Elmer Studios presents... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ And now, at last, the third part of our little visit to the future. Episode 102 beings us the stirring conclusion (or not) to Bubblegum Crisis: Megatokyo Change Thanks to Mike Surbrook for some help with the host segment. Bubblegum Crisis - Mega Tokyo Change is copyright Peter Withers Bubblegum Crisis is copyright Artmic/Youmex. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [The scene - a well furnished apartment, with two couches in an L formation in front of a large cabinet that includes a wide-screen TV and video recorder. The apartment has a few doors to who-knows-where, and a small kitchenette. A coffee table sits in front of the two couches, and a desk, home to a well-equipped PC sits off to one side. There are two Silver Mallies resting on the bench in front of the kitchenette. Out the window, a huge city filled with art-deco skyscrapers can be seen, along with the odd blimp going by] [Katherine and Eiji are waiting impatient by the perfectly clean couches. After a second or two, Sean and Terry enter.] Sean: Hi guys! Eiji: Took your sweet time. Katherine: where were you two? Do you know how late you are? Terry: No mum. Katherine: I oughta hit you. Eiji: So where in blazes were you. Sean: Well, since we're doing this job, kinda, we thought we'd check in on some other people who worked here. Terry: Yeah, the voice gave us this "b-list" or something, and we decided to check up on them. Voice: That's the b-team, not b-list. Although I don't blame you for making the mistake. Sean: Oh, hi there Lucille. Voice: You really know how to hurt me, don't you? Sean: It's an acquired talent. Katherine: What did you put them up to? Voice: I just wanted to check up on some of the people who worked here. Terry: Yeah, and it was fun. I mean, did you know my weird uncle Tango used to work here? Eiji: He used to work? Katherine: No wonder he's gone strange. Voice: No, he was always like that. Sean: Well, he told us how he actually met all your parents working here. The Voice called him in when my dad was away a lot. Voice: So dare I ask, but how is Tango doing these days? Terry: Oh, wonderful. He's a part-time RPG writer, does sporadic editorials for extremist weirdo newspapers and is the presidential candidate for the Reform party. Sean: Although they're considering chucking him out for making them look like a bunch of weirdoes. Voice: Well, I guess that's good... Sort of. Terry: And we met some really strange people on this list. Katherine: Strange, as in compared to Tango? Terry: Well, put it like that, no. Sean: Like take Karen McMillan, for example. She used to be a police officer, but she had a nervous breakdown, quit, moved to England, and is now writing for the Bill. Voice: Hmm... I thought Karen was a full-time nervous breakdown. Terry: Hearing about her schedule and deadlines, I thought so too. Voice: So what about Natasha? Sean: She's my girlfriend and about to join the army with me. Voice: But... she used to be in the army. Katherine: Just to Explain... Sean knows Natasha from about four or so years in her personal timescale before she worked here. So, for the sake of causality, I won't go into details. Sean: Hey, remember that Janice? She was cute. Terry: She was old enough to be your mother! Sean: But she was still cute. Voice: What's she up too? Terry: She now works as a mecha designer, and is noted for her slightly "off the wall" designs. Very few of them ever make it into production, for some strange reason. Voice: What about Elana then? Terry: Still young and beautiful, darn her. Eiji: Damned elves have all the luck. Sean: Of course, she's in a new edition, so now she's got hang-glider ears, an exotic and mis-matched suit of armour and is hanging around a new adventuring group. Terry: Who she hates as well. Voice: Somehow, that doesn't surprise me. Terry: We couldn't find Maya, despite the ten or so addresses you gave us. Sean: Although come to think of it, all the people who lived in those places looked awfully familiar. All: Hmmm... Voice: So who else was there? Terry: Well, then there was Celena... Sean: Eugh. She was frightening. Voice: That sounds like her. What's she up to? Sean: She's no longer a mercenary, because there's no market for it. I mean, there being one world government and all. So she decided to do something more relaxing and less stressful. Terry: She's a Nascar driver. Voice: That... figures. Katherine: Wow. There were some real weirdoes working here. Eiji: No kidding. Was that all of them? Terry: Well mostly, but we decided to look up an affiliated team. Voice: Was that the Kazei Five review group? Sean: Yep, that's them. They're all doing pretty well for themselves. Eiji: Hey, do tell. Terry: Well, Noriko finally got her well-deserved promotion. She's running her own AMP Station, still dealing with supernatural pests and has discovered the joys of idiotic underlings. Katherine: Poor girl. She can never win. Sean: That Ling Ling was still in great shape! Voice: She's a genetic upgrade, what do you expect? Eiji: As bad as the damned elf. Sean: Anyway, she owns her own office building. And she's waited on hand and foot by an extremely henpecked Marta. Terry: Heh. That was kind of funny to see. Marty's still in good shape, except for the grey hair. She's real mean in a fight still. Sean: We found that out the hard way. Terry: Well you were the one who called her an office lady. Voice: Um... so how about... Sean: Shion? Terry: That was the funny bit. Shion now runs Genom. She spend all day sitting behind a desk, staring at monitors, her hands over her mouth like so. [Imitates Gendo Ikari's trademark pose] People fear being called to her office. Voice: Why? Sean: She went to the Darth Vader management school. Voice [Small]: Ouch. Katherine: You're right. They are all weirdoes. Eiji: Told you. Sean: What's this? Eiji: My dad said that the B-Team were even more whacked than the regular bunch of idiots. Voice: He's right. Terry: So, have we got more of this fic, or what? Voice: Well, yes. There's a final chapter of MegaTokyo Change waiting for you guys. Katherine: Wonderful, you just had to bring that up. Terry: Sorry. [They sit - Terry and Katherine facing the TV, Sean and Eiji on the sideways couch.] [The TV switches on] > A MegaTokyo Change #2 - Copies and Largo Eiji: In which Michelle saves Anri and kills Largo dead, thus preventing Bubblegum Crash from ever happening. Terry: Inspired guess? Eiji: Most likely course of events. Sean: So now they're dealing with an overclocking-obsessed video game geek? Cool. Katherine: Wrong Largo, wrong Mega-Tokyo. > A minor difference in the effects of one event causes major changes in the BGC > universe as a whole. Eiji: I mean, who'd think that if Sho's Mother had lived meant that in episode 8, Dr Miriam would be defeated by a moose on rollerblades wearing a tutu? > This story is from the approx. time of BGC #6 Katherine: Approximate time? Don't you know for sure? > All the characters except for Michelle Grey and Lita belong to someone else. Terry [Michelle]: Someone else gan go be stuffed. This story is about me! > ******************** > "You should try to get some sleep Michelle." Michelle's eyes blinked and focused > on Sylia Stingray. Terry [Michelle]: Yes, mum. Katherine [Sylia]: And don't forget, you've got an early start tomorrow morning. Terry [Michelle]: Yes, mum. > Sylia looked cool and immaculate as she always did. According > to Sylia's records, Michelle had stayed at Sylvie's side for the past twelve > hours. Sean: That's touching. Katherine: Well, there was nothing good on TV. > "I'm fine. Someone needs to stay here and keep an eye on her in case she wakes > up." Sean: Well don't hog her! Let someone else have a go. Katherine: How about, say, her best friend Priss? > Sylvie was still under due to the tranquilizers given to her. Eiji: That and the railgun spike through her stomach. > Anri had been > missing when the Knight Sabers tried to pick her up from the apartment. Sean: Wow. Sylive's been dead five minutes and Largo's already taken her? He is fast. Eiji: Never mind that in the original episode, Anri was still there a few days after Sylvie's death when Priss visited her. > Sylvie did not take that well at all. Terry: That and the fact that she was still out after being skewered. > "You won't be able to help her if you are exhausted. Katherine [Michelle]: Ha! With my amazing nanites I'm capable of staying awake for incredible periods of - [Makes snoring noises] > So get some sleep now. I'll watch her." > Both strong willed women looked into each others eyes. Terry [Sylia]: You are getting sleepy. > Michelle gave in first. > "You're right boss." She got up slowly and said softly to the treecat, "Lita, > keep an eye on Sylvie. If she starts to wake up, get me." Lita bleeked an > affirmative Terry: Stupid human. I have to watch the stupid boomer. Can't I go do something interesting instead? There's furniture that needs shredding! > and Michelle walked out of the room. Or rather something > approximating a coordinated stumble. Sean: Total dog's brekfast there by Michelle... And the judges are giving their scores now. Three, four, and another three. > Lita settled herself down close to Sylvie and gave a soft purr of comfort. The > treecat buma stared at Sylia. > Sylia stared back at the treecat and sighed. Katherine [Sylia]: You know, I could use a new fur coat... Sean: Bleeeeek! > She should have known that Michelle > would have told that 'cat to stay at Sylvie's side even if she left. > "She still doesn't trust much, does she?" Katherine: And why would you? I mean, all you've done is undercut and over-rided her authority at every turn, told her how to do her job, made unauthorized modifications to her equipment and wasted resources on building your little pet. Sean: Yeah, but apart from that, why wouldn't you trust her? > Lita gave a soft 'bleek' of agreement. > In the room Sylia had given her to stay in, Michelle studied what was left of > her last life instead of trying to sleep immediately. She couldn't sleep. No, > she simply didn't want to sleep. > A few pictures of her time in the American military. A few others with her > family and her daughter. The Kanto earthquake wasn't the only major quake of > that year. A year that included one in Los Angeles, which was almost totally > destroyed. One that had destroyed her family while she was working on an > engineering project in Nevada. Katherine: Say, um, when did all this happen? Why wasn't any of this mentioned in the last chapter? And if she used to be in the army, even in a non-combat role, she'd have had some combat training. So why was she trying to teach herself hand to hand combat if she was allready trained? Sean: Hey look, LA got flattened in an Earthquake. Didn't that happen in every BGC RPG campaign set on the West Coast? > "Why you? Why?" She sat there and thought of her daughter, who looked almost > like Anri. All: Forshadowing! > Soon the light went out. > _________________________ > "Hello Sylia." Sylia jerked out of her light sleep. Terry [Sylia]: Uh football practice uh... oh, hi. > It was Michelle again. Sean: You again? Don't you have a home to go to? > She checked her watch and found it was six hours since she left. > "You do know I meant for you to get more sleep than six hours." > "A _human_ needs more sleep Sylia." Michelle said almost harshly. Katherine [Michelle]: Because I, with my amazing nanites, need much less sleep than you silly normal- [Makes snoring noises] > "Would you make up your mind as to who stays." Terry [Michelle]: Yeah! Push off, Sylia! I want all the limelight in this fic. > An irritated voice said. "If it > isn't Priss, its one of you two in here." Eiji: And how would you know that? You've been dead. > Both woman turned to the now awake Sylvie. > "Are you better Sylvie?" Michelle said this just above a whisper. Eiji: She's in pretty good shape for someone who got run through by a railgun. Sean: Wow. Michelle must have let her borrow some mutant healing factor. > "I think so." Terry [Sylvie]: I seem to have all my internal organs, and I have the normal number of holes in me... > Michelle snarled angrily, "Sylvie, I swear that I will make sure Anri's safe and > with you no matter what it takes." Her fist clenches angrily and the glass cup > in her hand shatters. "No matter what it takes." She doesn't notice as blood > dripped on the floor. Katherine: Whoah. Multiple tense change attack. Sean: Um... Michelle? Your hand? Oh, never mind. Terry [Sylia]: Do you mind? You're making a mess on the carpet. > ______________________ > Several weeks later, Michelle was back at the simulation tank for more testing. Sean: She's got to go from primitive tribesman to expert Harrier pilot, and she's only got three days left to do it in. > She had a real bad feeling about what Sylia was planning for her test. Terry [Michelle]: There's going to be a question about factorization. I hate that. > ::It's going to be a nightmare even with the amount of training I've been doing > lately. I just know it.:: > The first surprise in the excercise was the speed the target was moving at. Terry: It stopped every ten seconds or so as the hard disk thrashed around like crazy. Sean: Sylia needs a better net connection. > It was moving slightly faster than she could at her normal best. Eiji: It was moving at the speed of lint! > The second was the > sheer intelligence the target apparently had in the excercise. Sean: What, it didn't just jump a lot while running forwards and firing wildly? Terry: Sylia got a better bot. Katherine: Over twenty years and the UT/Q3A holy wars continue... > After ten seconds > she had to use the n-AI to keep up with the strikes as she tried to come up with > a plan. A plan came. Katherine [Surprised]: Well that was easy. > It was unconventional as hell and was sure to bring Sylia's > wrath down from the heavens, Terry [Sylia]: For your insolence, I smite thee from on high! Smite! Smite! > but what the heck. > ::Contact Lita. Have her infiltrate the master computer for the simulator and > give us alogrithim sequence for simulation.:: Eiji: Either that, or get the cheat codes. > file://yes// > Fifteen seconds later, the treecat reported back the sequence. > ::Execute on punch at projected area.:: Sean: Um, did that make any sense to you? > file://yes. targeting. . .// > Suddenly Michelle whirled and punched into thin air that wasn't occupied by the > target hologram until she completed it. Katherine: Oh, I see. She's used the cheat codes to get the targeting bubbles for the hologram, so she knows where she can hit it where it counts. > The target spot was struck and the > simulation ended. Michelle decided to catch her breath for a minute. > She looked up into Sylia shocked eyes. Terry: Sylia shocked eyes? Katherine: You could be Sylia shocked after finding out what she's been doing to the Sabers in 2040. Eiji: Yeah... Rowr. [Katherine hits him with a cushion] > "That shouldn't be possible. You couldn't have figured out the simulation's > pattern while fighting." Terry: Oh, that's easy. It runs, jumps, fires the Top Spin then spins on the spot. You can get it when it's spinning. > "I used all my resources, Sylia. Don't be so surprised." Michelle picked up Lita > and left. Sylia's eyes narrowed in suspicion as she started to check the > computer records. Sean [Sylia]: So that's who's been using all my net time. Nene, we must talk about the all-night Diablo sessions... > Sylvie saw something that she thought she would never see. Michelle, with Lita > clinging frantically to her shoulder, running from an angry Sylia. Eiji: Ah, the wacky, zany comedy hijinks you've come to expect from Bubblegum Crisis. Terry [Michelle]: Get away from me! You're not going to turn me into a pod person! Sean: Bleek! > "I don't know what Sylia's so angry about." Katherine: It could be that you cheated on an exercise designed to test your combat abilities by using your non-combat abilities in a way that wouldn't be practical in a real-life situation. Sean: Uh? Katherine [Sighs]: Sylia's angry because Michelle used her Mad Haxor SkillZ. Sean: Oh. > Michelle was talking to Sylvie and > trying to avoid Sylia as best as she could for at least the next couple of > hours. Eiji: Lover's tiff! > "Perhaps it was the way you won the excercise. Some might think you had > cheated." Terry [Michelle]: But I didn't cheat! I merely exploited it! > Sylvie heard about how Lita had gotten into the simulation computer > and gave Michelle the main combat pattern to the hologram. > "She said herself to use any means necessary to beat it. It wasn't my fault the > exercise was designed so I couldn't win at anywhere near my level." Katherine: I think the idea was to use any *physical* means necessary to beat it. Unless you plan to rely on your cat in combat, that is. Terry [Michelle]: Quick! Hack into the AI of that Ultra-Mega-Mega-Boomer and tell me its weak spot while plotting a defensive routine that will evade all likely combat scenarios it will use! Sean: Bleek? > Lita gave a loud happy bleek even though Sylia had forbidden her from being > anywhere near Michelle during a simulation test. Terry [Michelle]: From now on in, Lita, you'll have to hack your way into Sylia's computers from the phone box across the street. > _____________________ > "Son of a bitch." Michelle listened to the news. Eiji: Something about a giant flying turtle fighting huge birds... > The 'Knight Sabers' had broken > into a GENOM facility and stolen some combat boomers. Sean: Several of them later showed up with new chassis numbers in a used boomer yard. Another one was found stripped and up on blocks. > They had killed several people while doing so. Katherine: It wasn't really the Knight Sabers. It was the Dark Saber, nWo Saber, Barry Windham, Lex Luger and a dozen people in Knight Saber masks with baseball bats. > "That. . .that makes us look incredibly evil ! !" Nene angrily stated. Eiji: That and the way they eat kittens on toast with vegimite. Sean: That's incredibly evil, as opposed to Morally Dubious. > Michelle carefully kept a blank face. "They're setting us up for a fall. But > only four of them. I wonder why they didn't make a copy of me." Terry: Because its a set-up for later. Michelle's going to have to fight her evil duplicate, save all the Knight Sabers and Anri and trash Largo. > Mackie noticed something in a newpaper article, Sean: Heh. They miss-spelt "antidisestablishmentarianisim." Of course, what it was doing in the article in the first place is another matter. > "It says that the Knight Sabers are going to strike a bank in four days." > "They're trying to set up a trap for us." > "Do we have enough people to handle them without Priss. She is still taking > Sylvie's injuries badly." Eiji: As opposed to, say, being relived that Sylvie is alive despite being badly injured? > "It wasn't her fault. Sean: Say, um, if Michelle is the one who shot Sylvie, and Sylvie's fine now, why is Priss feeling remorseful over it? > I tell her that but she still believed that she would've > killed Sylvie to save the city. 'Could've' and 'would've' are worse than > positive or negative certainties." > Michelle asked Sylia anxiously, "Will my new motoslave going to be ready by > then." Sean: Well, it was going to be ready, but there was a complcation. Terry: What? Sean: Priss decided to test-drive it. Terry: Ouch. > Sylia shook her head, "It won't. The rest of the teams will, but not yours. The > motocycle parts work, but the motoslave doesn't." Katherine: How's that? From the looks of the construction, you'd think that you'd need the motorslave to be functional first. Sean: It's a dramatic plot device thingamie. > Michelle smiled slightly, "If I have a duplicate, Eiji [Michelle]: It will have a short skirt, crop-top and goatee beard. Terry: Up next "When Evil Duplicates from Parallel Universes attack!" > its going show up at the bank > in four days if ever. I might be able to keep it away so it can't work with the > others." > Sylia sighed. Michelle probably had another crazy idea, "What's your plan." Eiji [Michelle]: Linna and Priss will lead the attack wearing only string Bikinis. Nene will make a surprise move from behind with a banana cream pie and give their leader a wedgie. Sylia will fall over, twist her ankle and scream. And then, using the unholy power of my nanites and my cat, I will save you all from near certain doom. Any questions? Sean: Bleek? > ______________________ > "Why are you doing this?" Leon was in a crumpled heap in front of the Knight > Sabers. Katherine: It's because no-one likes you, Leon. Just accept it. > "Why damnit!" One of them lined up a shot at the prone K-12. Eiji: Any last words? Sean [Leon]: I want my release! > And it was > promptly blown off of its feet. A piece of the shell covering the face fell of > revealing a glowing red eye. Terry: Ack! Sylia's posessed! > "What the hell?" > The four boomers split their shells open, revealing their true forms Sean: Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's... Superboomer! > as three hardsuits landed on the rooftop. Katherine: Three? Where's Priss got to? She's got no reason to want to quit the Sabers, you know. > "Knight Sabers, its show time." Terry: At last! A plot! > ____________________ > A figure far from the fight lined up the shot. Sean: Where is this guy? Terry: Behind the grassy knoll. > The shot would have to be perfect to do the job right. Eiji: I bet you that I could take a fly off that windmill nine times out of ten. That's assuming clear weather and no wind. Say, three times out of four with a slight headwind, and two times out of three with a light haze or if the sun's in front of me. So, I'd say I can take a fly off that windmill, say, eleven times in fourteen under average conditions. > ____________________ > Another roar of jets sounded as a grey-white suit appeared on the scene. Katherine [Michelle, singing]: Here I come to save the day! > It roared from ground level and flew up to help the others. Terry [Michelle]: Ok, here I come to bail out your worthless posteriors > The police watched as > it flew up past the floors rapidly. Suddenly a bright flare of light was > seen by the policemen and the hardsuit was blown into the building. Sean: Faceplant. Terry [Chirpy]: And you know, that's just gotta hurt! > One of the cops turned and looked down the street in the direction where the > shot came from. The binoculars allowed him to see another grey-white hardsuit > holding a large rifle-like device of some kind Terry: What's she got there? Sean [Bateu]: It's just your standard issue big gun. > a couple hundred meters away and two highway levels up. > The hardsuit embedded in the building pulled itself out. Several pieces of armor > fell off and revealed a metallic body. It split the rest of the armor away, > revealing another boomer. > Michelle placed the particle pulse rifle back into its holster Terry [Michelle]: This is my *boom* stick. Katherine: Well, she does call herself Ash... > and pulled out a > blunt object. She pressed the trigger and fired two mini-missiles at the boomer. Katherine: She's carrying a Big Friendly Gun *and* a missile launcher on her? How much can her hardsuit carry anyway? Sean: That's not all. She's also got a pair of torpedo launchers, two gattling guns, two flamethrowers, two cryo-blasters, a pair of swords, shields and a Laser Crossbow. > The boomer evaded and Michelle used the sightings of the military weapon to > track the missiles toward the boomer. The first missile missed as the ECM on the > boomer activated and the missile was blown out of the sky. Katherine: Actually, ECM won't *blow up* missiles. It'll decoy and confuse them, but that's all. > The second used the > ECM to guide itself into the boomer. The missile exploded and the boomer was > thrown back. Sean: Wow. Your big-ass missile can only wind boomers. Real good stuff you got there. Terry: What do you expect? She got it from an Imperial Space Marine surplus store. > Michelle calmly reloaded the weapon from 250 meters away and fired > again. She revved her motoslave and slipped it into gear. Terry: When did she have her motorslave there? Eiji: Just then. Terry: Some description would be nice, you know. > The boomer destroyed one missile and dodged most of the explosion from the > second. Katherine: ...all this and we don't even know what it looks like. Sean: It looks like a Boomer. Isn't that good enough for you? > It persued the source of its torment, the Knight Saber that had fired > those shots at it. Terry: Oh, *now* it figures out who's been ineffectually scuffing its paint. Eiji: Smart this guy ain't. > Michelle glanced back and noted that the boomer was catching up to her. Eiji: Objects in mirror may be closer then they appear, huh? > Sporatic laser fire confirmed her observation. Terry: Well, it was either the boomer or a LA driver. Sean: Same thing, really. > She started weaving back and forth as she > started in the general direction of Genom tower. She figured that if massive > property damage had to occur, why not on the doorstep of a hated enemy. Katherine: Of course, you could lead it back to the fight where the other Sabers are so you'd be in a better position to help them out if anything happens... Sean: Or just stay where you are to stop more people's homes from being needlessly destroyed. Terry: Yes, but then she wouldn't accidentally bump into The Plot. > Another laser blast burnt by her, almost melting her armor. Terry [Michelle]: Yow! Hot pants! Hot pants! > She slammed the breaks and > sideskidded to a stop. Before she stopped, she brought the particle pulse rifle > up for a shot and fired several shots at the superboomer. > The high powered particle pulse rifle was the substitute that Sylia and Michelle > created for Michelle's lack of motoslave capabilities. Eiji: Michelle's compensating. > They had placed several more power sources just for this weapon. Sean: Pray you never have to use the Emergency Generator. Terry: Why? What is it? Sean: A little hamster on a wheel. > Michelle didn't spare them as she went for shot after shot. Eiji [Michelle]: This is for Meg, Nam and Lou! And this is for Sho's mother! And this is for Trooper 28! > The shots tore into the boomer and Michelle stepped off of > the motocycle after replacing the weapon into its holster. Katherine: You've got a Holster for a gun like that? Sean: Oh, sure. It's the same thing that any FPS character uses to store a Minigun, rocket launcher, railgun, megaweapon and chainsaw at the same time. > The boomer roared and fired its particle beams at Michelle. Michelle dodged the > onslaught and barely got out of the way. The superboomer seemed to be less armed > than expected, but faster. Terry: Its the new Superboomer Sports Edition! > Michelle fired her railgun and then her plasma cannons. Eiji: Damn, this girl is carrying a *lot* of ordinance! Sean: Missile launcher, railgun, plasma gun, megaweapon... she's like a Cyberpunk player character. Katherine: You know, we may be on to something here... > Most of the shots missed and she lept out of the way of a heavy laser > barrage. > Michelle could only concentrate on not getting hit. Eiji: Sounds like the proverbial plan to me. Terry: That reminds me, how are your martial arts courses going? Eiji: My dad pantsed me. It was humiliating. > The dementions of this > 'superboomer' and its apparent speed meant that whoever designed it meant it to > fight someone with her speed. Terry: How does a boomer's mental health effect how fast it goes? Sean: Well, every now and then it has to stop and listen to the voices in its head. Katherine: I think he meant "dimensions" not "dementions". Sean: You ruin all my fun. > It's weapons could've been a lot heavier than what > they were apparently. No missile pods seen or scanned Eiji: Which would be very odd, as boomers never carry missiles. Sean: Actually, the BU-12T Tank Hunter does... Eiji: Ha! Admit it! You own a copy of BGC EX! Sean: Actually, I found it in a used bookshop. It was keeping a copy of the DBZ RPG company... > but a lot of particle beam and laser weapons. Terry: It's got Zap Zap guns up the wazoo. Katheirne: So if it's got lots of weapons, it's not really underarmed. Most boomers only carry one or two weapons, albiet big ones in most cases. > She twisted in midair and fired both of her plasma gauntlets. Terry: Man, those button combos are so hard to do. > The boomer nimbly dodged out of the way and returned fired as she dropped to the > ground. It rushed forward for a physical attack and got a few hard punches > through. Michelle went low and attempted to dive under the boomer's reach but > was blocked easily. Sean [HG Nelson]: Double, no triple Chiko Roll, into a Battered Sav, followed by a Hello Boys and into... All: Flatbag. Eiji: Well that was certainly obscure. > Michelle jumped back out of reach and into a defensive position. The boomer > started forward. Suddenly a cluster of missiles struck the boomer in its chest. Terry: Well that was unexpected. Sean: Michelle picked up the "Matra Magic" enemy skill. > The boomer stumbled from the unexpected attack and Michelle fired her gauntlet > plasma cannons at the boomer. The missiles continued to pound the boomer in a > steady stream Eiji: Where are they getting all these missiles from? Katherine: The same place Scott Bernard does. > and was enhanced by lasers and Michelle's weapons. Michelle backed > up to her motocycle and drew her particle pulse rifle. She sited the weapon and > fired a single round into the boomer's head. The superboomer's head exploded and > Michelle fired the last shots into the chest and stomach. Eiji: Don't think you're overdoing it a bit, do you? > The superboomer fell, destroyed. > Michelle turned toward her unexpected ally and saw. . . Eiji: Kyrind Brandford! Terry: Darkfart! Sean: Takei Orochi! Katherine: Locke Sommerville! > The DD Airborne Battlemover. Katherine: That would have been my next guess. Really. > ::What the hell?!:: Terry: That's my thought as well. > "May I ask whose in there?" Michelle tried to stay calm and was almost failing. > The superweapon paused and opened its cockpit revealing. . . Eiji: Sylive! Sean: The nanites! Katherine: Lita! Terry: The Gobbeldygooker! > that no one was in it. Terry: That was going to be my next guess as well. > The cockpit closed, the massive weapon seemed to bow to her almost politely, > and then it activated its jets. Soon it was gone. > Michelle shook her head. How did it activate and come to her? Why did it protect > her? Terry: And why is the room going around and around? Katherine: And where did it get all the new missiles from when it used them all against the Knight Sabers? > Mysteries for another night. Sean: Twenty says that this is never touched upon again. > She almost got on her motocycle to go back to > the Sabers when the explosions started happening. Terry [Michelle]: Not me. Really. > She ducked and saw massive beams of energy strike down from the sky. > "My god. Those are from the orbital satellites." Sean: Either that or the rain's really heavy tonight. Terry: And the plot finally occurs. > From the size of the beams, she > knew that hundreds, maybe thousands, of people had just died from those lethal > weapons. > The radio activated. "Michelle, Priss has taken her hardsuit and motorslave. The > transponders indicating she is heading toward Genom Tower." Katherine: Um... This is going to sound stupid, but why is Priss going on an insane revenge trip if Sylvie's still alive? Eiji: To move the plot along, and so Michelle can save her. > Michelle activated her radio for two way communication. "This is Michelle. My > copy's been destroyed. I'm just a short distance from the Tower. I'll go try to > back her up and find out why the orbital satellites just fired." She started > toward the Tower. Terry [Sylia]: Go ahead. Don't mind us. We're still being thrashed by our evil duplicates but I'm sure we'll be fine without your awesomeness to back us up. > __________________________ > __________________________ > Priss felt her body go numb as Katherine: The Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster took effect. > the knife slid through her hardsuit and into her side. Sean: DOINK! Terry: One of FF8's two great contributions to the world of Zany Video Game Quotes. Eiji: What's the other one? Terry: BOOYAKA! Eiji: I had to ask. > She dropped to her knees in pain and Anri dropped the knife in shock. > Largo gloated about how easy it was to use Sylvie and Anri. Sean [Largo as Kuni]: They so stupid! > He fired his > concussion blast. Priss braced herself but Anri jumped in front of her. The > blast propelled them both backwards. Terry: So this is what it's like to be wallpaper. > Michelle entered the office. She scanned the area and saw Anri, practically > dead. She heard Madigan groan and try to crawl away. Eiji: Say, um, where's Priss got to? Sean: She's not important. > Michelle sat back on her > feet in a kneeling position, and pulled Anri up into her lap. Katherine [Priss]: Don't mind me. I'm fine. Merely bleeding profusely, suffering numerous internal injuries and bruised black and blue. I'll be fine. > "Anri. . .Anri?" She asked anxiously as she diverted power into the dying > sexaroid. She wouldn't live more than a few minutes even with the extra power. Sean: Quick! Call a Genom-Approved serviceman! Eiji: Heh... Imagine that. You call the Genom help line because your Sexaroid isn't working right. Katherine: Eiji! Sean: Yeah, but how would you explain the problem? Katherine: Sean! Terry: Actually, there could be an amusing skit in that. Katherine: Your dad bought you up really well, you know that? > "S-sylvie?" Michelle lifted her helmet and revealed her Monica face. All: Aaaaack! Terry [Michelle]: Sorry about the face! > "No, but she is fine. Just rest now child." > "Largo said she was dead. Sean: She wasn't dead. She was reborn young and bustier in an alternate universe created by her super-powered mutant son, starred in some lame adventures and then was contrived back into the real world. > He said we could be free. I-I wanted to be free so badly. That's all." Katherine [Priss]: And while you're at ignoring me in my considerable pain, this is *my* scene here that you're stealing. I'll just go out and deal with Largo and his Ultra-Mega-Mega Boomers on my own in my horribly injured state while you in all your nanite-powered awesomeness steal all the limelight. > "I understand little one. I would be proud to have a daughter like you." > Michelle draws the hair back from Anri's face. Moments extended to minutes. > Anri's body shuddered in pain. > "I can't feel my body." Katherine: You've been hitting the Pan-Galactic Gargle Blasters too? > "Just rest now child." Anri jerkd slightly and her body relaxed. Her head rolled > back. "Rest in your peace." Sean: That would be touching, if not for all the typos. Eiji: Heh. She said "jerkd". > Michelle gently placed Anri down on the floor and closed Anri's eyes. Katherine: Sob for the contrived and artificial connection between god-girl and the victim of the week. Sean: Lesson number one: Never guest-star in an Artmic production. You won't get out alive. > She heard the sounds of explosions outside. Sean: Hey! Come on in! The party's just getting started! > "Largo." Her face went cold as she snarled that name. Katherine: Gee, Michelle's seems to have quite a personal grudge against Largo for someone who's only just met him. Eiji: You've got Priss's vengeance for Sylvie and Sylia's vengeance for her father all in the one package. What more could you want? Terry: A good reason? > Madigan looked into the face of her enemy and all she saw was death. Eiji [Largo]: My name is Largo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die. Sean: So who's going after Madigan anyway? > Largo approached Priss. Terry: Lego, this is Priss. Priss, Largo. I'm sure the two of you will get along famously. > The other superboomers had dashed her hopes that she > would be able to get out of this alive. She refused to close her eyes and wait > for the end though. She didn't want to die that way. "You cannot stand against > me. I will crush you all like insects. Terry: Hey, he's just declared that he's invincible. I say death in five Page Downs. Eiji: You're on. > This is what you face, the face of a > god." His form swelled and changed. Sean: For, when enraged, Dr Brian J Mason becomes the Incredible Largo! Eiji [Largo]: Largo smash puny Knight Saber! > His eyes turned a glowing red. Sean: Ack! The devil! The devil! > His ultraboomer form was revealed. Katherine [Largo]: I'm huge! > A blur struck Largo and sent him tumbling away. Sean: Poor Largo had just become a victim of a it-and-run roadrunner attack. Terry: Meep meep! > The blur settled down to being a > light grey hardsuit. Eiji: 2040 Sylia? Sean: It would fit with the "blur" effect, but no. Unfortunately, it's Michelle. Eiji: Damn. I wanted to see someone about to burst out of their outfit. > From her stance, she was pissed. Terry: You can tell that from her stance? Katherine: That and the raised middle finger. > "This is your day of judgement monster." A cold voice hissed within the hardsuit > as she took the head off of one of the superboomers almost negilently. Terry [Michelle]: Whoops. Sorry 'bout that. Katherine [Boomer]: It's okay. > "And it is your last." > Priss remembered back to the information that Sylia had gotten on Michelle Grey. Sean: Height, weight, age, dietary habits, sexual preferences, number of fillings, favorite muffin type, measurements, pet goldfish's name, magazine subscriptions, favorite newsgroups, tv viewing habits and favorite Olympic sport. Terry: Okay, I'll bite. What is it? Sean: Synchronized swimming. Terry: She is sick! Sick! > About her military experience and what had happened to her since that time. And > about the deaths of her family. She suddenly reliazed how much Anri had > resembled Michelle's daughter. > "Another insect. Tell me Angel, do you honestly think you can defeat me, a god." > Largo's mocking voice echoed. > "Even the gods and the devils have been defeated before by mortals." Sean [Largo]: Like when? Terry [Michelle]: Like... look! Behind you! It's Hat, the Vulture-Headed god of Uninvited Guests! Sean [Largo]: What? Where? Terry [Michelle]: Sucker. > Michelle walked forward, armor rippling slightly. Katherine: Either she's got a cloaking device or her armour's made out of water. Either is too goofy to believe. > "It is time to end this." > Michelle barely saw Largo move but dodged his first blow. Eiji [Largo]: Noodles? Try my fist! > She dodge the second and opened fire with her gauntlets. > The outer skin smoked slightly but nothing else. Sean [Largo]: Nanite weapons? Only so-so! Katherine: Guess Largo got the shield belt. Terry: He camped out until it arrived. He's such a cheap player. > "You are nothing but a little worm to be crushed." Terry [Largo]: Crush crush crush stomp stomp stomp squeeze squeeze squeeze! > Michelle swore later that she didn't even see Largo move. Sean: She knew nothing about it until the change of address cards came. Terry: Actually, she was looking the other way at the time. Katherine: Any reason? Terry: Something to do with Gorf, the Horse-Headed god of Horses. > She was ready but not > for that. All she knew was suddenly she was flying through the air and hitting > the ground. Terry [Michelle]: I have slipped the surly bonds of mother Earth and touched the hand of god! > An energy weapon penetrated her armor. She shuddered in the pain. A > grey hand effortlessly picked her up and slammed her down brutally. Sean [Jim Ross]: Chokeslam! Chokeslam! > Again and again Largo did the same thing. Eiji [Tony Shcivone]: Effortless powerbomb there by Nash! He knows only three moves, but he's going to use them. Don't forget, folks, Nitro will be coming at you live next week from a cess-pool in Wisconsin. > She felt her visor shatter into fragments and she was dropped. She tried to move > but found she couldn't. Sean: Largo was sitting on her. Katherine: That's not Largo! It's Keggs! Sean: Well that was obscure. > From her vantage point, she could see that Largo was > about to end her existance. She closed her eyes and waited for the end. Eiji: So, comparing what she's doing here to what Priss said she wouldn't do, we can deduce that Michelle is a screaming wuss, right? > She knew that moment that she had failed everyone. Her friends, the people of > MegaTokyo, Sean: The small girl with the cute smile, the grumpy guy down the street, Orlando... > and her daughter. Katherine: Michelle, you suck. > Sudden autocannon fire erupted and threw Largo away from her. She managed to > regain enough strength to move her head. She saw Priss going for her new > motoroid and the remaining hyperboomer. Michelle saw Largo going for Priss, > apparently ignoring her. > file://Query, implement hyperevolution. yes/no.// Terry: Michellemon Digivolve into... HyperMonicamon! > ::yes. I want that bastard dead!:: > Slowly she crawled to an open outlet that sparked electricity. Katherine: Fork in hand. > She dropped her hand onto it and lost her consiousness. > "Adjust by .006 degrees!" Nene shouted out frantically. Linna did so just as > frantically. Katherine: No, the other way! > Both yelled out, "Fire!" > Neither the course calcuations nor Largo's signal to the satellite caused > anything to happen. Eiji: Connection time out. > No death rained in from the skies. Even Largo was a bit surprised. Terry [Largo]: What? No Earth-shattering kaboom? > "Your atonement for your sins Largo. . .is death." Sean [Largo]: But I've already died once. Terry [Michelle]: Well, then I'll... kill you again. Sean [Largo]: It's okay. I'll just come back to life again. Terry [Michelle]: You're real difficult to work with, you know that? Sean [Largo, smug]: I know. > A cool emotionless voice said > from behind Largo. He turned and swung at the shape, his fist was neatly caught > by a gauntleted hand and slowly pulled away from it. The shape backhanded Largo > away from her and allowed the rest to see Michelle in her Monica guise. Terry: So rather than being saved by Priss with her kick-ass new Motorslave and Hardsuit, they're saved by HyperMonicamon. What a sucky turn of events. > "Leave Knight Sabers. I will take care of Largo myself." > The Knight Sabers hesitated when they shouldn't have. > "LEAVE!" A force blast threw them off the Genom tower and several blocks with > only minimal damage and a maximum of dizziness and confusion. Katherine: So, let me get this straight. The Knight Sabers wanted to help Michelle, so in response she blew them away? That makes a lot of sense. Sean: Boy, is she gonna feel stupid when she realizes that Leon was up there and she just killed him. > "Now Largo, let us dance." Monica said toward the ultraboomer. Sean [Largo]: You dance divinely. Do you come here often? Terry [Michelle]: Only during the mating season. > _____________________ > Madiagan tried to force herself to get up. She had stopped most of the blood > flowing out of her leg, but it was now lost in a feeling of numbness. Sean: That's not the blood loss. You've just been sitting on it for the last half an hour or so. > She had the feeling she could lose it if Largo didn't kill her first. > Explosions and the sounds of armored combat continued outside as Madigan tried > to figure out what was going on. Katherine [Madigan]: Well, either the knight Sabers are fighting Largo or I've been moved to Genom's office in Grozny. > Why hadn't Largo used the orbital satellites > against the Knight Sabers? Sean: His connection had crashed. He chose a cheap ISP, and has to live with it. > How were they resisting him? Terry: They said "Ni" to him. > Then a sudden burst of > light blinded her eyes as a sudden and massive explosion sent her tumbling back > to the floor. Eiji: Damn it, who's been messing with the Geometric Nucleus? > The sound of armored boots on shattered glass could be heard. Madigan looked and > saw a grey-white armored figure enter the shattered window. Sean: Can't you use the door like normal people. Terry [Michelle]: Pardon me. The window was open so I thought I'd let myself in. > The helmet visor was > raised and the occupants eyes practically burned. Katherine: Uh, Michelle? You might want to see your doctor about that... > She stared at Madigan silently and moved toward the boomer body. Terry [Madigan]: Ewww... What died in here? Oh. He did. > She gently picked it up into her arms. She > turned toward the window and said one brief thing to Madigan in a cold voice. > "Largo is no more. Do not follow his path." Terry: Four and a half! I win! Eiji: Damn... > ___________________________ > Michelle stood silently in front of Anri's final resting place. She stood there > beside Sylvie long after the others had left. Her hand was holding Sylvie's in > what would have bone breaking for humans. Terry: And Sexaroids. They're no tougher than humans, you know. > "Sylvie," Michelle said after a time. "I'm sorry." > "Thank you for this. Anri would've liked it." Sean: Well, except for the fact that she'd be buried under it and all... > As one the two walked away. Eiji: Is there something going on between these two that we don't know about? Is Priss being left out? And can I watch? > It had > taken a lot of effort for Michelle to give Anri this, but it was the least she > could've done. > Shaded by a small evergreen tree, the gravestone read > Anri Grey > 2010 - 2032 Katherine: So you're going to bury her under someone else's name and date of birth. How nice of you. > May she enjoy the peace > that was denied to her in life > ______________________________ > Till the next time. . .or draft [The TV suddenly starts bellowing smoke, and then bursts into flames. After a few seconds, it collapses into a charred heap of components] Terry: Wow. I guess it couldn't handle the strain of being used after all those years. Eiji: Either that or it didn't like the fic either. Sean: My dad says they used to blow up all the time. True, they often took some encouraging... Katherine: A pity. I wanted to "encourage" this one a little. Voice: Well, um, yes. I, uh, guess it's time for your reviews. Katherine: I'll go first. This chapter surprised me for its plot adherence factor, even when it was completely unnecessary. Sylvie being alive is the main point here. If she's still alive, then why has Priss gone out on a vengeful self-destructive killing spree? And why didn't the Sabers think to go and pick up Anri and treat her blood loss problem immediately, rather than waiting around for ages and then being shocked that she's gone? Sean: I think Michelle was even more dominating in this chapter than the previous ones. Once again, she showed up Sylia, used way cool gadgets and blew stuff up. But now she's taking roles that the other Sabers should have. Anri dies in Michelle's arms, not Priss's. She fights Largo, rather than Priss, and kills him, rather than Leon. And she also seems to be supplanting Priss as Sylvie's good friend. Eiji: Or whatever. Personally, I thought the writing was shocking. I mean, it made a semblance of good grammar and spelling, but the story- Terry: Such as it was. Eiji: Such as it was, utterly fell apart by the end. You know, all of a sudden Michelle's gotten even stronger, without the changes actually being described or no hint at this ability before. Then she throws away the rest of the Sabers, and Largo dies off camera. All of a sudden, she's lecturing Madigan like she's the real evil here. It was really, really badly done. Terry: What really bugs me is the character of Michelle throughout the story. I mean, surely we're meant to like or at least respect this character, but I see no reason to. The author has created a fundamentally unlikable character. She swings from extremely arrogant and bossy, to whining and teary, but with no middle ground. She has some token worries about the nanites, but that never goes anywhere. Voice: Well, thanks for that. Sean: Anytime, head. [They all stand] Katherine: Well, I can understand why my mum hated this place. Eiji: If that was the sort of stuff they had to read for a living, I can understand. Sean: Yeah. It sucked like you wouldn't believe. Eiji: I'm beginning to understand why my dad is so screwed up. Katherine: No, your dad is screwed up because he's trapped on a planet full of drunken redneck Australians and has you for a son. Eiji: Well, yeah, that too. Sean: Man, it's enough to make me want to work for a living if it means that I never see this place again. Terry: I dunno, I thought it was kind of fun. Sean: You what? Terry: Yeah. We should do this again sometime. Like, maybe, ten thousand years from now. Eiji: You got that right. Katherine: Well, I for one am out of here. Anyone care to join me? Sean: Don't have to ask me twice. Eiji: Come on. I think I saw a tacky bar with watered down beer and cockroaches on the way in. Terry: Cool! Sean: I'm practically there. [They turn to leave. Freeze frame as they open the door] Caption: Katherine won the Earthgov Wrestling Federation Women's Title in 2137, becoming the first woman with no cosmetic surgery to hold the belt in twelve years. Sean joined the army, became their top scoring ace and married his arch rival. He acts as a "military consultant" to movies and writes role-playing game books in his spare time. Terry finally got her big break into acting when she played "girl at service station" in an episode of "The Bill". Eiji boosted his career with the third-person adventure game "Fallen Angel," featuring a blatant rip-off of "Monica Angel" in a scanty, skin-tight armour suit. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Disclaimer: The future of Elmer Studios presented here may or may not come to pass. The unpredictable nature of causality makes accurate predictions impossible. The best we can give you is a fairly informed guess. Hope it doesn't. Dedicated to Kevin "Issei Mataloun" Smith ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Riffed by: Rick R. Mortis (rickr@elmerstudios.com) & Jinas (jinas@elmerstudios.com) Terry and Eiji Tateo are copyright 1999-2000 Max Fauth (Jinas) Katherine Bartley & Sean Mortis are copyright 1999-2000 Alex Fauth (Rick R. Mortis). Elmer Studios!: http://www.elmerstudios.com All of Elmer Studios' MSTings, artwork, character profiles, and the Satellite of Rednecks in one spot. Rick's Mecha Madness Page: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Realm/7194/index.htm Fighters Anthology .lib and mission files, utterly disturbing Nova Satori shrine, the AntiKevs and Fanfic Carp, all in one big steaming pile. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- "Rest in your peace."