"You know, I think 'Fuck you for what you did to us' would have been exactly what I'd have said to those military guys too, if I were in that situation," the outspoken girl at Ashe's side laughed as they stepped outside of the theater.
"Yeah, pretty much," agreed the younger of the two sisters, pulling her refreshed pink hair out of her way to drape over her shoulders. "Still, though, what was up with the guy? I mean, we've all seen enough zombie movies to know that he would have been infected! Come on, he had a freakin' knife sticking through his hand while he's choke slamming that chick. If doing that blood sister crap can spread a virus, then I'd think the ability to become Zombie Jesus would pass through a mixed bloodstream as well."
"No shit, right?" the older girl agreed, moving her own dirty blond hair out of her face as she lifted up her hand, placing a cigarette into her mouth before a spark of flame erupted from the tips of her fingers to ignite the end. At first it had startled Ashe to actually watch her sister create fire with no external source, but their discussions had revealed that Terra had been imbued with a relic of great power herself as a child - the Frozen Flame. As Ashe had put it, she was like Sage and the Human Torch put together.
Ashe glanced over at Kristanna, who seemed lost in her own thoughts as Terra withdrew her hand and blew out a stream of smoke. Glancing back at her sister, her eyes followed the wispy smoke through the air. "You should really quit that," she prodded, knowing the inevitable response.
"Tch, hypocrite," her sister snorted, inhaling once more before glancing at her watch. "Like you've never done it."
The student's arms went up immediately to her defense, warding off the accusing words. "There's a total difference in doing something with some friends at a party or concert or something and doing it on an hourly basis!"
At this, her sister just scoffed, giving her a look. "Oh c'mon Ashe, that's bullshit reasoning and you fucking know it. You can't keep rationalizing shit as being ok when done on your own personal terms."
"Things aren't always black and white, Terra," the younger girl glared.
The third wheel of the group chose that moment to speak up. "When it comes to the law, they are," she pointed out. Ashe turned to Kristanna with full intentions of pointing out how that example had nothing to do with what they were discussing, but she never found that perfect moment to cut in. "I might add that you are either living or dead, as well. You are either a virgin or you are not. There's no such thing as-"
The moment had presented itself.
"-a butt virgin? An undead? You are totally glossing over the fact that we all exist in a shade of grey here!" the girl argued. "It's entirely up to perception as to whether something is immoral or not, or else we wouldn't have people actually breaking the law! Do you guys really think that bad guys are out there stealing princesses while cackling with glee about how diabolical they are?"
Her sister looked up from her cell phone for a moment to chime in. "I know you aren't about to rationalize a gorilla or dinosaur king trying to rape some chick. I refuse to believe that my sister is that naive." She watched Ashe grumble something under her breath while thrusting her arms irritably into the front pocket of her jacket. "Yeah, ok, you go on pouting, Ashe. Anyway, I've got to cut out for the day. Mom just texted me from the lab and wants my opinion on some things, so looks like my day off just got wrecked."
"'K, sis," Ashe sighed, withdrawing her hands long enough to hug her older relative. "I'll try to get home sometime near dinner tonight, if you guys are gonna be home in time."
Terra grimaced a bit. "I highly doubt it, given the project, but who knows. I don't want to be out all fuckin' night. I kinda don't think calling in twice in one week is going to go over to well at the bar. That shit doesn't fly when your parents aren't the one's signing the checks, but Mom and Dad don't seem to really care," she added, changing her tone to a more suitable one of mockery. "'You are working your way up a bio-genetics degree, who cares what happens at a bar job!'" She spat to the ground at the last words before throwing her cigarette into the trash bin nearby. "Anyway, I'm out! Catch ya' later!" she waved, turning to catch a nearby bus headed in her direction.
Ashe waved at her sister before turning back to her quieter companion. "I'm so glad that she lets other people get a word in, know what I mean?"
Her android companion smiled at the sarcasm in the girl's voice. "Some more than others," she pointed out. "Also, I agree with both of you about the binary logic thing." At the human's blank stare, Kristanna reworded herself. "That whole A or B thought process. For example, yes, legally I must pursue suspects or not pursue suspects based on whether their actions are right or wrong. This is a concept that we use to label things that will either prove beneficial or destructive to society as a whole. However, the human side of me understands that the world does not exist entirely as a series of 1s and 0s. There are varying degrees of what someone's actions can do that are beneficial or destructive before they pass the threshold of legality. Someone may choose to destroy their own body with harmful chemicals, but depending on many different factors, this may be legal or illegal on a substance by substance basis."
"Huh?"
"I'm an Android. Therefore, am I robot or human? I would argue that I am both because the sum of the parts does not directly define the whole."
"Yes, that!"
"However, your sister is correct in some terms as well, Ashe," Kristanna continued.
"With what?" she laughed.
The girl with brown and blond highlights considered a variety of possible options. "The human genetic makeup, for example, is naturally either male or female. Barring a mutation or possible defect, you will not be both at the same time."
"That totally falls apart! I think my friend Jack wasn't able to get it up for months after he saw this video where this chick that he thought was so hot got on stage, dancing around like the bimbo that she was, and then boom, headshot, her little brother comes out to join the party!" What made this statement all the stranger was how Ashe felt the need to emphasize every step of it with her arms, to include the final motions of cocking a gun before lifting an imaginary skirt.
"So this is not considered a mutation or possible defect?" Kristanna questioned.
"What's not considered a mutation or possible defect? Jack not being able to get it up?"
The human side of Kristanna wanted to bury her face in the palm of her hands at the moment, but she changed subjects instead. "I want to remind you that the time that you've been given off will have an expiration to it. While it's understandable that you desire what you would consider an extended summer break, all good things must come to an end, as the saying goes. As I've told you, we will soon begin your training to help you learn how to focus and strengthen your innate abilities so that they will not be uncontrollable to you."
"Yeah..."
"There's one more thing coming up that is a bit similar to a few past experiences that you've had, but this game is a bit more legit."
Ashe's interest was piqued. "Legit? I love how you are picking up on slang lately."
Her companion raised her brow. "Is there another definition for legitimate to which I am unaware?"
The student shrugged, continuing. "So what's this game going to be? And how'd you find out about it?"
Kristanna's expression moved into an unreadable placidity as she lead Ashe around another corner, mentioning that it was a short cut. "I have to apologize, but I can't really explain any further. I really shouldn't have given you even the slightest information, so I'll have to hope that you can accept that. But just remember that there are many tests that you will be put through. In some ways, your training has already begun a long time ago, although not in the form that was expected. Every step you take, everything that you do, is an experience that will add more and more information to the memory banks of your brain and muscles."
Ashe stared at her strangely. "Kristanna, girl, you are freakin' me out here. What's with the apologetic tone? You aren't about to shoot me again, are you?" she joked.
"We're here," the android announced, stopping suddenly in the center of a soccer field.
The pink haired teen looked around. "Where's here?" When she glanced back at the teenage police officer, she found a modular ki rifle pointing directly at her temples. She jumped, moving to take a step back and finding Kristanna stepping in perfect synchronization with her. "Uh, I was joking," she began, attempting to move the gun from her face but finding that the android's arm was completely rigid. "Hey-"
"I'm sorry, Ashe. This is the next step. I can't really give you a choice here, because this is one of those situations where your sister is correct. You are either going to go or stay, but you can't go halfway," she explained from the butt of the rifle.
"Whoa, I'm not going anywhere!" Ashe declared, digging her heals into the ground in a gesture of defiance. "Not until you tell me what's going on," she added, trusting her friend despite the situation.
She received a quick shake of the other girl's head in response. "I can tell you nothing more." Without another word, she burst forward, moving quickly behind the girl and sticking a small needle into the vein along her neck, injecting Ashe with a liquid that immediately made her feel lightheaded. "Just trust me," she whispered as the pink haired girl went limp, her own focus fading in and out and just barely catching her friend's words.
The teenager sank to the ground, unable to hold herself up any longer as her sedated lips attempted to mumble in conflict of her situation. Kristanna watched quietly as Ashe's emerald eyes finally glazed over from the tranquilizer and then pulled out her own phone. "The mission is completed as requested."
She lowered the phone from her ear without waiting for a response, closing the phone and staring down at Ashe's crumpled form. There were times when Kristanna was thankful for the dominance of her cybernetic side in place of her emotional human side. The upcoming game had required a robot abduction, and Kristanna's robotic status had complied with that. There were things that were required of her due to her job and status on Kajin Rala. Her cybernetics allowed her to accomplish the hardest of tasks with very little human interference, to include assisting in the abduction of her own friend. It was logical, given that Ashe needed to go through the situations in order to grow.
That didn't mean that the human side of Kristanna had to like it.
"Yeah, pretty much," agreed the younger of the two sisters, pulling her refreshed pink hair out of her way to drape over her shoulders. "Still, though, what was up with the guy? I mean, we've all seen enough zombie movies to know that he would have been infected! Come on, he had a freakin' knife sticking through his hand while he's choke slamming that chick. If doing that blood sister crap can spread a virus, then I'd think the ability to become Zombie Jesus would pass through a mixed bloodstream as well."
"No shit, right?" the older girl agreed, moving her own dirty blond hair out of her face as she lifted up her hand, placing a cigarette into her mouth before a spark of flame erupted from the tips of her fingers to ignite the end. At first it had startled Ashe to actually watch her sister create fire with no external source, but their discussions had revealed that Terra had been imbued with a relic of great power herself as a child - the Frozen Flame. As Ashe had put it, she was like Sage and the Human Torch put together.
Ashe glanced over at Kristanna, who seemed lost in her own thoughts as Terra withdrew her hand and blew out a stream of smoke. Glancing back at her sister, her eyes followed the wispy smoke through the air. "You should really quit that," she prodded, knowing the inevitable response.
"Tch, hypocrite," her sister snorted, inhaling once more before glancing at her watch. "Like you've never done it."
The student's arms went up immediately to her defense, warding off the accusing words. "There's a total difference in doing something with some friends at a party or concert or something and doing it on an hourly basis!"
At this, her sister just scoffed, giving her a look. "Oh c'mon Ashe, that's bullshit reasoning and you fucking know it. You can't keep rationalizing shit as being ok when done on your own personal terms."
"Things aren't always black and white, Terra," the younger girl glared.
The third wheel of the group chose that moment to speak up. "When it comes to the law, they are," she pointed out. Ashe turned to Kristanna with full intentions of pointing out how that example had nothing to do with what they were discussing, but she never found that perfect moment to cut in. "I might add that you are either living or dead, as well. You are either a virgin or you are not. There's no such thing as-"
The moment had presented itself.
"-a butt virgin? An undead? You are totally glossing over the fact that we all exist in a shade of grey here!" the girl argued. "It's entirely up to perception as to whether something is immoral or not, or else we wouldn't have people actually breaking the law! Do you guys really think that bad guys are out there stealing princesses while cackling with glee about how diabolical they are?"
Her sister looked up from her cell phone for a moment to chime in. "I know you aren't about to rationalize a gorilla or dinosaur king trying to rape some chick. I refuse to believe that my sister is that naive." She watched Ashe grumble something under her breath while thrusting her arms irritably into the front pocket of her jacket. "Yeah, ok, you go on pouting, Ashe. Anyway, I've got to cut out for the day. Mom just texted me from the lab and wants my opinion on some things, so looks like my day off just got wrecked."
"'K, sis," Ashe sighed, withdrawing her hands long enough to hug her older relative. "I'll try to get home sometime near dinner tonight, if you guys are gonna be home in time."
Terra grimaced a bit. "I highly doubt it, given the project, but who knows. I don't want to be out all fuckin' night. I kinda don't think calling in twice in one week is going to go over to well at the bar. That shit doesn't fly when your parents aren't the one's signing the checks, but Mom and Dad don't seem to really care," she added, changing her tone to a more suitable one of mockery. "'You are working your way up a bio-genetics degree, who cares what happens at a bar job!'" She spat to the ground at the last words before throwing her cigarette into the trash bin nearby. "Anyway, I'm out! Catch ya' later!" she waved, turning to catch a nearby bus headed in her direction.
Ashe waved at her sister before turning back to her quieter companion. "I'm so glad that she lets other people get a word in, know what I mean?"
Her android companion smiled at the sarcasm in the girl's voice. "Some more than others," she pointed out. "Also, I agree with both of you about the binary logic thing." At the human's blank stare, Kristanna reworded herself. "That whole A or B thought process. For example, yes, legally I must pursue suspects or not pursue suspects based on whether their actions are right or wrong. This is a concept that we use to label things that will either prove beneficial or destructive to society as a whole. However, the human side of me understands that the world does not exist entirely as a series of 1s and 0s. There are varying degrees of what someone's actions can do that are beneficial or destructive before they pass the threshold of legality. Someone may choose to destroy their own body with harmful chemicals, but depending on many different factors, this may be legal or illegal on a substance by substance basis."
"Huh?"
"I'm an Android. Therefore, am I robot or human? I would argue that I am both because the sum of the parts does not directly define the whole."
"Yes, that!"
"However, your sister is correct in some terms as well, Ashe," Kristanna continued.
"With what?" she laughed.
The girl with brown and blond highlights considered a variety of possible options. "The human genetic makeup, for example, is naturally either male or female. Barring a mutation or possible defect, you will not be both at the same time."
"That totally falls apart! I think my friend Jack wasn't able to get it up for months after he saw this video where this chick that he thought was so hot got on stage, dancing around like the bimbo that she was, and then boom, headshot, her little brother comes out to join the party!" What made this statement all the stranger was how Ashe felt the need to emphasize every step of it with her arms, to include the final motions of cocking a gun before lifting an imaginary skirt.
"So this is not considered a mutation or possible defect?" Kristanna questioned.
"What's not considered a mutation or possible defect? Jack not being able to get it up?"
The human side of Kristanna wanted to bury her face in the palm of her hands at the moment, but she changed subjects instead. "I want to remind you that the time that you've been given off will have an expiration to it. While it's understandable that you desire what you would consider an extended summer break, all good things must come to an end, as the saying goes. As I've told you, we will soon begin your training to help you learn how to focus and strengthen your innate abilities so that they will not be uncontrollable to you."
"Yeah..."
"There's one more thing coming up that is a bit similar to a few past experiences that you've had, but this game is a bit more legit."
Ashe's interest was piqued. "Legit? I love how you are picking up on slang lately."
Her companion raised her brow. "Is there another definition for legitimate to which I am unaware?"
The student shrugged, continuing. "So what's this game going to be? And how'd you find out about it?"
Kristanna's expression moved into an unreadable placidity as she lead Ashe around another corner, mentioning that it was a short cut. "I have to apologize, but I can't really explain any further. I really shouldn't have given you even the slightest information, so I'll have to hope that you can accept that. But just remember that there are many tests that you will be put through. In some ways, your training has already begun a long time ago, although not in the form that was expected. Every step you take, everything that you do, is an experience that will add more and more information to the memory banks of your brain and muscles."
Ashe stared at her strangely. "Kristanna, girl, you are freakin' me out here. What's with the apologetic tone? You aren't about to shoot me again, are you?" she joked.
"We're here," the android announced, stopping suddenly in the center of a soccer field.
The pink haired teen looked around. "Where's here?" When she glanced back at the teenage police officer, she found a modular ki rifle pointing directly at her temples. She jumped, moving to take a step back and finding Kristanna stepping in perfect synchronization with her. "Uh, I was joking," she began, attempting to move the gun from her face but finding that the android's arm was completely rigid. "Hey-"
"I'm sorry, Ashe. This is the next step. I can't really give you a choice here, because this is one of those situations where your sister is correct. You are either going to go or stay, but you can't go halfway," she explained from the butt of the rifle.
"Whoa, I'm not going anywhere!" Ashe declared, digging her heals into the ground in a gesture of defiance. "Not until you tell me what's going on," she added, trusting her friend despite the situation.
She received a quick shake of the other girl's head in response. "I can tell you nothing more." Without another word, she burst forward, moving quickly behind the girl and sticking a small needle into the vein along her neck, injecting Ashe with a liquid that immediately made her feel lightheaded. "Just trust me," she whispered as the pink haired girl went limp, her own focus fading in and out and just barely catching her friend's words.
The teenager sank to the ground, unable to hold herself up any longer as her sedated lips attempted to mumble in conflict of her situation. Kristanna watched quietly as Ashe's emerald eyes finally glazed over from the tranquilizer and then pulled out her own phone. "The mission is completed as requested."
She lowered the phone from her ear without waiting for a response, closing the phone and staring down at Ashe's crumpled form. There were times when Kristanna was thankful for the dominance of her cybernetic side in place of her emotional human side. The upcoming game had required a robot abduction, and Kristanna's robotic status had complied with that. There were things that were required of her due to her job and status on Kajin Rala. Her cybernetics allowed her to accomplish the hardest of tasks with very little human interference, to include assisting in the abduction of her own friend. It was logical, given that Ashe needed to go through the situations in order to grow.
That didn't mean that the human side of Kristanna had to like it.
![[Image: Ashe.jpg]](http://i1017.photobucket.com/albums/af298/symbiosychotic/Ashe.jpg)