Silent Mobius: Coffee Dreams. (Click here to return to MarkQ’s Home page.)
SM1: Coffee.
Katsumi walked quickly into the Police building, still trying to do her hair into its customary bun. She furiously pressed the button for the elevator, whispering silently for it to hurry up. She looked around seeing that everyone else seemed to be doing their jobs, which just added the pressure on her that she was late for her’s.
"Come on! Come on!" she said louder this time, looking at the indicator. The elevator was still eight floors up and it seemed to be stopping at almost every floor on its way down to her.
‘Damn lift! Why today, huh? Damn hair!’ she thought impatiently hopping from one foot to the other. Her hair seemed to be refusing to be done up and several strands would dangle down across her face. Angrily, she would grumble at it and start again.
"DING!" went the elevator as it finally arrived.
"Great!" said Katsumi as she hopped in and furiously pressed the button for the Attacked Mystification Police Department’s floor. The elevators doors closed but it did not start ascending.
"Now what’s the matter?!" Katsumi said to it and rapidly pressed the floor button. The elevator moved up and Kasumi felt she was finally winning the battle with her hair. She looked at her watch. She was half an hour late.
"Not too bad." She said, consoling herself as she moved the band to finally keep her hair in place. Then the elevator stopped with a slight hop. Surprised, Katsumi let go of her hair and saw the elevator lights dim.
"Not now!" she shouted and pressed the floor button with all of her force. The elevator lights blinked once then went out.
"NOOO!!" she screamed as her hair came undone and fell messily across her face.
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Katsumi’s loud footsteps caused Kiddy and Lebia to look up from their work.
"Well, well. If it isn’t the aftenoon shift." Said Kiddy.
"Shut up," Katsumi said angrily. "It took them two hours to get that elevator working, and then it could only go to the ground floor. I had to wait another fifteen minutes for the other lift to come."
"Well, save it for the Chief, ‘cause she wants to see you pronto." Kiddy said, watching Katsumi’s face fall.
"Okay." Katsumi answered dejectedly and moved off towards Chief Izosaki’s office.
"Hey, cheer up Katsumi." Lebia said from her desk. "We’ll buy you something nice to eat for when you come out."
"Okay," Katsumi said, knocking on the Chief’s door. "It’s Katsumi, Chief."
"Come in." Izosaki answered from inside, as the door slid open.
"A really strong coffee would be better, Lebia." Kasumi said looking at Lebia then turning to go into the office.
"You got it, Katsumi." Said Lebia as the door slid closed.
"Ah, Lebia? What’s this ‘we’ bit? Don’t you mean you’ll buy it?" said Kiddy.
"Oh come on Kiddy! Don’t be so tight! It's only a cup of coffee!"
"And I suppose you want me to get it too? Well, forget it Lebia!"
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Grumbling under her breath, Kiddy walked out of the coffee shop.
"Damn lousy tasting coffee. And he expected me to pay for it too!" she muttered.
"Make sure it tastes good too." Lebia told Kiddy before she left.
In the end, it was only because Lebia was paying that Kiddy had agreed to go, and so far she had tried four coffee shops in the streets below the Police Building. None of them made coffee as good as Yuki did in her shop.
"Maybe I’ll take a Spinner over to Yuki’s … Hmm no. By the time I got the coffee back, it would be cold. Damn Lebia! Why can’t Katsumi get her own coffee?! Kiddy grumbled. Then she spied a small shop nestled between the buildings.
"Hmm, didn’t see that shop there before. May as well try it out."
She walked up to it and although the sign on the door said that it was open, there didn’t to be lit up inside. She pushed on the door and it swung open very quickly. The door rotated on its hinges and hit the wall with a loud ‘THUMP!’. The noise echoed through the quiet shop.
"Please enter!" shouted a voice from inside.
Kiddy didn’t mean to push the door so hard, but now that she had announced herself so loudly and had been spotted by the server, it seemed a little embarassing to back away. She quickly walked in before the door could swing back.
"Hello?" she called out. She could dimly see some tables and chairs, and maybe a counter but not much else.
"Hello!" a voice answered as a light came on.
With her eyes blinking furiously against the glare, Kiddy saw a single light bulb shining above a man at the counter she had spied earlier.
"Please come in! I’m the new manager of this coffee shop and as you can see, it still needs some work to get it up and running."
"Oh, well can you make coffee?" Kiddy asked walking up to the counter, her eyes finally adjusting.
"Sure! How would you like it?"
"Um, well, is it any good?" Kiddy asked.
The man’s eyes widened surprised and slightly offended by her question. But then he smiled and answered: "It’s the best! And since you’re our first customer I’ll give you a cup on the house.One coffee coming up."
Two minutes later, Kiddy was sipping the coffee he had made.
"Hhmm!" she muttered. It tasted good. She took a good long drink. It was really good! She drained the cup and was disappointed that none was left.
"So? Is our coffee any good, huh?" the man asked.
"Yep, it’s very good! Uh, can I have another?" Kiddy said.
"Uh, sorry Miss. I use a bean blend that makes our coffee very rich flavoured and very strong. To have another one so soon would not be good for you." The man answered.
‘What’s this guy on about? It’s only coffee. But damn! It does taste good!’ Kiddy thought.
"But," the man continued. "If you wait an hour or so before you drink the next one there shouldn’t be a problem."
"Okay," Kiddy said. "Please give me three cups to go then."
"All right Miss, but you’ll have to pay for them."
"No problem." Kiddy replied, pulling out Lebia’s money. Ten minutes later, she was happily on her way back to the AMPD.
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The man watched Kiddy leave, pleased that he had kept his temper and settled her offensive question reasonably. After all, return business was just as important as new customers.
"Ryayogi! Come out here!" the man called to the room behind him.
"Is she gone?" Ryayogi asked in hushed tones.
"Yes, yes. Come on out. See the AMP aren’t as terrible as you thought." The man said, as the misshapen Entity walked in from the kitchen.
Looking like a man with odd growths and hairs, Ryayogi looked fearfully around before approaching the man.
"You see? She’s gone, but I’ll bet she’ll be back, and with friends too." The man said, causing Ryayogi to shrink back. "No, not to hunt you down, stupid. See this is what I mean by having a good business by selling a good product. Whatever ingredient you put into the coffee makes it taste really good and that’s what she’ll come back to buy." The man said, taking Kiddy’s empty cup off the counter.
"And she’ll probably tell her friends and they’ll come by too." He added moving towards the kitchen. The Entity smiled and looked out towards the door.
‘That’s what I’m counting on.’ Ryayogi thought happily.
SM2: Home.
Katsumi drove home, tired but satisfied with how her day had turned out.
Chief Izosaki had assigned her, Kiddy and Nami to check out a creature trap. Katsumi had seen many of these since starting at the AMP, but this was one was very strange indeed.
The trap was posing as a coffee shop, and there were several victims killed. Nothing strange about people getting killed in a creature trap, except that the people appeared to have killed each other. They used whatever was there - butter knives, forks, chairs, etc. One man even died with his hands still wrapped around another man’s neck.
If the Entity had not left some evidence of itself, Katsumi would have thought the whole crime scene was just a human tragedy. But the Entity had taken a few bites of some of the victims. Both she and Nami felt a lingering presence there, but not much else. And not any trace of where it went either. The only lead was a unconfirmed report about a regular customer that was missing, but they had no name and only a vague description.
‘Oh, well. Too many questions. Guess we’ll just have to wait for it to show up again, or until Rally finds it.’ Katsumi thought, taking the plastic cup out from the holder.
"Now, here’s a real find! Hmm!" she said drinking the coffee. It was lukewarm, but still tasted delicious.
When she had tasted it after leaving the Chief’s office, she could not believe it was coffee. But Kiddy insisted that it was and told her and Lebia about the new Coffee shop. Lebia was suspicious though, and had the labs downstairs test her coffee.
Katsumi did not feel nor taste anything in it that was harmful and Nami even waved her Holy Dagger over it. Nothing. The lab results came back and in summary their report said: "COFFEE. Please use Police Facilities for criminal investigation only."
Strangely, Lebia’s coffee did not come back with the report.
"Ha! Ha! Lebia!" laughed Katsumi, finishing off her coffee. But the coffee not only tasted good. Katsumi felt more alive, more able and awake after drinking it. Maybe the specifics of the lab report might show that it had a higher caffeine content or something like the manager had told Kiddy, but she didn’t care. What had started out to be a lousy day had turned out okay for her. And so, to make things even better, Katsumi had stopped at the coffee shop on her way home.
"Life just doesn’t get better than this!" Katsumi said, feeling great. The coffee seemed to have pushed away her tiredness and she drove home feeling like she could start the whole day over again.
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Entering her apartment, Katsumi walked to the bedroom to change.
"Maybe I should give Roy a call." She mused out loud, as she took off her AMP coat and lay it on her bed. Looking at it on the bed, she had a sudden urge to sit down. Quickly she fell onto the bed as the strength in her legs gave out. Looking at the ceiling, her mind puzzled over what was wrong. She didn’t feel tired, but the way her body was acting it seemed as if all of her muscles were worn out. She could not even raise her arm.
Her eyes were also playing tricks on her as the ceiling started to spin.
‘Boy! Its like I’m drunk without the headache.’ She thought and closed her eyes.
Then she felt an Entity’s presence.
‘Shit! Got to get up…!’ she thought in a panic, but she could not even open her eyes.
"Daughter?" a female voice called. Katsumi stopped struggling. It sounded like Mother but the Entity could be fooling her.
‘Damn! Grospoliner would be able to tell me! If only I could get to him!’
"Daughter, it is I, Mother. Please allow me into your mind."
‘No! You’re a fake! Mother’s gone…’ Katsumi thought, her mind struggling but not even able to open her mouth.
"I know you laid me to rest at Spiras, but I have come to warn you and Rally. Please, at least hear me out, Katsumi."
‘Okay.’ Katsumi thought, realizing how useless it was to struggle any further. If this was an Entity it could have killed her by now. At least if it wants to pose as her Mother and talk, it would buy Katsumi sometime to regain control of her body.
‘Thank you, Katsumi.’ Mother said causing Katsumi’s mind to recoil slightly.
Suddenly, an image of her Mother appeared in her mind.
‘I hope my image will make it easier for you to believe me.’
‘Oh, yeah. Sure.’ Katsumi replied, trying to sound convinced. Her Mother smiled.
‘I know this is hard for you and it was only lucky that you drank that coffee.’
‘Coffee?’
‘Yes, Katsumi. You see that particular blend reacts with certain parts of your brain, causing you to be, ah…more ‘awake’ lets say, even though your body succumbs to natural tiredness. The higher awake state allows me access to you. A lot like spirits that visit very sensitive psychics.’
‘Hmmm. Okay lets say I believe you, uh…Mother.’ Katsumi thought, but at the same time tried to open her eyes and found she still could not. ‘What is it you come to tell me?’
‘You still don’t believe me. Oh, well that’s all right, my Daughter.’ Katsumi’s Mother answered, sighing sadly. ‘So long as you hear and see my message there is still time for you to warn Rally and save what is left of the AMP. Please forgive me if the images I show you are distressing but they are necessary for you to understand this threat. Are you ready?’
Katsumi was still sceptical, but replied to her: ‘Yes.’
SM3: Friends.
The image of Katsumi’s Mother faded and instead she saw Kiddy leaving the coffee shop. She had a goofy grin on her face, that Katsumi recognized as her ‘happy’ smile. In each of Kiddy’s hands, she saw a cup of coffee. One cup had a plastic cover on it.
‘Greedy thing.’ Katsumi thought, and then she saw Kiddy stop and drain the uncovered cup. With a satisfied "Ahhh!" Kiddy threw away the empty cup and eyed the second one.
"Oh why not!" Kiddy said, removing the plastic lid and begin drinking it.
‘You pig, Kiddy!’ thought Katsumi, wishing that she was there to say it to her. Then she saw something coming from the alleyway next to the Coffee Shop.
‘Kiddy! Watch out!’ she thought, but it was too late. The misshapen Entity coiled tentacles around Kiddy’s midriff and dragged her into the alley.
Like a rag doll, Kiddy fell helplessly into the Entity. Kiddy’s eyes were wide with panic, darting left and right. This was Kiddy’s only way to resist the Entity, as Katsumi recognized that the coffee, now double the strength, had immobilized Kiddy as it had done to her. Painfully, she watched the Entity gloat over Kiddy.
"NO! NO! NO!’ Katsumi shouted in her mind, as the Entity opened Kiddy’s mouth and started to enter her. She watched Kiddy’s eyes grow larger, then shut tightly as pain caused her body to spasm.
For long moments, Katsumi watched the Entity draw itself into Kiddy. Unknown and unfelt by Katsumi’s mind, tears sprang from her eyes and ran down her face.
Finally, the Entity was gone and Kiddy’s body lay lifelessly on the ground.
‘Oh Kiddy!’ Katsumi sobbed.
Suddenly, Kiddy’s eyes opened and her mouth worked its way into a vicious smile. Her arms rose up and she watched her hands open and close. The Entity was relishing the strength of the Megadyne body.
Horribly, Kiddy stood and with a final look over herself, laughed gleefully at what it had become.
Katsumi wanted to turn away, but the scene was in her mind. She was thankful when it faded into blackness, but was alarmed to see another part of Tokyo appear.
‘Mother, what’s going on?!’ she thought. She then realized that what Mother had to show was not over yet.
Katsumi recognized the place. It was the entrance to the Underground Complex leading to Nami’s house. Then Nami appeared, dressed in her priestly white robes.
"Kiddy?" Nami called out as Kiddy approached from the gloom. "What’s up? Your phone call … are you okay Kiddy?"
‘Watch out, Nami!’ Katsumi yelled in her mind uselessly. But Nami did back away from Kiddy as if she sensed something.
"Look out for those bugs behind you Nami!" Kiddy said and pointed.
"Eeeek!" shouted Nami looking behind her and jumping away. Jumping away to where Kiddy was standing.
Katsumi watched Kiddy’s hand strike out. It skewered Nami at the back of the neck, just above her robe’s collar. Kiddy’s fingers stuck into Nami’s flesh like fork.
"WAAAAHHHH!….Kiddy!…Ah! Ah! Please!…That hurts!" said Nami.
Kiddy used her hold to lift Nami to her toes and forced her to face her. She put on a toothy smile to show Nami that she was enjoying this.
"OW! OW! Why…why Kiddy?" asked Nami, but instead of answering her, Kiddy opened her mouth and the Entity jumped to Nami’s face.
Katsumi wanted to close her eyes as Nami’s scream was silenced by the Entity entering her open mouth. Nami’s eyes closed and Kiddy released her hand, letting the body fall to the ground.
After a few moments, Nami’s head came up. Katsumi saw Nami’s eyes. Her friend was gone.
"Let’s go." Said Kiddy smiling. Nami smiled back and the scene faded.
It was black for a while and Katsumi began to wonder if it was all just a nightmare. In fact, she hoped it was. However, as the darkness cleared and she saw that it was the AMPD office, her mind went numb.
Lebia was sitting at her desk, probably doing some paperwork for the Chief.
‘No, please, please don’t.’ Katsumi begged, as Kiddy appeared.
"Oh Kiddy, you’re still here? I thought you’d gone home." Lebia said looking up. Kiddy walked right up to her.
"Why would I go home when you’re still here?" Kiddy asked, leaning across Lebia’s desk.
"Ah…yes, I’m still here. Ah huh." Lebia said, not really sure how to respond.
Katsumi saw behind Kiddy, Nami slip by stealthily, heading for Chief Izosaki’s office.
"You know, Lebia," Kiddy said, reaching out to rub her hand up and down on Lebia’s arm. "I’ve always found you to be very beautiful, Lebia."
Lebia’s reaction was to push away, but it just allowed Kiddy to move from the desk and into her lap.
"Ah, Kiddy," Lebia said shakily, as Kiddy’s other hand reached up and stroked the hair on the side of her head. "I’m…I’m not that way…"
"Have you ever been with a woman?" asked Kiddy, her raised hand blocking Lebia’s view of Nami entering Chief Izosaki’s office.
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"Who’s that? Nami, is that you?" Mana Izosaki asked, looking up from her work.
Katsumi hoped that the Chief at least would sense the Entity’s presence, but she had not counted on Nami’s performance.
Nami acted like she was in pain. She held one of her arms close to her body and the other stretched out in supplication. She then collapsed to her knees.
"Nami! What’s happened to you?" Mana asked, concern written on her face. Quickly, Mana got to her feet and rushed to Nami’s aid, catching her as she fell forward.
"It’s…it’s Kiddy." Nami whispered out as Mana, held her. "She broke my arm and now she’s out there hurting Lebia."
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"Kiddy, please! I prefer men. Okay?!" Lebia said firmly. She stood slightly and pushed Kiddy off to one side.
"Now look I’ve got work to do." Lebia finished and rolled her chair back into the desk, but Kiddy was not deterred. She ran her hand across Lebia’s shoulders and hugged Lebia from behind.
"I’ve never wanted to be with a woman. Until I met you, Lebia." Kiddy said, rubbing the side of her face against Lebia’s.
Lebia shuddered and tried to remove Kiddy’s arms.
"Hmmm. Don’t fight it, my darling. I promise I’ll be gentle." Kiddy said, reaching down with her left hand and squeezing Lebia’s bosom hard.
Lebia yelped with pain and surprise.
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Lebia’s yelp caused Mana to look up from Nami.
"Damn! What’s going on with Kiddy?!" Mana said angrily. "Stay here Nami."
Mana let Nami down gently and moved to the door.
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"KIDDY! I SAID THAT’S ENOUGH! LET GO OF ME!" Lebia shouted and it surprised her, when Kiddy’s arms pulled away.
Shaking all over from anger, Lebia did not look at Kiddy, but she sensed that Kiddy was still standing there.
"Huh. You prude. I think Katsumi’s better looking anyway." Kiddy said.
"THAT’S IT!" shouted Lebia turning to Kiddy to shout abuse at her. Instead she found her open mouth covered by Kiddy’s mouth.
Katsumi watched the horrible scene and saw Mana’s door open.
"Kiddy! … What the?!" Mana said, in open mouth surprise.
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Katsumi watched Lebia trying to squirm away but Kiddy’s superior strength held her easily. Lebia’s eyes were wide with shock, but then as her body began to spasm, they shut tightly. The Entity was entering her.
Mana was still standing there, watching, until Nami jumped onto her back. She wrapped her arms around Mana’s neck.
"Aaaahhhh!" Mana shouted, surprised by the attack. The Entity streamed out of Nami’s mouth and into Mana’s.
Katsumi watched Mana clamp her mouth down, hearing Mana’s teeth click together as she bit off the Entity. Twisting and turning she finally threw Nami off, but her body began to spasm.
"Aaaahhhh!" Mana shouted again, and still having some control she threw herself back into her office, the door closing behind her.
Katsumi watch Mana stumble and fall heavily on her desk. With jerking movements, Mana reached out and grabbed a letter opener. Mana managed to bring it close to her neck, but her eyes were rolling up and down and her eyelids were fluttering furiously. Finally, the knife wavered and fell away. Foam frothed out from Mana’s mouth as her eyes closed and she lay still on the table.
Katsumi then saw the door open. Kiddy, Nami and Lebia entered and stood around Mana’s body. After a few moments, Mana eyes opened and she rolled over to face them. She smiled at them and they smiled back.
"What’s next Chief? Hee! Hee! Hee!" Lebia said.
Mana sat up and looked at Kiddy.
"There’s only Rally, Yuki and Katsumi left. I don’t care which of them you go after, but Katsumi’s mine." Kiddy said.
"Ohhh! You really did mean it!" Lebia said in mock indignation. "You think she is better looking then me!"
"Now, now don’t be like that, my darling." Kiddy replied. "’Cause Katsumi will look even better when she’s one of us!"
Katsumi’s body shivered as four of her dead friends, laughed heartily.
SM4: Movement.
Katsumi blinked her eyes a few times, before realizing that she was looking at the bedroom ceiling. She felt the blanket of her bed beneath her fingers and groggily sat up. Then she saw a man standing in the doorway. She rolled stiffly off the side of the bed. Still wearing her AMP uniform she quickly drew her pistol.
"Wait, Katsumi!" said the Entity, holding its’ hands out towards her. "I am a friend of your Mother."
"Yeah, sure! My Mother warned me that you were coming and there’s no way you’re getting into me!" Katsumi said and squeezed the trigger.
Still a little groggy, Katsumi’s aim was off and the bullet hit the Entity just off the centre of its chest. The force of the hit caused the Entity to spin away into the living room. Forcing her unused muscles to work quickly, Katsumi rose and chased after it.
"Wait Katsumi!" the Entity said, leaning heavily on her couch.
"Damn Entity! Not only did you take my friends but you’re getting my couch dirty!" said Katsumi, aiming the gun at the Entity.
She knew that her gun’s standard rounds would not be able to dispatch the Entity, and the rounds filled with the synthetic Holy Water were in the car.
"Katsumi, I am not our enemy!…"
"Yeah, yeah!" Katsumi said, edging away as the Entity regained its feet. "I’ve got a nice spell to send you back to your lonely place in Hell!"
"Katsumi!" called another voice from behind her. Looking back, Katsumi saw that it was Grospoliner.
"YES!" she said happily, dropping the gun and quickly taking up the King of Swords. "Now you vile thing, I going to cut you to pieces!"
"Please Katsumi!" the Entity pleaded, backing away as Katsumi walked boldly towards it with Grospoliner poised in front of her. "Kiddy and the rest of your friends…"
"Yeah, you’ll be the first to pay for their deaths!" Katsumi said and raised Grospoliner.
Just then the doorbell rang.
Like a freeze frame, Katsumi and the Entity held their ground, with Grospoliner held aloft like a guillotine ready to fall.
"Katsumi! It’s Kiddy! Are you all right?" Kiddy shouted from outside.
"You see!" said the Entity in hushed tones. "The false Kiddy comes for you!"
Katsumi looked at the Entity, still unsure. Then there was something pounding on her door.
"Katsumi wake up! Damn door!" shouted Kiddy, as the door began to break apart.
"She sure looks like she wants in." Katsumi said and lowered Grospoliner. "Stay out of my way." She said to the Entity and then ran towards the door.
"Katsumi wake up!" shouted Kiddy, as the door splintered way.
Katsumi moved to one side as Kiddy shoulder charged through the broken door and past Katsumi. Swinging Grospoliner quickly, the flat of its’ blade smacked Kiddy on the back sending her sprawling forward.
With an "Waahh!" of surprise, Kiddy slammed into the couch, one of her hands piercing right through its’ backing.
"My couch!" exclaimed Katsumi, as the couch and Kiddy tumbled over.
"Katsumi! Why are we attacking Kiddy?!" Grospoliner asked.
"It’s not really her, Grospoliner!" she answered rushing towards the overturned couch.
"What?! What do you mean it’s not her?"
"Katsumi! Wake up!" said Kiddy, flipping the couch off of herself, but her arm was still stuck in it.
With a battle cry, Katsumi charged at Kiddy, intending to slice her in half with Grospoliner. Instead, she tripped on the corner edge of the couch. Falling forward, she did the best she could and slammed her weight and the solid handle of Grospoliner on top of Kiddy’s trapped arm.
"Waaaahhhh!" yelled Kiddy in pain, as a ‘CRACK!’ sound came from her arm.
"Hah! That’s for Nami! You fake!’ shouted Katsumi trying to bring Grospoliner to bear.
"Katsumi! What’s wrong with you?!" Kiddy shouted, using her free hand to grab at Katsumi’s hands. Finally, she grasped the bottom edge of Grospoliner’s handle.
Unable to bring the sword around, Katsumi released one hand and wrapped her fingers around Kiddy’s neck.
Kiddy looked frantically around, as Katsumi’s grip was making it harder and harder to breathe.
‘There!’ she thought and released her hold on Grospoliner.
Bringing her open hand across towards Katsumi’s face, only the barest tips of her fingers connected as Katsumi turned her head away.
When Kiddy’s hand hit the floor, her fingers quickly seized the gun and put it into her palm. With her finger on the trigger, Kiddy turned it upwards, but found her aim blocked down by Katsumi’s hand, which was still holding Grospoliner.
"What do you need that for?!" Katsumi asked, adding more pressure to Kiddy’s neck. "Aren’t you going to try to kiss me?"
"What?!" Kiddy answered, her eyes bulging out as much from surprise as from the lack of air. She sucked air in noisily and continued.
"I …I wouldn’t kiss you… if were the last person on Earth!"
Kiddy tried to buck Katsumi off but found part of the couch holding her legs down. She fired the gun. The shot blew a hole in the wall, but it also distracted Katsumi. Kiddy quickly drew in another breath.
"And next time you’re having a crap day, you can go get your own coffee!"
‘Wait a minute! How did it know I was having a bad day?’ Katsumi thought and her attack faltered.
"Katsumi," the Entity called and stood above her. "Kill her now before it gets into you."
"Damn! It’s the guy we were looking…haaaa…" Kiddy started to say, but ran out of breath.
Kiddy’s face was turning blue as she fired the gun again. The bullet struck the Entity in the groin, causing him to double over. The Entity recovered and raised its head. Katsumi looked into its’ face.
"Grospoliner!" Katsumi called.
Dragging Grospoliner back in a short arc, Katsumi felt the sword’s power surge adding force of her swing. The blade neatly severed the Entity’s head. The body still leaned up and using two hands now, Katsumi brought Grospoliner down on it.
Smoke began to rise from all the severed pieces, and soon the was nothing left of the Entity.
"Recognized him from the sketch, eh?" Kiddy asked and coughed a little.
"Yep. The missing customer from the creature trap Coffee shop." Katsumi answered, still sitting on top of Kiddy.
"Damn Entities." Kiddy said and Katsumi nodded in agreement.
Kiddy released the gun and felt her bruised neck.
"Damn Katsumi! You break my arm, straddle me like a horse, almost strangle me and then of all things ask me to kiss you?! Does Roy know that you’re a lesbian?"
"I am not! You are! I saw you, Kiddy. I saw you kiss Lebia!"
"Kiss Lebia! Are you crazy?! She might have less cellulite than you but I…"
"What did you say?! Grospoliner!"
"Hey, Katsumi!"
"And you also owe me a new couch, Kiddy Phenil!" Katsumi said, but smiled down at her friend.
SM5: Fat.
"…so the secretions from the Entity are harmless, and the small amounts put into the coffee made it almost undetectable." Mana said, sitting down behind her desk again. Katsumi and Kiddy looked to her with the same question on their minds.
"But," Mana continued. "The secretion when drunk with the coffee’s caffine causes a chemical reaction in the person’s brain and paralyses them. Our lab technicians downstairs liked the taste of the coffee Lebia sent to them, but it apparently wasn’t strong enough. So they added some extra caffine to it."
"Hmpf! That’ll teach them to mess with anything we send them." Katsumi said.
"Yes," Mana replied with a little smile. "So as soon as I read their earlier report on Lebia’s coffee, I sent Kiddy to warn you straight away. And from your report, it seems like the paralysed person is awake although their body is not, and makes the person’s mind susceptible to external influences. This would seem to explain why the victims at the other coffee shop killed each other."
"Yeah, and the Entity probably sat back and enjoyed the show." Kiddy added.
"But why Chief, would the Entity take a human body?" Katsumi asked.
"Probably to fool its’ human employers. I interviewed the manager of that coffee shop downstairs. Seems like he thinks that not all Entities are enemies of Humans."
"What?! Is he stupid or something?" Kiddy exclaimed.
"Yes probably. But he certainly now knows that the AMPD aren’t nice. I tipped off the Food and Health Bureau about his practices and although he has no more of the Entity’s secretions, they closed him down and removed his licence." Mana answered. "Well, that’s it. I want written copies of your reports on my desk by this afternoon."
Both Katsumi and Kiddy stood.
"Yes ma’am." They said together before turning and leaving Mana’s office.
"Well, how did it go?" Lebia asked them, as the Chief’s door closed.
A sly look passed between Kasumi and Kiddy. They leaned on either side of Lebia’s desk.
"I think she’s got more than me." Katsumi said to Kiddy.
"Hmmm, you might be right." Kiddy answered.
"I might have more of what?" Lebia asked, feeling a bit lost. Yuki looked up from her desk to see what was going on.
"In fact, I’ve seen it in the change rooms. I’m sure she has more." Katsumi said leaning closer to Lebia. Lebia backed away, but Kiddy came around and grabbed the back of her seat.
"Now that you say it. I’m sure you’re right!" Kiddy said, also leaning in close.
Nami stopped her cleaning and approached them. Like Yuki, she silently wondered what Katsumi and Kiddy were talking about and stopped a few feet away to listen.
"What…what have I got more of?" Lebia asked, feeling crowded with Katsumi and Kiddy so close on each side. A serious look passed between Katsumi and Kiddy. Kiddy nodded.
"Cellulite." Katsumi answered seriously. Leiba’s eyes widened and her face went bright red.
With straight faces, Katsumi and Kiddy stood and walked out. They got no further than the hallway before bursting out laughing. They broke out into a run when they heard Lebia screeching and chasing after them.
The End.
Author: Mark Quisumbing -17 July 2000. Writing to entertain is always fun - especially when done with coffee. Please note that all characters are based on the manga Silent Mobius by Kia Asamiya.