A twist in the tale.
Bubble-gum 2.
Hello all, this is the second story set in the Bubble-gum
universe. I'm sorry I took so long in posting this but I had nothing in
my mind for the story. I might have tried to made a filler story like
the ones of the Ranmavese portion but after seeing the dry material
there was in there I though; "What the heck, if I'm creating a story,
make one that will further the plot rather than one to fill up lines.
and need fillers for what happens to other characters in the series."
In any case, read and enjoy at thy leisure.
'Insert disclaimer.
'Insert starting sequence.
****************
(four o'clock. Miss Stingray's apartment.)
"Hi!" I called out as I entered the room.
"Good afternoon Mr Guo." Called a woman I had not seen before. In
fact, there were two people in the room I had not seen before, not
really surprising since I've only seen Irene, Linna and Priss. A boy
who looked either in his late teens to early twenties by my best guess
who was looking at me with undisguised curiosity. The other one was a
woman who was composed and seemed to radiate confidence and wisdom. But
her eyes although kind, seemed older than her years. It was as if I was
looking into the eyes of someone allot older than the early twenties
who was standing before me.
"Ah.. good afternoon. Miss..."
"Stingray, Silvia Stingray." she said offering her hand as I
started to bow. I chuckled as I straightened up and shook her hand.
"Nice to meet you Miss Stingray."
"This is my brother Mackie and I guess you know Priss and Linna."
I nodded in affirmative as I turned my attention to Mackie, "Good
afternoon." I said, as he snapped out of the mode as it were.
"This might seem a little strange to you Guo, but before we go
on, I want you to tell me about yourself."
"Ah... What to you want to know about?"
"According to their stories, you know something of martial arts,
but either than that, you're something of a mystery. If you have
anything else to add, I would feel... safer, letting you stay here."
"Well, what do you want to know?"
"Well . . ." a soft smile crossed over her features as I felt a
suddenly sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach and the sudden
feeling there was going to be a long . . . day ahead of me.
***************
(Much later, say after dinner.)
"Sis, do you think it's a good idea to let him stay here?"
"And why not Mackie?"
"He's . . . strange."
"I know."
"So why?"
"Well, He can't very well stay with Priss or Linna can he?"
". . ."
"If he's here, we'll be able to find out a little more about him
that he's already told us."
Makie took a few seconds to look at her in bafflement. ". . .
Like what?"
"Like how good he is."
". . . Sis?"
"Hmm?"
"He's probably able to beat Linna in a straight fight won't he?"
"Maybe, but most competent martial artists have the same chance."
"Any way to fix it up?"
"Perhaps. But right now." she said, a slight smirk on her lips
"What're we going to do with him tomorrow?"
"Bring him to Dr' Raven's with you tomorrow and . . ." Sylvia
suddenly went silent and smiled enigmatically. Bringing a finger to her
lips she paused before getting up and walking down the hallway to a
door. A few seconds later, Guo walked out, a towel wrapped around his
waist.
"Guo."
"Erk! . Sorry. . em, yes?" he said with a little trepidation/
apprehension as he watched Sylvia approach him from behind, the same
mysterious smile on her face.
"I was thinking that you can go with my brother to a garage and
do a couple of odd jobs there while we figure out a few things."
"Oh.. I guess that would be fine." he said, slightly flustered as
he edged along the wall.
"Ok then, get some sleep and he'll wake you around 6:00."
he said and popped into the guest room, leaving a
surprised Sylvia behind.
"Sis, is it my imagination or did he sound like a native English
speaker?"
**************
". . . Dammit. I'm not going to get caught like that again. I've
never been that emba. . ." He blinked as a puzzled look came across his
face. "What the hell? Just what was happened to me?" Turning his
thoughts inward, he closed his eyes and focused as a light aura came
into being around him. Suddenly it blanked out as he blinked sheepishly
and went to the dresser. A minute later, he was dressed and sitting on
the bed in a lotus position. His eyes closed as he focused within
himself, seeking understanding for the abnormal behavior.
At first there was darkness, nothing. Then a focus cleared into
the feel of Ki. It was a light red aura, held within the sandy brown of
the outer shell. A sea of calm enclosed a show of spirit or perhaps
strength but that was natural and nothing new. Digging deeper, the
layers peeled away as the mind's eye sought deeper with the soul to
find a single thread of blue and orange lazily spinning within the
layers of his Ki, warping the lines within the regions of his life-
force. The beautiful snake of gentle blue entwined with an orange
thread the color of the sun spun it's way between the regions of his
being. It was a thing of beauty but one that did not belong there and
doubtless one that changed his being. A path of emptiness opened up
before it, drawing the glowing snake out of the layers of Ki. As it was
spun out of the protecting folds of Ki, it dissipated into the air and
was gone.
I blinked opened my eyes and immediately regretted it as light
assaulted my senses. Slowly I opened them again, letting them get used
to the 'sudden' brightness of the room. Through a window, the golden
light of the waking sun spilled into the room and onto my bed. The door
silently swung open as Mackie walked into the room, a grin on his face.
"Oh. you're awake already Guo, I was wondering if you would be
awake in time."
I looked towards the open door and saw Mackie as he grinned back
at me.
"Hmm?"
"Well, I'll leave you to get changed, we're leaving in an hour."
he said over his shoulder as he backed out of the room. I rolled off
the bed and winced as pins and needles shot through my leg. What
happened to sleep?
*************
(Raven's Garage)
"Hey, you know anything?"
"Hmm?" I said, looking up from the motorbike frame Mackie and me
were assembling.
"What skills do you have?"
"Skills? Well, I know a little about acting, I know how to drive
cars and busses, I've had an elementary education in business, I know a
little about just about everything I guess, but nothing really
concrete. Why?"
"You also know a little about engines." Mackie quipped from
besides me.
"Not so, you're telling me just about where to put most of the
parts. I just put the thing together faster than you."
"_Well_" Dr Raven interrupted. "I was thinking, you might be able
to help me a little and stay on as an apprentice if nothing else."
". . . Why me?"
"Well, Mackie has his things to do at his sister's shop and can't
always help me. I was thinking, you could probably fill in for him
while you're searching for another job."
"Hey Pops, you sure it's not because you're getting old?" came a
voice from outside the shop.
"DR!" he shouted as Priss wheeled her bike into view.
"Hi Mackie. Hi Guo, how's your first day on the job?"
"Hi Priss, what're here for?"
"Oh, some gas. I swear this thing guzzles it faster than I put it
in." she said indicating her bike.
"As I've told you a million times. To have the energy output you
required it has to take in that much fuel. Perhaps if you were to
downgrade it to a more conventional engine it wouldn't waste as much."
"Yah, Yah, like I'll actually do it. So Guo, you going to take
Raven's offer or not?"
"Guess I could try it for a while. At least until I can get on my
feet financially.
"Cool! Give me a discount when you're working on my bike ok?"
she said, putting on a Kawaii expression.
I looked up with a blank expression on my face and blinked a few
times. "Talk to Dr Raven about that." I shrugged.
"Dam."
I waited a while, letting Priss move away from us before I tuned
to the person besides me. "Hey Mackie, what were my choices anyway?"
"?" he looked at me puzzled for a moment before comprehension
dawned on his face. "Oh, that. You could try your luck at a fast food
restaurant." *Grin*
"Natch."
"I thought so, or you could have come and worked with me at my
sister's store."
". . . And that is? ? ?"
"Lingerie."
". . . oh."
***************
(Genom Tower)
It was another day on the job, as Madigan oversaw the people
under her command. but for some reason, her mind was drawn back to the
meeting with. the chairman a few moments ago,
**
"It seems that this Abnormality has sparked your interest."
"Yes sir. The technology that's involved is significantly more
advanced than what's available right now and it would be in the
company's interest to find out more about who or what brought this
here."
"It's good to take such an active interest in the company, just
make sure it doesn't affect your regular duties or I will find
something else to occupy your time."
"Yes sir."
"You may leave."
"Thank you sir."
**
'Perhaps I could have handled that a little differently but ...
this mystery is one I have to solve for any peace of mind... Now it's
not what to find but where do I start that's the question.' she thought
as she strode down isle, looking over her employee's shoulders as they
examined data from all over the world.
"Now what have we found so far.. ."
************
The day had passed and the blue of the sky was loosing its
struggle against the dark veil of night. The silver disk of the moon
peeped over the horizons, rising as its sister sought its nighttime
lair. A man looked up at the sky, and looked to the bike he just
completed. Looking to the good doctor, he wondered what was next in
line.
"What's next?"
"HMmm???" came the response from under the car. A head peeped out
as the doctor wheeled himself out from below the vehicle. "Hmm, looks
like you've finished. did you reverse the actuator like I told you?"
"?? I just followed the specs Mackie gave me."
"Oh? Let's see." the doctor said as he turned the key.
*BROOOOOM!!!!!*
"Looking Good." Raven called out over the sound of the engine. He
slowly upped the power towards the max before cutting it off altogether.
It was a minute before my ears adjusted enough to hear him.
"Sounds good but Mackie should take a look at it when he gets
back. It starts sounding a little strained after 900 RPM but that's
normal for a bike. Come on and we'll take a look at the Sierra." he
said as we went below the car.
"... what makes it sound strained at 900 RPM?"
"Oh normal friction and the fact that it's coming close to it's
performance limit."
"oh... so what's the performance limit?"
He looked at me, skepticism on his face. "Do you know normal
physics?"
". . . A little."
"Then ... *sigh* it's like this. The faster the engine goes, the
more the effect of even the lightest bit of friction as the engine
heats up and that's only the first effect."
"There's more?"
"yep. Pass me the no 4 wrench, thanks. The other effect is the
effect of air. As it moves through the engine. It can only move so
fast. The faster it moves, the more resistance it creates and the less
you can do to increase the speed."
"? Why?"
"Because the combustion of fuel can only take place so fast and
provides only so much energy. When you reach a certain point, the
effect of friction of the engine, of air resistance, weight and other
factors will directly match the total output of the engine.
"oh..."
"Any other questions?"
"A few."
". . . Save it and ask me later. Right now let's get to work."
**************
(The hottest kiss the darkest night
of the eventide mists, of fire light.
What evil lurks beyond thy sight?)
"Is it me or does he seem dumb in this place?"
"Hmm?" Th demon looked up from his console. his dark eyes boring
into the back of the imp. "His education is that of 1990's this is the
2030's, what do you think?"
"oh... I guess he's dumb huh?"
". . . Not necessarily, after all, he has knowledge, just nothing
what's applicable to advanced physics."
"Oh... so he isn't dumb?"
"Ahh. That's not for me to decide."
The imp grinned. "Actually it is, after all, we _do_ have the
power to do so."
"I do, you don't."
"*sigh* So any new powers you haven't told me about?"
"Nope, though I took out a couple."
"YOU WHAT?"
"I took out a couple of his powers." he said disinterestedly
"WHY?"
". . . He's too powerful in this world if he has them."
"SO?"
"So I made the decision. He doesn't have the Shape-changing
ability anymore."
"So why did you remove it?"
"It would have messed with his existing powers in this realm. . .
you know, given him powers like Pyrotechnics, Iconolism, and removed a
couple of others."
"oh... what's Iconolism?"
". . . It's using a wooden stick and shooting plasma beams out of
it."
".... Huh?"
"He pretends something is real and it becomes real."
"Cool! Give it to me!"
"And it can kill him and all around him if he has a nightmare."
"Ahhh.... that would be a problem."
**********
(Back to the world)
I walked around for the next few days, wandering about and
finding much about the world I was in. No one stopped me since they had
lives of their own to live and things to do. Irene is an accountant in
a small firm, handling the checking of the automated spreadsheets and
handling the hundred and one legal issues that goes into the accounting
process.
Linna, well she worked in a health club as an instructor for much
of the day and as an investor for other times. Checking the rates of
interest, the daily fluctuations in the exchange rates, the
profitability of investments and the like. However she had the tendency
to look for the easy buck and ends up loosing out in the process.
*grin* good thing she has her day job.
For the others, well, Priss is a singer and a pretty good one
With only her inconsistency and attitude keeping her from making it any
higher. as for Sylvia and Mackie, it's pretty self evident what they
do for a living. one sells lady's undergarments while the other helps
out.
I wandered the streets of Megatokyo, visiting the various
districts. The rich commercial district at the foot of the tower, the
poorer ones along the fault, with it's roving gangs and the other scum
of the streets. No one even looked twice at me as I entered that
district. For my borrowed clothes made me fit in well with the natural
ambience.
But for some reason I was drawn to a shop, a shop named 'Crusher'
it was dim in the day. It's interior lit with the dark shrouds of
secrecy and dealings best done in the low shadows of night. But drawn
nevertheless was I to this shop of shadows, of numerous parts and
pieces, of electronic wonder and piecemeal junk. I wandered inside and
watched a man, laboring over a computer stand. It took no time but he
saw me soon and walked over as I looked over the room.
"Hey, you here for the job?"
"Job?"
"You know, repairman."
"Maybe..."
"Well if you are, don't stand there, come over here and fix this,
the parts are besides the computer to your right."
". . ."
**********
(an hour later.)
Plugging in the computer, I watched as the screen lit up and the
boot-up process started. It quickly shot through the system and memory
configuration before checking hardware and software. Twenty seconds
later it finished the setup and requested the uninstalled software for
the components. I thought for a second before looking to the man
besides me.
"Do you have the software?"
"err. no."
"Ok. Let's link the modem."
(Five minutes later.)
I linked it to the net and cruised the sites, looking for what I
wanted. Ten seconds later, I found it and downloaded the software I
needed, Fifteen minutes later the computer was ready to go.
"Hey kid, What's your name?"
". . . Q."
"Q huh? Ok, listen up _Q_, I've a proposition for you."
"Uh huh."
"How'd you like to work for me?"
". . . how much?"
"Well, it depends on the job. Like say a computer would be more
and a television would be a little less."
". . . ." I looked at him dubiously.
"Ok listen, you did a good job today. Putting together an Omega
837 series computer is something most people can't do. I'm offering to
keep you in a job instead of following ads in the newspaper. You clear
on that?"
". .. Ok, so how much are you paying me?"
"It depends on the job, you fix something more expensive and I'll
pay you more, let's say about 10% of the list price."
"Sorry... I've got better things to do."
". . . OK, 20% of the list price. Both of us would make money and
we'll be happy clear?"
". . . is it ok If I get back to you on this tomorrow?"
"*grin* Take all the time you want. Just get back to me soon ok?"
**********
(end)
Well, that's the end of this story. It's mostly a development
story explaining how he gets what he has in the next chapter and little
else. Now, I've to go clean up the next chapter so see ya soon.
From Q to you.
(3/10/98)
(
geocities.com/tokyo/temple) (
geocities.com/tokyo)