Author's Note = I apologise for how fucked the formatting is, but I am not sure how to fix it.
I, Jenny:
Chapter 2 = A Scavenger Named Jenī Mumei
Jeni Mumei:
A Scavenger Named Jeni Mumei... 2230s, Japan, Universe 7201
Jenī Mumei
(Inner monologue)
I often wonder how things would be if the Cold War had ended peacefully. Maybe mankind could have used atomic energy for something good, like creating a world of peace and abundance. Atomic Power as a saviour rather than a destroyer. But I guess such dreams are just fantasies, lost to the flow of history.
My grandparents and the elders, before they all died from cancer, said this land was once beautiful. They said it had great mountains, bright forests, and amazing wildlife. But now, it is only a hot desert. The sound of rain is a distant memory lost from the world. Food, medicine, and other things we need are hard to find. Fuel is even harder. Supplies are paid for with blood and bullets or flesh and suffering.
Maybe the old world was too good to last. I don't know. My name is Jeni Mumei, and this was the only world I had ever known. To my People, I'm the Long-Range Scavenger, the one who ventures far beyond our borders into the wasteland to bring back what we need to survive. Theres only a few of us left, most are plagued with sickness, so they all look to me. The only one still healthy enough, strong enough, skilled enough to get our people what we need. They make me their savior. I hate it but they need me, my mother needs me and so I do it.
My mother always said I was her survivor, the only one strong enough to endure this cruel world. I still can't imagine how she did it, the strength of heart it took to do what she did, taking care of me, even after my father died young and all her other pregnancies ended in heartbreak, miscarriages, stillbirths, or babies too weak to take their first breaths. Despite all she endured, she never let her pain show, not until the cancer came, not until she started to wither before my eyes.
Now, I wonder if the strongest thing I could do for her is to end her suffering. But how do you make a choice like that for the person who gave you everything? These questions tear at my soul in the quiet moments. So, I hop on Kaguya… my combustion-powered princess… my two-wheeled steadfast girl, and ride… I search for hope, for purpose, for something, anything, to make the future worth fighting for. But for now, I just need strong pain medicine for my mother. The last doctor in 1,000 kilometres told me there was nothing to be done for her, not at this late stage. Without modern medicine or treatments like chemo, there is nothing to do but keep her pain away while the cancer takes her.
It's not just her. Many in my village suffer, and they have no way to ease their suffering. So, I ride to my next destination, looking for anything that might help. Luckily, I recently 'aggressively-extracted' some valuable intel out of some child-eating raider-scum concerning an old bio-med facility on the outskirts of the infested Edo ruins…
Edo… that hellish place where life found its twisted, wicked way… The cities are no place for humans to dwell, not anymore… never again. The ruins of the old world now belong to those of monstrous mind and twisted flesh.
Burning Thermal Winds and searing hot sand assault me as I speed past blown-out structures, shattered pavement, and the rusted carcasses of cars. Ever onward… ever searching Kaguya bears me forward across radioactive seas of glass and blazing sand. But every girl needs to eat, and my dear roaring Kaguya is no different. We need fuel, so we race onward toward the only gas station in the sector, to the closest thing to sanctuary besides home… to a friend… a friend who unfortunately lives right in the heart of Rust Reaper territory.
Particulted glass and dust permeate the howling, swirling winds under the scorching gaze of the sun as Kaguya and I rush onward. We hope to find safety in speed, but our hopes are dashed by the sudden eruption of growling engines, churning sand and the bloodthirsty screams of raiders.
"Alright, girl, let's show them what we're made of."
I squeeze her throttle, pushing Kaguya to her limits as the horrid sight reveals itself. A fleet of armoured raider vehicles bristling with weapons fills my rearview mirrors. They're closing in fast. Kaguya surges forward, her engine raging like a beast unleashed.
"Shit, those vehicles are equipped with multi-spectrum scanners, so going invisible won't do me any good. Going to have to fight." The raider fleet unleashes their opening barrage at us.
"Okay, Kaguya, time to get evasive" Together, we swerve and dodge onward down the desolate highway as bolts and bullets whiz past us.
"We need to come up with a plan, and fast. We can't outgun them, but maybe we can outthink them… I guess we have no choice; Phasing is our only chance." Without warning, we change course and rush as fast as we can straight towards a small grouping of large, bombed-out buildings, the raiders hot on our heels.
"Almost there, come on, girl, push it." I give her a quick, affectionate peck of encouragement as the moment of truth closes in like a literal brick wall. I take a deep breath and close my eyes, letting my power flow through me and into Kaguya just in time, causing us to phase safely through the small grouping of large buildings unscathed. The raiders, unable to follow her through the solid walls, are forced to detour around the buildings, buying us a few seconds of precious breathing space.
Not wasting any time, we weave and zigzag through the maze of debris and rubble ahead of us…
"Shit! Shit! Not now, girl, please!"
Suddenly, Kaguya's engine heat warning flashes as her cooling protocols kick in, instantly reducing her max speed. I need to think of something now… or we're both fucked… then it hits me the only chance we have left for more time and distance from rapidly approaching death. I just hope it works. I reach into Kaguya's side holster, pulling out my trusty shotgun. I steady my breath and take aim, firing a few shots backwards at the nearest raider vehicle. The slugs bury themselves deep inside the encroaching vehicle's engine, causing it to sputter and smoke before exploding in a violent cacophony of noise and burning metal. One down, but there are still too many. We need something else. As we continue to serpentine our way through more ruins, I finally spot something… something perfect. Just what we need. ahead of us, half-buried in the sand, is an old Fusion-Cell Generator Truck.
I wait for us to pass it, and just as the raiders are closing in on it in pursuit of us. I take aim with my shotgun one last time and fire off two more shots straight at the truck, rupturing it, taking out the entire fleet of psycho-freak raiders with probably the single biggest explosion they've ever seen… honestly, a better death than any of them deserved. The raiders now dead and burning flesh perfume the air. Their death-screams are sweet music to my ears as I ease up on Kaguya's throttle, letting the girl breathe a little and reducing her speed to an even more comfortable level for her. Good girl Kaguya, Good girl. You did your best, and we won. Now, let's get you some much-needed food and rest.
The horizon darkens as I reach the old Yokohama Filling Station, the dust storm roaring in like a beast on my heels. I pull into the garage and activate the dust shutters just in time before setting Kaguya up with the finest fuel for her dining pleasure. While Kaguya enjoys her meal, I head inside the main building. The stale air greets me with a mix of grease and grit. As I move further in, I find a beautiful young girl clad in dusty, grease-stained grey coveralls curled up on a dirty, tattered couch like a sun-napping cat on a summer day. Her chestnut hair falls messily across her face, and a bejewelled pink collar gleams faintly around her neck, a painful relic of her past, one she now wears in unending remembrance.
Her peaceful form contrasts starkly against the chaotic world outside. I sit down beside her on the couch without a word, my fingers brushing through her soft, silky hair. In this moment, the world outside feels distant, and for a fleeting second, I can almost imagine what peace might have felt like.
Kitty-Kate:
"Mmmhmmm, don't stop, big sis, your touch always feels so nice."
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
Lovingly coos the girl snoozing like a curled-up ball of cuteness beside me. She nuzzles her head lovingly against my touch as she slowly wakes from her peaceful slumber. After a few more minutes of petting, she slowly sits up on the couch, letting out the cutest, most kitty-girl yawn I could ever imagine. Her demeanour shifts as she turns to me, part innocence, part ferocity. Kitty-Kate has always been more unpredictable than the wasteland itself.
Jenī Mumei:
For the last time, I'm not your sister; we don't even look alike. Plus, I'm from Sector 6, and you were born here in Sector 3. [Amused, playful banter]
Kitty-Kate:
Hmm. Whatever you say, big sis, I'm just so glad you're back; it's been way too long. [groggy moany tone]
Jenī Mumei:
You always think it's been too long any time I leave [Amused tone]...
(Inner monologue)
She lovingly buries her face in my neck.
Kitty-Kate:
That's because you should never leave me… I don't like it… me here all alone without you, with only my cars and the psychotic raider losers I kill to keep me company… A kitty could go mad from being so alone [extremely pouty yet sultry tone].
Jenī Mumei:
Oh, but I thought you loved your precious cars and the crazy raiders you amuse yourself with. [playful, slightly aroused tone]
(Inner monologue)
I gesture towards the gagged but still very much alive and freaked-out raider tied helplessly to a nearby chair in front of a tea party set up with demented dolls and stuffed monstrosities as his companions. The raider has been clearly tortured, beaten and even redressed in a pretty pink gown. Kitty-Kate does love to play dress up.
Kitty-Kate:
I do, I swear I do… You know I love killing raiders and taking apart my girls, but they can't revv me up like you… they're not you… There's no other you… I'm yours, all yours, only yours.
Jenī Mumei:
Okay, okay, slow down… some Kitty woke up all frisky. Who spiked your catnip…
(Inner monologue)
She climbs into my lap and continues to nuzzle longingly against my neck.
Kitty-Kate:
You did the moment you walked in here, smelling so sweet, looking so good. Tasting so good. [stage whispering]
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
She plants a little trail of kisses up my neck to my lips… She loves my scent… the scent of dust, sweat and gasoline… I don't know why… she has all that here, but she just replies it's better when it's from me… that I'm special. For all her forwardness and passion, there's always a certain vulnerability about her that catches me off guard and tears down my defences. But for now… I need to end this here before she gets any hotter under the collar. So, I let out a soft chuckle, gently pushing away from her insistent nuzzling and passionate kisses.
Jenī Mumei:
"Alright, Kitty, Alright, enough. Cool your engines. You're going to wear me out before I've even had a chance to rest."
(Inner monologue)
She pouts, crossing her arms in mock defiance.
Kitty-Kate:
"Fine, leave me feeling all needy. But this kitty needs her cream soon, so you better not get any crazy hairball ideas about burning treads out of here before giving me a real good feeding."
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
She growls with a playfully deviant smirk.
Jenī Mumei:
"Fine… I got it. But just not right now…"
(Inner monologue)
I do my best to give her the softest of momentary rejections as I stand up from the couch and brush the dust off my jacket.
"Speaking of cooling engines, I need you and your tools to take a look at my other girl. Kaguya's been running a little hot, and I don't want her giving out on me in the middle of nowhere."
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
Her eyes light up at the mention of tools.
Kitty-Kate:
"Oh, you know I can't resist tinkering with that girl. She likes it too much."
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
Her pouts melt away to expressions of excited 'can-do' glee. She gets up and stretches a little.
Kitty-Kate:
"Oh by the way that ill-mannered raider with the tea party over there has some nice implants, what me to dig em out for you?"
Jenī Mumei:
"Not right now, fixing up Kaguya will be more than enough"
Kitty-Kate:
"Have it your way. So now let's take a look at that girl of yours"
Jenī Mumei:
She skips over to me joyfully. She takes me by the hand and begins dragging me back toward the garage. Upon entering the garage, the young mechanic grabs her tools and opens Kaguya for a better look. Without warning she stops dead in her tracks, turning to me with the most huffy-puff face imaginable as if she is about to blow steam out of her ears.
Kitty-Kate:
Wait, wait, wait. Hold on a sec, big sis. You think you're so smooth. You better have brought what you owe me from the last time I fixed up our girl Kaguya for you. Especially after that whole denying me cream thing just now."
Jenī Mumei:
Okay, first off, she is my girl, not our girl.
Kitty-Kate:
Not with how often I'm all up under her skirt. Nope, sorry, but she is definitely our girl. Now quit stalling and answer the question.
Jenī Mumei:
I wasn't stalling, little sis. Of course, I remembered. How could you doubt your big sis like that… I got it right here, a 3-month supply. Femmstradiol from that Zentra-Tech Auto-Med Lab up north, as promised. It cost me way more than I expected, but I know you really need it, so I made it work. I also managed to find that book you've been looking for, Transcendence: The Dawn of Artificial Intelligence by Sheniro Zurokashi. And as a bonus for always being such a good girl, I brought you A Mathematical History of the Universe By Suziya Kenshobu.
(Inner monologue)
I retrieve a large container of pills and the two books from Kaguya's back pouch. Both books are still in surprisingly good condition if I do say so myself, minus a little blood and scuff here or there. Then comes the moment that always makes it worth it, no matter the cost. The moment Kitty-Kate's gaze meets those books, and she takes them in her hand, her eyes… the most beautiful eyes in the world light up like Christmas, and she always grins the biggest, most adorable grin… It's the most soul-warming thing I've ever seen, and it never gets old… Seeing her happy because of something I did… It's the greatest rush I've ever felt. It's a feeling I wouldn't trade for anything in the world…
Kitty-Kate:
Oh my god, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Big sis, you're the best. Now, I can officially get to work… Come on, my hot gasoline girl, tell sweet Kitty-Kate what's getting you all hot under the hood.
Jenī Mumei:
You better take good care of those. You wouldn't believe the amount of killing I had to do to get 'em. Which is crazy because the only one who understands that shit is you…
(Inner monologue)
I smile at her, not wanting this feeling inside to ever end, but of course, it always does… leaving me feeling… I don't know… but I hate it. It hurts… I don't know why. Her promised payment received, Kitty-Kate turns her attention back to Kaguya. Deciding it best to leave her to her work, I head back inside the main facility to get a status update on the sandstorm outside from the external scanners. I spend some time going over the scanner data… Judging by the wind speed and density, I can tell the storm is letting up; maybe 10 - 20 minutes left, tops… She's going to be mad, but I need to go as soon as the storm dissipates… I better go check on her and Kaguya.
Kitty-Kate:
TA-DA! [victorious and extremely proud of yourself]
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
She exclaims as I return to the garage and make my way over to her and Kaguya. She beams triumphantly at me as she dusts off her hands on her coveralls.
Kitty-Kate:
Kaguya's purring like a kitten now, big sis. She shouldn't give you any more problems. Oh yeah! Nothing like a job well done. Anyways, now that our girl Kaguya is all better, how about you and I go back ins… [triumphant tone sliding into playful tone towards the end]
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
Before she can even finish her words. I'm already back on Kaguya with my key in her ignition, ready to turn. Her eyes meet mine, and in those eyes, I see her world shatter once again. I breathe deep, bracing for what comes next… I hate this part…
Kitty-Kate:
Wait, NO! NO! NO, YOU ARE NOT DOING THIS TO ME AGAIN! PLEASE! PLEASE! DON'T DO THIS TO ME, SIS.
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
She cries, stepping in front of Kaguya and forcing herself over the handlebars as if she could actually stop me.
Jenī Mumei:
GET OUT OF THE WAY, LITTLE SIS, BEFORE I HAVE TO MOVE YOU.
Kitty-Kate:
PLEASE! NOT AGAIN! PLEASE, SIS, YOU CAN'T JUST…!
Jenī Mumei:
DAMMIT KITTY! YES! I CAN!
(Inner monologue)
Her cries grow louder… I look her in the eyes and watch her heart crumble. I know her world is ending once again,... and I know it's my fault; it's always my fault. Her sobbing makes my chest tighten, and my guts churn… and so I do what I always do… the only thing I can do… I make it worse.
Kitty-Kate:
NO, YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME! PLEASE SIS! NO! NO! YOU PROMISED! YOU PROMISED ME, SIS! YOU SAID…
Jenī Mumei:
I KNOW WHAT I FUCKING SAID! DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW WHAT I SAID? NOW BACK OFF KAGUYA BEFORE I MAKE YOU!... I scream at her with all the fury I can muster. She steps back from Kaguya, her body trembling with fear, but she does not step aside. Instead, she hangs her head, freeing me from the heart-wrenching torment of her gaze… a mercy I don't deserve.
Kitty-Kate:
You just don't get it, do you? Why it hurts? Every time you leave, you take a piece of me with you. A piece I can never get back. And I let you. I let you take and take… and take, because… I'm the one stupid enough to think that maybe, just maybe, this time will be different.
Jenī Mumei
(Inner monologue)
Her voice cracks from the storm tearing her apart inside, and my heart quivers.
Kitty-Kate:
So I let you go and take that part of me… Every time I let you…
Jenī Mumei
(Inner monologue)
She raises her head once again, her eyes glistening, but there's a fire behind the tears, anger and heartbreak bound together in brutal agony.
Jenī Mumei:
Kitty, just stop…
Kitty-Kate:
NO! YOU DON'T GET TO TELL ME TO STOP! You come here, get me to fix up your girl, or install your fucking cyber-implants. You smile at me… make me think that maybe, I could actually fucking matter to someone… to you… And then you just leave. Leaving me alone here in this cage waiting for you. Always desperate for just one more moment with you… and worst of all, it's my fault… and I know that… you think I don't, but I do… It's always been my fault because I'm the idiot… the broken doll who keeps pretending that someone could actually love her. I keep pretending we're something we're not.
Jenī Mumei
(Inner monologue)
Her voice drops to a whisper but the pain of it slices through my soul like a blade, leaving me feeling raw and exposed. Her tortuous words drive the dagger deeper into my heart.
Kitty-Kate:
Because deep down, you're the only thing that has ever made this broken doll feel like maybe she's actually a real girl… that maybe she isn't just something to be thrown away. And the worst part is… the real worst part… I hate that I can't hate you… so I hate myself instead. I hate myself for loving you… for always letting you back in… because it's my fault… So I wait here for you to come back, knowing you're just going to leave again… Like it's all some fucking game… just a damaged girl and broken doll playing house on the bones of a world that's already dead… [a soft tearful heartbroken tone of sadness and self-blame]
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
I feel the knot in my chest tighten, the weight of her words pressing down on me… crushing me…
"Look, Kitty, my mother… the others, they all need me. I'm sor…"
Kitty-Kate:
"I fucking get it, Jeni, but you won't even let me leave this place… You won't let me go home with you saying, 'No, no, I don't want you getting sick,' and you won't let me go with you on missions because 'Oh no, it's too dangerous'. So instead, you just keep me trapped here". I love you, Jeni… I love you… I'm not scared, and I'm not defenceless, and I am more than smart enough to be useful, and you fucking know it.
Kitty-Kate:
"Please, big sis. Just let me com-"
Jenī Mumei:
I SAID NO! YOU HEAR ME! FUCKING NO!
Kitty-Kate:
Fine fuck you then. I have loved you with all my heart in every way I could think of, in every way you ever wanted or needed, and this is the thanks I get. I offered you everything I have, all that I am, and we could have a good life together. A really fucking great life. SO GO! GO SAVE YOUR DYING PEOPLE! GO SAVE YOUR DYING MOTHER! GO FUCKING SAVE EVERYONE WHO ISN'T ME! But don't you dare come back here and make me believe that this is anything more than what it is. That this thing… this wonderful, magical thing I feel with you is real…. That I'm real because I can't… I just can't… It hurts too much. [tearful heartbroken rage]
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
My heart screams at me to say something, anything, to try and make it better. But I know there's nothing I can say that won't make it worse. So I bury it… I bury it with everything else, and I run.
I twist Kaguya's key, and she roars to life beneath me. Her engine drowns out the sound of sobbing as I turn my gaze from the girl I just destroyed…. The only girl who ever made me feel alive, and I ride off into that deep, dark wasteland night. As the ever-flickering neon lights of the Yokohama filling station give way to the darkness, I shove my heart back down and let my focus on what's to come burn away any lingering feelings... She'll get over it… She's young. It's better this way. I'm better this way.
She thinks I don't think about her, but I do… every night when it's just me, Kaguya and the road. Her begging me to stay is all I hear… in my dreams, my nightmares. I hear her crying, screaming for me to come back… only to wake up, only to realise the one screaming is me. Even now, my heart pleads with me from that hole deep inside to go back to her… that it's not too late…
The wasteland stretches out before me, endless and empty, a canvas of dust and shadow. Kaguya's headlights pierce the void, illuminating fragments of the old world: a rusting sign, the skeletal remains of an overpass, a tangle of weeds stubbornly thriving in the cracks of an ancient highway. The air hangs thick with the ever-saturating smell of rust and decay… a perfect perfume for humanity's corpse. Or mine.
The chill wind of the night envelops me like a cocoon, oppressive yet oddly comforting. Above, the stars burn brilliantly in their vast cosmic splendour, unconcerned with the chaos here below, a quiet reminder that even though the world of man has ended and the Earth dies, the universe still goes on, uncaring, unconcerned with the little things. I suppose, maybe, that's why I hurt her… because when you care, you burn out. And I can't afford to burn out. Too many people depend on me to keep moving, keep searching… to salvage hope from the ashes of a dead world. If it means leaving none left for myself, then so be it.
The world fades away behind me as I pass by the remnants of an old military checkpoint… only 15 more kilometers to go. Going head-long into a top-secret corpo facility of any kind is a good way to get yourself killed… I need to prepare a few things before I reach the facility, so I pull into the remains of a derelict rest stop to take a leak and sort out some things.
The rest stop is a skeleton of its former self, a crumbling relic of a world that no longer exists. The faded sign above the building creaks in the wind, its letters barely legible. A few rusted-out cars sit abandoned in the lot, their windows shattered and frames half-swallowed by the encroaching wasteland.
I turn-off Kaguya's engine and climb off her... The only sound is the faint whistle of the wind in broken windows. I glance around, scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. Nothing. Still, I keep my hand close to the 9mm holstered at my side as I step away from Kaguya.
The chill air bites at my skin as I move toward the side of the building, finding a spot that offers a sliver of privacy. The wasteland doesn't care about modesty, but old habits die hard, and even in the wasteland, a girl needs a place to piss. As I finish up, I take a moment to stretch out the aches of the long ride before making my way back to Kaguya.
"Now to take care of some quick pre-mission prep."
(Inner monologue)
I remove the shotgun strapped to Kaguya's side, checking the chamber and brushing away the fine layer of dust that's settled over it. The 9mm gets the same treatment. Its weight is familiar and reassuring in my hands. That's when I hear it, a faint crunch of gravel behind me. My body tenses, and in one fluid motion, I draw the 9mm and spin around, aiming it at the source of the sound.
A figure steps out of the shadows, hands raised in mock surrender. She's svelte, her blonde hair and face partially hidden beneath a pink hoodie that peeks out from under a leather jacket. Her boots glint in the faint moonlight, jewelled and incongruous against the wasteland backdrop. Tight black denim clings to her legs, completing the look of someone who doesn't belong here, or maybe belongs too much.
Rest-Stop Girl [Jenny Awake]:
"Relax, I surrender."
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
Her voice is calm but edged with amusement.
Rest-Stop Girl [Jenny Awake]:
"I mean, do I look like a raider to you, sweetie?"
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
I keep my gun focused on her. Though I must admitt, something about her makes me feel strange… a sort of calmness or serenity both subtle and alien.
"No, but that doesn't make you a friend."
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
She tilts her head, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.
Rest-Stop Girl [Jenny Awake]:
"Fair enough, so you tell me, what do you think I am?"
Jenī Mumei:
"You tell me."
(Inner monologue)
She reaches into her jacket, and my finger tightens on the trigger. Only instead of a weapon, the girl withdraws a cigarette, holding it up between two fingers.
Rest-Stop Girl [Jenny Awake]:
"Okay… How about a girl looking for a light? Does that work for you?"
Jenī Mumei:
"Fair enough"
(Inner monologue)
I holster my 9mm and approach the smiling mystery girl. I pull out my only lighter, my father's lighter. She holds her cig to the flame, lighting it. I make my way back to Kaguya and remount her, sliding my key into her ignition.
Rest-Stop Girl [Jenny Awake]:
"See you around next time, sweetie."
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
I turn my key, and Kaguya awakens like a roaring dragon, ready to lay waste to all in her path. I take one last look back at the mysterious, smiling rest-stop girl. She blows me a kiss and fires a finger gun gesture my way. Kaguya and I ride off into the darkness of the wasteland in search of hope for my mother and for our people.
Rest-Stop Girl [Jenny Awake]:
(Inner Dialogue)
Jenny Dreaming = Compared to you, she's got way more edge… and no doubt, more fight too.
Jenny Somewhere = Yeah, yeah, I get it, Sister Dreaming. I'm a boring basic bitch, but it's obvious even to me that without my powers and prep, this girl could probably kick our ass.
Jenny Awake = She is an interesting one, that's for sure.
Jenny Dreaming = Yeah, I noticed you were a little flirty.
Jenny Awake = Oh, and like you wouldn't have done the same and more, just in your own way.
Jenny Somewhere = You both are too flirty. Now, focus. I've already placed my runes around the facility. Not only should they enhance Sister Dreaming's endurance and strength they'll also disable this Jenny's sensory implants while looking like simple electronic interference. They should also disrupt her powers. What about you, Sister Awake?
Jenny Awake = I have covertly placed stepping-mirrors all over the facility, giving us full and nearly instantaneous freedom of movement through the whole complex.
Jenny Dreaming = Very nice, very subtle. I hate it, but then again, subtlety has never been my strong point.
Jenny Awake = Yeah, no shit, understatement of the millennium.
Jenny Somewhere = Okay, Sister Dreaming, Sister Awake, and I have done our part. Now all you need to do is not fuck up what comes next. Because if you do, Little Sis will be the one who suffers the most.
Jenny Dreaming = Don't worry sisters, we got this. We can do this… together. For little sis.
All Three in Unison = For little sis.
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
The girl just smokes her cigarette and stares at me as I ride away. I watch her in the rear-view mirror until her image fades away into the dark. Well, that was unexpected. That girl certainly was a weird one, not just the way she looked or acted but her radiation levels as well. They read as nearly null, according to my optical scanner implant. It's all just strange, but no time to think about that now… I need to focus. This facility will most likely be dangerous, and everyone is counting on me.
Kaguya and I come to a stop at the heavily battered outer security perimeter of the facility.
"Yup, it's definitely an old black-site Zentra-Tech Bio-Med Facility, just like that raider shithead said. It should definitely have what we need. Now I just have to do this without getting myself killed."
I pat Kaguya's handlebars affectionately.
"You stay here, girl. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Before climbing off, I give her a quick peck right between the handlebars.
"A kiss for good luck, Kaguya, let's hope we don't need it".
Taking a deep breath, I center myself and dismount, withdrawing my key from her ignition. I retrieve my shotgun from Kaguya's side holster, sliding it into my back holster, and give my 9mm one last check.
The facility's external lights are dark. That's a good sign, or, at least, it should be. But there's no guarantee the old-world automated security systems are powered down. These corp-blacksite facilities were built to be self-sustaining in every sense of the term, including their own hardened, automated fusion cores.
I switch my optical sensor implant to Electro-Sight mode, hoping to figure out if the power failure is system-wide or just isolated to the exterior lights. But there's too much electronic interference. Damn. Only two things could cause interference this intense: the electro-shielding from the facility's fusion core or elevated background solar radiation levels. Neither is good. Both mean I'm going in blind.
I move quickly and quietly past the outer and inner perimeter walls, every sense on high alert. My ears strain for even the faintest hint of danger. The north entry door is cold and silent, lifeless, a good omen, at least when it comes to security. I hold my breath and focus, pressing my hand against the cold metal of the door. My heart shivers. No matter how I try, my hand won't phase through the door.
I try again, thinking somehow I messed up, but my phase powers fail me… What the fuck. Don't think about it; focus on the task at hand. There is more than one way to get through, and luckily, we came prepared. I retrace my steps back to Kaguya. From her back pouch, I retrieve something rare, something I've been saving for a moment just like this. My heartbeat quickens as excitement courses through me, finally, I get to use them. Thermite breach charges.
I return to the door with anticipation bubbling beneath the surface, my hands steady as I rig the charges. Every motion feels purposeful and deliberate, as if the wait has only sharpened this moment. Stepping back to a safe distance, I pause for just a heartbeat, savouring the culmination of my patience and planning.
With one of the biggest smiles of my life, I press the detonator. The charges ignite with a mesmerising blaze as the door dissolves into a cascade of molten metal, hissing and spitting as it collapses inward. I watch, wide-eyed with joy, as the once-imposing barrier melts away, leaving only smouldering remnants in its wake.
I holster my 9mm and ready my shotgun… better for close quarters. I cast one last loving look back at Kaguya and try to activate my invisibility powers for added stealth. I breathe deeply and focus my thoughts. Suddenly, a searing shard of pain shoots through my mind as brief but intense agony cuts into my brain. I fall to the ground to try to shake away the pain from my skull. Once again, my powers fail me.
"How could this be happening? I've used my powers a thousand times before". Terrifying questions storm inside, but I force them down.
"Get your shit together. Jeni. You can do this, your people… your mother is counting on you. Powers or no powers, there is no turning back now. Not for them and not for you."
I force myself back to my feet, grip my shotgun tight and step inside. A wave of unearthly cold assaults me, sharp and biting, clinging to my skin. The air inside is stale and stagnant, like the smell of ghosts and painful last moments. My boots crunch on scattered debris and bones. Skeletal remains litter the entrance, their contorted shapes frozen in silent agony. The skeletal remains of lives entombed centuries ago. A frigid tendril coils up my spine as I step further in.
"These people were alive when the nuclear lockdown hit."
This doesn't make any sense. The blacksite bracing systems are supposed to keep everyone safe, self-sustaining power, food, water. But these poor souls didn't starve. Something else happened here. Something worse.
The corridors stretch endlessly before me, dilapidated and claustrophobic. The crunch of bones and broken glass beneath my boots feels sharp, like stepping on dried twigs. I follow the inside directories as best I can. But it quickly became clear to me that the facility is way more massive than I was led to believe.
I feel the weight of the facility's endless vastness pressing down on me as I navigate deeper into the labyrinth. My steps falter as my optical implant flickers, static briefly overtaking my vision. And then, for a split second, I see it, something etched into my vision. A strange figure, the outline of a shadow, staring me down. Pain shoots through my head, causing me to fall back against the nearby wall for support.
The brutal agony cascades through my body like a burning wave. I scream and scream, my reverberating voice swallowed by the oppressive silence all around me. The pain builds and builds as blood drips from my nose, like an unholy offering to the hellish leviathan into which I have so foolishly wandered. The pain recedes as suddenly as it came, and all that's left is a ringing stillness. My implant flickers back to life, the static is gone, but the clarity somehow feels... wrong. I glance back to where the shadow stood, but only the unyielding darkness remains, heavy and watchful.
I finally manage to find my way to the main command and control room. Relief floods through me as I step inside, my gaze darting over the many maps and displays adorning the walls. I pour over every piece of information I can find, piecing together a better understanding of the facility's layout.
I quickly learn what I can about the facility. Unfortunately, it becomes apparent that while the facility has stuff that could greatly benefit my people. It's all located far deeper into the belly of this wretched beast, with more heavy doors between me and the loot. That's when reality sets in. I'm out of thermite, and brute force isn't an option. There's only one solution: I'll have to reactivate the facility's power grid.
Restoring just minimal power and isolating it only to the needed parts would be the safest approach, so as to avoid reactivating an automated defense system or the even more terrifying risk… accidentally waking the facility's Administrative AI from its digital grave. I grip my shotgun tighter and exhale. One tiny mistake on my part, and this place could go from a treasure trove to a deathtrap. I need to be careful.
I make my way over to the controls for the automated fusion reactor to find it still active. Perfect. The one terminal in the whole facility designed to stay at minimal power even if all other power goes out. I stare at it in uneasy confusion; each button seems to whisper of dangers unknown, each lever poised to unlock horrors best left buried. I'm a scavenger, a damn good scavenger but a scavenger nonetheless, and I have absolutely no fucking idea how any of this shit works. I run my hands through my hair in frustration as I rack my brain, trying to figure out what to do. Normally, I would use one of my sensory implant settings to help out, but with them all fritzed to hell, that's not an option.
I reach out, my hands trembling. Gently wiping away the dust of centuries, I try to ignore the low, unnerving growl of the sleeping nearby reactor. I close my eyes, say a silent prayer and prepare to press what I hope is the right button.
"Please, please don't let this place go nuclear with me inside".
Kitty-Kate:
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING? ARE YOU TRYING TO GET YOURSELF KILLED?"
Jenī Mumei:
"DAMMIT, KITTY I SAID YOU CAN'T COME ON MISSIONS WITH ME!"
Kitty-Kate:
"Yeah, but I decided I don't care what you say, so I followed you, and it's a good thing I did. You were about to deactivate the fusion core's safety protocols."
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
Her words hit me like a thunderclap. My eyes dart back to the console as my stomach churns. She's right, I was one wrong move away from turning this whole place into a radioactive inferno.
"Well, yeah, okay. Thank you, but listen to me, it's not sa…"
Kitty-Kate:
"Face it, big sis. You need me. You're clearly not prepared to operate this facility's systems on your own, so I am staying."
Jenī Mumei:
Fine. But you're staying here in the control room where it's safest. Guide me using the camera systems, nothing else. And for the love of all that's holy, DO NOT activate any higher security functions. And absolutely DO NOT wake the Administrative AI. You hear me? No HAL-9000 bullshit!.
Kitty-Kate:
You got it, big sis. Yay! I get to be the girl in the chair.
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
She smiles at me, practically beaming, like this is some kind of fun adventure. I want to snap at her, to tell her this isn't a game but the truth is, seeing her smile like that, so happy to finally be on a mission helping her big sis. It makes me feel relieved because as much as I hate her being here, the thought of facing this nightmare alone… is even worse. I watch as she awakens the reactor just enough to reactivate the needed systems for our mission.
Kitty-Kate:
"Okay, power is back, cameras on, power to doors restored, and murderous AIs still snoozing." [Victoriously gleeful tone]
Jenī Mumei:
"Nice job, Kitty. You've earned your cream for sure."
(Inner monologue)
I smile at her. Her joy in moments like this is always so intoxicating to me. It makes my heart quicken, my palms sweat, and my knees weak. Though I would never admit this to her. It's better that way, safer.
Kitty-Kate:
"Don't worry, big sis, with me watching your back, this is going to be easy peezy"
Jenī Mumei:
"Okay, but we are not done yet, so focus."
(Inner monologue)
She nods reassuringly to me, and for a brief moment, the fear tearing me up inside almost fades away… almost.
Kitty-Kate:
"What are you waiting for, big sis? I'll be watching your back." [loving reassuring tone]
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
I smile at her lovingly before kneeling down in front of her, gently pulling her into a brief but deep, passionate kiss.
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
With one last look at the love of my life, I make my way out of the control room. I sneak deeper into the facility, my shotgun at the ready. My palms sweat as I strain my senses for any signs of potential danger. The flickering lights let the shadows slither along the walls as if they are alive. As I venture further into the beast in search of salvation for my mother and my people, Kitty-Kate whispers to me from the facility's COMM device, guiding me via the camera system.
Kitty-Kate:
(Over Comms)
"Alright, big sis, I've been looking through the facility's projects database, and you were right to choose this place. It appears this facility was working on Post-Nuclear Recovery, specifically the fields of Radiation Resistance Gene-Tech and cutting-edge anti-cancer treatments. From what I can tell, this facility went into lockdown mid-way through human trials, but the initial results look very promising. If we manage to get this loot for your people, you could settle down. We could finally have a life together.
Jenī Mumei:
"Are you serious, Kitty? I'll be able to save my people, my mom. [mutter last part]
Kitty-Kate:
(Over Comms)
I know how much this means to you but don't celebrate yet, okay? For now, focus and keep pushing ahead. The cancer-tech is currently being stored in a secure lab not far from your location. You're going proceed straight for two more cross-sections and then turn left and then proceed straight for tw… wait, what the fuck? One sec. Gun-Ready big sis, Im detecting movement on the monitors. Whatever it is, it's coming toward you fast.
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
I grip my gun tight as my eyes narrow, peering through the darkness.
"Where is it? I don't see anything, and my sensor implants are fucked. Talk to me, sis, what's happening?"
Kitty-Kate:
(Over Comms)
I don't know. The sensors are detecting movement all around you, but nothing is showing up on the cameras. The movements converged. It's heading straight for you.
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
I whirl around, shotgun aimed into the void, scanning for any sign, any target. Pain surges through my head once again as my optical implants flicker and spasm with static, distorting my vision.
Jenny Nowhere:
"My, my, my, what a darkly diresom spot you're in now, Jeni. By the song of foolish hope and salvation's luring light, you've stumbled blind and grasping into the deathly shadows of my domain." [menacing yet playful tone]
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
Comes a mock, menacing voice clawing out at me from the shadows, reverberating all around me as if both everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
"SHOW YOURSELF!"
(Inner monologue)
The sound of footsteps echo from the dark. A strange woman emerges, a woman dressed for heavy combat. Her movements are unnervingly fluid. She grins at me with absolute confidence and control. Her piercing gaze locks with mine.
Jenny Nowhere:
"Uh oh, it seems lil sis has disboyed you, she'll be here momentarily. Shame, this death trap was meant for you and you alone. Grieved is the heart that lets loved ones wonder where monsters tread. Now, her fate is on you."
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
A crow-bar wielding Kitty-Kate bursts in.
Jenī Mumei:
"NO, KITTY KATE, GET OUT OF HERE, RUN!"
(Inner monologue)
She places herself directly between me and the threatening stranger.
Jenny Nowhere:
"Oh no, what worst fear brought this moment to life, right dear Jeni?"
Jenī Mumei:
"DAMMIT KITTY I SAID RUN!"
Kitty-Kate:
"NOT WITHOUT YOU!"
Jenny Nowhere:
"Never more hard to protect are those who by their devotion court their doom."
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
Muses the woman as she smiles faintly at us. A subtle spark of power crackles in her eyes as she raises her hand to us, setting aglow countless strange symbols engraved into the walls, floor and ceiling around us. I leap towards Kitty Kate but I'm too late.
The glow builds and builds, and then, with a snap of the unknown woman's fingers, my world ends. The ground beneath Kitty's feet suddenly morphs open, sending her falling down into the abyss.
The ceiling above her sparks and vortexes, erupting forth a bolt of lightning. It surges through Kityy's small frame, slamming her body down hard onto the solid metal floor several levels below.
Kitty's bloodcurdling scream terrorizes my heart. Tears and bitter sobs threaten to destroy me as I stare down Kitty's battered, unmoving body below. I desperately try to check her vitals with my implants to no avail. My heart crumbles, and my reserve shatters. Sobs and savage cries ravage me as I stare down at her, pleading against hope for any sign she is still alive.
Jenī Mumei:
"KITTY! NO, NO, NO. PLEASE KITTY! PLEASE! NO! KITTY!"
Jenny Nowhere:
Why so upset? Deep down, you always knew you'd be the death of her. Just a sad, pathetic, broken doll for a sad, pathetic, broken girl.
Jenī Mumei:
"DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT! I LOVE HER, I LOVE HER."
(Inner monologue)
Sadness and grief ignite into a blind rage as I unload my shotgun at the woman, only for her to erupt forward in a lightning rush of movement. Dodging every shot, she slips past my defences with a bone-shattering uppercut to the ribs, sending me flying backwards into a sprawling, winded mess on the ground. Agonizing pain floods my system as I struggle to breathe. She kicks my shotgun down into the pit.
Jenny Nowhere:
"You shouldn't play with guns, little girl. Dangerous, and all that."
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
I scramble back to my feet as the woman snaps her fingers again, summoning a glowing silver dagger into her hand. I reach for my 9mm, but she snaps her fingers again. A nearby rune blazes, and the gun turns to sand in my hands.
"DAMN YOU!"
(Inner monologue)
I rush the woman with a right hook before unloading all my rage and grief into her stomach. I slam her with punch after punch only for her to laugh maniacally, unphased by my furious bombardment of fists. In a fluid lightning fast motion, she swerves to the side and unloads a kick to my right knee. My kneecap explodes and decorates the floor with blood, fragmented bone and torn cartilage. I scream in agony. Before I can even hit the ground, she grabs me and flings me over her right shoulder, slamming me hard into the ground beneath her. She's strong, too strong. I lay winded and wheezing on the metal floor, it becomes clear to me that without my powers, this fight is over.
"Who are you? Why are you doing this?" [weak and broken tone]
Jenny Nowhere:
"It's okay, Jeni, everything will make sense soon, I promise. I know everything is scary right now, but it's all going to be okay."
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
The woman straddles my waist. Her eyes are suddenly soft, almost loving and her smile no longer menacing.
Jenny Nowhere:
"It's going to be okay. Just close your eyes."
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
With nothing left to do but obey, I close my eyes. I exhale as her blade buries itself deep in my heart. She withdraws the blade and snaps her fingers. The dagger vanishes, replaced by a glowing chalice. She pulls me up into a sitting position so that my wound weeps into the cup. Acceptance washes over me, and once the cup is filled, she brings it to her lips and drinks deep until all the blood is consumed.
Jenny Nowhere:
"Welcome back home, Jeni. We've been waiting for you. We love you" [tone of deep love and sincerity]
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
I feel our lips connect, I taste the copper of my own blood, and my mind goes dark as my soul gives way to twilight.
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
Light and life rush back into me as my body surges back to motion. I find myself standing in a strange room of an unfamiliar mansion. The stab wound in my chest is gone my knee is somehow good as new. Confusion floods my mind. The soft sound of footsteps hits my ears, I turn to see the girl who had just stabbed me. I rush her, wrapping my hands firmly around her throat. She doesn't fight or struggle. She just stares at me, her eyes locked with mine, accepting, understanding.
Jenny Awake:
"KITTY'S ALIVE! She's alive she's okay, it's all okay."
Jenī Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
The words hit me like a raider convoy, I let go of her throat, letting her body hit the floor with a loud thud. Violent choking and gasping escape her lips. I turn to the source of the voice. Unsure of what I heard, but desperate for it to be true. My eyes meet the mysterious girl from the rest stop… It's her. Again, the alien calmness hits me only much harder this time, suppressing my rage and grief.
Jeni Mumei:
"What? She's ali… but I saw… She's okay?"
Another girl steps forward cautiously. She looks at me with warm, understanding eyes.
Jenny Somewhere:
"I wrote those runes, they look scary, lethal, but that was just to get under your skin, drown you in grief and cloud your judgement for the fight. She's alive, I promise you she's alive and unharmed."
Jeni Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
Her words wash over me like a wave as I fall to my knees before her. Storming emotions swirl inside me as tears of bittersweet joy and relief pour out of me.
Jenny Awake:
And it's not just her, your mom, and your people are going to be just fine, we've arranged for the advanced cancer treatment to be dispersed to your people.
Jeni Mumei:
How can I believe you? Any of you?
Jenny Awake:
Because you are one of us now. We are now one mind and one flesh. Listen to your heart, trust your feelings and know that we speak the truth.
Jeni Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
I take a moment and steady myself, I let my breathing calm and I listen.
Jeni Mumei:
How is thi… it's not possible… I can feel you. I can feel all of you. Your thoughts whisper in my mind…
Jenny Nowhere:
It's because you are us… you are our sister. I'm sorry we had to do things this way, but everything you set out to accomplish in your world is done, and now it's time for you to let that world go. We need you now, your sisters need you now. [voice should sound rough and sore during the first half from just being choked]
Jeni Mumei:
(Inner monologue)
Emotions storm inside me, making me dizzy and my knees weak.
Jenny Awake:
Are you going okay? We know this is all very sudden. We set you up a private space in the garage with Kaguya. We figured you'd like that?"
Jeni Mumei:
Kaguya's here, that's wond… I mean, thank you. I think I would like to spend some time alone with her now, this is all alot to process.
Jenny Awake:
Ofcourse, let me show you to your space in the garage.
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Jenny Mumei:
Thank you, dear listeners, for joining us for episode 2 of 'I, Jenny'.
The character of Jenny Somewhere is available for use by anyone, with only one condition. This paragraph must be included in any publication involving Jenny Somewhere, in order that others may use this property as they wish. All rights reversed. We here at Ashcroft Production House look forward to having you all join us again for future episodes of I, Jenny and our many other fine works.
The character of Jenny Nowhere is available for use by anyone, with only one condition. This paragraph must be included in any publication involving Jenny Nowhere, in order that others may use this property as they wish. All rights reversed….
Thank you again, and good night.
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Author's Lore Note [Runes Jenny Used in Fight]:
1) Gun Transmute to Sand Rune = Ballestra Tramutra Sendri
2) Targeted Disrupt Electronics Rune = Jeni Mumei Electrial-Tekrah Dosrutiss
3) Morph Ground There Rune = Morpheer Grahd Vall
4) Lightning Illusion Them [Singuler Unnamed] Rune = Electrial Straka Illushaya Vor
5) Invert Gravity Rune [AOE/Targeted Self] = Invetia Gravtoss Ven
6) Death Illusion Them [Singuler Unnamed] Rune = Necross Vor Illushaya