Chapter Fifty-Three - The Gem

“A diamond is a woman’s best friend.

But a goddess is adorned in painite.”

--Pandora ad, 2049

***

Lucy spun around, then came to a dizzying stop. The long pleats of her dress wrapped around her legs before gently unfolding. “What do you think?” she asked.

“You look gorgeous,” I said.

She really did look great. The dress was all dark purples and lighter grays. A sort of jacket-thing with padded shoulders that sank down to a thin waist and that wrapped around her hips. The main portion of the dress was a smooth, silky material, with a generous window over her bust and enough support to make things more interesting. It was still functional though, pretty without getting in the way.

My points were down to 10,644, but that did mean that I had two things to present to Lucy. Unfortunately I didn’t have a better box for them than the ones they’d come with. “I have gifts,” I said.

“Oh?” Lucy asked. She turned away from the mirror and looked my way. “What sort of gifts?”

I handed her the larger of the two boxes. “That’s... a meh gift. It’s a thigh holster, for your handgun.”

Lucy oohed appropriately and opened the little case to reveal the straps within. They were the same grey as part of her dress, even the texture on the surface matching. “Nice. Myalis has an eye for detail, huh?”

“Uh, well, I did ask for something you’d like,” I said.

Lucy laughed and pulled me into a hug. ‘“Thanks. It’ll look great. Really complete that famme-fatal look.”

“Uh-huh,” I said. “I have two more gifts,” I said.

“Oh, gifts plural. You know, what with the dress and the shoes and now the thigh holster--which is admittedly a bit weird--I’m starting to feel a bit overwhelmed here.”

I snorted. “You’ll like this one,” I said. “Turn around.”

Lucy turned, and I walked her sideways so that she was standing in front of the mirror. “Alright,” she said, meeting my eyes through the reflection.

“The next gift is this,” I said, a hand coming to the side. “Myalis, the augs.”

Here you go.

New Purchase: Cyber warfare Capable Class One Augmentation

Points Reduced to... 10,594!

The package was fairly large, and I had to use both hands to open it, ruining the moment I wanted to make a little. Inside it was a large tubular syringe, with a pad on one end and a thumb-trigger in the middle.

“I need to press this into your eye,” I said.

“Oh, yuck,” Lucy said. She made a face, but then brought a hand up to her left eye. “Should I keep it as wide open as I can?”

“You don’t mind?” I asked.

“Well, it’s you, so you’re hardly going to poke my eye out.” She very clearly rolled said eyes.

“Right, well don’t move,” I said. The tube expanded when it came closer to her eyes, pushed them open, then connected in place with a faint click. A light on the side of the device went green and I pulled it back. “Did that hurt?”

“No, not at all,” Lucy said. She blinked a few times. “Uh, my augs are off now, though.”

“That’s part one,” I said. “I also need to jam it against your neck.”

I lifted her hair and found the port for her augs right at the base of her skull. A compatible port slid out of the end and jammed itself into place. The lights on the side of the tube went from red to orange to yellow to green in the space of twenty or so seconds, then it dinged.

“I think it’s done,” I said. “Myalis said that it’s part hardware change, part software. Basically, it’s.. Bullshit nano stuff replacing and adding more bits to your old augs. So you don’t need to tear them out.”

“Oh, nice,” Lucy said. She blinked and then grinned. “Well, they’re back online. I can’t see any difference though.”

“I don’t think you should,” I said. “Faster, no viruses or anything, and some cyberwarfare stuff. Oh, and a better connection to Myalis.”

“Nice,” Lucy said. “I can send her more juicy memes.”

“You send my alien space AI memes?” I asked.

“She sends some back. Myalis is a bit of a shitposter, but she has this thing about cat pics.”

Cats are fascinating creatures.

“I’m surrounded by weirdos,” I said. “Not even my head is safe.”

Lucy elbowed me lightly in the ribs. “You’re not so normal yourself,” she said.

“Alright, alright,” I said as I reached up and grabbed Lucy’s shoulders. I turned her back towards the mirror, then fished my last present out from my pockets. I snapped open the box, then grinned at the necklace within. “Third gift.”

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“You said two.”

“I’m bad at math,” I said.

“Oh,” Lucy said as I carefully wrapped it around her neck, then laid a kiss in the crook just behind her collar.

The necklace was made of something silver-like, long, mobius strip links that clasped together at the back with a screw-clasp. The pendant sitting over Lucy’s sternum was a bit... silly. A small grinning cat head, the eyes replaced by a pair of purple gems.

“It’s pretty,” Lucy said.

“I, ah, hope you like it,” I said.

She leaned back into me. “I love it,” she said. “But I love you more, you silly, sentimental kittycat.”

I hugged her, and for a moment we enjoyed just being close.

But time, as always, intruded on us.

Someone knocked on the door, and I let go of Lucy. “One of the kittens?” I asked. I walked over and opened it. If it was some actual trouble, Myalis would inform me.

Junior was on the other side, no expression on her face, even on seeing me in paw-print PJs. “There’s a pair of nuns here to see you.”

“A pair of nuns,” I repeated. What was my life coming to when that wasn’t implausible. “Is one of them Gomorrah?”

“Think so. Looks like the same samurai as in that Two Girls One Flamer meme,” she said.

“Please don’t look at any meme that I’m part of,” I said, knowing full well that it would be easier to ask the sun not to set.

“Whatever,” Junior said. “I’ve done my part. She’s in the living room.”

“Right. Thanks.” I shut the door then turned and started looking for my clothes. “Where’s my under armour, I need to get dressed too.”

“I can go play distraction for a while,” Lucy said. She pecked me on the cheek on the way out. “Your stuff’s all on that chair, by the way.”

“Thanks,” I said.

I didn’t take too long to squeeze into all of my gear. Then I ran into the washroom and jumped into my armour, which had fortunately dried up, and didn’t stink of anything. After securing my helmet on and making sure that my jacket was on straight, I left the room and stomped--quietly--over to the living room.

Gomorrah was there, in full regalia, though her mask was left on the kitchen counter and she was sipping some soda through a straw. Frannie was sitting on one of the stools, an amused smile on as she teased Nose who seemed to have a lot of questions today. Or a sudden crush on the redheaded nun.

“Hey,” I said. I took off my helmet and set it next to Gomorrah’s mask. “Didn’t know if you’d show up.”

“It’s an excuse to get away from the church, and to actually get something done. Yesterday was an... interesting day.”

“Any trouble?” I asked.

“Plenty,” Gomorrah said.

Frannie laughed. “The sisters were nice to all the refugees the first day. Now, their patience is wearing thin. So much for proper demeanor and candor.”

“Figures,” I said. “So you wanted to come with?”

Gomorrah nodded. “It’ll mean a day away from all the drama. I think the threat of me returning eventually should be enough to keep everyone in line, at least for an afternoon. And it means that I won’t have to be there. You know, the sisters used to boss me around? Now, they can’t take a bath without asking for permission first.”

“Literally?” I asked.

She glared. “I was being figurative, of course.”

Lucy giggled. “Of course. It’ll be fun to be with others. It can be a double date!”

Gomorrah’s face froze for just a moment before she composed herself. “Frannie is just coming with me to get out of the church as well,” she said.

“Yeah,” Frannie said a little too quickly. “It’s stuffy over there.”

Lucy and I glanced at each other and communicated a novel’s worth to each other in a few seconds. “Well, whatever you say,” I said. “Do you think we can head over in the Fury? It’ll be nicer than taking a taxi over.”

“Will Gomorrah need an invite?” Lucy asked. “Jeff might be surprised if two samurai show up when he’s expecting one. And you’re supposed to bring a plus one, not plus three. There might not be enough seats or whatever.”

“I’ll send him a text,” I said. It was a decent idea.

“We can use the Fury,” Gomorrah agreed. “Should we head out now, or...”

“I guess?” I said. It was a bit past noon. The gala was an evening thing, but being early did not hurt. It was that or we stayed here and chatted. “You know what, let’s head over now. If we’re too early, we can piss off and go do something fun to kill time.”

***