66.7% ) and 22 ( 25% ) from sheep and goats ,
for both species the presence of afm1 was observed only in samples collected in 2013 , when were analysed 172 ( 33.3% ) milk samples from sheep and 66 ( 75% ) from goat . of sheep milk samples collected in 2013
, 8 ( 4.6% ) showed an afm1 contamination greater than 8 ng / l , with a concentration ( meansd ) of 12.5914.05 ng / l , range between 8.72 and 58.82 ng / l .
in two bulk tank milk samples ( 7.4% ) collected from sheep farms afm1 was detected ( 34.1934.83
ng / l ) , and in one of these a concentration of 58.82 ng / l , exceeding the eu limit .
aflatoxin m1 was also detected in 4 samples ( 4.5% ) from tank trucks ( 13.546.80 ng / l , range between 9.48 and 23.71 ng / l ) and in 2 samples ( 3.6% ) from silo ( 13.676.99 ng / l ) .
a summary of afm1 contamination levels in sheep milk samples collected in 2013 is reported in table 3 . in 9 ( 13.6% ) out of 66 goat milk samples collected in 2013 ,
afm1 was detected at a concentration of 47.2119.58 ng / l ( table 4 ) , range between 10.45 and 138.16
contamination by afm1 was observed also in 2 samples ( 22.2% ) from bulk tank milk ( 80.0082.25
ng / l ) , in 6 samples from milk tank trucks ( 34.3819.92 ng / l , range between 10.45 and 62.09 ng / l ) and in 1 sample ( 3.8% ) from silo tank ( 30.40 ng / l ) .
afm1 was detected at a concentration exceeding the eu limit in one bulk tank milk sample ( 138.6 ng / l ) and in 1 tank truck milk sample ( 62.09 ng / l ) .
in the past years , the monitoring of afm1 contamination in milk of small ruminants in sardinia region has been carried out only on a small number of samples . however , in 2013 afm1 contamination in cow milk and in several cases also in sheep and goat milk was reported .
with respect to the crisis occurred in sardinia region in 2003 , the last one was better managed with a faster response of the public veterinary authorities . as in other areas of italy this was mainly due to the experience gained in previous emergencies ( bolzoni et al . , 2013 ) .
therefore , from 2013 the competent authority increased the official control on afs contamination throughout the small ruminants dairy chain ( sardinia region , 2013 ) . in the same year , the number of milk samples analysed in the own - check monitoring programme showed an increasing trend ( tables 1 and 2 ) .
however , the number of small ruminants milk samples investigated for afm1 detection is still limited and it should be increased ( tables 5 and 6 ) . until 2012 ,
on the other hand , in 2013 , several sheep ( 7.4% ) and goat ( 22.2% ) milk samples were found contaminated with afm1 .
previous works conducted in the same production areas using the elisa detection method , showed a prevalence of positive samples of 0.8 and 17.3% for sheep and goat milk , respectively ( virdis et al .
however , the present study demonstrated that in sardinia region , the prevalence of sheep milk samples contaminated with afm1 was lower than reported in other countries ( table 5 ) .
the current own - check monitoring programme on afm1 contamination in milk of small ruminants produced in sardinia region require a revaluation of framework arrangement and resources .
a larger amount of samples should be analysed to cover a large number of milk producers and cheese - making factories .
the wider use of rapid screening test should be promoted , limiting hplc as a confirmatory method . developing own - check monitoring and controlling programmes in small ruminant dairy chains is more complex as compared to the dairy cow sector .
this is mainly related to the high number of sheep and goat farms that should be submitted to a monitoring plan , while a limited amount of milk per farm is delivered to the cheese making plants .
for this reason , in order to evaluate the afm1 contamination levels , the fbos have increased the number of tank truck and silo tank milk samples ( tables 3 and 4 ) . in small ruminant dairy chains ,
tank truck and silo gather bulk milk from a larger number of farms than in cows , resulting in potential stronger dilution effect of contaminants in the milk delivered . in the present work a reduction of afm1 concentration and rate of positive samples
was observed in relation to the origin of samples , decreasing from samples taken at farm level to truck tank and silo . in italy , an attention level of 40 ng / kg for afm1 in bulk tank cow milk was established .
in small ruminants dairy chains , the own - check programmes for monitoring afm1 consider the milk tank truck as a main target and so attention level should be set at a lower level than thsoe provided for cows , due to the observed dilution effect of the contamination . | pubmed |
the major objectives of root canal therapy are removal of the pathologic pulp , shaping and cleaning of the root canal system , disinfection of the contaminated root canals and three dimensional obturation to prevent reinfection.1 the success of endodontic therapy depends on adequate access , thorough biomechanical preparation and proper obturation of the root canal system .
endodontically treated teeth are widely considered to be more susceptible to fracture than vital teeth .
the reasons most often reported have been the removal of tooth structure during endodontic therapy , dehydration of dentin after endodontic therapy and excessive pressure during obturation.2,3 the strength of the endodontically treated teeth is directly related to the method of canal preparation and the amount of remaining sound tooth structure .
it is observed that the greatest incidence of vertical root fracture occurs in teeth that have undergone endodontic therapy.4 vertical root fracture is a longitudinal fracture of the root , extending throughout the entire thickness of dentin from the root canal to the periodontium .
it is of serious clinical concern and has an unfavorable prognosis resulting in extraction of the tooth or resection of the affected root.5,6 although obturation may not necessarily be the most critical stage in root canal therapy , it should still be performed according to the highest clinical standards .
gutta - percha has widely been accepted for years as the gold standard filling material to obturate root canals .
furthermore , the adhesive strength between the root canal walls , endodontic sealers , and gutta - percha was found to be very weak.7 although very few materials have seriously challenged gutta - percha and sealer in majority of filling situations , research continues to find alternatives that may seal better and also mechanically reinforce compromised roots.7 the bonding concept of the root filling material is hampered by the lack of a chemical union between the polyisoprene component of gutta - percha and methacrylate - based resin sealers.8 recently , two challenging strategies have been employed to effectively reinforce the endodontically treated tooth structure .
a new material resilon ( pentron clinical technologies , wallington , ct ) was introduced as a better alternative to gutta - percha .
this synthetic polymer claimed not only to provide a better seal but also reinforces the tooth structure through a combination of primer , dual cure sealer and resin obturating material .
the polyester chemistry containing bioactive and radiopaque fillers made it to possess better handling characteristics and look alike gutta - percha .
in addition , when used in conjunction with a resin - based sealant or bonding agent it forms a monoblock within the canals that bonds to the dentinal walls , it appears logical that they have the potential to strengthen the walls against fracture.1,8 a second strategy has been employed in which an unusual resin is created by first reacting one of the isocyanato groups of a diisocyanate with the hydroxyl group of a hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene as the latter is bondable to hydrophobic polyisoprene .
this is followed by grafting of a hydrophilic methacrylate functional group to the other isocyanato group of the diisocyanate producing a gutta - percha resin coating that is bondable to a methacrylate - based resin sealer .
the resin coated gutta - percha is recommended to be used with a recently modified patented version of a hydrophilic methacrylate - based dual - cured resin sealer ( endorez).9 in the light of incidence of vertical root fractures associated with gutta - percha filling techniques , this study was undertaken to compare the fracture resistance of roots endodontically treated with different resin - based adhesive sealers with conventional lateral condensation technique .
a total of 60 single canalled extracted maxillary anterior teeth , caries free and periodontally compromised , which was confirmed by the department of periodontology , km shah dental college , were collected and cleaned of soft tissue debris and calculus and stored in phosphate buffered saline ( pbs , ph 7.2 ) containing 0.1% sodium azide to inhibit bacterial growth for a maximum of 5 days .
caries free teeth , with a single root and a single , straight canal confirmed radiographically , completely formed apices with root lengths ranging from 14 to 16 mm and bucco lingual diameter ranging from 6 to 8 mm were included for the present study .
all the teeth were carefully examined under 16 magnifications with the help of digital operating microscope ( seiler dental microscope , seiler instruments inc . , st .
louis , usa ) to rule out preexisting fractures and all unacceptable ones were discarded .
the selected teeth were sectioned at the cement - enamel junction with a diamond disk operated on a slow speed micromotor hand piece under a constant water coolant flow .
the first group served as a negative control group containing the roots neither instrumented nor obturated . in the remaining four groups ,
the working length was determined by introducing a size 10 k file into the canal until it exited from the apex and the final working length was set 1 mm short of that length .
after the introduction of hand files and establishment of a glide path , an automated torque control endomotor with an attached reduction gear hand piece was used with profile rotary series to clean and shape the root canals using glyde as a lubricant and a chelator ( figure 1 ) .
instrumentation of the root canals with profile rotary series instruments and torque control endomotor with a mounted reduction gear hand piece .
profile orifice shapers ( o.s ) , profile 0.06 and profile 0.04 tapers , were the three types of instruments used in the shaping of root canals .
instrumentation was initiated by the introduction of profile o.s 4 ( # 0.07/50 ) and profile o.s 3 ( # 0.06/40 ) files until the point of resistance without exerting any pressure .
roots were then submitted to chemomechanical preparation with the following sequence : # 30/.06 , # 25/.06 , # 20/.06 , # 30/.04 , # 25/.04 , # 20/.04 , and finally # 30/.06 . in between each preparation 2 ml
after completion of instrumentation , all specimens received a final flush of 5 ml 17% of edta irrigating solution following manufacturer s instructions followed by 5 ml of 2.5% naocl solution in order to remove the smear layer .
then the specimens were randomly assigned into five experimental groups ( n = 12 ) per group as follows .
neither instrumentation nor obturation was done in the samples in this group ; the root canal openings were sealed with cavit .
these teeth received a root filling by cold lateral condensation technique with gutta - percha cones and endoflas fs ( zoe - based sealer ) ( sanlor dental products , usa ) .
the third group received a root filling by cold lateral condensation technique with gutta - percha and ah plus ( dentsply , detrey , germeny ) an epoxy resin - based root canal sealer .
the fourth group received a root filling by lateral condensation using realseal resilon points and realseal dual cure resin sealer ( pentron clinical technologies , wallingford , ct ) ( figure 2 ) .
after checking the snug fit of the master resilon cone , the realseal primer was dispensed onto a microbrush available in the kit ( figure 3 ) , the excess removed by using paper points .
the apical third of the master cone was coated with the sealer and placed into canal and then a size 20 finger spreader was inserted , rotated and withdrawn .
an accessory resilon cone coated with a thin layer of sealer was placed into the space created by the spreader and process repeated until the canal was completely obturated .
the coronal portion of the sealer was subsequently light cured for 40 s , to stabilize the material , enabling excess resilon to be removed with a hot instrument .
realseal resilon points and realseal dual cure resin sealer ( pentron clinical technologies , wallingford , ct ) .
the realseal primer dispensed on to a microbrush , the primer applied on the root canal walls with the help of the microbrush , excess primer was removed by using paper points .
the fifth group was root canals filled with cold lateral condensation with endorez resin coated gutta - percha points and endorez resin - based sealer ( ultradent , south jordan , usa ) ( figure 4 ) .
after checking the snug fit of the master endorez cone , the mixed sealer was injected into the root canal via 30-gauge navitip ( ultradent ) attached to skini syringe ( ultradent ) ( figure 5 ) .
the former was inserted to 2 - 3 mm short of working length and slowly withdrawn to fill the entire canal with sealer avoiding entrapment of air . the prefit master cone ( 0.06 taper resin coated , iso no .
30 ) was then inserted into the canal to the working length , followed by the passive placement of multiple , accessory 0.02 taper , no .
# 20 resin coated gutta - percha cones , to reduce the sealer volume and to avoid scraping off of the resin coating with the use of spreader / plugger .
the coronal portion of the sealer was subsequently light cured for 40 s , to stabilize the material , enabling excess gutta - percha to be removed with a hot instrument .
endorez resin coated gutta - percha points and endorez resin - based sealer ( ultradent , south jordan , usa ) .
all roots were kept at 37c with 100% humidity for 2 weeks to allow the sealers to set completely after which the samples were prepared to be subjected to mechanical strength testing . an acrylic block with a simulated periodontal ligament created with
the help of vinyl polysiloxane light body rubber base impression material was fabricated to allow for adequate stabilization of the specimens during testing procedures .
after the resin had set , the blocks with embedded roots were mounted on to the loading frame of material testing system ( minneapolis , minnesota , usa ) ( figure 6 ) . a stainless steel pin simulating a size 40 spreader was manufactured and fixed into the cross head and placed directly above the root canal orifice .
extreme care was taken to ensure that all the roots were embedded in an exact line parallel to the long axis of the pin in order to prevent any unusual oblique stresses on the root canal walls .
the testing machine was calibrated with these components to vertically drive the pin into the canal at a cross head speed of 5 mm / min during which it penetrated the root canal and force was applied to the root until it fractured .
the block with embedded root were mounted on to the loading frame of material testing system .
fracture was defined as the point at which a sharp and an instantaneous drop>25% of the applied force was observed for each root and so the machine was adjusted to terminate the test when a 25% reduction of force was observed .
the force applied to the root canal was recorded in the form of a graphical representation in addition to the continuous digital display of different test parameters ( graph 1 ) . throughout the test ,
the loads at which different root specimens fractured were recorded in newtons and the data were subjected to statistical analysis . a complete graphical representation of the entire testing procedure on a particular specimen ( axial force vs. displacement graph ) .
neither instrumentation nor obturation was done in the samples in this group ; the root canal openings were sealed with cavit .
these teeth received a root filling by cold lateral condensation technique with gutta - percha cones and endoflas fs ( zoe - based sealer ) ( sanlor dental products , usa ) .
the third group received a root filling by cold lateral condensation technique with gutta - percha and ah plus ( dentsply , detrey , germeny ) an epoxy resin - based root canal sealer .
the fourth group received a root filling by lateral condensation using realseal resilon points and realseal dual cure resin sealer ( pentron clinical technologies , wallingford , ct ) ( figure 2 ) .
after checking the snug fit of the master resilon cone , the realseal primer was dispensed onto a microbrush available in the kit ( figure 3 ) , the excess removed by using paper points .
the apical third of the master cone was coated with the sealer and placed into canal and then a size 20 finger spreader was inserted , rotated and withdrawn .
an accessory resilon cone coated with a thin layer of sealer was placed into the space created by the spreader and process repeated until the canal was completely obturated .
the coronal portion of the sealer was subsequently light cured for 40 s , to stabilize the material , enabling excess resilon to be removed with a hot instrument .
realseal resilon points and realseal dual cure resin sealer ( pentron clinical technologies , wallingford , ct ) .
the realseal primer dispensed on to a microbrush , the primer applied on the root canal walls with the help of the microbrush , excess primer was removed by using paper points .
the fifth group was root canals filled with cold lateral condensation with endorez resin coated gutta - percha points and endorez resin - based sealer ( ultradent , south jordan , usa ) ( figure 4 ) .
after checking the snug fit of the master endorez cone , the mixed sealer was injected into the root canal via 30-gauge navitip ( ultradent ) attached to skini syringe ( ultradent ) ( figure 5 ) .
the former was inserted to 2 - 3 mm short of working length and slowly withdrawn to fill the entire canal with sealer avoiding entrapment of air . the prefit master cone ( 0.06 taper resin coated , iso no .
30 ) was then inserted into the canal to the working length , followed by the passive placement of multiple , accessory 0.02 taper , no .
# 20 resin coated gutta - percha cones , to reduce the sealer volume and to avoid scraping off of the resin coating with the use of spreader / plugger .
the coronal portion of the sealer was subsequently light cured for 40 s , to stabilize the material , enabling excess gutta - percha to be removed with a hot instrument .
endorez resin coated gutta - percha points and endorez resin - based sealer ( ultradent , south jordan , usa ) .
all roots were kept at 37c with 100% humidity for 2 weeks to allow the sealers to set completely after which the samples were prepared to be subjected to mechanical strength testing . an acrylic block with a simulated periodontal ligament created with
the help of vinyl polysiloxane light body rubber base impression material was fabricated to allow for adequate stabilization of the specimens during testing procedures .
after the resin had set , the blocks with embedded roots were mounted on to the loading frame of material testing system ( minneapolis , minnesota , usa ) ( figure 6 ) . a stainless steel pin simulating a size 40 spreader was manufactured and fixed into the cross head and placed directly above the root canal orifice .
extreme care was taken to ensure that all the roots were embedded in an exact line parallel to the long axis of the pin in order to prevent any unusual oblique stresses on the root canal walls .
the testing machine was calibrated with these components to vertically drive the pin into the canal at a cross head speed of 5 mm / min during which it penetrated the root canal and force was applied to the root until it fractured . the block with embedded root
fracture was defined as the point at which a sharp and an instantaneous drop>25% of the applied force was observed for each root and so the machine was adjusted to terminate the test when a 25% reduction of force was observed .
the force applied to the root canal was recorded in the form of a graphical representation in addition to the continuous digital display of different test parameters ( graph 1 ) . throughout the test ,
the loads at which different root specimens fractured were recorded in newtons and the data were subjected to statistical analysis . a complete graphical representation of the entire testing procedure on a particular specimen ( axial force vs. displacement graph ) .
firstly one - way anova test followed by post - hoc scheffe multiple comparison tests on both the variables of length and faciolingual diameters of different samples were performed and it was concluded that all the samples of the experimental groups were completely well - balanced concerning the defined constraints .
the results of fracture resistance obtained were measured in newtons for each specimen has been tabulated in ( table 1 ) .
the descriptive statistics of loads of various specimens of different groups are mentioned in ( table 2 ) .
descriptive statistics of the loads to fracture different samples . a graphical representation of the mean load values to fracture roots obturated with different sealers is shown below ( graph 2 ) . a graphical representation of the mean load values to fracture roots obturated with different sealers .
considering this statistical situation a more detailed analysis one - way anova test was called for ( table 3 ) .
further this was substantiated with multiple comparisons through post - hoc tukey hsd multiple comparison test ( table 4 ) .
one - way anova revealed highly significant difference between groups ( p < 0.0001 ) .
statistically significant difference is noted in fracture resistance values of control group and certain test groups i.e. , the control group displayed significantly higher values than both the gutta - percha groups ( group ii and iii ) ( p < 0.05 ) . while groups iv and v displayed values lower than the control group but were statistically insignificant ( p > 0.05 ) . among the test groups , resilon group ( group iv ) and endorez group ( group v ) displayed significantly higher values than the gutta - percha groups ( group ii - endoflas and group iii - ah plus ) ( p < 0.05 ) .
furthermore , there was no statistically significant difference between the values of group iv and group v ( p > 0.05 ) .
similarly , there was no statistically significant difference between the values of group ii and group iii ( p > 0.05 ) .
the primary goal of endodontics is not only to restore the tooth structure but also to increase the inherent strength of the remaining tooth structure .
although the use of gutta - percha with an insoluble root canal sealer can be seen as a gold standard of root canal fillings , the ability of these materials to reinforce an endodontically treated root is discussed with controversy .
certain resin - based materials have been proposed since long to reinforce the endodontically treated teeth like diaket,10 hydron,11 ketac endo aplicap12 ah 26 , ah plus13,14 endoresin.15,16 the development of bonded obturating materials is in congruence with the efforts to provide a more effective seal apically as well as coronally .
the adhesion between dental structures and resin - based sealers is the result of a physicochemical interaction across the interface , allowing the union between filling material and root canal wall.17,18 this process is important in static and dynamic situations . in static circumstances ,
the adhesion eliminates spaces that allow the infiltration of fluids into the sealer / dentine interface.19 in dynamic situations , the adhesion is necessary to avoid the sealer dislodgment during operative procedures .
therefore , the endodontic filling materials may enhance the ability of root filled teeth to resist fracture.20,21 because the resin core , sealant , and the dentinal wall all are attached , it appears logical that they have the potential to strengthen the walls against fracture .
however , very few studies have been conducted on this aspect to support the hypothesis regarding the root reinforcement ability of the newer resin - based systems .
all the root canals were enlarged by a single operator to minimize operator variation.13 canal shape after preparation with hand files can be quite irregular.22 from a fracture mechanics point of view , the presence of structural defects , cracks or canal irregularities is likely to play a major role in determining fracture strength.23 rotary niti canal preparation using profile rotary instruments did not reduce fracture susceptibility of the root and also the roots were significantly weakened by the preparation with greater taper instruments.24 during the root canal preparation freshly prepared 1% sodium hypochlorite was used as an irrigant as it is the most commonly used irrigant , and a low concentration was used to minimize the adverse effect on dentin mechanical properties.1 final rinse was done with edta followed by naocl to enhance the bonding of the materials tested to the dentinal surface of the root .
this was done in accordance with the protocol recommended by weiger et al . to use edta followed by naocl , which seemed to optimize adhesion of sealers to the root canal
walls.25 root canal obturation has been implicated as the major cause of vertical root fracture . in lateral condensation ,
the strain is generated by the wedging effect of the spreader because it laterally compacts the gutta - percha and adapts it to canal wall while vertical condensation creates strains as the mass of gutta - percha is compacted apically with pluggers under consistent vertical load.5,26 however , lateral condensation technique was used in this study because it is a more widely recommended and a proven classic technique,7 which facilitates comparison with previous studies.1,27 furthermore , the principal reason is that endorez system is only provided in the form of cones and not yet available in any other form for vertical or thermal condensation.3 strength testing is the methodology that has been used to study the influence of filling materials on the fracture resistance of teeth submitted to root canal treatment9,12,28 as performed in this study . in this study ,
the force was applied along the long axis of the root with a stainless steel pin , which produced root fracture when contact was made between the pin and the walls of the canal opening .
the method adapted in this study to fracture the root specimens was chosen because it provided force distribution from inside the root canal and fractures occurring as a result of forces transmitted via the obturating material.5 this resembled root fracture of endodontic origin or from a post.27 stresses generated from inside the root canal were transmitted through the root to the surface where the interdentin bonding failed.29 the test was terminated after a 25% drop in the maximum force recorded similar to that used in the previous studies.1,8,13 the method presented in this study for measuring the fracture strength of obturating material has proven to be effective and reproducible . it is simple and easy to duplicate and reliable in accordance with the results of previously published findings .
the following conclusions were drawn from this study :
intact roots have greater fracture resistance than that of the instrumented roots.intact roots have significantly greater fracture resistance than the gutta - percha filled roots.the roots obturated with both the newer resin - based adhesive systems i.e. realseal and endorez have significantly greater fracture resistance than the gutta - percha filled roots.there is no statistically significant difference in fracture resistance of the roots obturated with gutta - percha / endoflas fs and gutta - percha / ah plus sealer.there is no statistically significant difference in fracture resistance of roots obturated with resilon / realseal sealer and the intact roots.there is no statistically significant difference in fracture resistance of roots obturated with resin coated gutta - percha / endorez sealer and the intact roots.there is no statistically significant difference in fracture resistance of roots obturated with resilon / realseal sealer , and resin coated gutta - percha / endorez sealer .
intact roots have significantly greater fracture resistance than the gutta - percha filled roots . the roots obturated with both the newer resin - based adhesive systems
i.e. realseal and endorez have significantly greater fracture resistance than the gutta - percha filled roots .
there is no statistically significant difference in fracture resistance of the roots obturated with gutta - percha / endoflas fs and gutta - percha / ah plus sealer . there is no statistically significant difference in fracture resistance of roots obturated with resilon / realseal sealer and the intact roots .
there is no statistically significant difference in fracture resistance of roots obturated with resin coated gutta - percha / endorez sealer and the intact roots .
there is no statistically significant difference in fracture resistance of roots obturated with resilon / realseal sealer , and resin coated gutta - percha / endorez sealer .
although the present results concerning the adhesive root canal filling materials realseal and endorez to reinforce the endodontically treated roots are very promising some care should be taken in the transfer of these findings to the long term clinical situation . further in vivo and biocompatibility tests involving newer resin - based systems will be necessary to determine whether the results in vitro will be validated .
clinical long - term studies are necessary to collect evidence - based data to support the confident use of these materials . | pubmed |
Actress Kriti Sanon, rumoured to be dating her "Raabta" co-star Sushant Singh Rajput, is super excited to see him "flying high" and he being in space.
Sushant tweeted his photo, which seems to have been taken at a NASA facility in the US, on Saturday.
He captioned it: "From a miniature rocket to a life size one, this grown up kid will never cease to dream. My mother always wanted her 'Sushant in Space'!"
Kriti was thrilled. "Woah! Flying high literally? I'm sure your mom will be really proud! Keep shining Sush. Super excited to see Sushant in Space."
Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur also went down memory lane and shared his dreams as a child.
"My dream as a kid was to be an astronaut, staring at the night skies for hours, dreaming of finding friends in the milky way. So take me there," he wrote.
Sushant had earlier shared his excitement about heading to a NASA centre to prepare for his next film, "Chanda Mama Door Ke" -- a space adventure. | slim_pajama |
What is the general form of the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker metric in 4D?
I have written in some old notes that the FLRW (also known as FRW) metric can be written as:
$$ds^2=dt^2 + a^2 (t) [dr^2 +r^2(d\theta^2 + sin^2\theta d\varphi ^2)] \tag{1}$$
I believe this is its representation in $4\text{D}$.
But I have seen in other pages, among them, the [Wikipedia page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedmann%E2%80%93Lema%C3%AEtre%E2%80%93Robertson%E2%80%93Walker_metric) and [Robertson-Walker metric and cosmic homogeneity](https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/451824/robertson-walker-metric-and-cosmic-homogeneity) that the equation can be written as:
$$ds^2 = dt^2 - a(t)^2 \Big(\frac{dr^2}{1 - kr^2} + r^2( d\theta^2 + \sin^2\theta \, d\varphi^2 )\Big).\tag{2}$$
**Where does the factors under $dr^2$ in equation $(2)$ come from?**
**Is the latter the correct form?**
The factor $k$ is the curvature of space.
Assume that the global geometry of space is that of a sphere of radius $R$. Then, $R^2 = x\_1^2 + x\_2^2 + x\_3^2$ and the spatial metric can be written $$ds^2 = dx\_1^2 + dx\_2^2 + \frac{(x\_1dx\_1 + x\_2dx\_2)^2}{R^2-x\_1^2-x\_2^2}.$$
Moving to polar coordinates with $x\_1 = r'\cos \theta$ and $x\_2 = r'\sin \theta$, and taking $r = r'/R$, one obtains $$ds^2 = R^2 \left(\frac{dr^2}{1-r^2} + r^2 d\theta^2\right)$$
which is the spatial metric of a sphere ($k=1$).
For a hyperbolic geometry, replace $R \rightarrow iR$ in the above giving a metric with $k=-1$.
Equation (1) given above the FRW metric assuming that the spatial manifold (i.e. $t$=constant hypersurface) is flat meaning that the curvature of the spatial manifold is 0.
While equation (2) is the correct FRW metric. To understand this, the Cosmological principle implies that the spatial manifold is maximally symmetric meaning at all points they have constant curvature (Ricci scalar) everywhere given by $R=6\kappa$. Now in order to derive the spatial part of metric $d\sigma^2=g\_{ij}dx^i dx^j$ (metric $ds^2$ when $dt=0$), $(i,j=1,2,3)$. Since space is maximally symmetric, there will be spherical symmetry:
\begin{equation}
d\sigma^2= e^{2\beta({r})} dr^2+ r^{2} d\Omega^2
\end{equation}
Using $R=6\kappa$ we get $\beta({r})=-\frac{1}{2}$ ln$(1-\kappa{r}^2)$, thus we get:
\begin{equation}
d\sigma^2= \frac{d{r}^2}{1-\kappa{r}^2}+{r}^2d\Omega^2
\end{equation}
Thus, at last, we get FRW metric when we consider $t$ as cosmic standard time:
\begin{equation}d s^{2}=- d t^{2}+R^{2}(t)\left[\frac{d r^{2}}{1-\kappa r^{2}}+r^{2}\left(d \theta^{2}+\sin ^{2} \theta d \phi^{2}\right)\right]\end{equation}
For $\kappa > 0$, the curvature is positive meaning the spatial manifold is 3-sphere which we can check by embedding in 4-dimensions. For $\kappa < 0$, the spatial manifold is a hyperboloid by embedding in 4-dimensions.
While $\kappa=0$ means that the manifold is flat giving Euclidean space.
| stackexchange/physics |
all structure computations have been carried out using the gaussian 03 code . details ( method , basis set ) for each of the steps are provided in the supporting information . for the time - propagation of the photoelectron wave function
we employed a fourth - order runge - kutta scheme and discretized the spatial derivatives to the fourth order .
this research is supported financially by the dfg through sfb 762 .
* web enhanced object 1 * ( weo1 ) .
schematic video of the model system and the setup .
available in the html version of the paper . +
* web enhanced object 2 * ( weo2 ) .
animation of the time - delay dependence of the vibrational wave - packet dynamics synchronized with the detection probability .
available in the html version of the paper . +
* supporting information availabe:*. details for the computations of the vibrational modes and the orbitals of the surface - molecule system , for calculating the pess and the derivation of schrdinger equations for the photoemission .
available free of charge via the internet at .
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Cosipara molliculella is a moth in the family Crambidae. It was described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1929. It is found in Puebla, Mexico.
The wingspan is about 14 mm. Adults are similar to Cosipara cyclophora, but slightly smaller and greyer.
References
Category:Moths described in 1929
Category:Scopariinae | wikipedia |
University drop out rates are worse among disadvantaged students, official data shows
Universities are under increasing pressure to admit more students from poor backgrounds
Camilla Turner, Education Editor
Camilla Turner
University drop out rates are worse among disadvantaged students compared to their wealthier peers, official data shows.
Damian Hinds, the education secretary, has warned that universities must step up their efforts to tackle the "damaging" drop out rates, adding that the regulator will intervene if they fail to do so.
In 2016/17, 8.8 per cent of the most disadvantaged students failed to complete their degrees, up from 8.6 per cent the previous year, according to figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa).
Meanwhile, the proportion of all students dropping out of university during the same two year period declined from 6.4 per cent to 6.3 per cent.
London Metropolitan University had the highest drop out rate of all, with almost one in five students (18.6 per cent) failing to complete their degree. It was followed by Bolton University (15.4 per cent) and then Bedfordshire University (15.2 per cent).
Cambridge and Oxford universities had the lowest drop out rates, with one per cent and 1.2 per cent respectively.
Universities are under increasing pressure to admit more students from poor backgrounds.
Russell Group institutions have been told that must "eliminate" the gap in admissions between wealthier students and their less well-off peers within 20 years, according to targets published by the universities watchdog.
Damian Hinds warned that universities must step up their efforts to tackle the "damaging" drop out rates
Last year the Russell Group spent £254 million on "outreach" activities, aimed at encouraging more students from disadvantaged background to apply, with a further £270 million due to be spent in the year ahead.
Initiatives include bursaries, extra tutoring and support, and giving lower offers to those coming from state schools But students from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to drop out of university than their wealthier peers for a variety of possible reasons.
They are less likely to have family or friends who went to university meaning they may not know what to expect, and they may struggle academically if they have gone to a school that do not usually send pupils on to higher education.
Mr Hinds said that while universities have made "huge progress" in admitting more from students from disadvantaged backgrounds, this is undermined by the increased drop out rates.
"Universities need to look at these statistics and take action to reduce drop-out rates," he said.
"If they don't, we have given the Office for Students power to take action. I expect them to do that and challenge institutions to look at what support they can offer – particularly to disadvantaged and underrepresented groups – to turn these figures around."
He said that universities with the highest drop-out rates that their figures give the impression that they are more interested in getting "bums on seats" than offering support for students throughout their degree.
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"Where universities are not making enough progress in this area, we will expect them to turn the situation around to ensure that higher education's life changing benefits can be realised."
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Time homogeneous Markov chain for Axelrod's model
I am reading paper [Axelrod's model of dissemination of culture](http://jasss.soc.surrey.ac.uk/12/1/6/appendixB/Axelrod1997.html) , I am unable to understand the transition probabilities of time homogeneous Markov chain for this model. Can some one please explain it clearly how the expression
$$ p\_{ij} = \frac{1}{L^2 h\_{ij}} \sum\_{r\in H\_{ij}} \frac{n\_{kr}}{f} \frac{1}{f-n\_{kr}} \qquad (i \neq j)$$
is written in the paper.
As described on your link, we are trying to compute the probability that we will transition between two fully described states. So, by $i$ and $j$ they mean a complete specification of all of the attributes for each of the agents.
Now, the probability that we will transition is determined by the rules of the simulation. In each time step we (1) choose a random agent ($k$). (2) choose a random neighbor ($r$), (3) decide whether they interact, with probability $n\_{kr}/f$ (their cultural similarity), and (4) if they interact, have $k$ adopt one of $r$'s features that differ (of which there are $f - n\_{kr}$ options) at random and adopts its trait.
So, assuming we are looking at a particular complete specification $i$ and $j$ that differ only in a particular agent, $k$ having changed the trait of one of his features, the only way we could have gotten from $i$ to $j$ in one step is if we (1) were lucky enough to choose the $k$ guy out of all of the guys on the lattice. This happens with probability $1/L^2$. (2) we choose a neighbor that had the correct trait for the feature of interest. Here we don't necessarily know how many such neighbors there are, but let's denote the number of neighbors we could steal the train in question from $h\_{ij}$ and use $H\_{ij}$ to represent the set of neighbors, and $N$ to denote the total number of neighbors. (3) Even if we select one of the correct neighbors, they have to interact, which only happens with probability $ n\_{kr} / f $. (4) Even if they interact, we need to choose the right feature to copy, since this is a choice of the correct one out of $ f- n\_{kr}$ options, we will make this choice with probability $1/(f - n\_{kr})$.
So, schematically we have
$$ \begin{align\*}
P\_{\text{state}\_i, \text{state}\_j} &= P(\text{ choosing agent } k) \times P(\text{ choosing valid neighbor}) \\ & \quad \times P(\text{they interact}) \times P(\text{choosing the right feature}) \\
&= \left( \frac{1}{L^2} \right)\left( \frac{1}{N} \sum\_{r \in H\_{ij}} \right) \left( \frac{n\_{kr}}{f} \right) \left( \frac{1}{f - n\_{kr}} \right) \\
&= \frac{1}{L^2 N} \sum\_{r\in H\_{ij}} \frac{ n\_{kr}}{f} \frac{ 1 }{ f - n\_{kr} }
\end{align\*}
$$
which is as the page reports, though I think they may have goofed, because in order to have a transition, we need to select one of the neighbors that have the shared trait, and this will depend on the number of neighbors $N$, so I think they accidentally have $h\_{ij}$ instead of $N$ in their transition probabilities.
| stackexchange/physics |
What is the meaning of unit of electrical resistivity, ohm-meter?
In the unit of work done, $Nm$, $N $ stands for the force applied and $m$ stands for the length of displacement, by taking their product we get work done or $Nm$.
But in the case of electrical resistivity, $ohm-meter$, I know that $ohm$ stands for resistance of wire which is not defined for a given resistivity, and $metre$ stands for something i don't understand.
1.What is the meaning of ohm-meter?
2.Also tell me what is electrical resistivity? (not asking its derivation in this question)
"Metre" is the side length of a cube of the material that you are testing.
To find the resistivity of a substance you can make a cube of the substance, with side length $x$ metres and measure the resistance to electricity $r$ Ohms, then the resistivity is $r\times x$ and units are Ohm-metres.
This is useful because at a standard temperature, this is a constant that depends only on the substance under test.
You can observe that the resistance is proportional to the length of the resister, and inversely proportional to the cross-sectional area of the resistor. or $r.\Omega \propto x.\text{m} \times (A.\mathrm{m}^2)^{-1}$.
If the constant of proportionality is $\rho$ the electrical resistivity. You might write $\rho = r\times A \times x^{-1}.\Omega\,\mathrm{m}^2\,\mathrm{m}^{-1}$
Or resistivity has units of Ohm metre-square per metre.
But as units are simplified, Ohm metre-square per metre is simplified to Ohm-metres.
(Not to be confused with Ohmmeters which are different altogether.)
Electrical resistivity is a property of a material. The units for resistivity $\rho$ in ohm-meters comes from the equation for the resistance of a conductor,
$$R=\frac{\rho L}{A},$$
where $L$ is the length of the conductor in meters, $A$ the cross sectional area in square meters and $R$ the resistance in ohms.
The SI units for the Ohm are
$$\Omega = \frac{\rm kg\,m^2}{\rm s^{3}\,A^2},$$
where $\rm A$ is the ampere and $\rm s$ the second. This comes from the equation for Ohm's law,
$$R=\frac{V}{I},$$
where the SI units for the voltage $V$ are
$$\rm V = \frac{\rm kg\,m^2}{\rm s^{3}\,A}$$
and the SI unit for current $I$ is the ampere $\rm A$.
Substituting the SI units for resistance in the first equation gives the SI units for resistivity $\rho$ of
$$\frac{\rm kg\,m^3}{\rm s^{3}\,A^2} = \rm \Omega\,m$$
Hope this helps.
| stackexchange/physics |
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