Story: Mecha Wars! (chapter 2)

Authors: Shanejayell

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Chapter 2

Title: Catgirl Nuku-Nuku!

Mecha Wars: Cat-girl Nuku Nuku

The two techs carefully rolled out the massive container from the special cold storage unit, looking it over curiously. Finally, one quietly spoke up to the other, "Hey Joe, what the heck is this old thing, anyway?"

"Some kinda early experiment in cyborg based technology," Joe answered him in his usual deadpan delivery. "Back from the turn of the century, I think." His eyes widened a bit, "Hey, watch out on your side, Mac!"

It tottered, wobbled a bit, and then finally just fell right over, the glass front shattering loudly. A figure spilled out onto the cement floor, laying there deathly still. It was a teenaged girl, red-headed, and dressed only in a bathing suit. As her body rapidly warmed, a mist rose from her body, obscuring her from their view.

Mac waved his hands around, trying to clear the blinding mist, when he realized something: the girl was gone. He looked around wildly, but didn't see a trace of her. "Joe, she's gone!" he yelled rather desperately.

"Boss ain't gonna like this," a deadpan Joe said to his friend, shaking his head mournfully. He walked to a nearby phone, passing by a sign reading "Genom long term storage facility" and began dialing a number. He said calmly, "Sir, we've got a problem. Project number 1261-NukuNuku seems to have escaped."

The redhead bolted down the crowded side-street, running with incredible speed. Suddenly, in a cloud of dust she screeched to a stop beside a little fish market. "Hmm, fishies," she sighed to herself softly, licking her lips. She straightened up, shaking her head as she reminded herself, "No! I've gotta find Ryunosuke!"

She took off, trying to find any familiar looking landmarks. Coming around a corner, she saw a short young woman dressed in a police uniform walking along the street. A little cartoon appears above the red-hared girl's head as she thinks: A chibi-police officer equals help, and help means finding Ryunosuke!

She walked up to her, "Excuse me, but can you help me?"

Nene looked up at the tall girl in surprise. 'What in the world is she doing running around town in a swimsuit?' she wondered. "What's the problem?" she asked her.

"I'm lost," the girl said mournfully, "and I need to find Ryunosuke."

Nene pulled out a notepad and wrote that down, "And you are?"

"Nuku Nuku," she answered her cheerfully.

Before the conversation could go any farther, two men dressed in poorly fitting business suits came up behind Nuku Nuku, one putting his hand on her shoulder. "You're coming with us," he said to her in gravely tones.

"No," Nuku Nuku said, shrugging off the hand to the suit's obvious surprise. They exchange a look, then both suits try to grab her arms.

"Hold on a second," Nene loudly protested this, "I'm with the AD Police, and this woman was asking for my help."

Both men look alarmed at hearing that. Their bodies swelled up, the fabric of the suits tearing open, then suddenly the skin itself ripped open, revealing dark metal underneath.

"Boomers," Nene squeaked out softly, suddenly wishing that she had her hardsuit with her right about now.

Nuku Nuku shook her head, and what looked like a pair of metallic rabbit's ears popped out on either side of her head. She easily tore one of her arms free, taking the startled boomer's arm with it. She shook the detached hand off, then swung her fist at the other boomer's head! It bounced nicely off a alley wall, sliding to the floor.

Two other boomers came from around the corner, and Nuku Nuku made a quick decision. She picked Nene right up in her arms and then bolted away from them at top speed.

"Wait," Nene hollered, "put me down right now!"

Nuku Nuku pretty much ignored her, barreling along as fast as possible. The boomers were following right behind them, firing at them wildly. "Then again," Nene quietly said, looking over Nuku Nuku's shoulder at the racing boomers, "maybe not." She pulled her phone from her pocket and hit the speed dial.

Sylia Stingray reached across the desk to pick up the phone, "Hello?"

"There are," Nene said, checking over Nuku Nuku's shoulder to count again, "four combat boomers chasing a red headed girl downtown!"

"And how do you know about that?" Sylia asked her, already paging the other members of the Knight Sabers as she did so.

"Because she's carrying me along with her!" Nene cried out.

"We'll be there as soon as possible," Sylia reassured her.

The young man read the monitor in disbelief, pushing his scraggly brown hair up and out of his eyes to do so. He quickly brought the inter- office communication system up, and soon a auburn haired executive was on his view screen.

"Mom," he quickly said to her, "that data tap I put on Genom's computer systems came up with something!"

Akiko frowned slightly, "I don't know what you're talking about," and she smiled, adding, "at least not officially, Ryunosuke."

Ryunosuke rolled his eyes at that. "Nuku Nuku's awake," he reported. "And her survival instincts are as good as ever. She bolted the first chance she could," he said with a smile.

"Stay here," Akiko barked, as he was about to get out of his chair. "I'll take care of it," she added softly, a determined look in her eye.

"Like you did last time?" he asked her skeptically.

Her expression softened. "I promised your father, Kyasuku, that I'd save her, son. You know I keep my word," she said softly.

He nodded his acknowledgment, and she disconnected. She reached for her phone, then stopped. A smile appears, and she quickly dialed, "Arisa, Kyouko? It's Akiko. I need your help with a little unfinished business I need to take care of."

Sylia, Priss and Linna suited up, as the van hurried down side streets to try and catch up with the chase. From up front Mackie reported, "There's at least six boomers after them, now!"

"So why is Genom after her, anyway?" Linna asked, her helmet resting in her lap.

"There were always rumors in the robotics community about a miracle robot. Somehow, it combined organic and computer brains to create something greater that the sum of it's parts," Sylia explained to them coolly. "I think the red head's that robot."

Mackie shouted to the back, "We're about a block or so ahead of them, but they're coming up to us fast!"

Their helmets were donned and the three of them headed out on to the street. Nuku Nuku was still maintaining a fairly good lead, but the twelve boomers that were now chasing after her were starting to catch up.

"Let's go," Sylia said crisply, and led the others right by Nuku Nuku and into the very surprised boomers. 'I don't very much like these odds,' she thought grimly, 'but it's not like we have much of a choice.'

Nuku Nuku skidded to a stop, surprised. "There my friends," Nene said with a grin, "they're the Knight Sabers!"

"They're outnumbered," Nuku Nuku said softly, watching them fight the mob of boomers on her behalf. Four against one wasn't easy, but the Knight Sabers were trying their best. She put Nene down, "I'm going to help them!"

Before Nene could say anything to argue that decision, Nuku Nuku was gone, charging like a shot into the wild melee. Nene looked around her wildly for the Silky Doll truck, but couldn't see any sign of it.

Linna struggled, her arm pinned behind her back, then suddenly she was free! Nuku Nuku flipped one boomer back towards Priss, who blew it away mid air. A broad smile stretched across Nuku Nuku's face, as if she was having a great time.

"Is she crazy?" Priss asked Sylia over the radios.

"I doubt it," Sylia answered, "but she's pretty much invulnerable. This likely is fun to her!"

A screech of tires, and a armored jeep came around the corner, nearly clipping Nene. "Sorry," Kyouko yelled out to her from the driver's side window.

The top popped back, and another woman stood up in the back seat, carrying a big weapon. "Just like old times," Arisa laughed, and fired off a guided missile into the battle field!

A boomer exploded in a massive fireball, then another as the Knight Sabers and Nuku Nuku pulled back from the fight. Akiko picked up another rocket launched, and between them they managed to deal with the majority of the boomers.

"Are any of the head's still intact?" Akiko asked those around her quickly.

Priss looked around, then picked one up. "What do you want with it?" she asked.

"To send Quincy a little message," Akiko said with a dangerous little smile. Priss handed her the head, and Akiko looked into the eyes as she said, "I'm sure this is being monitored. Nuku Nuku is not Genom's property, and was acquired by the company illegally. If you attempt to go after her again, I will fight you in court with all of my resources."

An evil smile crossed her face as Akiko softly added , "I know how financially overextended you are, Quincy, and I really doubt you can afford to play lawyers with me right now."

While this conversation was going on, Sylia signaled to Linna and Priss. She figured the situation was well in hand, so she silently led the two Sabers away. Nene gave them a wave, but decided to stay and keep an eye on Nuku Nuku.

Nuku Nuku looked thoughtfully over at Arisa and Kyouko, a odd look on her face. "I know you," she exclaimed, pointing, "we used to play together!"

"Play," Arisa echoed, rolling her eyes. An aside to Kyouko, "Can you believe that's what she calls out attempts to blow her up?"

"There, there, love," Kyouko smiled, gently taking her hand, "you have to admit we all had fun back then."

Akiko tossed the boomer's head aside casually as she walked towards Nuku Nuku and the others. "Do you remember me?" Akiko asked her softly.

Nuku Nuku nodded, "You're Ryunosuke's mama."

Akiko chuckled softly at being called that, "Yes, he sent me to get you."

"But where's Papa?" Nuku Nuku asked her plaintively, "Where's Kyasuku?"

Akiko smiled sadly, putting her hand gently on Nuku Nuku, "He died several years ago. But I promised him I'd take care of you, I'm just sorry it's taken so long."

Nuku Nuku, Akiko, Arisa and Kyouko walked towards the jeep together, and Nuku Nuku quietly asked, "Can you take me to Ryunosuke?"

"Sure," Akiko said, smiling fondly at Nuku Nuku's loyalty, "we'll go see him and Eimi next. Then you can all play together."

Nene shook her head, watching them go. It was almost sickeningly cute to see, but still touching, somehow. The jeep roared off, Nene still smiling slightly. Then something occurred to her.

"How am I gonna get home?" Nene wailed, looking around her wildly.

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