P. Kristen Enos's Projects & Furia Press

The Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 Continuation Fanfic Series

by P. Kristen Enos

SPOILERS WARNING!!!
Most of these stories take place AFTER the TV Series! So DON’T blame me if I ruin the ending for you because you read these stories first!
Lesbian/Yuri/Shoujo Ai Warning! (Non-explicit — at least in the “PG13″/”R” sort of way.) Just not written for children because they probably wouldn’t get half of it. All rights belong to JVC/AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story.

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Chapter 18: Suspicious Timing

“-I really am glad to see you!” Irene declared as they settled themselves on one of the many benches populating the indoor shopping center that was connected the sports complex. “I was afraid that, well…”

“I just came back from a week long visit to my parents,” Linna explained as she glanced around at the well-lit and almost empty plaza since it was nearing closing time for the shops, although the gym maintained much later hours. “But I’ll admit that I’d been… avoiding things up until then. I think the trip home was what I needed to lift my spirits again. It took a bad arranged date but I’m definitely better than I have been in the past couple of months.”

“Are you sure?” her friend persisted.

“I’m better! Honest!” Linna said as she stretched out her weary limbs. “I just took my first judo class and I’m feeling great! It’s like that physical release is what I’ve been needing for a long time. Although the bruises are something I’m going to have to get used to.”

Irene frowned to herself and muttered, “I could just kill Reika! I didn’t know she had stopped seeing you until she called and told me…” She suddenly stopped and then said softly, “It’s just one more mistake she’s made on top of everything else.”

Linna’s curiosity was in overdrive at those words but she was afraid to ask a question, to become involved in Reika’s life no matter how indirectly. She did not want to be hurt again, especially over nothing. Suddenly, a mild pinch of pain went through her head and she rubbed her temples to counteract it. This small headache was probably her brain telling her to get up and leave, but she stayed. Her curiosity always had the upper hand. “It doesn’t sound as if you two are getting along right now.”

“We had a huge fight shortly after our parents passed away. And we haven’t had a real conversation since, other than the one time she called and told me… Well, I just see her repeating a pattern.” Irene sighed and then glanced at Linna cautiously. “Did she tell you about her first girlfriend? About their break-up?”

“No,” Linna answered, her curiosity was definitely in control of her mouth now. “We didn’t have an opportunity to talk about such things.”

“They were together for a long time,” Irene explained. “In fact, they were childhood best friends. And even though they weren’t ‘out’ when their relationship progressed further, it was just one of those things everyone knew, except they thought no one did. But they had one of those intense, private relationships, even when they were just friends. When it was clear they were having relationship trouble, no one knew what to do but leave them alone and let them try to sort it out on their own, or wait for Reika to ask for help. But she never did. She kept everything bottled up, even though she did once acknowledge to me that they were indeed fighting a lot, only because I kept pushing for her to admit it. Reika had been attending Tokyo University when they finally broke up, even though she’s always claimed it was amicable. I don’t think it was a coincidence that right afterwards she lost all interest in school and wanted to move out of the country, as she claims ‘to explore the world’ while she was still young and irresponsible. Dad convinced her to at least stay and finish getting her degree but it was clear she was on emotional autopilot. After graduation, she ran away to America to start an anonymous life from scratch. And she never once talked about the break-up.

“I do love my sister dearly, but she and I are complete opposites. Even though she can seem very socially friendly, she’s extremely private and doesn’t make real friends. The few girlfriends she’s had since then were clearly not serious relationships, at least from her perspective even though they may have thought otherwise. And it’s not because she’s cold-hearted; it’s quite the opposite. I think she feels too much and being burned that first time was one time too many, and her way of controlling that risk is by keeping people at a distance. She’s an actress because she’s a natural. And her lack of success is because she doesn’t have a passion for it as a career, not because she lacks talent by any means. She’s so good that you can almost feel as if she believes the role she’s taken on, whether it’s for a couple of hours or years. So when she told me she was taking over the family business permanently, I hit the roof because she made a unilateral decision that affected both of us.

“I don’t believe she was meant to be the head of… our family business, but she’s going to do everything that the role requires because that’s just the way she is. When she makes a hard decision, she sticks by it no matter what. It’s her own form of stubbornness. The ironic thing is that I would support her as the new head if I honestly thought it was Reika being herself, rather than taking on a role and reading from a script she’s making up as she goes along. She’s effectively committing emotional suicide, and I feel so helpless but at the same time I just want to shake some sense into her…” Irene finally let out a sigh and said, “I think I’m rambling all of this because I want to let you know, it’d been a long time since I’ve seen her as emotionally alive as she was at my party, when she met you for the first time. I just want to point out that she made her decision about you before she made her decision about taking on the family business. And if anyone can talk sense into her at this point, I think it could be you.”

Linna had already felt her heart start to tighten before those final words, so she shouldn’t have been surprised at the hopeful and yet painful spasm she felt. Yet the damn headache got worse. So much so that there was a chill creeping through her despite the turmoil of conflicting emotions and sensations.

“Are you all right?” Irene asked, finally noticing the way her friend winced painfully as she anxiously rubbed her temples.

“I – I don’t think so,” Linna squinted as she tried to look around the indoor plaza. “Do you see any boomers around here?”

“Boomers?” Irene was obviously confused but looked around at her friend’s request. “Um, no. Is there something I can do?”

Linna noticed the occasional shopkeeper as they started closing for the night, but no sign of any of the metallic servants. Then she noticed four attractive women walking in their direction, each carrying a gym bag in preparation for their own workouts. Even though it was clear they were together, they weren’t talking to each other, instead staring straight ahead as they moved with smooth, purposeful strides. As one, they turned and looked at Linna and Irene, and stopped in their tracks when they were fifty meters away.

The next instant Linna felt a sharp stab of pain overwhelm her brain, causing her to cry out. The young woman then collapsed onto the floor, completely unconscious.

“Linna!” Irene cried out as she knelt by her friend. She turned frantically to the passively watching women and yelled, “Go get some help! Please!”

The electricity suddenly went out, dropping the plaza into complete blackness.

Oh shit! What else could go wrong?! Irene thought as she struggled to pick up Linna without tripping over herself or her friend in the darkness.

An unmistakable hissing noise suddenly cut through the air, followed by the sound of a painful cry and a heavy object hitting the floor from across the plaza. The pattern of noises repeated itself but from different areas of the darkness.

Irene froze. She knew too much about her family business to not recognize the sound of silencers being used, and quite effectively at that.

She mentally flashed on Sho and started to utter a small prayer just as she felt the sharp sting of being hit in the side.

— End Chapter 18 —

Chapter 19: Mixed Messages

Daley Wong tried to stifle a yawn as he followed the doctor through the quiet hospital corridor. At five a.m. he normally would be quite happily asleep, snuggled against Yuuji, or vice versa, but he couldn’t ignore the beep of his pager. He regretted waking up his partner but it was a sort of payback for the times Yuuji had to fly out off to work at odd hours just because some late breaking story was going on. The one good thing was that they usually made it up to each other afterwards, which unfortunately could be days later.

He glanced down at his data pad and almost bumped into the doctor, who had stopped at the door of the patient’s room. The doctor tapped gently on the door, which was opened by a very haggard looking man in his early thirties, with a slightly portly physique and receding hairline.

“Sir, this is Detective Wong,” the doctor said, introducing the visitor.

“Doctor, excuse me but we’ve already met,” Daley said, bowing in greeting, “Dr. Yamada, I came as soon as I was summoned.”

“Yes, come in, Detective Wong. I wanted to wait to call you but she insisted that I page you right away,” he answered sheepishly.

“It’s part of my job to be available when necessary,” the detective explained.

The three of them entered the private room to find Irene Chen looking a little dazed as she sat up, with the support of several pillows.

“How are you feeling, Ms. Chen?” the doctor asked as he checked her eyes with his pocket light.

She smiled weakly and answered, “Still woozy. But at least I can put together a coherent sentence now.”

“Hmm,” he muttered as he checked her pulse. “As predicted, the tranquilizer seems to be clearing out of your system with no permanent damage. But I still want to keep you here through tonight for observation.”

“We’ll have to talk about that later, Doctor,” Irene said in a tone with a certain firmness underneath it. “That’s why I wanted to talk to the Detective as soon as possible about what happened.”

The older man frowned but then bowed and said, “Since I’m in early, I do have other patients to check on. I will stop by around noon and we can discuss it then.”

He bowed and let the three of them have their privacy to discuss the matter at hand.

“Detective… Wong, is it?” Irene asked as she squinted at him.

“Yes, ma’am. Daley Wong,” he answered as he sat in the chair next to the bed while Sho took his spot beside Irene, their hands firmly clasped together. “I’m from the Neo Tech Crimes Division of the Police. It’s our job to tackle cases which have been perpetrated with advanced technology and weapons. We’re still in the data gathering phase to determine if it’s still under our jurisdiction or if it should be handed over to the regular detective division. The case does look very straightforward but there’s a couple of odd things about.”

“I see. Well, Sho told me that a lot of the details are still unknown.”

“That’s what we tell the general public while we’re in the first phase. But it’s not too far from the truth,” Daley admitted as he glanced at the data pad holding his own notes on the case. “Here are the facts as we know it: every person, either staff or visitor in both the sports complex and shopping plaza, was killed with very clean shots. Because no gunfire was heard, and the entire building had a blackout, no one knew what had happened until the power crew showed up about an hour later to deal with a cut power cable and sabotaged back-up generator. The killers were long gone by then. And you and Linna were the only survivors.”

“’Linna?’” Irene asked, picking up on the use of the first name.

“Ms. Yamazaki is actually one of my assistant’s best friends. In fact, my assistant is checking on her right now since she woke up shortly after you did.”

“But she’s not hurt?”

“No, not a scratch… Well, except for some strange bruises we’re going to have to ask her about. But we did think she was a casualty at first, as well as yourself.”

Irene grimaced as she gingerly did a test touch of small bandage at her side. “I think I did more damage by almost giving myself a heart attack when the tranquilizer dart hit me. I assure you, I’m quite surprised to be alive.”

“Well, it seems you were spared intentionally. We still don’t know about Linna – meaning why she was spared from being shot by either a bullet or a tranquilizer, as in your case.” Daley commented grimly as he scanned his data pad and then pulled out his stylus pen. “But are you able to now give me an account of what happened before you passed out?”

Just then, a sharp knock came from the door. The bewildered exchange of looks showed that no additional visitors were expected. Sho answered it and then jumped back in a startled surprise and bow, allowing the new person to enter. A very tired but frantic looking and casually dressed Reika entered the room. She paused in her steps when she and Irene looked at each other.

Daley noticed how the women exchanged a tense look, but then Irene broke out into a pleased smile and motioned for Reika to come over for a hug. He noticed how pleased Sho looked as he watched the women.

“Detective Wong, this is my sister Reika Chang,” Irene introduced. “She’s CEO and President of Chang Enterprises. I want her to be here for this discussion.”

So once everyone had settled themselves again, Irene began her tale, relaying the circumstances around the sudden blackout and the shooting that had started moments afterwards. Daley took copious notes but also watched the faces of the two other visitors, noticing how pale each became with every detail that was told. True, the tale was brutal, but there was something else gnawing at the back of the detective’s mind that there was more to the surface of this matter, and their looks confirmed it.

“Since the shooting spree began right after the lights went out, then it’s clear that it started in the plaza area, where you were,” Daley surmised as he scanned through his new and old notes. “The casualty list from the plaza have all been identified as staff or owners connected with the businesses which were closing that night. We don’t have any unidentified casualties that would include these four women that you mentioned.”

“There was something creepy about them,” Irene commented darkly. “They just watched when Linna passed out and didn’t move or react. And the next instant the lights went out and the shooting started.”

“How is Linna?” Reika asked softly to anyone who would answer. These were the first words Daley heard her utter.

The detective noticed how stricken she looked, as well as her use of Linna’s first name. “I’ve heard she’s fine, Ms. Chang. My assistant is with her now. In fact, I was going to check in on her after I’ve finished interviewing Ms. Chen.”

“Reika, could you go with him?” Irene asked. “I’d go myself but I don’t trust I’ll be able to stand up, much less walk right now. Please, just make sure she’s really all right.”

Her sister looked clearly reluctant as they exchanged a meaningful look, but then Reika’s expression changed to passive resignation as she gave a nod.

Daley pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose and said, “I think the remaining question is what was the reason why you were shot with just a tranquilizer when everyone else was basically executed. The shootings happened in the dark, yet everyone was killed by marksman precision, I think we have to entertain the possibility that they knew who you are. Unless you really were just a random person they chose to be a survivor as some sort of general statement.”

Instead of answering right away, he noticed that the two sisters exchanged another look

Reika then spoke, “Detective Wong, I have just recently taken over the leadership of our family corporation. We specialize in the business of security, and have made many powerful enemies in the process. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone thought that attacking Irene, but also sparing her, would send some sort of warning statement to me and Chang Enterprises as a whole.”

“Do you think that’s possible?” Daley asked the patient.

Irene nodded. “That’s why I’m not comfortable staying here for the night. And I certainly do not mean to offend the guards you’ve posted in the hospital. I’d just rather be transferred to our family compound while I recover and then figure out what our next steps are.”

“Well, that would explain why Irene wasn’t killed. But that doesn’t explain why the slaughter happened in the first place,” Daley mused.

“That last piece I couldn’t begin to address,” Reika admitted. “As deadly as our enemies can be, I’ve never heard of a ‘warning’ incident which involved truly innocent bystanders, meaning people who have no connection professionally or personally to my family’s business. The grudges tend to be much more honorable than that.”

He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Sho looked extremely troubled but didn’t utter a word, even though it looked like he wanted to.

“Dr. Yamada, is there something you wish to add?” the detective coaxed.

The man jumped a bit at being addressed, but then he adamantly shook his head. “N-Nothing at all. I’m just upset that innocent lives could be cold-heartedly slaughtered in such a way, though I admit I will never regret the fact that Irene was spared in the end.”

Daley stood and bowed to Irene. “Well, then if you have nothing else to add for the time being, Ms. Chen, I will leave you to continue with your recovery. I truly appreciate your willingness to talk to me as soon as you regained consciousness.”

“Thank you, Detective,” she responded as she made a feeble attempt to return the bow. “And I do regret waking you at such an inconvenient time but I think we understand the loss of lives should put our concerns as secondary.”

He nodded. “Please contact me if you remember anything else about the event as the tranquilizer continues to wear off. Dr. Yamada, it was good to talk to you again. Ms. Chang, do you wish to accompany me to see Linna?”

“Lead the way, Detective Wong,” the woman answered with clearly polite enthusiasm.

— End Chapter 19 —

Chapter 20: Surprising Relations

“I’m telling you that I’m fine! I got these bruises from my judo class!” Linna insisted as she sat on the hospital bed and waited for the other woman to finish examining her arms.

The doctor’s grim expression remained as she then checked on Linna’s vision with a pen light. “Ms. Yamazaki, ‘fine’ people do not pass out for no reason, especially for as long as you did. I realize your medical records show you have exemplary health history and you are obviously in peak physical condition, from an observer’s point of view. If anything, your background convinces me even more how important it is to do a thorough examination and find out why you passed out. I’m certain you don’t want a repeat episode, especially since you live alone according to your records.”

Linna sighed to herself but she was still displeased at the examination. She hated hospitals and this wasn’t helping. “What else do you want to check, Doctor?”

“I’d like to do a brain scan. In fact I want to schedule you for one as soon as the lab opens.”

Before Linna could react, a brisk knock came from the door.

The doctor’s frown increased as she walked over to answer it. Linna couldn’t see who was on the other side but it was clear the woman looked even less pleased.

“Excuse me, ladies, but how did you get in here?” the doctor demanded. “This is far too early for visiting hours.”

“I’m Officer Nene Romanova,” came the familiar voice, which caused Linna to sigh in relief. “I work with Detective Daley Wong. And this is -“

“Is Linna in here?! I demand to see her now!” At those words, a frantic Sylia barged pass the doctor and entered the room, making a bee-line for the surprised patient. “Oh darling! Are you all right?! I came as soon as Officer Romanova called me!”

Linna was literally speechless as Sylia threw herself on her for a hug and a kiss right on the mouth.

“Who are you?!” the doctor demanded, obviously losing her patience and composure if the redness of her cheeks was any indication.

Sylia broke the kiss and turned coolly to face the critical woman. She kept herself pressed against Linna, with her arms around her shoulders. “I’m Sylia Yamazaki, her life-partner! I was here last night and would have stayed but Officer Romanova told me to go home and she would keep me posted on Linna’s condition.”

With her face completely flushed with red and her eyes as wide as saucers, Linna decided it was wise to keep completely quiet, which was helped by the fact that she didn’t know what to say.

“Darling, are you okay?” Sylia asked in a suddenly meaningful, intimate tone as she cupped Linna’s chin to look her right in the eye.

“I-I’m fine… d–dear.” Linna managed to sputter. She was also struggling with the fact that Sylia looked so serious while uttering words that at any other time would have been said with a smirk and a giggle. Plus, it was extremely strange to see Sylia acting like the clinging, protective female.

“Oh, I’m so glad!” Sylia said as she threw herself on Linna for another hug and kiss, which was returned more enthusiastically this time.

Despite her own expression of embarrassment bordering into disgust, the doctor narrowed her eyes and stated, “According to Ms. Yamazaki’s records, there is no reference of a ‘life-partner!”

Sylia pulled back and looked at Linna with an expression of bewilderment. “Darling, I thought you had updated your files, or did you forget again?”

Linna’s eyes managed to widen even more and she mumbled, “I – I guess I did. That’s why I let you take care of those kinds of details… dear.”

Sylia turned back to the doctor and said firmly, “Look, if you have any doubts I can call our lawyer right now and get you a copy of our domestic partnership statement!”

This offer must have convinced the doctor, or she was just tired of watching them embrace and kiss, since she gave a conceding nod although her frown remained. She then turned to the petite blonde who watched the entire exchange with wide eyes, red face and her hands firmly clasped over her mouth.

Nene suddenly realized that there was a deeper level of suspicion as the doctor regarded her a second time, apparently wondering if she had a different connection to the domestic couple.

“I honestly am with the police!” she blurted out as she hastily pulled out her badge, which she hadn’t done in her first introduction. “I just wanted to escort Ms. St – uh, Ms. Ya – I mean, Mrs. Yamazaki here since this is a police case as well.”

“Very well, Officer Romanova,” she relented as she made some notes on her pad. “Please let me know when you, and she, have finished visiting with the patient. I’m not done with my examination.”

“I’m her wife!” Sylia insisted, “I’ll be here with her when you continue.”

The doctor turned to leave, not making a reply. As soon as she had left, firmly closing the door behind her, the three remaining women immediately collapsed in laughter, though stifling their merriment as much as possible since they were in a hospital after all.

“Oh my god!” Linna declared as she collapsed back on the bed with her arms over her stomach. “I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time. I don’t even want to imagine what would have happened if Priss was here!”

“I need to get something to drink,” Nene said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. “Do you guys want anything?”

They both made their orders before the blonde left them momentarily alone.

“Sy-“

Linna was cut off by another kiss, one that was much more gentle. Sylia then pulled back a bit and pressed the tip of her finger on Linna’s lips.

“I need to scan for bugging devices before we can talk,” she whispered into her ear.

So Linna waited patiently as she watched a now serious Sylia walk around the room with a handheld scanner she had produced from her purse. Actually, it was an opportunity to get her heart rate down and her blush to clear, although she enjoyed the lingering feel and taste of the other woman on her lips.

“All clear,” Sylia finally declared. Then she smirked and said, “Well, I think you’ve improved quite a bit since last time, and you weren’t a slouch to begin with.”

The blush was back. Linna cleared her throat and said, “What would you have done if she had insisted on seeing legal documents?”

“I would have called Nigel and told him to produce the file and forge your signature. Poetic, don’t you think?” Sylia answered with a full grin this time.

Linna digested this for a bit and then said, “You honestly have those kinds of documents ready?”

“Yes. I always believe in being prepared. And your health is my concern, especially if it’s boomer related. Also, we held off contacting your parents to see if you would wake up this morning.”

“Oh, okay…. By the way, why are the police involved?” the patient asked, realizing that she had been so focused on regaining consciousness that she hadn’t yet started asking questions about anything else.

Sylia was quiet as she settled herself in the chair next to the bed, clearly choosing her words carefully. “I think we should probably wait -“

Someone else knocked on the door from the outside but then started to open it before waiting for Sylia to get up and answer it.

“It’s me, Daley!” the voice declared through the space of the opening door. “After you, Ms. Chang.”

Reika walked into the room and stopped dead in her tracks as she stared at the first person she saw, who was an equally surprised Sylia.

“Reika?!” Linna declared in shock at the sight of the new visitor.

Reika then looked at her with the same bewildered expression, and then back at Sylia, and then back at Linna.

“You two know each other?!” she stated in a tone of both amazement and surprise.

Then it clicked. “So you are Sylia’s Reika!” Linna stated almost in triumph.

“Wh – Wait a minute!” Reika said, finally reacting to Linna’s voice and getting some of her composure back. She pointed at Sylia and said, “Is she the one you had the drunk make-out session with?!”

The surprisingly quiet Sylia just widened her eyes at the statement as Linna’s face turned red yet again.

The next sound however didn’t come from within the room, but rather out in the hallway as opened canned drinks were dropped on the floor, spilling their contents.

“Nene, these are new shoes!”

At the sounds which demonstrated to them that their entire interaction had been overheard, Reika immediately put her hand to her mouth in mortification, Sylia closed her eyes and pressed her fingertips to the bridge of her nose, and Linna collapsed on the bed and pulled the covers over her head.

— End Chapter 20 —