Project A-ko
TV Series
Episode 2: School's Out
By Neil Creek: [email protected]
"Get out of the truck!"
The woman pointed a strange looking gun right at the guard's face. She stood on the street in front of the prisoner transport truck. The guard looked at his companion, who shrugged. He knew the bulletproof glass of the windshield would protect them, so the guard slowly shook his head.
"Get out of the truck NOW!" shouted the second woman. She looked at the first and nodded. She closed one eye, and poked her tongue out of her mouth in concentration. There was a flash. The next thing the guard knew was that his ear felt very hot, and he could smell burnt hair. There was a hole melted in the glass. The muzzle of the gun glowed slightly then quickly faded away.
Instantly the guards fumbled at their seatbelts. They opened the door and were pulled out by the two women. Both were strongly built. One had long brown hair in a ponytail, the larger one had bright pink spiky hair. They both appeared to be in their forties. The brunette pointed to the back of the truck, while the woman with the laser gun pushed it into the driver's back. "Open!" the brunette commanded.
With shaking hands the second, younger guard fiddled with the keys. The older guard scowled at the women and tried to think of a way out of this situation. Foolishly they had neglected to take away the guard's guns. He waited for his opening.
A passenger van suddenly pulled up alongside the truck, just as it was opened. The brunette jumped inside the back of the truck, and helped the occupants out. Six injured and battered women wearing some kind of red uniform were inside. All were dirty, their clothes torn, and dry bloodstains were visible in numerous places. With assistance they hobbled as quickly as they could to the waiting van.
The guard looked around. It was quiet in this lane-way. Only meters away, hundreds of people hurried to work. This was a designated stop point on their route, intended for briefing in-situ. These women were obviously professionals and were very well prepared.
With the last prisoner aboard the van, the pink-haired woman approached the guard to take his handcuffs. The guard saw his chance. As she stepped back with the cuffs, he drew his pistol. With one swift motion, he raised his arm, took aim, and fired. Four rounds hit the woman square in the chest.
"Naughty naughty!" she chastised him firmly. She knocked the gun out of his hand, and forcefully handcuffed him to one of the handles of the truck's rear door. The guard was stunned. He saw through the holes in her shirt that the woman was wearing a kind of body armour he had never seen.
The woman looked at the other guard, who smiled meekly, and handcuffed himself to the other door.
"Good boy." she congratulated him patronisingly. She jumped into the back of the van with the six ex-prisoners and the brunette, and with a squeal of tires they were gone.
"DAMN!" cursed the guard, who smashed his fist into the door.
"Think we'll get the rest of the day off?" the younger guard asked meekly.
* ** *** ** *
The morning sun felt warm on Emi's face. The cool breeze carried upon it the smell of morning and in the distance could be heard the hum of peak- hour traffic headed into work. Morning time was one of Emi's favourite times of the day. To her each day held new promise, and with weather as good as this, the rest of the day was promising indeed.
Sitting on the fence at the front of her house, Emi dangled her legs and looked at her watch. A-ko and C-ko should be here soon. she thought to herself. Emi was really looking forward to having two new friends to walk to and from school with each day.
A-ko was a little intimidating, but Emi found her fascinating. Her most obvious trait was her amazing strength and speed, but to Emi it only emphasised the contrasting gentleness she saw in A-ko. A-ko was always very caring and loving of C-ko, as well as patient and tolerant. Emi knew few people her own age who were like that.
Emi thought C-ko was uniquely gifted with an unfailingly optimistic view on life. To her, everything was an adventure and a game. Life must be very simple seen through C-ko's eyes, she thought. As long as C-ko was healthy and A-ko was nearby, then everything would be okay. Emi's admiration of C- ko's attitude was short of jealousy, but she wished she could be more like that herself.
Yep! thought Emi, It's going to be fun getting to know both of them. Emi even thought that maybe she could learn from them how to be a better person herself.
She looked at her watch again. It was getting late. If they didn't get here soon, then they might not get to classes on time! Emi sighed and looked out to sea. The sun reflected of the water, glittering light a million diamonds. Occasionally a passing ship disturbed the illusion. She saw a yacht, two patrol boats, and even a warship. That's something you don't see every day. contemplated Emi.
Emi heard a low whistle in one of her ears. At first she wasn't sure if it was real, but it got louder and higher with each second. Accompanying the whistle was a low roar that got louder and louder. It seemed to be coming from down the road, and heading towards her. I hope A-ko and C-ko are all right. Emi didn't want her friends to run into trouble on their first day walking to school together.
About two hundred meters down the road, where it turned at one of the many hairpin bends on its path down the crater wall, Emi saw a faint cloud of dust. The dust was coming closer very rapidly.
Within a second the roar was deafening, the dust cloud was upon her, and her left arm felt like it was going to be ripped out of its socket!
"Gooood mooooorning Emiiiii!" shouted C-ko over the noise.
Emi was flying along just above the ground, and C-ko was there, flying next to her. Emi looked forward and saw A-ko looking back at her with a huge cheesy grin on her face.
"Sorry we're late! Don't worry, we'll get there in time!"
Emi caught her breath, and the rapid pounding of her heart in her ears began to slow just a little. It was okay. She was finally walking to school with her friends.
Wow! Emi thought to herself. I wonder if it's going to be like this every morning?
* ** *** ** *
The first bell was ringing as the three girls rapidly approached the entrance to the school. A-ko knew that they weren't home free yet. They still had to get past the daily obstacle that awaited them each morning.
Sure enough, from a distance A-ko could see someone standing waiting at the gate. But something looked different. This person was taller than B-ko. As they got closer A-ko realised that it was in fact a guy, wearing glasses, and holding.
"Hey! That's my bag!" cried A-ko in disbelief.
"I thought it got washed away at the aquarium after B-ko emptied it onto the floor A-ko." C-ko remembered. A-ko slid to a halt in front of the guy.
"It did." Interrupted the guy "But I retrieved it for you."
A-ko, C-ko and Emi were all stunned.
"Good morning. My name is Andy." The guy explained as he bowed deeply. He was reasonably tall, A-ko's head came up to his chin, and he had a slim build. He wore the uniform of Graviton Boys school, and his glasses were slightly smudged. Behind them were green eyes, which shone with pride. His hair was short and sandy-coloured, but a little unkempt. "Pleased to meet you." He smiled right at A-ko, and held forth her bag.
A-ko reluctantly took her bag feeling surprised and puzzled. "Where's B- ko? She's usually waiting here for me."
"Oh I told her that you were going to try and give her the slip by going through the school's back entrance." beamed Andy.
A-ko slapped herself on the forehead. Why hadn't I thought of that? she chided herself.
A-ko opened her bag to check what state it was in. She gasped with amazement, which immediately prompted C-ko and Emi to take a look as well.
A-ko had expected to find broken pencils, soaked books and only lumps of white goo left of her notes. Instead she found all new textbooks, meticulously dried and notes and a fully stocked pencil case. Everything was cleaned, dried or brand new! Not only had Andy even replaced the jar of peanut butter that A-ko had accidentally packed the day before, but he had also replaced.
"Oh my god!" shouted A-ko.
"What!?" cried C-ko and Emi together.
A-ko's face had instantly turned into a bright shade of red, and she looked mortified beyond belief. She grabbed both Emi and C-ko, and dashed for the school entrance, leaving Andy standing alone, wondering if he had said something to offend.
After they had got to the school door, and A-ko's blush had faded a little, C-ko asked her what was wrong.
"I can't believe it!" cried a dismayed A-ko. "I can't possibly ever look him in the face again! How embarrassing."
"What is it?" asked Emi, increasingly instant.
A-ko lowered her voice. "He even bought me a new box of Tampax!"
* ** *** ** *
Peak hour was almost over, but the traffic in downtown Graviton City was still busy. Hundreds of cars and dozens of trucks moved throughout the narrower streets of downtown. Since the city was rebuilt on the ruins of the impact crater sixteen years ago, the island in the centre of the lake was prime real estate. Any business that wanted to be in the thick of the bustling economy of Graviton City had to have an office here, or they just weren't considered serious.
Graviton City had rapidly developed into one of the world's powerhouse cities, and the technology economy was the driving factor behind it. The buildings all around were evidence of this. The materials, layout and architecture were years ahead of any other city in the world, and since the whole city had been rebuilt in the last sixteen years, it was also one of the youngest cities in the world.
With the popularity of an island address in Graviton City came a price; claustrophobia. The streets had to be narrower, the buildings taller and the traffic heavier. For most that lived and worked here, that was part of the island's attraction. If you used your imagination, you could almost believe that you were on an alien planet, standing in their capital city.
A giant truck with a huge fish and a sign that read "Advanced Aquarium Repair" finally moved after being caught behind traffic for ten minutes. The dark sedan behind it was finally able to turn down the quiet narrow alleyway it had been waiting to enter for so long.
The car pulled up besides the prison truck and two police cars that were already there. Two police officers were inspecting the truck and examining the evidence of the heist. The hole in the windscreen was drawing particular attention. The two guards who had until recently been handcuffed to their truck were rubbing their wrists and drinking coffees from disposable cups.
Two men got out of the black sedan, which seemed to be of an older vintage, possibly a late 90's model. Both men wore neatly cut and slightly retro black suits. Their hair was short and neatly gelled back. They wore identical thin dark glasses, and carried themselves with an air of confidence and authority. One carried a small briefcase, the other a notepad and pencil. Neither appeared to be armed. Together the two of them approached the recovering guards.
"Good morning gentlemen." spoke the taller darker man. "My name is Mister Jones, and this is Mister Smith. We hear you had some trouble this morning. Why don't you tell us all about it?"
"Who did you say you worked for?" asked the older guard. He felt a little defensive after the humiliation of the heist. He was also uncomfortable talking to two strange men who hadn't really identified themselves.
"We didn't." replied Jones "We're with the bureau of information, a department of the Government Intelligence Agency. We recommend that you cooperate fully with our investigation. Failure to do so will result with a formal reprimand on your record, and an investigation of your actions. Need I remind you that after this morning's fiasco it would be in your best interest to tell us every little detail which may help your case? Such a mistake could look bad on your record if it is shown that the circumstances surrounding the event weren't extraordinary."
Reluctantly the guards complied. They did not like being threatened by strangers, but they knew that the events of an hour ago would not reflect well on them. Talking honestly about the strange circumstances of the heist might help their cause.
The interview lasted for almost an hour, and the GIA agents asked many strange questions including the colour of the assailants' hair, what accent they spoke with and even the proportions of their figures. The senior guard wondered if these men knew what they were doing or not, but he was reassured by the fact that they seemed to think that there was nothing the guards could have done to prevent the heist.
When they had finished with their questions, the two men in black returned to their car and took a seat.
"Looks like the Independents at work." suggested Mr. Smith.
"Without doubt." replied Mr. Jones. "It would appear they wish to bolster their numbers. We will need to step up the surveillance campaign to catch an event in progress. We need to follow them back to their cell location."
"Time to be active rather than reactive. Let's make our report." mused Mr. Smith as he started up the sedan.
A female voice in the shadows in the back seat spoke to them. "You'll never catch them at it. They're too clever for that."
With that, the shiny black car rolled out of the alley and was swallowed up in the chaotic order of the city traffic.
* ** *** ** *
B-ko almost missed roll call. As Miss Ayumi sat down and got out the attendance book, B-ko came running down the hall, and slid to a stop at the classroom door. Leaning against the doorframe panting, she apologised.
"I'm sorry. Miss Ayumi. I was misled." panted B-ko.
Miss Ayumi had no idea what B-ko meant, but wasn't interested. "Just take your seat Miss Daitokuji. And try to avoid being late in the future, understood?"
"Yes Miss." B-ko replied, as she walked down the aisle to her seat. As she approached A-ko, she gave her a vicious glare. B-ko wasn't in control of the situation, and this was something that B-ko did not like at all.
Miss Ayumi read out the attendance roll one name at a time, and the girls in the class responded when their names were called. B-ko fumed in her seat. She was sweating but felt cold. Things were going from bad to worse! First A-ko destroyed her robot inventions and humiliated her, then she foiled her rescue attempt of C-ko from the aliens, then A-ko humiliated B-ko again at the aquarium, then made a new friend, and now seems to have a guy helping her out! This was too much. A-ko had gone too far. B-ko decided that once and for all A-ko was going to pay for her insolence. How DARE she!? B-ko thought to herself.
"Miss B-ko?" the teacher repeated.
"Uh, here Miss." faltered B-ko. All around her B-ko could hear girls quietly laughing to themselves. Oh yes, A-ko was going to die for this.
* ** *** ** *
The lunch bell rang and B-ko looked up in shock. That time already? she thought. Time flies when you're having fun I guess. B-ko shrugged. She had been deep in thought, working on calculations and drawings. The morning's class had been English, however, and B-ko hadn't heard any of it. She wasn't concerned; she could make up for it with extra time spent later with her staff of tutors. Attending school was really a formality anyway. B-ko had access to all the information in the world's computer databases from her bedroom, and a permanent staff of six tutors lived on site at the Daitokuji mansion. She only attended school to satisfy her old-fashioned father.
B-ko packed up her notes and drawings and waited for A-ko to pass her so she could get up. She stared at the back of A-ko's head and hoped that A- ko could feel the red-hot daggers of her rage boring into her skull.
"What's that B-ko? They're pretty pictures!"
B-ko started, and leaned over her diagrams, pulling them against her chest lest anyone see.
"That's our school isn't it?" C-ko asked with enthusiasm.
B-ko's face became very hot, and turned bright red. "Er yes C-ko, they're just doodles. I like to draw."
"Cool! Maybe you could draw something for me sometime!"
B-ko stammered and tried to speak, but before she could say a word, A-ko's loud and brutish voice squealed from the other side of the classroom. "Come on C-ko! Let's go have lunch with Emi!"
"Coming A-ko!" C-ko replied melodiously.
Unable to move, B-ko sat there in a cold sweat. "I'd love to C-ko." she said quietly, almost to herself.
* ** *** ** *
Their surrounds seemed completely alien, but they were a lot better than the hostile world outside. The room seemed small to them, and the furnishings primitive. On top of that, this whole world seemed very dark and dingy to their eyes, and cooler than they could comfortably bear. But here they were among their own kind, and finally they were able to get medical treatment for their wounds.
Ten dirty and bloodied crewmembers of the crashed alien spaceship were being tendered to by others of their kind. Five of the seven who looked after them were familiar. They wore the Leptonian insignia on their uniforms, and they were all about the same age as the injured. Two of them however were different. They seemed older, and wore the clothes of the natives. There was no doubting their origin however, since they were fluent in the language of their home, even if it was spoken with a strange accent. They also were in possession of familiar, if older, technology, and seemed to know how to use it. In fact, the injured were being treated with familiar medical devices.
After a couple of hours of quiet resting and tending to the wounded, one of the older crewmembers called the attention of all in the room. She spoke with wisdom and authority, but the strange accent hinted at a very different background to the newcomers.
"Welcome to planet Earth. This strange and cold planet has been our home for the last sixteen years, and as strange as it may seem to you all, it does eventually grow on you. It should be obvious to you all that we are Alpha Cygnans, just as you are. We arrived here as the result of a terrible accident all those years ago aboard the Royal super-frigate class starship Kuknos."
There was a silence around the room except for a few gasps. The Kuknos was a ship of legends. It disappeared of the screens of Leptonian tracking stations when it displaced on its mission of exploration never to be heard from again. It was this ship that the crew had been searching for, for well over a decade. The search that most had considered a goose-chase was over, the Kuknos had been found!
This was of course completely irrelevant since there was nothing that could be done about it, since their own ship had become stranded as well. Stranded upon this dark, cold and ugly world.
"My name is Akemi. My crewmates and I will do all we can to help you with your injuries and try to assist you to adapt to this world as quickly as possible. Your coming is both wonderful news and a great tragedy for us. But fear not, you are with friends."
* ** *** ** *
The warm summer's air gently breezed in through the open window, softly ruffling A-ko's hair. She could smell the sea on it even from this high up on the crater wall. A-ko loved her city, and was starting to feel like this school was actually going to turn out okay.
Miss Ayumi prattled on in one of her totally confusing monologues, holding onto some obscure text. It always amazed A-ko how her new teacher could seem to spout such nonsense, and yet somehow manage to enlighten her class. Perhaps the knowledge was seeping into their brains by osmosis. By logical deduction, that must mean that Miss Ayumi was an unequalled genius! A-ko giggled to herself softly at the thought.
A-ko cast a glance around the room at C-ko who seemed to be pre-occupied with some kind of doodle on her notebook. Sitting behind C-ko was Emi. Emi seemed to be one of the more studious girls in the class. She always paid attention to the sensei, and took careful notes throughout the lessons. That could come in handy. Thought A-ko to herself, somewhat selfishly.
Emi looked over to A-ko and saw her watching. Instantly that sunshine- smile lit up Emi's face, and she gave a little wave to A-ko. Emi looked at A-ko with a questioning look, and made her fingers walk across the desk. A- ko smiled and nodded back. Somehow Emi's smile grew even broader, and A-ko started to look forward to this afternoon's walk home.
Making friends with Emi was one of the reasons A-ko was starting to feel at home in Graviton Girl's she decided. Emi was a really nice girl, if the tiniest bit insecure. But that was okay, because A-ko felt like that often as well. It was a great relief feeling that A-ko might actually be able to live something like a normal life for once.
"It's perfect!!!" shouted B-ko loudly as she stood up, pushing her chair back with a great scraping sound on the floor. Into the relative silence of Miss Ayumi's lesson, B-ko's revelation was startling, and almost all the girls in the class started and caught their breath.
A-ko was shocked, and looked at B-ko with bewilderment. After a few seconds B-ko realised where she was and what she'd just done. Instantly her face turned bright red. She stammered something incomprehensible as two dozen pairs of eyes stared at her in amazed silence.
Breaking the silence the school bell chimed.
"Um, okay girls. Lets um, see you bright and early tomorrow okay?" Ayumi Sensei asked her class. "Miss Daitokuji, are you alright?"
B-ko sank into her seat and put her face in her hands as the rest of the class raised from their seats and packed their bags to head home.
Pity about the fruitcake. Thought A-ko and she walked past the mortified B- ko. At least there was C-ko and Emi.
* ** *** ** *
Agent Jones and Agent Smith walked down a long, narrow, featureless hallway, their footsteps echoing unnaturally. They approached a set of double doors, visible against the wall only because of their handles and the fact that a commando from the elite gamma force stood each side of the door.
As the agents approached the commandos, they flashed some kind of ID, and the commandos stood stiffly to attention and saluted, before opening the doors.
As soon as the doors parted the raucous in the huge room beyond flooded through. The voices of many different men could be heard shouting at each other in what sounded like an extremely vigorous debate. The room itself appeared to be a cross between an assembly chamber and a war-room. On a gigantic screen was the still smoking hulk of the gigantic ship, perched upon the command center of downtown Graviton City. Seated in a semi-circle around the screen were several rows of men and women, most in suits, some in uniform, but all very agitated.
"My company has made you and your government rich beyond any of your expectations. If it wasn't for my expert scientists and inside information, you would have been helpless trying to exploit the gold mine that landed in the very middle of this city." The speaker was a tall gray- haired man with a moustache and a very fine suit. He spoke with a strong and powerful voice.
"That may be the case Chairman, but your contract specifically discussed only developing the resources discovered on one alien ship. We will not be needing your assistance to develop the resources we discover this time." A politician replied.
"You'll never be able to make heads or tales out of the technology you find. Only my company has the means to interface with the alien technology. It will take you decades or more before you can do anything with that technology." The businessman's voice began to become louder and seemed to be more urgent, and he rose to his feet.
"We now have access to our own insiders, just like you did. We don't need you and your dominating, manipulating, grubby little fingers all over this. We know that you ripped us off last time, the true value of all the alien technology is no doubt far greater than you report to us. Your own company has more advanced technologies than you have released to us." Another politician accused the chairman.
"I'll withdraw the than generous ten percent share of profits that DHI has given to the government!" The chairman's voice was strained with incredulity and a degree of mania as he made his threat.
"We won't need your percentage when we control all these new resources. Thank you Chairman, you are excused."
With that the chairman slammed his fist into his desk. An unexpected silence fell across the previously noisy room. "This is outrageous! This is a doublecross and most dishonorable. Gentlemen and ladies, this is not the last you will hear of this. I promise you, I WILL be the one to exploit these new technologies."
With this the chairman stormed from the room, and slammed the door forcefully behind him. All around the room could be heard the soft whoosh of a collective sigh from almost one hundred people.
* ** *** ** *
The large sign on the school gate proclaimed in bold letters that "This school is currently undergoing redevelopment. This is a construction area. Authorised construction personnel only. DHI Construction."
A-ko was just able to read the sign over the heads of hundreds of other schoolgirls who were crowded at the gate. They had all arrived at school, expecting classes as normal, to find the main gates closed and scaffolding all over the school. There was a noisy murmur of confusion, and everyone was looking around for some kind of direction or instruction.
"I don't think we'll be having any classes today," confessed A-ko to Emi and C-ko.
Miss Ayumi had found what appeared to be a construction foreman, and was involved in an animated conversation with him. After several minutes, she tried to call for attention.
"Girls! Excuse me girls! Quiet please. Thank you. I am as confused about this whole matter as you are. The Staff were given no notice of any construction works on the school, but Mr Moriyama here is quite insistent that we leave him and his crew alone to finish their work without our interference. Therefore, since classes are obviously out of the question, you may all have the rest of the day off. I have been assured that these 'renovations' will only take one day. I look forward to seeing you all bright and early tomorrow!"
A cheer erupted across the crowd, and immediately the girls began to disperse, as hurried plans were made to take advantage of the unexpected free time.
"Hey A-ko, Emi!" said C-ko excitedly. "Lets go downtown and go shopping! Then we can have burgers together for lunch!"
"Sounds good, but lets have sushi instead okay C-ko?" suggested A-ko, "The hot weather will be here soon, and I want to be able to wear the new swimsuit I got the other week. Want to come too Emi?"
"That would be great! Can we go to Tokyo Miss at some stage? There's this cute t-shirt there in their window I've been dying to try on."
The three girls began walking down the path towards the steps that lead away from the school.
After most of the crowd had dispersed, B-ko stepped forward from the shadow of one of the trees in the school forecourt. She chuckled to herself with an eager but not very wholesome look on her face. Her laugh became a cackle and she threw her head back as she reveled in the magnificence of her dastardly plan.
Something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye.
"No! Not there you idiot! That goes, over there!" she said with frustration to one of the workers.
* ** *** ** *
"How do I look?!" Emi asked enthusiastically as she burst from the change booth. The girls had passed by their homes on the way to downtown, and changed into casual clothes. Emi wore cutoff denim shorts, canvas runners, ankle socks, a white t-shirt and her sunglasses on her head. The top she was trying on now, was a lime green singlet top, with a cartoon kitten on the front, and the word "Purrrrfect" underneath.
"That looks great Emi! It really suits you. It's very sexy too!" said A- ko, with admiring eyes.
Emi seemed a little surprised and taken aback at the comment. "Really? Oh, I dunno if I like that. I just want to wear cute stuff. I don't want to be giving any guys the wrong idea."
"Then just make sure you wear a bra," winked A-ko.
Emi looked down and blushed. She'd grown fast in the last year, and she was still not used to her new shape. She crossed her arms across her chest and walked shyly back into the change booth.
C-ko was bent over looking at some pre-schooler's clothes with ultra-cute characters on the front of them by the window. A-ko thought to herself that it was about time that C-ko started to grow up a little bit. Emi was younger than C-ko but she seemed so much more mature. If only C-ko was a little more like Emi, thought A-ko.
A-ko couldn't believe what she had just thought. In an instant a cold wave passed over her, and she felt a little afraid and confused about the situation that she now saw herself in. Emi was a great girl and was fast becoming a good friend, but C-ko had been friends with A-ko since kindergarten.
A-ko worried that she could so quickly become attached to a new friend and begin to think less of C-ko. But that was rubbish A-ko reassured herself. She could be friends with Emi and C-ko. They were both very different people, and she could love them both in their own way.
Just as A-ko resolved her fifteen-second crisis, Emi reemerged from the change booth, singlet top in hand.
"Ok, I'm all done, your turn!"
* ** *** ** *
"I hope you don't mind me asking A-ko, but I have to confess, I've been dying to know." asked Emi after she swallowed her last nori roll.
The three girls had found a trendy, but not too expensive sushi bar in downtown Graviton City. The bar was busy, but not as busy as it was an hour ago. The girls had been so distracted shopping that they didn't sit down to eat until nearly three o'clock. The smell of steamed rice, fresh seafood and soy sauce filled the smallish room, and a single shaft of sunlight that had managed to get past the barrier of the densely-packed skyscrapers slowly inched its way across the counter.
"You can ask me anything Emi, within reason," A-ko grinned.
"Well, not that I don't think they're kinda cute, and they suit you, but your arm bands are kinda unusual, and I've never seen you without them. Do you wear them for a particular reason?"
A-ko knew that Emi would have to ask that question sooner or later. A-ko knew that every girl in the school had wondered the same thing, but none were game to ask her. It was a sign, thought A-ko, of how their friendship had grown, that Emi felt she could ask A-ko.
"It's not that big a deal actually. My dad gave them to me when I was very little, before I can remember even. They're supposed to help me keep my strength in check. When I'm wearing them I find it easier to 'pull punches' and I don't accidentally break things just because I touched them. Well, not as often anyway," laughed A-ko with an embarrassed look.
C-ko, who had heard this all before, was quietly eating her sushi, staring out the window at the traffic and people that passed by in their hundreds.
Emi's eyes widened in wonderment. "Wow, that's amazing! Does it really work? I mean how do they do it? What are they made of?"
A-ko laughed again at Emi's questions. "Well to be honest, I don't really know how they work. They're made of lead, so they're heavy. I guess that kinda reminds me, and makes me think about my strength more. I do take them off when I go to bed though. I tried wearing them while I slept for a while, but that was how I lost my first baby teeth!" A-ko grinned. "Funny thing is, my dad won't go anywhere near them when they're off. I have to take them off and put them straight into their box. I always thought it was a bit odd myself, but they work!"
Emi was still amazed, but thrilled to have learnt such a prized secret. "A- ko, one day I'd love to see what you can do with them off!" Emi grinned.
"Oh! I don't know about that!" A-ko laughed.
"Emi?" asked C-ko, who seemed to have gotten tired of watching out the window. "What are your parents like?"
"My Mum and Dad? Well I guess they're pretty normal I suppose. Although I've never really known anyone else's family, so I guess I can't compare! Mum can be a bit weird at times."
"How do you mean? A-ko asked. "What does she do?"
"Well I don't know really. She's the president of some 'women's club' or something like that. She's always organising activities or going out to functions and parties. Like just last night; I got home and there were all these women in the lounge, and some of them seemed to have blood on them. Mum was really keen for me to go upstairs and give her some privacy. I asked dad about it, and he said that the women's club was doing a first-aid course. It's just strange things like that. Nothing that really worries me though."
"What about your dad? What does he do?"
"Well he's in the military actually! I'm so proud of him! He's so cool! He's part of the military research department, and he's always going into dangerous places to collect data. He was the first one inside that space ship after it landed! And although he's not supposed to tell anyone what he does," Emi leaned closer, as did A-ko and C-ko, "he told me that he saw the aliens' space suits! That means he knows what they look like!"
"Woowie!" exclaimed C-ko, "That's amazing!"
"Yeah! That's not "pretty normal" Emi! My parents are really boring. There's nothing special about them at all. They just go on 'business trips' to America all the time. At least Dad brings me back cool stuff," A- ko grinned.
Emi knew that C-ko had no family, and felt a little awkward talking about hers. It was an obvious gap in the conversation, not talking to C-ko about her parents, but C-ko had asked her the question in the first place. Maybe it made C-ko feel better to hear about other peoples' families, Emi thought.
"Well let's get a move on," said A-ko, "There's still that summer dress I wanted to try on and I want to see C-ko in those shorts she had her eye on."
* ** *** ** *
A-ko screeched to a halt at the top of the stairs leading to the school. Emi and C-ko flew past her, and only stopped because of her vice-like grip on their arms.
The scene before them was just like yesterday. The school gates were closed, and hundreds of girls were gathered together, looking confused about what to do, and chattering excitedly.
"Yay! We might get another day off school!" cheered C-ko.
"I hope not," said Emi, "I don't want to miss too much school or it might affect my grades."
When the girls at the back of the crowd saw A-ko, they pointed at her and called forward, "She's here! Tell B-ko that A-ko's here." "Maybe B-ko will let us in now," muttered one girl to her friend.
A-ko scowled and marched toward the gate. She new there was trouble brewing, and B-ko was certain to be in the middle of it. As she walked, the sea of schoolgirls parted before her, all the way to the school gates.
There, beyond the wrought iron bars, stood B-ko. Her hands were on her hips, her feet were apart, and she smiled a smug smile at A-ko. Even though she stood within the shelter of the trees, the wind dramatically blew her hair and uniform, making her an impressive sight.
"What's this about!" said A-ko, glowering at B-ko.
"That's what I'd like to know!" a cool Miss Ayumi said. She was leaning against the gate, her arms folded and her mood gloomy. I've been standing here for half an hour, trying to get into the school. But Miss Daitokuji here seems to think that she's in charge now. There'd better be a good reason!"
B-ko closed her eyes, and a small smile appeared upon her lips. "This is the moment of my final triumph. For now you will see my perfect and ultimate creation defeat A-ko once and for all." Her eyes opened, and she laughed quietly but confidently.
"Not another one of your damned wind-up toys B-ko!" shouted a frustrated A- ko as she ripped the padlock and chain the kept the school gates closed. A- ko flung open the gates and walked determinedly towards B-ko. Several other girls started to walk towards class, not wanting to be caught up in another fight.
"I wouldn't get any closer if I was you. It's really not safe in here for any of you." With that threat, B-ko revealed a remote control with a single, large button. With an audible 'plink', B-ko pressed the button, and grinned a wide, menacing grin at all before her.
Immediately there was a series of very loud 'thumps' followed by a loud, deep rumbling that shook the ground beneath their feet. Bird fled the trees they were perched in, and an anxious murmur spread throughout the gathered crowd. Everyone looked around for the source of the noise, but it seemed to be coming from everywhere.
"Look!" shouted one of the girls, "The school!"
All eyes turned toward the noble and magnificent halls of their education. Smoke and dust could be seen rising all around, and everything seemed be vibrating. A couple of people shouted 'earthquake', but everyone else knew that it was much worse than that.
Whole blocks of the school complex seemed to be slowly rising into the air as the deafening roar continued. The East and West wing rose into the air like two battleships levitating. The central wing remained on the ground, but seemed to act as a kind of foot. Between the East and West wings and the two auditoriums the ground erupted to reveal long metallic beams that eventually lifted even the great halls off the ground. Soil and debris from the buildings rained on the ground, and the whole structure rose over one hundred meters into the air.
Different blocks started moving towards each other, sliding over each other, twisting, turning, folding and flipping. Huge metal beams moved between the pieces and locked them into place with an electrical sizzle and a magnetic clang. As a result of the incredible transformation, the school took on the form of a gigantic humanoid figure with thick legs, massive forearms, a small head and two giant pillars standing straight up from the back.
The massive school robot took two slow, lumbering steps forward, each one sending shock waves through the ground that caused pebbles to dance, and knees to buckle.
Hundreds of pairs of disbelieving eyes looked upwards and hundreds of jaws hung slack in awe. Not a word was spoken.
"Witness, the greatest destructive force ever created of an educational institution!" cried B-ko in her best evangelical voice, "The awesome GCGS Super-Dimensional Fortress, Lotus!"
"You've got to be kidding me, right? The school!? What on earth could possess you to think the school would make a good fighting machine?"
Miss Ayumi pushed past A-ko. She was fuming, and pushed up the sleeves of her cardigan as she walked purposefully towards B-ko. "That thing sure as heck better be able to transform back again, Miss Daitokuji, or you're going to."
B-ko held a sheet of paper up in front of the teacher for her to read. Miss Ayumi stopped mid-stride, and bent over to read the paper closely. Suddenly her anger had evaporated, and her face turned extremely pale. She turned away and started walking away mumbling something incoherent about the school budget.
"Now that that's taken care of," said B-ko smugly as she folded the paper back up again and slid it into her breast pocket, "it's down to business. Lotus, Kill."
The ground started to jump and tremble again, as the school took the few short steps it would need to approach A-ko. Hundreds of schoolgirls screamed and started running, looking for any kind of cover they could find.
"Stop!!" Emi had run in front of A-ko and was holding her arms wide, looking up at the school-bot with fearful eyes. "Please B-ko, don't hurt A- ko. Fighting isn't going to fix anything, and I don't want to loose my best friend. She means too much to me!"
B-ko was stunned. This was the last thing she expected. She knew A-ko was tough, and defeating her would be tough, but Emi was just an ordinary girl. She stood no chance against the Lotus, and knew it, yet she jumped in front of A-ko without a thought; because she was her 'friend'.
"No Emi!" cried A-ko, "It's too dangerous! Please go and find some cover, I'll be okay."
"But B-ko might stop."
"B-ko won't stop. She's too full of pride to let anyone talk her out of one of her stupid schemes. Go and find cover now, shouldn't have any trouble taking this thing out. I think." said A-ko, trying to sound as reassuring as possible.
While B-ko had faltered for a moment, A-ko's comments strengthened her resolve. "No mercy!" she shouted.
"See?"
Emi nodded and ran to where C-ko and a few other girls were standing under a large tree.
Just as Emi was within meters of the tree, the gym block came smashing down to the ground, sending a shock wave so powerful, it knocked Emi off her feet, and flying into C-ko. The two of them fell to the ground, and immediately tried to look back for A-ko.
Where A-ko had once stood, the gym block now lay, half buried in a crater in the ground. A-ko was nowhere to be seen. Emi felt herself go cold, and suddenly her stomach was up in her throat. Had A-ko been killed?
"Look!" cried the girl standing next to Emi. She was pointing up at the school-bot, at its arm. There Emi could see a brown flash running up the arm. It was A-ko! She was alright!
Emi knew that A-ko would have a hard time physically destroying something so big, and besides it was the school. If it would be at all possible to avoid destroying it completely, that would be so much better. After all, Emi's grades would definitely suffer if the school were destroyed.
As Emi thought, the school-bot's other arm swung through the sky, and smashed on the arm just below where A-ko was running. A-ko lost her footing and fell about ten meters, landing on the auditorium, which was the left hand. Holding on for dear life, A-ko swung around like a rag doll as the school-bot shook its arm slowly but violently.
There's no way that thing could be running from mains power, Emi thought, It's just to massive and powerful for that. It would need something with more grunt. Emi tried to think of all the different ways that B-ko could have easily powered the school-bot. Batteries were too inefficient at delivering power, and fuel cells were too big to easily fit inside.
A thought occurred to Emi, and she had to go and check it out. "C-ko, stay here, I've gotta to and look for something. I'll be right back!'
Emi wished she could run as fast as A-ko. After running for about a minute, but what seemed like an hour, Emi's guess was proven right. When viewed from behind, Emi could see a giant, long black cable stretching from between the shoulders of the school-bot to the ground and snaking away.
"A-ko!" Emi shouted at the top of her lungs. "Cut the cable! Cut the power cable!"
A-ko looked at Emi and gave the thumbs-up. After a moment's thought, A-ko pointed at the cord and spread her arms out, palms up, as if to ask "how?!". It was a good question, how would A-ko be able to sever the meter- thick power cable. Emi though hard about the problem, as A-ko jumped and danced and flipped to avoid repeated blows by the school-bot.
"Emi!" shouted A-ko. Emi could see that A-ko would need an answer quickly!
Then it came to her. The sword that the alien "D" had fought A-ko with, became part of the kendo club's collection after it was retrieved from the wreck of the bridge. The sword was now in the kendo clubroom, near the gym hall.
Emi mimed to A-ko the action of slashing with a sword, and pointed to the gym. Fortunately A-ko seemed to understand Emi, in between avoiding punches. She smashed a window and disappeared inside the school.
Emi ran back to C-ko, and told her what A-ko was trying to do. The school- bot started to become agitated. It started shaking and bouncing around like someone with a spider down their shirt. Repeatedly it punched itself with great force. Giant fragments broke off and went flying in all directions. A blackboard went tumbling over C-ko and Emi's head with a whoosh. The girls tried to take cover further under the trees.
The more the school-bot punched itself, the more desperate it seemed, and the more it pulled itself apart. It started ripping the roofs off its own body parts, desperately seeking the redheaded invader within it. It was looking less like a giant robot and more like a demolition site.
"Look!" shouted C-ko. She pointed to the school-bot's head. Standing atop it could be seen A-ko. Her torn uniform and long red hair was flapping in the gusty wind. She was dirty and bloodied, but she brandished the gigantic alien sword that had once been used against her. She stood for a moment to collect herself, preparing to strike.
The robot, now driven almost mad with frustration had a clear shot at A-ko. It raised its massive fist, and prepared to bring the entire weight of the auditorium down upon the girl that stood upon its head.
As the hundred tonnes of steel, concrete and wood came plummeting down on A- ko, she let out a battle cry and jumped off the back of the school-bot.
Where A-ko had stood was now just a cloud of dust and an exploding shower of rubble.
A-ko was actually falling through the sky, free-falling down the back of the robot, between the two giant shoulder blades. With her hair whipping behind her, she swung back with the sword. The black power cable hurtled up to meet her, and she put all her strength behind the blow. With a sharp 'crack' sound, and an electric sizzle, the thick cord was severed. With a deafening whipping sound, the cable snapped away and went slack.
A-ko swung herself around in mid-air with a summersault, and jammed the sword into one of the school walls. With a 'twang' the sword flexed, but held. A-ko was now hanging forty meters above the ground.
The school-bot had stopped moving.
Soon a groaning, tearing sound could be heard. The giant robot's knees buckled, and with an earth-shaking thud came crashing down to a kneel. The fall continued as what was left of the school-bot slowly toppled forward, casting a giant shadow beneath it and raining large and small fragments of debris everywhere.
The collapse of the school-bot registered on seismic monitoring stations all around Graviton City and the smoke and dust plume that arose was seen by everyone in town.
The force of the crash flipped A-ko into the air. With great skill and a little bit of flair, A-ko did a double summersault, and landed lightly twenty meters short of where C-ko and Emi stood. B-ko, who stood another fifty meters away fell to her knees just like her creation had.
"A-ko!" shouted Emi emotionally. "Are you okay? That was incredible!"
Emi ran towards A-ko to see if her friend was okay. A-ko could see that it was not safe yet, and debris still rained down all around them. A-ko got up and started to run to Emi to try and get her back to safety as she called out to her to take cover.
But A-ko was not fast enough. Plummeting out of the sky, a school desk narrowly missed Emi's head as she ran towards A-ko, but crushed her left foot, causing Emi to fall on her face and scream with pain.
A-ko sprinted to her aid, punching away large and small pieces of rubble, which continued to rain down. When A-ko reached Emi, she pushed the desk aside, and gasped at Emi's bloodied foot.
"It's okay," said Emi, her voice straining, "It doesn't hurt much at all."
But A-ko could tell that wasn't true, Emi's face had gone very pale. "Let's get you to hospital."
B-ko watched from the distance, and was shocked and amazed once again at Emi's display of self-sacrificing friendship. B-ko could scarcely believe her eyes. She had never seen anyone act like that for another.
"Miss Daitokuji!' screamed Miss Ayumi, interrupting B-ko's thought, "Corporate sponsorship or not, you are on detention for a MONTH! "
* ** *** ** *
A-ko tossed her schoolbag onto her desk. She was exhausted from an extremely long day. After the battle with B-ko's crazy invention that had injured Emi's foot, a-ko had been in the hospital with her and c-ko. Emi's foot was badly broken and needed surgery. The doctors told her that she would recover, and eventually have full mobility, but she would be in plaster for at least four weeks, and would be slower than normal for at least a month.
While she was waiting for Emi to come out of surgery, C-ko insisted that A- ko get looked at herself for the many cuts and bruises that she had sustained in the battle. The doctors weren't too concerned with A-ko's injuries and had wanted only to put a couple of stitches in. Of course, when they tried, the needle bent before going into A-ko's skin.
C-ko couldn't understand how wood and glass could cut A-ko, but she couldn't be stitched because the needles bent. But that was c-ko, thought A-ko, always getting confused about things.
A-ko looked at her clock. It was already eleven-thirty. A-ko wasn't too concerned however; she knew that there wouldn't be any school tomorrow. She and C-ko would go and visit Emi, and maybe even take her home if the doctors said it was okay.
A-ko loosened the bow around her neck with one hand, and took off her shoes with the other. As a-ko undressed for bed, she thought about how Emi had thrown herself in harms way for a-ko, not once, but twice! C-ko would never do that, thought A-ko, she was too afraid of getting hurt. But so would anyone when facing the school-bot.
There was something different about Emi, that was for sure. A-ko had never met anyone like her.
A-ko took off her bra and flung it across the room. It landed over the back of her desk chair. Opening the closet, she got out her favourite nightshirt. It had been he dads until she had stolen it four years ago. The age of the shirt was evident by its length. Where it had gone down to her knees when she was twelve, now it barely covered her bottom.
Lastly A-ko pulled the box out from under her bed, and opened the heavy lid. Inside it was black and worn, and appeared to be nothing special at all. A-ko unclipped her armbands and with a heavy but muted 'thud', they fell into the box. She flipped the lid closed and pushed it under the bed.
As a-ko lay in bed, the thought crossed her mind again before she turned out the light. I'm so lucky to have made friends with Emi. She's such a nice girl.
With a flick of the wrist it was dark, and a-ko pulled up her blanket and rolled onto her side. Soon she was peacefully asleep, worn out from the day that had been.
Inside the leaden box underneath A-ko's bed were her bracers. If you could see inside the box, even in the pitch black of night, you would have just been able to see the arm bands' lining glowed a faint but steady green.
TV Series
Episode 2: School's Out
By Neil Creek: [email protected]
"Get out of the truck!"
The woman pointed a strange looking gun right at the guard's face. She stood on the street in front of the prisoner transport truck. The guard looked at his companion, who shrugged. He knew the bulletproof glass of the windshield would protect them, so the guard slowly shook his head.
"Get out of the truck NOW!" shouted the second woman. She looked at the first and nodded. She closed one eye, and poked her tongue out of her mouth in concentration. There was a flash. The next thing the guard knew was that his ear felt very hot, and he could smell burnt hair. There was a hole melted in the glass. The muzzle of the gun glowed slightly then quickly faded away.
Instantly the guards fumbled at their seatbelts. They opened the door and were pulled out by the two women. Both were strongly built. One had long brown hair in a ponytail, the larger one had bright pink spiky hair. They both appeared to be in their forties. The brunette pointed to the back of the truck, while the woman with the laser gun pushed it into the driver's back. "Open!" the brunette commanded.
With shaking hands the second, younger guard fiddled with the keys. The older guard scowled at the women and tried to think of a way out of this situation. Foolishly they had neglected to take away the guard's guns. He waited for his opening.
A passenger van suddenly pulled up alongside the truck, just as it was opened. The brunette jumped inside the back of the truck, and helped the occupants out. Six injured and battered women wearing some kind of red uniform were inside. All were dirty, their clothes torn, and dry bloodstains were visible in numerous places. With assistance they hobbled as quickly as they could to the waiting van.
The guard looked around. It was quiet in this lane-way. Only meters away, hundreds of people hurried to work. This was a designated stop point on their route, intended for briefing in-situ. These women were obviously professionals and were very well prepared.
With the last prisoner aboard the van, the pink-haired woman approached the guard to take his handcuffs. The guard saw his chance. As she stepped back with the cuffs, he drew his pistol. With one swift motion, he raised his arm, took aim, and fired. Four rounds hit the woman square in the chest.
"Naughty naughty!" she chastised him firmly. She knocked the gun out of his hand, and forcefully handcuffed him to one of the handles of the truck's rear door. The guard was stunned. He saw through the holes in her shirt that the woman was wearing a kind of body armour he had never seen.
The woman looked at the other guard, who smiled meekly, and handcuffed himself to the other door.
"Good boy." she congratulated him patronisingly. She jumped into the back of the van with the six ex-prisoners and the brunette, and with a squeal of tires they were gone.
"DAMN!" cursed the guard, who smashed his fist into the door.
"Think we'll get the rest of the day off?" the younger guard asked meekly.
* ** *** ** *
The morning sun felt warm on Emi's face. The cool breeze carried upon it the smell of morning and in the distance could be heard the hum of peak- hour traffic headed into work. Morning time was one of Emi's favourite times of the day. To her each day held new promise, and with weather as good as this, the rest of the day was promising indeed.
Sitting on the fence at the front of her house, Emi dangled her legs and looked at her watch. A-ko and C-ko should be here soon. she thought to herself. Emi was really looking forward to having two new friends to walk to and from school with each day.
A-ko was a little intimidating, but Emi found her fascinating. Her most obvious trait was her amazing strength and speed, but to Emi it only emphasised the contrasting gentleness she saw in A-ko. A-ko was always very caring and loving of C-ko, as well as patient and tolerant. Emi knew few people her own age who were like that.
Emi thought C-ko was uniquely gifted with an unfailingly optimistic view on life. To her, everything was an adventure and a game. Life must be very simple seen through C-ko's eyes, she thought. As long as C-ko was healthy and A-ko was nearby, then everything would be okay. Emi's admiration of C- ko's attitude was short of jealousy, but she wished she could be more like that herself.
Yep! thought Emi, It's going to be fun getting to know both of them. Emi even thought that maybe she could learn from them how to be a better person herself.
She looked at her watch again. It was getting late. If they didn't get here soon, then they might not get to classes on time! Emi sighed and looked out to sea. The sun reflected of the water, glittering light a million diamonds. Occasionally a passing ship disturbed the illusion. She saw a yacht, two patrol boats, and even a warship. That's something you don't see every day. contemplated Emi.
Emi heard a low whistle in one of her ears. At first she wasn't sure if it was real, but it got louder and higher with each second. Accompanying the whistle was a low roar that got louder and louder. It seemed to be coming from down the road, and heading towards her. I hope A-ko and C-ko are all right. Emi didn't want her friends to run into trouble on their first day walking to school together.
About two hundred meters down the road, where it turned at one of the many hairpin bends on its path down the crater wall, Emi saw a faint cloud of dust. The dust was coming closer very rapidly.
Within a second the roar was deafening, the dust cloud was upon her, and her left arm felt like it was going to be ripped out of its socket!
"Gooood mooooorning Emiiiii!" shouted C-ko over the noise.
Emi was flying along just above the ground, and C-ko was there, flying next to her. Emi looked forward and saw A-ko looking back at her with a huge cheesy grin on her face.
"Sorry we're late! Don't worry, we'll get there in time!"
Emi caught her breath, and the rapid pounding of her heart in her ears began to slow just a little. It was okay. She was finally walking to school with her friends.
Wow! Emi thought to herself. I wonder if it's going to be like this every morning?
* ** *** ** *
The first bell was ringing as the three girls rapidly approached the entrance to the school. A-ko knew that they weren't home free yet. They still had to get past the daily obstacle that awaited them each morning.
Sure enough, from a distance A-ko could see someone standing waiting at the gate. But something looked different. This person was taller than B-ko. As they got closer A-ko realised that it was in fact a guy, wearing glasses, and holding.
"Hey! That's my bag!" cried A-ko in disbelief.
"I thought it got washed away at the aquarium after B-ko emptied it onto the floor A-ko." C-ko remembered. A-ko slid to a halt in front of the guy.
"It did." Interrupted the guy "But I retrieved it for you."
A-ko, C-ko and Emi were all stunned.
"Good morning. My name is Andy." The guy explained as he bowed deeply. He was reasonably tall, A-ko's head came up to his chin, and he had a slim build. He wore the uniform of Graviton Boys school, and his glasses were slightly smudged. Behind them were green eyes, which shone with pride. His hair was short and sandy-coloured, but a little unkempt. "Pleased to meet you." He smiled right at A-ko, and held forth her bag.
A-ko reluctantly took her bag feeling surprised and puzzled. "Where's B- ko? She's usually waiting here for me."
"Oh I told her that you were going to try and give her the slip by going through the school's back entrance." beamed Andy.
A-ko slapped herself on the forehead. Why hadn't I thought of that? she chided herself.
A-ko opened her bag to check what state it was in. She gasped with amazement, which immediately prompted C-ko and Emi to take a look as well.
A-ko had expected to find broken pencils, soaked books and only lumps of white goo left of her notes. Instead she found all new textbooks, meticulously dried and notes and a fully stocked pencil case. Everything was cleaned, dried or brand new! Not only had Andy even replaced the jar of peanut butter that A-ko had accidentally packed the day before, but he had also replaced.
"Oh my god!" shouted A-ko.
"What!?" cried C-ko and Emi together.
A-ko's face had instantly turned into a bright shade of red, and she looked mortified beyond belief. She grabbed both Emi and C-ko, and dashed for the school entrance, leaving Andy standing alone, wondering if he had said something to offend.
After they had got to the school door, and A-ko's blush had faded a little, C-ko asked her what was wrong.
"I can't believe it!" cried a dismayed A-ko. "I can't possibly ever look him in the face again! How embarrassing."
"What is it?" asked Emi, increasingly instant.
A-ko lowered her voice. "He even bought me a new box of Tampax!"
* ** *** ** *
Peak hour was almost over, but the traffic in downtown Graviton City was still busy. Hundreds of cars and dozens of trucks moved throughout the narrower streets of downtown. Since the city was rebuilt on the ruins of the impact crater sixteen years ago, the island in the centre of the lake was prime real estate. Any business that wanted to be in the thick of the bustling economy of Graviton City had to have an office here, or they just weren't considered serious.
Graviton City had rapidly developed into one of the world's powerhouse cities, and the technology economy was the driving factor behind it. The buildings all around were evidence of this. The materials, layout and architecture were years ahead of any other city in the world, and since the whole city had been rebuilt in the last sixteen years, it was also one of the youngest cities in the world.
With the popularity of an island address in Graviton City came a price; claustrophobia. The streets had to be narrower, the buildings taller and the traffic heavier. For most that lived and worked here, that was part of the island's attraction. If you used your imagination, you could almost believe that you were on an alien planet, standing in their capital city.
A giant truck with a huge fish and a sign that read "Advanced Aquarium Repair" finally moved after being caught behind traffic for ten minutes. The dark sedan behind it was finally able to turn down the quiet narrow alleyway it had been waiting to enter for so long.
The car pulled up besides the prison truck and two police cars that were already there. Two police officers were inspecting the truck and examining the evidence of the heist. The hole in the windscreen was drawing particular attention. The two guards who had until recently been handcuffed to their truck were rubbing their wrists and drinking coffees from disposable cups.
Two men got out of the black sedan, which seemed to be of an older vintage, possibly a late 90's model. Both men wore neatly cut and slightly retro black suits. Their hair was short and neatly gelled back. They wore identical thin dark glasses, and carried themselves with an air of confidence and authority. One carried a small briefcase, the other a notepad and pencil. Neither appeared to be armed. Together the two of them approached the recovering guards.
"Good morning gentlemen." spoke the taller darker man. "My name is Mister Jones, and this is Mister Smith. We hear you had some trouble this morning. Why don't you tell us all about it?"
"Who did you say you worked for?" asked the older guard. He felt a little defensive after the humiliation of the heist. He was also uncomfortable talking to two strange men who hadn't really identified themselves.
"We didn't." replied Jones "We're with the bureau of information, a department of the Government Intelligence Agency. We recommend that you cooperate fully with our investigation. Failure to do so will result with a formal reprimand on your record, and an investigation of your actions. Need I remind you that after this morning's fiasco it would be in your best interest to tell us every little detail which may help your case? Such a mistake could look bad on your record if it is shown that the circumstances surrounding the event weren't extraordinary."
Reluctantly the guards complied. They did not like being threatened by strangers, but they knew that the events of an hour ago would not reflect well on them. Talking honestly about the strange circumstances of the heist might help their cause.
The interview lasted for almost an hour, and the GIA agents asked many strange questions including the colour of the assailants' hair, what accent they spoke with and even the proportions of their figures. The senior guard wondered if these men knew what they were doing or not, but he was reassured by the fact that they seemed to think that there was nothing the guards could have done to prevent the heist.
When they had finished with their questions, the two men in black returned to their car and took a seat.
"Looks like the Independents at work." suggested Mr. Smith.
"Without doubt." replied Mr. Jones. "It would appear they wish to bolster their numbers. We will need to step up the surveillance campaign to catch an event in progress. We need to follow them back to their cell location."
"Time to be active rather than reactive. Let's make our report." mused Mr. Smith as he started up the sedan.
A female voice in the shadows in the back seat spoke to them. "You'll never catch them at it. They're too clever for that."
With that, the shiny black car rolled out of the alley and was swallowed up in the chaotic order of the city traffic.
* ** *** ** *
B-ko almost missed roll call. As Miss Ayumi sat down and got out the attendance book, B-ko came running down the hall, and slid to a stop at the classroom door. Leaning against the doorframe panting, she apologised.
"I'm sorry. Miss Ayumi. I was misled." panted B-ko.
Miss Ayumi had no idea what B-ko meant, but wasn't interested. "Just take your seat Miss Daitokuji. And try to avoid being late in the future, understood?"
"Yes Miss." B-ko replied, as she walked down the aisle to her seat. As she approached A-ko, she gave her a vicious glare. B-ko wasn't in control of the situation, and this was something that B-ko did not like at all.
Miss Ayumi read out the attendance roll one name at a time, and the girls in the class responded when their names were called. B-ko fumed in her seat. She was sweating but felt cold. Things were going from bad to worse! First A-ko destroyed her robot inventions and humiliated her, then she foiled her rescue attempt of C-ko from the aliens, then A-ko humiliated B-ko again at the aquarium, then made a new friend, and now seems to have a guy helping her out! This was too much. A-ko had gone too far. B-ko decided that once and for all A-ko was going to pay for her insolence. How DARE she!? B-ko thought to herself.
"Miss B-ko?" the teacher repeated.
"Uh, here Miss." faltered B-ko. All around her B-ko could hear girls quietly laughing to themselves. Oh yes, A-ko was going to die for this.
* ** *** ** *
The lunch bell rang and B-ko looked up in shock. That time already? she thought. Time flies when you're having fun I guess. B-ko shrugged. She had been deep in thought, working on calculations and drawings. The morning's class had been English, however, and B-ko hadn't heard any of it. She wasn't concerned; she could make up for it with extra time spent later with her staff of tutors. Attending school was really a formality anyway. B-ko had access to all the information in the world's computer databases from her bedroom, and a permanent staff of six tutors lived on site at the Daitokuji mansion. She only attended school to satisfy her old-fashioned father.
B-ko packed up her notes and drawings and waited for A-ko to pass her so she could get up. She stared at the back of A-ko's head and hoped that A- ko could feel the red-hot daggers of her rage boring into her skull.
"What's that B-ko? They're pretty pictures!"
B-ko started, and leaned over her diagrams, pulling them against her chest lest anyone see.
"That's our school isn't it?" C-ko asked with enthusiasm.
B-ko's face became very hot, and turned bright red. "Er yes C-ko, they're just doodles. I like to draw."
"Cool! Maybe you could draw something for me sometime!"
B-ko stammered and tried to speak, but before she could say a word, A-ko's loud and brutish voice squealed from the other side of the classroom. "Come on C-ko! Let's go have lunch with Emi!"
"Coming A-ko!" C-ko replied melodiously.
Unable to move, B-ko sat there in a cold sweat. "I'd love to C-ko." she said quietly, almost to herself.
* ** *** ** *
Their surrounds seemed completely alien, but they were a lot better than the hostile world outside. The room seemed small to them, and the furnishings primitive. On top of that, this whole world seemed very dark and dingy to their eyes, and cooler than they could comfortably bear. But here they were among their own kind, and finally they were able to get medical treatment for their wounds.
Ten dirty and bloodied crewmembers of the crashed alien spaceship were being tendered to by others of their kind. Five of the seven who looked after them were familiar. They wore the Leptonian insignia on their uniforms, and they were all about the same age as the injured. Two of them however were different. They seemed older, and wore the clothes of the natives. There was no doubting their origin however, since they were fluent in the language of their home, even if it was spoken with a strange accent. They also were in possession of familiar, if older, technology, and seemed to know how to use it. In fact, the injured were being treated with familiar medical devices.
After a couple of hours of quiet resting and tending to the wounded, one of the older crewmembers called the attention of all in the room. She spoke with wisdom and authority, but the strange accent hinted at a very different background to the newcomers.
"Welcome to planet Earth. This strange and cold planet has been our home for the last sixteen years, and as strange as it may seem to you all, it does eventually grow on you. It should be obvious to you all that we are Alpha Cygnans, just as you are. We arrived here as the result of a terrible accident all those years ago aboard the Royal super-frigate class starship Kuknos."
There was a silence around the room except for a few gasps. The Kuknos was a ship of legends. It disappeared of the screens of Leptonian tracking stations when it displaced on its mission of exploration never to be heard from again. It was this ship that the crew had been searching for, for well over a decade. The search that most had considered a goose-chase was over, the Kuknos had been found!
This was of course completely irrelevant since there was nothing that could be done about it, since their own ship had become stranded as well. Stranded upon this dark, cold and ugly world.
"My name is Akemi. My crewmates and I will do all we can to help you with your injuries and try to assist you to adapt to this world as quickly as possible. Your coming is both wonderful news and a great tragedy for us. But fear not, you are with friends."
* ** *** ** *
The warm summer's air gently breezed in through the open window, softly ruffling A-ko's hair. She could smell the sea on it even from this high up on the crater wall. A-ko loved her city, and was starting to feel like this school was actually going to turn out okay.
Miss Ayumi prattled on in one of her totally confusing monologues, holding onto some obscure text. It always amazed A-ko how her new teacher could seem to spout such nonsense, and yet somehow manage to enlighten her class. Perhaps the knowledge was seeping into their brains by osmosis. By logical deduction, that must mean that Miss Ayumi was an unequalled genius! A-ko giggled to herself softly at the thought.
A-ko cast a glance around the room at C-ko who seemed to be pre-occupied with some kind of doodle on her notebook. Sitting behind C-ko was Emi. Emi seemed to be one of the more studious girls in the class. She always paid attention to the sensei, and took careful notes throughout the lessons. That could come in handy. Thought A-ko to herself, somewhat selfishly.
Emi looked over to A-ko and saw her watching. Instantly that sunshine- smile lit up Emi's face, and she gave a little wave to A-ko. Emi looked at A-ko with a questioning look, and made her fingers walk across the desk. A- ko smiled and nodded back. Somehow Emi's smile grew even broader, and A-ko started to look forward to this afternoon's walk home.
Making friends with Emi was one of the reasons A-ko was starting to feel at home in Graviton Girl's she decided. Emi was a really nice girl, if the tiniest bit insecure. But that was okay, because A-ko felt like that often as well. It was a great relief feeling that A-ko might actually be able to live something like a normal life for once.
"It's perfect!!!" shouted B-ko loudly as she stood up, pushing her chair back with a great scraping sound on the floor. Into the relative silence of Miss Ayumi's lesson, B-ko's revelation was startling, and almost all the girls in the class started and caught their breath.
A-ko was shocked, and looked at B-ko with bewilderment. After a few seconds B-ko realised where she was and what she'd just done. Instantly her face turned bright red. She stammered something incomprehensible as two dozen pairs of eyes stared at her in amazed silence.
Breaking the silence the school bell chimed.
"Um, okay girls. Lets um, see you bright and early tomorrow okay?" Ayumi Sensei asked her class. "Miss Daitokuji, are you alright?"
B-ko sank into her seat and put her face in her hands as the rest of the class raised from their seats and packed their bags to head home.
Pity about the fruitcake. Thought A-ko and she walked past the mortified B- ko. At least there was C-ko and Emi.
* ** *** ** *
Agent Jones and Agent Smith walked down a long, narrow, featureless hallway, their footsteps echoing unnaturally. They approached a set of double doors, visible against the wall only because of their handles and the fact that a commando from the elite gamma force stood each side of the door.
As the agents approached the commandos, they flashed some kind of ID, and the commandos stood stiffly to attention and saluted, before opening the doors.
As soon as the doors parted the raucous in the huge room beyond flooded through. The voices of many different men could be heard shouting at each other in what sounded like an extremely vigorous debate. The room itself appeared to be a cross between an assembly chamber and a war-room. On a gigantic screen was the still smoking hulk of the gigantic ship, perched upon the command center of downtown Graviton City. Seated in a semi-circle around the screen were several rows of men and women, most in suits, some in uniform, but all very agitated.
"My company has made you and your government rich beyond any of your expectations. If it wasn't for my expert scientists and inside information, you would have been helpless trying to exploit the gold mine that landed in the very middle of this city." The speaker was a tall gray- haired man with a moustache and a very fine suit. He spoke with a strong and powerful voice.
"That may be the case Chairman, but your contract specifically discussed only developing the resources discovered on one alien ship. We will not be needing your assistance to develop the resources we discover this time." A politician replied.
"You'll never be able to make heads or tales out of the technology you find. Only my company has the means to interface with the alien technology. It will take you decades or more before you can do anything with that technology." The businessman's voice began to become louder and seemed to be more urgent, and he rose to his feet.
"We now have access to our own insiders, just like you did. We don't need you and your dominating, manipulating, grubby little fingers all over this. We know that you ripped us off last time, the true value of all the alien technology is no doubt far greater than you report to us. Your own company has more advanced technologies than you have released to us." Another politician accused the chairman.
"I'll withdraw the than generous ten percent share of profits that DHI has given to the government!" The chairman's voice was strained with incredulity and a degree of mania as he made his threat.
"We won't need your percentage when we control all these new resources. Thank you Chairman, you are excused."
With that the chairman slammed his fist into his desk. An unexpected silence fell across the previously noisy room. "This is outrageous! This is a doublecross and most dishonorable. Gentlemen and ladies, this is not the last you will hear of this. I promise you, I WILL be the one to exploit these new technologies."
With this the chairman stormed from the room, and slammed the door forcefully behind him. All around the room could be heard the soft whoosh of a collective sigh from almost one hundred people.
* ** *** ** *
The large sign on the school gate proclaimed in bold letters that "This school is currently undergoing redevelopment. This is a construction area. Authorised construction personnel only. DHI Construction."
A-ko was just able to read the sign over the heads of hundreds of other schoolgirls who were crowded at the gate. They had all arrived at school, expecting classes as normal, to find the main gates closed and scaffolding all over the school. There was a noisy murmur of confusion, and everyone was looking around for some kind of direction or instruction.
"I don't think we'll be having any classes today," confessed A-ko to Emi and C-ko.
Miss Ayumi had found what appeared to be a construction foreman, and was involved in an animated conversation with him. After several minutes, she tried to call for attention.
"Girls! Excuse me girls! Quiet please. Thank you. I am as confused about this whole matter as you are. The Staff were given no notice of any construction works on the school, but Mr Moriyama here is quite insistent that we leave him and his crew alone to finish their work without our interference. Therefore, since classes are obviously out of the question, you may all have the rest of the day off. I have been assured that these 'renovations' will only take one day. I look forward to seeing you all bright and early tomorrow!"
A cheer erupted across the crowd, and immediately the girls began to disperse, as hurried plans were made to take advantage of the unexpected free time.
"Hey A-ko, Emi!" said C-ko excitedly. "Lets go downtown and go shopping! Then we can have burgers together for lunch!"
"Sounds good, but lets have sushi instead okay C-ko?" suggested A-ko, "The hot weather will be here soon, and I want to be able to wear the new swimsuit I got the other week. Want to come too Emi?"
"That would be great! Can we go to Tokyo Miss at some stage? There's this cute t-shirt there in their window I've been dying to try on."
The three girls began walking down the path towards the steps that lead away from the school.
After most of the crowd had dispersed, B-ko stepped forward from the shadow of one of the trees in the school forecourt. She chuckled to herself with an eager but not very wholesome look on her face. Her laugh became a cackle and she threw her head back as she reveled in the magnificence of her dastardly plan.
Something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye.
"No! Not there you idiot! That goes, over there!" she said with frustration to one of the workers.
* ** *** ** *
"How do I look?!" Emi asked enthusiastically as she burst from the change booth. The girls had passed by their homes on the way to downtown, and changed into casual clothes. Emi wore cutoff denim shorts, canvas runners, ankle socks, a white t-shirt and her sunglasses on her head. The top she was trying on now, was a lime green singlet top, with a cartoon kitten on the front, and the word "Purrrrfect" underneath.
"That looks great Emi! It really suits you. It's very sexy too!" said A- ko, with admiring eyes.
Emi seemed a little surprised and taken aback at the comment. "Really? Oh, I dunno if I like that. I just want to wear cute stuff. I don't want to be giving any guys the wrong idea."
"Then just make sure you wear a bra," winked A-ko.
Emi looked down and blushed. She'd grown fast in the last year, and she was still not used to her new shape. She crossed her arms across her chest and walked shyly back into the change booth.
C-ko was bent over looking at some pre-schooler's clothes with ultra-cute characters on the front of them by the window. A-ko thought to herself that it was about time that C-ko started to grow up a little bit. Emi was younger than C-ko but she seemed so much more mature. If only C-ko was a little more like Emi, thought A-ko.
A-ko couldn't believe what she had just thought. In an instant a cold wave passed over her, and she felt a little afraid and confused about the situation that she now saw herself in. Emi was a great girl and was fast becoming a good friend, but C-ko had been friends with A-ko since kindergarten.
A-ko worried that she could so quickly become attached to a new friend and begin to think less of C-ko. But that was rubbish A-ko reassured herself. She could be friends with Emi and C-ko. They were both very different people, and she could love them both in their own way.
Just as A-ko resolved her fifteen-second crisis, Emi reemerged from the change booth, singlet top in hand.
"Ok, I'm all done, your turn!"
* ** *** ** *
"I hope you don't mind me asking A-ko, but I have to confess, I've been dying to know." asked Emi after she swallowed her last nori roll.
The three girls had found a trendy, but not too expensive sushi bar in downtown Graviton City. The bar was busy, but not as busy as it was an hour ago. The girls had been so distracted shopping that they didn't sit down to eat until nearly three o'clock. The smell of steamed rice, fresh seafood and soy sauce filled the smallish room, and a single shaft of sunlight that had managed to get past the barrier of the densely-packed skyscrapers slowly inched its way across the counter.
"You can ask me anything Emi, within reason," A-ko grinned.
"Well, not that I don't think they're kinda cute, and they suit you, but your arm bands are kinda unusual, and I've never seen you without them. Do you wear them for a particular reason?"
A-ko knew that Emi would have to ask that question sooner or later. A-ko knew that every girl in the school had wondered the same thing, but none were game to ask her. It was a sign, thought A-ko, of how their friendship had grown, that Emi felt she could ask A-ko.
"It's not that big a deal actually. My dad gave them to me when I was very little, before I can remember even. They're supposed to help me keep my strength in check. When I'm wearing them I find it easier to 'pull punches' and I don't accidentally break things just because I touched them. Well, not as often anyway," laughed A-ko with an embarrassed look.
C-ko, who had heard this all before, was quietly eating her sushi, staring out the window at the traffic and people that passed by in their hundreds.
Emi's eyes widened in wonderment. "Wow, that's amazing! Does it really work? I mean how do they do it? What are they made of?"
A-ko laughed again at Emi's questions. "Well to be honest, I don't really know how they work. They're made of lead, so they're heavy. I guess that kinda reminds me, and makes me think about my strength more. I do take them off when I go to bed though. I tried wearing them while I slept for a while, but that was how I lost my first baby teeth!" A-ko grinned. "Funny thing is, my dad won't go anywhere near them when they're off. I have to take them off and put them straight into their box. I always thought it was a bit odd myself, but they work!"
Emi was still amazed, but thrilled to have learnt such a prized secret. "A- ko, one day I'd love to see what you can do with them off!" Emi grinned.
"Oh! I don't know about that!" A-ko laughed.
"Emi?" asked C-ko, who seemed to have gotten tired of watching out the window. "What are your parents like?"
"My Mum and Dad? Well I guess they're pretty normal I suppose. Although I've never really known anyone else's family, so I guess I can't compare! Mum can be a bit weird at times."
"How do you mean? A-ko asked. "What does she do?"
"Well I don't know really. She's the president of some 'women's club' or something like that. She's always organising activities or going out to functions and parties. Like just last night; I got home and there were all these women in the lounge, and some of them seemed to have blood on them. Mum was really keen for me to go upstairs and give her some privacy. I asked dad about it, and he said that the women's club was doing a first-aid course. It's just strange things like that. Nothing that really worries me though."
"What about your dad? What does he do?"
"Well he's in the military actually! I'm so proud of him! He's so cool! He's part of the military research department, and he's always going into dangerous places to collect data. He was the first one inside that space ship after it landed! And although he's not supposed to tell anyone what he does," Emi leaned closer, as did A-ko and C-ko, "he told me that he saw the aliens' space suits! That means he knows what they look like!"
"Woowie!" exclaimed C-ko, "That's amazing!"
"Yeah! That's not "pretty normal" Emi! My parents are really boring. There's nothing special about them at all. They just go on 'business trips' to America all the time. At least Dad brings me back cool stuff," A- ko grinned.
Emi knew that C-ko had no family, and felt a little awkward talking about hers. It was an obvious gap in the conversation, not talking to C-ko about her parents, but C-ko had asked her the question in the first place. Maybe it made C-ko feel better to hear about other peoples' families, Emi thought.
"Well let's get a move on," said A-ko, "There's still that summer dress I wanted to try on and I want to see C-ko in those shorts she had her eye on."
* ** *** ** *
A-ko screeched to a halt at the top of the stairs leading to the school. Emi and C-ko flew past her, and only stopped because of her vice-like grip on their arms.
The scene before them was just like yesterday. The school gates were closed, and hundreds of girls were gathered together, looking confused about what to do, and chattering excitedly.
"Yay! We might get another day off school!" cheered C-ko.
"I hope not," said Emi, "I don't want to miss too much school or it might affect my grades."
When the girls at the back of the crowd saw A-ko, they pointed at her and called forward, "She's here! Tell B-ko that A-ko's here." "Maybe B-ko will let us in now," muttered one girl to her friend.
A-ko scowled and marched toward the gate. She new there was trouble brewing, and B-ko was certain to be in the middle of it. As she walked, the sea of schoolgirls parted before her, all the way to the school gates.
There, beyond the wrought iron bars, stood B-ko. Her hands were on her hips, her feet were apart, and she smiled a smug smile at A-ko. Even though she stood within the shelter of the trees, the wind dramatically blew her hair and uniform, making her an impressive sight.
"What's this about!" said A-ko, glowering at B-ko.
"That's what I'd like to know!" a cool Miss Ayumi said. She was leaning against the gate, her arms folded and her mood gloomy. I've been standing here for half an hour, trying to get into the school. But Miss Daitokuji here seems to think that she's in charge now. There'd better be a good reason!"
B-ko closed her eyes, and a small smile appeared upon her lips. "This is the moment of my final triumph. For now you will see my perfect and ultimate creation defeat A-ko once and for all." Her eyes opened, and she laughed quietly but confidently.
"Not another one of your damned wind-up toys B-ko!" shouted a frustrated A- ko as she ripped the padlock and chain the kept the school gates closed. A- ko flung open the gates and walked determinedly towards B-ko. Several other girls started to walk towards class, not wanting to be caught up in another fight.
"I wouldn't get any closer if I was you. It's really not safe in here for any of you." With that threat, B-ko revealed a remote control with a single, large button. With an audible 'plink', B-ko pressed the button, and grinned a wide, menacing grin at all before her.
Immediately there was a series of very loud 'thumps' followed by a loud, deep rumbling that shook the ground beneath their feet. Bird fled the trees they were perched in, and an anxious murmur spread throughout the gathered crowd. Everyone looked around for the source of the noise, but it seemed to be coming from everywhere.
"Look!" shouted one of the girls, "The school!"
All eyes turned toward the noble and magnificent halls of their education. Smoke and dust could be seen rising all around, and everything seemed be vibrating. A couple of people shouted 'earthquake', but everyone else knew that it was much worse than that.
Whole blocks of the school complex seemed to be slowly rising into the air as the deafening roar continued. The East and West wing rose into the air like two battleships levitating. The central wing remained on the ground, but seemed to act as a kind of foot. Between the East and West wings and the two auditoriums the ground erupted to reveal long metallic beams that eventually lifted even the great halls off the ground. Soil and debris from the buildings rained on the ground, and the whole structure rose over one hundred meters into the air.
Different blocks started moving towards each other, sliding over each other, twisting, turning, folding and flipping. Huge metal beams moved between the pieces and locked them into place with an electrical sizzle and a magnetic clang. As a result of the incredible transformation, the school took on the form of a gigantic humanoid figure with thick legs, massive forearms, a small head and two giant pillars standing straight up from the back.
The massive school robot took two slow, lumbering steps forward, each one sending shock waves through the ground that caused pebbles to dance, and knees to buckle.
Hundreds of pairs of disbelieving eyes looked upwards and hundreds of jaws hung slack in awe. Not a word was spoken.
"Witness, the greatest destructive force ever created of an educational institution!" cried B-ko in her best evangelical voice, "The awesome GCGS Super-Dimensional Fortress, Lotus!"
"You've got to be kidding me, right? The school!? What on earth could possess you to think the school would make a good fighting machine?"
Miss Ayumi pushed past A-ko. She was fuming, and pushed up the sleeves of her cardigan as she walked purposefully towards B-ko. "That thing sure as heck better be able to transform back again, Miss Daitokuji, or you're going to."
B-ko held a sheet of paper up in front of the teacher for her to read. Miss Ayumi stopped mid-stride, and bent over to read the paper closely. Suddenly her anger had evaporated, and her face turned extremely pale. She turned away and started walking away mumbling something incoherent about the school budget.
"Now that that's taken care of," said B-ko smugly as she folded the paper back up again and slid it into her breast pocket, "it's down to business. Lotus, Kill."
The ground started to jump and tremble again, as the school took the few short steps it would need to approach A-ko. Hundreds of schoolgirls screamed and started running, looking for any kind of cover they could find.
"Stop!!" Emi had run in front of A-ko and was holding her arms wide, looking up at the school-bot with fearful eyes. "Please B-ko, don't hurt A- ko. Fighting isn't going to fix anything, and I don't want to loose my best friend. She means too much to me!"
B-ko was stunned. This was the last thing she expected. She knew A-ko was tough, and defeating her would be tough, but Emi was just an ordinary girl. She stood no chance against the Lotus, and knew it, yet she jumped in front of A-ko without a thought; because she was her 'friend'.
"No Emi!" cried A-ko, "It's too dangerous! Please go and find some cover, I'll be okay."
"But B-ko might stop."
"B-ko won't stop. She's too full of pride to let anyone talk her out of one of her stupid schemes. Go and find cover now, shouldn't have any trouble taking this thing out. I think." said A-ko, trying to sound as reassuring as possible.
While B-ko had faltered for a moment, A-ko's comments strengthened her resolve. "No mercy!" she shouted.
"See?"
Emi nodded and ran to where C-ko and a few other girls were standing under a large tree.
Just as Emi was within meters of the tree, the gym block came smashing down to the ground, sending a shock wave so powerful, it knocked Emi off her feet, and flying into C-ko. The two of them fell to the ground, and immediately tried to look back for A-ko.
Where A-ko had once stood, the gym block now lay, half buried in a crater in the ground. A-ko was nowhere to be seen. Emi felt herself go cold, and suddenly her stomach was up in her throat. Had A-ko been killed?
"Look!" cried the girl standing next to Emi. She was pointing up at the school-bot, at its arm. There Emi could see a brown flash running up the arm. It was A-ko! She was alright!
Emi knew that A-ko would have a hard time physically destroying something so big, and besides it was the school. If it would be at all possible to avoid destroying it completely, that would be so much better. After all, Emi's grades would definitely suffer if the school were destroyed.
As Emi thought, the school-bot's other arm swung through the sky, and smashed on the arm just below where A-ko was running. A-ko lost her footing and fell about ten meters, landing on the auditorium, which was the left hand. Holding on for dear life, A-ko swung around like a rag doll as the school-bot shook its arm slowly but violently.
There's no way that thing could be running from mains power, Emi thought, It's just to massive and powerful for that. It would need something with more grunt. Emi tried to think of all the different ways that B-ko could have easily powered the school-bot. Batteries were too inefficient at delivering power, and fuel cells were too big to easily fit inside.
A thought occurred to Emi, and she had to go and check it out. "C-ko, stay here, I've gotta to and look for something. I'll be right back!'
Emi wished she could run as fast as A-ko. After running for about a minute, but what seemed like an hour, Emi's guess was proven right. When viewed from behind, Emi could see a giant, long black cable stretching from between the shoulders of the school-bot to the ground and snaking away.
"A-ko!" Emi shouted at the top of her lungs. "Cut the cable! Cut the power cable!"
A-ko looked at Emi and gave the thumbs-up. After a moment's thought, A-ko pointed at the cord and spread her arms out, palms up, as if to ask "how?!". It was a good question, how would A-ko be able to sever the meter- thick power cable. Emi though hard about the problem, as A-ko jumped and danced and flipped to avoid repeated blows by the school-bot.
"Emi!" shouted A-ko. Emi could see that A-ko would need an answer quickly!
Then it came to her. The sword that the alien "D" had fought A-ko with, became part of the kendo club's collection after it was retrieved from the wreck of the bridge. The sword was now in the kendo clubroom, near the gym hall.
Emi mimed to A-ko the action of slashing with a sword, and pointed to the gym. Fortunately A-ko seemed to understand Emi, in between avoiding punches. She smashed a window and disappeared inside the school.
Emi ran back to C-ko, and told her what A-ko was trying to do. The school- bot started to become agitated. It started shaking and bouncing around like someone with a spider down their shirt. Repeatedly it punched itself with great force. Giant fragments broke off and went flying in all directions. A blackboard went tumbling over C-ko and Emi's head with a whoosh. The girls tried to take cover further under the trees.
The more the school-bot punched itself, the more desperate it seemed, and the more it pulled itself apart. It started ripping the roofs off its own body parts, desperately seeking the redheaded invader within it. It was looking less like a giant robot and more like a demolition site.
"Look!" shouted C-ko. She pointed to the school-bot's head. Standing atop it could be seen A-ko. Her torn uniform and long red hair was flapping in the gusty wind. She was dirty and bloodied, but she brandished the gigantic alien sword that had once been used against her. She stood for a moment to collect herself, preparing to strike.
The robot, now driven almost mad with frustration had a clear shot at A-ko. It raised its massive fist, and prepared to bring the entire weight of the auditorium down upon the girl that stood upon its head.
As the hundred tonnes of steel, concrete and wood came plummeting down on A- ko, she let out a battle cry and jumped off the back of the school-bot.
Where A-ko had stood was now just a cloud of dust and an exploding shower of rubble.
A-ko was actually falling through the sky, free-falling down the back of the robot, between the two giant shoulder blades. With her hair whipping behind her, she swung back with the sword. The black power cable hurtled up to meet her, and she put all her strength behind the blow. With a sharp 'crack' sound, and an electric sizzle, the thick cord was severed. With a deafening whipping sound, the cable snapped away and went slack.
A-ko swung herself around in mid-air with a summersault, and jammed the sword into one of the school walls. With a 'twang' the sword flexed, but held. A-ko was now hanging forty meters above the ground.
The school-bot had stopped moving.
Soon a groaning, tearing sound could be heard. The giant robot's knees buckled, and with an earth-shaking thud came crashing down to a kneel. The fall continued as what was left of the school-bot slowly toppled forward, casting a giant shadow beneath it and raining large and small fragments of debris everywhere.
The collapse of the school-bot registered on seismic monitoring stations all around Graviton City and the smoke and dust plume that arose was seen by everyone in town.
The force of the crash flipped A-ko into the air. With great skill and a little bit of flair, A-ko did a double summersault, and landed lightly twenty meters short of where C-ko and Emi stood. B-ko, who stood another fifty meters away fell to her knees just like her creation had.
"A-ko!" shouted Emi emotionally. "Are you okay? That was incredible!"
Emi ran towards A-ko to see if her friend was okay. A-ko could see that it was not safe yet, and debris still rained down all around them. A-ko got up and started to run to Emi to try and get her back to safety as she called out to her to take cover.
But A-ko was not fast enough. Plummeting out of the sky, a school desk narrowly missed Emi's head as she ran towards A-ko, but crushed her left foot, causing Emi to fall on her face and scream with pain.
A-ko sprinted to her aid, punching away large and small pieces of rubble, which continued to rain down. When A-ko reached Emi, she pushed the desk aside, and gasped at Emi's bloodied foot.
"It's okay," said Emi, her voice straining, "It doesn't hurt much at all."
But A-ko could tell that wasn't true, Emi's face had gone very pale. "Let's get you to hospital."
B-ko watched from the distance, and was shocked and amazed once again at Emi's display of self-sacrificing friendship. B-ko could scarcely believe her eyes. She had never seen anyone act like that for another.
"Miss Daitokuji!' screamed Miss Ayumi, interrupting B-ko's thought, "Corporate sponsorship or not, you are on detention for a MONTH! "
* ** *** ** *
A-ko tossed her schoolbag onto her desk. She was exhausted from an extremely long day. After the battle with B-ko's crazy invention that had injured Emi's foot, a-ko had been in the hospital with her and c-ko. Emi's foot was badly broken and needed surgery. The doctors told her that she would recover, and eventually have full mobility, but she would be in plaster for at least four weeks, and would be slower than normal for at least a month.
While she was waiting for Emi to come out of surgery, C-ko insisted that A- ko get looked at herself for the many cuts and bruises that she had sustained in the battle. The doctors weren't too concerned with A-ko's injuries and had wanted only to put a couple of stitches in. Of course, when they tried, the needle bent before going into A-ko's skin.
C-ko couldn't understand how wood and glass could cut A-ko, but she couldn't be stitched because the needles bent. But that was c-ko, thought A-ko, always getting confused about things.
A-ko looked at her clock. It was already eleven-thirty. A-ko wasn't too concerned however; she knew that there wouldn't be any school tomorrow. She and C-ko would go and visit Emi, and maybe even take her home if the doctors said it was okay.
A-ko loosened the bow around her neck with one hand, and took off her shoes with the other. As a-ko undressed for bed, she thought about how Emi had thrown herself in harms way for a-ko, not once, but twice! C-ko would never do that, thought A-ko, she was too afraid of getting hurt. But so would anyone when facing the school-bot.
There was something different about Emi, that was for sure. A-ko had never met anyone like her.
A-ko took off her bra and flung it across the room. It landed over the back of her desk chair. Opening the closet, she got out her favourite nightshirt. It had been he dads until she had stolen it four years ago. The age of the shirt was evident by its length. Where it had gone down to her knees when she was twelve, now it barely covered her bottom.
Lastly A-ko pulled the box out from under her bed, and opened the heavy lid. Inside it was black and worn, and appeared to be nothing special at all. A-ko unclipped her armbands and with a heavy but muted 'thud', they fell into the box. She flipped the lid closed and pushed it under the bed.
As a-ko lay in bed, the thought crossed her mind again before she turned out the light. I'm so lucky to have made friends with Emi. She's such a nice girl.
With a flick of the wrist it was dark, and a-ko pulled up her blanket and rolled onto her side. Soon she was peacefully asleep, worn out from the day that had been.
Inside the leaden box underneath A-ko's bed were her bracers. If you could see inside the box, even in the pitch black of night, you would have just been able to see the arm bands' lining glowed a faint but steady green.