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*** PRISS ****
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This is the second chapter of my little BGC fanfiction. This time we have a little visit from another popular cyberpunk anime.

P.S. Feedback is always welcome... contact me at anterion@gmx.net

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Chapter Two

+-> 'Bara no Sorujaa' (Soldier of the rose) <-+

The headlights of a Motorcycle sweeped over the crowd of people who waited in front of the '7th Circle', an underground music bar. The driver brought her vehicle to a halt at a parking slot, took of her helmet and shook her long brown hair. Holding the helmet under one arm she walked towards the bouncer.

"Hey Priss, nice to see you. Come on in"

"Thanks Marow. See ya later." answered Priss and vanished into the entrance.

Seeing this, a young man in the crowd yelled: "Hey, I'm standing here since two hours. Why can she just stroll right in?"

"That's because she's got a name here. And you boy? Should I know you?", Marow asked, bringing his massive frame into good view. There was silence. Although Marow's hair had already turned gray, he was still a quite an impressive person. "Didn't think so."

Inside Priss had just dumped her helmet behind the bar. The barkeeper smiled as he took it from her. "So, our little nightingale is leaving its nest again, eh?"

"Cut that 'nightingale' crap. Who's playing tonight?" she asked while she sipped at her drink, not even bothering to really listen to his answer. She had been called 'nightingale' by the bartender and Marow since one night when the hired live act had not shown up. She and some guys from the audience had done some improvised playing with borrowed instruments. They had played some popular independent songs, even a few from Priss' own songs. But no one recognized her without the blonde wig she usually wore at performances. Since that night a few days ago she was known at the club. She couldn't help but smile as she remembered how one of the 'band-members' said that she was nearly as good as the 'real' Priss from 'Priss and the Replicants'.

She had left her previous life behind her since two months now. She kept a low profile in case her former 'friends' were looking for her. Since then she had made her way through the country to Osaka One, the old ruined remains of the original city of Osaka.

When the city became more and more dirty, corrupt and uncontrollable, the 'good' people moved into the shiny new built city of Osaka Two only a few miles away. On the few higher levels of Osaka One you could see the lights of its sister city glowing in the distance. To most of Osaka One's inhabitants it was a dream to once live in the clean, save and comfortable new city, while the youth of Osaka Two searched for excitement and adventures in the bars and clubs in the streets of Osaka One at night.

Priss was about to order her second drink, when she suddenly heard screams and weapon fire outside. Following her old instincts, she jumped up and ran to the exit. Outside everybody was in panic. Then she could see a 'Doberman' Type Boomer chasing a young girl in dirty rags through the street. "A boomer? Here?"

Marow walked up next to her. "A headhunter. If someone from around here messes up with GENOM in 'O. Two', they come here later, mostly at night, to kill him."

"What? Why later and why here?"

"Because GENOM doesn't want to scare the rich asses at 'O. Two'. So they wait until the victim has gone home and then they sent the headhunter after it." He turned to look at her face.

But Priss wasn't at his side anymore. She ran over to her bike, started it and raced after the Boomer. Until now, the killing machine had just chased the girl, firing loosely aimed at her, perhaps in order to scare any witnesses. But now it was going in for the kill. Behind him Priss pulled a small but powerful hand weapon out of a hidden place, but before she could take aim, the boomer fired an explosive shell at its helpless target. The girl's scream, when it was hit by the explosion reminded Priss too much of her own when she had nearly died half a year ago. "Nooooo!", she fired aimless at the boomer but none of her shots found its mark. As the boomer soared up into the skies on its built-in thrusters Priss stopped beside the bleeding girl. She was already dead. In her hand, she still grasped a little package of dry, dehydrated food.

Beside her, Priss cried as all the frustration she had suppressed during the past weeks dwelled up inside her again. In a burst of anger she pounded her fist down on the old pavement. Marow had now caught up with her. Together they picked up the girl and brought her away. Neither Priss nor Marow saw the new cracks in the pavement where Priss' fist had hit it.

---

Two days later Priss left a few flowers at the nameless grave that now was the girl's final resting place. Marow was with her. His neo-steroid boosted bodybuilder frame dwarfed her beside him. He had insisted to come along since the grave yard belonged to one of Osaka One's most dangerous areas. Although Priss' face was an emotionless mask he saw her fist clenching and relaxing. He had liked her since they had first met at the '7th Circle'. It was her wild nature and freedom loving spirit that had gotten to him. Now he had seen a side of her personality that somehow surprised him. "Wanna talk?", he asked. All she did was shaking her head. So they walked in silence as they reached the old wreck that Marow called his car. It was this way until he dropped Priss at her place, a small 'all in one' living cell. When she got off the car he laid a hand on her shoulder.

"If you want to work off some anger, come over to my gym later. Perhaps you can get rid of all this cramped emotions that you carry around all day."

"Maybe. Thanks."

Late that night Marow was ready to lock up his gym for the night. His clientele had left already and he was tired. Running a gym and working as a bouncer at the '7th Circle' was hard. But he needed the money. He was about to turn off the lights when over the sound of the falling rain the low roar of a motorcycle could be heard. Soon the familiar red racing machine pulled up at the building. He saw smoke raising from where the rain hit the engine. 'Someday she'll ruin it if she doesn't stop running it at top level.', he thought.

"Yo Priss. You're late."

"I know. Do you leave already? Well then see you tomor..."

"No, wait. My offer's still on. Come on in."

They walked down to the basement and Marow led her to the locker rooms.

"You can change in there. I'll meet you in the gym."

As Priss changed into some workout clothes, shorts and a T-shirt, her mind wandered. It had been some weeks since she had a real workout. And this one now would be only a training for raw power. No melee training, no fast-reaction techniques, no close combat tactics. She tied her long hair up to a knot and walked out of the room.

Marow's eyebrows raised when he saw Priss entering. Until now he had only seen her in casual street wear or mostly in her motorcycle suit. He always knew she had a nice figure but now he could see that she was a very fit woman although his experienced eye saw that she hadn't trained for some time.

"Looking good, girl. I never knew you were a gym rat."

"I'm not. And quit that flirting. You going to show how these things are working?", she pointed at the machines and free weights.

"Sure, but first some warm up, OK? You know some exercises?"

She nodded and began doing some gymnastics and other warm up techniques. As she did this, Marow's amazement grew. He had once been a top security guard at GENOM before modern Boomers replaced him. His battle trainig had included serious close combat fighting. And now Marow saw Priss doing some moves that reminded him a lot of the techniques that he had then used himself. 'Who are you, nightingale?' he wondered.

Under Marow's supervision Priss pumped iron for the next two hours with only a few rests. Sometimes Marow was worried that she would overexert herself but she seemed to do fine. It was about two o'clock in the morning when they both left the building. After a quick 'good night' each of them went home. Back at her place Priss took a much needed shower. The water supply at the gym had already been switched off for the night so she had to shower at home. Real hot water was something that these extreme cheap apartments couldn't provide, so she settled for a lukewarm sprinkle but enjoyed it nevertheless. Besides feeling tired, she felt very well. The workout had burnt some frustration out of her and she was sure that she would do it again soon. When the water turned cold she left the shower, wrapped herself up in a towel and laid down on her simple bed.

'Am I cursed or something? No matter where I go, GENOM is waiting for me. And there is damn nothing that I can do about it.' Her arms behind her head, she starred blankly up to the ceiling, wondering about what to do next until sleep overcame her in the early morning hours. She saw herself racing down Neo-Tokyo's highway, a familiar motorcycle beside her. With a shock she saw the black car pulling up next to them, a window opened and a gun was fired from inside. Priss was again caught in the nightmare that had haunted her trough her half year of coma. But this time a new scene followed the old ones. In her dream she reviewed the events from two days ago and all the anger she had gotten rid off that night returned. Although Priss' mind raced her body was motionless the whole time and at the time her anger reached its peak, a faint shimmering blueish glow surrounded her body for a few minutes before it faded again.

When she awoke at noon, she found a flashing icon on her TV/Net access screen, indicating that there were two messages waiting for her. Still sleepy she flicked some strands of long chestnut brown hair out her face and touched the icon. A window opened.

From: Umenta Apartments, rent office.
Subject: Payment.

Dear Ms. Asagiri.

Due to events beyond out control, we have to raise the rents on our
apartments by 20%.

Please transfer the according amount of credits to the known account.

Thanks.

Umenta Apartments, rent office.
>

"20%? They gotta be kidding. This damn hole isn't even worth 20% of the original rent. I've got find some way to make money or I'll be sleeping on the street again." She touched the 'Next' button and a new window opened.

From: All Japan Financial Bank
Subject: Recent account balance.

Dear Ms. Asagiri,

below you find your monthly account transactions report.

01. Feb. 2036:
- 100.00 Crd. "Dave's Motorcycles"

Balance: 200.00 Crd.

05. Feb. 2036:
- 200.00 Crd. "GENOM Weapons and Self Defense Shop, Osaka Two."

Balance: 0.00 Crd.

15. Feb. 2036:
- 1200.00 Crd. "Umenta Apartments"

Balance: - 1200.00 Crd. *** WARNING, You are credit-worthy for max.
1300.00 Crd. ***

20. Feb. 2036:
+ 500,000.00 Crd. "Wherever you are, be careful. Signed: S. S."

Balance: + 498,800.00 Crd.

This report was created automatically. In case of problems, please contact:

029221@ajf.bank.jp
>

'Sylia.', Priss thought. 'Half a million credits. I wonder what Lina would say about this.' She had to smile. Although the Knight Sabers were paid in sums of several million credits, Lina, Nene and herself had never been rich. Sylia had always taken care of the money. "For bad times.", she used to say.

'It seems as if she was right. I never needed much money, until now.'

She somehow missed her friends, but she was still hurt by the way they hadn't trusted her since her recovery.

'Someday, maybe, I'll go back. I just need some time on my own.'

---

Marow was waiting for Priss at his gym this night. He had seen, how she had enjoyed the workout and he was sure that she would come again. The sound of her motorcycle announced her arrival. He was doing some paperwork in his office when she entered and placed a bunch of credit bills in front of him on the desk.

"And what's that?", he asked.

"My fee for a half year membership. If I'm going to work out here, I'll pay."

Her tone made clear, that she wouldn't take 'no' for an answer.

"Have it your way. Shall we begin?"

"Yeah. But today I want you not go easy on me. I wasn't even feeling the workout this morning."

"Oh, for someone who hasn't worked out regularly you did a lot of work yesterday. Don't overexert yourself."

"No way, I'm fine just lets get to work, OK?"

Again, Priss worked out like a possessed woman. and after two hours Marow saw how a slight smile found its way on her lips. Sweat poured down her whole body and drenched her clothes. But somehow her face looked relaxed and calm during the workout. After nearly two and a half hours Marow called to a break again. Priss took a little sip from her water bottle but found it empty. Marow noticed.

"If you want, you can have some more from my office. I'll get it."

"Don't bother, I'll fetch it myself." She stood up and walked with unsteady legs up to his office. The inside was a mess, papers were spilled all over the desk and the cupboards were filled with both half full and empty bottles, little boxes and other stuff. Soon she found a bottle of sparkling water and she was about to close the cupboard as she noticed a little box labeled as 'POWER SURGE. Artificial hyper steroids. For prolonged maximum strength.'

'One or two can't hurt.', she thought. She took two little pills out of the box and swallowed them with a gulp of water. Then she went back to the gym and resumed her workout.

Marow watched closely as Priss pushed herself to her limit again. After some time she closed her eyes and he could hear her breath getting heavy while her repetitions became much slower. He was about to grab the bar when a blue shimmering light emerged from Priss body. She still had her eyes closed totally oblivious to what happened to her.

Priss herself sensed an increasing feeling of freedom inside her, like a force that had been put away in a box and now forced its way into the freedom. It washed over her like a tidal wave that swept away her worries and weaknesses, leaving her with a feeling of strength and power. A feeling that replaced her frustration of helplessness with confidence. She enjoyed every bit of it.

'So that's what drugs are like', she thought. 'I could get used to this. I have to ask Marow about it.'

After twenty more reps the amazed Marrow saw how the glow faded as quick as it had appeared. He still watched her wordlessly when she opened her eyes and hoisted the weight bar back onto the rack. Her arms still trembled from her recent burst of power. "That's what I call a good workout."

"Ehhh... Priss..."

Priss had already left the bench and dried herself with a towel. She looked at him over her shoulder. "Yeah? What's up?"

"Did you feel anything out of ordinary during the last reps."

"Well, the last set felt more intense as well as more easy. Could that be because of the two little pills I took in your office?"

"What pills? Tell me you didn't take two POWER SURGE pills."

She shook her head yes. "It seems like it worked and it felt really good. I just hope it isn't addictive."

"I don't think so, but this stuff is meant as a long time supplement and not an instant energy supply."

"Whatever, I think I'll take some more the next time. Can you tell me where I can some more?" While she toweled her head Marow noticed a bulge in Priss upper arm that he hadn't seen before.

"I don't think that this is a good idea. No bodybuilder uses neo-steroids without a medical check up. You really shouldn't do this just because of a short rush."

"Hmph. I'll think about it. Let's call it a night, OK?"

"That's fine with me, it's getting late. Remember that I have to work at the 'Circle' tomorrow night, so I won't be here."

Again that night Priss laid on her bed, thinking about what happened today. 'I have to get my hands on some of those pills. Perhaps I can get a supply in Osaka Two.' This time she drifted into a resting and peaceful sleep. In her dreams she remembered the feeling she had felt at the gym. She would definitely buy some POWER SURGE tomorrow.

---

The guard at the outskirts of Osaka Two stopped the motorcycle at his checkpoint. The long strands of brown hair that spilled out from under the helmet and some curvy bulges in the racing dress made clear that the driver was definitely female. "Welcome to Osaka Two, Miss. May I ask what brings you to our city?"

"Shopping.", came the muffled voice from inside the helmet.

"Very well Miss. But I'm afraid I need some identification and a proof of creditability." Osaka Two kept its high social level by letting only 'worthy' people enter its area. Known criminals or too poor people for example weren't allowed to enter.

She handed him her Cred-Chip, a combination of Credit-Card and passport. It had been tweaked by Sylia long ago, so that it couldn't be tracked down, whilst remaining a valid payment.

The guard inserted the chip card into a reader and gulped when the screen showed an estimated creditability of about half a million Credits. Such sums were not uncommon inside of Osaka Two, but there weren't much people who came from outside with a motorcycle and possessed that amounts of money.

"Have a nice day, Miss. I hope you enjoy your stay at our famous city."

Priss took her Cred-Chip and left. That guard was getting on her nerves. 'That wasn't a security guard. That was a tourist guide.'

As she drove through the streets of Osaka Two, she felt like she was in a different world. Everything here looked clean and shiny, a sharp contrast to the twilight world of Osaka One. The traffic was very light, due to the numerous monorail trains that used the upper levels of the city for their tracks. The city's lower levels housed the commercial areas with its shops, while the mid levels were packed with bars, fitness studios, holo cinemas and every other imaginable entertainment. On top of every tower sat the apartments, penthouses and suites of the rich and famous. The was no thing like a lower social class in Osaka Two.

Priss left her bike at a P&R parking slot at the base of a monorail station. Not without telling the security guard what he could expect, if something would happen to her bike. While she wandered around, looking for a gym or something similar, she realized that the people around noticed her and that she stood out from crowd. Mainly because the most fashionable color for clothes in Osaka Two was white. So Priss' red leather combo was as much of an eye catch, as was the way she walked. She was accustomed to receive whistles and things like that while she walked through the bad parts of Neo-Tokyo or Osaka One, but here most men just turned their heads and admired her in silence.

---

Several levels above her another attractive woman stood at one of the millions one-way mirrored windows and looked over the city. She wore the pants of a uniform in gray city camouflage colors and a white sleeveless shirt that revealed slender but slightly muscular arms. A heavy hand gun hung at her belt. Her raven black hair was cut rather short, so that the connections of a cyber interface on her neck could be seen. A few steps behind her stood an elderly man in a formal business suit, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"I assure you, Lt. Kusanagi, that there absolutely no need for 'Section 9' to investigate here at Osaka Two. GENOM Security Corp. has everything under control."

The woman seemed not to hear him. Behind her emotionless face she thought about what the man had just said. 'Everything under control. That's right, GENOM has control over everything here and I'm sure that this everything includes the new drug cartel we tracked down here, as well. But it would be suicide to investigate GENOM without enough evidence. Section 9 is walking on dangerous territory here. I just hope Batou and I can find something around this place.'

"I'm sure this is the case, Mr. Masukawa. But the government has reasons to send us here. We have orders to evaluate the security your cooperation provides, since one of GENOM's conditions for building Osaka Two, was that there would be no official police presence besides its own security service. I'm certain, that you will understand that."

"Of course Ms., oh excuse me, Lt. Kusanagi. And how long do you suppose this evaluation will take."

"Some days. A week maximum."

"Very well, but I would suggest that you and your team wear something more... casual. And please hide your weapons. It is a total exception, that somebody else than GENOM guards wears weapons inside Osaka Two."

---

Priss had just found a door labeled 'Maximum Size Gym'. Inside she walked through a large entrance room. The one side was completely made of glass and through the windows the gym could be seen. Men and women of unbelievable size worked on machines that made Marow's gym look like a junk yard. Priss noticed a man with short, trimmed hair and strange looking small glasses standing at one of the windows. His yellow jacket did little to hide his massive frame. He looked somewhat out of place, almost like Priss did.

She walked over to a counter with a 'shop' sign. Behind it stood the largest man Priss had ever seen. He was browsing through some papers. It took some time for him to notice her.

"Oh sorry. How can I help you?"

"I'm looking for some supplements. POWER SURGE's the name."

The man raised an eyebrow. "POWER SURGE? Not many people ask about that nowadays. But I think I've got some of it left." He ducked behind his desk and came up again with a familiar box of pills. "That would be 500 Credits and your membership card."

"Membership card?"

"Of course, we only sell supplements to our memberships. It would be illegal to sell them to someone who hadn't a medical checkup. So if you aren't a member, I can't give you any supplements."

Priss looked around. The man by the window seemed distracted and there was enough distance between them so that he shouldn't hear what she was saying.

"Please, its important to me. My regular gym just doesn't have POWER SURGE anymore." She said with a lower voice. "I'd pay four times the price. And I didn't get it from you, OK?" She flashed him a smile that could have melted an iceberg.

"OK, but next time you come here you either become a member or ask me out for a date."

"Sounds promising." She paid and walked out of the room.

---

Batou's cyber ears picked up every word the young woman and the man behind the counter said as he stood seemingly distracted by the windows. While Kusanagi was trying to calm down GENOM he was sent down here to get some information. He knew that gyms were preferred selling places for illegal narcotics, with the hot stuff hidden between the regular supplements. And the conversation those two just had seemed a little bit suspicious to him. He mentally opened a comm link to the CyberNet and sent a message to Lt. Kusanagi, using the nearly unbreakable Section 9 scrambling. "I'm going after a possible drug deal. I'll contact you when I know more." All this happened in complete silence and the young woman had just left the building. Taking a last quick glance at the man behind the counter he followed her.

It didn't take Priss very long before she realized that she was followed. The guy from the gym wasn't really what you would call inconspicuous. She turned around a corner and waited. He nearly bumped into her when he arrived. He was nearly a full head taller than she was, not to mention at least twice as broad. To Batou's surprise she didn't seem to be intimidated in any way by him.

"So, what do you want? If you're looking for trouble, I'm your woman.", she said getting into a fight stance.

"There is no need for this. I only want to check what kind of supplement you just purchased."

"You from GENOM? If not, then beat it buster."

"I'm not from GENOM." He fished an official looking I.D. card out of his jacket. "Section 9. Governmental bureau of internal security. Now would you please show me the pills."

"Forget it. I know that GENOM is the only legal executive force inside Osaka Two. So you have no authority here and that's why I will leave now."

She turned around and was about to walk away when a heavy hand grabbed her shoulder.

"No so fast. I've got a tempora..."

Priss whirled around before he could finish what he was about to say, trying to break his grip with a quick punch to his lower arm. But her punch bounced off without any effect as if she had hit a brick wall. Her face grew dark.

"You damn Boomer. I will..."

She swung her fist at his jaw but he caught it in his free hand. Priss winced in pain because his grip was like a vice.

"That wasn't very nice of you, Miss. I'm not a Boomer and this violent behavior will someday get you into real trouble."

While Priss struggled to get free, Batou heard Kusanagi's voice in his head.

'Batou, I just finished my appointment. Anything to report?'

'Not yet. I've caught myself a little wildcat here. It may be nothing serious, but her manners are worse than you would expect from anyone around here'.

'Just don't overdo it. We can't let GENOM know why we are really here.'

'You know me Lieutenant. Always strictly following the book.'

'Kusanagi over and out.', her voice disappeared.

"Always keeper of the rules, aren't you Kusanagi?", he said out loud, more to himself than to anyone else. He was about to turn his attention back to the girl at hand, so to speak, when he realized that instead of weakening her struggle seemed to get stronger every second.

"What the....", he lost his words when he saw a blue light raising from the girl's body, surrounding it like an aura while it whirled and shimmered in an unreal glow.

This time Priss saw the glow herself. It had appeared when the fact of being hold fast so easily by this man became more than she could bear, when again a feeling of frustration overcame her. Besides a little bit of fear, over all things she could sense the feeling of power and strength from back at Marow's gym forcing its way into her mind. As she saw that the man was starting to have trouble holding her a grim smile crossed her face and she mentally embraced the feeling. She opened herself to it and let it flood her mind and body.

"Now... let... me... go!!!!", she growled. The aura around her lit up and with a burst of unknown strength Priss easily broke the man's grip, whirled around on one foot and sent a spinning kick to the man's chest. To both surprise he was lifted off the ground and flew a few feet back before he landed heavily on the sidewalk. Batou grunted as he hit the ground. He shook his head and looked for the girl and saw her running faster than humanly possible down the abandoned alley, the blue light slowly fading into her body.

'Lieutenant!', he called out mentally.

'What is it, Batou?'

'I encountered something extremely unusual and possibly dangerous. We need to track down a young woman in her mid twenties. She's on the run. About 5'4" tall, attractive, very long chestnut brown hair. She's wearing a red motorcycle suit. I'd advise to be very careful about her. She knocked me down with one kick.'

'Understood. I'll contact you when I have news. Kusanagi over and out.'

---

In her car Kusanagi attached her cyber interface to the onboard computer. Her real vision faded as the cameras and sensors of the car became her senses and she now drove it within her mind. Simultaneous she hacked into the city's less protected security systems. In a few seconds she had accessed the surveillance cameras for several public places. And a few moments later she had found her. As Batou had said, a young pretty woman in a red racing suit. Kusanagi saw through a camera how she forced her way through a crowd at a monorail station. Some people shouted at her but she ignored them. Then Kusanagi noticed something strange. Without her doing, the camera focused itself on the woman, made a snapshot of her face her hair, dress and built. Then the system compared the info with the records of Osaka Two's citizens. As it came up with no result it sent all data to a destination named "h.h. D-Man".

'Now what was that?', Kusanagi thought. 'I don't know who the woman is. But if GENOM just took notice of her, she's in trouble.'

She opened a comm link to her partner. 'Batou, I've found her. She's heading south in a monorail train, track number 2A 34. I will follow the train to the next stop. I suggest you head for the following station and try to intercept her there.'

'Affirmative, Lieutenant. Just be careful, there is something very strange about that girl. Batou over and out.'

---

Priss was lucky when she left the train. It had arrived the station sooner than Batou and when he arrived all he could see was her speeding away on her bike. She raced down the streets, not caring much about traffic lights or other vehicles. Her mind was busy, working on what had just happened. Somehow she had been strong for a few minutes. Stronger than she had ever been before. If she was right, she just had easily knocked out a cyborg. Her spirit rose when she left the city border and raced down the highway towards Osaka One. A yell of triumph and freedom escaped her mouth. The past few months nearly forgotten.

---

Back in Osaka Two, far below the ground in a dark room the red eyes of a 'Doberman' Type battle Boomer flashed into live as the images of a young woman with long brown hair and a red racing suit were uploaded into his data banks. The headhunter had its victim and was waiting for the sun to set before he would engage its assignment.

---