Reiko found him in the Hebi-Koshi, drinking. She walked through the dimness, ignoring the glances of the other patrons, and sat across from him. She waited for several minutes before she decided he wasn't going to admit to noticing her. "Jiro," she said quietly. Jiro continued drinking. His face, usually so optimistic, stared vacantly from beneath his short brown hair. "Jiro, stop moping. This isn't like you, and it's useless," Reiko said, her voice low but intent. Her normal pride (some would say arrogance) was sharpened by concern and a hint of fear. Jiro made a sound that was probably meant to be a snort, but was more like a cough, and wiped his eyes. "Did you...did you know...that snakes have hips?" Reiko studied his face. She couldn't see anything other than dull apathy. "No...I didn't," she said finally. "Vestigial, you see," he slurred. "Useless. Hebi-Koshi, snake hips. That's us. That's why we're all here..." "Jiro..." "That's the whole damn WORLD!" He coughed, and lowered his voice. "That's why I'm here. It's just...useless." He leaned back and drained his mug, then clumsily slapped it down on the table. "Jiro, I know it seems like that now, but there are things you can do... There's still hope." She drew back a bit as Jiro looked at her for the first time; a slow anger was showing through the alcoholic fog in his eyes. "Hope," he growled, "don't talk to me about hope. There isn't much in this world of ours to hope for most days...the only thing I ever had to hope for was taken away yesterday." "Jiro, there are other things you can care about." Reiko nervously pulled on the end of her blond braid. "NO!" Jiro suddenly pushed himself up from the table and stood, glaring at Reiko with all his anger and despair. "Excuse me," a soft voice interposed. Reiko turned to glance at the speaker and suddenly felt a chill grip her heart. Four Landers stood behind her, immediately identifiable by their black jackets adorned with dead tree emblems. Grinning devil's head patches marked their allegiance to Majin, the local Councillor. Aside from the jackets, their clothing was mostly a hodgepodge of old scavenged things like everyone else's, though Reiko noticed that the Landers had metal spikes sewn into nearly all their visible garments. Three of them were big muscle types. The fourth was a lot leaner, and looked a lot smarter as well; thus perhaps he'd be less inclined to bust heads...though Reiko knew, as everyone did, that every Lander could fight like a demon, or they wouldn't *be* Landers. This fourth one was the one who had addressed them. "I was just happening to overhear," he almost whispered, "what sounded like some complaints about Majin-sama." "That's right!" Jiro proclaimed, lurching around the table. Reiko felt the chill squeeze her heart harder as she saw the likely future unfolding before her. The thin Lander smiled. "Well, we're always here to discuss things, sir." "Hey, um..." Reiko glanced over and saw the bartender looking their way. "Could you...go outside, please? I run a peaceful establishment here..." He was pale and sweating. The bar was quickly becoming empty except for them, as the other patrons saw the same future Reiko did. The Lander aimed his dangerous smile over at the bartender. "Well, it looks as if our friend here just doesn't want to wait to talk to us." The three others chuckled low and soft behind him. Reiko looked at Jiro, then at the pale bartender, then at the Lander. A torrent of feelings and memories washed through her mind, but she clamped them down. She stood up and faced the Lander. "They were innocent people," she said distinctly. "Yeah!" Jiro put in. "They were going against Majin-sama's will," the Lander said softly, "and thus the will of the Council of Lands. That sort of thing must be stopped." "They couldn't just watch while you set up your little dictatorship," Reiko said, her eyes locked with the Lander's. "It is the way of the world," he replied. "The way things are now. None can stand against the Council." "They were my PARENTS!" Jiro yelled. His face twisted, and tears ran down it. "Of course they were," the Lander said. "Everyone is someone's son or daughter. This changes nothing. My own parents are long gone. I let them go, as should you." "We cannot stand by while you do these things," Reiko said, feeling like she was falling off a cliff. The Lander looked at her, no emotion in his face. "That, then, is a shame," he said. He began to turn to his associates. Reiko's hand shot up, towards his throat, but he moved even faster. Her nails glanced off his temple, opening a small gash, but then his fist buried itself in her stomach, and she staggered back and half-sat on a table, choking. Jiro almost seemed to wake up from his intoxication. "Reiko?" he asked, peering at her. Another Lander stepped forward and threw a vicious backhand, spinning him around. He half-landed on the table he had been sitting at, then fell the rest of the way to the floor, mugs crashing around him. Reiko started breathing again, and threw herself to the side to avoid another strike by the thin Lander, and aimed a kick at his head but he dodged and counterattacked, pain blooming heavily in her chest as she was suddenly on the floor... "Reiko!" Jiro was shouting her name now, but she couldn't see him, they were kicking her while she was down, funny how that was only a phrase to her before, and she couldn't see anything because her eyes were squeezed shut like she was squeezed into a ball trying to avoid the pain, but it wasn't working... At least they aren't raping me, Reiko thought. If any gods do exist, please let me go quick-- --and there was a bright light and an impossibly loud sound-- --and she knew that must have been it, that was all she got, and with a strange sense of relief she fell away from the world. Passersby saw a white light build in the Hebi-Koshi, and then an explosion blew the front window out, along with a few bodies. None of them stopped to investigate, even to strip the bodies; there was always a chance they might still be alive, and anything of value they might have been carrying had probably been destroyed in the explosion. ===== Welcome to Tokyo, 2200...Five years after the Last War. Welcome to the Dark Times. ===== Beware the Radish Presents... D A R K T I M E S started by John Evans Chapter 0: End of the Beginning ===== Jiro stood by the bed. He wiped his forehead, then stared unthinkingly at his bloody hand. "You're sure she'll be all right, Sensei? She looks so pale..." "Of course she looks pale," Dr. Belker replied. "We all look pale. It's the particles in the atmosphere blocking the ultraviolet rays. She just has some bruises and a very slight concussion. She'll be fine as long as she gets proper rest and medical care. Luckily, there was no internal bleeding..." He continued chattering amiably to himself as he bustled around a workbench. It was one of several crammed into the little house; the bed Reiko was lying on was one of the few things in the room that couldn't be classified as either 'workbench' or 'junk'. There was very little space to move around in; Jiro was standing in an aisle between the bed and a workbench, leaning against the latter. "Now, let's see that head, boy," Dr. Belker said. Jiro blinked and looked at the doctor; he had a wet cloth and a plastic bottle in his hands. Jiro numbly sat down on the bed. "Hmmm...could have been worse. Could definitely have been a lot worse," the doctor said, cleaning Jiro's forehead with the cloth. "I don't think you'll need any stitches...which is a good thing, because I have no idea where to find a needle. Or thread, for that matter." He put the cloth against the mouth of the bottle and flipped it dextrously; Jiro recognized the smell of alcohol before the pain drove into his skin. It was strange...it felt like it was happening to someone far away... "Sensei...do you know what happened?" Dr. Belker eyed him. "I don't know, what?" "...I killed them...but I don't know how. One minute they were...and then there was this light...I almost killed Reiko, too. I'd never want to hurt Reiko..." "Jiro." The doctor's tone was serious. Jiro stopped talking. "I know she's the last person you'd want to hurt. But it's all right...She'll be okay. She'll thank you for saving her life." "But you don't understand! I did that! And I dnn't know how...What if it happens again? What if it kills..." At that moment Reiko stirred on her bed, and the two men quickly moved over to her. Reiko slowly opened her eyes, and met Jiro's gaze. "...Jiro. I..." She winced. "Ow." "Don't move," Jiro said. Reiko chuckled weakly. "Oh, I think I can handle that." She smiled, and Jiro returned the smile. Then, "Jiro," she said. "What?" "What happened?" Jiro looked uneasily at the doctor, who was busily checking Reiko's vital signs. "Well...how much do you remember?" "...Not much," Reiko replied. "I...you were drinking, in that bar. And then..." She frowned. "...then some Landers started picking a fight," he said quietly. "...I sort of remember that," Reiko said. "...But...what happened? They beat me up? Did you escape?" Jiro looked down, and turned away. "...Jiro?" "My dear," Dr. Belker whispered, "Jiro seems to have awakened as a Latent." Reiko's eyes widened. "Really? That's great!" She sat up, and immediately grimaced. "Shit!" "I didn't say you could get up yet," Dr. Belker said, sounding rather amused. "The hell with that," Reiko replied. "Jiro, you really have powers? You can help us!" Jiro turned back, and stared at her. "What are you talking about?" "The resistance, of course!" Reiko's eyes glittered. "That's why I came to see you in the first place! We need all the help we can get...and powers like yours would be immensely useful." Jiro's eyes burned. "Useful? In efficiently slaughtering people?" "Jiro, you can't ignore this." She stared at him. "You can't just let things happen to you, and to other people." After several long moments, Jiro looked away from her gaze. "It's insane," he muttered. "The whole world is insane. Why can't I just just...not get involved?" "You can never ignore the Gift, boy!" Jiro spun toward the door...then relaxed. "Oh...Baachan." "That's right!" A bent and wizened old woman hobbled through the door, supporting herself on a gnarled tree root staff. "I came as soon as I sensed your awakenening!" Jiro sighed and rubbed his face, as Reiko looked at the old woman curiously. "Look...just leave me alone, all right?" he said. The crone's eyes twinkled. "Oh, no no no. No, that would never work at all. If I left you to yourself you might explode again and destroy another restaurant. And then where would I eat?" She cackled. Jiro's expression froze. Reiko glanced at him, then back at the old woman. "...What do you know about Latents, Baachan?" she asked. "Oh, many things, many things indeed." Baachan rubbed the head of her staff and nodded. "I was one myself, yes. In fact, I guess I still am." "Reiko, you aren't actually listening to her, are you?" Jiro asked. "Oh yes, I know what you're thinking, boy," the crone said, rounding on him. "Yes, you're thinking that I'm just a crazy old woman. I certainly don't need any powers to see that." She cackled again for a moment. "And you might be right...I'm a shadow of my former self. But I can still help you not destroy the whole town!" Jiro sighed, and leaned against a workbench. "Yeah, sure, Baachan." Baachan's eyes twinkled, and gestured with her staff. Jiro's feet suddenly flew out from under him, sending him bouncing off another table, which collapsed with an ear-splitting crash as junk flew in all directions. "Jiro!" Reiko got up from the bed, waving away Dr. Belker, and picked her way through the rubble. "Are you all right?" Her face seemed caught between concern, laughter and wincing. Jiro pushed himself to his feet. "What...what the hell?" Baachan held her staff in front of her, breathing heavily. "...That is... the most I can do, any more," she said slowly. "...But...I still know enough. To help you." She looked up at Jiro. "To help you do what you want to do, without worrying. Whatever it may be." Jiro gazed at her uncertainly. "...so...you're saying if I don't...uh, take lessons from you...this might happen again?" The old woman nodded. "It is...important, just for you." "Go with her, Jiro," Dr. Belker put in. "The spiritual sciences were never something I had much luck with. As your physician, I advise you to see a trained professional." Jiro looked at the doctor with a sick expression. Then, after a moment, he drew in a deep breath, and let it out. "All right," he said. "I guess all it'll take is time. Which is something I...have a lot of, now." "That's the spirit, sonny!" Baachan crowed. "Do the very least you can!" "I think you made the right decision, Jiro," Reiko called as he stepped through the doorway after the old woman. "I'll come by and see how you're doing later." Jiro threw a last smile after her, then was gone. "I hope he makes it," Dr. Belker commented. Reiko blinked, and turned to him. "Makes what?" "Oh...you know, through the training. I've heard it's..." He blinked, and coughed. "But that's not my specialty. ...Oh! I wanted to show you something!" "...Oh, yes," Reiko said. "I was going to come by after I talked to Jiro. What did you have?" "Well, first there's this." Dr. Belker looked around furtively, then gave her a small slip of paper. Reiko stared at it for several seconds, then crumpled it. "Good work, Doctor," she said. "I think that will be particularly useful. But to act on it," she glanced at her wrist, "I have to be leaving...like, now. Was there anything else?" "Yes, actually," the doctor said. "I wanted you to meet someone." He turned off the Bunsen burner which had consumed the slip of paper, and scurried over to an antiquated computer keyboard. "Meet...someone?" Reiko blinked. "Who?" "You'll see, you'll see." The doctor chuckled to himself as several lenses on a piece of machinery began to glow. "Right about...now!" The lenses shone brightly, and an image appeared in the air where they intersected. A three-dimensional hologram, of...a woman. Kneeling on nothing, and dressed in an old-fashioned kimono...hair up with pins, a gentle touch of makeup and a demure smile completed the picture. Reiko stared. "Reiko, I would like you to meet...GEISHA!" Dr. Belker scurried back to her side, chortling. "I think it's an acronym for something in English, but I don't know what." "...GEISHA?" Reiko managed. The woman leaned forward in a low bow. "Greetings, Reiko-san. I am GEISHA. It is an honor to meet you." Her words were formal and flowing. "...uh...yeah," Reiko said, and turned to the doctor. "Doctor...who, or what, *is* this?" "An AI," Dr. Belker beamed. Reiko blinked. "Wait...an actual AI? Really?" "That's right! I found her while exploring the Net ruins." He looked at the hologram with pride. "Isn't she wonderful?...and not only does she look good, she's programmed with some incredible searching algorithms! She can help with our searches for information on the Landers!" "...Doctor...that's amazing!" Reiko turned to him and smiled. "You've outdone yourself this time!" The doctor positively glowed. "...I'm glad you, ah, introduced us. But I really have to be going. Any information...you two, she smiled at the hologram again, "can dig up, will be greatly appreciated." "Of course!" The doctor began to hustle her toward the door. "Now, run along, you don't want to miss him. Just let me take care of things here." With a final wave, he sent the young resistance fighter on her way...then turned back and smiled. "She's such a nice girl, isn't she?" he asked. "Oh, yes, Sensei," GEISHA replied. "...Well, then. Let's get to it!" ===== The man put a finger to the brim of his peasant-style hat, and peered out from under it. "...Hey. Noshi." "Yes, Mori?" his companion replied, without opening his eyes. "I think we got some trouble." Noshi sighed. "Trouble, trouble. There's always trouble happening *somewhere*." He sat up on the bench and leaned forward, blinking. There was a man walking towards them. He was dressed in ancient style, from the Meiji time or even earlier, a ragged shirt and hakama. They might have been colorful once, but were now brown from years of dust. Around his head was a strip of cloth, of similar color...and at his hip swung a scabbard. "...Well, well, well," Noshi said. "You notice the headband?" Mori asked. "First thing. After the sword, of course." Noshi rubbed his forehead, where the character for 'spirit' was tattooed, and grinned. "I was getting tired of sleeping anyway." He reached for his own sword belt. The two men stood up, and walked into the street, stopping to stand at a point the sword-holder had to cross. The warrior continued walking towards them for several long moments, then halted a few meters away. His eyes seemed focused on something far beyond the pair. There was silence for a full minute. Finally, Noshi grinned. "Welcome to our town, stranger." "...Thank you." The two blinked at the voice, which was old and rough. "...This town is under our control," Noshi continued. "The control of Majin-sama, Councillor of the Landers." "...I see." Noshi raised an eyebrow. "And seeing as you're in this town, everything you have now belongs to us." For the first time, the warrior met their gaze. The two Landers suddenly shivered, for no reason they could put to words. "...Oh?" "...That's right," Noshi said, forcing himself to continue. "Now, we're not harsh masters. We don't want much. But we do want..." his eyes flicked downward. "...your sword." "No." Noshi's grin returned. "Well, then. It seems I have a sword, and you have a sword." He slid his foot back into an easy battle stance. The warrior rested his hand on the hilt of his sword, and assumed a stance as well. Mori backed away, watching the two closely. They studied each other for a long moment...and then leapt. There was a metallic clang and they were past each other. Noshi spun with a return slash, but was deflected, and deflected again. Mori's eyes widened as he tried to follow the strikes and counterstrikes. Noshi danced back, and in again, sword a blur. There was another loud clang, and the blade darted upward, then Noshi sprang away. "Aha!" he said, grinning. "I could tell from your movements!" The nameless warrior's headband had fallen away, sliced down the middle, revealing a tattoo identical to the Lander's. "Enhanced, just like me, for the war!" Noshi's expression was feral. "I haven't had a real challenge in months!" His opponent lowered his sword. "You cannot compare to me. Leave and I will not have to end your life." Noshi cackled. "Oh, that's rich! I've been fighting alongside the Landers for years! I'm the best of Majin-sama's troops!" "Nevertheless." The Lander's eyes glittered. "Fine, then! Let's decide it now!" He leaped, and the warrior leaped, and they met... ...and fell to the ground. Hearbeats passed...and then the warrior sheathed his sword. After an instant, Noshi fell to his knees, and coughed blood. "Im...impossible," he choked. He fell the rest of the way to the ground, and turned back to his opponent. "You...I was...the best..." "You had no chance," the warrior intoned. "You may have been fighting for five, ten, even twenty years...but I've been fighting for a hundred." His shirt fell open where it was cut, revealing a large 'LV' tattoo. Noshi stared. "...No...Longevity..." His eyes widened. "Majin... sama..." He was still. The LV samurai turned to Mori. Mori backed away...then turned and ran. The samurai sighed, and began to resume his walk...then stopped. A young girl walked toward him, holding her side. "Jichoh?" "...How did you know my name?" he asked. "I have contacts." Reiko's eyes glittered. "I have a proposition for you..." ===== Seiji coughed. He opened his eyes, then shut them instantly as dust swirled into them. He sat up, groping blindly, and found nothing but sand. After several tense, painful minutes of attempting to clear his vision, he staggered to his feet, and began to walk, letting the howling wind support him. After several minutes or hours, which was uncertain, the wind suddenly stopped. Seiji gasped and almost fell, then looked around wildly. Against all reason, he was in a calm area in the storm. Wind and sand swirled against an invisible barrier around the clearing, as if a bottle had been overturned around him. Within the clearing was more sand and dust, and some half-buried machines and junk...and a man in brown clothing. A patch on his shoulder was emblazoned with a wavy pattern...symbolizing, he knew, sand dunes. Seiji stared, then fell to his knees. There was silence for a moment... then a low hum from something in front of him. "Seiji." "...yes?" he managed. "Seiji, look up." He looked up and was startled to see an old television crackling to life, next to the man. A face was barely visible through the flickering static. "Seiji. Do you know who I am?" "...Sh...Shinkei-sama?" "Exactly. Seiji, something happened to you." Seiji hung his head. "I..." "You failed? No. You were outclassed. But you are afraid Majin won't see it that way, aren't you?" Seiji nodded, looking at the ground. "There is a solution. You don't have to go back to him. Simply work for me." Seiji blinked and looked up for a moment, then quickly looked down. "For you?..." "You've seen something. You know more about this than anyone else. This will be important, the lines tell me so." The face peered into the camera. "I need someone close to the events, representing me." "I...I don't understand," Seiji stammered. "You don't have to. You simply serve. ...So?" Seiji pressed his forehead to the ground. "I am a Lander! I live to serve the Council!" "Good. Sunaro?" The man extended his hand. Seiji reached out and took a patch, adorned with jagged lines that looked like lightning, or nerves. "Fare well, Seiji. "May luck be with you." The wind rose to a crescendo, and dust swirled in again. When Seiji finally got his sand goggles on, Sunaro was gone, and the screen was buried. ===== "Sensei." Dr. Belker blinked, and looked up. "Hm? What is it, GEISHA?" "I have the first result. It is not much information, but I think you should see it." "...Oh! Good, good. But, in a moment. I'm almost ready..." He applied one more bit of solder to the piece of equipment in front of him, then closed a small panel and smiled. "Now we're ready for a test run! Fortunately, most of the original circuitry was intact..." The doctor took a complicated harness from his workbench and began fastening it around himself, making sure to position the small devices attached to it correctly. "Almost...okay. Are you ready?" "Should I do something, Sensei?" "Just watch." The doctor grinned...then pressed a button on the chest. His form blurred for several seconds. Then it flashed over the workbench, leaving order in its wake. An instant later the doctor was over the table Jiro had collapsed, reassembling and repairing, and another scant moment later he seemed to be flying headlong into another table, creating another astonishing mess. "...Sensei?" The doctor flickered back to normal and staggered to his feet, clutching his temple but grinning hugely. "Incredible!" he exclaimed. "What an awesome power, in such a small device!...It's not a good idea to trip while using it, though." He stripped the harness off, ignoring the blood running down his face. "What is it, Sensei?" GEISHA asked. "A time accelerator. But more on that later. Tell me what you found." He grabbed a chair and scooted over to sit in front of the hologram, gazing at her raptly. "As you wish, Sensei. I found an online journal entry from a man who seemed to be present at one of the first Council meetings." The geisha form disappeared, to be replaced by scrolling paragraphs of text shot through with red areas. "As you can see, much of the data is corrupted. But right here," a sentence lit up in yellow, "seems to be a list of the names of all the Councillors." "...The names of all the Councillors!" Dr. Belker breathed. "How fascinating!...most likely not very useful at this point, but still fascinating." He squinted. "I seem to have misplaced my glasses...GEISHA, can you read them to me?" "Of course, Sensei." The woman appeared again, and she cleared her throat. "Majin, Maskmaker, Scanner, Kazeko, Dreamsong, the Agent, Sunaro, Dave, the Swarm, Threttan, Umisachi and Shinkei." They were silent for a moment. "You have such a nice voice, GEISHA. Reading things aloud is definitely something you should do more of." The hologram smiled demurely. "Why, what a nice thing to say, Sensei." ===== Will Jiro overcome his doubts? Will Reiko recruit Jichoh? Will the time harness be used to any effectiveness? Will Dr. Belker and GEISHA crack the Council case? Will Seiji collect all the Councillor badges? There's only one way to find out...write it. Author's Note I have one thing to say to anyone who might want to continue this story: There's a lot of mystery, a lot of room for development, a lot of things which can go for a long time without being revealed. Don't rush. Thank you. John Evans, jevans@alum.mit.edu 11/11/99 Beware the Radish http://www.chaoseed.com/btr/