A New Beginning

 Kitsurugi Yui 
GSA Command
1st Expeditionary Fleet
Star Army Research Admin.
Kitsurugi Fleet Yards
Posts: 1136
(9/15/03 0:50)

ezSupporter

	A New Beginning ON> Central Uesureya

The shuttle, after making a brief turn-around to pick up Wazu and Uso, settled down inside the bay of the security station where Yuuko worked. The sleek-looking craft made a gentle landing on its skids, and Yuuko pressed the button for the door to open. It didn't quite open as fast at the GSA's starship and shuttle doors shut (very fast), but it only took a brief moment for them to be free to exit.

Riyon was the first to exit the small shuttle. He stretched and yawned as he looked around for the place where he was supposed to pick up his Ki-TI with his bags slung over his shoulder he took a few steps to allow room for the others to exit as well.

Uso quickly picked up her four duffle bags and walked out of the shuttle. Her face still had a smile on it from the trial. Wazu stood up from his seat and walked closer to Yuuko, "thank you for the ride" He said as he gave the girl a quick hug and then turned to leave.

As he walked out he was sure to grab his large bag of assorted notes and data pads.
Riyon pulled out the data pad with the address of where he could find the shuttle and was reading through it thoroughly.

Yuuko unstrapped the painting in the copilot's seat, and carefully handed it back into the passenger compartment, so Riyon could take it back. "Don't forget your painting!!" she squeaked as he was walking off, her miniscule frame surrounded by Wazu's hug.

Alexis sat down in a seat and slid the plaque from the Cat's Paw into his satchel and sat back for the ride, not noticing Wazu and Uso arriving. So everyone was being transferred...he hoped he would be able to stick with Chi. She was the only Neko he knew he could trust.

"Oh!" Riyon said and turned to her and retrieved it. "Thank you for everything Yuuko." He said.

As Wazu left the shuttle he looked around to take in the surroundings, ~where am I?~ he asked himself as he looked around central. "You’re in Central, Wazu" Uso said with a chuckle as she too looked around.

Yuuko, her arm hanging out, released the painting and then leaned to give a kiss to Wazu's cheek. But Wazu was already out. "Hey!" she scrambled to unstrap herself from the pilot's seat.

Riyon had to laugh as she scrambled after Wazu. He thought she was relatively cute in her own fashion, but she preferred Wazu, that much was clear.

After they landed, the shifter followed everyone out the entrance. So this was Geshrintall...Alexis looked around at the buildings and people before looking back into the shuttle. "Thank you for the ride," he said to the pilot.

Riyon looked over at Alexis as he exited the shuttle. "Long time no see Taisa." He said.
Wazu turned around to look at Yuuko, "what?" he asked as he watched the girl scramble around. "Did I do something wrong?" He didn't even notice Alexis as he turned. Uso chuckled some more and rubbed her temple, "Pay attention Wazu" she said as she started to walk off

But the pilot clearly had other things on her mind...Alexis turned and started to walk across the pavement before pausing. Where did he have to go? The shifter blinked as Riyon called to him. "Hya Riyon, good to see you too," he replied.
The girlish little 17R bounced out of the shuttle, narrowly missing Alexis as she tripped over Riyon. "No.. prob... aarrrgh" Yuuko smacked her chin on the floor of the cargo ramp and did a full tumble, ending up spread-eagle on the floor at the bottom of the ramp, her head on it.

Wazu quickly moved over to her offering a hand to help her up.

"Oh!" Riyon said as he stooped to help Yuuko up. Wazu had beat him to it.

"Are you alright" he asked as he looked her over for damage

"Unnh" Yuuko dazedly took their hands as the males scrambled to assist her. "I'm okay." she said, dusting herself off.

Alexis jogged back to the fallen Neko. He stopped just behind Wazu, he seemed to have it under control.

Riyon grinned as she got to her feet. "Not going to fall down again are you?" He joked Yuuko mildly.

At that point, Yuuko eyes widened, and she began to fly across the room, finally smacking into a wall with a loud thump.

Riyon jumped. "What was that?"

Uso chuckled as she watched the seen unfold, ~whoa.. if they had children imagine how clumsy they would be~ she thought to herself with a slight chuckle, Wazu looked on stunned, "wha?"

Wazu hurried over to where Yuuko was to try and help her out in any way he could although he didn't quite know what was going on

Riyon cautiously walked over to see what was wrong.

As the girl slid flopped down onto the asphalt, sinister laughter could be heard emanating from a dark-haired neko on the catwalk above. It was Yuuko's boss, Taisa Shinami. She seemed amused, and irritated at the same time. "Yuuko!"

Riyon looked up with a scowl. "That wasn't real nice!" He said.

"What took you so long?" Shinami asked. She was Irim's prodigy, a berserker with the same cruel streak.

Wazu helped Yuuko back up again and looked up at the laughter, "Hey cut that out." Wazu said sternly as Uso continued to laugh

Riyon wasn't going to pretend to understand the way nekos thought anymore.

"Ms. Yuuko had some trouble with extra crew members" Riyon said to Shinami defiantly.
Jadg Wolf left

"Get up, little one." Shinami commanded Yuuko, as the short neko, slowly got up. Yuuko didn't say anything back.

Riyon didn't like Shinami's attitude and would probably have done something, except he wasn't used to the NH-8 shifting yet.
"Your new orders came in, little one." the Station commander said. "GSS Seigi." Shikoko was now on the catwalk too, adding a "congratulations, Taii Yuuko!".

Riyon's frown shifted to a grin as he turned to look at Yuuko. "Congratulations." He said.
Alexis clapped softly.

Wazu smiled and congratulated the girl with a hug, "congratulations." he said at nearly the same time as Riyon,

Riyon's data pad buzzed with a message. "Excuse me." he said and turned away to answer it. It was a missed message from his brother. "Oh well" Riyon sighed.

"Thank you!" Yuuko smiled gratefully to the neko who just chucked her across the hangar. "I couldn't have made the transfer without you!" Shinami even smiled ever so slightly, replying, "Well, we'll see how you like starship life. At least it is a big one."
Now, to find where he had to go. The shifter looked at Riyon. "Hey, do you know where I report to?" he asked. "Where are Chi or Wazu?"

"I am...."

"Wazu's right next to you." Riyon replied with a grin pointing at the neko next to Alexis.

"We picked her up after you fell asleep in the shuttle." Yuuko explained. "Or recharge. Whatever you call it."

"I am..." Wazu said as he turned to look at Alexis for the first time, "Alexis?" he asked as the realization crossed his mind. "You're back!"

Riyon burst out in laughter as Wazu realized it.

Shinami tossed a large rifle of some sort down into Yuuko's arms. "A gift, from SARA." she said. "The White Beam Rifle." the Irim-like neko added. "Not on the market yet.

Alexis smiled in return. "Well, that didn't take long," he said with a short laugh. "How're you?"

Riyon looked up at Shinami. "Which way is hangar number 24?" He asked the superior officer.

"good more or less." Wazu said, "I got promoted to your rank now" a smirk crossed his face, "And where did you disappear to?"

Yuuko, hauled the big gun around, while Shinami answered. "Which district?" she asked. "Start by going to the district first. There's PNUgen, GSA, KFY, WickedArms, and the private one."

"Private one." Riyon replied.

"Congratulations on the promotion," Alexis said. Then he shrugged. "Home. Timdri was getting homesick and there were...problems getting back after dropping it off. And I had other things to take care of."

Shinami told Riyon, "Oh. Then you're in the right place. This is where the non-corporate sales go on."

"I'm looking for my Ki-TI" Riyon said.
"I don't think you'd know where it is would you?" Riyon grinned at the neko.

Uso slid up behind Yuuko and looked at the weapon, "interesting weapon you have there" she commented. "Well you could have picked a better time to leave. But I'm glad your back. We can use your skills in the upcoming campaign"

"Are you sure you aren't going to the KFY sector, then?" Shinami asked him, giving him a an odd look, her fingers ran over the handles of her giant cleavers.

"I'm positive. I'm supposed to be leaving already under orders from Taisho Wolf." Riyon Replied.

Yuuko nodded. "I'm the best sniper and gun carter in this district." she proudly declared. "I'm a gunner neko, but I don't do heavy weapons because of my small size."

"I need to get my next posting, but dunno where to report. Do you know?" the shifter added, changing the subject.

Riyon's tail whipped around behind him languorously as he waited for Shinami to say anything else.

"I don't really know either... As far as I know I am being transferred to the Seigi but I am unsure" he said as he shifted his weight so his bag of stuff from the Yui was more manageable.

Alexis frowned. "Oh. I guess I'll just head off in a random direction, then...want to come along?"

Shinami and Shikoko looked at each other, and then back to Riyon. This is the private sector. Bay 24 is down the street, about three blocks. There's a big spaceport complex on the right.

Wazu looked at Him then over to Yuuko then back to him, "No thanks I think I am going to follow Yuuko around. I can't find my way around this planet" He said. Uso continued to look over the weapon trying to figure out how it worked, power supply, or anything that she could.

Yuuko popped into the conversation. "My orders" she chirped up, looking at an electronic tablet, "Say you're the first officer of the Seigi."

"Thanks. " Riyon said dryly as he turned to leave and head for the KFY. He paused near Alexis. "It was good to see you again Alexis, but I gotta run."

"She knows where to go? Maybe I'll follow you then." Alexis turned back to Wazu, then smiled at Riyon. "Good to see you too...where are you off to?"

"I am?" Wazu asked. he hadn't received any information on what his new post was although he did assume it was on the Segei.

"To pick up my shuttle from the KFY." Riyon replied. "I'm not going to be back for a while, say Hi to Chiharu for me ok?" He asked Alexis.

"Okay, will do. Have a safe trip, Riyon," Alexis said with a wave.

"Hardly." Riyon said as he walked away toward the KFY.

The shifter puzzled at the statement, then shrugged it off.

Riyon cast off his tricorner hat as he left. He wasn't going to need it anymore, not for a long time anyway.

The white beam rifle was a long, sleek, dark-gray rifle with a sniper grip and a mid-size scope on top. It had a bunch of buttons on it, covered by a transparent cover, and some small displays. Also, holographic projectors dotted the exterior. The thing used a WickedArms BU-P50 battery.

"No, silly!" Yuuko said to Uso. "Taisa Jaren is the Seigi's first officer."
Uso looked on confused.

Alexis looked over at Yuuko. "What? I am? Who's the Captain?"

"Out of my station!" Shinami shooed.

Riyon strode toward the KFY at a brisk pace, he felt that he had wasted enough time.
Yuuko waved goodbye at the grouchy Taisa, and then headed out the doors. Tugging on Jaren's arm, she read to the R'lari from her orders. "Chujo Wazu is to be the captain."

Wazu followed Yuuko out and Uso did the same although she ended up just picking a direction and walking off.

"Wait, I'm under WAZU?!" His face went flat. Not what he was hoping for...
The Kitsurugi Fleet Yard's section of the city was marked by the white-walled towers and the sentries in bright red capes.

Wazu sighed, "You were under my command when you first got to the GSA"
"It is probably because you disappeared." Yuuko quietly noted.

Riyon strode toward the Kitsurugi Fleet Yards, and toward the sentries in the red capes, He reached the entrance a few minutes later.

"How do I put in for a transfer?" Alexis asked, leaning over as if the pad would tell him. He looked up at Wazu. "Yeah, but you weren't a captain at the time."
Wazu rolled his eyes,

Yuuko looked back and forth between Wazu and Jaren, wondering if the two were going to become angry with one another.

Riyon continued on past the sentries and toward the customer service area. A CSR quickly approached Riyon, and led him to his recent purchase. Riyon thanked the CSR as they reached the hangar and approached the shuttle. He then completed the final checks and strapped himself in, he knew how to pilot these small shuttles. As he sighed and lifted off, heading for space, Riyon smirked and laughed as he broke the atmosphere is Geshrintall. He was finally on his way.

A suspicious unmarked white man pulled up beside them in the street, slowly lurching along the street. Yuuko eyed it. "Hrm?"

"I don't mean any offense, and I don't want my own command, I'd just trust Chiharu more." The shifter backed up from looking over Yuuko's shoulder.



Yuuko took three high-powered rounds in the chest as the van door opened up and a group of masked troops in black opened fire on the three. A hook made of blood shot out and grabbed the strap of the White Beam Rifle.

Alexis grabbed the hook and the gun, trying to hold it. The hand on the hook heated up, trying to melt it off. It seemed to work.

Wazu reacted quickly pulling his pistol out from it's holster and firing a round straight through the closest assailant. Uso, however, calmly set down her duffle bags.

Riyon got into his shuttle and into the cockpit and ran the normal checks to make sure it was ready for lift off.

The van's tires shrieked a high-pitched whine as the vehicle shot off down the street, heading down the street. The rifle was inside, and Alexis found himself only holding a fist of ash.

Uso bent over and unzipped the first bag pulling out a PG-4 and leveling it at the van. With a smile she pulled the trigger and sent a round flying where van chest just went.

Yuuko got to her feet, coughing up blood. Shinami's shuttle flew down the street after the van, it's beam cannons glowing in anticipation.

A Ki-N1 shot off into the sky, with the shuttle behind it. Was the van in the air now?

Alexis frowned. "What's going on?" he muttered. This wasn't making any sense...

"It has a stealth system." Yuuko explained, as the rifle slowly reappeared in front of Alexis. "Those guys thought they had the real thing. It was holographic. I was trained in case something like this were to happen."

"Anyone get a good look at them?" Yuuko asked.

"No" Wazu said

"Oh. Well...here you go." Alexis offered the gun back to Yuuko.

Riyon knew where he was going to head to first and set the autopilot to head for the newest GSA outpost near Elysian space.

"Shinami here." A voice called out over Yuuko's watch. "The N1 shot off into CDD. I lost them."

"We could probably make a composite picture of them from combining your memory files..." the shifter mused.

"Good idea." Yuuko said.

Uso continued walking off, "I should probably go." Wazu said as he turned and also walked off looking for a shuttle that he could use to get to the Seigi.

Yuuko called after him. "No goodbye?" she sounded sad.

"Goodbye" Wazu said as he gave a backwards wave over his shoulder.

Alexis shook his head, but followed Wazu out. First, though, he thanked Yuuko. "Thank you for the ride, and congratulations on your posting. Have a good day," he said, nodding his goodbye.

Riyon opened up his communications lines to be ready to make any form of transmission as he piloted the small shuttle past a couple other ships.

Yuuko felt alone and bummed out, as both of the officers she would be under left her on the curb, bleeding. She didn't even feel like going to the club one last time before she went to the Seigi. Maybe this reassignment was not such a good idea.

Wazu pulled one of his data pads out of his sack and looked at it as it displayed a lists of information on the nearby area. He skimmed the list for a taxi service of some sort.

Local ex-soldier taxis seemed to be abundant. One was actually cruising by as Alexis searched the pad.

Wazu tried to flag down the ship as it passed by.

Alexis paused and looked back at Yuuko. Then his head drooped. He walked back and offered a hand. "I'm sorry...is there anything I can help with? I know you heal fast, but still..."

"Maybe a ride to the ship?"

Wazu gave Yuuko a odd look, "she should have already healed by now." Wazu said
Yuuko shivered, adjusting her robe sideways, so the holes in her uniform were less visible. She didn't want anyone looking at her tiny breasts. "Oh, thank you." she nodded gratefully.

"I'm not a very developed neko." Yuuko looked away from Wazu. "Not a hemomancer like Yui or a berserker. Gunners heal less quickly."

The shifter respectfully kept his gaze on her face as he helped her up. "It was rude of me to walk off like that anyway...so do you need a doctor?""

"Oh" Wazu said, "well still you'll be fine. You weren’t hit by anything serious"
Her small boot kicked the mangled rank pin. The red and gold sergeant medallion was now consumed mostly by a bullet hole. Still smoking, it clinked along the sidewalk, stained with blood. It was a sorry sight.

"I thought my everything between my collarbone and my waist was gone for a second." Yuuko said defensively. It was clear she thought Wazu was being insensitive. "The rounds were lethal to humans. I've felt them in my arm before. A smart round made to overload the nervous system. I thought I was gone."

Alexis fell silent and waited for their ride to arrive. An nerve overload round?
the shuttle seemed to have disappeared somewhere and Wazu gave up trying to flag one down.

"I'm just going to walk," the shifter said suddenly. "Which way is the ship?"
Wazu pointed up, "it should be in orbit now"

The taxi-shuttle, painted a bright white and yellow checker pattern, quietly slid up just then. "Yo." came the grunt of a big ex-infantry guy. "Yous guys make a call or what?" he demanded in his dirty, down-to-earth way, with some paper roll lit on fire hanging from his mouth.

"That thing is burning!" Yuuko pointed, alarmed.

Wonderful..."I guess I'll find a way up eventually then...I'll see you around." Where had Nashi been taken? Maybe if he found Chiharu she could tell him. Alexis started walking in a random direction, ignoring the taxi that just pulled up. He'd get another later.

"Yes I did" Wazu said in a annoyed tone of voice, "now can this heap of metal make it to the GSS Seigi or not?"

"You wanna get to your ship or what, toots?" the veteran asked. "Only 5 KS, hun. Each."

Wazu tossed the man 5KS and got into the shuttle.

"That thing in his mouth is on fire!" Yuuko whispered in Wazu's ear.

Yuuko reluctantly handed over a 5 KS coin of her own, and got in, holding Wazu's arm.

"Other side." the man shouted back through the haze. "That side, seatbelts are broke."

Wazu was getting even more annoyed now, "fine" he said as he got in on the other side, "You can drive this thing right? You seem...drunk"

The shuttle jerked forward and then back as it rose into the air. The wind blew in, and then stopped as the guy shut the windows. He snubbed out his cigarette in an ashtray and grabbed the other half of the controls. The sky around went from blue to black. The shuttle pulled into one of the Seigi's front bays, after a heated argument between the taxi guy and some neko on the ship who the big guy only referred to as "bitch." Skidding to a halt inside, the shuttle door slammed open, dropping specks of rust onto the brand new bay floor.

Wazu walked out onto the flight deck of the Seigi and had a look around. A scowl crossed his face as he saw the legacy unit squeezed into the front of the bay allowing only two openings on the side for launch and recovery operations. He did turn around and offer Yuuko a hand to help her out of the ship.

The guy lit up once more. Yuuko pointed and whispered, "He's doing it again!"

"Must be from Kennewes or something...it's weird. No Geshrin puts flaming stuff in their mouth!"

"Um...ok" Wazu said as he looked over the shuttle one more time, watching the taxi leave. He looked at Yuuko, "What is so bad about that?"

-----

Riyon looked at his sensors viewing all the ships around him wondering if any were heading toward the frontier. This shuttle wasn't going to get there quick enough. He hailed the ships closest to him. "Excuse me, but is anyone heading out toward the frontier?" He asked over it hoping for a good result.

"This is 2nd Assault Group, GSA second Fleet. We are returning there from leave and can fit you on GSS Absolution II (GD-106)."

"May I ask who the captain of this vessel is?" Riyon sent to the ship he was preparing to dock with.

"Shosho Ujena Riyuri"

Riyon beamed. "Thank you, I'll pull my shuttle into your shuttle bay." He said as he switch off the autopilot and manually flew the small shuttle to the Absolution II.


JP by:
Nick (as Alexis)
Zack (as (Wazu, Uso)
Tyler (as Riyon)
Wes (as Yuuko, NPCs)


 Moving In [GSS Seigi]

 Tasuki Uso
SAINT
GSA 1st Fleet

Posts: 629
(9/14/03 23:48)

	Moving In [GSS Seigi] ON> GSS Seigi

A small fighter craft came up alongside the Seigi. "This is Alexis Jaren requesting permission to dock." Inside, the shifter was sitting in a cockpit with his eyes half-closed, operating the controls by way of two computer contacts on his arm rests. "Weapons are deactivated. Shields are disengaged."

"We’ve been expecting you" The current flight controller said, "You may dock at your discretion." The Seigi's doors were open and awaiting the small craft. Two small openings were left to get in on each side of the weapon retrofitted to the front of the ship.

It was a small two-man craft like the original Cat'sPaw class scout ship; only the aft compartment was mostly taken up by energy storage and munitions replication equipment. It easily slid into the bay and remained hovering two feet above the deck.

Two his left and right he could see two bright yellow robotic arms doing their work. Each arm was picking up one of the fighters on the flight deck and loading them into the storage racks above the flight deck. Through the window ahead of him he could see the flight control room and the neko's walking around inside of it.

Just below and to his right of the window was what looked like an extension of the flight deck although it wasn't as tall and had no overhead racks. Inside he could see two Samurai class fighters with their outer casing removed. A few techs were busy crawling around the frame of the craft with tools in hand.

Carefully, he glided the Cat's Claw-class fighter across the floor, never bumping anything in the bay. "Could I put this in that maintenance area? I don't think it'll fit in the racks."

"Please land your craft and exit. The docking arms will do the rest,” The flight controller said over the comms. Her voice was hurried as if she was really busy and didn't need any more distractions.

"Okay," the shifter said after cutting the transmission. He would prefer if the arms didn't do anything, but he knew the ship would stand up to any unintentional abuse. Leaving it in the hover, he exited via a hatch in the rear and strode out into the bay.

After he left one of the arms quickly moved over to the fighter and placed it's vice like arms around it. The vice closed around the fighter and the interior parts of it contoured to fit the sides of the ship then guided it into the rear of the bay before sliding back along it's rails located on the sides of the large room to the flight deck

Now, to find Wazu...Alexis headed to the nearest door out of the bay and then spoke to the computer. "What is the name of the computer here?"

Alexis found himself in a long hallway just beside the maintenance bay. One side was a wall and the other was filled with various storage bays holding supplies and other things. "I have the same name as the ship,” the computer said in a synthetic sounding computer voice.

Alexis smiled. "Seigi, then? Nice to meet you...can you tell me where I might find Heram Wazu? And provide directions?"

Alexis's data pad beeped as it received a map of the ship from the computer; "Mr. Wazu is on the bridge,” The computer said

"Please follow the red line,” It instructed. A line of red that led down the hallway lighted up the wall on his right.

"Thank you." The Taisa took the pad from his pocket and followed the map. Still, it took him close to five minutes as he did some exploring along the way, always returning to the marked path.

As he moved around the ship the red line on the wall seemed to change to accommodate where he went. Eventual Alexis came to the well-armored room on the top level of the ship that was the bridge.

When he arrived, first thing he did was to examine the layout. Find out what was where, that sort of thing.

The bridge was a spherical room encased in heavy armor. The door entered the bridge from the hallway on the right and then the other doors exited to the offices quarters on the left. The center of the room had several comfortable looking chairs arranged in a circle on the floor facing each other. Wazu was laying back in one of these and currently was jacked into the computer system.

Around the sides of the bridge was various computer screens and data read outs.

Alexis approached his new commander and tapped the Neko on the shoulder. "Hey Wazu, wake up."

After a few short moments Wazu opened his eyes and looked at Alexis as the computer withdrew the connection cables, "Hello" he said as he sat up in the chair

"Taisa Alexis Jaren, reporting for duty," Alexis said, standing at attention with a US military salute.

Wazu stood up rubbing his temple slightly, "there is no need for that Alexis,” He said with a smile although he saluted back in accordance with tradition.

The shifter smiled slightly and relaxed a bit. "It was the polite thing to do." He shrugged. "What is my first assignment?"

"Pick out your room" Wazu said as he pointed over to the 7 doors on the left side of the bridge, "I got the one on the left" he said, "but the rest are empty for now"

"I'll take the one right there," Alexis said, pointing to the one closest to the door he had just entered by. All the easier to get out into the halls if he was needed somewhere else, a safe decision.

"Alright. Did you get that Seigi?" Wazu asked, "Yes Mr. Wazu" The computer responded

Alexis tilted his head. "I take it that our rooms are restricted from everyone else?"

"If you want it to be" Wazu said, "You can tell Seigi your preferences and it will follow them"

"Ah. Okay then," the shifter replied with a nod. Sounded good to him. "What's my next assignment? Or am I free to explore this new ship until we leave orbit?"

"Your free to explore I guess." Wazu said as he gave it some thought. There weren’t any things that needed to be done right now as far as he knew, "Take some time and familiarize yourself with the ship." He knew that Alexis was going anyways but he felt like saying it.

"Thank you, sir." Alexis nodded sharply and strode off the bridge. Looking down at his map, he started to go around and memorizing the layout. "Much more room than the Yui, that's for sure," Alexis said to himself. Three dining halls, a rec room, ample storage and quarter space. "Seigi, what powers this place?" he asked out of curiosity.

"Four anti-matter reactors Mr. Alexis" The computer responded. As he walked down the hallways he was approached by a white haired neko. He found that it was just up on this level as most of the crew minion crews and fighter pilots were on the lower levels getting settled in.

"Excuse me Mr. Alexis but may I ask you a question" The white haired neko asked. She had a totally blank expression on her face as she walked up and stopped just in front of him.

"Yes?" The shifter stopped and looked at her.

"If I may why does Mr. Wazu insist on being called a he?" The neko asked.

"Have you asked him?" Alexis answered.

"He asked me to figure it out on my own." She said

"So I take it you've never heard the name before?" he replied. "You could ask the computer for his history."

"He wouldn't allow me to access his memories while he was plugged into me and I do know that he was in a male body but he is currently female. I thought that the she designation would be preferable,” the neko said in the same monotone voice as the computer system.

"I wouldn't know why he would want to be called by a male pronoun, but that's his choice." Alexis looked at the Neko funny. "I take it you're Seigi? Or an avatar of Seigi?"

"This body is one of my avatars,” She said.

"Right. Megami used to do the same thing...anyway, yeah, Wazu's choice of pronouns is his business. Anything else I can help you with?" he said.

To be continued…


 New Assignments

 Kai Ashigari
SAINT
GSA 1st Fleet
Posts: 31
(9/15/03 9:11)
	New Assignments Kai had been waiting for his new assignment to come in, he had taken some time after leaving the Yui to have a look around Central after getting a ride with a couple infantry men. Kai was amazed just how large the military installation itself was, the others he'd seen were puny compared to this monster.

He had been sipping a hot coffee when a datapad in his robes buzzed with a message. "Hmm?" He said softly as he reached into the loose clothing and withdrew the pad. "Ahh, apparently I am allowed to have my choice of where I go now, Hmmm, either the Seigi or the Ketsurui Chiharu..." He said after taking another sip of his hot beverage.

~I heard some rumors about the Seigi, I wonder if they're true, but most likely they are unfounded, like most rumors.~ Kai thought as he finished the drink and levitated it to the trash and stood up carrying his dufflebag full of items.

"I think I'll choose the Seigi." Kai said as he exited the building. "Seeing as most of the people I know are going there anyway."

Thus, Kai started off in that direction, his red and gold robes billowing out behind him in the breeze, his organic whip hanging, coiled, at his hip.

Shortly afterward, the datapad chimed, letting him know there was a response. It seemed he had been selected for chief intelligence officer. Not only that, but a promotion to Taii!


GSA no Chui Kai Ashigari
Intel Officer, GSS Yui (GD-30)


 Flight

 Tasuki Uso
SAINT
GSA 1st Fleet

Posts: 637
(9/16/03 14:06)

	Flight ON...and around the Silver Shot>

Lavinia exited the Silvershot and looked around, she had never before been to this planet, she hadn't been to many in her 4 years actually. "Where are we" she wondered in a small voice.

Uso was just boarding a taxi shuttle to make the trip to the Seigi when she spotted Lav off in the distance, "Hello" she said with a short wave as she synthed a few KS coins and tossed them to the driver.

Lavinia turned around and saw Uso. "Where are you going?" She asked as she started to walk toward Uso, trying to brush her bang behind her ear in vain.

Uso raised an eyebrow at Lavantia as she stood just outside of the small shuttle, "The Seigi... you should be heading up there too." Uso said as she put one leg inside the back ramp of the shuttle, "Are you coming or not?" the pilot said from inside in an annoyed tone of voice.

Lavinia wondered what was going on but ran to the shuttle anyway. She quickly synthed some KS coins and tossed them to the pilot and jumped in

"Why the Seigi Uso?" Lavinia asked in a small, tired voice

"That is where most of the Yui crew has been re-assigned" she said as she walked into the back of the shuttle and sat down in one of the small cushioned seats that lined the sides of the vehicle. The Driver gunned the engine while in neutral as he waited for them to board, "come on I don't got all day" he said again wanting to get on his way.

Lavinia had climbed in and was sitting in the back waiting to go.

It was only a few minutes before the little Wolf Puppy Siaga jumped in and clambered onto Lavinia's lap.

Uso placed her duffle bags on the seat next to her and rolled her head popping the joints inside of it, "ah that is better" she said to herself as she stretched her arms. The rear door of the shuttle closed as the ship took off and then headed for the Seigi.

Lavinia looked down at the puppy, which jumped up and licked her face causing her to break out into giggles.

The shuttle angled upward and left the atmosphere. It would be a while before the reached the ship, "so... do you know your new assignment yet?" Uso asked trying to make small talk to pass the time. The shuttle didn't have an internal gravity system and they all felt the pull of gravity as they took off. ~What a crappy ship~ she thought to herself as her bags slid across the floor to the rear of the craft.

"No I don't" Lavinia admitted as a data pad in he bag beeped. She picked it out of the bag and read the message; it contained orders to be the chief Pilot of the Seigi as well as a promotion to Juni. Lavinia smiled broadly as she looked over at Uso. "I got a promotion! And a position as Pilot of the Seigi." She said joyfully.

"If it's a system like Megami's, it shouldn't be hard." She added.

"Congrats." Uso said. She didn't seem all that interested and let her eyes wonder. Looking over her. Her stuff.. and the puppy.

Siaga noticed Uso looking at him and pounced on her lap and tried to lick her. Causing Lavinia to start laughing.

Ack." Uso said as she tried to hold the dog back although she wasn't to effective in her efforts. The Shuttle angled in to come at the Seigi and the pull of the planet’s gravity lessened to almost nothing causing the dog to float up in the air with Uso's bags. From behind the wall that lead to the cockpit they could hear the pilot having a conversation with someone about landing procedure.

Lavinia watched the puppy float around and giggled like a little girl. "Who's the Captain of the Seigi, Uso?" She asked after her fit of giggles ended.

Uso started to laugh, "it's Wazu actually" she said as she watched the puppy float about and bump into one of her bags extracting another laugh from her, "You really should get him down from there" Uso said but it was to late. The shuttle entered into the Seigi's flight deck and a wave of artificial gravity passed over them causing the bags and the puppy to fall to the floor.

Lavinia quickly synthed a tentacle to catch the puppy and pull him in and cuddled him close as a small tear formed in her eye, obviously the dog brought back a memory or two.

"Wazu, are you kidding?" Lavinia tried to joke as she wiped her eyes.

Uso looked at Lavantia as she scooped up her bags, "No I am not.,” she said in a stern voice. She missed Ritsu as well but she hated how Lav was getting all teary over it.

"Ooooh" Lavinia said. "Crap, I was hoping that Chiharu would."

Once the ramp was down Uso walked out onto the flight deck. She was treated to an amazing view of Greshintall from orbit through the open bay doors.

Lavinia grabbed her duffle bag and Siaga and exited after Uso, not bothering to see the view and headed for the Seigi.

"Wow, it looks bigger than the Yui." She commented

The shuttle closed its ramp and made a tight turn before leaving the ship out through the force field holding the air in. A loud humming sound was heard as the four massive doors of the bay began to close. Uso turned around and looked about. The flight deck as almost devoid of fighters now that they had all been stored away overhead, "yep" was Uso's one word response to Lav as she walked to the lift that was to her left.

Lavinia followed Uso into the lift carrying the bag in one hand and the puppy in one. "I better go see Wazu then."

"I hope he's not as insane as Ritsu told me he was." Lavinia added with a grin.

Uso chuckled, "He isn't that bad actually." she was remembering a few moments on Ralifaris they had together but simply dismissed the thoughts as she road the lift up with Lav, bags in hand.

Lav cuddled the puppy that was wagging his tail happily as they rode the lift

The open-air lift reached the second floor and the doors to the interior of the ship opened.. Uso looked down the hallway puzzled at the lack of people onboard, "The bridge is this way right?" she thought outloud as she started walking down the hallway remembering the data she got on the ship. "The bridge is in this direction Ms. Tasuki" The synthetic voice of the ships A.I. chimed.

Lavinia looked up suddenly at the computer voice and cocked her head curiously as she stepped off the lift. "Mind if I come along Uso?" She asked.

"You wanted to see Wazu right?" Uso asked as she walked down the hallway. Uso looked around the ship taking it all in. on her left were cargo bays on the right were various rooms with their own functions, ~this place is different from the schematics~ she thought as she remembered the data.

"I do." Lavinia said as she followed Uso. She had set Siaga down earlier. He was sniffing around but still following.

Lavinia was looking at the interior of the ship, amazed by the sheer size of it.

They came to a well-armored door, "I'll bet you 20 coins that this is the bridge,” Uso said with a chuckle. She knew that Wazu would have designed the ship to have the command staff in the most protected area ~paranoid maniac~ she thought to herself with another chuckle as she walked into the room.

"Not bet." Lavinia said with a cheerful smile, she had heard not to make bets with either Wazu or Uso. Siaga was sniffing around Uso's foot as if he wanted to pee.

Siaga pawed at Uso's leg and barked loudly.

Lavinia started giggling. "He wants you to scratch his ears."

Inside of the hemispherical room Wazu was laying back in one of the command chairs hooked back into the ships computer. Uso bent her knees so she could reach the dogs ears, "shhh" she said quietly as she placed her bags on the floor and then slowly made her way to Wazu after letting go of the dog.

The puppy raced up and jumped into Wazu's lap, Lavinia struggled to suppress a laugh.

Uso flat faced, "aww I wanted to do that" she said playfully as the connections to the computer retracted and Wazu opened his eyes, "ack!" he said as he began to flail trying to get the animal off him

Siaga barked and licked Wazu's face. Lavinia couldn't restrain any longer and burst out laughing. "He's so cute when he does that."

"Hi Wazu." Lavinia said softly.

Wazu rolled off the chair and fell onto the carpeted floor. Uso broke out laughing too. "Hello Lavantia" Wazu said as he flat faced.

Lavinia walked over and collected the happy puppy. "I'm the new pilot here, and I think you're in my chair." She laughed.

Wazu picked himself up and looked at Lav, "there are enough chairs for everyone" He said as he tried to wipe of the dogs saliva from his face.

Lavinia shook her head, making her dark green hair swish around. " I know, I'm playing with you Wazu."

"Do we have choice of our rooms?" Lavinia asked as an afterthought.

"I know" He said with a smile, "I suppose you should pick out your room if you are going to be on the command staff" Wazu said, "The one on the far left and far right are taken but you can have any of the others." He said as he pointed to the doors on the other side on the bridge. There were 5 left.

Lavinia nodded and walked over to the one that was Alexis's room. "I'll have this one if it isn't trouble."

"And what about my room?" Uso asked as she looked around, "YOUR room isn't on this level" Wazu said, "perhaps you should ask Seigi. Lav feel free to familiarize yourself with the controls and the ship before we head out."

Lavinia nodded and put her belongings in her room and walked over to the pilot's chair and sat in it and began familiarizing herself with it. "Hello Seigi." She said.

Uso scowled and walked out. Wazu sat in the chair across from Lavantia and had Seigi plug him in. "Hello Ms.Taiensho." Seigi said in reply/

"Compared to the GSS Yui, how much different are your flight systems?" Lavinia asked the computer politely.

"I am not as fast as the GSS Yui but my agility is at least equal Ms. Taiensho," Seigi said as the manual control systems moved closer to her acting like a sort of desk with various buttons, switches, and joysticks."

"Seigi, could you quickly download into me what I need to know?" Lavinia asked looking over the controls. "Just so I don't mess anything up."

"Sorry there is no previous flight data for this ship Ms. Taiensho" Seigi replied.

"I meant basic instructions." Lavinia replied in a sigh and frown.

"Downloading technical information for the I.S.F.B." Seigi chimed as two cables came up and attached themselves to Lav's shoulders. Soon Lav had the blueprints and technical information of the ship in her head.

Lavinia closed her eyes during the download; as soon as it was finished she looked up. "Thank you Seigi." She said smiling.

"You are welcome Ms. Taiensho"

Lavinia grinned and continued adjusting to the new environment.

END


GSA no Taii, Uso Tasuki
Intel Officer, GSS Yui (GD-30)


 Training Sims

 Aeriyon Elisias 
GSA Security Sentry
GSA 1st Fleet
Posts: 677
(9/16/03 15:49)
	Training Sims Lavinia was sitting in the pilot's seat of the Seigi, reviewing what did what and the best ways to work them. She absently reached down and picked up Siaga and set the wagging puppy in her lap as she looked over the controls.

The controls seemed needlessly complex and hately put together with little thought put into asthetics. From the downlaod she knew that the ship was normaly flown via a direct interface with the ships A.I. instead of the manual systems.

: Lavinia frowned, she didn't like overly complex things, though her neko mind could easily figure it out. "Seigi, is there anyway to practice piloting in a virtual state?" Lavinia asked.

"There is" The Seigi responded, "Would you like to interface with the controls directly" Seigi was observing Lavinia through one of her Neko's that was standing on the bridge. She had short white hair and was standing at attention waiting for orders.

"Is there any danger of liftoff before the appointed time?" Lavinia asked just to make sure.

“None that I am aware of Ms. Taiensho" Seigi responded

Lavinia looked around at the any other people on the bridge at the moment. "Yes Seigi, please, interface me to the ship's controls in a virtual environment for practice." Lavinia said.

Wazu was already jacked into the computer system, Lav felt a pull at the back of her mind, her external senses dulled and it seemed to her that her body became heavyer and hard to move. Her vision went black but was soon replaced with dots of white light. Soon she could see everything the ship saw from the external view's and sensor data to the nekos moving around inside., "The controls for the ship have been disabled for this exercise." Seigi reminded her.

Siaga jumped down off he lap and padded over to Wazu and pawed his leg and looked up at him with those absolutely adorabe puppy eyes.

She could feel Wazu's mind inside of the system as well.
Lavinia attempted to slowly pull the virtual ship forward, just to get a feel for how it reacted. ~There are quite a few GSA ships around in the sensor range.~ Lavinia commented demurely.

She could use the drive system as she would her own legs. Her mind could fire off any amount of thrust from the various anti-matter rockets located around the hull.

She say a 3-d interpretation of the ship move forward as it's engines were brought online by her. It looked so real Lav would have thought so if she didn't know it was a sim.
In the simulator, Lavinia attempted to pull a strafing right turn as further chance to gauge the reaction time of the Seigi.

As she thought of the manuever the thrusters on the side of the Seigi fired pushing the ship to the right.

Her mind put a powerful burst into the thrusters needed for such a manuever.

She tried it again, this time quicker and to the left. She was half tempted to attempt to barrel roll the ship, but knew from the technical information that it was too big to pull.

The ship moved to the left accordingly as the pannels on it's side opened up to allow more thrust to escape

Lav grinned in real life and thought about barrel rolling the ship to the right.
She added a thought to launch a weak counter attack from a couple variable weapons pods firing forward and to her left.

She found that she couldn't talk to those systems. She could feel the turrets inside of the ship and she could feel the Seigi controling them but she couldn't use them anymore than she could stop her heart from beating.

The ship barrel rolled to the side. Its size was immense but the hull was a single piece of impervium so she felt very little strain on her 'skin'.

~Do you want to try a combat sim?~ Wazu asked. She could feel him inside of the system as well watching over her actions.

~Sure,~ Lavinia replied.

She could feel the turret doors opening and deploying their payloads as Wazu took the role of Weapons officer, "Seigi please simulate a few angel ships." Wazu asked, "Yes Mr. Wazu" Seigi replied, "Just call me Wazu like everyone else please Seigi" Wazu commented, "Alright Wazu" Seigi replied. "You don't have to say my name after every sentence..." Wazu and Seigi started getting into a off topic disscission on proper speach when the first angel ship came at them.

It merely appeared out of nowhere as Seigi loaded it into the sim.

Lavinia quickly jerked the ship out of the way of it's oncoming fire by strafing to the right.

~Wazu counter!~ she shouted at him over the system.
Lavinia forced the ship forward and a quarter spin to the right as the angel ship fired again.
The angel ship trailed fire at the Seigi scoring several hits before changing it's attack vector to counter for the Seigi's strafing. Lav could feel the turrets sliding across her skin as they all moved on top of the ship and fired massed volleys at the oncoming ship. A blinding light soon followed as Wazu tagged it with one of the grand white beams.

Lavinia forced the Seigi forward, dodging the vectors to their fire then swiftly dove under the Elysian ship as she expected Wazu to attack.

Several more angel ships were loaded in and they came at the Yui from several directions. "Lav try when facing multiple Angel ships try and keep one of their ships in the way of the others." Wazu instructed as the grand white beams fired off taking down two more ships as the turrets opened fire creating walls of weapons fire as he tried to box the angel ships into certain flight patterns.

Then barrel rolled the Seigi out from under the Angel ship and thrusted laterally putting one angel ship between her and another one. She carefully attempted to dodge any incoming shots as she tried to maintain her "shield.”

With two ships perfectly lined up, A rare occurence indeed, the grand white beam was able to fire through one placing a nice neat hole in it's center and clip the other in the rear.

Lavinia noticed on the sensors that one was behind her and pulled the ship up thrusted toward the angel ship, essentially pulling a loop-the-loop over it and spun the Seigi to put it between her and another ship.

"The gravity distortion beam generators can be used to swing the ship around. Try overlapping a few of the beams to create a gravity well big enough to swing the ship around in" Wazu instructed as he continued raining turret fire and GWB shots at the enemies.

Lavinia nodded outside the system and tried to form a gravity well to spin the ship.
She felt internal systems project the beams and as they overlaped a weak gravity well formed. She found that she could control the size of it by willing it larger or smaller as the ship flew. "What happens if I make it larger?" she wondered and attempted it as she strafed to avoid enemy fire and maintain the "shield"

"Then you can use it to swing the ship around much like a planets gravity field" Wazu said to her through the Seigi as weapons fire hit the ship on the port side. Lav could feel pain as the shots ripped into the side of the vessel.

Lavinia used the gravity well to spin the ship around and dove under an angel ship trying to maintain it between her and the other one. She kept up the evasive manuevers as well as she could, she knew she couldn't dodge everything, but she sure as hell was going to try. That and set them up for a counterattack.

Her move caused the ship to be moving backwards with almost no loss in velocity. She could feel her engine power lessen as the transposition cannon in the front of the ship fired creating a black hole that reversed the ship's momentum again and pulled in several angel ships.

"Whoa! What was that?" she asked Wazu.

"WATCH OUT!" Wazu tried to yell as the ship hit the event horizon stoping the simulation. Lav felt her control over the drives go away to where she could only see what the ship was seeing

"Damn, you should have told me sooner." She swore.

"P)ease be more careful with my body in the future Ms Taiensho and Wazu" Seigi said

"Sorry, Seigi, I did my best." Lavinia said.

"You did good Lavinia." Wazu said before addressing Seigi on how to use first names.

"I suppose I those trans...whatever cannons have one hell of a recoil." Lavinia commented.

"It was just that we were to close to the event horizon" Wazu said.

"The what?" Lavinia asked surprised.

"Oh, the edge of the black hole correct?" She added.

"The event horizon is where the escape velocity is" "Correct, the edge of the black hole" Wazu interrupted not wanting to confuse Lav with Seigi's definition

"Will the ship always respond like that in reality?" Lavinia asked.
"I suppose I should have pulled the ship out of the range right as you fired them eh?"

"I respond like that Ms. Taiensho" Seigi corrected

"I'm sorry Seigi." She said apologetically. "Thank you for being so cooperative."
Lavinia felt good, she had done the best she could without anyone to access and control the shields.

Wazu returned to talking with seigi about various things allowing Lav some time to do what she wanted.

JP:

Zack (Wazu, Seigi, sim.) & Tyler (Lavinia, Siaga)


 Lakeside Reflections

 Alexis Jaren
GSA Command
GSA 1st Fleet
Posts: 93
(9/13/03 0:36)
	Lakeside Reflections Location: Universe 091983b, designation "K'Uri ne Lari" (The Shifter's Hollow)

Alexis d'Jaren sat on a rock overlooking the lake in K'Uri ne Lari.
What a summer.
What could happen now, he had only the vaugest of impressions. The history of two races had been uprooted and rewritten, so it was anyone's guess what could happen now.
The water's surface rippled as he tossed in a small stone. The silence was broken by a hawk's screech over him and a field-bird call in the distance; two of several species now living in the world that was his own. Sergei's observation on the "dead-ness" of the place gave him an idea...and now it didn't seem so lonely here all of a sudden. But for some reason he still felt dead inside.

Leaving the GSS Yui had been hard, harder than he had liked. In fact, he hadn't counted on getting attached to the crew when he had first come aboard. He'd never gotten attached to anything before, mainly because he rarely saw the same people more than once. When he did, it was kind of too awkward to keep up. So it had been easy to leave.
But this time it wasn't easy. Maybe because there they needed him, in a way. It felt good to be needed, he had to admit.

The trip with the hybrid human Sergei was a failure. In fact, the whole incident might as well have never happened, it had been removed from his timeline. But the memories were still there, lingering like a half-formed dream and hanging like the mists in morning sunshine.
"Awwell, so much for that," he muttered to the boulder below him. Looking down at it, he ran a hand along the creviced surface, picked up a broken fragment, and tossed it into the dark blue water. The Essarian incident had been an embarrassing mistake. But now it was that way no more. And he had been changed a bit too, weakened from what he had been. There was technology and the Forms to accomplish what he once did naturally, so his former invulnerability was reduced even more. He could handle a SSJ4, as before, but his dimension hopping and on-the-fly repairs were reduced to near-nothing. But he could still live beyond what even a Neko could withstand...'course, he had vulnerabilities a Neko had no reason to worry about, too.

A bull elk stepped onto the bank of the lake, looking around breifly before dipping his head to drink. Alexis observed the elegant creature in silence until the elk returned to the woods from which it came. This place did seem more alive since the addition of creatures. Even though the forests had been very much alive themselves, trees and brush lacked the quality of independant motion that seperated still-life from wildlife. It had been incredibly tricky to create a bio-system, he found, and he had gained a very deep respect for the Creator's Design while trying to mimic it. There couldn't be one thing missing or tweaked, the shifter realized. It was perfect as it was. Absolutely intertwined. Even now, he found something here or there -- often something very small -- that was required and that he hadn't even noticed until damage had been done. Fortunately, though, the world had proven stable for quite some time now. Reality Storms and glitches had diminished in appearences as more life was added and fewer incursions with other universi occured. Maybe the more animal life there was, the reality here was less likely to be pierced. Tension effects maybe, he thought.

Huh. True-blue R'Lari you are, Alexis. Science and analysis are always going to be forefront in your mind, the boy thought with a wry chuckle. Even when he was in all of this artistic beauty, even with all of the emotional responses that could be made, he still thought like some kind of analytical computer. The emotional structure of a R'Lari was odd sometimes. But there was a way to learn to be an empath, and Alexis was making a bit of progress. It'd just take a mere millinia or two more before he mastered it, that's all. He stuck out his tongue in disgust. Right. Terrific. Can't make a square peg fit in a round hole, he pondered. At least, not unless you shave off the edges. But then it's not a square peg anymore, is it? If I make myself more emotional, I'll not be myself anymore. What a conundrum.
After a time he got up and set off down the path toward the main field.
The Fenyarin would be expecting a call from him sometime soon. And there was an Essarian that he needed to talk to before that time. Oh, and there was that notice from the extra-universal monitering station, the Geshrin universe was back in range. He could get back to the Yui! Now, the question was, did he want to? Maybe just a look around...now that it was so close, he could cross over and still be in contact with this place...couldn't hurt to look, could it?


GSA no Taisa Jaren Alexis
Starship Pilot, GSS Yui (GD-30)


 [Kyoto] Good Morning Michiko

 Dante Stormwind
GSA Security Sentry
3rd Expeditionary Flt.
Posts: 28
(2/7/04 10:27)

ezSupporter
	[Kyoto] Good Morning Michiko ON> Kyoto, Yamatai: Empress's Palace

Saito had just recently finished sparring with the neko samurai Tsuya; a small battle that had ended into a horrible loss for him. He brushed his hand through his metallic silver hair; He was heading toward the bathes to join the empress at her invitation. ~Hmm perhaps I should go check on little Michiko first.~ He thought and turned and walked down the hall toward her room. It wasn't really that far and soon he nodded to the samurai and knocked on her door.

Michiko heard the gentle thudding on her door as she rose sleepily from her nest of lavish silk. "Mommy?" She rubbed her eyes sleepily as she rose clumisly to her feet and crossed the room to open the door. Her sleeping robes had loosened at their belt and felt gently off her right shoulder, exposing her neck beneath the strands of tossled dark brown hair. Her bright blue eyes looked over the man who stood at her door curiously. "Anata no namae desu ka?"

The darkly tanned young man looked at her, looking her squarely in the eyes; his own lavender ones soft and caring. "I'm Saito, your mommy asked me to be your friend and guardian." He smiled at her warmly. ~Yui was right, she does look like the late Taisho Ketsurui Chiharu.~ He thought, remembering a picture of her he had seen on the news.

Michiko's eyes shined with an almost unnatural inner light as she met Saito's gaze. "Guardian? Like the samurai?" She pointed at one of the guards outside her door, tilting her head to one side as she looked curiously back to Saito.

He smiled at her, finding her just cute. "Something like that, but I'm your personal guardian; I'm supposed to keep an eye on you at all times and be here when you need me." Saito said. He was pretty much one of the few people that was allowed in this room without supervision; who knew, perhaps there were surveillence cameras. Saito did, that's how he watched her without actually being in there.

"When I need you? For what?" Michiko pondered this over, she pushed her hands together as she thought. "So you'll help me get dressed in the mornings?" She smiled brightly like this was the right answer and sat down on her nest of silk and pillows, the movement making the robes fall off her right shoulder and exposing more skin than Saito probably wanted to see on his newest charge.

Saito shook his head, looking at the floor for a moment; he knew Zemer would probably hang him for this, or want to. But having sworn oaths of absolute trust and loyalty; he did expect the same of Yui and him. His dark cheeks blushed a light silvery color; "If that's what you need me to do, I can help you; but I'm not going to do it everyday. You will need to learn to do it yourself little princess." Saito said gently; she had time to learn and he wouldn't rush her. "How about you go ahead and get dressed and we'll go get some breakfast." He suggested politely; his eyes not really looking at her, but looking at the interior of the room to avoid looking directly at her; but keepingher in his perphiral vision.

"Okies." She nodded as she smiled brightly. "Where is Mommy and Daddy?" Michiko went over to her wardrobe to find herself some clothes. "Minori-sempai and Hinosami-sempai usually help me. Mommy does too!" She stood looking at the clothes hanging up, not sure what she should wear and not recognising the fact that she should pull up the shoulder of her robes to cover herself.

Saito chuckled lightly and walked up behind her and gently pulled the robes up to where they should've been. "You're mommy's taking her morning bath, and I do not know where your daddy is." He said as he watched choose her clothing for the day. Saito smiled, spotting a calf length red dress; "How about that one?" The youth pointed to the dress.

"This one?" Michiko pulled out the dress and looked at it curiously. It was a Mandrin collar dress with long sleeves and flowers embrodiered on the soft red silk. "It'll be easy to put this on! Just have to find the panties." She set the dress over the door of the wardrobe before she sat down on the floor. Her knees were neatly tucked under her body in a kneeling position as she opened one of the lower drawers to find the panties.

Saito looked away, figuring she could do this herself; female clothing really wasn't his forte. He absently felt his side and winced a bit at the memory of almost being sliced in half and losing his fingers. The wounds were completely healed and weren't visible any longer. "Did you sleep well princess?" He asked absently.

Michiko removed her robes and her undergarments as she pulled out clean ones and pulled them on to cover herself, her own cheeks were flushed pink with a mild embarassment that she didn't understand or recognize. "I did. I like watching the pictures that play at night... watashi no yume. My dreams." She spoke the Japanese slowly as if she was unsure if she had said them right. "Where.." Her voice seemed pained for a moment as she touched her own side and she stopped herself from finishing her question. She didn't really understand the feelings she was experiencing or the fact that they were not her own.

Saito looked at her out of the corner of his eye, seeing her touch her side; she wasn't hurt there; he had been. "Something wrong Michiko?" He asked, concerned. The girl was embarassed to undress with a male around; but she didn't have to worry, Saito did not have interest in her body that other guys definately would.

"I don't know." Michiko shook her head as the feelings receded and fluxed to concern. She touched her forehead uncertain of what had happened because, there were many things she still needed to learn... recognising what emotions were her own was one of those things. The flush left her cheeks as she looked at Saito curiously for a moment and stood up again to reach out for the dress. On her back were a set of tattooed blood red wings that peeked through the soft fabric of her bra that fluttered as the muscles of her shoulders and back flexed with her movements. "Anyways, where do you sleep?"

"Across the hall from you." Saito replied, looking at her tattoo curiously and walked up to her and touched it gently. "Is this a birthmark?" He asked, tracing a finger over the design gently.

Saito knew why she was blushing, but figured it would be best of her mommy or daddy explained it to her; it wasn't really his place to.

Michiko felt the sensation on her back and shivered lightly as she gently pulled the dress down. "I was born with it.. I think it's called a Ge-ne-tic ta-tt-oo." She showed no visible signs of a person who was embarassed or had been. "As soon as I get dressed, do I get to have breakfast with Mommy and Daddy?" She asked brightly, smiling at the thought to spend time with her parents.

"Maybe, if your mommy's done with her bath, it'd be rude of me to simply walk in there." Saito said, even though Yui had invited him to join her. "Maybe your daddy will be there. I do not know; if they aren't, I'll send for them to join us how about that?" He asked her.

"Okies!" She looked at the dress curiously, unsure of how she was supposed to get in it. And then noticed a line that crossed from the center of the collar over to the right shoulder of the dress with 2 elaborate silken thread knots holding the dress shut. "Oh, I get into the dress from there.."

Saito smiled at her, glad to see how quickly she could figure simple things out. ~Kind of wish I'd met the Taisho she resembles.~ He sighed to himself. He was privately pleased to have noticed that that girl was an empath, a strong one at that; the young guy reminded himself to mention that to Yui sometime. "That's right." He assured Michiko as he looked over the dress.

Michiko gently unhooked the collar clasps and the shoulder ones the allowed the dress to be opened but still not enough for her to step into it. "Hmm.." She examined the side of the dress and tugged at the side hook and eyes that held the side shut. "Yay! I figured it out!" She smiled brightly again as she opened the dress enough to actually try to pull it up over her shoulders. "This is easier than the yukata."

Saito chuckled at that, though he didn't know about that one. "I wouldn't know." He chuckled. Saito gently reached over and ruffled her hair gently. "Good girl, you did it."He praised her.

"The yukata has layers and has to be done a certain way and then the obi has to be folded and tucked a certain way so it doesn't fall down!" She talked very quickly as she seemed to become rather pleased with herself and proud that she could teach someone else something. She ackwardly stepped into the dress and pulled it up over her shoulder, trying to rehook the side clasps to keep it on but was having a hard time. "Did I break it?"

"No you didn't Michiko." Saito smiled, having learned something. He gave her a little help getting the dress right after a moment or two; his mind was quick enough to figure it out and his fingers deft enough to get it right. He rehooked the clasps for her; "There you go. You look pretty."

"Thankies." Michiko looked at herself in the mirror that hung on the door of the wardrobe and smiled brightly at her reflection. "This is pretty!" She looked down in the wardrobe for her brush to brush her hair. "Brushie... where are you?"

The young male neko closed his eyes and chuckled, knowing the brush wouldn't really answer. He looked around the room helping her search for it.

"There you are brushie!" Michiko picked up her gold etched hairbrush from a small table that sat between her nest and the wardrobe, sitting down on the nest to brush her hair. "See how shiny brushie is? Everything here is so bright and shiny like the Empire was." She smiled brightly recalling the ship in her memory.

"I wouldn't know Michiko, I've never left this planet." Saito said stoically. "This palace is quite lavish, I was born in a smaller house than this, but you wouldn't want to know my story." He said as he knelt down on the edge of the nest, watching her brush her hair. Saito's own hair was long and hung over one of his eyes and was spiked thickly curving back looking like blades, heck it even had the luster of one.

"I like stories. Especially ones about my other mommy.. Mommy and Daddy miss her." Michiko smiled sadly. "They say that I look like her." She gently pulled the brush through her hair, trying to do it as Minori had taught her how to when Minori herself wasn't brushing it. "But, do you remember your Mommy and Daddy?"

Saito sighed; what was he supposed to tell her? He was an artificial being;not naturally born. "I....don't have a mommy and daddy, Michiko." Saito said. "Maybe that's why I look at you like my little sister, I want a family, I envy you and yours. Your mommy adopted me into it as long as I served her and yourself."

"Envy? I don't understand what it means." Michiko looked at Saito and frowned, only knowing that he seemed sad. "How come you don't have a family? Maybe Mommy and Daddy will let you become a member of ours for good?"

"Envy means I'm jealous; that means that I want what you 3 have between each other, but I know I can't." Saito explained. "I don't have a family...because I.."He trailed off, looking for the right phrasing "...an orphan, my parents died when I was very young." Saito sighed.

Michiko sniffed as she set her brush down. "I'm sorries." She looked like she could be on the verge of tears at having upset Saito.

Saito moved into the nest with her and hugged her gently, trying to reassure her. "It's ok Michiko, no need for tears; I'm a big boy now. I can take care of myself, and more importantly: you." He said, combing a hand through her hair gently and let go of her. "Maybe your mommy will let me stay for good." He smiled at her.

Michiko nodded with a sniff before she smiled softly again. "I'll ask her after breakfast?"

"That's your decision, I won't make it for you." Saito said, getting out of her nest and walking over to the door. He smiled as he got an idea; "coming princess?"

"Yuppers! Just need to put on shoes!" She got up again and returned to the wardrobe and pulled out a set of black hard soled slippers and pulled them on before hurrying after Saito.

"Want me to carry you?" He grinned at her and knelt down with his back facing her. "Climb on and hold onto my shoulders tightly, but don't strangle me." He chuckled.

"Carry me?" Michiko looked confused by this and nodded. "Okies." She walked over to him and put her arms around his shoulders. "What else am I supposed to do?"

"Just hang on." He said, rising to his feet slowly, he chuckled. "You're taller than everyone else is here." He said and started down the hall. "Let me know if you want to get down." he supported her by gently holding her legs under the knees so she was "riding" him like she'd ride a horse. "Think of this as a hug from behind." He said. "Only ask people you know and trust to do this ok?"

"Okies." Michiko looked around from her position on Saito's back, uncertain but she started to have fun after a while and smiled brightly. "What is this called, Saito-sempai?"

"I heard it refered to as a piggyback ride." Saito said. "My previous employer's husband did this for his children." He was flattered by the "sempai" addition to his name; and kind of enjoyed it. They continued down the hallway toward the dining hall. ~Please prepare breakfast for Princess Michiko~ Saito communicated telepathically ahead to the kitchen. He waited for her inevitable questioning as to what he meant. ~I suppose that I won't be meeting Yui, I hope she understands.~ Saito thought was the two made their way to the dining hall.

JP

Kim (Michiko)
Tyler (Saito)


YSA no Nito Hesho Dante Stormwind
Security YSS Celia (GC-55)


 Wandering With a World of Strangers

 Arch Nightblade
GSA Scientist
GSA 1st Fleet
Posts: 45
(9/12/03 19:01)
	Wandering With a World of Strangers Arch had been made a new member of the GSA, heck he had even been paid money. He had wandered from the GSA starship called the Yui, he had no idea where the young neko called Akari had gone. He was alone in a world of strangers. He walked through a city trying to figure things out while some Geshrins stared at him because his clothes where still tattered from earlier. He wondered what he should do, no one knew him or even seemed to care.

"Im lost. Just lost." he said to himself, no one seemed to care about his where abouts he hadn't even gotten a chance to thank those who had saved him.

He hoped he happen upon someone, someone who'd help him find the people that saved him. He filtered through his pockets, and pulled out the datapad he had ealier, he had discovered where he was but his pad was limitied, it told him he was now a GSA members and he had an account but by looking the way he did people passed him off as some bum.

"Is there anyone on this planet that will help find my way about?" he shouted at the sky. He strected his wings, that Akari had left before him and he never got to thank her and the other neko for healing his wounds. His wings flapped and he leapt to the rooftops to get a higher look around.

"Hopefully, I'll find someone." He adjusted his wings and laid out upon the rooftop his hands behinde his head, and gazed up into the sky. "Sis I wonder what your doing out there..."


GSA Scientist Arch Nightblade
Science Officer, GSS Yui (GD-30) 


 [Kyoto] Employment.

 Saito Jian
GSE Civilian
Posts: 62
(1/15/04 15:47)
	[Kyoto] Employment. ON> Kyoto

Two very well-dressed women walked down the hand-laid gray stone sidewalks of the newly-constructed capital city of the Yamatai civilization. Both were dressed in the royal purple of the Bellflower that symbolized the empire, their elegant silken kimonos embroidered with laces of fine gold and emblazoned with the Imperial Ketsurui crest. One had bloody-looking red hair adorning her pale Japanese face. The shorter one was a young teen in appearance, her hair styled in a multi-hued sky-blue short haircut that partially covered one of her eyes. Four nekovalkyrja in solid red robes escorted them.

One lone, plainly dressed young man walked through the grey streets of the capital city, his bright violet eyes taking in all the new structures and architecture. Saito had been dropped off here a few days ago, having found Ralfaris not suited to his tastes. ~Wow, this place is magnificent~ He thought in awe, he'd lived in a quaint, quiet town for the few few months of his life and was unaccustomed to seeing such a place. The sunlight seemed to glint off his silver hair as his eyes caught the mass of red in the streets. Thinking nothing of it, he continued to look around for employment, asking people if a bodyguard is needed.

"Our Mistress wished us to find clothes for young Princess Michiko. I don't know if they'll keep her in the same body, but it seems that way for the time being. I have her measurements here, Sami-chan," Ketsurui-Chinomai Minori told Ketsurui-Shinjuku Hinosami. "First, we'll pick up some the undergarments, I suppose. I hope the central road's shops have opened."

"Certain victory," Hinosami responded in equally well-spoken Japanese, cheerfully making a V sign with her fingers.

Saito sighed, it didn't seem like anyone really needed an old fashioned bodyguard around here. He glanced over at the group again, his eyes naturally drawn to the color of blood. "That sounds promising...maybe..I could ask them?" He mused to himself and started to walk over in that direction at an easy pace, sucking on a stick of pocky.

"Hmm, it looks like most of the places are Major Corporation shops. All the Ketsurui shops are near the palace." Minori observed. "WickedArms ought to have some underwear, but it's nothing special." The sentries in red looked upon Saito with suspicion, drawing Hinosami's attention to the male.

Saito stopped dead in his tracks, trying to look as non-threatening as possible, hard to do with a gold hilted katana at your hip though. The visible muscle in his chest rippled slightly as a gentle breeze hit it. He'd been 'raised' to be appealing to the female eye, and had a pre-programmed feeling of comfort dressed in an open kimono top and loose pants like this. He had an...exotic look to say the least.

"Can I help you?" Minori asked before Hinosami could say anything. Minori's elaborate kimono had a Chujo pin on it.

"Oh um. I was hoping that you could help me find employment." Saito replied, knowing it sounded kind of drab. "I was released not long ago from a previous position of employment, and I'm seeking another one as a bodyguard...hate to say, but it seemed like you could help me or at least point out where I might find something along those lines."

"I see. Who did you work for previously?" Minori asked. Hinosami was checking out his ears.

Saito's ears were just like neko ears, just slicked
back to look a bit more geshrin. "I private citizen by the name of Ms. Ryoko Tatsumi of Tania." Saito replied dutifully.

"I see," Chujo Minori nodded. She wasn't familiar with the Tatsumi family. "What sort of bodyguard services did you do?" she asked curiously. Her speech was very formal, precise Japanese. Clearly, Yui had seen to it that she'd been well-educated.

"Individualized protection, covert surveilence, and er. entertainment as well." He said, he had no reason to lie to anyone, at least not yet. The silver-haired neko nodded, "I was created to protect a single person."

Hinosami shot him a funny look after a second or two of evaluating his hair. She clearly thought it was unsual, more so than her own. Minori smiled, "We have someone very special to protect, if you're up to it. She's a new addition to our clan." The Chujo then made a hand gesture like she was holding a slip of paper. One of the four Nekovalkyrja Samurai in red retrieved a solid gold business card and held it out to him with both hands.

Saito accepted it with a polite nod of his head and looked at the business card. The male smiled handsomely at Minori; "You're..Chujo Ketsurui Minori correct?" He asked, after having a look at the card. "I will do any service asked of me while in your employ." A rather formal acceptance of her offer.

Minori had watched the way he took the card closely, "I am, sir. Excuse me for not introducing myself." She kind of implied that he was supposed to have done it first, and a long time ago.

"Yes, I will accept your offer." Saito smiled at her, offering the solid gold card back to her. He caught onto her via the tone of her voice. "Oh! I'm sorry." He chuckled embarassed. "Where are my manners. I am Saito."

"Very well, Saito. Go to the palace; it will be your home from now on," Minori directed.

"Yes ma'am." He replied, grinning. "But um....which way do I go to get there? I'm new to this city." He asked, embarassed.

Hinosami pointed to the beautiful structure at the end of the street, in the center of the city.

Saito nodded to them both, but gave Hinosami a curious look, she hadn't spoken at all this whole time. "May I ask your name?" Saito said to her politely, figuring he'd see her again at some point.

Hinosami silently shook her head side to side, as if she wasn't allowed to speak without permission.

Saito could understand that concept, and didn't press the issue further, he'd learn it one day. He bowed to both of them in traditional Japanese fashion and then started to head for the huge palace.

The two women looked at each other for a moment, then went to continue their shopping.

JP

Wes (Minori, Hinosami)
Tyler (Saito)


 [Kyoto] The Sky Dance

 Ketsurui Yui 
GSA Command
1st Expeditionary Flt.
Hoshi Teikoku no Ôhi
Posts: 213
(2/7/04 10:24)

ezSupporter

	[Kyoto] The Sky Dance ON>Kyoto, Imperial Palace

Saito had a little time to himself and decided to go sharpen his skills with his sword. He walked through the hallways, actually wearing some more acceptable clothing; his lavender eyes scanned around the halls for a possible opponent. He was dressed in baggy teal pants that were cuffed at the ankle with a light blue open-chested kimono top with a black undershirt on under it; the full size katana belted on his left hip.

Saito could see Yui down the hall in a skimpy pink slip, escorted by a single samurai in the standard red embroidered robes common to the samurai of the Empress' Palace. They were probably on their way to the baths.

Saito looked down at himself, half embarrassed that he stuck out like a sore thumb here in his blues. He looked up at Yui and smiled and made his way toward her, he had something to mention to her. Saito hadn't been too far from them and caught up in a fair amount of time, he blushed slightly, his darkly tanned skin going silver for a moment. "Greetings your imperial highness." He said with a respectful bow, keeping his eyes averted off her form.

"Good morning, Saito," Yui replied professionally, her red eyes seeking to look into his but unable. "Is there something?" she asked, unsure of his intentions. Her samurai looked him over appraisingly.

He looked back at her, blushing slightly. "I was merely out in the hall, heading for the dojo to train some when I saw your loveliness gracing it." He said to her, now meeting her gaze. "I apologize for that, I didn't want to seem rude by eyeing you mi'lady. As to what I had to say, I wanted to inform you that I have ordered a zanbatou from Wild Thunder arms, it should arrive soon I believe." He said in an honest tone; he wasn't sure if she already knew, but better safe than sorry.

"I see," Yui nodded, giving him a knowing smile, glancing briefly lower. "I was just heading to the pool. Perhaps when you're finished, you could give me some company," she grinned. "I'll see to it that the gate sentries are informed."
.
Saito smiled at her handsomely. "I would be honored your highness. May I request a sparring partner for a non-lethal session?" He asked hopefully.
Yui gestured for her companion samurai to oblige him. The red-robed neko stepped forward.

Saito looked her over instinctively sizing her up, figuring she was as skilled as he was, most likely even more so. "I thank you your highness." He bowed to Yui again.

Yui nodded and headed into a side hall. Little Hinosami darted out from the opposite direction and went after her. This left him alone with the samurai, who looked somewhat like Irim, but with a line of red on her face in the form of bright patterns of genetic tattoos that ran from between her eyes and out to her ears.

Saito hadn't met Irim, so he didn't really know to compare her to the esteemed Kessaku; Saito turned down another hall and nodded to the samurai. "May I ask your name miss?" He asked the samurai as they walked toward the dojo. (assuming she followed)

"Tsuya," the samurai responded after they arrived.

Saito walked over to the accustomed starting place and turned to face her, his eyes locking with hers, his TOS mind becoming active, monitoring her movements. "Lovely name." He commented as his right hand went to the handle of his sword. He seemed to crouch a bit and turned his body so his right side was half facing her. His mind still targetting her non-vital areas, as well was watching her body.

Tsuya's robes shimmered as she moved into a beam of sunlight from one of the large windows in the dojo's ceiling. She drew her sword with a flick of the wrist. Most of the sheath was apparently holographic. What other tricks did she have? Tsuya faced him in a strange looking stance that put her on her toetips. It wasn't a traditional samurai style (which required keeping ground contact at all times), but something that looked to be based on lightness and speed.

~Hmmm,~ Saito thought, his mind analyzing her possible movements and evaluating the best way to avoid them. ~If I attempt that, she'll...~ He thought and kicked off the ground, adjusting gravity's pull on him so he flew at her with incredible speed, he twisted his body around completely, drawing the sword from it's sheath and pulling through the motion ending in a powerful slash at the equivalent of her midsection. A move that would have killed a human if it connected. He privately expected her to dance out of the way and preped his mind to execute a possible defensive measure.

Tsuya was up in the air at neck level at his side in a flash. It looked like she fell, but when she did, she went sideways. Her sword went for the jugular area of Saito's neck as she dodged, orbiting him.

Saito swiftly fell back to avoid, just barely avoiding the slash and rolled up to his feet, He watched her style, analyzing it to attempt to learn it. ~whoa, she's quick~ He thought to himself, and raised a shield to prevent her from reading his mind. He shifted to a defensive position and assumed the stance she had started in, incorporating it into his.

Tsuysa's course smoothly continued in a curve, pressing her down against the floor as she curled herself behind him, her blade moving edge-down at his back to catch him as gravity and his dodge both moved him in that direction.

Saito swiftly turned and whipped his blade to parry hers resulting in a loud "ching!" as the metals met. ~So, her style is based on my speed and actions, a counter-style, interesting...I can beat her, I just have to watch what I do and how I do it.~
Such a turn caused the midsection of his blade to hit the side of hers. She put a hand to her sword to keep it from budging, then slid the point up at him to make the stab, skidding along his blade.

Saito cursed silently to himself for allowing such an error, he moved quickly and braced himself on the ground and kicked off it, sending him away straight backward. He held the sword in a defensive if she attempted to capitalize.

Tsuya slid back along the floor like an aircraft on a runway, gaining altitude, then rolling in midair until she bounced off the wall ten feet off the floor. She came back fast straight at him with her sword out.

Saito swiftly parried her blade, turning slightly and attempted to punch her in the face as his blade met hers in a loud "ching!" and pushed it off to the side of his body.

She had anticipated his block and had never instead the direct charge to work. With an expressionless face (which creepily watched him with one eye and the fist with the other), she shifted sideways again into another orbital maneuver, but this time her foot hung out and she kicked at his calf as she circled him.

Saito hadn't expected that and found himself on his back as his leg was swept out from under him. Acting quickly to avoid a possible bad situation he kicked up, loosening gravity's affects on him and went high into the air and flipped over and landed on the ceiling and hung there for a moment, watching her and launched off and and attempted to get away from her again. This was a even match it seemed; but she obviously did have a bit more control over what she did, her style was interesting and very new to him.

A sharp pain registered upon impact. Apparently there was a blade somewhere in her foot; it must have been holographically hidden in the boot! Tsuya flipped around so that she was crouching on the ceiling, following him with the blade ready to run him through when she caught up.

Saito spun around, wincing in pain; but ignoring it as the silver blood acted quickly to repair the damage. He grabbed her blade with his open hand, smirking as thing cut into his hand; his blood instantly started to try and absorb the weapon once the wound was open. He let her moved forward and launched his blade at her chest as his other hand pushed the her weapon aside.

Saito's fingers departed his palm and her blade ran up his arm into the side of his torso. Her forearm stuck his blade dead-on in a hasty-looking parry, redirecting the force and putting his strike in the open air over her shoulder. She followed up with a swift, forceful kick at his groin, looking to take advantage of the surprise her fabulously-sharp Impervium sword gave him.

Saito was not surprised by the move, nor the pain, he'd regenerate it; he brought his sword down at her arm, hoping to lop it off as he pulled his leg up and turned his body to avoid the crotch shot. It took a moment, but his fingers regenerated and balled into a fist and launched at her face.
Her foot was successfully avoided as his thigh impacted with her knee. She moved to the side opposite Saito's sword, and the blade just barely touched her skin, shaving it so lightly that it wasn't affected. She kept her own weapon in his torso, and twisted, so when she moved in another circle, she began to sever his injured arm and start to cut him in half at heart-level, opening a tremendous gash that spewed out blood all over the place.

~Not a coventional Samurai, using the blade-in-boot move.~ Sai turned with her, to lessen the damage on his own body. He was getting angry and reached up, "I surrender...." He said, he was was beaten by her. "I accept defeat." He said.
"So...much for joining Ms. Yui..."

"You're going to fall," she pointed at the little lake of blood below. "You've lost too much." Her sword withdrew and she flicked it clean before sheathing it and moving to help him float down before he couldn't keep in the air anymore.

"Like it matters...." He said with a grin and accepted her help. "You've got to teach me that style sometime." To be honest, he didn't realistically expect to win against her; but he had to try anyway. It was always tough to beat someone who's style was totally new to you.

"It's the sky dance. A neko-only style," Tsuya explained, setting him down on a bench and holding his wound to help it heal.

"It's a nice style Tsuya, as you can see, I'm a neko as well..so I suppose I can learn it too." He smiled at her, flicking off his blade and sheathing it with his good arm. He laughed at himself; "I tried at least; but I wasn't good enough to beat it."

"It's good because people tend to think in a gravity-restrained way," Tsuya nodded.

"I was as well, since that's all I was born with." Saito agreed. "I wasn't completely made for combat, if I was, I probably could've lasted longer." He didn't say more, figuring that she didn't really care; he reached down to his wound to see how it was healing and held it to try and heal it faster.

"I see. What were you made for?" the samurai asked.

"To protect one person even at the cost of my own life. I was also made to...pleasure women... " He blushed, a bit embarasssed. "That's why I blocked the shot to my uh.." He leaned to her and whispered in her ear. "10' manhood....can't lose it ya know."

"Oh my!" the neko's eyes widened, and she smiled, staring at the area between his legs in fascination.

Saito chuckled; "well, it's a perk of the job I suppose." He said. "But I suppose I should be going in a little bit to give her imperial highness my company as she asked."

"Oh, I know she'll be happy to see it," Tsuya grinned. She quickly realized she'd made a slip of the tongue and blushed as she corrected, "I mean, see you."

Saito's eyebrow perked at her slip; he slowly got to his feet, now that his wounds were mostly healed. He smiled at her warmly; "I think she likes me." He joked and offered Tsuya a hand.

Tsuya got up on her own. "Have fun," she said.

END

JP by:
Tyler (Saito)
Wes (Yui, Tsuya)


 [Kyoto] Good Impressions

 Saito Jian
GSE Civilian
Posts: 66
(1/21/04 13:43)
	[Kyoto] Good Impressions ON> Kyoto

Inside the palace, Saito was led to the main hall, where the Empress herself was busy in a cloud of holograms. As he entered, the maps and charts slowly died out until there were none left, leaving them strangely alone in the huge marble room. "Come here," she directed.

The young man approached her and paused in front of her and bowed deeply to the empress, his eyes on the floor, feeling nowhere near confident enough to face her. "Greetings your Imperial Highness." He said politely.

It didn't take long for Minori to join the two. She stayed silent, though. Yui nodded ever so slightly. "You must be something special if you were recommended by my daughter," she began, indicating Minori by trailing her fingers down the red-haired woman's arm.

Saito looked up at her with intelligent lavender eyes; "I'm not that special, I was simply looking for employment of my abilities and skills as a bodyguard and your daughter informed me to come here." Saito said respectfully, humbly.

Yui nodded, "You are going to be taking care of my most valuable possession. Her name is Michiko. She is my youngest daughter, but is already in a full-size body. Michiko is a descendant of Chiharu, and she bears a strong resemblance. I'm her mother, and Zemer, an Arch-angel, is her father. We expect a bond of complete loyalty and truct between all of us. Understood?"

Saito nodded in complete understanding, his eyes shining a bit. "Understood your imperial highness." Saito said. "I will serve you without question, my services are yours to use as you see fit."

"Excellent. And I expect you to give your life for her, if necessary," Yui said, grimly.

"Without a second thought." Saito said, this was to be expected after all. He held no fear of death if it meant his ward would be safe.

Minori grinned and nodded in satisfication. "Consider yourself part of the Ketsurui clan, then," Yui put a hand on his shoulder.

Saito smiled at them both, brushing a metallic silver hair over his ear. "Is Sir Zemer here? It would be expedient to meet him as well as yourself." Saito smiled at her touch. "It is an honor."

"I'm sure he's around. Minori?" Yui looked to her servant. Minori bowed and exited quickly.

"Might I ask where I am to stay while I am here?" Saito asked the green-haired empress.

Yui started walking, into a large hallway. "This way," she said.

Saito nodded and followed after her, his footsteps echoing in the big hallway. "This place is beautiful." He commented as he walked.

"This is Michiko's room," Yui pointed to a room with two neko samurai's outside it. "Your room will be across the hall from her." The door opened with a glance from Yui's eyes, unveilign a massive, silk-lined nest. The floor was inlaid wood, and the furniture was encrusted with gold and precious gems.

Saito nodded to the two samurai respectfully, then turned to the room indicated to him as his. "I thank you." He said and looked in, his eyes widened in shock. "uuh." He said in shock he'd never seen something so lavish.

Yui walked to the huge desk that was his, which sat in front of a huge window looking out over the outside of the palace at the sturdy-looking WickedArms building nearby.

Saito walked in as well, looking around and gently running his fingers over the soft material of the nest, then walked over to the desk and looked over it, still absolutely amazed. "I have never seen such lavishness." He commented, wondering what the desk was for.

Yui ran her hands over a black control panel that ran along the top of the desk. The center panel's wood surface holographically changed into a screen with a control panel. It had such things as tracking systems, maps, communciations. Yui tapped a few buttons and a live image of Michiko sleeping came up.

Saito nodded, his mind automatically processing the information and was it was used for, but one thing bothered him. "Is there a way for me to make an emergency backup of myself in case I am forced to give my life for her?" He asked, looking at the live feed of the sleeping little girl.

"Yes. There's an ST backup device in the palace medbay. The map will show you the way," Yui said. "We can actually do a constant-backup link which will always keep the data up to date."

He nodded. "That is good to know." he replied turning to her. "She's a lovely young woman. I'm sure I'll also have to keep the males away from her." He smiled wryly. "Is there any else in particular that will be needed of me? My first responsiblity is to Ms. Michiko of course." Saito said. He smiled handsomely at the idea of a constant backup. "That would be most efficient in this case."

"Not for now," Yui said. Minori appeared at the door, with a large elysian man.

Saito heard the footsteps and turned to the large man and bowed respectfully to him. "Sir." He said.

"You must be Saito," Zemer inspected the man.

"I am." Saito replied, he looked fit and strong, but a male neko? Zemer probably hadn't seen such a thing.

Zemer nodded. "I'll be placing some seraphs under your command."

"Seraphs Sir?" the young man asked. "I have only heard of them I'm afraid." He said honestly.

A shrouded figure with shiny white skin and a huge mouth briefly faded into view, out in the hallway.

Saito's TOS alerted him to it, his eyes went to the creature. "That is a seraph I take it?" Saito asked the Archangel. Then, remembering his manners, he offered Zemer his hand in a gesture of friendship.

Zemer nodded. "They will be assisting you in protecting her. They'll be around." His big hand took Saito's in his own and squeezed it firmly. He had a strong handshake indeed.

Saito smiled at the handshake, he had expected nothing less from such a large person. "I thank you sir, any assistance is appreciated." He said politely.

Yui looked Zemer in the eye for a moment.

Minori smiled and touched Yui's backside briefly, distracting the woman.

Saito caught her movement, his senses seemed to be very keen on the slightest motion. He smiled at her gesture, obviously the two had a more intimate relationship than was let on.

"Ah, yes," Yui looked back to Minori, then Saito. "If you need anything at all, the palace has anything you could ask for. I'll leave you here to settle in." Zemer nodded, too.

Saito nodded. "All I require is a place to sleep and food to eat, as well as an open dojo to practice my art." He said to Yui.

Yui smiled, turned, and quielty made her way out with Zemer and Minori.


JP:

Wes (Yui, Zemer, Minori)
Tyler (Saito)


 [Kyoto] Peaceful living, and a promise

 Dante Stormwind
GSA Security Sentry
3rd Expeditionary Flt.
Posts: 17
(2/4/04 9:40)

ezSupporter
	[Kyoto] Peaceful living, and a promise It had been a week or so after leaving active starship duty for more sedentary planetary duty, and Ritsurin and Lavinia had transferred their souls and consciousnesses into new bodies. Ritsu was back to his original body, dog ears and everything; thanks to a fervent search by Lav for that genetic structure. Shortly there after, Ritsurin had been locked in the visitor's quarters aboard the transport they'd gotten (the YSS Seliana). Lavinia had done it because the ship was full of nothing but women, and she didn't want to risk another depressing replay of the incident that made it necessary.

She believed that time away from other women would break Ritu of his little habit of flirting a bit too intensly, Lav didn't mind his occassion whistle at other women, since she half thought the women were kind of cute anyway; but the way he reacted to Ryoshi was waaay too much. Sure, most nekovalkyrja would simply have shared a guy with others, but Lavinia was of a different mindset; she didn't want to physically (or mentally) share him.

That time in the room had also given Ritsu time to think as well; and consider the results of his actions. And after a while of very careful planning; he finally concocted a plan for his future. The young man had shamed himself by his actions aboard the Celia and vowed not to make Lav feel that way again because of him; she was much too good to him to deserve that and he felt horrible for acting that way around Ryoshi...

After leaving the ship, the couple strolled through the capital city of Yamatai: Kyoto, stopping a restaraunt to get something to eat, viewing how civilians and planetary officers lived day-to-day lives. They were surprised by just how relaxed some of the hardbitten soldiers were here, it was overall rather peaceful. However, the best was last; Ritsu and Lav stopped in front of he Imperial palace and looked up at it in absolute awe.

"Wow! It's so beautiful!" Lavinia exclaimed happily, her brilliant blue eyes scanning the outer gardens and architecture of the building.

Ritsurin whistled appreciatively at the sight. "It is."he agreed, gently putting an arm over her shoulders.

Lav smiled as she felt the gentle touch. "I wish I could live here." She sighed, leaning against him gently putting her head on his shoulder as he held her closer.

He smiled down at her, he was only a bit taller than she was. "You will one day, even if I have to build a place just like this myself."

She looked up at him, moving her head a bit to; her Light blue hair being caught in a slight breeze. She looked at him with soft, affectionate blue eyes: "By yourself? That will take a while." She said and playfully jabbed him in the side.

Ritsu smiled at her, then looked up at the palace. "Actually, I hear that Empress Yui resides here currently. I wish I could go see her one more time, I want to ask her something." Ritsu said.

Lavinia hugged him tightly, half afraid he wanted Yui and not her. She loved Ritsu so much that the mere thought of losing him frightened her; that's why she locked him away from the other women on that ship and why she'd reacted so strongly to his treatment of Ryoshi. Ritsurin, sensing her feelings of doubt and a slight twinge of fear hugged her back warmly, "Don't worry, you're the only woman I want." He said reassuringly.


In a moment, he had released her and stood in front of Lavinia with his back to the palace; a gesture that made her blush. She thought that he _really_ wanted her there and then. But her mind pointed out that something was off here, he wasn't close enough for that....

He produced a lovely sapphire ring and offered it to her: "Lavinia, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" He proposed to her.

Lavinia looked at him, shocked into utter disbelief, he had done what she had yearned for all these years! A rosy pink blush crept up her lovely face as tears welled up in her eyes; she dropped to her knees and hugged him fiercely, not caring if anyone else saw this. "I do.." She said; crying in happiness...

(awwww)


 [Kyoto: Empress's Palace] Chi no Namida.

 Ketsurui Chiharu 
GSA Command
GSA 1st Fleet
(Deceased)
Posts: 56
(2/7/04 17:41)

ezSupporter

	[Kyoto: Empress's Palace] Chi no Namida. ON> Kyoto, Yamatai: Empress' Palace

Saito was giving Michi a piggyback ride into the dining hall and set her down once they'd gotten there. "We're here." He chuckled. "I hope you liked your ride." He scanned the hall just to take in who was there with them.

Michiko smiled brightly as she let go of Saito's shoulders and spun around in a circle, watching her dress twirl about her. "That was fun. Arigato Saito-sempai!"

Saito nodded to her, smiling. "Anytime Princess." He said.

"Damn it, Yui, I hate you," Zemer was yelling at the Empress, "Michiko's the only thing keeping me here, you know! You and your damn ambitions are the cause of all the suffering..." He stopped when Saito and his daughter moved into the room. Yui looked like she'd been crying.

Michiko stopped smiling when she heard Zemer yelling and sniffed as their emotions flooded into her and overrode her own. Her lower lip trembled as she hugged her arms around herself. She looked as if she was about to burst into tears any moment now.

Saito frowned, and gently hugged Michiko to comfort her. "Michiko...it's ok..." He comforted her, as he embraced her in a gentle manner. He looked up at Zemer with fire in his brilliant eyes; it was clear this outflow of emotion was hurting Michiko; his ward.

"I don't know what she saw in you," Yui verbally stabbed back with a quiet fury. Both of Michi's two parents approached their daughter, putting on smiles, as the favorite thing in their lives was present. "Good morning, Michiko," Yui wiped her
eyes. Zemer held out his arms for Michiko.

Saito remained kneeling with Michiko in his arms, but had to let her go when Zemer offered it. He quietly spoke; "Good morning."

"Ko..nichiwa Mommy... Daddy." Michiko sniffed as she went to hug her father, still trembling and teary eyed.

Saito rose to his feet after Michiko left him; he looked at Yui with soft eyes. He did not know what to do, but he wanted to comfort her.

Zemer's large-framed, muscular body lifted Michiko up, putting one arm around her back, the other on the back of her thighs, and gave her a big kiss on the cheek. Yui jealously waited her turn.

Saito sighed and exited the room after bowing to both of them, he went outside the doors; a bit jealous. He wanted so badly to be a part of that, but he was the outsider here. ~I kind of wish I could fill Zemer's shoes. ~ He thought

Michiko smiled and hugged Zemer around his neck before he put her down. The tears left her eyes as she blinked and trickled down her cheeks, as she felt happier from the attention from her parents.

"I love you, Michiko," Zemer smiled, and set her down. Yui seemed extremely frustrated, and sat in one of the chairs at the table.

"I love you too Daddy." Michiko returned the smile and went over to hug Yui. "Mommy, what's wrong?"

Yui sniffed, pulling Michiko into her lap and holding her tightly, rocking her back and forth, "Oh..." she said hoarsely, "Daddy is...mad at me. It's not your fault. I love you, Michiko."

Michiko sniffed again as she hugged Yui tightly. "I love you too, Mommy... Don't cry." She felt really upset and she didn't understand why. "Daddy, why were you yelling?"

A small group of caterers brought out the breakfast meal, which consisted of scrambled eggs, cantaloupe, bacon strips, steaming croissants (with dark chocolate centers and honey glaze and nuts on top), and grapes. There was milk, and tea, and coffee, and juices, all served in beautiful golden bowls.

"Daddy doesn't like it here," Yui started to explain, "because..."

"Quiet!" Zemer interrupted.

Yui stopped for a moment, and then continued, "He feels out of place."

Michiko looked over at Zemer and looked down at the floor. "Daddy, you don't like it here?"

"Tsuya, show Taisa Kiriel to his room," Yui commanded. A neko in red robes emerged from the shadows with her hand on the hilt of her sword. "I'm so, so sorry, Michiko," Zemer said, looking to be in great emotional pain. The samurai led him out of the room.

"Please, why?" Yui set her head on the table, "Forgive me..."

Michiko watched Zemer get led away and was very confused. "Tsuya isn't going to hurt Daddy is she?"

"No, dear," Yui sat up again.

Saito watched Zemer leave as he passed and wondered what had happened. He turned on his heel and went back into the room. "What happened?" He asked, bowing his head to the empress.

"Why did Daddy have to leave?" Michi continued to look in the direction that Zemer and Tsuya went and sniffed again.

"Daddy and I aren't getting along, Michiko. We both love you very much...but daddy hates me. I'm sorry," Yui told her daughter, "And I don't think that it's good for you if we're both pulling you from different directions."

Saito looked pained; Yui was a good woman, how could Zemer hate her? "Forgive my interruption." He murmured.

"What is it, Saito?" Yui seemed irritated.

Michiko looked at Yui and then back down, redirecting her attention to the breakfast on the table. ".... So you and Daddy are going to keep fighting?"

Saito hung his head. "I apologize imperial highness..." He said and started to back out of the room. ~I should stay out of this, it is between them. I have no say. ~

"I don't think it'll last long," Yui told Michiko. She looked at Saito questioningly.

Saito caught her look, as he was about to leave. "The trouble is between you three, I am not directly involved, my duty is to Michiko; not in your relationship with her father. But I am simply troubled." He said and started to walk toward her and stopped a few feet away. In his heart, Saito loved Michiko as well; but in a parental sense of the word; he only wanted the best for her.

"What do you mean? Are you and Daddy going to love each other like you love me?" Michiko looked back at Yui, hopeful.

"I don't think that's going to happen, Michiko," Yui admitted. "Daddy cares only for you, and thinks I'm not fit to help raise you. He feels trapped in a place where he's an unwelcome guest. I don't know if seeing him any more will be good for you."

Saito remained still, as well as silent, but his eyes were thoughtful.

"I'm not going to be able to see Daddy anymore?" Michiko was deeply upset by this and bit her lower lip, she wanted to cry. She didn't understand why Mommy and Daddy didn't like each other. Chi could've told her it was a result of a war that happened long before Michiko was born, but it was best for Michiko to grow without her help.

~If that was true.... I’d be willing to be her daddy figure... even if I am not biologically... It's best for her if her parents get along with each other. It puts a lot of strain on a child if they think that they are the only reason their parents are together...~ Were Saito's thought patterns.

"I don't know, Michiko. I'm trying to make sense out of all this and find what's best for you," Yui kissed Michiko's head. "What do you want me to do, Michiko?"

"I don't want to lose you or Daddy... I already lost a mommy..." Michiko sniffed and buried her face into Yui's shoulder.

Saito wanted to tell Yui, but he couldn't; he instead watched the proceeding with silent eyes.

"Oh, sweet Chiharu..." Yui softly exclaimed as her eyes welled up with tears.

"I wish I could help." Saito murmured softly, he was deeply touched by all this. He didn't like to see either one of the women he cared for like this.

Something in Michiko wanted to reach out and comfort Yui as more than what she was. "I'm sorry Mommy. I made you cry again." She spoke softly as she hugged Yui.

The buried rage within Yui created by the conflict was so strong that Yui had thoughts of throwing her daughter aside. She desperately wanted to find a release, but steadied herself and stuffed the hurt even deeper, building it up inside for another time. Yui only sobbed harder, hating herself intensely for being a failure as a mother, a failure in befriending Zemer (despite his usually friendly nature), and her failure to keep Michiko happy. She felt like dying.

Even Saito could feel her rage and sense of failure; she was radiating it. "Yui...Michi..."He said, at a loss as to what to say.

Michiko stood up as felt Yui's self-loathing and hatred as her own. It all was really too much for her and it overflowed as grabbed the hilt of Saito's katana with a speed unknown to her as she spun it in her hand and tried to commit seppaku.

Saito jumped "Michi NO!" He said, hitting her at the wrist, knocking the sword out of her hand. The sword clattered to the floor as Saito embraced her, looking at Yui.

Michiko was shaking as she breathed heavily, tears rolling down her cheeks as she silently cried. She didn't know why she had grabbed Saito's katana or why she was crying. She simply just... felt.

"Michiko!" Yui stood up so fast she knocked over the table, sending the golden bowls of fresh food all crashing to the tile floor with an enormous racket. The caterers quickly appeared at the doorway, but didn't enter, on account of the emotional gravity of the situation.

Saito simply held the princess in his arms, looking like a real father comforting a daughter. "Michiko, it's ok; you're ok." He said to her, letting her cry on his shoulder. ~Yui, she is an empath. ~ He told the empress.

"Oh Chiharu!" Yui cried out, "Is this going to be the death of the Ketsurui? Shinami, bring Zemer back here."

Saito continued to comfort the princess. "You're not at fault here Michi, you simply don't understand what you're feeling..." Saito murmured to her, knowing by her mental age that she couldn't.

Michiko closed her eyes and gave no reply to Yui as she had done in the past. Chiharu would not answer because she did not know. Michiko opened her eyes again and looked at Yui, confusion in her eyes. "Doushite..."

In a moment, Zemer appeared at the doorway, and looked at the mess. "What happened here?!" Yui walked up to him and said, "Zemer, meet me in the courtyard in five minutes. Bring your sword."

"Yui don't!" Saito said. "Don't you get it!?” He said. "It was YOUR feelings that brought this about...Michiko is an empath. She does not understand her feelings." He said, tears in his own eyes.

Michiko looked at Yui, still very confused as to what was happening or why. "Mommy?"

Zemer scowled, "How can love be so cruel to us? Has it come to this, that death has to be one of that beautiful girl's parents? There's go to be a sensible way to go about this."

"Michiko...I'm sorry about letting you see all this." Saito said to her.

Yui opened the door to the cobblestone courtyard and stepped out. Tsuya handed Zemer his trusted Elysian weapon, and Shinami gave Yui her old katana from the Heavenly Wars. Yui said, "One last angel."

Saito let go of Michiko and looked over at them. "What?" He said, confused.

"I refuse, Yui. I can't," Zemer tried to prevent this duel. "Not in front of her."

Michiko felt her heart race as she hurried to follow her parents into the courtyard. "Yamate kudasi!"

Saito gathered his own weapon and sheathed it, and followed Michiko out. "Don't do this your highness!" Saito said.

"Have at you," Yui sneered, and swung at Zemer, who blocked the blow with his own thicker blade, letting out a grunt, and twirling the long sword around to counterattack. Yui pressed a hand against the back of her katana to block, shifting her weight to push him though the impact. He slightly lost his posture, but slammed one foot down and thrust forward again. Another metallic cling rang out, silencing the songbirds of the courtyard.

Saito couldn't stop this...he scooped up Michiko and got her away from the battle. "This is senseless!" He said, holding Michiko to him, hiding her face from the combat.

"Mommy, please tell me why someone has to die before things have to change!" Michiko pulled away from Saito and ran out to the courtyard. "Please don't do this! Please stop!"

Saito moved swiftly and caught Michiko before either of her parents could hurt her. "Stop this! You're not helping her!" He said.

Whoosh! Yui's sword struck out again, but when Zemer moved to parry it, she changed its momentum, and cut a long gash in his left wing. Since her blade was in him, he took the opportunity to attack, and gritted his teeth, swinging as hard as he could, aiming low. Yui's legs were cut out of under her, and she fell back, spurting blood out all over him and the surrounding area.

Michiko fought to get away from Saito again. "Someone please stop them! PLEASE STOP THIS!"

Saito handed Michi to Tsuya and ran out to stop them, preparing to stop them with non-lethal force. "Stay there Michiko, you can't get hurt here,” He said.

As his momentum carried him forward, Yui jerked back her blade and put the tip to Zemer's chest. His eyes widened as his body weight impaled his heart on the bloody katana, just then. His glazed eyes searched for Michiko desperately.

Saito skidded to a stop, "Why did you have to do this!?" He said.

Zemer slid down the length of the sword and collapsed on top of Yui, in the blood-soaked cobblestone path.

Michiko pulled away from Tsuya as Zemer was impaled on the sword; she was covered with their blood. "DADDY!!! YAMATE!!" She was shaking as she tried to run to her father, tears running down her face.

Saito hung his head, tears running down his face. "Why..." He said, collapsing to his knees.

Tsuya was so shocked, she didn't offer any resistance. The seraphs of the palace materialized too. A small crowd of servants and sentries stood around staring in horror.

"Mi....chi..." Zemer whispered.

Saito got to his feet and moved to gather Michiko. "Why...?"

Michiko reached them and fell on the ground, still crying. "Someone please get a doctor! Please don't let them die!" Her vision was filled with red as she tried to hug her father. "Daddy... please don't leave me..."

"Mommy...loves you..." Zemer struggled to say, "Gr...Grow up to make.... daddy proud..."

Saito knelt next to Zemer; but was speechless; he was quite sad and it showed.

The young man didn't know what else to say; but this was hard to take even for him.

"Daddy, don't die! We can get you help and the doctor can make you better. I. I’ll be good.. just please don't die!"

"Send Chi my love," Yui whispered in Zemer's ear and twisted the blade. Zemer gurgled out a scream, "Yui, no! If.... you..."

"If we promise to love one another?" Yui suddenly realized they were thinking the same thing. "MEDIC!" she hoarsely yelled out. Tsuya rushed out from her position with a Wicked Arms field surgery kit. Yui scooped up what blood she could find from her arms and poured it into Zemer, trying to use what little power remained to help heal him.

Michiko cried out as she felt the katana plunge deeper into Zemer's heart as if it was her own. Her entire body was throbbing and she couldn't feel her own legs anymore.

Saito moved to support the princess, and held her gently giving her support.

Michiko passed out from shock, as her body could no longer handle the emotions and pain that she was feeling. She crumbled weakly into Saito's arms.

"Hang on, Zemer, Yui rolled over and withdrew her sword. She and Tsuya feverishly worked to save him. He was not responding, but his body was helped greatly by the combined treatment. Yui's blood healed his heart, while Tsuya went to the surrounding arteries and tissue. "Stay with me," Yui urged him. She couldn't help but wonder if Zemer's wife was pulling on him just as desperately from the other side.

Saito rose to his feet and carried Michi in his arms, cradling her gently. He backed away to let Tsuya in better.

"He should be alright," Tsuya finally declared, causing a small outbreak of cheering among the staff, particularly the seraphs. Yui looked relieved, but promptly collapsed into a coma. Her body had used up its entire chi in saving him.

Saito smiled hopefully; Michiko wouldn't lose her daddy now, he hoped.

Michiko remained unconscious in Saito's arms.

"Get them both to the med bay!" Taisa Shinami ordered, setting down two litters.
The bodies were lifted into them and carted off hastily, leaving Saito alone with Michiko in the bloody courtyard.

Saito turned and walked back into the palace, carrying Michiko back to her room to rest. He was worried, very worried.

JP by

Tyler (Saito)
Wes (Zemer, Yui, Tsuya, Shinami)
Kim (Michiko)

------------
"Courage is not the absence of fear but the refusal to surrender to it. Never Surrender."
- GSA no Taisho Ketsurui Chiharu (YR3 - YR25)


 [Kyoto, Empress' Palace] Baking Cookies

Ketsurui Chiharu 
GSA Command
GSA 1st Fleet
(Deceased)
Posts: 60
(2/10/04 21:39)

ezSupporter

	[Kyoto, Empress' Palace] Baking Cookies ON> Kyoto: Empress' Palace.

Michiko looked at herself in the mirror of the dressing room at her reflection. "Pretty!" Her blue eyes shined brightly as she tried to forget what her mother had done a few moments earlier. She tried to forget her confusion and be happy like everyone seemed to love. "Are we going to bake cookies now, Mommy?"

"You're absolutely beautiful and sexy and perfect," Yui complimented her daughter. "Yes, follow me to my kitchen," the older Nekovalkyrja smiled, leading the way through the palace into her giant living space, and into her personal kitchen. Hinosami tagged along, and when they arrived, she gave Michiko an apron. She put one on herself in front of Michiko to demonstrate.

Michiko put the apron on mimicking Hinosami's demonstration and tried to tie it in the back. "Sexy?" Michiko didn't understand the word or the emotions behind it as she looked around the kitchen. "Does Daddy like cookies too, Mommy?"

"Daddy does!" Zemer's hands snuck out from behind Michiko, coming across her chest and pulling her back into his broad chest. He let out a happy, deep laugh as he embraced her, turning his head and pressing his cheek against her neck. Yui smiled at the pleasant surprise. Zemer was out and about sooner than she expected. Hinosami started placing the ingredients on the counter.

Michiko smiled brightly as she leaned back into her father's embrace. The warmth of his breath on her neck made her blush softly. "All better now, Daddy? Are you going to help us bake cookies? They're going to be chocolate chip!"

"Oh, Sure!" Zemer grinned widely, spinning Michiko around and kneeling a little to be eye-to-eye with her. "I like chocolate chip. We'll make them together. Now, first we need a recipe," Zemer kissed one of Michiko's cheeks, then the other. And then went to the ingredients that were spread out on the counter. Hinosami handed him a piece of rice paper with the recipe calligraphically inscribed upon it.

Michiko smiled brightly as she followed her father over to the counter and looked around him at all the ingredients on the counter. "Mommy, do you like chocolate chip too?" She looked back at her mother for her answer, still smiling. She was overjoyed at the idea that they'd all be baking cookies together.

"I don't like chocolate," Yui admitted. "We'll make some without the chips, for me, okay Michiko?"

"Okay Mommy." Michiko nodded, smiling brightly again once her initial disappointment faded. "What else are we going to take on our picnic?" She asked curiously as she eyed the chocolate chips on the counter. They looked so tasty but they'd be even better in the cookies, all nice and warm and gooey.

"What do you want to bring?" Yui asked Michiko. Zemer got a big mixing bowl and some measuring cups and put it in the island table in the middle of the kitchen. "1 cup butter," he said, and started up a pan with a cube in it.

Hinosami snagged the chocolate chip bag and brought it to Michiko, as if just desiring it was as good as a spoken order to the blue-haired servant.
Michiko pondered this question. "What do you take on a picnic besides cookies?" She followed Zemer to the middle of the kitchen. "Butter is made from milk?" She took the bag of chocolate chips from Hinosami. "Thankies, Sami-sempai!" She smiled brightly again as she pulled out a chocolate chip and ate it, enjoying the feeling of the chocolate melting on her tongue.

Zemer mixed the butter in the bowl with white and brown sugar, "I think so,” he said. "Milk comes from cows. It's very popular in Elysia." He took out two eggs and cracked the first over the edge of a small bowl, then poured the contents into the big bowl. Yui fielded her other question, "We'll take sandwiches," she told Michiko.

"Milk comes from cows? Mommy said that the milk came from the squishes?" Michiko looked at her mom curiously for an answer and nodded. "Yay! I like sandwiches." She smiled brightly.

Hinosami dissolved some baking soda in a spoonful of hot water and added it to the mixture. "Squishes?" Zemer asked.

Michiko nodded and pointed to her chest. "Squishes!"

Zemer blinked and gave Yui a weird look. "Well, I guess around here it comes from neko squishies," he shrugged. How odd.

"Do cows have squishes?" Michiko asked, she had never seen a cow or even knew what a cow was. "What's a cow?"

"It's an animal, with four legs. It's got squishies underneath. Maybe you can get to see one sometime," Zemer told her.

Michiko tried to picture the animal and it looked rather silly to her. "I'd like to see one. They must look silly with squishes on their tummy!" She remembered the bag of chocolate chips. "So what else goes into the cookies?" She changed the subject again as she refocused on the task at hand.

"Two and one quarter cups of flour," Zemer read from the rice paper. He handed her the measuring cups and stood aside so she could get the flour. He had been doing most of the mixing to that point, but he wanted her to get a positive sense of involvement, and feel needed and appreciated. It was important help her develop in an environment where she was part of things, in his opinion.

"Two and one quarter cups of flour," Zemer read from the rice paper. He handed her the measuring cups and stood aside so she could get the flour. He had been doing most of the mixing to that point, but he wanted her to get a positive sense of involvement, and feel needed and appreciated. It was important help her develop in an environment where she was part of things, in his opinion.

Hinosami dropped in a teaspoon of salt, while Yui approvingly watched Zemer help Michiko.

Michiko looked at the measuring cups, reading the numbers. "This one is one and this one is 1/4?" She looked at the 4th of a cup one again, "It doesn't say a quarter cup on it? But I fill up this other cup twice with flour?" She looked at the white powder. "This?"

"Good girl, Michiko," Zemer praised, "Two of these cups and one of this one," he pointed indicatively.
Michiko smiled brightly as she carefully scooped the first cup into the flour and emptied it into the bowl with the other ingredients and repeated it with again with that cup and then with the 1/4th cup. "What’s next?"

"A teaspoon of vanilla," Zemer handed her the bottle and a teaspoon, "Then stir it well. That's everything but the chocolate chips."

Michiko opened the bottle and carefully tried to pour the liquid into the spoon without overfilling it. "And after we stir do we bake them?" She emptied the spoon into the bowl and set the bottle down on the counter after replacing the top.

Yui and Zemer nodded proudly. "Now stir it up so it's an even mixture," Zemer nodded. Yui smiled. Hinosami was busy filling some coolers with meat slices, lettuce, tomatoes, Swiss cheese, mustards, mayonnaise, and hearty-looking slices of pumpernickel-wheat bread.

Michiko took a spoon and stirred the mixture as best as she could. "And once we get cookies for Mommy we add in the chips?" Her eyes were shining brightly with happiness because she liked making cookies. "Tomorrow can we make something else together?" It seemed that she might enjoy baking like Chiharu did.

"Sure," Yui grinned. "Hinosami can teach you croissants or dinner rolls. She's a good little baker, and could teach you to be one as well, if you'd like. Good food makes people happy, and if you're having fun making it, that's even better. That's very good Michiko. Let's put some on this pan for me, and then mix in the chips and do the rest."

"Okies." Michiko continued to smile. "How big do they have to be on the pan?" She looked between Zemer and Yui curiously to see who would answer her question.

Hinosami popped up between the two parents and made her small mouth into an O shape, and traced her fingers around her lips.

Michiko looked at Hinosami curiously, not understanding. "Gomen, Sami-sempai. I don't understand what you meant?"
Yui laughed amusedly at her little servant, while Zemer blushed, thinking of something entirely different. Zemer had always seen Hinosami as some sort of sexual plaything that lived specifically for Yui's use; to him she was some sort of doll for humping and seeing her mouth like that made him imagine the possibilities he'd have if Hinosami was shared by the Empress. After all, it'd been years since he'd done anything of that nature. Yui explained, "She meant in small circles."

Michiko nodded, blushing. "Small circles. Do I use this spoon?" She indicated the spoon she had used to mix the dough, after scooping up a little of it on her finger, and licking the batter off. "It's yummy."

"Sure, sweetie," Yui smiled.

"Okies!" Michiko scooped up a little of the dough on the spoon and put it on the cookie sheet and repeated the act until the pan was covered with little cookie dough circles. "Is this enough mommy?" Her cheeks were still a little pink as she still blushed softly as her daddy was thinking... adult thoughts about Hinosami, only really feeling that strange feeling she had earlier from her mom.
Zemer's mind never lingered in on such things, and so quickly returned to loving, supporting parent mode. "That's wonderful, Michiko. Good Job!" he smiled radiantly, giving her a big hug from behind again. Yui kneeled down and opened the over nearby, and placed the first pan inside on one of the racks. Hinosami smiled softly, but didn't really do anything/

Michiko leaned back into the hug and smiled brightly. "Now we put in the chips?"

"That's right," Yui nodded. Zemer squeezed his daughter lovingly against him.

Releasing Michiko, Zemer kneeled down and set the time on the oven, also adjusting the temperature.

"So how many chips do I put in?" Michiko picked up the bag of chocolate chips and looked at her parents.

"Whatever feels right, Michiko," Yui grinned.

Michiko nodded and proceeded to empty almost the entire bag of chocolate chips into the remaining dough. "Is this too much? I mix it in now?" For whatever reason a Japanese word came to mind, "What does it mean to have 'Sho-ta-i-ken ‘?"

Hinosami whisper-squealed a little eep of protest as the chips saturated the mixture. Zemer didn't know...he was laughing at the mix and saying it was all right and to go ahead and stir the mountain of chocolate into the cookies. Yui seemed slightly alarmed and pensive and paused for a moment before saying anything.

"Shotaiken..." Yui put her hands on her daughter's shoulder blade, and then slid them around to Michiko's belly, and pressed herself closer until she was hugging Michiko tightly. "Shotaiken," she whispered in Michiko's ear, "Is when a man and a woman makes each other happy in a special way, for the first time."

"I added too many, Sami-sempai?" Michiko pouted at Hinosami's reaction to the amount of chocolate before she mixed it into the dough at Zemer's direction to go ahead. "I like the chips the best in the cookies."
The word caused Yui's loins to become moist, and she added, "Well, shotaiken can be between two women, too."

Michiko leaned back into her mother's hug and nodded. "A special way?" She started to blush again, not really sure why.

"Hmm?" Zemer raised an eyebrow, wondering what this whispering was all about. Hinosami smiled and shrugged, but didn't say anything. It wasn't her way to be the talkative like. Yui grazed her fingers up along Michiko's tights, up the slit of the dress, and nestled her fingers on the warm intersection, rubbing it affectionately for a moment. "A special way, with your special spot," Yui said, closing her eyes and imagining it was Chiharu.

Zemer set the pan down on the island next to the mixing bowl, and Yui's hand departed quickly. "Let's spread these ones quickly, the others are already in the oven,” he said, curious, but ignorant of Yui's embrace. "Michiko?" he handed his daughter the spoon.

Michiko blushed a deeper shade of red as her pulse quickened again. "Who is supposed to be my shotaiken?" She asked quietly as she took the spoon from her father. "Okay daddy." She nodded, as she started to scoop up the batter and set it onto the new pan. The dough just barely held together between the chips.

"Whoever you love," Yui softly told Michiko, after Zemer started helping Hinosami wash the dishes.

"I love Mommy and Daddy. So are mommy and daddy supposed to be my shotaiken?" Michiko asked, she didn't understand the difference in the types of love yet and in her innocence didn't realize what she was asking as an unspoken taboo.

Yui almost wanted to say yes. She couldn't help but smile in amusement. Giving Michiko a kiss on the cheek she said, "If that's what you'd like," jokingly.

Michiko just seemed further confused by this and changed the subject back to the cookies. "So when are the cookies going to be done?”

"They should take about twenty minutes," Zemer took the pan and popped it in the oven.

"So what do we do until the cookies are all done?" Michiko looked back and forth between Yui and Zemer.

Yui didn't really have anything in mind, so she suggested maybe