Quotes

"There was never a genius without a tincture of madness." - Aristotle

"For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?" - Jane Austen

"The only thing I was fit for was to be a writer, and this rested solely on my suspicion that I would never be fit for real work, and that writing didn't require any." - Russel Baker

"Live fast, die young and leave a good-looking corpse." - James Dean

"Pleasure's a sin, and sometimes sin's a pleasure." Lord Byron

"What is it that we should be fighting for? War makes that question very hard to answer." Lacus Clyne, Gundam Seed Destiny*

"The only difference between reality and fiction is fiction has to make sense." - Tom Clancy

"Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal." - T.S. Eliot

"The secret to writing is to write, not to think." - Sean Connery in Finding Forrester

"A good writer makes the mind imagine. A great author makes the mind believe." - from the movie A Letter From Death Row

"I'm not defined by my abilities alone!" - Kira Yamato, Gundam Seed Destiny

"Simple minds...simple pleasures..." - Fall-From-Grace, Plancescape: Torment

"If we could not laugh, we could not bear to cry. If we could not cry, we could not bare to live." - Japanese proverb

"Women are the reason I became a monk. And the reason I changed back." - Morte, Plancescape: Torment

"Perfection through suffering." - Vhailor, Planescape: Torment

"Death is merely the beginning." - from the game Akuji the Heartless

"Why flatter my enemy with imitation when I can satisfy myself with possession?" - Magic: The Gathering flavor text

"The fatal flaw in every plan is the assumption that you know more than your enemy." - Magic: The Gathering flavor text

"Grow food in dirt? Save time. Eat dirt." - Magic: The Gathering flavor text

"Forgiveness is always easier to earn than permission." - Legend of the Five Rings flavor text

"Watashi ga inakunattara, ippai kurushinde, kanashinde, watashi no omoide ni shibarate ite hoshiindesu."
Translation: I don't want you to forget about me... When I am gone, I want you to be in great pain and sadness being tied down by your memories with me. - Mint Blancmanche of Galaxy Angel, from the game Galaxy Angel: Moonlit Lovers

"Tears and insanity suit more a girl than anything else: they make her cuter and more desirable." - Kohaku, from Tsukihime (the game original, not the sucky anime version)

"A pure love should be eternal: killing the lovers at the peak of their love is the best way to insure it will last forever." - Kohaku, from Tsukihime

"Love is only interesting when it brings great unhappiness, unbelievable suffering, crucifying pain, unfathomable sorrow, endless despair and eternal damnation. When insanity and death become the only ways to escape from love, it means the love story has started to reach an interesting point." - not entirely sure where this is from but I believe it's from Kohaku of Tsukihime as well

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So, why, all of a sudden, do I put up quotes? No reason.

A Side Project

I honestly have no idea what's up with me lately. SNA2: Yuki on hold for now, an untitled project loosely inspired by a Love Hina fanfic I made, Babylon 5's Psi-Corp and the PS game Galerians. Anyway, lacking any decent updates or posts for this...

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01: Synapse

Two nights ago, the strangest night of my life occurred. It was my birthday, so I decided to go bar-hopping to celebrate, maybe make a friend – because I don’t have any. We all had a couple of drinks. I had mostly sake, a couple of glasses of scotch too. I was probably a little tipsy on my way home. I was walking alone when two guys came up to me with their knives. I don’t remember much but I remember they tried to corner me in an alley, ripped up my coat. I give them my purse, my phone, my stuff. I think I heard them talk about raping me too. I was afraid but in me, I felt a burning hatred as well. They kept moving forward and I kept moving back until I found my back was to a wall. When one of them tried to grab me, I put my hands over my head and tried to protect myself. A few moments later, I felt a searing heat nearby and I saw a wall of fire separating me from them. And as if by instinct, I knew that I was the one that made it.

They ran, saying something about my being a monster, a freak. I wasn’t paying much attention. I suddenly had a migraine and it was starting to weaken me. Once they were gone, the fire began to fade and so did my senses. My eyes began to blur, I felt weak, confused. I tried to walk out of the alley even though I could barely see two feet in front of me. I felt strangely warm even though they’d ripped apart my coat and it was a particularly chilly night. I stumbled, tripped a couple of times on my way out and into the street. When I finally managed to get out, I was too dizzy, too disoriented to get very far. I only saw one person, a girl that worked as a bartender in my favorite bar. I’d always had a bit of a fondness for her since she always seemed to be wearing the same charming smile. I remember opening my mouth, trying to say something to her, maybe ask for help but I don’t know if I ever said anything. I fell forward, collapsing into her arms.

I wake up a day after, no headache but still feeling comfortably warm even though the weather outside was rather cold. I was in an unfamiliar room. White ceiling, walls covered in light blue wallpaper with posters of bikini models, race girls and assorted sexy women. The bed was comfortable enough and I realized my body was under a layer of exceptionally smooth silk. I got up and realized I wasn’t wearing my clothes but I was wearing a nice silk robe. The door was locked and I noticed a note addressed with my name on it placed on the bedside table. It didn’t say much, just that there were some clothes my size in the closet in the room and there were some drinks in the mini-bar. It was signed Saki, the girl that I saw that night that I was attacked. I decided to get dressed, fix myself up a little, have some water and then, I stepped outside. When I did, I saw a girl not older than eighteen was sitting beside the door, as if waiting for me to wake up.

“So, sleeping beauty’s awake. Hi, my name’s Leonia.” She said with a soft smile. “Welcome to Synapse.”

Weird Stuff...

Honestly, some people do the craziest things.

Like marrying a horse.

Or these things.

Honestly, is it any wonder why our generation is leagues behind the previous one? It is true. We are a degenerate species, constantly devolving ourselves.

Chapter 4, Part 1

Chapter 4, Part 1

Aya at Agincourt

The Knight was Tsujimoto Motors’ latest car model, a hybrid of a luxury sports car and an armored carrier for military use. The monstrosity of a vehicle appeared more military vehicle with the two, wide treads at the front and four massive wheels at the back, hydraulic suspension systems meant to allow the vehicle to literally run over anything that gets in the way. The design was sleek, armor plating thick and slanted to be able to give the best protection against projectile weaponry and a roaring lion of an engine. Yet, despite all of the stresses and the unusual assortment of features and the deceptively aerodynamic design, the Knight handled like a dream. It handled corners with no trouble whatsoever, stopped almost instantaneously and it somehow managed to handle the tight streets and cramped junctures of Tokyo. The vehicle was smooth and was probably the safest vehicle on the streets but that thought was of little comfort to the young girl sitting at the passenger seat as it skidded at high speed into a parallel parking spot between a BMW and a Corvette inside the impressive Tsujimoto manor. As the Knight came to a full halt, Yuki’s heart was ready to pound out of her chest. Her stunned look awakened a laugh from the person driving the vehicle: Aya Tsujimoto.

“I sincerely hope that next time we go to your estate, I drive.” Yuki said before catching her breath, her hands gripping tightly, digging into the armrests.

“Oh come now! Where’s your sense of adventure, Yuki?” Aya asked flamboyantly, batting her eyelashes with a grin of mischief and allure on her face.

“I think I lost it the second time you almost ran us into a wall.” She answered.

“I’d thought you’d have realized to throw caution out the window when I almost ran over that girl in Akihabara. She seemed quite afraid, almost as if she’d seen a ghost when we suddenly appeared.”

“I can’t blame her. You almost ran her over in this…this thing!”

“Ah, this thing as you call it is the Knight. An experimental product my father’s company made as part of a contract with the Japanese military for use in overseas operations.” Aya smiled as she leaned back and took hold of the glass of iced chocolate drink – not a drop had spilled during the wild ride – and for a moment, she seemed to relax. “It’s hard to believe that up until just a few decades ago, Japan’s army was strictly a defensive one and that the constitution wouldn’t allow for a female on the Imperial throne.”

“Yes, yes, quite impressive but please tell me that we’re not going through a ride like that again.”

Aya gave a sigh. “I’d thought you one to appreciate how far we’d come. Oh well. Don’t worry; we won’t be driving like that for a few hours. I do have a shortcut back to school I want to try out though.”

“Do you have any sedatives?”

“I think my older brother Jubei has some. Why do you ask?”

“I’d advise you to inject me some before you drive me home.” Yuki said, only partially joking.

Aya chuckled and tapped Yuki’s hand mildly. “Oh fine. We’ll take the limo home then.”

“You won’t be driving?” Yuki asked. When Aya nodded, she breathed easier. “Thank you.”

Yuki had been invited by Aya, the youngest child among the three Tsujimoto children, to visit her at her home, the luxurious estate known as Agincourt. She’d seen very, very little of the grounds because of the radical manner which Aya drove. However, once the Knight had come to a full stop, she noticed that she was in some sort of underground parking facility. There were sports cars and luxury vehicles left and right, from a stretch limousine to a BMW to a Lamborghini Diablo. She also noticed the playing of music in the background, mostly of Western punk rock. She recognized none of them and found them unpleasant to listen to but knew better than to object. The area was rather dark and the shadowy nature of the place was strange. She realized that the entire area was spacious, incredibly open area but the dim light seemed to seep into the stage, making the place seem more cramped and claustrophobic than it actually was. It didn’t sit very well with her and she was thankful as Aya led her by hand to the elevator. As small as the elevator was, it was welcome in comparison to the claustrophobic darkness of the underground parking area.

Aya Tsujimoto was a statuesque, brusque young creature. Her hair was long, the color of red ochre. She reached back and tied the length of it into a traditional bun and letting the rest hang down her back. She had a toned, muscular frame that was slightly bulky. However, her body was structured such that her body was balanced with an hourglass figure. Her shapeliness drew away from the muscles on her arms, legs and thighs so that she appeared very feminine. She had a roughness about her, from the calloused hands to the many small, insignificant blemishes and flaws on her skin. Her athletic frame contrasted Yuki’s slender, seductive build but in her own way, Aya had an intense, sensuous tomboy appeal. Her hazel eyes looked riotous, lively and they lent her appearance a fire, an irrepressible but natural energy that Yuki felt a little contagious. She dressed in simple faded jeans and a loose cream-colored shirt. Even standing still, Yuki could almost taste the smoldering sensuality and passion coming from Aya, the intensity in her eyes all too clear even to a casual observer. There was also slyness in the curve of her fire red lips, something that was both alluring and alarming to Yuki. It took much effort for Yuki not to blush as Aya leaned into her.

“You know, you’re not exactly the first girl I’ve had come over to Agincourt.” Aya said as the ride ended and she stepped out, intentionally swaying her hips flirtatiously for Yuki to see. They were in a dark, narrow corridor. “I live having girls over here. Girls seem to love this place as well. Come, let’s go.”

“Is Agincourt composed mainly of dark corridors and strange underground areas?”

“A fair opinion but you’ve not seen what I’ve to show you.” Aya smiled as she took hold of a door knob and turned it slowly. She stepped aside as she pushed the door open, light suddenly flooding into the hallway and for a moment, Aya could see it was a little much for Yuki’s eyes. “Like what you see?”

Yuki adjusted her eyes to the sudden flood of light to realize the awe-inspiring sight before her. It was an impressive garden, the expanse of which stretched far into the horizon she could see and beyond. It wasn’t something she’d taken in before or imagined she’d be able to take in again. There were growths of vines crawling around the grand marble pillars, massive trees that at springtime would yield a seemingly endless bloom of sakura, an apple orchard and many more wonders of bountiful green. And there, lying in the center of it all was an intricately designed and placed collection of rosebushes. They were the sort that one might have found in the grand courts of Europe but there was something special about it, she could feel it. It took her a while to realize that there was a structure, a pattern that formed from what appeared to be a mere artistic work. There was a form, a shape made by the bushes and as she squinted to get a better look, it slowly came to form before her eyes. The hedges formed the image of two women, wrapped in an embrace.

Aya smiled, experience told her Yuki had seen the special design of the rosebushes. That was one of the many wonders she’d hidden when she designed Agincourt, she thought with a bemused smile. That was just one of the things she’d shown many a girl she’d brought to Agincourt but she was pondering showing Yuki something special. However, she wanted to know just what Yuki’s reactions would be to her multitude of things. Agincourt was designed to be a home for the Tsujimoto children but Aya, in a fit of creativity and wile, transformed it into her personal playground. Every corridor held a prize to behold, every corner possibly keeping from the world a secret. She wasn’t the architect of the main structure or the grounds of Agincourt but she was responsible for the outcome of it. She took pride in the accomplishment, even though she herself understood that she would never be able to surpass it. Not that Agincourt’s many treasures were considered art, Aya understood it just a menagerie of one girl’s wild fancies.

* * *

Ibuki Tsujimoto stood behind one of the many specially designed observation chambers within the grounds of Agincourt. She stood observing her sister Aya and the girl she’d brought with her as a guest. She locked her gaze mainly on the girl she didn’t know, assessing her with her eyes. For a brief moment, Ibuki regretted not having installed some audio equipment so she could hear what they were talking about but she brushed it aside. What mattered most to her was that she could keep an eye on her sister and on the new girl in Aya’s life. She’d watched Aya burned and scarred in the past by her indiscretions and her brash decisions regarding the women in her life and Ibuki found that displeasing. She had not passed judgment on the girl she didn’t know anything of however, keeping an opinion from forming until she could gather more pertinent data. She felt something was special about the girl though, an undefined quality. She resigned herself to watching from behind her secure position, confident that Aya had no idea she was watching.

Ibuki, the older of the two Tsujimoto sisters, had a striking, subtly intimidating presence. Her eyes were the palest possible shade of gray, sinking deep into their sockets and seemed eternally observant of even the smallest details. Her skin was dangerously, deathly pale and her body structure slender, bony. She wore her long, silver and black hair like a thin veil over her face for the most part, loose strands running along her shoulders and down her back. Her body, though it had a feminine shape, was mostly bony and it had a wraith-like quality about it that was all the more obvious whenever she moved. That, combined with her pure white, body-hugging leather dress made her seem not only out of place but also malignant in some strange, subtle manner. That was, perhaps, one of the reasons that many found her company uneasy.

“This girl seems different from the others. I’ll have to keep an especially close eye on this one.”

* * *

Aya decided to let Yuki relax for a while, taking her to a terrace that had an incredible view of the garden that awed so many guests to Agincourt. They sat above the beautiful vale of lotuses far to the east of the garden, servants having prepared refreshments and a light meal for the two of them. The two of them shared an expensive bottle of Italian red wine over some sashimi. Yuki sat in awe of the garden, watching as the lotuses – and the neighboring lilies – swayed in the gentle breeze. The garden seemed so quiet, as did the two young women on the terrace looking down on the assortment of flowers below. There was a sparkle in Aya’s eyes as she studied Yuki’s serenity and calm, the delicate enchantments of her beauty only adding to the appearance. Aya took a deep, long sip of the wine, letting the taste linger as smiled as she picked up a slice of maguro with her chopsticks. It was then that she noticed Yuki seemed to be looking at something.

“What are you looking at?” she asked before she took a sip of her wine.

“I just noticed that there’s an abstract design on the table’s surface.” Yuki answered.

“I know. It was something I had included. This is my private terrace, after all.” Aya answered. She moved a little closer to Yuki, leaning in. “The design is of two women in a passionate, loving kiss. Can you tell? Take a closer look.” Aya then stood up, placing herself behind Yuki. “Let me point it out to you.”

Yuki blushed profusely as she felt Aya’s breasts pressing on her back. Yuki found that the both of their bodies leaned slightly forward due to Aya’s gentle push. The Tsujimoto beauty took Yuki by the hand and held it tightly but gently, guiding it along the surface of the table to trace the figure of a woman. They could feel each other’s warmth, the sense of disruptive intimacy between them. Yuki trembled as she felt Aya brush her nose against her hair, the rich girl taking a whiff of the scent in the strands before she gently brushed them away. Yuki’s eyes closed as she felt Aya’s touch warm to her, their bodies moving closer to one another. They’d begun to invade each other’s personal space but neither of them seemed to mind. Aya then moved to hold Yuki’s other hand, guiding both hands as they traced the abstract figures on the table to the point where both bodies met. Both their hands met at that point as well, Aya slipping her hand between Yuki’s. It stayed there only for a moment as Yuki wriggled a little, as if she realized what was going on.

“You seem to have a passion for women being romantic…intimate with other women.”

“It’s a passion of mine, if I had to confess.” Aya said as she knelt down and embraced Yuki from behind, leaning her head on Yuki’s shoulder. “I have a feeling that…this is a passion of yours as well.”

End Chapter 4, Part 1

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Now, this might be the last SNA2: Yuki chapter for a while. I'm currently engaged into a larger project and a minor fanfic I've been suckered into by someone I know and is dear to me. Rest assured, I plan to finish this story. Just...not a priority right now, which is a bad sign. The original was, at the time, my biggest priority that resulted in it becoming what it became. I'm taking a break from the sequel both to focus on something else and also to let my mind wander a bit, develop ideas for this. So...there.

Chapter 3 And Some Thoughts

Chapter 3

Confusion

Shinka Keep once again rattled and shook with the sounds of thousands of hopeful warriors in battle. There, in the ominous throne room, the reigning queen, Elena, was once again facing an opponent – one that was rather familiar to the champion. The black silk gi with olive green trims, along with the black hakama was the attire of the champion that Elena had deposed to gain control of the Hidetsugu Throne. The two of them had fought a spectacular, hard-fought duel during their last encounter and many of those engaged in duels had taken the time to stop, to observe the two master warriors. The man in black readied her twin katana as she took one step into the throne room’s interior. Elena readied Stranglehold, ready to strike at a moment’s notice. Both of them had been there before, the stakes hadn’t changed and both had only differed in just how many had fallen before them since the last encounter. A smile dashed both their faces, the duel began.

The first strike was laid down by Elena. A forceful downward stroke meant to try and end the duel quickly missed, barely avoided because of the speed of the blade coming down. The opponent, Takemura by name, made a quick cut aimed at Elena’s waist with one katana while the other remained in a defensive position. The readiness for a second strike using it was clear, however. Elena managed to take the hit due to her armor and quickly readied her weapon. Elena adjusted her stance, leaning her bodyweight back to keep the balance of her body as she leaned Stranglehold’s blade lean forward. Both champions circled each other, knowing that any foolish attacks would have been the end of them. It was a battle for the ages. Elena had in her hands the dreaded Stranglehold, possessing raw power and an incredible durability. Takemura wielded the katana, a weapon that carried centuries worth of history behind it as well as centuries worth of skills in the art of kenjutsu woven into every strike. Both of them smiled again, realizing that the strategies that had made and lost their other battles against others were null and void. For the first time in a long time, the two champions in Shinka Keep found themselves faced with someone who was their equal in battle.

Takemura had an excellent record, having never lost a single battle before or after facing Elena. It was his only defeat but he had turned it into a challenge. He’d risen back up, earned his way through all of Shinka Keep’s secret chambers and ancient guardians to enter the throne room once more. He was again in that place; he could feel the power coursing through his body once more. He was filled once again with all the intoxicating energy of the Hidetsugu Throne but he was anchored to reality by the fact that Elena still had sway over the place. If Takemura wanted to regain that power, he had to bring Elena Fairchild down. It was a daunting task, as he knew that while he was cutting down opponents left and right, Elena had been in a similar state, cutting down worthy opponents. He shifted his stance, altering his position to one that gave him more flexibility. He knew he would need to be able to shift from offense to defense in a split second if he was going to win the battle. He looked on at Elena and understood that his best chance at victory was slitting her throat. That would prove difficult, as the gap in the armor was small and a clean cut there would have been difficult. Takemura was not one to back away from a challenge however and he prepared himself.

“Stranglehold has taken much blood since she and I last met.” Takemura said coldly.

“And your blood may well be the next to stain her blade, Takemura.”

“I see your skills have not dulled, Lady Fairchild. I am duly impressed.”

“You are still as deadly as ever, Takemura. It has been a long time since I’ve fought anyone with a level of skill like yours.” Elena said. In a second, she suddenly snapped and thrust her weapon forward.

Takemura avoided the attack, his gi cut by the edge of the blade as he moved. “You are the only truly worthy opponent I have ever faced. Even that talented young girl Leonia does not come close.”

“Ah, so you two have met? She’s quite good, albeit she made a mistake when she faced me.”

“I will admit to her talents but…” Takemura made a quick lunge forward, his sword making one stab at Elena’s shoulder, which was deflected. His second weapon was stealthily prepared, thrusting at the small gap between the armor of the shoulder and the breastplate. “…she still has much to learn in battle.”

Elena shook as she drew back, realizing that she’d fallen for such an obvious trap. She looked on at the bleeding area, knowing that Takemura would continue to exploit that as a weakness and perhaps he’d also attack the other small gaps in her black armor. It alarmed her, as no one had ever managed to secure a wound in the gaps of her armor. Many had tried in the past –Leonia having had come the closest – but none have actually succeeded. It made her aware that Takemura’s skills had increased as hers did, making the battle even more of a pleasure to win in her mind. She smiled at the thought, trying to flush the pain from her mind. She had a true duel on her hands and the stakes were high. And for once, she dared let her mind doubt the assurance of her victory. The idea of that thrilled her as she began to craft her plan of attack.

~*~*~*~*~

` Yuki breathed a little nervously as she realized that ‘Takemura’ had drawn first blood in the game. It was an unprecedented event and it stirred a bit of adrenaline in Yuki. She hadn’t faced any player with a skill level like that one and she’d always wondered who the players that she’d been beating were. Part of her was more intent on finding out the names of the players behind the three players that had come closest to beating her. However, she brushed the thought of finding out the players’ real names were and focused on keeping her opponent in the game from exploiting the weakness that he’d managed to open. For a brief moment, she let the sight of Michiko humming Mozart to herself while scanning a copy of Shakespeare’s sonnets into her memory banks take her mind off of the battle. Michiko had a tendency to be distracting at strange times whenever she was in her silence. Yuki smiled warmly before returning to the game.

Michiko sat there, idly scanning sonnet by sonnet into her memory banks. It wasn’t something that Yuki had her do but rather, it was something she’d found a pleasant way to pass the time. She had plenty of time to spare thanks to the release of the Shinka Keep game; she’d chosen to occupy her time by scanning the best literature she could find into her memory banks. She’d taken in works from both east and west, all of them accessible to her and to anyone who asks at a moment’s notice. Yuki had never bothered to install a great number of programs into Michiko’s system, aside from hacking software and a self defense module, despite the noted lack of combat ability in series-1 and series-2 units. Once she was done, she stopped and simply sat to watch Yuki play her game. She would have objected but it was difficult for her to do so.

Programmed as she was to be vocal about her objections, Michiko personally didn’t find that sort of thing to be necessary to her character. On occasion she would but only due to programming, her mental override systems often keeping the programming at bay. She sighed, looked out the window and noticed a series-3 unit walking with his owner. She smiled, knowing just how fortunate she was because Yuki wasn’t intent on trading her in for a later model. Yuki had once mentioned that Michiko was incredibly human in comparison to the countless series-3 models she’d seen roaming the streets. She sat still for a moment, in a way that only a machine could sit still, and ran some random thoughts through her processor. Then, a grunt from Yuki alerted her that she wasn’t taking the events in her game too well. She smiled, wondering what was going to happen next. She’d rather hoped Yuki wouldn’t get frustrated, as Michiko had taken note that Yuki wasn’t as attractive frustrated or angry as she was when she was happy. Not that Michiko thought she was watching her mistress. She’d always reasoned it out as simply being an observant android.

“Ha! He made a mistake! Now he’s mine!” Yuki said aloud. It was clear to see the determination in her eyes as she bit her lip. “Just one good hit, that’s all I need and I’ll get the win…”

Michiko smiled seeing Yuki happy. It made her feel pleased as well. She proceeded outside to get Yuki a drink, anticipating that the girl would be looking for something to drink after her game. As she got down to the kitchen area of the dorm, she took note of a strange figure standing ominously on the rooftop of the building next door. She didn’t recognize the person but she realized quickly it wasn’t a student and she had a strange feeling – a feeling – that it wasn’t something she understood or knew. Suddenly her mind realized that she just had a thought run through her processor that wasn’t something she could define in her system’s protocols and database. Initially, she had thought of is as just a glitch or bug but in time, she had come to the realization that it wasn’t a bug and she couldn’t find any explanation to it. The only thing that she could call it was feeling, an instinct. Instinct didn’t happen to machines, even series-1 units. They only simulated human emotions but there’d never been any reports of series-1 models simulating something so human as instinct. It wasn’t possible. Yet, it had just happened to her. She shrugged and brushed it off for a while, scheduling some time later that night to figure it out. For the time being, she had to get Yuki’s drinks.

“There are some very strange things going on here. I better contact Minako or Hodaka and ask about this. They probably have experience on this, right?” She muttered to herself as she fixed Yuki a cold drink. She looked up and was tempted to open up the bourbon she knew one of the other students smuggled in but decided against it. Yuki had enough vices and she didn’t want to add another to the list. “I’m talking to myself again. Oh, Yuki would have a long, hearty laugh at my expense if she knew about this.”

* * *

Koji looked out his window and took note of the figure standing atop the building that was next to Yuki’s dormitory. He quickly got Takara to scan the figure, his curiosity overtaking much of his thinking and there was something darkly intriguing about it. Takara activated the enhancement of her optical sensors and attempted to get a good scan on it. She’d determined that the figure had a feminine frame, shapely. It stood shorter than Takara did; the details of the physical appearance were hidden by a black cloak and hood over her body. As she attempted to get a more detailed scan of the target, it turned its head at her direction and then a hand reached out to the cloak. In a matter of seconds, the figure disappeared before Takara’s eyes and then, she couldn’t get any trace of the figure. It confused her to no end as she turned around to report on what she’d learned – and more on what she’d failed to learn – to Koji, despite her better judgment.

“I failed to obtain a comprehensive scan of the figure. Current data suggest that it had a female frame, though whether the subject is human or not is uncertain.” Takara said. “There is high probability that the subject is in possession of a military-grade personal stealth device, possibly a prototype.”

“Did you say a stealth device? There are rumors going around that the Japanese army’s lost some sort of portable stealth technology prototype but there’s never been any evidence to confirm them.” Koji muttered as he browsed through one of his textbooks. “What else did you manage to get on it?”

“I have obtained nothing else, sir.” She answered before letting her second processor run through and analyze the little data she had again. “The target activated the stealth system before I could conduct a closer visual inspection. The current data is inadequate to assume whether it was human or android.”

“Well, that’s not very reassuring.” Koji drank in a shot of Russian vodka. He filled his glass again and then took another shot. “It doesn’t matter much though. I doubt that it’s anything really important.”

* * *

“That’s strange. I don’t think anyone’s ever disconnected from the network in the middle of a duel before.” Yuki thought out loud as she took a sip of the red iced tea Michiko gave her.

“I can check for contingency errors in the network if you like.” Michiko said.

“No, that’s alright. Neither of us was winning anyway.” She said with a disappointed sigh. “Michiko, I’m curious. What do you do when you’ve got some time alone, when I’m not around?”

“I read books mostly. Or rather, I scan them into my memory since you’ve never really installed any software into my system.” Michiko answered while Yuki signaled for her to lie down on the bed with her. The android felt a little uneasy, having never been that close to Yuki before.

“I’ve got a free day coming up; do you want to…take a walk around the gardens?”

She kept silent for a while, unsure of what to answer. “Well…I’d…like that.” She answered after much thought. “Yes, I think I’d enjoy spending time with you.”

End Chapter 3

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Well, that's chapter 3. So far, I'm still ahead of my updates like in the old FFN and FPC days. However, part of me has been inkling towards making a fanfic again, mainly because I never got around to writing it back when I still was making it. It should have been easy. A re-telling of the story of the Phantom of The Opera using the Love Hina cast.

Then again, part of me is drawn to take the original elements of an old fanfic of Cecilia's (The Corp) and adapt it so that it's completely original. Must be the influence of playing Galerians again, not to mention RPing a Psionicist in D&D: Ravenloft.

Also, I find the outcome of the Michael Jackson trial both just and profoundly disturbing. Just because even I can't convict him considering how the prosecution mishandled the case and the fact that the accusers did seem rather opportunistic and almost...scripted. Disturbing because this is Michael Jackson. He looks like a zombie. He is a 46 year old deranged, deluded nut that thinks he's a 10 year old innocent kid. This is the guy Charles Manson is afraid of. This is the guy that would have saved the Jews if he was around during WW2 because Hitler and the Nazis would have spent their time ridding the world of people like him. He deserves to be put in jail. But sadly, he doesn't deserve to be in jail if the only reasons are his accusers in the trial.

They've Done It.

Linky

Very interesting. Very interesting indeed. It looks like the Shinjo No Aijo world is coming closer than I thought.

Picture!

Why? Because it's damn cute.

Chapter 2 is up!!!

Chapter 2

Koji Nakamura

By most indications, Koji Nakamura was a little strange, even openly anarchistic. His hair was dyed to the striking platinum blond and neon red, combed back style he sported. He wore a tinted purple monocle over his right eye, though both his eyes were a stark and charming emerald green. His skin was rough, tanned to a light bronze color but his face was distractingly pale. He had a slightly muscular build, similar to those in the lightweight division of boxing. He moved like a prize fighter as well, the weight of his body pressing on the balls of his feet and his hands seemingly ready to go into a defensive position at a moment’s notice. He walked around wearing a black leather coat, faded jeans and a black shirt, accessorizing only with a pair of white gloves and the aforementioned monocle. He had a proud gait as he walked along the halls of Sacred Cross Academy. Koji Nakamura didn’t seem afraid of anyone, partly because of his android companion.

Takara was a unique, customized series-3 android. Her hair was a dark, brownish red color that was kept in a degree of disarray that agreed with the contouring of her face and shoulders. Her skin tone was lightly tanned, similar to the stereotypical image of a Latin American woman. She had more muscle on her metallic frame than most androids, specially requested by Koji. She stood at least three inches over him, her height roughly a few inches above six feet. Her chest was well-developed, firm but with a disturbingly realistic feel and look to them. Her lips were a deep, scarlet red color to match the leather coat she wore, as well as the rest of the all-leather attire she wore. Her most unusual physical features were her eyes, white as paint and bearing a lifelessness that was unnerving, impersonal and reminded many that she was far from a human being, that she was just a very well-programmed machine. Around them were rings of black eye shadow, adding an ominous energy to her gaze. It was hard to deny that the leggings and the combat boots and the leather tank top – all scarlet red – fit her body tightly and hugged all of her false feminine charms.

Koji had only recently obtained Takara and only managed to do so because of his father’s position in Schneider Multinational –the world’s largest manufacturer of the androids previously known as AF units. He himself wasn’t quite sure why he wanted an android but he recalled that his discontent over the standard series-3 units prompted him to fill in a special request. He wanted one more physical, more forceful than any unit. He was less interested in getting a unit that could do the duties of a secretary but rather, he just wanted something. Sadly, even after having Takara for two months, he still wasn’t sure what that was exactly. Takara was the end result, albeit her personality, her people skills and her demeanor sorely lacked, even compared to the – according to the general perception of tech-heads around the world – outdated series-1 units. He wasn’t sure what to make of Takara just yet, it hadn’t dawned on him yet just how potentially useful she could have been to him if she’d given him just a single chance. Of course, she wasn’t one to try and convince him of his usefulness and skills. It was a flaw in the basic emotional and personal algorithms and processes of the series-2 and series-3 units, something handled easily by the series-1 units.

As he and Takara walked along the hall, Koji’s eyes fell on the woman he’d developed a romantic interest in: Yuki Kurogane. He found her endlessly intriguing with her silent, withdrawn demeanor and the fact that he always seemed to find her alone. The only company that he’d ever seen her with was with her android, the name of which he’d never bothered to get. He stopped for a moment, admiring Yuki while she was looking out the window before he kept on walking to his classroom. He had a lot on his mind, or so he wanted to make himself believe. He just wanted to occupy his mind, keep it from wandering over to Yuki.

“Takara, anything on who beat me yesterday?” he asked as he slid the door of his classroom open and took his seat in the rear corner. He looked at her and saw the same cold, empty expression.

“I have not obtained any information on that matter as of this time, sir.” Takara answered coldly.

“I see. So we don’t know the identity of whoever created ‘Elena Fairchild’ yet.” Koji closed his eyes in disappointment. He was agitated. “What about the ‘Leonia’ player, do you have any data on her?”

“I have obtained no information on that matter as well sir.”

He scowled. “Well, go back to the house. I don’t need you here.”

“I will be going then, sir.” Takara bowed before she turned around and left.

Koji waited until he felt sure Takara was gone before he let his body shudder. “If she wasn’t just a machine, she’d be really attractive.” He paused. “I wonder if other android owners think this way…”

* * *

Koji walked up to Yuki during the lunch period, eager to try and talk to her. He’d spoken to her on any number of occasions in the past but he’d never gotten to get into her head. He was infinitely curious as to how to break into her mind, figure out what she was thinking but he’d proven to fail dismally at it. That day, he was intent on finding out what he wanted to know but had no idea how to go about doing it. It was one of the things he’d found profoundly disappointing and rather irritating about himself. He sat down and looked right at her, as if trying to silently let her know he was interested. She didn’t do anything except for ignore him and keep eating her lunch quietly, occasionally glancing to the side for whatever reason. Koji had no idea how to react to it but couldn’t. He was a clueless fool when it came to real women. He was just an ignorant fool desperately trying to figure them out. In simple terms, he was just like any other man in the world. He knew that well enough and that thought made his blood boil. He hated being just like anyone else.

Yuki was always a quiet girl in school, keeping her own company most of the time. A few people noted she seemed to blush a bit in the company of certain female students but most brushed it off, thought nothing of it. A few guys had tried to get close to her, try to pry her out of her shell for whatever reason but she pushed them away. It was as if she was avoiding them. Most of Sacred Cross’ male population eventually just gave up on luring the so-called ‘ice princess’ with their charms but Koji just found her blatant avoidance of men even more intriguing. He was observing her for as long as the two of them first met at the steps leading to the library. She spent the afternoon reading Kafka, Mao and Shakespeare while his plan to browse through some haiku from the Meiji Restoration era but ended up observing her instead. She seemed so different from the other girls he’d seen, special in some way. He’d spoken to her that day, talked to her a bit but only managed to get the most basic information from her – her name. Most men would have taken her cold approach to him as a sign that she wasn’t interested but Koji – more so than most men, sadly – had the innate ability to be unable to take a hint, no matter how obvious it was.

“So, how are you?” he asked, trying to smile as sincerely as he could. Smiling was hard for him.

“I’m fine.”

“What are you reading?”

“Nietzsche.”

“Is it any good?”

“Grab a copy and find out for yourself. There’s one on that wooden thing behind you. It’s called a bookshelf.” She said before showing him an unpleasant, sarcastic smile. “They have things called books.”

Koji kept silent for a moment, pondering a good topic to shift things to. He finally thought of one and leaned forward, ready to smile a victory smile. He felt confident he’d thought of something she’d take an interest in. “Do you want to go sky diving with me and Hinata and her friends on Saturday?”

“I don’t like heights.” Yuki answered, not once taking her eyes from the book.

Koji paused but then had another idea. “You know, there’s this new restaurant near here. I’m told that they have great food. I was thinking maybe we could go check it out together tomorrow night?”

“I have to perform a systems maintenance check on my android tomorrow night.” Yuki answered as she turned a page on the book in her hands. The fact that she was showing just enough signs of interest to tell him she was busy was more grating and far more discouraging than a complete lack of interest. “I’ve got a series-1 model and you know how those units are always in need of maintenance checks.”

Koji’s frustration was starting to build slightly but he kept himself calm, kept it down. It was something he’d become quite adept at over the years. “Well, how about tonight then?”

Yuki looked at Koji for a moment before returning to her book. “I’m not interested.”

Koji took a deep breath. He was starting to see he was getting nowhere. He’d reminded himself of the fact that he knew nothing about Yuki and what the girl liked. He knew that Yuki had an android like his but he suspected that she knew more than he did about them, despite her using an archaic series-1 unit. That was perhaps his most difficult task, as far as he was concerned. Despite talking to girls as much as possible and calling most of them his friends, he denied to himself that he was someone who had no idea what really getting to know a girl was like. His approach to girls had always been simple – throw money at them even though you don’t have to. He was rich after all and could spare it. He’d take them out, buy gifts for them, treat them to expensive meals and generally do things for them without being asked, all in the name of getting closer to them, befriending them. Girls liked him for it but none of them really got to know him or wanted to get to know him beyond the usual things. A few did but often, there wasn’t much to tell. Koji sadly knew himself less than he knew others. He was in touch with any number of things but not himself. He sighed and sensed that he was going to get nowhere for that day and simply left the girl to her reading.

* * *

Yuki let a small smile form on her lips once Koji was gone. She’d never really liked him, as much as she’d never really liked heights. She didn’t like most men, only seeing a few as attractive or appealing to her. She could count them all on one hand and none of them were around her. She preferred to be alone or with her android Michiko, or perhaps the very few girls in Sacred Cross that she trusted. She was always to be found doing something alone. Whether it was thinking, reading, sleeping or just doing nothing, she was always in the habit of doing it alone. She had a few friends and those she held close and in her confidence but they were not the typical group of friends. They rarely met and spoke to one another but they knew in their hearts that there was a bond between them that didn’t need idle chit-chat and constant contact to keep their friendship alive. In Yuki’s case, one of them was in Italy while another was halfway across Japan and last was Michiko, the android that she’d treated like a person from the day she was activated.

As the annoyance Koji caused was drifting away, she let her mind wander a little. She read books whenever she didn’t have her Leviathan system or Michiko around, giving her a broad spectrum of knowledge. It was a little too broad in fact, as her mind kept stored a large amount of interesting but ultimately useless facts and information. She was intelligent, could have probably been able to do anything she wanted to and become whatever she wanted to be if she put her mind to it but was often too willing to let her mind wander, be distracted. After a while, Yuki closed the book and put it back on the bookshelf to go back to the dorms when she spotted a familiar face coming her way. The person coming her way was not someone she was particularly close to but it wasn’t someone that she would have objected to getting to know better. She glanced behind, took notice of the girl using her hands to signal her and turned around.

“Excuse me, you are Yuki Kurogane, correct?” the young man asked.

“Yes. Who are you?”

“I’m just a messenger.” He answered as he reached for a sealed envelope in his bag. He handed it to Yuki. “I was asked to give this letter to you by the lady in the skull and cherry blossoms kimono.”

Yuki looked quizzically at the messenger, who promptly pointed her to the origin of the letter. She gasped at the realization of who was the sender. The woman was the head of the archery team, known to write in her spare time and was both pretty and deadly. It was the older of the two Tsujimoto sisters, Aya.

End Chapter 2

---------------------------------------

And naturally, there's no one to blame for it but me. It serves as decent warning that this isn't exactly something that has history on it's side. This is the 4th attempt at creating a sequel for SNA, with the previous 3 attempts resulting in dismal failure. In this, I sadly admit a slight throwing back to old fanfiction habits I shouldn't get back to. I'm likely the only one that understands that but that's fine. It's likely I'm the only one reading my posts here anyway.

On a side note, I've dug up and dusted off an old, old fanfic file for Love Hina from long, long ago. It's already started and the plot is ready made but...part of me wants to finish it, put it up as a last, desperate stab at quality fanfiction but the rest of me...realizes that there's no hope for FFN. I'll put up the details of the idea up here soon though. If nothing else, maybe someone will stumble upon it and make it work. I know I never really tried.

A Few Things...

I've been thinking a little lately. I once said I'd never do fanfics again, that I was done with them but recently, I've been feeling that old inkling to infringe on someone else's creative property again and what's coming from the ol' Font de Diabolique is rather...creative. It's nothing short of parallel to my old fanfictions - the good ones - and it's alarming for me. And I've also been thinking back to what kept me writing fanfictions even after I'd somehow internally realized I (and the LH department of FFN) was really heading down really fast.

I spent the day pondering on a couple of other things as well, trying to see things as I did back when I wrote the original Shinjo No Aijo, along with Yuki's Diary - the two pieces of original fiction I carry a degree of pride at having finished. It alarms me to know that I'm so detached from the characters I do nowadays, to apart from the cast of my stories as compared to back when I was writing the 2 aforementioned stories. Now, I don't really know if that matters so much but I've always been driven by my characters. Like FFVIII's development, I've always created the cast first and revolved the storyt around them but now...if I'm detached from them, if I can't feel what they feel anymore, can I pull off another miracle like SNA or YD? It's a question I'm almost afraid to answer.

Of course, these are all rantings of someone who has his own writing history against him. It's also the meager ponderings of the mad, though I know I'm sane enough to understand that nobody really cares.

Ah well. Maybe I'll write them down anyway and use Shadow Rhapsody to house the thoughts, as this is not the place for it.

I Can't Believe I'm Doing This...

I once thought I'd never make a sequel to my own work. Well, I screwed that idea up. Honestly, the last post's fiction wasn't exactly very good. It hurt reading it. I mean it hurt. So here we are. Shinjo No Aijo 2: Yuki, to date the 4th attempt at a sequel to this little story. Damn it, I miss Shinjo No Aijo and whatever spawned it in my mind. As it stands, I was afraid to disappoint fans of the original so I never thought I'd make a sequel no matter how much I wanted to.

___________________________________________

Guide:

~*~*~*~*~ - game world to real world or vice-versa

* * * - change of scene (real world)

Chapter 1

Shinka Keep

Shinka Keep, the stronghold which housed the Throne of Hidetsugu, the seat of absolute power in all the land. The massive structure was always littered with warriors from all corners of the kingdom, all fighting for the chance to sit on the Throne and power. The great stone halls have been stained with so much blood and the corridors and rooms littered with so many corpses that the Keep had long lost the grandeur and the splendor it once had, replaced with the repulsiveness and horror of a battlefield after a slaughter. There, in the center, was the Hidetsugu Throne Room, where a woman standing in blood-stained black armor sat on the Throne, broadsword at her side and around her several corpses of fools who dared challenge her claim to the throne. The sword was strangely called Stranglehold and she was known as Elena Fairchild.

Elena Fairchild examined the battleground before her. The southern wall was charred, the floor was littered with the bodies of slain opponents and there was a trail of bloodstains from one end of the room to another, dripping down from her sword. Then, the gong rang four times, accompanied by the ominous thick mists that signaled the coming of another challenger. Elena curled her pale lips into a confident smile. She’d been able to send any comers to their ends, dispatched them with unparalleled ease so there was no reason for her to think that her next challenger could possibly be able to knock her from her throne. Shinka Keep was her domain and she looked invincible. She turned her head, long black hair tossing in the cold chill as she appraised her latest victim. It was a petite opponent. Elena smiled viciously and readied her sword. She was not one to underestimate but she was confident of her victory.

“So, what’s your name?” Elena asked as she approached her opponent, broadsword at the ready.

“My name is Leonia.” The girl responded as she readied her weapons, a pair of larger than usual knives. The parts of the blades not stained in blood reflected Elena’s regal beauty. “I’m taking you down.”

“I’ve heard that before.” Elena smiled and a split second later, the duel began.

~*~*~*~*~

“Let’s see how good this new guy is.” Yuki muttered to herself as she readied her thumbs for yet another in a long series of seemingly random but actually well-calculated thumb presses.

“Remember, you promised that’ll be your last one for today, Yuki.” A female voice said from near Yuki. The voice was stern but it had a slight slyness in the way the words were spoke.

Yuki let out a sigh with an exaggerated disappointment. “I know Michiko, I know.”

“You’re just saying that again. I can tell you’re not really planning on stopping.”

“You’re quite persistent, aren’t you?” Yuki asked with her eyebrow raised up slightly.

“You had me programmed that way, Yuki. It’s entirely your fault why I’m this way.” Michiko curled her pinkish lips into a smile. “I know you wouldn’t keep me around any other way.”

Yuki smiled as she watched the scene on her wrist-mounted console, the Leviathan. It was yet another in a series of one-on-one network challengers that she’d taken on. In the eight months since the release of the game Shinka Keep for the Leviathan system, Yuki Kurogane had rapidly risen up in the player ranking system. Her in-game avatar ‘Elena Fairchild’ was widely renowned throughout the network of players for the game, though very few people knew who the player behind the character was. The game was the perfect way for her to escape from the mundane life she lived in Sacred Cross Academy’s dorms; it became something of an alternate life for her. In the game, she was feared and respected. That was a far cry from Yuki’s status within the student body. With a smile, she played on without any doubts on her victory.

Just a few feet away was Yuki’s personal android. The unit, named Michiko, stood in the dorm room, silently observing her mistress. She had hair the color of roasted chestnuts that ran down just a little past her shoulders. Over her well-built, shapely body was an emerald green dress reaching past her knees and tight around her neck, trimmed around the hem, neck and shoulders in light blue and a slit running up almost to the thigh on the left side. Her skin was fair, smooth but to the touch it lacked a truly natural feel to it, like most other series-1 android units. However, though Yuki could easily have afforded the price, she decided to take a series-1 over the series-3 units that others were purchasing because the series-1 seemed to be the most human among the units. Michiko, since her activation, had become Yuki’s main confidante and her personal assistant. However, there were times that Michiko was a little too vocal on the things that she didn’t believe Yuki should have been doing than her mistress would have liked, though never showed it.

Yuki was a quiet girl, nondescript and a rather unnoticeable personage in the student body of the school. She had long, black hair that ran down her back like an ebony cascade. Her skin contrasted her hair, creamy and white, reminiscent of snowfall on Fuji’s summit. Her eyes were wide but small, innocent charm emanating from the dark blue-green hue. Her slender frame was elfin, petite but it had an appeal to it, it was that undefined quality that was beyond conventional beauty. She was no waif, like so many women that had the runways of Milan, Tokyo, Paris and New York as their domains. She kept herself fit, a little slender but was far too intelligent to let her body become a skin-and-bone reflection of herself like so many women in the world had. Freeing one hand to toss the unruly black strands of her hair back, she turned her attentions back to her game and let the android Michiko go back to her silent objections to her mistress’ habits.

~*~*~*~*~

“You’re pretty fast.” Elena said as she looked into her opponent’s eyes. She was trying to drive her broadsword down with enough force to break apart Leonia’s block but it wasn’t working.

The old champion pulled her blade back, took a step back and reassessed the situation. Leonia was faster than anyone else she’d faced before but her lack of armor made for a critical weakness. A single hit would have been lethal but so far, the nymph-like challenger had proven too fast to be hit. A few scratches and close calls here and there were easily matched by several scratches and dents on Elena’s armor – armor which was not as thick or as protective as it appeared. One hit was all she needed and the battle would be over. Her only problem was luring Leonia into that hit. She’d already taken the challenger’s array of aerial attacks by a quick cut to one of her legs, effectively robbing her of her ability to jump over Elena’s head. For the time being, the best strategy seemed to be to hone in on the leg, wear the agile girl to the ground.

Leonia smiled as she pulled back as well. She knew that she was wearing down the infamous Elena Fairchild. However, she herself was being worn down. She was weak; one clean hit from Elena would finish the duel in the reigning queen’s favor. Elena had taken to cutting down Leonia’s speed, wearing away at her legs bit by bit. She had to be careful from there on end, her aerial arsenal had been cut down by slight cut on her left hamstring and she could tell Elena was intent on homing in on it like a shark. Circling Fairchild was not a good option for her either, as Elena’s strength was enough to swing the blade Stranglehold almost full circle around her. While Elena recovering from that might have taken time, Leonia doubted she had the speed to avoid a direct, desperate swing like that. It was impossible to get a direct hit on any of Elena’s vulnerable areas either. Armor around the neck and the breastplate took away the obvious areas and taking out Elena’s legs was a negligible strategy. The legs were well protected and a mistake was going to be fatal as a low attack put her in perfect range for a quick decapitation. She decided to risk it.

Leonia dashed forward, blades ready to cut down Elena’s right leg – which had sustained damage from a successful attack earlier – and turn the tide. However, as she closed in, she was met with a sudden upward swing of Stranglehold that she barely managed to avoid. A follow-up to the defensive surprise was soon in coming as the broadsword came down ferociously upon her. She was too surprised to make another move save to block the incoming assault but the impact knocked one of her weapons from her hand. It was clear that Leonia underestimated Elena’s reaction time and the speed by which she could go into offensive rage. Down by one weapon and truly forced into a defensive position for the first time in the duel, she was slowly starting to back away more and more, towards the blasted stones of the northern wall. Elena kept on her attack relentlessly, alternating between high and side attacks. Eventually, Leonia felt no more ground behind her and realized that one more step back and she would fall into the abyss below. She had no other options left to her. A final strike from Elena would knock her back into the abyss. Her one chance was the humiliating act of surrender and that wasn’t a guarantee in itself. Elena had a reputation for refusing those who surrendered to her. Leonia pondered her next move and chose to take the risk. She yielded to Elena.

~*~*~*~*~

Yuki took a good look at what transpired. As loathe as it was for her to admit it, ‘Leonia’ was so very close to beating ‘Elena’ that it surprised her. Had she not calculated the timing of that last rush attack correctly, Yuki knew she would have lost. Her opponent had surrendered and that meant she had a choice of accepting it and letting the in-game avatar ‘Leonia’ go free or to refuse it and get rid of the upstart challenger. In a move that she’d never done before and would likely shock those who were keeping an eye on the progress of the duel, Yuki decided to let the upstart live and accepted the surrender. She smiled, as it had been a long time since she’d been challenged by a worthy opponent like ‘Leonia’. To her recollection, the last in-game avatar to have come close to beating ‘Elena’ was an avatar named ‘Tiamat’ and that was far back, almost two months before. She’d accepted his surrender as well, though ‘Tiamat’ never appeared again. Yuki smiled as she disconnected from the Leviathan’s wireless gaming network and relaxed.

“That’s enough for today.” She said as she leaned back and put herself into a supine position on her bed. She had to go back to reality, to where she was just another face in the crowd. She turned to face Michiko, who had closed her eyes and made a low, almost inaudible buzzing noise as she tried to access the network. Yuki smiled, finding it quaint that Michiko couldn’t access it instantly like series-3 units.

“No new messages for today save for the usual junk mail and free body part enhancers.” Michiko said as she opened her eyes and disconnected. “And there’s the usual message from Naga Technologies offering you a discounted series-3 unit if you turn me in for recycling or something.”

“You know I’d never do that. I mean, look at that Kanzaki guy that graduated two years ago. He’s got a series-1 and the software was back from the holographic display days.” She said, remembering one of the first few male students allowed to enroll in Sacred Cross from before. She wasn’t in the school then but she lived a few doors down from the young man and previously had a slight interest in him. “If he can stick it out with a series-1, so can I. Besides, his series-1 isn’t even a production model like you.”

“I know. I met Minako on the network once. She’s very nice, very sweet.” Michiko smiled. She was quite lovely, even though in comparison to series-3 units, she didn’t look human enough.

“So, is there anything on the planner for today or do I get to lounge around all day?” Yuki asked, diverting the topic. She got up and looked out the window, watching the people passing by.

“There’s nothing on the schedule.”

“That’s nice. Michiko, does your hacking module still work?” Yuki asked curiously.

“I’m still experiencing a little bit of incompatibility with it but it’s nothing that’ll get in the way of usual functions. Don’t tell me you want me to hack into the Leviathan network database again!”

“No, I was just asking.” Yuki turned her attentions to her unit, pondering what to do for the day. It was a free day for her but she had nothing to do. She sighed and reached for Michiko’s wrist. She slid open a small panel and pulled out the headphones. “I’m in the mood for a little classical right now.”

“Will it be the usual selection, Yuki?” Michiko asked. Yuki nodded in response. “Bach it is then.”

End Chapter 1