RP: YSS Miharu Prologue, Day 3

[Fred]

SCENE: Scorpio Base, Rented Suites, Kotori's quarters

Kotori jerked in her bed and suddenly sat up, her small chest heaving with pants. Short, harsh gasps of air escaped her as she squeezed her bed covers against herself, eyes open wide in the dark.

Panic and shock slowly sweeped away, but rationality made the awful things that had plagued her mind become that much more vivid.

<center>* * *</center>

The blood-streaked translucent cover of the containment cell.

The hideous form of the pink-shelled mishhuvurthyar.

The grotesque swell of Hanako's belly.

The surreal details she could remember of the interrogator: her pale skin, her black eyes, the salmon lips, the chocolate-colored hair spilling over a garment of black silk and velvet, with black tights and dark fur boots.

The screams. Hanako's screams as her flesh was pricked and bitten at by dozens of small, eager chewers. The screams she made while she was being violated. Screams that should have been hers.

"Why Hanako-sama? Why not you?" Jo had accused her.

She could remember whispering lamely: "I resisted."

"You saved yourself, but not Hanako? Did you try to stop them? Or did you just watch?" Jo continued ranting in her mind.

"I've been shot at with NSPs, sliced in half by a blast shutter, bitten all over by the insects as I tried to get them off Hanako, bit open my arm to heal Hanako with my blood, blew up a part of my back to make sure I'd wouldn't become any more helpless than I was... and that's what I was Jo : helpless! But everytime I tried to put some form of resistance, they made Hanako pay for it. Even though Hanako's put up a brave front and held me blameless, I know it's my fault Jo."

Jo's face had turned ugly from contempt and hatred. "You caused her to get hurt! You caused her to have to carry those things in her!"

"I still thought you deserved to know Jo. I haven't been able to sleep since. I can still hear her screams ..."

"Good! I hope you hear them from now on every time you close your eyes, so you can remember how you made her suffer!"

And she did. She knew she could have taken Hanako's place and suffered for her. That would have had been so much easier to bear... even Hanako had admitted it - despite her having supposedly 'forgiven' everything. That had been painfully obvious when she had placed Hanako on the defensive with the matter of the three mishhuvurthyar hachlings.

"They cannot stay on this starship," Hanako had told her. "and I am not willing to throw my life away to go care for them, especially when they were placed within me without my consent. Why should I? It could easily have been you the eggs hatched in..."

Yes, it should have been her. Hanako hadn't really forgiven her at all. Not to mention Hanako's convictions only went as far as just speaking them went in term of effort - when convictions were really put to the test, it was easier to just boot the problem out.

<center>* * *</center>

Yes, Kotori remembered. Her nightmares were proof enough.

She felt so ambivalent. On one hand, she was to blame for Hanako's suffering. On the other hand, she felt betrayed by Hanako making a stand for convictions she really couldn't uphold - for being nothing but so much flowery words. It disgusted her, made her ashamed to even wear the Ketsurui surname. She wanted to hate Hanako, but could she really, honestly do so with so much self-loathing piled over her shoulders?

The black-haired neko batted away the covers with a silent snarl. She hated the bouts of melancholy and self-pity she was prone to have lately. What she'd really settle for would be that interrogator. Just the thought of that woman made her nailless fingers want to curl into impotent claws. Flensing off skin, stripping muscles from bone and making that one person scream for days on end was only scratching the surface of Kotori's personnal demons regarding the Black Spiral nekovalkyrja interogator.

With a light thump from her feet, she stood from the bed and walked up to her closet so she could don her yukata. As she wrapped the garment about herself and closed the sash with a business-like jerk, she saw on the clock that it was 4:51. Plenty of time to get herself into a bath and soak the bad mood out of her. Worrying about the interrogator, about whatever little-baby-Hanako could think of her or not really didn't matter.

Today, she would set foot on her ship. The people at the shipyard had assured her they had sprites working on the nightshift to make sure it would be ready. She had to be strong... at least for the sake of her crew.

Not to mention getting her ship meant she could go after the Black Spiral. It meant she would be able to set things right.

 

[Doshii Jun]

Yukari sat up in her bed. She had done so for nearly a half-hour.

She'd slept fine. Very well, actually; thinking about her date had done wonders for putting her to sleep in an instant. The clock told her she'd actually slept an entire six hours, something she hadn't done in a while. And the sleep had been without dreams, without anything.

It was as if she'd died.

But the ever-so-slight tingling of her lips assured her she had not. She giggled a little at the thought, as she had each time she'd thought about it since she'd woken up. She was only able to derive pleasure from the experience, after all.

But it was time to work. To earn the pleasure the Star Army had put within her reach. She pushed back the comforter and sheets and slid out of bed. She made her way to the shower, stretching and scratching. She had slept well! Her eyes lazily found the mirror as she pulled the shower door open --

The tattoo. She hadn't seen it yet. But there it was on her back, a light brown color, like her hair. It actually wasn't all that noticeable, but Yukari noticed. And turned away from the mirror.

It is a minor sacrifice, she told herself as the shower turned on and doused herself with a blast of cold water. Your crew is more important than your life. She nodded to herself as she blasted herself again with cold water. She sighed a little, then smiled a little and remembered her keyboard was still on the counter. She stuck her head out, hair already soaked and starting to stick to her temples and neck. She reached, reached, reeeeeached for the switch to turn the keyboard on --

Tik -- pshhhhhhhhhbing!

"Yatta!" she said with a little glee, retracting herself into the shower and waiting for a song to come on. Indeed, one did -- weird synths up front, then a little jangly guitar ... and then the opening lyrics, as she turned the warm water on.

Somewhere in a lonely hotel room there's a guy starting to realize that eternal fate has turned its back on him. It's 2 a.m.

She remembered this one -- it had taken her nearly a week to find it. She put some shampoo in her hair to make it do what she wanted. "Silver Necklace" was the band name, or something like that. She started scrubbing. How did the lyrics go again? She couldn't remember.

"Bah." She reached her soapy head out and reeeeached again for the keyboard.

Tak -- tak-- "Mouuu --" Tak -- tik!

She waited a moment, soap sliding down her body. " ... Ah!"

This was exactly what she was looking for. Much sexier kind of song. And even with a barcode on her back, she felt sexy. That feeling could be fleeting; better to enjoy it now. She knew these lyrics. This one had been even harder to find in old Nepleslian archives -- she'd almost had to attempt to contact Nerimian library officials.

"What is th'name to call, for a differehhnt kiiind of girl, who knows the feelings, but nehva the words ... "

By the time the song was over, Yukari was clean and thoroughly happy. She felt better than she had in a while, barcode or no. Toweling herself off, another song came on. She couldn't resist this one, even though it had been an easy find. She reminded herself to find more Japanese songs; she had too many English ones.

"I can feel it, coomin' in the air toonight -- oh looad ... 'nd I've been waiting for this moment, f'r all my lahife -- oh looad -- oh loooad ... "

She loved this one. The drums toward the end were just fun, she thought as she finished putting her hair up in a bun. Then, she thought about something different. Her hair was a little too short to do the braided pigtails of before ... but why not just two pony tails? That might be cute. She tried it, but it was a little odd looking to have one on either side. She redid them farther back on her head -- that looked better. A little cute, a little playful, a little fun! Why not indeed; today was a day to greet a new vessel, it was best to give a more light-hearted impression.

Yukari moved her hands like she was about to hit drums. It was that point in the song.

"Dundun!dundun!dundun!dundun Dundun duun BAN! And I can feel it, cuumin in the air tonight, oh looad!"

She practically skipped out of the bathroom and donned her KAMI-pressed and tidied skirt uniform, along with her pistols and knife, then stretched again.

"KAMI," she typed through her datapad, "Where should I report to? Ketsurui-Taii did not say."

 

[Fred]

"Ketsurui-Taii unofficially requested that everyone meet for breakfast." KAMI replied. "If you wish more details, she is currently awake and taking a shower in the bathroom."

Scorpio's KAMI showed Yukari a small map of the level, showing at the corridor's end a small public bath.

 

[Remrant]

James slowly dragged himself from sleep at the blaring insistance of his nearby alarm. Yawning, he idly swatted the offending device and rolled out of the bed, covers fluttering to the floor behind him. He took a moment out of lumbering, zombie-like, over to where his fresh uniform lay and turned a critical eye at the ragged, shady-looking fellow in the bathroom mirror.

"Bah, I hate mornings. Why can't anyone ever do things later on for once?" the Geshrin mused as he went through the motions of pulling on his uniform.

Once it was on, he stepped into the restroom and splashed himself with cold water from the sink, scrubbing thoroughly with a nearby towel. Now fully awake, he strapped his pistols on, did a few bone-popping stretches, and stepped out into the corridor.

The first thing he noticed was Yukari as the KAMI brought up a map. Figuring being friendly wouldn't hurt, he made his way over to where she stood.

"Good morning, Suzuka-Chui. You look ready to face the day and beat it senseless."

 

[Strangelove]

Leutre sat up in bed, the sound of an alarm blaring in the background. He groggily sat, patiently waiting for his mind to catch up with his body. After a few moments of this stupor his mind finally realized that something irritating was still blaring throughout the room.

Turning towards his bag he snarled, "Alarm unit, shut it." A short chime of acknowledgement came from somewhere inside the bag and finally there was silence. Leutre swung his legs over the side of the bed and finally stood up.

Letting out a large yawn he stretched, but quickly let out a yelp as a sharp pain dug through his bag. "Hell's Bells!" he swore loudly as he fell back onto the bed. Reaching a hand over his shoulder and rubbing his back, he stood once again. With deliberate slowness he reached for the fresh uniform that sat on the nearby table.

I still have to take it slowly, he thought as pulled on his pants, Just another month or two and I'll be in peak condition. Now, let's see if I can scavenge up breakfast. I really hope I can find the mess hall without being late again.

Slipping on his boots and tossing his uniform jacket over his shoulder, he stepped out into the hall. But as the door shut behind him, something nagged him at the back of his mind.

"What did I... Oh, that's right!" Leutre clapped his hands together and began to chant, "Oh fickle Fortuna, oh Lady Luck, guide me as I run a muck. Listen now, to you I pray, I hope you watch my ass today. My best I'll give 'er, so please deliver."

Leutre opened his eyes and slipped on his uniform jacket and began to make his way down the hall.

 

[Nyton]

The forest was heavy with fog as the morning sun had barely crept over the horizon. There were sounds of footsteps crunching foliage, horses shuffling and braying, audible underneath the soft muttering made by men. Something else could also be heard within all this. Tension. Excitement. Fear. These were all too familiar sounds to Nyton as he walked up the line of soldiers. Some of them looked afraid. Other's were just putting up a front. All of them looked young.

"Too young." Nyton muttered to himself. Keeping his own fears hidden, he just gave every man a nod and reassuring smile after he returned their salutes. The saber and spurs rattled a little with every step as he straightened his dark blue uniform. Nyton then walked into a tent which was guarded by a sentry. "Major Kurshman." Nyton said as he saluted the man standing across the table from him. The man with a large mustasche saluted back. "I take it you're ready for the next assault, Captain?"

"Ready as ever, sir. Just line them up and my boys will knock those Rebs out." Nyton replied, upbeat. "Then make it so, Claymere." The Major said, and he saluted to dismiss him. Nyton stepped out of the tent and began striding over to his mount. Several junior officers were waiting alongside their own horses as Nyton stepped up to his. "Sir, we moving out?" one of the lieutenants asked. "That's right. Are all the men in position?" Nyton asked. The lieutenant nodded affirmative. "Yes sir. Then Kurshman's division is moving out." Nyton hoisted his leg over the horse. "Let's go join them."

The fog had begun to lift as the sun burned it out. Nyton and his troupe had rejoined his brigade that was hiding in the woodline. A scout rode over to Nyton and quickly saluted. "Captain! The Rebs are moving in! Looks like the whole Missippi Regiment is making the charge!" Nyton's face darkened and he bore a hard expression. "Good job private. Report back to the sergeant and take your position." After the man was gone Nyton motioned to his officers. "Berkely, Simmons, get to your men. Johnson, you're with me. Get ready!"

"It looks like the whole damn state came out to fight." Nyton exclaimed as he looked through his telescope. From his vantage on the hill he could see the battle begin as the first charge from the grey uniformed soldiers went forth to meet the positions being held by his side. Gunfire and shouts could be heard as the battle was well under way. Nyton set down his looking glass and sucked in a quick breath. "Soon as they pass the northern ridge we're moving in." he said firmly. Johnson sighed and leaned forward on his horse a bit. "Do you really think this whole mess is worth it? Is freeing the slaves really gonna matter much?" he exclaimed. Nyton gave a quick snort. "I'm no higher purpose thinker, Johnson. Let's just win this war and make sure we don't do this kind of shit again."

"They've crossed the north ridge!" came the shout from one of the men. "They still haven't noticed us! Now's our chance men! Charge!" A loud war cry was given and Nyton drew his saber to urge everyone forward. The treeline erupted as cavalry burst through to attack the enemy's flank. Leading the charge, Nyton gripped the reigns tightly with one hand as he pointed toward their objective with the tip of his sword. The enemy's reaction was slow but they soon became aware of the attack to their flank and began to fire at them while trying to form hasty lines. Men were firing from both sides and the bullets whizzed by Nyton in two directions. A few soldiers near him were cut down but he pushed them out of his mind as he focused on leading the charge. As they finally closed in Nyton raised his sword over his head and gave out a shout as his steed leapt up over a line of enemy soldiers. As his horse landed he brought down the saber into an enemy's head.

The battle was joined as cavalry fought through the lines. Nyton had grabbed the reigns with his saber hand and drew his pistol to give him two attacks. The fight lasted for some time and the cavalry managed to break the momentum of the enemy force, allowing the infantry to charge and overrun the forward position before they linked up with Nyton's cavalry. Bugles sounded and the enemy began to retreat to the cheers from the blue uniformed soldiers.

Nyton finished wiping off the blood from his blade before sheathing it. After doing so he rode over to a group of men carrying two flags that bore the unit's colors alongside another flag with red and white stripes and stars that seemed to dance in a blue square. "Sergeant Major, send the order to reform. Gather and tend to the wounded. Round up the dead." Nyton said to one of the men. He saluted and rode away. As he did so he began to dig in his pocket for a small rectangular shaped instrument. Bringing the harmonica to his mouth he began to play a tune he knew....

And then the next thing he knew he was staring up at the ceiling. Nyton blinked his eyes and began to realize his surroundings had become significantly more comfortable. He then sat up and shook his head. "Strange dream. Guess that's what I get when I read about ancient warfare right before bed...." he remarked with a yawn. He looked over at the night desk and saw one source of his irritation. "Stupid harmonica. I knew learning an instrument wouldn't happen overnight but why did I pick such a stupid one." Nyton idly held the harmonica in one hand while he looked it over.

Nyton stood up and stretched before he set the harmonica back down. After a few more stretches he took note of the hour and decided he had time for some light calisthenic exercises before he got ready to take a shower in the adjacent bathroom.

Nyton had finished cleaning himself up and was almost done getting dressed. His service pistol was the last thing he attached to himself. "Now then, I suppose I should find out what Kotori has for us today. KAMI, where and when has Taisa Kotori determined we shall all meet?"

 

[Fred]

"There is no Taisa Kotori aboard this station." Scorpio-base's computer system, the KAMI, replied to the nepleslian. "Would you be mistakenly refering to your commanding officer, Taii Kotori Ketsurui?"

 

[Doshii Jun]

Yukari could only blink.

She didn't realize she'd left her room, and its private bathroom. But then her mind had been wandering. With a smile and a slight bow, she greeted James.

"Good morning, Dige-Hei." His blue-paneled uniform stood out against her eyes, being more colorful than anything she'd seen that day. "It is a fine day to see our new home. Shall we find Ketsurui-Taii?" Yukari smiled as she led the way toward the public bath.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked.

 

[Nyton]

Nyton sighed and held his face with his hand. "I must still be half-asleep." he muttered. "I meant Taii Kotori, KAMI. When and where did she want us to meet?"

 

[Remrant]

"Well enough, ma'am. All that moving around yesterday really wore me down."

Smoothing his uniform, James walked slightly behind and to the side of Yukari.

"Hard to believe we're going to finally be underway soon. It's an exciting moment! What about you, Suzuka-Chui?"

 

[Doshii Jun]

"I ... slept like the dead." Yukari surpised herself with how utterly happy she was about it.

The pair turned a corner as their map floated along with them. "I believe we will find ourselves a very naked Ketsurui-Taii. When we get to the bath, you should avert your eyes, Dige-Hei." Yukari flashed him a wicked little smile.

They quickly had to turn another corner and were introduced to a larger hall. The public bath was toward the end of it.

 

[Fred]

"Ketsurui-Taii unofficially requested that everyone meet for breakfast." KAMI repeated to Nyton. "If you wish more details, she is currently awake and taking a shower in the bathroom."

A small map of the level appeared before Nyton, showing at the corridor's end a small public bath.

 

[Abwehran Commander]

"Mmmmmm..." Masako moaned slightly as she heard Megami talk about the Taii inviting them to breakfast. The half asleep neko, though, seemed to be too comfortable with in her fortress of satin and large down pillows. In fact, the small neko seemed to enjoy burying herself with in such fancy beddings. Dressed in a simple pair of boxers and an oversized T-shirt however, the warrant officer didn't look like the type to enjoy such pleasures. Masako just happened to be one of those, "there's more to the book than just its cover" type of person.

But with a small snort and a grunt, the young neko finally managed to pull herself out of her fortress of down and satin. "Hmmmm...breakfast maybe good," the warrant officer mumbled as she winced slightly. "Wha...why do I feel sore?" Masako asked in confusion as she slowly stripped off her sleeping clothes, took a quick shower, and donned her skirt uniform. She hadn't feel this bad physically since she had her foot severed off in that Mishu ambush. "Maybe I should ask about this...since I don't really understand everything about the NH-29 body yet," the young neko kept mumbling to herself as she looked over towards a random bag by the door.

It was the bag she had used to hold everything she bought last night. It wasn't quite that large of a haul considering the fact she wasn't one of those hardcore shopping people, but it was quite a bit for her. "Though it was pleasant, I think I know why my teammates back in the Yamatai Self Defense Force keep saying shopping is much better with groups of women," she thought as she remembered the three soldiers she had toured the station with before smiling. "They are all really good people though," she commented sweetly before slipping her boots on and walking over to her back.

"Let's see here, five tank tops, two pairs of cargo pants...." she listed before blinking slightly. "Oh...I forgot I bought these last night," she mumbled before looking up at the cieling. "A silk slip dress, two silk skirts, 3 plaid pleated skirts, a new handbag....I know I bought them because they looked good, but what possessed me to buy them now," she mused as she sighed and walked over to a mirror only to come upon the bed head she had developed.

Staring at herself for a moment, Masako went to her bag again and pulled out the comb and brush set she had purchased as well. "Glad I thought ahead," she mumbled as she brushed out her hair until it was proper. "Yosh," she finally said as she stretched out her body, only to wince again. "Ittai," Masako whimpered as she finally exited her room with the wince still on her face.

"Nani?" she blinked as she heard conversation and turned her head to look towards both Yukari and James. "O...ohayo gozaimasu," the warrant officer greeted them both as she jogged up to them and bowed in greeting.

 

[Remrant]

James grinned back at Yukari as Masako exited her room and came scampering over.

"Avoid making trouble with the Taii so soon. Gotcha."

He bowed to Masako, grin still on his face. What a trip she put us through last night. It was almost worse than running that simulation!

"Good morning, Kurohoshi-Juni. I trust you slept soundly?"

 

[Doshii Jun]

Yukari nodded as she saw Masako approach them. The small Neko didn't seem very steady.

"Ohayo gozaimasu, Kurohoshi-Juni," she said with a small bow. Once her and James started talking, Yukari easily slid away from them and into the public bath at the corridor's end.

Yukari poked her head in the door, not wanting to risk getting soaked. "Koto-san?" she called. "Are you here?"

 

[Fred]

From the dressing room, Yukari saw Kotori sprawled to her knees under a showerhead. Her face was lifted up to meet the downpour of what Yukari figured was cold water from the lack of vapor with her ears flattened back and her eyes closed. The dark curtain of Kotori's hair poured straight down her back, glistening and heavy with moisture.

"Good morning Yukari." Kotori's mind returned. The Taii's skin was even paler than her usual milky skintone: the water had to be really cold.

 

[Strangelove]

"Hmm," Leutre looked up and down the hall empty hall outside his room, "Was there is anything I was supposed to be doing today?"

He took out a notepad from his pocket. Flipping through technical notes and lists, he turned to the last written page. "Ah, that's it. I'm supposed to meet someone. Somewhere. Damn it." Leutre scratched his head as he looked down the empty hall once more, "Well, everyone should eventually be going to the baths and cafeteria at one point or another. Let's just hope I can actually find them without getting lost again."

Leutre increased his pace to a jog, fearing he may be late. For a few minutes he wandered the halls until he spotted a familiar sign on the wall. The baths! "Finally, now let's see if... Ah, looks like I won't need to check after all." Leutre made his way over to the two familiar figures standing there, James and Masako.

"Oh, thank the Goddess that I found the two of you." Leutre let out a sigh of relief as he reached them. Smiling in both greeting and relief he said, "Ah, umm, you're Dirge and Makso, right?"

 

[Doshii Jun]

"Koto-san ... " Yukari could vaguely feel the cold water from where she stood. She delicately stepped inside and stood behind a low bench used for dressing. "Are you well?"

 

[Fred]

"Well, I am a bit cold." Kotori replied wryly, the shadow of a smile coming to her lips. She turned her head enough to make eye contact with Yukari. "Sit down on the stool over there."

 

[Nyton]

"Thank you KAMI." Nyton said while a part of him thought he could hear a slight tone of sarcasm in the KAMI's voice. He let himself laugh a little at the situation and stepped out of his room in his finely pressed uniform. Despite the strange dream he had slept well and even felt a bit more relaxed and confident then usual this morning.

Nyton saw his crewmates already gathered in the hallway and walked over to them briskly. "Good morning everyone. So did everyone get a good night's sleep?" he asked cheerfully. "I have a feeling today is going to be a very exciting day."