Beyond The Impossible

Null Tower, New York City

Dr. Catherine Kalama is normally a very calm person: it’s extremely rare to see her lose her temper, and it’s never on the job. But now she’s yelling at her only patient, Noriko Null, while the latter carefully avoids eye contact with her.

<…irresponsible and reckless! You should never, never take any sort of medicine without discussing it with me! Especially if you’re mixing antipsychotics and antidepressants while also going ten times over the recommended dose!>

<It was just seven> Noriko mumbles, clearly embarrassed by the situation.

<Why even have a personal physician if you just ignore what I tell you and do whatever you want?>

<It won’t happen again, doctor.>

<You bet it won’t, because if you pull another stunt like this you’ll have to find yourself another doctor to put up with this nonsense! Do you realize you could’ve killed yourself!?>

<Actually, my brain would’ve been able to withstand even higher dosages.>

<Do you even listen to yourself? You need to start taking care of your body, Noriko. You won’t go into space again or take any medication without my permission, is that clear!?>

<Yes, doctor.>

<And I want you to see a psychiatrist to deal with your alternate personalities.>

<That is absolutely out of the question> Noriko responds, this time looking at the doctor.

<Neither of us is even remotely qualified to…>

<Out. Of. The. Question> Noriko reiterates, her silver eyes shining in anger. Doctor Kalama is usually able to stand up to her… that’s why she got the job after all… but this time, she blinks.

<Either that, or you’ll start following my advice on nutrition and exercise.>

<Deal.>

Doctor Kalama looks at Noriko and sighs, trying to calm herself down.

<Does my father know about…>

<I told him it was the stress of space travel. If I told him you took drugs, he wouldn’t even let you go to the bathroom without supervision.>

<Thank you.>

The doctor nods, then heads for the door. On the way out, she almost bumps into Todd Slate.

<See if you can knock some sense into her> she tells him, leaving.

Todd slowly comes into the room, looking at Noriko. She doesn’t seem any different from when he last saw her, although he suspects she’s just keeping up appearances.

<You want to yell at me too? Everyone else has. Not that I can blame them> Noriko says.

<Can I see it?>

<I don’t know what the doctor told you, but it’s probably not as bad as she said.>

<Just let me see it.>

Noriko sighs and turns her back to him, raising her T-shirt. There are four mechanical devices attached to her spine, giving off a very faint blue glow.

<Does it hurt?> Todd asks, touching one of the points where the metal meets the skin. It’s warm.

<If I think too much. They regulate the excess electricity stored inside my nervous system.>

<And do you still hear voices?>

<Sometimes> she admits, looking away embarrassed.

<I see> he nods.

<You think I’m crazy, don’t you?>

<I think you need help and that you’re pushing yourself too hard. I want to talk to her.>

<Uh? Talk to who?>

<To your other personality. You can do that, can’t you?>

Noriko’s eyes widen, a mixture of surprise and fear.

<What!? No! I don’t want you to talk to any of them!!!>

<Why not? They’re a part of you which is obviously important.>

<-I am nothing like them! They’re not…> she starts to answer, but grimaces and covers their ears.

<Are you hearing them now?> Todd asks, uncertain of how to react.

<Just make it quick… I don’t know how long they Hello!>

Noriko’s expression changes rapidly, from pain to a warm smile. Todd is taken by surprise, but not as much as when she throws at him and kisses him passionately.

Normally he wouldn’t mind, but it’s such a sudden change that he pushes her away.

<Aw c’mon, I never get to use a body, can’t I at least have, like, some fun?>

<You’re not Noriko.>

<Ding ding ding, someone give this handsome man a prize! Call me Eve, ‘kay?> she giggles; then she jumps off the bed and starts bouncing on her feet, like an excited kid.

<It feels, like, so good to be able to move! Hey, y’know what we should do? We should, like, take Nori’s bike and take it for a spin! No no no, I’ve got it, we can, like, go to her island and have a big party! What’d you think? C’mon c’mon c’mon!!!> she says, talking a mile a minute; even when Todd takes her hand, she can’t stay still for a second.

<Actually, I just wanted to talk to you, if it’s alright.>

<Aww, but talking is soooo boring! Don’t you want a Noriko that can, like, enjoy the simple stuff?>

<I thought you said you weren’t Noriko.>

<You’re just no fun with your clothes on, you know that? Unhand me, Slate.>

With another sudden shift in tone, Noriko takes her hand away from Todd’s. Her posture changes completely, now rigidly controlled. As if the changes in her eyes weren’t a dead giveaway… a white iris on an otherwise completely black surface… Todd already knows this one.

<Void.>

<I assume the purpose of this impromptu therapy session is to strike a deal with us, something you are prepared to give us in exchange for a promise not to hurt your dear Noriko.>

<Were you responsible for her taking the drugs? Or trying to face a goddess alone?>

<Even if I were, I would have no reason to admit it. I will tell you the same thing I said to Null months ago: I am not her enemy and I wish her, and conversely you, no harm. >

>Then stop pestering her! If you get her killed, what happens to you?>

<I will admit that a certain level of cooperation would be beneficial to all of us. I have a much higher control over this body than my counterparts… Null will confirm this… so I could be able to lock out Eve and Fury. I would, however, require compensation.>

<And what would that be?>

<Has Null told you about Project Seven?>

<I know it exists, but that’s it. She won’t give me any details.>

<A wise decision. I want to be allowed to work on Project Seven with her.>

<I’ll talk to her. You can’t ask her to trust you, though.>

<Trust is irrelevant. The results are all that F#ck you!!!>

She headbutts him, hard enough to make him bleed and fall on his back. She’s moving frantically, like an animal in a cage, and her eyes are spewing blue flames.

<You think I’ll go down like that? I’m the one who killed Abyss! I won’t let you->

The devices on her back light up, becoming visible through the T-shirt. She tries to resist, but eventually she has to kneel and surrender. When she opens her eyes, they’re silver again.

Todd is at her side, hesitating for a second before putting his hand on her shoulder.

<It’s okay. It’s okay. They’re gone, you’re safe now> he reassures her.

<Oh my God> she gasps, once she sees the blood under his nose. She’s shaking and crying.

<It’s not as bad as it looks. It’s not even broken> he tries to downplay it.

<But I hurt you! That’s not… that’s not acceptable> she sniffs, wiping away her tears.

<We’ll fix this, Nori, I promise. We’ll find a way to deal with this.>

<Yes we will> she nods, standing up again. Her silver eyes flash as she looks at the nearest mirror.

<Do it. Do I have your word? Yes, you’ll work with me at Project Seven. You will not regret this, Null. I’ll keep you under surveillance, of course. Of course.>

<Noriko, you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to> Todd reminds her.

<Yes I do. I don’t want to hurt you again. Just to be clear, I am not guaranteeing his safety. Shut up and do what you have to, Void. I am just saying, we live a dangerous life.>

Noriko’s eyes are wide open, and as bright as a flashlight. Todd has to look away as an electrical storm rages inside her brain. It feels like it takes forever, but it’s less than a minute.

<It’s done. I’m back in control.>

<Are you okay?>

<I will be> she replies, try to remain as stoic as possible. But when Todd hugs her, she hugs back as if she never intends to let him go. They look at each other, smiling awkwardly.

<Thank you, Todd, for everything you do.>

Before he can say anything, something catches fire. It’s the air itself, drawing a diagonal line of fire. Then another, and another, until there’s a flaming pentagram in the room.

Torn steps out of it. He sees Noriko and Todd hugging, the former with lights coming out of her back and the latter with blood flowing from his nose.

<I’m back.>

<We noticed. How’s Hell?> Noriko asks him.

<Hot. Did I miss anything?>

<Not really> Noriko shrugs.

<She killed another goddess> Todd adds.

<I see> Torn comments, keeping his usual monotone voice. Then he proceeds to walk out of the room, completely oblivious with what he found in his return.

Noriko and Todd can’t help but laugh at the utter lack of interest shown by Torn; not that it’s any surprise for them, at this point, but they really needed a break.

 

Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan

The luxurious Tanaka residence is well hidden from the public eye, but its latest guest is so reclusive that even the guards don’t know her identity. Even if they did, the elderly Japanese woman doesn’t look like her picture: Noriko Tanaka, mother of Leiko and grandmother of Noriko, is only in her mid-sixties but looks thirty years older. It definitely has something to do with her mind being controlled by the alien device called the Core.

<Well? Can you fix it or not?> Leiko asks her, frustrated by her mother’s slowness: she doesn’t seem in a hurry to work on the state of the art circuits in front of her. When she responds, there’s something quite inhuman in her voice.

<Unlikely. I am the repository of the knowledge of billions of years of technological advancements of a race older than the stars, and you ask me to work with tools barely better than rocks.>

<My mother’s brain is the only one currently compatible with your programming; there’s nobody else on the planet capable of repairing a Drylon device. Except maybe my daughter, but since she’s the one who damaged you in the first place she won’t cooperate.>

<There is another option> a male voice answers, and the room goes completely dark.

Leiko’s first reaction is reaching for her phone: with a push of a button, the room will be crawling with guards. Except the phone’s completely dead.

<I believe I can help you with your problem, Leiko. The Core and I go way back.>

<Perhaps for your limited perspective, Scribe. To me, you are a speck of cosmic dust.>

<The Scribe, the leader of the Guild. Is this about the Alliance?>

<This is about destiny and opportunity. I know you worked for the Mortal Liberation Front in the past; our goals are not mutually exclusive.>

<Really. How so?>

<You want to repair the Core and take control of Earth. I can help you with that.>

<I assume you want something in return. What is it?>

In the darkness, it’s impossible to see the Scribe smile. But his silver eyes shine as he answers:

<Tell me everything you know about the Heart Of The Universe.>