Messages Eiko Magami tried to stifle a yawn. It was her free period. Normally her one free period in the day would have been an excellent time for her to catch a nap in the library, or spend some time outdoors with Shiiko, or just generally loaf around. Now, however, she found herself staring at the face of her new, and second greatest, rival. A computer screen. "It's not like me an' Biiko do that much damage," she whispered to herself. "She challenges me, I trash her mechs, that's it 'till next morning." The school administration saw it differently, especially after both Eiko and Biiko's grades began to drop. As a result, they had both been assigned to spend their free periods working on tutorial programs in Graviton High's computer lab. A few days later they were assigned to different free periods, once the Daitokuji Zaibatsu's donation for a new computer lab cleared. "This is boring," Eiko muttered to herself. "Is something wrong, Magami-san?" Ayumi-sensei said from the front of the room. What did I do to deserve this? the teacher thought. First they're in my homeroom, and now I have to watch them on their free periods. "Nothing, sensei!" Eiko exclaimed, hunching down in front of the monitor. Might as well begin, she thought, looking at the monitor. > TALK REQUEST FROM unknown: TYPE Y TO ACCEPT Eiko stared at the screen for a moment. > TALK REQUEST FROM unknown: TYPE Y TO ACCEPT She looked up at Ayumi-sensei, who was busy grading papers from her other classes. Hesitantly, she looked back at the monitor, then shrugged her shoulders. Why not? * Y > TALK REQUEST ACCEPTED, MAKING CONNECTION > Hello. Eiko was hoping for a bit more than that. Still, it was better than the tutorials. * Hi, who are you? > Does it matter? * Huh? > I could tell you anything and there would be no way for you to prove me right or wrong. * I guess you're right. > I know who you are, of course. Eiko didn't like that at all. The direction of this conversation was getting kind of creepy. * Why did you contact me? > To ask a question. * Why not simply ask me to my face? > *laugh* You probably wouldn't answer me. * But you think I'll answer it here? > Maybe, maybe not. But at least I'll get to ask the question. * What's your question? > Will you answer it? * I can't tell you that until I know what the question is. > Then I might as well not ask. * Then why are you wasting my time? > Do you want to know what the question is? * Yes! > Then promise to answer it truthfully. Don't worry, it's a serious question. I'm not going to ask you what color your panties are or something like that. Eiko felt her cheeks burn. * Pervert! > Do you promise to answer? * Why should I? Why shouldn't I just log off now and forget about this? > Because if you don't know, your curiosity will eat you alive. Her mysterious correspondent had her there. * All right, I promise... as long as it's not perverted. There was a long pause from the screen. Then the words appeared. > Why do you and Daitokuji fight? Eiko was a bit shocked by the question. Didn't everyone know why? * Because she ambushes me every morning! > That's not an answer. Besides, if she does it every morning, it's hardly an ambush. You know she'll be there. Why do you fight? * Because she won't leave me alone! She's always after Shiiko. > So you are fighting over Shiiko? * No! Shiiko is my friend. She's not an object to be fought over. > Is she your friend? * What kind of question is that? Of course she is! I've known her since kindergarten. > You've known Daitokuji since then, too. Are you friends with her? * Definitely NOT! > Would you like to be? Eiko cut off the Talk screen. This was too weird for her. ***** The next day, in her free period, another talk request from "unknown" came in. For a long time, Eiko ignored it. She plodded through the tutorial until it got so boring that even her weird mystery messager was better. > I'm sorry. * Why? > Why what? Why did I apologize or why did I ask that question? * Both. > Hmmm, I'll answer the first one. Because I was being rude and nosy. * What about the second one? > Will you answer another of my questions? * Why should I? > Was the first one so bad? Eiko shook her head. This one could talk in circles worse than Ayumi-sensei. * Ask your question. > Why do you think Daitokuji fights you? * Didn't I already answer that one? > No, I asked before why YOU fight Daitokuji. Eiko scrolled back up the screen and re-checked the question. * Because she hates me because Shiiko is my friend. > Fair enough, for now. I asked if you wanted to be Daitokuji's friend to see if you wanted to be her enemy. * What kind of answer is that? > Think about it. With that, the talk connection was disconnected. ***** Eiko spent the night wondering about that last mysterious message. When the next day came around, she could barely wait for her free period. She beat Biiko in record time that morning, and managed to make it to class before the bell. Sure enough, another talk request awaited her. > Did you think about it? * Yeah... you want me to stop fighting with her like Shiiko does, don't you. > *applaud* Very good. * It's not my fault! If she quit attacking me all the time... > Why should she do that? * Are you saying you're on her side? > I'm saying, look at it from her point of view. Why should she stop? * Because she keeps making me late and there's no point to it all. > So she, your self-proclaimed rival, should stop just because she inconveniences you? * Right! > Would you? * Would I what? > Stop because you inconveniences her. * I don't attack her! She's the one that starts all of this. > Has she ever beaten you? * No way! > Does she have a lot of pride? * Too much. > And you honestly expect her to just give up without ever winning a fight? Would you? * It's not like that! > Do you really think she hates you? * Weren't the "Die, Eiko, Die!" speeches enough of a clue? > Think about it. And then Eiko was looking at a blank screen again. ***** The next day. > Did you think about it? * Look why are you doing this? > Why not? * That's not an answer. > *laugh* I guess I do owe you an answer or two. My answer is... I don't know why. * That's not an answer either! > Oh, yes it is. I know why I started, but now I simply don't know. Except that I find your answers interesting. Eiko felt herself start to blush. * You do? > I am curious why a pretty young girl like yourself would be so caught up in such a vendetta. Eiko's blush deepened. * I'm not. It's all Biiko's fault! > I'm not so sure. * How can you say that! She's the one who starts all the fights. > True enough, as far as that goes. * What do you mean by that? > Daitokuji does start the fights. That doesn't mean she's at fault. * So I'm at fault? > Maybe. Maybe not. * Now I'm confused. One of us started this. > Maybe it's Kotobuki's fault. * Take that back! > Why? You two do fight over her. * That's because of Biiko. > Right... you said that she hates you because Kotobuki is your friend. * Exactly! > So Kotobuki is not Daitokuji's friend? * No way! > Even though Kotobuki has said numerous times that she wants all of you to be friends? * Shiiko... has a very generous nature. > Hasn't Kotobuki asked you both to stop fighting? * Yes, and I've tried! > So if Kotobuki is willing to be friends with you both, why are you still fighting? * Because Biiko wants Shiiko all to herself. > And you don't? * Of course I don't want Biiko to keep Shiiko to herself. > No, I mean don't you want Kotobuki all to YOURSELF? * I told you, Shiiko is not a THING to be fought over! > Think about it. ***** Eiko was in a foul mood that night. How dare this mystery man have the gall to suggest all of that. Shiiko was HER friend. Biiko was always trying to claim her. It was all Biiko's fault. But, wasn't this kind of thinking exactly what her pen pal had suggested? That morning, she was awakened by the usual refrain. "EIKOOOOO! TIME TO GET UP!" In a flash, she had eaten, dressed and was dragging Shiiko by the arm towards Graviton. Before they reached D's usual hiding place, however, she stopped. "Eiko? What's wrong?" Shiiko asked. "Are you okay?" "Shiiko, do you consider Biiko a friend?" "Un!" the blonde said, nodding her head. Then she frowned. "But I wish you two would stop fighting. You promised you would!" Eiko could see the tears forming in her friend's eyes and hurried to stem the flood. "I've been trying, Shiiko, honestly! But she won't listen!" "Do you want me to talk to her?" "No! We'll settle this. besides, she'll just try to steal you away --" "Oh, she'd never do that." "Shiiko, haven't you been paying attention? She's always yelling about taking you from me." "She didn't say anything about that when I asked her to fix the Captain's ship... she was real nice about it! She has this real big bath, did you know? It's like a swimming pool!" "You... took a bath with her?" "Un!" Eiko had never felt this angry in all her life, except maybe when D had cut her face. "BIIKO, PREPARE TO DIE!" ***** > You were really pulling no punches today. * You saw the fight? > I think the whole city did. What did Daitokuji do this time? * Now you believe me? That it's all her fault? > No, but I know you think that. * Well... today, I started it... I found out that she.... > Something to do with Kotobuki? You were yelling something about her and "violation." * Shiiko's not talking to me now because of that. > Treated her as an object, didn't you? * A little, maybe. > So why were you so angry at Daitokuji? * Because I thought she... had done something to Shiiko. > Did this happen recently? Was Kotobuki in tears? Clothes ripped? * No. > So why were you so angry? Obviously nothing bad happened. At least as far as Kotobuki was concerned. * Shiiko doesn't know Biiko like I do. She'll do something bad to her, I know it. > Because she's a lesbian? * SHIIKO IS NOT A LESBIAN! > *dryly* I was referring to Daitokuji. * Oh. > So, do you hate Daitokuji because she likes girls, or because she likes Kotobuki? * Both. > My, how open-minded of you. * It's not like that! > Sounds like it to me. * I wouldn't have any problem with Biiko if she didn't keep throwing it in my face and trying to take Shiiko! > So, do you want Shiiko for yourself? Eiko could hardly see through the red haze that filled her vision. * WHAT? > Think about it. ***** The next day was Saturday so Eiko didn't have to go to the computer lab. She wasn't in any of the clubs that met that day, either, being too strong to compete athletically and because she found the more mental-oriented clubs to be boring. Normally, she'd spend time with Shiiko, but the blonde still wasn't talking to her. Still, she found herself in the nearly empty computer lab, typing away at a tutorial, wondering if the other would contact her. This is foolish, she thought. How will he even know I'm here? It's not my free period. In fact, how did he ever know I'm here? Is he spying on me? A talk request flashed on the screen. It was him. > My, how diligent we are being in our studies. * How did you know I was here? > A little program alerts me when you log on with your student ID. * Oh. > Have you calmed down now? * No... somewhat. > Good, I don't want you to break any computer monitors. * What do you care? > You and Daitokuji are THIS close to being thrown out of Graviton, did you know that? Only her father's money is keeping you in. * Why would she protect me? > Well, for one thing, Kotobuki would follow you if you left. For another, the school could hardly get rid of only one of you. It'd look bad. * So, you agree that she wants Shiiko! > I thought we had decided that Kotobuki was her friend. * Why are you doing this? Because of you, I got into trouble with Shiiko. > Why are you blaming me for that? I didn't make her mad at you. * If it wasn't for your questions, I wouldn't have found out about Shiiko and Biiko's bathtub! > Hmm, so my little questions made you fly off the handle? * No! > Seriously, I am doing this now because I'm convinced that you don't know the real reason why you're fighting Daitokuji. * I told you! She starts it. > Why don't you tell me how it all began? * Tell a complete stranger that? > Why not? I think Daitokuji shouted most of it back when she first started fighting you. Why not tell me your side? * I forgot about that. > So, it happened in kindergarten? * Yeah. Biiko was in me and Shiiko's class. We were friends even back then, Shiiko and me. Biiko had this really ugly bowl cut and kept pestering Shiiko. Putting frogs down her dress and all. > Hardly the behavior of someone who wanted to be friends with Kotobuki. * We were just kids then. I protected Shiiko from her. We were supposed to fight a duel over it, but my family moved away before I could. > Ten years is a long time to hold a grudge. * Biiko started fighting with me over Shiiko even before she knew that we had been in kindergarten together. > Hmmm. * So, that's about it. > Did you ever feel that maybe you owed Daitokuji that duel? * Well, maybe... it's not like I meant to blow her off. But we've fought more than enough since then to satisfy that. > Maybe not. * What do you mean? > Daitokuji obviously hasn't gotten everything she wants from your fights yet. * She wants Shiiko, that's why! > Does she? Think about it. ***** On Sunday, there was no way that Eiko could get to the computer lab. She kept thinking of what Biiko could possibly want from their fights. It had to be Shiiko. Biiko already had money, smarts, and beauty. What else could she want? But Shiiko had said that she was Biiko's friend. So why did Biiko keep fighting? Just to win? Would Biiko finally stop if Eiko let her win a fight? Could she throw a fight? Even for some peace and quiet? It's not like she hadn't proven again and again that Biiko couldn't beat her. ***** The slap on her face was totally unexpected. "DAMN YOU, EIKO!" Biiko screamed, tears in her eyes. "I don't care what you think of me, but fight SERIOUSLY!" An augmented kick caught the flame-haired girl in the mid-section. "FIGHT ME!" Biiko screamed. "I thought..." Eiko gasped, "that... if you won just once... you'd leave me alone...." Biiko choked back a response and took to the air, leaving Eiko behind. ***** > Why did you do that? * I thought she'd be happy. > Happy to be so pathetic her enemy won't even fight her seriously? Happy to be taken so lightly that she isn't worthy of a fight? * I didn't know she'd take it so badly. > What were you thinking? * I was thinking about what you said, that Biiko hadn't gotten what she wanted from the fights.... > So you thought she would be happy if you LET her win? * Not a good idea, I guess. > *applause* Nice going, Sherlock. * Well, what would YOU do? > Did you try to talk to her? * No. > Have you ever tried to talk to her? * Lot's of times! She just won't listen. > Why should she? All you ever say to her is for her to give up, roll over and play dead for you. You don't take her seriously. * She and I have torn up the city on more than one occasion and you're saying I don't take her seriously? > Did you ever think that she might want your respect? * What? > Think about it. ***** The next day, there was no Shiiko at the door, no Biiko at the school gate. Both girls ignored Eiko in class. Eiko was glad when her free period came around. > Did you think about what I said? * Yeah. Neither one of them is talking to me now. Biiko won't even fight me anymore. > You didn't try to start a fight, did you? * No... I didn't want to disappoint you. > ... * You've been trying to help me, I realize... even if I don't always understand how or why. > I'm trying to help both of you. * Does that mean you're writing to her? > No. She has to work things through on her own. But she's supposed to be the smart one, isn't she? * And I'm the dumb one? > No. You're very smart. You've figured a lot of stuff out, some things I wasn't even certain about. All I did was point you in the right direction. * Will we ever meet face-to-face? > Maybe. So, what did you decide about Biiko and your respect? * Biiko has been trying to... get my attention since kindergarten? Does she really... like me? > ... * Am I wrong? > I'm not sure. I hadn't really considered that. * You didn't know? > I don't know everything... why do you think Daitokuji might... like you? * Um, well... I'm not really comfortable with the idea, you know, but... she was crying the other day, when I threw the fight. > Those might have been tears of rage. * Maybe, but she flew away rather than beat me to a pulp. If she was angry, she would have tried to kill me. > What else? * Well, when we were in kindergarten... Shiiko and I were inseparable. She could have been teasing Shiiko because she couldn't get to me alone. > That doesn't necessarily imply that she... likes you. * Then, here, we keep fighting all the time, even though fighting over Shiiko doesn't make sense anymore. > There could be a lot of reasons for that. * Maybe... but when we didn't fight today... I missed it. > You missed having a crazed schoolgirl try to rip your head off? * Sounds crazy, doesn't it, but... she's the only person who can give me a workout. I'm too strong to be in any of the clubs. If I played baseball, the ball would probably go to the moon! > No doubt. Still, this is quite a leap. Usually when someone... likes a person, they don't get into huge fights that destroy parts of cities. * I know... but what else could Biiko want? > What about when Kotobuki's people came for her the first time? Daitokuji abandoned you, I heard, let you fall to your death. * It's alright. Saving Shiiko was what was important. Besides, I'm tough. > Perhaps Kotobuki is not the only one with a generous nature. * *blush* Thanks. > So, what now? * I guess I better talk to Biiko... > Good luck. ***** Eiko looked at her rival. She had just poured out her conclusions and waited to see what she had to say. Biiko had been remarkably quiet throughout it all. "So, you think I might have fallen in love with you? Is that it?" Biiko finally said softly. "Um... maybe... but I do know that there's no real reason for our fights anymore... and someone suggested that I try to think about why we still do it." Biiko pursed her lips in consideration. "If it was true... what would happen next?" Eiko froze, surprised that Biiko was taking it so easily. "Am I wrong?" "I didn't say that. I didn't say you're right, either. This could be the biggest egocentric fallacy I've ever heard of. What I DO want to know is this: What do you intend to do if I am in love with you and I have been working out these repressed feelings through fighting?" "Um... I was hoping that we could be friends." "Just friends?" "I'm not ready to be more than friends. I don't know if I'd ever be ready to be more than friends. I think, however, that I DO want to be your friend." "And perhaps more?" "Er... maybe. I'm not promising anything." "Friends then." Biiko held out her hand. "I was right?" Eiko said. "It fits the facts... maybe. But we won't find out if we keep fighting, will we?" "You're taking this better than I thought." "I've had a lot to think about recently too." The two of them shook hands. "Eiko? About being more than friends...?" Biiko asked, not letting go of her new friend's hand. "Er, yes?" Biiko lunged forward and planted a long kiss on Eiko's mouth. "Think about it." Document1