Aberrant: Infinite Earth - Fiction - Mission 3: Getting back to Basics [Yep, Mature... again]

[The Traveler]

Yomiko started to cry. "I... You can do whatever you want in this world... I..."

She finally embraces him. "I'm so sorry... I'm being posessive... I'll try to be better."

[Hotstreak]

He smiled. "You have the hottest boyfriend on planet, and other girls are showing interest. It's okay to be possessive. If some guy came and tried to woo you I would be too."

He nodded. "So let's get back to tama's they're waiting for us. we can have some fun with our friends, then retire to our private suite for some quality alone time, just us."

[The Traveler]

Yomiko smiled as reason finally spelled it out to her.

She held out her elbow. "I did promise you Sushi, Daniel, and his is the best!"

She smiled, her tears still down her face, but tears of what was... not of what is or what will be. When Daniel and Yomiko walk in she shouts to Tama.

"Sensei! I think I found a stray! Can I keep him?"

[Hotstreak]

Tama laughed. "Of course you can, He'll need training and housebreaking." The girls had gone inside and were getting things ready, as the two novas came up. He smiled. 'Thanks for understanding, sensei."

He looked at Daniel. "No worries, Daniel, I trust it's all sorted."

"Yes sir."

"Good, then come inside, i'm about to start cooking. Maybe the girls can fill the two of you in on current events."

[The Traveler]

Yomiko kept standing and looked around the shop as she led Daniel to his seat.

"So yes... that is a good place to start Tama... what has happened in the years since I was last here?"

Tama smiled. "Well we've been through at least 8 prime ministers, had a 9.0 earthquake and tsunami hit, and a recession still to crawl out of."

Yomiko blinked. She missed that much? "What about Metahuman relations?"

"Never been better. The current Minister of Metahuman Affairs is meeting with the Director of Metahuman Welfare of the US currently to develop a comprehensive statement of rights for metahumans to the UN. Should be happening in a few weeks time."

Yomiko nodded. "You were mentioning... that the Tokyo Metropolitian Police needed a consulting detective?"

"Right... the last guy lost his mind from a case... cost the TMP a whole 5 years of work. The case is all up in the air now."

"Child trafficking, correct?"

Tama nodded. "Don't start getting too self righteous. You know how you get when children are in danger."

Yomiko crossed her arms, bowing her head. She knew Tama was right. She was also worried Daniel might get ideas if more got out. "Once I am able I'll talk to their commissioner and start makign arrangements to work for them. I got some good rep with alot of people here. Enough to have several hundred references if required."

[Hotstreak]

Daniel nodded. "You do have a soft spot for them."

He smiled. "I figured you did. " He smiled as he sat there. "And the United states, what's happening in my home country?" He looked at them, expecting Tama at least and Reika to be knowledgeable there.

[The Traveler]

Reiko adjusted her glasses, as she was reading a manga. A luxury she afforded herself from time to time. "The US hasn't been making too many waves outside of their dealings in their "War on Terror". At least their latest president is a charmer. Not too bad a guy, although his parliment is a piece of garbage."

"That is Congress, dear." Tama added. "Well the House and Senate, but still..."

"Anyways outside that, They just retired their space shuttle, They're knee-deep in their football season, and well... that's pretty much it." She said.

"Oh, and their big metahuman super-team saved the world from an asteroid... although it wouldn't have hit for 10 years... they just made sure that was never going to happen."

She flopped down on the table with her arms out. She seemed bored suddenly.

[Hotstreak]

He smiled "Sounds fun. Tell me are there Metahuman olympics, or some form of sport we can compete in?"

"I figure such a thing would be a big crowd pleaser if nothing else." He looked at Reiko. "Sorry if this bores you. I just need to know what's going on in this world, beyond being a hero."

[The Traveler]

Reiko sighed. "I'm not bored, Daniel, I'm just tired just thinking of everything I've been doing the past month."

Tama grinned, mussing her hair. "Yeah she helped avert that asteroid... by the way."

"Yeah, needed a space suit from the trip home I was so out of juice."

Yomiko grinned. "Reminds me of some of my misadventures. "

"As for the Metahuman olympics, they are still coming up with events. It should happen once the events are concieved. Also to be held at a time where they don't interfere with the Summer or Winter Olympics."

Reiko looked under the table, pulling out the half-deflated ring she was using earlier at the pool and sets it on the table, and lays on it like a pillow. She was still staring at Daniel In a way she understood... she had met others who were prettier than reality.

Yomiko patted Reiko on her head. "Thanks for saving the world, by the way."

She stands near Tama when he walks by in the kitchen and whispers. "She should have recovered her energy by now."

"She isn't as... tough as most novas. She is still recovering from stress injuries. She gets tired pretty easily right now."

Yomiko nodded. "You should excuse her to bed once we have dinner."

She looked over the antiques as Tama prepared their meal in the kitchen. There was a open window between the kitchen and the shop.

"So, Daniel..." Yomiko says, sitting next to Reiko. "...I really think modeling suits you."

[Hotstreak]

He nodded. "It did in my last home. I was the youngest man to Win Sexiest man of the year, and Most Eligible bachelor" at one point." There was an old hurt there they couldn't help but miss.

"Still I imagine I can do some good here with that, maybe a movie or something."

he nodded. "Of course if there's a big fire somewhere, I can always help with that too."

[The Traveler]

"You know with your natural charisma, Daniel... you could be a great statesman." Tama said from the Kitchen. "Back in my college days, I double majored in Quantum Physics and Political Science."

He smiled, then looked at Reiko. "Reiko... I know you're resting your head but don't use your ring on the table..."

Reiko yawned and slipped her ring back under the table again.

"But yeah, I could put in some training once we start to help get you to be a good negotiator or diplomat."

Yomiko smiled. "Hmm... in a world like this there is always that option."

[Hotstreak]

"Perhaps, but I don't really want to influence people like that, not that level of responsibility."

He smiled. "Besides, it can be an unfair advantage, and I'd rather not have that spectre over any deals I broker. No, I'll do something frivolous, less I give reason for people to fear what metahumans can actually do."

[The Traveler]

Daniel's measured response pleased Tama, Yomiko as well. At least the explaination.

"Anyways, dinner is almost ready." Tama said, as Reiko perked up finally. "Cool. Been starving."

"I'm aware, you're still recovering from that little misadventure, so anything to speed up your restoration the better."

He sighed. Her injuries were bad, and she should have been dead, but she managed to recover, although the trauma is still a drain on her. "Once your done, you need to rest."

Reiko nodded, smiling at Daniel.

Yomiko found an old book, and sits it at the table and starts reading, using her powers to gently read the book.

"Ah! Found that book you loved reading as a child... She's not been opened since you last looked at it."

"Well, I didn't know Latin then, either."

It was an old alchemy book. Something that Yomiko found amusing in it's designs and patterns. "You know, Mom found a universe where Alchemy actually worked."

"Oh?"

"I... prefer it to just be the precursor of Chemistry, thank you..."

Tama smiled as he started serving the sushi, and soba. He also placed a generous slice of pork on each noodle bowl. Placing some extra for Reiko.

Yomiko smiled. "Thank you, Tama."

[Hotstreak]

Daniel took his portion and ate expertly with not a single wasted movement, and nodded. "This is excellent Tama-sensei, truly excellent."

he was a notably fast eater. "Alchemy, like from that Full Metal Alchemist Show? That would be kinda cool, and dangerous.."

[The Traveler]

Yomko adjusted her glasses. "Actually it caused a nuclear war... I and my Mom barely got out before the nukes dropped."

"Alchemy disrupts the fabric of how things work in the universe, and upsets the balance of resources, no matter how things are done."

"Take for instance the quest for turning lead into gold. That can disrupt whole swaths of the world economy."

She holds out her hand, and an origami frog forms out of a paper napkin. "This frog seems alive, yet that is just under the control of my quantum template. Take that away..."

The frog flops dead after she had it hop a couple times. "Alchemists looked to create life, and one faction on that planet succeeded and turned their golems into weapons. The other nations... overreacted."

She sighed. "Sorry for being a buzzkill."

[Hotstreak]

"The dangers of getting what you ask for." He nodded. "Quantum powers can be that way."

He looked to Reiko. "What about education for metahumans? Are there schools for them to learn proper control techniques, are they mandatory or elective?"

He smiled. "Sorry if the shop talk bores you."

[The Traveler]

Reiko smiled, showing the seal on her uniform. "Indeed. I'm part of the 'Special Studies Class' at the school we were at. Although you look like you should enroll either at Tokyo University's Extension program or enlist with the JMDF. Then again there are private teachers like Dad."

Tama nodded.

"Of course, I plan on joining the JMDF once I'm 18. Their Search and Rescue corps is what I will go for once I'm through basic."

She looked over to Yomiko. "Sorta jealous of sis though, she got her training from The Professor herself! That... is like learning physics from Einstein or tactics from Sun Tsu."

"I do have a question... why The Traveler instead of The Librarian, Yomiko?"

Yomiko adjusted her glasses and looked at her meal. "That... that is something I couldn't rectify... not with... what I did."

Reiko nodded. "I think i agree with everything Father and Daniel have said... Get over yourself."

Yomiko blinked from Reiko's blunt comment.

"Seriously. You did everything you could. Your avenues were closed off so seeing that just running away was as bad as anything, you did what you thought was a proper solution."

"So... get over youself. It was your choice."

"Odd coming from a superhero schoolgirl." Yomiko snapped.

Reiko sighed. "No choices are black and white, even here. You want to know how many heroes I had to leave on that asteroid before we sent it into the black? How many died of vacuum exposure?"

"I had to make that choice, Yomiko... Welcome to my club."

Yomiko looked down at her meal as Reiko got up. "You want my advice... stop crying. Stop saying sorry and let your actions show you're still the sis I knew."

Those words... they sounded like... her brother?

"You sound like my Brother."

"Kamina? Yeah... we're steady... I keep correspondence with Dad's Trans-D communicator."

Tama grinned as Yomiko shook her head. "Even here my family has reach." She says with a laugh.

[Hotstreak]

he chuckled. "That's good maybe I'll meet them sometime." He nodded. "This world is a chance for a fresh start, I say we make good of it, no better, no worse."

He looked to Chiko Sakurako and nodded. "What are your thoughts, ladies, on what's been said?"

[The Traveler]

Chiko quietly enjoyed her meal. It was rare she got a chance to enjoy sushi that wasn't from a restaurant.

Saukrako spoke up. "Actually, I am impressed by the four of you, in particular Hirogane-Sensei."

Tama bowed and smiled. "Of course you are, you visit at least twice a day... sometimes still in your wetsuit."

Sakurako giggled. "But I am glad that the first aliens I see are far more human than I realized."

Yomiko giggled. "Maybe we should have put on green makeup."

[Hotstreak]

Daniel chuckled. "You'd be amazed by what I could do." He finished off his plate and bowed politely. "Thank you for a great meal Tama, I'll return the favor with some of my Cajun cooking sometime."

Everyone there was Asian, yet Yomiko spoke with a European lilt and near accent, and he knew than when he stopped ennunciating, he spoke with a Cajun accent, or when he got angry.

[The Traveler]

Yomiko adjusted her comlink. "Oh... this isn't fair... I had my universal translator still running... Sorry Chiko and Sakurako."

"That's fine, I speak fluent english." Sakurako said with a slight Minnesotan accent assigned by the translator.

"I understand it well enough." Chiko said with her translator assigned southern accent.

Yomiko smiled. "I should leave this functioning then. I forget how this provides quite a advantage."

Reiko nodded and stood up, grabbing her ring from under the table. "Goodnight everyone, I'm heading to bed early."

Yomiko nodded.

[Hotstreak]

Daniel nodded. "Good night, Reiko, I had a good time today, thanks for that. I won't forget it."

He smiled. it was getting late, and they did need to get going too really, there was still much to do.

[The Traveler]

Sakurako and Chiko nodded and excused themselves.

Yomiko waved to the leaving students before turning to Daniel. "We should start back for the hotel. Get unpacked and everything."

She smiled, stroking the side of his chin. after getting up. "We're in no hurry though, the humidity broke outside at least..."

In fact it had started raining. "Oh bloody..." She rummaged through her bag but was thankful her poncho was in there. She hands it to Daniel. "No worries here, my suit is waterproof."

She smiled, and bowed to Tama. "Thank you for the meal."

Once they stepped out she pulled up the cowl on her suit and covered her head with it, and made sure Daniel was well situated. They took the walk slow. It wasn't storming, but the broken humidity brought the rain to a monsoon-like crecendo. But Yomiko took it slow.

"Daniel... thanks for understanding."

[Hotstreak]

He smiled taking her hand in his as they walked. "Always, Yomiko, Always." He kissed her lightly and continued to walk back to their temporary home.

[The Traveler]

Once they got to the Hotel, there was a ring on Yomiko's communicator.

"Glasses, this is Rebecca... I'm having a hell of a time with the JMDF here, so I'm hanging around with the Lieutenant. Don't expect me till morning."

"Well... Rebecca has already settled in..."

Tetsuko sent a message soon after. "I've discovered a new entertainment form called... Kara--ohkee? I will share it when possible. I will be returning later tonight... possibly in the morning."

"Oh my... and the android discovered Karaoke..."

She smiled as the doorman walks up to the pair with a clear plastic umbrella. "Welcome back, Miss Hino and company..." He holds the umbrella over their heads as they walk into the lobby. Once they get back to the penthouse, Yomiko takes a seat, looking over the newset suit for her collection.

"I like the level of technology here... it's like the tech of that last universe... but without the baggage behind it."

Smiling she looked at herself in the mirror. "So, focus on enjoying things for a few days?"

[Hotstreak]

"Yes, then, I'll find a high paying job, and get us someplace of our own.:" In the suite now, he took her in her arms and kissed her full on the mouth, with surprising intensity.

"I've wanted to do that all day."

"Now, let's get you out of that wetsuit, and try out the rather large bathroom this suite has."

[The Traveler]

Yomiko grinned taking the time to savor the passionate and earnest kiss that he recieved. It almost moved her to tears. Once she felt it was a good moment to break the embrace, she adjusted a switch on her wrist, causing the suit to become quite baggy and she pulls back the cowl of her suit. "Easy enough. Sounds like a plan..."

She takes her suit off, wearing just a black anti-chaff undersuit that looked like that under-armor stuff the Jocks would wear.

"I... personally would love taking this slow... I think a shower would be lovely. I think I still got some of that pool in my hair... and it's been a hot day."

She embraces Daniel again, hey youthful eyes just were the most beautiful distraction for anyone. Of course even as striking as Daniel was, Yomiko was no slouch. Eventually though a thought crossed her mind.

"Why do I think we're forgetting something, Daniel?"

[Hotstreak]

"I don't know, you're the smart one here. Your memory is better than mine." He kissed her nose lightly. "I'll go get things warmed up, while you try to think of it."

He smiled, and broke the embrace leaving her to both ponder what she could be forgetting, as well as what he had planned for them.

[The Traveler]

Yomiko scratched her head, realizing that that feeling was more on the dizzying day she had.

"It's nothing, Daniel. It's just been a interesting day."

It hung in the back of her mind though, wondering what her mother meant.

"So... first impressions of Universe 343?"

[Hotstreak]

"Not too bad, considered. I like the people her emuch more than the last." He called from the bathroom as he got things going in there. "I have the pleasure of your company, so I'm happy."

"Just promise that once we get our jobs, we still stay that way. I understand we may be apart at times for work. But you and I, well we'll still live under the same roof."

[The Traveler]

Yomiko smiled. "Don't worry... our efforts will ensure we stay together. No matter the time we spend apart."

She eased out of her clothes, and wrapped a towel around her waist, it was a rather long towel, enough to cover everything for modesty. Yomiko's fully grown body was not intimidating, but it looked every part of her was as beautiful as the mind it carried.

"I've spent too much time in my ivory tower, Daniel... thanks for bringing it down. I couldn't on my own."

[Hotstreak]

"You came to my world. I just got lucky and was where you landed." He was in the bathroom, undressing, and smiled as she came in. "I love how you're still so modest, even now."

There wasn't a shower, but a large bathtub, essentially a comfortable two person hot tub, and he smiled. "Go ahead, I'll be there in a moment."

[The Traveler]

"It is more out of manners than anything, Daniel... " She said with a smile.

Seeing the hottub for the first time she eases herself in, masterfully discarding her towel without revealing anything, and submerging to her chin. She closed her eyes and let the heat work into her body.

"To be honest, Daniel... we... we should enjoy a hot spring at some point."

"But tonight..." she sighed. "...this is what the Doctor ordered."

[Hotstreak]

he nodded. "We will, this is Japan after all." he stripped, not bothering to preserve his modesty, letting her get an eyeful, even as he slid into the tub across from her, right in front of a jet.

He looked at her. "Ease those weary bones, and let the warmth take you away."

[The Traveler]

She closed her eyes, then remembered.

"Remember when... I said there are superheroes here... well... there is always two sides to every coin."

She opened her eyes, still calm for she knew here... with Daniel... they may be the two most powerful superhumans on the planet. "There are quite a few temptations, and not just my flesh. Thing is right now, outside of Tama and his late wife, We here are the most powerful. And that can attract flies once we start stirring the pot. That and with Rebecca ans Tetsuko... oh dear Tetsuko... she's an android I can name off the top of my head 4 or 5 mad scientists around the world that would love to dismantle her."

She sighs, relaxing again. "At some point... we may have to stand up for ourselves."

She caresses Daniel. "But, tonight... that is all us."

[Hotstreak]

He nodded. "If that time comes I will show you the full extent of what I can do. until then though We live together in this world, protecting each other, and the people of this world." he teased her thigh with his foot as he sat across from her.

"Tonight, and tomorrow, at least."

[The Traveler]

She nuzzled Daniel. "Then I'll have no regrets. Not when I'm with you."

She stroked his face, knowing that this would be the first day of something extraordinary.

The next day came around, it was morning, overcast. It was cooler than the day before, and scattered showers would be the order of the day. Yomiko didn't mind it, putting on most of the business outfit she wore yesterday before her splurge on the bodysuit.

"So... first day of our vacation..."

She opens the shades to try to let some light in without turning the lights on. Of course with the wide bay windows of the penthouse suite combined with ceiling windows, there was plenty of overcast lighting.

"...Since we won't be starting our lives here just yet we got a couple days. What is the routine for today?"

[Hotstreak]

Daniel looked at her from his chair, where he was reading the paper. "I don't know, we've not too much money, so I figured we could stay inside, watch some TV, use the computers we've been provided, and learn all we can, to see where we may best be applied."

He smiled. "Of course, I plan to spend a considerable amount of time with you at my side, in my lap, and in my arms."

"We can go to Tama's later perhaps as well."

[The Traveler]

Yomiko smiled. Looking over the city of Tokyo. "The Tokyo I'm from was... leveled a bit from the Hive war. It's not like how it is here... more like some sort of post-apocylypse city."

"Here though... no Teragen, no Utopia... no conspiracies... My world came together at it's end, then was given a second chance. The damage was done but someday..."

She sat in her chair. "It's not my world... I was raised there, yes. But I was born on this ship and unlike my siblings... something about the Hikari Maru calls me."

She leaned back, turning the office chair she sat in. "Did you know I almost died at birth, before I took charge? The umbilical wrapped around my neck and if no one knew... I would have either been choked to death or had my neck break during the birth process. It took that connection between myself and my mother to save the day."

"Thing is of all the children, I... I think Mom knew I would be the one that left."

She smiled. "I just heard from Phoenix Universe... The Taint and Aberration therapies that my Mother worked on were a success... I heard while I was in the bedroom getting dressed." She pointed to her earbud com-link.

"Yeah, even when I am here I hear news form other universes. the Stonehenge gate here is active."

She hopped up. "I know! We want to know more about this universe right?"

[Hotstreak]

"Yes, we do. And as for the cures, I think that for the most part it's not our strengths which define us, but our weaknesses.."

He looked at her. "I'd say you're lucky then, that such a connection existed, as I am. Since you are here, with me."