Primary Coloured Suicide Bombing
Part three, and ready for the big finale.
It's been a productive night, Theresa thought as she swung open the door and escorted Aoi inside. The cab driver and the street doc had both been very helpful, especially in their lack of questions. Aoi was in one piece again, and remarkably bright after their run-in with basic nastyness. She had even suggested, after such a fun-filled time of it, that they retire somewhere private. Nudge nudge, wink wink.
And so they had finally arrived at Theresa's apartment. She beamed at Aoi as it lay spread before them. The place was one single room, a lazy, oversized studio stretching from fully stocked bar to a low, broad, one-piece mattress bed. The walls and shelves were cluttered with memorabilia of a bygone era, all monuments to musical glory some fifty years hence. A balcony and bathroom were the only seperate sections; everything else from state-of-the-art trivid system to fridge and wardrobe, curiously side-by-side, lay within the one plush chamber.
"Wow," was all Aoi could say for a moment. Theresa watched her as she stepped inside and examined the room. "This is quite a collection. Old rock?" she inquired, turning back to Theresa.
"Yupyup," she beamed. "I bought it fully furnished from a has-been who finally admitted the eighties weren't coming back." Well, close enough.
Aoi gave a quiet chuckle. "Mind if I freshen up?"
"You've earned it," Theresa replied. She pointed out the bathroom door, discretely nestled between the memorabilia. "Take your time. I'll have your drink ready when you are."
"Bloody Mary, thanks." Theresa nodded her approval, and Aoi slipped through the bathroom door, closing it with a gentle click.
As soon as the door was shut, Theresa let out a contented sigh. What a success tonight had been! First, all the juicy information she had gotten from Kami's zombies. That made her little visual trap in the game saloon all the more impressive, and gave her an excuse for seeing Rachel before. And what a success it was! Aoi had been petrified at the sight of Rachel, rendered in miniature before her. And when she'd returned from the fight, for the briefest of seconds she had a look of pure malice on her.
Theresa longed for that look. That expression of malign intent, that joy in the downfall of others. Aoi again and again revealed herself as weak and sentimental, but even she couldn't hide her real nature. Her love of fighting that she had admitted to was the key. Somehow.
She hung her frock coat in the expansive wardrobe and checked herself in the mirror up the back. Not too bad, given the night's action. She flicked dust off her collar, straightened her string tie, touched up her lipstick and downed some ecstacy. That'll come in handy.
All prepped, she swung around behind the bar. She briefly pondered on her own drink, then chose to simply copy Aoi's. Tomato juice, vodka, huh. She set the drinks out and leaned on the bar, surveying her home with pride. Her eyes fell on the oh-so-comfortable lounge bed, and she smiled.
They'd be fucking soon. She knew it. Eve knew it. April and Keiko knew it. Random strangers they had passed on the street knew it, she was sure. And although she was in auto-denial mode, Aoi sure as hell knew it. Rainbows were straighter than that girl, yet she seemed so reluctant to enjoy herself with another woman.
For a moment, she understood Eve's frustrations, trying to get along with such a repressed partner. But whereas Eve wanted to make her a demure whore, Theresa wanted to bring back the real, wild, carefree, reckless Rachel. And fuck her.
"It's for her own good, really," she mused, cradling her drink.
You don't do anything for anyone's good.
"True enough. But this is different."
Oh yes. We like her.
-----
The door swing open and Aoi stepped out, rolling her bruised shoulder. "Thanks for waiting," she said as she made her way to the bar. Theresa was leaning over the drinks, her starched blouse and nearly trimmed hair making her look like a particularly classy barmaid.
"My pleasure. Enjoy."
Aoi sat on a stool just opposite her and sipped from her drink. She gave a contented sigh, and nodded her thanks. "I feel like I should leave a tip," she joked, smiling.
Theresa opened out her palm and cocked an eyebrow. Aoi responded with a gentle chuckle and delicately placed a smooth finger on Theresa's hand. With deliberate slowness, Theresa wrapped her fingers around Aoi's, gently stroking it with her thumb. Aoi's smile faded under Theresa's warm, intense gaze, and she felt her cheeks reddening.
"Uh, anyway..." Aoi slid her finger from Theresa's grasp and turned away, intently fidgeting over her drink.
"How are you feeling?"
Aoi's hand went to her side. She could feel the adhesive patch under the cut in her shirt. "Not too bad," she replied at length. "Doc said it might leave a scar, but that's business, right?"
"Excited?" Theresa abruptly asked. Aoi turned back to her, brow furrowed in confusion. "The fight," she explained. "You said you enjoy a bit of a scuffle now and then."
Aoi shook her head. "Not really like that. I enjoy the challenge more than anything, you know? Squaring off against someone skilled, the back and forth testing, outmaneuvering each other..." She smiled as she gestured, her hands moving back and forth like two fighters in the midst of a scuffle. "Those guys were just punks, with no discipline and no restraint."
"Oh, come on..." Theresa leaned in, running her fingers up Aoi's bare arm. "That's the fun of it. Stomping down some weakling, the look of panic that he's out of his league..." Aoi shook her head all too quickly, but Theresa continued unabated. "The rush of power. Toying with them, breaking them with ease." Her eyes glittered with delight as Aoi squirmed. "Being... Unstoppable. Don't you long for that feeling?"
I love it.
"No, not at all."
-----
Theresa blinked. There! She could swear she had seen it, Aoi's face shifting for a split second. The slightest twitch of a lopsided grin, the barest slant of a malicious glare. Had she imagined it? Was that really Rachel?
"No, not at all."
Theresa knew that moment. The slightest distance in the eyes, the faintest hollow in the voice. The words spoken for one extra listener, that inner voice that spoke true feelings. Aoi had answered herself! She knew that look, that voice, that particular reply, every time she looked in the mirror.
Aoi was indeed just like her. And Rachel was just below the surface.
She wanted to bring her out now! Desire overcame her, the need for verification, to confirm her belief, to finally meet Rachel unhindered, unmired by doubt or guilt or manners or humility or restraint. It was right before her!
Theresa lunged, siezing Aoi's face, sealing their lips together. Her eyes closed as the other girl's widened. She held tight, leaning over the bar, pushing ever closer together as she drank deeply from Aoi. Stunned, then shocked, then exasperated, Aoi fought back, pushing hard on Theresa. She was forced back, breaking the seal, letting Aoi gasp for breath.
"What are you-" Aoi began indignantly, but was cut off. Theresa's hand swept in, a harsh slap turning Aoi's head and ringing out through the room. They stood frozen for long seconds, Theresa's arm held out, Aoi turned away. Finally, with painful slowness, she turned back to face Theresa.
Gone was the narrowed, suspicious gaze, the faint frown, the slightest hunch at the weight of expectations on her shoulders. Instead her brows slanted, eyes seeming to light up with glee. A cocky half grin twisted her features into a look of malicious joy. Although she sat straight, her head was tilted slightly, showing the world her slanted view. When she spoke, the slight Japanese accent was replaced with a slow, husky purr.
"I thought you'd never ask," said Rachel.
-----
They lay, twisted and entwined, breathing together on Theresa's bed. Aoi's long hair fell over both of them in sweat-soaked tangles. Theresa's arms wrapped around her lover's bare body, feeling the taut muscles under the fresh scratches. Even now she could feel the choir of small pains, bruises, scrapes and scratches they had inflicted on each other. The room bore similar scars; it seemed no surface had escaped their violent, brutal foreplay. Clothes lay scattered across the room, save Aoi's phoenix shirt, now torn to rags. The girl's leather cuff, the only scrap of clothing left on either of them, grated against a fresh scrape on her shoulder blade. It was a good feeling.
Theresa slowly, achingly drew one arm up Aoi's body and tenderly stroked her cheek where it lay, nestled at Theresa's throat. "Wow," she said at length, breaking their long, mutual silence. "I haven't been fucked like that since grade school."
Aoi shifted in her arms, looking up at her. There was worry etched on her face, and she simply muttered "Sorry."
Theresa sighed. Her partner had fled, it seemed, leaving the shell behind. Strangely, she didn't seem to mind. Aoi seemed cuter, somehow, and was probably better to cuddle.
"Don't be," she replied, running her fingers through Aoi's spread out hair. "They were right, though. You really can be wild."
The girl in her arms rolled over, pulling away and holding her back against Theresa. She responded by curling herself up around Aoi, drawing her in closer and sharing their warmth.
"Sometimes... I lose control. I try to be a better person, but I go off the rails a bit." Theresa nodded her understanding. "I don't mean to." She stifled a dainty yawn, her eyes gently fluttering closed. "Sometimes... It's like I'm..." She drifted off, her petite frame slowly rising and falling in Theresa's arms.
"A different person," she finished, delicately brushing Aoi's cheek with her lips. She lay against her lover in silence for a while, contentedly listening to her breathing.
Her beliefs had been vindicated, her suspicions proven. Even now, Theresa could see the telltale marks. Her skin was unblemished; no scars, moles or freckles to chart its history. Nor was there a trace of hair below the neck, or any sign that it still grew. Her skin had been treated wholesale to change it's very colour, damaging it it the process. It would be slightly unresponsive, not wrinkling in water. The final, undeniable evidence that Aoi was, had been, and still remained Rachel.
And now too Theresa understood why this tiny bundle of neuroses had saved her life. They were alike, and deep down Rachel had recognized it too. She had seen the chance to be recognized, to be drawn back to the fore. It had been a cry for help, and Theresa was obliged to answer.
She would save Rachel from Aoi. Save her from mediocrity. Save her from doubt and manners. Save her from Kami, crushing, moulding Rachel, near-dead from that great fire, imprisoning her in an unfamiliar body and twisting her into something to be used.
Really, it was for her own good.
Soon she would take action. The first step would require careful homing, but she could arrange it. Things were in motion already. Beyond that...
Naw. Tonight wasn't for planning. She rested her chin on Aoi's head and smiled. Tonight was for indulging.
-----
The light in Eve's room brightened and she sat up, laying the magazine she had been browsing on the bedtable. She saw a trace of dark hair beyond the door and smiled. She settled back against her pillows, still seated, and gently parted her hospital gown for display.
Aoi stepped through the door, a nervous smile on her face. Eve gave her a delicate wave, welcoming and beckoning her over. Without a word, her visitor stepped over and bowed by the bed. They shared a long and quiet kiss before Aoi took her seat.
"How have you been?" Aoi asked.
"Oh, managing. Surgery's all done, they just want to keep me overnight. And who wouldn't?"
Aoi shook her head slightly. "When are you being released?"
"Should be out by noon tomorrow, barring complications." She looked into Aoi's eyes and added "I'll be glad to be somewhere friendly again," with a warm smile.
Aoi quickly averted her eyes, casting them down at the bedsheet. She soon felt Eve's hand on hers, and looked up once more. The blonde was examining her thoughtfully. "What's wrong?" she eventually asked.
Aoi felt her cheeks reddening once more. "It's... I, while you were... We..." Again she faltered, dropping into an uncomfortable silence. She thought she was ready to confess, but she was still so nervous. She felt like a hypocrite. For all her fears of Eve's faithfulness, she had been the one to fool around this time.
"You slept with Theresa."
Aoi blinked in shock. She was so calm, stating it as if it were old news. Was she really not concerned?
"It's alright," Eve said, as if reading her thoughts. "Theresa and I discussed this. It's what we both wanted for you."
And Eve had encouraged her too. She hadn't given it much thought at the time, but the two never had seen eye to eye on matters of commitment. "It's just... I made a big deal of being faithful, of not wanting you to stray. And then I go against every word I said..."
"It's alright. It's natural," Eve added with a reassuring squeeze.
"But for my nature..." Aoi let the statement and its implications hang in the air for long moments.
"Aoi, you don't have to be afraid. You can relax, have fun and still be yourself." Her hand gently stroked Aoi's as her amber eyes bored into her partner's green. "Was it good for you?"
As much as she hated to, Aoi nodded. "We really connected. I think... It meant a lot to her."
"Do you love her too?"
"What?" Aoi was taken aback. What kind of a question was that? Certainly, there was an attraction, but it was solely physical. Theresa was exciting to be with. That was it. Right?
"It's like you and April." Eve held her hand softly as she explained. "You're both so different. April is light and freewheeling, so bold and forwards. She can brighten up anything. You are so intense and focused. You're dedicated and so thoughtful. We have a connection, you and I. But April and I have our own connection too." She gently brushed Aoi's cheek with her free hand. "And I'm sure that you and Theresa share a connection of your own. You don't need to deny that connection. You can love both of us."
Was it real? Did Evelyn still feel the same about April after their time together? Aoi thought they understood each other, having gone through so much together. Was all that meaningless? Or did Eve really hold April in the same value as her? Had she been biding her time to tell Aoi this?
Admit it. She wants you both in the sack, and Theresa's her way in.
"No!" Aoi shouted, abruptly springing to her feet. "I thought I was special to you!"
"You are," Eve said calmly. "Like April is special to me. Like Theresa is special to you."
And there it was again. How could she deny Eve without knowing how she felt for Theresa? It was impossible.
"I need to think about this," Aoi muttered. It sounded pathetic, but she knew she couldn't solve anything here. "You..." She looked into Eve's amber eyes, feeling... How did she feel? Was Eve even who Aoi thought she was? Could she even love Aoi at all?
"I'll see you at home," Aoi said weakly, and fled.
-----
Today was the day. The day it all came together. She had been in touch with Kami's pets and gotten a run-down on the schedule. April would be bringing Kami back to the apartment sometime around one, where Aoi and Keiko would have the place ready. Only Aoi hadn't been much talking to anyone.
Theresa smiled, ruby-red lips curling in the mirror before her. Seems she and Kami had some kind of fight, as April had been all to happy to relate. Still, Aoi was shopping for a generous lunch for the five of them, which gave her the opportunity she needed to make the final move.
She closed her pill box and tucked it away in her coat. Hands in pockets, she looked up and around. Their apartment building stood before her. Aoi was out, Keiko was in, April was just leaving. A good window.
She lit a cigarette and idly puffed, letting minutes tick by until the time was right. It was strange to see such a plan all the way through; stranger still for Theresa to have such a plan. She wasn't a long term person. It had been wierd, being so unusually focused on one person, one goal. She had researched her target, insinuated herself into her life, discovered the gaps in the enemy's formation and prepared her strategy. She had even had a special something made for tying up loose ends, a neat liitle conclusion that would be oh-so-satisfying.
And with this move, it was almost over. Her obsession come to fruition, evil vanquished and good prevailing. That last thought sent a girlish giggle through her. Well, maybe not so good.
April should be gone by now. She dropped her smoke and ground it beneath her heel. It had been fun, this fixation of hers. She would have to do it again some time.
-----
The elevator hummed quietly to itself, whisking Aoi onwards and upwards. The closer she got to home, the closer to Eve's return, the more nervous she became. 'Be honest,' Shion had told her. But how could she without even knowing her own feelings?
Did she love Theresa? Did Eve ever love her? For the battering her emotions had taken in the last few days, did she even feel anything for Eve anymore? Even at her warmest, her most open and honest, she still felt cold and mechanical. Was she so good at controlling her feelings, or didn't she have them to start with?
A soft ping signalled her arrival. Aoi sighed and hefted the shopping bags. Too late to worry about it. If she didn't have an answer by now, she never would. She fumbled with the key, swung through the door, and heaved the bags onto the counter. But first things first.
As she stepped into the kitchenette she spotted Keiko, emerging from the hallway. Her skirt and blouse are simple, and about as formal as she had ever seen on the girl. Keiko gave a shy smile and said "Welcome back."
"Thanks. How's things here?" Aoi asked.
"All set and ready. I've spent the morning cleaning and setting up for you," she said as she approached.
"Thanks," Aoi said as she pulled down a glass. There was something different about Keiko, something unusual. She seemed excited and eager to help, but surely that was just to see Eve again. Was that all?
"Oh, Theresa wanted me to tell you she'd be a bit late, but we should get started without her."
"Uh-huh," Aoi muttered distractedly. She nodded as she drew out a bottle. Unseen, Keiko drew closer, watching her nervously.
"She also told me... About you and her."
Aoi froze, half-way out of the fridge, tomato juice in hand. She turned her full attention to the girl. Keiko had come around the counter and was now standing in the kitchenette, blocking Aoi's exit. Her hands were clasped behind her back and, although she was smiling, she was also trembling ever so slightly.
"Keiko..." Aoi trailed off, uncertain of what to say. Memories came to her of the last time they had been alone together, when Aoi had nearly lost control. She hadn't shown it much, but Aoi could tell the girl was afraid of her. So what had emboldened her now?
"It's alright. I've been thinking about it too." Her gaze was earnest, sincere. Aoi couldn't meet it; instead she focused on mixing her drink. "We... Well, I've watched you grow a lot, I think. I know I can trust you now."
Aoi sighed and turned back to the girl. "Keiko, back then I was being rash. I didn't want to ruin what Eve and I had, and I shouldn't have even... Well, started."
"But it's different now. You're different." Keiko fidgeted a little, eventually placing her hands over her heart. "You always scared me and excited me. I never came forward since then, but now I know how much you've changed-"
"Keiko..."
"I still want you." She flushed as she spoke, turning away in embarassment.
What could she say? What did she feel? How now did Keiko fit into things? Had it meant anything, that one night more than a year ago when they first met? Aoi shook her head in confusion. It would be impossible to disentangle herself at this rate. She took a drink while she thought about-
-----
She blinked. Her eyes hurt. Sunlight streamed in between the curtains, too warm, too bright. Daytime? Around noon? Had she passed out, and for how long?
Senses returned to her. Silk at her arms, bedsheets. Warmth beneath her. A body? She was lying on someone. She turned her head, ignoring its protesting ache. Dark hair crossed her vision, too long to be Theresa's. No... She didn't...
She pulled back in a start, sitting up on the bed, still straddling her partner. She was in April and Keiko's room, mounted on their all-too-luxurious bed. She realized how little she had seen of it until now. Soft colours dominated, from the peach curtains to the pastel yellow sheets. The bed took up the center of the room, with two small computer desks sitting either side of a generous wardrobe. Clothes were scattered everywhere, and the walls were intermittently spaced with posters and art prints. Her dumbfounded gaze swept the room, then finally settled on the form beneath hers.
Keiko lay lifeless between her legs. The girl had been roughly stripped - her skirt and panties were discarded, her blouse opened but still caught on her arms, and her bra lay pulled in half beside her. Her body was scratched and cut, with obvious bite marks on her breasts and large bruises on her thighs and wrists. Her neck showed the worst signs, with clear impressions of hands circling it. Her mouth was agape, and her eyes stared blankly up at the ceiling.
With a yelp of alarm, Aoi rolled off the bed and came crashing to the floor. She scampered away from the horrific sight, panting and gasping in shock, trying to control herself, trying to make sense of the horrific vision she had seen, trying not to reach the only possible, terrifying conclusion.
She sat, huddled against one wall for long minutes, trying to clear her head. At length she realized her own state of undress; her jeans undone, panties absent, and completely topless. There was no doubt left as to what had happened. With her cybernetically enhanced strength, it would have been easy to restrain while she- While-
"No!" She shouted, shaking her head vigorously. "Pull yourself together. Get up, get up," she repeated as she crawled towards the bed. "I'm seeing things. It's not real. I can't have..." She pulled herself up, peering over the edge of the bed to confirm her worst fears.
"You've really done it now." The cocky voice could have only been one person. Rachel pulled herself to her full height on the other side of the bed. Her ragged blond hair was pulled into a high ponytail, leaving haphazard strands to dangle across her face. Blazing green eyes stared down at her with contempt. A shredded black singlet barely covered her sizeable breasts, letting them shake as her body rocked with a screeching, piercing laugh.
Aoi staggered to her feet, shaking her head. "No, I can't have..." she began, but trailed off as she caught sight of Keiko's desecrated body. The extent of the abuse was staggering, and there was no doubt as to how much she would have suffered before dying.
"Can and did and was it fun, 'cause it sure looks it." Rachel sashayed her way around the bed, eyes locked on Aoi as she approached.
Aoi shook her head in denial. "No way. This is you. This is..." She backed away from Rachel as she approached, nearly stumbling over a bedside table. "I've changed. I'm different, I'm in control."
"Like you were that night with Theresa?" She halted, hands on her hips, seemingly towering over Aoi. "Face it. I was, you are, we always will be a monster."
Aoi tore her gaze away from Rachel and once again found her eyes on Keiko's lifeless body. If there were one clue, one sign that she was wrong, that she hadn't...
"Oh, now what was the other thing?" Rachel asked herself. "You made Silver promise that if you ever lost it again..."
"She's to stop me." Aoi looked back up at Rachel on horror. Eve was due back with April any minute! "What do I do?"
In the distance the apartment door shut loudly, just as Rachel winked. "Think fast. Run," she said. Aoi glanced to the bedroom door and back, but Rachel had vanished.
Aoi could hear voices from the room beyond, April and Eve. Too muffled to make out for now, but it would only be a matter of time before they noticed her and Keiko's absence.
Think fast. There was no way she could hide what had happened, and no way she could explain or excuse it. She glanced around the room for her things, redoing her jeans at the same time. There! She scurried around the bed and scooped up her armoured jacket. She felt the comforting weight of her pistol nestled inside it, even as it rubbed against her otherwise bare skin.
"Yoo-hoo, Keiko," April called out, accompanied by Eve's giggle. They were close! She had to escape, and fast. She rounded the bed, threw apart the curtains and parted the glass doors leading out to the balcony.
April's voice sounded off once more. "Now what have you two been-" It cut off with a blood-curdling shriek as the door opened. April recoiled in terror, leaving Eve framed by the doorway, looking across at her.
Their eyes met. Aoi knew exactly how the scene appeared: fleeing from the gruesome murder. Even so, she wasn't ready for the speed of Eve's response. The blonde sprang over the bed, lunging at Aoi. Before she could react, Eve had siezed her arm and was twisting around, levering Aoi down. She sprung forwards, rolling inside Eve's grip and emerging on the narrow balcony. Eve's grip on her arm remained tight, even though Aoi had gained as much distance between them as possible.
"Eve, stop!" she cried out. But her partner seemed to be beyond words. She shot a snap kick at Aoi's head, blocked by the other's free arm. Her leg lashed out again, striking Aoi's shin. She grimaced at the blow, stumbling slightly. Eve took the opportunity to yank on her arm, pulling her off balance. She stepped and twisted, bringing herself behind Aoi's back and wrenching the bound arm painfully.
Aoi had seen Eve fight this way before. Matched with the cold glare on her face, she knew Eve's free arm would be around her throat in a second. Aoi pushed back, ramming them both against the balcony door. Eve gasped out in pain, her grip loosening. Aoi then pitched forwards, tumbling them both over and sending them sprawling, seperated across the balcony floor.
"Please, stop!" Aoi pleaded as they sprang to their feet. "It wasn't me, I- I couldn't-" She cut off, raising her hands to deflect a flurry of jabs, and found herself backed into a corner. Another low kick shot at her shin; this time Aoi was ready and leapt, all but diving into Eve. The pair stumbled back, Eve trying to sieze hold of Aoi, who used their shared momentum to tumble past her. She darted along the balcony and threw open the door to the living room.
Eve lunged again, a side kick coming in at Aoi's back. She spun and blocked it clumsily, but the force of the blow left her staggering inside. Eve was quick to follow, breaking contact for a second to place herself between Aoi and the door.
"Eve..." No. "Kami, please. Listen to me."
"I'm sorry," the blonde finally said, her voice betraying no regret. "I can't let you go."
"You know I don't want to hurt any of you."
"I know. And Keiko is still dead."
The accusation pierced straight through her, hurting all the more that she couldn't deny it. That Eve's face remained impassive only cut deeper. Aoi had seen this resolve from her before, and knew that she couldn't be talked down.
A shuddering sob shook Aoi, loosing tears to roll down her face. She relaxed her stance, adopting the loose, flexible profile that had served her so well. It was unavoidable, then. The only way she could escape was through Kami.
In unspoken agreement they both advanced. Kami's jab was blocked, returned as a backhand, skillfully evaded. A low kick blocked with a raised leg, a second lashing at Aoi's waist turned aside. This left Eve off balance, prompting Aoi to surge in, striking her chest with a trio of forearm blows. The third was caught and Eve turned, hauling Aoi over her shoulder. She tumbled as she landed, spinning around to add momentem and yanked her arm from Eve's vice-like grip. The blonde lunged immediately, a low punch driving into Aoi's gut. With her winded, it was an east matter for Eve to sieze her shoulders and haul back, dropping to the ground and flipping over, propelling Aoi to crash into a low table.
Aoi staggered to her feet, but Eve was already upon her. She siezed the same arm and wrenched, the force and pain levering Aoi onto her knees. Standing behind and to her side, she raised her leg to drive into Aoi's head. Seeing her chance, Aoi swept out behind with her free hand. She caught Eve in the back of her knee, taking it out from under her and toppling her to the floor. Her hold dragged Aoi down, all but collapsing on top of her. Aoi rolled over, kneeling over Eve's prone form. She raised her fist, intent on a quick knockout, but hesitated when their eyes met.
Eve took the opportunity to reach up with her legs, scissoring Aoi's waist and squeezing. Aoi gasped out in pain, then cried out as Eve hauled her over, bringing them both down on the carpet. Legs still wrapped around around Aoi, she quickly reached around Aoi's neck. Before she could lock in her hold, Aoi flicked her head backwards, connecting with Eve's face. There was a splintering crack and a howl of pain. Aoi found Eve's grip loosened, so she quickly rolled to her feet. Eve was on the floor, clutching her face with both hands.
Aoi stepped back, agape at what she had done. Blood flowed freely from under Eve's fingers, across her trembling lips and splattering on the carpet. She was afraid! Aoi had never seen her shake with fear like this before. What had she done?
She glanced up at a noise, to see April entering the room. The girl gased at the sight and staggered back, shaking her head in denial. Somehow April's terror brought home the true impact of what had just happened. Aoi crossed the room in swift strides, scooped up her cane and was gone without a word.
-----
Theresa lay perfectly still. It was hard to express what she was feeling, hard to express anything at this point. She had taken a little something to calm her down after the day's operation, afraid that she might blow everything in her excitement. Bit the thought drifted through her gently numb mind that she may have gone too far.
The strains of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony suddenly shook her head, the choir shouting for joy in rich and boisterous German. Why was she hallucinating classical? It was a very unusual theme for her. And yet the sound was so clear, so crisp and precise. That can't be me, can it?
She willed herself to move, shaking off the millions of years of strata that pressed her into the earth's crust, tearing apart continents with the weight of her arms, reshaping the world beneath her as she reached over and answered her phone.
"Theresa?" the other end asked. Did she always leave it on speaker?
With great consideration and intellect, she answered "Mnuuu?"
"It's Kami."
Oooh! Of course! That thing with the girls and... She sat bolt-upright, the day's events (enacted and planned) rushing back to the fore. "Did I miss the... Thing?"
"Aoi's snapped. She killed Keiko."
A wicked grin split her face wide. "Oh Eve... No, she... Oh no..." Truthfully, she couldn't imagine what to say.
"She's on the run and very dangerous. She's likely to come to you." Theresa pulled her dressing gown on as she listened, covering the red lace she had prepared for just such a possibility. "Do not go near her. Let me know the moment you see or hear from her."
"Gotcha. Eve..." She paused for a second. The tempation to tip her hand was overwhelming. But no, she'd have to see Eve's reaction - if any - in person. "How did this happen?" she asked quietly.
"I'll fill you in when it's over." Business mode, alright. "I'll check in soon." With that, the line went dead.
Theresa stared at her phone and muttered "Polite." She shrugged nonchalantly. From what she heard, she shouldn't have to worry much more about Eve in the scheme of things. At least, not until the end.
That brought a wicked smile to her face. She knew that in order to finalise matters she'd have to finish off Eve. And after long hours of planning - well, too much to drink and a crime drama - she'd come up with the perfect method to do it.
But enough of daydreaming. She hauled herself to her feet and looked around. It was late in the afternoon - Already! - and the apartment was spotless. It had been a lot if work fixing it up after their rough-and-tumble a few nights ago, but nothing less than perfect would do for the scene she had set. All she needed was the lead...
The room echoed with a rapid pounding on the door. Willing her most innocent expression into place, she hustled over and pulled it open. Aoi stood before her, head hung. The girl was sobbing noisily, her body shaking with irregular shudders. Theresa rested her hands on Aoi's shoulders, gently asking "What's wrong?"
She looked up. Theresa's face fell as their eyes met. Hers were reddened, her face streaked with tears. Her jaw quivered as she held her silence between agonizing sobs. Then it was if a dam had burst. She threw herself into Theresa's arms, wailing loudly. Theresa wrapped her up in a warn embrace and shuffled them both inside, quietly closing the door.
-----
And so they had made love. Theresa had fucked, shagged, screwed, rooted and so forth, but could not have described their slow, smouldering passion any other way. In her arms, Aoi had been a needy child, desperate for some measure of comfort from another and affirmation from her partners pleasure. Truly, Theresa had slept with two different people in this one small body.
In the end, she had cried herself to sleep in Theresa's arms. They lay once more, naked and entangled in one another with Aoi curled up asleep, nestled against Theresa's front.
It wasn't what she had expected. In truth, she hadn't known what to expect, but it certainly wasn't a lovesick wreck. Had she been wrong? Had there been real feelings between them? What exactly had happened in that apartment? She would have to find out in the morning.
Aoi shook in her arms, muttering incomprehensibly. Theresa gently stroked her, calming her down almost instantly. "There there," she softly cooed. "I'm here. You've got nothing to fear anymore."
She smiled to herself. "I've already saved you."
It's been a productive night, Theresa thought as she swung open the door and escorted Aoi inside. The cab driver and the street doc had both been very helpful, especially in their lack of questions. Aoi was in one piece again, and remarkably bright after their run-in with basic nastyness. She had even suggested, after such a fun-filled time of it, that they retire somewhere private. Nudge nudge, wink wink.
And so they had finally arrived at Theresa's apartment. She beamed at Aoi as it lay spread before them. The place was one single room, a lazy, oversized studio stretching from fully stocked bar to a low, broad, one-piece mattress bed. The walls and shelves were cluttered with memorabilia of a bygone era, all monuments to musical glory some fifty years hence. A balcony and bathroom were the only seperate sections; everything else from state-of-the-art trivid system to fridge and wardrobe, curiously side-by-side, lay within the one plush chamber.
"Wow," was all Aoi could say for a moment. Theresa watched her as she stepped inside and examined the room. "This is quite a collection. Old rock?" she inquired, turning back to Theresa.
"Yupyup," she beamed. "I bought it fully furnished from a has-been who finally admitted the eighties weren't coming back." Well, close enough.
Aoi gave a quiet chuckle. "Mind if I freshen up?"
"You've earned it," Theresa replied. She pointed out the bathroom door, discretely nestled between the memorabilia. "Take your time. I'll have your drink ready when you are."
"Bloody Mary, thanks." Theresa nodded her approval, and Aoi slipped through the bathroom door, closing it with a gentle click.
As soon as the door was shut, Theresa let out a contented sigh. What a success tonight had been! First, all the juicy information she had gotten from Kami's zombies. That made her little visual trap in the game saloon all the more impressive, and gave her an excuse for seeing Rachel before. And what a success it was! Aoi had been petrified at the sight of Rachel, rendered in miniature before her. And when she'd returned from the fight, for the briefest of seconds she had a look of pure malice on her.
Theresa longed for that look. That expression of malign intent, that joy in the downfall of others. Aoi again and again revealed herself as weak and sentimental, but even she couldn't hide her real nature. Her love of fighting that she had admitted to was the key. Somehow.
She hung her frock coat in the expansive wardrobe and checked herself in the mirror up the back. Not too bad, given the night's action. She flicked dust off her collar, straightened her string tie, touched up her lipstick and downed some ecstacy. That'll come in handy.
All prepped, she swung around behind the bar. She briefly pondered on her own drink, then chose to simply copy Aoi's. Tomato juice, vodka, huh. She set the drinks out and leaned on the bar, surveying her home with pride. Her eyes fell on the oh-so-comfortable lounge bed, and she smiled.
They'd be fucking soon. She knew it. Eve knew it. April and Keiko knew it. Random strangers they had passed on the street knew it, she was sure. And although she was in auto-denial mode, Aoi sure as hell knew it. Rainbows were straighter than that girl, yet she seemed so reluctant to enjoy herself with another woman.
For a moment, she understood Eve's frustrations, trying to get along with such a repressed partner. But whereas Eve wanted to make her a demure whore, Theresa wanted to bring back the real, wild, carefree, reckless Rachel. And fuck her.
"It's for her own good, really," she mused, cradling her drink.
You don't do anything for anyone's good.
"True enough. But this is different."
Oh yes. We like her.
-----
The door swing open and Aoi stepped out, rolling her bruised shoulder. "Thanks for waiting," she said as she made her way to the bar. Theresa was leaning over the drinks, her starched blouse and nearly trimmed hair making her look like a particularly classy barmaid.
"My pleasure. Enjoy."
Aoi sat on a stool just opposite her and sipped from her drink. She gave a contented sigh, and nodded her thanks. "I feel like I should leave a tip," she joked, smiling.
Theresa opened out her palm and cocked an eyebrow. Aoi responded with a gentle chuckle and delicately placed a smooth finger on Theresa's hand. With deliberate slowness, Theresa wrapped her fingers around Aoi's, gently stroking it with her thumb. Aoi's smile faded under Theresa's warm, intense gaze, and she felt her cheeks reddening.
"Uh, anyway..." Aoi slid her finger from Theresa's grasp and turned away, intently fidgeting over her drink.
"How are you feeling?"
Aoi's hand went to her side. She could feel the adhesive patch under the cut in her shirt. "Not too bad," she replied at length. "Doc said it might leave a scar, but that's business, right?"
"Excited?" Theresa abruptly asked. Aoi turned back to her, brow furrowed in confusion. "The fight," she explained. "You said you enjoy a bit of a scuffle now and then."
Aoi shook her head. "Not really like that. I enjoy the challenge more than anything, you know? Squaring off against someone skilled, the back and forth testing, outmaneuvering each other..." She smiled as she gestured, her hands moving back and forth like two fighters in the midst of a scuffle. "Those guys were just punks, with no discipline and no restraint."
"Oh, come on..." Theresa leaned in, running her fingers up Aoi's bare arm. "That's the fun of it. Stomping down some weakling, the look of panic that he's out of his league..." Aoi shook her head all too quickly, but Theresa continued unabated. "The rush of power. Toying with them, breaking them with ease." Her eyes glittered with delight as Aoi squirmed. "Being... Unstoppable. Don't you long for that feeling?"
I love it.
"No, not at all."
-----
Theresa blinked. There! She could swear she had seen it, Aoi's face shifting for a split second. The slightest twitch of a lopsided grin, the barest slant of a malicious glare. Had she imagined it? Was that really Rachel?
"No, not at all."
Theresa knew that moment. The slightest distance in the eyes, the faintest hollow in the voice. The words spoken for one extra listener, that inner voice that spoke true feelings. Aoi had answered herself! She knew that look, that voice, that particular reply, every time she looked in the mirror.
Aoi was indeed just like her. And Rachel was just below the surface.
She wanted to bring her out now! Desire overcame her, the need for verification, to confirm her belief, to finally meet Rachel unhindered, unmired by doubt or guilt or manners or humility or restraint. It was right before her!
Theresa lunged, siezing Aoi's face, sealing their lips together. Her eyes closed as the other girl's widened. She held tight, leaning over the bar, pushing ever closer together as she drank deeply from Aoi. Stunned, then shocked, then exasperated, Aoi fought back, pushing hard on Theresa. She was forced back, breaking the seal, letting Aoi gasp for breath.
"What are you-" Aoi began indignantly, but was cut off. Theresa's hand swept in, a harsh slap turning Aoi's head and ringing out through the room. They stood frozen for long seconds, Theresa's arm held out, Aoi turned away. Finally, with painful slowness, she turned back to face Theresa.
Gone was the narrowed, suspicious gaze, the faint frown, the slightest hunch at the weight of expectations on her shoulders. Instead her brows slanted, eyes seeming to light up with glee. A cocky half grin twisted her features into a look of malicious joy. Although she sat straight, her head was tilted slightly, showing the world her slanted view. When she spoke, the slight Japanese accent was replaced with a slow, husky purr.
"I thought you'd never ask," said Rachel.
-----
They lay, twisted and entwined, breathing together on Theresa's bed. Aoi's long hair fell over both of them in sweat-soaked tangles. Theresa's arms wrapped around her lover's bare body, feeling the taut muscles under the fresh scratches. Even now she could feel the choir of small pains, bruises, scrapes and scratches they had inflicted on each other. The room bore similar scars; it seemed no surface had escaped their violent, brutal foreplay. Clothes lay scattered across the room, save Aoi's phoenix shirt, now torn to rags. The girl's leather cuff, the only scrap of clothing left on either of them, grated against a fresh scrape on her shoulder blade. It was a good feeling.
Theresa slowly, achingly drew one arm up Aoi's body and tenderly stroked her cheek where it lay, nestled at Theresa's throat. "Wow," she said at length, breaking their long, mutual silence. "I haven't been fucked like that since grade school."
Aoi shifted in her arms, looking up at her. There was worry etched on her face, and she simply muttered "Sorry."
Theresa sighed. Her partner had fled, it seemed, leaving the shell behind. Strangely, she didn't seem to mind. Aoi seemed cuter, somehow, and was probably better to cuddle.
"Don't be," she replied, running her fingers through Aoi's spread out hair. "They were right, though. You really can be wild."
The girl in her arms rolled over, pulling away and holding her back against Theresa. She responded by curling herself up around Aoi, drawing her in closer and sharing their warmth.
"Sometimes... I lose control. I try to be a better person, but I go off the rails a bit." Theresa nodded her understanding. "I don't mean to." She stifled a dainty yawn, her eyes gently fluttering closed. "Sometimes... It's like I'm..." She drifted off, her petite frame slowly rising and falling in Theresa's arms.
"A different person," she finished, delicately brushing Aoi's cheek with her lips. She lay against her lover in silence for a while, contentedly listening to her breathing.
Her beliefs had been vindicated, her suspicions proven. Even now, Theresa could see the telltale marks. Her skin was unblemished; no scars, moles or freckles to chart its history. Nor was there a trace of hair below the neck, or any sign that it still grew. Her skin had been treated wholesale to change it's very colour, damaging it it the process. It would be slightly unresponsive, not wrinkling in water. The final, undeniable evidence that Aoi was, had been, and still remained Rachel.
And now too Theresa understood why this tiny bundle of neuroses had saved her life. They were alike, and deep down Rachel had recognized it too. She had seen the chance to be recognized, to be drawn back to the fore. It had been a cry for help, and Theresa was obliged to answer.
She would save Rachel from Aoi. Save her from mediocrity. Save her from doubt and manners. Save her from Kami, crushing, moulding Rachel, near-dead from that great fire, imprisoning her in an unfamiliar body and twisting her into something to be used.
Really, it was for her own good.
Soon she would take action. The first step would require careful homing, but she could arrange it. Things were in motion already. Beyond that...
Naw. Tonight wasn't for planning. She rested her chin on Aoi's head and smiled. Tonight was for indulging.
-----
The light in Eve's room brightened and she sat up, laying the magazine she had been browsing on the bedtable. She saw a trace of dark hair beyond the door and smiled. She settled back against her pillows, still seated, and gently parted her hospital gown for display.
Aoi stepped through the door, a nervous smile on her face. Eve gave her a delicate wave, welcoming and beckoning her over. Without a word, her visitor stepped over and bowed by the bed. They shared a long and quiet kiss before Aoi took her seat.
"How have you been?" Aoi asked.
"Oh, managing. Surgery's all done, they just want to keep me overnight. And who wouldn't?"
Aoi shook her head slightly. "When are you being released?"
"Should be out by noon tomorrow, barring complications." She looked into Aoi's eyes and added "I'll be glad to be somewhere friendly again," with a warm smile.
Aoi quickly averted her eyes, casting them down at the bedsheet. She soon felt Eve's hand on hers, and looked up once more. The blonde was examining her thoughtfully. "What's wrong?" she eventually asked.
Aoi felt her cheeks reddening once more. "It's... I, while you were... We..." Again she faltered, dropping into an uncomfortable silence. She thought she was ready to confess, but she was still so nervous. She felt like a hypocrite. For all her fears of Eve's faithfulness, she had been the one to fool around this time.
"You slept with Theresa."
Aoi blinked in shock. She was so calm, stating it as if it were old news. Was she really not concerned?
"It's alright," Eve said, as if reading her thoughts. "Theresa and I discussed this. It's what we both wanted for you."
And Eve had encouraged her too. She hadn't given it much thought at the time, but the two never had seen eye to eye on matters of commitment. "It's just... I made a big deal of being faithful, of not wanting you to stray. And then I go against every word I said..."
"It's alright. It's natural," Eve added with a reassuring squeeze.
"But for my nature..." Aoi let the statement and its implications hang in the air for long moments.
"Aoi, you don't have to be afraid. You can relax, have fun and still be yourself." Her hand gently stroked Aoi's as her amber eyes bored into her partner's green. "Was it good for you?"
As much as she hated to, Aoi nodded. "We really connected. I think... It meant a lot to her."
"Do you love her too?"
"What?" Aoi was taken aback. What kind of a question was that? Certainly, there was an attraction, but it was solely physical. Theresa was exciting to be with. That was it. Right?
"It's like you and April." Eve held her hand softly as she explained. "You're both so different. April is light and freewheeling, so bold and forwards. She can brighten up anything. You are so intense and focused. You're dedicated and so thoughtful. We have a connection, you and I. But April and I have our own connection too." She gently brushed Aoi's cheek with her free hand. "And I'm sure that you and Theresa share a connection of your own. You don't need to deny that connection. You can love both of us."
Was it real? Did Evelyn still feel the same about April after their time together? Aoi thought they understood each other, having gone through so much together. Was all that meaningless? Or did Eve really hold April in the same value as her? Had she been biding her time to tell Aoi this?
Admit it. She wants you both in the sack, and Theresa's her way in.
"No!" Aoi shouted, abruptly springing to her feet. "I thought I was special to you!"
"You are," Eve said calmly. "Like April is special to me. Like Theresa is special to you."
And there it was again. How could she deny Eve without knowing how she felt for Theresa? It was impossible.
"I need to think about this," Aoi muttered. It sounded pathetic, but she knew she couldn't solve anything here. "You..." She looked into Eve's amber eyes, feeling... How did she feel? Was Eve even who Aoi thought she was? Could she even love Aoi at all?
"I'll see you at home," Aoi said weakly, and fled.
-----
Today was the day. The day it all came together. She had been in touch with Kami's pets and gotten a run-down on the schedule. April would be bringing Kami back to the apartment sometime around one, where Aoi and Keiko would have the place ready. Only Aoi hadn't been much talking to anyone.
Theresa smiled, ruby-red lips curling in the mirror before her. Seems she and Kami had some kind of fight, as April had been all to happy to relate. Still, Aoi was shopping for a generous lunch for the five of them, which gave her the opportunity she needed to make the final move.
She closed her pill box and tucked it away in her coat. Hands in pockets, she looked up and around. Their apartment building stood before her. Aoi was out, Keiko was in, April was just leaving. A good window.
She lit a cigarette and idly puffed, letting minutes tick by until the time was right. It was strange to see such a plan all the way through; stranger still for Theresa to have such a plan. She wasn't a long term person. It had been wierd, being so unusually focused on one person, one goal. She had researched her target, insinuated herself into her life, discovered the gaps in the enemy's formation and prepared her strategy. She had even had a special something made for tying up loose ends, a neat liitle conclusion that would be oh-so-satisfying.
And with this move, it was almost over. Her obsession come to fruition, evil vanquished and good prevailing. That last thought sent a girlish giggle through her. Well, maybe not so good.
April should be gone by now. She dropped her smoke and ground it beneath her heel. It had been fun, this fixation of hers. She would have to do it again some time.
-----
The elevator hummed quietly to itself, whisking Aoi onwards and upwards. The closer she got to home, the closer to Eve's return, the more nervous she became. 'Be honest,' Shion had told her. But how could she without even knowing her own feelings?
Did she love Theresa? Did Eve ever love her? For the battering her emotions had taken in the last few days, did she even feel anything for Eve anymore? Even at her warmest, her most open and honest, she still felt cold and mechanical. Was she so good at controlling her feelings, or didn't she have them to start with?
A soft ping signalled her arrival. Aoi sighed and hefted the shopping bags. Too late to worry about it. If she didn't have an answer by now, she never would. She fumbled with the key, swung through the door, and heaved the bags onto the counter. But first things first.
As she stepped into the kitchenette she spotted Keiko, emerging from the hallway. Her skirt and blouse are simple, and about as formal as she had ever seen on the girl. Keiko gave a shy smile and said "Welcome back."
"Thanks. How's things here?" Aoi asked.
"All set and ready. I've spent the morning cleaning and setting up for you," she said as she approached.
"Thanks," Aoi said as she pulled down a glass. There was something different about Keiko, something unusual. She seemed excited and eager to help, but surely that was just to see Eve again. Was that all?
"Oh, Theresa wanted me to tell you she'd be a bit late, but we should get started without her."
"Uh-huh," Aoi muttered distractedly. She nodded as she drew out a bottle. Unseen, Keiko drew closer, watching her nervously.
"She also told me... About you and her."
Aoi froze, half-way out of the fridge, tomato juice in hand. She turned her full attention to the girl. Keiko had come around the counter and was now standing in the kitchenette, blocking Aoi's exit. Her hands were clasped behind her back and, although she was smiling, she was also trembling ever so slightly.
"Keiko..." Aoi trailed off, uncertain of what to say. Memories came to her of the last time they had been alone together, when Aoi had nearly lost control. She hadn't shown it much, but Aoi could tell the girl was afraid of her. So what had emboldened her now?
"It's alright. I've been thinking about it too." Her gaze was earnest, sincere. Aoi couldn't meet it; instead she focused on mixing her drink. "We... Well, I've watched you grow a lot, I think. I know I can trust you now."
Aoi sighed and turned back to the girl. "Keiko, back then I was being rash. I didn't want to ruin what Eve and I had, and I shouldn't have even... Well, started."
"But it's different now. You're different." Keiko fidgeted a little, eventually placing her hands over her heart. "You always scared me and excited me. I never came forward since then, but now I know how much you've changed-"
"Keiko..."
"I still want you." She flushed as she spoke, turning away in embarassment.
What could she say? What did she feel? How now did Keiko fit into things? Had it meant anything, that one night more than a year ago when they first met? Aoi shook her head in confusion. It would be impossible to disentangle herself at this rate. She took a drink while she thought about-
-----
She blinked. Her eyes hurt. Sunlight streamed in between the curtains, too warm, too bright. Daytime? Around noon? Had she passed out, and for how long?
Senses returned to her. Silk at her arms, bedsheets. Warmth beneath her. A body? She was lying on someone. She turned her head, ignoring its protesting ache. Dark hair crossed her vision, too long to be Theresa's. No... She didn't...
She pulled back in a start, sitting up on the bed, still straddling her partner. She was in April and Keiko's room, mounted on their all-too-luxurious bed. She realized how little she had seen of it until now. Soft colours dominated, from the peach curtains to the pastel yellow sheets. The bed took up the center of the room, with two small computer desks sitting either side of a generous wardrobe. Clothes were scattered everywhere, and the walls were intermittently spaced with posters and art prints. Her dumbfounded gaze swept the room, then finally settled on the form beneath hers.
Keiko lay lifeless between her legs. The girl had been roughly stripped - her skirt and panties were discarded, her blouse opened but still caught on her arms, and her bra lay pulled in half beside her. Her body was scratched and cut, with obvious bite marks on her breasts and large bruises on her thighs and wrists. Her neck showed the worst signs, with clear impressions of hands circling it. Her mouth was agape, and her eyes stared blankly up at the ceiling.
With a yelp of alarm, Aoi rolled off the bed and came crashing to the floor. She scampered away from the horrific sight, panting and gasping in shock, trying to control herself, trying to make sense of the horrific vision she had seen, trying not to reach the only possible, terrifying conclusion.
She sat, huddled against one wall for long minutes, trying to clear her head. At length she realized her own state of undress; her jeans undone, panties absent, and completely topless. There was no doubt left as to what had happened. With her cybernetically enhanced strength, it would have been easy to restrain while she- While-
"No!" She shouted, shaking her head vigorously. "Pull yourself together. Get up, get up," she repeated as she crawled towards the bed. "I'm seeing things. It's not real. I can't have..." She pulled herself up, peering over the edge of the bed to confirm her worst fears.
"You've really done it now." The cocky voice could have only been one person. Rachel pulled herself to her full height on the other side of the bed. Her ragged blond hair was pulled into a high ponytail, leaving haphazard strands to dangle across her face. Blazing green eyes stared down at her with contempt. A shredded black singlet barely covered her sizeable breasts, letting them shake as her body rocked with a screeching, piercing laugh.
Aoi staggered to her feet, shaking her head. "No, I can't have..." she began, but trailed off as she caught sight of Keiko's desecrated body. The extent of the abuse was staggering, and there was no doubt as to how much she would have suffered before dying.
"Can and did and was it fun, 'cause it sure looks it." Rachel sashayed her way around the bed, eyes locked on Aoi as she approached.
Aoi shook her head in denial. "No way. This is you. This is..." She backed away from Rachel as she approached, nearly stumbling over a bedside table. "I've changed. I'm different, I'm in control."
"Like you were that night with Theresa?" She halted, hands on her hips, seemingly towering over Aoi. "Face it. I was, you are, we always will be a monster."
Aoi tore her gaze away from Rachel and once again found her eyes on Keiko's lifeless body. If there were one clue, one sign that she was wrong, that she hadn't...
"Oh, now what was the other thing?" Rachel asked herself. "You made Silver promise that if you ever lost it again..."
"She's to stop me." Aoi looked back up at Rachel on horror. Eve was due back with April any minute! "What do I do?"
In the distance the apartment door shut loudly, just as Rachel winked. "Think fast. Run," she said. Aoi glanced to the bedroom door and back, but Rachel had vanished.
Aoi could hear voices from the room beyond, April and Eve. Too muffled to make out for now, but it would only be a matter of time before they noticed her and Keiko's absence.
Think fast. There was no way she could hide what had happened, and no way she could explain or excuse it. She glanced around the room for her things, redoing her jeans at the same time. There! She scurried around the bed and scooped up her armoured jacket. She felt the comforting weight of her pistol nestled inside it, even as it rubbed against her otherwise bare skin.
"Yoo-hoo, Keiko," April called out, accompanied by Eve's giggle. They were close! She had to escape, and fast. She rounded the bed, threw apart the curtains and parted the glass doors leading out to the balcony.
April's voice sounded off once more. "Now what have you two been-" It cut off with a blood-curdling shriek as the door opened. April recoiled in terror, leaving Eve framed by the doorway, looking across at her.
Their eyes met. Aoi knew exactly how the scene appeared: fleeing from the gruesome murder. Even so, she wasn't ready for the speed of Eve's response. The blonde sprang over the bed, lunging at Aoi. Before she could react, Eve had siezed her arm and was twisting around, levering Aoi down. She sprung forwards, rolling inside Eve's grip and emerging on the narrow balcony. Eve's grip on her arm remained tight, even though Aoi had gained as much distance between them as possible.
"Eve, stop!" she cried out. But her partner seemed to be beyond words. She shot a snap kick at Aoi's head, blocked by the other's free arm. Her leg lashed out again, striking Aoi's shin. She grimaced at the blow, stumbling slightly. Eve took the opportunity to yank on her arm, pulling her off balance. She stepped and twisted, bringing herself behind Aoi's back and wrenching the bound arm painfully.
Aoi had seen Eve fight this way before. Matched with the cold glare on her face, she knew Eve's free arm would be around her throat in a second. Aoi pushed back, ramming them both against the balcony door. Eve gasped out in pain, her grip loosening. Aoi then pitched forwards, tumbling them both over and sending them sprawling, seperated across the balcony floor.
"Please, stop!" Aoi pleaded as they sprang to their feet. "It wasn't me, I- I couldn't-" She cut off, raising her hands to deflect a flurry of jabs, and found herself backed into a corner. Another low kick shot at her shin; this time Aoi was ready and leapt, all but diving into Eve. The pair stumbled back, Eve trying to sieze hold of Aoi, who used their shared momentum to tumble past her. She darted along the balcony and threw open the door to the living room.
Eve lunged again, a side kick coming in at Aoi's back. She spun and blocked it clumsily, but the force of the blow left her staggering inside. Eve was quick to follow, breaking contact for a second to place herself between Aoi and the door.
"Eve..." No. "Kami, please. Listen to me."
"I'm sorry," the blonde finally said, her voice betraying no regret. "I can't let you go."
"You know I don't want to hurt any of you."
"I know. And Keiko is still dead."
The accusation pierced straight through her, hurting all the more that she couldn't deny it. That Eve's face remained impassive only cut deeper. Aoi had seen this resolve from her before, and knew that she couldn't be talked down.
A shuddering sob shook Aoi, loosing tears to roll down her face. She relaxed her stance, adopting the loose, flexible profile that had served her so well. It was unavoidable, then. The only way she could escape was through Kami.
In unspoken agreement they both advanced. Kami's jab was blocked, returned as a backhand, skillfully evaded. A low kick blocked with a raised leg, a second lashing at Aoi's waist turned aside. This left Eve off balance, prompting Aoi to surge in, striking her chest with a trio of forearm blows. The third was caught and Eve turned, hauling Aoi over her shoulder. She tumbled as she landed, spinning around to add momentem and yanked her arm from Eve's vice-like grip. The blonde lunged immediately, a low punch driving into Aoi's gut. With her winded, it was an east matter for Eve to sieze her shoulders and haul back, dropping to the ground and flipping over, propelling Aoi to crash into a low table.
Aoi staggered to her feet, but Eve was already upon her. She siezed the same arm and wrenched, the force and pain levering Aoi onto her knees. Standing behind and to her side, she raised her leg to drive into Aoi's head. Seeing her chance, Aoi swept out behind with her free hand. She caught Eve in the back of her knee, taking it out from under her and toppling her to the floor. Her hold dragged Aoi down, all but collapsing on top of her. Aoi rolled over, kneeling over Eve's prone form. She raised her fist, intent on a quick knockout, but hesitated when their eyes met.
Eve took the opportunity to reach up with her legs, scissoring Aoi's waist and squeezing. Aoi gasped out in pain, then cried out as Eve hauled her over, bringing them both down on the carpet. Legs still wrapped around around Aoi, she quickly reached around Aoi's neck. Before she could lock in her hold, Aoi flicked her head backwards, connecting with Eve's face. There was a splintering crack and a howl of pain. Aoi found Eve's grip loosened, so she quickly rolled to her feet. Eve was on the floor, clutching her face with both hands.
Aoi stepped back, agape at what she had done. Blood flowed freely from under Eve's fingers, across her trembling lips and splattering on the carpet. She was afraid! Aoi had never seen her shake with fear like this before. What had she done?
She glanced up at a noise, to see April entering the room. The girl gased at the sight and staggered back, shaking her head in denial. Somehow April's terror brought home the true impact of what had just happened. Aoi crossed the room in swift strides, scooped up her cane and was gone without a word.
-----
Theresa lay perfectly still. It was hard to express what she was feeling, hard to express anything at this point. She had taken a little something to calm her down after the day's operation, afraid that she might blow everything in her excitement. Bit the thought drifted through her gently numb mind that she may have gone too far.
The strains of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony suddenly shook her head, the choir shouting for joy in rich and boisterous German. Why was she hallucinating classical? It was a very unusual theme for her. And yet the sound was so clear, so crisp and precise. That can't be me, can it?
She willed herself to move, shaking off the millions of years of strata that pressed her into the earth's crust, tearing apart continents with the weight of her arms, reshaping the world beneath her as she reached over and answered her phone.
"Theresa?" the other end asked. Did she always leave it on speaker?
With great consideration and intellect, she answered "Mnuuu?"
"It's Kami."
Oooh! Of course! That thing with the girls and... She sat bolt-upright, the day's events (enacted and planned) rushing back to the fore. "Did I miss the... Thing?"
"Aoi's snapped. She killed Keiko."
A wicked grin split her face wide. "Oh Eve... No, she... Oh no..." Truthfully, she couldn't imagine what to say.
"She's on the run and very dangerous. She's likely to come to you." Theresa pulled her dressing gown on as she listened, covering the red lace she had prepared for just such a possibility. "Do not go near her. Let me know the moment you see or hear from her."
"Gotcha. Eve..." She paused for a second. The tempation to tip her hand was overwhelming. But no, she'd have to see Eve's reaction - if any - in person. "How did this happen?" she asked quietly.
"I'll fill you in when it's over." Business mode, alright. "I'll check in soon." With that, the line went dead.
Theresa stared at her phone and muttered "Polite." She shrugged nonchalantly. From what she heard, she shouldn't have to worry much more about Eve in the scheme of things. At least, not until the end.
That brought a wicked smile to her face. She knew that in order to finalise matters she'd have to finish off Eve. And after long hours of planning - well, too much to drink and a crime drama - she'd come up with the perfect method to do it.
But enough of daydreaming. She hauled herself to her feet and looked around. It was late in the afternoon - Already! - and the apartment was spotless. It had been a lot if work fixing it up after their rough-and-tumble a few nights ago, but nothing less than perfect would do for the scene she had set. All she needed was the lead...
The room echoed with a rapid pounding on the door. Willing her most innocent expression into place, she hustled over and pulled it open. Aoi stood before her, head hung. The girl was sobbing noisily, her body shaking with irregular shudders. Theresa rested her hands on Aoi's shoulders, gently asking "What's wrong?"
She looked up. Theresa's face fell as their eyes met. Hers were reddened, her face streaked with tears. Her jaw quivered as she held her silence between agonizing sobs. Then it was if a dam had burst. She threw herself into Theresa's arms, wailing loudly. Theresa wrapped her up in a warn embrace and shuffled them both inside, quietly closing the door.
-----
And so they had made love. Theresa had fucked, shagged, screwed, rooted and so forth, but could not have described their slow, smouldering passion any other way. In her arms, Aoi had been a needy child, desperate for some measure of comfort from another and affirmation from her partners pleasure. Truly, Theresa had slept with two different people in this one small body.
In the end, she had cried herself to sleep in Theresa's arms. They lay once more, naked and entangled in one another with Aoi curled up asleep, nestled against Theresa's front.
It wasn't what she had expected. In truth, she hadn't known what to expect, but it certainly wasn't a lovesick wreck. Had she been wrong? Had there been real feelings between them? What exactly had happened in that apartment? She would have to find out in the morning.
Aoi shook in her arms, muttering incomprehensibly. Theresa gently stroked her, calming her down almost instantly. "There there," she softly cooed. "I'm here. You've got nothing to fear anymore."
She smiled to herself. "I've already saved you."