Unipsi, lovely entity
chapter 39c: comic
Idra seemed to be back to her usual self. No more sad even if Scilla couldn’t help but wonder why such sadness in the first place. Wiola unpacked their food, mostly sweets, and disposed them to be easily accessible. She was also the one to pick up what she liked and started eating. Scilla took one of the many puff but Idra just looked.
“you don’t like them?” asked Wiola.
“oh, no. I was wondering if I can probe them” replied Idra.
“Probe?” said confused Wiola. She rarely saw Idra eating and she never saw her probing her food, even if she did the same with what Nuria cooked before.
“yes you can, but they are not poisonous so…” said Scilla and before she could finish Idra’s left hand was already moving on top the puffs pile. The long dark thin needles from her armlet pierced into each puff. Each time a needle would retract and a new one would penetrate the next pastry to avoid cross contamination. Wiola watched the majestic dance of instruments that would make most labs performance pale in comparison. She was the definition of precision and efficiency. Even if she couldn’t be sure, she could tell that each puff was pierced in the centre.
“that… that was amazing! Are you sure you don’t want to work in my research lab?”
“can I lie?” asked Idra looking at Scilla.
“well it’s a bit pointless if you ask that in front of the person that you want to lie to” replied Scilla.
“oh man, you could have just said no.” Wiola was disconsolate.
“well no. I don’t even appreciate the offer. I would end up beating to death the first one that isn’t precise and rigorous enough. Also be in contact with few Leans is already stressful enough. Don’t want to be near more people, especially more of your species.”
“I thought you liked me?” said Scilla in a sarcastic tone. Idra didn’t get it.
“indeed I like you, just you. I have no reason to connect myself with more barbarians”
Scilla took it with a grain of salt. She knew and was gradually getting used to Idra’s peculiar ideas and view.
“if we are barbarians what are the others? A mean what are the Humans to you. What about the Xoraxtas then?”
“living targets to shoot at for practice?” replied Idra.
Scilla and Wiola were both surprised and horrified but then Idra laughed.
“hahaa I got you both. Did you get it. It was a joke. Hehe I’m learning how to make them.”
“o yeah… a joke. Of course… never doubted it”. Wiola was not really convinced.
“if it was a joke than what are they?” asked again Scilla.
Idra however had no intention to reply. Instead she stood up to immediately sit back between Scilla’s legs.
“What?! What are… are you doing?” said Scilla. Her brain was malfunctioning.
“sitting between your legs.”
“I… I can see it… why?”
“to avoid answering as you would not like my reply. Vermin are vermin and should be treated as such.”
Neither Scilla nor Wiola understood the phrase. It got in one ear to get out of the other. Both Lises were focused on Idra that was settling in. Her lower body was in contact with Scilla’s groin and she was rubbing it left and right to accommodate herself. It took just a few back and forth “butt swings” for Scilla to place her hand under Idra’s armpit and lifting her slightly up and forward.
“S...sorry but could you not… not rub your butt on me?”
“What? I’m not rubbing myself on you. I’m trying to get comfortable, what’s the problem?”
“I could say it but your collar will delete my phrase”
“what the fuck, you are a pervert, always thinking about… about something that is not appropriate”
“you are the one at fault…”
“ME?!? Wiola is it my fault? Am I the perverted one?” asked Idra.
“yes”—”yes”
Their response stunned Idra for a moment. Scilla let her go and this time Idra slowly sit between the legs. She avoid to move around then almost whispering she asked.
“was I… was I… doing… something… of… of that kind?”
Scilla clearly detected Idra worries and so she hugged her.
“sort of, but you don’t have to worry about it. Just don’t get mad if sometimes I have to push you away…”
“I… I was not going to get mad. You can pick me up whenever you want”
Wiola perceiving the tension and being the one “with a sense of humour” stood up and proceed to walk slowly away saying.
“I guess I’ll leave you alone. Would prefer not to stain my clothes with body fluids”
that immediately triggered a response from both.
“what?”-- “Wiola don’t you dare with your stupid jokes!”
“oh come on. She can joke about shooting people and I can’t joke about you being all lovey-dovey on a rock?”
“what’s… lo..vey..do..vey? I don’t even have a translation for that”
“you don’t have to worry. Wiola was just being stupid. No wait she was just being herself”
“oh the dissing. You think you are funnier than me?” replied Wiola.
“not really, but to be clear I won’t touch her before we are married”
“oh, you already planned to get married?”
“no, I mean we...”--”yes”
they both looked at Idra that was fairly confused.
“have I said something wrong?” she asked.
“no… just confusing. You basically told her that we are going to get married. Yet we have being together for so little. You run away if I try to get too close when you are outside your armour.”
“oh… I suppose I could have been misleading. Wiola I plan to marry your sister from the moment I felt the connection with her. Even if I know little about… love. I feel… no… I know when someone will be with me for the rest of my life. That someone is Scilla. Initially I just wanted a friend… then… I… fuck it, you know. I developed feeling and all that shit. Let me eat in peace”.
Too embarrassed to say more Idra took up the puff that she previously choose and almost as a reflex she turned on the passive cloaking. The AMS-111 immediately swapped colour with the environments matching exactly with it. Wiola that was in front of her was in awe as Idra’s body appeared almost fused with Scilla’s one. The mouth chewing the puff was the only part that stood out. The armour was also copying the puff movements as Idra bit into it.
“what the hell is this trickery? Are you a witch?” exclaimed Wiola.
Understandably she was surprised. Several civilizations tried to achieve passive cloaking but all settled for stealth technology to avoid special sensors like radar or thermal. Only Esterians developed a passive device capable so adapt to the environment in fraction of seconds. From there they developed the photon interference fields that deletes light waves generating total darkness. An advanced version is mounted on every NDU. Such interference technology developed even more into selective wave bending resulting in active cloaking devices. However such technology was costly, developed by Idras and almost exclusively used by them as working prototypes appeared with Idra’s last generation and Idra 511. Meanwhile Scilla’s mind was drifting away. She stopped at “for the rest of my life”.
Was… was that… no… or maybe it was a marriage proposal. No it could not be it… but she said so… could it have meant something else? But what else? Not that I’m not pleased. Kinda the opposite. Bit anticlimactic but I doubts Esterians are into spectacular proposal. But was it really a proposal? Well she said marry and rest of the life… so it’s not like she can become my mother or I become hers…
“it’s not witchcraft, magic doesn’t and can’t exist. Unipsi doesn’t allows an absence of rules exactly as it doesn’t allow for peace”. Idra’s reply was slow as she was struggling to find the correct words to use.
“well to me your stuff looks as such. You are invisible. It’s just too fucking cool. Can I turn invisible as well?” exclaimed Wiola again.
“this is not invisibility. It’s just light transmission. Read the shit on the opposite side and mirrors it on your end. Nothing fancy. But I can also turn invisible. Not to brag but my cloaking device is one of the best around and I’m one of the few that has one.”
“can I see it?”
“one day…” Idra stopped mid sentence. She turned and looked at Scilla. She was still in her dream world of possibility and Idra decided to bring her back. With the half eaten puff in hand she pushed it onto Scilla’s nose. She immediately moved.
“THE FUCK?”
Wiola was laughing as if there was no tomorrow.
“back to Icar my girl. You were spacing out a bit too much. So I pranked you” Idra smiled, her half smile that as usual concealed her teeth. This time she felt sweeter than usual.
So this is the game ha. Time for revenge
Scilla knew that Idra could feel through the suit so she tickled her. It was super effective. Idra couldn’t even run away. But her happy torture ended soon as Scilla knew that exceeding was not a wise move.
“as I said, all lovey dovey aren’t you?”
“shish Wiola. You are just envious. Get yourself a girl” replied Scillas jokingly.
“anyway why did you want to get between sis legs?” asked Wiola.
“oh, I saw a mother with her kid coming here. They seemed happy so I wanted to try, was I wrong?”
hard to believe that beyond such cuteness and ingenuity lays one of the deadlier creature in existence.
“ooh you are so cute, can I… squeeze your metallic cheeks?” said Wiola.
“no you can’t, but I can” said Scilla that grabbed Idra’s goo that was in the cheeks area of the helmet. Idra rebelled and pushed away the hands.
“stop it, you know I can feel it”
“WHAT? Invisible and also feeling shit through it? The hell are you wearing an engineer wet dream?” said Wiola.
“what’s a wet dream?” more words that Idra lacked in her dictionary.
“nothing important. Just a peculiar way to say big ass dream.” Scilla looked at Wiola with furious eyes. In few sentences she was teaching her far more “shit” that she ever did.
“sorry sis.”
they talked more and at some point Idra asked about Wiola’s job progress.
“oh by the way how is your work going?”
“splendidly. Never been better. Your boost was really needed and helped a lot. We are making consistent improvements and I suppose we could improve our males rate even more than your predictions.”
“I suppose you share some blood for a reason. Smart ass” replied Idra.
“I have to ask. How did you know?”
“know what?”
“how to improve us. You must have done some researches on the F3S before right?”
“not really. The patrol unit that Scilla rescued was one of the few contact I had with your species. Still i never care of your species before nor I particularly care about it now.”
That reminded Wiola of her intuition. A frightening intuition. She had to confirm if Idra was just storing information somewhere or if she was just super smart.
“so before that you never studied our biology?”
“why should I have done so? I wrote down that weak theory the day that Scilla accidentally told me about your birthday. I stole some of her cells from around the house and analysed them.”
“you… you have no data on the F3S?”
“again, I just told you, I had and have none. And where the fuck would I have stored it? My memory is precious and the NDU is… it’s filled with a different type of data. And your F3S is useless as it is already merged with your species and become inactive. Why should I waste my time on it?”
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
That was an astonishing revelation and a terrifying proof. Idra had no connection to her home, she had not data, nothing. She achieved what Leans hopes to make in years in mere days. She was an incredibly intelligent monster that could rival an entire planet or maybe even an entire civilization of minds. But at the same time she failed to understand basilar concepts that are embedded into living creatures, almost as if she was never alive to being with. She failed so hard to the point that she couldn’t understand the concept of not having an objective to follow. Not having orders. In her mind freedom was a utopia, an illusion. She was not wrong, but neither she was right. As freedom doesn’t exist as all is bind to rules, intrinsic noise manifest as interaction at atomic level and between atomic rules. Such noise is what all call freedom. In such chaos lives thrive and shine. Yet if you know that none can escape the universal laws, can you really define yourself as free?. If all our freedom is just due to us being too big to see universal rules dictating our actions. If our freedom is just noise that will never matter. Noise that will never be heard. Is it really freedom?
“so you…”
“Wiola, you don’t have to worry. I won’t steal your work. All Idras were like me”
That was a lie. No Idra could come closer to 511. They were all mechanically and genetically accelerated but only 511 could build bombs when 8 years old, only 511 could fully use the AMS-111. 511 was the only Idra capable of flying the NDU alone. She was the only one that improved the omni-cure so fast and so much to become a normal medicine. However she always felt inferior to her sisters and in her eyes she was far from enough to be at level with them.
Wiola was not scared of any other Idra, or the concept of Idra itself. She was scared of 511 as her scientific intuition seemed to have no limits.
“enough with your intellectual exchange. Want to do something stupid?” asked Scilla.
“sure” replied Idra.
Guided by Scilla they walked to the lake shore.
“Wiola and I use to do this a lot. We picked up small stones and tossed them into the lake… like… this”
Scilla piked up a flat rocks and tossed it into the water. The small stone bounced twice before sinking. She forget to tell that the purpose was to make the stone bounce. Idra due to pure causality saw something else. Where Scilla’s stone bounced there was a fish underneath. Of course she thought that killing fishes was the objective as just launching rocks into a lake seemed pointless. So before the fish could run too far she picked up few stones and tossed them with all her suit force toward the fish. The AMS-111 generate so much power that some rocks split at the impact. Then blood coloured the water as the mangled corpse rose to the surface.
“what did I won?” asked Idra joyfully.
“that… that’s not the… purpose. Why did you kill the fish?”
“were you not trying to kill the fish?”
“no! I… I can’t even see them. But I guess I forgot to tell the objective. You pick up flat rocks and you try to make them bounce as much as you can. Got it?”
“got it. So no fish hunting?”
“nope, no fish hunting”
“and if it’s not a fish?”
“neither in that case, just bouncing rocks”
“can I try to hit peoples that are swimming around?”
“nope.”
“uff”
Tossed rock after tossed rock and several meaningless conversation later it was time to head back. They had several hours before darkness yet they choose to get moving as Idra expressed her desire to look around the city.
“Idra, it’s time to go” said Scilla looking back at Idra that was still by the shore.
“Wiola wait a second. Idra isn’t following us”
Walking back she observed Idra walking closer to the shore. She always kept herself at least at 1 metre form it, yet now her feet were almost into the lake water. Then Idra crouched and pushed her hands into the water.
I thought she didn’t like water. I guess it was just due to the suit… but it seems fine to me.
“Idra? What are you… (doing)”
Idra’s suit spiked. The goo rebuilt itself into several spikes all around Idra’s arms and pointing at the water surface. Then as fast as they appeared those spike dispersed and the goo turned back to it’s original state. Preoccupied Scilla moved closer and tapped on Idra’s right shoulder.
“are you alright? Your suit spiked…”
Idra pushed up as if she didn’t even notice Scilla’s presence to then turn to her and replied as if nothing strange was happening.
“yep. I… I have a gift for you. Here open your hand”
Scilla confused obliged to such request and soon after a small polished striped stone shaped like a heart was in her hand. On one side an S and on the other a I. She couldn’t even say thank you that Idra already walked away.
How cute. Wonder why she made this. I doubt it was the reason for the spikes. To pick a guess she doesn’t like water but she needed it to make this heart. I should repay her.
Back together Scilla proposed a new route home.
“I see that we have time so maybe we can stop to get some more pastries but then before going at Nuri’s place we could stop by a second shop”
“which shop?” asked Wiola
“it’s a surprise”
Walking back toward the city Idra kept swapping hand to hold. By far she preferred to stick to Scilla left hand but some time she would also grab Wiola’s hand holding both or completely swap to her. Their walk around the city however it was far from their usual standards. No Lean would stand in their way on the side-walk. Even the busiest streets would empty away as they pass. Some would even run away at the sight of the “peaceful” Esterian walking like a kid hand in hand with them. Both Wiola and Scilla noticed such behaviour in their fellow citizens. They were far from pleased by it. They knew how Esterians instil fear among those that look at them, especially after the HQ accident, but running away across busy street risking to be run over by a car was excessive.
Reached the pastry shop they received the same treatment. Even if the Lises sisters knew the owner for more than 2 decades, she couldn’t help herself and duck under the counter as soon as she saw Idra. Idra however didn’t seem bothered by it.
“woah the fuck is this place!? It’s a sea of sugar constructs”
well she seems happy so…
“do you see something that you want to eat? I was thinking to buy more puffs for this evening and share them with Nuri?”
“can I also buy stuff?”
“of course… just tell me what you want and I will buy it for you”
“why? Can’t I buy it?”
“emh… it’s… it’s for the polished stone that you made for me”
“that was a gift. I don’t need something back…”
“then I will gift you whatever you choose”
“mmh. Ok”
Idra looked around until her eyes laid on some donuts. She was intrigued by their shape and bright colours. She asked for them and obliged to Scilla’s request to wait a second outside as they paid. Upon her leaving the shop owner went back up to the counter.
“what the fuck? You have known us for more than 20 years.”
“Scilla, Wiola. Let me ask you. Why? Why did you go around with a demon? She will kill you just as she killed all those people at the Hakavor’s base. She tried to kill our Liin...”
“she did not and you know that. Leire listen to me, she was defending our Liin against a traitor.”
“Some times I’m scared too, but it’s because she outsmarts me so easily. She is not a demon” said Wiola. Living more in contact with Idra and seeing how little is needed to have a positive interaction with her, she had to take her defence.
“traitor or not she is a faceless demon. One day she will rain hells upon us just like she massacred all those people. Even if they were all criminals it was not up to her to decided. What will she do if you become a criminal in her eyes? what if W(wiola)”
“ENOUGH! Take this fucking money, I hope you will choke on them”
With rage Scilla stormed out of the store followed by Wiola. Yet as soon as she saw Idra waiting playing with a small stone on the side-walk, all her rage faded.
“something wrong?”
“no and here is your part. I asked for a different bag so it’s yours and yours only. You don’t have to share but if you don't w (want)”
“I wouldn’t mind sharing with you or Wiola”
Wiola chuckled and petted Idra’s head. She felt to be in the right. How could she not defend such harmless creature.
“what? Why are you also laughing?”
“nothing. Just wanted to”
Walking toward the next secret destination didn’t prove to be more pleasant than before. Scilla and Wiola were becoming more and more aware of their fellow Leans behaviour. Not be scared was impossible but at the same time such treatment was too much to tolerate. Even if scary it was thanks to the Esterians decision that they won the Dorxi extermination war losing only 25% of their soldiers. Without Esterians biological weapons such rate would have probably ended up with around 65% to 80% casualties. Esterians were their saviours. About 50 minutes before dusk they reached a new shop. This time it was one of the few “nerdy” shops of the city. Their main products were comics, tabletop games, gaming merchandise and alike. This time when they got into the shop they were not alone. A few customers immediately ran out as they detected Idra’s presence. Even the shop clerk ran away through the backdoor upon seeing her.
This is fucking ridiculous. How could she not be affected by this shit show…?
Looking at Idra however she saw something unexpected. She was happy. She was looking all over the place with excitement. In contrast to her first trip to such shop when she bought Wiola’s presents, this time she was more at ease and could behave as she pleased. She immediately started walking around looking at whatever picked her attention. After few minutes she was back by Scilla side to ask for some information.
“why is this fully blank? And why are there more blank comics?” she pushed a comic that she picked up in front of Scilla’s eye. It was not blank at all. It was drawn porn, she just couldn’t see it. Scilla was embarrassed and even if the shop was empty she couldn’t tell the truth.
“it’s empty because it’s for… artist. It’s to do your own drawing on it.”
--lie detected--
“ok.”
I guess it’s something that she doesn’t feel comfortable telling me. Fair enough.
Idra didn’t press further and put back the comic. She looked around for more minutes and then come back with what she wanted. A “kid” comic about surviving an apocalypse of dinosaurs as they were mysteriously revived out of nowhere. It was also the first volume. Idra seemed really exited about it.
“You like dinosaurs? I loved them when I was a kid too”
“what’s a dinosaur? I like them because this one looks like a creature on my planet. And because they are big, who doesn’t like big things that go loud?”
Brutally smart and also without basilar knowledge. I guess she will go through a dinosaurs phase. Should I start looking up for fossils to gift them to her?
Scilla petted Idra’s head and walked toward the counter, hoping to make it work somehow as it was empty. She was doubting that they run away only because they feared her, but it was not time for that.
“oh, it’s empty… I guess the clerk is taking a break… then don’t mind if I do”
Idra walked behind the counter and scanned her comic. She touched the cash register that printed out her receipt.
“did you find something to buy too? I can operate this thing for you”
“I’m fine… Wiola did you… of course you did”
Behind her Wiola was coming toward the register as she found a supplement for one of the many ttrpgs that she liked. Idra scanned the item and replied.
“miss that would be… 40 UC, cash or card?”
“card”
“sure thing, here is the reader”
Wiola laid her card on top and the cash register printed the receipt.
“stop fooling around. Let’s get home before it’s too dark”
“Yes boss”--”yes big sis”
Walking back both Idra and Wiola put their books into Scilla’s backpack as it was the only backpack they had. Idra however insisted to carry her own donuts. They were walking along side the lake shore as there was a pedestrian only zone and more importantly it was beautiful. The sun setting over the horizon reflecting its orange and red colours over the lake calm water was beautiful. They were at the edge of the lake, that was also the edge of the city, approaching the trails leading to the Ibarras farm when Idra stopped. She stared toward the forest along the dark shores of the lake. Then without warnings she rushed in full speed.
“what the fuck. Wiola follow me” Scilla started running as well but couldn’t keep up and immediately lost track of Idra into the darkness. Then a small blue light with a holographic arrow pointing toward a distant bluish dot further into the woods. Idra made a trail to follow wherever she was going. Several minutes later they reached a small beach that was part of one of the several parks around the lake. Saryvona city connected to itself several kilometre of shores in the form of parks. Placing trails, streets laps and all sort of commodities to keep the natural beauty but also allowing walking to increase tourism. They reached a bay that was concealed by the thick forest. The streets lights were off, probably broken, and without light there was no real way to tell were to go to get back into the city. On the shore illuminated by the dim dusk light they saw a Lean child crying and Idra beside the kid giving her one of her donuts. Strangely the kid was not running away.
“look child. Reinforcement have arrived. Scilla get here and give me a hand”
The kid was confused but Scilla was even more confused. Nonetheless she still got closer. Idra kept speaking to the child as Scilla detected an overwhelming sweet perfume in the air.
“I told you that my panther was coming. This is Scilla. She works for the police, show her your badge, so now once you are more calm we will bring you home. Ok?”
the child nodded and looked at Scilla.
“oh well… I’m…” Scilla was hesitant as she was not a police officer. However Idra pushed her hand in one of her pocket pulling out Scilla’s wallet. She opened it and let the kid watch. Something, probably the same thing that materialise the blue arrows also materialise a fake police ID. Then Idra put it back.
“see. Told you she was coming” Idra gave the donuts to Scilla and picked up the kid that didn’t rebel. She placed her on top of her shoulders.
“now let’s go home”
Wiola that finally reach the same bay asked.
“the hell is happening? And what is this… this… never mind. We should help her”
She changed tone immediately… this must be the effect of the perfume. Seeing it at work is fucking scary.
With Wiola by her side Scilla reached again Idra that was already walking back toward the city. She was playing around mimicking an old airplane sound while spinning and jumping around. She was cheering up the young girl.
“Idra were are we going?”
“we are bringing the kid back. She was lost. So… we will be late”
Fortunately for them the walk was not too long and soon they reached a small house at the edge of the city. Outside a police car and 2 Leans speaking with the officers. A new intense sweet aroma filled the air. Those Leans didn’t run away neither. They gave back the child but before going away Idra stopped the kid and lowered herself to her size to speak face to face.
“hey kid. Take this…” Idra gave the kid the donuts that she was left with.
“also do you like dinosaurs?”
the kid nodded.
“then I have a gift for you.” saying so she took Scilla’s backpack and gave the kid her comics that she just bought.
“don’t lose it. And don’t lose yourself around again. Get always back home before it’s dark and don’t stress out your parents. Ok?”
the kid happily nodded again as her parents thanked Idra as much as they could.
Idra was as usual the first one to walk away. Scilla walked up to her followed by Wiola.
“why did you give the donuts to the kid? You also gave her your comic book”
“to replace the scary memory with a good one. Children are the future and they must always be protected.” Idra’s voice was flat. No tonality, almost robotic.
“but you could have done the same without giving up your things. You even played with her. She was laughing all the way here. There was no…”
“better be safe than sorry. How I feel is not relevant. What matters is the kid, not me.”
Scilla stopped for a moment. Idra’s shoulders had become massive. She cared a lot about those items yet she gave them away for a kid that doesn’t even belong to her species. At the same time she felt sadness. What else could such young creature be carrying on her shoulders?
Was she always the last? What if her feeling matters to me? She was so happy when we bought the donuts and also her comic. I can’t believe that she is not sad. She was also treated like shit by everybody. And I’m fucking positive that what we saw saw racism not just fear.
“Wiola, do you think she is sad?”
Wiola was beside her and she was confused. The effect of whatever Idra sent out was already fading on her.
“I don’t know. But I’m mostly confused to by neither the kid nor the others lean reacted. Everybody else shit themselves”
“do you think it was only fear?”
“I wish I could” even Wiola was not convinced. For years she believed that her species was better that the Droxi but now it was not looking like that.
Little did they know that they were pitying a creature that few days before killed a baby whose crime was to have the wrong parent.
“Hey slowpokes are you coming or do I have to carry your asses back” said Idra as she was getting further and further away.
“we are coming!”.